#they also have a lot of other differences but these

[prokopetz]

Doesn't Hasbro have a strong incentive to make a "lite" version of D&D with a pared-down paperback rulebook and sell it as a casual-friendly overpriced starter kit with a bunch of dice, figures, treasure cards, etc.? It could be a strict subset of the normal 5E rules (I guess - not that knowledgeable about TTRPG design). That way they could sell you all the same books. Seems like a slam dunk

Hasbro's present marketing strategy for Dungeons & Dragons is to try to position every D&D group as potential purchasers of every D&D product. Among other things, this is one of the main reasons that every campaign setting other than the Forgotten Realms is being repackaged as a series of tourist destinations for Forgotten Realms based campaigns to visit, and why there's been a strong move away from focused, topical sourcebooks and toward big, messy "book of everything"-style anthologies that consciously avoid focusing too much on any one type of character or campaign. It's also why the core books make a lot of noise about how wonderfully modular the rules are without actually providing any meaningful modularity in practice – if the game was designed to make it easy to pick and choose modular components, they'd risk fracturing the player base into distinct subsets with different preferred sets of modules.

All this in mind, it's fairly easy to see why there's currently no official "light" version of D&D. Under the paradigm of every single D&D group as a potential purchaser of every single D&D product, a version of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition that was actually, meaningfully simpler than the core product would function in practice as a competing game (what if people decide they like the simpler version better and just play that instead?), and the last thing you want is to compete with yourself. TSR learned that the hard way! With substantive simplification off the table, the only introductory version of Dungeons & Dragons Hasbro can offer is one with exactly the same rules which simply has less content, and tells people to buy the full version if they want more – which is exactly what they're selling in the various starter sets that are presently available.

[cj-the-random-artist]

I let them get friendship married so Narinder can get his tax benefits lol

But legitimately. I mulled this one over repeatedly for literal months. Like. Do I want them to get married in front of the cult? Should they even get married? It would be hilarious if the Goat married them and then cried at the altar the whole time, but also... that doesn't feel right, so maybe I won't do that. And then once I decided it should be a personal friendship-marriage ritual where it's just the pair of them making vows to each other, I wrote four different scripts and hated them all and ended up just pulling this one out of thin air pretty much on the spot and that was that. At one point, I wanted Lambert to basically suggest this idea and then have them get friend-married on the spot, but that didn't feel right (and it was also gonna be unreasonably long) so that's why there's no context going into this one. And the actual friend-marriage ritual is... maybe not the best designed one ever? I wanted it to in some ways be similar to like, the way I imagine a romantic marriage happening in the cult- the parties exchange vows and do rings and stuff...? (If it's not obvious, I haven't been to many weddings...) But I figured they wouldn't want an audience, or to party with the whole cult afterwards, or anything like that. I also had them kiss each other's rings as opposed to like... faces... because one of the fights I had with myself in deciding how I would want this to go was whether it would make sense for them to kiss or not. And I ultimately decided that in this AU at least they just wouldn't want to. They're also wearing the rings on their not ring fingers cuz. Honestly it just felt right that way. Based on vibes. But basically I just wanted them to exchange a vow of eternal partnership in a very casual, chill setting, because I don't picture QPR AU Narilamb doing... anything other than that.

Also this is the rest of Lambert's office, which I actually had a pretty clear vision for after my last doodle but I didn't really bother to draw before starting this comic. Maybe I should've but eh it looks good enough. Interior backgrounds are hard......

Anyways. I think I'm happy with this one? I was enamored by the concept of a chill friendship marriage, so I definitely leaned into it here. As per usual, it's not perfect, I think I could've done a lot of stuff better / differently, but honestly?? If I were to ever get friend-married I would want it to go about like this, it makes my little aroace heart happy, and I spent too long on it to not show it to anybody. Thus. Enjoy, and also happy new year cuz I totally forgot to make a post individually about that...

[unpretty]

not going to tack this onto @derinthescarletpescatarian's post because it was long enough but here is my understanding of some of the various subgenres commonly encountered in light novels/web novels/licensed webtoons:

isekai: another world. if they end up in a different world it's an isekai. it doesn't matter how they got there. sometimes the other world is explicitly a video game the protagonist is playing. they're not dead or anything, just in virtual reality. they go home at night and it's fine.

portal fantasy: it does matter how they got there, actually. they went through a portal of some kind. wherever they end up, they keep their minds and bodies. maybe in the other world they have powers, but maybe not.

progression fantasy: they are going to level up like a video game character. there may or may not be an actual leveling up mechanic. they might just get stronger or acquire more wealth and powerful allies as it goes on. they will always kick more ass. hundreds of beavers is a progression fantasy.

litrpg: western term for 'the characters explicitly have video game mechanics'. there is probably a System of some kind. characters are aware of levels and power tiers. most controversial subgenre, lots of people hate this.

dungeon break/monster hunter: dungeons or portals appear in the real world, some people get powers that let them fight the monsters. lots of people try to tell me this is just litrpg but i argue that they are distinct subgenres with significant overlap. not every litrpg is this. you can probably find traditionally published american versions of this pre-dating video games and the litrpg concept.

transmigration: this is when truck-kun intervenes. there are other ways it can happen, but usually a character dies (hit by a truck is the most common trope) and wakes up in a different body. usually an isekai, usually it's into a story or video game, but it doesn't always have to be.

regression: a character dies, but instead of dying, they wake up as their younger self with all their memories from before their death. this is explicitly not an isekai, except when someone gets fucky with it and reveals that a transmigrator was actually also a regressor the whole time.

loop: if they regress more than once it turns into a loop. this is distinct because sometimes with regressors they just have the one chance to not fuck things up this time. some loop stories also have characters transmigrating a bunch of times.

villain isekai: usually transmigration. oh no i died and woke up as the bad guy in a story! now i gotta try not to fucking die!!!

romfan: romance fantasy. it gets called romfan instead of romantasy because it came first and is being translated probably.

otome isekai: also usually transmigration and also often romfan. you are now the prettiest princess and all the boys want to kiss you. i assume there's a 'harem' version of this For Men but i don't read those and can't tell you anything about them.

villainess isekai: usually a combination of the above three. most likely to be very meta and funny. i have a weakness for these ones.

divorce revenge: there might be a real name for this but i don't know it. sometimes this is paired with regression but not always, but it's very often a kind of progression fantasy. features a woman divorcing her shitty husband and then living her best life, which keeps getting better as her husband has to watch her kick ass and then cry about how he blew it. there are so many of these.

childcare fantasy: i think this includes both the ones where someone transmigrates into a baby, and the ones where they transmigrate to take care of a baby. i don't like this genre enough to check. but 'formerly abused child gets loved and coddled and anyone who tries to hurt them suffers' is a major component of this subgenre.

there's definitely more but my attention span has waned. here's some comics that are on my reading list after the cut, there's going to be undescribed screenshots because i'm lazy. you may need to find these elsewhere if you don't want to deal with tapas or webtoon and their paywalling systems.

The Greatest Estate Developer: transmigration villain isekai and progression fantasy with litrpg elements. architect uses his knowledge to save his own ass and also his new family, gets powers, everyone will unionize whether they like it or not.

Lout of the Count's Family: transmigration villain isekai and progression fantasy. ends up in otome isekai recommendations a lot despite technically not being an otome, on account of the eye candy and shipping potential. the webnovel has turned into like six different genres by now and is asspull central but i read it anyway. protag says he just wants to save his own ass so he can relax but does it by coughing up blood constantly.

The S-Class Hunters That I Raised: regression dungeon break litrpg. guy with shitty powers regresses and has to figure out how to make his power of taking care of people suck less, turns out it's OP as all hell.

Villains are Destined to Die: villainess transmigration otome isekai, maybe a little litrpg? there's definitely a system. protag just wants to go home because the visual novel she's in is notoriously difficult and she is at constant risk of being murdered. i like this one so much i own it in print.

Marriage of Convenience: regression romfan. not an isekai!! protag hated her life and died in poverty and shame after her husband died, this time she's going to try not doing that.

Villainesses Have More Fun: villainess transmigration otome isekai and progression fantasy. protag is very excited to be the villainess because she was the best character. she loves being rich. unfortunately at least one plot point raises the question 'why is that boy white'

Beware the Villainess: villainess transmigration otome isekai, meta as all hell, extremely meme-able faces, does not end in an OT3 but should have.

Baroness Goes On Strike: regression romfan, also not an isekai. protag wanted a divorce on her deathbed but woke up on the first night of her marriage, wants her life to suck less this time through the power of being assertive.

The Perks of Being a Villainess: villainess transmigration otome isekai and progression fantasy. protag has resting villainess face and progresses through the power of advanced math, unregulated capitalism, and abuse of the patent and copyright systems.

I Think I've Been Possessed Somewhere: transmigration isekai starring a main character who's read so much romance fantasy that she doesn't actually know what genre she's in because everything is too generic. meta as all hell.

Your Throne: villainess, sort of transmigrator? the crafty politically-savvy villainess bodyswaps with the naive saintess heroine, shit gets dark real fast, probably not going to end with girls kissing despite my hopes and dreams.

The Remarried Empress: divorce revenge romfan. you see this one referenced a lot in the comments of other romfans because everyone hates Rashta, the waif that the emperor divorces the empress for.

Raising My Fiance With Money: romfan, fake dating, sort of a divorce revenge except it's her ex-fiance. no isekai elements at all, but the protag is ridiculously lucky with money, comically wealthy, and supported by her doting family despite having terrible taste in men. her love interest is a teddy bear with resting murder face.

When The Third Wheel Strikes Back: transmigrator isekai. the protag never actually read the book, he only knows about it through osmosis because it's hugely popular and his sister is a big fan. one of the only things he knows is that in a recent update his character dies. also, it was already a transmigrator isekai before he got there. he isekai'd into an isekai. so much of the worldbuilding suggests a canon ot3 but i refuse to get my hopes up.

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint: it's sort of a dungeon break. not really an isekai but kind of. litrpg, sure. there's regressors. there's transmigrators. there's a lot going on. kim dokja was the only reader of a terrible, ridiculously long webnovel that now appears to be coming true. the official adaptation appears to be making the webnovel less queer overall. i read the webtoon until i got impatient enough to force my way through the sometimes clunky webnovel translations. it's hard to explain orv because it's a story about stories. consuming stories, telling stories, stories told about you, becoming a story, the cost of a story. it is so long. there is so much happening. the story is resolved in the epilogue you might skip if you didn't know any better. some people find it too confusing while others read homestuck.

