#the writing was impecable I loved it

[thenocturnenarrator]

heheheheheheheeheheheheheh here is my school writing project it’s a work in progress atm sorry for the spelling errors and stuff

Faithless

——————-

“…And i mean, have you seen them? ITheyre like nature’s little- Hey, are you even listening to me?”

“Yeah, course i am.” I replied.

I don’t know why he chooses me of all people to talk to about bees. I’m barely interested. Still, it’s nice to hear him talk so passionately about something, especially while on the job.

Us Greens don’t end up in many fights, but when we do, we often lose. It’s honestly ridiculous that we ended up part of The Alliance. We woulda been a far easier target than the Blues, but who am i to judge. Im not really supposed to be on gate duty with my little brother but I’m replacing one of his teammates, who went missing a couple days ago, and we have yet to find.

The last place her tracker was seen was on the edge of the Red territory, and no one has the guts to go look for her. The Red are fierce soldiers, and we’d probably find her dead. Greusomeley, at the least. Last time someone was found, their eyeballs had been gouged out, and their teeth put in their eye sockets. I think they have fun with the corpses of their enemies, even though they aren’t really supposed to kill us as part of the Alliance. It’s on the verge of collapsing though, as the Gods are getting sick of it. After a long time of waiting around with, to nobody’s surprise, nothing happening, someone took over gate duty and me and my brother went to dinner. It was almost all vegetables, but they were cooked *really* well, almost as if there was a new-

“COOK! You look different. Really different. Wait a second, i didn’t think we were getting a new-“

“Are you enjoying the food? Is it good?” The new cook was short, with blonde medium length hair. I had never seen her before, except for maybe…

“Hey, doesn’t she look a bit like one of the Red fighters? a bit like Char-“ I leant over to whisper to my brother

“Well, have fun!” She quickly left, and moved to the next table. No idea why she was doing that.

“What were you saying?” My brother turned to me.

“I was saying, the cook looks a little bit like Charlotte. You know, that red soldier.”

“Well, yeah, a bit. And I don’t recognise her. Maybe we should talk to our superiors about it.”

“You know how hard it is to raise concerns with them. They don’t listen to anyone.”

“I guess you’re right.”

We left the cafeteria, and went to get some sleep before our next shift.

About halfway through our shift, I had an idea.

“What if we took off our uniforms, and changed into our normal clothes, and went out onto the field to start our OWN team?”

“Why would we- Hey maybe you have a point. Management for us is so strict, maybe its strict for everyone else too. And we wouldn’t have to bow to the gods, OH OH AND WE COULD GO LOOK AT THE BEES! Yeah, this is a great idea! But when should we start…”

“Tomorrow. They have the least people on at 9 in the morning. We could sneak out.”

“Right. This is an awesome plan!”

The next morning, we were almost caught by one of teammates.

“And where do you think you're going?”

“Crap-“

“And why are you headed to the gate?”

“Oh- Uhm- Hi Alice! We were just uhh-“

“And most importantly, can I come with you?”

Eventually, we ended up with her following us. Three of us, all leaving. The gate staff also joined us. Now we had no reason to be skeptical of our plan. Our awesome plan was working.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a couple months of being out on the field, we had a well-established fort in the forest; the no-man's land, and began calling ourselves the Faithless. The fort was made of old machinery and found resources. The structure resembled that of a castle, and was, in my opinion, far better than the main items forts, just like our team!. We ate at one big table, all, well, 30 of us. A sizeable amount of members, all fed up with their management, just looking for a reason to leave. No-one missed them, we think. We were steadily gaining members, not just through word of mouth, but we occasionally sent out scouts to the gates and front lines. Scouting had proved to have no issues thus far, and it was my responsibility today. I had to head to the Yelloe team. Not really a threat.

What was usually a long and treacherous journey turned into a short walk through the desert with some found technology i personally had assembled into a flying machine. The propellers surprisingly worked on the hot desert sands. At the gate, I was surprised to the the guards staffed with nets. They’d be useless, unless they knew what happened to their staff. The staff that joined us.

“Still, i refuse to believe they weren’t killed. Maybe they died of heatstroke?” I overheard the guards discussion.

“Nope, they definitely ran away. Management says there’s camera footage.”

That’s impossible. We made sure to kill all the cameras nearby. And it was a planned ordeal. They would run to us within the next week, not that night.

“Hey, ’s there someone there?”

“Where?”

“Just there, behind that pillar,” The guard pointed at the pillar i was hiding behind. I had been spotted. I tried my hardest to run, but their new nets caught me.

“Hah, gotcha, filthy runaway!” The taller guard said.

“Nonono, you’ve got it all wrong! You see, I’m just a delivery scout! Out to ensure that uh, your gate is up to our gate-using standards!” Drat! Of all the times for me to be bad at lying!

“Silence, criminal! We know of your evil plans! And we have our own, even eviler plans!”

“Archibald and Alvin, celebrated as the heroes of the Yellow team! Recruiting the runaways’s most sneaky spies, and forcing them to join us!” He kept talking for probably the next ten minutes, maybe more. His voice was so boring. I reached for the knife in my back pocket, hoping to cut the net i was trapped in. The ropes were sharp, and if i didn’t get out of here soon, i would end up cut. As i tried to manoeuvre my arm around far enough to cut the rope, the two guards, who i had now gathered to be Archibald and Alvin, brought me through the gate. Any chance of a quiet escape went out the window.

“... and no, you can’t escape, no, you can’t build a bomb, and most importantly, you don’t get to go to the gate. You have stay within your bounds.” Archibald, or maybe Alvin, was trying to point out everything on our tour of the grounds. Eventually, we reached the board room. They’d decide what would happen to me. I looked back at the hallway, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

———————————————————————

The leadership issued a guard to take me back to where i would be staying. I surely hoped that it would not be some kind of prison cell, but was pleasantly surprised. My first shift back as a technician was tomorrow, at 0945. I just had to hope, hope that they’d realise i was missing.

———————————————————————

The next morning, people were starting to notice i was gone. These missions usually never took more than 12 hours, and i had been gone for almost a full day. My brother was asking anyone if they’d seen me. all of them had the same answer. ’No, sorry. Last i heard she was at the yellow base.’ and he was dreading coming to break me out. But it was nessacary. i WAS his sister, after all.

Rescue missions are ill-advised amount the main teams, but in a team like ours, the loyalty to one another is immeasurable.

When he tried to assemble a team, almost everybody showed up. “Well, guess we’re all going.” he said to the small crowd.

Everyone here was all different, but they all have one thing in common. “You all ready to beat up some corrupt leaders and get our friends out?“

The group began cheering

They were definitely ready to beat up some corrupt leaders. And also get their friends out, but beating up corrupt leaders had more enthusiasm.

—————————————-

My cell, more similar to a hotel room than anything, was on a lower floor. It had some outside access, but the window didn’t open further than a couple inches.

The food was okay, as was work.

I had to work as a technician, fixing things. All of the other technicians knew seemingly nothing about the tech. No wonder repairs here took over a month, even with all of the high tech equipment in this dimly lit room, with the walls covered in a mess of pipes and wires, similar to the inside of some massive machine. Every time I tried talking to the other technicians, even just about the weather, they would mutter something quietly, and not wait for a response.

One time, I asked them why they were so quiet. One of them lent over to me, and whispered; “They used to be able to hear us, so we made things to communicate with one another without them hearing.” They handed me an earpiece, and when I put it on, there was a buzzing conversation.

They sounded like they were planning an escape. Except, they knew nothing of the Faithless. From what I heard, the only thing sitting between them and freedom was numbers. They couldn’t escape, all because of their numbers.

But knowledge of people on the outside was just the push they needed

.

————————————————

The plan that the yellow tech team came up with was an amazing idea. With the knowledge that they had a place to get to on the other side, it was perfect. Cause an electrical fault with the gate, the biggest piece of equipment, bringing all of the technicians there, broadcasting their message, and then running. Running and running and running. Running until finally…

————————————————

Halfway to the yellow gate, the Faithless saw a large group of yellow workers, running like their lives depended on it. Which they did, kind of. But they had reached a safe point, and they were out. They burst into the fort of the Faithless, relieved to finally have escaped.

————————————————

We had made it. We were all free.

With our numbers nearly doubled, we recruited far more people, eventually dwindling the numbers of the main teams to a small team of those in charge and some incredibly loyal staff. The rest were all those who were so sick and tired of fighting. We had all ran from the battlegrounds, much to the dismay of management.

We were on our way to a new, far brighter, future.

@everydaygremlin This wow this is AMAZING

I LOVE IT IT IS SO GOOD

I THOUGHT I WAS READING AN ACTUAL BOOK ITS SO GOOD I WANT TO KNOW MORE, HAVE THEY GIVE YOU A 10/A?????

[shit-sorry-fuck-mybad]

FUCK YES PLEASE TOP GUN F1 AU !!!!!!!!

