#shreya talks

[fawad-khan]

help for a fellow poc gifmaker!

hi guys! i've been trying to get back to giffing, even with the busy days i've been having due to uni and just, gaining motivation slowly. i have decided to open commissions on my ko-fi page, because i thought this would be a chance to earn a little if possible and sustain myself a little bit. please feel free to buy me a coffee and support me! i am yet to decide regarding the specifics of commissions, however i think i will definitely do something like creating gifsets with some gfx exclusively tailored to the person, create headers and icons!

i post my gifs on this blog ( @fawad-khan ) and @kiimtaehyung !

again, any help and boosts to the post are always appreciated <3

link to my ko-fi

[kiimtaehyung]

guys if u see a sus af dm from me on discord its because my acc got hacked PLS DONT FOLLOW ANY OF IT

[shreya11111]

hey everyone!

as you can probably tell, i haven’t been the most active this year and i really apologize for that and thank you for your understanding. i would like to thank you for your continued support during this period of absence <3 i’ve been dealing with a lot of things including school, exams and personal stuff. especially my mental health, cuz it’s been really bad lately, which is why i took a break from posting on here (and all my other sideblogs). yet, i really felt that i needed a creative outlet for my feelings and i decided to give poetry a try. i immediately felt inspired to write, and i’ve written quite a few poems. i decided that i’d really like to share my voice with the world, and i decided to create a tumblr account to post my poems.

you don’t have to, but i’d really appreciate it if you shared your thoughts on them and any constructive criticism you may have :)

my account is @cloudysurface.

thank you everyone once again for all your support and understanding <3 i hope you are all doing well, i’ll do my best to be as active as i can on this account (and my other sideblogs) the following months. i’ll be sure to keep you all posted on any updates :) take care!

[zeherili-ankhein]

Anyone else who are ABSOLUTELY in Love with this masterpiece or is it just me?

This song imo has by far some of the best lyrics, music and vocals and deserves more love.

[gaydelgard]

im just a little guy and its my birthday

[chocolate-cream-soldier]

///

[yusuke-of-valla]

WE LIVE IN A HELL WORLD

Snippets from the article by Karissa Bell:

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing thousands of performers, has struck a deal with an AI voice acting platform aimed at making it easier for actors to license their voice for use in video games. ...

the agreements cover the creation of so-called “digital voice replicas” and how they can be used by game studios and other companies. The deal has provisions for minimum rates, safe storage and transparency requirements, as well as “limitations on the amount of time that a performance replica can be employed without further payment and consent.”

Notably, the agreement does not cover whether actors’ replicas can be used to train large language models (LLMs), though Replica Studios CEO Shreyas Nivas said the company was interested in pursuing such an arrangement. “We have been talking to so many of the large AAA studios about this use case,” Nivas said. He added that LLMs are ���out-of-scope of this agreement” but “they will hopefully [be] things that we will continue to work on and partner on.”

...Even so, some well-known voice actors were immediately skeptical of the news, as the BBC reports. In a press release, SAG-AFTRA said the agreement had been approved by "affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community." But on X, voice actors said they had not been given advance notice. "How has this agreement passed without notice or vote," wrote Veronica Taylor, who voiced Ash in Pokémon. "Encouraging/allowing AI replacement is a slippery slope downward." Roger Clark, who voiced Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, also suggested he was not notified about the deal. "If I can pay for permission to have an AI rendering of an ‘A-list’ voice actor’s performance for a fraction of their rate I have next to no incentive to employ 90% of the lesser known ‘working’ actors that make up the majority of the industry," Clark wrote.

SAG-AFTRA’s deal with Replica only covers a sliver of the game industry. Separately, the union is also negotiating with several of the major game studios after authorizing a strike last fall. “I certainly hope that the video game companies will take this as an inspiration to help us move forward in that negotiation,” Crabtree said.

And here are some various reactions I've found about things people in/adjacent to this can do

And in OTHER AI games news, Valve is updating it's TOS to allow AI generated content on steam so long as devs promise they have the rights to use it, which you can read more about on Aftermath in this article by Luke Plunkett

[julymusings]

Dick Grayson x South Asian!Reader HCs

requested | reader is fem; like with Jason's hc post, I tried to keep it non-specific to any country, hope i achieved that😬

also it's barely mentioned but as a special treat: reader is trained in Indian classical dance😏😏😏

batboys x south asian!reader masterlist

He loves watching Bollywood movies, but gets especially into the music…like really into it

