#should i tag this with more relevant tags? yes

[incurablefacetofcondition]

wanted to reply to the actually relevant post, but replies were limited, and then it was deleted. wanted to try sending an ask but asks were off. wanted to try dming but dms are set to people you're following only. so, here i am. i hope you will read this in good faith. these are not trick questions and i am engaging in good faith myself. if you dont want this on your blog but still want to have a conversation, thats fine, you can tag me in the replies if you'd prefer to respond there, or dm me or something

first off i want to discourage you from using the term "truscum" to describe yourself, regardless of your opinions. the term comes from the phrase "true trans scum" and isn't intended to refer to cis people. you will often see people say things like "theres no such thing as a cis truscum- that's just a regular transphobe." some people also feel that transmedicalist only refers to trans people, but that one is more up for debate and generally deemed more acceptable for a cis person to use for themself, should you continue to hold this stance.

next, maybe you addressed this in the now deleted reblogs somewhere, but i didnt see any statements from you regarding what you think about nonbinary people. do you believe that nonbinary people are the genders they say they are? or also only nonbinary people who want to (or already have) take steps to medically transition?

third, i want to talk about your phrasing of "biological women." theres multiple reasons the preferred term is just "cis women." hormones alter biology, for one. yes, maybe not to being completely identical to that of a cis woman in every single way, but all of the changes hormones bring genuinely change your biology. but, more importantly, this ties into my main point- do you view gender as a social construct?

everything i saw you state before the post was taken down implied that you do not view gender as a social construct. if thats the case, id like to understand what you believe instead. i dont want to speak for you without hearing your beliefs, but i know that there are many people- including some trans people- who view gender as something spiritual, or biological in the sense that you have a female or male brain, what have you. a gendered brain, or soul, or heart.

for the gendered brain belief, this is mostly based on old research that was disproven. men and women do not have gendered brains in any provable way. as for the soul... i am not religious or spiritual, so, no comment.

ill tell you right now that i am one of the people that would easily be deemed a "true transsexual" by transmedicalist standards. im on hormones, ive had chest surgery, ive gotten my name and gender marker changed legally. i am currently vying for genital surgery. and still i do not believe that any of these things are what make me a man. i am a man because i feel that i am a man.

when people say "gender is a social construct," it means that none of these things are inherently linked together. a cis man could want a vaginoplasty or hormones or breast implants without being a woman, cause he doesn't feel that he is one, he just would like to have certain particular features. same thing for a cis woman wanting top surgery, or hormones, or phalloplasty, metoidioplasty. if she says "im a woman, and i would like to have a penis," then she's not a trans man, she's a woman who wants to have a penis. and that's fine!

society has built up the concept of gender revolving around certain traits, but that doesn't make it the immutable truth of the world. so much of gender is performance- the clothing, the haircut, the pronouns, the attempts to modify behavior like crossing your legs or manspreading- but identity is ultimately a very personal thing. you can perform every aspect of womanhood and still know you are a man. you know yourself better than any other.

men and women are not opposites. we're all just people. on an individual level, anything that is true of a man could also be true of a woman, and vice versa. the structures of misogyny are based on a foundation of bullshit. any trait you see in a woman could also be found in a man, any trait you see in a man could also be found in a woman. some things may be more or less common in men or women, but not exclusive. if gender was so strictly inherent and separate, then it would not require policing to uphold.

most trans people hate the phrase "biological women" because we do not believe that being a woman has anything to do with biology. it implies that trans women are lesser, other, and secondary, that cis women are the natural state of womanhood being mimicked, and that the closer a trans woman gets to the biological standard of a cis woman, the more of a woman she is. but her womanhood is her internal sense of who she is! as it is for cis women, too. if you think the phrase "im a woman because i have a vagina" is transphobic, then that's the same reason we don't favor the "biological woman" terminology- your biology is not what makes you a woman. biology is not what makes anyone the gender that they are.

gender is a performance, a social construct, and a whole lot of bullshit. everyone should just do what makes them most comfortable. if that's using he/him as a cis woman, then so be it. if that's not medically transitioning as a trans man, then so be it. if that's seeking as ambiguous a medical transition as possible as a nonbinary person, then so be it. gender only has meaning because we, as humans, give it meaning.

it's remarkable how much more free we all are, looking at gender from this angle. that includes cis people! i think cis people should be allowed to do whatever they want in regards to gender affirming care, too, even if it doesn't make sense to other people. this is true bodily autonomy to me. i once saw an article about an older cis gay man who got a vaginoplasty, and he said "ive had a penis for 60-odd years. ive had all the experiences there are to have with it. id love to try something new." and i thought to myself, how wonderful it is that he could do that. this is the kind of freedom that makes life worth living. i hope he enjoys every second of every moment in his body. i hope we all do.

Mom is a trans ally #confirmed

[dylawas-reblogs]

Aight, I'm pissed enough at Y*utube's aggressive ad bullshit (this reddit comment summarizes it pretty well) and it's one of the few G**gle services that we're stuck stuck with, that I'm gonna make my own post on current workarounds as of 10/12/2023, with info on methods that I know of for both desktop and mobile. They may not be the best workarounds, but they are what I'm currently using or trust from what I've heard (and I haven't had any other posts like this come across my dash, so maybe this is needed). We fight to the bitter end, comrades.

This post is specifically for if you must be logged in to use Youtube. Your greatest defense would be to use Youtube while logged out. From what I can tell, they basically can't do anything to you if you are.

Please note that I am absolutely no web or code expert, I don't understand the inner workings of the G**gle all seeing eye and how they catch you on this shit, I don't know if it's account based or IP based, I just barely figured out how to buy and use my own domain like three weeks ago, so there are likely things in this post I will suggest that people will correct me on. If for some reason this post gets big and starts circulating (unlikely), please check reblogs and replies for additional information (and make sure it's ACCURATE if you can). Knowledge is your friend.

With that plea to the void out of the way:

Desktop:

Some folks are using browsers with built in ad blockers such as Brave (with varying results; the comments are worth a read by everyone regardless if you use Brave) to circumvent the ad block policy, but that's Chromium shit! We don't do that in this house! I guess you can if you really want to (PrivacyGuides apparently gives it the seal of approval) but if you like your online privacy, I personally really do suggest sticking with Firefox.

"But Dyl, they're catching us on Firefox even with Ublock Origin."

Yes, but the Ublock team is working their asses off to keep up with every. single. ID. change. Y*utube makes to try to break their workarounds. If it's not currently working for you, click on that link right there and follow that guide. This war of the ads will probably continue for a while, so my advice for the foreseeable future is this:

Always perform the four steps listed in the above link any time you've been away from Y*utube for a while (even just a couple hours),

and double check the Y*utube ID VS Ublock's current ID as stated in the linked comment at the start of this post.

After verifying there's an ID update and Ublock is caught up, reset your filters every single time you get on after a several hour break (after backing up your personal filters and trusted sites, if you have any of those customized). Why so often? Because that's just about how often Y*utube's updating their popup ID to catch you with your ad blocker. The Ublock team is staying on top of it fairly well considering the insane frequency, but they may not always get to it for a few hours (hence checking the ID).

After rebooting your Ublock, check a few videos without being logged in first so as not to put your account at risk. Do so in incognito if it's easiest for you. EDIT: If you aren't logged in, YT won't give a shit if you have an ad blocker-- or so I've heard.

"That sounds like a hassle. Don't the filters in this post work?"

They may have at one point! But that post was made all the way back at the end of June 2023, and most recent replies in the post are stating it's not working for them anymore. Thus, I'd just constantly reset your Ublock for the time being until a better solution is implemented. Besides, once you know what you're doing, resetting Ublock takes a grand total of, oh I dunno, a minute? On that note, with YT's constant updates, I have no idea how Brave is faring/keeping up in comparison. And besides from using either Brave or Firefox+Ublock, I don't know of any other desktop solutions.

Furthermore-- and this applies to both desktop and mobile, but I'm bringing it up now-- if you really value your Y*utube channel and don't want it to lose access to watching videos-- or worse-- it may work to make a Y*utube account that's dispensable as your new default. I just used my spam email, honestly. It's literally no skin off my nose if that account suddenly can't watch Y*utube anymore. Then, save the browsing on your main account for when you can afford to have your adblock off (or just don't watch videos from that account anymore). It seems if you've already got the warning once, you're basically on G**gle's watchlist with that account now-- so if you've gotten it on your main, better safe than sorry.

Mobile:

There are a couple things I know of that you can do here. My first suggestion, and the one I just set up, is Revanced (aka the Revanced Manager, and it works in tangent with a MicroG fork (I absolutely do not have the vocabulary to explain what MicroG is/does, just know you can't log in to YT Revanced without it)). This Reddit post is the one I think will make the most sense to everyone for installation, but I would use it in conjunction with the official guide for dummies, not as a replacement for it.

TL;DR, Revanced is an open source APK patcher (or in gamer speak, a mod) that provides patches for numerous applications (T*mblr included, hint hint). Note the term "patches." Yes, you do need to download an APK of your app of choice (on non-rooted devices), but technically what Revanced does is create its own "build" of the app by combining the APK and the patches, and since they're not the ones distributing the APK, I believe that technically keeps them out of G**gle's death laser. PLEASE note that Revanced does NOT distribute its own APKs: if you're trying to save yourself hassle and find something claiming to be an already patched Revanced APK, be it for Y*utube, Reddit, etc, assume it's a virus even if it's not. Always get your APK from apkmirror with your own fingers and manually patch it in with Revanced.

I know the guide looks scary, but believe me: Revanced used to be WAY harder to install, as in, you had to go through a virtual machine on your phone harder. At the current moment, Revanced is Android only. Sorry Apple users :/

If logging in to an account is of no consequence to you and you could not care less, Newpipe is another good third party YT choice from what I've heard; I don't know if it has all of the same features as Revanced YT, but at the very least, yes, it should block ads. It seems to also be compatible with Soundcloud and Bandcamp of all things at a glance, so if those are common applications for you, Newpipe might even be a better option for you over Revanced. Alas, yet again, this app is not compatible with Apple-- and as this is the last third party YT app I have to offer, I don't know if there are any third party YT apps that are Apple compatible. However...

If installing a scary new non-playstore app isn't up your alley, Brave seems to have a mobile app as well; you'd be watching Y*utube in your browser instead of the Y*utube app, but hey, I was watching Y*utube in Firefox mobile with Ublock until I put on my big kid pants with Revanced, so it's absolutely doable. Again, I must reiterate, I don't know how Brave is faring with these changes.

That's all I've got, but just to reiterate: I'm not an expert. I only know bare bones web/code stuff, my understanding on some of these things may be slightly off or wrong, these are just the methods I know of that work to circumvent YT ads. Your mileage may vary on a number of factors, including but not limited to, your understanding of/ability to learn how to download and use non-playstore apps, any breaking updates YT makes to further enforce their tyranny, how G**gle keeps track of ad blockers in browsers, and how long ago this post was made vs when you're seeing it.

It's war out there, soldier; good luck.

[puexii]

Realized I don't have a post dedicated for Nyx despite them being an important character in the story 💥

(they are included in the meme post but still)

So I have decided I must make a post for them, with all the drawings and doodles they are included in >:] (including the ones in the meme post)

All that's left is for me to remember to do that

[lily-ohfally]

Send me a ✎ and I'll draw your WoL interacting with mine!

If multiple WoL's and none is specified I'll draw one at random!

