#focus? yes. focus on things that actually matter? no. guilt about not doing the right things? no.

[sugusatosluut]

Nanami Kento x Fem!reader

The Wringer

Nanami is leaving to become a sorcerer, but not before showing you how he’s been feeling since the two of you met.

smut, dom!nanami, soft y/n and nanami.

Your desk had been across from Kento’s for years. You’d been working in front of him all this time and not once did you take his features or his kind desk manners for granted. When he’d get too focused on his work, he would clench his jaw, put his hand an inch under his lower lip and focus on the paperwork. Sometimes he’d catch you glancing at him and on his less stressful days, he’d shoot you a quick smile before continuing onto his work. He always kept his things in his space, not daring to take advantage of the space that separated your desks because he respected you and your area as well. He was a minimalist, but your desk was full of family photos, little bobble heads and small fidget toys that you would sometimes let him borrow. You considered him a good colleague. You slowly worked your way into talking to him when you got the chance, it started with the 15 minute breaks by the water cooler. You had opened up to greet him after sitting in front of him for almost a few months at that point.

Today was the day. After all these years, these long four years, you were going to tell Kento how you felt about him. Okay not specifically.. you weren’t going to tell him how you stared at his lips when he was trying to focus on the computer screen, or how wet it made you when he would look up every once in a while and smile at you. You couldn’t tell him about how you fantasized and daydreamed about how you would fall apart in his arms while he fingered you and sucked your neck. You couldn’t tell him anything about the nasty fantasies and slutty day dreams you’d been having because you caught a whiff of his cologne. But you could start small. You were going to tell Kento that you liked him at least. If he didn’t return the feelings it was not going to be a problem, you could handle rejection.

“Y/n.”

“Hm?” You snapped out of your thoughts.

“I asked if you’d like to go get drinks with me tonight. I have something I need to tell you.” He said chuckling at your distracted state.

“Oh- yes Kento. I’d love to.” You smiled at him.

It was such a rewarding thing to see him smile at you and now to hear his low chuckle? It’s almost like he knew it was a kink you personalized just for him. The day had drug out and soon enough you found yourself heading to your car as Nanami walked next to you. He agreed to meet you at the bar shortly. You got there first and sat in the car as you zoned out for a moment. Nanami had knocked on your car window gently.

“Come on, let’s go grab a seat.” He smiled at you.

You both sat. It was slightly awkward since you two had never met outside the office before, but he ordered some cocktails to start the night off. A gentleman indeed. You two had indulged in talk about stupid office drama and your thoughts about it, oh and the new Agency Director was just horrible! All these new dress code rules? Stupid. Nanami actually enjoyed hearing your thoughts but he had a look of guilt on his face for half the night.

“Kento.” You said stirring your drink with your small straw.

“Hm?” He looked up at you. He looked so different outside those office walls.

“What’s the matter? You look down tonight. Were you expecting something?” You asked.

“No. Not exactly. I have to tell you things and I don’t want to ruin the night but I find myself struggling to tell you these things when I actually get the chance. I should start with something good though, right? Just so I don’t ruin our evening quite yet.” He said.

Your look of confusion and pretty smile made him look down. You just didn’t understand and this isn’t how he wanted to tell you but he needed to do it now. He felt so bad but you always made him feel so good. Doesn’t matter what kind of day he’s having, sitting in front of you always made it better.

“Y/n.. we’ve sat in front of eachother for almost five years now. It would be a waste to not tell you how I’ve felt about us. I enjoy our walks to the water cooler, I also take solace in hearing your greetings every morning. The way you call me Kento is.. compelling. What I’m trying to say is that I like you a lot y/n. This isn’t some childish thing that I want to ‘see where it goes’. When I sit down everyday and watch you start your routine, I think about how good of a wife you’d be for me, how good of a mother you’d be to our hypothetical children. I also need to tell you that I’m leaving the agency.. it’s something that I have been weighing my options with, but I’d make far more income being a sorcerer. I’ll give you some time to think about it. Just have a few more drinks with me.” He gave you a smile.

“Kento, you’re leaving?” You’d given him the most angelic looking sad face he’d ever seen.

“Yes. I can understand if you don’t return my affections for that reason.” He touched your hand on the table.

You didn’t pull away.

“It’s dangerous Kento. You should know something though.” You relaxed, finally knowing how he felt about you. It made you comfortable enough to tell him.

“What’s that?” He asked.

“I return your feelings. I feel the same way about you. I think about you and I all the time— I think about what you do when you go home, sometimes I have fantasies about us being together and most of the time I think about what it would be like for us if we pursued a relationship together. I think about long term things when it comes to you. I want you, kento.” You huffed as you looked at him sadly.

You hoped him leaving the firm wouldn’t change anything between you two. He felt bad for choosing to be a sorcerer over working a boring desk job with the most beautiful woman as his desk partner. He wanted you to be his life partner too.

“Y/n. I know this is a lot to ask and you don’t need to drop anything, but would you consider for the right reasons maybe .. becoming a sorcerer with me? I know you’re good. I see you with Itadori on the weekends. I just watch.” He said. His face was still blank.

He watched you train Yuji Itadori? He never said anything.. you couldn’t even sense that he was there..

“You’re a great sorcerer then Kento. I didn’t even notice you were there. I’ll think about it.” You chuckled sipping your drink.

You and Kento had talked the night away, you noticed he didn’t really drink much, just the first cocktail he ordered. You had two.

“Let me drive you home y/n.” He offered.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind taking me to pick my car up in the morning.” You smiled at him.

He led you to his car and opened to passenger side door for you, guiding you in. He then made his way over to the drivers side and started to settle in. Before he could get the chance to put his seatbelt on, you crawled over into his lap.

“Y-y/n..” he breathed out.

“Kento I just.. I want you.” You sighed.

His chest lit up like fire. His fantasy of you saying the exact same words had never failed to make him hard. Your body cradled his lap. He allowed you to pepper kisses all over his face and neck, until you stopped at his lips.

“Kento.. kiss me.” You smirked.

He devoured you, your skin felt like a forest wildfire, anywhere he planted his lips felt like steam emitting from that specific area.

“Lift up your skirt.” He said as he kissed you.

“W-what?” You blushed.

He grabbed the end of your chin and motioned your face up to look at him.

“I’ll do it myself.” He looked at you seriously.

He undid the zipper of his pants to show you his massive hard on. You looked at him lustfully, taking this all in. It was obvious the sexual tension between you two was hard to deny. You needed this, you needed him. Maybe this would determine how your future with him would continue.. but for now all you needed to worry about was being able to cum.

Kento slid your panties to the side , then gripped both parts of your ass cheeks. The pre cum was already enough for him to coat himself and slicker you up. He glided his tip painfully between your folds. His angry, red tip throbbing and the thought of touching your insides. Your squealchy soft insides. He looked up at you and smiled. You loved when he did that.

“You’re so soft, I think next time I’ll taste you first.” He chuckled.

ooooooooh my god

You couldn’t help but smile. He was already thinking of a next time.

He entered inside you slowly, allowing you to drop yourself onto him the rest of the way.

“oh-so tight..” He was quite literally praising you with the tone of his voice.

“Show me how long you’ve been waiting for this.” He whispered as he grabbed a chunk of your hair, massaging your scalp.

without any further response, you bounced on his cock. The car steamed up inside from the panting you had been releasing and Nanami’s breathy moans. He spread his legs wider for a more intense pleasure. Your fucked out expression made him needy for affection. He couldn’t keep doing this much longer. With the windows fogged up and the car shaking, his mantra was disrupted. The coil in his stomach was starting to tighten up. Yours was too.

“Kento- please, I’m close.” You latched into his shoulders and cried out in pleasure.

“where?- where do you-“

“Inside me please!” You yelped.

It felt a little premature but you came right after telling him. He couldn’t help but give into the wet mess that surrounded his cock. He gripped you tightly as you came. The panting never stopped but you at least slowed it down. Warmness filled you up, you groaned as you squeezed his shoulders one more time.

He let you rest your head in the crook of his neck.

“Think about the sorcerer thing, you don’t have to make a decision today but my last day is on Friday.” He grunted as you hopped off of him.

“I’ll do it. If it means we get to spend everyday together, that’s what I want.” I leaned in to kiss his cheek.

“Then it’s settled.” He smiled.

“Have you really been spying on Itadori and i?” You smiled at him.

“Yes, I know about the adoption too. He’s young, he needs lots of guidance and he’s the kid I wished I’d raised. I want to be his second guardian if you’ll let me. Working with him myself has changed my perspective on life. We could guide him together.” He squeezed your hand.

“I think he’d like that.” You kissed his cheek.

You and nanami kento…? Yuji would probably have a lot of questions once he heard about his two sensei’s like this.

a.n. : OBVIOUSLY this was kinda rushed even after I’ve been working on it for 20 days straight. I have a pt. 2 on the way as well… let me know if it’s pt.2 worthy..

[icallhimjoey]

To Have And To Scold

♥ ♥  Joseph Quinn x Fem!Reader

Summary: Your best friends are getting married, and who else can they ask to be their best man and maid of honour but you and Joe? It’s just that… you don’t really get along all that well, do you? At least, that’s what you think.

CW / disclaimer: sort of enemies to sort of lovers, slooow burn, language, rpf, fem!reader, panic attack

Author’s note: when i reached 7K i kind of knew the poll’s results wouldn’t matter to me anymore – there is going to be a part 11, or an epilogue if you will, because there’s just... it’s just too much. I need to thank @thebellenouvelle for the inspiration behind eyelid kisses, and @alwayslindie for fisticuffs (ifykyk) SO SORRY BUT THIS IS NOT THE END pls enjoy

Wordcount: 7.1K

part one - part two - part three - part four - part five- part six- part seven - part eight - part nine- part ten - epilogue

Today was not the day you expected to find yourself in a dark coat closet of a hotel suite, hiding from your friends with Joe's hand covering your mouth as you made big shocked eyes at him.

Today was about Poppy and Mark.

The happy couple. Getting married. Mark, and Poppy. Poppy, and Mark.

It was about them. Full focus just on your friends. Just on his friends. Nothing else. No one else.

So then why the fuck had Joe hurriedly pushed you into a closet in a full scuffle of frantic limbs when he heard Poppy and Mark outside the door? And why did you, despite still being so angry, and hurt, and so fucking embarrased - why did you like it?

Joe had to recount his steps. How did he get here? How did he find himself in a small, enclosed space that instantly created a sense of intimacy and closeness which intensified all and any existing feelings he had towards you?

Joe remembered having looked himself in the eye in his hallway mirror that morning, right before he headed out, and had sighed deeply at his own reflection.

Today was going to be impossible.

He thought about setting reminders on his phone because he knew, he fucking knew his mind would be with you all day. Guilt and shame and embarrassment and, God he felt so awful.

As he should. He was well aware.

But today was about Poppy. Poppy and Mark. And yes, he was going to be seeing you again, which... ugh, he could eat himself alive at the prospect.

For two and a half weeks after he'd gotten to touch you, and smell you, and taste you - Jesus Christ Joe had actually gotten so much more than he'd ever even dreamt of - he had almost reached out thousands of times. Had hovered fingers over a text thread. Over your name in his contact list.

But what was he going to say?

How was he going to break the ice? The thick, thick, thick thick ice that had frozen over because of his doing. He'd known the second your front door fell shut behind him that he'd done the wrong thing. That'd he had fucked up in a way he knew he could never come back from.

Joe was the worst.

When Joe thought of you now, it didn't involve swooning or tender romantic feelings. Instead, it was all gut-wrenching guilt and violent shame that made him want to hide himself away.

The thing he'd been so scared of, the chance of things going wrong and ending badly between the two of you, had happened before anything had even really started at all. He'd been left humiliated by his own actions, and couldn't even begin to imagine how you must have felt. Left disheartened by the vast impact of his mistakes and the loss of something that he had never even had made him want to get away. To leave. To move abroad and not tell anyone. If he could, Joe would happily disappear and skip this whole wedding all together.

Obviously, he couldn't.

Today was about Poppy. Poppy and Mark.

And Joe was the maid of honour after all. And so, after a last stern look at himself, Joe walked out and made his way over to where Poppy and her gaggle of bridesmaids were meeting to get ready for the big day.

In your flat, you gave the e-mail a last once over.

Joe had e-mailed you a week ago. You still had to go over your speeches, and instead of being a normal person and perhaps reaching out to apologise, to maybe talk things through - instead of that, he'd gone and sent you an e-mail.

An e-mail.

And it was all professional too, which was... you couldn't even begin to organise your feelings about it. He'd attached his speech 'for your acknowledgement' and you'd had to drink three fat glasses of wine before you'd been able to read it.

It had the audacity to be good. Rude. It made you rewrite your whole speech with a clenched jaw whilst tipsy and you'd regretted not backing up what you'd previously written the next morning, because you definitely had only made it worse.

But.

Today was about Mark. About Mark and Poppy.

Not about how angry you still were with Joe. Not about all that weaponized disappointment you could feel sit inside of your chest that hadn't gone anywhere, because you weren't going to be the one to reach out to Joe, were you?

You were stubborn like that. Embarrassed like that. Because Joe had fucked up, and in doing so, for some weird fucked up reason, you now had feelings for Joe.

Very real feelings that were conflicting and painful and so, so stupid. It made it all too easy to pivot the anger and aim all of its arrows right at yourself, when, no. Joe had fucked up. Not you.

