#shown to me so i wanted to show it to you

[neodymiumcuilz]

"550 days since the beginning of the war on Gaza, more than 150,000 martyrs, wounded, and missing under the rubble, and the world stands silent. I swear to God and the heavenly books that we are being subjected to a war of genocide by Israel.

By God, if a natural reserve for animals were exposed to what we are being exposed to, the world would rise up and intervene to solve the problem.

We are human beings, oh human beings, have mercy on us and rise up and demonstrate for us. "

That is a message from @rima-44 who is from Gaza, asking for help. And she is right, we as human beings must be compassionate and rise up and speak about against genocide and terror, but where is everyone? If a litteral genocide isn't enough to make you say something, I fear to imagine what will. I feel as if animals are have more compassion then humans, people are shown being burned alive in front of you. Children being shot in the brain, corpses living the streets. All for you to see, infront of you. And yet you still say nothing, where has our humanity gone?

It is so easy to help - now more than ever. All you need to do is click on a fundraiser, and spend only a minute to donate. If you have money to spend at a coffee shop - you have money to help. Please do not be selfish. No excuses, I'm tired of people refusing to donate when they can - their lives are worth more than a few dollars.

23% OF GOAL RAISED. Show you are human, show you have a heart.

And if you truly cannot donate, keep sharing, speak up. You have to excuse.

[big-bundle-of-little-mistakes]

Hsar me out... this but with fanfiction. People like to turn dick heads into stammering blushing shy guys and I'm over here going "WHERE HAS THIS EVER BEEN SHOWN." There's not even an argument. Just a wish for it to be so. I understand people can make fanfic whatever they want. I know it's a free resource and outlet. But as stated, you better have a damn good argument that your interpretation is supported by the show, to turn blue curtains yellow. I'm not saying they can't be yellow and you can't interpret them that way, but I WILL tell you that you're wrong and they're blue. He's not a considerate, stuttering blushing shy mess, he's an ASSHOLE who is confident in himself. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not “Only my reading of canon is correct” or “Interpretations are subjective and all valid” but a secret third thing, “More than one interpretation can be valid but there’s a reason your English teacher had you cite quotes and examples in your papers, you have to have a strong argument that your interpretation is actually supported by the text or it is just wrong and I’m fine with telling you it’s wrong, actually.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

talking about married ladies, it is quite interesting that georgina doesn't wear a ring! if you look at princess leah, she has a ring on her left hand's ring finger; but if you look at maleanor, who's also married, she wears a ring on her right hand's middle finger! this makes me wonder if different races have different wedding ring customs! personally, it made me think that merfolk just dont wear rings as proof of marriage; in the little mermaid prequel, for example, ariel's mother and father wear no rings despite being married (i think???) anyway, i hope we find out more about this what do you think? are there any other married characters that come to mind?

I don’t have any comment on the actual Disney characters and whether or not they wear rings and in a consistent place after marriage; I’m of the opinion that even if I checked this, details that are true in the Disney versions do not always translate over to Twst. We also can’t tell what are animation errors or not, especially granted that it’s usually the lower budget sequels or prequels that show married characters.

Traditionally, a wedding ring would be worn on your left hand’s ring finger (fourth finger from the thumb). The only Twst parent to be wearing a ring like this is Queen Leah.

As someonetwisted said, Maleanor wears a ring on her right hand's middle finger. This could be indicative of different races having different traditions when it comes to where their wedding ring is worn--however, because we have seen so few married fae + merpeople and no married beastmen to compare to, it's unclear whether this is the case or if Maleanor's ring is just something she wears as a sign of opulence as a princess.

The only other fae I can think of is Baur, but it's not obvious if he was married or not at the time of Lilia's time as a general. Even if Baur were married during that era, his armor would make it difficult to wear a ring:

This is probably also why the Dawn Knight wears no ring. However, I do believe that if you extract the in-game assets, he is shown to be wearing a wedding band under his armor.

Lilia, who is a single parent and never got married, of course wears no ring. (It would also be odd to pass as a high school student while you’re wearing a wedding ring/j)

Then we have Dylla and Eric Venue, who may have been married at one point or (for whatever reason) are no longer with their partner. Neither wear rings, which could be because they never actually married or have split up with or lost their spouses in some other way. It could be something practical though?

For Dylla, a ring might get in the way of her truck driving and delivering goods. She may not want to wear something “fancy” for such a physically demanding and casual job. For Eric, a celebrity, he wouldn’t want the public to know he is already taken or has been with a woman in a physical capacity. This is especially the case because Vil doesn’t want people to know about their familial connection and claim he only has his success due to nepotism.

When it comes to parents who are happily married, there's the Clovers (from the Heartslabyul manga!) and Mr. and Mrs. Shroud.

You can't see Mrs. Clover's hands, but Mr. Clover appears to wear no ring. I'm going to assume Mrs. Clover is the same. Again, I see this as a practical thing. Wearing a ring while making baked goods seems unsanitary.

Mr. and Mrs. Shroud wear gloves, but no rings. I'm not as certain about this one, but maybe Mr. Shroud avoids wearing a ring due to workplace professionalism? He does seem to be the more serious one of the duo.

As for Mrs. Shroud, maybe she foregoes the ring (despite being so love-dovey) in case it gets in the way of her job...? I'm not sure how tech stuff works, but my thought is that this would be to avoid the metal or gem of the ring interfering with whatever she's inventing in case they come in contact. Or maybe she just wants to match with her husband?

The only married merperson we know of right now is, of course, Georgina, who wears no ring:

One proposed (kek, get the pun?) reason as to why this is is that every race has different traditions or customs to indicate being taken. However, I wonder if there's another reason...?

If you look at the true form of a moray eel merperson, they have webbed fingers. This would make it extremely difficult to wear a ring. (I should point out that the more humanoid merpeople, like the Atlantica Memorial Museum guards, do NOT have webbed fingers, so it would be possible for them to wear rings.)

It seems tedious for morays to keep a ring prepared just to slip on every time you visit the land. It also feels like a small thing like the ring would be easily washed away by the waves. And how frequently would you be going to land, anyway? Would this extra effort be worth it??

I also think it’s entirely possible that Georgina doesn’t wear a ring because it goes against glove etiquette. Yes, there is such a thing 😂

In glove etiquette, you are not supposed to wear a ring over your gloves. This just is not done, I’m assuming because it can mess with the fabric. (Besides, rings are measured to fit your finger, without taking gloves into consideration!) It’s also not advisable to wear rings under your gloves, as this would ruin the smooth silhouette with an unsightly lump.

Another component of glove etiquette is the length: shorter gloves are appropriate for cocktail parties and more informal occasions, while gloves that extend past elbow length (which is true of Georgina’s outfit) are for formal occasions. Since Georgina does appear to be formally dressed and in attendance for an acquaintance’s pre-wedding festivities + is a well put-together woman, it’s not too far-fetched to assume she doesn’t have a ring on in order to conform with the etiquette.

We probably won’t see Mr. Leech this event, but maybe in a future one! That’s probably when Floyd gets his “hometown” (a bit of a misnomer, since Ultramarine City and Maquillaville aren’t Jade or Vil’s respecrive hometowns) SSR. I always thought that Jade took after his dad since Mr. Leech stresses the importance of proper dress and attitude… but hey, maybe he’s got a bit of loose cannon in him like Floyd??

[clarkeysbedchem]

making the bed

will lenney x fem reader

summary: in the two years of dating, you and will had never had a serious argument but when everything starts to pile on top of you both it was bound to happen.

masterlist | main masterlist

The entirety of the flat felt like one big bubble of building resentment and bitterness over the past week, and it was beginning to eat at you. The snide comments that were wrapped in humour, the unnecessary passive-aggressive texts that were being left on left on read. Long pauses that were once filled with adoring glancing and soft touches now left hanging, empty.

You had know from the first comment made over a petty thing that something was brewing. But neither of you pulled the brakes. Neither of you wanted to speak about afraid of the answer, petrified that it would be the end of you. So, you stayed quite.

It was Friday night and you and Will were meant to go to a launch party - some influencer event that Will had been invited to, which always meant that you’d tag along. You had originally planned to skip it, needing a night in, but Will had asked, just come for a bit, and you reluctantly agreed despite everything in you was screaming no.

You were already running late, your hair half curled, outfit still unironed on the bed. The sound of Will pacing near the front door, jacket on, keys in hand making the already crushing anxiety in the chest worsen.

���You said you’d be ready by 7,” he called from the hallway, voice tight.

You flinched, mascara wand hovering mid-air, “I’m five minutes behind, Will. Calm down.”

“I’ve been waiting for forty,” he muttered, not too loud but just loud enough for you to hear.

You shot him a dangerous look in the mirror, “Then go without me.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“I’m not being dramatic. I’m trying to get ready and you hovering around me ain’t gonna make me go any faster. You’re acting as if you’ve got somewhere more important to be.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” he said with a slight scoff, stepping into the doorway of your bedroom, “You don’t even want to come, so why are you dragging it out?”

You turned slowly, setting the wand down with a little more force than necessary, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, but there was venom laced beneath his calm tone, “Maybe that lately you don’t show up unless it benefits you. Work shoots? You’re early. My things? You act like you’re doing me a favour.”

Then the silence that followed after his word was cold.

You knew that you should’ve handled it better. Could’ve taken a breath and talked it through. But the tiredness that was overwhelming, the pressure that had been building in your chest, and the sting of the accusation – everything crashed down on you.

“Are you seriously implying I don’t care about you? About what matters to you?”

Will shrugged again, that awful, infuriating shrug, “I don’t know. You tell me.”

And that did it.

“No,” you said, voice rising, trembling with every word, “You don’t get to stand there and act like I haven’t tried. Like I haven’t shown up for you a hundred different ways you never even noticed. Just because I’m tired doesn’t mean I’ve stopped caring.”

“Then show me!” he shouted suddenly, louder than you’d ever heard him and you took a step away from him, “Show me something real because I’m sick of trying to read between the lines of what you're not saying!”

You stared at him with an unreadable emotion plastered on your face as your chest heaved fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall.

“I can’t do this right now,” you muttered, grabbing your bag, “I can’t.”

Will took a step forward, something flickering in his eyes - regret, maybe - but he didn’t stop you from leaving.

“Fine,” he said, voice flat.

And that was the worst part of everything. Sure the yelling and the harsh words hurt but the fact he let you walk out the door without even so much of a fight killed you.

The hallway was too quiet as you walked through it, your footsteps echoing too loud in your head. You weren’t even sure what you were expecting as you walked through the halls – maybe a part of you hoped that he would chase after you, but he didn’t.

You got as far as the bottom of the stairs – not wanting to take the lift alone - before the tears started. They started quiet at first just cascading down your face and neck as you blinked. Then harder without warning a sob left your lips and it felt like your chest had caved in.

You didn’t know where you were going. You just knew you had to go because if you stayed even a little bit longer, you knew you would’ve said something you couldn’t take back.

You didn’t even think. Your feet just moved.

The air outside was cold wrapping around you in welcome. It bit at your face harshly but you could barely acknowledge the feeling. You’re mind fogged with the sound of his voice raised for the first time, the image of his shoulders tightening, of his eyes going cold when he said, “Then show me.”

You couldn’t handle the thought of being alone. Not tonight.

So, you went where you always went when things were too heavy to carry on your own.

Liv answered the door in an oversized hoodie, her hair up in the laziest bun ever seen, and a slice of pizza hanging out of her mouth.

She took one look at you - red eyes, flushed tear stained cheeks, white knuckles gripping onto holding your bag like you had just sprinted across the city - and her face dropped.

“Oh babe,” Her voice was already soft, already pulling you into her and Isaac’s flat.

You didn’t even say anything. Just stepped forward, and she wrapped her arms around you immediately, pizza slice abandoned on the small table next to her. She didn’t ask questions not right away.

“Come on,” she whispered, guiding you in by the shoulders the cold of your bare shoulder making her shudder slightly, “You’re freezing.”

The flat was warm and cluttered in that comfortable, lived-in way. Isaac was sat cross-legged on the sofa, remote in hand, but when he saw you, he hit pause and stood up immediately.

“You okay?” he asked, eyes wide, voice lower walking up to you straight away pulling you into a comforting hug.

You shook your head in his chest and he pulled away letting Liv guide you toward the kitchen, grabbing you a glass of water and a blanket from the couch in one practiced motion. Isaac watched from the side, concern etched into his expression but not pushing for any answers.

Eventually, you had been curled up in a blanket by Liv sitting between the couple with a hot chocolate in hand and your head leaning against Liv’s shoulder. You still hadn’t said much - just that it was bad. Explain that Will yelled and that you yelled back. That you didn’t know what it meant, only that you couldn’t be home.

