#please DropOut I think I really deserve this :(

[takaraphoenix]

Right now, with Fantasy High s3 airing, but actively removing Zelda from the narrative, but also featuring Corsica Jones, who just reminds me of my girl Antiope.

Right now, with Desi Quest airing, and letting Rekha reunite first with Persephone and then also Erika.

Right now, I am craving a second season of The Seven more so than ever before. Please. Let me see what my girls are up to post graduation, show me their active adventuring party.

Preferably with a guest DM, so Brennan can be a player and Zelda can fully move to being a PC. Because after all these years and all these campaigns featuring her, I really want to see him play her with his full attention, without him also having to juggle playing everybody else and managing the narrative. (Preferably Jasmine Buhllar, who is, after Brennan and Aabria, my favorite DM to watch).

[mbirnsings-71]

*looks at how many new different fandoms I've gotten into/old fandoms I've been revisiting this past week* Ah fuck okay so I should probably make an actual bio post-

Hi! I'm Madi/Angel, pronouns are They/she, and This is my tumblr blog where I tend to be a little bit of a menace- not really but like I tend to get very silly on here! Now with that out of the way, I should probably tell you guys my fandoms and certain tags I use! the fandoms I'll put under the keep reading but here's the quick stuff about tags I use!

Tags that frequently get used here:

#Madi's art :> - What I tag all my art with! This is where you will find all of it that I post on tumblr!

#Madi's writing :> - Literally exactly what my art tag is for except for my writing if I ever do write-

#WAADW AU :> - That is for my Wedding planner!Grian and Florist!Scar au that I've been brain rotting about for a solid two months?? it's been a long one and I have plenty of stuff planned for it!

#ESRMT AU :> - This one is for my newest snowbugs au because something about Necromancer Scott got a hold on me and now I'm world building for it it's awful the doc is long and I promise you guys will get more content for it eventually-

#madi's 9-1-1 DC au tag - What it says on the Tin, for my DC x 9-1-1 au because good god those firefighters got a grip on me and back when I was super into DC I had to mush those two hyperfixations together-

Fandoms that I might reblog/make content for on here, in no particular order:

- 9-1-1 (Both The main series and Lone star but Lone star never ends up on my dash so I forget to reblog stuff from it-)

- Minecraft content (Parkciv and Life SMP are spinning in my head constantly)

- Whitepine (PLEASE GO WATCH IT IT IS ONLY AN HOUR OF YOUR TIME PLEASE-)

- Critical Role (I WAS ON TOP OF IT BUT THEN I FELL BEHIND ON CR3 AND I NEED TO PLAY CATCH UP SO BADLY AAAAA)

- DC comics (Stares at my gigantic reading pile that's threatening to squash me-)

- D20 (Love Dropout and the chaos those campaigns bring very silly and love being able to watch them in my own time-)

- Pokémon (Love Pokémon sm man-)

- Sonic the Hedgehog (Big childhood special interest you can try to pry it away from me-)

- Welcome to night vale (I NEED TO CATCH UP MAN I NEED TO-)

- The Magnus Archives (again need to finish it cause Raaah-)

- Supernatural (I miss you Castiel you did not deserve superhell-)

- Ace Attorney (I miss my gay lawyers occasionally-)

- Danganronpa (I'm not as big of a fan of it as I was back during covid but some of the characters come back to whack me with a stick and remind me they exist it's wild-)

- Gravity Falls (God this show is part of the reason why I have such a love of supernatural/horror concepts amen-)

- The Owl House (Magic? Found Family? A silly cast of characters? Sign me up honestly-)

- Miraculous ladybug (these teenagers are traumatized and I feel the need to immensely give them therapy because hey! No 14 year old should have to hold that much responsibility on god!)

- Ouran Highschool Host club (the Nostalgia and also reading the Manga now has been wild and I still stand by Haruhi being my favorite character ever-)

- Blue Exorcist (I MISS MY GUY RIN OKAMURA I MISS HIM A LOT-)

- Vocaloid / Kagerou Daze / Evillious chronicles (Putting this all in one category cause the stories are primarily told through Vocaloid BUT GOD I love Kagerou daze and Evillious Chronicles so much it's insane-)

- Madoka Magica (the Magical girls are so sad man they make me SAD)

Now if you made it this far, congrats! You made it through my long list of fandoms! If you think my blog is kinda fun and end up following it, well that's just great for both of us! I can't promise regular content but I can at least be silly and fill your notifications with reblogs occassionally-

[ftmhog]

Hooters girl to fat slob transformation

“Hey hon, my name’s Gabby welcome to Hooters what can I get started for ya?” Allison rolls her eyes as the bubbly young waitress places her hand on her husbands shoulder

God why did we have to go here for his birthday

“We’ll just have two waters” Allison sneers before Matt can say anything “and maybe tone it down sweetheart. He’s married after all”

“Please I’m just doing my job” Gabby scoffs “besides no one wants your fat loser husband anyway”

Gabby struts away as Allison seethes

“Come on honey, let’s just have a nice dinner out” Matt chimes in

“Okay babe, I’ll drop it” Allison says

That little bitch will get what she deserves

A week later, Allison returns to Hooters, alone this time

“Hi, can I please be sat in Gabby’s section”

“Yeah absolutely! Right this way” the hostess beams as she leads Allison to her table

“Hi, my name’s Gab- oh what the hell do you want?” Gabby sputters to a halt as she sees Allison

“Hi sweetheart” Allison smirks “I didn’t want to ruin my husband’s birthday but you need to know you can’t treat people like that. Now be a good girl and put me down for a pitcher of beer and five dozen wings”

“Whatever. I’ll be right your beer you weird alcoholic”

Gabby returns and sets down a large pitcher of beer and a cold glass and starts to leave

“Now sweetheart don’t you know it’s not polite to run away so fast. I can see you don’t have any other tables. Sit with me and have a beer”

Gabby glances around the empty restaurant before plopping down in the chair

Allison pours a glass of beer and slides it over to Gabby

“So tell me about yourself. I want to know all about the silly little waitress and why she thinks she’s so much better than me and my husband”

“We’ll for one I actually take care of myself. I somehow manage to find time to go to the gym every day even with how busy I am. I literally am in law school and working here. I’m like the biggest badass ever” Gabby takes a big sip of beer as she finishes her sentence.

Allison smirks softly as she watches as the young waitress starts to transform.

Gabby’s belly gurgles and starts to bloat, slowly expanding past her breasts. Her ass begins to widen in the chair

“So you really go to the gym everyday?” Allison asks as the spell begins to take hold of Gabby’s mind

“God no. Who has the time for that. Besides i get so many tips being the only curvy girl here. Men love a girl with an ass” Gabby takes another big swig and muffles a small belch

As Allison watches amused, Gabby’s gut swells even bigger, beginning to hang between her thick thighs. Her breasts begin to shrink and sag as her implants dissolve and fat fills them. A bit of beer drips on to her new double chin

“Fuck I love beer. Wanna pour me another glass?” Gabby grunts out. Allison smiles sweetly and pours the large girl another glass that she chugs down, letting out a large belch in the empty restaurant, not caring who might see or here.

Gabby grows even larger, weight skyrocketing to well over 500 pounds. The once skinny girl is covered in thick layers of flab. Her belly hangs down to her knees. Her fatty arms and legs lose all of the hard earned muscle definition

“And you were saying you were studying to be a lawyer?”

“Fuck no. I didn’t even finish high school. That smart shit is too much for me. Besides I’ve got too many games to play”

Gabby’s transformation begins to reach her brain, erasing almost a decade of hard work and academic excellence and replaces it with memories of being a lazy stoner dropout who spends all her time playing video games, eating, and rubbing her fat cunt

“God look at you. You’re such a fat pig” Allison gaps, thrilled at her work. Gabby let’s put a loud belch in response

“Um hi there, I’m not sure where your waitress went but here’s those wings you ordered” another waitress gingerly sets down five dozen. Gabby immediately grabs wings in both hands and begins to alternate between shoving wings in her fat mouth and taking swigs of beer

Allison stands and leaves, happy with her revenge and knowing there was another useless fat slob in the world

[bonesfool]

Not gonna comment on the post because I think a lot of criticism of Dropout’s disproportionate lack of trans feminine representation is a valid concern worth voicing and I think trans women deserve a space to complain without being doghoused but man one of those comments really irked me.

Positioning drag queens as inherently mutually exclusive with “actual trans women” is fucking insulting to the many many drag artists who are also trans feminine. Laganja is a trans woman. Monet, Alaska, and Bob are all non-binary. Bob is the first celebrity I ever heard speak about her gender in a way that resonated with me, and is a big part of the reason I finally felt comfortable to express a desire to use he and she pronouns.

For all the talk about how AMAB non-binary people get excluded in queer and even trans spaces, it’s very rich to see people suddenly count almost every single drag artist Dropout has ever had as a guest or a host as not trans enough because they also happen to do drag. To my knowledge Jujubee is the only cis drag artist they have repeatedly featured.

the modern gay and trans rights movement was built on the backs of fucking drag queens. Marsha P. Johnson identified primarily as a drag queen for christs sake. Many drag scenes are less trans inclusionary than they should be, as places that inherently queer gender, but that doesn’t mean that drag is inherently transphobic. I have found more trans love and acceptance in my local drag scene than in any other queer space I’ve ever inhabited and that is specifically due to the prevalence of trans performers that are older and highly respected

It is understandable to want representation that are not drag queens, especially if you are transfeminine and not particularly plugged into drag. but can we please not do that by erasing the trans identities of the performers they have repeatedly spotlighted, and therefore dilute a pretty salient critique

[vaspider]

How long on average is a Game Changer episode, please? Wiki doesn't say, just that "Ratfish (Part 2)" is the sixtieth episode, and I assume individual episode length information exists on the Dropout site itself but I can't figure out if I can get at it before signing up for a free trial. (Which is only for three days, so I won't be doing that until at least June 17, if Wiki has the release date right.)

Also—episodes that have Part N or N+1 in the titles aside—do you know offhand if any episodes ought to be watched in airing order with respect to any other episodes for the best first experience, or are they disconnected enough it doesn't matter?

What I'm trying to figure out is, is it possible for me to marathon the lot in those three days? (I no money 😿 and Mila deserves hazard pay for this medical assistant job, it's not her fault her patient keeps having to stop being a cat bed for a bit, she would very much appreciate if I stayed in bed for three days straight watching TV! will reblog with cat tax 😺) If not, then I think my plan is to ask my Tumblr followers what episodes they consider can't-miss, then marathon the Ally Beardsley episodes in airing order, then go check the notes on said post if I haven't bounced off the show yet. You gave me the idea by remarking on their transition.

