#they're both awesome i just love what i can build of the world from the differences

[spotforme]

now imagine i swapped the enterprise and red dwarf crews' outfits and makeup and started chaos

[wuntrum]

can you speak on your severance s2 opinions? i promise this isnt in bad faith or anything, im just anon bc im shy lol, im genuinely curious

i'm gonna put this under a read more because it's gonna be long but...yeah [scratches head] if YOU the person reading this looooved this season and see nothing you didn't like about it, thats awesome and i'm happy for you. i also liked things in this season, and also its normal to be able to critique things you like, love and light <3 its literally just television

generally, yeah, i found myself disappointed with it. i think the writing this season, both the dialogue and then the actual character/world writing, fell flat and/or seemed like it was completely incongruous with the characters and world that we had seen in season 1. i think something i really appreciated about season 1 is that yes, mark was our main character and the lens we got introduced to both the inside and outside world, but both felt so much BIGGER than just him.

season 2, the entire plot and world and characters bend and contort to make mark like, the center of the universe lol. it's kind of ridiculous, the extent to which the world revolves around him now. it makes the world feel SOOO small. parts of my favorite worldbuilding aspects are seeing how the outside world feels about severance--i think the part where we see how working as a severed employee makes it almost impossible to work anywhere else is great! and in concept i like seeing other towns that have been devastated by lumon's industrialization, though i don't love the execution that we got. so like...everything lumon does is about mark? ALL of it? i know we don't know exactly how long lumon has been operating but like...they've been working on this stuff for longer than two years, lol. like, how many files have dylan completed? irving? petey? that girlie who wrote the lexington letter? is all of their work literally meaningless? like i get that there were people before gemma who failed the tests and they died, sure, but what about when mark started working there? what about the files that irving started and didn't finish, why don't they care about those? ohhhh right, because that's not the one that mark's working on. i get that it'd be a big deal if they got it to work fully once, but surely they'd want to make it work AGAIN, right??? like a science experiment?? i just wish we got like, A nod to other people on the testing floor, because i think the implication is that all of them are working on files connected to…different people, but maybe they're all just different versions of gemma?

honestly all of the innie stuff this season just felt so…idk, aimless? it feels like parts of the building only exist when the writers want them to, and just generally are not interested in exploring anything outside of the romantic aspects for all of these characters. like sure, after the season 1 finale, their asses are not gonna wanna work (EXCEPT FOR WHEN THEY DO? TO MOVE THE PLOT ALONG?), but where's the camaraderie? what about all those other people in O&D, they literally export things to the testing floor, maybe they know about gemma? fundamentally i think the thing that's the most frustrating about innie mark is that they keep telling us that he doesn't care about gemma. which, sure, outie gemma, he doesn't have that same connection with as helly, whatever. but also, he DOES care about her, he literally knows that that's ms casey and that lumon was just going to do what they always do when they fire people????? like s1 mark cared soooo much about his coworkers, ALL OF THEM, even the ones that weren't there anymore—seeing petey and then ms casey get removed was like, a HUGE deal and vital to his growth as a character!!!! and the way that they constructed this whole season basically to remove everyone that isn't mark and helly by the end. lol. i'm honestly shocked that they didn't make a new version of the desk that was just two chairs, like dylan was just excluded from the finale except for when they needed him to come in and hold the door against mr. milchick. again. lol

i don't inherently have a problem with exploring the romantic stuff, i think that could have been done well, but i just don't think it was. and that's primarily because, i think the writing this season for helly was ass! they took away her agency and subjugated her to be just the love interest for mark! especially with the finale, i just feel like the helly i know would've been like mark, what are you doing??? go?!? like she wants to take down lumon, THAT's what will take down lumon! like whatever, mark made the choice that he did, but helly playing along with it makes no fucking senseee. like they want us to think that it's the same ol helly we know and love, they give us crumbs of her anger, like when she's rallying the marching band people or whatever, but again, only when it's plot convenient. WHY WOULD SHE NOT ATTACK JAME? he's like 90???? and helly doesn't like this man???? she has nothing to lose???? fucking THROW something at him helly!!!! the helly that tried to chop her fingers off and hang herself and gave that speech in the s1 finale is not in the room with us. and i don't mean this in a way where i think it's helena again, it's not. they've just completely fumbled her character because they want mark and helly to be together at all costs. and honestly, i think it's so reductive to make this show just about ships, but textually it feels like that's what they want us to do, and i think that's sad. again, it makes the show feel so SMALL, when the world within it used to feel so BIG and like we would want to learn more about it. i care about mark and helly--before they kissed!! i think it was rewarding to see the ways they challenged each other and grew as people!! them as a romantic thing could work but they haven't put in the work to MAKE it work. and, it feels like of redundant even to say, but i do think it's fucking ridiculous to write a story where we get kissing and fucking for allllll the straight characters and then the one gay couple doesn't even get a kiss before separating them completely and writing irving out of the show, basically. like what are we in, hayes code era television?

but yeah, the information they chose to reveal vs what they didn't was also frustrating. i honestly wish they revealed less! there's so much TELLING this season. it feels like they think we're stupid (which, i can't speak for the entire population watching the show, maybe some people literally do need mark to look at the camera and explain everything, idk). like there's sooo much clever storytelling in the first season that just, completely gets snuffed out from overexplaining. i understand in the finale that oMark needs to tell iMark about why he did all of this but like, WE as the audience already know??? we don't need to see this?? and cobel confirming stuff i feel like we already knew about how the numbers work and like, i just don't knowwww. like you can just show me it, i was picking up on it. like we know about the four tempers, you show it to us all the time, cobel having to look dead in the camera and explain it just made me feel like there was a better way we could've done this. i do think some stuff benefits from a "hard" confirmation. like i'm glad they confirmed the helena thing, BECAUSE it backs up and supports all of the lovely and subtle things they had already shown to prove that it WAS helena! like i've known since the first episode LOL, so they do KNOW how to do subtle storytelling. and i think the gemma episode was great, i loved seeing her as a character and thought it gave her so much depth. but again, i think allll of the explaining they do this season not only snuffs out the fun of speculating on the viewing end, but from a writing perspective it just kind of writes them into a corner. i think they're focused too much on making these elaborate set pieces and events take place without thinking of how they fit together, not only on like a writing/episodic level but just the world of lumon at large.

i think a great way they showed story in the first season is through the paintings, and through irving and burt bonding over the paintings! like it not only establishes the lore of kier and then we get to learn more about them as characters through their reactions to the paintings. the paintings this season, honestly, were weak, they were so heavy handed. love and light to whoever painted them, but they were nottt doing the job for me.

(this is a small thing, but like…the intake questionnaire asks them to "name a US state or territory," so they KNOW that delaware is a state. so why would they think the equator is a building? again its just like. a cutesy moment for mark and helly to banter but they could've done it in a way that isn't contradictory to like, our understanding of what information crosses over the sever and what does not).

i keep thinking about the ORTBO, and it just seems fucking CRAZY to me that they aren't freaking out about SEEING THE SKY? BREATHING FRESH AIR? FEELING FIRE? SLEEPING?? WASN'T THE WHOLE THING THAT THEY COULDN'T FALL ASLEEP???? i guess my impression of how the chip works is that the technology doesn't know how to handle when they enter a subconscious/asleeep state, so the innie and outie memories begin to bleed together, hence why dozing would be a bad thing on the job. but again, they clearly had this idea of how they wanted irving to reveal that it's helena in the waterfall, and yes, i did enjoy the spectacle of the episode, but its another example of how they'll build these moments and only focus on what they want to see. like there's so much interesting stuff that they could explore and just choose not to, because (usually) it doesn't involve mark, or mark and helly.

also, i'm just gonna say it, i feel like the writing for the women this season all was kinda bad! it's, again, a byproduct of the world revolving around mark now. reghabi is brought into the story when mark needs her, and cast aside when he doesn't want her anymore. devon has been completely reduced to mark's lackey, like i guess ricken and the baby are fucking fine or whatever??? because she only exists when mark is around, and her only job is caring about mark (which obviously yes, they're siblings, of course they care—but s1 devon had a life outside of mark as well). cobel is only brought back into the story to explain to mark how cold harbor works. i said this before but honestly i like the concept of her little solo episode, though the execution wasn't great, because at least she was doing something on her own (except for when she needs that guy to help her. heaven forbid a woman does something of her own accord without a man to help). and again, helly is completely flanderized to be mark's love interest. i think there's a way to have mark and helly be together and them be their own people, but for the length of the season they did not have the proper time to unpack all the shit from the ORTBO episode so everyone just…conveniently gets over it very quickly, like in the span of a day. like i do think it's a jump to go from "i don't trust you, are you even you?" to missionary under plastic tarps that quickly, i'm sorry. and i think even gemma suffers from this fate as well. i think with hers it makes more sense, like she fucking loves her husband, but i wish she was given opportunities to like…want things for herself, too. like she hasn't been outside in two years! i bet she misses her job, her students, her family, devon, ricken, like anyone outside of mark? but she has to be the tragic love interest that can't be with mark but can't run away from mark, either. she's reduced to set dressing for mark and helly by the end.

they constructed this season i think, with the hopes and knowledge that they'll likely get a season 3. which yes, we know now that it's been confirmed and approved or whatever, but they didn't know that when making season 2, and it feels like no one got a full character arc. it's all start and no follow through. we've had the same "mr. milchick experiences racism in the workplace" moment like what, five, six times, and yet we haven't even started to see him DO something about it yet? like sure he told mr. drummond to eat shit, but then to play along with the minstrel show cold harbor shit, they just didn't care about giving that plot line any action so it'll just get brushed along to season 3. (and while there's intentional commentary about race in the show, it also feels like there's unintentional consequences to their writing choices that upholds the whiteness. like, natalie is just forgotten about, reghabi is dropped as soon as mark doesn't want to play with her anymore, ms. huang barely gets to do anything before being written off and sent away, and yes, i do think having gemma suffer as mark and helly skip away is part of it. it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, sorry!). i think dylan is maybe the closest we get to an interesting arc, and i enjoy the inclusion of his wife, but even he's reduced to JUST this story, only getting to talk to mark or helly when the writers need him to, i guess. and the stuff with burt and fields is so nothing, like it feels like it should be going somewhere but they're just leaving it open for season 3 (i guess??? even though it seems like irving isn't going to be in it at all, so why would we be following burt and fields??? and also don't even get me started on how the outie irving stuff is just NOT EXPLORED AT ALL. like whatever sure who the hell cares, sorry for wanting to see that go somewhere or whatever).

it's too early for full reintegration to happen so, we'll just finish that in season 3. (then why introduce it so early in season 2? ohhh right, we need cliffhangers to end every episode on). it almost feels like they don't have faith that people will keep watching without introducing these dramatic moments, but it's all just gasps of breath, there's no actual momentum. like, i've already watched the first season, you don't need to bait me with the prospect of seeing meaningful progression and then take it away from me when the next episode starts. the structure of how episodes speak to each other is that they…don't? like obviously i don't need every episode to pick up on the exact moment the last left off, but the timeline of this season is just soooo strange. the first two episodes are in the same span of time, and then there's gemma and cobel's episodes back to back…it genuinely just feels like they didn't consider the season as a whole which, considering how much money and time it took to make it happen, makes no sense.

and to continue on the timeline aspect, it feels so confusing as to how much time has really passed. it feels like the wanted the structure of the first season, but the pacing mechanic of the first season (working up to the end of the quarter to get to the waffle party) makes the pacing of the second feel even worse. like a.) mark's completed like 3 files a quarter (if we assume he's worked there for 8 quarters, i.e. two years), so making THIS file the super special final one truncates the possible time by at least a third.but then also, b.) he's been at like 95% complete since like, episode 5..? again, i just think it should've been considered more during the planning stages. and it kind of boggles my mind that the creative team views the marching band in this finale to be analogous to the waffle party in s1 when, it's way closer to the music dance experience? (they said this in the like behind the scenes for the finale ep). and in that regard, it really does kind of feel like a retread that doesn't work as well because, again, it's all about mark! especially after the shit with the kier statue, why would mr. milchick play along with the song and dance, like it just feels like they wanted to use tramell tillman's dance experience again, and they wanted to use the colored lights again. he could've just stood by the door to make sure mark and helly stayed there, which was obviously the goal of having all those people there. and yeah, i get the work is mysterious and important or whatever, but the implication that they have ALL OF THESE PEOPLE whos sole job is to be a marching band makes no fucking sense, i'm sorry. i find it hard to play along with the worldbuilding, again it makes lumon seem like its run by like dr. doofenshmirtz or something, it's so cartoony. like are they a global and successful company, or are they incompetent and leave gaping holes for their employees to undo everything? this is THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY IN LUMON HISTORY and they couldn't…shut the door to MDR like they had before? the goat sacrifice room is directly outside the exports hall door? the music dance experience works so well as a catharsis moment because everyone has their own shit going on, and we get to see the guy who hasn't really disobeyed yet (dylan) finally snap, and we see the others come and support him as a TEAM. it's just spectacle for us, the viewer. and especially the thing where they make the panels with mark's face on it—HE CAN'T SEE IT???? i don't need fan service winking moments like that, i dunno, that just annoyed me lol.

anyway, i feel like i have more to say probably but i gotta go do things so, i'm gonna leave it here. in conclusion, i'm missing my friends from s1 MDR sooo so bad, i feel like i haven't seen them this season at all. i did like parts of this season, but overall it was not what i was hoping it would be. (i don't even really KNOW what i wanted it to be, and of course it doesn't matter what i "want," but i feel like what i "want" lined up with what they wanted to do explore with season 1 so…maybe that's where the dissonance is coming from). and whereas at the end of s1, where i left it being like "where are they going to go from here?? (as in, theres so many possibilities", this season finale has left me asking "…where are we gonna go from here?" because i'm left like, inherently incurious about the people we have left and the choices they've made. and, i feel like THEY (as in the executive team making it) must feel this way too, because apparently they've completely scrapped the writers room from this season and added on two new showrunners. good luck to whoever that executive story editor is LOL

[evilminji]

You know what idea has always ENCHANTED ME?

