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sflow-er · 5 months

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It's Eurovision week, and for the first time in over twenty years, I won't be watching or engaging.

As you probably know, the global BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement has called for a total Eurovision boycott due to the EBU's refusal to ban Israel.

The ESC has been a beloved part of my spring since I was little, and it's really fucking upsetting not getting to enjoy it this year - but that's just it. I know it won't make any difference whether one person chooses to watch or boycott, and that my watching it wouldn't even be registered as a view if I just watched the TV broadcast instead of the stream, but I can't imagine any set of circumstances in which I would enjoy it.

Back when the contest was held in Tel Aviv, I "bought myself a license to enjoy it" by donating to the UNRWA multiple times what I would've normally spent on voting, but no amount of donations would be enough to do that now. Not when every artist will be styled using the products of an Israeli beauty brand (Moroccanoil, a major ESC sponsor and likely a major player in why the EBU wouldn't even consider a ban), and when Israel itself has made its participation a political statement. The only reason their public broadcaster KAN agreed to change the lyrics of their entry, which originally referenced the Hamas attack and is still was called "October Rain" but has now been renamed "Hurricane", was this:

The president [of Israel] emphasised that at this time in particular, when those who hate us seek to push aside and boycott the state of Israel from every stage, Israel must sound its voice with pride and its head high and raise its flag in every world forum, especially this year. (The Guardian, 07 March)

Singer Eden Golan has also said that she believes her "participation is part of a very important mission for the country" and that she expects to begin her compulsory military service soon after the contest:

I still haven't enlisted in the army, and when I return from Eurovision, I'll report for my first call-up. In the first year as a returning resident, they don't call you, but that year passed and I was summoned – and my draft was postponed because of Eurovision. Doing army service is a mission, and I want to take the auditions to the military bands. (Israel Hayom, 22 April)

Yes, really. It's more likely she'll be some kind of PR ambassador for the Israeli army than be sent to Gaza with a gun, but still.

Many people are also upset about Palestinian flags being banned from the arena, and I'm not happy about it either, but I do think it's more or less understandable. The arena is a closed space, and any kind of altercation that might be sparked by those flags would be a big security risk. And at least if we are to believe executive supervisor Martin Österdahl, they haven't actually changed the rules; signs and flags with political messaging were always banned, and in this time, the Palestinian flag does send a powerful political message.

Then there's also the security risk associated with the event itself. Malmö is one of Sweden's most diverse cities, which also has both Jewish and Palestinian communities. According to a survey published on 4 May, 47% of city residents intend to avoid crowds during Eurovision. Mass protests and counter protests are expected. Events such as Quran-burnings by right-wing extremists are still allowed in the name of freedom of expression, even though the terror threat level in Sweden had to be raised to 4 out of the maximum 5 last year/this past winter due to precisely these kinds of provocations, and tensions will be running high. So even if the event itself manages to look as glitzy as always on TV, it will still be shadowed by what might be happening outside. Will there be unrest? Violence? How will the police respond?

There's no enjoyment to be found in any of that, no being "united by music" (the ESC slogan, which is a joke at this point). At least for me.

That being said, I do not judge you if you plan on watching. I understand that it's a huge annual tradition for many of us, and in these times, we need all the joy we can get. I also understand that it can feel like empty virtue signalling to boycott something when millions of others will tune in regardless - although it is good to keep in mind that this isn't some silly boycott started by social media activists on Xitter. It's a serious effort by the BDS movement.

I would challenge you to think about how you engage, though. If possible, watch it on TV instead of on stream, so your view won't be logged. (You could even consider waiting until the show gets posted on Youtube instead of giving views to the official stream, but I get that you probably want to see it live.) Try to abstain from hyping the contest or your fave entries on social media, and also from voting. Consider donating what you can afford to a charity that provides aid to Gaza instead (here's one list I found with a quick search).

And finally, spread awareness of the flip side. Don't be lulled into complacency by the claims of "Eurovision isn't political" when Israel itself has made it very clear it is - and do not make fun of people who want to sit the contest out this year or belittle their efforts.

#as a finn i am now incredibly glad we didn't win last year #my condolences to sweden for having to be at the centre of it all #eurovision #esc #eurovision song contest #esc 2024 #boycott divest sanction #boycott eurovision #euroviisut #not yr

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yuriisclumsy · 4 months

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What if there was an AU for [Name] being one of the top ranked mages in twisted wonderland?

╰Description: [Name] is one of the top mage in Twisted Wonderland, right after Malleus Draconia.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 (You are here)

—May 24, 2024—

This is a continuation on the What if there was an AU for [Name] being one of the top ranked mages in twisted wonderland?

After the dreadful day of the test results, the students in NRC are now begging Crowley to do something about [Name]'s rigorous lessons. Because Crowley was ever gracious–forced–he took it upon himself to make a meeting with [Name] and discuss lighter plans for her classes.

To Crowley’s dismay, [Name] was quite adamant about her methods of teaching; and I quote: “What is the point of teaching such a hard skill to those that are uninterested in it?”

In her defense, you need to have mastered the intermediate level of theory to learn her method of casting spells, it is only natural she puts pressure on that. And so, the once popular professor [Name], is now the feared witch of NRC.

It is impressive how quickly people switch their feelings.

…

“What do you mean you won't change the syllabus?”

“As I stated before, Mr. Crowly, I will not change my lesson plans because a few students are unable to pass my test.”

“That's eighty percent of your students!” Crowly slammed his desk.

“Your point is…?”

This had been going on for an hour already. They had neither progressed nor reached an agreement. He was getting too much pressure as it is from the students, much less from the parents, and now one of his own staff is not listening to him? Oh, woe is upon him.

“Professor [Name] let’s be reasonable here,” Crowly massages his face out of frustration, “you need to lower the difficulty of your lessons. If not, no one will want to take your class! Are you not seeing the problem?”

“I stand to see the issue.” [Name] said not faced by what is happening. “If my students wish to not take my class anymore, then they should be allowed to leave.”

Croly groaned at her obliviousness…that is what he thought anyway. He stood up to grab a stack of papers piling up near the office entrance. Letting them fall in front of [Name] they made a bang sound.

“...what is this?” [Name] asked looking at the mountain in front of her.

“These are all papers of complaint from both parents and students.”

[Name] was still not interested in the dire situation. It is as if she didn’t care. Probably because she did not.

Crowly dropped his elbow onto the desk and leaned in, he began to speak. “Professor [Name], if you continue at this pace, I have no other choice than to fire you.” He warned.

“Then do it.”

“No, you don’t have to worry, if you just change—wait what?” He was left speechless. He had threatened other professors like he threatened [Name]. But none had ever followed through with their ideals. Maybe he heard it wrong. “Do…what exactly?”

“Fire me.”

No, he heard correctly.

“...Professor [Name]...you can’t be serious.”

“Oh, but I am,” [name] stood up, “If you wish to fire me, you are more than welcome to.”

“...”

“If there are no further issues, I will take my leave.” Taking her belongings, she walked toward the door. She had classes to teach after all.

“Wait a second! Please, at least think of lowering the complexity of the class!”

[name] stopped as she opened the door of the office. “...” looking back at the desperation of the Headmage, she turned, “...I’ll think about it.”

Having done everything in his power, Crowly lumberly sat down. He looked out to the last spot where [Name] had been in the doorway and sighed. He hoped she would consider what he said, if not, he would have to start looking for a replacement.

…

Classes continued as usual. The students hung around NRC as it was their lunch break. They talked about ordinary things; tournaments coming up, newly released movies, who would win in a beauty contest: Vil or Neigh; normal conversations.

But a murmur had begun to spread.

It is a rumor. Usually, rumors are few and far in-between in NRC, because the boys would lose interest in a day or two. Ah, but this is not a typical rumor. This rumor had to do with The Witch of NRC. Rumor had spread that she was going to be fired. This was shortly after the meeting [Name] had with Crowly.

A student had seen her walk out of the headmaster's office and produced a happy conclusion. It did not help that in the following days [Name] had to take a few days off sick.

Everyone started to celebrate. They would not have to deal with professor [Name] anymore!

“Can you believe it? Professor [name] was fired!”

“What? No way! I am glad she got fired. I won't have to worry about having her in the future anymore!”

Most of the students cheered. Her method of teaching–although hard to follow–had taught them more about magic theory than any other class. Given this, they were grateful.

So, hearing that their professor was fired, they decided to go to her personally and give her some farewell gifts.

Although, one student was not pleased by any of this.

I wonder what he’ll do….

