#they both have a history of bringing great chemistry!

[mudinyourshoes]

i wasn't that invested in immortality until I saw L&P and than I saw the vision of CFY as murder puppy who *suffers* played across from LYX as cold ethereal beauty who *suffers*. and now i am sold. so sold. and i'm never going to see it.

[kyleoreillylover]

Attention

Summary: Sami figures out why you and Jey hate him, and gives you a different kind of attention you both have been craving.

warnings: smut, male, female receiving, top!sami, bottom reader, bottom jey.

pairings: Sami Zayn x fem!Black!Reader x Jey Uso

word count: 6,306

timeline: before war-games 2022

tagged: @southerngirl41@venusesworld@jeysbae@reci1996@tbones450 @steakwithasideofmashngravy @hope4more @selena-tyler-564@saintaquarius@whatdoeseverybodywant@raya-hunter01

a/n: I am sorry for this, just want to say that in advance. Samijey is 😩 Hope ya'll enjoy!

Sami were sure that you and Jey had never hated anyone in your life more than you hated him.

Which is why he knew it was gonna be hard when Roman told him you and Jey were his responsibility, and as the Honorary Uce, needed to watch over you guys.

Sami tried, god did he try. But he just didn't know why you and Jey hated him. Jey would constantly undermine him, get into arguments with him, and the tension between them could always end in a fight.

You, on the other hand, didn't share that same anger. You just simply ignored him. If Sami asked you to do something, such as not attack other women, you would go and do the complete opposite. You didn't get angry with him, but somehow the silence was even more infuriating to Sami. It was like you didn't care about anything he said or did.

Which made Sami confused when Roman handed him a bag and keycard that opened the door to a luxurious suite in the finest hotel in town.

Sami blushed when he opened the bag and quickly closed it, gaping at Roman with a a mix of surprise and confusion. "What's all this for?" Sami stammered, glancing between the bag and Roman.

Roman smirked, crossing his arms. "For you, Jey and Y/N," he replied.

Sami couldn't help but feel skeptical, given the history of animosity. "But they hate me?"

Roman laughed at Sami's comment. "They don't hate you. They like you a little too much, and that's why they are acting like this. They don't want to seem weak, so they put up a tough exterior."

Roman's words puzzled Sami. He couldn't comprehend how being liked could translate into such hostility. Still, the prospect of a luxurious suite and Roman's assurance intrigued him. And Sami liked the both of you and wanted to make things better.

Sami raised an eyebrow, still unsure. "So, why the hotel suite?"

Roman grinned, enjoying Sami's confusion. "To get rid of all the sexual tension between the three of you."

Sami's eyes widened as he processed Roman's words. He stammered, "Wait, what? Sexual tension?"

Roman chuckled, clearly finding amusement in Sami's reaction. "Look, I can see it, and so can everyone else. You and Jey are practically at each other's throats, and Y/N is being quiet because she finds you intriguing, and doesn't wanna embarrass herself. The sexual tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. So, I thought a little getaway might help relieve some of that tension and bring you three closer together."

Sami's face turned several shades of red as he processed Roman's words. "You're suggesting a getaway to… what, exactly?" Sami couldn't deny the chemistry between him, you and Jey, but he never thought it was perceived as sexual tension. The idea of a hotel suite to resolve such matters left him bewildered.

Roman smirked knowingly. "Just relax, Sami. Have a great night, and when I see the three of you tomorrow I want there to be no more hostility. And that's an order, Sami."

With that, Roman beckoned Sami out of his office, and Sami stood there, still trying to wrap his head around Roman's unexpected directive. As he walked out of Roman's office, he clutched the bag and keycard in his hands, contemplating the surreal situation he found himself in.

He made his way to the luxurious suite, wondering how exactly this getaway was supposed to dissolve the tension between him, Jey, and you. Sami hesitated before using the keycard to open the door, half-expecting a prank or some kind of setup.

Upon entering, Sami was taken aback by the opulence of the suite. The room was adorned with lavish furnishings, and the atmosphere screamed extravagance. He couldn't help but think, "How is this going to solve anything?"

As Sami explored the suite, he noticed three separate bedrooms, each with its own ensuite bathroom. He saw you and Jey talking in one of the bedrooms, the tension palpable even from a distance. Sami hesitated, unsure of how to approach the situation.

You and Jey glanced at Sami as he entered the room, the air thick with awkwardness. You stopped talking and cleared your throat, while Jey glared at Sami, standing up and crossing his arms. "What are you doing here? Roman's supposed to room with us." Jey grumbled.

Sami, still processing the unexpected turn of events, stammered, "Uh, Roman said this suite is for all three of us. He's rooming with Solo and Jimmy, so uh, sorry about that."

Sami was trying to finds signs that the two of you liked him more than you let on. He set the bag down before addressing the tension between them.

"Look, I know things have been rocky between us, but Roman said we need to get along, so we might as well make the best of this situation." Sami didn't mention the sexual tension part, but acknowledged the need to address the tension.

Jey scofffed and folded his arms, clearly not thrilled with the idea. "I ain't one for playing nice, but if Roman wants it, fine. Just stay out of my way."

With that, Jey glared at Sami one last time before going to the bathroom, leaving you and Sami in awkward silence.

Sami turned to you, his expression a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. "And you?" he asked, trying to gauge your reaction.

You met Sami's gaze, a subtle smirk playing on your lips. "I don't mind playing nice," you replied, your tone suggesting a hint of mischief. "But you'll have to keep up, Sami."

Sami couldn't help but chuckle nervously at your response. "I'll do my best," he said, a bit more at ease knowing that at least one of you seemed open to the idea.

You quickly went back to being silent though. It wasn't your fault, it was Sami's fault because of that damn shirt he was wearing. The shirt was tight, accentuating his muscles, and you found it distracting. Sami noticed your sudden silence and couldn't help but feel a mix of confusion and self-consciousness.

Sami cleared his throat, attempting to break the awkward silence. "So, um, what do you guys want to do? I mean, Roman did get us this fancy suite, might as well enjoy it, right?"

You shrugged nonchalantly, your eyes nervously still fixed on Sami. If you didn't leave in the next 5 seconds, you were gonna jump his bones. "You know what, Jey was right. Just stay out of my way." You got up to go to the bathroom, leaving Sami standing there, bewildered by your abrupt dismissal.

Was that a blush on your face as you walked away? Sami couldn't help but feel a mix of confusion and intrigue. He glanced over at Jey, who was emerging from the bathroom with a scowl on his face.

"Great, now you've scared her off," Jey muttered, shooting a glare at Sami.

Sami, still trying to process the situation, defended himself. "I didn't do anything! She just… left."

Jey rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever. Just stay out of my way, and we won't have any problems."

As the tension lingered in the air, Sami realized that Roman's plan might be more challenging to execute than he initially thought. The luxurious surroundings did little to ease the palpable discomfort between the three of them.

Sami decided to take a moment to gather his thoughts. He needed to prove his theory that you both liked him, so he changed into a more revealing shirt, and shorts, hoping to gauge your reactions.

When he came out of the bathroom, he didn't miss the way Jey's eyes widened slightly, and your gaze lingered for a moment before you averted your eyes. Sami couldn't help but smirk, feeling a small sense of victory.

Jey raised an eyebrow, trying to appear unimpressed. "Why the hell you wearing shorts in a hotel suite?" Jey grumbled.

Sami shrugged casually. "Just trying to be comfortable, Uce. Roman did say we're here to relax and get along, right?"

Jey scoffed, trying not to let his eyes linger to Sami's ass. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't make this any weirder than it already is."

You licked your lips nervously, your eyes flickering between Sami and Jey. The tension in the room seemed to shift, taking on a different, more charged quality. Sami, feeling a bit emboldened by the reactions he was getting, decided to take a playful approach.

"Well, since we're supposed to get along and all," Sami grinned, "how about we make the most of this fancy suite? Maybe order some room service, watch a movie, or, you know, just enjoy the amenities."

Jey sighed, clearly not thrilled with the idea but willing to go along with Roman's directive. "Fine, whatever. But I'm not sharing my food."

"Not even with me?" You pouted playfully, and Jey's eyes softened at your playful expression. Sami couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as it seemed like the atmosphere was starting to lighten up, even if just a little.

"Only with you though. Not this fucking fool." And there goes the sexual tension, Sami thought to himself. He chuckled, realizing that Roman might have been onto something after all.

"I'll grab the food." Jey announced, standing up and heading towards the door to get room service. If he spent another second in the room with Sami and you, he was afraid things might escalate in a way he didn't want them to. And he hated himself for that.

As Jey left, Sami turned to you with a frown. "Why does he act like that? I mean, it's like he's on edge all the time."

You shrugged, nervously watching the door as Jey left. "Jey's always been a bit intense. Takes time to warm up to people, I guess." Sami noticed your leg bouncing restlessly, a sign of unease. Without thinking, he placed his hand on your leg, attempting to offer some comfort. You looked at his hand on your leg, the heat and intensity in your gaze catching Sami off guard.

"I think I'm gonna help Jey get some food." You tried to run away for the second time, but this time Sami was quick to catch your arm gently.

"Wait, Y/N! Can you please stop running away from me when I feel like we make progress?" You paused, looking at Sami with a mix of surprise and vulnerability. Sami could see the internal struggle in your eyes.

"I'm not running away," you insisted, your tone defensive. "I just don't like you."

Sami scoffed, releasing your arm but maintaining eye contact. "Oh really? Then why the nervous glances and the pouting earlier? And don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at me just now."

"Don't flatter yourself Sami. How was I even looking at you just now?" you retorted, crossing your arms and trying to regain composure.

Sami leaned in, a serious expression on his face."Like you wanted me to do something you wouldn't admit out loud."

Your cheeks flushed, and took a step back, a mix of defiance and uncertainty in your eyes. "I hate you, and that's never going to change."

Sami couldn't help but smirk, seeing through your attempt at defiance. "That's not what Roman said." Sami moved closer, the tension between you two palpable. "And I'm starting to believe him."

You pulled away abruptly, the intensity of the moment catching you off guard. "Whatever Roman said doesn't matter. I don't care what he thinks," you muttered, avoiding Sami's gaze.

Sami chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "God, you and Jey are so fucking stubborn."

You bristled at his comment. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sami grinned, his playful demeanor returning. "It means you both run away whenever you feel like you are not in control."

You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms defiantly. "I do not run away!"

"You were just about to when I stopped you," Sami pointed out, his tone teasing.

"No, I was gonna help Jey with the food," you retorted, sticking to your defense.

Sami raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sure, sure. Because running to Jey is definitely not a way to avoid dealing with this." He paused, studying your reaction.

"Shut your mouth!" You grabbed Sami by the collar and stared at him, a mixture of frustration and something else in your eyes. Sami couldn't help but notice the sudden change in the atmosphere, the fiery intensity replacing the previous tension.

Sami, now closer to you, felt the heat radiating between you two. The air was charged with a different kind of energy, a magnetic pull that neither of you could deny. He could sense the internal struggle within you, the conflict between the proclaimed hatred and the underlying tension. "Shut your mouth."

Sami licked his lips, his gaze locked with yours. "Stop running away from this."

You breathed heavily, your grip on Sami's collar tightening. "Stop saying that!" You tightened your grip on his collar, your eyes narrowing in frustration. Sami, sensing the intensity of the moment, couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline.

In that charged silence, Sami decided to take a risk and push you a bit more. "Why? That's what you do. You run away from things that make you uncomfortable."

"Shut. Your Mouth." You paused, your lips dangerously close to Sami's. The room felt like it was closing in, the air thick with a tension that neither of you could escape.

"It's in your blood. Running from things that you hate."

"Stop..." you whispered, your tone low and filled with a mix of anger and something Sami couldn't quite place.

Sami could feel a breakthrough coming, and knew he couldn't stop pushing until he got some answers. "Why? You hate me, so why should what I say matter to you?"

"Because I'm fucking attracted to you, okay-" You stopped breathing when you realized what you admitted. Sami's eyes widened, registering the shock and vulnerability in your confession. The room seemed to freeze for a moment as the weight of your words hung in the air.

You let go of Sami's collar, taking a step back, your face flushed with embarrassment. Sami, still processing your confession, couldn't believe what he just heard.

"You… what?" Sami stammered, a mix of surprise and realization crossing his face.

"I said it. Are you happy now?" You snapped, your previous defiance replaced with a sense of vulnerability.

Sami, still in shock, managed to mumble, "I… I didn't expect that."

"Well, now you know. So, can we drop it and go back to pretending we hate each other?" You tried to regain control of the situation, avoiding eye contact with Sami.

Sami, however, couldn't ignore the bombshell you just dropped. "No, wait. Y/N, are you serious?"

You sighed, frustration evident in your expression. "Yes, Sami. I hate that I'm attracted to you, but there, I said it. Happy now?"

Yes, Sami was actually happy. Very happy. And he wasn't gonna let you run away from him this time. He saw the signs of you about to succumb to the tension, and he wasn't about to let it slip away.

Sami took a step closer to you, his eyes now filled with a newfound confidence. "Then do something about it."

You looked at Sami with a mixture of surprise and defiance. Your confidence was shaky at Sami's bluntness. Now it was you who was stuttering. "I-I'm sorry… What?"

Sami smirked at your stunned expression. "You heard me. If you're attracted to me, stop running away and do something about it."

He was giving you control of the situation, challenging you to act on your admission. The room seemed to pulsate with the unresolved tension between you and Sami. You hesitated, your mind racing, but something in Sami's gaze urged you to confront the feelings you had been suppressing.

As you gathered your thoughts, Sami took another step closer, closing the distance between you two. His eyes bore into yours with a mixture of intensity and anticipation. "I won't let you run away this time, Y/N."

