#if there's a fandom at all. most people insist there is and then i look and go these are 10 people that you've mistaken for it

[worstloki]

Ragnarok Loki is Loki actually making moves toward growing up bye

Just because you don’t like a thing doesn’t mean it’s Objectively Bad Actually. I Statements are your friend.

Anon darling, I would like you to tell me one move Loki made towards “growing up” that wasn’t ‘Loki let’s go of the issue he had with X’ because what I’m seeing when the movie skips over development to frame the conclusion of ‘Loki’s fine with being jotun and having been lied to and being treated unequal to Thor and punished unfairly’ as something implicit I’m not seeing anything but Loki's narrative being sidelined to the point where breakdowns were tantrums and holding a grudge (which he in my opinion had every right to do if he wanted to) is an overreaction.

That Loki’s ‘moving on’ features resigning himself to continued bad treatment but now no longer complaining about it... shouldn’t be where the character ends up or what he amounts to neither generally or as a continuation of his arc from the previous movies in my opinion, not when he had legitimate grievances that still haven’t been so much as acknowledged.

Just because you like a thing doesn't mean it's Objectively Good Actually either. It is very clear you haven't taken the time to look into posts/interviews detailing why, objectively, the film is a retcon, (along with a majority of posts which thoroughly make clear when things *are* a matter of opinion) but I see that you are happy to criticize whilst not using any 'I statements' yourself.

If you see character changes as consistent continuity that's fine! I've got to remind you that being critical is okay though, and that everyone is free to how they see things.

Additionally, I think you need to hear that a post detailing negative points of a movie is not equivalent to saying there aren't positive factors.

[piduai]

Why do you hate Tsukishima so much?

hate is a strong word i just want him to get run over by a car

[foundfamilynonsense]

I don’t think some people realize why the gray jedi thing pisses some of us off so badly.

Imagine you like lord of the rings and you decide to look around the fandom.

And it turns out that 10+ or something years ago someone wrote a piece of fanfiction where they rewrote the rules for the ring. So instead of it only having one master and corrupting everyone else that tried to use it, it sometimes chooses to take a new master if it feels the person is worthy of it. And therefore this author’s self-insert OC can now use the one ring in all its glory without getting turned crazy.

This fanfic gets published (as some fanfics do) and most of the fandom has read it and loves it.

Now, when you (someone who has only dealt with canon works written by Tolkien) see this fic you go… huh. That’s nice, but it goes against the very point of the books and the lore tolkien created. So while it’s a good fic I’m not going to interact with it.

But then people keep harassing you for taking about/ writing the one ring the way tolkien wrote it to begin with.

And they SWEAR that this is the Actual lore of the one ring, and that YOU are wrong. Which is completely insane to you, because FRODE TOOK IT TO MORDOR FOR A REASON. There is only one lord of the ring!! That’s literally the name of the series that’s what it’s about!! If what the fandom was insisting about was possible, there would be no plot. In the original books.

This is why we are so upset over gray jedi!! Bc if it was possible to use the dark side but still be a good guy then wtf is wrong with Anakin? Why the fuck did Darth Vader fall to the dark side? Why did Luke struggle so much? If you can have your cake and eat it too why are the movies so fuckin long?? Why did Luke fail against Vader in Empire? what lesson did he learn in Return? Why would the movie be called Return of the Jedi if Luke had not learned the Jedi ways????

You can write OC’s as gray jedi all you want but when you start forcing it into canon it literally ruins the movies!

[fallinfl0wers]

i love you more than you'll ever know

fandom: genshin impact characters: albedo, venti, zhongli, xiao, wanderer reader type: gender neutral summary: yearning for someone came hand in hand with heartache. genre: angst and fluff, hurt/comfort. warnings: implied reader's death, also implied character death (xiao and wanderer kinda uh want to unlive themselves but not explicitly? i think?), mourning, slight sumeru spoilers for wanderer's. written as of 3.2 update. notes: inspired by hikaru utada's one last kiss. might do a part two, not sure when it'll be ready haha. xiao's and wanderer's are longer because i love them and i was feeling sadder as i wrote them so lol there they are. i'm sleepy but i wanted to finish these... i'll see if theres anything i need to edit tomorrow.

The meaning of this world, the truth of this world, Albedo thinks, is held within your hands. It is perhaps not the one he was looking for, or the one he had been expected to find, but personally? He would take this as the truth of the world.

Love is the truth of this world, the meaning of all sentient existence. The love one takes and gives, selflessly yet selfish al the same. The kind of love one feels from friends and family and lovers. Love is what really gives the world a meaning for those who live in it.

And for him, it is your love that fills his life with a new meaning.

Love that made him step away from experiments and investigation to take a stroll through the city, love that made him blush and giggle, love that brought a foreign yet sweet warm sensation to his chest, love that you held within your hands every time your fingers intertwined.

Love that somehow, with no reasoning or explanation, survived through all the uncertainty of fate, and the undeniable, unescapable cycle of life and death.

When your and Albedo's story is forced to come to a stop, he won't deny he felt his whole world came crashing down. Yet, more than anything, he feels grateful.

Perhaps at that time, he still would not find the truth of the world his master wanted him to. But one thing is for sure, and that's because of you, and everything you taught him.

If time and chance allow it, his love for you will be immortalized in paintings exhibited in museums; depictions of you and him, and you, you, you and you. Even when he, himself, has long since disappeared, that last trace of your love, of the truth of his world, will be preserved.

For Venti, freedom is everything. He would never tie you down so you could stay with him, even if that is what he would want the most. However, that also means he will not stop you if you, of your own free will, decide to spend the rest of your life with him.

He is selfish, just not selfish enough to decide what is best for you in your stead. This is why, he wholeheartedly decides to love you back without holding anything back, living each day like it is the last, enjoying the present doing anything and everything and nothing all at the same time.

It's ballads and tales, it's drinking and laughing at his silly shenanigans when he gets drunk, it's enjoying the breezes as you glide together and resting on the green hills and valleys of Mondstadt together, every day something new, every day a new memory to keep.

But, he knows, this won't last.

He is very well acquainted with loss, and the fragility of human life.

That is why he insisted on spending so much time together, it is why he was always clingy whenever the timing was right, why he insisted on making you laugh and smile every single day you were together.

The years spent together may seem long to you, even as you took your final breath. Yet, for him, it truly felt like it had been merely the blink of an eye. A momentary sigh, a brief instant of happiness.

Venti will sing ballads of you, for an audience of people or the always reliable, always present audience of the winds. And he knows that, even once his days come to an end, and until the end of this world, your love will be preserved, for eternities to come.

There is, after all, no world where the wind doesn't blow, even if it has come to an stop.

For Zhongli, contracts are everything. In his eyes, promises made are promises kept, and that is precisely what he does.

To you, he promised his love. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, in life and death. In his own experience and words, everything must come to an end and every journey has its final day, but there is no need to rush. This is why, he never makes it a point to consciously think about the clock mercilessly ticking by as you spend your life with him.

Zhongli, the human, lives with you and shares countless experiences after experiences with you. From the simplest glance to the longest conversation to the harshest of arguments to the sweetest of kisses, Zhongli makes sure to live it with you, in the present moment, mind focused on here and now, carving each memory into his heart with the same precision an artist would carve a statue out of the finest jade.

The former god understands and accepts your mortality, and accepts it as a part of what makes you be who you are. He accepts it, and holds your hand, ever so resilient, as you take your last breaths, and bids you goodbye with a grateful smile and teary eyes.

Perhaps the legends of the mighty God of Contracts will never talk about your love, but even if there is no one left to share your memories with him, until erosion eventually claims him too, his heart won't stop beating for you.

Xiao would be lying if he said he never once doubted your sanity in the time he's known you. After all, why would you do something so terrible to yourself like willingly spending time with him? You must've been insane, he thought.

But, in reality, he was glad you were that little bit insane enough to open a space for him in your life.

From the very start, he's known you wouldn't be there forever. He is all too aware of how fragile life is, of how ephemeral you truly are. Like the sweetest of dreams, you feel like a fragile illusion of happiness that will be gone in the blink of an eye. Oh, but you are real, you are oh so real, and he knows it when you cradle his face with your hands and gently wipe the tears that silently fall down from his tired eyes that stare ahead, filled with complicated emotions, on a face far too unused to emoting, on a body far too small for the true amount of feelings that resided within it.

And he is quiet but his mind is loud, keeps him hyper aware of how short these moments of joy and peace are with you. And, although he would've never blamed you if you ever decided to leave him of your own will, he is glad you never did, he is glad that you would never do so. He is glad that you decided to spend your days with him, glad you were patient enough to wait for him to learn how to properly love you, glad you let him love you.

The days spent with you are easily the best fragment of Xiao's life. Short-lived, ephemeral, dreamlike, everything. Unforgettable.

He would like to keep you forever. His most selfish, impossible dream is for you to stay forever by his side. Greedy he is, but never enough to burden you with such thoughts. Instead, he took every opportunity he had to spend time with you, no matter what you were doing, he wanted to be there, even if it was in a place he didn't like, he didn't want to waste a single second of your life.

When you depart from the world of the living, a part of him leaves with you.

And, Xiao knew when he fell in love. You would be the death of him.

He won't last long after you leave.

He'll do his best to live, because he knows you would want him to live, but he truly won't be able to do so for long.

Legends will speak of the tragically beautiful love that Liyue's last Yaksha had towards a human, speak of how he learned how to be human for love, of how his love was so intense and pure it was the only thing that kept him tied to the world of the living for years to come.

And when Xiao's time comes, he smiles as he sheds tears and looks up at the infinite blue sky.

When the light leaves his eyes, and his last breath is a sweet proclamation of his everlasting love for you, he knows.

He will see you in another life, in another world.

It took him three betrayals to finally understand: the world is an elaborated tapestry of lies.

It took him pain and humiliation, having his one purpose taken away, for him to understand: just because you want something, that does not mean you will get it. No matter what you do, if the world decides you won't have it, then you won't.

Receiving kindness from the dendro archon was and the blessing of an anemo vision were some of the things that set him on the right path to find his true wishes on his own, but most importantly, your existence in his life made something inside him turn and twist. You filled him with an achingly bittersweet yearning to love and be loved, you made him want to trust, made him willing to endure pain and betrayal if it meant he could spend eternity with you.

Eternity, the concept that his creator was (or still is, he wouldn't know) so obsessed with, obsessed with enough to discard him like worthless dross and abandon him to fend for himself with no instructions or expectations. Now, Wanderer felt as though he could understand her just a bit.

Or maybe a lot.

Eternity stretches things over a long time, but each moment within it becomes all the more fragile.

Nevertheless, when he had you, when you loved him, he finally understood why his mother was so desperate back then to attain eternity. He, too, when affronted with the harsh reality that you and your comforting warmth would not be around for long, desperately wished for a miracle to happen so he could stay forever with you. You living forever or him going with you once you left, he cared not, he only wanted you you you you and nothing else.

But, as he discovered, after long periods of anger and denial over painful feelings, acceptance is sure to come.

You are not like him in the slightest. Born human, with a heart of your own, knowing kindness and happiness from people around you, while his body was just a mere imitation of human flesh, an empty husk unfit for the only task he was created to perform. Yet, you still loved him as though he was not an easily replaceable abomination, but a human.

After you're gone, he cries the most he's ever cried. Rests his head on your chest that has long since stopped moving up and down with your breathing while his ears are met with silence when before he would listen to your comforting heartbeat, and he cries.

It will be long before the life of the Wanderer comes to an end- after all, he was created to endure an eternity functioning. Every dawn and every sunset, every passing breeze and station, he will remind the days you were together, and smile, as the empty space in his chest weeps silently, waiting, longing, hoping there exists a day in which he can meet you again.

For now, now that you're not with him anymore, he would simply keep walking, chasing the breeze that blows on a bright afternoon.

fallinfl0wers. 2022.

[sister-lucifer]

Hello all well? I just read the new version of the fic "I can ride you until I feel better" from the sub version of the Obey Me boys, so I wanted to ask if you could write a version with the datables characters..

“Can I Ride You Until I Feel Better?” (part 3) 

Read PART ONE and PART TWO 

Diavolo, Barbatos*, Simeon, Solomon x Male Reader (separately) 

Genre: NSFW

Content/Warnings: Dom/Top reader, mentions of riding, slightly OOC Simeon ig? depends on how you perceive him 

Not fully proof read, let me know if you see any errors!

Like my writing? I take requests! NSFW or SFW for any fandoms in my bio! 

Also, please reblog! it’s free, takes two seconds, and really helps me out 

Feed back is encouraged and appreciated:)

*Barbatos uses they/he pronouns 

Diavolo 

Diavolo’s day had consisted of nothing but work, work and more work

He was frustrated, tired, and his brain was fried from staring down at his papers from so long 

He dropped down onto the couch next to you, resting his chin in his hands and letting out a long groan 

“What’s up, Dia?” You asked, brushing away some stray hairs from his forehead 

“I don’t think i’ve had a day that draining in a thousand years…”

“Oh, honey, c’mere…” 

Diavolo laid down with his head in your lap, allowing you to stroke his head 

He stripped off his jacket as well, discarding it on the door thoughtlessly 

“Oh, my love,” Dia sighed, “I need a pick me up…” 

“Anything in mind?” You asked. It was quite obvious that he was already thinking of something

Diavolo turned over to look up at you, somehow keeping a completely straight face as he asked: 

“Can I ride you until I feel better?” 