[iviarelleblr]

Never underestimate the lengths to which I will go to avoid reblogging something with doubled up image descriptions when I notice that either OP or someone in the replies has "helpfully" done it in plaintext in addition to the alt text field. If any of y'all use a screen reader, I for one will do my damnedest when I remember to make sure you're not getting that shit twice and having to decide how much to tell it to skip forward just because someone didn't understand one of the primary purposes of image descriptions.

[dearlenore]

“SHES THE BOSS” • S.REID

SUMMARY: the team is stunned when their boy genius accidentally reveals that he’s dating a woman with a child while discussing an unsub, leaving them reeling from the unexpected revelation.

PAIRING: mom!reader x stepdad!spencer.

TAGS: reader is hyper feminine, season10!spencer, reader wears makeup, three uses of y/n, heavy flirting, mentions of adoption, use of my love, angel and spence

a/n ; incredibly rushed + editor is occupied for the foreseeable future</3

w/c ; 1.1k

THE PLANE WAS quiet, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of pages as Spencer flipped through his book. JJ was dozing, her breathing steady, while the rest of the team sat in various states of exhaustion. It was early—earlier than usual for their departures—but the case had allowed them the rare opportunity to leave after sunrise.

Morgan was the first to break the silence, shifting in his seat as he answered his phone.

“Morning, Baby Girl,” he murmured, rubbing a hand over his face.

“I’ll show you a good morning, hot stuff,” Penelope teased. “Listen, I’ve got urgent business.

Hotch, barely awake, sighed as he opened his laptop. “What is it?”

“This is a non-negotiable situation,” Penelope declared. “One of the most pressing cases you will ever face as a team.”

The atmosphere immediately changed. The team straightened, their exhaustion pushed aside.

“What happened?” Emily asked.

“What are we walking into?” Rossi added, already reaching for his coffee.

Penelope grinned. “A party.”

JJ blinked awake. “What?”

“A party,” Penelope repeated, voice smug. “For your pregnancy. You didn’t think you were getting out of that, did you?”

JJ groaned, rubbing her face. “Garcia, that is not urgent.

“Oh, but it is. It’s a team event, which means no skipping, no backing out, and definitely no working through it. This is happening.”

Morgan chuckled. “Well, if it’s an order…”

“Damn right it is.”

Spencer, still reading, murmured absentmindedly, “I’ll have to make sure we don’t have plans, but I think it should be fine. She’s the boss.”

The words were casual, almost an afterthought.

Emily frowned. “We?”

Rossi raised a brow. “She?”

Spencer barely looked up. “Yeah.”

A beat of silence.

JJ, now more awake, tilted her head. “Who’s we?”

Spencer blinked, realizing too late what he’d said. He hesitated, then attempted a nonchalant response. “Uh—just, you know. Home plans.”

Morgan narrowed his eyes. “Home. As in… your home?”

Rossi leaned forward. “Reid, you live alone.”

Spencer shifted slightly in his seat. “Well, technically, I—”

Morgan’s eyes widened. “Wait. Are you saying—”

“I just meant I’d have to check with my girlfriend,” Spencer said quickly, then paused before sighing. “And, um, her daughter.”

Silence.

Emily’s eyes darted between the others, processing. JJ’s brows raised. Rossi’s expression turned amused.

Morgan slowly grinned. “Oh, now this is interesting.”

Penelope gasped. “Wait just a minute. Spencer Reid, you have a girlfriend? And there’s a child in the mix?”

Spencer exhaled, already regretting his choice of words. “It’s not— I mean, yes, but—”a

“Oh no, no, no,” Emily said, smirking. “You’re not talking your way out of this.”

JJ grinned. “How long were you planning on keeping that secret?”

“I wasn’t— It just didn’t seem relevant,” Spencer muttered, rubbing his temple.

Morgan chuckled. “Oh, it’s very relevant. And we’re definitely talking about this.”

And just like that, JJ’s party was no longer the main event.

“Is she coming?” Derek asked, spinning around in his chair to face Spencer.

Spencer glanced at his watch, a small smile playing at his lips. “Three… two… one.”

Right on cue, the distant ding of the elevator echoed through the bullpen. A second later, the glass doors swung open, and before anyone could react, a small figure bolted into the room.

Spencer’s face lit up as the young girl ran straight into his arms, giggling as he lifted her effortlessly. The resemblance was uncanny—messy brown curls framed her small face, her expressive eyes mirroring his own. Even her outfit bore a striking resemblance to his: a crisp white sweater, a plaid skirt, and well-worn Converse.

“Hey, Nani!” Spencer twirled her around, his usual reserved demeanor melting into something soft and undeniably affectionate.

Meanwhile, the team was still processing what they were seeing.

“Am I hallucinating, or does she literally look just like him?” Emily whispered to JJ.

“You’re not hallucinating,” JJ muttered back, equally stunned.

Before anyone could voice their confusion, another figure stepped into the bullpen with effortless confidence.

You.

The contrast between you and Spencer was almost jarring—you, with your sleek, put-together appearance, exuding elegance in a fitted black blouse, tailored khaki pants, and designer heels that complemented the luxury purse resting on your arm. Your hair was styled to perfection, makeup subtle but undeniably polished. You carried yourself with an ease that immediately commanded attention.

Spencer pressed a quick kiss to your forehead before setting Nani down, his hand resting at the small of your back. “I’m glad you’re back in one piece, my love.”

“As always angel” He smiled.

You smiled warmly, extending a hand toward his coworkers, who were all still frozen in shock. “Y/N. Hi. It’s so nice to meet you all.”

Silence.

Emily blinked. “Okay, someone needs to start talking because I feel like I missed about a hundred chapters.”

Morgan crossed his arms, looking between Spencer, you, and the little girl now clinging to his leg. “Yeah, kid. You wanna explain, or should we just keep making our own theories?”

Spencer cleared his throat, glancing at you as if asking permission. You only smirked, clearly amused by the reactions.

“Well…” Spencer started awkwardly. “Everyone… this is Y/N. My girlfriend.”

“And the mini you?” Rossi gestured toward Nani, eyebrow raised.

Spencer sighed, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. “And this is Nani. Y/N’s daughter

JJ’s eyes widened. “Wait. You’re dating someone with a kid?”

“And apparently co-parenting?” Emily added, still trying to wrap her head around it.

Morgan let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Damn, pretty boy. You really kept this one under wraps.”

You chuckled, squeezing Spencer’s hand reassuringly. “To be fair, I was begging to meet you guys.”

Garcia’s voice suddenly echoed from behind them, her jaw practically on the floor. “Hold up. Did no one think to tell me that our resident genius has a whole family now?”

Spencer groaned, rubbing his temple. “I wouldn’t say—“

“Uh-uh, no backtracking,” Morgan cut in. “This is huge. And you just casually count down like this is some normal Tuesday?”

Spencer looked at you again, this time with a slightly pleading expression. You laughed softly before turning back to the team. “Long story short? We’ve been together for a while, and yes, Nani’s mine, adopted. And Spencer’s been amazing with her.”

Nani grinned up at Spencer before looking at the group. “He helps me with my math homework. And he reads me bedtime stories.” She spoke with a polished accent.

JJ clasped a hand over her heart. “Okay, that’s adorable.”

Emily shook her head in disbelief, still processing. “I just… I need a minute.”

Rossi chuckled, patting Spencer on the back. “Well, kid, looks like you finally managed to surprise us.”

Spencer sighed, resigning himself to the inevitable teasing. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get it over with.”

Morgan smirked. “Oh, don’t worry. We’re just getting started.”

And with that, the interrogation began.

[astonmartinii]

but daddy i love him [guilty as sin part two] | charles leclerc social media au

pairing: charles leclerc x fem sainz!reader

when an unstoppable force (the sainz men when they feel aggrieved) meets an immovable object (charles and y/n)

MASTERLIST | SERIES MASTERLIST | TIP JAR

carlossainz55

liked by landonorris, marcmarquez93 and 783,409 others

carlossainz55: never forget where you came from

view all comments

user100: insert cricket noises here

user101: who on your PR team said this was a good idea?

user102: they need to be fired, sorry not sorry

landonorris: i love your dad (tell him to stop beating me at golf)

carlossainz55: if he never lets me win he's definitely never letting you win

landonorris: so unfair i thought i was the third sainz sibling :(

carlossainz55: i'm an only child

landonorris: oh-

user103: i need this man to choke i'm being so serious rn

user104: that's so unbelievably fucked

user105: the fact his dad is probably co-signing this shit is insane that's YOUR DAUGHTER

user106: also someone give lando a lil slap around he's on the wrong side of history on this one

yourusername: scandal does funny things to pride

carlossainz55: if the scandal is betraying your family that's all you

yourusername: if we're talking about betrayal then that's your specialist subject mr. i've cheated on every girl i've ever been with - and while we're on the topic of betrayal, yes i was the one who told them

carlossainz55: i've never cheated why are you stooping to lies?

yourusername: you did it right in front of my face when i was a part of this family

carlossainz55: so you've always been comfortable going behind my back

yourusername: that's the thing, when you're treated like you don't exist by your family you learn that blood is not thicker than water

carlossainz55: i can't wait for charles to cheat on you

yourusername: btw i already called marca, they know any of those allegations from you or dad are false - good luck!

user10: obvs i know they should be doing this in private but MORE DRAMA FOR ME BABY LETS KEEP THIS GOING

user107: thank you for the validation y/n i KNEW THE SHIT STIRRING COMING FROM THAT PAPER WAS THE SAINZ CAMP

user108: and they've got the nerve to be talking about stooping - the call is coming from inside the house

maxverstappen1: ugly twins

carlossainz55: really?

maxverstappen1: i said what i said and i mean what i said

carlossainz55: i would say she's not going to fuck you bro but you really never know with her

maxverstappen1: she would never, homewrecking is a trait only the male sainzs seem to have

user109: OOP

user110: max is a real lestappen queen fighting the battles he knows charles can't

yourusername

liked by pierregasly, maxverstappen1 and 893,405 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: if you know within one glimpse, its legendary

view all comments

user114: i love how she goes from fighting her brother in one comment section to just showing off her hot bf

user115: tbf charles does have a face you'd go to war for so i get her

user116: i'd abandon my family for that face

yourusername: finally someone who fucking gets it

charles_leclerc: you made me believe in love at first sight

yourusername: awwwwww you're such a sweet talker the REAL smooth operator

pierregasly: i can verify it was love at first sight cause the man did not SHUT THE FUCK UP about you well... ever

charles_leclerc: is it a crime to love my girlfriend?

pierregasly: apparently!

yourusername: he's too cute to go to jail :(

charles_leclerc: they'd ruin me

yourusername: that's my job 🤨

pierregasly: you keep that to yourselves

user117: does this girl need to shade carlos on every single fucking post... yeah we get it he's the only reason you're relevant but god you reek of desperation

oscarpiastri: is this carlos' burner account?

user118: are the grid just sat around waiting to be tagged in to the fight against carlos?

