#we are so happy you are here and we need to do this more often

[elixirfromthestars]

Bodyguard and dad’s best friend with Bucky??? 🙈💖 Please and thank you!! 🥰🥰

More under the cut ᯓᡣ𐭩

Blue eyes. Ocean blue — deep and stormy. They watch you, every day. Every hour. Every minute.

^ Every minute you say? 👀🤭

Brown locks fall often into his face, curling just underneath his piercing eyes. Soft stubble covering his cheeks, trimmed like he spends at least an hour in the bathroom every morning. You longed to push them back behind his ear, if only to touch him for a little while.

^ this visual is just *chefs kiss* 😩💗💗💗

You groan, crossing your arms in front of your chest. There it is, he thinks to himself as he smirks at you. Slightly. Almost not even visible. But you catch it, of course you do. Always do. “Don’t gimme that attitude now, princess,” he hums, shaking his head slightly. Before Bucky gets the chance to do anything further, a man in a suit walks closer.

^ so…what happens if we give more attitude? 👀🤭🩷

Bucky would wrap himself around you like a soft blanket in a rain of bullets. He wouldn’t hesitate. He would jump in front of you to catch them all, only to make sure you will never get hurt. Never with him around.

^ of course he would 😭🩷🩷

Poor guy. He just wanted to buy some baked goods. And now? He’s walking backwards, slowly, his hands lifting just as slow. He’s no danger. Never was.

^ this poor man 💀 he just wanted a sweet treat 💀

There’s very few times he cracks a joke. Mostly when you’re alone together. It’s the only time he allows himself to stop being so guarded. So protective.

^ I just know he has to be so soft and happy in private with us 🥺💕

“You don’t need to always buy food for me. First off all, I own money myself. And I’m here to protect you, not to have dinner with you, sweetheart,” he says, his tone rough and almost cold. Almost. There’s always a hint of softness when he talks to you. In public less, but it’s still there. For you. Only for you.

^ ahhhhh a softie only for us, love it!! 🥰🥰

“Fine,” he huffs, his voice holding a rough edge but you know deep down he’s melting for you. “A sandwich, please. And one of these bread rolls with chocolate.” You grin. He hates those. Too much sugar. Way too sweet for him. Bucky’s the guy that drinks his coffee black. His whiskey neat. But he would be damned if he didn’t pick up on your habit of always having something sweet after a meal.

^ omg that’s so freaking cuteeee 🥹💖💖

“Happy?” He asks and you nod with a wide grin. His eyes light up, slightly showing the joy he feels. Bottled up inside, deep down. But for you, always visible. He’s an open book for you. Voluntarily. He could hide his emotions, but he doesn’t. He wants you to know. Wants to see that smile on your face when he’s feeling joyful. A smile that could light up a whole town. A smile that lights up his whole universe.

^ omg he’s such a secret softie I love him 😭🩷🩷

My sweet!! 🥹🩷🩷 This was too cute I swear you come up with the sweetest scenarios 🥰🥰 What am I to do with all the versions of Bucky you make me fall in love with?? 😭💖💖 I want to bottle every version up in a little bottle and keep like a cherished treasure 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Protect my heart

Pairing: Bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x Don’s Daughter!Reader

Summary: Protection. His job. Bucky has a duty to uphold for the daughter of his best friend. But he often finds himself exceeding the baseline expectations of his job because of you.

Warnings: fluff, Dad’s best friend, mention of mafia, protection, sweetness,

Wordcount: 1.219 Words

Authors Note: Beta’d by @soelstress and @thevillainswhore. Mollie, thanks for the help and your encouragement, too! Written for Mafia Bingo [The don’s daughter] by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor. Divider made by me.

Blue eyes. Ocean blue — deep and stormy. They watch you, every day. Every hour. Every minute.

You’re not even sure if he keeps an eye on you when you sleep, or if he allows himself some sleep too. He should.

But no matter if he’s had a long night with you at one of your dads clubs and gets up early the next morning, or if you call it an early night and he finally manages to rest for himself. He always looks good. Always.

Brown locks fall often into his face, curling just underneath his piercing eyes. Soft stubble covering his cheeks, trimmed like he spends at least an hour in the bathroom every morning. You longed to push them back behind his ear, if only to touch him for a little while.

He’s always just a few feet away. Never distracted. Never busy with anything but keeping a close eye on you. It’s his job. And he does it like his life depends on it.

And maybe it does. Because you’re not just someone. Not when your father is the Don of the biggest mob in the country.

So, you have Bucky to follow you. To protect you.

James Buchanan Barnes, but has a preference of being called Bucky, is your dads best friend. They have known one another for years. Decades.

And you were afraid that now you had grown an attachment towards him; one that border lined on the cusp of danger.

“Buck?” You hum as you turn your head toward the man who’s protecting you day by day.

He’s standing with his hands crossed above his belt next to you. His eyes scan the surroundings, but stay mostly on you. Bucky’s suit is neat, dark blue and highlights the light of his bright eyes.

He nods, acknowledging that you talked to him. But he doesn’t say anything. Barely does. Somehow you both still understand one another.

You’re the one who talks. He’s the one who listens. Has to. Or maybe he does it because he wants to. Because most of the time he really looks interested in the one-sided conversation. It shouldn’t give you butterflies, but it does.

“Croissants or sandwiches?” You ask, pouting at the baked goods of your favorite bakery.

He raises an eyebrow at you. His plump lips twitch slightly at the corners as he looks at you instead of the food. Then he shrugs. “Whatever you like.”

You groan, crossing your arms in front of your chest. There it is, he thinks to himself as he smirks at you. Slightly. Almost not even visible. But you catch it, of course you do. Always do.

“Don’t gimme that attitude now, princess,” he hums, shaking his head slightly. Before Bucky gets the chance to do anything further, a man in a suit walks closer.

Bucky’s callused hand immediately shoots to the gun that’s tucked in the back of his pants. His shoulders tense and he takes a step closer to you until your side is tightly pressed against his stomach. His other hand reaches out, grasping you by the shoulder and pulling you flush against him. He does that. All the time when there’s the possibility of danger.

Bucky would wrap himself around you like a soft blanket in a rain of bullets. He wouldn’t hesitate. He would jump in front of you to catch them all, only to make sure you will never get hurt. Never with him around.

The man smiles softly at you, but his eyes widen as he notices Bucky behind you. His glistering metal hand on your shoulder causes the other guy to sweat and take a step back.

Poor guy. He just wanted to buy some baked goods. And now? He’s walking backwards, slowly, his hands lifting just as slow. He’s no danger. Never was.

But for Bucky? Everything could be a risk. Protect at all costs. Danger or not. Protect.

As the guy walks away, shaking and mumbling under his breath, he’s wiping his sweat off his forehead.

The moment he’s out of your view, Bucky relaxes. He lets go of your shoulder and takes a step backwards. His hands gripping the front of the belt as he watches you like nothing happened. Nothings ever gonna happen as long as he’s around.