[fictionalsweethearts]

THE COMMISSION | SEVIKA X READER | ARCANE

Synopsis: You've been her personal mechanic for two years, but your growing reputation in the field has earned you dozens of clients and commissions. Sevika was looking for something fresh, durable and of good quality, and when it came to her sexual appetite, she only accepted the best. So she turned to you for a special commission.

Contains: arcane!sevika, feminine reader, lesbians, lots of dialogues, arcane universe, cannon sevika, mechanic!reader, wlw, slow burn baby 💋, several parts btw

Word count: 1,862

Note: English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistake in my writing. Enjoy!

Sevika recognized your skills and abilities, you were an intelligent and astute bastard in an environment that being pretty was related to being naive. You knew how to use your looks to your advantage and enchant people with your words, your charisma and your talent. What was your talent? The mechanics, specifically the mechanics with Shimmer. You knew how to use the drug to your advantage, manufacture the best pieces by combining the quality of your products with the functional guarantee of shimmer. You managed to earn loyal customers who were looking for high quality prostheses, weapons and even… other types of products. You were a versatile inventor and Zaunites appreciated it. You came to the Last Drop for that particular reason that night, Sevika had summoned you for a check of her mechanical arm and a certainly special commission. You pushed your way through the crowd, the smell of alcohol and Shimmer in the air, and looked for the tall woman. You spotted her at the back, sitting with three other individuals, gambling with a cigarette between her lips and a confident smile curving them.

"Good night, Sev." You greeted, to which the woman put her attention on you, exhaling the smoke from her cigarette.

"Well, well, well... You're earlier than usual." She replied, gesturing you over. "Come; I have something to discuss with you."

Sevika shooed her gambling companions, her attention focused on you and on that brown overall that you wore at every maintenance meeting. You used to unbutton the top, revealing your arms and torso in a tank top and accentuating your waist. Certainly the fact that you were sweet to Sevika's eyes made the meetings with you more pleasant.

Sevika poured you a glass of whiskey. "Two ice cubes, and with a little soda, as you like." Said the woman, having learned your preferences after two years working for her. You put the toolbox on the table, the exclusive place where you were gave you some privacy and calm to work.

"I see that you remember my whims." You smiled, sitting down.

She pushed the glass towards you, watching you sit down. "Of course I do - I pay attention to detail." Her eyes scanned your attire, taking a quick drag of her cigarette. "You look good, as usual."

"I won't discount for flirting." You teased, leaning back against the cushions with a smug smile.

"It wasn't a flirt." She replied, a smirk playing on her lips. "I'm simply making an observation."

"You either flirt or fight, don't fuck with me." You smiled, sipping your glass. "The arm's acting up again?" You asked, aiming at her mechanical left arm.

"Yeah, it's been giving me a pain in the ass." She replied, rolling her left shoulder. "Not acting like it should; slower than usual."

"Mhm, tell me more." You asked, already putting the glass down to lean and start observing the prosthetic arm.

"It's been slower to respond to movements - and the strength has been weakened. It's also... overheating a little more often than usual."

'Overheating? It must be time for a thermal paste change." You assured, taking a screwdriver to start disarming the arm. "How's the shimmer working?"

Sevika rested her arm on the tabletop for you as you got to work.

"Shimmer supply is fine - no change there." She replied. There was a noticeable difference in the movement of her arm compared to the last checkup. "But I've been feeling a little... on edge lately. Shimmer usually doesn't affect me much with its side-effects... but..."

"Mhm?"

"I've been more irritable, frustrated." She replied, watching you closely. "It's like some kind of... primal urge of something."

"Huh. You sure it's the shimmer's fault?" You asked, you couldn't contain a smile. "Or maybe you need to visit the brothel more often."

"Trust me, I've been to the Pleasure House plenty of times." She responded playfully. "But you know damn well it's not the same thing."

"Huh, really? I thought you had your fair share of girls that could satisfy you."

It was no secret that Sevika was a regular customer in the red light district of Zaun, quite mentioned in the conversations among the people for being a fairly skilled woman in bed. Much more was said about Sevika than her lethality and character, her stamina in sex was mentioned, her fondness for the most vocal women, without preference between slim and chubby, but always testing the resistance of her bed partners. She's tireless said the hookers who had provided their services to her. And with the sexual appetite of a person like Sevika, the task of satisfying her was arduous.

"Oh trust me - they satisfy me, alright." She replied, her voice huskier. "But that's not what I need." She exhaled another plume of smoke. "I need to dominate someone."

"Geez." You stopped working on her arm, you rose your brows. "Getting honest, are we?"

"Only with you." Sevika replied, keeping her eyes on you. "You're one of the few people in Zaun I tolerate."

"Well, I don't think the arm has anything to do with your... sexual frustrations." You stated. "Actually, as soon as I change the thermal paste and grease the joints, your arm will work as usual."

You worked carefully on her arm, noticing the slight tremor in Sevika's right hand.

"I think you're overdoing Shimmer again." You said, unscrewing the last part to unclasp the prosthetic arm and pull it off. You laid it carefully on the table, continuing with your work. Sevika didn't complain, she trusted you enough to end up armless before you.

"That's rich coming from you. You probably have shimmer running through your veins right now."

"Huh." You smirked. "Too much work, too little energy." You excused yourself.

"I guess I can forgive you this time." She responded, watching you work with her prosthetic. "Besides, I need you to focus. I have a commission for you."

"A commission?" Your ears perked up, taking a sip of your drink. "Alright, I'm listening."

"I need you to make me something... special." She said, her voice low and huskier. "Do you think you can manage that?"

You scoffed. "What, a pipe?" You teased, but Sevika's answer dropped your jaw.

"A strap." She replied, her eyes slowly roaming over you. "Can you make one?"

You rose your eyebrows, certainly it wasn't the first strap-on you would make but it would be the first for Sevika. Many inhabitants of Zaun asked for prostheses or toys, you were a good manufacturer and your talent with the shimmer made your pieces reliable and high quality, but you certainly did not expect this type of request from Sevika.

You swallowed. "Sure, sure. I can." You said, your gaze fixed on the prosthetic arm.

"Good." She leaned back in her chair, taking another drag of her cigarette before continuing. "There are a few... specifications I want for it."

"I'm listening." you mumbled, annoyed with the way your cheeks blushed.

"7.5 inches, and it must have ridges along the shaft." She said, casually taking a drag of her cigarette. "Textured veins are preferable. Will you need a cast for that? I have a..." She shifted, pulling out a small pouch filled with coins - a small 'advance payment' for your services.

"A cast?" You asked. Your eyes were exorbitant before the coins that protruded from the bag, it was a good pay. Sevika never asked for discounts for your work, she knew it was worth every penny. "I mean, I don't really know any man I can use for a cast." You said sheepishly.

"You know you can get any Zaunite with a coin here." She teased. "Find a willing candidate - I'm sure it won't be too hard."

You were flabbergasted. "Are you suggesting me to hire someone to take a cast of his cock?" You asked with a subtle blush on your cheeks.

"I'm not suggesting, I'm telling you to." She replied, taking another drag of her cigarette. "This is a commission, and I'm paying you generously for it. You'll find a taker - I know you're a sweet talker when you need to be."

"I can't believe this." You sighed sharply.

"Oh, c'mon, you'll manage." She teased. "Just do what you do best. Seduce."

"What am I supposed to say? 'Hey, can I take a cast of your cock? It's for a commission of mine'."

Sevika laughed heartily, enjoying this way more than she'd care to admit. "That pretty much sums it up, yeah." She replied. "I'm assuming most men won't say no, at least not with a pretty face like that."

"Huh. I think you're observant enough." You couldn't refuse an order to a customer as loyal as Sevika, it was a good pay. You just had to gather courage and find a candidate to take the mold, there would certainly be no shortage of suitors. The only problem is how they would take the offer, they would probably try to take advantage of you. You frowned, tensing at the idea of dealing with horny swines.

Sevika observed your frown, noticing the tension in your shoulders. She leaned forward, catching your gaze.

"Relax." She said firmly. "I'll be there with you. If anyone decides to be... insistent, I'll put them in their place."

Your shoulders relaxed. You trusted her, more than people believed. And you knew that Sevika would protect your integrity throughout the process, since she was a woman who kept her word, and her sense of protectiveness was simply unmatched.

"I'll take the measurements of your hip and crotch then." You finally said, looking for a measuring tape in the toolbox.

Sevika smiled pleased as she stood up from her seat. You knelt in front of her, unrolling the measuring tape to take the hip and crotch measurements. As you moved around, your hands touched her thigh, and your face came a few inches from her crotch.

"Lift your hips slightly." You said, trying to remain professional.

She lifted her hips slightly, watching you closely. "This good?" She asked, her voice betraying no hint of emotion.

"Yeah." You nodded. "Poor women that will have to keep up with you on a strap." You mumbled.

"Oh, the ladies will be fine." She retorted, a smirk on her face. "They'll enjoy it, if they know what's good for them."

"I don't wanna hear any details, thank you."

"Fine, we'll move on." She agreed, her eyes still fixed on you. "You're too focused on the details. I'll handle finding the... talent for the cast then."

"Fine." You finished taking the measurements, standing up. The size difference when you looked up at Sevika was... intimidating to say the least.

"You're too short." she teased.

"You're too tall." you said back, picking up your toolbox.

Sevika smiled, knowing it was time for you to go and time for her to resume her gambling session. "Tanner will walk you out." She said. "Make sure she gets home safe." She ordered.

You followed Tanner out the door, glancing at Sevika who was leaning against the table and crossing her arms with a smile on her lips. "Take your time, doll, I trust your work."

To be continued...

[somestorythoughts]

I feel like the response to the last 3 is at least a bit influenced by whether you have to deal with the tourists.

I'm indifferent partially because I don't have a tourist-facing job. When I did, it wasn't really different from my other customer service jobs, the only difference is that while locals and tourists are equally likely to miss an obvious sign, I'm pretty sure only the tourists don't get that closed shutter-doors = We're Closed. But I also know people who get a lot of tourists cause work and frankly? Depends on the tourist. Some are lovely. Some do not understand this "tipping" thing. And some will get into actual arguments with you over a bit of history when talking about it is Literally Your Job.