Thank you!

(tomorrow I get to go pick up my first thing of weekly injections T! and then I have an appointment with a nurse that I'm dragging a housemate to so we both learn how to do the thing! the gel keeps being a sensory issue and apparently nobody makes daily patches anymore, so hopefully the weekly calendar item will mean I stop skipping doses without noticing)

It really varies? Some of the early seasons are 25m, the later seasons tend to be 30-45m.

Some of the older seasons are on YouTube as well.

Mostly, Game Changer episodes that aren't part X can be watched in any order, though I recommend watching them in order as much as you can bc they do have some through-lines in terms of recurring jokes - just bc that's how friends work.

💗

[nerdyvocals]

Final round of episode quotes as @look-at-those-niceass-rocks and I finished our final watch party. Once again, the cast and crew are in the house, so @saveourpinks, please enjoy. (You can find previous posts with more unhinged quotes here and here)

Honorable mention from before we actually started, them waking their husband up with: wake up, it's time for me to see gay shit

Second honorable mention, a conversation had while I struggled with my audio: Them: I tried to show [Husband] Merely Players last night but he was too tired Me: I can't believe your husband is homophobic Them: I AGREE Husband, distantly: I don't deserve this!

(about Buddy) God his shoulders, he's built like a Dorito

(this is specifically in reference to episode 8 but honestly, this was said multiple times throughout our watching) Me: WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH COMMUNISM??? Them: It's the 50s! If it ain't American, it's communist!

Me: I love that Buddy's dad's name is Dick Them: It was a choice

(In reference to Blandiels) He makes me SO uncomfortable. Like I know that that's the point but he's so slimy-NO NO STOP, STOP KISSING HER, FUCK-!

(roughly three minutes of us screaming over Lydia's Woman Scorned (tm) dress, followed by another three minutes of us laughing at the faces everyone was making when I pause the video)

(about Susan's mom) Me: Heinous fucking bitch Them: What. A raging. CUNT.

(after we both spent a Hot Minute thirsting over Cynthia dancing on the car) Them: I talk a big game but if I was within five feet of this person, I would be just staring and stammering Husband, distantly: We know honey Them: SHUT UP

(both of us wheezing over CGI!Richie)

Cops: *show up* Us: *John Mulaney voice* SCATTER

Them: NOT THE LINE I'VE LOST THE ONE I LOVE THE MOST AS SHE PICKS UP OLIVIA'S JACKET Me: They are simply In Love

Them: He's gonna do something stupid, I can feel it. Me: You don't know the half of it! Them: He's gonna propose to a teenager! (okay maybe they do know the half of it, fuckin' prophet)

Me: *reading off episode titles as it starts storming where I am* And this one is called You're Dropping Out of Rydell- thank you dramatic thunder???

(honorable mention, me being unable to tell what was real thunder and what was from the episode)

Them: I'm not emotionally ready for this Me: Me neither and I've seen it like eight times already

Nancy: *dramatic exit* Them: She's so dramatic and I respect her and only her

Me: I love you singing along to a theme song with no lyrics Them: Sometimes I just gotta make funky little noises!

(About Nicholson) I am going to break that man's ball sack with a driver.

Them: It's giving pouty little bitch Me: Which one? (referring to Buddy and his dad) Them: Yes

Cynthia: *walks in in Richie's Jacket* Me: Hello my name is Single and Gay Them: I am not single but I am gay and I think... I don't think, I have no thoughts, head empty

(About McGee, then the scene transitions to Daniels) Them: The only adult in this school I respect- I AM GOING TO KILL HIM WITH MY BARE HANDS! Me, wheezing: What about your human hands? Them: THOSE TOO

(said in the most disgusted voice I've ever heard) Of course he likes Walt Whitman

Them: [Husband], I'm killing the pedophile, wanna help? Husband: Let's be honest, do you really need my help? Them: Someone's gotta drive the car.

Them: "Feelings central?" I bet you were feeling sensual when you were making out with Olivia-LYDIA on your couch earlier Me: ...You good there? Them: The names are too close

(Face to Face begins) Ah, dramatic acapella is my gender

Me: Once again, love how much you hate Buddy Them: He's had so many chances to earn my respect and he has done nothing!

Guardian Demon: *appears* Them: What. The fuck. Is happening? Me: BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT BABEY

(@ Buddy) Them: He's not a total ding-dong. Just like 80% Me: He did just thank her (Susan) for having sex with him Them: ...85%

(About the Red Sox analogy) Cynthia giving me Gender Euphoria with one sentence

Nancy: *talking about love stories, mentions Shy Guy* Both of us: *Cackling at the full-body never mind Cynthia does*

Nancy: Tell anyone of my vulnerable nature and I will deny it until the day I die! Them: FUCKING MOOD like I know I was literally also just crying but we're gonna move past that, I'm a bad bitch again

Me: Finale time! Any thought or predictions before we get started? Them: Leonard gets arrested and as he's being taken away, he gets hit by a semi truck- Me: What is this, Mean Girls??? Them: Yes! McGee punches the principal in the face and defeats him in blood combat and cements her place as principal- Me: *slowly dissolving into horrified laughter* Them: Cynthia gets to kiss Lydia again, which is all I really need to be happy, and terrifying CGI Richie comes back and does the Macarena! Me: *can't start the episode for five minutes because I'm laughing too hard*

(Ten seconds in) PAUSE THIS I HAVE BEEF THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY OF GETTING MARRIED THAT QUICKLY IN A CATHOLIC CHURCH

(after rant) Me: Yeah but the tensions wouldn't be as high if they had six months to stop the wedding! Them: ...there are two wolves inside of me, one says valid, and one is formerly Catholic and Upsetti

Me: I want a shirt that says "I have two wolves inside of me, one of them is Catholic" and nothing else Them: *WHEEZE*

Cynthia: He's just. Some guy. Both of us, in sync: HIT HIM WITH YOUR CAR

"Old Soul" is groomer for "Fuckable"

(@ Gil climbing in through the window) Me: On the one hand, I'd fold, on the other? Terrifying! Them: YES! Me: Although I guess if I had the rapport with someone that they have?? Maybe?? Like good in media, bad in real life. Them: Gil? Yes, absolutely. Edward Cullen? Fuck no! The two genres of climbing through my window

(after the drag race) YET ANOTHER THING BUDDY DID NOT EARN

Me: Hey, do you have tissues? Them (afraid): ...should I get some??? Me: Maybe Them: I don't think I have any in the house??? Me: Ah! You're fucked!

*ten minute interlude of us crying over the Coming Out Scene, discussing what it means to both of us, and how furious we are of future generations not getting to see the best queer rep of our lifetimes if this show doesn't get saved. On that note, sign the petition if you haven't already.*

THEY STARTED BY STEALING A CAR THEY WILL SAVE THE FRIENDSHIP BY STEALING A CAR

Oh someone please hit hi- YESSSSS!!!

(at the start of All In) Me: She (Cynthia) is going to cry Them: I'm going to cry Me: I'm already crying

Me: Lydia is stronger than I am I would already be on my knees. (note I use a cane and sometimes a wheelchair, if I am on my knees I Will Not be Getting Up)

Me: Hopelessly Devoted walked so this song could fucking run Them: I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THE SAME THING

Pink Ladies: *Offer Hazel a jacket* Them: *aggressively close to the mic* That sounds very gay I'm in

Them: I cannot take my eyes off Jane. Like they are all very beautiful right now but there's something about her- Me: It's the bisexual energy Them: ...Dammit, you're right

Rizzo: We'll start our own gang! Them: With blackjack and hookers!

(Introduction of Frankie Zuko) Them: I'm sorry, HUH???

(As credits roll) Me: So, how we feelin'? Them: Normal, I am so normal, I am feeling so fucking normal about this. Me: Thoughts? Them: *incoherent screaming*

We had some much fun doing these, we decided to keep a quotes list for more movie nights. Next up, Julie and the Phantoms!

[theflannelwizard]

PLEASE. gimme your scout thoughts NAOOOWW GIMME GIMME GIMMEE

THIS IS THE BEST ASK ANYONE HAS EVER SENT ME. Buckle up cause I have a LOT of Scout thoughts. Some of these are supported by canon and some of them are just random ass headcanons but fuck it we ball. Under a read more cause it is gonna get long.

The more he brags about something, the more insecure he is about it. To me he reads as deeply in need of validation and when he's out here flexing and talking about how hot he is it's largely in hopes that someone will agree for once.

That said I don't think the ego is entirely an act. He does think he's hot shit. He just ALSO really really really needs to hear someone else say it cause he's starved for affection.

Not to be a scoutpauling enjoyer on main but I think he calls her all the time for no reason. Calls her to tell her a joke he thought of or to brag about whatever he's just done or to awkwardly ask how she's doing and then say "yeah, me too" no matter how she responds. And she's usually too busy to really engage him but she wouldn't pick up if she didn't want him calling. And she does usually pick up.

Middle school dropout. I do buy into him being dyslexic but I also think he just isn't very educated. It was more important to get a damn job. His family is huge, his mom is single, and I am no longer certain whether I'm joking when I say Spy didn't pay child support.

I think he calls Medic 'Ma' sometimes and it started 100% as a joke, like when teenagers call their teacher 'Mom' on purpose, but now it's just Something He Does.

Sometimes I see people write him and Soldier as not getting along and I totally get where that's coming from but it's not my truth. To me they are best friends who chase each other around the base with BB guns and make campfire food and root beer floats together and get too hyped for the 4th of July (Soldier likes the America of it all, Scout likes the candy and fireworks, they both like American marching band music) and like. They have fun together. They egg each other on.

Blinks in photos. Every. Single. Time.

He claims he’s good at cleaning but he is not. If you ask him to wash dishes he will rinse them, if you ask him to sweep or mop he will not do anymore than makes the place Look clean at surface level, etc etc. He’s the same way with cleaning himself. He counts rain as a shower and swimming pools as baths.

The exception to that rule is his ma and Miss Pauling, he cleans up pretty nice for them. They're also the only people he'll wear a suit for.

If he knew Spy was his dad he would be mad about it. He would not call him Dad. He would probably try to use it for comedy but not because he actually thinks it's funny, just cause he uses humor to cope. And uhhh he would go from "that guy's a prick" to "that guy ruined my life and I am never speaking to him again." sorry for not thinking he would forgive and forget right away but he deserves to be angry at least at first.

Speaking of. I think the scoutpauling and spydad dynamic is so funny. Imagine you're the spy and you abandoned your son as a toddler and then not only does said son end up back in your life as your obnoxious ass coworker but he's dating your boss. And he complains to your boss about how hard his life was growing up fatherless. And your boss knows you're the deadbeat dad her boyfriend got fucked over by. I would be SWEATING.

