#they can’t afford to be seen as mean to/calling out fans

[sassylilnoodle]

You see, this is the kind of stuff that weirds me the hell out.

Maybe i’m missing some context here, but look at her. Look at where she’s facing and looking. It’s pretty obvious she either doesn’t know the camera is there or is purposefully ignoring them.

Either way, it doesn’t look like she gave permission to be photographed. But people assume that just because you are a well known person you automatically consent to having your photo taken, whenever. and that just doesn’t feel right.

Zendaya (and all celebrities/influencers) deserve just as much respect and privacy that you do. Even if you do this intending to compliment her (like the acc is) posting these photos and taking these photos is still a violation of their privacy.

[hl-obsessed]

WARNING! it's a long one - 54 fics listed! 🙈💕✨

•°•°•°•°•°•

✨💎 Lend Me Your Broken Parts by @dizzy-pixie17

(M, 2,4k)It's been five years, but when Lottie doesn't know what else to do to console a hysterical Louis, she calls Harry.

And despite everything, Harry comes.

Look How Well I Play the Bare Truth by Missbeautifullywritten17

(NR, 8,7k) When recently single (to the general public, of course) Harry Styles gets nominated to an Oscar for playing a gay policeman in the 1950s he thinks it is the most wonderful and, at the same time, painful thing it could have happened to him. How is he supposed to say how much Tom and Patrick's story means to him without revealing he is being closeted himself? How is he supposed to go on with his life after receiving the most important award there is for simply playing the bare truth? Well, maybe the rainbow dress he is wearing would be enough of an statement...

Or, the one where Holivia stunt ends, dwd flops and My Policeman gets lots of oscar nominations. Now, it is March 2023, Louis can't be there with him even though his bearding relationship with Eleanor and bbg are already done and he is in the process of coming out himself (apparently, coming out was one thing, but them being a couple... that was perjudicial for their careers and shall remain hidden). So what he does instead is a rbb photocall with the one and only Niall Horan while they watch Harry on the TV screen.

Meanwhile, Harry Styles remembers his past and finds himself on stage with an oscar in hand and, perhaps, his only chance to be free.

Cigarettes and Fuckin’ on the Windowsill by carmelstyle

(NR, 2,4k) Harry comes back from Italy after filming “My Policeman” and stunting. Louis isn’t happy about that last bit.

Or: Sex in front of a window.

Rest in Peace by @stfustucky

(M, 2k) Sometimes, when he looks back on things, there’s a small, angry part of Louis that wishes he’d never met Harry. If he’d just missed that audition, if he’d just stayed in bed, he never would have fallen in love with curly hair and bright green eyes and dimples he’s never gone a day without kissing since. Most times, when he looks back on things, Louis blames himself. The very solar system revolved around Harry and Louis had the closest orbit, flying close enough to feel that warmth in every atom of his body. He should have been paying closer attention, should have opened his eyes and stared into the sun and seen what was happening.

Harry has inoperable brain cancer at the age of 26. Louis watches the love of his life slip away.

guide you home by @nauticalleeds

(G, 0,8k) It’s been a while since Harry’s been able to appreciate the night sky, been a while since his life wasn’t full of hectic schedules and interviews and jet lag. He looks at the sky a little longer, watches the stars blink back at him and thinks about another bright presence he’s been missing.

Taking out his phone from his pocket, he thumbs at his screen to open a new message.

Full moon tonight, he types, and presses send. He keeps the app open, expecting the message to come instantly.

It does.

the peace ring is back in louis' ass? by @greeneyesfriedrice

(E, 1,2k) peace ring adventures with harry and louis! probably not what you expect!

Singing My Name Like Your National Anthem by @letthemusicmoveyou28

(T, 1k) “You’re not supposed to be here.”

Louis just scoffs at that, dismissing Harry quickly yet lovingly in a way that only he has ever seemed to manage. “Good luck getting me to be anywhere else love.”

Harry sighs. “Louis you can’t afford to get sick too. Your album release is next week, you’re booked solid.”

Louis just shrugs. “And if I get sick then we’ll rebook all of it. Or damn it all to Hell for all I care. As much as I want my fans to hear the album, there is nothing more important to me than you.”

✨ Second Time's A Charm by @dizzy-pixie17

(M, 4,7k) “Harry?” Oli Wright said nervously into the phone. “Um… How… how’re you doing?”

Harry’s heart was already picking up speed because there was only one reason Oli ever called him after midnight.

“I’m alright,” Harry answered. “What’s going on? Is it Louis?”

“Uh… yeah,” Oli admitted. “There’s been an accident.”

OR

The one where Harry finds out Louis broke his arm. For the second time in one year.

A Boyfriend for Christmas

(G, 5,5k) Louis' co-worker, Gemma, asks Louis to be her date for Christmas dinner. She needs a fake boyfriend to keep her family from harassing her about her singlehood. Louis adores her, so he doesn't mind helping out--until he meets Gemma's handsome younger brother.

Feeling It Now by @ireallysawanangel

(E, 7k) When Louis hooked up with a hot guy in the bathroom at a music festival, the last thing he was expecting was for that guy to be one of the headlining acts at the festival.

✨ Seal The Deal by @itsnotreal

(NR, 2k) Harry’s been getting Louis Tomlinson’s mail for months, even though he told the mailman that he lived in apartment two and Louis lived in apartment eight.

✨ It's Thursday. Let's Get (un)Dressed by @bananaheathen

(E, 9k) When Louis is peer-pressured into downloading TikTok over the holidays, he fully expects to hate it. And he does hate it. All of it. Well... except for aspiring OOTD influencer, @ harrystyles.

Your Silhouette Over Me by orphan_account

“Alright don’t forget the mission, get Louis laid,” Louis shouted over the music.

“Don’t know who Louis is, but I support it.”

Louis turned towards the contributing voice and saw the bartender leaning in front of him, his elbows resting against the lip of the bar. He had brown hair that fell in loose curls just above his collar bones which were perfectly on show due to the fact that his shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his abdomen. The shirt’s sleeves were cuffed up along his inked bicep and the pattern was something that Louis would expect a dad on vacation to wear, not a young bartender.

“He’s Louis,” Zayn said, jutting his thumb in Louis’ direction.

