#there is only so many ways you can gush over a chemistry

[baby-xemnas]

oh my gosh a fic by u would be so wonderful, ur art and thread pieces always inspire me so much u have such wonderful ideas it'd be super cool to see that in fic from u!! (But also i think ur comics esp r smthn special so even if u never do fic ur ideas come out rlly lovely in art) ofc I always worry abt my writing as well so I def understand hangups but I personally am cheering u on!!

you guys are so darn nice ily thanks

for everyone who only see the word fic pop up a lot - i wasnt planning on writing a fic! theres no plan there's no idea

but if i do think that something is solid enough that can carry me through writing at least a couple thousand words ill def refer to these nice asks ♥♥♥

[hollowdeath]

hii! I love love loveee ur harry fic. can I request a modern au where harry and fem reader are both famous actors, they get paired up to do a movie where they have to do a s3x scene, and things get pretty heated off set as well ~

hi! thank you so much for requesting, i really enjoyed writing this! i hope you like it!

pairing: harry james potter x fem!reader AU (18+)

summary: you're filming your first romance movie that features a sex scene with harry potter (early 20's), an actor you've only ever seen on the big screen. despite both of your nerves, a growing chemistry between you two leads to something more in the dressing room.

content warning: smut!!! dry humping, oral sex, penetration

word count: 8.7k (i can't write short blurbs i swear lol)

you were currently sitting in the hair and makeup chair chatting with the stylist about each other's respective careers, laughing and messing around before your official call time. you always went out of your way to talk to the crew on any set you worked, not just to be respectful, but also to make everyone comfortable around you right away.

it was a little hard to grasp from your perspective as you were only thrust into the spotlight a few years ago, but you were in enough successful movies that you were now pretty recognizable to most people. not that long ago you were just like everyone else, a fan of celebrities yourself who went to premiers and fawned over meeting them. today, those same people are technically your coworkers. it's something you're still learning to accept as your new normal.

that being the case, it was easy for people to feel a bit intimidated by you. you were well-liked, by both fans and people in the industry, and already highly-acclaimed with quite a few notable awards/nominations under your belt in just a couple years. and while you took your acting seriously, in your real life you were very different from the stoic characters you played. funny, warm, personable, always trying to lighten the mood - you were a pleasure to work with in every sense, so the intimidating preconception people had of you would quickly melt away.

"wow, jen, it must be so cool being able to work with so many celebrities all around the world," you sighed. the stylist, jenny, gives you a bewildered look in the reflection of the mirror. "well, you do that too y'know? you're one of those celebrities that people will ask me, 'oh my god, what's she like?'" she laughs at you, finishing up the final details of your hair.

you give her a half smile, feeling a blush rise on your cheeks. "okay, well, i guess…but it's not the same. i'd love to travel as much as you do. i know it's for work, but i'm sure you get to see some pretty incredible places," you gush. jenny smiles back at you.

"i do, it's nice and all, but you get to be on the big screen with some pretty handsome faces," she teases. "i mean, that movie with timothee you just did?" she practically moans. "i would do anything for that boy," she laughs.

your blush only worsens. being a young woman in the industry you're very often paired with actors around your age, almost always men, to have a romance plot line with. it seems like no matter how artistic, action-packed, or sad the movie is, they just can't let you leave without having you makeout with said actor at least a million times before getting 1 good take. after a while it becomes so routine that it loses all novelty. kissing becomes meaningless and these 'heartthrobs' just become coworkers to you.

"please, timothee's like my brother at this point," you roll your eyes, pulling out your phone to check the time. just a few more minutes before you have to leave and be on set. "and i'd much rather do his makeup than makeout with him in front of everyone again," you laugh, putting your phone back in your pocket.

"well, y'know, i was doing the potter boy's makeup just before i came in. wouldn't mind making out with him a few times, lucky duck," she teases you, starting to pack up her equipment.

harry potter. the name was familiar to you. he was an actor around your age who started getting more roles at the same time you did. you always seemed to miss each other at award shows and premiers, so you haven't been properly introduced yet, but you had been somewhat excited to work with him on this movie.

it was your first proper romance, a book adaptation that you had actually read just a few years prior on your own. you knew the director well and you were his first choice when casting the lead role. at first you were a bit hesitant to accept because you didn't even enjoy the little romance you did in your previous movies, so you weren't sure how you'd feel doing an entire film centered on it. but robert, the director, had convinced you to at least read the script, and you were hooked from there.

it was less of a romance and more of a drama, focused on the downfall of a marriage due to the wife, you, having an affair. that's where potter came in. you learned he was cast for the role of the 'side piece' only a month or so before filming began, and you weren't sure how to feel. on one hand, like jenny said, he wasn't bad looking from what you had seen in his films. however, when you previously did these types of scenes with costars, you at least knew them previously and could be friendly with them between takes. you had never met potter, not even seen him off-screen, and now you have to have an entire affair with him on camera.

that's another thing. you've only ever done heated kissing scenes before, maybe a little undressing and implied nudity, but nothing too explicit. this would be your first real 'sex scene', which just added another layer of awkwardness to the situation on top of not even knowing the basics about each other. to say you were anxious about filming those scenes would be an understatement.

"then you can take my place, cuz i'm not looking forward to it. you know i've never even met him before?" you ask as you stand up from the chair, stretching your body after sitting for over 2 hours. "just gonna introduce myself like, 'yeah, hi, i'm [y/n], nice to meet you. you ready to pretend to fuck passionately for the next 4 hours in front of the catering staff?'" you joke, putting on a voice and pretending to shake jenny's hand. she laughs at you, pulling her hand back and waving you away.

"oh hush, you're gonna do just fine. hell, you might even like it." she gives you a smirk as you just laugh her off. you exchange goodbyes with her, wishing her well and thanking her excessively for her time.

as you're walking through a maze of hallways to find your set, you run into robert. he looks like he's seen a ghost when you greeted him.

"oh…[y/n]...i've been meaning to talk to you…" he says nervously, trying to keep his tone positive. you narrow your eyes at him. you've worked with robert long enough to know when he's about to tell you something he knows will annoy you.

"robert…" you warn him, a hint of sarcasm in your voice. he sighs. "look, just walk with me." he tells you as he walks away, motioning you to follow.

as you catch up to him, he begins trying to find the best way to break the news to you. "see, well…we uh…we think it's best if, uh…maybe…" he stammers, causing you to look at him with concern. you've never seen him this nervous to tell you something. "what? just spit it out, rob." you tell him.

he sighs again, rubbing his forehead. "look, casting just isn't sure on this potter kid yet. we've shot a couple of his solo scenes already, but…" he trails off, trying to find the words again.

"but…?" you ask confused. he gives you an apologetic look. "but…we just need to see his chemistry with you first." robert says. you're just more confused, staring at him blankly. robert slows to a stop and turns to you, his hands raised in innocence.

"it's not my idea, but cast wants you and potter to shoot the sex scene today so they can decide if we're keeping him or not," he admits regretfully.

you're completely dumbfounded. there's a few moments of silence before you can even conjure up a response. "what?"

he sighs yet again, clearly stressed about the situation. "i know, trust me, i know, you weren't excited to do this scene to begin with but…think about it this way," his voice turns to the same fake positivity to try and reassure you.

"if we shoot all the lovey dovey stuff first just to find out there's no chemistry during the sex scene, then we just wasted all your time, all his time, and a lot of money…" he reasons with a strained voice. you're still giving him a death glare, arms crossed, not buying his excuses.

"robert, that doesn't even make any sense. wouldn't we build chemistry over time like any other movie? i thought i had at least a couple weeks to get to know this kid before… you know…" you trail off, blushing from both frustration and embarrassment.

"i know, i know, but cast is really pushing for this other guy, but i've wanted potter in this role as long as i've wanted you as my lead." he says desperately, his hands literally pleading with you. "please, [y/n], i know this isn't cool of me, but i'll do anything you need from me for the rest of filming. for the rest of my life!" he's joking, but there's a hint of seriousness in his voice. "just, please?"

you're still glaring at him, not happy that you're being put in this predicament. you take a second to breathe, trying to think past your anger, and see this from an outside perspective. realistically, even if you and potter did have chemistry outside of the sex scene, it didn't necessarily mean it would transfer over. by filming that first and getting it out of the way, there would be no awkward building of tension over the next few weeks knowing what's to come. and who's to say there even is any chemistry? then they'd end up having to switch him out for an entirely different actor, which could up a lot of time for paperwork and legal fees…

sighing, uncrossing your arms, you give robert a look of defeat. "fine."

robert's relieved, thanking you profusely as he continues to show you the way to the stage. he's trying to babble on about how you're going to do great, and there's nothing to be afraid of, but you can't focus on his words even a little bit because your heart is thumping so loud.

as you walk into the bustling room with robert leading the way, you can't help but search the room for potter's face. you want to at least see who you're going to be dry humping from 4 different angles.

recognizing different crew members you've worked with before, you smile and say hello to each of them as you continue analyzing each face in the room. you only kind of know what he looks like, so it might be a fruitless search, but it's the only thing that can distract you from your growing anxiety.

robert brings you to the catering table, telling you to make sure you eat and drink some water before being pulled into conversation with someone else and, eventually, leaving you behind completely. whatever, you think, he wasn't helping anyway.

grabbing for a water bottle, you drink at least half of it before feeling a tap on your shoulder. you're twisting the cap back on as you turn around.

harry potter.

you can instantly tell it's him, though he's now wearing glasses, something you don't remember seeing in his movies. he has a shy, nervous smile as he offers you his hand. "[y/f/n] [y/l/n], right? i'm harry potter," he introduces himself. "i guess we'll be filming together for the day."

you smile and shake his hand. "harry, hi, it's nice to meet you. and, yeah, i guess so…" you reply shyly, noticing that your hands are sweating, as well as his. he chuckles just a bit, reaching for a water bottle as well.

"yeah, i take it robert talked to you already?" he asks before he takes a drink. you nod, giving him an awkward smile. "he did…" you chuckle as well. "just a minute ago, actually."

harry nods in return. "yeah, he came by my room not even an hour ago to let me know." he states.

there's a few moments of awkward silence between the two of you before harry sighs and sets his water bottle down. he turns to you with his hands up just like robert.

"look, let's not be coy, yeah? this is weird as hell." harry states bluntly, a look of guilt on his face.

you let out a surprised laugh, setting your water bottle down as well. you turn to him, giving him your attention, curious to see what else he has to say.

harry briefly looks you up and down, his hands still raised. there's a hint of anxiety in his eyes before he blinks and shakes his head. "and, i'm just a big fan of yours in general, and this is really not how i wanted my first sex scene to play out, especially with you…" he emphasizes, his eyes widening at his own words.

"not that i didn't want it to happen at all, i definitely did, just, like…" he groans, throwing his head back and covering his face with his hands in frustration. you can't help but giggle at his nervous antics. you didn't know what to expect in terms of his personality, but you certainly didn't think he'd be so humble and shy. most actors you meet close to your age are either full of themselves or try too hard to be something they're not. you've made friends with plenty who aren't like that, but it's definitely more common than you expected.

with harry, however, he seemed very honest right away. he wasn't putting on a face to impress you, if anything he was failing miserably at that…but you found it really admirable. he reminded you of yourself, in a way.

after hearing you giggle at him, harry looks back at you with flushed cheeks. his brunette hair, an already messy fringe, was now even more disheveled. you continue to giggle at his expression, covering your smile as you look him up and down as well. tired converse, blue jeans, a maroon zip up, and a plain blue polo. you'd never think this kid was a famous actor based on his appearance. even his glasses looked old and bent out of shape.

but again, you found it admirable. no designer names, no flashy accessories. not that you found anything wrong with either of those things, it's just what you're used to seeing. it was refreshing, harry's simplicity.

he awkwardly chuckles with you, wringing his hands together nervously. "uh, what i'm meaning to say is…" he trails off. you interrupt his thoughts. "i know what you're saying," you reassure him. he looks back up at you. "you do?"

you laugh again. he's oddly innocent despite his age. "i do. i've never done this before, either." you admit. "oh, i know, i've seen all of your films plenty of times," harry beams, his nervousness melting away a bit. you're taken aback by his statement. "oh?" you respond.

he nods proudly. "oh yeah, i'm just a big film person in general so i'm constantly watching them at home. or on the plane. or in the dressing rooms…" he laughs. you smile warmly at him. again, something about him is so genuine to you. not afraid to be a fan.

"but, anyways, yeah, i just love your work. and i know you've worked with robert before, so i was over the moon when i heard he wanted me to work with you guys. that was one of my favorite films that year, y'know? definitely deserved more recognition than it got." harry rambles. 

blushing, you give him an incredulous look. "yeah, we have worked together before. i-i loved that film." you're clearly impressed with his knowledge of you and of cinema in general. that film wasn't even all that popular, and definitely not your most well-received work as far as the critics went. "thank you. really."

harry's smiling at you, admiring you in a way.

you blink a few times to come back to reality. "u-um, i love your work, too. i actually just went and saw your most recent one twice, before robert even told me we'd be working together." 

harry's shocked, his mouth slightly agape and eyes wide. "you…you've seen my movies?" he asks with a slight smile.

again, you can't help but giggle at him. his humility just keeps surprising you. "of course i have. you're not the only actor who enjoys films, y'know?" you tease him. he laughs, shaking his head.

"yeah, i'm…i'm just surprised, i figured you might not be familiar with me at all, really," he shrugs, still sounding in shock.

"well, we always miss each other at shows and such, i always meant to introduce myself, but…" you trail off. "i know! tell me about it! i've wanted to meet you for ages, seriously," harry gushes. 

smirking, you cross your arms and shift your weight. "well, what do you think now that we've met?" you ask, mostly sarcastically but also curious about his response.

he clears his throat, the nervousness coming back slightly. "u-uh, well, um…" he stumbles. "quite honestly, i didn't think you could be more beautiful in person." he admits like a schoolboy with a crush.

his response gives you butterflies. he's so adorably innocent, but such a gentleman at the same time. at no point does his admiration for you feel manufactured or forced. it's like he's truly just happy to be with you in this moment.

"well…thank you, harry," you respond. "you're not so bad yourself. i really adore the glasses." you admit with a blushing smile.

harry perks up immediately. "really?" he asks, excited and shocked at the same time. "they're prescription, actually, i'm blind as a bat…but no director wants me to wear them, they say i look like a total nerd," harry laughs, but you can tell it saddens him.

"nerds are hot." you shrug. harry's stunned for a moment before chuckling, his eyes softening for you. "right."

you and harry continue to chat for a while, losing all sense of time as the crew continue to work around you. you're mostly discussing films you both enjoy, and have incredibly similar taste. you love all the same directors, and grew up watching the same stuff.

this eventually leads to talking about both of your starts in acting, which are also strikingly similar. you discuss your experience so far as a woman in hollywood and he listens intently, asking questions with genuine curiosity and concern. he tells you about his experiences with theater growing up and the connections he made throughout his time performing.

you're completely enthralled with the conversation and feel like it could go on for days without any complaint. it's not until you hear robert calling both of your names that you look at the time and realize you've been talking with harry for nearly an hour and a half, but it feels like you just started 10 minutes ago.

harry follows you towards robert who's talking to the wardrobe team. you recognize a few faces and excitedly greet them, asking how everyone's been.

