#things happen because someone decides to do something about them

[jer-tan]

I think what you are not understanding is the psychological perspective of this whole situation. Just because someone is smart does not exclude them from:

- falling under the influence of cults. This is more specific but just how people who are smart might not have the understanding of how emotional manipulation works

- the cognitive distancing that history can and will repeat itself and it's happening to them (all those people who voted for him and not believe he would actually do half the shit)

- there is a huge difference of knowing something and accepting something

- humans are social creatures and like to create hierarchies and feel obligated to follow authority. I think the Milgram experiment (1961) is a prime example of this.

But how we ended up in this situation is that people didn't feel the urgency to vote this past election. 77.3 million voted for our current situation when the adult population in America according to the 2020 census is 258.3 million. 77.3/258.3 = .299 or 30% of the population. 75 million felt the urge to vote for Harris.

And since we worked up to this situation it stems from that people are less likely to vote in state and local elections. Our final situation has been decided by only 30% of the population, where even a chunk of them didn't understand what they were voting for.

That's the final part of the psychological side. If people do not feel the need to do something they are less likely to do it. There is something called the bystander effect (1964) where if there is a situation going on and lots of people around it's less likely someone will do something about it because they are under the expectation someone else will. This can suppress motivation to go and vote. One thing that occurred right before the election was the release of how mail in voting was doing. It was 55% for Harris, since Harris was winning it resolved the motivation and urge of some to go out and vote without accepting that mail in voting tends to lean left. But at the same time this rallied Trump voters because of how close this result was it started to resolve the bystander effect and they felt more of an urge to vote because their vote will more likely make a difference.

So yeah, people can be smart and stuff like this can happen, there were a lot of incredibly smart people in Germany during the 1920s and we saw how that ended up. We can look at the Milgram study to see how this can occur and as well as the bystander effect how it plays out and allow a minority dictate policy for the masses. So in the coming years, and every year for that matter, pay attention to local and state elections and ignore the urge to stay home and not vote.

I don't understand how everyone is smart enough to understand Trump's plans and how those are comparable to Hitler (true) but somehow no one's smart enough to see how the social and political conditions leading to both were longstanding issues that allowed them to gain power. I do not understand it. Like we didn't just open up the textbook to his page. There was history in the book beforehand, a lot of consent allowed; neither just popped into existence as fascism.

[luvsferrariss]

˚⟡˖ ࣪. ʚ 💌 ɞ who said that I hate you? - OO2

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ Synopsis: Where Y/n, in an attempt to escape from Charles, her rival, fails because Charles keeps getting closer, and Y/n starts to like it.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ Charles Leclerc x Female Reader! Red Bull Driver

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ Warnings: Cute, Charles has improved from his foolishness, nothing too serious in this one, just fluff 🤍

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ Author’s Notes: I didn’t really like this story, it feels like I couldn’t develop it very well, but I hope you like it! English is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ part one here ! 🤍

You couldn’t deny how Charles’ proximity brought several consequences, like: the media. Everyone was speculating so many things that happened between you two, theories totally out of reality. You tried to avoid him as much as you could or push him away, but he was always there, and that irritated you.

When you thought the wave of bad luck had ended, the universe conspired against you again.

This time it wasn’t your fault. It was finally your chance to make it to the podium, you were in second place, and because of a mistake from your team, you ended up in sixteenth place. After the race, you didn’t want to talk to anyone, and everyone knew it.

Then you hear a knock on the door but completely ignore it.

“I know you’re in there,” Charles says, and you just ignore him again.

After a while, you hear another knock. You close your eyes and take a deep breath.

“Go away, Leclerc,” you say straightforwardly.

After your response, there’s a deadly silence, then you just close your eyes and sigh. But within a few seconds, you get startled when your door opens.

Clearly, Charles hadn’t left, so he decides to check and see how you’re doing, then opens the unlocked door.

“Are you crazy, you idiot?” you say, irritated as he enters, still recovering from the shock. Charles smiles and leans against the doorframe.

“Before anything, I need to know. Are you going to break something? Because if you are, just let me know and I’ll leave,” Charles asks calmly, making your blood boil.

“I’ll break you, idiot!” you say, throwing a pillow at him, which he just catches.

“Look how bold you are,” Charles laughs, and you huff.

“Go to hell.” Your voice is quieter now. “What kind of idiot enters someone’s room uninvited?”

He ignores the provocation and gets closer, throwing himself on the couch like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Stressing yourself out alone won’t help anything, you know?” You squint your eyes at his words.

“Since when do you care about what I do?” He doesn’t answer right away. He just watches you, like he’s analyzing every expression.

“Since when did you stop hating me?” Charles says, and in that instant, you freeze.

And Charles notices.

His gaze locks on you for a second that’s too long, and for the first time, there’s something beyond rivalry there.

You look away, feeling your heart race in a way that annoys you deeply.

“Go screw yourself,” you say, still not looking at him, and Charles laughs softly.

“You’ve said that before, Y/n.”

He stands up and walks towards the door. But before leaving, he throws one last provocation:

“Try not to think too much about me, Y/n.”

And then, he leaves, leaving you even more confused and furious than before, not knowing what to respond.

( . . . )

The tension between you two grows to an unbearable point. Everything explodes in a tense practice, where Charles makes an aggressive move, and Y/n nearly hits the wall.

When you both get out of the cars, she goes straight to him in the pit lane, pushing him in the chest.

“What’s your problem?! You could’ve slammed me into the wall!”

Charles grabs her wrists, stopping her from pushing him again.

“You’re shaking. Are you scared, Y/n?” he asks, almost choking on the words.

You pull your arms forcefully, your face burning with anger.

“I will NEVER be afraid of you!”

He leans in slightly, closing the distance between them.

“Then why is your heart beating so fast?”

You pale.

Charles smiles.

You’re so angry that you almost punch him right there. But instead, you just glare at him with hatred and walk away.

But, for the first time, that hatred doesn’t feel so simple.

( . . . )

After that fight, Charles pulls back a bit. He stops provoking her so much, but Y/n misses it. This deeply irritates her.

Until one night, before an important race, she finds him alone in the pits, sitting with his arms crossed, staring at the car.

Without thinking, you approach him.

“So, you think sometimes too. I thought you only talked nonsense.” You say, stopping beside him.

Charles smiles, but doesn’t make a joke.

“Hey, what’s up, idiot? You’re way too quiet.” Her question makes him sigh.

You frown.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be tough,” Charles murmurs.

She frowns.

“You always say that, and in the end, you go speeding like there’s no tomorrow.” You respond, rolling your eyes, stating the obvious.

He lets out a heavy sigh and rubs his face.

“This time it’s weird. I’ve been feeling bad since yesterday, like I have a fever or something.” His words make you worry, but you don’t show it.

“What?”

“If they find out, they won’t let me race. So you’re the only one who knows, and if you tell anyone, you’re done.” He says jokingly, and you cross your arms, skeptical.

“So you’re gonna hide this until you pass out in the car? Great plan.”

Charles gives a slight smile.

“I thought you’d like the idea. If I pass out, you can finally get first place.” You roll your eyes, but inside, you feel a strange tightness in your chest. He was really sick. And still, he was there, ready to race.

You sigh. You didn’t understand why this feeling of worry, especially since, above all, you hated each other, right? Of course, you hated each other, and could never be friends.

“You’re an idiot. But a fast idiot.” Charles turns his face to Y/n, surprised by the concern.

“That was the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Charles says sincerely, and you just roll your eyes as if you hadn’t said anything, but the truth was that you were really “kind,” and you didn’t understand why.

“Don’t get used to it,” you say bluntly.

But when you leave, you hate admitting that something between you two has changed.

And you didn’t know what it was.

( . . . )

The heat inside the car was suffocating, and Charles felt the sweat trickling down his neck as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. His body felt heavy, the fever draining his strength, but he couldn’t back down.

On the radio, the voice of the team sounded distant.

“Charles, how are the conditions?” The engineer asks, as usual.

He presses the radio button, trying to sound normal.

“Everything’s under control.”

Lie.

Nothing was under control, and Charles knew it, but he couldn’t admit it. The race seemed to last longer than expected, every corner demanding more from him than he was used to. His vision seemed blurry at times, but he was already here, and there was no way to quit.

A few laps later, Y/n had already noticed something was wrong. She saw Henrique in the rearview mirror, struggling more than usual to keep pace. He wasn’t driving with his usual aggression.

“Shit, he’s worse than he seemed yesterday,” you think to yourself, growing concern building up.

You grip the steering wheel, frustrated with yourself. Why were you worrying about him?

On lap 38, a mistake. Small, but enough.

Charles brakes too late in a corner and ends up sliding, losing position to Y/n. You pass him, but, when glancing at the car beside you, you see his hand trembling on the steering wheel.

He won’t make it through the entire race.

Y/n’s engineer’s voice comes through the radio:

“Good job, P2 now. Keep pushing the leader.” Your engineer says happily, but you weren’t on the same level of happiness.

You should be satisfied. But, for the first time, you weren’t.

When the race ends, Charles can barely get out of the car. As soon as his feet hit the ground, his legs give out. The fever, the exhaustion… everything hit him at once. He stumbles a little, trying to hide it, but before he can fall, someone catches him.

You.

You hold his arm firmly, preventing him from collapsing right there.

“I knew you were gonna do this shit,” you say, irritated.

Charles lets out a weak laugh.

“And I knew you’d catch me if I fell.” Charles says, cocky, making you roll your eyes, but you don’t let go of his arm.

The journalists notice the scene and begin to approach with cameras and microphones, sniffing out an interesting moment.

Before anyone can ask anything, Y/n steps forward, blocking Charles from their view.

“No questions right now. He needs rest.” You say firmly, but the journalists don’t leave.

Charles looks at you, surprised by the attitude. He didn’t expect this from you, not really.

You look at him.

“Come on, before I regret helping you.” You say, helping him again, making his body lean against yours.

Charles smiles lightly, liking the idea of being close to you.

“That was the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

You sigh, impatient.

“I swear, if you say that again…” you say, impatient, but a slight blush creeping onto your face. Thankfully, you could say it was because of the race.

Charles laughs, but inside, he feels that something between you two has changed.

( . . . )

The deafening roar of the engines had faded, replaced by the cheers and applause of the crowd. You had won. Your first victory in Formula 1.

It was a dream come true, beyond just proving your ability and strength to everyone. You were radiant like never before, a genuine smile on your face.

You were on the podium, holding the trophy, champagne dripping through your fingers. Max and Lando, beside you, were smiling, but you could barely process anything. The world seemed like a blur of emotions and adrenaline. Your first victory after racing against rumors and trying to prove you were capable. And even more so, you were beside people you could trust and count on forever.

It was so rewarding.

The podium ceremony and trophy presentation, you couldn’t have been happier. Lando and Max, without excitement, sprayed champagne on you, celebrating.

When you were finally ready for interviews, you felt someone pull you by the wrist to a secluded spot.

You had seen this scene before, and your heart sank.

“Lando, please don’t tell me it’s another fake news about me,” you murmur sadly, and when you turn, you see Charles.

He says nothing. He just looks at you with an intensity that makes you forget all the confusion around you.

“You did it.” His voice is quieter than you imagined, but there’s a genuine smile on Charles’ face. You laugh, sighing.

“I did it, didn’t I? This is crazy. Doesn’t even feel real!” you say, like a child who just got a candy. You’re so happy, and it captivates your rival.

Charles hesitates for a second. You notice he wants to say something else, but at the last moment, he just smiles and pulls you into a tight, unexpected hug.

This time, you don’t resist and hug him back.

You both pull away from the hug, and the adrenaline runs through your body. Until you hear someone call your name, you quickly say a “see you later” to Charles and leave him there alone, thinking.

Charles’ heart hurt when he saw your fear that there might be more bad news about you.

It was clear Charles had been a jerk to you since he entered Formula 1, but he really didn’t understand why.

Maybe it was because pretending to hate you was easier than saying he loved you.

But he felt guilty instantly when he saw you broken, crying on Lando’s shoulder, when he saw you more vulnerable than ever.