You took a deep breath, trying to gather the courage to face what was happening. "I can't believe I'm doing this," you muttered under your breath, more to yourself than to Sami.

Sami chuckled, a hint of triumph in his expression. "Hey, you said it yourself. You're attracted to me. No shame in admitting it."

Rolling your eyes, you decided to seize the moment. You closed the gap between you and Sami, surprising him as you pressed your lips against his. The kiss was a mixture of pent-up tension, frustration, and an unexpected surge of desire.

Sami, taken aback by your bold move, quickly reciprocated. The room seemed to fade away as you both surrendered to the magnetic pull between you. The initial fiery intensity softened into something more passionate, and for a moment, the history of animosity vanished.

You groaned in pleasure as your fantasies came true as Sami reciprocated the kiss, his hands finding their way to your waist.

The tension that had built up between you two finally found its release in that electrifying moment. The kiss became an exploration of shared desire, and it seemed like all the animosity that existed between you and Sami was being used in a much more pleasurable way.

"What the hell going on?" Jey's voice made Sami break the kiss in a panic, not knowing how he was going to react. You, on the other hand, gave Jey a knowing look and pulled Sami into a heated embrace. Sami, still catching his breath, looked at Jey with a mix of surprise and defiance.

Jey stood there, his eyes narrowing as he processed the unexpected scene before him. "What the hell, Y/N?" he exclaimed, clearly caught off guard. His lower half heated up at the sight of the two of you entwined in a passionate kiss. Sami, still holding you close, tried to gauge Jey's reaction, unsure of what would come next.

You broke the kiss, your gaze shifting between Sami and Jey. "Well, Roman did say to get along, right?" you quipped, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

Jey was trying not to blow his load right then and there. So he switched back to anger, crossing his arms and scowling. "Y/N…"

But you could see right through him. "Jey, it's fine. It's okay. Sami understands." You gave Sami a reassuring smile, silently communicating that you were in control of the situation. "Come sit on the bed with us."

Jey's scowl deepened, his eyes flickering between you and Sami. "Y/N, I aint think I should-"

"Sit on the bed, Jey." Your voice turned commanding, leaving no room for argument. Jey, despite his initial resistance, found himself complying and reluctantly took a seat on the bed, eyeing the two of you with a mixture of confusion and frustration.

Sami thought Jey's scowl meant he was about to witness a whole new level of animosity, but to his surprise, Jey's expression shifted from anger to something more complex.

Sami, still holding onto you, exchanged a glance with Jey. The tension in the room was undeniable, but it wasn't the hostile kind they were used to. Instead, it was a charged atmosphere filled with unspoken desires and unexpected connections.

You sat between Sami and Jey, looking at both of them with a mixture of determination and curiosity. Sami, feeling a bit nervous about what might unfold next, glanced at Jey, who was still processing the situation.

"Okay, let's talk about this," you said, breaking the charged silence. "Jey, he knows."

Jey glared at your words. "Knows what?"

You rolled your eyes, frustration evident in your tone. "That I like him. And I think he should know that you like him too."

Jey scoffed, looking away. "What are you talking about? I don't like him."

You shot him a skeptical look. "Jey, no one is gonna judge you-"

"I don't like him!" Jey shot a defensive response, but the intensity in his eyes told a different story. "I hate him! His stupid eyes, weird hair, annoying voice…"

Sami couldn't help but smirk at Jey's vehement denial. "Wow, Uce, really selling it there."

Jey shot Sami a warning glare. "Shut up, Sami. I ain't into you."

You crossed your arms, unconvinced. "Jey, you don't have to pretend. It's okay to have feelings, you know?"

Jey grumbled, avoiding eye contact. "Feelings? I don't have feelings for him-" He was cut off by your lips on his, effectively silencing his protests. The room fell into a charged silence once again as you kissed Jey passionately, catching him off guard.

Sami watched the unexpected turn of events with a mix of amusement and surprise. Jey, after a moment of resistance, found himself responding to the kiss. The tension in the room took on a different, more intimate quality.

As you pulled away, Jey looked at you with a mix of confusion and realization. "What the hell, Y/N?"

You smirked, your eyes flickering between Sami and Jey. "I like you too Jey, and I know you like me too. And you also like Sami. So can you stop being stubborn for one fucking second and just admit it?"

Jey sat there, still processing the whirlwind of emotions and the unexpected turn of events. Sami couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and satisfaction at the unfolding drama.

"Y/N, this ain't right," Jey finally muttered, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and frustration.

You sighed, about to respond, but surprisingly Sami interrupted, his eyes reassuring and his voice filled with an unexpected understanding. "Jey, it's okay. We're all adults here. If you like me, that's nothing to be ashamed of. And if you don't, that's fine too. But pretending won't help any of us."

Jey glared at Sami, still processing the situation. "This is messed up. We're not supposed to… I don't know, do this."

You rolled your eyes, a hint of impatience in your tone. "Jey, we're all consenting adults. Roman gave us this suite to resolve the tension, and this seems like a pretty effective way to do it. Stop being ashamed of your feelings, we aren't going to let anyone judge us for it."

Jey scowled, clearly torn between his usual tough exterior and the complex emotions surfacing. He trusted you, and deep down he trusted Sami, but he didn't trust his own emotions to guide him through this uncharted territory.

It felt like hours as you and Sami waited for a response, and you honestly thought he would leave and try to distance himself from the situation.

However, to your surprise, Jey took a deep breath, grabbed Sami by the collar, and pulled him into a fierce kiss. Sami squeaked in surprise as Jey kissed him so hard he almost stumbled backward, Jey's previous denial melting away in that passionate moment.

Jey licked at Sami's lips, his hands gripping Sami's shirt tightly. The room seemed to crackle with the intensity of the unexpected embrace, and you watched with a mix of amusement and satisfaction.

As the kiss deepened, Jey pulled away, his eyes locking with Sami's. There was a raw, unspoken understanding between them, a connection that went beyond words. Sami, still a bit stunned, looked at Jey with a newfound sense of realization.

"I hate you," Jey muttered, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Sami chuckled, his usual playful demeanor returning. "Kiss me again."

Jey obliged, and the fire crackling in him erupted as Sami responded with equal intensity. The room became a battleground of desires, each kiss fueled by the complex emotions that had been hidden for far too long. As their lips met, it was as if the animosity and tension between them had transformed into a fiery passion that couldn't be contained.

Jey groaned as your lips met the soft skin on his neck, letting you leave a trail of kisses. The atmosphere in the room had shifted dramatically, and the initial tension had evolved into something more intoxicating. Sami, caught in the whirlwind of desire, couldn't help but reciprocate with fervor.

It was clear that control was not something you and Jey gave up easily. He could tell by the way you tried to push Jey onto the bed while Sami continued to kiss him. Jey, however, wasn't one to be easily dominated. He broke the kiss, giving Sami a defiant look.

"Y/N, I think we need to establish some ground rules here," Jey said, his voice low and commanding.

You smirked, enjoying the playful power struggle. "Oh? And what rules are you thinking of, Jey?"

Jey glanced at Sami before turning his attention back to you. "I'm in charge here."

You nipped at Jey's earlobe, teasingly challenging his declaration. "That's cute."

Jey tried to glare at you, but there was no heat behind it. He paused, his eyes flickering between you and Sami. "Get on the bed, and take off your clothes."

You giggled, a mischievous glint in your eyes. "Make me." You kissed him hungrily, the two of you getting lost in each others lips, not noticing Sami grabbing the bag and taking something out of it.

Before any of you could respond, you were both flipped onto the bed by Sami, and in the flash of an eye, handcuffed you both to the bedposts. The sudden turn of events left both you and Jey wide-eyed and surprised.

"What the hell, Sami?" Jey exclaimed, trying to tug at the handcuffs.

Sami chuckled, a sly grin on his face. "You guys have been getting on my nerves for the past couple of months, and you really think either one of you could be in charge? Not a chance in hell."

You and Jey exchanged surprised glances, realizing that Sami had just turned the tables on both of you. Jey, still trying to process the sudden change, muttered, "This ain't what I signed up for."

Sami laughed, his confidence evident. "Well, now you're stuck with me." He glanced at both of you, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "And I think it's about time we all stop running away from what we really want."

Heat spread through your body as Sami set his hands on your hips, his gaze lingering on both you and Jey. His gaze made Jey's skin tingle, and he couldn't deny the unexpected excitement that coursed through him.

Sami leaned in, placing a teasing kiss on your lips, then moving to Jey. Jey, despite his initial protests, seemed intrigued by the sudden turn of events, and moaned into Sami's lips when his hand grazed his hard on, and you let out a similar moan when Sami's other hand gently traced a path on your inner thigh.

"You think you can handle both of us, Sami?" Jey challenged as he groaned out, a smirk playing on his lips.

Sami grinned, a newfound confidence in his demeanor. "Trust me, I'm more than up for the challenge."

___________________

Sami never thought he would be in the same room as you and Jey without an argument, let alone getting along.

But right now, you guys were more than getting alone, your weight on his face intoxicating as you sat on it while Jey rode Sami's cock like his life depended on it.

The only sounds in the room were the moans Sami forced out of you both that you tried and failed to hide, and Sami's grunts as he tasted your sweetness and Jey milked his cock.

"You're so fucking annoying Sami, but goddamn you fuck so good-oh, god, right there, right there!"

Sami thrusted upwards to stop Jey's complaining and smirked as he made him choke on a moan, giving into Jey's commands and thrusting into that same spot over and over.

Sami let out a moan himself as you grinded on his face, tugging at his hair and letting out unintelligible moans as Sami's tongue worked wonders on your clit, sucking and licking in ways that had you shaking in pleasure. 

"Not so quiet now, huh?" Sami teased you as he slid his fingers into the mix and you let out your loudest moan of the night, not even able to speak coherently. You nodded your head and tugging at Sami's hair like it was the only thing keeping you sane.

"That's what I thought, baby." Sami's voice had a cocky hint to it, and it made you melt into him even more.

Jey clenched his walls against Sami's cock, biting his lip so hard to try and suppress his moans from escaping as he tried to reach his high. Sami's other hand snaked down to grip Jey's member roughly, and Jey gasped at the feeling, his hips bucking upwards into hand.

"Right there Sami! Fuckkkk, right there! Right there, right there!!"

Sami chuckled and began pumping furiously, his fingers so fast and so strong it was difficult to breathe. How did Sami know exactly where to touch and when to stroke to make Jey lose his mind? How did he know exactly how to make you both lose your minds together without breaking either one of you apart?

You couldn't even remember how long this whole scene had been going on for; your senses were overwhelmed and you'd barely noticed anything else. 

Sami increased his pace when he noticed you both nearing your highs, your voice finally coming back when Sami sucked on your swollen clit so hard and his fingers  pumped faster than ever before.

"Sami, fuck, keep doing that please, oh fuck, oh God, yes!" You yelled out, your voice hoarse and legs trembling uncontrollably as you felt your orgasm approaching.

You whined when Sami slowed down at your words, his arms going down to still Jey's movements. Your head fell back to the mattress, your breath ragged and heavy as Jey panted loudly, his head thrown back and sweat coating his body as he continued to try and ride Sami's dick.

"Sami..." Jey groaned in protest as Sami's hands stopped him from riding Sami's cock, his own breathing heavily as his release built slowly, but steadily.

"Admit that you don't hate me." Sami's deep voice vibrated inside you, sending chills through your entire body. He pulled his lips away from your pussy, his dark brown eyes staring straight into both your souls.

Jey tried to say something, but couldn't come up with anything, unable to formulate a reply to Sami's words. His throat tightened as he stared at Sami, unable to break free of his hypnotic stare. 

 You closed your eyes tightly, trying to grind yourself on Sami's face, trying to get back to the high, but Sami  was having none of it. He stopped your movement, his thumb caressing you lovingly in his hand, making you whimper and open your eyes.

He leaned in, his face inches away from yours as he whispered, "Say it."

"Fuck man..I don't hate you." Jey finally managed to get out as the desperation for release hit him, his heart pounding painfully against his rib cage as Sami 's intense stare bore into his eyes.

"Y/N?" At this point you thought Sami enjoyed toying with you both, as all you could think of was him eating you out and sucking on your clit like you both had been starving. A shiver went down your spine at the thought of Sami doing that with Jey.

"Yes Sami?" You answered breathlessly as your face heated.

"Tell me you don't hate me." Sami replied softly. It was almost impossible to hear him speak.

Your face flushed crimson, yet a smile crossed your lips. This game was becoming too much. You licked your lips nervously and looked at him, trying to ignore the way his intense gaze affected you, and you answered quietly. "No... I don't hate you."

Sami smiled wickedly at you, his gaze softening. He finally got you both to release your stubborn defenses and open up to him (in more than one way.) "Good." 

Then he continued his ministrations, and both you and Jey moaned in unison as you both quickly went back to chasing your highs once again. Sami felt his own orgasm approaching with every moan you let out and Jey's cock milking his own, but pushed it away to  concentrate on the two of you.

He kept on stroking and letting Jey thrust into him, making sure each and every moan you released came out of you both like a symphony, the sounds echoing against the wall like a thousand music notes that all blended and intertwined and created a beautiful harmony.

"Oh god," Jey breathed out, his eyes shut in ecstasy as Sami kept hitting his prostate relentlessly, sending waves of pleasure surging through him.

You couldn't help the cries of pleasure that escaped you as well, your whole body quivering as your orgasm approached. Both of you had reached the peak of your arousal and were struggling for another breath.

"I'm so fucking close Sami, don't you dare fucking stop." Jey's voice was hoarse with arousal as he begged Sami to keep going. "I won't, I promise." Sami assured him softly.