"potter, [y/n], these lovely folks are gonna walk you through how this works as far as clothing, don't be afraid to ask questions," robert told you both distractedly, his head already turned away before he ran off to help someone else out on set.

you and harry are separated and put into your respective outfits for your characters, as well as specific underwear for the scene. looking in the mirror at yourself in a simple dress, you can't help but feel the nerves coming back to you as you realize you actually have to film this scene with harry soon.

harry…

when you come back, he's already in his outfit and waiting for you. he's in an earth tone suit, his glasses taken off and his tie slightly undone. you have to admit that he looks extremely handsome, and decide to tell him so with a smirk. "says the most gorgeous girl in the room," he instantly quips, but you can see the blush blooming over his cheeks.

the wardrobe team basically teaches you both how to take off your clothes in a "movie style" that looks best on screen. specific movements can obstruct certain body parts from the camera, some take less time than others depending on what you're wearing, just little things that keep you from having to constantly reshoot the scene.

after a few tries of swiftly removing your dress, and taking glances at harry as he took his button-up off, you start to get the idea and have the motion memorized. you're laughing with one of the assistants you've met previously about the task and catching up with her in general. harry comes up behind you and also recognizes her, giving her a friendly hug. you're impressed with how personable he is with her, asking about her schooling and her roommates, parts of her life you hadn't even known about. you couldn't help but be in awe of him. he really was like you in so many ways.

before you get too comfortable, the wardrobe team informs you and harry that you have to also practice taking each other's clothes off for the camera. obviously, you thought, but you were still a bit shocked at the news.

you turned to harry, who's already waiting for you with that familiar smile. you smile back nervously. "hey, it's alright. it's just me." harry reassures you. the tone of his voice is so comforting it actually helps settle your nerves a decent amount.

both of you basically learn what the other person learned, you taking off harry's suit jacket and tie as he lifts your dress in one swift motion. the first run through you're a bit nervous and end up giggling most of the time. harry also laughs with you, making the atmosphere less tense. 

"feels like a dance, oddly enough," harry says, pretending to dance with you. you laugh and agree, dancing along with him.

after a few more awkward tries, you both start to get the hang of it and feel more comfortable with each other both physically and emotionally. you're cracking jokes, helping teach the other how to unclothe themselves quicker, just having a good time that comes so naturally to both of you. it doesn't take too many tries before you can efficiently take off each other's clothes without giggling or accidentally tickling the other.

before long you're both placed on set, a mock living room that resembles the apartment of harry's character. you and harry are given a few simple, non-sexual scenes to start with. the scripts are kept close by in case either of you need a refresher, but you both seem to have your lines memorized well and go through the scenes very naturally.

you were familiar with harry's acting of course, but something about how he performed his lines with you struck a different chord. his emotions were so raw, his timing felt natural, and his eyes told a whole story on their own. at one point you got so lost in them you missed a beat, quickly correcting yourself and focusing your gaze elsewhere.

you only had to redo them one or two times before moving on to the next scenes, which included kissing. you could feel your heart start to race again before harry's hands found their way to your shoulders from behind, a soft but firm grasp that sent chills down your spine.

"remember, it's just me," harry mumbles to you, coming around the side of you with a reassuring expression. somehow he knows exactly how to ease your nerves, and does it at the perfect times.

you're moved from the couch to the 'front door' area, where robert has you and harry mimic the steps he wants you to take before the cameras start rolling. "[y/n] opens the door, harry grabs her hand and pulls her back in," he directs you two like puppets as he shows you how and where to stand. 

harry has you by the hand, your palms still sweaty as he squeezes your hand for reassurance. you smile at him, and he smiles down at you before quickly looking back at robert's actions.

"harry backs her up to the door, back, back, back 'til it closes," harry's pressed against you, chuckling under his breath as he looks down at you. you try to hold back a smile.

"kissing, kissing, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda," robert calls out despondently, flipping a page in his notebook. "harry, you take her shoulders and push her against the east wall," robert points to the wall just next to the door, and harry lightly moves you to the other wall, keeping his body close to yours.

"really sweet, yeah, but make sure it's passionate!" robert says dramatically, making both you and harry laugh.

you're instructed on the best way to take each other's clothes off for the cameras, and practice only a bit before officially having to start to scene. in the lull between the cameras being placed properly and the lighting being set, you start to nervously crack your knuckles and try to steady your breathing.

harry appears in front of you. he lightly grabs your chin with his fingers and kisses you softly on the lips. you're a bit stunned at first but can feel butterflies erupting in your stomach. you look up at harry with wide eyes, and he's chuckling again. "sorry. just thought i'd get the first one off-camera."

your mind is jumbled and you're staring at harry with, undoubtedly, a ridiculous face. you can't even remember the last time a kiss made you feel this way, or if one has ever made you feel this way before.

you suppress another smile as robert calls for places. somehow you're now less nervous about making out with him, if anything…you're excited about it. that soft, gentle kiss he gave you left you wanting more. maybe he just knew kissing you before being filmed would make it feel more natural on camera.

the scene starts, harry pulls you through the doorway, and backs you up against it until the door clicks shut. you're looking up at harry with wanting eyes, exploring his face as the camera pans to your left. once it pauses, harry pulls you in for an eager kiss.

your hand goes to his jaw, keeping it out of the way of the camera's view. you realize after a second just how comfortable you are kissing harry. not only are you comfortable, you're actually getting into it. and so is harry.

as another camera pans towards the wall beside you, harry grips your shoulders firmly and pushes you against it, reconnecting your lips with a desperation that felt completely real to you. it only fired you up more, running your hands through harry's hair and arching your body closer to him as the kiss became hungrier.

"cut," robert calls out in a casual tone, causing harry to pause and take a step away from you. you look at him for only a second before you have to look away, crossing your arms, a blush completely taking over your face.

what the fuck was that?

you've made out with plenty of guys plenty of times, but not like that. not even off-screen have you been kissed so passionately. either harry was the best kisser in the world, or you were confusing your feelings with your character's.

"that was great, guys, no issues, just gotta readjust," robert informs you as he works with a camera guy to get the angle right. "harry, can you come in again?" he asks, motioning harry towards you.

harry steps closer to you, giving you a shy smile like he didn't just change your entire life with one kiss.

you smile back at him, still blushing, mind still spinning. he may be pretty cute with his glasses on, but at least without them you can get a better look at his pretty green eyes. you wondered for a split second if his glasses would get in the way of you making out with him, but you quickly dismiss the thought as he's your costar. one that you barely met 3 hours ago.

the camera gets adjusted, and you're directed to just continue to the undressing part of the scene. you look over at harry, getting closer to him as you mumble, "do you think it'll be difficult, kissing and undressing at the same time?"

harry gives you an unsure face, looking at his tie before loosening it a bit. "might be, i'll get it started for you," he says, unbuttoning the top couple button of his shirt as well. you smile at him a bit. "just take your time, i'll help you." he says. something about the way he looks at you lets you know he means it, and you believe him.

as the scene starts, harry pulls you in for another breath-taking kiss, and the butterflies erupt in your stomach yet again. you know something's not right about this. well, actually, everything couldn't feel more right with harry's lips pressed against yours, but that's the problem. you're way too into this for it to just be acting for a movie, and it seems like harry's just as into it, if not more.

you quickly start undressing him, pulling off his suit jacket as he helps you, repeating the steps you practiced together. except now you were trying to keep the kissing going smoothly.

your fingers began fumbling with harry's shirt buttons, getting it and his tie off just in time for him to pull the skirt of your dress above your head, resuming your kiss with an eagerness that surprised you.

"cut, nice, one more time, little bit quicker guys," robert calls out. you pull away from harry breathlessly before trying to put your dress back on. harry redresses as well, and a stylist comes from the side to fix the back of his hair. he thanks them by their name and with a smile.

you and harry resume the scene again, picking up the speed just a bit as you attempt to make out and undress at the same time. the quicker you both moved, the more intense the kiss became, as if neither of you wanted to stop for even a moment to breathe.

"cut, nice, thanks guys," robert calls out, walking away to the furthest camera man.

you and harry redress, making funny comments to each other about the scene as you do. you notice your lipstick is on harry's lips, and you giggle as you tell him he should maybe wipe it off. "maybe i like this shade on me," he says sassily. you just roll your eyes and laugh at him.

as you chat a bit more, robert eventually comes up to you guys with a script in hand. "okay guys, we're gonna do this quick and try to get it in one take if we can. we wanna eliminate all the awkward for everyone, including the camera guy," he jokes, waving towards the camera man who laughs at him.

you and harry chuckle dryly, knowing what's coming next. 

a few crew people leave the room, whether robert told them to or they chose to you're not sure. it's down to just a few more people than you and harry, along with a camera. you look at each other, harry giving you a big smile before he starts undressing.

you follow suit, listening to robert's instructions. "the scene's barely 10 seconds of screen time, so we're only gonna do about 30 seconds of filming. yeah?" you both nod, setting your respective clothes to the side. you're quite a bit relieved at this news, glad that everyone else wants to get this over with as much as you do.

you're both wearing nude colored underwear, harry's briefs and your panties and strapless bra matching your skin tones enough that it could pass for nudity in the dim lighting. you feel a bit exposed, but not to the point of embarrassment, especially having harry next to you in just as little clothing as you.

"alright, now, i don't care if you're both virgins or whores, we all know what sex looks like, so i'm not gonna get too graphic here," robert jokes to lighten to mood, making you and harry laugh to yourselves as you give each other embarrassed looks.

"all i'm gonna do is tell you where to be and you guys just feel it out from there. sound good?" robert asks. "yeah," you both say at the same time. "but remember, you're a cheating bride, so put some oomph into it," robert jokes with you, walking towards the couch. you feel your cheeks heat up as harry tries not to laugh.

robert has you on the couch, laying with your head hanging off the arm as harry steadies himself above you. his arm has to be in a certain position to keep you covered for the camera, and as he repositions himself to their liking, you admire his body from your view. his chest is well built, his shoulders and collarbones creating shadows across his lovely pale skin…

you had to stop. this is just a job. he's an actor, you're an actor, you're acting together, nothing more. just be professional.

just before the camera's start rolling, harry looks down at you and gives you that same reassuring smile that makes your heart skip a beat every time. fuck. stop doing that.

"it's just me. okay? just you and me." his voice is so deep and he's so close to you, and the lighting behind him is making him glow. this moment could be a movie on its own.

"yeah," you breathe out, mesmerized by his words. just you and me. you could do that.

when the camera starts rolling, harry's hips start grinding into you slowly, his lips immediately connecting with yours. you involuntarily melt into him, your hands reaching for his shoulders as his leg starts rubbing against your panties. you let out a moan against harry's lips, and your grip on him gets tighter.

his hips become more and more rough with you, using your thigh to rub against rather than your panties themselves. it doesn't matter. you're still insanely turned on. and not just as your cheating character, but in real life, as yourself. 

as you throw your head back in pleasure, harry takes advantage and digs his head into your neck. he's softly biting at your skin as he brings a hand to one side of your face, keeping his other arm stable for the camera.

he brings you back in for a kiss, and your hands are back in his messy brunette locks. this time he moans, and his rocking hips begin to pick up speed, grinding with more force into you.

your face twists in pleasure, partially for the camera but mostly for harry. you can't believe how natural this feels for you. it's like it really is just the two of you, no camera, no pressure, just pleasure.

as robert cuts the scene, there's a tone to his voice that was different compared to his normally distracted, stressed voice. harry slowly backs up from you, an indistinguishable look on his face as he gives you space to sit up.

you sit up, and quickly walk over to grab your dress. you don't feel uncomfortable, you're just afraid that you got wet enough to soak through your panties and really don't want anyone to notice.

as you slip the dress over your head, you notice harry putting on his pants. you can't tell if you just saw him from a weird angle or if you looked too quick and were mistaken, but you could've sworn he had an erection he was stuffing in his trousers.

well, even if he did, that's normal, right? you're both young people practically dry humping each other and pretending to enjoy it, of course your bodies are going to think it's real and end up actually enjoying it…right?

that's what you tell yourself as you try your best to seem normal, fixing your hair and steadying your breathing as robert makes his way over to you.

"that was, uh…that was great. i don't think we'll have any problem keeping potter, yeah?"

with a heavy hand on your shoulder and a knowing smile, robert calls it a day for the rest of the crew still on set and says his goodbyes.

you're a bit confused by his statement, but try not to think about it too much. you turn to look at harry, but he's already gone.

you're a bit surprised. you thought for sure harry would want to maybe chat a bit after all that, but you tried not to be disappointed as you turned around and headed towards the wardrobe department to retrieve your real clothes.

after getting dressed and setting wardrobe's outfit back in their closet, you make your way out towards the hallways. your mind is still racing, but you're trying not to think too much about what just happened so you don't lose your mind.

on your way to your dressing room, you kept feeling like someone was watching you. the feeling made you walk a bit faster as you tried to remember which hallway was yours.

once finding the door, you quickly let yourself in until a hand stops the door. as you peak through the crack, you see a tie hanging over a messily buttoned-up shirt, and instantly recognized it was harry.

you open the door a bit more excited than you expected yourself to, and are completely in awe of the man in front of you. messy hair, his glasses back on, still wearing the wardrobe outfit without the suit jacket.

"harry," you greet him, smiling like an idiot. he smiles back. "[y/n], hey, um…" he takes a breath, seeming a bit nervous. "sorry i just dashed, i hate those contacts and had to put these back on," he jiggles the frames of his glasses from the the side, making you giggle. "well, i guess i can forgive you. only because i'm pro-glasses," you say with a smirk.

harry seems so nervous, he's constantly shifting his weight and his smile isn't reaching his eyes.

"well, um, i just wanted to say, y'know, thank you for trusting me today…i know it wasn't easy but you did really, really well," his smile is so sweet, and his eyes are incredibly kind. you swear he's trying to get you to swoon.

"thank you, harry, but you made it incredibly easy to trust you…" you say with a small smile. "and it went a lot better than i was expecting." you say with a laugh.

harry cracks a smile. "yeah, same here. i actually wouldn't have minded it at all minus the cameras and audience." harry tries to joke with you, but his nerves are still overpowering his voice. is he joking, or does he feel the same way you felt shooting that scene?

smirking, you lean on the doorway of your dressing room. "i don't know, part of me thinks the audience part is kinda hot…mostly terrifying and vomit-inducing, but…" you joke back with him. he tries to laugh with you but he looks a little shocked by your statement.

"but, i agree. i didn't mind it at all." you say with a tone of seduction. you try to analyze harry to understand how he's feeling, what he's thinking, and why he's so nervous to be talking to you after everything you just did. yeah, maybe you shouldn't be playfully flirting with a coworker, but he started it…

there's a few moments of silence between you exchanging nervous glances with each other. you somewhat enjoy watching harry squirm like this under your gaze, after being so calm and collected on set it's pretty funny to see him fall apart with just you and him.

"uh, look…" harry finally breaks the silence, looking at the ground before making resistant eye contact. "[y/n], i know i said i was a big fan, um…" he's sweating, and he can't stop shifting his weight.