The thing is that tourists are people. And people can be delightful or make you want to hunt them for sport.

[luckyladylily]

So like, transandrophobia.

To start this out, I am a trans woman, been around in the queer community for a while. I'm also bisexuality, polyamorous, disabled, and aromantic, and I think these other parts of my identity and the crap I've caught over the years for them heavily informs how I analyze something like transandrophobia. My wife is also asexual, so that plays a part in it too.

So every group of marginalized people has their own unique experiences and problems. It's more of a rule than something we've mathematically demonstrated, but as far as these things go it's ridiculously well established, and personally every time I've done even a basic dive into the issues faced by a marginalized group it's been self evident. I could easily list a dozen groups ranging from racial minorities to different kinds of disabled people to different queer identities and analyze their social issues but let's be real, this is pretty well established theory, anyone who needs me to do that is not really interacting with good faith. This is one of the big reasons we talk to people about their own experiences and groups, we cannot reasonably extrapolate the experiences of others from our own.

So like trans men and trans mascs and anyone else that falls under that umbrella has their unique experiences. The idea that we would even question this is weird to me? Like I can't even imagine the kind of evidence someone would need to present to me to change my mind, and given the pattern of the queer community to be shitty in exactly this way to people in our community, yeah that is not happening.

Therefore, we are taking it for granted that the trans men/masc/related umbrella has their own things going on like everyone else ever, and I don't understand how someone acting in good faith can try to claim otherwise unless they are young or otherwise very inexperienced with such things.

The next point of contention seems to be the name, and I gotta be real I don't care and I don't understand why other people do. I've read all sorts of arguments against the word transandrophobia and the majority of them seem to be rooted in a misunderstanding of intersectionality, and even then it's like there is such a thing where people get so mired in theory that they miss the forest for the trees.

Perhaps more important to me, getting overly worked up about something as unimportant as the precise term is... weird. Like exclusionists hating on bi and ace people weird. I remember what it was like a decade ago when exclusionists were trying to police the words of bi women, and five years ago when ace and aro people were under constant attack under the pretense that our language was harmful for some reason or other. You are going to have to work very, very, very hard to convince me that any bickering over language as it relates to transandrophobia is not just more of the same.

Next, "transandrobros hate trans femmes" and similar stuff. I've seen the callout posts and found them completely unconvincing. Again, they read a lot like the old "ace people hate lesbians!" posts I used to see. I'm not convinced that the individuals involved were a problem, I am certainly not able to extrapolate a problem to the rest of the group.

Finally, there is this idea that "maleness is not a vector for oppression" and this invalidates something about the whole transandrophobia thing, ranging from the entire concept of trans men experiencing prejudice to something about language being imprecise all the way to "This is fascist shit, omg these people are basically nazis" depending on who says it. I'm not going to touch any of that and just look at the underlying logic.

This is based off a misunderstanding of intersectionality theory. Many people think of intersectionality as defining intersecting prejudice, like a ven diagram, such that transmisogyny is the intersection of transphobia and misogyny. This is incorrect. Intersectionality defines unique prejudice experienced by people with intersecting identities. Instead of a transmisogyny as the overlap of transphobia and misogyny, imagine adding a third circle that overlaps both but also has its own areas covered by neither.

Applied to transandrophobia, even if we assume maleness is not a vector for oppression, there is no reason to assume that the intersection of maleness with a marginalized identity doesn't result in new issues. Imagine that 3 circle venn diagram that represents misogyny, transphobia, and transmisogyny. Even if you remove the misogyny circle there is still plenty of ground covered by the transmisogyny circle.

This just isn't a valid criticism. It is a pure theory approach based on a flawed reading of theory.

So in summary:

Everyone has their unique shit going on and I've seen no convincing evidence that trans men, mascs, etc. Are the exception.

I not seen any convincing argument that the word itself is bad.

I've not seen any convincing evidence that there is some epidemic of transandrophobia truthers hating and harassing trans femmes on scales higher than normal background queer infighting.

The most coherent objection to transandrophobia I've seen is categorically incorrect and based on a fundamental misunderstanding of intersectionality theory.

I would like to remind everyone at this point I am a trans woman, part of the group that is supposedly a problem for and I've just not see it at all, to the point where it is kind of weird how intensely some people are pushing this.

I'm not trying to be mean or whatever, I'm sure the distress on display here comes from a real place and real trauma, but I've yet to see anything that makes me think there is substance to the objections to transandrophobia as a concept. It feels and reads like the latest round of queer intracommunity exclusionism, and the fact that this time around I'm not one of the target identities doesn't change that for me.

[pureastrologywisdom]

𝔄𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔶 𝔒𝔟𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔳𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰

And welcome to 2025 everyone!

Aquarius placements learn to detach themselves in order to feel control. For example if someone has an Aquarius Moon they often detach themselves from their emotions in order to feel as if they are more in control of their feelings. They don't like to feel overwhelmed by their feelings or like their feelings are controlling them instead of the other way around. People forget that in Traditional Astrology Aquarius is ruled by Saturn which is all about containment/restriction and control.

People talk about how Leo placmements are incredibly magnetic and often attract a lot of attention, which is true, however we often underestimate Cancer placements when it comes to their personal magnetism. They attract people in a different way then Leos, they seem less attention hungry sometimes, often its their caring sweet nature that draws people in. After all the Moon may not shine as bright buts it's still as luminary.

The smartest people you know will have Mercury and Jupiter aspects in their chart. Specifically you want to look for Conjunction, trine, sextile, quintile and biquintile. These people are not only driven towards learning and expanding their knowledge, but also wonderful at being able to teach others what they know and relaying this information. They communicate very eloquently.

Taurus Mars is one of my favourite mars placements. Though this may sound backwards as it is in detriment in taurus, I have seen how people with this placement are amazing at getting the results that they want. Though they may not be the quickest at getting things done they are the most stable, stubborn and determined. When they set their mind to something, They are dedicated.

Moon in the third house often represent having a sibling who is incredibly nurturing and caring, however you also may have seen them as very emotional, and maybe even a little moody or volatile sometimes.

Thanks for reading everyone,

wishing you good luck in the new year!

PureAstroWisdom

[chronicdelusionistsreblogs]

That is a false framing of the discussion at hand. These two are not mutually exclusive; I hold both positions you listed. It is both true that comments are really cool (and often that it can kickstart a writer to get the motivation to keep going) and also that you shouldn't be writing for engagement in the sense that you beg for kudos and comments or else you have no will to go on.

I fundamentally disagree that meaningful community and the engagement that you describe, the reading back, can be achieved in a healthy or sustainable way via asking strangers on the internet for it. If you are asking that of people, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. The people who are the most caught up in this mindset, those who make posts that to one varying degrees guilt the reader for not engaging with every fic they like and make them out to have wounded the author with their lack of engagement, are the ACTUAL target of the "fic writers shouldn't be writing for engagement" argument.

It's fine to need people invested in your work to write. I understand that. But it is much more reliable and it is much more of an act of community building if you put effort into making a small group of friends that match your freak, people who can laugh at your draft and cry at your draft and react line by line. And if you do have that, and you ever find yourself thinking "those people don't count", I'm sorry, but that's a problem where you need to look inside and ask yourself why it isn't enough. And if you're going to be able to do this longterm or if you need to work on some mental health issues to continue without hurting yourself or lashing out at others for their perceived shortcoming in giving you the attention you wanted.

Aaaaand this is where the comment would stop if I believed that alone would solve it.

But like. This is just fundamentally not a binary issue. I, for instance, fucking LOVE commenting on fanfics. I love giving authors I like a little boost and I love mentoring people and I love when my friends give me snippets of their fics. I don't very much appreciate the implication that in order to think that fic authors are being unreasonable for wanting numbers from the void, that one has to view fic as a content mill, just as I'm sure you don't appreciate feeling like someone is telling you to go to therapy for liking to receive comment emails, which is how this position I hold is often taken. The truth is, you're right. In order to understand the real reasons this debate happens, we must learn to look past oversimplified framing and delve into the circumstances that brought rise to it.

In fact, I think this all has much more to do with the sheer volume of fic that is available via ao3, surrounding patterns of social media use, and the different scale of fan communities that existed before compared to now. I think that more or less the entire modern form of this entire debate can be explained by the cultural differences of moving to a big archive for solo perusal and the loss of forums and other intermediate-sized fan community spaces.

Like, yeah, people have always been holding the next chapter hostage for "reviews" since the days of old, but it was seen as immature to do that. People thought those people were the most annoying people in the world. Why is there a massive shift towards that mindset now, then? I think it's fair to think that I'm in the minority position here given these posts about comment starvation circulate to the tune of thousands of notes. There IS an actual drop lately, from what I've gathered.

I'd hypothesize that instead of going to communities and sharing there first, people are expecting to build communities out of a point of contact on Ao3 itself with no backup. To be clear, I have met lots of friends like this, but they were never my ONLY writing community. And that's not necessarily an attribute I have as an individual, but a symptom of growing up with forums and stuff. And more and more people nowadays grew up with social media and particularly its onesided nature and addicting models of interaction. And the internet is just shaped like that, now. It guides our interactions with everything online, now, these fenced-in, monolithic entities. You can't fault the individual for looking at the online world through this everpresent lens.

And this is interesting because it means that you and I have essentially the same problem with modern fandom, OP: we both have a problem with fic as "content". Neither of us are happy with a landscape where you feel like you have to shout into the void for connection. But to me, it's a problem of systemic particulars and how we teach people to interact with other people online, not a failing of the individual on either "side" but a symptom of the mind-boggling scale and centralization of the modern internet.

How to solve it, though?

uhhhhhhh yeah sorry all of my fixes are really on the individual level because that's all most people have control over lol but I would be interested to see what people who are better acquainted with the reclamation of the internet have to say

what the whole "please comment on fic you like, it will encourage more writing" vs. "fic writers shouldn't be writing for engagement and validation" debate fails to really grasp, for me, is that comments shouldn't be boiled down to "engagement and validation" in the first place. by which i mean: comments aren't payment for a service, they are communication and connection. they represent the audience reaching back.

i don't write just for myself. are you kidding me? the point of storytelling, to me, is to present certain narrative arguments and produce or encourage an emotional response to them. That communication is essentially useless if there's no endpoint, no listener. To me, there is no point if I'm not communicating with someone. When I write, I am talking to a reader. If you've read anything I've written, then I was talking TO YOU.

you are well within your right to consume fic as ~content~ and withhold your "payment" out of a sense that the writer should be satisfied at having created anything at all in an unresponsive void. but please be aware that it feels really good when you talk back.