This man LOVES comic books but he skips over big chunks of text and words that take too long to sound out. When that happens he just infers from the pictures what’s going on. Secretly he really wants someone to read his comic books aloud to him and do silly voices and help him get better at spelling/phonics but he would NEVER ask. He’s not a little kid anymore, he doesn’t need to be treated like one.

I think sometimes he flat out refuses to take his shirt off for anything and when this happens it is always because he’s been bleeding so heavily from his chest, back, or side that his shirt dried into the scab and now it would hurt like hell if he tore it off. However this is also the only time that anyone actually encourages him to take his shirt off because nobody cares about his abs and shoulders but they do care a little about making sure he doesn’t get super infected and die.

Swears he isn’t scared of escalators but that’s a lie, he thinks he’s gonna trip and get shredded.

Not licensed to drive but knows how. His driving is insane off roads, people die if they get in a car with him off roads, but when he's on a road he actually drives very well cause he knows he can't afford to get pulled over. A cop sees him speeding and suddenly he's being taken in for countless charges of murder and possession of illegal firearms and who knows what else.

And of course, he hates the Mets and the Yankees <3

[terrible-titles]

A Hodepodge of Older Shows to Watch During the Strike

We support the writer’s strike here, and in a Culture of New, TV execs are going to use the “impact” to currently running shows in order to try to shift your support to them. But here in Tumblr we have revived century-old novels and put them firmly in the mainstream by having a Tumblr-wide bookclub, so I think we can do the same to older shows--not only to keep ourselves entertained, but to remind us all why writers are so important to begin with. Now that AI is coming dangerously close to replacing writers’ work (and is indeed one of the issues the writers are striking over), I think it’s important to remember that our favorite lines (one of mine is “Everything is confetti” from Haunting of Hill House) couldn’t have happened without a writer creating and then fighting for it. Writers deserve healthy workplaces, fair compensation, and recognition for their talent.

Disclaimers: 1. As with all shows, but especially older ones, there will be problematic content. 2. I will try to avoid obvious recs that still have an active fanbase like Star Trek or Buffy, but I don’t have my finger on the pulse of pop culture so maybe I rec something that’s still pretty popular and I don’t realize it. I’m also not necessarily going for “obscure” or “you’ve never heard of this,” but just shows people might have overlooked. Yes, I’m from the US (sorry!) and yes, I would love to hear from non-US people about the best shows from your country that I’m missing out on! Please feel free to reblog and add your favorites to this!   3. Maybe my taste doesn’t align with yours and you disagree. Maybe I missed something because I didn’t want this to be 500 pages long. That’s fine! Again, reblog with your own recs. The more, the better! 4. Genres are weird. I tried. 5. I chose not to add where you could find these series because it can vary country to country, but if all else fails, check your local library’s media collection! (And if that fails, you might sail the seas...) 6. Please be cool... please. 

Comedies

Better Off Ted (2009, 2 seasons) A workplace comedy in an evil corporation. Perfect for fans of The Office or Arrested Development. Happy Endings (2011, 3 seasons) It’s like if Friends was just every so slightly more diverse. Takes place in Chicago, which is cool.

M*A*S*H (1972, 11 seasons) You’ve probably heard of this comedy/drama that stars cultural icon Alan Alda as a cynical army medic just trying to survive the Korean War, but have you watched it yet? You should.

NewsRadio (1995, 5 seasons) A workplace comedy in a news radio station starring Phil Hartman. A less cringy Office and a less sophisticated Frasier. Vicar of Dibley (1994, 3 series + specials) Dawn French plays the first-ever female vicar in a small English village. Watch out for an utterly amazing Spice Girls reference and Richard Armitage. Keeping Up Appearances (1990, 5 series) A British woman from a lower class family attempts to social climb to predictably hilarious results. Was apparently one of the Queen Mother’s favorite shows though I can’t for the life of me figure out what she got from it.

You’re the Worst (2014, 5 seasons) Just two really toxic people in a relationship trying to make it work. Definitely has dramatic undertones in addition to being pretty funny.

Side note: If you like comedy, get a subscription to Dropout TV. I’m not a shill. Nobody’s paying me to say this. I just really love it and they’re a great company to support.  Science Fiction/Supernatural

Babylon 5 (1994, 5 seasons) Was Deep Space Nine your favorite Star Trek series? Watch this. (Watch it even if it wasn’t.)

Sliders (1995, 5 seasons) An updated Quantum Leap. Jerry O’Connell and John Rhys-Davies star. A couple of scientists and their unfortunate friends are stuck sliding between alternate universes trying to find their way home.

Wynonna Earp (2016, 4 seasons) The great-great granddaughter of Wyatt Earp is tasked with sending reincarnated outlaws back to Hell. Often called the spiritual successor to Buffy, this is a real campy adventure in the Wild West and everything Supernatural wished it could be. 

Lost Girl (2010, 5 seasons) This show is about a bisexual succubus named Bo. I don’t know what else you need to watch this.

Drama

The Darling Buds of May (1991, 3 series) The British Little House on the Prairie if Pa were a con man you like to root for. An early Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as the oldest daughter who kidnaps and marries a tax inspector in order to avoid paying taxes. Incredible. Icon.  

Midsomer Murders (1997, 24+ series) Technically, this one is still going (and I’m sure everyone’s heard of it), but there’s so many back episodes to get through, I still feel okay recommending it because it’s great for binge-watching when you’re sick. You’ll never run out of episodes. Cozy murder mysteries that take place in England’s most deadly village. Joyce deserves better.

In the Heat of the Night (1988, 7 seasons + films) A crime procedural in the Deep South in the US, a big city Black detective is hired as the head detective in a small town in rural Mississippi. Progressive (for its time), this show dealt with racial issues, police corruption, poverty, and more.

Six Feet Under (2001, 5 seasons) Two brothers work together to run the family business, a funeral home, in the wake of their father’s death. The show’s finale is considered one of the greatest of all time, so you can go in having confidence in a satisfying conclusion.

Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Rome (2005, 2 seasons) A collaboration between HBO and BBC, one of the most expensive series of its time. Has so many incredible character actors. You will constantly be on your phone asking where you recognize That Guy from. Polly Walker was instrumental in my discovering my sexuality. 

Xena: Warrior Princess (1995, 6 seasons) Okay, I know this is another popular one, but it also feels like a show people have heard of and never watched, so this is your reminder to do so. Brideshead Revisited (1981, 1 series) British schoolboys doing what schoolboys do best (falling in love with each other). Adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel by the same name. Galavant (2015, 2 seasons) Hilarious musical comedy about a downtrodden knight trying to rescue his girlfriend from King Richard, even though she is actually pretty happy being Queen. Catchiest theme ever. SUPPORT WRITERS.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 28/09/2024 (Alex Warren)

For a fifth week, Sabrina Carpenter remains at #1 with “Taste” - it’s been there since release, and shows no real sign of decline. I suppose time will tell, but for now, welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, G-Eazy

Rundown

This is a pretty slow week, and if Alex Warren having the biggest debut doesn’t tell you that, everything else should, but that doesn’t mean nothing happened and of course, we start as always with our notable dropouts, songs exiting the UK Top 75 - which is what I cover - after a peak in the top 40 or five weeks within the covered region. This week, we bid a fair adieu to, firstly, a couple songs that really did not kick off and are gone really early like “ALL RED” by Playboi Carti after just a week in the top 40, “Moi” by Central Cee and RAYE, “Nobody’s Soldier” by Hozier and “Pretty Slowly” by Benson Boone, alongside two more seasoned hits in the form of “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone and, thank the heavens, “I Don’t Wanna Wait” by David Guetta and the hacks over at OneRepublic. I have never once said my coverage is unbiased.

Apart from Ariana Grande’s “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” back at #74 and “i like the way you kiss me” by Artemas at #71, just creeping back up in a slow week, alongside Coldplay’s “Yellow” at #62, we don’t have many returns of note, so we can look towards the interesting and relatively significant gains for “KEEP UP” by Odetari at #51, kind of surprised that’s making it higher, “Close to You” by Gracie Abrams at #47, “Who” by Jimin at #40, “Diet Pepsi” by Addison Rae at #37, “Carry You Home” by Alex Warren at #32 thanks in part to the new song which we’ll talk about later and the album next week. Then we have “feelslikeimfallinginlove” by Coldplay at #32, “WILDFLOWER” by Billie Eilish at #23, “Embrace It” by Ndotz taking virality up to #20, and finally, “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan at #15.

And as for our top five, well, it’s mostly stagnant. Sure, at #5 and #4, “Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter swapped places with “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, but our top three stays still: “Espresso” by Sabrina at #3, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan at #2 and of course, “Taste” at #1. Now to run through our batch of new songs, a small but really mixed bag here, starting with:

New Entries

#73 - “I Only Smoke When I Drink” - nimino

Produced by nimino

Alright, I’ll bite: who the Hell is nimino? And perhaps more importantly, does it matter? This is a woozy, bordering on fuzzy and lo-fi, spin on a house tune from a producer based in London who has been active since at leasst 2018 in EDM but hadn’t broken out with a big single until now. Firstly, here’s a way of telling if someone is more of a real deal bedroom producer finally getting a deserved break instead of an opportunist TikTok viral moment: this is a bit of a deep cut of a sample, isn’t it? R&B singer Rayana Jay released her song “Hangover” in 2019, it’s a smooth jam with just barely over a million streams on Spotify and a post-success feature from G-Eazy alongside the much more unknown and definitely much more talented Beni Moun. It’s not something that stands out to me, but is a cute enough song that closes her album - it’s rough to finish your record with a G-Eazy feature, though. It stood out to nimino though! He takes not the chorus but the opening line I wouldn’t think twice about to make the titular hook, turning it into a mantra unrecognisable from its original context.

This new song has flittering percussion and synths similar to a Fred again.. track alongside the filtered, more typical house drums which all eventually collide into a louder, almost overwhelming melodic blend against the original cooed hook. The main synth may be too loud, actually, but it phases in very well into a chirpy rhythm that really reminds me of the late 2010s with the cute vocal sound effects and one-offs like the kid laughing, the shuttered future bass-esque synth and nice little percussive percs that show a level of detail to the production here. The sound design is top-notch, the drop is not one-note as the second time around, we get a much more filtered rendition that renders everything into pitch-shifted fragments and even new elements from the original sample coming in, before a final lead-up to what seems like a crescendo amongst 2-step drums… and it just doesn’t arrive, which in this case is genuinely disappointing, because the potential is there for a longer song and really impactful third drop. For what it is, though, it still exceeds my expectations greatly and is a neat, fun little jam I wouldn’t be against seeing chart for a few weeks longer. I believe this is what the kids are calling “stutter house” but I may also need to check out more of nimino’s other work to see what he’s been up to outside of this viral hit, and also to see if he ultimately fits into that genre or, like many EDM DJs nowadays, is a jack of all trades. I feel like his late-summer, wavy sound will fit into many different styles. For now, I recommend this… and not really the song it came from.

