#only to then turn around and say ''but also everything harry does is for profit and he's not actually like that irl''

[non-binharry]

Hoping for the day when chavy Louis (which he is so it shouldn't even be debated) discourse stops mentioning Harry and how he's "not even that gay and Louis is actually gayer". Like leave my girl and her man alone!!!!!

yeah!!!

[fandomlovingfreak]

Glacial Passion (4/?)

Regulus Black/Reader

Rating: Lemon, 18+

Trigger Warning: Arranged Marriage, talk of potential pregnancy

Word Count: 2576

MasterList Link I AO3 Link I Wattpad Link

Summary: Glacial, cold, icy… all words that described Regulus Black’s grey eyes. Was there truly no emotion behind those eyes, or did a caring man exist beneath? Could she defrost those glacial eyes?

Disclaimer: Regulus Black (Walburga Black, Orion Black, and Sirius Black) is a character from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Reader or y/n is not owned by Rowling. This work has not been created for profit or financial compensation, and is a transformative fair use work in accordance with Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act.

Notes: I felt bad because I haven’t updated in centuries... so if it sucks SORRY </3

Enjoy

The restaurant was a suggestion from his father. How Orion knew about this particular restaurant, Regulus hadn't a clue. Well, he had some ideas-- but they were ideas better left unexplored in his opinion.

Despite being aware that his parent's marriage had always been a farce, it still stung a bit knowing they hated each other and his father sought comfort in others. A restaurant as... sappy as this one wasn't something his mother would enjoy. Orion would never even dream of bringing Walburga to a place like this. 

Everything about the restaurant screamed romance, from the candlelight to the rich reds of the chairs. Even as this type of dinner wasn't his cup of tea, Regulus hoped that a romantic setting like this was something (y/n) would appreciate.

Not like he would know, as she had hardly spoken a word to him the entire night. 

She looks beautiful, and momentarily he wonders if he should tell her. On the one hand, it could get her to talk to him, but on the other, he felt like it was inappropriate in a way. Like he was feeding her false ideas about his emotions because he wanted her attention.  

He can't help it, though. She looks ravishing; the color of her dress complimenting the glow of her skin in combination with the flicker of candlelight was something only a poet could describe in perfect, heartwrenching detail. And Regulus was no poet.

Merlin’s beard, wouldn't it be easier to let oneself fall completely in love instead of keeping the carefully constructed guard up.

Instead, he opts for a dumb, "You look beautiful tonight."

Her (y/e/c) eyes flicker up to his. Regulus burns under the stare, thankful for the near darkness of the restaurant. 

"Thank you." 

"Are you-- do you like the restaurant?" Yikes, when did he become so--

"It's nice." (y/n) smiles, taking another sip of her white wine. 

Regulus scowls over his own drink. Why was this so difficult?

"My father suggested it. I don't know how he knows about it--" Merlin! Now he's just blurting out things to fill the awkwardness he felt.

"Oh really? I can't imagine that your mother would be interested... in all of this."

"She's not."

(y/n)'s eyes widen before pity settles in her (y/e/c) eyes. "Oh-- I--"

"Don't-- I didn't mean to make my father's-- personal life the topic of our conversation." 

"So..." (y/n) looks down at her plate. They couldn't be worse at this; Regulus is convinced that the conversation couldn't be more painful. 

"Was there anything you wanted to see around the city? I don't have much planned--"

"Wasn't this your idea?" (y/n)'s lips are pinched, displeased suddenly. Regulus feels the tension build under that subtle pinch of her lips.

"No."

For a moment, she just stares, until suddenly, a small fluttery laugh seems to spill from her lips. She tries to cover her laughter with her delicate hand, but it's uncontrollable quickly.

Tables turn towards the sound of her laughter, trying to see why his wife has erupted into furious giggles.

"I-- I don't understand why you find this humorous?" Regulus tries not to notice the people as they continue to stare at their table.

(y/n) attempts to control her amusement by taking another sip of her wine. The giggles don't secede, though, even with the glass pressed against her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she says, pressing her napkin against her lips, "It's just that you suddenly dragged me to another country, and it wasn't even your idea to do so! Isn't it a bit ridiculous, Regulus?"

Again, he feels the burn of embarrassment across his pale cheeks, "You are not having a good time?"

"What do you want me to say to that? We don't spend any time together besides having sex, and you've brought me to a restaurant your father brings his whores to... Not exactly the honeymoon many women dream of."

Maybe this restaurant wasn't the best idea--

"What do you want me to do?"

She sighs, "I don't know."

If he was not flustered before, he surely could say he is now. How do you please someone who doesn't even know what they're asking you for?

He exhales slowly, trying to calm the irritation he feels with her, "If you told me what you want from me, I could possibly make it happen."

(y/n) stares back at him, "You already told me what I want was impossible."

Regulus feels the coldness radiating off of her, "(y/n)--"

"This really isn't a conversation for public ears."

No, it really wasn't.

***

Even as our conversation wasn't exactly satisfactory, I still wanted what I wanted and was willing to go to any lengths to get it. Seduction seemed to be the option with the most success. That and hoping he'd be distracted enough by the suddenness to forget certain charms.

***

(y/n) disappears into the closet the instant they step into the room after dinner. Everything had been tense and uncomfortable after their conversation. He could practically feel his wife's annoyance with him the rest of their silent dinner.

Regulus sits down at the desk, running a hand through his black curls. Admittedly, he could see why she was upset with him. All she seemed to crave from him was emotion, and he was adamant in keeping her at a comfortable distance from him emotionally. It was a battle both desperately wanted to win, and there didn't seem to be a clear winner in the near future.

Regulus searches the desk for a distraction, landing on his quill and ink. Writing a letter to his parents could be a good distraction-- except nothing of real interest had happened in their short time away from home. Besides, distracting himself from the woman behind the closet door by writing about her seemed counterproductive. 

Anyways, Walburga would write back to him immediately upon receiving such a letter. He wasn't sure he wanted a written explanation of his duty as the sole heir of the Black family alongside her continued talks at home. It seemed just as uncomfortable as talking to his mother face-to-face about such matters.

Instead, he addresses the letter to Sirius, who was probably still unaware that his younger brother had gotten married. He would write to Sirius on occasion, hoping his brother had some secret insight into life that he did not possess. If Walburga knew her favorite still corresponded with the 'blood traitor,' he was sure he'd be disowned alongside Sirius, or at least hexed to hell and back. Not like it really mattered at this point. He was sure he was being punished in his current situation anyways. 

When Sirius left, he was devastated, scared even of living alone in Grimmauld Place with his parents. Regulus had also been furious, but missing his older brother had overshadowed any anger he felt towards Sirius. Their correspondence had been less frequent in the past year, but Regulus thought he ought to share the news of his marriage with Sirius. 

He's just about to start the letter when (y/n) walks into the room wearing lace lingerie that leaves little to the imagination. He soaks in the image of her alluring body wrapped up like a present for him.

"Regulus," his name sounds luscious, dripping from her lips like honey.

"(y/n)," he stands, taking a step towards his bewitching wife. The half-written letter to Sirius is entirely forgotten on the desk as he stands.

She does a little turn, showing him the entire outfit, "do you like it?"

He nods dumbly, eyeing the small bow resting against her spine.

"Do you want to touch?" The sultry smile on her lips is like a magnet, pulling him closer to admire the way the lace accentuates her beauty.

"I want to take this off," he reaches out, intending to pull her closer to his body. Instead, (y/n) shoves him back towards the bed, the backs of his legs hitting the plush mattress. Her hands run up his torso, eye contact never wavering as she pushes him gently on the bed. Regulus's eyes widen at the boldness of his wife.

Crawling up onto the bed after him, she settles on his lap. 

"Weren't expecting this, were you?" Her fingers grip his chin, forcing him to keep eye contact.

Regulus grips her hips, fighting the urge to press her down on his aching cock. Instead, (y/n) rolls her hips. "Merlin--" Regulus groans, throwing his head back against the pillows.

(y/n) grins wickedly down at him, repeating the motion a few more times before he can't take it anymore.

"I need to be inside of you." He tries sitting up to control the situation, but (y/n) pushes him back down on the bed.

"Patience. I think it's only fair that I take charge tonight."

He frowns, conflicted because he doesn't hate this sudden change in his wife's sexual confidence. 

She pauses another moment, gauging how certain she is that he won't continue to fight her for dominance. (y/n)'s fingers slip down from his stomach to the buckle of his belt. Regulus swallows hard, trying to fight how he wants to push her back on the bed and bury himself in her tight heat.

"If you don't hurry up--" Regulus practically snarls as her fingers trail down the front of his pants.

"Patience, Regulus." 

Damnit, woman... 

Slowly, (y/n) tugs his pants down his thighs. 

"C'mon (y/n)--"

(y/n)'s fingers begin to slowly unbutton his shirt, ignoring his pleas. 

Her smile is wicked, "you're so good, letting me do what I want."

Regulus frowns but doesn't respond. He won't beg for her, won't beg to feel her tight heat. Won't beg to hear those little breathy moans she lets escape when he fucks her just right.

"Do you want me?" 

"Obviously, woman." This technically isn't begging, he rationalizes as he eyes her barely covered tits. 

"Tell me how badly," she guides his hands up to her chest, encouraging him to squeeze the flesh.

Regulus pinches her left nipple, enjoying the way it peaks under his touch. "I've never wanted a woman the way I want you."

(y/n) pauses, her eyes focused on his as she looks at him with shock written across her features. Regulus fights the blush that creeps up his neck, suddenly feeling shy over his words. There hadn't been an intention to reveal anything of the sort to her. 

(y/n) bites her lips, "really?"

Regulus sighs, feeling insecure at the moment as (y/n) watches him with stars in her eyes. He runs his hands up her thighs, collecting his thoughts, "Yes."

She smiles, leaning down to press her lips against his. Regulus cradles her face in his hands, pulling her closer to continue the slow and sensual kiss. 

"I don't have patience for your teasing."

For a moment, he's sure that he's regained some dominance in their exchange as her face softens substantially. But before he can get his wicked hands on her, she's up and off of him, removing the lace from her body.

Regulus watches her hesitate for a moment, looking suddenly insecure in her actions.

"Well? Was this not your game of seduction, darling? Finish what you started."

She looks down at the ground for a moment before climbing back to sit on his lap. (y/n) whimpers slightly, rubbing herself against his length.

Finally, she engulfs him in her heat. Regulus grits his teeth, the warmth of her practically chokes him. (Y/n) plants her hands on his chest, her lips slightly agape as she stares down at him. At her work.

"Do you want me to help you?" He rolls his hips against her, fingers itching to grasp the flesh of her ass.

(y/n) doesn't slap his hands away but shakes her head no, moving tentatively up before sinking back down. Regulus can't help the moan that spills from his throat. It just feels so good.

Regulus pushes himself up on his elbows, so their chests prest together. Her arms wrap around his neck as she grinds against his lap.

"Merlin--" Regulus kisses her before maneuvering her to her back. His hips are quick to piston against hers.

"Regulus!" 

He shushes her gently, "let me take care of you."

"No more contraceptive charms," she brushes away hair from his forehead. He wants to 

"I'll cast it when you're asleep," He frowns down at her, hands gripping her waist as he buries himself savagely within her.

"You wouldn't dare. I made this happen, initiated it." She looks magnificent beneath him, tits bouncing, lips slightly open as she argues.

"I said no."

(Y/n) stops her movement, looking up at him with a blank expression. It unnerves him how... blank she looks.

"What are you doing?"

(Y/n) scowls at him, "I'm done with this." She pushes him away by his shoulders, getting up and off the bed to cross the room where her robe hangs.

Regulus stares at her in disbelief. "Wait!"

"No! I'm done."

"You can't just walk away!"

"Watch me." (Y/n) walks into the adjoining bathroom.

He throws his head back in frustration, "you're really going to leave me like this?"

"I don't care!" She pops her head out angrily from the bathroom, "I don't care if I leave you in any way!"

He leans his head on his hand, looking at her, "c'mon darling…."

(Y/n) looks at him with sudden rage, "No! Do not darling me. You do not love me; you don't even know me! You have no right to use such language with me."

He gets up from the bed, walking closer till he's inches from her face, "I'm sorry—"

"No!" She pushes him away, "this is why I wanted a child! You will never love me, but maybe…" she looks away for a moment before looking him directly in the eyes, "maybe the child would."

A conversation with his mother when he was small is thrown to the forefront of his memory. Walburga had sat him down on her lap, back when he was a child when she was a loving mother to both Sirius and Regulus. Always patting his small curly head or lovingly stroking his plump cheeks. She had admitted that her sons' love was once something she thought she could replace the love a husband should give a wife. 

When the pain of being in a loveless marriage completely caught up to her, she lost her loving touch. Her heart became cold, and her love a distant thing of the past. 

And now he was doing the same thing his father did to his mother to his own wife, making her heart bitter. Bitter enough that she already sought something to numb the pain that their marriage was causing her.

Grabbing her, he pulls her into his arms, hugging her close.

"Regulus?" She sounds alarmed.

"I'm sorry."

She doesn't say anything for a moment, "for— what?"

He pulls away just enough to see her face. Cupping her jaw in his hands, he presses a kiss to her lips.

"Regulus—"

"No. I understand what you're telling me, and I want you to give me a chance."

"Give you a chance… you already said you can't."

"I— I can try."

"I don't want you to pretend to love me."

"I won't pretend. I'll figure it out, I promise."

(y/n) looks alarmed for a second, "you shouldn't promise things you can't do, Regulus Black."

He stares back, "give me a chance."

The silence is deafening as she watches him.

[drarrymybeloved]

a gift for @isamijoo​ as part of the Wheel of Drarry Mini Exchange🥰💞thank you to @curlyy-hair-dont-care​ for the beta!

wc: 1.7k | rating: G

Not All Heroes Wear Capes, But Mine Sure Does

Draco Malfoy, Editor in Chief of Witch Weekly Magazine, eyes his watch and then the stack of paperwork on his desk. He knows he should stay and get through at least half the pile before lunch, but there is also a photoshoot going on in Studio B right this very second that he wouldn’t mind overseeing. Only because the photoshoot is such an important project for the magazine. Not because of the presence of a certain someone at said photoshoot, not at all.

I’m the Editor in Chief of the damn magazine and I can go wherever I like, he decides. He nods his head as if confirming his own thoughts and exits his office to head towards the studio.

Draco had begun working at the offices of Witch Weekly soon after he finished his community service sentence. Starting as a lowly clerk, his ability to charm and enamour as needed, had him slowly but surely climbing the ranks.

Now, at twenty-five, Draco is the youngest Editor in Chief in the history of Witch Weekly. Soon after his promotion, he had recruited Pansy as a columnist and Blaise as a photographer, both of whom are involved in today’s shoot.

