#for both this marks the beginning of the game really becoming serious

[throwntotheair]

The idea that Dirk and John both share a flash with "Rise Up" in the title...

But for John, his is "John. Rise up." Note: he - him - John, not his role but him as a person. And it's not formatted as a command. The WV/Mayor was grieving his windy boy. This was a plea. For John specifically.

And for Dirk, his is "Prince of Heart: Rise up." Note: it's not about Dirk, it's about his role that he has to play. It's about the stuff he has to put in motion. It's less about him and more of what he can do. And this one is formatted like a command.

I feel like the Always Sunny guy with my massive conspiracy board - like!! LIKE!!! Do you see what Im saying? Do you say what Im seeing???

[rowdyluv]

Believe in Me — jh86

summary: in which the summer following Jack’s rookie year is coming to an end. Not only did his rookie year come with being shafted by the league as the biggest bust, but he managed to get painted as the biggest (and newest) playboy of the league. His personal management team, the team’s management, and PR step in to clear this all up, but it takes work from Jack.

warnings/points of importance: use of y/n, fem!reader x jack, use of nicknames for female character and for Jack, fake dating trope, oblivious pining trope(?), childhood friends, minor usage of foul language, creation of side original characters for plot, time jumps, memories inserted - tumblr’s intention and italics used to notate, inner thoughts marked with ‘..’ and italicized if they occur

word count: 4.32

notes: any names used for original characters that relate to someone’s name or closely relate to a person’s name is purely by happenstance. The names were rolled by random from a generator where I inserted random first and last names.

© property of quinnylouhughesx43 ; do not copy and re-upload as your own - anywhere. do not place my work inside AI codes, do not translate.

Y/n sat cross-legged on the worn wooden planks of the back porch swing, her eyes following the lazy dance of the sunset as it descended behind the distant tree line. Her childhood home had changed so little over the years, the same comforting embrace of familiarity wrapped around her like a warm blanket on a chilly evening. The porch swing squeaked in a soothing rhythm as both her and Jack slowly swung, a nostalgic tune that had serenaded countless summer nights spent sharing secrets and laughter with Jack. The only other kid who had been in her grade when she moved in, well really one of the only other neighborhood children. The other two children in the neighborhood were his brothers. All three of which had become as much a part of her life as the very foundation of the house she grew up in.

She had spent all day out with his family by the pool, her mother insisted he come to their house for dinner though. Nothing to offer course for their life, well a year ago it wouldn’t have been.

"Do you want to talk about your new headline?" Y/n tried to hold back the hint of amusement in her tone but failed miserably. Jack's rookie season had just come to an end before the beginning of summer. In just a few months he had gone from the talk of the league as the number one draft pick to talk of the league as a "bust."

He was nothing close to a bust. It was just how the year fell.

Jack leaned back in the swing, the sun's final strokes of light for the day painting his cheekbones. He sighed; a heavy exhale filled with the weight of the rumors that had been following him like a dark shadow. "It's just how it's going to be now. You know how it is with the media. They're desperate to find a new angle to keep me going." There were a few moments of silence shared between them before he found the words to continue. "First, it's all about my game, how I'm not scoring enough or I'm not this hotshot star that every analyst built me up to be. Season ends and it's about my supposed love life." His voice was a mix of annoyance and defeat. He was used to being the center of attention, truthfully he strived to be in the center of attention. He just wasn't used to it always being negative attention.

"To be it all, I have this video chat meeting with public relations, franchise management, and my management team about some idea they have come up with to help bring attention away from everything." Jack groaned. "We have three days left of the summer before we drive back to Jersey, I don't want to spend one of them in meetings."

Y/n nodded sympathetically, placing a comforting hand on his forearm and leaning herself over on him. "It's okay, bubs. Maybe it's nothing too serious." But she could tell from the furrow in his brow, the way his jaw clenched and the tension in his voice that he was already aware of what they had come up with. Or at least he had an idea. She didn't dare pry, they may be best friends, but Jack was clearly not ready to share his thoughts. "And... If it is serious I will be in Jersey this season to help you through it."

Jack gave her a grateful smile before standing up from the porch swing, stretching his arms out wide. "Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't worry about it tonight." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, a gesture that was as commonplace as breathing between the two of them. "Thanks for the pep talk, toots." He said, using the childhood nickname that never failed to make her smile despite the circumstances. "I should head back down the street to my parent's place. It's getting late."

As he turned to leave, the rising moon cast a cool glow over the yard, highlighting the tall blades of grass that danced with the intermittent breeze. Y/n watched him go, her mind racing with the implications of what might happen at that during his meeting tomorrow. Would they really suggest something so ridiculous? And if they did, how would Jack handle it?

Jack's footsteps grew fainter until they were swallowed by the night. The house, once alive with the echoes of their laughter, now felt eerily quiet. Y/n remained seated out on the swing, her thoughts spiraling into a whirlwind of doubt and concern. She knew Jack was strong, capable of taking on any challenge thrown his way, but the thought of him being manipulated into some scheme to save the face of the Devils franchise made her sick. Then she thought, what if they didn't call a meeting to manipulate him into anything? What if it's simply to offer suggestions on what he can do differently going forward?

Y/n eventually shut that portion of her brain off and headed inside herself. A long hot shower and her bed was calling her name.

The next day Jack sat in his father's home office, the room smelling faintly of cologne and leather, waiting for the others to join the video call. The space was a testament to his father's success, filled with trophies and framed newspaper articles from his own days as a star player and coach. It was both inspiring and daunting, a constant reminder of the legacy he and his brothers were trying to live up to. The computer screen flickered to life, displaying a Zoom call with a row of faces, some familiar, some not. His management team, PR reps, and a couple of team officials stared back at him, all expectant and poised.

Jack leaned back in the chair, his casual attire feeling woefully inadequate among the suits and professional backgrounds of his callers. He had taken his mother's advice and dressed comfortably, but now he wished he had at least put on a button-up shirt. He glanced down at his New Jersey Devils t-shirt, the logo stretched slightly across his chest. It was a fan favorite, one that had been thrown at him in excitement by a young fan at a game. It felt like a piece of armor, a symbol of his pride and commitment to the team, but today it just made him feel like he was the kid, and he was playing dress-up in his dad's old gear.

The meeting began with a round of forced smiles and awkward greetings. The tension was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. Y/n's words from the night before echoed in his mind, a comforting whisper amidst the storm of uncertainty. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for whoever their absurd suggestion be his girlfriend when they had conjured up the fake relationship idea to "fix" his image.

"Jack, before we start, do you remember the guidelines I told you for this relationship or should we go over them again with everyone here?" The voice was cold and calculated, belonging to one of the stern-faced PR reps. Her eyes bore into him through the screen, demanding his full attention.

Jack's stomach lurched. He had hoped they would just come right out with what was new, news. "I think everyone is aware of what we're trying to achieve here, but please go ahead," he said, trying to keep the sarcasm at bay.

The stern-faced public relations rep, Ms. Castellanos, nodded curtly. "Good. So, the first guideline is that you two must be seen together at least three times a week. This includes public appearances such as dates, her being seen attending your games, and even casual outings like grocery shopping or walking the dog. That is if you or her have one."

Jack's eyes widened slightly, glancing down at his half empty coffee mug. He didn't have a dog, but he still didn't know who this girl they paired him up with was. Plus, he didn't know if Y/n had picked up any new hobbies involving pets in her last year of college. It was never mentioned during their weekly calls or on visits. It would be important to know that since she’s going to be living with him.

"Jack, are you listening?" The voice brought him back to the present, the sternness of Ms. Castellanos' tone was unmistakable.

Jack swallowed down the anxiety that was bubbling up inside him and nodded in acknowledgement.

Ms. Castellanos continued, "Guideline two, and perhaps the most important one, is that the relationship must appear genuine. You must exhibit believable public affection and body language. This means holding hands, occasional kisses on the cheek, maybe a few on the lips if the situation calls for it. As for body language," the stone-cold lady stopped speaking, watching Jack carefully once more. "You're both young, attractive, and in the public eye. If you lean into each other, have your arms around each other's waist, or even occasionally rest your head on her shoulder, it'll look natural and convincing. The media will eat it up, and your image will be transformed from a lonely heartthrob to a lovestruck boyfriend in no time."

Jack felt his cheeks flush slightly, the thought of faking intimacy with someone he'd never met before was nerve-wracking, to say the least. He took another sip of his now lukewarm coffee, trying to imagine how awkward the first kiss would be. He had never been one for faking emotions, especially something as intimate as love.

Ms. Castellanos continued, her voice unforgiving. "Guideline four is critical. The relationship must end with your girlfriend, and I stress this, must be the one to initiate the breakup. It should be done publicly and dramatically enough to make headlines, but not so much that it causes a scandal." She paused, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in. "You cannot under any circumstances leave her. If it looks like you're the one who ended things, it'll only add fuel to the fire of your reputation. You need to be seen as the heartbroken party, the victim of a fickle heart. It'll humanize you, make you more relatable to the fans."

Jack felt his jaw clench at the coldness of the plan. He had agreed to a fake relationship to get the media off his back, but this was starting to feel like a script for a reality TV show gone wrong. "And what happens if we... I mean, if she gets tired of the whole thing?" He stumbled over his words, trying to maintain some semblance of respect for the stranger he was about to be romantically linked with.

"Ah, that's where guideline five comes into play," said Ms. Castellanos, her eyes gleaming with the excitement of her own cleverness. "We've prepared a non-disclosure agreement that she will be signing before the relationship begins. It's quite comprehensive and includes clauses for breaking it off in a controlled manner. She'll understand her role in this, Jack."

Jack's grip tightened around his coffee mug, the cheap porcelain feeling fragile under his thumb. "But who is she?" he repeated, his voice a little louder, a hint of frustration creeping in.

Ms. Castellanos' smile didn't waver, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "Her name is Elena Petrov," she said smoothly. "A local influencer with a clean reputation. She's been briefed on the situation and has agreed to help. She's a fan of the team and understands the importance of this for your career."

"No." Jack huffed out. gaining the attention of everyone on the call. Just the same as Jack, everyone else barely stayed tuned into her annoying voice. "She is the reason I am in this shit hole. Her friend is the last girl I was with. Elena took all the pictures. Maggie? A little help here." Jack pleaded with the IT media girl that for some miraculous reason was sitting in on the call.

"Oh. Uhm, yes. It took me days to get the pictures she put up taken down. And Mr. Hughes, we were able to prove they were edited after looking closer at them," Maggie spoke up, her voice shaky, probably from fear of interrupting the woman that could potentially ruin their lives with a tweet.

Ms. Castellanos' eyes darted from Jack to Maggie and back again, her displeasure clear. "Jack, this is non-negotiable. This is what's best for your career right now. You need to be seen as more than just a party boy. The sooner you start this relationship with Elena, the sooner we can start repairing your image," she said, her voice like a whip cracking through the tension in the room.

Jack's manager, Mr. Taylor, cleared his throat before speaking up, his tone measured and calm. "Perhaps there's another option we haven't considered. What about Y/n?" he suggested, glancing at Jack, who looked up at him, hope flickering in his eyes.

Ms. Castellanos raised an eyebrow. "Your childhood friend?" She sounded skeptical, but the video stream grew quiet, all eyes on Jack.

Jack nodded, feeling the weight of the decision he was about to make. "Yeah, Y/n. We've been best friends since middle school. Everyone already thinks we're together. It'll be believable, and she's... she's not in the spotlight like Elena is. It'll keep things more low-key." He swallowed, hoping he wasn't about to ruin their friendship.

Ms. Castellanos leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers. "Very well, Jack. We'll consider it. But you need to talk to her and make sure she's on board with this. The last thing we need is for her to spill the beans and ruin the whole charade."

Jack nodded, his heart racing. He knew Y/n would do anything for him but asking her to be his fake girlfriend was a big ask. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation he was about to have. After the call ended, he let out a guttural groan due to frustration. He needed to go shoot some basketball or pucks before he talked Y/n, but he didn't have that time to waste. Instead of blowing off some of his stress he slipped on some shoes, kissed his momma goodbye, and headed out to the house he has visited time and time again.