#72 - “TEFLON DON” - Future

Produced by Southside, Topp, Peeb, MoXart Beatz, London on da Track and Desro

So, Future dropped an album. Or mixtape. Or album called mixtape. Either way you shake it, it does not seem like this drop will make as strong a wave of his duo of collaborative projects with producer Metro Boomin, primarily because of how there are no features, and it’s an overall rawer project that spends most of its time in and out of short, hard beats with a lot of decadence and deviance from the main affair and no-one else. Given its shorter length, the lack of other voices does not really lead to it dragging as you’d expect, and outside of other long-time collaborators Wheezy and Southside, there aren’t many recurring producers, and a lot of beats have varied contributions from several. There’s a snappier and more diverse palette of instrumentals than you could have expected as a result. However, that doesn’t translate to sales, and this album debuted at #11 on the UK Albums Chart, with only one song charting - I didn’t expect to discuss MIXTAPE PLUTO at all but I’m sure the last-minute music video helped matters, though it’s also the opener - I assume many tapped out after realising there wouldn’t be any guest stars, but Pluto does hold the tape well on his own. This has a hard trap beat, some operatic textures, and splintering production amongst the other alien loops that find themselves in his mix serving one verse from Future, comparing himself to John Gotti like many a rapper before him and not saying much of interest. Why do I prefer this to many other trap bangers? It’s simple: firstly, the beat has a genuine dark menace with the vocals and strings, but mostly because of Future, whose relentless flow locks him into falsetto vocal cracks and nonsensical ad-libs that add so much more character to this track than needs be. It’s far from my ultimate favourites on the album - “SURFING A TSUNAMI” and “LOST MY DOG” are what I recommend - but it’s a fair opener that primes you into exactly what you’d expect from a decent trap solo tape from the king of the genre.

#70 - “S P E Y S I D E” - Bon Iver

Produced by Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack

Sure, Bon Iver. We’re just doing whatever the fuck this week anyway, it appears, so why not Bon Iver? Ostensibly an indie folk band around since the 2000s, the catalogue of which I’m admittedly not familiar, Bon Iver is synonymous with its lead songwriter and vocalist, Justin Vernon, who will often use the name when in collaboration with bigger acts like Ye, Taylor Swift and Travis Scott, with the Bon Iver albums themselves also increasingly using outside collaborators, making the name feel closer to, say, Tame Impala, even if they’re yet to be that level of one-man band, though they started out as such initially. It doesn’t appear that any of the band actually play on this one, though, with pop producers Jim-E Stack and BJ Burton helping out for a lead single I also did not expect to chart at all this week.

He has - or they have - got an EP coming out and interestingly, this has less of the folktronica, art pop and R&B influences Vernon has been messing around with for the past decade now, instead going for a stripped-back, conventional singer-songwriter track with some great acoustic guitar playing from Mr. Iver, alongside a falsetto vocal that I have always struggled to distinguish from James Blake if I’m honest, especially since I usually hear him in a poppier context. There’s not even a chorus here, but there is a delightful swell of strings jumpstarted by a floaty, almost flippant falsetto chirp from Vernon, though that same swell has a certain melancholy to it, fittingly when there’s a great deal of despair in the content. Vernon begs at the end of the song for him to be made a man from what’s left of his life, one that he acknowledges as full of mistakes, nothing like how he’d have hoped. He starts to enter the stage of sobering up, realising what’s been wrong by the tail-end, but that’s only after moping about self-sabotage for so long that actually articulating what the problem is seems unnecessary. The last verse’s last glint of hope is not a plea for fixing, but more a rearrangement: he barely even resembles the man he’s supposed, so with whatever remains, make a new one. It’s a sombre ballad, it won’t last on the charts, and there isn’t a particular moment that really resonates with me like a specifically poetic turn of phrase or vocal inflection: there’s little to the song over than vocal, guitar and strings, so it’s not very layered in that front. There’s something missing that prevents me from gravitating to it in a specific sense, outside of the context of the tracks it will be sandwiched between, but it’s a powerful vocal, pleaant listen and downright earnest song that deserves well enough to be here.

#66 - “Heavy is the Crown” - Linkin Park

Produced by Mike Shinoda

Well, I suppose with all the controversy floating around, you’d want to move quickly and release some good songs to shut everyone complaining up, right? Well, potentially, that method will work - given the YouTube comments and the tour on the way, with pretty much guaranteed sales, I don’t doubt it will. It won’t work on me, though, primarily because this song sucks. I liked “The Emptiness Machine”, but this feels pretty transparent in its approach: let’s recreate “Faint”. From their 2003 album Meteora, the single starts with an eerie strings sample before dropping into the distorted guitars and a jungle-adjacent drum sound, as co-lead Mike Shinoda raps slightly awkwardly with his characteristic digital stutter, before Chester Bennington crashes in for not just the anthemic chorus but a guttural screech for the bridge. It peaked at #15, but this isn’t a direct sample, instead just a very similarly-structured song which could be a decent thematic song, but it feels a tad lazy when Shinoda is referencing his own rhyme schemes and newly-hired Emily Armstrong also does a long scream in reference to Chester’s iconic one from “Given Up” that really just does not hit the same: technically impressive, but it doesn’t feel as “real”, especially with all the electronic, reverb-heavy production that has flattened this song in terms of having the impact it wants to, including that gross Auto-Tune pre-chorus and the unnecessary echoing. More than actually creating new and interesting music with their new members, this song feels more like a corporate-requested Linkin Park compilation of revisited ideas in a song that’s not even three minutes, squashed into some promo link with League of Legends. Yes, really. I appreciate that since they’re in a genre where sounding like you care is kind of required, they can’t go fully into autopilot, but this has erased some of my hopes for that new album, given this is completely a retread, very transparently, and nothing else.

#35 - “Burning Down” - Alex Warren

Produced by Adam Yaron

You know the stomp-rock revival is really coming to a head when we’re giving Alex Warren, who barely really has the one hit with “Carry You Home”, a serviceable folk-pop tune but nothing special or distinct, a second hit… and an album this week! Maybe we’ll see how that does to see if he can join Noah Kahan in being the figureheads for a really unexpected turn in pop - rock? - music, but for now, he’s got a new single to promote it, it’s debuting over trap legend Future on one of his many peak runs, a Bon Iver lead single, and megastar band Linkin Park’s video game crossover marketing launch, so there must be something to it. There must be. There’s not. Okay, I suppose, the gospel organs are a tad unique, even if it’s moreso just bringing the Christian imagery that’s often subtext in folk songs to a more explicit angle, reflected in the choral vocals and a tone from Warren that resembles David Kushner - yikes - over a dark atmosphere leading into the song that completely flails into a swinging tune by the time the chorus hits. It’s a nasty post-breakup piss-off, but it’s not fully unlikeable given the smug tone has some more genuine drama, with the backing vocals doing a lot of heavy work there, and the chorus being genuinely catchy helping a great deal too. I do find Warren’s vocals here actually pretty shit, generally, he sounds dull on the verses and I have no idea what emotion he’s trying to convey the rest of the time, not sure he does either. In fact, given the mediocre writing that doesn’t really give much detail, he’s the weakest link in a song that sounds more professional than the breakout track, but also in a variation of this genre I don’t have much patience for. It’s once again serviceable, and I appreciate that there is much more character to this than “Carry You Home”. The problem is that I don’t really like that character, and whilst it’s not as immature as a Benson Boone, at least he sells that unlikeability factor in a really uniquely stressful way. This is just unremarkable.

Conclusion

That word does tend to summarise the week, both chart-wise and with the quality of these songs, though most of them remain on a pretty positive edge of the spectrum. nimino, whoever that is, grabs Best of the Week for “I Only Smoke When I Drink”, with Bon Iver just cutting Future off for the Honourable Mention with “S P E Y S I D E” - if it were another track, he could have ran away with it. I can only give one bad title here, Worst of the Week to Linkin Park’s “Heavy is the Crown”, but it’s not as offensively bad as much as it just being utterly see-through. As for what’s on the horizon, expect Kylie Minogue and JADE to land their new bops onto the chart, then maybe something from Alex Warren and Lady Gaga’s soundtrack companion album… and then The Weeknd and Playboi Carti following up their faltering singles with an immediate collab that will probably debut pretty high. I can’t say I’m excited for all of that, but we’re entering the end of the year, with just two months of non-Christmas chart-reviewing, so I suppose we’ll have to see. For now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy and I’ll see you next week!

[dropout-if]

hi izzy!! i’m not sure if you’re still doing the emoji asks hehe but can i ask for 🖍️🌈🌪️🌠☄️ for all the ros please?? thank you <3

Hi Nikka~ I'm still doing them yep🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️ I was looking forward to someone asking a few of those ty💕

🖍️ CRAYON - what advice would you give to them?

Generally, I'd tell everyone to see a therapist (I'm very tough-love-approach when it comes to giving advice so picture me saying all this menacingly).

Jade/Jean- it's okay to not be perfect, it's okay to not be needed.

Uma- your pain is valid but so is everyone else's. You should communicate more openly.

Statler- take a break. You deserve it.

Wanda- you think everything is dandy, but ignoring your problems doesn't make them disappear.

Kai- eat your veggies. Please. Take better care of yourself.

Travis- sometimes it's better to talk things out instead of bottling it all up.

🌈 RAINBOW - what advice would they give to their younger self?

Jade/Jean- “Don't be afraid to take risks and follow your dreams. Trust yourself more and remember that setbacks are just opportunities to grow stronger. And don't forget to cherish the moments with loved ones along the way.”

Uma- “Explore your creativity fearlessly. Don't worry too much about what others think. Embrace your uniqueness and let your heart guide you. Your journey is your own, and it's worth every twist and turn.”

Statler- (they're the kind of person who gives advice but doesn't really apply it to themself) “Don't be afraid to express your feelings and show vulnerability. People value your compassion and support.”

Wanda- “Don't be so trusting of people who promise you the world. Be safe. Love yourself. Take chances, have fun, and don't be afraid to express yourself. Follow your passions and let your infectious energy inspire those around you.”