And what a shoot it is, Draco thinks with more than a little satisfaction. Featuring the Golden Trio, the rest of the Weasley clan minus Percy who was “just too busy to make it”, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, the Patil twins, and Lavender Brown, it’s going to be printed as a special edition with all proceeds going to the War Orphan’s Trust. Incidentally, it’s also one of the most— if not the most— star-studded spread in the magazine’s history. Blaise will photograph all the volunteers in various costumes and get-ups, while Pansy will interview them on the side.

When the idea was first proposed, Draco had been sceptical. While the others were less recalcitrant, Potter was well-known for his dislike of modelling of any kind. He hated being in front of a camera, and everybody in the press corps knew it. Without Potter, the venture wouldn’t necessarily fail, but it would definitely not generate as much profit. Draco had meant to ask formally, perhaps through an official letter bearing the magazine’s seal. Instead, he found himself asking Potter at the weekly inter-house pub night, a tradition started in eighth year that— inexplicably— continued well past Hogwarts. Surprisingly, Potter had agreed with minimal fuss. He wasn’t happy about it, but he had agreed nonetheless.

Reaching the studio door, Draco takes a moment to brush non-existent dirt off his suit jacket and straighten his already straight tie, before pushing open the door. There are a fair amount of people milling around, talking and laughing. He can see Weasley, Finnegan and Thomas near the refreshments table. Charlie Weasley is talking animatedly with Luna while Longbottom listens with a bemused expression. Ginerva and George are slowly turning singular strands of Hermione’s hair purple as she talks passionately with Lavender. The Patil twins are having their makeup done, and Bill Weasley is being interviewed by Pansy.

Draco takes all this in with a cursory glance, his attention instantly drawn towards the man currently posing for the camera, like a compass finding true north.

Harry Potter stands in front of the camera, wearing a gladiator’s skirt cinched with a belt adorned with a golden lion, a red cape adorning his broad shoulders. A sheathed sword hangs at his waist. On his feet are black leather sandals, the straps of which rope around his muscular calves. Without his trademark glasses, his eyes look impossibly brighter. His bronze skin practically gleams under the lights. Presumably, someone had applied oil on him at some point. Draco hastily pushes away all thoughts of hands and oil and Potter out of his mind. Potter’s hair looks artfully tousled instead of its usual mess— a near-miraculous feat if you ask Draco. He makes a mental note to jot down the name of the hair stylist for future photoshoots. The thought is there and then gone because just then, Potter draws the sword hanging at his waist, and Merlin and Morgana, Draco was not prepared to see Harry bloody Potter looking like a hero out of a Greek legend.

Draco lets out an involuntary whimper.

“Hello, Draco.”

Draco quickly snaps his gaze away from Potter to find Hermione looking at him with an amused expression. The purple streaks are gone from her hair— she’d probably known what Ginerva and George were up to the whole time. Meanwhile, Draco had been so busy ogling Potter, he hadn’t even seen Hermione approach him. He flushes faintly and attempts to sound like the Editor in Chief of a major publication rather than what he actually feels like— a schoolboy with a pash. “Hello, Hermione. I hope everything is going smoothly?”

Hermione grins. “Yes, it’s all been rather fun actually. Reminds me a bit of Sunday lunch at the Burrow, what with so many people around.”

“Good, that’s good to hear,” Draco says distractedly, attention already straying back to Potter.

“Harry’s looking rather good, isn’t he?” Hermione asks nonchalantly, following Draco’s gaze.

“What? Oh, yes, yes of course. Now that you mention it, he is. That is, I mean, the stylists did a brilliant job. Especially with his hair, it usually looks like a bird's nest,” Draco lets out a strained chuckle, his cheeks burning. He never should have come down here. Merlin.

Hermione presses her lips together, her eyes bright with amusement. “You should tell him that yourself, he’ll like it,” she gestures behind Draco.

Draco turns, and sure enough, Potter’s coming off the set towards them. He doesn’t even stop to change into regular clothes, for fucks sake. How is one supposed to hold a conversation with him looking like that?

“I’ll leave you two to it then, got some catching up to do with Parvati,” Hermione says, grinning wickedly. Before Draco can say another word, she’s already gone.

Cursing internally, he turns to face Potter, determined to keep his attention on Potter’s face and his face only. Not that that’s not distracting enough. Pushing the unhelpful thought away, Draco opens his mouth to greet Potter. What comes out is, “That’s quite a get-up you’ve got going on.”

Oh joy, already off to an excellent start. Draco cringes internally but forces himself to smile in what he hopes is a pleasant manner.

Potter laughs sheepishly. “Yeah, I do feel pretty ridiculous in all this. They’ve even strapped a bloody sword on me. I barely know how to handle it.”

“Looked like you were doing alright, actually,” Draco says before his mind can catch up with his mouth.

“Oh, er, thanks Draco,” Potter smiles bashfully, bringing his hand up to ruffle his hair. Draco’s eyes helplessly follow the flex of his bicep.

Snapping back to attention, he grasps for something other than Potter’s sword-wielding skills to talk about.

"I have to say though, I was quite surprised when you agreed to this. It's no secret you dislike photoshoots immensely," is what he lands on. It’s something he’s been wondering about and he wouldn’t mind knowing what made Potter agree to do this.

“Yeah, I don’t much like being treated as if I’m some celebrity and I’ve never been good in front of a camera. I would have said no but well…” he trails off, looking at Draco intently. “You’re the one who asked, so,” Potter shrugs as if that clears everything up.

Draco blinks. In a dazzling display of eloquence, he says, "What?"

Potter flushes, but he looks determined. "I agreed to do this because I know this photoshoot is important to you. Not just this shoot, the magazine as a whole. I know that you’ve worked hard to make it into something much more than just another gossip rag. So, um, you know, I did it for you,” he rubs the back of his neck, his face flushed crimson. “It also helps that it’s for charity,” he adds, chuckling awkwardly.

Draco gapes. “But...why?” he manages, bewildered.

“Draco,” Potter huffs. “Because I care about you. As in, I have feelings for you. I thought you would have guessed by now, it’s not like I’m great at subtlety. Pretty much everyone else knows,” he smiles nervously.

 Oh. Oh.  

“You have feelings for— wait, everyone knows?” Draco demands. “And no one thought to tell me?” He hates his friends, really truly despises them all.

Potter’s eyes crinkle with the force of his smile. “Wait so, what are you saying?”

Draco rolls his eyes, attempting to sound cool and collected even though he feels practically giddy. “I’m saying, Potter, that I have had “feelings for you” as you put it, for an embarrassingly long time. And everyone knows,” he says, cheeks pinking. “Well, everyone except you, apparently,” he amends.

Potter laughs delightedly. “To be fair, you didn’t catch on to my feelings for you either.”

“We’re rather ridiculous, aren’t we?” Draco says, laughing ruefully.

“Well, we’re both in the know now, so how about we go for a celebratory dinner?” Potter asks, eyes bright.

“Good idea,” Draco says, attempting— and failing— to keep a straight face.

“Potter!” Pansy’s voice cuts across the room.

“Time for your interview it seems,” Draco says.

“Yeah, although I do have some questions for her myself,” Potter says, squinting at Pansy.

“Oh, I will absolutely be having words with her. And Hermione,” Draco huffs.

Potter smiles at him, and it’s such a wide, unrestrained thing, Draco’s heart misses a beat. “I’ll see you after, then?” he asks.

Draco nods, smile softening. “Pick me up at seven, you already know the address.”

Potter flashes him one last smile before walking towards Pansy’s corner.

Draco watches him go with what is most definitely a besotted smile on his face before turning around to leave. His steps falter when he sees all of their friends staring at him, expressions torn between unbridled glee and despair. He frowns— until he catches sight of Ron glumly handing over a handful of Galleons to a triumphant George.

“You absolute pillocks, did you place bets on Harry and me?” he asks in disbelief.

“It’s a lucrative business,” George winks.

“Sorry Draco,” Lavender says, not looking sorry at all as she pockets the coins Padma grudgingly hands her.

“I hate you all,” Draco informs them cheerfully as he heads towards the hallway, professionalism be damned. He hears them laughing as he steps into the hallway, but he’s too elated to be properly pissed off at their machinations. He’ll get back at all of them soon enough, but for now he has a stack of paperwork to finish— he can’t be late for his date after all.

read on ao3

[bisluthq]

No fan of Harry’s claims I Love You, I don’t think the lyrics are bad, I think they’re average but they’re just corny and don’t represent anything else we know about their relationship through the other lyrics Harry wrote for her. The two songs that are confirmed about her are Two Ghosts, which he wrote in 2013/2014, and Perfect in 2014/2015, both reply to Style but they’re backwards chronologically. Two Ghosts is about how the passion she describes in Style is gone, everything about the relationship is dead, and they can’t even hold a conversation. It has very clever lyrics, for instance “tastes so sweet looks so real sounds like something that I used to feel” plays off the five human senses (it doesn’t include smell, I guess smelling isn’t very poetic in this context). It also turns Style on its head “same lips red, same eyes blue, same white shirt couple more tattoos, but it’s not you and it’s not me” obviously the red lip and the white shirt come from Style and he’s basically saying that no matter what Taylor claimed, eventually they did go “out of Style”. It’s very likely he added this verse after Style came out if we follow the timeline he presented.

Perfect was written a bit after that and I think it’s basically like, “well if you want to write a song about us hooking up and all that then I can write one too” and so he did. It’s his perspective of the same thing she sings about in Style.

So how does I Love You fit into this? Also, where does this claim that he wrote that song while he was with Taylor come from? The co-writer of I Love You is Johan Carlsson, Harry co-wrote two other songs with him, Stockholm Syndrome and If I Could Fly. Stockholm Syndrome was written in early 2014 and IICF in late 2014. He hadn’t written with Johan prior to 2014. The album the song came from was recorded in 2014… that’s when I Love You was written… and Harry obviously didn’t love her nor wanted her back at that point. He was very obviously joking around and decided to make a few bucks out of it. There’s a reason he didn’t put his name on it lol, it’s not like he was shy about writing songs about her. The song was credited to Mick Greenberg, probably because he knew it was corny.

Stockholm Syndrome and If I Could Fly have really good lyrics and they’re not corny at all. So clearly ILY is just the odd one out for a reason. It’s also based on a song Harry knew wasn’t about him, but I’m assuming the logic for him was that if she had profited off pinning the song on him then he could do the same.

Haylors will claim all songs Harry wrote that aren’t explicitly about someone else (or not that complimentary) are about her, and they’ll find connections in the tiniest things. They think Olivia is about her because her cat is called Olivia and there’s a line about a wine stain, except the lyrics of her song are about a wine stained dress she can’t wear anymore and his lyrics are about how “this isn’t a stain of red wine, I’m bleeding love”… Harry was not metaphorically wearing Taylor’s dresses in 2015. Wine stains being compared to wounds are commonplace in music.

Harry said he kept his personal songs because he didn’t want other people singing about his deep feelings. I think the only deep song he wrote for 1D is Walking In The Wind (a beautiful song about his grandma) and that’s because she had just passed away. I think his love songs were just fanfic. The man explicitly said he’d never been in love in late 2014, and he didn’t get a serious girlfriend until 2017.

Tl;dr stop making I Love You happen, it’s not going to happen

There you go.

[ingek73]

Duchess Kate is ‘confident, she’s competent’ & it’s not ‘all a publicity stunt’

April 05, 2021

By Kaiser

The Times of London’s weekend article about the Duchess of Cambridge as “the real royal revolutionary” was pathetic, obvious and frighteningly tone-deaf. As we’ve seen in recent years, the Windsors are very, very bad at this. It’s shocking to see how they used to be considered, at worst, baseline competent at communications, and now they’re left reeling by any story, and seem unable to function at any PR strategy. Everything around Kate is a good example, because I feel like she’s got three different PR camps working on her behalf. There’s Buckingham Palace, eager to set her up as the future queen. There’s Kensington Palace, eager to cover up her laziness and incompetence. And then there’s Middleton HQ, eager to both infantilize Kate and make her sound like a Top CEO who can do it all. The Times’ “royal revolutionary” piece is the product of all three strategies playing out in a disorganized way. The exploitation of murder victim Sarah Everard was only part of the Times piece. The other part was just a general embiggening article, and I’m afraid several people threw out their backs from all of the reaching. Some additional highlights:

Kate is not woke, but she’s not NOT woke: Few royal insiders are expecting Kate suddenly to turn into a fire-breathing apostle of “wokeness”, or even to express the remotest hint of a political belief. She does not issue bold proclamations to compare with, say, the welcome page of Harry and Meghan’s new website, Archewell, which announces: “Through our non-profit work, as well as creative activations, we drive systemic cultural change across all communities, one act of compassion at a time.”

She’s effective because she’s selflessly lazy: Yet Kate is no stranger to acts of compassion, and her low-key approach may strike many as a great deal more effective. “When Harry and Meghan talked to Oprah, they were more concerned about their own welfare; it was all about them and that’s been their narrative all along,” says Penny Junor. “But there’s a difference between service and self-service. I feel real service is doing things selflessly for others. I think that’s what Kate understands.

The Queen of Zoom, I sh-t you not: She won’t be the queen of Britain for a while, but she’s already a queen of Zoom meetings. Through Kensington Palace’s social media feeds she has become an online video-conferencing force to be reckoned with during lockdown, and the causes she supports and the charities she endorses are reaping incalculable benefits. “All the Zoom calls William and Kate have done are showing them in a very good light,” says Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent. “Usually you just see a tiny bit of them on the telly or a picture in the paper or whatever. But you kind of feel from their work online you’re getting a peek inside their true personalities, inside their homes. They seem much more natural and Kate is coming across as very knowledgeable and compassionate.” Junor adds: “I think the whole of lockdown has opened people’s eyes to working members of the royal family. They are reaching a far wider audience than before and Kate is coming out of it really well.

Kate did something once in 2007: Those with long memories may recall that Kate once embarked on a long-distance rowing project of her own. In 2007 she trained for a cross-Channel attempt as the helmswoman of a dragon boat with an all-women crew, but her then status as William’s girlfriend forced her to give up.

Penny Junor on how Kate isn’t a narcissist: “Kate is just really very good at it in a relaxed, friendly way. She’s not over the top, not ‘me, me, me’ at all. I think she’s absolutely coming into her prime now — she’s confident, she’s competent, and you don’t get the impression that she’s waiting for cameras to be there and it’s all a publicity stunt.”

Penny Junor on the lessons Kate learned from Diana: Kate may have learnt an important lesson from Diana, whose popularity began to outstrip her husband’s. “Charles was Prince of Wales and not used to having the limelight taken from him,” she says. “That caused huge problems. Kate is being very careful to ensure she doesn’t outstrip William. She is not on an ego trip, and her head has not been turned by celebrity. Kate is a working woman doing a job. She didn’t leave the human race when she joined Planet Windsor.”

