#fencer could say that. as a treat

[ballcrusher74]

EHHEHEEEMMEMAHEHEHEAHEHAMEHE. OOUUHOU THESE ARE SO SO SGOOD YUES UYES THANK YOU THANK YOUT VERY MUCH !!!!!!!!! THESE ARE SO FUCKING FIRE I LOVE YOUR STYLE BRO. YAAUAYUAYAYAYA

⚔️@ballcrusher74 ♦ Fencer & Faux

🧸@shynighter Sinny

🍓@il0vecatsuwu Michael

Hey guys I drew your sillies.

Expect me to do something like this again, or repost, because I'm not done with you Fauxerz.

[emjayewrites]

hey there, delilah • jude bellingham (6/8)

SYNOPSIS: Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham has had a big crush on Delilah "Lila" Hamilton, the younger sister of Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, for a while. As their budding romance unfolds, will they be able to navigate the pressures of fame and family dynamics?

PAIRINGS: Jude Bellingham x Delilah "Lila" Hamilton (face claim Rayan Xasan)

WARNINGS: cursing, f1/football b.s., overly protective siblings, eventual smut (18+/minors dni)

TAGLIST: @dreamingjude @foreverisntenough @nichmeddar @hopefulromantic1 @lettersofgold @judesbabymamas @perfecttrashface @alika-4466 @cocobutterqwueen @leilaxaliel @ispywithmylileye @vile-harlot @bellinghaalands @certifiedlesbianbaddie @yeea-nah @empressdede @saturnville @pinkcatcus @shepgurl @neewrites @trentswrld @taytropicana

A/N: Please note that this is a work of fiction and some things may not sound "exactly correct" but bear with me to make this work. Also, this chapter is rather long! Let me know if you like to be removed/added to the taglist.

P.S.: I decided to make the series longer - 2 more chapters until the end!

lilahamilton • posted on their story 12 hours ago

story comments:

judebellingham: 🫶🏽

lewishamilton: 💕💕

fencer: lil sis!!! 💕💕

foreverjudebellingham: luv u lila!

tolami_benson: miss u babes!

jadevanderwall: baddie gurl!!

The Barcelona sun beat down on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as Lila and Lewis made their way into the paddock. The familiar buzz of pre-qualifying excitement filled the air, mingling with the scent of high-octane fuel and anticipation.

Lila was dressed in a chic yet practical outfit - a cropped Mercedes team shirt paired with high-waisted jeans and comfortable sneakers. Her VIP pass hung around her neck, a familiar weight after years of attending races.

As they entered, Lewis was immediately swarmed by fans and media. He was sporting an all-white Zegna outfit - a v-neck short-sleeve shirt and pants that somehow managed to look both casual and runway-ready. The cameras were in a frenzy, capturing every angle of the racing superstar.

Lila's phone buzzed with a message from Jude: "Tell your brother to save some style for the rest of us mere mortals. Oh, and good luck! P.S. Missing you loads. Maybe I should score a hat-trick to impress you?"

She chuckled, typing back a quick response as she made her way to the Mercedes garage. There, she found Bono, Lewis's race engineer, hunched over a computer screen.

"So, how's it looking?" she asked, peering over his shoulder at the sea of numbers and graphs.

Bono glanced up, a wry smile on his face. "About as good as your understanding of telemetry data, I'd reckon."

Lila laughed, appreciating the familiar banter. "That good, huh?"

Lewis finally entered the garage, running a hand through his hair. "God, it's a zoo out there," he said, but his smile betrayed his enjoyment of the attention.

"Speaking of attention," Lila began, a teasing lilt to her voice, "Jude says hello and good luck."

Lewis's expression softened slightly at the mention of Jude. "Yeah? Tell him thanks. And... tell him to keep treating my baby sister right."

Lila rolled her eyes affectionately. "Ease up. He's doing just fine."

Lewis nodded, a mix of protective instinct and grudging acceptance in his eyes. "I know, I know. He's... he's not bad, that Bellingham kid."

"High praise indeed," Lila teased, nudging her brother's arm.

Lewis chuckled, then his expression turned more serious. "Alright, enough about your love life. We've got a qualifying session to dominate. You sticking around for the whole thing?"

Lila nodded enthusiastically. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Someone's got to be here to remind you not to get too cocky when you inevitably take pole."

"You're a mess," Lewis retorted with a grin. He turned to Bono, ready to dive into the pre-qualifying briefing.

As the garage buzzed with pre-session activity, Lila found a spot where she could observe without being in the way. She watched as Lewis transformed from her playful big brother into the focused, determined racer the world knew. It was a transformation she'd seen countless times, but it never failed to impress her.

The atmosphere in the garage shifted as the team prepared for the first qualifying session. Mechanics made last-minute adjustments to the car, while engineers pored over data screens. Lewis was in deep conversation with Bono, discussing strategy and track conditions.

Lila's attention was drawn to the screens showing the live feed from the pit lane. Other teams were beginning to roll out their cars, the competitive energy palpable even through the monitors. She felt a familiar thrill of excitement, the kind that only came from being at the heart of a Formula 1 race weekend.

As Lewis prepared to get into the car, he caught Lila's eye and gave her a quick wink. It was their pre-race ritual, a small gesture that said more than words ever could. Lila returned it with a thumbs up, silently wishing him luck.

"Lewis, you're clear for your out lap," Bono's voice crackled over the radio.

Lila held her breath as Lewis's car roared past, the familiar number 44 a blur of silver and teal. She couldn't help but smile as she heard the crowd cheer.

Between watching her brother's laps and listening to the team's radio chatter, Lila's attention was caught by an unfamiliar figure near the pit lane. A Black woman, nicely dressed and seemingly at ease in the chaotic environment, stood observing the proceedings.

Curious, Lila leaned towards Rosa, Lewis's communications personnel. "Hey, who's that woman over there? I don't think I've seen her before."

Rosa glanced in the direction Lila indicated, then quickly looked away. "Oh, um, you might want to ask your brother about that," she said, her tone careful.

Lila's eyebrows rose in surprise. This woman didn't seem like Lewis's usual type of fling. She carried herself with confidence and poise, appearing completely unfazed by the high-stakes environment.

As Lila pondered who this mystery woman could be, Lewis's voice came over the radio, "Box this lap, guys. Let's see where we stand."

The qualifying session progressed intensely, with Lewis pushing his car to the limit. Lila watched, her heart racing with every lap, as her brother fought for position on the starting grid.

"P3, Lewis. Good job," Bono's voice crackled over the radio as the final seconds of Q3 ticked away.

Lila let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. P3 wasn't pole, but it was a solid position for tomorrow's race. As Lewis brought the car back to the pits, she made her way towards the garage, eager to congratulate him.

The garage erupted in a flurry of activity as the car rolled in. Lewis climbed out, his face a mixture of satisfaction and determination. He pulled off his helmet, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"Nice work out there," Lila said, approaching him with a smile.

Lewis nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Thanks, Li. We've got a good chance tomorrow."

Lila hesitated, then decided to broach the subject. "Hey, I saw this woman earlier. Near the pit lane. Never seen her before. She seemed... different."

Lewis's expression remained neutral, but Lila caught a flicker of something in his eyes. "Oh?" he said, his tone carefully casual as he walked out of the garage.

"Yeah," Lila pressed, following close behind him. "Is she... you know, a new fling or something?"

Lewis gave her a half-smirk, his response deliberately vague. "Not everything's about that, Li."

Lila narrowed her eyes, recognizing her brother's tell-tale signs of holding back. "Come on, Lewis. I know when you're not telling me everything."

Before Lewis could answer, Rosa approached. "Lewis, you've got media duties in twenty minutes. Might want to grab a quick shower first."

Lewis nodded, looking almost relieved at the interruption. "Right, thanks, Rosa." He turned back to Lila. "We'll talk later, yeah? I've got to get ready."

Lila wasn't ready to let it go. "Lewis, seriously. What's going on?"

Lewis shook his head, a mix of exasperation and amusement on his face. "It's not what you think, Li. Look, we'll talk later, I promise. I really need to get ready now."

With that, he headed inside his driver's room, closing the door behind him and leaving Lila standing there, curiosity unsatisfied.

Motherfucker.

As she made her way back to the garage, Lila's phone buzzed with another message from Jude. She smiled, momentarily distracted from the mystery of the unknown woman. Whatever was going on with Lewis, she'd find out eventually. For now, she had a boyfriend to catch up with.

_______________________________________________

Sometime later, Lila was seated at a desk in her hotel room, phone propped up in front of her as she FaceTimed Jude. Her face scrunched up in mild frustration as she recounted the earlier scene in the pit lane. "I'm telling you, there was this random woman just standing there, watching everything, and when I asked Lewis about it, he got all weird. Like, weird, Jude. He still hasn’t explained anything."

Jude, however, seemed less than captivated by Lila’s hyper-focus. He was laid back on his couch, his signature calm demeanor unbothered by her theorizing. "Babes, if Lew’s fucking someone new, that’s his business, not yours."

Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Excuse me? Lewis was all up in our business when we first started dating. You know he gave you the third degree!"

Jude raised a hand in mock surrender, grinning. "Touché. But leave that man alone, Li. Maybe he’s trying to settle down, huh? Don’t you want nieces and nephews?"

Lila let out a sardonic laugh. "Nieces and nephews? Jude, he’s never settling down. At least not until he retires, and we both know that."

Jude shrugged, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "A man’s got needs."

Lila shot him a teasing look, eyebrow raised. "Oh, do they now? You sound like you’re speaking from personal experience, Judey Bear."

Jude laughed, his deep voice resonating through the phone. "That wasn’t what you were saying a few days ago when I had my head between your legs… What was it again? 'Ooh Jude, baby, yes, mmhmm Daddy'…"

Lila’s jaw dropped. "I did not call you Daddy! I would never call a man besides my actual father 'Daddy,'" she retorted, her voice laced with indignation.

Jude raised an eyebrow, giving her that look—the look that silently called her out on her bullshit. Lila rolled her eyes and laughed, putting the finishing touches on her makeup as they continued to chat. She had dinner plans with her brother and was using the conversation to distract herself from the lingering curiosity about the mysterious woman.

"Alright, how do I look?" Lila asked, angling her phone so Jude could see her in full view—her outfit a mix of casual chic, perfect for dinner but not overly dressed up.

Jude smiled appreciatively. "Beautiful, as always. Just remember, it’s your brother you’re having dinner with. Don’t need to look too good."

Lila laughed, blowing him a kiss through the screen before they said their goodbyes. With a final check in the mirror, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door, making her way to Lewis’s suite.

Once she reached Lewis’s room, she fished out the spare keycard he’d given her and let herself in. "Lew?" she called, her voice light as she glanced around. "We’re gonna be late if you don’t hurry up!"

Hearing nothing in response, Lila ventured further into the suite, her steps slowing as she reached the bedroom door. The faint sounds of movement and groans inside made her pause. "Lewis?" she called again, a bit louder this time. But as she pushed open the door, her breath caught in her throat.

There, in the low light of the room, was her brother, his tattooed bare-back sweaty as hell and clearly in the middle of… activities. The comforter covered most of their lower halves, but there was no mistaking what she had just walked into.

"Oh my fucking God! I’m gonna be scarred for life!" Lila yelped, quickly turning her back and covering her eyes.

"What the fuck, Li?" Lewis’s voice rang out, filled with shock as he quickly scrambled to cover himself. Moments later, Lila heard him getting up and fumbling for clothes. "Why didn’t you knock?" he demanded.

"I dunno, why didn’t you?!" Lila shot back, eyes still closed as she stood rigid in the hallway. "Remind me again how you barged into my flat unannounced?" she countered, opening her eyes to head back to the living room. She folded her arms as she heard Lewis’ footsteps approaching.

"That’s different," Lewis muttered, clearly flustered as he appeared in the living room, now dressed in a pair of sweatpants. He ran a hand through his braids, sighing. "Fuck, Li, I’m sorry you had to see that."

"Trust me, I’m sorry too," Lila quipped, still half in shock. "You’re paying for my therapy after this." Lewis couldn’t help the small smile that crept up his lips. "You’re laughing at my trauma," she accused.

"Li, trust me, I’ve caught Mumma Linda and Dad a few times. Look how I turned out."

"Oh my God, EW!" Lila shrieked, horrified, as she dramatically covered her ears. Just then, the woman—the woman—poked her head out from the hallway, a playful smirk on her face.

"Is it safe to come out yet?" she asked, making Lewis chuckle.

"Yeah, it’s safe," he said, giving the woman a small smile.

Lila squinted, eyeing the woman closely. "Wait… You were the woman at the pit lane today."

"Guilty," the woman, who was now dressed in one of Lewis' dress shirts, replied casually as she leaned against a couch with a confident ease. "I’m Amara, by the way."

Lila’s gaze flickered between her brother and Amara. "Amara who?" she asked, sensing there was more to this story.

Lewis sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Amara who’s… my friend, Li," he said, the word ‘friend’ sounding far too casual considering the circumstances.

Lila gave him a pointed look, folding her arms. "Be so fucking for real, Lewis. I just walked in on you two having sex. At least try to be honest."

Lewis’s eyebrows shot up in mild surprise at her bluntness. "Okay, fine. Amara and I have been seeing each other for a bit, since earlier this year. I asked her to come to the race weekend… and you know, to meet you."

"To meet me?" Lila echoed, her skepticism obvious.

"Yeah. That was supposed to be the plan at dinner," Amara chimed in, a sheepish smile on her face. "We kind of got… carried away."

Lila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I noticed."

Lewis chuckled softly. "Look, I was gonna tell you about all this… at dinner. Just didn’t expect you to walk in on us before I could explain."

Lila sighed, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement bubble up inside her. "Alright, fine. But I’m never letting you live this down."

"Fair enough," Lewis replied, grinning.

Lila looked between Lewis and Amara. "Well, what do we do now?" she asked with a slight edge in her voice. "By the time you two finish showering and getting ready, we’ll have missed the reservation."

Lewis offered her an apologetic smile. "Yeah… sorry, Peanut. I know you were looking forward to the restaurant," he said.

Lila gave him a bratty pout, feeling a genuine pang of disappointment. It wasn’t easy finding places that catered to both their picky diets—good vegan options for Lewis, non-vegan but still gourmet for her. Tonight's spot had checked all the boxes for once, and now it seemed like it wasn’t happening.

"Peanut?" Amara suddenly interjected, her face lighting up in a mix of surprise and amusement. "That's cute."

Lila immediately narrowed her eyes, her stance shifting slightly. "Just so we’re clear—you’re not allowed to call me that."

Amara raised her hands in mock surrender, the smile not leaving her face. "Okay, okay. Duly noted."

Lila straightened her shoulders, assessing Amara again. "You look familiar, though… beyond today, I mean. You do modeling?"

Amara nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Lila's lips pressed into a thin line. "Of course you do. One thing about Lewis is that he never strays too far from his habits."

"Not too much, okay?" Lewis cut in, giving his sister a light warning look. "Don't make me sound like an asshole."

Lila smirked. "Too hard not to," she scoffed, then paused as a lightbulb went off in her head. "Wait a minute… didn’t you model for SKIMS?"

Amara laughed softly. "A little while back, yeah."

"I knew you looked familiar." Lila's eyes sparkled with a mix of recognition and mischief. "You did that campaign with—"

"Jude," Amara finished, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, I did."

Lila’s pursed smile became slightly more forced, and her eyes sharpened. "Wow, Lewis. Our circle is so small."

Lewis chuckled, though he sensed the subtle tension creeping into the room. "Sure is."

"Jude’s very nice," Amara added casually, her tone light.

Lila shot her a glare that could slice through ice. Nice? She may have been one of many models in that campaign, but in Lila’s world, Amara still had to pass the 'sister test' before they could move to pleasantries about her boyfriend.

"Listen," Lewis said, sensing the tension thickening. He turned toward his sister, trying to keep the mood light. "I’ll order us something to make up for the missed reservation." Lila’s eyes flickered between him and Amara, and she let out a long sigh, her voice dripping with stubbornness. "Be nice, Peanut," Lewis warned gently as he locked eyes with her.

"Or else what?" Lila shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"No new car…" Lewis said simply, giving her a knowing smile before disappearing back into the bedroom.

Lila rolled her eyes, flopping into an armchair as Amara sat on the couch across from her, keeping a respectable distance but well within the line of fire. Lila studied her, taking in her posture, her attitude—so far, Amara seemed cool, confident, and unfazed. Not backing down, but not arrogant either. It was a trait Lila could admire… not that she’d ever admit it.