Joe was the one that fucked up and, Joe could be the one to fix it, too.

You know, if you'd actually let him. You weren't sure if you'd even let him, but you wanted to see him at least attempt it. It was the least you deserved, you thought. And then after that, you could just avoid him for the rest of your life. You'd work something out. Find a system. Something.

So then... how had you even allowed yourself to be shoved into a closet by Joe before he quickly stepped inside himself and closed the door, engulfing the both of you in darkness? And why did Joe feel that it was totally okay to press his full palm over your mouth in order to make sure you didn't respond when Poppy and Mark walked in and called out for you?

As you had made your way over to the hotel suite where Mark and his groomsmen were going to be getting ready, you tried to get rid of the exasperated feeling in your fingertips at the prospect of having to be near Joe all day.

But the feeling was still there when you walked in and got hugs from all the heavily-cologned men who were all scattered throughout the room, each attending to their own individual tasks. Some were carefully doing their hair, others were using lintrollers all over themselves, and you spotted two of them keeping busy polishing their shoes to a high shine.

The feeling was still there when you let a photographer into the room, to take some photographs of the camaraderie and brotherhood among the groomsmen as they joked and teased each other. Men being men, boys being boys, with you mixed in among them, the only one not in a matching suit.

And the feeling was still there when all of them made you help them with their ties.

All together they were a picture of elegance and sophistication, but beneath the surface, you could feel the excitement and anxious anticipation for what the day held. Everyone was a little nervous, and obviously Mark probably was a lot nervous, but fucking hell, why couldn't your hands stop shaking? The bottle of whiskey Mark's brother opened, because, "the girls are having champagne, aren't they?" really helped, and, yes, you hated whiskey, but fuck it, please, let's fucking go.

You used the excuse of having to put your dress on to slip into the bathroom. In there you took your sweet time, because the large bathroom gave you some time to yourself, and all the cool luxurious white marble that surrounded you in there was calming.

When you stepped back out, the groomsmen were just on their way out, following the photographer who was going to use them for test shots.

"My turn," Mark said to you as the door fell shut, leaving the large suite quiet, and he held out his tie for you to help him with.

You grinned and took it, glad you were given a task you could manage. Maybe that was the secret. Just keep your mind occupied the whole day. Right in the middle of doing a full Windsor knot, Mark suddenly placed both palms over your biceps and ducked his head down a little to force eye-contact.

"It's all going according to plan, isn't it? We're on schedule, right?"

"Of course we are," you said, but Mark could see your eyes find the clock on the far end of the room behind him to check.

"We're actually ahead of schedule, which is great," you said, finishing off his tie and making sure it was straight before you patted him over his chest.

"So, then... why are you shaking?"

You paused and curled both hands into fists to hide whatever shaking Mark had detected.

"It's just... my best friend is getting married today," you said quasi-casual, trying to make Mark laugh. "It's kind of a huge deal."

You looked up to see Mark's hair was flipping outward over his ears, and you used both your palms to flatten the hair, to push it back the way you knew Poppy liked it.

"Speaking of huge deals," Mark started, and for a second you made eye contact before stepping away. Off to find your make-up bag that you'd brought with you.

"When were you going to tell me that you've had Joe over at yours?"

Bent over your bag on the floor, your froze immediately. Who had said what to who and, what did Mark know?

He might not have known anything.

Just that Joe dropped you off at your flat the night of the stag do.

"Poppy told me," Mark continued after you hadn't moved from your position, hovering over your bag still, and you didn't know what to respond.

Of course Poppy had told Mark, because Joe had told her and Joe was the worst person alive, so that checked out. Of course that's what happened. The man couldn't tell his best friend about you sleeping in his bed fully dressed that one time, but this, this was fine.

Joe could go suck a thousand dicks.

"Joe said you kissed,"

Ah.

Just kissed, huh? Was that all he had said?

All right.

You cleared your throat and finally got back up, make-up bag in hand that you zipped open.

"We did."

You tried your bestest best to sound so very casual about it, but feared that the tone of your voice had just given away too much. You couldn't look Mark in the eye. Had to keep your eyes at the make-up bag in your hands as you searched for the lipstick that was a quintessential part of your look.

How did you ever think Mark wasn't going to see right through you?

"Do you like him?" Mark frowned through a small smile as he asked the careful question. There was no judgment. There was definitely confusion, though, and he stepped a little closer to not have this conversation across the whole room.

Did you like Joe?

Ugh.

Where to even fucking begin?

You bit both your lips into your mouth, squeezed the tube of lipstick in your fist and looked at Mark a second as he stopped right in front of you.

"Hey," he poked your arm with a finger by ways of showing affection, the way siblings would do. "It's okay if you do."

A loud, deep and very annoyed sigh left you as you frowned deeply, because you were meant be all angry with Joe, and you were, but, what the fuck? Yes. You liked him. It was confusing and infuriating, but you did. Joe had been weird and distant, but then also sweet and kind, and he'd hugged you and made sure you didn't have to walk home late at night all alone, and had let you spent the night in his bed and hadn't taken advantage, and then he had kissed you, and for three seconds, there had been more than kissing before all of it had ended and now...

Now?!

Now you wanted more.

Didn't people always want what they couldn't have?

Now wasn't the time, though.

Because today was about Mark and about Poppy and about them together.

Not about you. Or about Joe.

So you just shrugged, signaling that you didn't want to get into it and said, "Joe's a weirdo," which made Mark laugh. That, in turn, made you smile.

Mark looked good. Radiant and happy, tie all straight and his hair the way Poppy liked it.

"Got your vows?" you asked, trying to round this up, and thank fuck, Mark just went with it as he patted his chest over the pocket of his jacket.

"Rings?" you asked, holding your hand out, and for a moment, you were ready for a snarky comment. For the same joke you'd heard time and time again for months now. But it didn't come. Mark just went, "Yes," and found the little red box that held both wedding bands inside.

"Here you go. Guard it with your life."

"I will. Promise I won't–"

You were about to reference the joke yourself, but were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Mark went to answer it, and you stole the moment to quickly do your lipstick in the full sized mirror. Mark didn't look through the peephole before he opened the door, so there was zero warning, and you almost left a fat stripe of lipstick all across your cheek when you turned your head at the sound of his voice.

"Hey," Joe smiled politely, hand scratching the back of his head, in the middle of a deep breath. You could tell he was nervous.

Good.

"The bride has requested to talk to you,"

"Oh no, cold feet?" Mark joked and turned his head to find your face to laugh with you. Except you weren't laughing, because you were still applying lipstick and pretending that Joe wasn't standing in the doorway.

"Um- no, not you, sorry. Poppy needs some girl talk."

Poppy had seven bridesmaids.

Poppy probably hadn't had anything but girl talk all morning.

But sure. You could go talk to Poppy.

You didn't look Joe in the eye when you walked past Mark, touched his arm and said you'd see him in a bit. Told him he should probably also go see his parents before the ceremony, and snuck past Joe, who stepped aside and gave you all the space and then some. Which offended you.

He could've done whatever, actually, and it would have offended you.

As you made your way down the hallway, you heard Mark say, "Actually, now that I've got your here, can you..." before it trailed off and the door closed.

Interesting... not suspicious at all.

You had to promise yourself you weren't going to drive yourself insane today, weren't going to fret over what information Joe and Mark would share with each other, and instead went over the itinerary in your mind several times. It did a great job of calming you down a bit, especially since so far, everything was on schedule.

"I have a confession to make," Poppy blurted out the second you saw each other.

She looked gorgeous. Absolutely stunning.

"Uh oh," was all you managed to say before closing the door behind you.

"You are here for one reason, and one reason only, which is that Mark wanted to talk to Joe and I had to get you out of the room,"

You gave Poppy a blank stare before narrowing your eyes at her.

"What's with the secrecy... he could've just said–"

"They have... things to talk about," Poppy said, giving you a pointed look. "Don't they?"

You weren't sure what she was insinuating, but you had an inkling that she wanted you to spill the beans. Which you weren't going to do.

"Well... Mark's getting married to his best friend, I'm sure they've got lots to talk–"

"I've got another confession," Poppy frowned and waved a hand, dismissing what you'd tried to sell her would be their topic of conversation.

You couldn't help but frown deeply at her in response.

"I'm not sure I like all these confessions, Pop,"

"It's my wedding day," Poppy resonated, grabbing both of your hands in hers and wiggling them around a bit. "Let me get all of this out, please."

You closed your eyes and breathed through flared nostrils, keeping quiet, silently granting Poppy permission to confess whatever needed confessing.

You knew exactly what was coming.

"Joe told me you kissed."

"Yea, I gathered," you said flatly, letting unwilling laughter escape you when you opened your eyes to see Poppy biting down on her bottom lip to hide her excitement. This wasn't what you expected from her. "Mark let something slip earlier."

"No!" Poppy groaned immediately. "Ugh... Joe said I wasn't allowed to tell Mark, but Mark promised me he wouldn't tell you!"

It was official. This little group of grown ass whole adults could keep no secrets from each other, ever.

"Did um... did Joe tell you about what happened?" you tried, carefully, because this was meant to be Poppy's most important day ever and you didn't want to ruin it.

But your expression made hers falter.

"He didn't..." Poppy stared into space as she thought back a second. "But, to be fair, he told me you kissed and I... I kind of... even if he wanted to tell me more about it, he couldn't have, because I freaked out,"

You winced a little. Wanted to apologise, even though you knew within your soul you'd done nothing wrong.

"No, no, don't worry, it was the good kind of freak out. Are you joking? You and Joe? I knew something was up when I saw you hug outside that day, and now, this is so great, it's–"

"Pop..." you started, and shut her up instantly.

Besides the fact that you had never expected this reaction from her at all, Poppy clearly had only heard a very small little titbit of what had transpired that night. You wondered how Joe had even brought it up in conversation with her, and what the vibe had been.

Her eyebrows knitted together, copying yours, and you sighed.

"Oh no..." Poppy knew something was up. "What did he do?"

And yea, what did he do was the right question to ask, it kind of made your insides shriek. But this wasn't the time to answer it. Not the time to reveal to Poppy how her friend had done you wrong. Instead, you smiled and cupped Poppy's face with both your hands, told her she was beautiful and that today was about her and about Mark and that you'd talk about this later.

For a second it looked like Poppy wasn't going to accept the postponing, but an urgent raise of your eyebrows in question made her give you a little nod.

"Come here, you pretty bitch," you said, grinning wide before pulling her into a hug. "You look like a princess,"

"I feel like one," Poppy spoke, voice a little strained from how tight you squeezed her.

"I can't believe Mark gets to marry you," you said when you pulled back, and kind of meant it. Poppy was too good for him.

"Meh, we'll see," Poppy quipped. "I could still run." she shrugged one shoulder which made you laugh and then squeeze her even tighter than before. Poppy was far too good for him.

On your way back over to the groom's suite, you walked with stiff arms that held two hands with crossed fingers down at the end.

Please don't run into Joe. Please don't run into Joe. Please, don't run into Joe.

You turned a corner and...

There he was.

A mere few feet away from you.

For a split second you contemplated walking backwards, back around that corner, just, rewinding yourself in time and hiding somewhere so you wouldn't be forced to have whatever awkward exchange this was going to be. But Joe had seen you. You couldn't pretend you hadn't spotted each other, and so you didn't.

"Hey," Joe called, and it seemed a bit urgent. Like he was glad he had just ran into you.

You just gave him one of those polite nods. The kind you'd give a the driver of a car that stopped to let you cross at a zebra crossing. You even almost added the half-wave – just a raised hand with only the index finger flexed.

Joe'd stopped walking, but you were about to whizz right past him because you weren't going to do this – didn't want to do this.

But then Joe grabbed you by the arm and it stopped you in your tracks. His soft touch lit you full body on fire.

"This is yours," Joe said, holding out a white plastic card. The hotel key to the groom's suite. "Mark went to go see his parents."

You took it from him, eyes not meeting his. You couldn't.

"Listen, I need to– want to... I want to apologise, for– um, for not reaching out sooner, and, I mean, not that you–" Joe stumbled through his words and suddenly had to cough loudly after choking on his own spit. "Excuse me– sorry. I have to, um, apologise for–"

"Let's not..." you started and looked down at where Joe was still holding your arm.

Joe followed your gaze and startled himself, quickly letting go.

"Just... let's just stick to wedding stuff today, all right?" had this been a month ago, you'd have given Joe a polite smile at this point. But this wasn't a month ago. This was now, and Joe had humiliated you in the most extreme manner you had ever been humiliated – had left you dripping with your own arousal and his pre-cum with a full tit out in your kitchen. Said he'd see you around.

This didn't really count as around, you thought.

You saw how dismissing his attempt at an apology completely worked something behind his eyes before he gave you a quick nod.

"Yes," he looked down at his own feet a second before looking back up at you. "Of course. Did you– I sent over my speech, um, last week. Did you get–"

"Got it."

This chat needed to be over.

"You never replied."

"I didn't."

You couldn't muster up anything but coldness for Joe. Distance. The same type of harshness sharp by the edges that Joe had reserved for you for years. You were treating Joe the way he had treated you forever. It was kind of the only way to go about it, because you were angry and Joe needed to feel that you were angry, but you also knew, you fucking knew that the second you'd drop this hard exterior, you'd absolutely fold for this man.

"But I received it fine."

You would've stuck a thanks to the end of that sentence if you weren't so fucking stubborn.

"So, you ready for the day? Got your own speech? Got the rings?"

