#is it because i wish someone would see every single side of me and aspect of me - even the things i hate - and want me anyway?

[intimidating-fettuccine]

AHH OKAY what if there was Yandere Jeff and Tony who had a darling that was also a yandere for them? idk if you've answered this before

I know you meant Toby but seeing Tony made me laugh very hard (but I also misspell his name like that lol). Giving you some toxic yandere boys with equally toxic partners today <3 I hope you enjoy, I was pretty hyped for this request

Jeff:

Yandere Jeff wouldn't know what to do with himself in this situation. He's incredibly emotionally unstable in general, but he's also inherently distrustful of you, so he can't tell if you actually mean the affections you're trying to give him, or if you're trying to manipulate him. This will in the beginning cause a LOT of problems on your end, as Jeff's anger issues are going to skyrocket, and his physical abuse and violence toward you is going to increase for a little bit because his twisted brain tries to convince him you're just trying to trick him. However, you sit there and take it, because you love him. You always assure him that it's okay, that he can take as much time as he needs to believe you, and you'll still love him all the same, after all, his violence is another expression of his love for you. Your words following the beatings you receive are the thing that finally starts to crack Jeff's disbelief that you could possibly love him back, and over time, he'll calm the fuck down a bit, and be much less aggressive toward you.

However, the clinginess that occurs from this will be the replacement. He needs you right beside him, 24/7, with every single ounce of your attention. You love him, don't you? You said you wanted to be with him, didn't you? Then that means your brain should be filled with only thoughts of him, just as his is filled with only thoughts of you. Of course, you obey him, though. Being showered in his attention and having him spend so much time with you is all you've ever wished for, and now you get to be by his side forever. The new downside to this is that if you ever decide you don't want to be by his side for any amount of time, the anger comes back even worse than before. Why would you need space? He's the only thing you need in life, so why don't you want him? Were you lying to him? Were you trying to trick him? You're back at square one, but all the same, you'll subserviently take it, because your beloved is giving you all of his attention. So long as you're good and stay by his side, every moment of every day forever, you'll be just fine, physically, at least. Emotionally, or mentally? Perhaps not, with your obsessions feeding into each other and making you worse, but at least you're in love.

Toby:

I feel like this could go one of two ways. If you become a yandere for Toby BEFORE he ends up locking you up somewhere, I feel like he'd actually be a much more tolerable yandere than I traditionally write him as. He's got the reassurance, from how clingy you are with him, how you're always checking in on him so obsessively, how you've got the same possessive look in your eyes that he has when he looks at you. In this instance, I don't think he'd feel the need to chain you up somewhere. You're already with him as often as you can be, begging to be by his side just as he begs to be by yours, so he feels secure. He could continue living in the mansion (although of course, everyone notices how codependent and toxic your relationship seems, even just from the outside where they don't even see everything), and be completely content to continue living "normally" with you. So long as you continue to have only eyes for him, and allow him to control pretty much every single aspect of your life willingly, he doesn't get too bad compared to someone like Jeff.

But then, there's the second way, and if you only become a yandere for him AFTER he locks you away, he will be far, far worse. By the time you're chained up where he hides you, he's already escalated to breaking your legs to prevent you from escaping and enjoying his love for biting into you and causing you physical pain and suffering. If you become a yandere for him during this, it's going to reinforce in his brain that he's doing the right thing. He might stop breaking your legs after a certain period of time, sure, but his other violent tendencies only increase. You like it, don't you? How he looks covered in your blood, the pain he forces you to feel, you enjoy it so much, don't you? Of course you do. You've become so conditioned into it that you don't even resist him anymore. You allow him to mark and ruin your body in any way that he wants to because he's just showing you how much he loves you. You love him too, so it's only fair you willfully accept anything he has to offer you, and you do so with no resistance. He's so overjoyed that you've finally learned to accept your place beneath him, and it only encourages the twisted, broken parts of his mind, but you don't really mind. After all, your mind is starting to look the exact same way, and it makes you both quite euphoric.

[belles-non-wallpapering-content]

Meeting the family E.S x FEM! reader

Overture-You're worried about meeting Egon's parents, and he's really trying his best to comfort you about it.

CWs- Brief mention of non-sexual changing in front of someone, Egon doesn't really know what to say to make things better, reader wears dresses, and is kind of implied sunshine reader.

A/N-This is day 8 (Don't look at the calendar, look at me) of my October Writing thing. If you'd like to read the other things on here-- October Masterlist has anything, and I'll update it as I go.

“Do you think they’ll like me?”

Tonight you were finally meeting Egon’s parents and you were freaking out just a little bit. You had every outfit that would even remotely work spread around your room while you tried to decide on what to wear tonight, while Egon sat at the foot of your bed, letting you try on as many outfits as you wanted, telling you how nice you looked in every single one. 

“I don’t know how to answer that question. Would you like me to be honest or supportive?” Egon struggled to know what to say sometimes, but that was anything but reassuring. 

“That just might be the worst thing you could’ve possibly said.” You buried your head in his chest, legs now on either side of his lap. 

“I like you. Does that count for something?” That got your face out of his chest, but he was still missing the smile you usually had when you were together. 

“Well I should hope you like me. But I want your parents to like me too, and I don’t know how to make that happen.” He couldn’t stand to see the pout on your face, you really were worried about tonight. 

“I’m sure tonight will go perfectly fine, and no matter what my parents decide, I love you, and nothing is going to change that.”

“Ok, but honestly, do you think they’ll like me?” You put your arms around his neck, and Egon couldn’t look away from you. 

“You’re very– happy, and honestly I don’t know how my parents will respond to that. They don’t have a lot of experience with cheer.” He was trying to be reassuring while still respecting your wish for honesty, but your face fell again. 

“Oh yeah, I remember the slinky story. Do you think I should tone it down?” You wouldn’t mind toning it down for his family, you just needed to know. 

“No. I think you’re quite literally perfect, and I wouldn’t want you to be anyone other than yourself.” He was entirely serious, and even a little stern with you, making sure you knew he didn’t want you to change any aspect of yourself. Especially not to appease his family. 

“Can you help me pick an outfit then?” That he could do. You got off his lap and he stood up, looking around the room again, at the options laid out. He fought the urge to pick his favorite outfit of yours, a slightly short, dark red dress that you did like, but he wanted you to be entirely comfortable. 

“I like this one. It fits you very well, and it’s comfortable for you.” He chose your favorite dress, and you knew he only chose it because it was your favorite.

He just wanted you to continue being happy, and he was hopeful his parents would heed his warnings to be nothing but nice and supportive towards you. He spent twenty minutes on the phone with them that afternoon, stressing over and over again how there would be no place for critique this evening. But now he could only put his hands on your arms as he stood behind you in the mirror, kiss your shoulder, and try his best to calm you down before you got there.

[lvmimis]

All Roads Lead to Love? - Chapter II

cw: canon-typical violence. quirk use. oc characters are introduced. reader has a described quirk. Please see additional masterlist warnings! Masterlist

The remainder of the week passes without consequence. This new information about your life doesn’t change anything, because even if you can see the same man on every news channel, you have nothing to discuss and your lives don’t overlap. 

Sitting by a couple of teenage girls at a train station and hearing them speculate about Uravity and Deku on your way to work the next day adds particularly to this sentiment. Their longstanding will they won’t they is only part of the reason why you’ve never made your feelings known. Uravity is perfect for him in every way, after all. You just wish they would hurry up and go public, hopefully even get married, so you can stop addressing the niggling feeling that perhaps, just perhaps, all these years you’ve made a mistake.

When you find your way into the clinic, Junko is wide-eyed and excited to hear everything you learned overnight, and you conveniently leave the part where in at least five universes except yours, not only are you not single, you’re romantically involved with Mr. Number One Pro Hero Deku himself. 

“Who knocked the first one up? I have to know.”

You eye the Deku bobblehead on her work desk you’d desensitized yourself to, and shrug, pretending you don’t know.

“Any add-ons today?” you ask instead, and disappear into the back room before she can ask you more questions. At least you know what you’d look like if you were pregnant.

—

Sorry I can’t make it tonight. Please let me know if you or Iida need anything.

Izuku’s voice to speech has a tendency to make him sound excessively formal, but it’s better than typing in a hurry and having to correct ten individual typos, cursed by clumsy, large hands. He’s rushing to the third out of five meetings today - the unwelcome side effect of being One to Watch (although he wonders at one point he’s simply There given how long it’s been) - and then he’s set for a patrol in a particularly dangerous neighborhood for the evening. He wishes he could trade it, but considering the point of the patrol was less to fight a specific enemy but to show a strong Hero presence, specifically his presence, he’s aware that it must be him.

Ochaco will understand. After all, he’s been with Ochaco at Iida’s bedside most days this week in the evenings given a recent injury, and even if Ochaco won’t say it, perhaps the two do need some time alone. They’d both been reluctant to reveal their affections for each other, given Ochaco’s history with him, but a part of Izuku’s soul understands that this arrangement was probably for the better anyway. While he loved Ochaco dearly, he’d always had the sense something was wrong about them, like momentum having him hurtling in the wrong direction. But there’s not much you can do when one of your best friends proclaims their love for you where everyone can see, and you’re just a high schooler with the weight of the world on your shoulders and then some, and there’s even less you can do when the person you’d long hoped would return your feelings seemed to be preoccupied with someone else.

Either way, years have passed and there are no hard feelings between the trio of friends, and Izuku particularly has simmered down on the prospect of love. 

Somewhat. 

Just minutes later, a reporter asks him for the third time this month if he and Uravity have considered working as a pair, and he smiles and nods before politely redirecting the question to praising her talent profusely. He understands easily why she’s reluctant to go public with Iida, and wishes desperately he wasn’t in her way.

Perhaps in another universe, if they had ended up loving each other, this aspect of the job would be easier - the media circus would have died out by now; they’d both be able to focus on doing what they chose to do with their lives, which is be Heroes and help as many people as possible.

They’d be able to live quietly.

The reporter then asks if he’s still in contact with most of the people he went to school with. This question takes him aback, and he blinks for a moment as he watches the young woman before him resettle in her seat, eyes hungry for information.

He runs through the list of everyone he’s known. He’s 28 now, and it’s been a decade since he’s graduated from high school. Most of the people he’s known he interfaces with on at least a weekly to monthly basis, save for a select few like Shoto, Katsuki, Iida and Ochaco that he sees almost daily. He admits he hasn’t seen Koda in a while, now that he lives in the forest similar to the Wild Wild Pussycats, nor Jirou who dedicated more of her life to music these days, and then his thoughts settle on you.

He knows what you’re up to, but he hasn’t spoken to you in over a year, despite remembering your last conversation at UA’s 10 year reunion. Brief - you were already slightly tipsy, and you smiled at him, but seemed disinterested in whatever he had to say, almost like you wanted to leave as soon as possible. He’d asked you how your clinic was going, and you’d laughed, the warmth of alcohol deepening the complexion in your cheeks, and said noncommittally, “it’s going,” before turning back to your friends. You’d once been so excited to tell him every thought running through your head, and you’d bounce off ideas for hours, discussing everything from Quirks to biology to society to your hopes and dreams, and after just a few years apart, he received next to nothing.

Leave her alone, Midoriya, is all that ran through his head, after that, and he politely bowed and left. 

“Yes, we all help each other out when needed!” he replies. It isn’t a lie. For every one of his classmates, even you. If you called him, he would come to your rescue. Anytime.

When the interview ends, he wishes for a moment that he had the courage to call. 

—

The last person you could have expected to call you, calls you on a Thursday afternoon, as you make your way out of work, and from his voice, you can tell he’s surprised you actually sought to answer the phone. 

“I… uh… wow. Hey.”

“Hey.”

Your cheeks warm, but it’s not love, it’s the nostalgia of several years coming back, and the fact that your high school boyfriend seems flustered to speak to you despite years of lost contact.

“You never changed your number,” Akira says, and you laugh. You can envision him easily, after all social media makes it such that no one truly becomes a stranger, and you know that he’s crinkled he has the same goofy smile on his face that helped you forget all that you’d been through in the Hero course, reminded you that there was more to life than self-sacrifice.

“You didn’t change yours,” you’re quick to reply.