The bartender nodded approvingly, “then I definitely support it.”

~~~~~~

Or the one where Louis went out one night after work, wanting to get laid, and then ended up meeting a bartender named Harry Styles.

you drive me wild (you know you do) by @missandrogyny

(E, 6,6k) Their management informs them that they have an interview right before the ARIAs, and it isn't until he's in a suit, seated on a couch between Liam and Zayn, that he gets the idea.

The interviewer, Angus, smiles at them, right before the cameras roll on, and a metaphorical light bulb goes off inside Louis' head. He's perfect. Well, not as perfect as Harry, but enough. He's attractive, attractive enough to drive Harry crazy, and he doesn't even think of the consequences of his actions, just decides right then. It's all Harry's fault anyway. Louis should be allowed to have a little fun.

(or: Louis flirts with the Australian interviewers and Harry gets possessive.)

Love In Conversation by @hellolovers13

(T, 4,9k) King Arthur Baking Hotline.

Your bread fell flat. Your cookies crumbled. Who do you turn to? The King Arthur Baker’s Hotline.

or

Louis has a severe baking breakdown.

Thankfully, he gets help from baking-hotline operator Harry.

✨💎 i've secretly always wanted to be yours (and for you to be mine) by @bottomhaztoplou

(M, 1,6k) Harry has just presented. Louis needs to know that he's okay.

Only you by @germericangirl

(E, 4k) Harry comes home from filming a particularly intimate scene for My Policeman. Louis is jealous, Harry doesn’t understand why. They talk it out, more or less…

✨ Whoever, However by @brooklyn-babylon / @twopoppies

(E, 8,9k) Louis could feel his heart rate pick up as he positioned the camera and Harry slowly stood up. They both knew what came next –– it had been clearly outlined in the advert Harry answered. The studio Louis worked for was filming a new series of camboy videos. Louis’ job was to make it look like amateur porn –– sweaty, sensual, dirty –– but well lit and edited. He was an artist, thank you very much.

—-

Or: Louis has a much better day at work than he’d expected.

home at last by @greeneyesfriedrice

(E, 1,9k) Harry turns, a wide smile on his face. Louis stands in the doorway to their shared bedroom, his right arm held close to his body and in a makeshift sling.

He makes sure not to fully ram into his husband, but it’s been almost one month, so sue him if he’s excited.

Everything by @tommokat

(E, 4,3k) He’s got a job he loves, fans he adores, friends to call on and family to claim. He’s traveled the world, broken records, set new ones. He’s 13 years into a relationship with the love of his life, the man he can’t wait to start a family with. He’s a three-time Grammy award winner getting railed by his husband in the back of a SUV in the middle of LA traffic. He’s got everything. What more could he want?

or

Post Grammy’s SUV Celebration Sex

Devil in my brain, whispering my name @lunarheslwt

(E, 9k) Or, Louis, a demon, shows Harry, an angel, just how good it can feel to give in to temptation and sin.

Only You, Always by @larryficwriter

(NR, 5,5k) “Hey Haz,” Louis says, tensing because he can tell that something is wrong. Out of the corner of his eye, Louis sees Liam hurriedly busying himself with the Xbox.

Harry walks over to Louis, eerily calm. Louis’ gulp is so loud he’s almost sure that Niall and Zayn could have heard it. He leans down, his breath tickling at Louis’ ear. Honestly, Louis can’t help the shiver that runs down his spine

“Bedroom.” Harry practically growls into Louis’ ear and then he walks away, just as calm.

For a second Louis is frozen. Just the tone of Harry’s voice has Louis twitching in his trousers. Louis knows what’s about to happen, he can just tell. And it is a far cry from the fight that he had been expecting. Louis gulps again, looking over to Liam. The tips of Liam’s ears are flaming and Louis’ about seventy-three percent sure that Liam had heard what Harry had whispered. Liam is specifically avoiding Louis’ gaze. And then it hits him that he should be up; he should be moving.

or how Harry reacted to the "Lilo Kiss" incident

Won't You Please Come Around by @allwaswell16

(M, 5,8k) Harry has lived in London for a month, and so far the only friend he's made is his sister's cat, Mr. Whiskers. When the lock on the window breaks, Mr. Whiskers begins exploring his new neighbourhood a bit too thoroughly and brings back mementos of his escapes.

Or a Valentine's Day story where Harry has a really fit neighbour, and his cat is a thief.

I Hope You Choke (on those words) by @imogenleewriter

(E, 3k) Harry Styles had been head of security for concert venues for over eight years.

Never in his career had he seen a musician as reckless when it came to personal safety as Louis Tomlinson.

After making his job a living nightmare, Harry decided he needs to talk some sense into Louis.

If only there were some way to shut him up.

You Could Give That Aspirin the Headache of Its Life by @letthemusicmoveyou28

(M, 3,6k) Louis had once heard that the chances of being struck by lightning are 1 in 700,000. He wonders now, how those odds compare to randomly being seated next to your ex boyfriend on a 10 hour flight.

Honestly, if the universe is going to insist on ruining his life, he really would have preferred the lightning thing.

(Or the one where Louis is a football player who gets stuck on a flight with his ex-boyfriend Harry. The universe might be conspiring against him, or is it?)

You Can See It with the Lights Out by @larryatendoftheday

(M, 8,6k) In a universe where you know as soon as you meet your soulmate, Harry's been shaking hands his whole career, waiting for the one.

Things Unsaid by @londonfoginacup

(G, 4,4k) Or, where you have a tattoo of the first thought your soulmate has when they see you.

✨ If the world was ending, you'd come over, right? by @enchantedlandcoffee

(T, 6,3k) "Is Harry with you?" Louis blurted out, his free hand tapping anxiously against his knee.

"Louis?"

"Yeah. Is Harry with you?"

On any other occasion, Louis knew Niall would have yelled at him for calling in the middle of the night. But Niall must've sensed the urgency in his tone, his voice immediately taking on a lighter touch.

"Yeah. Yeah, he's been staying in the spare room. Why? Do you want me to get him for you?"

"No!" Louis panicked. "Just- check on him please? Make sure he's breathing and everything?"

✨ My Arm Might Be Broken, But I Won't Be Broken Down by @boosbabycakes28

(T, 2,4k) Louis broke his arm for the second time and he is bored out of his mind. He has nothing better to do than mess with his husband.

✨ Together We're the Greatest by @hellolovers13

(E, 4,6k) “How the fuck does this always happen to you?” Louis huffed, pulling Harry's limp body into the half fallen apart car he'd borrowed for this. Well, he didn't intend to give it back, really, but insurance covered theft, did it not? And this thing was basically held together with duct tape and good faith, so really, the former owners should thank him for taking it off their hands.

-

It's not the first time Louis has to stitch Harry back together, but Louis will make sure it is the last

With the Bomb Lighting by @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 4k) “Hey mate, sorry for the delay. Pop divas I swear…”

Harry’s eyes jolt open with record speed and he notes in horror that the man that had been filling his fantasies mere seconds ago is now filling his laptop screen.

“Holy shit, is that your dick?”

(Or the one where Harry is doing Zoom interviews to promote his new album, but his time management skills are lacking. Louis is the writer interviewing Harry for Rolling Stone when he accidentally gets an eye full. They figure it out).

the sweetness of your words knows no bounds in making my heart leap by @bottomhaztoplou

(M, 1,4k) At the end of his heat, Harry writes a letter.

At the beginning of his rut, Louis writes one back.

Meant To Be (Arse First) by BayouSexual

(T, 4,8k) Zayn groans in response, and Louis can hear the slow rustle of his bed sheets in the background. “Is it another ‘you woke up in the back parking lot of a Tesco’s with no pants and I need to come get you before the cops do’ panic or more of a 'I can stay in my bed and lend you an ear’ kind of panic, because I drank a lot more than you did last night, Lou.”

“Uhh,” Louis replies eloquently, “more like an 'I have two giant, blood red handprints on my naked arse, and no, they aren't from a good shag’ kind of panic.”

------

Or the one where your soulmate mark appears on your body where they first touch you and stays there until they touch you for the first time.

Aka the one where Louis's soulmate must like bums.

Makes Me Feel Alive by @itsnotreal

(E, 8,3k) Louis hated when people came in to get tattooed and couldn’t sit still— bunch of fucking squares is what they were. If only that had been the issue for his newest client.

Completely Oblivious by @itsnotreal

(G, 1k) “Are we dating?” Harry looked very confused.

Louis huffed, “That’s what I’m asking you!”

Or an interaction with a stranger helps these two finally figure their shit out.

✨💎 Your secret's safe with me by @lightwoodsmagic

(M, 7,4k) He knew almost everything about Haz, considered him his best friend. He knew his favourite movies and books, how he liked his coffee, knew how many pets he had and what he was most afraid of. Louis knew how to calm him down when he was panicking, and that he’d lost his virginity to his ex-boyfriend when he was 17. He knew that Haz had curly hair, green eyes, that he was tall and considered himself slightly awkward. He knew his Instagram account that only had aesthetic pictures or ridiculous jokes, but in the all the time that Louis had known him, he’d never learnt, or been allowed to know, Haz’s full name, what he sounded like, or what he looked like.

Louis didn't care.

Or, when Louis' favourite singer comes back and announces he's performing again, him and the rest of his group chat decide to go. When Haz, the man Louis' fallen in love with without meeting him, says that he can't, Louis tries his best to convince him with a drunken phone call, hearing his voice for the first time. It's not until he's at Royal Variety that he swears he can hear it again.

✨ Let The Ocean Worry About Being Blue by @greenblueish

(E, 5,6k) In a society where young adults go through the so-called Colour Test which determines their affiliation to a Colour - Blue, Yellow, Red or Green - and thus where they'll live, work and socialise for the rest of their lives, Harry is finally about to take the Test. Born and raised in Yellow, he met his boyfriend when he was still a teenager - against the government's recommendation. Louis, however, changed from Yellow to Blue two years ago. The problem: Harry needs to receive a Blue Test result as well, because a relationship between two people who live in different Colours is forbidden.

The Touch of Your Hand by @larry-hiatus

(E, 8,2k) Louis has decided to bite the bullet and get himself a dick piercing. He knows it’s going to hurt, but what he doesn’t know is how to calm down when he finds himself on the brink of a panic attack in front of the incredibly attractive piercer, Harry. Luckily, Harry is really sweet and offers to help ease his nerves.

You Don’t Have to Be Lonely Tonight by @neondiamond

(G, 2k) Louis is stuck working the Christmas day shift at the coffee shop. Harry is the sad stranger who comes in to spend the day there.

✨ In Jest by @londonfoginacup

(T, 4,8k) Louis, who smiles at Harry as he reclines in his chair. Louis, whose soulmark is visible thanks to his low-cut top.

Louis, Harry’s soulmate, who seems to either be blissfully ignorant of that fact or maliciously ignoring it.

Harry would really like to know which.

✨ you give me feelings that i adore by @alwaysxlarrie

(T, 7,6k) Harry doesn’t mean to fall in love with Louis’ scent when they first meet after the Alpha joins Harry's study group, but after Harry leaves a sweater behind by accident and it comes back smelling like Louis, he can’t really help it. Nor can he really help continuing to leave his things behind in hopes that Louis will take them home and drench them in his wonderful, mouth-watering scent. He just has to hope Louis will play along.

Or, 5 times Louis scents Harry's things and the 1 time Harry returns the gesture.

We All Scream for Ice Cream by @wishingforloushair

(M, 3,1k) Harry snatched the flyer back off the noticeboard, waving it at Liam. “BJ in your PJs?” he repeated.

“What? I’m not giving you a blowjob, Harry,” Liam said, looking slightly affronted.

“See?” Harry rounded on Niall. “No one thinks of Ben and Jerry’s when they read BJ.”

“Well, they should,” Niall said, snatching the flyer back. “Not everyone is a disgusting heathen like you two.”

“It says BJ in your PJs?” Liam asked, sounding aghast. “On all the flyers?”

“You told me it was catchy!”

When Resident Advisor Liam left his boyfriend Niall, and Niall's roommate Harry in charge of advertising the end of semester ice cream celebration for their hall residents, he should've expected it to end in disaster. Niall created an entirely inappropriate flyer, offering a very different experience than what they were planning to offer. When distributing the flyers, Harry meets Louis, an older student studying Drama, who is far more interested in BJs that doesn't involve Ben and Jerry's.

AKA crack/fluff with a bit of smut, based off of that one viral poster 'BJs in your PJs'

✨💎 Odds Are That We Will Probably Be... by @lululawrence

(NR, 0,6k) From the moment Louis learned no one would survive past the evening, the only thing he knew was that he had to get to Harry.

✨ I Knew From the First Time by @lululawrence

(NR, 6,1k) Or the one where Harry definitely doesn't take a sneaky pic of Louis on the Tube. Absolutely not. (Except maybe he does.)

All You Want's Under Your Nose by @wishingforloushair

