#these things deserve to be met with concern. and/or even some criticism.

[itsphoenix0724]

Hold Me Gently (Azriel x Reader)

Summary: Azriel knew exactly what he signed up for when he became the court's spymaster, but sometimes everything gets too much for him to handle.

Warnings: Smut, angsty, negative thoughts about oneself, some dark stuff mentally

Word count: 1.6k

Bonus Chapter!

A/N: Hi loves! I'm excited to put this out for you guys I've been working on it for kind of a hot minute. Please read the tags carefully. I hope you all enjoy it, and as always constructive criticism is welcome. Plus I've got a special surprise coming in December that I may announce later this week so keep a look out. <3

Azriel swore sometimes he could still hear the screams that echoed off the stone walls of the Hewn City rattle around in his brain for days. Rhys had been clear this time. 

Get the information through whatever means necessary, no matter what. 

So that’s exactly what he had done, and it had taken hours. He sent Rhys a message with the information and winnowed directly into your bedroom. He knew you were downstairs in the kitchen because he had sent his shadows earlier to watch you, but he couldn’t bear to have you look at him right now. To have you look at him like he was the most amazing thing in the universe when you had no idea what horrors he committed just an hour earlier. Azriel hides his shame from the portrait of his mating ceremony, turning away from even your painted adoration. He is not the smiling male in that picture. He is not the male who deserves to put his blood-stained hands around your waist. He doesn’t deserve any of it. Not your kindness, not your comfort, not your kiss, or your smile. Not when he spent half the day ripping a man apart. 

Maybe that male had a mate waiting at home too. 

He sneaks carefully into the bathroom, turning the bathtub's faucet to boiling and letting the tub fill. Az peels off his leathers layer by layer, and they hit the clean white tile with a sickeningly wet sound, none of the blood is his. As he watches the red slowly seep onto the floor he knows that the tile’s just another thing he’s ruined. 

He wishes he could peel his skin off as well. 

Azriel sinks slowly into the tub, letting the sting of the hot water work every muscle. He wanted to erase everything, to let the water cleanse away his disgusting actions. His shadows send a whisper of you humming quietly from the kitchen and he almost bursts into tears. How had the cauldron given him someone someone so gentle? How did you wake up in their bed every day and not know you slept next to a monster? Az sinks under the surface, unable to bear the rushing in his head, and doesn’t come back up until his lungs are screaming for air. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You knew something was wrong when your mate didn’t immediately come to see you after returning from his mission. You had heard the faucet start to run while chopping vegetables for dinner, and you assumed Az was quickly rinsing off before he joined you. After half an hour had passed you started to become concerned. You knew your mate, and even though he never told you specifics, he sometimes needed time after his return from the Hewn City. You silently creep up the stairs of your home, avoiding all the creaking floorboards that might tip Azriel off. You swing open the bedroom door, but he is nowhere to be found the only evidence of him is a trail of blood that sends your heart into overdrive. You follow it to your bathroom door, now more worried about his safety than anything. The bond beating in your chest is dark, and it has been since Az left your bed this morning. Throwing open the door you’re met with a wall of crushing darkness. You fight through the swirling blackness, trying to call Azriel’s name, but you can’t see two feet in front of you. A rouge shadow comes to circle your wrist dragging you to your mate’s hunched form in the bathtub, base instinct takes over as you climb into the water hissing as the burning water scalds your thighs. “Azriel,” You call his name, taking his head in your hands. His hazel eyes seem unfocused like he’s looking through you than at you. “Az,”  you rush out again. “Are you bleeding? Are you hurt?” You tilt his head this way and that way before scanning the rest of his body. You shake him at the shoulders trying to get him to see you. Finally, as if Az just realized you were there, he looks at you. 

“The blood isn’t mine.” is all he says before his head thumps back against the porcelain as if it’s too heavy to hold on his own. Your shoulders sag in relief. “You shouldn’t be in here. Go back downstairs I’ll be there in a minute.” He runs the wet silk of your nightgown in between his fingers. You have no intention of leaving this bathtub until you figure out what's wrong with your mate.

“What’s happened?” You push running your fingers through the threads of his inky black hair. “Did the mission not go well?” Azriel scoffs, looking unbothered, but you can see the muscles in his throat tightening with effort to keep something hidden. You try to pull at the bond again, begging him to lower the obsidian shields he builds around himself, his hands shake with the effort of keeping them impenetrable. He still avoids your eyes, yet you try again refusing to yield. “Sweetheart…” you whisper softly and the Shadowsinger cracks before you. His walls rush down and crash against you like a tsunami, the wave of self-hatred that he had been holding in barrels against you with enough force to bring down the mountains. Silver lines his hazel eyes and your heart almost cracks in two. Wrapping your arms around Azriel you cradle him to your body, his hands tighten around your waist seeming torn between pulling you closer and pushing you away. His shoulders shake with the force of his sobs and all you can do is keep stroking his hair and make soothing sounds, trying to calm him down enough to speak. Az takes a shuddering breath, but the tears still stream down his face. You chase them away with the pads of your fingers. 

 “I do not deserve you,” he grinds out, voice rusty from the tears. You rub soothing circles into the joints of his shoulders and it makes Azriel want to throw up. “I am the monster mothers warn their children about at night. I’ve committed horrors that should make you run away in terror” You shake your head with feverance. 

“I would never run from you Azriel. There is nothing too dark or too ugly that would make me love you any less. I promise you I can handle it.” Azriel does nothing but collapse back against you shaking his head back and forth. “Just talk to me please.” He takes a deep inhale, trying to calm his racing heart. 

“I bled a male dry today. Rhys needed information, and he was harder to break than anticipated.” It’s all the information Az is willing to give. You have to stamp down the fury rising in your own chest. Both at Rhysand for putting your mate through this and at the Hewn City itself. 

You’d tear this court apart brick by brick for making Azriel feel like he’s less than deserving of his life. 

You’ll have to talk with Rhys later because for now, your focus is Az and Az alone. You refuse to allow him to continue to carry on like this, cursing yourself for not realizing the effects of this position wearing on him sooner. 

“Look at me.” You pull his jaw towards you, forcing him to meet your eyes “There is no universe where you are not deserving of happiness. You have a job to do, and I understood that when I accepted this bond. I do not fear you, I do not balk from you, and I do not love you any less because of that.” The bond sings with light as the weight finally starts to leave your mate's shoulders. Golden eyes study you intensely before he hauls you against him in one fluid motion and crashes his lips to yours. He tastes like burning whiskey, and kisses you so fiercely you’re afraid your lips might bruise. You hold him together the best you can, afraid that if you let him go he will shatter into pieces before you. “Are you sure you want this right now?” You ask, you’ll give Az whatever he needs, and if he needs a distraction from his head then you’re happy to provide it to him. He nods, leaning down to press his lips to your collarbone. You run your hands along his back grinding yourself into him, and pour love and devotion down your side of the bond to him. His hardness presses against you as he nudges aside the scraps of lace before sheathing himself into the hilt. You let Azriel take what he needs, fucking you on his length, rocking you back and forth. He’s hitting the spot inside you that makes you see stars with such force water sloshes over the edge of the tub, washing away the blood from Azriel’s leathers. You run your hands along the edge of his wing and he roars, one hand almost cracking the porcelain of the bathtub. He changes his pace to pure brutality, using you like no more than a toy. Your thighs shake with the effort to keep yourself upright. He’s ruthless in the way he moves like a hungry predator finally tearing into its kill. Your orgasm tears through you with blinding energy, and you unravel faster than you’d like to admit, but Az always manages to have that effect on you. He loses himself soon after you, tumbling over the edge with so much force he rips the bottom of your nightgown into ribbons. You stare at each other for a long moment, relishing in the afterglow and grateful for the hot water in the tub. 

“I’m sorry for ripping your nightgown,” Azriel rumbles and you laugh a beautiful golden sound. 

“You can buy me a new one later,” you promise, “but for now let me wash your hair.” 

[atlantahammy]

This is my, uhhh, I guess, last entry for the @tmnt-ocxcanon-comp (Wedding). I wanted to continue the prompts, but work really got in the way, because, of course, it did. I may make the other prompts in the future once I get some of that work handled.

Now, for some real talk and musings under the cut, so if you're here for the art, can just enjoy~ Also thanks to @honeylief for helping me figure out the snoot kiss!

Donnie is in a traditional Japanese wedding yukata for men, while Astra is in more a American styled wedding dress, I wanted to mix their attire to match their ethnicities. (Even though Donnie is Japanese/American)

Astra originally also had star clips in her hair, but I forgot them, and maybe it's for the best, it came out okay!

———————————– My Commissions | .Carrd | Ko-Fi

This was my first competition, and admirably, I don't know if I'll be joining anymore or again next year due to how it was… kind of a mess.

I get that the runner was new to this, so mistakes were going to happen.

It was an okay experience overall, despite my own breakdowns from my depression and anxiety (Which I kept largely to myself, that's my baggage) I also have my criticisms, especially with how I was treated regarding concerns, and having them brushed off, only to have that exact topic to come up separately and blow up publicly. That made things hella awkward.

(I'm not upset Tomiko won, we all knew it was gonna happen, and they deserve it! I'm just upset with how it was gone about.)

I do think I met some kind people and left a good impression, but IDK if any of them would want to associate with me. Only time will tell, yeah?~

Maybe if some things are changed around, or idk I'm feeling confident, I'll enter again or go to another contest, for now, my emotions need time to recover, Avoidant personality disorder is a bit of a bitch when it comes to things like this. /lh

[maladaptiveobsession]

yandere adam headcanons

contains: brief dubcon mention, manipulation, emotional/mental abuse, degradation

yandere adam

who, under all the false bravado, is insecure. cuckolded twice—and by the same man no less—how could he not be? the overwhelming anxiety of losing you haunts him. try as he might, loud vulgarities make terrible compensation for confidence.

who sabotages any meaningful relationships. what do you mean you’re lonely? this is heaven; you’re surrounded by others! the company you keep never satisfies your desire for connection, seemingly close yet just out of reach. despite your best efforts, you couldn’t seem to form any deep attachments. the mental isolation will wear you down and warp your thoughts. were you even worth keeping around? distraught and rejected, adam will pull you out of the depths of your despair. who needs those stains? they don’t appreciate you like he does; don’t care for you like he does. you can see it now, can’t you? he’s the only one for you.

who openly tears you down with stinging criticism, finding fault in all that you do. his denigrations are no more than projected insecurities. though he casts a confident image, he is doubtful and hesitant. his harassment is subtle; any concerns you bring up brushed off and met with admonishment. don’t be so sensitive! that’s just how he is! you must be misunderstanding him. adam himself hardly recognizes his arraignment, sending crude remarks your way merely out of habit. he’s never meant any of it, often leaving himself wondering why he pressures you so much. it’s not that he takes pleasure in your dejection, but rather that he subconsciously recognizes his own faults. he knows he’s no good for you and that you deserve better. so he tears you down as he does himself, hoping that if you have no confidence in yourself, you’ll settle for him. though he means none of what he says, don’t expect any apologies. he’s convinced himself he’s above apologies, above you.

