#it can't be undone at this point this is just how i exist

[medicinemane]

God a dipshit trade war with allies is the last thing I need, shit's already too expensive

[hcneymooners]

⋆ beg until i'm in.

ambessa x wife!reader. men and minors dni.

synopsis: you and ambessa are estranged wives, but are you really estranged if she refuses to divorce you, and every time you see each other, you can't help but fall into bed?

cw: light angst, emotional hurt/comfort, getting back together, top ambessa medarda, dom/sub, dom ambessa medarda, she has soft spot for you, pleasure dom ambessaaaaa, just for you though, strapping, rough sex, rough body play, hair-pulling, name-calling, pet names, lesbian sex, dildos, vaginal sex, cunnilingus, overstimulation, she is strapping you down, you will not be walking, cock worship, blow jobs, the strap is the cock in question no men i swear to god, mommy kink, praise kink, mating press, age difference, older woman/younger woman, marriage, she does not play about you, realizing this might have slight primal play, orgasm edging, begging, spanking, impact play notes: i am a FREAK about this woman. also i wrote this for @sheloveschai because she has been bringing me joy through their work and i want to do the same.

“she thinks i’m a monster.”

the words hung in the air, dense as the afternoon heat, heavy as ambessa’s head in your lap. how you’d ended up here—her armor gone, her weight so familiar—felt like one of those moments you’d look back on, trying to pin down the thread that led you here. you couldn’t.

your lives were separate. estranged wives, that’s what you told yourself. she wouldn’t divorce you, and you weren’t exactly rushing to draw up the papers. but estrangement was such a tidy, convenient word like the absence between you both was clean and intentional. it wasn’t. she blurred the edges every time she showed up unannounced, stepping into the space she left behind like it still belonged to her. and maybe it did.

she came today, her arrival marked by the low hum of her car pulling up the dirt road. the ranch was still, caught in that honeyed pause between afternoon and evening. the house she’d bought for you sat perched on its patch of green, neat but unpretentious—a porch for watching storms, white siding that seemed to glow in the late sun. the kind of place that felt like it had existed long before you arrived, waiting for someone to live in it properly. around it, the land stretched wide, unbroken except for the fences hemming in the garden you’d built with your own hands.

you were out there, barefoot and stubborn, locked in a battle with the soil. a carrot clung to the earth like it had something to prove, your hair slipping from its tie as you yanked at it, dirt smudged across your face from an earlier showdown with a deer that had dared to challenge your lettuce. the dress you wore—white, soft, and loose—shifted around you like a second skin, its ruffled straps falling to kiss your shoulders. it was stained at the hem, caught on brambles, but it moved with you, romantic in its simplicity, something that could’ve been borrowed from another life.

ambessa watched from the car. you didn’t notice her at first, too busy flailing after some audacious bit of wildlife, but she noticed you. her eyes followed the sway of your dress, the way the sun painted gold onto your skin, how your body moved with a kind of rawness that had always undone her. she waited because ambessa always waited. but there was a tension to it, like watching something she didn’t want to admit she needed.

hours later, she was here, sprawled in your lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. her hand rested against the fabric of your dress, her breathing slow but uneven. you stroked her hair without thinking, staring out at the horizon. the horses were grazing, lazy against the emerald sprawl. the ranch, her gift, felt heavier than it had in a while.

“at one point in time,” you said finally, the words tasting of truth, “every daughter views her mother as her monster.”

her hand stilled. you could feel her thoughts shifting, coiling like a tide just out of reach. she didn’t say anything, but the silence was loud, charged. you didn’t press her.

“you were always so hard on yourself,” you continued, your voice quiet but steady. “you can be… strong, stubborn, cruel. i’ve felt it. i know it. so much of your decision-making is absolute like the world is this black-and-white chessboard you’re determined to win on. there’s no room for anyone else in that kind of thinking. it can be stifling. but—” you hesitated, fingers idly brushing the hem of your dress as you tried to hold her gaze.

“love is always the basis when it comes to the people you care about: mel, kino—”

“you,” she interjected softly, her voice barely audible but so certain it almost startled you.

you hummed in agreement, the corners of your mouth tugging into an easy smile.

“me,” you admitted, your chest tightening at the confession. you sighed, the sound carrying years of ache. “your problem is that you don’t believe we can love you back. not really. you think we can’t be safe with you. so you send us away, like that’s protecting us. you decide things for us—these big, sweeping decisions—and suddenly we’re standing outside looking in, strangers in our own lives with you.”

you paused, thinking of her daughter. “mel’s a teenager. she’s going to buck against you because that’s what teenagers do. you have to let her. you can’t control everything, ambessa. we don’t learn any other way.”

ambessa watched you, her face unreadable but her eyes dark and intent. her voice was indescribably tender when she spoke.

“you’re such a wonderful stepmother.”

the word made you scoff. you pushed her—gently but firmly—off your lap and rose to your feet. she let you, though her eyes lingered on you. she could never let go entirely.

“don’t let her hear you say that,” you muttered, shaking your head.

mel had not taken your marriage to her mother well. and really, who could blame her? you were more than half ambessa’s age. you’d once been mel’s peer at university, brushing shoulders in the same circles without a clue that your lives would one day intertwine like this. to make matters worse, mel hadn’t even learned of the relationship from her mother or you. no, she’d found out by walking in on the two of you in a position that still made your cheeks burn to think about.

what followed was relentless: the icy distance, the sharp words, the careful avoidance. love, for you, had always been hard, but this was a different kind of difficulty. you’d tried to explain yourself to mel, fumbling for words that didn’t sound hollow. you told her you loved her mother simply because you did. it wasn’t about their wealth or their influence. you’d come from nothing—a small town with a crumbling church, miles of barren land, and a quiet resignation to a life of struggle. you were used to living hard and mean, to fending for yourself.

but ambessa… she had swept into your life with the force of a storm. she needled at you, chipped away at your shell until you were belly-up and tender, soft between her teeth. you were an easy kill in her hunt, and she was ruthless, selfish, and she could be so fucking mean. but none of that mattered.

you loved her with the kind of blind devotion that defied reason, and you couldn’t imagine doing anything else. being her wife was your greatest pride, and tending to her was your guiltiest pleasure.

mel couldn’t understand that, and the rift between you grew wider with each passing day. then came the public’s growing animosity toward the medarda family, the rising tensions, and ambessa made one of her absolute decisions. the separation blindsided you. you’d cried so hard you blacked out in the hall, and when you woke, you left without looking back. you thought mel wouldn’t care.

which is why you were shocked when ambessa brought you mel’s request for your perspective.

you turned toward the stove, busying yourself with the rhythm of dinner prep. it was easier to focus on the small, manageable things—chopping vegetables, lighting the flame—than to meet her gaze.

“she doesn’t hate you, [name],” ambessa said suddenly, her voice calm but insistent.

you froze, the knife hovering mid-air before you carefully set it down and turned on the stove.

“you staying for dinner?” you asked carefully.

you heard her shift behind you, felt the warmth of her body as she closed the space between you. her arms circled your waist, firm but gentle, and you shivered, instinctively leaning into her. god knows you were never the strongest soldier. she pressed a kiss to your temple, her lips lingering just long enough to make you melt.

“i admit,” she murmured, her voice low and quiet, “i had other motives for coming here.”

“bessa,” you began.

ambessa held you tighter, her lips brushing against your temple, the warmth of her breath sending shivers down your spine. her silence stretched just long enough for you to grow uneasy, but then she spoke, her voice low and thick with emotion.

“they’ve been asking for you,” she said, her hands smoothing over your waist.

you stiffened slightly, unsure if you’d heard her correctly.

“who?”

“mel. kino.” she pressed another kiss to your temple, then let her forehead rest against the side of your head. “they’ve been pleading with me to bring you back. they won’t admit it outright—god forbid they ever say they were wrong—”

you shot her a look.

“—but they’ve missed you. and they hate the way i’ve been without you. they say i’m different when you’re there.”

your breath hitched, your chest tightening with a mix of disbelief and something dangerously close to hope.

“they don’t even like me,” you murmured, your voice cracking.

“that’s not true.” ambessa’s tone softened, her grip on you tightening like she was afraid you might slip away. “they���re too proud to say it, but they’ve developed a soft spot for you despite everything. they miss you as much as i do.”

you turned your head slightly, just enough to catch the edge of her expression—open, raw, and devastatingly honest. by instinct, you lifted a hand and cradled her face. you hated it when she was sad.

“oh, bessa.”

“i’ve realized,” she continued, her voice dropping to a near whisper, “that i am nothing without you. i thought i was protecting you by letting you go, but i was wrong. i’m tired, my love. tired of waking up alone. tired of pretending i don’t need you. i do. god, i do.”

you felt a weight lift from the depths of your body. you’d waited so long to hear this—to feel wanted, needed, like you weren’t just a fleeting chapter in her life. tears welled up, and before you could stop them, they spilled over, hot and fat.

ambessa turned you in her arms, her hands coming up to cup your face as you began to cry in earnest.

“oh, sweetheart,” she murmured, her thumbs brushing away your tears. “don’t cry. please don’t cry.”

