#it was super interesting i had a great time

[bloodflavouredplacebo]

for the fucking fuck sake *grabs the physical keyboard for this*

first my sources: 20 years being quite obsessed with Phantom of the Opera, first film i watched on theaters was The Hunchback of Notre Dame with 3 years (yea it left quite a impression on me) and fav childhood movie was The Beauty and the Beast

i love how someone else on the internet did the connection for this two AND THREE and i love you op for bring this in! i mean, *there's relations between the three*, you can even take roses on phantom and beauty and the beast, or clearly paris being the setting on phantom and notre dame.

people on this reblog chain knows the stories of the three, and yea, probably they didnt read victor hugo notre dame of paris (which is great but its more pausible that they saw the disney film as a child) and yet you could link them! victor hugo is a romantic author from XIX century france! the topics of le romantisme frenetique, the intense romantic current of artists and writers for that time, it's what inspired and transpired to later gothic stories and gothic horror in general!

and welp, it was even more easier than that chart, we have:

- great architecture around the action of the story (Beast's Castle, Notre Dame cathedral, Opera Populaire/Opera House/ Palais Garnier)

- the gothic romantic theme seeing beauty in the horrorific, the hideous, the 'not-so-pretty-at-first-sight'. because thats a bingo on the three, im sorry

- the isolation of the ugliness and how society rejects it

this goes on the three stories and in most of the adaptions of the three stories, bc welp, beauty and the beast isnt original of disney, as well as the hunchback of notre dame, or that picture of phantom which belongs to the 2004 adaption. looking at the root they could be alike in some aspects and differ in anothers and its pretty interesting to see!

because yes, Notre Dame of Paris from Victor Hugo is far from the whimsical take on Disney and yes, i know its one of the darkest films of Disney! As well, Erik is far from being a suave gentleman on the book, not like in some of the musical adaptions we've seen. and yet, both Beast, Phantom and Hunchback (hate to put it like this but works for the line) are presented as monsters and yet, still humans, in the good and the bad way that humans are.

im sorry but i've been thinking about this connection during so long bc there was something ringing there so i just had to jump on the conversation.

also, a super interesting take is how each of the cases (we can say that we are talking from Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame, Musical Phantom of the Opera adaptions and Disney Beauty and the Beast, because its probably the most seen version of them) takes the topic of being isolated by the society and rejected by their physical appeareance in different ways. Quasimodo is still nice and full of hope to blend between people, to know about them! Adam/The Beast is full of rage and probably guilt, dragged during all the curse years. And Erik is filled with resent and vengefulnes, and at the same time, the yearn for love! While the others two find romantic love when they didn't even thought of finding it. (and we can goes on how each one take the romantic reject of their love interest, or how much they would doubt after taking a life, or maybe how mature are their minds to being considered an adult, taking in mind what their life and childhood had been)

And of course, Raoul, Phoebus and Gaston are completly different between them, being the disonant part this time for Gaston, which along Frollo, are probably from the part of the Disney villains more terrible because they are fucking real. Raoul and Phoebus? mostly fine (ON THE DISNEY AND MUSICAL TAKE) but Gaston? oooof.

On the female protagonist part, Belle and Esmeralda are strong women, smart, intelligent, dexterous, who stand in front of something absolutly terrorific just to make sure justice prevails. Christine on the book would be more like this archetype (on a beligerant, fighting woman type), on the musical the character tends to the romance with the Phantom, getting far from the horror genre and more into the (dark) romance genre. Everything is softer, everything is dark allure of the shadows and the music, its not the 1911 original book where it falls into mystery and noir genre with how Christine tells her story on how she disappeared in one moment and got underground by a stranger. I enjoy both of the stories, and yet, each one belongs to a different setting.

ANYWAY this is getting longer, please, i want to read more comments about the connections between Quasimodo, Adam and Erik. also i just pictured them just hanging around the towers of Notre Dame and it was really soft and cute in my head. let them be friends, pls

the phantom of the opera and the hunchback of notre dame? opposite ends of same spectrum 

[notebooks-and-laptops]

I think it's absolutely wild how DATV and DA2 are complete opposites of each other almost down to the letter. I find this super interesting because both were 'rushed' (DAtV as it stands today only had a few years in development, even though there was a ten year gap because they kept scrapping things) and yet the developers chose to focus on completely different things when they knew they wouldn't have as much time as they'd like.

Like.

DAtV is an absolutely beautiful game in terms of graphics. Stunningly so. Even for the time it came out, DA2 had bad graphics.

DAtV has multiple interesting maps; even those without a lot of content are still varied and again, quite beautiful. DA2 reuses all it's dungeon maps without shame.

DAtV allows you to create a Rook with a unique backstory, race and appearance. DA2 you have to be human and you'll always have the same backstory.

HOWEVER DAtV doesn't give Rook a lot of real choices or personality options. Rook acts the same basically no matter how you play them. Hawke has three main personalities and when the game doesn't let you pick dialogue it will make Hawke speak in whatever of these three you most commonly pick.

DA2 is a game about systematic injustices, power and how you deal with both. DAtV scrubbed all systematic injustices from Thedas and made all that stuff background at best, completely ignored and forgotten at worst.

DA2 is full of companions who can be genuinely antagonistic with the player; they even have a rivalry system to account for the fact. A lot of cut scenes can end with you shouting or being mean to each other. DAtV everyone is nice and speaks in therapy speak. There's no real way to lose approval or to get mad at your companions.

DA2 has companions who hate one another; they're antagonistic if you bring them out and they are just mean a lot of the time. The closest DATV gets to this is Taash and Emmrich and rook 'solves' their fight super easily and then they get along great. Also, the reason they're arguing is just Taash finds Emmrich creepy not you know. A big political difference in opinion.

DA2 gives Hawke the chance to pick 'evil' options. You, personally, can kill your companions and you can also just be a dick. DAtV forces you to play as a hero all the way down to the heroic pre-written backstory.

There's I'm sure more contrasts. But I think what it comes down to is that DAtV prioritised being a 'good' game in terms of things like graphics, maps and had a more sanitised version of Thedas so 'everyone' could enjoy it. Whereas DA2 dropped the graphics and maps almost completely so it could focus on conflict, politics and interpersonal relationships.