The warm afternoon air was a major contrast to the coldness of the conversation he had just had. The streetlights flickered to life as Jack approached Y/n's house, the familiar path to her door as comforting as ever. He stopped in front of the door, the color of her door had changed since last summer, but the memories that lie behind it remained the same.

Jack took a deep breath before raising his hand to knock, the sound echoing through his head. Only thing on his mind was the conversation they were about to have. Jack flinched as he realized how hard and urgent he had beat on her mother’s front door. His heart thudded against his chest, partially with the anticipation of her reaction to the proposal and because of how quickly he had walked down the block. Jack took a deep breath in an urgent need to calm himself and appear as normal as possible before he was face to face with her.

Before he could finish his internal mantra of calming himself, the front door swung open in a rush. He was slightly hoping it would somehow be one of her relatives, but there she was, looking up at him with her soft, hopeful eyes. Her hair messily tossed into a messy bun atop her head and a sprinkle of fresh freckles danced across her nose from spending the day in the sun with his family yesterday. She was wearing the momentous hoodie that he had gifted her before leaving last summer. A hoodie that held a lot in its threads for the two of them. For her, it now held a lot of silent screams and wiped away tears from the last year, but it still held their joint memories.

‘It originally had become Jack’s superstitious hoodie for a while. The lucky hoodie he would wear all the way up to when he would change for warm ups, then she would wear it. This superstition developed during the years of world juniors. The year he brought home the Gold, the superstition shifted. Jack had a “girlfriend” that entire season and she wasn’t fond of the idea of Jack and Y/n swapping clothes like they did. The games with the development program were when she noticed this happening. She confronted Y/n about having a useless crush on her boyfriend and she would be taking over wearing his hoodie from then on. Jack didn’t take lightly to it, that was his best friend, his biggest non-family supporter. So, he decided y/n would wear the hoodie the entire time, from the time they all got dressed for the day to after the game. Now, it’s hers entirely, his decision since he couldn’t be here for her and live out his dream. He wanted her to have a piece of him, but if be a piece of them. Once again, it has become her comfort item as it has been back then.’

She fiddled with the stretched out sleeves hanging over left hand anxiously as her right hand was still grasping the door knob.

"How was your meeting?" The words fell from her lips so fast she hadn't taken a moment to invite him inside. Y/n had sat out on the porch swing all morning waiting to hear from him. Seeing him now ignited her anxiety and her need to know.

Jack let out a simple laugh at her eagerness to know. He softly touched her side, giving a slight nudge as if to signal her to walk backwards into the house.

The coolness of the air conditioning kissing his skin. "It was... interesting," he said, his voice a mix of relief and dread.

Y/n raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. She walked a few steps backwards with his guidance to allow him in, the old floorboards creaking under their weight. "Interesting as in good or interesting bad?"

Jack shrugged, his smile wavering as he let go of her and made his way into the living room. The same room where they had spent hours playing video games, watching movies, doing homework.

—Could he ask her to do this? What if it blows up in their faces and ruins everything. What if he ruins her? He’d never be able to live with himself for hurting her.

The couch looked inviting, but he knew better than to sit down without spilling his guts. "Well, it’s one of those ‘depends on how you take it’ interesting type situations..." he trailed off, his eyes wandering around the room.

Y/n looked at him, her eyebrows rising in a questioning manner. Her eyes were filled with a mix of concern and curiosity. She could read the hesitancy written all across him. Starting with wanting to open up about his meeting. Which is something he's never had an issue with, at least with her, to not wanting to sit down. Almost as if, if he got too comfortable he would tell too much.

Taking a hold of his hand, rubbing her thumb over his palm she leaned her head on his upper arm. A common gesture between them. “Jackers?” She whispered so softly, he nearly missed it. He hummed in response coming out from where he drifted off too. She took a hold of his hand and softly pulled him down to take a seat on the couch with her.

“Jackers, just tell me. Did they come up with something ridiculous?"

Jack let out a small laugh , the sound hollow and forced. "Ridiculous doesn't even begin to cover it," he whined, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "They want me to start a fake relationship with someone who I know is not going to help me. Then my manager suggested someone who would be great and I was for it because we already know each other but.." He took a deep breath, bracing himself for her reaction.

Y/n let go of his hand, in an unnatural reaction as they have been platonically physical since high school, "A fake relationship?" she echoed that one snippet. “With.. With who? Since I’ll be living with you I should be prepared for a new girl even if she is a fake girlfriend.”

Jack took a deep breath and looked up at her, his eyes filled with a desperation she had never seen before. "Toots, I really don't know what to do about this. PR decided on Elena Petrov. B—”

“You mean the friend of the bitch who started this mess? No I’m sorry the two who started this mess? You’re going to pounce around all lovey with the girl who put you here?!” Y/n’s chest heaved up and down heavily. She watched Jack’s face twist in annoyance then soften.

“If you had let me finish… I flat out said no. I will not and am not going to do this plan with her. When I told everyone on the call right then that I wouldn’t, my manager suggested someone else. But I don’t know if they’ll do it. They seem pretty disappointed in me…” Jack kept his voice even and didn’t raise it. He knew how you felt about being yelled at and he couldn’t be the one to cause a panic attack because he got a little upset.

“Well, who did they suggest? Maybe I can help. As long as it’s not Elena..”

“They suggested you. They asked me if I thought you would do it or if I would like you to do it with me. But if you're upset or disappointed, I'll tell them no right now," Jack explained, his voice a low rumble of uncertainty. He started fishing his phone out of his pocket in case he had to call his manager.

Y/n felt her throat tighten as a knot formed, a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She had always been there for Jack, and he for her, but this was something entirely different. This was a line they hadn’t truly crossed, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to pretend to cross it again. "Jack, I..." she murmured looking down at her hands in her lap, her voice trembling slightly. "Yes, I'll do it."

Jack's head snapped to look at her, his eyes failing to meet hers as she’s staring down, though a spark of hope igniting within him still. "You will?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and relief.

Y/n nodded, her throat tight with unspoken emotions. "Yeah, I'll do it," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "For you, I'll do it."

Jack's shoulders slumped with relief. He reached out to lift her head hesitantly so that he could meet her eyes with his. His eyes searching hers for any hint of hesitation. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to, management can figure it out.”

Y/n forced a smile and nodding her head yes, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and dread. The thrill of being able to go and do things with Jack was nice, but the dread of being scrutinized by females she didn’t know was already gnawing at her. "Besides, it's only for a couple of months, right?"

Jack's smile didn't part to show his teeth, it stayed tight lipped, evident he wasn't as enthused as his tone of voice was letting on. "Yup! Just for a couple of months."

"Okay, we can totally pull this off. It will be like playing pretend, remember?" She nudged him with her elbow, trying to lighten the mood with a memory from their childhood. More so for herself than him.

"You mean like when we got married under that old oak tree at my grandparents' house in the summer between sixth and seventh grade?" Jack nudged her back.

"Yup when you only agreed to get pretend married so you could get your first kiss."

She let a little giggle slip out as she reminisced on the memory of her and Jack as kids under the oak tree.

A young Jack with his signature smirk standing at the ‘altar’ with the “preacher Luke”. Jack didn’t wait for Luke to do his part of the pretend wedding he skipped straight to the kiss. ‘Couldn’t wait tootsie I was just wanting my 1st’

"If I remember correctly that was your first kiss too, and you asked for another one because of the ‘belly flies’." Jack teased her enjoying seeing her cheeky smile and blush creeping up on to her cheeks.

Y/n’s laughter echoed loudly through the room. "Jack Hughes, you are such a jerk!" She said playfully, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Jack laughed echoing her laughter. "So, do we have an agreement? You'll be okay with fake dating me, even though we never got fake divorced?"

Y/n shook her head yes once again, while rolling her eyes at the boy next to her. “Yes, Jackers. Even though you never fake divorced me, I will fake date you.”

If she only knew that Jack was silently and brutally beating himself up for this. They were in for a roller coaster of chaos and changes.

Now that he had secured one portion of the agreement, he has footwork left in figuring out how to get out of the hoops and twists. Like how to get out of that very public break up after a few months into dating. He wasn’t going to make her out to be some bitch she’s not.

And if Jack has it his way, they won’t be breaking up and it won’t be a “fake” relationship for long either.

Because Jack Hughes is hopelessly in love with his best friend. If he has any luck, besides puck luck, she loves him too.

notes 2.0: hello! welcome to my newest mini series, believe in me i hope you enjoyed the first part of the series. i am always open to kindly put creative criticism. i truly appreciate all of the continued support by reading, liking, & reblogging! thank you thank you!

[nychta-luxury]

A Strange God

Gen Z reader

soft au - reader is an adult -

Warning: Not proofread, dark jokes, mostly comedy rather then serious, swearing.

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

You were sitting in you're room playing genshin, doing your usual things like commissions, Tea pot, exploration, farming.

Until something strange happened your device wasn't responding. I don't mean the screen froze oh no no. You can still move your mouse however the game itself is moving on its own

"Oh hell naw I didn't sign up for this demonic shit. " You say as you back away from the device. Your main is still moving and the worst part is, its not even part of any idle animation or something you have seen before. You don't care if it's a hacker or some possession shit, EITHER ONE IS BAD

Then it hits you, you starting to get light headed, vision becoming blurry, you start on panicking. What the hell was wrong with your body just when you were about to reach for a phone you black out.

You are now concouice though haven't opened your eyes yet, it feels... Very peaceful your not sure why.. The birds are singing, the smell of flowers in the air, the grass on the ground

"THE GRASS ON THE GROUND?!" You instantly opened your eyes.

"Why is this grass brighter than my future." You say as you look at the neon like grass "Did people kidnap me to touch grass like a normal human being?" Look as much as unbelievable that suggestion was, you have been told to randomly touch grass more than your salary combined.

"You know what fuck it, it's like-" You look at the sky "I'm going to pretend I know what the time is, however I can say it's too early to care." You lay back down, ah how peaceful. Too peaceful, but who cares you can pretend to be in some anime and lay down at the grass.

"AHHH IS THAT A FUCKING BUG" You instantly sat up from the ground, honestly what were you thinking

"GET THE HELL AWAY SATAN SPAWN."

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

Okay now that's over with. You look up at the sky "Okay universe we both know you will fuck me over one way or another. I know damn well that the bugs were only the beginning." You sigh, done with your anime protagonist moment and reach out to grab your phone.

"Where's my phone...?"

"NO NO NOO," you say panicking "WHERE IS MY LIFE PURPOSE?!" You scream "I AM STILL WAITING FOR TCF MANHWA TO UPDATE!!"

It's been 30 minutes and you are still upset you don't have your phone. YOU DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE KIDNAPPED YOU AS LONG AS THEY GAVE YOU A PHONE OR BE AN IPAD KID.

"Ugh, what's the purpose of life if it isn't to update that one story you never continued in 2020." You say dramatically, if anyone was watching they would think you just lost a loved one.

you felt a small tickle on your foot, and your -20 IQ brain thought that it might be a spider... but suddenly you had gained 1 IQ and decided to actually look at what it was instead of kicking your feet aimlessly.

Turns out it was was a squirrel, thank goodness you didn't kick it. Let's just say tiktok traumatized you with too much information about animals..