“Touché.”

You can tell he’s grinning now, and it makes your heart light. You’re walking towards the train station and it’s a spring afternoon; you can see lovers hold hands as they walk past you, and you can’t remember the last time you’ve been on a date. 

And as if he knows how you feel, he asks you on one.

“The truth is you’ve been on my mind a lot recently.”

“Are you newly single?” you ask. It’s meant to be a playful jab, but you can tell he’s stung when he replies, “Newly isn’t the word for it, but yes, I am single.”

You blow air through your nose, but Akira is harmless. He makes his way around women easily with a silly sort of charm, and being easy on the eyes, but he’s not the type to break a woman’s heart. If anything, you were the one who broke his by ending things when you decided to focus on graduate school.

“Remember how I really liked enka?” 

Evenings in the dorm rooms laid side by side with shared headphones come to mind. 

“Yeah. Are you famous now?” you tease. He tuts at you, but adds,

“Come to my open mic night on Friday. I’ll buy you sashimi afterwards and we can go drinking.”

You think for a moment that in 5 separate universes, you’re in love with Izuku and maybe you should figure out what that’s about, but in this one, Izuku is nowhere to be found and perhaps it’s more important for you to hear your ex-boyfriend belt ballads and loosen up over sake and sake don.

You think for a moment, and then say, “Sure.”

—

There’s probably a social crime involved in inviting your friends to a date, and you can tell Akira’s a bit annoyed about it from the slight scrunch of his eyebrows when he watches you walk into the bar with two of your closest friends flanking your sides. He’s at the front already, and waves at you enthusiastically, and he’s every bit the cute boy from the support class who helped you with your pageant routine (you didn’t win that year, but you placed thanks to him), just sharper in the face, and with longer wavy dark hair.

You wave back, and your friends push you to the front and take their seats in the back. They’d also both gone to UA, and one was in the hero class with you, while the other was a year ahead, in the support class, and recognizes Akira, even if she hadn’t particularly approved of him in the past. She hadn’t exactly disliked him, but you could tell she was less warm when it came to him. Your other friend doesn’t seem to recognize him immediately, turning immediately to order the two of you drinks.

You slip into the open seat beside Akira and he offers you a drink and a rose. It’s cheesy but it makes you smile.

“I’m going to wow you, just so you know,” he promises as he makes his way on stage. You raise your eyebrow, as if to say ‘prove it’ while he skips onto the stage.

And he’s a hit, all flashing teeth and low notes, and you can feel your face warm every time he sings in your direction. He’s always had a beautiful voice, and easily flustered, you look down at your drink, heart thumping. 

And then, in a stroke of misfortune (to you), he slips your name into the song, and when you look up at him, he’s reaching a hand out towards you, bidding you to come on stage.

The very idea feels like hell to you. The rest of the bar’s patrons watch you and cheer and you glance at your friends, both of whom are waving their hands to push you on stage. When you look back at Akira, he’s still smiling, but you can feel the tinge of anxiety at the idea of you rejecting him in public. You wouldn’t, would you?

You can’t.

You slowly rise to take his hand, as people clap around you, but before you can take another step, before you can embarrass yourself in front of a room full of people, there’s a deafening sound that comes from your right side that practically stuns you, and shortly after, a forceful blast of air and shattered concrete follows and nearly knocks you off your feet.

The ringing of your ears mutes the abounding screams in the room. Your fortifying Quirk kicked in just in time, so you weren’t thrown that far, but bodies are strewn across the room. You don’t see Akira, and the right side of the room is practically cleared with tables and chairs tossed haphazardly and people scrambling for cover or already unconscious.

Adrenaline rushes through your veins, but you act first. You are a Hero after all, even if you’ve been out of the fray for years. A quick glance lets you know that your friends are already in action, trying to recover a few people thrown over the bar, and you attempt to push rubble off of you and start rescues.

Your Quirk activates again to fortify yourself as you begin to move, but a second, louder explosion occurs, one that does actually knock you off your feet, destroying part of the foundation of the building. The ceiling starts to cave in just above you - you’ve always had the best luck - and you’re too slow to move before it all comes crashing down.

You put yourself into a protective huddle, hopeful for your Quirk to minimize your damage, but never feel the pain of falling wreckage. 

“... Hi.”

Says Izuku Midoriya, hovering over you and shielding your body from harm with a piece of the ceiling held carefully in his hands. 

The love of your life in at least five universes and your current savior.

Your eyes meet and hold firmly.

“Hi, I-Izu.. Deku.”

Time seems to slow to a stop for a moment, then comes back up to pace when you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, your lungs suddenly burning in demand of oxygen. Izuku watches you carefully for a moment, really takes you in, even if you’re quick to thank him before looking around for someone else to save. You’re okay, just shaken; you’ve noticed him for a fleeting moment and now your attention is gone. You turn and scream your friend’s name, and he throws the large block of concrete to the side, remembering his job has only begun.

He’s happy he could do something for you, despite it all. There are more people to save, you remind him with your quick movements, the activation of your quirk to stabilize the first injured man’s bleeding as you crouch around him. He springs back into action - after all, he was meant to chase the culprits of those blasts, and can’t be sidetracked.

But this time, he has resolved to say more to you when the dust clears.

—

“Rampage, are you hurt? You did a good job back there.”

You can hear your Hero friend, code name Rampage, chat politely with Izuku as they both approach to where you’re huddled in a makeshift rehabilitation corner, a couple of people with the more severe injuries laid out on the ground, rolled up table cloths beneath their heads. No one is gravely injured more than you can heal with your Quirk, but you’ve exhausted enough of your body’s reserves that your head is starting to swim. She’s saying something playful about how Deku stole her thunder, when you turn to both of them and give a report, as Heroes are wont to do naturally.

When he comes over, you remind yourself to remain cordial but businesslike, despite your heart pounding hard in your chest. Nothing happened. Nothing changed. No clones or any lingering delusions can change that.

”I think we’ve accounted for everyone, right? These two -“ you gesture over to the people you’ve slightly sedated to reset a couple of broken limbs, “probably need to get to the hospital just so they have follow-up but it’s not urgent.”

Rampage nods, and Izuku pauses before doing the same. You remember now - the last time you interacted in this capacity was during the earliest parts of the war before things had gotten far out of your realm of ability and you were more helpful taking care of the sick and wounded. It feels like so long ago you’ve been active as a traditional Hero. Rampage on the other hand has kept in contact with Deku cursorily due to her familiarity with other Heroes of a similar level, particularly the noisy one named Dynamight, and while she and Deku are not exactly best friends, they get along well. He glances at her for reassurance before stepping forward to you.

“Thank you for helping out,” Izuku says with a reassuring smile. You try not to look at him when you reply, “Of course.”

In one universe, you have small children that look like some combination of the both of you. In this one, you can barely look each other in the eye.

There is a pause that lasts a little bit too long again, and you don’t notice the smile that forms on Rampage’s face as she steps backwards, hoping not to be noticed by either of you, but the moment dispels when Camilla, your Support friend, calls for all of your attention from across the destroyed hall. She looks absolutely ridiculous, enough that you stifle a laugh, with all manners of cutlery, jewelry, watches, phones, and anything metal, stuck to her from head to toe due to activation of her magnetic quirk.

”Anything you guys are missing?” She asks, stepping over rubble to meet you guys. You’re not sure how she can even see at this point with nearly every inch of her body covered. Close behind her is Akira, whose eyes widen once he spots you.

”You’re okay!” He exclaims running towards you. It’s almost theatrical, as if he hadn’t disappeared to preserve his own safety first, but he wraps you into a tight hug, as though you were long lost lovers. Next to you, Izuku stiffens for a split second, something Rampage and Camilla both notice, and Akira holds you at arms’ length, pretending he can’t see him.

Akira never liked Deku very much in high school.

”I’m so glad you’re okay, everything got so terrifying and…”

Your head is starting to pound, and Akira is gently pulling you away from the rest of the group, you notice, until Izuku speaks up.

”Hey, ___, you don’t look so good.” His voice is a little firmer, and he clears his throat. “Don’t move her so much, I think she needs to sit down.”

Akira flashes him a look that’s slightly poisonous, Camilla notices, then smiles to herself.

“Of course. I’ve just been agitated since our date got ruined, that’s all.” Akira stresses the word and Rampage rolls her eyes.

She never liked him either.

Izuku almost asks ‘what number?’ out loud then realizes it’s an insane question to ask of the thousands he could have reasonably asked. But he’s curious, you don’t seem like you’re particularly smitten enough by him as he tries to help lower you to a sitting position. 

The paramedics and other reinforcements are starting to fill in. Izuku keeps an eye on you as he coordinates with Rampage and the rest of the Heroes that now arrive to clean up wreckage and get everyone back in place. Akira’s rubbing your shoulders while you look dazed, too drained in the absence of your energy-conserving Hero suit to shrug him off, and it irks him. Somehow, in just seeing you again for this brief moment, he’s become a high schooler again, thinking of the right words to say, standing in front of your dorm room door before giving up and leaving. He’s seventeen again and watching you poorly conceal a bouquet of flowers he wishes he were the one to give you, avoiding cutting through the grass on the UA campus grounds even though it would get you back faster. He’s eighteen and wondering why even saving the world isn’t enough to make you look at him before you part ways into the adult world that opens before you, and admonishing himself for even having the selfish thought.

He’s shy little Izuku and he wishes you liked him back.

“Deku, do you have a moment to talk with us?” a cheery reporter says, thrusting a microphone in his face. They’re everywhere, he swears, prettier and more persistent every time. He’s polite again, flashing the practiced million-watt-smile.

And just like that he’s Deku, the hero once again.

—

Electrolyte water and rest does its magic, and as you make breakfast the next morning, you wonder if you should consider packing part of your suit with you, or at least perhaps just the gauntlets that you used back in high school. A modified version that is compact and can slip into your purse so that you never find yourself in a similar situation. You’re greeted the next morning by text by an apologetic Akira who promises you sushi another weekend, which you decide to reply to later, and texts from your friends who make sure that you’re okay, and an email notification for an incident report due in the next two weeks.

You sigh.

That’s why you don’t do Hero work.

Scooping eggs onto a slice of toast, you settle onto your couch, snuggling close with a body pillow and wishing your mind would stop racing for a moment. You don’t want to admit it, but all you can think about is Izuku and his stupid handsome face, and the way his mouth seemed to part every time you met each other's eyes, as if he has a million and one things to say to you but has to hold back. You wish he’d go make those cloying eyes at everyone lined up for his interest. There’s no real claim to him after all, at least not in this universe, regardless of what supposedly exists in the multiverse. You don’t even know if that’s real after all; it’s something that absolutely disrespects the laws of physics, but then again, you know many people whose Quirks do. Aizawa’s adopted daughter Eri is the first to come to mind. 

You should do some more research, you decide. 

After spending a couple hours on databases and online medical journals researching the existence of Quirks that can interact with the multiverse, you come up with nearly nothing, save for a case report of a person whose Quirk kept generating a wormhole for him that handed him whatever tool he needed (most often chopsticks for some reason). Groaning, you decide Kazuo is unique and either way you’ll see him again in 3 months, and reassess how he’s doing, possibly get a (better) case report out of it. You wonder if he’ll generate the same set of clones, or hopefully a new set of clones, ones who aren’t romantically entangled with Izuku Midoriya, ones more like you who never cared much for him at all, or at least knew, like you, to back off when they saw him standing on the edge of a cliff with the girl who was made for him.

Maybe if you look at the narratives your clones wrote to you, crumpled in a drawer in the corner of your desk, you’d find some flaws. Perhaps this was all a big trick the universe was playing on you, and feelings sitting in your subconscious, sleeping for practically a decade, are now flooding back with a vengeance. It must be the power of suggestion. You do not love him. You do not even particularly like or dislike him. You feel neutral. Neutral is good.

The narratives don’t help. What also doesn’t help is the fact that you’ve stored them in the same place as you keep all other sentimental material, including a diary you kept sparingly since you were a kid, in addition to letters from friends and family, and trinkets you’re afraid to lose. Curiosity has killed many cats and you, so you pore through it as well. Everything in that period of adolescence is amplified, and you went through war, so of course you remember a strong feeling of love that might not be real and should not be held on to.

