#newspaper endgame

[powertaco]

The Pages of Our Story

Work has been eating into too much of Weiss's life lately so she takes a day off to regain her balance and relax. By pure chance she stumbles upon The Ladybug's Hideaway and her life was never the same.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44170255/chapters/111070720

[wordsarelife]

—endgame

pairing: mattheo riddle x fem!reader

summary: mattheo is absolutely in love with you, but now it seems like he spent a bit too long not telling you that

warnings: cursing, suggestive language

notes: guys this was not supposed to be posted lmaooo!! but i‘ll just leave it here, now that it’s too late anyway 😭

the slytherin boys were lazily slumped over the couches in the common room, casually chattering as the fire burned in front of them.

"and then she asked me to show her how to fly sometime" enzo shrugged as he finished his explanation "i mean she was there when we learned that in first year, so i'm not sure why i would have to show her"

"you oblivious little idiot" blaise slapped a pillow against enzo's head, who let out a whimper at the sudden hit.

"she was flirting with you" draco exclaimed with a roll of his eyes and without even looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

"oh" enzo said dumbfounded.

"she knows that you're crazy about quidditch" theo added.

"yeah" mattheo agreed "she probably wanted to flatter you, telling you how good you are at flying and you didn't even understand that"

"oh" enzo mumbled once again and the regret in his voice made his friends perk up.

draco let the newspaper rest in his lap. "what did you answer?" he asked, quirking a brow.

"the exact same thing i just told you guys" enzo admitted shamefully, which was accompanied by blaise and mattheo loudly groaning.

"you really are an oblivious idiot" draco shook his head in a disappointed manner, before going back to his newspaper.

before enzo could say anything else to defend himself, there were giggles coming from the stairs. blaise and mattheo looked behind the couch simultaneously.

"speaking of oblivious" blaise snorted, before he earned himself a slap from mattheo and a simple hand gesture that told him to get off the couch and find another place to plant his arse.

blaise was barely on his feet, emptying the spot next to mattheo, when pansy and you stepped into the common room.

"hey guys" pansy greeted before she let herself fall in between draco and enzo, half onto draco's lap, which the former only grunted at.

you smiled your usual smile, waving at you friends, before you walked around the couch on which mattheo was sitting. you held up the book you were carrying to him and mattheo immediately got into position.

he turned his body, so that his legs were now resting on the couch before him. he opened them up so you could slip between them, laying your head onto his tummy, as you opened your book and got comfortable.

mattheo softly started moving his fingers through your hair. theo, on the armchair on the left of both of you, raised his eyebrows. even draco lowered his newspaper for a second, to inspect your cuddly position.

"so, y/n" theo said "why don't you tell us something about your date with that seventh year ravenclaw?"

now it was mattheo's turn to furrow his brows. theo looked perfectly innocent, but mattheo recognized a hint of mischief in his blue eyes. blaise giggled into his fist like he had just witnissed the biggest burn and enzo looked between both theo and mattheo, wondering if the former was even allowed to ask such a question.

"oh" you smiled awkwardly, as you let your book sink onto your chest. "you mean leslie?"

theo nodded and watched mattheo's expression closely, who's face was full of disdain.

"go on" pansy smiled "you can tell them" she started giggling and you joined her laughter.

it was like a switch had been flipped as both you and pansy recalled the day a week before. you did not leave out one detail, from how the boy had asked you out to how the actual date went.

mattheo was not happy to hear what you had to say (or how pansy couldn't stop mentioning how handsome and attractive leslie was), but he had to admit that it was kind of funny to see theo's face fall more from minute to minute and how much regret was evident on it when you ended the story after half an hour.

it seemed like the only person who enjoyed listening was enzo, who spend most of his time asking about certain things you had said and if you had meant them in a flirting or normal way. mattheo had to admit to himself that it was probably his and the rest of the boys' fault that enzo outstretched the story with his unnecessary questions. it seemed like he wanted to make sure that nothing what happened the day before would repeat itself.

"was that everything you wanted to know?" you asked theo, admittedly a bit amused, as you noticed the panicked look on his face and the quick nod he was giving you.

"why didn't you tell me you had a date?" mattheo asked you and you almost broke your neck as you tried to look at him without sitting up.

"sorry, i didn't think it was that important" you shrugged "and i never thought that you wanted to hear anything about it, but now that i know that you guys are interested in that kind of conversation, we can speak about stuff like that more often"

it was only after pansy and you had excused yourself to go to bed, that there was a debrief happening in mattheo's and theo's room.

mattheo was walking from side to side, as the earlier events replayed themselves in his head.

"pansy and y/n are yappers" blaise noted matter of factly "and now you've actually gotten them to yap even more"

"thank you, theo" draco added sarcastically, while theo just shrugged his shoulders.

"i didn't know it would spiral into that" he excused "i was just trying to get someone to get off of his arse and talk to a certain someone, considering something between the two of them"

"it doesn't help anyone if you're talking in riddles" enzo rolled his eyes, before he got ellbowed by blaise, who pointed at the still walking mattheo. "oh" enzo nodded "you're talking about mattheo and—"

"what kind of name is leslie anyway?" mattheo cried, succesfully shutting enzo up.

"i mean have you seen the guy?" blaise laughed "his name should be the least of your concerns"

"thank you, blaise" mattheo nodded, spotting a sarcastic smile "very helpful actually"

"listen, mate" theo said and all eyes turned to him "i'm not saying you should just be happy about what's happened, but it's a bit your own fault"

"my own fault?" mattheo repeated stunned.

"he's not wrong" draco shrugged "if you had the balls to go and speak to y/n, we wouldn't even be talking about a guy who obviously has a girl's name"

"i mean i get alex, but what is unisex about leslie?" enzo looked between his friends, who all shrugged.

"can we stop mentioning his fucking name, please" mattheo threw up his hands helplessly.

"well, would you rather like to talk about his huge—"

"blaise!" both mattheo and theo called loudly.

blaise raised his arms, spotting a face of innocence "geez, chill i was talking about his arms. i mean the guy is jacked"

"yeah, we get the picture" mattheo rolled his eyes, before he changed the tone of his voice, trying to imitate pansy and you from earlier "he's so good looking and funny and—"

"he's read almost every book y/n has" enzo added and all of the boys looked at him.

"whose side are you on?" theo asked tiredly, rubbing his face and realizing in that second that he was not going to sleep any time soon.

"sorry, pansy's words, not mine"

"okay, well" mattheo exclaimed, his anger subsiding momentarily "what if i'm not that handsome or well-read? i always listen to her talk about her latest book, and i don't just act like i want to hear it, i really do and i could be such a better boyfriend than this lola guy"

"leslie" blaise corrected and immediately received a dirty look from mattheo.

"look, mate" draco interrupted the staring contest between blaise and mattheo. "whatever it is that has been going on between you and y/n, we've all had the pleasure to observe it this past few years. so i'm sure we're all are at a point now where we are just fucking tired. i'm begging you, just do something about this please" draco was more emotional than he had been in years and all his friends were surprised at the sudden concern for mattheo's and y/n's love life "for the love of god, i cannot bear to try and extend any friendly behaviour further than this group, so it would be kind of unfortunate for y/n's boyfriend if he isn't already part of it"

"well, aren't you just a ball of sunshine?" theo rolled his eyes.

"it's not easy being nice to all of you" draco send a side-eye in enzo's direction "even harder with certain people"

"hey!" enzo losely protested.

"i don't really care who she dates at this point" draco added "hell, let's give her blaise, at least he's not too restrained to actually do something"

"i'm not restrained" mattheo said with distain evident in his voice.

blaise smiled smugly, completely ignoring his friend. "i would show y/n a good time"

"what the fuck?!" mattheo turned to blaise with a look of betrayal "i'd rather have lucy--"

"leslie"

"--have her before you do" mattheo finished.

"this is really not the point now is it?" enzo asked, with a helpless look in theo's direction.

"enzo's right, as weird as that sounds" theo nodded "you have to do something and you have to do it fast, before she's losing the least bit of liking she seemingly has for you"

"i really have to thank you guys for your deep and honest trust in me and my abilities"

"well you've practically spend the last six years simping for her, so excuse us if we're not quite seeing the end of that yet" draco snorted.

"yeah, fine, whatever" mattheo rolled his eyes "even though all of you were wrong in many things, you're right about y/n, i'll tell her first thing tomorrow"

"tell her what exactly?"

"ehh, that i'm in love with her" mattheo said as if it was obvious.

"a bit rushed isn't it?" enzo asked, exchanging a look with draco, who seemed just as critical.

"what?" mattheo asked helplessly "wasn't that what you all wanted? i mean lilly certainly didn't waste any time"

"leslie" blaise corrected once again "asked her out on a date first. maybe you could really learn something from him. i hear he's quite smart"

"are you gay?" draco suddenly asked and enzo snorted.

"i'm a realist" blaise answered "i like to scout out the competition, see what they've got on me"

"okay, sure, then i'll ask her on a date and tell her that i love her then. is that alright with you?"

"you should at least wait two to three months" draco advised.

"maybe four" enzo added.

"oh, heaven, i'm going to sleep" theo turned around and climbed into his bed.

the next morning, the slytherin boys were sitting in their usual spots at the slytherin table. there had been no sighting of either pansy or you yet, so mattheo had decided to ask you on a date during breakfast.

"what do you think is taking them so long?" he asked draco, while keeping a close eye to the entryway of the great hall.

draco, who was only a second away from answering, was quickly interrupted, when he got nudged by theo, who pointed at something - or rather someone - at the ravenclaw table.

"what?" mattheo turned his head, after draco had not answered and his friends seemed to have noticed something.

"they're already here" draco said softly, before both of his hands, landed on mattheo's shoulders, turning the boy's body in the right direction.

mattheo's eyes found you quickly. you were sitting next to an unfamiliar boy, pansy across from the both of you. you were engaged in a seemingly friendly conversation, throwing your head back laughing from time to time.

"lydia" mattheo said between clenched teeth his voice close to a growl.

"leslie" blaise corrected, matching the sound and tone of mattheo's voice.

mattheo stood up abruptly and all eyes followed him. "i'm gonna do something about this" he declared, before he started walking into the direction of the ravenclaw table.

"i think he could need some backup" blaise shrugged his shoulders, running after the boy, before one of the others could protest.

"hey" mattheo greeted when he arrived at the table. pansy furrowed her brows, but you smiled when your eyes fell on him, not noticing the angry tone in his voice.

"hey" leslie smiled. "mattheo, is it?"

"sure" mattheo sat down on the bench next to pansy without so much as another word.

"so, luna" mattheo began.

"ehh, my name is leslie actually" the older boy corrected.

"whatever" mattheo rolled his eyes "nobody cares about that"

"i do" blaise quickly corrected, coming to a halt behind mattheo and outstretching his hand in leslie's direction "blaise zabini, big fan. what kind of book would you recommend to get girls?"