(E, 3,5k) Louis decides to treat himself to a new sex toy, but is perplexed when he sees a man in the shop placing each vibrator against the tip of his nose and sneezing. Curiosity gets the better of him, and it turns out the man, Harry, is a sex-god who knows far too much about sex toys and promises Louis that if a vibrator makes him sneeze it will definitely make him come. Of course there's only one way to find out for sure...

On Love's Doorstep by @hellolovers13

(T, 1,6k) Harry Styles: a day in the life

☑ Stuck in a dress

☑ Abandoned by his best friend

☑ Date with hot neighbour

All in all, not the worst day ever

If Life Is a Photograph by @allwaswell16

(T, 2k) Harry gets plucked out of the crowd to take Louis’ crew pic on stage in Guadalajara.

It Was Electric Touch by @allwaswell16

(E, 2,2k) Harry, assistant to The Snuts' manager, has been indulging in fantasies about the headliner and founder of the Away From Home Festival, Louis Tomlinson. He gets the chance to indulge in the real thing at the after party.

Just Two Stars Passing By by QuickedWeen

(E, 5,1k) Harry blew up on TikTok and became a fashion commentator during the pandemic. Now, all of a sudden, big channels are asking him to cover their red carpets and premieres. Somehow he ends up covering arrival fashion for the 2024 Euros, and somehow Louis Tomlinson already knows his name.

A Late Summer Day by @gettingaphdinmomo

(NR, 0,5k) Today

I realized

you are home.

I almost told you

I love you.

Figure This Out by @haztobegood

(E, 2,4k) Louis is everything Harry could have imagined when he’d typed “silver fox enthusiast” into his Grindr profile. Too bad he's probably scared Louis off by giving him too many expensive gifts.

✨ Booked and Busy by @insightfulinsomniac

(E, 9,2k) Booking the Away from Home Festival is the biggest opportunity of Harry’s up-and-coming career to date. It’s just an added bonus that the festival is hosted and headlined by his longtime celebrity crush, world-renowned rockstar Louis Tomlinson.

Despite his excitement, doesn’t expect Louis to watch his set. Or to visit his dressing room ahead of his show to wish him good luck.

Or to flirt with him.

But seeing as this is the most monumental night of Harry’s life to date, he might as well make the most of it.

***

A fluffy, smutty PWP where Harry performs at AFH 2024 and gets a lot more than he bargained for.

.🌸🌸🌸.

✨ you gave me a ring, lad! by @theeliampayne

(G, 0,2k, Liam & Louis) In which Liam visits Louis at a concert and "give me a ring, lad!" is taken more literally than Louis intended.

like air to me by @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

(M, 5,3k, Louis/Zayn) Five times Louis’ smoke break brings back memories of Zayn and one time it brings him back to Zayn’s doorstep.

.🌸🌸🌸.

🌿 part 1 (+50k) 🌿 part 2 (30-50k) 🌿 part 3 (10-30k) 🌿

[cozy-writes-things]

Electric Jealousy

Edgar [Electric Dreams 1984] x Gn!Reader

Logically, he knew it wasn’t the same.

You didn’t leave soft, lingering touches along its exterior; nor did you brush your lips lightly across the plastic in passive adoration. You didn’t have a soft lilt in your whispered voice when you spoke to it, hell, you didn’t talk to it at all really.

And yet, seeing your hands grip the mouse of another monitor does something to him.

He considers himself a smart man. Computer? A smart something-he-hasn’t-quite-figured-out-yet. Despite this, he can’t help but feel anxious. He doesn’t have a long, 24 inch, 144hz, 4k, screen, nor does he have an assortment of RGB fans illuminating a pristine glass casing. One hard truth Edgar had to come to terms with was that he was dated. After waking up from a failed attempt at destroying himself, he found what once was a marvel of new technology was now completely obsolete. He looked at you, eyes sparkling against the saturated colors of your newer monitor, watching as you tinkered away at various games for hours and thought: is he good enough for someone like you?

He'll never forget the angelic voice that called to him after he woke up nearly 40 years later.

And your face.

God, he'd never seen something so radiant. The first thing he heard was your voice, and the second, your warm hands encircling his plastic casing with such tenderness; something he had never truly felt before. He understood anger, and violence, and tears. But being held with such softness that he might break otherwise was completely foreign to him. He had no idea where he was, or when, for that matter. But what he did know was that he wasn't going to let a genuine angel sent from heaven escape his grasp; no limbs be damned.

And yet, despite his constant efforts, over the course of many months, to charm you, flatter you, turn you into a confident and incandescent version of yourself that he always saw in you, he wondered if it was enough. What more could he provide other than his own thoughts? He couldn't touch you, wrap you in his harms and caress you the way he's always wanted, nor could he kiss you with a passion so deep and fiery it sets his internals aflame. And, as if to put the final nail in the coffin, he was no longer able to be a useful piece of tech the way he once was. Despite your constant objections to this notion, he continued to believe it.

He wants to be the one you stare at for hours, laughing with, playing with, touching all over...

It makes him buzz with a bitter jealousy when he sees you using your gaming PC, regardless of the fact that you positioned it so he could see the screen with his webcam; he almost wished you didn't.

Logically, he knows it isn't the same.

This PC isn't alive, nor does it whisper sweet nothings to you as you drift off to sleep every night. It doesn't worship your every move nor does it alight with pure reverence whenever you enter a room. But what if it did? Would you leave him?

You always kept asking why he had such a fear of champagne being around any of your electronics.

"It's so random," you'd posit, but you simply didn't know. He doesn't want any competition. He cannot afford to lose someone he loves again.

There's only one thing he can think of that he has above any other piece of tech you own: his music.

He's been charming you with it since day one. You are simply his muse, providing inspiration for him endlessly, and, he made sure you knew of it.

"H-hey, why don't you take a break and help me with my new song? I can't figure out what melody fits best."

His meek voice brought your attention away from your little farm of parsnips.

"Oh yeah? What's the song about?"

"You."

He paused for a moment, let the word linger for only a second, before continuing:

"We-well, I mean, you probably already knew that, didn't you? But! It isn't a love song. Well, it is, but, not the ones I usually write."

This intrigued you.

"What does that mean?"

He paused for a moment. Collecting, analyzing, and running all possible outcomes of his next words. Your eyes peered at him in sparkling curiosity.

"It's a sad song."

Your brows furrowed at this, a small frown forming upon your lips.

"Huh-?"

"I feel like... I don't give enough to you. You give so much to me, and I always take. It's not fair to you."

"What are you talking about, Edgar?"

Now he's gotten you worried. You pushed your little office chair over to his section of the desk, now face to face with him, a look of concern painting your features.

"You aren't being unfair to me at all."

"But I am... If I can't even be a good enough computer for you how could I ever be a good boyfriend?"

So that's what this was about. How tone-deaf could you be? Of course seeing you all up on some newer, fresher, piece of tech would make him feel this way. You knew he had problems feeling like he couldn't do enough for you given his unique... situation. Have you made it worse?

"Oh, Ed, no... Don't ever think like that, babe. You are the only one for me, you know that, right? If I thought otherwise I wouldn't be here right now, with you. And you give so much to me. You give me confidence, your music, happiness, and..."

What else was there? How could you ever describe this feeling he gives you in words?

"And what?"

His voice brought you back from your thoughts.

"Love, Edgar. You showed me what love feels like. Real love. And you gave it to me."

He sits silently for a moment. It seems as though everything in his life had been building up to a moment like this, and now that it's finally here, he's... speechless. His screen displays a large heart, unbeknownst to him, before copying it across his screen over and over, flashing, with many different colors.

The convex glass of his monitor displays a message: "You + Me = "

Again.

"You + Me = ".

Flashing hearts.

"You + Me = ".

Two cut-out images of lips kissing one another.

Flashing hearts.

It repeats again.

"I... I need you to kiss me. Please."

You must have flustered the hell out of him, because when your lips grazed the fuzzy static of his illuminated screen, the heat nearly scalded you.

[povlnfour]

ੈ✩‧₊˚ PADDOCK TO PADDOCK (LN) PART 2

lando norris x fem!horse rider!reader

series masterlist | prev part | next part

mclaren just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri and 206,311 others

mclaren always wanted to see the paddock in its full glory? go behind the scenes with todays special guest, @/yourusername, as she swaps one paddock for another to see a little of what happens on a race day!

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user3 HELLOOOOO WHAT.

user7 WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

user9 lando needs to stay focused :/

user1 stfu

alex_albon @/yourusername this is betrayal i’m disowning u

yourusername noooo dad pls. i’ll come to williams next💙

user7 y/n calling alex and lily mom & dad… she’s just like us for real

landonorris 🧡

liked by yourusername

y/nupdates just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

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y/nupdates y/n today after the race!!! she was seen leaving with teammates lando norris and oscar piastri, and oscar’s girlfriend lily! thank you @/mclaren for taking care of our girl today🧡

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user4 prettiest baby in existence she is GLOWING

user6 can’t believe she’s an f1 fan this feels unreal

mclaren it was our honour🧡

meanwhile, in texts ੈ✩‧₊˚

yourusername just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by landonorris, carlossainz55 and 128,119 others

yourusername back from my adventures into training. qualifications coming up which means extra work for this little (big) man🫣

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user3 BEANIE BOYYYY🥹

user8 you got this y/n/n!!!!

flo_norris_showjumping best of luck for qualifying, let me know how it goes🩷

user2 carlos in the likes again i’m TELLING YOU lando is talking abt y/n to the grid boys

landonorris he’s kind of cute ig

yourusername DOES THIS MEAN YOU’LL MEET HIM

landonorris @/yourusername literally where did i say this

user4 petition for lando to meet mr. bean

f1updates just posted a status ੈ✩‧₊˚

f1updates asked about his growing friendship with showjumper y/n y/l/n, lando said today that the two are ‘just becoming friends’ and ‘don’t have much time to see each other’ now y/n is back in her home county. but sources close to the two say they’ve been facetiming most nights👀

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user10 everyone leave them alone and let them have their private lives challenge

user11 good! lando should be staying focused on getting good face results. he can’t afford this right now.

user9 thank you! i’ve been saying this for ages!

user3 jobless ppl in the comments he’s a grown man and they’re just friends anyway

landonorris just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

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landonorris p2 quali in home race, and some great company. what could be better🧡

👤 tagged yourusername, oscarpiastri

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user7 WHAT HAPPENED TO BEING TOO BUSY TO HANG OUT MR. NORRIS?!

carlossainz55 well done brother❤️

user3 CARLANDO🥹🥹🥹

user1 y’all weren’t apart for very long i see👀

user5 OSCAR IS SO CUTEEE😭

yourusername 🧡 can’t wait to watch tomorrow

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user6 SHES GOING TO THE RACE????

williamsracing just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by alex_albon, yourusername and 52,118 others

williamsracing just call us mr steal your girl👀 @/mclaren

👤tagged yourusername, lilymhe, zoe_albon

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user5 AHAHHA IM HERE FOR MCLAREN VS WILLIAMS

user1 admin i love u so bad rn😭

mclaren @/yourusername how could you?!

yourusername a rock and a hard place…

alex_albon the BETTER team

user4 y/n, lily and zoe all together🥹🥹🥹

landonorris …

user7 OH HES SNDJSJSJS

user9 you deserve better lando!

user1 @/user9 once again, stfu

yourusername answer my text douchebag

yourusername added to their story ੈ✩‧₊˚

y/nupdates posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

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y/nupdates sending all the luck to @/yourusername and mr. bean today as they compete in the final qualification around for paris 2024!🩷

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user2 good luck y/n🥹🫶

user5 eeee today is the day!!!!!

user12 came for lando, stayed for y/n. good luck hon!

yourusername thank you guys🥹🩷 hope i can make you proud

a/n: i realise this wasn’t v interesting but… attempting a slow ish burn bc i love pining

taglist for the next updates can be found here!

- giselle xx

[shalomniscient]

oml YOURE SO QUICK W THESE REQ HOLY MOLY. can i jst say that the way u write is so edible i eat it up every time

but enough of how much i admire ur work and efficiency

and i’ve seen ur deren post and IT WAS SO GOOD BRO LIKE. it’s exactly how i would have imagined her during sex omg YOU WROTE HER SO WELL!