You were a bit taken aback, but Dia’s calm demeanor didn’t falter 

He was serious, but not trying to be pushy 

Of course you had to agree, and a grin quickly formed on his face 

“Thank you, darling. Now sit back and sit still, I think we’re gonna be here a while…” 

Barbatos 

They may live to serve, but even Barbatos gets worn out from time to time 

He may have more patience than most, but it’s still finite 

They finally got a moment to themself at the end of a long day, and were happy to see you laying in their bed waiting for them 

“Oh, hello, love.” He greeted you. It was short but sweet, although you could still see the tiredness in his eyes 

“Hello, Barbs. You seem worn out. Wanna come lay down?” 

“Yes, actually. That would be nice. I’m not sure why, but today was particularly trying.” 

“I get it. Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you.” 

Soon they had snuggles into bed next to, holding you to their chest and resting his chin on your head 

You could feel the rise and fall of his chest begin to slow as he relaxed, but there was still an odd restless air about them 

“You alright, Barbatos?” 

“Yes, I think so…just, uh, not quite out of ‘work mode’ I suppose…” 

“Well hey, you’re always doing things for other people. Why don’t you let me do something for you instead?” 

Barbatos paused, looking down at you with an intrigued expression  

“Really?”

“Yep. Anything you want Barbs, I’ll do it.” 

“Anything…?” 

You nodded in reply 

Barbatos’ now borderline stoic face gave little to no insight on what they were thinking 

But when they did finally speak, it wasn’t anything you were expecting 

“If you really mean that, then…I think there is something I’d like.” 

Suddenly he was above you, your back now flat on the mattress as you gazed up at him 

“Would you be so kind as to let me—excuse my language—ride you until I feel better?” 

Even in moments like these they were still insistent on being proper 

It was endearing 

And of course you just had to say yes 

“I appreciate it, my dear. I’ll make sure you enjoy it as much as I do.” 

Simeon 

Ooooh booooy 

Y’know how the other characters said you never wanna see Simeon angry?

You don’t 

And he was pissed 

Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or maybe it was some other mundane thing he couldn’t put his finger on 

But something had made today extra difficult 

All he wanted was to go home and get away from everybody but you 

And even though that time eventually came, it felt like it had been an eternity since this morning 

He didn’t even greet Lucifer when he passed 

He just wanted to get to you 

And when he did you were in for a wild ride (pun intended) 

He knew that an angel shouldn’t be thinking or desiring such things, but in his fiery state it seemed like the only thing that could help 

And it was rather easy to push the guilty thoughts away once he had his sights on you 

He was on you the second he was in the door climbing into your lap without so much as a word 

By the time you had said “hello” he was already fumbling with your pants 

“W-Woah, Simeon—! Slow down, w-what are you—“

“Just let me have this human. I need you ride you until I feel better.” 

You could practically feel the frustration radiating off of him, so you simply sat back and let him have his way. 

“Let me make one thing clear to you: I don’t want a word about this in the morning, do you understand? Good. Now behave.” 

Solomon 

Solomon was generally cheery, but today was just not his day 

He was struggling with his spells and couldn’t seem to get anything quite right

Each little mistake piled up into a mountain of frustration 

Until eventually he simply couldn’t take it anymore 

He somehow managed to make it to the end of the day, but was only hanging on by a thread 

He was so very happy to see you in his room, sitting in his bed and waiting for him 

“Oh, my love, I’m so happy to see you. You’re exactly what I need after such a terrible day.”

“Aw, well I’m glad I could help. Want to come lay down?” 

“Mm…not exactly.” 

You quirked a brow in confusion, watching as he sat down on the bed next to you 

“I’ve had a terrible frustrating time today, and I need something to…blow off steam with.” 

He pulled the covers off and straddled your waist, putting his hands on your chest and pushing you down onto your back 

“I think I’d like to ride to until I feel better. Is that alright?” 

You nodded wordlessly, watching as he stripped off his uniform jacket and then shirt 

“Good. You’re always willing to help me out, aren’t you?”

[five-bi-five-mind]

Maybe This Time (Pt. 4)

Fandom: Wonder Woman/DCEU

Pairings: Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) x fem!Reader 

Genre: Angst, Smut, Hurt & Comfort

Words: 5.2k+

Summary: After getting you back, Diana decided to do the only thing she could think of to keep you safe: Take you somewhere they could never find you. Everything feels safer now that you’re away with her, but still you can’t really shake the feeling that things won’t be that simple. Can you just ignore your fears and enjoy your time with Diana or will something else start to get in the way?

Warnings: Mentions of burns, trauma, a little bit of representation of PTSD, smut so clit play (r receiving), fingering (r receiving), nipple play (r receiving). 

A/N: I know I know, this was a long wait. But I hope you all enjoy! There’s still more to come with this series so keep an eye out for updates. 

Series Masterlist || Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 ||

Part 4: In These Arms of Mine

You woke up to the softest sheets and the most beautiful view out your window. In the distance you could hear the rhythmic lap of the water as waves washed over the beach. Never had you awoken to such serene sights and sounds. Yet, you still felt anxiety rise in your chest as you stared at all of the unfamiliarity around you. 

Your breathing quickened and your heart rate sped up. The early morning stupor of having a full night’s sleep not yet leaving your mind. Your confusion was quickly turning to panic, but then you felt her. 

She shifted next to you and for the first time since waking you realized you weren’t alone in the bed. You turned slowly and cautiously to look at her and she looked back at you with a sleepy smile. “You’re safe, little dove,” her voice was raspy as she spoke but immediately she knew what your reaction was. You nodded hesitantly, having heated her voice helped ground you. It’s been a few days since you came here and still you weren’t used to this new place, but soon, you kept promising her. Soon, you’d stop waking up like this. After all, you felt guilty each time you woke her up.

Of course, each time you promised her that soon you wouldn’t wake up the same way, she would say something caring and considerate. “It takes time to heal,” she’d reassure. “You don’t have to hide your fears from me.” She’d sometimes say. Any time you showed your fears, your vulnerability, you were met with the utmost care and concern from Diana. She always knew just what to say to ease all your insecurities.

It’s been a few months now. After you had healed from the kidnapping, you two had spent some time discussing next moves. You insisted that no matter where you went, they’d find you. It always happened like that. Diana came up with a whole new idea. How could they find you in a place where very few people knew existed? So that’s how you found yourself here. In the most breathtaking place you’ve ever been. Themyscira was like nothing you could even imagine in your wildest dreams. The air was fresher, the water more clear. It was untouched by the world you once knew.

At first, you felt incredibly guilty to pull Diana away from her life that she had established, but she reassured you it was getting close to time for her to move on. She didn’t grow old and she was pushing it with the age she did give to the people around her. She too was trying to hide after all, but not for the same reasons. So when she came up with this idea she tried to make it seem like it was no big deal, but still you wondered if it made her sad. You knew from the time you spent working with her, that she loved what she did. But then you saw her arrive on the island and that guilt started to wash away. The way she smiled and how her eyes twinkled as she took in her home made her look even more beautiful to you. You watched in awe as she shrugged off the persona she made as Diana Prince and became Diana, daughter of Hippolyta. She was more free here and it showed. 

You were still nervous here, however. It wasn’t as bad, surely they can’t find you here. At least that’s what you told yourself. Diana and you had both decided to hide out here for a while. You knew she still loved the outside world, despite how comfortable she was in Themyscira. Plus, you both knew the world outside of this island still needed their hero. So, you compromised. Both of you decided to lay low here, but only temporarily. Both of you needed to regroup and recuperate, not just physically but emotionally too. What shook both of you, even if Diana wouldn’t admit it herself, was that these people who were after you were strong. Maybe not quite physically strong as either of you, but they had strength in number and you had a gut feeling there was a great number of them. 

When you got to Themyscira, to your surprise, you were welcomed onto the island with open arms. You were treated as if you were one of them without question. Something that Diana didn’t honestly even see coming. She had warned you that outsiders weren’t exactly a common thing in the island, not necessarily greeted with the most warmth, but she had also reassured you that with her advocacy, they’d come around. She didn’t even need to do that. They immediately embraced you as one of them. It hadn’t been very long and you were hesitant to admit this, but it was all giving you a welcomed familiar feeling. One of family, something you haven’t felt in so long. Warmth would spread in your chest with every time one of the locals would greet you. The people who surrounded Diana and her mother quickly took you under their wing. If Diana was busy with what you called “Princess Duties” then, one of Hippolyta’s righthand women would be with you, teaching you history, customs, you name it about the island. You knew you could fall in love with a person, as you were head over heels in love with Diana, but never did you know you could fall in love with a place. But Themyscira was quickly becoming a rare thing that you cherished. Of all the openness and positivity of those around you, there was only one person you didn’t know how to interact with. Hippolyta herself was kind, but intimating. You chalked it up to how powerful she was in her position and tried not to dwell on it.

One thing you didn’t quite love about this experience, though, was the “training” Diana put you through. It was to master the powers you found yourself with. If you were being honest, this was a long time coming and maybe you should’ve explored them a little more over the years. But there were two problems with that: The first was that if anyone caught sight your cover would be blown and you’d be in danger. The second was that you hated your abilities with every fiber of your being. All you saw in them was destruction and pain. When your fingers blazed with flames and you felt the familiar burn across your palms all you were reminded of was your trauma. Bitterness bubbled deep within you whenever you saw what you, yourself could do. 

At least that hatred was admittedly getting a little better. Diana would sometimes be the one to work with you, but mainly it would be one of the other warriors on the island. If she was watching and you chanced a look at her, she would be looking back at you with pride and admiration. It helped you accept what you’ve become a little more. And it wasn’t just the way you felt about yourself and your powers that changed with training and with being surrounded by the positivity and beauty that was Themyscira. It was your powers themselves that seemed to change. 

If you focused hard enough, the flame would move, the burn would be a dull heat. The control you had on the spread of your ability grew until it felt less like you were being consumed by what you had become and more like it was just an extension of yourself. You felt a pride rising in yourself as you noticed that your body had to heal less and less. You felt a power building in you with each time you trained. Not only that, but you learned (albeit slowly) how to fight with and without your powers. Granted, you were nowhere near as skilled and powerful as Diana and the other women around you, but you were still progressing and could maybe hold your own a little better in a fight now. This power was new, it was exhilarating even, but deep down, if you were being honest, it was terrifying. There was still that gut feeling that something bad could happen at any minute. It was like a new fear unlocked in you, but you couldn’t quite name the fear yet. Were you afraid that the organization would find you? Yes, but it was more dull now. So what was it? You tried not to dwell.

—————————————————————-

Training was harder this time, but you performed superbly. There was a new trick you were working on. Letting the flames lick up your arm without actually harming you. It was a struggle. It took a lot of focus, but you finally nailed it. For a moment, you forgot you had goals to improve and learn to protect yourself and just let yourself dance with the beauty of the flame spinning around you. Your eyes were glued to the way it illuminated the space around you. Your trainer watched, allowing you this moment. Everyone on the island knew of your struggle in some way or another, so it was moments like these that they all wanted you to have. When you stepped foot on that island, with each moment you felt less like a monster and more like yourself, whatever that may mean to you now. Still, the feeling of self loathing and dread was never zero, but it was better. 

So when training was over, you wanted to rush to find Diana and share this moment with her. Some of the women around Hippolyta’s temple told you where you might find her, so you hurried to the meeting hall to see if perhaps she was out of whatever princessly duty she had today. You walked swiftly through the pristine halls of the Hippolyta’s immaculate palace. When you reached the towering doors of the hall you were pleased to see people filing out of the room. It must mean the meeting is over. Good, you were in a rare playful mood to whisk Diana off to the beach and show her your progress. Except, as you scanned the hall, you had yet to see Diana walk out those doors. After a minute, it seemed like the steady flow of Themyscira’s officials had finally stopped, yet Diana hadn’t been spotted. So, you decided to peak in. If the meeting was over, what would it hurt?

You walked up slowly to the double doors that were still slightly cracked. Your hand reached out to start to pull them open more, but faltered when you heard two voices come from the other side.

“What is she to you, Diana?” Hippolyta’s voice came from within the room. 

“We’ve been over this already, mother.” You heard Diana’s voice reply. 

“Yes, but with the statement you just made, child,” Hippolyta’s voice was commanding, yet still gentle, “I’d like to hear it again.”

“It’s hard to explain what she is, what she means. I thought it’s what I felt with him, but it’s so much more. She’s…”Diana paused for a moment and you couldn’t help but lean into the door to hear better. “Everything.” Diana finally said. “She is everything to me.” 

“I know she is,” Hippolyta’s tone almost sounded apologetic. At that moment, you started to realize that maybe you shouldn’t be listening. But it was blatantly obvious that this conversation was about you and you didn’t want to tear away. “But I have my concerns.” 

“Can you not just trust that I can make sound decisions for myself and my own feelings?” Diana was stern, but her voice held the same calm, commanding tone as her mothers. 

“I do trust you, Diana, but this decision could affect the entirety of the island. We have you back finally, you can take your place as Princess of Themyscira again.” 

