#i downloaded an entire app to bring this to life

[through-rosey-glasses]

In case you were wondering what I scream at the TV every time I see a team go empty net.

[buckrecs]

Hello! Do you perhaps have recommendations for Alpha!bucky?

Alpha!Bucky

masterlist | req masterlist

ONESHOT

Crave by @harrylovex

you realise that you can’t survive your heat without bucky.

intensional by @noctumbra

alpha!bucky sends you a shirtless pic and then offers to spend your heat with him. feelings ensue.

scent by @noctumbra

“you’re one eager and hungry kitten,” bucky whispered in your ear as he licked over your scent gland, where his bite situated perfectly.

vanilla by @noctumbra

his scent was the other thing that made you go stupid other than his eyes: leather, a bit of vanilla, oranges and wet wood.

wet by @noctumbra

your mating sessions are always intense with bucky.

butterfly by @idy-ll-ique

bucky's going into rut. y/n volunteers to help him. feelings come out.

Let Me Love You by @slothspaghettiwrites

When an Omega is feeling very anxious or nervous their Alpha will hold them close while gently crooning and scenting them until they calm down.

Dating apps are stupid by @buckylattes

You decide to download this dating app, well….Natasha persuades you into it. You make a profile and agree to just have it for a week. If nothing becomes of it then you can delete it. But….you swipe right on this handsome man who’s description shows him out to be a gentleman like you’re looking for. So…what happens when he matches with you???

make you mine by @bonky-n-steeb

Bucky keeps his distance from you thinking you can do better than him. but he loses all his restraints when he sees you with another alpha.

to love is to burn by @bonky-n-steeb

You go into heat at the worst moment in the history of time, maybe ever.

took one hit and I was gone by @bonky-n-steeb

after the rise of hydra, your entire life turned into a living nightmare. you lost everything you held precious, your job, your house, your degree, even hope. but then you’re assigned as a mate to him, your enemy and your only ray of hope, James Buchanan Barnes.

little red riding hood by @bonky-n-steeb

your big bad alpha chases you across the woods.

Break Lights by @boxofbonesfic

his omega by @bucksfucks

bucky helps you through an expected heat.

ever since by @syntheticavenger

Bucky Barnes finds his center in a late night subway ride.

By Chance by @green-eyeddragonfanfiction

Female!Reader is an Omega. Alphas and Omegas are rare, and Reader’s been able to avoid alphas through sheer force of will and luck in equal parts.

Feral by @bucknastysbabe

And You’re Mine by @winterarmyy

In which Bucky, the big, scary, 'undesired alpha' was tricked into a blind date where he met his precious little omega.

Protector by @rookthorne

After an eternity of being held against your will, and just as long having been forced to watch your alpha suffer at the hands of the wicked, an opportunity arose. An opportunity so rare, so unique, that it would never be offered again. It was time to escape, and it was time to bathe the halls in their blood – never again would you be held by the bars of a cell, not if he could stop it.

SERIES

Heart and Soul by @all1e23

Alphas only brought trouble. The only thing they are good for is bringing their Omega’s pain and forced submission. They were dangerous, reckless and cruel. There wasn’t an ounce of kindness in any of them.  She didn’t need an Alpha, and she certainly didn’t believe in that True Mates fairytale. That was just some fabricated fable Alphas made up to trick innocent doe-eyed Omegas. She wasn’t going to fall for that.  Not again.No Alpha would ever get her to believe that love truly exists. And then, James Buchanan Barnes walked into her life.

Better Like This by @simsadventures

You are the newest addition to New York’s elite team of Detectives concentrating on domestic violence and rape, which everyone calls the Avengers.  You are an Omega, very bubbly and open to everyone around you, and everyone is super sweet to you, except one person- Bucky, your true mate.  Will you be able to destroy the walls he has been building around his heart for years, or will he reject you and break your heart forever? 

Some Alpha by @ofstarsandvibranium

Bucky is an Alpha, but can never seem to find someone who wants him to be their Alpha. Until he finds you, a Beta, who’s as firey as an Alpha, yet also tender-hearted like an Omega.

Heal by @chucksfavouriteprophet

For months you managed to distance yourself from Bucky Barnes, the alpha you long for. But one night you have no choice but to comfort him, something which brings out emotions in both of you. Except it also brings out emotions in the Winter Solider, which results in a devastating turn of events that neither of you might be able to come back from.

All The King’s Men by @nastybuckybarnes

Your father always said that if it weren’t for your presentation, he’d think you were an Alpha. There’s a reason for that. Growing up in a world where Omegas are treated like garbage, you’ve fought for the respect that you have. Until you’re sold off to an old King desperate for a bride. But you will not lay down and present for your new husband. No, you will fight back.

Mr. Grumpy by @holylulusworld

Bucky hates omegas. You change his mind.

knife play by @helvonasche

They're on the run and Bucky goes into rut.

Knight In Rusty Armor by @revengingbarnes

For the sake of politics and to get rid of you, their omega daughter, the King and Queen of England marry you off to the King of France. Settling into an unfamiliar monarchy is a tedious process all by itself, but a new problem arises soon after your arrival at your new home.One of the Knights turns out to be your true mate. Your Alpha. The one you are meant to be with. But you’re mated to someone else. And that someone else is the King of France.

Masterlist by @angrythingstarlight

Masterlist by @holylulusworld

[the-kr8tor]

Hi! I've just got back to ATSV and your Hobie fics made me felt like a school girl giggling to myself 😭🤍

I don't know if you still open for request but you may ignore if you feel uncomfortable!

I was thinking about long distance relationship with Hobie, maybe they met in some dating app ( I know this felt weird but like imagine him being bored and randomly download it for fun but then met the love of his life lol )

And one day Reader decided to surprise him on one of his concert 👀

Aww you're so sweet! Thank you so much! I hope you like this, sorry for the wait ❤️

Pairing: Hobie Brown x fem! Reader/ Spider-Punk x fem! Reader

Word count: 1.4k

Tags: No use of Y/N, no specific physical description of the reader, cw blood, band au, FLUFF

ʕ⁠·⁠ᴥ⁠·⁠ʔ

When your long distance partner said that he's in a band, you never expected that he's in one of those bands that plays in sold out venues. Granted that the concert also has other bands playing on the same day in different schedules, nonetheless his band is the one that's headlining the entire charity event. The venue is open air, trees lined around the park with dozens of booths selling merch, and overpriced burritos. At least the free water makes up for the expensive food and the long lines to the port-a-potty.

People are all dressed up for the event walk past you, they're in a complete ensemble, spikes, knee high boots, fishnets and hair that is taller than the luggage you're lugging around. It's safe to say that you stick out like a sore thumb in your comfortable airport clothes. If not then all the stares you're getting is because you have a huge bug on your face or something on your teeth. Maybe you should've gone with your original plan of waiting outside his houseboat like a creep.

You exhale, gathering your courage just like back when you were buying the plane ticket to Camdem. Clutching your bag tightly, you head off to the baggage lockers on the side to drop off your weekend bag before showing your concert ticket to the tired employee.

With a few flight delays on your belt, you were afraid that you'd miss his set. But lo and behold, the second you stepped foot inside, the loud booming speakers are announcing his band. You make your mad dash towards the front of the stage, excitement and trepidation fueling you while you practically squeeze yourself in between the growing crowd. After a few apologies to some people you've accidentally elbowed, you finally make it at the front with only a few bruises here and there. You don't care about the aches the second you see him appear from backstage.

Hobie, your long distance partner of two years and a half is finally in front of you. Well a few feet away from you as there's a bannister and a huge security guy guarding the fences. And yet, you haven't been this close to holding him. Signing up for a dating site wasn't your greatest moment but you're glad you did, if you hadn't, you might've not met the love of your life. You're also glad that his friends dared him into signing up, you feel incredibly lucky that the stars aligned for the two of you to meet.

His band waves to the crowd, faces you've come accustomed to whenever he brings you (his phone while you video call him) to band practices and hangouts throughout the years. Dare you say that they've become your friends too, if not for them encouraging you to finally buy that ticket to surprise Hobie, you wouldn't be standing here with your hands gripping tightly on the railings.

He looks amazing under the bright lights, the spotlight highlights all his best features. Clad in leather, spikes and metal, seeing him behind your phone screen doesn't prepare you for the real thing.

With stars in your eyes, you grin widely. Yet you don't call for him so you don't distract him. Instead, you listen to the first song as Hobie plays a familiar guitar riff. You unabashedly ogle him while you listen to the song you've personally seen the development of.