"i'm not sure i understand that question" leslie looked to you in confusion, but you just shook your head. "but, uh many girls like pride and prejudice by jane austen"

"ignore him" mattheo advised "you seem like you have everything in order, so i think it's the right time to ask what your intentions with y/n are"

"excuse me?" leslie asked stunned, while pansy snorted loudly. blaise nodded approvingly and you had your mouth and eyes wide open, not believing what you had just heard.

"well, young man" mattheo patted leslie's shoulder "we've all been your age once, so i don't think the question is too farfetched"

"i'm actually older than you" the ravenclaw looked to you helpingly "sorry, is he your brother or something?"

various different answers of no echoed around the table, followed by disgusted noises as pansy, mattheo, blaise and you answered the question at the same time.

"then why are you even asking that question?"

"well, lane" mattheo started, before he quickly added (successfully preventing someone to correct him) "y/n doesn't have a brother and her father is not here right now, so someone has to look out for her, right?"

"pretty sexist" pansy remarked "these aren't the 1800's, riddle"

mattheo shot pansy a quick glare before refocusing on leslie, determined to make his point. "look, i'm just trying to make sure you're treating her right," he stated, with an edge of jealousy in his voice.

leslie glanced at you, clearly bewildered. "i promise, y/n and i are just friends. we were talking about our shared interest in ancient runes."

"sure, just friends" blaise mumbled so only mattheo could hear.

"shared interest, huh?" mattheo leaned back, trying to appear nonchalant but failing miserably. "is that what you call it these days?"

you couldn't help but giggle at the absurdity of the situation. "mattheo, relax. leslie's just being friendly."

blaise, sensing the awkward tension, decided to stir the pot a bit more. "yeah, mattheo, maybe you should take some lessons from leslie on how to charm a girl with ancient runes. it's clearly working."

mattheo shot blaise a look that could melt steel. "blaise, could you stop being helpful for once?"

blaise, feigning innocence, raised his arms.

mattheo, deciding he had seen enough, concluded it was time to pull out the big guns. "so have you kissed yet? because i have done that. kissed y/n i mean, not kissed someone in general"

"matty!" you scolded, feeling embarassed by his behaviour.

"no, we haven't actually" leslie shook his head, uncomfortably looking between the people around him.

"well, we've done a lot of things" mattheo continued, easily slipping back into the familiar cockiness he normally wore with pride, even if you had hit his leg under the table more than a few times already. "you should ask her about her first time" he muttered, winking at the older boy.

pansy, who had been drinking, accidentally spit some of her pumpkin juice on her plate and blaise's mouth was wide open.

"mattheo" you shrieked, quickly stubbling onto your feet "could i talk to you for a second? alone"

"whatever you want, love" mattheo winked at leslie once again, before he followed you out of the hall.

"so about ancient runes"

outside of the great hall, mattheo was standing across from you, head down, while you were ripping him a new one.

"what has gotten into you, matty?" you asked when you had finished screaming at him.

"i'm sorry" mattheo said truthfully "i had this great plan of asking you out this morning, but seeing you with him made me so jealous and realize that it's probably too late anyway, but it's my own fault."

"what are you even talking about?" you asked confused.

"i mean you're obviously going on a second date, right?" mattheo asked "you very clearly said how charming and handsome and smart he was"

"that's true, he is all of those things"

"cool" mattheo nodded and you swore you could see a hint of sadness in his eyes "i'm happy for you then"

"yeah seems like it" you giggled, before you shook your head "well, matty you knows, leslie is amazing--"

"i've never heard anyone been complimented so much than i have heard him in the last twenty hours"

"let me finish" you smiled "he's really great, but i'm not interested in him like that"

"you're not?"

you shook your head "i think we could become good friends, but nothing more"

"but why were you sitting with him then?"

"well, he had a book he wanted to lend me" you shrugged "and i was actually on my way back to our table when you interrupted"

"oh"

"yeah, oh" you smiled "if i had known you would take all of this so harshly, i would've told you about me telling leslie i'm not interested yesterday"

"okay, that's embarrassing" mattheo admitted "i should've spoken to you in private, before i made such a scene"

"yeah, you should have" you nodded. "so, are you going to ask me out?"

mattheo grinned at you, before he grabbed your hip, pulling you closer with one fast gesture, connecting your lips.

you pulled him close by the hem of his shirt. your fingers curling into the fabric as you deepened the kiss. his hand slid from your hip to the small of your back, pressing you firmly against him. The world around you seemed to blur, the only thing that mattered was the feeling of his lips on yours, the warmth of his body against yours.

his other hand moved up to cradle your face, his thumb brushing gently across your cheek. the kiss was both passionate and tender, a perfect blend of his usual confidence and a softer side he reserved just for you. you could feel the intensity of his feelings, the months—years, even—of pent-up emotions pouring out in this single, breathtaking moment.

your heart pounded in your chest, and you could feel his racing too. it was as if all the teasing, all the uncertainty, had culminated in this moment. his lips were soft yet demanding, and you responded eagerly, your fingers now moving to tangle in his hair.

you both were breathless when you broke the kiss, heavy breathing quickly turning into laughing about how both of you had acted like idiots.

"we should get pansy and blaise and return to the others, right?" you asked and mattheo nodded eagerly.

"but you'll go out with me, yeah?"

"i think we're already past that" you joked, hinting at the years of longing gazes and physical affection between the both of you. "but sure"

you walked back into the hall holding hands, while blaise and pansy were already waiting for you.

"what happened to layla?" mattheo asked, trying to catch sight of the boy on the ravenclaw table.

"leslie—"

"—left, after blaise had gone a bit too far, asking for flirting advice"

"oh god" you hid your face in your hand "i can take you guys nowhere"

"well, you've got enough friends already, haven't you?" mattheo nudged your shoulder, as pansy's eyes fell on your connected hands.

"took you long enough" she smiled, before all of you walked into the direction of the slytherin table.

as you approached, the group noticed your intertwined hands. draco, theo, and enzo exchanged knowing glances.

"finally," theo remarked, leaning back in his seat. "i was starting to think you'd never figure it out“

draco smirked, lowering his newspaper. "i suppose this means i don’t have to pretend to be friendly to more people than absolutely necessary now"

"i think we're all just relieved we don’t have to hear more about leslie and his 'charms'" enzo grinned.

"speaking of which," draco said, looking at you and mattheo, "how did that go?"

"oh, you know“ you replied with a smirk "mattheo decided to mark his territory in the most subtle way possible“

"well, at least he's more direct than other people" theo almost giggled "i just have to imagine enzo recalling and telling holly anything he could remember from our flying classes"

"i'm sorry that i genuinely thought she wanted to know that"

"when these two can get it together, you'll get there too some day" pansy nudged enzo's shoulder and the boy send her a grateful smile.

"who needs enemies when you have friends like this" mattheo laughed with a roll of his eyes.

blaise chuckled, leaning back in his chair. " hey, at least we keep each other entertained"

enzo grinned, shooting a playful glare at blaise. "yeah, and who else would i have to embarrass myself in front of if not for you lot?"

draco raised an eyebrow at that "well, enzo, it's a good thing you have us to keep you humble“

theo nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "exactly. otherwise, you might start thinking you're actually good at flying"

"now this is just unfair, you're telling me she was not only flirting, but lying too?" enzo exclaimed frustrated.

"you can't always have everything" blaise shrugged, taking a look at the vacant spot leslie had left at the ravenclaw table "at least that way there are still girls left for the rest of us"

"you do realize that y/n is not really left anymore, right?" theo ellbowed the other boy.

"well, y/n" blaise smirked "i'm sure mattheo has never even seen a copy of jane austens pride and prejudice, but guess who read it, you're right this lovely—"

"oh hell no" mattheo quickly shook his head, as he clasped a hand over blaise's mouth. "don't you even start, bethany"

[sukirichi]

dusk till dawn drabble : thinking about a future where kiyoomi marries you and rintaro is married to iris, but rintaro still has feelings for you. and how kiyoomi is the definition of cocky knowing he was the one you chose in the end

note: this is for the team kiyoomi peeps !! but please know that this is not alluding that he is endgame, this is not a spoiler at all 😭 this is just a soft lil something for our prince 💓 (slightly suggestive, light angst for rintaro)

“omi...” treading to where your husband is, you sit yourself on his lap. his face is obscured by the newspaper he’s reading, but he hums in acknowledgement, unbothered as you gently push the paper down with your finger. you smile the moment you’re greeted by his handsome face, still in awe after years of marriage that he was yours now.

“hi, there.”

“hello,” he smiles, soft and tender. folding the newspaper and tucking it at his side, he drags you closer to him, his large hands drawing circles at your hip. “what does my lovely wife need today?”

“you make it sound like i’m only being sweet to get something out of you,” you playfully swat at his chest, “can’t i just come over because i wanted your attention?”

the chuckle that erupts from him is free, unbothered ― as he has been ever since you’d settled down with him and left the past behind. “you always have my attention, darling, but you only ever call me ‘omi’ when you want something else. so tell me, and i shall give it to you.”

your heart flutters at his words, but that same wave of giddiness dies down as you scrunch your nose. “well, you see. . . rintaro’s coming over with the kids later. they said they wanted to play with the horses again.”

you expect your husband to complain, or to refuse your request to welcome them. he isn’t oblivious to your ex-husband’s longing glances at you, or how he takes every opportunity to strike up a conversation on how ‘back in the day . . .’

rintaro’s lingering feelings never dissipated within the years, and you doubted it would anytime now. he had a bad of habit remaining in love with the people he couldn’t have when he was already with someone else.

much to your surprise, kiyoomi only leans back and nods, once. “okay. i’ll let the cook know to prepare dinner for all of us.”

okay . . . that’s it? it was that easy?

“you’re not worried?“ you pout at him, “or jealous?”

kiyoomi snorts, offended by the implications. “why would i be? i am the one you fell for, the one you married, and last time i remember ― if my memory does not fail me, of course ― it was my name you were screaming last night loud enough for the staff to hear―”

you slap a palm against his mouth, feeling his grin and laughter vibrate under your skin. “fine, i get it, you’ve made your point!” removing your hand, kiyoomi tenderly circles a hand around your wrist. your frown deepens, though its lighthearted and unserious. “you’ve been really cocky since i confessed to you. i liked you better when you were still shy around me.”

“forgive me, darling,” your husband grins, effortlessly tugging you to him until you’re stumbling right into his firm chest. “i couldn’t be humble when the woman i’ve pined over for years finally said she loved me, too. but i’ll be more subtle about it,” he amends with a thumb caressing your lower lip, his dark eyes already hazy with want. “your wish is my command, afer all.”

[brunchable]

𝐌𝐫. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 | Stucky x f!reader

Part One | Three Pairings: Bucky Barnes x f!reader, Steve Rogers x f!reader | Daughter of Thaddeus Ross (Red Hulk) Words: 4.4K Themes: Forbidden/Off-Limits Reader, Love Triangle, M for Mature, 18+ , Post-Endgame, AGE GAP (24y/o reader). Summary: Y/N wakes up thinking about the stranger she danced with at a party the night before. After a lighthearted conversation with her father, Thaddeus Ross, she runs into Bucky Barnes, and they share playful banter. Later, Thaddeus informs Y/N of an upcoming event where he plans to publicly introduce her as his daughter, leaving her feeling the pressure of his expectations. A/N: Bucky is cute <3 . Let me know if you want to be tagged. Peace. taggies: @astrelz @pattiemac1

Y/N groaned as she stirred in her bed, the early morning light filtering through the curtains. Her head throbbed faintly, a reminder of the drinks from last night’s party. For a brief moment, she lay there, trying to piece together the flashes of the evening—the loud music, the flashing lights, the swirling sea of people. And then, him.