Sami smiled at how desperate Jey sounded and he sped up, wanting you both to be satisfied, but the moment his fingers brushed against your clit again, you shot upwards with such force he was certain you would crack your neck if him and Jey weren't holding onto your legs, his name falling from your lips like a prayer of pure bliss.

"Sami, right there, right there-Samiiii!!" You chanted as your walls convulsed around Sami's fingers and mouth, Sami's other hand going down to Jey and stroking his throbbing length as you were still moaning and panting, and Jey was fucking gone.

"Samiiiii!" Sami's name was the only thing Jey could muster up as his orgasm consumed him entirely, spilling its sweet, salty taste into Sami. Jey's sweet noises triggered your own orgasm, and you shuddered as Sami licked your sweet juices as you rode his face, licking slowly to ease you from your high. 

Sami grunted lowly as he orgasmed himself, spilling his seed into Jey, who was closing his eyes in overstimulation but waiting for Sami to finish. And as soon as he were finished you fell limp against Jey, your body completely spent from your climax. 

Sami smiled at the sight of the both of you passed out on each other, feeling pride and elation at finally winning a battle for control. 

"You both okay?" Sami asked sweetly, leaning down to kiss both your cheeks gently while brushing the hair out of your eyes.

Jey grumbled incoherently, his mouth forming a frown as he rolled over so he was facing his bedsheets. "Yeet."

Sami just laughed at him fondly and pulled you closer to him, wrapping his muscular arms around your waist and kissing your cheek lightly.

"What about you?" You groaned and turned to face him properly, pressing your nose into his chest. "Mmmm, mmm I'm tiredddd.... So very tired." Sami rubbed circles onto the small of your back soothingly, giggling at your adorableness and letting out a content sigh. 

"Rest up. I'm not finished with either of you tonight."

It took you several seconds to register his words and then you smirked devilishly, rolling up onto your elbows and staring at him teasingly. "You're bluffing."

Sami raised an eyebrow at you. You should know by know he never bluffs when it comes to you and Jey. He adjusted both your handcuffs so you could move more with them, and Jey also rolled onto his side so he now faced you as well, his hand reaching out to brush your curls aside.

"Man, you just wore us out. Wait a damn minute." Jey grumbled into your neck before kissing you deeply, his tongue swirling inside of your mouth eagerly.

"Didn't you just say to wait a minute?" Sami teased , his finger tracing patterns on Jey's stomach. Jey sucked in a breath as Sami pressed a little harder into him, before you gently pushed Sami off of Jey and straddled him, making Jey groan as his dick  jerked beneath you.

"Not now, I need time, I'm still kinda sore." Jey muttered after pulling away from you slightly.

"Hmmm... we can give you some time." Sami responded suggestively, his hand cupping your ass and pulling you downwards so you could lay down with him.

Jey instantly hardened again when he heard your mounds of pleasure and looked up to see Sami licking a stripe up your ass,  his other hand moving down your thigh until he reached your wet pussy, his hot, rough fingers gliding across your folds as he slid one of his fingers into you with ease. 

Jey tugged on Sami's leg to get his attention, since he was still handcuffed and had limited mobility. Sami chuckled at Jey's pouty look, and looked down to meet Jey's eyes, and understood what Jey wanted.

You whined at the loss of Sami's hand and mouth on you, but that whine turned into a moan as Sami lifted you and placed you on Jey's cock,  his thick shaft filling you completely while Sami filled you up from behind, his own moans of pleasure making you feel even hotter. 

"I told you, tonight I'm in control." Sami growled out his promise into your ear huskily as he started rocking his hips against yours, making your moans turn into loud gasps, in turn making Jey groan against your neck.

Let's just say, for the rest of the night he defiantly made sure to keep that promise.

[callsigns-haze]

Out of All: Chp 13 (the final chapter)

Jake Seresin x OC! Anna Bradshaw

Brothers' Best Friend Series! Follow along as these characters navigate the treacherous waters of love, loyalty, and desire, all while facing the ultimate taboo: falling for your sibling's best friend. From heart-pounding moments to steamy encounters, this series is a rollercoaster of emotions that will keep you hooked until the very end. Brace yourself for intense romantic tension, sizzling chemistry, and enough drama to keep you guessing. Are you ready to embark on this captivating journey?

This chapter includes explicit sexual content with detailed descriptions of sexual activity and intimacy between characters. Scenes depict physical intimacy, including kissing, touching, and biting, with characters described in states of undress. Emotional intensity is explored, encompassing themes of longing, desire, and vulnerability, with brief references to past trauma. Characters may be shown consuming alcoholic beverages, and mature themes such as casual relationships

Waking up in your own home, first time ever is a quite strange but incomparable experience. You can do anything, and you choose to lay and stare. Staring at the blank ceiling, before you open up the small window, allowing the sun to illuminate the small room of the apartment.

As you pull the blinds up, the sun first falls upon the tiny little desk, with the beautiful June roses upon it. The tiny little vase is full of them, the fresh smell spreads its spell across the room as you walk in that one oversized t-shirt. It's been a while, a while it's putting it nicely.

You're now four months pregnant. You've been living away from Bradley for a good two and a half months but that didn't mean the two of you didn't talk. You did just never the same way as before. And for Jake, you really didn't know what was going on between the two of you anymore.

The most you have ever seen either Bradley or Jake is at the hard deck. For now you refused to tell either of them where you are staying because the incident in the locker room turned out not to be the only one. They had a bigger incident on the tarmac… Before their punishment was set out, there was a hospital trip you had to attend which drove you insane. This is a fight between a thirty year old brother fighting against the twenty eight year old father of their niece or nephew.

You told both of that day that this wasn't going to work in such a way. You knew that messing around with your brother's wingman was dangerous but it started ruining their connection. And you weren't going to be the reason for that if you stepped away.

So, basically for the last few weeks you've met them at the hard deck; everyone could still sense the tension between the two men but the storm between the two was surely beginning to calm at shore. For your mental support you've always brought along Caila, it helped but she seemed to find her own reason to go. Bob. Somehow, the two of them…where bonding? You see, Bob is a tiny shy butterfly and Caila, well putting it nicely is the most stubborn person in the world.

You found it cute how Bob tried to make a good impression on her but the stubborn best friend you've got, didn't ignore it just simply didn't notice… Yes she's blind for feelings.

You never thought you'd be happy to say this but you're happy that somehow your misery is bringing a good and positive outcome upon your friend, you were all ride or die for it.

But today is none of the hard deck crap, or a day filled with stupid boys. Today was your day, but also it wasn't that great. June thirteenth. It's a day that, quite haunts your family. Twenty five years back, exactly on this day your father died in a severe ejection incident. You never got the chance to meet your father, but saw the true outcome of him in Bradley and stories that people told you.

Each year, you'd slope around and mourn the day but not today. Today was finally your day. Today you change June 13th history. Today is the day you'll find out the gender of your baby. You'll finally get to see what member of the family you'll have in five months time. But that's not the only excitement you have made for today, today you'll release the first teaser songs to your first ever album.

Today you were going down in history, and it'll for sure be a good one.

---

Truly when Jake was waking up he didn't know what to feel, today was the gender reveal of his baby yet he wasn't going to be there. This was due to the big work meeting he had exactly at the same time as the appointment and he also felt guilty, you didn't want to see him especially after that chick incident at the bar.

Ever since he got things worse between himself and Bradley, you started to ignore him. You barely ever texted, well not as much as you used to. The two of you didn't continue your dates but that's where the blame is on him.

He felt that you didn't want to interact with him as much as he believed and decided to take a step back to even things out, but that must have hurt you even more and caused you to back off. He knows this is such a cliché, but you don't know what you have till it's gone away. And if he could take away any pain but he still lies beside an empty space inside the bed he made. Usually he wouldn't mind but he realised he was hurting you.

He's sorry because he put you through hell, you tried to love him while he hated himself. He knows it's too late for apologies, for all of the mistakes that he didn't see; the blame's on him.

His body was bent over to the right against his locker. Hie eyes lay deep and their glimmer was nowhere to be seen due to the intensity of sadness that flooded him.

His shirt was out of his jeans in the side while he stared at the first ultrasound of your shared child. His muscles flexed as he exhaled. His eyes stiffened and a scowl came to his face.

"What do you want this time, Bradshaw? Huh! Wanna slam my head against this locker or kick me down into the tarmac?! Go ahead!" His voice was overwhelmed with fury and his pain tightened lips were getting pale.

"Out of all, why my sister?" Jake looked at him. He looked at him with a frown that was mingled through confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Why her?"

Jake didn't know the proper answer. Truly when he saw you at that bar for the very first time he knew his life has changed for the better, seeing you even once was enough. He used to cancel plans the second you called. Open the door in case you knocked. He was in love.

"Because…I love her."

Bradley for the first time in weeks laid his eyes upon his wingman and inspected him. God he hated the thought of that blonde slutty Texans arms around his tiny innocent sister but he had no option did he. He had no control over your story, but Jake was let onto your life story but it was your decision what path you'll take.

"Then why you here instead of being with her? I hate you soo much Seresin. Don't think I don't but she's about to find out the gender of your child and you're too scared to text her!?"

Right now, Bradley wasn't playing the big brother of his little sister that he would go through hell or high water for. He wasn't playing the protector of the traumatized little girl that you were. He was playing the best friend.

"She won't want me anymore."

"One thought against another."

--

As you sit alone in the ultrasound room, a mixture of nerves and excitement fills the air around you. You watch intently as the nurse applies the gel and begins to move the ultrasound wand over your belly. With each passing moment, your heart beats a little faster, anticipation building as you wait to catch a glimpse of your unborn baby.

As the image starts to form on the screen, your breath catches in your throat. The nurse smiles warmly and points to the screen, "There it is," she says gently, "Would you like to know the gender?"

You nod eagerly, your eyes fixed on the monitor. A rush of emotions floods over you as you hear the nurse reveal the news. Tears of joy well up in your eyes as you realize you're about to embark on this incredible journey of motherhood.

In that quiet room, alone with your unborn child, you feel a profound sense of connection and love. Despite any challenges you've faced in the past, you know that this little life growing inside you is a blessing, a beacon of hope for the future. And as you wipe away your tears, you whisper softly to your baby, promising to love and cherish them always.

After eagerly waiting on the chair, you receive the news that you are expecting a little baby girl. Excitement bubbles within you as you envision the adventures and moments you'll share with your daughter. It's a beautiful revelation, filling you with a sense of wonder and anticipation for the life that lies ahead. Holding onto that image of your precious baby girl, you feel an overwhelming surge of love and protectiveness already blossoming within you.

The nurse asks if you'd like any of the ultrasound pictures for yourself and others, to which you eagerly agree. With a grateful smile, you accept the offer, knowing that these images will become cherished keepsakes, capturing the very first glimpses of your daughter. You imagine sharing these precious moments with loved ones, their excitement and joy mirroring your own. As the nurse prints out the pictures, you hold them close, feeling a deep sense of connection to the little life growing inside you. These images, small as they may be, already hold a world of meaning, symbolizing the boundless love and anticipation you have for your baby girl.

As you leave the office and finally get to your car, a rush of emotions overwhelms you. Holding onto the ultrasound pictures, you feel an immense sense of gratitude and excitement for the journey ahead as a mother. But amidst the joy of this precious moment, another wave of anticipation washes over you.

With trembling fingers, you pull out your phone, knowing that today marks not only the announcement of your baby girl but also a milestone in your career as a singer. With a deep breath, you open Instagram and share the news with your fans and followers.

"After a journey filled with challenges and growth, I'm thrilled to share that my new album is finally here! 🎶 This project has been a labor of love, reflecting the highs and lows of my life's experiences. I poured my heart and soul into these songs, and I hope they resonate with you as much as they do with me. Thank you for sticking by me through it all. Let's embark on this new chapter together. #NewAlbum #ComingSoon #MusicIsLife"

As you hit the "post" button, a sense of fulfilment washes over you. Today marks the beginning of two incredible journeys, and you couldn't be more grateful for the love and support surrounding you. With a smile on your face and a heart full of hope, you start the car, ready to embrace whatever the future holds.

After posting the news, you head to the beach, the rhythmic sound of the waves providing a soothing backdrop to your thoughts. As you stroll along the shore, you're keenly aware of the conversation that awaits with the father of your baby. He knew you were pregnant but had expressed curiosity about the gender. With each step, you gather your thoughts, preparing yourself for this important discussion.

---

Jake's heart weighed heavy as he approached you on the beach, knowing he had caused you pain. The sky was overcast, mirroring the turmoil within him, and the waves crashed against the shore with a relentless rhythm, echoing the pounding of his heart. Despite the fear of your anger and disappointment, he couldn't stay away. Each step he took left a deeper imprint in the wet sand, and with every step, his resolve grew stronger, fueled by the love he still held for you.

As he drew near, he saw the storm of emotions brewing in your eyes, a reflection of the hurt he had inflicted. The wind tousled your hair, and you hugged your arms to your chest, a protective barrier against the chill in the air and the coldness between you. Yet, he couldn't delay any longer. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to gently touch your arm, his fingers trembling slightly as they brushed your skin, seeking solace in your presence.

You turned to face him, your expression a mixture of disbelief and guardedness. Your eyes, usually so warm and inviting, were now tinged with hurt and scepticism. But before you could utter a word, Jake closed the distance between you and pressed his lips softly against yours, a silent plea for forgiveness. The kiss was tender, filled with unspoken apologies and desperate hope, a fragile bridge trying to span the chasm that had grown between you.