[From The Times of London]

Kate the Keen: stealing all the good things about Meghan, in a white package. That’s the short version. And would this current version of Kate the “competent” (I laughed) exist without Meghan as her foil? Why did Meghan and Harry even need Frogmore Cottage when Meghan lives rent-free in all of their heads? Meghan: *breathes* Kate: “I breathed first and I breathe better because I’m not woke-breathing and I’m not trying to take attention away from my husband when I make everything about how I’m much better than Meghan!!” Lord, this mess. And the Queen of Zoom thing SENT ME. How can one be a Top CEO, the Queen of Zoom, and careful enough to not overshadow her thin-skinned incandescent husband?

Anyway, the rule of thumb is always “if they’re trying this hard to make a story happen, you know the opposite is true.”

[larryfanficwriter98]

Chapter Two

*You Are My Favorite Distraction*

Louis had started Preserve Earth when he was 16 after saving most of every paycheck he had earned and also getting a loan with his mother's help. He then went through an array of product sourcing and planning and by age twenty he had products to offer local businesses. He started with cafés, small ones that didn't see a lot of traffic that would be easy to supply. With every yes, he got five no’s, but he didn't stop and had continued and had went back to his rejections and slowing grew. Then they had started going to busier cafés and small family-owned restaurants. Then he got more products and offered them to his customers.

Louis then bought land out in the rural area near London and built compost stalls and started offering compost bins to the cafés and restaurants who were willing to do the work to compost. Louis made laminated posted about what was and wasn't compostable and they hung them up near the compost bins and while there were of course mistakes they got fewer each time. Louis bought a truck and hauled compost bins every Monday to the land. He built a building on the land for the workers he hired and built a fence around it and started offering the composted to the farmers and greenhouse workers as well as florists.

He had a few farmers offer to help build more compost stalls when his were starting to fill up. Most of his income came from the compost for a while. Then he bought an old recycling center with the help of a small loan and put his company name and logo on it and hired employees there as well. Before he knew it, he had a real business. It was still small and still growing, but he was making good money and doing good, and he knew he had a lot more to do. So, he had talked to Zayn who had been secretly coming up with product designs and ideas behind Louis' back. He was stuck for a few years as he paid off loans and debts and focused on what he already had. He focused on growing his profit and money and then bought a small warehouse to have products shipped to and packaged from the manufacturer so he could have more storage space.

By twenty-three he had a real company, and his company was recognized, and he was being interviewed by small journalists. He hit a big leap when one of his new cafés became a chain with five cafés in London and had boasted about his products. Their customers also had apparently been posting about them and suddenly Louis had more offers than he could supply and had to turn some down with a promise of contacting them when he had more inventory. His small warehouse was turned into a large warehouse and his manufacturer was replaced with one closer to London that also used his recycled products, so Louis was just getting money back essentially.

He had to get lawyers and had to sign contracts and he had to trademark his items. Then he was opening his corporate office at twenty-five and became a millionaire at twenty-six as he opened his Manchester locations. More products, more customers, more employees, and more money. It was almost routine. He visited his compost locations and recycling center annually along with his Manchester and other locations. Then a few years later Manchester put a twenty-three-year-old in a Chief Officer position that was essentially the face of the company for the media. Louis was nervous he will admit that, but he trusted the President there and trusted his judgment and when he was asked about it by a few paparazzi outside his office he told them exactly that.

Harry Styles made his first press conference only a few days later and Louis watched it in his office live. The moment Harry stood up he understand immediately why he had been given the job. He was the most attractive man Louis had ever laid eyes on with his curly hair pushed back and his perfectly fitting navy-blue suit. Louis had gone to Manchester a few days later hoping to meet Harry in person but had been told he talking with a few journalists about the Manchester warehouse relocation. Each time he visited it seemed like Harry was busy or his office door was close which meant he was on the phone or didn't want to be interrupted. However, two years later no one could deny Harry was amazing for the job and Louis was proud to have him representing the Manchester branch so well.

Then suddenly during a live press conference about the new recycling center being built in Manchester Harry wore a pink suit. Which Louis hadn't really thought was an issue (well except that baby pink was such a lovely color for Harry's skin tone but that's not important). However, the very next day Harry was in the headlines for wearing said pink suit and Louis thought it was just a big joke. No one could honestly be upset about it, but they had been. Well, the older people had been, the ones in their forties and beyond. It had gotten to a point where Louis ordered every President to make a speech at the same time and sent them the exact words, he would be saying however they could switch it up if they wanted to. After his media officer had announced him, he had stood up on stage and defended his employee over his clothing choice.

"It's ridiculous that I have to make a press conference about this. It is ridiculous that one of my employees is being under fire for wearing a suit to work. With that I will say this as many times as I have to, to remind you all what this company stands for. Preserve Earth is an ecofriendly, recycling, biodegradable, and compostable company that is LGBT plus friendly. Our employees are encouraged to wear whatever they feel comfortable in as long as it is appropriate for their position. We encourage all of our employees to be their authentic selves and to be whoever they want to be and to wear whatever they wish to wear. The Chief Media Officer dress policy states and I quote, "The Chief Media Officer must wear business formal attire during press releases that will be aired on television. They are not required, but are encouraged to have their skirts, if they so choose to wear them, at their knee. However, they are allowed to wear them to their thighs, miniskirts are not allowed it must be two to three inches below the bottom. This is to prevent cameras from getting inappropriate shots of a person as they bend, squat, walk up or down stairs, or sit down this is not an act to prevent 'distractions' in the workplace. The Chief Media Officer is required to wear business casual attire to work unless told otherwise." With that said Mr. Styles did not break dress code policy and therefore will not be 'held responsible'. Mr. Styles has done an amazing job representing this company for the Manchester area and has proven himself time and time again. Only a mere few years ago every single one of you were doubting his abilities to do this job and he has proven himself to be valuable and has been offered multiple jobs by multiple companies all around the world. Since you have all forgotten that in less than a weeks’ time let me remind you that Mr. Styles has not once been in a controversial situation despite his young age. He has help grow the Manchester company through interviews and press releases. His suit color does not diminish his work ethic or his past contributions to this company and I will not tolerate any of my employees to feel like they can't wear a certain color because society has feminized it to a point of a man wearing it is wrong or takes away his masculinity. Mr. Styles can wear a bright pink glittery suit to a press conference, and I promise you he will do his job just as great as he did it in a plain black suit. I don't see any headlines about my female workers wearing blue or red even though it's considered male colors so don't you dare make a headline about my male workers wearing pink or lavender or pastel. Whatever it is as long as it is appropriate it is allowed and there will be absolutely no criticism from me or anyone else working under my name. Anyone who disagrees may quit and leave. That is all."

Louis may had said too much but he didn't care. How dare they question Harry's work performance because of a damn color. (Louis refused to admit his small (*big*) crush on Harry was the reason). A few days after that Louis was informed, they were about to run out of products due the younger generation buying everything that they offered to customers. He had gone on social media and found that despite the older generation not liking Harry's suit choice the younger and his generation in fact loved it and was all for it. They had both gone viral apparently and Louis was honestly shocked the youth cared so much. He had always thought they were too stuck in their phones to care but he was glad to know that despite their flaws they were very progressive and very much about LGBTQ+ acceptance and the community. 

Louis had never hidden the fact that he was a gay man. Had always told interviewers he was gay whether or not they included it wasn't any of his concern. His employees knew he was gay, and his customers knew, his public profiles labeled himself as gay in the bios, he went to pride every year. They sold at pride and fairs and the website even stated they were supportive of whomever their customers and employees wanted to be. Louis didn't think about it, but he was sort of the one of the few openly gay CEOs and the youth was right that he and Harry was an example of sexual orientation not defining your work ethic or worth. It was a nice feeling when Louis thought about it, that he was a leader for the youth in a way. 

Louis then found out how well the social media profiles he had agreed to were doing. He had called the Manchester president and after learning that it had even Harry's idea and Harry's work, he had asked him to have Harry write down everything. It was proving to be a great idea of connecting with the community and the youth. When he gotten the list and links, he sent forwarded it to the Presidents of the other branches and after a few weeks of organizing each branch location had their own social media accounts. The ones in charge of them all took tips from Harry's page of course and it had really helped to grow business.

Years passed and though his crush on Harry never went away, he was able to reel it in some. He continued working and expanding and along the way he slowly stopped visiting his corporate branches and instead focused on visiting his customers, compost fields, compost field customers, recycling facilities, the partners who bought from his recycling facilities, his warehouses, and his manufacturing factories.

Then his Manchester President was retiring and being replaced with the COO Jeffery Fitz and things...shifted. It was a slow shift, one no one caught until it was too late and when Louis had questioned Eleanor, his Chief Networking Officer, she claimed they never sent an email until the other day Louis had reached without thinking and headed for Manchester with them. He didn't stop and think about Eleanor's past work issues or her multiple warnings. He didn't think about how she was hardly seen working or how he had to asks her for reports five times before he received them. No all he thought about was that for the first time in his entire twenty plus years of running this company one of his branches was completely broke and had to be temporarily shut down and he was going to have to do something to stop good people from going without work.

He had stormed into the building told Eleanor to find the Networking officer while he dealt with Fitz. When he found the Networking officer, he yelled at him without even thinking or asking or talking first. He just started yelling despite Liam Payne being rewards by the last president for amazing work. Then to make it all worse while he was yelling Harry had entered and yelled at him. Which took him by surprise. Then Harry continued to yell and call him out and despite it all being too overwhelming to comprehend he was definitely turned on which was completely inappropriate and not at all what he needed his body to do. He needed his body to form words and sentenced and apologize not send blood to his cock and make it hard.

To make it all worse after he had finally gotten every little, microscopic detail and apologized to Liam and explaining himself better to the guy. He had just shrugged it off and said the real challenge he would be Harry. Which was not how he wanted to start their acquaintanceship off with. An acquaintanceship that would turn into a friendship that turned into a relationship that turned into a marriage because that was Louis' end goal once he had Harry in London. Hopefully.

Which was not what he needed to be thinking about as he paced the conference room trying to come up with a plan for all of the employees who have stuck around through terrible management and who have been fired unjustly. Also, he was fairly sure Harry hated him which was not okay for their future marriage working relationship. Yes...that was what he meant. Louis was pulled from his thoughts by the door opening and when he turned, he saw it was Harry coming in carrying a few files and his laptop in his arm. He set the items down upfront of a chair as he started speaking.

"I have the media coming in five hours I figured that would give us plenty of time to discuss everything. I also have a list of the employees here who have kids or would just be an inconvenience to be relocated except for Liverpool. I also have the positions they had worked in and filled in for. Then I have a list of the corporate offices that have positions opened. There's only twelve of us after all it should be pretty easy to relocate everyone in a position similar to theirs. Liverpool alone has eight openings for chief positions or office positions. I also have a list of potential questions the nosey ones will ask they will sit in the back and will not pay attention and so the questions will be very pointless so good luck with that." Harry said as he handed a few papers over to Louis who stared at them in shock.

"You did all this in two hours?" Louis asked.

"No if I had two hours, I would have had your answers typed out for you I did all this in forty-five minutes. Did anyone make new tea? Seriously even the Irish one makes better tea than the brit boy. He drinks coffee by the way can you believe that? What a traitor." It took a second for Louis to follow the sudden change of conversation then he looked to Carrie, his assistant who looked just as lost as he felt.

“What.” Louis said completely confused.

“Exactly. So, tea?”

“Yeah…yes…yes I made some.” Carrie hurried out, “I’m sorry, but don’t these usually fall into the assistant’s job, or I guess Liam’s.”

“If you want them done horribly sure. Liam is great at a lot of things; organization is not one of them. Believe me I live with the guy you do not want that man making up a list. He’s great at leadership though if he just stops relying on me all the time that is. Would make an excellent President if he just starts to believe in himself a bit more.”

“I think you’d make a great one.”

“No. I am good with the media position. I love where I am and what I do.”

“You’re probably the only one who actually said that today.” Carrie told him.

“I have no doubt about that. If you think about it, I created the Brand job, so the Brand Officer was always my duty anyway. Communications and Content falls inline with Media. It just has a few more extra bits and bobs. The only one that I wasn’t already doing was customer, but that was an easy add in. I get why we have them in different positions, but I personally think it could definitely be managed by one or two people with the same title or similar.” Harry explained.

“Hey, don’t look at me every President is in charge with who they hire and what positions they choose. I’m quite sure Fitz just signed everyone everything that seemed remotely similar and gave you all extra work to keep you busy.” Louis said raising his hand when Carrie looked at him, “I have two Chief Media Officers and they share the entirety of the responsibilities. I then have a Chief Customer Officer who handles customer relationship and monitors the customer communications about the company.”

“I could live without the customer stuff pretty sure I can only handle it because I worked in the customer call center on the second floor back in London for over a year.” Louis furrowed his brow for a moment before his eyes widen and he grinned.

“Holy shit that was so long ago. I forgot the call center was located on the second floor.”

“It’s not anymore?” Harry asked as he sat down across from Carrie.

“No Patrick kept telling me his best worker was complaining about the elevator and that we should move it to the empty room on the fourth floor, so the elevator wasn’t directly by workers on the phone. When we finally moved it, Patrick said the worker left.”

“That was me and I do not apologize for that either.” Harry said laughing.

“Wait the call center was on the second floor?” Carrie questioned.

“Yes, and the thing is the second floor was a perfect spot for a call center like it was wide and there was no weird echo and there was a bathroom as well as a few vending machine hookups for snacks. However, the elevator shaft didn’t have a fucking door on it, and it was the only floor that didn’t have a shaft door. Now imagine you’re on the phone with a customer who thinks she knows more about the company than you do and you’re really fucking irritated and you’re biting you’re tongue alright. Now imagine the loudest banging on metal you have ever heard then multiple that by a thousand and that was the elevator twenty times an hour. My desk was literally six feet diagonal from the open shaft. The number of times I almost walked out of that job was unbelievable.”

“To be fair I didn’t realize how loud that thing was until I went down there myself and was talking to Patrick when it happened.” Louis defended, “Also I was in the process of getting a door for it, but it the room had to be empty, and I had to arrange for you all to be somewhere else with the phones. It was an awfully long process to get everything sorted and ready for installation.”

“It was horrible, and I also worked in the recycling facility for two weeks before I quit and went to the packaging warehouse.”

“How long have you worked for this company?” Carrie asked.

“Half my life. I started at sixteen in the composting field had a grand ole time back then. Thought it was coolest thing ever. Then at eighteen I switched to the recycling center and stay for two weeks then I quit because I was terrible at it, I don’t know why. Just wasn’t my thing. Then I went to the packaging warehouse then I went to the call center and then I graduated and left London to work under the Media Officer here before me. Then he left for Liverpool, and I took over. Seventeen years in total.”

“Pretty sure the only one who beats that is Zayn who has been with me since the beginning. I only had products for nineteen years. You started working around the time I started hiring.”