Her thoughts drifted back to the dance floor and the stranger she had been dancing with. She didn’t know his name—she hadn’t even had the chance to ask. But he was handsome, with warm eyes and a smile that made her feel like the world had shrunk down to just the two of them. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of how their bodies had moved together, how carefree she had felt in that moment—something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Y/N sat up, rubbing her eyes. “What were you thinking?” she muttered to herself. It wasn’t like her to dance with a stranger like that, to let herself get swept up in the moment. It must have been the drinks... and the energy of the party.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she picked it up, already anticipating the messages waiting for her. Sure enough, her friends had bombarded her with texts.

Yooo, I heard you kissed someone last night, girl!!! That's wild ;) tell us more.

LOL, bestie acting like she’s not engaged. 💅🏻

Is it even considered engagement if they’re not in love 🙄

Y/N chuckled softly, rolling her eyes as she set her phone back down. They were making it sound like something more than it was. But, as much as she tried to dismiss it, the thought lingered in her mind: who was he? Would she see him again? She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. It was just a party. No need to get ahead of herself.

Throwing off the covers, Y/N swung her legs out of bed and padded to the bathroom, splashing cool water on her face to help wake herself up. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, noting the faint smudges of makeup still clinging to her eyes from the night before. After a quick shower and a fresh change of clothes, she felt a little more like herself.

As she tied her hair up and applied light makeup, her thoughts kept drifting back to the night before, to the stranger whose face was blurred in the chaos of the party. She shook her head, mentally scolding herself for getting so caught up in it.

Y/N threw on a light sweater and jeans before heading into the kitchen. She needed coffee—and clarity.

When she walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to see her father, Thaddeus, sitting at the table with a newspaper, a cup of coffee in his hand. His presence wasn’t unusual, but Y/N hadn’t expected him to still be home this late in the morning.

She grabbed her own cup of coffee, shooting him a teasing smile as she sat down across from him. “You’re home a lot for someone who just became the new president of this country,” she joked, her tone light.

Thaddeus raised an eyebrow, glancing up from his paper with a faint smirk. “And you’re out a lot for someone in their second rotation of internship.”

Y/N chuckled, sipping her coffee. “Touché.”

Her father’s response had its usual sharpness, but there was no malice behind it. Y/N knew he wasn’t one for small talk or gentle prodding, but the way he scrutinized her sometimes made her feel like she was still a child under his watchful eye.

“You had work yesterday?” he asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

“Yeah, I did,” Y/N replied, nodding. “I finished up late but made it to the party afterward.”

Thaddeus gave her a nod before glancing at his watch. “You need a ride?” he offered casually, though Y/N could tell by his tone he was more concerned about her safety than he let on.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, giving her father an exaggerated, ridiculous look. “And be seen with your men in black? No thanks, Dad. I don’t think I need that kind of attention today,” she quipped, gesturing toward the discreet, yet ever-present security detail that followed her father everywhere.

Thaddeus smirked, clearly amused by her response, but didn’t push the matter. “Suit yourself. Just don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

Y/N chuckled, shaking her head. “Uh, since when do I take unnecessary risks?”

Thaddeus raised an eyebrow, a rare hint of amusement flickering across his face. “Uh, all the time?” he replied, mimicking her tone perfectly.

Y/N gave him an exaggerated look of disbelief, stifling a grin. “You wish,” she shot back, rolling her eyes.

Thaddeus smirked, lowering his newspaper slightly. “Just don’t forget who’s watching your back.”

Y/N smiled, shaking her head. “I won’t. Trust me. It’s just errands and work today.”

Her father’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, his eyes filled with the same mixture of protectiveness and practicality she had grown used to. “Stay focused. You’ve got responsibilities,” he reminded her, his voice carrying the weight of the expectations placed on her.

Y/N didn’t bother responding. She’d heard that speech enough times to know it by heart. Instead, she smiled at him one last time and stood up, grabbing her keys from the counter. “I’ve got to get going. Busy day ahead.”

Thaddeus gave her a quick nod, returning to his newspaper, though Y/N knew he’d be keeping an eye on her movements regardless. As she walked out the door, her thoughts drifted back to the events of the night before—and the man she couldn’t quite stop thinking about.

× × × ×

“Oh! I’m sorry,” she said quickly, glancing up to find herself face-to-face with none other than Sergeant Barnes.

“Y/N,” Bucky replied, his voice calm, but his eyes were sharp, taking her in.

“I seem to be running into you quite a lot.” Y/N smiled, the surprise quickly melting into a teasing grin. 

Bucky raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth. “Are you sure you’re not stalking me?”

Y/N blinked in mock shock. “Me? Stalking you?” She placed a hand on her chest, feigning offense. “Isn’t accusing the other person of stalking the first sign of a guilty conscience?”

Bucky’s lips twitched, the smirk more pronounced now. “Pretty sure that’s exactly what a stalker would say. You deflect, deny, and act innocent.”

“Says the guy who’s been in every café I’ve visited this week. Who’s stalking who now?” She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes playfully. 

Bucky chuckled, “Fair point.”

Y/N’s smile widened, pleased with herself. “Relax. I think we’re safe. It’s too early for me to start psychoanalyzing you.”

“Good to know,” he said, “Not sure I’d survive a full session outside the office.”

“Don’t worry,” she teased. “You’re safe—for now.”

There was a moment of easy silence before Bucky’s face returned to its usual guarded look. “I’ve got to get going,” he said, though there was a slight pause as if he wasn’t entirely eager to leave.

“Of course,” Y/N nodded, slightly showing teeth in her smile. “I’ll see you next week.”

“Don’t count on it.” Bucky gave her a look, equal parts amusement and warning. 

“I’m counting, it’s only once a week~,” Y/N sang with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“We’ll see.” 

As he walked away, Y/N watched him for a moment, shaking her head with amusement. There was always something about Bucky that intrigued her—his ability to keep people at arm’s length while being oddly easy to talk to. She turned and stepped back into the café but found herself glancing out of the corner of her eye, noticing that Bucky had stopped.

Through the window, Bucky’s gaze lingered on Y/N as she joined a man at a table. She smiled at him—bright, carefree, the same way she had the night before. Bucky’s attention to detail, a finely honed skill from years of survival, picked up on the subtle nuances. That smile, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the way she relaxed into the conversation—it all clicked.

How had he missed it before?

She had been at the party. She was the girl Steve had danced with.

Bucky’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching slightly inside his pockets. He stood there a second longer, letting the memory of her dancing, laughing with Steve, swirl in his mind alongside this revelation. The carefree version of Y/N, the one he’d never seen in their professional encounters, had escaped his notice until now. He’d been so focused on keeping his distance at the party that he hadn’t pieced it together.

× × × ×

After her brief exchange with Bucky, Y/N stepped back into the café, her mind still lingering on their playful banter. She took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts aside as she spotted her fiancé, Ethan, seated near the window. The morning light filtered through the glass, casting a soft glow on the café, but the atmosphere between them always felt cold. Ethan sat with his back straight, scrolling through his phone, exuding his usual disciplined detachment.

Y/N approached and slid into the chair opposite him. “Sorry I’m late."

Ethan didn’t bother looking up. “You’re always cutting it close,” he remarked, his voice monotone, thumb still flicking across the screen. After a moment, he sighed and put his phone down, glancing at her briefly, as if checking off a box.

“I was just catching up with someone outside,” Y/N explained, trying to smooth over the interaction, but she could already feel the tension building between them.

“Must’ve been important to make you late,” Ethan replied, though his tone lacked any genuine curiosity. His focus was already drifting to the menu in front of him.

“It was just a quick chat,” she said, keeping her voice neutral. But inside, she couldn’t help but compare this hollow exchange to the ease she had felt outside with Bucky.

Ethan glanced up again, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You were out late last night,” he commented.

“It was just a party with friends,” she replied, but the words felt heavy on her tongue. The guilt, the emptiness of it all. They both knew this wasn’t how an engagement was supposed to feel.

Ethan’s gaze hardened, his lips pressing into a thin line. “You should be careful. People notice.”

That did it. Y/N could feel something inside her snap, the pretense no longer bearable. She had been dancing around this moment for too long. 

"People notice," she echoed bitterly, her eyes locking with his. "Maybe that's why you keep things so quiet about her."

Ethan’s body went rigid, and for the first time, something flickered behind his eyes. He wasn’t as unreadable now.

“You still love her, don’t you?” Y/N leaned forward, her voice quieter but sharper. 

Ethan’s jaw tightened, his calm façade starting to crack. "Don’t."

“No, I’m serious. Why haven’t you done anything to stop this arrangement?” Her voice grew firmer, her frustration spilling over. “You don’t love me. You’ve never loved me. I’m not blind, Ethan.”

His expression shifted from indifference to anger, pain, maybe even regret—but he didn’t respond immediately. His silence told her everything.

Y/N pressed further, her voice now a whisper laced with bitterness. “You want to know why we’re pretending? Because you’re too much of a coward to call it off. You’re still holding on to someone who isn’t here.”

“Don’t talk about her,” Ethan finally snapped, his voice low but heated. His eyes darkened, the calm mask he wore now fully gone.

Y/N shook her head, her heart aching, not for herself, but for what they had become. “It’s always been her, hasn’t it? You never wanted this with me.”

He ran a hand through his hair, the weight of her words pressing down on him. “It’s not that simple,” he muttered.

Y/N’s eyes softened, but her resolve didn’t waver. “Yes, it is. We’re lying to ourselves. You don’t want me, Ethan. You want her. And I can’t do this anymore.”

Ethan’s hands clenched into fists on the table, but for once, he wasn’t cold.  “This isn’t just about what I want,” he said, his voice thick with frustration. “There are expectations—our families, everything. You think I can just walk away?”

Y/N let out a bitter laugh. “Is that what this is? You’re staying because it’s easier than facing the truth? Because it’s easier than admitting you’re still in love with someone else?”

Ethan looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “Me and her are over.”

“And so are we,” Y/N said, her voice steady, even though her heart was racing. “I’m done pretending. If you won’t call it off, I will.”

Ethan finally looked at her, his eyes searching hers, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t try to stop her.

Y/N stood, the chair scraping against the floor as she rose. “I deserve more than this, and so do you.” She turned away, her feet carrying her out of the café as the cool morning air hit her.

For the first time in years, Y/N felt a weight lifting off her chest. It didn’t make it any less painful, but it was the first step toward something real.

