#this ended up being a bigger rant than I expected

[tteokdoroki]

hurricane heartbreak katsuki bakugou ── ᡣ𐭩 ˙ ̟🩰 !!

⋆˙ᝰ about ! you’ve always thought that katsuki would follow you to the ends of the earth, until suddenly, he stops. especially when he realises that he’s better off without you. ( 2.6K )

warnings ! minors blank and ageless blogs do not interact. sfw, angst, no happy ending. characters aged up to 20s, unrequited love, friendship breakups, regular breakups, confessions, gaslighting, reader is morally flawed and a bad friend, katsuki is a hopeless romantic :(, fem!reader, pro hero!bakugou - not beta read!

as usual, katsuki moves to open the door before his mind can catch up. 

he knows that he shouldn’t. if he kept the doors locked he could keep his heart safe from the ache that comes with the person on the other side. but, the bigger and weaker half of him succumbs to the longing laced in the blood that soars through the beating muscle keeping him alive. the same muscle every form of media since the dawn of time has associated with the human desire to be loved and adored. 

it’s a human code that he can’t go against, like asking a neanderthal to fight it’s basic instincts. katsuki opens the door not because he wants to, but because he has to, even if his entire body twitches against the will of his one track mind and his hand lands on the cool metal doorknob in advance of his logical train of thought. besides, it’s raining tonight, and it would be cruel to leave you outside. 

as usual, when you step past the threshold of the number two hero’s lush, bachelor pad-like home — he expects things to be different. for you to waltz in with your arms wide spread and a spark of joy in your eyes because you love seeing the blonde and because you missed him. 

“it was so horrible,” you wail to him instead, just as you had done so on the phone — except this time, the cadence to your usually bright voice is as dull and as dreary as the weather outside. “he blew up at me, said that we were done ‘n that i was too clingy. just like that,” pouting, you shrug off your rain-slicked jacket and allow your best friend to hang it up for you. before you can start quivering like a pathetic stray dog, the begrudgingly kind pro hero places a set of clothes, warm and fresh from the dryer, into your hands and ushers you deeper into the space he calls home.

“fuck that guy,” he tells you, while you rant to him on the walk down the hall.

katsuki lets you you dry off and disappear into his room for spare clothes (as if you own the place), giving himself time to think and reflect. the you that katsuki knows and has bitterly come to love is hollowed and desperate — vying for any attention or affection she can get from people who just don’t care. he’s never understood it, the reasons why you go vying for the validation of others who don’t deserve a millisecond of your time, let alone your precious smile.

you know, the one that brings out the crows feet at the corners of your doe-like eyes and lifts the edges of your glossed lips ever so slightly. you illuminate a room and fill it with warmth when you’re happy and feel loved but when you’re like this… thrown out into the rain whilst being hungry for more — much like that of a stray…

…it’s bakugou’s hand that reaches out to feed you tender love and care from the pieces of his own broken soul. he does everything im his power to make you smile again, otherwise he’d shake the heavens from the sky and bring their shattered pieces back down to earth with his destructive quirk…for you.

everything is always for you.

katsuki is the one who deserves to see your radiant grin and be the one that’s always on your mind. so perhaps, he is no better than you, starved with a craving for the attention of someone whose thoughts are simply elsewhere. with someone else.

you resurface from his room wearing a discontinued all-might shirt with an iron-on design that’s cracked on the front and a pair of fluffy dynamight themed socks kept spare in katsuki’s wash for whenever you come over. by this time he’s already popped on the kettle for some herbal tea, though his back remains facing you — fingers clenched against his smooth marble countertop. “why would he say that?” 

you shrug. “i don’t know… i probably deserve it. this always happens.” 

to his right, the kettle’s whistle reaches it’s crescendo but katsuki doesn’t bother to add hot water to your tea.

the assessment you make as you pad back over to katsuki is only partly correct. he turns abruptly, prepped and ready to loosely wrap his arms around you in a familiar hug, another step in this bi-monthly routine the two of you have going. your nose presses into the middle of his molten chest, sending a pang through his heart like an arrow from Cupid whilst simultaneously riling up the butterflies in his tummy. you’re so cute, so sweet and it makes the blonde feel special to be able to witness the more vulnerable parts of you — the parts of you pieced back together by inexpensive glue after you’ve been shattered by heartbreak once more.

you, you’re too sweet to deserve this pain. the same pain that weighs down on the pro hero’s shoulders because he can’t stop chasing after you. this always happens, but you don’t deserve it. even if it’s like some sort of cathartic karma for leading bakugou on all of these years. 

nonetheless, he’s never been the best at comforting people but a selfish warmth that burns brighter than his quirk spans throughout katsuki’s body whenever you seek comfort in him. even if all it does is chip away at his soul, knowing that you’re all torn up about someone else and someone that isn’t him yet again. 

katsuki abandons the tea completely.

however, his cherry lips continue to open and close in search of words and phrases that may sedate your storm of emotions before they rain down on him — just like the world outside. they’re hard to come by, meaningful ones at least, so katsuki settles with a simple… “you deserve better.” 

“yeah? well it doesn’t seem like it. every guy i’ve ever met has hurt me some way, somehow.” you quip blandly, obliviously. “who does better even look like?

me. is what bakugou wants to say. he looks like me. but now isn’t the time or place to tell you that, it’s never been. deep down, he knows that you might never see him that way, as a someone who could treat you right, as someone deserving of your darkest desires and sweet nothings, as someone who could be the very person you deserve to grow old with. you don’t look at him the same way, to you, katsuki will always be your best friend and source of comfort.

he’ll never be a lover or a special one or a boyfriend. 

not to you. 

never to you.

and sadly, he almost feels content to stay this way — if it means he’ll be able to have you near. with the two of you tucked away in one another’s arms, swaying to the melody of harmonious wind and rain, the abrasive, corroding nature of katsuki bakugou is tamed and the world comes to a standstill that feels sort of homely. its familiar, a routine he’s so easily settled into time and time again. confessing to you would be like disrupting the natural course of your relationship and bakugou has seen what you do to guys who cross your limits or suddenly no longer entertain you. sometimes they genuinely do hurt you, other times you’re like a little girl who no longer has a desire to play with her favourite toy — easily casting them aside. the blonde would hate to be one of them, to be thrown out by the person he loves most.

“you’ll find someone,” he says gruffly, after some time. 

pulling away slightly and with a hand centre stage on katsuki’s ooey-gooey lovesick chest, you smile ever so gently. and it’s enough for him, even though it burns, it’s enough to make it worth it. all this suffering in silence, loving you from afar…that is, until he hears what you have to to say next. 

“i wish i could find someone like you, kats.”

the rain outside has hit its peak, bordering on the edge of torrential as it drowns the concrete jungle outside and the grey clouds it pours from shroud the city in a similar darkness to the veil falling over katsuki’s mind. now that, it really pisses his off. someone like him? why not him? he doesn’t understand why you actively put yourself through the ringer when what you want is right before your very eyes.

like a sudden clap of thunder or a strike of bright lightning, katsuki has a realisation. he isn’t so sure how much more of this he can stomach or take. a few weeks ago his best friend, kirishima, had scolded him long and hard for allowing you to walk all over the explosive pro hero. maybe the redhead had been right, your words seem almost purposeful and calculated — designed to hit him right where it hurts. whether or not you’re aware of the fact.

“y’can’t keep doing this.” comes the blonde’s whisper, coasting just under his breath, so low that you almost miss it underneath the howling notes of the wind.

“what?” 

“please stop doing this.” bakugou says again, but firmer, shrugging your hands from his well-built torso like they’ve given him an electric shock. a flash of hurt lines itself across your beautifully crafted features like a film of dust clinging to a marble carved sculpture belonging to an art museum. he hates it, how he can still admire you and treasure you even when you torture him with a punishment of unrequited love. “you can’t keep comin’ here every time you get your heart broken, knowing how i feel about you. it’s fucked up, you’re fucking me up.” 

people have only ever dreamed of being able to bring the great dynamight down to his knees. a man of such power and force could never be shaken, especially with everything that he’s been through to get where he is today. 

the colour in your voice pales, the glint to your eyes dulls and you nervously reach out for your best friend only to be rejected which hurts more than any shitty break up you’ve ever had. “k-katsuki…kats, what are you talking about?” 

“you know exactly what i mean. don’t try to gaslight me or some shit.” katsuki puts it simply, fighting the lump in his throat that nearly stops him from being truthful. it’s always been a difficult task to push you away, “we play pretend, you come to me expectin’ me to lick your wounds ‘n shit. fuck, i’ve been doing it for the last ten years. since todoroki first rejected you in high school, then that guy from class 1B and then shindou from that other school once we went pro.”

he rambles relentlessly and you take every word while memories of each heartbreak flash brightly before your very eyes. it’s clear to you now, standing in front of him, that bakugou has been holding this, whatever this is, inside for far too long. concealing his emotions until his fuse was at its end and it all exploded to the surface. “katsuki stop it.” you say weakly, throat dry.

“fuck no! why should i?” the brash blonde spits venomously, his upper lip curling into an ugly sneer. one you’ve only ever seen when he’s talking to villains, or better yet, talking about your exes. “because it never stopped for me. you never stopped using me.” he blabs, but he’s hardly shouting — the mere fact that he isn’t freaks you out even more. “it’s so fucked up, i’ve been waiting for a chance with you for years. i never said yes to someone fuckin’ loving me for who i am. for all the shit that i come with because i was waitin’ for you.”  for nearly a decade you’ve been offering katsuki all the riches in the world, only to pry them from his warmth fingers and leave him for cold and death.

you could apologise right then and there, make things right, tell katsuki that it was him all along and those other guys meant nothing to you. it’s what he wants so badly, it’s the only thing that could make him forget all of this drama and take you back into his arms. instead, you retreat like a hermit crab back into its shell, stepping back and away from your best friend while selfishly curling in on yourself.

“i didn’t… i didn’t ask you to wait.” 

those words are like a lightening strike to the chest. the white flashbang outside illuminates your face for katsuki to see, guilt outlines the natural slopes and continue of your face and some kind of regret floods the black ink on your eyes. bakugou’s suspicions have been proven true. you’ve never wanted him, not in the way that he’s wanted you. it must be that. must be that you kept him around knowing he’d chase shooting stars and run to the end of a rainbow if it meant the prize was you.

“you didn’t have to,” katsuki’s breathing turns ragged, mimicking the uncontrollable winds of a brewing storm, and his anxiety peaks, spilling over the edge of a glass he’d tried to keep half full for so long. he knew this, all along, he knew that you’d reject him plain and simple but why does it feel like his world is ending. “would have done it anyways ‘cause i am…was… in love with you. you didn’t need to ask me because you knew i'd always be there.” 

it hurts, the truth, it burns like acid rain dissolving through a manmade structure. you hate the taste of it in the air, as katsuki’s words ring through it — undermining the heavy rain pelting down against his roof. you don’t know what to say or tell him, but instead of the contentedness of being close to the blonde you now feel a sudden sense of impending doom. an epiphany. a realisation that you’re going to lose your best friend because you took advantage of a bleeding heart.

you’ve never been the only one whose organs were ripped out and ever-loving corpse was left for dead. each time pieces of you died at every soul-crushing rejecting you’ve ever faced — katsuki has been right behind you, falling to pieces, decomposing, breaking apart… watching you mourn a relationship with someone else. 

someone that wasn’t him. 

words and apologies tangle in your throat and form a knot that blocks their passage. what do you even say to someone who has inadvertently confessed their love for you — something in which you’re not sure you even believe in anymore? “i-i’m… i’m sorry,” slowly, you take a step forward, blindly reaching out for katsuki in his living room shrouded by darkness and only temporarily lit up my lightening crashes. but he steps back, he retreats into a person he used to be — one that was nasty and cruel despite how much he cared.

bearing his fangs, katsuki defends himself from the only person who could truly ever hurt him. you. his walls build up and he snarls again. “i don’t care.” though, his voice wobbles and his eyes are glossy under the harsh white light of the lightening by strikes outside — he remains defensive. 

“i’m sorry,” you sullenly repeat. for what? not loving him? for using him? you’re not sure. “katsuki…i’m sorry—“ 

you sound so genuine, your voice so sweet and sorrowful — it’s almost enough to make the man melt, for his walls to fall away and his heart to open back up just for you. but bakugou knows better, if gives in and steps closer and holds you once more — the cycle will repeat. you’ll know that you can come to him whenever you want, and take advantage of his pathetic yearning and devotion to you. over and over again, for as long as you want. because if you call he’ll answer, always. 

not this time though.

katsuki bakugou steels himself as though he’s facing his greatest foe, his jaw hardens, his ruby red eyes flutter shut and his head shakes and he tries so hard to resist you. when he finally looks at you again, after what feels like an eternity, you’re hopeful in thinking that maybe this can be fixed and you can keep your best friend. however, you’ve seen katsuki’s expression on a dozen other faces before.

that look people give you when they tell you it’s over, when they grow tired of you, when they leave you. 

you know it all too well, the face of someone breaking up with you. 

except this time you’re not losing a half baked love, this time you’re losing someone who adored every part of you even if it was severely flawed. 

you’re losing your best friend. your katsuki.

and all it took was the clouds parting and the heavens crying for you to realise that.

꒰ end. — all rights reserved © tteokdoroki 2024. do not copy, repost, translate, feed into ai & recommend elsewhere.

[yourbestprincess]

OG Michael head cannons 🗣️ (I can’t stop thinking about him)

FLUFF-

-He would let you play with his curly hair, 100%.

-He takes pictures of you and you don’t even notice.

-He loves when you follow him around like a puppy. Why would he want to even be alone when you’re there?

-He stalks you just to make sure that you’re okay.

-You’re out with friends? No you’re not. He keeps a time limit on that shit. He needs attention from you too! (You left him for a hour)

-He would pick you up (dbd style) and just throw you over his shoulder whenever you’re being a pain in the ass, and you can’t even move from his grip because he’s so much bigger than you.

-He likes cats, he looks like a cat kinda guy. You would see a stray on the street and pick it up and he would just let you take it home.

-You guys are out and you’re getting tired? He’s gonna hold you, no matter how much you protest, your legs are gonna wrap around his sides and your arms are going to go around his neck. He’ll put his arms around your back to stabilize you. You doubt you’ll fall asleep like this…(you fell asleep 2 minutes after saying that)

-HE’S SO DAMN STUBBORN. Whatever he wants to happen WILL happen, no exceptions.

-He loves it so much when you wear his clothes. When you take a shower, he sets his shirt and boxers out for you to wear instead of your cute pj pants.

-He’a watching you at all times. He needs to know what you’re doing and how you’re doing it or else there’s a risk you could get hurt and he’s not willing to take that.

-He’s SO protective over you. He will kill for you.

-He likes to watch you do things when you knows he’s watching. He loves seeing your reaction to random stuff.

-He loves when you sit on his lap, he would keep you there all day if you’d let him.

-He LOVES LOVES LOVES kisses, this man will kiss you until your lips go numb. He doesn’t know what he’s doing but he loves kissing you.

-He drives you around wherever you wanna go.

-He’s always touching you, no matter what.

-He loves listening to you talk! He also likes listening to you rant, but be careful about who you talk shit about cause if they did anything to you, he’s killing them.

SMUT-

-He loves to breed you. He doesn’t really know what it means, but he loves cumming inside of you, EVERY time.

-If he’s having a good day then he’s more likely to take off his mask when you’re fucking, but if it was a bad day don’t expect his mask to come off because he’s using you as his fuck toy then.

-If he’s in a gentler mood, he gives you kisses while he bottoms out inside you.

-He loves when you say his name so much.

-He’s sooo dominate, he rarely lets you get on top, and if you do…TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT cause it’s probably not gonna happen again for a loooong time.

-He’s so big….both ways.

-He mouths your name instead of saying it even though he tries.