“i don’t want to do this anymore,” you choked out between sobs, clutching at her arms like she was the only thing keeping you upright. you pressed down on the thick cords of muscle, pleading with the strength of your grip. “i don’t want the house or any of this shit. i’m so tired of taking care of myself, ambessa. i just want to come home.”

her expression crumpled, and for a moment, you saw a vulnerability in her that she rarely let show.

“i’m sorry,” she said, her voice tight. “i’m so sorry, my love. i never should have let you go. i’ll make it right—i swear to you. i’ll spoil you, take care of you, and keep you forever. you’re mine, [name], and i’ll never let you forget it again.”

you sobbed harder, your face burying into her chest as her arms enveloped you completely.

“i know, baby. you did so well. i’m so proud of you,” she murmured.

she continued to whisper soft reassurances, mantras of “sweetheart,” “my sweet girl,” and “my sweet baby,” until the tears slowed and your breathing evened out. you shuddered against her, refusing to remove yourself from where you were pressed tightly against her chest. she shifted, and you jolted—fingers splaying desperately across her body.

“shh. i’m just making us more comfortable,” she told you.

the two of you moved, a single weeping entity across the floor of the kitchen into the living room. ambessa settled you on the couch, continuing to trace a hand across the landscape of your back.

“come back with me,” she murmured, her lips brushing against your hair. “let me take care of you. let me love you the way you deserve, hmm?”

you nodded against her, your hands clutching at the fabric of her shirt like a lifeline.

“that's all i want. i never stopped loving you,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.

“i know,” she said, tilting your face up to hers.

the kiss she gave you was desperate and all-consuming, a culmination of every time you had woken and found yourself alone. her hands roamed over your hips and your waist, pulling you closer as if the space between you was unbearable. you gasped into her mouth, and she deepened the kiss.

“i’ve missed you,” she murmured against your lips, her voice low, rough with hunger. “did you miss me?”

you shivered, your body instinctively pressing into hers.

“yes. yes, i did. i swear, bessa,” you insisted, your voice trembling.

“shh, my love,” she said, her lips trailing down your jaw to your neck to soothe you. “i believe you. a sweet girl like you wouldn’t lie to me.”

with a groan, she lifted you, guiding you toward the bedroom, her hands never straying from your body, her kisses growing more frantic. when your back hit the bed, she hovered over you, her gaze dark, possessive. a hand came down to cup your cunt, firm and promising.

“yes or no?” she asked.

she only asked out of respect. ambessa had long ago perfected the art of taking what she wanted. you found you didn’t mind. it was easier this way, surrendering to her because she knew your body—your needs—better than you ever could. in her hands, the pressure of choice vanished. you trusted her to always know what was best.

suddenly, you were reminded of when she proposed. you felt the same now as you had then—wide-eyed, carnivorous. gently, you pulled her closer, brushing your lips against hers. the room smelled of apple blossoms and her intoxicating scent.

“yes,” you whispered, your voice barely a breath.

satisfied, she lowered her mouth back to your neck. at that moment, you could have mistaken her for a vampire—hunting for your pulse, for that line of forever-promised blood.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

“ambessa.”

“hmm?” she answered, her hand tightening where it reigned on the nape of your neck.

she had you face down with your ass up, her other hand holding you at the small of your back as she thrust into you. you let out a high moan as she began to move faster, her cock moving deeper as you bore down on her.

“you feel so fucking good, sweetheart. so tight and sweet for me. it’s almost as if you haven’t been touched in a long while.”

“bessa—” you choked out, and she let out a laugh.

“oh, baby. i know that’s not true.” bending forward to brace herself on the bed, she began to pump into you. “you were always so hungry for it, so eager. i know you’ve probably stuffed yourself every single night since i’ve been gone.”

you whimpered, drool beginning to spill from your lips.

“but it didn’t feel like this, did it?”

“no,” you answered, squealing as ambessa brought a hand down on your ass. “no, baby. i can’t take care of myself like you do.”

“no,” she agreed. “you can’t. you just get so stupid when you’re fucked. you have no chance of doing this alone. not well, at least.”

“bessa, please,” you mewled.

with a bored sigh, she tightened her grip around your band of hair and yanked your head back, pounding into you with predatorial precision. you moaned as she began to focus on your g-spot, pulling your head back roughly to further increase her control.

“shit, bessa. fuuuuuck.”

“yeah?”

all thoughts were being fucked out of your head. you managed to get a hand on your clit, rubbing furiously to add stimulation.

“uh, uh, uh. oh, fuck. holy shit. ambessa, fuck. please, baby. please don’t stop.”

for a moment, she paused, and you remembered how cruel she could be. tenderly, she turned you over on your back and slid back in, placing your hands on the back of your thighs so that you were holding yourself open. with a grunt, she sunk deep until her hips were once again clapping against your ass.

a strong hand came down, fingers hooking into your mouth and tugging till she could see your teeth. you felt like an animal.

“stop fucking talking,” she told you, and you nodded, spit slicking all over your mouth and her fingers. “good girl.”

the praise settled on you, and you moaned weakly. her next thrust hit you like a line of coke. she was pressing into you, working for something. you weren’t sure what, but you could feel the way she was aiming to break you in.

“come on,” she murmured, retracting her fingers to grope roughly at your tits. “say it.”

your brow furrowed, and she came to a slow, gradual stop. sliding out, ambessa crawled onto the bed and placed a hand on your chest. you watched her, eyes large and glittering with tears. her breasts hung heavy over you, ripe and full with age. you wanted to suck and bite her nipples till she was shaking on the bridge of your nose, pussy-deep into your throat.

carefully, she slipped the holster from her hips and removed the girthy dildo from where it sat, slick with your heat and arousal.

“maybe this will jog your memory,” she said, and you didn’t have a moment to think before her cock was in your mouth.

you choked loudly, but she paid you no mind. with a few circular motions of her wrist, she made you deepthroat every inch, her eyes darkening as you audibly gagged and sucked on it. you ran your tongue over the artificial veins, getting it as wet as possible.

you were tasting yourself, strawberry sweet with a hint of bitterness and slight musk. you could feel your cunt pulsing, fluttering as ambessa’s eyes grew darker. she prohibited you from letting your legs down, and your thighs were burning, sweat garnishing your skin with a light sheen.

you felt so exposed, so debased like this: holding yourself wide and open while gagging like a well-trained whore on the toy.

“remember now?” she asked, and you breathed hard through your nose.

you were trying, bless you, to remember, and she dropped a kiss on your cunt for the effort.

“look at this pussy, sweetheart. fuck, baby.” ambessa lifted from where she’d been dragging her free hand through your folds. her fingers were soaked. “you’re rinsing me.”

something about her tone jogged your memory, and suddenly, you knew what she wanted to hear. in your excitement, you whined, and she met your gaze. she considered you and then removed her cock from your mouth.

“mommy,” you breathed, and she smiled, her face warm and rivaling the sun.

“that’s it,” she said, pride drenching the words. “good job, sweet girl. you deserve a reward.”

you beamed and wiggled your pussy in silent demand. ambessa laughed at your eagerness, bending to kiss you. her lips trailed lower till she was mouthing over the sopping mound of your count. around and around, her tongue wet, her teeth softly grazing your clit. you snapped upward, letting go of your legs and clutching at her braids instead.

“goddamnit, ambessa! fuck!”

she continued to eat you out, shaking her head and sucking loudly. still, she found time to pinch the inside of your thigh in reprimand.

“that’s not my name, sweet girl. i won’t tell you again.”

“fuck. fuck, i’m sorry. i’m sorry, mommy. just—please.” your voice cleaved in the middle. “please, i need to cum. i want to cum so bad for you, mommy. let me. please just let me—”

with a wet pop, ambessa broke away from your swollen pussy and looked at you. you breathed heavily, eyes caught on the way she gazed at you from between your legs.

“nothing is stopping you, my love. do what pleases you.”

she lowered down again and spat right into your cunt. you let your head fall back.

“i told you,” she said. “i plan to spoil you. this will only be your first.”

and with that, she suctioned her mouth around your rosy pussy and sucked, pointing her tongue and slipping inside of you. you came with a high wail, legs clamping around her head as you bowed over her. you felt light-headed, slit open, and destroyed.

and true to her nature, ambessa never stopped.

© hcneymooners.

[vidavalor]

I love how Aziraphale is so taken with Crowley in The Flood scene that he is actively trying to avoid looking into his eyes... all while Crowley, equally besotted, keeps trying to meet Aziraphale's.

Especially when you consider S2's whole thing about rainstorm-adjacent eye contact...

We start with the one moment where their eyes do meet, as Crowley slips around Aziraphale, causing Aziraphale to be caught in his gaze for a moment. Aziraphale has to steady himself. He doesn't breathe for a moment. He blushes. He looks away as soon as he can get himself together enough to do so. One day, he's going to paint his house the color of those eyes, but in this moment? His heart is going to beat out of his chest just looking at Crowley.

Then, Aziraphale keeps looking ahead and only glances occasionally slightly to the side, trying not to make it obvious that he is not looking at a flirting Crowley-- who, for his part, can't take his eyes off Aziraphale. Aziraphale avoids fully catching his gaze, looking away quickly, just undone by those eyes enough that he's too shy to meet them.