The squirrel was just cuddling up to you, your weren't really sure why. It was then you realize your surroundings. "Why the hell am I in some old ass ruin??" Now your confused, you look around the area to see where you are perhaps you might even recognize it who knows? You can see a huge structure, it kinda looks like a crossbow, your not quite sure how to describe it. It feels very familiar for some reason, you can see carving marks on it, it read "Seed of stories, brought by the wind, and cultivated by time." huh for an ancient structure it sure had modern English. Wait. That's not English. How are you even reading that??? there is only one explanation for this. "I am some fictional work that doesn't even make sense, like 90% of fantasy reincarnation stories even if the protagonist was transmigrated and not reincarnated, but they use it anyway to sound cool." You say with a serious face, "Lmao as if that was true" You feel something on your shoulder, you immediately turn to what it was just to find the same squirrel just climbed up to your shoulder and now just cuddling you. "You are so lucky my reflexes didn't kick in, I almost throw you off my shoulders yk." "Why am I even talking to a squirrel? gonna be Snow White 2.0 ig" suddenly you hear something drop, you turn behind you and see- IS THAT AMBER???? looks like she dropped her bow, why does she look so surprised? Is it your outfit maybe? Maybe even the hair?? Anyways you just walked over and picked up ambers bow for her "Yo, you uh dropped this" "YOUR GRACE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK IT UP FOR ME!!" "Wait tf you mean your grace." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welp Gen z reader popped up in my mind so here- I decided not to add to many gen z jokes just yet since it is a little short story, might make a part 2 if this post goes well-

[leggerefiore]

maybe lucy, cyllene, and/or rika with a clumsy s/o? doesn’t have to be a cutesy kind of clumsy either, i was thinking more like “s/o will literally trip over their own feet and just barely avoid hitting their limbs on any furniture meanwhile their normally stoic/serious/laidback gf watches like ???” lmao

an all women request... how rare lol

cw: mentions of bruises from being clumsy, fluff

characters: Lucy, Cyllene, Rika

💜Lucy🐍

🟣 She worries more actively than she would like to admit. Seeing you dinged up with bruises would make her fret a lot at first, and she assumes due to the countless ones littering your skin that someone had purposefully caused them rather than it being an incident between you and every inanimate object that dared cross your path. Really… You had a bruise on your knee from hitting it on a book that was on your bed. She would almost be impressed if it were not so concerning for her. She feels a bit flustered when Nolan chuckles at the sight of you covered in bruises. What was he thinking? He gets one of her signature glares in reply.

🟣 Her concern is best expressed through a harsh look and helping stop you from running into things or tripping over your own feet. It simply is maddening how you seem to be made to stumble and fall and cover yourself in bruises. She looks away for one moment, and you have bumped your arm hard into a doorknob. A quiet huff of frustration leaves her as she strides over to make sure that you are otherwise alright. A mark is already there to begin the telltale signs of a bruise to come. There is a helpless feeling in trying to save you from yourself. Part of her begins to just accept this is how things are.

🟣 Ultimately, though, she does still try to help you from running into things. Her Serviper is enlisted to help guide you, too. The serpent rushes over to drag you away from a door frame that you were talking too close to. She also finds herself pulling you into her side to help you keep balance. With her aid, the sheer amount of bruises does shrink. It gives her some peace of mind. Until she lets her guard drop again, and you somehow manage to both bump into a wall before stumbling over directly into a chair. Then she sits quietly, holding her drink and squinting her eyes. The game had been rigged since the beginning.

🌙Cyllene🌌

🌕 The bruises trigger her concern instantly as both your superior and your girlfriend. Did you gain these on a survey? What had caused them? She is truly ready to pull out her sword and show whatever dared put you in such a state, a terrifying visage of the Survey Corps Captain… Until she learns that the culprit was none other than yourself. She pinches the bridge of her nose and lowers her head when she learns that you had gathered them all by essentially tripping over things and running into various obstacles out in the wilds and in town. Her concern feels wasted… But, she desperately now wants to help you stop experiencing this issue.

🌕 Her concern comes in making sure you have well-fitted shoes, assuming that to be the main culprit of your clumsiness. Alas, that only helped a bit. She raises her head up from the paperwork on the desk before her when a loud thud rung out in the air. She then spies you holding your arm, having run into the door frame of her office. Her gaze narrows. How…? It was a double-wide entry… Just… She can only blink and ask if you need the infirmary, pointing to the connecting door in her office. When you say no, she only sighs. This was truly a situation… What if this got you hurt on a survey? She shuddered to think about you stumbling over while fighting a frenzied noble.

🌕 Her quest to help you become more balanced begins and ends quickly. She makes you do walking exercises and training moves with you to help improve your area awareness and movement. It seemed to be going well at first, and she felt immense relief that she would not have to deal with a report that would break her heart due to your clumsiness. This, however, was proven wrong when you went out on a survey to the highlands with Laventon and came back covered in bruises. She felt like banging her head on her desk. This was impossible. She was not one to admit defeat, but she could tell when something was a useless endeavour. In the end, she just asks you to please be more careful. For her sanity, you should try. She is about to act like her descendant on a certain mountain if you do not.

👔Rika🌶

🟤 Rika was enjoying a coffee while cuddling with her Clodsire when she watched you walk right into the coffee table. She instantly jumped up with wide eyes to check on you. Whatever instinct she had from watching Poppy toddle around and run into things as small children do entered her mind. This is when she discovers that this is a relatively common event in your life and lets out a sigh. How in the world did you make it through life? It was bewildering, truthfully. You just shrugged it off as life. She almost wants to, but the sheer number of bruises makes her rethink it. Really… How did Poppy have more balance than you?

🟤 Her plans are to help you become more aware of your surroundings, assuming that was the main culprit. She knows another person who often gets distracted and runs into things, so she asks you to keep yourself aware whenever you walk around. Just keep your eyes on the space surrounding you, she says. This seems to fix it – until she watches you trip over your own feet and only narrowly catch yourself on a chair nearby. Red eyes are shot wide as she debates how that was possible? Your shoes seemed to fit you well... Right? They were not anything that were tripping hazards, either. Somehow, her mind goes back to her Clodsire when it was a Wooper that would stumble over itself. It… was kind of cute... She has to stop herself from thinking that. This could be dangerous. Right…?

🟤 Her solution is a simple one. An agreeable one, to her. She keeps you close to her when you two walk around in public to help keep down the number of incidents. If you start to trip over your feet? She is right there to catch you and help laugh it off. Honestly, it bothers her a lot less than it should. Everything about it seems to be more of a curse than anything you can control. She is more than happy to give you a hand to get around. To her, it really is just cute. She knows it really should not be, but there is something adorable about you being a bit helpless. And… She is not the type to complain about having to be close to her partner. Having you pressed to her side is a non-issue to her. Oh, and if you do ever get a bruise in front of her, she will start to jokingly kiss it better. (You claim they go away faster when she does that. She just rolls her eyes in response.)

[rinsuniverse]

hickeys with woozi ✧˖°.

warning: HICKEYS!!! there's nothing really... sexual, but if you count hickeys and lots of kisses as sexual and too mature, then YEAH!! you've been warned!! pfff

typically, mdni, but it's literally just a lot of kisses teehee

so, you're laying with jihoon in bed

he's been playing his mobile games, but after awhile, he's gotten a bit bored

he shuts off his phone and turns over to look at you

you're on your phone, looking through your socials quietly

"what are you up to, hm?" he asks, placing his arm over your body

he places his leg over your legs as well

he moves so he can look at what's on your phone

and in your feed is a clip of a fancam of him doing a pretty intense dance for svt's recent promotion

"you look really good here," you say simply, giving the post a like and saving it

"you're saving it? for what?"

"in case you're not with me and i want to see my talented boyfriend."

"you can just videocall me."

"and are you gonna do some nice body rolls on camera for me then?"

"ahh, so you want that? you're naughty."

"what? no, i'm not! you just look so intense and serious here"

he makes a silly "serious" face when you turn to look at him, which makes you chuckle

"not like that," you say, chuckling

you continue scrolling through your feed and jihoon finds himself getting bored again

he sits up in bed and pouts his lips a bit

"why are you so antsy?" you ask, sitting up with him

"let's watch something," he says, grabbing a remote and playing something on the tv

he moves to lean his back against the headboard as he chooses the movie

"come sit here," he says, spreading his legs out

you move to sit in between his legs in front of him, leaning your back against his chest

"you're playing avengers? again?" you ask, giving him the side eye as you adjust yourself

"and?"

"nothing! just asking."

and you both start watching

but guess what? jihoon is STILL bored!

he is being leaned on, though, his chin resting on your shoulder as he watches

he enjoys your scent

maybe it's the shampoo you put in your hair? or the leftover perfume from the day before? or maybe it's just your natural scent

but whatever it is, he loves it

he pulls the sleeve of your shirt down

and he begins leaving soft kisses along your neck and shoulder

you wordlessly lean your head to the side to give him more access

he kisses you from right underneath your ear to above your clavicles, all the way to the end of your shoulder

some chuckles come out of your mouth as he tickles you with his lips, but he ignores you, keeping his eyes on the tv

he then starts to lick parts of your neck whenever he gives kisses

you can't help but laugh, which makes him wrap his arms around your body to keep you still

quickly, he moves on to sucking your neck gently

gently enough that it won't leave a mark

you become somewhat impatient, though

"ji, you can do whatever you want. just keep it on the shoulder where i can hide it," you mumble, making him hum

the vibrations from his hum hit your shoulder and send tingles up your spine

he finds a place on your shoulder where he begins playfully biting and sucking

your breath becomes somewhat heavy

you're not focused on the movie at all, though your eyes are trained on the tv

jihoon's watching the movie quite well, despite being literally in the middle of leaving multiple sore spots on your shoulder

when a soft moan comes out of your mouth, he stops and mutters, "watch the movie, silly."

and you nod, trying your absolute hardest to focus on the movie despite him going back to leaving more marks on your skin

when he's satisfied, he goes back to gently kissing your neck and shoulder, making sure to leave small pecks right over each mark he left

then he fixes your shirt and goes back to watching the movie, his arms around your waist, holding your body flat against his chest

you both enjoy the movie (no matter how many times the both of you have seen it already)

it isn't until you get up to wash yourself before bed that you check your shoulder and you almost scream!

"hey! jihoon!"

"hm, y/n?"

"look at what you did!" you say, pulling the sleeve of your shirt to the side

he stifles a laugh, smirking at his work. he gives you a thumbs up before going back to what he was doing

and yeah, you couldn't wear tank tops or spaghetti straps for about a week because of bored jihoon

thank you so much for reading! i've been so busy with requests that i kind of forgot to make my own posts, too! i hope you enjoyed this ♡

(p.s. requests are still open! i specialize in woozi stuff, but i don't mind writing about other svt members! i can do SOME nsfw also! so request whatever and as much as you want! ς(>‿<.))

[el-255]

I’m not sure if this has been said before but I find it very interesting how differently the writers of persona handled Junpei’s character in comparison to Ryuji’s. With the role of the mc’s best friend and mostly comic relief, I find the two of them to be the most similar personality wise compared to either of them with Yosuke so this analysis will only be discussing the parallels and differences in the way the story handles Junpei and Ryuji respectively.

To me, Junpei is handled pretty sensitively by the writers (not as much as he could be or should be, but still a lot more than most would expect given his trope); he’s given a lot of character with the introduction of Chidori and we see how he grows to like her as he gets to know her. I’ll admit it’s been a while since I played 3 so take this with a grain of salt but from what I recall, his and Chidori’s relationship gets quite a bit of screen time and development in the main story in a way that gives us a different perspective of how Junpei normally operates around the other members of SEES. With Chidori, he isn’t the class clown or the idiot of SEES, he’s simply a teenage boy who falls for a teenage girl. To me, there’s not much more humanising than that. After her presumed death, Junpei loses it and sinks into a depression, and when he finds out she’s alive, albeit her memory lost, he does his best to help her recover and grapples with the moral implications of her regaining her memory. (I think at least one can’t really remember).

This relationship is important to the story and gives us another, much more sympathetic view of Junpei’s character who, up to this point in the game, had mostly been kept in a box marked “comic relief pervert”. You root for Junpei and Chidori’s relationship because it is clearly shown how much Junpei adores her and not once after he meets her does he stray from this love for her.

It’s not only Chidori’s character that makes Junpei’s character more sensitive either, I find that his general personality and relationships with other characters to be handled better as well.

We have his friendship with Yukari (aka Yuka-tan) which I’ll begin by saying also isn’t perfect, Junpei oftentimes falls into the perverted trope so many of the male characters fall into (such is life with Atlus) and he definitely makes comments towards her that most friends wouldn’t and yeah that isn’t good, but I think Yukari gives it back just as much as Junpei dishes it out and never takes him too seriously. I get the impression that that’s just how their friendship works, it’s a constant push and pull, a give and take between them, they both take every opportunity they get to tease each other mercilessly and it works. It doesn’t feel one sided in the way that Ryuji’s interactions with other members of the phantom thieves tend to feel but I’ll get more into that later. His friendship with Yukari may not be the most noteworthy part of his character, but it’s something I think deserves a bit of credit all things considered.