-Each time you guys fuck you see more and more emotion on his face!

-You’ll definitely be able to see a tummy bulge cause of how big he is…

-He loves when you whine and cry for him.

-He LOVES to overstimulate you until you’re sobbing and begging him to stop.

-He attempts aftercare and he’s started getting ‘good’ at it. In his eyes you laying on him and him putting his arm around you afterwards is exquisite aftercare. (I still love him 🙏)

-He tries not to make any noise but he ends up grunting…a lot.

-He will gently pull your hair or choke you if you’re not letting him do what he needs to do.

-If he sees that you’re visibly uncomfortable with something that he’s doing, he will never do it again, unless you convince him otherwise and that would be really hard.

-He will go up behind you and purposely scare you and that really turns him on.

[extremely-judgemental]

Welcome to another one of my long rants!

Media has been violence porn for men since forever with female characters reduced to no more than an object to project their fantasies onto. So, when I read a book written by a so-called feminist woman who writes about badass female leads and feminist characters, and uses major societal issues to push her narratives, I’m expecting her to treat them for what they are and not brownie points for her creativity and aesthetics for her characters.

I'm glossing over every abuse mentioned in the ACOTAR books. I won't be taking responsibility for your reactions if you choose to read.

SJM loves trauma dumping, especially on her female characters. Whether a lead or a supporting role, every one of them undergoes a form of abuse.

Feyre is sexually assaulted by Rhysand for two months on top of being starved, imprisoned and forced to participate in life-threatening games. After this, she becomes a victim of domestic violence at Tamlin’s mansion. But in her apparent safer life with Rhysand, she’s thrown into the house of the Weaver—a death god whom even the ‘most powerful HL’ himself is afraid of. From there, the amount of physical violence she suffers is lessened though she becomes a perpetrator herself. And then, there is the impossible pregnancy (because even in a book about her sister, Feyre can’t take a fucking backseat) that even the best minds in the Prythian can’t save her from (since apparently these two bigger-than-thou are the only ones to ever mate or crossbreed).

Nesta is abused at the hands of her mother and grandmother, and she’s neglected by her father. She’s sexually assaulted by the man she intended to marry. She’s thrown into the Cauldron against her will and killed—which is equivalent to SA. She’s exploited in a war when she has no experience or training. She’s verbally abused by her sister’s family and disrespected. She’s imprisoned, tortured and tamed like an animal by the man she’s meant to end up with. She’s emotionally manipulated and psychologically abused by Cassian in the entirety of SF. She’s sexually abused by a Kelpie and to some extent by Lanthys. She’s kidnapped again and thrown into a game where she’s hunted and expected to kill.

Elain suffers the same fate as Nesta during the transformation. She’s later kidnapped by Hybern and the Cauldron during the war. (And in her book, I will bet anything that either some heinous abuse she suffered in the past from Graysen/his father or before her rescue from Hybern’s camp will come up, or she will be abused somehow by at least one man. Given how Rhysand abused Feyre and Cassian abused Nesta, I won’t be surprised if SJM drags Lucien down the same path as well because that woman’s idea of romance is hurting someone and apologising which is the equivalence of vulnerability in her stories. She would even use the ‘fire in his veins’ to push this, something he couldn’t control or whatever.)

Morrigan is brutalised by her father and dumped naked in unknown lands. Her abuse is so grotesquely described and too twisted for her crime of sleeping with a man out of wedlock.

Emerie loses her wings to wing-clipping, an improper method no less. Later on, she is abused by her father after he killed his wife in the same way. She even digs her own mother’s grave on his orders. She’s kidnapped and forced into Blood Rite for being a woman and wanting to never be abused by men again.

Gwyneth is r*ped by Hybern men. And she suffers the same as Nesta and Emerie for wanting to grow stronger and defend herself in the future.

Lady Autumn is abused by her husband.

Cressida suffers under Amarantha’s rule. (I don’t remember how exactly but I know it was mentioned somewhere. Remind me if you know.)

Clotho, other priestesses—all of them end up in the library after they suffered at the hands of men. They are too afraid of the world and broken by their trauma that they are content to spend the rest of their years never once leaving the library even for daily lives.

Almost every woman in SJM’s books is tormented in so many ways and it’s always the men who perpetuate it. And this is a theme that spans over all of her books, not just this series. Micah abuses Bryce. Pollux SA’s Lydia. I haven’t read TOG nor am I planning to, but I know there’s something in there to pick about.

I don’t mind a little violence and I don’t mind representation of such issues in a female oriented books. What I can’t tolerate is the idea is that a woman has to endure such things and rise above it all and only then she can be labelled ‘strong’.

Elain is the only soft character so far as SJM wants to keep that ‘inclusive writer’ status, and this pattern is also seen in the CC series where June is the only soft-spoken female and every other woman is either rageful or a fighter.

These characters are introduced with violence, their whole identity revolves around this. Their emotional intelligence, capacity and growth all stem from violence and how they heal from it. Feyre’s MO is her hunting and her trauma. But there’s no self-reflection to drive her growth. It’s her relationship with Rhysand that takes precedence and even then the SA is swept under the rug. Same with Nesta—her trauma is on the forefront while her healing is so vague and none of her real issues are ever addressed. In fact, violence is a core part of her healing. During majority of her screen time, Elain cries, suffers and gets rescued. Morrigan is all hatred and trauma and wine. Emerie and Gwyneth have depth but the first thing anyone recognises in either of them is their trauma—Emerie’s wings and Gwyneth’s indefinite abode in the library.

Clotho’s past alone is enough to prove SJM’s obsession with women’s pain. Clotho is not a major character and she has little screen time and yet her abuse is described in such detail for pages and often. Even a fleeting character like Lady of Autumn suffers the same fate. SJM’s idea of cruelty in men is perpetuating physical violence against women.

Moreover, all of these characters have the sense of justice and power which are strongly rooted in these abuses. None of them see the cruelty in the world and choose to stand up to it or fight it unless they have suffered too. As if one can have strength and courage only if they have been broken down by a man first. Like their fight can’t be driven by kindness and compassion for the people around them.

See, my female hero doesn’t have to be abused by every man as a trial for her to overcome. She doesn’t have to be a siren 24x7 seducing men left and right. She doesn’t have to sleep around with different men every night to let me know she’s likeable. She doesn’t have to kill in every chapter to be strong or brave. She doesn’t have to be sex on stick to be beautiful. She doesn’t have to have big boobs or ass in leathers to be beautiful. She doesn’t have to be thin and fair to desirably moderately tanned or dressed in skimpy dresses to nothing at all times. And she doesn’t have to have miracle sex with her abuser partner to heal every one of her traumas.

It’s infuriating how criticising these books calls for such hatred when these topics are exposed to young audience without proper warnings or sensitive measures. These are defended as written for and marketed to NA as if the brains of the 17 year olds level up to the full functioning adult brain overnight when they turn 18. The first book is still sold as YA and there is no warning in it either for the amount of violence, gore, SA in it. Even if the latter books are NA, someone who reads the first one in a series is bound to pick up the sequels.

SJM hides behind these technicalities and refuses to educate herself or take accountability for all these toxic narratives she’s passing off as feminism and ideal romantic relationships. She shouldn’t be writing about these topics as she herself has a warped concept of violence and she can’t recognise the different kinds of SA and uses it freely to pass them as sexual tension like in case of Feyre and Nesta.

She’s not the best fantasy writer out there. She’s not a progressive, feminist writer. She doesn’t even respect her own female characters for more than playing out her fantasies with these ‘ideal’ men she created in her head. If anything, SJM writes like a man who hates women.

[ashela-ley]

I think Cartman hates jewish people and -Kyle- too much to be vulnerable like you've depicted. No matter what level of physical attraction he might feel.

Hi there, thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I wrote a whole-ass novel in response so here's the TL;DR so you don't actually have to read all that: I agree that the comic is OOC but I don't think it's because of Cartman's hatred of Kyle or Jewish people.

Sorry for misusing your message to go on a somewhat loosely related rant but I've been meaning to write this for a while and it came as a convenient excuse lmao _

I agree with you regarding the vulnerability. I don't think Cartman would voice his feelings like that unless (he could claim that) it's a farce (e.g., Jenny Simons, "Cartman Finds Love") or the other person shows interest in him first so he feels safe from rejection (Heidi, initially - not opening that whole can of worms rn lol). For example, he treated his attraction to Patty Nelson as a big secret, apparently not even considering ever confessing to her, and that's most likely because he was expecting the reaction she did end up giving him since, beneath his self-deceit, he's excruciatingly aware of the fact that he's actually not exactly highly regarded by his peers.

It's a lot of work upholding the façade he's build for himself of being this cool, esteemed person and it cracks easily even without direct outside influence (for example when Clyde Frog or Cupid Me insult him) so he really, really doesn't deal with rejection very well. Him being this vulnerable to Kyle specifically and then getting rejected would be absolutely catastrophic for him, so I agree that he wouldn't put himself in that position. However, it's my opinion that the most OOC thing about the comic is the fact that he simply acknowledges that Kyle hates him. I don't actually think he'd just accept that but would instead convince himself that it isn't true ("Kyle has internalized homophobia" or better yet "Kyle doesn't think he's worthy of someone as cool and awesome as me") and then do some crazy shit to try and win him over.

So yeah, you're right: He Would Not Fucking Say That. I don't think his hatred of Kyle and/or Jewish people is the reason he wouldn't, though, as I believe Cartman's feelings towards Kyle and Judaism are a lot more complicated than that. It's not without reason that his relationships with both are such a big part of the show and that people smarter than me have written whole essays on the topic lmao

I feel the need to clarify that I am in no way trying to excuse any of Cartman's antisemitism! I'd just like to voice a few thoughts on its origin and evolution.

Cartman is clearly weirdly obsessed with both Kyle and his religion and obviously they are linked. While I suppose initially it might have been a bit of a chicken-egg situation ("He hates Kyle because he hates Jews" vs. "He hates Jews because he hates Kyle"), I believe originally his antisemitism may have simply been a byproduct of his fascination with the third reich, which itself I think was mostly a result of his enjoyment of envisioning himself as a dictator (i.e. the ultimate authority figure) and as such was actually pretty surface-level - as is evident from the fact that for a long time he didn't seem to fully grasp what exactly Judaism even IS (as shown when he apologizes to Kyle for calling him a Jew or when he uses the term as an insult towards Stan and Kenny). Still, I very much dislike it when people try to downplay his bigotry as naivety. That really doesn't hold any water after very early on in the show, if it ever even did in the first place, since he definitely acts from a place of malice and over time his fixation on the religion seems to have developed into something bigger. He's learnt more about it and it became much more synonymous with Kyle for him (the order of which is also debatable but I of course lean a certain way). At this point in the show I believe it's safe to say that he wouldn't be nearly as obsessed with Judaism if Kyle wasn't Jewish. While Cartman is obviously a bigoted asshole in many ways, he's not nearly as preoccupied with other minority groups as he is with Jews and he has even shown himself to be surprisingly tolerant of homosexuals and disabled people (who, of course, were also heavily persecuted under Nazism).

I really do think that "Jewpacabra" did leave a lasting impact on his character. It's pretty obvious that he was being genuine at the end of of the episode and actually did intent on self-identifying as Jewish from then on (and iirc M&T confirmed as much in the commentary to that episode and explained that they just sort of… forgot about that lol) and then in "Shots" he does claim to be Jewish and while that may have been in an attempt to get a vaccination exemption, the aforementioned commentary makes me believe it may not exclusively be that.

Notably, he specifically calls himself an "Orthodox Jew", which Kyle obviously doesn't seem to be and that ties in nicely with him becoming a rabbi in PC and making the religion his entire personality - because it's not enough to become Jewish: He needs to beat Kyle at being Jewish.

Of course, Cartman never actually stops being antisemitic before the time skip but then "Cupid Ye" implies that that isn't even a fully conscious decision that he can completely control but instead at least partially caused by whatever he has going on mentally. He even actively attempts to counteract it when he decides that it has gone too far. That's my take on the episode, at least. Obviously the whole thing with Cupid Me is kind of messy. No matter what exactly is actually happening there, I do think the his actions here prove that his feelings regarding the matter are more complex than they may initially appear to be.

Though I know it's still a point of contention for many, to me personally it seems pretty clear that him being a rabbi and a family man in PC was authentic and that he wasn't simply messing with Kyle the entire time. However, I find it extremely interesting that Cartman converted BEFORE meeting Yentl so I actually don't see any way in which Kyle didn't have any part in that and as such I don't think he would have ever become a rabbi if Kyle didn't happen to be Jewish. So my personal headcanon is that while Cartman's conversion was indeed directly influenced by Kyle, he actually did end up finding fulfillment in the faith and it ironically helped him let go of his obsession with him (which I think fits the show's style of humor).

To summarize: As a shipper I may be biased but I think that Cartman is a disturbed little boy who grows up to be a disturbed little man who fails to fully understand his feelings towards Kyle and - as an extension of that - the Jewish faith and thus lashes out into extremes regarding it.

[sunnysidestories]

Introductions Pt 2

Pt 1

Pt 3

Summary: Reader is a vigilante on young justice who goes to the same school as Walls. Only Wally doesn't know the readers identity, but she knows his. SLOW BURN

Wally West x Fem!Reader

"Hi, I'm Wally West. It's nice to meet you."

As his voice rang in my ears, and he seemed to look back at his book, my heart would begin to race. I sat there for a moment too long, so I quickly would pick up my own voice, even if it cracked. "I'm y/n l/n. It's nice to meet you too." He doesn't know. He can't know.

Wally would once again look back up from the textbook, his eyes seeming to scan along my face. "You're not new. I know you." shit. "Well, I just changed classes, not schools. I've been at Keystone my whole life. I'm just not the most popular person."

"Oh cool, I hope you like the advanced course. If you ever need any help I'll gladly give you my number. Science is one of the only things I seem to be good at." he genuinely doesn't know? I'm glad, at least this is my chance. Let's find out who Kid Flash is under all the spandex.

He's a nerd. He's a total nerd.

Often, before class, I would find myself in a conversation about the latest scientific fact, most of them being obscure. He seemed to always speak with his hands, a grin never leaving his face. I found out his uncle is a forensic chemist, which helps explain his passion for all things scientific. Even if he didn't outwardly say it, I could tell he meant a lot to him. But when the class would eventually begin, Wally would totally shut off the conversation, rarely continuing it over a note. He took the class very seriously.

He's not exactly how I would have expected him to be. Compared to how he is as Kid Flash, he's much more sporadic. He seems to always lead a conversation, which I don't always mind, but when he asked me about what I liked one time, he didn't interrupt. He let me rant for a while before I realized what I was doing, though he only encouraged me to go on with a smile.

...

"So that's why I've got to go to Central City for the week." Wally lied about some other excuse for a mission. It felt wrong knowing he's really going to fight crime. I have no room to talk, really. I'll be busy at Keystone myself. I wonder how much of it is actually a lie and how much is really fact.

"It's fine, I understand it's not your fault, but i'll miss you." Wally seemed to avoid eye contact almost if my comment had made him uncomfortable. I was telling the truth though, I would miss him. Even more than I would like to admit. I didn't pressure him about it further as the class went on.

But when it was time for us to take notes from the textbook, and the whole class was sent on their own, Wally would slide me a folded piece of notebook paper. He didn't even look at me, so if any outside eyes had seen the exchange, it would look as if he was returning something of mine. I would quietly open the slip to be greeted by Wally's hastily written writing.

Hey, text me the work I'll miss next week

My eyes scanned the page only to land on his number at the bottom. He could just get it from the teacher, but the fact he trusted me enough with his perfect grade was flattering. Wally's handwriting is another one of those things I didn't think would differ from note to note. Ones he had the time to write at home are always much neater, though his handwriting is much bigger than normal standards would accept, I don't mind. The notes he writes me at school are always messy, almost like he's trying to write faster than he can but doesn't want to use his speed, so in the end, it's just much slopper. If one didn't know Wally, they could rightfully assume the contrast between his writing could be the work of two different people.