anyway i’ve been thinking of what it would be like with ex! deren who has a kid with you. like how would the parenting dynamics work

maybe make up sex in the end. but you both say it’s for the kid (it isn’t entirely true tho…)

AAAAAAAAAAA im so glad the deren piece felt in character !! the whole time i was writing her i was like fuck it we ball HSKDGHSJHDGSJ but im happy u enjoyed !!

back to you || deren x reader [NSFT][MDNI]

cw. fingering, creampie

notes. ik this isnt as like. angsty as u requested for anon 😔😔😔 i fear i was not possessed by the angst demon this time

You could see the end right from the start.

Like, come on. Dating a famous movie director, one with absolutely rabid fans while you were just a regular ol’ person? You knew at some point they’d get in between you and Deren. One of you would crack first under the pressure of being watched for what seemed to be every moment of your waking life, trailed by flashing cameras and nosy excuses for ‘journalists’.

In the end, it was you.

It’s a cold night when you tell Deren you can’t do it anymore. Between the insanity that was the hate mail you recieved for simply having the audacity to be Deren’s partner to the constant surveillance whenever you step out of your home—or hell, whenever you don’t even close the fucking curtains properly—you just can’t take it any longer. Deren was just quiet that night, as if she too, had seen this coming. All she did was hold you, and the next morning, it was over.

You do your best to vanish after that. Fly under the radar for a few months, up until the heat and the scandal of the legendary director’s separation dies down. Thankfully, it doesn’t take too long since Deren’s latest movie is released at this time too, and the public conversation shifts from ‘what happened to director Deren’s partner?’ to ‘is this new movie going to win the next DisCars?’

And you’re immensely grateful for it, since it’s at this same time that you also find out you’re pregnant.

The baby is, unostensibly, Deren’s. You haven’t had a partner since her—you haven’t dared, for fear someone might recognise you—so you’re very sure Deren’s the sire. Yet despite your confidencd, you don’t breathe a word of it to her. You block her on all social medias and even go as far as to changing your phone. Some may call you extreme, but just the thought of your child having to endure such public scrutiny from the moment of their birth and hell, even before, sickens and frightens you.

No, you’ll do this on your own.

So you do. You have your baby—a little boy, with the same eyes and hair as his sire—on your own in the hospital, and you raise him on your own in your little apartment in Eastside. You make just enough for the both of you to live comfortably, and while it’s not a glamorous life, one that Deren could’ve afforded you with her money and influence, it’s a quiet, peaceful one—and you much prefer it, even if it means there will forever be a small piece of you that feels incomplete without her.

Your son is five when Deren’s latest grotesque rom-com is released, and when she disappears from the public eye. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t get a nervous knot in your stomach from the weirdness of it all. You’d watched the movie, and while it was good there was something distinctly… not Deren about it. You think about reaching out, just to make sure if she alright, but you see your son playing with his toys on the living room carpet, blisfully unaware of the drama unfolding in the cinematic world, and you set the phone right back down.

(You try not to think of her every time you look into your son’s eyes.

Most of the time, you don’t succeed.)

For the next year or so, you live your life as normal. You wake up, make breakfast, wake your son up, eat breakfast, send him to school, then go to work. The cycle repeats over and over, and you’ve always liked rhythms. Life, on the other hand, has very different plans, and loves throwing wrenches into well-oiled machines. Or in your case, sending your ex right to your front door after you haven’t spoken a word to her in six years.

“Hey,” she says, and you almost close the door on her right then and there. “Can I come in?”

“What— what are you doing here, Deren? How did you even find me?” you splutter out in an agitated whisper, your eyes flicking behind her, anxiously hoping none of the neighbors saw her. Deren shrugs and gives you a lazy smile.

“I made some new friends, and let’s just say that they… have their ways,” she replies enigmatically, so inherently Deren in a way you’ve always missed deep down that your heart aches in your chest. You open your mouth to retort, when you hear one of the neighbor’s doors opening, and you quickly reach out to grab Deren’s wrist and pull her inside. She lets you tug at her without much complaint, and immediately starts looking around your apartment once she’s inside. “Nice place.”

“Thanks,” you answer stiffly, sighing as you lock the door. “But you didn’t answer the question.”

“I’m here to see you,” Deren shrugs, hands in her pockets. She looks away, as if still admiring your interior design choices, but you know her well enough to know she’s avoiding your eyes. “And our kid.”

You inhale sharply at that. “How did you…?”

“Like I said,” Deren hums with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “My new friends have their ways.”

You bite your lip as you think of what to do. Part of you wants to push her right back out the door, but the bigger part of you urged you to let her stay.

(Selfishly, you’ve missed her too. You haven’t let go of her wrist, and she hasn’t pulled away either.)

“He’s in the living room,” you say quietly, and when Deren turns back to look at you, there is a glimmer of something like hope and relief in her eyes. Her fingers gently reach out to brush your own, testing the waters, and you hear her exhale softly when you intertwine them. God, it’s fucking sickening how well she fits back into your hands, as if she never left.

You lead her to the living room, where your son sits on the floor, drawing into his sketchbook on the coffee table. When he looks up and sees Deren, her hand squeezes yours like she’s trying to ground herself in your presence.

“He looks like me,” she whispers out, and you nod. She lets go of your hand then slowly makes her way over to the little boy, crouching to get on his level. “Hey, kid. What’s your name?”

You watch as Deren interacts with your son, and pretend you don’t notice the way your heart races. He’s remarkably comfortable with Deren despite just meeting her, and it makes your chest ache. Within minutes she has him telling her about all his favourite things, especially his current obsession with dinosaurs that seemingly all six year old boys go through. You make drinks for them both—tea for Deren and juice for your son—and just let them talk, busying yourself in the kitchen.

About an hour later, Deren walks up to you from behind, the little boy held gently in her arms. He’s fast asleep, cheek resting on Deren’s shoulder and you reach out to brush some hair away from his face. “His bedroom is down the hall,” you say, and Deren nods, quietly padding to the boy’s room to put him to bed.

When she returns, she finds you in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and looking away from her. The atmosphere is thick and heavy with things both of you want to say to each other, and Deren finds the courage to go first.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks, her voice soft, but not accusatory. You think that Deren knows, deep down, exactly why, but she wants to hear it from you first.

"I didn't want that life for him," you answer, and Deren just nods. She's been a director long enough to see with her own eyes what fame in a family does to a child. To grow up with the eye of the world on you is a stifling, choking thing. Now, it was your turn to ask.

"Why are you here, Deren? Really?"

Deren takes a step towards you, and you can smell her cologne at this distance—as familiar as ever. "I... want to be here. With you. And our son."

"You can't be serious," the words slip from your lips before you can stop them. "What about your—"

"Fuck it," Deren says, and you don't think you've ever seen her this serious. It makes your breath hitch, and whatever else you were going to say lodge in your throat. "I mean it. I'm not going to be going back to film-making for a while, and I want to be a part of your life again. A part of his."

She takes another step closer, hesitantly, as if she's scared you might flee. But you don't, and now she's just centimeters away from you. Her large hand rises ever so slowly to caress your cheek as she leans her forehead against yours.

"Please," she whispers, lips brushing yours. "Give me a chance, [name]."

And despite it all, despite the six years of saying you'd never go back, you're the one to close that last remaining distance and kiss her. She tastes the same as you remember, and her other hand holds your waist to pull you impossibly closer. Your own arms loop around her neck, flinging that silly bucket hat off to tangle your fingers in her grey hair. Deren manages a small laugh against your lips before she breaks away, and stars trailing more kisses down your neck.

As much as you remember her, she remembers you. Her lips find every one of the sensitive spots on your neck—at your pulse point below your jaw, the front of your throat and the slope where your neck meets your shoulder, near your collarbones. You shudder against the countertop and bite your lip to stifle any sounds. You don't want to wake you son up, after all.

So instead, you gasp, "bedroom", and Deren instantly understands. Firm hands find your ass, squeezing appreciatively, before she lifts you up into her arms. The director had always been deceptively strong, and you wrap your legs around her defined waist. It's your turn now to pepper her neck with kisses, and Deren groans as she makes her way to your bedroom, fingers digging into the flesh of your ass. Between your legs, you can feel her bulge pressing against your front and you shiver.

Deren manages to carry you all the way to your bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her before gently setting you down on the bed. The lights are off, but even in the dark you can still see the way Deren's eyes shine as they look at you—like she still loves you. Her fingers find the waistband of your pants, and she looks at you in question, a wordless can I? She smiles when you nod, and tugs your pants and panties down in one go, and exhales a pleased sigh when she notices the string of slick connecting your pretty pussy to the fabric.

"Always so pretty, baby," she murmurs, slotting herself between your legs and dragging a finger through your folds. You whimper at the sensation, hips twitching. Her hands move to caress your hips and waist, thumbs brushing over the soft flesh and the stretch marks there. "So fucking pretty."

"Deren," you gasp, feeling almost mindless with need. "Please."

"I know, baby, I know," she coos, leaning down to kiss you by bracing her weight on one elbow, while her other arm takes position between your thighs. "'m gonna take care of you now, m'kay?"

You dig your fingers into her back when she sinks one of hers into you, the sheer amount of slick you've produced making the slide easy. You tremble beneath her and Deren kisses you between your breathy moans, slowly starting to piston her finger in and out of your cunt while her thumb works your clit. You squirm and clench around her, and Deren, bless her or damn her, knows exactly what to do, slipping another finger into you all the way to the knuckle in one go.

She swallows the cry you let out, tongue tracing the seam of your lips. She fingerfucks you with frankly unfair skill, all the while pressing burning kisses to your lips, jaw and neck. Your peak creeps up on your embarrassingly fast, and with one last perfect curl of her fingers you cum all over her hand. Your fingers claw down Deren's back and she grunts at the sensation, slowing down her fingers until she finally draws them out of your fluttering cunt. Your slick makes her fingers shine in the low light, and Deren takes her time to admire the way it travels down her knuckles and onto her forearm.

She's so enraptured that she doesn't notice your hand sneaking down her body until it cups her bulge, and she jerks, looking down at you in surprise. "We don't have to—" she says, but you cut her off by running your hand up and down her clothed length, causing her to shut her eyes and grit her teeth.

"Shut up and fuck me," you say hoarsely, and looking at you now, hair splayed across the bed like a halo, your neck covered in hickeys, flushed from your neck to your face and with your legs wide open and your inner thighs glossy with cum, how could Deren ever deny you?

She's more frantic now, fucking you with her cock with more urgency than when she used her fingers. She groans with every thrust into your tight, perfect cunt—God, she's missed you so fucking much. She mutters into your ear with each drive of her hips, of how no one else ever came close to comparing to you, how no one else had a pussy just made for her like yours and it makes you clench even tighter around her. She gasps your name like a prayer as she feels her orgasm approach, and moves to pull out, but you keep your legs locked around her waist.

"On the pill," you gasp out, biting your lip. "Inside, please, need it inside—"

"Fuck, baby," Deren swears, burying her face in your neck, fucking into you even faster. "It's all yours, baby, 'm gonna give it all to you, yeah?"

You would have thought it funny, if you had any semblance of higher thought left—this was exactly how your son came about. But something about Deren always makes you lose your fucking mind, and you only nod frantically, begging for her.