× × × ×

Later that evening, Y/N found herself wandering through the aisles of the local grocery store, a basket hanging loosely from her arm. After the emotional upheaval of the morning, she needed to ground herself with something mundane. Grocery shopping was the perfect distraction—normal, uneventful.

As she moved from aisle to aisle, Y/N’s mind drifted. Thoughts of Ethan and the end of their engagement gnawed at the edges of her focus, but she pushed them away. She wasn’t going to dwell on it now. She was starting over. But still, a flicker of guilt lingered, especially as her thoughts occasionally drifted to the man at the party or the brief exchange with Bucky that morning.

Her head bops while she hums to ‘Material Girl’ playing on the grocery store's stereos. She rounded the corner of the produce section and reached for an apple when a familiar voice made her pause.

“You always seem to run into me at the strangest places.”

Y/N turned, and there he was—Bucky Barnes, standing a few feet away, holding a basket of his own. His dark hair was tousled slightly, and he looked more at ease than she was used to seeing him. His usual serious expression softened as their eyes met.

She couldn’t help but smile. “I could say the same about you. First the café, now the grocery store? I’m starting to think you’re following me.”

Bucky let out a quiet chuckle, his lips curving into a rare smile. “If anyone’s the stalker here, it’s probably you.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. “You still think I’m stalking you?”

“Well,” Bucky shrugged, glancing at the apple she was holding. “Seems like we’ve got a pattern going.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “If I knew I was going to run into you, I’d have dressed better for the occasion.” She gestured at her casual outfit—jeans and a loose sweater, far from anything special.

Bucky’s gaze flickered briefly over her, “You’re fine.”

There was a beat of silence as they stood in the middle of the aisle, surrounded by the ordinary sounds of grocery shopping—carts rolling, quiet chatter, the hum of refrigeration. 

“So,” Y/N said, breaking the silence, “what brings you here? Stocking up for the week?”

Bucky glanced down at his basket, which had a few basic items—milk, bread, some vegetables. “Something like that.”

Y/N nodded, then playfully added, “I would’ve thought you as more of a ‘grab takeout and go’ kind of guy.”

Bucky shrugged, “I try to keep things simple.”

“Yeah, simple’s good.” She smiled at that, appreciating his no-nonsense approach. 

For a moment, neither of them said anything, but it didn’t feel awkward. It was a comfortable silence, and Y/N found herself enjoying the unexpected company. There was something easy about being around Bucky, despite his usual guarded demeanor.

“Well,” Bucky said finally, adjusting the basket in his hand. “I should probably finish up.”

“Yeah, me too,” Y/N replied, but neither of them moved. She hesitated, then added, “It was nice running into you again.”

Bucky nodded, his gaze lingering on her for just a moment longer than usual. “You too.”

As he turned to leave, Y/N watched him walk away, with a small sigh, she grabbed a few more apples, trying to focus on her shopping. But as she moved through the store, she realized that despite the ordinary day, this chance encounter didn’t feel ordinary at all.

After arriving home and resting, Y/N stood in the kitchen, humming quietly to herself as she sliced apples. The rhythmic sound of the knife against the cutting board matched the upbeat tune she had stuck in her head—a song she couldn’t help but sing softly under her breath. She hadn’t felt this light in a while, and she wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe it was the fresh start after breaking things off with Ethan. Maybe it was something else—like running into Bucky again.

As she cut another apple, she swayed slightly to the melody, completely lost in the moment. There was something about Bucky—his quiet presence, the ease of their banter—that had left her feeling... content. Happy, even. She smiled to herself as she sang, her voice light and carefree.

“Didn’t know you were auditioning for a talent show.”

Y/N jumped, the knife clattering against the counter as she spun around to find her father, standing in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her with a raised eyebrow.

“Dad!” she exclaimed, her heart racing. “You scared me!”

Thaddeus smirked, his gaze sharp as ever. “You seemed a little... preoccupied.”

Y/N wiped her hands on a towel, trying to compose herself. “I was just cutting some apples. And I wasn’t preoccupied, I was just... happy.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression more calculating now. “Happy, huh?”

She gave him a cautious smile, hoping he wouldn’t press any further. “Yeah. Is that so strange?”

Thaddeus stepped into the kitchen, leaning against the counter as he looked at her more closely, his suspicion evident. “Depends. What’s making you so happy? Something I should know about?”

Y/N busied herself with the apples, trying to avoid his piercing gaze. “Nothing specific. Just... had a good day.”

Thaddeus let the comment hang in the air for a moment, but then he dropped it. “Well, enjoy it while you can. We have an important event  coming up.”

Y/N glanced up, curious. “Event?”

Her father’s expression grew more serious. “Yes. An event where I’ll finally be introducing you.”

Y/N blinked, setting the knife down. “Wait... you mean, publicly?”

Thaddeus nodded. “It’s time. I’ve kept things quiet for long enough. No one knows I have a family, and it’s becoming more of a liability than an asset.”

Y/N felt a strange twist in her stomach. Her father had always kept her and their family life hidden from the public eye—likely for her safety, but also because he didn’t want distractions from his political career. The idea of being paraded out for everyone to see made her uneasy.

“When is this happening?” she asked, her voice careful.

“A month from now,” he replied, his tone decisive. “You’ll need to be prepared. This is a significant step for both of us, and I expect everything to go smoothly.”

Y/N felt a knot tightening in her chest. The idea of being paraded in front of the world didn’t sit right with her, but she knew better than to challenge her father when he had made up his mind. She nodded slowly. 

“I understand.”

Thaddeus studied her for a moment longer before nodding in approval. “Good. I’ll let you know when it’s finalized.”

Without another word, he turned and left the kitchen, leaving Y/N standing by the counter, her earlier happiness replaced by the weight of her father’s plans. The month ahead suddenly felt shorter, the pressure of living up to his expectations looming larger than ever.

She sighed, glancing down at the half-cut apples on the board. The simple joy she had felt after seeing Bucky had vanished, replaced by the heavy reality of what was to come.

× × × ×

Steve and Bucky were hanging out at Sam’s place while waiting for him to return from running errands. Steve casually flipped through Sam’s mail when a fancy, cream-colored envelope caught his attention.

“Hey, look at this,” Steve said, holding up the envelope with a grin. “We’ve got an invitation.”

Bucky glanced up from the couch. “Who’s it from? Stark throwing another one of his fancy parties?”

Steve shook his head as he opened it. “Nope. It’s from Thaddeus Ross.”

Bucky immediately snorted. “Ross? What does that blowhard want now?”

Steve scanned the invitation and raised an eyebrow. “Looks like he’s hosting an event to introduce his family. Guess we’re invited.”

Bucky leaned forward, disbelief on his face. “Since when does Ross have a family? He treats them like another one of his military projects?”

Steve laughed. “Probably has them all lined up, ready to sign some other Accords in the living room.”

Bucky grinned, shaking his head. “Can you imagine the kind of speeches he gives them at dinner? ‘Son, eat your vegetables. It’s for the greater good.’”

Steve chuckled. “Bet he’s still mad about that speech I gave him back during the Accords.”

Before Bucky could respond, the door swung open and Sam walked in, holding a bag of groceries. He paused, looking between the two of them. “What are you guys laughing about?”

Steve waved the invitation at Sam. “You’ll never guess who invited us to his big family event. None other than Thaddeus Ross.”

Sam rolled his eyes, setting the groceries down on the counter. “Thaddeus Ross? The guy who spent years trying to chase us down like criminals?”

Bucky smirked. “Yeah, the one and only.”

Sam walked over, pointing at the envelope. “Hold up. Why are you opening my mail, Steve?”

Steve shrugged with a grin. “Relax, it says it’s addressed to the Avengers. I got the same one at home.”

Sam shook his head, still smiling, as he grabbed his own invitation and scanned it. “Family event? I don’t know about you two, but I’ve got better things to do than sit through Ross’s version of a family reunion.”

“It might be interesting, seeing him outside of politics. Plus, how often do we get to see Ross in ‘dad mode’?”

Sam shrugged, tossing the invitation onto the table. “So, you guys thinkin’ about going?”

Without hesitation, Bucky snickers and shakes his head, “Nope.”

Steve and Sam both burst out laughing at Bucky’s flat-out response.

“Come on, Buck,” Sam said between chuckles. “You’re really gonna pass up an opportunity to see Ross squirm with a suit and tie on?”

Bucky shook his head. “I’ve seen enough of that guy. I don’t need to be anywhere near a Ross family gathering.”

Steve grinned, raising an eyebrow. “You sure? There’s bound to be some entertainment value in watching him try to play nice.”

Bucky just stared at Steve, deadpan. “Still nope.”

Sam laughed, shaking his head as he grabbed a drink from the fridge. “Alright, man, but you’ve got a few weeks to change your mind. Don’t say we didn’t warn you when we’re having all the fun without you.”

Bucky smirked. “Yeah, I’ll pass.”

Sam grabbed a cold drink from the fridge, popping the top as he leaned against the counter before plopping into his chair, taking a sip of his drink before glancing at Bucky with a smirk. “So, Buck, how’ve you been holding up? Still sticking with those therapy sessions?”

“Yeah, I’m doing them. It’s... going.” Bucky shrugged, trying to stay casual. 

Sam raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying Bucky’s laid-back attitude. “That good, huh?”

Steve grinned, jumping in. “Come on, Buck, ‘just going’? You’re not gonna tell us how life-changing it’s been? Maybe you’re even starting to enjoy it?”

Bucky rolled his eyes, “Enjoy it? I go because I have to, not because it’s fun.”

“You sure about that? I’ve seen how therapy works, man. It gets deep. Maybe you’re getting all in touch with your feelings now, sharing your hopes and dreams.” Sam chuckled, shaking his head.

Steve joined in, smirking. “Maybe he’s already planning his next session, Sam. Probably thinking of all the emotions he’s gonna unpack.”

Bucky shot them both a glare, though his lips twitched into a slight smile. “You two done yet?”

Sam grinned wide, “Not even close. Next thing we know, you’ll be running support groups for the rest of us, talking about the benefits of ‘expressing yourself.’”

Steve held back a laugh. “I can see it now: ‘Bucky Barnes—Winter Soldier turned emotional guru.’”

“You two are real comedians.” Bucky shook his head, trying to look annoyed, but he couldn’t hide his grin.

Sam slapped his knee, laughing. “Hey, man, we’re just saying, therapy’s doing you some good. You don’t even look like you want to punch anyone right now. That’s progress!”

Steve nodded, pretending to be serious. “Yeah, you seem more... zen. You might even be a good influence on us.”

“Alright, alright. Keep it up and I’m walking out.” Bucky groaned.

“Alright, alright, we’ll back off... for now.” Sam chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.

“But seriously, it’s good you’re sticking with it, Buck. Jokes aside.” Steve smiles.

Bucky gave them both a sideways look, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I’m getting life advice from you two.”

Sam shrugged. “Hey, we’re just looking out for you, man.”

Bucky smirked. “Yeah, well, don’t look too hard. You’re both still annoying.”

