#if this post only gets 1 note i will be happy

[bruisedboys]

can you make a part 2 to the daeho fic you posted where him and the reader get closer as the games go on? 🥹 it was so good im obsessed!!

worth protecting — kang daeho

daeho makes it his mission to protect shy!you during the games. as a result, a connection begins to grow between the two of you. this is a part 2 but can be read on its own!

part 1 | part 2

note: thank you lovely anon! I’m so happy u requested because I needed an excuse to write a 2nd part hehe. bit of a disclaimer, thanos is a bully in this but only for the plot lol

kang dae-ho x shy!fem!reader, fluff, overprotective dae-ho, 3.7k words

—

You sit by yourself, knees pulled to your chest, trying to look as small as possible.

The guards have taken some of the men to the bathrooms. The rest of your team from the second game — Dae-ho, Jung-bae, Young-il, and Gi-hun — went with them. Dae-ho had hesitated, not wanting to leave you on your own, but you’d assured him you’d be fine.

You’re starting to doubt your own judgement. You feel as if all the eyes in the room are on you. They aren’t, of course, but you are the only one sitting by yourself, so you feel quite vulnerable. It doesn’t help that your team had been the last ones to complete the second game, and when you’d returned to the main room after completing it, nobody in the room looked very happy to see you.

You’re so preoccupied with trying to seem as small and insignificant as possible that you don’t notice a certain somebody approaching you. It’s not until you see his shoes come into view that you realise you’ve been cornered.

“Hey. Señorita.”

You recognise the voice. It’s Thanos, the obnoxious rapper with purple hair and an obvious drug problem. Another set of shoes join his, and you assume it’s Nam-gyu, the man who’s been glued to Thanos’ side since the first day. Your traitorous heart starts to pound in your chest.

“Don’t ignore me,” Thanos drawls, when you don’t look up. You can hear the amused grin in his voice. One of his hands comes into view and he gestures for you to look up with two ringed fingers, “C’mon, look at me.”

You obey, worried about what he’ll do to you if you don’t do what he wants. Thanos and Nam-gyu loom over you, wearing twin mischievous grins.

“There’s your pretty face,” Thanos muses, nodding to himself. He looks over his shoulder at Nam-gyu. “Isn’t she pretty?”

Nam-gyu nods. “Oh, yeah. Where’s the rest of your team, gorgeous?”

You don’t dare to open your mouth. You’re not sure what will come out if you do. You glance around the room, looking for someone, anyone who might help you. But your only friends aren’t back yet, and nobody else is paying attention to you. You suppose this is what you get for purposefully making yourself unnoticeable.

Thanos laughs harshly at your silence. He bends over you, bringing one foot to rest on the metal platform just below the one you’re sitting on.

“They left you behind, huh?” He says, leaning forward so his face is uncomfortably close to yours. “Don’t worry. You can join Team Thanos.” He gestures to himself with both hands, smug. “We’ve got plenty of room for pretty girls like you.”

You shake your head, and finally manage to find your voice.

“No, thanks. I’m happy with my team,” you say, trying your best to keep your voice steady.

Thanos scoffs, a look of disbelief twisting his features. Nam-gyu scoffs as well, cursing under his breath before leaning into your space as well.

“Oh, c’mon,” he says, running a hand through his greasy hair and smirking at you. “Leave that nutjob and come join us. Please?”

Nam-gyu clasps his hands in front of him like he’s begging. Both men lean towards you, and you instinctively start to move back.

“No, thank you,” you say again, your heart hammering in your throat. Maybe if you scramble up the steps behind you, you’ll be able to get away from them. “I—“

“Hey!”

All three of you turn your heads towards the noise. To your utter relief, Dae-ho is storming towards you, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“Oh, look,” Thanos says to you, grinning gleefully and pointing at Dae-ho. “It’s your boyfriend!”

He and Nam-gyu start to laugh like a couple of lunatics. You wonder, vaguely, if they’re high. Though you wouldn’t doubt that this is just how they act without the influence of drugs. Dae-ho reaches you and steps between you and the two other men protectively.

“What’s going on?” He asks in a steady voice, staring them down.

Thanos shrugs. “Nothing, man. Just trying to be friendly.” He leans around Dae-ho, eyeing you with a smirk. “Do you think we could borrow your pretty teammate for a while?”

Dae-ho moves to the side, using his chest to block you from Thanos’ vision. “Leave her alone.”

Thanos scoffs. “Or what? C’mon, brother, can’t you share?”

Dae-ho grabs Thanos by the front of the shirt, fuming. “You little—“

“Boys.”

Everyone looks to see who’d spoken. It’s Young-il, closely followed by Gi-hun and Jung-bae. Nam-gyu moves back a step, clearly intimidated. Young-il already beat him up once, he probably doesn’t want to experience it again.

“That’s enough,” Young-il says in a smooth voice. He eyes Dae-ho, who’s still gripping Thanos’ shirt and looking like he might punch the other man in the face.

Dae-ho contemplates Thanos for a few long seconds, then finally drops him.

“Leave her alone,” he says in a low growl. It’s the most intimidating you’ve ever seen Dae-ho. He’s about the same height as Thanos, but he somehow seems much taller.

Thanos just scoffs, glancing at Young-il, who makes sure to step in front of you too. The message is clear — mess with her and you’ll mess with us, too.

“Whatever, man,” Thanos huffs, dusting off his shirt with an air of faux nonchalance. “You’ll regret not letting her join my team when she’s dead.”

He grabs Nam-gyu and the two of them stalk off, but not without throwing you and your group dirty looks the whole time. Once they’re out of earshot, you let out a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding.

Dae-ho spins around, and squats down to be at eye level with you.

“Are you okay?” He asks, worry clear as day in his voice. His eyes search you for injuries, frantic.

You nod vigorously. You hadn’t realise you’d been frozen to your spot, but now that Thanos and Nam-gyu are gone, your body relaxes almost instantaneously.

“I’m okay,” you say.

Dae-ho takes your face in his hand. “They didn’t hurt you?”

You shake your head. “No. No, I’m fine, Dae-ho.”

Dae-ho studies your face. He’s very very close, close enough you could kiss him if you wanted to, and his palm is warm on your face, his eyes full to bursting with worry. Your stomach flutters a bit, though you’re not sure if it’s from your interaction with Thanos, or the fact that Dae-ho has become so protective of you in such a short time.

Young-il and the others move up behind Dae-ho.

“You’re alright?” Young-il asks you.

You nod. “I’m fine. Thank you for scaring them off.”

Young-il smiles at you. He glances at Dae-ho, who’s still holding your face. You can’t read Young-il’s expression, but his smile grows.

“I think Dae-ho did most of the scaring off,” he muses.

Dae-ho blushes. He’s saved from having to say anything when Gi-hun moves forward and puts a hand on your shoulder.

“If they try anything, you come to us, okay?” He says, and the other older men nod. “We’re a team now.”

“Okay,” you say quietly. You’re grateful for their help, but you don’t like all the attention being on you. “I will.”

Gi-hun nods, satisfied, and he, Young-il and Jung-bae move away, finding a spot on the metal steps nearby but not too close, leaving you and Dae-ho alone.

Dae-ho’s hand drops from your face and you, embarrassingly, miss his touch as soon as it’s gone.

“Thank you,” you say earnestly.

Dae-ho just frowns. He glances over his shoulder and you follow his gaze to where Thanos and Nam-gyu sit across the room. They’re still glaring in your direction, and muttering to each other behind their hands.

When Dae-ho turns back, he still looks worried.

“I’m fine,” you say hastily. You don’t want him to worry about you, and you really are okay. Dae-ho and the others arrived just in time. “Really.”

Dae-ho sighs, running a hand through his hair. “What did they want, anyway?”

You shrug. “I don’t know. They asked me to join their team…as if I ever would.”

Dae-ho chuckles at your scathing tone. His laugh is a fond, easy sort of sound that makes all the tension in your limbs relax. Dae-ho himself finally relaxes, too, moving to sit next to you, his knee brushing yours as he settles down.

“Well, I can see why they wanted you,” he says. “You were so impressive in that second game. Where’d you learn to play ddakji like that?”

You shrug one shoulder. “I used to play a lot as a kid,” you say, shy under his earnest gaze.

Dae-ho does this thing, you’ve noticed, where he makes sure to always look into the eyes of whoever he’s talking to. It’s charming, sure, but your nerves don’t handle it very well. You duck your head.

“Thank you again for protecting me,” you say softly.

Dae-ho shakes his head. “It’s no problem, Y/N. They shouldn’t take advantage of you just because you’re quiet.” He ducks his head as well, following your gaze, forcing you to look him in the eyes, “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

You feel your cheeks go hot. He’s very close again, face to face with you, and his doe-like eyes are locked onto yours in a soft but somehow horribly intense gaze.