This man becomes OBSESSED with Shreya Goshal; you come early one night to find him singing along to both parts of the duet Manwa Laage from Happy New Year while doing the dishes (which, if you don't know, is a very high-pitched song). He's so off-key but so into it you don't have the heart to tell him that your neighbors texted you to ask if a feral cat got loose in your apartment💀

Then it escalates— he tries to learn Hrithik Roshan’s dance from Dhoom Again (which has nothing to do with the fact that you told him Hrithik Roshan was your childhood crush)

(if ur not desi, it starts at timestamp 0:38 I highly recommend watching it for full context it's incredible— if you are then I know you already know what i'm talking about LMAOO)

And since you're a dancer you learn it with him but he’s genuinely upset that it’s so easy for you but so hard for him

"I should be getting this! Do you know how bendy my body is?!"

For some reason I feel like he would love the strong female lead-type movies (probably because he’s so eldest daughter coded) so movies like Queen, Dangal, Chak De India, that’s his jam, but he loves Kal Ho Naa Ho when he needs a good cry

If you’ve ever seen those tiktoks of families who dress up their dogs and cats in traditional wear…you’re doing that with Haley 100%

I think Dick is familiar with hair oiling because of his Romani background, but doesn’t start doing it until you guys are dating because you do it regularly so he just starts joining you

OR he does do it, but…badly. with one of those over-priced chemical-filled Sephora brands, and he doesn’t even apply it correctly. The first time you see him do it you’re legitimately offended. You spend the entire afternoon teaching him the right way, first taking him to the Indian market (they’re in new jersey so you know there’s plenty💀) and collecting all the ingredients and explaining the benefit of each one, then going back to his place and showing him how to properly toast the herbs and spices and then warm the oil with them, how to massage it all throughout his scalp and find all the pressure points.

He’s sooo attentive and genuinely interested, plus he just loves how passionate you are about this

He loves pani puri (obviously, he’s dick and they’re balls WHO SAID THAT)

But seriously, you make them and he’s just throwing them back non stop

He calls you rani (queen), meri jaan (my love), pyaari (cutie I think)

Dick learns how to drape your sari for you— he knows where all the pins go, where to make the folds and where to tuck in the fabric. He loves how happy it makes you and how you twirl in the mirror when he’s done. Once your relationship gets more serious, he loves to buy you new ones until you have all different styles for every occasion

He loves when you wear payals. You wear them once for an event, and he encourages you to wear them around the house because the sound they make when you walk is just so pretty

Another reason why he LOVES watching you dance. The ghungroos you wear make it all the more mesmerizing

Given how flexible he is from his acrobat training, he’s great at yoga. Much better than you, and you often require his help to get the positions right. He doesn’t mind, though, as long as it means he gets to have his hands on you as he guides your body into the correct stance

Of course he’s learning your language so he can communicate with your relatives. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, though

Most teaching sessions end with tears and/or yelling

“WHY ARE THERE SO MANY POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS??? WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE SPECIFIC SCENARIO FOR EACH ONE????”

“I DON’T KNOW DICK THERE JUST ARE”

In the least foot fetish-y way possible, he thinks the tradition of wearing toe rings is so attractive. When you tell him that only married women wear them, he considers proposing just for that reason (I mean he already has the ring, so what’s he waiting for?)

Speaking of marriage (😏), he’s so excited for you to get his name hidden somewhere in your mehendi/henna. When you’re getting it done, he keeps trying to peek into the room to see if he can spot it until the artist gets fed up and locks him out😭

On your wedding night the first thing he does when you get a moment alone is start searching for it

You told him about the tradition of stealing the groom's shoes beforehand. You did not, however, tell him about the bargaining portion of the tradition

So when he and his siblings are "looking" for them (come on now, they're world class detectives, but they don't want to ruin the fun) and ultimately "give up" like "okay! you got me! where are they!" and your family starts talking about a 5-figure ransom to see them again...

He's going insane trying to tell them that his father is the billionaire, not him, but your relatives could not care less. And the whole time he knows exactly where they are but he doesn't want to be that person and make all your relatives hate him😭

He manages to coax them down to 4-figures

He wanted 3, but after your youngest cousin read him to filth ("Oh the trust fund nepo-baby can't spare some change? Is this the kind of husband you are? Is this how you plan to support your wife?"), he had no choice

You KNOW he’s doing a dance number at the reception. Bonus points if it's the Dhoom Again dance

And of course he wants you two to do a number together. When he tells you as much, he thinks it'll be fun and silly and a way to spend time together— he's wrong.