Oh, motherfucker thought he could be cute and joke, did he? You were mid-way through an eye roll when you suddenly stopped breathing.

No.

Your eyes grew twice its size.

No.

"What– what's wrong?"

You'd never quite felt a panic take completely hold of your entire being quite so fast. This was no slow-building storm but instead an instant raging tempest within your chest.

You were immediately sweating when you realised you didn't have the rings.

Where were the fucking rings?!

Mark had given you the rings, you'd applied your lipstick, and then you'd gone to visit Poppy in the bridal suite. Had you even taken them to the bridal suite?

Your chest constricted itself into a tightness you hadn't experienced so lucidly before, which made you only more aware of how fast your heart was beating and what the fuck was happening?

"Are you– Jesus, breathe," Joe grabbed you by both upper arms, and you spluttered through a big inhale, noticing the sudden heat within your face and why did it feel like you were on a rollercoaster ride hurtling towards an inevitable crash?

"The rings," you managed to squeak out before turning your head towards the bridal suite from which you came.

No.

It couldn't be in there.

You hadn't touched anything in there. Hadn't placed anything down anywhere. Groom's suite. It had to be in the groom's suite still.

"You lost the rings?"

Just for a second, you looked Joe in the eye, both entirely blank faced, faces reading nothing, before your brain managed to tell your legs to tell your feet to start moving and Joe let go of you.

Your dazed walk quickly turned into a frenzied run down the hotel corridors, and Joe followed you on your tail.

"Mark!" you called out, hurriedly knocking on the door when you reached it.

"Key, key, you've got the– use the key," Joe scrambled, about to take the plastic card from your hands, but you wildly evaded him and shakily opened the door yourself.

Inside, you immediately traced your own steps.

"Red box," you panted. "It's a little red box, square, rounded corners, bright, bright red,"

And without thinking, Joe started throwing pillows from the sofa, pulling sheets from the beds and tipping over whichever bin he could find.

The two of you turned the entire room upside down, all anger and awkwardness forgotten for a second.

But it was nowhere to be found.

No red box.

Fuck.

How could you mess up this fucking badly?

You felt your throat grow rigid, the panic intensifying and overwhelming you until it was too much to bear. Sliding both hands into your hair, you closed your fingers and pulled. You couldn't cry. Had to keep a level head. Think straight.

Mark was going to murder you.

You couldn't cry.

"Let's hit the bridal suite," Joe said, jumping from the bed, over the covers that were now splayed out across the floor, jogging past you towards the door.

"They've got to be either here, or there," Joe reasoned, and you knew he was right, but... but what if he wasn't?

"Come on," Joe said, beckoning you, and you were about to blindly follow him when suddenly, he stopped. He froze completely and you nearly crashed into him.

Voices.

Mark and Poppy.

No.

Joe pushed you back inside and quickly closed the door. You saw him look behind you, the room a full mess, and then, without much thinking, opened the coat closet to his side that he then shoved you into.

"What– Joe!"

"Quiet!"

Joe pushed you deeper into the closet, following you inside before quickly and quietly closing the doors behind you. It was all just in time, as you heard the small beep from the door unlocking as Mark and Poppy walked into the suite.

They called out for you and for Joe, and you could heard Mark go, "Jesus, what happened in here?"

All you could think about was that Poppy and Mark weren't supposed to even see each other before the ceremony. Not because anyone thought it would be bad luck, they didn't buy into that shit, but because you knew Poppy, and Poppy wanted that big entrance, that big reveal that would get Mark all choked up.

You were about to step out, about to say something, but Joe sensed it and so with both arms he held you in place, folding one palm right over your mouth so you wouldn't make a peep.

Your eyes were still adjusting to the dark, and you could barely make out Joe's face, but everything felt like he was being absolutely serious.

So there you were, pressed up against each other, both bodies impossibly tense, wholly focused on staying quiet.

"Well, they've clearly been in here," you could hear Poppy say.

"What the–" Mark's voice sounded far away, and you could picture him walking around the entire suite, taking in the mess that you and Joe had just created mere seconds ago.

"Did they fight? Like, full fisticuffs you think?"

"No, I think they were looking for this, look," you could practically hear the smile in Poppy's voice, and inside the closet, you and Joe frowned at each other.

"What are you..." Mark gasped. "Poppy! How did you get a hold of those?"

No fucking way.

You had touched one thing in the bridal suite. You had touched Poppy.

You peeled Joe's fingers from your face to mouth, "the rings," at him with wild eyes. As a precaution Joe raised his fingers up to his mouth, signaling you to stay quiet. Which you were. Joe could fuck off.

"Took them,"

"No, babe... that's not funny–"

"It's not meant to be funny, it's meant to create a little hiccup that–"

"A little hiccup?!"

"Mark, listen! Think about it... who is going to help her find them?"

Jesus fucking Christ.

Poppy could fuck off too.

"You're aware she's going to stab you with the cake knife later if she ever finds out about this?"

"She won't get the chance to, because she'll be too busy making out with Joe."

A silence fell within the hotel suite, and you were suddenly very aware of how the enclosed space you were in started growing hotter.

"Mark, he's been in love – like, actual love with her for fucking ages, if we don't help them out at least a little, nothing's ever going to happen,"

What the fuck?!

You saw in real time how Joe went from looking all stern, fully focussed on making sure that you kept quiet in every sense of the word, to his full face scrunching up before his head dropped down entirely, nearly head-butting you in the process.

"It's my wedding day. I deserve this." Poppy continued, and you heard Mark scoff.

"And I'm sure that for today, you'll be excused. But there's going to be a tomorrow," Mark was ever the voice of reason.

Meanwhile, Joe hoped the coat closet was dark enough for you not to see how his entire face had turned beet-red, or how his heart was trying to jump its way out of his chest. He still had you wrapped up in his hold, so he logically understood there was no hiding anything.

But still. Joe could hope.

"You know what he said to me?"

Fuck, fuck. Poppy shut the fuck up.

Joe was about to move his hands to cover your ears, but in a small scramble, you managed to grab hold of both his wrists and pushed them down.

Joe's elbow nearly knocked into the panel behind him.

"He said he cares too much, like, cares about her, and that he just wants to hold her hand and kiss her over the eyelids... he wants to kiss her eyes, Mark. You've never kissed me on the eyes before."

"Come here,"

"No! It's too late for you!"

"Too late?! We're getting married!"

Outside of the closet, the mood turned playful and you heard Poppy shriek followed by footsteps that chased each other.

Inside the coat closet, the air was thick. You were so aware of your breathing, of where your bodies were touching, and of Joe's eyes on you. He looked mortified.

"You care too much?" you mouthed, completely inaudible but for the movement your tongue made within your mouth.

Joe nodded, but it was careful. Insecure, almost.

You frowned and shook your head.

Joe couldn't care too much. Joe was a friend of a friend who never really took to you. Always remained aloof and stand-offish. Was weird around you. Made no contact, and then when he did, made misplaced jokes.

"You left me,"

Joe closed his eyes, and in the little light that the doors let in, you could see his jaw tense and nostrils flare.

"I didn't want to hurt you," Joe let a little bit of his whispered voice slip through as he spoke on an exhale

Your frown deepened.

"I care," Joe followed up, completely silent again, and for a moment the two of you listened to Poppy and Mark going around and putting the room back together. Shuffling of duvets, thumps of cushions being thrown, and had you not been staring into Joe's eyes whilst being pressed up against him in a space far too small for two adults to spend this much time in, you would've stopped them. They were in their wedding outfits. Tidying a hotel suite ahead of their own wedding. What the fuck were they doing?

But it just so happened to be that you were staring into Joe's eyes whilst being pressed up against him in a space far too small for two adults to spend this much time in. And then Joe's lashes fluttered as he looked down at your lips and...

Joe was in love with you?

Had that registered properly?

Were you able to process that right now?

Fingers then curled around your neck, and soft palms pressed up underneath your jaw.

For a moment, you just stood like that. Shaky breaths, trying to stay quiet still, and God, it was so fucking hot in there.

But there was not a chance you were going to break away now.

This coat closet suddenly was the exact right place you needed to be.

You were already so tense, were still sweating from the panicked search for the rings, and then tension built up even further as your noses touched.

"I care,"

You automatically closed your eyes and let your mouth fall open in a little gasp before you kissed Joe. It felt like he'd been waiting, because the frevour with which he returned the kiss was on a whole different level. Joe guided your head, turned it so he got the best access and licked his way into your mouth like a starved man.

It made all tension slip off of you.

The shakes you had earlier, when you had help Mark get ready? You could feel them pour from your finger tips. The anxiety you'd felt when you'd ran into Joe in the corridor? Ran down your frame like water off a duck's back.

Joe was making out with you, and it was a perfect push and pull of hot breath, wet lips and soft tongues.

It was really fucking hot, and you allowed yourself to forget everything for a second.

You couldn't forget that you had to stay quiet.

No noises allowed.

You couldn't make any sounds. If you didn't, this would last longer, so you really tried.

Your hands found Joe's hair, and you let your fingers slip into it, scraping his scalp as you did and it made Joe pull your face back a little.

"Don't," he mouthed, worried he was going to be the one to make a noise, but dove back into your mouth immediately.

It made your knees nearly give out. You were folding. Folding hard, and folding fast.

So.

You knew you were hiding in a closet with two of your friends on the other side of the doors somewhere still, but, how much convincing would you need to do to let Joe finish what he'd started weeks ago?

The second you thought it, you heard Joe's throat stutter.

Probably not a lot, then.

You wrapped both arms around Joe's neck and were about to hike up a leg, let Joe know what you wanted from him, but, that ruined everything.

Because your knee knocked into the panel behind Joe loudly.

The two of you stilled instantly, and your face grimaced. That hurt, but moreso, that was far too loud for Mark and Poppy not to have heard.

Shit.

You waited in complete silence, frozen on the spot, breaths held, both with huge eyes, and listened for a reaction.

But you got none.

It was silent in the hotel suite, and for a moment, you considered just opening the door and peeking out. Maybe they had left already. There was a huge chance you hadn't noticed.

But then, footsteps.

"Okay, let's go!" Poppy said, her voice raised to a volume it didn't need for Mark to hear her.

"The ceremony is in about half an hour, best not be late!" Mark replied, uncharacteristically chipper, voice becoming louder as he walked right past the coat closet that held the two of you inside.

You were holding your breath for fear of Mark hearing you and pulling open the doors to reveal the two of you completely entangled with each other.

That didn't happen though.

Instead, you heard the door open, heard them walk out, and then heard the door fall shut.

It took less than a second for the two of you to fall out of the closet into the cool air of the hotel suite.

And there it was.

Sat right in the middle of the hotel suite, promptly placed centre stage so you couldn't possibly miss it.

The red ring box.

Fuck.

They had obviously heard you.

You picked it up and turned to show Joe, but when you made eye-contact, the both of you gasped.

Your lipstick was fucking everywhere.

Joe looked shocked and anticipated your panicked state to fully grab a hold of you again. He was ready to go straight back into apologising. Reassuring. Calming you down. Comforting you.

But then you burst out into laughter.

This was so stupid.

Joe didn't know if you were laughing at the absurdity of the situation, or if you were laughing at what he looked like with lipstick smeared all over his face. He didn't care. You were laughing, and it felt like genuine, honest laughter. Sounded like music.

"Come here," you said and beckoned him to follow you into the bathroom where you still couldn't stop the giggles as you opened a packet of make-up wipes.

"Oh Jesus," you said when you saw your own reflection, and the laughter picked up once more.

Joe couldn't help but laugh along.

This was a delicious way to break any and all tension, and Joe knew he'd be apologising for... well, for forever. But it'd be worth it.

You knew Joe loved you now.

With a smile still plastered on your face, you took hold of Joe by the chin and with a wipe wrapped around your fingers, started cleaning off the maroon smudges.

"My eyelids, Joe?"

Joe grimaced, but let out a huffed laugh as he did. He blushed and looked down as he pursed his lips, trying to minimize the smile he had going.

"Well, anywhere, really," Joe couldn't lie. He didn't just want to kiss you on the eyelids. He kind of wanted to kiss you all over.

His answer made your breath hitch in your throat as your face slowly fell.

Joe was in love with you.

You didn't understand how that could be true. How that could even work.

Joe didn't say anything, but watched as the cogs turned in your head and you stared right at his chest with the make-up wipe hovering in front of him for a moment.

Joe was in love with you.

Suddenly your snapped back up at him.

"I'm still mad at you,"

"Yes, of course," Joe immediately accepted the fact that you were.

"That's going to take me a minute,"

"I'll make it up to you," Joe smiled sweetly as his eyebrows knitted together.

He looked cute like that.

"I'm not sure if you can,"

Another silence lingered, and you decided it didn't need more words from you. So you got back to ridding Joe's face off of your make-up, and then bent closer towards the mirror and cleaned up your own face. Joe gazed at you intently as you did, and when you made eye-contact through the mirror, he loudly cleared his throat and pretended something needed doing outside of the bathroom.

Joe was an idiot.

Made you smile.

Ugh. Fuck.

Yea all right. You guessed Joe's awkwardness could be cute now, or whatever.

Jesus Christ.

You finished redoing your lipstick, and you could still faintly see how the smears had stained your skin, but this was going to have to do.

You were going to go down and get through this wedding and pretend nothing had happened and you were ready for it. Were going to power through this. You were tough. And strong. You were going to give a killer speech, make sure the cake cutting happened at the right exact time, and would get enough people to fill out the dance floor in the right amount of time with the right music playing.