“We came here for a reason, mother.” Diana’s voice suddenly sounded tired. Something told you this conversation had been had more than once. “I needed to keep her safe.” 

“But what about keeping the island safe?” Hippolyta’s words hit you like a ton of bricks. Did she think you’d bring danger to her people too? That those men could find her? Surely not. So then, did she think you yourself was the source of danger? Your stomach dropped. Your power was growing, but you were learning to understand it more. Surely, she would know you’d never purposely harm a living soul on the island. But then again, purpose was the key word here. Deep down you knew. All it would take is one moment… a brief loss of control of what you could do and then something catastrophic could happen. No, you didn’t want to think about that. 

“I’m done discussing this.” You heard Diana’s foot steps come closer to the door and you began to back away. As you got some didtance you heard her voice echo “it’s going to happen, mother.” And you wondered what “it” was, but didn’t dwell. Right now you really didn’t want them to know you were eavesdropping. Guilt washed over you at your own actions, but at least you now knew where you stood with Diana’s mother and it wasn’t good. 

Your feet took you to your shared room with Diana. All thoughts of proudly showing her what you could do had left your mind. When Diana returned to you she noticed immediately that you seemed off. The smile you greeted her with seemed forced, pained. She was concerned, but when she asked, you shrugged it off. You were withdrawn for the rest of the evening. 

————————————————————

The smell of smoke hit your senses first. You knew if you opened your eyes you’d see a sight that you really didn’t want to see. You could hear the crackle of trees as they broke down, you could hear the roar of fire coming from all sides, and worse, you could hear the cries of agony echo in the distance. Smoke filled your lungs and you sputtered a cough. 

Finally, you willed yourself to open your eyes and what you saw confirmed your fears. There was no other color in the world around you but the vibrant red as flames consumed everything in sight. Your chest heaved, not from the lack of oxygen but from the gut wrenching sorrow that filled you. This was you. You did this. 

Your eyes fell to your hands and you were startled. Instead of flesh you saw what looked like molten lava and searing hot stone in the shape of your arms. Heat radiated from your palms and you fell to your knees in shock. The grass ignited under your hands and quickly you pushed yourself up. The flames still spread though. 

You scrambled, it wasn’t just where your hands were that caught fire around you. Where your knees hit the ground, there too sprang flames. As you stood you looked further down, only to realize your whole body matched your hands. 

Fire licked at your heels and yet it didn’t hurt you. But it hurt them. Yours eyes turned to the hills, where in the distance you could see more and more homes get swallowed by flames. People fled, but you watched as some burned. Their screams echoed louder, louder, louder…

They drowned out the roar of the fire now. You put your hands to your ears but it didn’t muffle their cries even a little bit. Finally, you screamed too, overwhelmed by everything around you. Yet, it still didn’t rival that of the people. 

And then, under the anguished howling around you, you heard a small groan of pain. Your eyes turned fast to where the sound came from. Off to the side of the burning field you found yourself in came the source of the noise. Your heart dropped when you realized what you were looking at.

There she was, Diana. Your love, your protector, your everything. She was on the ground, crumpled. Burning. 

You ran to her, dropping to your knees without a second thought. Your hands flew to her arm to try to turn her towards you, but the minute you did you saw her skin sear and you pulled away.

“No,” you cried. “No, no…”

“No!” 

“Shhh, it’s okay.” A voice cooed. Suddenly the smell of smoke was gone, the heat surrounding you dissipated. The world was silent. “You’re okay.”

Strong arms wrapped themselves around you and your eyes finally cracked open to see that you were back in the safety of your shared room. Diana pulled you to her chest, a hand running through your hair to calm you.

You turned into her. Your hands clutched at her shirt and you buried your face into the crook of her neck. You took a deep breath, inhaling her familiar scent, taking in everything about her. She was safe, it was just a dream. 

But it felt so real. 

“Was it about that man again?” Diana spoke softly into the otherwise silent room.

“Not this time.” Your voice was hoarse, you tried to clear it, but you were still too shaken from the dream.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked. You just shook your head, still keeping your face pressed into her. Your fists clenched tighter onto her shirt and you were sure, if the room wasn’t so dark, you’d see that they had gone white from how tight you held on.

“Whatever it was about,” Diana murmured, her lips still pressed lightly to the top of your head, “it was nothing but a dream. You’re safe here, my love.” Her hand moved from your hair to cup your cheek and bring your face out from where you were trying to hide. Her lips pressed gently to yours for a brief moment before she pulled back again. “I promise, you’re safe.”

That wasn’t the problem, but you didn’t want to tell her that now. Your head was suddenly filled with a new fear, a fear that the people here and even her weren’t safe from you. The words of Hippolyta replayed in the back of your mind, but you tried to shove them back down. You didn’t want to think about it. Instead, you leaned back in, capturing her lips in a kiss far different from the one she just gave. 

Diana hesitated for a moment, trying to steady you with a firm hold on your shoulder. She pulled back slightly, only so she could meet your eyes. Both of you knew where this was heading and she just wanted to make sure you were sure this was something you wanted tonight. You met her eyes with a look that said it all. You needed to feel her tonight, to be in her arms in a type of intimate way that as of recently was only a privilege for her to have. She just nodded, her hand reaching up from your shoulder to press gently to your cheek. Your hand covered hers and you turned your head to place a kiss on her palm. She really was your safe space, your hero, your all. It was only in her arms that you felt all your fears finally melt away and it was in her arms that you needed to be engulfed in tonight to take away all your painful worrying. 

After a few seconds of comfortably staying like that, Diana dropped her arms. With both strength and tenderness, she wrapped them around your waist and pulled you into a sitting position on her lap as she too sat up. Your hands immediately encircled her neck and you pulled her back in to meet her lips. The kiss was deep, breathtaking even, but still slow and full of utter admiration. The way her arms tightened slightly as your tongue peaked out to trace her lips, the way her chest rose and fell a little faster as you pressed your body fully into her, it was all intoxicating. 

Honestly, just this, the way she was kissing you as if she was trying to pour every ounce of her heart into it, was enough to make you feel better. But still, you wanted to feel more of her and if she were being honest, she did too. Diana’s hands moved from where they had pressed to the small of your back, dipping down under your sleep shirt so she could feel your bare skin against the palms of her hands. Her hands moved up your back slowly, dragging your shirt up with them. You let go of your hold on her so that she could easily take your shirt all the way off. She dropped it haphazardly on the ground and leaned back.

There you were, bare from the waist up before her. Her eyes were dark, pupils blown as she leaned back a tiny bit so she could take you in. You looked so beautiful to her. Every time she saw you like this she swore she’d never felt happier than when she had these moments with you. Her eyes dragged up and down your naked torso and you still weren’t over how shy she could make you. Your arms flew to your chest, crossing over it in an attempt to cover yourself. 

Diana gave you a small smile before resting one of her hands on your arm, gently pressing down so that you’d stop covering yourself. “You look beautiful, (Y/N).” Her voice was filled with gentle reassurance and patience. “Please, let me see you?” You paused for a moment, nodding hesitantly before letting her pull your arms all the way down. Diana gave you a soft smile before leaning down. A small gasp left your lips when she leaned down far enough to brush her lips against one of your bare nipples. She placed a soft kiss to the tip of it before, without warning, taking it into her mouth. Your hands flew to tangle into her hair and your teeth sunk down into your bottom lip to stop yourself from letting out what would’ve surely been an embarrassing whine. 

Her tongue swirled around the peak and your hold on her hair tightened. Diana didn’t mind though, if anything it just spurred on her actions more. She switched to your other nipple, paying just as much attention to it and you began to squirm on top of her. With her strong hands, Diana moved them back down to your hips and started guiding you slowly to grind against her. However, you both quickly decided there was still too much clothes in between you two. With a pop, Diana let go of your nipple and you moved your hands to tug at her shirt, pulling it off her and throwing it behind her. With her hold on you, effortlessly, she lifted you just enough so you could shimmy yourself out of the underwear you were sleeping in. Diana did the same with her sleep bottoms, lifting herself and you with her as she kicked them off. 

When you both were finally without clothes, Diana paused again. Her hand returning to your cheek before slowly dragging it down your neck, then your chest, and then slowly down your stomach. Her eyes followed her hand as she ran it down your body, but yours stayed glued on her face. The way she looked at you made you shiver, and you knew your heart was pounding with anticipation as her hand went lower and lower. 

Finally, her hand made it between your legs. She continued to watch the movements of her fingers and she used two to slowly slide down your folds, gathering the wetness that she had already caused. You were embarrassed to admit how much you already wanted her. But that was how it was with her. When she kissed you, you never wanted it to end, when she held and touched you, you never wanted to leave her arms. You wondered if this profound need to just be near her would ever end, but deep down you knew it never would. 

Diana’s fingers moved back up your folds and then further and you watched in shy awe as she placed the tips of her fingers to her lips and took them slowly into her mouth. Your face flushed at her reaction. Her eyes closed and she let out a low moan as she tasted you. When her fingers left her mouth and her eyes reopened there was a new fire in them. She looked at you with pure hunger and you shivered at the intensity of her gaze. 

Her hand shot back down between your legs and she immediately started circling your clit. Her eyes turned to your face, watching as your expression turned into that of pleasure. Her fingers moved faster for a moment and she was pleased to see that your hips started to move with her. 

Your hands held tight to her, pulling her to press against your chest as she kept going. She, in turn, buried her head in your neck and began placing open mouth kisses against your skin. 

You couldn’t help the way your hips sped up, wanting more from her as she continued to play with your body. Finally, Diana’s fingers paused. She pulled back from your neck and you looked at her with what you were sure was an utterly pitiful pleading face. Your hips kept moving, trying to chase the feeling she was building in you, but a strong hand grabbed your hip and effectively stilled you. 

“Look at me,” she commanded, her voice raspy with need. You did as you were told, only to see her gaze burn into you with its intensity. “You are so breathtaking,” she says and with that you suddenly feel her fingers go lower until two slowly enter you. 

Your whole body shudders at the feeling and you can’t stop the loud gasp that leaves your lips. It echoes through the room as her fingers start moving up into you. Your head falls forward, your forehead pressing to her shoulder. The grip you had on her releases, only for a moment, to drop to her back. You press her closer as she starts a steady rhythm. When the hand that was on your hip started to guide you again to move with her fingers, your nails started to dig into her skin. If it was anyone else, you knew it would’ve hurt. But all you felt from Diana was the tense of her muscles as she gradually picked up the pace. 

At this point, you were letting her take full control. Your mouth hung open as your face remained buried in her shoulder. She was practically lifting you and moving you back down onto her fingers as she pumped them inside you. Moans were being muffled by her bare skin and you could hear sounds of Diana too as she touched you. Her breathing was ragged as she kept going, occasionally she would let out a moan of her own as your hips pressed against hers. 

Your legs began to shake the closer you got to the edge and your thighs tightened around her as you struggled to stay upright on her lap. Diana took notice of this, the hand guiding you, suddenly moving to encircle your waist. Her hips began to buck hard into you, putting more power into the movement of her fingers. It took a few more seconds of this before you felt yourself falling apart on top of her. 

Your body slumped forward after a minute of you coming down from the orgasm she drew out of you. Her fingers slowed to a stop before delicately sliding out of you. She held you in her arms as you caught your breath. 

Both of you stayed like that for a few moments. She placed kisses to the top of your head and you returned them with innocent ones pressed against your shoulder. Her fingers started to run through your hair and suddenly your body felt heavy. Sleepiness hit you once again and Diana could tell. 

She repositioned you so that when she leaned back, you went with her, your body comfortably resting upon hers. Her arms moved to trace along your bare back. Your hands started to move lower, realizing you had maybe been a little selfish in getting all the attention and not reciprocating, but Diana stopped you by gently wrapping her hand around your wrist. “Not tonight, my love.” 

You looked back up to meet her eyes and she looked back at you with a gentle smile. “But you didn’t…”

“Maybe tomorrow you can make it up to me.” Her fingers went to brush a strand of hair from your face. “Just let me hold you for the rest of the night.” 

You nodded, a little relieved because of how tired you suddenly found yourself. You leaned up and briefly kissed her lips. She returned it happily before you laid back down with your ear pressed to her chest. As you listened to the gentle thrum of her heartbeat she took your hand from where it rested on her waist and brought it to her lips to kiss each finger tip. The softness of it all made you smile against her chest.

“You know…” Diana mused as she played with the tips of your fingers. “My people used to believe that a long time ago when the cosmos was created, living things would be made up of two parts. Two heads, two sets of arms, two sets of everything.”

“Sounds kind of scary,” You mumbled into her chest. 

“Yes,” Diana chuckled softly. “I suppose it does. But eventually living beings changed, we separated and became two halves. Now, some still believe that their other half is out there. That we each make up two parts to one whole and that other part is…” Diana paused for a moment trying to find the right words. “I guess you’d call it a soulmate.”

You looked up a Diana for a moment, your arms still resting around her waist. She looked down at you with a gentle sincerity shining in her eyes. “Do you believe in it?” You asked. 

“I didn’t used to,” She whispered. “But my perspective is changing.” Her hands moved to run slowly through your hair again and you laid your head back down. Never in the long years you’ve survived had you felt more safe, more whole, than in this moment. Diana began to hum gently, a melody you weren’t familiar with but soothing all the same. After a short while you fell back into a deep sleep and Diana continued to hold you in her arms until the sun came up. 