Liv’s fingers gently combed through your hair as Isaac handed you a hot water bottle without a word.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” you whispered eventually, “I didn’t think we’d get there.”

Liv exhaled slowly. “Fights like that… they just happen. Especially when you love someone that much.”

“But I left,” you said, swallowing hard, “I just walked out.”

“And sometimes that’s better than saying something you can’t take back,” Isaac said carefully, from his corner of the couch, “You didn’t give up. You just tapped out for now.”

You nodded, but the lump in your throat never left.

“I keep replaying it,” you murmured, “Like, what I said. What he said. It was so sharp. And I keep thinking I should’ve just been a little more understanding or if he had just asked instead of assumed-”

“Hey,” Liv interrupted softly, squeezing your blanket covered knee, “Don’t do that, you’ll go crazy thinking about the What ifs.”

You sniffed, letting her words land, even if they didn’t fully stick yet.

“Do you, do you think he hates me?” The question was barely above a whisper. Childlike. Fragile.

“No,” Liv said immediately, “Absolutely not.”

“Not even in the slightest,” Bach added, “That man is in it. You don’t blow up like that unless you care too much.”

You leaned further into Liv, letting the weight of the day finally settle now that you weren’t carrying it alone, “Thanks,” you whispered.

“You can stay here as long as you want,” she murmured, brushing your hair back, “Seriously. Sleep on the couch, take the bed, steal my socks. Whatever you need.”

“We’ve got snacks, too,” Bach added from the kitchen, “And if you want, I can pretend I don’t know what’s going on and just loudly talk about Pokémon until you feel better.”

You laughed - actually laughed - a soft, broken little sound that surprised even you.

“I might take you up on that,” you said, voice cracking.

Liv smiled, resting her head on top of yours, “Everything will be okay.”

The silence after the door shut was deafening. Will didn’t move, he didn’t think he could. It was like time had frozen. He just stood there in the middle of the flat, the light from lap buzzing slightly, his hands braced on the wall like he would crumple in a ball if he let go.

The whole room still smelled like your perfume. Still looked like you - your uggs by the door, your half read book sat on the coffee table, your hoodie on the back of the chair.

And now you were gone.

The echo of your voice was still ringing in his ears – hurt and tired.

And his? Loud. Too loud. He’d seen you flinch — only slightly, but he noticed it.

He had known as soon as the words left his mouth that he pushed too hard, crossed some invisible line neither of them had ever dared to cross before.

He ran both hands down his face and let out groaned into them, turning in a slow, helpless circle like the answers might be written on the walls.

He was a mess. His heart in his throat but his pride in his way.

And suddenly, he needed to talk to someone. Anyone who wasn’t inside his head making this worse.

He fumbled for his phone, thumb hovering over her contact - and then quickly skipping past it before he could do something stupid. He scrolled down, found James, and hit call.

It rang twice.

“Mate,” James answered, casual and half-laughing like he hadn’t just been dragged into an emotional crisis, “Your alive?”

Will didn’t even try for a joke, “I think I fucked it.”

There was a beat of silence. James’ tone switched up immediately, “What happened?”

Will exhaled sharply and leaned back against the counter. “We had a fight. Like a proper one. Not just usual bickering. Full on yelling, I actually yelled at her James.”

“Shit,” James muttered quietly, “What about?”

“Everything,” Will muttered, “Nothing. I don’t even fucking know. She was late, I said something I knew I shouldn’t have, and it just spiralled. It was like all this stuff that’s been sitting between us for weeks just blew up.”

James let out a thoughtful hum on the other end, “And she left?”

Will closed his eyes, “Yeah, grabbed her bag and left.”

“Did she say she was coming back?”

“She didn’t say anything,” Will said, his voice on the edge of breaking, “I didn’t stop her.”

There was a pause.

Then, something softer, “Do you want her to come back?”

Will’s answer was immediate.

“Yes. Of course I do.”

“Then why the fuck didn’t you stop her, mate?” James practically yelled down the phone in complete confusion.

Will let out a bitter laugh, dragging a hand through his hair, “Because I’m a fucking idiot and I was angry. She was angry and I thought if I gave her space it’d be better than saying something worse.”

“Did it feel better?”

“No. It felt horrible.”

James just sighed, “Okay. First of all - take a breath. You’re not the first person to say something stupid in an argument.”

“I didn’t just say something stupid. I said she doesn’t show up for me.” Will’s voice finally broke at the end, “I know she does. I know. She shows up all the time, even when she’s burnt out. I made her feel like that wasn’t enough.”

James was quiet for a moment, “You ever think maybe you said it because you were scared?”

“Scared?”

“Yeah,” James said, “Scared that she’s going to pull away, scared it means she’s getting bored, or too busy, or changing her mind. So instead of asking for reassurance, you push first.”

The words that left James’ mouth felt like a punch in the gut, and Will stayed quiet.

“You haven’t lost her, mate,” James continued gently, “Not if you actually talk to her.”

Will nodded slowly, even though James couldn’t see it.

“I just, I looked at her face when she left and she looked done. Like she’d already decided she was over it.”

“No,” James stated, “She looked hurt. People don’t storm out when they’re finished, they leave quietly. She’s not done, she just didn’t want to say something she couldn’t take back either.”

Will sat down on the floor, leaning back against the cupboard, phone still pressed to his ear.

“I miss her already,” he said, and this time, his voice was barely a whisper.

“I know, man.”

“She’s probably with Liv,” Will added, more to himself than anything.

“Then she’s being looked after.”

Will nodded again, staring blankly at the opposite wall, “I want to fix it.”

“Just give her the night,” James said, “Sleep it off and text her in the morning. Don’t apologise just to make yourself feel better - apologise because you mean it.”

Will stayed quiet for a long time.

Then finally, quietly: “Thanks, mate.”

James voice softened, “Anytime. And Will?”

“Yeah?”

“You love her. She knows that but it doesn’t hurt to remind her of it.”

Will smiled, tired and sad and still completely tangled up in what he’d done.

“Yeah,” he murmured, “Yeah, she should probably hear it again.”

The front door of your flat looked exactly the same as it did the night before but everything felt different.

You hesitated with your hand in a fist hovering over the wood, nerves jittering under your skin. The last time you were here, you had your guard up and his eyes had been cold.

And you left without looking back, and you hadn’t expected your chest to ache the way it did now, standing outside his door.

You knocked once. Waited.

Then the door opened almost immediately.

Will stood there barefoot, hair messy, hoodie sleeves pushed up to his elbows like he’d been pacing. His face was tired - not just from lack of sleep, but from waiting. His eyes locked onto yours like he couldn’t believe you were real.

“Hi,” you said softly, “I left my key.”

“Hi,” he echoed, like it knocked the air from his lungs, “I saw.”

You stepped inside slowly, and he instantly moved out of your way keeping a distance between you both and closed the door gently behind you. He didn’t make any moves to try and reach out for you not wanting to crowd you.

The flat was quiet - still and like it had been frozen in time, like it had been holding its breath.

You stood there for a moment, gripping your bag, eyes flickering around like you were seeing it all for the first time.

And then in a whisper, “You left the hoodie on the chair.”

Will looked over and huffed out a soft laugh, “Couldn’t bring myself to move it.”

That did something to your chest.

You took a breath and turned to face him properly.

“Got your text.”

He nodded once, “I meant it.”

“I know,” you said, voice trembling just a little, “And I’m sorry, too. For walking out. For not for not telling you what was going on and how I was really feeling.”

He stepped a little closer now, careful, cautious.

“I should’ve asked but I didn’t know how to,” he said, voice low – almost embarrased, “I could feel things slipping, I could feel you pulling away and I didn’t want to lose you, but instead of saying that, I accused you of not caring.”

“You don’t have to be perfect all the time, Will, not for me,” you said gently, “But you have to talk to me. I can’t guess what’s going on in your head. Especially when I’m in mine, trying not to fall apart.”

He nodded, eyes glossy, jaw tight.

“I was scared you’d had enough of it, enough of me,” he admitted, “That you were already halfway gone and I was the only one still clinging.”

“I am tired,” you said, “But not of you, never of you. I just didn’t know how to tell you that I needed you closer, not further away.”

He let that land - and when he looked at you again, there was something raw and hopeful in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, stepping close enough that your hands nearly brushed, “For everything. For not seeing it sooner. For making you feel like you weren’t enough.”

You nodded, and then you reached for his hand and he gripped it like a lifeline.

“I don’t want to fight like that again,” you whispered.

“Neither do I,” he breathed, pulling you gently into his arms.

And for the first time in a while, the felt melted into a warm and comforting atmosphere. It was quiet but not the kind that had been suffocating you for months. You curled into his chest for the first time in a while and let yourself mold into him like it was your home.

“I love you,” he murmured into your hair, “I love you even when I’m being a dumbass, especially then.”

You smiled into his hoodie, squeezing his side.

“I love you too, always. Even if I’m too stuck in my own head to act like it..

He pressed a kiss to your hairline tightening his hold on you.

“Do-over?” you asked softly, tilting your chin up.

“No do-overs,” he said, forehead pressed to yours, “Just… moving forward. Together.”

And for the first time in weeks, you could finally breathe again.

taglist: @jamiekluivert @reidyourpalms @roc-haze @whisperturnedecho @graceln4 @dopeysunflowers @super-gay-for-u @bethorwhateverr @livvymd @lilyyxoii @4ngelrealm @kiyoomology @canyouseethesainz

[biancadoes1]

I see the discourse going back and forth about Nic and Luke. The brand deals conversations. The “beefing” comments. The fans going after one of them versus the other one. The comment about N “ratting” out L?! Left field that one.

I’m going to admit something. And this is why I’m doing this anonymously. Last June after “papgate” I unfollowed Luke. I questioned what kind of man he was. I didn’t like how things looked. I felt that as fans we’d been shown one thing and given a story while we were also being deceived. I think a lot of people still live there. If I’d seen his story about not letting “Cressida ruin our night” I would have looked at it completely differently. But alas, I was not privy to that due to my quick unfollow. I did feel very sorry for Nicola that next day because I felt that she had to go to bat for him. I felt she was the one who looked like she had lost a man to a girl 14 years her junior. I felt she deserved so much better. And yes, I was even hoping she was in a secret relationship with Eamon Farren or Luke Thompson. I questioned why their PR teams would even let this happen. I questioned why Luke didn’t just publicly claim A as his girlfriend after the cat was literally out of the bag. I thought to myself that I guess there’d been this whole grand scheme that had all been an illusion that the GA had fallen for. And then that chaotic week in August happened. And then Sorrento. And then silences.

Fast forward 10 months ahead. I feel bad at times for how I reacted last June. Once I watched the World Tour interviews again and saw just how uncomfortable L was with A I knew I’d been wrong. I knew I had mis-read the situation. And because I am a person that doesn’t just take things at face value and knows social media is not real life, I started to really dig deeper. I did end up following L again shortly after the unfollowing. I saw the very Nic coded post he made in September. The way he showed that cake online quickly as to make sure people knew he was not slighting Nic. Something I’ve never seen him do with A. There have been times I’ve questioned my resolve like when the post came out that his mom commented on. But there were way too many weird things about that post and that comment. It felt like a total set up. A set up leading to the BOSS event.

There have been a couple times I’ve had to take a break. There could be another one (or two) before we’re to an actual resolve. 🤪 So why am I still here? Why do I believe in N and L? Here’s just a few:

-The behavior of her family in Galway was not the behavior of a family meeting their daughter’s/sister’s co-worker

-The ring. Wearing that claddagh on the left hand with the heart pointing in means only one thing. A ring bought on the World Tour.

-Christmas and New Years. Where were L and N? Obviously not with the side stories. Matching sunburns/tans.

-The silences and the misdirections are mechanisms to mask the real story. Do I think they’re using them in the best ways? No. But I do think the silence speaks volumes.

-SAG Awards. They just solidified what we saw on the World Tour. It showed the intimate level of comfort L and N have. It showed the energy they have when they’re in each other’s presence. And it showed the glaringly obvious differences when they’re with A or J.

-Interviews. And the interviewers who question whether the couple in front of them is in love. Some have even said they are in love. Which makes me think there are many more who know the real tea.

-The “people just really want me to marry Luke” comment from N as well as the interview where L talks about the bracelet he got “gifted.” Plus so many more interviews and things they have said about each other.