We get to a point where Crowley is literally *leaning forward* to try to get Aziraphale to meet his eyes, but Aziraphale is dodging by looking anywhere else.

Even when exchanging a brief look of understanding, Aziraphale looks in Crowley's direction but not directly into his eyes.

This keeps happening for the rest of the scene, with Aziraphale not directly meeting Crowley's eyes through telling him about the plan for The Flood, the rainbow, the Oi! Shem! unicorn moment, etc.. It ends with them both looking up as the rain begins. It is a whole scene showing us that Aziraphale's attraction to Crowley makes him shy away from his gaze while Crowley's attraction to Aziraphale makes him seek out his eyes. This scene, though?

It is the only scene where this sort of dance is taking place, is it not? There's no scene after it like it.

By the Job minisode, this eye contact issue not only no longer exists between them, but we have the scene where Aziraphale asks Crowley to take his glasses off and look him in the eyes.

So, back in Mesopotamia... come S3, might we see that this sudden rainstorm of The Flood eventually forced them together beneath a canopy where they looked into each other's eyes and... vavoom?

[hazbin-writings-and-musings]

Lucifer Morningstar x Reader Smutty Headcanons Two

Since part one had such an explosive response (over 1K notes HOLY MOLY!), I've put some time aside to draft a few more saucy headcanons regarding the King of Hell. I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: SMUT

The Royal bedroom is a great place to have a good time, but he's developed a bit of an appetite for variety over the eons, so if you're open he'd love to show you some other fun places to enjoy yourselves. It's no surprise that gardens are among his favorite spots for a quick tryst, due in no small part to personal experience, and he's had the Royal Gardens tended and laid out in such a way as to ensure there are more than a few comfortable little groves to hide in. If he plans to use one in particular for a romantic evening alone, he'll even go ahead and get it extra cozy in advance, laying out silken mats and pillows beside baskets of wine and treats to enjoy a night of indulgence together.

- He's quite at ease in the air, even when supporting the full weight of a partner, so if you're not afraid of heights... He knows all the most scenic and private skyscapes of Hell, and can guarantee the two of you won't be disturbed while he makes love to you in the clouds. With his significant experience, he can even remain aloft indoors, making an airborne quickie in the bedroom quite a regular occurrence. There's just something about having your arms around him as the two of you float weightlessly above it all that always gets him going.

- He can shapeshift any part of his body, just so you know... Sure, he manages more than fine with what he's got, but he loves mixing things up once in a while if you're down. Not only can he assume any size or form that exists, he can create whole new ones, and he thoroughly enjoys letting his creativity run a little wild. Any length, any thickness, any shape, it's all possible with a mere snap of his fingers. If you're unopposed to tentacles, or even multiple tentacles, he has ample practice on that front too.

- Making requests of his own isn't something he'll do often, but he does have one that he'll make with ample regularity, and that's for you to please sit on his face. There's just something about being completely devoted to servicing you that just gets him absolutely feral, and he can't even describe how much he enjoys it. You enjoy it too, but be warned, that level of passion from an Arch-Angel can be more than a little overwhelming. Having his hands grasping your thighs and his tongue working as if you're the last and greatest thing he'll ever taste can result in ecstasy great enough to knock one senseless, though it's always well worth it.

- As much as he enjoys fast, feral sex and the struggle to remove clothing quick enough to satiate oneself, he's also quite the fan of taking it slow on occasion. In particular, he loves to undress you piece by piece in a steady build up. You'll often find yourself in front of a mirror as he does so, as he loves to show you exactly what he adores about your body whilst he reveals you, and he'll get very handsy to emphasize his points. Though he can have his own clothes off with a wave of magic, he'll love it if you do something similar for him. The anticipation he feels with every undone golden button is enough to have him quivering by the time he's fully undressed.

[samdeancass]

Love Story

Requested by Anonymous

Pairing: '08!Cody Rhodes x fem!reader

Genre: Slight Angst, Fluff

Characters: Cody, Y/N, Lita

Description: Y/N and Cody have been inseparable since they were kids. Over the years, Y/N has developed feelings for Cody, which have blossomed into love. When Y/N gets backed into a corner about why she hasn't dated, she hasn't got a way out other than to tell Cody the truth.

Everyone around you has always wondered why you hadn't dated anybody. You always told them it was because you weren't interested in that. Truth is, you were interested in just one person in particular: Cody Rhodes. You had grown up together, lived next to each other and practically spent every day with one another. You couldn't quite pinpoint when you started developing feelings for him, but you knew you could never tell him. The fear of ruining your friendship was a heavy burden you carried.

You were overjoyed when Cody joined WWE. He was making his dreams come true. You were even more happy when he asked you to go with him. "Of course, I will! I can't wait to share this experience with you!" You wrapped your arms around his waist and gave him a hug. Since then, both of your lives have been a whirlwind. Cody was propelled into stardom in the wrestling world whilst you also joined the industry, working backstage. Of course, you mainly worked with Cody, making sure his costumes were ready for each show, but you did have time for other wrestlers. They also caught on with your non-existent dating life.

"So, Y/N, are you just scared of dating, or are you really a nun? I mean, seriously, any man out there would be crazy to not date you; you just choose not to. I would not pass up on anything if I looked like you." You chuckled at Lita's comments, straightening out her outfit for the current show as she was due out in half an hour. "No, it's nothing like that. I'm just not interested." Lita scoffed and walked over to you, looking at you dead in the eyes. "No, that's not it. There is someone. C'mon, spill!" Shaking your head, you turned away, but Lita caught your hand. "You're not getting away that easy." You fought so hard in your head whether to tell her or not; after all, she is the one friend you have always trusted. You held your hands up in defeat, smiling. "Alright, you broke me. But you cannot tell anyone." She smiled back at you and crossed an X over her heart. "I won't tell a soul." You took a deep breath and readied yourself. "It's...it's Cody. I have had feelings for Cody for as long as I can remember. We grew up and did everything together, so my feelings blossomed there. In fact, I think I might actually love him. That's why I haven't dated; I knew there would be no point because there'd be no future in it, not with how I feel about him." Lita smiled so wide and gave you a hug. "I'm so glad you told me; at least now I know you're not a nun or something like that." You chuckled as you made your way out of the room to ready up another wrestler. However, when you opened the door the rest of the way, you were met with a large body standing in your way.

You looked up, and your eyes widened when you saw it was Cody. A fiery blush immediately appeared on your cheeks. "P-please tell me you didn't hear that." Cody looked down at you and nodded his head. "I did, Y/N. But I don't want to have this conversation out in the hall. Let's go to my locker room." You nodded and followed Cody as he led the way. Pangs of sadness and anxiety washed over you. All of the work you put into him not finding out had just been undone; you could have just lost the best friend you ever had, and it hurt like hell.

He opened the door to his locker room and let you enter first before closing the door. "So.. about what I heard." You put a hand up to stop him. "I didn't plan on you finding out how I feel, but I'd best tell you everything. I've liked you since we were little kids, and no matter how hard I try, the tragic part is that I don't think I could ever stop, even if I wanted to. Because....because we both know you don't feel the same way." You looked down at your feet, solemn and sad. You had just poured your feelings out to someone you hoped never to find out. To your surprise, though, he started walking towards you with a soft smile. He placed his thumb and finger under your chin and lifted your head to look at him. "Who said that I don't feel the same? I don't believe we've ever had that conversation. What ever made you think that I wouldn't feel the same?" Your eyes brightened at his questions. Does he feel the same for you? The excitement began to bubble up inside you as your lips curled into a smile.

"I just assumed that you would always see me as your best friend. When you came here, I thought you would meet the woman of your dreams, and I never wanted to get in the way of that." His hand moved from your chin to your cheek, the warmness of his contact eliciting a sigh from you. "First things first, you would never get in the way of anything; you are the most important person in my life. Second, I met the woman of my dreams when we were kids. Our friendship blossomed into something more; the other didn't know of the feelings brewing between the two. I don't see you as my best friend but as someone more. You are the one for me, Y/N, and always have been." Cody looked into your eyes before slowly lowering and attaching his lips to yours. Passion flooded your body; everything you had ever dreamed of was finally coming true. Your hand wrapped around his neck as Cody pulled you further into him, hands wrapping around your body. Reluctantly, you both pulled away but with smiles on your faces.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that, Y/N." You arched an eyebrow at him. "Errm, I think I do." He chuckled and pecked another kiss on your lips before letting go and taking your hand in his. "Hold on, is that why you never dated anyone, because of how you feel about me?" "Guilty as charged." You smiled as Cody laughed at your silliness and opened the door for you to exit first, hand-in-hand.

You always expected that letting Cody know how you felt about him would ruin everything, but it turned out that it was the best thing you could have ever done.