"So," Lila began, her voice measured but still carrying that hint of protective sister energy. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight," Amara replied, her tone steady, unbothered.

Lila raised an eyebrow. "Of course you are," she muttered, almost to herself. "My brother always did like pretty young things."

Amara heard it, of course, but she remained calm, her expression unreadable as she countered, "And what’s so bad about that?"

Lila gave a small smirk, leaning back in the chair. "Nothing bad, just… predictable."

Amara raised an eyebrow, challenging her subtly. "Maybe predictability’s not such a bad thing."

Lila wasn’t used to being challenged so directly by her brother’s… whatever Amara was. She narrowed her eyes. "So, what are your intentions with my brother?"

Amara held her gaze, not flinching. "Honestly? I like him. We’re having fun, seeing where things go. We respect each other’s boundaries."

Lila's mouth twitched in amusement. "Boundaries, huh? I’ve heard that before."

Just then, Lewis reappeared from the bedroom, having changed into a fresh T-shirt and joggers. "Alright, I ordered dinner. It’ll be here soon."

Amara stood up, brushing a hand over her clothes. "I should probably shower and get properly dressed," she said, shifting her gaze between Lewis and Lila. She paused for a moment, then added with a wry smile, "It was nice to finally meet you, Delilah."

Lila gave a curt nod, her expression cool but not hostile. "Likewise, I guess."

Once Amara disappeared into the bathroom, Lila turned her attention back to Lewis. "So," she started, her arms crossed again, "what exactly is this little… thing with Amara?"

Lewis sighed, sitting down across from her. "We’re having fun, Li. I don’t know, we’re seeing where it leads."

Lila gave him a pointed look. "And here I thought you weren’t getting serious with anyone until you retired."

Lewis shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "Yeah, I thought so too. But… Amara’s cool. She gets it. She respects my boundaries, and I respect hers."

Lila raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "So, you like her?"

Lewis smiled faintly. "Yeah, I do. She’s different. Keeps me on my toes."

Lila sighed, leaning forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Well, I guess we’ll see how this pans out."

Lewis chuckled softly. "Yeah, we will."

lilahamilton and 3 others - Barcelona

liked by lewishamilton, judebellingham, and others

lilahamilton: nothing beats race weekend in spain 🏎️ 🇪🇸 tagged: puma, dissh, and visitspain

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judebellingham: 🥰🥰🥰🥰

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⤷lilahamilton: babes 🥰

lewishamilton: ♥️♥️♥️

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nicolashamilton: let’s get this win next time 💪🏾

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nicolescherzinger: baby boo 🥰

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⤷lilahamilton: nicolescherzinger boo bear 🐻

jobebellingham: lilahamilton i see u big sis 🫶🏽

⤷lilahamilton: jobebellingham jobey! 🫶🏾

Jude laid back on the lounge chair, his arms tucked behind his head as he gazed out at the horizon from the Weimarer Resort, enjoying the family day before the upcoming match against Slovakia. A week had passed since Lila's visit to Barcelona for Lewis's race, and the drama with his mysterious new fling, Amara. Honestly, Jude didn't care. As far as he was concerned, Lewis could do whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted—as long as it meant staying off his and Lila's backs for a while. It was also his 21st birthday today, and while he didn't feel drastically different, there was a sense of milestone about the day.

He glanced over at Lila, who was sprawled out next to him on her own chair, scrolling through her phone. "You still thinking about Lewis?" Jude asked lazily, his eyes half-closed.

Lila snorted softly, not looking up from her phone. "Barely. Still a bit salty that he couldn't even be honest with me from the start. But whatever, that's his problem now."

"Good," Jude said with a smirk. "Means he won't be in our business for a while. Let him be preoccupied with Amara, so I can get preoccupied with my girlfriend."

Lila rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "You're ridiculous."

"Maybe," Jude grinned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Come on, we should meet up with Trent before heading into Erfurt."

They spent some time with Trent, sharing laughs and inside jokes. Trent couldn't resist teasing Jude about his lovesick behavior. "Man, you're proper gone for her, aren't you?" he laughed, nudging Jude.

Jude just shrugged, a smile playing on his lips. "Can you blame me?"

"Nope, anyways happy birthday, mate," Trent said as he pulled Jude into a hug.

"Thanks, bro. We're celebrating proper when I get back!" Jude told him.

As they were leaving, Lila insisted on driving to Erfurt for dinner with Jude's family. "I'll drive," she said, twirling the car keys around her finger.

Jude shook his head, grinning as he followed her. "Of course you will. It's not like I could if I wanted to."

"Still can't believe you don't know how to drive," Lila teased as they made their way to the car.

Jude shrugged casually. "What can I say? I've got people for that."

"Yeah, well, in this case, I'm your people," Lila quipped as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"And you can barely reach the pedals, short stuff," Jude teased as he settled into the passenger seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him. "I feel like you need a booster seat, darling."

Lila shot him a mock glare, starting the engine. "Keep talking, Bellingham, and I'll leave you at the curb."

Jude feigned hurt, pouting petulantly. "Even on my birthday?"

"Yep," she countered, popping the 'p'.

The drive to Erfurt was filled with their usual banter and laughter. As they neared the restaurant, Jude could sense Lila's nervousness. "You'll be fine," he reassured her. "Mum's been looking forward to this since the Champions League game."

"Really?" Lila asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah," Jude nodded. "After that match, she's been itching to see you again. Dunno why you're worried."

Arriving at the restaurant, Jude's family greeted them warmly. Denise hugged Jude tightly. "Happy birthday, love," she said, before enveloping Lila in a warm hug. "Lila! It's so good to see you again, love," she exclaimed warmly.

The table was set with a small pile of wrapped gifts at Jude's place. As they ate, Jude opened his presents - a new watch from his parents, designer sunglasses from Jobe, and a few other thoughtful gifts from extended family. Lila handed him a small, elegantly wrapped box last.

"It's not much," she said softly, "but I hope you like it."

Inside was a sleek, personalized leather wallet. Jude's initials were embossed on one corner, and when he opened it, he found a small photo of the two of them tucked into one of the pockets.

"Li, this is perfect," he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Throughout dinner, the conversation was peppered with birthday wishes and reminiscences of Jude's childhood and he couldn't help but notice the way his mum kept engaging Lila in conversation, her eyes twinkling with approval.

"Jude talks about you all the time," Denise said at one point, her smile making Lila feel more at ease. "It's so nice to finally have you here with us again."

Lila glanced at Jude, who looked slightly embarrassed but happy nonetheless. "He does?"

"Oh yeah," Denise laughed. "Non-stop. It's like I already know you."

As they were finishing their main course, Lila excused herself to the bathroom. Once she was out of earshot, Denise leaned over to Jude and whispered, "She's a keeper, love. Don't let this one go."

Jude felt his cheeks warm slightly. "I know, Mum. I don't plan to."

Mark chimed in, "She's got a good head on her shoulders. And she clearly cares about you."

"Plus, she can actually drive," Jobe quipped, earning a playful swat from Denise.

When Lila returned, the lights dimmed. A group of waiters appeared, carrying a large cake adorned with 21 candles. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday," and Jude felt his cheeks warm as he blew out the candles. As they dug into the cake, Jude couldn't help but reflect on the fact that he could now legally drink in America, though it held little significance given his ability to do so for years in Europe.

"So, how does it feel to be 21?" Mark asked, grinning at his eldest.

Jude shrugged, smiling. "Honestly? Not much different. But I'm grateful to be here with all of you."

Denise turned to Lila, "So, tell me more about this Versace campaign. It must be exciting."

Lila's eyes lit up. "It really is. I'm still pinching myself, to be honest. We're working on some designs that blend classic Versace with more sustainable practices and of course some inspiration from Petite Soeur."

"That's wonderful," Mark said. "It's important to use your platform for good."

"And individuality too," Denise added. "I'm glad they let you be you."

Jobe leaned in, curiosity piqued. "So, do you get to keep all the clothes?"

Everyone laughed, and Lila shook her head. "Not all of them, but I do get some perks."

Jude couldn't help but marvel at how well Lila fit in with his family. She was laughing at his dad's terrible jokes, discussing football tactics with Jobe, and sharing fashion tips with his mum. He grinned, squeezing Lila's hand under the table. He had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. As he looked around the table, seeing Lila laughing with his family, Jude felt a warmth spread through his chest. For the first time in a while, he felt like everything was falling into place.

"Enjoying your birthday?" Lila asked, catching his expression.

"I am," Jude replied softly. "This is nice, isn't it?"

Lila's smile widened. "It really is. Your family is wonderful."

As they left the restaurant, Jude and Lila walked with his parents, continuing the easy conversation from inside. Denise looped her arm through Lila's, her voice warm as she spoke. "We should definitely do this again, love. Maybe next time dinner with everyone—your family too."

Jobe, ever the jokester, chimed in, grinning widely. "She's part of the family now, officially my sister! But let's be real, she's always been my sister."

Lila laughed, touched by the sentiment. "Aww, Jobe. You're sweet."

"Well, now Jude's gotta teach you Jamaican patois," Jobe added with a mischievous grin, earning a raised eyebrow from Lila.

Lila's eyes widened in amusement. "Wait a minute—Jude didn't tell me he spoke patois."

Denise wagged a finger at her eldest son. "You know I taught you better than that, Judey."

Lila's grin turned almost wicked. "Yeah, Judey. What's up with that?"

"Come off it, Li," Jude groaned, shaking his head. "I'll teach you. Don't worry, Mum. I'll get her in on some lessons."

Denise smiled approvingly before turning to Lila. "Did your father ever teach you any Grenadian creole?"

Lila shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. But we visit once a year, so I've picked up a few… bad phrases from my aunties and cousins."

Denise laughed. "Well, that's something at least. Maybe next time I can teach you how to make some rum cake."

Jude's face lit up instantly. "Ooh, Mum, please! Her rum cake is amazing."

"But we only have it on special occasions," Jobe added, then with a sly smile, "You and Jude should get married."

It was like a record-scratch moment—an awkward pause settling over the group.

Jude shot a wide-eyed look at his younger brother, "You're wildin', Jobe."

Mark pulled Jobe into a mock headlock, ruffling his hair. "I think you've had too many pints tonight, mate."

Denise cut in, giving her husband and younger son a warning look that instantly made them stop horsing around. "What Jobe meant to say," she clarified with a calm smile, "is that the cake is very special. It's a recipe mothers traditionally teach their daughters. Since I don't have any daughters of my own… I figure you're the closest I'll get to that."

Lila's eyes misted up at Denise's words. "Aw, Denise, I'd love that… wow, I was so scared of meeting you guys again. Thought I screwed up the first meeting a little bit."

"Why would you think that?" Denise asked, genuinely surprised.

Lila glanced at Jude, then back at Denise. "Well, the kiss at Wembley and—"

Denise waved it off, smiling kindly. "Oh honey, that little kiss didn't sway me. It takes more than a quick smooch for me to dislike someone."

"Well, that's a relief," Lila said, laughing softly.

Mark touched Denise's arm. "Honey, we should let the kids enjoy the rest of their night. And tuck Jobe in before he starts any more wild suggestions."

His father shot his mum a look, one that both Jude and Jobe knew all too well. The brothers pretended to gag, recognizing the familiar glances between their parents.

"Oh yuck, Dad…" Jobe muttered, while he walked over to Lila, wrapping her in a hug. "See you at the match, big sis." Jobe then dapped up Jude. "Bye, mutt," he quipped narrowly dodging a playful swing from his older brother before jogging off toward his parents’ car.

"Jobe! Not nice!" Denise called after him, shaking her head before turning to Lila and Jude. She gave them both warm hugs and kisses on the cheek. "Talk to you both later, okay?"

Mark followed suit, giving them both a hug before heading to the car. As Lila and Jude walked back to her car, Jude couldn't help but smirk at her. "You good after all that?" he asked, his hand resting on the small of her back.

"Yeah, that was… really nice," Lila replied softly, a smile playing on her lips.

They climbed into the car, Lila behind the wheel as usual, and she started the drive back to the resort. As the quiet night streets of Erfurt passed by, Jude leaned back in his seat, eyes on Lila as she focused on the road, a comfortable silence settled over them, broken only by the soft melodies of Snoh Aalegra filling the car. After a while, Jude ceased the quiet, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"So, about Jobe's joke about us getting married..."

Lila chuckled, keeping her eyes on the road. "He's quite the character, your brother."

"Yeah, he can be annoying sometimes," Jude admitted, "but I know you like him."

"I do," Lila nodded. "It's nice seeing you as a big brother. Makes me wish I wasn't the baby of the family."

"Really?" Jude asked, intrigued.

"Mhm. Nicolas is much more laid back than Lewis, and so are Nicola and Samantha. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to be the older sibling."

Jude laughed softly. "Trust me, it's not always fun." He paused for a moment, then added, "Speaking of family... what do you think your dad will make of me?"

Lila shrugged. "Honestly? I've never brought a guy home before. But I think he'll like you, based on your character. Dad's less emotional than Lewis, more analytical."

"How so?" Jude pressed, curious.

"Well," Lila began, "he was a bit hard on Lewis and Nic as they grew up. But he's gotten better. Having a daughter kind of softened him, I think." She glanced at Jude. "What about your dad? Is he hard on you?"

Jude shook his head. "Nah, not really. I mean, you saw him tonight. He's pretty affectionate. He wanted us to do things for ourselves, not because he played semi-pro."

"That must have been interesting, growing up with a dad who played semi-professionally."

"It was," Jude agreed. "The only difficult part was... well, he was raising black sons in a crazy world, but he did his best, learned a lot along the way."

Lila nodded, understanding in her eyes. "That couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," Jude said softly. "But it made us who we are, you know?"

Jude’s words hung in the air between them as they arrived back at the Weimarer Resort, their conversation slowly fading into silence. They strolled through the hallways, the soft hum of the resort’s ambiance filling the space. Jude reached for his room key, opened the door, and let Lila walk in ahead of him before closing it behind them.

Before he could say anything, Lila practically pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his in a heated kiss. Jude let out a low groan, caught off guard but certainly not protesting as he instinctively pulled her closer. Her sudden boldness made his pulse race.

"Lila," he murmured between kisses, his lips tingling from the intensity of her embrace.

She grinned wickedly, pushing him back toward the bed. "Lie down," she commanded, her voice husky, her eyes dark with desire.

Jude raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. "Yes, ma’am," he replied playfully, easing himself down onto the bed.

Lila climbed on top of him, her legs straddling his hips, and leaned down to kiss him again. Their mouths moved together in a rhythm that felt almost too natural, too easy. Jude’s hands roamed her body, tracing the curves of her waist, her thighs, making him ache with want. He could feel himself growing harder with every kiss, his body responding to the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingertips.

Lila’s kisses moved from his lips down to his neck, her teeth grazing against his skin as she pressed soft, sensual kisses there. Jude moaned, his head falling back as her lips sent waves of pleasure through him. His hands found her hips, pulling her closer as the heat between them grew.

Suddenly, Lila pulled back, her bold demeanor faltering as a shy smile crept onto her face. The contrast between her initial assertiveness and her sudden hesitation didn’t go unnoticed by Jude.

"What’s wrong, Lila Bila?" Jude asked, his voice soft as he caressed her hips, trying to reassure her.

"I want us to do it tonight," she said, her voice tentative, almost uncertain. "Make love…"

Jude’s eyes widened at her words. "Oh…"

"Yeah…" Lila bit her lip nervously, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. "Do you want to?"

Jude studied her face for a moment, trying to read her expression. "Do you really want to do it, or do you think you have to because it’s my birthday?" he asked gently, his voice laced with concern.

Lila hesitated, her eyes dropping to the bed. "Both?" she said softly, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced. Letting out an exasperated breath, she looked at him with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability. "Don’t you want to? I mean, you can’t be satisfied with us only fooling around, can you?"

Jude kissed his teeth, almost dismissively. "We don’t 'fool around,' Lila," he said, making her blink in confusion. "Darling, that’s part of our intimacy, alright? We’re sharing something together, learning about each other."

"But how much can we learn?" Lila pressed, her brows furrowing. "Be honest with me, Jude. Are you completely satisfied with me?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation, his voice steady and sure.

"Even though we haven’t gone all the way yet?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yes, Delilah," Jude said, using her full name to emphasize his sincerity. "I’m not running around with blue balls, you know? If you’re talking about having a release, we get plenty of that. I’m fine with what we’re doing."

Lila leaned in closer, her hands resting on his chest. "Even with me being a virgin?"

"Yes, Lila. Even with you being a virgin," Jude reassured her, his hand gently cupping her chin. "There’s no rush, babes. Why do you think there is?"