As he pulled away, he looked into your eyes, his own filled with remorse and longing. "I know I've hurt you," he began, his voice raw with emotion, cracking under the weight of his guilt. He paused, struggling to find the right words, his throat tight. "But I can't shake this feeling, this need to make things right. I love you, Chick, more than anything. And I want to be there for you, for us, especially now that I know our baby is going to be a girl."

His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his confession. He took your hands in his, his grip firm yet gentle, as if afraid you might slip away. "I was a fool," he continued, his eyes searching yours for a glimmer of hope. "I let my fears and insecurities get the better of me. I pushed you away when all I ever wanted was to keep you close. I see that now, and it tears me apart knowing the pain I've caused."

He glanced down, unable to bear the intensity of your gaze, the tide of his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "Every moment without you has been a reminder of what I've lost," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves. "But when I found out about our daughter, something inside me changed. I realized that I want to be the man you need, the father she deserves."

Jake looked up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Please, give me a chance to prove myself," he implored, his voice steadying with determination. "Let me show you that I can be better, that I can love you the way you deserve to be loved. I want to be there for every step of this journey, for you, for our little girl."

He squeezed your hands gently, his touch a silent promise of his commitment. "I know I have a long way to go to earn your trust again," he admitted, "but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Just tell me what you need, and I'll be there. Always."

His words, filled with genuine remorse and a heartfelt plea for redemption, lingered in the air, a fragile hope that perhaps, just perhaps, you could find it in your heart to forgive him.

A/n: So this is where our series end! I'm going to post some parts on what happened to them in the future and with this comes a big step for me. I'm probably not going to write much more in the tgm fandom, I loved writing for you guys but we all know how downhill things went around here, I'll probably still post one-shots but this is the end of the major series!

tagging:

@callsign-magnolia

@callsign-dexter

@horseslovers2016

@rosiahills22

@djs8891

@hookslove1592

@emma8895eb

@hardballoonlove

@kmc1989

@dempy

@senawashere

@buckysteveloki-me

@sweetwhispersofchaos

@itsmytimetoodream

@jessicab1991

@ahh-chickens

@dingochef

@dizzybee03

@mrsevans90

@lynnevanss

@drakelover78

@smoothdogsgirl

[azul-nova-24]

Hey Y'all,

If you loved the epic action, historical drama, and electric chemistry of RRR, then you absolutely must check out "Our Flag Means Death" on HBO Max. Trust me on this one—here’s why:

Epic Chemistry: Just like the dynamic duo of Ram and Bheem, "Our Flag Means Death" features a standout pair of Steed Bonnet and Edward Blackbeard who will steal your heart. The chemistry between the characters is off-the-charts, blending humor and heartfelt moments.

Not to mention both the series has the Ray of Sunshine x Wet depressed cat vibes going on

Also, the main mlm couple in Our Flag Means Death actually becomes cannon.

Historical Drama with a Twist: While RRR dives into the rich tapestry of Indian history, "Our Flag Means Death" gives its own spin on history—pirate-style! It’s a quirky take on the Golden Age of Piracy, blending real historical figures with comedic brilliance.

Complex Characters: If you appreciate the depth of Ram and Bheem’s characters, you’ll love the nuanced portrayals in "Our Flag Means Death." The show brings its characters to life with a mix of humor, charm, and surprising emotional depth.

Diverse Storytelling: "Our Flag Means Death" offers a fresh perspective with its unique blend of comedy, drama, and adventure, proving that great stories can come from anywhere.

Binge-Worthy Fun: Much like how RRR keeps you on the edge of your seat, this show is irresistibly binge-worthy. The episodes are packed with witty dialogue, unexpected plot twists, and laugh-out-loud moments that will have you hooked from start to finish.

And to all the "Our Flag means Death" fans give RRR a watch. It is an incredible movie.

So if you’re craving more epic tales and charismatic duos, give "Our Flag Means Death" a shot. It’s got the heart, humor, and historical flair that will totally vibe with your RRR obsession.

[sinsmockingbird]

Five threesome pairs I want to be apart of. They'll be listed from the pair I want to be in between the most of, to the I still want to be in between them but not aching for it. For @sea-lanterns.

✧ GENSHIN IMPACT

1.) Raiden Ei & Yae Miko. I love these two, I love the ship (for the most part) and love their dynamic. I just know being in bed with them both is fucking crazy, and I want to experience that. Miko teasing the hell outta me and Ei, while the Archon is just getting a sweet tooth off me.

2.) Beidou & Ningguang. How can I not want to be with these two!? Lesbians, I love them, I want to witness their banter in bed while they pleasure me. You know Beidou is more rough and sloppy while Ningguang is slow and precise (great with her tongue).

3.) Arlecchino & Furina. Yes, a more toxic pairing with pretty dead dove themes, as deemed by the fandom. I don't fully ship them, but I just want to ruin Furina with Arlecchino. I want us both to make her cry and beg from our teasing, we'd be good cop bad cop.

4.) Ningguang & Ganyu. I'm sorry, but Ningguang has made it up here twice, because fucks sake I want her. I want these two to be slow and gentle with me, particularly after a hard day. We can take a warm bath and then after have loving sex.

5.) Shenhe & Yelan. Being tied up by Yelan and just having Shenhe all over me is.... yeah. I'm not too into Yelan, but goddammit, I am very into Shenhe.

✧ HONKAI STAR RAIL

1.) Black Swan & Acheron. The only reason this is number one is from that YouTube video. The two at, 2, were originally here, but it's changed. I want to be fucked hard by Acheron and become traumatized with Black Swan. I'll be the one to bring these two back together.

2.) Kafka & Himeko. I don't think much has to be said as to why, I mean... the chemistry between these two and the obvious history. Plus I want Kafka to ruin my pussy while Himeko is there comforting me, and allowing me to suck on her boobs. Best therapy fuck, right here.

3.) Stelle & Firefly. Let me please dominate and tease these two!! Oh my god I want to make Stelle squirm while I jerk their cock off and make sure she gets to the point of release before stopping. Then making Firefly a flushed mess while she watches, touching herself until I go between her legs-!!! God I want them.

4.) Jingliu & Yukong. My tragic old yuri women. Deranged Jingliu fucking me hard and in heat Yukong- yes I want to be bred and knocked up. I don't want to leave that bed until I'm filled with their cum, okay!! Plus, they both just need love.

5.) Serval & Natasha. This is a rare pair between two old women I love so much. We need Natasha to heal Serval's broken heart, the one Cocolia left her with, she is a doctor after all. And if getting into bed with them will start that? Then 100% we're doing that.

✧ PATH TO NOWHERE

1.) Zoya & Angell. After that fanart I saw with them both, and that thirst I wrote as well, I've never wanted to be between two women more. I want them to try and stake claim on me, fighting over me even as they fuck me dumb. I don't care how many bites and scratches I have on my body after.

2.) Shalom & Rahu. I want Rahu fucking me raw, like a dog in heat, while Shalom watches and praises us both. I also want to participate in endlessly teasing Rahu and making her unable to cum until Shalom gives her permission. It's a coin flip with them both for me.

3.) Deren & Raven. Give me these two creative ladies and let me pull them into bed with me. Just knowing Raven would be very high energy with a low energy Deren is amusing, but it works. Raven is doing most of the work, not that she minds, while I lazily jerk Deren off. It's fucking heaven.

4.) Cabernet & Kelvin. Intimidated but aroused Kelvin, having her thighs pinned down on the bed with Cabernet eating her out. Then I'm on the side, teasing her nipples and marking her neck, praising her. I want it.

5.) Tetra & Pricilla. These two would be beyond teasing in bed, and you know what, I'd take it all. I want to their prized gem that they worship and love.

[lurkingshan]

Hi! I love reading your opinions and I have just started The Sign. What are your opinions on the show and what route are you hoping it would take for the second half of the show? Take care and happy new year!

Hello anon! You picked such an interesting moment to send this ask. We’re halfway through the show and I think its strengths and weaknesses have become fairly clear. Let's talk about it!

Strength: The Chemistry

I think this is the thing that had all the girlies losing it right out of the gate: Phaya and Tharn are hot and their interactions are hotter. The pull and chemistry between them is palpable and the set up for their romance is compelling. Kudos to whoever found Babe and decided to pair him with Billy: you, sir or madam, are incredible at your job and deserve a fruit basket. We are all dying for these two to finally fuck.

Weakness: The Pacing

Which is why it's kind of frustrating that the show is dragging its feet on letting their relationship advance. The first four eps were delicious tension-building, but as the show starts to stall and use dream sequence fakeouts to provide smut without actual relationship development, the audience is clearly getting antsy. The show's pacing is all over the place in general, with wildly varied episode lengths and inconsistent action and plot advancement from week to week. And the desire to drag out the romance without a compelling alternative plot to fill the show in its absence is causing some damage to the characters, most notably Tharn, who is just starting to seem unreasonably antagonistic to a person we know he likes, not to mention unperceptive in his continued inability to notice what is going on around him.

Strength: Production Values

This show is absolutely gorgeous; you can tell most of the money went into making every frame of it beautiful. The strength of the production values and hard work of the crew to create the look and feel of the world was evident from the first episode with all those beautiful training sequences on the beach. And this is used to particularly strong effect whenever we visit Phaya and Tharn's past lives and see the magical world that exists around them come to life.

Strength: The Supporting Cast

The show also has a great ensemble, with Yai especially a standout character who brings a lot of fun to the show, along with his girlfriend Sand and the police squad bros. This is not surprising, as big, messy, chaotic, endearing queer friend groups are an IdolFactory staple. As of last week, we officially have a lesbian side pairing! Tharn and Phaya also have interesting family histories with sweet grandmas and loved ones who lend depth to their characterization.

Weakness: The Copaganda

It was perhaps too much to expect that this bl about cops would have a more sophisticated perspective on law enforcement, institutional corruption, and the so-called "justice" system, but that does not stop me from groaning out loud every time they pause the story to let these characters wax poetic about the nobility of their jobs.

Strength: Thai Folklore

This show is teaching all of us some things about real Thai folklore about the garuda and nara, including local customs associated with celebrating these tales, and the depiction of these stories in the show is just beautiful. Despite it basically being a tourism advert (complete with couple shirts for no reason??), I really enjoyed the episode that took us to Nong Khai and the Mekong River to see how modern Thai folks interpret and celebrate the myths at the center of this show’s story and ground us in something real.

Weakness: An Underdeveloped Take on Toxic Masculinity

This show uses violence quite a lot in its story, including violence in interpersonal dynamics, and it sometimes seems to want us to be alarmed by uncontrolled male anger, and sometimes impressed by it. At this point, Tharn and Phaya have both struck each other in anger during personal disagreements, and there hasn't been any real reckoning with the fallout of that. On top of that, the show has given us some crime cases that highlight the harm of toxic masculinity while also seeming to glorify and revel in it, most notably in the framing of a man who kidnapped and retraumatized sexual assault victims as a hunky folk hero. It's a confused take, to say the least, and I'm not sure the show has the depth and precision necessary in the writing to take on some of what it's throwing at the wall.

Strength: Villains

All I can say is Heng was born to play an evil snake god. The show has done a good job at making him feel like a real threat and building the antagonism between him and Phaya to the point where Phaya has been isolated from support and made to look crazy in front of Tharn. Dr. Slow Motion is very good at this.

So, what's the TL; DR? This show is a lot of fun, but has some obvious weaknesses in the writing, so do your best not to take it too seriously if you can. I am ready to see Phaya and Tharn get together and finally start working as a team, for the full backstory and epic battle they are waging to come out, and for the motivations of the rest of the cast of characters to become clear (I just know there are some additional past life reincarnations waiting to be revealed). It's a great time if you don't think about it too hard, and I really hope the back half will pick up the pace so that we can all just enjoy the ride.

[pigdemonart]

Do you ship Fox and Krystal?? Because they were my childhood 🥺 baby's first otp yknow

hahah I do! But with a BIG asterisk. Putting it under cut for INSANE STAR FOX RAMBLINGS

* <- the big asterisk: I ship them, but like I also am okay with them not being end-game. I think their relationship could be so much bigger than that!! OK so, let me explain. When I was a kiddo I shipped them! I was a baby furry and I loooooved that there was a playable girl character in Star Fox FINALLY (though, you know that was for only a split second bhnjmk) But now, I just think the way they were both written in the games was a little boring and one-note. Also just uncomfortable at times, since her first appearance Krystal was made out to be weird kinda-fetishy, sex-appeal and not much else. I don't think that's a controversial statement though LOL Later games I don't much feel for their chemistry either, though they have cute moments here and there. The more interesting parts about them is when they're not seeing eye-to-eye and they're apart from each other, honestly. So in my drawings I was picturing something less canon and more re-imagined. Krystal is the lone survivor of her race and she's on Sauria trying to find the truth about what happened to her home planet while also aiding the local wildlife. I don't imagine the dinosaurs speaking much in my version, but Krystal is telepathic and an empath, she can read their minds well enough to talk to them and be understood. I imagine also she knows about Andross, but doesn't believe he's the reason her planet was destroyed (there's disagreements on if that is canon or not, and I think its pretty silly to blame every bad thing on the one guy.) I think it would be fun if Krystal (never being encased in a crystal because that plot was dumb) meets Fox on Sauria early on in the events of Star Fox Adventures. I mean it would have been GREAT if Krystal was his partner, instead of Tricky. Though in the drawings I included Tricky too, cuz why not? I like the dynamic of Krystal being kind towards all living creatures and Fox having to learn to keep up with that. Nature never seemed like his -thing- ya know. See I like the idea of their personalities crashing a lot at first. They are from different cultures and backgrounds, their understanding of Lylat history is different -- Fox being from Corneria means he views the war against Andross as a necessary thing, something Andross brought on himself and eventually paid for with his life, not to mention the death of his father weighs heavily on him forever. Krystal disagrees, being a firm believer that war is never the answer and the price of peace for some came at the cost of the death of others, including her own people. Like...DO YOU SEE HOW MUCH THEY WOULDN'T MIX, they are just too different and too caught up in their own life missions to really get the other's intentions. But then in spite of all that, they become friends. I think my ver. of Krystal while looking down on Fox somewhat for being a mercenary would also be intrigued by him. She would want to know how exactly this guy and his team defeated Andross, and from there know more stories about his life. Likewise, Fox being stuck on ground on Sauria with Krystal I think would open his eyes a bit more (lmao touch some grass for once) and they would at least bond with each other while also helping each other stay alive. I think they realize on their own that they each bring out good things about one another... at least at first.