(finished: 5/26/2024)

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚜: @scarabiafriend, @sleep-ydragon, @d3sperate-enuf, @elaemae, @lucky-whispers, @kiwiimochi, @emmorphine, @azriel-sama, @amora-ledezma, @writerstrashbin, @marinahavik, @twstwondersforyou, @lunatheroyal, @ririsun, @dyedscarletletter, @kuureii, @otomega, @valacz29, @busy-dadzawa-fish, @sarah22447, @valacz29, @wondering-again, @lucid-stories. Re-blog or Comment if you want to get added into the Tag section for Twisted wonderland. Back to The Mind

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macabr3-barbi3 · 4 months

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I'd like to request a reader stumbling upon Alastor and a deer having a squeaking contest in the woods. I don't know why I need it but I need it because squeaking contest. Thank you

Hello! I hope this scratches the itch for you, it was super cute and fun to write ❤️🦌

You were perhaps a bit early for your meeting with Alastor, but you didn’t think he would mind as you eased open the door to his hotel room and let yourself in. You had been regularly spending time together for a few months now since you had started staying at the hotel, and normally you shared an evening cup of tea about an hour later than you currently were.

Alastor wasn’t in his room when you stepped inside though, the fire going but no sign of the Radio Demon. You set the new tea you had brought along for the two of you to try on the table near his armchairs and wander further into the room.

He might be in his bayou dimension, you figure. It wasn’t like him to be outside the hotel at this time of the night, so unless he was down at the bar or something he had to be out in the swamp. You had been itching to take a closer look at the ecosystem anyway, so you hoped he wouldn’t mind if you took a look around.

Stepping over the threshold from bedroom to bayou, the difference was immediately noticeable- the atmosphere felt thicker, warmer, more tangible. You follow the path that’s been eroded into the earth through the trees, marveling at the world that Alastor has created here. It was beautiful, the stars shining through the canopy of trees above you, green-tinted moon casting a faint glow on the flora and little creatures you could see skittering about. Maybe he wouldn’t be too averse to having your tea out here sometimes- iced, since it was a bit hotter, but you didn’t think he would mind.

A faint squeaking noise draws your attention, feet halting as you try to pinpoint the direction it had come from. A moment of silence, and then you hear it again coming from your left. You slip your shoes off to muffle the sound of your feet in the grass and creep towards the sound.

You’ve found Alastor, at least- he’s bent at the waist and face to face with a baby deer, ears flattened against his head and his smile thin. Your eyebrows scrunch at the sight, and then the fawn makes the noise that you had followed; high pitched and cute, it makes you smile, grin widening when Alastor glares at the tiny creature and imitates the sound.

They go back and forth several times, the squeaking increasing in volume and length and Alastor getting progressively more frustrated. You hadn’t even known that he could make a noise like that, so sweet and soft and genuinely deerlike that it finally makes you giggle, the fawn taking off into the darkness of the woods and Alastor standing to his normal height, ears pointing skyward as his eyes narrow at the sight of you.

“What,” he inquires, “are you doing out here?”

“What am I doing out here? You were in some kind of squeaking contest with a baby deer- so cute by the way-”

“My actions are none of your concern.” He turns his head away from you, but even in the dim lighting you can see the faint blush to his complexion.

“Come on, Al,” you tease lightly, not wanting to actually anger him. “You can tell me- did the fawn offer you its soul if you could out-adorable it? You were doing a great job from what I could see.”

“If you must know, it was a riveting argument about the state of my bayou- whatever level of ‘cuteness’ you apply to it is merely a byproduct of the conversation. Since you’ve scared the damned thing off, I shall have to resume the conversation another time.” His smile is tense, leaning into your personal space. “You will speak of this to no one,” he says, brushing his hands off on his suit jacket. “Know that it is only the faintest sliver of platonic affection keeping your afterlife uninterrupted.”

“Gotcha,” you agree. “Big scary Radio Demon? Not cute in the slightest; I have no evidence to the contrary if anyone asks. You have my word.” You place a hand over your heart in mock-seriousness, and know that you’ve won him over when he scoffs and his smile softens. “Now come on, I brought a new tea for us to try- back to society!” You’re already contemplating how to make him make that squeaking noise again; maybe if you asked nicely he would do it for you, or perhaps you’d have to startle him into it-

“It’s not even a mile back to the room, and this is hardly the wilderness,” he complains, but he follows you anyway, your nefarious plot unnoticed.

#hazbin hotel #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #alastor #alastor the radio demon #alastor fluff #this was fuckin precious #hazbin alastor #simp shit <3

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fadedfrills699 · 25 days

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Pageant Politics from your fav radfem

Beauty Pageants have been the battleground for discourse regarding that of gender, power, and identity within the broader context of feminist movements, reflecting the societal obsession with female beauty which acts as the manifestation of patriarchal control over women’s bodies.

The origins themselves of beauty pageants and contests can be traced back to both the mediaeval period but also to that of ancient mythological traditions where female beauty was the focal point of cultural narratives, for instance contests as such were referenced in greek mythology; symbolising the roots of such idealisation and competition of beauty. However, the modern americentric beauty pageant which is relevant as a case study owed much of its development and early cultivation to P. T. Barnum who endeavoured to host a beauty pageant in 1854, although it was met with public disapproval it is said to have laid the groundwork for future pageant cultures. Barnum’s vision shifted the idea of the beauty contest from a mere cultural ideal and towards a commercialised spectacle.

This rise within mass media and popular culture is what gave rise to the emanation of Miss America in 1921 as it was originally brought about in order to extend Atlantic City’s tourist season. Evolving from a local promotional event and into a national spectacle, it became a symbol of American values surrounding beauty, femininity, and success. Leading to the commodification of female bodies and the reduction of them to objects of male desire through pageant cultures.

In somewhat ironic fashion, pageant culture shares a historical lineage with that of the women’s suffrage movement, wherein the suffragists of the early 20th century used pageantry as a means of political activism. And when the pageant, Miss America, was initially established in 1921 they used a sash which was their most recognisable and integral feature yet instead of bearing the political slogans that their predecessors fashioned, their sashes were adorned with the names of cities and states.

Naomi Wold sets forth the idea of a so-called “beauty myth” as a more modern means of control in the wake of the gains made by the second wave feminist movement. Her argument hinges on the basis that beauty is not universally or naturally standardised but a cultural construct designed to enforce and maintain gender hierarchies.

She introduces the notion of the “iron maiden” which describes the unattainable ideal of beauty which entraps women in relentless cycles of both self doubt but also regulation.

This is corroborated later by Bordo who analyses the body as a site of cultural inscription and aligns this with Wolf’s contention that female bodies are the vessels of patriarchal control. Bordo expands on this through her evaluation on how eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and body modifications all reflect the pressures which discipline female bodies into conformity with patriarchal ideals.

One can look at this through Foucault’s concept of biopower, as Foucault explores the way in which power is not only filtered through and operated through institutions but also through the body and self-regulation. He proposes that modern forms of power and less overt and external but rest more on the subtle and internalised forms of discipline, a form a power which operates not through explicitly domination but through the shaping of the norm which leads individuals to regulate themselves to these prescribed norms. Therefore, beauty standards which are set forth by pageant culture operate as a form of biopower and on a collective level which has the ability to govern the behaviour and choices of women on mass decrees. Wolf’s propounded idea of the beauty myth not only oppresses women to an external degree but infiltrates their consciousness under the guise of personal choice or empowerment.

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robsheridan · 1 year

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“Neon Demons: Genesis” Part II (continued from Part I here). Holoroid photographs from the Laboratories of the Seventh Spire of Hell, circa 1980s earth time, during Satan’s grand experiment to fuse human, demon, and machine.

The architect of the Neon Demons project was an old Fallen Angel known as Malachor, whose bitter rage at his former kingdom fueled a centuries-long obsession with finding a dimensional pathway between the realms of Hell and Heaven. He walked amongst mortals, studying their technologies and ensnaring the souls of brilliant scientists who would serve their eternity in Hell working on Malachor’s legacy: The Seventh Spire.

Although The Seventh Spire achieved heights of cosmic elevation far beyond any previous structure in Hell, it could only manage to graze the very outer spectrum of radiation from Heaven’s Light. Malachor felt he had failed, but Satan saw it as a different type of success, and assigned Malachor a new, even more impossible task: Bioengineer a new breed of demon, transfused with Heaven’s Light: the first demon with the power beauty, the ultimate manipulator of men.

The years (centuries? eons? Time in Hell does not flow so much as it squirms and stretches like the skin of a writhing worm) spent in the laboratory were a strange atmosphere, even for the underworld. The low levels of Heavenly radiation wore at the demons, depleting them gradually. Meanwhile, it nourished and uplifted the otherwise dead souls of the beautiful earth creatures whose bodies would become an essential ingredient of the Neon Demons. Even as their physical forms were dismantled and augmented, they moved through the halls of the Spire with a grace and lightness never before witnessed by Hell’s denizens. For most of the already tired demons, the presence of these glistening nymphs in this unholy realm of infernal misery made them uncomfortable and irritable. But a few demons, in their weakened state, let their guard down and allowed themselves some comfort in the beautiful mortals. But that is another story…

-----------

NOTE: This alternate reality horror story is part of my NightmAIres narrative art series (visit that link for a lot more). NightmAIres are windows into other worlds and alternate histories, conceived/written by me and visualized with synthography and Photoshop.