He matures so much over the game and generally becomes more serious and methodical as the story progresses but in a way that is still undeniably Junpei. That’s a difficult feat to accomplish when dealing with certain characters and I think Atlus does well to make these changes happen in a pretty organic way.

Junpei isn’t a perfect character, he has his flaws and shortcomings, but out of all the bro characters from 3-5, I think that the writers of 3 deserve more merit for handling Junpei’s character arc in a way that actually feels like he’s grown by the end of the game.

I could not say the same for Ryuji.

I will preface this by saying that I love Ryuji, I think he’s a neat little guy and I think the writers did him so dirty in 5 when they clearly had the capacity to do so much more as we’ve seen already with Junpei.

Ryuji is filled to the brim of wasted potential as a character, his backstory is only barely brushed on with a few throwaway comments about his dad being abusive towards him and his mother, his abuse by Kamoshida who literally breaks his leg is barely brought up after Kamoshida’s arc, and the trauma he suffers from is never the focus of the story compared to how other characters like Yusuke, Futaba, and Ann’s are. Of course, trauma isn’t a competition and all the party members in 5 have dealt with awful shit but the point is that all of them rightfully get the opportunity to be angry about it at some point in the main story or in their social links, Ryuji doesn’t. Ryuji instead gets beat up by pretty much the entire cast of 5, is constantly belittled by the party members, and is basically treated like shit and the butt of the joke throughout the entire game.

I don’t think I even need to bring up that scene because I know everyone feels the same way about it, but I will because it’s a necessary part of this analysis. That scene haunts me, not only is it the unfunniest thing that’s played for jokes I’ve ever seen in a game, but it’s quite possibly the biggest controversy I know of in the persona fandom.

The implications of a teenage boy who was abused by his father and his teacher thinking he’s found a safe haven in the phantom thieves because they all know how shitty adults can be and yeah they insult him but they’d never actually purposefully try and hurt him, right? Only to find that they would hurt him and pretty severely after he risked his life to save theirs because they’re his best friends and he loves them is horrendous and incredibly insensitive to everyone out there who has dealt with similar circumstances. The joke he plays isn’t funny, but I take it as Ryuji trying to lighten the mood the only way he knows how and even if he was insensitive to Ann and the rest of the team who are mourning him, he does not deserve to get beaten to a pulp by the very people he almost killed himself to rescue. They don’t even fucking apologise to him, it’s all just brushed under the rug and never so much as brought up again !!!

The scene didn’t need to make the cut at all, especially with the rerelease in royal, but it did and it’s honestly astonishing that with all the backlash it received, that they didn’t just cut it entirely. And if they really had to keep the scene in the game, let him be angry about it. Let Ryuji go off at the team for beating him up after he saves all of their lives. Let Ryuji tell Joker that he expected more from him as his best friend. Let the team have to jump through hoops to gain Ryuji’s forgiveness because it’s what he deserves.

Not only this, but in comparison to Junpei, Ryuji doesn’t get as much growth in his character arc. Throughout the game, Ryuji largely stays the same which honestly isn’t really an issue, not everyone has to change dramatically and drastically to be a compelling character, but he doesn’t change at all. Honestly, from the start to the end of 5, I could barely tell you a difference between the Ryuji we see. Like I said, I don’t need a drastic change, it doesn’t suit some characters, but Ryuji isn’t given any sort of growth by the writers and any he is given feels forced because he genuinely isn’t given any of the spotlight outside of Kamoshida’s arc unlike with Junpei.

It makes me angry because like I said, the writing was already there with Junpei, they had the capacity to write Ryuji in the same sympathetic way they did with him but they chose not to !! They chose to leave Ryuji as a character who you have no choice but to take at face value because he’s not given any more than that.

In conclusion: the writers dropped the ball with Ryuji and I’m mad about it, Junpei is a good character and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees, and Yosuke is Yosuke and I mourn his cut romance route every day.

[triptychgrip]

Viktor's (post-canon) turmoil around Yuuri's retirement

I've often thought about how Viktor might handle the realities around Yuuri's eventual retirement from competition, both from a coach standpoint, as well as a partner standpoint.

I'd imagine that his idealized version could be summed up by the following thoughts:

1) "Wow! My darling Yuuri (and beloved husband) has so much to be proud of!"

2) *Runs through an internal list of Yuuri's many accomplishments, including his gold medal win at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games, which will probably be followed by another gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games*

3) "He's come so far, by way of his own tenacity and hard work, as well as the strength he derives from the relationship we have on and off the ice. I feel so privileged to support him as we navigate this next chapter of our lives."

4) "I can't wait to partner with Phichit to co-plan a retirement party that is perfectly fitting with his tastes (i.e. as much as I'd really like to invite the entire country of Japan to attend, as well as hold a week-long parade in Hasetsu marked by 20 feet tall floats of Yuuri in every single one of his Free Skate program costumes over the years, I'll exercise restraint)"

But the reality?

I honestly think Viktor would be a mess, and there's a good chance that such a big change in their lives would trigger his own insecurities.

I have some pretty bleak headcanons around Viktor's past, and believe he probably has some form of complex PTSD from childhood emotional neglect/trauma. Perhaps he was able to blunt a lot of this pain through avoidance (i.e. immersing himself totally and completely into the impossibly high demands of an elite figure skating career), but he's likely had to work on healing by way of being in a serious, long-term relationship with Yuuri.

But no matter how much healing we've done, trauma can manifest in surprising and disconcerting ways.

In thinking about the end of his tenure as Yuuri's coach, it could very well be that Viktor starts to panic. When he's no longer in such a role, will he still be 'useful' to Yuuri?

Will he still be able to hold his husband's interest? What will happen if Yuuri suddenly finds him boring when their lives don't involve the high-pace rigor of competition and training anymore? Could he forget how to "surprise" him?

Thinking about this transitional period in their lives motivated me to write a 55K Viktor POV story set during the summer before Yuuri's impending retirement (right after the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games). While it has a somewhat crack-y premise (i.e. Viktor convinces Yuuri to become his pole-dancing "coach"), you'll find that this story contains some major feels as it pertains to Viktor trusting Yuuri with his insecurities.

It's part of my larger 2018/2022 Olympic Games fic series, but I think it can still be enjoyed even without having read the other parts of the series (and in the beginning author's note, I relay some important context that'll help folks if they haven't read the main fic).

Below is an excerpt from Chapter 2, when in attempting to inform their friends that Yuuri will become his pole-dancing coach, Yuuri's drunkenness leads everyone to misunderstand, thinking that 1) he's planning on becoming Viktor's skating coach and 2) that Viktor is "unretiring", lol.

Note of context & content warning: 1) Yuuri and Viktor now live in Fukuoka, Japan, and Viktor coaches both Yuuri and Yurio (Yura) at the same rink as Minami Kenjirou and 2) this excerpt contains mentions of alcohol consumption

I hope it piques your interest!

----

Yuuri was now blinking at Ryuichi, looking puzzled. Without warning, he slapped his hand down on the table, making a good number of them jump.

“I’m gonna be Vitya’s coach!” he crowed, his eyes growing huge and sparkly.

Instantly, Viktor was reminded of that life-changing Sochi banquet night when the love of his life had humped his thigh while begging for him to come to Hasetsu.

Pffffftttttt!

A spray of sake just narrowly missed Yuuri, but, unfortunately, Niko and Kenjirou weren’t able to escape Yura’s spewing.

Sharp yelps and choice swears overlapped, and a few seconds of confusion ensued, during which time nobody seemed to know where to direct their attention.

“Viktor-sensei, you’re coming back to competition?” Izumi shrieked in his direction, while patting at Niko’s face with some napkins. (Actually, she was missing completely and patting her shoulder instead, as she didn’t seem to be able to take her eyes off of him).

“What the fuck, geezer, don’t tell me you’ve finally lost it?!” Yurio spluttered next, staring daggers at him.

He seemed largely unbothered by the fact that Kenjirou was using the sleeve of his t-shirt to wipe his face.

“You’re like a million years old, there’s no way you can do this,” his student continued, heatedly. “But more importantly: LIKE HELL YOU WILL, YOU’RE MY FUCKING COACH NOW. There’ll be none of this double-duty nonsense that you tried to pull four years ago!”

“Oooh, I hadn’t given much thought to competitions yet,” Yuuri then interjected, with a blissful, silly grin, while Ryuichi gaped at him.

He looked a bit horrified, as if Yuuri had suddenly announced that he found katsudon repulsive.

Viktor let his heart-shaped smile take over his face, thoroughly enjoying their friends’ shocked reactions to his husband’s drunken miscommunication. It wasn’t as if he was reluctant for them to find out that the ‘coaching’ Yuuri had mentioned was in reference to pole-dancing, and not figure skating. After all, his spouse’s local popularity as a pole instructor was hardly a secret, and Viktor knew for a fact that if they had more time in their schedules, both Izumi and Wakaba would be interested in taking some classes. Rather, it was simply more fun to see what the reactions to his “unretiring” were.

He half-expected Yura to FaceTime Yakov somewhere in the next twenty seconds, begging their former coach to rage at him until he saw sense.

“Yuuri-senpai, you know I think the absolute world of you,” Kenjirou began, still patting his face while gesturing emphatically in his idol’s direction. “But isn’t this a bad idea? Are you really sure you want to coach Viktor-sensei? You’re not even retired yet!”

Yuuri’s vacant, silly grin disappeared, and he appeared to give up on trying to fish out the lemon slice from his shochu cocktail.

The glint of determination that Viktor so adored began to dance fiercely in his dark eyes, and Kenjirou gulped, looking appropriately intimidated.

“Oh, I see, you don’t think I’m up to the task? You think I’m just a softie, that I’ll go easy on him because I love him?” Yuuri asked, sharply, his words having lost that soft, hazy patina of inebriation.

At this accusation, Kenjirou’s eyes widened, but before he could correct this assumption, Yuuri went on, locking eyes not only with Kenjirou, but with each of their friends, who were staring at him, looking wary. Even the ever-stoic Otabek looked a bit unnerved.

[fgfluidity]

pincera (part 4)

Summary: pincera- Latin, ‘cup-bearer, one who mixes drinks’ || When one man goes off to war, a battle may still rage at home.

Pairings: Damien/DA, Celine/Mark, Celine/Will

Tags: Alcohol, Bootlegging, Adultery, WWI, Fights, implied Overserving, Abusive Parents, Autistic!Seer!DA

Parts: 1 | 2 | 3

find it on ao3 | donate to my kofi

@opprose @statictay @volbeast @otterlyinluv @flerpdederp @hapikiou (and if anyone else wants to be tagged lmk!

Wil went off to war early.

They played games as children, when they didn’t each carry so much responsibility; under Wil’s-- rather loud-- command, they’d march up and down the back garden, scramble up the furniture on the back patio to keep watch, take point if Wil’s sweet tooth happened to rear up and he needed some kind of sweet treat from the kitchen without getting caught.

Damien didn’t think much of it, then. The world, as far as he knew of it, was at peace; Wil was playing at something that was better left to their fathers and grandfathers. Fun to play at, yes, but something they’d never really need to see-- did they really need to grow up quite so fast?

Then, they’ve graduated. Wil has a sponsor, and has to go all the way across the country to a military academy while they remain behind in university.

As brothers in all but blood, they were never apart for long before. Even with a friend to create a brand new trio in university, the ache remained; who could really measure up to Wil, boisterous and vibrant?

The papers declare all of Europe is at war, and just as Wil graduates with bars on his jacket and a brand new title, the United States declares itself at war with Germany.

It’s all he’s been waiting for, really, just perfect timing.

The patio has long since turned from war games and the child equivalent of basic training, becoming a central hub for talk of schoolwork and friends and family-- both positive and negative in nature. Now, it’s once again a war room, though not quite as it once was.

“This is exactly what I wanted!” Wil paces back and forth, full of manic energy. He hasn’t sat down from the moment he arrived, buzzing with the news of America’s involvement, fresh newsprint in his hand. “Well, not a war, exactly, but a chance to prove myself.”

“You could have fooled me,” Mark drawls. Sprawled over a bench he may be, long legs crossed, but his fingers tremble as they pick at the wicker.