The diary doesn’t help either. 

Of course, some entries are silly and whimsical like you’d expect from a young teen. Excerpts about friends, family, teachers that annoy you, celebrities you think are cute. You find remnants of an old crush on Suneater that must have been so short-lived you can’t remember it, and it surprises you. 

And then there’s your thoughts about Izuku, sparse but poignant. 

Oh yes, you were in love, and your entries end there. With war, with adulthood, with the life you have now.

[darlingzelda]

What TV shows/Movies/Books the Court of Darkness Characters would like

Guy: The Prince (Machiavelli)

this needs very little explanation

It’s a book about how aristocrats or political figures can gain power and maintain status. Also known for justifying the means to the ends. (which Guy has definitely been known to do.)

Toa: The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)

We know Toa really likes to read stories and romance novels

LOTR is perfect because it’s deep, creative, compelling, and has hints of romance here and there while still having the overarching theme of resilience in hardships.

Fenn: Twilight (Meyer)

you’re telling me Fenn wouldn’t absolutely be a Twihard??

You can’t keep him away from cheesy supernatural romances that may or may not be toxic in every aspect.

He would eat that right up

Definitely comes up behind every single person in the academy and dramatically says “This is the skin of a killer” and then laughs maniacally

Violet has had enough

Roy: Pride and Prejudice (Austen)

Roy is definitely the type to swoon over dramatic romance novels

He’d sit there in his little garden with a cup of tea and just… read

He just gives the aura of someone who would love Jane Austen stuff

Lynt: Harry Potter (Rowling)

Lynt is just full of childlike wonder so it makes sense he’d like a classic series that we all grew up reading

Would 100% lay on a pillow and have Tino read it to him like a bedtime story

Lance: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Snicket)

He just seems the type to go nuts for melancholy

They’re very good books, but since he’s kind of hardcore he just reads them for leisure

Can definitely see him skipping class and lounging up in a tree to read

Knight: The Cat Returns (Miyazaki)

Do I even need to explain.

I feel like he would love Ghibli movies, but especially this one because literally almost all the characters are cats

Also appreciates the unique art style

Jasper: Sherlock Holmes (Doyle)

something about him just exudes an air of ‘mystery novel lover’.

It’s both classy and intriguing, which is the perfect mix for him

Kind of like a parallel to his Sirius alter ego where he goes out on secret missions for Guy

Always manages to solve the mystery before they even get to it

Violet: Real Housewives shows

She would absolutely eat that drama right up

Strikes me as a feral reality TV lover

She would get INTO it. Everyone passing by her room can hear either cackling or very loud swearing when she’s at it

Would sit there with a glass of wine and watch to ‘unwind'

Grayson: The Phantom of the Opera (Leroux)

Like Roy, he’s definitely a classics lover

Perfect balance of music, drama, and enjoyable mystery

Definitely likes both the book and the movie and would very much go see the musical every time it was showing

Makes him feel things??

Tino: Avatar: The Last Airbender

He just loves classic childhood shows like Lynt

Absolutely identifies with Aang and Katara

Probably hides his face with a blanket whenever Azula is on screen

Just really likes wholesome content

Excitedly explains the plot of every episode and backstory to Lynt (who’s half listening or falling asleep)

Rio: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

This man would go feral for comedy

Perfect mix of knights and comedic value

Roars with laughter anytime a joke lands

Definitely can be seen banging items together and pretending to ride a horse like they do in the movie

Laughs at the jokes every time no matter how many times he’s seen it

Aquia: Sleeping Beauty

No surprise that he’s a sucker for romance

Definitely loves every single classic Disney movie and even cries when he’s watching

He loves the part where the Prince rescues Aurora because he’s secretly wishing that he could be a prince like that someday

It’s his comfort movie

Lou: The Office US

Every. Single. Thing. makes him laugh

So deeply absorbed in every single side plot

Sitting there on the edge of his seat with wide eyes watching it all go down

It kind of reminds him of the situations he finds himself in every day

Has definitely tried to say “That’s what she said” without understanding what it means, and everyone else is just staring at him with horrified expressions

Finds Michael Scott so funny

So invested in the Jim/Pam plotline that he actually cries when they get together

Such a fangirl that he hosts a version of the Dundies for the princes/ valets

It does not go well

[zileans-big-cl0ck]

Hii, if ya feel up to it could you write some comforting headcanons for Yasuo and Talon? They need some good hugs but honestly what league champion doesn't

(if you feel like writing for others too go for it, I like to read anything you make)

✦–Comforting them headcanons.✦ (SFW)

✦Hurt/comfort, because they also deserve a hug. A lot of hugs. Every single one of them.

✧ prompt: ✧ hurt/comfort.

✧ champions: ✧ Talon, the Blade’s Shadow; Yasuo, the Unforgiven; Cassiopeia, the Serpent’s Embrace.

✧ reader: ✧ gender neutral.

✧ author’s note: ✧ oh, dear readers and anons, you don’t even know how appreciated I feel whenever you send me some positive energy or compliments, haha! Every time it’s so adorable, I couldn’t feel any better. Thank you for everythig, especially since english is not my first language, so. I basically have no idea what I am doing. Ah, but apart of this anecdote, the reader is really into self care, but I think it shouldn’t be a problem since we are doing a comforting post.

masterlist

✦Talon, the Blade’s Shadow.

He left his blade by the door, because he would never want you to see it in the comforting space of your home, begrimed with blood and disgustingly obscure.

He has lost his prey. His target fleed - he failed; he didn’t manage to complete the only merit of his life that he truly named his own, his passion and devotion, the thing he has been created to do.

If he fails in something so elementary, a thing fankled into his soul and his whole being, an aspect pierced into his heart, then what is his worth?

You spotted his inconvenient posture imidiately, sensing an unnatural twist in his mood, so used to his everyday harshness, enriched by a little bit of sweetness towards only your person. But this time he was different - apathetic with stilted aura of dullness around. Talon let himself tiredly slide on your shared bed, ignoring you just because of the guilt that has been oppressing his heart.

And you, instead of letting him perish alone, you offered him your silent comfort - just yourself by his side. You sat there, your head on his shoulder, gentle touch of your hand on his back, maybe even the tip of your fingers making little circles, massaging.

You asked him what happened, though for the most of the following time you remain quiet, relishing the moment, only you two as the centre of the universe.

But he still felt the enveloping sensation of the failed mission, a feeling he had never experienced before; he has dishonoured his sacred mission. Should he be allowed to feel comforted after a mistake so unforgivable? If he could, he would wear the disgrace as a punishment, visible and vociferous, so everyone would see his shamefull attempts to find comfort in someone else, unworthy of it and pathetic.

Talon was always a mysterious person, but you were like a stronghold for him - it wasn’t a long time until you heard these thoughts of his vocalized out loud, honest and brutal. He murmured them into your ear, while you listened silently, cherishing this sacred moment of his true, intimate self, the person behind the blade.

His thoughts seemed like a form of self-flagellation, noxious and malign. Something pitiful that made your eyes wet, little droplets settling on your eyelashes.

You couldn’t listen to him anymore, saying those denigrating and disgusting statements about himself. All it was untrue, made from the years of abandonment and loneliness, and you were positive to cure it.

But how many times more will you hear him saying that his name doesn’t matter? That as an assasin he is not a human being - he is just a blade that cuts efficiently, deeply and terminally.

“I couldn’t wish for a better person in my life than you, love.” You beggined with you voice brittle, like you were telling him a unconfronted secret. “There is nothing that could make me feel even slightly different. I love you the same amount, as you should love yourself.”

Your words were prosaic, menial. But these were honest promises of adoring him countlessly times, endlessly and for eons, until he comprehends the feelings you wanted him to nurse not only for you, but also himself.

And at some point Talon chuckled, though it wasn’t a sign of joy - it was depressing, unnatural. He tried assuring you that it wasn’t a problem big enough to enwrap you, his beloved one, in - but you could sense his poignant sadness running through his body, just like you could feel his pulsing heart or heavy breath.

You promised him to dedicate to him all of your time, just to assure Talon in his human ability to make mistakes, even so meaningful; to help with his low esteem, even if he firmly disagreed to have anything to do with the mythical term of the mentioned ’low esteem’.

You wrapped your hands around him, tigh and lovely, planning on imprisoning him in a cage made of adoration from someone, who could gave him the comfort he deserved.

Talon left his blade by the door as a symbol of rejection - he rejected the person beyond this place, the one who covered his face with a hood, exchanging him for a more relaxed one, the one made from flesh and honest feelings, the real ones, the right ones, and the absolutely normal ones.

✦Yasuo, the Unforgiven.

As we know, Yasuo escaped Ionia after the unfortunate tragedy that led him despair.

He was lost and longing for a company, though he stated out loud that he didn’t want anyone nerby - he was still too fragile, still in shock of the brutal act he allowed himself to do, bewildered, horrified by himself.

He didn’t want to hurt another human being again. He didn’t want to accompany yet another person, only to betray them nor to give up on them. Another loose would be too painful, too demolishing.

For them, of course. He thought he could handle all of this crushing on his mind.

But Yasuo wouldn’t survive seeing his acquaintance being betrayed by him, once again.

He wasn’t eager to befriend new people here, in Bilgewater; he didn’t seek anyone particular. You found him by yourself, and soon became his only comfort in those times, only way to drift his depressing thoughts away.

And even though it was admirable, your acts of desperate tries, as he considered you as the most valued person in his life, you knew he shouldn’t be feeling so much pain. It could broke even the toughest weilder. His nailed heart pulsing right in his chest was aching and trying to free itself every time Yasuo bestowed you with his deep, sad eyes.

He suffered in silence, though he claimed that you were the only cure for this desease that was gutting his body.

You could name this curse - it was guilt in its purest form. And you were determined to free Yasuo from it.

At some point, he must have opened himself before you, render a vivisection of himself, show you his insides and the putridity that has enveloped his heart and soul. Something you should despise, scream and shout at the sight of, bewildered and cheesed.

But instead of pushing him away as he expected, almost desired, instead of feeling overwhelmed by the emotions he had dropped on your shoulders, you hugged him tightly, the words of comfort pouring from your mouth.

”That wasn’t your fault.” ”You regret this, and you are not the same person you were back then.” ”That was an accident.” ”You are always there for me - let me be here for you now.”

So he declaimed the weight of the world like a poem. About his past and his brother, who has lose to his blade in the accident. You cried with him, mixing your own tears with his own, brushing his problems and concerns off.

You couldn’t even imagine how deeply was he hurt. But humans tend to crawl for the concept of empathetic co-suffering; it makes them feel understood and is crutial when it comes to comforting, therefore it was enough for him: getting the heavy burden off his own mind, sharing it to the world, admitting that he had commited something unforgivable.

You forgave him, though he has never hurted you. But any mercy given from a human being was a relief for Yasuo.

✦Cassiopeia, the Serpent’s Embrace.

Cassiopeia didn’t need your comfort. She despised it. It made her look pathetic and weak, even if she already looked miserable as half a serpent.

But she was a proud woman, a lover of many in her halcyon days of glory. Everyone longed for her and everyone needed her like an antidote for a deadly poison. It was a desire not in a lovely, romantic way, but in a frantic, melodramatic and amusing form of begging for sparing a life.

She manipulated the whole nation of pathetic Noxians into her hands, toyed with them on one of her palms, treating those little figures like ants, just simple pawns on the board that she created from her life. She would be considered infantile if anyone knew what a little mouse wanted to adhere to her, hug her scaled waist and tell her that… she deserved love.

Of course she did! You should have seen her when she was still human, not an abomination, just a twisted figure of her past self.

”No, I am not thinking like this of myself, little mouse. Do not approach me, we can bargain from a distance-”

She would admire your confidency with honesty, if only you weren’t so… clingy. Your hugged her in a devoted way that spoke without words - that you will always follow her as her dearest worshipper, even if she turned into something more fearsome than a half-snake. Even if she turned into a sculpture, you would attend her every day.

Cassiopeia indeed had to admit to herself, in her own convoluted way of a serpent, that your confession made her feel better. Like she had one person that was truly her admirer, not just another human she led on and wrapped around her claw, ready to allure and use. And that her little mouse was kind of adorable; more like a pet, but at least a faithful one.