"Because," she huffed, clearly frustrated, "you’re so experienced and I’m not. All of my friends have done it already…"

"That doesn’t mean anything," Jude said, shaking his head. "We’re focused on us, okay? And when the time is right, I promise I’ll dick you down accordingly," he teased, flashing a grin. "But not tonight, Lila. You’re obviously not ready." Lila’s pleading puppy dog eyes bore into him, but Jude wasn’t falling for it. "Puppy face won’t work on Daddy right now," he said, causing her to let out an audible gasp.

"Jude!" she exclaimed, her face scrunching up cutely in mock outrage.

"What?" Jude said between laughter. "You do call me 'Daddy,' Li. Stop being in denial about it; there’s nothing wrong with a little kink." He winked at her for added effect. Lila wrapped her hands around his neck playfully, feigning menace. "Ooh, and a little stroke and choke?" he teased. Jude growled playfully, pulling her closer. "Look at you, making your way through the freak guide in record time."

"Jude, I swear to God, I’ll—"

"What?" Jude interrupted, leaning up slightly as he removed her hands from his neck. His lips brushed against hers again, teasingly. "What’re you gonna do, babes? Tell me."

Before she could answer, Jude flipped them over, making Lila yelp in surprise before giggling. He hovered over her, capturing her lips in a searing kiss, his hands roaming over her body as he deepened the kiss.

"Tell Daddy what you’re gonna do," he whispered against her lips, his voice a low growl.

He trailed kisses down her neck, his lips brushing her skin as he moved lower, his hands working to unbutton her top. With her help, he quickly unhooked her bra and stared down at her breasts, his eyes darkening with desire.

"You’re so fucking hot, babes," he murmured, his tongue swirling around her nipple as he sucked gently, then harder, drawing a gasp from Lila. She arched her back, pressing herself further into his mouth, her hands tangling in his curls as the heat between them intensified. Jude’s free hand massaged her other breast, his thumb brushing over her other nipple as he lavished attention on her, taking his time to savor the moment.

"You taste so good," he muttered between kisses, his voice thick with desire. He moved to her other breast, repeating the same slow, sensual strokes of his tongue, sucking and tugging gently with his teeth, making Lila moan softly, her body responding to every movement of his lips.

Jude could feel the tension building between them, her soft gasps urging him on. His kisses began to trail lower, down her stomach, making her shiver with anticipation. As he reached the waistband of her pants, Jude looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mischievous glint. "You ready for more, Lila Bila?"

Lila could only nod, her breath hitching as he slid her pants and underwear down in one smooth motion, tossing them aside. Without hesitation, Jude lowered himself between her legs, his hands spreading her thighs apart as he pressed a soft kiss against her inner thigh. He took his time, teasing her with light touches before his mouth finally found her center.

Lila gasped, her fingers curling into the bedsheets as Jude’s tongue flicked over her clit, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through her. His movements were slow and deliberate, alternating between gentle licks and firmer strokes, knowing exactly how to work her body. Lila’s breathing became more ragged, her hips moving of their own accord as Jude’s tongue continued its torturous rhythm.

"Oh, Jude," she moaned, her voice breaking as he sucked her clit into his mouth, his fingers joining in, slipping inside her and curling upward, making her cry out in pleasure.

He could feel her body trembling beneath him, her moans growing louder, more urgent, but just as she was nearing the edge, Jude pulled back, leaving her panting and wanting more. He smirked at the needy look on her face, loving the way she looked so undone beneath him.

"Jude," she breathed out, half-exasperated, half-pleading.

"Patience, babes," Jude murmured against her lips, his voice low and teasing as he kissed her again, letting her taste herself on his mouth. The sensation made Lila shiver, her body melting into his as the kiss deepened, soft moans escaping her.

Jude pulled back slightly, his hand trailing down her body, fingers brushing over her stomach and making her squirm beneath him. "Stay right there," he whispered, giving her a quick wink as he got up from the bed.

Lila watched him, her breath shallow, heart racing. She had no idea what he was planning, but the anticipation made her body thrum with excitement. She propped herself up on her elbows as Jude made his way to the closet, rummaging through it for a few moments before returning with something in his hand.

Her eyes widened when she saw the sleek, discreet-looking vibrator. She had mentioned wanting to try one out once or twice, but she never expected Jude to actually go out and get it for them.

"Surprise," he said, grinning as he held it up."Thought you might like to have a little extra fun tonight."

Lila’s cheeks flushed, her body tingling at the thought. "You really got one?"

"Of course," Jude replied smoothly, climbing back onto the bed. "You said you were curious, right? Figured it’d be fun for us both to play with." He kissed her neck, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Now lie back, baby. Let me take care of you."

Lila swallowed hard, excitement and nerves coursing through her. She lay back down as he instructed, her breath coming quicker as Jude settled between her thighs, pressing a soft kiss just above her hipbone.

When his lips finally went back to her center, his tongue flicked against her in rapid strokes.

"Yes, baby," Lila gasped.

Then, just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he reached for the vibrator, turning it on with a low hum. Lila’s breath hitched, her body already hypersensitive from Jude’s attention.

He met her gaze, his eyes a darkened obsidian. "Ready, babes?"

Lila nodded, unable to form words.

Slowly, Jude pressed the vibrator against her, the sensation sending a shockwave of pleasure through her. She cried out, her hips bucking involuntarily as Jude continued to work her with both his mouth and the toy, the combination pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

"Fuck, Jude," she moaned, her hands moving to grip his hair as her entire body tightened. Jude didn’t let up, the vibrations and his tongue driving her wild until finally, the tension snapped, and she came hard, her body convulsing with the force of her release.

Jude stayed with her through it, drawing out every last wave of pleasure until she was panting, completely spent beneath him.

He pulled away slightly, turning off the vibrator and setting it aside before crawling back up to kiss her, his lips soft and tender against hers. Lila was still trembling, her body buzzing from the intensity of it all, but she kissed him back with all the energy she had left.

"That was…" Lila trailed off, her voice shaky as she caught her breath. "Incredible."

Jude smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Glad you liked it."

"I more than liked it," she said, laughing softly as she touched his face. "You’re dangerous with that mouth of yours."

Jude chuckled, giving her a quick kiss before pulling her into his arms, his body warm and solid against hers. "Well, it’s not over yet, babe," he whispered in her ear, his voice full of mischief.

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Jude grinned, kissing the side of her neck. "Your turn."

Before she could respond, he pulled back, his hands moving to guide her down his body. Lila caught on quickly, her heart racing with excitement as her hands moving to undo his pants as she shot him a daring grin. Jude’s heart raced as she pulled his boxers down as well, freeing his erection.

Jude let out a low groan as she wrapped her hand around him, her fingers working him with slow, deliberate strokes. His head fell back against the pillows, his eyes closing as he gave himself over to the sensation.

"I love touching you," Lila said, her voice soft. Then, without another word, she lowered her mouth onto him, taking him in slowly at first, her tongue swirling around the tip before she began to bob her head, taking him deeper with each movement.

"Fuck, Lila," he muttered, his hand finding its way into her hair, guiding her rhythm as she sucked him off. Her mouth was warm and wet, and she was getting better at this, her movements confident and sure as she took him in with more intensity.

Every stroke of her tongue, every flick over the sensitive head, had Jude panting, his hips starting to buck slightly in response. The pressure was building fast, the sensation overwhelming as Lila’s mouth worked him to the edge.

"Shit," Jude groaned, his muscles tensing as he felt himself getting closer, her mouth pushing him right to the brink. "I’m about to—"

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence before he exploded, his release hitting hard as he came in her mouth. Lila didn’t flinch, though, taking all of him, swallowing eagerly as he moaned through his climax.

As the waves of pleasure finally subsided, Jude lay there, breathing hard, watching Lila as she wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, a small, almost smug smile on her face.

"Damn," Jude breathed out, grinning as he propped himself up on his elbows. "You’ve really gotten good at swallowing, haven’t you?"

Lila laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Shut up, Jude."

He chuckled, pulling her back up to him and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "No, seriously. You’ve improved, Li. I’m proud of you," he teased, winking at her.

She swatted at his chest, but there was no mistaking the smile on her face as she curled up beside him, their laughter filling the room.

Jude pulled Lila close, his fingers lazily tracing patterns along her arm as they lay together in the afterglow of the moment. He glanced down at her, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"You know, Li," he began, his voice low and sincere, "you mean a lot to me. This… tonight… it’s been the best birthday I’ve ever had. And not just because of, well, all this." He gestured vaguely between them, a playful grin on his face, "But because you’re here, with me."

Lila giggled softly, snuggling deeper into his side. "Jude, we didn’t even do much. I mean, we had cake, messed around a little..."

He laughed, his chest rumbling beneath her. "Yeah, but it’s more than that, Li. It’s not about doing something big or crazy. It’s about the fact that I got to ring in my 21st birthday with my family… and with you." He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering against her hair for a moment. "That’s what makes it special."

Lila looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with affection. "You really mean that?"

"Absolutely," he said without hesitation, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend it. You’re my girl, Lila. And having you by my side tonight? That’s everything."

She bit her lip, her cheeks flushing slightly at his words. "You’re really sappy tonight, Jude."

He laughed again, pulling her even closer. "Maybe a little. But you deserve it. Plus, it’s my birthday. I’m allowed to be as sappy as I want."

Lila giggled again, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "Okay, birthday boy. You win. I’m glad you’re happy. That’s all that matters."

"Happy doesn’t even begin to cover it," Jude murmured, his hand sliding up to stroke her hair gently. "This is perfect."

They lay there in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other’s presence, before Jude spoke again, his voice soft but filled with warmth.

"Thank you, Lila. For making this the best birthday ever."

She smiled against his chest, her heart swelling at his words. "Anytime, Jude."

lilahamilton and judebellingham

liked by lewishamilton, trentarnold66, england, and others

lilahamilton: happy birthday to my favourite person in the world! 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 can't wait to celebrate more birthdays with you, my love! ♥️ tagged: judebellingham

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Lewis settled into the couch inside his hotel suite, a mix of frustration and acceptance lingering from his P4 finish at the Austrian Grand Prix. He knew he should be content with the points, but the competitor in him always yearned for the top spot.

As he turned on the England vs Slovakia game, Amara walked in with a tray of snacks. "Thought you might need these," she said, setting them down on the coffee table.

Thanks," Lewis smiled, appreciating her thoughtfulness. As the pre-game coverage began, he noticed Amara's slightly puzzled expression. "Not much of a football fan?"

"Not really. We don't follow it much in the States," she shook her head. "There's Jude, though," Amara pointed out as the camera panned to number 10 warming up on the pitch. "He's looking good out there."

Lewis nodded, feeling a surge of pride despite himself. "Yeah, he's doing well. Kid's got talent, I'll give him that."

The camera then swept across the stands, focusing on a familiar face. "And there's Lila," Lewis said, seeing his sister sitting with Jude's family.

The commentators' voices filled the room: "And there we see Jude Bellingham's girlfriend, Lila Hamilton, sitting with his family. For those who might not know, she's the sister of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and has recently made waves as Versace's newest ambassador."

"Quite the power couple they're becoming," the other commentator added. "Young Bellingham's star is certainly on the rise, both on and off the pitch."

Lewis felt a mix of emotions hearing them talk about Lila and Jude. Pride in his sister's accomplishments, a touch of protectiveness, and a grudging respect for Jude's handling of the spotlight.

"They really are in the public eye, aren't they?" Amara mused, glancing at Lewis.

Lewis nodded, his eyes still on the screen. "Yeah, it comes with the territory. Lila's handling it well."

As the game kicked off, Lewis found himself fully invested, explaining plays to Amara and cheering for England. But part of his mind kept drifting to Lila, hoping she was handling the attention okay. He made a mental note to check in with her after the match.

"Lila's really sweet," Amara commented during a lull in the action. "I'm glad I got to meet her in Barcelona."

Lewis chuckled. "Yeah, she's alright. When she's not being a pain in my ass, that is."

Amara playfully swatted his arm. "Come on, she's not that bad."

"Nah, she's great," Lewis admitted, his tone softening. "Just don't tell her I said that. Can't have her getting a big head."

They continued watching, and Lewis found himself relaxing more. He wrapped an arm around Amara's shoulders, pulling her closer. The domesticity of the moment struck him - sitting on the couch, watching football, snacks within reach. It felt foreign yet comforting, a stark contrast to his usual fast-paced lifestyle.

He thought back to his conversation with Lila in Barcelona. He and Amara were still figuring things out, but there was no pressure. They were going with the flow, and Lewis found he quite enjoyed it.

"This is nice," he murmured, almost to himself.

Amara looked up at him, a soft smile on her face. "Yeah, it is. Though I have to say, your sister grilling me was quite the experience."

Lewis laughed. "She takes after me in that department. Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Amara replied. "It shows how much she cares about you. It's sweet."

As the game progressed, Lewis found himself equally invested in the match and the woman beside him. It had been a while since he'd allowed himself to simply enjoy moments like these. No racing, no public appearances, just... this.

The comfortable silence was broken by a sudden roar from the crowd on TV. Lewis's attention snapped back to the game, just in time to see Jude make a brilliant pass. He couldn't help but grin, both at the play and at the thought of how excited Lila must be in the stands.

Maybe, he thought, this was what it was all about - finding a balance between the adrenaline of his career and the simple joys of moments like these. As he settled in to watch the rest of the match with Amara, Lewis felt a sense of contentment wash over him. This, he decided, he could definitely get used to.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[moistvonlipwig]

lena: 1 2 8 17 18 :D

Why I love them, like them or hate them?

I love her because she always wants to do the right thing even though she doesn't always know what that is and even though everyone around her constantly treats her so poorly and thinks the worst of her even after she's proven herself time and time again. And I also love her because, as the Designated Morally Gray Character, she got to have way more interesting scenes & relationships than most of the other characters on the show did, she got to fundamentally disagree with & call out Kara and the other Superfriends, and she (somewhat) got held accountable when she made mistakes. (More than anyone else did at any rate lol.)

And I hate her because she wears shoes on the couch. Girl you are RICH buy some SLIPPERS or something!!!!!

2. How would I have chosen to change their story from canon?

Don't make her a witch!!!!! >_< Also I would've axed Non Nocere. You could replace it with so many things, including my superpower dampener idea or, like, Anything Else. (And if they HAD to include Non Nocere, 5x08 should've been the end of it -- Lena should've either chosen not to launch it at the last minute, or she should've told Hope to launch it only for Hope to be like I cannot obey that directive Ms. Luthor because you programmed me to do no harm and then Lena could've been like Oh.....I see.....and then had her big revelation that it was a bad idea.)

Going back a little further -- I would've actually loved for Lillian to turn her into Metallo in the real timeline? Maybe at the end of S2 or S3? It would've been super fucked up which is why it would be so delicious. Especially with Lena still not knowing Kara was deathly allergic to kryptonite. But you could also use the plotline to show Lena's resilience and scientific prowess, as she works to stabilize the kryptonite in her new heart. (Also, this would be a fabulous excuse to give her a dog who could detect potential kryptonite destabilization. This show needed a dog so bad.)

I also think, if this show had different showrunners who were better about race, it would've been really interesting for the Luthors -- with all their wealth, scientific genius, & opposition to Superman -- to be black. (Consider: Angela Bassett as Lillian. Just saying.)

8. What is a headcanon I have about this character?

Mm, well, to follow up on my answer to #2, one headcanon I have is that what Lillian said about manipulating her into going into STEM was only true for Earth-Prime Lillian and Lena, not Earth-38 Lillian and Lena, and since our Lena is still the Earth-38 version it actually isn't true for her. :) It's a goofy loophole but I'll take it!

Also, it was in a deleted scene so it's not an original duckthought, but I like the idea that she was a fencer and almost made the Olympics, I think that's cool. (I will leave the speculation on the kind of fencing she did to you and your very non-biased friend.)

17. How well would they do if they got dropped in a horror movie?

Well it depends on the themes of the horror movie and what it's trying to say, for instance, if it's a horror movie about cycles of familial abuse I think she might be the final girl but in one about the excesses of capitalism she probably wouldn't make it I think pretty well? She's not very genre-aware to be fair but she makes many Devices and, crucially, she can make her little Devices even when she doesn't have a lot of resources at hand.

18. Would I personally trust them to be my friend?

Yes because she has so much moneys and all you have to do is be so nicies to her and she will be loyal to you for life. (Actually you.....don't even have to do that. 🥴) Would I WANT to be friends with her? Honestly, I probably wouldn't want to be friends with anyone on CWSG. But I'd trust her, yeah.