Ever since I saw it on a sci-fi show?

The Deadly Magical House That Loves You™. See, it's a house that has become something MORE. Gained sentience. And? Instead of acting out some cheap horror movie jump scares? It digs deep to its foundations, thinks long n hard, and decides on what it WANTS.

And it WANTS?

To be a HOME™.

To TAKE CARE OF somebody. Have LIFE in its halls. Meals at its tables. Joy and laughter bouncing across its walls. So? It lays a trap. Lures people in.

Come live in me~

I am a good home.

I am Free! I am "Safe". I will give you whatever your heart desires.

I care not for morality or laws. Boundaries or taboos. Do you desire? Come, come, be HAPPY~! Live in me! Relax here! Forget about the world beyond these walls. Anything I can not give you, I can bring TOO you! This is a Happy Home.

But, of course, such sentience and pushiness terrifies. People run and flee in horror. The house getting more aggressive. Trying to hold tighter. After all! If they would just STAY for a while, they would SEE! It's so LOVELY here! The would LOVE to live inside them!

But... instead?

They are hurt.

Doors smashed open. Windows broken to escape. Furniture thrown. Their avatar, Jeeves, bashed with heavy things. Why... WHY?! They are only trying to HELP! To LOVE them! Be a good HOME! They grow more and more run down. Starved. Wrathful.

It is, of course, their Obsession. To be a home. They are so very hungry.

When? Who should come along?

But the depressed AF Ghost King! He's been... not TECHNICALLY kicked out. But "things are tense" kicked out. He's tired. His college courses are remote. He can't really AFFORD rent. And everything is just...

He's TIRED.

He wants to cry.

Why... why can't he have ONE good thing? ONE sign everything's gonna be alright?

"Free House!"

Well... I mean... that IS a literal sign. Huh. He flies down. The house notices him. Tries to look as enticing as it can. And? Gasp! I... It's WORKING? This one seems INTERESTED? Quick! Flowerbeds! Look at my flowerbeds! Ooooh, lovely floooowers! A.. and there's probably really nice wood flooring! C'mon. C'moooon!

Danny? Sees a free Lair. Not too far from both Gotham AND Metropolis. Good location. Needs a little fixing up. But I mean... you can't beat free, right?

Is he really gonna do this?

......fuck it. Yeah, let's do this. First house time. He's just glad he carries a sharpie on him most of the time. Scribbles "Sold!" Over the sign then calls Jazz. He's... kinda not sure WHAT he's supposed to pack?

Finds out, post move in, whoop. Sentient Lair. Clingy, clingy, highly desperate sentient Lair. Oof. Guess fixing up the place can be therapy for both of us. Jazz helps.

The house heals. He falls into a routine. Schoolwork, hang out in the garden or the observatory, meals FaceTiming friends or watching videos, naps whenever he wants them. It's... it's so peaceful. Quiet and soothing to his agitated and worn down soul. Like a balm.

House gets him whatever he needs. They're kinda awesome like that. Always seems to have room to fit this or that. He doesn't question it. His brain figuring it works on Zone logic.

He probably SHOULD have.

Because? Things have been going missing. At a slow, steady, pace. Food, technology, entertainment. A building that shouldn't BE there, has been spotted in a wealthy county just outside of Superman and Batman's two cities.

No one can get near it.

It's been getting BIGGER.

Growing, like a tumor, room by room. Floor by floor. The gardens creeping like kudzu, to swallow everything in their path. Yet delivery drivers drop things off. Things they don't remember. On trips they don't recall. People are scared.

Amateur detectives have managed to discover some sort of starlit fae that lives there, along with a human boy.

Justice League Dark has been called in. Are currently standing just outside the slowly creeping property line. A garden statue just hissed at them. The trees are trying to throw acorns. A hushed argument has already broken out. How do they contain the house?

@the-witchhunter @nerdpoe @hypewinter @hdgnj @babbling-babull @mutable-manifestation @spidori @lolottes

[lunaria-maharlika]

Pt 2. EXTRA Danny accidentally becomes the president

P2 extra: Danny becomes the president

Danny slept for ONLY a few days and when he woke up he was healed of all injury. Oh, and also, he wasn't in his room. NO, he was in a mansion, a FRUITLOOP type of mansion. A beautiful gothic inspired mansion that screamed "I AM ELEGANCE, I AM BEAUTY I AM MONEY" it was only when he one of the workers in the mansion came in did he get informed about what happened these last few days.

APPARENTLY this wasn't just a mansion, it was a WHITE HOUSE. Except it was panted like a black and green galaxy because everyone hates white now

And also he's the president.

A Fenton is either EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL or EXTREMELY UNSUCCESSFUL.

All he wanted to keep to protect his town from the GIW. But considering that fainted he was... unsuccessful? But that slight failure did help the amity parkers decide to help themselves and finally accept him as hero so maybe not??

He was happy that they accepted him and protected him but he really wasn't expecting this at all. Why in the world did they make him president??? He didn't think they liked him that much! Also! How is he president??? Amity park is just a random town in the middle of nowhere Illinois!

Wait...what??! WHAT DO YOU MEAN AMITY IS AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY???!! I WAS OUT FOR 3 DAYS! THEY HAVENT EVEN STARTED CLEANING UP YET HOW IN THE NAME OF THEY ANCIENTS DID WE GET DECLARED AS AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY????!

"I see..." Danny nodded after finally calming down. "So let me get this straight..." He counted on his fingers, "You," he looks at the woman in front of him "along side other people and ghosts, and mom and dad, and fright night, and Pandora...kidnapped the us president"

She nodded.

"Took him to UN headquarters, then Bribed, blackmailed, and harrased the UN members into declaring us a country"

.she nodded.

"Then declared me as king and president of amity"

She nodded.

"You know this new development is gonna attract the league of bitches right?"

"Oh we won't have to worry about that for now, but when they do then we'll be prepared." She smiled innocently.

Danny stared at her with tired eyes as he channeled his inner amity parker, the power to say well, I guess this is happening now. He sighed "Fine, but I can't be king and president at the same time. I can be king since you're all liminal, so technically all of amity is part of the whole ghost king territory." He sighed, "but I can't be president, too much responsibility, I'm already in charge of a whole ass realm"

So now they needed a new president, preferably some uncorrupt, someone who doesn't care much about the money and will always look for ways to improve the living standard, someone kind but not a push over.

Next day it was declared that.

MADDIE AND JACK FENTON, PRESIDENTS OF AMITY.

Danny was stunned when he saw the news. Did they seriously pick the resident mad scientists as president.

Don't get him wrong, he loves his parents and know that they're awesome but can they do this???

Turns out they can.

The president Drs Fenton's first move was healthcare for Both ghosts and humans and a free class dedicated to helping yourself.

Helping yourself classes include:

How to stitch your self up

How to use fudge as a weapon

How to fight the world most dangerous villains.

How to fight the worlds strongest heroes

Etch.

They launched some programs that might seem weird at first.

Programs like:

A defence class against sentient food.

Making friends with the realms

A school for the liminal

A class for avoiding the fae.

Using the blob ghosts as construction workers.

Etch

They might be weird but the end results turned out to be pretty usefull for the amity parkers.

At some point they decided to build a wall around the countrys property. It would ensure that only the amity parkers and people with permission would be able to enter/leave the town. There would be no gate and the only way out would be trough the portal system built by the Fenton's.

Danny thought it was too much

The amity parkers thought it was perfect, they didn't want anyone in their country, this was the kings haunt, this was their home and they would die and then come back as ghosts just to protect it.

And so the wall was raised..

Amity park continued to live in harmony and peace for many years...

-----

A couple of years later.

Flash had come across the wall.

And of course, alerted the league of bitches.

Batman was having a headache, no matter where he looked, no matter how many government systems he hacked, there was nothing. Not a single piece of info, not a single paper trail on what could possibly be whats behind the wall, and when it was built.

But it's impossible for something that big to just appear out of nowhere.

So the JL had suggested looking over Illinois via satellite, the wall didn't have a roof so they should be able to see the inside.

"What the heck" Oracle cursed as she looked at the camera. "Hey RR, look at this"

"what is it?" Red Robin walked closer, coffee mug in hand.

"Somethings interfering, I can't get a view of the wall at all" she took a sip of her own coffee as she tried hacking. Emphasis on TRIED.

The batcomputer was covered in static, then turned black. After that it flashed gold with a Egyptian like gold simbol and a message.

"NU UH"

" Get wrecked ".

Suddenly whoever was On the other side started hacking the batcomputer.

It turned into a nearly 24 hour, (Oracle: does this hacker not sleep??) battle of trying to keep the hacker away from their bat systems.

It only stopped when the hacker sent a message.

"Nice as this little war was, im getting bored so bye (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)"

Seizing the opportunity they tried to hack in. Only to be hit with a firewall and a virus.

--------

Life was good, life was stressful but it was good for Danny.

He thought to himself as he walked towards the wall that kept them safe.

Appearantly the clan of glorified furrys tried hacking them last night. Unfortunately for them not only was Tucker incredibly good at hacking, his liminality also gave him less need for sleep so he just kept messing with them until they were exhausted.

But this little occurrence made Danny think a bit. Now that the GIW was gone and the Anti ecto acts were basically burned without a trace , there was no need to hide. There was never a need to isolate their little country in the first place.

The amity parkers are free come and go whenever they want, the wall isn't here to keep them in, it's to keep the outsiders out. The rich familys often go out, they can't just disappear from society after all, but the other amity parkers, they don't. They haven't left at all, claiming that it was better for them here as they probably won't be accepted. Just because the Anti ecto laws are gone doesn't change the fact that liminals and ghost aren't recognized as species, they were closer to myths than metas and the world, (especially the league of bitches) werent like them, they were terrified of change. So they stayed in amity.

The people just wanted to feel safe for a while, lay low until they're sure that no one would hurt them any more. But they're stronger now, better than before and more ...magical.

Danny stops waking and looks back at the town. Liminals, ghost, blobs, and humans with ghostly features from the ecto walked, talked and played together. He grinned so what if the world would have a hard time accepting them? The worlds opinion doesn't matter, destroying it or fleeing to another dimension was always a choice and his people aren't the type to back down from a fight.

Yeah, It was time to reintroduce Amity to the world. He flipped the switch and the walls portal gate opened to Gotham.

Now then? They had a plan, his people suggested he take the lead in the plan and they will follow.

The plan? The plan was to become a head ache for Bruce Wayne, aka the The Furry knight.

Rich fruitloop with a plan to takeover the business world style.