If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon for frequent exclusive hi-res wallpaper packs, behind-the-scenes features, downloads, events, contests, and an awesome fan community. Direct fan support is what keeps me going as an independent creator, and it means the world to me.

#rob sheridan #nightmAIres #ai horror #synthography #ai art #synthography horror #sci-fi #ai sci-fi #synthography sci-fi #alternate history #neon demons #horror stories #demons #satanic #demonic #cyber-hell #cyber-demons #writing

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another-lost-mc · 10 months

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obey me x pokemon crossover au: the three realms

headcanons | sfw | wc: 0.8k+

a/n: this is an evolving list of worldbuilding headcanons for obey me! with pokemon fused into it.

GENERAL INFO

Pokemon rely on sunlight or darkness to evolve rather than specific daytime or nighttime hours

Each realm has their own collection of common, rare, or exclusive Pokemon

Pokemon that are bonded to angels or demons have extended life spans due to a soul/life connection they share with their trainer

All three realms have their own varieties of herbs, stones, and berries that can be made into treats or used to empower Pokemon

The Devildom and Celestial Realm have offered these rare or exclusive Pokemon as gifts or gestures of goodwill in the past when attempting to negotiate truce/peace between them

Example: Diavolo gave Lucifer a Houndour puppy, a type of Pokemon not found in the Celestial Realm, as a gift the first time they met (it's now named Cerberus and has since evolved into Houndoom)

The Human Realm has its own Pokemon League with regional championships/gyms

Sometimes angels and demons visit the Human Realm just to watch the championship battles that take place

THE DEVILDOM

Since most of the Devildom is in a constant state of perpetual darkness (even if it fluctuates due to time of day/seasons/etc.), dark-type Pokemon thrive here

Access to the small amounts of sunlight in the Devildom (ex. at Diavolo's private beach) is limited to most demons and not reliable/not tested

Demons that want to find Pokemon that thrive in sunlight or evolve theirs using the sun have to travel to the Human World to do it (the angels obviously aren't gonna let them in just for that)

Common types of Pokemon in the Devildom include dark, ghost, fire, electric, steel and poison (found in/near the major metropolis areas)

Rare types of Pokemon in the Devildom include grass, water, ice, fighting, ground and dragon (found in very limited locations or under specific conditions)

The Devildom has its own realm-exclusive Pokemon and realm-specific evolutions

Some Pokemon are connected to certain sin attributes, and a demon with that sin can boost their Pokemon's strength in battle

There are some rare evolutions tied to the demon trainer having a complimentary sin and empowering their Pokemon with it

Human Realm Pokemon are common sights in the Devildom; demons are regularly summoned to the Human Realm for pacts or rituals so there's more access

Pokemon that are exclusive to the Celestial Realm are exceedingly rare in the Devildom, unless one of the fallen angels is willing to breed one of their own

The Devildom doesn't have a formal league or champion system, but Pokemon battling is a common way to settle disputes/avoid violence

Pokemon battling is a popular gambling sport and most large businesses/institutions have designated arenas for battles to take place

Contests and pageants to show off a Pokemon's strength and beauty are very popular and constantly trend on Devilgram and DevilTube

Boutiques like Majolish also sell their own brands of Pokemon beauty accessories

The Three Legged Crow conglomerate sponsors a lot of Pokemon research and preservation in the Human Realm

Portable Pokemon storage and other common features are built into the D.D.D. as part of KARASU OS

THE CELESTIAL REALM

Grass-types are very common and exceptionally strong here due to the constant presence of sunlight

Angels that have Pokemon that require nighttime to evolve have to visit the Human World to do it

The Celestial Realm is focused on studying the impacts of Pokemon on the world and on human souls

Part of raising young angels involves their mentor helping them choose their first Pokemon and learning to care for it

Battling Pokemon in the Celestial Realm is less common and only taught on a fundamental level (so angels can defend themselves if they encounter an aggressive Pokemon in the wild)

Angels that specialize as warriors tend to be the most battle-savvy trainers and fight alongside their Pokemon in special arenas

Common types of Pokemon in the Celestial Realm include grass, bug, flying, water, fairy and ground (found in/near the Celestial Halls where most of the angels reside)

Rare types of Pokemon in the Celestial Realm include ice, psychic, ghost, electric and rock (found in very limited locations or under specific conditions)

Pokemon that live in the wilderness tend to be calm and less hostile, but increased aggression is a sign that some sort of imbalance or disaster is present or imminent

THE HUMAN REALM

Witches, wizards and sorcerers can use Pokemon to enhance their magical abilities or rituals

Ex. having a strong bond with dark types can make rituals and spells more successful or easier to cast, while using fairy or grass types can make the power of prayer more potent

Parts of the Sorcerer's Society apprenticeship trials have tests that require and forbid the use of Pokemon

Swarms of Pokemon that are common in the Devildom or Celestial Realm appear near the place where demons or angels visit the realm

The human world has the most advanced Pokemon-related technology which is recreated by the Devildom and Celestial Realm

read more: obey me x pokemon au masterlist | obey me masterlist

#obey me #obey me au #pokemon au #obey me x pokemon

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anashins · 2 years

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hiiii can i request jaehyun x reader fanfic where they watch singles inferno together (korean dating show) :D thank youuu

Pairing: Jaehyun x reader

Genre: fluff, slightly suggestive at the end

Word Count: 1k

Summary: Jaehyun gets way too invested in a dating show he swears to have no interest in until you accidentally drop that you would choose a candidate from it as well.

A/N: Luckily, I watched the first episodes, I hope you like it 💕

“What are you watching?”

Jaehyun peeked into the living room, apparently just having woken up from an after work nap. His hair was sticking out to all sides and he had already changed into loungewear since he didn’t plan on going anywhere anymore today, yawning leisurely with closed eyes while awaiting your answer.

You chuckled silently. He always looked extremely handsome, but you found another level of beauty in the bare faced Jaehyun who was still a little sleepy and still a little groggy. In this state, he was unbelievably cute.

“Singles Inferno,” you answered to him while your hand disappeared into a bag of chips. With crossed legs, you were sitting on the couch, a blanket draped over your lap. “You wanna watch with me?”

It was your favorite after work activity, just catching up with your favorite series and tv show, and since the new season of this dating format came out after the huge success of the former one, you surely had to watch it too, having been looking forward to it all day long.

Jaehyun frowned and then shook his head. “Nah, that’s nothing for me.”

“Okay.”

You shrugged it off and turned your attention back to the TV where the candidates were currently walking in one after another. Feeling the second hand embarrassment over the screen while they were sitting there, not speaking a word to one another but just staring into the abyss, you wanted to look away so badly.

“Can you pour me some chips into this bowl?” Jaehyun asked. “I’m gonna watch something else in the bedroom.”

“Sure.” You shared your chips with him while he stood next to you, alternating between pouring and watching the last contestant enter the screen.

“Is it always like that that they don’t speak a word to each other?” your boyfriend wanted to know incidentally. “Awkward.”

“They are not allowed to speak about their careers or tell each other how old they are, so the first meeting can be quite… hard to look at when you barely have a base for a conversation.”

“I see.”

“All done,” you then announced when you took the bag of chips back to you. “Have fun watching your show.”

“Thanks.” But Jaehyun didn’t go away immediately. Instead, he was focused on the TV now as well. “Did they build the team to explore the island themselves or were they set up?”

“I believe they were set up.”

“Mm-hmm.”

But instead of returning to the bedroom to watch his show now, you still perceived him from the corner of your peripheral vision. “I think that guy likes that girl and she’s interested in him too. I feel sorry for the other. He seems so lost.”

You felt the cushion sinking next to you, and as you shifted your head a little, you saw Jaehyun slowly seating himself on the couch. “Are you even seeing the TV?” you asked. “You should wear your glasses, they’re here under the table.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get going anyway.”

“Okay.” You already sensed where this was going and bit down a smile. It was always like this with Jaehyun, but since you didn’t want to scare him off, you suppressed another comment.

As you suspected, your boyfriend reached for his glasses shortly after to get a better view of the TV. The bowl with the chips had already found its way onto his lap, and he was taking a handful out of it to eat one after another.

“Why is every girl so interested in this Yoongjae?” Jaehyun then interrupted and shook his head. “They’re all sleeping on Hanbin. Look how he takes over the kitchen! They would be lost without him.”

“Right?” you supported his opinion, playing along since it was nice having his company. “I bet he’ll get many letters, he seems so nice.”

“Letters?” He looked at you with curious eyes.

“Yeah, at the end of the day, everyone can write letters to one person.”

“Ah, I see… Oh!” he then called out. “What is Soe doing?! Take initiative, girl!”

Now, you couldn’t hold back your laughter anymore, and Jaehyun joined. Somehow, while the contestants were still preparing dinner, the legs in his checkered pajama bottoms had found their way under your blanket which you now shared happily with him. He was gently stroking your thigh, totally invested in the show now.