Sweaty, eyes strained to see him through the spotlight while your ears ring— you probably don't look your best while the crowd pushes the fences wildly. Maybe you should've thought this through, or at least wore something nicer.

Hobie still hasn't seen you amidst the crowd. Continuing to jump and somersault effortlessly around the stage while fans scream and screech his name out. You once again stick out like a sore thumb while you stay in place when everyone else is jumping up and down to the beat. Seeing the lone anomaly, Hobie shields his eyes from the lights to get a good look at the supposed disgruntled fan. He never expected to see your face, his heart feels like it stopped for a second, he tumbles towards a wire that trips him and in turn launches him towards a small amp that also trips him and makes him land flat on his face. If not for his quick reflexes, he might've broken his nose on stage.

The crowd makes an empathetic sound as silence spreads throughout the venue. Some reach out to him as if they would've caught him mid air, and you're one of those people. With a wince, you watch him sit up, trying his best to act cool while he's tangled around numerous wires. He looks silly and lovestruck at the same time when his eyes meet your own. Your name falls off his lips, eyes sparkling under the red spotlights.

You give him a small wave, smiling bashfully at the punk on stage. A stage hand helps him untangle himself while Ned helps back up on his feet. All the while, his eyes never left your form.

“Wanna take five, loverboy?” Ned whispers, patting his best mate on the back. “Fuckin' hell you're bleeding.” The crowd cheers as blood ebbs out.

Even with crimson flowing out of his nostril, pain ebbing through his face, he still manages to grin back at you. “Yeah, make that ten, Ned.” he clasps his hand on Ned's shoulder without leaving his eyes on you. You wink at him. “Better yet, make that twenty.”

Ned rolls his eyes, calling for the medics before gesturing towards you to come around backstage.

—

An organizer gives you a backstage pass, letting you roam around the performers area freely. You play with the lace as your nerves get the best of you. You kinda feel bad for being the cause of the delay, but when your darting eyes see his familiar silhouette, it all melts away.

“Can I get an autograph?” You say, standing under the medical tent while a paramedic tends to his bleeding nose. His head whips towards you so fast, you were afraid that he'd break his neck. “Hi, Hobie.”

A giddy grin spreads on his face, standing up from the plastic chair with tissue paper stuck up his nose. “Hello, love.”

You giggle, crossing the small distance, hands reaching to his sides, waiting for him to hold you. Hobie wraps his fingers gently around your wrists, pulling you close. Toe to toe, he guides your hands on his waist.

“You're taller than I expected.” You utter with fondness, fingers splayed over his shirt, eyes etching his face into the folds of your mind.

“You have legs, and feet attached to your legs.” He says nervously, biting his lip from grinning too widely. “You're as fit as I thought you would be.” Chortling, you pat his chest. Realizing that the tissue papers are still stuck up his nose, he yanks them away quickly, hiding it inside his back pocket as if nothing happened. “You surprised me.”

“That was very dignified of you, Hobs.”

Chuckling, he does what he always wanted to do; hide his face in the crook of your neck. “Was that a deal breaker?”

You scoff playfully, leaning into his touch as he embraces you fully, shyness melting off the both of you only to be replaced with affection. You do the same, face tucked on his neck. He smells like the perfume you sent him when he asked what perfume you always use. And in turn, you smell like his cologne he gifted you a week later.

“Nope, it actually made me more attracted to you.” You feel his knuckles trace circles around your back, nose pressed on your skin. “Sorry that I surprised you, and made you fall on your face in front of thousands of people.”

Hobie gives you a chaste kiss on your jaw before leaning away to cup your face. You feel like you're on cloud nine as he looks at you like you're everything to him.

“Nah, not even close to a thousand, lovie.” His thumb brushes along your cheeks, savoring your warmth like he always wanted to do. You smile, palms on his jacket lapels. “Y’know what's funny?”

“You landing flat on your face in front of hundreds of adoring fans?”

He pokes your side with a chuckle. “I'll never hear the end of that, huh?” You shake your head with a soft smile as he leans closer, you meet him halfway by pulling him by his jacket. “I bought a ticket to your place.” Your eyes widen, tearing up from his words. “I was supposed to fly after the concert and wait outside your flat like a bloody stalker.” Smiling, he closes the distance. “You beat me to it, love.”

“I won.” You kiss him just like how you imagined.

[delicatebarness]

i cant read your mind | chapter one

Summary: It has been six months since half the universe came back, six months since Steve left, six months since you lost Natasha, and three months since finding out the man you were sleeping with wanted to end it.

Warnings: MCU Spoilers. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier spoilers throughout.

Word Count: 1600

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A/N: I have watched TFATWS at least 6 times this week so I am prepared for this.

Tags: @blackhawkfanatic | @cjand10 | @wintrsoldrluvr | @missvelvetsstuff

As Sam addressed the crowd at the Smithsonian, you listened to his every word by Rhodey’s side. You let yourself laugh at the appropriate moments and fought back tears as your friend paid tribute to another. Your heart ached as you watched him pass on the shield, the symbol that guided you to become the best agent you could and more.

“I can’t do this,” you murmured almost inaudibly as you slipped away from the crowd, retreating to the quiet street. You steadied your thoughts, taking a few deep breaths. Retrieving your phone from your purse, you hesitated before dialing a number. “Come on,” you urged as the ringing persisted. 

Disappointment washes over you as you realize there’s no answer on the other end, you stand there for a moment. Staring at your call lost, feeling the loneliness creep in as you see that none of your calls have been picked up. Taking another deep breath, you put your phone back and start walking. Each step is a deliberate effort to move forward. 

While navigating the streets of Washington, your thoughts are focused on the events at the Smithsonian. The passing of the shield symbolized the end of an era for you. An era that had taken over your entire adult life. 

~

You enter your quiet apartment and sink onto the couch. The weight of the day, flight, and lack of food were starting to seem heavier, you couldn’t bring yourself to get changed out of the formal black dress you had been wearing since half four that morning. You retrieved your phone from your purse once again, your fingers hovering over the screen as you debated whether to try calling again. 

You knew it was getting late but you dialed the number again, heart pounding with anticipation. As the phone rang, you tried not getting your hopes up, but they were crushed when it went to voicemail. 

Sighing deeply, you set your phone down as you got back up from the couch and made your way back out into the street. You were proud of yourself for not letting the tears spill down your cheeks. 

The streets were quiet, and the soft glow of the streetlights offered a semblance of solace. With no destination in your mind, you wandered as the hunger gnawed at your stomach. Searching for a nearby restaurant for a late-night bite, you approached the diner you knew as Izzy. 

Your heart lurched in your chest as you recognized the figure through the window, sitting opposite a woman, she seemed to be laughing at whatever it was he was telling her. Playing a game of Battleship and drinking. “Not like that’s going to affect him,” you thought as you took in the sight. For a moment, you stood frozen in place, the tears you previously held back now beginning to spill. 

~

Once you were home and washed the day off of you, a hint of optimism rose from within you. Deciding to open yourself up to a new experience, you downloaded a popular dating app and uploaded all the photos of you in dresses that hugged your body just the way you loved. The way he once said should be for his eyes only. Swiping through profiles, it didn’t take long for you to come across someone who caught your eye, and match with them. 

You exchanged messages for the rest of the night, at some point agreeing to meet for brunch the next morning.

~

Your date was waiting for you when you arrived at the cafe, a friendly smile lighting up his face. Exchanging greetings, he pulled out a chair for you and helped with your coat and bag. You thanked him, finding yourself relaxed in his company. 

Settling into conversation, you shared stories, laughed, and began feeling a genuine connection. You hadn’t allowed yourself to truly feel this happy in three months, letting yourself let go of the weight that had been pressed into your chest for so long.

“Is that? Is that The Winter Soldier?” your date asked, his focus moving away from you and instead toward the entrance of the cafe. Turning your gaze over to where your date had been looking, it felt like time stopped as you looked into the eyes of a furrowing James Buchanan Barnes. His fist clenched under his leather gloves. 

“Here we go,” you mumbled under your breath as you noticed him making his way over to you. With trembling hands, you reached for the glass of champagne that sat on the table in front of you. Tilting the glass back, you swallowed every last drop of it in an attempt to calm yourself down. 

“I need to speak to you,” Bucky growled, his voice low and commanding as he towered over you. As much as you’ve wanted nothing more than to be around him for the last three months, you kept your gaze fixed on your date. “Now.” 