_________

Tim is stressed not only is he stressed with the whole random Illinois wall situation he's also stressing out about this random Business man that appeared out of nowhere And is competing against WE!

Okay, maybe not competing but still!! It's only been two months, TWO MONTHS since this company appeared and it was already competing for one of the richest companys in America! How?????

So he tried looking into the owner. The owner looked like about his age! Looked like a fresh 18 year old but his file says he's 25, something about slow aging that runs in the family, maybe a meta gene? But theres no way he could build a billionaire company from scratch at only 25 so hes definitely born in a rich family. Daniel Fenton, his name, a perfectly normal name. Only issue is that, THERE ARE NO BILLIONAIRE FAMILIES NAMED FENTON!.

He looked deeper, he found an interview that said he was from a country called Amity when asked where it was, he gave coordinates. Not an address, not a continent, but COORDINATES. And Guess where the coordinates led?

THE FREAKING WALL OF ILLINOIS!!!!.

This man came from the wall! Well... Most likely INSIDE the wall. But from the wall nonetheless.

So he told Bruce, and what was the best way to get a business mans attention without being suspicious?

A GALA

Tags, I'm not gonna do tags anymore, might make a masterpost so look out for that instead.

@vixen-uchiha

@sebas-nights

@whotfevenknowsanymore

@jaguarthecat

@serasvictoria02

@devilbunny612

@sumatra513

@just-lurking-dont-mind-meh

@i-love-mangoes

----

[mcytanti]

manehare analysis i looooove this freakish duo.

on the surface this team seems very sudden and doesn't make sense i mean they were enemies for such a long time, however, i think they make Perfect Sense Actually.

manehare makes sense because both of them gives what the other wants while acknowledging the place they are coming from. they have a distrust now but i think if they play it right they can have something that lasts across seasons.

we got confirmation today manepear really just loves his little chunguses. (his comment about being a mama bear really stands out to me it was awesome). we saw it earlier in the server with zam, then later with wemmbu and bacon. but all 3 of them didnt satisfy mane in the way he wanted. zam was friendly with the brothers but he was for the most part self sufficient, mane let wemmbu into the bandits thinking he would have to be taken care of but it turns out wemmbu was secretly good at pvp and while he lazy could take care if himself in a fight. bacon never wanted to play ball with mane and refused his advances.

however kab is perfeeeect for mane, she needs his help and his protection but she isnt lazy like wemmbu was. she's intelligent, cunning, and willing to learn so he gets all if the ego boosting of taking care of someone who wants his help but none of the annoyance of a resource drainer (sorry wemmbu but its true 😭).

mane is also perfect for kab, he's filling the void clown has left.

since the start of the season kab has wanted a powerful ally who can stand beside her when she wants them to, someone who can guide her, but someone who is also willing to crush her enemies when asked. she thought clown would be that but when given the opportunity he's been lack luster in the role. she then turned to zam as a guide and a teammate, but he didn't want to be her guiding light and thought it was far too sudden to team plus he was unwilling to do her dirty work so kazam fell apart.

mane, however, has a deep blood lust (wanting to death ban all the revived people is the most notable example of this) so he's perfectly fine with carrying out kab's plans as long as it means they agree on killing. he's also willing to train kab without her having to prove herself like she has to with clown (its in my personal opinion kab would have never proven herself to clown. not because she isn't good but because clown simply isnt interested in her development but thats another matter).

in my opinion the 14 killings is actually really good for this team! it means that kab cannot idolize mane the same way she did clown or zam because she knows that no matter what, mane is dangerous, he's able to kill her and is more than willing to kill her. and for mane despite the 14 killings kab still being willing to work with him must give him a crazy amount of validation because it proves that no matter what happened before kab needs him now

i think as long as the focus on their shared goal they can build a real trust with each other. not like a "i trust you not to kill me" trust but a trust the older lifesteal pairs have, that "i know how you think i know you inside and out and no matter what happens we will comeback together" trust.

however they still have all the potential in the world to fall apart in a pretty spectacular way. like if one of them gets too paranoid and betrays the other, or if they're influenced to betray by people outside the dynamic, or maybe kab's planning to betray from the start and we're all fools for thinking manehare could ever work, or simply losing sight of their shared goal and becoming enemies again. all those things could still happen!

no matter what i just love manehare as a duo. they indulge each other's deepest desires but they have so much potential to fuck it all up it a horrible terrible way. its such a careful balance with them im so excited to see where they go from here

[emotionalsupportgoblin420]

Unexpected Pregnancy headcanons.

Headcanons on how these guys would react to finding out their s/o in pregnant, comforting their anxious s/o, and just overall pregnancy headcanons. Enjoy <3

Kelby, Myx, Ichiban, and Logan

Kelby

Is absolutely flooded with emotions.

Happiness, excitement, anxiety, shock, etc.

Let's be honest. He's mostly excited to have a lil version of the two of you running around.

His focus changes when he sees that you're overcome with anxiety.

Immediately, his first instinct is to hold you and tell you everything's gonna be alright.

"Hey, it's okay. I know this wasn't planned, but it's all gonna be okay. We're a team, and we can get through this together."

He's honestly the best at calming you down.

And making you laugh as he lists off all the fun things he plans to do with this kid.

"We can play sports together, I can take them to ballgames, this is gonna be awesome!"

His positive vibes are so helpful throughout the whole thing.

But he's absolutely clueless when it comes to pregnancy and what to do.

He's trying his best tho.

Man is a real team player and always ready to try his best and help out.

He's a good listener too, which is great when you're feeling nervous and need to vent a bit.

He heard somewhere that being active during pregnancy is good, so he definitely encourages you to stay as active as possible.

Loves to buy those baby sports outfits.

He thinks it's the cutest thing ever.

Tries to read those Parenting for Dummies books, but he can't understand them one bit.

Is definitely nervous about being a dad and is worried he won't do a good job at it.

Tries his best to keep a game face on, but sometimes it does show, and you notice.

Doesn't take too much prodding on the subject for him to admit it.

Being able to vent to you and some encouragement really helps him out.

My guy has more rebound than a kickball, so it doesn't take much to put him in a good mood.

Laughs every time the baby kicks.

"Looks like they're just as athletic as their dad."

Will often just lovingly stare at your ever-growing belly whenever you guys cuddle.

He's so excited to meet this little mini version of you both.

Myx

His life flashes before his eyes as soon as he sees that positive test.

A million thoughts are rushing through his head.

He's absolutely shocked but so happy.

He's always wanted to be a dad.

Once he comes to and notices his anxious s/o, he immediately holds them so tight.

"It's alright. I'm right here. This is great! We're gonna be parents! We've always wanted this! And I'm right here with you through it all."

His positivity really helps.

If it were up to him, he would've shouted the good news from the rooftops right then and there.

But you convinced him to leave it a surprise a little longer, just in case something went wrong.

He hated not being able to tell anyone.

As soon as you gave him the go-ahead, he told the whole world you were pregnant.

He's positivity really helped throughout the pregnancy.

He was always there for you.

Morning sickness, cravings, emotional meltdowns, he was always there for you.

He's really handy when it comes to setting up the nursery.

Hasn't a clue how to build a crib, but somehow manages to do it even though he threw away the instructions ages ago.

"Pfft! I don't need instructions. I'll just Myx things up a bit!"

And he adds plenty of his creativity to the space.

Loves to sing songs to your unborn child.

Gets excited every time he feels a kick.

Sing songs to the little baby in you belly.

Whilst he is definitely excited to be a father, there is a part of him that is nerve as hell.

Reads all the books and articles on how to be a dad.

Tries to keep it cool around you, but you can see right through him.

You remind him that you two are a team, and he doesn't have to deal with anything alone.

"Thanks, babe. I actually really needed to hear that."

Has to kiss your every growing belly every time he passes by.

100% wants the gender of the baby to be a surprise.

Buys the goofiest baby clothes ever.

Especially if it has dinosaurs on it saying, "Dinosaurs are so cool!"

I mean, he ain't wrong lol

This man supports you so much, and you know he'll make a great dad.

Ichiban

Live Ichiban reaction to finding out you're pregnant:

Just stands there, jaw on the floor for a straight-up minute.

He's happy ofc but very much in shock.

Until he sees you, how anxious you are about the whole thing.

He immediately snaps out of it and pulls you in for a comforting hug as he strokes your head gently.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's all gonna be okay."

As you calm down, he pulls away just enough so he can give you a kiss.

"See? Told you it'd be okay." He says in a playful tone.

You can't help but laugh.

"And I'm going to be a dad! Can you believe it? I couldn't be happier about this! This is better than when I hit a million subscribers!"

He's such a goofball.

Becomes very informed on pregnancy and what to expect thanks to videos and online resources.

100% accidentally let the big news slip during a live stream.

He's just so excited he couldn't help it lol.

Is so supportive and super cuddly.

He's basically at your beckoned call.

Kisses your baby bump every chance he gets.

Always keeps his followers updated on how things are going (unless it makes you uncomfortable ofc)

Does a gender reveal live stream with you.

Definitely has days where he's a nervous wreck about the idea of being a dad.

And he sucks at hiding it.

Fesses up as soon as you ask him about it.

Poor guy just needs some cuddles, a shoulder to cry on, and words of encouragement.

He cheers up pretty quick.

But he isn't ready to stop cuddling yet lol.

He's such a big softy and will make a grrrreat dad.

Logan

Is absolutely ecstatic about being a dad.

Can't wait to tell his crew!

All those thoughts fade into the background when he sees that you are an anxious wreck.

Similar procedure to Ichiban: Pull you in for a comforting hug and give you words of affirmation.

"Hey, it's okay, babe. It's all gonna be alright. I promise. I'm right here to support you."

Gives you plenty of kisses once you calm down.

He's got all this happiness. What else is he supposed to do with it lol

His excitement is a bit infectious, you have to admit.

This guy is a man with a plan.

Reads all the books and articles on how pregnancy and how to be a dad.

Is probably the least worried about whether or not he'll make a good dad.

And any concerns he has, he's pretty open about them.

Vows to support you as much as he possibly can.

He's got child-safety measures for most everything.

But not in an overbearing way.

Buys the cutest baby clothes.

Loves to carry you around.

Has full-on conversations with the baby in your belly.

His face when he felt the baby kick for the first time was priceless.

He just sat there for a second with the biggest "Holy sh*t" face you'd ever seen.

Once his brain processed what had just happened, he got so excited.

"Did you feel that?! They just kicked! Our baby just kicked! Omg!"

You can't help but laugh.

He's such a sweet guy lol

Still gets a little excited every time he feels a kick.

He's got the makings of an amazing dad.

[intimidating-fettuccine]

Zalgo and Jane the Killer x a Baker!Reader. Bonus if the reader makes them a little treat after a bad day.

Me being reminded while I'm writing this of my old headcanon that Tim, Slender, and Jane have baking competitions with each other :p

I hope you enjoy! :)

Zalgo:

I've said before that Zalgo is an incredibly talented chef, but I feel like he doesn't have as much experience in baking, so once he starts dating you he definitely notices just how much he's lacking in that department. Zalgo never really put much thought into learning how to bake (he works such ridiculous hours he often doesn't even have the time to bake anything, despite the fact that he enjoys sweets, so he often lets the chefs in his castle bake sweet things in his place), but as he watches you hard at work in his fancy kitchen having the time of your life, he feels like maybe he should give it a shot. His kitchen probably has just about every tool you'd need to bake anything in the world, but if he for some reason doesn't have something, he will insist on purchasing it just for you, so you can always make whatever your heart desires. If you bake him something on any random given day his heart melts inside and he TREASURES those desserts, sometimes feeling bad about eating them because that means they're gone, but if you bake him something after a long, bad day he just wants to squeeze you until you pop and tear up about it because it's so incredibly sweet of you and he's not used to such kindness. I think he would try and make you something in return, but because he's unpracticed they don't always turn out as good as yours, so when you insist they're the best desserts you've ever had because he made them he feels like he's being stabbed through the heart by how much he loves you (although he agrees that the sweets you make him are the yummiest too). If you ever wanted to teach him how to bake he would be SO FOCUSED. He is tuned in, not wanting to miss a single step or technique, wanting to copy you as much as he can. He just wants to make you proud and make yummy delicious things that you can both enjoy. If you run a baking business, by the way, expect him to offer you money. Whether it be buying you a building, tools, supplies, or anything at all, he wants to help further your career and make you the baker of your dreams. You don't have to accept, but the offer is always there because he wants to provide for you and make you happy in whatever way he can.