It was a change of perspectives for her, a phenomenon that made her smile softly, her hand slidding from the top of your head to your back, where she pushed you closer, admiring and loving.

[emsgwenstan]

Papers and ink

Larissa Weems x student reader (platonic)

Warnings: mentions of sh, blood, traumatic experiences?

Words: about 4K.

Idk what this is just came out, it is a lil bit heavy but very quick, a lot more details could have been said but I’ll leave that to ur imagination. I used ‘mum’ instead of ‘mom’ because one I’m Australian and two Larissa is English so… enjoy xx

———

Sitting on your bed with your so called diary; the one you criticised other’s for having because it’s such a cliche for a teenage girl to have, you drew on todays page, no words wanting to form from your brain to paper. Your doodling was interrupted by a knock at the door, if it were your roommate she wouldn’t have knocked.

“Principal Weems.” You said, moving the book and pens to the side and asking her to sit. “Afternoon y/n, how are you darling?” She asked, tilting her head down trying to catch your gaze. “Well, I suppose, and you?” You wondered, meeting her gaze with a superficial smile, one that doesn’t quite reach your eyes. “I’m fine, I wanted to check up on you.” She pressed. “Yes, a welfare check up on the poor depressed, sick, burden of a student, right?” You sighed, feeling a little guilty at your backhandedness. “That’s not funny y/n, I’m serious I need to know how you are, not as a care provider or principal, but as me, I need you to talk and confide your trust in me, you can’t shut down again, not after what happened last time.”

You dropped the sarcasm and caught onto her tone. Larissa was referring to a couple of months ago when she asked for students help with carrying some things to a classroom, but in the midst of moving a box, your jumper sleeve rode up and she saw the markings embellished in your skin, and the slivers of blood seeping through the material. Since than she makes it a routine thing to check on you every four days, as annoying as it is, you understand her worry and have come to enjoy her company.

“I’m fine, honestly.” You spoke through your teeth, pleading to what ever she would just leave it alone, you weren’t that lucky. “Show me.” She said. “What?” You were shocked, knowing exactly what the principal is talking about. “Your arms, I will believe you if you show me.” She calmly asked. “No.” You said avoiding her. “Than you are in fact not fine, sweetheart.” She said placing a hand on you knee.

After a while of silence you decide to lift off your hoodie all together, Larissa didn’t move a muscle, instead just waiting for where your going with this. You outstretched your arm and lay your palm face up in her lap. Larissa’s gaze went from the floor to your skin, blinking slowly almost as if it were painful to do so she was met with the familiar red raw lines that stared back at her in torment.

“When was the last time?” She asked, placing her fingertips round the raised wounds. “Night before last…. I’m sorry.” You whispered. “Don’t apologise, I understand. I cannot stop you but it’s disappointing darling, not that I’m disappointed in you, just how you have fallen to having the need to harm yourself.” Larissa’s voice broke and her eyes glazed over. “I’m still sorry though, I… I don’t want to hurt you.” You said with furrowed brows and a heavy bottom lip. “You aren’t y/n. I just wish I could take all of you pain away from you, but I will spend as long as it takes to make you feel better ok?” She curled her hand in yours and used the other to cup your cheek showing her sincerity.

You could see the internal debate with herself displayed on her face before she spoke. “I’d like to share something with you.” Larissa said stroking your cheekbone. “Ok…” You breathed. “when I was your age I shared the same illness, I was in a downward spiral for a very long time. I used to be someone that did everything for everyone and didn’t get a single thing in return, I had crushes and had enough courage to tell them and I was humiliated every time I was turned down. I tried my best in every aspect, academically and socially, every bit of my life and it never seemed to be enough, all parts just crumbled, at least that’s how it felt.” Her face contorted as she reminisced her dark past.

You placed your free hand on top of your already intertwined ones, trying to show your interest and support wanting her to continue. “So… I turned to harming myself.” Her words twisted in your stomach feeling the sense of dread set in, releasing how she must feel about you. Larissa readjusted the way she was sitting, removing her hand from your face to the hem of her dress, also revoking your grasp on her hand to shimmy up the fabric until it bunched around her hips and the tops of her thighs were displayed.

Your eyes widen at the sight of the faded lacerations that adorned her legs. Your mouth fell open as your gaze switched between the principles eyes and her legs. As if you couldn’t control your actions, fingers went curiously towards her scars, but snapping back to reality you slowed. “May I… can-“ you stuttered not exactly sure of what you want yourself. Larissa however, knew what you wanted, she hooked her fingers under yours and brought them to her old wounds.

The feeling of her healed but raised flesh was bewildering, tracing every line with astonishment, curiosity and admiration you didn’t know how to comprehend words. “It’s been a very long time, 26 years actually, but I won’t lie to you… I do have thoughts of doing it again, but I don’t because I have young ones like you I have to set an example for, but also because I don’t really need to either.” She admitted.

“So… how did you get better?” Your small voice hoping for a easy remedy. “I-.” She started before you cut her off by quickly searching your bed. Grabbing a pen you told her to continue. Regaining where she was up to with your question she began to speak again. “I had to let my self feel bad and try to help myself, find healthy coping mechanisms and get out more, socialise and do the things I enjoy instead of putting them off, anything to keep the voice in my head at bay, after a while it got easier, less feeling the need to hurt myself, more moving forward from the dark and into the lighter parts of life.”

You open the pen and with out asking started to draw little stars over her scars, Larissa knows you function and concentrate best whilst using your hands. “What made you do it in the first place? If that’s ok, you don’t need to answer.” You paused to look deep into her eyes showing your interest and wanting her to know your care. Larissa hesitated before speaking, it’s only now she comes to realise herself that this is the first time she’s ever told anyone about her history.

“It was a few days after the 1991 rave’n, my best friend was my roommate and also happened to be my first serious crush, I hadn’t mentioned I was interested in woman, partly due to the times, but because I thought I hinted it enough that she’d know, we told each other everything and were more like sisters than friends, so a couple of weeks before the night of the dance we were talking and I tried to ask her If she’d like to go with me, but she somehow assumed I wanted to go with the boy she liked. The whole situation spiraled out of control and I couldn’t find the strength to admit to her she was the one I wanted, things after that were strained to say the least, she switched rooms and hardly spoke to me, my parents at the time were quite forceful and invasive so I couldn’t turn to anyone, no family and no friends.” She took a long deep breath once she had finished her confession.

“I’m so sorry principal Weems, that must have been really tough, although I’ve had similar experiences to.” You said avoiding her gaze. “Would you like to talk to me about it?” Larissa questioned, hoping that her confession might have been an icebreaker too breech your own conflicts.

“A couple of months ago I finally admitted to myself that I liked girls… I mean i still like boys to but, I don’t know I just feel like because it’s such a common thing now, I don’t want to seem like I’m only saying it to fit in or try to be apart of something if that makes sense. I also understand the parents thing, probably more than most people you will meet, I’m a child of a divorced marriage as your aware and I’ve been manipulated and shaped since a young age, coming here is the only stability I have, I’m just grateful that I don’t have to go back and fourth between families and homes anymore, but also at the same time I feel more lonely than ever.” You spoke unabashedly, laying it out for her to understand, Larissa is your mother figure witch makes you feel safe enough to talk bout things you would dare tell anyone else, but because she’s not biologically a parent it gives you the notion that Larissa has no obligation to treat you like a small child but a daughter she’s never had.

Larissa stored the information amidst her heart as you spoke. “Have you told anyone else?” She asked. “No. Only one girl I had a crush on, but she turned me down and we haven’t spoken since.” You said with tears welling in your eyes, remembering the feelings attached to the time. Larissa was so touched at your openness to her she began to cry. “Oh sweetheart.” She tutted. “So am I the first person you’ve opened up to about this?” She asked shakily. You nodded in response. Larissa’s flood gates opened as she embraced you in the tightest hold of your life.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” You said in a delicate tone, sincerely sorry for making her emotional. “No darling girl, I just- I love you so much and I know that may be somewhat inappropriate, but it’s the truth.” Larissa spoke into your hair while stroking it. “You know, Your exactly the kind of mother I’ve always wanted.” You whispered. Larissa drew back and let out a watery chuckle as she tucked strands of hair behind your ears. “Than I shall do my best to be that person for you sweetheart.” You smiled and wrapped your arms back around her torso and buried your head in her chest.

A little while later, Larissa was still by your side, but propped up on her elbow with her shoeless feet tucked behind her laying on the bed listening to you explain some of you favourite things and how connected you are with art, she adores how passionate you are and how you find the underlying meaning behind the most simple of things like music, poetry, books and paintings. Larissa finds herself realising how similar you are to her and will never have a problem finding a topic to discuss.

Hours went by and she left before your roommate came home, telling you to have a wonderful rest of your night and she will catch up with you tomorrow before kissing your forehead and murmuring sweet dreams. You felt full of happiness after your heavy afternoon, you couldn’t help but decide to find every sharp thing you own and wander down to the large bins that were placed at the back of the academy, the second the things were disposed you took a deep breath and watched the sunset, knowing that you will never mark yourself again, a turning point, a new beginning you owe it to yourself and to Larissa.

———

Two months had passed and it was spring break, being back at your houses with your family’s was exhausting, already after only three days things started to fall back into pattern with them, however you decided that this was it. No more suffering to survive in a place that should be a haven. No more pleasing the unpleaseable. You have a voice and used it, the world did feel like it was coming to and end but it was only the beginning of a next chapter.

Collecting your belongings that you really wanted, you packed and said goodbye for the last time, no hug no forced physical affection, nothing. Both of your parents were to offended to care about your decision, leaving you with no respect for the pair whatsoever. Nevermore was your home, and Larissa was your mother. With the last bit of money you had left, a one way ticket to the academy was bought, with a pit stop on the way.

———

Arriving back at the empty school, your excitement mimicked the first time you drove through the iron gates two years ago, except now you know where you are and that this is the place you belong.

Making your way up the steps with three suitcases was a difficult task but with the determination of discarding them in your room and finding Larissa was all it took to power through the maze of stone.

The principal gave you her phone number not to long after your heart to heart conversation so you bring up her contact on you phone and called her whilst walking to her office. You knew she would be here she told you that and you’ve come to know she keeps her word in every aspect. The second it starts dialling, butterflies erupted in your stomach. ‘I’m coming’ you thought releasing your breath in a chance to settle the nerves.

“Hello darling, are you ok?” She picked up. “Hey, yeah I am, I was just wondering how you are?” You wondered grinning to yourself as you were approaching the stairs to her office. “I’m ok, I do miss you though, how are you holding up?” She sighed. “I will be very well soon.” You said. “Oh? Why’s that?” She asked. You knocked on her door hearing it both from your perspective and on the line. “Just a second, that’s odd someone’s here.” Larissa paced to the door and opened it holding her phone to her chest. Her face lit up at the sight of you.

“Oh y/n! Your here!” She squealed. You hung up and launched yourself towards her engulfing her in a bear hug, with your arms around her neck and legs around her waist. “My goodness, how are- why are you here!?” She giggled tossing her phone onto the nearest seat, wrapping her arms around you. “It’s a long story but it can wait. I missed you so much.” You mumbled into her neck, smelling her perfume that has become quite nostalgic. Hopping down you grab her hand and drag her back to the office chair whilst you sit on top of the desk In front of her. Larissa really let’s you get away with everything.

“I have a present for you.” You said excitedly.  “for me?” She asked incredulously. “Yes, although I don’t know how you will feel about it.” It came out very weary, all of a sudden the nervousness set back in. ‘Fuck it’ you thought, pulling out the papers from your back pocket. “I got these on my way back in Burlington. I may or may not have somehow stolen them, because they wouldn’t just give them to me but… I have them.” You handed her the folded papers and bit your lower lip in waiting.

Larissa gave you the look after your statement, the look that you so desperately wanted for a long time, the look that says ‘really? Well your lucky I love you’ look. She slowly opened up the paper and gasped. You swallowed thickly, not knowing if it was a good thing or a bad thing. “Y/n.” Larissa breathed as she looked at you in shock, her hand came to rest over her gaping mouth. “Is that ok?” You wondered. She was silent for a minute trying to wrap her head around what was happening.

