#jokes aside I'm really thrilled about it

[crustaceousfaggot]

Being a transmasc opera singer is like. Hello sir how would you like to be typecast for all the roles that were initially written for prepubescent boys and castrated men

[p4p4y4princess]

Every time I go on tiktok, I just get angry. Like I've not mentioned the hate after Brazil as a Lando supporter because I choose to tune it out because I'm unwell myself and can't handle the stress of worrying about a man who doesn't know about me, parasocial relationships aside, I do not know this man but I do know what the women and fem presenting people in the F1 fandom go through.

It's not just the "What's DRS then?" joke. It's the sarcasm and snarky comments on every Lando or Carlos or Charles or Oscar (or anyone really) supporter who happens to be a girl's posts. It's the bullying of TEENAGERS by grown men for finding a celebrity attractive or entertaining. When men lust over the WAGs, when the tabloids reported on drivers groping women in the backs of cars and spraying champagne up grid girls' skirts: it gets continuously brushed under the rug because there will always be the power imbalance and a sexist angle in every aspect of this sport because if a woman opens her mouth about liking a driver, she's ruining the sport but when Ayrton Senna dated a 15 year old girl, he was a hero and a different time.

I think of Rush as a film so often and that Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt said that it's not the driving that gets girls to like the drivers, it's the thrill of it all which I think has some weight to it while misogynistic but there's only so much grace you can give James Hunt in this conversation. We look at drivers of the past and those who have grown with decorum and not acted like a fool whilst in Formula 1 or post retirement as this shining light of movement in the F1 world. Seb Vettel was objectively a little shit when he was at RB and look what a shining example he is now, there's room for change, kindness and learning in a sport like this.

We all get used to this misogyny at times, we take the blows given out for having an interest, we get reminded of our places in society in a patriarchy like F1 and we do it because we want that morsel of respect. We fall to it sometimes, personally I've seen multiple girls and fem presenting people make the joke of "why are we sexualizing the drivers?" "why do you have to make everything weird?" May it be the constant willingness to shrink ourselves into the background and be the ones who don't cause a fuss or make our excitement the loudest but if you are in that either end of that situation, I see you and I hear you. You are allowed to be happy. You are allowed to be as loud and as proud as you want to be about your favourite drivers and teams. Defend that shit with your life if that is your joy, do not let anyone take that from you but understand every action has a reaction and if you have a disdain for your fellow girl, please ask yourself why.

The girls are in the academies, baby girls are growing up in garages and in front of TV's in awe of fast, brightly coloured cars, freshly 18 year old women are becoming motorsports students and interning on go-kart tracks and mechanics. Let's not crush their dreams by letting misogyny no matter how miniscule win.

[moongumi]

⁀➷ ∵  ❝is it pure jealousy?⁰¹❞

⟶ ghost can't feel normal about his best mate all over a shadow

⟶ ghost x reader/oc x soap

⟶ cw. not much, just lusting, manipulation, graves (he's his own warning but i love him <3), lip-locking, ghost is so jealous, he wants reader so badly.

⟶ note. written in one go, will correct mistakes later but i've just been thinkin' about continuing this series in like short bits before making a big story as i'm focusing on adler x bell rn

who would’ve thought that soap would get close to a shadow. and who would’ve thought the person sitting alone with a stinking look on his face would be ghost.

no one can see the way he balls his hands into fists, the way he blows more air out of his nostrils and his eyes locked onto them. who’s them? soap and a shadow.

on the cargo plane back from their mission soap is all over her. giggling and pulling his best jokes out on the damn girl. she stands leaning against the walls of the plane, nodding her head along. ghost can’t see what shes thinking, he can’t even make out what she’s saying–her mask covers her whole goddamn face. he could only see the eyes, those doe eyes just begging for attention.

her mask, similarly to his in fact–but with fangs it seems. shadows do enjoy drawing unnecessary blood. soap would know this but apparently he can look past it for a pretty girl. ghost feels anger, but he doesn’t really know what the root cause was.

price wasn’t thrilled to be working with graves but as graves puts it ‘let's set our differences aside and stay professional’. soap seems to get the memo.

it’s when she leans towards soap, her hands brushing against his arm–the rolled up sleeves, her fingers dancing on his bare skin. she moves slowly up his arm towards the flag attached, she might’ve asked, ‘you english?’ and soap shakes his head, laughing about it.

“no love, can’t ya’ tell by the accent? i’m a scot,” he explains.

she rolls her eyes, smacking herself on the head like an idiot, “duh, i'm stupid, as you can tell I don’t get around much.”

“you're not stupid," soap flirts with her, "not to worry, at least i’m the first scotsman you’ve ever met.”

he might’ve been or he might’ve not. ghost can’t tell if she was lying to merely butter him up. she seemed like the type to manipulate and lure men into her grasp, just as she’s doing with soap. poor johnny, ghost thought to himself. ghost knew better than to trust a shadow.

the next few days after was as normal as could get. off duty the task force would hop around pubs in the evenings after spending their days cooling off.

today, they were at a bar. the whole squad but soap, soap just had to invite her. with the invitation to her, he never expressed it was limited to her only. many shadows came to a small english bar in the north, at least they owners got good business that night with graves buying rounds all night.

she took her coat off. as a girl not used to the english cold her cheeks are all flushed, not the mention the drinks she had made her cheeks rosy.

her shirt tight, that skirt too. she leans over the bar as soap attempts to buy more drinks for the table, just before that he was venting about a ruined date.

“i didn’t think she would invite graves and well fuckin’ hell, graves brought the entire battalion.” 

ghost looked at his friend and rolled his eyes. “should’ve been more specific.” or rather not invited her at all, at least ghost wouldn’t have to sit across from price and gaze with that look on his face. that look that was so easy to read.

the bar is dark, so damn dark he can’t even make it her face properly. she didn’t have her mask on. he knows johnny gets a good look at her, at that pretty fucking face.

“you don’t even know what she looks like,” gaz says.

ghost didn’t realise that it was directed to him, he did a double take until deciding to take offence. “the fuck you on about?”

“the girl, soap and you–a shadow too…good luck with that.” is all gaz says before he chugs his stella as if for ghost’s sake.

price sighs, drinking his guinness. “i’d just warn ya’, but you probably know what yer’ in for with that.” he nods his head towards soap and the girl. he then laughs along with gaz at the situation.

ghost finally looks back and his blood boils at the sight. his hands over her waist, landing perfectly over the curve of her ass. anyone could tell that girl worked out and was build like a fucking god. the shocking difference in width could make anyone’s mouth water.

he sees soaps hand grip her waist tightly drawing her closer. the girl chuckles, ghost can only see the moisture on her lips being lit up by the strobe lights. she says a few things to him, then backs up.

her eyes are bright and she draws closer to soap. the man across from her wastes no time in attaching his lips to hers, angling his head to deepen the kiss already.

ghost can feel the confusion in him, the anger, the desperation. the way her tongue slips between the corner of soaps’ lips to taste him. soap holds her tightly against him, if they weren’t wearing clothes it would look like they were already fucking eachother.

her hand grips his bicep as it flexes when he’d dive into her. her other hand against soaps’ cheek as if guiding him.

ghost felt like a red bull, angry and hot. but it seems he isn’t the only one angry.

“good fuckin’ god. price, who let your dog get his dirty mitts on one of my shadows, huh?” grave’s voice echos into ghost’s head, the drawn out southern accent and the mockery of it all. the mockery of the situation that ghost desperately wanted to be in, the fucking burning feeling that held onto him all night…jealousy.

[dreamonseems]

Rough sex and after care erling Haaland

Reminder

Erling Haaland X Female Reader

Summary: Ering and reader have a intense night and he takes care of her after.