“It’s okay,” you say. “Doesn’t matter now.”

Dae-ho straightens up, squinting in the direction of Thanos and his team.

“If they ask again,” Dae-ho says, frowning a bit. “You won’t say yes, will you?”

In what world would I? You think to yourself. You shake your head.

“No. I like our team. I like you,” you say without thinking. It’s not meant to be a confession, but it sure sounds like one when you say it like that.

Thankfully, Dae-ho doesn’t mention it. Nor does he mention the mortified look on your face when you realise what you’ve just said. He just grins.

“Mm, I like our team, too,” he nods decisively, glancing over at the other members of your team, who are chatting together nearby. “We’ll stick together from here on out, yeah?”

—

“Is this really necessary?” Jung-bae asks Gi-hun, hauling a mattress over one of the metal barriers surrounding the bunks.

You stick your head out from behind him, a stack of pillows in your arms. Gi-hun nods, addressing your group, who are clearly wondering why he’s so paranoid as to make you sleep underneath the bunks.

“Once the lights go out, somebody might attack us,” Gi-hun explains. He takes the mattress from Jung-bae and pushes it under the bottom bunk. “The prize money still goes up if we kill each other. It’s a part of the game they designed.”

You glance at Dae-ho. You’re not sure if you believe what Gi-hun is saying, but he has been here before, and he’s been trustworthy so far, so you should probably believe him, right?

Tensions are on a high again, now that the second vote has been cast and the result has remained the same. You’ll play another game, courtesy of the O voters. And honestly, seeing how they act during the votes, you wouldn’t put it past some of them to attack you in the night for the possibility of more money.

Dae-ho gives you a look, as if to say, “It’ll be alright,” and you nod. You feel safe with him, and your group are the reason you’re even still alive after the second game. They defended you against Thanos, and even before that, they let you join their team, though you’re sure they easily could’ve found someone stronger or more useful than you.

You and Dae-ho join Jung-bae and Gi-hun in the gap between the bunks, helping them to push the bedding underneath the metal frames.

When you straighten up, Dae-ho pulls you aside, a hand on your shoulder.

“Hey, don’t worry, okay?” He says, concern etched into his face. He glances over at Gi-hun. “I’m sure he’s just … paranoid.”

You nod. “Yeah,” you say, though even to your own ears, you sound a bit unconvinced.

Dae-ho smiles at you, giving your shoulder a pat.

“It’ll be fine,” he assures you. “If you want, I can sleep next to you? If that makes you feel any safer.”

You pause. For some reason, the thought of sleeping next to Dae-ho makes you nervous. Though, not with fear. You think you might be developing a crush on him, which you realise is absurd in a place like this, but he’s been so kind. He’s kept his promise and has been looking out for you ever since the first game.

During the second game, he offered to ask the other men to let you join their team, and when they hesitated he convinced them for you. He’s thoughtful, too, and he’d been so protective during the second game and after. You worry liking him will only make this whole situation worse, but on the other hand, you might die tomorrow. What’s the use in worrying about a little crush?

You nod. “Okay,” you say, smiling at Dae-ho. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

Dae-ho gives your shoulder a squeeze, then moves away to help Jung-bae with another mattress.

—

“Are you comfortable?” Dae-ho whispers into the quiet.

The lights went out a half hour ago. Gi-hun offered to go on first watch, and Jung-bae’s already out like a light. You can’t see Young-il from where you’re lying but you assume he’s settling down, like you and Dae-ho. You’ve both slid under a pair of bunks, two mattresses laid out on the floor next to each other for you to sleep on.

You look over at Daeho. “It’s sort of cramped,” you say, amused at how silly you probably look lying under the bunks like this. “But I’m okay.”

Dae-ho chuckles. “I’m not sure this is even necessary. So far, nobody’s attacked.”

You laugh too, “Yeah, well. It can’t hurt to be too safe, right?”

Dae-ho nods. “Mm, I guess you’re right.”

Silence falls over the two of you. You’re tired, but you don’t really feel like sleeping. You’ve got a lot to think about. The third game tomorrow, for one. Though, you’re so glad you have a solid team now. You’re certain they’ll look out for you, and you them. You owe them that much. Then there’s Dae-ho, who it seems you owe a lot. He’s been your constant shadow this whole time, and you couldn’t be more grateful.

You’ve felt the beginnings of something unnamed start to bloom in your chest whenever he talks to you. It’s worse now, lying so close to him like this. His arm keeps brushing yours as he shifts himself around. You can’t ignore the little jolts of electricity that go through your arm every time he nudges you by accident.

Dae-ho whispers into the silence again. “What’re you thinking about?”

You wonder if he can tell you’re thinking about him, or if he’s just got terrible timing. You look over at him.

“The game tomorrow,” you say. It’s a half lie. You were thinking about the game tomorrow, but you got distracted by thoughts of Dae-ho.

He frowns. “Are you scared?”

You shrug one shoulder. “A little. But … I’m glad I have you,” you say honestly. Then, so you don’t sound too hopeless, you add, “And.. and the others, of course.”

Dae-ho hums. Either he doesn’t notice your slip up, or he’s gracious enough to ignore it.

“We’ll be fine, Y/N. Most of the other players, they don’t really have proper teams. I’m sure if we stick together, we can make it out alive.”

You nod, staring up at the underside of the bunk above you. Dae-ho nudges your shoulder with his.

“Get some sleep, okay? I’ll wake you when it’s your turn to keep watch.”

You nod. The others hadn’t even wanted you to have a turn keeping watch, but you’d insisted, knowing it wasn’t fair on them if you slept through the night.

“Promise you’ll wake me up,” you tell Dae-ho seriously. You have an inkling that if you don’t make him promise, he’ll just let you sleep, covering your shift for you. You stick your pinky up in between your bodies, “Pinky promise?”

Dae-ho chuckles softly. “I guess I can’t argue with a pinky promise,” he muses, and hooks his pinky with yours.

—

Dae-ho hates to see you sitting by yourself, looking so alone as you diligently keep watch over your group. He’s just finished his turn keeping watch and woken you up for your turn, though he felt awful waking you when you looked so peaceful fast asleep.

He hasn’t known you very long, but in the time he has known you, he hasn’t seen you so relaxed as you were when you were asleep. Though he will admit, you seem to be warming up to him quite a bit, and you’re far more relaxed around him than the first time he talked to you.

Dae-ho wonders if he should go sit with you, or if that would make him seem too desperate. He makes his decision before he can think about it properly. He slides back out of bed and gets up, walking over to where you sit leaning against the metal railing and keeping watch.

You twist as he approaches. “What are you doing?” You ask. “Aren’t you gonna go back to bed?”

Dae-ho shakes his head. “Can’t sleep,” he says, sitting down next to you.

You raise an eyebrow at him. “You barely tried.”

Dae-ho shrugs. “I’m not tired anymore,” he lies.

He’s actually exhausted, but he’d rather sit with you than go to sleep knowing you’re sitting by yourself in the half dark, alone and vulnerable.

You study him like you’re trying to work out if he’s lying or not. Dae-ho feels weirdly nervous under your gaze. He’s grown to care for you quite a bit in the short time he’s known you, and he also happens to think you’re really pretty. That, and he finds your crippling shyness really cute.

You must decide he’s telling the truth, because you shrug.

“If you say so,” you say, though you sound grateful to have someone to sit with you.

Silence falls over the two of you. Dae-ho feels a connection to you that he can’t quite explain. It started the moment he saw you in the first game — you were petrified, as was he, but he suddenly felt like it was his responsibility to help you get over that finish line.

He could’ve left you alone, after that. But he didn’t — instead, he took you under his wing. It was simple. You seemed like you were worth protecting, so he protected you.

He studies your face in the silence. You’re gazing up at the absurdly large piggy bank hanging from the ceiling. The gold light illuminates your features, clinging to your eyelashes like starlight. You’re very pretty, and as you get more and more comfortable around him, it seems you only get prettier.

He’s mesmerised. He can’t explain why, but you’ve become important to him now.

“You’re staring at me,” you say quietly, breaking the silence.

Dae-ho blinks. He hadn’t realised how long he’d been staring at your face. He says the first thing that comes to mind,

“No, I’m not.”

You giggle and twist to look at him. “Yeah, you are. Why are you staring at me?”

You tilt your head, puppy-like, your tired eyes curious. If only you knew why he was staring. He worries if he told you the truth, you’d melt into a puddle.

Dae-ho decides to tell half the truth. “You’re interesting,” he says simply.

You look surprised. “Oh? Interesting in a good way, or interesting in a bad way?”

Dae-ho grins. “Definitely a good way.”

You laugh softly, and there’s a look on your face that Dae-ho can’t quite read.