“Ye-… yes.” Larissa choked out. “You want… you want me to adopt you?” She asked. “I would want anyone else to be my mother but you.” You said as if it were the surest thing you had ever spoken. “So would you… want, to be my uhh…?” Larissa stood and opened her draw without saying anything and pulled out a pen and started to sign every page.

Putting the cap back on and tossing it back in her draw she turned to you and cupped your face. “I can’t think of anyone else I would rather have as my child.” She said kissing your hair and pulling you to her chest.

“I actually have a surprise for you to.” Larissa said taking a step back. “Really?” You asked. “Yes, we’ll sort of.” She began. “The pen you used to draw on my leg a couple of months ago was a permanent marker… and after a few days it was starting to fade, so I thought before it disappears I should make it literally permanent.” She says while pulling up her skirt. “I traveled to Burlington and had it tattooed.” You sat there in shock as you saw the stars exactly the same as when you drew them on there. “Oh principle Weems, I- I don’t know what to say.” Larissa chuckled and smiled down at you. “I will forever have a piece of you with me sweetheart.” You grinned and realised she really did love you as much as you love her.

“I was just trying to find the right time to tell you.” She stated. “Weren’t you telling me that you didn’t approve of tattoos?” You said cheekily. “Well… I’m a hypocrite, but this was special.” She said. You giggled at her words and flexed forward to give her a kiss on the cheek and thank her. “You know when this goes ahead, I was thinking you would like to stay with me?… as in live closer, I have a spare bedroom attached to the other side of my office across from my own quarters?” She quietly questioned, waving her arm in the direction of the room. “Of course!” You shrieked with excitement. “But um, do I still have to call you principle Weems?” You asked sheepishly. “Oh god no. Larissa it’s fine or mu-…what ever you prefer.” She cut herself of before she could finish the word, Larissa didn’t want to overstep due to the fact that she still doesn’t know the situation with your own family, but she doesn’t feel selfish to think that she could be a better mother than your own. “I like that.” You stared at her with a grin, she said cocking a brow hoping you’d continue. “Mum.”

————————————————————————

Obviously it’s very difficult to stop a habit like sh and it’s not always just an immediate stop but for the sake of this story I think it was wise to just put a graceful end to it. If personal experiences are revamped please be safe, love you and ur doing great xxx

[cynicalone94]

Belittlement

Wes's Training Officer really doesn't like having a nepo baby riding in his passenger seat. He's determined to make Wes the laughing stock of the LAPD. Can Wes change that?

Find out on AO3 here or below the cut.

@whumpril

Wes loves having Sean Mitchell as his dad.

Because of his dad, his life had changed forever; giving him a family and a support system that he’d never thought he would have.

Changing his last name to Mitchell is a decision that he will never regret.

Except right now he kind of wishes he’d waited until after he’d survived his Rookie year to do it.

In every other aspect of his life he wants the whole world to know that he’s Sean Mitchell’s son.

But when you’re a Rookie cop, the whole department knowing that Lieutenant Mitchell is your dad isn’t exactly a good thing.

People cozying up to him hoping to bolster their own careers.

People expecting him to be just like his dad to the point where they forget that he’s only a few weeks out of the academy.

People thinking that he doesn’t belong here, that he’d only been accepted in the first place because his old man pulled strings.

That his success in the academy was because his dad, and his dad’s friends at the academy, had taken things easy on him and covered up his mistakes.

There’s literally not a single person who hasn’t been weird about it.

And no one has been weirder than his training officer.

Aaron Matthews has a serious chip on his shoulder and Wes can’t quite place it but he’s not a hundred percent the man belongs on the force at all let alone as a training officer.

He knows his stuff, sure, but his attitude leaves a lot to be desired.

He’s flippant with criminals, disrespectful to victims, witnesses and just civilians going about their day.

He’s subtle about it; the victims don’t feel safe when talking to him, witnesses don’t open up to him, but they generally don’t realize how bad he is.

Wes kind of hates him.

And the feeling is mutual.

But he’s not here to make waves. He’s here to learn and he can definitely see where there are a few things that he can learn from Matthews.

People skills just won’t be on that list.

Which will make this an interesting call.

Noise complaint. A loud party.

He’ll follow Matthews’ lead on positioning and approach but he’d bet this week’s salary he won’t learn anything about convincing the hosts and guests of a party that gotten a little wild to turn down the music.

Matthews steps back, nodding for him to knock on the door and quietly directing him to adjust off to the side before knocking.

The door opens, the confused look the woman gives him quickly melting away to excitement.

“The stripper is here!” she shouts over her shoulder.

The what?

She reaches out, grabbing the shoulder of his vest and dragging him into the house.

He pulls back but more hands are grabbing at him and he doesn’t know what to do.

It’s hard to justify any level of use of force against innocent civilians whose only crime is the mistaken impression that he’s a stripper dressed as a cop instead of an actual cop.

But he’s not just supposed to let himself be drug into a party and… the sleeve of his shirt rips off in someone’s hand.

Reaches back to his belt, fumbling for his OC spray.

He hates the stuff but he can’t think of a better way to get their attention without seriously hurting anyone.

Sprays a short burst of it straight into the air.

It takes a second but then he can feel hands releasing him, gasping in pained confusion.

“I need you all to listen to me, right now.” he booms. “I am not a stripper, I am an actual LAPD officer and if you don’t release me, immediately, you can and will be arrested for assaulting a police officer.”

More hands release and he steps back, ripping free from the few still holding onto him.

Aaron steps forward, grabbing him by the vest and dragging him back.

“Alright guys, playtime is over.”

There’s a series of groans.

“Come on, A-a-ron.” one of the girls whines. “We were just getting started.”

A tense silence settles.

“I told you not to use my name.” Aaron snaps.

The damage is done.

“You know them?” Wes demands, ripping away from his training officer and stepping back. “You brought me here on purpose.”

This wasn’t an unfortunate misunderstanding.

He’d been brought here as a toy for Aaron’s friends to play with for the express purpose of embarrassing him.

“I can’t believe you.” he says, shaking his head and turning to walk away.

“Oh come on, Mitchell.” Aaron calls after him. “It was a joke.”

He turns back, fire in his eyes.

“With all due respect, Sir.” he snarls, the word dripping with derision. “It wasn’t funny.”

He’s been the victim of cruel pranks before.

He just never thought it would happen in this job.

Aaron is quiet as he drives the shop back toward the precinct.

Wes needs to change out.

Nobody will respect him with a missing sleeve, his shirt untucked and several buttons missing.

The question is, whether he sticks with the story, endures the reputation of being the rookie who was mistaken for a stripper, or if he throws his training officer under the bus and becomes the rookie who snitched.

Worse so because he’s not sure his dad will be able to keep out of it.

He won’t just be a snitch, he’ll be the baby who ran to daddy at the first sign of trouble.

If he keeps his mouth shut, will he actually earn some respect from Matthews? Or will the man just think he’s a wimp?

He’s deeply lost in thought, but not so much as to miss the car in the next lane.

“Matthews.” he says, nodding toward it when his training officer looks over. “From roll call. Violent carjacking early this morning, two dead.”

“Shit.” Matthews mutters. “You up for this?”

“Yes sir.” Wes says, reaching for the radio. “Dispatch 2113, have eyes on vehicle from morning carjacking, westbound on Jefferson Boulevard, cross street Dalton Avenue.”

The call for additional units goes out.

“They have to have seen us.” Matthews mutters.

“We know they have weapons.” Wes says. “And that they aren’t afraid to use them. Shouldn’t we wait for backup?”

“You want them to get away?” Matthews challenges. “Kill another innocent mother and her child just looking to buy groceries? No way, we light ‘em up now. Backup can catch up or help clean up the mess.”

He flicks on the lights and sirens, dropping back and sliding into place behind the suspect vehicle.

They speed up.

Matthews matches the acceleration.

Wes activates the loudspeaker.

“This is the LAPD. Pull over immediately.”

There’s no response other than further acceleration.

“You ever seen a PIT maneuver?” Matthews asks.

“Not this close.” he replies.

“Watch closely.”

It’s textbook, as far as Wes’s limited experience goes, and it’s further proof of Wes’s suspicion that he has a lot to learn from this man.

If he can manage to identify the bad and avoid learning that too.

They should have waited for backup before kicking this off but he’d also picked a good spot for the PIT, sending the car crashing into a solid concrete wall instead of hitting bystander vehicles.

Matthews slams to a halt, killing the sirens but leaving the lights going.

Wes draws his weapon, grounding it against the dashboard as he clears his seatbelt and then pulls the door release.

Scrambles out of the shop and then retreats to the rear of the vehicle.

“LAPD.” Matthews shouts from the other side. “Driver, put your hands out the window.”

The crash seems to have mellowed the driver because he’s following instructions, responding with very little hesitation to each order that Matthews gives.

Something isn’t right.

He catches sight of movement off to his left and glances over to see a car stopped in the road behind them, the back door opening.

Sees the glint off the barrel of a gun.

“Matthews, look out.” he shouts, turning that direction and side stepping to cover his partner’s six. “LAPD, put the weapon down.”

The man behind that barrel steps into the open.

Wes doesn’t hesitate to fire.

But neither does the other man.

The bullet slams into him but Wes doesn’t slow down, he’s pretty sure it hit him where his vest covers, just moves forward with his gun on target.

The man doesn’t fire again but he’s still alive when Wes gets to him, kicking the weapon away.

Backup has arrived, he can hear the officers flooding the area and holsters his weapon, calling out that he’s going hands on before crouching to cuff the man.

He stands up, clearing out to allow the paramedics in and leaving other officers to cover the man while he’s being treated.

His chest hurts.

He presses his hand against it and freezes.

He can’t feel plate.

The kevlar in his vest must have been shifted when the partygoers were pulling on it.

Shit.

He drops to his knees, the pain catching up as the adrenaline fades.

“Mitchell!” “Shit, Mitchell is down.” “Need another ambo.”

He can’t breathe.

The darkness is closing in.

“Shit. Wes.”

This voice is a lot closer and paired with intense pressure over his side.

“Hang on, Wes.” Matthews begs. “Just hang on, kid. Help is coming, just don’t quit on me.”

Quit on him?

He just wishes the man actually cared.

“Lieutenant Mitchell is gonna kill me.”

That’s what he thought.

Aaron paces in the waiting room, both hands on his head.

He’s so dead.

He’s about eighty percent sure that Wes was leaning toward not saying anything about the party.

That he realized the long term consequences of reporting his training officer for a prank, however stupid and mean it had been, weren’t something he wanted to deal with.

There’s no way it doesn’t come out now.

The kevlar plates in his vest had been shifted during the tugging and pulling which is the only reason the bullet had penetrated.

The reason that Wes diving in to cover his ass had earned him a rushed trip to the nearest hospital and a hasty stabilization before being raced into surgery rather than a ride in the squad car to get a few x-rays.

Wes had saved his life tonight.

It’s his fault that he’d been hurt so badly in the process.

Officers are already filling the waiting room but so far there’s no sign of the brass.

They can’t be far out, one of them in particular.

“Sergeant Simmons.”

He turns in response to the call, swallowing hard at the sight of the man who’s just entered the room.

It’s not Lieutenant Mitchell just yet but it might be just as bad.

Grant Simmons isn’t just in charge of the city’s Violent Crimes squad, he’s Wes Mitchell’s godfather.

The man spots him instantly, striding directly toward him.

“Matthews.” he says with a voice that commands attention. “What the hell happened out there tonight?”

“The whole thing must have been a trap, Sergeant.” he says, swallowing hard. “I PIT’d the target vehicle and we were performing the felony stop but a second vehicle pulled in behind us. The guy was getting ready to take a pot shot at me when Wes spotted him and engaged. He took him down but he caught a round in the process.”

“His vest didn’t catch it?” the man demands, voice sharp. “And why the hell did you perform a felony stop without waiting for backup?”

“They’d spotted us.” he says. “I had no choice.”

Eyes are still sharp.

“That will be for the review boards to decide.” he says. “His vest?”

“One of the plates had shifted.” he says, bracing himself.

Sure enough, those eyes only sharpen.

“Shifted?” Simmons demands. “How in the hell did it shift?”