Sure, but is it just for the notes right?

I would put in my own words under his before slipping it back to him. He would immediately slide it back into my hands. I didn't even think he wrote anything until I opened it again. This time, his handwriting was perfectly placed, almost as if it was typed.

Yes.

I tuck the paper in my jacket pocket, I'll put it in my drawer with the rest when I get home. I feel bad about throwing them away, so they sit in my bedside table, its not like anyone would ever go into my room and find them anyway. Sometimes, I like to read over them before I go on patrol. It reminds me of our conversation at the warehouse. One where I'm not as alone as I think I am.

Yet the nervous tapping of Wally's pencil brings me back to the class. He taps it ten times before flipping the pencil back over, continuing to write. No matter what, he seemed to always tap it ten times. In a way, it felt like he knew I zoned off. It was him bringing me back to everything. Even if it wasn't intentional. Wally fidgets a lot when he tries to focus or distract himself, the repetitive movements being a form of comfort.

...

It's Tuesday now, and I'm perched on top of a building in full gear. My phone sits in my hand with Wally's contact staring back at me. I need to text him the work from yesterday. I haven't even said hello yet. Hello is too formal, we are friends, a hey would fit better.

These past two days have been abnormally quiet. His empty seat in class is only a reminder of why he's really gone. I hope he's okay.

FLEETFEET

Hey, it's y/n. Here's the work from yesterday and today. Hope everything is okay in CC

2 attachments  sent 11:20 pm

I would sit there for a bit, looking at the screen. Maybe he's already on some sort of mission. Why is texting so stressful? As soon as I started to shut off my phone, it would light back up with his reply.

FLEETFEET

2 attachments seen 11:27 pm

Hey y/n! Central City has

been pretty cool, my Uncle Barry

showed me around his work at Star Labs today. That place is surprisingly

really huge. Thanks for sending

the work.

Seen 11:27 pm

Sooooo wyd?

Seen 11:28 pm

Its almost midnight, he should really go to sleep. I should really start patrol. This really isn't a good idea.

Nothing much hbu? just watching

traffic go by. I swear I've seen three

crashes in the span of two

hours ppl r wild.

Seen 11:31 pm

Dude you should see it here.

Traffic is actually so slow it

makes me want

to scream. We sat at a

red light for 4 whole mins.

Seen 11:31 pm

Oh. My. God. 4 whole mins?!1!

How can they do that to you!

Don't they know who you are!!!

Seen 11:33 pm

The hottest guy alive thats who.

Seen 11:34

I couldn't help but laugh at his statement. Typing back a quick 'pls lol' before turning off my phone. It was getting too late I needed to start. I wish he was here, sometimes I could get a glance of the yellow and red highlight speeding by back home, on this road, about this time. He never worked late at night. That was more left up for the other heros, ones like me. I look to the streets, the dim lights from the lamps only shone back with a faint glow. No streak of color to be seen, but a part of me hoped it would still apear.

My night was full of stopping petty crimes, luckily I didn't have to go against any metahumans, but still like any other night everything would start to hurt after a certain threshold. Inbeetween threats I would find myself checking to see if Wally had kept our conversation going.

He did.

Until 4 am.

He was asking me mostly about myself, which was weird in a way. But in another, it made sense. The questions were more deep then anything since he already had asked the basic getting to know each other questions months ago. In the end, though, he stopped the conversation telling me to head to sleep, as I had school in the morning. Which was true. Even after patrol, I was still texting him from the comfort of my home, but I would eventually listen, heading to get some rest.

The week would continue the same as the night before. I was sending Wally the work and him dragging on our conversation throughout the night, but never long enough for the sun to rise the next day. On Saturday was when one of his messages caught me by surprise.

FLEETFEET

Are you free to call?

Seen 1:12 am

Before I could even protest how that could be a bad idea or how that might reveal who I was, his contact was flashing onto my screen along with his picture. I place the phone to my ear and answer it. I hoped the interstate couldn't be audible up from here.

"I told you shes not going to- hey! Hey..."

Wally's voice picks up on the other line, he seems to be in some sort of living room, as the hum of a television can be heard in the background as well as someone else having a conversation.

"Hey Walls? What's up?" My voice sounded strained from not speaking for hours, I hoped Wally couldn't tell. "Oh, um, I was just wondering about some of the work you sent me. Like you took the photos of the work perfectly okay, but in the background, I saw something." At the word something, his voice would slightly jump.

Did I leave my equipment in a photo? was my reflection shown? Was it something he wasn't supposed to see?

"Yeah It's-It's going to sound really stupid. What... what were those papers spread out on your bed?" Oh. Ohhhhh no. The notes, I left out his notes on my bed. I must have got some of them into the frame. I quickly opened out a chat to the last photo. There they were. Luckily, they were not in focus, so he couldn't really tell what they said, but still. There they were.

His voice would start up again after my second of silence. "Are they really swamping you with that much work?" "Yeah, yeah. My other class, a big final its uh its is coming up, so I was studying the notes." I let out a sigh of relief. "But that's not your handwriting? It actually kind of looks like-"

"Wally, I have to go. I'll see you Monday at school."

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

That was terrible. He would never let me live that down if I told him I was keeping such things. That even more was embarrassing, I have to explain why I had to go. And I have until Monday for these excuses. Which is technically tomorrow. Fun.

...

I was saved. I got called into a mission before school at Mt. Justice. Even though Wally would be there, y/n technically wouldn't. When I arrived, he was already in costume talking to Megan about something. He still did the thing with his hands while he spoke. Making his statements larger than life and thoroughly exaggerated. "I just don't know what to do. I trust her more than anything, I wish she would just tell me. It's not like im going to judge her. She knows that. I mean, you heard the conversation. "

His back was turned to me, so I couldn't see his face while he went on. Although I knew what he was talking about. "Hey Megan. Hey Wally." I waved at the two while I walked past them to the kitchen. "H/n! You're a girl. I need advice. What do I do when my friend is keeping stuff from me." I would stop and slowly turn around to his pleading gaze. "Walls, aren't you keeping stuff from her? You have to trust her in that sort of regard. Give her time to open up."

"Thats...Fair." Wally would drop himself back to normal as my words got through to him. "Besides, it took me a while to realize I trusted you." Both in and out of costume. I do. I trust him more than anything. More than anyone.

So I should have told him. He said he wasn't going to judge me, and I know he wouldn't have. I let my emotions get the better of me at the moment, If he asks again, I'll tell him the truth. No matter what.

...

The mission went by with a breeze, the biggest threat being now as Robin sent Wally falling towards me at full speed. I ended up catching the both of us before he could send us tumbling over a building. I held us there for a while, my arms wrapped around him in a hug. He just looked at me. His heightened breathing trailed my neck as he grasped onto my arms. He didn't admit it, but he was scared, I was too. Fifteen stories were a lot to fall from.

The other heroes, as well as criminals, paid us no attention, too occupied in their own fights, as I held Wally at the edge of the roof. One of my feet hanging halfway off. I was closer to falling than he was. My back was to the city.

"Hey, h/n." Was all he said as his face began to knowticablely regain too much color. "Hey West." Wally would move his head to rest in the crook of my neck as he tried to calm his rapid breathing. He told me late at night over text one time he was scared of heights.

As I started to try to move us back away from the edge, Wally would only plant himself in my hold even more. I needed to help him snap back into the situation. Before he messed up and tipped us over.

"Wally. You've never asked me who I am before." Trust. He needs to trust me. "Be...Bec..Cause! You're not comfortable... ye-yet."  Inbeetween words, he would let out large audible gasping. "You won't judge me, right?" He shook his head side to side, keeping his eyes remained shut. I would let out a sigh of my own.

"I trust you. Kid Flash, I need you to trust me. Not only as h/n but as y/n. y/n l/n. The one who's going to get you off this roof. Back to the ground floor."

[humblequestvinyl]

dial drunk

DIAL DRUNK, FISHER BROTHERS X SISTER!READER!

APART OF THE ‘WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOREVER’ SERIES,

SUMMARY: after susannah fisher’s favorite holiday, and the fisher siblings throwing one last house party, y/n fisher dials drunk the one person she thinks could save the house.

inspired by dial drunk by noah kahan

◀ ⏸ ▶

lowercase is intentional! wc: 2.4k

warnings: heavy drinking, cursing, a breakdown, fighting & s2 ep 6 spoilers (kinda!)

a/n: i’ve been OBSESSED with 5sos lately but omg 1989tv soon??? also THE SCENE WITH BELLY AND SUSANNAH?? killed me absolutely! anyway possibly taking a quick break with this series and hopping on another on the way series quickly! <333

THE HANGOVER Y/N WOKE UP WITH THE NEXT MORNING WAS WORSE THAN SHE EXPECTED.

and definitely not where she expected to wake up.

seeing her bedroom surrounding her, with a collage of pictures, and taylor swift vinyls hanging from the wall wasn’t what she expected, but yet, here she was.

she also didn’t expect to hear yelling coming from downstairs.

so as the h/c slipped on a sweatshirt, she slowly made her way down the hall, hearing her brothers arguing– actually yelling at someone, and to say the least, she was surprised. jeremiah never yelled, and when he did he was absolutely pissed.

“you never even cared enough to come here in the summertime! this is mom’s place and the only thing we’ve got left of her!”y/n heard conrad yell as she finally made it to the entryway of the kitchen, seeing her brothers with their backs to her, but her e/c eyes met matching ones.

“what is he doing here?”y/n questioned, and her brothers heads snapped towards her, and they could see anger flash through her eyes before she locked it down, keeping a blank face.

“the bigger question is what are the three of you doing here?”their father, adam questioned as y/n pushed towards the front of her brothers, staring her father directly in the face, “you three aren’t supposed to be here and you know that!”

“and?”y/n shrugged, grabbing a bottle of water from the cabinet knowing she needed it, “it took you over a week to realize the three of us were here, and one minor was left unattended. i don’t really think us being here is that big of a deal.”

“it really is.”adam told her sternly, and she threw her hands up in the air, fed up with her father, “why! please enlighten me on why it is that big of a deal that we are here!”

“we’re here every single summer and i don’t see why us keeping that-”y/n’s rant was cut off by conrad, with a solemn look on his face knowing the news he was about to break was going to kill his baby sister.

“y/n he’s selling the house.”

y/n’s face dropped as she looked dead into her fathers eyes, knowing deep down her eldest brother was right, but she refused to believe it.

“tell me he’s kidding.”she begged, knowing that if they lost this house, the final nail in the coffin to her childhood would be gone, “tell me this is some type of sick fucking joke!”

“it’s not.”adam pressed his lips into a fine line, seeing his youngest’s face drop but no emotion escaped from his except for anger, “you three need to leave by the end of this week. all of your belongings out of the house and back to boston.” 

y/n stood there for a few moments, before glancing over at conrad and jeremiah who both shook their heads, telling her there wasn’t anything they’d be able to do. 

after a few moments, the h/c girl turned back to her father, with a stone cold face knowing if she didn’t her anger would take over, “no.”

“no?”adam questioned, seeing what susannah always called ‘his mini me’ staring right back at him, “i am your father y/n, i am the one in charge here-”

“mom left me a trust. i want to use it.”she reminded him, and adam shook his head, “it is my trust, it is under my name-”

“you don’t have access to it until you’re 21.”conrad spoke up, causing y/n to snap her head towards him, “beast we’ve tried everything.”

the two stared at each other, before adam grabbed his things, and walked through them towards the front door, “you three have until friday!”

y/n watched as the photos that hung of her mother and laurel shake as her father slammed the front door, and it wasn’t long before his car had left the driveway leaving the fisher siblings alone once again.

“there has to be something else we can do.”y/n broke the silence as she started to pace the kitchen, “there has to be fucking something!”

“there’s nothing else that we can do n/n.”jeremiah spoke up, with worry filling him knowing his baby sister was about to snap, “we’ve tried absolutely everything.”

“there has to be something else!”she yelled, leaving her brothers standing there in shock, before she pushed past them, grabbing her phone and wallet, leaving the house.

as they always said, like father, like daughter.

—-

IT WAS HOURS BEFORE Y/N HAD RETURNED BACK TO THE SUMMER HOUSE.

doing everything she could to brainstorm to try and get the house to stay in their possession, and not go to some random family who wouldn’t make the same memories that they had.

when she finally returned back to the house with another coffee in her hand, she noticed a different car in the driveway that hadn’t been there when she left. walking into the house, she heard a laughter coming from the kitchen, just like how it should’ve been.

“i’m telling you as soon as y/n get’s back we’re planning this out.”jeremiah chuckled right as y/n peaked her head into the kitchen, and a small smile spread across her face seeing some of her favorite people.

“what the hell are you two doing here?”y/n questioned as belly conklin tackled the girl into a hug, and she saw steven chuckling in the background.

“one last summer blowout at beck’s house.”conrad told her, causing a bigger smile to spread across her face knowing they were about to have the time of their lives, “tomorrow night around 8.”

“when do we start decorating?”y/n questioned with a shimmer of joy in her eyes, something the fisher boys hadn’t seen in almost two months.

“we go shopping tomorrow, but for tonight we’re just going to enjoy everything.”steven explained, before giving the girl a wide smile,

“now come here, i still haven’t gotten a hug yet!”

—-

IT WAS OVER TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER THAT BOTH BELLY AND Y/N SAT IN Y/N’S ROOM GETTING READY FOR THE PARTY,

both in retro outfits, and belly sat in front of the h/c girl, putting purple eyeshadow on her to match the shirt she was wearing.

“so how are things with you and emerson?”belly brought up as she went to grab another color, and y/n shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that question, “its going.”

“i hadn’t talked to her since the funeral, and then two nights ago she was at the same party i was at, and i was drunk.”y/n explained as belly finished up the girls eye makeup, and went to grab lipstick, “and the next morning i woke up to find out that my dad was selling the house.”

“try and talk to her tonight.”belly told the girl as she painted her lips a dark red, “she loves you a lot y/n and she knows that you didn’t push her away for shits and giggles.”

“if i’m not so drunk by the time we can talk then yeah, i’ll talk to her.”y/n mumbled as belly gave the girl a soft smile knowing that she never meant to push away the one girl she loved the most.

quickly standing up, belly helped the sixteen year old up, and wrapped her in a tight side hug as they started to exit her room and go downstairs, “c’mon, we’ve got some partying to do.”

as soon as the two made it to the bottom of the stairs, they strapped on the roller blades they had found in the garage, and started to skate around the house while karma by taylor swift was blasting through the speakers cam cameron had found.

it was a few hours before y/n had actually found emerson, and when she did, she was drunk. a bottle of vodka in her hand, and a wide smile on her face as soon as she spotted the brunette standing at the kitchen island talking with her older brothers.

“emmy!”the e/c girl exclaimed, causing emerson to have a small smile on her face as she saw y/n skating towards her, “where have you been?”

“right here sweet girl.”emerson chuckled as she wrapped an arm around the girls waist, making sure she didn’t lose balance and fall, “didn’t know you could skate n/n.”

“when i was little i wanted to be a figure skater.”y/n grinned, before letting out a gasp and turning towards conrad who was standing right beside emerson, “do you still have the polaroid camera?”

conrad nodded, before y/n turned towards emerson with the biggest grin on her face, “emmy we’ve gotta take one.”

“and so we do my girl.”emerson nodded, before conrad stepped in front of the two and y/n wrapped her arms around emerson’s neck.

a flash lit up the dark room before the photo printed, and conrad had handed it to his little sister as she waited for it to develop before she went off to somewhere else, presumably to change the music considering it had changed to some type of country song she hated.

