#watch someone call me names for pointing this out

[cognitiveoverload]

Bambi (Spencer Reid x reader)

summary: You joined the BAU to prepare for an upcoming role, but your time with the team gives you a new career path and a new lover.

note: It's short, but that's how far I wanted to take this now. Takes place before 11x01.

“Special Agent Bambi stole my coffee 😩”

This is a message meant for your best friend, but Derek sadly leans over your shoulder just in time to catch it. You only notice when you hear his laughter in your ear, and soon you see him sitting on the edge of the desk in front of you. “I saw Spencer with a cup of coffee that had your name on it. Oh, if only someone told him you called him Bambi,” he says with a teasing grin.

Mortified, you open your mouth to protest, or rather to beg him to keep this to himself, but no word leaves your throat. Maybe a deal could work, maybe you could offer something he wants, and considering he mentioned his girlfriend loves your work, that could be the key to your secret’s safety. So, with a sweet smile, you put your phone on the desk and fold your arms as you look at him.

Derek instinctively mirrors your movement, watching you with a slightly raised eyebrow. “I’ll take you and Savannah to a fancy restaurant on an evening that’s good for the both of you, and she can join me on the first days of shooting when we finally get there,” you offer. 

“All of this to stop me from telling the kid?” When you nod, he lets out a thoughtful hum. “Damn it, you know that’s an offer I can’t turn down. I’ll keep your secret.”

“What secret?” 

You see as the agent in front of you whistles quietly, then walks past you as if there was nothing to see. The question came from Penelope, who stands right next to the very man you’ve exchanged a few words about. At first, you open your mouth to respond, but then you realize there’s no way you could improvise without being busted by them. Telling part of the truth could be useful, though.

So, without much hesitation, you put an award-winning smile on your face and point in the direction where Derek went. “I invited Savannah to the set of the movie,” you explain. You quickly realize there has to be a continuation for this sentence, otherwise you would have to start explaining yourself. “I was thinking about a girls’ weekend if you’re in too.”

Penelope claps her hands in excitement as she looks at Spencer. “I might not even return to you,” she jokes with a wide smile. “It’s so exciting, of course I’m in!” 

When she hugs you, you immediately become enveloped in that warm aura of hers, the one everyone on the team mentioned after you arrived. You’ve only been with the team for three weeks in preparation for a new role, but surprisingly, they all welcomed you kindly despite being short of a few people, and even among them, Penelope was the one who grew the closest to you in a matter of days.

While each and every one of them became important to you for a different reason, it’s Spencer you can’t quite place anywhere. He’s so different from the guys you are used to, and you can’t decide if this oddity is the reason why you don’t know what to think about him. A part of you thinks he’s an adorable dork, which brings out your protective side, while another believes he’s charming and handsome, the kind of guy you want to do certain things with behind closed doors. 

You’re like a Victorian man when he sees a woman’s ankle, you can’t help yourself when he’s around. It’s hard to recall the last time you were so desperate for someone’s attention, maybe it was back in high school, but you’re not sure. 

Behind her, Spencer takes a sip of coffee from the paper cup, and your eyes meet as you let go of Penelope and take a step back. He doesn’t say anything, and the silence is deafening, but you wait, secretly hoping he would change his mind and tell you something, even if it’s nothing more than some random fact about movies. But he remains silent, and eventually he moves to sit behind his desk without sparing you a second look.

Penelope also leaves, and since you don’t have paperwork to do like the others, you pull out the book that’s part of your curriculum and continue reading it, highlighting the pages where you find interesting details with a narrow post-it. It was Spencer and Dave who wrote you a list of books you could learn a lot from, and they both promised to talk with you about them once you finished reading them.

You have no idea how much time passed exactly, but your quiet reading session is interrupted by the announcement that there’s a new case and briefing starts now in the conference room. You pick up your phone and head after the rest of the team, sitting in the back as usual to be out of the way, but to your surprise, Spencer decides to sit next to you this time. When you turn to him with a surprised look, he flashes a smile at you, then takes another sip of the coffee cup with your name visible to you.

As most cases they work on, these were also gruesome murders, and the more details you hear, the harder you grip your thighs to bear it. But then you feel a hand cover yours, slowly but confidently lacing your fingers. You know whose hand it is, yet you don’t dare to look his way, you don’t feel like taking his attention away from the case that’s being presented. He joins the conversation every now and then, but whenever there’s a break, you can feel his eyes on you.

The team’s dismissed, and you’re heading to the plane that takes off half an hour later. The plane where Spencer once again opts to sit next to you, although this time he finally talks to you. “It gets better with time,” he notes quietly, flashing a small smile at you. You return it, but before you can say anything, he goes on. “I know that you were asking about joining the academy to become one of us.”

The surprised look you give him is followed by a groan. “Penelope?” you wonder, and he nods in response. “It’s just… I love acting, don’t get me wrong, but this would actually mean something, you know?” 

“But are you ready to work on such cases every day?”

You lean your head back as you consider what to say to that. The idea of joining the FBI came to you a week ago, after you entered the rented apartment you stayed in following an emotionally tough case. At first, you briefly considered quitting this little crash-course before it could leave a permanent scar on you, but then you realized that at the end of the day, it was all about saving lives. And this made you wonder if there was anything acting helped you achieve aside from promoting good causes. 

Preaching about the importance of fighting for the environment, or children’s rights didn’t mean people would actually do something too. But a job at the FBI? That would have results. You could put bad guys behind bars, even if it wouldn’t be so cheerful all the time. Considering you were in your late twenties, maybe you still had enough time to make such a big career change. 

With a sigh, you turn your head to look at him. “You said it yourself, it gets better with time,” you reply, but a doubtful look crosses his face. “Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I want to see if I would be good enough,” you tell him. 

Spencer turns in his seat, watching you with a barely visible smile at first. “You’ll need an intensive course,” he points out as he reaches out, once again lacing your fingers. “How about this? We meet outside of work and go through some old cases. I’ll teach you everything you need to know about profiling.”

“Are you sure? I’m sure you need your free time, I wouldn’t want you to–” But he doesn’t let you finish, instead he ignores the curious eyes watching the two of you and leans in to give you a soft kiss. “Oh,” you say when he pulls back. 

“You don’t even notice how many times you stare at me, do you?” he asks with a teasing smile, his hand moving to your cheek. “And please, don’t call me Bambi behind my back.”

With wide eyes, you stand up and turn around to find a certain member of the team that’s gonna be kicked in the ass for sure. “Derek, god dammit!” you yell, but before you could go there to confront him, Spencer takes your hand and gently pulls you back into the seat. You flash an apologetic smile at him, then rest your head on his shoulder as you think about how things would be for the two of you now.

Maybe with him on your side, it will be easier to handle these cases. 

[valalice]

݁₊ DECISION TO DECISIONS ARE MADE. ft. 𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓶𝓼.

pairing. ellie williams 𝑥⠀fem!reader

✦ summary. new year's is just a few days away and your roommate, dina, plans a party to celebrate the new year, inviting a certain special someone. ellie wanted nothing more to do than lay in bed, ignoring the fact that she's starting out yet another year without a kiss. however, she gets roped (or threatened) into attending a party she didn't even want to attend, for the sake of being a "good friend". now minutes before the clock strikes 12:00, both you and ellie are left without a special someone to embrace as everyone else welcomes the new year. what decision will the two of you make? w/c. 6k

warnings. fluff. angst. modern!au. loser ellie if you dare. reader is a socialite. roommate!dina. drinking (everyone is of age). ellie smokes. mentions of joel. the both of you are lowkey crushing on each other so bad. self sabotaging. talk of new year's resolution & the future. kissing.

a/n. my little treat to you all, happy 2025! i was going to make this set in tlou universe, but i can't stop thinking of city living and ellie, so here we are. ellie definitely has a loser girl, self sabotage mindset in this, but trust all she needed was to get kissed silly by a pretty girl! anywho, happy new years, lovely's, and i hope 2025 brings you success, peace, and treats you gentle 🤍 remember to support your writers by reblogging & commenting !

m.list | tlou m.list

The TV screen illuminates the dark room, the whistling wind swirls around flurry flakes into the night. It’s the first big snow of winter, and you hope it sticks instead of turning to the grey mush that’ll occupy the crevices of the city streets. You push your knees up to your chest, wrapping your arms around your legs and resting your head against your knee and letting your cheek squish into it, allowing you to observe the storm and the snow building up on the window seals. It’s unfortunate you think, and perhaps a little funny that the snow storm decides to happen the day after Christmas. Maybe even a little poetic or just a big fuck you from nature. However, you’re content by it.

Your name's being repeated, it takes a moment for you to fully comprehend that you're being called upon, still wrapped within the thoughts of your own mind. Till something small and light hits your head, "What?" lifting your head up from where it rested upon your knee to turn to face the culprit, eyes flickering down to see the lone popcorn fallen on the couch cushion. "Dina—" you scowl, letting an arm fall from around your legs and picking up the kernel, throwing it at Dina's face. Her face scrunching up as it bounces off her forehead and lands in her lap. "What was that for?" it sounds closer to a whine than a question, the storm outside is now forgotten.

"You weren't answering me," she responds, her focus falling to her lap to pick up the popcorn kernel and pop it in her mouth. "and you're not even paying attention to the movie, you picked it out."

Twisting your lips, eyeing the TV screen, "Yeah, I guess you're right." It wasn't a movie you've never seen before, in fact it was a one you've seen more times than you can count. A safe pick for you as Dina let you choose the movie this night, and when picking it your mind was already elsewhere. So, even now with just a glance at the screen you can tell exactly what point the movie is at. "What did you ask me?"

Dina's hand piles into the bowl, grabbing a handful of popcorn and shuffles it in her mouth. Watching her demolish the delightful crunchy-buttery snack made you outstretch your arm, a silent ask for some popcorn. She takes hold of the bowl and passes it to you, taking your own handful of popcorn and eating it one by one. Dina swallows, "Was thinking of hosting a New Year's Eve party."

As if she could already sense your hesitance for the idea she continues on, firmly placing her hands on the plush couch to give her leverage to twist her body, making it face you as she tucks her legs underneath her. And as she leans forward, "C'mon it'll be so much fun. And we have yet to have a party in our new place, there's far better room here for one." she exclaims.