“I don’t know what that means,” you say airily.

Dae-ho nudges your shoulder with his. “It means I like you,” he says, grinning like a fool. “You’re interesting, and I like that about you. Does that explain it?”

You blink rather rapidly, and your shoulders start to creep towards your ears. Oh, right. Dae-ho almost forgot how shy you can get. He’d be sorry to have embarrassed you, but you’re so cute he doesn’t have it in him to feel very sorry at all.

“What?” He asks innocently, chuckling a bit. “Did I embarrass you? I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

The ‘sweetheart’ sort of just slips out before he can stop it. It suits you, Dae-ho thinks, but unfortunately, the pet name sends you over the edge.

You go red hot in the face, pulling your knees up to hide your face in them. You wrap your arms around your legs and mumble something unintelligible into your sweatpants.

Something like aching fondness blooms in Dae-ho’s chest like a bruise. He gets an arm around you and rubs your back.

“Hey,” he says, half accusatory and half fond, “Where’d you go?”

You mumble something else that he can’t quite make out. Dae-ho leans in closer, curving his arm around your lower back.

“What’d you say?” He asks, a grin tugging at his lips now. He’s quite enjoying teasing you, though he hopes he’s not crossing a line. “I can’t hear you when you’re hiding, Y/N.”

You emerge grudgingly, revealing your face screwed up in what he thinks is embarrassment. You glare at Dae-ho, though there’s no heat behind your eyes.

“Leave me alone,” you bemoan, a pout tugging at the corners of your mouth.

Dae-ho pauses. “You don’t mean that, right?” He asks, amused.

You nod vehemently. “I do. You’re teasing me on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Dae-ho muses, and then he chuckles at the look on your face. You’re cute when you’re annoyed, though he’s almost certain you’re far less annoyed than you’re letting on. “Oh, c’mon. You’re an easy target, you know that?”

You huff. “Yeah, I know,” you mumble, the tips of your ears glowing red.

Dae-ho wonders, vaguely, if it’s silly to be developing a crush in a place like this. Then, he decides he doesn’t really care if it’s silly or not.

He pulls you closer. “Sorry for teasing you,” he says softly.

You shake your head, and, surprisingly, you lean into his chest a bit. “It’s okay. I don’t mind it when it’s you.”

Dae-ho raises both eyebrows. His chest feels funny, like his heart wants to rip free of his ribcage. He can’t see your face, but if he could he worries he’d kiss you on the spot. Instead, he just holds you, your body going lax against him, your head falling to rest on his shoulder.

Sure, maybe it’s a bit silly to be crushing on you at a time like this, but Daeho decides something at that moment. Just like you’re worth protecting, you’re also worth having a crush on. No matter the circumstances

thank you for reading! reblogs are appreciated as always ᡣ𐭩

[3hks]

How to Write A DESPERATE (But NOT Annoying) Character

We all love a good yearning character. It's refreshing to see a person love someone else so much that it becomes a form of desperation or obsession. However, it's no secret that these kinds of characters can easily seem irritating when overdone.

So, in this post, I'll give you some advice on how to balance out that excessive desperation while still maintaining that trademark cute, loser-like (for lack of a better term) pining! I'm actually very excited for this, so let's get to it!

1. They Acknowledge Flaws

Have you ever seen a character who's so down-bad that they REFUSE to think that their crush is anything but perfect? That's not exactly a bad thing, but the truth is, their crush is not objectively perfect.

No matter how delusional your character is, if they can comfortably and openly admit that their loved one is flawed, it shows that they truly adore them--not an idealized image of them--no matter what.

They can think that their crush is perfect, but not because they're flawless, it's instead because of those flaws.

2. Actions Beyond Words

A character screaming their crush's name ("NEZUKO-CHAN!! NEZUKO-CHAN!!") does not do anything besides letting the world know how infatuated they are. We are better than that.

Many desperately-in-love characters are characterized by their often extreme and slightly unhinged dialogue. However, words are just words. If they truly love someone, they'll do much more than simply repeat it over and over.

It's imperative to also show their love through physical, caring actions that reveal how well they treat their loved one. This could be helping them clean up, offering them snacks, or simply lending an ear.

3. In Love with the Simple Things

When your character wants their crush, what do they want with them? Does your character want to hug them? Kiss them? Hold hands? Or is it something more?

It's only human to want those things. There's nothing wrong with that, but they should also cherish the smaller things. I'm talking about making breakfast for them in the morning. Going grocery shopping with them on a Wednesday. Picking them up from work.

The small moments are what makes up everyday life, not the big ones. If your character isn't looking forward to those minute things with their partner, can you say they love them?

4. A Priority, But Not Everything

For some of y'all, I might have to hold your hand when I say this: while your character's crush should be a priority of theirs, it shouldn't be everything.

If your character also has friends and family they care about, they can't discard all of that away for a crush. So yes, it's important that your character gives their hopefully-partner-to-be their attention, but that applies to all of their loved ones too.

5. Not A Pushover

Just because your character might be unhealthily infatuated with another, they shouldn't simply follow what the other says because they're that affected.

Communication is crucial in any relationship, so if your character can't speak up when they think their crush is making a bad decision, then their relationship is likely not going to work out. It's the same as not having a voice in making group choices.

Like I said in the first point, your character can't be so blinded by love that they ignore all the flaws, red flags, and mistakes.

Final Notes

Here's the thing: a desperate character often comes off as annoying because they lack complexity and depth. Desperation and obsession can be an all-consuming feeling, but that's not the only notable trait for your character.

Highlight other qualities. Don't forget that there are still people outside of their crush. Remember that yes, they're trying to woo their love, but they're also trying to prove that they'd make a good partner and that they are still an individual character.

Don't throw their reason and logic out of the window just because they're in love.

Hope this helped!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[randomfoggytiger]

Gillian Anderson's Confession: Truth or Fiction?

That article-email was so intriguing-- Gillian admitting she and David Duchovny had a temporary fling early Season 1 and again, briefly, after her divorce-- that I did some spur-of-the-moment digging to fact check the legitimacy of the timeline (and other details sprinkled throughout.)

Did David and Gillian Entangle: Points in Favor

A.

The Italian article brings up Gillian's love of horses, of all things. Except, it's not a loose detail: in October 2000, GA owned a horse and rode it regularly for exercise (post here.) She was also pictured riding them as early as 1995; still riding them in 2001; and advocating for New York City's horses in 2016.

B.

Between May and August of 2000, Gillian disappears (adding plausibility to an "off the radar" private vacation where she might have given a midsummer Italian "catch-up"): I could not find a single paparazzi shot or interview in the interim. Very odd, given the nearly back-to-back press she put out in 2000.

C.

What's most tantalizing is a quote she provides three months after the article's alleged July 2000 timeline (as part of Time Magazine's "Playing with Fire" article, linked above):

She owns a horse, practices Pilates and has a spaniel puppy called Happy, who on the evening we meet causes her a certain amount of unhappiness by chewing the straw covering from one of her flip-flops. She also has a boyfriend whom she will not discuss, except to say that she has more or less cured herself of her addiction to what she has described as dangerous men. "It’s changed from being attracted to a dangerous man who might be an addict and completely self destructive to, lets say – though this is not what’s happening now – a very grounded, intelligent, sexy photo-journalist who goes off and almost gets killed. Somebody who could actually have a pretty healthy relationship but, ooh, he’s ….you know.”

(Note: That self-destructive, or perhaps reclusive at-arms-length, side of DD was one she commented on in the past: “David can be a really nice guy. He's got the ability to be absolutely compassionate and caring. At the same time, he's one of the moodiest people I've ever met. But you forgive him because he's so charming and can be so sweet and funny." He was also, as will be noted below, unavailable to her in a serious, committed way.)

Gillian previously referred to David Duchovny as "a dangerous man" a handful of other times--

Fan Site:

"In the past, I've gone towards dangerous men. I wouldn't consider Tom Cruise dangerous. I do think David Duchovny is dangerous."

GA: I think David's dangerous.

O: How?

GA: I just think he is. I think he would have been my type before, yes. Mmm hmm. When I found that type appealing.

--which adds veracity not only to a torch she might have carried for him but also to the timeline laid out in the Italian magazine:

Leo: “David Duchovny has mentioned his fascination about you being on the 'X-Files’, did anything ever happen between you two??”

Gillian: “At the beginning (of the series) we did date and we would see each other and I was attracted to David. Then time passed by, I was divorcing, and we were together while I was separating from my husband, but I did not want to repeat the same story with David that I had already done before. He only wanted an affair. And I could not deal with that in that moment of my life. He was a man who just wanted flings, so I 'bit the bullet’.”