⚠️ Warning: Smut!!!

Omg thanks for this it's my first ask, and I'm so excited. Hopefully, you like it, and it's not shit but if it is, tell me, please, lol

If anyone else wants to do requests please don't be afraid to I'll try my best to get it done.

Erling and Y/N arrived at the gala, which was hosted by a sponsor for the team, so Erling had to attend. He wasn't thrilled about having to talk to all these people, but he was happy that Y/N was there to support him.

She looked beautiful in her long dress that hugged her figure, and even in heels, she was so cute and small compared to him. As soon as they arrived, Erling was being introduced to all these different people who bombarded him with a load of questions. Erling's face already looked sour, and she noticed it. She pulled him aside and gave him a little pep talk to improve his mood.

"Smile a little. I know we don't want to be here, but let's enjoy it a little. Think about it: free food and drinks, and you get to dance with me," she said, trying to encourage him. Erling huffed and agreed, giving her a little kiss before continuing on to their table.

Luckily, Jack Grealish was sitting at their table, so Erling had some extra entertainment. He was a good buddy of Erling, and he always made Erling laugh. The night was actually going okay. They ate and laughed, and now he was dancing with his beautiful girlfriend.

Erling was actually having somewhat of a good time. When they finished their dance, they headed to the bar to get a drink when a guy approached them.

He was a business executive guy who was pretty tall, but not as tall as Erling's 6'5 height. He introduced himself and said he was a big fan of Erling's and started talking football with him.

But after a while, the guy turned to Y/N and apologized for not introducing himself to her. He said he was a little starstruck when he saw Erling. She laughed but said she understood. Erling introduced her, and the guy reached his hand out to shake her hand, but the way his hand lingered on hers made Erling uncomfortable.

Erling pulled her by the waist closer to him, and she noticed how he was putting his protective walls up. She noticed how he was getting jealous, so she decided to play with this new information.

For some reason, this guy just wouldn't leave them alone. He kept talking to them, and Y/N was talking back so much that Erling was getting so irritated with the way she was acting with this guy.

She even laughed at his jokes. Erling was really dumbfounded with what was happening in front of him. At one point, Y/N excused herself to go to the bathroom.

The guy stepped aside to let her pass, and she tapped his arm to say thank you for moving for her. She turned to Erling while she did it, and Erling then noticed the gleam of mischief in her eyes.

Finally, it struck Erling that she was doing this on purpose to mess with him. She wanted the beast to come out, the Viking to come out and play, and oh, was he coming out. Erling had enough.

He decided to wait outside of the washroom for her to finish. When she stepped out, Erling was quick on his feet, and she didn't even see him coming. He had her pressed against the wall in a second, his hand around her neck, and he squeezed gently. She gasped in surprise but then hummed in satisfaction when she noticed her boyfriend in front of her.

"Do I need to teach you a lesson tonight, baby?" he said, giving her another gentle squeeze.

"A lesson for what?" she challenged him. Erling growled in response, his grip tightening around her neck.

"A lesson to remind you that you're mine," he said, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"You want to play? We can play. But by the end of the night, your voice will be gone."

Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt the heat of Erling's body against hers. She knew he was serious and she was in for a intense night, and the thought of being completely under his control sent shivers down spine.

"Remind me." Shs whispered.

Erling smirked down at her, his eyes alight with passion. "Gladly."

And with that, he swooped down and captured her lips in a searing kiss, igniting a fire between them that would burn long into the night.

--------------

As soon as they arrived home, Erling wasted no time in continuing where they left off in the car. Y/N was still so sensitive from the two times Erling had made her cum on the ride home, but she knew the night wasn't over yet. They didn't even make it upstairs to their bedroom before Erling had them both stripped down and he was kneeling in front of her, ready to pleasure her once again.

With her head thrown back and her hands gripping his hair, she moaned as Erling's mouth explored her intimately. One of her legs was over his shoulder, allowing him to have full access to her most sensitive areas.

He licked, sucked, and fingered her relentlessly until she was once again pushed over the edge, crying out his name in ecstasy. "Erling," she screamed, feeling her body convulse with pleasure.

"That's three," Erling said, smirking up at her. She could see the satisfaction in his eyes. Erling moved from the floor to his feet, Erling was still hungry for more. She was thrilled and quivering, knowing that the night was far from over.

"On your knees," he commanded, his voice low and commanding. Without hesitation, she dropped down to her knees, eager for what was to come.

Erling's amazing, huge cock was right in front of her face, and she couldn't resist giving it a playful kiss before looking up at him.

Erling growled warningly, letting her know not to play around. She smiled and eagerly took him in her mouth, savoring every inch of him. Erling let out a deep sigh of pleasure as she moved her mouth and circled her tongue around his cock. His length was so big that she couldn't fit it all in her mouth, so she used her hand on the parts she couldn't reach, stroking him as she sucked.

His deep groan of pleasure was music to her ears, and she continued to work her mouth up and down his length. After a few minutes of bliss, Erling took charge once again.

"Hands behind your back," he commanded, and she quickly complied, preparing herself for what was to come.

He grabbed her hair, pulling on it roughly as he asked, "Are you ready for your lesson, baby?" She looked up at him, eyes gleaming with excitement, and nodded.

"Don't look away, eyes on me," he ordered before plunging back into her mouth. He started off slow, savoring every sensation, before gradually picking up the pace. Before long, he was fucking her mouth with a ferocity that left her gasping and gagging, drool running down her chin. The sensation was overwhelming, and she could feel herself getting wet with the thought of how much he was using her.

Erling was in complete control, and she loved every second of it. With a deep, guttural groan, Erling pulled out and stepped back, lifting Y/N up and bending her over the couch.

He wasted no time in lining himself up to her entrance and slamming himself in with a force that made her scream with contentment.

She grabbed onto the couch as he lifted her hips up for a better angle. Erling pulled out and slammed back in again, this time with even more force. Within seconds, he had her screaming and moaning with pleasure.

"You've been a bad girl," Erling said, giving her ass a hard smack. He thrust even harder and gave her another smack, then another, and another, until her ass was red and stinging.

"Have you remembered who you belong to yet?" he demanded, giving her another, hard smack.

"You're mine and mine only. I should have fucked you in front of all those people to remind you who you belong to."

As he felt Y/N squeezing his cock in response, he thrust even deeper and harder, putting his hand on her neck and giving it a rough squeeze.

"Did you get excited hearing that, baby? You wish I fucked you in front of all those people, hmm? You wanted to show them how much of a little slut you are for me." He gave her ass one final, hard smack.

"Come on, say it. Who do you belong to?"

At this point, Y/N had become a mindless, babbling bimbo, completely lost in pleasure. All she could do was moan and scream, tears streaming down her face as she tried to piece words together.

"I'm yours. I'm yours," she finally managed to gasp out.

Erling grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, stopping his thrusts momentarily. "My what?" he demanded.

"Your slut! I'm your slut!" She gasped out.

"Good girl," Erling said, resuming his hard and deep thrusts.

Her moans and screams grew louder and louder as she came around him, and he moaned in pleasure as he joined her, finally releasing his load inside her pussy.

Erling took a moment to admire his handiwork as he withdrew from Y/N, watching his cum slide out of her. He was proud of himself for bringing her so much pleasure. After a few minutes, he noticed her collapsing to the floor, too weak to hold herself up.

Kneeling down beside her, he asked with concern, "Are you okay, baby? Was that too much?" She was speechless, having lost her voice just as Erling had told her she would that night. But she nodded and gave him a thumbs-up to let him know she was okay.

"Was it too much?" Erling asked, and she shook her head no before leaning in for a kiss. It was totally worth it; she had enjoyed it so much. Erling then got up and walked to the kitchen to get some pain medication for her throat and a glass of water.