While you hated having an unwanted shadow following you when Bucky first got the job, you appreciate it now. As long as he’s there you know you’re safe. But not only that, Bucky’s also really funny… sometimes.

There’s very few times he cracks a joke. Mostly when you’re alone together. It’s the only time he allows himself to stop being so guarded. So protective.

“So, croissants or sandwiches?” You ask once more, causing another small smile to tug on his lips. “Or something else?”

“Whatever you want,” he repeats again.

“Bucky,” you whine, almost stomping your feet. This man. This man. Sometimes he makes you go crazy.

Handsome idiot.

“What do you want?” You grumble, watching a waitress walking toward you.

“You don’t need to always buy food for me. First off all, I own money myself. And I’m here to protect you, not to have dinner with you, sweetheart,” he says, his tone rough and almost cold. Almost.

There’s always a hint of softness when he talks to you. In public less, but it’s still there. For you. Only for you.

You roll your eyes. The attitude again.

Secretly, he loves it. Obviously, he huffs at your display of defiance.

You won’t let him off the hook that easily. You never do. Taking care of him like he’s more than just the guy who’s your shadow. More than just your bodyguard.

“But you need to be strong to protect me,” you say, smiling so damn sweet at him. You greet the waitress as she waits for you order, telling her what you would like before you turn to Bucky to wait for him to tell her, too. “And maybe… I like having lunch with you.”

And breakfast. And dinner. And a midnight snack after a party. He knows, because you always ask him to eat with you.

“Fine,” he huffs, his voice holding a rough edge but you know deep down he’s melting for you. “A sandwich, please. And one of these bread rolls with chocolate.”

You grin. He hates those. Too much sugar. Way too sweet for him.

Bucky’s the guy that drinks his coffee black. His whiskey neat.

But he would be damned if he didn’t pick up on your habit of always having something sweet after a meal.

“Happy?” He asks and you nod with a wide grin. His eyes light up, slightly showing the joy he feels. Bottled up inside, deep down. But for you, always visible.

He’s an open book for you. Voluntarily. He could hide his emotions, but he doesn’t. He wants you to know. Wants to see that smile on your face when he’s feeling joyful. A smile that could light up a whole town. A smile that lights up his whole universe.

Then he’s taking the baked goods the waitress offers and thanks her before leading you toward a table in the corner. He can watch everything from there, but not everyone can immediately see you.

Privacy. Safety. And your favorite: lunch with Bucky.

Comment and Reblog to share some love!

Written with the prompt: "You don't need to always buy food for me." "But you need to be strong to protect me." by @creativepromptsforwriting.

@armystay89 @rogersbarber

[suppose-i-was-worm]

Marzipan Boy part 5

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64048147/chapters/173345350

“So your siblings live in Star City?”

Danny nodded absently, inspecting the parts laid out on the desk in front of him. Tim had invited him to Wayne Industries to look at trial components for his gaming setup- apparently Wayne Electronics was looking into custom computers, and Tim needed a test dummy.

Danny was happy to stress test free tech. Tucker would be ecstatic.

“Yeah- Jazz and Dante are in college there- Jazz has custody of Ellie.”

“Why did you choose Gotham?”

“Sam and Tucker, really. I mean, I’m currently sleeping on their couch, but two years of free rent isn’t something to shake a stick at.”

Tim made an inquisitive noise, and Danny looked over to see the CEO writing some notes on his tablet.

“Long story. In any case, I’m here for college- Gotham U’s Intergalactic Relations program is second only to Metropolis U, and we can’t afford Metropolis.”

“Intergalactic Relations?”

Danny put down the SSD he was toying with and picked up a different one.

“Yeah, figured it would be useful. I don’t like it much, but with my positi- I mean- Well, can’t get to space otherwise.”

“Because of the nerve damage?”

“Exactly. Can’t do a normal spacewalk.”

With a laugh, Tim put down his tablet and wandered over to stand next to Danny- Danny intentionally leaned a little closer to his crush, but not too close as to crowd him.

“I’m sure you’ll do great at Intergalactic Relations.”

“I’m passing so far!”

Danny grinned down at Tim, who handed him a motherboard component.

“Try this one, it’s probably the best for gaming.”

The two of them smiled at each other for a second before they were interrupted by a cough from the door.

“Excuse me, Mr. Drake-Wayne, you’ve got an appointment in fifteen. I’ll give you two time to kiss goodbye.”

Tam winked at Tim as they sheepishly turned toward her, and then closed the door to the office again.

“Sorry about her.”

It was surprising to see Tim flush so deeply, so Danny decided to shoot his shot.

“We can, you know? I wouldn’t be opposed. Unless I’m reading this wrong.”

“I’ll be rude, then.”

“Rude?”

Tim reached up and grabbed the back of Danny’s neck, pulling him into a sweet kiss, which Danny returned enthusiastically. He could survive a little ‘rudeness’, as a treat.

~~~

Phantom wrapped his skeletal form around Phantasm, staring down at the assembled Justice League with an unreadable expression on his gaunt features. Phantasm had her arms crossed, looking belligerent. Bruce resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“Welcome, Phantom of the Frozen Citadel. Might I ask why you joined us on the Watchtower?”

Phantom’s great hollow eyes turned to Diana when she spoke. He was much larger than anyone in the room- smaller than when Bruce had first encountered him, but still towering.

“Phantasm forgot her lunch.”

The young ghost in question threw her hands up in exasperation, a gesture Bruce often saw from his own children.

“We would have appreciated prior warning before your arrival- no offense, but you caused great alarm with your approach.”

The surrounding heroes lowered their weapons as Phantom swung his head around to view them.

“Ah. I see- my apologies. I will send warning prior to any future visits.”

Phantom reached inside his chest and pulled out a lunchbag that looked tiny in his hands, balancing it carefully on Phantasm’s head despite the fact that she was covering her face with her hands.

“Do not leave your lunch at home, and I won’t have to visit you at work.”

“Daaad!”

The massive ghost smiled, and Bruce would almost describe the expression as smug.

“If you came to visit more often, I wouldn’t embarrass you in front of your friends.”

Phantasm snatched the lunchbox off of her head.

“Just you wait, I’m gonna crash your next date with your boyfriend.”

Bruce couldn’t help but exchange glances with Diana and Clark- what sort of power might the significant other of such an imposing figure have?

Phantom’s smile grew warmer, the star freckles across his sunken cheeks standing out more and more against his pale green skin.

“I would love that.”

With a shriek, Phantasm shot out of her father’s embrace, dropping her lunchbox as she brought her hands up to cover her mouth.

“You’re actually dating him now?”

The stars got brighter- Bruce surmised a blush, before Phantom blinked out of existence. Phantasm growled and landed.

“Damn him, now I have to visit.”

“Where would you be visiting, Phantom?”

Bless Diana, sneaking in a question about the Infinite Realms while Phantasm was distracted.

“Oh, Gotham. Dad spends most of his time there, after all.”

What.