Jane:

Jane is also very much into baking. I haven't talked about it on the blog in quite a while, but Jane is one of the better chefs and bakers in the mansion, and it's something she likes to do to relax and make something yummy for the people she cares about. Once she starts dating you, she feels the need to bake so much more. She gets inspired by all of the delicious things she sees you baking, and she wants to try making them herself (mostly so she can surprise them with you and say she tried to make something as delicious as you do, and she gets SO excited if you tell her she did an awesome job). I think what she would enjoy most though is baking with you. She loves doing bonding activities with you, and baking has become her new favorite thing because she gets to keep learning new things about baking, she gets some yummy food from it, and she's doing it right beside you, her favorite person in the whole world. If you actually own and operate a full bakery (or just run a bakery business from home), I think sometimes she'd even volunteer to help out in her free time. Even if you insist on paying her for any work she does, she demands that she do it for free, because she just wants to help you with your business and take some of the burden off your shoulders. It lets her spend even more time with you, and it lets her help out with all of the hard work you're doing, so she gets quite passionate about it. She just gets so high off the domesticity of spending time with you at home, snuggled up side by side baking some sweet treats, focusing only on each other, and eating delicious foods together all the time. If you ever notice she's down and bake something for her to cheer her up she will cry about it, and she will insist on making you something in return because you deserve it for being so sweet and loving. She will then also totally return the favor the next time you're having a rough day, and try and make your favorite dessert as well, and it becomes a cute little thing in your relationship you guys go back and forth on. For someone with such a sweet tooth and a craving for a cute, domestic lifestyle, you're like a match made in heaven for her.

[musicfranchisetournament]

propaganda under the cut !!

obey me :

i saw there was apparently no propaganda so, ahem. miura ayme miura ayme miura ayme miura ayme miura ayme miura ayme  i love miura ayme so much you dont understand listen to coup d'etat love or drive x crazy plssss i love him so much and his music is soooo good. literally perfect casting for asmo. i never knew about him before om. actually i saw a post once that was like whar ur fav character says abt you and for asmo it was that you love miura ayme and before i was like uhh who? and now im like YESS YES I DO. hes so pretty and he cosplays asmo too its awesome. ok tbh ive barely listened to the other character songs but im sure they're good.

project sekai :

Sorry mutual but I think this vs the right fandom would be like the next 9/11 or the next wataei vs lightbrush

They both cover existing Vocaloid songs as well as commission producers to make original ones for the rhythm game. Despite being a f2p mobile rhythm game, it has a well written and touching story about twenty teens discovering their passions and growing through music. Thanks to different parallel worlds, even the Vocaloids are able to help and guide them - all having different versions depending on what group they are involved with. The characters themselves have many different facets to them that makes them hard to genuinely despise or put in one specific trope box. Not to mention the story builds itself from one event to the other, no story is 100% self contained as filler -  they all either contribute to their respective units story or characterisation/ relationship with members of other units. And since this is a music franchise tourney - the original music ost is full of absolute bangers. From upbeat pop songs to drawn out ballads to festival like tunes all the way to rock and edm. Not to mention that the lyrics and presentation (through 3D or 2D MVs) tie in with the stories of the characters as well as the cards that come with them. It is definitely a franchise that, despite only really being a rhyhtm game, you can see that there is passion behind every detail that both the original creators and the commisioned producers put into this project. Its a community driven endeavour that wouldnt have been possible without its fans - just like how the Vocaloid community has strived until this day.

banger music!! rhythm game with hatsune miku, 5 other vocaloids, and a whole buncha original characters!! they cover already existing vocaloid songs, but also commission original music from vocaloid artists for the characters to cover! tons of absolute bangers

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

The shorter version: Hey could you talk about stone tops more? Or anything like that, people who like giving but not recieving?

The longer version: I’m sort of going through that process of self discovery, I’ve been meaning to ask about it somehow- basically I am sexually attracted to people (I think??), I get aroused, I enjoy masturbating, even talking with my partner about stuff we could do is arousing to me. I enjoy some submissive kinky stuff. Hell, my boyfriend (transmasc, both of us are) recently let me go down on him and it was like a fucking religious experience, I LOVED it, but I find it really difficult to enjoy anything being done directly to /my/ genitals. Like, I can feel the sensations, and they feel good, but I don’t build any arousal, like I can’t get in the mood? I know I’m not, but I do feel fucked up and broken. Spiritually, I want my boyfriend to rail me into next week, but physically I’m afraid there’s like. Something wrong with me, like,, I don’t work??? Idk. I’ve got major anxiety, I’ve got dysphoria, I guess I always figured it was one of those things. There’s only so many times I can feel Way Too Seen by fanfiction about Noted Asexual, Archivist Jonathan Sims before I start to wonder what exactly they’ve hit directly on the head, if that makes sense. I’m not asking you to Diagnose Me Asexual lmaoo but I was wondering about more like… asexual adjacent things? My boyfriend suggested I look into “service top” too. I… don’t feel like a top? I’m very submissive. But I’ve heard it’s not always top= dom, bottom=sub… how can I be a submissive top?

Sorry this is… so much. It’s really been weighing on me. Even if you don’t feel up to answering this I thank you profusely for the sex ed content you’ve been posting lately. Demystifying sex and promoting sexual health is so incredibly important, and even just what I’ve read from you makes a difference in the agency I feel over my sex life.

hi anon,

weeeeeee!!! this is a fun one.

so, first off, I'm just gonna throw this out there: liking the idea of something - for instance, your boyfriend railing you into next week - is not an innate sign that that's something you'd like in real life. I'll jack off to the idea of getting railed like Thomas the Tank Engine, sure, but in real life vaginal penetration has never felt like much of anything to me + I haaaaAAAAaaaate the idea of doing anything with even a teeny tiny slight chance of getting me pregnant. some stuff is fine to stay in the brain!

if you do ever decide to tentatively explore it with your bf, that's also fine and wonderful, but let's focus on what we know about your likes right now. you don't want to get fucked (awesome) but you like going down (also awesome). none of that means you are or aren't asexual, btw, there are loads of asexuals in the world who love to get railed and hate going down and also feel every possible way about every other possible array of sex acts. you're only asexual if you want to be, keep that in mind.

you're also only stone or a service top or whatever else if you want to be. words exist to be useful, not as an innate ontological truth to discover within yourself. personally I think it's waaaaay more important for people to refine their sense of likes, dislikes, communication, and boundary-setting than finding the exact right word for their particular cup of tea.

as long as we're talking about terminology, let's get into dom/sub and top/bottom. you're absolutely correct that they're not interchangeable, whatever the hooligans on various hellsites would have you believe. dom and sub are terms for power exchange play, when two people enact a power differential in which one partner is consensually given a great deal of control over the other, be it physically, psychologically, financially, or what have you. top/bottom simply refer to who is acting vs who is being acted upon during a sexual act; while some people identify intensely as either a top or a bottom, it's also a simple matter for those roles to switch on a dime depending on what kind of sex you're into. it's completely possible to have sex without designating anyone the top or bottom, and I'd argue that most people have sex without there actually being a dom or sub involved.

so can dom bottom, or a sub top? of course; people can mix and match whatever pieces of sexuality they want in their own explorations. a dom can boss their sub around like a little servant, giving them extremely detailed instructions about exactly how to rail them, and perhaps punish them (in the fun consensual way, obviously) if they fail to meet those expectations and don't get their dom off the way that was wanted. you can, and I cannot possibly emphasize this enough, do whatever you want forever.

a service top, incidentally, is generally considered a separate thing from a dom (which is not to say they can't overlap!) in that a service top isn't always dominating, but is topping because they enjoy getting their partner off in whatever way they like. the overlap of service tops and folks who are stone is notable!

in your particular case I would recommend not worrying so much about which of these terms, if any, are the correct one for you and focus way ore on exploring and playing with your partner to find a rhythm that works well for the two of you. doms, subs, tops, and bottoms all have something useful to teach people about how they like intimacy, but there's no rush to figure out which category, if any, you fit in. just focus on what's fun and feels good to you and toss the rest.

[strangerthingsfanworkrecs]

1lostsoul0fishbowl writes an amazing rare pair of Gareth and Eleven. It's such a sweet AU. And they're just a wonderful member of the fandom regardless. Always excited to see them on the dash and they deserve all of the love.

Introducing @1lostsoul0fishbowl!

We're highlighting losty for her written found-family fics! All recs tagged #1lostsoul0fishbowl will be for her work, both fics and moodboards. She answered some questions about her process below

What's a fandom interaction that made you really happy?

It’s so special to get comments on my Gareth/El fics, because they’re a SUPER-rare rarepair and I love it when people are willing to give them a chance and then find themselves truly enjoying the story. One of my favorite comments was from a reader who told me “I don’t know how I’m gonna find another Gareth and El story like this. I will probably be in a retirement home one day, reminiscing on this fic.”

What's your favorite character or aspect of Stranger Things to create for?

My favorite character started out as Eddie (as it did for so many others!). I’d watched and loved Stranger Things since it first started airing, but none of the characters had ever grabbed my heart and made me actually want to write the way Eddie did. Something about him reminded me that I could reject the ending the Duffers gave him, and write him a life that I liked much better. But in my exploration of Eddie and his friendships with the other characters, I started really connecting with El. I realized I have a lot in common with her— not powers of course, just in terms of an isolated and strange childhood that resulted in me always being a little out of step with the people and the world around me. And I got hooked on the idea of El coming into her own as she grows up, and learning to be truly happy despite being a weirdo. One of the constants in my work is the happy ending. I love to build on the friendships the characters had in canon, making them continue to grow and get stronger, and for everyone to have the help they need to deal with the hurts and trauma of the past, and keep moving toward a life filled with joy.

What's your writing process like? Any tools you favor?

I’ve always been more of a plotter than a pantser in my writing process. I like to create fairly detailed outlines, because I’m afraid I’ll run out of steam halfway through a story and not be able to figure out the ending. 😂 One thing I learned as I wrote more and more, though, was that outlines can and should be flexible! My original outline for Next Time I Fall had the romance being an even slower burn, but I got to a point where El didn’t want to wait any longer to be with Gareth and I didn’t see any reason to make her. 😊 Another thing I’ve grown to love is creating mood boards. I could spend hours scrolling through pinterest searching for just the right photo to capture the vibe I want for a particular fic. I started posting a picture or two along with every “new chapter!” update post on tumblr and really had fun with it. Here’s the one for Next Time I Fall This also led me to using an awesome image generator (found here: https://penguin.jos.ht/ ) to create Penguin-style book covers for some of my fics. Choosing the right picture for each of those was a challenge! I’m particularly fond of the image I found to represent little Eddie and uncle Wayne for the cover of Gone Away.

What was it like to work on Tattoos and Trash Talk?

I got the idea for Tattoos and Trash Talk from seeing this artwork:

I’d originally seen the artwork on instagram, so I had no idea it was based on another fic. I started thinking about how Eddie might’ve been the first person El had ever seen with tattoos he liked and was proud to show off. And I thought about how Eddie especially would understand that El’s 011 tattoo didn’t represent the person she was, and she should have the chance to replace it with something she liked and got to choose herself. That idea blossomed a little bit into Eddie giving El a boost of self-confidence toward dealing with bullies in general. He taught her that she didn’t have to follow “rules” and be polite when bullies asked nosy questions about her 011 tattoo. We’d seen in the show that Eddie looked out for his “little sheepies” and I could so easily imagine him extending that protection and friendship to El too. She deserved to have a friend like him! After seeing the artwork I wrote Tattoos and Trash Talk in a single afternoon. I could picture the scene so vividly in my head! I don’t think I even did much editing, just wrote it down and immediately posted. Nowadays I’d probably edit it fifteen times and have it beta read, but I think it turned out well anyway. 😊

What was it like to work on Next Time I Fall?