oscarpiastri: what's he going to do? crash into me? he does that every weekend anyway

user119: uh oh carlos oscar is finally fighting back off track what are you going to do

user120: don't worry i'm sure he'll post a selfie with lando and try the whole carlando shtick to get some more PR points

maxverstappen1: oh this was not the shit slinging post i was hoping for

yourusername: something tells me you're having way too much fun with this

maxverstappen1: yeah you might have been abandoned by your family but have YOU considered that this is letting me express all my mean girl energy off track so i am level-headed on track

maxverstappen1: actually i don't even think i'm being mean tbf

yourusername: i'm glad my suffering could be your therapy

carlossainz55: BOO HOO you're not suffering ... it's something called the consequences of your actions (read: actions being a snakey slut)

yourusername: bro over here acting like i committed fratricide

maxverstappen1: TAP ME IN

maxverstappen1: not this man talking about the consequences of actions. kids, here's a little life lesson: if you spend all your time at your current job talking about how you have a much better job waiting for you and how you're too big for this job and plant stories about your co-workers, you can't be surprised that that same job doesn't want to keep you

carlossainz55: i am better than charles

yourusername: lying is a sin

maxverstappen1: and you're going straight to hell

user121: you guys might be mourning the loss of charlos (whatever the fuck that is) but i'm celebrating the absolute shit ton of LESTAPPEN we're getting

user122: max was like oh my bff is dating charles here's my excuse to be nice about him again

user123: if we're being real here the biggest crime of this whole situation is the fact that charles can't really dig the knife in

user124: @ silvia i have maybe £4.50 and a greggs sausage roll to my name but PLEASE LET CHARLES TAP IN

f1

liked by charles_leclerc, oscarpiastri and 1,298,006 others

tagged: oscarpiastri & carlossainz55

f1: f1... the sport that gives you just as much drama off track as we do on track!

view all comments

user125: at this point even before the whole carlos ousting his sister i think oscar was about 👌🏻 this close to rocking carlos nascar style we should let him do it

user126: i will personally pay his legal fees tbh

oscarpiastri: i'm only 23 i don't need two F1-related legal cases to my name

yourusername: i've watched legally blonde about ten billion times let me represent you

oscarpiastri: yeah sounds legit

user127: THAT'S IT WE NEED PROXIMITY CHAT IN F1

user128: the way we know there was a shit talking session like no other after this race

maxverstappen1: i don't kiss and tell but well - yes!

user128: okay since this is clearly a safe space... who was there please spill mr. verstappen

maxverstappen1: ME! charles, pierre, oscar, checo, alex and george!

user128: why the fuck were the last two there?

georgerussell63: i was on official GDPA duty 🤓

alexalbon: that's a lie we're just very nosey

yourusername: they're the biggest PTA moms ever don't even lie

georgerussell63: yes i'll make allergy friendly cupcakes for the bake sale but i'll also spit in them and gossip about your cheating husband - sorry about it!

alexalbon: he's not

georgerussell63: i'm not

user129: carlos slagging off y/n but she's really brought the grid together

user130: george and alex being like we do not care about that but we do want the latest scoop

alexalbon: oh don't get it twisted we're firmly team y/n

user131: we even got the f1 admin in on the drama

carlossainz55: she's probably fucking them as well

yourusername: BORING get a new bit babe

carlossainz55: if i see whore i'm going to say whore

yourusername: aren't you still in that damn stewards office?

carlossainz55: tell your little lap dog to keep his front wing away from my car and maybe i wouldn't

oscarpiastri: suck my dick

yourusername: now that's true poetry

user132: oH!

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1, alexalbon and 763,409 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, logansargent & oscarpiastri

yourusername: florida !!!!!!!!!!! is one hell of a drug. no seriously what is in the water here i keep picking up these little guys everywhere i go

view all comments

user135: she's really like i AM spanish and i will colonise this grid

user136: stealing all the lil cuties for her cause

oscarpiastri: proud to be a part of this weird little circus thing we've got going on

yourusername: oh dibs on ring master

logansargent: i feel like my name is written all over tight rope walking

yourusername: okay yes skinny legend

maxverstappen1: obvs we're a cruelty free circus so no lions but if there were lions, that's me babe

maxverstappen1: SOME people could learn... cough, cough trophy hunters

charles_leclerc: idk i'll just take the one where i can sit there and be pretty

yourusername: and you would be the best at it

oscarpiastri: which one does the least? i'll take that one

user137: bro can we slow the fuck down i was just getting over osc telling carlos to suck his dick now we're talking CIRCUS?

user138: for real couldn't it have at least been cabaret i wanna see ALL of that

charles_leclerc: 🤨

carlossainz55: i think a circus is a perfect way to describe your desperate attempt to stay relevant

yourusername: don't you have a job to go to? oh wait...

carlossainz55: as if i'm threatened by a group with the likes of logan sargent in it

logansargent: bit harsh, i'm a nice guy (unlike some)

yourusername: carlos here's a little bit of a wild thing i'm about to introduce to you.... people have friends?

yourusername: also you WISH you had a face card like logie

carlossainz55: i have friends?

yourusername: no you have PR strategies, there's a difference

carlossainz55: bro learnt the word PR and ran with it

yourusername: tell me one person who would let you crash on their couch?

yourusername: QUICKLY.

fernandoalo_oficial: and don't even think about mentioning me

user139: she hit him with the bianca del rio

user140: OOP and also nando just popping up out of nowhere to diss carlos and never say anything again

charles_leclerc: the drug in question being puppy fever

maxverstappen1: tell me you didn't get a dog

yourusername: boy do i have news for you

carlossainz55: are you trying to baby trap him

yourusername: first woman in history to birth a dog you heard it here first

charles_leclerc: you simply can't be babytrapped when you would literally jump off a bridge if asked to

user141: @myboyfriend TAKE NOTES HONEY ^^^

charles_leclerc

liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris and 1,745,093 others

tagged: yourusername & oscarpiastri

charles_leclerc: two kids in one month? someone stop us

view all comments

user142: y/n really lost an apartment and a brother and gained about 27 f1 drivers and a dog

user143: glow up of the century some might say

liked by charles_leclerc

yourusername: soz it's a coping mechanism

charles_leclerc: and that's okay <3

maxverstappen1: anything to help with that emotional CONSTIPATION

yourusername: have you tried to live with those narcissistic and emotionally unavailable men?

maxverstappen1: you're asking the wrong person that question honey

yourusername: girl are WE good?

maxverstappen1: no

yourusername: BUT THAT'S OKAY

charles_leclerc: not to rain on this parade but i think therapy would really be a positive move here

user144: i feel bad for charles cause i know these hoes are the type to just tell each other EXACTLYYYYY when they make poor decisions

maxverstappen1: true, no smart bitches would let their bff live with THAT man

yourusername: and let their bff constantly chat shit and ruin their image

maxverstappen1: can't ruin my image if i'm spitting FACTS

user145: max will nawt let this go

maxverstappen1: i'll forget you but i'll never forgive the smallest man who ever lived

yourusername: GIRL

maxverstappen1: whoops, one sec. spoiler alert: y/n unleased poetry. trigger warning: c*rlos s*inz

olliebearman: ollie bearman erasure

charles_leclerc: GASP OLLIE I AM SO SORRY

yourusername: no he actually is he's crying

charles_leclerc: it's the pregnancy hormones

olliebearman: it's okay i swear

charles_leclerc: I'M A TERRIBLE FATHER

carlossainz55: i could've told you that for free

olliebearman: why are you in our family buisness

user146: charles is channelling all of his carlos rage through ollie oh my

olliebearman: i am a happy conduit for my father who is in the ferrari PR jail

yourusername: can we send carlos here and throw away the key?

user147: charles is really out there like keep my girl's name out of your mouth cause even the bitch who stole your seat for a weekend is my SON

user148: y/n wasn't joking about with this grid domination

user149: but also i'm glad all of this fun stuff is happening amongst all of the shit that's been thrown at her from her family

oscarpiastri: a leclerc and proud (i race like my dad and throw shade like my mum)

yourusername: the best way to be

charles_leclerc: proud of you, you're such a good dog brother :)

oscarpiastri: i've just learnt to be patient after alpine and lando

yourusername: you still took your shoes being leo's personal bathroom really well

oscarpiastri: he's too cute to be mad at

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen, charles_leclerc and 824,109 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: first mother's day with my boys

view all comments

user150: gonna enjoy this super wholesome post before... he... ruins it

user151: manifesting a y/n post without that bitter old hag in the comment section

charles_leclerc: the best mother for our fur baby and our miscellaneous other children

yourusername: only the best with you :(

charles_leclerc: ugh i love you so much

yourusername: i love you even more

user152: they're so fucking cute

user153: damn carlos i too would be angry if my baby sister and my teammate outshined my third PR relationship in six months

user154: the sainz family have generational levels of hating, but one does it for good (poetry) and one does it for bad (anything carlos ever says)

oscarpiastri: happiest mother's day to my grid mum! here's to reading them to filth xx

yourusername: OSC!! i always knew you were my favourite aussie

danielricciardo: did my enchante PR mean nothing?

yourusername: i mean i wear it all of the time... but it's osc ...

danielricciardo: true, i broke my hand before i could even think of accidentally hurting him

user155: also babe is looking so unbothered, moisturised and free we need the skin care routine

oscarpiastri: the tears of carlos sainz

yourusername: and cleansing your life of toxic family members

user156: okay clearly oscar was done with the whole "i'm so chill" bit cause since his adoption by charles and y/n he's been non stop on carlos' neck

oscarpiastri: i'm a ride or die for my mum cry about it

maxverstappen1: as the kids would say ... mother is mothering? @olliebearman did i do it right?

charles_leclerc: stop trying to steal my kids

maxverstappen1: BRO I'M TRYING TO COMPLIMENT YOUR GIRLFRIEND

charles_leclerc: that's literally my job 🤨

yourusername: tbf i'll take as many compliments as i can

charles_leclerc: are mine not enough?

yourusername: when you've got a self esteem this low, you gotta take what you can get

charles_leclerc: oh :(

user157: max and y/n fighting over who trauma dumps more about their upbringing

carlossainz55: this bit is very tiring. you'll be a terrible mother and all these people you think are your friends will drop you as soon as they know who you really are.

yourusername: you done?

carlossainz55: as you loveeeee to point out, i don't have much to lose anymore so i really wouldn't test me

yourusername: trying to make me homeless and stealing all of my money wasn't enough?

carlossainz55: charles will know the truth soon enough and you won't have us to come crying to

yourusername: i'll take those chances thank you

user158: hold ON what do you mean stole all her money

yourusername: i was never allowed my own bank account so all my earnings have gone to them!

user159: okay that's it WE RIDE AT DAWN

fin.

note: oh girl life has been BUSY!!! i just got a new job and have been looking desperately for a flat to move out to. also i've had family visiting and going here, there and everywhere. but i hope you enjoy! this was a lil more light-hearted lol (until the end) so enjoy the addition of the leclerc family lore xx

ALSO i wanted to say a massive THANK YOU FOR 6,000 FOLLOWERS love you all <3

note: hiii extra note from me here. first, i will fix this tag list at some point idk why it's not working rn. secondly, i have been made aware by multiple people that there is a series just like this one down to characters and the name of the series on here and i can't lie i'm bummed about it. as i said on the first part (?) this is an idea i've had since the release of TTPD (and people will back me up on this) so it bums me out that there are blatant copies coming out! i'm all for inspiration but sometimes there's a difference between taking inspo and copying especially when my masterlist was posted ages ago and my first part was posted on the 9th of may.... anyways that's all i have to say! enjoy xx

taglist: in comments!