~~~

Tim donated a few hundred to Danny- He’d been doing it quite often since the kiss, so much so that he had to program a shortkey into his phone so that it only took a few taps. His phone rang shortly after.

“Hey boo!”

“Hey Danny- was just thinking about you.”

“Lucky for you, I was thinking about you too- do you drop money every time you think about me? Is that what that is about?”

With a chuckle, Tim answered the affirmative.

“Of course. I love thinking about you, and I think you deserve good things.”

Danny was silent for a moment.

“Am I your sugar baby?”

“By definition, no,” Tim had looked up the definition. “You’d have to be younger than me for that- aren’t you a few months older?”

His boyfriend started laughing, and Tim grinned smugly. He loved Danny’s laugh.

Said laugh was cut off by Tim’s phone ringing through the call.

“Gotta go, babe, Bruce is calling.”

“Work thing? Knock ‘em dead!”

Tim sent another hundred as his call with Danny hung up, and then answered Bruce’s call.

“Hey B, what’s up?”

“The Voice of the Crown lives in Gotham.”

“Isn’t that a little… He’s a ghost, how can he live anywhere?”

“Tim.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do some research. Do we have a general area, or?”

Bruce grunted a negative, and Tim sighed. Looks like his workload just doubled. Again.

“Send me the info you’ve got, and I’ll start looking.”

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

I feel like somethin I dont see explored too often with the time The Outsiders is set in is how insane the music scene was at the time. ok like let's look at the billboard top 100 singles for both 1967 n 1969 (the billboard top btw was The Rankin for the time) (also I'm about to be a Huge Fuckin Nerd about this so. fair warnin.)

alright so let's take a look at some of the hits from 67

this year was an EXPLOSION of fuckin AMAZIN songs man from all different kinds of genres that reflected an interestin insight on the culture of the time

from the top 14 or so there are instant classics from pop n classic rock giants (we wont get through this list without honorable mentions to the doors, the animals, the Hollies, the turtles, the cowsills, the supremes, the association, the monkees, the ronettes or the temptations)

for 1967 there was an interestin mix of rock n roll that had its foot firmly in the door from the fifties n Elvis to the British invasion in 64 to the hippie movement colorin its own notes. the early versions of psychedelic adjacent music are present in this list. the purer side of the hippie movement is also here with songs like groovin n happy together (n further down the list 'the rain the park n other things' by the cowsills)

more classic rock hits (the Beatles fall from grace btw is very Fuckin Cool as the magical mystery tour was released IN 1967 n their FIRST song on the billboard is at 30 n their only other is at 55 with Penny Lane which I WONT ramble about here but if you know the context of the album then. they were kinda goin through it. but. I digress.)

theres a really cool focus on these complex harmonies overlayed with rock that was just SO fuckin cool for the time that had a real focus with the association n incense n peppermints (in ruby Tuesday a lil but not as much)

a BIG focus for the POLITICAL feelins of the time is for what its worth which was a DIRECT political protest song that managed to almost top the first 25. it was a contest for the Vietnam war, the political paranoia of the time, in support of the younger generation. fuckin PERFECT snapshot for the years attitudes shiftin.

alright I've run my mouth enough lemme do a quick touch on 69 (cause this was another real cool year)

alright honorable mentions for number one cause I need you to know thats The Archies. like from Riverdale. (NOT the new one. like the og comic strip/ show. bands had a weird lil uptick in the 60s for their shtick bein they were in a show. n then they were real. it was a weird time. anyway.)

more big ol bands with a mix of both rock n hippie influences creepin in (heavy mention on Tommy James n the shondells cause like. they were all over BOTH these lists but I almost never hear people talk about them ☹️ respect on my boys names ☹️)

now THISSSS is what I REALLY wanted to talk about. LOOKIT!!! this (I BELEIVE) is the FINAL time the Beatles n Elvis ever shared the top 100. this would be the year the Beatles would break up (TECHNICALLY it wasnt official until April 1970 but John Lennon left privately back in sept of 69) (also I'm SURE there were greasers poppin bottles over that lil fact N the Elvis beat them to the higher single)

mentions for more of the hippie movement with 'get together' n 'sweet caroline' which I forgot to highlight but is The Sweet Caroline. n another political protest song with 2525.

AH!! sorry I ran my mouth WAY too long but man I love the songs from this decade man. I'll leave the links to the top 100 for 67 n 69 below too just in case yall wanna give it a listen (you totally should)

[vermililion]

challengers fic recs ✧°‧⭑.ᐟ

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continuing to update | last updated 02/07 | includes smut and other nsfw content. | some of my fav fics here!

─── ✧ TASHI, PATRICK & ART

runner-up (ao3) | @/vivelalark

“Art.” You whip off your sunglasses to look him squarely in the eye.

“I can’t spend the rest of my life feeling like I’m coming in second place to my best friend. Can you?”

match point affair (ao3) | @/grogucorn

Sometimes you wonder what would have happened if you had told Tashi you needed to head home instead. She wouldn't have given you her phone number at the end of the night or called you to vent about Anna Mueller every so often that year. She wouldn't have visited you every time she stopped by New York or helped you eventually become a line judge. Up until that point, there was no reason to regret having met her. - That is, until the year she introduced you to Art and Patrick.

the rule of thirds (ao3) | orphan account :(

Art, Patrick and Tashi all have two things in common... Tennis, and you.

breath of life (ao3) | @/HelenaNell

You met Tashi in your final year of high school and were more than happy to have lost a tennis match against her. Afterwards, the two of you become inseparable and you find yourself feeling for her in a way that you don’t quite understand. And then things get even more complicated when Patrick and Art burst into your lives. As the years pass, desire, love and hatred all get tangled together...and so do the four of you.

─── ✧ PATRICK & ART

three's company (ao3) | @/sbrant

When Patrick visits his best friend at Stanford University, Art’s new fling finds herself stuck between two very attractive men.

red-hot (ao3) | @/Cinnamonacid

Patrick was never cut out for college. He should be on tour, racking up awards and playing in the US open. Not kicking it at some fancy know-it-all school. But when he meets you, everything changes.

just friends | @nottsangel

you and patrick have been secretly hooking up behind art’s back for months without him suspecting a thing. however, everything changes when art unexpectedly walks in on you both.

sex tape | @murdrdocs

"i think we should show him the video sometime."

and then there were three | @kolsmikaelson

reader and Art fucking in the hotel room (with Patrick watching) and reader asking if Patrick can join them and ofc Art can’t say no because he finds the idea of this super hot.

two's a party | @euphoriaslux

you recently transferred to stanford, and decide to tutor a tennis player in your class. he has a friend. severe indecency ensues.