“I’m on a date,” your tone even with a hint of defiance as you responded to the super soldier. You watched as the eyes of your date filled with fear and amazement. 

“I can see that,” he replied dryly, sarcasm dripping in his tone as he gave your date a pointed look. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sensing the tension between you and Bucky. 

“Whatever you have to say, it can wait,” your voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through your veins. “I’m here with someone else,” you added emphasis on ‘someone else’ as you sensed him tense up beside you. 

Your date cleared his throat, shooting a hesitant glance between you and Bucky. He spoke up, his tone polite but uneasy. “Perhaps I should… give you two some privacy?” He began to stand from the table, making his way over to the restrooms. Bucky quickly sat in the seat he had previously occupied. 

Your gaze was ablaze with a mixture of hurt and frustration as you finally made eye contact with Bucky. “What do you want?” your voice trembled slightly. 

Bucky couldn’t suppress the sarcasm that came from his tone as he looked over toward the restrooms. “Well, he seems like a real charmer,” his tone full of irony. 

You shot him a disapproving look, eyebrows knitting together in a silent warning. “Again, what do you want?” Bucky looked back at you, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. Rolling your eyes, you defended the man you had known for less than 12 hours. “He’s a nice guy,” 

Leaning back in his seat, Bucky folded his arms across his chest as he sent you a knowing look. “If you say so,” he remarked. If it wasn’t for the dry and snarky tone, you’d have thought he was backing down. “And, I’m sure he can handle a doll such as you,” he continued while sending you a wink. 

“Can’t you just go back to ignoring me like you have done for the last three months?” you sighed, picking up your fork and using it to move food around your plate.

“I saw the pictures you used for your little dating profile,” he glared at you when he noticed a smirk now taking place over your lips.

You shrugged nonchalantly and replied with a calm tone. “Yeah, and?”

His jaw tightened at your response, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Thought they were only for me?” he pressed.

Your expression softened, remorse flickering over your features as you looked back at him. “Things change,” you murmured, your voice tinged with regret. “I waited five years for you to come back, five years of not even knowing if you were coming back,” your voice quivered with emotion.

Bucky’s gaze softened, and he straightened his posture. “I know-” he began to speak but you cut him off before he could finish.

“No, Bucky, you don’t” you shot back at him, your voice rising with each word. “You couldn’t possibly understand what it was like, not know where you went, or if you were alive or dead, or if you’d even come back,” 

His jaw once again clenched, “I waited over 90 years for you to come into my life,” he confessed, his voice thick with emotion and vulnerability. 

Your eyes widened at his admission, you were both surprised and in disbelief, “But yet, you only waited three months before jumping into bed with someone else,” you accused, voice thick with bitterness. “How was your night of Battleship, by the way?”

His hands balled into fists on top of the table, his voice raised to match yours. “Firstly, I didn’t sleep with her,” he retorted. “And secondly, what the fuck is this?” he gestures toward your date as he started to make his way back out of the restroom.

“I’m sorry,” your date now interrupts your conversation with Bucky as he makes his way back over to you. “I didn’t know you two are exes,” 

“He’s not my ex!” 

“She’s not my ex!”

~

Alone in the dimly lit apartment, you allowed yourself to have a moment to rest, closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. The weight of your date pressing down on your shoulders. Surprisingly, he asked for a second date. Once Bucky had left, he offered to take you out again another time. You happily agreed.

As you began to drift into a state of relaxation, the sound of the television caught your attention. “... it is with great honor that we announce here today that the United States of America has a new hero. Join me in welcoming your new Captain America.” 

“What the fuck?!”

---

Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[theartofcollapse]

Swipe Right for Sarcasm - Casey Novak

a/n: i'm taking requests, so feel free to dm me :) summary: Olivia convinces Casey to download Tinder and start dating. pairing: Casey Novak x female reader warnings: none word count: 1.9K

masterlist

Casey Novak wasn’t entirely sure why she had downloaded Tinder but she fully blamed Olivia Benson for it. “You need to get out there, Casey,” Olivia had said while sipping wine and looking entirely too smug about her stable relationship with a certain medical examiner.

So here Casey was. Scrolling through profiles of men holding fish. Swiping left on women with bios like “Live, Laugh, Love” and “Here for a good time, not a long time.” Just when she was about to delete the app entirely, she stopped on one profile.

Y/N, 30. Bio: I’m here for three things: sarcasm, snacks, and possibly to steal your dog. Let’s see how this goes.

Casey couldn’t stop herself. She swiped right.

A moment later, a notification popped up on her screen: It’s a match!

Casey: Well, this is awkward. Y/N: Is this where we start pretending we didn’t spend hours carefully choosing our photos? Casey: I don’t have that kind of time. Mine were picked in five minutes, maximum effort. Y/N: That explains the photo of you staring at your coffee cup like it betrayed you. Casey: That’s just my face. Y/N: Sure it is. But really, what did the coffee do to you? Casey: It was burnt. A betrayal of the highest order. Y/N: Tragic. Should I unmatch now, or wait until you commit a food-related crime in real life? Casey: Bold of you to assume I’d share food on the first date. Y/N: Oh, you’re one of those. Let me guess, you won’t share fries either? Casey: Correct. Fries are sacred. Y/N: This might not work out. I’m a fry thief. Casey: Noted. I’ll bring decoy fries. Y/N: You’re already planning ahead. I’m impressed. Casey: I’m a lawyer. I must anticipate the worst-case scenario. Y/N: Worst case? Me stealing fries? Casey: Worst case is you stealing fries and not being funny. Y/N: Good thing I’m hilarious, then. Casey: That remains to be seen. Y/N: Oh, you’re a “prove it” kind of person? Casey: Guilty. Y/N: A lawyer joke already? Bold. Casey: If you’re not bold, you won’t survive Tinder. Y/N: True. Speaking of bold, how many boring icebreakers did you survive before we matched? Casey: Three. I had a guy ask me if I “come here often.” Y/N: What is this, a 2003 rom-com? Casey: Exactly. I also had someone tell me I look like I “read a lot.” Y/N: Do you not? Casey: That’s not the point. Y/N: Sure it isn’t, bookworm. Casey: You’re really toeing the line here. Y/N: Oh, is there a line? I didn’t see it. Casey: Keep this up, and you’ll be crossing it. Y/N: Would that be such a bad thing? Casey: No comment. Y/N: Interesting. Casey: You’re trouble, aren’t you? Y/N: Absolutely. Casey: And yet I haven’t unmatched you yet. Curious. Y/N: Face it, Casey. You like me already. Casey: Shut up. Y/N: I’ll take that as a yes.

Casey stared at her screen for a moment, lips twitching despite herself. She hated how smug this Y/N was. But also? She kind of liked it. Swiping right might not have been such a bad idea after all.

Over the next week, their messages became a daily occurrence. Casey found herself checking her phone during breaks at work, a slight smile tugging at her lips whenever she saw Y/N’s name pop up. It was infuriating. And kind of addictive.

Y/N: So, Counselor Novak, tell me, how does a hotshot lawyer like you end up on Tinder? Casey: I could ask you the same question, fry thief. Y/N: I asked first. Casey: Fine. Peer pressure. Y/N: Oh no, did someone force you to download a dating app? Tragic. Who do I sue? Casey: You can take it up with my friend Detective Olivia Benson. Y/N: Detective Olivia Benson, huh? Should I be worried about competition? Casey: She’s very happily in a relationship. But she does like to meddle. Y/N: Sounds like a good friend. Casey: Debatable. Y/N: Okay, my turn. I joined Tinder because my best friend told me my “sarcasm doesn’t count as a personality.” Casey: They’re wrong. Y/N: Oh, I know. But now I have to prove it does count. Casey: To them? Y/N: To everyone. Especially you. Casey: Consider me unconvinced. Y/N: Wow. Brutal. Casey: You’ll live. Y/N: Careful, Casey. You’re starting to sound like me. Casey: Don’t flatter yourself. Y/N: Too late.

Casey groaned softly, dropping her phone onto her desk. She wasn’t used to this. Someone who could match her wit, her sarcasm, and still leave her wanting more. It was unnerving.

She picked up her phone again, typing quickly.