BABE THIS MIGHT BE JUST FOR US TWO BUT THANK YOU

Anyway.

BACKGROUND INFO IM SO EXCITED

Tom Kazansky drives for Red Bull, because of course he does, and his driving is flawless

He plays with the drivers, he keeps them behind, let’s them follow him until they can’t keep up, he follows them closely, he drives them crazy until they get tired and make a mistake and he overtakes them

He was nicknamed “The Iceman”, ice cold, no mistakes, that’s what they say about him

Ron Kerner is Red Bull’s second driver, he is a sneaky mother fucker, you don’t see him coming till he’s right next to you, great at overtaking, not so great at maintaining his position

They nicknamed him “Slider” after a particularly impressive move, a big crash in which he somehow managed to avoid getting hit, he came out completely untouched, he slides through the cars like its the easiest thing in the world

Pete Mitchell drives for Ferrari, his dad used to drive for Ferrari but he died in a nasty crash, lots of cars were involved and eventually they started blaming him, Pete will always defend him, wasn’t great for getting sponsors and actually getting an f1 contract but he fought teeth and claw to get to where he is

He quickly gained a reputation after joining f1, he’s impulsive and reckless, he’s aggressive, he does dangerous shit on the track and somehow he always manages to get results

People almost never call him Pete, they call him “Maverick”, the media calls him “Mad Mav”

Nick Bradshaw also drives for Ferrari, he defends like a god

His protective nature gave him his nickname, people usually shout “MOTHER GOOSE” when they see him pass

He may not be as great as Maverick and Iceman but he’s a damn good driver, everyone loves him

Hollywood and Wolfman drive for Mclaren, they’re the best teammates on the grid, they rarely fight, they work together like they have the same mind, they’re almost synchronized, scary as fuck if both of them are behind you

Merlin drives for Alfa Romeo, he used to drive with Cougar for Ferrari but Cougar had an accident and decided to quit formula one and Merlin moved to Alfa Romeo, which opened both Ferrari seats for Mav and Goose

Charlie is Ferrari’s strategist, she’s the best there is, smart, quick, she can adapt to situations in seconds, if only Maverick would fucking listen for once

Viper is Ferrari’s team Principal, he used to drive with Mav’s father, he’s a three time world champion

Mav drove for Alfa Romeo for two years before he got the Ferrari seat, he never won a race there but he got way closer than people thought he could

Before joining Ferrari, Goose used to drive for Alfa Tauri

Ice joined f1 when he was barely 18, spent a year in Alfa Tauri before he got a seat in Red Bull, he hasn’t won a championship yet but he has gotten dangerously close

Yeah that’s all I have for general background info, I got so much shit but I can’t put it all in one post

Appreciate how I stole inspiration directly from mr Max Verstappen’s life to write Iceman’s background like 💀 also appreciate how I didn’t include Merc not because I don’t like them (which I don’t) but because I completely forgot they existed AND appreciate me trying to make Ferrari an actual top team with people that know what they’re doing

And I know that an almost all American f1 grid is not possible BUT it’s my au and I get to chose the inaccuracies

Here’s the second part -> x

[anpanman95]

JACK AND JOKER: Sacrificing Love against Tragic Love | Old Love vs New Love

They did it again.

Well, they’ve been showing us these contrasting parallels ever since the beginning.

Showing us that Jack and Joke’s new love is all about (self) sacrifice, and Hope and Save’s old love is all about tragedy.

I already knew this, but it hit me hard towards the end of episode 11 with this moment:

First of all this whole scene was an absolute masterpiece. I’m a music composer for the media, I write, study and analyze music for a living, and let me tell you this scene might be one of my top 3 moments of this show just because how the music was treated here. (The music actually adds on to the point I’ll make in a bit, by the way)

First, we have our self-sacrificing lovers. Jack and Joke’s love has been all about self sacrifice since the very beginning, starting with Joke turning himself to the police to set Jack free

and coming to a full circle moment when he gives the ring to Boss in exchange for Jack’s freedom, once more.

Joke has sacrificed himself, their love, and their happiness for the sake of others (in this case, Jack) twice.

They fight for the world. Their love is new love. They have a lot they need to go through to put themselves first, to put their wants and desires first.

Then, we have our tragic lovers. Their love is old love. They’ve been fighting against the world for each other, to finally be together and free, for a long time (even if it isn’t explicitly said, it’s evident when you see the lengths they’ll go for each other)

They don’t sacrifice their love, they sacrifice the world. And it has nothing to do with their personalities, or that they are bad people. It’s just they are so damn tired of everything they only have each other to rely on. They only have each other.

But where does that lead them?

To more tragedy.

[the music on this scene was impecable]

Jack and Joke’s new love still has room to grow, which is why they can sacrifice it. They let the world come in between them for the sake of others, while still loving each other dearly.

But again, their love is new. Fresh, still technically untouched and unharmed by outside things out of their control. Yes, the world is against them, but their reluctance to choose each other relies solely on their own fears and sense of responsibility to the world and their loved ones.

Hope and Save do not have that luxury, and don’t even want to have it. Their love comes first, because God knows how long they’ve been fighting for it. Old love that certainly already went through everything you can imagine.

It’s true we don’t get much of their backstory, but through their actions we can tell why they won’t sacrifice their love for anything.

Can you imagine what they might have gone through? What their love has faced?

Of course, they choose each other above all things, they had enough.

Jack and Joke will choose each other in the end, but they still have a long way to go (season 2? haha yes i’m delusional)

This doesn’t mean Jack and Joke don’t love each other enough. But even though they’ve known each other for a long time, they haven’t loved each other for that long.

Their feelings appeared five years ago in a little spark of life but it was so short lived they simply didn’t get the chance to even acknowledge it before the world came in between them full force.

The spark was only re-born and ready to be noticed when they finally had a moment to breathe, a moment of peace with no other worries coming in between.

Hope and Save have already gone through all that, have truly gone to hell and back.

Hopefully they’ll get their heaven soon.

Honestly I did not feel so much for them in the beginning. Their scenes felt underwhelming, and I wasn’t keen on them. But this episode left me absolutely in pieces. My opinion on them did a full 180.

They broke my heart.

I do hope they get their happy ending. They deserve it as much as our main couple.

Thanks for reading! Leave your thoughts, I love reading them❣️

[brianwashere]

hello!! saw your writing today in my tags and got interested, read some more and you seem really cool :D i got one fic stuck in my head though, the one you posted earlier today with the 7 foot spider reader! it was really cool but i kind of thought about a follow up (and I made sure to check your rules before this)

i was thinking, m/n is really big, intimidating and generally a badass- however. in bed (nsfw) he’s inexperienced, shy af, and ends up just being really submissive (you actually didn’t specify if you prefer dom or sub reader, i assumed you mind neither, but if u don’t feel comfortable with this then just ignore)

thank you, and keep up your great works so far :D

Anon, you’re officially my favorite fucking person ever. Oh my god. This req. warmed my heart. Idek what. It just did. Thank you for reading my other fics too. Wow. I’m reeling rn.

Also you didn’t specify who with so I just did HCs for Noir and Miguel

Pls req again soon! You’re so sweet

**I do not own any characters or part of the franchise from marvel or sony **

Summary: look at req

Tw: explicit activities ehehehehe, language

-Miguel-

The first time you two try anything he’s expecting you to be all dominant and get his ass blasted

Y’all two are making out and he’s ready to take it to the next level

And you’re nervous cause you know he’s expecting you to be this super experienced “knows how to make you scream immediately” kinda guy

The truth is you haven’t had much experience because while people may be into the whole “huge man” thing they’re too scared to actually come up to you and even have a conversation

And you’re also scared of hurting your partner

Just a mix of things that led you to little experience

It doesn’t take long for Miguel to figure it out

As soon as you glanced at his face nervously he knew something was up

At first Miguel is surprised bcc he would’ve expected men and women to practically be hanging from you

Once he recovers from the initial shock he’s down with topping and showing you the ropes

It’s a bit of a boost to his ego, not to mention a massive turn on for him

He never lets you shy away from him/cover your face. He loves seeing you. He knows he’s not stronger than you but he’ll still pull your hands away/pull you closer

But sometimes he does wanna be on bottom

Queue very erotic teaching sessions

When you do something he likes he’ll definitely over exaggerate so you’ll know

He also loves marking you up in more…intense ways because he knows it won’t really hurt you

Clawing your back. He’ll claw the SHIT out of your back.

Biting you too. Sometimes he just can’t help it

He finds out you have god tier stamina and impecable recovery time and will definitely use that to his advantage

*cough cough* Overstimulation and denial *cough cough*

He’s down to do whatever you’re comfortable with but sometimes he really needs some stress relief i.e. getting a blowjob or just fucking you senseless

He won’t admit it but he likes when he’s the little spoon after you two are done

~Noir~

You got nervous and told him the first make out session that you had practically no experience

He was a little taken aback, again, you’re so big and so hot how could people not be lining up for a piece of you

It makes him feel even more lucky to be with you though

“Oh…that’s ok, dear. We’ll take it slow, then.”