Little did you know that Diana didn’t fall back asleep with you that night. Her mind was elsewhere as you slumbered in her arms. Her eyes kept moving to her wardrobe, where buried deep was a certain item that could change everything. Her mother might have her doubts, but she knew, undoubtedly, that it would be for the better. All she needed was the right moment. 

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[samatheia229]

Rise Ponderings:

The Turtles With Japanese Names

I've seen a lot of headcanons lately that support the "Rise boys' given names ARE their colours and they only got the artist names later on" narrative so I'd like to share my own.

Rise Splinter is undoubtedly very Americanised but I think that despite him forsaking his familial duties and old life, he’s still Japanese, is still a Hamato. So, subconsciously, he gave the boys Japanese names (of their corresponding colours, of course).

On that note, for all that Splinter has Celebrity-Who-Gives-Their-Kids-Unique-Names energy, I believe that he would still have enough decency to give them somewhat proper Japanese names not just 'Aka', 'Ao', 'Murasaki' and 'Orenji'.

However, for a period of time, the English-colour-names Splinter uses in the show would have been how addressed each other because they are, for the most part, an English-speaking household. Until an eight-year-old April came along insisting that those weren't 'real names', the turtles English names were 'Red', 'Blue' etc. 

After adopting 'proper' English names, those became the common form of address, though Splinter still calls them by the English colours because it's a habit for him. They don't mind.

They don’t use their Japanese names often. It’d mostly be during serious-talk time, in official stuff, calling someone by their full name or teasing. 

Ironically, in Splinter's (read: my) effort to not be a basic bitch, most of the boys' Japanese names are female. You can bet they tease the shit out of each other about it. The only one that actually takes offense to the teasing is Donnie whose name is very common and recognisable, so he always gets asked why he has it and/or if he realises that it's a girly name. 

The Names

*NOTE: I'm using Kanji here. Fair warning, they could be written wrong, so if there are any Japanese speakers out there, do correct me.

Hamato 'Raphael' Shuiro

Shuiro 朱色 = vermilion

Raph’s name is the only one that isn’t a real given name but I thought it suited him.

Colour Symbolism:

Besides being one of the most dominant colors in Japanese culture, red is associated strongly with authority, strength, sacrifice, passion, joy, and happiness. It's also regarded as an auspicious color in Japan.

Frequently said to have Eldest Daughter Syndrome by the fandom, Raph is the ultimate authority among the brothers. He self-appoints as leader not because he necessarily wants to be, but because as the oldest and the biggest, he feels like it's his responsibility to look after the others. Which often takes great strength and sacrifice. Surface Pressure from Encanto, anyone?

Furthermore, red, specifically vermilion, is very symbolic in Japanese architecture:

Red is the color of torii – Shinto shrine gates – temples, and traditional daruma dolls. Red is said to scare away evil spirits and represent protection, strength, peace, and power. 

All in all, very fitting for the big brother and family protector, if you ask me.

Hamato 'Leonardo' Aoi

Aoi 青い = blue

Aoi is a unisex name; meaning hollyhock flower when used for girls and blue for boys. I'm using the male meaning for Leo. 

Colour Symbolism:

Blue commonly represents the sea and the sky (for which Japan is surrounded) and symbolizes purity, dignity, calmness, stability, security, and fidelity. Blue is also regarded as a lucky colour.

In this case, blue is rather in juxtaposition with Leo's personality, but looking at it from a franchise perspective, blue is indeed a leader's colour.

Back then, Japanese society was strictly hierarchical and displayed through the colour of their robes. Of the colors that were allowed for common folk, the color blue was work by higher ranking people. It symbolized wealth and prestige, while also remaining a color of the common folk.

That being said, Leo's a little different from his predecessors. Eventually, he will grow into the role of the leader we know and love. But even when he was unburdened from being leader, he was still the strategist. Leo's leadership in fights is a balance between what is uniquely Rise and the mission-mindset of the leaders in blue who came before him, strategies that are fun, wacky and maybe a little unorthodox yet still as effective for the team.

Hamato 'Donatello' Sumire

Sumire 菫 = violet (flower)

Sumire is usually a girl's name but I don’t think Splinter would’ve cared all that much about gender.

Donnie doesn't either and even likes his name, though it has caused him a lot of grief over the years. A lot of people think it's strange for a guy with his personality to have such a feminine name, and he's really sick of having to defend his name after introducing himself. Part of why he wanted 'Donnie'.

Colour Symbolism:

Like in the West, purple in Japanese culture is associated with royalty, as purple dye was rare and only available to those of a higher status. It can also reflect on nobility, spirituality, and wisdom.

Out of everyone, Donnie embraces his colour about the most. His clothes are purple, his tech is purple, his lab is bathed in purple lighting. Purple is Donnie's thing. This, in a way, ties in with the colour's exclusivity back then.

Flower Symbolism:

In Hanakotoba (flower language), the meaning of violet is sincerity, a small love, and a small bliss. Violets are a common gift, as they are an ideal way to show appreciation for a family member or friend and to express sincerity or love.

I think this is very Donnie. What he lacks in the emotional department, he makes up for  through his tech. He creates things for his family, making them all kinds of personalised gizmo. Sometimes it results in disaster but the intention to help is there. Gift-giving is his love language.

Hamato 'Michelangelo' Mikan

Mikan 蜜柑 = tangerine

Mikan is a common Japanese girl name. Baby girls named "Mikan" are usually joyful, positive-thinkers, smiley and generally happy people.

Mikey loves his name and doesn't care that it's girly and cute, no matter how the others tease him about it. (SIDE NOTE: I swear the near-matching names wasn't intentional. I was just looking for a name that means mandarin orange for a bit I'm writing).

Colour Symbolism:

Orange is symbolic of love, happiness and the sun.

The youngest of the family, Mikey is optimistic and cheerful. He brings joy and colour to the household through his art. He encourages everyone to be express their love openly and always tries to be supportive.

Fruit Symbolism:

Besides good fortune, wealth and longevity, the fruit mikan can be tied to family because of its role in Japanese traditions. In Japan, there is a word “Kotatsu de Mikan”, which means:

A family sits around a kotatsu (a traditional Japanese table with an electric heater attached to the underside), watching TV and eating mikan —  the traditional picture of a harmonious family seen in the wintertime.

Mikey is all about family. He's the heart, always the peacemaker, always bringing everyone together.

----------

TLDR; I really love how each turtle has a role to play in the family, how their respective colours are so appropriate for who they are as people, and I wanted their Japanese name to reflect that.

[asksythe]

Hi! I was looking into some stuff and came across a post talking about WWX’s arrogance. It was about WWX’s character and how the fandom insists that his arrogance was one of his main flaws when that’s not true and so on. Then I saw some people saying that arrogance is not inherently bad in Chinese novels and that I might have to do with the way the novel was translated.

I was just wondering if you had some insight on this. Thanks!

On some level, it can be considered a translation issue. But the real reason why WWX's characters, as well as countless other details in MDZS specifically (and Chinese novels broadly speaking), tend to be misunderstood on such a massive scale is... cross-cultural value mismatch.

Consider this:

1/ There is a tendency in the international fanbase to judge WWX (and other characters) on a modern Western moral standard. I don't have to tell you how illogical this is. Imagine if you come into the world of Game of Thrones and start spouting 21st-century judgment. You are likely to become human shishkebabs in less than five minutes. Most people who watch Game of Thrones or read the book understand that's not something you do unless you are a moron or looking to start shit. But for some reason, this is not the case for the MDZS fandom (and many other Chinese media fandoms out there). I'm not sure why this is the case. It might be because of the cultural distance making people not really realize they are coming into an entirely different world, and then they forget to check their modern expectations at the door. Like how tourists become obnoxious when they come to a foreign country, expecting the foreign country to cater to their whims.

I've once seen someone made an addition on TV Tropes saying WWX is a mass murderer that never got punished for his crime. I... I don't know what to say to that really. My expectation is that the person who wrote that is someone under 30, never left America, and never served in the military. For somebody who has never had this kind of experience, no amount of words will explain to them that for major parts of the world and for the vast majority of mankind's history, you have to be able to kill to survive. In fact, for most of our history, killers are our heroes. War is a reality that we live in. The ones who survive are the ones who win wars, the really accomplished killers.

2/ MDZS was not written for an international audience. That is to say, it's written with the expectation that it doesn't have to explain its intricacies and tropes to its intended readers. Because its readers already know. MDZS is xianxia danmei. Danmei has only had about 2 decades of modern history. But xianxia as a genre has stretched back millennia. Its tropes are very set. Chinese (and Sinosphere) readers don't need an explanation because we grow up consuming this kind of stories.

We don't need to be told in plain words to know WWX's only crime is to be possession of the Yin Tiger Tally, and the Jin's scheme is the real reason behind his tragedy. Because it's such a standard trope in our culture that there are millennia-old proverbs about it.

匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 - pǐ fū wú zuì，huái bì qí zuì. Lit. The commoner is innocent, but his possession of treasure is a sin.

We don't need to be told that it doesn't matter if WWX goes along with the cultivation world's ceaseless demands (keep Suibian with him, consult more with Jiang Cheng before he does things) to know that none of that matters. Because none of those are actual rules, just trivial bullshit made up and used to socially isolate WWX and manipulate the public opinion against him. WWX's true crime is that he is alone. He is an orphan. No one will stand up for him. And unlike his big mouth, he's a real softie. Because if he wasn't then all of them would be dead ten times over with the kind of martial power WWX possess. Only WWX's good heart holds him back from really using his ability. Therefore, you can spit on him, you can cut him, you can trample on him without fearing retaliations.

Nie Mingjue has no sword. Ain't nobody try to lip him about it. Yu Furen has no sword. She uses a whip. Ain't nobody lip her about it.

WWX's undead cultivation is also not really the problem. That kind of cultivation is vanilla as girl scout's cookies. It's only made out that way because it's a method of cultivation that is very easy to learn and does not require enormous resources (i.e. caste issue, not class, caste) to cultivate. Which means it's a method that can be practiced far and wide by poor commoners. Which means it's an infringement on the cultivator House's power and financial base. That's its real crime. Not all that justice bullshit.

For many international fans out there, MDZS is their introduction to danmei (and xianxia). So they come in not knowing these things. They don't see the caste issues, the tragedy, the difference of philosophies and choices between WWX and JC. Their conclusion is built on ignorance and misunderstanding.

It doesn't help that most know little to nothing about Chinese culture which is a high-context culture, the polar opposite of most Western cultures (low-context culture). Something that may seem small and insignificant for a Western reader base can be a really big deal for the Chinese reader base, because it's inbuilt in five thousand years of history and culture. Like why Jin Guangyao buried his mother's corpse in the Guanyin temple and why he needed to reclaim it and take it with him when he tried to flee to Japan.

So it's no surprise there is such a massive divide in fandom opinion.

[eowynstwin]

Ayo... you by chance got any Ghost headcannons?

BOY DO I. Here’s what I want to talk about though:

I don’t think Ghost resembles the frankly weird, ultra-dom sex god that fandom has made him out to be. Man wears a mask, self-reportedly, even to sleep. That is LITERALLY the most repressed thing I can think of outside of the church itself.

That’s not to say I don’t think he’s great in bed, but it’s for different reasons that apply also to his overarching character. I think the Ghost persona allows him to be Simon without actually being Simon. The mask allows Ghost to trick himself, to say, “Simon Riley is dead and I am his Ghost” in order to deal with the cognitive dissonance he has of living with extreme trauma.

Soooo, Ghost is more expressive, more himself, really, with the mask on. He can do things as Ghost that Simon Riley just would not have the strength to do anymore. He can connect with his teammates, spend time doing things he enjoys, and yes, he can have and enjoy sex.

While I don’t prefer to rely on actors’ interpretations of the characters they played, I do agree with Samuel Roukin on this—Ghost doesn’t date. Dating is a game for people who are alive. Simon is not. Ghost is “not.”

When Ghost wants to get laid, he follows the age old tradition of picking someone up when he’s gone out for drinks. He’s not opposed to having sex with coworkers, I think, but what happens in the bedroom holds absolutely no bearing on his professional relationships with them.

Boundaries on the whole are sharp and immutable—don’t ask him about work. Don’t ask him about his past. He’s not there for you to get to know him. Follow those rules? He’ll do anything you want.

Mostly though, he fucks you like he wants your body to be unable to forget his. Ghost, for all his insistence to keep things casual, still longs for human connection. He has a hunger for people, for intimacy, born naturally out of an incredible lack of it. So if you do get him into bed, it will feel like Ghost is desperate for you, has wanted you for longer than he’s even known you.

Also, if you follow his rules, he’ll usually come back to fuck you again. Ghost doesn’t want anonymous, doesn’t want someone new every time. Knowing you, knowing your body, knowing what you can do together, is a part of the act that stems the tide of his loneliness. He is very perceptive, and enjoys making a mental catalogue of the things that wreck you. The only thing he enjoys just as much is when you show that you know, too, how to wreck him. It is a deep, ineffable satisfaction, having sex as a vehicle for knowing and being known.

He will overindulge—in his opinion. Ghost always thinks he’s talked to someone too much, spent too much time with someone, fucked someone for too long. It’s a byproduct of trauma borne of a difficult family life. Building something real with someone else represents a massive risk that has only proven detrimental to Ghost in the past—to Simon.