“I think,” Damien cuts in, before either of them begin to pick a bigger fight over this, “what he means is… this is rather soon after graduating. I suppose we’d thought you’d come back home for a while before you were ever deployed.”

When people grow up together, any separation for longer than a few days is hard; Wil was across the country at the academy for years, and moving from that to a war zone…

“I know what I mean,” Mark snaps, with little heat. He sits up a bit better to finally take part in the conversation. “You’re our brother. I’ve known you all my life, and you’re going off to Europe to fight something we have no stake in, just like that. What did you think we were going to say?”

“That you’d support me, for a start.” Wil turns to him, jaw set. It’s too stiff, too easy to turn on his heel-- military training, Damien suspects, sadly. “It’s not so serious, Mark, really. I’m an officer, I’m hardly going to be on the front lines. You’ll get me back in one piece.”

“And if we don’t?” Damien takes a step between them; coming to blows is not an impossibility, not with these big personalities. “I’m not so angry, but Wil… it’s not a game. It’s not a training exercise. I know you’re called to duty, whether your own feelings or the government is the one calling, but… I can’t find my way to being thrilled. It is serious.”

Wil growls out a breath, throwing his hands up. “This is what you’re willing to fight me on! Not one word of a send off, not a ‘we’ll see you soon’, but a lecture, when neither of you are going, yourselves! I’m going to go, and that’s that. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Damien cries out in protest, in harmony with Mark, finally coming to his feet to defend himself.

“That’s hardly fair!”

“Simply because we’re worried you’re going into a war zone--”

It’s all for naught, however, their efforts swallowed up by the flowers and bushes; they can only watch Wil’s back as he storms out of the back garden, the wrought iron gate clanging behind him.

“Fine, then,” Mark spits, pushing past Damien and heading down the stairs. “If he wants to go off and throw his life away and enjoy doing it--”

“We have the option, while we’re still in school, but he doesn’t have much choice,” Damien replies softly, a sinking feeling in his stomach as Mark marches towards the gate. “At least, not in going. Are you going after him? I don’t know if he’ll want to talk right now.”

“No.” He swings open the gate, yet pauses before he steps through. It’s only a few seconds, but they stretch on before he speaks again. “Are you going to write to him?”

“Probably, yes. He needs someone to tell him to change his socks,” Damien jokes, albeit weakly. “We wouldn’t want him to ward off his fellow officers as well as the Germans.”

It seems to work, though, as Mark’s face softens, the corner of his mouth turning up. “Then you don’t mind if we send our letters together? It’ll save us on postage.”

It’s silly, the idea of saving a penny on a stamp. They both come from means-- some newer than others, but means nonetheless-- but it’s a show of solidarity. His brothers, both of them, thinking of him, whatever they think of his excitement.

“Sounds alright to me.”

He doesn’t exactly feel settled as Mark takes his leave, nerves still waging a war of their own on his insides. Wil’s still headed off to the front in a matter of days, and still upset with them, besides.

Was it really worth it to bring up his concerns? Was Wil right in telling them off? He can’t say for sure. At the very least, when he sits down to write his first letter a couple weeks later, he makes sure to include an apology.

Likely to Wil’s dismay-- and Damien’s and Mark’s combined relief-- the war doesn’t last much longer; their physical involvement was little more than some hardly-needed backup.

Whether or not that was truly the case, the paper gives the same thing: their troops are coming home. Finally, Wil’s on his way home.

There are parties in the streets, of course, celebrating the return of their men, but Damien doesn’t stop to partake in the joy. Rather, he hurries on towards his real goal: find Mark, find Wil, and find the closest bar that will allow them to get as drunk as possible.

He’s back. That calls for a drink.

It’s not hard to find them; Wil’s a tall man, and exuberant, besides, still dressed in his fatigues as if he’d just stepped off the boat from Europe. “Ah, there he is,” Wil exclaims, bright as ever, like it wasn’t a year but a matter of days. “We might have sent someone to track you down if you took any longer.”

“You’d think it was Decoration Day. I had a bit of trouble dodging the crowds,” Damien admits, shooting a glare in Mark’s direction when he smirks. “Don’t.”

“Don’t, what? I’m not saying anything.” The gleam in his eye doesn’t go away as he kicks off from the wall, coming over to grab them with an arm around each neck. “Let’s get a drink before everyone else has the same idea and it’ll be standing room only. How will Damien see anything, then?”

Maybe it isn’t decorous, but Damien squirms out of the hold to shove at him. Mark doesn’t fall, but he stumbles back into Wil, and that’s good enough for him.

As one would expect from such an auspicious day, the bars are full; with Wil still in his fatigues, however, people are a little more amenable to giving up a couple chairs. It still gets them squeezed into a corner, but at least they’re off their feet.

Wil, graciously-- and in the hopes of perhaps getting one on the house-- offers to go and get their drinks. Damien doesn’t bother with a shot, not in public, and not when there’s something worth savoring sober, though it’s funny; different as they may be, they have a trio of brown drinks before them: his Manhattan, Mark’s drink that looks oddly similar, and Wil’s, similarly-garnished but rimmed in sugar.

It seems a bit sweet for him, really, and like it wouldn’t balance out, but to each his own. “I can’t imagine you had anything like this out on the front,” Damien says, gesturing to Wil’s glass.

“No, not at all. You were lucky to get a real brand out there.” Wil shudders. “It was all swill unless you got in very good with an officer. A higher officer, I mean-- though I did get promoted. To Colonel.”

He takes a smug swig while Mark scoffs. “In a few months? No, you didn’t.”

“People were getting promoted left and right,” Wil protests. “With how awful it was out there--”

“Awful? You weren’t even on the front lines! You told us in your letters you stayed behind in your tent most of the time.” Mark gestures towards him with a free hand. “What’d you do to get promoted? Really?”

Wil frowns, eyes growing sharp as flint. “I don’t have to tell you anything of what happened out there. You don’t understand what it was like. Why does it matter?”

“I don’t think real Colonels would appreciate some private--”

It’s odd, really. They’ve always been a bit combative, Mark and Wil, a bit competitive. It’s just in their nature. Damien’s seen plenty of squabbles turn to roughhousing over the years, and it’s usually best to wait until they’ve both tired themselves out.

Wil hauling off and almost leaping over the table so that his fist can connect with Mark’s jaw is a new one, though.

It’s too fast for him to intercept, and soon they roll about on the floor, trading blows and both of them shouting over the surprised murmurs of the crowd.

Thankfully, they give Damien room, shuffling away and pushing back other men with their arms. He’s shorter, yes, but stouter than at least Mark, and he uses that strength to haul him up, pushing his body in between theirs. “That’s enough,” he says, channeling as much of his father into the phrase as he can. “What the hell is the matter with both of you?”

They’re panting too much to explain themselves, glaring at each other over Damien’s shoulder. Wil’s fatigues are mussed, his glasses askew on his face, blood bright on his knuckles. That same blood dribbles from Mark’s nose, perhaps broken from a punch, and his mouth, cut by his teeth.

“This is stupid. Do you really think this is the fight to go ahead and fight?” Damien takes them each by the shoulder, shaking them with his words. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve known each other forever, and this gets you to brawl? Out of everything?”

Wil’s jaw works, and he continues to glare when he tries to speak. “He--”

“I don’t care,” Damien says, firmly. “I don’t care who started or who finished. This is ridiculous. Both of you, apologize, and then we’re all going home. You want to have an argument, get in trouble? Tell your parents why you were fighting out here in front of everybody.”

He’s angry, and he wouldn’t deny it if questioned, but this is not the sort of hill to die on. Wil may be a Colonel, he may not be, but it’s stupid to come to blows over it, and even more so to do it in public.

There are bigger things in the world than a title. Things like your friend going off to war, or your friends turning on each other over something so very small.

Those may need a fight, but not this.

“You sound like my father,” Mark grumbles after a few moments of shamed silence. “Please stop.”

Damien can’t help a short laugh. “He’ll be worse, so I can spare you. Get home and try not to kill each other.”

He can’t chaperone. He’s busy sweeping up and paying the barkeep back for the damage. He minds quite a bit, but… it’s better than another brawl.

---------

Sidecar

--

50ml/2oz brandy

20ml/1oz fresh lemon juice

20ml/1oz Cointreau

sugar, for the glass

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into sugared, chilled martini glass.

Born of a twist of mad joy, a sweet/tart beverage that carries quite the punch. Easily thrown off-balance-- especially with a shot or two.

[dojae-huh]

hahaha Hi Huh-nim, I was about to ask your opinion on the same thing on Johndo from the bowling content. I lowkey can ship johndo of their exchanges on this content. It is really cute. I also watched their maldives content and did not get the same vibe so not entirely sure what they are fully back to the old times

The bowling content is very recent. Woo dyed his hair blond at the end of May. Maldives were shot at the start of December in 2023. Almost half a year passed. There was definitely still tension in winter.

People, as social animals, are very attuned to the mood of others. We pick up non-verbal signals even without realising it. And we mirror the mood in the group. We relax when people around smile and laugh, and become uneasy, when others show signs of worrying, being on alert.

Johnny projects his feelings very strongly outwards. When he is relaxed and content he comes off as very nice and attractive, when he is vexed, or passive-aggressive, he is unpleasant. His over-the-top jokes are also jarring to an extent because he hides behind them (he is a much more serious person than his idol image of a jockster), and it's apparent. I agree that the way JohnDo were during the game made them easy to ship. The way they exchanged knowing glances and silent sighs over Taeil, how they both worked to accomodate his desire to throw the ball from a squat position was cute. The most important change - Doyoung initiated a lot of communication himself (took Johnny's hand, offered high fives, reacted well to "nice!").

Speaking of Taeil.

Taeil is truly a weirdo. He didn't even joke about the pose, he really thought he can perfect it and didn't care about the score despite all the hints and pleas from Doyoung.

The absence of Mark and Haechan meant that 2Dongs and YuMark gags were absent. This allowed other relationship dynamics to emerge, neos show their other sides. Like YuWoo.

The moment with Woo not noticing Jae's lifted for a high five hand demonstrated well how air-headed he is. Woo doesn't notice his surroundings well. That's why he gets lost (neos commented on it in US), doesn't care when others pressure him to call and doesn't get offended easily (the reprimands go in one ear and out the other).

Jae's hand was right before Woo's head, yet he still didn't notice, thinking whether his throw was a strike or not. Meanwhile, when Jae offered his hand after Do achieved a strike, Do noticed from the corner of his eye (and didn't use the moment to play up "you are my enemy, no high five to you").

There was a moment when Do played his hyung card and told Woo to not throw a ball at the same time as him. Woo stepped down right away (Hyuk would have objected viciously). A good example of DoWoo, how Woo actually listens to Do.

When Do accomplished a couple of strikes in the beginning, Yuta turned to Jae with "he is actually good" comment. Yuta said it quietly, he addressed Jae (not Do or said it for fans). So it was "your bf is good" moment.

Doyoung was serious about scoring, he concentrated. Not out of competitiveness (he cared more about the food, lol), for himself, he wanted to beat the game, become good at it.

It is really amazing to me how Do hears everyone around him. When he was ordering, Jae quietly sad what he wants, and Do responded right away without turning his head. I'm pretty sure he can work on several tasks in parallel without losing his focus on any of them, the way he switched so quickly from ordering/eating to cheering his teammates, and then back.

JaeYu friendship also was visible.

Jaehyun decided to be productive and use the game as a real practice, return to form, heh. Editors seldom showed him because Jae didn't try to be funny (notice how much screentime Do got, he was the centrepiece of the whole episode, it's because he worked for content, commented on the game and the other team).

[lindalung]

The Queen of News - Review

The Queen of News recently swept the TVB awards (well-deserved), namely Charmaine Sheh's 3-time best actress in 3 different areas for this role. Her acting is subtle at times but chillingly good, conveying something with the smallest eye twitch. I went back to really rewatch it in depth and wow I'm just obsessed and blown away at how good it is. I forgot how damn good dramas can be when they're serious about the production and having a thoughtful creative process. There are a number of things that I want to talk about, so where do I start?