He swallows hard.

“It was my fault, Sergeant.”

“Your fault?” another voice demands and he glances up to see Lieutenant Mitchell looming over them. “What the hell did you do?”

What the hell did he do?

That’s a damn good question.

Always with the beeping.

He hadn’t been sure that he was going to wake up this time.

If he hadn’t, at least he wouldn’t have had to deal with the damn beeping.

“I tried to tell the doctors they should mute that.” a familiar voice says nearby. “But apparently it’s an essential function.”

“D’work jus’ fine ‘thout noise.” he mumbles.

“Tried to make that argument for you.” his dad says, rubbing his shoulder.

He struggles to force his eyes open.

“I didn’t bring Tito this time, sorry.” his dad tells him. “But you’ll be getting a lot of LAPD visitors and I know you’re already taking heat for being my kid.”

Wes has to admit, his colleagues and supervisors seeing him with a stuffed animal tucked against his side probably wouldn’t help matters any.

It does remind him of something though.

“Matthews?”

“Admitted everything.” his dad says darkly. “Told us about the party, that you wanted to wait on the stop but he pushed through.”

“Did you…?”

“I’m staying out of it.” his dad says. “Convinced Grant to do the same. A review board will do a full analysis of his decision to push forward with the stop without waiting for back up and disciplinary action for his little hazing adventure. It’s not going to end up clean for him but he might keep his job yet.”

Wes nods.

“Thanks, dad.”

“You just focus on getting better, kid.” his dad says. “And what you’re gonna say when you accept the commendation coming your way. Maybe this will help convince some people that you aren’t just a nepo baby, huh?”

Wes rolls his eyes.

He’s pretty sure he’ll be dealing with those accusations forever.

It’s worth it though.

[missielynne]

I laughed at people taking last night's Trevor/Thor scene as romantic---viewing every single interaction as something romantic or sexual even when it really, clearly isn't and minimizing the importance of platonic interactions in the process is my least favorite aspect of fandom. (Not singling out the Ghosts fandom - it's true of almost all of them!)

I'm wondering which 2-3 ghosts you would have off the show/sucked off if you could? I used to love Isaac but he's now on this list for sure---I'm so sick of him and like someone else said it's not like the heavy focus on him this season has even resulted in much growth or discovering new and interesting layers. In fact, it's made him a much less enjoyable character than he used to be, at least imo! He actually bugs me more than Flower at the moment - Flower has much less of an impact on the show, while Isaac feels front and center constantly!

I wish there were more platonic relationships emphasized as well (cause that's what I saw with Thor and Trevor as well, but people are gonna see what they're gonna see and as long as they don't insist that everyone see it their way I'm cool) but there you go.

As for the other question...I would say Isaac (unless they start showing us other sides of his character besides the melodramatic side, like we see it sometimes such as when Hetty possessed Jay) or they start moving the Nisaac plot along or set him up with someone else. Cause yeah, he's front and center but nothing is really happening with it.

And I do want to say Flower because we know her death and we have for a while, but it feels like they've been doing the same with her for a long time, so why not just send her on her way?

And I would say Thor IF the only big plot they can give us for him is being Flower's boyfriend, but they HAVE been doing a better job reminding us of his friendships like with Sass and Hetty lately so I feel A LITTLE better about him than I used to.

[kikiskitchenwitchery]

Happy whenever this finds you. Today for me is Friday January 3rd, 2025. Today's card is the 7 of Cups from the Dark Wood Tarot. This is what I get for being vague. I asked the cards this morning for the vibes for the weekend. Which if we are being honest are going to be chaos and madness. I have several things that I need to do. I will have to get groceries, I need to put away the Yule decorations, I have the granddude for the weekend. The Aunties are coming. I could go on. But as you can see that is a lot for someone who would prefer to hold up in their comfy chair and read. (Side question... anybody want book updates?) I drew this stunning card in reversed. Some decks use them, some do not. I try my best to honor the wishes of the creator of the deck when it comes to reading reversals. In this case, the author calls them Shadows. Not necessarily to opposite or negative of the upright, but a different aspect to be aware of. This card is asking me if I have turned my back on anything or any one. And the short answer is yes. There are people I will not allow back in my life, no matter the circumstances they ask me to. There are situations I won't participate in. I am doing as much as I can to seperate myself from capitalism. I may need to face something, or someone I have turned away from. I may need to address something I have put away or ignored. That above paragraph is vague, isn't it? There are so many things that could mean, people this could be referring to. But not a single concrete thing in my life that I could put my finger on. That is because my question was vague. Asking about energy, rather than asking a specific question about a specific situation. That is on me. If you want clear answers from the cards, you must ask clear questions. You need to know in your own mind what you want or need to know about. When we are vague to ourselves, the universe cannot help us. There is a big difference between asking the cards about who we are as people for insight and growth, and asking the cards about specifics. Both are great ways to use the cards. However, they both need you to know what you are asking. If you would like a longer reading like this, tailored just to you and your questions/sitiuations, please dm me. My books are open. If you just want to support what I do here, feel free to pay for a cup of coffee, you can do that through venmo. @lunarmagicteatime And every like and reblog is just as helpful! Have a magical day.

[sadgirlautumn]

Your last set of tags...100% agree. I just wish it stayed about the music (and tour), y'know? I honestly am not super interested in TK, he seems nice, that's nice. Good luck to them. And genuinely the songs could be about whoever, I'm just interested in the way they sound and how they're crafted. Sometimes people's reactions just veer too far into gossip fodder for my taste. I like Taylor, I think she's talented, I love how her brain works to make these songs, but I'm not interesting in analysing her every move and analysing her every move like a character in a tv show.

You said it so well! We have so much to talk about but it always seems to circle back to her current or previous relationships. Don’t get me wrong her and TK have their cute moments but it’s weird that some people have to analyze every part of his life too now that he’s dating her. It just feels like an invasion of privacy even if the stuff that they are looking into is technically “public” that doesn’t mean that it needs to be over analyzed to see if he’s hiding a ring shaped box in his pocket or something. 😭

I remember I saw someone say a few months ago that “newer swifties wouldn’t have been able to handle Taylor’s relationships prior to Joe” and I feel like that is true for me because I joined tumblr during the drought right when Taylor and Joe had started dating and as I said since he was so private he wasn’t constantly giving the fans new things to talk about so I never realized how intense this fandom could be about her relationships until I got a little sampling of it with how people treated Jake during red tv and now with everything that happened in 2023.

I think why it’s been getting to me so much recently is i didn’t realize how much I didn’t like gossiping about this stuff until this past year because it didn’t seem like a big part of swiftie culture since when I joined it was just an occasional joke about a guy she dated a few years ago. I miss when we had silly little nights playing games (which we still do occasionally) and when people would write essays about a single song lyric. It just makes me sad to see some people I follow not be as active because the gossip gets too much. Myself included, i purposely tried to keep myself busy on Sundays so I wouldn’t get annoyed at people for having fun on tumblr dot com. (Which is another thing: I really see both sides to this because the people who want to talk about TK want to have fun and so do the people who don’t want to talk to him. I also think people are trying too hard to label people who agree or disagree with talking too in depth about it but everyone’s different so it winds up just being something to make people who already agree with you feel better rather than solve an actual problem that’s sort of unsolvable.)

To summarize: certain aspects of her personal life are always going to be relevant to the art she creates and can add layers or change perspectives by knowing certain things. But to dwell on them and act like the only interesting thing about her is her relationships just makes me sad.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE.

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223. The Departure by K.A. Applegate--⭐️⭐️

The MC of this book being the only Black character in this series is both inspiring (especially because of when these books were first published), and a little sad because she's the most frustrating.

It is pretty well-known that Applegate's series is anti-war, which is great in itself, especially when considering that these are kids with some pretty great moral mentalities. But this MC is, in my opinion, the most self-aware character of the group. I think this because she is the one who is always reminding everyone that there are solutions that don't involve killing or hurting others. These are VERY important messages for readers--no matter the generation. My biggest complaint with this, however, is that sometimes all the moral questions and nay-saying can be over-the-top.

Which leads me to some of the questionable choices made in this book. Whenever a book is in this MC's POV, things can get either a bit frustrating, or just plain annoying. I'm sure many love her and the way she is, but I wish I could just fully explore why she does the things she does.

I just wish I could enjoy her POV more.

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224. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm torn on ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD. On one hand, it had some seriously gorgeous moments (see, favourite quote from the book: Daughters who looked like their mothers' pasts, and fathers who look like their sons' futures." UGH this quote. I am in AWE.) But it also had moments where I seriously questioned why I continued reading.

I had this discussion with a coworker recently (the one who mentioned the book to me, actually) about how it wasn't at all what she was expecting. While I didn't have the same expectations as her, I DID have something else in mind. I didn't expect the essays to be a little heavier on the historical aspect of things and less about the stories of every day security work. All of the people watching could have and should have led to some more exciting or intriguing essays.

What I WILL say, however, is that Bringley explored the difficult journey of grief beautifully. I teared up a few times, especially when he was detailing his brother's last moments before his death. The emotion surrounding Bringley's grief was palpable. I could feel that pain jumping from the page.

While I wished I DNF'ed it various times, something about ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD kept me reading. Maybe it was that underlying sense of grief I could feel from the beginning, or the fact that some of the writing was admittedly beautiful. I just wish it was more engaging. Most of the essays dragged and I'd catch my attention slipping away.

If you like history thrown into your essays and a wonderfully heartbreaking exploration of growth and grief, then I think you'll like this one.

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225. Behind You by Catherine Hernandez--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catherine Hernandez never misses.

I've read most of Hernandez's books (I think I still have just one left) and I'm not being facetious when I say that all have been mind-blowing reads. Every single one of her books has left me with heavy thoughts and a new perspective on society and the way I interact with it.

BEHIND YOU explores what it means to be not just a girl in society, but a foreign girl in society. The sexualizing of young non-white girls by adult men (who feel like they're owed something from said girls), and the bullying those same girls get from classmates who don't look like them. Adding in that this mostly takes place in Scarborough was an extra touch because of the diversity there.

There are some seriously creepy moments in this book that help exemplify what it means to exist in a young girl's body; what it looks like to not be believed when you mention a situation to someone you hope would be on your side. All with the extra terrifying mystery of a serial rapist/murderer, who I immediately connected to the Barbie & Ken murders.

Taking place both in the late 80s-early 90s, and in present-day Ontario, Hernandez's novel was also an ode to young girls who are just trying to find themselves in a world that is determined to keep them down. From a very verbally and at-times physically abusive household (that I presume heavily discriminated against the MC because of colourism), to a present where the adult MC is spiralling into a dark hell of trauma, triggered by a re-exploration of the case that haunted her childhood, Hernandez gives us an incredibly fleshed out story that refuses to miss out any details.

The parallels between the MC's past experiences, and the present struggle she encounters with her own son, wife, and still abusive family, and the past that still haunts her were incredible--especially when we see certain interactions between the MC and her wife regarding their son's behaviour.

Hernandez doesn't hold back any punches and I think anyone who can handle those punches should pick this book up. It's important, poignant, jarring, and just an absolutely incredible piece of Canadian literature.

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226. Clueless Puckboy by Saxon James & Eden Finley--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Probably my least favourite one of the series, tbh. But still cute!

I think the main reason why I wasn't as big a fan of this one was because of the miscommunication trope, which I never thought I'd see in this series.

But other than that, this was still as fun as the other books--especially watching the one MC win over the other. The whole "forbidden" aspect of their romance was one of the things that made this one so much fun.

I did feel bad for the hockey MC because of how insecure he was about his career, even though he is a professional hockey player. His character growth was nice to watch because he was probably one of the tamer players of the whole series. He wasn't cocky or someone who flaunted his good looks, he was just a nervous ball of insecurity. Also, I'm so glad he got his story--I'd been waiting for it since we were introduced to him in book one.

I won't lie, of all the books in the series, this one took me the longest to remember what it was about. My non-five star rating for this one makes a lot of sense now.

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227. The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was not expecting to cry as much as I did. Thanks Elle Kennedy.