Then he finds out your submissive too and he’s pretty sure he has a heart attack

Now he was pretty vanilla at first but then he found the internet and stumbled upon some kinks and did some…research

Behind. He loves seeing your back muscles move and twist under him

He likes tying your wrists together with some of his webbing

It’s strong enough that it could actually hold you if you tried resisting, maybe not for very long, but it wouldn’t snap like thread at the slightest pressure

He loves praising you. Praise. All the time. Always praise. You could breathe and he’d be on his knees for you

Every time he does something new he asks if you’re ok with it

He’ll be gentle if that’s what you want but he figures out that’s usually not the case

Usually you want everything he’s got, as much as he’ll provide you

He does love soft romantic nights with you though

Where he gets to enjoy your large beautiful frame and your contrasting shyness

When he gets to slow down and drink in ALL of you

The noises you make, the small movements, your incoherent mumbling

He loves ALL of it

He’s so down bad for you not even a joke

A little guilty pleasure for him is kissing you senseless

He loves being the big spoon for you, even if it just feels like a backpack is attached to you

[lavendervirgos]

Can you name a couple of your favorite blogs?

I sure can, thanks for asking (the list is not exhaustive):

@disgustinggf (love the content and the entire vibe)

@sobbingsub (love the content and the inclusiveness)

@rough-writ3r (I adore the writing)

@uhhhhhh-might-stick-around (perfect mix of horny and cringe)

@spicyyhobbits (love the content and the amount of cat pics)

@ghxsty21 (Ghostface mask. Do I need to say more?)

@korperlos (love the mix out of smut and other posts. Loads of quotes as well)

@dominants-dominion (great content, great vibe and loads of good resources)

@un-father (love the content and the vibe)

@malum-messages (love the content!)

@onelittlekingdom (great content and so, so many good resources if you're starting out in kink)

@softandsmooth (great mix of content and great vibe)

@allthegO0dthings (I very much enjoy the content)

@yourdaddyfigure (love the content, great vibe and impecable humor. Also great resources)

[fallinforerling]

may i request (from the prompt phrases) 2 - 8 - 17 with erling 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

the shirt dilemma - eh

A/N: As I usually say: ERLING BRAINROT. I can’t stop writing for this man, I’m ABSOLUTELY in love with him. Thank you SO MUCH!!! for 800 followers. Feedback is always appreciated! Love you always xx

ೃ⁀➷ erling’s taglist 

 ೃ⁀➷ erling’s masterlist

ೃ⁀➷ masterlist

 : ̗̀➛ requested phrases: 

2. “i'll never wear the jersey of someone who isn't my boyfriend.”

8. “why are you staring at me like that?”

17. “you have a really pretty face, have you ever heard that?”

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

“I can’t believe people actually waste their time plotting about this stuff…” You murmured more to yourself than anyone else in the room, still scrolling through the infinite amount of photos that you found on Twitter. “Kinda creepy…” 

“What’s up?” Jack murmured back, kicking your leg with his foot. You raised an eyebrow in his direction. “C’mon, you just said something that implies tea. Now you have to spill it.” 

“I don’t have to do shit, Grealish.” You laughed, kicking him back. “But okay, here.” You sat on the couch. “I was on Twitter, and I found some tweets with my name on it, which is kinda weird since I’m not a public figure so… I don’t know, I was digging on my own shit until…” You turned your phone so he could see it. 

His eyebrows raised until they almost touched the base of his hair, giving you a full view of the funniest expression you’d ever seen on him since ever. 

“That’s an interesting take.” 

“¿De qué hablan?” (What are you guys talking about?”) Julián asked, entering the room with hands full of snacks. 

“Nada.” (Nothing) You really hated Julián’s impecable hearing. He was always around the corner when you were gossiping with Jack. “Más bien dame comida, que me tuviste esperando como mil años. Me muero de hambre.” (Give me some food, you’ve got me waiting for like a thousand years. I’m starving) 

“Luego no me pidas que te cuente algo, porque te vas a quedar con las ganas.” (Later, don’t ask me for any gossip, cause I won’t share any) He replied, throwing a bag of chips at you. 

“I actually love when you two speak Spanish in front of me and I understand absolutely nothing.” Jack said after you grabbed the bag, not paying attention to the dirty look Julián gave you before sitting next to him. “Makes me feel like I’m back in Spain for some vacation.” 

“I just love when she speaks Spanish.” Erling’s voice startled you. You looked up at him, who was just entering the room. You tore your eyes apart from his figure as quickly as you could, wishing that the heart eyes weren’t that noticeable for any of them. God, he was so handsome. 

“You love everything that she does.” Julián said, giggling a bit when you shot him a nasty look. That little fucker. 

“True, you’re the biggest fanboy I’ve ever seen in my life.” Jack teased, nudging Erling’s arm when he sat next to you. 

“What can I say? I’m a man with great taste.” Erling shot back, leaving you all shaky on the inside. You had to prevent your mouth from falling wide open. You could never get used to that type of compliments coming from him.

It was times like these when you wondered if Erling had any feelings for you. It would be awesome if he did. But you knew it couldn’t be possible; he was playing and teasing around. You were just friends.

“If you’re going to flirt with her, I’m leaving.” Jack said, openly enjoying how uncomfortable you were getting from all the attention. “But also? We could manage to see if we can get this little brat to come to the next game, eh?” 

“No, no! Don’t start with that. I already said no a million times before.” You were tired of it. You knew, from past experience, that you would be recognized, and those stupid gossip sites would eat you up. 

“C’mon, don’t be such a… coward.” Julián replied, always up to teasing you as well. “It’s fun, you should totally go. Emilia’s gonna be there.” 

“But…” 

“No, no, not ‘but’. You’re coming, end of discussion.” Erling cut you off, smiling widely when you looked at him. “Please?” 

Aw, man. Fuck big blonde guys with green eyes. 

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

So there you were, two days later. Full of regrets and suffering, seeing how your friends (or more like enemies at this point) were smiling like little kids while you stood in the middle of the Etihad Stadium shop. Your arms were crossed, not wanting to give in two times in a row when it came to these guys’ wishes, but it was getting more and more difficult as the minutes passed and Erling’s eyes kept flashing you little looks that were keeping you on the edge. 

“Why?” You finally spoke up, giving in to the silence that had overcome the room. “I’ve already accepted to come against my will. Why do I have to wear a jersey as well?” 

“Because! Everyone that really loves the team wears a shirt!” Jack said, giving you a knowing look that screamed duh. “You’re our friend, it would be so rude if you just go there wearing…” He pointed to your baby blue shirt with a grin. “That.” 

“What’s the matter with it? It’s City’s color, isn’t it?” 

“C’mon, you’re not actually doing the most out here wearing a blue shirt, darling.” Erling’s voice had an effect on you. Dammit. “Be a good girl and wear a jersey.”

No, no, no. Don’t fall for it just because he called you a… Oh, god. God, help your daughter. 

“Fine!” As usual, you just gave in once Erling stepped in. “Pick a stupid shirt so I can get out of here.” 

You were hoping that you were being dramatic over nothing and that they’d probably pick a blank shirt with no actual handle on the back, but as Erling approached his own fucking section, you knew you were absolutely fucked. 

“No! Not your stupid ego getting the best of you, I’m not wearing a Haaland shirt!” You wanted to. But it was the worst idea in the world. “I’ll never wear the jersey of someone who isn’t my boyfriend. That’s just a horrible idea.” You didn’t know why you just said that, but it was out there before you could backtrack on your words. 

“Why not?” Jack asked, getting closer to you with that cheeky grin that you hated. “What’s wrong with wearing a friend’s jersey just for today? It isn’t good enough?” 

Oh, you knew what he wanted to say with that little tone on the word “friend”. 

“Because, my dear Jack. People love to speculate about things without actual proof. So, if they see me wearing Erling’s shirt while being here, they’ll think I’m his girlfriend, and…” 

“So what?” Erling said, already handing you a shirt. “Let people assume whatever they want to assume.” 

“Perhaps, would it be that bad if people think that you are his girlfriend?” It was the first time in twenty minutes that Julián had said a word, but when he did, he cornered you. “Just saying…”

“Yeah, would it?” Erling’s tone sounded almost evil as he slightly pressed the shirt towards you, leaving you no other option but to take it. “Just put it on.” 

“I hate you…” You whispered, still grabbing the shirt with a bit more force than necessary. 

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

You felt like everyone’s eyes were on you for the entirety of the game, which was ridiculous since you were the most boring person and no one— and when you said no one, it was really no one— was giving you a second look as you sat and watched the game like everyone else did. 