who takes what he wants, always pushing your boundaries, never asking for permission. it’s only natural; you belong to him. i mean, who asks their toys for consent to play? things would be so much simpler if you just cooperated. who cares if he plays a little rough? you can take it. that being said, adam views you less as an object and more as an extension of him.

who’s never far. what do you mean you’re going out? don’t go anywhere just yet; he’s coming with. no matter the destination or occasion, he’ll be there. what if you never come back? what if you leave him?

who’s entitled. he was the first soul to enter heaven; he’s earned this! you think you’re too good for him or something? you should be happy that he chose you! he has plenty of sluts lined up to ride the original dick; he could easily replace you. empty threats, yet stinging all the same.

who craves your worship. paradoxical as it is, he is annoyingly conceited yet also self-deprecating. having been divorced twice, he often worries he’s inadequate. so he overcompensates confidence to the point of arrogance. his doubt in your faithfulness connects to his past trauma, so compliment his features, praise his accomplishments, and let him know just how much you appreciate and enjoy being around him. he may not say thank you, but you can tell just how much he values your opinions.

who demands your attention. evading him is nearly impossible. he’ll take offense, of course, but ultimately see it as a challenge. clearly you were ignoring him because you wanted his attention! why else would you avoid him? no worries, babe! he’s all yours! isn’t he so generous?

who shows you off, proudly announcing your relation to everyone you meet. all of heaven, perhaps even some of hell, will know of you. whether you’re with adam or not, crowds will whisper, point, and goggle as you wander. you’re his bitch, hot stuff! get used to it! he wants everyone to see just how out of reach you are. you’re his, only his

who derives no pleasure from hurting you. adam will never physically harm you. underneath that crude exterior, he truly does care for you. he can give you everything, anything! just don’t abandon him. to keep you by his side, nothing is above him.

[traintrainingmontage]

Well done on 150 followers, they are well deserved!

For the writing prompts, we've seen Duncan showing emotion and being softer, so what about Sir Handel being soft around the others? How would he react if he had to put his ego aside for emotion and vulnerability, would he be able to do it for long? Would it show that he actually does care about his friends and does have a soft side, or would it reveal different sides of his personality?

Sorry, I can never keep things short for some reason, but I hope that all of that makes sense. Thank you.

Aww, thank you so much~! 💖 I am MORE than happy to write about Sir Handel; he's such a great character! This turned out to be more of a dialogue-heavy character study than anything, but I hope you enjoy!

(Thank you so, SO much to everyone who has submitted prompts! If you have a prompt idea, or want to see what I've written so far, take a look here!)

Culdee's visit had been brief, but fun--at least, to Skarloey and Rheneas. Sir Handel and Duncan had enjoyed themselves somewhat less after hearing Culdee's story about Godred, but after a few days, normalcy thankfully returned on the Skarloey Railway.

That said, given what had happened while their visitor had been here, Sir Handel was now more sure than ever that he did not much care for Rheneas. The SR's No. 2 had returned just last year to great fanfare, and as far as the younger engine was concerned, the whole affair was rather overblown. Truthfully, Sir Handel been quite excited when Skarloey had returned from his overhaul, but that was because Skarloey had at least bothered to teach and encourage him; all Rheneas had done ever since they'd (properly) met was give lectures and be naggy.

"Sir Handel, you were late again."

"Sir Handel, you were awfully rough with the coaches!"

"Sir Handel, you really shouldn't beg for your driver to throw crisps into your firebox."

Nag, nag, nag, on and on. It wasn't as though he wanted to be late, or rough, or anything else! He was trying his best, same as any other engine here, yet only he seemed to be on the receiving end of Rheneas' criticism. (He had wanted to try his driver's crisps, though.) It just wasn't fair, but beyond that, far beyond what Sir Handel was willing to admit, he couldn't deny that he was a little scared. Scared that because Rheneas was such a pillar of the railway, his disapproval could mean that his years on this railway would all be for naught. The thought was enough to make him even grouchier than usual, much to the displeasure of his crew.

So, Sir Handel had taken to avoiding Rheneas as best as he possibly could--difficult, given how closely they all worked, but still possible, at least to an extent.

One fine, sunny afternoon, Sir Handel was back at the sheds, happily enjoying a wash and a polish. His eyes were at rest as the warm sunlight washed across his face, blanketing him in its quiet serenity. The cleaners were attending to him carefully, removing every spot and splotch, and the engine felt himself relax, settling as happily into his frames as a cat in the sun as he basked in the care of experienced yet gentle hands.

Despite how much he longed for this comfort to continue for eternity, like all wonderful things, it was bound to end eventually. The peace and quiet of the moment was soon disrupted by the sound of wheels on the track and the familiar hush of steam that heralded another engine's approach. A long shadow encroached upon Sir Handel's sunlit cheek, growing longer and longer still until it eclipsed the sun as Rheneas pulled up to face him, parking himself only a short distance away. The older engine said nothing, but his crew quickly clambered out of his cab, made small talk with the cleaners, and headed for the station, clearly taking their break. The cleaners and Sir Handel's own crew, perhaps prompted by their co-workers, set aside their rags and suds and followed their fellows, leaving the two engines to their lonesome.

As Sir Handel cracked open one lazy eye, annoyance written all over his face, the cloudy expression of the engine before him implied that this was not likely to be a pleasant (or quick) conversation.

Unfortunately, it appeared that Sir Handel's premonition was correct, as the first words out of Rheneas' mouth were "I've been looking to speak with you, Sir Handel. It's about what you said last week."

The No. 3 couldn't help but groan. Of course. Rheneas didn't want to talk about how well he'd done at being on time, or about how he'd improved at shunting, even if he didn't particularly enjoy it. No, this was about the coaches, because God only knew that the coaches were FAR more important than he could ever be. "Yes, yes, you're here to lecture me about saying that those cattle trucks ought to be scrapped. Well, I'll say it again, if you'd like. Those cattle trucks ought to be scrapped."

Rheneas furrowed his brow, and Sir Handel felt a momentary thrill at the idea of rendering even Rheneas speechless. "You shouldn't say such things," the older engine managed at last. "Even if they can be stubborn, they are your co-workers, and you would condemn them to death for doing their best?! Even as a joke, that's going much too far!"

With a roll of his eyes, Sir Handel let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, please! Doing their best? I'm the one who does his best for this railway, and yet they can't get it through their thick paneling that I'm not out to get them! I just want them to do their jobs so that I'm not always played for a fool! Is that so much to ask?!"

A look of contemplation seemed to pass across Rheneas' face, and after a long moment, the older engine murmured, "...This is about more than just the coaches, isn't it?"

Sir Handel hated himself for the way he flinched at that comment, and he quickly fished through his thoughts for any kind of rebuttal. However, before he could come up with anything, Rheneas pushed forward, seemingly disinclined to let him deflect. "You've been here for about 10 years now, Sir Handel. You're a hard worker, even if you can be fussy. Skarloey says that you've come a long way from the engine that you used to be, but you seem to have some issue with the coaches that, from the sound of it, is actually about more than that. I know that we haven't exactly seen eye to eye over the past year that we've known each other, but still... what's going on? I can't help resolve things if I don't understand the issue."

The younger engine's eyes narrowed in response to Rheneas' words. "I don't see why you'd care. You clearly think more highly about those blasted coaches than about us other engines, so what's it matter to you?"

The barb landed, and just as Sir Handel had hoped, a spark of anger now burned in Rheneas' eyes. Good. He much preferred to fight it out than admit anything to this old rustbucket. In the back of his mind, Sir Handel began assembling his next stinging comment, when suddenly, Rheneas closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened them, the anger had been doused, replaced by a certain determination. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Sir Handel. I truly am. However--"

"NO!" came a shout that Sir Handel belatedly realized had come from him. A beat of silence passed before another quiet "No" escaped him, weary and warbling. "Don't. Don't act like you're sorry. You always take those coaches' side, but you don't care about what happens to us!" A fever was overtaking him, and even though he wasn't in steam, Sir Handel felt like fire was streaking through his tubes, dancing along his cylinders. If he did have a fire going, it would most surely have been at the level of a raging inferno. "I am trying! I AM! And I am NOT going to be sent away and lose my place here just because you keep finding a hundred little things to fault me on and those stupid coaches won't cooperate! I won't go! I won't--"

"SIR HANDEL!"

At Rheneas' shout, the younger engine suddenly realized just how much he'd said, and about what, and promptly bit his lip as if to muzzle himself. The No. 2's eyes were wide, and his expression was akin to the terror and worry felt by someone beholding some small, wounded creature that was still quite capable of lashing out. "Sir Handel, I... I have no intention of getting you sent away. Absolutely none. I..."

Another shaky breath, and then: "What are you so afraid of?"

To that, Sir Handel had no ready answer. The silence stretched between them like a chasm, wide and yawning, with neither engine completely sure of how to proceed.

However, at long last, Sir Handel seemed to find both his words and his nerve. "I... well, I just..." After a little more hemming and hawing, the younger finally forced the feelings into coherent words, practically spitting them out. "I don't want to lose my home again!"

Before he could stop himself, the words came tumbling out like a deluge, his tongue practically tripping over itself as he spoke. "I just want to be safe, ok? Is that so much to ask? The MSR closed, and even though it was a terrible railway, it was still home. Then, the aluminum plant decided it didn't want us anymore, even though we did everything we could. And now, those stupid cattle trucks make me look bad, and I know what kind of punishments bad engines get. They could be turned into pumping engines or generators, or scrapped, or any such thing--"

"Alright, alright," Rheneas interjected, attempting to stymie Sir Handel's spiral. "I promise you, Sir Handel, that nothing of the sort will happen to you. Truly. I don't know what kind of life you've lived before coming to our railway, but our Controller would never do such things to you, and he certainly won't send you away. Not for this. I'm sure that he can see how much you've improved, and truthfully, all of my nagging is because I want to help. You can ask Skarloey; I nagged him quite often when we were young, all in the name of helping him better himself."

It now seemed to be Rheneas' turn to bare his soul as the older engine licked his lips and continued to speak, his voice as fragile as glass. "I... well, for almost a century, it has always been myself, Skarloey, and our five coaches running this line. I only met you and Peter Sam briefly before I was sent away for overhaul, and when I came back, there were now four of you, and five more coaches. It... it was a lot of change all at once, and I confess that I... have not been the best at processing all of it and knowing how I should act. I'm... I'm truly sorry to have failed you as badly as I have. I have not been as good of a mentor as one would hope, and..."

"...I am sorry that I have ever made you feel unsafe in your own home."

There was another long silence as the two engines could only stare at each other, as though peering into each other's souls and trawling up what laid at the depths of their hearts. Rheneas' eyes implored him to understand, although he also appeared to have no intention of running from or denying his faults, a trait that the younger engine could only respect. Sir Handel felt all of the fire that had been coursing through him suddenly vanish, just as Rheneas' ire had extinguished itself earlier. In the face of such a genuine apology, Sir Handel couldn't bring himself to feed it, letting the embers simply burn out.

"...Thank you."