“that’s so cute!”the fisher girl exclaimed as soon as it developed, before she turned to emerson, “can you hold this?”

emerson nodded, before gently taking the polaroid she knew the girl would cherish, and y/n grinned, pressing a quick kiss to the brunettes cheek, “thank you!”

and with that she skated off, finding belly and the two skated towards the room where cam cameron was DJing, requesting the song be changed.

hours had passed since emerson had last seen y/n, and she quickly found the girl standing in the ocean, with the bottle of vodka almost gone.

“whatcha doing out here?”emerson questioned as she joined the girl, standing right next to her and y/n took another swig of the vodka.

“too suffocating.”

the girls stood in silence for a few moments before y/n felt a tear slip down her face, and she took another sip from the almost empty bottle in her hands, “my dads selling the house.”

“i know.”

y/n let the bottle slip through her hands and crash into the ocean as she turned to look at emerson with her mouth slightly open, “you what-”

“i’ve known for awhile sunshine.”emerson told the girl softly, and anger spread across the h/c girl’s face.

“you fucking what!”she yelled as she stumbled back, and emerson quickly grabbed the girl before picking her up bridal style, carrying her out of the water.

“emerson scott let me fucking go!”y/n yelled, but emerson didn’t listen until they were a good distance away from the water, gently putting the girl on her feet, “emerson what the fuck!”

“y/n you’re drunk.”emerson told the girl, trying to stay calm knowing that the girl she loved was about to explode.

“you knew and you didn’t tell me?”y/n shouted as she stumbled back a bit, “you saw the for sale sign and didn’t have the common courtesy to call me?”

“you know how much this house means to my brothers, the conklin’s and i, and yet you didn’t call any-!”y/n was cut off by emerson shaking her head, “i called conrad.”

“oh so you can call conrad but you can’t bother to call the girl who you claim to love the most!”y/n threw her hands up in the air as she had tears involuntarily slipping down her face, “i can’t fucking believe you wouldn’t call me about this!”

“y/n when i called conrad to tell him and i bought up the fact that i was going to call you next, he told me not to.”she explained and y/n gave her a look with glossy e/c eyes, causing the brunette to realize that she was too far gone to realize what she was saying.

“fucking forget it!”y/n yelled as she stormed towards the house where some shitty morgan wallen song was playing, and ran up the stairs, tripping on the last one before she was able to make it into her room.

a sob broke from the girls lips as she locked her door, before lying down on her bed and flipping to her contacts to call the only person who could help them. it rang four times before it went to voicemail, causing a sob to rip through the girl knowing that nothing was fine.

“this is laurel parks, please leave a message and i’ll get back to you as soon as i can.”laurel’s voice spoke through the phone, before a beep rang through the phone, and the girl sobbed.

“laurel,”y/n sobbed, gripping the roots of her hair, “we need you.”

“dad’s selling the summer house to someone and won’t even hear conrad, jeremiah and i out on it and–” another loud sob broke through the girl, not feeling heartbreak this bad since her mom had died, “he can’t sell the house! we need to keep this house.”

“and i want my mom back.”y/n continued to cry, letting everything she had been feeling the last two months go, “conrads going to miss his exams and i fought with emerson and everything is wrong!”

“laurel please.”y/n begged as she felt her eyes getting heavier from the crying and the alcohol, “please just come and fix it.”

with that, the voicemail ended, and the girl slowly drifted off to sleep with tears streaming down her face like there was no tomorrow, and her phone slowly slipping out of her hand, onto the bed.

little did the fisher girl know, she had just dialed drunk the only person who would be able to save the summer house.

[officialdaydreamer00]

House fire

ROLLO FLAMME — in which one can predict a student exchange program might go south real quick

COLLAB WORK with @unfictinalnightmare for [The chimes of comfort]

CONTENT — takes place after glorious masquerade, our yuusonas (hillary and irene) are yuu, silly shenanigans with hillary and irene, encounter with 3/4 diasomnia oh no D: , little crumbs of mallerene

A/N — lol i have returned for a bit :)

Do reblog or comment if you enjoy my work! ^-^

TAGGINGS — @cloudcountry @identity-theft-101 @xen-blank @esmerulia-chantelle @dove-da-birb @cookiesandbiscuits @vioisgoinginsane @siren-serenity @loser-jpg @axvwriter @edith-is-a-cat @le-monchou @thehollowwriter @taruruchi @cyanide-latte @aqua-beam @ferris-thewheel + others :3 

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4: Encounter with Diasomnia || Chapter 5

After a while of shopping, the group of three humans and one monster returned to Night Raven College.

The students parted ways for the Prefects, but curious eyes followed Rollo with every step he took. Some looked confused, others sent him unpleasant stares. He could tune them out, no problem.

As they arrived back to Ramshackle dorm, however, a situation they didn't expected happened.

"Irene, Morutel, and... Flamme?"

Malleus came to visit the dorm on a whim, as usual. But this time, he had Silver and Sebek with him.

Such a sudden encounter with both parties who didn't like each other to begin with would not end well. And of course, it proceeded to turn into an even bigger mess, much to the Prefect duo's dismay.

"YOU AGAIN!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Sebek yelled out, making everyone in the vicinity flinch in surprise.

Grim found his hands flew up to cover his ears from the louder than normal yell. Silver quickly stood in front of Malleus, ready to protect him from Rollo. Said perpetrator of this commotion was watching with a blank stare, silently asking the Righteous Judge why he had to curse him with an encounter with Draconia the moment he stepped a foot into NRC.

What a cruel joke fate had set him up with.

"Wait- Sebek, no!"

Hillary was quick to stop Sebek, who was roughly grabbing Rollo by the collar of his shirt, and tried to separate them. Meawhile, Irene, as calm as she could manage, explained what had happened to Malleus and Silver.

Understanding the situation, Malleus only then told Sebek to let go of Rollo. If a fight broke out without being stopped, their two Prefects would rain hell on the student body.

No one wanted to be put through their strange spells and unorthodox potions, never again.

"You are a guest to our school, you should have been treated as such. My apologies for Sebek's rudeness, Flamme." Malleus gave Rollo a simple smile, though it made the hairs on the back of the silverette's neck stand up.

Rollo knew for sure, that smile was anything but sunshine and rainbows. That and the hostile auras exuding from his two knights. However, Rollo couldn't just leave it at that and accept such defeat.

Beside magic, the thing he couldn't stand the most in this world was Night Raven students.

"It's... alright, Draconia. I'm fully aware of how dedicated your guards are to you. I just didn't expect them to be so... hasty."

...

..

.

"Alright, that's it...!"

At that moment, Irene felt as if something snapped in her. As everyone were stunned from her sudden burst of anger, she threw at Rollo an astounding myriad of harsh words that she wouldn't normally use.

The more she looked at the silverette, the more pissed she was. From their previous trip to Fleur City until now, Irene rant out all her pent up anger on Rollo.

Meanwhile, Hillary had been watching the whole thing like it was her favourite soap opera. Only when Rollo looked as if he would pass out anytime soon from the verbal assault, did she finally went to stop the black-haired girl. She pushed Irene over to Malleus, waiting for her to cool off.

———————————————————

"That was quite an entertaining sight, Child of Man."

After Irene calmed herself down, she received a round of laughter from Malleus. He didn't expect his Child of Man would have such moments. A bit mean-spirited, sure, but that didn't mean she was any less endearing to him.

"I- Please stop talking, Tsunotarou!!!"

Irene exclaimed in embarrassment, trying in vain to cover her reddened face. Earlier, she was so pissed, she didn't notice her surroundings, and only when Hillary pushed her away did she remember what she did. That was so embarrassing... Why didn't that witch Hillary stop her earlier!?

[diamondcitydarlin]

Sorry while I was running errands I was thinking more about this, but like...they really really really not only could have but imo should have done the Guillermo/Canon Capital storyline seasons ago. Guillermo literally leaves the house and the vamily several times over the seasons and while the Canon Capital storyline is still very similar to his stint with Celeste I think it did help to give Guillermo and Nandor a new perspective on themselves and their relationship, so it has it's own kind of unique edge. So why, why, why did they wait this long to do something like this? Why did they have him 'leave' several times just to whip out an actually productive outcome to that repetitive plot at the eleventh hour? We could have done the Celeste thing, the vampire-change fakeout and then Canon Capital thing and then had maybe even a couple of seasons to explore them trying out the new vigilante dynamic (wHICH I HAVE WANTED FOR YEARS NOW). I don't know all the BTS lore, so for all I know it's possible they were hoping to do more with it in future seasons and then got cut off at six, but STILL. Why did we waste so much time treading water with these characters over and over and over again when CLEARLY we had a way to give them something more productive and interesting to do with each other? Like don't get me wrong, I loved that last episode and the nandermo moments very much but it's a little frustrating and disappointing to know this was in their back pocket and could've been done SO MUCH EARLIER. But honestly a lot of this last season feels like they were treading water with conflicts we've already resolved and filling up episodes to pass the time rather than address plotlines that have been left hanging (of which there are so many- Jenna? What happened to her? Even if Beanie couldn't return bc of schedule conflicts or whatever we could've at least had a mention from Nadja of what she's up to these days idk. The Vampire Council really were just...cool with them killing other vampires, there wasn't a bigger storyline there? And ig the whole 'taking over the new world' thing was resolved with the popping of Jerry's head which is...unsatisfying to say the least- could still be addressed in the last ep but that's A LOT to hang on what, 25 mins?).

lol sorry I'm not trying to go FULL negative nancy here but like others have said I think it's possible to both love something for what it is and acknowledge its failings. I'm going to enjoy this last ep for whatever it ends up being but MAN, the more I think about it, the more I see these baffling, obvious missteps in potential and I cannot fathom why the writers/powers that be thought that having the characters run around in a hamster ball with the same rehashed plots over and over was better than what they're doing now, what they could have done. I get the whole thing about vampires and a lack of change but shouldn't we, as the audience who is sympathetic to them, want to see them grow? Deal with different conflicts, both internal and external?

idk I'm just ranting/thinking out loud atp, and the show's not over yet so we'll see what they do in this last one, I'm just setting my expectations accordingly. Like someone else said, if nothing else we can fix it in post (fanworks lol)

[swannieluv]

⁀➴ My (Not So) Failed Valentine – Ajax x GN! Reader

╰┈─➤ In which after seven years since a failed confession, two childhood friends reunite close to Valentine's Day. Are things going to end well this time, or will the past repeat itself?

✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐜: 7K

✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!!: Crying, self-blaming.

✦⸼࣪⸳ A/N: That's my first time writing a fic bigger than 3k and for romance. I tried my best so I hope you guys can enjoy reading it! <3

✦⸼࣪⸳ Comments and Reblogs are highly appreciated! <3

The calendar marked January 14th, 2024. There was only a month away from Valentine's Day, a perfect date for many, a day where you can confess your buried feelings to the one you love, and receive chocolate for free from the people around you; is there anything more romantic than being truthful about your feelings on the day of love?

For [Name], February 14th could also be seen as a cursed day for those who don't share the same feelings as a dear one, and instead of love cards, those people would only receive nothing but pain and sorrow that would create scars that would last years (if described by a rejected teenager). And sadly, they were one of those involved in a case of unrequited love.

But as the years pass by, people also grow older and wiser. At least, that's what they've been telling themselves to excuse their lack of romance. Just the thought of all those red and pink heart decorations and stuffed bears were enough to make them cringe.

Every single Valentine's Day for them was marked with platonic gifts reserved for those who really mattered. There was never once a romantic intention coming from them, which was something they felt very self-conscious of.

It wasn't like they were the “Valentine's Day Scrooge” or anything like that, they held their friends and family dearly. It's just that they never got the appeal for romance that was daily broadcasted on TV, making them question themselves if there was something wrong about the way they saw the concept of love.

[Name] could still recall those moments during childhood where they couldn't help but be kind of ignorant about their friends rant about their crushes and imaginary scenarios. There were even moments in which they faked having crushes on the “popular” boys in middle school, just to convince themselves that they indeed had a thing for someone just like the rest of their peers.

And unfortunately, they could say it was what would lead to a few quarrels caused by their lack of empathy for their friend's love life. But it never made sense for them, like, if you don't like the way your boyfriend treats you – and you've already talked with him about it – then why bother staying with him? Can't you just kick his ass out and move on?

But now, as an adult, they have a better understanding of relationships. Or at least they now knew not to meddle in someone's life choices – though [Name] does agree some of them were dumb as hell and makes them rethink about their own choices.

And with a month away from Valentine's Day, [Name] felt like they could peacefully start their new job at designing cards for the big company she had the luck to join in. Although the amount of stress they go through isn't fully appreciated in the paycheck, it wasn't that bad knowing they now had a stable job for years to come.

The last thing they expected though, when stepping inside the meeting room, was to face their childhood friend – and failed valentine – Ajax, who was now their senior. Were their eyes playing tricks on them or was he really in front of them for the first time in like, seven years?!

They felt the urge to bury themselves inside a hole and not come out until the whole thing was over. But their nervousness surely didn't come unnoticed by him, whose face they saw lightening up slightly at the sight of the familiar face between the multiple people in the room.

They thought that someone working with an ex was the worst that could happen, [Name] had friends that could give them some tips if that was the case. But working with their last, and failed, valentine from high school was absolutely embarrassing to no end.

They tried to keep their cool and work as they should for the next few. It was a stable job, but they shouldn't let it hinder their work performance. But no matter how much they tried, they couldn't dismiss the pair of blue eyes that seemed to follow their every step.

And of course, they were there, 15 days left for Valentine's Day, designing cliche cards once again. [Name] wanted to do something nice, really, but their ideas were mostly not approved since the company had to keep a specific pattern or something like that.

[Name] couldn't agree more that working overtime wasn't really their thing, but sacrifices had to be made if they wanted to get better opportunities in the future. Perhaps one day things would get better, or so they hoped.

Except that [Name]’s worst obstacle was that it was extremely hard to concentrate when alone with him. Why did everyone leave earlier? Why couldn't someone else stay here too to break the growing tension hovering in the air? They felt like they were suffocating just by staying there.

As they finished the last cards for today, their sweaty fingers finally left the pencil. Was it their growing nervousness or the feeling Ajax's gaze was glued at them was actually right?

A few minutes later, they saw him get up from his seat to somewhere else. And just like that, they were going to furtively escape from the scene by the back corridors. No childhood friend to face, no emotional damage from remembering bad moments; just peace.

Or so they thought.

“[Name].”

They looked up to see a tall figure. A mature face, different from the boyish complexion they held so dearly in their memories. His fiery ginger hair and deep blue eyes that made him able to easily find in a crowd were still there, now present in an adult man. What they didn't remember though were the small freckles under his eyes, guess that's the effect time has in one's memories.

Their eyes scanned the name highlighted on his work tag, Tartaglia. He never used his first name around high school because of the jokes that came with it because of the fact it was taken from a hero's story. Seems like this fact hasn't changed.

“Tartaglia…” they read it out loud accidentally, and so their cheeks heated up in embarrassment.

“It's okay to keep the Ajax, I'm only going by my second name at work for now. But don't worry, I'm still the same old me you know,” his tone was playful as they remembered how it used to be, but there was something unnerving about it; a feeling of unfamiliarity they couldn't explain. So even the way they heard his voice was affected by the time? Because that's definitely not how they recalled his playful remarks at all.

“Are you willing to catch up with a nice dinner? I know a good restaurant nearby and— Oh, it's on me though.”

They spent a few seconds looking at him dumbfounded. “Still the same old me you know” their ass; Ajax would never, NEVER, offer to pay someone else's food. They always had to play rock, paper, scissors to get him to buy anything in the school's canteen.

They couldn't help but get nervous when the silence between them was starting to get too uncomfortable for their liking, so their only rational reaction was:

“Of course… so we can... dinner.”

