#melissa grant you are SO important to me

[jackieshaunanat]

Some miscellaneous random ass Melissa (and Gen!) Yellowjackets headcanons

Melissa is either an only child or the eldest child

She has either never been socialized a day in her life within her home

Or she’s the older brother in the dynamic who plays all the sports with her little sibling and gives them candy before dinner but has like 0 responsibilities that aren’t things like mowing the lawn or keeping her sibling(s) from getting hurt in comedic ways only kids can manage

Melissa and Gen have been friends for as long as they can remember, no you can’t ask them how they met, the answer is some wildly fake story about aliens or something

Melissa has a nonexistent relationship with both parents

Dad doesn’t give a shit, he’s either at work or at a bar and just totally uninvolved whatsoever

Mom....has a vendetta against Mel because Mel has never allowed herself to be forced into anything traditionally feminine a day in her life. I’m talking like cut up every dress she was given, tried to eat the nail polish, cut all the barbie’s hair off and dissembled them kind of refusal to conform to this Idea of a daughter her mother had

Her mom made the mistake of asking her dad for help and her dad was just like “i don’t care what she does, she’s not killing people, just stop wasting all our money on dresses she won’t wear!!!!”

The only and I mean ONLY compromise they’ve ever found is that Mel is actually a big fan of the color pink lol

Unspoken deal is that she can fuck off and do whatever she wants for as long as she wants as long as she’s home by curfew or otherwise has told them where she’s staying the night (it’s always Gen’s) and they won’t ask too many questions 

JOCK I know it’s yellowjackets and everyone is a little bit of a jock (by choice or by force) but Melissa is SUUUUUUUUCH a jock. She’s a jock in that she plays every sport they’ll allow her to play at a time and wakes up early as hell to run miles before school 

Ur such a himbo Mel be honest, no thoughts head empty, orange cat syndrome, not a single intelligent thought behind those blue eyes and polite cat smile

This mf plays guitar and bass and has the worst pipedreams of being in a riot grrl band

Really loves horror movies but only ever seems to watch the shitty sequels and unironically love them

She’ll watch the classics! But only after seeing one of the sequels and enjoying it

Definitely saw Suspiria and had NO idea what was going on but women pretty <3 yknow?

That’s definitely not the only case either

Mostly sober. Cigarettes are yuck, weed can ruin her success within sports, and alcohol is also just...kind of gross!

Very susceptible to peer pressure though (peer pressure via Gen at least)

Drinks socially? Mostly fakes it but Gen has a way of getting her to actually do it

Only only ever smokes cigarettes with Gen

Gen started smoking because it looked cool and Mel just...kind of stumbles into it when they hang out sometimes because she can’t say no to Gen

Still no weed though. She’s very adamant on that one

Nonbinary but not in the way she identifies as anything other than girl, in the way that if someone decides she’s a man then shit! she’s a man now <3 she will not correct people, she just doesn’t care, it’s all the same to her

Has had 1 (one) boyfriend ever

He wasn’t even a boyfriend, he was a one night stand

She couldn’t even commit to the one night stand thing

She literally puked in his lap when they started kissing

That horror story told in the locker room kept basically every other boy in school from talking to her...which is a win in her books

Not even remotely as cruel or mean as Gen, but is very passive when it comes to her. Will literally let Gen do whatever and say whatever the fuck she wants, even if internally she knows that Gen is in the wrong

She’ll only get involved if the poor victim retaliates, in which case she has scary dog privileges because no one is allowed to bully Gen even in selfdefense

Couldn’t give two shits about what people think of her

Unless of course..........it’s Gen

That’s only sort of a lie

Because she cares if rumors start about her, only gay rumors though

Because like what if they spread and her mom finds out and her mom is upset or embarrassed or angry because she has a lesbian for a daughter

Mel’s personal comfort will always take priority, which doesn’t really stop any rumors, but you know what does stop rumors?

Physical violence.

She’s really fucking intimidating. She’s tall and sturdy and built like a football player

No one wants to get on her bad side and no one wants to say they got beat up by a girl so...for the most part, no one talks shit

Gen is probably also like definitely wlw but getting her to admit that is like pulling teeth and even then she still won’t

Especially when the only girl she’s ever actually liked is Melissa

Which like tooooooooootally doesn’t count because Melissa is just like...sooooooooooooooo not girly yknow? you know

It also doesn’t count if they kiss because they’re definitely drunk or it’s just a game of spin the bottle or that one kind of hot guy thought it would be like so hot if they kissed or- you get the jist

Melissa would be friends with a lot more of the soccer team (same interests!!! they are solidarity!!) if she wasn’t hanging onto Gen’s every word and most of the team...don’t really like Gen! She’s like a meaner wannabe version of Jackie??? Like Jackie can be a bitch but she’s kind and it comes from a place of love (probably) but Gen is like....just a bitch end of statement

Has definitely made at least ONE mixtape for Gen that was...so so so very obviously gay if you just listened to the lyrics for 5 seconds it’s like oh my god girl glass walls!!!! you are living in a closet made of glass!!! swears it’s not a gay playlist though it’s just a COINCIDENCE or some bullshit

RIP Melissa you would have loved Rio Romeo and also you did unironically relate to Weezer songs I just know it

[thewryter]

Conventional

Melissa Schemmenti x Female! Lowkey Mobster! Reader

Warnings/Summary: Jealousy along with some insecurities. Italians arguing.

A/N: is this me having a new favorite redhead 🫣. Granted I just started watching Abbott Elementary so I’m still on Season 1 atm but couldn’t resist and gave it a shot. Hope y’all enjoy!

-

I was walking the halls of Abbott Elementary, (how I got in wasn’t important) bringing my girlfriend some lunch. We kinda got carried away with some morning shenanigans which resulted in her running a bit late and I know she didn’t bring anything to eat.

While the relationship between Melissa and I was fairly new, we knew each other very well. Our whole lives to be exact, but being in a relationship with one another was new and it did have its ups and downs. We’re both Italian for crying out loud, so when there was an issue it wasn’t easy for one to admit fault.

I’m snapped out of my thoughts when I hear Melissa’s laugh coming from the school’s teacher break room making me smile which is then immediately wiped off when it’s followed by a males voice. One I don’t recognize. I slow down my pace in the hall as I hear this guy flirting with my woman. I stop by the door out of sight, waiting to hear Melissa brush this buffoon off but it doesn’t come.

I then turn in to take a quiet step into the room, Melissa had her back to me but I get a good look at this guy who was chatting her up. It wasn’t a teacher that’s for sure. They continue to talk adamantly to one another, not noticing someone has entered the room.

Barbara makes eye contact with me from her seat at a table. I give her a slight nod but raise my hand when she opens her mouth to acknowledge me ultimately silencing her reluctantly and watch as Melissa digs herself in a deeper hole.

“Am I interrupting something?” I ask gruffly finally making my presence known.

Melissa whips around surprised, mouth opening then closing like a fish out water, eyes wide.

“Hon! What’re you doing here?” Melissa collects herself with a smile coming over to give me a sorta hug since I don’t lean down to reciprocate.

“Since we had a late morning you didn’t bring lunch. So I got you my pops special from the deli.” I speak to her yet not moving my gaze away from Yosemite Sam.

As she steps to the side her left hand reaches back and up to scratch the back of my nape softly, something that usually relaxes me the second she does it, which most likely is her tactic.

It doesn’t work.

“And who might you be?” The guy then asks lightly in my direction.

“Doesn’t matter.” I quip dryly.