In the games Krystal is pretty much assimilated into Star Fox and we don't really see how that happens or how she really feels about it. We just know she eventually breaks up with Fox and cuts ties with the rest of them, something that broke my heart when I was a kid, but I'm not super against or in disagreement with. Personally I just think her sort of beliefs and upbringing would have never lent itself well to the line of work Star Fox does, at least not so easily. It came off to me like she was a young woman caught up in a romance that felt right at first and then became bitter and unfulfilling once reality set in. And in my eyes, I think its more interesting if she becomes disillusioned with Star Fox and the Cornerian Defense Force because, put simply, Krystal isn't pro-military. And that's sad...but it's pretty raw, too. And I love my stupid children's game about furries in space being full of dark themes!! Nintendo already set the domino pieces up, I just feel like we never got to see them all come tumbling down. We were teased with possible ideas that the Cornerian army and General Pepper were morally grey and that Andross had good intentions mixed in with every totalitarian thing he did. Krystal even is the one to defend Andross in one scene in Command, which is fucking crazyyyyyyyy!!! but it doesn't GO ANYWHERE -tears hair out- But anyways, as you can see Fox X Krystal drives me insane. /pos There isn't really an ending I love or subscribe to the most from Star Fox Command. That game really just threw a lot of the fans for a loop with all the drama and "bad," not super fulfilling ends to beloved characters. Though, that being said, I lowkey like the Kursed/Krazoa arc for Krystal, I think it's like an interesting path for a character like her. Like yeah, turn this woman into a hardened butch bounty hunter!!!! why NOT!!! She'd get under his skin better than Wolf ever could!!! Plus, how often does a pairing go from friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-strangers?? Fox can't recognize the love of his life anymore because she's been fundamentally changed by the world HE introduced her to. Now they both gotta live with that with Sauria being nothing but a distant memory. It's tragic, it's messy, it can go in so many different directions and I just think these furries should yell at each other for my amusement. anyways that's all. :] i'm actually normal about them tee hee.

[wasabijean]

Why do people treat Thrax and Osmosis like That? A Discussion About Fandom and Antiblackness

Happy black history month!

I’ve been considering making this post for a long time, and I wasn’t sure when, but I think now is a good opportunity.

NOTE: Let me preface this by saying that with a movie with a predominantly black main cast, the fanspace has been predominantly white/non-black, and I feel that has effected the conversations surrounding this movie for a long time.

Fandom, in general, continues to have white voices and perspectives highlighted, while black and poc voices are drowned out. Compare 2014 to 2024, and it’s obvious that there’s been a shift in diversity among all fanspaces, and I’m so very glad.

I want to continue this shift, by giving my own perspective as a black person who loves this movie, and I’d like to highlight the way the OJ fandom has treated these black characters (and spoiler, it hasn’t been great.)

Firstly, too many people are comfortable with portraying Thrax as this sexual r*pey monster, and I need it to stop. ESPECIALLY when he’s explicitly a black coded character.

From what I’ve seen observing and participating in this fandom over the past few years, is that Thrax and Ozzy is a very popular pairing, and honestly, I’m not a fan. It’s onesided, there’s not that much chemistry on screen except the dynamic of Jones being afraid and Thrax trying to kill him. I can’t control what people ship, but I absolutely can condemn the way people have paired these two up. Because… As a black person, I don’t like seeing these black characters in (oftentimes if not always) inherently racist dynamics.

Let me explain:

CW // mentions of racism, rape, grooming

Both Jones and Thrax are black coded characters. They use AAVE, have black VA’s, and Thrax literally has locs While Mayor phlemming is very much racist towards Jones in the movie (ie refering to him as “incapable”, treating Ozzy badly why Drix is praised, there’s obviously racial coding there). So, I can say with certainty that these characters are black, because of how theyre treated and also the cultural motifs in their story and character.

With that said, in the pairing of Ozzy and Thrax, so many people depict Thrax as this sexy controlling or possessive boyfriend that’s monsterous and the “top”, while Jones is the submissive scared stupid and sensitive “bottom”. I’ve seen this in fanfic, fanart, etc. It’s a shame that these characters have been boiled down into something like this, especially when I love Thrax as a villain, and I think Jones does a great job standing his ground as a hero even when he’s scared.

Thrax has high kill count and he wants to keep the killing going, and it’s refreshing to see a unrelentless villain like that in kids Animation; That’s one of the reasons why he’s so popular. But, everytime I bring up this character to people, its either “he’s so hot i need him” or “he should fuck osmosis”. Pushing aside the good writing of black characters in order to satisfy sexual fantasies via a ship is Certainly a Odd Choice. But, it happens anyway in a lot of fanspaces, and Osmosis Jones is no exception.

This type of dynamic of Thrax in particular just continues to perpetuate stereotypes of black men that are inherently racist. (ex: black men are rapists, are hyper sexual monsters, etc). Like, Historically, this stereotype has been used to dehumanize and incarcerate black men, And the stereotype in its self began with American slavery and the practice of “breeding” the enslaved. So, why do so many people continue to project this type of behavior on Thrax (particularly with Jones)?

Is it because he’s hot? Or that he’s just sexual in nature? Or was it that “big daddy thrax” line in the movie? Regardless of how Thrax was written compared to how he has been protrayed in fandom spaces, at the end of the day, thats fanon. Thrax isn’t a sex monster, he’s a egotistical virus with the intent to kill and win!

Themes of R*pe come up a lot with Thrax fancontent, for some reason. Maybe it was the choking scene, because it has sexual themes, but is not consesual in the slightest. Majority ozzy and thrax fanfics on AO3 have tags for Non-c0n and explicit. Sometimes, instead of fanfic it’s digital art, and it isn’t always tagged.

I vividly remember scrolling on tumblr when I was 14, looking for Osmosis Jones art, only to be flashed by r*pe and explicit content of Thrax, Jones, Leah. I remember Leah, a black woman character, often being pushed to the side and demonized. Little black kid me got so, so scared of the fandom, because of the racism and graphic content.

So, I kept lurking, holding my breath as I scrolled, and never interacting or posting my art, sharing my ideas, nothing. I felt alienated from the fanspace of a animated movie meant for kids, a movie that I loved. Online fanspaces are a great way for people to find other’s who have the same interest, but that wasn’t the case for me. I was deprived of something I should’ve had fun with, especially as an autistic kid who had no one else to talk to about the things I liked. I hated it; being uncomfortable and scared, because of something I loved, but feared the things that could come with it.

I tried overcoming that fear and branching out but it ultimately got me groomed by people who liked the movie on different occasions, and now that I’m 18, older, and wiser, I don’t want repeats to happen to anyone else.

There is no reason a animated movie, that’s meant for children mind you, has had such a racist and explicit fanspace.

There is no reason to not properly tag your content, not just for organization purposes, but for safety.

There is no reason why the most popular ship in this fandom is the one that has so much underlying themes of racism and SA, canonically and in fanon.

This is just my opinion, because I think black voices are important in fandom especially when so often overlooked, and I’m willing to discuss this further or answer any questions. It’s just tiring as a black person to keep seeing this happen with black characters.

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon here bestie, ready with the gin to endure whatever nonsense Eddie's plot is devolving into this week. God I hope the focus on Henren or Bathena so I can walk away with some sense of satisfaction. I'm not even going to attempt to say something good might come out if it, since history isn't on our side this season wrt Eddie. Tim needs to lay off his Hitchcock obsession, he did Psycho on LS last season, is doing Vertigo now, and both plots were utter nonsense. At least I got a good laugh today looking at the stills from the Oliver and Lou interview. Somebody should have told Oliver to blink 3 times if he's there against his will, though the fact that he looks like he's actively leaning towards the nearest exit probably says it just as well.

Yeah, the sooner bucktommy ends the happier I'll be. The relationship itself is fine, on par with every other BS relationship Buck was in really, but the fandom around it is exhausting and the active attempts to erase any semblance of Eddie in Buck's life is just so, so dumb (and pointless, like Buck wouldn't be the same without Eddie in his life just as Eddie isn't the same without Buck). Anyway cheers friend, we're on the precipice of something that looks both exciting and annoying, let's hope the scales tip in our favor 🍷🍸🥃.

Well, as I'm sure you guessed by my late answer, I saw this and waved at you from post limit jail, due to the d20 finale last night. I wish Tumblr would have a pop up like, "hey, you have 5 posts left before you hit post limit today!" or something so I could prepare!

So, good news, the Bobby and Henren stuff was *chefs kiss* angsty and dramatic and pulled at my heartstrings! The Bobby montage as he's giving his Captain Dad advice and having Buck cook, and calling Hen "Mother Hen" (while looking at Buck and Eddie 👀👀👀), giving the prayer book to Eddie, giving tips to Ravi, calling out orders on scene, it was all so much! And GOD, them taking that poor little girl away, and Denny stepping between that man and his sister, I was in TEARS! The Bobby and Athena talk got me too, and then him seeing his dead dad?! Bobby is going THROUGH IT and I ate it up!

As for Eddie I- legitimately do not know what to say. The whole thing was a mess, Kim giving herself bangs?? to roleplay with a stranger?? was just SO WEIRD and off-putting. Sorry I guess I'm just a hater but I think Eddie getting stuck with actresses like GW and EG means that him having scenes with anyone else feels good? but I'm not falling all over myself about any magical chemistry 🤷🏻‍♀️I hate this storyline and I'm tired of the narrative that this was some great love Eddie is missing out on when season 2-3 gave us actual canon evidence that it isn't true, and it feels more like Tim wanted Devin back and thought he could get away with it now that the audience had some space and KR spent all last season pretending Shannon was some saint (when he killed Shannon off so quickly originally because he said the audience wasn't going to forgive her and he didn't want to waste screentime on that when grief tied in with anger and abandonment was a more interesting storyline for Eddie and Chris). I'm also VERY curious about where the "Eddie realizing he's been looking at the relationship with rose colored glasses and living in delusion about it" is because GIRL that wasn't it. Eddie crying about her being the great love of his life and how they could have had it all is NOT him taking off the rose colored glasses, no matter how pretty Ryan looks when he's crying.

ANYWAY. I was already not on board with this but the writers dragging Chris into it too just gives me the ick. And it might resolve fine, but GOD!! THE JOURNEY MATTERS!! It matters how the characters get places! And this is just...not just a mess but a completely unnecessary one. They could address Eddie's grief and delusions about his relationship with Shannon (and her relationship with Chris because don't think I didn't clock him bringing up her (shit ass guilt trip) letter but not that she abandoned her son and cut off all contact for years) without resorting to trashy soapy doppelganger nonsense and cheating drama. And it's WILD because Bobby's arc this season and his relationship with Athena, and Henren's storyline have been SO GOOD, and even though there were some pacing and tone issues, even the Madney stuff has been good (and Kenny always slays the dramatic arcs!). Buck has taken a mostly supportive backseat this season which, while I ADORE him, was needed after the mess KR made of his character and her apparent lack of interest in the majority of the other main characters and his personal storyline (the bi realization, being Eddie's partner for all the big emotional talks) is also fine, it just got hijacked by some absolutely bizarre shipping strangeness over a couple minutes of screentime. But GOD Eddie's shit has been such a weird mess! It wasn't enough to be stuck with the transphobe all season, we also had to add in this nonsense?! Thanks, I hate it. At least we might finally be allowed to let Shannon go?? I am literally begging at this point.

As for th b/t of it all, I have literally blocked it from my mind and out of my existence (the ONE perk of my tumblr app still not working and having to do most of my stuff in my phone browser means I haven't really seen my dash lately and I've been smart about staying out of the tag for once) because it's just not worth the headache the bad takes give me. I'm just...so tired. I was willing to watch it play out (felt very much like Ali as the first step post-Abby, something background setting up for more later *cries in s4 Buddie canon*) but go at this point I just need it to be over for EVERYONE'S sanity. Especially Oliver's because like, girl. Why do you look like you're trapped in that loft with MW again?! Why so haunted? Girl, are you okay?? Oliver?? And how he continues to just post Buddie/Ryan stuff?? Loud.

I'm just...tired. So tired. And I need a drink. Imma go find some absolutely filthy/funny/fun Buddie fic and drown myself in that because I have the unfortunate feeling it's gonna be a LONG fucking hiatus.

Cheers friend. I know I always say if we can survive RNM (with it's own doppelganger storyline) then we can survive anything but GOD it would be nice to not have it be so hard.