Casey: So, when do you plan to prove this sarcasm-is-a-personality theory of yours? Y/N: I don’t know. Are you asking me out, Novak? Casey: I was thinking more along the lines of letting you try to impress me in person. Y/N: Sounds like a date to me. Casey: Technically, it’s an interview. Y/N: Oh, right, because I’m auditioning to steal your fries. Casey: You’re not stealing anything. Y/N: Not with that attitude. Casey: You’re impossible. Y/N: And yet, here you are, texting me back. Casey: Don’t remind me. Y/N: So, what’s your availability, Counselor? Or should I call your assistant to book something? Casey: I don’t need an assistant. Y/N: Fancy. Do you schedule your own dates, too? Casey: I schedule everything. Efficiency is important. Y/N: I’m swooning over your time management skills. Casey: Try to contain yourself.

By the time they settled on a date (Friday night, 7 p.m., some hole-in-the-wall pizza place Casey pretended not to secretly love), Casey felt equal parts excited and annoyed. Y/N was under her skin in a way no one had been in years.

She wasn’t sure what to expect when she walked into the restaurant. But when she spotted Y/N, leaning casually against the counter, a mischievous smirk already plastered across her face, Casey couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re late,” Y/N said as Casey approached.

“I’m not late,” the ADA replied. “You’re just early.”

“Sure, Novak. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Casey rolled her eyes. “Are you always this infuriating?”

“Only when I like someone.”

That shut her up for about two seconds. “Cute. Don’t push your luck.”

Y/N just grinned. 

The pizza place was small, with dim lighting and mismatched chairs that somehow added to its charm. Casey chose a table near the window, and Y/N followed, sliding into the seat across from her with that same maddening grin.

“You’re awfully smug for someone who’s about to lose an argument,” Casey said, picking up the menu.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Lose? I didn’t realize we were already arguing.”

“We will be. I take my pizza choices very seriously.”

Y/N leaned back in her chair, smirking. “Let me guess, classic cheese, no toppings, and a side of self-righteousness?”

Casey’s lips twitched. “Wrong. I’m a Margherita girl. But nice try.”

“Margherita,” Y/N repeated, mock solemn. “How… traditional.”

“Oh, and you’re going to tell me you order something ridiculous like pineapple, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t dare. Pineapple on pizza is a crime against humanity.”

Casey pretended to study her closely. “Huh. I was worried I’d have to call Olivia to arrest you tonight, but it seems you have some standards.”

Y/N grinned. “I’m a woman of mystery. You’ll learn that in time.”

“Bold assumption, considering we haven’t even ordered yet.”

“Speaking of which,” Y/N said, leaning forward slightly, “what’s your go-to pizza place lawyer pickup line? Because I’m still waiting for you to impress me.”

Casey arched a brow. “You’re the one who agreed to this. Shouldn’t you be impressing me?”

Y/N shrugged. “That depends. Are you the type who’s impressed by bad jokes?”

“No.”

“Great, because I’m about to tell one anyway. Why did the tomato turn red?”

Casey sighed, already regretting this. “Why?”

“Because it saw the salad dressing.”

There was a beat of silence. Then Casey blinked, leaning back in her chair with a slow shake of her head.

“Absolutely not,” she said, though she couldn’t hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.

Y/N looked triumphant. “You smiled.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You’re literally smiling right now, Casey.”

Casey schooled her features into a look of mock disdain. “I think we need to establish some ground rules for this… whatever this is.”

“Oh, I love rules,” Y/N said, leaning her chin on her hand. “Go on.”

“First rule: no more bad jokes.”

“Bold of you to assume that’s possible.”

“Second rule,” Casey continued, ignoring her, “you don’t get to steal my fries or my pizza. We order separate portions like civilized people.”

Y/N gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “Separate? Casey, I thought we were building something real here.”

“Rule three,” Casey added sharply, “no sarcasm while I’m eating.”

“Now, that’s just cruel. What am I supposed to do? Compliment you sincerely?”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Fine.” Y/N leaned forward, meeting Casey’s eyes with mock seriousness. “Your time management skills are impeccable. And your taste in pizza? Absolutely average, but I can work with it.”

Casey burst out laughing before she could stop herself. She covered her mouth, glaring at Y/N, who looked far too pleased with herself.

By the time the pizza arrived, they’d gone through two rounds of drinks and an unspoken competition to see who could come up with the most ridiculous lawyer joke. (Y/N’s submission—Why don’t sharks attack lawyers? Professional courtesy. —had earned an eye-roll so dramatic Casey almost got whiplash.)

“You know,” Y/N said as they both reached for their slices, “I had a backup plan in case this date went horribly wrong.”

“Backup plan?”

“Yep. I was going to fake a phone call and claim my cat was on fire or something.”

Casey paused mid-bite, giving her a skeptical look. “Your cat? On fire?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“And yet, here you are,” Casey said, mimicking her words from earlier.

Y/N smiled, pointing at her. “Touché, Counselor. Looks like you’re starting to keep up.”

“Starting to?”

Y/N shrugged. “You’re almost at my level.”

Casey let out a low laugh, shaking her head. “I don’t know how anyone puts up with you.”

“They don’t,” Y/N said cheerfully. “But I’m glad you’re willing to try.”

For a moment, Casey just looked at her, her expression softening despite herself. There was something disarming about Y/N’s confidence, her relentless humor, the way she didn’t back down no matter how many sarcastic comments Casey threw her way. It was kind of wonderful.

After splitting the check (over Y/N’s loud protest of, “Let me pay, Novak, or I’ll tell the waiter you’re a fry thief!”), they stepped outside into the crisp night air.

“So,” Y/N said, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. “Did I pass your interview, or should I expect a rejection email in the morning?”

Casey smirked. “I’ll have to review my notes, but you might be safe for now.”

Y/N tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eye. “Safe enough for a second date?”

Casey considered her for a long moment. “We’ll see,” she said lightly, though the corner of her mouth twitched in a way that betrayed her amusement.

Y/N grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Of course you will.”

They lingered for a moment, the playful banter fading into something softer as their eyes met.

“Well,” Y/N said finally, her voice quieter, “I guess this is where I let you get back to your very busy, lawyer-y life.”

Casey hesitated for just a second before stepping closer, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile. “Text me when you get home.”

Y/N’s smile widened. “Whatever you say, Counselor.”

And as Casey turned to walk away, she realized she was already looking forward to seeing that smirk again.

[novella-november]

This isn't going to be another "you hate fanfiction!!" because very obviously you do not, but it is prompted by the discussion of branching out into original work, since it's something I often struggle with when trying to make that jump. Do you or any of your followers have any good resources on beginner worldbuilding? I really struggle with it.

Thank you!

If you check out my post where I made a "Prep Calendar" for Outline October (Which is a November-prep alternative/ supplement to Ominous October, the spooky short story event), I actually made a rather rough calendar outline of how to go about world building in advance for November;

The basic first steps for me are usually just three things:

Who are your characters

What kind of world do they live in (aka setting)

Whats your main plot/conflict?

To start worldbuilding at its lowest level, start with number one and work your way up; figure out what kind of character you'd like to write, where they live, and go from there!

Here is the prep calendar I threw together in MS paint, I definitely reccomend downloading it on desktop to actually zoom in to see what all it says lol.

And as a bonus, I will even make a fun, silly little exercise for anyone who'd like to get some practice in!

If you want to join in, grab a pen and pencil, or open up your favorite note-taking app :D

Here we go....!

Let's start out by saying that my basic concept for a character is *spins mental wheel of random ideas*....... a talking deer! 1) So now that I have decided that I want a talking deer character, now I have to decide: A) do *all*deer talk? B) Do *all* animals? C) Or is it just this one singular deer who is special? 2) If it *is* just this one singular deer who can talk, are they: D) otherwise a perfectly normal deer who just happens to be able to talk? E) Can they talk because they used to be human? F) Can they talk because they used to be an Alien or encountered Alien Tech (scifi) ? G) Can they talk because they used to be a Magical Creature or ran into a Magical Spell (fantasy) ? 3) Now you get to decide, mostly if you chose A or B from #1 but also useful for C : H) Is your story a more personal nature documentary, with realistic interactions between predators and prey? I) Is your story going to be a unique world where deer have built a society with technology and know how to defend themselves from predators? J) Is your story a unique world where all animals can talk and are equally sentient, therefore predators are revered as gods or keepers of the dead, who bring all back to the circle of life and prevent the spread of illness and disease, with older animals proudly going "to the wolves" to give their life to their brethren who consecrate the bones of the dead and keep resources plentiful? K) Or are predators the monsters in the dark, the teeth that bite, the slavering jaws that kill to live and *cannot live any other way*, so has learned not to regret? L) Or even, predators who feed from the already-dead when they can, and eat their fill of berries, nuts and fruits when they cannot, because they do not wish to take the lives of others for their own sake?