Before I started writing Next Time I Fall, I never imagined I’d write a story solely focused on a rarepair that I’d made up myself. I created the pairing when I was writing my long genfic, With a Little Help From My Friends, and it started as just a little private joke with my own self. I thought, wouldn’t it be funny if El had a crush on one of Eddie’s bandmates? So I wrote a little drabble about her telling Eddie she liked Gareth (and Eddie basically freaking out and saying “I’m not qualified to handle this” 😂). But one of my readers commented that they liked the idea, so I decided to explore it further. Every Gareth/El chapter that I posted in Little Help got such great responses from the readers that I started thinking about writing more for them one day. I still wasn’t entirely convinced that a T-rated fluff fic based on a rarepair (with a brand new ship tag I created myself!) would be worth posting. I thought nobody would want to read it. But my bestie convinced me that Next Time I Fall was an idea worth sharing, so I started to write… and once I started, I couldn’t stop. I had so much fun watching those two adorable little nerds fall in love. I think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever written. I love the story itself, but I think I also improved as a writer while I was working on it. I tried to keep each chapter to 5k words or less, so I learned how to edit better and write a bit more concisely. And I learned that sometimes sticking to an outline works, but sometimes the story and the characters want to evolve in a different direction, and it’s best to let them go where they want. An outline can be tweaked much more easily than trying to bend a whole chapter in a direction it doesn’t really need to go. And the response shocked me!!! I thought maybe five or six people would read it, but I had a ton of readers! People commented like crazy, loving and sympathizing with both El and Gareth and rooting for them to get together. The chapter where they finally kissed has more comments than almost anything else I’ve ever posted! Readers were so happy for them, and it truly filled me with joy that I’d created something that really resonated with people. I think it was the first time the advice to “write for yourself” really made sense to me. I’d written the story exactly the way I wanted it, and people loved it exactly the way it was.

[supercasey]

My Honest Thoughts on the new Legends Z-A Trailer

Alright, this feels kinda judgey to be saying before the game's even out, but I really don't think this game is gonna be anywhere near as good as Legends Arceus (save for the combat maybe), and here's why:

1. While the idea of "the whole game takes place in one big city" sounds cool on paper, I'm not liking the execution thus far; it just feels so limited and small, especially in the scenes we've seen of Pokemon being captured, to the point that the wild zones almost feel claustrophobic. It also just doesn't look that exciting to explore, but that could just be because they're showing us early game footage in a game that's plot centers around building up/out the city.

2. The starters. Look, I freaking love Johto and its starters, but to have BOTH of the unaccounted for Johto starters as the main starters in the new Legends game is honestly an awful idea. Why the heck can't they keep going with what Legends Arceus established with three starters from three regions??? I feel like Totodile should've been replaced by a different water starter, as Chikorita and Tepig seem like solid starters for this region (although rip to the Snivy fans that were praying for 'em to get in. It would've been amazing).

Come to think of it, these are probably my only major complaints about the game at the moment; the characters and their designs are interesting (save for giving the MC a fucking fedora) and the battling looks awesome. I really really hope the game world ends up being bigger than what they're showing, 'cus one of my favorite parts of Legends Arceus was the exploration and its huge maps. I dunno, I just think the very concept for this Legends game has severely limited what it can do when it comes to actual exploration and the catching of Pokemon, but I hope the game proves me wrong upon release.

[maudie-duan]

Series Summary: Harry has been fighting to keep his relationship with Olivia afloat for nearly two years. At what point do you choose to either endure or let the strain of the world defeat his ambitious hopes of a lasting relationship? Or will a single night and a fleeting encounter be enough to change the projection of Harry’s path? Maybe our ‘Mystery Girl,’ Shiloh, will just happen to be in the right place at the right time. 

Word Count: 6.5K

Warning: SLOW-BURNER, Strong Language, Major Angst, Eventual Smut, Emotional.

Have you ever been gutted in front of a live audience and had to take it with a smile?

Well I have, and all I have to say is—Fuck Olivia Wilde she can go ahead and add me to the growing list of people who can’t stand to look at her fucking face, let alone be in her presence.

"Okay, Vogue, this is Shiloh Taylor signing off. I've had the most lovely time hanging with you guys, but now…I need a drink..." And for kicks and giggles, I take a drink from the glass in my hand.

"And hopefully, if Vogue has me back, you'll see me next time." Then I blow a kiss to the camera, plastering a smile as I feign confusion as to where to look next.

Kevin gives me the cut signal, and the smile drops slightly on my face as soon as the camera stops rolling and suddenly I can't fucking breathe. It's like all the oxygen has forced itself from my lungs, and I bring a hand up to my chest to steady my racing heart.

"That should be all we need," someone from the Vogue team speaks up, and my eyes dart in his direction. Everything is happening all at once, both teams dismantling, and I switch into hostess mode because that's what it feels like catering to the people who work for you, a constant game of keeping everyone happy. 

My mind is a whirlwind of anxious thoughts as I give my round of thanks to the team, shaking hands, sending gracious smiles all around, and really, I am thankful. The night has been amazing. It was everything I thought it was going to be until my last interview on the red carpet, and somehow, I allowed Olivia to steal my joy.

When my eyes meet Annie's, she mouths the words, 'Are you okay?' I give her a wordless nod, while reaching to shake my last hand, and when I turn back, I say, "It was such a pleasure to work with each and every one of you, and I am so so grateful to have had such an awesome team my first round with Vogue, but if you'll all excuse me...I really need to find the ladies' room." I laughed while taking another drink for show and set it down on the bar behind me.

As soon as I step away from the Vogue team, I exhale a shaky breath, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me. I find an empty hallway and lean against the wall, bringing a trembling hand to the flat of my belly, forcing my lungs to work. The cool concrete against my back is the only thing that feels real in this very second, the rest a side show act amplifying all my insecurities back at me. 

Get it together, is all I can think to myself, but my body doesn't want to listen, because my heart won't slow down to save my life, each breath is shallow and quick.

I slide down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor, not giving a single care about this stupid dress that probably cost more than my first car, and pull my knees to my chest as much as the fabric will allow, suddenly feeling so fucking small in this massive building, in this massive industry that could swallow me whole in the blink of an eye if I let it.

That's when I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Shi? Are you okay?" Annie's voice cuts through my thoughts in a matter of seconds. She's standing at the end of the hallway, concern etched across her face.

"I can't breathe," I force, and it feels like the first honest thing I've said all night. "I'm not supposed to be here, Annie. All these people—they're the real deal. And I'm just... I'm just playing pretend."

Annie closes the distance and sits down beside me, designer dress and all, and takes my hand. "No one's playing pretend. This is probably nerve-wracking for even the most famous people. I just got done talking to Florence, and even she said tonight was way bigger than they intended, but that's America for you she said...go big or go home."

I laugh, but it comes out wet, tears stinging at my eyes. "That's the joke, though. None of this is authentic. It's all..." I gesture vaguely at my outfit, my makeup, and the building around us. "It's all a performance...and it's so fucking weird sometimes."

"Is it?" Annie asks, squeezing my hand. "Because that girl who just swapped rings with Harry Styles on the red carpet. The girl who looked at him like he hung the moon—that looked pretty damn real to me."

The memory hits me like a tidal wave, a whole other set of emotions coursing through me, feeling the weight of his ring on my finger, the physical reminder that at least one part of tonight wasn't a performance, because that was real, but I know we'll have to pay for it later, and that's just a bridge I'm not ready to cross yet.

"You belong here," Annie speaks up, getting my attention. "And not because of your follower count or who you're wearing or who you're interviewing. You belong here because you worked for it. Because you're good at what you do. Because people connect with you."

As my head falls to her shoulder, I take a deep, shuddering breath, feeling my lungs expand as the weight begins to lift with her kind words, "I just... sometimes I feel like at any moment, everyone's going to realize I'm a fraud. That maybe I will realize that I’m in fact a fraud, and I just don't want to forget what’s actually real."

"Welcome to being human," Annie laughs softly. "You think Florence doesn't feel that? Or Harry?"

The thought of Harry— that confident, and oh so charming Harry—feeling the same disorienting sense of unreality, feeling any sense of impostor syndrome, has me remembering the way his hands shook slightly as they held mine, the vulnerability he allowed when he thought no one was watching.

He was real, I was real, and in that moment it was us, and no one can take that away.

Not even Olivia.

"Five minutes," Annie says, standing to her feet and brushes off her dress. "Take five minutes to feel all of this. Then fix your damn lipstick, girl, and come back out because whether you believe it or not, you earned your place here. And I'm not letting you miss your own moment. Plus, it looks like the afterparty won't last much longer...at least have a drink with me. You owe me.”

Then I watch as she walks down the hallway, and I close my eyes again–okay, five minutes to be real. Five minutes to acknowledge the fear, to let go of the doubt, that overwhelming sense that I'm living someone else's life, someone who deserves it. 

Five minutes to feel small. Five minutes to feel like nothing at all, and as if to punish myself I'm pulling my phone out, really driving that feeling deep, and that’s when I watch the interview with Olivia for the first time, and all I can think is what a fucking shit show this is about to be.

I know Annie was right, though, and for now, I can push this away. I can go back in there, wear the dress, say the lines, and be the person everyone expects me to be. I have a lifeline on my finger, and I'll keep Harry hidden in plain sight—a little reminder that even in the midst of all the chaos, we created something that belongs only to us.

Here I am scrolling through my phone, hiding out in the bathroom, waiting for Shiloh to end her night with Vogue. That's when the notification pops up. Vogue's live coverage. I tap it without thinking, needing to see her again, even though I've caught glances of her all night.

The screen fills with Shiloh's beautiful face, and something in my chest tightens. She's smiling that camera-ready smile, but I can see the tension rising with her shoulders—I know her expressions like the back of my hand, even through a screen, even when she's trying to hide them.

"Olivia, hey, girl, how are you?" Shiloh says, leaning in for a hug that looks natural to anyone who doesn't know better. She passes the mic over, professional as ever, but then I see it—Olivia's eyes catch on Shiloh's hand. My fucking ring, and her gaze lingers on it just a beat too long.

Something shifts in Olivia's posture, which is barely noticeable, but I see it, and her lips pull to one side in that way I know all too well—the look that always seemed to precede that meticulously formed insult during our final months together, and my entire body goes rigid.

"Shiloh Taylor," Olivia says, her voice honey-sweet, but there's poison in her eyes, venom waiting to seep. "It's so lovely to see you again. The last time was that little after-party in New York, wasn't it?"

Shiloh nods, still smiling. "Yes! Florence had invited me. It was such a great night."

"It was charming," Olivia agrees, then tilts her head slightly. "I have to say, I was surprised when I heard Vogue had chosen you for tonight's coverage." She laughs lightly, as if sharing a joke. "I mean, I know social media is... evolving, but it's quite the leap from YouTube to interviewing actual industry professionals, isn't it?"

And I swear it's like the world stops moving, like the air being punched from my lungs, as bile rises at the back of my throat.

But Shiloh doesn't miss a beat. "Well, that's what I love about how the industry is changing. Those boundaries between traditional and new media are blurring every day; it's amazing. Speaking of evolution, let's talk about your directing choices for this film. The visual language you've developed here feels like a total departure from your previous work. I've seen it twice already. I'm freaking obsessed."

Olivia's smile tightens slightly. "Yes, well, some of us are constantly pushing our craft forward. It definitely takes years of dedication and practice to develop a unique artistic vision." And her eyes flick to the ring again. "Not everyone understands the difference between attention and achievement."

At this point, I'm pacing the fucking bathroom, like a tiger in a cage ready to pounce at any given moment. On screen, Shiloh's smile never wavers, though something flickers behind her eyes, there's a brief flash of hurt before it's buried by her poised professionalism, and all I want to do is protect her.

"That's exactly why I was so excited to speak with you tonight," Shiloh continues smoothly. "Your journey through the industry has really been fascinating to watch. You've really carved out a space that's uniquely yours."

And Olivia preens slightly at the compliment, not recognizing it for the masterful redirection it is. But I see it. I see everything Shiloh is doing—perfectly maintaining her composure, guiding the conversation back to something safe, and refusing to give Olivia the reaction she so desperately wants.

"Your dress is stunning, by the way," Olivia says, changing tactics. "It must be exciting to play dress-up at these events. Like a fairy tale, isn't it?"

"It really is," Shiloh agrees with a genuine smile, completely disarming Olivia's condescension by embracing it. "I still have those pinch-me moments all the time where I can't believe this is my life now. But enough about me—let’s tell the viewers about the message behind this film. What are you hoping the audience takes away from it?"

God, she is so good, but she's human, and this is hard to watch even for me. I'm equal parts furious and so fucking proud, as Shiloh navigates the rest of the interview flawlessly. She never once let on that she was wounded, never gave Olivia the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. But I know. I can see it in the faint tightness around her green eyes, the smile not quite reaching her eyes as her knuckles whitened around the microphone.

