#may or may not have quoted this out loud to one of my friends today followed by me laughing my ass off

[spacewreck51]

you know what the sun looks like? like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is all over the water. and the moon is just watching. shes watching him die. she must have driven him to it.

[b4bybunz]

“Tell Your Friends About This”

Toji Fushiguro X Reader

Content Warnings !!!

Extreme choking, lots of dirty talk, Dominant Male, Angry sex, breeding, marking, overstimulation, name calling (Toji: Asshole, piece of shit, bitch, dick),

A/n: I fw Toji heavy. He may be a broke gambling addict, but I’d let him hit :3 ALSO, PLEASE REPOST!

Enjoy My Hearts! <3

You were met with a doorbell as you were tidying up your house. “Toji must be here.” You thought and you were correct.

Your ex-husband stood at your door wearing his usual attire, a compression shirt and sweats with socks and slides. Something about it always turned you on, he looked more jacked than usual though. Maybe he stopped being a lazy bum and went back to the gym like he used to.

“You gonna let me in or are you just gonna stand there and ogle me?” His scarred lip curled up into a smirk.

You responded with an eye roll and stepped to the side to let him in.

“Are we doing the silent treatment today?” He questioned.

“No, I just didn’t want to answer your dumbass question. I’ll be handling a phone call in my room.” You shut the door behind him and walk to your room.

He couldn’t help but notice the way your hips swayed and the way those gray yoga pants hugged your curves. Granted if he was still married to you you wouldn’t be able to walk past him without him physically on your ass.

“He’s here.” You tell your best friend on the phone.

“So?” She raises an eyebrow.

“He looks good, so good that I feel like I might fuck him. No, I’m definitely fucking him.” You bite your acrylic nail.

“Do not.” She says.

“But he’s so fine.” You jump on your bed and giggle a little.

Mind you, Toji’s nosy ass is right outside of your door with his ear to it. That’s the main reason why you guys got divorced, his eavesdropping and your gossiping about his business.

“He’s just going to fuck his way back into your life.” She warns you.

“And I just might let him.” You let out another giggle and she sighs.

“I just wanna have sex one more time.” You say, quoting a TikTok sound.

“You do?” Toji asks which causes you to turn your head to the door.

The last thing you heard was your friend hanging up the FaceTime call and the door closing behind Toji. That’s how you landed here, folded up like a pretzel.

“I missed you.” You mewl out as he’s pounding you deep into the memory foam of your mattress.

“You didn’t miss me, you just missed this dick.” He grunts holding the back of your knees to your chest.

“I swear~” You pout.

“‘I swear’,” he mocks, “bullshit.” He huffed and began rocking his hips at a punishing pace. You two had been going at it for a good fifteen minutes that started off with “I love you”s and “I wish I’d never left”s, now Toji started to feel differently. The night you two separated he felt like you’d just betrayed him because he’d had enough of you telling everyone about his gambling addiction and how you have to be the breadwinner and that he didn’t do shit, which was the truth.

You could feel him getting rougher and you could barely take it. You could barely take it when he was being gentle. His dick was just too big, but it felt so good.

“Baby” you moan and put your hand on his abs trying to slow him down.

“Baby? Nah, fuck that.” He grunts before flipping you over in one swift motion.

“What happened to me being a bitch, huh?” He gave your ass a hard reddening smack making you arch.

“Toji, that’s in the past.” You try to reason with him.

“Fuck that.” He says before putting his thick cock back inside, not giving you the courtesy to let you take it inch by inch.

You gasp loudly as he thrusts in. His dick is so big that it feels like it’s in your lungs. You immediately grip the sheets as his hands hold your hips. Your ass ricochets off of his hips. Loud claps sound as your bodies smash together, along with the creak of your bed that’s been broken by him before.

“Toji!” You cry out reaching back and putting a hand to his abs again before he pins them against the small of your back with one hand, gripping your throat with the other.

Your eyes roll into the back of your head. Your pussy dripping down your thighs. You were so turned on from seeing your ex-husband it was shameful.

“Talking all that shit, look at you now.” He chuckles. “I’m a piece of shit, right?”

“No.” You moan out.

“Stand on what you said like a grown woman.” He leans down and says in your ear.

“You’re so deep, I can’t breathe,” you moan out.

”Aw you can’t breathe, you can’t take it, it’s too much? Hm?” He laughs. “You want me to stop?”

“Mm mm.” You shake your head as if he could tell that you weren’t and it wasn’t just your head bobbing from the impact of his hips thrusting into you.

“Where’s all that mouth? I wanna hear you” He speeds up fucking you just to make it harder for you to speak. You felt like he was going to break you, and that turned you on even more.

“Don’t stop…please~” you croak out.

He nearly came when you added that ‘please’ especially in that sultry voice you used whenever you fucked. There was no getting rid of him after this.

“Come here.” He grunted before moving his hand from your throat and locking your head in his bicep.

You didn’t mind being headlocked, especially by him. His bicep encapsulates your throat and forces your head straight. You could feel his breath on your ear and hear all the dirty things he said to you clearly, although you seemed to be fucked dumb.

“I’m gonna cum, baby” Your pussy began to clench up.

“Don’t call me that, don’t switch up.” He said in your ear.

“Alright, bitch.” You said boldly.

“Again.” He ordered.

“You’re…such a dick.” You whimper.

“I know.” He moaned out.

You repeated profanities, calling him out of his name and in a way being degraded turned him on. You could tell by the whine in his voice.

“Cum on this dick, that’s what you want right?” He pounded into you harder, making your legs shake.

“I’m cumming!” Your toes curled as you whimpered.

You came hard, and so did Toji after a few strokes. His cum spurting deep inside of you as his weight rests on top of you still holding you in a headlock. All he could do was whisper curses into your ear. When you thought he was done he came more, filling you to the brim.

Your legs continued to twitch as his dick still filled your gummy walls. You couldn’t breathe without a moan escaping your mouth. Your hands scratched his forearm as you kissed the inside of it. That fuck changed your angry demeanor that you should’ve had when you seen him.

He pulled out and hugged your body laying on top of you.

“Make sure you tell your friends how I fucked my way back in your life.” He chuckled lowly in your ear, and you hid your face in the mattress in embarrassment.

The dick was too good to not fuck him again…and again…and again.

[bwat5-blog]

Beginners Guide To Making A Point: Arcane

**Spoilers For Arcane**

Good morning my friends. Have you or someone you know been victimized by one of the mean folks like myself ripping apart your takes on the show Arcane? Well today there is hope. I’m here to share the sinister secrets of our trade that allow us to commit such dastardly deeds. So the next time one of us comes knocking, you will be ready!

All too often, I see kind and gentle folks like you innocently trying to make statements like the ones below:

1. Caitlyn Kiramman murdered kids!

2. Caitlyn never showed any remorse!

3. Caitlyn lost her mom and acted like that was a justification for her crimes!

4. Caitlyn looked down and didn’t love Vi!

Now you aren’t doing anything wrong. Just sharing your take on this story and what happens. But then someone like me will come along and reblog with some snarky title and something like this:

1. There is no evidence of that whatsoever in any single moment of the show

2. I’d run down the various moments where she does show remorse

3. I’d list the long series of traumatic incidents that severely impact her mental state leading to her eventual fall into Ambessa’s clutches

4. Id explain that there are three moments and three moments only when she ever says a negative thing about Zaunites.

A- she calls the people who attacked the memorial animals immediately afterward. And lets be clear, they were.

B- She says Vi and Jinx share blood during her lowest and darkest moment.

C- She says something regarding the depravity of Zaun or something when talking to Singed after the Stillwater massacre. Of course I’d use the whole quote.

Then I would point out that she saved Vi’s life twice, spared Jinx after all she’d done to Cait in season 1 because Vi asked her to, started a war by trying to save Vander, and gave Vi the choice to free Jinx knowing full well Vi may leave and never return.

And you’d have a bunch of mean comments that hurt your feelings and people making fun of you and so on. But! I’m gonna show you how I do it and help you make your next case in a way people like me can’t attack. First we need to discuss one very simple rule

If you can’t back it up with content, it didn’t happen:

Now this one sounds simple. But it can be tricky to master. Let me give you an example-

Example: “Caitlyn murdered innocent Zaunites with The Grey!”

Okay. Now I know in your mind you see this and think, “well yea? I mean we saw the sketches of people who grew up surrounded by it their whole lives having problems. And Jayce suggests Viktor’s condition may have been caused by it. She exposed people to it that means she killed them”.

There is not in a single second of any frame, evidence that anyone died from exposure during the strike team’s operations. In fact we see several characters who were exposed, Caitlyn included, who are fine later. And I know, what you are thinking:

“But OP we don’t know if there were long term latent complications!”

Correct. And unless Riot and Fortiche tell us we never will. Vi could have CTE, Jinx could have untold issues from being infused with Shimmer, Sevika could have lung cancer. It’s all speculative. So if it didn’t happen, it isn’t good for analysis.

Going a tad bit deeper

Now this one does go even further. Let’s use this example:

Example- “Caitlyn never apologized!”

Now I see this one a lot. And I get it. She never says sorry out loud. So if you misunderstand the rule that means she doesn’t. But you notice it says “if you can’t back it up with the content”.

So while Caitlyn never speaks the words, we know she :

1. starts a war to save Vander

2. takes no action when Jinx has her back to her and instead rushes to save a wounded Vi

3. keeps Jinx in the Kiramman bunker rather than Stillwater and forgoes judgement until Vi wakes

4. has several bits of dialogue expressing her regret and self-hate

5. lets Vi make the choice to free Jinx, shows Vi love and acceptance when she feels she lost everyone

6. is quite clearly remorseful touching the place where she hit Vi.

These are quite clear signs of her remorse. So what does that mean? It means that even if it isn’t explicitly shown I can back it up with clear examples that are content driven. None of that is speculative. It is all clear and on screen.

And some of these are harder, like this one:

“Ekko clearly didn’t dispute the use of The Grey”:

We didn’t see Ekko. We didn’t hear from him during the strike team’s mission about what they were doing. So how can I say that?

1. We know he was in Zaun

2. He’s the firelight commander and has been battling Silco/shimmer for years for his people

3. He fights for the people of Zaun

These are all indisputable. And I can source each of these details directly from content. So sometimes you have to dig alittle deeper. But you can still support your ideas with plain on screen evidence.

*An Important Note*

We must also be careful not only to be sure we only use detail we can back up, but that we don’t exclude detail that does not support us. A great example for this is this one:

EXAMPLE: Caitlyn lost her mom and acts like that single loss justifies a full on dictatorship.

Now someone like me would come along and list the multiple times Jinx almost killed Caitlyn, the total eradication of Caitlyn’s faith in the pre-existing system after Marcus tried to murder her, the deaths of many of her peers in front of her, her abduction and possible torture at Jinx’s hands, listening to Jinx try and convince Vi to murder her, sparing Jinx at Vi’s pleading then watching Jinx murder her mother.

Now I’ve come and used all those details you left out and made you look silly. No one wants that! So be sure to include everything relevant. If its a good take it will survive it.