*clears throat* ahem. Drama done (can you see why I love worldbuilding) ,

go ahead and pick a letter from each of the above options, and jot them down on your paper or note-taking app.

You now have: A basic character, their backstory, and a basic setting!

From three-ish questions from a basic idea, you can spawn multiple possibilities, each of which can branch off into their own unique iterations!

Here's a few more, if you'd like to continue the exercise as further practice:

What is your deer's name?

What do they look like / what kind of deer are they? (deer of various species are found over almost the entire world, so there is tons of variety! :D )

What kind of world do they live in?

How do they interact with humans?

*are* there humans in your story?

What kind of zany or terrifying adventures would your talking deer and a human go on?

What kind of adventures would your talking deer go on with other deer or other animals?

How does your deer get along with other species?

Do they have friends from other species?

Do they have rivals from other species?

Do they have *sworn enemies* from other species?

Do they have a *love interest* from another species?

etc!

I am hoping this game/exercise is helpful, my brain being both autistic and ADHD means I am, at the drop of a hat, ready to start spouting more and more ideas sparked from a single concept at any given moment!

And yes, if you did this exercise, please feel free to use your deer character in a story, draw art of your deer character, etc!

If this exercise was helpful to you or fun, please feel free to tag any deer creations with "NovellaDeer" , I'd love to see them!

You can easily adapt this exercise to any story concept you need to worldbuild; pick what basic idea you have for a main character, and start asking yourself questions about them and their circumstances, and let yourself come up with multiple, contradicting answers for each question; the more the merrier!

After you've decided which starting answers you like the most, you can work your way down the list, asking follow-up questions, and before you know it you will have your very own original character :D

And do not feel like you need to keep your character exactly the way they start out as; characters evolve over time, and you may find yourself changing their "base" character to suit your story or to suit your tastes as you get more experienced with writing and world building!

[bubbleseo]

Hihi! To answer your question I was hoping for a reaction post :> thanks in advance!

ahhh ok!

jiwoong doesn’t have any sisters but he’s definitely been in a long term relationship so he’d know what to do. it would take one or two periods for him to figure out exactly how it hits you. after that he’s the perfect boyfriend for your period. he helps you take showers when you feel too awful to do it yourself, let’s you lay on him while you watch movies and massages where your cramps hit you the worst, and has secretly looked in your bathroom to figure out what period products you use so he can buy them for you

from what i’ve found, hao is an only child so he’d be pretty lost at first. he would take your mood swings like a champ though and is always there for you mentally. he would be a little embarrassed to buy you things like pads or tampons but he’d get over it quickly because he knows it’s natural and nothing to be ashamed of. he seems to show his love through affection so expect him to be literally on top of you the entire time. he’s your human weighted blanket :)

hanbin has a younger sister and is really close with his mom so he has the basics down. if you’re regular he downloads the app that tracks your period so he always knows when you’re about to start before you do. he’ll make your favorite foods and cravings and will stock up the house so you have all the medicine and products you need. if it’s an especially rough month, he’d call his mom while you’re asleep and ask if there’s anything more he can do.

matthew has an older sister so he’s dealt with periods for nearly his whole life. he’s not embarrassed to buy you anything you need and will wait on you hand and foot for the entire time you’re on your period. seeing you in pain hurts him more than anything else so he tries to distract you by telling you awful dad jokes jiwoong told him. would probably make some remark about how if he was a girl he hopes that you’d synch up with him

taerae has a sister that’s significantly older than him so he’s familiar with periods. however, having a sister on her period is different than your partner on their period so he’s a little lost when you want to be near him the whole time. if yours are really bad, he’d google ways to help you and would put them in the notes app on his phone for future reference. he’d sing you to sleep if you’re having a hard time sleeping from the pain and would be so gentle the entire time

from what i’ve gathered, ricky is an only child. pair that with the fact that he started training at a young age and you’ve got the most clueless boy ever. he’s literally running around the store buying anything that advertises period relief and buys every variety of pad and tampon. when he brings it all home and you start laughing he gets embarrassed but then excited because he made you laugh. he wouldn’t let you do a single thing for yourself the whole time you’re on your period and is asking every other member with a sister what helped them. he’s more prepared next time but it definitely takes a couple periods for him to get the hang of it

[stardust-swan]

How to Fly Like a Hollywood Star - Part 3: On the Plane

[Part 1: Packing] [Part 2: Before the Airport and at the Airport]

🛩 Food can be expensive on planes so bring something to eat, like a mozarella and sun-dried tomato sandwich on olive bread, some almonds, a fresh fruit, or even a whole bento box. Herbal teabags are also a good idea, just ask the cabin crew for a cup of hot water. Peppermint (to stay awake), chamomile (to make you feel calm), and ginger (for nausea) are all perfect.

🛩 Neck pillows work wonders for international flights (bring a pillow case from home to go over said pillow. Keep it in your bag until the flight to stop it from getting gross). Eyemasks and ear plugs/noise cancelling headphones are a good idea too.

🛩 Bring a cashmere wrap, or small cashmere blanket on board. Audrey Hepburn always had one throughout the years to keep her comfy on film sets and planes.

🛩 Try to pee before getting on the plane

🛩 Drink lots of water and bring a lip balm, small moisturiser, or even a couple of sheet masks, as the cabin air is quite dry. Food and drink high in electrolytes, such as nuts, tomato juice, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut water, and sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade also help combat dehydration. You can bring electrolyte tablets instead if you want.

🛩 Compression socks can help prevent your legs swelling and bruising.

🛩 Pay attention to the safety demonstration, and know how many rows away your seat is from the nearest exit (which may be behind or before you).

🛩 Download the Timeshifter app (for Apple and Android) to help combat jet lag. I can't recommend it enough.

🛩 If you choose to drink alcohol, remember that one drink on the ground is two in the sky. You will feel the alcohol a lot more when flying due to the altitude and cabin pressure.

🛩 Pass the time by reading a book with beautiful prose or listening to some relaxing music (Part 2 has links to sites you can use to download literature and music).

🛩 When you start the climb to cruising altitude, chew some gum to stop you ears popping. Pinching your nose shut and trying very hard to breathe out of your nose helps alleviate ear pressure/pain.

🛩 Bring hand sanitiser or antibacterial wipes if the airline allows them (Naomi Campbell is in the habit of disinfecting her entire seat!)

🛩 Turbulence is normal and has never crashed a plane. If you get nervous, close your eyes and pretend you're on a bus/car. It will feel like you're just driving over a bumpy road.

🛩 Be nice to airline and airport employees. Even if things are going wrong, it’s usually not their fault. Being nice can get you better service sometimes (meal vouchers during delays, better seats, an earlier flight, etc.).

🛩 If you're travelling alone, and planning to sleep on your flight, ask the ticket counter when you check in if you can be put in an empty row. When you get to the gate, ask if the row is still empty, and if it's not, to be moved to an empty row. Take some melatonin and a night time ibuprofen after your meal, lay across the row, and get some sleep.

🛩 Don't sleep with your legs crossed.

🛩 Changing into pyjamas on a night time flight will make the flight comfier, and you'll feel refreshed when you change back into your street clothes.

🛩 Meditate. Or close your eyes and just breathe. Take advantage of the fact that you are miles away from your everyday life, and no one can find you.

🛩 When flying private, act casual. Asking where the flight is departing from is acceptable. Asking "Wow! Is this yours?" is not.

🛩 And most importantly, enjoy your trip!

[allylikethecat]

i hate inflicting more pain onto him but you do "insecure matty comforted by g" so well, could we get a little snippet on him reacting to all the "twink death" posts on twitter 🥹

HELLO KIND ANON!

Thank you so much for going rogue and just like... sending me a prompt that wasn't on any kind of list. If anyone else wants to just... send me a prompt situation from the depths of their mind I am HERE and READY for it!

This little snippet ended up being 2k words and I'm not totally sure how that happened and I was going to try and cut it down some but then decided that this was my blog so I can do what I want and we are full send posting the entire thing. I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but here we are! Also I mean no offense to anyone with this one (Fictional!Matty per the prompt is upset about the Twink Death posts and it sends him spiraling about his relationship with fans and also fictional!George) and I hope you enjoy it! Also I 100% made up the twitter handle and I mean no offense if there is anyone out there with that handle.

Thank you so much and let me know what you think!