“Y/N.”

“Oh dear lord.”

The Hulk Hogan wannabe then awkwardly chuckles.

“Well I’m-

“Didn’t ask.”

“I just-

“Don’t care.”

“Well I better get going. Enjoy your tea, Red.” The man says before making his way out with his cart walking past me.

Instincts take over as I subconsciously turn to follow him when I feel Melissa holding me back by my forearm. My body is tense along with my jaw when I turn to face her.

“What the fu-

“Not here. Not now. We’ll talk tonight.” Melissa mutters to me.

We don’t live together but for most nights out of the week I come over for dinner and spend the night at her place.

“Are you serious?” I ask taken aback at how she’s practically ordering me around.

“Y/N please.” She sighs making my jaw clench.

“I’ll see. I’m going to be working late.” My reply is cold. “Enjoy your sandwich, Red.” I add dryly handing her the plastic bag with her lunch before walking out.

“Thanks for the heads up, Barb.” Melissa huffs, going to slump down on the chair next to her while the other woman’s mouth drops slightly at how this is being turned on her.

“Well I was going to but then I thought, I want my brakes to work on my car when I’m on my way home this afternoon.” She replies not wanting to be on your bad side.

“She wouldn’t do that..to you.” Melissa mumbles the last part.

“Yet you have to admit she’s not completely in the wrong for her reaction. You should have no longer entertained Gary’s flirtations when you decided to pursue a relationship with Tony Soprano.” The other woman points out with a nod of her head while the red head rolls her eyes at the nickname.

“Look despite how ugly that might’ve looked I know how to handle this. Ain’t nothing a night of good food and good sex can’t fix.” Melissa half shrugs digging into the bag from the deli while Barbra cringes at the last bit.

But when the day is over and it’s time for dinner, you don’t show up on time.

Since you two decided to be exclusive you have always made it a point to always be on time for dinner when Melissa cooked. A sign of respect of the time she took along with her thought. She contemplates calling you or not, but her pride stops her from doing so. If you don’t want to come over that’s fine. She’s not going to force you to, but man was it lonely.

Over the years Melissa has learned the hard way to adjust to sudden changes in her life but she was already used to the routine you two had going on.

The time she spends alone nursing a glass of wine she reflects on her actions from earlier today.

It was about to be 10 in the evening and despite being tired I didn’t want to go to my lonely apartment, even if Melissa is in bed and asleep I want to share the warmth of her bed which is an odd feeling in my chest, one that might have a connection to how I reacted earlier today.

I unlock her front door with my key as quietly as I can in case she’s asleep but I’m proved wrong when I hear approaching footsteps making me look over my shoulder to see Melissa standing there, wearing one of my Eagles sweatshirts.

“Hey.” She greets me softly, the complete opposite of what I was expecting, despite the bat in hand.

“Hey.” I mumble shrugging my leather jacket off my stiff shoulders, it’s been a long day.

She then goes over to the kitchen as I walk further inside. Her back is to me as she turns on the stove, no doubt reheating dinner. It’s silent but I’m not one to beat around the bush.

“I know your pay ain’t the best but you don’t needa flirt with some dude to get a free drink.” I set my jacket aside.

“Correction. He flirted with me.”

“You think I’m fuckin’ stupid? You were eating that shit up more than my brother Joey eats tiramisu.” I scoff.

Melissa’s eyes widen at your retort. You’ve never cursed at her, well in a non intimate setting, and much less because you’re upset at her.

Oh? So this is how it’s gonna go?

“Oh I’m sorry am I not allowed to express joy or laugh?” She raises a brow, some bite in her tone.

“You know that’s not what I mean, Melissa.” I huff shaking my head.

“Who knew for a gangster you’d get so jealous.” She quips borderline amused making me whip around.

“Jealous? Me? Over that? Fat chance, especially not when some big idiot thinks he can win you over with a stupid drink. I know you, Melissa. You wouldn’t let no guy you didn’t want flirt with you. I know what we got goin’ on ain’t conventional but shit! If you wanna be with some run of the mill bootlic-

“So that’s what this is about? You think I don’t want to be with ya? Hello? If I didn’t, you wouldn’t have a key to my damn place. I wouldn’t want you over eating my food every night. And I would have never accepted when you asked me out! Kept it strictly business. Now do you want one helping or two?” She asks looking over at me expectantly with a raised brow, plate in hand.

I take a second absorbing her words.

“Two.” I mumble going over to sit on a stool at the breakfast bar.

“That’s what I thought.” She replies serving two scoops of the pasta she made and adding the sides.

“Don’t push it.” I grumble as she comes over making me lightly smack her ass while she sets the food in front of me.

She fights back a smile while cupping my face to look at her.

“Now give me a kiss. What’re you crazy? Holdin’ out on the sugar when I’ve seen you twice already and nothin.” She kisses my lips which I “reluctantly” reciprocate.

“So are you gonna fix this problem with Hulk Hogan’s bald brother or am I gonna have to kick his candy ass?” I ask not letting her try and smooch her way out of this.

“Relax Rocky. It’s an elementary school, not Wrestlemania. I see Gary for maybe 5 minutes one day a week. I see you practically every day and spend every night with you. You don’t have to worry about him ‘kay? And just please don’t do anything to mess with him. It’s nothing. Really. I’m sorry.” She insists seriously making me release a tired breath and a slight nod letting my muscles relax under her touch.

“Now eat so you can go shower. You smell like an ashtray.” She then presses a gentle kiss against my temple while I nod before digging in what’s in front of me.

Yeah sure we have our issues, but we make it work.

-

Next Morning

Melissa wakes up alone, it’s unusual but it still happens sometimes when you have to handle work early in the morning so she doesn’t think anything of it despite what happened yesterday and gets ready for work like normal.

As she gets to the school she fumbles through her keys to get the one for her room when she notices the door is already open, making her walk a step faster.

“Easy. I don’t want none of her stuff outta place, capisce?” I instructed the two men who were moving things around.

“Good morning.” I hear making me turn around to see Melissa.

“You’re early.” I smile.

“Well yeah, without your distractions I was on time.” She chortles lowering her purse from over her shoulder and sets it down on one of her students desks.

“You love my distractions.” I smirk crossing my arms over my chest to which she only hums in response before returning her attention to what’s happening behind me.

“What’s all this?”

“Well since your room is pretty far from the teachers break room. I thought it would be convenient for you to have a personal fridge in your room. I even got you started with some snacks, water-

“Tea.” Melissa cuts in knowingly as she eyes the cases of raspberry tea set off to the side.

“Well would you look at that? I guess it made it into the mix.” I look over as well.

“Hon?”

“Yeah?” I turn to her and I’m met with her lips against mine in a quick kiss.

“Love ya.” She smiles against my lips.

“And I’m going to pretend this is a random act of kindness from my loving girlfriend.” She sighs lightly walking over to get a better look.

“Cause it is!” I shrug amused.

“Mhm yeah sure. Now, y’all gotta go. Imma miss the news.” She then says.

“You heard her. Business is done here.” I tell them with a simple nod towards the door.

As the guys walk away they mimic whipped noises making me curse after them in Italian.

“They’re not wrong, hon.” Melissa wraps her arms around my neck with a smirk.

I don’t deny it.

“I’ll see ya tonight?” She adds and I can’t help but grin.

“You know it baby.” I smack her ass playfully on my way out quickly dodging the hand she lightly swung my way.

Melissa looks back over at what was set up behind her desk, a genuine smile spreading across her lips at what you would do for her.