-The defending of each other. You see L clear up the cake pictures quickly. You see N saying it’s definitely not true that L was checking himself out in the mirror at the SAG Awards. Do they defend A and J online? Nope…

-The absolute overcompensating N does when she’s trying to hide something about their relationship. At the SAG Awards when L says “we tried out Mexican from a place around the corner last night,” and N says, “You did?” Come on we both know they ate there together! And there are sooo many more times she has done it. Which just leads me to know she’s definitely trying to preserve the privacy of their relationship.

I could continue to go on and on. The changes in their social media interactions and posting, the no birthday posts this year, the gelato picture in Italy, the picture in water of two people with the same coloring and height difference, the continuous use of “Nic and I” like it’s said every single day, the JVN hints, the October hand picture, and on and on and on.

My advice is to always research all of it on your own instead of taking things at face value. Learn the tells. See the patterns. And just wait. I know it’s hard to wait for confirmation. I’m not a patient person. But I see in L and N a chemistry, a camaraderie, and an intimacy you don’t see in just “co-stars.”

And sorry for the length. One thing would just spill into another…

Many people had the same reaction. That same initial reaction that some people have never separated from. But don’t feel bad for that initial reaction now that you’ve come out of it. EVERYONE who was watching this unfold was left to just take in everything that was happening and people were confused and felt played and were shocked, especially if they weren’t aware of Antonia’s presence in the background.

I’m so glad to hear chaos week pushed you to look deeper though. Once you do, it’s abundantly clear there’s something off.

I love your advice as well because it’s something I preach as well.

ALWAYS research, especially when you notice something strange. Do it on your own instead of running to people to explain to you. Look at the bigger picture while also considering all the patterns and tells.

Kudos to you anon and I’m glad you sent this ask! I think there are plenty of other people who have had a similar journey through all this.

Happy to have you with us ❤️❤️❤️

[whatifitis]

♡ for the better - OP 81 ♡

Summary: for the first time in your life, you were happy. you were loved. and now the person who loves you, may grow to resent you.

WC: 3318

CW: fluff, angst, spiraling a bit, not proofread

It started off as just being friends. A group of you were brought together by an interest you all had in common. But you two had managed to grow a special connection over the course of a month. It started as just a silent adventure between the two of you. Taking a walk together in the park, not talking, just enjoying the comfortable silence. Each walk in the park, he began to grow more comfortable and confident around you. He started picking flowers each walk, to tuck into your hair. He started to ask you more questions, to get to know you. 

One day, he stopped to look at you and said “Do you wanna go out?” with a shy smile.

You smiled brightly at him “Yeah, I'd love to.”

Your first date was something you’d never experienced. No one had ever put so much effort into you. He had set up a little picnic at the park you two frequented. There was a light green (your favorite color), checkered blanket on the ground. A top the blanket sat a picnic basket, packed with your favorite snacks, 2 painting canvases, paint brushes and some paints. To say you were overwhelmed would be an understatement. His simple actions meant so much to you. You never thought someone would be able to care for you as he did. 

He knelt down onto the blanket and reached out a hand, inviting you to sit by him. You took his hand and sat across from him. 

“This is so incredibly sweet. You didn’t have to go all out, I mean, it’s just me. It’s not like the Queen is coming… right?” you’d asked with a giggle.

He gave you a toothy grin and said “No, no, the Queen isn't coming. This is all for you. I tried to think of the best thing to do for a first date with you. You’re so amazing, I didn’t want to disappoint.”

“You could never disappoint me.” 

With that, you two began to eat the contents of the picnic basket. Both of you laughed and smiled, talking about the craziest things. One question that got you two riled up a bit was whether sprinkles were a seasoning. Who would’ve thought two people could debate for so long on the subject. But you had fun. 

Once the two of you had finished eating, you and Oscar began to paint each other. As you guys painted, loving glances were exchanged between you two. 

When you two had both finished painting, you took turns showing each other your works. 

“Alright,” Oscar started “Countdown from 3 and I’ll show you the masterpiece that I’ve just created, alright?”

“Alright, ready? 3, 2, ,1….” 

You burst out laughing at the sight of what you’ve been shown.

Oscar furrows his brows but can’t hide his smile “What? What’s so funny? It’s good!” he insists.

“Baby, I’m so sorry.” you try to say through your laughing fit “but that’s so bad. I mean, what happened to my eyes? They look wonky, they’re 2 completely different sizes.”

“Well excuse me, Misses I have an art degree so I can tell people their blood, sweat and tears result in absolute shit.” he laughs with you.

“Come on, let’s see your supposed “masterpiece” now.” Oscar said.

You turn your canvas around and smile brightly at him. 

He’s stunned. He’s speechless. He’s ashamed of his painting of you. 

“Love, I- HOLY SHIT! This is amazing, baby! Oh my god we have to hang it up somewhere. My house, your house, a museum, the Met, THE LOUVRE.”

You’re laughing again, wiping the tears from your face. 

“It’s just a painting Oscar, it’s alright, no need to hang it anywhere. Especially not a museum darling.”

“Wrong. I’m keeping this and hanging it up at home.”

“Whatever you want, my love” you said, smiling fondly at him.

-=+=- 

One day, you and Oscar are chilling in the park. Oscar laying back on his arms while you lay your head across his stomach. The two of you sit, making idle conversation with each other for a few hours. 

“Y/n?” Oscar says, looking down at you. 

“Oscar?”

“I don’t want to lose you. I hope this never ends. I don’t know what I would do without you.” 

You sit up to look him in the eyes properly.

“What’s going on? Why are you saying this?”

“I’m just in my feelings. But I’m serious, I love you Y/n. I love this feeling I get when I’m with you. I don’t know the word for it, or if there even is a word for it. But I know I always want to feel this way. You mean more to me than life, darling.” 

Your nose feels fuzzy, tears are forming in your eyes. You grab his hand and squeeze it three times. 

You give him a smile, “I love you, Oscar. You don’t know what you mean to me. Everything you’ve done for me, it means so fucking much. If I ever lose you, I don’t think I’d be able to live. Thank you, my love.” 

You two share a kiss. It’s soft and gentle, but at the same time, it feels urgent. You feel like you can’t stop, like you can’t let go, cause if you do, it’ll slip away. But you don’t, and you won’t. You’ll hold onto each other until your last dying breaths. Possibly even past death, you’ll have each other. 

-=+=-

“Has anyone seen Oscar?” You ask for what feels like the millionth time. 

Oscar has been missing for half an hour and no one can find him. He’s meant to be on the track in 15 minutes but he’s not answering his phone. 

You’ve been running around the paddock like a maniac, calling out his name. You don't have long til all the drivers are meant to be out on the paddock for the national anthem. 

You’re sprinting down the halls when something catches her eye. You stop and look to see a figure pacing back and forth in a dark corner. You know exactly who it is. 

You begin walking towards Oscar and stop 4 feet away from him. He’s too in his head to notice anyone is near him, so he keeps pacing with his head down. You walk to him, and grab both his hands in yours. You press your intertwined hands into his chest to try and ground him. 

Oscar is startled at first but once he sees it’s you, his face falls and he lets go of the tears he’s been holding. 

You immediately pull him into your arms, wrapping them around his neck and scratching the back of his neck softly. His arms wrap around your face and he nuzzles his face into your neck. You let him cry it out for a minute before speaking.

“Darling, what’s wrong?”

He sniffles as he says “Panic attack I think.”

“Do you know what brought this on?”

“I think I’m just tired. We’ve been working for so long, going from place to place every week. I just don’t think I’m performing as well as I should be. I’m not as put together and the fans have noticed. I hate letting them down and I just don’t know how to fix everything.”

“Baby,” you say as you grab the side of his face gently, wiping away some of his tears “The fans understand. You said it yourself, you guys have been put through the ringer as of late, especially with all the crazy regulations the FIA created. They know this and understand if you’re not as aggressive and calm as usual. You need to stop putting yourself down like this, love. Things happen, so we just have to manage.” 

“I know, but it’s hard. A lot of them travel from so far away just to see these races. They’re buying tickets, booking hotels and flights, just to watch us be the best. All for me to go up there and be a disappointment.”

“Hey, no. You’re not a disappointment, Oscar. You’re anything but that. You’re stubborn, stupid at times, and mental. But you’re not a disappointment. And I love you because of all that, okay?”

“Okay” he says, giving you a shy smile. 

“Alright, let’s get you cleaned up and on the track for everyone to see your talents.” 

“Thank you, baby, for everything. I don’t deserve you.” 

“No need to thank me baby. If anyone is undeserving of the other, it’s me. I don’t know what I did to be able to have you in my life.”

With a quick kiss, you two set off to the Mclaren garage to help Oscar freshen up for the race. 

-=+=-

“Darling I told you, I can’t go. I’ve gotta meet Mark and some other guys. We have so much to do before we even think about renewing the contract. I don’t have time for this.” Oscar said whilst putting his shoes on.

“I asked you weeks ago if you could come. And you’d said yes. We’ve had this planned for ages. You can’t just dump our plans.”

“I can if it’s for work. This is something that I can’t ignore. This is my job. The thing I’ve been working towards my whole life. I have to get this stuff done.”

“You’ve been away from home every night for the past month. And you’re telling me you can’t just take one night off? Is that much more important than one night with your girlfriend?”

At this, Oscar stops and his face drops. He didn’t realize how you might have felt, that you’d felt like you came second. He realizes his neglect towards you and your feelings. He walks to you and holds your hands in his. 

“Baby, I’m so sorry. I’ve been treating you like shit, not taking into account how you feel. I’ll do better, I promise. I’ll call Mark and cancel.” 

“No, Oscar. It’s okay. Go to the meeting.” you say softly. 

“No, no. we’re gonna do what we planned.” he says, pulling his phone from his pocket while simultaneously taking his shoes off. 

“Baby, you don’t have to. I was just a little upset. I’m okay now, you can go.”

“No, go get ready. I’ll call Mark, then we can go out like we planned.” he smiles at you, trying to make you feel better. 

“Are you sure? I’m fine with postponing. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal, you were hurt. We’re going, end of discussion.” he said as he kissed your head. 

That night, the two of you went out as you’d planned. You went and had lunch at a new restaurant you had been raving about to Oscar. He was happy to take you and was pleasantly surprised when the food turned out to be the best he’s ever had (of course not as good as your cooking). 

After lunch, the two of you took a walk in the park. You and Oscar walked hand in hand for ages. Enjoying the quiet breeze and the warming sun. During your walk, you two had discussed the origin of the argument that took place earlier and worked your way through it. With some compromising, you two felt better about the result of said argument. 

After your afternoon walk, you and Oscar headed home where he showed you exactly how sorry he was. And he didn’t use just his words. 

-=+=-

He’d been planning this for ages. Tonight was the night he’d ask to be yours forever. He’s been in love with you for ages. He can’t think of a better time to do this. 

“Baby? You ready to go?” Oscar asked you from the front door. 

“One second darling. I can’t get this shoe on.” 

“Do you need help?”

“No baby, I got it.” you said as you walked up to him. He’s never seen something so beautiful. You’re standing there in your favorite dress, some pieces of jewelry and a simple pair of heels. 

Oscar holds his hand out to you, and you immediately grab it, kissing him before walking out the door with him right behind you. 

-=+=- 

The two of you enjoy a nice dinner at a restaurant you and Oscar frequented. It was so nice to get out of the house and spend some time with Oscar. You’ve missed him a lot since he’s been away for work, but it’s what he loves to do. And you love seeing him happy. 

After dinner, the two of you take a walk in your favorite park. Walking, hand in hand, you ask Oscar “What do you think the meaning of life is?”

“42” he says laughing to himself.

“I’m being serious,” you laugh with him “what do you think it is?”

“I think it’s whatever you want it to be. It can be to find the end of space. It can be to find out where the megalodon went. It can be about finding the love of your life, your soulmate…. speaking of which.”

He stops where he is, moving to stand face to face with you and grabbing both your hands in his. 

oh shit

“Y/n, I have loved you for a long, long time. I’m not gonna lie and say it was love at first sight cause, ya know, that’s kind of crazy. But I will tell you that the second I laid my eyes on you, I was enchanted by you. And I was really hoping you weren’t in love with someone else, hoping you didn’t have someone waiting on you. Since the day we met, there was never a day where I didn’t think about you. I love you Y/n, so fucking much.”

He gets down on one knee while pulling a box from his pants pocket. He holds the box in both hands, presenting it to you and opening it. Inside was the most beautiful ring you had ever seen. He knew you weren’t a fan of traditional engagement rings that had a huge stone on the top. He knew you loved the rings that looked as if they were created in a magical land, far far away, crafted by the most powerful jewelers of the land. 

“Y/n L/n, will you do me the honor of allowing me to be your husband?”