Steve and Sam laughed as the playful banter settled, the mood light between the three of them. They may have been teasing Bucky, but it was all in good fun—and deep down, they were glad to see him doing better.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

By Camila Tominey,

“Just as I have always admired the seamless way the Duchess of Sussex’s truth has sometimes clashed with fact, so too do I have a grudging respect for Omid Scobie.

"Lest we forget, this is a man who spent a decade raking over celebrities’ private lives for US Weekly, only to brazenly tweet in 2021: “Privacy means freedom from *unauthorised* intrusion. It is the right to choose what you share with others and what you don’t. That’s it!

"At the time, such outbursts left journalists like me in disbelief. Wasn’t this the guy whose entire career was built on analysing snatched paparazzi images of the rich and famous? Imagine our incredulity when Scobie launched into repeated attacks on the very royal press pack he followed around like a puppy. I saw with my own eyes how he tried to muscle in on the rota system in a bid to gain access to the very members of the Royal family he now seeks to trash in his second book, Endgame, which hit bookshelves on Tuesday.

"You have to admire the brass neck of the bloke, you really do. I remember one incident on a royal tour when he was literally begging me to tell him the sources of my various royal scoops. And to think he’s now so reluctant to discuss his own! Who on Earth could they be, I wonder?

"Perhaps the most amusing thing about Endgame is how much this fearless journalist gets wrong in his tireless pursuit of Meghan’s truth. “Palace aides were racking their brains to remember the ‘five’ private secretaries who have come and gone from the Duchess of Cambridge’s office (there have been three). And contrary to the claim ‘you’d be unlikely to read about it in any British newspaper’, The Telegraph reported on exactly that staffing issue last week.

"Hey, but why let facts get in the way of a good story? In one passage, I am described as The Telegraph’s Royal Editor – which I’m not and never have been. Referring to a piece I had written about the now infamous dog bowl incident, in which I suggested that it showed how much love William has for his little brother that he felt the need to physically wrestle him to the ground, Scobie comments that I sound like the “excuses of domestic abusers everywhere.”

"Domestic abuse? Is that what we are calling sibling rivalry these days? We are now being asked to believe that it was a “translation error” that the names of two “alleged” royal racists had been left in the now-pulled Dutch copies of Endgame – even though they were completely absent from the English version. And we’re supposed to accept this narrative even after Scobie had bragged on US television that he knew the names of both alleged racists?

"You know, I really thought I’d seen it all when Meghan told Oprah, with a straight face, that the Archbishop of Canterbury had married them three days before their official wedding ceremony; that she’d had her passport confiscated only to jet off on multiple holidays; that Kate had made her cry and not the other way round.

"I thought I’d heard it all when “sources” close to these two multi-millionaires (who were still receiving a £700,000 allowance from the King after Megxit) revealed the couple were so “desperate” they had no choice but to sign deals with Netflix et al – even though we know they were speaking to streaming companies as early as 2018, a whole two years before they stepped down as “working” members of the Royal family.

"I thought I’d heard it all when Scobie, of all people, claimed to be both a champion of privacy and an accountable press, only to publish not one, but two completely unauthorised intrusions into the lives of the Royal family so lacking in balance as to be laughable. We must believe all victims of bullying, insists Scobie (who was comforted by Meghan when he copped the kind of flak we all get, day in and day out on social media), except when they’re accusing the Sussexes of it. You really couldn’t make it up."

Thanks!

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Earthshot

I'm pretty sure Scobie hinted at it in Endgame. I've only just now made the connection after seeing this post from @sassyfrassboss and William's announcement for Cape Town.

What makes the House of Windsor unique with this dance with the media is the competing households within it, all with their own agendas, and all doing their best to please their bosses. Up until the Queen's death, there were three houses, each with a team assigned to work with the media: Kensington Palace for William and Kate, Clarence House for Charles and Camilla, and Buckingham Palace for the monarch. There were also smaller teams under the BP umbrella who worked with other family members like Edward and Sophie, Princess Anne, and (pre-departure) Harry and Meghan. Though all part of the same institution, the rivalry between these teams is real in many ways and often derails a unified message. Each house is often angling for the same space in newspapers, hand-waving for attention with regards to their work, grabbing the ideal dates and locations for their tours and engagements, or scrambling for first dibs on charitable causes. And this rivalry often causes rifts, problems, and confusion downstream after a particular household offers breaking news or choreographs a PR operation. It was an 'absolute headache' when Charles, William, and Harry all wanted to do similar high-profile environmental work, an aide once told me. 'None of them were into the idea of collaborating; they all wanted their own big moments away from the other...It was all about competition, and the households were purposefully holding information back so others couldn't try to get ahead,' they explained.

So going down the rabbit hole:

Summer 2019 (July or August) - Harry announced Travalyst.

December 2019 - William announced the Earthshot Prize.

January 2020 - Charles announced the Sustainable Marketplaces, which evolved in 2021 as Terra Cotta.

The only reason I think these charities are what Scobie is alluding to is because of how butthurt and bent out of shape Harry got when William announced the Earthshot Prize. I can't remember what he did anymore - was it that new picture of Archie with the mountain/lake behind him or was there something more? - but whatever he did, it was immediately apparent he didn't like William's work at all.

And now with hindsight, Harry probably thought he had called dibs on environmental work when he launched Travalyst, so it wasn't fair for William to have co-opted it with the Earthshot Prize a couple months later and then it equally wasn't fair when Charles threw his own hat into the mix.

But I think the joke is on Harry. William and Charles's projects were fully developed when they launched, to where now, 4 years later, they're very successful and have name recognition all over the world. Meanwhile, no one knows what Travalyst does, people think it's a grift for Harry and Meghan to write off all their travel expenses and accept travel freebies under the guise of sustainability, and Harry's been kicked off the board. He's still listed on the website as Founder and Patron, but it's been made vrey clear in a couple of articles when the website was updated that Harry's not involved in the company anymore other than being a lightning rod for controversy.

[yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere]

try to find more ICONIC tv scene and fail / Nathan Scott changed history here / this is a real art. they don't make tv like this anymore & and the song Unsatisfied playing ah♥ / the hottest thing a man can do is be nathan scott / like.. NEVER over this 3x20 OneTreeHill scene-the hottest scene in entire TV-absolute magic!! (+a reminder that when this aired in 2006 James was only 20yo-And he was only 17yo when the show began. An actual teenager playing teenager. Working his hardest since day one. All the best and the greatest you gave shines through Nate, we will never stop celebrating you, James♥)

-SOME OTH LOVE IN THIS NEW YEAR♥ / feel free to check this post for many links or just search oth hashtag in my tumblr acc♥-/

.

!!! Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, and Bethany Joy Lenz of "One Tree Hill" take on the ultimate friendship test-GLAMOUR (Oct 19, 2021) :https://youtu.be/KoyZf8pN6GM

*Bethany Joy Lenz: One Tree Hill & Escaping a Cult | Call Her Daddy Podcast FULL Interview :https://youtu.be/vJ0Pf4WCUtw

*THAT Hilarie Burton video "I want everyone to know HOW MUCH i love Peyton Sawyer." : https://youtu.be/fI3gnlyjENI

+“James Lafferty interviewed by Bethany Joy Lenz” for Modern Vintage by Bethany Joy Lenz (Joy’s newspaper!) out Sept 23, 2024 (funny bc OTH day!!). THIS 33min conversation about creativity is SO GOOD. And I love these two people, not only because they are very important to all of us out of OTH Fam bc Joy and James GAVE US THE naley but because they are artists and creatives that I look up to and that I am inspired by so deeply. So yeah that was a gift. 21 years after OTH premiered we still are blessed by their magic♥♥/https://youtu.be/j7XsTsaC-Ps

*THE OTH DELETED SCENES(post):https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/707975391341690880/how-could-they-delete-this-is-beyond-me-oth

my OTH ig highlight: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17898362552187722/

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[s0ft-d3cay]

Small Thoughts and Movements

Shigaraki x Male Reader | Back in time to young blue hair Shigaraki(the new chapter hit me too hard man...), yes another healer reader because I think that's cool...and a happy birthday to the man...(THAT FUCKING CHAPT-) WARNINGS: Mentions of stains arrest, mentions of society being taken down, an underlying tone of desperation from Kurogiri, and angsty Shigaraki, no use of Y/N, reader is called healer by both Shigaraki and Kurogiri, not beta read

WC: 1,409

"How the hell did you know all of this would happen, healer?" Stepping into the bar, Shigaraki reading a newspaper headlining Stain’s arrest while Kurogiri stood behind the bar, silently keeping his area neat. Amusement and questioning swam around the blue haired villain It had barely been a day since your official meet up with him, half expecting him to at least dislike you. Instead, here he is talking to you as if you’ve conversation hundreds of times before. You did love when things worked out for the better.

"And a good afternoon to you too," huffing out a light laugh, walking over to sit in a chair away from him. Impatience took over him, rolling off in waves from your lack of response. Interest moving its way around the both of us from Kurogiri. "Well?" He tilts his head towards the bar, waiting an expression of what you assumed to be boredom if his face wasn’t covered.

"It’s mainly for public complacency. Everyone and anyone are going to be talking about Stain till there’s another ‘disaster,’ like most topics. It’s just a part of the system, once his fame simmers down then it’ll be on to the next one.” He's silent as you finished answering, fidgeting with the newspaper in hand. A feeling of disappointment and regret filled him like vines, crewing all around his being. Even as a leader of a villain group he still acted like a kid. Maybe he still is, you thought.

"What, expecting to headline with your little Nomu tantrum in the same day as Stain THE hero killer’s arrested?" You teased lightly, tone playful. Embarrassment and irritation clouds around him as he huffs, throwing the newspaper down. Conversations between the three of us slowly ramped up after an awakened beat, before Kurogiri speaks up about a ‘Master’.

"Typically, we wait on whatever Master wants us to do, mainly it has been Shigaraki himself recently.” The man behind the bar counter explained. The rest of the nights goes on until the topic of the league comes up again. "What does the league have to accomplish, aside from pressing the re-start button on the hero society, of course?” You asked.

"Collecting as many people as we can with the same mindset is the biggest concern the league has at the moment." Kurogiri answered point blank. "So, beef up all your foot soldiers and Nomu before moving to the final plan of killing All Might?" An air of confidence at your words, filling the leader with pride. The man next to you practically beamed at your words behind the mask. Taking the straightforward approach felt off, missing something important to the cause. Confusion and thoughts running rampant as Shigaraki cut into them. "Not what you were expecting, I assume?"

"Not exactly just, seems to lack a sort of…build up to your endgame. I mean, not even a single small mission planned to lead up to the big boss fight?" Shigaraki pauses to ponder your words, Kurogiri steps in. "You are indeed correct healer, though our plan seems simple, it will take not only time, but efforts to execute it correctly."

"We shouldn’t have too, If it wasn’t for that fucking brat and All Might to always ruin it!” The blue haired man cut in, frustrated with a voice of venom. His hands crumpling and disintegrating the newspaper. "The first year Midoriya, you think he might be caught up in all of this?" Not much of a question, more so a statement you brought up. "…could this potentially be a two sides of the same coin kind of situation?" Intrigued curiosity took over Shigaraki, there was a connection between them, that much was clear.