Like a true Indian classical dance teacher, you are a DRILL SERGEANT. He gets transported back to his old Robin-training days, except Bruce is 8 inches shorter and wears 5 pounds of bells around his ankles. It's worth it for the end result, though.

You obviously eat him UP but he does a very good job

Which number? I'm SO glad you asked........

It's Kala Chashma

ok this really got away from me but i loved writing it. as for kala chashma i just thought it was funny😭but if you have any other songs you think would fit i would LOVE to hear

[kiimtaehyung]

pied piper is just so amazing like; you need to study......im here to save you.......im here to ruin you.....cmon your boss and parents hate me.....my hands are warm only for u....go study stop getting distracted by us....haha anyways *body rolls*

[drksanctuary]

Ok last one so I can be a completionist @titan-army-week

PART 7: Family

After what feels like hours he doses off…memories of Celina flooding him. Her smile,the way she cheered when she got a potion to have the exact reaction she wanted. How she would proudly show off her new concoctions to Alabaster. He also had thoughts of Shreya with her watchful eyes, reading auras almost psychic-like in her interpretations of the smallest movements. He remembered Eva’s mastery of mist manipulation…and how much she liked horses. He thought of Brandon’s struggle with runes, how it frustrated him that it didn’t come as easy as spell-casting. Not every part of Magic comes easy to every one.

/That’s easy for you to say/ a voice in the back of his head prods at him.

What? …

“That’s easy for you to say, you’re good at every part Alabaster.” Lou Ellen said, directing a tone at him that is somehow both petty and full of wisdom and maturity.

“Just let me talk to him,” Al said starting toward Brandon’s bunk.

Lou Ellen stood in his way. “No,” she said, “Just give him some space Al.”

“But if I knew what the problem was I could fix it-“

“That’s exactly the problem, Al.”

“We can figure it out together!” Al stepped to the side.

“It’s not what he wants.” Lou moved in front again.

“But I can-“ Al strode forward,

“Make it worse,” Lou said. Finally resorting to physically pushing him away. Her eyes glowed purple.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re the most powerful, the strongest child of Hecate…”

“Yeah which is why I am qualified to-“

“Gods could you just let me finish?!”

Alabaster heaved a sigh. An exaggerated one.

“It’s hard to be our best when your around.”

“Our?”

“Yes”

“Why? Lou you’re second strongest…I’d say you’re doing your best just fine.”

“Hardly second, Magic wasn’t as intuitive to me, I had to work SO HARD. Brandon is the same way. But Al, he cares so much about making a good impression.”

“Exactly, I know exactly what impresses mother, so if I help him-”

“Gods you’re so stupid,” she said her palm to her forehead.

***

“Well then explain it to me” Alabaster said, fighting the urge to stop her from packing. “Explain to me why you are deciding to leave us when we need you.”

“You proved just fine you don’t need me,” Lou scoffed, closing her suit case a little harder than she intended. She was just so mad. So frustrated.

“What?? Because of one game? come on Lou, are you that much of a sore loser-“

Lou turned on him eyes flashing purple and green.

This gave Alabaster pause he’d only ever seen her use purple. A strong purple but never green. Never had she been able to use the strongest of the magic glows.

He was tempted to say, “See? You grow stronger everyday!” but the way she glared at him was more than a petchulant loss of a silly training game. She looked like she was going to cry…or rip him apart…or both.

“You think,” she said, advancing on him, “that I’m referring to the game?”

“I-had” Al swallows, “up until you glowed at me like that.”

“You are so smart, Al…I don’t know how your also so fucking stupid.”

“And I still don’t understand why you think it’s ok to abandon us when we need you.” Alabaster said, his own frustration growing. He didn’t like being called stupid.

“Like I said, you don’t need me,” Lou Ellen continued, “You already have a second strongest, and it’s not me!”

Al scoffed. “Lou, do you think that mom wants Marina to fight in a battle with me? While she has raw power and talent she’s hardly ready to-“

“Oh! You see, there it is!” Lou said, smugly.

“What? Theres what?? I gave all of our siblings their assignments based on where they’d be most useful and most safe! Do you want me to put a little eight year old girl in the line of fire? Perhaps you are the stupid one!” Alabaster seethed.

“I never…said who I thought the second strongest one was” Lou said

“You-“

“But you knew.”

“Well- I mean, I-“

“I don’t want to hear it Al, you think she’s stronger than me,” Lou said. And she seemed truly hurt by the sentiment.

“Well she has a lot of potential is what I was trying to s -“

“No.” Lou Ellen cut him off, “it’s what you said.”

“I thought you didn’t care about the ranking, Mom wants us to be a team, not infighting! The strongest protects but we all contribute.”