That tiny voice that crawled up through his tubes was hardly how he usually preferred to present himself, and yet, as small and delicate as it was, it overflowed with emotion, genuine and real, and earned him a watery smile from Rheneas.

"Of course. You're one of us, and have been from the moment your wheels met our rails. If anyone tries to imply that you don't belong here, then they will have to answer to me."

That got a quiet, relieved chuckle out of Sir Handel, and in the calm of their newly forged accord, Rheneas whistled to call back their crews. "Now then, shall we get settled in for the evening?" the older engine smiled, eyes flicking up to the sunset-streaked sky, and Sir Handel took a breath, his body feeling even more relaxed than it had been after his cleaning.

"Yes, please. And, if you don't mind... tonight, I'd like the spot next to yours."

[mingiatz]

Summary: What started as an accidental encounter turned into something neither of them saw coming. Emilia never expected that a chaotic night in Frankfurt—where she met Ateez in the most ridiculous outfit imaginable—would lead to months of stolen moments, teasing, heartbreak and feelings too big to ignore.

Pairing: [Idol] Song Mingi x OC (Emilia)

Trope: Strangers to Lovers

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Light Angst, Slow Burn

Featuring: ATEEZ (being menaces), chaotic sibling energy, found family vibes, and an embarrassing amount of mutual pining

This Series will have multiple Chapters with around 4000 words. I hope you like it. Please be kind this is my first Fanfiction and English is not my first language. (I am open for constructive criticism). I will try to upload a chapter everyday.

Masterlist

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter Three

Mingi's POV

I was sitting by the window, the rest of Ateez lounging around in the living room when I noticed a car pull up outside. It was Emilia and the client, pulling up at the curb.

I watched from the living room window as the two of them got out of the car. There was something off about the way Mr. Ren was moving—he was a little too close, a little too touchy with Emilia. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I could see her body language. She was stiff, her arms crossed, and she was clearly uncomfortable.

And then, before I could even blink, Mr. Ren leaned in. To kiss her.

I felt my stomach tighten. I wasn’t the only one who saw it. All of Ateez was watching, and I could tell the moment they realized what was happening. They all stood up, some moving closer to the window to get a better look.

She didn’t seem comfortable at all. In fact, I could see her backing away from him, shaking her head. But Mr. Ren didn’t seem to get the hint. He was pressing forward, trying to close the distance, his hand reaching for her.

Then, just as I thought this situation was about to escalate, Noah appeared in the doorway, stepping outside.

“Is there a problem here?” Noah’s voice rang out of the open door, calm yet full of authority. His eyes locked on Mr. Ren, and I could tell he was trying to gauge the situation, making sure nothing else went wrong.

Mr. Ren faltered for a moment, then pulled back. “No problem at all,” he muttered, giving Emilia one last glance before stepping away.

I saw Emilia breathe a sigh of relief, her posture relaxing as she stepped back into the house, Noah following her inside.

I could feel a tightness in my chest, something dark simmering inside me. What the hell had just happened? That man had crossed the line, and it was clear Emilia hadn’t wanted any part of it. She had backed away, but I could tell she wasn’t okay.

“Is she alright?” I asked aloud, though I wasn’t sure if I meant the question for anyone in particular.

The room had grown quiet, and I looked around, seeing that the others shared the same concern.

“Do you think she’s okay?” Seonghwa asked, his voice low, worry clear in his tone.

“She’s strong,” Yunho said, but there was uncertainty in his voice too. “But something about that guy… he gives off weird vibes.”

I nodded. I could see why Noah and Sophie were worried. And I wasn’t exactly comfortable with the situation either. Emilia deserved better than that.

I didn’t know what to do, but I knew one thing for sure—no one, should have to deal with that kind of behavior. And I’d make sure to watch out for her from now on.

Emilia's POV

I leaned against the door, my heart still pounding from the encounter with Mr. Ren. My hands shook, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the confrontation or the tension I had been holding in all evening. The smell of the house was comforting, familiar. But I couldn't shake the cold feeling that had settled in my chest.

I heard a knock on the door just as I was trying to calm my breathing.

“Emilia?” It was Mingi’s voice. Soft, careful, but still holding that familiar warmth that made my shoulders relax a little.

I took a deep breath, walking over to open the door. Mingi was standing there, his usual relaxed demeanor now replaced with something more concerned. Behind him were the other members, each of them standing just a few steps behind him in a row. It was like they were all there, ready to surround me in the way that only friends can.

“Hey…” I greeted them softly, managing a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes.

“Are you okay?” Mingi asked, his voice low, his eyes searching mine with a gentle intensity. The others were quiet, giving us space.

I nodded, though I didn’t feel okay at all. “I’ll be fine. Just… a little shaken up.” I felt an ache in my chest, and I wasn’t sure whether I was upset about Mr. Ren or about how I had been left in that situation at all. I wasn’t one to let things get to me, but tonight had been different.

“You don’t have to pretend,” San said quietly, stepping forward and giving me a reassuring smile. “We saw everything through the window. That guy…” He trailed off, his expression darkening. “He didn’t seem right.”

I chuckled bitterly, the sound leaving my mouth before I could stop it. “He wasn’t. And I don’t know what to think about what just happened.” I glanced over at Noah, who was leaning against the doorway, his arms folded as if he were still processing everything. “I don’t know why he thought he had the right to do that. I’m just so…”

“You’re not alone,” Wooyoung interrupted, stepping closer and placing a hand on my shoulder. “None of us think that was okay. And if you need anything—anything at all—we’ve got your back.”

I looked around the room at their faces, their concern evident in their eyes. In some ways, it made me feel a little better, but the weight of the night still clung to me like a shadow.

Mingi gave me a small smile. “You don’t have to deal with this by yourself.”

“I know,” I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Thank you. I didn’t expect any of this tonight.”

“We’re all here for you, Emilia,” Yunho added, his voice reassuring.

“I know. I really appreciate it,” I replied, trying to push past the sadness that seemed to be swallowing me up.

Noah, who had been silent this whole time, finally spoke up. “It’s not right for anyone to treat you like that. You’ve been through so much already, and no one should disrespect you.” His voice was low, but I could hear the protectiveness in it.

I gave him a small smile. “I know. Thanks, Noah.”

The room grew quiet for a moment, and I felt something inside me begin to relax. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn’t alone anymore. Maybe it was the warmth of their concern, of having people who genuinely cared. But whatever it was, it helped.

“We’ll all stay here tonight,” Seonghwa spoke up. “If that’s alright with you?”

I nodded, not even needing to think about it. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

The night passed in quiet conversation, the sounds of Ateez’s usual playful banter filling the house, but this time, there was something gentler about it. I found comfort in their presence. Even if I wasn’t feeling 100% yet, it was nice to have people around who wanted to keep me safe and make sure I was okay.

°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

Next Morning

The morning sunlight was streaming through the windows when I woke up, but my mind felt heavy with the memories of last night. I tried to push it to the back of my mind as I made my way downstairs, where I could hear the sounds of a conversation in the kitchen.

When I entered, Sophie was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, chatting away with the members of Ateez. The sound of their laughter was enough to make me smile, even if I wasn’t quite ready to join in.

“Good morning, sleepyhead!” Sophie called, her voice chipper, though I could see a hint of concern in her eyes as she looked at me. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, offering a half-hearted smile. “Just… tired.”

Noah was sitting across from her, his eyes scanning a piece of paper with his usual serious look. When he saw me enter, his expression softened slightly. “You okay?” he asked in his usual composed way, though there was an undertone of concern.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I reassured him, making my way over to the counter to pour myself a cup of coffee.

“So, I have an update for everyone,” Sophie said, glancing up from her phone. “I just heard from the hotel. The repairs are still ongoing, so they’ll be staying here a little bit longer.”

I didn’t even look up at first, still trying to focus on the coffee in my hands. But when her words registered, I blinked, surprised.

“They’re still not done?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing. “It’s been days…”

Sophie nodded, a look of annoyance crossing her face. “Yeah, apparently the damage was worse than they expected. I really thought they’d be done by now, but the repairs are taking longer than anticipated.”

“So, it’s another night of this?” Noah asked, glancing around the room at the members of Ateez, who were all trying to look casual but couldn’t quite hide their excitement.

I sighed. “I guess so.”

“Well, we’re happy to stay as long it is okay with you,” Hongjoong said with a grin, leaning back in his chair. “You’re a great host, Emilia.”

I gave him a half-smile. “I’m starting to feel like the best host in the world,” I said dryly, but my voice carried no real frustration. At this point, I was used to them being here.

Sophie smiled at me, her expression softening. “I know it’s a lot, but you’ve been handling it so well. I appreciate you letting them stay.”

“It’s no problem,” I said, though my words felt a little empty. After last night, it didn’t feel quite as easy as it usually did.

Mingi, who had been leaning against the counter, caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile. His expression was warm, but there was still something in his gaze that made me feel understood, like he wasn’t going to ask me how I was feeling unless I wanted to talk about it.

I managed a small smile in return, grateful that he was here.

They all were.

Mingi’s POV

As I watched Emilia in the kitchen, I could see the exhaustion in her movements, the slight slump in her shoulders. It wasn’t just from the early morning—something had shifted in her since last night, and I could tell she was still shaken.

The moment Mr. Ren had tried to kiss her, I had felt a surge of protectiveness. And now, even as she tried to keep things light, I could see the cracks in her composure. She wasn’t as okay as she wanted everyone to believe.

Sophie had stepped in with the news about the hotel repairs still going on, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that they’d be staying with her for one more night. It was clear to me that she needed the company, the reassurance, the quiet comfort of people who wouldn’t push her. And that’s exactly what we were here for.

“I know it’s a lot,” I said softly, stepping up next to her as she prepared her coffee. “But we’ll make sure you’re okay, Emilia. We’ll make this as easy on you as possible.”

She glanced over at me, her eyes tired but appreciative. “Thank you, Mingi,” she murmured.

And in that moment, I knew that I would keep my word.

°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

The days following the awkward incident with Mr. Ren were quieter than I had expected. Emilia had put up a brave front, trying to carry on as usual, but I could tell she was still shaken up. It was in the way she would occasionally get lost in thought, the subtle tension in her shoulders, and how she’d sigh when she thought no one was looking.

The rest of Ateez noticed too. We had all taken turns trying to keep her distracted with jokes and small conversations, but it was clear that the events of the past few days were still weighing on her. I felt a pang of frustration toward myself—toward this client—and I knew the others were feeling similarly protective.

I wasn’t one to be overly pushy, but it bothered me to see her like this.

So when we finally had a little break in the schedule, I had an idea.

I glanced over at the rest of the guys as they gathered around in the living room, all looking either bored or checking their phones. We were in a bit of a waiting period, with nothing major on the schedule for the night.

“Hey,” I spoke up, breaking the quiet. “What do you guys think about inviting Emilia and Noah to the concert tomorrow night? We’ve been here for a while, and we’ve barely had a chance to show them the fun side of Ateez.”

San grinned immediately. “I love that idea. They haven’t seen us perform yet, and that’s a big part of who we are.”

“Exactly,” I agreed. “It’ll be good for them to see us in action. Plus, it’ll be a way to do something fun together. They’ve been so generous letting us stay here.”