(Note: Affair here is used in a more romantic sense-- "love affair", a brief seasonal fling-- instead of the more native-English "affair with a married partner." That interpretation is backed up by the rough translation from Italian to English, as well as the interviewer's usage and GA's described version of events-- i.e. signing papers then linking up with DD as the divorce was being finalized.)

In another article, she outright states that she believes David wouldn't choose her; and also contradicts the "dates" claim the Italian magazine makes--

Fan Site:

ML: If you hadn't been saddled together on the series that will not die, could there ever have been or could there still be sexual spark between you? GA: Oh, sure. I mean, sure. I could see it. There's no doubt he is an incredibly attractive man, mostly because of his sense of self and his charisma. He has a certain arrogance that's very appealing to women. I could see us at some point going on a date. But I don't know how long it would last. I don't see myself as his type. (Movieline, '97)

Important to note: it's not the first time Gillian's lost touch with the finer points of her memory (or fudged the details); but the "date or not a date" difference must have its day in court. Regardless, her draw to and consideration of DD as a potential partner remains intact, which is the key thrust of the Italian article.

D.

And here's a compelling piece of information: Martin Short got Gillian to admit she and David had dinner in the past-- but not a date, apparently-- while also getting her to admit she considers DD attractive. She also brings up pasta, so score one for Italian food.

Fan Site:

MARTIN: You were both single at one point, weren't you, working together.

GILLIAN: Yeah, I guess so...

MARTIN: He's a good looking lad, as we say, in Canada.

GILLIAN: He's a very good looking lad.

MARTIN: ... and you're quite the looker.

GILLIAN: I think that everybody has sexual tension with David.

MARTIN: My question wasn't about everybody, my question was about you.

GILLIAN: (Gillian giggles) Well, yeah, I think you just automatically do with him. He exudes ... sexuality.

MARTIN: Wow. (audience screams)

GILLIAN: It's true.

MARTIN: Did you ever have a date?

GILLIAN: Did we ever have a date? No, we had a few meals together. But I don't think they were ever dates.

MARTIN: So it never got to the point of that. Well it is weird when you're working together.

GILLIAN: It is.

MARTIN: You were on location in Vancouver, which is usually...

GILLIAN: Yeah, and I was in a relationship at the time. And you know, we had pasta together.

Her final answer completely skims over the spaces where their single statuses overlapped; but it's not a complete and utter denial of a sexual past between them, either.

(This S2 interview would also slot nicely into the above article and points.)

E.

Gillian often jumps quickly from relationship to relationship, following a boyfriend to California (where she got The X-Files job), marrying Clyde so fast not even her hairdresser was aware to be ready, jumping out of marriage with Clyde into publicly dating Rodney (and possibly DD, privately), etc. Not to mention her swift pregnancy with Piper, her consumptive eagerness and quick boredom and frustration with every project she commits to, and many other examples (she's stated, many times, that it's hard for her to sit still or slow down or see things through.)

Jumping into one with DD, and out of one just as fast, isn't that far of a stretch.

F.

David Duchovny and Tea Leoni move fast, too: they reconnected and married within three months in May 1997, five months after DD escorted GA to a red carpet event when she was freshly divorced (and where lipstick speculation swirls to this day.) Their timeline would also match the months he and Gillian were both free, as well as Gillian's alleged statements in the Italian article.

If GA called off whatever was between them, it would make sense why she and Tea seemed to get along; and why Tea wasn't seemingly threatened (and often quite candid about her then-husband and his coworker's relationship.) Whatever the case, they appeared to be comfortable together while the stars promoted FTF.

Did David and Gillian Entangle: Points Against

Highly recommend you read through @gillovnot2011's logical points against the article, which you can find in the reblogs' section.

It can't be denied that a bombshell this big would have to be missed by the entire fandom during one of the (albeit waning) heights of its popularity and speculation.

And while this information was from a credible source, allegedly-- and not from, say, the Daily Mail-- it still floats about in limbo.

Ahem: The Italian Article

This author, having been sent evidence relating to the elusive Italian Article (by a different correspondent than the disgruntled earlier claimant), proceeds with due analysis.

Contents:

Textual provenance

Text and images

Analysis and further questions

Keep reading

[russilton]

George Russell: Mum kept notes on my career but Dad was angry and tough

Mercedes driver says relationship with his father was difficult, especially when he failed to win races as a youngster, but that his mother provided balance

Wheel of fortune: Russell gets to grips with the 1955 British Grand Prix-winning Mercedes-Benz W196, which is valued at an incredible £55million

Article behind a paywall at source link (here) so I've posted it below

warning for discussions about his dad that may be semi abusive in nature- George doesn't acknowledge it as such but it can be uncomfortable to read

Molly Hudson, Motor Racing Reporter Friday July 04 2025, 4.40pm BST, The Times

George Russell has just climbed out of a Mercedes-Benz W196, which won the British Grand Prix in 1955 and is valued at £55million. Once, it would have been Lewis Hamilton representing Mercedes at a celebration of their motorsport heritage. Now it is Russell, stepping into those shoes on and off the track.

The flimsy old leather helmet he tries on may not quite fit but there is a sense of the old-fashioned about Russell, as though he could have driven in that era. The idea of doing so came to mind as he traversed part of the old Aintree circuit.

“I just can’t comprehend that those guys raced that car up to 180 miles an hour, sat on 200 litres of fuel, no seat belts, barely a helmet,” he tells The Times. “If you bump into anyone, basically your legs are off. We’re not naive to the fact that the sport [now] is dangerous. You crash at 220 miles an hour and it doesn’t matter how safe the cars are, the body can only take so much.

The Times’ motor racing correspondent Molly Hudson and Russell talk vintage cars… and future plans

MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS

“But 99 per cent of the time you should walk away relatively unscathed, whereas back then, knowing that if you made a mistake, that could be your life. Thinking how you push those boundaries is pretty unique.”

At Silverstone, where Russell will attempt to secure his first home grand prix win this weekend, the sense of history is everywhere. Some tracks he visits over the course of a Formula 1 season are “soulless”, he admits. Not here.

“It’s so fast and flowing, the commitment you need to have when you go through Copse, Maggots and Becketts, now we go through that corner at 185 miles an hour, it’s immense — coupled with the fact that the fans are purists and love the sport. When you see others who love the sport you love in the same regard, it makes it feel extra special,” he adds.

Unsurprisingly, this grand prix is one that would mean the most to Russell to win. He first went to a race here in 2009, standing on the outside of Copse. He watched Sebastian Vettel on pole and knew that was his future aim. Last year he qualified on pole but hopes of converting that into a victory on the Sunday were abruptly ended by a water leak which caused him to retire on lap 34. Hamilton, his then team-mate, claimed an emotional victory, ending a 945-day wait for a win.

“I was genuinely very happy to see Lewis win that race for everything he’d been through,” Russell says, putting his own personal disappointment aside for a second.

Moss wins the 1955 British Grand Prix at Aintree in the Mercedes-Benz W196

In motorsport, he knows there is very little room for sentiment. The relationships between drivers and their fathers are often very complex and for Russell and his dad, Steve, it was no different.

“I never saw my dad Monday to Friday because he was working, he’d leave before I woke up,” he says. “I was in bed by the time he got back. At the weekends, unless we won, the relationship with him was quite tough, because he was so hard on me. For probably five to ten years of my life our relationship wasn’t great, but you don’t really comprehend why. You don’t understand the context.

“He only wanted the best for me but if he saw that I wasn’t giving it my all, no wonder he was getting stressed and angry at me, because he was sacrificing his whole time to give me this opportunity.

“My father was my mechanic, my driver-coach. My mother wrote down all of these set-ups and the lap times of every single track . . .” Russell pauses, taking out his phone to show The Times a page of his mother’s notebook.

“This is from 2009,” he explains. “She would write down: the first heat 2.15pm, the engine, the carburetor, the sprocket, the weather, the track conditions. We would have over 40 weekends a year.”

The notebook was discovered as his parents went back to a circuit in Wales, Glan Y Gors, 15 years later. They were with Russell’s nephew, who is just beginning his karting journey.

In 2014 Russell had won the British Formula 4 championship and was nominated for the McLaren Autosport BRDC (British Racing Drivers’ Club) award. He won it after the rules for the competition had to be changed to allow him to compete, because he was so young. There was zero interest from Formula 1 teams at that stage, and his dad warned him he needed to find a way forward because the money had ran out.

Eventually it was Toto Wolff and Mercedes who secured his future, after Russell had emailed the Mercedes team principal and then later showed him a PowerPoint presentation listing the reasons he could be a success for the team in the future.

Now 27, Russell and Wolff have reached another crossroads in their respective careers. The British driver’s contract runs out at the end of the season and as yet a new one hasn’t been presented to him. Wolff has admitted to discussions with the four-times world champion Max Verstappen.