“And mom only ever really talks to you! She hasn’t spoken to any of us more than once!”

“Is that what this is? You want more validation from Mom?”

“No! I just…I have seen how you get Al. So focused. So sure you are right about things, but you don’t understand that not all of us have that… and the rest of us aren’t Marina, ok? We aren’t all your little prodigies!”

“Marina has probably heard from mother the least, and you want to compare clout there?”

“I don’t care about moms attention Al! We all care about one thing!”

Al was confused. Winning the Titan war? Their mother getting a throne? “Equality for all demigods, not just Olympians,” Al said, so sure he is correct.

“No Al.” Lou said, her things all packed. She grabbed it all, ready to leave she started for the exit but pauses at Al’s shoulder who retracts his attempt to stop her when he sees her purple and green glowing eyes bore into his own.

“Your loyalty is to the cause. Ours? ….We all care so so much…” Lou said, in a sharp whisper. “About what YOU think of us.”

Alabaster inhaled sharply, he expected her to shove him, but honestly this hurt more. Lou Ellen walks past him.

“S-since when do you care what I think of you?”

“I always have,” Lou said, “But don’t worry…I’ll get over it.” She turned and headed out.

Al wanted to be petchulant. To say “Fine go” but all he could do was default to what he always did for his siblings.

“Lou!…” Al called after her, “If you’re going to go, at least don’t go to Camp!…it’s not safe there….“

The visions of Camp half blood burning returned to him.

“Lou??” He called again, but she was already gone. He was…

***

Alone. Al is alone.

Luke is dead. Silena is dead. Ethan…there’s no way he could’ve survived that fall…Ethan is…dead.

Alabaster looks left and right of the battle theater they’re in. It’s over. They’ve lost. This…wasn’t supposed to happen.

He can’t find his siblings anywhere on the battlefield. When he’d ordered the retreat some monsters turned on them. He told them to hide while he fended them off. He stands now, alone…monster ash swirling at his feet. On instinct he heads to Marina’s safe reinforcement site.

He turns the corner to find Ares’ gigantic form casually strolling along. He seems to be surveying the damage of the battle with the cheer of someone meandering through the park on a warm summer day. Al sees the god start to pick his teeth with a small gold sword.

Marina’s sword.

When Ares moves to the side…Alabaster sees it. Or rather he doesn’t see it. The small building…the reinforcement site…was gone. Clobbered down to the foundation stones by what looks to be a giant flaming sword that now lies in the scabbard on that assholes hip. There looks to be bodies…and blood.

Alabaster is in attack mode before he can fully register it. He activates one of the traps Brandon had set on the perimeter knocking the Olympian bastard to the ground and covering him in a green net.

He draws his sword and charges the runes until they’re practically dripping with magic. He runs over and stabs it into the gods neck.

“Argh!!” Ares growls

The wound was not deep enough . Shit.

“Who the fuck are you?” Ares says

“Why?” Is all Al can manage

“Why what?” Ares says flexing his neck muscle to push Al’s sword out.

Al smacks it in and activates all the damage runes he has. It goes deeper into the flesh with a sick squelch as ichor splurts out.

“Ow! fuck!” Ares curses, his skin starting to glow faintly.

“WHY DID YOU KILL THEM??! THE BATTLE WAS OVER! WHY???!!??”

Ares chuckles. Apparently Alabasters suffering was amusing to him.

“My job punk…snuffing out the resistance!” He says and his skin starts to glow brighter with yellow light.

Al averts his eyes the yellow light gets mixed with green. He had been certain that he used the last of his magic. Where is -

He is picked up and mist traveled away before he can understand it and he arrives somewhere and appears to be…

***

Alone.

The adrenaline is still thrumming through him when he registers where he is. The black tumbled throne. He looks around for the sibling that brought him here. He hopes for Marina. But all he sees no one. He whirls around, doing a full 360. But when he turns again, suddenly he sees:

“Mom?”

“Shhh” Hecate reaches out to brush his hair with her hand.

“Mom! they kiled them!! They’re dead…Brandon, Eva, Shreya,…m-Mari-” he chokes.

“Alabaster,” she says softly but firmly,“I know, it’s a great terrible loss but you have to be quiet.”

“Why?!” Alabaster screeches.

“Because we are deciding your fate, boy.”

Zeus, Hera, Ares and Hermes stood before them.

“Please.” Hecate says, “Spare him.”

Ares scoffs.

“Please.” Hecate reiterates…pleads.