"but, i was just wondering, since, y'know, now we work together for a bit, maybe, um…"

god. he's so cute. is he really nervous to ask you to hang out after having practically having sex on camera? you can't take it anymore. you don't care if you're working together, you need him.

you grab harry and pull him into your dressing room, closing the door and locking it before turning to him and practically forcing him into a kiss.

harry's a bit stunned, quite a bit, but he quickly begins kissing back. the performance kiss was nothing compared to this. he's somehow an even better kisser when it's just the two of you. 

this time, you're pushing harry into the wall next to the door. you smile up at him between making out. "this feels familiar." you say with a smirk. harry nervously lets out a laugh before immediately pulling you back in for the kiss.

the tension that's been built between you guys for the last 3 hours is finally being released, your hands exploring as you slowly take off the other's clothes. unlike the acting you were just doing, you're both gentle with each other and take your time to carefully take the other's clothes off. you're admiring harry's body as his shirt comes off, throwing it to the side. you're mesmerized by his neck and shoulders.

harry takes a moment to admire you, his hand on your cheek as he moves a strand of hair out of your face. your heart couldn't have been beating louder. something about these small, intimate moments with him between the heavy kissing and touching actually makes you more nervous. it was one thing to just be physically attracted to him, but the soft kiss he gave you during the break between filming and now this gentle moment between making out had your mind racing with questions but wanting nothing more than to just keep going.

"harry…" you sigh, examining his face while he looks down at you. "[y/n]...this is like a dream come true…" he whispers softly. the genuine look in his eye has your stomach twisting knots. "i never thought an on-screen kiss could feel like that…" you respond just as quietly.

his smile's real this time, no nerves, no looking away, just admiring you with the most loving smile. "don't tell robert, but, um, i wasn't acting out there. that was harry kissing [y/n]," harry tells you with a chuckle. you feel yourself smiling like an idiot and suppress your laugh. "yeah, i could tell," you say with a smirk.

harry pulls you in to kiss again, and your hands go to his chest. standing on your toes, you push your body further into his, moaning into harry's mouth as his hands find their way to your waist and hold onto you firmly.

"fuck," he practically whimpers, his hands sliding down your hips and eventually to your ass. he squeezes it roughly and causes you to gasp. "i want you." he states simply, staring you in the eyes again. "i don't care if we get in trouble, i'll take the fall. i just, fuck, i need you [y/n], please…" harry breathlessly begs you, his hands making the way under your shirt and up your back.

"we're just working on our chemistry," you respond, helping him pull off your shirt. he groans at your mutual eagerness and his lips attach to your neck and chest, leaving plenty of bite marks as you tangle your hands in harry's fringe again.

letting moans slip out of your mouth without a second thought, your body is responding to harry like it never has with anyone before. everything you've done with someone before him has felt so mild and mechanical, but harry was so naturally passionate with you. you're not sure if it's because he's always been attracted to you or if you just really, really find yourself attracted to him…

eventually harry's lips find your own again, and his hands begin to explore. he runs his fingers over your bra straps as he traces your back, sending shivers all over your skin. smiling into the kiss, he's loving the effect he has on you. harry slowly unclasped your bra and you let it fall to the floor, his hands already replacing it as he massages your tits.

your hands make their way down to his pants, pulling at the waistband only slightly before harry immediately unbuttons them for you, helping you push them before he separates the kiss and kicks off his pants entirely. you steal a glance down and see his erection. "i've had this since that first kiss, need you so bad" harry's voice rumbles.

you take your pants off as well, with harry's assistance, and he pulls at the waistband of your panties. "fuck, everything about you is so beautiful," harry admits before attaching his lips to yours sloppily. the kissing becomes needy, messy, and secondary to you groping each other roughly.

harry spins you around so you're now against the wall as he begins kissing down your body. the cold wall makes your skin shiver again, the visual of harry slowly getting to his knees in front of you making your mind spin.

he looks up at you for just a second above his glasses and your heart can barely take it, how can someone be so adorable yet so incredibly sexy and seductive at the same time?

eventually harry's mouth finds its way to your panties, softly kissing your pussy through them as you squirm under his touch. quiet whimpering and frustrated hip thrusts let harry know you need more, and he slowly pulls the fabric to the side.

you're in a complete state of ecstasy watching harry eat you out from above. his eyes are softly closed as he gets lost in licking and sucking on your clit. his hands go to your legs as he lifts one of your thighs over his shoulder, getting a better angle.

you're full on moaning now, not afraid to let harry know just how good he's making you feel. you can't remember a time where someone was this eager to eat your pussy, solely giving you pleasure. you can feel yourself getting wetter against harry's lips and blush at just how desperately your body's craving him.

"harry, fuck," you whimper, your hands returning to his hair as you begin to slowly grind down onto his face. harry is completely accepting of this, moaning as you stuff his face further into you. his moans send shockwaves through your body, gasping as you feel the tension building in your body.

harry looks up at you, his eyes full of lust and barely open as he continues to make out with your pussy. you can hardly stand the erotic sight before you as he watches your body react so well to him.

"fuck, harry, keep looking at me like that and i'm gonna cum," you teasingly scold him. you can see the smile in his eyes as he backs away, his chin and lips soaking wet. your body goes cold, missing his touch, and your climax fades away.

he quickly wipes his face with his hand before standing up and going back in to kiss you. you moan as the taste and smell of you is all over him. his hands go to your weakening legs and he lifts you up without breaking a sweat. you gasp and look down, seeing he already took off his boxers as he holds you against the wall. you look back in his eyes and they're so much darker than you remember, the bright green now a haunting emerald as he searches yours.

"i need you," he growls, the complete opposite of his usually gentle nature. you can't hold back your moan, something about his desperation makes you crave him so badly. you've never felt so wanted or loved by a partner.

"need you," is all you can say before you kiss him again, tongues instantly entangled. he takes this chance to use one hand to stroke himself, your legs wrapped around his body as he continues to hold you against the wall. 

as harry's slowly pushing into you, your body envelopes him and embraces the pleasure. he's slowly thrusting up into you, his eyes completely fixated on your face as you fall into bliss. you can't get the words out, but harry feels so perfect inside of you. it's everything you've been wanting since he gave you that loving kiss on set.

harry's pace stays slow and torturous until he begins groaning and thrusting more desperately. "holy fuck, [y/n], you feel so fucking good," harry's head falls into your chest, his heavy breaths hitting your skin. the only sound you can make are your pathetic whimpers, your head thrown back against the wall.

harry starts sweating as he holds you against the wall, his legs getting weaker along with his arms. despite that, his thrusts become quicker and more hungry as his hand finds its way to your pussy. your whimpers turn into moans as harry brings you closer to your orgasm. his head lifts to look at you as you reconnect your lips, forcing your tongue in his mouth.

you can feel that knot in your stomach tightening, your hands finding harry's shoulders for something to hold onto. his exasperated breaths and gasps against your lips only turn you on even more. even at his weakest moment he's doing everything possible to make sure your pleasure and comfort comes first. 

"harry, harry, i'm gonna cum," you say between kissing, your arms wrapping around his neck. "please, baby, please," harry groans eagerly, pushing your body further into the wall and thrusting even deeper into you. you can barely wait a moment before letting yourself go, burying your head into harry's neck as you call his name. harry's breathing is completely ragged as you squeeze around his cock, loving the way your body feels against his as you begin shaking.

it's not long into your climax that harry slows down, his hips stuttering before pulling out at the last second and letting his cum drip to the floor, his head falling into your shoulder as well.

you let yourself down from harry's grasp, your legs barely able to keep you up. harry steadies you, chuckling, his reassuring hands on your arms. "okay?" he asks breathlessly. you look up at him, his face is completely drenched and flushed as he stares at you lovingly. "yeah, fine," you say with a smile, using the wall to balance yourself.

you and harry stare at each other for a bit before going in to kiss each other again. it feels so natural, like you've been kissing him your whole life. the butterflies come rushing back. even after having sex with harry you still feel so attracted to him in a nervous, crush-like way.

after getting dressed harry offers his phone to you, asking for your number. you set your contact's name to your character's in the movie, and it leaves harry blushing. he's smiling at you for just a moment before he envelopes you in a hug. warm, comforting, and completely safe, you lean into his touch and don't want to let go.

with some flirtatious remarks and a promise to meet up tomorrow for a date, harry's leaving your dressing room in a barely buttoned up shirt and messy hair. you watch him disappear down the hall before closing your door, hardly able to believe you're already so smitten with the costar you only met earlier that day.

[works-of-heart]

why do you ship elucien? im not trying to be rude its just genuine curiosity. to me elriel seems to be obviously canon and the author is writing them in a way that you'd genuinely find in romance with a very common misunderstanding trope. there have been so many hints to elriel being canon such as Azriel's mother being from Rosehall and the rose Symbolism with Elain. Given that Elain has shown nothing but contempt for Lucien, I just can't wrap my mind around why people will ship elucien and not elriel which appears to me to be endgame.

I don't mean any hate. I just can't understand why people would set themselves up for failure shipping a noncanon/fanon couple. I see so much in this fandom over the shipwars and wonder why the wars even exist. If elriel is canoon why do eluciens fight so hard against it? shouldnt we all be adults and accept it instead of flinging insults back and forth to each other? Not saying that you are but I see so many people go back and forth with these insults and it gets so annoying i thought we were all adults here. either way i hope you have a good day

Hi Anon! I appreciate the question, and the chance to gush about why I love Elucien.

First, however, let me start by saying anyone can ship anything and anyone they please regardless of canon or endgame. Shipping comes from the heart, it’s a feeling. Many people think of possibilities that two characters could have, or see their chemistry and enjoy it. For others, it’s the angst and connections that they have. A common trope is enemies to lovers, and that doesn’t always start off with a lovey dovey spark, but the tension and angst.

I feel that a common belief in fandoms now these days are that ships are only valid if they are canon or not, or, even more so, if they are endgame. A ships validity isn’t based off any of these factors, but how you feel about them. Crackships can sometimes evolve from a joke or meme, but then people sit down and actually find they love the idea of them and go onto creating some really awesome things for the ship! Even if it started as a joke, some may derive joy from it.

So you ship Elriel (I am assuming by context) and I ship Elucien. At the end of the day, one of them will be canonically endgame, but that does not mean people can’t still ship them. I promise, no matter what the book ends up to be, people will STILL ship who they want to, and that’s totally fine. Shipping wars have existed forever, genuinely someone will argue that one pair is better suited than their counterpart. I can understand that Elain gave Azriel some charged looks, I can see that she wanted to kiss him, and I understand why some other Elriel shippers like them. To be honest, I’ve shipped many a brooding boy with the sweet, energetic girl. The biggest example is Jin and Xiaoyu from Tekken who finally, after 25 years of teasing and build up became canonical endgame. Then there is Squall and Selphie from FF8, who did not become endgame, but I still ship them and love them.

We can all debate why we think one will be endgame over the other, some can concede and at least understand why people feel that way, others will choose to agree to disagree and stick to their grounds. One of the things I, as an Elucien hate about it is when an Elriel will call me, or my fellow Eluciens delusional for shipping a mated pair. For not seeing that Sarah is setting us up for failure when she’s played this game before. Girl likes guy, girl thinks she’s found her home, girl finds another guy whom she avoids who happens to be her mate and fights against fate. Girl spends time with guy she avoided to realize he is her equal, that he is a good male, that together they are a good fit. Girl struggles with her feelings and eventually chooses her mate who lifts her up and the two are happy in love. To be called delusional for seeing such connections and ship a pair that the author herself mated is very annoying. You do not have to agree with me, that is fine, but it does not make my ship any less valid.

Now, as to WHY I like Elucien? There are just… WAY too many reasons to list them all and this would be dreadfully long if I list everything. So I’ll name some of my top reasons.

Lucien and Elain are both underestimated. People brush off Lucien as someone who isn’t a Highlord, nor illyrian, so obviously he’s not as strong as Rhys as the Inner Circle. Elain is constantly talked down as plain, simple, peaceful and uninteresting. We haven’t been able to see Elain use her seer powers since Lucien last tugged on the bond, and with Lucien’s hinted heritage, I think we’re going to see these two show off a different kind of power.

The tension! There’s so much tension between Lucien and Elain, tension that we don’t have a full picture of. It’s clear that Elain is fighting against the bond, and Lucien, the man who promised to never love another, is now faced with a mate he believes does not want him. He’s dealing with the guilt of Jesminda while Elain is avoiding the bond. When both are faced with what the mother gifted them, finding the reason why they’re mates will be an emotional journey!

Home. People say that Elain belongs in the NC with her family, she even stated it too. However SJM seems to be showing that Elain might be a bit like Feyre in the way Feyre once claimed the SC was her home. There was a line about how the big poofy dress looked ridiculous on Feyre and how at odds she was with the place she once called home, with a man she once said she loved and made love to. The context of the book tells us that Elain is not where she’s meant to be, in fact, it was said over and over she was made for spring, she’d love spring, and her mate is currently there. I think these two are going to realize home is not a place, it is a feeling they get when they’re together.

Their potential. SJM said that Elain surprised both Lucien AND herself! There had to have been something that she saw between them when writing MAF that made her say “Yes, Mate these two instantly! Not only that, make it snap now!” Seeing that Elain is a gentle soul and Lucien is someone whose a bit of a smart ass, I’d love to see these two together. Elain would be the type of person to put him in his place, and Lucien wouldn’t baby her either, unlike how everyone else treats her! Their dynamic would be a treat to see on page.

There’s so much more to say about them, and I could go on and on! We have tension, and the possible healing and growth that was hinted at, the fact Lucien ventured with Papa A. and Elain was closest to him. There’s also the fact that Elain holds hope, she is light and warmth and Lucien who seems so hopeless, could find that in her. Elain craves light and sunshine, Lucien being the heir of Day, to having a blinding white light himself. The way when Lucien interacts with her, her powers activate. Not to mention the similarities between Solas and Cthona, Crescent City deities who are mates and lovers.

So to answer Anon, there are many reasons I love Elucien, and I will continue to ship them long after the series is over. Whether or not they’re in love right now, before either of them have a book has no bearing on their validity as a ship, or their possibility in their book. I think you’d find it easier to just let people have their ships and enjoy what they wish in peace rather than trying to tell others they can or cannot ship based off what the books tell us right now. Because as we all know from ACOTAR and ACOMAF, it doesn’t matter who you love at the start, not when you find home with your mate.

[gloriousburden]

I think another reason why Mobius gets so much pass and praise, and by extension the Lokius ship, is because people are projecting the real-life chemistry between Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson onto them. Remember when season one came out, and everyone was gushing ad nauseum about the chemistry between the two actors and how that translated effortlessly into the relationship between Mobius and Loki? It makes me eyeroll to this day, how everyone was just repeating things they heard the writers and directors say, and things they read from Screenrant, about the chemistry between the two, it was all about ThE ChEmIStRY. And it was like giving the shippers a green light, all systems go, that no matter what was said or done between them, it was all good because of ThE ChEMiStrY!

It's like, if enough people repeat it, and enough people believe it, it somehow becomes the truth. Now, do I believe Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson share some real-life chemistry? I guess so, from what little interaction in front of a camera I've seen, but Mobius and Loki? I don't know that I would call that chemistry....