After giving it to her, he lifted her up bridal style and carried her to their bedroom. Gently laying her down on the bed, he gave her a sweet kiss before heading to the bathroom to draw them a bath.

He lit some candles and dropped in a soothing bath bomb, grabbing a small warm towel on his way back to the bedroom. After wiping the cum from her legs and pussy, he carried her to the bathroom and helped her into the bath.

Erling played some relaxing music before getting in the bath himself and sat behind her. As Y/N relaxed in the warm water, Erling gently massaged her neck, back, arms wanting to give her complete bliss. Using a loofah to clean her skin.

He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, reminding her how much he loved her. He enjoyed taking care of her, especially after intense moments like they had just shared.

After an hour in the bath, they decided to get out. Erling grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist before lifting Y/N out of the tub and gently drying her off.

He wraps her in the soft towel, and carries her to the bathroom counter. He places her down on the counter and grabs a blow dryer, carefully drying her hair and combing it out to ensure it's smooth and tangle-free.

Once he's finished, Erling reaches up to the shelf and grabs a bottle of ointment. He squeezes a small amount onto his fingertips and starts gently rubbing it onto Y/N red, sore ass, soothing any burning sensation she might be feeling. As he applies the ointment, he leans in and presses a gentle kiss to her back, murmuring words of comfort and reassurance.

"Does that feel better, baby?" he asks, running his hands over her hips and thighs. She nods, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she leans back into his embrace.

She nods yes and smiles turning her head to kiss his cheek. Erling smiles down at her, his eyes full of love and tenderness. "Anything for you, my love," he says softly, before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back to bed, dressing her in a pair of underwear, shorts, and a shirt before slipping on a pair of boxers himself.

Erling carefully tucked the sheets around them, making sure that she was comfortably nestled against him. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then whispered, "I love you," before settling down beside her.

He could feel her warm breath against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. He gently rubbed her back with his other hand, tracing soothing circles over her skin. After such an intense night, he was determined to do whatever it took to help her relax and find peace.

As he continued to stroke her back, he felt her body slowly start to relax against his. Her breathing became more even and deep, and soon the sound of her soft snores filled the room. Erling let out a contented sigh, feeling a sense of deep satisfaction wash over him.

He closed his eyes and let himself drift off into a peaceful sleep, with the warmth of her body next to him and the sound of her gentle snores lulling him into a state of complete relaxation. He dreamed of her, of their future together, and of all the moments they would share. And as he drifted off, he knew that he was exactly where he was meant to be, with the woman he loved more than anything in the world.

[tonikogemmie]

April 14th, 2024: Sunday's Engrossing Gem

A nightmare apocalyptic scenario happens upon humanity in the form of what seems to be upper beings—gods even—settle in major human population zones. A gripping story between the new fucked up people molded from this disaster, the 'gods' themselves and how these humans plan to take back their cities and exterminate the invasive species of surreal monsters. And there may be no one else more involved in all of this than Kamikura Waka and the strange man she runs into when she tried to meet the gods.

After God by Eno Sumi

アフターゴッド

TYPE: Manga

TAGS: Drama, Psychological, Action, Fantasy (Urban), Supernatural (?), Thriller (?)

DEMOGRAPHIC: N/A

STATUS: Ongoing

RATING: Mature. Its about everything short of sexual violence and assault, really it isn't insensitive or anything, just nuts. themes of suicide. pseudo cannibalism.

Perhaps this is why this story would be to your liking:

This is some real ass blocks of text philosophy. Though it is usually delivered through the mouths of outsider creatures so in a way I think it is lot more interesting and despite their supposed alienness from humans, their interpretations might not be too off.

(Strangely enough, this manga is quite funny if your sense of humor is a little off like mine. The dialogue has some crazy spunk. Yeah the characters are pretty hot too. If you ask me, the subtext also looks pretty queer sometimes.)

Also take this as just my interpretation, I really think this manga is about unorthodox expressions of love. Deeply engrossing is the interpersonal relationships that are abnormal, and these people's plea for their existence. To me, reading this manga means we have to bear witness to humans who can no longer live normally.

And of course, this art is no joke! Aside from the stunning spreads and a complex monstrosity designs, I always love art that can convey discomfort. It's so beautiful and ill-inducing, their expressions and being. It feels a touch away from horror, if only because the art isn't there to scare you, but to itch at your gut. Yes... this is the kind of manga that gnaws you from your innards with anticipation, thrill and maybe like a secret third thing.

Well! I’m off to read some more!

ENGLISH LICENSE (though if you 🏴‍☠️ I'm not against you):

This is also a new development with the official English, an unannounced hiatus all of a sudden. While it is behind by a manageable 2 chapters, we're still awaiting news on if the English publication is continuing.

The author also has a non-negligible amount of untranslated works under her belt, so I am sure to look into that.

Alright alright, enough from me. Happy reading.

[grayheadedleague]

a/n: there's literally no new content for the latter two so decided to do things myself HAHAHAH might be ooc but anyway

reacting to their crush inviting them out (platonically)

featuring: Apollo, Simon, Barok x GN!Reader

Apollo Justice

Were his ears working properly? Was he even awake? Was this the real life, or was this just fantasy?

He'd be so lost and so caught off-guard that he'd stare at you blankly for a good minute. Since he's so used to being pranked on, who's to say this is not another bad joke of the universe's? What did his bracelet say? Were you lying about being worried about him?

Your chuckle snaps him out of it, bringing a flush of color to his cheeks. He just had to be so obvious...

"I'm serious, Apollo. If you want a good place to let it out then what's better than an amusement park?"

Being with you is more than enough, but anyway-

It really warms his heart whenever someone shows kindness and mercy to him, let alone if it came from you. With how his life has been going, sometimes he truly doubts if anyone cares for him at all.

"Okay, I'll go with you then."

The smile you show him in return was so adorable he could've screamed out his entire existence right there and then. Of course, he knew perfectly well it was simply a friendly gesture on your part, but that didn't damper the joy in the slightest.

Simon Blackquill

You invited the Simon Blackquill to a film screening? Wow. You liked him this much? Your boldness is laudable. It deserves one of those little toy prizes kids love so much.

But in all seriousness, Simon was very much thrilled to know you liked him enough to ask him to join you. As a friend. But alone. But just as a friend...

So how could he not jump to conclusions? Were you that dense? What if you had asked someone else and they took advantage of the situation, huh?! God, you were so helpless...

"I'm not sure you'll enjoy my company for something like that. You know what I'm like," he said with a smirk.

He meant it as a half-joke, but it showed more than half a glimpse of his insecurity. He liked teasing you - that much anyone knew at this point - but he was worried that once his other colors come out, you wouldn't want him around at all.

To never have you as his lover is something he'd accepted early on. But to lose you as a friend?

"Of course I know what you're like," you quipped. "If I didn't, why would I have invited you? Sometimes you're so dumb for someone who studied psychology."

After being stunned for a few moments, Simon laughed heartily at your comment. You were right - you were absolutely right. He was dumb.

Deep inside however, he was touched to know that someone like you has accepted him for who he was. Didn't matter if it was only at a platonic level - to him, this was more than enough.

Barok van Zieks (minor spoilers for DGS/TGAA2)

He had already been planning to visit the Great Exhibition (as he missed the previous due to... certain events) to tour Albert around. And so you inviting him to join you? Well. Suffice to say his heart and schedule were not ready.

The moment he made it back to his office, he double and triple checked his agenda for that week. Curses. It was more air-tight than any of his yet-to-be-opened wine bottles.