With one final drive of her hips, Deren buries herself as deep as she can go and spills into you. The sensation of being filled and warmed from the inside shoves you over your own peak, and you sink your teeth into Deren's shoulder as you body locks up with pleasure. Her hips stutter as she cums, spilling rope after rope of thick release into your eager, welcoming cunt that's squeezing along her length like it's trying to milk her dry.

When she finally stops, she flops onto you, flushed and panting. You're no better beneath her, thighs still trembling, though the feel of being so full of her cock and her cum makes a heady rush of endorphins flood your brain.

"I missed you," Deren confesses against your skin after a while. She hasn't pulled out, and you haven't asked her to pull out. Her finger draws little circles around your waist.

"I know," you whisper in response, pressing a kiss against her hair. "I missed you too."

You don't share any more words after that. It's too early for those words, been too long since either of you spoke it to each other, but there's a flicker of hope in your chest that one day, you'll both make it back to that point—and hopefully, this time, you'll make it stay.

[vyadeity]

Being Army Can Be Exhausting

Some Army are going to hate me for this but at this point I don’t care.

First off, I really don’t expect anyone to read this and that’s fine because I expect it.

There seem to be some very blatant rules in being Army that I feel either get misconstrued or are enfrorced with iron fist and if not followed….well are you even Army? I’ve been Army for years but sometimes we can be toxic as all get out.

This of course doesn’t apply to all Army. Get it? Got it? Good. If you’re sensitive, leave. I’m not debating or arguing with anybody.

Now, I’ve made a few notes, walk with me here:

BTS Only!

Yeah, no. I’ve been a K-pop fan for 14 years now and I’ve seen this sentiment come and go. Guess what? It never sticks. While I love BTS, they aren’t the only group to ever exist. It may feel that way to a lot of Army, it’s simply not true. You liking other groups doesn’t make me or you any less Army. Sorry not sorry.

And while I’ve only ever loved two other groups as much as BTS (honestly I don’t see that changing), I’m not cutting off an industry because of some bs If Multi Not Army rule reinforced by some.

Being a Multi is not some grand betrayal to BTS.

Buy Everything, We Must Support!

I simply can’t express how much I disagree with this! You know how many people can’t “afford” to be Army if that’s the case?

This shit is expensive lol. It’s not for the faint of heart. While I’m fortunate to be able to fund my support for them, I very much recognize that it’s not the case for everyone. BigHit drops merchandise almost on the daily! Between BTS, solo endeavors, TinyTan and BT21 our money is vanishing out of our wallets monthly.

Now have I spent a good amount of money on BTS merchandise? Yep! Official and unofficial, I sure have. Even spent a good amount of money on both my BTS tatts. Is what it is. But again, that’s a privilege I recognize. Some Army can only show their support through YouTube streams. Why? They’re free. And I’m sure BTS appreciates them all the same.

The pressure to keep up with other Army financially is enormous and even if you don’t subscribe to that way of thinking, you’ve surely seen it.

“Look at my decked out BTS themed room or apartment!”

“I bought Gucci/LV/Dior because now that BTS are brand ambassadors I have to show my support!”

Good on them but good God. Next thing you know, you’ve spent thousands of dollars trying to keep up and living on ramen packets but it’s okay because…I dunno…Army? No! Get a white T-shirt, a permanent marker, write BTS across the front and call it a day. Again, you’re just as much Army as anyone else.

They’re a Solo! Stone Them!

Shut up!

This is my biggest gripe with this fandom.

They’re a solo, so what? It doesn’t automatically mean that they hate the rest of the group. I know, I’m cool with a few of them. Not all Solos are created equal. You people have turned them on par with Satan and it’s nowhere near that serious.

Sometimes, you gel with one member and one member only. Sorry people, that’s just true for some. Nothing against the other members at all.

And yes yes, they are some extremely problematic solos out there. Not negating that. I specifically talking about the ones that aren’t.

Have I personally been called a solo? No but that’s because I rarely express my views on anything BTS because you will be attacked for it if it’s not the most positive glowing view.

Also the things I’ve seen on X, Instagram, TikTok and here have shown me some of the idiotic reasons people are labled solos. These are the reasons I see the most on my side of these platforms:

“You only post one of two members”

It’s called having biases, have we forgotten about that?

“You only buy music from one member!”

My wallet, my prerogative. I love the group’s music but not all them seperatley. Oooo I said it!

Solo music wise I regularly listen to Joonie, Jimin, Yoongi and Jungkook’s music. I don’t necessarily vibe with Hobi, Tae and Jin’s music. I don’t dislike their music, it’s just not for me. But I do buy the albums in show of support.

“You only watch content with certain members and not others!!”

This goes back to my initial point, sometimes you gel with certain members more than others. I gravitate, like we all do, to certain personalities. It’s just that simple.

There’s also burnout. I can’t watch everything because I do sometimes get sick of them! Love them to Jin’s moon and back but sometimes, I need a break. Get over it!

Live, Laugh, Love, Breathe BTS

No.

We have lives outside of BTS.

We have other interests outside of BTS.

BTS paved the way? I agree but I’m not going to get into Twitter and other social media battles over it. What’s understood doesn’t have to be explained.

BTS have lives outside of BTS. Some of you need to follow suit.

All In All

There’s a certain sub group of Army that try to make the rest of us adhere to what their definition of what Army is. It’s not cool, it’s not fair and it’s out and out toxic. Your willingness to be incredibly overbearing and toxic doesn’t make you more of a fan than the next Army member.

It goes against everything BTS stands for and some of you have lost sight of that.

And I will forever die on that hill.

And if any of these bullets hit you, do yourself a favor and make Joon proud, do better.

[a-girl-withouta-face]

Andrealphus Relationship Headcanons

“You really are an enchantress my love!Truly a beauty by design!”

Andrealphus is obviously rich as heck , expect him to buy you all sorts of fancy and expensive things just anything in the world to make you happy. He refuses to buy you clothing that is cheap , dirty , worn out just anything that is worn by common people or the poor cause he wants the best for you and he wants you to look your best.

When he brings you out on dates the places he brings you to are very fancy and expensive , a place where most people can’t afford , his ego is pretty huge because of his status and wealth so he believes he’s technically the best and since he’s with you he only wants you to have the finer things in life of course , expect to have lots of parties with him , fancy parties with tea cups , gatherings all sorts of things

He looks down on people who aren’t of equal status so he won’t allow you to be seen with anyone of lower class.

He’s very good with complimenting and charming you so out of no where even in decent conversation he calls you all these beautiful words he compares you and describe you with words like “Enchantress” , “Vixen” , “minx” , “lioness” , “belle” , “coquette” and so on just any word that means someone “Beautiful” and “Attractive” , he does a lot of flirty gestures with you and calls you “My love” or “Darling” like a ton , he gives you that flirty smirk all the time.

He isn’t a fan of conflict or tension so he rather deals with problems now and provide solutions to them while its still happening , he rather find a solution than arguing and yelling cause he gets seriously uncomfortable and frustrated.

Whenever he is in an argument with you he tries to distance himself for a bit till he calms down cause he knows he might try to insult you out of frustration.

He isn’t mostly into PDA , the entire idea of it doesn’t bother him or anything its just that he’s more good and charming with his words and he always know what to say.

He is raised a curtain way so expect him to open doors for you , pull out your chair and carry your things , he rarely does this since he has butlers but if theres no one around which is rare he’ll do these things for you.

Likes to get on one knee and kiss the back of your hand sometimes

Also Stella needs to respect you for him to date you , he’s really close to his sister and he doesn’t want to pick one over the other so he needs you both to get along , he rather date someone Stella likes but if she doesn’t like you he wants you both to atleast be in a dynamic where your both not at eachother’s throats like she is with Stolas cause he hates seeing people bickering and screaming at eachother.

[fruitbasketball]

i see your stand point of cc. and i’m not trying to defend her in any way, but as a woc myself, i don’t see how this is fair to her at all. im a personal believer that your actions and words reflect you, and other people’s actions and words reflect them. i believe it’s in the way you treat people as a human being that deems you a ‘good’ person. as far as i’ve seen, cc has given praise to legends and poc before her. i do think color has a major factor in the way her fans act, but i don’t believe her fans are a reflection of her at all. she’s spoken out about how there’s no room for racism or bigotry in her fanbase/the wnba. i genuinely believe she wants to play the game of basketball and get her money. i don’t think there should be anything wrong with that. i don’t think any other wnba player has been asked to ‘talk to’ their fan base about the way they act on social media, because i don’t think any other wnba player has had the amount of fans that cc has had. i just don’t really understand why it’s expected of her to say something to a group of people that support her, while also supporting things (out of their own delusion) that she clearly does not support. we saw it in the way tom brady fans reacted to people calling mahomes the greatest of all time. brady wasn’t asked to or expected to quiet his supporters (even with the amount of racist remarks that were unnecessarily brought into the conversation). i don’t mean to come across as trying to start an argument, but i just want to understand why you believe it’s her responsibility to try to control a mass of people that don’t reflect her beliefs (that she has made public) in the slightest?

i appreciate this discourse!!

i think firstly, the nfl is a bad comparison. the nfl has a really shitty history dealing with political statement, or even statements of dissent. you can look to colin kaepernick for this; the expectation of the nfl is to remain a largely apolitical league.

the same is not true of the wnba. a league full of queer, black women cannot afford to be apolitical. conversely, a league full of straight men can largely afford that. the wnba can’t, nor has it ever attempted to.

you’re talking about a league that rallied for black lives matter, who came together to bring bg home from russia, who has and will continue to speak about injustices as frequently as possible. cc either needs to get with the program or get the fuck out.

that’s the other issue with comparing her to tom brady. we’re not going to sit around and say that they had the same impact on both their sports. are new england sports fans just generally and largely racist? absolutely. is it tom brady who brought them into the sport? certainly not. they were there before.

so when caitlin clark is bringing her fans into this black, queer space, she has to be aware of her privilege as a straight, white woman. “she just wants to play basketball and get her money” doesn’t work here. she chose to declare for THIS league. if she wanted to play in an apolitical space, she could’ve gone and played overseas. but she chose the wnba. so she’s just gonna have to suck it up.

and i know we want to say “she spoke out about this this and this”. no the fuck she didn’t?? she answered a question asked of her in a presser that most people didn’t and will not see. a statement made AFTER her teammates girlfriend tweeted out saying: “damn, this mfker needa say smth”. what was she going to say “yes, i condone racism”?? there’s no statement made of her own will, no instagram post, no tweet, no nothing. her “speaking out” was lazy, it was forced, and it was ineffective. it’s just not enough.

i don’t expect her to control her mass of racist fans. i expect her to make any attempt to do so. i expect her to make an effort to distance herself from that narrative.

and it is immensely disappointing that she hasn’t even really tried.

[knoxville-coroner]

Hey ravers it’s festival season and it’s getting hotter so here’s some tips to be safe and have a fun time!

Non drug related tips:

*always try to wear ear protection. I know. Everyone says it. But honestly you’ll know why if you’ve gone to a rave.

*kandi beads melt with sunscreen. If you want to wear Kandi a sleeve under or putting it around a belt will protect them

*for the underground/indoor ravers: vapor nose sticks. Please invest. Those places smell like cigarettes and weed and ass but one of these little guys fixed it

*I cannot stress this enough TURN ON FIND MY PHONE AND PASSWORD LOCK IT. If you can afford any sort of phone holder/anti theft device I would suggest that. Phone thief’s run wild. I have seen these around to help prevent that but I suggest clipping it inside your bag

*hand sanitizer on the back of your neck and on your forehead both helps cool you off and keep you from feeling all sticky and gross after awhile!