All throughout season one, the relationship is between captor and captive. Loki is at Mobius's mercy, and Mobius constantly threatens Loki, constantly reminds Loki how easily and quickly he can be disposed of, and constantly abuses Loki, verbally and physically. Loki is in a desperate situation where he's just trying to survive, and Mobius is just getting his kicks out of it. Only after Mobius has completely torn Loki down, does he offer Loki a hand up, but it's more like a pat on the head, good worm, good cockroach, you're not completely useless. It's sickening. It's disturbing on such a deep level. It is a toxic ship if ever there was one.

So yeah, sorry for the big long rant, but I thought I'd share that with you. I agree that Mobius should get at least as much hate as Sylvie does, if not more.

NO YOU ARE SO RIGHT!! That was so one of the main reasons people began shipping them! Because even in the trailers/series content of Tom and Owen that came out before the series, everyone admired their chemistry and I remember people even cracking jokes about being so excited to ship their characters!

It doesn’t even matter if the characters themselves have good chemistry. As long as the actors do. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Honestly, as I was watching the series in 2021, I expected more people to romanticize/even sexualize the captor/captive relationship between the two. But… they didn’t at all. They put that aside and acted like they were best friends the entire time who were merely bickering, instead of one abusing the power they have over the other, and straight up abusing the other physically, emotionally, and every other possible way! That’s one of the things that freaked me out so bad. They didn’t even romanticize/sexualize their dynamic as I expected, because they instead swept it aside and acted like nothing happened! They acted like it was okay because they had moments of mere bickering and Loki “humbled” himself, so the WHOLE thing must be “playful.”

That’s how you know not even one Lokius shipper watched the series with a regard for the plot, the writing, etc…

It’s just inspiration for fanart, fanfics, etc… they’re just base characters!

“Good worm, good cockroach, you’re not completely useless.” Is so fucking spot on. God, how do they not see it?

Man, I can’t fucking stand him. Mobius really is a piece of shit and one of my main issues with that is… People act like he isn’t. If people remembered he was and consistently talked about it in the ways they acknowledge every single of of Sylvie’s flaws, well okay then. At least they understand what they’re watching and just like a character with a shitty personality. We all have.

But no. They act like he’s an angel, and has done no wrong. Like what the fuck? He’s not a good person! I don’t even act like Loki is completely a good person!

And to think that so many of these Loki series Loki “fans” thought it was funny, or even agreed with Mobius mocking the death of Frigga… I don’t know if anyone remembers this, but I remember a lot of them defending Mobius and truly thinking that Loki needed to be humbled OVER THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER. Even being grateful that Mobius did this..

Not even “Okay guys yes he should take responsibility for the events of Avengers…” (which he would’ve by serving time in the dungeons, but of course the writers had to interfere and come up with this greedy, careless bullshit 🤦🏻‍♀️) NO! But instead for the death of his mother which he had no idea of knowing would happen… They really see Loki as a punching bag to sexualize and to ship with people who hate him. If they were honest about that, I’d respect them a little more.

But they act like they want only the best for him. That they’re so happy that his character got “redeemed” and he’s no longer a “bad” person. You don’t want what’s actually best for him, you just want a quick character development so you can pretend you like a character who is morally good. It was bad when he had a mind of his own, a personality of his own, motives of his own, etc… but it’s good that he’s in a cubicle or restrained to a throne in the middle of the multiverse or whatever the fuck it is I forgot.

Loki’s character is purposefully (and sometimes not purposefully due to the ignorance/lack of care of certain writers) ambiguous/morally grey in ways, but there’s still a clear distinction…

Can’t stand that guy or his fans. At least with Sylvie, they acknowledge that she’s a piece of shit and not well written in the slightest. But Mobius can do no wrong, because he’s portrayed by Owen Wilson and because he’s a man to be shipped with Loki.

Do not apologize for the rant. I appreciate your words, and you were well spoken! I completely forgot that people shipped them when the series first came out (and even before the series came out) just based on Tom and Owen’s chemistry as actors/friends. That used to infuriate me so badly!

Actually, I wish more people would use my asks as a way to rant about the series, to gush over Loki, anything! I turned my blog into a Loki one so I could connect with others, and share my dislike of the series/my love of Loki. I’m grateful I’ve been able to connect with so many others, and I appreciate every little thing you guys have to say!! I like talking to you guys and hearing your thoughts on stuff.

[ocean-waters]

hey ocean!!! :-) for the love your fandom ask game, let's try 14, 16 and 25!! ✨

Hey Rin! Thanks for the ask ❤️ you picked some good questions

#14: the ship that always makes you smile

Hmm. I wonder. Yknow.. I can't seem to recall any that would.

Alright, seriously, there has not been another ship like rinharu. Honestly, I struggle to put it into words since it's mostly feelings.

This pairing altered my brain chemistry and rewired me. Literally defined my taste when it comes to ship. If it reminds me of rinharu, there is a high chance i'll ship it. It's a ship that's got it all. Just the dynamic is so addicting and fun and thrilling. There is not one moment when they're together that is not overloaded with feeling. They play off of each other so well. They're both opposites, but also more similar than they realize. They have fantastic chemistry, and they are both so passionate, but they can also be pretty soft with each other too. Their moments make the show. I mean, they are the "core-axis" of free! After all.

From the very beginning of their story together, it's always been so entertaining. I loved seeing how their relationship started, grew, and evolved. It was love at first sight (or I guess you could say it was actually love at first swim). Rin's determination was unwavering, and he kept trying until he finally smashed his way through Haru's walls and eventually won him over with his charm, all while being absolutely enamored by Haru himself. And he truly did shake up Haru's entire world. Haru was so sure the only thing he needed was to feel the water. Then, in comes this smiley and annoyingly persistent kid and shows him a sight he's never seen before, and makes him feel so many funny feelings.

They're both so taken with one another, even if they don't want to admit it. I love how Rin gushes about Haru at any chance he gets, and how Haru is constantly thinking about Rin whenever they're apart. And i mean, gosh he quit swimming because he thought he hurt Rin. He had that much of an impact on Haru. They both drive each other forward, improve one another, and becomes their best selves together. Their relationship certainly wasn't without its bumps along the way, but i think that just makes it more interesting.

Seriously, when it comes to these two, they could be doing anything, and they would still have me smiling. I will treasure them forever.

#16: a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

Not sure if some of these really count as "tiny", but:

● I just genuinely love that whenever Haru has flashbacks of his childhood moments with Rin, the first thing he remembers/thinks about is his smile, and the scene is always tinted pink with cherry blossoms.

● Rin's friendship with Nagisa. He pretends to be aggravated by him, but he's got quite the soft spot for him too.

● How perceptive Nagisa truly is. He notices the small things about his friends and their behaviors. It's so sweet

● Haru's love for weird looking creatures, like northern stoplight loose-jaw kun. He would have loved sacabambaspis.

● Haru's hobby of wood carving. I would love one of his handcrafted iwatobi chan charms.

● Also one I learned about recently: Haru actually has double-jointed knees!

#25: a piece of advice for taking care of yourself in fandom spaces

Fandom, as fun as it is, unfortunately has its rotten side. You'll inevitably come across pointless discourse of any kind during your time in it. The best thing you can do is honestly just avoid engaging with it. Don't ruin your own happiness by starting arguments with people who simply won't listen. If they're constantly popping up on your feed, simply block them and keep enjoying your side of the fandom. Constantly being met with people being destructively negative about the things you enjoy will do nothing except bring you down. It is so much nicer to just be able to enjoy things. You don't have anything to prove to anyone, and you don't need to justify yourself for liking a certain character or a ship. Just post what you want in your own circle. Be free!

(That being said, there are actually interesting discussions one can have with people who are actually willing to listen and debate properly, and those can be good experiences too. I'm just talking about discourse like ship wars or arguments like: Rin Matsuoka is a toxic character, and you're problematic if you like him!!1!!11! and such)

[From the "love your fandom" ask game]

[writing-for-life]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗 (i don't know if you do these sorts of chain-letter things, or if you'd prefer not to, but for my part i do like to know which of their works a given author is especially hype on, so consider this an opportunity to gush!)

I was sweating for a moment there because I thought, “I’ve written all my life and even published, but I don’t have 5 fanfics, shit!”

And then I noticed… well, with a little bit of goodwill, I do. So thanks so much for asking, @stellerssong , and here comes the gushing:

The no. 1 has to be “The Light of Stars”.

I completed most of it during NaNoWriMo 2022 for a bit of fun and respite from other projects—and then did nothing with it. Until I thought, “Fuck it,” and started publishing it chapter by chapter, editing and tidying it up along the way.

It is a long fic, and I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m honestly proud of it. I put a lot of thought into characterisation and plot, keeping everyone in character (as much as aimed-for character development allowed, so certain OOC moments had to happen) and crafting an OC that works for what I was setting out to do. So much so that many people asked for a sequel, which I’m still in the process of writing (I completed the concept again last NaNoWriMo and wrote over 40,000 words back then, but progress has been slow since because… life).

I don’t want to give too much away here, but while it’s romance and there *is* more than enough sex (I write steamy romance professionally, albeit in my other language), this is really not what this one is mainly about. So it’s not one for people who look for thinly-disguised chapter-porn and super-explicit descriptions. It’s a novel with a fully developed arc, and it deals with topics like friendship, loss and grief. Someone told me though that it felt hopeful and they didn’t struggle with the broaching of those topics like in some other works, and that was probably the most wonderful thing anyone could ever have said to me.

I’ll choose “Snow Globes and Whisky” as my second, but only because it is a Christmas gift-type one-shot with the same characters.

You can, in theory, read it without knowing TLoS, but it just wouldn’t make sense. It’s just Christmas fluff, not incredibly deep (despite picking up on the friendship and loss-theme again), it was fun to write and to get Dream a little bit drunk (just because he was intrigued and allowed it of course 🤣).

Then there are Rachel and Johanna.

They have such a special place in my heart. I always wanted to tell their story because we never got it in the show—so I did. And as a bisexual woman, I am also Jo’s biggest stan. I desperately want her to be the Sandman-character who does away with bi-erasure once and for all (because if the onscreen love interest is female, everyone cheers, but bi m/f relationships never count in fandom because they’re “heteronormative”. Newsflash: We’re not “50% straight, 50% gay”. We have nuance and deep inner lives and different preferences that make up very personal identities, and we’re not some token queer representation that stops to exist once we’re in straight-passing relationships). We’ve seen her date a woman and she has tons of chemistry with Dream too—I want them to have the messiest affair ever and somehow have her take Thessaly’s place. But better. Because she’d protect Lyta for all the RIGHT reasons. There, I said it, and I’m not sorry. Anyway, that’s not what “As it Was Before the Otherness Came” is about. It’s sad and heartbreaking and canon-compliant. It just fills in the gaps. And again, I’m super-proud that someone in the comments said to tell Gaiman about it (we all know that’s not a thing for fanfic) because they thought it was so in character and well-written. Yes, I’m shamelessly blowing my own trumpet because you asked me to 🤣

Then there are my Inktober Haikus.

I still intend to turn them into a bound book with accompanying art one day (the latter is where it all falls down really because although I could, it would take me 1,000 years to create all the art myself). 31 poems, some more inspired than others, but they were a great creativity exercise, and I honestly love them for what they are.

And last but not least, from the serious to the totally unhinged: Muhulhu. Murphy and his Cool Hat. The crack ship of all crack ships, aka:

I set out to write a trilogy, the first part “By The Sea, I Mean In The Dreaming: A Comedy Prelude” is published, the second and third are currently in a vegetative state because I just can’t find the time to write and/or edit. And if I do, I prefer writing the TLoS sequel. Or metas. Or running silly fandom events 🤣 I’d love to write more fanfic, but between a full time job (or rather: three jobs that make up one) and a family, I just stare in awe at the people on here who produce constant output, because I honestly can’t. But I will get back to it eventually because that one is just sheer unhinged fun.

Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to flog my goods!

@stellerssong ask answered

[beevean]

I came across your IDW post about which ships have been teased in the comic so far, and something that I always find.... surprising, I guess, is that fans do not seem to notice or care just how many ones contain Sonic. One day Sonic gets carried bridal style by Shadow and bam they're bfs now it's canon Sega approved this everybody!!!!!!! The next Blaze is making googly eyes at him and Sonaze canon everybody!!!! Sonic held Lanolin's hand it's canon!!!!!!! Amy is gushing and blushing and oh my god it is totally canon!!!!!!!! (Where, funnily enough, Sonic carrying Amy bridal style elicited much less of such a reaction than Shadow carrying Sonic did in the It Is Canon Now debate, at least from what I could tell on Tumblr. Though considering this is Tumblr, I can think of some reasons, lol.) This happens in the games as well, except the fact I do feel those lean a lot less into deliberate ship teasing like the comic does.

And you know.... if there is so much to be teased in IDW and so much "canon" and every single issue at this point contains a different character for Sonic to be making his smug face at while they simp and/or get all tsundere... maybe it is a clear sign that all this means nothing and is only put in to make fans go "!!!!!! THEY APPROVED MY SHIP I AM SUPERIOR NOW TO ALL OTHER SHIPS CUZ IT IS IN OFFICIAL [*cough, cough*] MEDIA!!1!!1" as opposed to actually going anywhere for Sonic ship-wise? Not that the fans will ever realise that, sigh.

I noticed, actually. The only non-Sonic ships that so far have been teased are Whispangle (and how), Knuxamy in #62, and absolutely accidentally Staregg in the MV arc lol (I don't care how accidental it was, Staregg OTP in my heart :< starline totally wanted to clap those eggcheeks don't @ me)

I think I saw a tweet jokingly calling Sonic a slut when #63 dropped? Don't quote me on that though, I don't remember the phrasing but it was a joke about how many people he has flirted with recently lol (including the heavy Sonknux vibes of Frontiers)

(it's also funny that Sonamy gains far less traction than all those other ships lol. Maybe it's because it's almost "canon" and so not as interesting. Or maybe we know why :^) )

But yeah. I understand enjoying the crumbs of ship teasing, I really do, especially for the minor ones such as Sonaze (Sonanolin is kinda funny though lol, I doubt that one has many fans). But there's a difference between "HOLY SHIT THEY HELD HANDS THAT'S CUTE" and "HOLY SHIT THEY HELD HANDS IT'S TOTALLY CANON GUYS!!!". And cynically, the overabundance of teases involving Sonic can be explained as 1) him being the protagonist and the more interesting character to ship, to generate views and attention (only, like, 6 people cared about the Knuxamy tease and i was one of them), and 2) the dude is so irrelevant in his own comic that this is the best they can think for him. The OCs deal with a semi-serious plot, and the titular character protagonist of the massive franchise IDW Sonic is attached to is reduced to shallow fanfic fuel. Granted, I'll take slut Sonic over Preachy Pope Sonic any time of the day, but you get what I mean.