It was that he often feigned indifference, but then got distracted and eventually totally invested in something he had seemed to have no interest in first. You knew him very well by now which was why you never started to persuade him about watching anything. Sometimes, you believed, he silently grew into a bigger fan of something than you.

“No way!” Jaehyun exclaimed at a certain scene. “My boy Hanbin got zero letters?! This show is rigged, I’m telling you!”

“Right?!” you backed him up. “I can’t with the girls already! Except for Nadine. If it were me, I would’ve chosen Hanbin from the start.”

It only dawned on you after that you probably shouldn’t have voiced this out loud when Jaehyun suddenly stopped stroking your thigh. Reluctantly, you turned aside to him, meeting his exhorting gaze with which he looked back at you over his glasses.

Simultaneously, Jaehyun raised a brow, but his gaze told an entire other story. “You would?”

“Only if you weren’t there,” you defended yourself, by now knowing that there was no turning back anymore. “And even if, I would always choose you over Hanbin and any other guy on this show!”

With a swift motion, Jaehyun took off his glasses, and even though he looked absolutely cute with them, the version of him when he had just taken them off was an absolute menace. You spoke from experience.

Shortly later, the glasses were laying on the surface of the table again and Jaehyun on top of you, your legs entangled in the blanket.

“Say it again,” he whispered into your ear, the tips of his fingers brushing over the side of your neck, awaiting your response.

And feeling your cheeky side today, you joked, “If it were me, I would’ve chosen Hanbin.”

“I’m gonna make you regret this.”

#jaehyun #jeong jaehyun #jaehyun imagines #jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun x you #jaehyun x reader #nct imagines #nct scenarios #nct x you #nct x reader #kpop imagines #kpop scenarios #kpop x you #kpop x reader #requests

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wooshofficial · 10 months

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Martyn makes his way back to Baxter after the end of the session, only for there to be ghosts at his house.

Not the good ghosts, either- he saw Jimmy and Lizzie chasing each other around the Secret Keeper earlier, and Mumbo hovering around Grian as he called time. No, these are the wrong ghosts.

Three people sit on Baxter, staring down at him with glances ranging from pity to mania. Martyn holds a staring contest with the three before someone speaks up:

“Oh man, the lone wolf makes it back home, everyone! How do you guys think he’s feeling right now?” The voice that pipes up comes from the ghost on the right. They’re not human—a mouse, maybe a rat?—and they’re wearing a maid dress, which isn’t the weirdest part of this whole situation.

“I don’t know,” says the left ghost, lounging on Baxter’s ear and jingling bells on their jester outfit with the movement, “probably…alone. Angry.”

Martyn scowls at the clown and rat, building his way up to be level with the ghosts. “Who the hell are you?! What are you doing at my house?”

He gets no direct response, because of course he doesn’t. Because of course the Watchers would try to drive him insane with ghosts commenting on his current mental state and him unable to give his two cents. Instead, the right ghost looks at the left, who has continued to spread out on Baxter and make some very annoying jingling sounds.

“Angry is a definite. Guilty, probably. Hating himself, absolutely.”

What? No. This is a death game, people are going to die. Martyn knows this. He doesn’t blame or hate himself, thank you very much! He opens his mouth to debate, but-

“Oh, be nice to him, Rat. He just lost his buddies!” The middle ghost finally speaks up, swinging her legs and staring directly at him. She’s got orange skin and what looks like an anchor strapped across her back, which Martyn is confused at- both the fact that it’s there and the fact that he knows what it is. “Remember how I felt up until what, two months ago? Because of you, might I add.”

“I told you Lux, I didn’t know he would get permakilled!”

“Still-“

“I apologized!”

“Would you please get back to talking about me while you’re sitting on my goddamn house?”Martyn says, still at eye level with the three frankly absurd ghosts arguing in front of him, once again to no response. Anchor ghost—Lux—leans over and slaps the right ghost—Rat—straight across the face, and this is where Martyn would stop paying attention to the nonsense, except Rat just pulled out a monstrous looking scythe; and Jester Ghost is scrambling across Baxter’s head to be at their side with a similar weapon in their hand, jingling the whole way there; and Martyn is now checking his wrist tattoo to make sure his between-session immunity is working so he doesn’t die from this.

“Rat!” Lux ghost shouts, looking over towards Martyn, pity still in their eyes, “you’re scaring him!”

“You slapped me!” They follow Lux’s gaze to double the amount of staring in Martyn’s general direction, and Jester Ghost follows suit, with a manic smile on top. Rat ghost puts the scythe away with a sigh. “We’re getting off track. Lone wolf over there is exactly what it says on the tin. Lux gets that feeling, and I don’t because I am basically god.”

Martyn chooses to ignore that. Lux ghost just rolls their eyes.

“But,” Rat says, and Martyn is now sure that these ghosts are simply choosing to ignore him because he’s suddenly locked in another stare off, “what I know-“

“We all know,” adds the clown-

“-is payback. Sweet, beautiful, over the top payback.”

Lux nods. “And he knows it too, doesn’t he?”

“Everyone on this server knows payback,” Martyn mutters, mostly to himself. “Even Scar knows payback. Damn good at it too.”

The jester makes a tsk sound towards him, and that’s when he knows that the ghosts are definitely pretending he’s not there, besides the whole all-three-of-them-are-staring-directly-at-him thing. “Ah-ah, but there’s a difference between how they do it and we do it. When they do it, it’s very…”

“Vanilla?” Lux ghost supplies.

“Boring?” Rat ghost drawls.

The jester ghost ponders a moment, that manic grin still on their painted face, before answering: “Simple. This server only knows simple payback. Us, on the other hand, we’re grand. Dramatic!”

Sure, like Martyn could be more dramatic than spawning three withers, or blowing himself up to kill someone else, or breaking a truce to go on a murder spree and win the game entirely. Like that’s even possible. Like the Watchers would allow that sort of thing on top of all the curses.

“So?” Martyn chides, about two seconds away from leaving and just moving bases entirely. “What do any of you have to do with this?!”

“So,” Rat says, and they have finally stopped ignoring him, “be like us, Martyn. Don’t just go to war, be the war.”

“Fight like nothing else matters.”

“And revel in the catharsis when it’s done.”

And then all three of them start laughing, filling the air with the sounds of bells and chaos and violence before disappearing in the blink of an eye. In their place, a single stick of TnT, with a note tied to it:

A pipe bomb for your troubles :)

Martyn throws it across the mesa, and promptly goes to sleep, deciding that even if lonely, he’s damn glad that he’s not whoever the hell those ghosts were.

#woosh writes #secret life #martyn inthelittlewood #sorry yall I stole solars bullshit braincells and now I’m on my own #look I HAD to. content smp is literally all about revenge #and payback and vengeance and war and fuck you die forever #and if that isn’t Martyn rn idk what is #content smp #doctor4t #luxintrus #clownpierce #yeah fine I’ll tag them. they’re named in the fic

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iamvegorott · 1 month

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Magicians Don't Need Superheros Pt33

First: Link Prev: Link Next: Link

----------

Marvin chewed his cheek as he read over the texts again, having doubts about the newest plan for dealing with the Iplier. He wanted to spend more time studying chaos magic but Chase was getting antsy about the Ego running around without being watched over. Marvin was sure if the whole ‘red eyes incident’ didn’t happen, he wouldn’t be as worried about time.

“I still don’t know how to feel about this,” Jackie muttered, chewing on his nails. “He’s, like, magic and stuff. Wouldn’t he notice a tracker on him?”

“It’s a device made with nothing magical attached to it.” Marvin didn’t look away from his phone as he lowered Jackie’s arm to get him to stop chewing. “The only reason he’d try to find it is if he’s suspicious. I still don’t know how Mad made something so small.”

“Did you ever catch what Anti traded Mad for the tracker?” Jackie rocked between his feet, sticking his hands into his hoodie’s pockets to prevent himself from gnawing on them more.

“Nope. But knowing them it’s either something to do with sugar and caffeine or fire.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll agree to come with us? We won’t have to worry about the tracker at all if he does that.”

“Maybe.” Marvin sighed and put his phone away. “If we weren’t looking for this Iplier, I’d be enjoying this view more.” He commented as he looked out.

They were standing on top of a fairly tall grass hill, the view Marvin spoke of was mostly of trees but the change in weather made them look beautiful with their hues of red, orange, and yellow. The sun was beginning to set and the sky was giving off matching shades.

“Sunset really is a lovely time of day.”

“It does look super pretty.” Jackie agreed.

“Imagine having a picnic up here.” Marvin had a softness in his eyes. “Sitting on a blanket, a little basket of snacks, sipping champagne, and watching as the sun leaves and the stars begin to shine. Then a cold breeze would come in and you’d cuddle under another blanket to bathe in the moon’s light for as long as possible.”

