#was looking through my old screenshots and AW

[ninjastormz]

:’)

[aphrodicci]

i remember when i was young and being really confused about my mother crying in the bus when she was taking me to school. i sat next to her and didnt say anything because i knew she was someone that didnt express her emotions as much so i didnt expect her to tell me anything and on the other hand i was a child so i dont think she was even contemplating on telling me the heavy news while i was going to school.

but i remember when a couple of years passed and i was a bit older to understand her grief but still confused about the root of the issue. i was told that her friend was killed by a rebel apart of the M23 Movement.

the M23 movement involves Rwandan "soldiers" [and Ugandan and more] that attempt to overtake eastern congo! it has been happening for a long time, and im old enough to see how terrible the impact has done to congo and i am old enough to understand that my mother's friend died fighting for our country.

[if you stumble upon any video that speaks about the M23 MOVEMENT being for congo please understand it is propaganda].

when i saw the video of the palestinian baby under rubble and the aid being kidnapped it was one of the most final straws for me. and also my anger towards the oppressive capitalism that use my country for its minerals. and the oppressive capitalism that funds the genocides that is happening

many companies like samsung or tesla and even apple have exploited congo for tech. and where it mainly happens [eastern congo] is where soldiers force children as little as 3 to work, children so young being sexually assaulted, having their mothers be raped and murdered in front of them. there are so many heart-breaking stories and i feel so hopeless. i've always felt so hopeless hearing my mother cry or listen to the news about updates about how everything is going.

how people are getting so hungry that they're turning to cannibalism and that shouldnt be the way anyone should be living! so yes i do feel privilleged to wake up and not have to through that. not have to go through being forced to work or give myself up sexually.

but what i can do is help donate and i hope there are other people willing to donate too! and when you donate you'll receive something back from me. the least we can donate is 15 dollars. and you can go to my back up page @venuskura [so my messages dont get confusing with my main account messages] and show proof that you have donated so you can get a reading from me! 15 dollars to the cause and i interpret a placement you're curious about :) thank you!

if you donate 30 dollars, you get two placements read by me. so 8 paragraphs all the together, but this is no forcing! only do it if you know you can support. when you send the money please show me proof that you have donated the money with a screenshot!

PROOF:

and sorry i added a wonky heart so people dont use my screenshot to lie about them doing it. i'll be supporting them as much as i can while also helping my family!

and please remember that war hurts our earth as well :)

as time passes i will be adding more charities that we can help, but please remember that im not forcing you to do it! i'll also be looking for genuine charities for palestine and other countries going through similar awful crisis. thank you :)

this is not an obligation post if you dont want to do it, so be it!

[xsignedmsriss]

Okay since it’s BG3’s anniversary, I felt compelled to finally talk about the Halsin romance scene after realizing something weeks ago.

Can we please talk about the difference in expression Halsin has in these screenshots! He doesn’t make all of these looks in the same scenes, these are different loads. I only noticed the difference after the millionth time going through a Halsin romance and I haven’t yet seen anyone else talking about this???

The shots on the left are from a different load (I think a different playthrough entirely if I recall) anyway—

On the left side, we have a Halsin who is very confident, intense gaze, taking a moment to admire the beauty before him and is certain he is about to show you the greatest night you’ve ever had. Both when he’s standing and on his knees, that confidence doesn’t wane. He wants this and isn’t afraid to show it. These are the looks I get most often.

Then we have Halsin on the right. My goodness. Here is a man who likely just had the most embarrassing moment of his life and at such an age. He's incredibly vulnerable here, and yet you still chose him. The first look at the tree, he can’t believe he still has you; you still want him. So much admiration, awe, and love in his eyes. And maybe some sadness? Sad he almost ruined things. Like he’d be so heartbroken if you suddenly changed your mind. He still looks like he’s waiting for that dreadful moment you push him away, but is just so grateful to have you for as long as he can. A man who doesn’t want to ruin this.

Then when he goes down, that vulnerability in his eyes is still there. The curve in his brows. The uncertainty when he asks for consent. By this point in the scene, you can’t turn him down anymore, you are locked in. So essentially, you’ve made it very clear to Halsin that you want him just as much as he wants you. But he’s still not that confident yet. It's like he goes down not just because he wants to, but because he also wants to ensure he pleases you, that he can be so good to you. But he's still unsure if it’s okay to proceed.

Depending on the dialogue choices you make are what generate the different looks, but I seem to always get the more “confident” look more than the other. I can’t remember the exact order of choices… maybe I can go back to an old clip and try to find it if anyone wants to experiment for themselves!

Anyway, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that’s what I do. I love discovering the tiniest details, even if others have noticed it long before. But this just made me love Halsin even more. And hopefully it made all the Halsin lovers love him much more too!

[orlaunderrated]

The Edges of Us: Chapter 24

First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Will Lenney x fem reader; George Clarke x fem reader

Summary: Y/N has always been close to George—but everything changes when she catches feelings for his sharp-tongued, infuriatingly charming friend, Will. Torn between loyalty and desire, Y/N finds herself caught in a messy tangle of friendship, secrets, and unexpected love.

Word Count: 7.4k+

Note: GUYS i promise we will be rid of george soon!! not yet tho.

RQ- taglist friends, does my taglist work?

also this is based off the video Youtubers control what Sidemen eat for a day bc it features both Will and George ands its one of the few recent-er sidemen sundays i go back and rewatch. It makes me giggle that george is wearing a white fox hoodie?? idk if its just an australian thing but i think whitefox is like exclusively for the girlies who do pilaties or like, if you are 12.

Also i know it makes no sense in this timeline but just... suspend disbelief i beg/

xxx

George wasn’t kidding.

I wake up to 17.2k followers.

Seventeen thousand, two hundred people. Watching. Scrolling. Lurking.

My brain doesn’t register it at first — I open Instagram out of habit, thumb-heavy and half-asleep — but then I see the number at the top of the screen and freeze.

“Seventeen?” I whisper, like maybe I’ve hallucinated it.

It’s the premiere photo. The one George’s manager posted without warning — me and him on the carpet, posed like we’re something. She tagged me. Just like he said she would.

Thank you to @AnActionMovie for having us at the premiere night ft. the best one @y/f/n.html

The comments are chaos:

“wait she’s GORGEOUS 🔥” “the soft launch is over lads” “who is she??” “PR relationship?? be serious” “guys stop being weird she’s just a person” "I think they're just friends" “she’s kind of giving tbh 👀” “not what I imagined but ok 💔” “nah she’s from the old uni tiktoks I swear” “this ain’t it 😭” “you’re all just mad she’s not you lol” "guys in the interview he said they're best mates"

People are deep-diving.

Proper CSI: Instagram.

They’ve gone through every tagged photo, every ancient highschool and uni upload. Someone found a 2018 picture of me on our Exeter kitchen floor, hoodie stained with ramen, George behind me laughing with his hand in my hair. We weren’t even close then.

There’s another photo — grainy, awkward — and I blink at it like I’m seeing a ghost.

“Is that from my mum’s Facebook??” I mutter.

The one where I’m wearing that awful jumper with the weird sleeves, sitting cross-legged on a couch like a lost kid. There's like ten other people in the photo, but George and I are sat next to eachoter. His arm is around mine lazily, and im leaning into the other guy beside me.

I think me and the other guy were dating? Or had been on a date? I don’t remember.

I don’t even remember posting it. But someone screenshot it and reposted it on TikTok with a caption like “she's been there since day one.” and some trending love song behind it.

I nearly dropped my phone.

There are edits now. Slideshow reels. Sad music. People drawing heart-shaped arrows over our shoulders just barely touching. Narratives forming out of nothing.

“they were so lowkey for so long… the real ones always are 💍” “he’s BEEN in love with her don’t lie” “they just look like they get each other 🥺” "He said theyre just friends to protect her, I can'tttttt"

And I can’t stop thinking —

You lot have no idea.

You don’t know about the years I spent watching him fall for other people. You didn’t see the way he hesitated when I kissed him. Or how small I felt when he introduced me at the premiere, and didn’t call me his girlfriend.

But TikTok has decided we’re soulmates.

So now there are fan edits of my face.

One of them ends with a blurry photo of George looking at me — I don’t even remember the moment — and the caption:

“when he looks at you like that… it’s already over for him 🫶”

I laugh. Sharp and quiet.

Because yeah. Maybe he does look at me like that.

And maybe I look like someone who he's certain about.

But I’m not.

I scroll through my grid. Past the food photos, the sunsets, the filler. Down to the soft launch.

Will’s hand around a coffee cup. Our shadows on a brick footpath. A jar of olives in my kitchen, filtered warm and captioned “lately”.

God, what was I even doing? I had 300 followers. Who was I soft-launching to — Ruth? My Dad?

The whole thing feels laughable now. Like a bad joke from a version of me that thought posting him would make it real. That soft-launching a situationship counted for something.

I archive them all.

Poof. Gone.

Like he was never there.

Now it’s just me, in a cheap dress, next to George Clarkey.

No Will. No context. No truth. Just vibes.

@y/f/n.html 17.9k followers. And apparently, a fandom.

Ruth texts me:

you’re famous now. you have a fandom

Also girl we need to hang out, I haven't seen you in forever.

I want to laugh. Or cry. Or lie face down in a lake.

Mainly about this whole mess but also about not seeing Ruth. That does suck.

Instead, I whisper to my pillow:

“All I am is George Clarkey’s girlfriend — and he can’t even say that.”

It still sounds made up. Still feels like a bit someone wrote for me.

But online — in the comments, the tags, the edits — it’s true.

And somehow, it feels more official than anything he’s ever actually said.

I check one last comment before closing the app:

“she soft-launched this man before any of us were even born 💀”

And honestly?

Yeah. Maybe I did.

xxx

I’m staring at the of my bedroom, the faint hum of London traffic filtering through the window. Today’s the day they scheduled that IT maintenance at work, which means—by some cruel twist of fate—I have a whole free day. A day George immediately hijacks.

Come on, he texts me again for the third time, like a kid trying to convince their mum. You’ll love it. Sidemen shoot. Big fun day out.

I roll my eyes but don’t reply. George’s world — bright, loud, chaotic — is a universe away from mine, with its neat lines of code and endless debugging. I get the appeal, I really do, but it’s exhausting trying to keep up with his enthusiasm for a job I barely understand.

I begrudgingly agree.

When he shows up at the flat, half an hour later, I’m still in my pajamas, nursing a lukewarm coffee and trying to remind myself why I even agreed.

He’s in my hoodie, which makes me giggle without meaning to.

Why is this insanely handsome man — YouTube-famous, public-facing, probably-recognised-at-airports — wearing my oversized navy White Fox hoodie? It's a brand aggressively marketed to women who do Pilates and drink green juice, not… George.

Well, oversized on me. On him, it fits like it was made for him. Stretched just right across the shoulders, sleeves rolled to the forearms like he’s done this a hundred times.

I want to call him out on it, but it feels very… boyfriendy, even though its usually the other way around. I just giggle at it.

“You should come,” George says, like it’s the best idea in the world. “It’s fun. And who knows — maybe it’ll get you an in to a job or something.”

I raise an eyebrow, setting my mug down. “George, I’ve told you, I have a job, I don’t need a job.”

He grins, undeterred. “But you have an audience now, YN. People want more of you.”

“Okay...?” I say, sceptical. Not sure where this is going. I have an audience now because I'm his girlfriend, not because I'm interesting.

He shrugs, a cocky smirk playing at his lips. “Fine, fine. But you’re still coming. I want to show you off.”

I stare at him for a second — half amused, half exasperated. Typical George. Can’t take no for an answer. But maybe... maybe it won’t be so bad.