[simplydnp]

idk why this matters to me but in the last few months they've been acknowledging so many things I never ever thought they would. pinof and the touching. the phude multiple times. dapc slime (ok they had merch to sell for that one but still)

no but actually. phil literally said 'i thought we weren't acknowledging it' about the phude and now they just bring it up all the time.

pinof reacts... i still can't believe we're in a post pinof-reacts universe. how did that happen. i was changed permanently--like something shuffled in my dna when i got the notif for pinof reacts 1. this is not a physical reaction but a chemical one that cannot be undone. for something that was so... sacred. and integral. to their existence and history. pinof wasn't generally talked about unless it was pinof time. and even then it was 'it'll be up soon' or 'we just posted it' and then Never talked about outside of that. especially not the first one! we freak out about the We Know You Know in the newsletter but it's Always been like that with pinof 1. so to see them--new (& natural 🥺) hair for them both, in a house they bought and built together, in the first few months of giving the gaming channel a second chance--reflect on how it all began? absolutely devastating. and to lean into moments and discuss them in new ways. in territory previously not breached! the 'they're toUching'?!?!? the '11 hour fuck session'!?!? the '£9000 champagne'?!?!? like hey we're not supposed to talk about that, dan and phil might see!! shhh!! but they're the ones saying it!! absolutely wild.

in a way, it had to happen. especially with where we're at now (them literally selling merch of them holding hands). in order for them to move beyond that... mindset? i guess? that a lot of fans had, they had to defang it. i really see it as one of the biggest walls they've broken down in the way they communicate with us. the 'hey. it's okay. we've seen it. it's not a big deal. we will absolutely make fun of you for it though. but we're good.'

i'm just really curious whose idea it was. (lbr it was probably phil given dans not a react kinda guy. but i'd be lying if i said i didn't want to be in the room where it happened when they talked about actually doing it or not, and what it would mean) (big ad revenue thats for sure 🤣 get it kings)

i will never be able to get phil's 'they touched' out of my head and at this point i wouldn't want to. it's absolutely earned. and i guess it makes me a masochist to enjoy the psychic damage it inflicts on me, but such is life i suppose.

the crafts mention really surprised me! i had contemplated a few different scenarios in how they'd go about it, and i'll be honest i feel like they could've committed to the bit a little more but they're forgiven. like what about glitchy interstitials! cuts to the merch website. found footage inserted between sections! i recognize they don't want to 'scare' their usual audience wirh sudden cuts to intense/graphic content but my immersionnn. absolutely shattered by 'oh we have new merch now btw'. cmon boys you love to lie to us. say theres merch up but you dont know where it came from. just that we should buy it 👀 or idk, something clever. and i recognize i may sound like a spoilt brat bc i just got a 14 minute long masterpiece of an unexpected dapc revival, but my immersion. i mean i already bought the merch before they shilled it anyways so it didn't influence me regardless 🤣

ultimately we really are in a new era. even beyond just the revival. i think they're really finding their stride--not only in their content (evidenced by a semi-regular schedule) but also creatively, in doing what they want to do, how they want to do it, and truly not giving that much of a fuck anymore. and i'm really happy for them. phil talked a bit about this in his 'rating my icons' video, where he's kind of decided he doesn't care what people on twitter think, and how it's been good for him, and i think we're seeing that reflected in not only his content, but also the gaming channel. they play what they want. they say what they want. and it's just fun. dan going on the record to say he's really enjoying it makes me so happy to hear, because literally december 2022 he believed he'd disappear after WAD. and now, instead, he gets to play games and make stupid jokes and smile and laugh multiple times a week, and he's really happy about it. he gets to be silly and goofy and crude without having to Stress about it. i keep saying it but they're so settled now. and as someone who's followed them through big changes and turbulent times, getting to see them happy after everything... it brings a lot of hope. and i know theyre millionaires. but there's something to looking at someone you fell in love with 15 years ago the same then as you do now. but instead of it being something scary, something you have to hide, something that feels like it can consume you and everything you have--it gets to be something beautiful. and regular. and embraced. you've read this far you get to listen to me wax poetic about them.

we've been thoroughly boiled and maybe, just maybe, it's warming our hearts too.

[blorbologist]

i read your tags! also same wrt vaxleth just being given their happy ending; it's not just that vm had nothing to do with it and it was all bh, it's that bh didn't even do it on purpose and it was essentially just a side effect of their actions

Hi anon - exactly!!! I can't get into much rambling atm, but it's so frustrating that the beautiful ending of C1 was undone as a freebie. And potentially even *more* than undone, if Vax is still an immortal Celestial.

(I'm sure Vax would love outliving his sister when he offered his life and service to save her in the first place. But hey never-ending romance am I right???)

It would be one thing if VM decided to weigh in more heavily on what happened with the gods, if say Pike had to consider inflicting this on Sarenrae (and to a lesser extent Vex and Scanlan on Pelor and Ioun, but hey they're just chosen hm?) to get Vax back. The closest we get to sacrifice was Vex dying, but a) ... I'm sorry but she’s died a Lot and she still came back anyways with no long-term repercussions b) that was to get Vax un-orbed, not completely get him 'back.'

VM were at best mildly inconvenienced (nothing was permanently lost or changed that they chose), got to have a nice victorious evening, then Vax was tossed back like a bonus prize regardless of his feelings on the matter. It feels like an afterthought, an excuse - oh while we're at it lets 'fix' what was a beautiful ending, because apparently it wasn't all that beautiful to us.

I could have been sold on this being a bittersweet thing - on Vax having changed, on Keyleth having changed, their respective responsibilities burdening them, to the point this is difficult for both of them. But the fact it's framed as them pretty much... a neat bow to wrap things up? It's not earned - by VM, by Keyleth, and it makes Vax and his entire character, his entire sacrifice, feel like a trophy. You handled 30 years without your boyfriend, congratulations! Here's a cookie.

Idk. To anyone stinging about this finale - or those just mildly bothered but they can't put their finger on why - I'd encourage you to rewatch something you know has a satisfying happy ending. See it done right.

I'd ramble about how Fullmetal Alchemist (manga and Brotherhood) is another example (like Dungeon Meshi) of a happy 'resurrection' done right (except it's shorter term, bar Al' body coming back which was a long-term goal - and it's focused on the platonic bond like the Touden siblings, though there is a romantic bond present and involved) - but my arm really fucking hurts so despite my ire I'll shut up.

No, wait: I'll end on part of Ed' final narration:

"There’s no such thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary, you can’t gain anything without losing something first."

[spaceorphan18]

The Lady Whistledown Papers : 2x05 An Unthinkable Fate (Part 1)

Welcome back, Gentle Readers, to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

Alright guys, get ready for a whole lot of... not much. Look, both Pen and Colin have gotten a lot in the past few episodes, so I'm not surprised when there's an episode (not in their season) with them barely in it.

Marriage

Say what you will about her outfits (yellow is intentionally not Penelope's color) her hair is on point this whole season. And while I do love Season 3 hair more, girl looks beautiful in every episode so far of Season 2, and you can't convince me other wise.

Anyway. The opening narration speaks of marriage - and there's a curious statement in there... LW speaks of how becoming engaged can't be undone, which is something that might be met with regret and/or relief. And yeah, it's to comment on the Kanthany story, it's an interesting comment coming from Penelope who... does want to be married. She probably does see that there are those who regret their decisions. But I think the relief part speaks to her more. I wonder if at this point - if she did receive a proposal from anyone, she'd feel a bit of relief from the pressure of it.

Moving on to this cute little Pen and Eloise moment... Eloise jokes that their siblings engagements are equal to defeating Napoleon -- which is funny, but also a rare nod to actual historical context. This was when the Napoleonic wars were going on. And, I mean, there's waaaay more drama going on in the world than who's marrying who. But, this is a romantic fantasy - who cares about actual history.... ;)

I love that as Penelope moves past Prudence (who is gossiping away about her engagement) she gives Pru a slight side-eye. She is a bit over the melodrama of it, not to mention she's well aware that it's not a love match but something of convenience. But she does mention to Eloise that her mother is so focused one Prudence that she's forgotten her entirely (which is interesting, because Portia has been barely acknowledging Pen's existence in the first place).

But Penelope does feel a bit or relief. She has been worried about their family's future and financial issues. (Which leads me to an interesting though -- Pen's already been getting some money coming in from LW, I wonder how she thinks she's going to use it at this point, and if she's already contemplating having to use it for her family. Hmmm.)

Family Time

Ah, another fun Bridgerton family drawing room scene. These are always the best -- and a lot of the times the funniest.

We get some context - Anthony's wedding is a month away (time on this show is just so... weird sometimes). And Violet states (somewhat sarcastically) that once Edwina marries Anthony - she will be in charge of the lot instead of Violet. And Colin's comes back with his own sarcastic wit - lord help her.

I mean, Violet, you did have 8 kids. What did you expect really? Also, I kind of love that Colin is always the one with the pithy remarks during these scenes.

Also! I would be remiss if I didn't point this out. Colin is stuffing his face! Book!Colin is so notorious for always eating (and my god, he was always talking about food if he wasn't outright eating). Show!Colin not so much (even if there's some interview I've tripped over at some point where Luke Newton claimed he was eating in every scene of Season 2). Idk, I kind of love this side to the character - and even if we don't see it onscreen all that much, my headcanon is that Colin is a big foodie in any universe.

As the scene goes on, and Anthony goes overboard for various preparations, Colin gives him a huge (but silent) eyeroll. The comedy of it is great. And in fact, there are a lot of little humorous moments between all the siblings in this scene. It's so much fun to watch as they all poke at each other in lovingly sibling ways.