And I think this kinda mirrors a LOT of modern gaming compared to games made 10 - 20 years ago. But it's even more starkly obvious because of the fact that they were both rushed so it's very clear what prioritises they picked.

[daxisyzz]

Hey there! Love your work and would love to submit a request if that’s alright. I have an idea for a Bucky x reader one shot inspired by his look in Thunderbolts. I love his longer hair coming back, but imagine Bucky having the reader put in hair extensions in his hair so he can have really long hair again instead of waiting for it to grow out? If this idea inspires you to write then I’m so glad but if not don’t feel pressured to write anything. Hope you’re well! :)

heyyy I love this idea!! Sorry for replying late. Here's your little fic. Hope you have a great day<3

Hair Me Out…

Summary: Bucky didn't think he'd miss his long hair — until he sees you casually ordering hair extensions for yourself. Now he needs them too... and you're the poor soul tasked with making it happen. Along the way, he finds a small part of himself that he'd forgotten he still loved.

Word count: 1.1k+

Setting: pre-thunderbolts*, post-tfatws.

Bucky wasn’t even trying to snoop.

Really, he wasn’t.

He was lying across your bed, big and lazy, arms folded behind his head as he listened to you tap away at your laptop, a content little hum coming from your side of the room. Every so often, you’d mutter to yourself or click your tongue in frustration, but otherwise, you were blissfully unaware of his not-so-subtle staring.

“What’re you doing?” he finally asked, lifting his head to look at you.

“Shopping,” you said, clicking a few more times. “Hair stuff. Some skincare junk. You know essentials.”

He hummed, about to close his eyes again, when something bright and silky caught his eye.

You were browsing a site that sold hair extensions — gorgeous, long, flowing locks in every shade imaginable.

Bucky blinked, sitting up a little straighter.

“Wait. Is that for you?” he asked, sounding more interested than he probably should’ve.

You nodded. “Yeah. I wanna try longer hair without committing to, like, years of growing it out.”

He kept staring. At the screen. At you. At the screen again.

Something deep inside him — something he thought he’d buried — stirred.

His own hand went to the ends of his current hair, brushing it lightly. It had been growing out again after a few trims and missions that had demanded ‘uniform standards.’ It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t short.

But it wasn’t his long hair, either.

He missed it.

Missed the way it used to fall in his face, missed the wildness of it, the way it made him feel a little less... polished. Less fake. More himself. More of someone he'd become after losing everything.

“...Can you get me some, too?” he blurted, before he could think better of it.

You paused, hands frozen over your keyboard. “...What?”

He scooted closer, earnestness written all over his stupidly handsome face. “Extensions. Get some for me.”

You turned to stare at him fully, one eyebrow raised. “Bucky. Babe. Love of my life. You are a literal enhanced super soldier and you’re telling me you can’t wait for your hair to grow?”

He pouted actually pouted and tugged lightly at the ends of his hair. “But you’re gonna have long hair and I’m gonna look like a half-baked chia pet.”

You snorted so hard it startled him.

“A chia pet?” you repeated, wheezing.

“A sad one,” he said gravely. “One that needs love.”

You were half-crying, half-laughing now, clutching your stomach. “You’re so dramatic.”

“I’m serious,” he said, grabbing your hands in both of his big ones, squeezing them like he was proposing marriage. “Doll. I’ll do anything. Just order some for me, too.”

"You'll do anything?" you teased, still wiping tears from your eyes.

"I'll be your personal assistant for a week. I'll clean the kitchen. I'll even let you pick the next five movies we watch. Even if they suck."

You shook your head, grinning like a fool. "Alright, alright, I'll do it. Only because you look so cute."

Bucky whooped and immediately pulled you into his lap, hugging you tight enough to make you squeak. "You're the best. Seriously. I'm gonna look so good."

"You’re gonna look like a prince," you said dryly.

"Prepare to have Sam roast you into oblivion."

"I don’t even care," Bucky said, burying his face in your shoulder. "I want my hair back."

Few Days Later

Bucky was sitting on the floor in front of you, legs crossed, a towel thrown around his shoulders like a cape. You carefully parted his hair, sectioning it and clipping in the silky extensions you had color-matched for him.

He was so still, so obedient, it made you grin.

"You’re a good client," you teased.

"Yeah, well," he said, glancing at you over his shoulder with a smirk. "I gotta be. My stylist’s got very delicate hands."

You rolled your eyes fondly and snapped another clip into place.

As you worked, you caught him sneaking peeks at himself in the mirror watching the longer pieces blend into his real hair and his smile was so genuine, so open, it almost hurt.

By the time you finished, Bucky looked like he'd stepped straight out of 2014 — but softer, happier.

You admired him from a few steps back, a fond warmth blooming in your chest. "You look perfect, Buck."

He preened a little, flipping a lock of hair over his shoulder. "Damn right."

Just then, the door creaked open.

Sam stuck his head in, mouth already open to say something — and froze.

The look of pure, stunned silence on Sam's face was priceless.

You bit your lip hard to hold back a laugh.

"...No," Sam finally said, deadpan. "No. Absolutely not."

Bucky grinned, pure menace. "Hey, bird boy. You like the new look?"

Sam just shook his head slowly. "You look like a dude who lives in a cave and plays the flute for forest animals."

Bucky tossed his newly long hair dramatically. "Jealousy’s an ugly color on you, Wilson."

"I'm sending this to Torres," Sam said immediately, pulling out his phone.

"Traitor!" Bucky shouted, lunging for him.

You laughed so hard you had to sit down, watching Bucky chase Sam down the hall, towel flying like a cape behind him, hair streaming.

After the chaos died down, you found Bucky sitting in front of the bedroom mirror again, just quietly looking at himself.

Not in the playful way from earlier.

Softer. Sadder.

But not bad.

You walked over slowly and wrapped your arms around him from behind, resting your chin on his shoulder.

He smiled faintly at your reflection.

"You okay, Buck?"

He nodded, his hand coming up to tangle lightly with yours.

"Just... stupid," he said quietly. "Looking at myself like this."

"Not stupid," you murmured.

He shrugged a little. "It reminds me of... when I wasn’t doing so good. Long hair, no plan, no peace. I hated that version of me for a long time."

You pressed a kiss to his temple, squeezing him tighter. "He was doing the best he could. He survived. And he deserved love, too."

Bucky’s shoulders relaxed under your hands, the tension easing out of him slowly.