The Women

This drama is women-centric, with its 5 main women as some of the most 3-dimensional, complex, morally-grey characters that I've seen in a while. It's easy to make a shallow drama with women fighting (usually over men), with some typical "women are catty" misogynistic tropes. Though this show doesn't have a female director I'm glad it still handled the women's storylines well in my opinion. They're women doing some awful, questionable, morally grey things in the name of news, in the name of the truth, or in the name of gaining power. You end up gaining sympathy for them nonetheless.

You have the queen herself, Man Wai Sum "Man Tse" (Charmaine Sheh), who's at the top now and she's a tough girlboss, using everyone around her as chess pieces, but you come to find out that she too has weak spots and vulnerabilities. She also has regrets, she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had to lose a part of her soul in exchange for her spot, in a very Faustian way actually.

Cheung Ka Yin (Selena Lee) is a very very interesting character. In the beginning she's the only one with morals, a heart, and real news in her best interest. She's stubborn but resilient in her beliefs, but you watch as her hope in Man Tse and humanity in general, dwindles over time, until it reaches a breaking point. When she snaps, she becomes a different person and she's had enough. I was fully rooting for her up until the incident with Slash (Mark Ma), but that’s the whole point. None of these characters are fully good or evil, and that’s what keeps them interesting.

I didn't find the character of Cathy Hui very compelling personally, but that’s just me. She’s also devious, starting out in George (Kenneth Ma)’s side, before switching over to Man Tse’s team. The audience is pretty much made to hate her until we gain a little sympathy when we find out that she does all these things to be Prime Time host, not for fame but so her dad with worsening dementia can remember her again. She’s a woman who is portrayed to feel comfortable with her sexuality and uses it to her advantage, and that’s liberating for her. Good for her.

I ended up having the most sympathy for Tsui Hiu Mei (Regina Ho), not just because of her mental illness but come on that girl went through so much trauma on the show. Loyalty is supposed to be her forté, but she's also the most treacherous, playing both sides. At the end of the day she just wanted to feel useful, as that gave her purpose in life. She grew up poor and wanted a better way of life, but the system is rigged so she had to cheat the system, and can anyone blame her?

The only character who might actually be “good”, is Lau Yim (Venus Wong). She’s the fresh faced newbie who Ka Yin takes under her wing, and she may be “Stupid” but she has a fierce passion, she’s headstrong, and remains just despite how bad it gets around her.

Of course, there’s also other supporting female characters like the ever mighty Mrs. Fong (Mimi Kung) who is the real queen of the game, the only woman who can make Man Tse tremble. Then, there’s Wa Tse (Stephanie Che), a has-been, a woman who once was in a high position but gave it up for the sake of family and children, and now struggles to keep up with the times. 

There’s compelling though maybe shallow surface-level explorations into questions of women balancing their careers with motherhood, and the role of being a wife whilst being a working woman. 

The Women’s Relationships with Women

Watching this from a sapphic perspective, it’s really hard not to put a yuri spin onto these female relationships. Just look at the supertopics of the top 3 f/f ships on this show - Man/Yin , Man/Hiu Mei, Ka Yin/Lau Yim. Man Tse and Ka Yin are my favourite pairing, two very headstrong women and Ka Yin is probably the only one who could get near to Man’s level. When they collaborate, they work really well together, and have some great moments, like the volleyball case for example. Yet, they’re always in some argument because Ka Yin doesn’t agree with the way Man Tse works. 

On the other hand, Hiu Mei is essentially Man Tse’s maid, she does everything she says even though she’s also kinda secretly dating George. Man Tse will tear her down and be the cause of her breakdown, and then also be the first one to comfort her. The toxic yuri potential is there. It’s even wilder to think that when Hiu Mei was attempting to end her life, she hallucinated Man Tse, who she took out her rage at and then eventually gave her a pep talk to continue to live strongly. Man Tse obviously cast a huge shadow over her life, and she’s sick of being her chess piece, but you can tell deep down Man cares about her.

Finally there’s Ka Yin and her mentee Lau Yim, who she’s slightly annoyed by at first but slowly grows to care about. They’re endearing to watch, and she gives her tough love. It’s a little like Man/Hiu Mei but not as toxic. She also does care about Lau Yim, but Lau Yim’s morals are in check, and she chooses not to blindly follow Ka Yin down an unethical path towards the end. 

The Women’s Relationships with Men

It’s clear that this show centres the women’s relationship with other women, since the men in their life are very much background noise. She’s everything, he’s just… well. George is supposed to be Man Tse’s greatest opposition, but he’s not really all that threatening. Fei Ye (Eric Tang) is supposed to be an exec in a high position but is honestly pretty useless and has a non-threatening aura. 

It’s interesting that Man, Ka Yin, and Cathy all have younger love interests. Man Tse has her situationship Ivan (Matthew Ho), a man who is much younger and her subordinate at work, plus she makes him leave her house by 11pm. It’s clear who’s in charge in the relationship. Her ex Kit (Shaun Tam) is a bit closer to her age, and honestly they were a really cute couple until that incident changed their lives forever, but in present day he’s still the only one that she can be herself around. He is the only one who Man is vulnerable, chill, and funny around, which I think is important to show that she also has a weaker side. Ka Yin’s romantic storyline is evidently about how she won’t succumb to patriarchal ideals of marriage, and throughout the series showed zero interest in her boyfriend-turned-fiancé-turned-ex Lawyer Siu played by Matthew Ko. She refused to quit her job and settle as a housewife, and she’s a modern feminist through and through. One line I remember is when she said “Women aren’t war trophies” ( 戰利品), it made me love her so much. Cathy also dates a much younger man, Wong Wai (Niklas Lam), who she also seems to be kind of playing with this feelings sometimes. He also has a super boyish and dorky look to him that really highlights their difference. I feel like these relationships are to show that the women are the ones in control for once. 

The Themes

CW: Sexual assault 

I was nervous to watch sexual assault storylines cause I didn’t know how the show would handle them. The first case with #MeToo called out for George was kind of iffy for me with how they handled Debbie (Judy Kwong)’s storyline. The incident kind of becoming a tool for Man Tse to do some manipulation made me worry it’d be bad for victims if they highlighted the false accusations too much, but I suppose they tried to show every side. It was a good segway into the volleyball team SA storyline, which I think was handled really well (surprisingly). Nicole Wu’s character voices the struggles of victims, about how no one believes them, not even their friends sometimes, the isolation, and why they’re afraid to speak up. Roxanne Ho’s character also shows that unfortunately sometimes even women aren’t stepping up for other women, until they become victims themself. The way Man Tse handled it despite being an old friend of the assailant also shows how sometimes people may know someone for many years, and swear “they’d never do something like that!” or “they never did anything to me, so that can’t be true” but still be wrong. 

The rest of the themes and symbolism is quite self-explanatory and even on-the-nose sometimes. The constant Chess pieces, the Queen piece (I don’t play Chess but I suppose the point is that they’re the Queen), Hiu Mei referring to herself as Man’s chess piece, etc. Yes, they’re all making sneaky moves at each other, also shown in the many Mahjong scenes. 

I feel like overall, this is a very excellent series. Of course, I went in with low expectations as I always do, and I understand that there are certain things they can’t really touch on. Nonetheless, a very well made series that I will be thinking about for a long time. 

[dystopianam]

I don't know what to do. If restart my uberhood all over again. But this time adding ALL neighborhoods (even those of the expansions) and universities, vacation neighborhoods, etc.

Pros:

I don't have to fix all the lots that I have already edited but now are a mess because I downloaded wallpapers replacements.

I'll edit the lots in more realistic ways, with calmer colors and less eye-killing colors (I really have no idea why I got so obsessed with making everything very berry, it was a old trend but now my soul is darker.) I want also to maintain the Maxis style by changing as little as possible.

I will not confine young adults to their hometown but I will allow them to go to campus (I didn't add universities because I didn't want to edit the lots)

MORE SIMS TO INTERACT WITH! New ships I can't do before!

I can play more calmly using my headcanons and following a story more than run and doing random things. (So no random couple, no random babies everywhere, no babies after day 2 of a new relationship). And I would like to enjoy the characters much more, treat them in a much more canon way. For example, I had forgotten that Crystal was a hippie and I had dressed her like a super serious career woman 💀 I want to have the most of all the sims without being lazy and doing things badly. I want to think long and hard before acting on impulse.

I can post screenshots on Tumblr from the beginning, without having the problem of "I don't have old screenshots because I didn't take screenshots" and I could structure the posts as if it were a story rather than me describing what's happening.

I want to enjoy ghosts. Yes. I don't want to take them to a cemetery. I want to live the Maxis experience.

I can start marking rounds and info on my Notion tracker all over again without worrying about having past rounds to still mark.

By using a mod to adjust lifespan I will be able to manage time better. For example, in my current uberhood it happened that Miranda got pregnant with Romeo (both teenagers, I use mod), she had twins and now the twins are already children while she is still a teenager and Romeo has just become a young adult. Or Dina had a baby with Mortimer and the baby is already a child. And that bothers me a lot.

I will be able to better enjoy the evolution of certain couples. For example, I would like the Tycutio to have very slow progress. Unfortunately when I assigned sexual orientations with the ACR, those two idiots automatically went to kiss and ruined the whole angst story I had in my mind 💀 also, I want to change some plot. In my plot of my current UH Juliette discovered Romeo's love affair with Miranda and the whole story changed. The feud continued because SHE hated the Montys after that. But no. In my new uberhood I don't want to destroy the couple. Also, I want Antonio to live much more humbly. I always had the headcanon that he lived without the help of his family, but it makes no sense that I put him in a huge mansion for rich if I imagine him so poor.

No more apartments. I hate them. I won't use them again.

I would also like to use the sims in the family container (Ottomas, Traveler etch)

I won't delete the save. I'll keep a backup, so I can go back whenever I want.

Cons:

I will have to redo the makeover of ALL the lots and all the Sims. Honestly, doing makeovers on premade sims is funny, but the lots... God, what stress.

I will lose a few sims that were born in this UH that I really liked. Like Tycho and Azhar (Vidcund's daughter) so I will have to hope that in the new UH they have the same pollinators as fathers again (I have a multi PT mod) 😭

I really loved certain lots makeovers I did in my current UH, I wasted a lot of time on those. 🥲

Although I want to use a less colorful game style, unfortunately the clay hair and all the 4t2 conversions don't will help me with this. Unfortunately it doesn't make sense to change the style of my cc. Especially not now that I've been reorganizing my CC folder with ONLY 4t2 for months.

[thatfreshi]

There’s Only So Much You Can Control (Markiplier x Reader)

(This was a request in my dms.) You and Mark end up planning a first date after Tyler figures out you guys like each other, and turns out the two of you become anxious blobs when it comes to being more than friends. Fluff, happy ending :)

First dates can be extremely daunting. Lots of questions pop up in the preparation for what could be a newly blooming relationship, but most of the time this anxious spiraling only leads to a bad experience. You’ve worked with Mark for a while now, participating in videos, the occasional edit. A couple weeks ago you and Tyler were hanging out, and you got to talking about if there’s anyone you’re interested in currently. Tyler, who is notoriously single, pretty much had nothing to discuss. However, you started seeing Mark in a new light recently, more than a friend or creative partner. Of course, you were playing a dangerous game by telling Tyler about this thought of yours, considering he has a hard time keeping things to himself. 

“You WHAT.”

Was his overdramatic response when you told him about your interest in Mark. It didn’t take long for Tyler to do some digging, and he found out Mark was also beginning to have this romantic interest crop up. So, in his fashion, Tyler threw the two of you together because he figured you two would never say anything yourselves. He was right, but that’s not something you’d admit to him. Instead of being a normal person and offhandedly telling one of you that the other was interested, he put all three of you in a group chat, proceeded to explain how you both were secretly into each other, and then left. You were busy working on something when the text chain began, and boy did it throw you off guard.

“Uh… what.”

Was all you could manage to type, which probably didn’t seem very romantic in any way. 

“This is why I don’t tell Tyler anything.”

You laughed to yourself.

“LMAO, ikr?”

Luckily things became a lot less awkward very fast. You sat back in your chair trying to think of something to say until Mark did that for you.

“So, I’m pretty sure if we don’t go out he will in fact kill us. So, I guess we better get planning?”