“Yeah, we should definitely make this happen,” Yunho added, his eyes lighting up. “It’ll be nice to show them what we do, especially after all they’ve done for us.”

Wooyoung chimed in, his usual playful grin forming. “And it might cheer up Emilia a little. I’m sure seeing us on stage will put a smile on her face. Plus, Noah could use a bit of fun too.”

“That’s a great idea,” Seonghwa said thoughtfully. “I’ll call ahead and see if we can get them tickets.”

We all nodded in agreement. The idea of bringing a little joy back into the atmosphere felt right. It was also an opportunity to help them see a side of us they hadn’t experienced before—the energy and excitement of an Ateez performance.

Later that evening, when Emilia and Noah had finally settled in the living room with us, I cleared my throat. “Hey, we were thinking,” I began, watching Emilia carefully. “Since tomorrow’s concert is just around the corner, how would you feel about coming with us?”

Emilia looked at me, her brow furrowing slightly. “Coming to the concert? You mean, actually attending? You guys want us there?”

“Of course!” San said quickly, his grin never fading. “We’d love for you guys to join us! It’ll be fun, and I think it’d be a nice way for you to see us in our element.”

Noah raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “And you’re okay with us showing up, uninvited and all?”

I chuckled. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you tickets. We want you there. You’ve done so much for us already.”

Emilia exchanged a look with Noah, and after a long pause, she shrugged. “Why not? I suppose it could be fun. We’ve been cooped up in this house for days, so a night out sounds nice.”

“I’ll take that as a yes!” Seonghwa smiled, pulling out his phone and dialing quickly.

It felt good to see Emilia more at ease, a small spark of excitement in her eyes. This was exactly what she needed—something to get her out of her head, and into a different kind of experience. Something that would bring her back to herself.

Emilia’s POV

I had to admit it—I was actually starting to look forward to the concert.

It wasn’t just because I was curious about Ateez’s performance, but because I realized that being around them had made the days feel a little lighter. They had a way of making things fun without overdoing it, and as much as I hated to admit it, I appreciated their company.

Noah, on the other hand, was as composed as ever, but even he seemed intrigued by the idea of going. He didn’t show it, of course, but I could tell that he wasn’t completely against it.

We were getting ready in the living room when the doorbell rang. “That must be the tickets,” I said, glancing over at Noah, who was sitting on the couch, typing away on his laptop.

I got up and walked to the door, opening it to find Mingi standing there with a box in his hands, a grin on his face.

“Here you go,” he said, handing me the box of tickets. “Your VIP passes for tomorrow’s show. Make sure you’re ready to have fun!”

“VIP passes?” I blinked, feeling a little overwhelmed.

Mingi just chuckled. “Of course! No other way to go to an Ateez concert. You’re going to get the full experience.”

As I took the tickets, I couldn’t help but feel a little more excited. Maybe this wouldn’t just be a concert. Maybe it was a chance to really see them as people, not just performers. To experience the other side of the glitz and glamour.

“Thanks, Mingi,” I said with a genuine smile, my heart feeling lighter than it had in days.

Noah, who had joined me at the door, took the tickets from me with a raised eyebrow. “Are we actually going to be in the front row?” he asked, clearly taken aback by the gesture.

“Well,” Mingi said with a playful wink, “let’s just say we’re going to make sure you have the best seats in the house.”

I could see the shift in Noah’s expression. He wasn’t one to show excitement easily, but I could tell he was impressed. “This is… unexpected,” he admitted.

I chuckled. “Welcome to the world of Ateez.”

After Mingi left, we spent the rest of the afternoon getting ready. As I glanced at myself in the mirror, I felt a bit out of place in my concert attire. I wasn’t used to wearing something so… flashy. I was trying to go for a balance—something cute but casual.

As I walked back into the living room, Noah shot me a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re not going to blind the whole stadium with that outfit?”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not that bad.”

Just then, the door opened again, and the rest of Ateez entered, their energy instantly lifting the room.

“Are you guys ready for the show?” Wooyoung asked, bouncing on his feet.

“Definitely,” I said, suddenly feeling the excitement building. This wasn’t just an ordinary night. Tonight was going to be something special, and I was about to see Ateez in a whole new light.

Masterlist

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Disclaimer:This is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and scenarios in this story are entirely fictional and not intended to reflect the real lives of the members of Ateez or any other individuals. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes.

[kathrahender]

This is the actual fic, the other post was the background story to understand this better. This is the second part (2/2), if you want to read the first part (1/2), read the previous post.

Eventually, Tom Kazanky and Pete Mitchell met in Top Gun, but they were a little more hostile towards each other. After all, Tom always saw Konstantin's hurt expression when people mentioned Duke Mitchell, and Pete always saw the pain and betrayal in Duke's eyes when he heard the name "Konstantin Kazansky". Iceman and Maverick's rivalry was similar to the movie, except that the hate they felt for each other was more obvious than in the movie. Their jokes actually meant to hurt the other, and every time they criticized the other, they were meaner than in the canon.

But- like in every Top Gun AU, Iceman became more compassionate after Goose's death, and although Iceman didn't like Mitchell's family, seeing how damaged Maverick was made him realize that he was hating Maverick for the wrong reasons. It wasn't because he was a bad pilot, it was because Duke was his father, and he couldn't stand that. But the pain in his eyes made him think Maverick didn't deserve to pay for Duke's bad actions. That's why he stood by his side. First he was just a teammate who supported him, but after Layton's mission, they became wingmen. The same year they decided to teach at Top Gun together, and they became more than allies or wingmen. They became friends.

At some moment, Maverick realize Iceman made him feel things he didn't feel with his past girlfriends, not even Penny or Charlie. When he saw Iceman at Top Gun, he couldn't help but smile. When Iceman smiled at him during a lesson, it warmed his heart. When some days Iceman decided to stay at his home, and he woke up screaming and crying in his bed, Iceman held him and it made him feel safe. Iceman was always there for him. To help him. To protect him. To catch him when he fell apart. Every time, Tom was there, saying with and without words "I'm here, I'm not going to leave you". So it wasn't a surprise when he realized he liked Iceman (or even loved because his feelings towards him were so intense).

Maverick repressed his feelings, because after all that happened between them, after all the rivalry, after Goose's death, and after Iceman supported him when he needed more help, he wouldn't bear losing him. He knew Iceman was straight, and if he told him he felt something for him, he would leave him, like everyone else (except his father). And he already lost his mother, Goose, Carole and Bradley. He couldn't lose Iceman too. What he didn't expect was how hard it would be to hold back his feelings. A lot of times he avoided Iceman, pretending he was busy with Top Gun's work, because he didn't want him to know the truth. How could he look at his face and say "I like you"? Iceman was his wingman and his friend, but nothing assured him that Iceman wouldn't leave him if he found out he was in love with a guy. Much less if he himself was that guy.

One day, in the afternoon, Iceman knocked at the door of his house, and although Maverick wanted to tell him to get out, he let him in. They stood silent for a moment, and Maverick expected Iceman yelling at him or being angry for ignoring him, but he didn't do that. He talked to him nicely, with a soft tone, like always. And he could deal with Iceman being angry, but Ice was there, looking at him with concern and pain, not forcing him to say anything, holding his arm or wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He got up to stay away from him, trying to hold back his emotions, because he couldn't bear it. It was Iceman's hand in his shoulder and him saying "I'm here for you, Mav, for anything" what broke him. He almost fell to the ground, nearly having a panic attack, but like always, Iceman was there to catch him, to comfort him. Maverick clung to him, as if he was a lifeline. He knew it was probably the last time Iceman would hug him, and he knew Iceman would abandon him, but during that moment, he imagined Iceman staying with him, he imagined he wouldn't be shattered in pieces after Tom left him.

After a few minutes, he slightly got away from Iceman, keeping his hands in his waist, while Iceman was holding his face in his hands, wiping away the tears. "What's happening, Pete?". Maverick closed his eyes, and he muttured, trembling. "I love you". Iceman got paralyzed, and Maverick felt tears in his eyes again "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ice" he said. Before he could see Iceman looking at him with anger, hate or disgust, he went to his bedroom, but Iceman stopped him, hugging him from behind. "You idiot. You don't have to be sorry. You're not mentally ill and you're not disgusting, Maverick" he held him tighter, and when he heard the following Iceman's words, he sobbed. "I'm your wingman, Pete, I will never leave you. And I will always be here for you. I love you too, Mav"

After that, and even after knowing their life would be hard, they decided to be together. They only lived once, and they wouldn't be cowards and let go of each other. Although they would have to hide from the society, and act like friends in front of everyone, their life would be harder if they weren't dating.

Years later, when people knew the truth about Duke's "betrayal", and when the Navy finally allowed them to date people of their same gender, Iceman and Maverick could finally have their happy ending, and Duke and Konstantin couldn't be more happy for them, because their sons were enough strong and brave to fight for their love, and they succeeded.

Additional information about the fic.

Duke is still considered a traitor because Pete needs to be the same Maverick he was in the movie, and that can only happen if the name "Mitchell" still means "problems" and he is not accepted in Annapolis. He's seen as "the son of a traitor", that's why Goose is his only friend here too.

In this AU, Maverick's mother still dies (when he's... 10 years old more or less), so Pete is raised by his father. Almost the same thing happens to Iceman, because her mother also died when he was a kid.

Iceman doesn't have siblings. Sarah is one of his friends, but she isn't his biological sister.

When talking about people leaving Maverick, he mentioned Carole and Bradley because he is convinced they left him and not the place that reminded them of Goose (after Goose's death, Carole decided to move to another city because she couldn't bear being in Miramar without Goose. She didn't do that because she blamed Maverick for Goose's death and wanted to stay away from him)

With them having a happy ending, I mean them having a happy ending. So I'm just ggnna pretend that Top Gun Maverick's scene didn't happen.

[theoreticallysensible]

The Power and Purpose of Strikes

Simone Weil, the philosopher/anarchist/mystic, describing an ideal political future for France after WW2, lamented that trade unions have become primarily concerned with wages. This might seem strange to us now, when even this activity is so contested by conservatives, but Weil saw it as playing too much into the capitalist spirit.

She saw this as just one of trade unions’, and the worst of the lot, because it encourages workers to think about personal monetary gain rather than justice, solidarity, and even their own needs beyond the material. It also risks the union becoming institutionalised through frequent direct interactions with established economic forces. Again, this will sound weird today, given how unions fighting for wages represent one of the few remaining avenues for working class justice, and yeah Weil was a Catholic with strong convictions about the importance of moralism, but I think fundamentally she had higher hopes than we can easily imagine today.

I think a lot of people sense the truth of what she says today - though unfortunately it’s usually conservatives, who would turn back on it immediately if they recognised what it was they were saying. You see it when they say “Why are train drivers striking? Why are writers striking? Why do they think they deserve more than nurses, or posties, or actors?” And of course, the answer is: “They should strike too!” (As some of them now are 🎉). But it’s true that the narrow focus on wages does foster a sort of competitive individualism which can undermine solidarity with other industries. This means that a more revolutionary conception of unions is needed, which is not what these critics have in mind, but it is what Simone Weil has in mind.