─── ✧ PATRICK ZWEIG

drabble | @too-deviant

when patrick zweig fucks, he fucks hard.

riding his thigh | @/murdrdocs

self explanatory - cannot stop thinking about riding patrick zweig’s thigh.

smoking drabble | @/murdrdocs

patrick would 100% smoke during sex.

in the back | @/nottsangel

thinking about patrick fucking me in the back of his car.

tense | @youvebeenlivingfictional

You'd realized within a few meetings that Patrick wasn't exactly like a big kid—he was more like a frat boy that had never gone to college. He'd asked for an advance on his fee, but had agreed to an all-cash payment at the end of the first lesson. He palled around with your son, teased him about school, about the girls that he had a crush on. He didn't fill the role of a father where your son didn't have one, but he was more like an older, cooler schoolmate.

─── ✧ ART DONALDSON

isn't it messed up how i'm just dying to be him? (ao3) | @/sceletaflores

And there it is. There’s that glimmer of attention, that hint of acknowledgement of him. The heavy look of rage taking over your features, the bite in your tone, it’s what Art’s wanted for months. Your undivided attention.

dirty drabble | @julietsbody

...improper use of tennis racket.

kitty kat | @/julietsbody

art has a tendency to show up late to your tennis lessons. 

sweet as a grape | @/murdrdocs

Art Donaldson lost a match, leading him to sulking at the hotel bar. when you slide up next to him he starts to feel like he won.

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[fortunxa]

Do you think au powder is comphet or just bi

With me saying that actually it kinda reminds me of something Elena Gilbert says in the vampire diaries? 😭😭😭 which is something like “her basically feeling pressured in way because of their history and their family’s in a way expecting it because boy!!! Girl!!! they are soo gonna be with eachother because of childhood bestfriend trope or wtv.. and also she felt as if she owed it to him because of their history”

But that’s stupid to compare the situations I guess idk I feel stupid

ALSO girl girl childhood best friends to lovers is more unique than boy girl AND boy boy because two girls can kiss in front on someone and people would think their straight also the term “girlfriend” to describe just a friend sometimes for girl.. boy girl is just expected and happens a lot!! And boy boy two boys could hug and people would call them gay

Sorry for the lack of punctuation and grammar (none) in general this needed to get out there

woah i read this when i woke up at the ass crack of dawn and had to reread a few times for it to sink in properly but i think i have an answer now. BIG YAP AHEAD ‼️

Powder’s sexuality will always be open to interpretation, and whether or not she’s comphet is a bit harder to tell. recognizing if someone is experiencing compulsory heterosexuality is tricky because it’s something that often happens subconsciously. since we don’t have access to Powder’s direct thoughts regarding Ekko, i won’t be able to provide a clear-cut answer for that.

but in my opinion (and don’t hate me for this), she didn’t seem comphet (i say this basing myself on proper visuals only). god knows how i feel about main timeline t*meb*mb, but Powder did seem happy with Ekko in the AU episode. we see it in the sketches, the subtle tells throughout her hideout, the way she interacts with him, etc.

yes, the boy/girl childhood friends to lovers trope is starting to feel less like romance and more like a script. it romanticizes familiarity over genuine attraction (“i must love him because i’ve always known him” and attachment ≠ attraction). it offers a convenient, comfortable path to heterosexuality, framing it as the natural next step and thus delaying/erasing queerness. the “best friend becomes boyfriend” pipeline is so good at hiding queerness behind safety. it tells you that if you wait long enough, the ‘right’ kind of love (read: heterosexual) will just click into place. no space left to question, no room to unravel—just comfort mistaken for desire. and for a closeted queer person, that path is tempting, because once you start asking the hard questions, your whole world can shift. it’s easier to fall for the story that’s already been written for you.

[side note for the “i owe it to him” part: boy/girl childhood friends to lovers trope often feels like a transaction. “i’ve invested years into that friendship, now it has to become romance.” or “he’s been good to me, so this must be what love is.” comphet dressed up as loyalty. obligation dressed up as fate. it convinces you that emotional labor = romantic debt.]

so, is the boy/girl childhood friends to lovers trope inherently bad? no, but it is overdone at times and it can be a trap for people navigating comphet. it’s kind of the comphet’s perfect disguise when that trope is considered the default.

that being said (and going back to Powder and Ekko): it doesn’t seem like that was the case here, but with all the subtleties in relation to experiencing comphet, it also wouldn’t be a reach. they grew up side by side, he’s always been there, and they care about each other deeply. will we ever actually know if Powder is comphet, though? no, unless we have full access to her personal thoughts (which i don’t see happening).

bonus regarding the girl/girl childhood friends to lovers trope you mentioned and the contradiction with the boy/boy one:

girlhood is deeply homoerotic by default, but never really allowed to be gay. girls grow up sharing beds, holding hands, kissing each other on dares, calling each other soulmates, and it’s all brushed off as “just friendship.” emotional intimacy and even physical affection between girls is normalized to the point of invisibility. there’s so much plausible deniability. girl/girl closeness is encouraged, even fetishized (i’m looking at you, porn addicts). so when two girls actually fall in love, or one starts questioning? it’s way harder to tell what’s real and what’s been packaged as ‘harmless’ intimacy. comphet lets it thrive by never taking it seriously—the girl/girl childhood friends to lovers trope hits different because it exposes that. it’s about realizing that the thing you were told was ‘just friendship’ was actually everything and no one noticed. not even you.

meanwhile, boy/boy friendships are policed the opposite way. two boys hug and it’s instantly, “haha, that’s gay” (just like you said). there’s no room for softness, no ambiguity. if they fall for each other, it’s a rebellion against hyper-visibility and stigma. boys grow up terrified to express tenderness because even platonic closeness gets sexualized, mocked, or punished (contrasting with girl/girl friendships). there’s no space to explore softness, let alone queerness QUIETLY. when two boys do fall in love, the world already suspects it—but they’ve been taught to fear it. the boy/boy childhood friends to lovers trope never got the luxury of hiding in plain sight like the girl/girl one.

it’s not that one trope is better than the other—it’s that queerness shows up differently depending on how society treats affection, and both suffer under the same system: heteronormativity punishes boys for closeness and disguises queer girlhood as innocent play.

[frauleiiin]

Risha & Kaaydan's backstory

So here's the awaited (by me) reblog with the ~context~. I'll dive a little deeper in Kaaydan's life so grab some chips and enjoy!

As most of you know, Kaaydan's greatest love is Rue (my Imperial Agent) but there has been two persons who've carved the path to his heart before.. Jayze Ketnai (OC) and Risha Drayen (NPC). To understand this scene we need to go back to his first love Jayze.. I won't go into details but I have this RefSheet that explains it a little better! But basically they dated back when Kaaydan lived on Nar Shaddaa and they were their first everything. Unfortunately, Kaaydan got assaulted REAL bad (more info on his RefSheet) and that event is what made him leave his homeworld. He wanted to bring his boyfriend with him but Jayze had a family and a debt to pay to the Hutts, so Kaaydan didn't have a choice than to leave without him. It broke him and he didn't dare to get into relationships for 10 years. As he slowly dipped more into the underworld, he became more and more of a slut lol, and started sleeping around a lot. That mainly happened because of his fear of abandonment, which caused commitment issues, and let's say that ''losing'' Jayze didn't help him in his insecurities.