Rule Britannia: Russell has high hopes going into this weekend’s race at Silverstone, which he is yet to win

“From my side, I know I’ll be on the grid next year in Formula 1 — I’m not concerned at all,” Russell, who joined Mercedes from Williams in 2022, says. “Why wouldn’t any team want Verstappen in their race seat? But, ultimately, in F1 there are two race seats for every team, and then each team would have to decide which driver they put to one side. 

“I’m performing to the best I’ve ever performed in Formula 1. If that’s the route they decide to go down with signing one of the greatest of all time, I’m confident I’d be his team-mate.”

All mod cons: the Mercedes driven by Russell has moved on considerably from the vintage model MARK SUTTON/FORMULA 1 VIA GETTY IMAGES

Russell has good reason to think he could compete, pointing out that Hamilton was at a similar stage of his career when he became his team-mate three years ago. In that debut season the younger man outscored the seven-times world champion by 35 points.

As of yet, Mercedes have not provided Russell with a car to challenge for a world title. He jokes that he reminds Lando Norris and Alex Albon that he bettered them both in Formula 2 to claim the title and there is a sense he is simply waiting for the opportunity to show his full potential on the grandest stage.

This weekend would not be a bad time to do so — in a Mercedes that seems to love the great British summer, performing best in temperatures when Wolff is required to wear a pullover.

[cerenemuxse]

the motherload of doodles (notes in read more)

IMAGE 1

this takes place after the final fight but before the ending scene, while they travel back to the Valley of Peace. Tigress definitely got some long term injuries from the canon.

dialogue:

Tigress: "Po."

Po: "Yeah?"

Tigress: "I'll be fine."

Po: "But."

Tigress: "Po."

Po: "Ok."

IMAGE 2

SO, i really wanted to play with the idea of how these two were RIGHT after KFP 2 along with Tigress' injuries. just doodles- then i decided to make it a comic but clean it up so this is just wip if anything hehe- so i cant say much of whats happening here

these are my HC ages for them! Tigress would 26 and Po would be 24 in KFP 1. KFP 3 ages will be brought up in the later close ups! I just dont think Po is in his teens or even younger than 20. Them, and the rest of Furious Five feel like they're in their 20s, past mid-20s at least.

(update: so both image 1 and 2 are now connected lulullu)

IMAGE 3

i may or may not have gotten into fic writing already lulul the fic this one is for specifically is up! (LINK)

i made a masterpost for them! (LINK)

ANYWAYS, you know those storyboards from KFP 3, with Po and Tigress at the panda village? yeah, that's what the rewrite and this scene is based on. honestly really happy with the rough rendering on this sketch hehe

IMAGE 4

personally think we were robbed of Lei Lei saying this directly to Tigress (WAILING) they're everything <333

IMAGE 5

more Tigress with Lei Lei! this time a screenshot redraw. this is one of the earlier doodles where i was just getting the hang of drawing Tigress.

IMAGE 6

softer stuff, once they get together <33 post kfp 4. (no, not the canon one. i got my own rewrite but i aint posting it)

IMAGE 7

i only bring this one back up for the ages that i mentioned. my headcanon is that Po's 30 and Tigress is 32 by KFP 3. they just give off those vibes. that's it.

IMAGE 8

slow dancing + flustered about each other because they've respectively accepted that they do have feelings for each other (but are unaware of one anothers' feeling). i like my slowburn like that

[criticalsucc]

oh no, would you look at that

[vultursvolans]

after writing ‘dance of the damned’, ‘curiosity kills’ and this current wip which carry some of the same themes, i’m really starting to think that mild horror, dark and gothic romance, or anything to do with fancy, hoity-toity dialogue, are some of my strengths because it’s so much easier to get the brain juices flowing

[theprincessandthepie]

how do i already have 9 pages of notes. i suppose that's part of the reason this rewatch is taking so damn long lmaooo

[helianskies]

ugly maths.

i hate maths, right. i don't usually like numbers, and if i do like numbers it's gotta be an 8 or a 48 and nothing else.

thing is, i've recently caught myself doing maths again. ugly maths. the kind of maths that, really, i've been trying to avoid as much as possible because, well, it's ugly!

you... wanna see?

okay, fine... but don't say i didn't warn you!

ugly, see? look at all those numbers! not a 48 in sight!

huh? what's that? you don't see what i'm on about? oh... oh! hang on, lemme just—

better? yes? no? no? okay, what if i—

mmh, yes. ugly numbers. see it now? can you see why they're ugly?

here, i can make it worse.

these numbers are ugly. the maths they make me do is ugly.

now i'll level with you: the worst ones by far are the yellow numbers. the maths they make me do it the ugliest.

why ugly?

because it makes me ugly.

those numbers turn me into not only a suddenly number-obsessed fool, but a fool who also cannot understand these numbers and what they mean and why i feel like they reflect on me and my ability.

87, 75.

the thoughts are as follows:

• the orange numbers are big, so why are you being ugly about the yellow ones? you should be happy with what you have. so many nice big numbers! not everyone receives that.

• is it that there are two different audiences for these two different fics? perhaps. they are quite different works, with different appeals, and different themes. maybe you are reading too much into it.

• why are you obsessing over numbers anyway? you don't like maths! you left maths behind when you were 16, put it down!

okay, okay, fine! i'll put the maths down. right here, in fact!:

that 87 was an 83 at the start of the year. the 6161 it is attached to was a 5453.

4, 708.

ugly maths.

the 75 is a nice number. in fact, compared to 87, it is beautiful, radiant, enchanting. at the start of the year, 75 was 48. wow. now that is one sexy number!

27.

mmmm.

6161, 1061.

5100.

87, 75.

12.

mmmm.

you know, my most favourite comment left recently on a fic of mine was 2 characters long: :(

it made me :)

well, actually, it made me >:) because it was left in response, presumably, to one of the key scenes in a new chapter which left the exact impression on someone that i hoped it would.

they must be the only one who reacted like that, though.

1.

have i mentioned that that 87 and 75 include author responses?

i won't try to do more maths, there. it might not end well for me. the maths is making me tired enough as it is, and i have an early start tomorrow.

oh! but, that being said, i have another set of ugly numbers to show you, so keep 87 and 75 in mind.

ready?

838, 245.

(want a hint? the green numbers!)

838, 87. 245, 75.

9.6, 3.3.

ugly maths. it's ugly again, see? i don't like it. i'm seeing numbers within numbers within numbers, and i can't seem to stop!

the numbers make me ask new questions:

• why is it not good enough?

• people seem to engage more with one fic over the other, so shouldn't you prioritise?

• is all this maths this really good for you?

no, it isn't.

i want to avoid ugly maths. ugly maths makes me want to tear my hair out. it makes me want to start from scratch. it makes me want to grab someone and scream. it makes me want to cry and press a button that has tempted me many times before when the numbers become too ugly to bear.

ugly maths turn me into an ugly person.

ugly maths make me obsessive, paranoid, anxious, regretful, vindictive, spiteful, alone.

i hate maths. i hate numbers, just like, it feels, the numbers hate me.

[icaruspartharmony]

Nobody tells you actually how funny it is to run into someone when they're waking up. Because my sleep schedule is more of a sleep plan, there's no set times but it's probably gonna happen. My brother was getting up for work and saw me and was like "??why are you awake?? Why aren't you asleep?"

[gl1tchxr]

ALRIGHT

COME GET YOUR TREATS

with one hour of halloween left (in my timezone), thanks to everyone who took the time to send an ask to me, someone that none of you know, just because i made a post that resonated with the tumblrinas. massive shoutout to the people who sent in art as well as that one guy who sent a cat picture <3

[skitskatdacat63]

"To dream the impossible dream, that is my quest." - Prince Fernando of Asturias

+ Seb not getting what he ordered

+ the usual

Hello yes, look! It's baby Renault Fernando, isn't he so cute??? Who wouldn't want to force him into an arranged marriage, like cmon man be real. Here is the progress as usual, as well as his suit without the design, cause I'm pretty proud of it just blank even!

Okay so this is pure Fernando, innocent Fernando, before he had his apirations ripped way from him. Well not fully ripped away tbf, because that's the crux of his character: is it more humiliating to never succeed or to only succeed because someone handed it to you with concessions? I guess that's up for him to decide though ;;;

The thing I love about this drawing and young Fernando in general is how much easier it is to see his and Seb's similarities. Look how similar they look! Seb is just a bit more evil.

I think that's a big part as to why his feelings about Seb are so complicated. He both loves and hates how similar they are. From an egotistical point, he can appreciate and respect the familiar traits in Seb, the hunger, the exuberance, the pride, the ego. But also we hate seeing our own traits in other people, it's almost like turning a mirror on your worst traits and suddenly being able to see yourself from a new perspective. The biggest point here though is that Fernando turns that resentment onto Seb, as a way to clamp down on self hatred.