[pathfinderswiftpen]

Re: Sharpe's Sword

Having read the book, I can see how the writers incorporated major aspects of it. But I have to say that Cornwell did it better.

Spoilers below

I enjoyed:

Simmerson's return from the villain vault and ambiguous end. Though making him an actual traitor felt too cliché. People can suck and still be loyal.

Weird death room and oddball who oversaw it inclusion from the book

How they adapted the Leroux to tv, even though it was very different. The subplot with Jack was So Good Ouch. And the way Sharpe handled the betrayal was so tactful. And the ACTING in that role! "El muchacho de los ojos tristes" goddamn. And his knowing Leroux and having to pretend ignorance for Honor's Sake? For his life's sake? Good Soup!

Harris. Harris. Spends all night reading. Looks surprised to see dawn. Small "oh shit oh well" face journey. Extinguishing candles. Big fucking same, Harris. I could make an entire post on how alike I feel (and look, fr fr) to Harris (Hey Harris I like your gender, wanna trade? I saw @chiropteracupola 's hc about transfem!Harris and now she lives rent free in my head. Riflewoman Harris can have 85% of my dresses and jewelry. And free access to all of my books of course) BUT ALSO Harris's handling of Simmerson and quoting Candide at him? *Chefs Kiss*

HAGMAN! "Permission to speak sir? Best paper and paraffin oil. For your wound, sir." Excellent callback to ep1. And his singing to all the little kids!

Harper <3 One of the best things in the book is how Harper made Sharpe a new sword, and while it was a bit different this way, he still put in Effort. Plus the priest's trick at the end was a bit funny. If cheap. Plus his face at "Good! You'll serve mass Sunday" (took me a hot second to figure it out but imagining Harper in one of those white robes was a bit amusing). Sharpe and Harper arguing about washing the tunics. LOL but also get over yourselves

Ramona standing up for herself! And Harper's caring about how she'd be treated in Ireland. I just love Ramona (Also one of the very few attractive people in the entire show. I said what I said.)

Unnamed Woman making Simmerson fear for his life and leading him by the literal nose! Goddamn! Weaponize the patronization and infantilization! Sharpe's respecting of her.

Artist dude drawing at dinner. Relate. also a red herring for El mirador, if downplayed

BAGPIPES BAGPIPES BAGPIPES but also dude you have a practice chanter for a fucking reason. The guy with earplugs 🤣

Leroux pulling a Stephen Maturin. His actor did well too, the Complete Switch in pretending to be a Poor Captain vs Defiant Colonel

DUELS!! It was fun watching Fr Whatshisface rip Simmerson to shreds. Also I want to (ohgod I'm aware how this can sound) handle his blade. Spanish fencing swords mwah. Also Sharpe and Leroux visibly getting less abled, Sharpe having to stop in the middle of the charge *hugs* as a disabled person who loves a good charge and fight but just Can't or if I do I nap and feel like shit for hours

Disliked:

Portrayal of women. I don't need to get into it. There's So Much.

Watching duels choreographed for a screen is really painful as a former fencer. "You are both WAY TOO FUCKING CLOSE!! Don't parry that, DISENGAGE!"

I'll be silly and mention the chartreuse jackets XD (I just don't like them)

SO MUCH of the book was ANGST about Sharpe's condition and it did exist here but not as viscerally. Give me Harper as a nursemaid. I'm begging you. I know we've had it but I want more. "There once was a lassie from Lisbon, from Lisbon..."

There was more but life's too short!

Overall I think this one is in the rewatch pile.

P.S. the Priest's singing. My poor ears. Though Sharpe's Tears (ha-ha) I did love that bit.

If you read this far, I am shaking you by the hand and offering to share my tea.

[avatar-idv]

Today’s match was too wild for anyone own good and it is a miracle that the survivors managed to win the match after a wild ride. Although Brendan found himself injured here and there no thanks to the hunter who didn’t went easy in anyone.

They weren’t really that bad and can be left to heal by themselves in time after taking a good shower, although it seem that Gabriel, other wise known as “The Fencer” wouldn’t allow such injuries to go unattended.

So here they are now… Gabriel and Brendan in the nurse’s room where the doctor wasn’t there at the time they arrived so Gabriel took it upon himself to treats Brendan’s injuries himself. It seem that it wasn’t his first time treating any injuries since he seem to know what he is doing, he didn’t really say anything the whole time so it was an awkward dead silence for awhile.

That until he finally talked and said “I must admit, you are quite the skill survivor in a match. Despite all the injuries the hunter inflicted upon you, you somehow still managed to kite them for a good while… still, you could had come to where I was much more early to allow me to help you and take the hunter from there.”

Well. This was kinda weird. He wasn’t really used to someone else treating his wounds for him, much less someone he’s only just met. Still, he wasn’t going to complain about it. It meant he didn’t have to get his hands even dirtier after the match.

“Heh. If you think I look bad, you should’ve seen the Hunter. But I didn’t run to the others since I was trying to stall time so you guys could get out. My thing only works if I’m the only one left, so it’s way better that it’s me and not someone else who’d have to run to the gate or find the dungeon or something.”

It’s still a bit strange to him that he can participate in games with no real stakes after his own main game, where people who should’ve never met end up working together, and instead of actually being slaughtered they just get rocketed back to the manor. Even if someone does bleed out, they just end up back here anyway.

“I should probably lay low for a bit anyway, though. Sangria is probably pissed at me after I, y’know. Killed her. I’m surprised she wasn’t warned that I could do that before hand, she seemed genuinely afraid while I was doing it. Felt weird.”

[kerryweaverlesbian]

It was last night I watched the episode and I didn't comment on it at the time but Sam saying, about how he can't just get back on with hunting after losing Jack and Rowena, that "I still think about Jess. I can't just get over them."

And I can't stop thinking about how it just rings false. In a way that him saying in Baby that he sometimes dreams about Mary didn't. Why did the latter turn me into a Samgirl and the former make me go "okay fanservice 🙄"?

I think it's that

a) Mary has been A Character even before her resurrection a season later, whereas Jess hasn't been mentioned since what? Season 4? Season 5?

b) Sam doesn't have a real relationship with Mary to reflect on, so just saying "I think about mom" is enough to highlight what was missing in his life without her. He DID have at least a year (?) with Jessica that he could have been prompted into reminicing about at any time. He could have told Jack about her. Hell, the very next episode highlights how they're *not* the same as they were in s1 - they try to use IDs with old pictures and are treated with skepticism, they've "upgraded" to devils trap bullets that are effective against Lilith - AND it's about 3 recent college graduates who look like teenagers alongside Sam and Dean.

c) the Mary one came first and in the context of Sam having an unsettling vision of young John (thematically relevant, parents, went on to give deeper insight into their respective relationship with their parenrs) whereas the conversation here was about their very recently deceased communal son and Rowena, Sam's ? best friend?? Is she is best friend? What a lonely boy jesus christ. Anyway. It doesn't offer new insight into his relationship with either of them or with Dean. It's brushed past.

and of course d) she wasn't even on the previously on. She is irrelevant to Sam's character here in season 15. She wouldn't recognise him - she didn't even know his real life!

Just. Why have him say it at all? Why suggest that in 15 years Sam has not been able to become more settled in any aspect of his life? It recontextualises Sam's character for him to have significant longing, still, for Jess. He expresses *in this episode* that he has contempt for the middle class white picket fencers, which Dean correctly points out that Sam used to be obsessed with joining. Jess was part of that dream for Sam, so, what, has he been lying all the way from season 10 every time he said he was settled into hunting and happy with where his life is? Or, is he lying here, that he still lingers on the idea of getting out [with Jess]? Why would he be lying here? He doesn't need a trump card of loss, they JUST killed their close friends.

Any real life human person, of COURSE they can still be caught up on feelings for someone who died 15 years ago, even if they don't talk about it or visibly show that missing feeling. But on a tv show, the dead need to be a presence if they're still being grieved.

Recontextualising the show to say "Sam has been thinking about his dead mom for a long time and her memory and family hangs heavy over the show" makes me go ough. Sammy. Recontextualising the show to say "Sam has been thinking about his dead girlfriend for the whole show he just never mentioned it but I promise he was" makes me go. Hm. Liar.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Sisterhood of the Stab Stab

Both teenage asthmatic me and 20-year-old newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis me desperately needed this book, and I am so, so grateful that 30-year-old me had the chance to read it so I can point kids and peers who might need this book as badly as I did toward it. This book has just stunningly well-done chronic illness (specifically POTs) representation, and some really excellent LGBTQ+ representation. It's also rare I get in on preorder goodies, but when I saw how beautiful these character cards were, I couldn't resist! Let's talk One for All.

The tagline for this book is a gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers, but honestly the chronic illness representation is what made this book so impactful for me. I'm not a POTsie, but I knew exactly how the crushing fatigue, the constant fight against your own body, and the cruel responses of people around you feel when you have hard physical limits.

Tania is a lovely character to follow and share a headspace with throughout the book. Her complex relationships with her parents, her peers, her musketeer mentor, and her fellow lady musketeers are nuanced and always interesting. As a former dancer (the RA didn't actually kill that activity for me, that was the pandemic), I also strongly identified with Tania's insistence on honing her skills in her chosen sport--fencing--to the fullest extent of her abilities, and accommodating the very real physical limitations her body has rather than pushing to try to be like fencers without POTs. The space that Tania and the other musketeers make to accommodate the POTs rather than trying to magically fix it, ignore it, or insist that Tania could somehow "overcome" it is absolutely incredible. I would love for that accommodation to be the norm rather than the vanishingly rare exception.

Tania is not the only kickass character, however. Our other three lady musketeers are full, round characters who grow with Tania even as they prove that they will never ever let her fall. Each of our girls has a clear character all her own, and they mesh with and bup up against each other's personalities in ways that were never not a treat to see.

Simply put, I adore this book and cannot say enough good things about it. I'm hopeful that we get more stories with Tania and the rest of the sisterhood of the stab stab.

[uncle-fruity]

This got really long, so I'm going to put the majority of this reply under a read more line. I want to preface everything by saying that I follow you, I generally like seeing the stuff you post. I have usually gotten the impression that we're more or less on the same side of a lot of issues, but I feel that you may have some biases you should address, exhibited in your reply. I hope you don't read malice into this, but I know I can be quite blunt, so it may come off harsh.

So, first thing's first... The opening paragraph was OP's thesis: "Oh if we didn’t have xenogenders/GNC trans people/neopronouns/MOGAI/etc etc etc then transphobes would respect us." Untrue. Most transphobes are so insanely vitriolic that you could be the most standard, decent, agreeable trans person, and they would still hate you.

So, right off the bat, I would like to know where you or the person you reblogged this from get the idea that we are talking about people who, "scream at you because you did the slightest thing they deemed to be transphobic." OP did not specify they were talking about angry people overreacting at all. We are talking about GNC trans people, people with xenogenders, people who use neopronouns, the MOGAI community. Why do you inherently associate these people with the kind of people who are aggressive and accusatory to (allegedly) innocent/uneducated people? Why do you think a passing binary trans person is not capable of acting the same way? Do you think this immediate assumption has anything to do with an unaddressed internal bias?

I will say that you're not even necessarily right about people being dissuaded from being allies because these Mean GNC People were mean to them. Back before I knew I was trans, I said something to a group of trans folks, questioning some logic in accusations of transphobia (against a different person) in good faith, and these trans people completely took my questions in bad faith (assuming I was cis) and Screamed at me until I started crying. That didn't make me hate trans people as an entire group. It made me do more reading and ask more questions until I understood what offended them. It also made me realize that those particular people fucking sucked as people, who were toxic, and who weren't going to have any *personal* allies if they treated everyone around them like garbage just for being uninformed. (And even then, I don't think that one interaction means they're toxic; I just know that one of them went on to seriously traumatize & abuse my friend and is the definition of toxic, and the others were just sorta cool with it.)

I'm not saying you're completely wrong, because not everyone is like me & I wasn't on the fence, really, just going through growing pains. The world is full of all sorts of possibilities! You're right that someone might be SO on the fence that one trans person being mean to them might sway them in favor of transphobia, but it is not the trans person's fault that this on-the-fencer decided to judge a whole group of people by one rotter amongst them. What I'm saying is that if that's all that took, that person probably wasn't really "on the fence" so much as "looking for an excuse to be transphobic." And if they really ARE on the fence and that swayed them over to the side of transphobia, it follows that they could meet a GNC person who treats them with exceptional kindness and sways them back to the side of giving a fuck about actual humans who are different than them. And since I know many GNC people who are kind and are existing happily, I know this is a possibility. I used the phrase "aggressively queer pins" (example for clarification: "Not gay as in happy; Queer as in fuck you!") to demonstrate that I was talking about people who are out and loud about their gender nonconformity. This is not to say that all GNC folks wear aggressively queer pins, but many do and it's relevant to mention because this might be a benign action that might get them targeted by transphobic people. I could have just as easily cited blue hair but I chose pins, so that's that.

"[Making assumptions about a group of people based on the actions of a few is] not an excuse, but literally everyone is like this. It's a human bias. The same that makes me cringe when I meet a group of cis people now because I know they're gonna be stupid about gender and trans people." -- Sorry, but that's just not an acceptable argument. You say it's not an excuse, but then you excuse them and yourself for acting on biases and making assumptions. It's definitely human to categorize and make judgements based on limited information, but it's our responsibility to consider the limitations of our understanding and to fight the urge to project our own feelings & beliefs onto people who we do not know intimately enough to do so.

Furthermore, NOT everyone is like this. That is an assumption you are making about *every single human* uncritically. Again, I've had things that I'm on the fence about socially/politically/morally, but I don't judge those issues based on the behavior of a couple people from related groups. I've been unlearning my own racial biases and learning media literacy for far too long to fall for that trick of oppression! It is extremely easy to fall into it, though, if you are uneducated about it and not actively working against it, so I will give you that. FURTHER FURTHERMORE, I know that there are LOTS of cis people who can be stupid about gender. Many cis people Do Not Get It and Do Not Want To. But if you're assuming that ALL cis people are going to be like that right off the bat and you avoid them altogether, you'll never find the ones who are cool and do get it and can hold their own in gender conversations. I have several friends who are cis. I have several friends who are trans. All of them are normal about my gender and our friendship. Like, I'm not saying you can avoid all the uninformed/bigoted/transphobic cis people for all time, but it's definitely easier to curate the people you see the most in your life when you get to my age (31). I'm saying don't give the light of day to people who are rude about your gender stuff, be patient with people who are clearly just trying to learn, and embrace the people who are allies -- no conditions required.

"I do think that, if you do want to be respected as a member of the gender you transitioned as with cis people, you need to be stealth. Otherwise, you'll always be on the side, an "exception" or "not quite like them" and treated differently for it. Of course, if your only friends/interactions are other trans people, you won't feel that."

This feels like a limited perspective that you're assuming is universal. My 66-year-old cis male boss respects me as a member of the gender I present. He doesn't fully understand it, but he fully respects it. My cis college friends, who knew me pre-transition, had no trouble accepting and understanding my gender experience and absolutely treat me just like all the other guys, even though I only "pass" some of the time. I don't mean that that's how it goes with everyone. I know what it's like to have my gender disrespected and othered. And the "not quite like them" feeling has been ongoing my whole life because of the autism and family neglect, so I empathize. I don't think the solution is to assimilate. And I don't think being respected by cis people is really even in my Top 10 Transgender Goals of All Time, but to be fair, as mentioned, I'm already armed with the ability to Cope with the Othering.

To that point: I'm not stealth, and I'm not not stealth. I don't shy away from the subject or my identity as a trans person, but I don't bring it up unprompted unless I want to. I've been on HRT for a few years & recently went off it because I'm procrastinating on some blood work. POINT BEING is I'm at a level of androgyny that makes it a little difficult to go stealth. I haven't updated my legal information in any way (name change, gender marker, etc). But people still seem to recognize me as a guy and not everyone clocks me as trans, but some people do. I was regularly passing when I was actively taking testosterone. I also have long hair now, which occasionally gets me misgendered until I turn around and they see my stubble. Anyone scrutinizing my paperwork would know immediately what was going on with me. It's also good to note that I live in a very red state in the US, so it's not like there's a dearth of transphobia here protecting me. I accept there are risks to being like this. This actually gets into what I think is the actual core of the discussion we're having. I understand the argument that it is unsafe to not go stealth because there's a lot of violence directed towards trans people, and trans people get clocked and murdered or otherwise brutalized far too often. However, I think there is a misunderstanding of the GNC experience here. Not everyone is afraid of the backlash. Some people are, indeed, looking for a fight. Others just feel like the risks are worth the gender presentation they want and love to show off. You shouldn't hide those parts of yourself or go stealth or tone down your gender to make the bigots around you comfortable. You should only present your gender in a way that makes you feel comfortable moving around in the world. People will either accept you or not, and there might be consequences to your deviation from the norm -- or not. That's just how life works.