[stardust-swan]

What Advice Does Aphrodite Have for You?

Pick a picture: 1, 2, 3

Note: this is a general reading

Pile 1

Aphrodite is calling on you to stop dwelling on the negative and focus on the beauty in your life.

I'm getting a sense that you're struggling with feeling unfocused. Maybe you feel directionless, or you're putting your energy into too many different directions at once and feeling burnt out because of it. I feel a sense of procrastination and/or ignoring realities, or just having a scattered approach which doesn't yield the results you want.

I'm also getting a sense of loss or regret, maybe over a lost or squandered opportunity. You're dwelling on the past and not facing the current reality.

However, not all is lost.

Aphrodite's message to you:

You must process loss, and re-evaluate how you're spending your time and energy. Although you might not agree right now, change is on the way. You will experience victory, and take control of your life instead of letting it slip by. A sense of energy, willpower and movement is bubbling under the surface even though you might not feel it right now. But it's necessary for you to stop dwelling on your regrets and to focus on the beauty in your life if you want to succeed. She also cautions you against distractions and hesitation - where are you losing focus? The reins are in your hands and the road in front of you is wide. You can move forward to a life or purpose, love and fulfilment, as long as you heed her advice to see the beauty amongst the ruins and to not let your vision of the future become clouded.

Pile 2

Aphrodite is calling on you to release yourself from rigid expectations and to focus on your dreams.

I'm getting a sense that you feel trapped by the expectations that have been placed upon you, whether by yourself or others. There may also be a power struggle or overly controlling power dynamic.

There's also a sense of annoyance here because someone is failing to meet expectations. You may be dealing with emotional immaturity or unfulfilled expectations. Someone may not acting with sincerity. Or you could be annoyed with yourself rather than another person and struggling with emotional insecurity. You may be ignoring your dreams in fear of being hurt.

And there's a sense of hard work. You may be wondering if all your grinding will have the desired results you want, and the answer is YES. Your hard work will be rewarded, especially in the creative world. Commit to your dreams and be patient; the fruits of your labour will be sweet.

Aphrodite's message to you

Set boundaries with those who hinder or oppress you. Stay grounded and realistic in love and emotional matters; avoid unrealistic ideals and avoid promises that sound too good to be true. Tend carefully to your garden, as the first sprouts of your labour are begining to emerge. Have patience, as beauty takes time to bloom.

Pile 3

You've been through a LOT, and feel worn down. But it's made you more resilient and you're standing strong. A goal you've worked hard for is in reach, but there are still some obstacles to overcome.

There's a sense that you're repressing some difficult emotions. It's also possible that someone in your life is betraying you or that there's gossip surrounding you. However, the light at the end of the tunnel is nearing. You will release all the negative feelings and learn to cope better. If a partner is being unfaithful, they will be exposed. The worst is over and it's time to heal and rest.

There's also a sense of passion to the point it's harmful. There's emotional turmoil and moodiness; in matters of love you may be dealing with a person who appears charming on the surface, but will break your heart. Or you could have a crush on someone who doesn't reciprocate. In matters of health, an unhealthy or hedonistic lifestyle may be having bigger effects on your health than you realise.

Aphrodite's message to you

You are stronger than you know, but even the strongest of people deserve to rest sometimes. She cautions you against chasing illusions or clinging to people who are bad for you because you miss how they made you feel in the beginning. Ask yourself what kind of love you truly need and deserve instead of being grateful for scraps of affection. She encourages you to embrace hope; she is gently brushing the weight you've been carrying off of your shoulders. You are safe to breathe, to dream, and to heal. Your scars are proof of your courage, but do not let them harden your heart - guard yourself, but not so tightly you shut out love. Rest and ready yourself, as the journey is not over, but you are now more prepared for it.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Describing Eyes

A person's eyes can reveal a wide range of emotions. A simple gaze, a blank stare, or a narrow squint can all convey deep meaning. The expressive power of human eyes makes them the perfect literary tool for character development in fiction writing.

Tips for Describing Characters' Eyes in Your Story

In literature, a character’s eyes are a powerful resource writers can employ to engage readers in a scene. A character’s eyes can serve as a window into their soul. Here are 8 tips for describing eyes in your writing:

Describe eye color in different ways. Providing visual information about a character allows readers to visualize imagery in their mind. Eye color, along with hair color, is one of the first things people mention when describing someone’s appearance. Include it when sketching your characters, but be sure to do it in a descriptive way. Think of related words to describe eye color—blue eyes can be baby blue, light brown eyes might be described as amber, and green eyes can be referred to as emerald. Give a mysterious character black eyes that are described as obsidian—black, shiny, impenetrable. If you get stuck, use a thesaurus and come up with word lists for ways to describe eyes in your story, or use Google to find how other writers have described eyes to give you ideas.

Think about the entire eye. When describing eyes, think of the orbs in their entirety—from eyebrows to lids to lashes. What can they reveal about a character? Describe their shape. Sloe eyes are almond-shaped eyes, monolids are eyelids that don’t have a crease, hooded lids droop somewhat over the eyes. You can also describe how eyes appear in relation to the whole face. Are they close-set or deep-set? Is your character wall-eyed or goggle-eyed? Eyes can be sunken into their sockets. Zoom into details like the eyeball or the dilated irises of a character. The condition of eyes can also be a revealing tool. Dark circles under the eyes represent exhaustion. Puffy eyes mean a character has been crying. If a character has crows feet, that can be the author’s way of signifying middle age.

Use eyes to signify character traits. Writers can use eye descriptions to highlight character traits. An innocent child or naive character is often referred to as doe-eyed. A bad guy might have gunmetal eyes. Beady eyes conjure images of a rat. Rheumy eyes signify an elderly person. Steely eyes translate to determination. A twinkle in the eye is the hallmark of a jovial character. Eyes can be warm and inviting.

Describe eyes in ways that reveal intentions. Eyes gather information for a character, and they also reveal information about a character’s intentions or feelings towards a subject. When talking about a character’s body language, start with the eyes. A raised eyebrow casts doubt. Eyes suspiciously look over the top of eyeglasses. A character flirtatiously bats their eyelashes.

Use eye movement to forecast plot points. Eyes can be an active subject in a story and can help push the plot forward. Eyes can gaze, stare, glare, sparkle, pierce, roll, flicker, lock in, narrow, close, open wide, and shoot daggers. The movement of eyes can represent a character’s reaction to events or hint at plot points. A character might lower their eyebrows as they grow suspicious of another character—a writer’s way of foreshadowing who the killer might be.

Use eyes to heighten conflict. If a strong protagonist is wearing contact lenses, glasses, or even a monocle, a writer might use their poor vision as an obstacle that hinders them in moments of conflict. If a character blinks a lot, it might be a sign of insecurity or nervous energy. A writer can take a character’s sight away to strengthen their other attributes.

Recognize that eyes can betray a character. Eyes can be a tool used for contrast. While a character says one thing, their eyes might say another. For example, if a character comes home late with bloodshot eyes, it lets the reader know they were not working late like they said and gives the character away.

Use props to amplify the expressiveness of a character’s eyes. People often accessorize their eyes. Think of people you know and the different ways they hide or show off their eyes. A teenage character might have an eyebrow piercing. A character might paint their eyelids in colorful eye shadow or make their lashes stiff with mascara. A mysterious man, perhaps a law enforcement officer, might walk through a door wearing aviator sunglasses, pulling them off to reveal who he really is.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[jamingbenn]

year in review - hockey rpf on ao3

hello!! the annual ao3 year in review had some friends and i thinking - wouldn't it be cool if we had a hockey rpf specific version of that. so i went ahead and collated the data below!!

i start with a broad overview, then dive deeper into the 3 most popular ships this year (with one bonus!)

if any images appear blurry, click on them to expand and they should become clear!

₊˚⊹♡ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅. ݁

before we jump in, some key things to highlight: - CREDIT TO: the webscraping part of my code heavily utilized the ao3 wrapped google colab code, as lovingly created by @kyucultures on twitter, as the main skeleton. i tweaked a couple of things but having it as a reference saved me a LOT of time and effort as a first time web scraper!!! thank you stranger <3 - please do NOT, under ANY circumstances, share any part of this collation on any other website. please do not screenshot or repost to twitter, tiktok, or any other public social platform. thank u!!! T_T - but do feel free to send requests to my inbox! if you want more info on a specific ship, tag, or you have a cool idea or wanna see a correlation between two variables, reach out and i should be able to take a look. if you want to take a deeper dive into a specific trope not mentioned here/chapter count/word counts/fic tags/ship tags/ratings/etc, shoot me an ask!

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with that all said and done... let's dive into hockey_rpf_2024_wrapped_insanity.ipynb

BIG PICTURE OVERVIEW

i scraped a total of 4266 fanfics that dated themselves as published or finished in the year 2024. of these 4000 odd fanfics, the most popular ships were:

Note: "Minor or Background Relationship(s)" clocked in at #9 with 91 fics, but I removed it as it was always a secondary tag and added no information to the chart. I did not discern between primary ship and secondary ship(s) either!

breaking down the 5 most popular ships over the course of the year, we see:

super interesting to see that HUGE jump for mattdrai in june/july for the stanley cup final. the general lull in the offseason is cool to see as well.

as for the most popular tags in all 2024 hockey rpf fic...

weee like our fluff. and our established relationships. and a little H/C never hurt no one.

i got curious here about which AUs were the most popular, so i filtered down for that. note that i only regex'd for tags that specifically start with "Alternate Universe - ", so A/B/O and some other stuff won't appear here!

idk it was cool to me.

also, here's a quick breakdown of the ratings % for works this year:

and as for the word counts, i pulled up a box plot of the top 20 most popular ships to see how the fic length distribution differed amongst ships:

mattdrai-ers you have some DEDICATION omg. respect

now for the ship by ship break down!!