Of course, the three of you could go together as a group (you and Albert were close friends too) but Barok would prefer to enjoy his time with you two separately. Mostly because he would rather not Albert find out and possibly blabber about his true feelings, but anyway-

He wanted so dearly to go with you one-on-one as the opportunity hardly comes by; he really did. But he was not so rude and desperate as to push another dear friend he already made a promise to aside.

And so with a heavy heart he declined your offer. You understood the situation completely and were gracious enough to accept it, however the disappointment on your face was, though subtle, still very much apparent.

It was quite unlike the feared Lord van Zieks to let his spontaneous thoughts out in the open, but the compulsion to make it up to you somehow superseded his inherent shyness.

"Perhaps I could take you to a place of your choosing. Whenever your schedule allows for it..."

"That's not necessary at all! But... thank you for such a gracious offer. I'd be looking forward to it."

he was so excited he kept all his weekends free for the next two months, but pretend you didn't know that

[genshin-impact-writings]

hi, can i request the good ol' "treating their wounds" trope with childe? (help im a sucker for it) it'd be nice if you could write a drabble, but a headcanon is also fine ! you seem like a sweet person ngl and i adore your writings <33

It's embarrassing how long this request has been sitting in my inbox, and I'm so sorry that it took me so long to finally write this because it's literally one of my favorite tropes ever. If you're still around, anon, I really hope you enjoy this! <3

Notes: mentions of blood and injuries, reader is a healer and has a cryo vision

Safe in my hands – Childe x gn!reader 

It’s already dark outside when a knock on your door interrupts your quiet and peaceful evening. For a moment, you consider to ignore whoever’s outside of your hours right now but when they knock again, more impatiently this time, you sigh and put your book down. Another knock, and you make your way to the hallway, ready to bite the head of your unexpected visitor off as you fling the door open. But the words die on your tongue when you recognize Childe – or rather, the state he’s in. He’s barely able to keep himself upright, clutching his ribs, and his clothes are drenched in blood. Still, he somehow manages to crack a smile. “I know it’s late,” he says and lets out a shaky breath, “but I think I need your help.”

You’re too stunned to speak, so you just drag him inside and shut the door. It’s not the first time he shows up at your doorstep, bleeding and beaten, but it’s most definitely the first time that his injuries are this bad. Archons, you really hope your abilities are good enough to help him.

“I hope this is not your blood,” you say in a miserable attempt to ease the tension that fills your small living room. Childe shakes his head and laughs, a laugh that quickly turns into a cough, and your heart sinks. “You really need to stop being so reckless.”

“Are you worried about me, comrade?”

“No, I’m more worried about the fact that you keep ruining my furniture.” It feels awful to crack jokes in a situation like this but you need to distract yourself from freaking out. Childe is your friend, and it hurts to see him like this. It hurts to know that he’s reckless enough to risk his life just for the thrill of battle. If he continues like this, he’ll get himself killed sooner or later, you’re sure. One day, you might not be able to save him.

But today, you can, so you push these thoughts to the back of your mind and help him take off his jacket. It’s ruined, as well as his maroon colored shirt, but you honestly couldn’t care less about his clothes, especially now that you can clearly see the severity of his injuries to the full extent. His upper body is covered in several cuts and bruises, and his ribcage is bruised as well. 

“Not looking too good, hm?” Childe asks, though he probably already knows the answer. With a sigh, you say, “Nothing I can’t deal with. I’ll get a cloth and some water. Some of these cuts look really nasty. Wait here.”

It doesn’t take long to fetch everything you need in your kitchen. When you return to the living room, Childe forces himself to smile once again. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Don’t mention it,” you say as you start to clean a particularly deep cut on his chest. “Now, do you want to tell me what happened out there?”

“Fatui business,” is all he replies, and you nod. He never tells you anything about his work. At first, it has irritated you because you were convinced that he didn’t trust you but now, you know that he keeps his silence to protect you. After all, it’s dangerous to get involved with the Harbingers. 

“Okay,” you say and put the cloth aside, “I’m going to heal this cut first, and then I’ll take care of your ribs. Alright?”

He nods. “You’re the healer, comrade. I trust you.”

You take a deep breath and let your hand hover over the cut, focusing on your ability to speed up the cell growth. The injury is bad but you’ve seen worse during the time you have worked as the Milleliths’ healer, and soon enough, the wound stops bleeding, giving you the opportunity to examine it further. It’s already looking a lot better but healing it completely will take a while. “This might hurt,” you warn him, “but afterwards, you’ll feel a lot better.”

He doesn’t flinch, not even once, but the way he presses his lips together is enough to tell you that he’s in pain. “Comrade, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Shut up. I need to focus.”

A few minutes go by, silence settling in until you pull your hand away and let out a sigh of relief. “There,” you say, “as good as new. What about your ribs?”

“I don’t think they’re broken,” Childe replies and sits up, only to let himself fall back against the backrest of your couch, “but they sure hurt.”

“I can help with that.” You suck your lower lip between your teeth, trying very hard not to lose your focus, as you summon Cryo to your fingertips and gently press them against his bruised skin. He hisses in pain but soon enough, you feel his tense muscles relax beneath your touch, and he closes his eyes, a relieved sigh escaping his slightly parted lips.

“Better?” you ask, softly. 

“Yeah. Thank you.”

A smile flashes over your face. A smile that quickly fades when you realize that his body is covered in scars, a clear sign that he has been in this spot way too often already. It’s not a deliberate action, nothing you have planned to do, but you raise your hand and carefully trace the faded scar that spreads across his chest. Childe stays perfectly still but you can feel his racing heartbeat underneath your fingers. 

“What happened there?” you ask, your voice barely louder than a whisper. Childe turns his head away to avoid your gaze. “The Abyss isn’t exactly a friendly place – especially not when you’re a foolish and overconfident kid.”

Your heart is resting flat on his chest now, right above his heart, your touch still so gently that he feels like he’s going to melt right on the spot. He can’t remember the last time someone has cared about him in the way you do. He knows he should probably pull away but something in him craves this, craves the feeling of security and peace only you can give him. And so, he doesn’t pull away.

Moving your other hand to the back of his neck, you guide him forward until your forehead is pressed against his and the tips of your noses brush together every time one of you moves. This close to him, it’s almost impossible to ignore the rose-colored blush that’s dusting his freckled cheeks, and judging from the way his ocean blue eyes widen just the tiniest bit, he’s well aware of that, too. 

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” you say quietly. “I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to deal with all of that.”

Childe lets out a shaky breath. It’s rare that he’s at a loss for words but in that moment, it’s like has lost the ability to form a proper sentence. He doesn’t know if it’s because you’re still so close to him or because he’s so taken aback by the fact that you genuinely care about him, despite everything he has done in the past. Most people don’t like being around him, even his parents and older siblings have distanced themselves from him after he joined the Fatui, and sometimes he just feels terribly lonely. 

“I’m fine now,” he whispers – and he means it. Here with you, he feels at ease, like nothing else matters, and this time, his smile is genuine. “All thanks to you.”

Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it please consider liking, reblogging and/or leaving feedback. I'd really appreciate the support!