You stood there motionless with your hands covering your mouth that had been hanging open since he began his speech. Tears were streaming down your face. You couldn’t believe it. He actually want to marry you? He loves you that much? How did you get so lucky to find your person?

“Are you sure? Like really sure?” you’d said.

“Yes I’m really sure darling. You are the love of my life. I want to spend forever with you.” 

Tears are streaming down his face too. The anticipation is killing him. 

“Yes. Yes, I want to marry you too.” you finally say.

“Oh my god! I love you so much darling, thank you so much.” he said as he began to stand up. 

Once he was standing straight up, he pulled the ring out of the box and put it in your ring finger. You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around your hips and pulled you impossibly closer. Neither of you stopped or let go for ages. You guys were it for each other. There would never be anyone else. 

-=+=-

it’s for the better 

i know it’s for the better

it’s for the better

You were pacing the living room that you shared with Oscar. Your bags were already packed and in the car. 

You couldn’t let Oscar go through with this. You couldn’t let him do this to himself. He deserves to marry someone better. Better than you. You love him so much, but you weren’t enough for him. You didn’t want to bring Oscar down with you.

You continued pacing the living room, waiting for him to come back home. You feel so sick like you could throw up. Your heart is racing and your hands are shaking. You didn’t want to let him go, but it would be selfish to hold onto him, when he could do a lot better than you. 

The sound of the front door caught your attention. Oscar was home. You stood there in the middle of the living room, fighting your hands.

“Darling, I’m home.” he’d called out from the front entrance.

He walked into the living room to see you standing there, pain and sadness written all over your face. 

“Hey darling, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?” he said as he walked to you. 

“We need to talk.”

“Alright, what’s going on?”

You took a moment, trying to find the strength to say it. 

“We- need to break up.”

“What? Why? Did something happen?”

“No, I just think it will be best for the both of us.” 

“You’re confusing me darling, what do you mean “better for the both of us?”’

“I mean, you deserve something better. Someone better. I can’t be that for you. I can’t give you everything you deserve. I love you too much to hold you back. So I’m letting you go. I’ve already got everything packed, I’ll be going.”

“What? No. No, we’re not breaking up. Y/n, I love you. I don’t want to lose you. You’re it for me. I don’t want anyone else. You’re what’s best for me. You’re what I want. You give me everything I could ever need or want. There’s no one I’d rather be with.”

A tear slips loose and runs down your cheek. 

“I’m sorry, Oscar. But I have to let you go. You’ll be miserable if you stay with me. I need you to be happy, even if it’s without me. I’ll always be there to support you for everything. I just can’t be the one right next to you, with you. I won’t let you do this to yourself. Goodbye, Oscar.”

You begin to walk out the door as Oscar starts to plead, asking you to stay. 

“Y/n, please don’t go. If you need some space and time to think then I’ll give that to you. You can stay here and I’ll stay with Lando or something. We can get through this, darling.”

You kept walking out the door, towards your car. Oscar was running after you. As you began to get into the car, Oscar ran up to the window to try and convince you to stop.

“Baby, please talk to me.”

He’s crying now. Tears upon tears were streaming down his face. He was begging you.

“Baby, please. If it was something that I said or did then I’ll fix it. I promise, I’ll fix everything. Just please don’t go. I need you.”

“Oscar, please let go.” you say weakly. “You have to let me go.”

“No. I won’t. I don’t want to live without you. I can’t live without you. Please don’t go.”

“I’m sorry”

And with that, you put the car in drive and made your way out of the driveway of your once shared home. You didn’t have the strength to look in the rear view mirror. You didn’t have the strength to see him. 

-=+=-

Once you got to the hotel room you had booked for the week, you dropped your bags and just started sobbing. You can’t believe you let him go. You already regret it but he does deserve better. So much better than you. He’ll find someone. You know it. 

You can wish all you want, but it won’t bring you two together. 

All you can do is repeat the same things over and over, trying to convince yourself that…

it’s for the better

it’s for the better

it’s for the

for the better

i know it’s for the better

know for it’s the better

for the better

the better.

[supernotnatural2005]

Clowning Around

Pairing: Dean x Reader

Summary: You’ve got a crush on Dean, your best friend’s brother. The catch, he's only in town for a few more days. However, all it takes is a haunted house, a punch to the face and a surprising confession to know where you stand.

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings/tags: Fluff! Eventual pairing. I love everyone involved. Mentions of unintentional assault.

AN: Okay, so I hadn't expected to get something out so quickly, but I guess I was just inspired and this is what came of this wonderful mood board and challenge from @chevroletdean ❤️ I've never written from a mood board inspo before, so I hope I did okay? 😅 I also took a bit of inspo from New Girl S2 Ep6. (gif not mine)

Congrats on 500 friend 🎉

Masterlist

The evening air was crisp, swirling with the scent of kettle corn, hot cider, and woodsmoke from the fire pits set up around the Stanford fall carnival. You stood just outside the haunted house, the multicoloured lights of the fairgrounds casting a warm glow on your torn and bloodied zombie costume.

Fog machines hissed faintly behind you, and a dark sinister voice echoed from the entrance speakers, adding atmosphere for the next wave of thrill-seekers waiting to be terrified.

You should’ve been hyped. Halloween was your absolute favourite time of year. Spooky costumes, haunted houses, candy, cozy sweaters—this was your season. You’d even signed up to volunteer as an extra for the haunted house this year, practically bouncing when Jess suggested it. But tonight, the buzz just wasn’t there.

Because Dean hadn’t shown.

A week and a half ago, Sam had introduced you to his older brother at your local bar just off campus. You’d heard stories about Dean Winchester—grease monkey, classic rock enthusiast, had practically raised Sam after their parents had passed. You expected to like him on principle alone. You just hadn’t expected how much.

And man, you were crushing hard.

You’d hit it off immediately—easy banter, shared love for horror movies and greasy diner food, the way he actually listened when you talked about your thesis like it was interesting and not soul-draining. And his eyes—God, those green eyes—had this way of locking onto yours like he saw you. Really saw you. 

He’d been in town for two weeks, crashing with Sam and Jess, and since you’d been the honorary third wheel long before Dean arrived, it was only natural that the four of you had spent a lot of time together. 

However, nothing had happened. Nothing beyond harmless flirting or the occasional teasing glance. Sure, there were moments—his thigh brushing yours when he sat too close, fingers grazing as you passed each other a drink or walked side-by-side—but it never led anywhere. 

Dean was leaving in a few days anyway, heading back to Kansas, back to a life you weren’t part of. Maybe that was why he’d kept his distance. Or maybe it was your own insecurities whispering that he just didn’t see you that way.

Jess swore up and down that he was into you.

“He asked me if you were seeing anyone. Twice,” she’d said just this morning, practically bouncing on her toes as she dabbed fake blood onto your cheek. Jess had clocked the chemistry from the start, maybe even before you had.

A part of you couldn’t shake the feeling that this had been her plan all along. That she’d hoped something like this would spark before Dean even got to campus.

Sam, of course, seemed blissfully unaware—just happy to have his brother around again—but even you had started to get suspicious of the hushed whispers between him and Jess whenever you and Dean were in the same room.

Still, despite yourself, you’d smiled—nervous, giddy, full of hope.

Tonight was your chance to find out for sure. You’d invited him to the carnival, hoping he’d show up. Maybe even join the haunted house with you. Your plan was to finally bite the bullet and just ask him out. Long-distance? You could try it. 

There was just something about Dean that made you want to throw caution to the wind—to be bold, reckless, brave. He was different. Special.

And maybe it was crazy to think that way from only knowing someone for such a short period of time, but there was something electric about Dean—like he was carved out of your daydreams and dropped straight into your life.

But then Jess and Sam arrived without him. She had tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice when she said he had to drive out of town for something work-related.

You’d played it cool. Nodded. Smiled. Shoved the disappointment down into the pit of your stomach as you took your place in the haunted house, ready to scare the ever-loving hell out of strangers.

But, your heart wasn’t in it. You did your job—jumped out of coffins, hissed from behind tombstones, chased a couple of high schoolers with a plastic axe—but your enthusiasm had taken a hit.

And then, just as you were leaning against a gravestone prop, waiting for the next group, you heard a noise behind you.

“BOO!”

A clown—huge mask, frizzy hair, red nose, and all—lunged out of the shadows right into your face.

You yelped and reacted on instinct.

CRACK.

Your fist collided with the clown’s face with a satisfying thud, and he stumbled back with a sharp groan.

“Shit—”

You blinked, adrenaline still buzzing in your veins, as the stranger pulled the mask away from their face.

“Dean?!”

Dean stood there, eyes wide, one hand clutched over his nose, which was rapidly turning red and beginning to swell.

“Oh my God!” You rushed forward. “I am so, so sorry—oh God.” You cupped his face in your hands without thinking, scanning his features with guilt.

He winced, but his grin was lopsided and teasing. “That was one hell of a right hook.”

You groaned and grabbed his arm, tugging him toward the carnival grounds, guiding him to a picnic bench beneath some newly lit orange lanterns. People milled around you, kids in costumes darting between booths and couples sharing funnel cake, but your world had narrowed to the man nursing his nose beside you.

“Sit. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

You returned minutes later with a paper towel-turned-cloth from a nearby food stall and a small paper cup filled with ice. Dean took them both with a grateful grunt as you sat beside him.

“You really clocked me,” he said with a chuckle, pressing the ice to his face. “I’m gonna feel that tomorrow.”

“I feel it now,” you muttered, horrified. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“That was kind of the point,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Wanted to surprise you.”

Jess and Sam passed by just then, and Sam burst out laughing the moment he saw Dean’s face.

“Oh this is everything?” Sam wheezed. The kid was turning purple almost as he clutched his stomach, and Jess was no better as she giggled beside him. 

“Yeah, hold this jokester.” Dean threw his mask at Sam who caught it on reflex and then recoiled instantly, dropping it to the ground when he saw what it was. 

The two of you burst out laughing, Sam’s bitch-face in full bloom. His phobia of clowns clearly not lost on the pair of you. 

“Jerk.”

“Bitch.” The brothers exchange before Jess looped her arm through Sam’s, tugging him back towards the line of stalls.

“Come, we’ll leave the zombie to nurse her victim, maybe even sample his flesh.” Jess shot you a sly wink despite your pointed look, before they wandered off, leaving the two of you alone once again.

Dean leaned back, ice still to his face, but he offered you a crooked smile. “So… Hi.”

You couldn’t help but huff a laugh and cover your face with your hands. “I can’t believe I punched you in the face.” You groaned.

He laughed, nudging you with his shoulder. “Yeah, but come on, at least it was memorable.” You laughed softly, and he smiled at the sound.

The moment stretched out, neither awkward or uncomfortable. The fading sun had cast the sky in a hue of deep oranges and purples and you found yourself admiring it before Dean spoke up again.

“I quit my job.”

You blinked. “Wait. What?”

He nodded, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Told my boss to shove it. I’m done busting my ass for sixty hours a week just to get talked down to by a guy who thinks a compliment might kill him.” He huffed humourlessly and shook his head.

“I mean, I've been dreaming about opening my own garage for years—figured it was about time I stopped dreaming and actually did something about it. So… why the hell not, right?”

Your eyes softened. He’d told you about this dream one night while the two lightweights had passed out on the couch, leaving you and Dean to keep the party going, which essentially consisted of eating your weight in multipacks of halloween candy and watching b-movie horror films. 

You remembered the way his eyes lit up as he talked about it. Of wanting to be his own boss, about the freedom, about building something for himself. You’d been more than encouraging, having to refrain yourself from sounding like every positive, uplifting bumper sticker ever.

“But it’s more than just the job,” he went on, voice quieter now. “Kansas hasn’t felt like home in a long time.”

Your heart twisted at that. You already knew from Sam about their parents—how much they'd lost, how empty that place must feel without them. A ghost town full of memories.

Without thinking, you reached for his hand, lacing your fingers through his and giving it a soft squeeze. He looked at you then—really looked. And for a moment, everything around you seemed to slow, like the world had paused to catch its breath.

“Now I’ve quit. There’s nothing keeping me there. But…” He trailed off, tongue darting out to wet his lips as his gaze flickered between your eyes. “There’s a lot pulling me here.”

Your heart skipped, like it had hit a bump in the road. Hope bloomed fast and fierce in your chest.

“I found a shop,” he said, voice a little quieter now. “Small place, not far from here. Needs some work, but it’s got good bones. I’m thinking of buying it.”

You stared at him, mouth parting. “You want to move here?”

“Yeah,” he said, almost shy. “And I was kinda hoping that… if I’m gonna be sticking around, that maybe I could take you out sometime? If you’d be interested?”

He barely got the words out before you leaned in and kissed him.