He hated everyone who made you cry, and from that day on, he made a promise to himself: he didn’t want to be that kind of person.

The team decided to celebrate the win with a dinner. Everyone was there – the engineers, the drivers, even some members of the media. You were sitting next to Lando, listening to some nonsense joke he was telling, but you could feel a gaze on you.

When you looked up, there he was.

Charles, across the table, holding a glass, watching you like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

His eyes didn’t shift, not even when you raised an eyebrow, challenging him to say something.

And then, he smiled.

Small, discreet, but the kind of smile that made something inside you tremble.

You swallow hard and look away.

Damn it.

You turn back to Lando to hide it, but soon laugh at a completely absurd joke, laughing the same way Lando did at his own joke.

Later that night, you were outside the restaurant, enjoying the fresh air. The city lights twinkled in the distance, and the muffled sound of the celebration still echoed from inside.

“Running away from your own party?” You jump, startled, as soon as you hear someone behind you.

But as soon as you recognize the familiar voice, your heart skips a beat. You slowly turn around, and Charles is there, hands in his pockets, that intense look again.

“I just needed a moment.” You reply, looking away from Charles, now staring at the ground.

He nods and steps closer, stopping beside you. The silence between you two feels different now. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s not easy to ignore either. When you look up again and look at Charles beside you, your heart skips.

Then, he extends his hand and, without warning, brushes a strand of hair from your face.

Your body stiffens. The touch is brief, but the skin where he touched feels like it’s burning. You see when Charles notices. You see when he finally understands.

And then, he smiles again.

“This might be a problem,” Charles says, looking at you with a smile. You just breathe deeply and nod, now looking away at the view in front of you. You can feel Charles staring at you.

( . . . )

In the next race, everything seemed normal. Or at least, it should have been.

You were talking with Lando and Max in the paddock, laughing at some silly thing Lando had just said. The atmosphere was light and relaxed, until you felt that gaze again.

Charles.

He was just a few meters away, arms crossed, listening to an engineer speak, but clearly not paying attention. His gaze was fixed on you. You did everything to hide the nervousness he caused, but your cheeks flushed slightly, and once again, your heart was faltering. You tried to focus on the conversation between the two drivers in front of you, but you failed miserably.

When your eyes met, something shifted. Your breath stopped in your throat, and time seemed to slow down. The only thing you could hear was your heart racing.

He squinted his eyes, as if irritated, leaving you confused. You raised an eyebrow and turned back to your friends. After a few minutes, you felt someone tap your shoulder.

You turned around and saw the person you really wanted to avoid.

“Y/n, can we talk?” Charles said, sounding irritated. You were confused and choked on your own saliva. Max raised an eyebrow, surprised by the interruption. Lando looked at you, puzzled, then looked at Max.

“Now?” You asked, suspicious.

“Now,” Charles said firmly, and you nodded, with no real option.

You said goodbye to the others and followed him to a more secluded spot. Charles took a deep breath, as if trying to find the right words, but in the end, he just blurted out:

“What were you doing with them?” He said bluntly, and you blinked, surprised. You opened your mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say.

“Excuse me?” You responded, still in shock.

“What were you doing with them? Max and Lando,” Charles repeated, moving a little closer to make sure he heard you right. You laughed in disbelief.

“Talking? Laughing? Ever heard of that?” You said, obviously crossing your arms.

He didn’t laugh. He remained serious.

“With Max? With Lando?” He asked again, and you tilted your head, still a little lost in all of this.

“Yes. What’s the problem?” You said innocently, and Charles thought it was cute, but then remembered why he was there.

Charles ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable.

“The problem is that…” He stopped in the middle of the sentence, closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again, now with a determined glint.

“Forget it.” The driver in front of you took a step forward. Now, you were so close that you could smell him, a mix of fuel and expensive cologne. Charles turned around to leave, but you grabbed his wrist, freezing him in place.

“What’s wrong, Charles?” You whispered, your voice softer than you intended.

He hesitated for a moment. But only for a moment.

Then he murmured:

“I don’t like seeing you with them, I don’t know.” Charles shrugged. Your heart raced.

And for the first time, you saw in his eyes what you had only suspected before.

And you stood there for a while, just looking at each other. You sighed, half enjoying the confession, but it made you even more lost.

Then, without warning, Charles stepped closer, and again, you smelled him. You were only a few centimeters apart.

“C-Charles?” You called him.

“Yes?”

“What is this?” You asked, but completely lost in the proximity.

He didn’t answer. He just took a step forward, closing the distance between you. His hand found your face, hesitant at first, but firm enough for you to feel the warmth against your skin.

And then, without waiting any longer, Charles kissed you.

It wasn’t a rushed or uncertain kiss. It was something intense, charged with everything that had been hanging in the air for so long—unspoken teasing, glances that lasted a little too long, words never said but always felt.

You kissed him back without thinking. One of your hands grabbed his shirt, as if you needed something to hold on to. The other found his neck, feeling how he leaned in even more toward you.

The world around you disappeared.

It was just him. Just the two of you.

And when you finally pulled away, your faces still close, your breaths mixing, Charles smiled. That crooked, teasing smile, but now it was different—there was something more there now.

“Now tell me… are you still going to pretend this means nothing?”

You felt a shiver run down your spine, but you didn’t look away. With a small smile, he gently ran his thumb across your cheek before adding, almost like a whisper:

“Because I can’t, I can’t pretend and deny what I feel for you, Y/n.”

( . . . )

The tension between you two had only grown since that conversation, that kiss. You couldn’t deny your mood had undoubtedly improved.

Now, minutes before the race start, you were on the grid, mentally reviewing the strategy, trying to concentrate. But your mind kept drifting back to Charles.

Then, he appeared. The red suit, the determined eyes, but at the same time… different.

He approached without hesitation.

“Good luck, Y/n,” you loved the way he said your name.

You smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Do I need it?” You asked, laughing, and Charles smiled.

He shrugged.

“No. But I needed an excuse.”

You furrowed your brow.

“An excuse for what?” You asked innocently again, and Charles smiled.

And then, again, without warning, he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss on the corner of your mouth.

Not a full kiss. Just a touch, a test.

But it was enough to take your breath away.

Before you could react, he was already pulling away, putting on his helmet, and heading to his car. He turned to you and winked.

You stood there, frozen.

Lando, who had seen everything, whistled. You looked at him, lost, your face turning as red as a tomato.

“That was interesting,” he said, crossing his arms. You hit his arm.

Lando laughed and raised an eyebrow. “When were you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what, Norris?” You said impatiently.

“That you two are… like this,” he pointed to you and then to Charles.

“Like what?”

“Like this!” Lando said, and you rolled your eyes. “Come on, Y/n, you used to hate each other, and now he comes and kisses you in front of everyone, not even embarrassed.”

You couldn’t respond, just shrugged.

Because, in that moment, one thing became absolutely clear.

This was no longer a game.

( . . . )

You won.

Again.

But this time, the only thing you wanted wasn’t to lift the trophy or spray champagne.

It was to find Charles.

And he knew that.

As soon as the ceremony ended, you felt a hand on your wrist. He pulled you into a corner, away from the cameras, the journalists, any distractions.

His eyes were shining, but it wasn’t just from the race.

“How many more times are we going to pretend this isn’t happening?” Your chest tightened because you knew exactly what he meant.

You exhaled, a small smile forming on your lips.

“I think it’s already enough, right? You kissed me in front of everyone, I don’t think we need to pretend anymore.” You said, smiling like a happy little girl.

His smile grew, full of something new—certainty.

“Good.” And this time, when he leaned in, there were no doubts, hesitations, or teasing.

This time, it was real. And you knew there was no turning back, so you continued.

Charles pulled back and kissed your forehead, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, looking at you with love.

“I want to hear that from you.” Charles said, holding your hand.

“Hear what?” You said, pretending not to understand, and Charles groaned, throwing his head back.

“If we’re going to be like this, I’ll say it first. Before anything, I want to apologize for being such a jerk. I thought pretending to hate you was easier than telling you how much I like you.” Charles sighed, and you felt like you were floating. Your heart leaped with joy, and the only thing you could do was hug him, so you did.

“It’s okay, Charles. This can stay in the past.” You said, still hugging him. Charles let go of you and held your waist firmly. You wrapped your arms around his neck.

“And besides, I think I like you a little too.”

“A little?” He complained, pretending to be offended.

“Yes, just a little.” You said, showing with your fingers how small the amount was. Charles laughed and gave you a quick kiss.

“You’re going to be my downfall, Y/n.” Charles said, and you kissed him.

[maddieclarkey2002]

Something Different

~Fluff~

Arthur had always been there. Her brother’s best friend. A part of the furniture. Someone she never really thought about like that—not seriously, not in a way that meant anything.  

At least, that’s what she told herself.  But tonight, something feels… different.  

They’re alone in the kitchen, the soft hum of the fridge the only sound between them. Chris is out, and Arthur, for some reason, decided to stay behind. It isn’t unusual—they’ve spent plenty of time together over the years—but tonight, the air feels heavier, charged in a way she doesn’t quite understand.  Arthur leans against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. He looks relaxed, but his eyes keep flicking to her like he’s trying to figure something out.  

“What?” she finally asks, raising an eyebrow.  

He hesitates. “Nothing.”  

“Liar.”  

A smirk tugs at his lips. “I just… I don’t know. You ever have a moment where something feels off, but you can’t explain why?”  

She frowns. “Off?”  

“Not bad,” he clarifies. “Just… different.”  

She considers that for a moment. Because yes, actually—she knows exactly what he means. It’s been happening all night, this strange shift between them, something just beneath the surface.  She just doesn’t know what to do with it.  

“Maybe you’re overthinking it,” she says, even though her heart is pounding a little too hard.  

Arthur exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Maybe.” But he doesn’t sound convinced.  Neither is she.  The silence stretches, and she suddenly feels restless—like if she doesn’t move, something is going to happen that she’s not prepared for. So she pushes away from the counter, brushing past him to grab a glass from the cabinet.  Only, she miscalculates.  

She turns at the same time he does, and suddenly they’re too close—closer than they’ve ever been. Close enough that she can see the flicker of surprise in his eyes, the way his breath hitches for just a second.  She should step back. She should laugh it off. She should do anything but freeze the way she does.  Arthur doesn’t move either.  His gaze drops—just briefly—to her lips, and something shifts between them, something she doesn’t have words for.  

And that’s when she realises—he’s thinking it too.  Whatever this is, whatever strange thing is happening between them, he’s feeling it just as much as she is.  

“Maybe,” she says softly, “it’s not that something feels different.”  

Arthur’s jaw tightens. “No?”  

“Maybe,” she breathes, “we’re just finally noticing it.”  

His adam’s apple bobs. His hands twitch at his sides, like he wants to do something but isn’t sure if he should.  And she wonders—how long have they both been missing this? Neither of them move. Neither of them speak. But in the space between them, something unspoken settles into place. And this time, neither of them can ignore it.    

Arthur doesn’t move.  Neither does she. They’re just standing there, inches apart, the air between them crackling like a live wire. She knows she should say something—anything—but her mind is blank, spinning with the weight of this moment.  Has it always been like this? Has she just not noticed before? Or is this new?  Arthur exhales sharply through his nose, like he’s battling something in his head. Then, finally, he steps back. Just a little. Just enough for the moment to not feel like a breaking point—but not enough for things to go back to normal, either.  

“I should probably—” He stops, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, it’s late.”  

It is. But she doesn’t want him to go.  

“Yeah,” she says, though it sounds like a lie.  

Arthur glances at her again, like he’s searching for something, but whatever it is, he doesn’t say it out loud. Instead, he clears his throat, reaching for his jacket draped over the back of a chair.  

She watches him, heart still racing.  

He hesitates before pulling it on. “You, uh…” He swallows. “You good?”  

She blinks. Good?What does that even mean?  Is she good with the fact that, for the first time in forever, she’s seeing him in a way she doesn’t quite know how to handle?  Is she good with the fact that he might be seeing her that way too?  Or is she good with pretending none of this just happened?  

She licks her lips. “Yeah. You?”  

Arthur lets out a breathy chuckle, shaking his head. “Not even a little.”  