Taglist: @genshinparty @kaeyas-beloved @ajaxstar @caesars-bubbles @the-gayest-sky-kid

[msnihilist]

Person Who Has Never Watched the Reboot Decides to Liveblog Alien-X-Tinction

First scene and I already hate Max's voice. #NotMyGrandpa

idk what alternate universe this is yet, but I like 1) that Ben is sad :), and 2) that his Omnitrix looks like that??? It really sells the idea of a prototype 🥺

"resistance will only beget pain" — villain who is smart enough to know that Ben doesn't know what "beget" means

"you always try to interrupt" okay, ouch, I actually love that angst (I already know who the Alien X is and what he's been doing to alternate Bens (I'm only watching this because the Wiki page for the special was interesting to me), so this is lovely :3) Max always tries to save his grandson and he never succeeds </3

Side note: evil Celestialsapien is a cool idea, and I like that this one is taking a "hands on" approach. It's about the thrill of the hunt :) And loving making people suffer

"oh, no, not again" LMAO, the dimension-hopping Max sounds soooo mildly inconvenienced

WAIT, DID THE ALIEN X RIP OFF BEN'S ARM??? I can't tell what happened here?? Fuckin' kid's show censors 😭

Max's face when Ben hugs his grandpa…… I love suffering 🥺

"you'd think I'd be used to it all by now" coming from a man who lost his grandkids and tortures himself by watching it happen again and again in other timelines hurts so good 😭 😭 I also love that they let Max cry about it. It's a small thing and it only lasts a second, but in the Classic continuity, Ben only cried on screen TWICE, both when he was 10. Letting an aged man hurt like this without making a joke about it is good to see <3

Back in the Real Timeline, I guess, lmao. I love that Gwen is tied up and just looks so bored with the whole affair

GWEN'S VOICE?? #NOTMYGWEN (I like that Zombozo is voiced by Drakken, tho)

Hm. I kinda like this angle with Ben's frustration. He feels like he's not living up to his full potential as a hero because he always has Gwen and Max helping him. It's different from when Ben would get cocky in the OG, and I think it's an interesting point, too :p This blatantly isn't about being a hero, it's about the thrill, which is something that ten-year-old Ben consistently struggled with

Still hate reboot Heatblast, but whatever

I definitely don't like how the fights are animated? It feels... slow. And I get part of that is to build up suspense/show of Alien X's abilities, since this show is aimed at a younger audience who wouldn't be familiar with the Classic continuity, but still :/ I don't like the flat camera angles and the hits don't have a lot of weight to them

Love that Alien X is killing off Ben's, though — something Eon was always too pussy to do

I hate this art style, but I appreciate that the writers are trying

I love villains who are obsessed with Ben Killing him, hunting him down, whatever. Watching villains shove aside whatever or whoever gets in their way to pursue Ben with single-minded fervor always hits good.

This fight between Ben and Alien X, up until he loses the Omnitrix, is probably my favorite fight in the special. Alien X was at his coolest and Ben really gave it his all, no matter how badly he got beat in return.

"there's no omniversal road-side service that drops out of thin air" — man who has forgotten that this is Ben he's talking about

BRO, THEY'RE PLAYING THE ALIEN FORCE THEME SONG WHEN OLDER BEN STEPS OUT OF THE PORTAL 😭 Okay, even though AF had kind of a lame opening, I'll admit: that was pretty hype

Holy shit, wait, the reboot has been going on for five seasons and this Max STILL hasn't told his grandkids about the Plumbers??? I hate him, worst grandpa

LMAO, Maximillian calling Ben a stubborn brat <3 AF Ben looking away in embarrassment because he knows it's true (he literally JUST tried to walk off and go it alone for?? no reason, literally), I love them. They're a family in every dimension

I think it's cute that Gwen already likes teenage Ben <3

Alien X: "You're in the wrong dimension." Ben, who's relaxing nonchalantly waiting for his plan to pay off: "Is that why my keys don't work?"

I MISSED AF BEN SO MUCH, HE'S SUCH A DRAMA QUEEN 😭 HE LITERALLY TRANSFORMED JUST TO GET UP THERE AND HAVE A DRAMATIC ENTRANCE

AF BIG CHILL DESIGN + VOICE, MY BELOVED!!! They even kept Ben shouting out his transformation's names, nreulgneklge. That's some attention to detail that almost makes me forgive the art style <3 (almost)

"little me," omg, he's such a fuckin' dork

I love that when Bens get together, they literally just love each other, it's so so sweet <3

"I should rethink my prior mercy." "Your generosity will not go unappreciated… or unpunished." ngl, this guy is a sick villain

Okay, this made me love him. And Gwen's faith in him is sooo <3 Truly the best cousin of all time

"Are you okay?" "Better now that you're back, cuz." Ben and Gwen are so fucking cute in the reboot, I love them 😭 🥺

I love that Gwen 10 goes, "And, yes, we're [Gwens are] better" and then fucking picks Ripjaws for a fight in a rocky desert, sfbrygbrku. She's such a dumbass I do love her Ripjaws design, tho!! Love that they avoided the Omniverse problem of making the female aliens excessively feminized. ALSO OG HEATBLAST, MY LOVE

OV Ben ruffling younger Ben's hair 🥺🥺

AHAHA, OG Ben immediately assuming that this Gwen is also a magic user, pfft. Even in a dimension where they don't get along as well, he's got so much faith in his cousin <3

Gwen's little watch tech is like her UAF powers!!

Of course OG Ben would get pissy about someone picking the same alien as him 😭 He's so chronically ten years old

"But I'm not your Ben." "You're all my Ben." Okay, maybe this Max is actually the best one 😭 🥺

Jeez, that tragic backstory was pretty fucking brutal. Vilgax straight-up just vaporized Gwen and Max. I love the idea of an evil Ben who's lost everything, though. His Max and Gwen are dead, what more can they take away from him? Eon could never

LMAO, MAX JUST FORCIBLY ADOPTING EVIL BEN AT THE END. Ben is so unenthused, he's gonna get loved whether he wants to or not!!

Okay, just finished it. Final thoughts? It was really cute. Is it good enough to get me to watch the rest of the reboot? No. It's definitely not as hype as some of UAF/OV's high points, probably in part because I still can't get into the art style and also because the fight scenes just aren't as good.

It had pretty good pacing! I was surprised by that, I thought 45 minutes was gonna be too short, but it ended up feeling right. (Also, I'm upset to say that Max's voice grew on me. Gwen is on thin ice.)

You can tell that this was made with a lot of love, both for the characters and for Ben 10 as a whole. It really does feel like a love letter to the fandom, and for that, it was a good watch :)

Final score: 7/10, not NEARLY as bad as I was expecting, worth a rewatch <3

[twistmusings]

i absolutely adore your writing! can i request jade, leona, malleus, jamil, and trey (just the first four if it's too much :)) with a cheesy s/o or crush? Someone who cracks up at their own puns, and makes really dorky pick up lines (like. really dorky. like, "are you mcdonalds? Because I'm loving it" territory here.) as a friendly joke, but is easily flustered themselves in return? just thought it'd be cute :) hope ur having a good day <33

Thank you! I hope you're having a wonderful day as well!

Some of the TWST boys with a cheesy but easy-to-fluster crush

CW: None, it's all pretty wholesome here! :)

Trey Clover

While Trey himself doesn't make a lot of puns or cheesy jokes, he's more than happy to indulge in a few pranks here and there. They're not the mean sort, thankfully, but it's his own little contribution to the playful nature of their relationship.

He would be lying to say that he wasn't a little impressed with their ability to find new ways to say something that makes him groan at how bad it is.

He'd never really taken their flirting seriously. It was kind of hard to when their idea of flirting was "Oh, you must be the library book I checked out last month because you have 'fine' written all over you." He can't help but to laugh when they say it, but he's never really thought too much about it. Besides, they wouldn't even be the only one of his friends who play-flirts with him even if he did.

He's really, genuinely surprised at how much it seems to fluster them when they're helping him peel apples for a pie and when he says he 'finds them a-peel-ing'. They're unable to speak for several minutes and Trey can't help but to be sort of charmed by it. So they can dish it but they can't take it, huh?

Leona Kingscholar

At first, Leona found their puns insufferable. He couldn't even really look past the fact that they were puns long enough to acknowledge that they were flirting with him, he just sighs loudly in protest everytime they make a pun at him and removes himself from the situation.