It was fast, impulsive. One full of pent-up nerves and relief, but when he let out a soft grunt and you jerked away.

“Oh crap—sorry!”

Dean winced, but the crooked smile spreading across his face was pure mischief. “No, no—it’s good. Totally worth it.”

You snorted, but your laugh dissolved as he hooked a finger into the neckline of your torn costume and tugged you gently toward him. This kiss was much slower—sweeter. His lips brushed over yours with such softness it made your breath catch, his hand warm against your cheek.

You melted into him, smiling against his mouth as the carnival lights flickered behind your closed eyes like the very fireworks exploding in your stomach.

Halloween had always been your favourite holiday, but now you have one more reason why.

AN: I hope you all liked this one, it was a lot of fun to write 💗, feedback is always welcomed 😘

If you would like to be tagged in my future works please respond to this >form< so I can add you to the character's you'd like 😊

Dean Winchester Tag List:

@bettystonewell , @nancymcl , @happyfxckinghorrors , @ambiguous-avery @jollyhunter

@tbgfvfdcb @crooked-haven @chevroletdean @paganvamp @stoneyggirl2

@deans-baby-momma @spnaquakindgdom @ladykitana90 @lyarr24 , @impala67rollingthroughtown

@jackles010378 @riteofpassage77 @spnaquakindgdom @shadysoulangel @my-stories-vault

@piptoost @star-yawnznn @deansimpalababy @megara0224 @hobby27

@idontwannabehere78 @maddie0101 @kr804573 @shadysoulangel @mrs-nesmith

@zepskies @ohheyguyss @suckitands33 @ultimatecin73 @mishkatelwarriorgoddess

@arcannaa @aylacavebear @bobbdylann @jaredpadonlyyyy @waynes-multiverse

@impala67stellawinchester @youroldfashioned @bonbonnie88 @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @bejeweledinterludes

@rach5ive @ladysparkles78 @globetrotter28 @amberlthomas @illicithallways

[five-rivers]

obligation

[Phic phight phic for @ei-w]

Valerie walked to Fentonworks.  

Yes, it would have been easier to fly on her hoverboard.  Probably, it would have been safer, too.  Not to mention, the Fentons would regard her more favorably as a mysterious fellow ghost hunter than as the girl who’d dumped their son.  And, yeah, they both knew who she was thanks to– to– Thanks to her identity being revealed, but just because someone knew something to be true didn’t mean that their perception of facts couldn’t be influenced by context.  Clothes, hair, makeup–  None of those things changed who she was, but they changed how people saw her.  

But the hoverboard would have been faster as well, and Valerie would do just about anything to delay the moment she had to tell them.  

She wished she didn't know.  She wished she'd never found out, never investigated, never asked.  She wished she hadn't been answered.  She wished Fentonworks was father from the cemetery. 

“You're stalling,” whispered Phantom, over her shoulder, “and if you think I wish any louder, Desiree is going to show up.”

Valerie hadn't known that was a possibility.   She stopped walking.  “You can tell what I'm thinking?”  That had never been one of his powers.  Not before. 

“Don't freak out now.  You aren't completely human, either.  You're protecting.  Keep going.”

Valerie took a deep breath, but stepped forward.  “Are you sure it's a good idea for me to tell them?  I shot at you.”

“So did they,” said Phantom with dark amusement. 

“I tortured you when I caught you.”

“You're not special.  Besides, you're the only one alive who knows.  Besides Vlad, and he's not going to say anything.”

“You're alive.”  She'd felt his pulse, his breath, seen his blood.  She'd watched him transform like Danielle. 

He laughed.  “I just crawled out of the grave they buried me in.  They're going to need proof, and you're the only one who has any.  I want them to have it before I get into blaster range.”

“Didn't you guys, I don't know, make some kind of video or will or something?  You had to have thought about this.”

“We did,” said Phantom.  “They were in our house.  Better to have them there, once we moved out.  I suspect they're vaporized by now, along with our bodies.  Risks of living with a superhero, I guess…”

Valerie's hands clenched, fingernails digging into her palms.  “How can you be so calm about this?  How can you joke around, and– and–”

“This might have escaped your notice,” said Phantom, “but this isn't my first rodeo.  I've been dead before.”

Valerie whirled to face him for the first time since they'd left the cemetery.  He looked– He looked like Danny.  Just like Danny, walking down the street in black, star-patterned pajamas and bare feet. The weak winter sunlight shone through him even as it backlit him.  It seemed to catch in his eyes, making them glow with an eerie, too-blue light.  His skin was ever-so-faintly purple, and he was littered with pale freckles like stars. 

Valerie knew he could change in a moment’s notice.  His hair could go white, his eyes green, his skin burnt-tan.  He could become solid, alive, breathing, even hints of glow vanishing.  He’d shown her.  But right now, he looked like Danny.  And he looked dead. 

“Oh, yeah?  And what about Sam and Tucker?  What about Jazz?  Your sister.  Don’t you care about them?”

Phantom slowly tilted his head, the rest of his body unnaturally still.  “They promised,” he said, carefully, the words sharp and delicate, like shattered glass.  “We all promised that we would stay.”

Valerie licked her lips and felt electricity buzz in her veins, her suit ready to jump at her command.  “I don’t see them walking around, rattling chains and wearing bedsheets.”

Phantom smiled thinly.

Crap.  He was going to attack her.  She was needling him, she wanted him to attack, to show that he wasn’t who he looked like.  That he wasn’t Danny.  

He didn’t.  The moment passed.  

“It takes time.  They’re forming.  Resting.  I can be patient.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” said Valerie.  

“We’re having this conversation now, aren’t we?  When you’re supposed to be telling my parents about me.”

Valerie didn’t want to.

“You agreed,” said Phantom, stepping closer.  “You’re not feeling guilty, are you, Val?”

“Screw you, Phantom.”

“You know, people are starting to stare.  What with you talking to thin air and all.”

Valerie twitched, then turned.  

“I know you want to shoot me,” said Phantom.  “I’d let you.  For old time’s sake.”

“Shut up,” said Valerie.  

Phantom laughed.  

“I hate you, why am I doing this?”

“Because someone has to tell them,” said Phantom.  

That was true enough, regardless of whether or not Valerie believed Phantom.  And she didn’t know if she did or didn’t.  Back in the cemetery, she’d believed him, but what if it was a trick?  All some game from a ghost that hated her?  He wasn’t acting like Danny, ghosting along behind her, mocking her.  But then there was Danielle…

Valerie didn’t know what to believe.  She didn’t know what to do.  She just knew that something, that this, that Phantom, was wrong.  If that was because he was grieving or because he was lying, she didn’t know.  She didn’t know.  

She wanted her friend back.  She wanted that explosion to have never happened.  She wanted to have destroyed the ghost who did it.  She should have.  That night, she’d seen it, but she’d wanted to go to bed.  

“Why didn’t you stop that ghost?”

“What ghost?”

“The one who blew up your house.”

“Even I have to sleep sometimes, Val.  That was part of the point of moving out, you know.”  There was a faint noise, like wind blowing through leaves.  “Trust me, I am going to be taking care of them now.”

Valerie shivered.  Then, she turned onto the Fentonworks’ street.  The sign was dark.  It had been dark since the explosion.  The street was quiet.  

She shivered harder.  

“I shouldn’t get any closer,” said Phantom.  “Good luck.  And don’t forget.”

Valerie looked over her shoulder in time to see Phantom fade away.  Then, she looked back up at Fentonworks.  She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth for a minute, then she jogged forward, across the sidewalk and up the front steps.  She rang the doorbell.  

It took a long time for the door to open.  

“Valerie?” said Mrs. Fenton.  She had dark circles under her eyes and she was wearing a bathrobe.  “What are you doing here?  Are you in trouble?”  She leaned out of the door to scan the sky.  “Is there a ghost?”

“Not exactly,” said Valerie.  “Can I come in?  There’s something that I need to tell you about– About Danny.”

Mrs. Fenton’s face crumpled, but she let Valerie in.  

Valerie hoped she was doing the right thing. 

[julietcpulet]

LN 5 epilogue: The moment, the aftermath and the anime.

I’ve seen people being concerned for how things will be portrayed if the anime makes it to the LN 5 epilogue where Jinshi and Maomao have their undoubtedly most intense moment of the series. If the anime gets renewed for a season 3 it’ll have to cover this as the first two seasons have done 4 light novels so if we get even one more it’ll be expected to make through light novel 6, which is great material. Do I expect that some people are going to see Jinshi’s behavior as toxic, assault and the like? Yup, probably ramped up 1,000% from the frog scene even. Do I think the anime will tone it down from the light novel? Yes I do. They’ve added things here and there to other scenes and in ways I think it’s helped, with that moment and its nuances I don’t see them going all the way there. Also, there’s lots of fan debate on translation so I wouldn’t be surprised if the animators take a light tone just to keep from siding one way or another on how it was translated. That being said, here’s why I’m not that worried even if the whole scene is shown: because sometimes we need the messy moments for the growth to happen. (Spoilers under the cut)

First, some perspective. An analysis on the moment itself.

People can argue that this one moment in Jinmao history is a bit too messy but I don’t think so. For one, I don’t think Jinshi was truly trying to hurt Maomao. Yes we see him put his hand on her throat and pull her hand behind her back, however he quickly releases both, his one hand to twine in her hair and the other to pull her closer when he kisses her. The point of both was to get her attention. This scene starts out in a somewhat similar fashion to the frog scene but it is much more of a breaking point for the two of them than that. Just like with the frog scene, Jinshi has something vital he wants to communicate with Maomao. The whole reason for her being there is that she’s a marriage candidate, she is even wearing a hair stick Jinshi had made specifically for her, one with a moon and a poppy. (Moon Prince and the girl who likes poison, since poppies represent poison, anyone?) But when they begin talking on this subject Maomao, like before and always, evades and won’t admit she knows she’s his real choice for a wife and this is a proposal. Instead she even has the audacity to suggest he marry Lishu, who at this point even Maomao knows has feelings for Basen and wouldn’t be a good choice for Jinshi given her nature and his. To me it’s this continual evasiveness that gets Jinshi to grab her attention again by putting his hands on her in a more aggressive manner. For Maomao though, we’re finally given a glimpse at why her responses are likely instinctual over emotional and why she appears to almost “shut down” in the face of an advance. It’s because we see that her brain has been taught to view everything from the perspective of the pleasure district, she even later says she was “indoctrinated”. Horrifyingly, her sisters subjected her to sexual conduct when she was young to learn the ways of a courtesan to the point of tears and so when she’s in a situation where anything sexual happens she doesn’t see it as an opportunity to express herself but instead to retreat and only find a way to gain the upper hand.

Remember too that Maomao admits from the beginning that Jinshi “isn’t the type who would lay a hand on a young woman” and this doesn’t make her change her opinion. She even says out loud when he says “I wasn’t actually going to hit you”, “I know.” She can jump around his actions but knows whatever he’s doing isn’t about hurting her, it’s about getting a reaction out of her, which is why she denies him that satisfaction. We see once Maomao takes any kind of initiative Jinshi backs off, showing his only real goal was to have her show any reciprocation towards him at all. Especially when we see his perspective at the beginning of LN 6 where he’s looking back on the interaction and realizes Maomao’s detachment, we understand what he wants from her is not simply sexual engagement. He wants her to feel something and not be “like trying to shove a curtain…simply roll with it.” To me this expresses why it’s not “assault” in that Jinshi wasn’t trying to harm, harass or have sex with Maomao. He releases her when he thinks she’s kissing him back and his excitement over the interaction is over when he sees her face and realizes that she was completely devoid of feeling like usual and just playing along to whatever end she thought was expected of her.

Why is this pivitol for Jinmao? Understanding them. Growth.

Because it’s where we finally get to see why these two cannot seem to get on the same page about love or mutual feelings. Without it they’d just keep doing the same old push / pull song and dance forever. The quote before he reaches behind her head gives us a clue to all of it.

“That word, that simple four-letter word with its o and its e, was sometimes called vulgar, and sometimes turned out to be nothing more than a game- but some people said it was impossible to live without.”