[gothicpaperback]

THE ART OF THE DEAL | PART 2 | harry castillo x you

<<< PART ONE: TERMS AND CONDITIONS | PART THREE: LIABILITIES >>>

wc: 3,7k | rating: 18+ for eventual smut | Harry Castillo x You | FALSE RELATIONSHIP

summary: you don’t believe in love. neither does he. that’s the only thing you agree on. after swearing off romance, you’ve built a quiet life in art preservation and avoiding anything resembling vulnerability. but when Harry Castillo, arrogant, infuriating, and stupidly rich, proposes you pretend to be his fiancée for the sake of getting his overbearing mother off his back, you’re thrown. but the money is good and with your detached views on romance and love, you make the perfect polished, commitment-free partner. It’s just a deal; cold, clean and temporary. but pretending to be in love with a man you can’t stand has a way of making you feel things you promised yourself you’d never feel again. especially when he starts looking at you like you're more than just a line item in a contract. And worst of all? You start looking back

the MC female character is YOU. she is not named and barely described physically aside from being able bodied and having hair long enough to grab.

tags/warnings: false relationship, mentions of materialists film, smut, enemies to lovers. i will add more tags as they become relevant.

taglist: @chasingthepoguelife | @tnsmara | @sarahhxx03 | @taehyungxjungkookistaekook | @bluenightmarepost | @kakiki3 | @pascal-mynightlyobsession | @immyowndefender | @dedicatedfangirl2001 | @dotyoureyez |

THE ART OF THE DEAL | PART TWO | VALUATION ERRORS

The first week Harry isn't expecting to hear back from you. You're a woman who ruminates, who takes her time before making a decision like this. By not walking out on him by the end of your conversation he knew you were at least thinking about it. 

But by the end of the second week with radio silence on your end he's starting to have his reservations. Maybe you were a bad choice. Maybe you really aren't interested in money. 

This stress is compounded by a phone call from his mother, a warm woman who doesn't suffer fools. She can be your best friend or your worst enemy. 

"Hello darling."

"Hello mother." 

He's in his private office at work, glancing outside his glass windows to the group of bustling figures outside his doors. 

"Are we still on for dinner next Friday? Your brother and Eleanor will be there." 

Next Friday is the monthly dinner with the family at the estate. A tradition dating back to before Harry and Mason were even born. 

Harry scowls. Why did Mason have to marry Eleanor in the first place? For Harry as the elder brother being single makes him look bad. They were supposed to be eternal bachelors. And you haven't gotten back to him which means he'll have to show up single to this, which means he'll never hear the end of it. Fuck. 

"Yes, I'll be there," he says smoothly. "And I'm bringing my girlfriend." 

You keep looking at the piece of paper held by a succulent magnet on your fridge. The One with the exorbitant fee on it. The one that Harry told you to double. 

That kind of money means helping dad. It means dinners out. It means a nicer apartment. Although, as you glance around, you're not sure you want that. You like where you live for the most part. 

But for Dad? That would be life changing. 

But you can't do this to Gemma. She was so excited about Harry, so delighted about a future. How can you tell her that you're dating him? You can't exactly tell her the truth can you? 

"Harry is paying me an obscene amount just so I pretend to be his girlfriend." 

She'd be either absolutely disgusted or thoroughly disappointed in you. 

You think of Harry in the deli, that watchful gaze of his. Is it possible he's some kind of pervert? A creep?  Well, if they have him on as a client of Adore he can't be that creepy. You know from Gemma that they do extensive background checks. That gives you a bit of relief. 

You should have contacted him by now, you decide. He's probably found another candidate. Your phone buzzes, the hour very late. You're surprised when you see its Gemma. How poetic. You open the text with a bit of trepidation, blown away by the all caps.  

HE'S PERFECT

You smile to yourself at her familiar exuberance.

you said that about Harry Harry who?  Haha

This guy is actually perfect. Great job, listens to me and is so cute!!!! He told me all about his family, his goals. I loved it. Harry barely told me anything. Bradford is the sweetest most genuine man. 

Okay that sounds good so far. You'll overlook the douche bag pretentious name. 

He sounds great.  He said he's looking to get married, he doesn't want to play games. And he's a Leo. You know how rare that is?? Perfectly aligned with me being an Aquarius. 

You hesitate. 

So you aren't upset Harry broke things off? I'm texting you from B's bed right now, I think it's safe to say I could give a shit about that loser.  

You have your answer. 

"Would I have to live at your place?"

It takes Harry a moment to realize who's speaking at the other end of his cell. He's still in his large bed, buried under silk sheets, body warm from sleep.  

Your voice is loud for this early in the morning or late at night, depending on who you ask. You sound like you're pacing back and forth. He clears his throat of sleep.

"Pardon?"

"If I agree to this, do I have to live with you?"

Harry licks his dry lips, pushing himself to a seated position, spine against the headboard. 

"Not if you're not comfortable with it." 

"You are?"

"I figured we'd approach things organically. Maybe we do maybe we don't. Maybe you'll want to live here and sublet your apartment. There's plenty of space and privacy. You'd have the guest room of course. The penthouse is large." 

He hears you scoff. 

"Of course you live in a penthouse. I bet you have a butler and everything." 

Harry grins. "No. No butler. But I do have a live-in chef." 

He hears the quiet pause on the other end. "Wait, were you asleep when I called?"

"Yes." 

"Oh. Okay. Bye." 

The call ends abruptly and Harry just stares at the phone, shocked.

You switch to texting after that, clearly feeling guilty for waking him. He's in the first meeting of the day when the one comes sailing in. He’s expecting it to be a client, so he’s pleasantly surprised to see its you.

Is this a pretty woman kink?

He feels his brows furrow and under the table he replies quickly, thumb swiping.

A what? You find a poor lost soul, dress her up, take her to the racetrack and show up at her fire escape with roses and a limo? Wait have you not seen the movie Pretty Woman? Should I have?  Definitely!!!!!!!!!!!! 

He becomes used to texts that pepper through his week, amused when he sees your name pop up on his mobile. 

Do I have to post photos of us on socials? Are you? I don't want to have to explain that to ppl  No. We don't do social media in our family unless it's for work.  Okay.  We aren't going to visit my family okay? I don't want them caught up in this.  Perfectly fine. 

You don't reply for a day and a half. Harry takes this time to rent Pretty Woman, watching it on his bed, one arm behind his head, the other resting on his abdomen. 

As the credits roll he can't help but reach for his phone. 

Alright I've seen Pretty Woman and no, that is not my kink. This is not that. For one thing she was a prostitute. True.  Secondly I don't ride in a limo. That's incredibly tacky.  Yea, so are roses.  Good to know. What flowers do you like? Why? Boyfriends buy their girlfriends flowers. 

He gets distracted by some work that needs his attention, his focus elsewhere. But at somewhere around 10 pm as he leaves the office, Harry receives the text he's been waiting for. 

Okay. I'm in. 

This is quickly followed up by:

Oh and ghost orchids. 

Relief blooms in his chest and he hurriedly types back. 

Excellent. In that case we need to meet to discuss some things. Tomorrow at  Noba-Inu tomorrow? My car can pick you up.

Harry is surprised to see you call almost immediately. You sound out of breath, walking outside when he answers. 

"Why do we need to meet in person?"

"We need to go over some things. If this is going to work we need to know a bit about each other." 

Harry glances outside his large penthouse windows to see fat raindrops drifting down from the night sky. 

"Just text me details about yourself and I'll do the same." 

Harry frowns. That's not how he does things. "In person is preferred." 

He hears you about to speak, likely to disagree when you pause. There's the honk of a car horn and then your voice comes out tired.  "Okay. What time?" 

More evening traffic noises on your end distracts him. "Where are you?" 

"Walking." 

"This late? Alone?"

"So you wanted to meet where again? Is there a dress code?" 

You sound weird. Harry doesn't know you all that well but he can hear the hesitancy in your tone, your end of the conversation shrouded in mystery. 

"Give me the address and I'll have my driver get you home when you're done at... Where are you again?" 

Silence. It's so quiet that he's sure you dropped the call. Then your voice reaches out steely and cold. 

"I'm fine. I'll get home fine. And I'll make it to dinner tomorrow just fine without your town car. What time tomorrow?" 

You haven't had sushi in forever and at the sight of the restaurant’s name in neon above the door you feel your stomach growling. 

You pay the cab driver with a smile before walking up to the restaurant, smoothing down your dress. You decided to put a little effort into your outfit tonight. After all what Harry is paying you is a very large amount, and you want to hold up your end of the bargain respectfully. 

You walk through the doors only to be greeted by a wide-eyed, smiling man. 

"Hello. Let me take your coat."

The restaurant is small, intimate when you walk in, like most upscale specialty restaurants. It's why it takes months to get in. But as you cast your eyes around the space, you notice that it's completely empty. 

"Please, let me show you to your seat." 

You follow the man with a nod, eyes bouncing around the space, perplexed that it's empty. You didn't Google this place beforehand. You just assumed it would be good. The man leads you to the back of the restaurant, stopping in front of a large jade door, looking at you as he pushes it open. 

"Here we are," the smiling man says, motioning for you to enter. "Have a wonderful meal."

The second you walk through the doors Harry stands at his table, smiling politely and, watching as you come to take the seat next to him in the large space. 

You're still gazing around everywhere as if in a daze, stopping in front of him. You see the large bouquet of flowers he has for you waiting at the table with so many white petals that it looks like a small garden. Ghost orchids. 

"Good evening," he says smoothly, leaning forward. "You look lovely." 

He looks about to kiss you and you pull back, panicking. "What the hell are you doing?" 

Harry blinks at you. "Saying hello." 

You hold your breath as he comes close again, pressing a dry kiss to your cheekbone as your face heats. Oh. 

You take a seat next to him at the large bar table. You gaze in front of you at the head chef who stands before a large workspace with meats, rice, seaweed and much more organized on top of it. 

"I'm glad you made it," Harry says as he nods to one of the female servers flanking the chef. "I wasn't sure you'd show up." 

"Same here." 

You pause when a pretty server with very curly hair comes to Harry and shows him the bottle. 

"Akitabare, Suirakuten, 20 Year Reserve, Daiginjō, Akita." 

You have no fucking idea what that means but Harry seems to because he nods with a thank you.  She presents beautiful porcelain mug of jade green, delicately painted with gold accents. You watch the clear liquid coat each glass, thanking her when she pulls back. 

Harry raises his glass, clinking the lip against yours when you do the same. 

"To an evening of due diligence." 

You smile at that, cheers-ing and taking a ginger sip only to wrinkle your nose at it. Again the barren landscape of the space draws your attention and you tilt Harry's way, voice soft so as not to be overheard.  

"Is this place bad or something?"

His brows pull tight. "Bad?"

"Yeah. Like, is the food good?" 

He stares at you with a weird little smile. "Of course."

"Then why is it so empty?," you whisper. 

Harry suppresses a smirk. "Because I rented it out for the evening.

You eyes turn owlish. "The whole place?"

"Mhm."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

Harry shrugs. "I think better when it's quiet.”

You're twisted in your seat to face him and it feels weird to interact like this. It feels oddly intimate and you would have preferred across from him at some booth in a diner. You turn your attention back to the chef making beautiful bite-sized items that have you drooling

"Do you like the flowers?"

"Huh?" It takes you a moment to come back to the conversation. You look at the massive bouquet and pat it absently.

"Oh. Oh, yes, very much. Thanks a lot. But you really didn't have to do that." 

Harry looks at you for a long time, assessing, much like he did that first day with you. It makes you dart your eyes back to your glass, taking a small sip and trying not to flinch. 

"Those aren't your favorite flowers." 

"What?" You feel your face pricking with heat as you stare back at him. "No. I'm just not a flower person." 