And YES, transphobes are going to hate you for expressing gender "incorrectly" and, YES, having any amount of perceived genderfuckery (EVEN FOR CIS PEOPLE WHO "DON'T LOOK CIS ENOUGH") can get you targeted in a transphobic hate crime. But the amount that someone wants to deal with that is up to the individual dealing with it. Well, and partially whether it's even possible for the individual to pass in the first place. (Again, some cis people don't pass as cis enough.) A lot of people literally cannot go stealth or express a "normal" gender presentation for reasons that are out of their control (no access to surgery/hormones, for example). Some people really love being androgynous or GNC or whatever identity it is they're trying to convey to the rest of the world. Their genderfuckery is exposing more people to new ideas. Everyone who sees them will be faced with the reality that they, too, exist, and deserve to express themselves. Regardless of what everyone thinks gender "should be." The more they push the limits of acceptance, the less you have to hide yourself as a trans person in general. Not everyone is up for that (and that's OKAY!!!) but the people who are are doing us all a great service. Trust that they know how to carry themselves in their own presentation, or have at least considered their options and the risks involved.

The other point is that going stealth does NOT guarantee your safety. Stealth trans folks also have to go to the doctor and can be pretty easily figured out depending on what they're in for. The courts would have records of their legal document changes and past records. Going stealth only protects you as far as it goes undiscovered, and could even get you into some tricky social situations if it ever is discovered. That's not to say that there aren't benefits to going stealth -- there's a whole pros and cons list I'm sure everyone could make for themselves based on their own priorities. It's just that! There are pros and cons to going stealth, there are pros and cons to being gnc/visibly trans, and everyone is going to come to a different conclusion.

"Do you really think that the mental health issues and discrimination faced by non-stealth trans people is lower than the ones faced by stealth trans people? I really doubt it."

On what science is your doubt based? Which study are you about to cite and blow me away with? If MY assumptions are correct, this doubt is based on a gut feeling, or something that you have perceived about your lived experience that leads you to believe this is true, but has not necessarily been studied. If that assumption is false, then my apologies. I also make judgements (it's very human). If that assumption is correct, then please consider that this may be coming from a place of internalized biases against gender weird people. This echoes transphobic classics like "Trans people are all mentally ill! They need to be fixed! That way they'll be normal and happier!" ... The reality is that a LOT of people from a LOT of different groups of people are suffering from and/or living with mental illness. Some may be related to gender-based trauma. Some may have nothing to do with it. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to who's the most mentally ill among us. There's a LOT of bad shit happening in the world, as I'm sure you know, and the more it piles on the worse it gets for people's mental health. If the cause of their suffering is, in part, the community around them not accepting them and people attacking them to the point that they react to any perceived slight with hostility, why aren't we standing by them and helping protect them from that shit? Why not encourage people to be themselves and do our part to make the world a little safer for them, just like they do their part to make it a little safer for us? Maybe that would improve the mental health of the group of people you were (in my opinion) quite uncharitable to at the beginning of your reply before turning it into concern for their safety.

"Now it doesn't mean you should kill yourself (please don't), or keep things the way they are currently, or conform to society's standards, but it's difficult to say he's wrong with what he said."

Don't you worry, I'll never kill myself! If they wanna get rid of me they'll either have to do it themselves or just wait for me to live out my life. I think xenogender/GNC trans people/neopronoun users/MOGAI etc etc folks are some of the ones who are pushing against the way things currently are, and who are not conforming to society's standards. If you WANT to change the way things are, we need them to be alive and thriving and living out loud. If you WANT to release the pressure to conform to society's standards, then you cannot apply social pressure to get people to conform based on your personal comfort level. And if you TRUST THEM to handle themselves and you don't write them all off as people who immediately get unreasonable and angry, or who have no idea what they're getting into, then maybe we can get somewhere. Personally, I'd say that it's actually very easy to say he was wrong with what he said. It's presumptive, fearmongering bullshit that prioritizes one extremely limited perspective over the lived experiences of countless gender weird people. It's asking people to deny themselves the right to make a decision they might regret, which is an extremely pervasive anti-trans talking point to deny trans people hormones & surgery because they "might regret it." It reminds me of the radfem take that if transmascs go on testosterone, their bodies will be ruined and they'll regret it (implied: when they change their mind), so we have to protect them by taking away the choice altogether. Even so, I will concede that I was wrong to call it a radfem take. I read over it again, and it is not radfem in any way aside from the vague associations I'm perceiving, and certainly he did not intend it to be. He also responded to me, and made it very clear where his stance on feminism in general was. I don't know if I'll bother responding to his, since I made all the important points here, and I think you might be a little more receptive to what I'm generally saying. At least, I hope so. But, yeah. Not radfem, just a Regular Bad Take. Anyway, this has gotten quite long at this point. Look, I know I kinda went hard in the paint on this one, and I'm sorry for how lengthy it got, but I wanted to make my point and address yours. Thanks, if you actually read through it.

”Oh if we didn’t have xenogenders/GNC trans people/neopronouns/MOGAI/etc etc etc then transphobes would respect us.” Untrue. Most transphobes are so insanely vitriolic that you could be the most standard, decent, agreeable trans person, and they would still hate you.

I’m a fairly basic trans man, online and off. I tone my gender down even more for work. I have short hair, facial hair, I wear pretty standard non-fitted pants and t shirts with some manner of compressive undergarment underneath, and I go by my fairly basic, common masc name. The only difference between me and my cis coworkers is that I openly engage in good-faith discussions about my being transgender when brought up, and I have a “he/him” pronoun pin I like to wear.

I have one coworker who I’m well aware has never gendered me correctly. I have assumed it was an intentional, bad-faith decision (because of other, unrelated-to-me conversations he has had with coworkers), but I’ve never really cared enough to bring it up to him. I figured, “if this is intentional, that’s his issue. I’m not interested in trying to change his mind.” I’ve reached a point in my transition to where I don’t really care that much if some random person doesn’t respect me or my gender, because I don’t need every stranger’s approval to be happy with myself.

With all that being said, I’ve treated him the same as I have every other coworker. I’ve been civil, I’ve been agreeable, I’ve still been friendly to him and haven’t gone around the workplace intending to smear his name. (Yes, I have discussed his behavior to those close to me who have asked, but I’ve kept it very private and said that as long as he doesn’t say anything outwardly malicious, I don’t really care about his behavior.) He has been outwardly friendly to me, too, telling me about his past careers, showing me pictures of his family, we’ve talked about our hobbies and other things we enjoy.

Still, after all of this, he has given up the ghost and decided to gossip about me negatively to coworkers. I won’t go into detail about what I’ve been told he said, but it was all explicitly transphobic and pretty aggressive. I’ve never gone out of my way to make him mad, relating to my gender or not, so it’s a little out of nowhere. I’m not particularly surprised by this, but I’m more surprised that he would be bold enough to say everything out loud when working for a company that has explicit protections for trans people in place. He was reported fairly quickly, without me ever knowing what occurred. The only reason I found out about everything is because I overheard a manager discussing it with a concerned coworker from my department.

So, if you take anything away from this, let it be that no amount of friendliness, gender-conformity, or civilness with stop a transphobe from taking their transphobia out on you, and it’s not your fault or any other trans person’s fault. Don’t victim blame trans people who become the subject of someone’s transphobic hate, because a transphobe is dedicated to harming trans people regardless of whether they blend in with cis people or not. Don’t use a transphobe’s needlessly malicious behavior as a reason to harass other trans, GNC, nonbinary, or otherwise gender diverse people.

[nobodyfamousposts]

If Adrien didn't have the ring, what do you think he would be doing? For me, he wouldn’t be at school al all, so probably just complaining about his life and doing model work?

Not salt, just genuine curiosity. I mean with the way the writers made him, there’s a 5% chance of him EVER suspecting his father as Adrien isn't curious about him and his relationship with Kagami would basically amount to "she's the girl I have fencer with, oh your mom is friends with my dad?"

So, at most we'd get his poutiness over not being out there or seeing his extra curriculars. It's not like he has a BIG interest in gaming, even when they say he watched anime, we're not really shown that.

It really depends on how you mean. Narratively vs storywise? It differs.

The biggest issue is that narratively speaking, the main source of entertainment in Adrien's scenes is usually Plagg. Adrien himself doesn't actually do much that's interesting. To be fair, he does more as Chat Noir, but criticism has been made that his personality as Chat Noir is so detached from his personality as Adrien with very little cross between the two that the two sides could arguably be two separate characters.

If you take the Ring away from him, Adrien has neither Plagg nor Chat to make him interesting as a standalone character. Most of the Adrien focused scenes are dependent on how other people react to or around him rather than anything he himself does. The stance of the writers and Thomas that he's perfect and never wrong wouldn't work in this way as Adrien is a passive character who is reliant on having others in the scenes with him. As it is, he's too insubstantial on his own to be able to carry a scene.

And made worse by the fact that most of Adrien's relevance to canon comes from the attachments the writers have given him to other things. Son of the villain. Top model. User of the Black Cat Miraculous. Hero of the city. Friend of Plagg. One half of the love square. But taking away the Ring removes a majority of that relevance. He'd still be the son of the villain, but we're going on five seasons now where that has yet to really matter.

So narratively, either Adrien would need to be removed from the story to offer time and energy to other things or some change would have to be made to Adrien and how he acts to make him work as a character. He would have to DO things. And without the Ring—without either Plagg or his identity as Chat to work off of, he would need to be able to stand out on his own. He would need to have real flaws that he would need to address and a range of emotions that isn't stuck on one of three settings. He would need to be a person instead of a plant. And he just can't do that with the current setup of canon.

That's just narratively/meta wise. But if I was to go story-wise...

Treating Miraculous as a real story and Adrien as a person, I'd imagine that without the Ring, other things would fill in the gaps in his life.

Let's bear in mind that Adrien got the Ring because he helped Fu that first day. Let's say he didn't. Fu wasn't there. So there was nothing to distract him from getting into school and he makes it day one. Good news is that this prevents the gum incident that made up his first meeting with Marinette. Bad news is that without that, the classmates really only know him as Chloe's friend and are less than willing to befriend him as a result. Cue Adrien having to make more of an effort to interact with his classmates and make friends.

Gamer would mean more if Adrien was the one to beat Max in the tournament because he only took the time from his supposedly busy schedule in order to try to make friends and it backfires. Same with Horrificator as he would be dealing with Nino trying to use his involvement in the movie for some fame points. Plus all the issues that would come with Chloe still regularly bullying everyone and him being forced to actually witness and respond to it. Slowly but surely, he'd make friends with the others in the class.

But most of all, I personally would see him becoming buddies with Alya. They both like heroes and could bond over that interest and their favorites, as well as their admiration for their city's own hero, Ladybug. Alya canonically likes comics and makes herself into a sort of Lois Lane. Adrien seems to have a thing more for anime, given his seemingly practiced magical girl transformation ready to go from Origins. So I could see the two of them becoming friends. Alya running the Ladyblog and being a journalist. Adrien being her assistant, her Jimmy Olsen if you will.

Cue the two of them having more dual screen time and shenanigans as they record akuma fights and hang out with each other. This would also add to more issues with Adrien's relationship with Gabriel since he would no doubt disapprove of his son's interest. It could also play into Adrien's development of his own interests outside of being a model, especially if he realizes he'd rather be the one on the other side of the camera than the one in the photos.

Then grow into Alya and Adrien trying to track down who Hawk Moth is...and the implications as they start to get ever closer to THAT particular revelation...

[flushed-for-the-trolls]

Why I dislike Marinette

It may shock anyone reading this, especially knowing why people usually dislike Marinette, but my reasons actually aren’t for her actions in canon. Well, of course I take issue with what Marinette does. My issues are more with the creators of the show and her more toxic stans. The issue I have with Marinette is the fact that her actions are usually framed as just, or okay when they should be called out to teach a lesson to people watching. We can argue about favourites, but when Lila lies and she’s punished by LB, and when Marinette lies or does even worse things, it’s clear there’s a bias in favor of Marinette. Marinette has flaws... But the show rarely calls them out as flaws. LB is bossy and CN is just a sidekick? Well the show compliments that by making her a GUARDIAN, able to dispense Miraculouses at will, and CN is having less of a spotlight. Is Marinette an uninteresting character? Spruce her up by making all of Adrien’s drama about HER instead! LB needs to look dependable and smart? In AntiBug, even though Chat is in the top of his class of Fencers, being taught by the best Fencer in all of Paris, he gets bested by Chloe. CHLOE, you know, the girl that’s so clumsy she incapacitated herself in Lady Wifi when she got tangled up in her own Yoyo? Yep, Chat’s such a doof that he’s useless without LB at his side to steer him like a guard dog.

I hear people say that the creators hate Marinette, or love Adrien when that’s just straight up false, Adrien goes through retcons and character assassinations. Hell, the whole Lukanette side romance started out because Gabriel Agreste, Adriens ABUSIVE father prevented him from going, and what does Marinette do? Oh, that’s right, she makes it about HER, what’s her reward for valiantly surviving the next 5 minutes moaning about how “‘tis not to be after all!”? She gets Luka, she gets another option immediately. None of this is considered a flaw of hers, her selfishness rarely gets called out as such and when it does, it’s even rarer that the lesson ACTUALLY sticks with Marinette. She’s uninteresting, does bad things and she’s the main character, not Adrien, a deep complex character that could go through a whole bunch of character arcs and personal growth, the kid that’s the SON of the main villain, as if that’s not bad enough, his “destined” soulmate is Marinette, a selfish girl that sabotages her love rivals chances, absolutely atomizes his personal boundaries like it’s going out of style, and as LB, keeps him in the dark, inadvertently hurting him, in spite of all of this, he must end up with her, hell, Chat Blanc features that Retcon I mentioned earlier, where Adrien, despite knowing LB committed an actual criminal offense still loves her, and dates Marinette, a girl he’s never ONCE considered dating before because the show writers clearly are obsessed with the ship, and favor LB/Marinette.

I think with all these examples, it’s clear the show favors Marinette to an absurd degree, and will happily sacrifice Adrien so he can be a good little doggie.

Now onto the fandom and how it holds Marinette on a pedestal. Marinette’s actions are often excused “She’s a teen,” “she’s under a lot of stress,” “I used to do that too!” (That one is very concerning when it comes to the stalking tbh). They’ve got so many excuses for the things she does. Rarely can this part of the fandom admit that the girl they like the most has flaws she needs to work on. What happens when they see Chat flirting with LB or he destroys an inanimate object in a fit of rage at being sidelined repeatedly? “What an incel neck-beard nice guy!” “He should get his Miraculous taken away” “He clearly doesn’t care about Paris!” “#Marinette Deserves Better” 

Can you blame us when we’re jaded on criticism directed at Adrien? Most of the time it’s worded like we’re all sexist pigs and Adrien is the worst character in the show, why would ANYONE want to listen to what some of you have to say?! Even if it’s valid at it’s core, the dress-up of the message makes it hazardous to deal with and it only makes people hate the message because some of y’all can’t act like respectable people when you deliver it!

Adrien is treated like shit by both the show creators and the fans. What’s the point in swiming in the Adrien hate? Lord knows ya’ll can pump out enough to last until the heat death of the universe so it’s not like you need us to contribute.

So yeah, that’s why I hate Marinette, the show makes her insufferable and only a small subset of fans will actually acknowledge how terrible she is, the rest will ignore it or turn it into a sexism issue where it doesn’t even exist, and it makes Marinette more terrible by proxy.

[dont-you-dare-imagine]

If you’re currently taking requests for ML, would you mind doing an adrien/reader one (can be GN or female, whatever’s easier!) about them not feeling like they’re good enough for him? Bc he’s this supermodel hot rich successful guy and they’re most likely your average person

“Are You Sure I’m What You Want?”

summary: basically just the request! adrien is dating the reader (obviously lol) and she feels like she’s not good enough for him.

words: 573

warnings: kinda sad, the reader is insecure, but fluffy in the end! if there’s anything else i need to add, please let me know!

a/n: OH MY GOD YOU CANNOT BELIEVE HOW HAPPY I WAS WHEN I GOT THIS. THIS IS MY FIRST REQUEST EVER AND I KNOW IM OVERREACTING BUT LIKE YOU HAVE ALL MY LOVE THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! 🤍 anyways...

