#well. Morally Questionable. would be the simplest way to put it

[rivalkieran]

i would love to read all your lacktwo thoughts :)

anon you have no idea what kind of pandoras box youre opening when you say ALL of them. ��� but since you ASKED,

lacktwo is such. an interesting character to me. not because he’s particularly well written (infact I believe the opposite) (COUGH who said that) but because he’s surrounded by so many Implications that bw2… does not get into. at all. like all of the reveals and info drops about lacktwo feel like they were only put there in order to get a shocked reaction from the reader and then they like.. expect us to just Move On from that bombshell. I guess.

like its crazy how lacktwos backstory is shown to us by like. lacktwo traumadumping it onto whitwo. and I wouldnt Mind backstories being shown this way IF LACKTWOS BACKSTORY WASNT FUCKING BATSHIT INSANE? like in his retelling lacktwo says that 1. he was orphaned as an infant (implying his parents died) 2. he was protected by interpol In A Crime Scene (which. was probably the one his parents died in why would he be there otherwise) 3. he was taken in by interpol (as an infant) and trained under them (AS AN INFANT?) and continues to work for them to this day 4. interpol’s main method of teaching him how emotions work was a manual. on emotions? A MANUAL? and 5. his entire moral code was molded by someone in interpol. that moral code happening to exactly align with interpol’s mission. peculiar..

and then after he drops 5 consecutive bombs it is Never. brought up again. Not once! WHAT? WHY? you cant just SAY this guy is BASICALLY a child soldier who interpol has honed into a perfect asset for their own purposes and NOT FUCKING TALK ABOUT IT???

oh and dont get me Started on the implications of magician’s direct involvement with interpol. during the beginning of the arc magician is established as a contact that lacktwo has outside of interpol, who works with him in exchange for lacktwo giving him a backdoor into interpols database or whatever. sure! that seems reasonable enough… but then at the very end of the arc. magician is revealed not only to be directly working with interpol but IS A MEMBER OF INTERPOL? atleast thats what the codename heavily implies! now. why does magician need a backdoor from lacktwo IF HE WOULD ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO IT and WHY IS HE LYING TO LACKTWO (and looker) ABOUT NOT BEING AFFILIATED WITH INTERPOL. FOR WHAT REASON? even the ONE contact lacktwo seems to have that isnt under interpol IS ACTUALLY UNDER INTERPOL. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WH

and magicians meeting with the head of interpol does not make them look ANY less suspicious. why would Any morally upstanding organization feel the need to experiment (and they say EXPERIMENT) on one of their assets by Fake Firing them to see if they would continue on with their assigned mission despite no longer being affiliated anymore. For What Reason.

and then guess what! since that revealed at the end of the arc WE DONT GET INTO THAT. and guess what!!! WE HAVE NEVER SEEN THEM AGAIN. well we see lacktwo (as colress) very very briefly in alola but we are just left Completely hanging on that plot thread . what are they planning with him?? GET HIM OUT OF THERE

[racefortheironthrone]

Hi- er, this is my first-ever writer's strike, how does one not cross a picket line in this context? I know how not to do it with things like Amazon and IRL strikes, but how does it apply to media/streaming?

Hi, this is a great question, because it allows me to write about the difference between honoring a picket line and a boycott. (This is reminding me of the labor history podcast project that's lain fallow in my drafts folder for some time now...) In its simplest formulation, the difference between a picket line and a boycott is that a picket line targets an employer at the point of production (which involves us as workers), whereas a boycott targets an employer at the point of consumption (which involves us as consumers).

So in the case of the WGA strike, this means that at any company that is being struck by the WGA - I've seen Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Warner Brothers Discovery, NBC, Paramount, and Sony mentioned, but there may be more (check the WGA website and social media for a comprehensive list) - you do not cross a picket line, whether physical or virtual. This means you do not take a meeting with them, even if its a pre-existing project, you do not take phone calls or texts or emails or Slacks from their executives, you do not pitch them on a spec script you've written, and most of all you do not answer any job application.