I was excited to pick up THE DIXON RULE because I LOVED the previous one in this sequel series. I love how spicy these books get, but I especially love the emotional connection between the characters. And while this book definitely had that enemies to friends to lovers aspect that I love and that spicy tension between the two MCs, I found this one a LITTLE hard to fall for.

Book one had this great enemies aspect that had me rooting for both characters, but it took me a while to fall for the FMC. She was such a bitch to the MMC from the get-go. Like, I get that he was a hoe, but she just immediately thought the worst of him? To the point where it verged on bullying, especially with some of the antics regarding the other people who lived in their condominium. The important thing is that they finally communicated and a lot more made sense for the two of them.

THE DIXON RULE also explored some more darker aspects tentatively introduced in book one. Super trigger warning for stalking and physical abuse. Those scenes were hard to read, I can't even imagine someone who could be triggered by it. I don't think I've read a Kennedy book that had the very dark side of romance (and not in that "sexy dark romance" way.)

Also, bring tissues, because damn. This book.

By the end, I was a fan of these two characters together--especially because of how they took care of each other, how they showed each other love, and just how much understanding there was between the two of them.

I'm wary of the third book, but it has already been ordered LOL.

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228. Bromantic Puck Boy by Saxon James & Eden Finley--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pleaseeeee. This was so much fun and so cute. Watching these two idiots figure themselves out was adorable af.

When I saw who this book was going to be about, I giggled so hard--especially because of how the one MC talked about the second MC in the last book. I knew it was coming, but I was still thoroughly entertained.

I know a lot of people didn't like how this one wasn't as outright romantic as the other books in the series, but I actually really liked this one because it was so different. I also liked how these two became inseparable best friends first before they fell into this messy friends-with-benefits situation.

In fact, while yes the spice was spicy, it was their relationship that really drew me in. The way the one character hated others using the same nickname his love interest called him, or how they did the most extreme or silliest things for each other. I loved it all. I literally read a story about two best friends falling in love when they didn't even realize they were doing exactly that.

I also really appreciated the topic of parents who may or may not be accepting, because it showed us (the readers) how that anxiety can grow so much to the point where you either ignore who you are or you pretend you're not the way you are, which can be extremely painful. It was a very vulnerable moment.

And BROMANTIC PUCKBOY also reminded me that I need to read FRAT WARS by Saxon James since a bunch of characters are mentioned in this one!

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229. The Jock by Tal Bauer--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tal Bauer is an incredible author. He somehow always captures the deep romance of a story and then manages to rip your heart out of your chest.

I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical of THE JOCK at first because of that prologue. I think this book didn't need it and if anything, it made me almost not want to pick it up. But I'm grateful that I pushed through it because this love story was incredible.

The heartbreak in this is palpable and the way the characters live through made me want to sob. The selflessness of the one MC was incredible, but the understanding of the other was inspiring. Another thing that I love about Bauer's writing is how he can create these characters who jump of the pages to profess their love for one another. He's just so...romantic? It's incredible.

I appreciated, too, how the football MC was being realistic about his future and what he wanted. He was always questioning everything and trying to find a way to attain that future he wanted so badly. Although, I think that coach needs to kick a few rocks for putting that pressure on him.

The other MC has his own complex circumstances with family and his heartbreak, but the way he was there for the man he loves? Incredible. He was also great because he knew what he wanted for his future and he also fought for it. I liked that these two characters didn't fall completely into each other to the point where they lost sight of who they were (this is why I keep mentioning this aspect of the story).

There were some pretty heavy things that happen in this book, some triggering, and some anger-inducing. But THE JOCK is definitely a must-read for anyone who is just a huge romantic and a fan of sports romances!

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230. Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan--⭐️⭐️.5

I don't know what I was expecting from VERONA COMICS, but it wasn't this. I think this is my first Jennifer Dugan book and I've always been curious about her stuff, especially because she always has such great covers.

I originally wanted to read this book because of the Bi rep, so that part was cool. I understood the MC's internal questioning regarding her identity and how she's dated only guys, even though she has had crushes on other girls. What I didn't understand was the Bi-phobia coming from her Lesbian best friend and how it wasn't really explored or commented on? In fact, her best friend being not the greatest friend in general was never really addressed.

While VERONA COMICS had the important topic of co-dependent relationships and the dangers of said relationships, I also think that it is a dangerous topic to not handle with care. Especially when young readers pick these books up. The way the relationship is treated at the end of the book is slightly troubling for me. It's good to get the mental health care needed, but that whole "let's give this a happy ending" aspect of it weirded me out.

There are also a plethora of other topics that were thrown at the reader that at times felt overwhelming and heartbreaking: emotional and verbal parental abuse, suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety. This book was DARK and you know, this is fine. There are some seriously dark YA novels out there. My issue with this, though, is that this novel does not give any hint that this is one of those books that take you on a very serious mental health ride down a dark pit.

I kept reading because I couldn't look away, but the book now sits on my unhaul book stack. I can understand what the book was trying to say, but it was A LOT.

I didn't give this lower because even though the darkness of the story was overwhelming, there were moments of brightness and some cute moments between the characters. Also, half a star for the one friend who didn't try to manage the FMC's life. I get that the one friend was protective because of the FMC's shitty treatment of her friends when in a relationship, but her attitude was so bad that I will admit I thought she had a thing for the FMC.

I just wish this was just the cute book the cover hinted at, but knowing that this is a Romeo & Juliet adaptation should have hinted at how dark this was gonna get.

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231. This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ah, I finally understand the hype for Carley Fortune.

When I read the first book by this author, I was underwhelmed. Not only did it have a really shitty twist, it felt like three different books that were already written made into one. Needless to say, I wasn't super impressed.

But THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT? Yes, please. This was such a great and emotionally fuelled read. I could feel the tension between the MC and the love interest; I could feel the history between them. I wanted them together, but I knew they both had some serious hurdles to get over.

I actually enjoyed the back and forth of the past and present because it helped me further understand these two characters and why they are the way they are, especially when they're interacting with one another.

I think I was expecting something cheesy, or a really horrible twist, but what I got was actually a fantastic summer read that makes me really want to visit PEI.

After reading this book, I was curious about others' thoughts. I read one of my friend's reviews and she mentioned the weirdness of friendships and how extreme they can be and I have to say that I agree. Half of the tension in this book wouldn't be so...tense if the best friend didn't set such a rule from the first summer that the MC meets her love interest. It was a great point and now I'm sure I'll be thinking about it with every romance book I read. The friendship in this book is sudden and intense, but I won't fault it because it gave us this love story.

Loved the ending, loved the obsession with flowers, loved the missed opportunities and surprisingly spicy bits--I just loved how this felt like such a call to summer (which I know sounds weird, but it's how it felt).

Also, I'm a fan of the MC's character growth and her figuring out that in an attempt to find herself, she should probably stop being a workaholic and worrying what her parents think of her career choices.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book. It was fun, sexy, and incredibly addicting.

___

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?

___

Happy reading!

[selfshipseaside]

Definitely kicking a hornet's nest with this one,

but it's a chance to vent so here we go.

I wish people would keep DNI's to their own pages, rather than putting them on every single selfship post.

I hate when I see an imagine that I would otherwise reblog, but it has a big DNI at the bottom.

My blog doesn't have a DNI, and I don't want to endorse the DNI's of other people or make any of my followers feel unwelcome because someone else's DNI is on my blog, so I just don't reblog those kinds of posts.

(I mean on some level I don't think DNI's are even that effective in the first place. I kinda just wish people would block blogs they don't like or agree with rather than calling for a public harassment campaign against them. I suppose on some level this technically makes me "proship" in the literal sense that I oppose harassment over shipping, but I also don't actively ship the kinds of things proshippers are supposedly known for, and I understand why they might make people uncomfortable, so I guess I'm neutral? I just wish people would use the block button instead of creating this atmosphere of exclusion. We all just want to imagine our F/O's; we shouldn't have to agree on everything to reblog an imagine.)

This is all a very fair point to make, anon! I also recognize the hornets nest *I'm* kicking by answering this ask. I have an opinion that...well, a lot of users won't like, probably. But I'll be the first to say it if not the only one. (And let me preface this, because some of you will take this as an opportunity to harass me. I'm not on either side, neutral, or adjacent at all. I do not associate myself with discourse, this is known!) DNI's to me, are extremely performative (Especially DNI banners, what's the point?). And yet, everyone has a general DNI. I do! But I do recognize how performative it is at it's core, I have one to try and attempt to what everyone else does, keep the bad eggs out. But, we cannot control people, we can't ever know who anyone is truly through a screen. Using your own judgement to weed people out is and will remain the best solution for personal curation of your own space. I can't trust a good chunk of this community because I know I'd get taken advantage of in one way shape or form, it's happened to me multiple times already. I will also say that not having a DNI might inherently outcast you from the general community due to everyone's fear of somehow supporting a bad person, or alternatively attracting people you might not want to interact with you, so a lot of people have DNI's, but don't like having them (Myself included). I don't usually answer asks that blatantly claim their stance, or blatantly oppose a stance. This blog is entirely discourse free, and I want to respect absolutely everyone who is worthy of my respect(IE, people who aren't causing harm, people who aren't assholes for no good reason). I also cannot control who does and doesn't interact with my blog, unless I catch them by chance (I see too many accounts fly by in my inbox to keep track, ya dig?) If i see someone I don't agree with interacting with me, say someone who I genuinely believe to be abhorrent with their behavior, I block them. It's not my job or responsibility as a community self-shipping blog to build people's spaces for them. That's their job. This is why call-out/block-lists posts are not my gig, nor will they ever be. They're also performative, and spread a type of negativity that I just simply wont ever promote in a place of comfort and safety. This might be the only time I ever mention this blatantly, but perhaps the future has something else in store. I'm unsure! I just know that a lot of my opinions are rooted from having a perspective and lens in every single playing field to now not even inhabiting any side whatsoever. I'm very articulate with how I manage my morals, I might be a radicalist in some aspects, and grey in other areas. Life doesn't have lines for the less abhorrent tidings. DNI's are one of many human responses of trying not to look like a bad person out of fear, and perhaps even being unsure of themselves and relying on others to speak for them. But that's another topic I won't get into! Sorry this got so long! I do enjoy talking about this subject, but it's just interesting to see how everyone feels. I want to promote listening and civil discussion, emotional intelligence and discussion on community dynamics. Once again, controversial takes are welcome! Let's discuss stuff about our community!

[kevin-day-is-bi]

Embarking on watching all the Batman movies pt 8: Superman vs. Batman: Dawn of Justice (2016):

I actually really liked this one.

In terms of plot, it’s structured very much like a comic book, and there are a lot of shorter plot points feeding into an overall plot. While I personally really loved it, it didn’t work as well as I think they hoped it would. It was also fairly long (I watched the extended version which was 3hrs), and while I didn’t get the feeling of “ugh they could’ve cut this out” that I usually do in long movies, it still dragged on in a couple places.

When it came to acting, everyone did a good job. Henry Cavill plays Superman a little more on the serious side, which is rarer to see so I enjoyed that. Ben Affleck does a really nice the-cowl-is-barely-off Bruce, and it was fun to see the detective side come through. Obviously Gal Gadot is perfect in every way. Amy Adams does a great job of showing Lois’s sincerity. The younger, slightly more psychotic Lex was really fun, and it makes the timeline make more sense with this being a Batman Year Two and Superman still being fairly new on scene.

The movie opens with Bruce comforting a newly orphaned child, and I super loved that, because I feel like that aspect is missing from all the live action Batman movies thus far. A lot of the scenes were set up in a way that made them look very comic book esque, and that was super fun. I think this was a much more effective Batman Year Two than Dark Knight for a couple reasons, mostly because we actually see him go to the brink of killing someone several times, and we get to see him decide to back away from that path. He looks scary when he’s Batman, he’s still mostly urban legend, and he’s pretty awkward in almost every non-Batman interaction we see him in.

This movie also bucks the trend which all of the others followed, and has an exactly equal main woman to main man ratio. We have Batman, Superman, Lois, Diana, Lex, and the Senator. It made me able to stop feeling like I was watching a male power play for a bit and therefore I enjoyed it a little more. Lois had agency and ultimately furthered the plot more than either Clark or Bruce, which I loved because in the comics, the big three (Clark, Bruce, and Diana) are almost solely used as symbols for most of the time (especially 90s-2010s) and their side characters drive much of the story.