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#1 MATTDRAI

most popular ship this year. peaked in june/july with the scf. so what do u people like to write about?

fun fun fun. i love that the scf is tagged there like yes actually she is also a main character

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#2 SIDGENO

(my babies) top tags for this ship are:

folks, we are a/b/o fiends and we cannot lie. thank you to all the selfless authors for feeding us good a/b/o fic this year. i hope to join your ranks soon.

(also: MPREG. omega sidney crosby. alpha geno. listen, the people have spoken, and like, i am listening.)

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#3 NICOJACK

top tags!!

it seems nice and cozy over there... room for one more?

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BONUS: JDTZ.

i wasnt gonna plot this but @marcandreyuri asked me if i could take a look and the results are so compelling i must include it. are yall ok. do u need a hug

top tags being h/c, angst, angst, TRADES, pining, open endings... T_T katie said its a "torture vortex" and i must concurr

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BONUS BONUS: ALPHA/BETA/OMEGA

as an a/b/o enthusiast myself i got curious as to what the most popular ships were within that tag. if you want me to take a look about this for any other tag lmk, but for a/b/o, as expected, SID GENO ON TOP BABY!:

thats all for now!!! if you have anything else you are interested in seeing the data for, send me an ask and i'll see if i can get it to ya!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

how do you think leona would do if he falls in love?

Here are my thoughts in bullet-point/headcanon form for ease of reading! Key word there being my thoughts. (There will of course be different interpretations based on who you ask this question to.)

Standard disclaimer: These points are nothing more than my opinions and I am NOT saying my opinions are any more or less valid or “correct” than yours. Please, I’m not pre-book 1 Riddle/j It’s fine to have other takes; just remember to be mindful in how you communicate differences in opinion.

To start with, here's how I think Leona would deal with the experience of first love:

Firstly, I definitely feel that Leona is the type of person to not easily fall in love. There are many examples in canon of Leona rejecting the love he receives from others, whether it be from his own family (Cheka, Falena), dorm members (Ruggie, Jack, Savanaclaw mobs, etc.), or other peers. Even though he desires others’ approval and praise, he also simultaneously believes the compliments are insincere or that he may not be deserving or worthy of it, that he hasn’t “earned” it. It’s also difficult for him to be emotionally vulnerable with others, and I feel that this would extend to romantic circumstances.

Continuing from the previous point, I think it’d be a slow burn. Like, the feelings develop gradually and manifest in small but increasingly more forward-facing ways like his gaze lingering for a second or two longer than usual, him getting slightly irritable when he smells (I 100% believe that smell is a Big Thing for beastmen) some other guy on the object of his affections, or simply… his mind wandering to them, maybe in a daydream.

A lot of it is Leona musing about the situation and then being in denial. He’s not so oblivious as to ignore what are clearly blossoming feelings, but he's not so hasty as to act on them right away. He'd sit with those feelings, examine them, question them. What is it that he is experiencing and why, how did things come to this, etc. He may even try to convince himself it's a phase or he's "too good" for this or he's "above" this. Really takes a long time to wrestle with his emotions and to sort them out. And then when he has come to his conclusion, he might not be very pleased with it because (as I said before), he has self-esteem and self-worth issues despite outwardly presenting himself as confident and in-charge.

For a while, he keeps his distance and observes. He’s nothing if not a big cat biding his time, keeping an eye on his prey until—BAM! Down comes his paw, ensnaring the mouse. It's like a game of chess or... cat and mouse. You have to watch your opponent and predict their moves, then plan your own moves two or three or more steps ahead of them. He'd want to gauge if they're already taken, if they seem to express an interest in him too, what they like and dislike, information like that. The last thing Leona'd want to do is charge in, guns blazing, only to be rejected and have his pride hurt.

He may also go out of his way to test the object of his affections by purposefully engineering scenarios to see how they react. At first, it's subtle things that could easily be passed off as coincidence or happenstance. For example, maybe Leona would accidentally bump his shoulder against yours or as he's walking by his tail flicks you. That's just the start though. He'd put more pressure on over time. Like he'd be more confrontational, putting himself in your path as some obstacle to overcome, still being sort of an asshole to see how you handle yourself around him.

Leona tells himself he has the upper hand, and he's usually pretty consistent about hiding his feelings to that end. It might peek through here and there, but they easily read as him being tsundere as per usual. I think that would be his way of coping, because deep down he doesn't want to admit that a part of him is scared to feel this way. It's something else he could fail at, someone else he could frighten away or destroy.

With time, I think he'd become more confident. He has a better grasp of the other person, he's been able to sort out his thoughts. But the thing is, his pride is still a major deterrent. Instead of coming out and saying it, it would become another game. If you've ever read or watched Kaguya-sama: Love is War, it'd be similar to that. Leona would push for the other person to be the one to fall for him and confess first. Part of it is he's kind of afraid to be so emotionally vulnerable, part of it is that he's desperate to be wanted and needed by others, and part of it is that he feels he needs to "earn" that love by winning you over. He wants that sweet, sweet validation from you. He wants YOU to choose HIM.

I think he expects a certain amount of push and pull. If the game's too easy for him, the (psychological) hunt loses some of its thrill. I think he'd also be the type to seek a partner that isn't just a blind yes man (despite him giving off the vibes that he wants to be in total control, especially in his own dormitory); they should be able to keep him on his toes one way or another, and they shouldn't idolize him in a really unrealistic way--because then he worries what would happen if they learn about his flaws. Would they see him differently? Reject him? Etc.

It'd take a considerable amount of time and effort, but slowly he'd let the walls around his heart down to let you in--but ONLY if you pass his tests and prove that you can be loyal, trustworthy, and cognizant + accepting of all his flaws. He has high standards, so he's pretty picky about who he allows to be by his side. I don't think he'd be happy having to like... put in a fake "perfect prince" act or airs for someone else. Pretending to be someone you're not in order to have love might be just another source of stress for him.

He would take a more aggressive approach if the object of his affections makes it obvious that they return his feelings. More "accidental" touching (but of course nothing that breaches into something they find discomforting), intentionally dropping phrases that come off as flirtatious, demanding to spend more time together, etc.

If they're not into it, he'd respectfully back off. However, that won't stop him from moping about it in private later.

Then, assuming a scenario in which he and the person he's romantically interested in get together/start formally dating:

I think he'd be a lot more blatant and shameless about "showing off" his affections and/or the relationship in general. Overt flirting at this point, casually laying his head on the shoulder or wrapping an arm or tail around you, etc. Who cares who sees? Let them know you're already taken.

Oh yeah, he's really into physical touch (within whatever limits you deem to be acceptable; he respects your autonomy). Cuddles while napping, hand holding, head pats, listening to your heartbeat, etc. It grants him a sense of security that you're like... physically there with him.

As I mentioned earlier, I think there'd be a lot of banter and teasing; Leona strikes me as someone who likes to toy with his pre or puts up a fight; he still has his pride and won't take sass lying down, he'd definitely retaliate but in a playful way.

Slightly whiny and needy. Key word: SLIGHTLY. He's not going to go full yandere on you. I believe that Leona would be somewhat insecure about the relationship and wants you to validate him with your presence. Like, if you're lying down somewhere and try to get up to leave... he might pout and be all dramatic about it, maybe throw in a sarcastic line about how he's "a delicate prince" and how he'll "wither like a flower" without you.

Slightly possessive. Again, the key word: SLIGHTLY. He's not going to restrict your movements or demand complete control of your life. However, he might sulk if he like... sees some other guy hovering or getting handsy, obviously making you uncomfortable. (If it's a particularly bad day for him, Leona might get intrusive thoughts about being the "second pick" and his partner leaving him for some "better" guy.) We've already seen he can get pretty territorial when it comes to Savanaclaw and the Botanical Garden, so I think at some point he'd also step in to intimidate people he feels are becoming a problem for his S/O. It's not the case for every situation though; his partner should be able to handle themselves or let him know when he's overstepping.

I think he'd be a little more tolerant of things his partner pulls. They're the one exception for certain things, like touching his ears or being more willing to listen to their requests to go to class or to try this new vegetable.

He'd try to distance his S/O from his family, especially in the beginning. Leona would tell them he doesn't think they're ready to meet the royal family yet (especially knowing the rocky relationship he has with his family), but really a lot of this stems from his pride. Falena, for example, honestly might make him look uncool by infantilizing his "baby bro".

Leona doesn't really go out of his way to plan grand gestures (he's not Kalim). If he does anything "big", it's probably like sending Ruggie to your doorstep with fancy flowers and a notecard or something. What he values isn't the "frivolous" stuff, but spending quality time together (even if it's doing nothing in particular). Might still spoil you on, say, special occasions, but he generally dislikes making a big deal of these things.

I think he'd be into you wearing his clothes. It's an easy visual indication that you're intimate enough to do this, but also it cloaks you in his smell so every other beastman in the immediate vicinity also knows you're "marked". Leona tosses his unworn blazer over you, casually saying, "Keep it."

I do believe he has the capacity to be very sappy, but I don't think he'd want to be at this level all of the time. It would probably be limited to private settings and done sparingly, sort of like a treat?? Cuz if he does it too often, then it might lose its "special" feeling, and I also feel like he wouldn't be open to being all squimshy 24/7. Usually his sappiness is sarcastic.

Going to keep it 100 here, he's going to be more vulnerable around you (especially in private), and that means potential traumadumping. That's not to say that he'd do it super frequently to go into full-blown details, but his S/O would be one of the few people he feels comfortable enough with to open about his deepest insecurities and fears. He sometimes needs someone to hear him out, a shoulder to cry on, etc. Of course, he's not going to treat his partner like an unpaid therapist. Leona just... needs some extra support every now and again, reminders that he's doing fine, you know??

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Leona being in love would NOT smooth out all the rough edges to his personality. He's not going to white knight/act like you constantly need his protection, he's not going to bend over backwards and do anything and everything his partner asks of him. He still has a will and he can and will disagree or argue if he's opposed to something. He'll still let you handle yourself as needed.

Leona being in love would also NOT magically cure him of his personal issues and struggles. This is also true of the other characters who have deeply rooted trauma, but I feel this point should be included as a reminder anyway. It's of course not his entire personality, but his past experiences will impact how he interprets and reacts to things in present day (hence him being needy/wanting validation, etc.).