Your eyebrows raise at the last statement, "Barely." you remark, eyeing the room straight ahead into the kitchen. It was a nice place, far nicer than the shoe box you and Dina lived in months prior, but by no means is it more spacious.

"Okay, so maybe not by much. But, think about how much fun it'll be."

"I guess." You ponder the thought of it, dozens of people boxed in your guys' apartment like sardines in a tin can to welcome the New Year. Then you grimace at the thought of everyone drunk and sweaty, the booming voices counting down the clock, people scrambling to find someone to messily kiss. "I retract my statement, actually."

"Oh, c'mon." Dina huffs.

"Why can't we just invite over some small friends? A small gathering? Yes, a small gathering sounds far better." Nodding your head at the idea, trying your best to convince Dina of your idea.

"That's boring. It's gotta be a party, and besides, aren't you supposed to be a socialite?"

You let out a groan at her words, "Reluctant. It's a curse that I'm good with people."

"And that's why you're going to invite some of your fancy socialite friends over."

Your brows furrow deeper than you think they've ever done before. "I'm doing what now? And they're not really friends, just—" you pause to think of a nice name to call them rather than the ones you're currently thinking of. "acquaintances. And I thought you were just thinking of having this party?"

That cracks a smile onto Dina's face. "Well it's decided now." she muses, bunching up her shoulders and throwing up her hands.

"Really?" feeling unfazed by her.

"Yep!" Dina quips.

"Why do you always invite? They're not very good people." you confess.

Dina shrugs, "They suck but at least they bring good booze."

A laugh erupts from you, enacting a full body shake, pointing your index finger at the girl. "I like the way you think."

"I know." she smirks.

The mattress underneath Ellie vibrates, causing her to groan and flip over, giving her phone the cold shoulder. Sighing when it stops, feeling herself mold further into her pillow. Till the bzz bzz bzz begins again, she tries to ignore it and focus on getting back to sleep, but at this point it's been ringing an eternity. Dramatically turning her body back over, taking a hold of her phone and holding it up to her and squinting; Dina. A finger presses answer and she brings the screen up to her face.

"Hello?" she groggily asks, running a hand over her sleep ridden-face. Her body aches from the travels.

"Where are you going to be on New Year's Eve?" Dina demands.

Straight to the point she guesses, rolling her eyes at the lack of "Hello, to you too, Ellie. How are you feeling from your long travels?" Ellie lets her arm fall over her face. "In my bed. Is that okay with you?" she grumbles, hoping this isn't one of Dina's schemes.

"Wrong answer."

Ellie's head pushes further into her pillow, confusion written all over her twisted up face. "How?"

"You're going to be coming to my party." The girl on the other side of the phone corrects.

"Is that an invite where I can accept or decline?"

"No, you're attending this party."

Ellie lets out a long string of groans in retaliation. She didn't even why she bothered to ask if it was an invite, of course she'd be forced to attend another party.

"Oh, stop being dramatic. You always have fun."

A chuckle falls from Ellie's lips. "If you think me having a few beers and listening on to some random conversation is fun, then sure."

There's some rustling on the other end of the phone, like a faint jingle of keys. The noise alone alerts Ellie to check the clock on her night stand, moving her arm from over her face to peek at the clock; 2:54 p.m. She throws her arm back over her face.

Dina huffs and takes a breath, "You just never put yourself out there. That's why. You could easily spark up a conversation with a rando and they'll love you!"

Ellie scoffs at the image of her talking to some random person, let alone her initiating it. "Yeah, right. Besides, I don't really like any of the people that are at your parties, they're all outsiders from our group." Remembering a time at one of Dina's parties when she planted her ass on some couch then out of nowhere a small crowd started to surround her. One of the guys in the group had some weird bullshit rhetoric he was spewing, so she called him out, correcting him in the meantime as well. Everyone around her froze and started looking at her as if she grew another head; she carry's that memory with her to not fuck with any rando's.

"They're my roommates, friends, or acquaintances, whatever they are." Ellie perks up at the mention of you, her arm falling off her face once more, and this time she shuffles in her bed to sit up. "But, they bring that good beer you like."

"Ah, right. All's forgiven, I guess." she doesn't think her voice could get any sarcastic.

There's a moment of silence, Ellie clears her throat. "So, uh, how's your roommate?" It's an innocent question she asks, a hand coming up to her head to smooth over her messy bed head. She knows your name but she still calls you Dina’s roommate.

"Oh! She's good. Neither of us went home for Christmas this year, so we spent it together."

"Cute." Ellie hums. Whenever she hears Dina talk about you it makes a small part of her ache for a roommate, someone to always be around and grow a close bond with. But, not everyone gets as lucky as Dina in the roommate lottery, and the thought of it always gets pushed out of her mind in favor of a space entirely her own.

"She's going to be at the party." Dina blurts, knowing what Ellie is trying to do, she knows the brunette girl too well.

"Well, I would hope so." Her response was casual, holding her phone away from her face and unplugging it from its charging cord, deciding to press the 'Speaker' button and not succumb herself to holding the hot screen phone to her face. Swinging her legs off the edge of the bed, she stretches, a few small noises falling from her lips when doing so. Is it so wrong for her to ask such a question?

"I just bet you do." Dina teases, not convinced with the facade Ellie's putting up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ellie quirks, pushing the shirt that's ridden up her abdomen and pushing it back into its rightful position. The socks on her feet shuffling against the ground to move her body out of her room and to her liven area; it's living area and kitchen combined, she thinks it's a cool name since the entire area is open, but everyone else just calls it the dumbest name ever.

"You don't need to skirt around asking about her. I know about your little crush on her."

Ellie chokes at the word crush, playing it off back hacking up a lung. "I don't have a crush on anyone." she argues, still trying to recover from her coughing fit, wiping away the few dribbles of tears in the corners of her eyes.

"It's all that damn smoking." Dina retorts at Ellie's fit.

"You sound like Joel." Ellie snorts.

There's a beginning of an insult Dina begins to say until she gets interrupted. Being nosy Ellie tries to listen in to what it could be. “Uh, hold on a sec, Els.” 

"Yep, it's not a problem." Ellie says, her mouth falling into a tight line. She takes a seat on her couch, listening intently to the chatter happening; as best she could, it's extremely muffled, almost like whispering. Placing her phone to be perched on her thigh she takes hold of her hand, picking at the skin around her nails. Picking at a stubborn piece of skin before she pricks herself and starts bleeding, "Ah, shit." bringing her finger up to her mouth to nurse at the bleeding spot.

“Ellie?” Your voice startles her to remove her finger from her mouth urgently, and straighten her hunchback.

She picks up her phone for some reason, clearing her throat. “Hey.”

“Hi!” You exclaim, enacting a small jump in Ellie's heart. Are you happy to talk to her or are you just like this? She'll settle on the latter. “How are you doing?” the simple question makes her feel embarrassed, a soft pink hue forming across her freckled cheeks.

“I’m doing all right. I just- uh," she pauses momentarily, and she thinks of lying, and telling you that she just got home from running errands, and before that she went to the gym for a few hours; to make herself seem productive. "I just woke up.” she tells the truth.

“Rough night?” there's something endearing in your voice and how it seemed to drop when you asked if she had a rough night, as if you're trying to work a dirty secret out of her by telling her you wouldn't tell a soul. And truthfully if she did have some wild night, it wouldn't take much for her to tell you about it.

Ellie shuffles on her couch, leaning forward, placing her elbows on her spread knees, leaning her head on her unoccupied hand. “You could say so. I landed back here at like 3 a.m.” Although the flight had not been her worst by close measure, she was still sleep deprived and being on a plane always managed to make her body ache.

“Oh, from Christmas. You visited your family, right?” Yet, again her heart leaps. Dina must've told you her plans in passing, but it's the fact that you remembered that made her heart thump a little faster.

She knows she's cheesing way too hard, but maybe you could somehow sense her happy mood through the phone, or at least she hopes. “Yeah, I didn’t go home for Thanksgiving, so it was good to see them.” Her family wasn't large, nor typical, but she held them dear to her heart.

“That’s very sweet.” you say, and just as Ellie hoped, on the other side of the phone you sit on your couch mirroring an identical dopey grin. She pushes her head into her palm, she hates that you have such an effortless effect on her, and she hates how your voice sounds airy, much like the noises doves make as they fly around. “Did you get everything you wished for, for Christmas?”

The question takes Ellie by surprise, letting out a soft, breathy laugh. “Oh, c’mon.” She's sure she'll bore you with the niche presents she got, and she's even more sure that you wouldn't care.

“Sorry, sorry.” you chuckle.

Ellie shifts once again, letting her body fall into her couch, a hand running through her knotted hair as her leg bounces vigorously. “I hear you're hosting a New Year’s Eve party.” She's making conversation.

“Well, it’s really Dina doing it all. I’m helping out, though.”

“That’s good. You're a real trooper helping Dina with all her shenanigans?" The smile she once had now turns to a crooked smirk; anything to send harmless jabs at Dina.

"Need a trophy for it really. But, I don't mind, she's lucky I love her." Your words strike something within Ellie, she doesn't know quite what it is, but there's something at how comfortably the word love falls from your mouth, it makes her feel bitter.

“You coming?”

It's a yes or no question, but Ellie still takes a moment to think. Dina's already made it clear that she has to attend, but she could also use this as an opportunity to back out of it and just spend the first few weeks of the new year hiding out from Dina like someone hiding from a hitman. “Uh, yeah. I am.” She's fucked.

“Fantastic!” You amuse her, not in a silly way, but in a way as in she's never met someone who genuinely uses the word fantastic quite like you. She finds it cute. “I was a little reluctant about it, but I’m coming around to it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.” Oh. So you weren't on board for this either?

“I’m sure I will, too.” She's beyond fucked up.

You don't respond, but that inaudible whisper is back, the two of you must be talking. “Oh, um. Dina wants her phone back," Ellie can feel herself deflate, slumping into the couch. She felt childish that she wants to whine and say she wants to keep talking to you. "but how much longer do I have to wait to get your number, or do you just not like me?” Your words bring life back into her, placing a hand on the soft cushion and pushing herself up. The two of you have known each other for about four years now and you two don't interact without the influence of Dina. And she feels embarrassed that not only do you think she could possibly not like you, you're also the one asking her for her number. But, of course you are, she's not as outgoing as you.