They felt their heart calm down as they watched his grin widen ever so slightly, he was clearly overjoyed on the inside. And as he made his way through, he gave their shoulder a light pat.

“Perfect! See you tomorrow at 7 p.m. then. I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about.”

And so they were left standing alone in the white corridor. They didn't know if Ajax, or Childe, had truly gone insane or if he just had forgotten about the whole situation that made their friendship crumble in front of their very eyes.

[Name] went straight to bed as soon as they got home, no dinner or anything else that could have been done. That small interaction with Ajax had been tiring enough for their poor heart. Yet they couldn't help but wonder: how did things go downhill in the first place?

8:50 p.m.

Oh how much they wanted to stand him up, but that would be too cruel and uneducated of them. So they happened to be here, in front of him as they both dined together in a fancy restaurant. They tried to smile, yet the doubt of if he was really the same guy they studied with during their whole life was going to be the end of them. In their eyes, he seemed so much more mature and smarter than them, and they used to be the brains of the duo!

“Is it to your liking?”

They felt as if their thoughts were cut in half with his question; eyes going up to meet his own VA as the two shared a good portion of seafood, though neither of them shared a preference over food.

The more [Name] stared at those deep blue eyes, the more they couldn't help but notice how they had lost a bit of the light they used to hold.

“Yes. It definitely is,” they smiled at him politely before cleaning their mouth with a napkin. “I'm happy you remembered me. It's been… seven years.”

The last part left a bitter taste on their tongue as they fell back into their thinking. They hadn't seen each other in several years and now have to share a work relationship while carrying the memory of a long date friendship. Hell, were they even considered friends after all this time?

One could say the circumstances behind their severance were kind of frivolous.

“Do you really think I would forget my childhood friend that easily ?” Their eyes followed him as Ajax took a sip from his glass before opening a smirk. “A rejection doesn't change the way I see you, not even in the slightest.”

“Oh, I see…”

He chuckled at them for absolutely no reason, which left them thinking if he was laughing at them or something.

“Are you really going to laugh at me now?” They crossed their arms incredulously, their guard fell completely.

“I'm not laughing at you, I swear!” His voice came out laced with a laugh, making him less credible.

“Then what are you talking about, Ed Sheeran jr.—”

That was when [Name] realized they had messed up. It was common in the past for them to call each other names in a lighthearted manner, only for the jokes. But they didn't have the same level of intimacy as before, so it must have come out as rude.

“I'm so sorry…”

“There's nothing to be sorry for. It makes me happy you're being more like yourself, I was finding it strange that you hadn't cursed me yet.”

Their worries subsided as they saw the way his face carried a grin they hadn't seen in years. If anything, it was heartwarming to know he still held the same humorous personality behind his adult manners.

“But to see a sleepyhead like you working overtime… Time's really passed, huh?”

Sleepyhead? He wasn't quite wrong, they had the tendency to sleep on every single break. They did even skip lunch just to take a nap before those boring math classes.

“I actually… I want to buy new stuff for my house, so…”

That was the most idiotic lie they ever told in their whole life, and it made them want to hide under that table and scream.

“You want to buy sanrio merch, right?”

“...Yes. I want that Pochacco backpack so much.”

They felt like punching him when they saw the way he covered his mouth to muffle his laughter, which he was trying his best to suppress in order to not anger [Name].

Their grip on the napkin on top of their lap tightened. Though [Name] had a smile on their face, a few doubts crossed their head like a storm.

“Tell me, Ajax…”

His attention shifted completely to them, eyes focused on theirs as he waited for the next words that would come out of [Name]’s mouth.

“Why don't you resent me?”

“Have you ever done anything wrong in the first place?”

“...”

Their mind went back to February 12th, 2017. Two days before Valentine's Day and the day their friendship's downfall finally reached its breaking point:

“Not gonna lie, you're quite bad at it.”

They pointed to the paper with an exasperated sigh. Ajax's answers were quite dumb, as if he was purposely messing up his homework. But [Name] knew better than to expose his behavior in front of the class.

Ajax and [Name], the childhood friends who would soon become the perfect couple (if they could even be counted as one) in their class. Though they would quickly dismiss any kind of teasing from their classmates, always insisting they were nothing but good friends.

One may find it cute and wholesome when a whole class is determined to set such a pairing together; the chemistry existed and would be explored no matter what. But under all the matchmaking, was the pressure on them to just officialize an union. It was one thing when teenagers shipped a couple; but when adults did, that meant things were serious.

[Name] was tired of hearing jokes on how they would make a great partner to Ajax in the near future. As much as [Name] wanted to dismiss those comments, they couldn't help but give up every time they saw Ajax's embarrassed behavior. Sure, they both would get like that when receiving a comment like that. But the way his eyes softened and his ears reddened at the mention of the two as a couple was… interesting.

For [Name], that genuine smile from ear to ear whenever his mother would compliment them both was something they loved so much about Ajax, they didn't feel it in them to break his heart.

[Name] tried to like him back, they swear they tried to. Yet, those feelings they were supposed to have for him never existed no matter how much they tried. They did everything they could: put his photo as their wallpaper, learn his favorite songs, root for him in his soccer games, send him cute messages before going to sleep, talk about him to their friends in a loving way; they tried absolutely everything a teenager would do when in love. So why couldn't they feel the butterflies in their stomach whenever they saw them?

It felt overwhelming to have all eyes glued to them two, when everything [Name] wanted was to just finish this hell of an assignment. They hoped the teacher's ear would be burning from the amount of curses they mentally sent to him. From the whispers coming from the gossipers seated behind them to the stares of students from another class, it was getting exhaustive.

But the worst part was that he most probably held feelings for them. And the guilt of not being able to correspond those feelings was haunting their nights and leaving them sleepless.

As long as they knew, the two of them have been best friends since 8th grade. That was the main reason as to why they couldn't help but pretend to be oblivious to his recent flirting and small advances, they didn't want to lose a years long friendship.

They couldn't help but spent some time thinking if they were just playing with his feelings. They never said they liked him, but also never did the contrary. And the last straw was definitely when, two days before that year's Valentine's Day, when they overhead the following sentence:

“Haven’t you heard? Ajax's going to confess his feelings for [Name].”

They shook their head, snapping out of those memories and coming back to reality. They weren't in a classroom but having a friendly dinner with Ajax.

“I do think that—”

They were cut short by the waiter's sudden appearance. It happened that Ajax had called for him before they started that small discussion. In the man's work tag, the name Leonardo was highlighted. A cool name—

Wait, they shouldn't be distracted by a random person's name. They had to and would pay for that dinner. It wasn't a matter of wanting, but their pride was in line here. Letting Ajax pay would only add to their pile of regrets about him.

“I'll pay.”

His face instantly filled with confusion as he reached his wallet. “What are you talking about, I thought we had agreed this dinner was on—”

“You’re my senior, so it's only right for me to pay for this amazing food. Thank you for your guidance.”

[Name] smiled at him, their credit card already suffering with the food's price. They were crying on the inside, cursing themselves internally for their own pride. Maybe letting him pay was a better option for their pockets and heart.

And just like that, Ajax would have the dinner he wanted and they would get a high credit card bill at the end of the month.

“What's up?”

“Ah!” They jumped from their chair. What was with Ajax and giving people scares like that?! He really hasn't changed much since school.

[Name] quickly went back to their seat after feeling their coworkers glaring at them curiously. A mental note to take revenge on him was made as they finished typing on the keyboard.

“Please, don't give me a scare like that!” they whispered exasperatedly, a pout on their face.

“Sorry, I just came to check your progress. Let's just say those papers don't fill themselves alone.”

They felt his gaze go to their projects, which were scattered around the desk. The company's mascot, from which he secretly collected plushies of, was stamped in all those cards. Once the Valentine's Day decorations were ready, Easter would be their main focus.

“I liked this one, it has a nice shade of red—”

“It's pink.”

“Oh, right. It's definitely pink… you passed the test.”

They couldn't help but let a chuckle escape from their lips as Ajax's figure stepped out of their sight. And Ajax couldn't help but remember himself of what happened all those years ago and how stupid their severance was.

If there was something Ajax never understood, was why he and [Name] couldn't be treated as normal friends instead of a couple. There wasn't a single person in his life that hasn't ever shipped him and his best friend, to the point he had to hear those kinds of jokes from his own family. But it wasn't that bad, was it? He really liked them, after all.

“I'm so jealous of you, Tartaglia.”

“Hm? May I know why?” He couldn't help himself from raising an eyebrow at one of his peers' comments. Why would they be jealous of someone like him? There wasn't anything that special in his life other than being good at soccer.

“Come on! We all know you already have [Name] as your valentine! I've even heard them talking to their friends about the loveliest things regarding you, they're surely in love.”

Ajax felt his ears burning up after the comment he just heard. The truth was that he kept his crush on [Name] deep inside his heart; and it was starting to get bothersome to hear his friends talking like that once again, since it only added up to his anxiousness. But trying to dismiss people's comments always ended up in more headaches, so he just learned to accept them and play along with it.

He had always been trying to pretend he didn't notice how shy [Name] got after people tried to ship them both, their cheeks getting hot just at the slightest of compliments directed to the two of them was a cute sight. Maybe they did like him too, but he was never confident enough to ask them out. Not until now.

“I was actually thinking about asking them outs” he murmured as he finished changing back to his school uniform and getting rid of the sweaty soccer shirt.

But he should know they heard his words and were ready to spread the news that the couple everyone rooted for was finally becoming reality. And it didn't take much time for it to end up reaching [Name]’s ears.

‘Why am I thinking about it again? It's been seven years. Get a life, Ajax.’

He tried not to roll his eyes at his internal dialogue. The truth was that he didn't keep anything against [Name] anymore, perhaps it was for the better. But he does wish to make up for the time they lost, since they're still his only and best friend, even though they spent seven years without talking to each other.

February 13th, 2017

A few hours for Valentine's Day and their dread for the said confession was eating them alive from the insides. Was it just exaggeration on their part? They hoped not, because they were going insane just from thinking about having to reject Ajax in front of everyone.

There were two choices: reject or accept Ajax's confession, and they couldn't escape from them. Well they could just skip school and not receive any gift, but they had already bought their friend's chocolate and made cards for them.

And skipping wouldn't nullify the chances of it happening later. What if Ajax told them about his feelings another day? If that was the case, [Name] didn't want to stay bound to someone they didn't love. It wasn't fair for either of them.

[Name] opened the notes app and started typing what they would call Operation Val 2017. A plan carefully made with Ajax's best interest at heart, specially crafted just so he wouldn't receive too much of a heartbreak.

First, they would go on giving chocolates to everyone else they planned to. Second, give Ajax his gift; and last of all, they would politely reject his confession and say that their friendship was what mattered the most. It was a good strategy… no?

So [Name] confidently went to school, heart in their throat as they walked through the corridors. The whispering and excitement from the girls were enough to make [Name] even more nervous. They could swear their nerves would be the death of them someday.

They went with the expected routine of giving chocolate to their dear one's. But when it came for Ajax's, the courage to do so simply disappeared.

As they saw him, seated at his usual seat, their hands started to sweat and they felt as if their stomach had just dropped out of sudden. And when he saw them, his smile opened like sunshine after rain.

“Is it for me, sleepyhead?”

It was ,indeed, to him. [Name] placed the small candy box on his palms and gave him a hug, which made the whole class start teasing them. But before they let go, [Name] whispered in his ear:

“I’m sorry.”

Then, they turned back and went to their seat. They hoped it wouldn't be as bad as they supposed it to be.

Now that they think about it, the first half of that day hadn't been that bad. The chocolates they received were good, but ended up being eaten with tears rolling down their cheeks.

“So, can I have the honor to dance with you?”

“Huh…?”

A hand was extended in front of them, an invitation too formal to be coming from Ajax. That was enough to cut short their overthinking.

If there was something [Name] wasn't expecting to hate about the adult world while they were still a student were work parties, a reality when they have a job like that, and it was bothersome having to attend them just to appease their boss and be on their good side. Yet, [Name] was in a situation where they were going to do anything just to keep their stable job with reasonable payment.

That was when [Name] reminded themselves that they were in a work environment; so even if not immersed in those piles of documents and boring tasks, they had to make sure to not taint their reputation by standing still with a grumpy face.

So they silently took his hand and were guided through the saloon. Curious eyes falling on them once again, which started to make [Name] nervous. It was starting to feel too much like prom.

“Are you nervous?”

“Not much.”

They tried to keep their steps carefully calculated. Years have passed since their last shared dance, [Name] was definitely rusty and didn't want to end up messing up in front of him. [Name] was convinced to show Ajax that they were still good at dancing no matter what. Yet, the world wasn't known to help those in need, so…

They accidentally stomped on his feet.

“I-I'm so sorry! I—”

Their face flushed with embarrassment. They felt like shrinking and sinking into the ground, disappearing from his sight forever. But Ajax's only reaction was… laugh?

But what they were greeted with was his heartfelt laughter that caught the others’ attention. It was so genuine that it made [Name] wonder if he was laughing at them or if he was a freaking masochist or something like that. They had just stomped on his feet with their full body weight.

Yet, [Name] couldn't keep a nervous chuckle for themselves. Deep down, they needed a moment like this to clear a bit of their doubts about him. This moment made it clear as day that Ajax hasn't changed in the slightest, and they felt relieved with the clarification.

And so they decided to give in and dance to the slow song coming from the speakers. It felt like a dream, to share something like this with him after almost a decade of guilt from their ruined relationship. They thought that things were now going on the right tracks.

“I deeply apologize for anything I did to you in my past life.” he stated with a nervous smile on his face.

“Hm? Why?”

“... Nothing.”

They had a feeling that his feet were red under those fancy black shoes. The amount of times [Name] stomped his foot was enough for it to leave some bruises, though he did his best to hide the ache he felt. They didn't used to be that bad at dancing in the past, so were they holding a grudge so strong against him and decided to take revenge or something?

They felt their eyes glue to a waiter carrying around a tray with champagne. [Name] could swear they had seen that guy somewhere else, but weren't going to bother him; so they just took a glass of the drink for them and one for Ajax.

“Do you drink?” They extended the glass of champagne to him, who gladly accepted it with a nod of his head.

“I was thinking about… uh… are you free on Wednesday?”

Wednesday? Their mind set up alarms at the thought of it, after all, Wednesday was nothing more than Valentine's Day. Was he really going to ask them out like that? Has he lost his mind?! They thought he would never touch on this subject since their rejection.

“I don't… Yes, I am.”

[Name]’s eyes met his’ with courage in them. They wouldn't run away from it like in High School, they would face Ajax and tell what they truly felt regarding him. And if he didn't like it, so it will be! After all, they don't depend on Ajax to live. [Name]’s an adult.

“Good.”

They watched as he took a sip from his glass before opening his mouth to speak something, but it seems Ajax wasn't ready to say it. Not here, not now. So there was nothing they could do to prevent him from just leaving them there and disappearing through the sea of people.

And that was when Operation Val 2024 officially started.

February 14th, 2024

After weeks of preparations, they finally marked that day on their calendar: the expected Valentine's Day. And while everyone else spent the day of love sharing their emotions and deepest feelings with those they loved, [Name] just took the date as an excuse to sleep until late and binge watch NANA the whole day until the time to go out with Ajax.

Knock, knock.

They got up from their seat, fixing their hair

and clothes before answering the door. They had just a small candy box with a cute card, which they designed themselves, just for him. But what [Name] didn't expect was that he would actually come with a bouquet of daisies, one of their favorite flowers. How could he remember such a small detail about them?

“Happy Valentine's Day, [Name].”

They felt something grow in their chest at his words. He was such a gentleman now, huh? So [Name] just accepted his gesture and walked with him.

“Thank you, I hope you're also having a good day.”

And so they followed him to a park nearby, even though the sky was starting to close. But maybe Ajax was planning to take them somewhere else in case it actually rained, they knew he always had a plan B.