“My family owns a farm near where you built your first compost stalls from. We usually did our own composting, but my parents always believed in helping small businesses especially ones with such a good goal. He stopped by and helped a few times making sure they were layering it correctly. He would tell me which compost bin had the most potential when he sent me up to get some so that way, I wouldn’t bring home the shitty stuff.” Harry said laughing at the end of it making Louis’ jaw drop in shock.

“It would have worked either way he’s just very particular about his dirt for his crops can’t blame the man for wanting good dirt for the food that feeds his family. He even told the neighbors bout you. He would send me to work in the compost field with little bags of old crops I had to sneak into the bins when no one was looking. He told me if I was caught to tell them I found them in the bins like that and I was getting the bags out.”

“You little shit.”

“Sorry?” Harry offered giggling clearly not at all sorry for his actions.

“What are we laughing about lads?” Liam asked entering the room.

“Remember when our father would send me to work in the compost field with our old rotten crops?”

“Oh yeah you were so worried about getting caught.” Liam said as he sat beside Harry, “My father would send the rotten food to Harry’s father and Harry’s father would send it off with Harry and Harry would come home telling us all about his victory of sneaking in the compost.”

“Wait this was a regular thing?” Louis asked.

“Every day. Our dads weren’t going to pay to put our waste in the compost we were buying mate. Be lucky they paid for it all I’m pretty sure they had Harry sneak a few handfuls back home a few times.”

“Innocent until proven guilty.” Harry said with raised hands as Louis shook his head chuckling, “But to be fair the social media idea I came up with, if I had stolen bags of compost, it’s all been paid back plus interest so...you’re welcome.”

Louis was definitely looking forward to working with Harry and Liam down in London, if nothing else just to have people who obviously have a great sense of humor and aren’t afraid to think Louis as a person instead of as the boss. They stopped their conversation as more people started to come in the room for the meeting.

[cloveroctobers]

GENEVIEVE ALIU —

IG info/bio: @/genevealiu1 | 19k followers | currently on a journey as a junior doctor living in 🇦🇺🤎 | blm.card.co🖤 | sk💛

26 years of age

Born and raised in Glastonbury, England

Pisces sun? + libra moon?

Mother is Guyanese and works for a non-profit organization

Her father is Nigerian and works in property management

has one older brother who is a Prosthetist and resides in Nigeria with his pregnant fiancée

She can’t wait to be a auntie!!!

And a younger sister who is a medical laboratory technician

To say the least, their parents were happy that their children fell into the medical field. Based on their cultures it was a honor to have their children in these professions

Vieve grew up with a sassy demeanor and her parents have old videos on their camcorders to prove it lol, it never fails that the pair brings out the embarrassing vids during the holidays but vieve genuinely appreciates them 

Although thanksgiving is a RACIST American thing, vieve never misses the opportunity to share what she’s thankful for in life and counts all of it as blessings! But it’s still fuck the pilgrims

Has held a friendsgiving before, loves any moment where she can host gatherings or attend them! either is quite fine. She loves being around people

the only time she likes to look back on the past is to see how she and her family carried themselves then and how the evolved into who they are now, it’s interesting to see

Loves “how it started vs how it’s going” posts and might have participated in a few

Always knew from a young age that she wanted to help people in some way, she was always doing something to help around the house and especially her aging/sickly grandparents

Felt offended that many people around school that she thought were her friends would stab her in the back labeling her as this “fake saint” since she rather spend her time volunteering instead of going to house parties in hs

Don’t get it twisted, she still went to those too & had her fun but definitely felt like it was the same routine and nothing ever felt fulfilling at these functions after awhile

Well known with all the cliques around school but had her own group of friends that fit into many of those cliques but she never felt obligated to stick to one social group. If you were nice and cool with her, she was the same to you, if you weren’t? Depending on her mood, she’d ignore you/say things under her breath or be “fake nice” as a form of being the bigger person

Has a curly hair routine that she consistently follows (after struggling to find the right products to make them flourish) and gets annoyed with if her curls don’t turn out the way she knows they can, it’s always frustrating when things don’t turn out the way you want them to but isn’t afraid to at least try

Three times is the charm! Is one of her mottos

loves bright colors, flowy attire, big hats, brimmed hats, bucket hats, berets, etc...

Has faced racism/prejudices and bullying growing up in public spaces—mostly school/uni & some of those same hatred actions online now that she’s dating seb

Because of that there were times where she felt insecure but deff grew to forgive, heal, and rise above the hate, she knows her worth

Has never been happier in a relationship than she is with seb, he’s her “moody long-haired, soft-hearted bby”

they’re both complete fools for each other and vieve is more vocal about her being in love/finding her soulmate whereas seb doesn’t mind showing it rather than speaking it—even tho he’s on a podcast but we mind our business okay?!

Seb is thinking of moving to Australia with vieve, he’s ready to risk it all for this woman, HIS woman 🤩

canon: gives more than she should/taken advantage of/not reciprocating in relationships... ex) how she dated a guy that she did everything for! especially financially and also struggled to find her worth but once she did? Her aura shined brighter than before— Ik chill out there Rocco

Also believes in loving yourself first to attract what you need in this world and found that in her career and seb. I hope they’re endgame! Since they’re the only couple I rooted for this season? Except for tai & ciaran maybe? They’re probably not endgame but whatever

They still get nervous/shy around each other even tho they’ve been together for months now + are in a long distance relationship which is too cute! I think since they’re in this for the long game they can look back on moments and still feel the way they felt in that moment. You know if you get the chance or have already heard elderly people talk about their relationships and how they get all starry eyed? That’s vieve & seb, that shit gets me right in my feels ew

Vieve’s love language is quality time, it’s what she shows and likes along with acts of service from her partner

Makes the best jollof rice & her fav dish is Metemgee

Trying to be on a plant-based diet only but will have her cheat days on occasion—mostly when she’s drunk and forgets her diet plan lmao that’s me getting double cheeseburgers or anything with dairy drunk af

now living in Australia, she tried to like vegemite but...the it’s a no for her, respectfully ofc! She never wants to disrespect anyone

besides the food, the atmosphere is much nicer since she feels like she’s on a holiday almost everyday and that there’s much more to see and do when she has the time

Loves the beaches and is thinking about surfing lessons

yes she enjoys those doctor shows and can agree that most scenarios are not the same as rl ofc but great question!

Since she’s a junior doctor now, and on her way to graduation! She feels so accomplished and having this chance to complete what she’s wanted her whole life in a different place, makes her super emotional

All those stressful all-nighters will be worth it. She mostly did it on her own but is nothing but humble and Is thankful to those that have helped her along the way, what kind of person would she be if she didn’t mention them?

and when COVID hit, she was one of many already on the frontlines. Her studies became altered but this wouldn’t stop her for her mission on this earth, this was her purpose and she knew we would conquer it all—but definitely has empathy and gets angry with how it’s being handled from time to time

She’s been exposed to it first hand which aboustely worries her parents, seb, her friends, and friends from the villa

Keeps up to date when all medical news, has a whole app dedicated to health

Learning French with some of her free time and is doing well at it

It was only natural for her to become closer to elladine since their men are homies and have a podcast together

They’ve hung out a few times on a double dates before the boat vacation & once just as girls before vieve left to Australia

Vieve is always offering advice but knows that every relationship is different and what works for her and seb won’t work for elladine and Nicky, she loves them together and knows everyone has bumps in the road

feels there’s some sort of tension between her and Harry now? Which she found a little off putting since they were supposed to be friends but she realizes that Harry has a condition but it’s also not an excuse for him to treat her shitty sometimes which he does and feels like it comes out of nowhere most times but he always apologizes yet vieve is slowly getting tired of this unhealthy habits

So they’re talking less these days, which he notices!

She wants Harry to find his happiness too! If he hasn’t found it in mc first that is

has met Tim— he’s a great laugh and seems like a nice guy—they follow each other, talia and jake in person when she was out with seb—they were also super nice and congratulated them on their win, she went up to miles once on a night out—he’s still a arsehole, priya reached out to her via dm about her new boutique that she wanted her to model in someday, Hope was just as stunning in person along with Siobhan, Chelsea & mc s2 were also kind, and a couple of the guys also wished her and seb well

She’s also noticed some of the shit talking coming from Elisa, Allegra, Lucy, and mc s1 (subtle shade from mc, basically about how vieve reacted if mc decided to give Harry a go but that was only brought to her attention thru fans) online but again, vieve peeped it and felt majority of it didn’t require a response. She was too happy in life rn and she had a man and they don’t

Plans to get a komondor, thinks they’re super cute! — seb does not “if you love me, you’ll love our child.” “It’s a bloody mop dog! And I’m a cat dad, you know that!” “Don’t talk about him like that, he’s got feelings just like your cat babies!”

I feel like she’s a matcha & Frappuccino lover, tries to keep her drinks simple and feels guilty when she has to make adjustments but the heart wants what it wants

Mini Countryman owner, she also drives like a “granny” better safe than sorry! She hates fast drivers, there’s absolutely no need for it!

Minimal makeup: eyeshadow, moisturizer, & a nude lip and she’s good to go

Secretly obsessed with among us, second life, and SIMS!!!

Celeb crushes? Heath ledger, Tyler posey, KENDRICK SAMPSON, Jordan fisher, Algee smith, Donald Glover, Mack Wilds, Khleo Thomas, Robert Ri’chard, Tahj Mowry, & Hasan Minhaj

Listens to: DaniLeigh, ABIR, Mary J. Blige, TORI KELLY, Us the duo, 11:11, Jacob Latimore, fifth harmony, joya mooi, & Greentea Peng, etc...

Anthem: The Cheetah Girls — Cinderella

[nautilusopus]

Why do you hate the remake? The ending?

AMONG MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY OTHER THINGS

AHEM:

the ending

the way everyone’s character is botched

this goes triple for poor cloud and tifa because they literally aren’t allowed to have either meaningful character interactions or character development because they CAN’T because this is the first five hours of the game stretched into 40 hours so we can’t get into nibelheim yet because we have to “save” it

the fact that this is the first five hours stretched into 40 hours and thus is largely padding

the handling of sector 7, where we go from watching actual people we care about die to seeing literally zero people die at all and also we evacuated the slums so it’s cool

especially egregious considering the game made us do so many stupid sidequests in the (way too clean and sunny) slums to get attached to these npcs only to kill literally zero of them

they still kill barret though so they don’t have to have him fight jenova with everyone else because he’s not a REAL character, let’s get him out of the serious moments. except they can’t kill barret so he’s back immediately due to time bullshit, great

on a related note, the complete and utter lack of any real stakes

the way aeris has fucking future knowledge

the way the vii universe, due to the addition of Fate, now has the judas problem. if the planet can literally fucking control fate why didn’t it just keep jenova from landing? why didn’t it keep shinra from becoming a thing? the only answer is that jenova and shinra are intended to do the things they do and thus are actually under the planet’s control and are not accountable for their actions

the fact that this is sephiroth’s motivation now or something, instead of the actual personality he used to have where he acted as a foil to cloud with his inability to accept unpleasant truths about himself and instead creating a grand narrative for himself where he has not been victimised by unfair and unglamorous circumstances and responded to this by making bad choices

the fact that fate is now a concept in this game at all and how completely and utterly fucking insulting that is and how much of a disservice it is to everything the original stood for on a fundamental level. a game that was literally about how there is no inherent meaning in some grand scheme, and that on a cosmic scale we are insignificant and the planet doesn’t give two shits if we live or die, so therefore we must create our own meaning, small and irrelevant to vast forces like the inevitability of pain and death as they are, and that the meaning we create with other small and insignificant human beings is nonetheless something with value, and that in fact it is harmful to try and pretend there is some vast cosmic significance to your actions and that there doesn’t have to be because your life having value to you is enough, especially in the face of something as absurd as the inevitability of death and pain, now has fucking fate in it. actually, cloud DOES matter on a vast cosmic scale! everyone’s deaths do! and in fact those deaths are unnatural and you’re going to prevent them! hooray!

this is yet another narrative, following in the footsteps of harry potter and the new star wars trilogy, that pretends to be about a nobody going on to defy odds anyway only to turn around and say actually lol no they were special the whole time.

cloud’s handling in general even outside of that. aforementioned lack of development aside, he’s simultaneously way too chilly and way too casual with everyone, with the most meaningful interactions he gets to have being shallow fucking flirting with tifa and him walking around making put upon faces with aeris

the fandom thirst over literal sex traffickers

the fact that this was marketed as a remake when it is AT BEST a series reboot that relies on you having played the og to understand what the fuck is going on half the time

* the utter lack of reading comprehension among the fans that still somehow think they’re going to get other “iconic og moments” remade. did you fuckers miss the ending somehow? about how we’re doing none of that actually? about how they’re going to Defy Fate? you aren’t getting those moments. period. the entire fucking game and ending is literally about that. about how we’re going to Prevent All The Bad Things

the fact that the above was done because they clearly started out trying to actually remake the gam, realised they bit off more than they could chew, and then went LOL NO PROMISES at the last minute with some kingdom hearts bullshit that would let them wiggle out of any long term plot commitments at any time (and also shoehorn zack in because of fucking course he’s here too)

pacing pacing pacing. aside from the atrocious padding problems, you’ve also got sephiroth showing up and mugging the camera every three minutes, because he has to, because this is the first five hours of the game so they need to cram him in there anyway regardless of what it does to the story or no one will buy their stupid game. also they drop the “cloud was never in soldier lol” WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too fucking early, jesus christ. good to know any kind of subtlety is just out the fucking window entirely now

what they did to poor sephiroth, easily the worst handled character in this whole mess. sephiroth sweetie i’m so sorry holy shit

whatever the fuck they were doing with cait sith

taking a big old fucking dump on any themes and meaning the original had in general which i won’t get into too much because it would take forever but you can read more about that here

how they handled shinra and avalanche, or rather how they didn’t handle it and made everything as black and white as possible

jessie’s thirst is extremely annoying and i’m over it

the fact that the fanbase keeps trying to simultaneously go “no it’s only the first chapter of course there’s no explanations” in response to pacing criticisms while also trying to go “no no they had to make it feel like a full game” in response to massive fucking story changes that only served to bloat the pacing

because they can’t bring up nibelheim yet, in this forty hour game (but still have time to go Zack Is Alive Now Also There Is Fate) tifa has no motivation or personality or connection to cloud and barret to speak of. also where the fuck is her anger, holy shit. she regrets joining avalanche? she isn’t

the fact that the fanbase is not only fine with all these changes, changes which again are being made directly in the name of profit to the detriment of good storytelling, but also are even pushing this as the “intended, fleshed out” version of the story they always wanted to tell but couldn’t

bad soundtrack, fight me

midgar and especially the slums look boring

the turks are good now uwu

no Trail of Blood sequence. again, pacing issues. this was meant to be your introduction to sephiroth to set the tone and establish how dangerous he was and how he was the REAL bad guy, but because we’ve seen him every three seconds at this point the whole sequence got cut and it was one of the best sequences there was

the fact that the interviews repeatedly indicate to me that they don’t seem to understand that not every goddamn irrelevant detail needs an explanation (a problem they seem to have carried over from crisis core so that’s great) but that they don’t seem to care about things that DO need explanations and that zero genuine thought was put into the worldbuilding

the way barret’s treated as a joke by the narrative when he’s literally fucking correct

the obsession with Realism (TM) to the point where it creates more tone problems than it solves at times (cloud can fucking fly in cutscenes but can’t hop over a two foot fence)