When the interview ends, Shiloh offers another hug as if nothing happened, her smile never faltering. "Thank you so much, Olivia. Best of luck with the film."

Then Shiloh is giving a quick outro promising some fun sneak peaks of the afterparty, and I'm left staring at my phone, my fucking blood boiling, while absentmindedly stroking the smooth stone of Shiloh's ring on my finger, yes, her ring—on my freaking finger, a reminder of what's real, a reminder of what we have the power to control.

Jeff pokes his head through the door. "Harry, just checking on you, you coming back out there?"

I nod vaguely, already typing out a message to Shiloh.

H: Watched your interview. You were brilliant. She wasn't. I know she only did that to ruffle your feathers, and you proved that she couldn't. You're amazing, and I hope you know you deserve to be here. Please don't let her get to you. I promise I'll make this up to you. I know this is my fault.

I hesitate, then add:

H: By the way, that ring looks better on you than it ever will on me. Still on for tonight, yeah??

I press send and straighten my jacket, readying myself for the fallout that Olivia wants. I know she's still lurking around here, and I'm ending this shit once and for all, and unlike Shiloh, I don't have to pretend to be professional. 

Not anymore.

I'm leaning against the bar at the afterparty, my second drink already half empty, Annie beside me, the two of us actually having a good time, but I know I'm distracted because I can't help my constant search for him in this room full of people.

"You're twisting it again," she says softly, nodding toward my hand. That's when I realize I've been spinning Harry's ring on my finger—a nervous habit I seem to be developing in the past few hours.

"Sorry," I mumble, forcing my hands apart. "Hard not to. I kind of miss him. I’m not gonna lie…”

Annie studies my face, a smirk tipping at the corner of her mouth. "I would too if Harry Styles was trying to get at me...are you still thinking about that interview, or do you feel like you're over it yet?"

"How could I be? She tried to abliterate me on fucking camera and I had to stand there smiling like an idiot."

"You didn't look like an idiot," Annie says, looking me dead in the eyes. "You looked professional. Unlike some people. Such a bitch. I sometimes hate being professional. I was ready to kick her ass."

And as Annie's words land, I'm scanning the room for what feels like the hundredth time. Of course, Harry is on the opposite side, surrounded by industry executives, exactly where he should be. We agreed to keep our distance tonight—whatever this was between us isn't ready for the spotlight. Not yet. Still, his eyes find mine across the crowd, a brief moment of connection, my lifeline, my whole world wrapped up in his gaze, and when he turns back to his conversation, my heart yearns to be next to him.

"God, he's not subtle at all," Annie snorts, poking me in the shoulder to get my attention, and just as I'm about to respond I catch a figure from the corner of my eye, moving in next to me.

"White wine, please..." Olivia calls out to the bartender, and our eyes meet.

"Ah, the famous Shiloh Taylor, here we are again..." Her voice is honey-sweet, but I know better now. "And something tells me this won't be the last time. You're quite... persistent."

I can feel Annie stiffen beside me, and I take a slow sip of my drink, arching a brow because that last line was cryptic, I have no clue how to respond to that, and honestly, her presence has me flustered, and I'm trying to keep it cool.

"Thanks, Olivia. Persistence is what got me to where I am."

"Mmm, yes. From bedroom vlogger to Harry Styles' newest... friend." The pause before "friend" is deliberate, dripping with a snide meaning I know I’ll suffer with later. 

But I keep my face neutral. I'll never give her the satisfaction of knowing she has me worked up. "I interview a lot of artists. It's kind of my job." I tell her, gesturing a hand around.

"Of course," she nods, with a tight-lipped smile. "Though most interviewers don't walk away with their subject's signature jewelry. That seems new even for you..." Then her eyes dart down to Harry's ring, and my hand instinctively closes, hiding it from sight.

"It wasn’t planned," I tell her, even though I don't have to explain myself to her or anyone else.

This makes Olivia laugh, and my stomach drops, and I know the sound is meant to make me feel small. "Harry doesn't do unplanned, sweetie. Every move, every gesture, every public interaction—it's all calculated." And then she leans closer, lowering her voice. "The golden boy doesn't like bad press. Ask him about the NDAs. Ask him about the publicist's statements. Ask him how far he'll go to control the narrative."

Annie clears her throat loudly. "Shiloh, do you want me to cut in—? I don't have appearances to keep up—"

"It's fine, Annie," I say, keeping my eyes locked on Olivia, her green eyes sharp like the serpent she's becoming. "While I appreciate the industry insights, Olivia, but I think I'll form my own opinion, especially since your ending with him was so messy. I know for a fact he had no control over that...that seemed like your doing…but that’s none of my business."

She laughs again, "Fine, Shiloh, but don't say I didn't warn you," she says, smoothing her dress. "Don't be surprised when your little fantasy crashes into reality. The Harry Styles who charmed you on camera is just a persona he wants you all to believe. The real one..." She shrugs delicately. "Well. Some of us know him better than others." And with that last line, she takes her leave, swiping her drink from the bar.

As she walks away, Annie lets out a long breath. "What a complete—"

"Bitch–" I cut her off, suddenly exhausted. "A wolf in sheep's clothing. Fuck Her."

When I look across the room again, searching for those green eyes, Harry is turned away, deep in conversation with another co-star, and something cold settles deep in my gut as I think about Olivia's words, about public personas, the private realities–me standing here trying to rake my brain for any calculated moves, figure out the narrative that needs to be controlled because there isn't one and not a single thing that's happened between Harry and I could have been planned, and now I'm getting lost in my head, spinning out as my heart begins to pick up.

"Do you think she's right?" I ask Annie quietly, a sudden panic rising in my tone.

"About what? Harry being some mastermind image manipulator?" Annie scoffs. "The guy who admits to having four nipples? Who got caught on camera falling on stage in front of thousands of people?"

Even though I know she's probably right, I can't help the doubt already trying to take root, tiny tendrils of insecurity vining through my chest. I finger the ring again, this piece of metal that fans worldwide would recognize instantly. It's definitely one of his signature rings. Now, on my hand, in front of everyone. Was it genuine? Or was Olivia right—just another calculated move from a man who's spent his entire adult life crafting the perfect public image he wants us all to believe?

"Hey," Annie says, softer now. "Don't let her get in your head. I saw your face during that interview. I saw his. Whatever is happening between you two, it's not fake."

I give her a silent nod because I feel it, but I'm still trying to believe it myself, and as I watch Harry across the room, diligently maintaining the distance we agreed upon, I wonder how many pieces of himself he's scattered throughout his career—how many people thought they held something special, only to realize it was just another facet of the persona, another tactfully assembled moment in the Harry Styles mythology.

And I'm not sure that I want to be another piece, then my phone buzzes in my clutch, snatching the thought from my head. A text.

H: Just checking in again. I can't wait to see you later. Is this night ever going to end?

When I look up, his eyes are already on me, and there's an uncertainty, a vulnerability that seems at odds with Olivia's portrait of him. My eyes roam his face thinking about everything we've shared over the phone these past few days—days that have felt like weeks, the late-night conversations, the dreams whispered into the darkness, the way his voice would catch when he talked about our future, the things he's looking forward to–the space he's holding for me.

And I feel the same, but is it real? Or am I just another chapter in his story, not his ending? Because I think I want more, I want it to be our story that continues, not his and his alone.

So I take a deep breath and text back:

S: I really miss you, and I just want to talk.

"Just one more photo!" The photographer calls out, and I force my smile to stay in place, though my jaw aches from keeping up the appearance all night. Thank god the afterparty is finally winding down, most of the industry executives gone, leaving just the cast and key production team for these final publicity shots.

I've managed to keep my eye on Shiloh throughout the rest of the night, even while keeping our distance. She's been playing it safe tonight I can tell, staying at the bar with Annie, not being a social as she usually is and something about the tension that hasn't left her shoulders tells me she's not had an easy time since that fucking interview, and all night I've tried to convey everything I couldn't say through glances across the room—I'm with you. I see you. Wait for me. Everything will be okay, I promise–But I know a look can only go so far.

"Harry, over here!" The photographer gestures, and I step into position, feeling someone move in beside me. Olivia, and the first thing that hits me is her perfume—the smell of jasmine and amber, now too sweet, a scent that used to linger on my clothes, my skin, our bed.

"Smile wide," she whispers, her arm slipping around my waist with practiced ease, and I stiffen knowing what this will look like, but I can't pull away, knowing the cameras are catching every micro-expression, and I don't want a repeat of Venice, especially when the world knows Shiloh is here.

"We need to talk," she says between flashes, her smile never faltering.

"There’s nothing to discuss," I forced through my own camera smile.

"Trust me, there is…" and her fingers dig slightly into my side, her touch making me sick to my stomach. "It's important."

I turn slightly, catching an unexpected intensity in her eyes. Something's off. Despite everything, I know her well enough to recognize when she's not playing games, and her gaze sends a pang of anxiety down my spine.

"I only have a couple of minutes," I tell her, already regretting it.

The moment the photographer releases us, Olivia takes my elbow, guiding me toward a quiet alcove near the exit. When I glance back, my eyes instinctively find Shiloh across the room. Our gazes lock, and I watch her expression shift from neutral to questioning, a slight furrow forming between her brow. I try to signal some kind of reassurance, but I know I'm failing. Olivia's hand on my arm feels wrong now; it feels like a betrayal that I know I'll have to mend later.

"Make it quick," I snap once we're relatively alone, keeping my voice low. "I have somewhere to be."

Olivia studies me then, her eyes roaming my face, and tilts her head slightly. "With your new muse?"

"She's not—"

"It doesn't matter," she interjects, suddenly looking exposed in a way I've rarely seen. "Harry, I'm pregnant." She tells me, cutting right to the chase.

And the words hit me like a blow to the gut, and all I can do is stare at her, waiting for the punchline, the manipulation, the angle. But her face remains open, powerless, and I wonder why she feels the need to tell me this.

"Congratulations," I say carefully. "You and Jason must be—"

"Harry–please–It's not Jason's. You’re smarter than this." And she holds my gaze steadily. "I just missed my period, so I took a test this morning."

And my mind races back several weeks, to the last time we were together...Christ. Venice. That last night at the hotel.

"That's..." I swallow hard. "That's not possible. You've been on birth control our entire relationship."

"Well. Birth control isn't perfect." Her hand moves to her stomach, an unconscious gesture. "I've taken three tests. And I have a scan tomorrow morning."

All at once, the news bombards me, a tingle starting at the tips of my fingers, moving through me until my lungs empty, the lack of air making me dizzy. It's like the world I've built around me is all of the sudden caving in on it's self, the room suddenly too small, the air too fucking thin. "Why are you telling me this now? Here, of all places, Olivia?"

"I didn't plan to. But then I saw the way you looked at her." Her voice carries no accusation, no resentment, her true colors showing. "You–you never looked at me like that. And I realized you're already moving on, making plans. And maybe you needed to know before..."

And Shiloh’s name is left unspoken, her presence now hanging between us.

"Does Jason know?" I ask, my voice small, as small as I feel in this moment.

"Yes. He's been..." She pauses. "Supportive. But it's obviously not his responsibility."

I run a hand through my hair, my thoughts scattered like broken glass. A baby. My baby with Olivia of all people, and the aftershock rips through my mind like a bullet—the press, the fans, my career, my freedom. Shiloh. All slipping through my fingers in a single moment.

"I need time," I finally speak up, the words inadequate even to my own ears. "To process this. Give me time."

"Take whatever time you need," Olivia says, softer now. "I just couldn't let you walk away tonight without knowing." And as she finishes, her presence leaves a sour taste in my mouth, the tenderness of her voice, a trap as she sinks her fangs into my world all over again, and yes, I know it takes too, but something is unsettling about the whole thing.

She touches my arm again, but this time I pull away, and she raises her hands in mock surrender, a faint smile playing at her lips."I'm not asking for anything, Harry. I just thought you should know."

"I'll be there at the scan. Until then, I have nothing else to say." I push through gritted teeth, pissed off at her, at the world, but mostly at myself for ruining this whole thing, because I'm not sure how to move forward with everything, because this will undoubtedly change it all.