Yup. This is as conventional as it would get for her, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

[aquareus]

✨book recommendations✨ based on my last three years of active reading, out of 108 books, & listed in read order (* = a personal favorite)

A Psalm for the Wild-Built & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, Becky Chambers - sci-fi, lgbtq, novella duology. utopian future post-robots. heart-warming messages/commentary with plenty of robot-companion fun.

Know My Name, Chanel Miller - memoir. very important read.

In The Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado - memoir. a beautifully and uniquely crafted perspective on abusive lesbian relationships.

A Strange & Stubborn Endurance, Foz Meadows - (tw: early on-page rape) fantasy, lgbtq. this book was a much needed comfort during a very hard time. despite that, the m/m romance and character arcs were well-done and satisfying. the tw section made for a bumpy start, but I enjoyed the rest without a hitch.

* The Jasmine Throne, Tasha Suri - fantasy, lgbtq, magic. w/w romance between someone that should be dead and the rightful heir to a throne. really lovely world-building, characters, and angst. the final book in the trilogy is sitting on my table staring me down as we speak (and will likely make this a favorite series).

* The Obsidian Tower (* entire trilogy), Melissa Caruso - fantasy, magic, lgbtq. this is my favorite series so far and it's completely based on personal preference - epitome of "if I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more". the characters, the world, the magical elements, everything hit exactly right FOR ME.

Angles Before Man, Rafael Nicolas - mythology retelling, lgbtq. this is an interesting one: the story of lucifer with a fresh new perspective. i need to buy and annotate this badly.

Finding Me, Viola Davis - memoir. beautifully written, beautifully narrated, and another important read.

* The Mask of Mirrors (* entire trilogy, but especially *Liar's Knot), M. A. Carrick - epic fantasy, magic, lgbtq. where do I even start. i love these bitches like family.

Educated, Tara Westover - memoir. wild ride.

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy - memoir. this one's pretty self-explanatory.

* Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah - the last two lines of this book killed me on the spot. such an important and impactful read.

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine - scifi, space opera, lgbtq. amazing premise, and very memorable first book. curious what the rest of the duology will bring.

All of Us Villains & All of Our Demise, Foody & Herman - YA, magic, fantasy. just a really fun and unique tournament duology. the second book especially ate for me ('cause my fav wishful pairing got together and I love being insane and correct).

* Thistlefoot, GennaRose Nethercott - mythology, magical realism, lgbtq. book about a living chicken house with hard-hitting commentary on the importance of bearing witness.

Wings of Fire, Tui T. Sutherland - MG, fantasy, dragons. just a precious little series that I can always trust to be a good time.

Spin of Fate, A. A. Vora - fantasy, YA, future lgbtq hinted. loved the captivating world, magic, and interesting main characters. dying for the next book.

Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor - fantasy (duology), magic. first book was immersive, dreamy, and highly engaging. i wish the second book was granted more time + pages/another book to do everything and everyone justice.

The Bullet Swallower, Elizabeth Gonzalez James - historical fiction, magical realism. the first historical fiction to actually make me want to try the genre again.

my goodreads for any interested parties.

[musicalcastingideas]

Dropout Does The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

So my theory about overlap of Dropout and Team Starkid seems to be accurate, and people seemed to like my Dropout does Nerdy Prudes Must Die post, so I'm back for another. Same method and criteria as my previous post, you can go see that if you want to know what they are. Also, I have previously done a similar list with Internet Personalities that included a handful of Dropout people, but I'm gonna try to make this one different.

Also spoilers for potentially anything in the Hatchetfield verse

Paul: Ross Bryant

Ross is a great straight man (in the comedy sense, I don't know his sexuality) while being very funny in his own right, and I think, while Paul has a lot of his own funny moments, it's very important that his character is also the more normal guy reacting to the madness around him. Also, he would slay the Jekyll and Hyde homage that is Let it Out.

Emma : Siobhan Thompson

I think one of the essential parts of Emma's character is an underlying exhaustion with the world, and that is very Adaine Abernant and Ruby Rocks, so I think Siobhan would embody that very well.

Charlotte: Vic Michaelis

I don't think I've ever heard them do a transatlantic accent before, but I just have this gut feeling they'd be so good at it.

Ted: Ify Nwadiwe

While I do genuinely think Ify would be great in the part, if I'm being fully honest, this casting is because I (despite my better judgment) find Ted Spankoffski hot, so casting arguably the hottest man in Dropout in this part makes me seem less damaged for being attracted to the self-proclaimed sleazeball. Also him and Vic seem like they would be great playing off each other.

Bill: Brian "Murph" Murphy

He just has "refuses to drink during the apocalypse so he can be the DD" energy.

Mr Davidson: Brian David Gilbert

Since I'm splitting up all the parts, this basically turns Mr Davidson into a Princess Track where the actor just shows up, sings about desire and being choked while he jerks off, but laments how he can never achieve his dreams, and then pretty much leaves, and I don't know why, but that seems right up BDG's alley.

Melissa: Lisa Gilroy

Lisa Gilroy seems nice, but also kinda scares me, and those are the correct vibes for Melissa (#heymelissacore)

Sam: Jacob Wysoki

My only concern about this casting is that he'd go SO HARD in You Tied Up My Heart that he would keep breaking the handcuffs and/or chair, but that's fine, it would be worth it.

Nora: Katie Marovitch

The "Decaf?" parts of Cup of Roasted Coffee already sounds a bit like her TBH.

Zoey: Rehka Shankar

I feel like Zoey is such an underrated, funny side character in the show (I know she's a very small part, but like every line she has is a banger) and I feel like Rehka is a very underrated performer, so this is a good match.

Greenpeace Girl: Persephone Valentine

Making up the Save the Sea Turtles campaign is such a Sam Nightengale move, and also she would eat up Lah Dee Dah Dah Day.

Alice: Surena Marie

She's got a bit of a baby face (I thought she was like 25) and I think she would handle the change from Alice to Hivemind Alice really well.

Deb: Emily Axford

I'm definitely not just casting this because I want Emily to be my protective and caring girlfriend...

Professor Hidgens: Josh Ruben

I don't have an explanation for this one, this is vibes alone.

General MacNamara: Brennan Lee Mulligan

"Wear a Watch" and a song highlighting how the hivemind is essentially fascist and using the military to destroy any resistance to their regime is so Brennan core.

Homeless Man: Ally Beardlsey

I just feel like this is the part they'd want.

Dan Reynolds: Lou Wilson

Icons play Icons.

Donna: Aabria Iyengar

Icons play Icons

Hard Cuts:

Jacob Wysoki as Ted

Mike Trapp as Paul

Emily Axford as Emma

Jess Ross as Charlotte

Lily Du as Zoey

Grant O'Brien as Professor Hidgens

Grant O'Brien as Ted

Ally Beardlsey as Ted

[justsome-di]

Hello! I was wondering if you would be okay sharing some of the resources you found when you were researching sex work. It's not extremely relevant to what I'm writing, but it would be quite useful.

Yes of course!!

There are some resources that I unfortunately didn't record--which was pretty silly of me in hindsight. It was a lot of posts on Reddit which is not a totally reliable source but still had some helpful info when I was just starting out.

There were some posts that were posted in, I believe, r/legaladvice which is where I found some valuable information like the fact there's crowd-funded groups that help provide sex workers with legal aide when they get arrested/charged.

There's posts all over the internet of curious people asking the same questions I had and sex workers who answered them. The most important thing to keep in mind is that no one has the same experience. Not everyone goes into the field for the same reasons and not everyone has the same types of clients.