I set my mug down, sighing. Maybe it won’t be so bad. I get up, pull on something less like pyjamas and more like “I’m-not-entirely-reluctant,” then grab my coat and follow him out the door, London’s grey morning swallowing us whole.

It’s a different language — his world of clicks and takes and viral videos — and mine of silent coding marathons. Sometimes it feels like we’re orbiting two different planets, and I’m the one who keeps trying to land on his.

But I give in, because... maybe I’m still trying to find somewhere I belong with him. With us. Somewhere I’m not just YN who uses weird slang, or George’s weird friend with a 9-5.

And no, his flat doesn’t count.

Xxx

The shoot is set in a swanky apartment building — the kind of place with floor-to-ceiling windows that give you that impossible city view. Inside, it’s like an art installation meets a tech warehouse. They’ve got three different filming setups scattered across the space, each one loaded with gear. Cameras on rigs, lightboxes humming softly in the corners, stabilizers mounted on poles.

It’s organized chaos — but somehow, it all comes together in this frantic, effortless rhythm. Everyone’s constantly moving, setting up, packing down, getting ready to shift to the next shot. And then there are the handheld cameras, getting ready to capture all the action on the go. Cameramen booting up their cameras, ready for a day of racing from one angle to the next like the scene might break into a chase at any moment.

It reminds me of Will’s studio. God, I haven’t been there in months. The thought catches me off guard — part nostalgia, part something tighter in my chest.

There’s a soft buzz in the air, but it’s a happy kind of busy. Nobody looks stressed — just focused, moving fast, like everyone knows exactly what they need to do. Someone’s furiously writing on a colourful spinning wheel prop, bright markers flying across the glossy surface. Nearby, a young woman balances a precarious amount of takeaway coffee cups, in her hands, handing out orders with practiced ease, the scent of espresso mingling with the faint hum of camera motors.

Voices overlap: quiet instructions, laughter, the occasional burst of excitement when a mic starts working again. The air smells faintly of electronics and takeaway food — the strange perfume of content creation in progress.

George is already weaving through the crowd, his easy confidence a sharp contrast to my own uncertainty. He grabs my hand, pulling me along as he chats with a couple of crew members. “See? This is the magic,” he says, eyes bright. “You could be right here, doing this. It’s a whole world.”

I nod, trying to ignore the blatant disregard for what I’ve said a million times. Just imagine myself fitting in here, he says — like it’s that easy. But all I can think about is Will. I didn’t even ask if he was going to be here today. Why would he be, right?

I hate that I still think of him sometimes. I'm literally in a happy relationship, why does the ghost of a northerner who doesn’t like me haunt my air?

George is pulling me around, introducing me to the crew and Sidemen, but my attention flickers from person to person, trying to keep up. I recognise Harry, he's over at the flat a lot. I think him and Chris are quite close. Then, out of nowhere, a familiar voice cuts through the hum of conversation.

“Mate!” Chris calls, his voice loud and full of that easy energy that always makes me smile.

I spin around, heart skipping. “Oh my God, Chris is here!” I say, genuinely excited. I’ve missed his presence here—he’s one of the few people I actually feel comfortable around.

But then my eyes catch movement beyond Chris. There, leaning casually against a table, is Will. Quarter-zip hoodie, black cap, hands shoved in his pockets, smirking like he owns the place. He’s joking with one Ieuan, totally relaxed.

Oh my goodness, Ieuan! God today is just full of nostalgia for an era of my life that wasn’t even six months ago. Crazy how things change. I totally forgot he does freelance stuff for the Sidemen.

Will and I lock eyes from across the room.

Suddenly, the noise around me fades, as if the world has pulled a curtain between us and everyone else. No words pass between us, but something coils tight inside my chest — a strange, aching knot of surprise, unfinished stories, and a ghost of warmth I thought I’d buried long ago.

Will leans back against the table, arms crossed, that infuriating smirk curling on his lips like he’s daring me to unravel. It’s the kind of smirk that carries all the weight of unspoken things — apologies I never got, regrets we never shared, and a thousand things left unsaid.

A smirk? Oh, that bastard.

I meet his gaze and hold it, though every breath feels heavy, like I’m standing on the edge of something I’m not sure I want to face again. It’s as if the silence between us is screaming with all the words we never dared say.

There’s history there — sharp, raw, and tangled — and in that moment, I’m not sure if I want to step closer or run away.

Chris turns his head, following the direction of Will’s gaze, and his eyes land on me. A wide grin spreads across his face. “YN!” he calls out, his voice carrying easily over the background noise. “Great to see you! Enjoying the newfound fame, yeah?”

His tone is light, teasing — the kind of banter that usually makes me smile. But right now, it feels oddly hollow, like a spotlight shining on everything I’m trying to ignore.

I force a smile, feeling the weight of a thousand eyes I don’t actually see. Fame. Audience. The whole package George keeps hinting at but that still feels like some other life.

Chris claps me on the shoulder, warmth and familiarity in the gesture. “Seriously though, it’s good to have you here.”

I nod, trying to match his easy confidence, but my eyes flicker back to Will — still leaning against the table, smirk in place, watching me like I’m a puzzle he’s still trying to figure out.

He used to look at me like that, way back when; before our summer romance, when everything was falling apart and he’d pull me out of my spiral just by showing up. Back when we pretended to hate each other so well, you’d think we’d nailed a rom-com script.

Too bad I can’t hate him now. Not that I haven’t tried. But I do hate that smirk. I just want to wipe that smug look off his face. Like, make it disappear.

Poof, gone.

That look? It’s got history. It's messy, complicated, and way too familiar. And it’s poking at something in me I’d hoped was long dead.

Chris, oblivious to the silent tension stretching between us, keeps chatting, “You getting used to all the attention? I bet George is proud.”

George’s grip tightens ever so slightly on my shoulder, and I realize he’s been watching too. To be honest I didn’t even realise he was behind me, or even still holding onto me for that matter.

I force a smile. “Yeah, just... caught me off guard. I didn’t expect to get 30k followers in a week.”

George nudges me gently. “Come on, I want to introduce you to someone.”

He steers me through the crowd, stopping beside a guy crouched over a camera rig like it’s something sacred.

“This is Daniel,” George says. “He’s one of the tech guys. No, sorry, The tech guy—audio, cameras, whatever’s broken.”

Daniel looks up and offers a small smile, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He seems cool, in a nerdy, quiet sort of way. The kind of guy who probably owns one T-shirt in ten shades and calls it a wardrobe.

His T-shirt is plain, olive green, slightly wrinkled. The kind of shirt you don’t think twice about — unless, of course, you’re wearing it every day in different colours.

“Hey,” Daniel says, voice a little soft but friendly. “Welcome to the circus.”

I smile, already liking him more than most of the loud YouTuber energy in the room. There’s something grounding about someone who clearly knows exactly who they are — even if it’s a guy in the same shirt forever.

George gets pulled away to get mic’d up and I’m left next to Daniel, who’s quietly adjusting levels on a monitor, his brow furrowed in that very specific tech-guy way that says do not disturb unless you're on fire.

After a beat, he glances at me. “So… are you interested in the Technical Producer or Production Assistant gig?”

I blink. “Uh. No? Neither, sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Really? You’ve been recommended by, like, six people already.”

I squint at him, surprised. “By who?”

Daniel counts casually on his fingers. “Let’s see… George, obviously. Chris, Orla and Abbey who are producers in this kinda space" He cringes at his own words, which makes me fee better for also cringing, "And, um… Ieuan, over there” He nods towards the door, where Ieuan is probably still standing. Daniel pauses, like he knows he’s saving the best for last. “Will.”

My stomach does something stupid. “Will?” I ask, because I need to hear it again to believe it. “Will recommended me?”

Daniel nods, not picking up on the spiral beginning to form behind my eyes. “Yeah. Last week, I think? He said you’d be a good fit. Systems thinker, but, you know—people-smart, too. His words.”

My brain short-circuits for a second. Last week. Last week? After all of this — after the silence. After the distance. After… George.

I nod slowly, trying to keep my face neutral. “Huh.”

It’s all I can manage.

I think of Orla and Abbey, too. I haven’t seen them in ages — not properly. I sort of knew them through Will’s shoots, always in the background with clipboards and inside jokes, making everything run without getting the credit. They were funny, in that not-meaning-to-be, blink-and-you-miss-it way. I liked them. I miss them. I didn’t realise how much until now.

One of them always had a KitKat for me in the studio fridge. The kind of quiet kindness that never really goes unnoticed. Ever.

“So can I tell you about the job anyway?” Daniel asks, slouching back onto a folding chair and picking up a tablet. “I’ve got nothing else to do.”

I shrug. “Sure. Knock yourself out.” I sit down next to him in another folding chair. I wish I had any idea why someone has brough folding chairs to a hotel room but I ignore it.

Daniel launches into it — first the Production Assistant role: coordinating shoot schedules, troubleshooting gear, keeping people caffeinated and alive. Then the Technical Producer one: overseeing multi-cam setups, automating post workflows, optimizing file storage like a digital wizard.

And honestly? It sounds cool. Like, annoyingly cool. Like maybe-a-version-of-me-would-love-this kind of cool. Especially the part where he casually mentions he wrote a script to batch-sync audio and everyone acted like he’d just invented fire.

I’m nodding along before I realise it. And then I stop myself.

“Anyway,” he finishes, “it’s flexible hours, lots of learning, and you basically get to make chaos look clean.”

I cross my arms. “Thanks… but no.”

Daniel blinks. “Really?”

“Yeah. I just… it’s not me.”

It could be me. I know that. But I don’t know if I want it to be. I don’t want to be another one of Will’s orbiting moons. Or George’s little project. Or the girl everyone already made a decision about before I said anything.

Daniel just grins, not taking it personally. “Fair enough. Still — if you change your mind, I’m on Insta and George has my number.”

I give him a tight smile. “Noted.”

xxx

They’ve started filming now — I can hear the laughter and shouting echoing in from the patio. A mix of voices, some familiar, others just noise. From where I’m standing near the monitors, I catch glimpses of them through the sliding glass doors. Everyone’s huddled around the spinning wheel, hyped up and jostling for position like it’s the most important thing in the world.

Will’s out there, tucked into the crowd. He doesn’t say much, at least not from what I can hear. He’s just… present. Not the loudest. Not trying to be. Just a steady presence, like he’s been doing this long enough that he doesn’t need to force anything anymore.

George is there too, off to the side — smiling when the camera hits him, but otherwise a little distant. Same vibe. I guess they’re guests here? Or semi-regulars? I honestly have no clue how any of this works. Who’s in charge, who decides what, who actually makes the magic happen.

I’m not sure if that makes it all more intriguing or more alienating.

There’s a sudden burst of cheering — the wheel lands on something?— and I watch as they all disperse. They all laugh like this is normal. Like this is work.

It’s chaos. But it’s a kind of chaos people seem to belong to.

I wonder what that’s like.

George appears beside me like he always does — suddenly, like a thought I didn’t know I was having. He’s got that stupid lopsided grin on, cheeks a little flushed from the sun or the attention or both.

“Do you want to stay here or tag along?” he asks, already bouncing on his heels. “We’ve got to go find an Indian restaurant.”

I blink at him. “What?”

Before I can string together a proper What the ever loving fuck is your job and who is ‘we’?, he flings an arm around my shoulders and starts guiding me toward the hallway.

“You’ll love it,” he says, like I’ve agreed. “We’re filming a video where other youtubers have picked our meals and we've been given a stupidly hot curry — classic stitched-up content. And I want you there when I can't handle myself. Solidarity.”