You were an amazing best man, and this was the time to really fucking prove it to everyone.

You stepped out of that bathroom, chest puffed out, shoulders pushed back with your back as straight as you were going to get it.

You felt like superwoman.

"Ready? Let's go." you didn't wait for Joe to answer as you marched towards the door.

"Um," Joe said, and you heard the soft snap of the ringbox closing.

"Oh my God,"

You were an idiot.

Joe threw you the box, and you caught it with one hand, impressing yourself as well as Joe. You gave the small little red box a once over in your palm as Joe walked past you, opening the door before stepping aside to let you through first.

"Hey,"

Joe stopped you right in the doorway, fingers around your arm the way Joe always seemed to stop you.

You looked at each other a second, and you could see his eyes flick down towards your lips again.

"Fresh lipstick, Joe," you commented, but couldn't help the curling of the corners of your mouth.

"I didn't say anything," Joe feigned innocence. Pretended he didn't want to bend down to give you another kiss. But in a second, you'd be at Mark and Poppy's wedding and it would be all about them.

About Mark and Poppy. About Poppy and Mark. Not about you. Or about him. Or about you and him. Him and you.

And you felt it. Felt what Joe felt. Almost wished you didn't, but not because you didn't want to, but because the timing of it was so awful.

"Here,"

You had an idea. A risky one. But you were going to go for it. Because Joe was in love with you.

You took hold of his wrist, and raised Joe hand to your mouth where you pressed a soft kiss right into his palm.

It made Joe groan as you made eye-contact with him.

You checked and saw you left a perfect kiss print on his skin, and just to be a little gross, because you really were angry with him still, you followed it up with a quick lick. It made Joe pull back his hand as he laughed.

"Let's go," you fought a smile of your own as you both left the hotel suite, ready to make your way down to see your best friends get married to each other.

Joe was in love with you.

And you couldn't fucking believe it, and definitely weren't going to admit it. Not to Joe. Not to yourself. Not to anyone. Not today, at least.

But Joe was in love with you, and you were in love with Joe.

Joe was in love with you.

And you were in love with Joe. ---

(just letting you know, once again, this is NOT the end, there WILL be a final part!)

--- The Taglisted: 

@ghostinthebackofyourhead @dirtyeddietini @jasminearondottir @josephquinned @cancankiki @sidthedollface2 @dylanmunson @munsonsgirl71 @thefemininemystiquee @alana4610 @emmamooney @thatonefan-girl @paola-carter @figmentofquinn @haylaansmi @thewondernanazombie @munsonmunster @kellysimagines @mybffjoe @chaoticgood-munson @sherrylyn628 @bdpst-massacre @05secondsofsexgods @lovelyblueness @adoreyouusugar @nadixq @prozacandnicotine @munsonswhore86 @alwayslindie @breddiemunson @eddie-joe-munson @ali-in-w0nderland @pepperstories @phyllosilicate-s @thebellenouvelle @luvrsbian @joesquinns @choke-me-eddie @alizztor @jnnyrd @did-it-work @capricornrisingsstuff @quinnsmunson @frogers @kennedy-brooke @daleyeahson @eddielives1986 @harringtonfan4 @sadbitchfangirl

(taglist currently full, sorry)

[djarrex]

heartbeat

Captain Rex x f!reader

masterlist | read on ao3

Rex hears his baby's heartbeat for the first time.

pregnant!reader. dad Rex. this is so soft, y'all. there's also brief mentions of Rex feeling guilty, but overall, this is just a fluffy, self-indulgent fic. about 1.2k words.

When you come out from your room after changing into something more loose-fitting and comfortable, you see the new at-home fetal doppler device laying on the kitchen table just outside the box it came in, and Rex is sitting there with his face buried in the little instructions foldable that came with it. Ever the researcher, Rex more than likely has read every word since opening it, whereas you would have just skimmed to what looked most important. Or, rather, you would've looked at the pictures, using the visuals as the sole model. A hand on your belly, you let out a light laugh, making Rex look up from what appeared to be pretty intense reading.

“Tricky piece of hardware?” you tease.

“I like to be thorough,” he points out matter-of-factly. “Wanna make sure I do this right to get the best results.”

You plop onto the couch, the creak of the springs doing the tortuous job of reminding you of your changing body. “What’d you find out?”

Rex follows you over. “Well, we want to make sure we're not confusing your heartbeat with the baby's. There are a few other things we may hear too, like the movement of your placenta or arteries.” He pauses, placing a pillow at the very end of the couch and motioning for you to lay on your back. “You still have a full bladder, right?”

You scoff. “Yes. Remember you scolded me a couple hours ago into drinking all of that water at lunch, and then told me afterwards to not use the bathroom?”

“It was for a reason, love,” he reminds you with a teasing smile, lifting your shirt up to the slope of your belly. “A full bladder helps push your uterus out of the pelvic cavity, that way the fetal heartbeat is more easily detected.”

“Wow. You really did do your research. I like it when you talk medical to me.”

Rex chuckles at that and squirts a copious amount of lotion on your belly, rubbing it in gentle circles. “I’ve already verified the device is functional and sterilized the probe face.”

You bite your lip to hold back a laugh. “You used it to check your own heartbeat first, didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” he replies cheekily, deliberately avoiding your eyes with the response. “You ready, love?”

“Let’s hear what this little bean's got.”

Rex clicks the receiver on, a device that’s small enough to fit in his hand. A display lights up with a little beep, a flatline and a zero sitting stagnant. A cylindrical probe is held in Rex's other hand, and as he rests the face of it against your lotioned belly, you suck in a breath of air. Your own heartbeat thumps in your ears as you watch the focus creasing in Rex's handsome features. He’s moving the probe so slowly, so particularly, that you know he’s searching for something specific that he had to have read in his research. His hand turns the probe so that the face changes angles, starting low near your pubic bone up towards your navel then back down again.

This is a moment the two of you have waited for, for a while.

The beginning of this journey was rough, the first several weeks being nothing but bedridden illness and nausea that lasted longer than just the mornings. You stayed at home, too drained and lacking any energy to do necessary things, like go shopping or cook. A lot of days included you ordering food to be delivered, and groceries as well. It was hard to not have Rex there by your side, to help with things that would normally be a breeze for you – and you know he feels guilty for that, even though both of you are more than understanding that it isn't his fault. Still, in the odd hours of the night when he actually was able to contact you to check in only added to his needless guilt, upset with himself that he was never there laying beside you to rub your back or retrieve whatever it was that you required.

You’re a little more than a few months into this pregnancy and you’re not under any impression that Rex’s schedule will miraculously change to you and your unborn child’s benefit, but moments like this one now make it all worth it.

The quick thrumming of the baby’s heartbeat comes out muffled through the handheld over the whooshing waves in the background, the beats monitored on the display. The sound fills you with warmth and you laugh in astonishment, a choked sound as tears fill your eyes. Your hand clasps over your mouth and you look to Rex, who looks completely entranced and in awe – but there’s something else in those warm eyes of his.

The hand covering your mouth instead finds his wrist, fingers gently enclosing around it. His eyes are positively glowing as he watches himself slowly and carefully run the probe face in steady circles around a specific part of your protruding belly. Rex remains extremely silent, lips twitching in the most miniscule of movements as he concentrates.

An overwhelming sense of pride floods into Rex. He can’t believe he created this. Life – natural life. A clone soldier, a man bred for nothing more than to be fodder in battle, created life from love. It’s just beneath this device, growing in the womb of the one he loves. For the very first time he can hear it, the beating heart of it a flicker of sound that he’ll surely remember forever. The shame and guilt that he constantly feels for rarely being present to support you flees him in this moment, replaced with the overriding feelings of promise and joy.

You already know the answer to your impending question, but you want to hear Rex's voice, to prompt him after being silent since switching on the doppler.

“This is our baby’s heartbeat, what we’re hearing?”

Rex clears his throat, using the back of the hand that’s holding the receiver to wipe at the unshed tears in his eyes. “Yes. Yes, it is.” Eyes shimmering, he looks up at you, offering up the devices. "You wanna try?"

You nod, taking both devices from his hands and quickly placing the probe back where Rex just had it. It takes you a few tries to find it, but then the rapid little heartbeat is coming back to life once again.

"It's perfect," you say softly with admiration. "A perfect little heartbeat."

Rex's head lowers then, his forehead meeting your belly. He inhales and exhales shakily.

"Are you okay, Rex?"

When he looks up at you, a tear is streaming down his cheek. "More than okay. I'm so happy."

You laugh through a sudden sob just as Rex goes to kneel closer to you. He kisses you gently, a smile forming on his lips against yours. He folds his hands over your own and the two of you stay like that, foreheads pressed together and hands holding the doppler as one, the sound of your baby's heartbeat filling the room. It's just the three of you here and now, everything on the outside forgotten in this moment.

-

@pinkiemme @twistedstitcher27 @wild-karrde @rain-on-kamino @ner-runi @literallydontlook @rexxdjarin @rowansparrow @burningfieldof-clover @commander-sunshine

[chefkids]

The Worst is Yet to Come

I already posted about the note saying Ziggy, but tldr is that a series of misfortunes are still to come. I think Season 3 will begin jumping straight into the chaos that the end of Season 2 set up.

This whole past season was a build up to tension, a ticking time bomb as all those clocks reminded us. And in the end, yes, Carmy exploded, but everyone around him is also facing their own problems that keep getting pushed aside in order to pay attention to his. I think Season 3 will start right off with the fall out of it all.

We already know Marcus is going to have to deal with his mothers situation. Whether she's dead or is very ill, he is going to have to focus on that, and they only have 4 days until the official opening. Marcus plays a major role in so many dishes like the focaccia, cannoli, sundae, donut, and honey buns. Without him like half the menu is gone. Which might open up a window of opportunity to bring back our second favorite tatted up Chef from Copenhagen.

Unfortunately, I do think Natalie's shoulder pain is more than a passing comment. It can be sign of serious conditions such as preeclampsia, specifically HELLP Syndrome. Which is ironic, because she is always the one trying to help others, but the roles would finally be reversed and she'll be the one having to accept other people's help. HELLP is usually only treated at that point by giving birth or by going on bed rest and taking medications until it's ready to be induced, which she probably wasn't planning on doing for at least another month or two given that she's likely around 7ish months at the moment.

The Carmy and Donna reunion is not a matter of if but when. I think Natalie getting sick will be the catalyst for them coming together again. We know Carmy avoided his family after Mikey died and he still carries some guilt over that, and at this point Natalie is his only closest family member and he would not abandon her. We know Natalie still wants her mother in her life, and even though she still hasn't told her about the baby, she was planning to at Friends & Family. If she felt like there was something seriously going on, she or Pete would call her.

Richie. We saw him at his best but that doesn't mean he's fully changed overnight. After what Carmy said to him I could see him not returning for a while just to prove a point that he can be good on his own and he doesn't need Carmy's handouts. Which would put them in a tense spot at the restaurant.

Sydney, as much as she tries to communicate with Carmy, still keeps her actual feelings and frustrations with him bottled up. She jumps around hoops, just like him, to avoid saying directly what is bothering her. They still haven't discussed the mess at the end of Season 1 that was seemingly brushed under the rug when they decided to jump into the new build. I think she will find out either directly or indirectly that she is essential for Carmy keeping his cool, and that will put a lot of pressure on her. They spend so much time apologizing rather than actually trying to change things and all that has to burst out eventually.

With the chaos around him, the only thing Carmy knows how to control is the kitchen. I think we are going to see him go fully stone cold Michelin Chef because if Marcus, Richie, and Natalie are out, they're fucked.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

🌊🌊🌊⚡️⚡️⚡️🚨🚨🚨🩸🩸🩸📚📚📚🔮🔮🔮

HEY!

Here we go! 9 new sentences for everything!

🌊:

---

“I don’t need your help,” Buck retorts.

“Wait a second,” Maddie raises a hand to stop her brother. “Maybe you don’t see the sense in going somewhere safer. But my eleven year-old and I sure do.”

Eddie nods. “Yes. Please. Think of Genevieve.”

Buck’s jaw tightens.

⚡️:

---

As the weeks roll on after Maddie and Chim’s wedding, it’s on Eddie’s mind frequently. He talks about it with Frank. And what it comes down to, he thinks, are two main concerns. The time thing and the kid thing. The former a bit more subjective than the latter, in terms of being a valid reason to delay a proposal. 

First, the time thing. Not actually a black and white piece of criteria. Just, they haven’t even been dating for a year. They moved in very quickly.

---

🚨:

THESE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION:

---

Eddie feels like all his good sense has been entirely erased. He’s lost himself to the moment. He’s already pitching a tent in his pants, and his brain is suffering from the lack of directed blood flow.

The moment they’re in Buck’s room, door shut behind them, Eddie’s hands fly to the buckle of Buck’s belt. 

“We don’t have to,” Buck pants.

“You don’t want to?” Eddie asks, trying to hide his disappointment.

“Fuck, of course I want to,” Buck says. “But you know, it’s only been a day since you nearly died and-”

---

🩸:

---

“I’ll fix it eventually,” Sophia shrugs. “Just… Needed to focus on other things.”

Eddie nods. 

“We have a lot to catch up on,” he whispers. 

“Mhm,” she agrees, but doesn’t elaborate. Buck knows this means alone. Not in front of him. Which he gets. Eddie doesn’t know how well he and Sophia have come to know each other. How could he?