“What? No, no, it’s not that." It could never be that. "Just, uh, get it from Dina.” She panicked, but then again she didn't know if you had your phone on your or paper and a pen near you to write down her number. Dina comes in clutch, she guesses.

“Okay, I will. See you Tuesday night, Ellie.” You said her name again.

“See you Tuesday.” There's silence and she almost thinks you hung up till she taps her screen to see Dina's ID screen.

“And you say you don’t have a crush?” Dina's voice quips.

Ellie groans, her hands slapping at her face before they drag down.

Ellie's phone buzzes in her pocket, reaching for it she frees it from her jacket and unlocks it.

You

Hi! Hope you're excited for the party tonight, can't wait to see you! x

4:23 p.m

Ellie

Hey! Can't wait to see what Dina put together, and right back at ya :)

4:24 p.m

She stands in the store aisle as she watches a blue text bubble appear with three little dots, it abruptly stops, and instead of whatever you wanted to say you replaced it by hearting her message. Ellie stuffs her phone back in her pocket. Sighing as she throws her head back, squinting at the fluorescent lights. Rolling her neck she looks straight forward, swiping the golden figure from the shelf into her hand, taking it and the complementary beer for the party to the register.

Chatters overtake the living space, looking over it you see how certain people group together, it's endearing really how certain types of people naturally gravitate towards each other and stick together like magnets. You take another sip of your beer, looking down in your lap, flipping over your phone to check the time, 10:40 p.m on the dot. You huff, unlocking your phone and picking an app to mindlessly scroll through.

Someone says your name, causing you to lift your head in an instant. “Oh, Mack.” Lifting yourself from off the couch to hug the girl, letting your phone fall into the cracks of your couch in the process. “Hey.” She breaths into the embrace.

“How are you? You enjoying yourself?” you ask, you've gotta be a good host, although you've asked the same questions over ten times now when greeting each person. But, with Mack you don't mind all that much. She's one of the more tolerable socialites you know, and maybe even a friend if you dared.

“I’m doing good, and uh. Yeah! I just got here a little bit ago, saw Dina and everything. I love the new place.” she answers, looking around the room at the last part to take in the space once more.

“That's good, and thanks. Dina and I have been really enjoying it.” Flashing her a polite smile. “She was actually the one to push the idea of a New Years Eve party.” You're creating conversation that you're not sure you want to create.

“Well it's a nice party. You guys really went all out with the decorations.” Motioning to all the gold and black decorations littering the living space.

You hum, forcing another smile, “Why don't we sit down? I heard you just joined a startup from Jonesy, congratulations!” And there you've done it.

Out of your sight, Ellie shuffles into the apartment, searching for either your or Dina.

“Ellie!” A familiar voice yells over the chatter, Ellie looks out to see a tan hand up surfing through the crowd, it’s Dina. She pulls Ellie in for a hug, and she wraps her unoccupied hand around Dina.

“Hey.” Ellie’s greeting was faint, something only Dina could hear.

“Was worried you were gonna flake.” An elbow nudges into Ellie’s side, and she squirms, swatting Dina away.

“Wouldn't miss it for the world.” she grimaces, green eyes flickering around the sea of people packed into the small space.

“Yeah, I’d hunt you down if you did.” Dina’s words are playful, but there's some truth to them. Ellie focuses back on the girl in front of her, and she remembers the beer in her hand.

“Oh, I bought some beer.” Lifting up the case and showing it off.

“Great! Can never have too much of it.” Taking a hold of the case from the brunette and walking to the kitchen. Ellie follows after her, watching as Dina opens the fridge and places the case of beer next to another one, the one she knows one of your fancy friends brought, the one she likes. It makes her chuckle thinking that her case of beer will feel at home with the rest of the alcohol in the fridge.

“Did you want one?” Dina asks, still bent into the fridge.

“Yeah.”

Dina reaches and grabs a beer, extending her arm to Ellie. But upon one look, “Not that one, the one I bought.”

Dina removes her head from the fridge to stand up straight, questionably eyeing her. “I bought it with my money so I’m going to drink it.” Ellie shrugs.

“Whatever you say.” Dina mumbles, placing the beer back and grabbing the one from the other case, handing it to Ellie; she says a quick ‘Thanks’ looking behind her on the counter she's leaning against, grabbing a bottle opener and piping it open, pocketing the top in her jeans pocket taking a swig of the drink.

“Uh, where's roomie?” It's an ice breaker she tells herself.

Dina pouts, leaning so she looks over Ellie's figure into the open space living area that's completely filled with people. She shrugs as she sets herself back in place. “She's somewhere in there, y’know how she is.”

“Yeah, I do.” Taking another, longer swig of her beer.

"So," Dina begins. Ellie squints at her, the look in Dina's brown eyes tells her something is up. "Who are you kissing tonight?" Of course.

Ellie swallows. "Who are you kissing tonight?" She's deflecting, but she's also genuinely curious.

Dina looks off somewhere then back at Ellie. "I'm sure I can find someone. Now, stop deflecting. Who are you kissing?"

She rolls her eyes at the stupid question. "You know the answer. No one." It's been no one for years, it would be something she's embarrassed about but she's too used to it to feel that way. A reason she didn't want to attend the party, she didn't want to have to come face to face with the fact that she's so content with feeling alone, even when there's countless people who kiss other people with no strings attached on a night like December 31st; Ellie just couldn't do it.

Dina could see the question get under her friend's skin, the aversion of her gaze as it flickers around, focusing on anything but Dina, and the hand layer unoccupied on her jeans, a nimble finger scratching at the fabric. "Okay, okay. Stay lonely and un-kissed, loser."

Lifting herself up from leaning on the counter, "Have fun finding someone random to kiss." Ellie swings her beer up in the air, a solute to Dina's findings. The moment she turns her back to Dina she feels a twinge of regret, maybe she's being too sensitive about the topic. . . Nah. She knew what her friend was trying to insinuate when asking who she's kissing tonight, and with her hounding to know if she has a crush on you, it's too much. Ellie Williams isn't kissing anyone on New Year's Eve and she doesn't have a crush on you.

Your butt feels numb, you hadn't moved much since you sat down in an effort to seem interested in whatever Mack is talking about. It's routine really, ask someone about something recent, often something new or life changing and the person will talk your ear off, litter a few Ah's and Oh, Really's?, maybe a few questions of your own if you're feeling frisky. But, at this point you're starting to worry about how long someone could possibly talk about a startup.

Stretching your neck side to side you squeeze your eyes shut for a moment, opening them to put your attention back on Mack. And as quickly as it happens, you lose it. Eyes roaming the window you were staring out of just a few days ago, you couldn't see it about an hour ago, you guess people have congregated elsewhere. You're just about to focus on the girl sitting in front of you, again, till a bright little flickering flame catches your eye. Squinting as you watch the flame be brought to something then be gone, the moonlight and the city lights allow you to see silhouette, Ellie.

Turning back to Mack, you place a warm hand on her knee, "I'm really sorry, Mack. But, I think Dina is calling me." you lie, a very tiny fabricated lie that shouldn't hurt her too much. Rising from the couch and walking towards the window.

"Oh, but—" Mack's head twists behind her, a finger pointing to the opposite side of the room where Dina's at, talking to a few people.

Both you and Dina had thought it was a good idea to keep the balcony window open during the party, knowing that everyone would be packed in tightly together and some fresh cool air could keep the environment comfortable. The sheer blinds flap from the wind and you catch them, entering the balcony, but not quite. You were right, now faced with the back of Ellie staring down to the city streets, taking drags of the cigarette she just lite, expelling the smoke to let it be carried away by the wind and be swirled around. Everything about her is so signature, from her half up half down hairstyle, the chunky tan jacket she wears everywhere, the jeans she has on, down to the boots she exchanged during the winter season instead of wearing her converse; and there's a beer at her feet.

"Smoking and drinking? Pick a struggle." You remark, folding your arms over each other.

Ellie's startled by your voice, again. Turning around to see you standing in the opening of the window. The sheer cream blind sway behind you, but the moonlight illuminates to make them appear brighter, it gives you a halo that hitches Ellie's breath. And there's a toothy grin on your face, it's a telltale that you're clearly teasing her.

She tears her gaze away from you and turns back around to lean on the railing of the balcony, nodding her head.

The grin on your face drops at Ellie's action, and there's a few short clicks of your footsteps before you're also leaning against the railing next to her. "Was it too far?" you ask, in a softness close to a whisper.

Ellie turns to you, brows furrowed. "No, I just um—" She eyes the cigarette between her fingers, bad habits die hard. "My New Year's resolution is to quit." she stated, she doesn't exactly know when she decided this, but she always felt the need to say something unnecessary around you in hopes to impress you.

Your eyes widen at her words, "Oh, wow, Ellie. That's huge." you beamed, you feel proud to know this, and you wonder if Dina knows about her resolution. "You know we're all here for you."

Ellie huffs out another drag, she does it by looking in the opposite direction from you. "Yeah, I know." she agreed, turning back to you. "It's going to be fucking hard, been smoking for years."

"You're strong, Ellie. It is going to be hard, but again, just please remember that you have a support system. Even if you don't want to go to Dina or whoever, I know we're not super close, but I'm here." You're sincere in your words, and you just hope Ellie can tell that you are. Comfortable silence, or as close to silence falls over the two of you, eye contact not breaking as you gaze into each other. As Ellie looks at you she lets your words soak in, everything about you is soft right now; the kiss of your lashes on your cheeks when you blink, the small smile on your face and how it reached your eyes causing them to twinkle, the faint aroma of your perfume, to your words. Just alone with your comforting words she likes to think she could quit smoking cold turkey, despite knowing she'd probably roll over and die if she did.

"Thank you." A smile now mirrors yours. And in response yours stretches wider, a silent, No problem. "What are you doing out here?"

"Needed a breather." You needed more than a breather, you needed to escape from the Hell that is uninteresting conversations.

"You got one." She quips, she's sure you have better things to do, better things to talk to than her.

Your eyebrows rise, you weren't expecting a response like that. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Williams?" Quirking your head to the side. Feelings of Ellie not liking you come washing back, and your body burns, but she said she does like you, and you trust her.

"Not a chance." She confirms.

"Sounds like you are." You press, still hung up on such a response.