As for the actual research that I did keep track of, I bought these wonderful books.

Playing the Whore by Melissa Gira Grant breaks down myths and misconceptions around sex work while digging into topics like violence against sex workers, stigma around sex, and etc.

Revolting Prostitutes by Molly Smith and Juno Mars is incredibly insightful. It goes into critiques of capitalism and how it effects sex work--mostly, if sex work is work and you need work to survive, then sex work is just as exploitive as sitting in an office for 8 hours a day.

It really took off some rose-colored glasses I had for sex work while I was writing the draft of NEUD that's on AO3.

And while I look back on this podcast with some mixed feelings, The Butterfly Effect by Jon Ronson does a deep dive into the porn industry (as it was about 5 years ago--a lot has changed since this podcast came out). It has interviews with porn actors, producers, and directors and iirc it tackles a lot of how free websites like PornHub have fostered an environment of pirating porn.

Full disclosure, I listened to this when it first came out years ago bc I was such a big fan of Jon Ronson. It was coincidentally the same time I had the idea for NEUD and definitely had some impact on the first bits of research I did for the project.

There are other books out there like We Too that I haven't looked at/haven't looked at yet. There's no shortage of stuff written by sex workers.

All in all, I recommend looking into research that's been written/collected by sex workers. With OnlyFans becoming so popular in the past few years, we've had a lot of vocal sex workers come forward with their experiences--both good and bad.

I hope this helps!

[stingslikeabee]

i wasn't completely honest. ( from a certain dragon )

'Sweetlust' prompts . accepting

It was, simply put, an odd event.

King Adolphus had never been one of Melissa's favorite neighbors - for the very first few years of her reign and while Solaris still suffered with the constant fear and disrupted trade routes caused by Daigo (not that the beast had been entirely tamed, but the royal marriage had vastly improved living conditions), the country had desperately needed help. Many letters were sent - all of them ignored, not just by Adolphus.

However, his reactions had been not just passive - rather than not responding, there had been sightings and reports of his army moving towards the border. Almost as if the foreign ruler had been waiting for Solaris' ultimate failure and disappearance, hoping to annex the lands and claim whatever treasures were outside Daigo's reach.

Now, almost a decade later, geopolitics had taken a turn - Melissa was praised as a brave strategist, the younger princesses had been matched to promising and kind royals of other countries and her family flourished. The dragon had agreed not to destroy the people's crops and to hunt in a way that offered him some thrill... But did not create vast damage or harm to the locals. Over the last couple of months, the brunette had received more proposals and treaty offerings than their nation had ever seen.

Adolphus was among the guests they welcomed for such conversations - but while Melissa graciously awarded him the same courtesy granted to other invitees, the foreign king could not disguise his disdain for her choice in spouse. Daigo didn't even spend most of the time in the palace rooms, holding meetings - he found them horribly tedious - but apparently, gossip had a way of finding the dragon. Or maybe he just knew his wife well and could tell she was upset (on his behalf - which was immensely funny because a dragon older than earth itself required no protectors).

Daigo couldn't care less for insults coming from creatures he deemed to be less important than ants - but he cared for his treasure; and if someone upset Melissa, then he wasn't about to ignore that fact.

So when the news from Adolphus' resignation reached the Solarian throne, the queen was surprised to hear of it. Her counterpart had been ambitious and greedy - the sheer terms of the last deal he had proposed between their nations were almost insane, assuming that Melissa was willing to deploy Daigo as a watcher or guardian of his borders in exchange for some agricultural goods they now had in abundance. Besides, the idea of asking anything of the dragon insulted Melissa - he was not a weapon, even if many saw him as such.

He was the king of Solaris and she did not appreciate the way Adolphus simultaneously appeared to condemn their union while asking for protection.

Late that night, the queen found Daigo in their bed chambers - he looked strangely behaved, almost as if waiting for her. While Melissa disrobed and untied her hair, they made casual conversation - which the gem dragon usually didn't care for either. When she climbed their shared nest, the queen hovered over Daigo, remaining on all fours for a bit - a curious reversal of the position many imagined them to often take.

"What did you do to Adolphus?"

"Nothing," he said, and blinked strangely; at that point, Melissa was sure that Daigo meant the opposite, and yet for some reason... He was resulting to some horrible lying.

"Daigo, what are you not telling me?"

"Fine," he snarled, and then looked like himself for a bit - some sort of displeasure colored his features, and his shape changed a bit; the horns grew larger, the scales covered more of his face, "I wasn't completely honest. I might have paid him a visit and threatened to pick my teeth with his bones and those of his children if he ever treated you badly again."

Ah. Now it all made sense. Releasing the air from her lungs, Melissa then lowered herself over the dragon, enjoying the added warmth of his presence - her chambers were never cold post their union, really (which was a blessing considering how readily clothes were shredded, accidentally or not). Her right hand touched one of the horns, and then she went in for a kiss atop his nose before meeting his lips sweetly.

"And why did you not wish to tell me you had done so? I thought you didn't care for politics."

"I do not - I only care he upset you and I do not allow for it," Daigo grumbled, claws reaching for his wife's body and pressing her down to him - akin to a hug and, Melissa realized, in an attempt to reproduce her own comforting gestures, even if they were a bit alien to him. This, the queen figured, was the gem demon trying to look after her on her own terms - a fantastic display of tolerance, but only because it pertained to her (his treasure).

"You have been upset before when I mauled foreign visitors who spoke out of turn - you never said you would be against threatening them," he explained, and Melissa found herself laughing - giggling, really, lowering herself for more kisses that were fast and light, falling all over his draconic features with a sweet sigh at the end.

"You are quite right - and not at all in trouble," the brunette added, what was a hilarious statement to make - as if a single human held the power to burden the mighty one that roamed the world eons before Melissa's ancestors came to Solarian land, "I loathed the man anyway - I only wish I could have seen his face when you scared him to death, that is all."

[nobodywritingao3]

Betrayal is an important word with this guidepost. When we value being cool and in control over granting ourselves the freedom to unleash the passionate, goofy, heartfelt, and soulful expressions of who we are, we betray ourselves. When we consistently betray ourselves, we can expect to do the same to the people we love.

When we don't give ourselves permission to be free, we rarely tolerate that freedom in others. We put them down, make fun of them, ridicule their behaviors, and sometimes shame them. We can do this intentionally or unconsciously. Either way the message is, "Geez, man. Don't be so uncool."

Brown, Brene. The Gifts of Imperfection. Hazelden Publishing, 2010.

This crowd got its kicks from laughing at, not with, these unlucky stars of YouTube clips, many of whom were just kids[...] It does sometimes seem to me like contempt is the easy route, the path of least resistance when encountering something that makes you cringe. If you distance yourself from it, you're protecting yourself, and you can delude yourself into thinking that you're safe from rejection or ostracism (and that you're not the kind of person who would ever embarrass yourself like that.)

Dahl, Melissa. Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness. Penguin Publishing Group, 2018.

[figr0llmouse]

A theory about that HCA quote at the beginning of the film

Warning: Slight spoilers

Many people who have seen The Little Mermaid live-action remake were quite surprised by the inclusion of the "But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers more" quote in literally the first shot of the film (myself included). And some have put forth their own interpretations and explanations for why it was put there by the filmmakers and how it fits into the (new) narrative. Well, one theory came to me these past few days, and I thought, why not share it here?