---

📚:

---

“Well, she tried to appease her for a long time,” Bobby explains. “It was her sister, you know? The person she was supposed to be able to trust no matter what.”

Ravi nods. He gets that. 

“But when Janine made a scene the week of our wedding, that was it for Marcy. She cut her out. Made her parents pretty upset, but it had to be done. Turns out, once Marcy was out of the equation, the only people Janine had left to hurt was them. They figured her out a few years later.”

---

🔮:

---

“You’re being impossible,” Bobby sighs, exasperated. “It doesn’t matter what I say right now.”

Buck scoffs. “Goodnight, Bobby. Enjoy your desk job.”

Then he walks out.

And all the guilt comes rushing back, drowning the anger entirely. “Shit,” Bobby curses, banging his fist against the table. “Shit.”

[fanficcrow]

Powerswap!au

A/N: I can’t believe I’m ACTUALLY getting a fic out when u said I would??? That’s a first.

(Also if you like the fic I do take requests! And pls reblog <3)

Warnings

Creep Reader

John was an accident. At first anyways. You had gotten pissed off at your old PA and might have lost your temper. Just a little though, and besides, it was their fault for making such a shit oat latte.

So you had told Ashley to pick out some PA candidates for you to interview, preferably ones with a brain in their head. And when you walked into your office you locked eyes with him. John.

He was your choice from the moment you walked in that room, but you’d never admit it. There was just something so….. captivating about him. It might have been his anxious demeanour, or his penchant for matching his turtlenecks with different glasses. But that didn’t matter. He was here now.

And you sure as shit weren’t going to let him leave.

You had tried to ignore him at first. After all, he was just some human, surely the infatuation would wear off soon.

But it didn’t. Days passed, and you found yourself looking for more excuses to see him.

You tried to not be obvious and started with small interactions. Besides, it’s normal for someone to visit their PA….. right?

You stepped into his office, taking a deep breath. Fuck, only a few weeks in here and it already smells like him. You look towards his desk, wondering why he hasn’t greeted you yet, only to find him so absorbed in his work that he didn’t notice your entrance.

Unbelievable. The homelander walked into his office and he didn’t even glance up? You should be infuriated, but something about his focus strikes you as cute.

You clear your throat, making him jump. He really wasn’t aware of you then, huh? A quiet satisfaction fills you as you hear his increased heart rate. It’s good to know you aren’t the only one affected.

“I need my Friday 4 pm moved. I don’t care when it’s moved to, just not Friday.” You glare down at him as you speak.

He blinks his big blue eyes up at you and your heart melts a little. “Oh? U-uhm are you sure? That’s a very important interview, I don’t know if-“

You cut him off mid sentence. “Did I ask how important it is? No. I said move. It.” You make your eyes glow red a bit, but turn it down when you hear his heart go faster. Shit, maybe you went too far. You wanted him to be a little frightened, not scared shitless.

“Y-yes Ma’am, I apologize.” He clicks his mouse, presumably moving the interview. You spy a drop of sweat roll down the side of his face and feel a twinge of guilt.

You heave a deep sigh. “Thank you….” You trail off, not really sure what to say next. As homelander, you really aren’t used to apologizing. “Just…. don't let it happen again, ok?” Yeah, that sounds about right. Firm, but not rude.

“Yes ma’am.” He hesitates but you can tell he wants to say more. “May I ask why you need it moved?”

“No.” You say. Short and simple, surely that wasn’t a mistake? You clear your throat a second time. “That will be all. Thank you…” You cut yourself off before you say his name. It’d be more polite to ask, right?

“I don’t believe I actually caught your name.”

He smiles and chuckles a little. “Don’t beat yourself up, you can just call me John.”

He laughed? You’re stunned. How could he laugh at the homelander? You weren’t sure where he got his courage, but you were sure about one thing.

You were gonna make John yours. At any cost.

[aruanimess]

As a armin arlert lover, thoughts on floch?

Hi, Anon!

It took me like a full five minutes to understand why the question was phrased like this. Like Floch has done so much since that ceremony scene, I forgot he had said all these horrible things to Armin.

This got long so I'm putting it under the cut.

Frankly, I think he's a good character, not in moral terms, but in the sense that he fulfills the role of the antagonist quite nicely. I obviously don't like him as a person, but I understand his function within the story, and I think his arc was fairly well-executed (unlike other antagonists like Yelena imho).

Isayama is in this continual conversation with the ideals of authoritarian states and what can make them appealing to vulnerable individuals that I find very interesting. And this is perfectly captured in the character of Floch. Not only because of his past trauma and survivor's guilt, which absolutely make him the perfect candidate for radicalization, but also because he wasn't the most moral of guys to begin with.

Floch joins the Survey Corps at what is arguably their all time high point. For the first time in a hundred years, they've got a series of relative wins: Eren's Titan, capturing Annie, figuring out who the infiltrators were, finding out the truth about their world, deposing the king etc. Morale is at its peak. So inevitably we meet a series of characters who join in because they believe in the propaganda and, sure, may have a renewed conviction for the actual cause, but still don't get what the job entails. I mean, look at this (not so) sweet summer child:

And the thing is: this is not a bad thing in and of itself. After all, we see Marlow do the same. But unlike Marlow, who was a guy that cared about his fellow man and was generally very anti-corruption from the start and competent to boot, Floch has an inferiority complex the size of Paradis. This is literally how he gets reintroduced to the story (I don't remember if he was seen earlier, but even if he was this is his first substantial appearance):

(please ignore Jean's majestic jawline and focus on the speech bubbles)

He's practically screaming "Jean, Jean, validate my existence, please!!"

So we know he is a guy with low self-esteem, who is also not particularly concerned with ethics outside of some juvenile idea of "winning," on top of that you add a horrific traumatic event and... well, Erwin.

Erwin is a character who uses unsavory means to inspire others to fight for him. Yes, he ultimately has an honorable purpose in mind, but he is also exploiting the very same weaknesses in people's characters to serve his ends. He is a demagogue and the story is not shy in telling you about it. (I'm too lazy to cite my sources, but, like, the first time we really see him, he creates tension to manipulate the result of a trial, so...).

(nvm I found some while looking for something else)

Floch is actually the character who expresses doubt when he is faced with Erwin's final order:

And how Erwin convinces him?

"That's absolutely right. It doesn't make a single difference. No matter what dreams or hopes you may have, no matter what blissful life you've lived until now, what happens when your body gets crushed by a rock is the same. Everyone dies sooner or later. Does that mean all life is meaningless? Was the fact that you were ever born meaningless from the start? Would you say the same of your dead comrades? Were those soldiers' lives meaningless?

No, they weren't! And our fight gives meaning to those soldiers' lives! Those brave fallen men and women! Those poor fallen men and women! The only ones who can remember them are us the living! So we will die here and trust the meaning of our lives to the next generation!"

Like, the man went all out! The "everyone is a hero" and the cult of death is literally one of the points Uberto Eco brings up in his essay Ur-Fascism. I'm not saying Erwin is necessarily a fascist, but he needed to convince these soldiers to die ASAP so he used the fastest route possible: fascist rhetoric.

And then he went and committed to the bit!! He actually sacrificed himself and everyone around him and the plan worked!!!

So now a weak-minded, traumatized Floch has been presented with the ULTIMATE piece of propaganda, what is he meant to do?? Not believe it? And accept that he went through all this for nothing? Please!

I can absolutely see how a guy like Floch would end up the way he did, and that's why I think he is an interesting character and a compelling antagonist.

[cryptid-artha]

This needs to be said

Cancel culture is wrong. End of.

Picking out reasons to hate a person and put them down, is wrong. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Tearing someone down over you not liking something, no matter how justified you think you are, is absolutely and completely wrong.

"But this person did this problematic thing therefore they are a bad person!" Yes, they did. They did something you deem problematic. But they are a human being. There is nuance. There are ALWAYS more sides to a story. There are always nuances, and reasons. And cancelling that person is not going to make anything better. This world is not black and white. There are numerous lies that go around online. People love to focus on the negative, and the news, articles, and others will home in on the negative. They will even lie to get those precious views, clicks, and money. Even major news outlets, so you can’t even trust the news! And, in all reality, you can’t even trust a lot of people because when you decide something is bad and start picking it apart, other people are going to be influenced to see this as worse than it is. And before you know it, somebody who made a mistake is being ripped apart by a dreadful mob mentality tearing apart all the improvement they have done. 

I saw it happen, years ago, here on Tumblr. There was somebody who used to be an abusive person. They were manipulative, attention seeking, and generally treated people like shit. They wanted what they wanted, and guilt tripped and the whole nine yards. They realized what they were doing wrong, so they took a hiatus off the internet, worked with therapy, and went through some massive self improvement, and then they came back. They were doing well! They made friends! Their mental health was better. 

But then, somebody brought up their past. And they got harassed so badly that… rumor has it? They committed suicide. Now, I don’t know if they actually did, but I do remember they were contemplating and feeling like they shouldn’t even be alive and these hateful people were actively encouraging them to do it and telling them they were a worthless abuser and would always be a worthless abuser.  Making it worse and bringing up every bad thing they ever did. And yeah! They dropped off the face of the internet. And I have never, ever seen them again. Now, I am not saying that you shouldn't warn people if somebody is actually unsafe. Like if they are a known abuser, or a pedophile, or there's something else they have done that risks harming real people in the present.

This needs to be handled with care. You absolutely can warn folks about their actions, to keep people safe, without adding in extra stuff just to get people as angry with them as humanly possible. Warn other folks about the harm they have done and could do, but do NOT turn around and pick every single thing about them apart. 

Don't go digging into their past and bringing up stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with what you are warning folks about. This should be done with great care, only taking the most recent proof of actual, real harm. 

It is tempting to let emotion take hold. It is tempting to try to make everybody else think you are so good and virtuous for taking that villain down like some comic book super hero, a mighty warrior behind a screen, tapping away at a keyboard. 

But, really, is tearing down another human being really something to be proud of? What if what you are accusing them of isn’t true? What if the sources are wrong? What if you are getting the wrong person? What if they’ve learned and grown and become a better person?  What if you are only seeing part of the story? Try to think of how you would feel if you fucked up in the past. Say, for example, you were an abuser. You manipulated people, hurt people. Maybe you were a bully.  But, over life, you have learned that those actions are wrong. You apologized, did what you could to make it right, then removed yourself from the people you hurt. You grew and learned, you became a better person. You found new friends, using what you learned from your mistakes to keep them and be kind to them this time. You still struggle with shame over what you did, but you are proud of the progress. You are proud of the growth you have gone through, and you are doing your best to continue to learn and grow. Now. Imagine it is years later. You've healed and become healthy and happy, treating people the way they should be treated. Maybe sometimes those old habits come up, but you always push them back down. You apologize when you mess up, and make an effort to learn from your mistakes. It’s slow going, but you’ve come to learn that growth is a slow process. A seed does not become a mighty oak tree overnight.

... And somebody digs up your past because of something or other you did that they deemed problematic. Maybe it was something you did wrong. Maybe you messed up. It wasn't intentional, but what’s done is done, and all you can do is try to avoid that mistake again. Maybe you didn't realize what you did until it was pointed out. Old habits die hard, after all. And no matter how hard you try, sometimes you will slip back. Healing and learning and growing is a slow process. People make mistakes, humans are humans! We are complicated creatures, after all.

But none of that matters. More and more of your past, every little mistake, every little thing folks deem "Questionable" is dragged out and paraded in front of others. All of the past you have worked so hard to grow and learn from is shoved back in your face, a dark shadow you can never escape. The shame, the pain, all of that effort feels like it was for nothing. You become nothing more than the mistakes you made in the past. Maybe those shitty things you did in the past were part of a cycle. Maybe it was learned behavior. Maybe you didn't know it was wrong at the time. That doesn’t change what happened, it doesn’t unhurt the people who were hurt, but you can learn from it and become a better person.

Or, maybe, you didn’t even do anything that bad, or didn't do the thing you are being accused of at all, or it was blown out of proportion with more lies than truth through the grapevine. Or really important details were cut out that make the story sound so much worse than it really is. 

Nobody cares about the real story. Nobody cares about your side. Nobody cares about everything you’ve done to move past it, how hard you’ve tried, how much you’ve grown. All they care about is every single bad thing you have ever done in your life, and any other reason they can find to hate you.

It sure does hurt, doesn’t it? Yeah, there are people who are legitimately bad people. People who really have done bad things, or are still doing bad things. People who hurt others. People who don’t care, don’t learn, don’t grow. 

But that does not give you the right to tear them down. Because when you tear them down, they don’t even get the chance to actually pick up, learn, and better themselves.

What it all boils down to is that we are all human. We are all confused and confusing furless apes living in an indifferent world making mistakes and screwing up and learning and just trying to make it in life.

Tearing other human beings down does not make you a hero. It does not make you virtuous. It does not make you rise above anybody else. It is cruel, needless, and actively makes things worse. 

By all means, make sure folks are informed if somebody is dangerous, but otherwise? Just let it be. Let them live. Let them learn. Avoid them yourself, maybe warn friends about them if you see friends potentially being harmed, but that’s it. Just block and move on.

DON’T attack their livelihood. Don’t attack their friends and family. Don’t attack them. Let them be. Even if that means letting them be somewhere other than near you. 