“That sounds nice.” Jackie found himself looking at Marvin and smiling. It really did. A date that didn’t end in disaster sounded like a miracle. Marvin also seemed to be very happy at the thought as well. “Maybe-”

“There he is.” Marvin had turned to listen to what Jackie was going to say, but he saw the Iplier making his way down the path over his shoulder. “Remember the plan?”

“Yep!” Jackie popped his lips, forgetting what he was going to say and getting into hero mode.

“Time to pretend I don’t want to kick him between the legs,” Marvin muttered to himself before taking a deep breath and walking with Jackie over to the Iplier.

“Oh, great. It’s you two again.” The Iplier scoffed with an eye roll.

“We just want to help,” Jackie said.

“You can help by leaving me alone.”

“Fun fact, that’s not going to be happening,” Marvin stated, going the very blunt route. “You’re part of this weird Ego thing. You’re an Iplier. The Manor is waiting for you. The sooner you follow us to said Manor, the sooner we’re out of your hair.”

“You’re not funny.” The Iplier started walking again and huffed when Marvin and Jackie blocked him. “We are going to have another incident if you two do not move.”

“Just come with us and all of the details will get filled in. You’re not going to last out here.”

“Not going to last? Do you have any idea who I am?” The Iplier sounded beyond offended.

“It doesn’t matter who we think you are or who you remember you were, it doesn’t affect where we are right now. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way and I am still learning.” Marvin could see out of the corner of his eye that Jackie had his hand prepped with the tracker, the curving of his palm giving it away.

“Don’t put us on the same level.” The Iplier began walking again and this time it was only Marvin stopping him.

“We’re not about to make this into a measuring contest. You can do that plenty with some of the other Ipliers. There’s one in particular I have in mind you’d have a fun time dealing with and I would love to watch that show.”

“Stop calling me an Iplier.”

“The more you hear it, the easier it is to accept.”

“Sure.” The Iplier was once again trying to leave, pushing Marvin’s shoulder to make him turn. Marvin grunted to himself in annoyance, wondering how in the world Jackie put up with him for so long. He grabbed the back of the Iplier’s jacket and yanked. “Enough!” The Iplier snapped and turned. Marvin got to see his face better and noticed the sharp spiral around his eye was beginning to glow. He was prepared to get hit with the same spell from before but Jackie slipped between them.

“It gets like really scary out here on your own,” Jackie said, hands on the Iplier’s shoulders.

“You should worry more about yourself.” The Iplier stated, putting both hands on Jackie’s chest.

“Aw, man.” Jackie recognized the glowing on the hands and a moment later, he was launched backward. His body slammed into Marvin and sent both of them tumbling down the hill. Marvin had a creative line of curses as they went while Jackie just…yelled.

Marvin landed at the bottom of the hill first on his back and half a breath later Jackie flopped on top of him. The crunching of the leaves was loud when it was right under one’s head and Marvin already felt a headache knocking at the front of his brain. Jackie had a feeling some leaves got under his hoodie with the sound and texture against his body.

“You okay?” Jackie asked with a grunt, basically doing a pushup to move himself away from Marvin.

“Peachy,” Marvin grumbled.

“I have some good news at least.” Jackie gave a weak smile. “I got the tracker on him.”

“Good boy.” Marvin lightly chuckled, patting the top of Jackie’s head and not noticing the tint of pink on the other’s face as he started sitting up. “We should get back and fill the others in.”

“Y-Yeah. We-We-uh--We should.” Jackie stammered and scrambled to his feet.

“I swear that Iplier has a personal vendetta against my hair,” Marvin sighed, pulling a leaf out of his bangs.

“We can use it as an excuse to steal Henrik’s hair mask again,” Jackie suggested after clearing his throat and offering a hand to Marvin.

“That sounds fun.” Marvin took the hand and stood up. “And we’re both covered in leaves.” He added as he plucked a leaf off Jackie’s sleeve.

“You’re telling me.” Jackie held the bottom of his hoodie and shook it, some pieces of leaves falling out of it.

“Better than red-eyes.”

“Much better.”

#magicians dont need superheros #marvelsepticeye #veggie writes #jackie doesnt know how to take compliments #also he better be taking notes of marvins date idea XD

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rockethorse · 1 year

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Foundations for Families Challenge: Rebooted!

Inspired by an ask, this is a reboot of the Foundations for Families contest over at Mod The Sims 2 from 2012. I've reverse-engineered the original floorplans based on the surviving entry images, streamlined/loosened the rules, and hopefully this old contest will interest some players as a new challenge!

You can participate using any Sims game.

The challenge:

Pick one foundation blueprint below and assign it to one of the families below.

Place an empty lot and build a foundation that matches the blueprint exactly. You may use any lot size or type, position the foundation anywhere on the lot, and rotate the foundation however you like (but cannot mirror it).

Build something on the foundation according to the specifications of the family you picked.

You're done! Share with the tag #Foundations For Families Challenge or simply enjoy your handiwork!

The rules:

You can only use each blueprint and each family once; so at the end of the challenge you will have four different families with four different foundations.

You can have as many decorative floors/dormers as you want, but only the first one or two floors may be useable or accessible by Sims (after the foundation).

You can use any combo of the three basegame foundation types to build the blueprint, but stages can only be placed above existing foundations.

You can only build walls above foundation, and you cannot have flooring or roofs extend/"hang" over the edge of the foundation. This includes greenhouses, but excludes pool walls. Fencing, flooring, and awnings are allowed on the ground.

If you want to build a basement, go for it, but it must be contained entirely within the original foundation and cannot be visible from the outside. There may only be one level of basements.

The families (all credit to @w-sims):

The Barkworth Family - Mike and Meadow Barkworth both love the outdoors. They've always dreamed out having a beautiful log cabin home they can come back to after a long day of hiking and insect collecting. They would love for their house to be a traditional pine cabin, with a gorgeous fireplace in the living room. The bathroom(s) should be simple and in-keeping with the style of the house, and Meadow loves the idea of flowers, home-made quilts and decorations all throughout the house.

The Montenegro Family - Rain Montenegro is a struggling artist. Her house is filled with art projects in various states of completion, but she wants a studio in her house so she can escape the world and focus on her art. As for the rest of the house, simple, cheap furniture will do, as long as it's bright and colourful. Rain loves the colour green, but can't stand purple.

The Lewis Family - When Layton and Lucinda found out they were expecting it was the greatest day of their lives. When they found out they were having triplets? Not so much. Now their three daughters (athletic Lara, bookworm Leanne and musician Lorrie) are all teenagers, they are demanding their own rooms. Layton and Lucinda are happy to move, but want a large master bedroom and their own en-suite bathroom.

The Gravel Family - Tyler Gravel is a romantic, fitness fanatic and rising athlete. He wants his house to have a modern feel, and the wow factor that will impress all the ladies. A home-gym is a must, and a swimming pool outside would be his idea of perfection. Tyler also wants a guest bedroom for when his family fly in to town to watch his matches.

The blueprints:

Have fun and feel free to share your finished builds with #Foundations For Families Challenge!

#sims challenge #sims build challenge #sims 2 challenge #sims 3 challenge #sims 4 challenge #sorry for the tag spam aha #Foundations For Families #Foundations For Families Challenge

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lomlhotchner · 2 years

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❛ faking it! ❜ … aaron hotchner

↠ the heart wants what it wants masterlist

previous || next

༘♡ ⋆｡˚ SUMMARY : the mission is on, act like a rich loving couple, dig some information, catch the unsub. seem easy enough right?

༘♡ ⋆｡˚ WARNINGS : high tensions 😫 mutual pining, cursing, they’re shy okay, the plot doesn’t really make sense (i tried), english isn’t my first language!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ HANA’S NOTES : here we goooo!!!!! thank you so much for yalls patience 😭😭 this is part two to for zipper but you don’t need to read the it to understand this! i am so sorry from the bottom of my heart if this doesnt make sense lmao i dont know what i was going for. hope yall enjoy 💗

“Remember the plan?”

You took a deep breath and nodded your head, “Yeah, go in there, bond with the rich, find the unsub, piss him off so that he’ll take the bait, and then lure him outside so that he can get his ass kicked.” you stated confidently.

Hotch raised his eyebrows at you, amused “When does the ass kicking happen?”

You shrugged your shoulders, a smirk playing on your lips, “Whenever I get the chance.”

He scoffed out a laugh, making you grin at the sound. You arrived at the elevator, sending the elevator operator a warm smile in greeting before stepping inside. He was an old man with grey hair, he had wrinkles and the most comforting smile on his face.

“Where are you two lovebirds headed?” he cheekily asked while looking at the both of you with a knowing look.

If only he knew.

Hotch smiled at Stan—the nametag says, “Dinner.”

Stan nodded his head and press the respected level before sending you a warm smile, "May I say you look stunning in that dress.”

You shyly laughed and lowered your head, but before you could thank him, Hotch’s deep voice cut you off, “Doesn’t she?” he spoke with the softest tone you have ever heard and when you look up at him, he was already looking down at you with the certain look in his eyes that anyone can decipher as fondness.