[lesbinewren]

I’ve learned too much about the Ahsoka show against my will (haven’t watched it and fighting the urge to) and the more I learn about Sabine’s plot there the more I wish they’d never touched on Rebels characters in live action. What are your thoughts on Sabine through the Ahsoka show, having seen it?

i think what stands out for me is that i didn’t hate it as much as a lot of other sabine fans i know, my gripes are more just the way that her story sometimes scrapes so close to being really really good, but never quite makes it all the way there. a big part of this i think is how they strayed away from a lot of overly-specific references and spending too much time on things that would need to be explained to non-rebels fans, which i appreciate from the perspective of making the show accessible (esp bc i have met a few people now who watched rebels for the first time BECAUSE of ahsoka), but i do think weakens certain aspects as far as being a spiritual successor to rebels

i think the broad strokes of what’s there could be really good, they just need more fleshing out. a lot of this is something that could be “fixed” for me in future seasons/stories assuming a certain amount of care is taken.

i’ll start with what i liked: i did warm up to natasha’s performance a lot quicker than i thought i would. the intro she has in the show had me captured pretty quickly, both because i think it’s a well-written character intro and how natasha sells it. i still prefer tiya’s iteration of the character, but natasha was really great at capturing the mix of soft kindness and attitude, plus sabines specific blend of insecurity and confidence. i think some of her best moments also come from how well she nails the chemistry between her and other ghost crew members (as sparing as those scenes are, which is a major gripe of mine). her and eman’s ezra are so electric to watch, and her one scene with hera hit it on the head (that scene also did a ton of heavy lifting as far as selling me on LA hera). you can FEEL the love she has for both characters and immediately get a sense of what their relationship is like, even if you don’t know all of their history. i genuinely think all of the LA rebels were at their best when they were interacting with each other, because those relationships all hit the nail on the head and i hope to see more of that in the future, especially with her and hera (and PLEASE bring zeb in, i miss him so much you can’t show me that you can make him look good in live action for a cameo in a different show and then not let him see his family!!!)

i liked the attention to detail the set design team had when it came to her apartment on lothal, i liked that they gave her a cat, i liked that they outright stated her sibling relationship with ezra. i liked her back and forth with huyang, i liked that they let her keep her more masculine style armor vs re-casting bo-katan armor, i liked that the show did not hold back on seeing how she’s been struggling with the loss of ezra and her birth family (though i don’t really like how the off-screen killing of the wrens was handled). i liked her rivalry with shin, i liked the scenes with her howler, i liked that she got a poncho for a bit, i liked the way she treated the first noti that she met. i liked the way she got to be selfish and messy and yet still we see that she’s a good person, that she learns from her mistakes and makes the right choices in the end even when it’s hard. i like that she cares, she cares so much it gets her in trouble and despite this she still gets to be sassy and snarky and have all of these pluralities that make her who she is.

genuinely, though everything below is way more long winded than what’s up here, my feelings towards sabine in this show do lean more positive, my criticisms are just more complicated and wordy than my likes lol. i think there’s a lot that’s done right (which i think majorly has to do with natasha’s performance), and so, so much potential. there’s a nonzero chance that season 2 could address most of my issues in a way that satisfies me and turns around my feelings on this, even if ultimately i think i will still always prefer and wish for more animated sabine

criticisms under a cut bc this is longer than i thought

the two big issues i have are the way her mandalorian heritage is handled and the way her jedi arc is handled.

when i say the way her mandalorian heritage is handled, i guess the better answer is the way it ISN’T handled. sabine being a mandalorian is so nonessential to her character in this show, that if you took her armor off you wouldn’t even know she was mandalorian. hell, keep her armor and just don’t have her helmet (which i also think she should have worn more without CONSTANTLY GETTING KNOCKED OFF ARE YOU KIDDING ME) and i bet you a lot of casual viewers wouldn’t have even picked up on it! compare that to her in rebels- being a mandalorian is so integral to her identity, even when she isn’t on good terms with any other mandalorians. she references it herself, other characters reference it about her. this is a character that wielded THE DARKSABER for crying out loud, and her mandalorian identity is erased? in an era where a show called “the mandalorian” is a disney+ flagship that this show itself is essentially a spin-off of, it boggles my mind as both a storytelling and a marketing decision.

any criticisms about mando s3 you may have aside, the last live action show before this one was about the reunification of mandalore. one of your leads in this new show is a mandalorian with a personal connection to the co-lead of that show who once possessed the macguffin you revolved a subplot around there (and is actually the one who handed it over to said co-lead in the first place, kicking off the shows whole backstory). and you just… don’t think about at least letting mandalorian heritage be a bigger part of this character? and not even that, but actively ignoring how important it was before? i understand wanting this show to stand on its own, but it feels like such a waste. sabine loving her mandalorian heritage while also rejecting certain parts of it is a huge part of what makes her character so cool and interesting, and i actually think could have worked really well in tandem with the jedi arc they have for her.

my hope is that now that they feel they’ve done the legwork to establish her as a jedi they won’t have to put quite as much focus on that and in season 2 and wherever else she shows up we’ll be able to see more mandalorian-focused aspects of her, but we’ll see how that goes.

which does bring me to the whole jedi thing. i don’t hate it- i completely understand why people do, but i did warm up to it by the end of the show. i also am not opposed to the idea of anyone being able to connect with the force, it just being a lot harder for those who aren’t naturally force-sensitive, to the point that it’s a non-issue for me. while it wouldn’t have been my preferred direction for her story to go, i actually do like the idea of sabine being a nontraditional jedi, blaster in hand yet following their teachings in her own way because they resonate with her as someone with a desire to help others and do good, and as an extension of how she loves and honors kanan and ezra as her family. we do see inklings of this in rebels, where she rejects certain violent parts of mandalorian culture in favor of “sounding like a jedi” based on what she’s learning from kanan (again a reason to focus more on her as a mandalorian, but whatever).

the problem is, it doesn’t really feel like the show’s jedi arc for her is actually following up on those things. the show doesn’t really address why sabine wants to be a jedi, outside of maybe it being a way for her to find ezra with ahsoka. but now she found ezra. so why does she care about being a jedi? is it because she believes in the code? because she wants to connect with the jedi in her life? because after all she’s been through, she’s searching for peace and balance within herself the jedi path can provide? the show doesn’t really bother to bring this up. i can fill in the gaps with my own fanon, but it feels odd to essentially be told “this character, who showed no interest before, wants to be a jedi now.” this is again something that can be explored in season 2 to satisfy me, but as it stands right now i struggle with it. because right now, the answer feels like “why does sabine want to be a jedi? so ahsoka can have a padawan”

especially because the closest we get to an answer isn’t actually a jedi thing at all- if anything, it’s dark side mindset. the most consistent thing we see with sabine wanting to be a jedi in the show is actually wanting to yield the power of the force. especially when it comes to her attachments (specifically ezra here)! nothing to do with selflessness, with inner peace, any of the core tenets of the jedi philosophy- it’s just about that power. i don’t think it was the intention, and if it was i think sabine struggling with the dark side is entirely natural to her character after all she’s lost at this point, if it was portrayed that way. but her triumphant moment of finally unlocking that power is not one where she realizes she has to find calm within herself to feel the force around her, but one where she is able to access it purely out of fear for her own life in a panicked moment, and then again out of fear for ezras life.

and maybe this is part of the story! the season does end with her rejecting her attachment and instead of going home with ezra, going back to help ahsoka because it’s the right thing to do. so it’s headed in the right direction in that regard. another hope i have for season 2 is that we’ll see sabine struggle still with using the force when she’s at peace and not in a life or death situation, and the frustrations that come with that. maybe she starts relying on strong emotions like anger or fear to wield the force, and ahsoka has to guide her now on not just finding her connection, but on finding it without relying on emotions that could lead her to slip towards the dark side, even though it’s much harder. i think it would create some really great tension considering how sabine’s initial apprenticeship with ahsoka ended, and we then get to see how “ahsoka the white” handles these problems differently than she did before. but who knows?

i also think i said pretty recently i would instantly be 100% more on board with this arc for her if she was allowed to at least talk about kanan. she was close to him, she loved him, he was a huge part of her life and her arc in rebels- and her relationship to him is ignored. are hera and ezra’s relationships to him (which do get acknowledged) bigger parts of rebels? absolutely. but there are several entire episodes revolving around the relationship between sabine and kanan, and other moments between the two of them throughout. i understand the show wants to be accessible to people who haven’t seen rebels, but it feels odd to have the entire scene where ezra builds his lightsaber dedicated to his relationship with kanan, while sabine’s relationship gets ignored. sabine gets to have a nonverbal reaction to huyang bringing him up, (which natasha plays well) but then… that’s it? the shift is then immediately focused again to her relationship with ahsoka.

and even that connection isnt explored to its full potential. like, how does sabines relationship to kanan affect her one without ahsoka? and not just “kanan and ezra were master and padawan and now me and ahsoka are.” like, kanan was, in a way, her first jedi master. and she witnessed him die tragically, saving the life of her and two of the people she’s closest to. has she built kanan up in her head as an ideal ahsoka doesn’t live up to? is she guilty that she didn’t have as much an interest in being a jedi while he was still alive? does she compare the way she saw kanan teach ezra to the way ahsoka teaches her? do things she learned from kanan ever conflict with what ahsoka teaches her? i don’t necessarily need the show to spell out answers for these questions for me- i like getting to write my own headcanons in the margins of the series. but i feel like it’s such a missed opportunity to not even acknowledge it.

and my final smaller issue is that a lot of the trademark elements of her character no longer exist in this show. while the set dressing does a great job of showing her artsy side, we don’t really get to see her draw or paint or even talk about art. we dont get to see her knowledge of or affinity with explosives. i say it’s smaller because i dont have as much to say on it, but tbh i missed these parts of her as much as i did her as a mandalorian. while sabine in this show has a lot of her personality, relationships and style from rebels, which i appreciate, the interests and background that not only make her unique but make her who she is are missing, and it is honestly sad.

in a way, i love when a lot of these things are left open. i love getting to fill in gaps like this and create some of those emotional connections in my head, that’s a huge part of the fun of fandom for me. it’s also why i don’t mind that we haven’t (yet, i’m sure it’s coming eventually in some form lol) seen all of the details of sabine and ahsoka’s initial attempt to find ezra, and them parting ways because of ahsoka fearing sabine is veering to close towards the dark side. i like getting to write it in my head a little bit, i think that particular info is enough to build on for the shows purposes for me.

and frankly, i don’t need every single one of my questions here directly answered. in fact, i would say i DONT want the show to outright answer all of these. rebels didn’t feel the need to hold our hand through every single character arc and relationship dynamic, and this show shouldn’t have to either. i like my room for headcanons! but there’s a point where they all build up to a point where it feels a little bit careless, like the writing sabines arc in this show often prioritized ahsoka’s arc and what needed to happen there before her own, even if it meant leaving out major parts of sabines character.

a lot of it i genuinely think couldve been fixed with just a couple more episodes of this show (8 episode season my beloathed) and perhaps things will be explored and fleshed out in season 2 to satisfy me- we are technically looking at an incomplete story with this show, so things could happen next season that make a lot of my points moot.

again, i think that this show had a lot of legwork to do regarding sabine as a jedi and catching us up on her relationship to ahsoka, to the point that it didn’t necessarily have time to fully dive into a lot of issues with this first season- and maybe now that that’s established, they will be able to do a lot of these things! i think the show is headed in the right direction based on the ending, with both sabines choice to help ahsoka and also how the show does make a point to show sabine picking up her mandalorian helmet and when she could have left it behind. that last bit especially felt very pointed considering how little her mandalorian heritage was brought up in season 1, that maybe it will play a bigger role in season 2. we now have a sabine that they don’t have to show being out of practice, so maybe we’ll get to see her be the incredibly competent fighter/pilot we know she is! maybe now we’ll have time to explore exactly why she wants to be a jedi, how being a mandalorian is important to her and interacts with her jedi beliefs. we’ll have time for her to do art, maybe she’ll get some opportunities to blow things up again! maybe now that she knows huyang knew kanan, she’ll get to talk about him. maybe she’ll get to reunite again with hera, chopper, zeb and ezra and we’ll see those relationships shine.

but until we have a season 2 in our hands, these are my current thoughts

[youranemicvampire]

My favorite shows and movies that i've watched in 2023

Barbie (2023)

Always been a sucker for great production and costume design. Feminism aside, it’s so fun and smart with all the references. I just don’t like the Ken hype. He’s fun, sure, but a lot of fans are missing the point or just proving the message of the story.

Bottoms (2023)

Need more lesbian chaos as a comedy fan. Sapphic softcore is ok of course, but you know, there should be a variety of WLW cinema. Perfect also for the Y2K nostalgia. ‘Bring It On’ fan here!

Nocebo (2022)

I actually watched it last year, but it was too late to be on my 2022 list. Underrated political-horror film. Underrated cast! It should’ve had the same hype with Parasite and Triangle of Sadness. For me, it was simple and well-written. The structure of the story was smart but easy to absorb.

About Us But Not About Us (2022)

The first and last single-location film that I watched was Kisaragi (2007) and I’ve been waiting for something like that since then. One of the most important things i look for a media is the script so i really enjoyed it especially when they switched characters. Very intriguing.

The Little Mermaid (2023)

Been waiting for this since 2019! I’ve been a fan of Halle Bailey since that announcement. I rarely watch things on the cinema, but it’s something i couldn’t miss. Beautiful, pure and magical. Perfect casting and amazing chemistry!

Si Chedeng At Si Apple (2017)

Another chaotic lesbian film, but make it Filipino! It was funny and bloooody just like Bottoms so if you liked it then you should try this one. Not a spoiler, but part of the plot: That lady in yellow killed her abusive husband.

Maria Clara At Ibarra (2022)

I haven’t finished it yet! But i would recommend it! Brought back my trust and love for Filipino series. If you are not Filipino, it’s a good way to learn our history. Fun, written with passion + great set and costume design.