Maomao is talking about love, what she sees in Jinshi’s eyes, what she’s trying to avoid and how we’re supposed to see them both playing it as a game because right now they can’t see it as anything else just yet. If you read on into LN 6 we see that Jinshi’s whole goal was basically to “triumph over” or to get a rise out of Maomao in some way, which he miserably admits he failed at. She remained unmoved and defeated him soundly. But that’s the whole point of this moment between these two is to show that they’re both still viewing love this way, as a “game” where one side has to win and have the upper hand to be successful. It’s why Jinshi tries to push Maomao to show him emotion and then Maomao is the one to have “victory” in the end by using what her sisters taught her but with absolutely no feeling behind it. Even during their interaction we get a glimpse that Maomao seems pleased Jinshi was jealous she had been dancing with Rikuson, “So he had been watching them!” (To me meaning she wanted him to notice.) So there may not be complete lack of feeling on her part, just a twisted sense that it has to be manipulated. Jinshi’s view of love comes from watching palace women and men play political games for affection and status. Maomao sees love as dangerous and deceptive, many times the only form of it leading to harm and abandonment in the pleasure district. So both of them have no real concept what it means to love someone other than to try and get one over on the other, it’s about power, control and hiding what you actually want. Without this understanding on our part, as the readers and audience, that Jinshi and Maomao have troubled histories and a distorted view of love, we would just see the way they handle one another as abusive. You need this scene and others like it to get a glimpse into how they actually operate, what they're hiding and what the aftermath does for them.

From the moment to the aftermath, where change happens.

It's in the aftermath we see real change for the two of them. Jinshi realizes he was conceited and a part of him believing that because others respond to him favorably he could get Maomao to do the same. Maomao doesn’t evade him in the same way as before either. Yes when they reunite in LN 6 Jinshi still offers her an antler and they engage in their typical back and forth complete with Maomao trying to reason herself out of being Jinshi’s choice but it’s lighthearted and both are far less intense. Maomao’s want to rationalize Jinshi’s choice as purely political without feeling helps her reason why he might want to pick her. It gives us a glimpse at her self esteem being so low that she has to say “He’s got strange tastes, though” to understand why Jinshi would pick her over other women she’d consider more desirable to him. It’s telling too that Maomao is quoted as thinking,

“Maybe he was hoping she would come right out and say she loved him, but quite frankly, Maomao wasn’t at a point where she could bring those words to her lips. The best she could manage was that she wasn’t without a certain affection for him."

It’s telling because 1. It says she isn’t at that point she can bring the words to her lips, not that she doesn’t feel love for him. 2. It still states clearly she has affection for him. This goes to show that Jinshi’s prodding can have an effect on Maomao. Being the kind of shut down person she is due to her background, she in effect can almost need someone like Jinshi who’s willing to push her outside her comfort zone to get her to admit to feelings she’s unwilling or even at times unable to fully voice. Even in the next moments where he tickles her and she lightly objects but lets him, it allows even more walls between the two to be bridged. It’s not aggressive like what happens in the LN 5 epilogue but more like what two true lovers might do in playfully getting to know one another. And it still proves the most effective way in getting Maomao to open up because their conversation here leads to the first real confession Maomao makes about her true fear and it’s made as clear as it can be that it’s not marrying Jinshi himself but that in doing so she doesn’t want to become Gyokuyou’s enemy. This revelation by Maomao sets off a lot of what happens in the next novels for them and it wouldn’t have happened had Jinshi not pushed Maomao to stop ignoring she was a marriage candidate and instinctively shutting him out. By letting Jinshi in, not hiding what she’s actually thinking, even this little bit, he takes that knowledge and tries to do all in his power to keep her from being afraid of a future where they’re together. But without the moment in the garden of the LN 5 epilogue there would be no Maomao opening up and no Jinshi realizing he needs to do what he can, not to prove his feelings to her but to prove it’s possible they can work and she won’t be in a tough position.

"For you, I will remove every obstacle that keeps us apart. One day. Just know that." - "I won't let what you fear come to pass. I swear it."

An important detail: star crossed lovers.

I think this quote that occurs just before the LN 5 epilogue moment is important to mention because it ties into a theme that becomes relevant with Maomao and Jinshi going forward, that of the star-crossed lovers.Maomao is looking up at the dark sky and it’s possibly one of the most romantic observations she makes. Some may say I’m reading too much into this but if you’ve read Hyuuga’s novels you’ll know the details are where are the goodies are.

“The sky seemed so vast. There was no moon, making the stars to shine all the brighter. Three of them shone brightest of all. Perhaps those stars were the two lovers, and the river that separated them.”

This is likely referencing the myth of Altair & Vega, those are their western names but it’s a Chinese ancient myth about a celestial princess who falls in love with a mortal and they end up being placed as stars in the sky, separated by the Milky Way only able to see one another on occasional days (that’s my brief description, worth looking up if you want to know more). So I don’t think it’s coincidence at all Maomao references the stars being two lovers (Jinshi & Maomao) and the river that separates them (likely the empire or even Gyokuyou because she keeps requesting Maomao at her side.) I don’t think it’s that far a stretch to make. And this comes before they have this intense, highly charged moment in the garden as almost lovers. Completely misunderstanding each other yes, hence the river between them they have yet to cross but I think that’s why nothing can be taken at such face value here because even a quote like this can add such depth. Hyuuga does this again with the star-crossed lovers motif in LN 6 where in the same antler scene she has Maomao notice Jinshi looking at the book that falls and it’s Romeo & Juliet. How this relates to the LN 5 scene is that the star-crossed lovers are mired in tragedy, misunderstandings, missed opportunity. But as we see in LN 6 with the moment Maomao & Jinshi speak about Romeo & Juliet is they both agree about wishing for a different ending (I talk about this in another post). So my thought here is without the LN 5 epilogue, without having them be the stars separated by the river, having them face these difficulties, we also wouldn’t get the ending they’re both working so hard towards.

Finally, the anime: striking a balance.

So why should we actually look forward to a moment like the one in LN 5 being shown in the anime? Because it's not just about that moment but about everything it represents and leads to for these characters. Without this singular moment that's fraught with so much unresolved tension, feelings and decisions, Jinshi and Maomao would've never been pushed to discuss what needed to be between one another. They've both had too messy of upbringings to do so in any natural way. Maomao almost needs Jinshi to needle her to get her out of her self-imposed shell and he likewise needs Maomao to shut him down sometimes to prove his conceited notions aren't always on course. But without a moment like this we wouldn't have gotten a truth from Maomao that leads to down the road her admittance that she's merely afraid her feelings are too lukewarm compared to Jinshi's.

"It was a heat like molten metal. She wasn’t sure what to do with it all for the temperature she could return was no more than that of lukewarm water."

In effect showing that it's her sense of inferiority keeping them apart more than it is a lack of actual desire on either side. With the anime, I expect them to strike a reasonable balance. There's too much internal monologue that I don't think they'll be able to capture it all. The frog scene for me showed they were able to walk that tight rope between intense behavior and romantic advancement like the scene is meant to convey so if it would be the same team handling the garden scene I'm not worried at all. I think the anime's that are willing to stick to the canon, regardless of plots that may seem a bit edgy or not fit within modern standards, tend to be the best ones. So far Apothecary Diaries anime has stuck closely to the light novels and I would be surprised if we got to this moment and they deviated too much, they've handled much darker topics than this. I worry more about people's reactions to it but even then I anticipate the arguments that will coming along, hence this long winded explanation haha.

In truth, were this reality, would I recommend a girl friend stay with a guy like Jinshi, no I wouldn’t but I also wouldn’t recommend and guy friend stay with someone like Maomao who never listens and eats poison. Sometimes people take the fun out of watching two characters who are close to reality but don’t live in it play out an interesting story. I fully expect people won’t get the nuance in that scene and even I could read too much into it myself but I’m just looking forward to more seasons if we get them. However the anime decides to portray it should be good if we get there and I hope my analysis has made sense, even if it’s a bit long as always 😂.

[amoudesole]

Back to Where We Started. [ (?)Reader x TWST. ]

CW : Blood, Death ( Tell me if I missed anything :D )

Not edited! Not proofread!

Shouting- lots and lots of shouting you believe you heard, although the ringing in your ear made it hard to tell; in your arms you cradled him, Grim. And as much as you could, you kept him close to your ever cold body- hoping that his would heat up, your heart ached- his shallow breaths made you worry.

What if he doesn't live? The ebbed it's way into your mind- intrusive, and unwelcome, because you wanted- needed to believe otherwise, otherwise the growing pain in your heart might be the one to kill you instead. Everything that transpired- it felt like a blur, you shouted out half-assed commands in hopes you wouldn't hurt Grim more- wouldn't let him suffer more.

You held Grim's small body oh, so gingerly in your arms- doing so another thought crossed your mind making you laugh bitterly to yourself, and only yourself; You felt yourself laugh at the notion of you being motherly, but in some weird way you did think that- think that Grim was practically family.

How the sting in your heart would ever more increase.

Even as the dull ache that spread across your body made you want to collapse right then and there, you tried your damnedest to stay upright. Blood, and ruined structures surrounded you both- hiding you both, in secrecy from everybody.

The sun hung low in the horizon, and as the soft sunrise cast a glow that blanketed everything around you- You made a desperate attempt of begging, hoping that someone, anyone could hear your cries; but you knew that only the wind was the only being that heard you-

" Please.. This can't be how it ends.. " You murmured, thoughts spoken out loud with a voice so hoarse and dry maybe the sound of it could even beat sandpaper. But dully, it was for naught- and only you feel the uneasy feeling fester deep inside you, growing more as you realize your foolish attempts of believing in childhood dreams would somehow come true..

Even if this world had magic, mythical beasts- and all you thought were fantasy; this was still reality, not some fairy tale dream written by some stupid fool-!

But.. Seeing the battered bodies of your friends- rise from the debris; some even shouting your name.. You couldn't help but need to do the same, rise above it all- like you always did, show them that you were alive and fine- beaten, and bloody- but still alive.

You didn't. You couldn't, the ache in your body finally reigned in on you- every movement felt like needles pricking- nipping at your skin; punishing you for even the slightest movement, but you didn't regret persevering through it just to hold Grim, to have him in your arms once more-

His fur was matted, disheveled- and stained with crimson and or inky liquid; A result of your failure to realize that, failure to neglect the obvious signs that Grim shown..

The tears felt hot and heavy as they slid past your cheeks- dripping unto him, if he were awake- would he reprimand you for dirtying the 'Great Lord Grim's' fur? The metallic taste in your mouth seemed to increase,

Oh how you wished you spent more time with him, with all of them- would you have more memories to look back upon? People said in your last moments- you'd remember the greatest memories of your life, and if you could bet- most of them would be here.

Grim was your first anchor to this world, and the rest- slowly became one too; they helped you, created memories with you- and you cherished the bond you achieved with them even though the time was short- cut briefly.

" I'm a sucker for good endings, "

The words echoed back on you,

so as the ringing in your ear turn null,

you start to regret more,

You hope that during these last moments,

the pain that built up in your body

seemed to chip away,

You'll remember the times where you gave a genuine smile,

blinking.. felt like it was causing your

eyesight to deteriorate by the second,

Laughed until your ribs ached,

warmth leaves your body slowly,

making you feel numb.

Even during this short period of life,

the feelings you had before, now- felt empty.

You wish that you could've cherished them more,

but even then, you could still crack a

solemn smile as you reminisce.

" I'm a sucker for good endings, "

Darkness envelopes you fully, fitting isn't it? From the way you entered this world through pitch black darkness and a coffin, you'll leave it in pitch black darkness and in a coffin.

Oh how you loved stories that came in full circle, stories with detailed- and or simple premises; but to you that didn't matter, you've read your fair share of novels- and as cliche as it is.. You always appreciated the journey more than the destination, and as childish as you are- you adored endings where the narrator finally rewards the main character; giving them the peace they oh so desired and to you even needed.

.

.

.

.

You're not alive anymore to tell the tale.

....But you woke up, in a dark- tight area; but it feels so nostalgic… Was this H-E-double hockey sticks? Man, you could've sworn they said it a bit more- warm? As you tried to shuffle your way out, you then heard a familiar voice- a voice you desperately wanted to hear once more-

“ Myahahaha! Now, eeny, meeny, miny, moe… " Grim.. ? Was that you- !?

Mustering up all your strength- you quickly thrust your hands out; " What the- Myah! " Grim- ( You presume, ) Suddenly let out a loud yelp, from which you concluded probably was because of you- watching how the coffin lid fall and hit something you jumped out quick on your feet as you scooped up the Feline from the floor in your arms-

" Human- what are you doing!? Let go of me, fnyah! " You feel his paws- warm paws try to push you off; Wet- and sliding down your cheek, your eyes- finally capable of shedding the tears you wanted to before- the warm fuzzy feeling swelled in your chest; and so did the scratches on your cheek.