If he catches feelings, his instinct is to sprint in the other direction. He will withdraw, become hard to get into contact with. It is never out of cruelty on his part, and if you do manage to get ahold of him, he won’t snarl at you like his father snarled at him, snarled at his mother. But if you pressure him, demand his time, push him for what he has explicitly told you he will not give, then he will pull out the explanation that always works for him: “You know what this was.”

If you don’t pressure him though—if, when you get ahold of him, you just tell him that you’d like to see him again? That he’s always welcome? Ghost is drawn like a moth to a fucking flame. He’ll hate himself for it, for needing you, for being stupid enough to want you, but he won’t be able to help it. And he won’t stop himself, either.

Give Ghost time, and he will become your shadow. You will never need to look very hard to find him. You will never need to worry about being alone. There is nothing, when he is yours, that will keep him from coming back to you.

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Hei! I'm new here and on this fandom two questions can I ask from the kissing prompt #4 with Idia? And how many characters is the limit for each ask in this case? Thanks in advance ♥️❤️

(For the kiss prompts it’s only one character per ask and one prompt per request!)

Idia Shroud: 

4. An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose.

Idia was cornered.

The look on Crewel’s face told him all he needed to know; he would not be exempt from this project, regardless of his avoidance of people. It might be just fine for him to send technology to class instead of himself but this was still something that required two heads, no matter how intelligent Idia insisted he was. He was cut off time and time again with a cruel glare that sealed his fate, a main quest that had first been thought of as a basic side quest.

“We could be partners, if you want. You know me better than most others in the class anyway.” You had offered yourself up so casually, Idia suspected you had no clue that he was on your romance route at the moment; perhaps you were the perfect companion for this quest, just so he could raise his affection with you and unlock more interactions for the future.

This option being presented to him was also assuredly leading him down a certain path, and if he were to deny your kindness… a bad end surely awaited him. He could see the words dripping with blood and ink as your head tilted, awaiting an answer. All he could do was vigorously nod his head yes before disappearing, knowing there was quite a bit of work to do before he could let you step foot in his disaster of a room.

After hours of necessary prep work to not lower your affection you received the all clear from Idia to come over, your notebooks in hand as you prepared to settle down and finish the project in one night. You figured it would make it easiest on Idia but you had failed to notice the difficulty of the prompt Crewel gave, almost as if he purposely made it so Idia would have to have longer human interaction. He’s cursing his teachers name as he researched alongside you, sweating as time marched on.

“Ah, wait!” You pointed at one of his many screens, Idia glancing back to see what had gotten you excited. “I think this is the piece we’re missing! If we add that in, then it’ll all make sense, and we’re done!”

“…! You’re right!” You had found the missing puzzle piece, the final component that would have you both racing to the next cutscene. “There, it’s been added in… We’re done!”

After countless hours of reading over text and desperately problem solving to make the assignment work properly, you’d finally reached the finish line. You’re giddy as you come to sit next to Idia to admire your work, turning to him with a smile so bright it was more blinding than his screens in a dark room.

He must have missed the QTE, hit a wrong button somewhere in his brain, because his body moved before he had any idea what he was doing. In a move that was far bolder than his courage stat could possibly allow he pressed his lips against yours in celebration, the move so quick that you didn’t have much time to react to it. He must not have known the stun effect his lips had but you must have some sort of shield that bounced magic right back at him, as he suddenly became frozen in his spot staring at you.

The excitement that had given a brief boost to powers allowed him to melt the ice that had encased his body, his face and hair becoming a light shade of pink mixed his normal blue. If this were to go poorly he would have lost all your friendship points anyway, so what was one more for the road? He dipped down to steal another kiss, the very last kiss he would ever have in his life, before he pulled away with a concerned look on his face.

Maybe he shouldn’t have gone back for round two.

Maybe he should’ve hit the apology button.

Nothing he could do now except wait for your response.

[ktwritesstuff]

The Babysitter (a Last of Us fanfic) pt. 3

Title: The Babysitter Fandom: The Last of Us Rating: Explicit Characters & Pairings: Joel Miller x Reader Word Count: ~2000 Summary: Playing house with Joel is not all it's cracked up to be. As always, lovingly beta-read by @bs-fangirl. Additional content notes below the cut

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (below cut) | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Content Notes & Warnings: mentions of assault, depression, p-in-v sex, & violence.

I consider my personal brand to be "All your faves want to fuck fat chicks" but the post-apocalyptic setting makes that harder to convey. Given that the diet culture of the 90s and early 2000s fucked us all, be on the lookout for body talk and mentions of disordered eating.

Atlanta 2007

It was a miracle you were alive.  That was what the doctors said when Joel and Tommy managed to find a FEMA clinic nearly 48 hours later.  The bullet had hit Joel first, just grazing him, but slowed down enough that when it struck you the impact didn’t send you into cardiac arrest.  It entered a few inches below your right shoulder, missing the lung, the subclavian artery, and the bundle of nerves controlling your arm, and exited the top of your chest before lodging in Sarah’s stomach where it tore her apart from the inside.  Some miracle.

The clinic doctors decided to send you to Dallas by helicopter, where there was supposed to be a working trauma center.  Of course, by the time you got there everything had gone to shit.  But the fluids and antibiotics they had already pumped into you kept you stable.  You hunkered down for a few weeks until Joel and Tommy decided it was safe to move you.  

From there you headed east, eventually making your way to a refugee camp in Atlanta.  It was a fucking mess–most folks had fled their homes without gathering important documents, but the bureaucrats were still insisting on trying to verify peoples’ identities.  The people outside were begging and bribing for someone to vouch for them.   

With Tommy being military, the government knew everything down to what underwear he had on; Joel managed to hang on to his wallet so thankfully he still had photo ID.

“This is my daughter,” he said, pushing you in front of him at the gate.  “Sarah.”

The powers that be immediately pressed Tommy into service helping to control the crowds and guard supplies, leaving you and Joel to get settled into one of the canvas tents on site.  It wasn’t much, but you had a cot, a toothbrush, and a bar of soap, which was quite a bit more than you had arrived with.

“Why’d you tell them I was your daughter?” you asked.   

“Because I’m pretty sure it’s still frowned upon for grown men to be traveling with a random teenage girl,” Joel replied gruffly.  “It’s just temporary.”

But after four years this temporary stopover looked more and more like home and you felt more like a mother than daughter: washing, mending, cooking when there was food which there usually wasn’t.  You had lost more weight than was probably safe, but you weren’t quite as rail-thin and sallow as most of the other evacuees haunting the camp.  

Still, you regretted all the time you had spent starving yourself when there was plenty of food around, desperate to shrink down to nothing.  Your body had kept you alive in impossible circumstances and you had promised yourself you would do what you had to to take care of it. 

With Joel, it was a different story.  About a month into your stay at the camp, a man whistled at you in the breadline for weekly rations of beans and government cheese.  It was so strange and unexpected that you didn’t even realize it had happened until Joel had jumped the guy.

“Stop it!”” you screamed, helping two other guys pull him off.  “You’ll kill him!  Daddy!”

Even after one of the guards slammed his rifle into the back of Joel’s neck, he still wasn’t satisfied.

“I’ll kill you, you son of a bitch!  She’s mine!  I’ll fucking kill you!”    

The guards probably would have hanged them both if not for Tommy running interference, but that didn’t keep Joel from picking fights wherever he could.  He had a death wish and that made him dangerous. 

Losing Sarah had broken something inside of him, how could it not.  Keeping you and Tommy safe had kept him grounded for a while, but now that things were (relatively) stable, he had no reason to keep going.  You sympathized, of course, with the unfathomable grief of losing a child.  That didn’t mean you were content to stand by while he self-destructed.  

It was past noon and Joel was asleep, passed out, you realized as your toe connected with the bottle that had rolled under his cot.  

“Get up,” you said, pushing on his back.  “Laundry day.  Get up.”

Joel grunted, balling up under the blanket.

“Well that’s just great,” you said.  “You want to drink a week’s worth of rations in one afternoon, fine.  But if you think I’m gonna let you get a staph infection from sleeping in the same filthy clothes for weeks, you’ve got another thing coming.”

You grabbed the corner of the blanket and pulled with all your might.  Joel fought you, growling and thrashing, but ultimately you managed to wrestle it away.  Joel harumphed and turned over in bed.  You threw the blanket into the laundry basket and stormed out of the tent.

Tommy was on rounds and you passed him on your way to the little stream that ran through the east side of camp.

“You need to talk to him,” you said.  “Cause I am at the end of my rope.”  

Joel had been shutting down for weeks and things seemed to be getting worse and worse.  You knew he wished you had died instead of Sarah.  As if it wasn’t bad enough that you'd always be left to wonder if you hadn’t turned around when you did, would that bullet have passed through Sarah and killed you.  You would have taken her place if you could.  This wasn’t the life any of you would have wished for, but this was the life you had.

“Cut him some slack,” Tommy said.  “Birthdays and anniversaries are always rough.”  

“I’m sorry,” you said, as Tommy walked with you toward the edge of camp.  “I’m sorry.  I can’t imagine how hard this has been for you–I know how much you loved Sarah and we can’t even talk about her.”

Tommy shrugged.  “You compartmentalize.  Deal with it when it’s safe.”

“So never?” 

“That’s the job,” Tommy said.  

You shook your head.  “The job sucks.  And we still need to figure out what we’re going to eat this week.  I already traded my last tampon for the month.”

“Don’t tell me that,” Tommy chuckled.  “I don’t need to know that.”

“Yeah, well, I figured your back was getting tired from carrying us,” you teased.

Tommy waved you off, jogging back to his post before his C.O. noticed he was gone.  

You sat down by the river, sprinkling your weekly allotment of laundry powder onto the stones.  Having to do all the scrubbing manually certainly gave you time to think.  When weekly assignments came around, you usually asked to be on the cleaning crew–it wasn’t a desirable chore, but you liked knowing that the communal showers and horrible pit latrines you had to use were as sanitary as possible.  Besides, as long as you weren’t greedy you could get away with pocketing extra hand sanitizer and disinfectant–that shit was better than gold around camp.  

But FEDRA was trying to get a factory up and running about a mile outside camp, hard work, double shifts, and shit pay.  But there were fringe benefits for those willing to take the risk.  This dude called Axel had a pot farm on the other side of the fence.  He was always looking for people dumb enough or desperate enough to move his product–they were always getting caught at the gate.        

So you wrung out and hung the laundry and marched down to the big house to sign up for the next truckload of workers leaving camp.

You worked the graveyard shift, and made it back through the gate the next afternoon with half a kilo of weed in the hidden pocket you had sewed into the lining of your jacket.  As you suspected, the guards were more interested in groping your breasts and between your legs during their pat-down.  You headed back to your tent with the most money you had ever held in your hands–before the outbreak or after.  

Your euphoria at your success was only somewhat diminished by the realization that Joel and Tommy had spent the morning tearing the camp apart looking for you.

“Where the hell have you been?” Joel said.  He looked frantic, disheveled, cold sweat, the works. 

“Working,” you said, digging the wad of ration cards out of your bra and handing it over to Tommy.  “Maybe you can find us some real food now.”

“Jesus, kid,” Tommy said, flipping through the cards.  “Where’d you get this?”

“Why? They’re good, aren’t they?”

You toed off your shoes and pulled off your sweatshirt as you came into the tent.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Joel followed after you, wiping a hand across his forehead.  “We’ve been worried sick–thinking you were dead in a ditch somewhere, or worse–and that’s all you have to say for yourself?”  

“Can we have this conversation later,” you groaned, shimmying out of your bluejeans and collapsing on your cot.  “I’m exhausted.”  

When you finally woke, Joel was sitting on the folding chair beside your cot.

“So what are you a whore now?” 

“Jesus Christ, Joel,” you groaned, sitting up, pulling the thin blankets up around you.  “Does it fucking matter?”

You had considered sex work, but the truth was there wasn’t much of a market for it.  Assault was more common than toilet paper in the camp–there was hardly a woman who hadn’t been groped (or worse) or a man that hadn’t been mugged for that matter.  You figured the only reason you had been spared so far was that Tommy and Joel were so fucking scary.  

“Yeah, it fucking matters, Sweetpea,” he growled.  You had never seen him angry before, not like this.  You would have been terrified if you weren’t so goddamn tired.  

“I am responsible for you.”

“Oh, spare me the sanctimonious bullshit,” you said.  “I’m not a child.  I am grown.  I’m certainly not your daughter.”  

“You think I don’t know that!”  Joel grabbed you by the chin.  You met his gaze; for a moment, you weren’t sure if he wanted to hurt you or something else.

“Prove it,” you said, the corner of your mouth lifting into a sneer.  “I fucking dare you.”

In the space of a breath, Joel had crushed his mouth against yours.  You moaned against his lips, leaning back in bed, but Joel held the back of your neck, keeping you close.  You put your hands on his face, running your fingers into his hair.

Joel climbed on top of you in bed, the thin mattress sagging under your combined weights.  He sat up long enough to unbuckle his belt and paused.  

“Say yes,” he instructed, leaning down, planting his lips in the space where your jaw met your neck.  

You sighed, gripping his shoulder, turning your face to expose your neck to him.  