He becomes more bitter and resentful as he grows older, and loses a lot of his whimsy and joy. So it hurts him to see Seb, who in addition to getting everything he's ever wanted, also retain his whimsy. He, wrongly, just sees it as something that had to happen in order for him to grow up fully. It's more of a survival tactic, it started becoming unbefitting for him to have that level of unfounded confidence. That's the main reason he sees Seb as childish, immature and undeserving. He hasn't fully grown out of his capacity for whimsy and joy, and thus is below Fernando.

Well that was depressing oops! As the chibi art represents, this is probably a painting Seb got sent in the early days of planning their marriage. This is the Fernando who is still prideful, the Fernando who is still confident, the Fernando Seb vaguely remembers meeting his youth. Seeing this definitely pushes him even further towards the marriage(though tbf it's not like he even has a choice either.) Though when the time to actually start courting comes around, Fernando looks very uh different. This is both a joke about how different Fernando was in his first renault stint vs his second. But also I think he does show up very moody and disheveled, as a sort of last chance way to try and turn everyone on Seb's side, including Seb, off from the marriage. However, it's pretty much a done deal by that point.

Seb is uh, definitely confused, but I think he would be drawn to Fernando regardless. Actually, this might make Fernando even more appealing. Seb gets to push him all the time, try to break down his walls and get a glimpse at the real Fernando, if even just for a moment. Seb wishes he had more that just a blurry, vague recollection of Fernando at his peak confidence. Fernando definitely grows into something resembling his past self, after recovering from all the hurt, but there's just something about youthful exuberance that can't really be fully replicated.

Okay so about the quote. I went with Don Quixote this time instead of the typical Napoleon, because I thought it'd be funny. Fernando picks up the book at some point during his youth, and it inspires him a lot. He doesn't really see the satire in it, and comes to really admire Don Quixote's mentality, he's like "wow he never gives up! That's so admirable!" It definitely helps him through dark times to aspire to never give up no matter what. Though later Seb definitely rags on him for not knowing it was satire, and Fernando is like "wh-what do you mean satire?" But he's mentally strong enough atp for it to not cause his whole worldview collapse. About the quote specifically, there's definitely some part of him, even when young, that knows his aspirations are borderline impossible. I wonder if that part of him feels weirdly safe and comforted about the marriage. Yes, it's not ideal, but it's safe and secure. He gets what he wants, and there's no chance of anyone taking it away from him, no matter what.

I think his title would be Prince of Asturias? It was either that or duke, and I think prince fits him bettee(Machiavelli reference?) That title is currently the title for the heir to the Spanish throne. In this time period, it's also commonly used for the heir, but for Fernando it's a bit unsure. Like in real life, he's not directly the offspring, but he's still the most obvious choice for heir. But there's still enough room for Seb and his house to try to vie for the throne themselves, so it makes it all complicated.

[wwinterwitch]

friendly introductions – bucky barnes

summary: bucky unexpectedly shows up at your apartment, and he's brought a few people with him

pairing: bucky barnes x fem!reader (ft. the thunderbolts*)

word count: 3.4k

tags: thunderbolts* shenanigans, spoilers here and there obvs, slight miscommunication, big happy dysfunctional family in the making, google translator was used for the russian words (sorry), kissing, little bit of angst and little bit of fluff

notes: i just saw the movie yesterday and as soon as i got back home i decided to write this, which is loosely connected to this fic i posted recently. i just loved the thunderbolts* so much they mean the entire world to me right now. perhaps more fics are coming in the future because i have lots of ideas!!! as always, i hope you enjoy

please reblog and/or comment if you enjoy!

all masterlists | marvel masterlist | part 1 (not strictly necessary to read this one tho) | next part

“Sorry for such short notice,” Bucky mutters as soon as you open the door for him and the rest of the entire group. You could tell he’s been having a pretty rough time just by looking at him. Hair messy, frowning more than usual, dirty clothing and a cut on his left cheek. The rest of the people he’s with don’t look any better. It wouldn’t take an expert to figure out they’ve been in some kind of combat and, most likely, they didn’t come on top. 

“It’s okay,” you quickly reassure him, leaving the door open until every single one of them were inside your apartment, closing it behind them. “Can I ask what happened?”

“We…uh, got our ass kicked, basically,” he replies, sounding quite exhausted. 

You take a second to look at the group. Unfamiliar faces of people you could only assume are in the superhero/villain/whatever business. There’s a blonde woman who immediately leans against one of the walls of your living room, trying to get some sort of rest after the fight. The other woman stays by the entrance and you can’t help but admire how cool her suit is. There’s algo a guy in a red suit and he looks absolutely huge and terrifying, but the smile he sends your way with the silly little wave he makes as you make eye contact gives you the impression that he might not be as intimidating as you initially thought.

And then, your eyes focus on the other person in the room.

“You,” is all you say, your voice sounding anything but welcoming.

Everyone turns to look at Walker, who offers you an awkward smile. “Yeah, hi.”

“You two know each other?” the blonde one asks.

“Unfortunately,” you reply, keeping your eyes on the guy at all times. You know enough about John Walker to be stupid enough to let him out of your sight. “Listen, I don’t know what just happened to you guys, but in case Bucky hasn’t warned you already, you can’t trust this piece of shit.”

Noticing you’re starting to get a little heated by his presence, Bucky wraps an arm around your waist from behind, just in case you decide to go over him and confront him for everything that has happened in the past. “It’s okay. He’s here to help.”

You turn to look at him like he just said the most absurd thing you’ve ever heard in your life, but he simply stares back at you with a serious expression, nodding as if to emphasize on his previous statement, trying to let you know you can actually trust the guy. When you turn back to look at Walker, he raises both hands in the air as a sign to further prove that he’s harmless.

“I’ll be keeping an eye out,” you warn him, pointing your finger at him. 

“That’s fair,” he nods.

“Whoa, she’s feisty!” you hear the excited voice of the guy in the red suit as he lets out a short chuckle. “I like her already!”

You feel Bucky’s grip around your waist tightening. “We’re just here to get some cover and figure out our next move.”

Suddenly remembering the fact that all these strangers are standing in various spots in your living room, you get away from Bucky to walk over to your couch. “Oh, so sorry! What a terrible host,” you attempt to joke a little in hopes of lightening the mood, quickly removing your laptop and various papers scattered across your couch. “Please, take a seat!”

None of them move at first, but they eventually accept the invitation and walk towards your couch to sit down. All except Walker, who decides to stay in the same spot he’s been since he entered your apartment. Not like you care, so you just let him stand there on his own.

A few awkward introductions later and you already know everyone. Alexei, Ava and Yelena. One a total stranger and the others slightly familiar to you due to them being related to Natasha. You couldn’t bring yourself to say her name out loud, though. If you struggle to think about her without bursting out crying, you can’t even imagine what it would be like for her dad and sister. Last thing you want is to cause them any discomfort.

“And how exactly do you know each other?” Yelena asks you and Bucky after you introduce yourself to them too.

“Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent,” Bucky replies before you can say anything, and you can’t help but turn to look at him with a slightly confused expression. “We’ve been friends for a very long time.”

Friends. Sure. Whatever. If that’s what he wants to call it…

After what happened last time you were in D.C., Bucky was constantly making trips to New York to visit you. You’re not officially dating, but it’s established that you’re exclusive. Long distance isn’t ideal, but you’ve made it work so far. Probably the happiest months of your life. But now…you hear him introducing you as his friend. It’s not really a big deal. Technically you are friends? It shouldn’t affect you as much as it does, but…you’re internally fuming right now.

Still, you decide not to say anything regarding that. He’s always been quite a reserved person, so perhaps he didn’t feel comfortable enough to share that information with them just yet. “Can I get you anything to drink?” you decide to ask, looking at everyone else.

“We’re not-”

“I’m sure a glass of water won’t kill anybody,” you say, immediately cutting Bucky off.

There’s a brief silence before Ava speaks. “I’ll have a glass of water. Thank you.”

You look at Yelena as she shortly nods before you focus on Alexei. “Do you perhaps have something else other than water?”

“Dad,” Yelena warns him.

You ignore that short interaction. “Something like what?”

“Like vodka,” he replies simply, like it’s a normal request. Perhaps the russian accent and the fact that he does look like a walking Soviet propaganda adds context to it.

“Dad!” Yelena repeats herself, this time in a louder voice, before hiding her face in her hands. The scene of her getting embarrassed by her dad’s behavior is actually hilarious.

“Two glasses of water and one glass of vodka, got it.” Then it was time to acknowledge Walker again. Even when you deeply hate the guy, you still want to be polite. “Do you want anything?”