" Grim- I missed you so much.. ! " You happily let out, nuzzling into his fur even more even though he keeps pushing you away; " Stupid Kid… " He grumbled- " Let go of me! You're gonna ruin my fur! " Suddenly a burst of flames exited his mouth, causing you to squint and- instinctively letting go of him;

Grunting out as you used your arms to shield your face; you then notice it- your robes were of the same from when you first came here, and as your drifted unto your feline companion- you notice how his body is skinnier.. smaller even-

" Finally- phew! Alright, kid. Just who'dya think you're holdin' unto! I'm the Great Lord Grim! " Grim introduces, but you remain silent as the dots finally click-

" Great, now my plans to just snatch em' off ya while you're asleep is out- " He crossed his arms, which caused you to gush inwardly at how- adorable, and pouty he looked!

His then held up one of his paw's to you, making inward motions as he said, " Whatever, now hand over what you got on. " He demanded, blue eyes looking at you- alive, and healthy; your hands weren't bleeding and calloused- and everything that was happening- happened before- you remember it all, vividly well.

Did you just go back in time?

A/N : Writing on a whim seems to do the trick, considering i wrote this all in one sitting :D yay, i did say that i was gonna continue the AntiMag!Reader over the uh summer and guess what yay summer- so i'm back to writinggg :D if u hadnt guessed by the title or maybe drawn out from what i wrote, its a reggressor reader yayyyyyy kewl ik

early warning now, this story is very much ooc because while yes i do my best to understand the character unfortunately im not that good in the dialogue category of writing so if u feel that it is ooc, please uhm dont bash me for it im trying my best :D

[swizzlemynizzle]

Underneath the Noise - George Clarke

———————————————

Masterlist

**smut warning!!!!!!!!! ******* message me if you would like a clean version otherwise read to the *** and stop

Chapter thirteen: Newness

———————————————

It was supposed to be a normal Sunday stream. Low stakes. Cozy vibes. George, Chris, Arthur Hill, and Y/N crammed onto the boys’ living room sofa, sipping tea and reacting to the usual chaos the internet had to offer. George’s stream title literally read: “hungover idiots try to function (badly)”.

And yet, somehow, within fifteen minutes of going live, it was trending.

The hoodie was the first clue.

Y/N had shown up in George’s hoodie—oversized, navy, familiar to anyone who watched his streams regularly. She hadn’t even thought about it. She’d grabbed it that morning while slipping out of his room, hair still damp from her shower, and hadn’t taken it off since. It was warm. It smelled like him. She liked how it made her feel—safe, known.

Apparently, so did the viewers.

is she wearing HIS hoodie?? george hasn’t looked at anyone else in 10 minutes they’re sitting SO CLOSENAHHHHHHH WAITTTTTT

The screengrab was inevitable.

A soft moment—Y/N turning to George with a grin mid-laugh, him looking at her like the sun had risen just for him, reaching up without thinking to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

The moment passed in real time.

But online?

It exploded.

Chris was the first to notice. His phone buzzed nonstop in his lap before he finally checked it and groaned loud enough for the mic to pick up.

“Oh, brilliant,” he muttered. “We’ve broken Twitter.”

George blinked, dragging his attention away from Y/N. “What?”

Chris turned the phone around to show them a tweet with nearly 20k likes already. The photo of their little moment. The caption read: “I don’t care if they deny it. This is not platonic.”

Arthur Hill made a soft noise. “You’re trending.”

Y/N looked at George, her heart suddenly loud in her chest. “Are you freaking out?”

He shook his head slowly. “Not unless you are.”

“I’m okay,” she said honestly, surprised to realise it was true.

And then Chris—because he was Chris—looked directly at the camera and said, “Right. Confirm or deny: are they shagging?”

“CHRIS!”

George’s hand found hers beneath the blanket tossed over their legs, fingers curling between hers.

The stream wrapped not long after. They used Arthur’s fake excuse about needing to eat something that wasn’t toast, and shut everything down. The flat was unusually quiet once it was just them again—Chris muttering in the kitchen, Arthur dragging himself off for a nap.

George hovered beside the sofa, eyes flicking to her.

“You okay?” he asked again, softer this time.

“Yeah,” she said. “Just… can we not talk about the internet right now?”

He reached out, took her hand again. “Come with me.”

His bedroom was dim, lit only by the faint blue glow of the computer screens still humming in the corner. He sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her gently between his legs, hands at her hips.

“You sure you’re alright?” he murmured, looking up at her.

She nodded, brushing her fingers through his hair. “I just want to be here.”

********

This time, the kiss was different. Slower. Less like a match being struck and more like warm honey—melting into something thick and sweet and inevitable.

He slid his hands under the hoodie she still wore, lifting it inch by inch, his palms dragging softly along her skin as it rose. She let him pull it over her head, revealing the tank top and soft shorts she’d thrown on without thinking. He kissed the curve of her shoulder, the side of her neck, like he wasn’t in a rush to get anywhere else.

When she climbed into his lap, straddling him on the bed, he sighed against her mouth like it grounded him.

“I’ve thought about this,” he said, lips brushing hers.

“Yeah?” she whispered.

He nodded, kissing her again—deeper now. “Too much.”

They undressed each other slowly. She peeled his shirt off, traced the line of his collarbone with her mouth. He helped her out of her shorts, eyes dark as they slid down her legs, like he couldn’t believe she was real.

When she lay back, he followed her down, propping himself up on an elbow as his hand moved between them, knuckles brushing over her thigh.

She shivered at the touch, every nerve in her body sparking awake.

His fingers traced over her through her underwear—light, exploratory, like he was still learning her reactions. She whimpered, pressing into his touch, and he murmured something unintelligible, something that sounded like awe.

Then he slipped his hand beneath the fabric.

She gasped as he ran a single finger through her folds, slow and teasing, deliberately light.

“George…”

“I know,” he whispered, eyes flicking up to hers.

He dipped one finger inside her, shallow and slow, just enough to make her hips twitch, then pulled back, circling her clit with a gentle stroke that had her eyes fluttering shut. She was already so wet, slick and warm beneath his touch.

When he pushed two fingers in, curling them just right, her breath caught in her throat.

He set a steady rhythm—deep, deliberate strokes, his palm pressing against her with every movement. She could feel her body tightening already, heat coiling in her stomach like a fuse slowly burning.

“Fuck, George—don’t stop,” she panted, one hand curling around his wrist, the other tangling in the sheets.

He kissed her, slow and open-mouthed, as he continued working her open with maddening control. He watched her the whole time, eyes flicking between her flushed face and the spot where his fingers disappeared into her.

She arched against him, moaning when his thumb found her clit, rubbing soft circles that made her thighs shake.

“Look at me,” he whispered. “I want to see you.”

She opened her eyes, just barely, and the way he looked at her—like she was the only thing in the world that mattered—was enough to tip her over the edge.

Her climax hit hard. Her back arched, a broken cry escaping her lips as she clenched around his fingers, breath stuttering, body trembling under his touch.

He didn’t stop until she’d ridden it all the way through, then gently slid his hand away, kissing her shoulder before looking back into her eyes.

“You okay?” he asked softly, mouth brushing her temple.

She nodded, tugging him down into another kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist, guiding him closer.

“Please,” she whispered, her voice still wrecked from moaning his name.

He entered her slowly—carefully—eyes locked on hers as her mouth dropped open in a soft gasp.

They moved together with a rhythm that felt like it had been written into their bones. Every movement was intentional—no frantic rush, just that deep, aching need to feel everything. She clung to him like he was the only solid thing in the world, nails dragging down his back, thighs tightening around his hips.

“George,” she breathed, forehead pressed to his.

“Don’t stop.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured, voice barely there. “I’ve got you.”

When they came together, it was heat and breath and whispered names in the dark. A quiet moment stretched after, their hearts still racing, fingers tangled.

He kissed her shoulder, then her collarbone.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Course,” she whispered.

“Will you… be my girlfriend?”

She smiled, brushing his hair back. “I thought I already was.”

He laughed softly, resting his forehead against hers. “Guess I just needed to hear it.”

“You’re mine, George,” she said. “Officially.”

Outside, the internet buzzed.

Inside, they were home.

——-

Taglist:

@madforgeorge

@wherethezoes-at

@sundarksposts

@clarkey4life

@edgyficuselastica

@whistlef0rthechoir

@kneelforloki

@yeahnahalrightfairenough

@rubyskies

@theresglitteronthefloor

@wroetominter

———

[leguink]

What's so interesting to me about Dipper is that he has no friends!

Okay, that's not necessarily true. dipper gets along very well with Soos, for example, and he's the twins' primary big brother figure for most of the show (we love u, soos!) dipper also grows very close to wendy, and in the end chooses to treasure their friendship more than he does any romantic feelings for her. he isn't lacking in terms of having important people in his life

but there's no one his age !

the closest we see to dipper having any sort of friend group is when he hangs out with wendy and his friends, which is obviously very telling of the fact that he wants to grow up, and he wants to grow up fast. consequently, he doesn't really want to be friends with them, per se, as much as he wants to impress them and prove that he's more than just a kid

(this is also contigent with his feelings for wendy, thematically speaking, but that's a conversation for another day)

along this train of thought is the fact that wendy's friends don't see him as a friend, either, simply because they are unequals out of age difference alone. this doesn't mean that they dislike him, in fact they're glad to have him around, but dipper's an accesory and not an actual member of the group, which is not necessarily a bad thing, simply that it's different

in general, the only person dipper interacts with in more or less an equal level is mabel, except her case is very different!

from her countless love interests, we see she has a very easy time interacting with people as early as tourist trapped, she is not shy ! she is not insecure ! she flirts, she giggles, she parties, you go mabel !

the most important element to this, i think, would be how in contrast to dipper, mabel manages to make a little friend group who share common interests and have similar personalities (candy and grenda)

this is not because dipper is somehow weirder and mabel the socially charming one. in fact, mabel doesn't enjoy a particularly popular reputation, and is thought of by pacifica as silly and childish during irrational treasure

from the very beginning, we see mabel and pacifica clash in a classic "weird vs mean" dynamic, with pacifica being someone who enjoys a favourable status in gravity falls (a little bit like a celebrity) and continuously antagonizes mabel, who hangs out with candy and grenda, consistently portrayed as weird and unpopular since their introduction during double dipper

regardless, mabel has no trouble making friends. she isn't a popular girl, but she is a social girl

you'd think that mabel, who has the wider support network, would be less dependant on dipper than dipper is on her

that's definitely the case in the valentine's day flashback shown in weirdmaggedon part 2, where mabel has a considerable amount of valentines, while dipper gets none and is mocked to the point of physically having to run out of class. he even hides his birthmark all the time because the kids made fun of him for it !

so it's very interesting that when we see the twins face the idea of permanent separation, it's mabel who doesn't want to leave dipper, not the other way around !

ps; pleeeeease send me asks about gravity falls i want to talk about this show so badly

[fandomandangstlover]

Following in his friend's footsteps, where his loyalty never falters, TELAMON's laughter will stick in your mind for however long you hold onto it. His hands finally taken a hold of his beloved SFOTH Swords, he whields his favourite with manic glee as he hunts down those who took them for granted. Specializing in long range, be weary of grouping up. You never know when the wind will betray you.

The corrupted counterpart of SHEDLETSKY. Selecting TELAMON as your Killer will disable every other players' ability to choose SHEDLETSKY as their survivor character.

Shown above are the two Skins currently available for TELAMON: BLAME [DEFAULT] & HEIGHTMASTER.

PASSIVE ABILITIES

- CREATORS OF CREATION

Every survivor that is killed by this Killer, a glitched version of them will spawn from their corpse and roam around the map. Attacks any survivors in their line of sight, deals 10 damage and loses interest in 10 seconds. Can be killed like any. Would you want to, though?

- VICTORY RUSH

This Killer will gain a minor speed boost after each kill, can only be stacked thrice.

ACTIVE ABILITIES

- PWN!!

Basic hit movement. Telamon swings the Illumina with glee. Deals 20-30 damage if done in succession.

- HEIGHTS ABOVE

This Killer lurge forward as he swings the Windforce with violent force. A harsh wave of air immediating from it. Deals 10 damage and disorient all Survivors hit with it, dizzying them.

- GREEDY

Summoning the Darkheart into his hands, he throws it with little to no warning, the blade spinning.

If this attack hits a singular Survivor, it will only deal 20 damage with no other effects while making Telamon pause for a few moments, disappointed.

If this attack hits more then one Survivor, all of the effected Survivors will take 40 damage as they also begin to ROT, adding another 20 damage after the effect wears off. This effect can kill the Survivor unless they heal.

- SOUL DETECTION

Letting his head fall back— all the way back, he takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes, showing only outlines of his surroundings. The Survivors' souls will be bright and revealed to TELAMON for a few seconds before they disappear as soon as he opens his eyes. Ignores UNDETECTABLE, but also highlights a 007n7's Clone as their own being.