He met your eyes in the mirror and the look he gave you was pure devotion.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Maybe he did."

You leaned your forehead against his. "Definitely did. Definitely does."

For a moment, you both just stayed there him, you, the soft lamp light, the long, wild hair breathing together, existing without judgment.

And when Bucky finally smiled, really smiled

it was brighter than any version of himself he'd ever worn.

[tmpestuous]

illicit affairs

summary: you’re bucky’s campaign manager. but he wants you all to himself.

pairing: (future)congressman!bucky x campaign manager!reader

warnings: smut (18+, fingering); mentions of anxiety, fluffy if you slightly squint

word count: 3.8k

a/n: i’m back! i’ve decided to make this a miniseries so i don’t have to deal with the commitment of a whole series again yet. this chapter is set before bucky is elected. also, i’ve been so back in my marvel obsession that i’ve expanded on some new york marvel lore that marvel studios clearly won’t do themselves </3 i hope you enjoy! apologies once again for the hiatus!

“Your numbers in the polls are doing much better, leading your opponent by 12 points; early exit polls from early voting are showing a lead of 7 points, and voters seem really ecstatic to vote for you which is a huge turnaround from the beginning of this election cycle.”

Bucky looked at you from his seat at his desk, a hint of admiration behind his gaze as you met your eyes with his. “Is that all?”

You looked back down at your notes, revising them one more time. “For now,” you said while nodding, then returning your attention to Bucky’s stare. Ignoring the heat in your cheeks, you gave him a confident grin. “I think we’re gonna win this.”

“And I,” Bucky started his sentence as he got up and made his way over to stand right in front of you, “couldn���t have done a single bit of it without you.”

Being part of Bucky Barnes’s political campaign for his bid in the U.S. House of Representatives has been nothing short of a whirlwind. It’s not that you’ve ever been apolitical; you’ve actually been quite the opposite given your family’s consistent involvement in politics. Your parents both worked as advisors in different government agencies, your father actually having a stint with SHIELD long before their ultimate demise at the hands of Hydra. 

Nonetheless, your interest in politics never seemed to push you into entering the scene itself. Having the knowledge was great; you were far ahead of your peers in university classes and weren’t susceptible to the growing craze of news outlets in a post-Avengers world. But you never desired to get into politics, much less as the campaign manager to James Buchanan Barnes. His campaign, however, intrigued you from the start.

Many people, especially in New York, do not forget the impact vigilantes and their world have on their lives as civilians. Not all of us are given mutant powers, super soldier serums, or involuntary training to become an assassin. Not all of us have the ability to be Avengers or associated with the like, and unfortunately for New York City, it’s seen days worse than just ugly. When everyone thought the Chitauri invasion was the worst the city could see, half of the population was snapped and turned New York into a ghost town. A once bustling city that indeed never slept, completely silent and left with a void that seemingly couldn’t be replaced. 

Once everyone came back, the world was forced to rebuild. New York’s homeless population was increasing exponentially, crime was on the rise, and the Avengers were nowhere to be found. Of course, you had your solo heroes, like Spider-Man and Daredevil. Then they were seemingly gone too, more preoccupied with what they dealt with outside of their masks and costumes than the looming threats over the city.

As soon as Fisk was predicted to win the election as Mayor, his poll numbers more than indicative of a clear sweep at the voting booth, your hope for the city was dwindling. You knew he meant no good, and having political power would only amplify that. The media seemed to disagree, though in the same vain, trashed Bucky Barnes for thinking he could run for the House. 

It was idiotic, really. A man who had no choice in his past, a man who was pardoned, is out of his depth for thinking he could run for Congress, but the notorious criminal is the answer to the city’s problems. Yeah, fucking right.

From that point, you’d decided to make your attempt at joining Bucky’s campaign. You wanted to do simple canvassing: knocking on doors and spreading the message of Bucky’s campaign. 

You spent about a week and half knocking on doors in the congressional district Bucky was aiming to represent. You’d even convinced maybe two handfuls of people to vote for him, earning praise from the team leads. You quickly became one of the campaign’s most valuable canvassers, but your position only propelled at a meeting with everyone working in the campaign office, Bucky making a rare appearance.

Bucky was never very conversational, clearly a more-than-reserved man, probably running for office to channel his desire to do good in ways other than vigilantism. 

It was no secret that the public’s opinion on vigilantes was mixed, especially in New York. The frontrunner for the mayoral election hates them and he’s killing the polls for crying out loud. But the city never felt as scary when the Avengers were around. Sure, the usual destruction of downtown Manhattan was an insane circumstance to consider for your morning commute. However, you knew you’d most likely make it home at night. If you got into trouble, you could hope that someone was coming. Where is that feeling now?

When talking to the room, Bucky expressed gratitude for everyone’s interest in his campaign. Ultimately, he wasn’t shy to mention the negative attention on his attempt for the House seat, which took you by surprise. 

“They’re not expecting me to win, and, if I’m being honest, I wasn’t expecting to win either.” That earned him a few laughs, but you could tell he was being mostly serious. “I need some help. If anyone wants to offer some ideas, I’m all ears.”

“I think you need to be more relatable!” Someone shouted.

“More fundraising!”

“Have a town hall!”

“Why not just be more of yourself?” You said in a tone loud enough for him to hear and turn his attention to you, but not shouting like everyone else.

“What do you mean?” He asked sincerely.

“The people don’t really know much about you outside of your service alongside Steve Rogers and, of course, your time as… well, the Winter Soldier.” You were honest, which earned you some stares and glares, no one wanting to mention the elephant in the room that didn’t have to be one at all. 

“Go on,” Bucky encouraged.

“It’s either you’re depicted as the past that you’ve worked so hard to make up for,” you alluded to his Winter Soldier days, which he didn’t seem as fazed by as you thought, “or you’re depicted as Steve Rogers’s best friend who faced tragedy during the war. Hell, you could even be depicted as Sam Wilson’s best friend. But the people don’t know you. It’s about relatability, yes, but it’s also humanization. Separating you from what everyone already knows about you. Who is Bucky Barnes? Insert the quote about people wanting to vote for someone they feel they can have a beer with.”

Speechless at (what seemed to be) your clear read on him, his gaze shifted to one of admiration. “You’re hired.”

“I’m sorry?”

“My campaign manager,” he corrected your confusion. “I want it to be you. Come with me to my office.”