“Is that what your career is now? Vague chaos and takeaway?”

He laughs. “Basically.”

We wind through the suite, dodging tripods and energy drink cans, and I feel his arm tighten slightly around me — casual, but possessive in a way that makes butterflies erupt in my stomach.

He's showing me off, like he said he wanted to.

xxx

The next few hours pass in a blur. I trail behind George, Harry, and Tobi (who’s actually lovely) as they lime bike across a busy road, nearly getting clipped by a car. The camera crew stays calm, filming like it’s just another Tuesday. I guess I’m part of the crew now too—following them to a restaurant, watching mic levels, lights, notes being scribbled in frantic shorthand.

When the cameras cut, someone says we can talk, so I do. Small conversations spark with the others—friendly enough, though I’ve forgotten every name already. Someone asks where I’m from. I say Brisbane. They blink like I’ve made it up.

I launch into my usual defence. Third biggest city. Real place, I swear. Somehow, I spiral into a monologue about Brisbane’s doomed attempt at introducing lime bikes, scooters abandoned in the river, helmets bobbing in the current.

I catch myself mid-sentence and cringe. I’ve become that person—rambling about a hometown like I’m desperate to prove it matters.

Later, I’m outside the restaurant, waiting for the next setup. The sound guy’s next to me, launching into a pitch about his job. Apparently, I’d love it. “Tech nerd’s dream,” he says.

I don't really know how to explain that I'm good with code, not like, the hardware. Although I could definitely figure it out.

Whatever this is, it’s strange. Everyone’s so enthusiastic about their roles, their world. And for some reason, they seem determined to pull me into it.

George, or someone, has talked me up way too much.

xxx

We’re back at the hotel now, where the second filming space has been set up. It looks almost identical to the first—cameras, wires, lights scattered in that chaotic-but-controlled way I’m starting to recognize as their trademark. There’s a lull in the action, a waiting game until two other teams return so we can move on.

George tells me this is how the rest of the day will go: filming, waiting, filming again. An endless cycle of motion.

For all the times Will goes on about how hard he works (and look, I know he does), days like this make me wonder if he really knows what hard work feels like. It’s like they’re all just there, floating from one setup to the next, not really doing anything beyond making it look like work.

And yet, I get it. I see why George likes this world—the chaos, the momentum. It suits him. When I look at him now, in his element, I feel so happy for him. I’ve always said I’m glad he ended up doing this instead of whatever he was planning with that sports and exercise science degree.

I try not to look when Will’s team walks back in, all animated over burgers—or something equally irrelevant. There’s a rhythm to them, like they’ve been doing this dance for years.

I spot Daniel, perched in his fold-out chair. He gives me a lazy wave. I drop into the seat next to him, suddenly hyper-aware of how out of place I am in this world.

"So, whose your favourite Sideman?" I joke, my voice light as I glance at the frenetic scene around us. Daniel barely looks up from his iPad, just tapping away between glances.

“Josh,” he says, without missing a beat. “His videos have let me travel all over Europe.”

“Huh,” I murmur. “I don’t even know which one that is.”

Daniel huffs a soft laugh, clearly not expecting that answer.

"So, is George your boyfriend?" he asks, a little too casually, as if it’s the simplest question in the world.

I blink, taken aback. We still haven’t really talked about it—George and I, I mean. Not the way we should have, at least. “Yeah,” I answer, keeping my tone neutral. “It’s pretty new though.”

I should probably feel bad, or like, weird about that. About proclaiming a title when we haven't talked about it. But like, come on. I've known the man a million years and we haven't spend a full 24 hours apart since my birthday.

Before Daniel can say anything else, the teams are dispersing again, rushing out the door in a blur. I barely catch sight of George—his girly-ass hoodie a bright flash in the chaos—before he’s already gone.

Oh.

Daniel looks over at me, a glint in his eye. “Come with me,” he says, standing up. “I’m heading out with Josh.”

“Is that by design?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Yup,” he grins.

What he doesn’t mention is that Josh’s team is also Will’s team. And Vik’s. But the only one I really care about is Will.

Daniel’s not weird about it. He gives me a smile. I guess he would have no idea what he's just put me in, but also these people all seem really well connected. But then starts chatting with Vik about DJing. Seriously, what are their lives?

I follow them out, trying not to look like I’m not hopelessly lost.

Xxx

We’re on the hunt for a Burger King. I say we, but really, I just did a quick Google search and let someone else take charge. They walk in the wrong direction, and I don’t even bother correcting them. I’m too distracted.

Will’s in the back of the group, making his usual jokes about how many patties can fit on one burger, and I tune him out, just letting the conversation wash over me. We’re walking with purpose, though. Heading toward that fast food salvation that’s a lot further away than it should be. I can hear the talent behind us—loud, laughing, teasing—but I can’t see them. At the front, Daniel’s walking backwards, his camera rolling like he’s done this a million times before. He’s somehow making it look easy.

“Right, so,” Will says, suddenly cutting through the chatter. “I was supposed to go on a date the other day, yeah?”

My stomach does a weird dip. God, why do I feel like this?

For some reason, I can’t shake the feeling that this story is going to go somewhere I don’t want it to. So, I do what I always do—ignore it, move on, keep walking ahead like nothing’s wrong. But my ears are glued to his voice now.

“Fitness lass, met on Hinge, yada yada,” Will continues, completely unaware that I’m spiraling inside.

The boys react with a chorus of “Nice!” and “Cool!” But I can’t focus on that. I’m too busy trying to keep my face neutral, pretending I don’t care about the fact that this girl is not me.

Daniel, still walking backwards with his camera, is completely tuned into Will’s story, capturing every second of this casual banter. It feels like something is building, and I know better than anyone how this goes. Will’s never just telling a random story. There’s always a punchline waiting to hit you when you least expect it.

“So, our first date’s at the gym, right? And I’m waiting around, waiting for this girl…”

Oh, I know where this is going. I feel it in my chest, like my heart knows exactly what’s coming before he even says it. The feeling in my stomach (I refuse to call it jealousy) subsides. This is a setup, a joke.

“It’s like 7 PM, then it’s 7:20, she still hasn’t shown up.” He pauses for effect, letting the words settle.

A soft ‘nooooo’ comes from Vik. Everyone else is hanging on Will’s every word, like it’s the most entertaining thing they’ve heard all day.

But me? I know exactly what’s coming next.

“It gets to 8, and I’m like, fuck it, man…”

“You waited an hour?!” Vik’s voice cracks, somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

“Yeah,” Will says, smiling that smirk of his, the one that makes me want to throw something at him, but also kiss him, but mostly throw something at him. “And that’s how I knew we were never gonna work out.”

There it is. The punchline. The bit where I’m supposed to laugh, but instead, I feel like I’ve just been handed a riddle and solved it before anyone else has figured it out.

A blush creeps up my neck and onto my cheeks. It’s stupid, really. But I can’t help it. I’m too aware of the fact that, while I’m stuck here walking with Daniel, trying not to act like an idiot, I can still read William like a book.

I want to roll my eyes and tell him how predictable he is, that I could see that coming a mile away. But I don’t. Instead, I just try to act normal. Like I’m not dying inside, cringing at the insane situation I've gotten myself in. Pretending I'm not walking next someone with a giant camera pointed at a guy who once made me cum three times and then snuck off to play FIFA when he thought I was asleep.

xxx

I don’t really know how it happened, but now we’re in a Burger King, and I’m watching three grown men try to eat a burger with ten burger patties stacked high like a meat skyscraper. I’m standing off to the side, nursing a Coke that’s already gone flat, while I try not to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

Will cracks some crude joke, the kind that’s only funny because it’s so absurdly blunt, and Josh fires back with a joke about Will being single. I’m half-tempted to chime in with, “He chose to be,” but I don’t. It feels like it would just come off wrong. My humor’s not that sharp, and I’d probably just sound bitter.

But no one can leave well enough alone. There’s the obligatory "your mum" joke, followed by a round of digs at Will’s accent — the whole gang going off, trying to make him squirm. Will’s looking so over it. But honestly? It’s seems like just a part of the rhythm of their friendship.

Then, of course, Will loses an 'odds on', and like a goddamn man on a mission, Josh shoves a bunch of meat into Will's jean pockets. Like, what? This man is literally hiding beef in his pants, and everyone just goes with it like this is a normal Tuesday.

Yeah, sure. He works hard. Whatever that means. I’m starting to wonder if I’m missing some crucial part of this entire... whatever the hell this is.

Daniel’s right there, camera in hand, zooming in on Will’s hands as he folds the flat beef into his pockets like it’s his job. Now he works hard. I snicker to myself, watching him, because this is ridiculous. Yet, somehow, it’s also kind of fun— the weird banter, the camaraderie, the absurdity.

Xxx

We’re walking back to the hotel, the afternoon air just crisp enough to cut through the chaos of the day. My brain is still buzzing from the weirdness of the Burger King fiasco, but it’s quieter now, the kind of quiet that makes everything feel just a little too loud. The crew’s talking behind us, moving in their own world, and I’m stuck somewhere in between.

I’m walking beside Will, trailing behind the group, and the space between us feels... heavy. Like there’s something unsaid, but nothing I can put my finger on. We’re both moving forward, but neither of us is looking at the other. I can hear the chatter ahead of us, but it’s just us in this little bubble of silence.

Will turns to look behind him, and sees me. He slows down, now walking alongside me.

“So,” Will starts, voice softer than I expect, “you and George, huh?”

I don’t know why I’m surprised he’s asking. Of course, he would ask. But it still makes my stomach drop a little. It’s not even that I’m worried what he’ll think. It’s more that I don’t know what I think.

I keep my voice even, trying to sound casual, but I know it’s not fooling anyone — least of all myself. “Yeah.”

Will nods slowly, like he’s digesting the answer, but doesn’t say anything else for a second. I keep walking, trying not to look at him, but my mind is all over the place.

Then, almost as if he’s said it a hundred times before, he mutters, “I’m happy for ya, man.”

The words hit me hard, but not in the way I expect. It’s so... casual. So normal. Like it’s no big deal. Like he’s just handing me some kind of peace offering after everything that’s happened. And my brain immediately goes to, What the fuck?

I can’t help myself. I have to ask. “Really?” The word leaves my mouth before I can stop it.

Will’s hands are jammed deep in his pockets, his head tilted slightly as he looks at me. “Yeah,” he says, all nonchalance. “You’re a good fit for him.” His eyes flicker away from me, like maybe he didn’t mean to say it, like he’s trying to make it less personal.

But I don’t buy it.

The thing is — and I can’t shake this thought — he doesn’t get to act like nothing happened. He doesn’t get to just pop back into my life and offer me compliments like he hasn’t straight-up ghosted me for weeks. Like he didn’t leave me hanging, confused and pissed off, wondering if I’d imagined everything we shared.

But then again, I want him to. I miss him and his team, that much is evident. I want to be his mate again.

"I’m happy for you," he says.

The words feel like they’ve been scraped off some script. They don’t sound real. Not in the way I want them to, anyway. Not in the way they should, not when everything between us has been such a mess.

I don’t know what to say back.

What am I supposed to say? Thanks for ghosting me by the way, really appreciate the support?

My chest tightens and I struggle to keep my voice steady, trying to pretend that I’m not caught off guard, that I’m not hurt by the way he’s acting like nothing ever happened. Like he never spent months avoiding me after… after everything.

"Um, yeah. Thanks. It’s going well." My voice is thin, almost too small for the size of the ache in my chest.

Josh calls out to Will, pulling him away for more content, and just like that, he’s off again, that familiar grin plastered on his face, as if I didn’t just feel a thousand emotions all at once.