They are frighteningly persistent, though. That or they simply genuinely find themself funny, given how much they laugh whenever Leona rolls his eyes at them. It takes him a while, but eventually he stops feeling the need to turn and walk away from them whenever they start making jokes like that. Aside from the jokes, they're really pretty good company otherwise.

Leona doesn't really make many puns, nor does he make many jokes in return. He will pretty rarely, but they rarely seem to land because his idea of a joke is usually just a little mean or threatening. It can be very hard to tell if he's being serious when he says something until he starts smiling.

He starts to notice the pattern after a while-- that they're pretty obviously hitting on him when they make those godawful puns. He privately admires them for it. Not because of the jokes, but because it takes a lot of balls to not only hit on a prince but to hit on Prince Leona. He's well aware of his reputation for being kind of a scheming dick and he really doesn't care, but it's impressive someone so... normal has that kind of bravery in them.

He doesn't acknowledge it for a very, very long time, until one time they whip out the "I'd be lion if I said you weren't cute." He decides to push their boundaries just a little, just to see how they react. He plants an arm over their head against the wall and leans into their space, grinning at them roguishly, and huffs a "Really? Tell me then, herbivore, what do you find so cute. Don't leave out any details." He's never flirted back with them (if this even qualifies as flirting back) so he's a little surprised how quickly they go red in the face and have to scramble to cover their face. Oh? He might just have found his new favorite hobby if he's going to get reactions like this every time.

Jade Leech

Jade is thrilled when he finds someone else who enjoys puns as thoroughly as he does. ("dilly of a pickle" headass.) It's sort of a competition between the two of them to see which of them could make their friends the most exasperated.

Jade is probably the one who picks up on their flirting the fastest (immediately, honestly) and then immediately dishes it right back to them. The "You're a reel catch" has barely left their mouth before he's already snapped back in and instant with "And you must be here to catch me because you're simply a-lure-ing."

He loves the way they immediately clam up on him, and he always ends up grinning at them like the devil while they sputter and get red. Maybe it's a bit sadistic of him, but it's a competition and he's more thank happy to duke it out for title of "best worst flirt".

That being said, they're both absolutely insufferable to the people around them when they do this. Neither they nor Jade know when to quit, and Azul swears between them, Jade, and Floyd he'd going to snap simply from the amount of fish puns in his vicinity.

Jamil Viper

Jamil is definitely not a fan of the puns at first. While he finds them to be a smidge better than Kalim's literal-mindedness, he can't help but to groan and toss an accusatory look at whatever god might be out there whenever they make a pun at him. Exasperation is definitely the name of the game.

Sometimes he really, really wonders why he puts up with it but then he's reminded when they will tell him thank you for even the smallest gestures and just look genuinely happy to see him whenever he stops by even for a couple of minutes. It's... wholesome. At least that's the best word that Jamil could think of to describe it. He feels appreciated, and that far outweighs the suffering their puns cause.

He very quickly notices their puns trend toward flirting with him after the first couple. He's not the sort of person who like to draw attention to himself, though, so he chooses not to bring it up. It's not like he minds, honestly even if the puns kind of suck he appreciates the compliments at any rate.

Eventually one of them snaps him. Specifically it's "Did you just come out of the oven, because you're looking hot." He's had a long day and it's the first thing they say to him and somehow it's so decidedly in their character that he just starts laughing. Genuinely and unrestrained. He would never admit to it, but having them walk right up to him after the hellish day he's had and just make a pun at him kind of felt like a warm hug.

They look a little like they can't decide if they should be worried or proud, so he finally decides he might as well call attention to the common thread he's noticed.

"You know, you sure joke about how good I look a lot. I'm starting to wonder if you've got something you'd like to say to me." Jamil is gratified immediately at how high their voice pitches as they scramble to find something to say back to him but end up unable to make words form. It's sweet, maybe he'll have to bring it up to them later in private, where they can have a proper conversation.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus likes their puns-- actually he finds them to be quite charming... unfortunately for them, his favorite pastime is to pretend he doesn't understand them so that they have to try and explain themself to him. He's well aware of what he's doing, but he does enjoy watching them struggle just a little bit. That's probably mean, but in his defense they're cute when they try to hide their face from him.

He lets them think that he doesn't know that they're hitting on him. He knows. He's quite flattered, actually, though it takes him a long time to warm up to any sort of romantic feelings so he doesn't reciprocate for a while.

When he does, he tries to get them at their own game. And he would have too if only he'd thought it through a little more thoroughly. When he hits them with "Can I have your name or can I just call you 'mine'?" he's really, truly not expecting them to respond and say that Lilia told them they shouldn't 'give' their name to a fae. He ends up laughing because that such an old prank that the fae have played on others that he forgets for the moment that he'd just been foiled in his flirting attempt. He'll circle back to it in a few days once he's had more time to think.

Or, well, he would have, but while they were spending time together they stopped short and said 'Wait.' Then they, rather excitedly, told him they finally grasped what he'd asked them and told him that it was clever and praised him for how good he'd done. Malleus preens, or course, but it's clear that they didn't quite take it the way he'd intended.

He continues to ramp up his attempts to see how long it takes them to catch on. It's kind of a game for him, trying to find clever ways to get them to catch on. Except it doesn't seem to be working. Eventually he gets kind of fed up with it.

"Hey Malleus, looking good. What's your shirt made of, boyfriend material?" "Only if you're the treasure I've been looking for. After all, child of man, you're as dense as gold." Is the exchange that gets it to click for them, and Malleus smiles at them as he watches their expression go from mildly offended to realization to thoroughly embarrassed and unable to meet his eyes. Ah, yes, that's more what he'd been hoping to see. He quietly celebrates his success as they take the time they need to process.

[tadpoles-and-daydreams]

hi hi! kinda new to the helpol crowd so i was wondering: what is it like when a deity contacts you? do you see an image of them? hear a voice in your head? or do you have thoughts that are distinctly not your own? are their messages more direct or indirect? what are the messages usually about? how do you feel when you recieve them? which deity do you get contacted by the most?

Heyo! So, first, obligatory UPG disclaimer: this is all only my own experience, and has no basis in mythology or anything like that. Also for the sake of transparency; I'm not a Hellenic Polytheist. If you've been around my blog and you vibe with the way I work with deities, then cool! But I do feel the need to say that I'm a witch who works primarily with Hellenic deities (and then there's Loki) so I don't follow the same traditions as some of the helpol community! (The best example being the concept of miasma. Some helpol people swear by it, others don't, and as for me it makes me wildly uncomfortable.)

Disclaimer aside, I'll just answer all these as best I can! Thank you for the ask^^

When it comes to how exactly I receive whatever they're saying, I feel like it's... a weird mix of all of your examples. Sometimes, especially if I'm not particularly tuned in, it's absolutely a thought that just isn't my own. Sometimes I even mistake it for my own at first, and then go "I have absolutely no reason to think that what the hell was that about-?" (ex. naming Loki's playlist "Loki's shit music taste" or giving an offering that has no association with them, pausing bc what the hell no, and then realizing that was them.) Other times I get words and images, although now that I think about it I'm not sure they have distinct voices? I "hear" them in my head, and some of them have clear voices sometimes, but it just depends on how I'm feeling. They essentially communicate however I'm able to receive it at the moment.

I feel like right now, it's more direct than indirect. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone, and I feel the need to say that it's not something anyone should ever feel bad about. It's not better, it's just different. As for what they talk about when they do... uh, everything? I don't know how to word it any better XD Sometimes it's about offerings, sometimes about genuinely serious stuff, but usually it's just... them popping in because they have something to say about whatever I'm doing. My work with them is fairly casual, so it ranges from "YOOOOOO your sleep schedule is so good right now I'm so proud!" to literal memes and no I'm not joking. But that's less the Hellenic deities I work with and more Loki.