'The flowers hadn't fully bloomed yet, but it makes quite the scenery.'

Ajax took their hand on his with a small smile, though [Name] didn't know where he was taking him to.

"There's a nice lake after the creek, it has a pretty landscape. So I can take some photos for you if you'd like."

Well, here they were, trying to go through a small creak to reach a nice place to make a picnic. Though [Name] didn't want to wet their brand new shoes; they were limited edition, after all.

“Hold my hand tightly and jump.”

“I can't do it—”

“Come on! Jump!”

[Name] took a deep breath before giving the impulse to jump over the creek. Although they made great effort and had, it wasn't enough to keep balance. They both fell in the creek, but at least the food was in a basket he left on the ground earlier.

They felt like crying because of the shoes. The amount of money [Name] had saved to buy it was astronomical, like, really! They had just bought them..Though, Ajax definitely wouldn't let this day be ruined by a small accident like this. So he was quick to help them stand up back on their feet and take them out of there.

As they stared in his eyes, [Name] couldn't help but release the words that were trapped in their throat for a long time now.

“I’m sorry, Ajax. But you know I can't reciprocate your feelings.”

They felt their eyes wet from the tears that were threatening to escape. They told themselves that they wouldn't run away and leave things unresolved like in the past, but why was it so painful for their poor heart?

Ajax felt his smile dropping at their words. He tried to look away from them before listening to their words.

A part of him already knew the answer to his actions, yet there was still a sparkle of hope deep inside his heart. Was he being selfish once again? All he did was to try to compensate them both for that terrible day seven years ago.

“I'm not mad at you. I just wish things didn't happen the way they did… y'know.”

They both seemed to regret their actions from the past, sharing the same feeling of shame and anguish in their hearts as they looked at each other. Both of them had made mistakes and were still reminded about it.

...

For the last step of Operation Val 2017, they made sure to bring him to somewhere the two of them could talk in private. Unbeknownst to them, there were eyes watching their every single action.

“I’m sorry, Ajax. You probably already know this, but I don't hold any romantic feelings towards you. Our relationship is purely platonic and—”

“So it was all just false hope?”

False hope? They definitely never gave him any kind of advance for it to be considered like that. It wasn't like they ever flirted with him or do anything that could lead to that kind of assumption.

Their eyes watched as his ace contorted into a pained expression as he had been hit by the hard reality that their best friend didn't actually hold any kind of emotion towards him, the complete opposite everyone else thought. From what they knew about him during all those years, he definitely disliked the sound of it, the rejection being too real and in front of his eyes.

“False hope? What are you even talking about?” They couldn't help but frown slightly, not liking the turn this conversation was taking.

“You…”

Click.

[Name] heard the clicking sound of a phone from afar, and that alone was enough to made their stomach drop. That meant they have never been alone with Ajax, there has been someone watching them this whole time.

From what they could see behind him, a small crowd of students were peeping through the small window on the classroom's door. And to worsen the situation, they were recording the whole thing.

On the other side, one of their own friends gave them a thumbs up, as if trying to communicate about something. And that was when Ajax noticed it all and felt like the ground below him was crashing down.

“So… you planned all of this?”

They couldn't help the widening of their eyes, it wasn't how things were supposed to end like! In their plan, there wasn't supposed to be anyone by the door, not recording or listening to anything they said.

They could swear they saw tears in his eyes for the first time in their life. His face carried the hurting he felt after being made fun of by the rest of the class.

“So they did end up rejecting him, huh…” they listened to the whispers that came with small chuckles, followed by the sound of a playful smack “Ouch! I'm just stating what happened! Just look at his face.”

From the corner or their eyes, [Name] saw him turning around to leave as he heard it, but grabbed his wrists before he could run away from the not so empty classroom. As they did so, the little heart box he was carrying around fell; small chocolate hearts rolling out of the package straight to the ground.

“Ajax, you know I would never do that! I'm your best friend, after all!” their voices came out in a pleading tone.

“Do I really know that?”

They didn't miss the crack present in his voice, and that's what hurt them the most. It wasn't in the plan for him to feel like that.

So [Name]’s own strength failed as they saw burning tears streaming down his cheeks, which held a complexion of anger and disappointment. The twilight rays helped to create a sentimental demonstration of his feelings that were never seen previously. If not before, [Name] was now sure their friendship wasn't going to rebuild itself again.

They felt his wrists slipping out of their touch in a rushed way as Ajax stormed out of the room, leaving them behind to pick up the candy pieces on the ground. And as they crouched down to gather them, the people at the door bombarded them with multiple questions.

“Did you actually reject him?”

“That was so cruel of you!”

“So you won't be together?”

And like that, their last Valentine's Day ended with the loss of a friendship and the start of years of self-blaming. For almost 6 months, their sleepless nights were spent thinking about what they could have done to avoid this whole disaster.

For the both of them, Ajax and [Name], the next few months before graduation would be always marked by the growing distance between the two. They had tried to talk to each other, but the shame and guilt blackened them from doing so.

Ajax really tried to clear his head before saying anything else he would regreat, the realization of what had happened weighted on him deeply. [Name] was just trying to dismiss his feelings in the best way, and he knew it. Yet, his pride didn't let him reach them.

So whenever his gaze met [Name]’s, they would instantly look away and pretend nothing happened. Ajax really thought that he was the one who deserves a proper apology, when it should have come from both sides.

But he couldn't leave his academic life behind and decided to just focus on his studies and sport. One could say he had got over it and was living without a single regret.

And so as to [Name], they couldn't face him. They really tried to call his number or talk to him after class, but couldn't do it. The picture of his tear-stained face was left in their memories forever and would haunt their nightmares for the following days.

Yet, they knew time wouldn't wait for them and the graduation day would finally come. No amends were going to be made and it was obvious for [Name] that Ajax seemed to be taking it quite better than them, so they just decided to forget it and live their own life after high school.

And to [Name]’s knowledge, that was how Ajax and their lives would follow from now on, or so they thought.

“How can you forgive me so easily, Ajax?”

[Name] couldn't refrain from asking him that. If they were in his shoes, they would definitely hold a grudge against themselves. So why was Ajax so forgiving like that when he was the one who had been most hurt?

“Because I know what our flaws were at that time.”

They felt his fingers lifting his head so as to meet his eyes. Instead of the hurt look that used to appear in their nightmares, there was only affection.

As they tried to find something to answer him, their body was wrapped in a tender embrace, much different from his old bone-crushing hugs.

“I should have left my pride behind and tried talking to you. Yet, I was stubborn and believed you should be the one who owed me a proper apology.

“So when I saw you again, I felt like I had to make up for my past mistakes; but it's not like I'm using you to feel better with myself, not even close to it. I just want to make sure we both don't end up carrying regrets for the rest of our lives…”

[Name] could hold it anymore. Their eyes became waterfalls with the countless tears that fell from them. But they didn't feel embarrassed because of it.

“I-I wanted to talk to you again, I really wanted to but—”

“It's okay, take your time.”

Ajax patted their back as if trying to calm a baby down, and it was helping. He could stay there the whole day waiting for their answer, it didn't matter.

“I’m so sorry…”

They couldn't think of anything reasonable enough to make up for their past actions. But Ajax could see their effort lying behind their crying face, he had been their best friend for years. So even if they couldn't tell it with words, he understood them.

“You don't need to love me, and I don't need to love you too.”

They felt the wind on their face, a soft breeze. And it was when Ajax separated their hug gently, leaving them staring at his face while their eyes burned from all the crying.

“As much as I want to stay as your friend, I don't want us to be haunted by the memories of the past. You'll never see me in the same light again, just like I'll never see you in the same light too.”

[Name] knew it was true. As much as they wanted to stay his friend, the fact that broke their friendship had left a deep scar in their heart. And they would never reciprocate the love he still held for them somewhere under the best friend facade.

It was only safe for the two of them to keep things as cold as possible, even though it hurt them greatly. He was right, after all, they couldn't even look at his face without reliving all the stress.

“For you.”

A small pendant was placed in their palms, a rose pendant. They were confused, really confused, but decided to open it. As they did, [Name] couldn't stop themselves from letting another tea fall after seeing the inside of the small object. A photo of them two in their middle school years adorned it, precious smiles on their faces as their figures hugged each other.

“Happy Valentine's Day, [Name].”

They felt like they needed to thank him in a special way before parting ways. So they approached Ajax and took his hair out of the way to his forehead, planting a peck on it.

“Happy Valentine's Day too, Ajax.”

Now, they wouldn't have to carry that guilt with them. They were free to try to love without the fear of being a hypocrite. It was their first Valentine's Day in seven years, and they wouldn't trade it for anything else in this world.

But as they saw Ajax's silhouette going out of their vision, carrying the picnic basket they didn't use, the feeling of losing something forever came stronger than anything else. Maybe they wouldn't have a friendship like before, but nothing stopped them from being coworkers.

[Name] would see him again at work, so why couldn't they stop the tears that fell from their eyes as the first raindrops met their skin? They felt as if they had lost a big prize in the lottery.

Yet they shouldn't be sad because it ended, but happy that it happened. New beginnings awaited them, just like the daisies in the bouquet warned.

"Goodbye, my now not so failed valentine..."

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Fixing Joan of Arc

My recent rants about Joan of Arc and her mishandling in Miraculous got me thinking about how powerful her presence could have been given that she shows up in season five. To explain this, I’m going to quickly summarize Joan's story to give you some context for how she could fit into the story of Miraculous. I’ll also note that I only started thinking about all of this because of the Wishbone episode that I brought up in that other post. An episode that used the events of the real life Joan of Arc to empower young girls, which is a concept that’s a perfect fit for a show that claims to be all about girl power.

Joan of Arc: The Highlights

Joan of Arc was a normal peasant girl with a normal peasant life until she received a divine call to help the people of France expel foreign invaders, thereby maintaining French freedom. Joan answered this call and went to join the army. It was initially hard for people to take this untrained 16-year-old seriously, but she was able to inspire them with nothing more than her own personality and her belief in her divine calling. This led her to her being granted an audience with dauphin Charles (dauphin is a French title for the oldest son of the king. Basically the prince-heir-apparent as the war Joan got involved in was largely about who would be king of France, this French prince or the king of England who was - at this point - a child).

The audience began with Joan being tested. The dauphin was not at the head of the room as one might expect. Instead, he was hidden in the crowd. This didn’t stop Joan. She was instantly able to pick the dauphin out of the crowd and declare that she was here to get him his crown, a rather miraculous event that further inspired people to believe in her.

Eventually, Joan was sent to the battlefield where her leadership was a major factor in both the French victory and in King Charles VII’s consecration (the event that makes him king instead of just the dauphin). The fighting did not stop after Charles VII was named king as the crown was still considered to be up for grabs by those who were against him. Joan continued to be part of the fighting and she was eventually captured while trying to free a French town that was under siege. Joan was then sent to Paris where she was kept prisoner, but not by invading English. Her captors were members of the French church who were supporting the English.

Because Joan claimed that she was working under the direct orders of Saints, they had to declare her a witch. Otherwise their continued undermining of Charles VII’s rule would be an act against God. This means that Joan wasn't being tried on her own merits. She'd been turned into a pawn in this bigger game and was being used by her captors to curry favor with the English invaders. Her captors ordered her to retract her claims or be named a heretic and, while she did briefly waver, Joan ultimately held true to her claims, leading her to be found guilty of heresy. After this, she was turned over to the English who burned her at the stake.

In short, Joan was a common-born French teenager who went into battle for her people because she was chosen to fight by a higher power and she ended up dead because she was used as a pawn by people trying to get favors out of her enemies. As far as historical figures go, I honestly can't think of a better parallel for what should have been Marinette's season five struggles. Unfortunately, that's not what season five did, but let's ignore that for now and take a moment to talk about what could have been.

I fact-checked all of the above off of the encyclopedia Britannica, which has a much more extensive article on Joan if you'd like to know more. I kept this pretty high level and tried to focus on the parallels between Marinette and Joan.

Joan & Miraculous

To give you a brief refresher, the episode Reunion is all about Alix’s brother - Jalil - doubting Ladybug due to fear for his sister and the impact of reading anti-Ladybug posts online. These aren’t things that Jalil keeps to himself, either. He reads several of these posts to Marinette’s class while Marinette is present. 

Given that this all happens soon after Marinette had some pretty massive failures, hearing these doubts should affect her. In canon, it doesn’t, she’s too busy lusting after Chat Noir, but let’s pretend for a second that she was affected. That she starts doubting herself and her mission, leading her to confess these doubts to Tikki.

Tikki suggests talking to Alya or Chat Noir, but Marinette isn’t sure about that. She doesn’t think they’ll get it because they don’t share her burden or have any helpful experience. This leads Tikki to think of her former holders which leads to Marinette summoning Joan of Arc. The episode can then progress in a similar fashion to canon  with the akuma happening soon after. This could lead to Marinette fighting Jalil, who is not a truth akuma, but an anti-Ladybug akuma.

We now have Marinette facing her doubts in physical form. She's also being attacked by someone who arguably should have been her ally, but who chose the more powerful side due to doubts and fears. And Marinette is facing all of this while being supported by a historical figure who was killed because she held firm to her cause. A figure who - as you can see above - has a lot in common with Marinette. If you must include Joan of Arc in your story, that's honestly a pretty great setup for bringing her into the show.

And yes, while Joan was a major factor in the French victory, she did die, so there's an argument to be made that she's not the right person to inspire someone who is feeling like all hope is lost, but if that's the case, then don't use Joan of Arc. You cannot wave away her death. It happened. She did not magically escape the flames to go live a love story with your hunky OC.

While I’m still not a fan of claiming that historical figures were miraculous holders, I think I’d be cool with it if they didn’t really touch on the implications of that and instead focused on honoring the history of these figures by using them as a source of inspiration. An alternative way to get around this is to have the miraculous holder be someone who knew the historical figure and helped them, but that's probably too complex for a 20-minute show that is focused on things other than talking about history.

The more I think about Joan’s story and how well it relates to Marinette’s struggles, the more disappointed I am by this squandered opportunity. It could have been such a cool episode! Bonus points if they included some lines about gender presentation because Joan got in big trouble for "dressing like a man."

[iamnmbr3]

I always viewed the Malfoy family dynamic as something very complex, and I'm sorry if you talked about this before but considering canon events without Cursed Child, I was wondering if you they would accept a possible drarry relationship.

Thank you so much for your patience waiting for an answer to this ask. You raise a really interesting question and I wanted to sit down and write out a good answer.

First of all, you had me at "considering canon events without Cursed Child" lol. Every time I remember that people were paid cash money dollars to write that atrocity and then actually put their names on it I get so mad. Imagine getting PAID to write a followup for a beloved series and not even bothering to read it. Because I know I can't prove it but I feel so sure that the two dudes who wrote it just skimmed the wiki. And even if viewed as it's own thing it's so bad an lazy and just ugh. Anyway, that's not what this ask is about. I just had to rant about how much I hate CC for a minute.

I definitely think the Malfoy family dynamic is very complex - and would only grow more complex in a postwar world where Draco canonically changed his views and rejected what his parents taught him (and probably largely still believed in...even if they would know better than to admit it out loud.) I think Lucius was definitely glad by the end that Voldemort got defeated, but not because he gave up his blood supremacist views (though I'm sure he professed to have changed his ways...not that anyone bought it this time). This divergence in ideology would probably lead to some tension. Especially between Lucius and Draco since Draco would probably come to have an increasingly negative view of his father's actions and might also blame him for a lot of what their family ended up going through.

When it comes to their reaction to drarry I think the first factor to consider is what their views of a same sex relationship would be. If we assume a HP world where that's fine, then the only issue is how they would react to Harry. In that case I think they probably are less than thrilled and more than a little suspicious (although Narcissa did canonically expect Harry to know where Draco was and if he was alive so actually maybe she at least wouldn't doubt Harry's motives as much as we might expect). Certainly Draco's relationship with Harry is advantageous so I think they wouldn't complain too much. Not to mention I think Narcissa's entire life focus is on Draco's safety and happiness so if he's happy she's happy.