After sending everyone back to their desks to finish their tasks for the day, Bucky led you to his office at the campaign headquarters. 

“So you’re telling me you’ve been at this for months and didn’t have a campaign manager?” You asked, an incredulous tone in your voice.

“She quit.”

“Oh.”

He turned to you, his back previously facing you, and leaned on his desk with his hands lightly gripping the ends. The light in his office was dim, but it still bounced off of his metal arm beautifully. You’d always thought the vibranium arm was a better look for him.

“I need to win this election,” Bucky broke the ice. “I think you can help me do that.”

“Well first, we need to fix… that.”

“Fix what?” He asked, his brows furrowed and a clear sass in his tone.

“You’re not really a man of many words.”

“Never have been.”

“I find that hard to believe,” you tested. “Does Sam Wilson get a lot of words out of you?”

He scoffed playfully. “No.”

You stared at him silently, your eyes slightly squinted.

He shook his head, a playfully defeated grin on his face. “Fine. Sometimes.”

With a smirk on your face in return, you pulled out a notepad from your bag. “Let’s channel some of that Bucky, hm?”

From there, you dove headfirst into fixing Bucky’s campaign. Between scheduling fundraisers, charity appearances, town halls, several advertisements (including a hilarious one with Sam endorsing him), and endorsements from current Congresspeople. 

In just a few weeks, Bucky’s campaign had done a complete 180. The media changed their coverage of him entirely, and you did so without compromising his personality and trying to turn him into America’s golden boy, like his previous campaign manager.

“I’m very grateful for you,” Bucky continued. “I don’t know how I’m gonna do it, but—”

“Don’t rush it,” you cut him off. “We still have an election to win and it’s still very early.”

Bucky nodded in understanding. “Something tells me you’re not worried, though.”

“I’m not,” you said, the same smirk from before appearing on your face. “Numbers don’t lie, Barnes.”

————————————————————————————

One Week Until Election Day

There was a line between professional and personal. It was clear. Never mix your professional life with your personal life beyond a reasonable amount. That couldn’t be hard, right?

Except when you’re working with—for Bucky Barnes who’s clearly gotten a bit of his 40s charm back in the last few years. 

You both enjoyed each other’s company. Bucky’s grumpy nature somewhat crumbled near you. Although you couldn’t completely break through it, you loved that part of him. He, on the opposite end, admired your wit, your knowledge and your wisdom that went well beyond your years. You shocked him with so many facts about history and he’s 110. You were a gem, the first person he’d actually opened up to after losing Steve besides Sam. And not once did you ever judge him.

But there was a line. It was clear, but fuck, is it now slowly starting to blur. 

“What are you doing later?” Bucky asked as he hesitantly placed his hands on your waist which you quickly swatted away.

“We’re at work, Bucky,” you warned, your attention still fixed on the list of tasks you needed to complete before Election Day in a week. “Someone could catch us.”

Bucky sat at his desk, loosening his tie. “The day’s over. It’s just you and me.”

“It is never just you and me here,” you corrected. “There are still canvassers and volunteers who have to make their way back to the office and collect their things. I have to hear back from the pollsters for our daily numbers, specifically from early exit polls, and then get in contact with media coordination to make sure that nobody’s pulled a quick one on you. I also need you to approve the last batch of ads to go out this week. It’s crunch time.”

“You’re insanely hot when you boss me around,” Bucky said as he undid the top button of his dress shirt, earning him an annoyed glare from you that he chuckled at. “I’m messing with you, although I wasn’t lying. You are gorgeous.”

“I’m flattered,” you said sarcastically. “I also don’t have any plans for tonight, to answer your question. It is a Tuesday.”

Bucky didn’t say anything as he studied your presence, soaking it all in. The furrow of your brows as you studied your to-do list, the way you bit the inside of your cheek absentmindedly whenever you were focused. 

He wasn’t lying. You are beautiful. Every piece of you.

Messing around with his campaign manager has the potential to raise so many alarm bells. After finally having the media and general public on his side—a result of your efforts—he couldn’t risk it. 

But the line was so easy to cross. 

Nothing had necessarily been romantic between the two of you, but you had gotten pretty damn close. 

There was a graze of each other’s hands, a gaze into each other’s eyes that lasted longer than it needed to, and a subtle glance at each other’s lips. There were late nights in the office, with takeout from Bucky’s favorite Chinese place and anecdotes from each other’s lives. There was a shared comfort between you that not only made you both feel at home, but a magnetic pull that was near impossible to ignore or fight. 

“No response, huh?” You turned your attention to Bucky, who you found staring at you. “Not even a slick remark? One of those sarcastic, grumpy quips of yours?”

“I am not grumpy,” he retorted.

“Could’ve fooled me,” you said with a giggle. God, he loved this side of you. “What are your plans for tonight?”

“Um,” he shrugged, moving his gaze to the traffic outside the window. “I don’t know. My campaign manager yelled at me about approving some ads.”

“I didn’t yell,” you defended yourself, moving to the other side of the desk where Bucky was. Sitting on the desk, you stared at the man to your right. “Why’d you decide to run?”

“Surprised it took you this long to ask,” he said, his head turning away from the window.

“My job doesn’t entail prying for unnecessary information,” you shrugged. “Just curious.”

Bucky chuckled, flashing that beautiful grin of his.

His decision to make a move for office was an amalgamation of things. After Sam had officially taken on the mantle of Captain America, Bucky had settled into more of civilian life. It was weird, not having a mission to accomplish. After fighting for several decades, being a regular person almost bothered him. 

Antsy, was how he described it to Sam, who had offered him tons of help that Bucky never took. He felt bad trying to get some work from his friend, though Sam never minded. With all of the resources at his disposal, he knew Bucky would be of great assistance. The brooding brunette, however, felt that maybe he needed to change his direction.

Eventually, seeing the struggles of the people in his neighborhood made him want a more grounded approach. There isn’t much help in the city since the Avengers have been gone, but fighting the bad guys with his fists was something Bucky wasn’t trying to do. Seeing Sam with government resources also gave him the idea, but searching for a different form of access. He can help the people in a non-destructive way, feeling better about himself and fighting the good fight.

“Needed a different approach to help people,” he admitted after gathering his thoughts. 

“Vigilante life not enough?”