Like all relationships (whether romantic or platonic), it would not be flawless. There will be highs and lows, fights and disagreements, etc. This is normal in any relationship; what matters is that you're able to be mature enough to patch things up afterwards and learn from those rough patches.

[sturnlsstuff]

FAMILIAR STRANGER | last chapter

what's gonna happen when you find out about your enemy's biggest secret?

ghostface!chris x enemy!reader

chapter seven

— warnings: smut with plot, dom!chris, sub!reader, making out, unprotected p in v, riding, creampie, mentions of murder, cursing, pet names, - english isn't my first language!!

~~~

you weren't a person who could get easily scared. always being able to watch horror movies with your friends completely unbothered, making them all amused at how calmly you sat through the entire thing. you weren't afraid of the dark, ghosts and other things like that. there was nothing that could make you jump out of fear. the only person who sometimes scared you was your ex, but he's gone now so technically you should be living a peaceful life.

but the moment you opened the door and he stormed inside, your heart was beating faster than ever before. it was that guy from the party who was flirting with you and were friends with jake. and now you were alone with him in your apartment for almost ten minutes, not being able to get rid of him. to put some distance between the two of you, you found yourself on one side of the kitchen island, ready to defend yourself if necessary, and he was on the other.

"i wonder..." he speaks up again. he hasn't said anything important yet, except that he won't leave until he finds out the truth. you didn't know what he was talking about. "-- how was it possible that you were able to face jake? he was always stronger than you and he definitely wouldn't let some whore like you kill him. so how did you do it?"

"what?" your breath hitches in your throat at the mention of jake and him being dead. "what are you talking about?"

"don't play fucking dumb with me," he walks around your kitchen like he owns the place. "you had so many reasons to kill him."

"yes i had," you admit. "but i didn't kill him. and honestly? i regret that it wasn't me." he stops, giving you a quick glance and clicking his tongue against his teeth, "bold."

"true."

"you're really brave, huh?" he raises his eyebrow, "or stupid."

"you're stupid coming here and throwing suspicions left and right without any good basis."

"oh, i have a lot," he leans on his elbows on the kitchen island, looking directly into your eyes. "jake accused you of cheating and made everyone know what a whore you are, then recorded the video he was going to post but didn't manage to. it probably pissed you off really bad, didn't it? his phone also disappeared, the cops didn't find it. who else knew about it? only you..." he remains silent for a moment letting his words sink in. "-- and sturniolo."

something shifts in the air, you feel your ears ring at the mention of that name. you could bear the accusations against yourself, but against him? it was too close to the truth. at that moment you realized that this might end up bad.

"ahh, did i get it right?" he notices your expression, a grin appears on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "wait, oh shit," he chuckles, shaking his head. "maybe you cheated on jake with chris and your new little boyfriend didn't like how it could ruin his reputation? you know he likes to bang a different girl every weekend. so was it him that killed him? and you two threw suspicion on that ghostface killer? spill the tea, c'mon. unless..." a frown appears between his eyebrows, something in his gaze changes. "unless, it's him. he's the ghostface? wait, holy fuck-"

"you don't know shit–" you cut him off, the wave of nausea washes over you. "it's not true–"

"oh, i'm pretty fucking sure it is," he retors. "that would make more sense, you wouldn't be able to fight jake on your own. so what, you're dating a psychopath? i mean, you must be pretty fucking insane yourself..."

"the only psychopath i dated was jake, so shut the fuck up," you say annoyed, adrenaline rushing through your veins. you didn't like him talking about chris like that.

"so it's true, huh? chris is the ghostface? and you know about it? what's the reason? i thought you hate him..." he tilts his head to the side, thinking. everyone knew that you and chris dislike eachother, so he was pretty fucking confused. "maybe you let him fuck you? must be good if you keep silent about him killing people—"

"shut the fuck up," you snap at him again, feeling the blood drain from your face as his words really hit like a kick to the gut. you tried not to think about why you really don't want to tell anyone about what you found out about chris. however, now this situation has triggered emotions in you that you has been pushing aside until now.

he walks around the kitchen island towards you immediately causing you to step back putting some distance between you two. he could sensed your nervousness which made him feel like he was better than you, determined to take revenge, thinking he had it all figured out.

"i'm gonna ruin you two. you won't have a life in this town once everyone finds out about what you and your boyfriend—"

"he's not my boyfriend—"

"great, so you're just admitting to being a whore," he has you backing out against the wall. "i will get proof and once i do, you two are done."

even though you felt it in your bones that it would be the best to stay quiet this time, your personality won and before you could stop yourself, you blurted out, "if you make it."

you thought that your words would somehow discourage him, that maybe you two would be able to come to an agreement, but he just smiled as if he had just won the lottery. like he was waiting for you to say something like that. then he pulled his phone out of his pocket and waved it in your face, "i forgot to tell you, it's recording. so i in fact made it, you basically admitted to everything." he takes a few steps back, looking at your shocked expression with satisfaction. "he will be the one who won't make it. i'll go to the cops before sturniolo comes at me, then he'll get what he deserves. along with you."

he slowly backs out of your kitchen, leaving you with pounding heart, wanting to scream to stop him somehow, not believing that this was happening, but your body was glued to the floor.

he adds, "in jail you won't get the same cell so he won't be able to fuck you anymore. must suck, hm?" and with a big grin on his face, he leaves your apartment, the tension in the air making your head spin.

it took you about five minutes to even understand what had happened and how dangerous it was for chris. you didn't think at all about the consequences for you, you didn't think about anything other than to make sure he won't get caught. you feel the urge to protect him but don't know how. this guy has already left and there's not much you could do.

on shaky like jelly legs you ran to your room, finding your phone and staring to call chris. he didn't answer. you left him twenty messages, called him fifteen times, and he didn't answer.

you felt as if the walls in your room suddenly began to close in, squeezing you between them. you couldn't catch your breath, your heart was pounding as you keep pacing around the room, calling chris over and over again, but all you could hear was his voicemail. you even called matt, but he didn't answer either, which made you even more nervous. your palms were sweating as you texted chris again, trying not to panic, knowing that he definitely wouldn't get caught that easily, but the anxiety was making your intrusive thoughts overpower the logic.

you were sending messages like in a trance, trying to explain to chris that you didn't want to do what you did, your messages so chaotic that even if he read them, it would be difficult to understand anything. however, the silence continued, the minutes lengthened, giving the impression of hours, your stomach twisting in knots. it felt like forever. you wanted to go to the triplets' house to see what was happening, but at the same time the uncertainty that you would somehow make everything worse was making you hold back for almost an hour. though after overthinking every options you had, you found yourself pulling on your shoes and opening the front door ready to storm out of your apartment, but instead bumping into someone's body.

the person was quick to push you back inside, locking the door behind you two. your wide eyes look up, the ghostface mask right in front of you, causing a wave of heat and relief to wash over you.

"chris—"

he cuts you off with his mask flipping upwards and pressing his lips to yours, making your breath hitch in your throat. but before you can do anything, chris pulls away and whispers against your lips, his breath mingling with yours, "just shut up. don' say anythin', yeah? just..." he sighs and kisses you again, but you put your hands on his chest to push him away gently. "i called you so many times, we need to—"

"everything's fine just stop talkin'..." he leans in again, but you turn your head slightly causing his lips to brush against your cheek. he let's out a quiet groan in disapproval, though it doesn't discourage him and instead he leans down to trail kisses down your neck. "did you see my messages? this guy from that party a few weeks ago, he was here and just... i didn't mean to say anything and i didn't really told him much, but i think i accidentally... oh- shit, uh, i think.... i— c-chris wait—"

but chris didn't care. his senses were filled with your scent, his heart was pounding in his chest. he already had you pressed against the wall, sucking and biting on your skin, marking you. his gloved hands roaming all over your body, grabbing your ass and lifting you off the floor, your legs and arms automatically wrapping around him to keep from falling. "s'all good, ma, i promise..." he mutters against your skin, hands moving under your shirt.

"but— what happened, did he... did you—"

"i was faster than him."

"but how—"

"i said is fine," chris lifts his head up meeting with your confusion. "you trust me or what? 'cause you gotta. at least in this case." he waited in tense silence until you nodded, his eyes sparkling. "good. now can ya stop interrupting and lemme do what i wanna do?"

"god, you're annoying..."

there was no way you could stay focused when he immediately started working you up, not only with kisses but also with how he was dressed up. the fact that whenever he was around you as a ghostface was turning you on more than it should've, was a bit embarassing, but you couldn't control your emotions. that's why you dropped the topic for now, letting him do whatever he wanted.

you don't even know at what point you're lying flat on the bed, your and chris's clothes tangled somewhere on the floor. he was teasing you, his lips kissing down your chest, his tip brushing against your core through the material of your red lace panties. a wet stain visible through the fabric, his dick throbbing at the sight.

"always sooo eager f'me...." he mutters, smirking against your skin and looking up at you. "ya sure you hate me?"

"i'll hate you more if you keep playing with me," you respond slightly breathless from the make out session from a moment ago and the desire overpowering your body.

"aww, is that so?" he lifts his head up to your level, tilting it to the side and balancing himself on his hands on each side of your head. "and what'cha want, hm? my mouth? fingers? my dick?"

you give him a look, annoyed that he's messing with you knowing full well what you want, but at the same time it gets you even more aroused. you would never admit it and it was very out of character for you but when he had you at his mercy, it was only making you more turned on.

"just fuck me—" after he raises his eyebrows amused, clearly waiting for something more, you add, "please."

"thereeee ya go, princess." he slides your panties down your legs, settling between them and giving himself a few strokes. he slowly pushes inside, taking his time on purpose to torture you just a little more since he loved hearing you beg for it. "chris, please, more..." you whine, chewing on your plump bottom lip, getting a smirk in response.

"y'know..." he whispers into your ear. "-- you're the only one i ever want to fuck like this."