And before she can process that answer—before she can ask him what it means, what he means—he’s gone.  

For the next few days, she doesn’t see him.  

It isn’t unusual—Arthur has his own life, his own job, his own friends. But it feels different now. Because normally, he’d be here. He’d be lounging on her couch, playfully arguing with her brother over something stupid, throwing some half-teasing comment her way.  But now? Nothing.  And it drives her insane.  

“Where’s Arthur?” she asks Chris casually one evening, pretending not to care too much.  

He shrugs. “Busy, I guess.”  

Busy.  

She wonders if he’s avoiding her. She wonders if he felt this thing between them and decided it wasn’t worth whatever it might cost. And maybe she should let it go. Maybe she should act normal, pretend she didn’t notice anything that night either. But she can’t. Because for the first time in years, she’s realising something:  

She doesn’t want to just be her brother’s kid sister to him. She doesn’t want to keep pretending like nothing is there. And maybe—just maybe—neither does he.  

The next time she sees him, it isn’t at her house.  

It’s at a coffee shop. A random coincidence, but the second her eyes land on him—sitting alone, staring at his phone with a look that definitely isn’t relaxed—she knows this isn’t over. Before she can talk herself out of it, she walks over. Arthur looks up, and for a second, something flashes across his face—relief, maybe. Or hesitation. She can’t tell.  

“Hey,” she says, sliding into the seat across from him.  

He exhales through his nose. “Hey.”  

And then silence.  

It stretches too long, but neither of them move to fill it. Because what do you say to someone when everything between you is changing, and neither of you know what to do about it? Finally, she leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Are you avoiding me?”  

Arthur looks down at his coffee, his jaw tightening. “No.”  

She lifts an eyebrow. “Liar.”  

His lips twitch, but he doesn’t deny it this time.  

She swallows, her voice quieter when she asks, “Why?”  

Arthur sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because.”  

“That’s not an answer.”  

He looks up at her then, his dark eyes serious in a way she’s never seen before. “Because I don’t know what to do with this,” he admits. “With… whatever’s going on.”  

Her heart stutters. “So you do feel it.”  

Arthur’s expression shifts—like he wasn’t expecting her to say that.

“Yeah,” he says, his voice rough. “I do.”  

And just like that, she knows—there’s no going back. Not to how things were. Not to before. Because whatever this is, neither of them can ignore it anymore. Arthur is still looking at her, like he’s waiting for her to tell him he’s wrong. That this is all in his head. That they can go back to normal. But she doesn’t want normal. Not anymore.  

She swallows hard. “What if we don’t have to do anything with it?”  

Arthur frowns. “What?”  

She takes a steady breath, forcing herself to say the words before she loses the nerve. “What if we just stop overthinking it? Stop avoiding it?”  

Arthur exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “You think it’s that easy?”  

“No,” she admits. “But pretending it’s not there isn’t working either.”  

His eyes darken, his fingers tightening around his coffee cup. “And what if this—what if we—mess everything up?”  

Her chest tightens, but she holds his gaze. “What if we don’t?”  

Arthur doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe. And then, just as she thinks he’s going to pull away again, he does the opposite. He leans in. Not fast. Not reckless. Just certain.  She barely has time to process before his lips are on hers—soft, hesitant for only a second before he deepens the kiss.  

It’s everything and not enough all at once.  His fingers graze her jaw, tilting her face to his like he’s memorising the feel of her, like he’s wanted this just as much as she has. And she melts into it, because of course she does. Because this is Arthur—the boy who was always there, the boy she never thought would see her this way, and now that he does, she doesn’t ever want him to stop.

When they finally break apart, his forehead rests against hers, his breath uneven.  

“Yeah,” he murmurs, voice rough. “Definitely can’t pretend anymore.”  

She lets out a shaky laugh, heart still pounding. “Took you long enough.”  

Arthur chuckles, shaking his head. “You’re impossible.”  

“And you’re slow.”  

He smiles, but then his expression softens, turning more serious. “What now?”  

She exhales, brushing her fingers over his. “Now… we figure it out.”  

Arthur studies her, something warm and sure settling in his eyes. Then he nods, lacing his fingers with hers.  

“Yeah,” he says. “We do.”  

And just like that, everything changes. But for the first time, neither of them are afraid of it.  

——————————————————————————————————

This is my first time writing a fic in AGES!

Let me know if you want a part two!!

[lunammoon]

Now listen, I know the reason why Lucanis's model doesn't have any body hair outside of his face or any of the many many many scars that his body should have is bc the devs simply chose not to model it and I'm metaphorically kissing all of the authors and artists who create stuff where this is fixed on the cheek.

However, I've decided to come up with a Reason.

The Ossuary didn't leave Lucanis with physical scars. Not even the ones he came in with. Because Zara got rid of the ones that he had and kept him from getting new ones.

Why?

For as long as Lucanis can remember, there's been a rough patch of skin on his upper back from his grandmother's cane.

And when he wakes in the cell the skin is smooth and unscarred.

Calivan tied him down and cut him while he was awake to see if the there were any internal changes from a demon being forced into him. He eventually blacks out and when he wakes up back in his chest is smooth and unscarred.

Lucanis remembers Venatori holding him down and slitting his throat like an animal to drain his blood so that they could use it to control him until he blacks out and when he wakes up in his cell the skin on his throat smooth and unscarred.

That year when he wakes up in his cell he has no way of knowing if what he remembers happening to him actually happened to him or if it was just a nightmare. Spite can't help even if he wanted to be helpful. Spite doesn't see a meaningful distinction, and Zara and her cronies are not going to be honest about what they did and did not do to him because that's counterproductive to the whole healing for gaslighting purposes thing.

He starts questioning his life before the Ossuary too. "After a year in this pit I can barely remember"

Seeing the large jar full of his blood moments before Rook destroys it and everything in the room is a relief because it's concrete proof that something Did happen.

The body keeps the score, but someone keeps wiping the board.

Anyway once he gets out he starts getting scars again (he's fighting gods and cultists and the undead and demons and he's cooking while sleep deprived and there's not a Venatori witch carefully making sure none of his wounds leave marks to fuck with him) and there's a relief to them still being there when he wakes up. Obviously he's not trying to get himself hurt on purpose (he has a job to do) but still.

[hobbitkiller]

You misunderstand. Your points aren’t complex. I don’t need them to be simplified. They’re simply rambling and poorly supported. I’m not reading any more for the sake of my own sanity. I did my time teaching; I don’t need to subject myself to that in my free time.

I’m sure you think that your feelings are the objective truth. They aren’t. If they were, you wouldn’t have to dismiss, downplay, or mischaracterize every thing in the show that contradicts your opinion.

When Arcane was first put into production, do you think they said “I want to make a political drama about class. I know! Let’s use League of Legends characters!”? Or do you think they set out to tell the stories of the LoL characters and then fleshed out the class conflict to support that story?

(Also, I’m not sure where you got that I said Ambessa was set up as an antagonist because she “looked menacing.” Ambessa was introduced having just conquered another country and murders a young royal in front of her child then immediately started manipulating everything the moment she got to Piltover.

Did I even bring up character design? I seem to recall calling Ambessa an imperialist warmonger because that’s what she was unambiguously in the text. I didn’t say “a buff lady with scars showed up; she must be a baddie.” My favorite character is Vi. I have a type.)

And yes, actually, one line of dialogue can predict the end of the story. This is very common. Some shows will even have a flashback to it. I imagine there’s probably a watch mojo list or blog article out there with a list. It’s kind of a form of planting and payoff. As I said, it’s similar to Chekov’s gun. The storyteller puts something out in the open where everyone can see it, but doesn’t draw overt attention to it. Some people will note it. Some won’t. But, when it comes back at the end or in a major moment, people will either make the connection or realize it was there the whole time on a rewatch.

Some people like to use a lot of foreshadowing, some like to only use a little bit have it be more overt. That said, though that line of dialogue was the most overt bit of foreshadowing, it was not the only indicator. There was, as I said, Caitlyn and VI’s whole relationship—though the most obvious moment was the oil and water scene that you tried to play off as not being tied to the two cities even though Vi literally spells that out.

There’s also just the simple fact that narratives of this nature tend to go in predictable ways. Sure, some end in either a civil war or with the impassioned pleas of our heroes, but fighting a common enemy is pretty popular. Even Justice League Unlimited went with that ending. So, when you’ve watched that trope play out a bunch of times and then it’s brought up seemingly unnecessarily while also being mirrored in the main romantic relationship in the show—coming to the conclusion that this is where the story is going is not exactly a trip down the turnpike.

You may find it cheap. Doesn’t make it not set up or less predictable. If anything, I’d understand being annoyed by how predictable it was.

Anyway, I hope you’re also taking the time to talk about things you like on here—I’m not huge into checking out profiles, because I like to engage with the discussion first. Not gonna block you, but, unless you say something pretty distasteful, I’m probably not going to respond again. (If I have some self-control.)

And, you know what, maybe someday Amanda or someone will prove me wrong. They’ll say it was just a coincidence or that it became accidental foreshadowing when they decided to change course half way through the story. It happens. Until then, I’m pretty comfortable with my analysis.

“What happened to rebel Vi? Season 2 destroyed her character!”

“What happened to rebel Vi” is that Vander took her to the bridge where her parents died in his revolution and asked her what she was willing to lose. Then she meets Cait who is gentle and kind while still being tough and it makes her rethink how she sees topside. When Jinx tells her she changed too, that’s what she’s talking about.

I’m sorry if you thought Vi was going to be a topside-hating revolutionary in Season 2, but that’s clearly not where her character arc was going. Remember how she forced her way between Ekko and Cait? It seemed very straightforward that was the role her character was taking on.

I feel similar about people who act like the show was betraying its premise because it ended with reconciliation/Zaun and Piltover working together. Again, the fact that two of the most important relationships were between characters from both sides and that they made a point of talking about Zaun and Piltover first coming together against a common enemy was a pretty clear indicator that was the plan.

Now, I get being annoyed that that was what they chose to do. You don’t have to love the creative decisions of media, just like media doesn’t have to compromise its creative direction to satisfy you. But not liking that they went that direction is not the same as the show having bad writing or engaging in character assassination.

Everything Vi did in season 2 was very much in character with how she changed and who she became throughout Season 1. Hell, she used enforcers and Hextech to raid Shimmer facilities before Commander Kiramman ever threw on a beret. So, yes, actually wearing the uniform was a huge and complicated decision that she was definitely not happy about, but it also fell in line with what she had been doing.

There’s meat for another post at some point about the three different Zaun/enforcer partnerships we see in the show: Vander/Greyson, Silco/Marcus, and Cait/Vi; but I’m not going to go into that now.

TLDR: “Rebel Vi” who wants to fight all of topside hasn’t existed since the end of the second episode of the show.

Editing to add that Vi doesn’t see attacking Chem Barons as attacking Zaun; she’s taking down the people who are destroying Zaun.