Now, if we take the lack of visibility of any canon gay characters and the fact that unmarried characters like Alphard (or Sirius or Muriel Prewett for that matter) seem to live a "confirmed bachelor" coded lifestyle as evidence that wizarding society's regressive social values include deeply engrained societal homophobia then we also have to deal with what Lucius and Narcissa would think of Draco being with a man. In that case obviously it would be a much bigger shock and they would have a much more difficult time coming to terms with it. Of course, Draco might also not tell them in that case, but if we imagine a world where attitudes are starting to change he would eventually tell them if/when the relationship went public. They'd have a harder time coming to terms with it and might never fully be comfortable with it - especially Lucius who I think values the Malfoy name and image a bit more and also seems to care about Draco a bit more as idea - as the Heir TM - than as a person.

Again though, I go back to how we could plausibly argue that during the Manor scene Narcissa figured out just how much her son cares about Harry - to the point that she possibly dragged him away from the fight because she was afraid he would do something rash. And she asks Harry in the forest where Draco is and if he is alive - because she expects that Draco would have gone to find Harry and that Harry will know where he is and what his status is. I wonder if she actually thought something was going on between them. I mean, even VOLDEMORT knew something was up. Perhaps when she lied to save Harry it wasn't just to get to Draco but also to protect someone she knew her son loved. Anyway, given all this, I think she loves her son and I think she would accept him for who he is and that would include accepting who he loved, even if it was a love she had been taught was wrong. And I don't think she would tolerate Lucius openly mistreating Draco even if their relationship became rockier as a result. (Not to mention the last thing Lucius wants to do is get on the wrong side of The Chosen One TM given that his position in a postwar world would be precious enough already).

[foreverautumn89]

I'm so angry!!! We all saw the casting thing, but did you notice the part about NO SCRIPTED LINES FOR WILL AND JONATHAN> Cause I didn't. Not until now.

::RANT::

I was really looking forward to seeing Mike, Jonathan, and Will interacting as kids. But nope. Once again Jonathan and Will are just made to be part of the background.

I'm not just mad about this. This is just the latest in a long line of the Duffers doing this. I'm mad about years worth of them pulling this crap. And I do realize I'm probably over reacting to this because it might just be a small scene, but thats not the point. Its not just about this its about everything. The whole show. Its been years of them doing this type of stuff - Jonathan and Will getting no lines or no screentime. I've internalized this anger for too long and now I can't anymore. It may be coming out at the wrong time. But its got to come out. I'm tired of this happening.

And just so there is no misunderstanding no I'm not complaining about Mike in any way this has nothing to do with Mike-I'm complaining about the writers. It's about how the writers always screw over Jonathan and Will and give them less to do than everyone else and how they're just in the background most of the time. How Jonathan and Will are more for 'filler' than actually giving them a big part. They're not even main characters anymore.

The reason I kept watching this show after S1 was because I wanted to see more of Jonathan and Will and the two of them together and we only got crumbs of that for the last 3 seasons!!!

Just to remind you: This show used to be about the Byers and their family and they were the main focus. Jonathan and Will are constantly pushed to the back and ignored now. Its been going on for years. I'm so sick of it. There is so much wasted potential with Jonathan and Will. They should have a lot more screentime and bigger storylines and a bigger role. Jonathan should have had his own storyline and they should have explored both those characters a lot more and shown the duo together a lot more.

Now its the end of the show and its too late. And I got my hopes up with this. I got all excited about tiny Jonathan, Will, and Mike moments. imagining what it could be and so happy to see them together as kids ext and ofc the Duffers let me down AGAIN. Very misleading.

I'm more mad at myself for getting my hopes up when I should know better by now. Jonathan gets 5m of screentime a season I should have known better.

I'm just sick of Jonathan and Will being buried and pushed to the back and/or treated like props. Yes it looks like Will is getting a bigger role this season, but I'm gonna learn my lesson from all the stuff I've said above and stop getting my hopes up. Stop thinking that oh this is gonna be really good we're gonna get to see more of Will and Jonathan-nope I got to stop thinking like that and I'm going to be very disappointed again. I'm going to expect there to be no scenes of Will and Jonathan so that way when there is no scenes of them.... I won't be disappointed then. I'll be expecting it.

I can't wait for this show to be over so I can stop getting all excited before every season about seeing more Jonathan/Will/Jonathan and Will scenes-- just to be let down every single time because it turns out they were barely in the season or in the background of someone elses storyline not getting to say or do anything.

They always make it appear as if Jonathan and Will are gonna get a big part each season and then its just crumbs.

Last season, a whole episode went by without them in it at all.

[solarisstyles]

SPEAK NOW(OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE)

Pairing: Harry Styles x F!Reader Word Count: 3k+ Warnings: angst, pining, stubborn!reader, oblivious!harry Summary: You're too scared to admit you're in love with Harry. Harry is oblivious to how obvious you are. Niall's there. A/N: yes, this is based off the Taylor Swift song.

 “Hey, Niall. Who’s that girl Harry is talking to over there?” You asked, watching Harry as he had what seemed to be a very amusing conversation with a beautiful brunette. 

While the music was far too loud, you could tell that she was making him laugh loudly at whatever she was saying. He was standing too close to her for your liking, and if it were possible, your skin would have been green from the jealousy you felt at that moment.

Niall looked over to Harry, a knowing look in his eyes as he looked back to you. “I think he said her name is Joslin. Judging by the daggers you’re sending her with those icy eyes, I don’t think you care though.” his response causing you to cut your eyes away from her, giving him an apologetic stare. 

“Sorry, you know how I get when other girls get close.” and he nodded, understanding your stance. 

“I just don’t understand why you don’t tell him how you feel.” Niall said. 

You glanced back at Harry and then back at Niall, trying to enunciate the current position you were in, “Rejection isn’t really a kink of mine Ni. He’s clearly preoccupied.” nodding your head in Harry’s direction. 

Niall laughed, shaking his head slightly “Only for the moment. If you don’t make a move though you could lose your chance.”

“You say that like I even have a chance to begin with.” you argued back.

Holding his hands up in mock surrender, “Hey, I’m just saying. You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.” earning a snort and laugh from you. 

“That was very prophetic, Niall. Thanks.” 

He smiled, patting you on the shoulder, “I save the best advice for those I love. You’ll thank me later.”.

  It’s been four months since that night and Joslin was a bigger thorn in your side than you’d ever imagined. Anytime you wanted to hang out, she was there, anytime you called Harry, she was there, even when you would randomly join his family for dinner, she was there. You were thankful for Niall being a generous listener. He was set to be awarded a purple heart for the service he gave to you. 

- - - - - - - - - 

  “I just don’t understand why she always has to be everywhere I go. Is it too much to want time alone with my best friend?” you ranted through the phone. 

Niall sighed softly, adjusting his body to be more comfortable on the couch he lounged on as he talked to you, “I mean, no it’s not. But, that’s his girlfriend. It’s kind of expected for her to be around a lot. Have you tried talking to him about it?” he suggested. 

Rolling your eyes, you let out an unamused huff of air “No. He’s too far up her ass for me to get a moment alone with him to even try that. And you see the way she looks at me! If I even suggested talking to him alone she would bite my head off.” 

Niall couldn’t help but laugh softly, “Yeah, I think the dislikable feeling is mutual on her end too.” he agreed. He had, as she said, witnessed how Joslin would give her looks that could kill if possible. Much like you had given her the night you first saw her with Harry. 

“I don’t know what else to suggest you do though. I feel like you guys aren’t communicating very well and I hate feeling tension between my two best friends.” he confessed, feeling a little nervous about your response. 

It was your turn to sigh, feeling guilty for putting Niall in such a position, “You’re right. I’m sorry that I’ve put you in the middle like this. I love Harry so much, and I love that he’s happy. I just hate that he’s happy with her.” you said, enunciating the last word of your sentence. 

“I know what you mean. And if it helps you at all, I’m not very fond of her either. It all seems very forced on Harry’s end and I wish he would see that he has you right at the tip of his fingers.” He told you, feeling sympathetic. 

Niall knew you were selfless enough to push your feelings aside if it meant Harry was happy, but he completely understood as Harry’s other best friend that you wanted that happiness to be found in the right person. Joslin was definitely not that person either to either of you. 

“You have no idea what a comfort that was to hear Ni. Thank you.” you softly responded, a relieving feeling washed over you hearing that you weren’t alone with how you felt. It was nice to know somebody else felt the same way, especially Niall. 

“Of course. I’m always going to be here for you. You’re my best friend just like Harry is.” he assured you,making your heart swell with fondness. 

“You’re my best friend too Ni. I’m gonna go to bed now. Thank you for listening to me.” hearing him yawn on the other end he then responded 

“Always here to listen. Just give me a call or come over. Goodnight.” he said. 

Telling him goodnight as well, you ended your call, feeling like you could fall asleep without feeling upset about Harry for the first time in months.

- - - - - - - - - 

  It was on Harry and Joslin’s one year anniversary that you could officially say your heart was broken in two. You banged on Niall’s apartment door, hot tears streaming down your bright red cheeks as you waited for him to answer. 

He was quick to do so, instantly pulling you in for a big hug. 

“He fucking proposed!” you sobbed into his chest, your fists clenching his shirt in fear of falling to your knees. 

Niall’s heart broke for you as you cried in his arms. “I know, I saw the Instagram announcement too.” he assured. 

“How could he want to marry her after the shit she said to him?! She called him stupid and said he’d never make a living in the job field he’s dreamed of since we were five.” you sniffled, scrubbing your sleeve against your cheek to wipe away the tears. “She doesn’t even support him.” your words cut through the air. Spite and anger fueling the fire that blazed inside of you. 

“He’s a dumbass.” Niall agreed, softly rubbing your back in an attempt to sooth you. “I told him the same thing months ago when he talked to me about buying a ring. I told him not to make such a stupid mistake. We can all tell he’s not happy, so I don’t understand why he’s taking it this far.” leaning his head on top of yours, he sighed. “It’ll be okay. Hopefully something will bring him to his senses.” you could hear the hopefulness in Niall’s voice. 

And as much as you wanted to have that same hope, you feared nothing would make Harry see sense.

 Being the best friend you were, you sent Harry your congratulations regardless of how broken you felt. 

Harry sent back his thanks and let you know that Joslin would love to have your help with the planning. 

You knew she didn’t genuinely want your input. It was just another way for her to press the dagger further into your beating heart. Not wanting to disappoint Harry though, you agreed to help. 

Joslin dragged you through so many venues for both the ceremony and the reception before settling on one at a country club which just so happened to be where Harry asked Joslin’s dad for permission to marry her after a round of golf one Sunday. Joslin exaggerated the details of it but the thought of Harry doing that stung nonetheless. 

And she knew it. It was like Joslin was getting a sick thrill out of seeing you slowly break. 

You weren’t even in the bridal party but she made sure you were there when she said ‘yes’ to the dress. You couldn’t deny that it was stunning and Harry was bound to be breathless over seeing her in it. You wished so bad that it was you, and it’s like Joslin could read your mind as she looked at you through the mirror in front of her as she tried on dress after dress. 

As you were all leaving the bridal store Joslin softly grabbed you by the elbow before you could walk to your car, “Can we have a little chat?” she asked, her voice oozing in a fake feeling. 

“Sure.” you nodded, turning to give her your full attention. 

“I’m going to just be very transparent with you. I see the way you look at Harry. And frankly it makes me sick that you would be so disrespectful as he’s happily spoken for. I understand you might be having some regrets but he’s mine. We’re going to be married soon and I would really appreciate it if you would back off.” Her words were cold as ice, just as you suspected her to be originally. 

While you weren’t shocked, you couldn’t help but feel taken aback at her sudden need to be so possessive over Harry. 

You blinked, breaking yourself from the shocked stare you gave her in response, your shock quickly turning into defensive anger as you narrowed your eyes at her “I beg your pardon? I’ll have you know that I will not be ‘backing off’ as you demand.” you began, putting air quotations around her words. “Harry has been my best friend since grade school and you will not change that.” You Let her know, standing firm in your position in Harry’s life. 

Joslin laughed in a way that resembled nails scraping down a chalkboard, then leaned in close to you to speak low, “I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to be forceful here but you’ve left me no choice. I don’t want to see hide nor hair of you at our wedding. Is that clear?” she asked, tilting her head in a mocking way. 

“Crystal.” you simply responded, your voice flat with no emotion, eyes as dull as you felt inside. 

Taking that as your que to leave, you walked away from her to your car.

  Your grip on the steering wheel was so tight your knuckles turned white as you drove, Niall’s shrill voice booming through your car’s speakers, “She did WHAT?” he exclaimed. 

“You heard me.” you confirmed, filling him in on the argument between Joslin and you. 

“What a bitch. Harry’s not going to stand for that.” he spoke confidently. 

“Ha!” you laughed out, “That’s if she even tells him the truth. Or at all.” 

Niall groaned, clearly frustrated “I’ll tell him then.” he declared. 

“No, no Niall don’t!” you quickly spoke, a surge of panic rising in you. “Don’t tell him anything. I feel like I’ve caused enough problems as it is and I don’t want to be a problem during what’s supposed to be a happy time for him.” 

Your reasoning caused Niall to roll his eyes,“What are you gonna do then? He’s going to be hurt if you’re not there.” he asked. 

You bit your lip, in thought about your options. “I’ll sneak in. But, I’ll need your help.”

- - - - - - - - - 

  It was the day of the wedding and thanks to Niall your plan was in full swing. 

You sat in your car parked outside the venue where the wedding party was getting ready inside on separate sides. Your leg bounced with nerves as you waited for Niall to text you that the coast was clear. 

Currently the groom party was getting some shots done by the photographer of them getting ready. It was the last task they had to do before meeting up with the bridal party to walk down the aisle. 

Hearing the text alert ding on your phone, you quickly opened it to see Niall letting you know that the coast was clear and that Harry would be alone for a good thirty minutes before it was time for the wedding to start. 

Getting out of your car, you followed the directions Niall gave you to Harry’s room, thankful to avoid anybody that might question your presence. Standing at the door, you stared at it, your heart beating faster than ever before, your palms suddenly sweaty as you brought your shaky hand up and rapped your knuckles against the door to knock on it. Taking a deep breath as you awaited him to answer the door, you felt the wind knocked from you again when the door opened. 

He looked so handsome in his fitted tux, his curly hair perfectly styled for the occasion, his skin was tan and glowing as if he’d been in the sun for days. His bright smile nearly blinded you as he pulled you in for a hug, “I’m so glad I got to see you before the wedding.” he happily said, pulling back to look at you. 

Noticing your casual attire, he couldn’t fight the slight confused look from his face, “Dressed pretty casual for a wedding huh? I’d hoped I was special enough for you to dress up.'' His teasing tone brings you more nerves. 

“She didn’t tell you?” you asked, wanting confirmation of your thoughts. 

“Who didn’t tell me what?” he asked, even more confused. 

Sighing, you looked down the hall, worrying about somebody seeing you. “Can I come in? I need to talk to you.” desperately wanting to have more privacy as you spoke. 

Harry could see how nervous you were and ushered you into the room, closing the door behind him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking at you concerned.

  Swallowing around the thickness of your throat, you took a shaky breath, “Joslin uninvited me to the wedding.” you told him, looking into his eyes so he could see you were being honest. 

“What?” he asked, “Why would she do that?” he further asked, feeling hurt and confused. 