Kai- “Be more confident. Care less about what people think. It's okay to be different and march to your own beat. Embrace your curiosity and dive deep into your interests.”

Travis- “Trust in your intelligence and your ability to achieve your goals. Focus on your long-term vision and don't get too caught up in petty conflicts. Your determination will lead you to success.”

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

Jade/Jean- I think J has always been J in a way. They were the first character I created for dropout and I've always had their character very clear. There's one thing that's spoilery to say but I did change their main conflict.

Uma- wasn't a tattoo artist originally, just a struggling artist trying to get through life. Uma wouldn't really want a life in which they didn't work through art, so tattooing was a very fitting solution (I was also cleaning one of my tattoos when I thought of it lol).

Statler- has probably changed the most? They used to be very stuck up and unkind they were honestly a little annoying to write? Their high school version retains some of those qualities but I like this self-sacrificing version of Statler much more.

Wanda- Gabi's dad was an important character in Wanda's plot but to my own daddy issues I completely erased him from existence lol.

Kai- wasn't originally into the whole sleeping around thing lol. They completely rejected people, even the idea of friendship. Kai atm is much more approachable, they want to be around people (but not too much).

Travis- there used to be no grievances between Travis and MC. He was the third best friend but as I developed his backstory... things changed. It's made his entire disposition towards MC generally more angry.

🌠 SHOOTING STAR - if they could make any wish with no repercussions, what wish would they make?

Jade/Jean- unparalleled success and recognition. Also enough motivation to finish their book.

Uma- inspiration to finally create a painting worthy of being in an art gallery.

Statler- world peace + the ability to heal and bring happiness to those they care about.

Wanda- to change the past.

Kai- to travel the entire world for the rest of their life.

Travis- complete control over his own destiny and the ability to shape the future.

☄️ COMET - what do people assume about them? are they right?

Jade/Jean- J is always confident and has their life together. It is accurate to an extent. While J exudes confidence, they also struggle with their own insecurities, moods, and past regrets.

Uma- people often see Uma as carefree/careless and aloof. Uma is indeed a little serious toward strangers, but this is not the case with their friends. They also have a deep emotional complexity beneath their carefree exterior.

Statler- their life is perfect, as Statler themself is perfect. People also assume Statler is always the dependable and caring friend. They are most definitely not perfect, nor they have had the perfect life. Statler's caring nature is genuine, but they also grapple with their own challenges, including Noir.

Wanda- people tend to think Wanda is careless and naive due to her bubbly/vibrant personality. Wanda generally portrays a positive disposition, but she faces her own struggles as a single mother and has her own set of concerns.

Kai- a carefree fuckgirl/boy who doesn't seem to care about anything or anyone but themself. In reality, Kai's adventurous spirit hides deeper emotions, and their relationships have more depth than meets the eye.

Travis- people assume Travis is cold and unforgiving. Though they are partly right (he is somewhat spiteful) Travis' thought process is a little more complicated than that.

[shizucheese]

Hey Dropout, I normally support what you guys do, but please, please listen to what your Jewish fans are saying to you.

I've seen way too many incidents when I've seen people criticizing "Zionisits" where those so called "Zionists" are Jewish people who, as it turns out, think what's happening in Gaza is awful and believe that Palestine deserves statehood, or who otherwise hold views that people have no problem with from non-Jews.

See also: people who were against the idea of Josh Shapiro as Kamala Harris's running mate, but are big fans of Tim Walz, even though the two of them hold the same stance on Israel, and the only difference is one is Jewish.

"Zionist," more often than not, is an antisemitic dogwhistle. Replace the word "Zionist" with "Jew" and then see if you sound like a Nazi. And I'll be honest, it sounds like that's what happened here. Because to me it seems you had a Jewish person (or more than one Jewish person) on your platform, and now they're upset that you're platforming "Zionists," when either what they really mean is "Jew," or they just assume all Jewish people are "Zionists."

For you to then make the statement you have, without at all calling out the antisemitism of the situation, sends a very loud message to your Jewish fans that Dropout is not a safe space for them.

You're so good about listening to people when a slur accidentally ends up in the script of Breaking News, or in a comedy special. Now you need to listen to your Jewish fans who are speaking up.

Please do better.

🍉🍉🍉

Additional resources to support the people of Palestine:

Demand a Ceasefire in Gaza

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund

UNRWA

UNICEF

Gaza eSims

[undercoveravenger]

Glass Ceilings

Pairing: Actor!Hamish Duke x Male!Reader

Requested: Yes

Original Request: “Hi for the fairy tale au could you do a Cinderella kinda story where he has a bad family but then against their wishes he goes to a party and meets the famous actor and singer hamish duke and they fall for each other”

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

Hamish Duke hated parties.

Well, that wasn’t really true; he didn’t hate all parties, just the galas his mother threw to raise money for one charity or another. Hamish really didn’t mind that the parties benefitted charities, but he didn’t like the way that the wealthy people who attended them used them as an excuse to show off just how much better than everyone else they thought they were.

He would avoid them if he could, but with his newly-found fame brought on by a lucky break in the entertainment industry, his mother had started dragging him along to all of her over-the-top events since she thought that her son’s fame would drive up attendance.

Of course, she had been right about that, but that also meant that Hamish spent the duration of each of the grand balls hosted in his family’s manor being mobbed by people that were far too old and had been married far too long for him to feel comfortable dancing with them.

It was one such night and Hamish had only narrowly escaped the clutches of Mrs. Smith, a wizened old woman with beady green eyes who always dug her overly-manicured nails into his shoulder when he danced with her the way an alley cat might sink its claws into a mouse, when he ran directly into one of the servers. The waiter’s tray tipped at the sudden impact, spilling champagne over them both.

(E/c) eyes widened almost comically behind the uniform black mask that all of the staff were wearing as he realized what he’d done. “I’m so sorry,” the waiter exclaimed, seeming torn between trying to wipe the champagne away with the decorative towel slung over his arm and being too nervous about ruining Hamish’s suit further to try. “Are you alright?”

Hamish chuckled, the first genuine laugh that had escaped him all night. He was nearly as surprised by the sound as the (h/c) that had accidentally assaulted him. “I’m fine. I’m tougher than I look,” he teased.

“Well,” The (h/c) started, “That’s good to hea-”

He was interrupted by the sound of an older woman shrieking, calling out loudly for someone to help her in the kitchen.

The server winced, panic flooding his otherwise beautiful (e/c) eyes, and Hamish felt the sudden urge to intervene. He peered over the crowd in an effort to track down the disgruntled woman before he reached out, taking the stranger’s wrist in his hand and gently tugging him along behind him until they’d made it out of the ballroom.

“Where are we going?” Hamish’s new companion asked, clearly confused. “I should really be getting back to work before my manager has a conniption.”

“Your manager, huh? Was that the lady that was yelling for you?” Hamish asked, curious what could possibly make someone work for someone who seemed so mean. “Why do you put up with her?”

The stranger nodded slowly, like he was afraid he’d give too much away. “I don’t really have a choice.”

“Really? Surely there’s better options out there,” Hamish protested, thinking back to the way the woman’s face had flushed red as she bellowed at her employees before the event had started.

He shrugged, tugging awkwardly at the sleeves of his jacket as he tried to focus on anything but the conversation. “She’s also my mother.”

Hamish stopped in his tracks, stunned. He turned to look at the former server with wide eyes, “Your mother…? How is someone as nice as you related to someone like that?!”

His companion huffed a light laugh and Hamish felt pleased that he’d been able to brighten his mood, “Well, technically she’s my step-mother, but she’s all I’ve got left and I can’t really pay for college without a job so…” He shrugged again, brows furrowing as a thought hit him, “Hey, you never said where we’re going?”

The blond grinned, tugging a fraying tapestry out of the way to reveal a hidden hallway. “Do you trust me?”

“I don’t even know your name,” he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest protectively.

“Well, that’s easy enough to fix,” Hamish grinned. “My name’s Hamish Duke. What’s yours?”

“(M/N),” he answered reflexively, eyes widening as he recognized the name. “Wait, Hamish Duke? Like the actor? Like the son of the lady hosting the party?”

Hamish laughed, nodding. “Yes, just like that.”

“I’m dead.” (M/N) said resolutely. “I’m dead because my mom’s going to kill me when she realizes that I spilled champagne all over one of the most famous people in the state.”

The blond rolled his eyes, cocking his head toward the tunnel again, “You coming with me or are you on your way to the graveyard?”

“Very funny,” he started, cutting himself off as his step-mother’s voice echoed down the hallway. “I’m right behind you.” Hamish grinned, taking (M/N)’s hand in his and tugging him along the hidden path behind him.

--------

Moments passed in almost complete darkness and companionable silence as Hamish led you through the twists and turns of the hidden tunnel, until finally the two of you emerged out into a dimly lit room with the furniture pushed back and out of the way, leaving the center of the room bare.

“What is this place?” You asked quietly as Hamish released your hand and made his way to the center of the room.

He hummed his acknowledgement softly as he started to unbutton his suit jacket, tossing the wet garment aside and sprawling out on his back to look up at the ceiling. “Come join me?” he asked quietly.

You followed his gaze upward, breath catching in your throat as you realized what this room was meant to be. Instead of finding an ordinary ceiling the way any other room might have, the ceiling here towered above you in an arching dome made out of crystal clear glass, allowing the two of you a flawless view of the stars.

“Wow,” you breathed, edging forward to lay down beside him. “This is incredible.” “Yeah.” Hamish agreed, “Breathtaking.” You couldn’t bring yourself to check, but the weight of his gaze had you suspecting that he wasn’t talking about the stars. He remained quiet for a long moment before letting out a quiet sigh and beginning to speak, “I used to come here a lot when I was a kid. When my problems always felt so big and it seemed like that was all there was, I’d sneak up here and look up at the sky and it would remind me that there’s more to life than the moments you feel trapped.”

You hummed softly as you pondered his words. “It’s hard to imagine that someone like you could ever feel trapped,” you mused.

Hamish laughed, tipping his head toward you so he could look at you, “I wasn’t always an actor. I am a law-school dropout, y’know?”

Your brows furrowed incredulously as you turned to meet his eyes, “Really?”

Hamish nodded solemnly, ocean blue eyes glimmering in amusement, “Oh, definitely. I spent a lot of time up here after my father found out about that decision.”

You hesitated as you realized just how personal this observatory was to him, eventually forcing yourself to ask the question that had been weighing on you, “Why did you bring me here?”

“I’m not sure,” he said after a moment of thought. “Does it sound crazy if I say that it felt like I was meant to know you?”