VOICELINES

- ATTACKING

PWN!!:

"HIYA!"

"BAP!"

HEIGHTS ABOVE:

"CATCH WIND OF THIS!"

"it's fucking WIMBY!"

GREEDY - ACTIVATION:

"HEY! CATCH!"

"BAD MOVE~!"

GREEDY - SUCCESS:

"why don't you rot together while you're at it!"

"GOT ALL OF YA~!"

GREEDY - FAIL:

"awe, man.."

"thought they'll be stupider. oh well."

SOUL DETECTION:

"i, see~ you~!"

"brighter the stars, the faster they burn."

- STUNNED

"OW—! That HURT, you little—"

"augh—! mmm, oh when i get my hands on you."

"ACK— YOU— BASTARD!"

- KILL LINES

General:

"man, you suck at this!"

"gotcha!"

chuckles "another one down~!"

to 007n7:

"your tricks won't save you."

"say hi to your kid for me!" (if c00lkid died earlier in round)

"don't worry~! your kid's joining you soon." (if c00lkid is in round & alive)

to c00lkid/bluduud:

"you're it!"

"your dad's waiting for you, kid." (if 007n7 died earlier in round)

"don't cry, I'll get your pa very soon." (if 007n7 is in round & alive)

to John Doe:

"how the mighty have fallen..."

"you're getting rusty, buddy."

"should've listened to Builds, huh?"

to 1x1x1x1:

"what a waste of code."

"get out of my sight."

"i should've never given you a grave."

WITH BLOXWATCH:

finding a survivor while ally is nearby:

"Builds! i found them!"

"ooh hey there~! BUILDS! FOUND EM!"

killing a survivor after ally's callout:

"builds, look! they thought they'll survive," *laughter* "isn't that so funny?"

"just a few more, buddy. it's your turn, go get em!"

WITH DAISY BELL:

finding a survivor while ally is nearby:

"oh Bell~! found the rat!"

"found ya! DAISY, OVER HERE!"

killing a survivor after ally's callout:

"thanks for the assist, ava!"

"ahaha! we really got them this time, huh?"

TRIO GIMMICK: DOUBLE UP

TELAMON is only found with either BLOXWATCH or DAISY BELL by his side. Whichever character is his teammate cannot be chosen as a Survivor, and both will interact with the counterpart of the missing companion if chosen in a round.

Spotted Builderman - Solo:

"get over here~! i missed you!"

"stop. running."

Killing Builderman:

"augh... sorry, builds."

"... why didn't you listen? i thought we were friends."

"so much for our friendship, huh?"

Spotted Avarice - Solo:

"can't run forever, ava!"

"you don't deserve that sword. hand it over."

Killing Avarice:

"can't handle the heat, huh, buddy?"

"that sword's mine, you thief."

"and here i thought you understood. what a waste."

DISTORTED DEVS - TELAMON & BLOXWATCH

Spotted Avarice:

"Builds, found your girl!"

"oh, there you are."

Killing Avarice after BLOXWATCH'S callout:

"he cares so much for you. why did you leave us?"

"this is for him, you understand?"

1 SURVIVOR LEFT:

"ooh~! just one more! let's get em, builds!"

SFOTH SYNERGY - TELAMON & DAISY BELL

Spotted Builderman:

"buddy, there you are!"

"found him, Daisy!"

Killing Builderman after DAISY BELL'S callout:

"... sorry, but you're coming with us, whether you like it or not."

"she misses you, you know. why won't you join us?"

1 SURVIVOR LEFT:

"and just, one, left. let's see if they can handle us."

FINALLY..... HE'S REAL</3 SORRY I TOOK SO LONG MY WILL TO DO THINGS DISAPPEARED OFF THE FACE OF THE EXISTING WORLD. HUGH /silly

once more, DAISY BELL belongs to @splatting-stampede ! check em out :3

[ashyslashyy]

Augh. Thinking about caroline. we barely get any info on her in the game but shes so interesting to me. glados says that she was a lot like chell. what we do know about chell is that shes very determined and perserverant. which makes me wonder how much caroline did at aperture and how much she contributed and how much she pushed for that wasnt recognized because she was overshadowed by cave. sure aperture was more often than not doing completely unsafe and morally dubious things but it makes me wonder just how involved she was. we dont really know what parts of glados come from caroline other than her being more caring and understanding near the end of the game. but i also feel like some of her more antagonistic traits couldve come from caroline as well. aperture was all about doing crazy and dangerous things "for science" and this carries over to glados and i think it could be true for caroline as well. shes cave's assistant but he runs the damn place so thats gotta put her pretty high up right? but even if she was totally into all the shit aperture was doing she probably didnt have much actual control especially with being a woman in the mid 20th century. we know cave got moon rock poisoning so that implies some level of hands on work on his part but i wonder if caroline got ever into that stuff because she didnt seem to be affected. like i dont think she wouldve been that directly involved because if she was she probably wouldve had similar health problems to cave. he specifically asked for aperture to put caroline into a computer if they couldnt do that for him. which shows some level of care or admiration for her but he also emphasizes that they should do it even if she says no. shes positioned as someone who is absolutely capable of running the place (and its been shown that she can) but whether she WANTS to or not isnt considered. and the way cave talks about it it seems like she wouldnt want to. but at the same time when it comes to glados she is so completely in control that it feels baffling that she wasnt always the one running aperture. this is going nowhere i just needed to ramble about her. and also this is wntirely based on memory so i may have forgotten some things. OH but all this to say. do you think caroline was one of the people coming up with the "what if we could turn human blood into gasoline" shit. i can see it.

[xeversayfishxace]

(I don't deserve this...I don't deserve this kindness...I should be alone...I should be wallowing in my misery all by myself. How can he show me any kindness? How can he look at me with those eyes? How can any of them look at me at anything more than disgust? I...)

Yet, the moment the gecko landed upon him despite how much it hurt. Xever used all the strength he could to embrace Mondo. There are no words the fish was just weeping his eyes out. Despite it all, the two had bonded more in this terrible experiance than they ever had before. They were united by the stress, united by the pain, but were also united by the kindness, and finally united by the love they showed to each other. Xever had bared much for the sake of this kid, almost died to protect this kid. Xever knew he would do anything for Mondo. There wasn't a shred of doubt within his heart.

Xever had likely connected more because he showed his real self deep down. He had admitted his fears, how alike to Mondo he had once been, just some aimless kid who had no one or nothing. Constantly thrown away, constantly shown hardship, then they were betrayed. Xever was so glad the world didn't crush Mondo's spirit like his had been, that pure part of Mondo remained despite everything.

"Mondo...I'm so glad...you're safe...I was so worried...I..."

Xever just cried more and more as he held the gecko close. He didn't need to say it, this was love he felt right now. He had shown it many times with his actions. Something he never thought he could ever do for someone else. This level of emotion was scary, but it felt right. This was what Xever had wanted all along to fill the void inside.

Someone he could care for, and someone who cared back for him. It was unspoken, they didn't need to say it to one another. Because words had always felt so hollow, Xever couldn't cheapen this moment by saying anything about it. Xever loved Mondo as the son he never had nothing would ever change that. That was the truth his actions had shown, even when faced with death Xever chose to protect Mondo above all else. And he would do it all again without regret.

"Ha...of course he surprises you...because that is the most wonderful part of Mondo...he can still smile despite everything...I wouldn't change him for the world...and I'll beat up anyone who tries to..."

Xever looked at both Rockwell and Leatherhead with the same warm smile that was more real now than any other smile he gave.

"Because...he makes me want to smile too...and be better..."

Rajan, the ape assumes. Xever had mentioned that name in his sleep during the nightmares. Slash intended to bring it up when he had the opportunity to speak with Xever.

Neither of them wanted to bring it up prematurely, to avoid overwhelming Xever. Therefore, it was significant that the fish suddenly began addressing the matter himself - it indicated how much had been repressed and how urgently it needed to be expressed.

Rockwell instinctively moved closer when he picked up on the faster breathing. For a moment he was concerned something worse might be happening but Xever managed to find his voice again.

Mondo’s past was no stranger to the mutanimals, they have heard the story from him before.

“You’ve got a second chance at life, and you realized the errors of your ways. As for Mondo - “

Speak of the devil.

The moment the sentence left his mouth, the door swung open.

“Doc! Is he - “

Here comes the gecko, preparing to ask the question that he generally bothered the scientist with all week, but pauses when he sees Xever awake.

In an instant, the gecko runs and LEAPS at full speed and comes full force down on the fish to tackle him.

Leatherhead, who was behind him, blinks. He just returned with the gecko from trying to distract him and obviously the first thing the gecko wanted to do was check on Xever. If he knew this would have happened he would have tried to stop Mondo.

Rockwell was left stunned. The incident unfolded so quickly that he didn't have time to react. He let out a sigh and facepalmed.. Throwing yourself on someone who just awakened, weak, still likely hurting and covered in shock burns? He cleaned most of them (as well as the ones on Mondo) and did what he could but still.

“I should have seen it coming. And yet … he manages to keep surprising me.”

[theconstitutionisgayculture]

Yeah I'm gonna talk about the Andor rape scene.

First, disclaimer, I don't watch Andor, or any Disney Star Wars show. I did watch Rogue One, and it's probably the best thing Disney Star Wars ever did, which isn't saying much. So if you want to dismiss what I'm saying because I didn't see the scene and don't have the "context" or whatever, go fuck yourself because the only context I need is that there's now a rape scene in Star Wars.

Which is bad. It's stupid and retarded and it changes Star Wars forever for the worse. Star Wars isn't Game of Thrones. It isn't a dark, gritty, realistic portrayal of war and tyranny. It's a space opera, and while some space operas do "go there" with regards to rape and graphic content, it's not required, nor is it the norm. Star Wars was one of the space operas that didn't go there. It never needed to. You understood that the Empire was evil because Darth Vader was torturing people and they blew up an entire planet. The empire were the bad guys and the good guys were defined by standing up to the Empire. And even with that simplistic concept, the movies were still good. No one went to see Star Wars and thought "well, Vietnam just happened so I don't really think I can believe this portrayal of war unless some villages get napalmed and some women get raped". They said "oh wow Luke Skywalker is awesome he blew up the Death Star!" or "laser swords? Awesome!"

The idea that everything needs to reflect reality is such a braindead concept, but I'm not surprised that's the defense the showrunner is going with. Everyone involved with Disney Star Wars at every level has shown that they don't understand Star Wars at all. Not from a storytelling or character standpoint, or a meta, cultural standpoint either. "It's for kids" is never an excuse for bad or lazy writing, but it is a reason why explicit scenes aren't included. For decades, the most explicitly violent thing in Star Wars was Ponda Baba's arm getting cut off in the Mos Eisley cantina. That happened within the first half of the first movie, and the series never felt the need to try and top that because explicit content was never the point of Star Wars. It never needed to resort to cheap emotional ploys to get you to feel for the characters. Which brings me to my next point:

Aside from stories about rape, rape is never necessary in fiction. In fact, I say 95% of the time it's a crutch bad writers use because that's the only way they know to evoke a visceral emotional reaction. It's lazy and uninspired. It lowers the quality of whatever it's in. If you can't get someone to hate your villain without making them a rapist, then you're a bad writer. But this rape scene in particular is actually damaging to the original trilogy (as so much of Disney Star Wars is). Because the explanation is that you can't have a story about war and resistance without rape. Which means that the Empire is now known to have rapists in its ranks. Andor takes place in the same timeframe as the OT, which means that the same Empire that tried to rape that woman is the same empire that had Princess Leia captive on the Death Star for at least a few days. Do you see where I'm going with this? If your assertion is that rape must exist in the Empire to portray war and resistance accurately, then Princess Leia had to have been raped while in captivity, because the same Empire that captured this woman also captured her. But that never happened. We know that never happened because it was never so much as hinted at. She was tortured for information, but she was never raped. No female captive in the entire Star Wars saga, both the real Lucas stories and the fake Disney "canon", was ever raped. So by the directors own reasoning, the only Star Wars property to ever portray a realistic (where "realistic" is seen as good and "unrealistic" is seen as bad) version or war is season 2 of Andor. Which is massively insulting to every other Star Wars movie and show ever made. Even The Acolyte, which is objective trash, doesn't deserve to be implicitly slighted because it didn't depict rape. Star Wars is not about reflecting reality. It's about the fight between good vs evil. It's about family and belonging and standing up for what's right. Universal concepts that anyone can understand even if it's nothing like what you read about in the news everyday. And that's what it should always be.

Goddamn I hate that Star Wars is being ruined like this. I hate it so much.