Taking another deep shaky breath you began to explain the argument you and her had outside of the bridal store, filling him in on her wickedness. “I understand you love her, and I want you to know I support that. I can’t stand back and watch you marry somebody that’s so obviously bad for you though. She’s right, Harry. I’m in love with you and it has been absolutely killing me helping her plan this whole day for you two. I went through with it thinking it could help me move on, cause your happiness means more to me than anything.” pausing, you wiped away the tears that had begun to leak from your eyes.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything sooner. I know it’s not fair to dump all of this on you on today of all days. I had to get this off my chest though before you became a married man. I genuinely hope you have a lifetime of happiness with her.” you concluded. 

Harry was speechless, all he could do was stare at you with wide eyes, his mouth gaped open like he wanted to respond but couldn’t find the words. 

The moment was interrupted by a soft knock on the door, Niall opening it and peeking in at the two of you with a sympathetic smile on his face, “It’s time.” he softly said. 

Looking from Niall back to Harry, you gave him a tiny nod, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his cheek, then walking out the door to go back to your car and leave.

 When you left the room, Niall stood in the doorway, staring Harry down as he stood in absolute shock. 

“I fucked up.” Harry said, his eyes meeting Niall’s. 

The weight of the situation was slowly sinking in for him. You loved him. How could he have been so blind to it? You were his best friend. How did he miss something that was probably so obvious? 

“I mean… if we’re technically speaking… you still have time to fix this.” Niall said, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the time. “About five minutes to be exact. So, I’d move fast if I were you.” He told his best friend, a smile slowly forming on his face. 

Harry slowly began to smile back at him, “Joslin will never forgive me.” he said. 

“Fuck Joslin. Go get the girl you really wanted to marry since you were twelve.” Niall encouraged, holding the door open for Harry. 

As Harry walked through the doorway, he pulled Niall into a tight embrace “Thank you.” he said. 

“Yeah, yeah, I better be your best man. Again.” Niall dismissed, pushing him away. “Now run before she gets to her car and leaves,” he instructed. 

Nodding, Harry took off running down the hall, bursting through the emergency exit that led to the parking lot. Spotting you almost to your car, he sprinted towards you, calling your name. 

Your head whipped around at the sound of his voice, your tear stained face laced with shock as he approached you. 

Grabbing your face with both of his hands, he crashed his lips into yours. 

The shock instantly melted away as you melted into the kiss, your hands wrapping around his wrists and pulling yourself closer to him. 

When you both eventually pulled away from one another for air, you pressed your forehead against his, your eyes still closed as you tried to catch your breath, him doing the same. 

“What are you doing?” you breathed against his lips. 

“What I should have done a long time ago.” he said, rubbing his thumbs against your cheeks softly. “I love you too. I have since we were kids. I’m so sorry that I was too stupid to see that you felt the same way. I didn’t think I had a chance with you.” he confessed. 

You were shocked, your eyes finally opening to look into his own. “Really?” you asked. 

“Really.” he confirmed, smiling at you. 

“Give me your keys. I’ll drive.” he said, bringing you back to the reality of where you were. 

“But your wedding-”, 

“Fuck it. Joslin’s not you so I don’t want it.” he interrupted, holding his palm out for your car keys. 

You couldn’t help but giggle, fishing your keys out of your pocket and handing them to him. 

You both were quick to get in your car, Joslin running out of the venue screaming at your car as you both drove away into your happily ever after.

[cellarspider]

8/30 Seek and Destroy

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We return to the movie that I wish to spin in a centrifuge until it separates into layers of its constituent parts, Prometheus.

Content warning for desecration of a dead body, continuing bumblefuck destruction of alien artifacts, and David being the adversarial two year old that he literally is.

Before we begin: Have you turned off Tumblr’s latest “feature”, which opens your account up to AI data harvesting? If not: do it! Log in from a web browser (the app doesn’t have this checkbox yet), go to “Blog Settings”, scroll down to “Visibility”, and turn on “Prevent third-party sharing for [BLOG NAME]”. Do this for each blog you have. Do it. Do it now. Tell your friends, it’s the hot new thing. Run free into the wilderness. This message will repeat whenever I feel like it.

Anyway, on with the show.

David is the most prepared crew member. While nobody else seems to have a single clue between their ears and most of the crew wasn’t even briefed prior to setting out, David has been studying for the past two years, treating language as a puzzle. He’s going to take what he learned and apply it to anything he finds in the alien complex.

And he will apply it whenever the mood takes him, because he is, again, two years old. That was the sense I got in the theater–he finds things he can mess with, and does so without hesitation or consultation with the humans. And while my instincts were still screaming that they shouldn’t even have landed yet, his behavior was the only one that made sense. He has been taught that he is only wanted when he’s useful. He has not been taught to keep his hands to himself. He figures the place out faster than the humans, and he seems pleased with himself for doing so. Therefore, he’s going to do so as much as possible.

As a result, we watch the cast act like screeching gibbons over a hologram. David had begun prodding at marks on the wall that look suspiciously like cuneiform (I’ll rant about it later), and he turned on a hologram projector. Simian crew noises ensue.

Those in the audience who are in the know are also expected to begin screeching excitedly at this point. The hallways they’re in are already taking on H. R. Giger’s signature biomechanical style. These holograms are showing us eight foot tall beings similar to his Space Jockey design.

The Space Jockey, named as such by the Alien production team, was one of those mysterious things about the original movie. Fused to what might have been the helm of the ship, seemingly alone with a hold full of carefully-arranged xenomorph eggs, and long-dead from a chestburster that had infected it. It set a warning signal before its death, misinterpreted by the crew of the Nostromo.

The movie never explained what the Space Jockey had been doing. Was this a cargo ship? A weapon? Was xenomorph reproduction somehow linked to the Space Jockey lifestyle? Their religion? Absolutely no information was given, and thus depictions of the Space Jockeys in subsequent media were split on whether they were benevolent, malevolent, entirely indifferent toward others, or simply too alien to be understood.

Physically, it was a complicated design for Alien’s crew to pull off, even as a corpse. The studio didn’t want to budget for it, and Giger ended up putting in a lot of extra work to help finish the statue. To make it seem even bigger than it was, the children of Ridley Scott and cinematographer Derek Vanlint were put into miniature space suits to give a sense of titanic scale to the creature, three times their height.

Scott made the logistical decision in Prometheus to scale these beings down significantly, purely for the difficulty in setting up shots and creating more sets scaled to this thing. It’s understandable, but I know some people are disappointed by it. As are others by the obvious implication you first get in this scene: the Space Jockey’s truly bizarre appearance is simply some sort of suit, worn by the far more humanoid aliens already seen in Prometheus’ opening.

Normally, I might be among those disappointed by that. I love monsters dearly, if my blog doesn’t give that away already. But there is a minimum threshold for inhuman features that the Engineers still meet for me. Something about the eyes and the uncanny look of their skin, both of which were deliberate choices by Ridley Scott and Neal Scanlan, the film’s creature designer who started with the Henson Company on movies like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and has worked on the new Star Warses, including the absolutely fantastic Andor. Even in behind-the-scenes shots, they manage to look just odd enough to be pleasing to me.

(https://www.deviantart.com/pretty--kittie/art/Prometheus-Engineer-407324586)

I respect the design work that went into it and I like the final result, though I am very sympathetic to those who felt that this was an unnecessary explanation for a creature that was a more powerful symbol when it had no explanation.

Talking about such things is my happy place, and unfortunately we have to go back to The Bad Place now. The characters.

They find an alien corpse decapitated by a door (the great goddess O’Sha is most displeased), and within two minutes they’re sticking a meat thermometer in it.

Fifield the geologist has a panic attack, which is pretty relatable.

“Look, I'm just a geologist. I like rocks. I love! rocks! Now it's clear you two don't give a shit about rocks.”

He’s right and he should say it. They should still be orbiting the planet looking for artificial structures, and Fifield should be having fun doing an aeromagnetic survey or something.

But no. Meat thermometer. Sorry, “carbon reader”. Says the body’s been dead about two thousand years. They have just punched a hole in the first alien body they’ve ever found, to get precisely one data point. This is what is called a “destructive analysis.”

Destructive analysis is a technical term, so let me define it: You know how a team just read the text inside of a charcoalized lump that used to be a Roman scroll? How they didn’t destroy anything in the scroll to do that? How we might be on a path to getting so many ancient texts it could radically reshape our understanding of the period, and all it will take is some fancy x-ray scans and computers? The opposite of that. Think the opposite of that.

I’m going to go on a tangent out of pure spite and desire to educate. Carbon dating is complicated. There’s two isotopes (types) of carbon: Carbon 14 and carbon 12. C-14 is very, veeeery slightly radioactive, which means it will eventually burp out a little subatomic particle and turn into the non-radioactive Nitrogen 14. C-14 is mostly created in our atmosphere, so once something’s dead and in the ground, it’s not gaining any more C-14, it’s slowly turning into N-14.

We know how long C-14 takes to turn into N-14, it’s about 50,000 years to lose all but 0.2% of the original C-14. If you know how much C-14 something should start with, then you can take a look at how much C-14 your sample actually has, and you can calculate how long it’s been dead. Here’s a quick explainer from Scientific American to visually summarize this.

Now, the more complicated part. You have to know the starting conditions if you want to be accurate. You have to calibrate everything, because the amount of C-14 available in an environment can change over time. We have ways of doing this, but it usually means carefully studying the environment and other clues.

So if you were to actually find carbon-based alien corpses on an alien planet, you’d need to identify the atmospheric carbon isotope ratio, and then you’d be able to make a sketchy, poorly-calibrated estimation, that could be wildly off by a large margin. A critter that did a lot of traveling in its life would be especially hard to date, as you couldn’t be sure if it’d lived where you found it for long enough to take up the local C-14 levels.

In this case, their fancy meat thermometer might be plugged directly into the script, because the number they give is only about 60 years off the actual death date. How do I know this? Because of a thing I’m not saying yet.

That’s enough for this post right now. But I’m not done with this moment. I don’t like this moment, and I need to properly explain why. Next time.

⛬ 

(Previous) | (Index) | (Next)

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Citations for alt-text rambles:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemiluminescence 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoluminescence 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboluminescence 4. https://dedalvs.com/ 5. https://www.reddit.com/r/conlangs/

[densnake]

Helloooo can I request Karl Heisenberg with a Stoic Male S/O who is bigger and taller than him and has blue fire powers?

Karl Heisenberg With A Stoic! Reader With Fire Abilities

Reader type: Male reader [Boyfriend, Guy, Etc]

Fandom: Resident Evil

Content Warning: Might Be OOC, And Nothing Else!

Authors note: Hey! this is literally my first time writing a fic at all so I'm so sorry if it isn't the best quality and the abrupt end! It was very fun to write though thank you! ^^

——————————————————————————

When Karl first took notice of you it was when he had realized someone inside the village had natural abilities. He immediately was set on being the first one to have you in his possession.

He wasn't going to let anyone else get to you just to waste your potential, especially not Alcina. Just the thought of her beating him to you and turning you into a snack made his blood boil.

So Karl sent some of of his drones after you to be retrieved immediately.

When you arrived back to Karl he was eager to begin studying you and turning you into another project of his. He was aware that you could easily put him in danger with your large stature and powers this, for the most part, enticed him.

While he was very interested in you already Karl also had to be prepared for any reaction you had. He needed a plan to get you to remain relatively calm while he studied the extent of your powers.

When Karl first saw you in person he was very surprised by your size he hadn't expected someone as big as you and especially as tall. Karl knew not to dwell on this fact but it definitely was something he was going to be thinking about.

Karl had originally told you that he had needed your help for an invention to bring back Mother Miranda knowing you'd be another follower.

You didn't complain about the situation and asked minimal questions about where you were and about Mother Miranda. It was a surprise that you were so seemingly calm about the situation at hand. it was good that you were so co-operative with him even if it was just blind faith.

When he spoke to you it was like he was talking down to you even if it irked you he would continue to speak harshly with you and make fun of you.

Considering you weren't one to speak in the first place when you had next to nothing to say back to him it made him frustrated. He wanted to make sure that you knew he was in charge here.

With your attitude and engaging less in his behavior along with the way you stood over him he felt somewhat insecure while he had to look up at you. He didn't feel small or bad about himself compared to you he just didn't like the idea that you could be underestimating or feeling greater than him. He always made sure that you were aware you were under his control.

Seeing as you were much more reserved and stronger than originally anticipated Karl found himself wondering what you were thinking and what you were capable of.

The tests he subjected you to were disguised as apart of the process where he would gather information about your physical abilities such as your base strength, your resistance to your own and outside fire/heat, and how hot you can burn until it affects you if at all.

While you worked with Karl you provided a great assistance with its development that he was not used to. you also provided as a good way for Karl to let out his frustrations about the other Lords. During this time you learned a lot about him and them as you provided a silent ear to him.

During any particularly heated rants Karl would let some things slip about himself and the other lords without realizing. Your silent nature allowed him to share more than what he would originally notice.

During this time you also gave small details about yourself when he was finished as well and any of the criticisms or doubt in your faith in Mother Miranda and the Lords that you had. When you spoke about it you were short but you got your point across well.

He appreciated being able to finally speak to someone that didn't kiss the ground that they walked on. Even if you weren't as passionate as he was about it he was more than happy to dominate the conversation.

Eventually when the time came where Karl would have to make a decision on if he was going to keep you around as an 'assistant' in his shop or turn you into another one of his experiments.

Obviously he chose to keep you around instead of stripping you of your individuality and free will.

As you both had grown closer over the period you spent together Karl would eventually tell you the truth if you were to stick around. He was very blunt with you when it came time to tell you what you believed was false where as you would have to eventually come to accept as the truth.

It was easier to accept as you had been previously listening to Karl picking up hints he dropped when you spoke however it still hardly prepared you for what he had to tell you

He could not be able to sympathize with you in any feelings of betrayal you might have upon learning it as he is hard set in his feelings towards everyone else and wasn't willing to learn as to why someone could or even accept any faults of his own.

Becoming a resident was very different than just his potential project for starters you weren't in as much danger as you were originally be it because you were now subjected to less or because you were simply new.

Karl was still stubborn and rude most of the time however now it wasn't as aggressive as before. He still felt like he had to assert himself he eventually became somewhat less passionate about it.

Karl indulges himself in getting you to use your power for tasks even if he could easily do it himself he enjoys watching you do it. You might need to stop him from going over board with this new ability.

There was no real confession from him he just gradually became more affectionate with his little comments and the way he spoke to you. Soon enough one day he would just call you his boyfriend while was teasing you [In a positive/playful way].

Around this time is when he would take more notice of how big you actually were compared to him. Not even just how tall you were but by how strong you were to match. This was more apparent whenever you got close or physical. He would be lying if he said it didn't appeal to him.

He would definitely call you 'big guy'.

Karl isn't very physically affectionate and not a fan of PDA. He would much prefer keeping all that in the private. This wouldn't be a big issue for you both though.

However Karl can get jealous very easily. This, again, doesn't happen very often for the two of you as you aren't one to actively socialize with the others. He'd never admit to you that he was jealous. However if he feels that one of the others is getting too friendly or doubting you he will immediately step in.

it isn't that he thinks that you can't handle yourself in discussion with them he just hates the idea that you or him will be put into suspicion.

——————————————————————————

That's All! Thank You For Reading!

[bluelotuswrites]

ok i came here the other day ranting abt ritcos BUT i forgot you also wrote hellblazer and the hood and????!!!! How does it feel to be the smartest person ever when i tell you these are my FAV FICS OF ALL TIME i just agfhgekjawhgdsfhkdwkuefgdoueayrsd i am so glad you are writing these bc they need to exist and im not good enough to pick up the slack if they didnt anyhoo love ya

90% of my process for coming up with stories is just "Hey, wouldn't it be funny if these two met under x circumstances?" Then the next thing I know, I have a story that ended up being far bigger and more popular than I expected O_O

I shall gladly bear the crown of creator of such niche stories :)