Modiste

There has been a modiste scene in, what, every episode so far? I'm not complaining - I just hadn't noticed it until this project. Anyway - Penelope is listening in hard on what the Sharmas are doing. Gotta get in that good gossip.

There's just a quick little exchange here between Penelope and Madame Delacroix. I have to give Genevieve credit for knowing how to play her situation. She asks Penelope to say a good word about her being the seamstress hired for the Queen's Diamond's wedding. Penelope points out that she's already giving her good press -- but Genevieve comes back with the fact that there's no reason to stifle ambitions.

And Penelope actually grins at this. Genevieve has a tiny bit of power in the situation -- but knows it can get dramatic and messy if she were to take full advantage of Penelope's youth and experience. She knows balance well, and knows how to use her position well. And... I'd like to think that she and Penelope are starting to become friends (which is good - Penelope needs more in her circle beyond her own family and the Bridgertons). And i do think Penelope looks at Genevieve as a good role model for a woman to run her own business. I'm sure it gives her slight hope that there is a world in which she doesn't have to rely on a man (or her family) to succeed.

Feeding the Ducks

This is really a short scene but an incredibly important one as it peeks in on Colin's story development. Both Penelope and Colin notice Prudence is still geeking out over her engagement -- while Lord Featherington is being sooo noticeably meh about it. Penelope is still looking uncomfortable at them - as she knows the situation is a shaky one.

I wonder, too, while this goes unsaid, if Prudence getting married means that there will be more of a light shone on her for being unmarried. I'm sure she's glad she currently doesn't have her mother's attention but it could move in that direction. But mostly - I think Penelope is smart enough to sense something odd going on with her family and doesn't like it.

So, Colin comes up to her (and should mention once again that he has sought her out) and remarks that Prudence looks 'happy'. He kind of chokes on the word, which is an interesting delivery. Because it's yet another person on the planet who has found some resemblance of happiness and Colin... just isn't.

I love Penelope's response of 'well, that's one way of putting it'. Is it happiness? Is Prudence just being obnoxious about being engaged...?

Colin remarks that the new Lord Featherington seems like an interesting fellow, asks about his involvement in commerce, and suggests that he should introduce himself. And Penelope is like - uh, fuck yeah, go ahead and get yourself involved in my family affairs again.

And, before I get into the Colin analysis of this scene, I need to point out at how happy Penelope is. Colin is seeking her out, finding interest in her family, and despite the fact that he's in his head and not really doing that well, Penelope just shines with adoration. She doesn't even seem to notice his self-doubt until he brings it up. She's just enamored with him... as a person... and her liking him just as he is really is (one of the) crux(es) of the this whole thing.

So. Colin.

I think it does make sense, narratively, that this comes directly after his meeting with Marina. I think pre-Marina, Colin had intended to go out and see the world and see where life took him. He was (and still is really) young and not thinking a whole lot about the future. But then there was Marina - and Colin felt like his purpose was to save her. He'd be a good husband and a good father and rescue some woman from her plight. His purpose would be a romantic hero.

And then reality splashed cold water in his face.

And then, as he points out, his siblings are all out doing things. (Not mentioned but) Daphne's married a duke and has her duchess responsibilities. Anthony is solidifying his head of household by finally choosing a wife. Benedict is perusing art. His family is growing up and moving out and doing things with their lives.

And what is he doing? Feeding the ducks... (Or, you know geese, but who is really counting? Also, could they not find a shot of an actual duck?)

Colin doesn't feel like he has any purpose other than taking up space. And this is what Colin's thematic arc is going to be all the way through the end of Season 3. (It's a shame that we only will be getting pieces of it, and it's not developed as greatly as I would have liked - but I do love the concept of his character development.)

I also need to put in a quick word about how this story line is out of the book. Colin's story arc there, too, is figuring out what his purpose in life is -- though he spends a lot more time traveling around and not really doing much of anything before he finally settles down with Penelope.

After Colin's moment of self-pity, Penelope throws at him an incredibly kind response. While slightly jokingly, she notes that the ducks are probably grateful he's feeding them. And I mean, again, with all the adoration she can give.

I clearly isn't noticing it here (or even in the headspace to do so) but she's taking his determents towards himself and turning them into positives. And that's so kind of her.

And sure, you can take the cynical route and say she's just feeding his ego. But I just don't read it that way. He'll eventually give the same kind of uplifting sentiments back. And I think it's just another reason why I adore them both so much. Because they both truly care about each other. And that while both of them carry a large amount of self-doubt themselves, the other is still standing there supporting them. There's a mutual respect and kindness between them that really just gets me.

Penelope goes on to basically say he's still young and still has plenty of time to find a purpose.

And then... man with these clunky segues... Colin says something to the effect of - as Eloise would remind him. Why does Penelope telling him he has plenty of time in life remind Colin of Eloise? I don't know that I understand this remark. I mean, I get that Eloise has been antagonistic towards Colin all season, and there's a hint of a reminder that Eloise is constantly telling Colin to get over himself but.. it's just another awkward turn to bring up Eloise for the next beat.

Penelope asks where Eloise is, and Colin - seeming confused - mentions that she had brought up flower arranging with her. Penelope covers, and is like, ah yes right, even though she doesn't understand what Eloise is up to. She is concerned that Eloise is up to something and is going to attempt to figure it out.

And then... Colin just leaves. Because it's the end of the scene. And they need to get out of it. For a thirty second scene that I actually really adore in terms of character development, the clunkiness at the end... ooff.

Just have to throw this reaction shot in. Pen and Colin both reacting to Anthony falling into the river.

But it makes me curious about social dynamics. Is this where Colin was introduced to Jack Featherington. (That might have been an interesting scene to see.) And just how much time do Pen and Colin spend while out among the ton. Eloise isn't around, which I'm sure is a rarity, but does Penelope feel comfortable spending time with the Bridgertons without her? Does she speak to others in the Ton the way Colin seems to be socializing just fine with others? Ah... all the little questions I have about worldbuilding that the show doesn't really need to care about. :)

[air--so--sweet]

Was thinking about Five's powers and how they worked in End of Something when he follows Reginald's advice and travels by seconds. I've seen some people refer to this as a new power, where he rewinds time, but I never saw it that way, I just saw it as a short jump and seeing everything go backwards was just a visual choice to illustrate that he was going back in time. After all, in The Day that Wasn't, the same visual idea is used to illustrate the day being undone, with us seeing everything going in reverse up until the point where Five arrives in 2019, having used the suitcase to travel.

But then I thought, if it wasnt a new facet of his power where he rewinds time, if he was just travelling in time, wouldn'the still have gunshot wounds? And then it occurred to me, we refer to Five's power (and similar powers) as time travel, but what if his power isn't so much travelling in time as it is travelling in space while rewinding or fast forwarding time. So, in rewinding time, his wounds from getting shot heal, while he does a spatial jump at the same time, landing just inside the entrance of the barn. It also explains why Five, initially is just running against the flow of time, and the spatial jumps right at the end, because the point at which he jumps is after he reversed time to before they were shot, its the point where his gunshot wounds have been undone. It also fits with the visual of everything rewinding in The Day that Wasn't as well, and, while he travelled with a briefcase in that episode, a different version of Five being the founder of The Commision suggests the technology of the briefcases would work similarly to his powers.

And if you're thinking, okay but at the end of The Day that Wasn't Five got a shrapnel injury and that didn't heal when he travels, he got that shrapnel injury at The Commision HQ, a place that Five says in Kugelblitz exists 'out of time'. So if you can't reverse time in the place that's not in time in the first place, you can't use time rewinding to reverse an injury that occurred outside of time.

(This one made my head hurt a bit)

[spywhitney]

Why I'm Not Buying New Tickets for the Sydcarmy Train (For Now Anyway)

So yesterday I re-watched S3 (aside from EP10. I didn't feel like watching Sydney having a panic attack again) so I can write this with a fresher perspective.

For a little context, S3 dropped at 2am Thursday for where I was and I couldn't get to sleep because A) I was so excited to watch it and B) It was more hot than usual so that kept me awake so I watched it all immediately.

My main stance is not that I don't necessarily doubt sydcarmy will happen, but rather I don't like the idea of it as much as I did before S3. Now, to my points:

Season 4 May Be the Last Season I believe it will be, or if we're lucky (???), an extra season. With how the story has gone thus far, and how the actors are being catapulted into the spotlight, I doubt there will be time for a satisfying sydcarmy ending.

Carmen Is No Longer Attractive as a Male Lead

The bear is a show of flawed characters that we can all connect, sympathise and root for in one way or another.

I had a hard time finding the Carmy from the previous seasons, or enough of the good traits that made him sympathetic enough for me to overlook his unsavoury ones. The yelling, ignoring, the disrespect, the arrogance, the abandonment, the neglect (and whatever else I haven't said) directed at Sydney (and everyone else, but she gets the worst of him the most often) doesn't make me want to see them kiss.

The first word that came to mind is gross. Could you imagine if a friend explained what Sydney has went through with Carmen then revealed they're getting into a romantic relationship with him? There's a certain ick factor that can't be undone completely by longing stares, chemistry and hundreds of analysis posts for me.