“We have made our decision,” Hera says very diplomatically. “He may live, but he is never to set foot on the camps or he may corrupt the remaining siblings…as he did the others.”

“Fu-“ Alabaster tries to curse but Hecate’s hand covers his mouth.

“Thank you, my Lords and Lady.”

Al is mist traveled again.

“Fuck them!” Alabaster says.

“Alabaster,” Hecate says.

“I’m going to to destroy them.” He says shaking.

“Alabaster.” she admonishes.

“I’m going to burn Olympus to the ground!” Alabaster tells the green glowing in his eyes erupting into small green flames. The strongest level. He seethes. Smoke coming out of his mouth.

“My son-” Hecate says, this time with concern. “I’m sorry…I could only do so much…but you need to keep living… please.” she hands him something flat, a piece of paper maybe. “Don’t forget them and you’ll never be…”

****

Alone… after all of it…the Titan army, survival with no camp, Lamia…and here he was. Alone again. His bullet proof vest ripped to shreds. Claymore …is dead. It’s happened again.

He has a small notebook with the spell in it. The one that will keep Lamia away from him. On the last page of the notebook is a picture he’d taped there when he incurred his last loss. He thought he’d learned his lesson.

The picture showed him and his siblings…he’s even managed to wrangle Ethan into it. He had a knack for that didn’t he…getting people to go places they normally wouldn’t.

“I’m sorry” he says for what must be the thousandth time. But this time it stings anew. “I’m so sorry,” he sobs, “I don’t know what to do…what am I supposed to do???” he hugs his legs.

They don’t answer…of course they don’t. They just appear as vague shadowy mist figures around him. Trying to comfort him. But he is inconsolable. He’s gotten yet another person killed by involving them in his problems…how is he supposed to go on.

“Don’t let it happen again?” a voice says

Alabasters head shoots up. His mist forms never spoke to him unless he wanted them to.

“Claymore??” He says incredulously.

“Hey, kid.”

Al wipes the tears from his eyes.

“How are you here?”

“You’re mom wanted me to stick around….watch after you. I figure I’d be a better guardian then your fake father in that card.

Alabaster nods, “Yeah, probably.”

“So…you ready to help an old man find out some truths?”

“Yeah,” Alabaster says.

He looks down at his family photo, just underneath it, a new mist card appeared. One with a sketch of Dr. Howard Claymore.

Maybe, Al thinks, Maybe he’s not alone and this…is the start of his new Family.

The end????

(Probably not find out more in Lifting the Mist curse Comic or Son of Magic volume 2) hahahaha

[mostardently]

Interview with the vampire for me is on the level of breaking bad, succession, Hannibal right now for how far it has made me go insane with its writing and acting and cinematography and foreshadowing and parallels and production and costume EVERYTHING. and I love it more cos I went in with zero expectations I'm not fond of vampire shit gives me an ick but these actors and their insane acting made it look so hot I've been bewitched.

I love when a show stays with you or you keep discovering more about it, after you finish it. I love when it's complex, that it doesn't literally feed you the answers but makes you wonder, makes you tear the layers of the story or character, makes you their lover,hater and understander, makes you form your own opinions, makes your body shiver, makes you lose your breathe, is vague in an artistic way, makes you want to gnaw on your bones, makes you want to scream cos you can't process to understand how many efforts and thought process went through even one line/dialogue by everyone -actors ,writers, directors.

I love consuming media pls give me more of this shit!!!!!!!!

[cherrynflowergarden]

𓇢𓆸 CHERRYNFLOWERGARDEN SPEAKS...!

ᴇʟʟɪᴇ☼ desi, XVIII, she/her, logan sargeant defender, sylvia plath, regulus black kinnie, bollywood enthusiast, literature and psychology, six of crows, music, pink, bows, flowers, sturniolo triplets, stuffed toys, books, f1, cricket, football.

🎧 lana del rey, mitski, taylor swift, arctic monkeys, the neighborhood, sabrina carpenter, gracie abrams, olivia rodrigo, conan gray, noah kahan, azooz, arijit singh, shreya ghoshal, atif aslam, roop kumar rathod, rahet fateh ali khan.

come say hi; my page is always open to talk and yap:) requests open! (although i take hell lot of time to write them:/ ) anons are appreciated<3

i hope anyone reading this has an absolute lovely day. i'm so proud of you and i'm glad you exist. i love you<3

𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 || 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 || 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐜 || 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 || 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

[alexaloraetheris]

I'm probably gonna be cancelled for being xenophobic on main or something, but it makes me really sad when I come in contact with people who I don't have any language in common with.