What Weil sees in trade unions is the potential for fostering community, freedom of intellectual and spiritual thought, and a degree of independence from capitalism, all of which amount to a greater degree of what she calls ‘rootedness’ - something involving confidence in truth, having material needs met, security in community, and relative freedom (among other things). She saw them as being able to foster solidarity to meet workers’ need for community, free them from the corrupting influence of monetary concerns, and fight for justice as a group. She also hoped that they could provide a space for freedom of thought, to avoid the fetishisation of community she saw in both the French and Russian revolutions.

Trade unions then should not merely concern themselves with accumulating resources, but also with accumulating time and freedom - with the expansion of what Henri Lefebvre called everyday life, the time in which we are free to do what we want and create new types of experiences. When we have enough of it, we can build our own institutions free from capitalist influence which can form the infrastructure for disruptive situations. This can be mutual aid groups, creative projects, intellectual and spiritual communities, and reimaginings of what it means to work, through permablitzing, learning crafts, and starting co-operatives.

The ideal version of this is the general strike. Walter Benjamin described the general strike as a form of divine violence, violence which acts instantaneously, bloodlessly, without coercion. Rather than sort of blackmailing capitalists, as most strikes do, the general strike is (ideally) a complete disengagement with the entire capitalist system. It asks nothing of it, and simply makes it irrelevant by building entirely new social relations in its place. This is not at all feasible with where we are at the moment, but I like to think that it can be used as an inspiration for incorporating more utopian ideas into our more limited actions, all of which are still so radical in this current climate.

[mariacallous]

When a new episode of AMC’s Interview With the Vampire aired the Sunday before last, a particular sort of fuse was lit in online conversations around the show. The fifth installment of the second season, “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape,” was an impeccably written and acted horror film in miniature—the sort of thing you watch with your mouth hanging open, before pointing at your TV and saying, “Are you seeing this, too?!?!”

Yet when thousands took to social media to ask that very question, much of the commentary was underscored by confusion, even concern, that people were, in fact, not seeing it, too—that they weren’t seeing Interview With the Vampire at all. For a show so good, many said, it was criminal that more people weren’t watching and discussing it, and that more critics weren’t covering it. “This is the best show on TV right now,” New York Times culture reporter Kyle Buchanan wrote in one widely shared tweet. “I feel gaslit that you’d all rather talk about mid or bad shows rather than watch the golden standard!”

Some fans had already noticed the diminished critical coverage compared to the first season, which was met with near-universal acclaim and earned the show and the performances of its lead actors, Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid, places on many end-of-year best-of lists. If anything, the show’s sophomore season had received an even higher percentage of glowing reviews, but the big splashy event coverage that other lauded shows often receive (and are receiving as we speak) was absent from notable mainstream outlets.

Plugged-in fans had also noticed a drop in viewership from the first season, at least according to publicly available metrics, and in advance of the June 9 episode, Slate published an article titled, “Interview With the Vampire Is the Best Show Almost Nobody Is Watching,” which laid out the those numbers plainly. Word started to spread—especially on up-to-the-minute platforms like X but also fanning out to places like Reddit, TikTok, and even my home base, Tumblr, which is far more likely to host gifsets, shitposts, or graduate-seminar-level analyses of the show than discussions of terrestrial television ratings.

AMC had announced IWTV’s second season before the first even aired, but halfway through the second there hadn’t been a peep about a third—and with a narrative brewing about “the best show nobody’s watching,” especially in the wake of an episode that so many were raving over, fan anxiety started to ratchet up about its fate. On X in particular, that groundswell quickly started to focus on AMC’s marketing efforts—and fans’ accusations that the network wasn’t doing enough to promote its own show set off a firestorm that brewed for days. “The marketing choices AMC is doing with Interview With the Vampire is self destructive,” one fan wrote. Or, in the words of another: “So mad they got me googling who is head of marketing at AMC.”

There can be a huge range of reasons why a show in 2024—this one or any other—doesn’t have the reach it deserves; endless pixels have been spilled on streamer fatigue and fractured audiences in the past few years. AMC, a darling of the prestige-TV-on-cable era, is in an especially strange position: Even when Interview’s first season was a hit on its streaming service, AMC+, it was still held up as an example of a troubled industry in transition. Two years and two Hollywood strikes later, the situation is even more complicated. As the industry restructures and changes who can watch what where, a disconnect has emerged between what viewers like and what critics do. At the same time, social media platforms—the loci of 21st-century word of mouth—continue to implode, fracturing the conversation of an already dispersed audience.

Amidst this, IWTV faces specific hurdles due to the nature of the show. An adaptation of Anne Rice’s 1976 novel that pulls heavily from the many Vampire Chronicles books that followed, the show racebends many of its leads—its titular vampire, Louis du Pointe du Lac, is now Black—and goes all in on the queerness of the books. And it is, of course, about vampires—specifically, vampires who do terrible things. “IWTV has so much that a modern audience could want from a series but, unfortunately, some people won’t receive it solely because it’s a queer horror show with majority BIPOC leads,” says Bobbi Miller, a culture critic who recaps the show on her YouTube channel. “Genre TV is always going to have to jump through more hoops for success than a standard drama.”

For the converted, the idea that more people aren’t watching Interview is maddening. One could certainly argue that the show, with its dark, twisted Gothicness and emotional maximalism, isn’t for everyone. But in an era of unceremonious cancellations—even of shows that execs touted as hits—and with an absence of information about the show’s future, it’s understandable that its most dedicated fans would be pushing for more viewers. Interview isn’t the only show whose fans question its marketing efforts; it’s a common accusation leveled at streamers of all sorts, especially when a show is canceled. But in this conversation, Interview fans pointed at specific decisions made by the network that many feel have made this season’s rollout feel so much more muted than the last.

“It’s been a conversation that fans have been talking about for a while now, but I think what really set them off was the comment made by Film Updates,” says Rei Gorrei, a fan who dubs herself the “Unofficial Vampire Chronicles Spokesperson.” A pop-culture aggregation account with nearly a million followers, Film Updates revealed they had been denied interview requests with the show’s talent—and since fans were worried no one was hearing about IWTV, they couldn’t understand why that reach wasn’t being capitalized on. “I think the combination of these things along with little marketing leaves fans in a word-of-mouth scenario where we now feel like it’s up to us to campaign for the season three renewal,” Gorrei says.

Many questioned the promotion the network had been implementing, too, like the decision to never have Anderson and Assad Zaman, whose characters’ romance is one of the main focuses of the season, interviewed together. Episode five in particular, with its explosive fight scene between the two, would have been a prime opportunity. (AMC did not respond to emails seeking comment for this story.) Other fans raised concerns about the unceremonious cancelation of the widely admired official podcast, whose Black female host, Naomi Ekperigin, felt like the perfect interviewer for a show with Black leads and nuanced racial storylines. Then there was the fact that too few episodes would air in time for Emmy consideration—not the fault of marketing, but yet one more source of fan worry.

As the conversation directed at the official X account got heated, the AMC social team replied, sparking a dust-up that evoked the heady days of mid-2010s Twitter fandom, which regularly saw official accounts (remember Teen Wolf?) doing battle with—and sometimes capitalizing on the rancor of—contentious fans.

To be clear, AMC’s team did not engage the way those accounts once did—they instead wound up spinning it as a joke, poking fun at itself with a series of memes riffing on a line from the latest episode. But some fans continued to make comments about wanting to “take away” the show from the network, invoking one of the common paradoxes of modern fandom, where fans seek to divorce the thing they love by from the thing they think is harming it, like a showrunner, a director, or a network (the people who are, of course, the reason the thing they love exists).

“It is complicated,” says Bobbi Miller. She understands both sides of the equation: She's a fan, but she has also worked on social campaigns for film and TV. “I do think some of what the fans want from social [media] for this show is not always realistic.” Based on her experience, she says it’s likely that posts are part of a specific plan with approval processes—and it’s usually done by a whole team, not some lone intern as people on social media always suggest. “Not to mention that some things,” she adds, “especially ones that involve talent directly, aren’t always possible.” And in the flurry of conversation about the show’s promotion, many fans did acknowledge this—suggesting the social team was being stymied by the network itself.

Even with her sympathetic eye, Miller has also been confused by some of the decisions—though she stresses it’s all still a part of this balancing act. “Ultimately, no one’s ever going to be happy with the social coverage of the show because the objectives of a social campaign for a series are different than the objectives of the fandom,” she says. “I do want the show to get the major social and promotional push that it deserves and I’m not totally sure why that hasn’t happened, but I hope the network is taking note that the audience does want to see this show and its cast everywhere.”

That sort of symbiotic relationship between marketing and fans—where acolytes essentially act as ambassadors for their thing—is a thorny part of the fan labor conversation. But while some of Interview’s devotees worry that there’s too heavy a reliance on word-of-mouth, a lot of fans are still spreading the word—some even treat it like a full-time job. A lifelong Vampire Chronicles fan, Gorrei had watched AMC’s struggles with The Walking Dead fanbase and some of its smaller franchises, and decided to do whatever she could to help IWTV succeed. “I had basically made my own personal marketing strategy for this show,” she says.

But even the most enthusiastic evangelists don’t actually work for the shows they love—and the entire push and pull of this situation underscores one of the biggest things plaguing television fandoms in 2024. Amidst the chaos of the industry and without the transparent signals of earlier eras like ratings or the seasonal calendar, fans don’t know the levers they need to pull to try to keep their favorite thing on the air—and sometimes, there aren’t any levers to pull at all. Long gone are the Bjo Trimble letter-writing campaigns of yore.

The broader atmosphere is one of fear and panic: After a decade of having the streamer rugs pulled out from under them, fans—and audiences more broadly—are afraid of getting invested in a show. Once invested, they’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Despite all the furor at the start of last week, fans did get some strong signs of hope by the end of it. While there still hasn’t been word that the show will be picked up for a third season, showrunner Rolin Jones re-upped a multiyear contract with the network on Friday. The next day, AMC announced a deal with Netflix to offer several of their titles on the streamer, Interview included. The show has always been framed as tentpole of a broader interconnected universe based on Anne Rice’s work, and despite the mixed signals of the past few weeks, it also seems like AMC is still all-in on that bet—the network also recently greenlit a third series based in the “Immortal Universe,” alongside The Mayfair Witches.

Miller agrees that these signals are very encouraging—and notes that AMC is famous for giving high-quality shows it believes in multiple seasons to find audience footing (see the eventual popularity of Breaking Bad or the continued renewal of Halt and Catch Fire—notably both projects of IWTV’s executive producer, Mark Johnson). And these sorts of investments go hand-in-hand with the dedication and commitment of long-term fans. “IWTV’s greatest allies,” Miller says, “are a dedicated fan base and a network that seems committed to giving the series time to blossom,” Miller says.

[shsl-fander]

Logince Week Day 4

Prompt: Block by burnout

Tw: Overworking, lack of sleep, burn out, insecurities, harsh criticism

Pairing: Roman/Logan

Description: Roman's been working himself to the max for the past week but despite all his efforts, he absolutely hates everything hes making. He finds himself exhausted, drowning in his insecurities. Logan has to come and talk some sense into him and let him sleep.