Every single human being alive on this planet has fucked up. Often times, they have fucked up MAJORLY. Sometimes they have done things that hurt other people. Sometimes they have made a string of terrible decisions that ended up leading to a tragic end. But… they’re still human.

What this all boils down to, is this simple thing.

We are not our mistakes. Who we are as a person is not defined by what we do. When you fuck up, you want the chance to improve yourself, right? The chance to make it right. Do you want to be defined by that series of bad decisions you made for the rest of your life? Do you want that to be brought up time and time and time again, and used to drag you down repeatedly?

I didn’t think so.

[candyskiez]

Feel free to chat about whatever fic you want :)

Reblog this if you want readers to come into your ask box and ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines. Or, send in a ⭐star⭐ to have the author select a section they’ve been dying to talk about!

oooo okay let's go!!! I'm picking this section of my fic stubborn

"Raine was quiet for a moment, pensive. 

 

"Alright,  you're guilty. So what are you going to do about it?"

 

"What?"

 

"You treated him badly. You were wrong. So how are you going to make up for it?" 

 

"It's not that simple, Songbird."

 

"Let me ask you this: do you care about him?"

 

"...Yes. Yes I do." He was fond of him, once he actually got to know him. Once he saw what the kid was like, really like, well…how could he not be? He was kind, and earnest, and passionate and a bit of a dork, albeit with a dark sense of humor. He was a good kid, a damn good one in fact. Those sewing lessons were some of the first Non-Eberwolf related good memories he'd made in…decades, really. "But that doesn't change how I treated him."

 

"You're right. It doesn't. So what do you want to do to fix it?"

 

Darius wanted to reply with something witty, like he always did. It was how he worked. Uncomfortable situation? Sass your way out of it. Works every time. Except for when he can't think of one. 

 

"There are plenty of people far more qualified to help him than I am."

 

"So what are you gonna do when he comes back? Ignore his existence? Do you really think that'd help? How do you think that'll come across?"

 

"It doesn't matter , Raine. He's dead. There's no point speculating. He's gone." 

 

"And what if he isn't? What are you going to say to him?"

 

He goes quiet. Raine sighs.

 

"Look, I get you're guilty. How you treated Hunter was wrong. But avoiding him isnt going to fix it. All you'll do is hurt him and make him think he did something wrong. You wanna make it up to him? Then apologize. If he doesn't want you in his life? Live with it. If he does? Then do better. And don't do it just for Jasper, or because you promised him. Do it because, at the very least, Hunter deserves an apology.""

a thing that always bugs me about a lot of stories about guilt is that it's often treated like the guilt matters more than the one who's hurts comfort. and also how much apologies are treated less as giving the one who was hurt and yourself closure, and more like "now you have to forgive me." which...isn't good. at all. sometimes, forgiving someone is good for you. other times, it isn't. whether or not reconciliation is the healthiest option solely depends on the one who's hurt comfort. if being around them makes them miserable, they shouldn't be expected to reconcile just because the person who hurt them is so so so so guilty. what I really wanted to focus on in this fic was yeah, darius is guilty. but is he going to be sorry, or is he going to be better. (the answer is the latter, dw he's being Responsible.) I didn't want this fic to feel like "ohhh no Darius made a mistake so it's all about HIM feel bad for HIM." it's about darius getting his shit together. and ultimately darius ignoring hunter or distancing from him on the assumption that he won't want him around would hurt the fuck out of him, because it'll only be perceived as rejection, as him hating him. leaving someone for their own good with no warning? that fucks a person up. bad. and is a fucking awful thing to put someone through. this scene is basically raine just saying it how it is. give hunter the choice. stop running from your guilt by pretending there's no chance he's still alive. admit that you're scared he's hurt, and let him make his own decisions. if he wants to avoid you, leave him alone. if he wants you in his life, do better. it is NOT your choice on if he forgives you. it's his. this is probably incoherent and badly worded but here hold this.

[hermitdrabbles56]

!

I would love to hear about disguises and balls, just another beast, and troll hunters.

(⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠) also if u want someone to rubber duck with, I'm open!

I have no idea what rubber ducking is but whatever it is absolutely!!And same too you! So here we go!

Starting off with Disguises and Balls!!

It's inspired by this amazing post right here

Currently the plot is that there was an assassination attempt on Dot and the chain has manged to track down the origin of the assassin and have to sneak into a ball to get more information and either find the assassin or whoever hired them.

Legend is absolutely unhinged in this fic, full feral, and he's devised the perfect elaborate plan that involves him and Twilight dressing up and going to the ball because they can pull it off discreetly by disguising themselves as a couple that had been invited but were most definitely never going to show.

The fic is basically my excuse to let Twilight feel pretty while still having a fun plot. Also sort of kind of me playing around with gerudo Twilight in a way.

"Okay…so that's all worked out but we still don't know who to send in, let alone who can pretend to be this Adalhard fellow." Sky says as he rocks on his heels where he's crouched, still peering over the maps as he does. 

"Yes we do, in fact we have the perfect person." Legend states with a grin.

"Really?" Wars says skeptically. 

"Yes really." 

"One of us is perfectly capable  of playing an exotic gerudo lookin…tan..skinned redhead…" 

Warriors voice slowly tapers into realization as he and the rest of the group follow Legends' smug gaze to where it's settled. His eyes locked onto Twilight who has returned his focus to diligently fixing Times chainmail. The big guy being completely oblivious to their conclusions. 

"Yeah…yeah he would fit perfectly." Four manages as he blinks a bit. 

"Who would fit?" Twilight murmurs, still not looking up as carefully links the complicated metal loops together. 

"You would." Legend states in a playful yet matter of fact tone. 

"Hehe, very funny." Twilight chuckles as he keeps working. Legends words taking a moment to actually register to him before a look of confusion hits him. Finally looking up and over to the eight pairs of eyes now watching, some shocked, some excited, and some unreadable. "Wait what?" 

"You, you make the cut and you're going in there as Heir Adalhard." Legend says  

"No the fuck I am not!" Twilight blurts out as he gets a somewhat panicked look on his face. 

Next! Just Another Beast

This one is my friendly fire au. It's got the first chapter out and oh boy does it get worse from there.

Wr0ng and Neutral have both heard how cursed its going to get

It's absolutely fucked

Ummmmmmm

Lemme just bullet point a few things

The next few chapters is them just trying to find and catch up to Twilight while things rapidly go down hill, but they aren't the only ones looking for him.

Dink is also in the caves and takes an interest in Twilight because of the shadow magic.

After all the cave business and they've sorted everything out, they get a brief respite at the ranch

After the ranch Twilight starts to act a little weird and more and more unlike himself. Standoffish, snappy, even mean and uncaring. followed by bouts of confusion sorrow and guilt that just worsen as time goes on.

Potions stashes go missing, weapons start malfunctioning and falling apart or just straight up go missing.

Worst of all monster packs with mini boss level beasts keep ambushing them all at random points in the night and Twilight is almost always strangely absent

>:3 its a very fun one that I hope to get back into soon. But it's also very vary dark and absolutely horrific.

Here's a little of what I do have of the second chapter

"...What the fuck just happened?" The Sailor finally pipes in. "Seriously what the actual fuck just happened I turned around and Hyrule was on the ground and Legend was chasing Rancher like a mad man!? What fucking gives!" 

"Wind…just take a deep breath I'm sure there's-" 

"You're sure there's what old man?!" Legend snaps. "A fucking explanation that's better than what happened? Rancher just nearly cut Hyrule in half! Don't you dare try and treat him like an innocent teacher's pet right now." 

Time shoots a harsh glare towards Legend as a look of horror crosses Wind's face.

And finally!! Troll hunters Again is just a troll hunters fic!

It takes place after the movie as horrifyingly cringe as it was it left for some lovely angst potential.

Jim goes back in time, and redoes things but this time lets Toby have the adventure of being the troll hunter. He's there with him every step of the way and goes through every possible extent that he can to make sure History won't repeat itself.

Couple key points I've established:

He still has the amulet Krel made but only uses it in extreme emergencies until later on. It allows him to travel through time in small doses.

Jim remembers absolutely everything and is understandably a little fucked up because of it and boy does he sound confusing sometimes

Toby gets his hammer sooner >:3, come on he's war hammer he's gotta have his hammer. Jim rigs the system so he gets it.

It's kind of a fic/chat fic because of how often these teenagers use their phones and Gods I need to binge watch tales of Arcadia again and get back into it so I can work on this fic because a love it alot. So many interactions go differently but all of the best relationships are still there and GAH!! HHHHH

Here's a clip

It's about and hour and half later that he makes his way back over to Toby's. The sky now completely dark as he climbs the steps to Toby's door. Listening quietly to the door for a brief moment. 

"This! Is the most sacred of mantles, and honor to have bestowed upon you. Now would you Please Stop Throwing things at us!" That familiar educational tone sounds all too familiar along with what sounds like canned goods hitting the wall. 

"Hell no! Hey hey back up big guyaaAAAA!!!" 

"Got you." 

Jim quietly opens and closes the door before making his way silently across the floor boards. Taking a brief moment to collect himself for the upcoming act before stepping to where he can actually see them and be seen. 

"What in the world!?" He exclaims loudly to draw their attention putting on his best look of shock and confusion. 

Arrrg currently has a hold of Toby, though the teen is upside down. The big gentle giant looks at Blinky who is beginning to freak out now. 

"Arrrg! This is precisely why I said you should keep watch!" Blink says in a panic. 

"Oops..sorry." Arrrg says with a small frown. 

"Put me down, put me down!" Toby shouts as he wiggles around until the big guy lets him go. Followed by Toby crawling quickly across the room until he can hide behind Jim. "These crazy monsters came out of nowhere!"

"How dare you, we are not monsters. We are peaceful trolls!" Blinky says in an offended tone. 

"Trolls?!" Toby exclaims. 

 "Yes.." Arrrg says with a nod. 

"Like...hobbit level die in the sunlight trolls or Hilda level sentient rocks that go dormant during daylight?" Toby asks as he slightly steps to the side of Jim but is still mostly behind him. 

"Ah...well..some of both I suppose?" Blinky says in a confused tone. "What is a Hobbit and a Hilda?" 

"Hobbit is a movie, Hilda is a cartoon...is it like..living stone but can't go in sunlight..?" Jim 'guesses' to move the topic along before looking to Toby. "Why are you using me as a human shield?" 

"You were dumb enough to challenge Steve you may be a noodle but your more danger built than me!" Toby states causing Jim to roll his eyes a bit.

[oneoflokis-blog]

Schofield? Schmofield. 😏 (& the same to everyone obsessed by his sex life. 😏)

Yes. well, as I've said on quite a number of occasions to various people, all this celebrity stuff, in particular, is for the birds. I know I've said "for the birds" quite a few times recently, I think. But pretty much all celebrity stuff, is for me now, in particular celebrity sex scandals, or pseudo scandals, whether homosexual or heterosexual, whether they would involve Philip Schofield, or I don't know Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! Are a complete waste of time as news, particularly from the viewpoint, of any sincere and informed socialist. Well ... I know that quite a few people use or tend to use celebrity issues, as a way of relating themselves to more general issues: or even simply so that they have something to talk about, and everybody else will know what it is they're talking about.

But: this is simply a very shallow way to relate to the world. And you do have to remember, that the more time people spend on line or anywhere else, talking about celebrities, and gossiping about them, the less time they and the actual media will have to concentrate on ordinary people and talk about them and about issues that matter.

So it's a question of where the focus should be! 🙂

And don't give me that stuff all about how immoral Phillip Schofield or someone like him is. He actually fits into an a number of very normal in inverted commas cliches: that of the boss who has an affair with his secretary, which this is the equivalent of; then there's the established gay trope of the much older and more experienced man with a lot younger man, and so on and so forth. To suggest that this is anything extraordinary or criminal is simply naive. It's both naive and hypocritical: which unfortunately both are very prevalent features of contemporary British society. 😏

As I told to that Wolf person or whatever his name was on a fairly recent Twitter thread, I know exactly why - the web of reasons why - this Phillip Schofield thing is being made the most tremendous fuss of on social media right now. As I told him, it is partially mass hysteria which is fueled by the mainstream media; Britain goes through a paedophile panic every so often, which was once very neatly satirised by the satirical program Brass Eye! 🙂

And secondly, to go along with the mass hysteria, we also have a sort of mass collective guilt, which was really sparked off by, and has been hanging around for years, due to the failure by the police, the media and I suppose ultimately the public, to catch and expose Jimmy Savile as the kind of predator he was. As I also said on Twitter, worrying about Savile really is shutting the stable door after the horse has indeed bolted. 😏

But the comparisons being made, particularly on YouTube right now, between Schofield and Savile, are quite simply ridiculous and obviously completely unwarranted. Often they are done by insinuation: like with the juxtaposition of a picture of one with a picture of the other, both Photoshopped so as to look extremely unpleasant, particularly on the thumbnail where everyone can see it. This is both clickbait and libel of the worst variety and it should not be allowed by YouTube, and it should be removed. But we all know they're much more interested in censoring political channels.

Yes. This smearing by

association: that is something the modern mainstream media are well known to do. **Usually when they are producing some type of propaganda or another.** Mr Corbyn got plenty of that: but that's another matter.