The Sonadow teasing is IMO the worst. Sonic emotionally manipulates Shadow in #6 by making leverage on the way he had been twisted to carry out Gerald's evil plans? OMG THEY'RE TOTALLY SHARING BEDROOM EYES SONIC SO WANTS TO FUCK HIS BF <3 Shadow is an utter cunt for the entirety of the Chao Racing arc? AWWWWW MY LITTLE GAY BABIESSSSSSS SONIC IS SO HAPPY TO FALL IN HIS ARMS AS SHADOW INSULTS HIMMMMM <3 NVM THAT SHADOW SAID IN #19 THAT SONIC DESERVED TO BE PAINFULLY INFECTED <3 <3 <3 And you know what I also roll my eyes at "I heart you too Shadow" from Prime, for how out of context it was taken. I didn't watch Prime in full, but I did read IDW, and there is no way you can see a healthy chemistry between Sonic and Shadow if you actually pay attention to the whole story and dialogue. ... the fact that Flynn hosted a whole Bumblekast episode dedicated to Sonadow at the end of Pride Month also doesn't help, he deliberately fanned the flames because he knew how much his fans would eat from his hand :\

As for the games, yeah, the ship teasing is usually played for laughs or subtle and understated. Amy went from comically chasing Sonic, to having more serious moments such as her hugging him in the ending of Frontiers. Knuckles and Rouge had some odd tension by the end of their arc in SA2. Sonic and Blaze had that whole "slowly holding hands" moment at the end of Rush. Sonic and Elise... yeah that one took a decade to be accepted for how prominent it is. ShTH is still the king of teasing ofc :P the series is mostly about friendship, not romantic love.

[kvmnamjoons]

Time to get a little mushy since I can't help myself also my favorite Ateez song to fit with this ( still here )

This place has become such a home for me over the years since I joined. I came from just doing things on Indie before and it was a struggle finding others to write with which made me doubt my skills when it came to writing. It made me not want to rp like I used to but that changed when my sibling gave me the push to join this group. Sure the people I've played have changed over the years but I'm so happy that I get to be here still and interact with everyone. I know I'm not on as much as I used to be (blaming work cause being up at 4am and working in retail sucks!) but I'm always so grateful for everyone who wants to interact with my babies. I know Kpop faces tend to be ignored at times but I appreciate how many people have wanted to interact with the 10 I play. I love every friendship that has blossomed and I can't thank all of you enough. Every interactions with the people I played in the past and even now has been nothing but amazing. I'll always enjoy every single interaction.

Guess it's time to get sentimental with a couple special shout outs because I need to do so

@tvnymontana - I know I've said this many times before but I always wanna let you know how much I appreciate you. You are such an important friend to me and I don't know what I'd do if we hadn't connected the way we have. You were one of the first people I connected with and I'm forever grateful that we found each other. I always wanna be a listening ear for you and I'm grateful you do the same for me. Not only do all our babies click with each other but we've got to plan so many amazing things together dealing with them. I'm always excited for whatever we plan for our ships or I just have a great time getting to talk to you about whatever comes to mind. Though I might have a few ideas I wanna run by you myself at some point but gotta make more gifs for you before I do that. Thank you for being an amazing friend and always being there for me. Just know I'm always here no matter what and will always listen to whatever you want to tell me. Love you <3

@jecnjvngkcok - I feel even without telling you, I show how much I adore and appreciate you. You've been there for me for every struggle and I've made sure to do the same for you. I appreciate that you are always just a message away no matter what. Plus I love getting to gush to you about whatever possible since my one track mind loves doing so especially when it comes to Ateez. Your ideas are always amazing and I want you to know that you are such a beautiful person and I feel I should tell you this more often whenever I can. You've gone through a lot but I'm always here for you no matter what. I always appreciate that you enjoy chemistry since it seems that our babies click so well together. I look forward to planning more with you for our babies here and can't wait to see what we do next. Forever grateful that I got to meet you and will continue to show you how much I appreciate having you in my life. Love you a ton, bb <3

@westcoastsaweetie - Already know I had to make a special mention for you. I know I've said enough when it comes to JoongDi but I can't help it. I love our babies so much and I'm so happy they are finally going to get married. I already can't wait till we have everything set for it. Just know that I will make sure Hongjoong gushes in his vows because he seems to be good at that when it comes to Diamonté. Forever appreciative for everything we've done and know that I'll always throw the Ateez members I play at both of yours since they adore Megan and Diamonté. Thanks for being a great friend and being there to chat with me at times whether it's just for ideas us taking about different things. Love you <3

Of course I had to tag a few more of you that always make this place even more enjoyable and special to me. I appreciate that you all are always there to interact with my babies and so willing to build friendships with them. Even if we don't talk much ooc or if we even talk ooc at all, you all still make just the ic interactions super enjoyable. You all make rping so much fun and I always look forward to any interactions from you all with my ten. I don't know what I'd do without getting the chance to interact with you all. I love you all <3 @tcemint @yxkhei @yvngboks @tcmhcll @janggyul @thatnattyice @lilreinhvrt @ninqningie

[asideofkimchi]

Gush about Yoosung for the ask game 💚

So I’ve put this off for days because…while this is FINALLY my chance! to gush! About the husband!! …i don’t know where to start. I’m definitely overthinking it, I know I am lol. And yet…!

Well, I’m on my way to the airport for my honeymoon rn. What better time than now to indulge in thoughts of the husband lol.

Hm… Yoosung and his route, I can confidently say that he altered my brain chemistry. I have several favorite characters, sure, we all have our little guys. But only two characters have ever fundamentally integrated themselves into my psyche, and goddam did Yoosung hit me hard. Without getting into too much detail (to try to keep this positive), my life was at an ideal spot to see myself reflected in Yoosung’s character arc. He charmed me with his silly but earnest personality and then the game hooked me with the realistic portrayal of his depression and loss. My emotional investment in this character was growing exponentially, and by the time he goes to Mint Eye, I started calculating the average times to expect chatrooms, I was so nervous for him! Legitimately anxious! Every chatroom moved me more and more, every sweet, genuine word he said went straight to my heart. I’m pretty sure I was tearing up, if not straight up crying, throughout this route, especially during his speech in the Good Ending.

Hm I mostly talked about the game and how it affected me. Let’s do some quick Yoosung bits that I love:

He dyed and styled his hair after Rika, after losing her. Characters who do that to remember their loved ones and keep them close, I eat that thematic shit UP.

Even when it’s not his route he has a mad crush on you, but he puts his feelings aside and wishes for you and the other person’s happiness.

I have SO many screenshots saved on my phone of messages with him. I don’t care if they’re the same thing over and over, every time I play I have to screenshot whatever sweet or hilarious thing is said.

I have so many screenshots because I play the game like about twice a year. It’s such a comfort game to me, and even when I should be trying to complete the bad endings (fuck you, Ray route bad ending 3), I just gravitate to Yoosungie.

So YOOSUNG is actually the reason behind Cutiefly being my favorite pokemon. When I first played moon I named my cutiefly Yoosungie, because of cutie-pie Yoosung. And that pokemon stayed on my team the entire time, all the way through becoming Champion. So me gushing about cutieflies is really me gushing about Yoosung.

He’s just so GENUINE about his emotions!! He’s not afraid to express any of it! He loves, he cries, he laughs, he rages, he doesn’t hide how he feels.

He’s so goddam cute and he KNOWS IT. He knows he’s fucking adorable!! And he isn’t ashamed of it! Others try to tear him down like no one wants a cute man but he owns it!

Man’s also bit of a freak and I want to devour him.

Speaking of devouring. His whole omelet thing. In the april fool’s dlc. Oh my fucking god. Oh my jesus christ. Picture this shitty meme I would make: me wearing a shirt that says “no vore kink” -> omelet!sung saying “i dream of someone tearing me apart in their hands and devouring me” -> my shirt “one vore kink”

SPEAKING OF april fools. I will never get over Punk!Sung. It was so fucking funny. Devastating that it never came back. I can’t remember anyone else’s deal but Punk!Sung is ingrained into my brain. I can never get rid of my icon. I’m stuck with it and I love it ..know what i’m sayin’?

Wait I’m going back to the omelet thing because he loves to COOK! He dreams of cooking his beloved delicious meals! He just wants a sweet and domestic life like that’s his big fantasy: Making a loving home environment through cooking and cleaning and doing laundry with and for his SO.

He feels bad that he doesn’t compare to like Zen or Jumin or Seven which is. Frankly ridiculous. Like he feels they’re more handsome and talented and rich and smart so there’s no way anyone would like him in comparison. But he is the sweetest, the bravest, willing to fight for his friends and put himself in danger and he’s happy to do so to protect his friends!! Wht the fucj!! He sees himself as some regular dude and still does this!! TRUE SUPERMAN YOOSUNG. BIGGEST HEART.

ALSO. THE MAN GETS INJURED FOR YOU. RECOVERS. GETS HIS MOTIVATION BACK. GRADUATES EARLY. BECOMES A DOCTOR. OWNS HIS OWN VET CLINIC. MARRIES YOU SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN ALL THAT. ALL WITHIN FOUR YEARS.

JUST WHAT THE FUCK. I LOVE YOOSUNG KIM.

I am so sure I could come up with more but honestly. I started typing this at like 4am today and now it’s after 7pm, I’m heading to ANOTHER airport now after spending a day out with my husband, our honeymoon just getting started.

…also I brought Yoosung to the honeymoon with us. I suggested it as a joke but well. He was represented at our wedding last year, he’s joining us now for the honeymoon. I’ll try to take pictures of him later.

Anyway. I love Yoosung Kim, thanks for coming to my tedtalk. I’ll try to be more coherent next time.

[majomatoya]

( & 𝗜 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗬 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗜 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗘𝗔.* )

independent; private & slow portrayal of 'y'shtola rhul' from ffxiv. // written by clémentine, 33 +, she/her. --- heavily headcanons-based.

BEWARE! mentions of death & rebirth, child abuse, violence (all forms), ptsd, survivor guilt & more tba.

OOC RULES.

Don’t be a dick. Real life is already hard enough.

20 + only. I’m a full-grown adult so yeah.

Sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia etc. won’t be tolerated. The list is extensive, but you get the point: don’t be a terrible person.

I’m slow. Don’t take it personally, really. I try my best but can’t promise I’ll be as fast as (chain) lightning.

I finished the main plot and pretty much all the side quests.

I’m Klém (Clémentine) , 33+, she/her —- nice to meet you. English isn’t my first language, so please be patient too! I’m a nurse, so my schedule is erratic but I’ll try to be around as much as I can.

credits for the icons (psd+border) : somresources !

credits for the banner:  feypacts.

IC RULES.

Anything from one-liners to novellas is fine to me. I just love writing. 

I only write with mutuals. I’m OC-friendly & love them. Don’t be afraid to gush about your muse with me. We’re all here to have fun.

Do not force me to ship or smut. It’s a big no-no. I only write smut with people I feel comfortable with. I believe in chemistry. I also believe in plotting so if you want a relationship with Y'shtola (romance, friendship, enemies etc…), please approach me. My DM are always open. Please, keep in mind that Y'shtola is not one to be quickly won over when it comes to romance. It will be slow and difficult if she develops feelings.

I love plotting but sometimes, life gets in the way and I have zero time and/or energy. It’s not you, it’s a ‘me’ problem. Just give me some time.

Speaking about ships — I usually follow my partners’ wishes. If they only ship with one version of my muse, I shall return the favor. If they don’t, fair game. I’m not too bothered about it but I want my partners to feel comfortable so I’ll follow your rules on this matter. 

18+ content might occur and will always be tagged. Keep in mind that many dark themes will be explored on this blog BUT they’ll always be tagged. If you need a specific tag for some content you don’t want to see, you can always send me a message so I can tag it appropriately. I’m usually good with tags but mistakes/oversights could happen so yeah.

I do not ship kiddos with adults, that’s a given. Incest is also a big no.

Sometimes I use icons, and sometimes I don’t. Life is full of surprises!

Thank you for reading my rules (:

[renyen808]

A Week Later, I Cannot Stop Thinking About…

Hey everyone! Let’s talk about the newest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, directed by James Gunn. I’ll let you know when I get to the spoiler section of my post. 

(Credit: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Wikipedia Page)

Ever since Avengers Endgame, I don’t think I cried as much in another movie besides this one. Maybe Black Panther last November, but there were only certain places that brought me to tears. From beginning to end, this movie sent me on a roller coaster of laughter and (or with) tears. 

I do agree that this film is more on the emotionally intense side, with the animal abuse situations and the dark themes shown throughout the movie, but I enjoyed the film nonetheless. Just note, if you have not watched the film yet, be prepared for scenes of animal abuse and very minor gore (Some may disagree with the gore, but it caught me off guard). 

(Credit: Duniaku Article)

I loved every scene, and although I had issues with the pacing at first, I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. From the get go, this movie draws the viewers in and doesn’t let go until the very end, showing that this is indeed the last ride. Guardians Vol. 1 stole the hearts of audiences with its infectious chemistry, engaging story, and loveable characters, but fell short when it came to the villain (love Lee Pace though). Guardians Vol. 2 upped the ante and gave us a fantastic villain, built off the already amazing chemistry, gave us many laughs, and showed to not only meet, but surpassed its predecessor in terms of likeability and quality. Vol. 3 builds off of what 2 established and gave us the ending that not only the Guardians, but that we deserve.

When it comes to movie reviews, I rate things on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the absolute best, and 1 being the absolute worst. I don’t do 1 to 5 because I am afraid I will do some dumb rating like 3.3 out of 5. So, for consistency, I will only use whole numbers to rate things. 

(Credit: Deadline Article)

For me, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gets a 9 out of 10. Although there were some criticisms and pacing issues, this film showcases why we all love the MCU to begin with. I cannot gush enough about this movie. Gunn’s direction and writing is perfect for this final ride, choosing to subvert expectations and take viewers on what looked to be a predictable journey, but instead gave us a story we didn’t think we needed. The seasoned actors performed at the top of their game, and invited new characters with open arms. So, now I am going to go in depth with the movie, basically a summary of what happened, which means the SPOILER WARNING is now in effect! I will have a border for the next section, and will have spacing so that people who don’t want to see it have the choice to not. With that, it is the end of my review! If this is where you are leaving us, thank you for taking the time to read my post! If you enjoyed reading it, share it with a friend who may also like it as well. Comments are always welcome, but keep it nice. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and shouldn’t be attacked because of them. If you want to hear audio versions of these articles, you can find them on my YouTube channel ‘Screen and Joystick’. Thank you for reading! See you in the next post!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! 

Hello to everyone who has read this far! So here is a quick rundown on how the spoiler section will go. If you’re familiar with the Dead Meat Channel, for movie review podcast episodes, they go over a quick summary of the movie and share their thoughts along the way. This will be similar to that, where I will go through each section of the movie and share my thoughts and insights. 

So, the movie starts with baby raccoons (trash pandas) all in a cage, and immediately I’m in the feels. I mean, it’s a bunch of baby animals in a cage. Innocent animals. When the cage is opened, the babies scatter, but one looks on to the being with curiosity. This curious one is our beloved Rocket. 

(Credit: Brick Fanatics)

Before we move on, I need to commend Bradley Cooper for the amazing voice acting and Sean Gunn for the amazing motion capture for Rocket. He CARRIES this movie, and although people may think that StarLord or Gamora are the main protagonists, Rocket is the main protagonist and this is proven in this movie. It’s Rocket’s world and we’re just living in it. 