That smile. That grin. What the hell does he want from me?

I’m stuck in this weird limbo—somewhere between wanting to scream at him for being so damn cold, and wanting to crawl into a hole, pretend I never cared, and go back to being besties. Just us, laughing over a pint like we didn’t spend three months tangled up in each other’s lives.

I watch him walk off, forcing myself to take a breath, feeling like I’ve just been sucker-punched. My heart feels like it's stuck in my throat, a sharp, desperate ache for something I can’t quite name.

And maybe that’s it. Maybe that’s the whole problem—because it’s not even about Will, not really. It’s about George.

It always comes back to George.

But I can’t be mad at Will for being the distraction I needed to forget George. And I can’t be mad at George for finally figuring himself out in time to make us work.

Right now, I need to focus. I need to push everything down, keep it hidden, just like I always do.

But it’s hard. God, it’s hard.

Xxx

My kitchen smells like garlic and olive oil—the kind of comfort food you make when you’re avoiding anything too serious. But with George, it’s hard not to think. He’s constantly touching me—light, casual, steady—and every time, it sends a spark down my spine.

One hand on my back while I chop vegetables, the other resting on my hip as he leans in to scan the stovetop. It’s not overtly possessive. Just... consistent. Lazy, soft, and close enough that I’m always within reach.

And I don’t mind. Not even a little.

“How was your day?” he asks, casual, like he hasn’t spent all evening orbiting around me.

He reaches for the pasta, and I just watch him, wondering how he makes everything feel so easy.

“Josh's group was… interesting,” I say, cutting the carrots a bit too aggressively, trying not to sound annoyed he left me alone with people I didn’t know. “They were a mess. But funny.”

George pauses at the pantry, attention flicking back to me. “You were with Will?”

I don’t look up, just keep slicing. “Yeah, Daniel brought me along with that group. I met Vik too.”

“Oh, cool,” he says, too lightly. “Heard Will got beef on his retainers.”

I let out a short laugh despite myself. “Yeah. He wouldn’t shut up about it. ‘Look at me, I’m a grown man with braces.’”

For a moment, I think George might ask something more. Something real. But he doesn’t. He just stirs the sauce, that soft smile still on his face, like everything’s fine.

His hand brushes my shoulder, lingering. It should feel exciting. Inviting. But I’m suddenly numb to the touch. My head’s somewhere else—caught between Will’s weird non-distance and George’s too-cool charm.

“You were really funny today,” I say, trying to shift the mood.

“Funny, huh?” He grins like he knows exactly where I’m going.

I nod. “Especially when you were all in the bath together.” I laugh. “Oh! And Chris had to eat that Vegemite —I can’t believe I missed that. He must’ve hated it.”

George chuckles, a low sound that makes my chest tighten. He’s still standing too close. Too familiar. It’s all starting to feel too complicated.

“What is it with you and Chris and the Vegemite obsession?” he asks.

I shrug, dropping the knife and turning to face him. “It’s just a thing we do. He mocks me for liking Vegemite, I insist it’s the same as Marmite, then we argue. Truth is—I don’t even like Vegemite.”

His grin softens, eyes lingering just a bit too long. There’s something there. Something real.

“You’re wearing my hoodie,” I say, quieter than I mean to.

“Mm.” He tugs the sleeves over his hands. “I was cold.”

It feels intimate. More than he probably realizes. Something familiar I never imagined on him, no matter how many times I’ve tossed it his way during sleepovers or hangouts.

“So,” George says, and I feel it—the shift. He’s about to dig again. “How’s the job going? Still happy?”

The tension spikes. My mouth goes dry. This again?

“Please,” I say, too sharp, setting the knife down. “Just drop it.”

His brow furrows. “What? Why?”

“I didn’t move to London to join your world, George. I came here to be a good programmer.”

He blinks, confused. “But you’re miserable at your job. I’m just... I’m trying to help.”

I want to snap—tell him he doesn’t get it, that not everyone wants to be pulled into a life that isn’t theirs, just because they can be good at it. But instead, I breathe.

“I never asked for your help,” I say, slow but firm. “Just let me be good at what I do.”

A pause. He drops his gaze, fingers tracing the edge of the countertop.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters, almost too quietly, as though the words don’t want to leave his mouth. He looks up at me, his face soft, his eyes searching mine like he’s trying to figure out whether he’s truly crossed a line. The apology feels raw — not forced or rehearsed, just genuine. "I just want you to be happy, YN."

I swallow hard, trying to steady the flutter in my chest. He’s standing so close, his presence almost too much to bear, and I can’t tell if it's the apology or the way his hand is lingering in the air between us that's knocking the breath out of me.

The truth is, I am happy. So unbelievably happy. I’ve finally gotten George Clarke to love me. Or at least, to start loving me, in his own way. His constant proximity to me — the little touches, the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention — it all tells me something I’ve been waiting for, something I’m not sure I’m ready to admit to myself. But it feels like he’s on the edge of something. Maybe I’m just hoping it’s more than it is, but it doesn’t matter, because I’m here. With him. And that’s enough to make everything feel right, even when it’s not.

Even with the premiere, and the forced spotlight, I’m happy.

“I am happy,” I say, my voice barely more than a whisper. There’s no need to explain. He knows. I know he does. The way he looks at me, soft, yet intense — tells me everything.

His lips part slightly, like he wants to say something more, but it’s like the words are stuck behind the emotion. He just looks at me, and for a moment, it feels like the entire room is holding its breath.

I lean in before he can respond, drawn to him in the way I can’t seem to control. I reach up, my hand brushing against his jaw, and that’s it. The smallest shift of his head, the gentle pull of my fingers against his skin, and he’s leaning in. His breath brushes my cheek, and I can smell the basil he's been sneaking on his lips.

When our lips meet, it’s like everything falls into place.

His kiss is slow, tentative at first, like he’s waiting for me to pull away, like he’s not sure if this is the right time. But it doesn’t matter — I pull him in closer, tilting my head just enough to deepen the contact. There’s something almost desperate in the way he lets himself fall into it, like he’s been waiting just as long as I have for this.

It’s soft, gentle, yet the way our mouths move together feels loaded with everything we haven’t said, everything we haven’t figured out yet. His hands find their way to my waist, pulling me even closer, as though he’s afraid to let go. I can feel the heat of his body, the way it aligns with mine perfectly, like we’ve been doing this forever, like we were always meant to be in sync this way.

I slide my fingers into his hair, tugging lightly, and he groans softly, the sound sending a jolt of heat through my veins. The kiss deepens just a fraction, and for a moment, there’s nothing else. No George’s world. No work. No lingering doubts. Just this.

Just us.

xxx

TagList: @meglouise00 @migilini @thankyoulovely @mosviqu @formulaal @jonnybernthalslover @tiredqzl @mrswillne @ravenaz @luvnarthur @capnjosh @ellouisa17

[2hoothoots]

saw this post in the tag earlier talking about how we never really get a detailed look inside Maligula’s mind, and it got me thinking about the themes of the game again so I’m gonna use it as a jumping-off point. because i agree, it’s very significant that we never get to really see Maligula/Lucrecia as she used to be! but i think that fact actually makes the game much stronger, especially on a thematic level.

Lucrecia’s presence haunts the narrative throughout Psychonauts 2. at first, we can only make her out through her absence. she’s the seventh stump around the campfire, the missing center of a torn photo. we see glimpses of her in the ruined fragments of Ford’s mind. in Helmut’s mind, she’s a looming specter, a shadow of the friend he once knew. in Gristol’s mind, she’s a celebrated war hero. and as the game goes on, we learn that everything in Psychonauts 1 – the Aquatos leaving Grulovia, the family ‘curse’, Raz running away to camp – all of that was set in motion because of her. she’s at the very center of the tragedy that PN2 revolves around.

and she does haunt the narrative, even if Nona is still alive. because the old Lucrecia – the real Lucrecia – we never get to meet her. she’s long gone.

the closest we come to actually interacting with Lucrecia, as she used to be, is in Cassie’s mind. while the rest of the Psychic 7 only have a few lines to share, paper Lucrecia has a full dialogue tree. this is probably one of my favourite moments in the whole game. there’s an awe in Raz’s face, getting to meet her, but also this palpable tension throughout the conversation.

(screenshots taken from here! if you don’t remember this conversation, or just want a refresher, i’d highly recommend going back to watch it.)

this dialogue tree is great. it’s funny, and subtle, and surprisingly moving. Raz is full of questions for Lucrecia, and Lucrecia isn’t giving much away, but we get glimpses of her story here that are so tantalising. it’s a fascinating window into the person she used to be: coy, and playful, and a little aloof.

but – this is also very clearly not Lucy. we hear Cassie’s own thoughts coming out of her mouth (“Cassie told us [hydraulic mining] was very bad for the environment, but nobody listened to her, as usual”), but her dialogue is also steeped in Cassie’s confusion, her struggle to understand what happened (“I don’t really know [why I murdered all those people]. I was the nicest person during my time at Green Needle Gulch”). this is the closest we ever get to seeing Lucrecia, face-to-face, but she’s still heavily filtered through someone else’s perception.

how much of this is the real Lucrecia, and how much of it is just how Cassie sees her? we’ll never know.

i think a crucial part of PN2’s themes is that perception – how you can be someone completely different to different people around you. everyone has their own version of the story to tell. the most obviously propagandistic is Gristol’s retelling, which comes as a shock twist at a climactic moment that throws the whole game on its head. here, we get to see the other side of the story, from someone who only ever knew Lucrecia as a protector, a general, a murderer – and thought she should stay that way.

(screenshots from here)

but as entrenched as he is in his narrative, Gristol doesn’t have all the answers, either. and Ford’s version of events, while probably more factually correct, is still steeped in his own biases. Ford was so dedicated to the memory of the woman he loved that he did terrible things for her; and when he tried to bury that memory, it was so deeply entrenched in his mind that it broke him.

(screenshot from here)

but note the wording, when he talks about using the Astralathe to “neutralise” the “problematic” parts of her mind. My Lucy.

something else that PN2 touches on is how experiences change you. after the battle against Maligula, the remaining members of the Psychic 7 become very different individuals. Cassie withdraws from the world, unable to return to normality after everything that happened; Compton becomes an anxious wreck without his support network. Bob is broken with grief after the loss of his husband, and Ford willingly shattered his mind because it was what he thought he had to do to keep Lucrecia safe. and throughout the game, Raz helps all of them – but he doesn’t fix them. he doesn’t undo everything they went through, because how could he? the things that happened will stay with each of them forever.

and it’s the same with Lucrecia. even after she lets go of the rage and grief and violence that Maligula carried with her, symbolically severing the threads that bind her to her past – she doesn’t just go back to her old self. because she’s someone different now, too. she’s a mother, and a grandmother, and she loves her family so truly and so deeply. she’s patched together a new life for herself. and that’s what she affirms to Raz, in the moments before the final fight.

and he loves her right back. even after everything he’s learned, she’s still his Nona.

i think sometimes a story is more satisfying for not giving you the easy answers. Psychonauts 2 leaves a lot of things unsaid. it gives you pieces of the puzzle, glimpses of Lucrecia’s story through other people’s eyes, and asks you to draw your own conclusions from that. and then it says: this is who she is now. this is what matters. and personally, i think it’s stronger for that.

[mystycalypso]

HELLOOO

I love your swap au sm! Your literally the only blog i check daily lol. Ik your working on something, so you don't have to answer right away, but (if you haven't answered this already) how does laser and K.O find out about epictia actually being Carol?