“I never really considered myself a vigilante,” Bucky shrugged. “Didn’t do much work after the words were out of my head.”

“Didn’t you help Captain America stop the whole Flag Smashers thing?”

“I give him the credit for it,” he said sincerely. “He was meant to be a hero. Meant to have the shield.”

“You’re a hero too, you know,” you assured, offering Bucky a soft smile. “You just have different fights. Different paths, too.”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah. Maybe.”

Sam did have a different fight, but he’s built for it. Bucky was finally starting to be more forgiving of himself—of his past—and in a much better state of mind than years prior. He just didn’t need to fight with his hands. He didn’t need to create any more possibilities of destruction and violence. He wanted to help people in a way that felt more valuable. This was it.

————————————————————————————

Election Night

The polls close in an hour and a half, and Bucky’s leading by a decent margin to keep your (and his) anxiety at bay. 

It was at the point in the evening where all everyone could do was wait. Everyone who’s worked on this campaign has dedicated countless hours to pushing Bucky’s message. Though he is still not a man of many words, people weirdly admired him. The advertising did its job. 

Getting Bucky elected didn’t mean changing him. It didn’t mean forcing him to become a talkative extrovert that he was most certainly not. There was plenty to work with, and from the looks of it, success was in the cards. 

You looked over to Bucky through the doorway to his office. His eyes were glued to the computer screen, his usual contemplative stare adorning his face once again. Everyone had voted early in the morning when the polls had just opened, including Bucky. Since then, it’s been a waiting game.

“Feels weird voting for the first time in decades.”

After walking out of the voting location together, Bucky took you to get some breakfast at his favorite cafe.

“Who was the last person you voted for?” You said after taking a small sip of your coffee.

“Um,” he thought for a second. “Yeah. Roosevelt, 1944. Not even sure if my ballot counted during the war, but I filled it out.”

“That’s so crazy,” you giggled.

“What?”

“You voted for fucking FDR,” you exclaimed in a whisper, almost like a secret. “That’s so crazy to think of.”

Bucky chuckled, taking a sip of his own coffee with a roll of his eyes.

He was hiding it better this morning, but Bucky’s anxiety was almost palpable. He wasn’t anxious about winning, oddly enough. Sam had called him in the morning to wish him luck, not without a quick joke about him having to talk about more people. Bucky quieted his best friend’s contagious laughter with a confident voice, one he’d recently found with this campaign and your help. 

He knew he had this election in his pocket. It was a weird feeling, such confidence in himself. He was probably the biggest pessimist he knew, yet he felt a sense of serenity. 

The anxiety came with the waiting, the analysis of what kind of representative he’d be, what things he’d accomplish. Oh, and actually doing the fucking job.

What if his constituents ended up hating him, or protesting against him, or cussing him out in a town hall? He doesn’t do well with people, even though he had convinced himself he could become more talkative, more likeable. You had convinced him of that. Without wanting to change him, you helped him feel better about himself and what you called his ‘marketability’. 

And now he was going to win. Because of you.

“If you stare at that computer screen any longer, you might actually burn a hole through it.”

Bucky quickly looked up at you, a cocky grin on your face while you stood in the doorway with your arms crossed on your chest. 

“This is excruciating,” Bucky shut the computer, a grimace on his face.

“What happened to feeling good about today?” You said, closing his office door.

“I think I overestimated myself,” Bucky shook his head. “What if I’m not right for this at all?”

“You told me you were running because you wanted to help people,” you took a seat on the same spot of his desk where you were when you had said conversation. “That’s better than almost all people who run these days. Everything is about some kind of agenda that is self-serving and ends up hurting people more than helping them. You want to help them directly, even when you already have all of the means to do it. That’s more than enough to be right for it.”

“Shit, maybe you should have been the candidate.”

You giggled. “Shut up. You’ve got this. I know it.”

Staring at each other for a moment, Bucky placed his metal hand on yours. This was as far as you’d ever gone, neither of you initiating contact that clearly meant more than what meets the eye. 

“I meant it when I said I couldn’t have done this without you,” Bucky stood from his seat to stand right in front of you, his face mere inches from yours. “I probably would’ve dropped out by now.”

You smirked again, shaking your head. “I don’t think Sam would let you live that one down.”

“You’re right, and I hate when he’s right.”

Another brief pause, letting you get lost in each other’s eyes for a moment before you let yours drift to the clock in the corner of the room.

“Polls close in 20 minutes,” you said, but Bucky could only stare at your lips. 

Deciding he couldn’t wait any longer, he cupped your face in his hands, grabbing your attention.

“Is this okay?” He asked without hesitation, searching for a glimpse of rejection in your eyes, like he was expecting it.

Taking a quick glance at his lips before returning your gaze to his ocean-colored eyes, you gave him a quick nod. “It’s okay.”

Every late night, private one-on-one meetings to debrief events, planning Bucky’s appearances, Bucky learning all of your work habits, and each shared anecdote that only brought you closer. 

That line between professional and personal—there was no line anymore. Fuck the stupid fucking line.

Closing the short gap between you, Bucky planted his lips on yours, kissing you with a longing passion that both of you recognized had been brewing over the course of this campaign.

Bucky quickly undid the button and zipper of your slacks, he didn’t think he’d find fucking slacks attractive. Swiftly sliding his right hand past your underwear and rubbing circles on your clit, Bucky moved his kisses from your mouth to across your jaw and down your neck. You let out hard exhales, trying not to moan with the entire campaign staff right outside.

Bucky lifted his head to look down at you, then resting his forehead against yours as he proudly watched you squirm on his hand. You bit down on your lip as he slid two fingers inside of you, whimpering softly as you tried not to make much noise, but couldn’t stifle your pleasure any longer.

“Fuck, look at you falling apart for me,” Bucky whispered, his fingers getting faster with each thrust. “This is only my first thank-you, sweet girl. You deserve even more than this but I can’t feel those sweet walls around my cock with everyone outside, hm? So this’ll do, right?”

“Fuck yes, Bucky,” you moaned out, the sultry tone of his voice only pushing you toward your climax. “I’m so close.”

“Cum for me, baby,” he said before he kissed you again, curling his fingers inside of you, quickly making you shudder in pleasure as he helped you ride out your orgasm. “You’re so pretty.”

“Holy shit,” you breathed out after coming down from your high, Bucky retreating his fingers and licking them in front of you. “You’re a vice.”