How was this happening right now? Perhaps your friend being nosey wasn’t the worst thing in the world after all. You decided to respond a little sarcastically, without thinking about how it would read over text.

“Hm, idk. Maybe not.”

“Oh. Okay. :(“

“WAIT I WAS KIDDING I DO WANT TO GO OUT.”

“Oh. Okay. :)”

The next thirty or so minutes were spent discussing what kind of first date to go on, which proved to be rather difficult. Dinner seemed boring, staying in was too boring, but there were also a ton of things you couldn’t really do without being recognized. Eventually you settled on dinner at somewhere a little more private, a high-end spot with a wide variety of exotic foods. It wasn’t your first choice, but it would have to do. Besides, Mark could probably make anything fun.

When the day of the date rolled around later in the week, you spent probably two hours getting ready. Obviously you dress pretty casually in videos and the like, but you figured this was a much more serious occasion. Then again, you didn’t want to be overdressed. But would underdressed be worse? You decided to go overboard, because then at least it wouldn’t be underwhelming. The two of you hadn’t seen each other for a little bit, but you had been texting on and off since Tyler’s little chat stunt. Turns out, you were both really bad at texting under these circumstances. And as fate would have it, you were also really bad at talking to each other as well.

While you were putting the last finishing touches on your outfit and such, your phone dinged with a notification from Mark.

“Five minutes out.”

You almost forgot to respond between all the excitement and anxious nausea.

“Yay!!”

You were hoping that he would end up finding your apartment okay, which he did thankfully. There is certainly another universe where he forgot which number yours is and knocked on a stranger’s door. But no, he knocked on yours, and you held back the urge to throw up when you heard knuckles on the door. Instead, you nervously put one foot in front of the other and made it to the doorknob, undoing the lock with shaking hands. When you finally opened the door after what felt like hours of working up the courage, he was there in the doorway, holding a vase of flowers. Your eyes darted between the flowers, his face, and the fact that he was WAY more dressed up than normal. You silently thanked the stars that you decided on being overdressed. Apparently Mark was also speechless, as he looked like he was about to drop the vase. You quickly went to grab it from his sweaty palms and awkwardly smiled, taking it into the kitchen. When you realized he was just kind of idling in the doorway, you realized you hadn’t said anything.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. You can come in.”

He took a few steps into the space, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“It’s alright. Nice place.”

You forgot to respond as you changed the water in the vase. It was clearly a custom bouquet from some nice place. You thought about how he must’ve rushed to get this ordered in the past few days. You turned to walk out of the kitchen, but Mark was walking to meet you there, and so you ran into each other.

“Ah, I’m- I’m sorry. I am like not paying attention at all and like honestly I thought I was gonna throw up before you got here, I do not know what I’m doing right now.”

“Oh, are you okay? We can do this another-”

“No, like I’m so nervous right now and I thought it was gonna make me vomit.”

You let out a meek laugh and realize that you’re not even looking at him, hands still shaking.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better I’m really nervous too, and I kind of thought about taking a U-turn on the way here like five different times.”

He chuckles, almost under his breath. You finally look at him again, trying to steady your breath.

“You uh, you look really nice. Like I knew you were capable of dressing up because you like go to award shows and stuff but uh, I’ve never seen it in person.”

“Well I’ve never once seen you dress nice so…”

You playfully punch his arm.

“Okay just because I’m awkward does not mean you get to make fun of me.”

You finally share a laugh, and it’s not quiet and petrified. Your mind starts to clear and you forget why you were so scared to go on this date in the first place. It’s the same guy you’ve always known, and besides, if he’s nervous too then hey, at least you can be awkward together.

“Sorry, sorry. I was trying to say that I’ve never seen you dress nice BUT, it’s a nice change.”

You smile, taking a sarcastic bow.

“Oh wow, we have royalty over here guys.”

Mark jokes, turning to the personless air around him. 

“So, are we doing this?”

“Hm, maybe not. I actually have this thing I forgot about-”

You glare at him and tap your foot like some kind of impatient cartoon.

“Okay, okay yeah, we’re doing this.”

And so the two of you finally make your way out of your apartment. You wonder if you’ll be late for your reservation, but if so oh well. There’s only so much you can control, and getting over your fear and enjoying this date is something you can control, so that’s all you decide to focus on as you walk to his car. 

[fenicenera83]

🫒 Pomegranates 🫒

Marius de Romanus/ Original character

Marius in his mortal life, Rome, and Gaius his first and dearest friend, his first great love.

🍃Summary: Marius is the son, born of the union between a Celtic slave and a Roman patrician. Despite this, he is the favourite son of his father Livius. Livius' family welcomes Marius as if he had been born from the womb of his stepmother Flaviana. His beauty and his being a cheerful, calm child immediately makes him loved and liked by the whole family. As Marius grows up, he begins to venture alongside his father in his daily chores in the Urbe. Thus he meets Gaius for the first time. That meeting will mark the destiny of both of them

CHAPTER 2

- A sunny September day in the capital of the Empire

Gaius was a Julius, and moreover an illegitimate son of the great emperor Augustus. Everyone knew it, but everyone pretended not to. Gaius had never needed any introduction; wherever he went, everyone knew whose son that little strawberry-blond-haired boy was. In his eight years of life, Gaius had never met anyone who looked at him with anything but deference, condescension and appreciation. The children, on the other hand, were not so good to him; his bodyguard, assigned to him by his father, often spoke of envy. Gaius did not think much of it, he was not interested in dealing with children of his own age. He was fine on his own, free and serene, he was happy in his own little world. He did not need anything and did not feel he had to be part of the lives of the children of other patrician families. Gaius had become accustomed to the indifference or malice of the children, and to the appreciation of the grown-ups. In reality, Gaius was well aware, that he should never fall foul of them. Always perfect, never showing feelings of any kind, always covering himself with a cloak of conceit and haughtiness. And Gaius hated all this, but it was a game he was obliged to play, even now, it was a game of survival. He was eight years old, and he already felt like a boy, as if he had never been a child, had not had the time or the chance, except for a fleeting moment. That world, of intellect, sagacity and minds as sharp as spear blades, had formed him mercilessly, had straightened his shoulders and hardened his childlike heart. He was a Julius and there was no room to be unprepared or to show weakness. Until that day, that sunny September day, Gaius had never needed an introduction. That day his path crossed with the one who would change the whole course of his life, the one who would hold his soul and his life inseparable from his own. The day his path took him before Marius, the son of Livius, his father's close friend. Gaius thought he knew all the sons of his age, of the most important patrician families in Rome, how Marius had escaped him, he really could not explain. He could not understand it and found it a serious lack of attention on his part. Gaius had no friends among those children of noble origins, he did not like most of them and they did not like him. But Gaius knew how to use words to put them to flight, sometimes just a couple were enough. So he was ready to put Marius on the run as well.When Livius pointed out to his tutor, that his son had accompanied him today, to the palace, Gaius widened his eyes and wandered off in curiosity, in search of the said child.

So as he wandered determinedly around the palace, Gaius, looking around, grim and busy, did not notice the child until he bumped into it. Gaius was surprised by the gentleness with which that child welcomed him into his arms so that he did not fall, by the scent of wild roses and pomegranates, by the sweet smile and the eyes of such a beautiful blue, which he had never seen, the short curly blond hair,they grazed his neck, while they were longer at the front, so much so that they almost covered his eyes. That child bewitched him, his eyes welcoming and bright and his smile open and tender, it was impossible for anyone to look at him that way, with candour and serene firmness. Gaius refused to believe that this child was a mortal, he must have been some Norse half-god, disgraced and cast out of his home. But then blushing Gaius released himself from the gentle grasp, and stared more closely at that unique child. The facial features were those of Livius, there was no doubt about it, so he was looking at his son and not at some lost deity. What a fool he had been.Gaius, seized with shame, wanted to accuse that child with harsh words, to offend him, to drive him away, but when he opened his mouth to speak he could not. He froze. They stared at each other for a while, and Gaius' blush increased in intensity with each passing moment. The child laughed openly, and Gaius was overcome by a shiver, then the child reached out his hand and placed a pomegranate in his own:

"Hello! I am Marius, what is your name?" Gaius looked at Marius who smiled serenely and waited for his answer, looked at the shiny red fruit in his hand, and then back at Marius: " I am Gaius.... Sorry for bumping into you." And Gaius could not believe he had said those words, he felt the heat go down from his cheeks to his neck.... " Don't worry, it's alright," Marius said smiling and then added: "Do you want to be my friend Gaius?" " Yes, so much..." were the only words that Gaius deemed worthy as an answer, Marius had given him a smile, patience and tenderness, things Gaius never thought he could have from anyone. "Then, let's go eat that pomegranate!" and Marius took Gaius by the hand and together they walked towards the garden. Gaius stared with a strange mixture of emotions at their joined hands.He had never allowed anyone to get so close to him and with such confidence and freedom. Marius seemed not to mind at all, he continued walking unperturbed, holding Gaius' hand gently and smiling at him every now and then. Gaius wondered if indeed this child, so different and peculiar, compared to those he usually saw, could become his friend. And what was a friend? Gaius did not know. Gaius had only ever had himself. And now after barely ten minutes this child was taking him by the hand, and talking to him about friendship."Do you know who I am?" asked Gaius, with a stern frown, perhaps it was because of their fathers' friendship that Marius wanted to be his friend, to make a good impression? Marius stared at him with his cobalt blue eyes: "Does it make a difference? You seem lonely, and a little sad. But I like you, you seem sincere. You have been kind to me. Aren't those reasons enough to want to be friends?" asked Marius, and Gaius seriously pondered those words: "Don't you just want to be friends with me because of my father and yours?" Gaius did not like to hide, or not say clearly what he thought, and he wanted the others to do the same with him. Marius stopped and they looked at each other for a long moment."Can my father make me like someone I do not like? It is true my father taught me to be kind and respectful, but he never forced me to be friends with anyone. My father has a lot of faith in me, he knows that I would never give something as precious as friendship to someone I don't feel capable of giving it back to me." And Marius sustained Gaius' gaze without the slightest hesitation or shadow in his eyes. Gaius felt something he had never felt before: closeness, warmth and understanding.

Was this friendship? Gaius did not know, but he liked that feeling and Marius did too. He liked Marius, so much so that he wanted to try to understand what friendship was. Gaius squeezed Marius' hand again and pulled him to follow him, Marius immediately moved confidently and let himself be guided.Together they crossed the atrium and sat down next to each other in the peristyle. The pleasant sound of flowing water and the coolness of the grass were a balm for Gaius' skin, which was so hot that he closed his eyes for a moment to fully enjoy the coolness. When he opened them again, Marius had split the pomegranate in two and arranged the two parts on rough cloth. Gaius was immediately attracted by the red of the kernels, he noticed with curiosity how Marius was separating the kernels from the fruit, for himself and for him. "Thank you..." And it was shy and low that thank you that Gaius said, but heartfelt and sincere.He was not used to saying that word. Within half an hour he had already said it twice to that blue-eyed boy. "You're welcome" were the words of Marius, who, after smiling at him, brought the beans closer to Gaius. They ate together, and Gaius thought that he had never been so happy, serene and peaceful. Marius was quiet, silent, but when he spoke he was funny and shrewd. They laughed and told each other many of their adventures as children. Slowly, without them realising it, evening fell. They were always together, at each other's side, and when Livius found them, he was unable to scold them. Such had been his concern for his Marius, who had disappeared into thin air, such now was his happiness as a father at seeing him open up and laugh with another child. Livius almost gave up on separating them, but then he had to decide to take Marius with him. Gaius watched Marius leave, and almost felt the need to cry, but when Marius turned back, and smiling, he waved goodbye, saying "See you tomorrow." Gaius realised that he should not cry, but be happy, instead, that day was the first of many more, in which by his side, there would always be Marius.

[vacantgodling]

10, 16, 18, and 19 for the ship game/Hya and Amon? - @void-botanist

THE BOYS!!!