The paranoia you were feeling was ridiculous. Never in a million years have you felt more targeted for wearing a fucking shirt that said Haaland on the back. You could only pray that a photo of you didn’t make it to Twitter, where a bunch of weird people were already making assumptions about the actual nature of your relationship with Erling. That’s why you were being so negative about wearing anything City or Erling related. You knew how the rumors started.

Like it would ever happen in reality. 

“Relájate, boluda. Parece que estás acá contra tu voluntad.” (Girl, relax. You look like you’re here against your will) Emilia shouted over the fans’ voices, seeming entertained by your current state. Just like her boyfriend, apparently. 

“¿Te parece?” (You think?) You couldn’t help the sarcastic tone in your voice. “Todo gracias al pendejo de tu novio.” (All thanks to your stupid boyfriend) 

“Ay, ya. No es para tanto…” (Aw, c’mon. It’s not that big of a deal…) She paused, giggling. “Estás así porque te gusta Erling, ¿no?” (You’re acting like this because you like Erling, aren’t you?) 

“¡¿Qué?!” (What?!) You shouted, feeling your face go deep red as the referee blew the final whistle, letting the entire stadium know that the game was over. 

“It’s so obvious, babe. You totally like that man.” She took your hand, not letting you overcome the fact that someone finally acknowledged your feelings for him. “Let’s go.” 

“Where?” Was all you managed to say, looking around to check if someone was paying attention to you. Again. 

“The dressing room.” 

Oh-oh. 

Your eyes darted to the pitch, where most of the players were still walking around while exchanging greetings and jerseys. You spotted Erling right away; it was very difficult not to. He towered over almost every single person that walked past him, which could be funny if it weren’t for the fact that Emilie knew about your feelings for him. Suddenly, it felt so real. It felt like everyone knew. 

“Move or I’ll have to drag you there myself.” Emilia’s tone gave the impression of being absolutely serious about the dragging part, so you started walking out of pure instinct. 

You made your way across the sea of people that were leaving or lingering around the benches. You saw how it all appeared to move a bit slower as you followed her, who still had a hold on your wrist, like she was almost preventing you from escaping. You didn’t want to see Erling right now; the way you were so worked up about Emilia’s words was stupid, but you knew yourself, and it was very possible that you were about to blow everything because of the nerves. 

“Breathe. You’re crushing my hand.” 

“Is it too obvious?” You whispered once you made it to the tunnels. 

“That you like him?” She turned to face you, smiling a bit before fixing your hair. “Not to him, I believe.” Her eyes looked behind you, a bigger smile appeared on her face. “But maybe it’s time to let you know that he likes you. Gotta go, Juli’s coming. Good luck.” She kissed your cheek briefly before walking away, leaving you nervous and shaky. 

It seemed like being nervous and shaky was the new thing for you. 

“What happened to the “no wearing a shirt that’s not my boyfriend's” rule?” You could feel Erling’s hands pinching the fabric of your new shirt before you turned around to face him. His voice was filled with that unique tone he only used when he won, or got his way around something he wanted. Today, both things happened. “Looks great on you, by the way.” 

“You made me wear it, loser.” The only way to dissimulate the silent screaming you wanted to do right now was to answer with irony.

“And it’s the best decision I’ve made so far.” He stood in front of you in all his glory, clearly enjoying how pissed you were. You couldn’t help your eyes from going to his bare chest for a whole minute, biting your lip when your eyes met his. His smirk was so big, you wanted to punch him. “About to make the second one.”

So, so handsome. And so, so cocky.

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?” Was all you managed to say after a few seconds of pure silence, despite all the teammates roaming through the tunnel, clapping and screaming from their recent win. 

“You have a really pretty face; have you ever heard that?” He leaned in, and your heart almost escaped through your throat. You couldn’t tear your eyes apart from his. 

What if Emilia was right? Was this the right moment? He was totally flirting with you… Wasn’t he?

“I…” 

“What about this? You wait here, looking as lovely as you do right now until I shower… And then I can take you to dinner so we can celebrate the win?” He whispered the proposition like it was a promise. At this point, you couldn’t even speak. “How does that sound?” 

“Yeah, sure…” You whispered back, holding your bag so close to your chest that you could feel the handles burying themselves in your skin. 

“Perfect.” Then he kissed your cheek, and you really stopped breathing for a few milliseconds. And as you were starting to have a little panic attack, he left.

Have you just… agreed to a date with Erling Haaland? Well, fuck.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ * ERLING’S TAGLIST @questionable-behaviour | @koufaxx | @xjval | @nikki01234 | @evarasworld | @kynykyny | @alleyahah | @444pantheress | @football4life9 | @f1lover55 | @frankcastleonlyfans | @ironmaiden1313 | @pizzapie349

[lukaherehelp]

"Gods damn Aries' gentle, bleeding heart" say it louder Caius, I LOVE ARIES SO MUCH 😭😭😭 also, sorry guys but Thorn is my son now, I don't make the rules.

The Lyrebird King - Chapter 3

(before we get into the last chapter i have prepped i just wanna give the biggest thank you to @lukaherehelp - i've been writing this novel since roughly the beginning of the year and recently slowed WAY down on writing it because there just didn't seem to be an interest and it's hard to want to keep writing if there are no readers. luka motivated me to post this here and i've cherished every reaction and tag so much, it made me love my boys again.)

Caius was not accustomed to the days passing in a blur as they had been. Aries brought an energy to the stagnant ruins that he hadn’t anticipated; the man practically breathed life into the cold cobblestones and worn brick. He’d insisted they clean things up, turn it into a proper living space for them both, and Caius was unable to refuse a sensible request. 

The first few days were spent clearing a cell for Aries (arguably a waste of time for how little he actually slept in it,) as well as craft a pair of makeshift doors for their respective rooms. Next, came the task of creating a pantry and a kitchen. Together, they managed to cobble together a proper stove and oven as well as a relatively weather proofed larder that filled over the coming days.

Throughout it all, Caius was constantly surprised by Aries’ ingenuity and craftsmanship. The man did not hesitate to launch into various projects, obtaining supplies from the surface and creating whatever they needed to suit their needs. It seemed those scarred hands of his were good for far more than grasping lovers and beating opponents. 

Their days were spent close together and Caius was forced to become familiar with sharing the company of another body day in and day out. He found he didn’t hate it, at least not when it was Aries with his affable smiles and easy going nature. He was not unlike a loyal pup, all boundless energy and eagerness to please. It was a personality that he would have previously found grating but now he thought of it as endearing. 

“You know, there’s a lot of space here. Feels empty sometimes, doesn’t it?” Aries spoke up one night over dinner; a simple stew they’d let brew in a cast iron pot and some wine pilfered from a vendor in the market that liked to mark up his prices three times more than what the product was worth. That had been news to Caius, but Aries had pointed out the vintner of the wine and the cost at other vendors. He was sensible with his coin like that and Caius couldn’t help but respect him all the more for it. 

“I suppose. More full now than before.” Caius gestured with his glass in Aries’ direction before pushing his now-empty bowl aside and kicking his feet up on one of the wobbly stools across the table (not one of Aries’ make, he never would have allowed the wobble to persist.) 

“Maybe to a recluse like you. You do know human company is good for you, don’t you?” Aries smiled but there was no barb to his words, only gentle teasing. It had taken a while for Caius to get used to it but he found he quite liked the easy camaraderie between them now. 

“So you say,” he snorted and lifted his glass to take a sip, certain the ruby color of the wine was staining his lips if the way Aries’ eye following the motion was any indication. “Are you alluding to something?” He couldn’t help but wonder if this was an invitation to his bed for the night, or perhaps a hint at inviting more into their little pocket of safety - something Caius would rather die than let happen.

“S’pose not, just an observation.” Aries hummed in response and the subject dropped there for the foreseeable future. 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘𓅪∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Aries wasn’t entirely incorrect. Human company was good, though Caius could only truly tolerate the company of two people by design - Aries and his beloved mother. It’d been months since he’d been able to get away and spend time with her and the anxiety that brought him must have shown. He was restless, irritable, and bereft of any drive or goal. This attitude lasted several days before Aries finally pulled him aside, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear in that way that was so caring and so confusing to Caius. 

“Listen, I don’t know what’s gotten into you but it’s clear something is festering under your skin. Go take care of it, the ruins are safe with me.” He promised and Caius was powerless to refuse. His mind tormented him in a way that was unique, a way only his mother could soothe, and so like a moth to a flame he drifted from the ruins and traveled far beyond the boundaries of Larkfield. 

He always knew how to find her despite the nature of her home; once their home. He walked along common roads and paths for days before slipping into a nondescript forest, a flash of rich cerulean cloth tied to a high branch the only indicator that he was in the correct place. He kept his steps quiet and measured, the glow of a large campfire finally breaking through the din of the dense forest and bringing a sense of comfort to his breast. Caius slipped through the treeline, hood high and steps sure, and came to stand beside several figures gathered around the beckoning fire. 