He chuckled, just as everyone erupted in cheers outside. Bucky quickly opened up his computer, typing his password in while you buttoned and zipped up your pants. His last opened tab was one tracking the election results, and with polls closing in less than 10 minutes, the outlets were already making their conclusions.

Projected Winner — 10th Congressional District of New York: James Barnes

You smiled at the screen before looking at Bucky, who stared at the same screen in disbelief.

“We actually did it.”

You turned his face towards yours, planting another soft kiss on his lips.

“Congratulations, Congressman Barnes.”

—

A/N: stay on the lookout for the second and third part (while bucky is in congress and when he is out of congress — iykyk). i hope you enjoyed!

[modmad]

Hi!! Re: where to get corsets, corsetstory has a pretty wide selection, and the ones that are rated high for disguiseablity and comfort are a great choice for a first corset.

They are mass produced, so when you've got an idea of what's comfortable for you style wise (i prefer strapless over-bust full length ones) then you could look into getting one custom made. Etsy has a lot of folks who take comms, or I met some incredible seamstresses at a ren faire who took custom orders.

Just keep in mind that anything with a zipper isn't gonna be as easy to fit properly as something lace based. Front clasps are okay tho! Front and back lacing offers the most customiseablity, but it's not always ideal to have to do your laces every time you put it on.

Ive had a simple front clasp one from corsetstory for several years now, and it has conformed to my shape so well I don't need to unlace it to get it on

oh that's super interesting! also the second rec for that place so consider me sold. if anyone else has advice on corsets or how to find out what fit is right for a bendy body please add it in the comments I'm seriously looking into this as a helath aid

[muletia]

ok this is really long, I'm sorry. so I remembered someone had an idea for the reader in the merformer au to be "rescued" so imagine they're taken from Optimus and their guppy. so they escape from people interested in how they changed to being more mer like from the bonding. and now they're like Odysseus spending the next few years fighting to get back to their wife, optimus. the reader runs into other mers and maybe some of them are interested in them? the reader isn't fully aquatic but has some enhanced strength from the bond changing them so they can actually stand a chance against them bc we know they would get demolished as a full human lol. maybe Megatron is like Poseidon, chasing the reader as they try to avoid him. at first he's going after them bc they mention being close with Optimus and he's like "oh I could kill them or kidnap them to use it against him". then seeing the reader's ferocity, is like "oh damn, I'm keeping them for myself". then starscream is circle, he hears about Megan's interest in the reader and wants to keep his trine safe from the human, so he tries to fight the reader but loses so he goes fuck it, I can take them, just not in a fight and tries to rizz the reader up, but like Ody in There Are Other Ways, they just go "no I can't... ugh I miss my wife, it's been so long since I've seen him and I love him so much ❤️❤️" he's like "ew that's disgusting but ig I'll kinda help since it'll piss off Megatron". so he gives u some vague directions for how to find the og mer island since that's where Optimus was at. back there maybe ratchet is trying to encourage Optimus to leave and bring the guppy to a new pod, since it looks like you won't be coming back and the guppy shouldn't be isolated to this island with a depressed sire. Optimus is super against it and he knows you'll come back to him and your baby. cut back to the reader, what are they up to, uh oh looks like they're being held captive by coral snake naga knockout. he's Calypso, a naga that lost his mate and was stranded on an island after being washed too far out to sea in a storm. he's desperate for attention and becomes obsessively attached to the reader. so after months of barely being able to get a moment alone, they secretly make a raft and pull an Appetite and make a run for it. sorry KO. they finally are within sight of the island and boom, Megs pulls up like sike bitch. so they have a big confrontation and maybe the reader beats him some and gets it across to him that they will never be with him. if he took them they'd fight every second of the way. so he maybe has some respect for this warrior and leaves them to go home. when they're home they have a Would You Fall In Love With Me Again moment where they apologize for being gone for like 5 years maybe? definitely not 20 like the Odyssey, but a good amount of time and I don't think optimus would survive a decade or more lmao. Optimus would ofc forgive them and says he'd always loved them. then they're a happy family. I just think we should have a full spectrum of reader: moron to badass

-💕

Average Tuesday in an x reader land

No, but this is genuinely great! It’s hard for me to add much, since I’m not too familiar with the source material, but I really love the concept of Optimus as your waiting wife hehe

Oh, I can totally imagine how, once you finally return to him, he kisses every single inch of your face and refuses to let go of you for the next few weeks. You’re completely grounded trapped between his torso, your little guppy, and Optimus’s arm

[tobiasdrake]

What do you think of the consorts in Apothcary diaries, as characters? The five big ones, specifically.

I'm a few episodes behind on Apothecary and need to get caught up, so if we've recently learned important details about Loulan, I don't know what they are. ^_^;;

But. Well.

I can't in good conscience say that the concubines are the best part of the show. The best part of the show is going on detective mystery adventures with eccentric genius Maomao.

But the concubines and the politics of the Rear Palace are a close second.

Boring answer but my #1 favorite is, of course:

How can you not love Gyokuyou? She's the best. She's kindhearted but sassy, open-minded and supportive of Maomao, and interested in the goings-on of the plot. She provides the foundation from which Maomao's able to go off and have these adventures despite a lack of status or influence.

I feel so bad for Lishu every time she's onscreen. The show goes to great lengths to assure us that this literal child given to the emperor as a political bargaining chip is not being taken sexual advantage of. But the recurring plot point is that she's constantly being tricked, mistreated, and emotionally abused by her spiteful Ladies-in-Waiting who just seem to fucking hate her guts.

She's not even, like, a spoiled little shit whose entitlement and cruelty might warrant such behavior. She's a sweetheart. They're just mean.

If Maomao ever has to leave Gyokuyou's service for some stupid reason again like in the second half of season 1, I hope she joins Lishu's court. She's literally the only person who's actually nice to this poor child living in a frankly horrifying situation.

I was expecting Lihua to be. Like. The rival to Maomao and Gyokuyou. The "Bad Guy" concubine opposite Gyokuyou's "Good Guy" concubine. It genuinely surprised me when she turned out to be an interesting three-dimensional character instead.

But she did! And she's great!