Conclusion:

So, using this guide hopefully you can craft your next analysis with the detail and content and avoid interactions with unpleasant folks like me. Just remember! Let’s leave the imagination in fanfics and keep the analysis to the content itself. Don’t worry though, if you lose track I’m here to help you out.

[holdmytesseract]

moodboard by @mochie85 divider by @fictive-sl0th <3

Summary: It's been a long time coming... But now the day for you and Loki to say 'Yes' and enter the bond of marriage has finally arrived. A covenant for eternity.

Chapter One - Of Cakes and Dances

Warnings for this Chapter: fluff, bit of suggestive smut

Word Count: 2,6k

a/n: We officially start our road to the wedding, guys! 🥳 In this chapter we have some cake tasting and dancing. Enjoy! 🤗

A huge shoutout goes out in this chapter to @chennqingg ! She crafted the beautiful wedding invitation! Thank you so, so much, my friend! 💚

💍 Chapter Zero °☆• Chapter Two 💍

Baby Fever Masterlist °☆• A Covenant for Eternity Masterlist (coming soon!)

A rather loud knock against the main door of Loki's (and now as well yours) apartment echoed through the hallway and rooms; even reaching you in the bathroom.

Not that this was a problem so 'early' in the morning - well, not usually, but today was Saturday and both you and Loki had your 'day off'. Given that fact, your fiancé was still sound asleep and you, well... You had just stepped out of the shower mere minutes ago.

"Gimme one minute, pwease!" You called out of the door frame; tooth brush in mouth.

After quickly getting dressed and at least halfway ready, you jogged towards the door; opening it slightly out of breath.

"Morning, babes!"

Natasha was standing in front of it; big smile on her face and a small sized parcel in her hand.

She immediately noticed your laboured breath and flushed face, of course - and Nat being Nat, she couldn't let this just pass.

"Had to dismount your princely stud first?" Your best friend asked boldy; throwing you a dirty smile and wink.

You blinked.

"What? I- No! Nat!" Once your brain had caught up you immediately 'defended' yourself; gently slapping her shoulder while laughing. "You and your dirty mind! Geez, I was just having a shower and about to get ready for the day. You were the one interrupting me and forcing me to hurry, babes! Besides is my..." You lifted your hands to draw quotation marks into the air, in order to quote Nat. "... princely stud still asleep."

The widow had done nothing but smirk and giggle while you had explained 'the situation'.

Now she shrugged her shoulders. "We both know it could've been both." "Oh shut up!" You giggled and then proceeded to hug her. Only halfway unfortunately, because the little parcel was kind of in the way.

"What have you got here?" You asked then; nodding at said rectangular carton box. "The reason why I am here." Your best friend smiled. "I was just returning from a run, when the postman delivered this for you - and I may have a guess what it is..."

The gears in your head were turning, until realisation hit you; eyes widening.

"The wedding invitations!" Natasha nodded. "Yup! I mean, it's about time they arrive. We've only got three months left..."

Three months... Three... Natasha was right. Only 85 days left until you were going to marry the love of your life.

"By the Norns... How did the year go by so quick? I could swear Loki just proposed to me and now we are already getting married?" Your best friend giggled, "Well, like I already said... It was about time for Loki to get that ring." and handed you the parcel. "If you need help with these... You know where to find me." The widow gave you a wink, then turned to leave. "I'll see you!"

You smiled. "Bye! And thanks, babes!"

Later that Saturday - after you finished your business in the bathroom and Loki had made it to leave the bed as well, the both of you took a look inside the parcel together. Until now, you had just seen a rough blueprint of the invitations and not the originals. Excitedly, you opened up the package - and couldn't believe your eyes. They were absolutely stunning. Beyond your expectations. "Baby, look at that..." You carefully took one in your hands. Loki just chuckled, "I am looking, darling." and leaned over to press a kiss against your temple. "I love them!" You stated; eyes still clued to the green and golden card.

The god nodded approvingly. "Indeed. They are beautifully crafted. More than fit for an invitation to a royal wedding."

You giggled. "Yeah? Are they fulfilling the princely expectations?" Loki gently squeezed your side. "Of course, love." "Shall we send them out then? It's time, isn't it?" He smiled at you; blue eyes shining with love and anticipation. "I'd be more than happy to do so."

You and Loki spent the rest of the day with folding the invitations, putting them inside an envelope, labelled said envelopes and of course send them out. Some of them were handed over personally and some reached their receiver with a little help of seidr.

Sending out invitations wasn't the only thing you and Loki had to still 'get done' for the wedding. Oh no... Two big things were still scribbled on the 'to-do' list - of which one was to practise your wedding dance.

You and Loki had already chosen the songs and a 'choreography' was made. The only thing what you still had to do now, was practising. Your soon-to-be husband hadn't really a problem - given the fact that he was a prince. He learned how to dance in his youth.

As for you... Well... You struggled a little bit, but you were confident. Plus, you had the best teacher...

"No, my love," the god spoke through the music with a chuckle; shaking his head. A snap of his finger later, the song stopped. "You..." He adjusted your arm around his shoulder gently. "...have to keep your arm like that. Unless I won't be able to lift you properly." You sighed. "Sorry, babe. Asgardian dancing isn't my cup of tea, I'm afraid." Once more Loki shook his head; the man bun keeping his curls from tickling your arm. "No, don't say that. You never danced like this before - of course you need more time and practice." "Yeah, but... We already practised this about ten times..."

Loki chuckled. "Yes and you're doing wonderfully. Do you wish to know how long it took me to learn all this?" You just nodded. "Over a year." That left you speechless. "Exactly. Now come on." Loki got into position. "Let's do it again." You agreed; getting into position as well. "At least I can waltz and we have to practice part two of our dance not remotely as much..." "You say that as if it meant nothing, darling. I'd be so bold and say that not every Midgardian woman can waltz." "Yes, but-" "Ah.Ah," Loki tutted; interrupting you. "No buts. You are my dancing queen." His words left you blushing, and before you were able to say something, he 'switched on' the music again.

You quickly tried to focus; recalling the dance steps you had learned already - and it worked. It really worked. You smiled as you moved with Loki over the rich marble floor in one of the dance halls in Asgard.

Practising in Asgard? Yes. Why? Loki insisted, since one: The actual dance would take place here as well, so it was better for the practice and two: Because the professional dance lessons (if you would choose to take some) were for free. Plus, nearly every Asgardian was a literal dance professional...

Since you (and Loki) wanted to keep things even and make a mix of an Asgardian and Midgardian wedding, the dance consisted of two components. You'd start with the Asgardian part and then switch over to the Midgardian. Two realms, two songs - and actually two dances. The waltz was no problem for you, but the Asgardian dance style was...

With the ending of the last tunes of the beautiful musical piece, you and Loki took your 'final position' as well. Your right arm draped over his shoulder; hand resting on the nape of his neck. His right arm was in the exact same position. Your forehead was leaned against his; skin on skin and eye to eye.

The god smiled, "Well done, love." and broke the position to catch your lips in a small, gentle kiss. "See? You did it." "Almost," you corrected him, but couldn't help but smile as well. Loki rolled his eyes - still with that smirk on his face, "We'll get to it, I promise." and took a step back. "Let's start again."

Loki distanced himself from you and got into position, with his hands crossed behind his back. Then he snapped and the song started from the beginning. The both of you started to walk towards each other graciously. Once you were an arm length away from your soon-to-be husband, you curtsied. Just like Loki took a bow. In rhythm with the music, your right palm found his left palm; forearm to forearm and other hand neatly resting on yours and Loki's back - and so you started to dance.

Loki slipped into a fresh t-shirt, while he made his way towards the bathroom. Knocking gently, he called out your name; gaining your attention.

"Love? Are you ready? We have to go in about ten minutes. Unless we'll be late."

Loki's 'wake-up call' caused your eyes to widen slightly. You may or may not have forgotten the time a little bit while showering... "I'm on my way, babe!" You quickly hopped out of the shower and into a fresh pair of underwear, before blow-drying your hair - at least a little bit (It was late summer, so actually not a big problem since it was pleasantly warm outside.), and got dressed in your baby blue summer dress.

Once you left the bathroom, your fiancé was already waiting for you; leaning against the wall with the car keys in hand.

"Are we ready?" You smiled and stepped up to him; winding your arms around his neck. "Eager to go?" The god chuckled. "It's about cake, darling. Of course I am eager."

You giggled and pecked his lips. "Let me just grab my purse and then we can leave." Loki nodded; watching you walk past him.

The two of you had an appointment today at the best pâtisserie in down town New York City in order to do a cake tasting. It was about the wedding cake, of course and you both agreed that it would be best to try some things first, before you'd decide about the interiority of the three-tier wedding cake. The design and decoration was already set and arranged with the pâtisserie. Now you and Loki had to do the 'fun' part... Tasting different fillings and flavours.

Your destination was a twenty minute car ride away from the Avengers compound. Give or take.

Luckily the traffic was not a complete chaos, so you made it to arrive in time.

The pâtisserie was bustling with people - of course. After all, it was the best in down town; yes, probably in whole New York City.

With your hand snugly wrapped up in Loki's bigger hand, you waited patiently in line until it was your turn. "Hi, we have an appointment for a wedding cake tasting," you explained to the friendly looking young man behind the counter. His eyes widened when he looked at you and Loki; recognising the both of you for sure. "Oh, uh, yes, give me a second, please..." He said nervously, looked down and seemed to search for something, until- "Ah, yes. Please follow me." You nodded with a smile. The young man's cheeks reddened and he smile bashfully back at you.

You and Loki followed him then to a little back room with two doors, a small grey sofa, white counter and some bar stools. The wall was painted in a beautiful shade of pastel orange and a few art pictures hung here and there. It looked quite neat and cosy.

"Have a seat, please." The man gestured towards the sofa. "Riley will be with you in a minute." You smiled, "Thank you." while your fiancé gave him a nod. Once more the young guy smiled shyly and fumbled nervously with his fingers. "It's an honour to have you here, Ms. Y/L/N and Mr. Laufeyson."

For the first time since you entered the pâtisserie, Loki spoke up; leapfrogging you. "Well, it's a pleasure to be here." You silently agreed with the god; who still held your hand in a snug grip and made sure you were standing close to him.

Even though you were about to be married, he still showed the people who you belonged to. Guess some things never change, you thought with a smile; looking at your engulfed hand. You didn't care, though. Quite the opposite... Loki's slight possessiveness was attractive and admittedly sexy in your eyes.

The man opposite you blushed in a dark shade of red, "That's great to hear." before shuffling his feet. He was on the verge of leaving the room, but before he did, he turned around to face you and Loki once again; seemed now to have scratched all his bravery together and ask: "I-I know this is p-probably inappropriate to ask, b-but may I get an autograph l-later?"

You smiled brightly. The guy was kinda cute, you couldn't deny that. "Of course. Just hit us up before we leave again."

The young man's eyes twinkled with happiness - and relief. "T-Thank you." Then he left the little room and you and Loki alone.