LET CLOUD BE A DOOFUS YOU COWARDS

about the only character that made it out with their personality intact was aeris and even she’s gone and had her motivations scuttled so it doesn’t matter, yaaaaaaaaay

i can’t fucking believe the remake has made me AVOID fics with jessie biggs and wedge in them. before it was a marker of quality. look what you’ve done.

cloud has an apartment now instead of living with avalanche in the basement. this is also done in the name of Realism but also kind of sucks away the charm imo and makes it that much harder to buy any of these assholes as found family

the timeline of all of this no longer taking place over like three weeks is once again a result of pacing issues. i’m sure this won’t bite us in the ass at all.

god remember when we thought roche was gonna be the worst addition? simpler times

also roche

and yeah the whole ass ending, complete with homage to the ending of ffvii period with the weird doctor who brain tunnel that makes no fucking sense to be here and is only gonna confuse people who don’t know this is supposed to be a callback, and even if it was why is it here, you can’t just fucking copy/paste Famous Moments with none of the emotional beats or writing to back them up or lead into them, context MATTERS did you fuckers learn nothing from the travesty of hollow writing that was ffxv and especially prompto?

the fact that people are looking at this fucking travesty and just assuming the og is like this too and not bothering to play it either because they loved the remake (for some reason???) or because they hated it and now wouldn’t play the og if their life depended on it, which breaks my heart most of all. “the original is still there!!!” is a meaningless overture if people refuse to engage critically with it on any level at all, which as we’ve outlined is absolutely what is happening. this is what people meant when we said the remake would erase the og, and on multiple levels, whether it’s people assuming the og was always meant to be like this, or seeing no reason to play it, or once again failing to recognise what the remake very loudly screams in your face it’s doing and assuming that of course we’re getting a vii remake with all those moments we care about, this is what has been happening.

i can’t even fucking imagine what the northern crater scene is gonna look like now, IF we get one at all. and that’s a big fucking if

i know i’ve missed a lot of them but i hope this helps

[gov-info]

President Joe Biden Delivers Inaugural Address

Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris. Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, McConnell, Vice President Pence, my distinguished guests and my fellow Americans, this is America's day.

This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope of renewal and resolve through a crucible for the ages. America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy. The people, the will of the people, has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.

We've learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.

From now, on this hallowed ground, where just a few days ago, violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible to carry out the peaceful transfer of power, as we have for more than two centuries.

As we look ahead in our uniquely American way: restless, bold, optimistic, and set our sights on the nation we can be and we must be.

I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here today. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. And I know, I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the strength of our nation. As does President Carter, who I spoke with last night, who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime of service.

I've just taken the sacred oath. Each of those patriots have taken. The oath, first sworn by George Washington. But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us, on we the people who seek a more perfect union.

This is a great nation. We are good people. And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we've come so far. But we still have far to go. We'll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities, much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.

Few people in our nation's history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we're in now. Once-in-a-century virus that silently stalks the country. It's taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II. Millions of jobs have been lost. Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed. A cry for racial justice, some four hundred years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.

The cry for survival comes from planet itself, a cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear. And now a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.

To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity, unity.

In another January, on New Year's Day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. When he put pen to paper, the president said, and I quote, “if my name ever goes down into history, it'll be for this act. And my whole soul is in it.”

My whole soul was in it today. On this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause.

Uniting to fight the foes we face: anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness and hopelessness. With unity, we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs. We can put people to work in good jobs. We can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus. We can reward, reward work and rebuild the middle class and make health care secure for all. We can deliver racial justice and we can make America once again the leading force for good in the world.

I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real, but I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we're all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial and victory is never assured.

Through civil war, the Great Depression, world war, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice and setbacks, our better angels have always prevailed. In each of these moments, enough of us, enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward. And we can do that now. History, faith and reason show the way, the way of unity. We can see each other not as adversaries, but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos.

This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America. If we do that, I guarantee you we will not fail. We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we've acted together.

And so today at this time in this place, let's start afresh, all of us. Let's begin to listen to one another again. Hear one another see one another, show respect to one another. Politics doesn't have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war. And we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.

My fellow Americans. We have to be different than this. America has to be better than this. And I believe America is so much better than this. Just look around. Here we stand in the shadow of the Capitol dome, as was mentioned earlier, completed amid the Civil War, when the union itself was literally hanging in the balance. Yet we endured, we prevailed.

Here we stand looking out in the great mall where Dr. King spoke of his dream. Here we stand, where 108 years ago, at another inaugural, thousands of protesters tried to block brave women marching for the right to vote. And today we marked the swearing in of the first woman in American history elected to national office: Vice President Kamala Harris. Don't tell me things can't change.

Here we stand across the Potomac from Arlington Cemetery, where heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion rest in eternal peace. And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground.

It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever.

To all those who supported our campaign, I'm humbled by the faith you've placed in us. To all those who did not support us, let me say this. Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart. If you still disagree so be it. That's democracy. That's America. The right to dissent, peaceably, the guardrails of our republic is perhaps this nation's greatest strength.

Yet hear me clearly: disagreement must not lead to disunion. And I pledge this to you, I will be a president for all Americans. All Americans. And I promise you I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.

Many centuries ago. Saint Augustine, a saint in my church, wrote to the people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love. Defined by the common objects of their love. What are the common objects we as Americans love, that define us as Americans? I think we know. Opportunity, security, liberty, dignity, respect, honor and yes, the truth.

Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson. There is truth and there are lies, lies told for power and for profit. And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders, leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation, to defend the truth and defeat the lies.

Look, I understand that many of my fellow Americans view the future with fear and trepidation. I understand they worry about their jobs. I understand, like my dad, they lay in bed at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering, can I keep my health care? Can I pay my mortgage? Thinking about their families, about what comes next. I promise you, I get it.

But the answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don't look like look like you or worship the way you do, or don't get their news from the same sources you do. We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we're willing to stand in the other person's shoes, as my mom would say, just for a moment, stand in their shoes. Because here's the thing about life. There's no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days, when you need a hand. There are other days when we're called to lend a hand. That's how it has to be. That's what we do for one another. And if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future. And we can still disagree.

My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us, we're going to need each other. We need all our strength to to persevere through this dark winter. We're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus. We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as One Nation. One Nation.

And I promise you this, as the Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” We will get through this together. Together.

Look, folks, all my colleagues I served with in the House of the Senate up there, we all understand the world is watching, watching all of us today. So here's my message to those beyond our borders. America has been tested and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's challenges. And we’ll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

We'll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security. Look, you all know, we've been through so much in this nation. And my first act as president, I’d like to ask you to join me in a moment of silent prayer to remember all those who we lost this past year to the pandemic. Those four hundred thousand fellow Americans, moms, dads, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends, neighbors and coworkers. We will honor them by becoming the people and the nation we know we can and should be. So I ask you, let's say a silent prayer for those who've lost their lives, those left behind and for our country.

Amen.

Folks, this is a time of testing. We face an attack on our democracy and on truth, a raging virus, growing inequity, the sting of systemic racism, a climate in crisis, America's role in the world. Any one of these will be enough to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is, we face them all at once, presenting this nation with one of the gravest responsibilities we've had. Now we're going to be tested. Are we going to step up? All of us? It’s time for boldness, for there is so much to do. And this is certain, I promise you, we will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era.

Will we rise to the occasion, is the question. Will we master this rare and difficult hour? Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world to our children? I believe we must. I'm sure you do as well. I believe we will. And when we do, we'll write the next great chapter in the history of the United States of America. The American story. A story that might sound something like a song that means a lot to me. It's called American Anthem. There's one verse that stands out, at least for me, and it goes like this:

The work and prayers of a century have brought us to this day.

What shall be our legacy? What will our children say?

Let me know in my heart when my days are through.

America, America, I gave my best to you.

Let's add. Let us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story of our great nation. If we do this, then when our days are through, our children and our children's children will say of us: They gave their best, they did their duty, they healed a broken land.

My fellow Americans, I close the day where I began, with a sacred oath before God and all of you. I give you my word, I will always level with you. I will defend the Constitution. I'll defend our democracy. I'll defend America and I will give all, all of you. Keep everything I do in your service, thinking not of power, but of possibilities, not of personal interest, but the public good. And together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness. May this be the story that guides us. The story that inspires us and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history. We met the moment. Democracy and hope, truth and justice did not die on our watch, but thrived. That America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world. That is what we owe our forbearers, one another and generations to follow.

So, with purpose and resolve, we turn to those tasks of our time. Sustained by faith, driven by conviction, devoted to one another and the country we love with all our hearts. May God bless America and may God protect our troops. Thank you, America.

[thrill-cfthechase]

𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝟏𝟐: 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄

@gallaghertasks

harry chase, father, 54 (kyle chandler) - elliot has always had a difficult relationship with her father. he loves her in his own way, but he’s never really shown it. she has a few memories of having fun with him when she was very little, like him holding her above his head so she could dunk a basketball or taking her and her brothers for ice cream. but as she got older his dependence on alcohol grew and the time he spent with his children became almost non-existent. as elliot got older his disdain for her increased, and she believes he hates her (he’s even told her as much). he’s a mean drunk and elliot spent most of her childhood trying to get out of his house. he has had a few odd jobs - cab driver, custodian, construction worker, etc. but his lack of work ethic and tendency to show up to work drunk have made it impossible for him to keep a job for long. elliot and her brothers take turns checking in on him to make sure he hasn’t gone completely off the rails, and he always seems to be in some sort of trouble. elliot absolutely despises him. 

talia chase, mother, deceased age 30 (katie holmes) - though elliot never knew her mother, everything she’s heard about her has suggested she was a lovely woman. she was a nurse and a deeply caring mother. elliot is pretty sure she wasn’t as perfect as people make her out to be, but by all accounts she was pretty great. harry was a happier person with her, and she had helped him kick his drinking habit. she always made her sons feel loved and supported, something they tried to do for elliot. she died giving birth to elliot, and elliot has always felt responsible. although she would never say it out loud, elliot has a theory that she wouldn’t be quite as rough around the edges if she’d had someone like talia in her life.

tucker chase, older brother, 29 (sam claflin) - tucker, elliot’s eldest brother, immediately took it upon himself to raise elliot. he bullied her mercilessly in the way that brothers often do, but he also made sure she knew that he loved her unconditionally, and that she was fed and clothed and always at school on time. tucker was fairly problematic as a child - somewhere in between the only adult around being harry and the culture of the many sports he played, he developed a lot of toxic masculinity that he passed down to his younger siblings. for a long time this made elliot feel less than, simply because she’s a girl. but tucker is a very intelligent, and as he got older and learned about the world he realized that he didn’t want to be that kind of person. by the time he was in college he had started reading feminist literature, in part to better himself, but mostly to be a better brother. it hasn’t all gone away, but when it comes up he does everything he can to get rid of it. he went to uc berkeley (on a scholarship) so that he was only an hour away from elliot. there he met alison, his now wife, and he got a degree in social welfare. he now lives outside of seattle with his wife and daughter and is a social worker.

alison adams-chase, sister-in-law, 27 (teresa oman) - elliot first met alison when she was thirteen. alison was eighteen and had become good friends with tucker, and she was the first woman under that age of forty that was really there for elliot. alison taught her a lot of the things that one would be taught by their mother. elliot considers her to be her sister and one of her closest friends. alison and tucker started dating two years after they met. after three years of dating they got engaged, and in 2018 they got married. forrest, their other brother, was the best man and elliot was a bridesmaid. alison is an extremely kind and tolerant person. she’s a kindergarten teacher and by far the kindest chase.

mia chase, niece, 1 - alison gave birth to her and tucker’s daughter on december 3rd, 2019.  she’s a happy albeit somewhat loud baby and an avid crawler. her favorite word is “dog,” and tucker and alison are seriously considering getting a dog because of it. 

forrest chase, older brother, 27 (logan lerman) - forrest is elliot’s other brother and he raised her, too. he bullied elliot, although not to the same extent that tucker did. he was always there to help her practice karate, and then judo, and then whatever else it was that elliot was into. they argued all the time, but at the end of the day she knew he loved her. he was very athletic as a child, but he wasn’t aggressive in the same way tucker was. he held onto a lot of the same toxic masculinity when he was a kid, but he was still fairly young when he started to realize that some of his beliefs were damaging and he made a real effort to change his ways. he’s much quieter than his siblings, and is even smarter than tucker is. he came out as gay to their family when he was fifteen. tucker said he always knew, elliot was too young to care, and to this day harry hasn’t said a single word about it. forrest always loved science, and got a scholarship to study environmental science at nyu. he had always wanted to get as far away from california as he could, and he figured that because tucker was only an hour away that elliot would be fine. there’s a tiny piece of her that still feels like he abandoned her. after graduating from college forrest joined greenpeace, and now works for a non-profit that helps defend natural resources. he lives in nyc with his fiancé, james, and while they do want kids eventually, right now they have their hands full with their dog rambo.

james nam, brother-in-law to be, 28 (seo kang-joon) - forrest and james have been together for four years. elliot doesn’t know james as well as she would like to simply because they always lived so far apart that she didn’t get many chances to spend time with him. but she’s always liked him, and she loves how happy he has made her brother. he’s an environmental lawyer and he recommends a lot of good action movies to elliot. he persuaded james to adopt a dog, and that’s how they got rambo, a very good boy who is not aware that pit bull mixes don’t make good lap dogs. tucker, forrest, elliot, alison, and james are all in a group chat. it’s mostly the chase siblings insulting each other, but it always makes elliot feel a little less alone.

spruce bringsteen, dog, 3 - elliot will almost never admit to being scared of things, but when she drove across the country for the first time, all alone and about to go to a school that didn’t quite seem real, she was scared. on a whim she stopped at a shelter the day before she was set to arrive at gallagher, and in the corner was a one year old dog who already seemed to think he was an old man. he had no name and an ugly face, and elliot immediately fell in love with him. when she held him in her arms she felt safe, and she showed up at school feeling like she wasn’t entirely alone. he got his name through some weird word association and elliot thinks it’s hilarious. he is truly so lazy, and seems like a very odd match for someone as active as elliot, but she adores him nonetheless. 