Thats all, I'ma just explode now

AAAA, y'all are too nice seriously. I can't say it enough, I'm glad y'all like this storyline so much, especially since I didn't expect this to go past the initial designs when I posted them jytgjgtyyjgg, speaking of,

Technically, I did make screenshot redraws for Big Reveal way back when, but uh, that was before the redesign, which means it's noncanonical now and and it's time to update!

He continued to enjoy his morning, looking at some old photos from his P.O.I.N.T. days, feeling a weight off his chest, it felt nice getting to tell his son about the wonderful woman his mother had been, and to see the amazement it brought him, it all went better than he could've ever hoped. Who knows, maybe K.O. would even give those supervillains an extra strong whooping just for her.

That is, until he heard K.O. screaming, good cob there's not much of a better way to bring a dad directly to your location to destroy you than hurting his sweet baby boy like that.

He burst through the ceiling, slamming Epictia to the ground.

"No one's ruining my son's miss-" he stopped as she lifts her arms to block his strike. "How dare you! Those cuffs belonged to Silverspark!"

He grabbed her wrists to yank them off as K.O. interrupted. "Daddy wait! That IS Silverspark."

He looked back at K.O. "What are you talking about pumpkin?" He looks back at her "This is professooorrrrr..." it seems to click in his brain, the bleach blond streak, the heart shaped face.

"Caroline?"

She grins, laughing, "How've you been, pretty boy?"

"You're- you're back-!"

She pulls a vial from her jacket, "I never left." slamming it against the catwalk a purple smokescreen erupts, causing Laser and K.O. to start coughing.

"You- that witch!" He yelled, before K.O. pointed beneath the catwalk

"Daddy, down there"

"Oh no, you don't you- you deadbeat!" He tackled her to the ground again.

"Where were you?! Did you think it'd be funny to run away from us all these years?!"

Epictia cackles, slithering out of his grip, evading his hits and jabbing the end of her tail into his side.

"I thought you were destroyed! Or shrunk or teleported or-!" He grunted. "Have you been here this whole dang time?! Did you even think about us once?!" She doesn't answer, only laughing further, enjoying watching his attacks become less cordinated.

Until he managed to grab her sweater.

"Enough!

"Answer me! Or this time you really will be destroyed!"

"Fine... but you're not gonna like the truth any more than this, pretty boy."

"Ugh." He shoved her back and onto the ground

(Jumping a lot here since Epictia's backstory could and probably should have its own post)

"How dare you ask something that stupid after everything you did! Do you really think we want anything to do with you after-!" he paused, small purple sparks unyeilding until he noticed K.O. walk forward. "What are you doing?!"

"She's the worst evil I've ever fought, but- if she really is my mom, than that means there's some of her in me. And maybe learning from her about that part of me will help me learn about TKO too, I, I think I need to do this."

"Kaio-"

"So can I go, Daddy? Please, please, please?"

He rubbed his arm. "Uh...well-...alright pumpkin. I'll support you."

(After the whole, it's tuesday thing)

"Hey, you okay, K.O.?"

"Yknow, I really never expected to have- villain blood in me..."

"Aw, kiddo... it's not silly things like that that make you good or bad." He reached across his lap and poked his chest. "It's about the choices you make in here." K.O. smiled, "Well, I chose to be a hero!"

"That's my boy." He gave a small smile back, and silence fell between them for a moment.

"...Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Laser smiled again, rubbing his arm. "...I will be. Because I've got an incredible hero in my corner." He fluffed K.O.'s hair. "And y'know what heroes get?" K.O.'s eyes lit up.

"Ooh, ooh, what do they get?"

"Ice cream at Weiner Kabob!"

[wistfulnightingale]

"They're Not Talking..." (But are they communicating?)

Recognize this moment? Possibly not. It goes by in a blink...

Officially, Aziraphale and Crowley aren't "talking." Fortunately for us, according to the Cambridge and Mirriam-Webster dictionaries (and others), "talking" and "communicating" aren't necessarily the same thing.

Talking means speaking, conversing aloud or with sign language, or "as with signs or sounds."

Communicating does not require sound, vocalization, or externally visible signs such as sign language. Miriam-Webster has a particularly interesting definition: to transmit information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or understood.

The above screenshot is from a difficult-to-see moment in the episode, outside the Heavenly elevator as Aziraphale is about to leave. The Metatron was blocking our view of Aziraphale -- this flash of a moment comes just as the Metatron steps aside. It strongly seems to suggest that "information, thought, or feeling" is being "satisfactorily received or understood."

It looks like he and Crowley are communicating, and it's not something awful.

Our Angel, looking towards Crowley at the Bentley, appears joyful (in this very brief moment), far too happy for someone who just went through an Ineffable Divorce.

(For more thoughts and details about this moment, and what follows, please check out Aziraphale's Jubilant Smile, if you'd like.)

(If you're also someone who enjoys deep dives and proofs and word nuances, I've got the official full definitions of "Talk" versus "Communicate" below!)

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary:

TALK - to say words aloud; to speak to someone

COMMUNICATE - to share information with others by speaking, writing, moving your body, or using other signals

..........

According to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary:

TALK - a.) to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken words or sign language : converse

b.) to convey information or communicate in any way (as with signs or sounds)

c.) to use (a language) for conversing or communicating : speak

d.) the act or an instance of talking : speech

COMMUNICATE - a.) to convey knowledge of or information about : make known

b.) to reveal by clear signs

c.) to cause to pass from one to another

archaic : share

d.) to transmit information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or understood

e.) to open into each other : connect

f.) to receive Communion

If picking apart the mysteries of those weird moments in S2 interests you, if you tend to believe that Our Ineffables couldn't actually have shattered a 6,000 year friendship in a mere 15 minutes from the Metatron's intrigues -- if you think they actually look like a committed Old Married Couple (discussed here) -- you might enjoy my Chess Moves Theory Set, listed here. I don't know how many of them will carry into the 90 minutes, but they're at least something to give us more Hope!

[prettyiwa]

🍉 Fics for Gaza — Sponsor a WIP 🍉

Hello, everybody! I'm honestly not sure how this will go, if at all, but I want to participate in the fundraising efforts of @ficsforgaza. Lately, I've been focused solely on projects that bring me joy regardless of readership and so for this, I'll be opening up all of my WIPs, including those not listed on my official WIP page but previously mentioned on this blog. For this fundraiser, I'm committing to returning to those old projects that have been unceremoniously left in the dust.

I'm committing to this undertaking with the hopes that one of my projects will encourage donations if they weren't previously inclined or were on the fence.

Raised: $91.39 Written/Sponsored: 3.443/18,278

How it works:

$1 = 200 words!

Make a donation to a vetted fundraiser of your choice (links below) and send me a screenshot of your donation excluding identifying information + the WIP you'd like me to work on. For every $1 donated, I will write 200 words for your chosen WIP. Upon receiving proof of donation, I will begin working on the WIP.

*Please note I am currently trudging through burnout and writer's block, so I cannot guarantee a timeline, but they will be completed.

Example message template:

Hey, Ix! I've donated [this amount] to [link to vetted fundraiser]. Would you be able to work on [WIP title]? Thank you! (Included screenshot of proof of donation)

Vetted fundraiser links:

Vetted fundraiser masterpost-masterpost

List of Palestinian Evacuation & Support Fundraisers

Masterlist of links, official & vetted

how you can help palestine

Eligible WIPs:

Because the list of WIPs included is so long, they'll be listed below the cut. Fandoms included: Daiya no Ace, Haikyuu!!, Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, & My Hero Academia.

Daiya no Ace

The Catcher's Accomplice - Miyuki Kazuya Major Leagues, Interpreter, Forced Proximity (Belated Quarantine Fic), Falling in Love, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Fluff

When Kazuya insisted he be posted for the MLB, he wasn't quite aware of all that entailed, only concerned with being able to continue playing. He didn't fully anticipate the sheer loneliness of moving to a different country, especially just before a pandemic. How lucky for him that you're there every step of the way.

word count: 4,591/20,000+

Promises We Made - Miyuki Kazuya Childhood Best Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Soulmates (if you squint), Expression of Grief, Anxiety, & Depression

He existed as a beacon for you—someone who had been there since before you can remember, someone who always found you when you got lost. All you wanted was to be able to stand on your own two feet beside him.

word count: 14,119/50,000+

His Name - Miyuki Kazuya Non-Linear Storytelling, Falling in Love, Break-up Fic, Angst, Hints of Pining & Regret

Kazuya never realized how much he loved the way his name sounded as it rolled of your tongue, a promise he didn't hear until it was too late.

word count: 1,593/6,000

not a stranger - Sawamura Eijun Younger Brother's Best Friend, Childhood Crush, Childhood Friends to Lovers

Fifteen years after he used to announce to the world, "I'm going to marry you one day!," he no longer looks like the Ei-chan you once knew.

word count: 3,548/12,000 FULLY SPONSORED!! written: 261/10,000

Play with Me - Kuramochi Youichi NPB, Bassist, One Night Stand to Lovers, Falling in Love, Shared History, Fluff, Suggestive

The story of you and Kuramochi Youichi goes further than the night he finds himself in the audience of your show, but it takes you a while before you acknowledge that.

word count: 339/7,500

Chink in My Armor - Kominato Ryousuke University!AU, FWB, Jealousy, Stubborn Ryou, Getting Together, Suggestive

For someone who "didn't have the time to focus on a relationship," Ryou spends an awful lot of time focusing on you.

word count: 273/5,500

Wanna Run with You - Yuuki Tetsuya University!AU, Friends to Lovers, Old Crush, Reunion, Falling in Love, Fluff

A favor for your new editor puts you in contact with your old friend and crush, someone you fervently wanted to avoid. Now that Tetsu has you in his life again, he isn't so ready to let you go this time.

word count: 6,513/9,500

Haikyuu!!

Mine to Keep - Iwaizumi Hajime Yakuza, Fight Club, Violence, Light Stalking & Obsession, Possessive Behavior, Smut

Iwaizumi's taken his time with you, preferring you willing and wanting, but there's only so much waiting he can do before he snaps.