About five minutes later, the other door at the side wall opened and in came a woman in 'workwear', bright pink hair, glasses and quite a few piercings.

You and Loki were sitting on the sofa - like instructed; hands still intertwined and resting in your lap. Your free hand was on Loki's thigh, close to his knee. When you saw the woman, you both stood up.

"Hi there!" She said in a happy, enthusiastic tone and crossed the distance to meet you and shake your hands. "I'm Riley, we talked on the phone. Nice to meet you." You shook her hand, smiling. "Y/N and Loki." The friendly woman winked, "I know." shook Loki's hand as well and gestured for the counter with the bar stools. "Shall we move over?" "Sure." You and the god followed her. She went behind the counter and you both got comfortable on the stools.

"Alright!" Riley drummed her fingertips slightly on the wooden surface; smiling. "We already talked about your wedding cake in general a few months back. All that's missing are the fillings - and that's why you're here today. I prefer to do that in terms of a tasting, because it guarantees that the cake is really after your taste. But, before we do that I have to ask if you'd like to make any last minute changes, regarding the style or decoration of the cake?"

You and your fiancé exchanged a look and simultaneously shook your heads. "No, it's perfect the way it is."

Riley clapped her hands. "Alright. I'll go, fetch the things we need and then we can start, yes?" "Perfect, thank you."

Just a few minutes later, she returned with a big tray full of small, round cakes. They were neatly arranged and, of course, labelled. Riley put the tray down on the counter in front of you and Loki. Your eyes roamed over the different cakes with their different fillings and you just couldn't wait to taste them.

"Okay," started Riley with a smile. "I put together a wide range of different stuff and flavours. We've got some classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, but also a few special - some might say exotic flavours like mango, melon and matcha, and of course some which are refined with alcohol and coffee."

"Start which whatever you like." That was a sentence you and Loki didn't let yourself tell twice. You dived right in, always splitting the tiny cake in half and tasted the delicious treats.

Both, you and your soon-to-be husband didn't think that deciding on three different flavours for your wedding cake was that difficult - but by the Norns, it was. Almost everything just tasted absolutely wonderful and exactly that was the problem - and that you and Loki had different favourites...

"Okay, okay..." You said, taking a deep breath. "Compromise, babe. You decide on the top cake, I get the bottom one and we choose the middle together?" The god nodded; giving you a smile. "Agreed."

In the end, Loki chose chocolate-mint, you mango-maracuya and together you decided on something with a little kick - Baileys. Three completely different flavours, hopefully one for everybodys taste.

Here's the beautiful invitation @chennqingg designed!

Tags: @muddyorbsblr @mochie85 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @jaidenhawke @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @multifandom-worlds @jennyggggrrr @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @fictive-sl0th @herdetectivetheorist @hisredheadedgoddess28 @chennqingg @princess-ofthe-pages @km-ffluv @brokenpoetliz @huntedmusicgardenn @lokiforever @stupidthoughtsinwriting @loz-3 @jaguarthecat @icytrickster17 @eleniblue @yourfriendlyslytherinhc @mypainischronicbutmyassisiconic @kimanne723 @lou12346789 @smolvenger @lokisrealpurpous @isaidoop @lokisgoodgirl @aagn360 @cakesandtom @alexakeyloveloki @glitchquake (Continuing in the comments!)

[bsydelver]

PART 2- Tamaki Amajiki x Alt/gothic reader.

———>part 1

COLLAB WITH @wolvwa <333 (best plot inventor for real)

MAY BE OOC BUT BARE WITH ME.

Note: Okay, Im actually kinda excited for this chapter bcs Wolfa made such a cute plot for this part so trust us please with this one even if I barely write/wrote fluff 🙏

Warnings (?): Writer should not be labelled a writer, english isn’t my first language, reader slowly falls in love kinda, Mirio and Nejire just being Tamaki’s friends idk how to explain, reader is cute lowkey wanna be Tamaki (hj)

Summary: The four of you are hungry and go to a nice place then follow up and buy things from the cafeteria on campus until something happens and- okay just read.

As Mirio stepped in, a call for him that Nejire did and filled the room with followed. Tamaki lifted his head up too to look at Mirio who was visibly waiting for the room to calm down before fixing his mouth to say anything. Before you could greet him, you couldn’t help but notice the huge bag he was carrying on his back: what would a student be carrying that was this big for some chill out at a dorm with friends, you being you of course, you chose to question him about it; you always started your known interrogations with something simple, “Hey Mirio!” Nejire and Mirio both looked at you and it didn’t take long before Tamaki joined them (he couldn't miss this opportunity after all), “Y/n! How are you?” Mirio replied back, it was simple as you had initially expected- that exact moment was the time to actually ask: “If you don’t mind me asking; your bag looks rather bigger today, what do you exactly have in there?” your tone came off concerned for some reason which made the two other people who had been present before Mirio’s entrance in the dorm at that moment seem even more invested than you were, “Oh yeah!” Mirio let down his bag which kind of made a loud bang on the floorboards but it was much quieter than you predicted it would be actually, “I brought a board game for us to play,” as Mirio said that, you could see stars form in Nejire’s eyes and you couldn’t resist letting out a half smile: they were your closest friends after all and seeing them happy made you happy as well.

Due to Nejire’s obvious excitement, al though not expressed by her directly, Mirio layed out the game without any context and just ordered you guys to pair up into two groups of two people- but he basically hadn’t given you the choice as he had picked Nejire immediately, leaving you and Tamaki. Dice started rolling and true rivalry begun, there was nothing labelled as friendship when it came to you and the group’s board game matches. The only trustable person you had was Tamaki and you didn’t want to waste that, you both gave each other mutual ‘time to finish this’ glances through out the games and a few smiles as well, mostly from your side- but Tamaki had mustered up the courage a few times to actually form some as well. The thing that intrigued you the most though during this intense game were the (not-very-well-hidden) hidden smirks and glances Mirio and Nejire gave Tamaki: were the three of them planning on 3 versus 1 against you, were you just that good?! You decided not to look too much into it though as one hour had went by and your victory was officially confirmed and Mirio packed up the board with a quote-on-quote “disappointed face” that you just scoffed at in a playful manner. You looked at the person who preformed amazingly, Tamaki, and signaled him to do a fist bump which resulted in a few seconds of silence before he raised his fist up to complete the bump part of it.

Mirio’s stomach rumble escaped as he was putting the game back in his bag, you rolled your eyes and did a small giggle, “I heard this new place opened and does deliveries to our campus and we don’t need approval if I remember correctly since they partnered with principal Nezu!” You blurted out in order for you not to seem evil for that giggle that came out from you earlier accidentally (or on purpose, only you knew the answer to that); the group all agreed to your suggestion and after you contacted that new restaurant, you all ran out of the dorm with the idea that by the time you reach the drop off spot at campus, the order would be there.

You guys were right for once actually and you took the order and rushed to your ‘signature’ bench to eat there before anybody else could sit there and claim the place. Everyone slowly opened their order like it was some mysterious box, and they technically were since you had never tried from this place. You noticed that Tamaki had looked at you before taking a bite of his meal, you just smirked at the thought of it and how cute yet simple he was, both were traits you never thought would be coming from him at the time you didn’t know him as much (maybe cute but on a minimal scale, MAYBE). Everyone was digging in, especially Mirio, and you could tell it wouldn’t be the last time you guys would order from that place. Everyone’s mouthes were too full to say anything, all of you guys basically looked like hamsters with nut-stuffed cheeks that were puffed out; Tamaki pulled out a tissue as he chewed and after he swallowed, you could see him start mouthing something to you, “Y/n,” he didn’t continue and just pointed at a spot on his own left cheek, it was obvious now that you think about it but at that moment you were too focused on something else to process what Tamaki was hinting towards. Tamaki layed down his food and took off his gloves, still holding the same tissue, and leaned towards you- gently wiping the parallel spot on your face which he had been pointing at on his own face previously, his fingers were cold yet gave you warmth and before you could thank him: he pulled a similar product to the one you used for your makeup and handed it to you, "I carry this with me just in case of emergencies for you," you smiled at the small yet thoughtful gesture and properly thanked him after swallowing your food which you had been slowly chewing on since Tamaki’s wiping without taking notice.

You all headed back to your dorm and not Nejire’s this time after the much-needed meal with initial plans on a movie night with snacks- recommended by Nejire and Mirio. Something was missing though; it was the snacks part of the whole thing, Nejire quickly took action for this horrible “mistake” she had done and informed you and the group that her and Mirio would be going out to buy some and that Mirio needed to go out anyways to get his bag from Nejire’s dorm. You closed the door behind them with an exhale and looked behind you to find the indigo-haired boy sitting on the floor of your room in awe of the uniqueness of it, there was a contrast between you and him: he was always really quiet and just kept to himself unless you were really close to him and you found that fascinating to you, but you were open about your personality and interests and that always seemed to amaze Tamaki and admire you. Your footsteps quickly cut his observation off though and he had realized you both were alone and for God knows how long you’d be, Nejire and Mirio were menaces for this and they knew exactly what they were doing. You looked down at the distressed Tamaki and decided to sit down beside him to offer some comfort if needed, “Wait I have an idea,” something came over you and you opened the record player you had to practically beg the school to allow for months before they actually did to play ‘Lucretia My reflection’ (wr:sorry had to pull out one of my favs) you put out your hand for Tamaki and pulled him up and started moving ‘with’ him to the beat, you realized he was lost though and decided to take it upon yoursef to be the one to teach him dancing. You told him to follow along with your steps and taught him all you knew and all with a smile on both of your faces. Tamaki was always captivated by you, everything about you felt so different to him yet attractive and to have the opportunity to participate in the uniqueness you carried within you was an honor to him.

[artistic-izzy-multifandom]

Izzy's (second) Heavily Improvised Essay on Bambi 2

*rolls back here*

Okay so uh, my first essay was made back in... *checks notes* May 9th! And since then I've had more than enough time to think of what else to write for the movie (because like I said before, I’m 100% normal about it I swear), I figured I’d do it now!

Revisiting my first one, I mentioned a part regarding a possible parallel between the dream sequence and the cliff scene near the end.

Well today I’m here to elaborate on what I mean, by examining the scenes (and probably over-analyzing them, what can I do?) and in essence explain what makes both of them my absolute favorites of the whole movie.

(Oh, and probably there’s gonna be a side tangent regarding the tracks “Love is a Song that Never Ends” and “Bambi and the Great Prince”. They’re gonna be important.)

So first things first, we’ll start with the Dream Sequence, happening near the end of the first third of the movie.

It starts with Bambi having to wait till his father comes back to take him home. This is essentially one of the few points where we see him at his most vulnerable — dare I say, most of his cheery attitude from earlier, be it with his friends or even his father when trying to keep up with him, was a facade.

Only further indicated when Faline offers to accompany him to the den, and he declines - and visibly stammers. “M-my father’s coming for me.”

As if he was correcting himself even before he said it.