No, he’s just being in character. Don’t be delusional.

Hotch has been acting different with you since the undercover task began. Although the whole point of it was to make everything up and act, you can’t help but think that he was just showing a part of himself where no one has the privilege to know. In easier words, you think he wasn’t really acting.

So does that mean the almost kiss…. ?

Do you really want to go there?

You weren't sure.

You guys continue to stare at each other not noticing the operator’s grin. He has seen a handful of couples in this part of the job and he knows when he sees fools in love.

The elevator dinged, indicating you arrived at the respected floor. You guys broke from the little staring contest, your cheeks heating up. Sending Stan a smile before walking out of the elevator.

The venue was enchanting, to say the least. Bright elegant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Beautiful flower arrangements placed on the table. People in gorgeous dresses and suits and suddenly you felt underdressed compared to them. Because this isn’t actually your real lifestyle, but for them, this is just a normal Tuesday.

Hotch interrupted your thoughts by bend down so he was level with your ear, “I didn’t get the chance to say this earlier, but you look absolutely gorgeous.” he whispered before standing up to his full height.

You couldn’t even count how many times you were flustered tonight. Your body was all tingly with excitement as you looked up at him, “Thank you, honey. You don’t look too bad yourself.” you teased.

A smirk formed on his lips. You could see his Adams apple bob at how hard he swallowed and maybe it’s the lights, but you can vividly make out his rosy cheeks after your comment.

He subtly tries to hide his face in the crook of your neck, giving it a soft kiss for the extra effect. “Did you turn on your coms?” he mumbled.

Your eyes widen a little. right, you’re undercover. You move to your ear and click the device resulting in it turning on with a beep.

The audio cracks for a moment before JJ’s voice appeared, “Y/N? Hotch? Can you guys hear us?”

“Yeah, we can hear you JJ.”

“Okay, good. Any signs of the unsub?” she asked.

“No, not yet.” you answered, giving the place a once over for any suspicious acts.

“Nope.” Emily sounded through the coms. Followed by the other’s negative response of the unsub’s whereabouts.

“Alright, everyone be cautious. We know the unsub is unstable, keep an eye out for any weird behaviors.” Hotch ordered as he led you to the ballroom.

He took two champagne glasses and handed you one of them. You sent him a small as gratitude. Your hand was shaking slightly when you bought the glass to your lips.

Hotch took notice of that and rub his hand at the small of your back, “Relax.” he smiled.

You shyly nodded your head as you both moved to one of the tables. Taking a seat that Hotch has gracefully pulled out for you.

"You okay?" Hotch asked, sitting beside you.

"Yeah, kinda excited."

"Excited to catch a murderer?" he raised his eyebrows.

"That, but also this." you gestured to the ballroom you guys are in, "Everything is just so fancy, and pretty! I can't even remember the last time I actually got ready and wear a dress." you chuckled, not realizing that your hand has gravitated to the tip of Hotch's fingers, softly playing with it.

Hotch felt like he was going to melt at how adorable you are, plus the feeling of your hands on his skin? He's a goner. He has always known that you were a touchy person, having to see you hug or link your arms with the rest of the squad except him was not entirely unnoticeable. So when he gets the chance to have this pleasure, he isn’t sure what to do.

As you continued to talk about … —okay, he isn’t entirely paying attention— he has a small smile played on his lips. He just can't tear his eyes away from you. His eye move to your cheeks, your eyes, the flutter of your eyelashes. Have you always been this pretty?

"Hotch? Did you hear what I said?" you tap the inside of his palm, trying to get his attention back to whatever daydream he went.

Hotch could feel his cheeks at getting caught red handed, "Yeah, yeah, sorry just got distracted."

You almost laughed at the absurdity, "By what? Me? You play this part too good Hotch, cause I can almost believe you're in love with me." you eyes widen slightly at your word vomit, you instantly regretted what you said but Hotch surprised you by laughing along.

"Oh honey, you have no idea." he softly chuckled.

God, I hate how he can act so good.

Your eyes move to surveillance the room as a distraction and noticed something, "Okay, don't look right now but the table on our left have been staring at us for the past 5 minutes."

Hotch subtly nodded his head and glanced at the table. It was a group of men in suits staring at you guys.

You. Specifically.

Oh.

He clenched his jaw and protectively wrapped his arms around your waist. Your stomach fluttered at the sudden contact. "We should split up and dig more information. I'm going to those gentlemen, and you can scout out the ladies over there."

You cleared your throat, brushing off your bashfulness, "Yeah, that's- that's a good idea." you stood up and brush the wrinkles of your dress. "See you later, handsome." you boldly left a kiss on his cheek, softly patting his shoulder.

Hotch felt like he was in a daze as he stared at you walking away. His tongue poke his cheek, trying to fight back a smile from forming when you sneak a peek around your shoulder, send him a cheeky smile and a wink.

He composed himself before he trudged to the table, “Evening, gentleman.” he greeted, noticing how they all pretend that they weren’t staring at his date. Fake date. “How are you guys enjoying the event?”

Enjoy drooling at my date? he wanted to add.

On the other side of the room, you have to control yourself from getting overly sheepish at the compliments the girls are giving you guys.

Both of you guys.

You and Hotch. Together.

“How long have you guys been with each other?”

“You guys look so good together."

"The ring is beautiful."

"He's so fine, girl. You are so lucky,"

"Are you joking? He's lucky one. Look at her, she's gorgeous."

The compliments are making you blush, "Thank you, ladies." you smiled, glancing at Hotch absentmindedly.

They were right, he is fine.

You shook your head, remembering the real reason you are here. "So. do you guys know the host personally?"

The girl on your right, —Barbara you think, "Oh no, I just work for them. But this one," she nudged the girl beside her, "works as a personal assistant for the host's mom."

Your eyebrows rose at the new information, "Oh? The pay's probably good huh?"

She chuckled, "I don't want to say much but it is definitely better than working as an accountant. If you exclude the constant bickering between her and her son in law."

That peeked your interest, but before you can dig up more information, Barbara spoke, "Oh my god. Your husband is literally head over heels for you. He won't stop ogling you!"

All of you subconsciously turned your head at the direction she was looking at.

Your eyes meet Hotch's and low and behold, he was already looking at you. And at the sudden addition of eyes his own widened as he shy away from the attention.

The sight made you grin.

The girls giggled and moved their conversation to a different topic. But you can’t help yourself from taking a peak at Hotch again. You both made eye contact, sharing a flustered smile.

Okay. What the fuck’s that about.

Countless of thoughts running through your head. The interaction have caught Emily’s attention as you make eye contact with her. What was that? Her face wearing a shocked, questionable look, as she teasingly smirked.

You subtly shrugged your shoulders. I have no fucking clue.

If this is going on for the whole night, you dont know how much your heart can take.

reblog / tell me what you think for a smooch <3 check out my other works!

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happyvoidharmony · 1 month

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Missteps.3 (Second Day)

Found : FF.net AO3

When the second day finished, it felt like a burden had been taken off his back. He didn’t compete, but the relief of the stress and humiliation would be enough to fool him. They owed it all to her, and to her brother, that stole the probably most epic and desperate win of the year. At least if nobody topped it in in the following days. He still couldn’t believe how that manboy had managed to steal the victory from an S-class mage he himself would have been anxious fighting. Even if he was disgusting.

How he had managed to accept so stupid a bet was even more incomprehensible.

He didn’t want to think about than, not when it was no longer required. Not that the demon wouldn’t have been able to remedy the situation for herself and her sister. But still, it made his stomach crawl to wonder about the matter.

She hadn’t managed to make an even stupider bet when her turn came, but it came close. She didn’t seem to be relieved when she joined them on their balcony. She looked awkward and her cheeks were flushed, but it probably had more to do with the tiny outfits she had been wearing in front of the whole crowd for the past half hour. Not that she was shy. There was a time he had seen her wearing much more daring in the middle of a less friendly audience.

He couldn’t understand why she had accepted that idiotic contest to begin with. Not even now, lying on his bed in their tiny little team room, watching her from the corner of his eye as she chatted along with the water mage. He didn’t understand what they were saying because the music he blasted in his ears was too loud, but from the sparkling eyes hanging on her every word, it could only be praise and admiration.

He didn’t comprehend it. She could have just ended the fight from the first minute without needing to go through the whole thing. And wasn’t that a little wicked of her to have waited the very last moment, once her opponent had gotten herself in her humiliating setting, before revealing they had never been playing on the same level ?

He didn’t understand how her brother could have made such a disgusting bet, but he could certainly imagine she never even thought she could lose hers.

Maybe she felt insulted to have been paired with someone that much weaker than her. He would have been, but he never would have stretch it on like she did, and he wasn’t known to be that respectful of other people’s feelings. Not that she would have likely lost the contest , but maybe that was his own vote on the matter rather than the judges’. Considering the events of the day before weren’t ingrained in their minds as they were in his.