*requires editing so the word count may vary.

word count: 11,717/15,000* sponsored word count: 1,000 written: 1,000/1,000

Always You - Iwaizumi Hajime Fallen Angel, Demon, Memory Loss, Reincarnation, Angst, Love Perseveres

You two were favored angels, models for how others should perform until you made the grave sin of loving more than your Creator. For your crime, you were doomed to loving one another time and again through never ending reincarnation, forever watching the other suffer and die.

word count: 2,378/6,000 sponsored word count: 1,278 written: 1,278/1,278

Coming Home - Iwaizumi Hajime Punisher!AU, Grief, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friends to ??? to Lovers

After your mother died, you never expected to find comfort in the return of the friend you long since thought dead.

word count: 1,524/6,500

Late Nights - Iwaizumi Hajime University!AU, Pining, Getting Together

In the cover of night near the university baseball diamonds, Iwaizumi finds the courage to talk to you.

word count: 328/3,000 **FULLY SPONSORED! written: 904/3,000

Maker of Myths - Oikawa Tooru Trojan War!AU, Paris & Helen, Falling in Love, War, Infidelity, Grief, Angst

The first choice you ever made was which suitor would be your husband, the King. The second choice you made allowed for you to choose your lover, your partner. The third choice you made started a war.

word count: 4,860/13,000+

This Tree, This Bed - Kuroo Tetsurou Odyssey!AU, Odysseus & Penelope, Falling in Love, Separation, Reunion, Hurt/Comfort

Kuroo liked to fashion himself as one of the smartest men in the known world. While his cunning managed to win your hand and your heart, it was unable to save him from going into a war unrelated to him.

word count: 3,215/7,500

Anxious, Wide Awake - Kuroo Tetsurou Magic & Monsters!AU, Vampire, Sorceress, Witcher inspired, Violence, Blood, Established Relationship

The more they touch you, the more their stench sticks to you, the more violent their deaths will be when he comes for you. Because he is coming for you. You have more faith in that fact than you do that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. His promise can still be heard nearly a century later, still humming along the skin where he first whispered it. He’s coming.

word count: 4,353/10,000

Please Look at Me - Hanamaki Takahiro & Matsukawa Issei Love Triangle, Not Polyamorous, Smut, Getting Together, Angst

“Is it okay if I have a taste?” Don’t you kids do anything I wouldn’t do. Takahiro’s seen Mattsun do a lot. He’s seen Mattsun in so many compromising situations throughout the years, he’s given up on keeping count long ago. And this? This is definitely something Mattsun would do.

word count: 867/6,000

Rosebuds & Black Currant - Futakuchi Kenji Strangers to (eventual) Lovers, Falling in Love, Getting Together, Fluff

It takes you entirely too long to understand the messages Kenji's been trying to send through the arrangements he gives you if only because you don't believe he's familiar with the language of flowers.

word count: 188/3,500

Attack on Titan

Rapture for the Sinners - Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman Canon Divergent, Violence, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Grief, PTSD, Smut

Fiercely loyal to Erwin Smith, you find yourself to be one of his most trusted soldiers, ready to do what is necessary for either of you to get what you want. With no room for romantic relationships, you two easily find yourselves engaged in a sexual relationship. Why do you suddenly find your situation muddled when you're tasked with bringing three thugs from the Underground to the Survey Corps? What happens when you suddenly find yourself developing feelings for the one you were prepared to kill and who was prepared to kill you in turn?

word count: 103,168/170,000+ sponsored word count: 2,000 written: 0/2,000

For You, in the Future - Bertholdt Hoover, Levi Ackerman VOV Rewrite, Canon Divergent, Tech Advancements, Friends to Lovers, Lovers to Enemies, Political Intrigue, Grief, PTSD, Love Perseveres

An attempt at a rewrite of my first story. I've worked on it in secret over the winter and could be swayed to starting it once more.

word count: 7,601/150,000+

Fullmetal Alchemist

From the Ashes Flowers Bloom - Roy Mustang Canon Divergent, Violence, Religious Guilt, Subterfuge, Exes to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort

You've spent the last four years avoiding staying in one place for too long due to the belief in the superstitions of your mother's religion. After the murder of your adoptive brother, you begin to learn the truth of the larger conspiracy that's left a pile of bodies wherever you go. Deciding to confront the root of the problem head-on, you find yourself reforging old relationships, for better or for worse.

word count: 43,580/80,000+

My Hero Academia

Set You Free - Aizawa Shouta Pre-UA Teacher!AU, Hurt/Comfort, Falling in Love, Grief, Getting Together

An unfortunate quirk, bad timing, and grief-induced anger tied you to Aizawa years after the death of Shirakumo. He wanted to be a hero, and it takes him a bit too long to realize he may have ruined yours.

word count: 2,256/6,500

[diorsluv]

casual , part 1

“ my friends call me a loser ”

series m. list next chapter

( socialmedia!au )

yourusername

liked by edwards.73, markestapa, and 85,331 others

yourusername took a break from michigan but someone wouldn’t leave me alone 🙄

view all comments

edwards.73 aw c’mon you know you’d hate it if i left you alone

→ yourusername you can’t handle not talking to me for 15 minutes

→ edwards.73 NOT TRUE

→ yourusername i’ll pull up the receipts 🤨

username30 so prettyyyy

vivianliu more like you couldn’t stop complaining about being “so far away from him”

→ yourusername ummmm! i don’t remember that actually 😁😁

→ edwards.73 oh???

→ _quinnhughes my god you two are disgusting

→ yourusername don’t be a hater quinny ☹️

rutgermcgroarty 🤮

→ yourusername 🖕

→ rutgermcgroarty meanie

→ yourusername rut i will shove a ruler down your throat

→ rutgermcgroarty kinky 😈😈

→ yourusername OH MY GOD RUTGER

username24 THE VIEW??

username19 her n ethan have been flirting for MONTHS i just wanna know what’s goin on 😞

jackhughes lucky 😒

→ yourusername WHY R U MAD AT ME 😒

→ jackhughes UR IN ITALY RN AND IM NOT

→ yourusername then maybe u shouldve considered ur career choices???

→ jackhughes AT LEAST I GET MONEY

markestapa are you single asking for a friend

→ yourusername yeah i am 🤭🤭

→ markestapa wrong answer 🤬

→ yourusername oh! i didn’t realize i was getting INTERROGATED

→ markestapa yeah you better go apologize to your man rn

→ yourusername what man?? 😥

luca.fantilli yeah n i’m real fucking glad you’re not in michigan so i can finally get some peace and quiet 🙄

→ yourusername WHATS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN

→ luca.fantilli YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS

→ yourusername NO???

→ luca.fantilli maybe bc it sounds like a FUCKING BURGLAR is in the other room all the time

→ dylanduke25 😨

→ yourusername 🤐

→ markestapa fr she’s acting like we don’t know she’s always sneaking out in the morning 🙄

→ yourusername GUYS STOP MY BROTHERS CAN READ THIS SHIT

→ jackhughes i really wish i couldn’t read ts

→ lhughes_06 wtf happened when i left michigan??

→ rutgermcgroarty you don’t wanna know lhughes_06

username2 luca’s comment thread 😭😭

→ username56 LMAOO

adamfantilli my country??? 🇮🇹

→ yourusername ur country ‼️

→ luca.fantilli ITALIA 🫡

username43 best hughes sibling confirmed

username20 the guys have no remorse for ethan’s love life 😭

→ username4 wait how do we know they’re talking about ethan

→ username91 i mean it’s pretty obvious when u look at it

mackie.samo as a representative of the gc i can confirm you did not leave him alone

→ markestapa BRO what happens in the gc stays in the gc

→ dylanduke25 no no right we did appoint him as a representative

→ yourusername 😥😥

→ vivianliu clearly i’m not the only one getting screenshots of the convos..

→ edwards.73 who the hell said u were the rep of the gc

→ lhughes_06 WHAT GC???

username68 please just give me one chance, i PROMISE i can do better than ethan

_alexturcotte the view 👌

→ yourusername the view 😮‍💨

username32 drop a closet haul pleaseee

yourusername

liked by lhughes_06, _quinnhughes, and 109,816 others

yourusername i was going back through the old albums and.. 😟

tagged: jackhughes, _quinnhughes, lhughes_06

view all comments

trevorzegras the nicest they’ve ever been to you

→ yourusername THIS ‼️‼️

→ lhughes_06 NO WE’RE NICE

→ yourusername name one time you’ve been nice to me in the past five years

→ lhughes_06 i let you move into the apartment when you got into college

→ yourusername BECAUSE MOM AND DAD FORCED YOU TO

lhughes_06 you were an accident

→ yourusername you’re lying out of your ass rn

→ lhughes_06 THINK ABOUT IT, all of us were born 2 years apart but you were only born a year after me

→ jackhughes you had to share a room with lukey because they had only planned for 3 kids

→ _quinnhughes you had to wear boy clothes for the first year of your life because they didn’t wanna buy clothes for you if you were gonna grow out of it in a month

→ jackhughes and mom and dad DID say you were an accident

→ yourusername …

username34 CUTEEEE

username20 HITTING US WITH THE GOOD CONTENT

rutgermcgroarty you were so cute as a kid

→ yourusername i know i was 🥰🥰

→ rutgermcgroarty so what happened 💀

→ markestapa that’s a knee slapper right there

→ yourusername were you two dropped on your heads as babies

→ rutgermcgroarty no but it seems like you were

edwards.73 we would’ve dated in pre-school

→ yourusername no i was wayyy cuter than you were

→ edwards.73 you’re not wrong

→ luca.fantilli barf

→ mackie.samo god ethan you’re like a lovesick puppy

→ dylanduke25 i want to bleach my eyes you guys are gross

→ adamfantilli STOP. PUBLICLY. FLIRTING.

→ lhughes_06 ew ew EWWWW please don’t tell me you’re hitting on my BABY sister

→ markestapa you have no idea 💀 lhughes_06

→ lhughes_06 wait what.

username58 AHHH BABY HUGHES

colecaufield so when did the siblingly love turn violent

→ yourusername when jack bit me on the arm

→ lhughes_06 when she karate kicked my head

→ jackhughes when she broke my new stick

→ _quinnhughes when she started spitting food in my face

→ yourusername I DID NONE OF THAT

username76 luke’s so damn clueless 😭

liked by yourusername

dylanduke25 you look absolutely traumatized in that fifth pic…

→ yourusername the log ride was scary 😞

_alexturcotte i see a common theme of jack being the most affectionate

→ yourusername he still is 🫢

→ _alexturcotte we can see that

→ jackhughes i feel like we’re all equally affectionate

→ yourusername well now you’re just fibbing to fib 🙄

→ trevorzegras we all know quinn hates her the most

→ _quinnhughes WOAH WOAH WOAH since when did we decide i ever hated my baby sis???

→ colecaufield it’s not like you hate her you’re just incapable of showing her any form of affection

→ jackhughes why are we getting family therapy rn

username22 BABY PHOTOS

markestapa how cute (i know luke hated you)

→ yourusername HE DID HATE ME

→ lhughes_06 I NEVER HATED YOU????

→ markestapa there’s barely any photos of you and her together as kids 💀💀

elblue6 your cheeks were always so rosy!

→ yourusername mom 😭

→ elblue6 what? it’s where you got your nickname!

→ lhughes_06 yeah ROSIE thats how u got ur nickname 🥰

→ yourusername shut up moosey 😒

→ luca.fantilli ROSIE???

→ yourusername THE OTHERS WERENT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AND NOW LOOK WHAT YOU DID lhughes_06

→ rutgermcgroarty we’re calling you rosie from now on

→ yourusername please god no i’ll do anything

mackie.samo ROSIE.

→ yourusername matthew. 😑

→ mackie.samo would you be willing to mingle with one of my friends

→ yourusername i meannnn which friend 🫢

→ mackie.samo WRONG. FUCKING. ANSWER.

→ yourusername OH MY GOD

username35 jack was obviously the best big brother

username17 luke doesn’t have any pics alone with you what happened 😭😭

username76 jack was definitely forced to be in half of those photos

vivianliu awww remember when we first met and i had a crush on quinn

→ yourusername yeah and i never understood why 🙄🙄

→ _quinnhughes wait you had a crush on me??

→ vivianliu yes we established this a long time ago huggy bear pay attention

→ yourusername and then you liked jack 🤮

→ jackhughes okay we DEFINITELY did not establish that one

→ vivianliu yes we did you just weren’t there

→ yourusername AND THEN YOU LIKED LUKE IN COLLEGE

→ lhughes_06 WHATTT 😨

→ vivianliu luke i literally confessed to you when i was drunk stop acting clueless

→ lhughes_06 WHEN??????

→ yourusername long story short you liked all my brothers but you’re out of their league sooo

→ jackhughes woah woah woah idk abt that one

→ vivianliu 🖕 jackhughes

next chapter notes ) sooo i changed the format up a bit but here’s the first chapter 😈 not sure how i’m gonna want this to end if i’m actually gonna base it off of the song… BUT IF IT DOESN’T END HAPPILY DON’T BLAME ME and ofc just comment, dm, or ask if you wanna be tagged!