Not helped by the fact that he’s watching all other kids leaving with their mothers; it’s a somber, unspoken reminder of his loss. Still, he never admits to anyone out loud how much it hurts him, plus there’s the implication that it’s been but a couple days since it happened, considering his friends already knew of him living with his father.

This is all before the Great Prince’s speech on ‘ignoring one’s feelings and doing what’s best for others’, mind you! Maybe the apple didn’t fall far from the tree after all.

As Bambi lays down to wait and eventually gets sleepy, the movie’s main theme plays in the background in a solemn way — and in a sense, having a tiny sliver of hope in it. Let’s put a pin on that part.

Then, as soon as Bambi falls asleep completely, that’s when the sequence starts — with a vast meadow bathed in golden sunlight, and Bambi gleefully chasing away some butterflies. And then, we hear a voice call out to him, and he turns to see who it was.

Atop a small hill is his mother, surrounded by those same butterflies in a heavenly manner. And Bambi, overjoyed at seeing her again, rushes up the hill to reunite with her — the two nuzzle each other as soon as he makes it there.

She comforts him all the while, reassuring her son that things would be alright, then pulling away from the nuzzle to explain to him “why did [she] have to go”. And so comes her quote about “everything in the forest has its season”.

All the while she looks saddened, even when first comforting him — like she knew she can never come back to him and still try to reassure her son through it all.

Also, take a look at the butterflies; in many places, they symbolize joy, freedom, hope, transformation, rebirth, and new beginnings. Now, when you have the mother’s full quote:

“Everything in the forest has its season; where something falls, another grows. Maybe not what was there before, but something new and wonderful all the same.”

Whether you believe his mother truly was there or not, it doesn’t matter here; what matters is what the dream is trying to convey to Bambi.

Where something falls (the death of his mother), another grows (being taken in by his father). Maybe not what was there before (nothing can ever replace her), but something new and wonderful all the same (him and his father eventually bonding).

Still, as Bambi said himself near the end of the dream: he feels alone. The last reassurance she can give him before he wakes up, in her own way of saying it, is that she'd always be with him in his heart and memories. Her very last words as the dream dissipates are: “I’m here.”

Okay so, here’s the mini tangent on the tracks “Love is a Song that Never Ends” and “Bambi and the Great Prince”, plus a fun fact!

The former is the main theme of the first movie, but it also makes a total of three comebacks in this movie; the first two are very brief so it’s easy to miss, and the third happens in the dream sequence.

The first instance actually happens at the start of the movie — the three first notes of the midquel’s theme play when the Disney logo appears, and then after the logo fades, plays a very short chorus rendition of “Love is a Song”.

The second instance, just as short, happens at the very beginning of “There is Life”, the singer humming the notes before starting the lyrics.

And the third and final instance is the entirety of the dream sequence — but here’s the fun fact:

In the movie itself, the theme is played in an orchestra manner and then switching to an oboe/flute rendition when Bambi’s mother speaks.

However, in the official soundtrack, the theme is only played at the orchestra part; the rest of the track is the “Bambi and the Great Prince” theme in that same flute/oboe rendition, switching to violin at the very end.

In a sense, at least in the context of the movie, it’s almost a musical rendition of the quote itself by having “Love is a Song” associated with Bambi’s bond with his mother (an unchanging tune), while the midquel’s theme is associated with his bond with his father (a theme that evolves as time goes on).

(unrelated side note, I wish they had released the entire soundtrack of the movie and not just a few tracks, I’d pay for that to happen T_T)

(okay, side tangent over for this section, back to main topic)

But of course, we are to be further reminded of the tragedy one way or another.

When Bambi wakes up, he’s still hearing his mother’s “I’m here” out there in the woods — it gives him the hope that she’s actually alive and searching for him.

He ends up facing the meadow but still too wary to go out there for obvious reasons. He begins to turn back when there’s no immediate answer to his call, like he’s internally berating himself for believing she was there. Until the voice calls again, and continues.

He does gather courage to step into the meadow, but this time not as hopeful as before; hope is still there, but it’s fickle compared to his more than justifiable fear of the meadow. Part of Bambi knows there’s something wrong, but he can’t let go of his hope yet.

And doing so almost cost his life when Man’s dogs appeared from the bushes.

It all ends up unceremoniously crushed when his father, after saving him, scolds him for falling for Man’s tricks and freezing in place when told to run. All he could do was apologize, having tried to explain why he’d followed the voice but giving up halfway through the reprimand.

Then when the Prince calms down and takes Bambi back to the den, the latter sadly asks: “She’s never coming back, is she?”

And the Great Prince, after a few seconds of silence, can only reply in an equally solemn tone: “No.”

This end of “act” serves as a reinforcement of Bambi’s sentiment in the dream, only now he’s faced with the full certainty of his mother’s death — he feels alone, now far more than ever. Therefore it is no surprise that he starts becoming more and more desperate for recognition on the Great Prince’s side.

That if he could be brave just like him, then maybe, maybe he’d be worthy of his title as a Prince, and therefore worthy of having any sense of approval.

Before we head to the other scene, allow me to ramble a bit on one aspect of the movie that I feel gets slightly overlooked: a sense of misunderstanding on both sides of the story. While it is true that the Prince never told Bambi of his original plan to send him away with a doe, and it nearly cost the bond between them, at the same time Bambi never fully told his father how he felt in all of this mess or how alone he was.

And it makes sense why — because they didn’t have much of a bond to begin with, just talking things through with each other wasn’t an option. Especially not when the reason they’re stuck in this, as in the death of Bambi’s mother and the Prince’s mate, is one that cannot be talked about as how things are at the moment.

It’s quite saddening to think about in hindsight, because when you see the movie from the Prince’s perspective; everything he’s doing, it’s because he genuinely believes it’s the best for Bambi, even the whole ordeal with telling him to stay at the den where it was safe.

Bambi thinks it’s because the Prince doesn’t want him around, therefore he has to prove that he’s brave enough to go on patrols again.

However, the truth is that the Prince didn’t want to risk losing his son, not after losing his mate mere days earlier. It’s not a punishment, it never was; it’s a misguided attempt at keeping him safe and away from danger. Even when he does go through with the plan, the Prince’s not happy with the decision, but still does so because he thinks it’s the best for his son.

Okay, so with that section out of the way, time to talk about the other scene of this essay, and why I personally think it serves as an indirect mirror to the dream sequence: the cliff scene.

Before it happens, there’s the chase scene, which was kickstarted by Ronno goading Bambi into a fight. (also interesting to note: before this and the dream happened, Ronno made an appearance, at first to gloat about taking on Man but also telling the truth about the ‘I’m here’ calls, and later him kickstarting the climax by ramming into Bambi and accidentally bumping into Mena and setting off a trap)

The first time there were dogs coming and Bambi couldn’t even think of running, this time he managed to snap out of it and flee. At first for himself, but upon listening to his then-adoptive-mother Mena’s words, he realized they were the exact same words Bambi’s mother told him before she died.

It was enough to make him turn back and lure the dogs away to prevent another tragedy from happening. He’s seriously risking his own life by doing this, but why wouldn’t he? He’s a Prince, so in his mind he’s supposed to make sure neither Man or his dogs hurt anyone. Especially to make sure he doesn’t lose another parental figure in his life, however short it was with Mena.

When all’s said and done, Bambi manages to defeat Man’s remaining dogs — but then gets pleasantly surprised when he realizes his father was watching from a nearby cliff.

As the audience, we knew that the Great Prince went after Bambi to try and save him from the dogs, going as far as rushing through the meadow (which everyone knows is extremely risky to do as explained in the first movie, on top of a thunderstorm happening) just to reach his son in time.

But Bambi had absolutely no idea that he’d done that. Had no idea that his father had somehow followed all the way to find him, to witness him defeat the last dogs.

So, as soon as he realizes, Bambi runs up the cliff to reunite with his father, leaping over a rocky ledge in the way. And they smile at each other.

However, the joy is short-lived when the ground beneath Bambi’s hooves, moments ago briefly shown to be unstable beneath the Great Prince himself, gives way and he falls.

The Prince cries out his name, his own voice echoing as he rushes down the slope, until he halts in complete horror and shock.

At the bottom of the cliff is his son just past the mist, unmoving and surrounded by some grass amidst the rocks. And the Prince, almost overwhelmed with emotion, slowly approaches him, and tries to call him.

He urges the fawn to get up, voice almost breaking the second time, then tries to steel himself with his own mantra: “A Prince does not…”

But he never finishes it. As if the reality of it all at that moment finally caught up to him.

It was never about being a Prince or what he does or “does not” do, nor was it about just being brave. It was about Bambi needing someone, anyone to be there for him no matter what — to reassure him that he wasn’t alone. It was about Bambi needing his father. And for all the Prince knew at the time, it was just too late.

Still; if the Prince couldn’t be the father Bambi needed him to be, if he couldn’t show him just how much he truly cared about his son before the latter’s (apparent) untimely death, he would now.

Nearly the entirety of this sequence is spent in silence, with only the pitter-patter of rain gradually fading away, a gentle chorus singing in the background (which at points sounds all too similar to the notes of the movie’s main theme…), and the Prince’s own barely audible sobbing as he tenderly nuzzles his son, crying and mourning him.

It mattered not that he was the Great Prince of the Forest, the one protecting everyone from the dangers of Man — the title meant nothing if he couldn’t protect the last family he had left.

At that moment, he was just a father grieving his son.

So when he pulls away at last and prepares to leave, only one thing stops him in his tracks.

It’s Bambi’s voice weakly calling out to him: “Dad?”

And as soon as the Prince turns around to see his son alive and looking at him, still tired and recovering from the fall, the very first thing the Prince does? It’s to reassure his son, bending down to nuzzle him again and saying these words twice in a gentle tone:

I’m here.

They remain like this for quite a while, embracing each other as the clouds part and reveal the night sky with a full moon and a shooting star, their shared theme playing one final time in a heartwarming reprise — marking this as their reunion and reconciliation.

What connects both scenes together is the bond Bambi has with his parents, down to how each sequence began and ended, on top of their contrasts and similarities.

The dream starts in shades of yellow, gold and orange, and then fades to blues and purples once Bambi wakes up. The cliff sequence is entirely in greys and blues, but soon gives way to a pale gold hue when the moon appears at the end of the scene.

Both instances involved Bambi being asleep/unconscious in one way or another — on the first he’s being comforted by his mother in the dream until he wakes up and finds himself nuzzling a rock; on the second, before and after he wakes up, he’s nuzzled by his father. Both times it ends with “I’m here”.

Although differing in context, the meaning is the same:

His mother, although truly gone now, would still be with him in his heart, in his memories, in his dreams. And his father, now fully committed to being a parent to his son, would be there for him from then on and, alongside Bambi, finally allow himself to grieve their shared loss — and heal from it together.

...

… Wow, several months working on this, but I regret nothing. Goes to show how much I love this movie, no joke. (still normal about it tho I swear!!!)

I might end up not writing a new essay (or maybe I will, who knows?) but I’ll be compelled into sharing more of my Bambi fanart in the future! But for now?