“Uh…just water,” he mutters, still unsure on how to really talk to you. It’s ironic how quiet he is right now, considering he had a hard time shutting his mouth when you first met him. “Thank you.”

You offer the group a smile before excusing yourself to go to your kitchen, leaving them momentarily alone. Bucky was about to speak, wanting to initiate a debate on what their plan is going to be to fight against someone as powerful and seemingly invincible as Sentry, but Yelena speaks before he does.

“Now, would you mind telling us how you really know each other?”

Bucky looks immediately confused. “What do you mean?”

“You know I was trained to be a spy since I was very little.”

“Surely you don’t say it enough,” Walker mutters, earning an unamused look from her.

“That must really bother you, Mr. I-was-in-the-military,” Ava chimes in, rolling her eyes.

Ignoring both of them, Yelena decides to continue. “I’m very good at reading people, Bucky. She almost wanted to punch you in the face when you said you two were friends, which let’s me know the comment upset her,” she says, tilting her head to the side. “Why is that?”

“Ah! That’s your lover!” Alexei comments with pleasant surprise.

“And you didn’t introduce her as your girlfriend?” Ava says shortly after, giving him a disapproving look. “No wonder she would want to punch you in the face.”

“Yeah, that’s not cool, man,” Walker agrees from his spot in the living room.

Alexei’s cheerfulness dries down, nodding. “I agree. It’s not very nice.”

Bucky scoffs, crossing his arms across his chest in a defensive manner. He couldn’t believe these people were judging him over something he thought was meaningless. It was just a way to keep his private life private. Why should they know he’s dating anybody? They’re not his friends to be sharing information like that with them. And it’s not like they’re ever going to see you again anyway. Why is this such a big deal?

“Whoever I date or don’t date it’s not your business,” he simply replies.

Ava scoffs this time. “Don’t bring us to your girlfriend’s flat then.”

“When did you guys became a thing?” Walker asks this time, looking like he's thinking back on it in hopes of remembering any indication that might've gave it away.

He pinches the bridge of his nose, getting more and more exasperated. “We barely got out of that fight against Valentina’s experiment and it’s a matter of time before we have to face him again. Why are we even talking about this?”

“Oh, Bucky,” Yelena shakes her head in a condescending manner. “You’re right, we do not care about your lovelife. Thinking about it makes me sick, actually. But she looked really hurt by what you said, so perhaps you should go talk to her and make things right.”

The other three agreed with Yelena almost immediately, and Bucky just stood there looking at them in disbelief because why are they giving him their input on his relationship? Why is Yelena giving him advice? Why are they getting involved in Bucky’s personal life?

But instead of arguing, he decides to listen to them and heads towards the kitchen. He walks in just in time to see you pouring Alexei an entire glass of vodka as he requested, the other three glasses of water already filled.

“Oh, good. You’re here,” you say nonchalantly, like what Yelena said about you wanting to punch him in the face was just something she misread in your body language. You surely don’t look like you're thinking about violence right now. “Could you help me with the drinks, please?”

Perhaps Yelena was wrong, but just in case she wasn’t, he decided to ask about it. “Are you okay?”

You let out a quick and confused chuckle as you store away the almost finished bottle of vodka. “Why would I not be okay? If you’re asking because you brought them here, I think they’re actually very nice…aside from Walker, of course.”

“No, I mean…the way I introduced you to them,” he says in a soft voice, walking closer to you. “I probably shouldn’t have said you were my friend.”

There’s a brief pause between you, until you’re eventually shrugging. “It’s fine.”

“Is it?” he insists, standing right before you as he grabs your hands in his. “Talk to me.”

You hesitate a little before eventually giving in. “I mean, you can’t expect me to be thrilled to hear you introduce me to a bunch of people as just your friend.”

Bucky sighs. Yelena was right. “I’m so sorry,” he says almost immediately, giving your hands a light squeeze. “I just met these people and I highly doubt we’ll keep in touch after this. I didn’t want to share that information with them. We’re not exactly…close like that,” he explains himself, looking genuinely sorry for what he said. “I should’ve considered how that would make you feel, or at least tried to explain why I did it as soon as I could. I didn’t mean to hurt you or downplay what we have.”

You can tell he’s genuinely sorry, understanding his reasoning behind it. Perhaps you forgot to put into perspective the fact that they’re just super people Bucky has been forced to work with. Not necessarily friends. “It’s okay, I understand.”

Bucky nods, but he still looks absolutely defeated. “I feel terrible,” he mutters. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

You let go of his hands, wrapping your arms around his neck instead. “It’s okay, babe,” you repeat, offering him a soft smile to let him know you forgive him. “I understand you didn’t feel comfortable sharing that with them.”

“I promise I won’t do it again.”

“You’re not obligated to disclose anything with anyone if you don’t feel like it,” you say, just to remind him to do whatever it feels right to him. “But I’m glad we had this conversation to hear each other’s perspective.”

He nods again, still uncertain. You lean in to give him a reassuring kiss before deciding to move away from him to get back to the living room with the rest. He hands the glasses of water to Walker and Yelena, while you hand the other glasses to Ava and Alexei.

The last one takes a big gulp of his glass, letting out a growl of approval. “Smirnoff! Not that Absolut der’mo!”

“I adore him,” you say to Bucky, letting out a quick chuckle as you watch the guy drink the entire glass of vodka in less than two seconds.

“It’ll pass, trust me,” he mutters back to you.

You gently hit his arm as a way of telling him to not be rude, immediately focusing on the cut on his cheek, dried blood around the wound. “I should clean that.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“I do worry, Bucky,” you insist, patting his shoulder before pointing to one of the two chairs at your small dinner table. “Take a seat. I’ll be right back.”

You excuse yourself to go find the first-aid kit to clean the wound on his face. By the time you get back, the group has already started discussing some sort of strategy regarding some ‘Sentry’ person you don’t know absolutely anything about. Perhaps you’ll ask Bucky to give you a proper update on what the hell this whole thing is all about next time you’re alone.

As obedient as ever, Bucky was already sitting on one of the chairs you previously pointed at before leaving, so you walked over to him to attend to his injury. Even if it was a small, almost insignificant little cut, you wanted to take care of him in any capacity you could.

You were gladly surprised when you feel one of his arms wrapping around you, keeping you close as you stand next to him cleaning the dry blood with a small cotton ball before disinfecting the area, finishing it off with a small bandage above the cut. 

The whole entire time you took care of Bucky’s wound, the group was talking about their strategy. Just listening to them was enough to figure out why Bucky didn’t think they’d stay in touch once it’s time to part ways. More than half of their interactions are more bickering than actual communication. They clash almost constantly and they don’t seem to agree on much. They’re quite honestly a complete mess. But still...even when it’s difficult to see how a group like this could work, they oddly do. There’s just something about them. Perhaps they’re the prime example of how opposites tend to work together perfectly. 

“Done,” you whisper to him, not warning to interrupt their conversation.

“Thanks, doll,” he whispers back, giving you a smile.

After a few more minutes of planning, it was finally time for them to get back out there in hopes to put an end to the threat that seems to loom over New York (and perhaps the entire world). You accompany them to the door, all of them saying their goodbyes to you.

“Thanks for letting us hide here,” Yelena says with a polite smile, offering her hand for a handshake as a way to further prove her gratitude. 

“Oh, it’s really nothing. I’m glad I was able to help out,” you reply, accepting her handshake. “And…you know, good luck. You probably don’t need it, obviously, but just in case…”

“You’re adorable,” Ava comments with a smirk, patting your shoulder as her way of saying goodbye.

Alexei doesn’t even say anything. He just straight up walks towards you and wraps his arms around you, lifting you off the ground as he gives you a tight hug. It certainly takes you by surprise, but you pat his back as a way of returning the hug, hearing how Yelena and Bucky are frantically telling him to put you down immediately.

The three of them are already outside your apartment and it’s time to face Walker. He just says a quick “thank you” before walking towards the others that wait for Bucky in the hallway, knowing you probably don’t even want to address him. For now, you decide not to say anything to him. If you do see each other again, perhaps then you’ll try to figure out if you can look past the awful things he has done.

Now Bucky is the one who stands before you and all you can do is hug him as tight as you possibly can, almost not wanting to let him go. You know he’ll be fine. You know he’ll come back to you. But still, you can’t ignore the knot forming at the pit of your stomach, anxiety and fear consuming you at the thought of something happening to him.

He senses how you feel, hugging you back just as tight. “Please be safe,” he whispers.

You break the hug, looking up at him. “I should be telling you that.”

The comment makes him smile softly because it sounds like you're reprimanding him for what he just said. Immediately after, he's placing a hand at the side of your face, gently stroking your cheek with his thumb. “I’ll be back before you know it, okay?”