[kwyw]

ESPECIALLY a celebrity that was a teenager long before this ruling, in country music when she first started surrounded by a father who clearly saw her as a product that could make him money (go search for the emails that were submitted in a lawsuit against him. He’s unhinged and no adult grows out of that behavior) and a bunch of old men. See how she was pleading and crying to come out as a democrat in a social media post to these same people. God only knows what kind of filth has been hammered into her head over and over and over by these people in the name of protecting her career and her safety her whole life.

Especially a teenager who saw first hand what happened to Chely Wright (who she was friends with), who had lost her entire career because she came out as gay. A teenager who saw first hand the violent threats, cd burnings and career loss for the Dixie Chicks after they dared to speak out about the president at the time.

I’m older than Taylor by a few years. I’ve seen all of this in my lifetime and then some. I saw Ellen lose her career for coming out. I lived through “you’re so gay” regularly being used as an insult instead of “you’re so stupid” in middle school and high school.

Yes, Taylor can be frustrating with the stunts and not speaking out against her god awful homophobic asshole fanbase, but you absolutely can see she’s fighting back in so many ways, absolutely begging people to see what she’s screaming at us through her music, through tour visuals and music videos etc. etc.

And you can’t blame someone for being terrified to come out, especially when you have a new younger generation that has taken us backwards by demanding that we cannot speculate on anyone possibly being gay because it’s disgusting and disrespectful. Many of these people are gay themselves and this is their thought?! How are we supposed to find each other?

And worst of all, there’s politics in the U.S. going backwards. Republicans are attacking LGBTQ people daily, with words and with legislation. We have members on the highest court in the land that have flat out said this very same ruling in the screenshot needs to be looked at again.

It’s a very very frustrating and terrifying time in so many ways. I wish more people had compassion and would learn how to realize context matters. That everything is NOT so black and white. It’s not that simple. At all.

[brian-in-finance]

Caitríona Balfe and Tony McGill, 2018 / David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Grey Goose Vod

The passionate romances brought to life on the Outlander screen are certifiably swoon-worthy, and as much as we wish our favorite on-screen romances translated to real life, many of the beloved actors and actresses apart of this cast have found real-life romances just as dazzling as the fictional ones they bring to life. With Outlander Season 7 Part 2 premiering tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Starz, take a look at these Outlander real-life couples.

Screenshot ⬆️ misspellings belong to source 🙄

Caitríona Balfe and husband Tony McGill

Tony McGill and Caitríona Balfe, 2020 / Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Caitríona Balfe leads the series and is part of one of the most beloved couplings on television alongside Sam Heughan’s Jamie Fraser, but off-screen, the 45-year-old Irish actress found love in music producer Tony McGill. The couple were first linked to one another back in 2015, and in 2018, the actress revealed that they were engaged. The couple, who were introduced through a friend, have been married since 2019 and in 2021, welcomed a child together. “We are so grateful for this little soul….that he chose us as his parents,” Balfe wrote on Instagram in 2021 upon her son’s arrival. “I’m in awe of him already and can’t help stare and wonder at all the possibilities of who he will become, where he will go and what he’ll do on the big adventure of his life.”

David Berry and

Dismissed by BiF due to misinformation

Graham McTavish and wife Garance Doré

Graham McTavish and Garance Doré, 2020 / Michael Tran/Getty Images

Graham McTavish is known for playing the part of Dougal MacKenzie in Outlander. The brooding Scotsman found love on none other than Raya, the popular celebrity dating app, and has since married his sweetheart, Garance Doré. “I managed to slip through her algorithm as she had forgotten to exclude men who resembled grumpy, bearded grandfathers!” McTavish told British Vogue in 2023. “I also pretended that I lived in LA when I was only visiting because I didn’t want to put her off.”

Doré also told the publication, “Even though we would have liked to have met by chance, this probably would never have happened in real life, as we were almost always in different parts of the world.” In the wake of their wedding, she shared a message to her Instagram saying, “It’s almost impossible to describe this day of wonder, family, friendship and love. Thank you @grahammctavish for creating this world of possibles and magic, and thank you for being my husband.”

Richard Rankin linked to Sammie Russell

Richard Rankin and Sammie Russell, 2023 / Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Richard Rankin has brought to life Roger Wakefield in the hit historical drama, and off-screen, he’s been linked to Sammie Russell, the Australian owner of a sleepwear brand called Dream With Me. While Rankin has kept rather quiet about his relationship with Russell, the duo have been pictured alongside one another over the last couple of years.

Woman’s World

Remember… we know he’s not and never was a music producer.

[mx-pastelwriting]

Kinktober Day 24: Lingerie

Yondu Udonta x GN! Reader

Summary: Dressing up for Yondu's early day off of work.

Warnings: Smut, No Sex, Yondu loving what he sees

Kinktober Masterlist

Minors do not interact!

Turning in the old mirror in your shared bedroom, trying to get a good picture of the lingerie that hugged your body, finding it at a Terra shop on a planet that's name is in a language you could speak thanks to your human tongue.

Though you found it a joyful place as the boys ran around the planet, leaving the store to catch your eye, going in to find something to remind you of earth, spotting a new-looking human lingerie, there was no chance in leaving it; you bought it at a low price and brought it to the ship. Knowing Yondu would be off early, dressing up, intending for the night to be long.

The sound of the ship's door opening, turning your eyes to it, Yondu stopping in his tracks with the door shutting behind him as his mouth opens slightly in awe, scanning your body, taking in every inch of thin fabric and skin that showed.

"How was work?" you ask, looking at him through the mirror and smiling at his perfect reaction. "Fuck work, look at ya," he says, moving closer as if ready to pounce. "Yeah, what about me?" Stringing him along, wanting to hear the extent of the effect.

No words are needed to tell you anymore as his arms warp around, holding tightly, then kisses plant onto your shoulder with his sharp teeth lightly skimming along, making goosebumps rise.

Tilling your head, welcoming him in by placing your arms on his while happily swaying, but he changes mood, pushing up against you, feeling his excitement, telling your plan had worked.

Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is and grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!

♥ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI.

Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.

Taglist: @zoexme

[proshippers-against-censorship]

hope what i’m bringing up here is appropriate for this blog. i could try finding any other outlet, internal or outside resources that would help me get through this, but i’m trying not to ruffle any feathers.

so, since last year i’ve been watching something i used to be into when i was younger and participating in its fandom. through rewatching it i found out that i shipped two characters that i always had a noticeable affinity towards, except i realized i like the pairing way more as an adult because of everything i missed between them since i last saw the show. they were paired with different characters by the end and even if it was shown to make more “sense” for them according to the greater fandom, i initially didn’t care because of how much i enjoyed their dynamic thoughout the show’s duration. i felt that it brought out a bunch of discussion to be told whether you saw it the lens of a romatic or platonic relationship. most of what happened in the show’s main timeline could not go on without their involvement, and their individual development arcs kicked off because of the undeniable romantic relationship they tried to pursue at one point.

the big thing about their relationship that apparently makes it a “proship”/comship is the huge age difference between them, and unfortunately that’s unfortunately all what the fandom sees them for. i feel that even when talking about the romantic/sexual aspect of them together and the implications, they have one of the least discussed dynamics i’ve seen of many of the major characters, which doesn’t make sense because they’re both the male and female mcs. it’s always “thank god they didnt get together, i’m sick at the thought of them with each other” even though thats beyond what their relationship was like as the story was drawing to a close. one tweet i saw which was a quote of one which showed a screenshot of the characters in the ship i’m talking about in a canonical platonic showing was something along the lines of “the four people who still ship this must be on suicide watch” which is just an awful thing to think of about anyone.

i do try to feel good about shipping them publicly despite all thats been brought towards me for it. or, at least the nothingness of it. a lot of blogs i’ve interacted with and been interested about following in the past through tag scrolling have blocked me for shipping it. i know this because i always notice that a couple blogs who mainly post about the fandom aren’t on my dash. it’s weird, i don’t even like it as a “standard” underage ship. i’m not saying they’re wrong for keeping themselves safe from things they don’t like, it just glooms me out because i still want to interact with much of the fandom, even if we don’t agree on stuff. i’m too old to be spiralling over these things and activating the sanctification in me i’m trying hard to undo to enjoy my hobbies. why does it even matter to me this much that people block me because they don’t like shit i create or post

with this i feel like anti culture absolutely neuters any kind of intellectual discussion about characters who were in a “problematic” relationship and gone out of it to be part of a standard platonic one. i don’t how unique it is for this ship, but i do imagine that people look into the bad things about it far too much. and hey, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure

(i’m being vague to protect myself from antis who might find me out and send me dumb shit, forgive me)

No, no, you're very right. The rise of anti culture has definitely led to a decrease in having decent, intellectual conversations about pairings in media and how the relationships between characters shift in ways that display incredibly important aspects of their stories.

But that ties back to the loss of media literacy, I fear.

[charafansmile]

chapter 4 'live'blog below

Chapter 4... Rudy and toriel talking is cute. I'm curious about asgores you know what and why Carol supports it. It's neat to know that yes her name IS Carol. Rip Calloween you could have been beautiful

I really like how obviously rudy is trying to hint that susie take noelle, but again, susie is the most oblivious girl in the world

"Kris, susie is the guest. Make an excuse for her" every single thing toriel says is golden, how could anybody hate her or think she's strict. She's so #silly.

"My mom just loves heart shaped obejcts?" <- paraphrasing but WILD

hard decision.. I WILL go with berdly thank you.

DESS ROOM

:((((((

its interesting she has rations of all things,...did she get them FROM the shelter?

yeah no..i 100% think shes the roaring knight. or whats left of her is. like a flowey situation of sorts.

kris taking us out when we get the code...US controlling the soul finally..ougrhr. for my own memory: 1 2 2

im assuming this is the mayors bedroom...

its interesting her dialog here switches between red and white, it COULD be for emphasis, i think its because of candy canes.

go look again?!?! what do you mean by that asgore... ohhhh so he IS still looking for dess, and thats why the holidays are supporting him? its interesting that rudy is so friendly with toriel then. but theres probably more than that.

kris and the mayor...I have been thinking about mayor knight for a bit but her and kris? in cahoots? also. if your in the soul we r the EXACT same color as her pillows. im hiding in them as we speak.

OOPS! kris got me... they have great aim. THEIR PLAYING PIANO!!! WAILING AND SOBBING SUSIE CAN KNOW THEIR GOOD NOW

suselle.....yes i AM waiting this out till they stop talking. they didint react to kris's piano soooo

my setup btw ^

cutie pies...THEY WANT TO RAISE A SEVERD HAND TOGETHER! i could eat up an entire chapter of just these two. their so silly...i love all the relationships in this game.

i like this sprite of hers lots. shes so cute when shes teasing someone else...

THATS what moving the soul reminds me of, the sans fight..also were literally under an 'angel' doll. the angel=us theory strikes again.

the bug catcher works on us.. i also like how theres no narration and we cant press z on things as the soul.

i like kris actively fighting us.. but i want to read what suselle is saying... dess wears flannel confirmed. i need to play snowgrave i want to see how this scenes like there.

FUCK KRIS GOT ME BEFORE I COULD FINISH SEEING WHAT SUSELLE SAYS

making them trip over the hockey put for revenge

oh kris HATES us...

MAYOR REVEAL I WAS TAKING SCREENSHOTS FOR PROFILE PICTURE PURPOSES AND SHE SHOWS UP!!!

for a character with no reedeeming qualities, pizzapants is fun

i am not fighting mike. LOL! i do fw their gimic tho.

i like the windows changing

inch resting. kris and susie are both ' Dark Hero ' which feels..important. also even tho i had the spin cake in chapter 2 i didint have it in chapter 3 and the guy wont give me another one... so! no spin cake for me! BOOO.

utter nonsense, thank you toby fox. (oh wait this is apart of the prophecy...hes going to get a beard in future chapters..weird)

GERSON..he has no colors in the dark. weird. i love him btw. im going to use him in every fight.

gerson not liking prohpecies.. me and this old man r locked in.

the gerson gaster paralles...