When we the audience read that quote, it is most likely assumed and taken for granted that it can only apply to the story's protagonist, the little mermaid Ariel herself. But I disagree; within the context of the story told in the 2023 remake, I feel that it not just applies to Ariel but also to all the mer-characters in the film, and it reveals a rather interesting implication about what living as a merperson in that ocean must feel like, in comparison to living on land.

Before I explain my "thesis", let's go back to the quote. It emphasises the importance of crying/shedding tears as a way to alleviate stress and suffering. I think we can all agree that having a good cry after having a bad day really helps us feel much better. Now imagine you are a mermaid/merman living in the world of the 2023 film, and you are deprived of crying and tears whenever you feel distressed, and cannot express your emotions in a healthy way. Feels horrible doesn't it? Many fans on Tumblr have already posted and shared gifsets of Ariel shedding her first tears of happiness at the end of the film when she says goodbye to her father and tying it to the HCA quote, symbolizing that her suffering throughout the film is no more. As for other characters:

King Triton:

Throughout the film we are told that prior to the film's events, King Triton's wife and mother of his daughters had died in a conflict between merpeople and humans, which causes him to develop a deep paranoia and hatred for humans, and for him to be over-protective over Ariel. That plus the grief he carries over losing his wife would spill over in the scene where he and Ariel argue right before he destroys her grotto. Now I do not have a visual example right now, but there is a shot where we see Triton's facial reaction when Ariel refuses to stop interacting with the human world, and his eyes are wet. He either doesn't know how or cannot express his anger, sadness and frustration with Ariel in a way that is beneficial for both of them, so his only resort is violence. Which brings me to:

Ursula:

If King Triton can be viewed as an emotionally turbulent character, than Ursula even more so. In the 2023 film, she is not only Triton's estranged sister but a pariah of the ocean, where it is implied that she might have been the cause of the conflict mentioned earlier. When we first meet her, she goes into a self-pitying monologue about her fifteen-year banishment and how she vows to take revenge on her family for punishing her. She is clearly mentally troubled by her predicament and this would come to a head when she accidentally kills Flotsam and Jetsam at the climax of the film. As soon as that happens, we see a shot of Ursula's face (excellent acting choices made by Melissa McCarthy here) on the verge of tears, her lower lip trembling before turning into seething rage. It makes a lot of sense that all the perceived injustices she suffered and ruminated on through the years without a healthy outlet and the death of her beloved eels would finally push her over the edge.

In a way it can be argued that by fighting for her freedom and happiness, Ariel manages to escape the rather bleak path that engulfs Ursula and almost gets Triton, had Ariel not saved his life. It is also worth noting that when Triton decides to turn Ariel back into a human, we see him crying for the first time.

[strongfuck]

@stingslikeabee:

A promotion to senior project manager; comfortable living quarters; his favorite food prepared for dinner, courtesy of his longtime girlfriend-turned-wife; and even a long awaited vacation trip to Dionysus, which had been the focus of most meal conversations between Rhys and Melissa. All was well with Rhys Winz, really. (Or so that was how Rhys was supposed to feel.) Greeted at the door by Melissa, the woman offered him a smile followed by a sweet kiss, manicured fingers going for his chin next while the brunette examined him. Rhys seemed... Distant. Not the usual self that returned from his current job and acted according to the routine he was supposed to follow given the memories he had, and that had Melissa worrying slightly. Luckily, to play someone's wife had a few perks - like feigned care and concern for a beloved one. (All part of the job description, of course.) "Did something bad happen today at work?" Melissa asked with a voice that sounded innocent, tender touching him over the face. The woman allowed a hand to move upwards, brushing lightly over the scars close to the port on his temple. She enjoyed his cybernetics, after all; all part of the memories tailored for the engineer. "Come tell me all about it over dinner - I'm sure you'll feel better in no time," another kiss, this time on his cheek, and Melissa pulled him inside by the hands - she played the part of attentive wife well enough, although she was indeed interested in anything that caused mood fluctuations and any sort of changes to Rhys' usual routines. "I made your favorite for dinner, sweetheart. If you're still upset by the end of our meal, then I can think of a nice dessert to sweeten the mood," Melissa smiled, leading the couple to the dining area. (It didn't hurt that Rhys was the best assignment she had in a long, long while.)

"Mm... something happened."

Most days, Melissa's lips against his own work as a fantastic balm against the otherwise cutthroat life that Hyperion expects of him. Granted, the kiss did make him relax some-- his shoulders slump a little, and a sigh he hadn't realised he'd been holding in comes out through his nose-- but it doesn't quiet the discord that'd begun growing in his head since today's little... incident.

He doesn't want to talk about it. Almost. Which is strange, considering he's never not wanted to tell Melissa about his day. From day one, even before they'd been married or even engaged, Rhys had told her that it was important to him that they were honest with each other. But then he'd never had any truths that he imagined would make Melissa resent him.

Now, though, as he sits and watches Melissa busy herself with setting the table, he swallows the lump in his throat. His hands aren't shaking, thankfully, and he undoes his necktie and pops the first two buttons of his shirt he waits for her.

Once the spread is ready and Rhys gets to look it all over-- hummus, salad, pita, falafel, and even some baklava-- the corners of his mouth tug up some. For someone whose favourite food changes constantly (there's just so much in the galaxy to taste!), Melissa's ability to be in-tune with whatever Rhys is obsessed with next will never cease to amaze him. That's a good thing, at least.

"It all looks great," Rhys says, not wanting to be unappreciative even amidst the white noise in his head. "How'd you find the time to do all this?" It'll be easier, maybe, to speak of something lighter before he really digs into the meat of his day. "I mean, even the baklava..."

[tsurugixbuster]

For as long as Melissa could remember, Valentine's Day was incredibly busy for her - either as a honeygirl or running the inn afterwards, the date that celebrated love and companionship was always an important one in an industry like hers. Only on that year - the madame was nowhere to be found; she was not in Wall Market, but on the other side of the plate.

A date - these seemed to keep coming, although Melissa still did not fully understand why. However, it was undeniable that the woman was having fun - particularly when the 1st Class sounded so determined to offer the real experience she had never been exposed to. The courtship, the actual activities done together, even receiving flowers - these were normal things for most women growing up, but not Melissa.

In a way, it was really adorable. Whether or not Zack knew about it all, he was healing something the madame did not realize had been hurting until that moment. Sitting with him close to one of the many accesses to under plate area, she was given a very privileged view of the Midgar skyview - a place civilians were not admitted to, but his credentials allowed the SOLDIER to go mostly everywhere.

Sighing softly, Melissa moved to press a kiss to his cheek - unannounced and without a real reason but for the gratuitous display of affection. It worked to have the man turning around to face her - and the brunette decided he had earned it. In a normal world (or according to what she heard from her own girls), Zack had proved himself worthy of the next step, as much as women like Melissa hated the way physical desire was labeled and treated by most of society.

"I think I told you, but a voluntary date on Valentine's Day is a novelty to me," the madame said, peering up into his mako blue eyes, "And so would be having company for the night. I guess the question is - would you like to have me stay or come back with me, Zack?"

It wasn't often that the SOLDIER used his position for personal gain. He made a particular exception, just this once.

For her.

Zack has grown accustomed to his own fair share of horrors, though perhaps none quite like Melissa's. He shoulders them and tries to move on the best he can. It is all he knows how to do. He is an ever perpetual bright smile and an optimistic grin. It is silly to many people. He has met several people within his own branch of Shin-Ra who have grown cold, almost distant after the fighting was over.