She had been ignoring him since then, and he didn’t mind. Well, he did. He minded a lot. He really hated it when she pretended like nothing had ever happened between them and they were just two forced teammates happy to be working together for the greater good, but he never expected anything else. He knew she liked her own life private, even when things were less complicated. To be truthful, he didn’t feel comfortable making it public either. Especially when it felt so weird and hesitant.

He couldn’t help watching her though, couldn’t help noticing the beauty mark on her shoulder that he had forgotten was there and that only appeared when she took all her hair to one side. He did really like the way her skin moved around her shoulder blades, but in his current state he seemed to like the movement of every inch of skin he managed to catch.

He knew she knew very well that he was watching, didn’t show it. How could she, when there were two other team members talking and going though their stuff at the same time, preparing to join the ruckus and chants of victory that had already started downstairs ? He knew she couldn’t look at him with a knowing glare, or even blush at his insisting glances, but he very well hoped she felt it in her stomach and lower, and prayed she wouldn’t make it too hard to catch a few moments with her later.

Although with her being one of the stars of the day, and probably the only one standing, since her brother had many recovery days in front of him, he very hardly doubted he would manage a single second alone. Even if she wished it. Even if it was just to know where they stood at the moment. But she would not even look at him.

That’s why he got startled when she said something towards him, but he didn’t quite hear it and had to take a headphone off with the most uninterested face he could manage to make out.

“Are you going down with us ?” She repeated with that nice voice of hers. The one he couldn’t quite decide if he liked or not, definitely disliked when it was intended for him. But with the water mage still patiently waiting behind her, he couldn’t quite comment for the moment. He didn’t want to hurt her either. Nor could he say the dirty thought that came through his mind as she repeated those words.

“Is there going to be one of those every night ?” He asked in that uninterested tone of his.

He heard Gajeel sneer at his last remark as the dragon slayer went through the door to go down the stairs, but he ignored it because he didn’t really mean it to be funny.

“I’m afraid so.” She laughed as she got her shoes on and got up. “If they can find a way to party after a defeat, nobody could stop them after so many victories.”

She smiled then, as her eyes were still fixed on his, and it truly felt like a little bit of pride shined out of them. It did do something to his stomach. He sighed in defeat before jumping to his feet to follow the two women. He wished he could stay here in the silence, but when she made such an argument to invite him to her victory lap, there was no way to deny her the pleasure of his presence. At least he hoped it was a pleasure.

After they went downstairs, he suddenly lost track of her. He looked away at the sound of his team calling for him, but when he looked back, it seemed like she had disappeared in the same breath. After all, the tavern was filled with drunk members, happy cheers and some spectators that wanted to get a peek of some of the winners of the day. It was hard to keep track of anybody. Even her smell seemed to disappear in the crowd, and he knew it pretty well.

He gave up. She would probably turn up again, and he certainly wouldn’t find any time alone with her in the next hour. Instead, he found the Thunder Legion, which was a lot less complicated to spot, since they were making big signs with their arms to invite him at their table. Ever was missing though, he noticed as he took place in the corner. He wasn’t a big fan of people bumping in his chair every five minutes. But Cana was with them, still a bit hungover from the day before, but still drinking, along with the youngest Strauss, that seemed to have taken her own interest in his team this week.

“Have you heard then, Laxus ?” Bickslow jumped to ask him with a big smile, as the dragon slayer was barely getting his beer from the freshly poured ones on the table.

“Heard what ?” He looked at Freed, because he was usually a lot more concise with information. He appreciated that.

The rune mage pointed at the brunette before answering.

“Cana’s been chosen as your team’s reserve member for tomorrow.”

He looked at her, and she answered with a great smile and a gesture to clink their glasses. Which he did. Because why not ?

“What happened to stellar blue guy ?” He didn’t mean to be sarcastic but there was something that ticked him off about the former mage saint he couldn’t quite retain it.

Especially when his teammates never missed an occasion to laugh at his jokes. Only the white-haired girl rolled her eyes, and he could almost recognize the way her sister would have rolled them.

“He asked the master to get replaced. He said it was the best way to achieve what he came for.” The card mage answered with a beaming smirk. “Also, I think he’s still a bit hungover from last night.”

He sneered silently. It made sense. He didn’t know exactly what the man had come here to do, nor what he had agreed to with his grandfather, but it was surely difficult to accomplish stuck in their balcony all day. Since his cover was established now, he could take advantage of going freely about the arena and the whole town.

“Well you better not fool around if you’re called on to fight, I’m warning you.” He grumbled as he took a sip.

She laughed, as well as Bickslow and the take over mage, but Freed did frown at that last remark. Not that he would apologize for it, even if it wasn’t the nicest thing he could have said to welcome her into his ranks. But it was hard to be nice when you wanted to win.

“Well I won’t reach Mira’s level of efficiency, but I’ll do my best !” She went on smiling as she finished her glass.

He smirked then as the others laughed in excitement. He would have noted that Mirajane had spent a good twenty minutes fooling around before getting efficient, but it was best he kept that one to himself. If he didn’t want people misinterpreting and telling on him. He didn’t want to spoil the happy chatters that had started either.

“Did you know ?” Freed asked then as the others chatted away. “That she was planning to make it a fight in the end ?”

He didn’t. He was a bit hurt she didn’t tell him. If only to answer the puzzled look he had given her when the organizers came to ask her if she would agree to a modelling contest, only wondered about the rule book he had been reading in the past few days. If she even planned it from the beginning.

“Well, she did ask if there were any rules that got cancelled for her, but not much else.” He replied as the rune mage smiled. And he almost did himself after finishing his own glass.

If only he didn’t spot her at this very moment.

He saw her going up the stairs. Alone. Even if it hadn’t been an hour since they had joined the party. She wasn’t drunk. He could tell because the look she had in her eyes was far from the dopy one she had the day before. But she did look at him, a bit longer than just to spot him. Just one second longer before disappearing in the corridor. With the same smile plastered on her face as any other day.

So he knew he had to follow her. Or maybe that was his own desire talking. But whatever it was, he only waited two more minutes before getting up to go for the stairs. Despite the two men immediately noticing and trying to make him stay. So he only told them he was going for a smoke. And they seemed to settle after he assured them he would come back shortly.

They could be clingy sometimes.

He found her on the balcony on the third floor, sitting on the ground with her feet dangling in the air as he saw her bring the last drops of her glass to her lips. He didn’t say anything at first, only approached in expectation, attentive to the moment she was going to turn around to smile at him with the ever so same grin. He was more than prepared to tell her how much he hated when she treated him like any other random.

Sadly for his inebriated need for frustration, she didn’t turn around but stayed the same way, staring at the stary sky while he took place against the wall and got a cigarette out, just to give him something to do with his hands, or calm the tension that had came with their imagined fallout. The only thing that changed was the knowing smirk she had now. Maybe he was a bit too nervous when it came to her.

It was tensed, too tensed in comparison with yesterday’s events. The alcohol had helped a lot in that, but now that the effects had worn out and that any other presence was gone from around them, only the tension stayed. It wasn’t good tension, not the kind that announced extraordinary chemistry and better things to come, but the kind that froze your veins and made centimeters apart feel like meters. The kind that rendered any contact impossible. Like it was inappropriate.

There were some days he didn’t recognize her. Some days he wanted to shake that body off until the soul that had taken it hostage flew away to hell. But he knew it was the real thing and not some conspiracy theory. He had thought for a while that it was his grandfather that had filled her head with nonsense to absorb her into his disgusting idea of a guild. Long ago.

He knew a lot better now.

He knew she wasn’t that different from before. Even if she took one extreme to another, it was just a different kind of crazy. He liked the crazy in her, but the one she had before used to make sense to him. Even if others usually saw some weird gothic girl that could go psycho at any given moment, he usually understood everything she did. Even when she was being stupid. Even if everyone thought her nuts, it all made sense to him.

Now she just didn’t make sense to him.

People had gotten used to it. He hadn’t. People didn’t mind if she did a modelling contest for half an hour and then demoned out her enemy in the last seconds. They thought it was cool and nothing else. He thought it was cool but inexplicable.

“Why did you do it ?”

He thought he’d just ask. Because he was tired of the silence and her ignoring him. Because he was tired of staring at her like some stared at a master’s painting without any clue to understand the meaning. Her eyes did look mesmerizing. In the feeble orange light given out by the tired lamps, they only seemed bluer than before. And he never thought that possible. There was something hypnotizing about it.

“Do what ?”

They looked at him. And he tried no to get too tense when they stared and seemed like they were piercing his body to dig for his soul.

“The contest.” He tried to explain himself. “Why didn’t you just end it in the first minute instead of stringing it along for ages ?”

She looked a bit oblivious, like she didn’t quite understand the question, but only for a second before giggling. The sight of her dimples somehow made the weight of her eyes easier to bear as she only glared at him with that mysterious tone she liked to give herself sometimes.

“And where would be the fun in that ?” She almost whispered.