I said everything I had to say, therefore I can take my leave~

*rolls offscreen again*

[rmsstevielol]

If u don’t want to agree to it being a colony then at least accept that they, along with the Irish and the Welsh were oppressed. If you don’t want to accept that then I don’t really know what to tell you becuase to me what im about to list right now seems an obvious example of oppression; trying to wipe out and I quote “ethnically cleanse” cultures, beating children for speaking Gaelic or Welsh right up until the late 20th century, after the battle of Culloden tartan and Gaelic was banned and if caught speaking Gaelic or wearing tartan, you were exiled, flogged or even executed, if you happened to have any ties with the Jacobites then you were literally rounded up and executed. Another example and a much more modern one is an account from my great grandma saying when she was at school you could be beat for speaking Gaelic and when my Nan was younger she was literally taught to “speak English” or more “proper”, meaning getting rid of the accent. Another example are the deep rooted stereotypes that still exist today about Scottish people, that all of them are “violent”, “angry”, “loud”, “drunk”, “savages”, “barbarians”, “not feminine” I could go on.. but these type of things are so common and they’ve been taught for so long that it is impossible not to think of the Scot’s like that and yes, some people may not be thinking of it as “not that deep” when in reality it is because they just aren’t funny and they make people look at us as if were some sort of joke, like our accents are always the butt of the joke or something. My mum has experienced things as simple as a dirty look whenever she gets a bit loud of says something in a strong accent and even on one occasion, an officer in the army telling my dad to “control his wife” after she refused to sing God save the King, as if she were “out of control” or something. All of these things are some sort of oppression and even though they aren’t as severe as they were before, they are still a thing.

I could go on about this topic for hours talking about other things like when talking about being Scottish, they always end up being the butt of the joke whether that be making fun of the accent, making fun of the bagpipes, the traditional dress. I live in England and I have a lot of friends who tend to do these things subconsciously and I wouldn’t hold it against them but I think it does need to be spoken about more and spoken about where it comes from and why it could be quite offensive. I’m so sorry to ramble on but a quick thing to point out is the fact that just becuase I want to spread the history of oppression of the Scot’s, it does not mean that I deny their involvement in the British colonialism of other countries and the involvement in the slave trade, i am aware it happened and are embarrassed and ashamed of the Scottish people who did that and I do consider them to be a “traitor” to Scotland but I just want to make my country’s history known and how they did suffer without people comparing or disregarding as something not that important or not as bad, yes some Scot’s did awful things and were involved willingly with British colonialism etc but it should not shrug off the suffering they went through as a country themselves.

I am sorry I couldn’t speak more for the Welsh or Irish but I didn’t want to then speak about their history and get it wrong. 🫶

[accidentalcultleader]

It is extremely in character for me to look at the shit show that is today and just quote sara bareilles

"Don't stop trying to find me here amidst the chaos

Though I know it's blinding there's a way out

Say out loud, we will not give up on love now

No fear, don't you turn like Orpheus, just stay here

Hold me in the dark and when the day appears

We'll say

We did not give up on love today"

There's so many things I could say right now to all of my friends and comrades currently in the US, to tell them that the world is going to be okay eventually but it all feels fruitless. And yet, the only words that come are the ones that are blocked by fear and tears. So please, if you feel helpless, like I do right now, please keep sara's words in mind and keep going. Keep going for the promise of the day we may never see, keep going and be the solid ground your friends need during this time.

We have a hell of a fight ahead, if we want to get the bastards that stole away our rights and our hopes, we have no choice but to keep going.

[whattraintracks]

3. Surprise Party – TMNT 1987 

This is totally inspired by iztarshi's birthday loop fic please go check it out.

After a very long day of fending off several well-meaning friends, acquaintances, and enemies—those might not have been well-meaning. Probably not? Hard to say—Leonardo is exhausted.

Who knew unplanning surprise parties was even harder than planning them?

Look, Raphael made it very clear last year that he did not enjoy his birthday, nor did he appreciate anyone's attempts to make him celebrate it. Leonardo could make some sacrifices to respect those wishes.

But after a whole day of it, he is really and truly beat, so when Michelangelo suggests ordering in and having a movie night, he readily forgoes his planned meditation session. Pizza and bad monster movies: the great panacea for every teenage turtle.

He unsurprisingly spends most of the film just shy of sleep until the snap of the television shutting off startles him back to awareness. Raphael releases the remote to the clutches of the couch cushions with a jaw-cracking yawn.

Donatello and Michelangelo, he notices, are curled together on a pillow nest at the base of the couch. They likely drifted off partway through the movie, equally exhausted from their day of misadventures.

"Well, gang," Raphael announces, perhaps unaware they're the only two awake, "It's officially a new day. And I must say, I am just so crushed that not one of you wished me a happy birthday yesterday."

Confusion laps at the edge of his consciousness as the words filter in. Was it really past midnight alre—

Wait. Crushed? By what?

No, not physically. He's upset. With them?

Oh no, he's hurt his little brother, hasn't he? He told Donatello they should have asked Raphael before making plans behind his back. Leonardo lurches forward to grab Raphael in a hug.

"Oh, you're awake," Raphael pats his shell automatically, "and crying. I was kidding, Leonardo."

Crying, right. The jumble of sensations on his face is starting to make more sense. He clings a little more.

"Man, I always forget how weepy you are when you're tired." Raphael shuffles around, readjusting for as much comfort as possible with his arms full of sniffling turtle.

Raphael sighs, "Look, I may not be a Ninja Master, O Great One, but my senses work perfectly well. Despite what I will magnanimously assume were your best efforts, I know what you three got up to today."

Leonardo blinks until he's somewhere a little closer to wakefulness. "Oh."

"And Michelangelo might be loud, but Mondo Gecko is a lot louder."

He giggles at the memory of Michelangelo trying to yell over Mondo Gecko. At about midday, he'd all but invaded the lair with an unholy number of streamers and party hats, singing "Happy Birthday" at the top of his lungs. "Oh."

Raphael peers down at him with a smirk, "Eloquent."

He leans up to double-check Raphael is un-crushed physically and emotionally, smushing his cheeks with great seriousness. "So, you’re not upset?"

"No, Leonardo." Raphael endures the smothering but not without sounding incredibly put upon. "I am not upset about our quote-unquote 'absolutely, one hundred percent normal, honestly-it'll-just-be-like-any-other day.'"

They both chuckle at the reminder of Donatello's words that morning. They sound silly coming from Raphael, but he has a gift for matching their brother's unwavering earnestness with biting humor.

Then quietly, so quietly Leonardo only hears it because he is fully in Raphael's personal space, he begrudgingly adds, "A day that the three of you went to truly ridiculous lengths to maintain."

And maybe he's just tired, worn out, and bleary, but tucked beneath the familiar sass, Leonardo detects a kernel of gratitude.  

"Oh."

With a magnificent roll of his eyes, Raphael finally shoves him away. "Well, now you just sound like a broken record. How are you still awake? You look like the dead."

"Because I am." He sinks back into Raphael's arms, words muffled as he nuzzles closer. "You are speaking with the ghost of Leonardo."

"Hah! Go to sleep, you goof."

"Hmmkay. Good night, Raphael. Happy unbirthday."

He huffs, "Who, me?"

And then Leonardo finally, blessedly falls asleep.

[imreallyloveleee]

for @bughead-bones and @stonerbughead who asked about my s5 murder mystery au: i plotted like 90% of this story out a year or two ago. who knows if i'll ever actually write it all, but if i do, it's going to switch POVs between betty, jughead & veronica. i've never written veronica's pov before, so that's been a little challenging. here's a snippet from jug's pov!

“Jess, have you seen my tie?”

“Nope.”

Jughead emerges from the bathroom to find her sprawled out across the motel room bed, tapping away at her phone. He presses two fingers to his temple, willing away the headache just barely beginning to throb. “Okay, well could you help me look for it? We’re going to be late.”

“I don’t think you have to wear a tie at a funeral.” Jessica slinks off of the bed anyway, leaning halfway over the chipped tv stand to peer behind it. He resists the urge to redirect her towards a more plausible spot, like the pile of clothes she’s left pooled by the foot of the bed. 

“I want to,” he replies tightly. He lifts her leather jacket off the seat of the desk chair — bingo. “Help me tie this?”

She complies, kissing his cheek as she loops the tie around his neck. “You seem really antsy about this.” She tightens the knot at the base of his throat and then tugs on the end a little, teasing, as she steps back.

“I’m about to give a eulogy for my best childhood friend.” 

“Yeah, your best friend who stole your girlfriend.” Jessica raises one eyebrow before laying back on the bed again, toying idly with the end of her long, black braid. 

Sometimes he wishes he’d never told her about that. If Betty’s at the funeral today, and Jessica figures out who she is, god only knows what she’ll say.

God only knows what he’ll say. It’s been a little over a year since they — he? she? does it matter? — ended whatever you’d call the semi-regular communication they’d carried on with ever since the breakup. For six years they’d texted back and forth: book recommendations, professional accomplishments, the occasional meme that made them think of one another. 

None of it came close to scratching the surface of their former relationship. But he misses it. He still finds himself reaching for his phone when he reads an article or a line in a novel that he thinks she’d like. Every time, he forces himself to set it aside. Her silence spoke for her, loud and clear: she doesn’t want to hear from him.

Jughead turns back towards the bathroom mirror, pretending to fiddle with his hair. “That was seven years ago.”

And I’m over it. And I’ve forgiven him. All the words Jughead knows he should say — the words that he thinks, most days, are true — congeal like putty in his mouth, unable to emerge fully formed.

“And now he’s dead,” he adds, unnecessarily. 

It still feels unreal, conceptually speaking: Archie is dead. Sure, he may have had some brushes with death — Jughead’s had more than a few of his own — but Archie Andrews wasn’t the kind of person who would just die. He half expects that when he walks into the church this afternoon, Archie will be standing right there, gathered with all their old friends and acquaintances, laughing at what a gullible sucker Jughead’s become in his not-yet-old age.

But the article is still there loaded on his phone, same as it was one week ago when JB had texted him the link: LOCAL ACTIVIST FOUND DEAD. Friends of Archie Andrews, 25, say they have questions. 

The piece went on to quote names Jughead used to encounter on a daily basis: Local businesswoman Toni Topaz. Riverdale Sheriff Tom Keller. Town coroner Dr. Curdle Jr. It read almost like something he himself had penned as a macabre writing exercise, filling in the blanks of a murder mystery plot with the people who had once formed the landscape of his own life. 

[threephantomrey]

IT’S A VERY SPECIAL DAYYYY!!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳

that’s right! it’s the 20th anniversary to my favorite movie of all time and my favorite Scooby Doo movie of all time, Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster!!!!!

so i’ve already explained how much i love this movie in a post from almost two years ago but today, i am going to add MORE love for it in this post.

Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster was probably, if not the first, one of the first movies i ever watched. many parts of it had stayed etched into my brain over the years. it was always my favorite, even through all my hyperfixations over the years and even when i went without watching it for a long time.

whenever i rewatch this movie, it feels like going back home. not just in the sense of feeling like i’m going back to when i was little and standing in front of my gray TV that would play it or going downstairs early in the morning to watch it on the TV we had in the living room and turning up the volume so loud it would wake up my dad. but also in the sense that it felt like going somewhere i belonged, rewatching the movie feels like getting a big warm hug from someone who watched you grow up and loves you. when i rewatch it, it feels like seeing an old friend again for the first time in years and finding out that they’re still the same person you loved back then. it’s a movie that never fails to give me comfort.

when i think of Loch Ness Monster, i don’t just think of the gang or the monster’s amazing design and the sounds it made, i also think of the opening scene, i think of lesbian icon Shannon Blake, Del Chillman the guy of all time and his van, all the beautiful backgrounds, Sir Ian Locksley, Professor Fiona Pembrooke and Velma fangirling over her, Colin and Angus Haggart, Blake Castle, Loch Ness, Duncan MacGubbin, Scooby carving a hole in the fog with his claw, the song Brothers Forever, Shaggy’s Rocky Road ice cream song, the scene where Shaggy and Scooby go to find the kitchen in the middle of the night that scared me when i was little so much i used to hide in my closet, Sir Ian’s submarine, the bad Scottish accents, Fred saying “da bomb diggity,” the ambiguous ending, Daphne’s pretty raincoat, you name it.

when i graduated high school, i used the line “hang onto your friends and you’ll get through whatever, soon you’ll be coming out the other side” from Brothers Forever for my high school yearbook quote. (yes, i actually did this) did anyone i went to high school with know what i was referencing? probably not, but it was awesome, and i have to give 17 year old me points for doing that.

i had even made this video in 2023 about the movie, in which i said i like to think of myself as the #1 Loch Ness Monster stan. and i think i stand by that. to me, it’s a beautiful and fun and lighthearted movie for families to enjoy and nostalgic and is full of comfort and makes you feel okay and safe🥹 (which yes, this definitely applies to Scooby Doo in general, but we’re specifically talking about Loch Ness Monster right now) with a song about friendship (Brothers Forever) that i also view to be a song specifically about Shaggy and Scooby’s friendship and the friendship between the whole gang. this is because of the lines “hang onto your friends and you’ll get through whatever, soon you’ll be coming out the other side” “wherever you go, i’ll be there by your side” “never we’ll part cause we’re stronger than ever” and “when it all falls apart, we gotta keep it together.”

and also the song is just really deep and meaningful in general. the second line in the song is literally “you’ve been hanging onto something, it’s really just enough it seems to me” and we also get these lyrics: “castles may stand but they don’t last forever, save what you can let the rest of it slide” “and this world feels like a monster who weighs a ton” “open your eyes and realize this life is just a crazy mystery” (which is such a Scooby Doo lyric) like BROOOO!!! this song is SO DEEP AND EMOTIONALLLL AND FOR WHATTTT🥺�� my favorite Scooby song of all time.

this movie may not be one of those pieces of Scooby Doo media that completely changed the status quo or had major impact on the fandom, (although it does do something different by having that ambiguous ending and the 3 monsters) but it was designed to not be like that. it was designed to be just a fun, traditional Scooby Doo movie with a little bit about Daphne’s family history and to be fun and lighthearted! and it does an AMAZING job at that! and you know what? it also gave us the iconic quote from Daphne “nothing’s impossible when you’ve got Scooby Doo around.” which is SO true and this movie deserves to be celebrated for that reason alone. it’s still important.

fun fact: i first heard about the Loch Ness Monster from this movie.

also the rivalry between Fiona and Ian? PERFECTION. i’d totally watch a movie about just them and their rivalry. and when he starts to believe her about the monster? top 10 sweetest moments ever. this movie just gives off such good vibes like it can really bring some comfort to you. if it was a person in real life, it’d definitely be someone you’d want to be friends with like they’d just be so chill and would cherish their friendships very much. this movie gives off a vibe of just staring out into the sunset over the sea and taking a deep breath, feeling the wind in your hair and the breeze around you and just appreciating everything.

here’s to the dark hallways we walked through while sticking beside our friends, the waters we dived into, the Blake family being danger-proned, the 3 monsters that chased us all around, the rivalry between those who don’t believe and those who do, what we’ve called the bomb diggity, everything that can be possible because Scooby Doo is around, men who are obsessed with the Loch Ness Monster and have a very cool van called the Loch Ness Monster Machine, brothers who will jump into the water when there’s a monster in it, their fathers who wished they would’ve prayed harder for daughters, and men who hold the record the most Loch Ness Monster sightings. may these memories live on for longer than 20 years.

happy anniversary Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster. you are MY brother forever❤️

[waterloggedsoliloquy]

2 & 9 for opal!

2. What's something about your OC that people wouldn't expect just from looking at them?

He knows what he's doing. Not all of it can be chalked up to dumb boy who doesn't know better.

9. Do you have a specific lyric or quote which you associate with your OC?

I like this question. Here is his playlist! And attached favorite lyrics like the 8tracks days. I can't say who he's referring to in every song, but maybe you might have some ideas?

Well, I'm just a kid of ill repute / But the skin I wear's my only suit / And you, you're just a substitute / For the one that I hold dear

2. The blocking characters are plotting new disloyalty / But sensing their irrelevance, they're frowning and displeased / The car chased through the mini-mall, amaryllis on the hood

3. All these things I've tried, boy, be cute, be dumb, be wise, be young

4. I'M SCARED! THAT I! WON'T E! VER CHANGE! I THINK! ABOUT! HER E! VERY DAY! I CAN'T! LET GO! I CAN'T! GO ON! I'M NOT! OKAY! AT ALL!

5. Hey there Mr. Blue! We're so pleased to be with you!

6. 'Cuz my heart is my keep! / And yo-u-u-u-u-u are threatening me!

7. The ache of a decade / the cure is overdue / for this brand-new kind of blue

8. You told me I'm hard to live with, but you said it out of spite! / I may put you through some suffering but I'll never prove you right! / It's a chapter that you're stuck on, but you'd rather read alone / I'm an uninspiring ending, but the best you've ever known!

9. Once I was the King of Spain / now I eat humble pie / A palatial palace, that was my home / now I eat humble pie

10. All My Friends Are Falling In Love / I know that if I was to set you free / You'd let them take you away from me

11. The sleeping beauty of the wasteland / Carry the milk or pierce the body with swords / machine guns, flowers, and peacock feathers

12. You got a reaction / You got a reaction, didn't you? / You took a white orchid / You took a white orchid turned it blue

13. 'Cuz what if I become my mother's / sole reputation? / and with no hesitation / i just burn all night

14. You are an unfit rival / By spirits taught to sing / But a tune so twisted now / Like all that's sweet's gone sour

15. I hug myself hard / How come there's peacocks in the front yard?

16. One girl's not so loud, like a convert she believes / She's always been looking for wires / But now she knows none are required / It's magic

17. I can see now you've stepped into the light / You've got those bright kind of eyes that I like / I kinda lie and I can't find a way through / I've obscured my own view / Well I'd do anything to make you mine

18. I just want to know what your feathers are made out of / Is it bruises or roses or cradles or coffins? (It's all those!) / Which peacock is beast? Which peacock is priest? / If your friends are all cripple, all wither, all wilt / I know, I know, I know

19. My name should be trouble / my name should be woe! / 'cuz trouble heartache / is all that I know! / Lonely lonely blue boy / is my name!

20. Don't occupy my throne, give me the crown I own / Lived like you told me how, look at me now

21. Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen / Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention / I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

22. [no lyrics]

23. Misjudged your limits / Pushed you too far / Took you for granted / I thought that you needed me more, more, more

24. Poor little rich boy, all the couples have gone / You wish that they hadn't, you don't wanna be alone / But they wanna kiss and they got homes of their own

25. What she asked of me at the end of the day/ Caligula would have blushed!

26. [no lyrics]

27. Today I am / A small blue thing / Like a marble / Or an eye / With my knees against my mouth

28. Will you come a little closer now and tell me I'm a / Scrawny mother fucker with a cool hairstyle?

29. Hello again / Not much has changed / I'm still the same / Just a bit older / Where have you been? / How do you like it? / I'm still the same / Just a bit bolder

[amynchan]

IN HONOR OF @mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess, WE HAVE A FIC!!!

Based on this post, this thing is now a few hours in the making. XD No beta, but I hope you all enjoy anyways!

It’s hard.  It’s so, so, so hard sometimes.

“Just a little to the left!  No, more left!  No—goodness, do you not know what left is?  There we go!  Perfect!  Thanks!”

Jiang Cheng watches as the workers roll their eyes at Nie Huaisang’s exuberance.  He can empathize a little, and he watches the other man flitter off to the next thing while the workers leave the banner alone.

The banner.  Jiang Cheng may need to hide in a hole after this is all done.  A miserable groan rises from his chest and is released into the equally miserable world.

“Hey, no grumping!”  Nie Huaisang appears out of nowhere to jab Jiang Cheng in the side with a ridiculous fan.  “Not today!  You can grump tomorrow.”

“I grump every day,” scowls Jiang Cheng, rubbing the now sore spot in his side.  He glares at the fan.  “What’s that thing made of?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?”

Jiang Cheng’s scowl deepens.  “Even I know that’s old by now.”

“And yet, you got it just fine.”  Nie Huaisang’s eyes twinkle with mischief and a victory he’d never admit aloud, and Jiang Cheng huffs angrily.  He turns away when Nie Huaisang starts to tut.  “Oh, come on, Jiang-xiong!  You’re the one who asked me to help with Jin Ling’s graduation party!”

It’s another victory for Nie Huaisang because Jiang Cheng did, in fact, ask.  For help.  From him.

“You know the Jins would have done something awful,” he mutters.  “He deserves something more than…”

A mental image of what he would get if the Jins had their way enters his brain, and Jiang Cheng shudders in horror.  Nie Huaisang pats his back sympathetically.

“Yes, gaudy gifts and boring CEOs to get him started ‘as a professional,’” says Nie Huaisang, the derision coming through loud and clear through tone and the finger quotes.  To drive the point home, he rolls his eyes.  “Jin Ling is going into high school, not a corporate job.  He’s still a kid.  He should have the chance to make some decent memories.”

Jiang Cheng cuts a look at the self-proclaimed party-planner.  Much as he’d loathe to admit it, his own skills weren’t here.  If he planned anything, it was a business meeting to get business running through slumps or a launch of new policies.  He didn’t plan fun things, and Jin Ling…

…he deserved better than what Jiang Cheng could provide here.  So, Nie Huaisang.

“Trust me,” says Nie Huaisang, like it’s easy to do.  “Jin Ling will have the best graduation party!”

Jiang Cheng looks around.  The workers, the decorations, the…  Nie Huaisang.  Jiang Cheng scowls, doing his best to push down the anxiousness that he’s been steadfastly avoiding since his friend arrived.

“It better be.”

“It will!  Just don’t grump, and it’ll be fine.”

“Huaisang!”