❤️Ally

Matty knew he wasn’t supposed to be on Twitter anymore. His therapist had told him so, George had told him so. Social media was a cesspool, it wasn’t real life, and it only ever served to bring him down. Matty knew he had an addictive personality, and a short attention span, so sometimes it felt like social media had been made just for him, projecting colorful, easily digestable, bite size bits of information right to his brain. (Rationally he knew that was the entire point of an algorithm but that didn’t mean it made him feel any less special.)

Scrolling through Twitter was like pressing on a bruise, he couldn’t help but love the sting even though it only hurt him. Whenever he went on Twitter he ended up doom scrolling until he sent himself into a depressive spiral, focusing on all the people who hated him and wanted him to overdose and die, which he then coped with by getting drunk and posting the wrong thing. 

Matty knew he wasn’t supposed to be on Twitter anymore, but George was distracted and Matty was too tired to even sleep and apparently a masochist as he settled onto the hotel bed and re-downloaded the app, a white X on a black background instead of the blue bird he had grown to love to hate. He logged in quickly with one of his many burner accounts, a ‘75 fan account that no one had even joking speculated was actually him. A tingling thrill of anticipation moved up his spine, not unlike the buzz he used to feel when he went out to score, as his feed loaded. He quickly glanced over at George guilty, who was still staring intently at his laptop, sitting at the hotel desk, headphones on, working on something. He felt like a little kid with his hand in the cookie jar, just asking to be caught and disciplined.

Confident that George wouldn’t be paying him any mind, at least for a little while, Matty began scrolling. There were fans proclaiming their love for him, and that they wanted to have his babies, invasive fan theories about him and Ross of all people that couldn’t be further from the truth, pictures of Taylor in Brazil, then more pictures of her pretending she gave a rat's arse about football. Sandwiched between a gif of a cat falling off of the counter and a tweet proclaiming Jack Antanoff a chaos gremlin Matty saw it.

He nearly scrolled past the two pictures posted side by side. If he was going to be naughty and looking through twitter, he was going to at least try and avoid too much of his own press, but he couldn’t help but stop. It was a picture of him from 2014, he was on stage, clutching a microphone and a cigarette in the same hand, his pale blue button down half unbuttoned and nearly slipping off his shoulder, his collar bone jutting out razor sharp. His curls were overgrown and unbrushed, falling around his face, a dark curtain he used to desperately hide behind. He had a vague memory of that day, at least he thought it might have been that day. He had been wearing that shirt the first time George kissed him for real. It had been the last time he had worn the shirt as well, the buttons hadn’t survived George’s eager hands. 

The other picture was from a few nights ago, a tight gray tee shirt clinging to his chest and biceps, the mustache he had grown back at George’s sheepish request twitched in amusement. He looked so much healthier in the second photo, and he was surprised to see it, surprised to see how stark the contrast was. He was pleased that the fans were seeing it too, that they were seeing how much work he had been putting into himself. He wasn’t hiding behind his hair anymore, hence the shorter curls. He was eating better, he was working out. He was trying not to drink as much, he was trying not to smoke as much. He was, after years of therapy, and a few hospital stays that he was happy never actually made it into the press, and more patience and support from George than Matty was sure he deserved, he was actually doing well. The new combination of medication was helping, even if he didn’t want to admit it. 

Then he saw the caption. Twink Death. He blinked. What did they mean, twink death. He was actively taking steps to better himself and healyslut69 was clearly being ridiculous, acting like a piece of him had died. He was the same person, he just wasn’t twenty five and addicted to smack anymore. Not that he had ever been a twink in the first place. He was a manly man, thank you very much. He clicked on the tweet, eager to scroll through the thread and see the replies calling out healyslut69 for being absolutely ridiculous. Twink Death, he scoffed, absolutely ridiculous. That was until he saw that all of the replies were in agreement with healyslut69. They were all mourning his alleged twink death.

He let out a little whine of frustration, then quickly glanced up from his phone to make sure George hadn’t heard him. Thankfully, George was still engrossed in whatever track he was working on, headphones on, clicking away. This is absolutely ridiculous, Matty thought, thumbing away from the thread to go back to his feed. This group of fans didn’t know what they were on about. He frowned as he saw another post relating to the topic, then another, and then another. He swallowed hard. Maybe healyslut69 wasn’t the one that was wrong. Maybe he was. 

He scrolled up, finding the original tweet once again. He looked at the two photos, bringing his phone up closer to his face to examine them as if he wasn’t looking at the face he saw in the mirror every morning. Maybe he didn’t look like the same person anymore. Maybe it was more than just getting clean, cutting his hair and gaining at least a stone. Maybe a piece of him really had died. He swallowed hard, his thick smoker’s saliva catching in his throat causing him to cough wetly. At that George did turn his head, lifting one of the headphones away from his ear. 

“You ‘right?” George asked, frowning, as he took in the look on Matty’s face. 

Matty quickly waved him off. “Yeah, just swallowed wrong,” he said, flashing George a thumbs up.

George frowned but turned back to his laptop anyway and Matty went back to his phone, clicking on the original tweet must have triggered something in his algorithm because he was suddenly bombarded with posts about how much he had changed, how much the fans wanted the “old Matty back” how they wanted to “Make Matty Gay again” as if he wasn’t in a fucking relationship with a man and had been for the past nine years. 

The more he read the more the self doubt started creeping in. It was slow at first, and he almost didn’t notice it. It was like frostbite, creeping through his body, overwhelming his senses without him even realizing until it was too late. He pressed the side button to lock his phone and tossed it onto the bed, where it proceeded to slide off the sheets and land on the floor with a clatter. He let out a groan of frustration and self pity, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes. He just couldn’t fucking win. 

“Okay,” said George, taking his headphones completely off and spinning around in the swivel chair to look at Matt, quickly glancing at his phone on the floor, then back to Matty. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” said Matty stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest, feeling ridiculous for even being upset that some faceless fan account was mourning his supposed “twink death,” even as his lower lip began to tremble. Fuck Matty though, unable to meet George’s gaze and the loving concern he knew he was going to see painted across his face. He was going to start crying. He froze, feeling like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. What if George didn’t find him as attractive anymore, what if George missed how he used to look, all skinny and delicate, with long messy hair, sucking on a cigarette instead of eating breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

What if that was why their sex life had gotten less active as they got older. They still had plenty of sex, and Matty had always been satisfied, but what if that was the reason the shirt destroying urgency was gone, what if that was why George wasn’t tossing him onto the nearest surface at every opportunity anymore. Matty had thought they were just getting older, maturing, leveling out, but what if George just wasn’t as attracted to him anymore?! What if that was why George had wanted him to grow the mustache, what if he was trying to find some new way to make sleeping with him less of a chore. 

Matty couldn’t help it, he looked up, at kind, sweet, understanding and supportive George, who forced himself to fuck him even though he wasn’t attracted to him anymore, and instantly burst into the tears he had been fighting. 

George blinked in surprise, clearly he hadn’t been expecting that. He stood up, closing the distance between them as he sat down next to Matty on the bed, carefully pulling him into his arms even as Matty kept his hands pressed to his face. 

“What’s wrong, love,” said George softly, rubbing a large hand in careful circles against Matty’s back. “Did something happen? Is your family okay?” 

Guilt burned in Matty’s stomach, as he pressed his hand to his mouth as if he could push all the upset back inside of his chest, as if he could swallow it back down to his belly where it belonged. 

“They’re fine,” Matty said with a hiccup, “I’m fine, sorry, fuck, I’m fine,” he rubbed at his eyes, even as his breath hitched, “you can get back to work, I’m fine.” 

“Matthew,” said George softly, pulling Matty’s hands away from his face. “Something is clearly wrong, what can I do to help?” 

George’s kindness just made Matty cry harder, burying his face in George’s shoulder. He knew he was being extremely dramatic and over the top right now, crying because some fans on the internet were mourning his alleged “twink death” was ridiculous even for him. But it wasn’t just about the fans on the internet, it was hundreds of little things he had pushed down until he just couldn’t take it anymore and it all boiled over. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be famous anymore, he wasn’t sure he ever had. 

It was the fans that seemed to hate him always criticizing his outfit choices, the ones complaining about the set lists he painstakingly put together, the ones who complained that he didn’t talk enough during gigs, and the ones who complained when he did. It was the fans, and not fans, that took every word he had ever spoken ever, and twisted it round in circles until it didn’t even make sense anymore. It was the ones accusing him of being the worst person alive. It was the ones wishing death upon him and his loved ones. It was the way that no matter what he did, no matter how much of himself he gave to the masses, it was never enough and never what they wanted. He was just so fucking tired, and seeing that tweet broke something inside of him in a way that he hadn’t been expecting. It filled him with even more self loathing and doubt, why had he even bothered to get clean, why had he even bothered to try and get healthy, everyone liked him better strung out anyway it seemed. 