If being around your "soulmate" is leading to deteriorating health, it's not worth it. Smells too much like struggle love to me, and I'm not fond of the implications of that.

Dwindling Faith in the Execution of Sydney’s Character I held an expectation that S3 will be heavily focused on Sydney, but she was side-lined once again, and not for characters or arcs that I and a lot of viewers wanted to see. (Not to mention how this season was in general).

This season was mostly rising action and conflict, and with that we've seen Sydney at her lowest and have to wait to see if she will be victorious before the end (the word victory was first said by Sydney and one other person so far in the show, so I hope that's a good sign).

I don't want to sit through watching a black woman be a workhorse/emotional support/"work wife" to a white guy, or just anyone really. There was microscopic if non-existent reciprocity or at the bare minimum acknowledgement of what Sydney has done for everyone and the restaurant (and not just from Carmen).

Carmen Has to Change More Than Sydney Does His flaws far out weigh the severity of Sydney's. With S3, him not being okay is making Sydney not be okay, this is something I was concerned about in S2 with all the parallels, while some are sweet/romantic, others like the throwing up, the ticket machine and now the panic attacks, are too largely negative to be overlooked.

Saying that Sydney is becoming Carmen is not a stance I agree with (or want to believe), but for the show so far he's been giving her more problems, more stress and not enough care, respect, love to make up for it. Sydney has a flaw of not being vulnerable and expressing herself. It affects herself and her relationships with others, but not to the point where they're worse of. Carmen's flaws are negatively affecting Sydney's health, while despite her flaws, Sydney's strengths positively affect Carmen without fail. See where the problem is? Sydney has nothing to gain (and so far, has gained nothing substantial) from being around Carmen in any capacity, while Carmen has continued to benefit from her presence.

Again, it's kind of hard to root for them when romance involves people who compliment each other, make each other better. "You make me better at this." This is certainly true for Carmen, but Sydney? I don't see how this has been illustrated, or at most to a significant extend to where the negative aspects of their dynamic are out trumped. (Sidenote: At least Claire was getting lovingly touched and getting fucked by Carmen while Sydney was building up their dream restaurant alone. That's some nasty work.)

Sydney Deserves a Changed Carmen, Not a Struggling One Or a different love interest altogether. (Luca, where are you at? My condolences to the sydmarcus crowd, they really burned your ship in S2 then let it sink in S3.)

This connects to my very first point, but I don't think there will be enough time for Carmen to improve to be the man Sydney deserves. He also has yet to suffer the consequences for how he's treating Sydney. So far he has suffered at his own mind and trauma, but that's not enough for me. He has yet to pay his dues when it comes to Sydney, so the the idea that she will stay with him and The Bear and wait around for him to be and do better when she's been doing that three seasons straight doesn't sit right with me.

Like Sydney's gone through all that she's gone through (mostly due to Carmen) only for Carmen to be what she gets at the end? Eh, no thanks. (Especially if Sydney doesn't get loved up and taken care of by someone deserving, succeed professionally and win in general.)

Subtext, Glorious Subtext Last one. Whoop whoop! Being a sydcarmy has made watching this show so much better.

However, I can't be the only one who at times is getting tired of hyperfixating on subtext only for it to amount to nothing.

But, I have a few observations myself. I don't want Sydney to stay with Carmen/at the bear, I want her to leave. I have a feeling she won't but:

-In S3 EP5, when Sydney asked Carmen if he knew if Ever was special when he was there and I think he said he didn't, but Sydney said it was good he got to experience it.

-The only noteworthy Claire scene where she talks about the girl who fell into a glass table and laughed after the surgery, and Claire said she thinks the wounds didn't hurt yet. (And the scar on Carmen's hand. Is that from the pilot S1 episode when he grabbed the pan?)

-When it's revealed Terry is closing Ever, Richie presumes the reason is because she's depressed, but it's revealed she just didn't want to do it any more.

-The ever chef told Sydney if it wasn't for Terry closing he'd probably be there forever.

With these moments I like to think Sydney's arc is learning to move on, to not make "everything the thing". Carmen is the one who needs to stay at the bear, in one place and work on becoming himself with where he's at.

I may add onto this later, if you've read this far thank you, and I hope it was interesting. Links below are my rants on S3 and sydcarmy. Pretty sure you could decode the five stages of grief in them- I'm so dramatic lol.

This This And this

[galaxymagitech]

Whumptober 2024 Masterlist

1. 5:30 AM - Tim is captured by a former Joker goon who is desperate to prove a point. He’s rescued, but something still seems…off. And time is swiftly running out. - RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK, Search Party

2. Rollercoaster - The Bats all think it’s about Jason’s death, and, well, it’s not not about his death. But it’s about a whole lot more than that. (The children of Crime Alley all want to be Robin.) - TRUST ISSUES, Amusement Park, "You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back."

3. Undone - When he says, “I’m not Jason Todd,” he means it. His family does not know what it is to be undone. - Fingerprints

4. Bedeviled - Robin had thought it was over, but with Slade, it never is. When the spores’ effects resurface, Robin becomes trapped in a waking nightmare. - HALLUCINATIONS, "You're still alive in my head."

5. Sunburn - It’s an offhand comment someone at UNIT makes. “Spend too long in the Doctor’s presence, and you get sunburn. Yaz scoffs, at the time. The Doctor is no sun. - SUNBURN

6. I'm Fine (I'm Bleeding Out) - Batman and Robin respond to an intense hostage situation. Robin tries to save the civilians, only to find that there’s just one left alive—and she’s quickly slipping away. - NOT REALIZING THEY'RE INJURED, "It's not my blood."

7. The Weight of the World - Damian, according to the phone call Dick received twenty-three minutes ago, stabbed a lunch aide with a plastic spoon. - Unconventional Weapon

8. Warning, Unheeded - Bruce sets up a schedule of sleep deprivation and meditation to train Dick's circadian rhythms into the proper routine for a nighttime vigilante. Alfred, however, has concerns—not just about this training, but Robin as a whole. - SLEEP DEPRIVATION, Forced to Stay Awake, "Leave the light on."

9. A Cry for Help - Tim tells himself that, because it’s dark out and he doesn’t intend to be spotted, no one will see the bruises. He daydreams, sometimes, that he’s wrong. - Bruises

10. The Family Wing - Tim gets a concussion at patrol. That's routine; expected. What he can't figure out is why Bruce seems to...care. - BLOW TO THE HEAD, Slurred Words

11. Vestigial - Sometimes—most of the time—all the time, Tim gets the sense that he’s not real. (It takes less than an hour for Tim to cleanse the brownstone of all traces of his presence.) - Loneliness, "Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist."

12. Holy Doppelgänger, Batman - ASBaR Dick Grayson is transported into another universe...one where Bruce Wayne hugs his ward and Robin lives happily in the Wayne Manor. - STARVATION, Underground Caverns

13. Cause of Death - Jason’s legs dangle over the edge of the fire escape as the acrid smoke burns his nostrils. It’s been a while. Long enough that he coughed when he first lit the cigarette between his lips, like a ten-year-old sitting cross-legged in an alleyway, wanting to feel old. - Familial Curse

14. How to Be a Ghost - Tim's parents refuse to pay his ransom or even notify the police of his kidnapping. So, of course, Tim gets his revenge. Who better to be a ghost than the forgotten child? - LEFT FOR DEAD, "Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted."

15. Petrify Me - Bruce never moves on from his parents' deaths. But Dick was never meant to be chained down by grief. - CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, Moment of Clarity

16. Be Your Own Hero - 5 times Steph helps herself + 1 time she doesn't need to - Wound Cleaning

17. A Hollow Heart - They were supposed to be forever. Batman and Robin. Bruce and Dick. Shadow and sun. Partners. Instead, they’re this: eyes flickering away without ever meeting, fists clenched without any fight, and a terrible, terrible silence. - "We had a good run."

18. Trigger Finger - Jason plants a bomb underneath the Batmobile. In most universes, he decides at the last minute that his revenge will take a different, more circuitous path. In this universe, he triggers the explosion...and immediately regrets it. - REVENGE, Unreliable Narrator

19. The Only Way Out - Leslie Thompkins’ hands do not shake. But as the years pass, she struggles to remain unflappable in the face of the Bats' suffering. - One Way Out

20. Gravedigging Tales - Jason parks himself in Dick’s apartment and tells him that he’s not going back until the Justice League has returned from space. Dick doesn’t respond to ultimatums, demand avoidance cultivated by years of fighting—arguing, Jason, not actually fighting, calm down—with Bruce, so he goes back anyway. - EMOTIONAL ANGST, Shoulder to Cry On

21. Post-Mortem - Jason wakes up in the middle of his own autopsy. - BODY HORROR

22. A Ticking Clock (No Compromise) - A snippet from Tim's time in the League of Assassins - BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES, Reopening Wounds

23. Broken Pedestal - Tim warned himself that Bruce wouldn’t be everything Tim built him up to be—the perfect superhero, the perfect mentor, the perfect father. So, it’s okay that reality doesn’t match up perfectly with his dreams. But then, Tim sees something that he isn't supposed to see. - FORCED CHOICE, Broken Pedestal, "I'm doing this for you."