“You have to say yes.”

“Yes,” you breathed, pulling your ratty t-shirt off over your head and dropping it on the floor.  

Joel pulled down his jeans and ran his hands down your back, looping them into your panties, pulling them down.  You kicked them off to hook your ankles behind Joel’s thighs as he kissed your throat.  

He pressed into you all at once; you were so exhilarated you hardly felt anything.  Then pressure and a sharp tug behind your pelvic bone as he withdrew and pushed deeper. You gripped his arms and squeezed your knees into his sides. 

“Good?” he asked, kissing and sucking a trail down your chest, grazing the mounds of your breasts with his teeth.  

You took a few deep breaths and relaxed your face which had tightened into a grimace.  

“It’s a lot,” you said, running your hands down his back.  

“I know,” Joel breathed.  “I know, Sweetpea.  I got you.”

Joel moved one hand between your legs, to the bundle of nerves at the peak of the wishbone where your bodies met, massaging in circles with his rough fingers.  You felt something coiling inside you, hot and tight.  You arched into him.

“That’s better?”  

“Mmhm.”  You nodded, relaxing your thighs.  “That’s nice.”  

Joel moved against you, hips flicking up into the bowl of your pelvis as he massaged you.  He cupped one breast with his spare hand, pressing his mouth over the other, tongue circling the sensitive nipple. 

“That’s nice.”

He bucked into you harder; you bit your lip to stifle a cry.  You could feel the knot in your belly spreading, unfolding.  Your body stiffened and relaxed and with a low moan, Joel dropped his weight onto you, tired and spent.

You felt your heart rate slow and your breath grew deeper.  Joel rested his head on your chest and you ran your fingers through his hair.  You noticed it was damp and smelled faintly of mint.

“Did you shower?”

Joel nodded, his beard rubbing against your skin.  You smiled.

“You do listen to me.”

“Mmhm.”  You ran your hands over Joel’s shoulder girdle; felt the tight knots of muscle relax under your touch.  

Joel’s lips found the ragged scar under your collarbone where the bullet had left your body.  He kissed the scar gently, running his fingertips over it.  For an instant you felt like he was worshiping you, in awe of you.  And you marveled at your own sweet self for being able to give such pleasure.  

“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” Joel said.  You pressed your eyes closed.

“I may not have a choice,” you sighed.  “Axel wants me to do another run at the end of the week–I don’t think he’ll take no for an answer.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he said. 

After a moment, Joel rose from the bed, pulling on his pants as you pulled the blankets up over you. 

“What are you going to do?” you said.

“I said I’d take care of it,” he repeated.

“Joel,” you warned.  “You can’t narc on him…you can’t kill him.  Don’t kill him, Joel.  Please.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, leaning over to kiss your cheek.  “Eat something.  Tommy brought you peanut butter.”

You had half a mind to try and stop him from leaving, but who could resist peanut butter.

Baby's First Taglist: @stilllivindue2spite, @amethystwonders11 & @teacupcollector

[sixtypackofcrayola]

I'm a sucker for Love Potions. Can we get the two monkeys affected by some, with their own o/s?

love potions r so silly why not

✰ LOVESICK ✰

Fandom; LEGO Monkie Kid

Character List; Sun Wukong, Macaque

Genre(s); bulleted headcanons, the amount of fluff makes me sick /lh

Pronouns; They/Them

TW/CW; None! A/N; written in a diff. way this time kinda just mixed hcs for both into one big block o’ text instead of giving them their own sections</3 a little short sorry abt that,,

☀️ 🌙

-Who knows how these two got a hold of a love potion,, but ohu boy -I just know Wukong would be annoyingly sweet and cheesy. As soon as he catches sight of his S/O it’s,, it’s over -Macaque would get real flirty real fast. And he wouldn’t be as clingy as Wukong but his words are sure to fluster -Wukong would call his S/O every pet name he knows of whenever he’s referring to them. Peaches, sunshine, darling, honey, baby, sweetie/sweetheart, honey-pie, etc. They will NOT get a break. He’ll probably refer to them by their name like once if at all -Macaque calls his S/O anything relating to sweets or the moon, and a lot of em he wouldn’t say normally. He doesn’t use pet names all that often so it’d feel like more of an overload after the love potion. Mainly he’d call his S/O “sweets” and that’s about it y’know -Macaque also just speaks in a much more,, smooth(??) flirtatious tone like he’s actively trying to fluster his S/O because he is. He’ll compliment them and go on about the little things he loves about them. Will make eye contact too just for that extra effect -Wukong’s goofy ass over here smiling and giggling at everything his S/O does and complimenting them constantly. You can practically see the hearts in his eyes. “Have I told you how stunning you look today?” “Yes, you have. Many times, love.” “Well IIII think I should tell you again!” Lots of ‘I love you so much’ -Wukong will also insist on staying close to them because he’s gonna get real clingy. He will not hesitate to shower his darling with kisses, mostly on their forehead or cheek and of course on their lips.  -Macaque likes neck kisses, given and received. There will be lots of those. He will also want to be close to his S/O for most of the day -S/O should expect a flower or two from Macaque because ROMANCE.  -Any affection given towards either will have them absolutely melting. Tell Wukong he’s pretty and he’s down for the count, floating hearts n all that shit. Flirt back with Macaque and there is no hiding his face turning red -Happy tail sways from both whenever their S/O is near for however long the effects last. They’ll also occasionally wrap their tail around them. -Don’t ask them to help you find a cure if it’s one of those potions that don’t just wear off after 24 hours or so, because they will for once be useless. Their lovesickness is all that’s goin on up there rn.  -If their S/O’s happen to be flirty people then OH GOD -Y’know those like sickeningly sweet couples that r just non-stop lovey dovey and make ppl feel disgusted but also sad bc they kinda want that -Yeah that’s them. -I hc that Wukong draws so he’s gonna be scribbling his S/O with hearts around it if he’s got something to draw on -Macaque would love the way his S/O blushes when he drags out their name yknow? It’d only make this whole ordeal ‘worse’ -Macaque’s touches are softer, more intimate, while Wukong will just throw himself at his S/O, lovingly of course -In conclusion, no more love potions for the monkeys ( Fin. ~ ✰ )

[olderthannetfic]

Something I find really exhausting is the ongoing insistence in fandom that you give up on something if it's problematic. Yes, canon is problematic. A lot of good fanwork can come out of asking, "what if we change X, Y and Z?" or "what if we actually really explored how fucked up X, Y and Z are?" or "what if we write about what comeuppance in retaliation to X, Y or Z would look like?" Saying that if something is problematic, we should just give up on it as a piece of media and not engage doesn't do anything in terms of activism, but it also doesn't let me as a person sit back and really think, brainstorm ideas, look into how similar shit impacts people IRL, etc. I learned a lot from my problematic faves because it made me research shit in order to write fic accurately or fic written to fix the worst and most egregious aspects of something taught me something.

Consumption as moral action and refusal to engage in something as the only option are really pointless, but also they don't let people get the catharsis of screaming about the problem in question for a while. I like that catharsis. That catharsis is useful for me as a trans biracial person. "Think critically!!!" I did, that's why the fic is fun, because I'm slinging mud back at canon. "Think about your faves!!!" I did, I just also think that writing people struggling with shit is cathartic because I too am dealing with shit. "Why don't pro-shippers/anti-antis/other fanfic term about shipping that I'm applying to you despite you not shipping anything be critical of their shows' canons?" I do. My thesis statement is that this canon is a dumpster, it's just a dumpster I'd like to dive in for a bit to see hat I can build out of the trash piles.

I hate that so much of fandom has become "cast everything impure aside". That's my emotional support impure thing. I use it to get into and work through shit. But also, casting aside every impure thing doesn't challenge anyone intellectually. "Your fave is problematic" cool but like, saying that and setting something aside doesn't do anything for my mind. It doesn't get gears turning. I don't think or feel in response to refusing to engage with things. So what's the point to giving up a problematic thing instead of delving into it and really looking at the nuts and bolts? What's the benefit? What am I gaining from abandoning everything that has issues?

And the response is always just a repetition of, "your fave is problematic", as if that's the answer to the question. Having one less problematic thing in your life is both an act of activism and a reward for your activism, I guess? It's an accomplishment of some kind, hence why you should do it, and failure to do so must mean you don't think at all.

I wish "think critically" wasn't used to mean "never engage with". I like critical thinking. I just don't find any critical thinking, or really any thinking at all, to be present in "thing bad, discard, the end".

--

[komfort-kollection-by-kassiopeia]

Josh being in love with an oblivious reader and the twins are alive and trying to create situations to get them together 👉👈👉👈👉👈

Best Day Ever

Picture lightly edited by me.

Pairing: Josh Washington X Fem!Reader Description: After a spur of the moment decision, Josh takes you and his sisters to a carnival. Hannah and Beth decide to take this opportunity to push you and Josh together, since Josh has had a massive crush on you for a long time and has been too afraid to make a move... Warnings: Fluff, Maybe A Pinch Of Angst, Kind Of Mutual Pining (But Very Intense On One Side. 👀), Friends Turning Into Beautiful Lovers. Word Count: 4.8k (I haven't written a fic this long in quite a while. 😅) A/N: This took an embarrassing amount of time, I know. I was just in no mind state to write and I wanted it to be perfect, so I decided to wait. And it took even longer because when I was editing it one last time, the final copy got deleted so I had to reedit the whole thing and rewrite the parts I had added in there. @108garys requested a carnival fic for Josh a few days prior to this request, so I got the idea to combine them together. I hope that's ok. 🥺👉🏻👈🏻 This is actually my old Jalim fic, Just For Fun, too. I always wanted to rewrite it because I felt like it could have been better than what it was. So, when I got the opportunity to do this, I decided to finally do it and I am happy with the results. Anon requester and @108garys, I want to thank you for giving me this request. It really made me happy, knowing that people wanted me to write a fic for them, especially when I was so new to the Until Dawn fandom. Anyway, I'll quit my rambling now. I hope you all enjoy. 💖 Josh's MasterList: 🖤 Main MasterList: 🖤 Josh's Angels: @lorebite, @house-of-kolchek, @koexchange, @yesitsloulou, @mistmoose, @jasonexo, @mornandil, @fortune-fool02, and @raven-the-cryptid. (If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know in the comments! 🖤)

》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《

Me, (Y/N), Hannah and Beth were driving from the store one sunny afternoon. We weren't there long; only to grab some microwave popcorn and chips for a movie we were planning to watch. It was a short trip but everybody insisted on going along for the ride. It was nice, having the three most important women in my life with me. Even if it was just something as simple as going to the grocery store, it was memories like these that I cherished the most.

The ride was pretty silent other than a song playing quietly on the radio, but it was nice — it was peaceful. A couple of minutes passed and we drove passed a carnival. That's when I noticed (Y/N) turning her head to look out her window.

"Oh, looks like they set up a carnival for the weekend." I mentioned, just to see how she would react.

"Yeah, I noticed." She said just barely above a whisper whilst still staring out her window. "Haven't been to one in years."

"Jesus, us neither." Beth spoke up in the back.

"Probably since we were sixteen." Hannah recalled quietly.

I sat in silence and pondered for a minute, taking my eyes off of the road for a quick moment to watch (Y/N) whilst chewing on the inside of my cheek. She looked sad — or maybe disappointed. Now that I had thought about it, I hadn't been to a carnival in such a long time. We really weren't in too much of a hurry to get back and I was sure that the movie could wait.

"You wanna go?" I finally asked and she took her eyes off the window to gaze at me with uncertainty.

"W-What? No, we can't. We have groceries in the back seat." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap, her lips turned down into a disappointed frown.

"Oh, fuck yeah!" Beth cheered behind me, startling me and nearly making me jump out of my seat. I shook my head as I let a short chuckle roll passed my lips.

"The groceries can wait. Nothing's gotta go in the fridge." I mused. "It'll be fun."

Before she opened her mouth to protest again, I turned the car around and drove in the direction of the small carnival before us. I pulled into a free parking spot, got out and rounded the side of the car before opening the door for (Y/N) and giving her my hand to help her up. Her eyes lit up with wonder as she studied the crowds and the attractions around her.

"What should we do first?" She asked me as we walked in, hand in hand, to ensure that we would not get separated.

We had done this before but only so we don't get separated in big crowds because (Y/N) hates to be alone. I wish it meant more to her than that. I wish she knew that when I held her hand, it's not just because I don't want to lose her in a big crowd…

"Fuck, I don't know! I'm so excited, I can't think!" Beth said eagerly with nothing but pure excitement in her voice and I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "This is going to be the best day ever!"

"I'm excited too." (Y/N) giggled. "What do you think, Josh?"

"I don't know. We haven't had lunch yet — you wanna get something to eat? My treat." I suggested as I pulled out my wallet and smiled kindly at her.

"Yeah, I am pretty hungry." Hannah expressed and I nodded before grabbing plucking out a twenty. Luckily, I went to an atm before heading to the store and had enough cash on me for the day.

"Yeah, I'd love that." (Y/N) expressed. A look of adoration melted into her soft eyes as she gazed up at me for a moment and I swear, it made my heart stop. I felt heat creep within my cheeks and I looked away quickly, hoping she wouldn't notice.