Mga Lihim Ni Urduja (2023)

After Maria Clara at Ibarra, i became more interested in Filipino series especially with historical fiction. This one is so underrated and empowering! Has the prettiest and hottest cast tbh and a queer undertone *wink*

Betcin (2021)

I have to say that this is the best Filo GL/WLW so far. It has an actual interesting story and interesting characters. Both leads are toxic AF, but it was sooooo entertaining. Top tier chemistry. Top tier acting!

Swarm (2023)

As a Beyhive, i don’t really like how they chose us coz there are more crazy fandoms out there, but still watched and finished it because of Dominique Fishback. SHE IS AMAZING. She deserves awards for this portrayal alone.

Ang Babae Sa Septik Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken (2011)

Another mockumentary that is to die (of laughter) for! I’ve always wanted to finish the trilogy, but i started with this because of history. Frustratingly funny. I don’t know if i would root for her or not lmao 

The ultimatum: Queer love (2023)

I admit, watching reality shows is my guilty pleasure so imagine my excitement when it’s full of queer women??? The dramaaaa lmao i need more seasons of just sapphics. It’s also a cool and chaotic concept tho. I thought it was just a normal dating show at first. 

Physical 100 (2023)

This is my kind of reality show! I hope it will have multiple versions from different countries. The best thing about it is how fitness is really measured by getting competitors from different backgroundsand giving them different challenges. 

Rookie (2023)

The most anticipated movie of the Filipino sapphics! And if you’re a volleyball fan? I’m sure this would be automatically on your list. It’s just so cute and wholesome. 

Ladies First: A story of women in Hip Hop (2023)

Must watch! Not only for the history of the rap girlies, but to trace back the struggles they faced and are still facing. You might discover talented women to stan in your music or lyrical style too.

[warningsine]

Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels can’t seem to quit each other. For two seasons, the love-hate relationship between Hacks’ imperious, old-school comedian, Deborah (Jean Smart), and the woke, down-on-her-luck, 20-something comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) hired to update her material fueled some of TV’s funniest and most provocative humor about people who tell jokes for a living. Then, for a year or so, it seemed as though the joke was on Hacks. First, Smart needed heart surgery. Just days after she’d recovered and the Emmy-winning series had gone back into production, the WGA and then SAG-AFTRA went on strike.

Hence the two-year wait for Season 3, whose first two episodes debuted May 2 on Max. Such a disjointed production schedule could have been disastrous for a show that relies so heavily on the chemistry of its cast—and especially between its intergenerational leads. Fortunately, the actors seem to have flourished amid adversity, just as Deborah and Ava often do. Creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky have crafted Hacks’ best season yet, one that allows the characters to grow without killing their spiky, push-pull bond. Smart and Einbinder further elevate that story arc with a rapport that feels more natural and intimate than ever.

When we last saw the divine Ms. V, her career was soaring on the strength of a smash-hit, self-released special in which she dropped her dated stand-up schtick and told the funny, sad, real stories she’d amassed as a pioneering woman in a male-dominated entertainment industry. It was Ava who pushed Deborah to push herself, and Deborah thanked her by pushing her out of the nest. In the Season 2 finale, the diva fired a protégée she’d come to respect, in hopes that the younger woman would seize the opportunity to start making her own dreams come true.

But Hacks would not be Hacks if its stars spent all their screen time apart. Season 3 picks up one year after its predecessor left off, as the Vance-aissance continues with Deborah’s appearance on—what else?—the TIME 100. Things are going great for Ava, too. She’s secured a staff job writing for a comedy-news show in the vein of John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight and is living with her actress girlfriend, Ruby (Lorenza Izzo). Then she runs into Deborah at Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival and they bond over Tom Cruise’s coveted coconut cake.

Ava misses working with a boss who can certainly be a self-absorbed pain but who also really gets her sense of humor. Deborah is surrounded by sycophants, from the two mediocre writers she hired to replace Ava to the stylist who co-signs her bad fashion choices to audiences who laugh appreciatively even when she isn’t cracking a joke, and longs for a collaborator who will tell her the unvarnished truth. So, with Deborah in the running for her dream job as a late-night host, Ava agrees to spend her show’s three-month hiatus helping her prepare.

Deborah’s new place at the center of the comedy universe gives Aniello, Downs, and Statsky an excuse to survey the strange, fragmented and often-contradictory state of that art form in 2024. There’s a roast that brings both hired-gun comics and Deborah’s aggrieved adult daughter, DJ (Kaitlin Olson), together to say the meanest things they can think of about her. Then there’s her G-rated gig cheerily co-hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At one point, Deborah’s history of insensitive humor resurfaces. While she initially vows never to apologize for any joke, Ava urges her to at least hear out a generation that wasn’t even alive when she made many of them, in what is perhaps the least hysterical “cancel culture” plot TV has produced.

For all its timely self-awareness about the industry it represents, Hacks is, in many ways, a traditional sitcom. It’s a professional will-they-or-won’t-they centered on a classic odd-couple duo: two women of vastly divergent ages, politics, and bank balances, one just starting her career and the other a battle-scarred veteran. Season 3 smartly ups the show’s focus on another well-mismatched pair, Deborah and Ava’s dangerously decent agent, Jimmy (Downs), and his flighty assistant, Kayla (the wonderful Megan Stalter, now more than just wacky comic relief), who have left the agency her dad runs and struck out on their own. (The season’s one notable flaw is the dearth of substantive storylines for two chronically under-developed characters, DJ and Deborah’s repressed deputy Marcus, played by Carl Clemons-Hopkins.)

The writers make inspired use of sitcom standbys, from the character who absolutely needs to be in two places at once to the bottle episode; Deborah and Ava are forced to spend hours alone together, as Deborah finally confesses her mixed emotions about getting everything she’s always wanted so late in life. “You know,” she tells Ava, “your whole life you say, ‘One day I’ll do this, one day I’ll accomplish that.’ And the magic of ‘one day’ is that it’s all ahead of you. But for me, ‘one day’ is now. Anything I want to do, I have to do now, or else I’ll never do it. That’s the worst part of being old.” The speech resonates whether you’re Deborah’s age or Ava’s, made all the more poignant by Smart’s gradual shift in mood, from tough to vulnerable. In this scene and others, the tumultuous love between her character and Einbinder’s has a familial authenticity. 

Like its best forerunners, from Seinfeld to 30 Rock, Hacks is hitting its stride a few seasons into its run because it takes that long for a cast and a writing staff to learn how to make each other as brilliant as they can possibly all be. Early on in the series, there was a bit of a disconnect between Einbinder’s affable performance and some of Ava’s nastier moments. Now, the character seamlessly coheres. Deborah has always been the role of a lifetime for Smart, and in the new episodes, the creators reward her virtuosity by giving her more fodder for introspection and growth than ever before. In the heyday of broadcast comedy, a sitcom that had achieved such ideal synergy could retain its audience—and the support of its network—for upwards of a decade. It’s fitting, when you consider that one of its heroines is the ultimate Hollywood survivor, that Hacks has become the rare streaming show with the potential to have the same longevity. 

[poisindonottouch]

Queer reads: K.J. Charles

As we leave fantasy, I bring you the last category of my recommendations: smutty smutty smut. 

Okay, these are romance novels, but in my reading of romance novels, I’ve discovered that I thoroughly enjoy the spicier end of the spectrum. The smuttier the better. 

So, for day 22, I bring you my favorite romance author KJ Charles. 

I’m putting this under a cut, because it’s going to be long. 

KJ Charles has written loads of books, but I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite 9. 

I’ll take these by series. 

First off, I give you the Will Darling Adventures. These books take place in 1920s London (and surrounding environs.) They are post WWI. Will Darling served in the war, came home to no one, and ended up inheriting a book shop. He’s gruff, manly, and really a giant cinnamon roll. Kim did not serve in the war (it’s a whole thing), and he’s anything but a manly cinnamon roll. He’s sharp and devious and manipulative. And of course, they fall in loooove. This trilogy follows the same pairing over three books, and it’s nice to see how KJC handles the deepening of their relationship from HFN to HEA. (That’s happily for now & happily ever after.) 

The next two books, Proper English and Think of England, are actually in the same world as the Will Darling books, and you’ll see a cameo or two in the later trilogy. Proper English, set in 1902, tells the story of Pat and Fen meeting at a house party that involves a murder mystery and some sexy times. After all, if a murderer is on the loose, you can’t sleep alone, right? Think of England, set in 1904, tells the story of Archie and Daniel, at a different house party. Archie is there to investigate some shady business, but he’s a straightforward kind of man, and he is woefully out of his depth. Luckily, Daniel is there. 

Any Old Diamonds and An Unnatural Vice are set in the same world, about 20 years apart. They aren’t the only books in their series, but they are my favorite of each. Any Old Diamonds follows Alec and Jerry as Alec hires Jerry to steal some jewels. There’s a great twist to this one, and I love Alec and Jerry. I want more of them. An Unnatural Vice is book two of the Sins of the City trilogy, but Justin Lazarus is the very best character ever, and Nathaniel is good for him. I recommend the all the books in both series, but these two are my favorite in the bunches. 

Band Sinister is a stand alone novel, telling the story of Phillip and Guy, who have some bad history between their families, but unforeseen circumstances bring them together, and chemistry does the rest. I would love to read a book series about every side character in this book, but alas. I’ll keep reading fanfic instead. 

Which brings us to The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, the most recent book out by KJC. It’s the first of a duology, and I’m super excited for the next one to come out in September. It’s marked on my calendar in my kitchen. This is a dual pov book switching between Garath, who recently inherited his late fathers title, home, and secrets, and Joss, the boss of the local smuggler family. This is a lovers to enemies to lovers book, and I love it. Really, one of KJCs best. 

(Ack! I missed Spectered Isle, which is also fantastic. I really enjoy the relationship in this one, and I’d happily read a bunch of books set in this world, but alas, I think this series is over. Spectered Isle follows after The Casebooks of Simon Feximal (also good. Think smutty, magical Sherlock Holmes.) Like the Will Darling books, Spectered Isle takes place post the Great War, and everyone in the novel is scarred from it. It’s not a shared universe though, because this one has magic, and the Will Darling books are not fantasy, but similar time frame.)

[wellhalesbells]

top 9 books

tagged by @rosieposiepuddingnpie - thank you and curse you, this is my least favorite/favorite thing to do!

The Starless Sea, Erin Morgenstern (a book about the love of books and story-telling, another great example of this is Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr but this edges it out just a little in my all time faves. Also consider this a stand-in for Erin Morgenstern's other gem: The Night Circus.)

The Secret History, by Donna Tartt (I always waffle between the dark academia vibes of this or the snowy Amsterdam/dry Las Vegas heat of The Goldfinch - they're both absolute perfection and have gay undertones so they bounce back and forth depending on the day.)

Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides (you know how people use 'sweeping tale' to describe certain books? That's this one. It just whisks you away. I know everything there is to know about the Stephanides clan and I'm a better person for it.)

The Bedlam Stacks, by Natasha Pulley (Honestly, also consider this a stand-in for every Natasha Pulley book there is. Sometimes my favorite is The Half Life of Valery K, sometimes it's The Watchmaker of Filigree Street series, sometimes it's The Kingdoms; it's really whose yearning I'm vibing with the most that day: Valery and Shenkov? Thaniel and Mori? Merrick and Raphael? Joe and Kite? It varies.)

The Stand, by Stephen King (I also really want to put Holly in that spot, I just finished it and I haven't loved a Stephen King book like that since The Stand - the only reason I didn't is because Holly is, at least for now, the last book in a series that is a spin-off of a series and every other book in those series don't hit the level of Holly, at all.)

Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman (this can also act as a stand-in for A Man Called Ove as well since I love them both for the exact same reason - they believe in the best in people. They make you feel better about humanity in general.)

The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune (I will also point out that I have yet to read a TJ Klune book I haven't loved and that is not an insignificant amount now. This one is an older queer love story with the added bonus of found family. It's magical and heart-full and kind)

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir (Also a big lover of The Martian but this has something extra special for me - the alien was unique and I cared so much about every character that even glanced across the pages.)

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Q. Sutanto (I laughed, I loved, I goggled at Vera's incredible ability to bring people together - a more motley crew of people there is not and yet somehow Vera not only makes it work, she makes them family <3)

Special shoutout to Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus, I read this semi-recently (within the last year) so I don't know if my gaga-ness with it will fade or not but right now I'm like: this should absolutely be on this list, I just don't know if that's gonna hold or not. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and the plot is perfect, I just don't know if it's top ten nine perfect, y'know? Also to S.A. Cosby - Razorblade Tears is literally hanging off the end of this list by its fingernails (also read everything else by him because it's all good!).

Ongoing series - that either aren't finished or that I haven't finished so they're not cemented yet (aka Maddie cheats so she can have more spots): The Thursday Murder Club series, by Richard Osman (it's up to four books now and they are absolute perfection - it's a series that believes the best in people, even its villains, no one is allowed to be one note and you never know who it's going to pick up and keep forever), The Monk & Robot series, by Becky Chambers (it's just such a quiet, peaceful little sci-fi series that loves its characters and tea), Empire of the Vampire, by Jay Kristoff (absolutely no notes on the first book, I was stressed out and ravenous), The Infernal War Saga, by Hailey Turner (pitch perfect first two books, I'm obsessed with everyone and, like, borderline too into Honovi and Blaine??), Legends & Lattes, by Travis Baldree (this book is kind and it's found family and it's Cozy High Fantasy, like, who even knew how badly I needed that?! - a prequel is due out next month!), The Expanse series, by James S.A. Corey (okay, I know this is done but I am only through book six, though so far absolutely every one has been perfect), The Amina al-Sirafi Series, by S.A. Chakraborty (the first book is so good, which I am zero percent surprised by because I five-starred my way all the way through The Daevabad Trilogy as well!), and the Susan Ryeland series, by Anthony Horowitz (these mysteries are absolutely right up my alley - because who's investigating them? An editor of the first book's murdered author. I hope he can manage to keep these going because they are so damn good!)

tagged: @andavs, @maichan808, @callunavulgari, @midnightisquiet, @bleep0bleep, @petals42, @emeraldawn, @melowdeee, @alocalband, also anyone else who wants to do this - i love seeing people's literature tastes!!