Before he can say anything else the dishes are served to you by the chef who looks delighted when he sees your eyes widen at the assortment of food. 

"This is the Salmon Karashi su Miso and baked crab handroll to start" he tells you in a quiet raspy voice as he pushes forth the second plate. "Followed by the Omakase." 

"Holy shit," you breathe quietly. 

Harry chuckles into his sake glass. The chef and the servers look to Harry expectantly when he says their names. 

"Thank you so much, Hinata, everything looks wonderful. Would you mind giving us a bit of privacy?"

The three of them give a short bow before heading out the side door leaving you and Harry completely alone. 

"Dig in," he says when he sees you eyeing the food. 

You don't need to be asked twice. He hasn't even finished the sentence before your chopsticks are digging in. He watches you in curiosity as you smile around a roll. 

"Just so you know, nice stuff like this is wasted on me," you say popping another roll into your mouth and chewing. 

"Why do you say that?"

"I mean, I'm sure you have a refined palette. You grew up on nice stuff. I didn’t. I really like pizza from that place on seventh. My favourite drink is whatever's cheapest on the menu." 

Harry watches your profile as you speak, amused at the nonchalant way you explain, without a hint of embarrassment. He likes that about you, he decides. 

"All I'm saying is that when it's just us you don't have to splash out." You pop another roll into your mouth. "I get when we're on fake dates or whatever. But stuff like this? We can just meet for coffee." 

"Noted." 

Harry begins to eat slowly, savouring each bite. Meals are his favourite indulgence; good food and good wine lift any bad mood. 

"So, we're supposed to be learning about each other right?" You ask, food tucked into one cheek. 

"As well as answering any lingering questions you may have about this."

You look off into the distance and he watches your jaw rise and fall as you think. "I guess I'm worried I agree to this and you change your mind or I don't get paid." 

"I assure you that you will be paid regardless if I change my mind or not."

"How often?"

Harry leans back, his lower lip stuck out in thought. "Every two weeks?"

"Seems fair."

You tap your chopsticks against the plate, still looking hesitant. Harry regards you, the room feeling empty and overbearing. You seem to shrink into yourself, anxious. 

"Would you feel more comfortable with a contract?"

You glance Harry's way, surprised by the question. It makes sense; he's a financier and probably writes contracts like this for breakfast. Maybe you should say yes, but what would be the point? You don’t have a lawyer that could look it over.

"No," you answer eventually. "Not right now."

Harry nods, taking a long sip of sake. "So if this is going to work we need to sell the idea of being a couple. Background, goals, that sort of thing." 

"Right." You twist to face him head on, legs crossed. "So, how long are we supposed to have been dating for?"

"Not long. A month or two?"

"Okay. Where did we meet?"

"Adore. It's believable." 

"Is that the matchmaking service you met Gemma on?" 

Harry nods. "Yes."

"You have siblings?"

"Yes," Harry says between sips. "A younger brother, Mason. And you?"

"Only child." You l give an absent hum. "Pets?"

"None. You?"

"None. But I would like a fish one day I think. Maybe. I don't really like the commitment."

"Speaking of which, Gemma mentioned you're divorced." 

The air is sucked from the room, your reply pushed out between gritted teeth. “Yes.”

"Do you have contact with your ex?"

"No." 

He can tell by the change in your disposition that he's almost pushed too far. This is a topic that will be aborted and maybe touched on at a later date. Maybe. He picks a safer topic as he works his way through the omakase. 

"Do you like to travel?"

Your shoulders lower. "Yes. I backpacked through Europe before college." 

"Favourite place?"

"Prague." You take another bite of nigiri. "You?”

“Vienna.”

The two of you talk for the next hour, exchanging the kind of information that you would with any first date. Favourite music, movies, hobbies. 

"I know you love to sketch," Harry observes. "What else?"

You lean back, stomach full and mood lightened. Harry is a decent conversationalist, even though this half feels like a job interview.

"Museums, plays. I like anything cultural, really. I can't get enough of learning about the world." 

You're nothing like Harry expected after that first meeting. You're funny and open and he feels more at ease than he anticipated being this evening. 

"What about affection?" You ask suddenly, warmed from the food and the drink. "Are we hand-holding people?"

"I don't see why not."

You frown. "But like, not overly PDA, right? I know you're paying me but making out in public doesn't exactly sit well with me."

Harry gives a dimpled grin. "No. No excessive PDA. The odd kiss may be required." 

He notices the way that your eyes dip to his lips and then back. You open your mouth t mo say something when the door opens to the side and the chef reappears with a large plate. He points to the selection as he places it down between you and Harry on the table. 

"We have Namagashi on the left, Hojicha Pudding in the bowls and Anmitsu in these glass jars. I hope you enjoy." 

He shuffles back out as you and Harry thank him. Harry watches you survey the offerings, your eyes darting from piece to piece overwhelmed with the spread. 

You eventually pick one of the colorful namagashi in the shape of a flower and pop it into your mouth, reminding Harry of your previous conversation. 

"What's your favourite flower? Really."

You look a bit embarrassed, your face scrunching. "I don't have one," you answer truthfully. "I just said ghost orchids because I didn't think you'd actually be able to find them." You shoot a toothy grin his way. "Guess I should've known better." 

He laughs lowly, melodic and warm.

"Can I call you something other than Harry?" You ask, taking another candied flower from the tray. "Like, H or Castillo or something? Harry is just such a goofy sounding name."

"I'll try not to be offended by that," he says. "When we're alone, feel free to call me whatever feels right. When we're with family its Harry." 

"Okay." 

"What made you agree to this?" Harry asks you. "For a while there I thought you might change your mind and leave me hanging." 

"I almost did, but, like most people I need the money, so..." You trail off, eyes averted. It embarrasses you to admit this. 

"May I ask what for?"

And as if a curtain has been drawn over the moment, he sees the way your spine stiffens and the way your jaw tightens. That brief interlude of openness and earnestness is now wiped away, replaced by that thin veneer of disdain that you have hold for him. 

"You may not."

Harry's jaw clicks to the side in thought, eyes digging into the side of your face, but you don't look look his way. 

"If that's everything I think I better get home," you say tightly. "I have a long day tomorrow." 

Harry stands as you do, extending an envelope your way. You take it hesitantly, noting your name on the front. 

"What's this?"

"Goodwill payment. Next one arrives in two weeks. Let me know if you prefer a check or Venmo." 

You flinch as you shove the envelope into your dress pocket, feeling strange about this whole encounter.  He's much less annoying than you remember, but he's also a lot nosier. Why should he care what you need the money for? 

He pulls something else from his interior jacket pocket, holding it out to you. It's a credit card with your name on it. 

"This is for any extra expenses that pop up," he says handing you the credit card. "There's an automatic $10,000 limit so let me know if you need more." 

You stare at the card for what feels like forever looking at the sleek black gloss, the way your name looks in delicate gold.  Ten thousands dollars?

"How do you know I won't go crazy and buy a bunch of shit?" You ask, eyes finally rising to his. 

"Go nuts," he shrugs. "Just nothing I have to wear. An ex of mine loved to tell me how to dress." He grimaces. "I'm a grown man. I can dress myself." 

You take the card in hand, feeling the heft of it, certain that it’s heavier than your basic credit card. You slant your eyes his way.

"I'll be honest, Castillo, I wasn't even thinking of buying you anything." 

Harry grins, full teeth, full dimple. His chuckle is low but resonant in the small space.  

"So," you offer, "what next?"

"Are you free tomorrow?"

"For what?"

Harry smiles at the suspicion in your voice. 

"For our first date. You get to meet my parents." 

authors note: all of your comments and reblogs made it easy to write the next chapter. 💋💋💋💋

i got the line dividers from @saradika-graphics

[sillied-too-hardxp]

~D~e~s~p~a~i~r~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♡⁠˖⁠꒰⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠⑅⁠꒱💖꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~(Alfred's Pov)~

You remember the first time you saw them.

A scared child who had just moved to Gotham… Only for their parents to die in a mugging gone wrong.

You remember them only speaking in their native language… Not understanding what happened. Not understanding that their parents are gone… Your heart bleeds for them.

Unfortunately, it seems that this scenario is more common than it should…

You remember the look on their face- 

You know it was the same one that Bruce had. 

You had simply thought that they happened to be another blood child of Bruce’s, you were correct, but their mother had been a distant friend of Bruce’s. Old childhood friends during the time Thomas and Martha were alive and well. Who sent her condolences when she heard the news… The one who also asked for Bruce to be their donor.

A friend who had only recently called quite a bit ago announced that she, her wife, and child would be moving to Gotham soon. That she hoped they could re-spark their once vibrant friendship…

. . .

Now laid dead, just had Bruce’s did. Leaving a grieving child behind in the aftermath… just like Bruce.

You had foolishly thought once Bruce came home he would help the child grieve. That they weren’t alone, that everything was going to be okay. But… 

He just…

Walked past them… Without a single glance…

. . .

You’ve never been more disappointed in your LIFE.

You’d never thought that this could ever occur… 

Bruce…. Like a drop of rain, adopted promising children, ignored the most promising one?

The one with the most compassionate eyes and tear-stricken cheeks, the one that shares the grief he has? That shares the now same traumatic memories he has??

You never felt the need to scream more in your life… How could Bruce just walk past them?? As if they weren’t there??? As if he hadn’t gotten that call Commissioner Gordan informed him of his friends’ passing? That he didn’t agree to look after the child if they were to suddenly pass??? That, as their Godfather, he would raise as his own(if blood wasn’t relevant)?

But in the end, you set up a room for them… helping them to bed. Sitting in a chair nearby, for the night terrors that eventually appeared throughout the night.

. . . .

You forced yourself to continue with the present, trying to find a way to contact [Name]. To figure out if they’re okay… If they are happy and alive. 

You usually trusted your gut instincts… But… This feeling? Was complete and absolute DREAD. That they were no longer there. That something downright horrifying happened. . . That they had d i e d. That you could no longer hear the melody of their laugh. The songs they would hum helping you around the manor… The hugs that could make you stop breathing. Their eyes that stare at you look at you as if YOU were the one who made the universe they resided in…. The one you missed the most out of anyone you’d once known.

You felt it before… Jason came into your mind. Yes, he was dead for an indeterminate amount of time, but he’s alive now. Visiting every once in a while. He still contacts you when he’s not.

But this?? This situation? Leaves you feeling like you could vomit… That you’re mourning once again… 

To take your mind off of the feeling. You use the Batcomputer to search more in-depth into {Hope’s Peak Academy}. 

Hoping to find answers to questions on why students haven’t been seen in a while. Why the students aren’t answering their parents’ phone calls and letters? Why the academy now looks barren? As if students and staff hadn’t been there in months…

You’ve looked into everything. The only news you found were about strange bears roaming around the school. About how bizarre the bears look… 

That feeling… 

.

.

.

.

Now feels even worse…

_____________________tags_____________________

@welpthisisboring @pialexx

sorry for the wait!! >< i didn't know how to write the many MANY ideas in my head (; > <) i hope the tags work cause im more used to mobile! also!! send asks if you want! cause i'll be checking in with this blog more often lol

[bucktommysource]

The bucktommy hiatus event begins on Sunday June 1st - exactly one week away! You can check out our intro post here for a reminder of the list of prompts.

We'll post a reminder the day before, and each week we will make post reminders to mark the start of a new prompt. Remember to tag your content with #bucktommysource and/or #bucktommyhiatusevent if you want us to see it!