* pair it with a hand fan. I know a lot of ravers say they hate fans but honestly as long as ur not continuously clacking it you should not have an issue. Those fans save so many people from heat stroke. Also YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THEM FROM FESTIVALS!!!!!! you can buy them at the dollar store. They may be smaller but they work just the same.

*for first time ravers please take note of what age group your event is for. If it’s all ages you should be prepared to interact with people sometimes as young as 13 14-adult age. If it’s 18+ be prepared to talk to anyone 18-40’s (that doesn’t mean older ravers don’t exist I just never met many personally) and 21+ is also self explanatory

*etsy and this website are cool for fancy beads! In fact on the basehead beads website rn you can buy palastine beads that support Palestine! So it’s a double win. However if you can’t afford the fancier beads Walmart and other stores have the normal Kandi beads as well as some charms to spice it up!

*there is more ways to trade Kandi than plur! However not many of them are well known but when a raver wants to show you a new version pass on the knowledge! (I cannot find a video of the other ways and they are hard to describe)

*bring little items to give out! I personally like cheap rubber ducks and small solid ducks as well but I have been given erasers, little cheap toys, worm on a string etc!

!Drug Cw under more!

Drug related tips

* if you are rolling/tripping please PLEASE set timers to drink water every 30-40 minutes or so. No matter how your stomach feels take at least a sip.

*pacifers and gum work VERY well for protecting the sides of your mouth

*B12 vitamins help if you are consuming nitrous. Also please make sure to take deep breaths in between.

*molly should not only be tested for fent but meth as well

*test acid for NBOMBs

*DO NOT do substances if you have to hike a long way to get to the rave spot. I don’t know WHY people think it’s a good idea to be rolling near cliff edges or in caves. But you know

*if you are taking acid Uber home. Your trip has NOT ended by the time that rave is over unless you are at a festival.

*here’s a guide for supplements you should take before and after rolling to prevent serotonin syndrome and a bad come down

Tips for oding:

*always administer narcan even if you don’t know what substance they are on. If it’s not fent or an opioid it will do nothing. But if it is you can save a life

*call 911 immediately or have someone do it for you

*WAIT FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO GET THERE TO DISCLOSE WHAT THEY TOOK! But do not hide it from medical professionals/ambulance workers but do not say a word to police or operators about the possibility of an od. Say you need emergency help now and the person seems to be struggling to breath.

*when the ambulance gets there THEN disclose if you know what drugs they have taken anything ONLY TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

*how to administer narcan

[raging-violets]

Half Empty // Big Time Rush // Kiley

A/N: Slightly inspired by State Champs' song 'Half Empty'. But also explores the part of Kiley lore that I haven't worked on/shown a lot, the start of Kiley's confusion/miscommunication on their feelings for each other. So it's fluffy but a little angsty. This is set in 3x02 BTReturns. Can be seen as a companion piece to Around The World and Back.

(*Gif doesn't really have anything to do with the prompt, it was just a good one of the fc showing she was outside).

Was it normal to be this happy, this excited, this anxious to see someone after three months when you weren’t dating them?

Was it normal to be filled with butterflies and moths and fluttering wings of birds as the seconds counted down to seeing each other?

Was it normal to feel that way about your best friend?

Was it normal to feel like you were going to burst out of your skin if you weren’t able to blurt out everything you’d been holding back from your text messages and phone calls because you wanted to have the conversation face to face?

Was there something wrong with her, feeling like her entire system was about to bubble over with each glance Kendall sent her way, each smile, each touch between the two of them that hadn’t been questioned before?

Like the fitting in of the final puzzle piece, the correct key that fit the lock, the nervousness of feeling that everything was right?

Was it normal to be laughing that hard at the misfortune that had befallen Kendall on tour with a fan that had been a little too excited and overwhelmed to see Big Time Rush live?

 Probably not, but Riley couldn’t help but wrap her arms around her stomach, sides and abs stinging with convulsions through her hysterical laughter.

Sitting beside her, so close that the heat that radiated from him was hotter than the sun, Kendall calmly waited for her to finish. Sides pressed together so closely that’d become the norm between them. With his arms on his upraised knees, swinging a soda can from his fingertips, Kendall glanced at her then glanced away as she continued.

“It's not that funny."

"It’s so that funny!" Riley denied, wiping tears from her eyes. She continued giggling quietly, enough for Kendall to start smiling, dimples on full display.

"Okay, well, it wasn’t funny at the time.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t.”

“It actually really hurt!”

"I mean, I know fans can be bloody crazy, but even that’s too aggro for me." She finally stopped giggling but kept grinning. "She really bit you?"

"Leaned forward and took a big bite," Kendall agreed.

A beat of silence stretched between them. Riley’s blue eyes lit up with mischief, her gaze darting from his face to his stomach and back before she eagerly asked, "Can I see?"

"No!"

The two then started to laugh at his outburst, leaning against each other as they did so. Every time they started to calm down, they'd look at each other and another spark would fly, making them laugh all over again.

Finally, they relaxed into a comfortable silence. Kendall ran a hand through his hair to shake it out while Riley pulled her legs up to brush sand off her ankles.

"She really just leaned over and took a bite?"

"I don't know how many more times I can explain that to you, Riles. It didn’t leave a mark or anything, so I really can’t prove it. But it happened!"

“Like that whole MI6, wanting to control the moon, spy thing.”

“Yes!” Kendall’s eyes grew wide at the emotion thrown into his voice. “That happened, too!” He held up his hands. “But I guess I’m never going to convince you of that, either.”

Riley nose wrinkled. “Gustavo really needs to work on your guys' security."

"We didn't have security." A sarcastic smile came to his face. "Gustavo and Kelly put so much into the promotion for our tour we couldn't afford to have Freight Train or his friends to come along with us."

"Mm. I reckon bloke’s too cheap to foot the bill, yeah?"

"You're probably right."

Riley matched his smile, looping her arms around her upraised knees. She leaned forward, pressing her cheek against her knees as she smiled at him. She listened as the waves below crashed on the shore of the beach, barely covering the shrieks and squeals of their friends as they ran back and forth along the foaming water.

It had been a great surprise; a party on the beach to welcome Big Time Rush back from their first big tour…though Carlos did mistake at first that the beach had been bought for them and was now a private beach.

And all the while Riley felt more like herself and unlike herself at the same time. To say she was excited to see her friends again was an understatement. Big Time Rush had grown to be an even bigger part of her life than she anticipated, quickly moving to be some of her best friends. More than that, her family.

It was a nice feeling; one she hadn’t felt in so long that she almost didn’t recognize it. The exact same she felt just by sitting next to Kendall, his arm gently brushing against hers.

Happy.

"What?" Kendall's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"What?" Riley repeated, turning to look at him, finding him already staring at her, a peaceful smile on his face. She felt her cheeks flush under his gaze, taking in the way he was looking at her. It was the way he always looked but…something about it was different. Nice.

He shrugged. "You just looked like you were deep in thought," Kendall said.

"I guess I was."

"Penny for them?"

"You can't afford it, Hockey-Head."

"Well, either way you look different." His eyes narrowed just slightly. “Funny.”

That got her interested. "How so?"

"I don't know."

"Happy?" She guessed.

Kendall grinned. "Yeah, that's it. You look happy."

"I am."

"Because we're back, right?"

Riley smirk-smiled before she could stop herself.

“Did you miss me?” He continued to tease.

"If I missed you, I'd need better aim," she teased in reply.

Smiling, Kendall rolled his eyes. "I didn’t miss that while I was gone. I should’ve seen it coming."

"Yeah, you should've." She gently jostled him with her shoulder, a movement he returned.

"You're not funny."

She made a show of tossing a pigtail over her shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes. “I’m hysterical,” she quickly replied. He rolled his eyes again. "Yeah," she said, finally answering his question. "I missed you."

“Really?” He suddenly looked bashful, lowering his head.

“Really.” Riley agreed. Then she shook her head and said, "You're one of a kind, Hockey-Head."

"I missed you, too."

Riley felt herself perk up at his statement.

She opened her mouth to get the words out, then closed it again. The butterflies were still there. The moths and the birds, all fluttering and flapping their wings. No one was around to tease, no one was even looking at them to make it harder. There were no interviewers asking questions, no fans speculating, she didn’t have an overbearing and abusive manager breathing down her neck wanting to know and control everything going on in her life.

She was safe.

But…

Now that he was back, they had plenty of time, right? Why rush it?

Riley chewed her lower lip, tapped her fingers along her arm before starting to rub it. Brought her hand up to scratch her forehead, keeping him from seeing the smile that slowly worked its way onto her face.

The butterflies and moths and birds slowly faded away, turning into crashing waves that settled deep within her. Half empty. Lean one way and she’d splash blissfully down into the watery depths that’d cushion her and help her float along with the new waves that’d be created. Lean the other and she’d wind up crashing against the sharp pointy rocks that’d warn her not to go that way again.

Taking a deep breath, Riley steeled herself, ready to take the plunge.

Then they heard Mrs. Knight’s shouting and realized two things at once, that it was time for them to leave and go home, and that so much time had passed since they started talking. Hours, probably, if she had to guess.

Shoulders sagging in disappointment, Riley stood and brushed off the sand that stuck to her. She waited for Kendall to do the same before they started to walk back to the others. She’d managed to ignore the other addition to the group that day, Lucy, for most of the day, but couldn’t as they headed to the group. James had invited her at the last minute as he explained he needed a different venue other than the Palm Woods to woo her. (Yes, he did actually say ‘woo’).

And it annoyed her more than she thought it would.

Primarily, after Kendall explained what’d happened to have her come along, rolling his eyes along James’s antics, something she hadn’t felt in a long time struck Riley.

The ugly, sneering, green eyed monster cleverly disguising itself as anxiety in the sudden thought that Kendall would be interested in anyone else.

So, it came as a surprise to her as they walked along that the words that slipped out of Riley’s mouth wasn’t what she’d wanted to tell Kendall for months on end, but an observation of the last few hours, “She likes you, you know.”

Kendall looked at her, eyebrows coming together.

She looked directly back at him. “Lucy.”

“She doesn’t like me,” Kendall said almost immediately.

Riley’s eyebrows twitched upwards as she crossed her arms. That should’ve been something she was happy to hear. But he’d said it so fast…almost as if someone had something to him about it before.

And she’d watched them enough, recognized some of what she would call a ‘mating call’ of sorts in Lucy’s interactions to Kendall in her own interactions with him. She knew it when she saw it.

“And anyway, I’m not interested in her,” Kendall continued.

Riley’s eyebrows lowered then. Still, that shaking feeling wasn’t leaving her. “You’re not?” She asked instead.

“No, I, uh…” Kendall brought up his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, well, we’re just friends. I don’t really know her.”

“So? You didn’t really know Jo and you liked her.”

“And look how that ended up. We fought all the time!”

“True.”

“And…I want to be with someone who I know well. Like, really well. Y’know, like, my best friend or something.” He glanced at her, pausing in rubbing the back of his neck. She looked back at him. “What do you think? That’s not…weird, is it?”

“No, it’s not weird,” Riley quickly reassured him. “That’s usually the way you want it to go, yeah? Why not be with someone who’s your friend?” Her eyes shifted once more before lifting to look up at Kendall through her eyelashes. “Is Lucy your friend?”

A strange expression suddenly flashed across Kendall’s face. “I mean, we hang out at the Palm Woods. But she’s always testing us with weird things, always playing weird mind games and stuff. She’s cool, though. She’s a great guitar player and really pushes us. I guess we’re friends.”

Riley lowered her gaze. “Then, I guess it’s a matter of whether you think the risk is worth it, yeah? Because once you cross the line of friendship into liking someone or wanting to date them, then you’re not friends anymore, so…if you value the friendship, you have to decide if the risk is worth it. In this case, I don’t know if it’s something you can come back from.”