But not Zack.

Zack held onto his dreams and his pride. Zack soldiered on, continuing to believe that he was doing some good. These little moments were proof of that. Where he gets to sit and enjoy the quiet with a beautiful woman.

He enjoyed it honestly. He didn't pry into Melissa's affairs. He didn't care to question her about her past or try and force her to open up to him. She made it clear that it had been hard on her, and he respected that. If she wanted to talk about it she would, if she didn't want to.

Oh well.

There were plenty of other things for them to talk about.

"The date might be a novelty, but the romance is real."

The kiss on his cheek is all the encouragement he needs to sweep the queen up off her feet and into his heavily muscled arms. His features are alight. Those glowing azure eyes are open wide. His cheeks glow with a pinkish hue as the blood comes rushing to his face.

He tilts her head back then and returns the kiss. Finding her lips with his own for a few brief moments. This kiss is drawn out as much as it can be, before he lifts his head back away from hers. If only far enough to speak.

"It's about the same walk either way. Granted your place is a little nicer than mine."

Not that the luxuries permitted to SOLDIER weren't nice and all, but Shin-Ra didn't really accommodate for things like guests or personal lives. His parents had never even been to the city to see him.

"Either way I'm sure everybody will buzzing when they see you."

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

100% Hits Vol. 2 1991 Pop-Rock / Pop-Rap / Pop / Dance-Pop / Adult Contemporary

Alright, so...this was pretty much every bit as bad as you'd probably expect a compilation that looks like this would be 😅. This whole cut-and-paste style of album art construction that places a bunch of rectangular artist photos against a clashing, plain-yellow background has a way of transmitting that same cheap, hollow, and wholly manufactured vibe that a cover of one of those typical teenybopper magazines might too, and that's more or less what you end up receiving with this second installment in Warner Music Australia's 100% Hits series here; an embarrassing hole of substanceless and mindless crud that weaves together some of the most disposably uninspired examples of pop, pop-rock, dance-pop, pop-rap, and adult contemporary that you'll likely ever hear. And you know that something like this is truly representative of the absolute worst that the early 90s had to offer when you can safely conclude that Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch's "Good Vibrations"—a fun, catchy, and very goofy song, no doubt—is somehow legitimately one of the best tunes that's on this album, all in spite of Mark Wahlberg's own comically braggadocious and terrible attempts at rapping 😵‍💫.

And I guess for the most prime example of all this Australian pop awfulness then, one really need look no further than national soap opera star Melissa's unbelievably atrocious "Sexy (Is the Word)," which somehow managed to reach #3 on the country's pop chart and achieved gold status there too. You might logically assume that something like this was actually made as an exaggerated satire on what dance-pop writ large was looking and sounding like back then, but I really don't think that that was the case here. And Melissa may've had a ton of sex appeal too, but she really could not do the most important thing that a pop star needs to do, which is SING WITH A MODICUM OF ACCEPTABLENESS, so this really has to be up there as one of the single-worst pop songs that's probably ever been made, period 🤢. Like, it's so bad that I think the entire nation of Australia should be made to feel shame over it for collectively allowing the conditions to exist in order for it to manifest itself in the first place.

Do not, under any circumstances, watch this shit.

And also, color me completely surprised to find an act like legendary 'real' east coast hip hop duo Gang Starr on this CD too, strangely nestled between the likes of future 'Queen of Christian Pop,' Amy Grant (anyone else remember that song of hers that went, "It takes a little time sometimes, to get your feet back on the ground"?), and Cathy Dennis, who'd just given the world her memorably signature dance-pop cover of Wish & Fonda Rae's "Touch Me (All Night Long)," before going on to later write Kylie Minogue's landmark "Can't You Get Out of My Head," too 😂. Probably the oddest album that you could possibly imagine to find Gang Starr on, but apparently their song "Lovesick" got something of a swingin' and upbeat British acid jazz remix treatment to it, and then it ended up doing surprisingly well in Australia of all places, so here they are. And it's not totally bad by any means—especially by the rest of the standards that are set by this album—but it's also definitely not the style of jazz-rap that they'd become known for making, either.

Deeply anodyne clunker from one of my favorite pop acts from this time period too, Roxette, whose "The Big L." really should've stood for 'The Big Loser,' rather than 'The Big Love.' Yikes! 😮‍💨

So this was purely just one of the worst possible ways to experience this era of popular music. In a broad sense, when you say the term 'early 90s' to people, a lot of them probably immediately think of a band like Nirvana, and Seattle grunge more generally, but whatever's on this album, even though it was exclusively tailored to an Australian audience, is actually a far more accurate portrayal of what these years actually sounded like for most folks in the West. We had Vanilla Ice, we had Milli Vanilli, we had Michael Bolton, we had glam metal's last, dying breaths, and we also had a ton of other songs that sounded like what was on this album too. These were some extremely dark times for pop music as a whole, and this release does a bang-up job of capturing just how dire things were capable of getting 😩.

Highlights:

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch - "Good Vibrations" Gang Starr - "Lovesick" Ghostwriters - "...Someone's Singing New York New York"

[keenexpressions]

Melissa French

1. Name, Year, & Major

Melissa French, 2nd Year, English

2. If you were a luxury brand, what would it be and why?

I would be Gucci because Father, Son, and House of Gucci is iconic. It's also not that flashy and I like some of their vintage designs and their perfumes as well. 

3. Who is your personal hero and why?

My personal hero is my mom since she has been a role model for me not only as a woman, but as a person as well. She is extremely strong and so selfless, she has helped me become the person I am today and continues to inspire me and be my hero :).  

4. How do you react after a conflict occurs, and why?

I am not a confrontational person, so I usually leave the situation to cool down a bit before going back and trying to talk it out. At times, I can get overwhelmed so I can come off as standoffish, but I usually am just trying to gather myself before having a conversation about a conflict. 

5. If you were granted 3 wishes, what would it be?

I would want to cure all diseases, gain the ability to control time, and also the ability to teleport.

6. What would you Google about your life?

I have an obsession with how others perceive me so I would probably google public opinion even though it's kind of narcissistic. I would also maybe google my own biography to see the most important moments of my life.   

7. What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

My favorite thing about myself is my loyalty. I always strive to be genuine and true to my friends and family as well as always being there for them in whatever they need. This trait is something I try to embody since it is something I value in a friend. 

8. What's your toxic trait?

I overthink a lot to the point where I can sometimes convince myself there is a problem when really there isn't. Sometimes it's hard for me to get past that overthinking stage, but I have gotten better at it the past few years. 

9. Would you visit the future or past?

I would want  to visit the past because history really fascinates me and I would love to go back to all the different eras and see how people lived. I would really want to visit ancient civilizations and see moments of history we can only ever read about. 

10. What are the biggest differences between you today/now and five years ago? And what advice would you give to yourself from five years ago?

Five years ago I was a freshman in high school still unsteady with being a teenager. I believe I'm in a really different place– not only age wise, but mentally as well. I have learned a lot through friendships that happened and ended within those five years along with moments where I struggled a lot, but managed to pick myself up and continue. I would like to think I’m more mature even though sometimes my actions suggest otherwise. Some advice I would give myself would be to cherish all the moments you have, even ones that don't seem that important. I would also say that it’s ok to try things and fail because it's better than regretting not taking the chance in the first place. Lastly, I’d tell myself to be more spontaneous and to put myself out there more even if I feel embarrassed or out of my comfort zone.

[mishavorshevsky]

msmelissalin​:

.