So.. we're in 10 ATC, our man goes to Coruscant to get his beloved ship back and there she is.. Risha. At first, he was attracted to her but this man is attracted to anybody so it barely meant anything. But as time passed, as he started to truly know Risha, he noticed something.. growing inside of him.. consuming him.. ✨feelings✨. Slowly, he started to flirt less to not flirt at all with people. He couldn't sleep, he would need drink during the night (never said he had healthy habits), no one would occupy his mind like Risha did and it was driving him NUTS. This post could be called ''A man discovers he's in love and loses it.''. Eventually towards the end of the class story, they FINALLY get together and Kaaydan gets to experience love again after 10 years. These two had a good 5 years together until the Eternal Empire struck planets from both the Republic and the Empire, making smuggle business significantly harder than before. Kaaydan could've seen it as a challenge and continue to defy the odds but something was off. He was getting into sort of depressed moods more often, isolating himself, getting into fights with Risha more often, he sort of had an identity crisis and decided that he didn't want to continue smuggling. He was tired. His relationship with Risha took a big hit, he actually was the one who broke up with her and decided to exile himself with Bowdaar on Zakuul.

He felt really bad about the breakup, not really because he missed her (even if he did at the beginning) but because she was his friend and he hurt her, a lot. 5 more years passes where Kaaydan is in severe depression, not leaving his appartment except to go to bars once in a while. He even had a short-lived relationship with a fellow Mirialan but things didn't work out as he was too dysfunctional for a relationship. Then as some of you know, Rue, after many years of not seeing each other, recruited him into the Alliance and started dating short after. Few months go by, Kaaydan hears about a certain Risha Drayen and Corso Riggs arriving at the Alliance. He was really happy at the idea of seeing them again but was unsure to go talk to Risha. Then Rue looks at him and tells him something like ''Go. I know she's more than an ex. Go talk to her.'' with a smile. So Kaaydan comes over to say hi, they hug, he apologizes for hurting her so many years ago and then Corso interrupts them to give a BIIIG hug to Kaaydan. At that point, Bowdaar and Gus are also at the Alliance, so all the crew is reunited (idk if Akaavi is there but yea), so they go to the Alliance Cantina to drink and have fun. It's complete chaos with the boys LMAO but I do imagine Rue and Risha talking together while observing them. Later in the evening, it's time for Risha and Corso to leave.. And this edit, is their last glance before parting away for a while. Two friends looking at each other, bittersweet of how things ended between them but happy for each other <3

I like to describe them as two people who were never meant to be more than friends but things happened differently.

for Rue (end-game partner) & Kaaydan context click here!

Risha turns and looks back at Kaaydan. He looks at her. Their eyes lock. A hint of a tear in both...

And, ever so subtly, for just a fleeting second, Risha smiles.

It's the kind of smile you could miss if you blinked -- but it's enough to signal to Kaaydan that she recognized that look on his face and that she still remembers it, and still thinks of it to this day...

Then she walks out the door. Kaaydan glances at his fellow friends in the Alliance's cantina. Then, he nods, and joins them.

- Screenplay written by Damien Chazelle/La La Land. Modified by Fraulein.

Full Pictures:

Reference:

I'll always love you La La Land <3

[125storejuice]

[thegunssawyerstole]

Hi, person who said Sawyer as Hamilton here! I super duper heavily disagree, especially with he claim he'd be James Reynolds. and let's get into why, as someone who's special interest was Hamilton for three years.

First, let's disprove “Sawyer would be James Reynolds," and prove why Ben would be James: the cunning manipulator who is out for his own gain.

Let's look at James Reynolds's part in "Say No To This"

Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health / And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth / In the pockets of people like me / Down on their luck / You see, that was my wife who you decided to / Uh-oh! / You made the wrong sucker a cuckold / So time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled / And hey, you can keep seein' my whore wife / If the price is right / If not, I'm telling your wife

I'll give you this: if looking at season 1 or 2, Sawyer fits Reynolds well. However, Reynolds is driven by hatred and revenge. From this part, it can be interpreted that Reynolds doesn't love his wife. What lovig man calls his wife a whore, as well as uses her yo get more money? Sawyer may be a conman and a criminal, but he has a moral compass.

Example: S1E8, he wouldn't go through with a con because he saw that the family had a child, and he couldn't bring himself to fully become the man he was hunting down.

This would not be the case for Sawyer. There's a point to his character— everything he does it out of love— even if he tended to be selfish.

> He sought revenge on the man who killed his parents for his love for them

> He jumped off the helicopter out of love for his friends

> He resented Jack because of his love of Juliet

Now, let's get into why Sawyer would be Alexander. The bastard orphan.

The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow or barter

Both were orphans who had to make their own way, often through dubious means. This did not stop them from eventually becoming a hero in the end.

And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain.

Again, this should go without saying. The first thing that Sawyer, James at the time, did when his parents died, was write. He's a writer, he's intelligent— not just socially. He's generally seen reading a book or using his wits.

Next, we need to talk about the significance of 19.

I'm only nineteen/but my mind is older

In the musical, 19 is the age Hamilton was when he met Burr and the rest. In LOST, 19 was the age Sawyer ran his first con.

I could pick apart their similarities for days, but I want to keep this shortish. So here's a speedran list of every similarity I could think of.

Cunning, will do whatever it takes to get their way, even if it means working with people they don't like (Sawyer working with MIB in hopes to get off the island VS. Hamilton working with Jefferson and Madison to get his plans passed).

Excellent with words. It could be argued one of Sawyer's defining yet underrated traits is his eloquence— he knows how to speak, while he just utilizes in a different way from Hamilton initially. Both are gifted at persuasion.

Young, scrappy, and hungry. This sums up Sawyer's character rather well, especially what we don't see. He's a scared kid who has nowhere else to turn.

But who would be James, if it's not James? I nominate Ben, with Juliet as Maria. Stick with me for a second: in this universe, Ben utilizing Juliet as a way to extort James mirrors the way he utilizes fear to manipulate James in the Polar Bear Cages Arc in season three. Don't forget— Juliet was a tool for Ben. Ben wouldn't be Jefferson, since "Jefferson has beliefs/Burr has none."

If I had to pick a second character for Sawyer to be, it would be Jefferson.

I hope you're happy. You dragged me headfirst back into a Hamilton phase. And into my essay writing era once more. I'm proud of this, so I may write the Hamilton AU and submit it AND OR this essay to colleges. <3

A Lost-Hamilton AU where Locke is Alexander Hamilton and Jack is Aaron Burr (Sir).