We went to the nearest food stall and I ordered some burgers, some fries and Pepsis for us all. After, we found a bench close by and sat down with our lunches. (Y/N) took a bite out of her burger and her eyes lit up before closing to appreciate the taste.

"This is amazing!" She took another big bite. "I forgot how good carnival food is!"

I couldn't help but smile at how happy she was over something as simple as a burger. I admired how she enjoyed the small things in life. Even something as small as food could cast the biggest smile on her face.

"Jesus! Ok, Josh! You are taking all three of us to carnivals more often! It's a must!" Beth declared before taking a bite out of her own burger.

"Yeah, you'll have to become that big movie producer fast so you'll have enough money to splurge on us!" I couldn't help but full out laugh at Hannah's comment and, by the looks of it, (Y/N) and Beth couldn't either.

"(Y/N), back in California, we have the biggest fairs and carnivals! Like rollercoasters that could last an hour, I swear to God!" Beth mused once she calmed down from her fit of giggles, wiping a tear from her eye as she did so. (Y/N)'s eyes widened before she turned to look at me for conformation and I nodded as a smile crept upon my lips.

"Shit! Yeah, I have to see that!" She giggled excitedly in agreement.

Beth finished her meal first and waited a minute until (Y/N) was finished before taking her hand and nearly dragging her off the bench.

"We have to go do something really quick." She said and both me and (Y/N) raised a brow in confusion.

"What about me?" Hannah asked, a frown forming where her smile used to be from being left out.

"If you weren't such a slow eater, then you could come too." Beth teased and Hannah's lips turned up into an awkward smile as she adjusted her glasses.

She always did that when she felt nervous.

"Well, Jesus! At least she paces herself — unlike some of us." I said, gesturing to Beth and she scoffed.

"I would watch yourself, big brother." She approached me slowly as a mischievous look formed in her eyes. I clenched what little I had left of my burger in my hands, in fear that I was about to lose it. "You know, I'm shocked — you're usually the fastest eater out of all three of us."

She stopped right in front of me and froze for a moment, making me feel both confused and worried. Before I could even attempt to react, she booped my nose and when I winced, she plucked the remainder of my burger from my hands and pushed it all in her mouth, smiling wickedly at me as her cheeks puffed out as if she was a chipmunk.

She skipped off with (Y/N) and I yelled a threatening, "I'll get you back for this!" Over my shoulder and I just barely caught Beth giving me the finger as she walked away.

I stayed seated on the bench with Hannah and watched all the children playing before us. I began imagining what it would be like taking my children to the carnival, watching their excited expressions as they went on all the rides and ate as many sweets as they could while (Y/N) is scolding me for giving them too many. Aw hell, who was I kidding? (Y/N) was just as much of a push over as I was. We would all probably spend the night with stomach aches. I was so deep in thought about my future that I failed to notice the small smile on my lips as I watched the children play.

"You can't fool me." I heard Hannah speak up beside me as she nudged my shoulder with her own. She had closed the little distance between us so she was sitting by my side now, finishing up her food as she watched the children play as well. "You can put on that "player" act all you want, but I know the real you. I see the way you look at (Y/N). Face it Joshy — you're smitten."

"What? Nah!" I scoffed with a roll of my eyes and Hannah rolled hers as well. Why do siblings gotta be so good at reading each other?

"You are with her every day, you talk about her constantly during the times you aren't and you can't tell me that you wouldn't do absolutely anything for her." She accused. "And you also can't tell me that you weren't just imagining those kids over there as your own."

I stayed silent for a moment, realizing that my sister was right. She knew that that front I always put up was a lie. I had always wanted a family of my own, and I think I had finally found the girl that I wanted to start it with — if only I had the fucking balls to tell her how I felt.

"Well, lil sis — I think you might just be right." I muttered, mind only half in reality as I pondered actually telling her that I had feelings for her.

"Look what I got!" Beth sang behind us and I jumped, hoping that her and (Y/N) did not just hear my confession. I turned to see them both holding cotton candies and, judging by their facial expressions, they didn't hear a thing. They handed me and Hannah ours before sitting down beside us on the bench.

"It's so sweet." (Y/N) said as she licked her lips. My eyes lingered on them for a second, admiring how soft they looked before I noticed Beth smirking at me out of the corner of my eye.

"Sure is!" I agreed, turning my attention back to (Y/N). "But, not as sweet as you."

She giggled at my comment and Hannah and Beth made gagging sounds. After we finished eating our cotton candy, we decided to go on some rides. Can't go to a carnival and not go on the rides, right? After all, it's good to get the heart racing every now and then.

After walking around for awhile and trying to agree on what we would all go on first, my eyes met the one that I was definitely not going to skip. I pointed at the Drop Tower, "Yes! We're doing that!" I demanded as I pulled on (Y/N)'s arm.

"I don't know, Josh…" She looked up at it reluctantly and then looked at me, a worried expression on her now pale face. Hannah and Beth walked up beside us and looked up at the tower as well. Hannah looked so pale that I already knew her answer, and Beth looked so excited that I thought she'd for sure join us. But then that excitement in her eyes turned into mischief as she peered over at me and (Y/N).

'What is she up to?' I thought to myself as I glanced at my sister out of the corner of my eye.

"I think I'll sit this one out. (Y/N), why don't you try it? Josh will be there to protect you." She nudged my shoulder and I glared back at her. I couldn't believe she was going to do this — she was going to leave us alone to push us together.

"But Beth, you love these kinds of rides." I said through gritted teeth, giving my sister the 'don't you fucking dare' look. She just smirked at me and then turned her attention back to (Y/N).

"Come on! It'll be fun! Please? I just know you'll love it!" She begged her like a bratty little child.

(Y/N) heaved a sighed. "Fine."

We got strapped in and before we knew it, the ride started to go up. (Y/N) closed his eyes as tightly as she could while her fingers clenched the safety bars and I couldn't help but feel bad for getting her in this situation that she very clearly didn't want to be in.

We got strapped in and before we knew it, the ride started to go up. (Y/N) closed his eyes as tightly as she could while her fingers clenched the safety bars.

We were finally at the top and I never felt more alive. The adrenaline felt better than any drug I have ever taken. I wanted to throw my hands in the air and scream it to the world.

"This is awesome!" I yelled with a laugh following my words. (Y/N), however, did not look like she shared my enthusiasm. Her eyes were still clenched shut and she now was shaking like a leaf! Now, I could have been my usual cocky self and acted all brave in front of her, as I usually did. But seeing her this scared hurt my heart.

So, instead of acting like 'the big man', I decided to look down and scream at the top of my lungs, "FUCK! SHIT! OH, HELL NO!"

She bursted out laughing at my reaction and just by looking at the sweet smile on her beautiful face, I knew that all the teasing I was going to get from Hannah and Beth was worth it. The ride dropped down and I screamed again but more dramatic and dragged out compared to the last time.

I got off of the ride first, staggering a bit to make (Y/N) giggle before giving her my hand to help her down. Then we headed back into the crowd of people to find my sisters.

"That was fun!" (Y/N) smiled up at me and I felt my heart swell.

"Hey, big brother! Have any vocal cords left after that big performance you gave the whole park up there?" Beth teased with her famous cocky smirk plastered on her face and I literally bit my tongue to hold back my bitter reply that was practically pushing through the seam of my lips.

"Yeah, you sounded like you were being chased by some blood-thirsty monster or something!" Hannah laughed and I rolled my eyes. But (Y/N) giggled as well and I remembered that it was worth all the torture just to hear it.

'Remember her smile. Just remember her fucking smile.' I thought to repress the urge to give my sisters nice Indian burns on each of their arms.

"How about some games?" I attempted to change the subject as I pointed over at the game booths. The girls snickered as they followed me, reminding me that although I was able to change the subject now, it didn't change the fact that I would be getting the worse of it later.

We walked up to a target shooting game and I slammed a few dollars down on the counter.

"This is gonna be too easy." I smirked. The carny took the money and handed me the gun.

"You get three tries. If you get three out of three, you get a big prize. If you get two, you get a medium prize. You get one, you get a small prize." The carny explained and I nodded.

I aimed the gun at the target and after a few moments of making sure the tip of my gun was perfectly aligned with the target and Beth nagging at me from behind, I fired… And missed. I felt my cheeks heat up from extreme embarrassment because I could hear the giggling of three girls behind me. I fired again and missed, letting out a frustrated grunt and cursing under my breath.

"Need me to show ya how it's done?" Beth teased as she patted my shoulder and I glared at her. She put her hands up in defense as she let out a chuckle. But I could see in her eyes that she regretted nothing. After letting my eyes linger on (Y/N) for a moment, I looked back at the target.

I really needed to focus this time. I aimed for the target one last time, fired, and missed again.

"Fuck!" I slammed my hand down on the counter. Being a perfectionist, this was frustrating as all fucking hell.

And it was even more frustrating because I knew my way around a gun. Growing up, I spent a lot of time fucking around at the shooting range at our lodge, so I was a pretty sharp shooter. But (Y/N)'s gaze heavy on my back was making me nervous as all fuck.

"It's ok, Josh. You're probably still lightheaded from the ride." (Y/N) spoke softly beside me as she placed her hand gently on my tense shoulder.

"How's this; I'll give you one last chance — if you hit the smallest target, I'll give you the big prize." The carny offered while smiling kindly at me and I nodded in agreement.

I aimed for the smallest target, took a moment to make sure I was perfectly aligned with it, and took a deep breath. I had to get it this time. I closed my eyes, carefully squeezed the trigger and the gun went off with a loud bang one last time. I opened my eyes and my heart jumped into my throat.

"Fuck, Yes!" I yelled excitedly.

I fucking got it.

I hugged (Y/N), who had been clapping beside me to cheer on my victory. The carny handed me a big, fluffy, black teddy bear with a red bow around it's neck and a big red heart between it's paws that said, 'love'. I didn't hesitate to give it to (Y/N).

"—For you." I declared proudly. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell agape.

"Really?" She looked unsure for a moment as she hesitantly took the bear from my hands.

"Of course! I have to give you the prize, since you're my biggest cheerleader." I nudged her shoulder playfully and she blushed as she hugged the bear while smiling up at me.

"Hey, love birds!" Beth called out to us and I mentally face palmed at her ruining our moment.

'Dammit, Beth!' For all I knew, it could have turned into our first kiss.

"Don't mind her." Hannah rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "We were wondering if you guys wanted to continue going on some other rides?"

"Sure! Why not?" I agreed before following my sisters to their next ride of choice.

We decided to go on some calmer rides, since Hannah had a weak stomach. The Carousel was Hannah's first choice because she loved the horses. When I went to sit on the horse beside Beth's, Hannah pushed passed me and jumped on it before signaling behind her. I looked behind me to see (Y/N) already on her horse and the one beside her empty. I glared at my sisters, seeing right through their little plan and went to sit beside (Y/N). Not that I'm complaining though — we had a good time and it was pretty fun.

And then, after that, we tried the Bumper Cars. Me and Beth got a little too competitive there, ending in a couple of cars getting a bit damaged. After awhile, Hannah and (Y/N) stayed parked on the sidelines and watched the shitshow of a war that me and Beth created in the middle. She will never admit it, but I clearly won that round.

And we also tried the darts game, where (Y/N) won a small, light brown puppy plushy that had really big and buggy sad eyes.

"Ha! It looks just like you! It's got those big—" Beth couldn't finish, because I interrupted her quickly, trying to avoid being embarrassed for the— however many times it's been today.

"DON'T!" I growled as my eye shot daggers towards my sister.

"But you didn't let me finish, big brother." She smiled innocently and I looked over to Hannah and (Y/N), who also looked weary of Beth's attitude as well.

"Fine… Go ahead…" I sighed, defeated and finally accepting my fate.

"It's got those big bug-eyes, just like yours!" She reached up and patted me on the head and I clenched my teeth. I glared at Beth and Hannah held the toy up beside my face.

"It's uncanny!" Hannah laughed and I just about ripped the toy right out of her grasp.

"No need to be a smart-ass!" I grumbled as I folded my arms across my chest.

"Oh, but it's cute." (Y/N) chuckled as she took the small toy from Hannah. I felt a familiar heat creep upon my cheeks as she spoke and turned to look at me with a softness in her eyes that could bring light to any dark heart.

"Really?" I said, barely above a whisper after swallowing thickly.

"Yeah." Her voice was so soft, it almost made me cry.

"Uhhhhh— W–Why don't we try the haunted house?! That should be fun, r–right?" I attempted to change the subject as I tore my eyes away from hers. The girls agreed and we headed towards the ride.

Of course — as I expected — Hannah and Beth ditched me and (Y/N) for their own cart, leaving me alone with her YET AGAIN! I didn't know how much more I could take. I loved being around her — don't get me wrong — but for the last month, my little crush on her had been growing stronger and being alone with her was painfully awkward, especially since she didn't even realize that I had feelings for her. Nope! After all the regular compliments I gave her, she still hadn't figured it out! Well — to be fair — I make comments towards lots of girls but those are different. Those are just dumb sex jokes I make to be funny and sometimes weird people out. With her, it's different — it means something. I just wish she knew that.

Maybe I shouldn't be so annoyed with Hannah and Beth trying to put me in these awkward situations. They just want me to be happy. But what people don't know is that I'm a lot more insecure than I let on. Yup! That's right! Mr. Bone Zone isn't so confident after all! So shocking, right? So, being alone with a girl as pretty as (Y/N) is basically fucking torture for me.