And we also notice - at least I do - that most of the fuss about Schofield, at least that which has revealed itself in my YouTube feed, and nearly all the smears about Schofield, are produced by right wing sites, the likes of GB News, and further right. The kind of poisonous sneery tone, of a lot of these obviously non-socialist sites towards Schofield; denote to me two things. And often I think it's a mixture of the two! Namely, a kind of poisonous - when is it never poisonous - schadenfreude brought on by jealousy of a very successful career (some of these tubers are obviously people on the peripheries of showbiz). Second would be the still commonly felt among right wingers hostility towards homosexuals. Which they are cunningly attempting to disguise as something completely else: but I believe I can read the real emotional and ideological message particularly behind some of the more sneery type of channels. If you didn't hate gays, and you weren't jealous pricks, you wouldn't be sneering! is my conclusion. 🤷‍♀️

I don't really care whether a person is "moral", by the way. But I do care about fairness. The current treatment of Schofield, and the juxtaposition with Savile, is most certainly unfair. 😏

Anyway: the modern left, well most of it, doesn't appear to care about fairness: and once again quite stupidly they appear to have fallen for another scam. Or a mass hysteria; or a witch hunt; whatever one wants to call it. Similar to with the #itwasascam antisemitism thing really. 😏 Well at least, I can see them cheering it along on Twitter. I don't know if any left YouTuber has made any pieces positive or negative about Schofield: I haven't seen any of the ones I follow cover it, I haven't really looked. 🤷‍♀️

And similar of course to #metoo; which died a death really, with the flop of Amber Heard. And a bloody good thing it did!

What I'm saying - the conclusion I have come to - is the all these kind of celebrity things, when even not total smears, are a complete waste of time: and should not be touched with a barge pole by the left.

In fact, I would ban all this type of idea of social justice! That they think is social justice anyway; when really it's based on media bullying and Twitter dog piling; and doesn't achieve anything anyway. Much like that other pompous person on a Twitter thread I was on a couple of days ago was saying something like I was stopping successors of Savile from being hunted down! 😄 Like a) Schofield was anything at all like Savile; and like b) this fellow or a bunch of his fellow nerds on Twitter were going to do anything of the sort! Rotfl. 🤣 More people with a stupid keyboard warrior superhero complex! 😏👎

That's what I think. 😏😄

[jonathankatwhatever]

Continuing. I forgot, as typical, to say why Hexagonal. The images which form, which we can see in our minds, which present as opportunity or peril, are the degree to which the rendering occurs, whether it’s a mirage or an oasis. Degree is rank, and I finally see why that concept has been the focus of thought. The rank of determining a 0 or the opposite, when the 0 stops and something else appears is identification.

I love how this is coming together, right now, over me. It’s always the best feeling, isn’t it? And yes, I know it’s the same thing, the same Thing.

I would say I identify with you,

I posted this on Reddit about a lynching.

‘I’m old enough to know the actual rationalizations used by people of that era. They’re almost the same as what you’re taught in law school is the point of criminal punishment: to deter the person, to deter others, and to register moral disapproval. In cases like this, they generally knew they were deterring the wrong person. The main reason was to uphold the social order by deterring others, so the identify of the actual perpetrator didn’t matter as much. The idea is that the collective will enforce rules to prevent wrongful identification and punishment, meaning it’s a message to the black community as a whole. These come together in the third part, expression of moral outrage. Think of Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird: everyone knows he’s not guilty but they kill him anyway because their rationale is deterrence of others. To put them together, since they can’t hang the white woman, they’ll hang the black man to prevent any mixing. The social order being preserved was more complicated than race; it was a control based system, in which women were controlled, land ownership was controlled (through shares), access to money was controlled through land owner control of banks, etc. Race was seen as part of this larger social order. It was that larger social order which mattered to white people, not the race: blacks were servants or workers, not peers, and the amount of attention we pay to their situation and to their lives is almost the opposite of what it was like for them then, when much of the mistreatment was exclusion and not being cared for or about at all. If you lived in or visited the ruralish South even in the 1960’s, you saw the poverty, the extent to which that society was so control oriented that it cared next to nothing about poor whites and nothing at all about blacks.

So the idea of executing this kid was that it perfectly to the people of that time embodied their need to deter others through the violent expression of moral outrage. Actual guilt would perhaps be a negative compared to this more purely symbolic act.

This kind of thing is common, meaning that people often fear getting involved with other parts of society because it may backfire. In the US that can be the Mafia or now some other gang culture. Jewish people have always lived in awareness that doing business with the others is dangerous. As in, they’ll borrow money and then blame us when they can’t pay it back. We arrange a loan from this Christian kingdom to this one, through us so it’s not truly public information that this guy’s in hock to this guy, and when it goes bad they blame the Jews and kill us. Puts a lot of pressure to underwrite those loans properly! In the US, the race riots of course attacked the innocents because the point of a race riot is to deter the larger group, not the actual guilty, if there even is someone guilty of anything.

When I was young, American Heritage ran a great piece about the Scottsboro boys. It was obvious from the material that no crime at all had taken place. There was no rape at all. There was however the suggestion of one. At that point, guilt is no longer the issue because what becomes important is deterring others while expressing moral outrage, which also can be stated as expressing moral outrage while thinking or even imagining you’re deterring others.’

Coffee can be a magic elixir. Milk helps me tolerate the acidity. Pills help me tolerate the milk. What helps me tolerate the pills? Exercise and a chain that always identifies to you.

Isn’t that Hexagonal imagery cool? It’s like you’re living in a kaleidoscope, one with depth. And multiple focus points, like those pictures I used to make of body parts in separate panels on a single page. I know I could have sold that in the art world, but it was not the path I needed to take. Probably would have died because I was incredibly careless about my existence.

How does the process work? Little hats appear and disappear, and each time a little hat disappears, that counts down a dimension. So what happens is the count down will gsPair and that Composes to the grid square which contains the D4-3 image you see, meaning that is where that structure, with its potential so arranged, Attaches to the Regularization. It’s important to state that step because that establishes points or Ends which are or at least somewhat give a hint of that dimensionally ideal representation, that n-gon which I think we decided should be called an nK-gon because then we have Triangular as a 3K-gon, gs at 4K-gon. This means we link through Coordinate Rotation.

I tend to see CR as a gumball machine: put in a coin and turn the knob and the thingy spins around and delivers a gum ball. The action at one End leads to another End which is otherwise not related except through the Hephaestan contraption Between.

One of the best parts of this realization is that it seamlessly connects to the Monster Group because the representation of that is a D24 lattice, meaning the IC of SBE2, and we just identified SBE2 because that is literally the identification chaining within the Hexagonal which we now describe as generating the images we experience as Things in D4-3Space. Freaking thing is all over the place. Imagine the untapped processing capacity. How much can be constructed in this potential. And here we are in a world in which people think murder is the way to heaven, in which people excuse the most grotesque and the most commonplace cruelties. Cruelties of commission and omission in their 1-0Segmenting. We can’t be perfect, but we at least try to be better.

This again is my problem with football. I watched the Lions defeat the Vikings, not the Christians but I suppose the pagans, and the game was intense and extremely well played by two highly motivated and well prepared teams. The Lions held twice inside their own 5, and I mean twice in the 4 downs, not 3 and a kick for 3. Wow. The way the Vikings defenders were jumping plays. That was great prep. The game was not only played with very high effort but with a widespread team mentality, like they were units. A few let downs here and there but it’s a complex game. Thing is: lots of people hurt and that’s again the tip of one of the ugliest icebergs I can think of, that we encourage children to play games which permanently scar them physically and mentally, and which pulls the athletically gifted who could excel in sports better suited to their size into the wrong sport. Or rather into the right sport if you think making this THE sport is what matters, not what’s best for the kids or for the country. We’d rather insist others play our game then direct kids into playing soccer, because that’s their game. What a weird mix of motives! Typical of something that inflicts injury in order to elevate.

The Monster Group is what? The representation of the D24 lattice, meaning this is you or this is me, as seen through this lens at this moment. The order of the MG is ridiculous, so the orderings of it are absurd.

Where does this appear? Along the highway in which I’m Observer, meaning gsPairings presenting in some fashion, like sequentially, which gives a hint about the CR taking place to generate those (because it’s often easier to see how they relate and don’t relate. Along the highway when I’m the Actor and the gsPairing presents to be me as the 3rd End right in front of me if I can keep the car in line around this curve at this speed without losing traction. It’s nice to feel that inertial pull and know that it’s the force of the resolution of gsSpace, that Things exist within a Thing field and thus a curve has a structure and operations fit to that structure. Same as with General Relativity.

Is the weakest part still CR? I’d say yes because the concept of CR is twofold, as these tend to be. First, it can be the spin projected as Boundary on a simple sheet, meaning a circle to sphere. This spin can get funky by including other counts, like from 1 to 2, meaning logarithms. It can also get funky if we draw higher dimensional figures or fit higher dimensional figures to what we can project. But whatever that is, we can make a video of it flowing from this to that. The second is that each of these rotations, starting with the basic sweep of a 1Segment like a watch hand, relates the concepts of what that rotation means. This is an example of counting along the labeled zK while holding the sK arrangements still so you can organize what you do within external and internal requirements, like the need to be out of the cold before you die and the need to eat. Or you can say here is zK much, what can be organized in sK. This goes down to have no time at all, must react - and thus to the cat’s brain, to the dog or horse etc. brain - and of course works as a count of 1.

I took a break to eat. Made a vegan sloppy joe. Or assembled one from packaged pea protein, KC flavored baked beans, green onion, hot sauce, and the secret ingredient, good teriyaki. On a garlic bagel half because I have only buns of steel.

Back to CR? The translations occur as each count on the sweep, which visualizes as a 1Segment in motion and a 1-0Segment when including the link back in the count so the count is Triangular. That nicely summarizes that difference: 1Segment is D2 while 1-0Segment is D3 because the return potential is explicit. Note that 1Segment in this direction coexists with the 1Segment in the other. What’s missing is the & symbol in f&b, which is the same as saying a 1Segment describes MC while a 1-0Segment describes IC and thus LC to CM64 Things. So what happens is the motive force, the Actor and Observer potential within that thread in that context, counts and that attaches not only to the central End of a Hexagon but to what that means, which is the construction of 3 dimensional objects. You can see that as the mapping of a bT and a Shard, so you can think of a surface as being between layers of these Shards. This I can now see follows the ideas about Boundary and uncountability because each bT is separate and con connect to other Shards but each of those forms a surface which isn’t the same as the ‘flat’ projection. This assembles and disassembles within the overall ‘perfection’ from which these versions appear or generate.

The above paragraph directly relates to scale, as on a cosmic level for homogeneity, as in renormalization is literally that which fits Between these more well knowable or known Ends.

So the process of the little hat removing then translates into hands. That becomes a game of comparison of hands to determine an outcome.

I really need a break.

[deadcityhq]

CHARACTER NAME: sam winchester CHARACTER FACECLAIM: avan jogia CHARACTER AGE/DOB (if relevant/they're not old af): 2nd may 1998 / 26 years old CHARACTER PRONOUNS/GENDER IDENTITY/SEXUALITY ETC: he/him they/them, male in the 'i dont have time to think about it deeper, nor was i raised in a way that made me ever feel safe to so weeewooo lets Not talk about the gnc vibes ok', bisexual/romantic CHARACTER FANDOM (if relevant): supernatural (derogatory) OC OR CANON: canon CHARACTER TYPE (for example: werewolf, shadowhunter, warlock, demon etc): human hunter HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN IN NEW YORK/WHY ARE THEY THERE ETC: he's been on the move A Lot of course, but given the absolute boom and focus of spooky shit (eSPECIALLY related to lucifer etc) in the city since the start of 2024 (no dont look at him he Totally wasnt even SLIGHTLY involved), hes been more present there since then look it,, will have to be plotted with any and all spn fucks but if we're yelling fuck canon who is to say we can find a men of letters bunker and fuck this shit up and,,, IMPORTANT CHARACTER INFORMATION TO NOTE AND SHARE (this could be important headcanons for initial plotting, mini bios etc, supporting docs):

so,,, lucifer huh,,,, those seals breaking,,, tHATS A WHOLE THING HUH,,, all that demon blood,,, ruby,,, PHEW… that was A LOT,,, and sam is very much STILL in the processing stage (yes it's been a while but STILL,, LISTEN,,, TOO MUCH TRAUMA,,, too many choices he has to find a way to lIVE WITH,,,)

overall vibes of up until end of season 4 is canon to an extent ya feel like??? it's a GENERAL VIBES AND PLOT LINE KINDA THING,,, inspo,,, but merged with all the different canons here so,,, so much wiggle room and as above,, lets move some shit around,,,

in truth, sam is wrestling with a fucking lot of feelings of guilt, and is rather stuck on the vibe of doing ANYTHING he can to make things right. any cost. no matter what kinda vibe. it's that suicide mission vibes kinda thing, making him work overly hard and focus. he feels like he let dean down most of all, and it's lowkey been eating away at him and he just wants to find a way to stop that, while also accepting the truth about himself that maybe this is actually the only path for him.

THREE AESTHETICS THAT REMIND YOU OF YOUR CHARACTER:

riding in the car late at night with music and bad singing as the soundtrack.

the hope that comes from legends and stories.

scrubbing and scrubbing but never feeling as though the blood washes away.

[fontenotlegacy]

Sims 4 Fontenot Legacy - Girl Talk

The next day, Matilda makes sure to update Harper on what happened.

Harper: He said that?

Matilda: Yes!

Harper: Gosh… well, what are you going to do?

Matilda: I don’t know. Everything was going great, but now… he just had to go and catch feelings.

Harper: Well, is there any chance…?