Someone walk with me 🧑‍🦯

[yanderespamton78]

when a regretevator headcanon pisses you off so much that you become a feminist

[connormoving]

its so embarassing likee. going to talk abt a feeling you have but you already know ppl will be like Oh that sounds like depression lol and its like. well yes . i know . trust me i am so aware i am depressed . but its still like a thing ive been thinking abt and wanting to talk abt but ik itll just be like Ok hun 👍. idk idk what response i would want tho ig FNFNFNF

[mizumuu]

>Laughs Out Loud

I thought that piece was just about people focusing too hard on labelling Mizuki instead of letting them be themselves like they ask, not that it was transphobia ._ .

its ok to have ur own interpretation of that piece but its very clear to me that that wasnt ame's intention

[miraclemaya]

MADOKA - “I’m thinking I’ll order a beef udon bowl, since Sayaka-chan told me that they make those really good here. What about you, Homura-chan?”

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY - Food needs can be met with an expenditure of 1.23% of total magic. Proceed?

GRIEF SYNDROME [Trivial: Success] - MAGICAL GIRLS THAT IGNORE FOOD ARE OFTEN MORE PRONE TO GRIEF ACCUMULATION. MY ARMS WILL ALWAYS BE WAITING FOR YOU, HOMURA, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE HAPPY UNTIL THAT DAY. BESIDES, MADOKA WANTS TO EAT WITH YOU. DISAPPOINTING HER WILL FILL YOUR SOUL GEM WITH A HALF A GRIEF SEED WORTH OF DESPAIR.

TEA WITH MAMI-SAN [Legendary: Success] - Sayaka says the beef bowl is good? Maybe go for that. She knows Madoka’s tastes better than anyone — and if Madoka likes something, you will certainly like it too.

“I will have the same as you, Madoka.”

“I’m not feeling very hungry.”

[CALL AND RESPONSE - Medium 10] Come up with an order on your own

CALL AND RESPONSE - [Medium: Failure] - You’ve eaten here before, you’re pretty sure. Was it Loop 32… no, Loop 12..? No, wait, it was on the first Friday of Loop 68. No… that’s not right. You’ve never eaten here before. In a stunning display of incompetence, you have taken Madoka on a date to a restaurant that you have never experienced before.

THE ANGEL - It’s okay, Homura-chan! I don’t mind if you haven’t eaten here before. Remember what real me said, Sayaka thinks this place is good! And even if it’s not perfect, that’s okay, just spending time with you makes me happy.

THE CRAVEN MASSES - Sayaka has raised her blade against Madoka 16 times before. You should leave this restaurant and kill her. It would only take-

FALLING SAND [Trivial: Success] - 1528 seconds on average.

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY - It can be cut down to 1243 seconds with an expenditure of 2.7% of total magic pool.

THE CRAVEN MASSES - Exactly. Do it in front of her family and make it bloody. Kyoko would likely try and stop you, but even she isn’t immune to bullets. And if Mami comes for revenge, well, you know the exact words you could say that would destroy her, don’t you?

THE ANGEL - A-Ah, I think that’s a bit of an extreme reaction, Homura-chan!

HUMAN SHELL - Your heart rate is increasing. Stop that. You have absolute control over your flesh. Act like it.

MOE INSTINCT - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT ARE WE GOING TO ORDER MADOKA IS GOING TO LAUGH AT US

WITCH’S NIGHT - Is… is this a trap? Walpurgis may be defeated, but you know that the stage witch never truly ceases its show. Perhaps this restaurant is a part of the stage?

MADOKA - “Um, are you okay, Homura-chan?”

MOE INSTINCT - OH GOD SHE HATES US

“I’m going to kill myself.”

“I’m so sorry. Would killing myself make you feel more comfortable?”

Isn’t there anything else you can say?

YOU - Isn’t there anything else you can say?

THE DEVIL - Come on, Homura. It’s high time you do it. Really, this is just another in the long, long chain of failures that make up your life. The only way to fix it is to kill yourself.

CLOCKWORK PRECISION - Target: Located on right ring finger. Target is not moving. Chance to hit: High. Plan: Retrieve pistol. Aim pistol at ring. Pull trigger.

THE ANGEL - Oh my god, please do not do that!

"I am going to kill myself."

"I'm so sorry, I'll kill myself if it makes you feel better."

"I'm so sorry. Should I kill myself?"

There. There has to be better options than this.

YOU - There. There has to be better options than this.

MOE INSTINCT - I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS IMMEDIATE SUICIDE. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY MADOKA WILL LOVE YOU AGAIN.

"I am going to kill myself."

"I'm so sorry, I'll kill myself if it makes you feel better."

"I'm so sorry. Should I kill myself?"

YOU - “I’m going to kill myself.”

MADOKA - Madoka’s face twists, her eyebrows raising slightly in shock. Whatever response she was expecting, it was clearly not this.

GRIEF SYNDROME [Challenging: Success] - IF MADOKA WAS A MAGICAL GIRL, HER SOUL GEM WOULD FILL BY A QUARTER HEARING YOU SPEAK THOSE WORDS. THAT WAS CRUEL, HOMURA.

MOE INSTINCT - WHY DID YOU SAY THAT?

MADOKA - “I’m so sorry, Homura-chan. Please don’t do that. I… I really care about you and so does everyone else.” Madoka’s eyes fill with tears as she speaks. She hugs you.

DAMAGED MORALE -4

CALL AND RESPONSE [Trivial: Success] - Quick, tell her you were making an edgy joke that didn’t land. You’ve gotten away with that before, you’re pretty sure.

SPACE-TIME MASSACRE - Twelve quarter shifts left and two up from your current space-time position, and there’s a Japan that it’s actually illegal to not commit suicide in.

FALLING SAND - You’ve been seated for 5 minutes and 32.5 seconds already and still have not ordered. Mami has requested your presence at her apartment in 3.4 hours from now.

TEA WITH MAMI-SAN - She wants to help you find a hobby. She’s really worried about you, you know.

STRINGS OF FATE - You can feel Madoka’s heart beat in sync with yours as she holds you. Everything will be alright, as long as you follow the beat.

THE ANGEL - Yeah! It’s okay Homura-chan. Just explain what’s been going on and Madoka will understand. And then order something, it’s important to eat a full meal!

YOU - “Ah, sorry Madoka. I was… overwhelmed with choice, and my… brain spit out the first thing it thought. I am not planning on killing myself.”

MADOKA - “Um, I think we should probably talk about this more, Homura-chan….”

CALL AND RESPONSE - Ask her a question to change the topic. It’s worked in three different loops, it should work here.

RATIONALITY COMPLEX [Trival: Success] - Ask her if she wants to try anything else and then order that for yourself. This will accomplish your goal of deciding on what to order, as well as showing Madoka that her desires are important to you.

YOU - “Is there anything else you’d like to try, Madoka? We can share our dishes.”