"like— like this...? what— oh! uh, what does that... mean?" you stutter when he pulls almost all the way back and then moves his hips forward again, going deeper.

"i mean..." his thrusts picking up speed and force as he settles into a steady rhythm, already making your vision to go blurry. "like, i wanna fuck you so rough, you'd forget how to walk—" he pounds into you almost to prove a point, your bodies slapping together loudly. "but also, sometimes— fuckkk, sometimes... i wanna take it slow and all nice and shit— but i can't fuckin'... decide. not when you look and sound like this—" his words followed by a groan when he feels you clenching around him. he looks at you, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusement. "is this makin' you fuckin' cum already?"

"what? n-no— mmmm, fuck!" embarrassment was all you could feel, when the knot in your stomach was quickly growing, making your legs tremble because of how hard you tried to hold back. chris let's out a low chuckle and wraps his lips around your hardening nipple, his tongue swirling around it what sends vibrations straight to your throbbing cunt.

he barely started and you already felt the pleasure overwhelming you, his words affecting you more than you would like to admit. you don't know if he understood how intimate that sounded and if it meant the same to him as it did to you, but it was enough to turn you into a moaning mess.

"c'mon, don't hold back, is fine... actually hot as fuck how fast i can make ya come— mhmm, thaaaat's right..." he pulls away from your breast with a pop, his breath catches as he feels your muscles tightening around him. he licks his lips watching as your expression turns into a full, clear pleasure. you're pathetically fast to let euphoria consume you, your tight heat sucking him in. "fuckkk, milkin' me so well—"

"chris—" you whimper as he fucks you through your orgasm, not even going to slow down, loving the effect he has on you and how you let him have such control over your body.

"shh— m'not done yet and.... we won't be for a while—" he captures your lips into a kind of demanding, but somehow gentle kiss, his tongue pushing into your mouth as he continues to fill you over and over again. "fuck, you always take me so deep..." he mutters against your lips.

for you, it felt like being on another planet. not being able to understand how it works that chris made you feel things you couldn't normally feel, not only physically but also... emotionally. you were embarrassed, but too caught up in how good it felt to worry about it yet.

"see, i can't control myself around you 'n this shit is— pissin'— me off—" a choaked moan leaves his lips when he punctuates his words with deep thrusts, hitting your g-spot perfectly.

"oh my— feels so good, chris, please—"

"didn't fuck you for almost two weeks and it felt like a fuckin' nightmare—" your long manicured nails digging into his back, marking him just as he did with the hickeys on your skin before. it only spurred him on, his cock throbs deep inside you. "holy fuck, i love this pussy..." he pulls back slightly, grabbing your ankles and placing them on his shoulders, folding you nearly in half. the new angle lets him pierce even deeper, stealing a muffled scream from you.

despite the fact that you were practically in heaven right now, you were still yourself and couldn't help, but mutter proudly, "i know."

he smirks, "that attitude... fuck— y'know, i missed your smart mouth too... gonna use it to tell me how well m'fuckin' you right now?" when you're unable to respond because of the constant moans escaping your mouth, he reaches with one hand for the ghostface mask that was lying next to you, and puts it on with a shake of his head. "maybe this gonna make you fuckin' scream more—"

"oh— chris...fu—ckk..." your eyes widen as you see him, not understanding how it works and why does it have such an effect for you only with him, but your pussy immediately start to tighten around his cock again.

"shit, ya really love this, hm? that's so— hot—" with your legs on his shoulders, chris is able to drill into you even deeper, his balls slapping loudly against your ass with each thrust. "but i'll stop if you... fuck— if you don't tell me how good it feels—"

"so good!" your eyes roll back as you keep talking with a shaky voice, "no one can do it better..."

"no shit," his pace quickens knowing you're about to reach another peak, the bed creaking beneath the two of you. "-- no one can and no one fuckin' will."

"chris, m'so close—"

"oh, this is really workin' on ya, huh?" he grins under the mask, groaning at the way you looked right now. he wants to see you like this every day.

your thighs quiver on his shoulders as you try to accommodate his relentless thrusts. he notices your closed eyes, his grip on your hips tightening, "eyes on me— yeaaah, look at me while i make you fall apart on my dick— no one else's.... fuckkkkk—" his own orgasm building up rapidly as he pounds into you, your eyes open again, locked onto his ghostface mask just as the waves are crashing brutally over your body, getting you creaming around him. "fuck, look at that... how fuckin' g-good— shiiit— how good y'look..." a low moan escapes him as you're coming apart beneath him, sending chris spiraling over the edge. "fuck, gonna fill this pussy up so full..."

"mhhph, soo... full–" you repeat after him, squirming around on the mattress, trying your hardest to keep your eyes open. he buries himself balls-deep one final time, a guttural groan tearing from his throat as he floods your spasming pussy with his hot seed.

sated, chris collapses forward, propping himself on his hands and keeping most of his weight off you. both of you panting, your legs falling down from his shoulders onto the mattress. he knows how obsessed you are with the ghostface mask but his obsession with feeling your lips on his is bigger, so he takes it off and leans down to kiss you. it wasn't heated and hungry like previous make-out sessions, for you it felt almost... sweet. can't help but wonder if chris felt it too.

he's first to break the kiss, his messy hair slightly falling into his eyes. after pulling out, he lays down next to you, you both staying quiet for a moment, his thoughts clearly occupied with something while you tried to come back to your senses, after not only the intensity of your orgasms, but the realization that he didn't kiss you after sex before.

after clearing his throat, he's first to speak up, "i thought you snitched on me for a moment." it catches you off guard, but he continues, "i got a text from that idiot saying that he knows everything and that you were the one to tell him. i believed at first," he admits. "but then he said he knows it was me and you who killed jake, that's how i knew he's bluffin'. and i remembered what y'told me when you... y'know, had that fever a few days ago—"

he gives you a quick glance, having your full attention so he keeps going, "you probably don't remember, but you said that you wouldn't say anything 'bout me being the ghostface 'cause you can be the only one—"

"--to ruin your life." his eyes snap to you with surprise at the interruption. "if someone else do this, where's my satisfaction in that?" you repeat your words, fully remembering saying this because you meant it.

"yeah—" staring at each other for too long, he finally breaks it and speaks again. "yeah, uh, so i remembered your words and i was like there's no way you'd just do that. i was gonna talk to you first, but i found him leaving your apartment and that fuckin' pissed me off so i came after him and— y'know. he spilled everything, what he knew, what he told ya, that he was recordin' your conversation... already took care of this too," he says catching on as you're about to ask about this. "so you good, no need to worry 'bout shit."

you nod, relieved that chris knew that you kept your mouth shut, and only unintentionally said something that led this guy to the fact that chris is the ghostface killer. "m'glad you didn't say shit 'cause it'd make me—" he's about to say angry, pissed of, but he knows better than that. he would actually get his heart stabbed if you decided to betray him. "-- upset."

"upset?" your eyebrow raises as you try to process his words. he immediately rolls his eyes, trying to play it off, "yeah, no big deal, just sayin'."

"pretty big deal to me," you respond. knowing chris and how closed off he was half of his life, how you never saw him sad, hearing him saying he'd be upset if you decided to snitch on him meant more than it should've.

"a'ight, shut up..." he mutters, shifting on his side so he could see your face better. "what m'tryin' to say is, everything's fine and this guy won't bother you again. actually no one fuckin' will..." he smirks, "besides me, of course. 'cause if someone else do this, where's my satisfaction in that?"

trying so hard to bite back a smile, but you can't help it when he just simply repeats your words. now you roll your eyes, "what, gonna be my bodyguard now?"

"more like a guardian angel," he matches your sarcastic tone, getting a stare from you. "angel? you? are you even hearing yourself?"

"oh yeah, pretty fuckin' clear too."

you hum, but the smile stays on your face. remembering about something, you sit up and without even realizing it, you put on his shirt, which reached halfway down your thigh. but chris notices it, and not only does he almost immediately become hard again at seeing you in something that was his, but he also feels a warmth spreading across his chest, as if desire was mixed with something else he couldn't quite name.

you are looking for something in the desk and then come back to the bed, siting down and giving him jake's phone that chris left you on that unforgettable day for you. his expression questioning you so you explain, "i don't want anything that's his. don't want that pathetic apology or anything else, just need to be free from him. take it back and break or something, i don't really care."

he raises his eyebrows, but nods without putting a fight and grabs the phone, putting it aside. the fact that he was still naked distracts you, but he doesn't seem to care at all, so you reach for the mask, running your fingers over its features to distract yourself. there's so many things swirling in your head that you wanted to ask him about out of curiosity, but you knew you had to be careful with him. chris can switch really fast, starting to ignore you or even leave. that's why you think about what you can ask and what you can't so as not to scare him away. "why did you decide to start doing it? you know, killing people isn't exactly... i don't know—"

"men," he corrected you, but there's no usual bite in his tone. "killin' men. couldn't stand the fact how annoyin' they are 'bout everything, thinking they're the one in control, doing with women what they please."

"isn't this what you're doing though?" you blurt out, quickly looking at him, immediately regretting how it sounded. "i mean, like, you fuck girls all the time and don't care about anything."

"yeah, never said i ain't a hypocrite," he agrees smirking. "but i told ya already, i always keep things straight from the beginning. the girls i'm sleepin' with know it's only a hookup." you bite your tongue not to ask why he didn't tell you the same thing at the beginning, but you remember how he reacted when you asked him about it the other day. chris notices your expression, "c'mon, say it. since when you hold back? where's that badass spirit?" he playfully nudges your arm.

you roll your eyes, looking back at the mask, "you didn't tell me we're only fucking. i mean, i know, but what if i didn't? and you act sooo respectful to women out of sudden—"

"okay now, i ain't exactly a perfect gentleman and i know that, i'm not tryna look like one. but i also have my rules, y'know..." his tongue clicks against his teeth as he thinks. "i didn't tell you, 'cause i wasn't expecting us to just fuck then 'n i didn't really could focus on thinkin', when i had you on my desk like this—" his smirk widen after the glare you give him, he notices the blush creeping up your cheeks, adding it to his lists of how many times he made you do it already.

"okay, what about after?"

"i don't know, is not a big deal, like what do y'want me to say? i thought it's clear we only fuck."

"it is," a frown appears between your eyebrows. "actually not really. why did you help me when i was sick? did you even come to my place to hookup again?"