(Although, I am reminded that Aphrodite and Loki are an absolutely wild comedic duo. They all do have a sense of humor lol.)

So for the most part, as weird as it might seem since I'm talking about deities that a lot of people view as above humanity, I.... just feel like I'm talking to friends most of the time. Maybe parental figures, since I literally call Hades and Persephone my "underworld parents" lol. For the most part, it's just a nice feeling like chatting with someone I know and care for and that I know cares for me.

And last but not least, right now Loki- although I know they're not a Hellenic deity, so they may not be the answer you were looking for lol- is the most active in my life. They're very loud, very much so prone to the clearest signs and clearest direct communication as well. Apollo and Aphrodite are a close second, though. Apollo has been fucking thrilled that I'm starting to finally successfully change my sleep schedule, and Aphrodite has really been nudging me towards self-care lately.

[vickyvicarious]

some scattered lucy thoughts from today...

Town is very pleasant just now, and we go a good deal to picture-galleries and for walks and rides in the park. As to the tall, curly-haired man, I suppose it was the one who was with me at the last Pop.

Aside from the 'oh this is all so boring' joke, this list of activities definitely points to Lucy being a very active person. Later on she also talks about other things she likes to do which support this. I think Lucy is a bubbly and outgoing/active person who usually has a lot of energy.

He has a curious habit of looking one straight in the face, as if trying to read one's thoughts. He tries this on very much with me, but I flatter myself he has got a tough nut to crack. I know that from my glass. Do you ever try to read your own face? I do, and I can tell you it is not a bad study, and gives you more trouble than you can well fancy if you have never tried it.

@dathen has a great more heartwrenching take on this line which I just reblogged, but in a more lighthearted direction I just love the image of Lucy making faces at herself in the mirror. I want so badly to see someone make cute art of it.

I do not, as you know, take sufficient interest in dress to be able to describe the new fashions. Dress is a bore. That is slang again, but never mind; Arthur says that every day.

Lucy doesn't care much about fashion. I kind of wonder if her mother cares more and always tries to ensure Lucy is in the latest fashions or whatever, and it's something she's lightheartedly complained about with Mina before. It feels like a familiar reference.

Also, Lucy seems like the type of person to have fun being caught up in new interests that people she likes enjoy. She finds it really fun to imitate Arthur's slang, and gets kinda proud about the idea of being an interesting psychological study, and that sort of thing. She is probably a really good listener. (And now I'm picturing Mina excitedly infodumping to Lucy as they walk along holding hands, Lucy listening with great interest. 10/10 date.)

But oh, Mina, I love him; I love him; I love him! There, that does me good. I wish I were with you, dear, sitting by the fire undressing, as we used to sit; and I would try to tell you what I feel. I do not know how I am writing this even to you. I am afraid to stop, or I should tear up the letter, and I don't want to stop, for I do so want to tell you all.

I have some thoughts about Lucy and speaking freely. I didn't notice how much emphasis is put on it, but when you're thinking about it specifically in those lines there is a lot going on here. It isn't just Mina who wants to be with Lucy where they can talk freely. Lucy feels the same. The way she starts the letter very politely avoidant about how much Arthur matters to her is probably much closer to how she speaks to most people about him, or even most things. She talks about trying to tell Mina how she felt, about not knowing how she's even saying all this, that she should stop, that she doesn't want to, she's writing this in a quick burst of emotion/courage. And sure, it could just be the overwhelming newness of her romantic feelings, but I think Lucy has a tendency to hide how she really feels if it would rock the boat or upset/worry people - regardless of the situation. You know, she acts like she is fine and happy even if she doesn't feel that way. And (vague hinted spoilers) the ability to speak freely specifically is something that has later relevance for both women, so I find it really interesting to see aspects of it in both their first letters.

I also think it's part of why she likes Arthur speaking slang (and later on another man speaking a different sort of slang) so much. It's more relaxed and individual and gives her a little thrill to deviate from more polite and proper scripts. It isn't something she does on her own, but if someone else initiates it's easier to join them. Or at the very least to enjoy listening to.

[captain-mj]

I'm begging for a second Ghoap Outlander part

Of course!

Ghost tried to escape this weird place. Keyword was try. 

Soap brought him food and untied him again. Ghost waited until he wasn’t looking to grab a small piece of wood to stash up his sleeve. He watched Soap back, getting annoyed with the staring. Soap softened when they made eye contact but Ghost looked away. 

Once he was done eating, Soap set the plate aside and gently tied him up, doing his best not to touch him. It was a small detail, but Ghost appreciated it nonetheless. 

Soap had a pensive look on his face, clearly thinking of something. He scanned over Ghost’s mask before smiling. “Ye look better. More color in your face today.” 

Ghost paused before realizing it was a joke, failing to stifle the small chuckle it got from him. He got flustered and glared at Soap who looked thrilled to get a reaction. 

“Sleep, okay? Ye look tired.” Soap put a blanket over him and left him. 

Ghost started to cut through the binds immediately. It took longer than he would’ve liked, but he managed. He slipped out of the door, surprised by how easy it was to simply break the lock. The hallways were mostly clear, but he still moved quickly. He didn’t want to stick around too long if he could help it. 

The Exit. 

It was so close. Right fucking there. 

Soap caught him just as he saw it and glared at him, arms crossed like he had caught a kid stealing food and not a grown man trying to regain his freedom. 

“Listen up yo-” He started to threaten Soap.

Soap grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder. Ghost was… surprised to say the least. They were the same height and he wasn’t exactly a small person. Soap started to carry him but he noticed he didn’t bring him back to the infirmary room he had been in. Ghost immediately started to fight again. He had no clue what this… deviant was planning on doing with him, but he wanted absolutely no part. 

Soap brought him to a bigger room. It had a bigger bed and it had a flag of some sort on the wall. The flag had a similar pattern to Soap’s clothing and Ghost tried to remember anything about tartans that he could. 

He dropped Ghost on to the bed and shook his head.

“Ghost, you really should not trito escape. You opened your wound again.” He sounded so admonishing that Ghost resisted the urge to salute him. 

Ghost looked down, realizing there was blood dripping through his shirt.

“You need to let me leave. I have people who will be looking for me.”

“No one has yet, so you’re going to stay with me for now.” Soap growled at him, stepping closer and Ghost instinctively leaned away. He roughly moved Ghost so he could lift his shirt and check the wound before rebandaging. The entire time, he kept a steady hand on Ghost’s chest. If Ghost started to breath a little heavier or pant, Soap would order him to breath. It was… odd. Worked like a charm though. Ghost immediately started to breath normally again each and every time.

He glared at Soap who looked amused.

“Once your people come, I will let you go. ‘M keeping ya safe, ya know?” His accent thickened as he looked away. Soap looked almost embarrassed. 

“Am I in your room?”

“You are in my room.” Soap confirmed.

Ghost realized he was sprawled on his bed and quickly sat up.

“You’ll be staying in here since ya don’t know how to behave on yer own.” Soap patted him on his thigh and went to his desk to start drawing again, which is what he was doing before someone told him his prisoner was wandering the halls. He sketched out the landscape quietly, allowing the scratching of the pencil to be the only sound in the room. 

Ghost stayed quiet as well but eventually, the softness of the bed and the bone deep tiredness he had been experiencing since he woke up that morning finally got to him, dragging him into sleep. 

Soap glanced over, seeing him curled up and snoring. He should’ve brought him in here ages ago. Poor guy already seemed more relaxed. 

Soap wished he would take the stupid mask off though. He’d have to think of a way to convince him. Maybe he could beg him. What little glimpses he got of his face meant he knew he was pretty. Very pretty. Even now, where Soap could only see his eyes, he knew he was gorgeous. 