"I would never." Ellie consoled, she feels bad for her snarky remark, so she places emphasis on the word never. "It's just that—" She stops mid sentence, your sharp gaze waiting for the next thing to come out of her mouth, she feels hot and looks away for a moment, releasing the hand on the railing to come up and pull at her collar before smoothing to rub at her neck. "I just thought you'd be doing your socialite thing right now."

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" You groan, and everyone as in Dina and now Ellie.

"What? You are." she proclaimed.

"Not by much," you grumble, looking down to the streets of the city. "Can I confess something to you?"

Ellie walks around you, to the little table and chair you and Dina had set up on the balcony, you could only fit those two things without taking up the entire balcony, so whenever the two of you come out here one sits on the chair and the other sits on the metal staircases. She buds out her cigarette into the ashtray Dina keeps outside before returning to her spot next to you. "My lips are sealed."

"I don't really like my life." you admit. It's a heavy topic that's been looming over your head in dark clouds. You would have talked to Dina about it, but she thinks your life is the best thing ever, and you know if given the chance she'd gladly jump into your shoes, and you'd let her.

"Oh."

"Yeah." you sigh, "Sorry if it's too much. I don't have many people to talk about this to." This is a bad idea.

"No, it's not, trust me. I just don't know if I'm the best person to talk to this about," She feels under qualified to talk about such a topic with you, although she understands the feeling all too well. "maybe Dina will?"

"Dina won't understand."

"Ah." she acknowledges, she agrees with that. "What's the matter?"

"I just feel unhappy and unfulfilled." you say, and you feel ungrateful doing so. "I shouldn't be that's the thing."

"How so?"

"Because, I guess I have everything. And I'm lucky and thankful." You break, collecting your thoughts. "But it's like everything I do is to please others. I'm tired."

Ellie frowns. She thinks of a decent way to try and comfort you, but each one doesn't sound right, and she doesn't want something she says to make you feel worse; there's even a passing thought of pulling you into a hug, but she decides against it; you guys aren't there quite yet. "Fuck that." A little brash, but she hopes it'll get the message across.

Your face scrunches up and you let out a breathy laugh. "What?" Confusion written all over your face from Ellie's response.

"Fuck that. Fuck people pleasing. And fuck not being happy your life." You're startled by her words, not knowing where she's trying to go with what she's saying; Ellie doesn't know where she's going either. She reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out her phone, "It's 11:43, and we're leaving all that bullshit in the past in about 16 minutes. You're turning a new leaf in 2025." she retorted, feeling a new kind of adrenaline from her words.

You break out into a loud laughter, sure enough that the few people walking on the streets could hear you, but positive enough that no one inside the apartment could hear you. Ellie watches you fit, laughing a little herself, but not too much to take in the scene in front of her. You; mouth wide, curled open, cheeks plump as the press up into your closed eyes, the little birthmarks on your face and how they move as you express joy, she's taken aback by you.

When you calm down, there's still some giggles exiting your mouth. "Fuck all that."

A weight is lifted from off Ellie's shoulders, she twists and leans over the balcony railing. "Fuck all that!" she yells into the night.

You follow her actions. "Fuck all that!" you repeat louder.

A random person on the street heard the two of you and yells in retaliation. "Shut the fuck up!" their booming voice roars, but it only makes you and Ellie whip your heads to each other and erupt into a shared fit of laughter.

The two of you lean on each other to have support from the full belly laughs you guys are having. Ellie brings a finger to swipe at her eyes, "God, I'm crying." she croaks out. But you notice commotion happening inside, and you sober up from laughing quickly.

"You hear that?"

Ellie turns to look into the apartment just as you're doing, she can't see much, but she can hear the countdown.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Ellie stays strained looking, the blind are sheer enough, and there's still wind picking them up and flapping them, so she's able to see everyone inside with little party gadgets and jumping up and down as they count. "Well happy-" Words leave her mouth when she feels a hand on her cheek, pushing her to turn it to look back at you. Her green eyes widen when she feels the tip of your noses touch.

Three.

Two.

One.

It doesn't take much to move just a smidge closer, and kiss Ellie, letting your eyes flutter shut. Fireworks rocket off inside Ellie's head and her body tenses, this was the last thing she expected to happen, but her panicked state begins to match your relaxed one, a hand coming up to cup at your jaw, while the other comes to rest on your waist, pulling you further into her. She swears your lips is the softest thing she's ever felt, the way at which you two kiss has her chasing for more.

The noises of cheers rings through your ears, and you're the one who lets up first, giggling when Ellie still has her eyes closed, leaning into you for another kiss. You swipe a finger along her bottom lip, breaking the string of saliva that connected you two.

When her eyes peer open again, they're dazed, probably much like yours. "Happy New Year." you whisper, a coy smile on your face.

You watch as Ellie seems to remember something, and you're disappointed to feel her touch be removed from your body. She stuffs both her hands in her jacket pocket, like she couldn't remember which one she put an item in. And she lets out a little Ah Ha, as she pulls out a golden statue, or trophy. She hands it to you, and you take it in your hands, examining it, there's a little ripped piece of paper taped on the stand of the trophy with Ellie's scribble handwriting on it.

#1 Trooper of Dina's Shenanigans

"Happy New Year."

You caress the little trophy, holding on to it, and looking back up at Ellie.

2025 is going to be a good year.

‧₊˚ taglist. @samcvrpenters @bready101 @opt1mistic @honeygiii123 @elsn @aliceellieswife @oceangalore

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

Dallas' head snaps back, and he stumbles with the force of an unexpected hand on his shoulder. For the briefest moment, he goes entirely limp, lets his fist hang in the air and doesn't try to scramble back to the boy on the steady retreat in front of him.

Darry's got him. And if he'd thought it through for even a second longer that would have scared the shit out of him. But then the fingers are tearin' into his jacket and forcin' him backward and he finally whips his head around and realizes the reality: two very pissed cops have got him.

And he immediately starts fightin' again. He writhes in their grip and the kid he'd been whalin' on is suddenly skitterin' back with renewed fear. Dallas bares his teeth once and figures he's made his point.

The next ten minutes are a blur.

His heart is poundin' in his ears and he can feel his pulse as it rattles under the cuffs the cops slapped on him the second they could get his wrists within a foot of each other and his head is achin' and he realizes for the first time he tastes blood but he can't focus on anythin' because all he can think is Fuck, Darry is never gonna forgive me for this.

He says it all the time. When he rolls in an hour late and thinks Darry's gonna kick my ass. Or when he lets Pony have just a little too much of his beer and the kid's gigglin' fit to wake the dead when Dallas 'n him sneak back in. Or when he hauls off and picks stupid fuckin' fights for no reason.

But this time he means it.

He groans and drops his head to his hands in the little holdin' cell they have him waitin' in until they process him. Last night's argument flashes vaguely in stills through his mind. He wasn't comfortable with people... carin'. He just didn't know what to do with it.

You can't tell me what to do, Darrel. Dallas flew up from the kitchen table and paced wildly away from Darry. Pony watched him with wary eyes. Soda bit his lip and looked at Dallas like he was tryin' to tell him a hundred things Dally didn't know how to understand.

Yes, I can. I won't have you actin' a fool and gettin' yourself hurt. Darry frowned and he's got these lines in his forehead Two jokes he never had before Dallas moved in. Dallas can't stand to see them.

You're not my brother. And you're not my dad. I ain't never had no one tellin' me what to do in my whole life and I'm not about to let you start. He'd slammed the screen door and gone straight to Tim's, started a fight, wound up at Buck's 'n drank til he vomited, woke up this mornin', and started another.

Darry was goin' to throw him to the fuckin' curb and never talk to him again. And Dallas deserved it. He wasn't one of the Curtis boys. No matter how hard he wanted to be.

"Name?" A cop had reappeared in his cell and he kicked himself for missin' it.

"Curtis." Dallas opened his mouth. Shut it. Opened it again. "Fuck. No, sorry." Since when the fuck did he apologize to cops! "It's Winston. Dallas Winston."

The man just stared at him, Curtis already written across the top of the paper in big, bold letters. "Are you sober, kid?"

"Yes, I'm fuckin' sober! My name's not Curtis. How the fuck do you not know me?" To his horror, he feels hot tears in the back of his throat. He's just some no-good juvenile delinquent every bastard officer in this town knows by name except this one apparently because all he is is trouble. And Darry hated him.

"Sure, kid." The man shuffles his papers together. "Officer Matthews has already called your- big brother is it? He's on his way."

"He's not my brother!" And now he's actually cryin' which is bullshit! Who cares! Who cares that Darry is gonna look at him just like his father did. Like he was a burden he'd do anythin' to get rid of. Like the worst thing Dallas ever did was simply show up in his life one day. Dallas is used to this. He's not someone who stays. He was meant to be left. He's a violent dog. He only knows how to bite.

"Dallas?" Darry's voice makes him jump. He doesn't pull his hands away from where they're pressed so hard into his eyes that he sees stars. He can't bear to look up and see what he already knows he will—not hatred, but cold, cold indifference.

"Out." Darry isn't talkin' to him, Dallas can tell he's turned around by the way his voice bounces back to him off the cement walls. He flinches anyway. "Please." He adds like an afterthought and Dallas hears the door open and close.

"I'm goin' to touch you, ok?" Dallas doesn't say anythin', just makes a low noise in the back of his throat. He feels Darry gently tip his head back, eyes still squeezed shut. He feels him softly check the area on his jaw he knows will bruise tomorrow and run experimental fingers along his ribs for breaks. Dally hisses once and Darry immediately pulls back.

"Oh, Dallas." And suddenly Dallas is fuckin' cryin' again. Darry sounds so tired and worn down and old. Did Dallas do that? Did Dallas make him like that? And the sob that catches in his throat makes him choke.

But then he's pressed against Darry's chest and his hands are strong on Dalla's back and in his hair and Dallas doesn't even fight it. Just lets himself be held and doesn't even mind he feels as small as Ponyboy.

"Come on, Dallas Curtis. Let's go home."