—————-—

Adrien Agreste. Famous model, super rich, super adorable. Everyone knew who Adrien Agreste was. Every guy wanted to be him, every girl wanted to be with him. Adrien also happened to be your boyfriend. With all of these people constantly obsessing over him, sometimes you felt like you just weren’t enough for him. You were only a high school student with passing grades and that’s about it.

Other people who liked him were people like Chloe. Chloe Bourgeois was rich. Famous. Beautiful. Or Lila. There wasn’t really much proof, but she claimed to have done all these awesome things. She claimed to have met all these awesome people. Who knows if it’s true or not? But if it was, then that was pretty amazing. And Kagami! She was such a talented fencer. She was super smart too. And she saw Adrien almost everyday. They had very similar interests. There’s also Marinette. She’s super pretty. She’s very talented at sewing and designing clothes, something a model needs constantly. He was around her a lot too.

Were you really the girl he wanted? He had all of these other interesting people on their knees in front of him, begging him to date them, and yet he chose you. You just felt like he could do better. Like he deserves better.

You were sitting on his bed, and he was just talking to you about... something. You weren’t exactly paying attention. For some reason, you just felt extra insecure and needed some reassurance. So, you spoke up.

“Adrien, I’m sorry to interrupt, but can I ask you what might seem like kind of a stupid question?” you asked quietly. “I’m sure it’s not stupid! What’s up?” he asked, smiling at you. He could see that you weren’t smiling, and that you looked kind of worried. Maybe even sad. He took your hand in his and then squeezed it tight. “You can ask me (Y/N). What’s wrong? You’re worrying me.” he says, a concerned expression on his face.

“Well, it’s just that...” you started. You took a deep breath and then began talking once again. “There are so many people who like you Adrien. Like, ‘wanna date you’ kinda like you. Marinette, Chloe, Kagami, Lila, and so many other girls who are just so talented and smart and beautiful and rich and famous and just...” You took another deep breath. “Better than me. I feel like I should be your last choice rather than the person you’re dating. Why isn’t it any of the other girls? You could do so much better than me. Are you sure I’m what you want?” You had tears in your eyes at this point. You’d felt this way before, sure, but it had never been this bad. And you’d never told him when you felt like this before.

“(Y/N)...” He said, wiping the tears from your face. “You are so beautiful. You are so smart and you are so kind. You’re such an interesting and amazing person, how could I pick anyone over you?” He squeezed your hand even tighter than before. “It doesn’t matter how famous you are or how much money you have. I like you for who you are, and how you treat others.” He pulled you into a hug, and you suddenly stopped crying. You sniffled a little, and wiped your own tears while clinging onto him. “I love you (Y/N).” He said quietly.

“I love you too, Adrien.”

—————-—

and that’s a wrap! i’m sorry it’s kinda short, but i hope you enjoyed it! requests are open to anyone else who wants to request something like this! i also write for other fandoms, so make sure to check out my master post type thingy to see a list! have a great day 🤍

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

The Long Con Part One

Prologue | Masterlist | Next Part Pairing: Marcus Pike x Reader Rating: T Notes: Oh hey there! Welcome to Dany Has Been Googling Art Stuff For Like Two Months The Series. Warnings: Cursing (meant to mention that before WHOOPSADOODLE sorry) Summary: You’d never seen Agent Pike look anything less than collected, even in the thick of a case. 

“The Raft of the Medusa, huh?”

You didn‘t bother to look away from your laptop where you were stationed at your lectern.

“Géricault did good work,” You answered as you finished answering the email that you were working on. You knew that this couldn’t be a terribly timely or pressing matter, because the FBI agent that had shown up had bothered to sit through the second half of your lecture that morning. 

“How long have you guys been up to romanticism?” He asked.

“Oh, just this week. Géricault’s got a good range...Landscapes, horses, portraits… horses... current events… horses…”

“Lots of horses.”

“Yeah, he was kind of a horse girl.” 

You finally sent the email off and turned to look at Agent Marcus Pike. The man was, mercifully, still looking at the recreation of the Géricault painting. 

“This one of your old ones?” He asked. You laughed a little, leaning against the lectern. 

“No. I’ve got a friend in Atlanta that specializes in recreations of Delacroix and Géricault.” 

“He’s talented. I’ve seen the original, this is… Incredible.” 

“Mm, I know. The corpses almost look happy in this version.”

Pike’s brow rose and he gave you a look out of the corner of his eye.

“So?” You asked, “How can I aid the bureau today, Agent Pike?” 

He gave a small smile, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck as he turned to face you more fully.

“I’m actually not here on bureau business,” he told you, peering at you nervously. Your brows rose. You’d never seen Agent Pike look anything less than collected, even in the thick of a case. 

“You’ve got my attention,” You reassured him. 

--

You were trying so hard not to laugh, if not for the earnest look on Pike’s face. You watched him as you ran your finger along the handle of your coffee mug. The two of you had taken up residence at your favorite coffee shop and bakery, There Ain’t Muffin To It. It was a little out of the way of the college’s campus, but you preferred that - you hardly ever ran into your students that way.

Pike had insisted on paying for your coffee, and then he’d explained his… Situation. 

His fucking hilarious situation that you were really, really trying not to laugh at. 

“So…Just-- To make sure I’m on the level here,” You said, “Your sister Marnie is getting married in two weeks, and she was probably going to set you up with some cute hometown girl, and instead…” You had to pause, biting your lip to tamp down a laugh before going on, “Instead, you told her that you’re bringing… Me.” 

“That is the long and short of it.”

“And can I ask what possessed you to blurt out the name of an ex-fencer-turned-art-professor?” 

“I panicked and I was looking at the Coleman file.”

“Ah,” You nodded. You’d assisted Pike’s team on that case. A man named Augustus Coleman had recently come forward, claiming to have found Oudry’s White Duck. The work had, in fact, been a fake (though it was a very, very convincing one). You’d spent time with Agent Pike, looking over the painting itself and helping his team track down Coleman’s forger. It had been a lot of long nights, a lot of hard work, but Pike had given you implicit trust, and you’d gotten the job done. 

And now, apparently, he was trusting you with this, too. 

“I don’t… Lie well,” Marcus added, and you couldn’t help but laugh then. 

“I can see that.”

Marcus smiled, “I know this is an inconvenience. I wouldn’t ask you to fly down for the week I’m gonna be there--”

“But you’d want to?” 

Marcus winced, “My sister’s already passed your name on to my mom and I’m getting questions. You could just come in for the weekend. I’d pay for your airfare,” He tacked on. 

“Wow, you are desperate.” 

“What you said, about my sister setting me up with some-- hometown girl? It’s accurate, I’m pretty sure I know exactly who she would’ve tried to set me up with.”

“Bad?”

“No, she’s nice, but we don’t suit and Marnie hasn’t quite gotten that message.” 

Your brow furrowed, considered something. 

“Tell me something,” You leaned forward on your forearms, watching Marcus.

“Sure.”

“You could've found someone else to bring along, asked them to use my name and fake it to your family for two days. You’re actually asking me instead. Why?” 

Marcus’ eyes searched your face.

“Couple of reasons. Remember a minute ago when I said I was bad about lying?” 

You chuckled, “Uh-huh. The other reason?” 

“I need to go down there with someone that I trust. Someone that I know will have my back.”

“And someone that can lie?” 

“Exactly. See what you just said, about asking someone else to use your name? Didn’t even occur to me.”

You were quiet for a moment, considering Pike. The week that he’d named for the wedding was spring break-- you didn’t have any plans set in stone, just papers to grade. 

“...Can I think about it?” You asked. Marcus’ smile brightened at that. 

“Of course,” He nodded, “I appreciate it.” 

You believed that-- the man couldn’t lie for shit. 

-- 

That evening found you in your apartment, grading quizzes for your Intro to Greek and Roman Art course. Most of the students had a good handle on the subject, so the grading and corrections didn’t take you long. Once you’d finished, you poured yourself a glass of wine and settled down on your couch to find something to watch for the evening. 

Once you’d chosen a show, though, you really couldn’t focus on it. You had, after all, told Marcus that you’d consider his proposal. You were...Fond of Agent Pike. The agents that you’d worked with prior to his transfer to the D.C. office had all treated you with varying degrees of contempt when asking for your help on a given case; they’d kept your interactions to the barest of bare minimums, held you at arm’s length in regards to the cases that you were being asked to assist on, and hardly ever updated you on case outcomes - not that they were required to do so, but you had often wondered. Marcus Pike was so different from his predecessors. When he’d come to the D.C. office and had first needed your help on a case, he’d gone out of his way to introduce himself, the particulars of the case, and to say that, “any assistance that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.” And it hadn’t felt glib, either. You’d felt like the man actually wanted your help, wasn’t that he was just reaching out to you to cover his bases. You’d assumed that after that first case, the niceties would fall away, but Marcus had never been anything less than kind to you - even when he was stressed. He treated you with respect, understood that your time was your own, that you’d put your criminal past behind you. You were now using what you’d learned in that world to help the Bureau, and to teach.

The time you’d spent with him on the Coleman case had been the biggest eye-opener. He’d come to understand more about how you used to operate - the way you’d sold forgeries to money-grubbing, self-involved wealthy elites that cared more about owning a one-of-a-kind artwork, uncaring of where it had come from or why you had it; they hadn’t cared about the questionable and fake provenance, had only looked so close when examining the work itself. Your grandmother had been a painter, and a masterful forger - she had been the one to paint most of the forgeries that you’d helped to fence. She had taught you her tricks, connected you with the network that she operated within - she had gotten you arrested, and had been furious when you hadn’t taken the fall for her. You and Marcus had spent a lot of time together during the Coleman case - mostly working, but you’d had some downtime. There were times when he insisted that you sat down and ate, else the food would get cold. Others, when he had a question, he’d come to your office at the college, but he’d bring coffee with him, or some kind of snack - a little way of showing thanks before he even asked his question, even if you didn’t have an answer for him. Marcus was a good man. It was no wonder he needed help lying, especially to his family. Something he’d said to you that afternoon had stuck with you, though, something that was floating above the rest: “I need to go down there with someone that I trust. Someone that I know will have my back.” Marcus Pike trusted you. He was comfortable with you having his back - he was comfortable with you being around his family for a week. 

You picked up your phone, scrolling through your contacts to find Marcus’. You hit the ‘call’ button before raising it to your ear. He picked up on the first ring. “Hello?” He asked, and you smiled at the anticipatory tone. “Think they’ve still got any seats left on your flight?” You asked. Tag list: @hufflepuffing-all-day-long​​ ; @spideysimpossiblegirl​​ ; @blueeyesatnight​​ ; @elen-aranel​​ ; @yespolkadotkitty​​ ; @artsymaddie​​ ; @phoenixhalliwell​​ ; @lunaserenade​​ ; @winniedaboo ; @empress-palpat1ne​​ ; @randomness501​ ; @nutmeg-20 ; @leonieb​

[tazatouille]

this is how the story goes

word count: 4249

warnings: mentions of death, disassociation, alcoholism and small mention of toxic masculinity

ao3 link

summary: In which Fabian deals with the fact that he doesn't always have to be the hero.

“Let me read to you tonight, my darling.” Mama says to him, holding out her hand. Fabian, being the small boy he is, lets out a giggle and runs over to her, taking it excitedly. She smiles down at him and he sees his own dimples on her cheeks. Fabian can’t help but think that she must be the most beautiful lady to ever live, because of course that would be his Mama. Her silver hair falls like waves down her shoulders and he wonders if one day his hair will grow as long as hers. 

She leads him to their library, hoisting him up briefly so he can pick out a book. He can’t quite read all the titles yet, so he picks the one he can reach, which is a small picture book. Mama brings him close to her chest, holding him with one arm. “Ah, that’s a fine choice, Fabian.”

“What’s it about, Mama?” He asks her, letting her flip the book over in his hands. 

“Hmm… let’s see.” She says softly. “It looks like you’ve picked an Elven tale tonight, one about a handsome adventurer who sails the seas in search of a great sea monster.” 

“That sounds like Papa!” This earns a laugh from his mother, who kisses him on the cheek.

“It does, doesn’t it?” Mama lets go of the book, letting Fabian press it to his chest. Then she carries him out of the library and towards the stairs. “It’s time to get you to bed now, Fabian.”

---

Fabian recalls that day as one of the last days that his Mama ever read to him before bed.

But that was alright, because he’s been fine with that for a while now. He knew even then when little boys grow up, their mamas don’t read them to bed anymore. 

When Fabian gets up for school that morning, he sees her when he glances out his window. Cathilda is patiently watering the rose bushes as she always does in the mornings and Mama is sitting in one of her kimonos, beautiful as always, but carrying with her the heavy weight of time. Time that has caused bags to form under her eyes, her frame to grow thinner and dull her eyes each passing day. Time that has aged her, with every sip of wine she takes from the glass in her hand. 

He turns away from the window.

Fabian’s morning routine is easy. It’s about a half hour of dancing, then he takes a cold shower to wake himself up. Usually, he would go straight to training afterwards, but his Mama has allowed him this single day without morning training. He takes another hour to do his hair and then his makeup. It’s nothing too fancy, just a bit of eyeliner and the tiniest amount of concealer. If it was too heavy, he would sweat it off during practice and Fabian Aramais Seacaster does not let his makeup run.

By the time Fabian heads downstairs, Cathilda is now cooking in the kitchen. She’s humming an old sea shanty, one that she’s sung for him time and time again as a child. When he walks by, he hums along with her, dancing around her to grab his green smoothie.

“Good morning, Master Fabian!” Cathilda greets him, shaking the frying pan. “Do you mind taking this plate to yer mother? She’s waitin' in the dining room.” 

“Good morning, Cathilda!” Fabian says proudly, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Of course, I can.” He scoops the plate up off the counter, carrying it to the dining room. Mama sits at the head of the table, where Papa used to sit. To her right is none other than Gilear, thankfully not in his father's robes again. Fabian tries hard not to fling the dish right at his head and keeps his shoulders up.

"Oh Fabian, my baby boy, how are you this morning? Off to that little adventuring academy again are we?" Mama says, nurturing a glass in her hand. 

"Morning Mama," Fabian greets, setting her plate in front of her. Mama puts down her drink to lovingly pinch his cheeks. He laughs, hoping she doesn't notice when he slides it further away. "I believe me and the boys are going to meet at Basrar's this morning before school, since we aren't training today."

"We stop training for one day and you're already eating ice cream for breakfast? Whatever will we do with you?" Mama teases with a wave of her hand. He takes the seat to her left, purposely not making eye contact with Gilear.

Here's the thing about Gilear. He may be the Chosen One, something that Fabian is willing to admit and even defend, however, Gilear is still Gilear, and Gilear is a sad, pathetic little man who did not deserve his Mama.

Fabian could admit that his Mama and Gilear did have some similarities, as they seem to be both inept at the simplest of tasks. That being said, Hallariel Seacaster was an accomplished and renowned fencer, who dashingly took his father's own eye. Gilear Faeth was an ex-diplomat who couldn't get the yogurt stains out of his shirt even with the highest levels of magic money could provide.

This isn’t how the story is supposed to go. After Fabian heroically killed his own father, his mother was supposed to find another adventurous and even in some ways, more deserving man. In the story, Mama does not end up with a man like Gilear, but with a man far better than maybe even his father ever was. Or perhaps, she remains a widow, vowing never to remarry because her love for her deceased husband is so strong.

And in the story, Fabian is supposed to feel proud for killing his father, laying the final blow that his Papa craved so adamantly. But all Fabian is left with is a vacancy, the same vacancy that still rests in his mother's heart. 

At times, it almost feels hereditary.

He stares down at his smoothie and thinks he hears Gilear say something to him, but it goes unaddressed. 

Fabian thought it would get easier after sophomore year. Seeing his Papa was a treat, surely. Knowing his father is having such a good time in Hell helps him sleep a little easier, but it’s not enough to snuff out the flames of guilt that still burn in his chest.

Ever since his Papa died, his mother used the sensory deprivation egg less and less. To Fabian’s surprise, it was his mother’s decision, with Cathilda helping her steadily ease out of it. Cathilda told him that if they were able to get her out of the egg, they might be able to move onto her sobriety. He still holds onto that hope, even on the harder days when his mother can only greet him after school and then retire to her room soon after. 

“You know she loves you with all her heart, Master Fabian.” Cathilda said to him one night. “People are complicated, ya see… Just because she’s struggling doesn’t mean she loves you any less.” 