[mapis-putellas]

so u want alexia angst you got it. The request: Alexia and y/n are a couple and have been together for two years. They are a very happy couple. But lately Alexia noticed that y/n is different. Like they go out alone etc. One day Alexia heard y/n ask will you marry me to someone, but it is not Alexia. Alexia is very angry and disappointed with y/n thinking y/n is cheating on her. Since that day Alexia has been ignoring y/n, giving silent treatment. Y/n does not know what she did wrong. Even the team is on Alexia's side. No one even bothered to talk to y/n. Y/n has been sleeping on the couch because Alexia asks her to. They still live together they just do things separately : they drive to training separately, they eat separately etc... One night y/n is very hungry but there is nothing to eat at home, so y/n decided to go out to buy something. Y/n even ask Alexia if she wants to follow her, but Alexia says no. So, y/n go out alone. Y/n stops by a convenience store to buy something. There are not a lot of people in that area but there is a family with kids in the store. When y/n look at the family, she imagines her future with Alexia. Suddenly, y/n is brought back to reality by a loud scream. It turns out the store is being robbed. The robbers are armed with a knife and gun. Y/n try to stay calm in order not to irritate the robbers. Suddenly, one of the robbers got angry and aimed the gun at one of the kids. Y/n cannot let that happen so she protect the kid with her body and end up getting shot 3 times, in her lower back, center back and shoulder. Once the robbers realized what happened they flee the scene. The kid’s family then thank y/n and keep pressure on her wounds and tell her to stay awake. But just before the help arrives y/n lose consciousness. She flatlines and they need to revive her. Just make it angsty like too many complication, huge blood lost etc. she is brought to the hospital and into surgery. She makes it out but, in a coma, but still critical with a low chance of waking up. Meanwhile when Alexia wakes up the next morning, it feels weird when she does not see y/n in the house. Alexia thought that y/n already went to training, so she proceeds as usual. Once in training she does not see y/n anywhere. She asks around but no one knows where y/n is. During their break, some of the teammates are watching news about a convenience store robbery. The news says that a woman in her late 20’s is critically wounded after protecting a child. The media does not disclose the name of the victim. Alexia also watches the news with them and is suddenly reminded of y/n. Alexia does not have a lot of time to think when she is suddenly called by Pere. Alexia feels something is wrong, very wrong. Pere told Alexia what happened to y/n and they went to the hospital. On their journey to the hospital, Alexia calls y/n’s family to tell them what happened. Y/n is in a coma and all of them are visiting her when suddenly y/n’s sister says something that shatters Alexia’s heart. She says that y/n was planning to propose to Alexia and already brought the ring. Turns out the conversation that Alexia heard is just y/n practicing with someone for the day of the proposal. Y/n’s sister then handed over the ring to Alexia and Alexia just cried. All of them left Alexia alone in the room to give her some privacy time. Alexia talks to y/n and then Alexia says she wants to marry y/n. Here comes the angstier part heheheh, once Alexia says that y/n condition worsens as if she is just waiting for an answer from Alexia before she lets go. Y/n then flatlines and the need to resuscitate her. Whether y/n is alive or not by the end I will leave it to you. I don’t mind a sad ending hahaha. Any way sorry for the long request, I just want to give as much detail as possible. I hope the story will be as long and as angsty as possible.hahhaha. Hope you don’t mind. Happy writing. Can’t wait. Sorry for the grammar mistakes. English is not my first language.

This is perfect and definitely something I want to do justice so it might be awhile before it’s up. Thank you so much <3

[yangjungwonisms]

Seeking Shelter- YJW

warnings: nsfw| MDNI 18+

It had now been 3 months since you and Jungwon broke up, in that time since neither of you spoke even once. A relationship that was once filled with love and laughter turned into that of strangers overnight. Even all these months later you still weren’t sure where things started going wrong. Jungwon himself didn’t even know what caused you to break up with him. He knew you had been struggling mentally even though you never mentioned it to him. He tried his hardest to get you to open up about your struggles but you would just shut him out. Throughout the course of your relationship, you had a terrible habit of shutting him out anytime your depression reared its ugly head. But if you were being honest, your decision to end the relationship felt like you were doing him a favor by letting him go. It didn't feel fair to keep him in a relationship with someone who was as weak and insecure as you were. He deserved to be with someone who could let themself be loved. You weren’t that person and you had never been that person.

Now after everything that happened, you weren’t sure you could ever be. When you decided to end things without even talking to Jungwon about your struggles he felt more hurt than he could ever put into words. Had he known you had felt that way he would’ve spent everyday of his life trying to make things easier for you. He would’ve done anything to ensure you were happy. There was no argument that led up to it, just him begging you to let him in, and every single time without fail, you never did. You weren’t on bad terms when things ended, it was simple really you were just two people who didn't speak anymore.

Both of you were filled with regret about things you wished you had said or done differently. For weeks after, Jungwon didn't leave his apartment, consumed by the grief of losing you. He still wasn’t doing much better now, he hardly left if it wasn’t for work or if his friends made him. Jungwon wished he had paid more attention to the things you had said and done leading up to your breakup, he wished he could’ve seen the way you were drowning in yourself. But yet, he couldn’t find it in himself to reach out to you. He was hurt more than he was angry, he wasn’t the type of person to get angry at someone for feeling things beyond their control. But he was hurt that you didn't give him the benefit of the doubt and it seemed you so carelessly ended your relationship without a second thought as to what it might do to him. You were angry at yourself too, as soon as you had said those things you wanted to take them back, you didn't want to be apart from him but you just couldn’t take the feelings of self loathing anymore or the thoughts that he’d be better off without you.

But after so many months of not being around you, Jungwon missed you terribly. He had never stopped missing you, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to admit he wanted you back. But you hadn’t reached out to him either, you were no better than him at the end of the day. It was winter now, a time of year that used to be special for you and him. Your birthdays fell in the same month. One at the beginning and one at the end, Jungwon used to make you both celebrate all month long. On the first of February every year, he would wake you up with breakfast in bed and then give you one present a day until the day of your birthday. He always used to say he never needed anything for his birthday because you were the best gift he could’ve ever asked for. That’s what made this so much harder, the first of the month had come and gone and for the first time ever in your relationship you didn't see each other. Now his birthday was coming up in a matter of days and you were itching to see him. You thought about dropping by sometime when he was at work and leaving the gifts you had already gotten for him at his doorstep. He was thinking something similar. You wondered how long it would be before you finally broke under the weight of being all alone without your love. You couldn't find it in you to feel sorry for yourself when this whole thing was your fault. It was easier during the day to pretend you weren’t crippled with loneliness and despair. But the night was when it was the hardest, you were being crushed under the weight of your decisions and more often than not, you cried yourself to sleep clutching onto a shirt of his you stole when you left. Everyone told you it would get easier with time but you were left with a gaping wound that only ever seemed to get worse.

One day in the middle of the night you received a text from Jungwon. That was the first communication either of you have had for months. His name popping up on your screen used to feel so natural to you, but now it just felt out of place. He sent you a short message, one that you could tell took him hours to write. “Hi Baby, look I know we aren’t talking right now, but don’t think I’ve forgotten what month it is. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble I’d very much like for you to come over so I can give you your presents. I also want to talk, we have too much at stake to just forget about our entire relationship. I’ll love you always”. All it took was one text from him to bring back all of the searing pain you had spent months pushing down. A sob rocked through your body, instantly bringing you to your knees. You laid on the floor sobbing until you fell asleep there. You were pathetic, crying on the floor over your ex. But when you woke up, the need to see him overwhelmed the heartbreak you were feeling. You didn't want to wait any longer to go see him, quickly you packed up the presents you had for him. And made your way over to your once shared apartment. You could’ve gotten there with your eyes closed, that’s how familiar it was to you both.

Jungwon was pulled out of thought when he got a sudden knock on his door. He hadn’t realized in the time since he had gotten home from work that the little flurries of snow swirling around were now forming into huge flakes. He could barely even see the road outside with how much snow had already accumulated. That’s why when he heard someone knock on his door he thought they had to be crazy coming out in this weather. But when he opened the door to you he felt his whole world stop. He immediately ushered you into his place helping you carry the bags you were holding. When he took a long look at you for the first time in months he noticed three things, the first being the dark bags under your eyes. The second, was how much thinner your face looked than it used to and lastly, he noticed how little life was behind your eyes. You stood in front of him a broken person, but who was he to judge when he stood in front of you looking very much the same. He hadn’t realized that you were waiting for him to speak first. “Baby what on earth are you doing here in this weather”? You of course noticed the way in which he greeted you. Even after all of this time, he never did stop calling you baby. Part of you secretly hoped that meant you and he still had a chance. “I’m sorry for showing up unannounced Won, I just got your message this morning and I couldn’t stop myself from seeing you”. He motioned for you to sit down and make yourself comfortable. “No, I’m thrilled you’re here baby. You have no idea”. Oh, but you did. “I brought your presents with me Won, didn't feel right missing your birthday”. He felt a mix of relief and heartbreak hearing you say that. “I’m glad you did”.

After a few minutes of silence, you clear your throat, signalling you were going to speak. “Your message said you wanted to talk”? You hated how hopeful you sounded when asking him that. He hated how hopeful it made him feel that you were willingly initiating this conversation. “Why did you break up with me”? You knew no answer would be a good enough reason to him as to why you gave up on the relationship so easily, but you thought after all of these months you owed him honesty. “I didn't feel good enough for you. I know that sounds crazy that I’d let my insecurities get the best of me but I started overthinking and it just felt like the right decision at the time”. He nodded his head, letting you know he understood the explanation you had given him. “And how do you feel about the decision now baby”? This was your chance, to tell him how much you regretted it, let him know that you’d get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness every day if he would take you back. “I regret it. I should’ve just talked to you instead of running away. God all I do is run away from things the minute they become too real. I’m so sorry please I need you to know that”.

You aren’t sure when either of you started crying or even when Jungwon had pulled you into him. All you knew was that he was holding you and that you had missed his touch. “I won’t lie and pretend that what you did didn’t break my heart. But, I would’ve understood baby, all you needed to do was talk to me. You can’t shut me out anymore okay? If this is going to work you have to tell me everything that is on your mind and I’ll do the same”. At that, you pulled back, looking at him slightly confused. “Wait does this mean that-“ You never finished your sentence because Jungwon pulled you onto his lap and started kissing you. Jungwon felt like fireworks were going off when he finally felt his lips on yours after all of those months. The urgency with which his mouth worked over yours was breathtaking, the searing heat from the kiss alone explaining how he felt all these months without actually voicing it aloud. After what felt like ages he finally pulled off of you, wasting no time reaching his hand out to cradle your cheek. “Jungwon, I really am so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by you. I thought I was holding you back and I couldn't do that to you”. His expression turned serious upon hearing you say that, he grabbed both sides of your face pulling you closer to him “Baby, don’t you ever think you’re holding me back. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I am nothing without you. You hear me, nothing. Don’t ever think you can’t come to me and tell me about these things, I may not be able to make them go away but it’s my job as your boyfriend to reassure you”.

You were crying again by this point, overwhelmed by being with Jungwon again but also for finally voicing all of your doubts and concerns this whole time. “I’ll be better. I promise”. By that point Jungwon didn't want to speak anymore, you two could have a long conversation later and reset the boundaries of your relationship, but he had other plans for right now. All it took was one look from him and then you were kissing again. The kiss was messy, there was no room for anger to seep into this moment. This kiss represented just how many things were left unspoken between you two all this time. But before things could go any further Jungwon had one more thing he had to get out, “Please come back to me. This place is so cold and lonely without you here that I can’t take it”. With tears streaming down your face, you pull his mouth back on to yours with such haste that it nearly knocks the air out of his lungs. “Of course I’ll come back. God I love you so much”. That was all it took for you and him to come back together. There was a sense of desperation in the air that no amount of kissing could’ve made it go away.

Without a second thought you rocked your hips into his as if to enunciate just how bad you needed him all this time. Your body had been feeling the effects of leaving him in more ways than just emotionally. You hadn’t been touched at all since you left. Jungwon hated to admit that he got himself off frequently but only at the thought of you. He was ashamed to think about all of the times he got himself off with a random pair of your underwear he stole before you left. That was all he had left of you to make him feel anything. All he felt afterwards was a mix of pain and disgust. It should’ve been you he was fucking and not his own fist. You two tried to take things slow but after just a few minutes of dry humping Jungwon came in his pants at the little bit of stimulation your movements were providing. You knew by the breathy whines he was letting out and the tight grip he had on your hips that he needed this more than he let on. Without a second thought you got down on your knees in between his legs, reaching out to palm him through his pants making him hard again in the process. He was overwhelmed by the sight in front of him, he hadn’t gotten to see you on your knees for him in 3 long months. He knew it wouldn’t take long for him to cum again but god he wasn’t going to take this for granted. Your movements were quick and precise, wasting no time taking him out of his pants and into your mouth. The second his tip hit the back of your throat and you gagged around him his hands shot to your hair to steady himself. “Oh fuck baby, please don’t stop”. You started to speed up your movements but it was hard for you to focus on his pleasure and still even your breathing. He looked at you with all of the stars in the universe in his eyes, stilling your movements enough to get you to look at him. “You’re doing so good for me baby, can I please fuck your mouth? Need to cum so bad”. In your relationship Jungwon had hardly ever asked for your permission to do anything, that was your tell on how desperate he was to feel you around him. You relinquish all control over to him and all it takes is a few more thrusts into your mouth before he finishes nearly crying from overstimulation as he rides out his orgasm.