[katerinaaqu]

Oh yeah they do here too. I am talking on the day it came out

Hmm I see why that is because during a very dark time of politics for Greece emotions speak louder than cold logic and facts so many of the films might be deemed harmful or discriminatory against people who do follow the communist party and since communism is still a political movement in Greece they don't want to project it out of fear that it will spark such talks. Also that is because KKE as a communist party today it was not the same back in the day of the Civil War. Or at least the name and the original consistency which broke down in many pieces after its legalization back in the 80s if I remember correctly. So it is a matter that would spark a lot of talk. Especially with the role they played before at wars and such which was indeed of contribution and so on and so forth

I have to say that people complaining about "the state stopping them" is commonplace in Greece so i am not sure if there is such a strong political aspect here but since I am not aware of the situation I cannot comment more.

Right and left wing are not so intense in Greece as in other places like USA exactly because we do have many different political parties in Greece now. But again I don't wanna go through heavy political talk. I think the reason historical movies are "not the way they are supposed to" (and that already is a big statement for me as a historian I kinda hold myself back from such statements because history has many ways to be expressed) has more to do with viewers than politicians and politics. Also in difficult times it is important not to point fingers at each other which is often what such movies or shows want to do. It is not bad on it's own on the contrary but it also needs to be made properly.

I don't. We have many powerful productions and again I am against movies and stories that aim to point fingers from all directions (just for the purpose of pointing fingers i mean) because they offen no actual knowledge but increase the polarizing atmosphere. Call me naive but I think a country that has given chance from people from of one part of the spectrum have voice at some point is not THAT much into danger to stop someone from having voice but again maybe that is just me. Dunno. Freedom of speech is something I feel we have but again maybe it is just me.

The point is not to show to people who watch "how terrible the other side is" but to depict history so allow me to disagree with you a bit on that (in the essence i do not like to see the big bad government in every aspect of life even if i know they play their part always) and leave it there because honestly such stories are already powerful and polarizing so I think they point is not to offend or not offend but to show history as it is without being even more polarizing and as I said there are already plenty of political parties in Greece so just talking about "right" or "left" seems already a bit off to me given the complexity of the situation.

Christos Tsagas, Kostas Kazakos and Kostas Karras

As Odysseus, Agamemnon and Menelaus

In Iphigenia (1977)

You can't find a better trio! They look amazing together! Even their heights are perfect! Tsagas is simply Odysseus! Straight out! He was arguably the shortest of the team and corresponding to the description of Homer being like a ram (curly hair and proud posture) and very well built seemingly wider than Kazakos even! Moreover, Tsagas was born in 1939 making him 38 in 1977 when the movie came out! He is simply perfect!

Here's another image with him next to Dimitris Arronis as Calchas and Panos Michalpoulos as Achilles:

Gotta love the cultural details how Odysseus removes his hat within the conference room to show respect the same way that our men remove their hats in churches or during sacred moments (ex. Funerals) to show how he respects the process as well as Calchas as a prophet for his position.

[itsthatmff]

New Years Kiss w The OPM Men

Included: Genos, Saitama, Zombieman, Metal bat

Fem!reader

Happy New year guys! Writing the dialogues was so fun here ~ i hope you enjoy

Genos

Preparations during New year’s Eve were going perfectly. Saitama was expecting the usual guests, even Dr. Kuseno was coming over. So it was Genos’ Job to have everything perfectly set. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed that you couldn’t come and spend new year’s together since you had a busy PR schedule as a high ranked S-class heroine. But he respected it since he knew how important work was to you.

As the blonde set the table he watched King and Saitama play a round of those street fighter games they liked. Fubuki arrived with Bang and his Brother only a little later. Genos wasn’t that pleased to see Fubuki but he wouldn’t comment on it. As Dr. Kuseno finally arrived with some premium meat as a thank-you gift they began to have dinner together, reminiscing of the last time they sat together having hotpot. The TV displayed the new years countdown with 30 minutes left and even though the ghost town of City Z was pretty much a dead corner, you could hear fireworks already being fired in the distance.

Genos was a pretty quiet guy, but on this evening he was even quieter than usual, which surprised Dr. Kuseno among the others.

“Yeah don’t mind him, he’s scowling because he can’t spend new year’s with his girl.” Saitama mentioned to dr. Kuseno as he grabbed some good meat with his chopsticks.

Genos eyes widened as his sensei exposed him, “Saitama Sensei!” He called out, attempting to somehow justify himself.

The old man smiled at the small banter. He was proud to see genos, who he treated like a son, to have found something besides his thrive for revenge to hold dear, “Who knows, maybe there’s a surprise waiting for you Genos.”

A surprise? What an usual thing to say. Was dr. Kuseno giving him a riddle? Before he could further dwell on it King next to him snatched away the expensive Enoki mushroom that was in front of him.

“First come first serve.”, King muttered with a full mouth and shrugged. Genos felt like blasting this tight one room apartment to pieces. Everyone was going on his nerves.

With about 5 minutes left to the countdown and the table having been completely devoured, the fireworks multiplying in the sky, Fubuki pointed towards the home telephone that started ringing. “Someone’s calling.”, she said as she sipped on some soda.

Genos eyes narrowed, a call this late at night? It couldn’t be from the association since they wouldn’t call from the home telephone. His guard was up, preparing for any threat that could arise. “I shall take it.”, the blonde said as he set the dishes down.

With quick steps he went to grab the call, his metal hand gripping around the telephone. “State your name. What business do you have this late at night?” A thousand different names came to his mind, and none of them were pleasant.

“Come down quick- You have 3 minutes left!!” A female voice rang. He could recognize that tone anywhere. But it couldn’t be- What was his girlfriend doing Downstairs? You said you were busy with schedules.

“(Y/N)?” Your name glided through his lips in an unsure voice. Before you could even reply he hung up and ran down the stairs. You had come to see him. You really did. His brain was working overtime, unable to process the facts.

And indeed, there you were standing in the middle of the dim lit street in front of the shabby apartment building. You greeted him with a big smile. “Didn’t expect to see me?”

You had never seen him this surprised before. He simply shook his head. “No, I did not. Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“Yeah. I got invited to some flashy new year’s party. I sneaked outta there tho.”, you went to grab his cold metallic hand. “Was the dinner nice?”

His core felt like jumping out of his chest as he tightened his hand around yours. “Yes. You should come upstairs. I can make you something to eat.”, he muttered in a low voice, his eyes were glued to yours as golden fireworks sizzled in the dark sky.

You let out a short laugh, “And have the bunch bother and tease us? Hell no.” This was a special moment for you. You wanted to spend it preciously with him alone. With a glance at your phone you could see that there was one minute left. In the end you were able to slide into a new year together with your most loved one.

Genos felt the heat rise to his ears. What was this feeling? He tried to overplay it by just talking, “Dr. Kuseno brought some premium Meat. Unfortunately the others greedily devoured them leaving not a single piece aside.”

“15…14..13..” you counted down loudly as you listened to him talk. Why were you counting down?? Was there something he was missing out on?

He carried on, still looking into your eyes, “Especially Hellish blizzard was not shy of stuffing herself full. My facts still stand, she’s a she-devil-“

“..9…8…7..”, you continued to count down with a wide smirk on your face which only irritated him more.

He carefully spoke with a raised eyebrow, were you planning on attacking him? Did you want to train at this moment? “And king dared to take away my Enoki mushroom that I have saved for last. These people have no manners at all-“

“3..2..1! Times up!” You interrupted him as you suddenly pressed your lips onto his and Fireworks erupted in the background.

Genos eyes widened. A kiss of all things? He felt like melting right at that spot. With gentleness he went to hold the back of your head and kissed you back as his eyes closed.

So this was what a New years kiss meant.

Saitama

New Years Eve meant a bunch of sales at the supermarkets! Saitama didn’t really care for fireworks or big partying.

As he returned to his apartment though, he was surprised by you and Genos having decorated his small one room apartment. There were balloons on the ceiling and the round table was filled with snacks and whatnot.

“So y’all decided to throw a party without asking me first?” Saitama simply sighed as he set down the groceries.

“It was (Y/N)’s Idea Saitama Sensei.” Genos mentioned hoping that saitama would tolerate it more if genos mentioned your name.

“Who else did you guys invite hm?” , saitama asked as he took off his hero suit.

“Well..a party isn’t fun without enough guests.” You said with a smirk as you poured yourself a drink.

And thats how Saitama’s New years eve ended up being spent with 7 Other People in his tiny apartment. But the Food was good, the mood was great and so were the conversations. Saitama couldn’t complain.

After everyone finished eating and Genos went to clean the table, you slipped away from the others at a few minutes left on the countdown to watch the fireworks from the balcony.

Saitama quickly noticed your face missing and followed you to the balcony. This was better, at least you’d have some privacy here. You both leaned towards the railing and watched the sky.

“How did you like your own party?” Saitama asked you as he nudged your arm.

“It’s my first time Celebrating New Year’s like this.”, you replied as you looked towards your boyfriends face. “That firework over there looks like you. Egg shaped.” You pointed towards the oddly shaped firework with a laugh to loosen the tension. You wanted this night to be held with nice memories, not depressing ones.

“Hey- No It doesnt!” Saitama stubbornly responded and nudged your arm again. But his mind was still stuck towards your previous words. “It’s my first time as well. Celebrating New Year’s like this. Before that I was concerned about having no heater and loosing hair.” Saitama added and you could’ve sworn that he had moved a bit closer.

“You still have no heater. And You look through hair growth shampoos when you’re shopping.” You teased with a smirk and looked back towards the room, The TV showed that one minute was left on the counter, Somehow Bang and Bomb were playing shogi? You had no idea how that board appeared. King was watching Genos and Fubuki bickering with eachother. You finally felt like you belonged somewhere, even if it was in a state of mess.

“Hey- I’ll kick em out soon enough. You’re staying over tho right?” Saitama leaned into you and spoke a bit quieter.

“I don’t know. Depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“On what you’ll do once the counter reaches zero.” You were getting what you wanted one way or the other.

Saitama gave you the most confused look. After a bit of pondering it finally came to him. 5 seconds left. “You can hit me if I’m wrong but..” He went to cover your eyes gently in case He really was wrong. He didn’t want to see your upset face.

With a deep breath he leaned in and went to kiss your lips. He had never been this gentle with you before. You didn’t know if it was your heart pounding or the Fireworks going off. You felt his warm hand on the bridge of your nose and your eyes. The kiss only lasted a few seconds but it felt like centuries. When he pulled away you could tell that he was a bit nervous. What if you hit him right this moment? Even though he didn’t need to worry about that since he was the strongest guy on earth. Even the universe probably.

Your face felt so warm that the January breeze was nothing in your skin.