“Okay,” you nod, still as anxious as you were before. The fact that you still don’t fully know what they’re up against makes your situation worse. If it’s anything remotely similar to an Avenger-like threat, you have plenty of reasons to be afraid. “Just…just take care, please.”

“I will,” he replies, giving you a kiss so sweet and gentle that it practically takes your breath away. He knows you’re worried like never before and he wants to make sure he’s able to give you as much reassurance as he possibly can.

After a few more seconds of him just looking back at you with a soft smile on his face, he moves back from you, knowing he has to leave already.

“Promise you’ll be back soon,” you blurt out as he’s leaving your apartment, still fighting the urge to just yank him back into the apartment to keep him from going back out there.

“I promise you I’ll be back, darling,” he says without any hesitation, knowing he’ll do anything he possibly can to keep his word.

Finally, he closes the door of your apartment, leaving you all alone in there as you try to calm yourself down until everything is back to normal again and he’s here with you. Until he’s back in the safety of the arms of the person he cares most about in this entire world.

You focus on the four empty glasses, the lingering presence of everyone, the trail of dirt their boots left on the floor, the chair Bucky was sitting on just seconds ago...you can only hope they stay safe. Meanwhile, you decide to clean up the living room as a way of distracting yourself.

On the other side of the door, Bucky is turning to look at the group, rolling his eyes when he sees all of them grinning and nodding their hands in approval after witnessing him being so lovey-dovey with you, discovering a sight of him they probably didn’t even know existed.

“Not a single word,” Bucky warns them, immediately walking in between them to get to the elevator.

“What? We can’t say you two looked disgustingly cute back there?” Yelena jokes as she follows after him.

"Who knew that was hiding beneath all that...grumpiness," Ava comments right after.

“I said not a single word,” he repeats, trying to act like he wasn’t feeling terribly embarrassed right now. Or like he didn't find the teasing slightly entertaining. Just slightly.

“I mean, you did look cute,” Walker agrees.

“So cute!” Yelena emphasizes.

Alexei wraps an arm around Bucky’s shoulders, much to his discomfort. “That was adorable. You, my friend, had the eyes of love looking at your zhenshchina!”

“And you had to make it weird,” Ava mutters after Alexei’s comment, just as the elevator doors are closing.

translations: der'mo (shit), zhenshchina (woman). again, i apologize if the translation is wrong, i don't speak russian

[hedgehog-moss]

I need to confess something—my last post presented a deceptively idyllic vision of my hike in the snow. I only posted photos from the tranquil walk home at dusk and neglected to mention that I (once again) got lost in a featureless expanse of snow and briefly became convinced I would never find the road again and would have to dig a little den like an Arctic fox to spend the night.

You see, there's this place where Pandolf really loves to go for a walk on snowy days—it's on top of this plateau here:

^ see the fence in the middle, that curves to the left? Nothing bad can happen as long as you follow it. There are lots of landmarks in this direction, like trees, more fences, and a couple of houses.

In the other direction, however, lies The Nothing.

Here's a photo of Pandolf (eagerly) standing near the edge of The Nothing:

Characteristics of The Nothing: it is vast, and white, and becomes more and more featureless the farther you go into it—

—and Pandolf really, really loves it.

Even when he falls into a surprise hole where the snow is suddenly three times as deep (another characteristic of The Nothing), he'll just push himself out in one great powerful jump and keep frolicking.

Or he'll remain in the spot where the snow is deeper and try his best to bury his entire self into it.

He sometimes gets crazy eyes in The Nothing.

We always start this walk with such good resolutions.

We're definitely staying close to the fence this time! With all the lovely landmarks on the left!

And then, inevitably,

Further notes from my studies: • The Nothing has some small plants and rocks, but using them as landmarks is foolish, as they will eventually disappear. • No matter how many foot-, paw-, and dog-headprints you leave and how deep they are, they will disappear before you are able to retrace your steps, probably because The Nothing is always so windy.

Pandolf thinks this is a great characteristic of The Nothing, as it means he never runs out of immaculate snow to dive into.

The wind and the resulting snow mist are the really treacherous things about this place. These photos were taken in roughly the same spot, a couple of hours apart. In the first one, the fence on the left is clearly visible; in the second one, it has started to melt into The Nothing.

There's always a moment when I end up standing in the middle of, well, nothing, with indistinguishable whiteness in every direction, under my feet, above my head, left, right, and I start thinking about writing poignant farewell messages in my Notes app for my family to find at some point in the future.

One last interesting thing about The Nothing is the way Pandolf reacts when I finally find my bearings again and start walking faster, determined to get back to the safety of the road before it gets dark.

Pandolf then just

It's very different than the playful, energetic way in which he normally buries his head in the snow. This second type of burying is clearly a form of protest—if I continue walking away Pan will reluctantly follow me for 20 or so metres, then flatten himself to the ground again, in the same despondent way.

Hypothesis #1: He is trying to play dead like a possum, hoping I will go "well, I can't lug a dead dog all the way home, I'd better leave him here." And then he'll stay with The Nothing forever.

Hypothesis #2: He is trying to lay as flat as possible so as to become all but invisible against the snow. It's unclear if he knows he is the wrong colour for this.

Hypothesis #3: He is trying to commune with The Nothing, burying words of devotion and friendship deep into the snow and promising to return soon.

Conclusion: I'm sorry, I know that's a very long post, but seeing as each of these photos depicts perfect felicity on Earth, I find it hard to delete any. I also like how I intended this post to be about my long disoriented trek through the snow, wondering if I was going to find the fence or the road again before dark—and then I got distracted by how happy Pandolf was. Which is exactly how I end up getting lost in The Nothing every single time!!

[crushedsweets]

CREEPED VISUAL NOVEL Link, tutorial, extra art, Q&A, some chatter

The CREEPED Prologue is completely free and browser-ready. Gameplay is about 10 minutes. Please read the "tutorial" and notes before playing!

Follow Y/N and their dog, Max, through their grandparents' farm and a mysterious forest filled with...less than fortunate people!

PLAY HERE; works best on PC

This visual novel is powered by GOOGLE SLIDES! It has 0 programming and was created by one person in a little over a month, so please bear with any "bugs" and clunkiness!

TUTORIAL

>Click using mouse/trackpad >Go slowly to not break game >Do not use arrow or space keys

EXTRA NOTES:

>Works best on PC/Browser, I haven't tested the full game on mobile yet >In general, clicking the PNGs on the textbox (Apple, Teddy Bear, Hatchet, etc) will lead you to the right page >If you land on a page that tells you to "go back," that's when you should click the back-arrow key. If your cursor disappears, it doesn't register the click correctly >I recommend moving your cursor periodically to avoid it disappearing and sending you to the wrong page

EXTRA ART

some WIPS and the original sprite-style i was gonna choose LOOOOOOOL

Q&A

Q: Is this an x reader? A: This is a reader-insert, but it's not romantic and I try to keep it as neutral and unidentifiable as possible! Q: What's the plot? A: GENERALLY AND WITHOUT SPOILERS, your dog gets you into trouble and you're just looking to help him!

Q: Who is in the prologue? A: Tim, Brian, Toby, and Kate! More will be added in future chapters.

Q: When will future chapters be posted? A: Not sure! This took me about a month to do, and half was spent over winter break. I will try to get chapter 1 posted before summer, but I am a full-time student, employed, have extracurriculars, etc etc

ok thats all i only remember 4 questions feel free to ask more LMAO

CHATTER(because you know i can talk forever)

ok i just wanted to be able to talk about how the process was with this and how i feel about the results and whatnot...

ive been wanting to make a google slides visual novel since i was like 13 LOL it hit the point where i was repeatedly told i should just learn to code but i was like NOOOOO ITS GOTTA BE GOOGLE SLIDESSSS which is totally stupid but hey. i think that gives it some sort of simple charm that reminds me of being 16 and doing little projects in my room LOL i like working with the easiest tools . my bad

anyway. im just very happy LOL. it's not perfect but i feel like i came full circle in a sense?!?! i've been into creepypasta since i was 9 and it comforted me when things were really hard, and when i was 18 i was going through a really hard time and got back into creepypasta as a way to distract myself. i've always had a habit of throwing myself into fiction for escapism when things suuucked.

i'm 20 now but i've met SO many amazing people, had so many fun awesome exciting projects with friends, created tons of stuff im proud of, felt more motivated to create since i was like 13, have been inspired by so many amazing artists/authors on here, etc. just so so so lucky to find community in such a tight-knit cute fandom that thrives off of creativity and playing around! i hope i can keep the momentum and make a couple more chapters this year, but im kinda busy with school and work...LOL . i'm just excited to have this posted so i can have more discussion about it T_T

anyway thank you if you read this far and thank you if you played etc etc yaahhhhhh omg ok BYE THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING im just so grateful to be in this fandom

[microwaving-tesilid-argente]

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