MADOKA - “Uh, okay Homura-chan. Maybe get some tempura?”

Order 10000 yen worth of tempura

Order 1000 yen worth of tempura

Order 100 yen worth of tempura

YOU - “Excuse me waiter, give me 10000 yen worth of tempura.”

HUMAN SHELL - Calories and magic are just two different types of fuel. Feed me and control me.

THE ANGEL - T-that’s probably too much, Homura-chan. Maybe you can sneak some into your cool shield, though!

MADOKA - Madoka doesn’t say anything, but her eyes do bulge out slightly. She gives you a gentle pat on the shoulder and smiles at you.

HEALED MORALE +1

RATIONALITY COMPLEX - Displays of wealth like this can broadcast value to potential mates. This will increase your value in Madoka’s eyes, furthering along one of your goals.

THE ANGEL - I think you should just focus on enjoying the food, Homura-chan. Take a break, everything is okay.

Thank you.

Why don’t you hate me?

YOU - Why don’t you hate me?

THE ANGEL - Because I care about you, Homura-chan! And besides, you hate yourself far too much already.

Thank you.

THE ANGEL - You’re welcome! Now, please, enjoy your meal with real Madoka. She loves you a lot too, you know.

[ssahotchnerr]

how do you think Aaron and reader who are married, react to both being called ‘Agent Hotchner’ and they both answer? That’s so cute, I could just imagine Derek smirking and Rossi having a proud dad moment

the hotchners

AHHH I LOVE THAT cw; bau!reader, established relationship, typical cm case talk, playful banter/fluff 🥰

"The unsub is devolving, they’re getting more reckless," Derek thought aloud, clicking his pen in hand. "He dumped the last victim in a public place, rather than the usual, secluded spot."

"They're losing control." You inputted in agreement, your eyes darting across the conference room table to him.

Aaron leaned down on the table, still standing, but with his palms pressed against the surface. He was next to you, and this stance allowed him to be ever so slightly closer. Your heart warmed by his proximity, as any displays of affection were at a minimum when in the field. You were happy he was just close by. "The next victim will probably be someone they can’t control-"

"Agent Hotchner?" A voice came from behind, hindering the conversation.

"Yes?" Both of you answered swiftly, out of habit, though it was a new habit for you. Your tickled eyes met Aaron's, your nose scrunched up slightly in amusement.

Derek grinned, swiveling back and forth in his chair in observance. Rossi raised his hand to his mouth casually, concealing a chuckle.

The voice in question, one of the local police department's officers, even hesitated himself, as if he didn't know which Hotchner he were to rely the information to.

As soon as you and Aaron got engaged, the discussion of whether or not you'd take his last name was on the table. To avoid confusing situations like these, or to prevent any reputable prejudices. It was rare, but every so often you received grimaces from bystanders, both in the field and in the office back home. Marrying your boss? Either tremendously romantic or something to be frowned upon.

But in the end it was unanimous; you wanted his last name, and as did Aaron. It was even more important to him. A symbol of a bond he couldn’t wait to share with you; an acknowledgment of the life you were about to build together. You and him. The Hotchners.

"Uh- sorry to interrupt. The victim's fiancé is here for their interview. They're waiting in interrogation." He stammered, his gaze switching between the two of you.

"Thank you. We'll send someone in shortly." Aaron replied, politely dismissing the officer. He kept his trained demeanor, but you could hear the laughter underneath his voice.

As his footsteps trailed away, you nudged Aaron, humorously bumping your shoulder into his upper arm.

He kept his gaze on the files laid on the table, his lips spread in a soft smile as he slowly shook his head.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Dave." He didn't even need to look up.

"Hey!" Dave commented, his tone light as he spoke. He held up his hands in surrender, but that didn't diminish from the proud gleam in his eyes; it also happened to be the same one he had adorned on your wedding day. "I didn't say a thing."

"Oh, but it's written all over your face." You quipped also, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

"Just when I thought the two of you couldn't be any more married." Derek rolled his eyes, playfully as his lips pulled back into a grin. "What's next? Have you mastered the art of the ‘yes honey’ yet, or is that still a work in progress?"

"Please, that was perfected before we got married." Aaron remarked as he relaxed his posture, straightening up. He flashed a smile in your direction, speaking over Morgan's cackle. "Isn't that right, honey?"

[3hks]

How to Write a Character with THAT *Sad Aura*

Have you ever stumbled upon a character, who, despite radiating wholesome, positive energy, also has a subtle undertone of sadness? It's kind of intriguing, isn't it? If you've ever wanted to write a perhaps more complex character or explore writing emotions, why not check this out?

What am I talking about?

Let's do a quick introduction as to what I mean. I've said this a couple times already, but to the reader, this character feels despondent even though they act nothing like it. This doesn't mean they have to act happy all the time (like my first example); they might act cold, or apathetic, but the point is they don't act visibly sad.

This faint melancholic mood provides a charming, or even nostalgic feel to the audience through ONE character! Isn't that kind of fun?

Eye Expressions

This character will not show sadness on their face--that contradicts the idea of "sad aura". But you know what they say, right? Eyes are the windows to the soul; they do not lie!

When trying to highlight some of this unhappiness, write about their eyes. Talk about how their eyes look oddly dim sometimes when they smile, or how they don't meet their friend's eyes when they laugh. These cues are simple but powerful.

Adverbs

You always have to be mindful of adverbs, but here especially, adverbs (and adjectives) unconsciously influence how your audience views the character.

For example, avoid saying too much of "smiled brightly" or "talked excitedly". If these are the adverbs you purposefully want to use to portray your character, then by all means! However, these adverbs add a happier connotation, which you must be aware of. If you want something more neutral (which I recommend for the most part), consider using lighter adverbs/adjectives, such as "smiled softly", or "offered lightly".

Reasons

A reason is normally needed for almost everything. Here, you want genuine reasons to back up why your character doesn't ask for help, thus forcing them to work through their unhappiness alone.

This could be because they think other people can't solve the problem, they don't want to bother others, they don't think their issue is a big deal, or they simply believe there's no solution.

Physical Hints

And if all this isn't enough, then drop some physical hints! Perhaps your character gets distracted often, tends to hesitate before speaking, deflects concerned comments with jokes, or has a hard time acknowledging reassurances, even when it's unrelated to their personal troubles. These habits suggest the idea your character has more than meets the eye.

Mood Changes

When people are upset, their mood tends to fluctuate. For most of us, we're typically upset for a short period, so we cycle through emotions such as anger, sadness, and even joy during these moments.

However, if your character is consistently sad, not just for a day or two, their mood might shift on different days. Maybe they're really tired one day, hardly speaking. Maybe the next, they are more frustrated, snapping at people or ignoring them. Maybe the day after that, they are overly energetic, bouncing everywhere and talking all the time, providing a bit of whiplash.