We also now have a brand new faq that can be fully seen under the read more! We can't wait to see everybody's creations!

FAQ

What is the bucktommy hiatus event?

The bucktommy hiatus event is an event hosted by bucktommysource that begins on June 1st and runs for 8 weeks to inspire fans of this ship to create new fanworks during the hiatus! We're running two sets of prompts - one more specific, and one more vague - but a prompt can be picked from either list for any type of fanwork. You can pick strictly from one prompt list for the 8 weeks, mix and match across them, combine prompts from both lists (e.g. combining the week 2 prompts of 'quote(s)' and 'baking' to form a fanwork) - anything you can think of! Participation isn't strict; if you're only inspired by 1 or 2 of the weeks, feel free to just make content for those weeks. The main purpose of the event is to have fun - it shouldn't be stressful or taxing. And just because these prompts run across two months doesn't mean you can't make content after that! If you see this in August, September, October - hell, any time! - feel free to use the prompts as inspiration. The full list of prompts can be found in our introductary post here!

What can I make for this event?

You can make anything your heart desires! Fanart, fanfiction, gifsets, graphics, edits, fanvideos, icons, headers, memes, meta - to name but a few!

Can you be more specific in what you mean by a prompt?

The prompts in this event are intentionally vague (especially in the second list!) and there's no right or wrong way to interpret them. We encourage people to be creative with the way they interpret them!

I missed the beginning of the event/I joined late/ I missed a few weeks - can I still join?

Yes! You can participate in as many, or as few, prompts as you like.

I missed a week, can I still do the prompt?

Of course! If you stumbled on this event late, or, for example, missed week 1 and we're not on week 4, you can still create content for any of the prompts you've missed! The only thing we ask is that you don't skip ahead and do future weeks early!

Can I make multiple things per prompt?

Absolutely!

Can I combine prompts? For example, can I combine week the 1 'home' prompt with the week 6 'firsts' prompt?

You can! All we ask is that, if this is something you want to do, you hold off on posting it until the later week - so, in the above example, you hold off on posting it until week 6. We don't want people to skip ahead on weeks that haven't arrived yet!

I want to create something in multiple parts (eg. multi-chapter fic, series of gifsets) for one of the prompts - do all parts need to be completed and posted during the relevant week?

No - it's 100% fine to just post the first of a fic or gifset during the relevant week!

Can I create content that is mature or NSFW for the event?

Yes - just make sure you tag everything properly both on tumblr and external sites (like AO3), especially if the subject matter could potentially be upsetting or triggering!

How do I add my fic to the AO3 collection?

1. From your fic, click ‘edit’, and scroll down to the ‘associations’ section. 2. In the 'Post to Collections / Challenges’ field, enter 'bucktommy hiatus event' and you should see the bucktommy hiatus event (bucktommyhiatus) appear in the autocomplete list. 3. Hit 'post' or 'update' and your fic will be added to the collection! AO3 has a collections FAQ that can be viewed here. The bucktommy hiatus event collections page can be viewed here.

Do I have to mention the event/prompt when I post my creation? Like in the caption of a gifset or the notes of a fic?

Not if you don't want to! Mentioning the event is a nice way to spread awareness of it so other people who might not know about it can see it, but it's not mandatory. Just make sure you use our tags if you want us to see it/know that it's content for this event!

Is this event being hosted anywhere else?

No, not by us - we're only on Tumblr and AO3. However if you want to post your content to other sites (e.g. Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky), feel free!

Can I join in a language other than English?

Absolutely! As mods, we may only speak one or two languages between us, but we encourage creations made in any language! Please just ensure that they're tagged correctly, though!

Why haven't you reblogged my post?

Make sure you've tagged your post with either bucktommysource and/or #bucktommyhiatusevent in the first few tags if you want us to see it. We queue our reblogs across days so we don't mass flood content all at once - so it could very well be in our queue! If you think we've missed your post, feel free to DM it to us or send us an ask and we'll take a look! Please be aware that we will not reblog posts that contain stolen content (e.g. we will not reblog posts that contain gifs made by other creators), and we will also not reblog posts that contain sensitive themes that haven't been tagged for.

For any other questions we haven't covered here, feel free to drop them in our ask - and should we have any other questions, you can find them answered here!

[karaaaak]

Is it 4 am when I posted this, yes. Do I car. No. Get attacked with my draft about some things about some of the specters I find neat! If anything I say in this post is wrong, or could have something added to it I would LOVE feedback, I’m still getting the hang of long form posts lol

Anywho! Most of my point here are going to be from either Wikipedia or someone else’s post. I have really bad memory so if I say something that seem familiar to a post you or someone you know made then people mention it and I’ll tag them!

First specter I’m gonna talk about is Eulalie’s.

Eulalies specter, as show, is a chimera, more specifically a Baku!

Baku’s are “Japanese supernatural beings that are said to devour nightmares”. Which explains Eulalie dreameating and possibly also the dispeller of evil spirits ability

Another fact I found interesting is that in a legend about the Baku “a child would wake up form a nightmare and call for the Baku by repeating “Baku-San, come eat my dream” three times. Then the Baku will come into the child’s room and eat the nightmare and the child will go back to sleep peacefully. However calling the Baku should be used sparingly, because if they remain hungry after eating a nightmare they may also devour the child’s hopes and dreams as well.”

Im not to sure if that is relevant to Eulalies character at all but I felt like it was worth adding!

Another thing that many have pointed out is that the markings of Eulalies arms resemble burn marks. Along with the fact that after using her dispeller of evil spirits ability she coughs a flame of fire.

Next specter I wanna talk about is Bernice’s!

I don’t have too too much to talk about with her specter, just some bits and bobs I picked up on rereads

Bernice’s specter in one of my favorites, just because of the fact it’s similar to a self defense mechanism for lack of a better term. Basically what I mean by that is the things she list is death her specter has a large amount of, and another things. Which leads me to the mouths.

The mouths, to me, are extremely interesting. If i remember correctly I read this on a post so credit or op even though I can’t remember who it was 😭. But the placements of the mouths on her specter could be the places she was touched without consent and/or inappropriately. The mouths seem to work as a self defense to her body, biting at whoever comes near on their own. Proctecting those spot of her.

Another thing about her design is the focus on teeth. First then her death and her teeth falling out, and on her specter, with the large teeth on the extra mouths. This association comes from the Edgar Allen Poe story she was based on, Bernice. If you haven’t read it I will spare you you read and put the wiki summary here

“The story is narrated by Egaeus, who is preparing to marry his cousin Berenice. He tends to fall into periods of intense focus, during which he seems to separate himself from the outside world. Berenice begins to deteriorate from an unnamed disease until only her teeth remain healthy. Egaeus obsesses over them. When Berenice is buried, he continues to contemplate her teeth. One day, he awakens with an uneasy feeling from a trance-like state and hears screams. A servant reports that Berenice's grave has been disturbed, and she is still alive. Beside Egaeus is a shovel, a poem about "visiting the grave of my beloved", and a box containing 32 teeth.”

Weird, i know. 😭

Another thing is her pearls. I couldn’t find any mentions of pearls in her story but she has a strange association with them. From them falling off during her death, her having many of them in her specter, and even her outfit in the fast pass episode (fast pass at the time of writing this but ep 126). I’m not to sure what this mean but i figured it throw it in!

Im think thats all imma do in this post, maybe if i find motivation ill make a reblog of this with Ada and Monty (if not Monty then Annabel)

[djarins-cyare]

WIP Weekend

In my last WIP post, I mentioned I was 18k words into my Secret Relationship fic for the Roll-A-Trope Writing Challenge, and it had turned into something much longer than I intended. Sooo, yeah, um… it’s now reached ~40k words!

I’d planned to start posting it next weekend, but my firm got audited so I lost a couple of weeks due to working overtime, and I still have three chapters left to write. So I think it’s gonna be a Christmas release now. Sorry for the wait.

But over the last few weeks, I’ve been tagged in WIP posts by @burntheedges, @papurgaatika, @almostfoxglove, @djarinmuse, and @the-mandawhor1an (thank you, my lovelies! 💚), and with my excuses comes another snippet to tide you over until I can release it…

Please check out my last two WIP posts for additional snippets from earlier in the fic, here and here.

I’m switching it up and giving you one from Din’s POV today; the context is that she’s trying to convince him to come to a show the following night (despite Uncle Karga’s vehement disapproval of them being anywhere near each other)…

Her focus drops to her efforts on his dick as she skilfully adjusts her angle without missing a stroke, but he nudges her chin with his thumb. “Look at me, senaar’ika,” he commands through heavy breaths. When he has her attention again, he breathes, “Tion’jor neliser ni nevore gar?” Her eyes shimmer like starlight whenever he speaks Mando’a to her – like she loves to hear it, even though she doesn’t understand it. It’s why he persists in speaking to her in an almost dead language. Now, though, she answers his question with one of her own. “You gonna come, Mando? Please come….” She could be talking about right now or tomorrow night, but they’re both foregone conclusions. “Yes, fuck,” he gasps, his mouth spilling his agreement about ten seconds before his cock is due to spill his seed. The heat gathering low in his belly flares lower to engulf his balls, and the inferno of his orgasm brightens as it builds. She stokes him for all he’s worth, soft hand on silken skin, eyes still sparkling like the fuse that sizzles inside him… …and it magnifies and spreads, so fiercely thrilling that the alley falls away, and it’s just him and his senaar’ika and the silent symphony of pleasure she’s conducting… …and in an instant, a door swishes, a footstep sounds, and Din is tearing her hand from his pants, drawing his blaster, and moving his body to shield hers. The adrenaline from his impending climax converts into combat readiness, but the low growl that erupts through his vocoder is equal parts anger and anguish. “You two out here?” Yerma’s rich and golden tones dissolve his tension, leaving him with the sullen agony of an orgasm snatched away. The ache in his balls, the sting in his pride, and the regret in his heart all battle for top ranking in his pantheon of displeasure. “What’s up?” his alleyway companion calls out with enviable poise, stepping past him and around the stack of crates to stop Yerma from coming any closer. He takes the cue to hastily rearrange his underwear and zip up his pants, his erection deflating rapidly alongside his hope. This was a bad idea. As if to illustrate his thought, the Twi’lek states six concerning words. “Your uncle’s in the cafe, sweetie.”

Poor Din! 😬

Tion’jor neliser ni nevore gar? – Why can’t I say no to you?

If you don’t already know what his name for her (senaar’ika) means, I won’t spoil it because it’s vaguely plot-relevant.

If you’re interested in being tagged when I release this, please raise your hand or let me know in whatever way you prefer to communicate. You can also join my tag list if you like.

In the interests of making new friends and being sociable, I thought I should make an effort to tag more widely in WIP posts. I know that since I only write for Din and not all of you are particularly Din girlies (gn), some of you may not be interested in my fics, but I read other Pedro boy fics sometimes (Joel, mostly), and if I’ve tagged you below, it means I think you’re a fantastic writer 💚

No pressure to do a WIP post, or if you’d like to but don’t have anything to share or you’ve already posted this week, feel free to hold onto this tag for whenever’s convenient (that’s what I do 😆) or share something non-WIP related.