He’s quick to switch spots with you, but not before he shoves his tongue in your mouth and moves his hand below the waistband of your panties. He groans outwardly when he feels how wet you are for him. “Fuck I’ve missed how wet you get for me baby. Let me eat you out please? I need to taste you”. All it took was one nod of your head before he’s stripped you of your bottoms and fucking his tongue into you with vigor. Unbeknownst to Jungwon, you had been wet for him since the minute you laid eyes on him. It wasn’t intentional but he always turned you on even if you two weren’t on speaking terms. Because of that fact alone it only took mere minutes for you to come undone. Unable to do anything but scream his name, which only managed to get him more wound up for you. He desperately wanted to take his time with you but that could be done at anytime, tonight he just needed you and he needed you bad. He’d had so much frustration and anger built up over the end of your relationship that he planned on fucking it all out of his system.

You two tried to make it to the bedroom before fucking, in fact, there was a trail of your clothes starting at the couch and ending in the hallway where when Jungwon couldn’t take it anymore he fucked you up against the wall, whispering in your ear all of the things he’d wanted to do to you for months and a promise of all of the ways you two would make up for lost time. He proceeded to fuck you against the wall twice before finally moving you to his bed where he wouldn’t let you out of his arms for the remainder of the evening. You weren’t going to complain about that, not when it was all you had wanted for months but couldn’t because of your stupid pride. At some point in the evening you and Jungwon had a more in depth conversation about how you would both do things differently this time around and Jungwon made you promise that no matter what happens, come to him first and tell him how you were feeling. After a few hours of talking and crying, you two are in a much better place. Just as you’re about to fall asleep Jungwon pulls you closer and whispers “I love you so much baby, never letting you go again okay? You’re stuck with me for life”. Jungwon thought to himself now that he had you again, he was never letting you go.

[batboysanonymous]

Cry Because It’s Over

​​ Cassian x Reader

Summary: Love was never meant to be easy, but for Y/N and Cassian, it feels like a battle neither of them can win. Between unspoken words and the ghosts of their pasts, they must decide if what they have is worth holding onto—or if they were always meant to let go.

Based on the song: Don't Smile by Sabrina Carpenter

───────────────────────────────

"Don't smile because it happened, baby, cry because it's over Oh, you're supposed to think about me every time you hold her"

Y/N knew the feeling of heartbreak intimately. It had settled in her bones the first time she saw Cassian with someone else, the way he had laughed, his head thrown back, the way his large hands had held onto the curve of another female’s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.

She wasn’t supposed to care.

They had never put a name to whatever they were—Cassian had never whispered the word mate, never claimed her the way a male should, never given her anything other than stolen moments and lingering touches.

And now? Now, she was nothing to him. At least, that’s what he wanted her to believe.

She tipped back the shot of amber liquid in front of her, barely feeling the burn. Across the crowded tavern, her friends laughed, drowning in their own drunken haze, but Y/N? She was drowning in something far more potent.

Cassian hadn’t even looked at her tonight.

And yet, she felt him. Felt the way his attention would drift toward her when he thought she wasn’t looking, the way his shoulders tensed when a male stepped too close to her. It was pathetic, really. He was the one who walked away. He was the one who had decided whatever had been between them wasn’t enough.

Y/N slammed the empty glass on the table and pushed to her feet. If Cassian wanted to pretend she didn’t exist, she could do the same.

"I think I need a shower, my friends are takin' shots You think it's happy hour, for me, it's not."

The cool air outside the tavern barely soothed the ache in her chest. She had been stupid to come here, to put herself through this, to watch him exist as though she hadn’t been in his bed only weeks ago, as though he hadn’t looked at her like she was the air he breathed.

"You're leaving already?"

Y/N stiffened at the familiar voice, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "What do you care, Cassian?"

A beat of silence. Then, a slow, deep sigh.

"You’re upset."

She let out a humorless laugh. "And you’re perceptive. Congratulations."

She felt him step closer before she turned, the warmth of his body a cruel reminder of everything she had lost. He was still devastatingly beautiful—the sharp lines of his face softened only by the flickering light of the lanterns. And those hazel eyes… gods, they had been her undoing.

"Y/N," he started, voice low, rough.

She shook her head. "Don’t. You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to act like you care after everything."

His jaw ticked, his wings shifting. "You think I don’t care?"

She hated the way her heart reacted to those words, hated the way her body still responded to him. "I think you let me go."

"Pour my feelings in the microphone I stay in, and when the girls come home I want one of them to take my phone Take my phone and lose your Number, I don't wanna be tempted"

Cassian ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "You think that was easy for me? You think I wanted to—"

"You did it anyway."

The words hung between them, heavy, suffocating.

"Because I thought it was the right thing to do," he admitted, voice hoarse. "Because I—" He stopped himself, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. "Because I was afraid."

Y/N swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Afraid of what?"

Cassian hesitated. "Of what you meant to me."

She laughed then—a sharp, bitter sound. "You were afraid of loving me? That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard."

His wings flared slightly, agitation flickering across his face. "It’s not an excuse."

"Then what is it?" she demanded.

Cassian stared at her for a long moment, as if searching for something in her expression. Then, so quietly she almost didn’t hear it, he said, "It’s the truth."

"Don't smile because it happened, baby, cry because it's over Oh, you're supposed to think about me every time you hold her."

Y/N’s heart clenched. She wanted to hate him. Wanted to scream at him for the pain he had put her through.

But deep down, she knew—Cassian did love her. He was just too much of a coward to fight for it.

"That’s not good enough," she whispered.

Cassian flinched, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"I spent weeks waiting for you to change your mind," she continued, voice shaking. "Weeks convincing myself that you’d realize you made a mistake. But you didn’t. You moved on."

His head snapped up. "I didn’t—"

"You did." Her voice cracked. "I saw you with her, Cassian."

Something dark flickered in his gaze, but he didn’t deny it. He didn’t try to explain himself.

"I never touched her," he said instead. "Not the way I touched you."

A cruel thing to say. A cruel thing to admit when it no longer mattered.

Y/N took a step back.

"Go home, Cassian."

His expression twisted. "Y/N—"

"Go home," she repeated, firmer this time.

Cassian hesitated, his hands curling into fists, as if he were fighting every instinct to obey. But then, slowly, painfully, he nodded.

And for the first time in weeks, Y/N let herself break.

Cassian turned to leave.

But neither of them smiled.

Not because it happened.

But because it was over.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

[moonchildridden]

CirPhu and the delights of proactive intimacy

Hi, hello, good morning, good afternoon, good night, I hope this finds you well. You may be asking, "why is this woman greeting us like she's writing an email"? Well, today is Friday, in less than an hour ThamePo will be sharing their first kiss, my brain will be consumed by that even and I will become a mindless person, busy about spreading the strength of that even. But, before that happens, and while I'm on this adrenaline rush, I will get rid of another brain consuming event, that was CirPhu first intimate contact and how beautifully done it was. Do you guys think I can write a well put piece in less than an hour, while my brain is scrambling to form coherent sentences and interesting takes? Let's try.

It's been a while since I wrote something related to a series (WOY era Moonchild, I miss you so dearly) and lately I just didn't have the time to do something like this (I was away for a while and my head was not exactly ready to obsess over queer media like that) but after missing the chance of writing a good post about the first episode about The Boy Next World, I decided to NOT let this pass and just get it done. It should be well suspicious that what's making me get back to business is a NC scene but, honestly, a thinking piece is a thinking piece, no matter the subject.

Giving the subject matter, this post won't have my usual shenanigans, but it will be more of an explanation as to why that scene left me bitting my pillow and overanalyzing every second of it since Sunday night. So, bear with me, there'll be a lot of missteps and turns until I finish what I have to say.

So, let's talk CirPhu and proactive intimacy.

For what I have to say to make sense, I need to make a very brief introduction to Phu's character and then continue from there. For all intents and purposes, Phu is a cute man, who likes cute things, is babied by his friends, kinda naive, who believes in superstitions and have a doll as a physical representation of his "guardian angel". I could describe him as a less airheaded version of Rain, because he can be more aware of his surroundings, even if that takes a while to kick in, specially when he's with his friends, and he's more cautious about things (I mean, he didn't automatically believed in Cir when he said he was from a parallel universe, and even consulted his friend about it, albeit in a "hypothetically situation" manner). Even when his friends talk about him, they describe Phu as "cute", because that's the image he gives to the world: someone to take care of carefully, and not just jump in with aggression.

It's important to talk about that because when we are presented with a character like this, when it comes to intimate scenes, almost all of the time, they act like they are scared or don't really want to be doing anything remotely sexual with their partners (don't let me start about the fact that almost ALL the characters that act like that are the "bottoms" of the relationship, and how that behavior is something that seems to be linked with the idea of what a bottom should act like: all innocent and hesitant, while the top is aggressive), which gives the impression that they are not happy with the idea of sexual relationship with their partners, which in hindsight becomes a very problematic interpretation of how should queer men behave when in a relationship with another man. And, to be honest, we are wired to, somehow, expect that behavior on the perceived bottom of the couple, because that's how they have been behaving since the dawn of times.

However, Phu is different:

First, we see that even if being intimate with Cir is not something he's very comfortable with, because of the parallel universe thing and all that entails, physical reactions are not exactly new to him and he even sees them as normal reactions to intense physical activities (when he got on top of Cir and ended up giving Cir a boner), so when they are kissing in his bed, or even better, making out in his bed, and Cir stops because Phu was sick, the only reaction Phu has when Cir sees his physical reaction is to hide it with his blanket.

Second, according to some spoilers that I got (unwillingly, of course), Phu is not new to sexual pleasure, albeit is more on the "self" pleasure that he's venturing in, because he used to jerk off once in a while, so the novelty here is intimate act with another person and not the intimate act itself.

Third, when Cir says that he could help Phu get rid of his boner, the only answer Phu gives is a "I don't know", repeating in when Cir says again that he could help. That answer is not a negative, like in a "I don't want you to do that" but more of a "I'm not sure about it". So, when Cir says that he should take his medicine and Phu refuses, stating that he wouldn't take them until "it [the boner] goes away", that was his way of saying that he was giving permission to Cir to do what he thought it would be best to help him with that problem (and, to be honest, I knew that there would be a blowjob scene in the series, because there is one in the book, but I didn't expect it to be so fucking soon), and probably thought that it would be a simple jerk off session, instead of a blowjob.

Forth, Phu simply handed himself to Cir the moment their lips touched. He put his arms around Cir's shoulders, kissed Cir with the same intensity Cir was kissing him, opened his legs to give room to Cir, enjoyed all the ministrations Cir was giving him, and, the cherry on top, the moment Cir started sucking him off, and I mean it, he out his hand on Cir's hair to guide him during the blowjob. I kid you not, when I saw how quickly Phu did that, how he simply enjoyed what was happening to him, how he became proactive during the blowjob (moaning, looking that Cir during the blowjob, etc), I simply lost my shit.

Because, having bottoms being so active, instead of just reactive, during intimate scenes, it's not something that happens regularly in our BLs. When that happens, it's because the bottom has already some experience with sex (Fiat, from Don't Say No, for example) and not when the character is characterized the way Phu was. We were seeing a man, in a bear patterned pajamas, being sucked off by his future boyfriend, being proactive in said act, actively engaging and enjoying the act, and still maintaining his cute and innocent side.

And to add to the already incredibleness of the scene, that blowjob wasn't only Phu's first intimate act with another person but also Cir's first intimate act with another person, but both of them simply decided to let their mutual desire take care of what was happening and simply enjoyed. Honestly, I watched that scene between my fingers, and I still do because it feels so intimate I feel like I'm interrupting something and I need to leave them alone in their endeavors.

I could wax more poetry about that scene but I think that my main point was made (I could even add more things in the future, who knows) and I will forever be grateful to how well made that scene was (thank you BossNoeul, for your artistry and commitment to your job. Thank you), because it was a piece of art, an event for the history books. So, now, excuse me, because I will go straight to my Friday obsession and find another brain consuming event to deal with this weekend.