Read on ao3 or under read more

@loginceweek2024

Roman slammed his head against his desk, his groaning muffled as his face stayed against the wood, frowning deeply. Everything he was producing was awful, nothing great like he should be making, nothing good enough, nothing that made him deserve the title of creativity.

He lacked the energy needed to work his best, and without the energy motivation him to strive, Roman took longer to do each small project, leaving him to work non stop the few days before Thomas needed it from him.

Typically Roman would ask Logan to help him brainstorm when the negative thoughts were clouding his brain. Ever since he'd let Logan know about some of his insecurities when they had tried that whole puppet thing, the logical trait had made a huge effort to be less critical on his work. Additionally, he'd been including Roman in many of his studies as well.

It made Roman feel appreciated, as opposed to worrying if he met up to Logan's expectations before. Logan was just so perfect, Roman adored him and everything he represented, he wanted not only to match that level but also to impress him, to make Logan love Roman too.

However, he couldn't ask Logan for help right now since Logan was so busy with his own work, he surely wouldn't have any interest in Roman's struggles.

He just felt so tired, the weight of his own eyelids feeling heavy on his face as he attempting to stay awake. He'd barely even gotten anything done, and reading all the stuff he had written made Roman feel so awful about himself he'd wished to curl up in a ball and just quit right then and there. Why couldn't he just make something incredible, he'd done it before?! A prince is supposed to excell all the time, not be pathetic and drown in his own self hatred then once in a while create something spectacular.

Roman had nearly drifted off to sleep, slumping over on his desk when he heard gentle knocks coming from his door. A familiar knock pattern, two short knocks followed by one longer knock, only one person was sophisticated enough to think the personalize the way they knocked in a way that felt professional for them : Logan.

Roman jolted up, springing out of his seat, slurring his words as he responded, "You may enter!"

Roman ran his hand over his face, attemping to wake himself up enough to where his royally fucked up state wouldn't be too obvious to his visitor. "Thought you were still workin', Specs?" he comments as he watched the door open, biting back his yawn.

Logan shook his head, stepping further into the prince's room. His eyes darted around the place before they focussed on Roman sitting at his desk. "Falsehood, I finished around an hour ago," he corrected, "I assumed you were finished as well and was wondering if you wanted to compare, to see how my data would match your writing?" he offered.

Roman felt a wave of panic rush over him, he frantically slammed his laptop shut, chuckling uncomfortably. "Oh! Right, that! Obviously that was the plan, as that's what we've been doing for ages! Ahah..."

Logan blinked, "Correct," he stated simply, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "Are you alright, Roman? You seem tense," he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Roman bit his tounge, while it was clear Logan cared about his wellbeing and all, he couldn't just admit to Logan that he wasn't finished. He wasn't going to make himself look stupid in front of him like that.

"Roman, you do not need to lie to me, I can tell you're stressed," Logan sighed, setting his folders down on the ground and walking closer to Roman, standing by his desk. "What's bothering you?"

Roman relented, slumping over on his chair, "I've been working non stop for the past week and yet I have absolutely nothing to show for it!" he grumbled, "I've made like 7 different full drafts but I keep scrapping them become they're all royally awful and I can't put something like that up, what will everyone think of me?! And I'm just so tired but I can't be tired without anything good to show from it," he rambled, just spilling out his guts.

Roman took a deep breath," and the absolute last thing I wanted to do was dissapoint you, Teach," he admitted quietly.

Logan's eyes grew wide and he frowned deeply, "Do you really think that lowly of me?" he asked.

Roman's head shot up and he frantically shook his hands, "What?! No I don't think lowly of you, I think the exact opposite-" he started to defend himself but Logan interrupted him.

"I meant assuming you could dissapoint me, you could never dissapoint me," Logan insisted, reaching out to touch Roman's hand before he froze, blushing slightly. He decided upon resting his hand next to it instead, "Especially not with something like this. However, I assume you're being extremely hard on yourself right now, I'm sure you're looking at your work with an unfair lense."

Logan cleared his throat before he spoke, hoping to god that the racing of his heartbeat and warmth spreading across his face wasn't obvious to Roman and also didn't mean anything about the crush he had been trying to deny. "I formally apologize if I don't say it enough, but you really impress me Roman, consistently. It saddens me to see you look at your own creativity with such harsh eyes, but it's even worse to think I would think of you like that as well."

Logan shook his head," I can't believe I'm saying this, but the work can wait, I can make adjustments in Thomas's schedule to allow for it. You need to give yourself a break before you burn yourself out any further, " he instructed, spinning Roman's chair to face him.

"You look like you are two minutes away from passing out," he pointed out matter-of-factly.

Roman stammeres, opening his mouth to protest but Logan just stared back at him, giving him an all too familiar look. "I hate when you're right," he muttered, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"I am always right, you just only sometimes admit it," Logan countered with an amused smirk. "Trust me, you'll thank me later when you can start again with fresh eyes and will create something wonderful, I just know it. If you want I can assist you as well, since I should actually be free the majority of tomorrow."

Roman headed over towards his bed, snapping his fingers to conjure up more comfortable clothes that he could sleep in, automatically appearing already wearing them. He flopped down onto his bed, exhaustion already getting the best of him. He'd been too busy non stop writing that he hadn't had a good nights sleep in nearly 2 weeks.

Logan smiled softly, and oh there was this tug at his chest that made him feel as if his stomach was turning. Roman looked so...adorable, which was an odd thought for Logan to have, but he was certainly having it. Not to mention the way his hair was much messier than usual, sticking up in parts, or the way his eyes were blinking closed every few second. It was oddly endearing, and it made Logan just wanted to cup his face and kiss him, feeling the taste of his lips against his own and the way they'd gently press and...

"Ahem, I'll be uhm leaving now," Logan mumbled, his face almost completely pink now. He headed towards Roman's lamp to shut off the light.

"Wait! Specs?" Roman called out drowsily, hugging onto his stitch stuffed animal.

"Yes, Roman?"

Roman glanced up at Logan, a tender smile spread across his face. "Thank you for everything you said today, and thank you for giving me more time."

Logan's gaze softended, "Of course, I care about you Roman, much more than any project, even the most important ones. I'd much rather be months behind schedule than let you hurt yourself, remember that please."

And it was true, Logan deeply cared about Roman, more than he even began to understand. And Roman cared about Logan too, deeper than just wanting to make good content for him.

They loved each other, and soon enough they'd learn to tell each other that. For now, Roman needed to rest, so Logan clicked off his lamp and slowly snuck out of his room, shaking his heas fondly.

He'd always be here to check up on him, always

[dundermisfits]

Andy Bernard

Pairing: Andy Bernard x reader

Warnings: None

Requested by: @applepie972

Request:

hello♡, could you make one of andy¿

***

• Shortly after you first met, you would be lying if you had said that you were never jealous when his attention would be focused on Angela Martin

• It gets a little more tense to have been able to stand to look at him with direct eye contact after he seems to be moving on from Angela to Erin

• After the engagement between Angela and Andy broke, that’s when you come out to share your own personal experience from that exact sticky situation, only it happened to you twice and with great honest, you mention that you were unsure if you could ever give love another chance

• Andy had become a better listener and had become less critical with his own opinions about anyone or anything

• Since you opened up to him a little, you both had become close, so much so that everybody in the office believed you two were secretly dating behind their backs and just didn’t want to admit/or share the “news”

• After forming a little bond between the two of you, you started taking lunch breaks at the same time

• During your lunch breaks, he would pull out his laptop and play a movie that one, you never heard of, and two, that was a supposedly illegal download of it he installed to watch with you

• You we’re concerned at first, but you eventually went along for the ride and watched it with him

• knowing Andy could play a number of instruments you had no knowledge of on how to play them, he will often teach you some tricks on whatever instrument you mention to him that you’ve been wanting to learn to play since a young age

• Movies during lunch breaks soon turned into guitar/banjo lessons and sometimes you both would sing along with the tune together

• Just as you started thinking things between you were getting a little more serious, you were nearly devastated after Erin showed up to replace Pam’s position as receptionist

• Jim was your best friend in the office, and when how upset you were about this, you both go in together to play a prank on Andy. Jim believed how Andy’s sudden change of heart seemed to be made for Erin now, he thought it was immature and came up with the idea to pull off the perfect prank on him

• There are times when Andy is the most vulnerable

• The prank was to fill a bucket of cold water and sneak up behind him to dump it on him, the both of you holding the bucket over his head couldn’t have gone any better than planned

• It was during Andy’s break, you and Jim took a break to do this and it wasn’t a boring reaction, it was better then expected

• Walking back inside, everyone was greeted with a soaked Andy and began questioning on what happened

• All he says is, “They both got me so good.” gesturing towards you and Jim

• Creed pulls his phone out and snaps a picture of Andy, which Andy takes notice in before making a comment

• “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Of course he says so in very noticeable sarcasm on his agitated voice

• After the breakup with Erin, Andy comes to you for consoling

• At first you wouldn’t listen to him. But after hearing him sigh in disappointment, you started feeling the guilt tripping on you before making your way out to follow him outside

• But first, you couldn’t go out there without coffee

• After getting the coffee cups, you find Andy sitting on a bench outside in the freezing cold and there, you sit quietly, sipping your coffee as you’re listening knowing full well that he possibly deserves your listening ears, you couldn’t find the heart to ignore Andy

• You both eventually get together in the end

• It’s a happy ending for you both after getting things worked out in your new relationship

• Andy trusts you completely as you do him, but Andy getting even the slightest jealous goes unnoticed by you

• You sometimes take the time to tease him about it and he playfully gets defensive about it

• While watching movies together, you sometimes have to hold him for comfort if it’s a sad film, seeing him cry was strange to you

***

@dundermisfits

Requests: open

Characters:

• Michael Scott

• Dwight Schrute

• Jim

• David Wallace

• Andy

• Pam

• Angela

[theobsessiveloser18]

Headcanons of being best friends with Tory Nichols

•She was Miguel's girlfriend when you met her (as his best friend and almost older/younger sister, he think it was appropriate for you to meet her) she was too different from you, you don't know if because of that, or because she was an overly conscious teenager (unlike of Sam that you hated, maybe because she was too similar to you) you loved her and she loved you

•They became fast friends, spending time together without Miguel being involved.

•You were also Aisha's friend, so the 3 of them became the best friends of all time, it was weird for people not to see them together, they became the best-known trio of school friends (the karate girls and their chick the protected)

•Tory opens your eyes to the evil of the world, how important it was to develop character to survive, and since it's not bad to not always be the best person of the day (a topic that tormented you) you help her survive, you support her with your brother and his mother, looking for a way to have their pockets full at the end of the month, getting to work together (sometimes you give her part of your payment, she doesn't like it very much, but you don't need the money as much as she does), you are her greatest moral compass, she always comes to you for advice, comfort and a good listening ear, she knows that deep down you condemn her bad girl behavior, but also that you have never shown any double standards with her.