@ace-turned-confused @ak-vintage @alltheirdamn @alltheotps @almostempty

@alwaysmicado @ameerawrites @arcanefox207 @aurorawritestoescape @avastrasposts

@baronessvonglitter @beardedjoel @beefrobeefcal @bitchesuntitled @bluestar22x

@cas-readsandwrites @chiriwritesstuff @chronically-ghosted @clawdee @covetyou

@din-cognito @draculasfavoritewife @firstofficerwiggles @guiltyasdave @hapan-in-exile

@itsokbbygrl @javierpena-inatacvest @jeewrites @jennaispunk @joelstummy

@justagalwhowrites @luxurychristmaspudding @mermaidgirl30 @milla-frenchy @moeswriting

@mothandpidgeon @mrsmando @murder-wife @novemberrain-writes @orcasoul

@ozarkthedog @pedgito @pedrospatch @perotovar @quinnnfabrgay-writes

@sawymredfox @schnarfer @soft-persephone @sweetpascal @thischarmingmandalorian

I’m also tagging my regular tag list since this is a snippet of an upcoming fic and a posting schedule update. Thank you all for your support 💚

@chiyo13 @harriedandharassed @leithatnight @lilac-boo @lucienofthelakes

@pigeonmama @punkygreeny @syd-djarin @wrathkitty

[eldritch-spouse]

Fucking robot. Why does he always bother me during breaks? He doesn't even need breaks.

“Hi Xavier. Was there something that you needed?”

You know he likes you because he bothers to address you by your name. As opposed to a serialized string of numbers and letters.

The numbers before your shift code and initials make you wonder just how many of them there were before you. How many he tossed away after an unfortunate workplace accident. That tag on your uniform is more of a death sentence than anything.

'Like'... As if this tin can is actually able of feeling.

It's more realistic to say he sees value in you, for some reason, and employs some kind of social algorithm to fabricate a twisted sort of relationship.

" You have been consistently distracted lately. "

Is that a warning?

Two red abyss-like orbs cast a crimson filter upon your face. It always feels like Xavier is watching you a little too closely, monitoring more than just your verbal responses.

" Ah, my bad! " You force a wobbly smile. " I promise it doesn't get in the way of my wo- "

" It does. " He silences you immediately, imposing and unforgiving in his cold corrections. " Clients notice when you zone out. Your movement speed is drastically reduced and the chances of committing errors -which you have by now- is considerably increased. Spacing out this much is in no way acceptable behavior for a multitude of... "

Only the very real notion that he's noting your facial expressions stops you from rolling your eyes at the robot's tireless monolog regarding the dangers and consequences of being distracted at work. One of your eyes still manages to twitch, as if in defiance.

" Yes sir, I understand. " You try to cut in, try to abort that speech before it turns into a whole lecture.

One camera cranes down slightly. " Your reputation as the exemplary employee is being damaged. "

Xavier says this like it should make you anxious. You hate that he thinks of you as an example, that he emphasizes it constantly. Not only is it putting unnecessary pressure on you for no compensation, it's also costing you the few mild friendships you have worked to maintain in this hostile minefield of an environment.

The more he speaks of you as some ideal of professionalism, the more others give you judgemental side-eyes. Sneers. Avoid you. Spread snide comments that then find their way to you through gossip.

Maybe if Xavier stopped exalting your mediocre performance, your asshole coworkers would stop murmuring that you've been orally pleasing the glorified microwave.

Xavier doesn't even have a dick! Why would he?! He's an artifical stand in for a manager that only cares about the dehumanizing process of maximizing profit.

He doesn't have a penis. You think.

You only realize a long silence has installed itself this whole time when the robot breaks it.

" ... Are you ill? "

" Huh- No. No, I just have a lot on my mind. I'll work on it boss. "

There's another pause. This time, you presume Xavier is waiting for you to cave under pressure, or counting the pores on your complexion. You bet he'd know the exact number.

" You have not allowed access to more in-depth medical records. If I had such a permission, I would be able to rework your current shift into something more suitable for any preexisting conditions such as- "

" Uh no sir, no. I don't think that's relevant, it's probably just my sleep schedule. " The thought of Xavier knowing about your health beyond what is strictly necessary for employment is chilling to the core.

He takes the rejection silently, lenses refreshing.

" I know who is bothering you. "

Xavier says, so naturally and spontaneously that you gawk for a moment, forever surprised by his eery bursts of casual remarks.

" ... Pardon? "

These moments make it seem as if there's more than mere cold calculations running through his processor components.

Xavier drifts that much closer to you, now suffocating your personal space. Only the crimson of his camera lenses light the dingy alley you've chosen as your break spot.

" Incubus, Babesley. Masseur. He has self-inflicted carvings on his body consisting of infatuated statements and your name. "

You rattle for a second, the memory of the demon's mutilated chest surfacing, his wild and desperate eyes searching yours for a hint of approval that wasn't there, only disgust and fear.

" Wrathfolk, Mozgrag. Trapper. Teamed up with the incubus upon being confronted, effective in forcing his way to you at any cost. "

Another memory flashes by, burly hands carelessly tearing the horns out of someone's head, he'd look at you when the screams rang, attempting to prove something you only saw as terrifying murderous intent.

Shaken, irritated, afraid, you openly glare at Xavier.

" Why haven't you done anything... " It was too quiet to sound as confrontational as you wished.

There's a split second where his stiff arms twitch, like the machine was trying to roll its shoulders. Cameras tilt and reposition, erroneously assuming the light from his lenses is what's causing you to tear up.

" The customer is always right. " Faintly, or perhaps just in your head, his words sounded dragged out.

" Then what's the problem?! "

You can't help the childish irritation, the desire to pluck your hairs out of your scalp in a pull that might just tear your skin asunder. You want to scream and kick this stupid fucking machine until it shuts off. Why does he bother you during your breaks to ask things that make no sense, to unnerve you, to create contradictions. You've never had a positive interaction with this robot. Why would he mention those two if he seemingly has no problem with their attitudes?

You know he doesn't care, because your coworkers are also living through their own cases of harassment at the hands of the denizens of Hell. You've had to pretend you didn't hear the sound of a cashier's arm being twisted in all the wrong directions before. Reminded that quitting is not an option, that you can only pray such doesn't happen to you.

" Your performance- "

No. Shut up.

" Okay, let's do some math, Xavier. " You growl. " My precious work performance is being impacted by a lot of things, but mainly those two. Those two are customers, and the customer is always right, aren't they? So there's nothing to be done, yeah?! Stop- "

Your confidence begins to falter when you realize you've stepped out of line, that you snapped at your own superior. The fear of consequences flashes very briefly across your eyes. That's enough, you need to calm down. You need to leave.

Xavier's silence doesn't help.

" I'll... I'll be heading back to work now. "

Head hanging low, you attempt to swiftly retreat into work, halted quickly by cold metal wrapping around your arm.

His grip is as frighteningly solid as it is sudden.

You don't remember Xavier having ever touched you before.

When you squirm around to glance at him, ask what he thinks he's doing, those two cameras pin you into silent obedience. You could never hope to free yourself of his grasp, only if you wished to tear a limb out of its socket.

" Do you think I enjoy these limitations? "

There's a mute gasp. Then the pain of his grip tightening, restricting your blood flow into a tingling soreness. Your teeth bare themselves.

" I don't think you enjoy anything at all, machine. "

It was ruthless, yet, deep down, you almost believed it.

Xavier stares at you for another prolonged period of time, unaware that the pain in your arm is only worsening. You have no idea what occurs behind those lenses, what those words might mean to him.

Metallic fingers unclasp with the slowness of a decompressing blood pressure monitor, allowing you to yank your own limb back and hold it to your chest like an animal licking its wounds.

" ... This issue will be resolved. "

He doesn't make a move to follow after you. In fact, Xavier remains staring forward, at the empty space where you once stood.

Maybe you broke him. Who cares, he might give you peace for the rest of your shift.

[imbecominggayer]

Writing Advice: Too Many Characters

A common advice when writing stories is "don't write too many characters". But, like with everything creative and good, there is no definitive answer to how many characters should be in a book!

So I will be discussing numerous variables in storytelling which impacts how many characters you should have and what makes something in a book "pointless".

Themes! Themes! Themes! (Omori Spoilers, Not Too Much)

The most important question that a writer has to ask themself is "what is this scene/book/media trying to do?". If your story is based on the relationships we have with others and the impact they can have on our psyche then having a close-knitted community of people will drive the message of intimate connection better then just having more people in there. If your story is focused primarily on introspection, looking inward, individuality, and other spiritual activities then the protagonist is more likely to spend longer durations of the media by themselves.

An example of these to forces is the popular game of Omori.

(SPOILERS ABOUT OMORI<3)

Omori is a game that focuses on acceptance first and foremost. Self-acceptance to be more specific. Due to the fact that the game is a piece of introspection both for Sunny and for the player, the most important moments in the game such as the "reveal" sequence of pictures and Black Space are ones that are done on your own.

However, the game also prioritizes the relationships Sunny has between his friends as this serves as motivation for the final duet. The final duet was an act of bonding as Mari and Sunny just wanted to spend time together, doing something they liked.

The introspection moments are pushed towards the end of the game because it's only when Sunny has that support and belief in his friends, can he rise above his doubt and shame and fear.

2. What Is The Purpose Of This Character?

All characters need to have a purpose in the narrative. Both within the context of the world and in the context of the book.

Within the context of the world, they need a goal that is going to impact the protagonist either positively or negatively.

Within the context of the book, what is this character giving to the audience that wouldn't otherwise be there?

Pro tip: All the characters you have need to have more then one purpose! Characters that give exposition can't JUST give exposition.

If you have a love interest that can be cut out without taking away a vital part of the story either from a thematic(theme) standpoint or a narrative(plot) standpoint, just replace them with an object and move it along!

If you have an ally character that only shows up twice and can be changed into "I went down to the store to buy these items", give that "ally" tag to someone more story relevant"!

3. Priorites?

Ask yourself this: "Do I have the book length to dedicate time to this person?"

If the answer is no, follow my next steps. If the answer is yes, here is how to make them better.

When I say "prioritize", I mean you need to figure out what type of character this character is. Are they a main character? A side character? Cannon fodder? A symbol? WHAT ARE THEY?

Also, can you give these character responsibilities to someone else? This simultaneously gives those characters deeper complexity and eliminates more characters

Example: Love Interest, after being trapped by the villain, uses their intelligence in order to provide information about the villain to the hero. (Love Interest + Ally + Informant)

Example: Friend is revealed to be a double agent on the side of the Villain. However, it's revealed that Friend was secretly a triple agent who is finally redeemed from their original believed betrayal. They're back to being an ally. (Friend + Betrayer + Ally + Enemy)

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Listen, I know we all have stuff to do and summer is coming up and aaaaaaaargh, but in the name of Optimus Prime I'm begging y'all to shed the habit of using descriptors like 'the shorter one' or 'the blond one' instead of using proper names.

This is a very common trope in fanfiction, and I get it, it gets so boring to write the character names over and over again. I also know it will be so hard to unlearn, don't ask me about the pain and suffering I have endured. But you have to break yourself out of this habit, because all it's doing is making your stories harder to follow and losing your readers.

Let's say you're writing an Avengers fanfic, and you've got Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor in the room together. The following scene might go a little something like this:

"We must stop Unicron," the blond one said, flexing his muscles.

"Indeed," the dark-haired one replied. "If only he weren't so handsome for a metal monster."

"Thou is speaking nonsense," the bearded man said, subtly flexing his biceps harder. "Also, who is speaking right now?"

(Yes, I did write Unicron instead of Ultron like I'm pretending not to be a nerd, shut up.)