…/…/…/

“…course you’d get married to a turkey leg,” grumbles Jin Ling, side eyeing the individual he’s somehow called…  ugh… a friend.

“You’re just jealous,” cheers Lan Jingyi, taking another triumphant bite of his fowl bride.  “Iffs ve vest fing to effer ha’en to ‘e!”

“Chew, Jingyi,” Lan Sizhui says, watching his cousin with only a hint of trepidation.  He’s still somehow calm, and Jing Ling isn’t sure why he’s still smiling.  “We can’t understand what you’re saying.”

Jin Ling watches with disgust as Lan Jingyi chews happily and then swallows the entire mouthful of turkey leg.  “I said it’s the best thing to ever happen to me!”

“I can’t tell if that’s stupid or just sad,” says Jin Ling, and Lan Jingyi scowls in his direction.

“You’re lucky we’re at your uncle’s house,” he says darkly.

“Or you’d what?” asks Jin Ling as he grabs the doorknob.  “Flip me the bird?”

Lan Jingyi splutters, and Jin Ling leaves Lan Sizhui for emotional cleanup.  He has to go cleanse himself from that awful pun.

Wei Wuxian is rubbing off on him.  Gross.

However, two steps into his uncle’s house tells him that something is… off.  Very off.

“Fairy?”  Jin Ling drops his overnight bag, eyes narrowed as he takes in the empty entryway.  “Jiujiu?”

His friends come through the door behind him, and the entire place is still… empty.

“Maybe he’s at work?” asks Lan Sizhui.  Jin Ling shakes his head.

“No way,” he says, an unease creeping up on him that he’d rather not address but is getting bigger with every second.  “Jiujiu’s always home when I come home, even if he’s got work.  Especially ever since that stuff with…  No, jiujiu does the core stuff with work when I’m gone, and he does remote work the rest of the time.  He’s always here when…”

…when I get home from school.

Jin Ling blinks away some pressure that’s building up at the bridge of his nose.  Graduation seemed like a good thing just a few hours ago.  The overnight eighth-grade trip was a lot of fun, and he’s looking forward to finally being treated like someone who can handle himself, but…

…but now his uncle isn’t here…

A thought strikes Jin Ling harshly, and it’s all he can do to breathe through it.

If his uncle doesn’t have to help him with his homework anymore, if his uncle doesn’t have to sign field trip slips, if Jin Ling is expected to tackle high school like someone who can handle himself…  will his uncle stop being there?  Stop asking him what happened in his day?  Stop helping him with things?

Will his uncle’s presence…  stop?  Now that there’s no need to push Jin Ling to do his homework or to go bed on time for school because he’ll be a high school student…

Independence sounded so great a minute ago.  Now it feels cold.

“Maybe he just took a break,” says Lan Jingyi, and Jin Ling feels the anxiety rise.  “I mean, we took a break from them, maybe they need a break from—what’s that look for?  I’m just saying!”

“He’ll probably be here soon,” says Lan Sizhui, and it helps, but not a lot.  “Let’s just put our stuff in your room, okay?”

Jin Ling nods and grabs his bag jerkily.

A part of him knows that he’s being stupid.  He knows.

…but still…

…/…/…/

“Jiang-xiong, trust me!  He’s going to love it!”

Jiang Cheng will do no such thing.  He’s trusting Nie Huaisang to look after the dog and that’s it.  Party’s planned.  Good job.  Now, he has to go fix the bungling oversight Nie Huaisang made.

If the man would stop hanging like a limpet off his arm.  Jiang Cheng shoves him.

“Kids love surprises!” the man insists, and something in Jiang Cheng tenses, angry and ready to lash out.  “Don’t be grumpy about it.  He’ll be fine once—”

But Jiang Cheng is done.  He whirls on the man he’d called ‘friend.’

“The last time Jin Ling got a surprise, Jin Guangyao was charged with no less than 3,000 counts of blue collar crime and tried to take him hostage and flee the country.  Jin Ling had to deal with the scar from that stupid collar for weeks!”  Everything blew up last year, while Jin Ling was in seventh grade, and while the boy has recovered pretty well—as irked as he is, Jiang Cheng has to thank Wei Wuxian for his intervention there—surprises are still a no-go.  He knows that.  He knows that.

So who the fuck trusted Nie Huaisang to “take care of everything”??

Oh yeah.  Him.

Jiang Cheng really needs to punch himself later.  Not now, though.

He needs to go home, where Jin Ling is evidently there by himself.  Jiang Cheng remembers coming home to an empty house.  After his parents died.  After the first lawsuit.  After his sister married.  After Wei Wuxian left.  After…

He just…  he can’t.  He can’t leave Jin Ling in an empty house like that.  He can’t.

“You’re being paranoid,” complains Nie Huaisang, but Jiang Cheng doesn’t care anymore.

“If you lose Fairy, you’re dead to me,” he warns before he leaves the venue.  Jiang Cheng curses when he sees the burning sky above.

It’s so late.  The party isn’t supposed to start until a little later, he knows, but…

“Stupid Huaisang,” growls Jiang Cheng as he finds his motorcycle.  He fishes out one of the two helmets from the attached storage space, jams it on his head, and kicks the machine to life.  He’s on the street faster than he can curse his friend’s name again.

The ride home takes too long, and Jiang Cheng feels his stomach drop when the doorknob twists under his grip.

Jin Ling is home, and no one was there to greet him.

Jiang Cheng huffs angrily, and he strides inside.

“A-Ling!” he calls.  He listens for a moment, and when he doesn’t hear the thundering of teenage steps, he calls louder.  “A-Ling!”

There’s still nothing.  Jiang Cheng feels a twisting combination of worry and anger as he makes his way to his nephew’s room.  He won’t think about frantically trying to track down Jin Guangyao and Jin Ling.  He won’t.  He bangs on the door.

“Go away!”

The memory takes its share of tension with it as it leaves, and the disrespect twists relief into offense.

“What is that, brat?  Come out here and say it to my face!”

Jiang Cheng knows to do better than this.  He knows.  There are words, and he should use them.

He’s just…  not…  right now.

He needs to pull it together.

Right as he resolves to do that, the door in front of him flies open, and he’s face-to-face with his glowering nephew, and new emotions tear themselves asunder in his chest.

“Who made you cry?” he demands, putting one hand on Jin Ling’s shoulder and using the other to try to smear the tears away.  It’s clumsy and brash, and he knows it, but…  Jin Ling seemed happy to go on the trip, and he knew that the boy was mad, but he didn’t think—

Jin Ling’s hands push Jiang Cheng away before he can get any further.  Jiang Cheng doesn’t have a chance to process his own reaction to that—and boy is there a reaction!—when Jin Ling shouts at him.

“You can’t do that!” he shouts.  “You can’t just leave and then come back and pretend like— like—!!”

Jiang Cheng has never pretended a day in his life, and he isn’t going to start now.

“Don’t talk nonsense!” he snaps, brushing Jin Ling’s hands aside and scrutinizing his face.  He brushes another tear aside.  “I’ve never left you, Jin Ling, and I never will.  Where did you get this idea from?  I’ll break their legs!”

Jiang Cheng runs through the list of people Jin Ling interacts with on a regular basis.  There are more names than in years past—Wei Wuxian, the Lan brothers, the Lan kids, that Ouyang kid—but he’d put his money on that Jin Chan kid.  He’s never liked that—

“But I’ll be in high school,” argues Jin Ling, and Jiang Cheng can’t see the connection.

“So?” he demands.  “I won’t leave you even when you graduate college.  You’ll be showing me proper respect even when you’re a fully grown adult, mark my words!”

There’s a niggling in the back of Jiang Cheng’s brain.  There are words he should be telling Jin Ling, and he’s not sure if they’re supposed to be now or…

“Why?” asks Jin Ling, and his face is so confused and so angry and…  oh, that’s hurt, isn’t it?  “You weren’t here!  You left!  Why are you telling me that you’ll never leave?”

Oh.  Those are words that are needed right now.

Shit.

Jiang Cheng’s never pretended, but he’s never been forthright either.

Jiang Yanli guide him, though, because he’s going to have to try.

“A-Ling, you are going to listen to me very, very carefully,” says Jiang Cheng, speaking slowly and lowly.  Jin Ling reacts by stopping, by glaring at him with eyes that are filled with an emotion that’s all too familiar.

It hurts.

Words.  Now.

Jiang Cheng breathes, and he stares at Jin Ling right in his eyes.  “I will never leave you because I love you.  You are my nephew, and you get nothing less.”

Jiang Cheng watches as the words hit him, and it would be too easy if they could just…  sink in.  Be useful.  Those words are hard to say, but it speaks to his utter failure that Jin Ling doesn’t look like he’ll be able to accept them.

In true stubborn fashion, the boy jerks his face away, glaring at some interesting spot on his door.

“I never asked you to love me,” he grumbles, and Jiang Cheng tries very hard not to let that hit him where he’s most vulnerable.

He doesn’t succeed.

“Love isn’t something that’s given to you just because or if you ask for it,” Jiang Cheng growls, metaphorically licking the wound that years of repeated rejection of have kept open.  He’d loved his father.  He’d loved his mother.  He’d loved his sister.  He’d loved Wei Wuxian.

He loves Jin Ling, and he is so goddamn tired of the people he loves not believing that.

What he’d like to do is shake Jin Ling until he understands, but he knows he can’t do that.  All he can do is bluster forward with these damn insufficient words.

It doesn’t feel like it’ll work.

He has to do it anyways.

He makes a low sound of frustration, and he tries to use more of those words to get the idea through.

“Love is…  it’s something that you’re given because you’re—because you’re making people happy, because you’re a good person, because you’re you!”  Jiang Cheng lifts one hand to shove one pointed finger into Jin Ling’s chest.  He can remember thinking that he loved this kid when he heard about his existence from his sister.  He can remember thinking he loved this kid when he held him the first time.

Then he can remember being so, so wrong.  Because what he felt then was excitement over an idea.  He didn’t know love for this kid until he started showing that personality.  Bopping his tiny fist against Jin Zixuan’s face, snuggling into Jiang Yanli for warmth, wailing at the top of his lungs only to calm down when Jiang Cheng held him.  First words, first steps, first argument, and every single one since.

Jin Ling’s existence brought excitement.  His presence made Jiang Cheng love him.  Every up and down made this kid more of a person and more and more lovable.

He couldn’t stop loving this kid if he tried.

Like hell he’d ever try, though.

“So don’t go telling me that you didn’t ask me to love you when you keep making it so easy for me to do it,” Jiang Cheng orders, looking at the kid he’s watched develop into a person.

Do they fight?  Yes.

Do they get mad at each other?  Yes.

Does he love this kid anyways?  Yes.  Yes, and always yes.

Because loving the right person, loving the person who just grows before your eyes like that, is so damn easy.

Jin Ling’s eyes are like faucets, and he thankfully doesn’t bat Jiang Cheng’s hands away when he pushes the water away.  There’s a lot of water.

“If you don’t stop crying soon, we’ll be late to your graduation party,” mutters Jiang Cheng.