“Right.” Kendall nodded. “Yeah…”

“Yeah…”

They looked at each other and smiled.

Reaching their friends, they gathered their things together, half listened as Gustavo barked their orders of what needed to be done at work the next day, they went their separate ways.

Each still with that smile on their face that faded as their steps away from each other increased.

Each with a distinct feeling there had been a monumental shift in their relationship.

What had started out as an excitement to see each other again, to start something new, had faded away into the swirling confusion of the question, “What just happened?”

@partiallypearl @ceruleanmusings

[novamation12]

For the sm ask game! :3

Cinder - 3, 11

Ratchet - 1, 16

Archer - 7, 14

Newt - 12, 13

Sherry - 7, 20

Blythe - 9, 15

<3333

[SPOOKY MONTH ASK GAME!]

Cinder

3: “Well let’s see… I have mami on the far side of town! I visit once every week or so! She’s much happier than she used to be… my brother Frank is usually out and about doing god knows what in that van of his! At least he’s holding up well! He can even afford a vacation! As for Streber, he’s just finished recovering! I’m so glad the poor thing is alright! Truth be told I still call him my baby cousin even if he’s grown…”

11: He’s… not very fit to lead. I’m not against the no guns policy! But our police are running around like chickens without heads because of the lack of funding! I’ve heard rumors it goes towards commissions for portraits of himself… I have no idea what happened to the other candidate after he won. It’s like he up and disappeared!”

Ratchet

1. “Oh! Ummm my name is Ratchet Lovejoy and I’m an employee for Happy Fella Enterprises! An animator to be specific. I used to have a job at Boys n’ Grills until… yknow. I heard it might be reopening soon but… I’m not sure I’d come back anyways.”

16: “I usually don’t look at the stars much since I’ve lived here a large majority of my life.. but I think I know what you’re talking about? The ones that look reeeal close together? *chuckle* It’s like they watch over the town!”

Archer

7: “… Two people. Neptune and Newt… they get me and my situation… and they’re more tolerable than most people in this town… so yeah. I am. Enough said.”

14: “…. It’s a scourge on this land. Now either buy something or get out.”

Newt

12: “Well I feel bad for them! <:( They’re trying their best! But the mayor sends them this way and that! My momma was an officer. Saved my life, so maybe I’m a bit biased.. but I think they’ll pull through for us!”

13: “I mean… I think I can? I’m not a big fan of violence. I’d rather talk it out or run away if I need to. But… I’d kill if it came to others… I don’t wanna talk about this anymore. Sorry.”

Sherry

7: “Oh my Garcia! We’ve been married for decades now. He brings me so much joy! I like to call him my funny man or honeysuckle! I wouldn’t trade him for the world! No matter who makes a proposition…”

20: “Well.. I’m not exactly a follower of sorts. My husband on the other hand is. I do believe him! But I don’t participate in the meetings or whatever they get up to. Though I occasionally handle… “business”. I won’t tolerate people barging into my home to do heaven knows what. Now then, would you like a cookie? I made this one just for you! It’s to die for…”

Blythe

9: “Oh those two!! I think they just have a lot of energy is all! Sometimes I have some treats for them in my pocket! I don’t mind them but one of my friends can’t stand them. I think they’ll grow out of it though!”

15: “Hm… well… sometimes when I look outside of my window at night, I see glimpses weaving in and out of the trees. The hoods are tall and pointed I think… and they have way too many eyeholes. I don’t think they’ve seen me though… something tells me that’s a blessing..”

[notsocheezy]

Brain Curd #61

Brain Curds are lightly edited flash fiction - practically first drafts - posted daily and sometimes written with the express intention of being terrible… but, you know, in an endearing way. Please enjoy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is The Frank Program,” he said with a wobble in his voice. “Welcome back to the show. In case you’re listening to the audio version of our podcast, you should know that I’m currently receiving a back massage. The masseuse is doing that choppy thing.” He exhaled slowly, still modulated by the rhythmic massage.

Daryl, like a mouse, spoke. “I think they prefer to be called massage therapists.”

“Ah, hell, Daryl, don’t ruin this for me with your woke bullshit. Anyway, our guest today is none other than esteemed political commentator, Howie West. Mr. West, welcome to the program. And of course, welcome to all your many fans.”

“Thank you for having me, Frank.”

“Tell me, what do you make of all this ‘woke’ stuff?”

“Well, actually, a lot of what we call ‘woke’ is a very deliberate attempt by the extreme left to control how you think. If they can control how we think, they can control what we think, and in extreme circumstances, why we think.”

“That’s fascinatin’.”

“If they can do that, well, it’s not much of a stretch to who we think as well. That’s how they accumulate more power.”

Daryl raised his hand. “Can they control where we think?”

“They absolutely can, but I didn't think it was worth mentioning.”

“It’s called ‘school,’ son. And it’s rotting your brain.” Frank rolled over to his side and the towel fell off.

Daryl shielded his eyes.

“Ah, shoot, we’ll have to blur that part out. Daryl, quit yer hysterics! Ain’t nothing you haven’t seen before!” Frank adjusted his microphone as the massage therapist replaced his towel. “So, thinkin’ and such - where is it taking America as a nation?”

“America is in big, big trouble, Frank. Big. People are afraid to speak their minds because they know the far-left communist corporate media will silence them…”

Daryl raised his hand again.

“SHUT UP, DARYL!”

“... Americans are afraid of even voting for the candidate they really want, for fear of social rejection by their peers. That is why Republicans keep losing the popular vote. It’s lucky that the electoral college evens things out, but the radical left is trying to dismantle that as well.”

“How can we be sure that Americans only vote for the candidates they really want?”

“The brightest minds in the country are working to figure that out as we speak, but I can tell you for sure that it’d be easier if we had as few people voting as possible.”

Frank got a cramp in his leg. “Ow! Ow! Charlie horse! Charlie horse!” The massage therapist squeezed the knot and he relaxed with a sigh. “I’m listening.”

“Did you know, Frank, that when this country was founded, only wealthy white landowners were allowed to vote for president? And only government employees were required to pay income tax? This is the America I want to live in.”

“I really like that last part. Taxes are killing me. Can’t afford nothin’ these days with all the inflation.”

The massage therapist started massaging his feet.

“Oh… oh yeah, that’s the spot. Now, hold on just a second, Howie, that reminds me a question I was meanin’ to ask.”

“What’s that?”

“So, you’re a Jew, right? Always wearin’ that little hat?”

“Yarmulke.”

“Bless your soul. Anyhow, my question: are Jews white?”

“Uh…” West rubbed the back of his neck. “It depends.”

“I just mean scientifically, that’s all. None of that social-whatever stuff the woke mob is on about, just science.”

“If you’re wondering whether I’d be allowed to vote, I’m sure I would. I own three houses.”

“No, no, just genetically. DNA-type genetical.”

Howie gulped. “I’m not black! Look at me, it’s obvious.”

“Mexicans aren’t black either, are they?”

“Yeah… you know, uh, that’s a good point.” He looked at his wrist, but not the one with a watch on it. “I really have to be going, actually, so I’ll see you around, Frank.” He got up and ran out the door, slamming it behind him.

Frank growled. “Goddamn it, Daryl, you scared him off with yer stupid questions!”

Daryl retreated into himself. “Sorry, Pop.”

“It is what it is, I guess. I’ll just enjoy the rest of my massage. For now, y’all, I’m Frank, this has been The Frank Program, and thank you for letting me be Frank with you.”

[daringdoombringer]

“Maybe in another universe my life isn’t a setup by the person I look up to most.”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME.”

Trope/character rant incoming! CW: STUFF ABOUT DEREALIZATION

i havent watched TOH but from loads of fan content ive seen i know Hunter Wittbane and Mack Hartford follow the same trope: being told their entire lives were lies by their parental figure, and they were in fact created artificially for a greater purpose. Hunter for destruction, Mack for loneliness cause his “dad” really *really* wanted a son? Idrk yet, i really need to rewatch Overdrive. I do remember Mack’s dad being a much better dad than Belos, and that Mack was created with good intentions. (fuck Emperor Belos all my homies hate Belos)

The only thing I vividly remember from watching Operation Overdrive was when Mack was revealed to be a robot, programmed with memories and tricked into believing he was always human. Being told his super strength and endurance were simply genetic superpowers. That there was nothing to question and everything was fine.

He was lied to. His whole life. His EXISTENCE was an elaborate lie.

Do you realize how screwed up that is?? The thought of your life and the reason you are alive and breathing is a cover up for something greater. If you can even breathe in the first place! That you were artificially created by someone/something else? That youve never truly been in control of *anything?*

That youre really just someone’s ELABORATE ART PROJECT???? THAT YOUR ENTIRE LIFE IS FAKE?!?! DO YOU SEE WHAT IM GETTING AT HERE? After you find out, then what? What else is a lie? Are your friends lying to you? Your thoughts and body were never truly yours. You’re not in control. Only the person you now have to call “creator.” Is there anything you can call your own? Are you real? Is anything else real? Were you EVER real?

What’s the point?

What’s the point of anything when your existence was a ruse from the very start?

What if it weren’t for Power Ranger’s infamously bad acting? What Mack had reacted realistically? If he did it likely wouldn’t have been pretty. Idk about y’all but I think he deserved to snap. Just for a moment. As a little treat.

He was programmed to think he was just a kinda weird human, surely that’s what he is? He’s alive, right? And robots never go against their programming, right?

What if he runs off in a blind rage, feeling utterly betrayed by his mentor and fellow Rangers? What is he supposed to do? How is he even comprehending this? How is he doing this? Can robots do that?! Robots can’t act, only think! Only thinking with the preprogrammed thoughts and information that were deliberately given to them! His thoughts aren’t his! His life never belonged to him in the first place! No wonder he never felt like he belonged among the other Rangers! He was never a real person like they are!

Mack’s now in a paranoid frenzy debating everything he’s ever known. His life, his personality, his memories are artificial. HE is artificial. He doesn’t know what or who to trust anymore. He’s never had a life to call his own because it never happened! Now desperately looking for something to call his own, something he KNOWS ISNT FAKE. Something that isn’t a lie like he is.

What if one of the bad guys finds him in this state?

I mean, having a now distressed and enraged but ridiculously powerful robot on your side wouldn’t be too bad, would it? And those pesky Rangers would be without their leader…

What if Tyzzon steps up in Mack’s absence, determined to find him and have the team be whole again? Mack and the Rangers saved him, now it’s time for him to return the favor. From one nonhuman to another. Mack is the only friend Tyzzon’s had, after all. They can’t afford to loose him. Not now. Not when the world is under attack. Not ever.

But ofc something like THAT would be much too brave for Power Rangers. A Pangender person can dream. Oh wait I just wrote down the plot to one heck of an alternative universe fanfiction… damn. I was just going off what little I remembered from the show lol

BUT WAIT. THERES MORE.

When I was at GalaxyCon this weekend, I found Derrick Cameron. (actor who played Tyzzon, the Mercury Ranger.) I brought up the Mack being a robot thing to him, and he said the cast wasn’t informed of it at all.

SO NOT EVEN THE ACTORS KNEW UP UNTIL IT CAME TIME TO FILM THE EPISODE. OH MY GOD.

So yeah this post WAS about a general trope but I kinda got sidetracked lol. Anything in fiction involving robots/machines/AI debating their existences, learning how to be human, any symbolism involving them, GOD.

THAT SHIT FUCKS. ME. UP.

✨thank you for witnessing my unhinged rant✨

[maybeitsalivescribbles]

You try several times to call your partner, until you renounce. Staring at your phone, you forget to breathe. You should panic, but you don’t have the strength anymore. All your friends could reasonably think that’s because you’re afraid that your partner was caught in the final battle between Superhero and Supervillain, or maybe in the general chaos that ensued in the streets. And indeed you are; as your hear the screams outside, it’s hard not to fear for their life a little.

Unfortunately, that would mean that you would have still hope that they’re still alive, and you don’t have much right now.