The actual dialogue tag indicators above are nonsense, pure gibberish, and those exaggerated for effect, wouldn't it just be easier to follow if you just used names? Also, sometimes Tony's goatee is more beard-like so it's even less helpful in figuring out who's talking. Depends on what era of comics you're reading.

ANYWAY, Who is doing what is one of the most important things you need to convey. In a busy dialogue scene, in a high action scene, especially in a romance scene between two people of the same gender, clarity is key. It feels boring to write, I know. It will be a better scene in the end.

So when should you use character descriptors in your writing?

When you need to reiterate an important character feature that is either relevant to how the main character views them or how they view themselves. Example: Her brother, the soldier, the Hobbit, etc.

When you need to reiterate an important character feature to the plot. Example: The god of thunder, the stowaway, the white witch, etc.

When you have a minor character who is better defined by their job or role than there name. Example: The second mate, the boatswain, the cook, etc.

When appropriate to the scene. This one is harder to define, but if you have a quiet moment where the main character reflects on the scoundrel he has a crush on, long paragraphs of just using the name Alex might be better peppered descriptors of his personality or notable features, or - depending on your character - 'that cocky asshole.'

When shouldn't you use character descriptors? When they are boring, unhelpful, and not distinctive. Referring constantly to someone as "the taller man" or "the blonde" will come back to haunt your ass years down the road, believe me. Break free from this prison before you snap awake at 3am, haunted by the one stupid scene you can never unwrite.

[skzthelomlhehe]

"The beginning of an end"

Inspired by these posts by @hyunbelievable

Synopsis: The end of a beginning is nothing but the beginning of an end. Heart once broken, now healed with sincerity. How did this happen? When did it go wrong and most of all... Where did it go wrong? Was it you or was it what? Questions remained unanswered. But for how long?

Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort.

Warning: cheating, lying, mentions of harmful thoughts, a little suggestive (if you squint your eyes)? (No I'm not making this into a smut 😭 it's relevant to the angst, trust me.)

Masterlist tag list: @bluesungology @diabolicalkitkat @capricorn-girl0112 @daysofskz-ateez @neginktn @seoul1207

Just to make it a weeee bit more painful, this is the man we're gonna be talking shit about:

Three years... It had been three years since you met Chan and the boys. Maybe it was his charisma... Maybe it was the care and love he showed to the ones around him... You always found yourself looking at chan. This strange attraction that pulled at your heart strings.

And that was why, when he finally confessed to you, you reached cloud 9. It was on your birthday, a year ago. The kids and you were out to dinner. You noticed how the boys kept giggling and teasing their leader. While you sort of had an idea that he might like you too, you would put that thought aside just to spare yourself heartbreak.

That is... Until he finally said it. Amidst the chaos of the other kids within the almost empty restaurant, he held your hand gently. The chit chattering now finally coming to a pause. "Y/N..." He spoke out softly and your breath hitched. He looked at you with such loving eyes. A gaze no one has looked at you with. "I love you, Y/N... Will you be my girlfriend?" He said it. And you lost your mind.

Having sat beside him prior to this, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. "Yes! Yes I will!" You answered excitedly and kissed him again. The restaurant erupted with 'ooh!'s and congratulatory words.

The way he looked at you, with these... These sparkly eyes... Ones that screamed love if nothing else... Oh how you loved it. How you loved seeing it. How you loved being seen by that gaze. That night, for the first time, both of you held each other in a warm embrace. A night you could never forget.

And yet... That night remained a cruel reminder... A cruel reminder of lies... Of betrayal.

It had been exactly an year since you both had been dating. It was your birthday and anniversary at the same time. You were so excited to spend the night with the love of your life in the same place where it all started.

And at the peak of your joy... Your life came crashing down. You guys were supposed to meet at 7. He was supposed to pick you up. But earlier, he had texted you in the morning saying he'd be back late cuz they had work. By late, he didn't mean he would miss dinner, right?

You adorned yourself with the dress he bought for you that he claimed to have reminded him of you. Along with pretty jeweleries, a well done hair, nice make up and his favourite perfume. You looked at yourself in the mirror, cheeks flushed from the thought of having dated him for a whole year already.

You made your way to the restaurant realising he wouldn't be able to pick you up. When you got there, you were greeted by a waiter who led you to your seat. It was a seat with a big window beside it. A cozy atmosphere. Just like how it was a year ago. "Wonder how the kids would react if they were here." You giggled, thinking about that night again.

10 minutes passed.

20 minutes passed.

No sign of chan anywhere.

You were just about to text him when your eyes trailed off to the window, when you noticed a small cafe outside. It had been there for a few months now. "I should come here with Chan someday." You smiled to yourself. But soon, that smile faded.

Chan walked into the cafe, his hand draped around the shoulders of... Another woman? Why is he going inside the cafe with a different woman that you've never met? "N-no... He wouldn't..." You mumbled. And as if to rub salt on the wound, you saw them kiss. Soft... Delicate... Loving kiss... His gaze on her was the same as it used to be on you.

Your heart thumped. Louder and louder every second. Your chest tightened and tears threatened to spill out of your eyes. You whipped out your phone, vision blurry as you typed.

{To see the chats, make sure to go here also cuz I can't add more than 5 pics so yeah 😭}

You couldn't cry. Even though your eyes urged you to, you couldn't let anybody see the hurt the man you loved caused you. You gathered up your things and stormed out. Just as you got yourself a taxi, you saw Chan running out of the cafe. It was tempting, to say the least. You want to stop and hear him out. Yell at him or slap him, maybe? But you didn't.

You hopped into the taxi, went up to your apartment and locked your door. If he knew better, Chan wouldnt come banging on your door. You knew how much he loved his reputation as an idol. He would never do anything that could ruin his image. Even if it meant he lost his lover.

What surprises you is seeing him go out like that. It was unusual. And surprising. Maybe... Just maybe... Deep down you wanted him to run after you. Grab you by the hand and kiss you. Tell you it wasn't true... You wish when you went to bed, you'd wake up and realise it was a nightmare.

As you went to bed sobbing, you desperately wished to wake up next to him, hug him tight and tell him how you had this awful nightmare. But once again, luck was not on your side.

You woke up alone. No one next to you. The space once occupied by the person you loved, the warmth of "good morning, pretty~ sleep well?" was now buried within the cruel cold of nothingness.

Your heart felt heavy, almost as if it stopped beating. You got out of bed, clothes, shoes, accessories, everything scattered everywhere. Making your way towards the mirror, you looked at yourself. Your eye make up all messed up and runny from crying. Nose red. Lipstick smudged. Your hair all over the place.

You fell to the floor, crying again. "How... How could he do this to me?!" You cried out. You loved him. You truly did. More than anyone else. You've never loved anyone like the way you loved chan. And he snatched the bits of happiness away from you.

You looked at the mirror again. You watched how pathetic you looked. How messy... How dirty... Tears trickled down your face aimlessly. You gave your heart, your soul, your body, your faith. You gave him your everything. And now? You found yourself all alone. No family... No friends... No one to lean on.

You had nothing to live for. You had nothing to look forward to anymore. You gave away your everything. You lost your everything. "I wish I could just disappear.." you mumbled, your voice hoarse from sobbing. The betrayal, the humiliation. It all came crashing down on you all at once. "What more reason do I even have to live for?"

Just then, you got a call from Hannah. You couldn't pick up. You didn't have it in yourself to pick up that call. So you just watched it ring. Your eyes unfocused, your mind numb.

As you watched the call ring and hang up on its own, she shot you a text instead, (and this is where when I saved the draft and came back, everything else that I wrote after this line was GONE. ... I'll go cry.)

You read the text through your blurry eyes. But after some point, you couldn't even do that. Tears welled up in your eyes again. You started sobbing, once again.

After crying for what felt like hours, you heard banging on your door. "Y/N!! Open your door!! It's me Hanna!!" You looked up, your eyes red from crying. Your body just as numb as your mind. Frozen... Paralysed... All you could do was silently look at the door.

"Y/N I'm gonna come in!!" Hannah yelled out again. You had given the passkey to your house to the kids and their siblings in cases of... Emergency. After all, it wasnt the first time you had thoughts of... Disappearing...

Hannah slammed the door open and ran up to your bedroom panting. Her chest heaving up and down, her eyes widened in terror as she looked at you from the door frame. "Ha-Hanna..." You cried.

She rushed to embrace you and you hugged back tightly. You had finally gotten the warmth that you so desperately craved.

Hannah helped you freshen up. She sat you down on the bed and helped you calm down. While she ordered something for you to eat, you finally told her everything.

After hearing your side of the story, she was mortified. She held you close again while you cried in her arms again.

The event left a big scar on you. Cheating in itself was painful. But having to see the one person who was the reason you live, kissing another woman on your birthday and anniversary... That broke you in ways unimaginable.

The news spread like wild fire. The kids, their siblings, their parents. Somehow everyone knew. At least the close ones did.

Hannah and Olivia played a big role in helping you out of that dark place. You got into therapy. Chan's parents reached out to apologise on his behalf. Their efforts made you realise that... They really did love you. You really were appreciated.

In the meantime, chan was drowning in guilt. He had to take a hiatus. The kids only ever looked at him in contempt. They could not recognise the leader they once so respected and loved. And Chan's parents were utterly disappointed in him. So were his siblings.

2 months passed. Your lifeless eyes shined just a little more than before. You were finally getting to a better place. And soon, you were surprised by an unusual encounter.

Read this for more context.

You never could've imagined that Seungmin of all people would reach out to you.

Honestly, you loved the way he was. His sarcastic humour, his way of making you feel safe, his earnesty. It scared you a little. You fell for someone who made you feel safe and loved, only to be betrayed after all. You didn't want to make the same mistake again. But you didn't want to stereotype Seungmin into that category either.

During the movie, while the two of you tried to grab some popcorn from the same bucket, your hands touched just a little. You both looked at each other and though the dimly lit room barely showed much of the other in front of you, you found his eyes sparkling.

But this time, the sparkle just... Felt... Different? It was something you couldn't describe in words. A type of sparkle that was missing in Chan's eyes. A few months later, when he confessed to you, you found your heart fluttering just a bit.

You were scared, terrified even. You didnt want to go through that all over again. But amidst all that... You wanted to give Seungmin a chance... You wanted to test your luck just one last time.

And that one choice ended up being the best ones you'd ever made. The other kids were highly supportive. You felt loved all over again. When dating chan, you always doubted the love others had for you. But this time? This time it was different.

You felt seen, you felt loved, appreciated and... You felt alive... Alive all over again. Now you have many reasons to live. Not just one. Not just a single individual.

You have dreams to fulfil, places to go to, experiences you want to see with your own eyes and feel things you've never felt.

You found peace. You found comfort. And you found solace in his arms. In Seungmin's arms. Your life fell apart because of Chan's mistake. But you rebuilt that life once again. And chan? Well let's just say... He didn't quite get his happy ending. Was karma real? Yeah. Did he regret it? Also yes. But who says he won't make that mistake all over again?

A cheater is a cheater.

There's no going back once you cross that line. Even if it's chan.

Moral of the story: don't take back cheaters 😤😤

Fin~

A/N: this physically hurt me to write- like- the amount of times I had to rethink my life choices 😭 I didn't realise it when I was writing this, but I sorta related this on my real life events (only the angst part unfortunately 😔) but yeah!

Just so you know, if you're going through something, you're not alone. There are people who love and appreciate you so please don't hesitate to reach out 🫶 you mean a lot to someone without even realising it. It's way to early to give up so please keep going :) you'll find your flame once again!