LOL! i can clip through ralsei...

their all so fucking stupid

books we cant read..is his place like a tower of babel reference?

ralsei what the fuck are you hiding. last chapter we beat the evilsie alegations you CANNOT be doing this rn. reddit is going to be awful.

i really like how proactive susie is in making sure ralsei has stuff in her room..it makes me think about that empty room we see in chapter 3 with just a bed, a chair, and a poster...

third half you say? okay ralseis probably right my ass cannot find it.

WHAT THE FUCK LET ME GO SLOW MAN

OH THATS NO FAIR SPAWNING WHEN IM AT THE EXIT ASSHOLE

fucker now im all out of healing items... he is a cutie pie however.

i wonder if i can farm the mizzles....

i take back my comparison of drossleymeyer to gaster. clearly gerson is that sort of figure.

i really like susies friendship with gerson...

huh. guess we doin the secret boss here too. one thing ive learned is collect three items = secret boss of sorts

what the fuck is this creepy looking thing i cant get a screenshot

so im very positive gerson is writing a letter for alvin right? also this tea party is cute..

-Day 2 -

the mizzles kinda look like elnina

really bad feeling about all these darkners in stone....

wait no i dont wanna fight gerson. i do like him teasing susie tho.

HAMMER OF JUSTICE!!!! ooh you can hear undynes motif in it... oourgh the susie undyne paralles with grampa gerson...oooohhhghhh im going to die.

HE HAS GREEN MAGIC (i mean obviously, he trained undyne...) is the lord of the hammer giving us (very very vauge) rundowns of the future chapters????? oh thats nice you can rematch him to win...good. i still havent beat the roaring knight i needed a win. !!!susies healing is getting higher!

huh. and ralseis fluffiness is lower? it was 2 in chapter 2 ..hes getting depressed nooooo

SWALLOWED UP THE AUTHOR HIMSELF WHAT! ough im getting so close

what in the princess tutu oh he means alvin

grandauter

OUR choices dont matter...but maybe susies do?

pause. im going to go try and farm the mizzles to up her healing.

SHE TRICKS HIM LIKE WE TRICK SANS!!!!!!

FUCK YEAH

wait no i had her healing at 45 why'd it go down to 30 boo

couldnt get a scheenshot but that cool guy pose...yeah the roaring knight is 10000% dess.

looking at the deltarune symbol again....you could read the wings for horns.....

going to sob, the misspellings in the letter ooougghh

nothing to add this is just cute. reminds me of inviting my friends to sunday school so we could both get free candy as a reward. <- i am aware of how this sounds. yes i agree it was strange in hindsight.

susie backstory we need to revolt against toby fox for putting her through this.

aura farmers

AWW KRIS IS BLUSHING

Repetition...

oh i dont like the witch bringing back the undertale hit bar

oh so its scientist (archeologist) vs practitioners? its interesting how one group saw them as sacred and the other sees them as..less evolved.

wtf did ralsei hit the armor with

RALSEI

susie is SUPPOSED to equip ribbons? interesting... (oh wait you can put a ribbon on her in the 8bit mini game in chapter 3...interesting. you can also put a ribbon on noelle....)

3 sanctuaries... the number 3 returns

ralsei can fly??? ( yeah replaying this section hes 10000% flying wtf)

"when did you start being yourself" juxtaposed with the fetus like titan spawn...

the spriting on the titan is so cool and horrifying but damn is this fight hard. okay i closed it an reopened it.

i realized i was being noelle by saving those tension gems and tensionmax....i think even if rudy doesnt die i can kin her. i dont know what kinning is <- do not explain it to me

GERSON!!!!!

susie b.leeds.

ooougghh the waxing poetic about susies smile...

go home...ough she sees kris's house as hers... i will talk about the soriel later (SANS GET AWAY FROM HER SHES MINE) but susie wanting to stay over..toriel saying she can sleep in asriels bed..oiyrgrjhnrsg. oh wait nooo shes upset because toriel is drunk isint she noooo my baby...

i really really really like this sprite. expect this to be my pfp once a few weeks pass.

ooh no sans dont become a figure of kris's resentment at things changing nooooo . (hit image limit but the ketchup standing defiantly in the fridge... i do still think sans being friends with toriel is good for her but holy shit kris does NOT )

kris wtf did you promise...

OH COOL CHAPTER 5 COMES OUT IN 2O26!!!!

i think this is my new favorite chapter. im going to replay chapter three again and watch someone do the weird route...i may also work on that secret boss. but holy shit.

[drdemonprince]

I’ve been following you since “Corpus Collosum” (loved it sm) and witnessing your evolution into the ultra badass doctor you are, and that I randomly see quoted out in the wild, is wholly rad and maybe a little awe-inspiring? My kid showed me a screenshot of your response to the “it/its” ask from forever ago and brought it full circle for me, so now I’m here fanboying.

You have helped me un/learn so much about autism, queerness, gender, anarchy, kink, all the shits. I don’t know how to articulate all of the Thoughts and Feelings I have ab the space you’ve created and your presence within it, but I’m thankful that you’re so goddamn prolific and share your knowledge and insight so abundantly.

You’re fuckin awesome and it’s incredibly cool that you exist.

wowowow we got a real old head around here!!! Thank you so much for reading. Especially in the early Corpus Callosum days. That project meant a lot to me, and back then I didn't even know all that it was truly "about." So funny looking back on a story that fixates itself on the perspective of a person who is dead and living in a box with almost no sensory capabilities -- the Autism and dysphoria were all over the page even when I couldn't see it. I never would have gotten where I am today if the support from readers & moots on tumblr hadn't stoked my confidence and left me believing that I had something worthwhile to say, and the right to say it. I feel sometimes that I have let my fiction readers down, by selling out and becoming the mass market self-help author person, or that I've somehow become less of an artist. I miss those days even though they were frequently miserable and isolated. There's a disconnection between my present life and that life I lived online back then, and a part of me longs to be able to go back to it. Anyway, hearing from people who have been around through it and see the connective tissue between that former self and present self means a lot to me! If you ever wanna come off anon and say hi, go ahead and shoot me a dm. :)

[bucketofbugz]

I havne't been home all day :((( so I haven't gotten to watch the new TPOT episode :(((((

but I'm finally watching it now :) so as always, live Bugz reaction to TPOT 18

ohhh Lollipoppp <333 I've missed her :(((

I've missed . her. silly

why do they have teardrop stamps. hello?

OH??? BFB INTRO??

would've been funnier if they put Marker in with the green characters. cus. y'know. he's supposed to have always been green. but it's okay

how do you just FORGET that bubbles pop that's like their whole thing

honestly yeah that's a fair reaction to sticking your whole hand into your friend when you expected her to just disappear.

I really like his face here idk.

OOOOOH MEMORIESSS?? Inch resting

FINALLY CAN WE TALK ABOUT MATCH

WAIT HER HAIR :(((((

I THOUGHT something was off when Blocky got stabbed with a purple cord instead of a red one

I don't know why I keep giggling every time the credit card is mentioned why are there credit cards in this universe (I say, as if it hasn't been proven time and time again that objects in this universe just. have lives. and the bfdi contestants getting kidnapped and locked in a box isn't normal object behavior)

HELLO??? DID HE JUST??? DIE????

Blocky you can't just "lol" that

I need to stop screenshotting every time there's a face I really like in a shot but look at Lolli's face here. idk. I just like it.

Flower looks distraught though

YOU CANNOT "ALLIANCE, REMEMBER" ME RIGHT NOW. ESPECIALLY NOT FROM GELATIN. 2021 me would have DIED at hearing Gelatin say a Leafy quote.

I feel like this sometimes.

Loser buddy your career is over I'm sorry. You should pursue other things. Like maybe getting yourself un-cancelled

OH SO THIS IS WHEN RUBY SOLD THE VAN TO YELLOWFACE

"would be nice to see Match, though" AW??????? :(((( I miss their friendship actually. I hate everyone for getting Match eliminated sometimes. Like we coulda gotten an interesting story there and instead everyone just. VOTED HER OUT???? like what the heck.

anyway sorry. Bubble ily don't die

Gelatin and Lollipop and their books full of lies

Only Blocky could figure out how to turn a contest about retrieving someone's stolen credit card into committing credit card theft himself

:((( THEY'RE SO CUTE :(((((((

okay then. sure. threatening murder. we love to see it.

"why are we trying to help this person again?" good question. I don't know.

SHE. LOST IT UNDER THE COUCH CUSHIONS?????

EW FLOWER MOVE YOUR HEAD

I never wanna see Flower from that angle ever again

EUGHH HOW'D IT GET WORSE

GIGGLING

Okay so recovery is a normal thing for non-bfdi objects as well that is good to know

I love when we get random lore for objects outside of bfdi it's lovely

HOW AM I ONLY HALF WAY THROUGH THIS EPISODE WHAT ELSE COULD THERE BE HERE

THEY GOT ARRESTED

"WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE BEDS" giggling why did they just sleep on the ground for years did they not try SOMETHING??? was there NOTHING to salvage from their old tower?

genuinely wasn't expecting to giggle at this episode so much but my stomach genuinely hurts now. I think I've been needing something more lighthearted after all these recent episodes

oh they're so beautiful

"assemble teams and fight to the death?" yeah sure why not

when your freaky holographic future self that's been taking your place and hanging out with your friends all day finally dies leaves you alone

Taco are you. good?

oh heck yeah team Lollipop

yeah I imagine that watching yourself die wouldn't feel very nice

oh well I guess they're dead too

OH WAIT YEAH I FORGOT?? THAT LOSER DIED ALSO???? IS HE OKAY??? ARE THEY OKAY????

I think I've had enough of living Tacos reaching towards swirling portals for one lifetime

HIIIIII HIHIHIHIHI HI HI HIIIII PRICE TAG HELLOOOO

wow so all of that was for nothing. wonderful and lovely.

MATCH. REALLY??

y'know what it's fine Match can have it

at least she can kinda get away with being a Lollipop

ough,,, owie,,,,

:C :C ;CCCCCCC

"of course not" SOBBING

"I wanted to see more of them" well,,,, if you think you're up for the trip,,,,

of course. they're still. like that

I GET IT THOUGH if someone I was friends with disappeared off the face of the earth I'd be like that too

OH HE'S ACTUALLY GOING!!! YAY!!!!!

BALLOONY IS IN SPACE????? HELLO??

I kinda forgot he was supposed to be there until I saw him in the credits tbh

Okay i'm gonna be honest when it was revealed that the episode would be focusing on these guys I wasn't all that excited. I'm not all that attached to any of them in post-split (I love Gelatin, Teardrop, Leafy, and Lollipop. But I prefer Gelatin in BFDIA, Teardrop and Leafy aren't HERE, and I fell out of really liking Lollipop near the end of bfb because her character shifted a Lot) so I didn't see myself liking it.

the episode was. definitely very reminiscent of post-split. which. wasn't GREAT. but when compared to all the serious stuff we've been getting it was kinda refreshing.

I happen to be someone who doesn't hate post-split. I just don't remember anything that happened because it was. boring. and the characterization got on my nerves a lot of the time. but like. I don't think it's the worst thing ever.

the new episode was fine. I wouldn't say it's a masterpiece, but it's enjoyable and fun and honestly that's all that really mattered.

definitely more excited for the next one though, sorry.