Fabian comes back to reality when he hears his mother’s laughter. He downs the rest of his smoothie, a little too warm now, to distract himself. He pulls out his crystal to check the Boyz’ group chat. “Well Mama, I think I’ll be off!” Fabian says, getting up from his chair. 

“Off already, darling?” Mama asks him, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She’s barely touched her food. “Come here.” 

He leans down and lets her place a kiss on his cheek. “You have a good day, my boy.” She tells him. 

“Of course, Mama.” Fabian smiles at her, then nods his head. “Gilear.”

Gilear nods back. “I wish you a good day, Fabian.” 

He walks out of the dining room, giving Cathilda a wave before heading towards the front door.

“Hangman,” Fabian thinks. “Ready for the day?”

He hears the purr of the engine start up as soon as he closes his front door. “I am ready for anything, sire. Where shall we go?”

“Head to the Ball’s apartment. I’m picking him up this morning.”

“Hangman...” Fabian warns, watching him roll out of the garage in front of him. The Hangman revs in response. “We are picking up the Ball.” 

“Master, I remind you that the Ball no longer needs a ride to school.”

Fabian is sure if the Hangman could, it would sigh in disappointment. “Of course, sire.” He leans slightly to let him climb on. Then, Fabian revs the engine himself and tears down the street towards Strongtower Luxury Apartments. 

---

“Fabian, for the last time.” Riz starts, walking out of the apartment building. “I’m never gonna get enough driving hours if you keep giving me rides to school.”

Riz lost his hat after sophomore year, and thank goodness because Fabian didn’t have the heart to tell him it wasn’t going to work forever. He wouldn’t admit it to Riz, but he was quite fond of the way his hair fell. It seemed impossible to Fabian that Riz didn’t style it in any way, but one day while they were hanging out, Fabian spotted a bottle of all in one shampoo and conditioner and chucked it into the garbage can.  

Fabian laughs, putting a hand on his chest. “As if you would prefer to drive your mother’s car over a ride on the Hangman?” The Hangman revs underneath him for emphasis. He can see the smile creeping on Riz’s lips, so he keeps going. “Besides, everyone lies about their driving hours anyway. Who has the time to drive a whole forty hours both night and day? I certainly don’t.”

Riz looks like he’s about to protest, but instead his face spreads into a big smile. Fabian pats the Hangman’s seat victoriously. “Come on, The Ball. To Basrar’s.” 

With a roll of his eyes, Riz climbs onto the Hangman, situating his briefcase against his chest. Then, his arms wrap around Fabian’s torso tightly. “You aren’t always gonna be around to give me rides, you know. I should-- uh, probably learn how to drive at some point.” He says. It’s supposed to be casual, but in reality, Riz just dropped a whale sized weight on Fabian’s chest. It threatens to leave him breathless and not in a good way. 

Fabian revs the engine instead, letting the purr drown out his thoughts. “Don’t say stuff like that, Riz.” He says under his breath, before taking off down the road. He isn’t going to start thinking about this right now.

They are almost to Basrar’s when Riz shouts over the wind, “Oh hey, Fabian! Do you want to come over to the office after practice?” 

Fabian smiles. “Cracking another case, The Ball?” 

“You know it!” Fabian can practically hear the smile in his voice. “I always need someone to hold my string.”

Fabian feels the laughter bubble from his chest. “Yes, one of my many talents. Fabian Aramais Seacaster, holder of string!”

“It’s extremely crucial to my casework!” Riz adds. “I couldn’t solve them without it!”

Fabian feels Riz’s arms tighten around him and he lets out another laugh, pulling into Basrar’s. 

---

They walk into the cool air of the shop and see Gorgug sitting at a booth in the corner. He waves to them as they approach.

“Hey guys!” Gorgug greets, giving them a toothy grin. He’s hunching over, like always, with a pink milkshake in his hand. He always ordered strawberry with extra whipped cream.

“Hey Gorgug!” Riz greets, letting Fabian take the window seat. “Dude, I gotta tell you about this show I’ve been watching. It’s awesome.” 

“Oh yeah?” Gorgug says, sipping his milkshake. “Zelda’s been looking for more shows to watch, cause you know, all her parents watch is like those crazy reality TV shows.”

Fabian watches as Basrar floats over to their table. “Boys! Good to see you, and so early in the morning too. What can I get you?” 

Riz orders a weird concoction of chocolate mint, coffee, and pistachio ice cream topped with gummy bears and chocolate drizzle. Fabian never understood why the gummy bears had to be added to it, something that Riz no doubt picked up from Fig. The gummy bears become hard as rocks because the ice cream makes them too cold, but he’s been friends with Riz long enough to know he would eat almost anything. And so, Fabian orders a simple banana split with caramel sauce.   

By the time their ice cream gets here, Riz is already waist deep in the intricate world building of the tv show he’s been watching. The thing about Riz is that whenever he got really excited about something, he’d explain it so fast he’d have to keep back tracking and then return to his previous thought. It could get a bit confusing at times, but the Bad Kidz, at least Fabian, didn’t mind. They just made sure to ask a lot of questions. 

"Here's the real catch, though. It wasn't the butler, but it was actually--" Riz gets cut off by his crystal ringtone buzz loudly on the table. He grabs it immediately and presses it to his ear. A few moments pass before he says, "Mom? What's going on?"

Fabian immediately sits up straighter before Riz holds his hand out. "I'll be right back." He mouths to them, scooting out of the booth. Fabian watches as he walks out of Basrar's.

Gorgug plays with the straw of his milkshake for a moment."So… how are you and Aelwyn doing?" He asks innocently, because Gorgug would never ask a question he didn't want the answer to. Fabian suddenly feels a little sick, putting his spoon down.

"It-- uh, well--" Fabian is tripping over himself now. He hates when he gets like this. His thoughts race through his head and try to force themselves out his mouth all at once before he can even think of what to say.

"I--I get it, if that's like--" Gorgug stumbles a bit. "Too private or something, I just, you know, was wondering."

"No, no, it's fine, Gorgug. We just… broke up a few weeks ago."

"Oh." He says simply. "Why didn't you…"

"Say anything?" Fabian finishes for him. "I guess it was somewhat embarrassing."

"Embarrassing? Did she break up with you?" 

Fabian shrugs. "No, it was more mutual, if anything." He starts playing with his ice cream now, getting spoonfuls of caramel sauce and pouring it back into the bowl over and over again.

"Then why would you be embarrassed?" Gorgug presses. "I mean, my parents would say that's pretty mature."

"It just wasn't what I-- We? Expected it to be." Fabian admits. It feels weird to say it out loud after it's been rattling in his head for weeks. "I guess, maybe I expected it to be like you and Zelda. Two matches made in nerd heaven." 

"You know, not every relationship is gonna be perfect, Fabian." Gorgug reminds him. "Zelda and I get along great, sure, but that doesn't mean I don't fuck up every now and then or that I never get upset with her." He shrugs. "But that's a part of like, I don't know, loving someone. You guys kinda just get to figure stuff out together." 

"I guess Aelwyn and I never really tried figuring anything out together."

"Maybe you just expected too much from each other." Gorgug shrugs again. "Cause, you can't only love the best version of someone, you know?" 

Fabian opens his mouth to speak, but before he can, the front door jingles and Riz makes his way back to the booth.

"Sorry about that guys." Riz says, sitting back in the booth next to Fabian. "My mom needed to know where I put the law books I borrowed from her last weekend. Where was I?"

Gorgug responds, but not before casting a reassuring glance at Fabian. "Uh… I think you were about to tell us who the killer was, right?" 

Fabian can't tell if Riz notices and adds, "Oh yes, something about how it wasn't the butler?"

"Right, right!" He says excitedly. "Okay, so…"

He continues telling them about the tv show, which Fabian doesn’t mean to tune out of, but he can’t stop himself from thinking about Aelwyn. 

Their breakup had been mutual. They quickly realized that they simply weren’t compatible with one another. Fabian wishes he didn’t take it hard, but Aelwyn was technically the first girlfriend he ever had, and his first kiss.

Fabian was supposed to go straight to Fallinel, take on the Elven army and break Aelwyn out of imprisonment in a feat of gorgeous heroism. Which, if you left some parts out and moved a few things around, he did, technically. But then Aelwyn was supposed to be so impressed with his prowess that they would start dating, eventually get married out on the sea and then have beautiful children, born out of both Aelwyn and his exceptional talents. 

At least, that’s what he told himself. 

But when they actually got together, Fabian realized that he didn’t understand Aelwyn at all, and she didn’t understand him. They had both been through copious amounts of stress during sophomore year, with Aelwyn having to adjust to a new life without her parents, and Fabian having to grapple with the events of Leviathan and his own residual fears. It was just too much for them to sort out together, too many parts of themselves that they didn’t understand, so how could they ask the other to?

“You have this version of me built in your head, Fabian.” Aelwyn said to him. “Maybe, before all of this, I could have been that person for you. But, I’m not even sure who I am right now.” 

And he agreed with her, and that was that. 

Their crystals all buzz on their table, and Fabian reaches over to check the message.

figgy pudding: Hey losers, where you guys at? 

He types back. 

fabian: Basrar’s, be there soon.

“I guess that’s our cue, huh.” Gorgug says, gathering the dishes onto the table, like he always does. “Make sure to text me the name of that show, Riz, so I won't forget.”  

“Will do.” Riz replies, already sending the text to Gorgug. He gets up from the booth to let Fabian out and turns to him. “You ready to go?”

From the way Riz is looking at him, he can’t help but feel like he’s asking a different question, but he brushes past it. “Yeah, of course.” 

---

"Is something wrong?" Riz asks that night, because Riz is too perceptive for his own good and Fabian acknowledges that he hasn't said a word to him in over 10 minutes. “You were kinda acting weird today.” 

"Hm? Oh it's nothing, The Ball. Don't worry about it. What were you saying?" Fabian replies, sitting up a little straighter. 

They are sitting in Riz's office, with it's stale mugs of coffee and scattered evidence. If this was anyone else's office, Fabian would hate being here. Sometimes, Riz is so deep in a mystery it becomes cramped with case files and boxes, but it always feels good to be in a space that is truly lived in. It’s nothing like home, and maybe that’s why Fabian likes it. 

"You can talk to me, you know." Riz says, taking the red string Fabian's been playing with out of his hands. He pins a photo up on his corkboard.

Fabian doesn't respond. He knows he should, but at this moment, talking to his best friend seems like one of the hardest things he can do.

Riz notices this, and looks at him. "I know how you get. We don't have to talk about it." He runs a hand through his hair. "You, uh-- wanna watch a movie, maybe?"

Fabian blinks at him for a moment before replying, "You want to take a break?"

Riz laughs at that. "Come on, Fabian. I'm not that bad."

Fabian scoffs. "Please, you almost missed homecoming because you were here piecing together your clues." He gestures to the corkboard.

"And then I closed that case the same weekend." Riz says proudly, puffing up his chest a bit. 

Fabian smiles, then makes the mistake of looking down at the floor beneath them. He runs his fingers over the scratch marks carved into the wood. 

He tried to call and Riz didn’t pick up. Riz never ever misses his calls and his ringer is always on, so why wasn’t he--

Riz’s eyes go from soft to panicked almost immediately. “Hey, don’t do that.” He tells Fabian, pushing his hands away from the floor. “I, uh-- still need to get someone to fix those.”

“I could get someone to do it.” Fabian says immediately. Riz shakes his head.

“You know I wouldn’t let you.” 

“But I could.” 

“Fabian, it wasn’t your fault.” 

And when Riz says this, Fabian lets out a breath of air. 

Because he knows, deep down, the situation with Riz last year wasn’t his fault. But maybe if he had been a better friend and called more, or came around the office more, or had just been there when it happened... then Riz wouldn’t have to pay someone to replace his floorboards. Maybe, he wouldn’t have such a hard time looking at himself in the mirror.

“You aren’t the only one who fails, Fabian.” Riz continues, seemingly reading his thoughts. He sighs. “Y--You do this thing where you think you are the only person in the world who can do anything. The only person who can save the princess in the tower, the only person who can kill your father’s rival, like you are trying to hold the whole world up on your shoulders because you are Fabian Aramais Seacaster. And I get it, you know? I’ve had some pretty big shoes to fill myself.” He lets out a short laugh. “But, you don’t have to… prove yourself to me. Or to-- uh, anyone, really.”

“Riz, I--” Fabian’s words fail him, because figuring things out was always Riz’s job. He knows he will pay to get Riz’s floors done, because maybe Fabian didn’t have to prove himself to anyone, but as well as being a Seacaster, he was also Riz Gukgak’s best friend, and that he needed people to know. 

“It’s okay, Fabian, really it is.” Riz says, interrupting him. “I’m not gonna lie, you haven’t always been-- uh, a perfect friend. I know I haven’t either.” He shrugs. “But you always try to be, and that means more to me than you probably know.” 

Fabian reaches over and pulls Riz into the tightest hug he’s given since he got out of the Forest of the Nightmare King. He feels Riz tense up at first, but then his arms wrap around his neck. 

“You are my best friend.” Fabian says into Riz’s shirt, because if he doesn’t say this now the flames that stir inside his chest will burn the words to ash before they reach his mouth. It was easier to say when Riz wasn’t staring back at him, picking him apart. A habit that Riz could never shake, but sometimes, Fabian welcomed it. He didn’t have to say much, because Riz always just seemed to understand. 

Fabian has never had a best friend before. His family sailed so often when he was younger that it was hard to make friends with any of the kids. He was constantly being pulled out of school and thrown into the next. Every time he did so he would play his little charade of being Fabian Aramais Seacaster, impressing the children in his class, and then his family set sail once again.

Near the end of freshman year, Riz pulled Fabian aside to thank him for the briefcase and the business cards. Fabian had brushed it off, saying it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it took him hours to hand write all those business cards. Something that, to this day, Fabian still hasn’t told Riz. 

After that, Riz never stopped calling him his best friend, and Fabian quickly realized that Riz is one of the only people who had ever really tried to be his friend. He denied it at first, but eventually he came to accept it as a fact. 

And maybe it was the same for Riz too. Like Fabian, he didn’t like talking about personal issues. It wasn’t until sophomore year when Riz was finally able to talk about his dad in front of everyone. And much like Fabian and his own charade, he much preferred his role as a detective versus a teenage boy trying to figure the world out. 

But that was just it, wasn’t it? Because maybe, they could be two teenage boys trying to figure out the world together. 

And so, Fabian may not write his name upon the world. Every living being in Spyre may not know the name Fabian Aramais Seacaster, but he is okay with this. 

Because Fabian doesn’t always need to be the hero, the knight who saves the princess, or the son who kills his father’s rival. Because even when he’s not the hero, there are people who still love him. And to be a part of a story that continues to write itself, that is bigger than his own, with Riz and the rest of the Bad Kidz?

Fabian couldn’t think of anything else he would rather do. 

[sugarcubetikki]

Marinette Isn’t A Mary Sue.

At least a half of her salters constantly complain about how Marinette’s a Mary Sue and use this as a reason to justify their hate of her character (Ironically, the other half keeps complaining about how her flaws are really really bad). There are a number of so-called “justifiable reasons” on why she’s a Mary Sue. And I’ll just say that I don’t agree with any of them. These reasons can range from “absolute nonsense. are you even watching the show?” to “I can see why you’d think that but you’re ignoring this aspect.” I’ll be breaking down each and every claim that I know of to tell you why exactly I disagree.

Marinette never faces the consequences of her mistakes

This is one of the reasons I downright disagree with and think is absolute nonsense. Marinette is very fallible. The show has portrayed that on multiple occasions. When she makes a mistake, she always faces the consequences and she tries to fix it. That element to her character is what makes her a great role model and it builds up majority of her character arc. I’m not sure what the salters who say this are exactly thinking, but it looks like they really need to re-watch the show. 

I’ll give you a fine example. Ikari Gozen is one of my favourite exhibits of her fixing her mistake. She judged Kagami too quick. Based on some presumptions she had on her personality, her feelings towards Adrien and her own jealousy, she judged her intentions too quick and made some really bad choices that episode by trying to sabotage her. In the first half of the episode, a lot of us were quite irritated by Marinette’s behaviour, we genuinely felt bad for Kagami. Which is quite surprising as Kagami is an over-hated character and Marinette is the popular protagonist. But no. The show painted the first half in such a manner that we’d feel sorry for Kagami and reprimand Marinette’s actions. The show itself acknowledged that Marinette was on the wrong side in that moment. That she wasn’t perfect, she was in the wrong. Until Marinette finds out that Kagami had genuine intentions, that she only wanted to be friends with her, she feels bad. She feels really bad with the way she treated her previously. And she realises that her unfriendly treatment could potentially lead to Kagami getting hurt, and yes, it did happen. Kagami did get hurt. And Marinette almost lost the chance of becoming friends with Kagami in that moment.  And she would have to live with that guilt for some time if her mother hadn’t called. When her mother called, Marinette stepped up and took the opportunity to prove to Kagami that she was a good friend. That she was sorry. And did want to be friends with her. She made a mistake, faces the consequences and steps up to fix them. The way her relationship with Kagami changes in the course of episodes is a really good example that tells us Marinette is fallible.