We cut to the present day, where Rocket is sitting on Knowhere, minding his own business. Then, the opening credits play with Radiohead’s Creep as he walks throughout Knowehere. Although at first, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of action during this part, I have grown quite fond of why Gunn chose to do it this way. In Vol 1, we see Quill dancing to Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love, an iconic scene where he is dancing on Morag trying to get the Orb, and also where a 2023 Rhodey proceeds to call him an idiot for dancing and singing. In Vol 2, we follow Baby Groot as he dances to Electric Night Orchestra’s Mr. Blue Sky as the other Guardians fight off an Abilisk, which is the weird tentacle monster thing. Each Guardian interacts or ends up in frame with Groot as he dances, but it is cut short when Drac is thrown into the speaker, ending the song and dance abruptly. In the Holiday Special, a band, played by the Old 97’s, in Knowhere sings an original song titled I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime is Here). Although the people of Knowhere don’t dance, Groot excitedly dances in the background. Here, no one is dancing. We follow Rocket as he is walking around Knowhere, where he passes by all the Guardians at one point or another. It ends with Nebula carrying a passed out Quill walking with the other Guardians in slow motion and the title card appears. With this, it establishes the solemn tone that is prominent throughout the whole movie, and it also establishes the fact that this is Rocket’s story. Rocket then retires to his room as Nebula puts a drunk Quill to bed. Kraglin is trying to use the arrow and Cosmo shows him up with her telekinesis, which ends with Kraglin calling her a ‘bad dog’. Everything seems calm at first, but then, shit hits the fan when Adam shows up. 

(Credit: Quora)

We were teased about Adam Warlock in the post credit scene to Vol 2. He was currently being created in his cocoon. We were just given his first name, so we all knew who it was: Adam Warlock. It was rumored that he was going to play a big role in Infinity War and Endgame, but, as we all know, that didn’t happen. So, Gunn had Adam all set up, and he wasn’t used for the one thing Kevin Fiege asked him for. So, here we are now, where we meet Adam Warlock in the MCU for the first time and I really enjoyed what Gunn and Will Poulter did with him. Although people just saw him as a man child, that’s exactly the point.  I get that Adam is supposed to be this strong, all powerful character, but he is just a baby here, a child even, so I forgive him for being the way that he is.

So, Adam Warlock breaks through the wall of Rocket’s room and attacks him. Rocket initially gets away and Nebula begins attacking Adam with her new arm and Groot tries to fight him as well, but in the scuffle, Rocket is fatally wounded, and they cannot revive him due to an internal kill switch placed in Rocket by his creator, the High Evolutionary. They find out that the company that sponsors him, Orgocorp, made the code for the kill switch, so they leave Knowhere, leaving Cosmo and Kraglin in charge, and travel to Orgocorp on the Bowie. 

Now, this is the start when I thought the pacing was a bit slow for me. During this part, we have a funny scene involving Quill, Mantis, and Drax talking about humans and life on Earth as they infiltrate the shields of Orgocorp. They are then boarded by the Ravagers, led by Gamora, who was Nebula’s contact. Quill is initially upset about Nebula hiding the fact that she kept in contact with her sister and chose to not tell him. They figure out that they need to get into the planet and retrieve Rocket’s old file, since it must have a reverse to the kill switch. Quill, Mantis, Drax, Nebula, and Gamora leave  the Bowie in these suits that reminded me more of Among Us than 2001: A Space Odyssey. Once they made it to the planet, there is this tiny spot where Quill and Gamora talk, and she calls him Quinn. There is another joke where Mantis and Drax discuss the private channels as Nebula creates an opening. 

(Credit: TL;DR Movie Reviews and Analysis)

They make it inside and this is just James Gunn cameo central. First, the main woman controlling the security is Jennifer Holland, an actress that Gunn worked with on Peacemaker and his wife, whom he married in 2022. Secondly, the main security guard wearing the ridiculously large orange suit is Nathan Fillion, a long time friend of Gunn’s who has been in many of his projects, which includes the first two Guardians and Gunn’s directorial debut Slither. The woman that Gamora takes hostage inside is played by Daniela Melchior, who plays Ratcatcher 2 in Gunn’s Suicide Squad. 

So, they are inside and get their disguises on, but in a panic, accidentally send their Among Us space suits into…space. They split up inside with Mantis and Drax trying to find a way to get Groot to come in or a ship for them to take, while Quill, Nebula, and Gamora go and get Rocket’s file. Drax and Mantis make it inside, thanks to Mantis’ little joke that makes the gatekeeper fall in love with Drax. The other three were able to retrieve the file, but got themselves caught and this is the first of many instances where we were tricked into thinking a Guardian was going to die. Drax is shot multiple times in the chest, and it does not let up until Quill uses a trick he learned from Rocket during their prison escape in Vol 1: turning off the artificial gravity used in their enemies suits. Drax is revealed to be okay and Groot comes in with the Bowie to save them. They watch Rocket’s torture on the file, which makes all of the Guardians angry and discover that the kill switch reversal had been removed, which leads Quill to believe it was a guy he passed in Orgocorp.

Now, I just brushed through this part because this is the part that felt extremely slow to me. I mean, I was happy that everyone got a chance to see what the High Evolutionary did to Rocket (more on that in a bit), but all this stuff felt a bit slow to me, like the bland soup before the beef wellington prepared by Gordon Ramsay himself. The only things that it achieved to do was 1. Give them a chance to see what happened to Rocket, and 2. Gives Quill an idea of who wiped the code from his file. I really enjoyed seeing people I recognized and will never pass up on humor, but it kind of pulled me out a bit with how slow and how recognizable some of the cast were, not that using your friends and family in movies is a bad thing. I believe that you are able to choose whoever the hell you want for your movies, doesn’t mean I won’t complain about it when I have an opinion on it. 

So, after deciding to chase that guy, Gamora and Quill have a spat, which ends in her throwing him into a panel and rushing to call who she believes is a Ravager awaiting her signal to be picked up. What she doesn’t know is the one that was supposed to pick her up was accidentally killed thanks to a misunderstanding from Adam. The ravager was kidnapped and about to be interrogated, but Adam wasn’t sure what to do to intimidate him, so he killed him. So, Ayesha and Adam follow the Bowie as the others suit up to go to Counter Earth, a planet created by the High Evolutionary.

(Credit: Inverse)

Now, I haven’t really talked that much about Rocket and the High Evolutionary’s scenes, so I am going to take the time now to discuss it. Rocket’s name when he was in captivity was ‘89P13’. He was part of batch 89, which includes his friends. Lylla, an otter with mechanical arms. Floor, a rabbit with robotic legs and voice, and Teefs, a walrus in a wheelchair. When Rocket first meets them, he is unable to stand or speak at first, before just muttering “Hurts”, and this broke my heart. This poor thing’s first word was about the pain he was experiencing. Throughout Rocket’s torture there, his intelligence actually surpassed the High Evolutionary’s own, with Rocket discovering an error the High Evolutionary overlooked in his experiment for ‘a perfect society’. Rocket and his friends were all under the impression that they will soon join this perfect world, but the High Evolutionary, with no remorse, states that he and his imperfect friends weren’t invited to the new world, but rather they will be killed. In a state of desperation, Rocket creates a key that opens the doors to their cages, freeing them all. He and Lylla embrace for the first time, having been separated in two different cages, and this is the most unexpected death. I thought that Lylla would at least survive, but she dies right as she is freed by the High Evolutionary by a gunshot. Rocket cries in agony as Teefs stays quiet and Floor cries out “Rocket, Floor, Teefs go now!” She is screaming this in fear because her best friend was just killed. Rage soon overtakes Rocket as he brutally attacks his creator. In the ensuing chaos, shots were fired towards Rocket and his friends, so Rocket returned fire. When the attackers are reprimanded, he turns and sees that Floor and Teefs were shot and killed as well. Heartbroken, Rocket flees and escapes on a ship, flying away into the forever and beautiful sky. 

These scenes were sprinkled through the previous section with the Orgocorp stuff and it made me so upset to see Rocket and what happened to him, which is why I believe that the High Evolutionary is the MCU’s best villain in this new era. I loved some previous ones after Endgame, like Shang Chi’s Wenwu and Black Panther’s Namor, but something about the High Evolutionary being pure evil with no redeeming qualities is something fresh, after having so many sympathetic villains. Now, there is nothing wrong with a sympathetic villain, majority of my favorite MCU characters were sympathetic villains before (Loki, Wenwu, Killmonger among a few), but ever since Endgame, everyone is trying to recreate that same magic that Josh Brolin did with Thanos. Ever since Endgame, we have had sympathetic villains from Shang Chi (Wenwu), No Way Home (Norman, Otto), Multiverse of Madness (Wanda), Love and Thunder (Gorr), Wakanda Forever (Namor), and just recently, Quantumania (Kang). This is way more than Pre-Endgame MCU, where the only sympathetic ones were one every phase. Here, the High Evolutionary, played perfectly and brilliantly by Chukwudi Iwuji, is an evil mastermind who is trying to create what he believes is the perfect society, using Rocket and his other experiments as mere stepping stones in his path to greatness. One line that he said that I will mention later is not only one of the best lines Gunn ever wrote, it is probably the best thing a villain has ever said since Thanos. Iwuiji did a perfect job playing a villain that I not only hated, I despised. 

(Credit: Digital Spy)

Now, the Guardians are making their way to Counter Earth, where they are surrounded by human animal hybrids. They are able to befriend a bat woman (side note: did not know she was a bat in the movie, had no idea what it was), who helps point them in the right direction on where to find the High Evolutionary and the guy they are looking for. So, Drax and Mantis were told to stay with Rocket as Quill, Groot, and Nebula went to confront the High Evolutionary. This is when the first ‘F***’ in the MCU is placed. Now, they make their way through different neighborhoods and see how they live here on Counter Earth. They make it to the High Evolutionary’s base, built in a pyramid like shape. Nebula is not allowed inside thanks to her arm, so Quill and Groot enter while Nebula waits outside. Quill sees the High Evolutionary with his own eyes and the rage and fury behind them is unmistakable. He sees the other Guardians as his family, and the fact that this guy tortured someone in his family, it made him so upset.

Before continuing, I just wanted to say that I do not blame Quill for everything he has done. We have seen throughout his time in the MCU that he is an emotional individual, I mean, hell, he hasn’t found a healthy way to cope with the loss of his mother, because the mere mention of her death, he is sent into a fury filled fit. Quill has been running his entire life, running from these feelings and as a way to continue running, you retaliate. In this case, he retaliates with anger. Since a lot of people blame him for hitting Thanos since he killed Gamora, I just think that this is exactly how he would react, since everyone near and dear to him has been killed (his mom, his girlfriend, his father figure). I mean, if someone killed any one that I loved, I would not even begin to explain the emotions I would feel and what would happen to the person that did me wrong. Although it is wrong that he did punch him, I feel it reflects him as a character, and sure you can hate and blame him, but it had to happen, according to Strange.

So, Quill confronts the guy he saw, which catches the attention of the High Evolutionary, who at this point told him to wait. They talk for a bit before Groot reveals that inside his torso was a bunch of guns, including Quill’s guns. They attempt to kill everyone inside and Quill tackles the guy out of the building, mind you, where they were, it was around 1,000 feet in the air. He is airlifted by Groot to safety and they successfully retrieve the device. 

Now, while this is happening, Drax steals a motorcycle and he and Mantis go towards the pyramid, which is starting to rise into the air. Them, along with Nebula, board the ship and are nearly killed thanks to the ship going into space before Drax opens the door to get inside. Meanwhile, Gamora is back at the Bowie, and finds herself trying to protect Rocket from Adam, who is seeking to kidnap him for the High Evolutionary. Just as all of this is happening, the HIgh Evolutionary is blowing Counter Earth up, starting over again. This is interesting, because in that moment in the theater, I had turned to the people I was with and said, “He is playing God,” much like how many believe He threw the asteroid that killed the Dinosaurs (I am not saying I believe in this, I do not, but I find the similarities between the two). As the planet is blowing up, that is when Drax, Mantis, and Nebula board the ship. Gamora is trying to drive the Bowie (although very poorly) and saves Quill and Groot. Meanwhile, Ayesha is killed in the explosions as Adam tries to save her. He ends up on the Bowie and they all fly off the planet. 

(Credit: Quora)

Quill begins trying to save Rocket, but Rocket begins to hallucinate his friends in the afterlife, Lylla being the first to see him. He laments how apologetic he was for letting them down, and Lylla explains that he did not. He asks to join them and she agrees, which is when he begins to flatline and Quill and Groot begin to panic. Quill is yelling in anger as he frantically tries to resuscitate him. Meanwhile, Rocket begins walking to his friends, but Lylla stops him. She explains that it is not his time yet. They ‘kiss’ and she calls him her raccoon before sending him back, with him saying “I’m not a raccoon.” He is sent back to his physical body, where he desperately gasps for air. Quill and Gamora are able to heal him and the three guys embrace, Gamora happy that he is okay. 

Nebula, Drax, and Mantis are able to communicate with the others on the Bowie, and they are all relieved to hear Rocket (especially Nebula). The three on the ship are captured and they all go to save them. Meanwhile, prior to being captured, the trio find themselves surrounded by caged children. Nebula and Mantis tried to talk to them, but they were unsuccessful. They freed some of them, but then, that is when Quill is able to talk to him. Once they are captured, Drax shows he is able to communicate with the children, which irritates Nebula. They are then lowered into an arena, surrounded by three Abilisk, the battery eating creatures from Vol 2. To everyone’s shock, Mantis is able to befriend the creatures, allowing them to escape. 

Meanwhile, the others, including Rocket, board the ship and decide to save them, but they are all reunited thanks to Mantis. They were going to leave, but the trio told them about the children, and the ship is beginning to blow up (More on that in a bit). Rocket lets out that he is “done running” and turns back to save them. Groot, not even thinking about it, follows Rocket, and slowly, every Guardian, including Gamora turns out and they go back to fight the High Evolutionary.

(Credit: Nerdist)

Now, I want to discuss what happened. The High Evolutionary wants to restart his entire experiment, starting a new colony with Rocket’s brain once he captures him. This starts a mutiny on the ship, and this is when he drops the line I mentioned earlier. He says, “There is no God, so I stepped in.” and this solidifies my stance that he is an evil mastermind and the best MCU villain in a while. Just as this is happening, Kraglin and Cosmo brought Knowhere to the ship and began firing at it. In response to this and the mutiny, the High Evolutionary expands a blast of energy, ending everyone’s lives quickly inside that room. 