"Fine—" Olivia scoffs, and as she walks away, I stand there frozen in a moment of utter shock, my world coming to a complete stop, and when my phone buzzes in my pocket, nabbing my attention, I pull it out, moving on autopilot as Shiloh's message glows on the screen:

S: We never really made a plan. Did you want to meet at your place or mine?

I look up then, finding her across the room, watching me with those clear green eyes. That's when I feel it. The weight of Shiloh's ring on my finger feels heavier, suddenly a promise I may not be able to keep. How do I tell her about this? How do I explain that the future I've been cautiously building in my mind—our future—may not be possible?

I keep thinking about Olivia's words to her during that interview, the artful cruelty masked to make Shiloh doubt herself, doubt me. And now Shiloh wants to "talk about things." Does she already suspect something? Has Olivia said something to her, too? I saw them talking earlier.

Would Olivia do that? 

And when I glance down at my phone again, my thumbs hover over the screen. What do I say? Sorry, can't make it tonight, just found out I might be a father. I need to cancel, my ex just dropped a bomb. There's no protocol for this, no publicist-approved statement to cover the mess I'm in.

I feel completely unprepared, and this feels like the first time in a while that I have no idea what my next move will be. No idea how to protect anyone from getting hurt—not Shiloh, not Olivia, not myself, and certainly not the child who never asked to be born into this chaos, and fuck, what a shit show.

"Earth to Shiloh," Annie waves a hand in front of my face. "You're spinning that ring again." 

I jerk my gaze away from Harry, who’s still standing by the exit, Olivia now calmly moving in the opposite direction. "Sorry." I try with sudden panic. 

"Shiloh, if you keep staring like that, you might actually burn a hole through Olivia’s back with those eyes of yours."

I take a long sip of my drink. "What do you think they were talking about?"

Annie follows my gaze. "Industry stuff? Old times? Who cares? Probably nothing important."

But I care. God, I care. The way Olivia's hand was resting on his arm with an air of casualness, like she had touched him a thousand times before. Which, of course, she had, and when I watched her lean in closer, her lips near his ear, something ugly writhed within, twisting a knot in my stomach, and it took everything in me not to leap off my chair and bound over. To break up whatever bullshit she was trying to feed into his ear—my insecurity at full mass. 

"You look murderous right now," Annie observes, her comment not helping at all.

"I'm fine," I lie, replaying the sudden change in Harry's posture as they spoke. His shoulders tensing, his hand running through his hair, that same nervous habit I've started to pick up on during our late-night calls when he's struggling to express something difficult.

Whatever the fuck she's said, wasn’t casual, I can tell by the way his face had gone pale, serious in a way I had never seen before, not to that degree. 

"They were together for two years," I say quietly, more to myself than Annie.

"But they're not anymore, dude," Annie reminds me. "For obvious reasons..."

But still—two freaking years feels like an eternity compared to what Harry and I have, and what's that? A handful of phone calls, some texts, one photoshoot, and tonight. What am I to him, really? A pleasant distraction? A new adventure? A rebound?

And then Olivia's words are coming back to haunt me, echoing in my head like they're some kind of gospel:

Harry doesn't do unplanned. Every move, every gesture, every public interaction—it's all calculated.

My fingers tighten around my glass as a slow ache creeps up my chest, my nails digging into the polished surface, already wanting this to end, whatever I'm feeling, jealousy, anger? I don't know, and now it's like the weight of his ring is burning into my skin with every intention of those words.

 Calculated.

And suddenly, I'm tired. So fucking tired of pretending that I'm not completely out of my depth. This is his world, his game, and I'm just some casual player, thinking I could keep up, that I was anything more than a footnote in his story.

Then Annie's hand on my elbow pulls me from my spiral. "You know, it doesn't matter what they were talking about, right? They talked, and now later you'll be the one by Harry's side."

But the doubt is emanating, raging like a forest fire I can't put out, and I give her a weak smile, because right in this moment, I'm not so sure what she can offer him that I can't? History maybe. An understanding of his world? The shared language of their fame and privilege, something I know I'm still struggling with, still trying to learn. How could I compete with someone who's known all of the many sides of him, who's seen him in the morning light, or held his secrets for years?

And then there's an even colder thought: what if this was always the plan? What if tonight—the ring, the hopeful promise of "later"—was just a performance? What if I was just a convenient distraction while he waited for the right moment to reconnect with her?

I push the thought away immediately, but it's already digging deep.

"Shi, you're spiraling again. I can literally see you spiraling," Annie says, gripping my arm. "Whatever you're thinking, stop. It's not worth the stress, seriously."

But I can't stop. Not when Harry finally checks his phone, reads my message, then looks up at me with an expression I can't decipher. Not when he turns without responding, taking the exit, and disappearing into the night without even a backward glance.

"He's leaving," I whisper in disbelief. "Without responding to my text."

Annie frowns. "That doesn't make sense. Didn't he just text you about meeting up later?"

"Maybe the plans are changing, I guess," I answer, a bitter taste filling my mouth, and I glance down at the ring I'm twisting on my finger, that feels more like a mockery rather than a fucking promise.

And then I have this overwhelming feeling to call, because something doesn't feel right. The look on his face, the way Olivia walked off, him standing there like he was on the verge of texting me back, and then leaving with no explanation. No apology. Nothing. Just an uneasy silence in his wake, and suddenly I can't breathe again.

So I tap his contact without thinking, ignoring the sinking feeling in my gut, because something is wrong, something is all wrong, and I feel it in my bones. My fingers shake, and I have to force myself to keep the phone steady as I bring it to my ear, listening to it ring, and all I want to do is scream.

Three times–I called him three times, and by the fourth, his phone was going straight to voicemail, leaving me with the devastating confirmation that something was definitely wrong. 

"I'm sure there's a reason," Annie tries, but her voice lacks the conviction to convince me that I'm not being overdramatic. "Maybe it's work-related. You never know."

"But I feel it, Annie, I don't know how to explain it. I just know..." I confess. "Something's not right."

At this point, I've seen enough of this industry to know better. I've watched enough interviews, read enough blind items, witnessed enough celebrities spinning the narrative to recognize when I'm about to be written out of the story. One moment, I was the lead for Harry Styles' attention, and the next, I'm a side note, a brief digression before he returns to his main plot line.

And that's the sinking realization I'm left with now: Maybe I was really never more than a timely distraction in his world, that brief daydream he played at but never truly wanted.

"Come on," Annie nudges gently. "Let's get out of here. Whatever's happening, you don't need to stand around feeling like shit while you wait for some kind of explanation."

I know she's right, and I drain my glass, set it on the bar with more force than necessary, and straighten my shoulders. I came to this premiere as Shiloh Taylor, not as Harry Styles, maybe-something, and I'll leave the same fucking way. Because fuck this, and fuck them, I'm not going to be in the middle of there petty bullshit. I have my own story to write, and as we head toward the door, I have to force myself not to scan the street outside, not to look for any sign of him.

"What now?" Annie asks as our car pulls up.

And I twist his ring off my finger and slip it into my clutch, where I won't have to look at it. "Now we go home. And I stop making up stories about people I barely even know."

My phone vibrates again in my hand for the third time, but I know who it is before I even look at the screen. This is the third call from Shiloh in twenty minutes—her name lighting up my screen like a hard accusation, but all I can do is stare at it, a blank stare as all the thoughts of tonight circle my mind. When I look up for a brief second, the driver is holding the car door open, patiently waiting. What could I possibly say to her right now? ​When every scenario I play out ends with me hurting her, with betrayal, with the fragile thing we've created crumbling to dust right before our eyes.

Now, I can't seem to think past the growing weight of Olivia's news that sits on my chest like freshly laid concrete, hardening with each passing second, making it more and more difficult to breathe, and as I watch the call fade into another missed notification, joining the others in the misery I know she feels from my avoidance, and there’s something inside me splinters–The vision of Shiloh waiting, wondering, probably already piecing together a story that's somehow both better and worse than the truth.

And I'm right back to that hopeless fool, already sulking in my own stupidity because only an idiot would have played into Olivia's game. Only I would have been so blinded by this fragile fantasy to have convinced myself that I could have it all--the girl, the freedom, the normal life I've always craved, without any consequences.

Foolish. So fucking foolish.

The driver clears his throat discreetly, signaling my attention, and I force myself to slide into the backseat, letting the darkness envelop me as the door closes. I need time—I need time to think, to process, to figure out what the hell I'm going to do—yet time is the one luxury I don't have anymore. Not with a baby on the way. Not with Shiloh waiting. Not when the life I've created for myself is threatening to collapse around me with one wrong word, one wrong move.

That's when I turn my phone off, letting the screen go black as the car pulls away from the curb.

A/N: Yay! Chapter 12! I'm really excited about this one. There are about to be some twists and turns, but it only seems fitting. Hope you all are doing well. Thanks for all the lovely support. I appreciate you all!!

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT: What the actually fuck?? I wasn't expecting any of this...really, the story just changed in my head. Are you guys ready for a ride!!?

->chat with me<-

Tag List: @howling-wolf97 @sassamanda77 @babegoalsreads @palmettogal508 @indierockgirrl @lizsogolden @sexymfharriet @pologoonies @amateurduck

Chapter Thirteen (Coming 5/16/2025)

All Chapters Here <-

[recreationalfanfics]

*bust in the door with Sinor Chonker in my right arm and a cup of cold brew coffee with churro creamer in my left hand*

Okay hear me out on this!!

Having Jeb and Oct with us is cool and talking to our favorite night guard through the mirror is an extra, but what if we could able to talk with the other crew with said mirror and talking to hysterical figure and introduce them to our friends and having to translate with some of them while in conversation as if it's a normal Tuesday

Like Huns being the awesome warlord be bit protective over mc and looking at Sebek and in translation if he did anything that we didn't like hell glady fight him

Or our favorite Pharaoh man ( who I have a childhood crush like come-on ) happily talk to us and seeing our new friends went to king mode on some because he wanted mc to feel safe and not get in to trouble with them

Talking with historical figures and talking about what they did in their time out is the open be both comedic and to the tw guys be horrified on some stuff out in the open ( like if a WW2 soldier making a joke about ww2 related stuff ) or give really organized military stuff to help mc with stuff like school work or their work around the school

I don't blame you for the crush on Ahk, Rami Malek is so fjwjfjejfj-

- BUT YEAH, TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE DEFINETLY USE THE MIRROR TO TALK TOO, not just Larry and Nicky but Teddy and Sacagewa like to make sure you're okay.

- I like to think some of the Twst Boys know what Attila is saying as he threatens them to protect you but like, others just think he's super cool looking and you try to soften his translation so they aren't so violent.

- BUT ALSO, ATTILA AND HIS HUNS LOVE MAGIC SO THE BOYS KINDA WIN THEM OVER EASILY but don't get me wrong, they're still very worried for you.

- You can also use them to teach the guys about history from your world. Like, you're telling them about cavemen and showing them and the cave guys are just super hyped to see you until they see that Ace has a hand on your shoulder and being the big brother figures they are, they just freak out and Larry is all: "How about we move onto Teddy next!?"

- I like to think that Teddy would definetly give Leona a pep talk or something. Like, Teddy having to deal with not being the real Theodore Roosevelt kind fits with Leona not being the crown prince and stuff and while their situations aren't the same, Teddy giving Leona some enlightenment.

- ROOK ENJOYS MOMENTS TO MEET ALL YOUR NEW FRIENDS, SO HE CAN SEE ALL THE BEAUTY. He 100% would be super flattering to Sacagewa and Ahkmenrah and how they must've been the pinnacle of beauty at their time and Sacagewa just being polite and Ahk being super awkward but happy to be there. ALSO, SACAGEWA AND ROOK EXCHANGING HUNTING AND TRACKING TIPS AND YOU'RE JUST THERE LIKE: "PLEASE DON'T-"

- They are exposed to more darker parts of your history and while not everything is sunshine and rainbows, when they hear about the wars and the atrocities, you just tell your dad to maybe move the mirror but they're also just so fascinated by how people from your world may not have magic but they definetly have the wits to create some serious fire power. Like, they couldn't fathom how wars without magic would be like and now they know and it definetly gives them a new look on your world.

- ALL OF THE EXHIBITS MISS YOU THOUGH. Dexter stealing the mirror from Larry so he can have you all to himself and throwing a tantrum when another of the Twst guys try to look at him. He seems to like Floyd though which is really concerning.