[fandomlovingfreak]

Take Two (1/?)

Fred Weasley/Reader

Rating: E for everyone

MasterList Link I AO3 Link I Wattpad Link

Summary: Quidditch rivalries can cause tension between the houses but nothing is like the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Fred Weasley and (y/n) take Quidditch rivalries just a bit too seriously.

Disclaimer: Fred Weasley (George Weasley, any of the Weasley Characters, Harry Potter etc) is a character from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I don’t own Harry Potter or any of it’s characters, and I do not profit financially from any of my posts. (This is a transformative fair use work in accordance with Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act.)

Notes: Sorry for being the queen of trying to juggle multiple series at one time. I just get excited aha! Also, so excited to start a Fred series!

Enjoy

"That was a bad call, and you know it!" Fred Weasley lands nearby me. He looks furious, his freckles nearly disappearing under the redness of his face.

"So what if it was? We still won! Get over it, Weasley." I'm prepared for him to drop it and sulk off into the locker rooms, not come closer to my face to continue the argument.

"Can hardly call it a win when you didn't deserve it."

I glare at him. Who the fuck did he think he was? Deserve it? We bloody well deserved it. "Deserve? Don't you talk to me about deserving anything, Weasley. Gryffindor's get special treatment constantly because of Potter. We won this game. Get over it." I amplify my final words with a poke to his chest.

"Oh please," he's gotten even closer to my face. His normally amused features are marred with rage, "Don't start that sob story with me (y/l/n). You Slytherin's are all the same."

I've never liked Fred Weasley, but right now, I think I completely loathe him. "Yeah? We're all the same? What the fuck does that mean? Are you implying something?"

He snorts, "You know exactly what I'm implying, (y/l/n). Thought you were smart and wouldn't need me to spell it out for ya."

"You're an ass. What do you gain from this? Proving that your team is a bunch of sore losers?" I take a step towards him, completely inflamed with anger now. If I had my bloody wand, I'd hex his sorry ass into next week. I've never been a fan of Gryffindor's infamous pranksters, finding them to be completely immature.

"Maybe if you and yours didn't cheat--"

"Cheat?" my voice almost squeaks from the amount of outrage I feel at this accusation, "You're so incredibly thick-skulled, Fred Weasley! What do you want? To fight me? Duel me? You'd find yourself on your sorry ass before you could best me!"

"Lucky for you, (y/l/n), I don't hit girls." He says with one of those obnoxious Fred Weasley smirks.

"Unfortunately for you, Frederick, I do." Our teammates all collectively 'oo' impressed with the quip. I can't help but grin as his face burns wildly as he steps back. Fred turns on his heel, walking away towards the locker rooms without another word with George and the other Gryffindor’s trailing behind him. Yes! I beat him at his own game for once.

My teammates all clapped me on the shoulder, laughing at Fred and congratulating me over shutting him down. 

"You really got him that time (y/n)," Adrian laughs with the rest of the team.

"I did, didn't I?" I grin at my teammates, "Great game, guys."

"It was, but that little spat was the highlight of my game." Graham grins, placing his arm around my shoulder. I shrug him off, not in the mood to combat his bothersome "flirty" behavior.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm glad I'm here for all of your entertainment." I grin at the rest of the team, "I'll be in the locker room. We're throwing some sort of celebration in the common room, right?" They all nod, talking animatedly about the liquor one of them has stashed away for this sort of moment. I turn, ready to take a scorching hot and relaxing shower. The thought of the deliciously warm water running over my body has me rushing towards the locker room. I deserved this.

***

Freshly washed and completely relaxed, I find my way back to the Slytherin Common room, where the party has already begun. Some of my housemates are already moderately drunk. I suspect the culprit of this is a flask (or three) being passed around the Slytherins in the stands during the game. 

Some fourth year hands me a glass of an unidentifiable liquid with a quick, "congratulations (y/n). Saw you really give it to Weasley after the game." I laugh, throwing back the contents of the glass. Whatever was in the glass burns deliciously as it rushes down my throat. It's got a slight cherry taste that sticks around a few moments before dispersing on my tongue.

"You were amazing!" My best friend Carina wraps me in her arms, her dark brown hair tickling at my nose

"Ya think?"

"Duh! I knew you'd beat rotten Gryffindor easily." The smell of liquor is strong with her standing so close.

I laugh, "It was hardly an easy win. They are a good team."

"But Slytherin--" she giggles, "is better."

I roll my eyes, "Obviously."

"And that obnoxious Weasley boy! He had the nerve to fight you?" 

"We only argued. Is there a rumor I fought Fred already?"

She pouts, "I heard you fought him! Now I'm disappointed."

I can't help but shake my head at my intoxicated friend's shenanigans, "You're disappointed I wasn't expelled for fighting on school grounds over a quidditch match?"

"You would've got detention, not expelled." she waves her hand around like this is the most obvious thing.

"I think you've had a bit too much, dear." I lead her towards the large couch in the center of the room.

"I feel fine! Tell me about the argument." She pats the spot next to her on the couch. I tell her everything, about how Fred got so damn close to me and all the things he said about Slytherin and the game.

"He so fancies you," her head lolls on the back of the couch.

I recoil from my friend, "what? Hardly. I'd say he hates me more than anything. And besides, I can't stand him. I hardly want him harboring--feelings for me."

She giggles, "It doesn't matter what you want. He's always picking fights with you. Why would he if it weren't for some silly crush? Fred Weasley never loses his cool unless you're involved."

I pull a disgusted face, "You're drunk, and that's not true. I'm sure he's a complete spaz with others. We're just not there to witness those instances."

Carina rolls her eyes, "sure. If you say so, (y/n)."

I try to change the subject because, honestly, I'm bothered by this one, "I'm gonna get something to drink. You want something?"

Carina pulls out a flask from Merlin knows where. "I'm good!" She presses the little black flask against her lips, taking another pull.

"Brilliant," I leave my friend to her flask in search of something strong. I'm in desperate need of something that'll make me forget and push away the embarrassment from that conversation. Maybe I can find Adrian and see if he's free for a moment. I could use a distraction from the excitement with Fred. 

I'll admit it isn't wise to go to a teammate to fool around. Actually, it felt too weird most of the time. But, alcohol has that fantastic effect of making poor decisions seem much better at the moment. I can blame the booze once again.

I spot Adrian leaning against the wall, a pool of third-year girls surrounding him. His excessive peacocking is downright embarrassing at this point. Adrian not so subtly puffs his chest out as he flirts with the younger girls, who eagerly soak in the attention from the older boy. He hands me a bottle of something, and I take a pull before leaning towards him. In a low voice, I ask, "are you free later?"

Adrian's eyebrows shoot up before he's smirking. His arm wraps around my waist, clutching at the meat of my hip, "Always for you."

***

Adrian's got his lips on my neck, his hands roam my body. 

"Don't leave any marks," my fingers pull at the roots of his black hair.

"I know," he mutters against my skin before he pulls my sweater over my head. He kisses me with just a bit too much tongue. I don't hate hooking up with Adrian, but he's a bit of a clumsy lover at times. 

I pull him into the broom closet, wanting the relief of release as soon as possible.

"Eager?" He smirks.

I want to roll my eyes, "Yup." I pull at his belt, unbuckling it quickly.

[emma-what-son]

(Echee post) Emma Watson criticises 'dangerously unhealthy' pressure on young women

Posted on March 30 2014

From theguardian.com March 2014 Emma Watson has criticised the "dangerously unhealthy" image projected by the fashion industry and said the pressure to look perfect has taken its toll on her. The actor has also described her doomed attempts to merge into the background as a student at an American university, where she found herself being trailed everywhere by British photographers. After the recent New York premiere of Noah, she tweeted a photograph of the array of cosmetics – and a guardian angel pin – that she said were essential aids to her flawless appearance, and another of herself in a backless dress captioned: "I did NOT wake up like this." The actress said she is better at taking criticism these days than she once was. "As a younger woman, that pressure got me down, but I've made my peace with it. With airbrushing and digital manipulation, fashion can project an unobtainable image that's dangerously unhealthy. I'm excited about the ageing process. I'm more interested in women who aren't perfect. They're more compelling." Watson became famous playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies and has been constantly in work since. She is about to start filming a thriller, Regression, by Alejandro Amenábar and is also trying to complete her degree at Brown University, Rhode Island. She enrolled in 2009 for what would have been a four year course, but has taken several breaks for film work, and spent a year studying at Oxford. "After Harry Potter, all that mattered was university," she said, in an interview with the Sunday Times. "It wasn't always easy to break down barriers, as having men from the British press following me with cameras didn't help my mission to integrate. The American press, by contrast, "afforded me so much privacy", but her fellow students recognised her at once. "On the first day, I walked into the canteen and everyone went completely silent and turned around to look at me. I had to say to myself 'it's OK, you can do this'. You just have to take a deep breath and gather your courage."

GUARDIAN COMMENTERS SAY: So something like this Burberry campaign she did a few years ago? Hypocrisy at its finest. She flaunts with the fashion industry and enjoys its perks all the time, but hops on the 'female beauty' bandwagon and enjoys a moan when it suits her. I'd find her socially conscientious pleas convincing if she hadn't profited in the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) from the big, bad, evil fashion/beauty industry. A few years ago, Emma Watson appeared in high-profile advertising companies for posh Paris fashion house L'ancome. I'm guessing she was handsomely remunerated for her 'work'. Certainly she was not forced into letting her photo shopped image be used to market expensive cosmetics and perfumes. Did she only discover how 'oppressive' the fashion industry is when L'ancome cancelled her lucrative contract? Ms Watson is essentially a third-rate actress, and her pronouncements on large and complex issues, such as the pressures on women, are so idiotically vapid that one is brought to conclude that she really can have very little aptitude for higher education. I mean, her comments are hardly indicative of an educated person, or even of a moderately literate or intelligent person. By the way, I understand that she spent a year at Oxford as a visiting and/or exchange student while enrolled at Brown. How come? She is a British national, and so by rights she should not have gone to Oxford on a visiting/exchange student programme, irrespective of whether she happens a student at an American university. If I am wrong about this, then I should like to have some explanation as to her status at Oxford, and how she came by it. Otherwise, I suppose that one might be forgiven for thinking that it is yet another case of a once respectable academic institutions bowing down before the false idols of celebrity and money. (This is quite apart from the fact that all that one has read about her since she began life as a student concerns her acting career, her modeling and her various boyfriends.) SOME COMMENTS FROM THE DM ARTICLE Notice how it's always people who are very aware of how attractive they are that babble on about how it's okay to have physical blemishes? I'd like to see an ugly person say the same thing. Only someone young, beautiful and with her whole life before her can say that, and mean it. Sometimes, her comments maKe her more stupid. Get lost and Wingardium Leviosa. What a daft thing to say. But, then again, this is coming from someone who can't seem to finish uni. I feel like I've aged about 10 years reading this article. Annoying girl. Not only annoying, but also pretentious and disingenuous. ^None of this is my words. It from commentators from two sites emma-what-son posted many more so check out her page

Here's what I think As for what she is saying about Brown it's a complete 180 from how she described it before 2013. In 2013 she started to elude to the fact it was not as great as she made it out to be. She gushed how wonderful her experiences had been to so many magazines. Now I think she's looking for pity and to have excuses why she never stayed at Brown. She preached how she was staying put. I am so fucking tired of having to post quote after quote proving my point with this when she lies time after time. She is not honest! What the truth is doesn't matter because she always lying. It's a constant thing with her. As for the pressures on women she is really a piece of work. The guardian commenters summed it up nicely. She had no problem attaching herself to Burberry and Lancôme. She's had no problem giving them praise and talking about fashion and make-up in just about every interview. That part where she talked about photo shopping and air brushing. Just wow! Did she see the Wonderland magazine she edited? Some photos it didn't even look like her. She'll continue allowing her image to be manipulated no matter what. She thinks she’s aging? She still looks 15 without all the make-up and photo shopping. Last year she was stopped at JFK because they thought she was a unaccompanied minor. Did you know one of the product she pushed when modeling for Lancôme was an anti-age cream? That's the dumbest comment in her entire interview. But really she's said this kind of stuff the last three years and most notably in 2011 where she had a various quotes about body image and being comfortable in your skin. I wont bore you with those quotes since I have before. She gets lauded for those comments and people place her in role model status but when you closely look at it they were just words that meant nothing at the time other than to make people think, “Emma is so anti-Hollywood!! She’s a role model for women and young girls” but meanwhile she never believed in any of it in the first place. At the time she said those things she was at a more healthier weight than she ever was. In 2011 you can tell she either stopped working out or ate more. I thought she looked her best then. Now she’s back to stick thin and even surpassed it a way IMO is unhealthy. She sending a bad message to women. From standard.co.uk July 2011, “She sees modeling as an extension of acting, in fact - just playing a role - but is conflicted about its demands. “I think the pressure the media and the fashion industry put on women to look a certain way is pretty intense. There’s a certain tyranny to trying to achieve that kind of beauty. I don’t know, I’m maybe not the best person to speak about this because I obviously completely adhere to it,” she laughs nervously. “ ^She really needs to start taking her own advice and quit being a judgmental hypocrite. Not just with this topic but everything she tends to speak out against that she does it herself. Recently she tweeted a photo of all this make-up and I posted this on my tumblr days ago

^Same phone in this photo is what they're using in the bottom photo that I also posted on tumblr She said something else recently (Sunday Times interview) that is just typical Emma. I covered this a few times. From emmawatsonbelgium.blogspot.be March 2014, "For someone who has starred in eight blockbuster movies and is worth an estimated £30m, she is endearingly modest about how green she felt leaving Harry Potter behind in 2011. Emerging from that magical machine was “really intimidating”, she says. “I’d done two tiny plays when I was, like, six and eight, but I wasn’t driven to act. I wasn’t doing Oscar acceptance speeches into a hairbrush." Yeah it might have no been a hairbrush but who knows she could be lying about that. She'd practice her speeches in mirrors. From telegraph.co.uk July 2007,  "Pauline is utterly obsessed with being an actress and I was just like that when I was younger. I dreamt of it. I practised speeches in front of mirrors. Whenever there was a part at school, I went for it. I was probably a bit of a show-off in the sense that any chance to get up and be seen, I did it. I was such a drama queen. I used to wail and moan and cry, and little things were blown up into being big things. I don't know how my parents stood it, really. I've grown up a bit. I've had to. I actually really want to be an actress, a proper actress who makes it her career. I'm always expecting to be found out and I thought, If I'm no good, now is the time to find out." She really wants people to think she all of a sudden wants to act. What I think is she is really trying to distance herself from her lack luster post Potter career by making it out like she now wants to act and that’s why she has no lead roles because her resume does not equal her hype. The last few years she’s separated herself from “always wanted to be an actress” to “I was not sure”. She’s being disingenuous as usual and people believe it. Plus she said she did modeling so directors and producers would look at her differently so that's why she used Burberry and Lancôme. And she did a course at RADA in 2008 so if she was not sure or didn't want to than why did she do these things? One more thing from the Sunday Times interview From emmawatsonbelgium.blogspot.be March 2014, "It’s about as close as she’ll get to revealing anything about her newest relationship, with Matt Janney, rugby hunk and Oxford’s most eligible bachelor. “I can’t comment on it, I’m sorry,” she says, suddenly jumping up and hastily bundling her things back into her bag, which has exploded across the sofa beside her. “I’m trying to keep my private life sacred, although I don’t want to lock myself up and never go out. So I guard it, because I don’t date people who are famous, and I don’t think it’s fair that, all of a sudden, intimate details of their personal life are public as a direct result of me. I find that so uncomfortable, and I wish there was a way I could protect those people, but it’s not in my control.” When I suggest her boyfriends are consenting adults, she looks worried. “But you don’t choose who to love, who you have feelings for, do you?” She throws her phone into her bag and retreats home to pack, as she’s flying to LA. Just a normal girl, then, off to present an Oscar."