24. A November Night - Damian isn't used to the cold. He's freezing, but he doesn't want to look weak in front of his father. - Substitute Prompt: Shivering

25. Stitches - Damian needs to get stitches, but was raised to believe that using anesthetic would make him weak. Dick doesn’t know what to do. - Stitches

26. Apocalypse - Cassandra still has nightmares about killing. - Nightmares

27. Voiceless - 5 times the Batkids lost their voices to Bruce + 1 time Cass found hers. VOICELESS

28. If You'd Like - Jason knows that Bruce signed up to adopt a normal twelve-year-old child, not one who can stare at horrific cases for hours without being disturbed or learning anything new. If Bruce wants, though, Jason can pretend for him. - DENIAL, Exposure

29. Unprofessional Behavior - Tim, straining under the long hours of patrol and training and his parents' expectations for his schoolwork, struggles to complete his report. Exhausted, he finds himself making the "mistake" of falling asleep while leaning against his mentor's side. - FATIGUE

30. Miracle Number Four - It takes a miracle to bring the dead back to life. It takes a second miracle for a nurse to recognize a badly-injured boy in a coma as the dead son of a celebrity. - RECOVERY, Hospital Bed

31. Nightlight - When Dick was nine, Bruce tried to send Dick to therapy. It didn't go so well, and most of that was Bruce’s fault. - ASKING FOR HELP, Therapy

[chemdisaster]

i need need need joel to win the life series at some point please i need to angst him so bad

just imagine. joel, so focused on the simple, human things in the game, both denying that it is a game and at the same time playing like it's one in the hopes that maybe if he does, it won't matter, won't have the power to hurt him - joel, winning and seeing the beyond with his very own eyes. seeing what's there at the end of it all, after everyone dies and the blood seeps into the soil. what's there after all the bases are burnt and the jokes and bits are forgotten, gone with the rising smoke of explosions. joel, understanding how little everything truly matters, but not in the way he thought. understanding both the gravity and the insignificance of their existence. understanding that nothing matters, and everything does.

joel, the epitome of "ignorance is bliss" and "what i can't see won't hurt me" in everything he does, witnessing more than he should, shouldering the burden of knowledge and ultimately being undone by it all.

[lord-squiggletits]

I don't really care what the editorial excuses are honestly, I'm gonna forever resent IDW for the fact that they retconned entire spotlight issues and comic series (or sections of comic series) with zero justification needed in-universe, but somehow "women exist" was the lore that needed an extensive in-universe justification with multiple male TFs putting their hands to their cheeks and going "whaaaaaat what's a she/her that's so craaaazy what wow!!!!" sicksjxjs

They didn't need an in-universe justification when they retconned Spotlight: Optimus Prime (in which OP finds out the previous Primes were evil from Omega Supreme) to have shit like Orion working against Sentinel (MTMTE) and then working for Zeta knowing he wasn't a good guy (Autocracy, Optimus Prime).

They didn't need an in-universe justification when they retconned Megatron: Origins and removed the lore bit that flight was a recent invention and the seekers (Starscream et al) were the first Cybertronians ever built/born that could fly. Multiple Golden Age era characters could fly and they didn't need to make some elaborate justification for it. Multiple Senators and other politicians could fly and they didn't make a lore justification for it. Barber literally wrote in a whole thing about how flight frames were restricted to military or cargo job duties but he didn't need to construct his lore around M:O, he just fucking retconned it and ignored that "no one could fly until it was invented recently" used to be a plot point.

But WOMEN? EXISTING??? In MY alien robot science fiction? (Clutches hand to heart) I'm sorry...but once something is canon it simply can't be undone...we have to, we just HAVE TO keep Simon Furman's misogynist writing where he went out of his way to say female TFs don't exist/are extinct... you don't understand THAT'S THE LORE what, do you think we can just retcon stupid worldbuilding that makes no sense and doesn't matter? NOOOOO WE NEED AN EXPLANATION NOOOOO MY IMMERSION IS BROKEN we just absolutely NEED characters in universe to be so fucking confused at the idea of women existing! Sorry that's just the lore we have to write the rest of the story around what one known misogynist asshole wrote in a spotlight issue in like 2009!

They literally could have just ignored and retconned that stupid ass "female Cybertronians don't exist" rule the way they ignored and retconned actually important parts of lore. But they didn't and that's actual cowardice and hypocrisy akdjskxnak I have never felt more condescended to in fiction than in every single scene where they forced a male character to go "She/her? Woman? What is girl?? What is a she????" like godddddddd it was so fucking CRINGE

[intimidating-fettuccine]

I don't know if this is a valid question, but I've been seeing several requests about the five stages of grief.

So I was wondering if you could do Sally dealing with the 5 stages of grief after she lost a Y/N who was like a brother/sister figure to her and the person closest to her??

(sorry, not sure how it could be put in gender neutral)

Sally with a deceased sibling reader, coming right up. Angst train is arriving at the station.

Denial:

To say that your death was a shock to Sally's system would be an understatement. Sally, always staying in the mansion, was not that acquainted with death. The only death she was familiar with was her own, and even that was so long and distant to her now to the point she barely remembered it. So, for you to die, it felt incredibly unreal to her. After all, you were so strong, and you always protected her and cared for her, so surely nothing could have hurt you that bad, right? Everyone else had to be mistaken, you'd be coming home soon, right? When her brain realizes you won't be coming home as a human, she tries to convince everyone that you'll be like her, you'll turn into a ghost, you'll come home that way, they just have to go find you! But, unfortunately, that day never comes to pass.

Anger:

Sally has a hard time at this stage. The thing influencing her most is anxiety. She previously viewed everyone living in the mansion as basically unkillable, that they were basically immune to any fatal damage, but now that you, her favorite person have passed, she's constantly extremely scared that someone else is going to die next. It gets to the point that she refuses to let them go out on their jobs, even if she has to use her powers and be destructive to stop them from going. This is of course upsetting for everyone in the mansion, because while none of them want Sally to be distressed and scared like this, they have to do their jobs, or else the mansion is going to stop bringing in money. Slender ends up having to have a series of long talks with her and get her on a therapy plan to help her process things because everyone knows things can't continue like this.

Bargaining:

Sally becomes incredibly clingy at this point. She knows she's not allowed to keep people from leaving anymore, so whenever people she's closest to are in the mansion, she's practically glued to their side and will not leave them alone unless she finds someone else she wants to be glued to. Everyone is happy to comfort her and help her, and there's a silent agreement throughout the mansion that if Sally clings to you, you're to keep her entertained and cared for, so she doesn't have to feel lonely and isolated. The hard part is, that the thing she wants to talk about most is you. If someone tells a funny story, she relates it back to you. If someone brings up one of her hobbies, she relates it back to you. She wants to keep your memory alive, but this causes her to break down every time she does it, and it gets hard for people to figure out how to comfort her without reminding her of your death.

Depression:

The depression stage really hits Sally hard. It hits around the one year mark of your passing, and it's truly solidified in her mind that you aren't able to come back anymore. She finds herself isolated a lot of the time in this stage, curled up in her room buried in all the stuffed animals you ever got her, just wishing that she could will you back into existence. She even considers trying to find a way to get ahold of Zalgo, because he's the king of the Underworld, so surely he can give your soul a form to reside in, right?? She decides to not bring that up again after seeing how incredibly upset the suggestion made those around her, too young to realize things like that cannot just be undone. She gets much more quiet and more withdrawn. She doesn't really partake in her hobbies anymore, and she sort of just floats around the mansion in a daze. The only thing keeping her grounded is the help everyone continues to provide, and the therapy Slender is still making her go through.

Acceptance:

It's through this therapy, luckily, that Sally is finally able to make progress. One day, Slender asks her a question. "Why don't you want to move on?" Sally sits there for a moment in thought, before telling him that she's scared that if she moves on, if she gets happier, that everyone, including her, will forget about you. This leads to a very emotional discussion, in which Slender tells her that's not true, that you and everyone else in the mansion want her to be happy and healthy, and that nobody will forget about you. Everyone else misses you just as much as she does, and you won't fade away just because Sally decides to be happy. It's after this that Sally starts changing her outlook. Starts asking people for stories about you, and when she sees how happy they are to talk about you, about the things you did and the ways you helped them, it makes her start to feel that way too. It will still be a long uphill battle, but she makes progress, every day. She starts looking back on your memory with fondness, instead of sadness, and she starts to come out of her shell again. She knows now that you want her to be happy, and so she'll try. She'll be happy for you because she doesn't want you to be sad for her in your restful peace.

[randomingoftherandomness]

Fic: I Love You With Purpose

Pairing: Gong Shangjue x Gong Yuanzhi

A/N: This one is for @dangermousie :)

--

Shangjue gently cards his fingers through Yuanzhi's undone hair. The tips of his fingernails scratch against his scalp, moving from root to tip in comfortable rhythmic motions. It's just them here in the quiet of their room, sitting on their bed. Just them in their nightclothes, unwinding from the day.

Shangjue sinks himself into the feeling of running his fingers through Yuanzhi's hair, quietly absorbed in the calming task of massaging this year's finest batch of camelia hair oil into every strand. It's getting longer now. There are many styles of braids that he picked up when he was out in the martial world. He can't wait to try them all out on his didi's hair.