Quill and the others, before freeing the children, have to fight through a hallway. I wish I could go into depth and explain it, but I want to shout out Ryan Arey on ScreenCrush who made a full breakdown video on it. Please go and watch it, he has a frame by frame explanation on how amazing this shot was. I will share the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHevly-Nz_M 

Quill and the others free the children as Cosmo creates a link that allows the children to run to safety. As they were evacuating, Rocket finds himself in the animal area of the ship, and finds a similar cage that he found himself in when he was younger. He opens it and sees all the babies looking at him. He looks up at the paper and shows that these are in fact ‘Racoons’. He attempts to grab and save them, picking up the ones he dropped and looks around in sadness at all the other animals before the High Evolutionary comes to attack him. He attacks Rocket and ends with him calling him “89P13” before Rocket corrects him by saying “The name’s Rocket. Rocket…Racoon.” He finally admits he is a racoon and fires at him, blasting the High Evolutionary back. The High Evolutionary gets back up and charges at Rocket, but Groot pushes him back into the arms of Drax who throws him over his shoulder and bodies him. Drax then throws him into the air as Quill fires his gun at him. Mantis attacks him, followed by Nebula blasting him into Gamora, who fatally stabs him and proceeds to peel his face off. They look at him as Rocket chooses to spare him, since he is “a fricken Guardian of the Galaxy”. 

They save the children and all the animals and Cosmo barely hangs on before fainting. Everyone but Quill makes it over, since Quill went back for his Zune that he dropped. He attempts to make it out and uses the blast’s momentum from the ship exploding to blast himself towards Knowhere, but is unable to make it back, earning a heart wrenching scream from Mantis. Groot attempts to rescue him, but is unsuccessful. Just then, Adam saves Quill after Groot saved him from the ship blowing up, bringing him to Knowhere and he survives, ending up in a group hug with everyone except Gamora. 

(Credit: Men’s Health)

Quill catches Gamora before she returns to the Ravagers, explaining how he is finally ready to move on and let her go, truly coming to terms that the Gamora he grew and fell in love with was gone for good. She laments that they must have been great before they parted their separate ways and I really loved how this ended for them. Quill and Gamora’s romantic relationship was one that I thought was the most natural throughout the movies, and seeing it finally come to fruition in Infinity War was great, but it did not last long, and this just shows that even though she was a big part of who he was as a new person, he is finally ready to move on from that chapter in his life and into a new one, which flows right into the next part.

Quill shares to everyone that he is going to return to Earth, having been moved by Rocket’s mantra. He is going back to Earth to see his grandfather. Mantis decides to also leave, not really knowing anything about herself, since she has always done what Ego and the Guardians wanted. Drax volunteers to go with her, but Nebula reminds him that she needs help on Knowhere. He reluctantly agrees, and Rocket is devastated to know the Guardians are ‘over’. However, Quill tells him that the Galaxy needs it’s Guardians, and hands leadership of them over to Rocket, all of them giving Rocket a Ravager salute. It ends with Groot being the last one to do his salute as he says “I love you guys,” and at this moment, I whispered, “Oh my god,” as I began to bawl my eyes out. I have always loved Groot and Rocket throughout the course of the films, and I always tried to figure out what Groot is trying to say, so to finally hear him say something else, and the audience finally being a part of the Guardians made me feel not only sad that it was over for this team, but heartwarming because of how much love they all have for one another. It is truly an amazing job by James Gunn for creating a team with such infectious chemistry.

So as Florence + The Machines The Dog Days Are Over begins to play, we see everyone gets a bittersweet ending. Rocket and Groot dance with each other on Knowhere as Father and Son. In the mid-credit scene, Rocket is leading a new team which includes Kraglin and his arrow, Adam Warlock, Cosmo, one of the children whose name is Phyla, Adam’s pet Blurp, and Groot, who has grown way past his predecessor. Quill returns to Missouri, where he is reunited with his grandpa. Mantis and Drax part ways as she and her friends the Abilisks travel with her on her journey of self discovery. At the climax of the second part of the chorus, Drax finally dances, having been able to go back to becoming a father thanks to the children he saved. Him and Nebula dance with the children as they stay behind to raise them and rule Knowhere, Nebula explaining that she can give them everything she never had growing up. The movie ends with everyone howling into the sky, and it ends with Rocket howling, finally happy. Also, in the post credit scene, it explains that Star Lord will return, so we will see what that brings us.

(Credit: IGN)

Before we end, I wanted to share that I really did enjoy how things ended here for the Guardians. Every single one of their endings played into their character so well, so much so that I was upset that I haven’t even thought of it myself. I touched on Quill and him constantly running earlier in the post, but the fact that he is finally ready to return to Earth for the sole purpose of being there for his Grandpa shows he has grown so much over his time with the Guardians. Gamora returning to the Ravagers and not staying fits perfectly with this version of Gamora, since she has no personal ties to the team besides Nebula. She found a new family with them, the Guardians aren’t her family. Drax, I feel, had the most rewarding ending ever. After fighting all his life, wanting revenge on the ones that wronged him, he was never able to do one thing because his family was gone: become a father. Now, thanks to all the children, he is able to live that part of him. He seems truly happy to be a father, and I know he still misses his wife and daughter, that part will never leave him, but the fact that now he can continue on and raise these kids, giving him back the chance that he lost, makes me feel so happy for him, and it is the perfect sendoff for Drax. Nebula has also been wronged her entire life. Taken away from her family at a young age, constantly put in a sibling rivalry with Gamora, losing everyone but Rocket in Infinity War and Endgame, and gaining it all back and learning to move on from her trauma. She is now able to give back and raise these kids the way that she wished she was. Rocket and Groot are still Guardians of the Galaxy and I am so happy that Rocket made it through. He is the heart of the Guardians and without him, nothing would be the same. 

(Credit: Fandango)

With that, it is the end of my explanation and I thank you for reading this far! If you enjoyed reading my stuff, share it with a friend who may also like it as well. Comments are always welcome, but keep it nice. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and shouldn’t be attacked because of them. If you want to hear audio versions of these articles, you can find them on my YouTube channel ‘Screen and Joystick’. Thank you for reading! See you in the next post!

[demonscantgothere]

so i've been reading your wonderful fic Though the Gods and the Years Relent, Shall Be, and it kind of...altered my brain chemistry??? and i've been trying to figure out how to communicate this in a comment on ao3, but for whatever reason i feel like i can maybe make more sense of my jumbled brain on this crazy website.

so, chapter 4. obviously i got excited from the moment i read the chapter title, but the kissing scene itself??? quite frankly, i don't know how to process it (in the most positive way). like,,, i find in media that so often, when there's a passionate kissing scene or a sex scene between a man and a woman, it almost always feels like the scene is there to serve (or please) the man. and i know it's not always the case, but it feels like it is the case the majority of the time?? and i don't know why that's been brought to my attention recently, but as a woman, it's so discouraging to watch films and read books and feel like moments of passion are only meant to be enjoyed by men?? because they most definitely aren't???

anyways to make a long spiel/rant short (ish), reading that kissing scene kind of blew me away because it's not a power struggle or anything like that, but it's also not coming from the perspective of battling desires, like they clearly are aligned in their desire but also mairon isn't there to satisfy just himself, like he handles galadriel with such care and she reciprocates, but she initiates it, which is so hugely important to me, and honestly the way you've built the tension between them in the first three chapters and then broken the dam in this most recent chapter is just stunning to me and i could gush about this for literal hours. so, thank you for this. from the bottom of my heart, thank you, and i hope this made sense :)💕💕💕

This is most definitely the kissing scene I am most proud of writing, and I really wanted it to stand out because it's the first kiss for both of them, and not just Galadriel, but I've been reading over this for days now and I have no words to describe how you just made me feel over this lil' baby novella I've been working on lately. ❤️

So many things in visual and written media are Male Gaze oriented, and I wanted Though the Gods and the Years Relent, Shall Be to be different and stand out from that. It's just very innocent and pure, and I'm proud of that! But I am also very moved that it's made you feel this way! You are so very welcome, and thank you so much for this amazing piece of feedback! I could have answered it privately, but I don't want to lose this beautiful comment!!!

The last chapter will be up tonight! I might just cry saying goodbye to this fic.

[honeyhotteoks]

I love old fandoms and fandom ships too because of the nostalgia and comfort you get from when you rewatch everything.

As I grew older, I understand that Spike was more dedicated to Buffy and it for real seems like the actors had more chemistry than Buffy had with Angel but that's just me.

Honestly, pls no one give me hate for this but my comfort couple and fandom is Edward and Bella from The Twilight Saga.

Became a fan at 10 and I'm now 26 and still love the books, the movies and I have a Twilight tattoo and I'm still a simp for Edward Cullen.

Yeah the relationship is toxic af and unhealthy and it was hilarious when I was at the Twilight marathon and everyone around me would just scream out 'red flag' whenever Edward did something icky.

But I'm also now a 26 year old watching these movies and being like... Carlisle Cullen's beauty is slept on for real, Peter Facinelli's beauty was UNHINGED in the movies.

Particularly in New Moon, the scene where he's pulling glass out of Bella's arm and Kristen Stewart looks at Peter like she's going to ravage him on that table.

And that moment where he cradles her chin and stares at her with way too much sexual tension is the moment many twihards who watched realised their daddy issues were way bigger than they anticipated (that's me I'm one of them).

13 year old me was blushing and kicking my feet over Edward Cullen and I'm sure I'll be doing the same at 43.

Some of the dialogue he says to Bella is downright cheesy and I still gush over them now.

Like this one,

' Dream happy dreams. You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. Therefore it shall always be yours. Sleep, my only love'.

wait okay i'm about to ramble on about vampires and fandom so click under the cut LOL BUT YES TO ALL

as far as your spike/buffy comment..... a thousand times yes. i do think that smg and david boreanaz have good chemistry, but as i have gotten older i think it's harder to read the buffy and angel storyline as romantic when you understand angel's problematic history and the fact that she's sixteen when the series starts. buffy and spike are really so well matched in the show because i think we got to see the actors as adults playing adults and deal with adult things including sex and romance in ways that feel more engaging to me as an audience member. spike's also a much more funny and messy character compared to early days angel lol which always matched buffy's energy better to me. (i also personally think they are like actual soulmates and i'll ship them until i die buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut i digress)

as far as edward and bella, omg join the club i was VERY into twilight as a kid. i'm 30, so i remember reading the books, seeing the movie cast, reading stephenie meyer's blog, and all that. i literally went to see robert pattinson at the mall for a signing event.... i was truly one of those fangirls LOL

as an adult i think that's a ship that has faded a bit for me just because i think there are other fandoms where the source material for the characters is a lot richer BUT i still watch those movies every couple of years and they are def comfort films for me. plus like..... in terms of tropey good romance, twilight hits so many good beats. like i'm so sorry i can and will watch the scene where edward physically puts himself between bella and jacob (after the jacob kiss/broken hand scene) on literal repeat. i am fully weak for it idc if it's concerning to feminism lmao

also def not to sleep on your carlisle point - they REALLY played with the religious trauma and sexual tension in that scene and as an adult WOW it hits. so 100000% agree

[lookmomitsmytmblr]

NO ONE IS DONNA Big oof with everything u said about Martha. I was so proud of her when she “got out”, like cheering at the screen, then I found out lots of people thought she was annoying and I was like ??? She’s literally just a queen??? Pure class and smart as a whip. Love her forever. I like to think of myself as a certified t*nr*ose hater lollllll

The relationship between her and nine was just so… pure? I could actually believe she wasn’t cheating on Micky while as an audience understand the chemistry? And then I hated The Christmas Invasion where her entire character is reduced to “oh nu, nu Doctor can do nothing.” I was personally offended by that writing choice. I TOTALLY agree w what you said about her getting over the whole thing so quickly. With how absolutely distraught she was over him regenerating (which is understandable in a sense but must have been pretty hurtful for him) she seemed to get over his personality change too quickly. It really made me resent her for not taking time to really mourn nine, if you know what I mean. I made a whole post about this a while back, but the writing reads to me as Rose treats ten differently than nine because she thinks he’s attractive… which is just bleh. Not to mention basically the first thing they do in s2 is establish she hasn’t broken up w Mickey but is obviously trying to start something w the Doctor. Why??? She’s like a totally different character.

from a structural narrative perspective, the way they handled the regeneration was awful if they wanted me to buy she was his soulmate or whatever RTD says. In view of what actually happens in the show (ahem, Journey’s End, School Reunion, ahem) I was convinced I was supposed to believe that she loved him, but she couldn’t fully commit, or more importantly empathize with, the more alien aspects of him. Which is fine, totally understandable. But that’s why I just can’t get behind them as a couple. I genuinely thought they were setting up that Rose loved him, but she wanted things from him he couldn’t give, partially because she couldn’t give him what he needed as an ageless being who lives a life that humans can’t really comprehend. Someone to empathize with the unknowable, and stop him when he goes too far. and they both move on with their lives, even if they didn’t want to be separated the way they were. I thought it was very mature and a good end. I was pretty miffed that they made her reappearance in JE all about wanting to get back to him, because I wanted her to be her own person! Like she was in s1! You’re telling me it’s been ten years or some and she’s still only about him, not her dad who so much of her character was devoted to??? Not her mum??? Don’t get me started on JE how she just starts kissing his clone w out a toss for hurting him.😤

which was, I might add, perfect setup for Donna being the person who could give him that understanding of his burden, challenge his assumptions, accept his differences, endlessly curious but never pushing for more than he could give…never asking him to be something he’s not… I felt like with her he could have been able to truly have a relationship with an equal. That brought out his better qualities because he finally had that need to be challenged and understood filled. If they had more time, I really think they would have been inevitable. RTD tried so hard to keep them platonic in one packed season and he kind of failed lol, imagine if we had more seasons. Ugh I just love them… especially that they could have been canon without having to go back through the series and scribble out previous relationships. Their connection is strengthened to me as a viewer by the contrast to previous loves. They feel like a warm hug, like coming home. I’m gushing oh no, oh dear.

I just don’t get why The Ship(TM) for so many is t*nr*ose and im a crusty old fanhag about it.

Hey random sorry but I love your account

THANK U SO MUCH!!!! I was looking at the tags u left on my Death and The Queen essay the other day and I was like !💖!

mad respect for the nine/rose content btw, they really were phenomenal. I try to be the change I want to see (read: shamelessly stanning tendonna) but I adored the relationship between rose and nine.