Melissa Lin stood outside the makeshift office, the aura of confidence surrounding her as she faced what undoubtedly Kosta’s bodyguards stationed outside. She understood Mikhail’s disdain for their presence, even if he didn’t show it. 

Melissa maintained a composed demeanor, unaffected by Misha’s dismissive tone. With an unwavering gaze, she responded in her own measured tone, choosing words carefully. “Misha, I understand my appearance might raise some…concerns about my intentions. However, I come here today not as a representative of Rutherford’s, but rather as someone with information that I believe may be of interest to you.”

She paused briefly, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. “Recent events have revealed certain truths that can’t be ignored. The ties between your family and mine, inclusive of influential figures, have consequences that extend beyond the realm of secrecy.’’ She’d always been good at talking circles, avoiding the topics that needed to be broached. ‘’I wish to discuss these matters with you, and not Kosta.’’

To say things were strained was an understatement. 

Melissa’s words carried a subtle weight, hinting at the intricacies of their shared predicament. She knew that Kosta was a man of intelligence and pragmatism. But Misha was tested and had come out just as many Russians did. Stronger. It was her hope that he would recognize the importance of engaging in this conversation, even if it meant temporarily setting aside their personal differences.

"I trust that you will consider the gravity of our current situation and grant me the opportunity to share what I know. It’s in both our interests to ensure that we are adequately prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.”

Melissa maintained her poise, awaiting Misha’s response, aware that the outcome of this encounter could have far-reaching implications for both their worlds.

+

Internally, Mikhail bristled at her use of his nickname. As if they were friends rather than allies forced together by proximity and a long standing reciprocal agreement. The Rutherfords’ influence in London was simply a means to a very calculated end, though he’d learned that playing civil granted him more favors than spewing acid. 

“Ah.” How easily she separated herself from the only tether that bound them together in this moment, almost prostrating with her efforts at being sincere. Only time would determine if that decision was foolhardy or ingenious. “Considering you came all the way down here to deliver it, I’m inclined to believe you. So tell me.”

Discuss with him, not Kosta. A tempting offer, but he wasn’t born yesterday and his features remained stagnant with their quiet cordiality. It clocked as the sort of mental note to file away for later.

The woman certainly had talent for spinning a yarn and wasting considerable minutes. As much as he appreciated those who could wax poetic with the very best, the longer they stood in this room, the less time he spent doing something of actual importance. “I don’t mean to be curt, Miss Lin,” his towering figure adjusted to lean against the desk, “but this chat will be useless to us both if you insist on speaking in riddles. The more we circle the drain, the more concerned I become that you’re just posturing.”

[gunmetal-ring]

I'm so sad you left Caryl fandom. You've got to do you and self-care is important, and you've been on your way out the door for a while now, so it's hardly a surprise. Still, the loss of your voice and presence in our fandom leaves an empty space.

You were one of very few people whose fics struck the right note between the heaviness and the playfulness that encompass Caryl, while still keeping them in character, so that will be missed too.

I wish you happiness, in life and your new fandom.

Aww anon 😥 you are so sweet and kind and your words uplift my spirit wow. This is one of the nicest compliments ive ever gotten

Granted i did mean all of that when i said it - i knew i was being dramatic lol but it definitely still hurts too much. Also makes me too angry. So its still how i feel now.

But...

BUT...

BUT....!!!!!!

Putting it under a read more bc holy fuck its SUCH a long fucking unnecessary response lmao sorry in advance

If - IF - the rumors are true, that caryl will be in daryl does paris, TOGETHER, with ACTUAL SCENES TOGETHER, not this whole a story/b story, trying-to-find-each-other-and-making-amis-along-the-way bullshit (amis is french for friends bc i think im funny) that lasts until the last scene of the last episode of the last season that twd loves to do...

IF we see caryl ON SCREEN, TOGETHER, doing whatever THEYRE doing, TOGETHER, on THEIR spinoff, AND they are UNAMBIGUOUSLY CANON - for those of you at amc fervently reading my blog (lol) that means a kiss on the lips with romantic intent, i.e. FRENCHING (how appropriate) and confessions of being IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER FOR YEARS AND WISHING THEY DIDNT WASTE SO MUCH TIME WHEN THEY COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TOGETHER, and then FOLLOWED WITH AN UNAMBIGUOUS SEX SCENE WITH EACH OTHER, bc if we can have french zombie strippers we can have a fucking sex scene...

If we get that - if we get caryl together, both in physical proximity and romantically - then i might return. If we get proof (which, apparently, can no longer be a greenlit show or pilot script or location scouting or contracts or YEARS of press or fucking talking about it IN THE MAIN SHOW) - proof such as melissa and norman posting pictures of themselves on set, bts photos released by amc, interviews with melissa and norman talking about theyre filming the spinoff and theyre having fun and how its nice to be filming together again after having collectively 1 hour of screentime together in 24 episodes, hype from amc both in print and on sm about the spinoff, promo art with them together, officially naming the spinoff as something to do with CARYL, not just daryl dixon, a table read of the pilot script (where caryl is actually, yknow, holding a conversation, not just carol talking to some french dude and daryl talking to fleur delacour), positive statements straight from mels mouth/her agents (rather than jdm tweeting angrily at 2am and norman parroting the tweet for six months that deliberately and directly contradicts mel's statement along with amc's statement), sneak peeks of CARYL TOGETHER on THEIR spinoff, things that are unambiguously proof that a) mel is back on HER show, b) carol actually has screentime, c) caryl actually has screentime, d) that theyre actually filming with the intent of releasing the show, e) that its not just daryl does paris with a carol cameo at the last scene of the last episode...

IF we get this kind of proof... not only will i resubscribe to amc+ like amc so desperately needs, but i will watch and rewatch until les vaches (french for "the cows" lol) come home.

And then you know what will happen? The caryl fandom, as always, will do the heavy lifting for amc. They will create gifs, fanart, praise the show on sm, spread the word, buy tickets to conventions, buy merchandise FROM AMC, PAY FOR AMC+, tune in to the talking dead (if thats even going to happen? I hope chris hardwick is far far away ugh), write fanfic, create fanvids, post and repost and repost this content all over sm, which will entice carylers who left the fandom due to constant ship trolling and baiting and refusal of amc to do what theyve been implying theyll do for like 8 years - including carylers who left the fandom fucking YEARS ago, as well as carylers like myself who have given the fuck up due to s11 and the spinoff fuckery - and all of this will hype up the spinoff for the general audience too. Even if GA viewers arent specifically carylers, carol is a fan favorite. Carol and daryl is a fan favorite dynamic. People want to see them together.

Amc is finally realizing that they have nailed the coffin shut with this bullshit and thats why theyre scrambling to dangle the possibility of melissa/carol in every single press release and interview they can. They are aware now of the massive fuckup that is daryl does paris. Far too late to make amends, but if they pull this off, they can save the sinking ship (lol) that is amc. Theyre losing money left and right and laying off staff bc they cant keep their fucking heads on straight, and they are well aware its bc the money they were banking on - daryl does paris - is a complete and utter shitshow and will ultimately cost them far more money than it will bring in.

The only way to salvage this is to bring back caryl. Thats it. Bring them back in the 1st episode - together - and in every single episode following that - TOGETHER. No separation, not ambiguous will they wont they, no ship baiting, no cameos.

Actually the exception to the cameo can be the last scene of the 1st episode. Ill allow it.

Wow i went off on a tangent lol. But the point remains: if they do the CARYL SPINOFF right, they will get me back in the fandom as well as everyone else who bailed.