“I’m staying over.”

Zombieman

Believe it or not Zombieman wasn’t a big fan of fireworks. It was way too loud and noisy for him. He’d rather be smoking or having a good meal during such an evening. But his mortal girlfriend had other ideas for New year’s Eve. You insisted on spending it together doing something meaningful. And what his darling wanted she would get.

You both had a late night Dinner at a steak house where Zombieman proceeded to tell you about different weapon models and his favorite cigarette brands.

“Between the Seven stars with charcoal filter and American spirit blacks I’d have to choose the Seven stars. American spirit blacks are when I’m really feeling it you know? They’re too precious to pop out during a fight.”

You loved listening to his rants, you really did. But you wanted more out of this date today. It was New Year’s Eve after all! “Any cigarettes that you’d like to smoke right now?” You asked him, trying to lure him out for a smoke break. There were a few minutes left till New year’s and you planned on watching the fireworks from here out through the wide panoramic window’s.

He looked at you a bit startled. He had not planned on smoking any during this date at all, thinking it might be disrespectful towards you. “None really. Why?”

“I know you want a sweet treat. Just say which ones.” You replied steadfast.

He thought for a bit. “American spirit blacks. They’re in my trenchcoat and this seems like a moment I can cherish.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” You said as you got up.

Zombieman really had no idea where you were going with this. “But we will miss out on the fireworks.” He said as he grabbed his coat and followed you out.

With an eyeroll you retorted, “We can watch them outside as well!”

And there he was, smoking a cigarette right outside of the Steakhouse. A situation he wanted to avoid for your sake. “You really are weird you know that?” Zombieman took a puff and looked up to the sky. He had to admit that the cigarette did make him feel more relaxed though.

Meanwhile you admired him smoking in his trench coat. Well you had to drag him outside. You didn’t want to kiss him with all those people watching. “Am I?”

Your words had him look down towards you, “What are you planning?” There wasn’t anger behind his tone but genuine intrigue.

“Kiss me in 10 seconds.” You didn’t care about being sleek anymore. There was no time left!

“What?”

“You heard me.”

This guy really couldn’t understand you. But if it was your wish then he’d comply. He threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it with his boot before turning towards you. 10 seconds should have passed right about now. With that he leaned in and gave you a tender kiss.

Usually the taste of cigarettes on his mouth bothered you. But you didn’t care. before you could intensify the kiss he had pulled away to glance at the fireworks setting off.

A smug smile was plastered on his lips.

“Is that the ‘Happy New Year’s’ you wanted?”

Metal bat

For Badd New Years Eve was a big event considering that his little Sister loved fireworks. He reluctantly agreed to go set off some fireworks in front of their home. Nothing too big, just a few firecrackers and whatever else the markets sold specifically for young children. And of course Zenko had persisted on having you there as well.

“I’m surprised Zenko’s not tired yet even though its so late.” You said to Badd as you watched him light up fire crackers for the small girl.

“Said she wanted to stay up till New Year’s this time. Last time she fell asleep around 8.” He replied whilst watching Zenko’s eyes light up at all the ‘mini fireworks’

Badd got up to stand next to you and let zenko have her own fun. “But seriously thanks for coming over. You really didn’t have to.”

You went to grab his hand. Of course you would come over! Being with your boyfriend and his little sister felt like being with family. “You know I love spending time with you two.”

He looked at you with a small smile. He felt guilty. Other couples probably went out on proper dates during New year’s eve. “Next time we’ll do something alone.”

Suddenly Zenko ran over to you both as she watched you two hold hands with a smug face. “Are you two gonna kiss at 12? Like you kissed under the mistletoe?”

Badd’s face immediately turned red at his sisters words. “Hey! Don’t say such things. These are grown up matters anyways.”

“I don’t want to disturb you two kiss. The neighbor auntie said that if a new year’s kiss gets disturbed the couple will get bad luck throughout the year!” Zenko enthusiastically said. Usually spending time with her brother was more important but she liked you a lot.

With that she went to hide behind the door. She was obviously waiting for you two to finish so that she could crawl back and spend New years together.

You sighed and faced badd, “She won’t stop till we do it no?”

“Yeah. Looks like it.” He scratched the back of his neck and avoided eye contact. Shit. He felt like his heart was going to burst any second.

When the counter reached zero you two awkwardly looked at each other and then away. Someone had to take the first step. You decided to gather all your courage and pressed your lips against his. Metal Bat stood frozen until he closed his eyes and relaxed into the kiss. Fireworks and laughter could be heard through the streets.

When you both pulled away Zenko Came to hug you two. “Happy new year!”

[vmlnrzmp4]

encountering the expected.

kaiser x reader

a/n: suggestive

it's been ten minutes, give or take, your friend promised to be back soon. it might seem like she abandoned you but you know her. so you wait and wait.

a red cup of some drink in your hand. you're not even aware of what drink it is. back leaned against the wall as the party goes on. you helplessly watch. and you helplessly wait.

you don't get along that well with kaiser. but you have what he calls a privilege to call him by his first name.

so when he sees you, you're unaware of what to do. you look away—a typical reaction from a loser like yourself. from your peripheral vision, you see kaiser saying something to his mates before approaching you.

you look back at him, still occasionally avoiding eye contact. he hits you with the "hey," as he gets near. you parrot that as a response. "you? here?" he questions knowing how you prioritize your comfort zone so much. you'd never attend an event like this. he knows that. obviously he does.

the party music and your low voice only made him shake his head. he gets closer, leaning down to hear you properly. you tell him that your friend forced you and that you never wanted to be here.

there's a little silence—not really, with the party music blasting—but it's absolutely awkward.

so you add that you're waiting for her.

he simply hums, running his eyes up and down you before commenting on your outfit. criticizing and making fun it. that. was. it. you ramble.

you ramble and ramble.

"no, i did not put much effort, wearing this. and ive told you before that i was forced here. and this stupid—stupid red cup im holding which my friend—who will be here any moment now—told me to hold it incase any unwanted man approaches me and yet here you are—"

you are cut off by his chuckle.

"but i'm no stranger am i?"

from the corner of your eyes, you could see someone staring. you look around to see few girls and maybe kaiser's mates glancing your way, then talking among themselves.

you're not going to blame them you think they might be gossiping. you quickly get aware of the fact that what they might see from their point of view— kaiser pinning you to the wall.

kaiser reads your discomfort like you're an open book(of course he does.)

you get distracted for a moment. gaze falling onto the tattoo on the back of his hand. he has one on the side of his neck too.

does it join? is it connected?

you weren't sure. but you're back at feeling annoyed. your eyebrows furrow. you were so so very annoyed.

kaiser hits you with the "hey," again and you question with a low hum. he tests the waters, leaning in closer, he grabs your wrist, till your peripheral vision is not to be focused on.

now that he gets closer, your attention stays completely at him and him only. but at the same time, you're tired and growing a little subconscious with the irritation.

his grip on your wrist lightens and you free it from his grasp only to tug at his sleeve.

"im not going anywhere," he reassures. he gets more touchy-touchy. just gestures to ease your discomfort. but there's only much they can do till you're distracted again.

you don't realise the music getting louder when here, kaiser has leaned against your ear again, "push me, or hit me if you don't like this, yeah?" he tests the water again. mouth trailing over your neck.

you exhale.

his lips felt soft.

so so soft.

he pulls himself off. your eyes were closed. and now little hazy as you stare at his. "c'mon, my car's outside—" he cuts himself, realising it's better to carry you there than you make you walk. so he does. carrying you out in his arms like a princess.

the time was thankfully on your side, it didnt feel long till you got to his car. in his car, on his lap. he made you straddle him. arms rubbing on your back soothingly. the dim yellow light felt calming. it's quieter. it's nicer.

"you ok?" he asks.

"yes," you trace the tattoo on his neck. "pretty."

"it's swirling thorns trailing to the back of my hand that joins this crown, ya see?"

you trace blue flower, making him smile as he leans in, kissing your jaw and going lower. hovering his mouth on your neck and collarbones so chastely.

he parts to capture your lips with his just as delicately. the kiss so pillowly and feathery, never wanting to stop. but the time wasn't with you again as your phone rings loudly.

still, you were proud of yourself for believing that your friend wouldn't ditch you.

—

ass title ik

[luciferanalyzestar]

Hazbin hotel critcal while i'm happy to have space to express my distaste and grievance but can we please do not be ableist? Not just on psyhical disability but also mental disability like aspd. Because the way people describe character using word as delusional narcisstic psychotic just annoyed me. Then with lucifer look whether people can see him as autistic or neurodivergent or not that would have different respond but why do some people really anti with lucifer being autistic because i remember quite well someone said they don't believe lucifer is autistic because they have brother who is autistic. Another person chime in claiming lucifer can't be depressed because he caused depression mind you i believe this is the same person who accuse lucifer being a groomer!

Moving on with Charlie look i get it she is badly written but i swear people treat her as some kinda monster proceed to demonizer her (i know this is a very weird choice of word) I remember reading one person post about how much they hate charlie they show their blood lust and again this person call charlie narcisstic.

Jazz and Ghost video about charlie while she is right but with the way she describe it kinda ableist to me with how good people have empathy and sympathy, while bad people can't feel empathy and sympathy

Ableist language is something we all have to unlearn. I used to say the word 'narcissistic' when I met that someone was full of themselves before learning about narcissistic personality disorder. I do not describe characters as using terms like 'narcissistic' or 'psychotic' because those are not personality traits.

Lucifer is autistic and no one can tell me otherwise. I talked about it in my old Lucifer analysis. Even if you dislike his character saying "I have a brother who is autistic, and he does not act like Lucifer" is not a valid opinion because autism is spectrum, and I cannot believe we still have to say this is current year. I clocked Lucifer as neurodivergent the minute he appeared. Like come on the man is surrounded by his hyper fixation and it is clearly a source of comfort. The photo ID on Charlie's photo is literally a rubber duckie wearing his top hat and bowtie, not a photo of him.

Yeah, I already talked about the person who said Lucifer does not have depression. Lucifer's hyper fixation in rubber ducks is a sign of his depression it goes into hoarder territory; he forgets things easily (like Charlie's hotel and names), fears rejection, and wants to connect with others (like Charlie) but it is difficult for him.