You shook your head, turning back to face the glimmering stars. “No. I think things are meant to happen for a reason.” You huffed when your phone chimed in your pocket, wincing when you noticed your step-mom’s name as the contact before reading the text. “I have to go; the party’s ended and the staff has to leave. I’ll be lucky if I’m not fired when I get home.”

“Everything happens for a reason, huh?” Hamish murmured under his breath, eyes fixing on you determinedly as you pushed yourself back to your feet. “Hey, you said you only work for her to pay for college, right? What if I offered you a better job?”

Your brows furrowed as you turned back to look at Hamish, “What are you talking about?”

“Your stepmother? You only let her treat you like that because you need the money?” Hamish prompted, getting to his feet and moving to stand before you, “What if I make you a better offer?”

You smile but shake your head, getting ready to refute his questions.

Hamish pressed on, interrupting your line of thought, “I’ll give you ten thousand dollars if you agree to go on a date with me.”

Your heart stopped in your chest as you struggled to comprehend what Hamish had just told you, “Hamish, no. I can’t accept that-”

“Please,” he said, taking your hand gently in his. “You deserve so much better; give me a chance to give you that.”

As the clock began to chime midnight and the stars glimmered merrily through the shining glass ceiling, you leaned forward to kiss Hamish, resolving to yourself that, even though you weren’t going to take the money from him, this would not be the last time you saw him.

[dontmindifidontt]

EARLY MORNINGS AND OVERTIME | Nanami Kento x Reader JJK fanfic | Chapter 7: Crowd Pleaser

Pairing: Nanami Kento x Reader (fem, first person pov) Word count: 5339 Fic Summary: A smutty fic in which Nanami Kento brightens up the mundane, flour-dusted life a college dropout working in a bakery. Chapter Summary: A fancy work event with Nanami ends with a bang... Warnings: drinking, oral fem receiving, fingering, - 18+, minors dni.

Read on AO3. Masterlist. Please feel free to ask me to correct anything in the above info, this is my first fic and I want to be sure I’m following all fic-posting etiquette. Ty!

Nanami and I continue to fall into a new routine together. He comes in to the bakery every day for lunch, talking with me while he eats by the register and I work (or at least attempt to.) Friday nights are spent talking for hours over dinner and drinks, sometimes at his townhouse or usually in a dimly-lit restaurant, leaving only once we begin to feel guilty for staying too long. He's not hiding himself or limiting his conversations with me anymore, and it just feels good.

Despite it all though, I do still feel a lingering voice in the back of my head, telling me not to get too comfortable. My subconscience is frequently tapping on my mind, reminding me that I still don't have the full picture about Nanami's past, why he has to carry a weapon, or what he even uses it for. I can't help but think I deserve to know the full picture if we're going to be together. Doesn't he owe me that much?

Tuesday morning rolls around and I begin my day as usual, stocking the case by the register with the morning's freshly baked croissants, rolls, and desserts. The entirety of the store smells of sweet bread and I take a deep breath as I begin to brew myself a second coffee. The familiar aroma of the freshly ground beans adds to the scents swirling in my nose. It reminds me that as much as I complain of my early mornings and exhausting schedule, I always enjoy the way the shop activates all of my senses.

Right on cue Mei Mei bustles through the door to grab her latte, pausing to chat with me as she always does even when she's in a rush. Spilling the details about her not-unusually extravagant weekend, I smile and think to myself maybe today's the day. I've been truly enjoying myself with Nanami thus far and maybe Mei Mei's social wisdom can help me figure out how I want to move forward with the lingering uncertainties about our relationship.

"So, remember how you asked why I was so happy before? I may have lied when I said the only reason was a break from the heat in the AC..." I couldn't help but unleash my grin as I started to hint at the news.

"I KNEW IT!" she yells back, demanding I tell her everything.

I start at the beginning, describing the way he seemed to magically fix the pain in my wrist, took me to only the nicest places, how he caught me dancing in a wine-induced frenzy atop his own couch and the wonderful aftermath that followed, and the way I'm always excited to see him again.

I did, however, leave out his name. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to speak this into existence just that much yet... I still get nervous something will go wrong and I'll jinx something that really has to be too good to be true.

"So what's the catch?" Mei Mei asks me, eyebrows raised, "you look like you're holding something back."

Always able to see through me, I take a deep breath before I continue. I explain to Mei Mei the secrets he's holding from me, and the way that he seems to have some sort of super-human vision and has saved me from more than one undeniably scary situation. After I describe the look of his weapon along with what he said about his past experiences in some sort of 'security' role, her eyes widen and her lips purse closed. Although her mouth is closed shut her eyes look as if she knows something I don't, there's a look of recognition on her face.

"What?" I ask, shaken by her sudden and uncharacteristic silence.

"Nothing - I just realized I'm late!" she stammers out what I can clearly see is a bold-faced lie, and practically sprints out the door before I can question her.

Standing by the register, confused and alone, my mind begins to race as to what the hell is truly going on here. Are they both hiding something from me? Does she know something I don't?

I barely have time to gather my thoughts or ponder all of the what-ifs before I smell the scent of something burning in the kitchen. After spending more time than usual chatting with Mei Mei I completely missed the timer on the oven and have to start a new batch of rolls from scratch. Before I know it the lunch rush is arriving and my entire day is flying by.

Clocking out that afternoon, I take my time on my walk home. Blasting the music in my earbuds I stroll at a leisurely pace, trying to think over what happened this morning without panicking.

Deciding I need to stand up for myself and initiate a serious conversation with Nanami, I take out my phone and send him a simple but straightforward text.

I want to see you, there's some things I need to ask you.

Putting my phone back in my pocket, I think about all of our encounters over the past few weeks. Beyond our conversations, anytime we're not talking over dinner or lunch we're physically all over each other. Smiling to myself, I realize he and I have been playing a bit of a game with each other. Though originally unintentional, we've now made it a habit to constantly push each other to the limit sexually without actually having sex. It practically feels like a competition, working to see who can leave the other more breathless or delirious. Each time we're left satisfied and exhausted, but I think it's obvious to both of us this game won't last.

I can sense the hunger inside of him each time he grabs me, every time his hands roam up and down my body, and with every passing look in his longing glances my way. In the time we've known each other he's always been the one to initiate and that's how I've liked it so far. It's also kind of exciting to wonder and anticipate when the day will come that we take it all the way. I can feel it in my bones that no matter what type of conversation we have the next time I see him, we're bound to break out of our game of cat and mouse.

Checking my phone again as I walk in the door of my apartment, I still don't see a response from Nanami. I don't think much of it as he isn't always able to answer me quickly, so I set my phone aside to charge and begin to prep my dinner for the night.

By the time I get in to bed later that night I still hadn't heard back. I can't help but go to bed disappointed and begin overthinking and second guessing myself for everything that's happened today. I wonder if telling Mei Mei was a mistake, or if sending that text is suddenly scaring him away.

The next morning I go about the first half of my shift on autopilot, and am not totally surprised when Mei Mei doesn't show for her usual morning latte. I still had gotten no word from Nanami and I was beginning to feel an exhausting combination of restlessness and hopelessness. Why am I getting so worked up over one unanswered text?

Right as the lunch rush is winding down and most customers have left the store, the bakery's telephone rings. I answer with my usual cheery greeting, ready to answer questions about our hours or any specials we're serving this week.

"Hey, it's me." My eyes widen when I recognize the deep voice on the other end of the phone. "Are you alright? I haven't been able to get ahold of you on your cell."

I begin to stammer out a response that I'm fine and my there's nothing wrong with my phone as I quickly reach into my pocket. Unlocking my phone I realize sure enough I had never turned my phone off airplane mode after charging it last night - something I often turn on to make it charge faster. Pressing the palm of my hand against my forehead and I let out a sigh and lean against the counter of the work station.

"Yup, phone's fine, I just managed to leave it practically useless for nearly a day." I sigh once again and shake off all the nerves I felt for the last twelve or so hours, cursing myself for once again getting so worked up over nothing. I tap my screen to turn airplane mode off and watch as the notifications begin trickling in.

"Well I'm glad I got ahold of you because there's something I want to ask you too." I stand up straight and press the phone harder against my ear as if that'll make me hear what he has to say any clearer. I had nearly forgotten my last text to him asked for us to talk... that can wait.

"My work is having a fairly large event this weekend, black tie and all at a local venue that's attached to a new hotel that's owned by one of our investors. I want you there as my date."

I agree to this very fancy-sounding event taking place on Saturday night, realizing this means we'll not only be interacting with others as a couple for the first time, but also likely spending the night together for the first time as well. I gulp at the realization, trying not to let my nerves show through my voice on the phone.

"I want to treat you to a dress for the occasion, hell shoes and purse too if you want it," before I can object to the way too generous offer he continues, "pick out something I can rip off in an instant."

I start to tease that I'm pretty sure he could do that with just about any clothing I decide to wear, but his tone remains serious and completely genuine.

"The best part of having you as arm candy is how sweet you taste." I tense and look around, hoping no one can hear what's happening on the phone right now. I then begin to laugh at my paranoia, realizing no one in the store could ever get close enough to my space behind the register to be in earshot.

"Really?" I croon back, "And what makes you think I'll let you have a taste at this big fancy event of yours?"

"Because I know how to make you putty in my hands," is his cocky reply, "And I know I won't be able to control myself the second I see you."

I hold back a smile as I press the phone harder against my ear, shifting my weight back and forth between my feet.

"You better try, we will be in a crowded place you know..." I tease.

"You think that will stop us?" I can hear his smile in his response.

He continues to sweet (and dirty) talk me over the phone as I keep shifting my eyes between customers to make sure no ones catching on. Eventually someone steps over to the register to make a purchase and I have to hang up, trying not to giggle as I say goodbye. I can already tell Saturday night is going to be trouble.

Thursday rolls around and I still haven't bought a dress for Saturday's party, and I still haven't seen Mei Mei come in for coffee like usual. After some mental back-and-forth with myself, I decide to give her a call and ask if she'd like to come shopping with me tonight. She has never once turned down an offer to spend money. I chuckle to myself thinking about how happy she'll be to hear that I won't even be the one paying for my new ensemble...

Though she sounds less enthusiastic than normal when picking up the phone, Mei Mei's voice warms up when she realizes I'm asking to spend time with her out of a genuine place of friendship, and I can look past her awkward exit from the other morning. We agree to meet at the shopping plaza later tonight, and I'm truly looking forward to getting her opinion on what I imagine will be multiple outfit try-ons.

Arriving at the shops later that night, I meet Mei Mei by the entrance of one of the boutiques Nanami suggested I shop at - apparently he has a card on file that I can charge my selections to. Mei Mei appears to have a genuine smile on her face as I approach, and we immediately hug as I get within arms-length.