•If they aren't hanging out together, they'll be on long phone calls (with or without Aisha) so you were quite surprised one day when you texted her, at the time you knew she had left work and she didn't reply (After a day work, Tory needs to vent, but now the hard thing for her is not to survive the injustices of the world, the hard thing is to breathe in a world which is inhabited by Samantha Larusso

"It's a real pain in the womb, but I think the reason I can't stand her, is because I'm more like her than I'd like, 2 stupid girls who have never worked for what they have, and can't understand the behavior of a certain 'type of people' to whom life has treated them like a bag of garbage, and they do not deserve your attention, only your criticism for their 'troublesome' aura and 'low morality', so pathetic ”and the real Tory nichols was so upset you thought she was going to slap you

"Listen to me carefully, why if I have to repeat this to you again, when I finish speaking you will have a knife buried in your vagina, Larusso would beg to have some of your human decency in her fingernail" you swallowed dryly, she sighed tired and more calm she continued "It's not your fault that life has been fairer to you, in that sense I suppose 'Sweetys princess' isn't either, but the difference between you and her is that you listen to people, you try to understand them, and you're not only concerned about your point of view, you and Aisha are the best people I've met in 17 damn years of life, even my boyfriend doesn't make that list, don't torture yourself, you really are a good person”

"Thank you" was all you could say

Her confrontations with the princess make Tory feel like a mess, and you walk in to comfort her.

"Don't worry Tory, it wasn't your fault, Sam shouldn't have accused you of stealing her mom."

either

"I understand your anger, but I think that pushing Sam on the track was not the best option, his enmity will last longer, and Miguel can get angry with you"

"He was on my side, he's great"

"He is, but... sorry for saying this, but I think he still hasn't gotten over it" you noticed the pain in her voice when she said

"Someday he's going to have to get her out of her mind, right?"

"You shouldn't be the girl I used to get over her ex-girlfriend" she leaned back on your shoulder.

"I don't think she's going to get any better from the world"

"Believe me, you'll do it, you deserve it" you gave him a small kiss on the head)

Your suspicions were true when you found out about the fight at school the next day, you didn't know whether to thank God for missing, or curse under your breath , you could have stopped Tory

•You visited her while she was in juvie (also Robby, you were so upset that Johnny had almost abandoned him and so frustrated that they wouldn't let you bring her practically anything from the outside world) she appreciated visiting time, you told her a lot of things (minus the fact that Miguel and Sam seemed to have reunited, after the boy woke up, for obvious reasons) you brought him certain things and took care of his family until they released her

•You wanted Tory to have a party in case she came back but Aisha had recently moved away, and your friend is very sad about it, and she wasn't in the mood for noisy and lively moments even with you, but they took her brother to the park and ate liters of ice cream while watching the embarrassing romantic comedies of all time.

•Miguel was pretty mad at you for continuing to hang out with Tory, but you weren't abandoning the girl.

•you were quite surprised that he was still practicing karate after all that had happened, you thought Kreese was a cynical son of the devil, kyler was not right in the head, and the other students seemed like a horror comedy, but she was firm about it

"Karate is the only thing that motivates me not to give up now, neither this nor Sensei Kreese are to blame for what happened, Miguel and they are going to get what they deserve, everyone who bothers me is going to wish they had been aborted.” His words worried you, but then Robby entered the dojo and you caught a glimpse of peace.

•Sometimes you go to look at the keys, the sensei doesn't bother you, and the cobras have a neutral opinion about you

•You love watching robby try to make progress with tory

"He's fascinated with you, I'm serious Tory, if you don't care, when you least see him coming he'll steal a kiss from you"

"don't talk nonsense , no boy who cares a bit for his cheap ass would even think of trying to steal a kiss from me."

"You haven't seen how he looks at you, not even Mr. Darcy could look at such a passionate look, my holy God, It's sooo comely" your friend laughed a little at your attitude

"It's striking" she answered with a nervous smile, they both noticed it, and she changed the expression on her face to a stoic look that lately you've been seeing frequently "But I think she still doesn't surpass the princess, and sometimes he behaves way too pure to be a cobra definitely wouldn't notice me”

“believe me the girl left her mind a long time ago... and tory we all noticed you”

•You were the happiest person in the world when your friends started dating and when Tory won the championship, you waited for her to come out, you hugged and you rolled her in the air, you walked home in a side hug

"It was obvious that you were going to win, none of those fans had prepared as much as you"

“Thank you for staying until the end”

"Whenever you want... are you alright?"

"Just a little tired, mopping bitches is fun but exhausting. You know what I mean?" you laughed a little

"Yes, I think a little"

"But I do not reject a hamburger combo, you stay to sleep"

"Yes my lady" she gave you a kiss on the cheek, and rested her head on your shoulder

•Winning the championship did not bring any positive change in Tory, what's more, you could say that she made things a bit worse, she had never been so depressed, you didn't know what to do to help her

"Y/N believe me you have already done a lot for me, you are the person who has made me smile the most in life, and that will never change"

•Shortly after you found out about the problem she was having with Cobra Kai, and it all made sense to you.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I thought you might be hurt"

"Okay Tory, you did what you thought was best for everyone."

"But it wasn't worth it, Silver and Kim continue to rot minds and Larusso ended up demotivating me, I don't know how I could have thought that he would help me, she is still a dancer in his glass box, instead my best friend would surely have encouraged me to leave this stupid plan long before, really sorry”

"Calm down Tory, I'm sure what you did will be worth it... in the meantime let's pawn our dresses and buy cheap land" Your friend smiled excitedly, game night for you

•After Silver fell you had the perfect idea, it was time for Tory to take a break from so much crap, 'Day off for Nichols', it was hard but you managed to convince her, Robby and Mrs. Larusso would take care of her brother and mom

•They started the trip in a car, you drive while your faithful co-pilot marveled looking out the window, it had been a long time since he had taken a trip, and he was definitely enjoying it, they sang the songs you had listed at the top of their lungs: try, Carreles whisper, i will suviver, Billie Jean, among others

•You hadn't told her where they were going so she was really excited, they walked a long time to their destination

"Here it is"

"Wow I don't know what to say, I was hoping for anything but you would buy me a house in Santa Barbara, 5 hours from where I currently live, you want me quite far from you, huh?" she gave you a mischievous look and you rolled your eyes "But hey who would protest in front of a Free house, so thank you" hug you

“Lummox, the gift is not the house, it is who is inside it”

"And who is there?"

"You will tell me" You knocked on the door before Tory's confused look, after several seconds, Aisha opened the door as surprised as the blonde, they both screamed and hugged each other, still with the girl in her arms, she said.

"When you said that they would visit me one day, I did not imagine that they would or that they would come without warning"

"Hey!, best friends never forget, also what is the point of surprises if you know they are going to happen"

"Come here arrogant genius" They pulled your hands, and you joined the now group hug

•They talked non-stop for hours, they had a lot to tell each other, they watched a movie, and they got to know Santa Bárbara, the most impressive thing... they did a lot of shopping, they wouldn't go home empty-handed

•They spent the night at Aisha's house, and after breakfast they began the return trip

"I love you"

"It's mutual, you know, Tory."

[weltonlasso]

What did Brendan do this time? 😭 I’m still not over his AMA tbh…

Sorry for being a confusing bitch who rehashes shit over and over and over. I don’t know how else to process my feelings. I’m in therapy. But like, she’s new-ish and idk if I’m at the point in our relationship where I’m ready to have deep conversations about television characters and the people who created them so here I am:

It’s just still the AMA responses from him. I thought I’d seen them all but there was a fucking grosssssss one that I had not seen about ethics and dr jacob where he basically ignored the part of the fan question that needed to be answered and doubled down on his obliviousness by saying:

actually you saw it as unethical BUT we actually wrote it as a loyal, normal, lovely thing because it had been more than 18 months and the statute of limitations on being fucking gross ended around that time and so it’s all good.

Hahaha OKAY like thanks for letting us know they didn’t actually choose DR Jacob. That the choice means nothing. ACTUALLY he is just a guy Michelle met at the grocery store. It was never supposed to be deeper than that—we saw what we wanted to see.

(Even tho they focused on it, made it something that shook up Ted and impacted the way he saw himself, his relationship with his ex, their relationship to therapy, Ted’s relationship to therapy in s3… I could go on).

Brendan can literally say the truth, “I’m glad you brought up the ethics of it all, we fumbled that a bit. I can see where that could have made some viewers uneasy. We didn’t mean it to hit quite so hard like that. I can see that was kind of a low blow to Ted. Our intention was to show Ted feeling replaced as a father and husband—to question his place in Richmond. This was a way we could do it with someone that already has a connection to both Michelle and Ted to really get Ted thinking about his home life and his role as a dad.

THE END.

Hahah him just actually laughing it off and turning it back around on the fan who asked that question with legit concerns. WHY CANT YALL even be critical of your own art??? FFS.

I just like???? see the succ fans and their guy being like ohhh fuck ya u liked that??? XYZ was such mess!?! Cool! I’m so glad you saw them that way!!! I never did!!! That’s so cool! Yeah we did THIS and you saw THAT and we went that way but it’s still cool that went that way and you saw THIS instead.

But it seems like TL creators aren’t open for any kind of discussion or criticism because they have already moved on to the new stories they are planning to tell with out Ted. And that’s lame as fuck!!!!!!

I don’t need an ending they threw together last min so that it can be “left open” for more. I needed an ending the show deserved— one that was true to all the stories and characters.

AND THEN.

THEN if they want to bring the show back in a few years it’s up to THEM to pick up their story where they want to have it at that point. But it’s really fucking unfair to fuck it over at the end so that there are loose threads for Apple to tie to new projects.

And then have the audacity to trash the fans who are tying to ask you about your characterizations and the decisions YOU decided on that suddenly didn’t jive with 85% of the larger story.

That kind of bullshit from the creator side makes me literally never want to engage with anything about this show again.

[cherienymphe]

No like I was NAWT exaggerating when I say his fans hate her and she hasn't even done anything 😭 and in truth, there is no such thing as a perfect victim. A percent victim is a dead victim but I don't see the point in criticizing her for whatever she did as an ADULT when we're discussing the things done to her as a child. Like I really do not care because nothing negates the fact that he met her at 14, pursued her, moved her in with him when she was still a teenager so she could finish school and be at Graceland, molded her into what he wanted in a partner (aka GROOMED), half raised her while literally dating her (bc you know she's a teenager), and proceeded to put her through hell bc he wanted a perfect virgin child bride waiting for him at home while he fucked women his own age

Right and I should’ve clarified that I didn’t mean she deserved what she got because she wasn’t perfect. I was just meaning she’s a normal person with her own flaws (just like all people) but that nothing she did is worthy of the criticism and hate she still gets. And nothing that happened to her should have. What young girl wouldn’t be enamored or excited about an older celebrity wanting them? We were all begging the one direction boys to marry us when we were teens but it should have never happened. Her parents needed to have had some common sense and morals, even if Elvis wanted her. You are her legal guardians and responsible for her.