[noiriarti]

The Arrangement: Armitage Hux x Reader (College AU) Ch. 4

Summary: A cuddle-buddies-to-lovers college AU.

Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, [Ch. 4], Ch. 5, Ch. 6

Chapter 4: Sugar

You tried to make a habit of not dating your friends. It always made things messy. When you had first met Armitage, you were a little bit nervous around your weirdly hot stranger of a roommate, but Gwen assured you that he was good people. You'd met Gwen freshman year, in your Calc III class, and she was terrifying. She was absorbing the material at a pace even you couldn't match, but she was unfailingly helpful when you didn't understand something. She was a history major--a history major--taking the hardest freshman math course, just because she wanted to see if she could. Your study sessions turned into gossip sessions, and you found yourself becoming fast friends with her, even though she could be hard-headed and prickly sometimes. It was part of the charm.

Then, you met Kylo, her water-polo-playing roommate, who she had lunch with most days. You would have thought Kylo was hot, and, objectively, he was, but it was never really like that between the two of you. He wasn't your type, anyway, but he had a ton of good stories, and all the best party invites. There was no one you'd rather get drunk at a party with, or play Smash Bros with. He was the bench warmer for the university water polo team, but he soon became left wing. By sophomore year, he was point. Junior year, he was center, and captain of the team at an astonishingly young age. Based on how the year was going, they'd probably see their first championship victory before spring.

During freshman spring, Gwen invited you to come cheer with her at the first game that Kylo would be playing. You dragged yourself, distressingly early, to the athletic center's pool, where you found Gwen at the top of the stands, reading over her latest piece for the college newspaper. She would make editor the next semester, and both of you knew it. Sitting next to her was one of the most handsome men you had seen. His strong jaw and high cheekbones framed his features. Full, sweet lips and a strong browbone that hid two intense green eyes. You had the sudden urge to run your fingers through his light red hair. The bangs swept over his forehead were probably so soft. He was lean, but cut an imposing figure, even when sitting down. You bet if he stood up and stretched out, he'd be almost as tall as Kylo. The stranger was wearing a button-up and cardigan, a crazy choice in the muggy pool.

"This is Armitage, our third roommate," Gwen said, and Armitage looked up at you with a tiny wisp of a smile, which only made him more attractive. God, those dimples. He said it was nice to meet you with a lilting accent, and your mouth was suddenly full of cotton. Great. You had the hots for your friend's roommate. How cliche could you get?

During the game, you were supposed to be drooling over the guys in speedos by the pool, but you kept finding your eyes drifting toward Armitage. Little did you know, he was doing the same thing. He was alternating between watching the game intently and reading the next chapter of his textbook, some boring tome on chemistry, sneaking glances at you where he could. Gwen noticed, and rolled her eyes. 

Eventually, you became acquaintances. You found him to be bookish, driven, and whip-smart, though he was awkward as all get-out. He started joining you on library trips with Gwen, and became a fixture at your lunches. Over time, the fact that he was staggeringly hot started making you less and less nervous, and you two finally relaxed around one another. You found that the thing you most appreciated about him was his reliability. If you invited him somewhere, he'd be there right on time. He'd bring snacks to the games, without fail. Even late at night, he would never leave you alone in the library. You concluded that he'd make some girl very happy one day. (You did not, of course, give any mental energy to the thorny feeling that hit you at idea of him dating someone else.)

It didn't surprise you when Gwen asked if you wanted to become their roommate, and so you accepted. You'd secretly been hoping for it. It wasn't long from then that you began your arrangement with Armitage. Honestly, it started out with the simple desire for touch. Nothing more. But, over time, when you got to know him, you couldn't deny that if he asked you out, you'd say yes in a heartbeat. You trusted him with your full heart, whispering about your day and what you were nervous about. If you texted him asking for something, he'd unfailingly deliver. He was driven, but so hard on himself. You got the sense that he didn't understand how incredible he really was. Late at night, when his face relaxed and he slipped off to sleep, you felt a magnetic pull to kiss him on the cheek or forehead.

It was platonic. Really.

You were almost caught one time. Gwen was up unusually late, and saw you walking down the hall to his room, and asked what you were doing. You froze, babbled out something about leaving the Lysol in the guys' bathroom, and dashed off to find it. Reliable old Armitage, of course, had Lysol stocked in his bathroom. When you retreated to your room after pretending to clean your bathroom for 20 minutes, you texted Armitage to apologize and explain. It was too close for comfort. What would Gwen think about you spending so much time with her friend? Would she judge you? Those thoughts were promptly erased when you entered his room, and crawled into his bed as usual. 

A couple weeks later, Gwen dropped a bomb on you both.

"I know someone who has a crush on you." There was a moment of silence, and then chaos erupted. Kylo started cackling and Armitage choked on his food. You immediately began interrogating Gwen--who, what, when, where, why. The questions distracted you from the light of hope in your chest that she meant Armitage.

"I heard this guy sitting in front of me in my gened, who I sometimes get notes from, and his friend was telling him he should ask this girl out. This girl he liked. And then he said your name. But I didn't realize it was you, until you said something about your friend Dopheld, which is a weird enough name that there's probably not two of them. So, congratulations, Dopheld Mitaka has a crush on you," Gwen said smugly. It wasn't an invention, she genuinely overheard them talking about you, and was planning on telling you sometime soon. The opportunity with Armitage was too good to miss, though. Maybe it would kick him into actually *doing something* about his feelings, which were obvious to everyone but the two of you.

You were, needless to say, shocked. Dopheld was sweet, smart, and kind. Always nice in class, and not bad to look at either. Then why did you feel sad?

"Dopheld? He's nice, I guess," you conceded, a bit absent. Gwen rolled her eyes and changed the topic, certain that her meddling had achieved its goal.

Armitage, meanwhile, was having some sort of aneurysm. Of course someone liked you. You were great. And, frankly, objectively hot. The more he had gotten to know you, the more he realized how good of a girlfriend you would be. To someone else, that is. He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach, rushing all the air out of him. There wasn't any oxygen left in the room for him to breathe. The image of you holding someone's hand, or, oh God, cuddling with them the way you did with him made his throat burn. Rage gripped him. No. That was not possible. The napkin he was holding in his left hand was crushed by his fist, and he was white-knuckling the table with his right. Absolutely fucking not.

That evening, you were on his bed again, his head in your lap as he did flashcards. You had one hand buried in his hair while you watched Pride and Prejudice as code ran in the background. You weren't really paying attention to the movie, God knows you had seen it enough times before to recite it word for word. His hair turned out to be just as soft as you had imagined it would be. Millie was cuddled up by his stomach, purring contentedly. He didn't remember the last time he was this happy. It made the MCAT bearable. Your hands running through his hair sent pleasant shivers down his spine as he clicked C. Tryptophan. The last card in his pack. The analytics were about to display, and he was dreading the low score he probably got. He was averaging 92%, and was terribly upset about it. He winced to avoid his score, trying to anticipate the bitter sting of failure.

100%. His first perfect score. You both celebrated with a Lofthouse cookie in the kitchen, quietly opening the package and giggling to yourselves as you got frosting and crumbs everywhere.

Sugar-addled, in the kitchen, he finally admitted it to himself. He had feelings for you.

He found himself surprisingly okay with it.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

AN: i am considering making the final chapter a bonus nsfw chap, so lmk if you'd enjoy that, or if you'd prefer it be kept sfw! inbox open :)

[cancerian-woman]

oooh so i feel like i can guess the answer, BUT how would you rank all of bonnie’s ships *solely* from what we got in canon vs how would you rank them based on fanon/general potential!

Oooh okay, I’ll start with canon ones then go to fanon.

Beremy: It was cute, puppy love at first but in the end Bonnie was doing all the work & his unassigned but assigned babysitter. 3/10

Bonenzo: in theory he did make Bonnie happy she deserved that. Enzo is very much “one size fits all” type of character if yk. They did get together under Stockholm Syndrome purposes and it was just done lazily? I think they would’ve been more well perceived if they started building them up in s5 or something. Killing him last minute to “trigger” Bonnie’s psychic powers or magic again was just another way to aid in her suffering. 5/10

Bamon: chemistry is great. Damon abandoning Bonnie after she needed him after bonding in the prison world’s was a good moment for Bonnie’s feelings to be shown. Knowing she has issues with abandonment. But, Bamon falls into the same category as Delena. Woman is complicit to all of Damon’s bs and a lot of that happened with Bamon. The writers said ok Elena is gone Bonnie can now agree or side with him the most. There’s Anti-Bamons, then there’s people who genuinely like Bamon and then people who ship Bamon just to free Elena of that burden of Damon lol. I do think they work best if Elena isn’t around. 7.5/10

Stefonnie: you can’t pry Stefan’s protectiveness and kindness to Bonnie in 1-2 out of my hands. He actually tried to make friends with Baroline unlike Damon. Stefan’s history with Bennett’s was another good push there too. And it’s sooo underrated that Stefan was the first vampire Bonnie ever trusted. Plus she had a lil crush on him before Elena got him. I do think they could’ve been something really good in those later seasons. Both tend to play a “hero” role to someone else. Stefan promised he would’ve fixed what he did to Bonnie and idk we needed to see that. It would’ve been nice if we could’ve gotten Damon/Stefan discussing that Bonnie’s forgiveness isn’t so easy to earn. 8/10

Bonora: good chemistry but extremely underrated. They remind me a bit of the wlw Bonkai. Would’ve been a perfect time to introduce bi!Bonnie. I liked that Bonnie encouraged Nora to do something outside of Mary. We never really got those “Bonnie’s beautiful!” By other characters but the way Nora said it continously and wanted to engage with Bonnie. It was so good. Long term and fanon-wise I think they both could’ve learned to grow out of those toxic ties to people with each other. We didn’t get Bonnie with other witches a lot and it was nice to see her with one. 8/10

Bonkai: Chris was Kat’s best on-screen partner imo. Kai brings out a darker side to Bonnie that she tries ignore often. While I think Bonnie brings out emotions Kai hasn’t felt in ages. He’s so fascinated with her in an obsessive but good for tvdu type of way. She’s the only way he sees. Bonnie isn’t a pushover either with Kai. She fights him back, she calls him out and tbh she’s even goofier with him. He pushed her more into her agency than Damon ever did. Bonkai would’ve been great for seasons 6-8. Idk if i would “redeem” him per se bc redemptions aren’t real in tvd but being good to Bonnie and Bonnie only is enough for me. Canon-fanon-9/10.

Bonlena & Baroline: I’ll just do these together. Bonlena had the stronger chemisty 1-2 era of them perfect. You can feel how close they are and need each other. Despite the negative tones with Petrova & Bennett lines repeating you can say they could be drawn to each other naturally. But, Elena does end up ignoring Bonnie so…7/10. Baroline is all about fun but they do support each other and can be protective. Caroline does try to get Bonnie out of doing magic all the time. 7/10

Bonlijah: interesting because Elijah like Stefan and Damon have harmed or betrayed Bonnie. Elijah’s done it twice. We don’t get a lot of them. Bonnie would’ve made him work for her forgiveness. Elijah likes acting on his own needs first but needs to be forced to see his wrongings in a situation and Bonnie certainly wouldn’t let up and make him focus on their errors before continuing. He did have to thing positively of her to face his brother alone. 7/10

Klonnie: based on canon I’d say season 3-4 are would be their best moments. Klaus does like witches. Bonnie had more onscreen time with Tyler!Klaus than his actual body. But Tyler!Klaus did sort of hint he admired she defied the spirits. There’s the power dynamics that comes into play here. Bonnie isn’t afraid of Klaus no matter how much power he wants to enforce over her. I can see them fanon wise strategizing together and Bonnie agreeing to help him if it means her friends are good. Canon wise though if nothing comes between them from 2-4 then they’d have to remeet afterwards. Same applies for all the Mikaelson’s. 9/10

Kennett: they could’ve bonded over magic and they do have more scenes than most BennettxMikaelson ships. Kol called out Bonnie’s death too. He saw potential in her and wanted to work with her….that being said they caused that lady to go crazy on Twitter over a 10 second scene LMAO so despite how i feel about that 10 10 10 across the board. Fanon wise i do think other fandoms taking over Kennett has deterred my liking for them. Dollar general Kennett has nothing on them. But Bonnie unlike Davina would want to see Kol for who he is. No rose tinted glasses.

Monnie/Tonnie: we don’t have a lot of Tonnie but they’re always watching each other / protective gazes when they are allowed to share a scene. This is a ship I can see working through college or when they both left Mystic Falls. For the both of them that isn’t their home longterm. 8/10. Now, onto Matt absolutely not. 5/10. Not just because Matt’s useless, but he doesn’t like the supernatural world for himself. He’s accepting of his friends and for others but it’s not something he’s really into. Bonnie already had to deal with this from Rudy. No need in dating a human or anything longterm who doesn’t like that side of her.

Honorable mention: Batherine could’ve played a frenemies with benefits role. Idk if it was the intention to “fix” Elena’s relationships but placing Katherine in these random moments but it was interesting when it did happen.

This was long and it took me a minute but i hope i answered it the way you thought of!! Thank you for the ask!