"I'm sorry I ran out of the shop earlier this week - I promise you did nothing wrong," she began to explain.

"Hey, don't worry about it," I assure her, "I'm just happy you're free now to help me shop!" Taking her arm in mine I walk us in to the store and make a beeline for the first dress that catches my eye. It's on the shorter side but it has beautiful lace sleeves and a v-neckline. I waste no time scooping it into the crook of my arm as Mei Mei lets go of me to grab another dress for me to try on as well.

Within moments we have a stack of six or seven dresses for me to choose from and make our way to the fitting rooms, though the fitting room area looks more like a second store than a line of stalls. There is ample space for walking past the endless mirrors, seating areas for guests like Mei Mei to watch the try-ons, and several staff members ready to make replacements or suggestions for any piece.

Beginning with the top of the pile, I try on the short, v-neckline dress with lace sleeves that initially caught my eye. I expected to like the dress much more than I actually did once I saw it on, and the scrunched nose Mei Mei makes in reaction to me stepping out of the dressing room is all the confirmation I need to swap to the next dress in the pile.

Next up is a classic Little Black Dress. I was reluctant to add a black dress to the pile, since I had already worn one on a date with Nanami before, but they are always a reliable choice. Pulling on the thin straps and loose, slip-like fit of this dress makes me feel sexy and confident, but ultimately I decide against it because it's not dressy enough.

This same pattern of pulling on dresses and showing them to a not-so-impressed Mei Mei continued for nearly every dress. Until the last one.

Taking it off the hanger and sliding it over my head, my eyes lit up in the mirror as I saw the way the dress rested across the curves of my body. It had one only one strap across my left shoulder, the fabric tugging across my chest from the right side, and it had a high slit going up my right leg. The single strap paired with the high slit on opposite sides of my body balanced out the fact that the dress was a bit on the revealing side, but the high quality silky material and bright pale pink color elevated its elegance. The waist of the dress was perfectly cinched without feeling too tight or constricting, something I often tried to avoid at all costs.

Stepping out of the dressing room towards Mei Mei, I see her eyes widen and smile spread across her face. "You HAVE to get that one! You have to!" Is all she can say in response to the gown.

Doing a twirl and a curtsy like a little kid, I giggle out of sheer glee and tell Mei Mei her next mission is to find me shoes and a bag to match while I continue to admire myself in the mirror. There's no way I'm taking this off before I can find the perfect heels and purse to pair it with.

Once we've selected the finishing touches to the outfit, Mei Mei offers to pick us up some iced teas to drink on the way home while I go to the back of the store to pay. It takes me all of two seconds to tell the employee I'm charing my selections to Nanami's account and she nods knowingly before saying I'm all set. I try not to smile as I'm handed my bag of clothing over the counter and realize I could get used to this.

Saturday

Sitting in the cab on the way to the event, I put on one more coat of sheer lip gloss. I've never felt more confident than I do right now in this new outfit, and the endless stares I've been receiving from Nanami ever since he picked me up certainly help.

Stepping into the venue with my hands wrapped around Nanami's arm, I instantly looking up all around me like a kid. Identical chandeliers hang from nearly every inch of the ceiling, an intricate double staircase lined the right and left side of the entry way, and live jazz music was sweeping throughout the space from a band located in the main room. It was the picture of elegance.

Before we could grab our flutes of champagne from the servers standing on either sides of the entrance, an already visibly drunk coworker slaps Nanami on the back in greeting.

Nanami gives a cordial greeting and introduces me, ever the gentleman even to the coworkers I'm sure he can't stand. The man eyes me up and down but soon stops once he feels Nanami's warning stare cutting into him. He mumbles a nice to meet you and walks off.

"Seems like a charming guy to spend 40 hours a week with," I joke.

He laughs and shakes his head in response, walking us through the entryway to the tables in the main dining area of the venue.

The live music continues to fill the air, mingling with the sound of conversation and laughter. This venue and hotel is boutique style and completely modern, like nothing I've ever seen. Every person I see is dressed to the occasion and perfectly polished, it's no wonder Nanami can find his day to day work with these people so exhausting.

I steal a glance at him as we walk to the table, and I find myself fixated on his beauty for the hundredth time. Although I'm used to seeing him in formal clothing, he took the time tonight to style his hair more precisely. It is meticulously lightly gelled back off his face, having his chiseled features and freshly shaven skin fully visible. His eyes seem brighter in the glow of the party lights, and find myself drawn to the soft curve of his lips. Noticing my stare, he turns to look at me and smiles, asking what's so interesting.

"Just happy to be here," I say back, and he leans in to kiss me in the middle of the room.

After several hours of mingling, eating the tiniest but most delicious servings of food, and sipping what I can only image is a type of champagne way outside my price range, I excuse myself to use the restroom.

After washing my hands and fixing myself in the mirror, I exit the restroom and re-orient myself to my surroundings. The venue is large enough to get lost but most of it is familiar to me from the brief time we spent walking around earlier in the evening. Grabbing another champagne flute from a nearby server, I sip the drink as I walk - looking at the art lining most of the walls in the main halls of the venue. This place is nicer than anywhere I'll ever get to stay, I may as well take it all in.

After doing a few laps, I put my drink down on one of the server's trays that is slowly filling with empty glasses and start to make my way back, still taking in the venue while I look for Nanami. Rounding the corner by the coat closet I feel two strong hands grip me at my sides and pull me in close. Beginning to nuzzle his lips to my neck, Nanami whispers that he's been staring at each bit of my exposed skin through the slits of my dress all night. I relax slightly in his arms, but still giggle nervously that there's lots of people around to hear him. In response, he sidesteps just a few feet to the side, pulling us in to the nearby coat closet and under the cover of its walls.

"No one will be needing to come in here for the coat in the summertime, hmm?" he asks mockingly as I continue to anxiously giggle at his boldness, willing myself to loosen up.

"You look too good for me to wait any longer to taste you," he hums lowly into my ear as he begins to lower himself until he's in a kneeled position before me. My eyes widen at the sight and logic tells me I should protest due to the risk of getting caught, but the pooling wetness between my legs says otherwise.

Before I can internally debate any longer the slit of my dress is pulled open, my underwear pulled aside, and Nanami's tongue is expertly gliding up and down the folds of my center. I sigh as quietly as I possibly can and lean back against the wall, pressing the back of my head against it to further relax.

He wraps his hands around my ass, cupping the firm muscle and supple skin of both cheeks and squeezing every now and then. I sink myself lower, using gravity to press into him as he continues to hungrily slide his mouth over me. I wrap one leg around him, wresting the back of my thigh on his shoulder while my other knee feels close to buckling. He holds on tighter in response.

Suddenly I don't care that we're inside a small closet at a crowded party, or that we don't even have the space or time to take our clothes off, all that matters is his body against mine. Panting, I look down to see him raise his eyes to meet mine.

"Please don't stop," I beg as I feel myself inching closer to climax with each sweep of his skilled tongue. Eyes twinkling at my words, he simply winks and plunges a finger into me as response.

I cup my hand against my mouth to prevent anyone from hearing the gasp and cry I couldn't help but let out. Sinking myself lower yet again I press all my weight into his face, feeling myself reach the brink of my release with each increase of pressure against my clit. Begging for more under my breath I hear Nanami take a deep breath before completely covering his face in me, gliding the entirety of his tongue up and down over my clit until I absolutely lose it.

Bracing myself on his shoulders, I buckle at the sensation and can do nothing but breathe and try not to scream as I come to a blinding climax. I squeeze my eyes shut as a tightness wraps around my spine and my toes grip tighter in my heels. Every bone in my body is screaming Nanami's name and needing more of him.

He begins to rise back up on his feet, still holding on to me as he knows I can barely stand on my own at this point.

"More, I need more of you," I beg as I start to aimlessly grab at his belt. He smiles and stops my hands, leaning his face down to my ear to whisper.

"Lucky for you I reserved us a room here tonight," I could kiss him for thinking ahead like that. Sneaky bastard must have known this is exactly what would happen.

Wrapping my arms around his neck I breathe in his scent and start to get a second burst of energy, eager to continue where we left off in the comfort of our own swanky room in this new hotel. "Well let's go then!" I practically shout, grabbing his hand and stumbling out the closet door.

Giggling as I hold onto his hand and arm, I walk us on unsteady feet towards the elevators that lead to the rooms of the hotel. I feel like I'm walking on air since I know for a fact this is going to be the night that we finally go all the way.

Suddenly an image of my purse sitting on our table in the dining area of the party flashes in my mind. "Wait! My bag!" I stop in my tracks realizing I had forgotten it and release Nanami's hand.

"I'll call up the elevator while you get your bag," he suggests and adds with a wink, "can't be wasting any time."

I smile and spin on my heels, practically power walking back to the table to get my new clutch. It takes everything in me not to take off in a full sprint knowing what's about to happen once we make it upstairs.

"Hey, wait!" a voice I don't recognize calls out to me, and I turn to see Nanami's coworker from earlier striding across the space between tables, reaching a hand out for my attention.

"Yes?" I ask, pointing a finger towards myself to make sure it's even me he wants to talk to.

"Yeah you," he confirms, slurring his words. "You're not leaving are you?"

"Actually we are," I respond.

"That's too bad," god, I can smell the booze on his breath as he fumbles over his words, and I begin to try to walk away. "Nanami didn't even get to share his superhero story yet this year, it's always a crowd pleaser."

"What?" suddenly I care what this man has to say.

"Every year we convince him to tell us about his past job, he was practically a superhero with what he did you know..." he spies the confusion on my face. "What, he hasn't told you all about it?"

I don't bother answering the man, instead I whip my head around towards the exit, muttering a goodbye as I speed away. He's been telling stories about the same job he can barely share a single detail about to me?! What's been all the bullshit about keeping this secret to protect me? Suddenly every frustration, every spark of anger, and every pang of betrayal I've ever felt at Nanami's secrecy begins to swarm my head at once. Tears begin to well in my eyes as I stalk for the exit, realizing I'll have to pass the elevators where he waits on the way out.

I keep my head low, hoping I can slip past him and make a break for a cab outside without him seeing.

Unbelievable. I truly have no words I could even think to say or scream at him right now. Have this all been a joke to him all along?

Desperately trying not to twist my ankle as I storm out the building with limited vision due to the brimming tears, I pass the elevators only to hear Nanami call out to me with concern.

"Hey, where are you going?" he grabs a hold of my arm with confusion, and his face goes grave with concern once he sees I am crying.