Our cart began to move towards the entrance to the ride and I sneakily put my arm around (Y/N). It was a bold move but I had to do something! I felt her tense and for a minute, I thought it was because of my arm and I went to pull away before realizing that it wasn't my arm at all, it was because she was scared.

As our cart moved throughout the ride, I noticed her getting more and more tense. I then shuffled closer to her and she — I am assuming subconsciously — leaned into my body, as if she was hoping for my protection. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her and began explaining how each prop was made and every gory and ghostly illusion was done. It seemed to calm her and she eventually relaxed into my embrace — just another perk to having a father in the film industry.

Once the ride began to slow — or as I like to say: the calm before the storm — she began to melt into my arms and rested her head on my chest. Trying so hard to keep it cool, I rested my head on top of her's and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment of peace we had.

"Thank you, Josh." She whispered and I felt my heart stammer a little, until— "You're a good friend."

'Fuck! You're kidding, right?!'

I felt my heart drop at her words and squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could, trying to ignore the disappointment and small bit of heartbreak I was enduring. The ride eventually came to an end and we were greeted by Beth and a very pale Hannah, who looked as if she was about to vomit. Laughing and trying to ignore what had just happened, I wrapped my arm around my little sister to give her a comforting side-hug before we continued on to do something new.

A few hours later, we all decided to go on the Ferris Wheel before finally going home. Again, Hannah and Beth insisted on going on their own cart, leaving me and (Y/N) alone for what I was hoping was the last time today. After being taken to the worst zone of all — the 'friend zone' — I really didn't want to be left alone with her any longer.

We reached the top and (Y/N) leaned into my side and I subconsciously wrapped my arm around her shoulders. It was dark out now and the park was lit up by all the lights from the rides and the games. It was a breathtaking view and judging by the smile on (Y/N)'s face, she thought so as well. She rested her head on my shoulder and I froze, not knowing what to do.

"It's beautiful." She whispered as her beautiful eyes lit up from the lights of the park and I couldn't help but notice how they illuminated her face just right, showing off her best features.

"Just like you." I murmured without a second thought. But her body tensing up and the sudden movement of her pulling away from me made me snap out of whatever fucking trance I was in at the moment.

"W–What?" She stuttered her question as nothing but pure shock painted over her calm expression that her face held only second ago.

"Oh— Uh— I was just saying— You know, like I always do?" I tried to brush it off but the look on her face told me she didn't believe me.

"You never said it quite like that before." Her voice was barely above a whisper. And in that moment, I knew I couldn't keep it from her any longer.

"(Y/N)… There is something I have to tell you…" I admitted as I looked down at my shoes, terrified to meet her gaze. "I like you — a lot. Hell, I might even love you! I'm sorry, but I can't hold back my feelings any longer."

After a few seconds of silence that felt like hours, I decided to glance up — only to see her staring at me with an even more shocked expression. Her eyes were wide, mouth agape, pale; she looked like she had just come out of a horror movie!

"I–I had no idea, Josh…" She whispered as she looked down at her hands that were now folded in her lap as she picked at her nails nervously. I fucking knew it was coming to a rejection. I wasn't too familiar with the whole thing. Babes would go with me even if they didn't like me, just because I had money. But I knew (Y/N) was better than that. And I knew that because of that, I was going to lose her.

"I'm sorry if this has ruined things between us." I look away from her, mentally kicking myself for being so dumb. But then I felt two soft hands over my own. I hesitantly peered back at her to see her staring at me with warmth in her eyes that no fire could create and a smile that could bring me back to life if I had died.

"I never said that it did. I like you too, Josh — a lot, actually. I just didn't think that you liked me back." She explained and my eyes widened in shock.

"Y–You like me too?"

"Yeah!"

"Holy shit!" I yelled excitedly, standing up but then remembering that I was hundreds of feet in the air, so I quickly sat back down, making her giggle. "S–So, you'll be my girlfriend then?"

"Of course, silly!" She chuckled and with that being said, I placed a gentle kiss upon her soft lips. Finally, I have gotten what I have truly desired for so long.

'I'll have to thank Hannah and Beth for this later.' I made a mental note after we broke away from the kiss after a minute or two. She rested her head on my shoulder and I rested mine on top of hers as we enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Driving home, we were all exhausted from the day we had. I looked in the rear view mirror to see Hannah and Beth, completely knocked out from exhaustion and I just chuckled to myself — it was the first time Beth had been quiet that day.

Then I looked over to (Y/N) — who was fast asleep in the passenger seat while cuddling her bear with a big smile on her face. My heart felt so warm at the sight of how happy my girl was.

And nothing has ever made me happier.

It truly was the best day ever.

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[xenon-demon]

I fucking love pretty much every version of the “celebrity x Just Some Guy™” trope that there is for Steddie, but in honor of having a totally reasonable amount of wine I’m going to tell you about the version I’m currently thinking about all the time, one of my dumbest yet also funniest AU concepts: modern!AU with streamers Steve & Robin and Hardcore Fan™ Eddie who writes reader-insert fic about Steve.

Steve and Robin, aka EvenStevens and BirdBox_ on Twitch (“My name is spelled with a P-H, Robin, that’s such a stupid name.” “No, it’s actually even better this way! You don’t want to just use your real government name for something like this, and you would just make your username ‘SteveHarrington01′ or something equally uninspired-”) frequently stream together and have a shared YouTube channel. They got popular doing reaction videos that quickly devolve into the pair of them bickering on camera, and since the internet just loves the ‘snarky woman and her emotional support himbo’ dynamic, they got very big, very quick. Plus, it certainly doesn’t hurt that they had the combined might of Dustin and Erica to help them bend the algorithm to their whims.

While most people recognize their platonic-with-a-capital-P soulmatism, there are still some that are convinced they’re secretly dating - they can’t decide if it’s hilarious or absolutely maddening that every time they try to disprove the rumors, they somehow get stronger. Robin doesn’t feel comfortable coming out to the internet yet, and without that trump card some people just can’t understand why they’re not dating.

...there are other sections of their fandom, however, that absolutely do believe they’re not dating. Mainly because they’d rather be dating Steve or Robin (or both!) themselves, and write all the reader-insert fanfiction you could ever possibly need about it. Robin is largely ambivalent to the concept of fanfiction being written about herself as long as they’re not writing smut, since at least that way they’re not insisting she’s dating Steve.

Steve on the other hand finds it absolutely hilarious how despite how much he’s changed, he’s back to being the heartthrob he used to be in high school - and, he’ll be honest, he thrives on the attention. He’s given everyone the green light to write whatever they want - dared them to make it raunchier, even - to the point where it’s a running joke that Steve will read your reader-insert fanfiction about him unless you tag it with some form of ‘Steve don’t look’. He even used the prevalence of fic about himself to come out on stream.

(Steve’s in the middle of re-organizing his flower field in Animal Crossing when he’s interrupted by a donation. “Hey Steve, really sorry to tell you this but people are writing porn about you... and they’re making it gay. Like writing about you getting fucked by a dude. Just wanted you to know so you can say something about it.”

Steve stops dead, his screen freezing on his open inventory. “Hey, uh, why the fuck would I have a problem about a fictional version of me bottoming? Or- wait, do I seriously give off homophobic vibes? I’m literally bisexual. Hey Dustin, can you ban that guy please? Christ, the nerve of some people. If that’s how you feel about people being gay, or about people writing things that I’ve already said I have no problem with, you can leave this stream right now because I don’t want you here.“)

Many people lost their minds after that stream, one of them being popular tumblr blog whorefireclub.

Eddie didn’t plan on starting a tumblr blog for self-insert fanfiction about a twitch streamer. Really he didn’t, and every time he thinks about it in terms that plain he kind of dies a little on the inside. It’s really all Gareth’s fault, for getting fed up with Eddie’s dumb parasocial crush on a streamer and daring him to just “get it out of his system already”. So, using a bare-bones anonymous tumblr and many, many beers as his cover story, Eddie posted some of the most quickly written and unedited pieces of writing he’s ever produced in his life.

Except he wrote it with an AMAB reader character - and for those of you unfamiliar with the reader-insert sphere, that’s like fucking hen’s teeth. People are pretty good at making things gender neutral at least in their descriptions, and sometimes the anatomy is vague enough that it’s ambiguous, but the majority is written with AFAB genitalia for the reader character.

Eddie’s little drunken post blows up, and at first, he’s never regretted a life choice more.

After thinking about it, and seeing just how many people left comments with their reblogs or came into his askbox directly to thank him for giving them the representation they wanted, he starts to feel a bit better about the whole thing. In fact, it kind of tickles his “protector of the outcasts” instincts; there are people who can’t enjoy the content they want to because it doesn’t gel with their anatomy or gender identity. Eddie could, hypothetically, if he wanted to be absolutely insane about this one hot streamer guy, help fix that problem somewhat.

A couple of months later and he’s become “the guy who writes inclusive reader-insert fic”. While a fair amount of his work is gender-ambiguous, both in anatomy and in avoiding gendered language, more than half is written for anyone who finds themselves underrepresented in the usual reader-insert scene; anyone AMAB, AFAB people who can’t do female language, he’s even written a few oneshots with intersex reader characters. He did research for it and everything. It’s certainly not how he planned for this to work out, but it’s actually kind of... nice. He’d written a lot of fanfiction in his youth, mainly about Lord of the Rings and Star Trek, and while this isn’t how he’d imagined returning to the hobby it’s actually really fun. (It’s making his celebrity crush on Steve a million times worse, of course, but he’s in denial about that so it’s totally fine.)

He’s a little shit, so his blog header has - underneath his personal details - a PSA that reads “Steve, don’t look at this unless you have the balls to shout me out on stream ;)”. Eddie thinks he’s absolutely hilarious.

Right up until he wakes up to find his following has exploded overnight, and upon checking his DMs from his mutuals realizes that - oh shit - that bastard actually did it and talked about his blog on stream.

And Steve said he liked it. Steve likes the porn that Eddie wrote about him. Jesus H. Christ, Eddie is so unfathomably fucked.

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if this were to exist as a fic it would be told through social media posts/DMs. one of those fics that uses unconventional (i.e. non-prose) formatting, you know the ones. the concept actually came from the fact I fucking LOVE fics like that, I’m a slut for any of that House of Leaves-type shit. one time I read a fic that consisted of 8 short stories and each one had a HTML puzzle you had to solve to be able to read it, e.g. one you had to highlight because the text was in white, another you needed to hover your mouse over to make it scroll through the text - I can’t remember the rest but it was SO COOL.

(or, to put this another way, I read homestuck at a formative age and it forever changed how I feel about formatting stories.)

[agentrouka-blog]

Hey I have a question that you might find interesting. Don't you find it strange that literally no one in this fandom questions whether the Valyrians (including the Targaryens) really were that beautiful and perfect, or whether this is actually part of some „propaganda” in the asoiaf universe? Because it seems strange to me that centuries of incest have not affected anyone at all, and supposedly it can be explained by the fact that "genetics work differently in this universe", but I don't buy it. The other thing is also that Valyria is described as the most advanced, but is it really? Throughout history we have instances where propaganda was used to make a given country or empire seem as good as possible, while the truth may always seems different. So I'm seriously surprised that I've never meet a person who would question the old valyria or even the Targaryens…

Anyway I hope you have a good day and take care!!

I wouldn't say that it has never been questioned in fandom at all? Plenty of fans are critical of the Valyrian empire, especially those who like Dorne and the Rhoynar, and take a look at asoiaf history from that angle.

This post is particularly concise on the subject of exactly why Valyrian looks seem to be considered beautiful by default. (Hint: it's imperialism.)

GRRM himself absolutely lampoons the idea of this universally adored ethereal Valyrian beauty when he gives us Arianne's reaction to a person with Valyrian looks:

"You look… " She hesitated. "…like a woman?" He laughed. "That I am not." " …like a Targaryen," Arianne insisted. His eyes were a pale lilac, his hair a waterfall of white and gold. All the same, something about him made her skin crawl. Was this what Viserys looked like? she found herself wondering. If so perhaps it is a good thing he is dead. "I am flattered. The women of House Targaryen are said to be without peer in all the world." "And the men of House Targaryen?" "Oh, even prettier. Though if truth be told, I have only seen the one." (TWOW, Arianne II)

It doesn't get much more damning than that.

As for their advanced society, they are still famed for their magical steel, which can't be replicated likely because most societies aren't knee-deep in peninsula-destroying blood magic. Which is also where the dragon bites its tail: if your "advanced" technology is essentially all rooted in blood magic that likely had a role to play in obliterating your entire "freehold", your people, and almost all dragons, is that advanced or is it just living large on borrowed time and stolen lives?

Because:

None can say how many perished, toiling in the Valyrian mines, but the number was so large as to surely defy comprehension. As Valyria grew, its need for ore increased, which led to ever more conquests to keep the mines stocked with slaves. The Valyrians expanded in all directions, stretching out east beyond the Ghiscari cities and west to the very shores of Essos, where even the Ghiscari had not made inroads. (The World of Ice and Fire, Valyria's Children)

Seems like whatever they had going for them was bought with the lives of those they oppressed. Either through enslavement or through literally trading their lives in blood magic rituals.