[kira-fluff]

just for the night? - kuroo fanfic

the late night streets get to you as you round another corner, the dim streetlamps shrouding what little light shown on your darkened path. yet, no matter what you try to tell yourself, it's not just your imagination - you're pretty sure you're being followed. - "you're the only one i could call...can you stay with me?" tw: stalking stranger, anxiety, coworkers!au, timeskip!kuroo fear/comfort, language, fem!reader a/n: yes i decided for no reason to format things differently don't judge me pairing: kuroo tetsuro x fem!reader

you'd consoled yourself the moment you stepped out of your office. work once again ran a little late (and by "a little", you meant that you were supposed to be out at quarter to five but instead it was 2am). it didn't bother you too much other than sitting uncomfortably long hours at your desk reviewing your graphic design elements after your coworker notified you that the files you'd sent and so foolishly didn't backup, had been corrupted - your work unable to be salvaged.

you took a small break to scream into the void called the break room, sighing as you glared at the cheap coffee stirrers, the coffee long-since empty.

you loved your job, you did. you loved graphic design - you'd fallen in love with it in college and switched your major immediately. though you imaged yourself perhaps working at a wedding planning company or a large-scale business that sells fashion ware, you were surprised when you were offered a hefty sum in order to work in Japan Volleyball Association's Sports Promotion Division. to be totally honest, you weren't all that "sporty" but you definitely wouldn't pass up on such an excellent opportunity. to your surprise you fell in love with the design elements that the job entailed. you had efficient coworkers as well, none of them wasted each others time, they were relatively cordial, and above all - valued hard work.

there was one in particular who you relied on greatly - kuroo tetsuro. he was hard working as he was charming, taking his time to explain the details of the new software that you didn't quite understand even though he wasn't even in the graphic design area - he worked for public relations. he was just a little bit older than you, but he seemed to have decades of experience.

you especially admired the way he seemed to make and maintain connections wherever he went. he was unbelievably busy, yet he still made time to answer you numerous questions over a club sandwich in the break room. he'd always smile in a way that when you'd first met him, you'd believed was a sort of smug smirk, but later realized was his genuine smile. he was also a huge dork. you'd never forget the time you'd mentioned all his many connections and he proceeded to gush to you about his high school years, time spent invested as the volleyball captain, the fact that he knows the famous kenma kozume (and they're best friends!?), his memories playing against hinata shoyo, and many other names you'd only just become familiar with due to your investment in the company. it put a sort of calmness in you. you smiled softly at him as he talked about how he almost majored in chemistry, telling you about his periodic table jokes that would elicit the same cringing reactions with a laugh.

you didn't notice the fact that he only talked this way with you. your banter seemed to fall easily from your lips - in the past you'd been hesitant for fear of appearing argumentative - but with kuroo, it was almost as if being argumentative was what he fed off of. maybe it was. sometimes he'd take the silliest stance on a certain topic, his chin resting in his hand, trying to hide his growing grin. he loved the way you'd react, often becoming energetic and frantic in your explanations and rebuttals to his "well-crafted" arguments.

before you knew it, you were bringing an extra cup of coffee every morning. he wouldn't think it was weird that you knew his order, right? he always would get the same thing in the break room.. everyone on staff probably knew his order.

you slyly placed his coffee cup on his desk, moving away to silently sip your own. he arrived a few minutes later. you thought for sure he'd be dumb-founded. yet as soon as he saw the coffee cup on the table, his eyes lit up and immediately met yours. his eyes took on a deeper sense of warmth as he confirmed who'd delivered a special treat - you'd had the same order in your hands. you mouthed a shy, "thanks" before sitting down.

from there it became a regular occurrence for kuroo to try and top your "gifts", if you'd call them that. it never delved into romantic waters, at least in your eyes. it was typically lunch, or perhaps a bagel.

he was your favorite person in the whole world. it was your little secret.

you scanned the parking lot, looking for signs that your friend had come to pick you up. she wasn't here. no surprise, you'd called to cancel her pick-up knowing you'd be late and you'd notified her that you would call if you needed a ride later. you felt really bad, though. you didn't want to bother her as it was already 2am and you know what? you don't live that far away anyway. you could just take the metro back to your apartment. it'd be fine. totally not like it was pitch black outside. you gripped your purse a little tighter, glancing down at your heels, tight pencil skirt and stripped, collared shirt. steeling yourself, you shook your head, gathering up the courage to walk to fifteen minutes it would take to get to the metro. you needed the exercise anyway, right? just your luck that your car decided this week was the perfect time not to function properly.

you'd been walking for maybe eight minutes when you took notice of a hooded figure. they seemed to be heading the same direction you were. why were they always in a dark, mysterious hoodie? you cursed yourself for not thinking to change into heavy clothing to appear as masculine as possible. not that you had any clothes available anyway. you didn't have time for this. you just wanted to get to the subway station and get on the train and go home. you could've wasted time going a longer route to see if the figure was truly following you but your feet hurt like hell and you were exhausted as is.

you began to panic as you picked up the pace, practically speed walking, and the figure increased their speed as well. tears stung at your eyes as anxiety began to well up inside you.

i'm going to die. i'm going to die and no one is going to find the body. this is the end. is this how i want to die? i'm not ready to die. i'm scared. why are they following me? what if they're a murderer? how long have they been following me? i'm such an idiot, why didn't i just call my friend? now i'm gonna die just because i didn't want to bother people.

in a state of immense panic, you tried as subtly as possible to whip out your phone. you skimmed through your contacts, frantically searching for someone to call, someone who would pick up. your breathing was slowly becoming more and more rapid, your pace picking up faster, using your phone reflection to see where the stalker was - he was getting closer.

kuroo tetsuro.

the thought flitted through your mind and without much thought, you swiped to his contact and pressed call. you vaguely recalled him asking for it once for the sake of an over-the-weekend project your team had to finish together.

it rang once. twice. thrice. then a gravely, "hello?" sounded on her side of the phone.

"kuroo...?"

the sound of shuffling, presumably to get out of bed or readjust his position.

"...y/n...?"

your voice broke as you whispered a soft, "help me."

there was more shuffling on the line, the sound of a zipper and a snap of a button.

"where are you?"

"i-i... i think i'm being followed."

"where are you?" he asked more urgently.

you glanced at the street names, "...takeshita..i think..."

the sound of the ignition reminded you to take a deep breath.

"i'm on my way."

"please hurry..."

there was a soft humming noise, "stay on the phone with me, okay?"

you nodded, though you knew he couldn't see you.

you used your phone's camera, noticing the strange figure was closing in on you. you took yet another deep breath, though it only seemed to make you gasp for more air. you were sure you had blisters now.

a firm hand grabbed your wrist and let out a loud shriek.

you squeezed your eyes shut, fearful of what was to come. instead came a soft voice.

"y/n, it's me. it's ok."

you hadn't realized you were crying until you let out a stifled sob. his eyebrows knit together in a pained and worried expression. would it be overstepping to hug you?

he rubbed soft circles on your hand, ushering you to his car. you were still sniffling quietly, shaking.

kuroo gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. he glanced at you, you were hugging your shoulders. you remained silent for the drive - and he didn't make any attempts at conversation. he'd only asked for your address, the quiet humming of the ignition below his thrumming fingertips.

he glanced at you frequently throughout the drive, worry imbuing deeply in him. were you walking home? this late? he made a mental note to drive you home from work each day. only if you wanted to, though. you scared the shit out of him when you'd called, first of all because you're gorgeous and he totally forgot he had your number and you're so cute and sweet and kind and-- but then your helpless cry... he never wanted to hear you that fearful ever again.

he pulled into your apartment complex, getting out and moving to your side of the car to let you out.

"i'll walk you to the door if that's ok."

you nodded, moving toward your apartment complex elevator. he seemed to carry a protector aura around himself, coming closer than usual as he reached for the elevator button after asking you which floor you were on. you could feel his heavy gaze on you now as the elevator beeped up toward the next floor.

at last arriving at your door on the fourth floor, you both awkwardly stood - awaiting the other to say goodbye. kuroo nodded his head hesitantly, "well, call me anytime if you need anything," he paused, unsure, "you gonna be okay?"

no, you wanted to say. stay, please. you nodded, plastering the most believable grin you could muster. after all, you couldn't bother him more tonight than you already did. the both of you had purely a work relationship, you hadn't even spent time together outside of work before. he stood a moment longer, searching your eyes indefinitely. you turned your gaze downward, fearing he'd see the fear that still controlled your heart.

he slowly backed away, his eyes trained on you, "alright...well, i'll see you around," he paused again, "you sure you don't want to-" he hesitated again... he couldn't just ask you to stay over at his place, right? that would weird you out for sure. still, he was worried about you. so worried.

"no, it's okay, i won't call the police." you'd misunderstood where his question was going. "there's no use if i don't have anything to go off of."

kuroo looked at you warily, "still, is it okay if i text my buddy daichi? he's a cop."

you couldn't hold back a little smile, "another one of your volleyball friends?"

kuroo returned your smile in full effect, "of course."

you bowed and he turned away, understanding your signal of goodbye, yet it seemed your hands had a mind of their own.

"uhh...y/n..?"

your eyes widened. without even perceiving it, as soon as he turned around, your fingers tightly grasped his black jacket.

"ah, um... well...sorry!" you apologized profusely.

kuroo stared down at you with a mixture of confusion and.. something else. "is something wrong...?" he asked, stopping in his tracks and turning his whole body toward you.

it was now or never. to be honest, you were scared shitless. even through the drive back, your thoughts were preoccupied with the mysterious and dangerous figure flashing through your mind.

what if he followed you back here? what if he was planning on hurting you or kidnapping you? or worse? what IS worse? what if he would wait for you to finish work again? what if he broke into your house? you could picture it now, a black and unidentifiable figure looming over your sleeping body, an evil grin splitting their face. you'd be sleeping soundly when suddenly your senses would wake you up. it would take you a minute - too long - to adjust to the darkness in the room. too long to realize you're not alone. before you could scream, they'd have you knocked out or your mouth covered or worse - you wouldn't even be able to scream, just like in your nightmares.

"...." silence at between the two of you, but kuroo waited. "....can you...i-i'm scared...and, and i don't think i can be alone...i-i don't want to be alone. can you please...."

before you could finish what you were saying, you were enveloped in a tight hug. "if you're okay with it, of course i'll stay." he held you so tight for a moment you were unable to breathe before he let you go.

you laughed shyly, ushering him into your apartment. thank god you remembered to clean last weekend. you'd also happened to have a few toiletries that you had snatched up from freebies from hotels that you gave to him.

as the two of you neared the time for bed, another predicament came over you. you were pretty sure you would NOT be able to sleep alone tonight. maybe you could sleep on a chair? or pull an all-nighter? but you have work tomorrow. you have a spare pull-out couch so kuroo can sleep there, but your bed is also spacious..... what? there's no way he'd agree with that. but you also know you either get no sleep and tomorrow's hell and you take the day off.... but then you'd feel like you forced him to come over for no reason. would it be weird to ask? it definitely would. but he can say no, right? it wouldn't hurt, right?

mulling this over in your head, you missed kuroo, post-shower, padding across your wooden floors, his tooth brush lazily hanging from his mouth. as you turned in surprise, you just nearly choked on your spit. this was a dumb fucking idea. fuck, you couldn't do this.

his amber eyes met yours again, a question flitting in his pupils, "you okay?" you nodded again, turning away with a slight flush on your face. it's not like he was shirtless or anything.. but his suits didn't always show off his toned body the way his casual t-shirt does. it almost looked like it was a size too small the way it clung to his muscles like saran wrap.

he returned to the bathroom, giving you room to fan your face in privacy - the room was suddenly feeling rather hot.

when he came back into the bedroom, you were situated comfortably under your covers, yet your lights were still on, indicating that... perhaps you were waiting for him?

just as he was about to head to your living room, you surprised him with a quiet, "hey". immediately he swiveled back to you, grasping the door frame with with muscular hands.

"yeah?"

"can you, um, like... can you stay with me? like, at least until i fall asleep? i totally understand if you're tired or something or if that makes you uncomfortable but i just really don't think i'll be able to sleep tonight without nightmares and i am just quiet literally terrified. sorry maybe this was a stupid idea i'm sorry-"

"sure."

you blinked, shocked that he agreed so readily. "uh-uh-uh... ok! um, so basically if you want you can like.. lie down...? i'm sure it would be uncomfortable to sit up the whole time and stuff..."

he let out a breathy laugh, sinking into the covers with a bit of hesitation, but double the warmth.

you sighed contentedly, his presence practically lulling you to sleep.

you yawned, "i'm really glad you answered.. and i'm really glad you came and saved me... and..." you yawned again, "...i'm really glad it was you." you closed your eyes contentedly, allowing yourself to feel your five senses calmly, the way your body sunk into the covers, your eyelids growing heavy. it helped that you could hear the soft breathing of, strangely enough, your favorite coworker beside you.

before you knew it, you were fast asleep.

you awoke to beads of sweat covering your forehead, the darkness of the room causing you to panic. your eyes blinked against the blackness, fear returning to the forefront of your mind until you felt a heavy feeling against you. not in a way that felt like a prison, but instead like a shield. it was then that you realized it was not a pillow fortifying you but a muscular bicep that spread over your torso, enveloping you in a tight embrace. soft breathing blew lightly against the crook of your neck.

you glanced at the clock. 4:48am. you sighed against your sheets. the body next to you, kuroo, stirred before groaning softly and pulling you tighter against him.

he was still here? he must've fallen asleep waiting for me to sleep. you held back a little giggle as you closed your eyes once again, feeling sleep calling back to you as your fear dissuaded. you were too tired to realize that you, in fact, spooning with your coworker. your favorite coworker. your coworker who is hot and kind and cute and dorky and adorable and precious.

but hey, that's a problem for the morning, right? it's okay, just for tonight?

a/n: this came to me suddenly because of my anxiety whenever i'm out in public. it didn't occur to me until i realized how often i avoid social situations that most of it is due to my fear (specifically of situations like these). hope you like it! lmk if you'd like to see "his pov" as a mini fic!

[lowlights]

Hi love!! Happy sleepover Saturday 🥰

This just screams Marcus Moreno at parent teacher night and what if he and one of Missy’s teachers just had ELECTRIC chemistry 👀

KAYLIE. You are so right. Also.....I don't think I've written for Marcus much, if at all. So I love this!!!

Marcus x gn! teacher! reader. Only fluff ahead....

"So, as you can see, everything is going great with Missy. She's on track to be one of the best students we have!" you explain from your desk, trying not to be intimidated by the leader of the Heroics sitting across from you.

Marcus smiles warmly, just like he has since he walked in the door. He loved hearing you gush over Missy; it was clear you adored her. He mentally kicked himself for not having made the fall parent/teacher conference, because talking to you tonight was quickly becoming the highlight of his week.

"She's a bright girl, Missy. She doesn't push the other kids too hard, does she? Sometimes she can get a little...bossy," he says with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's a Moreno thing."

You laugh. "No, Mr. Moreno. Well, not usually. I think she's really grown into herself well. She's a total joy to have in class."

This makes Marcus grin at you even more, eyes crinkling behind his thick-rimmed glasses. He looks down at his watch and grimaces. "Oh no, we are way over our time. I must be keeping you from your next meeting. I'm so sorry." He starts gathering up the papers you've given him.

You panic a little bit, the idea of ending your time together making your heart leap into your throat. "No, you were my last conference of the day. I've just got some grading left to do, that's all."

Marcus' hands still, and you're relieved that HE looks relieved. "Grading, huh? On a Friday night? That's terrible," he laments.

"Well, I usually do it with a glass of wine. Don't tell Missy," you say as you both chuckle.

"Your secret is safe with me. Listen, this might be too forward but...Missy is at a friend's house tonight. Do you want some company while you grade? I've got a bottle of red I've been meaning to open at home," he says as his cheeks redden. "Not that we have to go to my place. We could go to yours, or...there's a wine bar across town I think? I never go, but Miracle Guy told me about it. He doesn't like wine, but he was trying to impress someone like usual and..."

"Marcus." He looks grateful that you've cut him off. You ignore the butterflies in your stomach. "I would love to have some company tonight. Let's go try that red, hm?"

Marcus grins.

-

One glass leads to two, which leads to splitting the rest of the bottle and most of another. You never even take out your papers to grade and fall asleep on Marcus' couch, using his chest as a pillow. It's the best Friday night you've had in a long time. And the first of many spent together.