So far, she isn't super important to the plot. But the fact that she's kind of superfluous is actually a part of her drama. Gyokuyou is the concubine that has the Emperor's favor and for good reason because Gyokuyou is awesome. But that leaves Lihua having to be the runner-up, and you can feel how that weighs on her.

Also her incompetent Ladies-in-Waiting keep accidentally murdering her. Somehow Lihua's malicious and predatory Ladies-in-Waiting are only the second-worst set in the Rear Palace.

And then there's Ah-Duo. I kinda wish Ah-Duo had stuck around. She's plot-critical in a way that the other three aren't necessarily, in that she's a key piece of the puzzle surrounding Jinshi's true identity who is directly tied into the main story for the first half of season 1.

So I know who she is in Critical Plot Point terms, but I don't feel like I've got as good a bead on who she is in the day-to-day of living in the Rear Palace. At least, not to the extent that I have for the other three.

She's been replaced by Loulan by this point, but I also don't have a great bead on who Loulan is other than "foreigner" and "extravagant things". Like Ah-Duo, it kinda feels like Loulan's hanging back and refraining from being a character so she can burst in and suddenly be a plot point at some point before probably fucking off too.

[mooshlovely]

Nein Again Episode 14

A little late on this one cause I was busy graduating lol

"You're like a bad penny" Caleb's disinterest and vague dislike of Yasha is so funny to me (16)

Molly: "I'll explain later" You mean you will explain that you can't explain (17)

To Molly's credit, he does do a good job of both gaining information and hiding how little he actually knows with Cree

Why the fuck does the Gentleman know about them? They haven't really done anything to gain a reputation, unless Kara talked about them (29) Oh it was the spider in the sewers AND Kara

I love Beau continuing to throw Demedan under the bus. It's a great cover story and also unnecessarily continues to fuck him over (30) Again, I would love to know all the ways Demedan's life suddenly implodes

Fjord is being so ballsy taking the bet with the gentlemen and its very attractive (35) Also Caleb's face when he says 'deal', very much a 'the fuck are you doing'

Fjord is being so hot here. That sly grin when he says "Don't you want to bet again?"

This is also another situation where Fjord unconsciously takes the spotlight for the group. Not necessarily acting as the leader but definitely acting as the voice of the group

Nott is so bold for this, I love it so much. It's a great idea for a test and even just demanding him pass a test in return is perfect. Also the Gentleman's response is equally ballsy and impressive. Still can't believe he just straight up drank acid (49)

Beau: "Are you scared of geometry?" (1:01)

"the city" OH you mean the FLESH CITY (1:05)

" 'I watched you walk on water' kind of into you" Beau describing Cree's reaction to Molly. Honestly that is a super accurate description of their relationship. Beau is scarily perceptive sometimes (all the time) (1:11)

Molly to Nott: "Why do you need to know so many things?" Actually its more interesting that Molly doesn't want to know things. Everyone else in this group is so fucking nosey (1:12)

Oh Nott is hardcore projecting right now. Everything about being transformed and losing the life he had before, except Molly wants nothing to do with it and Nott would do anything to get back to hers (2:08)

Similarly, I forgot that Beau has super big reasons for hating fortune tellers that she projects onto Molly

[absolutebl]

hello!! I was wondering if you knew or had any recommendations of thai bls from 2024-2025 where the acting is good, isn't super cliche, or kind of cringe or over the top with the humor, and actually has a very interesting plot! I've been been struggling to really find anything good from Thailand and have completely strayed away from the whole country when finding a bl. It's extremely oversaturated and super difficult to find something that doesn't immediately make me roll my eyes! please help!!

Prestige Thai BLs from 2024-2025

Requirements: Good acting, low cringe, low slapstick comedy, interesting plot (that last one is nearly impossible in Thailand but I'll see what I can dig up.)

My Stand-In

iQIYI

Adaptation of Chinese novel Professional Body Double by Shui Qiang Cheng. Stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please) directed by the same team as KinnPorsche. Stuntman Joe dies on the job and wakes up in the body of another Joe with an entirely different life. But Joe just starts repeating the mistakes of his previous self - love, work, play. I enjoyed the experience of watching this show, I looked forward to it every week. I thought everybody did a great job with it and in it, and I liked that is was something substantially different for Thai BL. But I’m not sure I'll rewatch it or if it's bingeable. Still, I would recommend it, if you enjoy your BL more cerebral, with complicated unlikable love interests, and a downtrodden sympathetic lead. Is it, perhaps, more JBL that ThBL? Am I biased because it's a Thai production and I had expectations? What magical carnage could Japan have done with this IP? I'm left with questions, but I'm ultimately glad I watched this.

This one has an interesting plot and premise and great acting. Like really very good. There is no cringe or slapstick, if anything it takes itself too seriously. For me the issue was unlikable characters, but you didn't site that as a possible down side, so... have at.

Cherry Magic

grey

A soft charming warm hug of a show about crushes and mind reading and self worth that really worked for me. With no-fuss execution from a consummate team (at GMMTV) and an OG lead pair (proving why they remain eternal and deserve to grow up). Look, here’s the thing, Cherry Magic is a great Thai BL in its own right - not comparing it to any other iteration. But even when I do compare (and I've seen all the Cherries and read the manga) it stands strong. I, personally, like the Thai BL slightly better than the Japanese live action yaoi, but I think that’s because I just really enjoy Thai BL's style and I LOVE TayNew. Also all the kissing was both present and better in this version. As it should be from Thailand.

There is a little comedy and some silliness but it's a bit more Japanese style. Still if you don't like romcoms at all, you won't like this.

ThamePo

The boyband idol romance I've been waiting for from Korea, only Thailand did it instead. Quintessentially Thai and very GMMTV with good production values, great chemistry, and a solid support cast. It also was a hung romance mostly driven by external conflict and a found family reunion trope so I didn’t mind (too much) when that romance thread felt secondary. I loved it (except, of course, the singing).

There is a refined purpose and focus to this show that gives it an almost Korean feel which I why I think you might like it.