- You even show them things that you might have in common with their world. Such as European history, Persian history, and African history and it really sticks out to some students who are there like: "Wow, those buildings look similar to the ones we have here!"

- All of the exhibits definetly all try to tell you goodnight before morning, scold Jed and Octavius if they gave you any trouble and you tell them goodnight and watch from the mirror as the sun rises and they all go still. You miss them a lot and while it's fun to introduce the guys to your world, it only makes you ache for it more.

[secretgaygenttomura]

Say do you have any headcanons about principal nezu? Like aside from him drinking tea and such. Since you know he was seen or mentions a few times and yeah we have a snippet of his somewhat life. (And a fanart of him being a smoker, is it true to manga or just an headcanon? I honestly dunno) Like he was a terrifying creature to mess with. And the world smartest creature around the world. I wanna hear your opinions and interpretations about him. Sorry if this is somewhat annoying it's been a while since i dropped by on this fandom. And man i felt overwhelmed hehehe...

I believe the name spelling comes from a different romanization of the japanese characters, and what the official tag specifies on Ao3. It confuses me, myself, but the Death Note fandom was more egregious about it back when I was in there haha- Romanized versions of Japanese versions of English words, so the different spellings here in the MHA fandom are a little less jarring to me. No worries, feel free to send me fandom asks, I love these! Haha- Most of my personal Nezu headcanons are sort of separate from my more recent works, and come from a friend of mine that I haven't talked to in a while haha- A little more lighthearted- (Actually... Maybe not, depends on where exactly you're looking haha)

Him being a smoker is canon, but I haven't really seen it taken seriously (including by myself) until my recent collab with WordyBirb on this fic! Awesome interpretation, really love how it's handled- In both this work, and their other Nezu one-shot ;)

But what I've written/seen from this other friend of mine myself, has him as a pill-popper rather than a smoker- And more due to an insecurity, and stress over how he appears to the public eye, rather than a more vicious trauma response. Though, of course he does have his own, more unsightly traumas :)

This would be the Nezu you usually see in my drawings with an older Tomura, and if the distinction is needed, with a nick in the left ear ;) He's a lot less keen with the idea of being a father when he first personally meets Tomura, denying how he starts to care about him, when after a deal to keep Tomura hidden instead of shipped off to Tartarus, Tomura uses the codename "Dad" on a whim to disguise his conversations.

And Nezu really does try not to care, it's adorable, but eventually after like five months, he comes to his senses, and decides he probably shouldn't be distancing himself from his feelings by sending Tomura on death-defying missions to do things he personally couldn't. (And Tomura, being the adrenaline junkie he is, doesn't really get why he's not sent on these missions anymore. He thinks they're fun lol.)

Other than current-time headcanons, I do headcanon that he escaped his lab around the time that Tenko had his incident with his quirk, and hopefully I can write more about this scenario where this homeless Nezu has to take care of an also homeless Tenko, just trying to build up motivation, it's a hefty task with my other projects going on haha-

[butterfrogmantis]

Explorer Magellan was born in Sydney, Australia, to two travel-agent parents. At four years old, his maternal grandmother fell ill and so the family relocated to care for her back in Lancashire, England. This is where Explorer was raised.

Explorer had a .. fairly normal childhood all things considered. Loving parents, popularity - oh and a hefty inheritance left to him by his ailing grandmother. Flipping through his parent's travel-agency booklets gave Explorer little insights into the wonders of the world, and he longed to see them. And, in learning about treasures, coveted them. As a young man, Explorer enrols in an archaeology degree in Yorkshire where he ironically ends up in the same class as Archie Baines. But they don't really interact during their time at university. Both were good enough students, just hung out with different crowds. Archie was here with a genuine interest in history and what could be learnt from it. Explorer was here to find what he could take from it, as he feels the degree would be useful (and perhaps grew up with unrealistic expectations handed to him from the Indiana Jones movies)

Post-Uni, Archie, his brother and Archie's then boyfriend Miner all move to Belgium for an assignment, whilst Explorer takes his degree to a different market. The black one, if you will. This was no coincidence. You see; behind the scenes Explorer had had some tip offs from some buddies about certain … items certain people wanted retrieving. And with his grandmother's inheritance giving him easy leverage on bribing security and officials, Explorer began to develop quite a knack for retrieving artefacts. After all his archaeology degree helped him with background knowledge of ancient buildings and whether artefacts were worth anything at all, stuff the average person would overlook. And I mean if this ancient ruby is just sitting right there in the ancient pyramid of the pharaoh why SHOULDN'T Explorer keep it? It's only gathering dust.

It wasn't until a few years down the line that Explorer and Archie met again. Explorer was on his way across Europe when he needed to stop and rest for a while, and ended up in a little village in the woods run by a Mr.Smurf. Here, he runs into Archie Baines again. A little surprised, but cordial at first, they exchange polite convo and catch up on some old memories. Explorer even asks Archie to join him on his next expedition - that way he can take double the treasure, but he doesn't tell Archie that. Archie thinks 'hey ive met a fellow archaeology nerd this will surely be an insightful trip'.

So they go, and it's successful! They find the stuff Explorer theorised was there. Awesome, Archie can't wait to hand this into the local authorities and get some archaeological recognition. Maybe write a paper on the finds.

Local authorities? says Explorer. No way. He's taking this stuff back with him and finding the highest bidder.

Archie is appalled at the clear difference in their attitudes. Thus begins a lifelong rivalry. Of course, Smurfverse Explorer has no use for money but he's still adamant about keeping stuff, and maybe trading for high bidders from other species like fairies, goblins etc after stealing artefacts from other races. Archie continues to try and be noble about preserving history. Papa just kinda .. well its all going on behind his back, see? Explorer puts up a cute front and so Papa keeps sending him on these missions and thinks he and Archie are buddy buddy even when they're fighting behind his back.

Anyway their day to day rivalry can get kind of boring so we're gonna skip ahead to something exciting!

One of the many marvellous misadventures leads them to an ancient temple where, surprise surprise, Archie warns Explorer not to tamper with the stuff because this particular temple belonged to ancient goblins and BELIEVE him you do not want to mess with ancient goblins, they were rather particular about their treasure, even after death.

So of course Explorer ignores this bcuz he wants to wind Archie up and grabs a random bracelet and slips it on to tease him. But uh oh spaghettio thats how you get yourself a nice little goblin possession curse!

Thus begins a thrilling chase. Explorer thinks Archie is boring and pretentious as all hell but a Smurf is a Smurf, he'd never actively try and KILL Archie until now. Goblin curse overrides that. Pick up a sword. Aim between the ribs. He's got Archie backed up against a wall now, this might be the end of Archaeologist Smurf.

Except of course it isn't because this is Butterverse.

And quite frankly Skelly hasn't been too fond of Explorer either since he insinuated Skelly could be sold to a high bidder for a private museum so recently Skelly has been tagging along after ol' buddy Archie to keep an eye on him. And it's just as well because Archie is on the verge of being killed in an … unsettlingly familar way. Luckily Skelly has an advantage this time- no organs!

Explorer's sword raises, Archie's life flashes before his eyes, Skelly jumps … and the sword hits ribs. Giving Archie just enough time to snap out of it, and beat the shit out of Explorer. Don't worry, it was for a good cause, he was able to break the goblin bracelet that was possessing Explorer. He'll be fine once he wakes up.

Skelly on the other hand has a couple broken ribs and some scratches. Luckily his bones restore themselves so for now all Archie has to do is wrap them and thank him for saving his life. Alls well that ends well.

Explorer hasn't necessarily learnt his lesson. Learnt not to slip cursed bracelets on, yes, but that just makes him more careful about how he handles stuff. He and Archie are still bitter rivals, but neither has tries to actively kill the other again yet so there's that.

Other Explorer info:

Doesn't really have AS big of a rivalry with Pal. Pal thinks he's a jerk yes but Pal's not super confrontational and doesn't end up on dig sites or in temples the same way Archie and Explorer do so most of it is just Pal getting tea later on.

Verdict is still out on his sexuality I haven't decided if he's got any exes going for him or if he has some current, messed up relationship or if he couldn't care less about romance and is legit only after treasure so for now it's ?? This is not an enemy to lovers thing, even if Explorer were to repress stuff about Archie deep down Archie still finds him despicable. So the occasional joke is fine .. i guess? But very much not going to be endgame here anymore than Smooth and Jokey would be and Smooth has a positive view of Jokey unlike Explorer who finds Archie self-righteous

Smurfverse Explorer obviously just grows up in the village and he and Archie are on OK terms as kids but then he gets involved with some black market fae behind Papa's back and the story progresses the same.

If Explorer isn't doing his whole 'stealing' thing he's actually … considered fairly charismatic by other people. His whole morally bankrupt thing is tied into his work, he's not actively jerkish to anyone apart from Archie and co to the point a lot of Smurfs consider him quite friendly, and really he does have a genuine passion for exploration and discovery, it's just overshadowed by the greedy side of his personality.

Also the accent thing … inside joke mostly

Explorer and Archie (c) The Smurfs

Skelly is mine

Oh PS - I've been thinking about it, and even if Skelly doesn't remember his death and wouldn't know up till coming to the village, that's kind of Archie's whole job. From the rip in his cloak and some original damage to the ribs I think it would make more sense for Archie to have a good theory about his death than to not. It's also why that spot is a little more fragile than the rest of his bones. They'll still magi-heal but only to how they were before.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

I have a few statements to/ for a few of your OCs if you don’t mind!

To Chris: I just bought some off brand converse-like shoes that have dinosaur skeletons on them! They are so perfect and make me so happy, I think of Chris every time I look down at them!

To Chris and Jameson: It really sucks that both of your (I hate to use this term but this is what was used throughout the stories so it’s what I’m sticking with) owners died! I mean obviously that sucks much more for Jameson than it does Chris but we saw how much the news of Oliver’s death hurt Chris. I more or less ruined my own day thinking of Chris confiding in Jameson his complicated emotions regarding his passing. Like Jake’s reaction was totally appropriate and I think Jameson would have a similar one at first but also considering his own feelings when his “him” died. So yeah, I’ll just be over here sobbing in the corner at my own imagination if anyone needs me🥲✌️

To Jameson/Johnathan: please tell me that his and Hank’s last fight was not about that girl. Also please don’t tell me that Johnathan had something to do with Hank losing her number. As the younger bi sibling, I have actually ended up with one of my older siblings dates, and even though it was amicable at the time, if it did become an issue, and it was one of our last conversations, I could never get over that.

To future late 30’s Kauri: ENJOY THAT BATH ROBE AND EARLY BED TIME! That and your loving husbands companies are so much more meaningful than anything a night out could offer! I’m so proud of how far he’s come!

That’s all I can think of now but I very well may be back with more later! 🤠🫶

Oh as a bonus, this is for you, Ash: Thank you so much for the dedication to your characters and storylines, and backgrounds and world building. You are truly an amazing writer and you got some stones on you for actually posting it. I’m a pretty good writer too but I get screen fright and never end up posting, so I appreciate your bravery that allows us as your readers to enjoy and participate in the awesome world you have created.

<3 thank you anonnnn I struggle with imposter syndrome, so I totally get the fear of posting! I hope you try it out in the future, as the feedback and conversation has been really invaluable to me over the past few years.

For the Chris bit about shoes - Chris has those, too! If they're the same. From TOMS, black with colorful skeletons? He has those. He also has black and white ones where the bones glow in the dark.

For the combined Chris and Jameson bit: I think that Jameson would understand Chris's mix of affection and loathing really well, but struggle to express it. He really did LOVE Nanda, especially towards the end, but he also hated him sometimes, and so I think he could get that. But he was never afraid of Nanda the way Chris was afraid of Oliver. But I also think it would be a hard conversation and Jameson would probably eventually get angry and upset Chris and then it would turn into a big old angsty mess.

For the Jameson bit:

It wasn't about that girl! Jameson would tell you it was stupider than that. It was genuinely just the two of them being drunk and arguing about going home. Hank wanted to leave right then, Jameson wanted to hit up another bar. They fought about it, went their separate ways, and never saw each other again. And no, Jameson didn't lose her number - Hank just misplaced it. They found the note folded into a small scrap in his wallet when his body was located.

Kauri has never slept so well in his LIFE. Other than needing all of his pillows to be perfectly arranged, and sometimes he sleeps funny and then his neck hurts all day...