“Just some dumb fans on the internet,” said Matty quietly, trying to get his breathing under control, George was still rubbing his back soothingly.

“Matty,” said George sadly, his heart breaking. He wasn’t going to address the fact that they both already knew Matty wasn’t supposed to be looking at Twitter. 

“Do you,” said Matty, pulling away slightly, needing to hear the words straight from George’s mouth, needing to rip the bandaid off. If George didn’t like him like this he would figure it out. He’d lose the weight again, he’d grow out his hair. “Do you,” he swallowed hard, “do you still like me?” 

“What kind of absolute bullshit question is that?” George asked, “of course I like you Matty, I fucking love you.” 

Matty swallowed again, weighing his words. “Are you, are you still attracted to me?” 

“Jesus Christ Matty,” said George, “what is this about? Yes I’m very much still attracted to you, always have been and always will be.” 

“Even though I’m not as,” Matty could bring himself to say the word, “delicate anymore?” he asked instead. 

“What do you mean?” George asked not following along. Matty sighed and pulled away from George’s arms, leaning over the side of the bed to retrieve his phone. He unlocked it, keeping his eyes down cast as he handed it to George.

George frowned, looking over the tweet, a crinkle forming between his eyebrows. He relocked Matty’s phone without saying a word and reached over to set it on the nightstand. 

“I,” said George leaning in and pushing Matty onto his back so he could hover over him. “Love you.” He kissed Matty’s deeply, licking into his mouth, before nipping lightly on his lower lip. “And I will always love you and think you’re the sexiest man alive.” 

“Even though I’m not a twink anymore?” Matty couldn’t help but ask even as he felt George’s erection digging into his thigh. 

George snorted. “If anything, it’s even hotter that I don’t have to worry about hurting you.” 

Matty couldn’t help the grin that broke out across his face, and George couldn’t help but kiss it away. 

[heymacy]

Could you say more, ifyou want, about how it feels better to be over your Shameless hyperfixation?

I have been thinking for months that it might greatly improve my mental health if I could get over my Shameless and Gallavich hyperfixation because sometimes it brings me joy but sometimes it causes me to spiral downward.

of course! this got long winded because of who i am as a person so my thoughts are under the cut 💛

first of all, i don't want anyone to think that my opinion on fandom has changed whatsoever. i still think fandom is beautiful and transformative and inspiring and all the lovely superlatives. this is not me talking down about fandom at all, this is just me talking about my personal experience. i will definitely continue to engage with fandom in varying capacities as i have since i was 14 years old. that won't change. i think the main difference is that i no longer feel consumed by the show. it used to be that i would plans my days around fandom activities, think about the show/characters constantly, and spend (i shit you not) 90% of my free time engaging and creating. but it just isn't like that anymore.

i didn't necessarily do anything to make this happen, it just did. but there were definitely catalysts. for example, a lot of the shameless content we consume and engage with is pursuant to ian's bipolar storyline which, to me, is very personal and intense. being bipolar myself, it became very difficult to be constantly surrounded by content about my disease - especially when so much of that content was full of really bad takes or insensitive jokes that hurt me on a very deep, personal level. i realized that if i were to embrace my waning interest fully, to step back and give myself some space, i wouldn't be inundated with that kind of hurt anymore. i wouldn't spiral like i had been and instead i could focus that energy onto maintaining my own mental health and wellbeing. so that's what i did. and it WORKED. so because of that, i feel better.

i also feel better because now i have more time and energy to engage with new and different things. for so long, shameless was one of the only shows i watched. shameless fic was one of the only things i read. shameless gifs and metas were almost exclusively the only things i posted and shared around these parts (which made sense, me being a fandom blog and all). yet somehow, in light of it all, i wasn't enjoying myself anymore. i wasn't engaging because i wanted to engage, i was engaging because i felt a compulsory need to do so. i mean, it had been my entire life for three years, what the fuck else was i supposed to do? so i made the decision to stop, even if it only lasted a week or two. i stopped watching my favorite episodes on repeat. i stopped reading fics and deleted the ones i'd downloaded from my kindle app so as to resist temptation. essentially, i cut myself off cold turkey. then step two, if you will, was to push myself to engage with new content and hobbies, even if only to cleanse my palette. so i read new books and watched new movies and fell down random niche YouTube rabbit holes. and wouldn't you know it, it felt SO GOOD. i discovered new blorbos and watched some delightful films and started doing practical, real-world things like learning to cook and organizing my apartment. i went from feeling flat and one-dimensional, like i was only made up of one basic component, to fully formed and three-dimensional, a well-rounded human being. believe me, and please don't misinterpret what i'm saying here, i am fully aware than 98% of people that engage in fandom activities are fully formed, three-dimensional, well-rounded individuals that can engage with variety of content while maintaining that fandom/life balance. that just wasn't MY reality. still, i managed to break the hyperfixation off at the roots and i feel 5000x better for it. sometimes it's what's necessary to get to a headspace where if you wanted to engage, you could, and you could do it in a healther, more well-balanced way.

i think that if you feel your interest waning even the slightest bit, or if you feel like you're too consumed by it, or if it's not sparking joy anymore, or you're concerned about your mental wellness - take a step back. try engaging with something new and different. ask for recommendations from friends. give that new show everyone is talking about a try. pick up a hobby that's completely removed from media (i've started drawing again) and throw yourself into it entirely. or just sit there! allow yourself to be bored and aimless for a little while! it feels weird but i think it was a necessary thing for me to do. what worked for me and got me to this place definitely won't work for everyone, especially because everyone's levels of engagement and consumption are different, but i think for me it was always an inevitability that this was just a season for me. and a necessity, because i was Not Doing Well near the end of things.

lastly - and if you've made it this far i am genuinely sorry i'm so long-winded and Like This - i love you. i'm sorry that your hyperfixation has you feeling this way. i relate and understand completely and if you ever need someone to talk to about it, you can always come to me for a chat or a vent or even just a different perspective on things. i wish you all the best and i'll be here as a friend and a resource while you figure it all out!

[ideahat-universe]

Youtube's insane war with Adblock

Anti Adblock has been the bane of any casual website viewing experience and any website I visits that had those banners is typically written off entirely, and now Youtube is one of them but they take it to a whole nother level. Apparently on the Ublock reddit. They have to routinely change up how they block the banner every couple of days and by extension, you will have to update your ublock every couple of days for it to work and may have to only use Ublock because it can conflict with other blockers.

How did we get here? Oh right, every multi million dollar corporation keeping the lights on with advertisements. Advertisements so bad the our governments actually consider it a good idea to have ad block on because advertisements are a hotbed for malware to speak nothing of deepfakes or outright scam ads that the FTC considers too small a problem to get rid of.

I mean ever since Ross from the game dungeon released his video where he said that Games as a Service are Scams I've been workshopping basically the same sentiment for advertisements.

Companies sell ad space with no expectation that customers will click on the ads, only that for all intents and purposes, they presented the ads to you and are thus owed money for providing that service.

Advertisers dump tens of thousands of dollars just so the advertisement can be clicked on with the possible chance of making a sale as that's the only way to actually get a return on the investment of the advertisement in the first place.

After all a really great product doesn't even need an advertising budget per se. Word of mouth is so powerful, hell, a 7-10 review of a product from a random youtuber generates more attention and sales than a million dollar super bowl advertisement. As long as you get the right Youtuber it's way more cost effective to not have traditional ad spaces.

Not that sponsors are free from guilt. Sponsors are often scams as well. There's been more than a couple sponsored products that were scams but unlike Youtube/Google which can sell ad space to con artists and never suffer an issue, one video from Scott Schafer can convince the youtube community to effectively deplatform a bad product or service.

I mean Raid Shadow Legends still falls through the cracks but it's better than nothing.

But I've been preparing for this, actually a few people have. Louis Rossman has been working on some Manhattan project called Grayjay that will bring multi platform streaming all under one app.

There are of course other streaming platforms with different, more affordable hosting methods as well as ways to monetize content that hopes to not make the same mistakes Youtube makes with budgeting.

There's my method which is downloading every video you think you'll ever want to watch more than once, putting it on a single hard drive and then using some server hosting service like Plex and you just stream your own content to yourself (which by the way is really affordable to do as long as you are okay with 1080p to 360p as higher resolutions on very long videos like streams will soak up a lot of space for what is just one video).