My biggest overall issue is that we don’t have any of the Gotham Rogues. All the villains are Superman’s, which was definitely interesting, but I feel like with the time they were given, they could’ve fleshed out the Gotham aspect as well as the Metropolis one. However, I loved the hints we got to the Justice League (and I do like the Justice League movie), and I liked that we got hints of the Lex/Kryptonian cloning process. With that being hinted at, and Cyborg being created, it felt like it was being structured very similarly to how a Batman/Superman Year Two comic would be structured, with hints of the next generation happening very early on.

My two personal favourite parts of this were that A, all the women had agency (and there were multiple women!) and B, it felt like they put a lot of thought into the timeline and any repercussions of the changes they made. I didn’t at any point go “this doesn’t make any sense!”, or feel as though they had done something that made another future canon thing impossible.

In terms of personal enjoyment, I’m going to give this a 6.5/10. Just like Batman 1989, this type of comic isn’t usually my favourite to read, but the way they adapted it was mostly good. As always, I wish we had more Batman side characters, but it was absolutely a step in the right direction. I got chills when we heard the Wonder Woman theme, and I clapped when she saved Bruce.

In terms of comic accuracy, I’m gonna give this an 8/10. I literally cannot think of a single thing that they changed that they did not work to ensure it would still work in-universe, and the plot was accurate (sometimes to its detriment, as it didn’t always adapt to the screen well). I especially loved the allusions to Death of Superman towards the end.

[straightfacedstrangeness]

Thoughts during and about DBZ: World’s Strongest because if I didn’t write them down my brain would explode

I always had it in my head that Dead Zone & World’s Strongest were some of the most “original” DBZ movies (since most of them are obvious retellings of specific arcs with slightly different villains) but like, watching them now it’s like, oh,

Dead Zone is the Piccolo Sagas (the son of Kami’s old rival comes back for revenge and is ultimately sealed away in a vessel at the bottom of the sea) with aspects of Pilaf (Garlic Jr’s design and English voice) and Raditz (villain kidnaps Gohan and Piccolo just happens to come to the rescue for his own reasons)

& World’s Strongest does have a lot of original elements, but it’s also clearly based on the Muscle Tower part of the Red Ribbon arc (building full of traps and mechanical and bioengineered villains in the middle of the snow, that one guy was just an uglier version of The Jiggler) plus some not-even-disguised Saibamen and a Pilaf arc callback to Oolong trying to steal someone’s wish…though I do wonder if this movie was an inspiration for the much-later Android/Cell Saga

Also, too lazy to take screencaps but both Sleeping Princess In Devil’s Castle & Dead Zone had sequences that STRONGLY reminded me of the Ralph Bakshi movie Wizards, and apparently both were directed by the same guy (Daisuke Nishio). I’d be curious to know if he was a Wizards fan or if both Wizards and the DB/Z movies were influenced by a different third thing

Since all the movies overtly contradict the canon timeline in different ways, making it unclear which canon events happened or not during the movie AUs, I love the vibe here that Goku and Chi-chi have just been raising Gohan quietly at home while Piccolo’s just some scary dude out in the woods that Gohan is obsessed with XD Like, Gohan daydreaming about ditching his studies to go see Piccolo, the way Chi-chi scolds him for spending time with Piccolo, and Goku clearly being a present father figure (VS canon Piccolo being Gohan’s substitute dad for 1-2 years), has big “that kid is a bad influence >:/ you shouldn’t play with him” energy. Love that Gohan’s first reaction on seeing him too is to run up for a hug :’) and to throw a tantrum when he sees Piccolo and his dad fighting each other

(Sidenote, as a kid watching DBZ there were basically just a couple throwaway lines about Piccolo being an enemy before he starts fighting with them against the main series bad guys, and I’d never read his DB story arcs, so I was always confused by these movies having side characters being scared of Piccolo or Piccolo trying to attack Goku. Like “What??? I thought you guys were friends?????”)

Also love that Oolong saw on the radar that someone was collecting the Dragon Balls and his first instinct wasn’t “oh crap, a bad guy must be doing bad things, I’d better tell my superhero friends,” it was “I’m gonna take a literal child with me to try and steal these things because he’s the only person I know who can punch good but can also be bullied into letting me have the wish” X’D Why is he so scared of “throw the baby at the mountain” Piccolo, they have so much in common, they’re both terrible babysitters. Also WHY is he again thinking about wishing for 1 single pair of ladies’ underwear, dude, there’s a magical place called a department store where you can just BUY one. I mean, thank god on every female character’s behalf that he’s too stupid to think of something more sinister, but dude, seriously XD (Listen, I love him and he’s generally OK around women after the Pilaf Saga, but he def doesn’t view women as people except sometimes when they’re women he knows, and he would def be tempted to make a gross or at least non-feminist wish if he ever thought of one)

Also it’s not like it’s a particularly original outfit—it’s just his Saiyan Saga outfit with sleeves, and THAT is just his end-of-the-Pilaf-Saga outfit with recolored pants—but amusing that the flashback to Oolong stealing the radar shows him in his Buu Saga outfit years before the Buu Saga

Also I LOVE the location designs in these movies maybe specifically cus they’re so not-Toriyama-like. Watching the original and reboot Broly movies back-to-back was so jarring, Toriyama’s Vegeta palace designs felt more “right” but the spooky vibes of the dimly lit twisty palace with big stained glass windows really got me

[pet-shop-of-horror-fan]

Didn’t want to derail with a reblog and don’t know how to really organize my thoughts but… Ok firstly I 100% agree with your post regarding the problem of disability erasure for the sake of queer representation. I see it way more often than I’d like and it gets tiring. To say the very least. I’m asexual and even I wish people would stop looking at characters who are infertile or uninterested in/uncomfortable with having sex and immediately slap the ace label on them. It’s like the other side of the coin of people taking ace characters and insisting that ‘oh but they can still have sex or be sex positive’ for every single one, erasing those of us who aren’t. Sometimes there are explanations for the ways people act that aren’t queer, or romantic, or what have you! Not everything is about us!

I say that because I think another thing fandom often does is use queer headcanons OR disability headcanons to erase other important aspects of a character, and that can be just as bad. An example I’ve seen a lot is people looking at Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as a metaphor for disability. While I can definitely see how that view makes sense, saying that was the intended interpretation feels… wrong. Looking at who Kafka was and the historical events surrounding the story’s creation gives a very different perspective on what it was about: Kafka was a Jewish man in a time and place where antisemitism was on the rise. He woke up to a world that saw him as vile and detestable for existing, a world that made it incredibly hard to survive without relying on others to do things he was no longer allowed to. The underlying idea of feeling like— or being treated as— a burden on others for existing is, understandably, very relatable. However, something being deeply relatable to one group doesn’t mean you can automatically “claim it”, so to speak, for that group.

Human experience overlaps a lot, but that overlap shouldn’t be treated as substitution; groups having shared experiences means respecting the shared part, not saying a given experience means it represents one group in particular over another. Two people can feel the exact same way about themselves for very different reasons, and that’s something that needs to be embraced more often in fandom, rather than looking at the experience and immediately chalking it up to being only a queer experience or only a disabled experience or something else entirely. Sometimes it’s both, sometimes it’s one or the other, folks need to learn to accept the latter, or even the possibility that it’s none of the above. Along those lines, nobody is immune to bigotry, and the first step to becoming a bigot is believing that you are. This is another lesson fandom needs to learn.

Sorry for this I just needed to ramble my thoughts off and I thought you’d have the best odds of understanding where I’m coming from.

[Post for context.]

Woof, I got to this late. Sorry, Anon.

Anyway, I am not sure if I understood 100% of what you were trying to say but I think we are mostly in agreement.

Though is should be clearly stated that there is a difference between explicit representation and metaphoric ones.

For example, in my original post, I was talking about disabled characters having their disabilities erased to read them as metaphorically trans. This is different from reading Metamorphosis as a disabled vs Jewish story, as Metamorphosis is not explicitly Jewish.

And like many metaphors that may not have been intended to be about disability, it maps on to easly. Let me ask, if someone slowly transphormed as shown in the story, wouldn't that person be disabled? And does the main character's experience not mirror what many disabled people go through?

Even if it was meant to be a Jewish story, due to both the metaphor and vagueness of its internet, it is a disability story.

As for the context you gave, I could not find any smoking gun as to whether or not it was indeed intended as a Jewish story. But taking your word for it, what I said still stands.

And I also have not seen a notable amount of people erase non-disabled stories to make them about disability. But I could just be missing it. IDK.

[xiafeng]

Laps

Lately, an idea that I had pushed back many months ago has slowly started creeping its way back into my head and growing like a festering wound.

"Maybe we're too different."

"Maybe I'd hold you back from what you could really have."

You and I are from two different generations. The way you express yourself, talk, type, present yourself online on social media, take pictures, react in the moment, is very different compared to me, to the point that there are times that I question how you would find the appeal in that, let alone do it until it's second nature, and I even sometimes cringe internally in reaction to it.

We're also at completely different points in our lives. You just started your second year of your programme, and I'm a third of the way through my life, if not moreso. People already questioned and judged us, what more if we took it further? How do we set up a life around that? I wait until you finish your programme, and then what? Would you be ready to take the next step immediately? How old would I be by then?

And that's another thing - my age. I don't have the energy you do. I don't bounce back from things as easily and quickly anymore. Here you are preparing for half marathons, enjoying the burn and progressing your athletic skills to proper performance levels, and you describe how irritated you are at the person talking to you while struggling to keep your pace, and I'm left thinking back to how poor of a performance I gave while running alongside you. I couldn't push you the way that your friends do. I couldn't bring out that love for running the way they could. You just kept having to stop to wait for me to catch up, and spent majority of your time worrying about me, until you got antsy enough that you went ahead and ran an extra lap while I was left drained sitting on the sidelines watching and waiting for you.

Would you really be happy and fulfilled with a loser old man like me? Someone who wastes his days away losing control of his classes to a couple of single-digit children, coming home exhausted and spending every free moment lazily playing video games? Someone whose taste in clothes doesn't match yours at all, until your clothing suggestions for me are some that I think only your generation would look good in and wouldn't suit me at all, with some I don't even see the appeal in at all? You literally run laps around me on the track. My fashion sense doesn't match yours. I can't speak Chinese to your standard. I don't find myself as attractive as the guys you probably see around on a daily basis, bigger and more appealing looking guys with better fashion sense. Probably healthier with a better body and better lifestyles.

And on top of all that, you're someone with much more control than me. In my moments of weakness, I cave, but you stay steadfast, insisting that line isn't crossed. Your habits of coping seem much healthier than mine, and I think it won't be long until you've properly healed from all this. It almost shocks me how well you don't get phased, to the point I start to doubt (just a bit) if you even want what awaits the other side of that line, or if you're just saying you miss it and want it, but don't feel compelled at all to pursue it if given the chance, even if it's just to relive it for a fraction of a moment?

It makes me feel shitty to think that I wouldn't have been a good fit for you. But despite all that, I still wish I had the proper chance to try.

And at the end of it all, it at least gives me a strange sense of relief, knowing that you can at least get someone better than me in the end, who can do all these things for you that I don't think I would ever be able to do to your satisfaction; because that's truly what you're capable of getting, and what you truly deserve.

In the long-term, do you really think you'd have been satisfied with me and all these unremarkable aspects of me? I'm afraid the novelty would fade and you'd start to get bored of me.

Either way, at least now, you can achieve your full potential, without me holding you back, whether that be now, or in the long-term.

At least now, you make room for those who can keep up with your pace, and find people who will push you to improve and grow and reach that threshold that your current potential hints at. I can at least find solace in knowing that the spot is open for someone more your speed to fill in.

I've served my purpose of showing you what you're capable of and what you deserve, teaching you how to speak your mind and make your own decisions, but it's time for me to take a step back and pass on the position to someone better than me and who will match your level and taste more accurately.

I know it won't happen immediately, but you're already taking steps to cope in a healthy manner. And as I've said many times, you're young. There's still so much more time and experiences to have before you even reach my age. I think you'll find that person eventually. And that thought makes me happily bittersweet.