“Evening, gentlemen.” He spoke up during a lull of conversation, grinning beneath his cowl at the way each person jumped at the sound of his voice. 

“Lucien! Gods alive, you really have to stop doing that.” A brawny man covered from head to toe in various tattoos laughed loud and free from deep in his belly. He had missed that sound far more than he ever thought he would.

“Now where would the fun in that be?” He grinned and let his hood fall away just as the color of his hair and face drained away. He only felt comfortable dropping the facade here, among the people that had known him since birth. His once fair skin faded away to a pale slate gray and his hair stripped away to a brilliant white while the white of his eyes bled away to black. Where the enigmatic Caius had once been now stood a statuesque facsimile of a person with no remarkable features; a blank slate. 

“Is your mother expecting you?” A young woman spoke from across the fire, seemingly unperturbed by the eerie metamorphosis that had just taken place in the span of seconds. 

“No, thought I’d surprise her.” Once Caius, now Lucien, chuckled as they let their cloak fall away completely before rolling up the sleeves of their shirt to alleviate some of the heat from the fire. Streaks of shimmering gold littered their skin, long healed scars left behind from acts of hubris and bravery alike. 

“She’ll be delighted to see you, we set her up just beyond the cook’s cart.” A grizzled looking man spoke as he tossed a few twigs into the fire. “She’s not with anyone at the moment so you’re good.” He winked and Lucien could only smile fondly at the assurance. 

“Wonderful. I’ll catch up with you all later.” Lucien turned and made their way through the camp with a wave over their shoulder. They walked the line of various carts, each marked with a crude symbol to designate their purpose: the tattoo artist, the apothecary, the jeweler, a general shop, the cook, and the fortune teller. They stopped at this one, smiling at the indigo drapery dotted with constellations as they pushed past the beads in the doorway and found comfort in the way they clicked and clattered just as they had in their memories. 

“Ma?” They called before entering the main space of the cart, a smile breaking over their face at the sight of their mother gently sorting through a stack of cards. “Hi.” They whispered almost like a child, and somehow they always felt a little like one whenever they came home. 

“Lucien!” Their mother, Astrid, beamed from the little circle of cushions she’d been sitting in. She rose in a swirl of tassels, skirts, and wavy brown hair. Her arms instantly crushed them to her chest and her lips wasted no time in pressing to their temple. They melted into the embrace, the gnawing and rushing thoughts that had risen to a horrible crescendo of anxiety fading away with each inhale of her familiar scent. Incense and herbs and home.

“How have you been, my darling?” Astrid asked as she pulled away, one hand lingering on their shoulders as the other pinched their chin and turned their face this way and that. It was a familiar song and dance - Lucien pretended they weren’t routinely putting theirself in mortal danger and Astrid inspected them closely each time they returned to the caravan. 

“Fine, busy.” They finally tugged their chin away and led their mother back to the cushions. They urged her to sit before moving to the tiny stove where they put the kettle on to boil. 

“You’ve been busy since the day you were born, that doesn’t tell me anything.” She held up her empty cup when they turned and they took it from her to refill once the water was ready. “I heard about Sir Reinald.”

“Did you?” Lucien answered noncommittally and lifted a random tin of leaves to their nose. Their face scrunched at the scent and they hastily set it aside before grabbing another and repeating the action. 

“Mm, seems a little hero made sure his crimes were exposed to all of Larkfield.” They could sense the knowing smile she directed at their back. 

“Perhaps not a hero but a fool.” They muttered, pinching the leaves into the cups. It’d been a long time since they’d done a reading. 

“Oh, shush now. Doing what is right is never foolish, Lucien. I just hope they’re being careful and don’t get caught.” She raised her brow and they were instantly five years old, clutching a stolen trinket and wallowing in their mother’s disappointment. 

“I’m sure they are.” Lucien replied, watching the leaves swirl violently as they poured in the scalding water. “Rumor has it they have help now.” 

“Oh?” Astrid perked up, practically sitting on her knees, and they were reminded of how very young their mother was. She’d only been freshly in her fifteenth year when she gave birth to them, just a child herself and newly welcomed to this very band of merchants and performers. They’d grown together in a strange way and perhaps that was a large factor in how they’d found themselves considering their own mother as their dearest friend. 

“Mm. Word is they’ve met a brawler type, good with their hands and thus far loyal.” Lucien joined Astrid at the low table and set a cup in front of her while cradling their own between their palms, swiping their thumb over the chipped handle. 

“Thus far? Do they think he’ll betray them?” She wondered as she dropped a few cubes of sugar among the soggy leaves. Her dark eyes were too knowing, too piercing, and they were forced to look away and into their own drink. 

“People will always betray you,” They spoke to their own sepia reflection as Astrid dropped three cubes into their tea. “Ma don’t waste-” 

“Shush. Has this man given them any reason to suspect a betrayal?” She wondered as she stirred her drink with the tiniest spoon Lucien had ever seen, and yet somehow it looked perfectly in place in their mother’s dainty, manicured hands. 

“Not yet, but it will come.” They simply swirled the cup a few times before deeming it mixed enough to take a sip. They avoided their mother’s eyes until she tucked a finger beneath their chin and drew their gaze towards her. 

“Lucien, some people are simply good and you must let them be.” She smiled fondly as her thumb swiped at the corner of their pale lips, just over where they were bisected with a golden scar. “Do you consider me a traitor?”

“Of course not but you’re the exception, not the rule.” They shook their head and squeezed the cup between their palms. 

“Oh, my darling. I know the world has been cruel but it is not inherently so. You can’t turn your back on the good for fear of the bad.” 

“Am I meant to turn my back to the bad so it may stab me when I least expect?” 

Astrid groaned, clearly exasperated with a conversation they’d had many, many times before. 

“You know that is not what I’m saying, you’re being obtuse on purpose,” she chided and gently slapped their knee. Lucien couldn’t help but smile in the face of her fond frustration. “Stay vigilant, but stay kind. Kindness is not weakness, Lucien, I know you know this.” 

“I do,” they acquiesced and took a long, calming sip of the almost-too-sweet tea. “Their new ally… I have heard he is kind. He smiles often and with his whole heart.” They confessed, voice nearly a whisper. 

“And he’s good to them?” She asked, once again far too perceptive for her own good. 

“Far too kind. He is a fool who will someday find himself in a snare.” Lucien ran their thumb over the chipped handle again. 

“Then I hope the hero protects him. Family is important, whether it’s one you’re born into or one you build.” Astrid applied the slightest pressure to their knee, a reassuring squeeze that was both comfort and warning. “What do the leaves say?” 

Lucien drained the remaining liquid from the cup and set it on the crowded table in front of them, careful not to topple any of the stacks of cards. The dregs formed the vague shape of a kite, hovering just near the lip of the mug. 

“Quite the reading, hero.” Astrid smiled and they did not miss the way she tucked her own mug to the side, a clear shape of a cross settled at the bottom. 

Lucien had never put much stake in leaf readings anyway.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘𓅪∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Lucien didn’t stay long, just a single evening surrounded by family and friends from long ago. They all filled their bellies with food and drink and shared stories around the fire until the morning light crept through the thick canopy above. With the light of dawn they crept away to make their leave, effectively avoiding the discomfort of saying goodbye as most were now asleep. Shrugging on both the cloak and his identity, Caius returned to the ruins within a matter of days. 

Where he normally found comfort in the hollow echo of his steps down the winding stairs he found only unease. He could not hear Aries within the halls, could not hear the way his heavy steps or groans of frustration projected his presence, despite the lit torches that indicated he was here. There was no friendly greeting or immediate questions of his day, only a cloying silence that put Caius on edge. 

Slowly, he made his way towards their makeshift bedrooms, ignoring his own door for the one propped open beside it. He carefully nudged the wood to swing just a fraction of an inch, just enough so he could see inside, and the sight twisted his gut and had him swallowing a snarl. Aries sat beside his own bed, half asleep with a damp cloth in hand. A figure Caius did not know slept in the bed, too pale and too small. 

This time, he deliberately shoved the door to ensure it would squeak and announce his presence in the archway. Sure enough Aries lifted his head with a startle, alarm and guilt immediately evident in his eyes. Good. 

“Aries.” Caius lifted a brow and leaned his shoulder against the entryway with a calmness he did not feel. Barely contained rage rippled beneath his skin but he would at the very least allow his companion to explain himself, no matter how shoddy the excuse may prove to be. 

“Cai,” Aries spoke softly and rose from his chair. He spared a glance back at the figure sleeping on the bed and Caius sunk his nails into his own palms, only just stopping himself from grabbing Aries and demanding he look at him. He was the danger here, not the slumbering interloper. “Please let me explain.” He implored, warm hand coming to rest on Caius’ shoulder as he coaxed him out of the room. 