this question makes irritation slowly start to take over chris's body, the territory you entered was dangerous and the shift in the air was clear. felt like you were on thin ice, though you just had to know.

he's quiet for a moment, seeming to have ignored your question, but his brain was racing. ever since he had that conversation with matt, it was all he could think about for the past few days. he didn't care about anyone except his brothers, but you are making him feel complicated emotions.

just when you're about to tell him to forget about the question, thinking he won't answer, he speaks up. "i told you, i thought you're ignoring me and i don't like when people do that shit." his tone too casual, chris clearly failing at trying to play this cool. "i saw you feelin' that bad and... like, i know you think i'm the biggest asshole ever and probably it's true, but leaving you with that big ass fever would be just insane even f'me."

he couldn't admit that he cared a little about the state he found you in that day. he couldn't let you figure him out like matt did.

"okay, but you didn't have to let me be all over you."

you tried to forget how it felt, even though it all seemed like a fever dream, you knew it was real. you were practically glued to him and felt a little confused when you thought about it, knowing how nice it was, even though neither of you were the type to cuddle.

"what'd you wan' me to do?" he raises his eyebrows, but his cheeks turn a light shade of pink, which makes your eyes widen. this man doesn't blush like ever. "push you off your own couch? nah, got some manners, y'know."

"oh really?"

"yeah."

"so you didn't enjoy it even a liiittle bit?"

"you'd want me to?" he's fully convinced you will disagree.

"and if i say yes? then what?"

he clicks his tongue against his teeth, his blue eyes slightly darkening with... lust, perhaps? and something more. "then we have a problem." he grabs your wrist, pulling you on top so that you were straddling him, his hands resting on your thighs, which causes your stomach to flip.

"and why's that?"

"'cause maybe i want you to want me to enjoy it."

"what a good play on words."

"yeah, m'good at that."

"what else you good at?"

he narrows his eyes, gripping your hips and almost urging you to rub against his half-hard dick, stealing a quiet whimper from you. "i think you already know."

"maybe i need a reminder–"

"what a greedy girl," he smirks, pulling you into a kiss, his tongue sliding against yours. you already feel yourself getting turned on again, now moving your hips on your own. "and it wasn't even twenty minutes..." he mutters against your lips proud of the effect he has on you.

"shut up..." you keep grinding down against him until he gets fully hard again, a groan leaving his lips. he asks out of sudden, "you wanna keep doing that? hookin' up?"

"we shouldn't," you answer, positioning yourself above him, teasing you both with running his tip along your sticky folds.

"yeah, but m'askin' if you wanna, not if we should—" he grabs your wrist to stop you from taking off the shirt. "so?"

you know it's not a good idea, but you nod against your own logic. "yeah, i want to."

"good. now keep the shirt on, and— put this on too.." he points to the ghostface mask you still had in your hand, remembering how the last time he told you to put it on, he almost went crazy. you don't think twice and do what he said, at the same moment sinking down onto his dick, your gummy walls immediately wrapping around him. chris was obsessed with the way you looked in his shirt and mask, on top of him. it almost makes him cum right then and there. "shiit, you're so sexy—"

you respond with a moan, starting to move your hips slowly, "you sure you hate me?" a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth as you repeat his question from earlier. he grips your hips tightly, savoring the feeling of being inside your heat again. "didn't decide yet," he retorts sarcastically, as you quickened your pace, leaning back a little to put your hands on his thighs for some balance.

he watches how you ride him, his brain racing with thoughts but he decides to say a little more, the way you're on top of him makes him relax and less embarrassed to talk about such things. "i really couldn't stand the thought of you ignorin' me— fuck, that's why, i, uh— came to your place to check if we good—"

"i wasn't ignoring you..."

"i know," he nods, thrusting up to meet your movements, causing you to see stars. "but i'd care if you did—" your heart swells at his admission and it only makes you want him to feel so good, that he won't ever need anyone else to satisfy him. "fuck, y'look so pretty like this— even hotter in this fuckin' mask, holy shittt—"

"you need to trust me that i won't tell— mmhpp, oh my— f-fuckk, that i... won't tell anyone about your secret..."

"mhm, i know this now," he nods, fucking up into you harder, the pressure building up until he thinks he might lose his damn mind. "fuck, you're squeezin' me so tight—" he groans, his fingers digging into your ass and hips as he tries to hold on. "oh my god chris—" you whine and moan, legs starting to hurt from the hard and fast pace you're keeping, but you don't care at all.

"y'know, i think i decided 'bout the hate thing..." his hips bucking upward, taking over the control when you lean forward, propping yourself on your hands on either side of his head. he can't believe how hot you look in that ghostface mask. "might tolerate you a little more from now."

"y-yeah?" you start clenching around him, getting a hiss from him as he tries to find relief from the torturous tightness.

"fuck, y'hurt so good—"

you smile under the mask, eyes rolling back as you feel your orgasm building up. "see i think that i tolerate you n-now as well— oh!"

"thaaat's it, gorgeous, holy fuck," he purrs, your entire body shake as you come apart on top of him, your inner walls clamping down on his dick in a vice-like grip. it's too much, and he let's out a feral groan as he buries himself inside you and explodes, his release so intense it leaves his vision go blurry.

after riding out both of your highs, you slowly get off him, taking off the mask as well. his eyes are still closed, almost like he didn't want to see your reaction to what he's about to do. feeling you want to pull away, he wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you into his side so that your head rests on his shoulder. shock washes over you, not expecting him to do something like this, though you're fast to tell yourself that maybe it's just post orgasm bliss. but when your eyes meet, there's a new warmth in his gaze, a tenderness that contrasts with the way he always looked at you before.

"not good at cuddlin' 'n shit, but i guess y'gonna teach me now, huh?" he tried to maintain his sarcastic tone, but couldn't help and genuinely smile.

relaxing in his arms, his grin is getting to you making you smile like a fool as well. "we have a problem, because i'm not that good at this either."

"good. then we gonna learn together."

neither of you slept that night, too busy with each other. you couldn't stop that feeling in your chest, those butterflies. and it was so weird, so out of character for the two of you.

it felt as if you were some familiar strangers.

a/n: oh my god 😭😭😭 my babies 😭 thank you guys sm for all the love for this series and for me as well, i appreciate it soooo much !! i had a blast writing this story 🤍 i'll still be taking requests about ghostface!chris if anyone has some just lmk, i'd love to write some oneshots about him!!

taglist: @certifiedstarrr @chrislovespepsi @le4hsblog @sturnsxbitvh @sweetlikesug4rvenom @xaristhings @mattsfavbitchhh @lvrsturniolo @r0s3luvr @slut4brunettes @madisonsturnioloss @chrispillowprincess @sturnioloslutttt4 @ashlishes @mattsbitchh @hi-people-who-are-alive @stellward123 @inssanely @matts-girlfriend @imnotalive420 @emely9274 @shadowthesim @yunkilm @sophiaxsblog @namelesssav @demyackerman @fratbrochrisgf @lvrsturniolo @chrisweetheart @chrisfavoritewhore @sturnslutz @ncm9696 @certified-sturniolo @mattsobvimyfav @swagalicious260 @giannalovessturniolo @sophand4n4 @brazyturtleneck @jocelyncsblog @sophand4n4 @giannalovessturniolo @alesturniolos @ilovenmcs

[all-by-myself98]

OK I'm gonna rant for a second

When I was sick with covid last Feb, I watched the Malcolm X movie and I mentioned the Angela Bassett phenomenon in a Letterboxd review I was basically like.

This woman has such an interesting range of works. Not a predictable range like from comedies to actions to horrors. But like from what would be considered high brow vs low brow film and TV.

She's done like the serious Oscar tier kinda shit like the Tina Turner biopic, Boyz n the Hood, the Malcolm X movie as I mentioned, and a lot of other like. Really successful really like. The kinda shit that might be considered high brow or like. cinema shit, you know? Shit that wins awards and stays in people's minds because of how highly regarded it is

And then she's kinda gradually tapered off of that, which is fine! I think if I was an actress and I had a shit ton of success earlier in my career, I might also branch off and look at other projects. A lot of the stuff she's been in nowadays isn't really classified as high brow. It's mostly drama television or cartoons or, of course, action stuff. Like there was Meet the Robinsons, there was American Horror Story, there was fucking. ER! She was in ER for like two years(?) as a main role! And then of course that itty bitty foray in the failed Green Lantern movie, and then her actual success with the Black Panther movies.

Like... They're less dramatically intense, more just. Fun! She got her bag of money early on and now she's doing whatever the fuck she wants which is so valid of her, I would do the same thing if I ever went into that line of business. Earn your security, then have fun and do what you want!

And honestly this might not have even been her intent. There could have been other stuff going on. Her wiki link mentioned that after her Tina Turner biopic she wasn't getting any calls for roles for like a year and a half. So maybe people were just being idiots and skipping over her, maybe there was some dumb fucked up Hollywood politics involved, or maybe she's genuinely letting herself have fun with her roles now, OR maybe she noticed that there's just as much integrity and potential in a role like Athena Grant or Queen Ramonda or Marie Laveau than there is in her earlier character counterparts.

Again, this is also relying on this backwards and outdated idea of high brow vs low brow film and television. I don't subscribe to these ideas, and I think it's low-key kinda ridiculous and I think people should just have fun watching what they want without feeling like what they want to watch isn't good enough or doesn't command the same respect... But sadly other people do absolutely subscribe to these ideas and you can tell because it's difficult not to notice a difference in the tone or nuance of two different works, and why some works are not nominated for awards as much as others because some Hollywood awards panel either don't see it as serious or as respectable enough to be in with the so called "big leagues".

All visual work is valid and all visual work is capable of eliciting the emotions they need to elicit to keep their audiences hooked.

ANYWAYS that's the end of my little blab

I love Angela Bassett and whatever is the reason for her shift in her filmography, girl you are not gonna hear me complain one bit. As long as she's happy, I'm happy for her. I just find it fascinating to think about is all

And thus. The Angela Bassett phenomenon (copyright pending)

trying to understand a show you don’t watch only through gifs you see on your dash

[ryssbelle]

Drew a bunch of Marinettes in a bunch of different artists styles it was a lot of fun!!

Artists who's styles I mimicked: @buggachat @hamsternamedmarinette @ladybeug @sabertoothwalrus and @anna-scribbles all epic artists 🤟😎

[trans-axolotl]

nothing makes me more insane than the phrase "selling your body" btw. like was i not also selling my body at every other job i've had where i had to be on my feet all day, lifting boxes, working in a warehouse, etc. why is it that sex work is uniquely labeled as "selling your body" while every other job is sorted into another category, no matter how much that job might have a physical impact on your body. lmao.