The following are suggested with reservations, try the first ep and if it doesn't work than don't bother:

The Heart Killers

Jojo directs this action romcom about assassin brothers (Khao & Joong) meets tattoo artist ex-booster (First) and very flirty mechanic (Dunk) conmen. I dithered over how to rate this. It felt like an 8 show wearing a 9’s britches. There were dropped threads, forgotten characters, and unfinished plot lines even with a particularly long run time. But it was fun (when one applies no expectations or logic) and I enjoyed the wildly unhinged relationships and, weirdly, music. I mean nobody claimed that we needed Taming of the Shrew only with gay Thai hitman, but we really needed it. And no one asked for Petruchio as the gayest brat ever to strut his perfect skin and copped-top across our screen, and yet we loved him for it. Sure it didn’t make sense, was utterly absurd, but it was terribly earnest and sexy about it. IN the end this goes hand-in-hand with all these other absurd crime pieces we’ve been getting since KP, and frankly I like this one the best from Thailand so far.

This might be a bit frantic for you but the acting and chemistry are pretty great.

Century of Love

Gaga

This is a very pretty drama about a young man who fell in love with a nice girl 100 years ago, and when she died in his arms, he was cursed to live until he could meet her reborn self. Only this time around, she’s reborn into the body of a man. Or is she? I love it when Thailand gets all up in its own historical business and reincarnation and shizz. Daou’s wushu is snazzy and we got a unique meet cute. (Erm… Remeet cute? Meet cute 2.0?) Ultimately, this is I Feel You Linger in the Air + First Love Again, rather than (as one might expect) Until We Meet Again or The Director Who Buys Me Dinner. The leads turned in great performances, although Daou outclassed everybody else on that screen.

It’s a good story (even plot) and a great BL and I can’t find any major faults with it beyond a certain level of camp that is sadly endemic to lakorns. Also I’m going to give it credit as the kind of BL that one could safely recommend to lovers of melodrama and historical romance, without having to qualify it as “good for a BL.” It was, to put it succinctly, a VERY ENJOYABLE show. 

Wandee Goodday

A charming quintessentially modern Thai BL about a doctor and a boxer who start as a one night stand and then fall in love. Great rep for everything from Muay Thai, to safe sex, to FUN sex, to ace, to bisexuality, to smiley kisses, to the first legal gay wedding in a Thai BL. It’s a delight and I enjoyed (almost) every single moment of it. With out question it's best traits are active positive representations of green flag boys, communication, and grown-up relationships but the chemistry is on point too. Highly recommended as one of 2024's best pick-me-ups.

This one may be a bit romcom for you, and the plot isn't particularly unique, but honestly if this doesn't work for you, it might simply be that most Thai BLs just never will.

And that's all I got.

There's better stuff further back in time, but you were strict on the years so I am sticking to them.

[wings-of-ink]

Status Report and things to come...

Hello all! I wanted to check in and give some updates and links and all that jazz.

Things are cooking! I'll probably be fairly quiet off and on in the next month or so, but that will change. I just have a lot of stuff to do and get through before I'm at a stage where I can unleash hell. I am also planning on opening up asks more after I get adjusted (perhaps mid July).

The last couple of weeks were super busy for my personal life. Nothing terrible, just a lot of things all at once that needed to be done ASAP. There isn't much news on the production front, other than the May subscriber extras were posted today. The spicy one features male Rune and a new MC customization which I am testing for implementation into the the main game. The side story features a gender selectable Rune but is a fairly streamline cute story. Links are at the bottom if you are interested!

As I said before, I'll be kicking up another project as soon as time allows this season. And I've had an idea...

Subscribers this month also got access to what was essentially a prologue for another IF. If you've been kicking around a bit, I did a poll a while back where I spun different ideas and everyone voted for their favorites. Number 1 stole the show, but all ideas had an outpouring of support. The prologue mentioned is actually for #3. I started writing it just for fun to play with how that IF could start (I was in a mood, lol). I got some good feedback on it, so then I got another idea.

I think I want to do this for each of the new project ideas that I have and want to run with. Writing an intro for them will help me form them in my mind and give them some life and structure. As I get these done, subscribers will have the first crack at them, but they'll eventually go public. And then...then we vote. This gives me a chance to know if I am just not going to enjoy one idea or the another and such, and it gives you a chance to sample new stories to see what interests you the most in practice.

I will be doing one for each story idea from the poll PLUS one more. They will be very plain. Using no templates and just super basic coding to give the idea and feel of the actual project. The pretty stuff will come later. I don't know how long they will be. My guess is from 6k-10k words. I will work on them when I can but for the rest of May and all of June, Chapter 6 of GC is my priority. I would really like to have it done soon. This year has been obnoxiously busy so far, but things are going to slow down soon so my schedule opens up more.

Also to come are more character portraits! Subscribers get the first look and then a week later, they will go public. I'm a bit behind on that, and will have some super secret art to post after this!

Other than that - I'm hanging in there, I see some things in my Tumblr inbox I will get to soon, my shoulder is the same and I'm still doing therapy, and my kitty cats are great!

That's all for now! Take care!

~Lunan ^_^

Patreon

Ko-fi

[wetchickenbreast]

when i was 16 my parents took me and my sisters to watch a bunch of wolves tear apart and eat a deer and i think that says a lot about why i am the way that i am

[pushing500]

Everyone say hello to the Jones Boys' new dog, Othello! He's a very big boy, and I love him ❤️

After we got Othello, a stranger showed up to hang out. If Mechi has anything to say about it, he probably won't be here for long.

YES!!! Finally!!! The first piece of the puzzle!! Time to scrounge up whatever social skills we can and make friends with Wasbum. We have to get that map piece!

First | Next | Previous

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Asunder

slow-paced high fantasy

a woman who has a contract with an eldritch entity allowing her to see the dead & survives by taking various jobs

when a job searching for stranded smugglers in a cave goes wrong, she ends up with the soul of a dying stranger bound to her shadow

along with a scholar and her old childhood friend, they travel to his home country to find a way to unbind him and save them both

dark fantasy world with gods, demonic entities, arcane magic, and semi-sentient beasts used as transport

[gumy-shark]

Gunty you are a stmysten? System? Am I ignorant for not having known this or has it just not come up often enough. If ignorant, sorry guys.

don’t worry, you’re good! i don’t really display it anywhere, since if an alter wants to be known they’ll usually just say so. (and also bc the gumybrain’s been very quiet in the absence of Huge Everpresent Debilitating Stress). but yeah we’re guys!!

[lemurballing]

the problem with tangle is she was written as an s tier character out of the gate, so you can’t really give her a character arc. she’s at the peak. you have to make her worse in order to make her better

[mizutoyama]

Book haul from the Salon du livre de Montréal!