I didn't say that to mean you were blaming her but just pointing out that no such thing exists and so his fans basically expecting that of her is ridiculous 😭 her parents were not concerned enough for me. It was there in the movie but it really did feel like everyone treated this man like a God

[happywitch416]

Food For the Dead

Old Life Festival is upon the province and with it remembering the dead. But when you have a child who is obsessed with that which is spooky, you can find yourself remembering more then just your ancestors. Elena is terrified of the dead but that means little in the face of parenting, especially when the children begin teaming up to do right by even the warriors of the dragon cult.

I am loosely basing Old Life on All Soul's Day which is a bit of artistic license but this is spawned by a very real conversation with my own spooky obsessed child and them wanting to light candles for all the dead because no one should be forgotten. They are a better person then I.

"Mama." Runa flopped on to the bar stool across the sink, waiting patiently for Elena to look up which caused Elena concern. "What are draugr?" 

"Oh. Uh." They tapped the spoon on the side of the skillet, wiggling their bare toes against the cold floor when it didn’t help them think. "Old Nords, ancient ones, but they were warriors of the dragon cults that are bound to serve their masters for eternity." 

"So, they speak Thu'um." 

Elena regarded her carefully; Runa’s brows were furrowed as she stared into a notebook after making a scribbled note. "Aye, some would." 

"So, if one came here you could talk to them?" 

"Little one, why are you worried draugr are going to come to the house?" 

"Lucia said there are draugr in the Halls of the Dead." 

"There are." 

"So, there is a dragon priest beneath the city?" 

Elena set down the spoon harder than they meant. "I would like to think there isn’t but there are many important people buried here. And the oldest catacombs they’ve found are supposedly older than the city. " 

"Potema isn’t even in those then." 

"Aye." Runa nodded hopped down from her chair and disappeared before Elena could say another word. Elena went back to cooking dinner, their brows furrowed, and jaw clenched as they hoped they wouldn’t be kept up all night worrying about draugr knocking on the door. 

It was Lucia who appeared for dinner first much to Elena’s relief, flipping through one of her latest magazines. "Lucia, why is Runa worrying about draugr?" 

Lucia’s pale brows furrowed a moment, chewing on her fingernail before brightening. "We are starting the Old Life Festival stuff at school." 

"Oh." Elena let out a sigh of relief. 

"I let her borrow my books though, they gave her baby stuff." Elena matched her scowl. "Why do some of the teachers treat her like that?"

"Because they think she isn’t capable." They snarled, pouring themselves a glass of water.

"Have they met her?" Lucia stomped her foot indignantly, the magazine in her hands crumbling in her fists. "She’s smarter than all of them, who cares if she doesn’t sit?!" 

"Well." Elena let out a tired chuckle then. "You aren’t wrong but it’s a bit more then not sitting still." 

"She only hits people that deserve it." She sniffed, setting aside the magazine to help Elena get dinner on the table. "I wish I could hit people like she does." 

Elena let out a tired sigh. "Save it until after they won’t call me to fix it okay?" Lucia laughed, ducking away when Elena ruffled her hair. "What’s the new one about? Anything interesting?" 

"Atmoran fashion is coming back into style." She grinned at her mother. "Aunt Oddie said I should dig through your closet to find some originals." 

"Ha ha, Aunt Oddie isn’t funny." She snorted. "And I’ve never been fashionable a day in my life." 

"Some of it would suit you." Lucia declared snagging the magazine to show Elena a picture. The woman was regal with the dark furs draped across her shoulders and shining metal at the clasps. "You already have the braids." 

"True." Elena gently dragged their finger down the figure, eyeing it critically. "I would not be caught dead in that floaty, not skirt thing." 

"Mama." Luci groaned. "It’s a tabard." She tapped her bright pink nail against it. "It’s not a skirt, it’s part of the shirt." 

"I’d still trip over it." Elena sang over their shoulder as they grabbed the macaroni from the stove. 

"It’d have to be shorter, or the hatchlings would get tangled in it." She narrowed her eyes watching her mother carefully. "Your favorite color is forest green, right?" 

"Aye?" Any further questioning was halted by the appearance of Sofie and Runa who were discussing the best offerings to leave for the draugr. "Why are we feeding the undead?" Elena’s heart gave a panicked flutter.

The four of them settled at the table, Runa and Sofie exchanging smiles before Sofie spoke. "Because they shouldn’t be forgotten while we remember the dead." 

Elena couldn’t decide if they were going to die from cuteness or terror because they knew children couldn’t go into the Halls of the Dead without a parent.

Elena Songschild Master List

The Witch Writes Master List

[nottakingresponsibility]

Glimpses: Critical

[send CRITICAL for a scene from my muse's past in which they thought about / were reminded of something they're insecure about] "Look, alright. You just don't fucking get it, do you? You never will."

He was more focused on his drink than what she was saying to him, really. It was hard to pay attention when she was just saying nonsense about how the world didn't revolve around him or whatever. He knew that, no big deal. He must've made it too obvious he was dissociating by staring at his drink more than anything. To escape the reality. Until he was properly included in the conversation again, until he needed to be. What an annoyance. "Fucks sake, listen to me, James! Or am I only convenient when you want me to be? Too afraid your precious masculinity will be hurt if you listen to a girl for ONE fucking second??" He perked up at that. That wasn't true, was it? He thought he left that behind a while ago. He wasn't insecure. That was stupid. She raised her voice at him, that pissed him off more than it should've. Rather it was just cause he hated people yelling, or if it was cause she was clearly in the wrong, he was unsure about. "Do you hear yourself? You're just this chick I met at a fucking bar, alright? Not my fault you chose to stick around. Maybe you should've been smarter than to get close with a guy that clearly has his own problems to deal with if you can't handle him." He sat his drink down, a little too aggressively. It spilled over the edges of the glass, but he didn't care about that right now. He wasn't gonna clean it up, that wasn't his problem. She should've thought about that before annoying him to no end. "Clean that up if you will. Unless you're too fucking lazy to even do that right? Don't act like you're not a bitch when you feel like you're in the right. That's a lot of confidence you don't deserve. Maybe you'll find some other guy, whatever, but do you really think it'll EVER be the same?" "People are lucky to have me. Learn your place, will you? Now, if you want this weird situation we have going on to continue, I suggest you keep your mouth shut. I thought we agreed on me being the one in control here?" She wanted to protest, hell, she wanted to just leave. He wasn't worth her time. Thinks the world revolves around him constantly, thinks he's important to everyone, he isn't. But, empathy is one hell of a thing, and unfortunately Jimmy used that to his advantage before. So, anytime she did bite back, she was stuck in this area of concern. Getting attached to people is one of the worst things you can do in this world, apparently. She should've learnt that sooner. "...James. You can leave if you want. The door is right there." She gestured to the door behind them, it was a simple gesture, but it held a lot of meaning. A lot of regret. If anything, he seemed like the attention seeker. It wasn't worth fighting over. "Yeah, I think I will. Don't keep thinking you're more important than you are, alright? I can do as I wish, and that includes ignoring your senseless rambling. Get a fucking grip next time, and maybe things won't go so badly." He made sure to slam the door when he left. Stupid bitch, who did she think she was? He'd never let himself stoop to that level of femininity, that was the one thing his parents pestered him about. God... he sounded like his father sometimes. Great. That's another thing on his plate to think about. Too late to go back, he would never sincerely apologize anyways. She wasn't worth it. Just another pretty face he'll forget in time.

[lichengrl]

Twitter is dumb

This is kind of funny because it's kind of weirdly political but this is just something I was thinking about lately and I wanted to put my thoughts down somewhere but I'm too lazy to write it all out in my journal (sorry, running on no sleep always) but I guess that's what this blog is for, anyway, so it works out. I feel like the internet allows people to have shitty priorities. I'm trying not to use any language that's like "people nowadays" or shit that would make me sounds a hundred years old because 1. its not just young people perpetrating this kind of thing, and 2. I'm literally 18. I just feel like people on the internet get angry a lot, myself included, over things that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter at all. The accessibility of other people who will share your outrage and the ability to create an echo chamber is a tool that I don't think anyone should have. I feel like it must come from a place of boredom.

This is all coming from some tweets I saw yesterday. Well, more than just some. My whole explore page was full of this picture of this random alternative looking girl and people meming on her. I was confused on what was going on so I found a thread explaining and it turned out that this was an (allegedly) 17-year-old girl, (she looked younger to me, but even if she was 17, still very much a child.) and it seemed like all corners of twitter were coming together to hate on her because she was a racist and supported pedophilia. I looked through this whole thread, saw the screenshots, and immediately felt like it was a troll. obviously the use of racial slurs is wrong always, but as I learned more about it, especially the fact that this was a child, it seemed like maybe she didn't deserve the hate she was receiving, mainly from adults on the platform and greatly just commenting on this young girl's appearance. Her account was terminated, as it should be based on twitter's rules, but I think that should have been the extent of it. Not saying that it's right, but there are a LOT of people that age who say things akin to the things that she was saying to be "edgy" because they are children and haven't learned the actual weight of it. while I do think that her behavior should change, I don't think that widespread bullying from random people on the internet is necessarily going to help her in any way.

The pedophilia thing is where I started to get upset. The screenshots included to support the claim that she "supports pedophilia" were her saying things about wanting to be groomed and similar statements maintaining the theme of her wanting to be a victim of pedophilia. This is not a valid criticism whatsoever, especially considering the age of this girl. If anything, these statements by her should be met with concern and not backlash. At best, she's just making jokes without understanding the weight of the situation, but at worse, she could be a victim herself projecting these desires from a place of trauma, as many trauma victims turn to romanticism to cope. No matter what the reason she had for saying those things, I don't think strangers should be commenting on it publicly at all. I also found it striking that so many people found her comments so disgusting as, having been on the internet for any amount of time, especially twitter, I would assume that it was well known that (for adults, children still shouldn't be talking like this just for their own safety,) things like this are a fairly common fetish and far more egregious statements are made on the platform.

I think that this girl must have some form of mental illness, at least a need for attention, and I think that she should be met with support from people close to her and expressions of concern from people on the internet (since people on the internet can't stand to just leave people alone and for some reason feel the need to get involved. I think that the termination of her account is a good thing, but that insulting her appearance is actually fucking insane as this is a troubled child and not someone who is actually causing any harm. I thought about why this mattered so much to people and I realized that I could easily get sucked into such sensationalism, as it's really easy to, out of sheer boredom. When you spend a lot of time on the internet (like me, hello), it can be easy to latch onto something and see others sharing your opinion and perpetuate an echo chamber where a small situation can spiral into seeming like the biggest most pressing issue in the world. In reality, I wish that there was more reflection going on, which is difficult because it's so easy to see a post, form an opinion, and comment on it within a minute. twitter especially is made in a way that perfectly allows it to create a constant feedback loop, to receive instant validation, and to permeate outrage. In the end, I just hope that girl is okay, I hope she's able to learn despite the horrible things people are saying about her (which, if anything, would encourage her to continue her bad behavior, especially if she was seeking attention), and I hope that people forget about the whole situation in a few days.

I try to separate myself from this sort of thing because I start to get a savior complex, like I need to somehow change the entire nature of the internet. But even me commenting on this now is an example of someone seeing a small portion of the internet, thinking it's more important than it is, and getting angry about it. Isn't that funny? It's never-ending. But I guess that's it LOL