[crazyalien87]

Wow you are the fucking idiot here. Where do I even begin to unpack this? How about, uh, trans people existed FOREVER, not just since like the 2010s when misogynist assholes tried to join in. Not so shit, lots of "trans women" are clearly evil do this shit: "campaign for the stripping of women’s rights and rewrite history to make themselves the ultimate victims, get people fired for not subscribing to their delusions, threaten to rape and murder women and children, ACTUALLY rape and murder women and children".

But that's not the definition of trans people? Was ANY of that common in trans people before like, 2010? Were trans people in the 1900s trying to change laws about female-only spaces or cancel people for not agreeing with them? No! But yeah sure, a minority group in a misogynist society got turned in a political topic and was overrun with misogynists, therefore literally anyone who has dysphoria and/or wants to change their sex and/or medically transitions is evil? What's next, are gay men all evil misogynists and not oppressed because some trans women say they are serving cunt? (that's a hyperbole, I know it is not as bad as the stuff you mentioned).

I never said tattoos and hair dye are the same, hence why I said "Yehah I know these are less "extreme" than medically transitioning, but still." Even tho I spelled "Yeah" wrong, I thought it was still clear what I meant. What I meant was by saying that if a trans person transitions, it means they are rejecting themself, which means they are defined by their sex. What happened sex bejng just a neutral characteristic that doesn't define who they are as a person? The medical issues are separate thing, as op didn't even mention that. Besides, what if in the future, they develop better transioning with little to no side effects? Would op feel the same?

"believe in a mythical gendered soul". Seriously? It's almost ALWAYS radfems and GCs saying this and almost never the actual trans people. Just bc yall made an oversimplification of how SOME trans people see their transness, doesn't make it true for trans people in general. I'm sure plenty of trans peolle don't believe they have a gendered soul or brain or mind or dna or whatever tf and they just wanna deal with their dysphoria and be comfortable in their bodies.

"take dangerous and irreversible medications that will force their body to go through changes it was never designed to do, therefore giving themselves permanent lifelong medical issues, " Yeah, well, adults do that shit for other things ALL THE TIME. Shit, women go on birth control that gives them hella side effects even when they aren't using it to cure something. But yeah, sure, if someone is super dysphoric, and they, as an adult along with their doc and psych decide that transitioning is good for them and the risks are worth it to lower their dysphoria, that's not good enough for you. Or, it doesn't happen actually. I could ride in a car every day and risk dying in a car crash or I can drink alcohol and risk liver disease or take benadryl and risk memory loss or....oh wait. Maybe adults should be allowed to do a risk benefit analysis on their own life and body? How about, yeah, some things had side effects and they can be really bad, but that doesn't mean it can never be worth it. I mean, geez, I'm not saying they should give out hormomes and surgeries to any teen transtrender that asks. Like any medical treatment it has to prescribed and there should be lots of gatekeeping to it.

Also, "changes it was never designed to do". Wow. Yeah okay no one's body was designed get to tattoos either. Or birth control. Or use smartphones. Almost like our bodies couldn't get "designed" by evolution for any random shit that humans invent.

"therefore giving themselves permanent lifelong medical issues" as if gender dysphoria isn't ever a permanent, lifelong mental issue that should also be treated.

why should i accept trans people "as they are" if they couldn't accept themselves as they were born? and don't tell me that "they accept themselves, they were just born in the wrong body and the wrong gender», sperm is not a dumb idiot like you, open a biology textbook and find out why the hell you were born the way you were born

[themculibrary]

Stony Fics 100k Words Masterlist

almeno tu nell'universo (ao3) - silkspectred E, 114k

Summary: Tony drives off.

Well, he wants to.

But he can’t.

Because.

Steve Rogers is in front of his car.

Steve fucking Rogers. Is in front of Tony’s fucking car.

blondie (ao3) - luckybxrnes bucky/clint, steve/tony, wanda/natasha, pietro/peter T, 188k

Summary: when james buchanan barnes and clint barton meet for the first time, it ends with clint in a dumpster and a broken hearing aid.

maybe it wasn’t his best idea to yell at another assassian and try to fight him on a rooftop.

eight years later, clint is a little smarter and james is trying his best to be okay.

Catching Lightning in a Bottle (ao3) - sabrecmc steve/tony M, 120k

Summary: College student Tony meets janitor Steve at MIT and they fall blissfully in love, until Howard happens and things fall apart. One divorce paperwork snafu courtesy of the ever-helpful Jarvis, and ten years later, Tony has to get re-divorced from Steve.

This does not go as he imagines.

Or, the Sweet Home Alabama AU that no one–well, okay, a few of you–asked for.

Even the Light is an Illusion (ao3) - Mizzy T, 102k

Summary: Death threats are an unfortunate side-effect of being Tony Stark, so he's learned to ignore them. The problem is, when someone really wants you dead, hiding your head in the sand just kinda exposes your ass.

But it's not just Tony's behind on the line. Whoever wants him dead wants him to suffer first, and they're willing to do anything to make that happen. Tony knows there's only one way out. To save Steve, the Avengers, and the general public, Tony has to die. Of course, death isn't always the end, and Tony does what any other self-disrespecting scientist would do: he finds a way to fake his death and avenge his own murder.

The trouble is, terrible decisions usually have a terrible price, and this one is no different. Tony has a chance to save the day, but the cost may be more than Tony was ever expecting to pay…

maybe love is the reason why (we're seeing it eye to eye) (ao3) - parkrstark T, 134k

Summary: "I'm sorry. Repeat that again." Tony leaned forward in his seat from across the table. He even stuck a finger in his ear as if he was cleaning it out. "I don't think I heard you right."

Fury rolled his eyes-- or well, eye. "You and Rogers need to go undercover as a married couple in a community out on Long Island."

--

After Civil War, Tony and Steve are sent on an undercover mission as a couple to try and find Hydra informants. Somehow, they end up with Peter as their undercover son who decides to play matchmaker even if the two of them are doing their best to ignore their feelings after Siberia.

Not About Superheroes (A Private Little War) (ao3) - AnnaFugazzi M, 146k

Summary: In less than a year, Steve has been brought back from the dead, adapted to a whole new world, plunged right back into battle again, and moved in with a bunch of superheroes. He's handling everything remarkably well. Except when he's not.

Paved With Good Intentions (I'm on the road to hell) (ao3) - itsallAvengers T, 194k

Summary: When the mysterious group of vigilante assassins known only as 'The Avengers' are tipped off about the dirty secrets that lie within Stark Industries, Steve Rogers has his heart set on taking out Tony Stark for good in order to protect the rest of the world from his evil. He's seen the footage, after all- Stark is a man who fights only for himself. And of course, when a job arises as chief bodyguard for Stark, to protect him from the growing threat of an ominously infatuated stalker, the opportunity is way too good for him to miss out on. It's the perfect placement, and the perfect way to find out whether or not their tipoff is genuine.

But as Steve falls into rank as the new bodyguard for Mr. Stark and he spends time getting to know and protect him, his initial hatred begins to falter and merge into something different, something far more terrifying than the prospect of killing the face of Stark Industries.

Steve Rogers may just be falling in love with him instead.

peter’s stars (ao3) - IronPengu, parkrstark steve/tony T, 175k

Summary: Steve and Peter lose their apartment and are kicked out on the streets. Steve has to juggle between jobs to earn whatever money he can, take care of his son while resfusing to let him realize how much they’re trouble in, and keep them warm and safe on the city streets in winter.

So, he really doesn’t have time to date the billionaire that flirts with him everyday as he buys his cup of coffee. Even if he did, he can’t let himself fall for the man. Because if he knew that he lived from a backpack and showered in a public bathroom there’s no way he’d still want him…right?

Stetsons and Schoolteachers (ao3) - NotEvenCloseToStraight steve/tony, bucky/natasha, clint/sam, pepper/happy E, 136k

Summary: Alpha Sheriff Steve Rogers doesn’t know what to think of the new school teacher in his small town.

Omega Tony Carbonell is a quick witted, sharp tongued, sarcastic Omega with a butt that won’t quit– and a temper that won’t quit either.

Every attempt the Sheriff makes to get close is met with rolled eyes and snarkiness, but finally Tony gives in a little bit and the pair spends a few moments together that leaves the Alpha panting, desperate for more.

But there’s a layer of secrets beneath the Omega’s attitude, and the more Steve pushes, the more Tony pulls away.

When Tony’s past comes back in a terrifying way, Steve learns more about the Omega than he ever thought he would, secrets that make him rage, stories that break his heart, and when Tony is kidnapped, the Sheriff saddles up to bring his Omega home.

But Tony doesn’t consider Wildrock home, and he certainly doesn’t consider Steve his Alpha.

How can the Stetson wearing Sheriff convince the stubborn Schoolteacher that they are meant to be?

Sugar Seeking Sugar (ao3) - NotEvenCloseToStraight E, 129k

Summary: After Howard kicks Omega!Tony out, Tony is left to raise baby!Peter by himself. Working a crappy job and barely surviving, the Omega is desperate for help. When Omega!Clint suggests a Sugar Daddy, Tony is first horrified then resigned to what might be his only option to keep food on the table.

Alpha!Steve has a career, a big house, and money but is lonely every day of his life and doesn't know how to change it. When Alpha!Bucky suggests a Sugar Baby, Steve is first scandalized and then hesitantly open to at least trying.

The Sugar Seeking Sugar Agency matches Tony and Steve, and sparks fly right away between the pair. One date leads to two, then shopping trips and sleepovers, and Tony has money for bills, diapers and baby clothes while Steve is happy with the company and quickly falling in love.

Alphas usually don't want to deal with another Alpha's kid, so Tony keeps Peter a secret as long as he can but eventually he has to tell Steve about his past, his complicated life and what it might mean for their relationship.

Will the truth put a stop to their slowly progressing romance, or is a family with Tony exactly what lonely Alpha!Steve has always wanted?

Thrust Issues (ao3) - Sineala E, 132k

Summary: A battle gone wrong leads Tony to the unexpected and pleasant discovery that Steve is much more well-endowed than he could ever have imagined. But when Tony learns that Steve has never actually been able to sleep with anyone because of his size, Tony does what any good friend would do: he offers to relieve Steve of his virginity. Personally. Tony's determined, Tony's methodical, and Tony has a plan. He's going to get Steve laid. Tony just needs to make sure Steve never finds out that Tony's in love with him.

two-point perspective (ao3) - FestiveFerret E, 109k

Summary: Dear omega,

Congratulations! You’ve been selected. Alpha #95847872 has been assigned as your pre-bondee. A group bonding ceremony will take place on the 14th, unless other arrangements have been made by your alpha or their family. A valid bonding license must be submitted to Omega Services within 45 days of this letter or all services will be cancelled and any transferable benefits will not be applied to your alpha’s package.

If there is some reason why you cannot be bonded on this date, please apply for an extension by calling 1-800-555-6827 within 7 days of receiving this letter.

Sincerely, National Omega Services

We Used To Crash Like Waves (ao3) - closeyoureyez E, 153k

Summary: Tony is a 27-year-old disgraced omega working as a nanny. His summer consists of taking the child in his care, Natasha, to the community pool.

Alpha Steve Rogers is the 18-year-old, ridiculously attractive lifeguard of said pool.

When Tony meets him, he feels like he’s been punched in the gut and his omega instincts immediately go haywire. But Steve is nearly ten years younger than him. And definitely out of his league. Plus, there’s the whole ‘he’s sworn off alphas’ thing. It doesn’t matter how blue Steve’s eyes are. Or how spectacular his muscles look, all wet and glistening, as he vaults out of the water. The two of them will never, ever happen.

Steve, though…Steve’s got other ideas.

Wings of a Broken Hero (ao3) - Sexy_Avengers17 bucky/clint, steve/tony N/R, 132k

Summary: Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier no more. Out of Hydra’s grasp, he now lives at the Avengers’ Tower alongside the Avengers themselves. His life becomes a roller coaster as he balances the guilt he carries on his metal wing and arm, the craziness of living with superheroes, and stopping a bio-terrorist attack from A.I.M.