Kurogiri and you figured that out pretty quick, though the blue haired man couldn’t quite put the pieces together. "Yes, that is what we think. This young child is somehow connected to All Might." Connect by power, you thought not voicing it. To you it was blatantly obvious, the both of them share the same core energy. Only genetically, soulmates, and giving power has that effect. Your quirk had a sort of x-ray vision to people's quirks.

A build up of despair and frustration vines itself around the villain next to you. Wrapping up his legs, arms, and torso, completely suffocating the space around him. He shakes slightly, you could barely feel it, but one tiny sliver of fear was at the center of it all. You analyzed it to be a…familiar fear, his reaction of curling in on his self, and scratching at his neck violently. He then breaths out heavily before standing up and stomps out the door. His emotions are clashing and intertwining as he leaves the building. "My apologies, Shigaraki has a tendency of storming off when things become…overwhelming for him."

"I understand, it can take a lot for planning the end of a society. Let alone having not one, but two people standing in the way of it,” The other villain nods picking up the leftover glass, carefully cleaning it with a white rag. "Nonetheless, having someone such as yourself on our side, gives us a chance at the very least I believe." You nod back agreeing with his words.

He was right, you took a breath, holding up your glass towards Kurogiri. "Whatever it takes to change this world into a better one." Raising the glass before finishing what was left, sliding it over the bar. Standing up, making your way out until you feel apprehension reaching out at every step to the door. "Before you leave, there is something you must know." Pausing a few steps from the door turning away, giving him your full attention.

His emotions had been muted since you first met him. Until now, there is this pressure of thin air reaching out, pulling you in and away like the sea’s tide. It was like someone was wanting to escape but needing to stay for another’s sake, like someone trapped.

"If anything is to happen to me, I need to know you to look after the league, especially Shigaraki. I may not know you personally, but from what I can tell from the interactions between you two, I know I can." Unlike his usual words that match a poorly written script, these where the shouts of silent whispers ricocheting out. This was enough for you to know that this is a very personal ask from Kurogiri. He truly cared for the upcoming leader and as far as you can tell he trusted you all the same.

"If push comes to shove, I will if anything happens to you." His stance in swirling changed slightly at your answer. So small, you figure most would’ve brushed it off as wind or nothing at all. You, who are so heightened to everyone's emotions and feels knew better than most. He was thankful that you heard him. "Good, Shigaraki needs someone like you," you doubt his words. Sure you’ve proven yourself able to fight and talk the talk, but this was not at all what you expected.

"You’re very kind Kurogiri, I’ll take your word for it." Stepping out the bar, you walk down the hallway thinking everything over. The leagues endgame, whatever Kurogiri was and Shigaraki’s reaction. All of it interested you, even with the inevitable despair ending of society clasping you wanted the most. As tempting as having an entire year off without needing supplements, the potential of watching the world fall to its knees by its faults; sweet revenge was overdue.

Deciding on your answer, you make your way throughout the small hidden building. The night life thrives as you move your way on the sidewalk, passing drunks and groups of late workers on the way home.

Turning down an alleyway, you’re met with Shigaraki leaning against the left wall. Feelings of contemplation and exhaustion, his face covered. You take slow steps closer watching him silently. He calmed down a lot after the last you sensed him leaving the building only half an hour ago.

It was obvious he wanted to speak, staring hard at the ground with an intense irritation. Passing by him in large steps continuing through the alley, giving him the time to speak if he wished to before you disappeared into the night. "We’ll discuss your place among the League, Or rather if you are willing to fight in our party," he spoke.

"I’ll be here tomorrow then.”

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights of any of the characters I write about, all the rights go to their respective creators.

[lol-jackles]

First off, big fan of your blog! I read it like a newspaper every day.

What I wanna know is, if the SPN revival ends up happening, what route do you see them taking where they don’t mess with the canon? I think it would’ve worked out fine had Jensen not ret-conned quite a bit with the prequel. Now what? Will TW be considered canon? Is it better to let Sam and Dean rest and just base the revival between 15x19 and 15x20 so the endgame is not impacted? Wanna hear your thoughts specifically.

Also, a lot has happened between SPN’s end and now, and a lot more will happen still before the revival takes place. Speaking in terms of J2 and their friendship and their dynamic, particularly post prequel gate, should we expect to see slight changes in the SamDean dynamic come the revival as well? It can’t possibly be the exact same as how we got used to seeing it s11-s15 with this domestic bliss, we-are-eachother’s-endgame bliss.

Thank you friend.

The Winchesters was retconned to take place in an AU, so it is irrelevant to the main SPN-verse. Think how the Apocalypse World where Sam and Dean were never born has very little impact on the main SPN-verse. There is a pair of AU Sam and Dean running around in Brazil but again, no impact in the main SPN-verse.  So while TW is canon, it is entirely separate from our SPN.

Jared seem to like the idea that 5 years passed between 15x19 and 15x20 so I think there is a fair chance the revival could take place during those 5 years, Since Jared actually looks younger now than he did in season 15, then it can work.  (Sidenote: Jared started out looking normal in season 15 but midway through he trained for the marathon and gave himself the gaunt "runner face" that significantly aged him in appearance.)

 With Jack remaking heaven and keeping the angels away from earth and Rowena keeping demons away from the Winchesters, the brothers’ hunts return to the simpler days of monster hunting and explore new urban myths.

During these so-called simple monster hunts, Sam and Dean could go deeper into dealing their personal issues, which will draw them even closer leading up to the fateful Barn Scene day. Among the drama I would like to see closure to unresolved arcs, like what happened to Sam power?   Where are all the demons that Dean made during his apprenticeship as hell’s torturer?   Belphagore opened up that opportunity in season 15, which we also saw clues that not all demons are going to follow Rowena. Then we can have queen Rowena seeking help from the Winchesters to wrangle wayward demons either back into hell or into the Empty.

I expect we will still see the same Sam and Dean dynamic. First, based on the first and second convention after the prequel mess, the J2 magic was still there. Think of the times you haven't seen friends or family members for years and as soon as you re-connect, you immediately fell back into the old dynamics out of habit. Second, Hollywood is like an endless high school.  You may not have liked your high school but you find yourself going to every reunion because nobody else in the world know what you’ve experienced other than your classmates even if you hated them back in the day.  Many deep and casual relationships are based on shared experiences rather than actual compatibility. 

[lebylershipper]

Tom's a byler

I know for a FACT that Tom Holloway (asshole newspaper guy) would ship byler.  (I’m not delusional.)

Why?  Because while he may be a pos, this is a man who values the FACTs.  He himself told us so.

And what are the FACTs?  Well, let’s review them.

FACT one: Mike’s one of the main characters, so the audience is supposed to like him.

FACT two: If Mike’s not gay, there’s no explanation for his shitty behaviour – it means he’s just a massive asshole.

FACT three: Most people don’t like assholes.

In conclusion, byler endgame :3

[saintmeghanmarkle]

SARAH VINE: Harry and Meghan are casting themselves as refugees from a repressive regime

Could this be the duplicitous duo’s new MO? So much snark but such a well-written article in the DM from Sarah Vine, who doesn’t mince words. Link and full article below:

DailyMail

When I saw the pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of the Bob Marley movie in Kingston, Jamaica, the first thing that sprang to mind was how thoroughly refreshed they both looked.

Indeed, I had to do a double-take to make sure it really was the duchess that Prince Harry was escorting and not some dewy, doe-eyed lookalike.

Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but she certainly seems to have upped her skincare routine since we last saw her.

The prince, meanwhile, looked remarkably unfurrowed for a man who looks likely to have to pay three quarters of a million pounds in legal costs accrued by his failed libel action against the Mail on Sunday. I don’t know what they put in the water out there in Montecito, but it’s definitely working.

Still, all that gloss doesn’t hide the ugly fact that the pair - normally so vocal when it comes to informing the world of their heartfelt sentiments - have yet to say a single word in public on the subject of Harry’s father, the King, and his health issues.

Given how much the Prince likes to use his platform for good, you might have thought he would have seized this opportunity to remind other men of the importance of getting their prostate checked.

As for the duchess, normally such a strong advocate for women’s health, it does seem rather unsisterly not to wish the Princess of Wales a speedy recovery from her abdominal surgery.

That they should have chosen this particular occasion to break cover is also intriguing. Jamaica is not exactly a friend of the British monarchy - indeed, the country’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, who joined the Sussexes at the premiere with his wife Juliet, has expressed his hope that his people will cut ties with Britain when they vote in a referendum on the question later this year.

Anti-monarchist sentiment has been building ever since the death of Elizabeth II, who enjoyed the affection and respect of many Jamaicans. Sadly, those sentiments don’t seem to have been transferred to King Charles, with one ardent anti-monarchist, Hugh Small QC, telling the Guardian newspaper last year that he ‘can’t stand’ the thought of the King being head of state of Jamaica.

But there is something else driving Jamaica’s disdain for the Crown: the perceived notion that the British Royal Family is inherently racist and the Duchess of Sussex was a victim of prejudice during her time at the Palace.

This idea was, of course, vehemently denied while the Queen was still alive but recently resurrected by the Sussexes’ mouthpiece, Omid Scobie, in his most recent hagiography Endgame, in which he ‘accidentally’ named the alleged ‘royal racists’ as King Charles and the Princess of Wales.

These allegations will no doubt have caused a great deal of distress to both the King and the Princess.

Effectively being cancelled by your own son must take its toll on a man, and I can only imagine how stressful it must be for the Princess of Wales to not only have to pick up the slack left behind by the Duchess of Sussex’s departure but to have to do so with a smile on her face while being kicked repeatedly in the teeth by the latter’s cheerleaders.

I doubt whether that notion will have occurred to the Duke and Duchess, who have - in the past - shown themselves to be entirely immune to any suffering their pronouncements might cause.

Indeed, they did not hold back while Prince Philip was dying, nor when the Queen was in her final months. The idea that they should give two hoots about what the folks back home are going through is, very sadly, for the birds.

By choosing to break cover in such vehemently anti-monarchist company, the Duke and Duchess appear to be sending a very clear signal to the Palace. It appears to me that they intend to use their royal connection to undermine both the individual reputations of members of the Royal Family and that of the institution as a whole. I hope that I am wrong.

By casting themselves as refugees from a regressive and repressive regime, they are tapping into the divisive culture wars that dominate so much of our public debate these days and helping to fuel anti-royalist sentiment throughout the Commonwealth and elsewhere.

The late Queen, who loved the Commonwealth and used her position to foster forgiveness and understanding, would be heartbroken. As for King Charles, I can see only one course of action: he should give them what they claim to want and set them free of their royal shackles by stripping them, finally, of all titles.

post link

author: u/ducklingdynasty

submitted: January 25, 2024 at 05:15PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[roseeycreates-blog]

Hey, wait a sec! I thought Farmer AU was supposed to be a Linzin endgame? Why is there a wedding announcement for Tenzin and Pema? 😭😭😭

Hi, anon~

OMG, thank you for the ask! So sorry about the wedding announcement—I already covered it in this other ask.