Charlie is also autistic like her father. I talked about this already. The hotel is her hyper fixation, and she sucks as reading the room and people. Her mini pitch of the hotel to Adam was very neurodivergent thing to do. She is just more sociable than Lucifer, again autism is a spectrum. I know people call her childish for doodles which is fine. She comes off as naive to me in this moment to me.

Calling Charlie 'narcissistic' is wild! There are moments where she makes things about the hotel and herself (like in episode four), but I do not think she is going it with malicious. I like Charlie but her role in the story is odd because we know nothing about her or how her home life was or how she got her sense of morality. Fans speculate that Charlie lived a very sheltered life, and I believe this too.

Jazz and Ghost video about charlie while she is right but with the way she describe it kinda ableist to me with how good people have empathy and sympathy, while bad people can't feel empathy and sympathy

I saw the thumbnail of that video and I was like 'Nah, I am not watching that" due to Star Butterfly being in the thumbnail. Someone did point out how Star is not really an inspiring character. Maybe I will watch the video when I have the energy so I can be locked in. I tend to draw and get distracted when watching long videos.

I do think the writers want to go the high empathy route for Charlie or she is like an empath, but it just fails like in episode four. I like the idea of Charlie having high empathy because neurodivergent people are always portrayed as being the opposite.

I do agree with this comment I saw though.

Saying good people have empathy and sympathy, while bad people can't feel empathy and sympathy is laughable. This is viewpoint that goes way better Hazbin. What makes someone a 'good' or 'bad' person depends on person to person. We all know actions that are that immoral, and disgusting is bad (or downright evil) but there are people who view anyone that does petty crimes as 'bad' like shoplifting and people who rich are 'good' regardless of what they say and do.

[martian-astro10]

Nosferatu spent 2 hours trying to explain how count orlock is not someone who should be romanticised because he is a creepy ass pervert who does not understand consent. Now people are out there making hear me out posts for him, media literacy go brrrr

Attack on titan spent FOUR seasons trying to convey the message that there is no right or wrong in war, and that innocent lives are lost on both the sides and that you support the one whose side of the story was more accessible to you. Then aot fans made thousands of posts on how gabi was bad and eren was good, and vice versa. Media literacy again go brrr

The author of hunger games literally word to word explained how the people of Capitol were selfish pieces of shit who were consumed by superficial things and that led them to ignore the atrocities that were being committed in the name of "games". Then people made thrist traps of snow, saying they would join him in all the things he did since he was so hot. Media literacy AGAIN going brrrr

The author of Lolita literally saying that a young girl shouldn't be on the cover and that it's a story about pedophilia. The people romanticising the Lolita aesthetic and calling it a romance book. I'LL BANG MY HEAD ON A WALL

It's so incredibly heartbreaking when a piece of media does it's best to make a point and it completely goes over people's heads. We were just having a debate about this in the class and the opposition team made such dumb points like 😭 "let people enjoy things in the way they want to" NO, if a person reads a book from back to the front we call him dumb, because it's MEANT to be read from front to the back. The creator is explicitly stating their intention to make that piece and then people go, " well, actually.." IT'S SO ANNOYING

What's the point of reading and watching and studying if you MISS THE GODDAMN POINT. Every revolution In this world was caused by people reading and UNDERSTANDING, authors wrote stories in such a way that it didn't directly insult the monarchy but the message was there, a story about animals working together to drive away hunters from the forest, subconsciously the message was received by the people. If you don't understand and take the message seriously, then you're not even reading or watching anything, you're just looking, HUGE DIFFERENCE. You're looking at the words, but you're not understanding anything cuz BRAIN NO WORK 😭

So annoying Bhai so annoying, our team was so pissed with the opposition like what the fuck are you saying bro, it's not even...... IT'S INSANE. We need a better education system because this is simply not it. Do they even teach anything in schools anymore or what?

Or leave everything else, the comment section of a basic astrology post makes me want to cry, asking the same questions again and again, like bro, the person literally clarified what they meant in their post, JUST READ. They're so used to being spoon fed all the time, you have to direct people, "do this, do that, see that post", or when people are not able to connect dots, there is information available to you, combine that information, take points that match with your circumstances and create a new point that is applicable for YOU. "I don't resonate with this" OKAY, IT'S ONE FUCKING POSITION GOD 😭😭. I have seen such negative observations about my placements and THAT'S FINE, maybe they met people with those placements who exhibited such traits. Not every mars In 1st is going to be athletic, not every moon in 6th will have a weak immunity, you may have other placements to balance it out. The worst part is that they'll list down their placements and be like "what does this mean" LIKE I DON'T KNOW BRO, YOU SHOULD PUT SOME EFFORT AS WELL 😭 atleast TRY to reach a conclusion.

[mmso-notlikethat]

2024 Fic Roundup

tagged by @loucifersbitch & @livelaughlou thank you! <3

this year(?) lol i only started writing again by the end of November.. anyway, i wrote 9 works with 58,369 words! (I won't include the things i didn't post on ao3 but there is a little more here on Tumblr that i'll post there eventually mostly smut)

so Thankful for everyone who read and like my stuff <3

All of Me Ι bucktommy, E, 2k

Just Buck taking care of Tommy after a long day... Tommy knelt on the soft rug, his broad shoulders relaxed, his hands resting on his thighs. It had been a long day—his shift grueling, not bad exactly, but heavy. kind of day where the calls weren’t easy—each one leaving its mark—every task seemed endless and every moment dragged, leaving him worn out in a way that went deeper than physical exhaustion. Between the air and the ground, he’d given everything he had, navigating through chaos and heat.

Cat whisperer Ι bucktommy, G, 1.1k

Tommy is a cat dad!

Boy in the Bubble (Tommy Begins) Ι bucktommy, more Tommy centered, E, 17k (WIP) well this one is a journey, i wrote the whole thing then started posting but while i'm posting i started hating some chapters and now i'm stuck, that's why i never talk about it lol.. but yeah, it's there

5 times tommy lost something + 1 time he got it back

Edge of desire Ι bucktommy, E, 9.3k may i say this is my favorite thing that i wrote 😶‍🌫️

After a reckless rescue leaves Buck hanging between life and death, Tommy is watching from a distance, torn between anger, fear, and the ache of lingering love. aka "the angry sex fic"

Ode to My Broken Wrench Ι Platonic EddieChimTommy, G, 3.7k

Eddie and Chimney show up uninvited with beers, they talk... and Tommy’s forced to face his fears about love, loss, and why ignoring his problems hasn’t fixed anything yet.

Closer Than You Think Ι bucktommy, T+, 7.4k

"You know my boyf—mm, no, my ex b’yfrienddd," Buck slurred, pointing vaguely at the man sitting beside him. The guy—some guy named Jake, or maybe Jade... something like that—just nodded like this was the most riveting conversation of his life. "Mmm yes, he is my ex now. Anyway, he was great! No, no, wait, he’s my ex, he’s awful, you see."

Inhale. Exhale. Ι bucktommy, M, 3.2k

“Hey, this is awkward, huh?” Buck tried to inject some levity, his voice muffled by his mask. “Just being crammed with your ex in the world’s worst escape room.” Tommy didn’t respond. His gloved hands were trembling slightly, and Buck could hear his breaths coming faster, shallower. “Tommy?” Buck’s tone shifted, the humor fading. “Hey, you with me?” Tommy’s head jerked up, but his eyes—visible through his mask—were wide, unfocused. He shook his head slightly, muttering something Buck couldn’t catch over the hiss of air tanks and the distant sound of fire crackling. And then it clicked. Buck had seen this before, though never from Tommy. Panic. Real, gut-wrenching panic.

Love (Re)Actually Ι bucktommy, G, 10k

Tommy glanced back at Buck, catching his gaze. “Nice to see you, Buck,” he said, his voice warm but measured. “You look good.” Buck blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… thanks. You, too.” Tommy smiled faintly before turning back to Maddie. “Thanks for letting me crash Christmas. It beats hanging out at home and pretending to like my own cooking,” Tommy said with a grin. aka giving them their Christmas Romcom

Forgiveness, love, and mild head injuries Ι bucktommy, M, 3.3k

"Bar fights on Christmas Eve. Why is this a thing?" Hen muttered. Eddie adjusted his gloves, surveying the scene. "Maybe Santa didn’t bring what they wanted." Chimney chuckled. "Or someone sang ‘Last Christmas’ one too many times." Buck stayed quiet, his mind already churning with a mix of irritation and exhaustion. As they approached, a police officer waved them over. "This one’s yours... I think," the officer said, jerking his thumb toward someone sitting on the curb. Buck’s stomach sank as soon as he recognized the messy mop of dark hair. "Tommy?" Buck’s voice came out in disbelief.

idk who did this but i'll tag some moots ehe (sorry if you already did it but tell me i wanna check them! 😗)

@typicalopposite @cjlouwho @louvemeanyway @epiphainie @littlepaws9

@hippolotamus @bidisasterevankinard @rosyhoneydew @chimneyz

[doumekiss]

Hello ^_^

My book of short stories is finally published in english (I decided to do it today to already start the year with a small accomplishment for the list) 

I also mentioned in the acknowledgements of the book, but thank you again to @lilybarthes @eroshiyda @desperatepleasures and @rextrinsic for the help with the translation to english.

Below I'll be putting the first short story of the book for you guys to check out and see if it's your cup of tea.

The Doll and Her Girl 

This is a love story.

Some may say otherwise but pay no attention to them, pay attention to me, as my sweet Julia did.

Love had not been kind to me up until this point. I had a few owners before my Julia, girls who seemed nice at first, who brushed my hair and admired the beauty of the porcelain that formed my body and the delicacy of my clothes and hat. But who in the end proved themselves to be the opposite and ended up breaking my heart. And putting me in a position that forced me to break their hearts, too.

For my Julia, finding me was a discovery, but for me it was a rescue. 

A nosy old woman had found a way to trap me, to leave me in the darkness with nothing but my memories for company. 

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, only enough to know that the nosy old hag was dead and her evil spells long forgotten. My girl opened the box by breaking the seal on the outside, and from that moment on I was hers. And only hers forever.

She took me in her arms, and held me as if I were a baby. She showed me the house I already knew, telling me how she and her mother had just moved there to be closer to her grandmother who was sick. 