Also, the winged pain in his ass known as Clint Barton is too difficult to ignore. Looks like this is what Bucky gains after seventy years of fuckery.

Wipe Your Tears Away (ao3) - SailorChibi T, 121k

Summary: Steve likes taking care of his team. It gives him focus in a confusing new world. But one member of the team never learned that it’s okay to be taken care of. Until the night Tony gets a concussion, and his deepest secret - that, when he’s absolutely sure he’s alone, he likes to role play being a toddler - comes out into the open and affords Steve the perfect opportunity.

[arookinthelighthouse]

Okay but do you guys ever think about how with certain choices you make in Origins, DA2, and Inquisition there's great potential for there to be the great angst of "this bloodline is cursed"?

Like, say you play as Amell in Origins. You become a Grey Warden, which pretty much signs your death warrant and puts you on an irreversible deadline for your death. You witness all the horrors, perhaps you even make all the "bad" or "wrong" decisions. You get to the final battle against the archdemon and either you die killing it, another Warden does, or Morrigan has the old god baby and you survive. With that first one, it's obvious that the "this bloodline is cursed" thing would stem from you dying and all the suffering you went through along the way. In terms of the last two, you have to live with the knowledge that you're a Grey Warden and you didn't die killing the archdemon. And especially with the last one, and even more so if you're a male Amell that romanced Morrigan, if you're the one to kill the archdemon and survive you undoubtedly are judged by Wardens in the future about if you're a "real" Warden. Furthermore, if you're a male Amell who romances Morrigan but you DON'T have the old god baby, you die and Morrigan still ends up with a son and she has to live with the fact that you both could've had this life with Kieran if you'd survived and followed her into the eluvian during one of the DLC.

Then, we get to DA2. Let's say you play as mage Hawke. Right off the bat, your sister is killed and your family blames you for it. You go to the Deep Roads and you take your brother and he either dies or becomes a Grey Warden, which your mother definitely resents you for. Your mother then dies and you blame yourself because now your closest family is either all dead or mostly dead with one following in the footsteps of your cousin and being a Grey Warden, which basically guarantees he'll die before his time. And then, if your mage Hawke romances Anders, Hawke then has to grapple with the fact later down the line that the man they love has committed a horrific crime and if you decide to stay with him and not kill him you find yourself looking back at everything some days and wondering if the Amell/Hawke bloodline really is cursed like your mother used to say.

And then Inquisition happens. Mage Hawke who romanced Anders and supported him instead of killing him turns up at Skyhold and of course events follow on from that that lead you to the Here Lies The Abyss quest. You and whoever your Warden is depending on your choices from Origins end up in the Fade with the Inquisitor and friends (bonus points if one of the companions is Varric). You fight against the fear demon and you win but then there's that monstrosity that will leave the Fade if someone doesn't stay behind to stop it. Mage Hawke stays behind in the Fade to stop the monster, doesn't even get to say goodbye to Anders the way they wish they could, and either dies killing the creature in the Fade or by some miracle survives but never returns from the Fade, likely dying from something else in there or being driven mad because mortals shouldn't be in the Fade for that long and it's bound to take a toll on you mentally and physically.

All of this to say, this then provides so much more angsty background for your Rook if you headcanon that your Rook is the child of your Warden and one of the companions. Or even if you headcanon them to be the child of your mage Hawke and Anders (with some shuffling around of the timeline of the games depending on how old you headcanon their child to be and if they're a biological or adopted child). Your Rook, part of the Amell/Hawke bloodline, is then thrown into the calamity and chaos of the events of Veilguard. And depending on the choices made in that game, if you get the bad ending where your Rook and Solas both end up bound to the Veil, that's another member of the family who falls to the "curse" of the Amell/Hawke bloodline.

And if you headcanon your Rook to be the child if your Amell and Morrigan? And if you headcanon that child to be Kieran and not a twin or sibling of his? Even more devastation for Morrigan, especially if her Amell died in the final battle against the archdemon.

Yeah. A "this bloodline is cursed" world state, I think, would break me if I played it out.

[vigilante-3073]

Right Where You Left Me

Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader

Summary: There had always been something lingering between them, an unspoken connection that could destroy everything.

TW: Boss/Employee relationship, tension, angst, mentions of death/loss, resignation, right person wrong time.

Y/N L/N had been a member of the BAU for years. Y/N looked through case files, arranging them in priority order based on victim amount and methodology. Y/N presented the cases to the team while JJ contacted local officials and interacted with the media. As a result of her role, Y/N spent quite a bit of time with Hotch.

Y/N reviewed cases with him, allowing Hotch to decide which unsub posed the most risk based on his profiling expertise. Y/N was incredibly good at her job, she saw a great deal of darkness and tried her best to prioritize and compartmentalize.

There would always be those cases that made it feel like there was no point in trying to stop bad things from happening. Humanity would always find different despicable ways to harm one another.

Hotch could always tell when the work was beginning to get to her. He was kind, willing to set aside the work and have a serious talk with her about their jobs. There were people out there who counted on them, victims who wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the BAU.

Hotch always managed to bring her comfort, reminding her why they do what they do and making her entire day better. He was a good man and Y/N trusted him more than anyone. She would do absolutely anything he asked without question.

Some people may call it loyalty, but that's not what it was.

It was love.

Y/N had been in love with him for years, she knew that she could never tell him how she felt. He was married and he had a family at home. Y/N saw Haley and Jack on multiple occasions, each time left her with an uneasy feeling of guilt that settled in her stomach like a rock.

Y/N tried to remain professional, but loving him was ruining her life. Y/N went home every day to an empty house, sleeping alone before returning to the same tortuous place.

Y/N began to look forward to every moment she was able to spend in his orbit. Hotch was a light in the darkness, he burned like the brightest flame and Y/N could only get so close without getting burned.

Y/N knew that what she was doing wasn't healthy, she had an attachment to him that was inappropriate. She should quit, turn in her resignation and leave to save herself the pain of loving someone she could never have.

A selfish part of her didn't want to give him up, he was the one good thing in her life and she wouldn't be able to handle the loss.

Y/N was stuck.

She had taken a step back from Hotch, closing herself off to him and keeping things as professional as possible. Hotch knew that something had changed but Y/N assured him that everything was fine with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Y/N sat at her desk, silently reading through potential case files at almost three o'clock in the morning. A gentle knock on the door made her jump, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Rossi said.

"It's fine," Y/N assured.

"Do you have a minute to chat?" Rossi asked.

"Of course," She nodded, he stepped into her office and sat down on the chair in front of her desk.

"Have I ever told you about why I left the BAU in 1997?" Rossi asked.

"No, I don't think so," Y/N replied, closing her file.

"I told everyone that it was because I wanted to write and got sick of the FBI bureaucracy, but none of that is true... The real reason is that I had feelings for Gideon's wife," Rossi said.

"You did?" Y/N asked.

He nodded, "I would have these thoughts that Jason wasn't good enough for her, so I stepped away from the BAU... I thought it would be best if they went on as a family," He said.

Y/N gulped, trying to blink away the tears that gathered in her eyes.

"I know you're in love with him and I can see what it's doing to you... I know it's hard, but sometimes you have to let go," Rossi said.

"What if I can't let go?" Y/N asked shakily, a tear escaping and rolling down her cheek.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, kid, it's not going to be easy but you'll be better off for it," Rossi said.

Y/N's chest stuttered as she held back a sob, holding her head in her hands as she cried. Rossi stood up from his chair and made his way around the desk. He set his hand on her shoulder, providing silent comfort to her as she broke down.

Rossi watched Y/N go through exactly what he had all those years ago, wanting someone he could never have and getting his heart broken. Y/N was such a kind person and he could see how much loving Hotch had hurt her.

Years of watching the one you love be happy with someone else was a cruel punishment. It was like a knife to the gut, draining the life out of you until there is nothing left to give.

Rossi couldn't stand by and watch her lose herself for any longer. He hoped that she'd be smarter than he was, that she would realize how her feelings for Hotch were affecting her and leave. But love was a powerful thing and it could blind even the smartest person in the world.

...

Y/N made her way over to Hotch's office with a white envelope settled on top of a case file. Rossi was right and Y/N knew that she needed to make some changes in her life. Y/N slowed to a stop outside his office and knocked on the door gently, taking a breath to steady herself and calm her racing heart.

"Come in," Hotch called from inside.

Y/N opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door gently behind herself. She stepped over to his desk, taking off the envelope and holding out the case file to him.

"I think this should be our next case, but I wanted your opinion before briefing the team. The unsub is obviously escalating and is desperate to get the media's attention," Y/N said.

Hotch took the file from her hand, opening it and scanning over the information briefly, "It sounds like they could definitely use our help. Have you given it to Garcia?" He asked.

"Yes, Sir, she can have everyone briefed and on the plane within the hour," Y/N replied.

"Perfect," He nodded, closing the file and standing from his desk.

"Um, Hotch... I also have this for you," Y/N said, holding out the envelope.

He took it from her hand, "What is it?" He asked.

"My resignation," Y/N stated.

A look of confusion passed over his face before he quickly regained his composure, "Is there anything in particular that brought this on?" Hotch questioned.

"No, Sir, I just needed a change... I've already spoken to JJ and she'll be able to take over for me so there isn't any need to search for a replacement," Y/N said, glancing at her watch before moving towards the door.

"Y/N, hold on. I- Can we talk about this?" Hotch questioned, setting the envelope down on his desk.

"Hotch, the briefing," Y/N said, her hand settling on the door handle.

"Have I done something to upset or offend you? I thought that we were close, but recently things have changed and I just want to know if you're leaving because of something I did," Hotch said.

"No, I'm not leaving because of you," Y/N stated.

His shoulders sunk slightly as he looked over her, "You're lying to me," He said.

Y/N opened her mouth before closing it, letting out a soft breath as she moved over to him, "You are the best boss that anyone could ask for, Hotch. You did absolutely nothing wrong, I promise," Y/N assured.

His eyes searched her face for any indication of a lie, reluctantly nodding when he found none.

"How long before you go?" He asked.

"I'll stay until the end of this case," Y/N said.

"And there's nothing I can say to change your mind?" Hotch questioned.

Y/N smiled softly, "No, there isn't," She said.

He took a breath, "I'm going to miss you," Hotch stated.

"I know... I'm gonna miss you too," Y/N replied.

They made their way to the conference room, everyone had already settled in their seats as Garcia passed the remote to Y/N.

"Just before we start, I have a bit of an announcement... I'm resigning from the BAU after this case," Y/N said.

"What?" Emily asked.

"Are you serious?" Morgan questioned.

"Where are you going?" Spencer asked.

"I don't really know yet, but I have some promising offers," Y/N said.

"Seems kinda quick. Is everything okay?" Morgan asked.

"I just need a change," Y/N said simply.

"Change is a good thing, kid," Rossi said, Y/N nodded.

"So, let's get started," Y/N said, clicking to the first set of photos.

...

It had been a few years since Y/N had resigned from the BAU, she managed to get a job with the CIA Office of Public Affairs. Hotch saw her on the news occasionally and he always stopped to watch. He had been incredibly close with Y/N and her abrupt resignation left him feeling confused.

Hotch missed her.

Y/N had become an incredibly close friend to him over the years and he wished that they still worked together. Y/N sent him flowers with a kind message when Haley passed away, but there was no other communication between them.

Things had been challenging since she died, Jack wasn't coping well and Hotch didn't know how to help. Hotch had never been an emotional man and he found himself feeling helpless in the face of such a complex situation.

Jack had always been closer to his mother, he felt her loss deeply and struggled to adjust to life without her. He was slowly returning to the happy little boy that he had been before her death, but Hotch would still catch him watching home movies occasionally just to hear Haley's voice.

It had been almost a year since her passing when Hotch made his way through the bullpen, "Hey, Hotch. Check it out, our girl is well on her way to becoming the face of the CIA," Morgan said.

Hotch looked up at the television, smiling softly when he saw the footage of Y/N holding a press conference for the CIA.

"She looks good," Hotch stated, continuing across the bullpen and up the stairs to his office.