So who knows? Maybe we have a chance. I know @weaintashescltv has been loud and proud on Twitter about what we need to see. Maybe ill even join them lol. Even tho Twitter is an absolute hellscape full of bottom feeding goblins lol

All in all... maybe ill be back.

As for the new fandom its probably a hyperfixation lol considering the main ship i have is 2 dead teenagers that would make literally no sense to ever bring back to life - altho i have to say its refreshing that both of the actors (and even other tertiary actors on the show whose characters interacted w/ had a dynamic involved in the ship!!!) have so much respect for the ship and the fans and the shippers and have spoken at length abt how they also absolutely intended for the ship to be canonically romantic. A couple ships on that show do that, actually - no trolling or baiting or inciting fandom wars or whatever.

Theres something to be said about an obsession w a literally dead ship lmao. Esp when the rest of the show is like GENUINELY good and interesting (like how s1-s5, and then s9-s10 of twd was) and not just the shop.

Goddammit another tanget. This is why all my fics are like 30,000 words longer than i intend them to be. Sorry for the word vomit lmao. But thanks again for popping in anon ilu and wish you happiness and i hope you will continue to find love and fulfillment in one of the greatest ships in television history (and in case its unclear, im talking about caryl)

💗💗💗

[stingslikeabee]

kisses grace her skin like petals falling from a flower; his lips, a delicate press along her neck. hands that wander the curves of her body; hot breath between loving affection. "as precious as crystal-" his voice a whisper "nay - the goddess, herself-."

though his initial movement is one of care; his hands are quick to turn harsh, a grip around each wrist - a pull of her into him. with her body to his, she'd feel the hardening member between his legs - the heat that boils between them.

"and to think-" he continues, lips rougher now - kisses lingering with the tease of a bite "who do you belong to, but me-?" another kiss - another lash of tongue to skin, so fair. "none other-" he could have her now. he will have her now. "mine and mine alone - to do with as i please-"

unscripted asks . always accepting

The fabric of her nightgown was flimsy at best; not at all suited to provide a barrier to the exploring hands of anyone, and certainly not those of the man at the helm of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. Not that Melissa wished for him to stop, or cared to put up a good fight to illustrate the point - such times had long passed; their games of cat and mouse changed into something else.

In their shared bed, within the refuge of a cottage that no one would imagine to be linked to the imperial family, Sylvestre was not an emperor - he was a man, a member of the commonfolk. And more often than not, one physically subjugated by the courtesan who enjoyed being atop of him: a better angle to look at him, to admire the ripple muscle under her hands, to set a routine he lacked anywhere else.

Within these four walls, Sylvestre Lesage had to fight for dominance - it was not freely given to him as a result of a title that she playfully ignored the weight and importance it carried. Melissa knew better than to enact that type of behavior in public, but in their room - well, she was no queen, but maybe good enough to be a goddess.

He surely sounded worshipping enough.

"Is that so?" the woman murmured, leaning over his figure to grant access to the bare flesh of her neck, face hovering over his like a tantalizing dream but without giving into temptation just yet. His mouth at first was enough to have her pulse quickening - but the addition of hands suddenly pulling her by the wrists to have her come flat against him had Melissa's blood growing hot, a melodic voice blessing the emperor with a delighted laugh.

"Someone is feeling greedy tonight," the courtesan retorted with a singsong quality to her speech, Melissa allowing her body to sink comfortably over his and adjusting in a way that their figures meshed clearly - it was impossible to ignore the signs of arousal. The woman moved against him on purpose, creating more friction with her lower body given the fact she was temporarily restrained at the wrists, but the kisses robbed her of clever answers for a minute.

When the man did pull away, however, Melissa looked at him with partially closed eyes, honey-colored hues fixed on the face of his radiance and refusing to acknowledge that title for more than a passing second in her mind. Instead, it was her turn to dip her head lower and to seek his face, the courtesan's own mouth now making a path that went from his chin to the nearest ear, appreciating the friction of the facial hair against her sensitive flesh.

"But can you afford me, Sylvestre? I don't see any gold or precious gems; a fortunate man like you having a goddess of your own and you failed to bring offerings?" Melissa laughed airily, fully aware of how her hot breathing would tickle his flesh and have the emperor even more bothered; the light thrust of his strong frame was indication enough of a certain impatience.

"But I am merciful," the courtesan declared, making a mockery of the station of both of them - something unthinkable beyond these walls, but now that he had played his hand, Melissa fought back with her own weapons. Teeth closing over the cartilage of his ear, she enjoyed the way he reacted to the tease - and as her hands were suddenly released, one of them went to the middle of their joined bodies - the remaining fabric of their nightwear was annoying, but not enough to prevent her from wrapping digits over his now semi-rigid erection.

"I will take you for myself instead. That might be just enough payment," the woman sentenced, and kissed him in return this time - hard, passionately, enough to bruise a less experienced lover. She didn't dare leave marks where he couldn't hide them - so instead the Melissa worked to carve a place for herself in a more hidden location but nonetheless impossibly valuable: the heart.

[walkswithmyfather]

“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” —Psalm 16:11 (NLT)

“Find Joy In All Things” (Day 1 of 5) Devotional By Melissa B. Kruger - “Our Greatest Longing.”

“Money, fame, relationships, and success—these things we chase after— are really just means to an end. Our greatest longing is for joy. Peace. Contentment.

We’re hoping money can buy us peace or relationships will bring us joy. But life doesn’t work as we think it should. Stuff piles up all around us and fails to satisfy. The closest relationships can bring the greatest turmoil. So often these longed-for good desires—joy, peace, contentment—seem just beyond our reach.

You and I both need something much greater than we can muster up on our own. We need something outside ourselves, something stronger, something secure. This thing we’re searching for, this thing we’re hoping to find? Well, it’s not really a thing. It’s a person.

Spoiler alert: it’s Jesus.

I know that may sound simplistic. It’s too easy, right? However, there’s so much more to Jesus than we realize. He’s the creator, sustainer, and source of every good thing, and in His presence is “fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). The more we know Jesus, the more we know joy, peace, and contentment. Studying Philippians helps us understand how knowing Him more makes such a difference.

Philippians is an invitation to joy, written by an imprisoned apostle Paul to believers in the early church who were suffering from opposition. His continual refrain throughout the letter is “Rejoice!”

His joy was unshakeable. His peace was secure. His hope was abounding. Where did he find such depths of riches in the midst of such dire circumstances? From what source did he drink that filled him so fully? How did he learn the secret of contentment? Can I learn it too?

All these questions linger in my mind as I read Philippians time and again. The more I study, the more I recognize how different Paul’s joy was from the happiness I usually seek. Too often I set my heart on fool’s gold and false treasure rather than on the riches found in Christ. Worldly items—the perfect home, a dream job, an amazing vacation, or financial security—may provide momentary happiness but repeatedly fail to satisfy. It’s not wrong to enjoy any of these items; they’re simply insufficient for lasting contentment. All too quickly, they lose their luster. My hope and prayer is that we will become women of abiding joy. What brings you the most joy in your life right now?”

“Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too. In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought. He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit. Instead, he gave up everything, even his place with God. He accepted the role of a servant, appearing in human form. During his life as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross. So God raised him up to the most important place and gave him the name that is greater than any other name. God did this so that every person will bow down to honor the name of Jesus. Everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bow. They will all confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and this will bring glory to God the Father.” —Philippians 2:1‭-‬11 (ERV)