That mischievous air did something to his stomach. He thought about ending the conversation right here for much more interesting odds, but he wasn’t going to give up just like that. He needed to explain it, although it was hard to get his eyes away from her lips at that very moment.

“So you did it for fun ?”

He tried glancing away, but his stare was only met with black sky and weak stars that seemed pale in comparison to the other things he could look at. But he still needed to understand what fun had anything to do with the subject.

“I think a beauty contest is more fun than two people pounding themselves until one’s out, don’t you ?”

He laughed them, with a snarky tone that sounded meaner than he had meant. He really didn’t get her at all. He was a man, he could understand the fun in looking at women in magazines, but if he had them in an arena, he wouldn’t want them to pose. Maybe not everyone shared the same kinks as him.

“Not for one second, no.” He smirked.

She smiled too, like that answer didn’t really surprise her. It probably didn’t. He hadn’t changed that much compared to her. She knew him a lot more than he did her. Maybe that was his problem. Maybe he didn’t like feeling naked when she felt hidden by so many coats.

“Even if the fight wouldn’t last long ?” She whispered again, like she feared someone would hear her.

He smiled at that one. Because her fight wouldn’t have lasted long. Certainly not long enough to be fun for anybody. Maybe that was why she did it, maybe the element of surprise was the only way she had found to make it into something worthwhile. That he could maybe understand. Someday.

“At least it would have been over quicker.”

Because he didn’t like pretending, and he certainly wouldn’t have liked someone pretending to be on his level before revealing to be much stronger. He didn’t know about honour codes when it came to championship battles, but he knew about this rule.

“But it would have been a lot less fun.” She turned her eyes back to the sky, probably pretending not to be too bothered by the smoke that came in her direction with the wind.

He knew she hated that smell.

“So you had fun ?” He tried to insist, because it was probably the only way to explain what felt like an incredible and embarrassing waste of time to him.

“Not really, no. It was a bit embarrassing, to be honest.” She answered without hesitation, but not glancing at him to meet the taken aback face he suddenly gave her.

Now she didn’t even make sense anymore.

“Then why do it ?” He asked.

He sounded a bit angry when he said that. He knew because she looked right back at him with an amused grin. Because she knew she was screwing with his mind and it was funny to her. The way his eyebrows twitched in desperation for some explanation. She was aggravating sometimes.

“Maybe I didn’t want to fight.” She almost whispered again.

Well, that was a completely different question. Not that she should even be on this team if she wasn’t resolved to fight other people to win.

“But you ended up fighting anyway.” He replied too quickly, like he wanted to make her see that she wasn’t making any sense.

Maybe she did, and he just couldn’t quite grasp what she was trying to explain, but it felt so contradictory in his mind. He tried to calm himself down and took some time to blow some smoke away while she glanced at him for a while and shivered a little when some cold air blew by.

“It didn’t feel like I had any other choice in the end.”

She smiled at that one, weakly, glaring back at the dark to avoid looking at his face. She seemed a bit defeated and lost. And it bothered him so much he had nothing better to say.

“Not ready to go nude, huh ?” He snarked.

He said that to make her laugh, and it worked. He didn’t glance in case she looked at him in rage, and he didn’t feel like standing behind his own poor joke. If it was one. He heard her giggle and saw the smile in the corner of his eyes. It did feel good. Like the cold that once froze up his muscles warmed up for a bit.

“Shut up.” She ordered.

He smiled, because he liked when she swore. A few moments passed and the silence didn’t bother him some much anymore. He almost appreciated the cold air that blew on the back of his neck, if he wasn’t so focused on his next question.

“Why didn’t you just say no to that bet ?”

He said it as it came to him, but he knew the answer before she said a word. Because he wouldn’t have either.

“Says the man that once paid me a year’s mortgage.” He almost got startled by how close she suddenly got, so close he could feel the heat emanating from her.

She took his cigarette from his hand as she replied, because she was the only one that had the nerve to do that. Maybe because she was the only one he wouldn’t fry for it. He pretended he didn’t notice when her fingers slid on his. It was almost smoked out and he thought she was going to throw it from the balcony to punish him for blowing his smoke in her face, but she brought it to her lips and took a deep breath as he almost felt frozen in time.

He laughed then. Because she had some nerve, and because he had indeed paid her that for a bet. And it was stupid too. Not stupider than the thing she would have had to do if he had won, but pretty stupid too. Not that she would ever tell the others how she had managed to pay out her mortgage so fast. Even with spending that whole year on S-class jobs and rarely taking time off between them. Even if she managed to take some time to stalk him in-between.

Back when she worried about where he was, and what he was doing.

Maybe he should have appreciated it more.

“But why go along with the contest to begin with if you weren’t sure you would win in the end ?”

That was the thing that bothered him most. Along with the mischievous grin she gave him as she finished the cigarette and took it out on the ground. They were a team, and they had a job to do, which was winning for the guild, which was weird enough coming from him. So why would she ever take the chance to lose when she could win so easily ?

“Because if there had been a chance I could get through it without fighting. I wanted to take it.”

He didn’t know what to say then. Maybe it was the biggest thing that he couldn’t quite understand about her yet. Why she hated fighting so much. Because out of the whole thing, it was the biggest thing that set her apart from the girl he thought he knew. And it bothered terribly. It bothered him even more because he didn’t know if he liked it or not. And because there was nothing he could say back to that.

“So you didn’t think there was any chance for you to win that last category, huh ?”

He said it with irony, but he knew she knew he was half serious about that question.

“Not everyone has your kinks.” She snarked with her ever so sweet voice that was more like a bully machine.

He laughed again. Maybe it was a bit true. He did have a thing for the claws.

“Besides, you don’t really think she would have suggested that bet if she weren’t sure that it would give her the victory ?”

She did have him there. He hadn’t thought about it like that. But wasn’t it a bit narcissistic to say that the only way she could have lost a beauty contest was if it meant having her in the magazine ? Maybe she hadn’t changed that much. She still had the ego. And more brain than him.

“So it was a last resort for you ?”

At least, it could make sense in that way.

“More like a twist.”

She said that one with that playful voice of hers. The one he couldn’t help but find cute. So he didn’t look at her because he didn’t want to meet those eyes that definitely felt playful too. He still had some things that needed clearing up before he could get distracted by her.

“So avoiding one minute of fighting was better than going through the whole thing when it wasn’t even fun for you ?”

She almost looked disappointed in the corner of his eye. Probably because he insisted on staring away when the sky couldn’t be so interesting to him. Because he insisted with the serious talk, and he could tell that she was growing annoyed with it. Not that he cared.

“The public had fun.”

She was serious back again. Giving up on getting anything playful out of him. Maybe that was the best way to get something truly honest out of her. Because he hadn’t thought of that either.

“And that was worth it ?”

He couldn’t relate to it though. Not even when he glanced at her to find some hidden answer in her face that looked a lot more focused all of a sudden. He could never do something like it for the amusement of other people, but it felt a bit insulting to say.

“It’s a spectacle.” She replied before looking away, like she couldn’t quite sustain his gaze. “If the public’s fun wasn’t worth it, we could just have it out in the Council’s gardens and publish the results in the Sorcerer’s magazine.”

She meant it to be funny, but it didn’t sound so absurd to him.

“Maybe it would be better.” He only replied.

She only frowned at that one, disappointed at the lack of reaction from her joke.

“Not if the point is to get jobs back on our board.”

She had a point there. Fighting in public was definitely better for publicity, even if they won the title.

“Well I’m not taking my clothes off for that.”

She giggled at that one. And he did a bit too. But ever so slightly, and it didn’t feel so cold anymore. Even if he could start hearing some familiar voices coming up the stairs, which were clearly going to make the air a lot more tensed than it was now.

“You should.” She giggled. And he didn’t know if he was supposed to feel flattered. “But it’s a good thing for the guild that I’m willing.”

He smiled too, but the voices were getting closer, and he suddenly wondered if he hadn’t wasted a whole evening talking about that fight rather than talking about what truly interested him.

“I promise you when I fight, I’ll make sure it’s impressive enough of a spectacle.”

She laughed again, but it was interrupted by the sound of her sister and Cana opening the door and calling for her to get back down with them. They did look a bit surprised when they saw them both on the balcony, but they didn’t say much more than repeating the same question to him. They didn’t to care that much when he nodded his head in refusal as they watched the takeover mage get up with the glass she had brought over.

“I have no doubt about that.” She whispered.

She looked at him then, before walking away to join her sister and friend, with that calm gentle smile of hers, and the eyes that pierced right through his skull. And it did something to his stomach, in the good way. The way that told him that maybe he could get used to that smile. Maybe he liked it. Even when it was meant for him. Especially if it was meant for him.

He only wished he hadn’t wasted his entire allowed time with those stupid questions.

Last Chapter

#fairy tail #miraxus #mirajane strauss #laxus dreyar #laxus x mirajane #freed justine #bickslow #lisanna strauss #cana alberona

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