So she can go to international magazines and complain she can't find a man or that men are intimidated by her? She had in the past before Will Adamowicz. It was in almost every one of her interviews for a few years. So she can use Matt Janney (this new guy) on a beach in a bikini PDA session as a publicity stunt to cover up her ex boyfriend being caught rolling coke bombs and also use him to product place an iPhone in Madrid but she wants to keep it private? And she doesn't date famous guys? What about Johnny Simmons (Young Neil) and George Craig (Front man for rock group One Night Only)?  If you can Google their name and you see them in movies or music videos, they're famous.

[anettrolikova]

Disney’s brand new direct-to-consumer platform acquired 30MM subscribers.

Disney has many of the franchises that best lend themselves to this model. Many of those they don’t own, such as Harry Potter, have their rights fragmented.

Disney’s Parks & Attractions segment generates nearly 100% more revenue and 60% more profit than Disney’s studio division (which already generates nearly three times the revenue AND three times the gross margins as its primary competitors). By turning hit films into theme park attractions, not only does Disney generate more “upside” from a hit than its competitors do, Disney’s breakeven point for these films is also much lower.

There is nothing that can compare to the impact of a child being hugged by her heroes. The ability to enjoy your favorite IP as “you” is unique and lasts a lifetime. Consider, for example, how many families have Disneyland photos of their kids with Mickey or Woody on the fridge.

because of real estate scarcity, lengthy build times, enormous capital requirements (exacerbated by Baumol’s Cost Disease), Disney’s theme parks, resorts, and cruises are incredibly difficult to replicate by another Western media company

It is incredibly profitable and will continue to grow as new mobile technology/personalization enhance the park-going experience. The barriers to replication are incredibly high and span both fixed investment (land and infrastructure) and skillset (e.g. design and boots-on-the-ground operations).

“Disneyland is an experience involving many moving parts in harmony, like an orchestra. Everything has to be tuned, what you hear, what you smell, what you see, how you see it, the speed at which you assimilate all of that, just like a film, is choreographed. But how do you choreograph that if you don't control the camera, because the camera is you — it's you when you come to Disneyland".

Games have been on the cusp of these experiences for years, but in 2020, they’re well under way. These are “games” like Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox, to a lesser extent GTA Online, and Pokémon Go.

These titles offer many unique advantages compared to their analogue analogues. For example, they are always “open”, “everywhere”, “full of your friends”, and impervious to COVID-19. These games also boast an even larger (i.e. infinite) number of attractions and rides, none of which need be bound by the laws of physics or the need for physical safety, and all of which can be rapidly updated and personalized.

The durability and scalability of these experiences are connected to why they’re so hard to define. To consider them a “game” is to consider iOS a phone, or Disneyland a specific Pirates of the Caribbean roller coaster.

these parks were designed to (or have since been converted to) allow for anyone to be an “Imagineer”. The developers of these titles aren’t trying to make a “game” but a “game engine” that allows everyone to create and share their own attraction.

nearly every game that could be recreated in Minecraft has been (e.g. Metroid). Corporations have built in-game cellphones capable of making live video calls to the real world using real world physics, users have built enormous explorable worlds based on existing IP (e.g. Game of Thrones' King's Landing, which is the size of Los Angeles) and new ones (one player spent 16 hours a day for a year building a 370 million block cyberpunk city).

nearly every game that could be recreated in Minecraft has been (e.g. Metroid). Corporations have built in-game cellphones capable of making live video calls to the real world using real world physics, users have built enormous explorable worlds based on existing IP (e.g. Game of Thrones' King's Landing, which is the size of Los Angeles) and new ones (one player spent 16 hours a day for a year building a 370 million block cyberpunk city).

In this sense, these “digital theme parks” are really “digital theme park platforms”. Last year, Roblox paid out $100MM to developers (i.e. 1-20 person teams) against more than $500MM in UGC-based revenue. And in September, the company launched a “Marketplace” that allows developers to monetize not just their games, but also any assets, plug-ins, vehicles, 3D models, terrains, and items they made for it. This means developers can both reduce the time/effort required to create on Roblox, and receive additional revenue from the time/effort they invest.

the billions of hours American children spent imagining and acting out the adventures of Luke Skywalker and the Jedi with the 1970s and 1980s with figurines, robes, and lightsabers. However, this expansive imagination was forever trapped in brainwaves, backyards, and basements. It was hard enough to share these imaginary stories and world with close, in-person friends, let alone to faraway and unknown ones.

Today, it’s possible for the average fan to actually translate their imagination into a real, virtual space and then share it and play in it with their friends and world at large. And not only is it cool to do so, there are many companies designed around facilitating, promoting, and financially rewarding this behavior

most people don’t need or want to “make” a website or app. Billions, however, do dream of fictional worlds and wish they could share them with their friends. Just as tens of millions spent decades wishing they could build their own Super Mario levels — and now millions do via Super Mario Maker, which is one of the ten best-selling “games” on the Nintendo Switch.

Nearly every one of the underlying drivers behind these digital theme park platforms is growing: (1) their user bases; (2) the per user engagement; (3) the number and diversity of the experiences created by the community; (4) the ease with which a “player” can discover and jump from one experience to another; (5) the ease of creating an experience; (6) the technical and experiential capabilities of these engines/tools/experiences; (7) the ease and extent to which you can monetization individual creations (from individual assets to games); and (8) the importance of virtual worlds to the overall future of the Internet.

these digital theme park platforms own the overall customer relationship, billing, and all engagement data. But the core game engines are the most defensible; like the land and physical infrastructure of a park, they are built up over decades and impossible to fully short-cut. This includes not just enormous codebases, but years of enhancements to the end-to-end platform (e.g. core tech, tutorials, UI/X, community services) based on billions of hours of developer and consumer-side usage.

It’s likely that soon we’ll see D2C consumer product companies begin building their own bespoke experiences inside digital theme park platforms; the age of growth-hacking via referral codes, native podcast ads, SEO, and social is over.

The good news is more digital theme park platforms are likely to emerge.

although a new digital theme park platform is inevitable, the odds are low, the total opportunities are few, and the timelines long. In addition, it’s unclear how many platforms for UGC world creation are needed — just as most creators and consumers rely only YouTube or Twitch. Runners-up exist but are much, much smaller.

Disney could have ended up with one of these platforms with its multi-franchise “open world” sandbox-style video game, “Disney Infinity”. The game first released in 2013, received widespread acclaim, and generated a reported $200-300MM in revenue over the first three years. Despite this topline, the game’s performance nevertheless fell short of Disney’s $1B internal target and, with that in mind, presumably well short of breakeven, too. It was cancelled in 2016.

At Disneyland, attractions don’t open until they’re both complete, “perfect”, and predictable. There’s no real test, learn, change, repeat approach — especially compared to live, public experiments such as the Fortnite blackout. Hugs must be perfectly executed.

Every IP owner will need to figure out how to participate in digital theme parks and platforms — to figure out how to execute a digital version of the physical “hug”. This is especially true for those that don’t even have physical theme parks and for which the alternative — building one — would take more than a decade and $20B+ in capital.

“Detail level one is when you are standing out in the countryside and see the church steeple sticking up above the trees. Detail level two is when you enter town and are looking down the street. You can see the street, the median, the parkway strips, sidewalks, and trees. Detail level three is when you are standing on the sidewalk looking at one of the houses. You can see the character of the house, walls, roof, windows, trim, and doors. Detail level four is when you have actually walked up to the front door, grabbed the door knocker, see its detail, finish, and feel its temperature and weight as you knock on the door… most architects are pretty good at getting to level three, but here at Disney we must always get to the detail level four so we can maintain our immersive environments that our stories create”.

It is easy to say, “we can’t do it”, “we’ve tried and failed”, or “what even is the roadmap here”. These are fair and important rejoinders. However, as the “Imagineering Story” frequently reiterates, nobody at Disney had built a theme park, or had any relevant experience (other than narrative) before Walt insisted they do it. And it was messy, and uncertain, and chaotic, with the business folks (which I say with love as I am one) who were terrified of the cost, skeptical of the demand and long-term interest, and rattled by the lack of a clear business case. Note, too, that today’s leading platforms will, themselves admit they hardly know what they’re doing — and how can they? But of course, it helps when you can grow by letting your most imaginative and obsessive fans chip in.

[omfgtrump]

The Don Gets The Boot

FUCK YEAH!!!

ABOUT TIME!!!

Americans have voted in the first female Vice President. A mixed race Black Indian whose mother was an immigrant. Now that’s the idea of America!!!

Yes, The Don gets the boot, but how many Republicans will remain boot-lickers? Seems like Lindsey Graham has his tongue stuck to the bottom of The Don’s shoe. Congratulations Lindsey, in a unanimous vote, you win the “Sycophant of the Decade Award.”

Mittens Romney, whose occasional expression of dismay over The Don’s actions, took off the Mittens and took The Don to task. But honestly, I’m tired of hearing that Mittens shows courage and independence. Crawling out of your bunker every few months to venture your dissent only to slink back in to hiding leaves me cold. Where is your voice on The Don’s atrocious handling of the pandemic? Umm, thought so. I guess that makes sense, as you are the one who thought it was okay to tie your dog, like a piece of luggage, to the top of the car, and believed he was having fun. That takes a lot of denial and wishful thinking.

Many are shocked that The Don decided to tell the American people that he won before all the votes were counted.  Really?

Let’s examine the reasons why he thought won.

It was unfair that pollsters were counting votes after election day, even though the ballots were cast before or on election day.

He didn’t understand that you can’t choose which states to count votes.

He didn’t think it was legal for people from rat-infested cities like Baltimore to vote. So unfair, so unfair.

There are so many more Red states then Blue ones. If he has more Red M&M’s than blue ones, red wins, right?

Millions of people dressed up as other people and voted twice. The Don said: We have evidence of this. A detailed report will be coming out soon. QAnon is working on it as I speak.

Putin promised me that I would win.

There is evidence that at least 5 million dead people voted, and since Joe Biden is practically dead, they felt closer to him and voted for him. You’ve seen the “Walking Dead,” that stuff is real.

Most importantly: I never lose, so this is all fake news.

Frankly, anyone who understands The Don’s pathology, his malignant narcissism, could have written his ludicrous rant. Translated, it goes: I am The Don, I control the world; if it doesn’t go the way I render it, there is something wrong with the world as there is never anything wrong with me. That’s why I win, win, win; and never lose.

His response to the results of the election are identical to his response to the pandemic. “This can’t be happening because I didn’t deem it to be.” Once again we witness The Don’s delusional process at work, hoping if he repeats over and over that the election is illegal, rigged, a fraud, a conspiracy against the greatest president who ever lived; and that it is he, who is democracy greatest defender.

The next 74 days will be like no other transition of power in this country. Anyone believing The Don will go lightly into the night is living in their own alternative reality. Everything he has done and said before tells us that he will do whatever he can to burn the house down. The chances that he can accept defeat graciously are zero! It is not in his DNA. The Don’s entire life is predicated on destroying others in order to avoid losing: losing exposes his underlying smallness and the humiliation it brings is intolerable. He will do anything and say anything to twist reality so he doesn’t have to experience this. Up until this point in his life, he has miraculously escaped every situation that could have confronted him with his true self. He will never accept defeat and when he eventually leaves the White House (willingly?) to start Trump TV, he will turn his rage toward Joe Biden, just like he did to Barack Obama. He will continue to be a force in politics and continue to stoke fear and resentment and seek revenge on those who have usurped his power because that is the only way he can protect himself from connecting to his smallness. The good news is that those of us who do not want to ever hear from him again won’t have to because he no longer will be president. However, his desire to remain relevant to his supporters will make him a real force in Republican politics and he will have no qualms inciting people to violence. Maybe his first guest will be Steve Bannon, who recently called for the beheading of Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Yes, The Don has lost; and the country, for a few moments, can exhale. Millions took to the streets in celebration. Church bells rang out in Paris like they did after the Germans surrendered; in London, there were fireworks. The perpetual state of anxiety that many Americans were thrust into for four years has been mitigated, though pharmaceutical companies are probably upset as profits may decline because fewer people will renew their prescriptions for anti-depressants and Xanax.

The Don made democracy fray at its seams, but the people pushed back. Democracy prevailed. Enough of us felt that another four years would catapult us into an autocracy. It is remarkable that nearly 150 million people voted during a pandemic.

It is also remarkable that 70 million people voted for a man who separated children from their parents, supported White Supremacists, banned Muslims, called Mexicans rapists, is a vowed sexual predator (Access Hollywood tape), was impeached (remember that), is in Putin’s pocket and did nothing when he was given high level intelligence information that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban to kill Americans, paid no taxes, covered for the Saudi Prince who murdered a Washington Post reporter and attacked science promulgating an alternative reality (with the heinous silence and collusion of Republicans) that the coronavirus is about to take a hike, when we are being ravaged and setting records for infections with 1,000 people dying every day.

Experts are saying that by the time Biden takes the reigns that there could more than 200,000 cases a day and increasing death tolls. It didn’t have to be that way, and the task before Biden and Kamala is enormous. Long after The Don is gone, our country will be paying the price for his incompetence, indecency, and heinous disregard for human life. Rather than being closer to a point where would are containing the spread, we are heading in to a very dark winter that will take a much longer time to come out of. The economic costs will be graver than necessary and tens of millions of people will continue to struggle with existential issues of food and housing insecurity. As for The Don, he will seek refuge cheating at golf and not give one iota of thought to the suffering of the American people.