"Didi, tomorrow we should go for a ride. There's a beautiful meadow I'd like to bring you to."

"Mm... That sounds nice. Should we ask the kitchen to prepare some food for the journey?" Yuanzhi asks, eyes closed serenely, lips curled In a smile. After a beat, he chuckles. "This really sounds like you're courting me."

Shangjue stills. Taking his didi by the waist, he turns him around until they are face to face. Gesturing at the space between them, he points at the clutter on the table next to his own neatly arranged study. Then he waves his hand at the bottles of hair oil he had spent not a small amount of money to buy.

Yuanzhi laughs. "Point taken."

Shangjue barely resists the undignified urge to roll his eyes as Yuanzhi snuggles back into his embrace. Reaching up to pat his head, he hides his smile in a kiss on the shell of Yuanzhi's ear.

Yuanzhi splays his hands up, sliding their palms together. Shangjue holds on to him, allowing himself the indulgence of having his didi so close and unbridled.

But in just a breath, with a slow whisper that is barely any louder than the beat of a mosquito's wing, shatters that peace.

"Do you ever wish we never met?"

Shangjue blinks and calms himself. "What's brought this on?"

"Mm... Just a question."

That's a clear deflection if he has ever heard one. Tucking his hair behind his ear, he gently comments. "Yuanzhi didi never asks a question idly. Tell your gege. Where's this coming from? Has someone made you upset?"

Yuanzhi sighs, merely shaking his head. "It's nothing." A pause. "It's everything."

Shangjue patiently waits him out, holding him tightly. "I've been wondering lately if we shouldn't have met after all. How my life would have been if I had never met you, how different of a person I would be. I wonder if it would have been better if you..."

"You?"

"If you never fell in love with me. Then perhaps you could have had a normal life. A wife. A child to carry on your name. Maybe I would be just a cousin you saw occasionally. Someone who did not make a deep impression on you."

Yuanzhi's gaze flash with the flickering of the candlelight, gazing into the distance. Softly, as if he isn't expecting the words to even exist in his voice, he murmurs. "Maybe if I didn't exist, you still could..."

Shangjue tightens his embrace. Heart racing at the thought of his world not having his didi in it, mind buzzing with uncharacteristic panic at the thought that he would not have Yuanzhi by his side.

"Gong Yuanzhi, I want you to listen to me, and listen well." He crosses his arms around his didi's chest, pressing every ounce of sincerity and fragility into his words. "I didn't fall in love with you. Falling implies that how I feel for you is an accident."

"I love you and have loved you on purpose. Consciously, willingly, and with deliberate thought. Every shade of my love, every moment I have loved you has been a choice. And I choose you."

The warm droplets on the back of his hands are carefully ignored. Shangjue tilts Yuanzhi and folds him closer until he is safely tucked against his shoulder, dampening the fabric there. Leaning in, he softly hides his smile to the side of his hair, breathing in deep the warm scent of camelia and musk.

Yuanzhi's demons aren't unfamiliar to him and he knows this won't be the last time he has to keep them at bay. Born of his fault, it's his solemn duty to remind Yuanzhi, to anchor him, to soothe him that this is real -- the life that they've built together is as real and as true as the air in their lungs.

"Let me say one thing more." Shangjue lifts Yuanzhi's face by the cheek. Cooing a little at the red-rimmed eyes, he lovingly wipes away the tears, smoothing away the frown between his brows. "Your place by my side on purpose and with purpose. No one can take that away from you. No one can replace you. In this life, Yuanzhi didi is my Yuanzhi didi. Understand?"

"Mn."

Yuanzhi gives him a tremulous, wet smile, pulling away to wipe away the few stray tears that trickle down his face. "You know, whoever said that Gong Ziyu was the most romantic man of our generation has obviously never heard you speak. You'd give the best poets a run for their money, Ge."

Shangjue barks a laugh at that. Shuffling over, he lays his hand over Yuanzhi's hip, drawing him in for a kiss. And then two, and three.

"It's good that no one knows. I'm a romantic only for my didi, after all."

Yuanzhi holds in the cough long enough before his shoulder starts to shake and he laughs out loud around his wheezing gasps.

"Please, gege, never let anyone but me hear you say things like these. The world is not ready for your type of romance."

Shangjue chuckles, reeling him back in. Snuffing out the candlelight, he lies them both down -- Yuanzhi on the inside of the bed, him on the outside. They talk for a bit more, speaking about the food they'd like to have on their little sojourn tomorrow.

They'll need to wake up early so that Shangjue can try this intricate braid work that he learnt from some merchants from the far West. When Yuanzhi's breathing begins to even out, Shangjue takes a moment just as sleep is beginning to take him, and thinks adoringly.

Yes, from the moment I met you, I have loved you with purpose.

[acourtofthought]

Hello, good night!!

What do you think about this?

A brazilian girl (E|riel stan) made

Hi there!

SJM did say that it's possible for there to be two mating bonds however she said that before we found out that Rowans bond with Lyria was fake.

I really think the point of her saying that was to keep the theories that Rowan and Aelin were mates alive until she revealed the truth.

If two mates were truly going to be a thing in her world, why have we never seen it after 10+ new mating bonds? Why do we have confirmation of a character losing his mate in the CC series and continuing to speak on how he's lost half his soul?

Bloodbane does inhibit someones magic and the ability to reach out to their mate.....but Bloodbane does not have the ability to erase a bond. Just like wearing noise cancelling headphones doesn't take away my ability to hear on a permanent basis. So yes, it's possible someone may not have felt their bond if Bloodbane was in their system but the second the poison was out of their bloodstream, the bond would be restored. And the Mother / Fate cannot be "tricked" into who is supposed to have a bond because of poison. She / It is the one who decides on bonds in the first place. Besides, Az didn't seem to have any trouble at all snarling at the king for speaking to Mor and we know he doesn't have a bond with her, it's clear that SJM wanted to be sure that we all remembered Lucien as the one who tried to get to Elain's side as she was being forced into the Cauldron before he knew they were mates. Bond or no bond, that's good stuff.

There is a carranam bond but that's not what Amren was talking about. In that scene they were all clearly talking about Feysands mating bond. As we know Elucien does have a mating bond then it's safe to say their bond also cannot be undone.

The Cauldron was corrupted by the Asteri so they could use it to create evil monsters and dangerous weapons. They also tied the Cauldron to the land so it could not be destroyed without destroying the land. There is absolutely nothing to suggest they had any interest in messing with mating bonds and I'm not sure why they would. The Asteri created beings that they felt they could control. Thinking they wanted to "mate" them to other beings in order to create strong offspring would mean something could be born that could possibly become a threat to them. Also, we found out that one character who was originally from Prythian ended up mated to someone from Hel. Mating bonds exist across dimensions and that is not something the Asteri had anything to do with.

Rhys was definitely the product of an unhappy bond because his father was cold and vicious and his mother was soft and fiery. His father also snatched her away the very day the bond snapped.

As the only comparable piece of information from this is the fact that Elain is also soft and fiery, I think it's clear we don't have to worry about Lucien being anything like Rhys's father.

Truth Tellers special power is what it can do when used with the Starsword. And only when used by a descendent of Theia. Yes, Elain was the first person Az let use it but as far as we know, it's also the first time Az had to sit out of a battle and someone was in need of a dagger. And the reason Az sat out of battle is because Mor begged him "with tears in her eyes" to sit out. Az did not fight because the female he loved asked him not to.

I also have a theory about Truth Teller and that Az is going to end up giving it to Emorie so there's a chance Az lending it to Elain is no different than Amren giving Feyre a piece of her jewelry and convincing her it's what got her out of the prison.

Elain likes balls and parties, Az likes his space. Elain craves sunshine, Az prefers shadows. Elain is good at talking to people. Az barely talks. Elain loves nature. Az likes........snowball fights, I guess? But that's in the winter and Elain can't do what she loves in winter. Cruelty bothers Elain and Az tortures people in a symphony of pain.

Feyre and Nesta both had their bonds described as a thread. Feyre even send she felt something pulling at her gut. Elain feeling a tug on her rib is a lot more romantic than someones stomach.

We actually don't know if Elain wants Lucien. It seems she doesn't, she says she doesn't, but looking at Feyre in book 1, would we have ever known she wanted Rhys even UTM? Looking at Nesta at the start of SF, did it seem like she wanted Cassian? Considering Aelin said something extremely derogatory towards Rowan, was it easy to guess they were going to end up together? When Yrene told Chaol she only got close to him because opiates made people do stupid things, would that have clued us in to them falling in love?

(Hopefully I'm making my point here, lol).

Az's mother does live in Rosehall......and that's the most ridiculous reason for anyone to think Elain should end up with him when we know absolutely nothing about it or his mother. Feyre looked at the Night Sky and ended up in the Night Court. Elain says she needs Sunshine, not roses.

SJM tends to sample from fable and mythology however in the books these things are almost unrecognizable. So anyone trying to convince themselves of an E/riel endgame based on things SJM has sampled or might sample from should probably check in with the people who thought Bryce would end up living in Prythian as the ruler of the Dusk Court with Az.

I hope you have a great night!!!