Marinette has way too many talents and achievements 

Okay. This one is somewhat reasonable and I can see where people are coming from here. However, I still don’t think it accounts for her being a Mary Sue. Here’s why. In Miraculous World, not going to lie, everyone is pretty talented, they’ve all made crazy achievements. Do I need to list now? 

Alya runs a famous blog: The Ladyblog. She even earned an interview with Nadia Chamack. Nino is a DJ. He appeared on a show and won! Marc and Nathaniel write/illustrate and publish comics! Ivan, Luka, Juleka and Rose are in a band: Kitty Section. They played live on TV! Adrien’s a teen model, multilingual, pianist, has great physical skills due to fencing and basketball. Even Lila has decent modelling skills, she works for Gabriel now. Kagami is an excellent fencer. That comes from the idea that she’s from a prestigious family world-renowned for fencing. Marinette is pretty close with Jagged because she designed his #1 album for him. Also, she won the contest for Gabriel and was recognised by Audrey Bourgeois. Max literally built a super-intelligent robot with emotions and everything. 

So, what does that mean? They’re all Mary Sues and Gary Stu’s. No! We need to remind ourselves that this a kids show and there’s the aspect of encouraging kids to believe in working on their own talents, so they’re encouraged to do anything and push ahead for their dreams. Plus, it doesn’t portray that their talents come naturally, it shows that they work for them and developed these talents through practice. 

Clumsiness and stuttering are Mary Sue traits

First of all, not every character that has these traits is a Mary Sue. It always depends on how these traits are represented. Her stuttering isn’t just there for no reason. It’s meant to display her difficulty with expressing her own feelings. We’ve had episodes with Marinette saying how it’s difficult for her to say what she feels. Episodes! And it isn’t just a meaningless detail. It represents her fear. Her fear of rejection. Her fear of being in a relationship and things going wrong. Her fear of many things. Her fear is the reason why she hesitates. Why she stutters. And it tells us that fear is completely natural. Fear in love is something that’s natural.  

I'm so tired of not being able to just tell him how I feel! But I'm so scared, Tikki, always so scared he'll reject me.

What if he tells me that he loves me? Or that he doesn't love me? Or that he likes me, but not in that way -

Yeah. Don’t you dare tell me that this fear isn’t depicted in the show. It’s blatantly obvious.

As for her clumsiness, it represents her nervousness. It comes in the form of her fear to mess up. She’s clumsy when she’s nervous. And thus she’s afraid she can mess up due to that clumsiness and nervousness. In the Origins, her insecurity, her nervousness was all displayed in the form of her clumsiness, and she knows she displays her nervousness through clumsiness And she was afraid that her clumsiness could mess things up. That’s why she believed she was disaster-prone. And incapable of being a superhero. Because she was nervous and scared. 

She gets too much screen-time

This one I really don’t get. How is having more screen time making her a Mary Sue? She’s the main protagonist. Of course, she’s going to get a lot of screen-time. Her endearing personality and active lifestyle molds the storyline of the show. She’s easy to follow along. If you’re comparing her to Adrien, I’ll say that...Adrien’s a mysterious and sheltered character. Giving him too much screen-time can get boring because he’s stuck at home all the time. We can focus on his family mystery but if the show does it too much, it ruins the mystery aspect of it. I adore Adrien getting screen-time with episodes focused around him too but I’m not going to expect him to get as much as screen-time as Marinette because his character is different, and him getting as much screen-time as her doesn’t work for the style and demographic. And claiming that she’s Mary Sue because of more screen-time is stupidity.

Encouraged jealousy and despising other girls around her crush is a Mary Sue quality

Firstly, the show never encourages Marinette’s jealousy. It doesn’t encourage it. Plus, she’s not jealous in every situation. Only in specific situation when she thinks there’s something off about the person like Chloe and Lila. In Volpina, Marinette had realised she had gone overboard with calling out Lila. And she did face consequences for it. Her akumatization. And she did try to fix her mistake in the end by apologising for overreacting. Lila was the one who turned her away that time. As for Kagami, her jealousy arc changed based on her attitudes about Kagami. During Frozer, she wasn’t jealous per say, upset but not jealous. Frozer made Marinette and Kagami misunderstand each other, that’s why they’re quite petty towards one and other for the next few episodes. In Animaestro, I don’t think Marinette would’ve been that petty if it weren’t for Chloe. But yeah, that episode isn’t one of her best moments. I’m not a fan of it either. In Ikari Gozen, these misunderstandings were cleared and so were the issues from Animaestro, and it’s fine now. On a overall, I don’t believe Marinette would get jealous around everyone. At least, not in a way where she would try to stop them from getting close to Adrien all the time. It depends on the person and situation. 

---

In conclusion, Marinette isn’t a Mary Sue. She’s fallible, has flaws, fears and works for her achievements. And that’s on point. 

[ilikekidsshows]

So I have been binging through your posts and I am loving all of the analysis on ML. I read another blog that did analysis on Luka and Kagami as Love Rivals, how they held up and how the fandom treated them. I wanted to get your takes on how they hold up in a meta perspective (If that made sense)

I’m guessing you're asking for my storytelling analysis of Kagami's and Luka's respective roles as rivals. I have a bigger analysis on the Marinette & Kagami arc coming up (and I do mean BIG), but I wasn't planning on covering this angle in it, so I might as well.

Okay, so, first off we'll need to define what a rival should be. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "rival" can mean "someone striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess", "striving for competitive advantage", "companion/associate" (this one is out of use) or "equal/peer". This is actually very close to what a rival in a narrative context also means. A narrative rival should be a threat to their counterpart in some skill or pursuit, they must want the same thing. A narrative rival should have some kind of association with their counterpart, they need to be connected and have a reason to become rivals. A narrative rival should be their counterpart's foil, meaning they must be equals in some ways.

Since the show introduces Kagami first, let's start with her. The interesting thing about Kagami is that she starts as Adrien's rival. She wants a spot on D'Argencourt's fencing team, something she can only obtain by defeating Adrien. She also wants to prove she's the best fencer by defeating Paris' best fencers, including Adrien. So, there's the goal that puts her directly in opposition with Adrien specifically. The association between Kagami and Adrien comes from wanting to have (and later having) the same fencing teacher.

They're foils because they have very similar family backgrounds, they're children of a workaholic single parent who restricts all of their activities. However, while Kagami's outward appearance is harsh and cold, Adrien's is soft and warm, Adrien has also already started breaking out of his father's control by the time he meets Kagami.

But Kagami's ultimate role on the show is to be Marinette's rival. Their rivalship launches in 'Frozer', where we get actual confirmation that Kagami is interested in Adrien romantically, just like Marinette is. This is the goal where only one can triumph. Their association is weaker, though, since Marinette and Kagami don't start having any type of shared social circle outside of Adrien. But, once Marinette and Kagami become friends, this friendship becomes their association.

Then comes the foiling. I talked in my episode wrap-up of 'Ikari Gozen' how the color schemes in Marinette and Kagami's designs create both parallels and similarities. However, they have other similarities and contrast points as well. Marinette and Kagami are both anxious in new social relationships and put a lot of effort and planning into impressing someone. We see this in all of Marinette's "win Adrien over" schemes and also in Kagami's approach to befriending Marinette in 'Ikari Gozen'. They're both very talented in their chosen fields and put their all into their pursuits, fashion and fencing respectively.

However, they also have stark differences in their outward emotional appearance, Marinette expresses her in-the-moment emotions with ease, while Kagami struggles with this, saying almost everything with the same severity.  However, they’re opposite in their in-depth emotions, since Marinette can’t make sense of hers (since she doesn’t self-reflect) while Kagami is bold even with those. Marinette has a large circle of friends, while Kagami only had Adrien and didn't even have his phone number for a large part of their acquaintanceship. Marinette has a warm, loving home, while Kagami's probably, like Adrien's, cold and lacking in expressions of love.

Even Ryuko's design is a clear nod to Marinette's with the dominant colors being red and black. While Marinette wasn't an instant expert in her powers, she's an incredibly competent superhero these days, and Kagami matched her in fighting ability as well as the ability to use their respective powers effectively. However, while Ladybug is a planner and approaches most situations with careful deliberation, Ryuko is hasty and reckless, blowing her secret identity immediately.

So, how about Luka, then? Marinette and Luka's relationship is mostly characterized by Luka doing Marinette various favors, so there isn't any rivalry going on there, but there doesn't have to be, since he's meant to be Adrien's rival, so we'll focus on that instead.

Common pursuit? They both like Marinette but neither of them is actively pursuing her, though, I guess Luka kinda is since he did confess in ‘Silencer’ and has been composing her a song in the season three finale, but outside of a few startled looks in 'Frozer', Adrien doesn't seem to be feeling too challenged, most likely because Marinette isn't something he realizes he wants. In fact, Luka’s involvement seems to be making him less likely to realize any feelings he has for Marinette.

How about music? They play in the same band in completely different, highly vital roles. There's no competition there either, especially since Adrien is a member only part-time. Maybe as superheroes? Adrien wasn't the right guy for the Snake Miraculous in 'Desperada' while Luka was, but his importance as Cat Noir was also emphasized in that episode, so it was more about Marinette's misjudgement than any competing going on between the boys. So there's no actual threat from Luka to Adrien.

Associations? Well, they're both very close friends of Marinette who care about her romantically (either knowingly or not), they play in the same band (Adrien part-time) and they're also friends, considering how Luka was there right next to Nino silently supporting him when they were trying to cheer Adrien up in 'Félix'. I'd say they're pretty strongly associated at this point, even though the show understates it a bit because everything about Luka is presented in a pretty low-key way.

What about foiling? As I covered in my wrap-up of 'Frozer', Luka is basically "Adrien but more readily available to Marinette". They have very similar, outwardly mellow personalities, they're kind and selfless to a fault and they're both musical (though I'm not sure if Marinette had gotten to hear Adrien play before 'Love Hunter'). They’re also both reasonably astute emotionally, although with some weak points (Luka has a hard time holding up a conversation according to ‘Captain Hardrock’ while Adrien can’t read Marinette’s cues).

The contrast comes in how the story seems to be implying that, with Luka, what you see is what you get, while Adrien is actually internally much more of a chaotic goofball and not nearly as put together as it might first seem. Luka can also read Marinette's emotions with ease, since he's constantly turning them into music, while Adrien struggles with them so much he genuinely thought Marinette hated him in 'Puppeteer 2'. Luka and Adrien are also contrasted in their single parents; Gabriel is overly controlling while Anarka seemingly raises her kids in anarchy.

So, to sum up my conclusions:

Kagami's character is very much built around the rival archetype, both in her early relationship with Adrien and in her later relationship with Marinette. She ticks all three boxes for rivalship and is very much a love rival. In fact, she’s enough of a rival for both our main leads!

Luka, however, is missing the first, most primary aspect of being a rival; he doesn't challenge Adrien in any way. As it stands, Luka is Adrien's foil, but not his rival. So he can’t be a love rival. His role is not to challenge anything, but to be The Other Option. More an object of comparison than an actor in the romance drama.

Bonus: so what is Luka? Simply put, Luka exists for Marinette. This is obvious in the way almost everything he does on screen revolves around Marinette in some way. I've so far come up with two theories for what the purpose of Luka's function towards Marinette's character might be.

1) I've previously talked about how Luka is the "easy" alternative to Adrien in my episode wrap-up for 'Silencer'. While it's not Adrien's fault, from Marinette's perspective, he's kind of a hassle to try to get with. His father and busy schedule get in the way of many of Marinette's attempts to win him over, as does Marinette’s own nervousness. However, Luka is already in love with Marinette at first sight, with no effort required from Marinette to win him over, he's always ready to drop everything to do Marinette a favor. The point is that Luka being so similar to Adrien in their best traits while also lacking any of the circumstantial things that make Adrien a "hassle" means that if Marinette rejects Luka for Adrien, we'll know she truly loves Adrien for Adrien, since she could get the same surface-level stuff from Luka more easily but chooses not to.

2) My reverse love square hypothetical post also covered the option that temporarily dating Luka could be a way to break Marinette out of her anxiety when it comes to thinking of Adrien in a romantic way. She's too emotionally invested in Adrien, while not really that  invested in Luka. Luka is so mellow and giving, Marinette can easily date him and then break up with him without hurting him to get over her romance-based anxiety so that she can pursue Adrien anew.

[amberwild420]

OSB, TSF (pt. 54)

masterlist

enter; the super sons

Marinette looked at the eye bags under her eyes. The nightmare were getting to her and she couldn’t even stop anyone from worrying. The withdrawal of the inactive black cat was getting to her.

 She looked at the dream catcher on the side. Kaylan gave her a dream catcher to lessen the number of nightmares. She can only imagine what the nightmare would be if not for the dream catcher.

 Sighing, she got up. At least she got four hours of sleep. It was a victory against her sleepless nights in the beginning.

A new day Tikki.

 A new day Marinette.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emerald green eyes glared at the crowd before spotting his friend. Damian Wayne was scowling at his tardiness.

 Stop slowing me down, Kent.

 Jon, the sunshine, smiled before eagerly looking around, taking in all his eyes could see. It was so new and so………different.

 Back at the league, after the chimera attack, the league choose the two of them to investigate and help with the akuma attack and assure the miraculous team of their full support.

  Damian agreed right away. As long as he can stay away from his crazy brothers, he can take all he can get. And trying the Luna to be is adopted sister was just another plus of this trip.

 Jon agreed because he was a pure sunshine who wanted to be with his best friend and make sure that Damian wouldn’t stab someone. What’s more, it’s a good trip paid by the Wayne’s. There is no way he will say no to that.

So where do we start?

 We are going to take a look around, if we’re lucky we can get to see an akuma attack, if not, then we’ll familiarize ourselves.

 Damian walked forward, his famous scowl present as always. Jon smiled before joining him as well.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you sure?

 Yes Kagami, I’ll be fine.

 Marinette smiled brightly at the fencer, who still looked unconvinced. Chloe sighed; Luka strung his guitar while Kaylan nibbled on the chocolate chip cookies that Marinette has provided them. The Kwami floated around while nibbling on their treats.

 When the whole gang gathered the first thing that they discovered was the dark bags under her eyes and thus Marinette was forced to talk about her nightmares. And that brought the mother hen within Kagami.

 Mari-hime, you…..you need to tell us when you face such things.

 But I’m okay.

Actually Mari-bear, you look terrible.

 Luka!

 You have to listen to them melody.

 Marinette make a face before turning to the last person in the room. But instead of paying attention to any of them, she was observing the dream catcher.

  The gem is turning black.

 She stated before looking at the bluenette.

 Sorry Hun, you’re on your own on this one. I can’t save you.

 The dream catcher in her hand floated before black gem started returning to its original color.

 The indicator was clear. She didn’t say anything about extreme nightmares and she had to listen to her teammates nagging her. Marinette slumped her shoulder sighing in defeat and listen to Kagami nagging her for the next hour.

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Sabine knocked at the trapdoor, stopping the rowdy noises in her daughter’s room. With a smile, she greeted them.

 Marinette, can you look after the counter? Your dad and I have to fill a large order.

 We can help as well.

 Don’t know who said but all of them dragged Marinette downstairs, with her mother laughing in the back.

 Luka took a seat near the counter before stinging her guitar. Chloe, Kaylan and Kagami started small chores, while Marinette took the counter.

 Just in a moment, the small bell rang and two teenagers entered the bakery. From the looks of it they looked quite new to the place.

 Welcome to Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie.

 Marinette greeted while the rest just looked at them up and down. Luka ignored and kept stringing his guitar.

 Jon looked up at the bakery with awe. Just looking at it was enough to make him curious what’s inside. So here he was dragging Damian to the bakery.

 The pretty blunette welcomed them with a smile making Jon animatedly asking for recommendation. Damian, who normally doesn’t interact with anyone, also looked interested in what the blunette was pointing at.

 In the end they bought all the macaroons (courtesy of Damian) and promised to return (Damian even nodded at the girl making Jon shocked).

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