10. Do they share any hobbies or interests? How do these things bring them together?

biggest hobby they share is reading and gaining knowledge. it’s funny because you wouldn’t really expect it from either of them, but they both are very well read and educated people and like as a side note technically neither of them have had a formal education—amon living on the streets until the gang picked him up and hya’s father leaving him in the hands of neglectful servants. so i think both of them developed a habit and love for learning things on their own because it’s one of the few ways people would begin to take them seriously. they also both enjoy good food, and even if he won’t admit it out loud, hya really enjoys showing amon foods he’s never had before and seeing how he likes them. hya enjoys fashion and shopping and before him, amon never thought too much about it with no money and having other more important things, but now i’d say amon actually does enjoy it to a certain extent. really, he just enjoys looking at hya so seeing the different ways he’ll dress himself up and groom himself does bring amon a “certain” kind of joy if you know what i mean 👀 but he’s also becoming more fond of hya showing his affection through dressing him up too. and he’s never gonna say no if it makes hya look at him like that yknow LMAOOo 👀

16. Would they ever get matching tattoos? If yes, what would these look like?

oof probably not. hya’s more fond of piercings than tattoos (like there’s no other way to say it, he’s vain and he likes his skin unmarred and flawless looking LMAO) and amon gets squick about marks on his body because he already has so many (his scars). matching jewelry is more up their alley :)

18. How do they care for each other when one of them is wounded/sick?

wounds tend to be more of a serious thing so it’s mainly patching up in silence. being sick is actually kind of funny and really shows their old married couple status with how they’ll tease and bicker while simultaneously making sure the other is comfortable. neither of them get sick often so it’s like a field day for teasing if one of them does lmaooo

19. Do they wear each other’s clothes/jewelry?

hya doesn’t but AMON lord he steals hya’s clothes like there’s no tomorrow. hya actually doesn’t mind it though, you’d think he would, but he’s pretty possessive so something does it for him seeing amon in his clothes. not that he would admit to that lmao

[ramrodd]

COMMENTARY:

Jesus is referring to Socrates' cup of hemlock in the Garden,

You guys really need to put the Philosophy back into your PhD's, The critical historical method of Post Modern Historical Deconstruction creates an interpretation of aything it studies that is undersandable for Harvard MBA grauduates, coaches, atheletic directors and high school sports teams who want to pray before and after a game.

The short version is that Jimmy Tabor's axiom "Harmonization is the enemy of the Truth" is a Marxist construct You cannot get to Handel's Messiah by shifting thrugh the shit of the atrines of Qurman. Historians cannot provide a definitive description of the influence Aritotle had on Alexander the Great

All Christian written literature begins with Pilate's lost euangelion to Tiberius cited by Tertullian in Book V of his Apology, Tertullian is a stoic and the Father of Latin Theology and the source of the rumors of the deaths and methods of execution of both Peter and Paul, He was a son of a centurion and the centurions were Roman soldiers of Christ who were justifed by faith by the Taling Cross

I bring this up because, outside the deliberately blinkered perspective of Post Modern Historic Deconstruction ot the 60s anti-war movement, the critical literary method that defined the liberal arts academe before 1968 leads inevitably to the fact that Cornelius is the common denominator of all four Gospels and Acts and is the probable author of the Gospel of Mark, He was the equivalent of Plate's Command Seargeant Major and Chief of Staff and, by the time Luke arrives at Ca3saera with Paul, he is the curator of Quelle which are the intelligence archives of the 10th Legion that had befun collectiong intelligence on John the Baptist when he began to become a serious populist movement in Palestine and had a portfolion on Jesus which began when He took command of John's Baptists before He is arrested,

The Gospel of Luke and Acts are put together by Luke by the same methods Truman Capote put In Cold Blood together, beginning with his journalism as a Greek physician treating Jewish women and facilitating Paul's entry into the various congregations they encounter until they arrive in Caesarea and Peter introduces him to Cornelius and Cornelius arranges for him to accept a commission to research the origins of the Christians with Theophilus, who was the Bishop of the Roman secret Christian society thoughout Pax Romana Luke delivers this research in the form of the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles to Theophilus in Rome at about the same time Pual composes Philippeans, which is an obvious End Zone celebration for his successful defense of his Epistles in front of the Praetorian Guard in 62 CE. Theophilus is the author of Hebrews and distributes this material throughout the 30 Roman legions across Pax Romana.

Everywhere there is a Mithra Cult in proximity to a Roman legion, there is the Roman Communion of Christian Centurions. What Constatine discovers at the Milvian Bridge was taht the soldiers in the armies on both side of the bridge were Christian, the difference being that his legions has marianated in the Druid culture for nearly 400 years and the XP symbol they put on their shields was the Druid talisman of Boudicca, Queen of Battle.

For all intents and purposes, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings is the Durid version of the Liberation Gospel of Pauline Theology as interpreted by N.T. Wright.

[theblackphoenixwritings]

🫒 Pomegranates 🫒

Marius de Romanus/ Original character

Marius in his mortal life, Rome, and Gaius his first and dearest friend, his first great love.

🍃Summary: Marius is the son, born of the union between a Celtic slave and a Roman patrician. Despite this, he is the favourite son of his father Livius. Livius' family welcomes Marius as if he had been born from the womb of his stepmother Flaviana. His beauty and his being a cheerful, calm child immediately makes him loved and liked by the whole family. As Marius grows up, he begins to venture alongside his father in his daily chores in the Urbe. Thus he meets Gaius for the first time. That meeting will mark the destiny of both of them

CHAPTER 2

- A sunny September day in the capital of the Empire

Gaius was a Julius, and moreover an illegitimate son of the great emperor Augustus. Everyone knew it, but everyone pretended not to. Gaius had never needed any introduction; wherever he went, everyone knew whose son that little strawberry-blond-haired boy was. In his eight years of life, Gaius had never met anyone who looked at him with anything but deference, condescension and appreciation. The children, on the other hand, were not so good to him; his bodyguard, assigned to him by his father, often spoke of envy. Gaius did not think much of it, he was not interested in dealing with children of his own age. He was fine on his own, free and serene, he was happy in his own little world. He did not need anything and did not feel he had to be part of the lives of the children of other patrician families. Gaius had become accustomed to the indifference or malice of the children, and to the appreciation of the grown-ups. In reality, Gaius was well aware, that he should never fall foul of them. Always perfect, never showing feelings of any kind, always covering himself with a cloak of conceit and haughtiness. And Gaius hated all this, but it was a game he was obliged to play, even now, it was a game of survival. He was eight years old, and he already felt like a boy, as if he had never been a child, had not had the time or the chance, except for a fleeting moment. That world, of intellect, sagacity and minds as sharp as spear blades, had formed him mercilessly, had straightened his shoulders and hardened his childlike heart. He was a Julius and there was no room to be unprepared or to show weakness. Until that day, that sunny September day, Gaius had never needed an introduction. That day his path crossed with the one who would change the whole course of his life, the one who would hold his soul and his life inseparable from his own. The day his path took him before Marius, the son of Livius, his father's close friend. Gaius thought he knew all the sons of his age, of the most important patrician families in Rome, how Marius had escaped him, he really could not explain. He could not understand it and found it a serious lack of attention on his part. Gaius had no friends among those children of noble origins, he did not like most of them and they did not like him. But Gaius knew how to use words to put them to flight, sometimes just a couple were enough. So he was ready to put Marius on the run as well.When Livius pointed out to his tutor, that his son had accompanied him today, to the palace, Gaius widened his eyes and wandered off in curiosity, in search of the said child.

So as he wandered determinedly around the palace, Gaius, looking around, grim and busy, did not notice the child until he bumped into it. Gaius was surprised by the gentleness with which that child welcomed him into his arms so that he did not fall, by the scent of wild roses and pomegranates, by the sweet smile and the eyes of such a beautiful blue, which he had never seen, the short curly blond hair,they grazed his neck, while they were longer at the front, so much so that they almost covered his eyes. That child bewitched him, his eyes welcoming and bright and his smile open and tender, it was impossible for anyone to look at him that way, with candour and serene firmness. Gaius refused to believe that this child was a mortal, he must have been some Norse half-god, disgraced and cast out of his home. But then blushing Gaius released himself from the gentle grasp, and stared more closely at that unique child. The facial features were those of Livius, there was no doubt about it, so he was looking at his son and not at some lost deity. What a fool he had been.Gaius, seized with shame, wanted to accuse that child with harsh words, to offend him, to drive him away, but when he opened his mouth to speak he could not. He froze. They stared at each other for a while, and Gaius' blush increased in intensity with each passing moment. The child laughed openly, and Gaius was overcome by a shiver, then the child reached out his hand and placed a pomegranate in his own:

"Hello! I am Marius, what is your name?" Gaius looked at Marius who smiled serenely and waited for his answer, looked at the shiny red fruit in his hand, and then back at Marius: " I am Gaius.... Sorry for bumping into you." And Gaius could not believe he had said those words, he felt the heat go down from his cheeks to his neck.... " Don't worry, it's alright," Marius said smiling and then added: "Do you want to be my friend Gaius?" " Yes, so much..." were the only words that Gaius deemed worthy as an answer, Marius had given him a smile, patience and tenderness, things Gaius never thought he could have from anyone. "Then, let's go eat that pomegranate!" and Marius took Gaius by the hand and together they walked towards the garden. Gaius stared with a strange mixture of emotions at their joined hands.He had never allowed anyone to get so close to him and with such confidence and freedom. Marius seemed not to mind at all, he continued walking unperturbed, holding Gaius' hand gently and smiling at him every now and then. Gaius wondered if indeed this child, so different and peculiar, compared to those he usually saw, could become his friend. And what was a friend? Gaius did not know. Gaius had only ever had himself. And now after barely ten minutes this child was taking him by the hand, and talking to him about friendship."Do you know who I am?" asked Gaius, with a stern frown, perhaps it was because of their fathers' friendship that Marius wanted to be his friend, to make a good impression? Marius stared at him with his cobalt blue eyes: "Does it make a difference? You seem lonely, and a little sad. But I like you, you seem sincere. You have been kind to me. Aren't those reasons enough to want to be friends?" asked Marius, and Gaius seriously pondered those words: "Don't you just want to be friends with me because of my father and yours?" Gaius did not like to hide, or not say clearly what he thought, and he wanted the others to do the same with him. Marius stopped and they looked at each other for a long moment."Can my father make me like someone I do not like? It is true my father taught me to be kind and respectful, but he never forced me to be friends with anyone. My father has a lot of faith in me, he knows that I would never give something as precious as friendship to someone I don't feel capable of giving it back to me." And Marius sustained Gaius' gaze without the slightest hesitation or shadow in his eyes. Gaius felt something he had never felt before: closeness, warmth and understanding.

Was this friendship? Gaius did not know, but he liked that feeling and Marius did too. He liked Marius, so much so that he wanted to try to understand what friendship was. Gaius squeezed Marius' hand again and pulled him to follow him, Marius immediately moved confidently and let himself be guided.Together they crossed the atrium and sat down next to each other in the peristyle. The pleasant sound of flowing water and the coolness of the grass were a balm for Gaius' skin, which was so hot that he closed his eyes for a moment to fully enjoy the coolness. When he opened them again, Marius had split the pomegranate in two and arranged the two parts on rough cloth. Gaius was immediately attracted by the red of the kernels, he noticed with curiosity how Marius was separating the kernels from the fruit, for himself and for him. "Thank you..." And it was shy and low that thank you that Gaius said, but heartfelt and sincere.He was not used to saying that word. Within half an hour he had already said it twice to that blue-eyed boy. "You're welcome" were the words of Marius, who, after smiling at him, brought the beans closer to Gaius. They ate together, and Gaius thought that he had never been so happy, serene and peaceful. Marius was quiet, silent, but when he spoke he was funny and shrewd. They laughed and told each other many of their adventures as children. Slowly, without them realising it, evening fell. They were always together, at each other's side, and when Livius found them, he was unable to scold them. Such had been his concern for his Marius, who had disappeared into thin air, such now was his happiness as a father at seeing him open up and laugh with another child. Livius almost gave up on separating them, but then he had to decide to take Marius with him. Gaius watched Marius leave, and almost felt the need to cry, but when Marius turned back, and smiling, he waved goodbye, saying "See you tomorrow." Gaius realised that he should not cry, but be happy, instead, that day was the first of many more, in which by his side, there would always be Marius.