“Then explain.” Caius wasted no words as he crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance. He had only allowed himself to be maneuvered just outside the door where they could offer the stranger a poor attempt at peace. 

“He was caught stealing in the market today. The guard thought they’d use him for their usual games,” Aries said the word with a sneer and it painted a vivid picture in Caius’ mind. He knew what cruel games the guards liked to play, the way they would beat and break and crush their captives beneath their heels. “He’s just a boy, Cai, I couldn’t leave him in the street and no one even took the time to look at him.” Gods damn Aries’ gentle, bleeding heart. 

Caius took a moment to assess the situation, closing his eyes and drawing in a number of slow and measured breaths. He lifted a hand and swiped it from his temples to his jaw, massaging pressure points all the way. 

“Cai?” Aries spoke softly, tenderly, in that way he usually reserved for when they were tangled in bed and he was trying to urge Caius to stay. 

“It’s fine. I understand why you did it.” He wasn’t sure if he would have made the same choice, and he hated himself a little for it. “How long has he been here?” 

“Since yesterday afternoon. He only woke up once but he was pretty out of it, they hit his head pretty hard.” Aries explained and Caius watched as his shoulders dropped and the crease between his brows lessened. It was good that he knew the severity of what he’d done. 

“And I assume you’ve been with him all the while. Go to my quarters and get some rest, I’ll take over.” Caius waved him away and took a step in the direction of Aries’ room only to halt at a gentle tug on his elbow. 

“You just got back, you need to rest too.” Aries insisted, the crease returning but this time in concern. 

“I’m fine.” Caius carefully removed the grasp around his arm. “I’m quite rested after my visit. Sleep, Aries. I can spare a few hours to tend to your impromptu patient.” 

Aries hesitated just a moment and Caius could see each thought, each doubt, flicker across his face before it settled into quiet resignation. 

“Alright, but come get me whenever you feel tired.” He only nodded before continuing into Aries’ quarters. Now that shock and anger were no longer waging a battle in his stomach he could take a long look at the boy in the bed. 

He couldn’t be more than sixteen, his skin bruised and sallow and his dark hair wiry and unkempt. His features were different and yet so similar Caius could almost see the ghost of an old friend in front of him and it brought him up short. He froze, hand hovering just above the boy’s brow. A tremble ran through his body before he blinked it away and snatched the cold cloth.

He turned his back to the bed and dipped the cloth in a basin of water beside the bed, squeezing the excess water with mechanical movements. He was grateful when he turned around and no longer saw a memory but a stranger. Gently, he set the cloth on the boy’s forehead and allowed himself to relax into the well-crafted chair beside the bed where he slowly relaxed, loose limbed and exhausted both emotionally and physically. 

Aries wouldn’t wake for several hours but when he entered the room Caius instantly glanced up. The boy was sitting up on the bed, picking at a platter of various different foods and sipping at a mug of tea. He looked better; color had returned to his cheeks and his various bandages were neat and clean. 

“Was I out long?” Aries asked, voice still rough with the remnants of sleep. 

“Not terribly, Thorn woke just a bit ago.” Caius replied, watching from the corner of his eye as the name brought a smile to the boy’s face. 

“Your name is Thorn?” Aries wondered as he came to stand just behind the wooden chair, his large palm resting against Caius’ shoulder naturally. With anyone else, he would have found it oppressive and annoying. He despised the way it felt like comfort. 

“It is now.” Caius answered when the boy seemed too shy, shrinking in on himself slightly. “Will you be alright if I speak with my friend for a moment?” 

Thorn nodded eagerly and shoved another piece of food in his mouth, though he was careful not to eat too quickly and risk upsetting his fragile stomach. Caius offered him the best smile he could and hoped it came across as comforting and approving. He stood and led Aries just outside the door to the very spot they’d stood hours ago. 

“He’s staying,” he announced with no preamble and ignored the way Aries’ eyebrows rose dramatically. “And so is anyone else that may need it. You were right, this space is empty, we could do with some company.” 

“Caius, are you serious?” Aries wondered and Caius couldn’t help but give a genuine smile at the hope in his voice. 

“I am. The world is cruel but that does not mean we have to be. We can provide safety and shelter to those who need it. Thorn has the makings of an excellent pickpocket, stole my own keys right out from under me when I was changing his bandages. We can give him a home and a place to hone his skills.” He shrugged as if his thought process was very simple. It sounded selfless in practice, far more selfless than he was capable of being, and that was because it was not. It would just be another means to an end, transactional as all things in life were. 

He couldn’t help but wonder if he was any better than the very people he killed.

“You’re doing a good thing, Cai. We can help a lot of people with this, a lot of people like us.” Aries gestured between the two of them and the door, “People cast out and forgotten by society, people othered in the eyes of the nobility or their peers.” 

“Emphasis on the we. You will be helping me, Aries.” Caius watched none of Aries’ excitement waver. 

“Of course I will be, we’re partners, hm?” 

“Yes, I suppose we are.” 

[dapper-lil-arts]

Out of curiosity, have you read other MLP fanfics and if you did, what are your favorites?

Oh yeah, i read a few! Not many stand out in my brain, but let me look through my favorites list on fimfic: Writing friend of mine, Redhoodie21 writes lots of really fun compelling one-shots with wonderful prose, imma just send their whole catalogue lol. But this one is my favorite, Sunset Shimmer as an alienated warrior with mommy issues? Impecable This one stands out as a rare one where its sciset, when they're both still "evil", Sunset being an bitch and scitwi being a mad scientist and hitting it off. This one is probably my favorite comedy fic ever, it's just kind of hilarious and yet plausible that so many mares would activelly pursue AJ. The ending is a bit predictable but everything else is a baaaanger. The same writer also wrote a series where the Equestria girls cast hunts the undead and it has some badass mom principal celestia on it. Iconic as hell. Super inspiring and fun, having the EQG cast get to do insane badass stuff!

A friend of mine wrote tons of cute self indulgent fics, but the standout for me is one where Misty from gen 5 is trained by Sunset Shimmer to be better, stronger, cooler! Its super adorable and allows characters that would never ever meet in canon but have much in common to show their chemistries in some really fun ways!

This one's a classic, just good old fashioned sciset, one of the first fics I ever written, actually! I remember it fondly!

This one's an honest to goodness horror fic with rarijack! a pretty fun and chiling tale that has an incredibly well put together take on ghosts n shit. My only complaints are that they didn't even mack on each other and also we as a society need to acknoledge how funny this is: "Hey fellas is it gay that the phantom manifestation of your loneliness took the form of your best friend and you cuddle it at night for comfort?"

This one has two sequels, and it's another one of those comedy fics but this time, one that acknowledges that sex is hilarious, which it is

This right here feels like it was written specifically for me, catering to my interests, babey. Centuries old Twilight and Sunset as alicorns, ruling together having already advanced Equestria into a golden age and loving each other so, SO goddamn hard. and above all, we get a badass "WHERE'S MY WIFE" tale of an godlike shimmer lmao-- Something I've written myself!

Also I'm currently working on one of my most self indulgent works lmao, rewriting both Sunset's entire backstory and rewriting forgotten friendship all in the same story :)

[wangxianficrecs]

💙 Between the Lines by Witch_Nova221

💙 Between The Lines

by Witch_Nova221 (@witchnova221)

M, 153k, Wangxian

Summary: As Wei Wuxian walks a lonely road, he writes frequently to Lan Wangji in Cloud Recesses, unable to receive a reply as he moves from place to place. When fate forces him to remain in place for longer than anticipated, his friend is finally able to reply. With a page and distance between them, words come easier and slowly they come to an understanding of their feelings for each other. When Lan Wangji receives an unexpected letter from Wei Wuxian's hosts though, his hopes of a future for the pair of them is shattered. Refusing to give up, Lan Wangji makes a journey and learns to read between the lines of the story he has been told. Kay's comments: This story. THIS STORY. I was reading it when it first came and out and I have found myself re-reading it frequently, because I like to hurt myself. No worries, there's a happy ending, but... BUT! There's going to be a part in this story where you won't believe that a happy end is truly coming, but it is coming, I promise. It follows The Untamed canon, with Lan Wangji becoming Chief Cultivator and Wei Wuxian travelling and then they start exchanging letters and they confess~ Very sweet, if it wasn't for the heavy angst (which I also love and live for.) And also, impecable found family vibes in this one <3 It starts with as an epistolary but not the entire story is written as an exchange of letters. Excerpt: I do hope you will find time to send a line or two, even if it is just to let me know that you are all well. I keep you all in my thoughts and in my prayers if I ever do pass a shrine that calls to me. Think of your old friend won’t you. I think of you often. As always, I hope you are safe and well and happy. Oh and I shall fathom another guess, as I do every letter, of the title of your song. Today I think it works along the lines of 'ode to a ridiculous boy who is daft enough to get half chewed upon by an ancient tortoise'. Am I close yet? Will you tell me if I have already guessed it in my other letters? I look forward to knowing when I finally get it right. Faithfully yours Wei Wuxian

pov alternating, post-canon, post-the untamed, the untamed compliant, chief cultivator lan wangji, epistolary, letters, love letters, developing relationship, eventual romance, getting together, love confessions, long-distance relationship, families of choice, angst, hurt/comfort, heavy angst, lan wangji/wei wuxian get a happy ending, heavy angst, cultivation sect politics, podfic available