Somehow, that stops the waterworks.  Jin Ling’s eyes widen, and for the first time since Jiang Cheng came home, excitement begins to dawn on his face.

“There’s a party?”

Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling both turn to see the two Lan boys come out of the bathroom.  The polite one is looking at the loud one, who looks a little queasy but otherwise excited.  Jiang Cheng narrows his eyes.

“What were you two doing in my bathroom?” he asks.  The polite one shakes his head, and the loud one looks a little queasier.

“Don’t eat the turkey leg.”

Jiang Cheng gets no more context for that, but Jin Ling looks smug and vindicated and the tears are stopped and the surprise party is now something that the kid can look forward to, so he’s pretty sure he can let that go.

It’s so, so, so hard sometimes to love this kid like how Jiang Cheng thinks he should be loved and cared for.

But if Jin Ling is there, Jiang Cheng knows that he wants to try.  He really, really wants to try.

So he will.

(The Lan kids have to get picked up by Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian because of course they do.  The motorcycle can’t fit all of them.)

(Jin Ling chooses to go with Jiang Cheng on the motorcycle anyways.  They whoop the entire way to the venue.)

(Jin Ling loves the party because of course he does.)

(Nie Huaisang loves being able to say ‘I told you so’ even more.)

(Jiang Cheng figures he can withstand it as long as Jin Ling has a good time.)

[pensivealondra]

Who am I as a Writer?

Although I love poetry, I don't consider myself a poet yet. I let Sylvia Plath speak the words that I'm too afraid to say out loud. Do I consider myself a writer though? Absolutely. It's been a long journey but I'm not afraid to share my thoughts and emotions anymore, for if I hold them in for too long they will overflow.

When I started college I felt more confident in writing, not only for myself but also for others. I've got introduced to new authors such as Flannery O'Connor, who has inspired me to write more short stories. Other people that have shaped me into the writer I am today are my English teachers and professors: Mark, Corinth, Thea, Liz, Sarah, Belinda, Chuck, Lizbette, and the list goes on. My travels and what I've experienced, my cultures and my love matters also influence my writing.

I've also let music influence my writing, one of my favorite singers, Lana del Rey has inspired me to write lyric poetry (which I'm still working on). Fictional characters such as Jo March from "Little Women" have inspired me to pursue my dream of someday becoming an author, I see my reflection in her character. I also see myself in Elena Greco, Elena Ferrante's protagonist in my favorite book series "My Brilliant Friend."

I was already familiar with the term expressivism, which I think is what I've been doing with my writing the whole time, and it is something I will continue doing. Murray's quote "We invent writing and writing invents us" is one of my favorites because it is true, writing shapes us into the writers we are becoming.

Who Have I Been in the Past?

The passion already flowed in my veins but it took me a decade to finally embrace it. J.K. Rowling was my first source of inspiration when I began writing at the age of fourteen. The Harry Potter books not only entertained me but have also inspired me to write. My head was flooded with ideas that I found hard to immortalize with paper and pen. It took time for me to find the courage to begin writing and I did when Mr. Patrick told me to submit for a writing contest. I was afraid at first but he saw potential in me so I submitted my first ever written story "Follow the Stars Hamood." To my surprise, the story got published in a local literary magazine, when I lived in Muscat, Oman (located in the Middle East). Something that has been crafted from the inner workings of my mind has been immortalized, that's when I found faith in myself.

Where I See Myself Going

At the beginning of the year, Mays Publishing published one of my stories "Mexicana Hasta la Raíz," in their online literary magazine. I was filled with joy because this is another step closer to achieving my dream to becoming a published author. I'm an incurable dreamer and I've got big dreams.

After taking this course, I feel more confident with where I see myself going. We the knowledge I achieved by taking this course I feel more prepared to pursue that dream. One thing that I will definitely include in my future as a writer is process, as it is important because as stated by Murray "it is exploratory as it makes the writer make meaning of their own writing, and also help writers learn about themselves. "

Link: https://mayspublishing.com/great-writers

[shawnjacksonsbs]

6-3-23

"When [he] was once asked "which of the people is best?" he replied: "Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech."

&

"He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend."

- (I can't remember which is which, but one of these quotes is from Proverbs in the Holy Bible and the other is from the Holy Quran.)

I couldn't decide on a title, either so you pick, then insert above. Lol no lol

Choose either,

- Remember, going out on a limb can be scary, but that's where the best fruit is (thanks J.D.)

Or

- Or is it just imaginary grace? (Thanks Modern English)

Lookin more and more like a note share. With so much on my mind and too many things scattered anyways, it's probably the closest to what the inside of my mind looks like, my exhausted over . . .concerned mind. Lol no lol

~one day

What's the most important thing you've ever done?

Probably, make mistakes.

What's the difference between a mistake and an unfortunate event? I need you all to tell me, for you.

~another day

Mistakes ^

I should clarify that that doesn't mean I look forward to them, (mistakes I mean) but being grateful for the ones who made me, me, certainly are the most important.

~this day was a read. And this next part isn't mine:

"Most of us are not making life-and-death decisions that need an immediate response. Give yourself space to step back from the situation so you can clearly view your emotions."

Is an emotion present?

Hunger.

Anger.

Loneliness.

Tiredness.

Pain.

Stress.

? ?

"Be forewarned. It's like wielding magic powers. It doesn’t make the emotions go away, but you will become a master at surfing the waves that so many people get crushed by."

Think of HALT-PS like a gigantic red stop sign. The moment you notice any of these emotions are present, hit the brakes. You wouldn’t just rip through a stop sign going at full speed because you’re in a rush, so why would you make a rash decision that has a damn good chance of causing you to crash into oncoming traffic?

"HALT-PS creates a buffer between the emotion and the decision. This time delay can be a lifesaver since full-blown emotions are short-lived. Creating a little space means you get a chance to slow down, open your mind, and from a calm state, you can consider the risks that you might have otherwise overlooked."

Reading this helped that day.

~even another day

It's like a big multi-partner tag team in my head lately too. When one person close to my heart steps outta my worry and closer to the light it seems right at the time someone else jumps at the chance to fill the void. Maybe if they knew it's overcrowded between my ears at it doesn't actually cause a vacuum or a void. It's absence is what "normal" is supposed to feel like I think. Lol

Later same day, ~

What it is Earth to Echo?

~Another day

Hmm. "I'm not suggesting he's a racist. I'm saying the racists think he's a racist."

That to me speaks just as loud as. . .SPEAKS VOLUMES.

~And this, which is even another/'nother day

I put this all ❤️ together 🤲.

Still being loud asf about my healing, but secrets keep some of us sick.

I guess that's it guys.

Remember that love and respect should be given freely if given at all. I believe that world citizens should have certain rights, which some still don't (may never have), and that all U.S. citizens should have the same rights I have.

When I say equal I mean it.

I'm glad that those who would infringe on the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness can be kept in check, which is only because of the balances in place here.

Grateful for what we do have here, as we're about to embark on more small-ish adventures this weekend.

Today will start with coffee with fam, then thr pioneer days thing, and lastly, we're taking one of our younger grandchildren to see Across the Spider-verse. Keep your fingers as it's his first time and we hope he makes it through. Lol

Keep sharing your love and your laughter with the world around you, and keep everyone regardless, in the light.

I love you for being exactly who you're supposed to be.

Until next time;

"It's you I like,

It's not the things you wear,

It's not the way you do your hair

But it's you I like

The way you are right now,

The way down deep inside you

Not the things that hide you,

Not your toys

They're just beside you.

But it's you I like

Every part of you.

Your skin, your eyes, your feelings

Whether old or new.

I hope that you'll remember

Even when you're feeling blue

That it's you I like,

It's you yourself

It's you.

It's you I like.- Mr. Fred Rogers

"The deadly sin [pride] isn’t telling people to not be proud of who they are or their own accomplishments. Pride in that content means preoccupation with self to the detriment of other people and everything around you."

[kevin-coleman]

Silence Is Golden

The clock is ticking in my kitchen, a testament to how great this apartment is.

"What the hell is this fool going on about?" one may ask. Let me elaborate.

About two years ago, I lived in a high rise apartment building that had been erected sometime in the mid-sixties. Building standards in the previous century were not what they are today and as a result architects and builders did not pay as much attention to sound isolation as they could have. I could tell you the score on a soccer game playing in my neighbour's unit by the tenor of the shouting. I could tell you when my upstairs neighbour was under the weather based on the number of times she ran to the bathroom and/or flushed the toilet. The walls were transparent to sound.

It wasn't something that I fretted overly much about because, at the time, that's where I could afford to live. The building was safe and well-maintained and it helped that I spent most of my time outside of the apartment at work, at friends' homes, visiting family. If I was bothered at any time it was not usually for very long.

A few months before the Covid pandemic arrived, a family moved in upstairs with a severely developmentally disabled 4 year old son who had the tic of stomping everywhere he went. It was tough in the evenings, but he usually went to bed around eight o'clock and I could put up with it, but when the lockdowns forced us all indoors the situation quickly became untenable. Stomping nearly all day long on the weekends. Stomping in the morning. Stomping, stomping, stomping.

Before you think of me as a heartless brute, I did have sympathy for the boy's parents. My challenge was nothing compared to what they lived every day, but with the pressure of work and the pandemic I was at my wit's end and I spoke to the landlord about it but there was little he could do. The noise was not malicious or negligent in nature. I agreed, of course, but he got to retreat from the complex's administration office every day and return to his quiet home. I got to go home to the stomping.

I moved out in April 2021 into a "condo style" rental. It is considerably more expensive that what I was paying at the old place, but there are so many more amenities (e.g. en suite full-size washer and drier, among others) that it is worth the expense. The amenity that means the most to me is the ability to hear my kitchen clock ticking away on the wall.

People don't take silence seriously any more. It's taken for granted and all too often destroyed for others by our need to rev our loud engines, listen to our loud music, kill our enemies at full volume and THX digital surround sound on XBox and Playstation. People don't understand how essential peace and quiet is for our mental health. Here is where I would quote some statistic I dug up if I were writing this for Medium but this is a personal article on a personal topic so I will leave it up to you to believe me or not.

Ask yourself this. When is the last time you sat in a room, alone, television off, stereo off, computer off and did nothing? How long could you take the stillness? How long could you take the ticking of the clock? For me and countless people out there the prospect of having at least one part of our day to bask in peace and quiet is a requirement for living. It is a requirement for our mental and emotional well-being. We hold it to be self-evident that peace and quiet--silence--should be enshrined by the U.N. as a human right.

Since I moved to this new apartment two years ago, my mental health has improved significantly because I am better able to sleep at night which improves my ability to cope with work and personal challenges. I've been able to have friends over. I've been reading more. I'm productive at work because I can concentrate at last.

As wonderful as I make it sound, I have to spend a lot more money to enjoy it, so here is my question to any architects and builders out there who might be reading this: Is there a way to retrofit old buildings at a reasonable cost to improve sound isolation? Should we pose the same question to our elected officials? How much of an improvement could we make to society if everyone, regardless of income, had access to a little more peace and quiet in their lives.