Morgan looked over at Emily and Rossi, "Did I just hear that right?" Morgan asked.

"You did," Emily nodded.

"You think Hotch is ready to put himself back out there? Get a little something something?" Morgan questioned, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I don't know... He seems happy, it could definitely be something he's starting to think about," Emily said.

"I'll get to the bottom of it," Rossi said.

"Wing man to the rescue," Morgan smirked.

Rossi made his way up to Hotch's office, gently knocking on the open door. Hotch stood at his desk, eyes downcast as he looked over a case file.

"You got a minute, Aaron?" Rossi questioned.

"Of course," He nodded, closing the file and setting it down.

Rossi stepped into the office, closing the door behind himself, "Are you thinking about putting yourself back out there? Maybe going on a date or two?" Rossi questioned.

"I don't know. It hasn't even been a year since Haley passed," Hotch said.

"Listen, Aaron, Haley wouldn't want you to be alone. If you feel like you're ready to get back out there, you should do it," Rossi said.

"I'll think about it," Hotch stated.

"If you're serious about this, I have a good place for you to start," Rossi said, slipping a hand into the inside pocket of his blazer.

Rossi pulled out a business card, holding it out to Hotch. He glanced at him before taking the card from his hand, looking down at the name on it.

'Y/N L/N '

"Why do you have this?" Hotch asked.

"We get together for coffee a few times a month," He shrugged.

"I don't think she wants to hear from me, Dave," Hotch said, shaking his head and holding the card out to Rossi.

"Trust me, she does... Give her a call, Aaron," Rossi said, making his way out of the office.

Hotch stared down at the business card, brushing his thumb across the paper before opening his drawer and setting it inside. He closed the drawer, picking up his file and making his way down to the conference room for the morning briefing.

It took the team three days to apprehend the unsub, rescuing a few victims and reuniting them with their loved ones. There was a bittersweet feeling when only a few people were saved but a multitude of lives had been lost. These kind of cases made everyone cling to their loved ones a little tighter.

Hotch sat at his desk, diligently completing his report long after everyone had already gone home. He sat back in his chair, fidgeting with his pen before he reached over and opened his desk drawer.

Hotch easily located the business card, pulling it out and staring down at it. Hotch took a breath, picking up his phone and dialing the number.

The line rang, he honestly hoped to end up on an answering machine but the soft click caught him off guard.

"Y/N L/N," She said.

"Hi, it's Aaron Hotchner," He replied.

"Hotch? How did you get this number?" Y/N asked.

"Dave gave it to me... I hope that's not a problem," Hotch said.

"That depends on what you're calling about," Y/N replied.

"Do you want to go out for dinner with me tomorrow night? Or, I guess it's today now," He said, glancing at the clock.

"Like a date?" Y/N questioned.

"Yes, a date," Hotch nodded, fidgeting with her business card.

"I'd love to," Y/N said.

"Really?" Hotch questioned.

Y/N let out a soft laugh, "Were you expecting a different answer?" She asked.

"I was, actually... After you left, I kept thinking about your last few weeks at the BAU. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what I'd done to make you hate me all of a sudden," Hotch started.

"Aaron, I didn't hate you... I left because I was in love with you," Y/N said.

"You loved me?" Hotch asked.

"I did... But you were my boss and you had a wife at home. I couldn't stay there and keep getting my heart broken," Y/N stated.

"I'm so sorry," Hotch said.

"Don't be. I had to do what was best for me. None of it was your fault, Aaron," Y/N assured.

He let out a shaky exhale, "I really miss having you around," Hotch said.

"I miss the BAU," Y/N replied.

"Enough to have coffee with Dave a few times a month?" Hotch questioned.

"Hey, that was all his idea. If I'm being honest, I think he was just making sure I was still single," Y/N said.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Hotch nodded.

"I missed these conversations," Y/N said.

"I did too," Hotch replied with a small smile.

"For tonight, you can pick the restaurant and text me on this number. I don't really know what my day will look like and I know it's the same way at the BAU," Y/N said.

"Okay, I will make a reservation for us and send you a message... Have a good night, Y/N," Hotch said.

"You too, Aaron," Y/N replied.

He hung up the phone, unable to keep the smile off his face as he packed up his things to head home for a few hours of sleep. Hotch knew that he would have to thank Rossi for his help when he saw him in the morning.

[subjectseventeen]

i hope kala doesn't mind me jumping in an replying here to your reply but i think there are some things here that are just inaccurate. i will try to keep emotions out of it, but this is something i and other delusional nonhumans find particularly upsetting to be told that we do not deserve community because our identities spawn from our delusions.

"if you only live disconnected from objective reality, anyone can take advantage of it." This is true, but what also is true is that not all of us can be connected to objective reality at all times. while you have mentioned that you have experienced delusional episodes, there is a drastic difference between experiencing delusions in episodes to experiencing psychosis at all times. most of us who's identities are delusion influenced live in psychosis 24/7. i personally am schizophrenic, and there is never a day that i go without psychosis and that is while on antipsychotics. so to say that we are never allowed to experience nonhumanity in the same way you do because of our delusions pretty much bars us from being in the community all together. while it is true that people who experience psychosis may be easy targets to manipulate, but reasonably, this could happen to a neurotypical nonhuman as well. to site this reason as why we shouldn't have community is quite short-sighted to me. in any situation, i have the risk of someone using my mental illness as a way to manipulate me even outside of nonhuman communities, but just because there's a possibility i could be manipulated doesn't mean i can't enjoy things others are seemingly allowed to. teens are easy to manipulate too because of their lack of real world experiences, but we allow younger nonhumans into our community because barring them would be unjust. abusive individuals will find their targets no matter what and trying to preemptively protect us from this is very infantilizing and it sounds like you don't think delusional nonhumans can make choices of their own without help of some sane individuals.

you mentioned as well that you believe these communities reject treatment and therapy and that is just boldly untrue. most of my friends that are nonhuman are delusional and i think every single one of them is either seeking treatment, actively on antipsychotics, and/or going through therapy. even if that Weren't the case, individuals who do not subject themselves to psychiatry are still worthy to care about. why do we have to go through therapy and medication? just so that we're "normal"? i'm not going to assume what you've been through, but if you live in psychosis 24/7 it becomes extremely draining to have to question your reality at all times. i've been psychotic since i was a kid and learning to live with my psychosis and accepting myself as a nonhuman has been the most healing thing that has helped, and i didn't get here with medication and therapy. therapists and psychiatrists have abandoned me, put me through terrible situations, ignored my needs, talked over me, and taken away my autonomy and that's just the short of it. and i'm not alone in these experiences. i guarantee you that every delusional nonhuman has a similar story to tell. sometimes drugs and therapy don't help. giving individuals the ability to Decide for Themselves about how and when they get treatment will do more good than thinking you know what's best for them because you Know reality better than us.

kala said this but i feel like you skipped over it. to a normal human ALL of us look like delusional people for being the creatures that we are, whether you are a spiritual therian or an endel. why do you have to separate yourselves from us? we are your kin too. we deserve to have a voice in this community and i will not stand for others thinking they know what's best for us. if you Must distance yourselves from us, at least let us have our own community. stop coming into the endel and physical nonhuman tags just to spit at our feet. it's just disrespectful.

i have many thoughts on physical nonhumans, holotheres, mythicals, shifters, clinical lycanthropes, delusional alterhumans, endels, etc. most of them are concern. these communities can try as much as theyd like to victim blame and say that people who feel they were taken advantage of because their delusions are to blame for their own abuse. unfortunately, handwaving their own survivorship bias wont save them. months from now theyll learn the hard way how easily someone can be taken advantage of when they flock to whoever knows what to say to validate their feelings. i wish it was different, and i wish anything i could say to them would get through and save them from that future

if you only surround yourself with people who validate your delusions, youll attract people who have something to gain from your detachment from reality. it doesn't matter how good it feels. it will happen to you in the end

[posi-pan]

for anyone who has ever seen someone claim pansexual was coined on social media by teenagers in the early 2000s, the 2010s, and even in the past few years, and believed it or wondered if it’s true, or known it’s not true and been annoyed by the misinformation, this article is for you!

after listing out all of the claims i’ve seen, i succinctly debunk them by laying out a brief overview of pansexual’s history dating back to the 1960s, both as a term generally indicating universal appeal/inclusion and a term indicating sexual freedom/attraction to all genders. i include a look at pansexual’s use specifically within queer spaces, with a focus on bisexual spaces, as well.

i also touch briefly on omnisexual and polysexual existing in similar contexts to pansexual dating back to the 1960s. and finally, i discuss a little bit about how when, where, and by whom a label is created doesn’t determine the validity or usefulness of it, because these claims come with the implication that new labels, labels created by kids, and labels originating on social media aren’t legit forms of queer expression and identification.

happy pan week! 🥰💗💛💙

[treemaidengeek]

I learned this lesson young (if I had to point to a teacher, I'd say the Girl Scouts) & it applies to so many things!

✨️ I was a primary social planner for my post college social circle for a number of years, until I pulled back due to health issues. I legit had people get mad at me for no longer organizing things and had to explain to them, as kindly as I could, that they too had the power to plan social gatherings.

✨️ When I go camping, I always survey the area for poison oak (I'm highly allergic). Most recently I arrived on the Thursday before what would be a busy holiday weekend & saw a couple of young, potent stems sticking out into the narrow paths between sites.

Shit, I thought. When my friend arrives tomorrow, they're going to end up tracking that oil all over our shared camp. I should tell the ranger.

And then instead, I put on some rubber gloves & got out a sturdy plastic bag & pulled out the poison oak shoots myself (and then scrubbed down with Technu), before anyone else arrived at the rapidly filling campground and encountered it.

✨️ I was working hospice when the pandemic started. It quickly became clear that in lieu of clear information or guidance, different mortuaries were setting their own infection control policies on whether they accepted the bodies of those who had died of covid at all; if they did, under what circumstances; and if they did, what types of funeral services they were willing to perform. I assigned myself to spend the better part of several days calling every single mortuary in my region and making a database of their policies so that our hospice staff could direct our patients' families to facilities that would meet their needs. It was one of those unglamorous tasks that, I hope, saved some people some pain in an already stressful and difficult time.

There’s this guy in town who owns this little house, and a while back he rescued a street dog that was going to get put down. Turned out she was pregnant.

Problem is, he has mental health & drug issues and couldn’t afford to get them all spayed & neutered, so now there are 6 grown bitches with 15 puppies total, and they’ve dug under his fence in multiple places but he can’t afford to fix it so they go roaming all around town. (When I say can’t afford it, I mean his house is currently running on a generator because he can’t afford his electric bill.) He’s also a day laborer so he cannot take multiple full days off work to take them to the vet an hour away. He’s in a really rough spot.

He’s not a bad person. He’s just overwhelmed.

And this little conservative town with 6 churches for 300 people, have they tried to help their neighbor? Have they adopted the puppies he’s been trying to give away? Have they offered resources?

NOPE! All they wanna do is talk shit about him and complain about the dogs but never lift a finger of their own. And they come to his house to yell at him and cuss him out about the dogs, which does not exactly engender in him a cooperative attitude, as you might imagine.

So after a while of this going on, my mom gets fed up with all the NIMBY bullshit and starts talking to the guy, because she’s done animal rescue for 20-odd years and has Connections. He’s resistant at first, but when he realizes she’s not being an asshole to him on account of his addiction or the dogs, he decides to let her help.

She gets to work organizing and networking. Finds a non-profit that will cover vaccinations, spay/neuter, and flea treatments for all the dogs. Talks the next-door neighbor into paying for materials to fix the fence, since this guy can do the work of it himself. Gets him in touch with another non-profit that will adopt out the adult dogs.

Less than 2 weeks after she decided to do something, all puppies have been to the vet, 10 puppies and 4 adult dogs have been adopted out, and the second non-profit is coming by next week to pick up the remaining 7 dogs to ship them out for adoption.

I’ve learned a lot of things from my mom—some good, some bad—but I think the most important positive message she lives as an example of is this: sometimes, when something needs done and no one else is willing, you gotta stand up and say “I’ll do it.”