~*~

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[yurucamp]

do you have any movie/book recommendations? your taste is impecable

thank you for flattering me, i'm honored that you think so!!

i really just started watching movies (insofar as this is possible) so my recommendations are limited but i adore july rain, it's free on youtube in high definition. it's fantastically shot, i find it comforting and uplifting in a deeply sincere way. angel's egg is far and way the most stunning animated film i can imagine. mirror is visually and textually so dense it's remarkable. i watched the koker trilogy recently and they were just a joy to watch, really beautiful and so diligently made, at the same time incredibly simple and complex

i put links to the letterboxd pages so i can spare you me trying to describe the plot/synopsis of a film hehe

as far as books go... i really like platonov, i recommend reading one of his short stories (maybe among animals and plants) and if you connect with his writing style, read happy moscow, the foundation pit, or the collection of his short stories (usually published with the novella soul, which is not one of my favorites honestly)

i also love elizabeth bishop's poetry, my entire soul is located within the stanzas of at the fishhouses. i recommend one of her collected works

anyone, please send me any movies or books you've read and appreciated lately, i'm happy for anyone to share their recommendations!!

[em1989ts]

omg loved ur across the universe work!!! it is now truly canon for me because the way in which you created a better ending than the fucking showrunners did? impecable. love u sm fr 😚🩷

tysm!! i'm so glad you enjoyed it!! <33

i really do not like any of the writing in season four either and honestly i'm a believer that it should've ended after season three lolll

love u 2 <33

[speakyskelly-1999]

keanu

keanu

keanu

eveyones favorite guy

look at him

he vibing

so my friends and i decided to watch all of (some of lets be real) keanu's filmogoraphy

and it's been a blast

basically one of my friends just really wanted to watchh all 4 matix's and i said i would if we went through all his films

i'm normal okay

i just really wanted an excuse to watch speed, my favorite keanu film

(okay the fact that i like know the timestamp that gif is taking from shows i'm very normal)

so any way

...

errr

fuck

ye

we've watched about half of them now

and like i could wait till we've finished all of them to talk about them#

but i won't

cos i won't remember all of them

so without further ado

keanu movies we've watched so far

(formatted like godzilla maybe)

(but not in watch order cos i don't rmember)

(fuck you)

(also i bet i can get a gif for each movie)

bill and ted's exellent adventures:

8/10 very funny, thought they'd have a third act break up but they didn't which was baised. will rewatch again. absolute classic. the nothing behind the eyes with ted was chef's kiss

point break:

oh, oh wow, oh that like ot intense, i wasn't expecting it to get that intence. damn okay. very good movie 8/10 won't be rewatching it any time soon, also johnny gets wet in the water of the sea

(keanu being called some varient of john, getting wet, and being depressed are come comon features of keanu's movies)

(the power point will make this clearer in the future)

bill and ted's bogus journey:

good sequal like 7/10 just cos the first is such a classic and a new idea but it was really well done. gotta love death

bram stoker's dracula:

omg he's depressed, gets wet and is called johnathen, tick. otherwise this films was garbage. he cannot do an enlish accent which was funny and actually enjoyable. keanu's proformence was the only enjoyable part of the movie. 1/10 i'd rather rewatch godzilla final wars and pocahuntus

(realising i havn't geven my disney reviews here it's fine all do that at some point

.... maybe)

Speed:

omg it's my favorite keanu movie. hehehe my friends trust my taste cos of like this movie and legally blonde. hehehe. 10/10 no note. i am bnot bias. okay but in all fairness it is really good and the script is really well thought out. don't watch speed 2 no keanu

johnny mnemonic:

god i could write a whole paragraph about this movie. from the short story written by the father of cyberpunk, to it's buched production, to the actual film, to the japanese cut which was more like what it was supose to be. aaaah. this movie is not good. it's vibes are impecable. ice-T is there. jones the cybernetic dolphin who was recrited by the military and was forcefully adicted to drugs to ensure his loyalty was the fucking highlight. random prest guy who is addicted to tech who is a hit man to fuel is addiction is funny. like critically this movie is a 2/10 but emotionally, but vibes wise, but on a purly primeveil basist, 10/10 movie. watch the japanese cut it makes more sense it's just on youtube

you're welcome

so imma just take a moment and say this, keanu reves movies are hard to find

like the only ones on streaming are johnny mnemonic on amazon prime, the day the earth stood still on disney and speed which is also on disney. oh and spone on the run which is on netflix. like non of the john wicks. only matirx 4 on netflix. it's wild. so shout out to cex and hmv for having the real goods

another side note i can spell mnemonic and cardasian fine and yet i have to quote aritha franklin to spell respect

anyway back to it

the matrix:

yea i should have believed my friends when they said this was the transes movie in existance. i see it. no straights here. only the gays. man this movie was a slay. genuinly no idea why i just haddn't seen it yet. 8/10

the matrix reloaded:

oooh, a ten miniet looney tunes agent smith fight scene. ooooh a 15 motorway fight scene. mmmmh okay. yea the action is fun but maaaaan the plot fucking stalls, 4/10

the matrix revolations:

omg is the plot moving again. omg yay. i really like this one which seems to be like an umpopular oppinion. i dunno. i liked it. i liked it's ending it worked. fuck you. 7/10

the day the earth stood still 2008:

omg, omg is that john ham yay. klaatu my main man was grat. got a jaden smith jumpscare and the girl from lybrinth jumpscare aswell. had a lot of fun. we also watched the 1951 version and personally i prefer that one but stilll thisnmovie was great. 7/10 climate change is a threat and we're the virus

john wick:

yea erm yea you shouldn't have killed that dog man. 8/10

john wick 2:

okay but like it was a slay that she killed herself, real power move. also winston is a real g. 7/10 great pasing

bill and ted face the music:

omg. omg they have louis armstong. omg omg omg. jimi hendrix. motzard. KID CUDI! AAAAH THIS MOVIE WAS MADE FOR ME. also has the girl from I Saw The TV Glow which my friend loved. 7/10 again not as good as the classic but holy shit was this line up of hiistorical people for me

the matric resurrection:

neil partick harris i'll kill you. how do you keep ending up in things i watch. i sware i'll end up watching your entrire filmography by watching other peoples. stop it. you haunt me. i liked this movie a lot. like it deffo helps watching the matrix series almost back to back. good stuff, and all the recasting and stuff was the right call i think. this and face the music have like the same weird vibe to them that i weirdly like. oh and keanu is depressed and get wet. also i love the fact that trinity just punches neil patrick harris mutiple time. i'm not biased and idk why you'd think that :) 6/10

and thats all the keanu films i've watched so far

not gonna lie was wondering about half way though how long a tumblr post can be hehehe

i shall be back once i've watched the remaineding films

and then the power point hehehe

[missholloween]

i really love how so many people here think I'm so cool and even slightly scary when I'm reality I'm such a loser (cool and charming one, but a loser notheless).

Like, I had too many curtwen thoughts so I decided to play sucker for love date to die for. There are so many reasons that wasn't a good idea, given that:

It was midinight (rn it's almost 1am), and this game is a survival horror game

I haven't touch it for MONTHS since i played chapter one, and I shouldn't be playing it right now

I'm genuinely tired.

It is also important to note that it is also a dating sim where lovecraftian gods are anime girls. Simultaneously, it's also one of the best Lovecraft adaptations I've read (and I've read/seen/played quite a lot) AND the main character is ace. Really recommend it if you're into the mythos, the writing is Impecable

Anyways everyday I'm closer to kissing Rhok'zan, she's so in love with me it makes her look stupid <3

[emilys-bangs]

I LOVE THE WAY YOU WRITE EMILY SO SO MUCH really I love clingy Emily and you do it impecably 👌 this might be a weird request but think you could write something like reader is upset after a case so Emily just wants to comfort her and they shower tg and snuggle into bed and just really fluffy and all that? Doesn’t have to be smut I just want some Emily comfort. No worried if not!!!!

Tysm for requesting, the fic for this can be found here💗

[popculturebuffet]

Into the Spider-Verse: SP//dr: Edge of Spider-Verse #5 (Sponsored by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy webheads and welcome back to our second dose of action as your reward… for what I don't know. Maybe you petted a dog recently or something and they were a very good boy/girl. I don't know. With our main spider-trio clear, we're now into the other three spider-persons starting with our only other spider-woman SP//dr.. which is going to be annoying to type out already I can tell you that.