A third method is installing Linux on a machine and gain access to some linux exclusive apps like Freetube which removes the bad aspects of Youtube and only has the videos as well as sponsorblock with no ads to boot (you won't be able to block content though and there's no algorithm so you better know what you want to find because you are on your own for real).

The last method is Vanced. It was supposed to be dead but like a building that's closed 11 months in a year, it sprung to life one day and now lives although you will have to have a android device and learn the side loading method to get it really working.

I've been saying this about Youtube and Twitter X for awhile now but you really should consider a future where Youtube doesn't exist, companies are tightening their budgets across the board, once the advertising firm gets slashed basically everything dependent on it will evaporate. Not enough people will ever use Youtube Red to keep the lights on for Youtube as Youtube's budget is constantly scaling and impossible to price in.

The lost media Youtube will create when it shudders is beyond your comprehension.

[yesterdaywastheonlyeasyday]

To the ends of the Earth ..

On entering the Radio Maria Philippines HQ in Tarlac in central Luzon, I was greeted by the familiar image of Our Lady of Tihaljina on their logo and immediately knew the quality of their mission. The focus is almost entirely on prayer, both the Mass and Rosary broadcasts daily coupled with the prayer of the church and solid Catholic teaching.

Each Radio Maria station in the world has its own special role to play in bringing the Gospel to the people. Here the terrestrial coverage is limited to a few regions of the country but it struck me that it’s real potential was way beyond that.

We have reached a stage in human history where we can almost ‘proclaim the gospel to every creature’ by partnering with technology. The station is also available through internet and an App for IOS and Android smart phones and can be heard all over the world. This is particularly important for Filipinos because the work force is so mobile. More than 2 million are OFW’s (Overseas Foreign Workers) and are often employed in some of the most inhospitable countries where the faith is restricted or outlawed entirely but via Radio Maria they can now stay connected to their faith and join in unity with this huge praying community and in their own language.

Another enormous potential audience are the seafarers. Somewhere between 30-40% of the world’s seamen are Filipinos as Maritime schools have flourished here for many decades. It can be a lonely and isolated life spending months at sea without much to feed the soul, but now they can listen in and join together in prayer as they plough the ocean and sea roads.

Most of the funding comes from the pennies of the poor: parishes and school children filling tins with coins to keep the station running and volunteers provide most of the content as well. A class of school kids might be leading the Rosary on air today, a group of college students from another town tomorrow so it’s really a grassroots and providential undertaking.

Before I left, the station Director Fr. Raymund Cruz told me news that quickened my spirit even more. They are just starting a new station in one of the darkest corners of Europe…England.

In my mind’s eye, I could see the angels gearing up for this Marian invasion of my homeland. It’s almost a thousand years since the apparitions of Our Lady in Walsingham, at one time a shrine almost as popular as Jerusalem or Rome; such was the strength of faith and Marian devotion in those days. Perhaps the Mother of God is set to reclaim England which in ancient times was referred to as the ‘dowry of Mary’ How wonderful to live in such days of restoration!

To download the Radio Maria App to your phone go here to their website:- https://www.radiomaria.ph/

Mary's Garden (Walsingham Music Video) https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=GDWKPNNX

[nnedix]

New Beginning

It's been a min...I know, but I'm super stoked for a few months ago, I bought a brand new gaming laptop. High end Lenovo with a 4080 built in! I'm so excited for the next gen of gaming and bringing Sims 3 with me everywhere I go now. I do still need to set up my Sims game properly and everything, but once I do, I'll try my best to post at least monthly to start off.

In these past few months, I've been doing some troubleshooting to my game saves (since they were running way too slow and causing lots of unnecessary headaches playing) and took out some ancient mods (that actually corrupted all of my saves) RIP, saves from all the way back from 2014🤪😤🙃 so I pretty much have to start over. I do have some of my fav sims saved in the bin (so not everything is lost) but still, some bs (but that's life).

Also, I have also realized that the Sims 3 modding community is still alive and well, which is great, so I have been updating some mods, some I've removed (including Story Progression) which is one of the main reasons my game was running dumb slow and crashing excessively. And added new ones like Dutchess Smooth Patch (which is incredible btw) among many others.

When it comes to CC, I am just ever adding more and more every time I log into this damn app and spam download for hours. I have also noticed that my game does have some bad CC, which I have gone down the list of searching and deleting it with Nraas help, but some are not even searchable, so hiding it indefinitely will just have to do. I don't want to delete my entire CC over like 7 bad files I cannot find ugh.

I do have some long overdue music video content I want to eventually record, but I really want to take the first few months to play Sims like I used to and just enjoy the game again before I dive back into creation mode.

Overall, I'm excited for these next few months, in getting back to playing and also dabbling into new life sims like InZoi and whenever Paralives drops. I'm excited for what 2025 has in store. :)

[theboardwalkbody]

I scrolled until 8:30pm when they said it would go dark. It didn't. I stayed 6 minutes past that and had to go drive home. I was hopeful, for just a few minutes, that it would maybe stay up until midnight after all.

I downloaded that app in 2020 after swearing I w wouldn't. That thing got me through lockdown. It got me through nursing school. It was there when I was depressed, anxious, happy and more. I laughed, cried, learned, and got to see videos from some amazing people.

I've watched foster kittens thrive (and some cross the rainbow bridge). I've made recipes from videos I've watched that turned out so good. I've got to keep up with hilarious memes. I discovered new music/artists. I discovered EPIC: the Musical before any songs had been released and got to follow the entire journey from concept to completion. I've been able to keep up with news, especially events not even being covered on mainstream media. I got to see firsthand videos/accounts of people sharing their stories in tragedy such as hurricanes, fires, and floods. I've seen amazing videos from people who are no longer with us. I've seen men and women in their 80s, 90s, and a few 100+, sharing their stories, singing to us, and participating in silly trends/memes. Hearing them say thank you for following them and goodbye were some of the hardest videos to watch.

It was an amazing experience. The trending sounds from my first year on that app will forever fill me with the mixture of happiness and sadness that nostalgia brings. I went and saved a few videos that i remembered off the top of my head that I didn't want to loose but it's just not the same and there's millions of others I'll wish I can see again. Users who frequently popped up on my FYP that I may never see again.

I'll wonder how they all are. I'll wonder how their pets are. I'll wonder how Steven the seagull is, how the coop kitties are, and how that user who fosters wonky kittens is and how the little wonky ones are. I'll wonder about those older folk, and I hope they find another outlet for connecting with others and having fun.

Maybe it will come back Monday, or soon after, but I'm not sure it will be the same if it's been sold (which may be the case). Yes, I'll check it out still but either way this is definitely the end of an era.

There's really no where else for me to put my feelings on this out there. My family doesn't use it (save for my niece who used it the way kids do, my sister who was a casual lurker, and my cousin who posted videos of him and his dog doing jujitsu moves). I had a few friends on there but I think one of them is in active denial about it to the point she's ignoring my comments about it being shut down. My boyfriend actively loathes it and is glad it's gone. I very rarely posted my own videos (didn't think I was funny enough and I hate the way I look and my life is boring anyway) but just watching other's videos was enough.

It seems silly to mourn an app, but I have had such a great time there.

Thank you, TikTok, for my 2020 - Jan 18th 2025 experience.

[lillyspeakz]

VENTING!!! GOOD RESOLUTION, THOUGH!!! KIND OF???

okay, so, i'm at a pretty shitty time in my life mentally. i'm okay physically, not being brought down by an toxic counterpart or anything. i just have a lot of inner turmoil from my life kicking my ass and that really demotivates me.

i've tried to fix this by downloading a journal app on my phone, but i only get a few consistent entries in and then forget about the app entirely. what i've come to notice is that i only ever get the urge to download a journal app when i'm overwhelmed by negative emotions and have nobody to console me.

so, this was my totally big brain solution: no joy journal. yes, i dolled up my own journal for a place to vent when i'm angry or sad. this way, i won't have to worry about writing down the good, small things in my day to day life. i find that to be almost a chore to write about.

will this be a terrible idea and very cringe to look back on? maybe. possibly. as of right now, i don't care as long as it will bring me back to a neutral state when need be. writing my first entry soon, most likely. wish my dramatic, melancholy ass luck. ✌️

Love it won’t be cringy if it helped you through hard times! Especially now.

I’m so glad you found something that can help you and your state progress into a better place even if it’s for occasional times. It still helps and I’m so proud of you.

Again, and this goes for all of you, if you need anyone to talk to, I’m always here

[sendthesong]

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