Purpose

Similar to having a reason for their reluctance of reaching out, you also want to ensure that they have a purpose for fighting. Why haven't they given up yet? This is especially crucial when considering the real world, where feeling upset leads to a lack of motivation.

So, what keeps them going, then? Do they want to fix their regrets? Do they want to change?

Backstory and Actions

To be honest, I wouldn't consider a backstory an absolute necessity, but I highly suggest creating one. Why? Because you can accurately identify the reason for your character's guilt, regret, and sorrows from the past with an actual backstory.

The events of your character's past always influence their future actions.

For example, if they were a part of a severe car accident in the past, perhaps they only feel comfortable when they are the driver in the future because that means they can control the car.

Conclusion

This character is not especially different from any other character, besides the fact that they are neither obvious nor overly secretive of their genuine feelings.

With that being said, focus on embodying their eye expressions, be careful about which adverbs and adjectives you choose to use--I recommend choosing ones with more neutral connotations for a sense of melancholy, explain why your character keeps their sadness to themselves and why they keep fighting despite it, show mood fluctuations, drop physical hints, such as actions and/or specific personality traits, and make sure to connect their past to their present!

Happy writing~

3hks ^^

[lxvvie]

Simon who made himself your birthday present.

'Cause fuck it, nothing ventured, nothing gained, yeah?

It was actually a spur-of-the-moment thing, sweetheart. It was your birthday, he said happy birthday, you joked that you hadn't received your present yet, and Simon, smooth operator that he is not, responded with, "S'right here, luv."

Oh... shit.

Silence ensues. You blinked in surprise and Simon gave you an even stare. However, he was punching the fuck out of himself mentally because what the fook, Riley?! Didn't last long though because your surprise turned into interest and interest turned into... well...

...Simon naked, on your bed, and under you. Again. Bloody fuckin' hell, him and his mouth.

Not that he's complaining. Not really. Too busy fucking and sucking, and Christ, he's lost track of how much you used him, the things you did to him, the noises you pulled from him, and all the times he came; one thing's for certain, though, he won't forget you marking his thighs up (thank fuck for pants because his thighs are a fuckin' roadmap thanks to you) turning him into a Simon Sundae because you "wanted something sweet to eat", and just... goddamn, leaving him a sweaty, sticky, speechless, and well and truly fucked out mess.

Simon couldn't even smoke, he was so fucked out, but damn if it didn't feel good. Grumpy bastard would be riding this high for a bit. Not even Johnny and the rest of those fuckin' knobheads on base could bring him down. For long.

Simon finds himself the little spoon to your big spoon afterward; you're thanking him, running your hands over his sensitive body, kissing his temple, and praising him for holding on like the good soldier and slag that he is. Simon's fallen so fuckin' deep he's on his knees for you.

"We should do this more often."

A beat. Then he groans.

"Oh, fuck me..."

Simon felt your smirk against his skin. You didn't need to be told twice.

[twilightofthesandwiches]

There’s a lot of stuff in Deltarune, especially Ralsei’s arc, that is, I think, kind of an exploration/critique of common Video Game tropes about Player Character-NPCs friendships. Mainly the simplification of good/bad options in friendship progression and the concept of the blank-slate protagonist in the context of video game friendships.

I mean, that whole thing of having a Player Character being a stand-in for the Player and so building friendships in-game is much more focused on flashing out the NPCs and making them lovable to the Player. While explaining which traits in the Player Character the NPCs likes or what they would like to do together is given less focus and a lot more ambiguity. Because… well… that character needs to stand in for any person ever who plays the game and they need to feel like this character likes them whatever their individual traits may be. As well as how this whole thing interacts with choices. Like gamifying the idea of friendship into just picking the nicest and most pleasing and placating option until you ‘win’ the status of being friends with them.

Like, that’s also kind of a thing in Undertale (as certain elements in Deltarune are based on or built on the audience response to Undertale). I hardly think it’s a detriment to that game, to me it’s more of a thing of “a game can’t be Everything at Once. Part of Undertale’s greatness is that it knows what it wants to focus on”. But many fans have already poked fun at how, because the idea of Frisk not being a total Blank-Slate-Self-Insert is actually kind of a twist - most of the other characters’ friendships with Frisk involve these wonderfully-written fully-rounded adults trauma-dumping on this silent blank child and then going “Wow you’re such a great friend, I’m so happy you’re here to support me!”

Papyrus’ character was already kinda a Tounge-in-Cheek acknowledgement of the absurdity of the situation. A Guy who is both extremely self-absorbed and extremely wholesome to such an absurd degree that he basically cannot help himself but befriend you, no matter what you do (I mean, unless you kill him)

And I think a lot of Ralsei’s arc in Deltarune, in the ways he relate to Susie and Kris, is meant as a more serious exploration of these tropes.

Because Ralsei starts out with a very… video-gamey idea of how friendship works. He thinks that it’s just about being nice and making sure others are happy

And is shocked to realize how much he appreciates Susie, a person who… if she was the Player, she would absolutely not be choosing the nicest most placating choice each time. She can be a bit prickly and abrasive…. but it doesn’t actually diminish of his fondness of her.

Because, you know, that’s what actual real-life friendships are like.

And yet Ralsei is still surprised to learn that the same is true of him. That his friends also don’t demand just generic niceness, placating comments and gifts from him - they like his personality, not a blank slate. That’s the important part.

And, of course, that also connects with the whole thing of Choices That Don’t Matter and the disconnect between Player and Player Character. While Frisk being their own independent person that you had to leave to have a happy life with their friends is kind of a Twist in Undertale, we know Kris is their own person from pretty early on.

So first of all that creates more situations where despite our control Kris can let their unique personality shine through regardless. Kris’ friendships feel real because Kris is a person separate from the Player who therefore has their own personality that their friends like.

Plus, like with Susie, Kris isn’t necessarily the nicest and most accommodating person. They’re kind of an Edgelord WeirdEnby, so the interactions that show their personality and endears them to their friend often stands in contrast to the nicey accommodating tone of a Player trying to always choose the ‘Good’ option.

Sometimes the ‘right’ answer with Kris isn’t the nicest one, even when they’re with their friends. Because they like Kris, and that kinda comes pre-packaged with a little bit of emotionally-detached teasing.

And our choices don’t really matter, because outside of the Total Terror that is the Weird Route, the Player can’t really choose in a way that changes Kris’ relationships. They will rebel against words that are too cruel or too saccharine for them.

And the actions they take on their own will always be the most important to the development of their friendships.

It’s kind of the most heartwarming twist Deltarune has on the idea of ‘Your Choices Don’t Matter’. Your choices don’t matter because when it comes to friendship, Kris’ personality will always triumph over your choices.

And of course, the general conceit of Deltarune makes the idea of an NPC liking the Player over the personality of the Player Character to be an especially chilling conceit. It makes people inherently more open to the idea because the alternative feels like such a grim concept in-universe. This is one case I am very thankful my choices don't matter and I would like it to continue that way!