SP//dr is also the only spider-person in this retrosepective to not really have a lot of indivdual focus. She's mostly shown up in team up events only getting one shots in this and the edge of spider-geddon mini series, and the most she's gotten for a solo is a story arc is marvel unimited's spider-verse series. In contrast looking at the other spider-people miles is on his fifth solo series and has tons of minis, gwen has had three solo series and also tons of minis, Spider-Pig had a short lived solo we'll be visiting soon and multiple minis and while never having an ongoing, Noir has had three full mini series and a few one shots. And of course peter has had multiple runs of amazing, spectacular and adjetivelss spider-man along with marvel team up, giant size spider-man, two volumes of web of spider-man and spider-man unlimited, untolt tales of spider-man, two volumes of sensastional spider-man, webspinners tales of spiderman, spider-man's tangeled web, avenging spider-man, and spider-man/deadpool among COUNTLESS mini series. What i'm saying is while Peni has a great issue here and a great concept she really hasn't had the big character defining storyline most of her peers got, and out of the 6 chosen, she's easily the obscure pick, though it likely helped Lord and Miller switched out her origins considerably while leaning into the anime style to give them another distinct spidey to roll with. Kimiko Glenn's impecable as always performance probably didn't hurt.

So going into this.. Peni was a mystery to me, as I hadn't read this issue, spider-verse or spider-geddon. And boy howdy was this a massive fun suprise: For starters Peni was co-created by GERARD FUCKING WAY. For those who don't know him

But for those who don't, Gerard was, and maybe still is?, the lead singer and creative force of the emo band to end all emo bands My Chemical Romance. Naturally my faviorite album is their last one, an over the top and glorious punk album set in a comic style corprate wasteland and where Grand Motherfucking Morrison played the main bad guy. No joke, they showed up in two diffrent videos as the character. He rocks.

And for most people being a world famous rock star and having his own money bin only with pennies painted pink , black and red would be enough. For Gerard.. he wanted to write comics too and was damn good at it. He created Umbrella Academy out of his love for the x-men, which as far as I know he has'nt gotten to work on and i'ts a damn crime, and Doom Patrol, one of my faviorite DC Comcis teams. Thankfully he DID get to work on the latter and rescued them from a decades long limbo, crafting a run that's as batshit insane as it is damn fun and creative. It may not entirely make sense at times but like Morrison's own team defining run, it dosen't always need to to be awesome. He's also written multiple comics based on Danger Days, the album I mentioned, and the 12 issue series Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye. While his work is sporadic it's always memorable and this is no exception. So look alive sunshine as we plug in under the cut.

We open with the death of a spider-man: Peni Parker's dad peter dies horribly. How?

But there are two key points from this striking two page spread: SP//dr the man is dead.. btu the actual spider somehow bonded with him is alive

We then cut to young peni parker, age 10, who talks to her uncle ben and aunt mei who break the news which she takes with chilling calm… and then ask her to bond with SP//dr to help defend japan… and also prove their GREAT new caretakers by revealing they released the genetically altered spider her dad died with into the room to bite her without making sure she was okay with it. It bites her and a new spider is added to the web. As you can tell… they changed the tone a LOT with Peni. In the movie she's mostly just "LOOK ANIME'. Here.. it's more cyberpunk, with SP//dr likewise having a more mechanical design. I get Why they did it.. but wish they'd still kept peni unique while making her look anime instead of being generic anime school girl with robot buddy. Especially since SP//dr's armor is fucking sick looking as you could see on the cover

5 years later, she's on duty as this universe's mysterio is attacking.. and also really weird. While the guy inside we'll find out is some nerd in a cool suit and weird globe as usual… his way of attacking the populace is this cool ominous floating doom orb

It's honestly a hell of an interpretation and makes me mad we didn't get to see MORE of way's takes on various spidey rogues, as he naturally goes all out with it while still keeping the core: mysterio is still a showman, but more as a mad artist than a hollywood schster, and his hallucinations gas is stil la thing now just poored onto the street> The art is also incredible, fitting Way's pop punk astetic like a glove, being both colorful while also fitting the mildly gritty tone: this work is cyberpunk but more the anime brand with lots of flash and sound, aka the better version. Aunt May serves as Peni's mission contorla s she prepares to get in, admits sh'es a vegetarian and crashes in on mysterio while playing the song Love is a Weapon by Cult Summer Feat Gloss.. which is a song i'm not even sure actually exists.

What we get is an awesome sequence as our mechanized heroine busts in.. sadly she dosen't say this

But I think she DOES meet this guy eventually so it balances out. It's awesome especially once the hallucinogens kick in and our hero has to punch the guy out. We also find out he's a looney fan who sent her a mix cd.

We then cut to.. school as we see peni's id is public: SP//dr which is both the suit and the spider, and is confusing as you would imagine is there, and when Daredevil shows up to pick her up for superhero stuff she's excused. There's also what looks like anime mj looking at her. Neat.

I like this unvierse's daredevil too: he seems to work as SP//dr's handler, ;ally and a friend of her dad's, has a nice look to him (lookiing like armored daredevil but less 90's and more badass), and ikt's again why I wish we knew more or got a series, even a mini as this universe really ISN'T that explored. I mean granted given how way's work can go we could get more questions than answers, but we'd also get some real neat shit along the way.

We also get a really nice bit where the two break for lunch… where Peni both admits she's tired and asks about her dad. While we don't see MUCH of her here.. we get plenty of character as it's clear Peni feels lost, coming off stoic.. but it's clear there's a real sadness to her: She lost her dad, there's a job she was forced into and didn't ask for and she can never really have a normal life, something Peter, Miles and Gwen all struggle with, but it's magnified here: all of them at least can TRY thanks to the mask. Peni.. is stuck with everyone knowing she's the spider-person and we see that not having to hide.. doesn't make her feel any less alone.

The ending… is a bit more tied into the event than Gwen's.. I mean granted anything's better than

Btu the last few pages are Peni being greeted by Spider-Ham, does whatever a spider-pig does and Old Man Spider. Old Man Spider, who I hadn't seen before this is Ezikiel. He's a LOT to explain and I could just brush over it.. but i'm a wordy bastard so instead here's

JAKE EXPLAINS AN OLD SPIDER-MAN MOST OF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AND DON'T CARE EXISTS

During the early good parts of J. Micheal Strazenski's long run on spider-man, we found out spider-man was tied into the "web of life and death" and picked as the spider-totem for his universe, with the reason he has so many animal foes being their drawn to him via destiny and stuff. I think it's fine: it's not a necessary explanation but I don't mind adding some magic to peter's science based world. He soon met Ezikel, a successful businessman who also had spider-powers and used them for personal gain, but showed up to help Peter against morlun, a mystical vampire man who hunts spider-people who was cool at the time but sadly got a bunch of generic siblings who are the main reason i'm not super into reading spider-verse and were wisely replaced with kingpin for the movie. Point is he's a cool old guy and in this universe peter died fighting morlun, so Eziekl became spider-man.

Anyways our heroes go to get the suit, and we get Peni stating she's a weapon to keep going till termination, seeing her once again brush her emotions aside… because the reality is too terrifying. All that matters is the job. So with that our spider-'s swing off and we get Spider-Ham's classic catchphrase.

I mean i'ts no crackers and milk... oh who am I kidding it's SO crackers and milk. That'll do pig. That'll do. INto The Spider-Verse #5 is amazing, a ncie short story. If I have any complaint it's that it feels fragmented, with three diffrent stories: peni fighting mysterio, peni and daredevil fighting thgs mysterio told them about, and spider-verse spider-verse. But the energetic tone, art and great characterization for peni means it comes quick, hits hard and leaves a hell of an impression. Hopefully we'll see Peni again in al lher death metal glory. For now.. this is a nice single tha tstands on it's own

Next Time: Just say Noir as a very different Peter Parker must avenge his uncle's murder and dawn a spiffy fedora.

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

i fell in love with the circle of magic books when i accidently read briar's book first, distinctly at the moment when two academic professors are arguing over who gets to keep one of the main characters for an assistant, and while one guy is like

"I need her bc she's one of the only mages strong enough to power my spell so we can find the origin of this plague that's killing ppl"

and the other guy's counter argument was

"BUT SHE HAS PERFECT HANDWRITING, IMPECABLE FOCUS, TRIPPLE CHECKS HER WORK AND MINE, AND HER ORGANIZATIONS SKILLS ARE UNMATCHED WE MADE MORE PROGRESS TOWARDS A CURE WITH HER AROUND THAN WE HAVE IN DAYS SCREW HER MAGIC LET ME KEEP MY NEW SECRETARY!"

and i don't know what it says about kid me that i was 100% on his side and cheering him on bc i too wanted to see trisanna chandler, the most powerful weather witch to possibly ever exist, file more papers and write more notes and stuff