In our country, we got a few different waves of immigration so 50% of the time your delivery guy or taxi driver is someone who doesn't speak the local language, and very little English. Everything is handled by its relevant apps, so you can go an entire interaction without a single word spoken.

But I like chatting with the taxi drivers. They work long hours for an exploitative system to make cents, and since I'm benefiting from the system (ie. Getting cheap rides) I do my best to be a model passenger, chat a little and get them to tell me something that interests them. It's a side hustle for a lot of them, and their lives and day jobs are SO INTERESTING. Like, it's a whole different post about the disaster of our economy that scientists, medics, IT programmers and physical therapists need to taxi in their spare time to make it above the poverty line, but it makes for excellent road conversations.

And the immigrant drivers probably have just as interesting stories but HOW WOULD I KNOW??? Today I had an Indian driver, and ofc I was polite and everything, but mostly silent. But he had a playlist of indian songs and I heard one I really liked, so I asked him in English what it was, and guys, he was so happy I was showing interest, he didn't know English that well but he did his level best to translate the song for me, tell me about the DJ, and you'd think he saw Narayana himself when I told him I knew who Shreya Goshal was and I liked her songs.

And y'all, I was so happy but also so sad I didn't try to talk with him from the start of the ride. But a lot of drivers who don't speak even English tend to be embaressed and uncomfortable (one apologetically told me 'my English is little') so I usually stay silent. But now I'm sad because I really would have liked to chat with them, because I just know they would have had so many interesting things to say.

But we don't understand each other. And I'm really sad about it sometimes.

Someone please invent a universal translator already😭

[chelseachilly]

THIS LOVE - chapter two | the lights are so bright but they never blind me

pairing: ben chilwell x reader

rating: T

word count: 2.1k

summary: you have to adjust to life in the public eye as ben’s supposed girlfriend...and ben has to adjust to the sight of you wearing his chelsea kit to a game

A/N: thanks for more lovely messages, they really encourage me to update faster lol! i’m sorry this one’s a bit shorter, the next update will definitely be longer 😌 chapter title is from welcome to New York

previous chapter | view all chapters

The morning after the gala, you wake up in Ben’s guest room feeling relaxed and refreshed.

You always seem to get a better sleep when you stay at his, though you’re not sure if that’s due to his comfy mattress and expensive sheets or the fact that he lives out in Cobham and it’s significantly quieter than your own flat.

This state of relaxation lasts for about five minutes, or until you get a text from your friend Valerie asking if you’ve been on Twitter today.

Bracing yourself, you open the app and already see Ben’s name trending.

You’ve gained some followers over the years when Ben has posted you on his socials, but it’s nothing compared to the way people are currently talking about you all over the internet.

It’s not just on Twitter - your Instagram following count has already grown exponentially, and your comments are filled with everything under the sun, from praise to cruelty.

You know Ben gets shit like this all the time, and Mia warned you it would be coming your way, but it’s still surreal to read about yourself online.

Especially when none of it is true. Even the nice tweets about what a lovely couple you make are based on a lie.

You can’t resist going down the rabbit hole for a few minutes, reading pages of tweets from Ben’s fans speculating about your relationship, some negative and some positive. Eventually, you can feel your brain starting to hurt, and you know it’s in your best interest to shut your phone off for a while.

Begrudgingly, you force yourself to get out of bed and face the day. You make your way downstairs in your pyjamas, stretching your arms out as you enter the kitchen.

Ben is already awake, like he usually is at this time, and he’s standing by the stove in joggers and an old Nike sweatshirt, flipping pancakes that you know are not a part of his diet plan.

“Pancakes?” you question, startling Ben a bit as he turns to face you.

“Morning,” he says with a small smile. “Yeah, with blueberries. They’re for you. Figured it’s the least I could do since-“

“Since I’m being torn apart online by football fans?” you joke - or, at least, you mean it as a joke.

Ben’s face falls, his eyes wide with concern, and he sets down the spatula to walk over to you.

“I am so sorry, Y/N,” he says seriously. “I didn’t know it would be like this. I’ve obviously never had a real girlfriend before, so I didn’t think about it.”

“Ben, it’s-”

“I called Shreya as soon as I saw everything and had her prepare an exit strategy, she’s already confirmed our relationship to the press but she thinks we can back out of it if-“

“Ben,” you say a bit more firmly, placing a hand on his arm. “Why would we need to back out of this? Does she not think it’s working?”

Ben just blinks at you for a moment before shaking his head. “Well, no, actually. Apparently I’m getting great press from it, and you’re the one getting all the shitty comments. But I-”

“I’m fine with it, then,” you shrug. “I’ll just make my Instagram private, you know I don’t really care about social media anyways. I’ll be fine.”