For people of color, members of the LGBQT community, Muslims, immigrants and other marginalized groups, there is relief that his malignant man has been banished and hope that Biden and Kamala Harris’s policies will embrace, protect and uplift them. But these communities also see the numbers of Americans who voted for a vengeful, carnival barker who has deceived them into believing he is speaking for them, that he cares about them. Despite all they have seen and heard, his capacity to stoke fear, resentment and divisiveness allowed them to cast their ballot for a White Supremacist, a man totally void of empathy and morality.  What message does this communicate to these communities? What does this say about America and its capacity to move forward and embrace equity and inclusion?

It galls me when I hear pundits create moral equivalents between the Right and the Left’s extremism and the need for people to come together. I am all for coming together; this country will have a hard time surviving if we don’t. But the Right in this country (which at this point is the Republican Party) has been stoking racial animus, creating obstacles to voting, promulgating abhorrent and dangerous conspiracy theories, stoking violence by White Supremacists groups, and working against equity and inclusion for years. The violence at Charlottesville did not have good people on both sides. Torch-bearing White Supremacist and Nazi groups chanting anti-Semitic tropes are not the same as people fighting for racial and social justice. The oppressed fighting back is not the same as the oppressor asserting itself. Fighting for social justice shouldn’t even be a movement: it should just be. But as sobering as it is, this is America.

But America is also the place where a Black Indian Woman with an immigrant mother can become vice president. Let’s hope that that the part of us that could make that happen is the part that moves us forward during these challenging times.

P.S

I had planned to end this blog with the defeat of The Don, but given the way this transition is going to go down, I thought I would stick around and wait until he actually leaves the oval office and Biden is sworn in. Hold on to your seats!

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[xx-thedarklord-xx]

Memos of Originality

Mornings were Harry’s favourite. Mornings meant rushed paperwork; it meant excuses and late memos. Mornings meant authors, editors and retailers never being ready.

Mornings also meant Malfoy.

When he had first opened his publishing company, he hadn’t expected to come across Malfoy professionally, hadn’t expected to not only enjoy his work, but also enjoy his company.

However, what he hadn’t expected the most was Scorpius.

The chime of his floo went off as Draco’s voice saying, “Potter’s office,” was heard before his face was seen. Familiar babbling brought a smile to his face as he kneeled in front of the fireplace.

“Gandma!” Scorpius squealed and a small hand covered Draco’s face.

“Yes, after this you’ll see grandma. You just got to be a little patient.”

Harry couldn’t see Scorpius’ full face but what he could see, Scorpius seemed to be moving restlessly.

“Sorry,” Draco apologised as he looked into the fireplace fully. “My mother went on vacation and he’s been missing her. Thank Merlin she got in last night. I fear he would have rioted if she had been gone much longer.”

“Riot, huh?” Harry’s lips grinned. “Was he going to send his stuffed animals off to war with pitchforks and brooms?”

“He’s not a heathen,” Draco argued as his lips twitched. “He’d have made sure each toy had a wand.”

“Silly me.”

There was a softness to Draco when they locked eyes, and it always lured Harry in—always made him melt.

“I did what you asked.” Rustling of papers was heard over the crackling of the fire. “I’m not sure why you were interested in this demographic. Potter Chronicles hasn’t ever done a children’s series before.”

“Never too late to start.”

Draco narrowed his eyes and Harry revelled in the suspicion. He needed someone like Draco on his team and that was why he paid him double what the competition would have.

“You’re not telling me something.”

“Aren’t I always?”

An arched brow completed Draco’s deadpan expression and Harry wanted to laugh.

“There are rumours that McMillion & Sterling have hired a new Marketing Research Analytic team and a few of them are specialists in children’s books.”

“I’m not worried,” Harry scoffed. “McMillion & Sterling are only ever in it for the profit, and the books they publish show it. You can’t fake originality.”

“And you think whatever idea you want to pitch has originality?”

“I’m wounded that you have no confidence in me.”

“The confidence is in the same spot where you left me out of the pitch.”

Harry couldn’t help but grin at how disgruntled Draco sounded. “You’re feeling left out.” When Draco said nothing, his grin only broadened.

“We both know that you are the best Marketing Research Analyst that I have.”

“I’m the only one you have.” Despite the put out tone, there was a pleased smile on Draco’s face. It was too easy to appease him.

“Tell you what,” Harry began with a hesitant tone, one he knew would get Draco interested. “You stop by later today and I’ll show you what I have in mind.”

“I haven’t gone to the office in months.”

“I know.” Harry hadn’t minded when Draco decided to work from home. Taking care of Scorpius was Draco’s first concern and he supported that fully.

The silence was contemplative, but Harry already knew he had won. Draco liked to think he was the only cunning one, but Harry hadn’t been considered for Slytherin for no reason.

“Alright, I’ll come to the office later.”

“You can bring Scorpius if it’s easier.”

Draco sighed, and the sound was fond in a way, something he did often.

“Thank you.” The softness was back, and Harry wasn’t sure how much more it could pull him in before a line was crossed. “We’ll stop by after we visit my mother.”

“Gandma!” Scorpius yelled before he let out a loud giggle.

“Yes,” Draco said with a chuckle. “We’re going to see grandma next, just like we do every morning, huh?”

Scorpius clapped his hands together in excitement and Harry was equally soft for him too. Malfoys were charming, that was for sure.

“I’ll send the research in the memos like usual and then get ready.”

“Alright, tell Narcissa I said hi and that I’m sorry I missed her last dinner.” For some reason, Narcissa liked to wrangle Harry in for dinner at least three times a week and feed him a feast.

It didn’t take long to receive the paperwork after they said their goodbyes; it never did with how efficient Draco was.

“Potter’s office, memos.” The fireplace lit up once and a folded parchment in the shape of an owl shot out of the fireplace and into Harry’s waiting hands.

Normally, one might think he’d get up and go back to his desk, but Harry immediately opened the owl and began to go over the data Draco had collected. He was only halfway through when the fireplace lit up again.

“Potter awfice m-memos gandma!” Scorpius’ voice rang out and Harry put his papers down in time to catch a balled up paper that Scorpius had attempted to fold into an owl.

Every morning Scorpius sent a memo thinking it would be delivered to Narcissa. The only thing Harry could figure was that Scorpius had been watching Draco send in daily memos for years and must have memorised the method.

It was his favourite part of the day, outside of talking to Draco.

He unfolded the memo and melted at the drawing. It was hard to make out fully, but he was positive it was three dragons. Scorpius had a fascination with dragons and each memo had at least one in it.

Harry walked to the last free space on his wall and hung the paper up before he began to get everything ready for when Draco arrived.

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

“Potter’s office.”

“I know we didn’t say a time, but I do apologise for the lateness, Scorpius didn’t want to leave for quite some time,” Draco said as he stepped out of the floo and dusted soot off Scorpius’ face but didn’t look over himself at all.

“That’s alright.” Harry was itching to wipe a smear of soot off of Draco’s cheek. It was a distraction, but it was also frustratingly cute.

“Hawwy!” Scorpius extended one of his hands out and closed it rapidly in either an attempt at a wave or he wanted him to pick him up.

“Scorpius.” His cheeks would hurt one day from how wide he smiled around Scorpius and Draco but for now, he didn’t mind.

Scorpius let out a whine and continued to make grabby hands until Draco sighed, “Alright, alright,” and placed him in Harry’s arms. “I guess I should stop by more often, looks like he missed you.”

“Everyone does.”

Draco’s eye twitched and Harry couldn’t help but snort. Excited babbles filled his ear as Scorpius started talking. Only a few words were audible like, ‘gandma’, ‘candy’, and a word that sounded like ‘cockie’.

“He’s telling you about his day,” Draco murmured, a smile on his face and his eyes closed gently. “My mother gave him too many sweets and he spent a good chunk of time chasing the peacocks.”

“Is that so?” Harry tickled Scorpius side until a loud laugh left him as he began to squirm.

“No, no bad Hawwy.”

“What’s all this?”

Harry looked away from Scorpius to see Draco had walked around the office and stopped at a few drawings on the wall.

“That’s what I wanted to show you.”

“This is the pitch?” Draco’s brows were furrowed, and Harry was a bit nervous.

“Gandma!” Scorpius yelled as he pointed at one picture in particular. There was a black and white dragon playing with a small blue one. It wasn’t clear what they were playing with as it was all scribbles but the dragons at least were decipherable.

“Grandma?” Draco asked, tone just as confused as he appeared. “Harry, what’s going on?”

“What do you usually do after our morning meetings?”

Draco frowned and Harry wasn’t sure if it was because he had ignored the question.

“I put Scorpius in his playpen while I finish getting ready for the day.”

“And is his playpen by the fire?”

“Yeah but—” Draco looked around the room again before he gently traced one of the drawings with his fingers.

“Scorpius sends me his drawings every morning and has been doing so for months.”

Draco’s mouth parted, eyes on the drawing in front of him. There were three dragons that Harry always thought looked like they were running in a field. “You kept them? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“You would have stopped him,” Harry said, holding Scorpius a little closer. “They are my second favourite part of the day.”

“Second?” Draco turned to face Harry directly and he didn’t look upset, but it was never very clear when it came to him.

“You’re the first.”

Draco closed his eyes briefly before he decreased the distance between them. “What does this have to do with your pitch?”

“I want to make a picture book out of his drawings and maybe dedicate it to Narcissa.”

“Why?” Draco breathed, eyes searching his face intently.

“Your mother saved my life when I was younger. I know she considers speaking at her trial and employing you as payment, but those never seemed to fit. I spoke at her trial because it was the right thing to do. I hired you because you are damn good at what you do.”

There was a small flush on Draco’s face and Harry wanted to cup his cheek, so he did. His heart melted when Scorpius mimicked his actions and placed a hand on Draco’s cheek too with a little laugh.

“This book isn’t remotely enough but it’s a start, and Scorpius loves her so much. Every drawing has her in it. I think she’s one of the dragons.”

“She’s going to cry,” Draco whispered as he placed one hand over Harry’s and the over Scorpius’. “I might cry. Thank you, this is so sweet.”

“I usually am.”

Draco snorted as he shook his head. “It’s not fair.”

“What’s not?”

“Every time I think you can’t be that perfect, you do something like this, and I fall even harder.”

Harry’s breath caught and his thumb rubbed Draco’s cheek instinctively, finally rubbing away the soot.

“I’m absolutely positive I fell in love first, so...” Harry shrugged, a broad smile in place. Even in love, it was a competition between them, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Draco stepped forward, causing both Harry’s and Scorpius’ hands to fall off his face. “Is that so?” The question was asked as Draco rubbed their noses together before he placed a kiss to Harry’s cheek.

Scorpius let out a whine and Draco kissed his cheek too.

“I think,” Draco began as he placed a kiss on Harry’s forehead, “it’s going to be a bestseller.” He moved onto the tip of Harry’s nose before he placed on final kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah?” Harry asked, breathless. Scorpius reached up and poked each spot Draco had kissed, babbling the whole time.

“McMillion & Sterling are fucked.”

There was the Marketing Research Analyst Harry knew. He pulled Draco closer and wrapped his free arm around his neck.

Sales were nice, but that wasn’t what the book was about, nor was it something Harry was ever particularly interested in. He put out books that were deserving, ones that the public should be able to see regardless if it was ‘marketable’. He was sure the book would be a hit. The drawings were done by a child with a bright imagination; they were authentic, and it showed a familial love that a lot of books didn’t.

But hit or not, it was something he wanted to do not only for Narcissa but for Draco and Scorpius too. He wanted to show the world who the Malfoys really were in the eyes of Scorpius. They were a family that cared deeply about each other, a family that loved wholeheartedly and a family that had included Harry in all ways that mattered.

They weren’t quite his family…yet, but maybe one day soon.

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

I would like to thank @olliemaye for looking this over me. I saw a post on Tumblr that inspired this, I’ll put either on a reblog or in the comments in a little bit.

[itsclydebitches]

To further blur lines between canon and fandom you also have people who publish their fics for profit. The most well known example is probably the “50 Shades” series. That was originally a (OOC) Twilight fanfic. Does changing the names and descriptions make it a fully unique work? Does writing an AU make something original? At what point have things been changed enough? Anyone who talks about making money for fanwork via donations also has people pointing to things like this and saying “thief!”

Yep. It’s a really, really subjective thing. What’s “copying” and what’s “inspired by”? Fifty Shades is a particularly fascinating example because on the one hand it obviously functions well enough as a presumably original piece that a staggering number of people can read it without difficulty. Meaning, their understanding of the text is not dependent on the canon it derives from; Fifty Shades readers aren’t getting confused because they haven’t read Twilight in the same way someone reading a Harry Potter fic might be confused if they hadn’t read Harry Potter. James did enough of the work to move away from one convention of fanfiction---I’m going to chuck you into the middle of a world with the understanding that you’re already familiar with these characters and setup---and towards a mainstream convention---I’m going to introduce everything as we go and bank on no prior knowledge (at least supposedly). So on the surface it looks like an original piece. 

But it’s not. If you compare Fifty Shades to Master of the Universe you’ll see that they’re nearly identical. James only needed to change the names because, as an all human AU fic, Master of the Universe was already removed from the vampires and werewolves that marked Twilight as Twilight. But that fic was still very much a derivative work of Meyers’ and Fifty Shades, in turn, remains a derivative work even if you change the names around. It’s enough to fool a non-fandom audience, but if you’re familiar with all three works (Twilight, Master, Fifty) you can see how much Fifty Shades does bank on Twilight knowledge just because that’s how you naturally write fic. It can get by without it, but that’s not the same thing as functioning well without it. A lot of what people point to as “bad writing” in Fifty Shades is actually that connection between fic and source material that has now been lost. Why doesn’t James do much work to describe her characters and tell us about who they are? Because as fic readers we would already be familiar with Bella and Edward. You don’t waste fic space re-hashing basic characterization. Why are many of the motivations unclear or downright illogical throughout the series? Because James was closely following the conflicts of Twilight without bothering to fully update that for a modern, all human setting. Not calling the police because you’re a bunch of vampires no longer works when you take away the vampire aspect, but people reading Master understand the desire to follow canon setups and would accept that plot hole easier than a mainstream audience would in an original work. Ana’s extreme innocence reads as a very strange character trait that, within Fifty, is never explained or justified because James was banking on our understand of Bella as a protagonist written by a Mormon author. We even need to consider the fact that fic is very community driven and by insisting that her work is original in the mainstream sense does a disservice to the fandom that not only helped James build the original Masters series, but helped her become the bestselling author she now is. Fifty Shades’ popularity is due in large part to James having a built-in readership when she essentially said, ‘Want to re-read your favorite fic as a published novel?’ 

What it comes down to is that Fifty Shades is very much a derivative work of Twilight, even if it can pass as original in front of an ignorant reader, and there are far-reaching consequences of that. Such as Meyers’ ongoing worry about writing  Twilight books from Edward’s perspective when James managed to get there first with Fifty books from Christian’s perspective---even though fundamentally all these characters were Meyers’ to begin with. If Meyers had decided to sue James I think she would have a strong case for copyright infringement.