Matilda doesn’t actually answer as quickly as expected. There’s ever-so-slightly a pause, a huff of indignation, before she responds.

Matilda: He knew what this was when it started. I’m not looking for anything serious right now. It’s the first time I’ve been on my own and I'm just trying to enjoy it. I’m not looking to change things, and I don’t want to be guilted into it.

Harper: That’s fair, but if there’s any chance you might…

Matilda: Uuuuuuuuuuggghhhh, are you also going to convince me how much of a mistake it is to not be with this guy?

Harper: I just want to be certain you’re certain. I know you had a plan, but things can change, and that’s okay too. And I mean, Dre's a nice guy, you get along well, you admittedly like being with him, so…

Matilda: I’m not obligated to reciprocate his feelings just because we have good banter and the woohoo is decent.

Harper: Matilda—

Matilda: No, I’m sick of everyone having an opinion on this! Dre's cool, we have a good time, and I’m okay with just that. I don’t know if it’ll change in the future. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I focus on my classes and we throw the ultimate dorm bash. Make memories that’ll burn brighter than any complicated situationship.

Harper sighs. She knows her friend.

Harper: Alright, alright. Well at any rate, I hope things work out, whatever that looks like.

Matilda: We'll see, but enough about me. How’s you and that Romeo guy?

Harper: Romeo? We haven’t talked since the last time we were all over at their place.

Matilda: You have to talk to him at the party!

Harper: Ah, it's really fine. I mean, I’m not sure how much I actually like him.

Matilda: You don’t have to like him like that! Just, do you want to get to know him better?

Matilda wiggles her eyebrows. Harper looks a little nervous.

Harper: I don’t know…

Matilda: Oh, come on! Everybody gets to tease and cajole me about Dre, it's your turn! Maybe getting closer to him might be just what you need. You never know!

Harper laughs.

Harper: I just don’t know if dating's in the card for me, in any capacity.

Matilda: You not feeling him anymore?

Harper: I was never head-over-heels for him. He seems like a cool dude. Just… maybe haven’t found the right sim yet.

Matilda: He doesn’t have to be “the one”, just “the right now”.

Harper: We’ll I’m not even sure if he’s that.

Matilda sighs dramatically.

Matilda: Fiiiiinnneee. Well, keep your options open for the party. You never know.

Harper: I could say the same to you.

Matilda: Shut up.

The two laugh.

Harper: You’re a mess.

Matilda: That’s why you love me.

Harper: Yeah. Something like that.

[harmonyhealinghub]

Finding Freedom in No: Embracing the Power of Boundaries Shaina Tranquilino May 3, 2024

In a world that glorifies the concept of saying "yes" and constantly encourages us to be agreeable, finding the courage to say "no" can seem daunting. We often associate saying no with negativity, conflict, and rejection. However, what if I told you that saying no can actually be a powerful act of self-care and empowerment?

For many of us, saying yes has become a reflexive response, driven by a fear of disappointing others or being perceived as rude or selfish. We say yes to invitations, requests for our time, and tasks at work, even when we're already stretched thin. The result? We end up overwhelmed, exhausted, and resentful.

But what if we flipped the script and embraced the freedom that comes with saying no?

Saying no is not about being unkind or selfish; it's about setting boundaries and prioritizing our own well-being. It's about recognizing that our time, energy, and resources are limited and deserve to be allocated thoughtfully.

Here are a few reasons why saying no can lead to greater freedom and empowerment:

Honouring Your Priorities: When we say no, we're actively choosing to prioritize what matters most to us. Whether it's spending time with loved ones, pursuing our passions, or simply taking care of ourselves, saying no allows us to align our actions with our values.

Preserving Your Energy: Every time we say yes to something, we're committing our time and energy to that task or obligation. By saying no to things that don't serve us, we free up space for activities and relationships that energize and fulfill us.

Fostering Authentic Connections: Saying yes when we really mean no can lead to resentment and strained relationships. On the other hand, being honest about our boundaries can deepen our connections with others, as it fosters authenticity and trust.

Empowering Yourself: Saying no is an assertion of our autonomy and self-worth. It's a declaration that we have the right to prioritize our needs and desires, even if it means disappointing others. In doing so, we reclaim our power and agency.

Of course, learning to say no isn't always easy, especially if we've spent years ingrained in the habit of saying yes. It requires self-awareness, assertiveness, and a willingness to prioritize our own needs.

Here are a few tips for cultivating the courage to say no:

Practice Self-Reflection: Take the time to identify your priorities and boundaries. What are the things that truly matter to you? What drains your energy or causes you stress? Understanding your limits will make it easier to say no when necessary.

Set Clear Boundaries: Communicate your boundaries assertively and respectfully. Remember that it's okay to say no without offering a lengthy explanation or apology. Keep your response simple and direct.

Be Firm but Kind: Saying no doesn't mean being rude or dismissive. Express your gratitude for the opportunity or invitation, but kindly decline if it doesn't align with your priorities or values.

Practice Self-Compassion: Recognize that it's okay to prioritize your own well-being. Let go of any guilt or fear of judgment, and instead, focus on taking care of yourself.

Saying no is not a sign of weakness; it's a courageous act of self-care and empowerment. By setting boundaries and honouring our priorities, we free ourselves from the burden of obligation and create space for greater fulfillment and authenticity in our lives. So, the next time you're faced with a request that doesn't resonate with you, remember that saying no is not only okay – it's liberating.

[ilikelookingatthings]

Personally I feel like Zoey could work if it turns out she was secertly trying to take Chloe's place to get away from the mom or something since she SAID she was bad/like chloe when she was back in newyork but we never actually SEE that behaviour from Zoey...her saying she was bad but I just believing she is good and that she's exagerating..just to find out lowkey it was kindof a plan all along to take over Chloe's life would be SO interesting.

Personally I didn't hate Zoey's crush on Mari...it doesn't make her special since everyone gets a crush on Mari to some degree...honestly I kindfo wish Mari didn't handle it well since Mari isn't the best at handling other people's feelings...or if we at least got to see Zoey Jealous or not give up and maybe be mean to Adrien or something.

Honestly, if they were going to make her good...I kindof wish she had played a bigger part in helping support Chloe into being good...like maybe have Zoey not really vibe with Ladybug...like Zoey knows that Chloe probably has abandonment issues to some degree and how the mom is like right? like...Zoey looked genuinely uncomfortable that first time Ladybug gave her the bee miraculous, bringing up that if Chloe ever found out that Chloe would feel hurt and replaced...where Ladybug just brushed it off that it wouldn't matter since since Chloe wouldn't find out that it was Zoey anyway.

I feel like they could have had Zoey take note of that insensativity and find out about the 'rule' about not using people who's identity hawkmoth knows and how ladybug keeps doing that anyway...like how LB used Ryuko despite hawkmoth knowing...Maybe get more info about the details of CHloe's siding with hawkmoth...like Marinetee I understand assuming Chloe was just being entitled like usual...but WE know her parents were taken hostage and targeted directly...when LB had taken the bee saying it would STOP Chloe from being targetted and keep pollen safe.

but Chloe was targetted anyway with no way to defend herself, was then isolated on a rooftop where her ladybug signal was cut off from power so she couldn't call the heros for help...where then hawkmoth dug into her insecurities while she was feeling helpless and then brought out that Ladybug had failed to protect Pollen(and the other kwami). If Chloe had said no she would have been alone with a pissed adult Villian who she has no reason to believe would be above throwing hands with a teenager since Mayura has attacked her before directly.... when most powerful bad adults tend to react to things not going their way poorly(like her parents who showcased that with their fighting earlier and most of the time). where Yes hawkmoth had her focus on her insecurity with his emotional manipulation...taking advantage of the opening that LB had given him by getting kagami to help over chloe...but she only gave in when he agreed to release her parents...and if she hadn't he would have kept pollen and the otehr Kwami's...we KNOW her faith in Ladybug...Why wouldnt Chloe just assume that LB would beat her like LB does all the time with akumavictims....only to unforunately have to deal with permanent damage done wit the identities of the other heros being revealed to hawkmoth and her having to face her hero after this betrayal....Chloe falling back on blaming LB instead of taking responsability makes sense...feeling like you failed being good HURTS when she had tried so hard...ad hawkmoth had cornered her in a situation where she doesnt understand she was manipulated into it.

I feel like CHloe had clearly been acting out of character in how mean she was following the loss of master fu and people obiouly thought it was the show retconning and doubing down on chloe being bad...but to ME it was clearly Chloe overcopensating and falling back on being mean as a coping mechanism to both distract herself from her guilt, drive others away so she won't have to deal with her feelings and try to pretend she was in control to not feel helpless since she couldn't run from paris since her parents getting along(which she had wanted) trapped her into being unable to run from the situation. being mean is familar to CHloe and is comfortable and was what she was doing before trying to be good bit her in the ass.....

It makes a parallel to how both Mari and Adrien feel back on acting in certain ways and old behaviours and feelings to try to pretend like they were fine and normal to themselves and others...like mari and chat both used their crushes on Ladybug and Adrien more as something familar they could fall back on and feel normal about and distract themselves from their bigger problems and distract themselves and others from realize they have alot of complex thoughts and feelings they don't want to address...like mari's guilt and fear of failure since losing master fu and her struggle to REALLY listen to others and let them help even though on the surface she LOOKED she like was opening up(like to Alya).

Chloe using being mean to cope and as overcompensation would explain why it felt more awkward than before since Chloe was forcing it a bit and wasn't coming as naturally...even more when CHloe was tipped over the edge because she was feeling replaced already by her sister who clearly understands being good in kind in a way that chloe sincerely struggles with understanding even when chloe genuinely is trying, who doesn't have the bad history with the class nor never betrayed ladybug and is clearly easily liked and seen as talented, and who had gotten to live with the mom Chloe had always wanted to pay attention to her all that time.

I feel like Zoey could have found out the info that LAdybug and others don't know(which is the details about how hawkmoth cornered Chloe and took her family hostage as well as pollen and the others as well as the details about the rules LB used to not use chloe before...we actually KNOW Chloe had accepted not being the bee holder in a previous episode so Chloe siding with hawkmoth by just feeling entitled doesn't actually make sense unless its a redherring motive to distract us from her agreeing to keep pollen and her parents from being targeted again). Then couple it with noticing things like how YES her sister sucked but that the class completely tricking Chloe out of the movie was kind of messed up when its pretty obvious that would make her feel replaced when hey know about the mom situation(even if I understand the class).

Maybe have the contrast being that Zoey is actually more fond and admired Marinette(who Zoey saw try to reach out to Chloe a few times) but maybe have Zoey a bit on edge and suspicious about the goodwill of Ladybug since LB was so callus about just choosing a replacement for her sister using the one person that would clearly hurt Chloe the hardest if she found out it was her replacement...to contrast how Chloe had been more fond of LB and hadn't warmed up to Marinette until later when Mari had helped her out a few times.

Since apparently Zoey had said she used to be mean back in New york...Zoey could address how it can be incredibly hard to reform yourself when the history of the bad you did hangs over you and you know..no one really likes you. with the you in this case being Chloe.

and honestly...kind of wanted to see Zoey try to act on her jealousy or something toward Adrien over Mari secretly liking him or at least try to get in the way.

A Short Zoe Rant Cos I Is Bored

The ONLY way Zoe would’ve been remotely acceptable in the show is if she’d been introduced MUCH earlier.

Like, the very first season.

Show her as a ‘counterpoint’ to Bully Chloe as one who is actually bullied, and how being raised in a completely different country & continent can influence one’s behavior & outlook.

Maybe she can have a few cameo scenes until she’s a full-time regular, show her chatting on the phone to her dad, sending letters to her sister etc.

Then, when she eventually DOES turn up later, give her more personality than ‘feel sorry for me, oh and btw I’m a lesbian’. Not everyone has to fall hard for her the minute she appears, and if you ARE going to make her a superhero, don’t give her the miraculous in her second ever episode!

And Mr Astruc wonders where these accusations of favoritism come from, when all this coincides with Chloe’s sudden descent from being a semi-complex character to a raving lunatic sociopath? Anyway…

Have Zoe perform some actual function in the show: like, give her a pivotal role in her sister’s redemption. Let her have some negative traits, apart from I-don’t know-how-special-I-truly-am (a common trait of badly written Mary Sues). Don’t let the finality of her character arc be a single pink streak in her hair(!) (talk about lack of ambition).

A few other ideas: Give her a girlfriend crush who ISN’T Marinette, because not everything has to revolve around Baker Girl. Quit putting words in the mouths of other characters how ‘perfect’ she is to manipulate and influence the young audience, it’s distracting and annoying.

Basically, the only thing I’d keep about her in her current incarnation are her shoes, which are pretty groovy TBH. Everything else can be ditched, including her name (Too close to ‘Chloe’ idk… I think something like ‘Arabelle’ would suit her) and design, (again, too similar to Baker Girl)

But, as anyone with half a brain cell would’ve figured out by now, she was only created as a flawless counterpoint to you-know-who so Mr Astruc and his lovable team of hacks wouldn’t have to do any real development on Chloe… they gave us a ready-made, blandly nicey-nice ‘cute’ replacement to just simper away in the background without doing anything of value and contributing the grand total of nothing to the dynamic of S4 onwards.

And seeing as how S4 is generally seen by a lot of people as the beginning of a steep decline in quality of the show, I guess she’s in good company.

Welcome to the dumpster fire, Zoe. We have cake! 🔥 🧁