Ben still doesn’t look convinced.

“Are you sure? I hate the thought of you having to read that crap,” he mumbles. “I’m used to the pricks, but you shouldn’t have to be.”

“It’s fine, Ben, I swear,” you insist, squeezing his shoulder. “Actually, some of your fans seem to like me. Or they like that I supposedly keep you grounded or whatever bullshit Shreya fed the press.”

“Well, that part’s not total bullshit,” Ben says with a small smile that makes your cheeks flush slightly. “Thank you again for doing this. And you can still change your mind at any time, you know.”

“I know,” you say, mirroring his smile. “Now hurry up before you burn my pancakes.”

“Oh, shit!”

-

By the next weekend, you’ve gotten pretty used to “dating” Ben.

You go private on your socials as you discussed, with the official statement from Ben’s publicist being that you two ask for privacy as a new couple. Naturally, this only makes everyone more interested, including the media.

As Shreya hoped, the headlines now describe Ben as a “man in love” and someone ready to “settle down with a nice girl.” There are tabloid articles with pictures of you two - some from before you were even pretending to date - and all the information they could dig up on you, including your job.

It’s all a bit weird, but the weirdest part is definitely when you have to actually corroborate your story of being Ben’s girlfriend. Which, as far as everyone outside your inner circle is concerned, you now are.

It definitely feels strange lying when, for example, one of the doctors you work with congratulates you on your relationship. (Turns out her son is a Chelsea fan and she wants to know if you could ask him to sign a kit or something, which you promise to make happen.)

You’re relieved when the only event you have to attend this weekend is Ben’s game, which you would’ve gone to anyways. You’re also going with his sister Alex, who is obviously in on the whole thing, which makes it easier.

She meets you at your flat, which is conveniently only about ten minutes away from Stamford Bridge on the tube, an hour before the game.

After you tightly embrace Ben’s sister, who is like a younger sister to you as well, she grins and passes you a small gift bag.

“You got me a present?” you ask in confusion.

“It’s not from me, it’s from Ben,” she chuckles. “He also said to say he’s sorry and that it was Shreya’s idea.”

You open the bag and pull out a familiar article of clothing - a brand new Chelsea shirt with Ben’s name on the back.

Of course, as Ben’s girlfriend, it would make sense that you be wearing his kit.

“Oh, god, let me go change.”

Once you’ve replaced the plain blue t-shirt you were wearing with the shirt Ben sent over, you walk back out and find Alex with an amused look on her face.

“How do I look?” you ask a bit sarcastically as you do a twirl.

“Like a proper WAG,” Alex laughs. “Let’s go, my future sister-in-law.”

You groan as Alex grabs you by the arm and you depart for the match.

Although you’ve come to see Ben play at the Bridge more times than you can count, you have never felt this many eyes on you as you make your way to your seats. There are people not-so-subtly taking your photo as you walk up, probably made all the worse by the Chilwell kit you have on - though you suppose that’s the point.  

The match begins, and you cheer at the top of your lungs for Chelsea, just as you have from the day Ben signed for them. You never really cared that much about football, and you didn’t support any particular club growing up, but you’ve always been Ben’s number one fan.

Today, he’s playing well, making you as proud as ever. It’s not hard to pretend to be the supportive girlfriend when every flawless pass or run forward has you leaping out of your seat with unrestrained enthusiasm.

At half-time, Chelsea are up by 1 against Newcastle, and you and Alex are happily chatting and catching up over a beer.

“I saw all the pics of you guys at the gala on Twitter,” Alex says with a smirk on her face, lowering her voice so nobody overhears. “I know it’s weird to say since you’re basically part of the family, but you actually look quite good together.”

“Ew, Alex, there’s no way,” you insist, a slight blush creeping onto your cheeks. “He’s…Ben.”

Alex just laughs and drops the subject as the game resumes and the boys come back out of the tunnel.

Around the 85th minute, with the score now tied 1-1, Ben comes running up the side and makes an excellent pass to Conor, who scores and secures the win. You jump out of your seats to cheer as the guys celebrate on the pitch, you rolling your eyes with affection as Ben and Conor jump up and down with excitement.

The whistle blows shortly after with Chelsea leaving victorious, and you and Alex make your way down to the tunnels to meet up with Ben. With this being their fourth win in a row, the atmosphere at the Bridge is electric, a far cry from last year’s rough season.