Here's the continuation.

Aang and Katara had just gotten back from the city, where they were bombarded by the press about Tenzin's wedding announcement in the paper. They decided to brush it off and headed home. When they walked into the living room, they found Bumi and Kya sitting there, both looking pretty serious.

Bumi spoke up first, "Mom, Dad, there's something you need to know," he said, laying it all out—from Tenzin not knowing about the wedding announcement to the fact that a small group of acolytes seems to be behind the whole mess. They also filled them in about how Lin had tried to contact Tenzin, but these acolytes and abbots from the air temples kept interfering. Aang shook his head, looking really frustrated. Katara rubbed her temples, clearly upset. "We need to retract that newspaper announcement," she said firmly.

Kya and Bumi exchanged glances before Kya nodded. "We'll handle it," she assured them.

Pema was speechless as she turned toward the voice. It was Sokka, Suyin’s dad.

"It's been a while since we last met," he said, his voice heavy with disappointment. "I can't believe this is how we’re reunited. "

Pema, defensive, replied, "Not to be rude, Master Sokka, but this doesn’t concern you. Tenzin and I love each other. I’m here because he wants me to marry into this family, and—"

He cut her off. "Are you so sure about that?"

Su looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Dad?"

“I saw him leaving in a hurry not long ago,” Sokka said, looking concerned. “I’m curious where he’s headed—or more importantly, who he’s going to.”

Pema immediately dashed out of the room and into the living area, where she ran into Katara and Aang.

“You!” Katara said, her eyes locking onto Pema. “You’re Pema, right?”

Pema’s eyes went wide, and she nodded, gulping.

Aang stepped forward and asked, “So, who are these acolytes involved in all this?” He paused, clearly frustrated. “And where can I find them? I need to have a word with them.”

Tenzin arrived at the farm with Oogi and quickly spotted some familiar faces—Chin and Choi.

“What are you doing here?!” they yelled, clearly upset after seeing the announcement. “Are you here to hurt Lin more?” Chin demanded.

“Leave now!” Choi shouted. “We don’t care if you’re a bender. We can’t let you near her!”

Izumi, who had heard the commotion, came over and saw Tenzin. “Please, Izumi,” Tenzin pleaded. “Let me see Lin. I need to talk to her and make things right.”

Izumi addressed Chin and Choi, who were still reluctant. “I’ll make sure Lin is safe,” she assured them. “If Tenzin does anything out of line, I’ll take care of him myself.”

As they walked in, Izumi smirked and asked, “What took you so long, lover boy?”

Tenzin just sighed, exhausted.

“I’m guessing Bumi and Kya filled you in on everything?” she added.

He nodded, “Yeah, they did.”

“Figures,” she replied, then suddenly slapped him across the face.

Tenzin was shocked but knew he probably had it coming. Izumi didn’t miss a beat. “Lin’s in her room, sleeping. She spent the whole morning crying and blaming herself for letting you go.”

Flashback 

Early in the morning, Kya, Bumi, Izumi, and Suyin headed over to Lin's place right after seeing the wedding announcement. When Lin opened the door, her eyes were red and puffy—she had obviously seen it too.

"Why are you guys here?" she asked, her voice flat.

"To check on you, duh," Suyin said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm okay…" Lin whispered, but the shakiness in her voice gave her away.

"Oh, come on, Lin. We know you better than that," Kya said, not buying it for a second.

"I didn't clear my schedule today just to hear you lie," Izumi added, her tone firm but concerned.

"Hey, come on, ladies. Let's not—" Bumi started, but before he could finish, Lin’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor.

Izumi was at her side in an instant, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "This is all my fault," Lin choked out between sobs. "If I hadn’t ended things with him… now he’s…"

Kya and Suyin joined in, wrapping their arms around Lin, offering silent support as she cried. But Suyin, ever the blunt one, asked, "It’s just a wedding announcement, you know." She sighed, "If you love Tenzin that much, then why didn’t you ask him back sooner??"

Lin looked at her, tears streaming down her face. "I tried," she whispered. "I sent letters, I called, I even visited the air temples myself." Her voice broke as more tears fell. "But they said he doesn’t want to see nor speak to me anymore."

Everyone froze, shocked by what they were hearing. None of them knew about this.

"What? Why didn’t you tell us?" Bumi asked, his voice full of concern. "We could’ve helped you."

"I... I was the one who ended things with him," Lin admitted, her voice trembling. "So… I wanted to make things right myself."

Kya shook her head in disbelief. "I can’t believe Tenzin, that jerk."

Lin's voice cracked as she continued, "I thought I’d moved on, that I was fine with it, but the tears… they won’t stop. I love Tenzin... I love him… What do I do?...I still love him.." she sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she let out all the pain she’d been holding in.

[allyricas]

oh my god i could write a whole fucking essay on why both jon x nancy and steve x nancy should not be endgame! and it's not about disliking any one of them, rather seeing the various reasons each pair shouldn't stay together.

okay, come here: jon and nancy are very cute together. they have a lot of undeniable chemistry and similar interests and goals at the start of season 1. it's pretty clear that despite being with steve, nancy is attracted to, or at least intrigued by, jonathan from the start. he fucking took inappropriate pictures of her and she was not offended.

(we could argue this is because the duffer bros are men thus do not really understand how a teenage girl would react to this but that's a rant for another day)

i think jon and nancy are right-person-wrong time-terrible situation. despite the mutual attraction during season 1, they truly fall for each other during all the drama of will being possessed and the mind flayer. there is genuine love, but also trauma bonding.

the issue arises in the core of who they are and what they want out of life. nancy does not understand jonathan very well. jonathan does get her, i think, but doesn't necessarily like her priority on her career. we see this with the whole newspaper dilemma/argument. nancy is headstrong and determined, both good qualities, but she struggles to see how it could affect others at times.

jonathan might feel pressured to take care of will and stick by his family, but he cannot bear to lose them either. he needs will and his mom close after everything that's happened over the years. this means the idea of going away to college sounds terrifying to him at this point in his life. i also think the way he met argyle and went stoner boy is a huge relief for him. he can relax and get high, but wants to be with his family.

oh, but nancy. nancy wheeler. for all that she seems dainty and soft, she is truly a fucking badass. she is not afraid to fight for what she wants or what she believes in. she sees her traditional, nuclear family and she wants so much more. she wants a successful career. she wants to investigate and know the truth. she does not want to be in hawkins. she wants to rise above what society says a girl can be.

she doesn't want to break the glass ceiling, she wants to fucking shatter it. she is nearly cutthroat in her pursuit of what she wants and thinks is right.

she lost her best friend on the night she was losing her virginity to a boy she didn't love. i do not think nancy loved steve, sorry. i think she wanted to and thought she was supposed to but didn't. and this is not meant in a derogatory way towards nancy. she never had to love steve.

so I think there is an element to nancy where she feels she needs to be in a relationship because she's supposed to be, it's what girls should want. she should be jealous of robin because steve used to be her boyfriend. she should stress over her relationship with jon even though he's in california.

i think it's why we see her side of the weird energy with steve in season 4. she is very analytical with things, and she's considering what she is supposed to want, not necessarily what she actually wants which very well could be neither of the boys if she was honest with herself.

nancy needs a partner who is okay with her prioritizing her career, who has their own career, and is okay with needing personal space and not necessarily wanting a family. someone who understands nancy's desires and dreams, recognizes how she needs to find the story and investigate and reveal the truth, that she will do whatever it takes to be successful and she deserves to! that she can have all this and love, but that it won't look like what society said was acceptable for a women in that time.

nancy would be so, so unhappy with steve. she was unhappy with him the first time they dated. she stuck it out it because it felt like a slap in the face to losing barb if it didn't work. but nancy knew deep down it was bullshit. she might have drunkenly spewed those words to steve, but they were just as much about her.

so yeah, nancy and jon without all the trauma, could have been happy. and who knows, maybe in the future they could work out. nancy and steve, trauma or no trauma, would not work. he straight up said he wants a big family. he wants the house, the kids, and a partner to come home to. that is a nightmare for nance. her face said it all in the rv.

“It’s silly but I always had this dream that I’d have this really big family. I’m talking like a full brood of Harringtons, like five, six kids. And every summer I figured all of us Harringtons, we would pack into something like this and just see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone. End up in some beachside town in California, spend a week parked in the sand. Learn how to surf or something.”

we can argue whether steve's parents are just a little absent or like fully negligent assholes but either way, he wants what he didn't have. wants to create his own family and do it the right way. he wants a big family with lots of people to nurture and love. i don't even think nancy would necessarily want to take her spouse's last name whereas steve would very much want that.

steve's desire for family is intrinsic to who he is. it's why he carts around dustin and the kids. why he worries for them and throws himself into danger for them despite barely knowing them in season 2. it's why robin made her way into his heart so easily. steve wants to be loved, wants to be needed and does want to love others in return.

he may not seem to have big aspirations in terms of college or a career but what he does aspire to is just as important as any other dream.

it's interesting that he doesn't just say he wants a big family but instead, makes sure to emphasize that he wants a big family that are close and spent time together. he wants to cram the whole gang in a damn winnebago and travel together. his dream is no less important than nancy's but it is totally incompatible.

i think steve regressed in season 4 because he was scared. the idea of fighting vecna and not having someone to love romantically made steve fall back on his old feelings for nancy. because steve said himself he was over her. he'd been dating. actively trying to find someone.

it was the circumstance that led to the weirdness between them.

if you follow me, then you know steve harrington is like my ride or die. i think he's maybe my favorite character of all time. so true, i do not want to see him with someone who called him bullshit and was obviously moving on emotionally with another guy while still dating steve.

(i personally don't think she cheated on him, but considered that moment the break up. even if it she did cheat on him, i love nancy. she was a teenager who'd lost her best friend and was dealing with a ton of shit and it doesn't make her bad even if she had cheated.)

all three deserve happy endings that suit who they are and where they are it. i really hope that we get to see that reflected in vol. 5.

[wildpeachfarm]

Just finished reading the morning newspaper and I have a few things to say

So first of all I'm biased as a multishipper already but anf with dnf endgame is literally one of my favorite things ever it drives me up the wall

Another rarepair I really like though has to be awesamdream

Like to me that ship would be so soft and cute and fhidowowjshs I love them

I'm planning on writing some awesamdream eventually cause while it exists it usually exists in the c! form and tbh that doesn't really interest me lol

oooh I could see awesamdream being cute too! I suffer from a little dnf obsession but trust me I am always cheering on the multishippers because I know you guys write some DAMN CUTE STUFF 👏

If you ever do write it always feel free to share it here bc I literally owe my sanity to the fic writers of this fandom so I always want to support!

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Ok so im the same person who’s been asking these endgame/superinjunction questions. I’m sorry if you may have to explain these stuff to me like a dummy, but i figured i’d rather ask than be stupid. So what you’re saying is there’s a possibility there really is some kind of deal between the palace and the murdoch establishment and it’s not simply a good old out of court settlement that involves monetary compensation, it also involves some sort of deal to supress the affair rumors? and this deal might have benefitted harry too if he waited? but also h&m and scobie believe the deal also involves bad press for the sussexes?