The landscapes could wait. He started to draw Ghost, making sure to include each eyelash, the soft slopes of his body. Soap knew it was all muscle, bastard was heavy but Soap refused to set him down or show weakness, but he had never seen a man with such a…. Small waist in comparison to the rest of him. Despite how big Ghost was, Soap was sure he could fit his arms perfectly around him, pull him flush against his chest. 

Yeah. Ghost was really pretty. 

And Soap was going to make him his. 

[skye707]

When it comes to an ideal partner, or just based on what they like in someone, what are the Riddlers’s ‘types’?

I'm gonna start this by saying that, if anyone really wanted to, they could bag any Riddler. As long as you give them smooches and call them smart, they are literal putty in your hands.

That said, I'll take a stab at this one and, as always, just my own personal headcanons

Unburied - Someone bigger than him. He likes to be held and snuggled like a lap dog. Someone who has high standards on hygiene. Y'all can have facial routines together. Generally, someone who is very sure of themselves. He respects that in people.

ZY - Let's be honest, he doesn't know what he wants. If you asked him point-blank, he'd say someone sexy that does everything he says. In reality, he'd probably be happier with someone who knows how to hold their ground and push back. He'd never admit it, but he likes to have his will challenged. Complete subservience is boring.

Dano - As long as you will be kind and snuggle with him, he doesn't care about much else. Not to be rude, but his standards are a little low when it comes to receiving affection...If you're genuinely willing to give and are able to tear down his emotional walls, he's willing to receive.

YJ - Why am I getting this idea that he likes people who are sweet and gentle at first glance but have that innate ability to flip a switch in their brains and become a badass? Like, when he first meets them, he's taken in by their kindness. Then, they go off on someone being mean to him, and he's just like "oh no...I'm in trouble". Instantly smitten.

Gotham - Cuteness. If you are cute and short(er than him [not difficult to achieve]) and a good listener, he is head over heels in a matter of minutes. Bonus points if you laugh at his science jokes, puns, riddles, etc.

BTAA - I think what he looks for is someone witty and funny enough to compete with his 'mental sparring', as they say. One of those people that have a bit of knowledge on a variety of subjects, so his strange references, dead language quotations, and generally colorful attitude is not lost on you. Wouldn't hurt if you had a good sense of style either. He's wants to be the sexiest couple at the grocery store.

Arkham - The first thing he looks for in other people is the strength of their will. Sure, he automatically expects you to be intelligent, but just as important is your ability to forge through difficult situations (i.e., his temper tantrums). If he is going to work with someone long term, he needs to know they have the guts to stick around for the long run.

BTAS - Someone who is polite, well-mannered, but not afraid to be a little adventurous. He wants his life's story to be a thrilling Fred Astaire film, and his co-star needs to be ready to play their role to perfection. There's going to be dancing, singing, riddles, and daring, so buckle up or move aside because he's wasted enough time living a monotonous life.

Telltale - This one was a little difficult, I'm not going to lie. He's been alone so long, he's stopped even looking for the possibility of companionship. But, if I'm going to take a guess, I'd say he's impressed by quiet intelligence. Yeah, all Riddlers look for intelligence, but the kind of intelligence that he can tell has been snuffed for too long? That intrigues him, and what a fun puzzle it will be to refine it for all the world to see.

[ghoste-catte]

lee and gaara for the character bingo pls 🙏

Y'all know these are my lil guys!! And my first actual bingo, (tbh creature voice) yippee!!

I almost could've filled out just 1 card for them but I couldn't in good conscience say Gaara had never done anything wrong in his life (even though he had a very understandable reason for becoming a serial killer, aged 6). Also I'm really not unhappy with Gaara's character development later in the series (even in Boruto, terrible haircut aside). I wish he had gotten a rematch with Lee, obviously, and that we'd gotten to see more of his actual transition from "i love only myself" to "i live for my love for others and making amends for my past", but thats what fic is for! Other than that I really like him as an adoptive dad and I'm tremendously relieved they didn't arbitrarily pair him off with some random female character.

Lee is the biggest wasted potential in the series imo ... he was the perfect underdog who encapsulated perfectly the series' original thesis of "hard work can overcome natural genius" and "we aren't fated for a certain outcome", and then he just became ... a joke. Absolutely 0 character development in Shippuden, no dope powerups (yeah he can open more Gates but we don't actually see him working towards or achieving that). The ever-expanding cast and OP jutsus and all the "reborn son of a God and also the 4th Hokage" shit that happened to Naruto basically just left Lee in the dust and undid the entire moral of his story. I never won't be bitter about that, so that's why I'm here, 140 fics in, trying to give him some depth and the endings (and bonings) he deserves.

I almost marked off "no one understands them but me" for both cards, but actually fandom in the past 5 years or so has moved in a really wonderful direction with their understanding of both of these characters and especially their relationship. I'm really glad to see people explore the darker/angrier side of Lee and give Gaara real compassion and healing instead of writing him off as "crazy". And I'm beyond thrilled that the seme/uke dynamic stuff for them has more or less gone extinct.

[esc0rted]

the room is long since abandoned now, leaving haymitch's handiwork on the whiteboard the only remaining evidence that they'd met at all. effie lingers by her seat, cerulean gaze bare of her beloved faux lashes and bright with warmth as she lifts it to look at him ━━ really look at him. she'd almost forgotten how sobriety looked on him. the corners of her lips pull upward, fingers absently brushing the surface of the table as she pauses briefly. contemplating. " this place . . . i was not thrilled to be discarded in this . . . bat cave. " as though she's made a secret of it. but she meets his eyes, then, as sighed dramatics fade into something more soft. raw. honest. " but i was thrilled to see you all again. "

@murkyhazed : "you know, i am glad to see you here effie. all joking and teasing aside... i'm glad you're with us." from haymitch, taking place after their lil flirty flirt in that meeting about the propos.

[sarahreesbrennan]

Hi Sarah!

I am so happy to hear about your new book! I think you are a phenomenal writer, I adore your characters and I am so excited to read your new book!!!! So not really an ask I just wanted to tell you how thrilled I am over this new book!!! 🩷🖤🩶🧡🩷🖤🩶🧡

Thank you so much!

I specially appreciate it as I know this month has had new In Other Lands content, and readers of course care most about the characters they know. I was so touched by the response to the news that I have a new book!

I took almost two years off from everything else to write Long Live Evil, which was really scary to do not knowing if anyone would ever read it or care.

And since I was already doing a scary thing, it made sense to do many terrifying things! In a way, I had to write two books to write this one, as one of my main characters goes into a story and changes it.

All my life I've been fascinated by perceptions of evil, evil as point of view, the way 'evil' is seen as displayed through how people look or dress, by if they're having sex, if others just think they are, and if it's the 'wrong' kind of sex, the way villains can be people driven by loneliness or twisted love or fury at the system, and not monsters. But at the same time, I love the idea of understanding monsters and people who act in truly monstrous ways. This way I get both, and they have to hang out.

(Villain 1: Now for an unscrupulous scheme! Villain 2: Or... a murder! Murder's a real time-saver. Villain 1: noooooo. what? why would you say that? Have you no conscience? Or FINESSE?)

This is also a true ensemble, in a way I haven't done before, with multiple points of view that split off into different storylines and then come back together. I wanted to make an evil epic.

(As you are all no doubt surprised to hear, a lot of rewriting was me cutting the book down...)

One thing that draws me to the villainous and grey characters is that though they're often in grave pain, they're also often having fun. They make jokes, throw parties, make sly asides on occasions of state, giggle at a funeral and laugh in the face of horror. I never can believe in misery without joy.

Which is to say I'm very happy too, and I'm so appreciative of your happiness. I'm going to think of ways for us all to celebrate.