It’s so nice to see Ben so happy again, and the smile on his face only seems to grow tenfold when he spots you and Alex making your way over to him.

You can’t resist picking up your pace to a light jog as you move toward him, and his arms are already open to pull you into a tight hug that lifts your feet off the ground and makes your heart soar in a similar fashion.

“That assist was brilliant,” you murmur into his shoulder before he sets you down.

Ben pulls away, still beaming at you, his sweaty hair curled down over his forehead.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he smiles, his eyes wandering to the shirt you’d almost forgotten you were wearing.

It’s not the first time you’ve worn his kit - his England debut and the Champions League final come to mind - but those were special occasions, with the rest of his friends and family wearing it too. This is obviously different, and although Ben sent it over for you to wear, his eyes are locked to you like he’s trying to memorize every thread of the fabric.

You can’t figure out why he seems so transfixed, but you don’t have much time to dwell on it before you’re interrupted.

Alex clears her throat, snapping Ben out of whatever trance he was in, and he pulls her in for a hug.

“So, to celebrate the win and Ben’s assist, I’m thinking he should take us out for a nice dinner?” Alex suggests, smiling and nudging your arm.

“Shouldn’t you be buying me dinner?” Ben raises an eyebrow. When you both just laugh, he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Alright. I’ll go shower, you make a reservation somewhere.”

After you and Alex have picked out the fanciest-looking sushi place you could find online and collected Ben from the changing rooms, you make your way to his car. Just like after every game, the paparazzi are out trying to get videos and photos of the players leaving the stadium.

This time, however, most of the attention seems to be directed at you.

The lights begin to flash the moment you exit the building, and Ben reaches down to take your hand without a second of hesitation. Whether it’s to flaunt your “relationship” further or just to comfort you, you’re not sure, but it’s definitely working either way.

“Y/N, did you enjoy the match today?”

You know you don’t have to answer any of their questions, but you’d rather not be branded as cold or rude as the media loves to do when a woman ignores them.

So you squeeze Ben’s hand and nod, smiling at the man recording you.

“Of course, the team played really well.”

“And what did you think of Ben’s performance?” they fire back at you.

“He was amazing,” you say without missing a beat. “I always love watching him on the pitch.”

You can see Ben smiling at you as you speak - a genuine smile that you know has nothing to do with the cameras surrounding you - but he startles you slightly when he leans in to peck your cheek and lets his lips linger there for a moment. They’re soft and warm against your skin, and you feel significantly colder when they pull away.

You’ve clearly spurred on the media even more with this sudden display of affection, but Ben begins to pull you along with him and help you into the car before either of you has to answer any more questions.

You breathe out a sigh of relief as you settle into the passenger seat, Ben and Alex entering the car moments later.

“Nice show, you two,” Alex laughs, obviously still amused by the sight of you and Ben pretending to be a couple.

“You okay, Y/N?” Ben asks, looking over at you. “Sorry if the cheek kiss was too much. I know it’s a bit awkward.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you assure him, rolling your eyes. “It’s fine. Of course it’s gonna be awkward sometimes, but as long as it’s helping with the PR plan, right?”

Ben nods gratefully and smiles at you once more before asking Alex for directions to the sushi place.

You’re grateful for her chatting away about how hungry she is, and for the song Ben is playing loudly through the speakers as you drive to the restaurant, both of which are helping to distract you from how alarmingly not awkward this all feels.

A/N: let me know what your thoughts are after this chapter!! things start to heat up in the next one i promise ;)

tag list: @lunamelona @kathb59 @captainwans​ @amandaaa1025 @bbygrlllllll @cinderellawithashoe​ @batmansb1tch​ @ncentic​ (let me know if you would like to be added!)

[anotherfanaccount]

5. Om Shanti Om (2007)

Just putting it in the list.

The movie works everytime. Timeless cinema you ask, this is it.

Genre!? Quintessential Bollywood.

Deepika's debut. Shantipriya entered and many Oms till date faint at sight. So does many Sandys for OK. It's a beautiful parallel.

Pretty pretty musical numbers. SRK's abs make a debut too. So all you horny people, so ogle at the body.

The dramatic mother. I love her. The best friend. I love him. The cool nasty villain. I hate him and I love him. The entire team of OK enduring his bullshit. You guys deserve the nice OK.

Dolly and his mother both being OK's childhood friends 🤭

Srk and Farah fighting at the start of the movie. Farah entering the end credits a bit too late.

A winner through and through.

2024 watch journal so that I kinda keep track.

[kiimtaehyung]

hii ppl feel free to send requests in for gifsets (stages, mvs, etc haha)