She called me Olivia. That wasn't the name I had before, but I didn't mind. A new name seemed like something that could be good, it meant a new beginning, a new life — and I definitely needed one of those. 

She took me to her room and served me water, pretending it was tea in a small cup. She combed my hair, untangling the strands with a gentleness that had so rarely been shown to me. 

Brushing off the dust, she told me that she had never seen a porcelain doll with brown eyes and brown hair like hers, that they were almost always blonde-haired and blue-eyed. And Julia took one of the dresses from another doll and put it on me, saying that since I was the prettiest of the dolls I deserved the prettiest dress.

The other times I had been more cautious, waited a little longer. But something made me trust her even on that first day, so I gently sent my thoughts in her direction, letting her know that there really was someone there, someone listening. 

She could have screamed, as others had done in the past, but instead she smiled. 

It would have been a perfect moment if her mother hadn't walked in at that instant and said: 

"Where did you find that thing?" 

The thing she was referring to was quite obviously me. Can you blame me for not liking the woman? 

"In the attic." 

"You shouldn't have gone up there alone. I haven't had time to clean it yet; there might be rats." 

"I didn't see any rats." 

And it should have ended like that, but she kept talking and talking and talking, and every word made my little girl feel worse, and that horrible woman didn't seem to care. 

And even after she left, my Julia continued to feel sad. 

That night she put me on her bedside table before falling asleep, and I watched her until she woke up again. 

For a week my days were heaven on earth, with her spending every waking hour and sleeping beside me. She would take me to the dinner table and to watch movies in front of the television in the living room. We would play and sometimes I would let my thoughts go to her, and I would tell her things about my past, the cruelties and indignities that this life had made me suffer, and I would tell her how grateful I felt for her, for that spring in my soul after such a long hard winter.

But school started and Julia's mother wouldn't let her take me with her. 

We were apart for just a few hours, but I had become so unaccustomed to being alone. In just the first few weeks it became clear that life was so boring during the hours she was at school, and the house so empty and so different from what it was when I was stuck in the box.

Julia's mother was also out at that time, so I started exploring the house. It was hard to move, it took a lot of concentration, I had to use a lot of who I was before this porcelain body, before another nosy old woman, the first one, put me here, but I did it. 

Sometimes I went into the other rooms, but most of the time I went to the windows to watch my little girl coming home, and she would see me and come running to find me no matter which window I was at. 

In retrospect, I admit it was foolish of me, because I should have realized that if my little girl noticed my little walks around the house, her mother would notice too.

One day she arrived before Julia and found me at one of the windows, she took me to the trash can on the street corner and threw me out without ceremony. 

I tried to move the lid to get out, but it was too heavy, moving in general was already so difficult. 

And my little girl was too far away for my thoughts to reach her and ask her to come rescue me. It felt like the end. 

But she came anyway, like an angel, like the heroine of a fairytale ready to save her damsel in distress, and she hid me in her backpack and told me I had to stay there so her mother wouldn't throw me in the trash again. 

At school she would take me out of the backpack and show me to her friends, some of them seemed beautiful, some intelligent, some kind, but none as much as my little girl. And maybe we could have continued like this forever, but another nosy old hag showed up.

I don't know how these horrible women keep finding me, they are the plague of my existence, they are the ones who trap me in pieces of cloth and boxes to rot while time keeps passing and passing.

I was in the backpack, hiding and waiting for the hours when I could be with my little girl again… when I heard a voice I didn't recognize. Initially it was too far for me to be sure of what was being said, but  it soon approached.

"It's closer now, there's something very wrong here." said the voice that until then I had never heard.

And all around there were sounds of doors and drawers being opened and rummaged through. I wasn't that scared until I heard the alarming sound of the backpack  being unzipped.

Julia's mother screamed when she saw me, the nosy old woman next to her looked at me coldly.

"What are you screaming about?" the old woman said.

And Julia's mother went on to tell a horrible story full of words like creepy and possession, making the beautiful months I spent in the company of my little girl seem like something out of a horror story.

The old hag told Julia's mother not to worry, that she was going to get rid of me. And then my little girl, who had been listening to everything behind the door, started crying and protesting that it wasn't fair, that I was her friend. 

Even from outside the house I could hear my little girl still crying as the old woman took me away.

We arrived at the hag's house, she took me to the backyard, poured alcohol on me, lit a match and then set me on fire. 

The flames reminded me of old things, lost things, things I desperately didn't want to remember. But with this also came the knowledge of how to rise from the ashes. With the fire came freedom. 

I waited some time before I could begin to rebuild myself. I could have remade my body in many ways, but I chose the same form I had been in before, after all, it was with that appearance that my Julia knew and loved me.

And then I moved, much more easily than before, with a body that was truly mine now. A part of me wanted to go straight to my girl, but I didn't, after all it wasn't just for her that I came back, but also for the old woman. 

I always come back, especially when I have something to come back for. Be it love or its opposite. And such cruelty could not be ignored.

It was much easier than I thought it would be. 

I didn't have to do anything more than show up at the kitchen door, and let my thoughts invade the old woman's mind to make her heart stop. 

It's not my fault she  possessed such a weak heart.

The old hag’s body was found by one of her neighbors in the morning, stiff and cold on the ground, and they found me next to her.

Men came to take her body away soon after. And just before dusk, Julia's mother came, grabbed me by the arm as if touching something putrid and took me out to the street, to do again what she had done before, throw me in the trash.

But this time I didn't let her. I sent my thoughts to her, not gently like a caress like I did with my Julia but like a knife, so that only my voice could be heard in her mind.

And from that moment on, she finally understood what the price would be for being someone who meddles in things that are none of her business.

Now my little girl puts me on the nightstand, kisses my forehead and wishes me good night.

Julia's mother watches our little ritual from the doorway. It’s quite clear she still hates me, but she learned the vital lesson that it would not be in her best interest to stand in the way of true love.

The lights go out and I stare at my little girl until daylight breaks and she wakes up.

This is a happy ending.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Edit: apparently there is something wrong with the link at the start so I'll be putting it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS1J7WTD

[reecey9o5]

Okay guys. 'They', 'them' and 'theirs' when used in the singular are gender neutral pronouns.

They are not gender specific to nonbinary people.

Arguing the use of a pronoun set that applies to literally all human beings (and a bunch of other stuff) must mean that Dante is nonbinary isn't just stupid, it's ignoring the themes of their character.

Dante is purposefully mysterious. We don't know anything about them, really. Most of the characters don't know anything about them. They know nothing about themself.

We, like most of the sinners, don't know Dante's real name, age or origin. We can't see their skin. We can't really tell what their figure looks like in that outfit and the way the others are drawn would make that largely inconclusive anyway.

Dante doesn't even have their own face anymore.

They are a fiction even within the narrative. One created by the company that they are currently being exploited by.

To argue that the identity that has been forced upon them by an exploitative corporation in a dystopian hellscape is a representation of their authentic self is either hopelessly naïve or entirely selfish.

To apply a nonbinary gender identity to them is to reduce them to what others have forced upon them.

Which is wild, if you think about it. Because the people he/himming Dante are doing so entirely because they are modelled after an actual human man who is buried in Ravenna. You can go see his grave. They are using meta information to come to a conclusion that might be wrong, and they know it might be wrong. Gender bent characters are not uncommon in this game.

But the people aggressively enbying them (and complaining about the he/himmers) are purposefully ignoring the open themes of depersonalisation in this character to... something something representation? IDK, because it makes them look like they have either no media literacy at all, or they just don't care about themes, narrative or the goddamn plot.

TL:DR

The other characters aren't calling Dante they and them because Dante is nonbinary, they're calling Dante they and them because they don't have the first idea what Dante is and have the decency not to assign an identity to Dante that might not be true. (Or they're invested in keeping that information from Dante.)

Dante could be nonbinary! But they could also be a man, or a woman, or not a person at all. The fact that we do not know is important to this story and dismissing it for the sake of 'representation' is both selfish and disrespectful to Project Moon.

This is their story, not your playground.

Your headcanons aren't justification for bashing the people who don't share them or Project Moon if it turns out that Dante is just a guy.

Edit: The possibility of Dante being nonbinary is slim at best and would absolutely undermine the theme of depersonalisation here. The depersonalisation of being stripped of your gender identity does not hit the same if you already insist that others use the gender unknown pronouns for you.

I only acknowledged it in the context that it's another possibility that the sinners aren't privy to.

It is not likely and it would undermine the themes of Dante's character.

In exactly the same way that taking a character who has been forcibly raised as the wrong sex and making them trans undermines that what happened to them was in fact abusive.

In exactly the same way that the character arc of Prince Phillip's father deciding against forcing his son into marriage was undermined by Aurora and Phill hitting it off.

If the bad thing that happens to a character is contextualised as turning out to be the right thing, then that takes all the wind out of any commentary that existed before the recontextualization.

(In fact, the Sleeping Beauty example is openly a joke. This man is going through a personal crisis and risking war for what the audience knows is no reason.)

Making Dante a nonbinary human character means that this very thematic example of their depersonalisation was an abusive corporation being correct in their behaviour.

Dante being a non-human character, a robit or something, would still be better thematically as they have had a false human identity pressed upon them.

LBC functionally misgendering Dante reinforces their unethical ways, them respecting this character's pronouns does the exact opposite.

Edit 2: I also feel the need to point out that the view I have laid out here means that we are being forced as players to be complicit in this mistreatment. Something that is far more powerful than removing the problem entirely with a nonbinary identity.

[icewindandboringhorror]

I have found a beautiful perfect humble rock specimen that is light yellow with a weird dark yellowy brown lining, somewhat resembling a chunk of smoked gouda cheese... effervescent

[moeblob]

OK I swear the reason I'm showing you this will have context in a couple days! But also, the fact B&N has a section dedicated to "well he may be a ten buuuuut" and included my current crime of "he's blonde" is like. Dang. Called out.

Didn't help I saw this with a guy and I said "oh no, my blonde enjoyer crimes called out!" and he said "better than redheads" and I'm like. "Sir, I have to inform you of my previous crime." and he was not pleased as he said "Fish... why....."

[tenwhiteandalusians]

is episode 8 the domitian arc ? more on this and EVEN MORE narratives i’ve been ignoring that the show said “actually,,,” about in 5

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

Me coming up covered in blood: I have another au idea

[dbphantom]

maybe i should have gone into practical effects instead of computer science...