"I'm getting the hell out of here and away from you," I respond, not slowing my stride as I see the doors to the exit just ahead.

"What happened? Did someone hurt you?" still nothing but concern from him.

"Yeah, you did." I spit back.

He practically stops in his tracks, eyes wide as he looks at me with shock and peer confusion on his face. "Please tell me what's going on."

"Why don't you tell me," I say as I push open the door and stomp through towards the street where I spy an idling cab. "You can tell me all about your crowd-pleasing heroics your coworkers seem to love so much." I spit out each syllable like a jab, unable to hold back the hurt in my voice.

He continues to stare at me with shock and pain in his eyes.

Nearing the cab I hold on to my purse tighter, ready to fling open the door and lower myself inside so I can go home.

"I can explain-" he starts to say but I interrupt just as I grip the car door handle.

"You want to explain why you've kept most of your life a damn secret from me all this time? After I've practically begged to get to know who you really are? After my life has been in danger because of it twice? Each time you've said you can't tell me about your past because it's too dangerous or to protect me... hard to believe all that now when I'm told those same secrets are used as a damn punchbowl conversation at parties."

He tries to keep me from shutting the door but I give him a warning look as my fingers close along the inside handle and I pull my feet inside the car.

"I've had enough of the secrecy and lies," I say as I ready myself to shut the door on him. "I thought I could trust you, I thought I could be okay with you keeping secrets. I really convinced myself it wasn't an issue." I shake my head at the thought and begin to feel disappointed in myself. "But I deserve better than that." I look him in the eye as I shut door and have the last word. "Have fun here by yourself, go share your goddamn party tricks, and don't call me."

Thankfully my driver seems to understand the situation once I sit back, as he begins to drive away before I can even give my address. Squeezing my eyes shut as I lean my head against the seat, I mutter out the address to my home and fail to hold back more tears. I peek a look out the window behind me to see Nanami standing exactly where I left him less than a minute ago, having barely moved a muscle as he watches me drive away. Hoping I made the right decision to draw the line, I choke out a sob and frantically pull out my phone. There's only one person I want to call.

"Hello?" the background is filled with upbeat music and various conversations of party-goers. She must be out.

"Mei Mei?" I ask, not hiding how pathetic I sound, "Can you please meet me at my apartment?"

Immediately understanding my night went sour, I hear her gulp back what must be left of whatever drink she's holding and Mei Mei responds, "I'll be right there."

..........

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[epaily]

im going to be mean now.

if you are easily burnt out. and you know you wont succeed in university, for whatever reason that may be, then why are you going to university in the first place.

who are you trying to please? your parents? chances are, they dont deserve it and wont be pleased with you anyway. why do you need to be on top? odds are youll never get there so whats the point. comparison is the killer of joy and motivation. why are you letting someone elses life dictate yours. if you know youll hate and flunk out, why waste the time and money? youll only end up hating yourself.

idk man.

i looked at the flaming disaster that was my high school experience, KNEW i would never make it through another four years of studying, so i said fuck expectations and making anyone proud, and took the fastest, cheapest course i could find. because i knew it was all i could manage. and guess what! im so much happier for it! im not burned out! im signifigantly less depressed! i took two years off when my hs peers were going through real college, didnt feel bad because their lives have 0 impact on me what so fucking ever, and now when i compare myself to others, instead of kicking myself because im behind (which i never really did to be clear, but i see other people doing because again, they arent pulling all 90s or whatever) i feel moderately good because i did something easy and not stressful. and it wasnt a hard choice at all.

"my parents worked hard for me" okay? what do you owe them? "i owe to myself" what are you doing for yourself to make it worth it? why are you laying down and crying, YOU chose this life. "my old teachers said i would go far" OLD. the ones who you will never see again and have in all likelyhood had hundreds of students since you were in their presence. "for my friends" your friends will be happy when you are happy and not a miserable borderline dropout. "i want to be the best version of myself" do you really think crying every night over why you cant do your homework, that you chose, on purpose, is the best version of you? look yourself in the eye and tell me youre happy being depressed. if you wont even bother trying to help yourself once youve dug yourself a hole i have no sympathy for you.

tangibly related. if you know youre bad at doing chores, such as showering or taking the trash out or laundry or any such thing, and you CHOOSE to live in an enviorment where those things fall squarely on YOUR shoulders, and then you surprise surprise have trouble doing them, that is YOUR problem and i have no sympathy for you. yiu dug your grave now lay in it. you could have avoided this.

all your problems are your own. there are ways out. if you see the trap laid out and full send willingly walk into it and THEN have the gall to compain i think you are a moron.

can i say something really mean..

[sorikkung]

I CAN'T I JUST LAUGH SO MUCH WITH YOU. You're definitely a vibe. It supposed to be easy nowadays but it seems to be harder ??? I don't know, sometimes I hate to be that bitch that wants a cliche relationship 😔😔😔 I'm a romantic slut, why can't I find someone willing to love my weirdo ass 😔😔😔

But yeah. I think he kinda felt because he said “I'll make you fall in love with me” and tbh he doesn't need to try that hard, just being himself is enough but I still need to make sure that this is really what I want. Neither of us deserve someone that is only halfway there, you know? Anyone does, actually... This is all so complicated ugh can't Jeong Yunho just propose to me and make it all easy?

Oh you're moving? Where to? Is for college or something? I mean, I love oversharing so bitch is always here to hear!

glad you think im funny bc personally i think im hilarious. HGJKSDFHKGHSDFJGSKDFHGS and very humble, clearly. but anyway theres nothing wrong with being a romantic slut who wants a cliche relationship! most people want cliche relationships tbh at least from what ive seen its rarer to find people who want a Non-standard relationship and im here like... ok so is that a no to the 15 person polycule orrr, SDFGJSDFGSKDFK jk i cant even get one partner let alone a dozen i shall just live vicariously through my own fics bc what is writing if not self fulfilment. honestly

"i'll make you fall in love with me" is such a bold statement like i would be so into that but equally as terrified of commitment LMFAOOO but also like even if you go with it and find out its not what you really want, i dont think thats the worst thing in the world? you can always just let him know hey, i want to try this but im a bit unsure about it, like can you just keep in mind i dont want to give the impression that im in it for the long haul i just wanna give you a shot and see if we work? kinda thing? again, just tell him how you feel babe even if its not the ideal scenario for him. also are you a yunho bias then cause hes been making me feel Ways lately please control your mans. ever since i started writing him in of princes and princesses he's been haunting me like SIR leave me alone get out of my house stop being sexy and sweet and. [deep sigh]

moving as in just moving out. i still like with my dad unfortunately and ive been saving to gtfoooo not for college bc i dropped outta highschool then dropped out whats baaaasically the australian equivalent of community college for dropouts like standard education is really just not for me. i just want independence, space to work through my traumas without them constantly being repeated and reminded around me, and to be a whore. KJJKGDFSJHK

[meltsyoutodeath]

Fuck you I'm talking about KingdomStuck anyway

I made a post about it long ago but it deserves more!! bc I like it!!

Ok so basically most Princes end up being transfered to anothwr Aspect to study bc they keep destroying their classmates' cores on accident (or maybe it's on purpose. who knows). Dirk switches with Eridan, so he goes to Hope and Eridan goes to study on Heart. In College of Hopeful Futures he meets Jake, and the teachers pair them for training bc of the conversation their teacher had with the principal of the college which boils down to "Jake could fix him" "Dirk could make him worse". They fall in love. Dirk fucks shit up, a lot. Jake also fucks shit up, a lot. One day Dirk convinces him to skip class bc there's this really cool cave he found and he wants to take Jake to explore ans oh my god why is Cronus in there living like a raccoon

Also all Alpha trolls are sibs with their Beta counterparts (Damara and Aradia are sibs, Cronus and Eridan, etc). Their ancestors are their parents (only the Beta ones obv)

Davenepkat is re- *gunshots*

ok but for real it is. Dave meets Karkat at Knight camp. They go to this cool cave Dave found and oh my god why is Nepeta living there like a raccoon. Oh ok it's just catgirl things. Cool, cool. Wanna go walk around with these guys you just met? yeah sure why the fuck not. When they gey back to camp Dave brings her and it's like "hey teach looks at this cool cat i found" "DAVE WHAT THE FUCK!" "you know im right karkat" ":33< meow" the instructor looks at them dead in the eyes and sheds a single tear before adding "I have never been so proud of my campers"

The Time Kingdom vs Space Continent drama boils down to "please brother, let Us stop this madness u_u we can make things right again, like they once were! all can live in peace!" "LOL CANONS AND MuRDER AND WORLD DOMINATION GOES BRRRRR" "Calli0pe miss that man is insane and sick and twisted" "who are yoU" "I just hired myself as a spy f0r y0u. N0w we need t0 make a plan t0 st0p him 0r he'll kill us all" "ok"

Roxy runs an illegal bar with Rose, and Kanaya goes there frequently. it's right at the border between Breath and Hope. The Muse of Breath knows about it and simply doesn't care, meanwhile the Lord of Hope is too busy trying to find out how Chess works (they're failing). No one knows why the fuck a Rogue of Void and a Seer of Light dropouts are running an illegal bar so far away from their Aspects. Neither do them really. Another mystery is how Kanaya gets there. The answer is Jade Harley but no one has to know that

SPEAKING OF JADE HARLEY she's a powerful Witch (or, promises to be. she's learning, ok? she's really good tho). Everyday she wakes up and chooses kindness. Everyday she talks to her bestie Muse of Space who gave her the money to even pay to attend the best college in the Space continent (which is called "The Greatest College at the Space Continent"), where she met Kanaya Maryam, and eventually got paired up with her for training. That made them grow closer and Jade saw she was really in need of a partner and thought "She could fix Rose" and then she did

John and Jane are like siblings and John got sent to Life as a transfer student because of some... Issues, he had at his previous school. He basically gets sent to a rich kid school disguised as a dumpster school, and his last school's princilal had no idea about it. He learns a lot of stuff on how to handle his emotions better and how to overall be better at handling his own powers, while Jane struggles to find Life within her, even if she indirevtly manifests it 90% of the time. They end up figuring a lot of things out, togheter. Feferi and Meenah and up getting close to them and I think FefJane could be real here, it might work but idk.

Fun fact about the illegal bar is that Vriska was banned from all gambling unless it's against another Light-bound. She's not happy about this.

Kurloz is at Heart with Meulin and they run a karaoke. None of them can speak.

Sollux is really just vibing and watching stuff turn to ashes with arms crossed saying "Ii warned you". He's referring to the game of Fiddlespawn he's playing with Tavros

That's really all for now, tune in later for more great KingdomStuck lore