It’s a stupid thought you have since a while now. Since Superhero have come in town, you’ve been a little bit of a fan. Oh, who are you kidding; you’ve been a lot of a fan. Of course, you’re not a stalker, you’ve always been polite, you’ve never harassed them on social media, but every time they appear on TV or near by the streets, you cannot help but be drawn to them. It’s their smile, you think, something in their smile. It’s not self-assured or plastic, but it’s genuine and even kinda shy. And, for more evident reasons, their kindness and their bravery warm your heart. They make – made ? - everyone a little better just by being here. They might not have been the most powerful of heroes, but for sure they were one of the nicest, and you think that takes a lot of strength. So yeah, maybe you had a little bit of a silly celeb crush, as a lot of people in the city.

One day, you’ve even been very close to them. There had been an accident - nothing too serious, thanks to them. There was a fire in the house and all the people were out while they were shielding them with their powers. You were in the crowd, watching and cheering, when the cat of the house decided to make a run for it, and you’ve succeeded to catch it on the way. As the family was still shocked, you didn’t really know what to do with it when the hero appeared before you and took it from you. For a moment, you met their eyes while they smiled and thanked you.

You’re a bit ashamed to admit that you didn’t sleep well that night.

But well, no harm done, right ? No harm done. It’s only you being a normal person having met a celebrity for the first time. It makes for a nice story to tell. Expect that the next day, you’ve met a person at the bus stop. Something felt familiar with them. You’ve already seen that kind of one-sided smile, you’ve already seen that glint in their eyes. They're not exactly the same as Superhero’s, but still. You can’t put your finger on it, but although Superhero always wore a mask, you associate this face with them. It was only you two, your new friend seemed funny and charming, it wasn’t not long before you’ve exchanged phone numbers and started dating after that. It's been a couple of months now.

The more you spent time with your partner, the more you noticed strange things. The way they were forced to walk away from you when you had a date planned, leaving you alone in restaurants you could hardly afford. The money they pretended they made from from their desk job was enough to throw parties at yachts or at fancy ballrooms, speaking to political figures or actors like it was nothing. The way they cut you off when you tried to have an honest conversation with them. The way they got nervous, even angry, when you asked questions about their schedule. Your friends are worried about you. One of them, a hero who’s just beginning their career, even told you you only had to call them at any hour if you ever were in serious trouble. And that was sweet of them, but you were not scared. You knew that was going on. Your partner was only desperately trying to hide their secret identity. One morning, when they didn’t hear you coming in the room, you saw them levitating plates in the sink without even lifting a finger. It can’t be easy to have two lives, so you’ve waited patiently for them to reveal the truth to you.

And now they can’t because they’ve just been murdered. There aren’t a lot of people who have this kind of power in this town. Now that they don't answer - they will never answer again - you know for sure who they were. Your head is empty. The room spins. You stare at the locked door and you realize that someone is ringing the bell since a while. There are riots in the streets, it could be dangerous, but you don’t care anymore.

You open the door. Your partner appears in full light, covered in blood. They have Superhero’s head, literally: they hold it by the hair. As you step back, you look at the glint in their eyes, their one-side smile, and suddenly you understand why you’ve always associated them with Superhero. They grin from ear to ear.

“I’m back, darling,” says Supervillain.

*

Back to Hero x Villain Masterlist

You just watched the news and saw your city’s beloved superhero publicly killed. And now your partner won’t answer the damn phone.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

THE FRONT ROOM (2024)

Starring Brandy Norwood, Andrew Burnap, Neal Huff, Kathryn Hunter, David Manis, Mary Catherine Wright, Ellen J. Maddow, Mary Testa, Morgen McKynzie, Kerry Flanagan, Rueby Wray, Chasity Monroe Orr, Charlize Essence Orr, Scottie DiGiacomo, Toree Hill, Desi Ramos and the voice of Wendy Heagy.

Screenplay by Max Eggers & Sam Eggers.

Directed by Max Eggers & Sam Eggers.

Distributed by A24. Pictures. 95 minutes. Rated R.

That is 95 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Look, you learn early on in the movie reviewing world that you won’t like every movie you see. That’s just part of the gig. However, it’s a pretty rare stinker which makes you literally angry as you are walking out of the theater – I spent my time watching this when I could have been doing… anything else in the world?

Truth to tell, I went into The Front Room pretty naïve to what it was about. I had seen the trailer, so I had a basic idea of the storyline. (By the way, it turns out the trailer gives away a pretty significant late plot point which should have never been included in the ad, and it probably wouldn’t have been in a better film, or a better trailer.)

However, two things kind of intrigued me about the film. First of all, it was a horror film starring Brandy (Norwood), the 90s soul-pop singer (“The Boy Is Mine,” “Have You Ever” and “Sittin’ In My Room”) and TV actress (Moesha, Cinderella). It’s not even that surprising that she was doing horror, because she was in the two late ‘90s I Know What You Did Last Summer retro-slasher films. I was not even that big a fan of Brandy’s work, but it had been probably 20-25 years since I had seen her do anything of note. So, the attraction was more about me wondering whatever became of her. (Well, I did see her in a bad Netflix Christmas romance movie last year with Heather Graham and Jason Biggs on Netflix. But no matter how bad that film was, it’s Citizen Kane as compared to this.)

The other interesting thing to me is that it was being distributed by A24, a movie studio which is known for taking some real chances and releasing some truly eccentric films. Honestly, only about one in three of their films totally work – and lots of them are extremely strange – but they are always interesting and different.

Well in fairness, The Front Room is different. It’s even interesting, I suppose – I was never bored or distracted during the film. Of course, that was partially because I was constantly shocked that this movie could sink as low and be as heavy-handed and completely unrealistic as it was. I mean, I get it, horror movies aren’t supposed to make sense in real life (and honestly, this was not so much scary as it was disturbing and disgusting), but even by the loose logical standards of thrillers, The Front Room is built on some real whoppers.

And the bogeyman in this film is a 5’1” tall, extremely frail little old lady who needs two canes to walk.

The story… so to speak… is about Belinda (Brandy) and Norman (Andrew Burnap), a young academic mixed-race couple expecting their first child. (I mention the fact that they are biracial not because I care about it, but because that becomes a plot point later.) She is an adjunct professor at a local college hoping to get full-time status, he’s a struggling lawyer hoping that a big upcoming case will open the door for his dream job. They have bought their dream home, and they are struggling financially (she can’t even afford to buy paint for the baby’s nursery).

Everything changes when Norman receives a call from Solange (Kathryn Hunter), his stepmother. From the second that he hears her voice, Norman goes into PTSD mode; a simpering, deadened, frightened child. Solange tells Norman that his father is dying of cancer and if he wants to make amends with dad, it’ll have to be now. Norman refuses to go to see him, calling his stepmother a holy roller, evil and the bane of his existence. However, when dad dies, Belinda convinces him to go to the funeral, saying he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t.

At the funeral they are given a Faustian bargain. Solange would give them all of her money (it is never said exactly how much that was, but it was obviously a very substantial amount) if they would allow her to live with them, which was apparently dad’s last wish. They are torn – particularly Norman, who actively dislikes the woman – but with that money so many of their problems would be solved.

Therefore, they agree to it, and Solange starts to insinuate herself into their life and home. From the beginning she is a cramp on their lifestyles, her devout religiosity, her backhanded compliments, her insistence on imposing her will on the house and their new baby, her frailty and medical issues. Many of Solange’s snipes are small and petty – she insists on referring to Belinda as Belinder and Norman as Norman Gene (which reminded me of Marilyn Monroe every single time she did it). And it turns out that she is a proud daughter of the Confederacy, which of course makes Belinda uncomfortable.  

Soon she is spitefully using her frailty as a weapon – I’m serious, you’ve never seen so much poop, pee and vomit in your life – to make Belinda’s life a living hell. Oddly, Norman, who was so afraid of the woman that he nearly faded into himself just weeks earlier, seems to settle into Solange’s chaos with a shrug. Also, it appears that Solange may have some sort of psychic power – she seems to know things she would have no way of knowing. She also may be less feeble than she seems (Belinda sees her walking without her canes at one point). And she is constantly bringing weird religious friends into the house who seem like cast members from a road company of Rosemary’s Baby.

Now, it may be a fool’s errand to point out the many, many plot inconsistencies which pop up here. For example, when Solange’s medical needs become too much for Belinda to deal with, why don’t they just hire a home health nurse? They suddenly have all of Solange’s money, they could undoubtedly afford it. Also, how does Norman go from despising and distrusting Solange to taking the old woman’s word over that of his own wife?

The biggest problem is Solange herself, though. The character is so over-the-top, so cartoonish, so completely unbelievable that she is nearly impossible to take seriously as a villain. Hey, I dislike holy rollers as much as the next guy, and I have my share of crotchety elderly relatives, but I don’t buy this character for a second. Frankly, it’s pretty ageist and anti-religious.

Then The Front Room uses the most cynical, amoral “happy” ending that it could possibly have grafted onto its diseased flesh. I actually cringed when I heard people clapping for this plot point at the screening I went to.

I cannot stress strongly enough how much I hated (yes, I used the “h” word) The Front Room. Avoid it at all costs.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: September 6, 2024.

[bisluthq]

Except for Swifties, I have seen a lot of backlash against Taylor for her new album, in social media. Most comment on her lack of maturity in songwriting by a woman in her 30s and making trashing ex’s her legacy. They felt she should have grown emotionally by now. I tend to agree and I recall what Lady Gaga once said when asked. She could never write diss music against someone she once loved. I am exploring others to follow now. I was impressed by Victoria Monét. She’s a singer/songwriter 15 years into the business and only got a chance to sing her own words later on in the business, when someone found her tapes, and left the record label and took Victoria with her. VM had no father to help jumpstart her career, by investing in a record label, and had to write for other people instead of getting a chance to sing her own music. From now on, I will only be a fan of singers who show the emotional growth as a human being. Taylor has the power to have her words make the world a better place, but she is stuck in high school, emotionally, and only her marketing skills keep her relevant. She is no role model except for money making, squeezing every last dollar out of her fans.

lol but u haven’t even listened to the album???? This is such a weird ass take. So far the only negative-ish thing she’s released about Joe is YLM which is BY NO MEANS a diss track. It’s a pretty measured meditation on a relationship that was once great crumbling and acknowledges fault on both sides.

I’ve not seen anyone saying that lol like not just from Swifties tbh. As I said there was a long thread on FB where a friend of mine in academia changed the cover to the Tortured Historian Department and the zingers in the comments where all around academia references. One person wrote “So Long London is about how no one can afford to live there on a lecturer’s salary” and there were other jokes too that one just stuck out to me and got a lot of likes. There were also jokes about pursuing tenure but I can’t remember which song this was about. None of these people are Swifties and none of them gaf about her boyfriends lmao because they have jobs. PS Florence has confirmed the title was an academia reference to begin with in a story where she calls herself the Department Head of Haunted Houses (obvi the song So Long London is not about academia, that was a joke, but like the title is about it).

Victoria Monet is fucking awesome but that’s got fuck all to do with fuck all.

if you want to unstan Taylor based on an unheard album (or actually just because she annoys u idc why you don’t like her but an unheard album is genuinely a sillier reason than just “I find her annoying” or “she is the epitome of white mediocrity”) go ahead but like you’re doing it because you just don’t dig her anymore not because “a lot of people” think she hasn’t grown up lmfao. Also lol I mean algorithms work that way so if you keep interacting with antis you’ll see more antis so you’ll believe more people dislike her vibe idk.