No worries, anon! Ask as many questions as you like. (I know I can talk in circles when I start rambling. I've even confused myself.)

I'll take your ask point by point because I think that may be more helpful and less rambly. I've also done a bit more research into what actually happened in court last year and that may be the missing piece to clear everything up.

there’s a possibility there really is some kind of deal between the palace and the murdoch establishment and it’s not simply a good old out of court settlement that involves monetary compensation, it also involves some sort of deal to supress the affair rumors?

Yes and no. What we know about the deal is in 2012ish, an agreement was made, authorized by The Queen, that the royal family wouldn't pursue litigation or claims of litigation against the News Group Newspapers (which is owned by Murdoch) until all of the other cases in the phone hacking scandal had been resolved first in exchange for an apology and a settlement (i.e. cash).

The affair rumors were not part of the original 2012 deal because, well, there were no affair rumors in 2012. Let's leave that aside for a second.

So after The Queen makes the deal with NGN/Murdoch, the BRF basically sits back and waits for all the phone hacking lawsuits and court cases to resolve. This takes about 8 years. In 2019 or 2020, NGN/Murdoch calls up the BRF and says "we're ready. Let's talk." They meet and start negotiations for the settlement. William eventually walks away with X, cash in hand.

We don't know what the terms of that settlement is. There's speculation it was $80-$90 million because someone looked up the NGN/Murdoch financial reports after Harry spilled the tea and found NGN's profits dropped by $80-$90 million. But we don't actually know.

Now going back to the affair rumors. They started in February/March 2019. Soon as it started, all the royal reporters and society reporters immediately began investigating. They were crawling all over Norfolk and talking to everyone/anyone they could but they couldn't find any evidence and kept digging, thinking it was a massive coverup. Eventually they couldn't find anything and they all stopped talking about an affair or rumors of an affair, except for one: Dan Wootton and The Sun, which is owned by NGN/Murdoch. Wootton kept investigating and kept talking about it, until all of a sudden he stopped, in June 2019. Never brought it up again.

My personal theory is as William/KP and NGN began meeting about the settlement, William had some kind of leverage that made them realize 'oh we fucked up with the affair rumors' and it was addressed in the settlement he walked away with. I've no actual idea what the leverage could be - maybe Christian Jones had something on Wootton? Maybe William did the "let's tell people fake stories and see which one gets published" thing (he's done it before) and it fingered people other than Wootton? I've no actual idea if there was any leverage in the first place. I've no actual idea if it contributed to the settlement. All I know is that The Sun stopped talking about it around the time things may have started moving to execute the 2012 deal and the timing seems important.

and this deal might have benefitted harry too if he waited?

Yes, absolutely. When The Queen initially struck the deal, it applied to all members of the royal family - so William, Kate, and Harry were covered by it. What's important to remember is that the deal was contingent on waiting out all the other lawsuits and cases first. So had Harry just waited, he would've been able to split the money William walked away with.

Instead, in 2017, Harry started getting antsy about how long it was taking to close everything out. He started pressuring the BRF to push NGN to move faster - he didn't want NGN/Murdoch's people covering his engagement, his wedding, his future children, etc. He wanted to ban them from certain events as retribution/revenge for violating his privacy and he believed that NGN was dragging out their lawsuits and cases to continue covering the royal family. (Quick aside here: Harry and Meghan did not invite the rota or members of the press to cover their wedding, as is their prerogative, but it's thought the reasoning behind this decision was because of Harry's anger at NGN's phone hacking and what he perceived was a lack of consequences.)

This goes on for a couple years: Harry keeps pressuring the lawyers to force NGN to settle and the lawyers kept saying 'no, we need to wait, remember the deal.' Summer 2019 rolls around and Harry has had enough. It's his money, he wants it now! So then Harry pulls out of the 2012 deal and begins filing two lawsuits.

Lawsuit #1: Against NGN/Murdoch

Lawsuit #2: Against MGN/The Mirror

I don't remember which one gets filed and looking it up sends me down a wormhole I can't afford to go down right now. I think the MGN/Mirror lawsuit is part of the cases that are announced in September 2019 while they're in Africa and the NGN/Murdcoch lawsuit comes some time later.

Now there are three separate cases: a) William's settlement which is still bound to the 2012 deal, b) Harry's lawsuit #1 against NGN that's part of the bundle with Hugh Grant and Elton John and all those other celebs, and c) Harry's lawsuit #2 against MGN/Mirror.

So as Harry's lawsuits begin to working through the court system, William is negotiating the terms of his settlement and at some point in 2020, he finally gets his payout and it's a big one.

Fast-forward 3 years. It's 2023 and Harry's lawsuits are finally getting its day in court. In April 2023, NGN/Murdoch is arguing that Harry's lawsuit is past the statute of limitations* and should be dismissed. Harry says 'no, actually, I couldn't file my lawsuit earlier because of a deal my granny made that I didn't consent to.' As part of that testimony, Harry has to describe the deal and that's how we know what happened in 2012 and that William got his payout in 2020. The judge decides 'Harry's right' and finds in his favor: the NGN lawsuit stays. That was in April 2023, I believe. In June 2023, Harry's back in court to take the stand (the lawsuit goes horribly awry).

*I think they call it something else in the UK though. The actual phrase "statute of limitations" didn't come up in any of my research. I'm using it here as a shorthand because it's easier for us Americans to understand. (Apologies if you're not American, anon!)

In July 2023, Harry is back in court for lawsuit #2 against MGN. MGN makes the same argument: it's past the statute of limitations and should be dismissed. Unfortunately for Harry, this judge agrees with MGN and his case is dismissed. So lawsuit #2 is done.

In December 2023, the judge from lawsuit #1, the NGN/Murdoch case, rules that the phone hacking was "widespread and habitual" awards Harry damages of $175K(ish). That's not enough. Harry wants more money, so lawyers do lawyer things and eventually, last week, Harry finally settles with NGN for damages ($175Kish) and legal fees ($500Kish).

So, long story short is this: If Harry had waited for the 2012 deal to play out, he would've walked away splitting $X million with William in 2020. Instead, because he was too impatient and too greedy, he's walking away with less than $700,000 in 2024.

How do you like them apples.

but also h&m and scobie believe the deal also involves bad press for the sussexes?

No. They do not think the 2012 deal leading to the 2020 settlement involves bad press for the sussexes.

They think William used the bad press for the Sussexes to kill media coverage of the affair rumors in 2019. They think Christian Jones made a deal with Wootton/The Sun back in 2019 involving bad press for the Sussexes to stop writing about Rose and William had approved of it because William didn't immediately fire Christian as Harry wanted when he told William of his suspicions of Christian's relationship with Wootton/The Sun.

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

So what actually happens in Endgame is that Scobie speculates that connections between

an abandoned investigation of the affair rumors

bad press for the Sussexes,

an embargoed report on the behavior of British newspapers (which may or may not be a superinjunction), and

William not doing anything to address Harry's concerns about Christian's relationship to Wootton

is the clearest signal that William is using the power of his position as heir to control, suppress, and influence how the media covers him. It's an implication that the power has gone to William's head.

I definitely muddied the waters for you by thinking it may all be connected to the phone hacking deal. There's no evidence that says it is - that was just me thinking "it can't be a coincidence these four things are happening at relatively the same time, and then they all just kinda stop at the same time, the same time that we now know William received a huge cash payout."

I hope this untangles things for you, anon. If it doesn't, please keep asking questions. (If anything, this round of questions led to some research that helped untangle the lawsuits for me so they're as much a chance for me to learn as they are for you!)

[meddow]

Fic Author Q&A

Thank you for tagging me @curator-on-ao3!

1. Why do you write fanfic?

It’s a bit of a combination firstly wanting to share a plot idea I have with others, secondly, wanting to see something happen which I know won’t happen in the original source, and thirdly, it can be a bit of a fun puzzle – I don’t like this canon, how do I fix it.

2. Which of your posted stories do you think about the most, even though the story is “finished”?

Lately, First Solitary Separate Singular Complete. It was the first fic I wrote after a long break and I was a very rusty when writing it, so mostly what I would have do differently.

3. If you could give yourself fic advice from when you first started writing fic, what would that advice be?

There will be times when you feel you’ve lost the ability to write. It will come back. It never strays that far away.

4. What’s your relationship to fic stats?

I do check them and quite often, but just for hits. I like seeing the hit count on my WIP steadily head up and like to interpret that as it has found an audience.

5. Is there a pairing or scenario or friendship you miss writing? If so, why? If not, why not?

I wouldn’t mind revisiting Lix/Randall (The Hour) a bit more. I still occasionally find myself coming up with AUs for them. I had half a Victorian detectives AU plotted out in my head back in the day and I wish I'd had the energy to write it. Anyway, it was six episodes over a decade ago and yet they still reside in my head.

6. What motivates you to write?

Partly it’s a race against time to get things down before my inspiration runs out. Partly is that writing for me is like cooking. It’s lovely cooking for myself, but its extra special getting to share what I’ve created with the world and seeing other people enjoy it

7. Why do you write for the fandom(s) that you write for?

My muse is very much motivated by newspaper articles and non-fiction and basically shit I see in the world which pisses me off, and Star Trek remains the ultimate franchise for being able to discuss contemporary issues with a shielding layer of fiction over the top.

For example (spoilers for the next chapter of The Endurance of Light) the villains I’m writing at the moment have an ideology which is based of a whole bunch of anti-master, anti-vaxxer and anti-science rhetoric I’ve seen around – and I’m getting to show how the ruling class of that planet use that ideology to oppress the masses and keep themselves in power, while finding and exploiting loopholes that benefit themselves. I don't know if I'm weird, but writing that kind of stuff for me is oddly fun.

Strange New Worlds in particular hits that sweet spot as it has a great set up and characters I adore, but never seems to have enough time/a high enough episode order to really explore the characters and I want to fix that.  

8. If you’re stuck writing a WIP, what do you do?

Go for a walk. I get all my best ideas either wandering around the local park, or in the shower.

9. What do you wish people knew about comments?

I can’t speak for any author but myself, but I’m happy to answer questions about future developments (or the general direction at least, I won’t give a blow by blow) if someone asks me in a comment. I don’t like tagging my fics with whether it’s a happy ending or not or whether a pairing is endgame or not because I feel that ruins any tension and/or mystery I want to build for everyone, but in the comments, I can put details below a spoiler cut.

10. Maybe there’s a question you wish had been on here. What’s that question (and answer)?

As a person who has aphantasia (the inability to picture things in my mind), I’d love to know what other people see when they’re writing, and how much detail. For me, I feel like for a scene I get enough in my mind to create one blurry film still per scene. There's no movement though. I can’t picture things like facial expressions changing or what characters are doing with their hands. Often I feel like I’m just writing off vibes.

I've seen a lot of people I follow tagged already, is there anyone who has missed out that wants to be?