Because if this strike is like any strike since the dawn of time, you will see the employers put out ads for short-term contracts that will be very lucrative, generally above union scale - because what they're paying for in addition to your labor is you breaking the picket line and damaging the strike - to anyone willing to scab against their fellow workers. GIven that one of the main issues of the WGA are the proliferation of short-term "mini rooms" whereby employers are hiring teams of writers to work overtime for a very short period, to the point where they can only really do the basics (a series outline, some "broken stories," and some scripts) and then have the showrunner redo everything on their lonesome, while not paying writers long-term pay and benefits, I would imagine we're going to see a lot of scab contracts being offered for these mini rooms.

But for most of us, unless we're actively working as writers in Hollywood, most of that isn't going to be particularly relevant to our day-to-day working lives. If you're not a professional or aspiring Hollywood writer, the important thing to remember honoring the picket line doesn't mean the same thing as a boycott. WGA West hasn't called on anyone to stop going to the movies or watching tv/streaming or to cancel their streaming subscriptions or anything like that. If and when that happens, WGA will go to some lengths to publicize that ask - and you should absolutely honor it if you can - so there will be little in the way of ambiguity as to what's going on.

That being said, one of the things that has happened in the past in other strikes is that well-intentioned people get it into their heads to essentially declare wildcat (i.e, unofficial and unsanctioned) boycotts. This kind of stuff comes from a good place, someone wanting to do more to support the cause and wanting to avoid morally contaminating themselves by associating with a struck company, but it can have negative effects on the workers and their unions. Wildcat boycotts can harm workers by reducing back-end pay and benefits they get from shows if that stuff is tied to the show's performance, and wildcat boycotts can hurt unions by damaging negotiations with employers that may or may not be going on.

The important thing to remember with all of this is that the strike is about them, not us. Part of being a good ally is remembering to let the workers' voices be heard first and prioritizing being a good listener and following their lead, rather than prioritizing our feelings.

[literaila]

Would Gojo have any type of preference regarding a person's appearance? What personality type would he be most attracted to? What's going on in that man's head? I just want to know 🥺

well… okay. i mean, obviously satoru is aware that there’s not many people who can compare to the most beautiful (him) so he doesn’t value looks too heavily, i think (again unless it’s him we’re talking about but he’s the most beautiful person in existence so…)

satoru likes people who make him feel good, you know? the people he can gain from.

the people on the street who stop and stare at him for a moment—they think he’s attractive and he knows (likes) it. the sorcerers who practically kneel at his feet? they feed his ego and he likes them. utahime who falls victim to his antics? he likes her, but only because she makes him laugh. and suguru who makes him feel understood? well, he likes that.

all of the people that satoru is drawn to have some sort of appeal to them. and they might be beautiful, but they’ll never be as beautiful as he is, so who cares?

it’s not necessarily looks that drew him to you, of course.

obviously, when he and megumi are sitting on the couch one day, flipping through old photos and polaroids from what seems to be decades ago now, and you’re off in another room, looking through boxes for the pictures that are missing, satoru is admiring you.

maybe he was stupid enough not to notice it when he was seventeen, but he’s grown.

and when looking at the fresh faced, innocent-eyed precious little person you used to be? god.

hes looking at himself right beside you, wondering how he could’ve been so oblivious to his own preferences. to the strange way his eyes always tilted towards you, the cautious sort of observance he displayed for only one person.

and when megumi whispers “mom is so pretty.” satoru can’t help but nod his head in agreement.

he makes a little nose in the back of his throat, somehow even more entranced with you than he was at seventeen and responds “the prettiest.”

but that’s not what he first noticed, or even what he first cared about.

when satoru met you, you were belligerent. you wanted nothing to do with him or his six eyes, even when he only greeted you with the highest respect and upmost amusement.

(he put out his hand for you to shake and laughed when you couldn’t do it. but really, how is a mere boy not supposed to laugh when someone is gawking at him?)

you spent months actively avoiding him—everyone, more like—getting close to only nanami and haibara in the simplest of terms.

but when satoru began to look for you—really look, beyond all of the amused observation and side comments he enjoyed making—things changed.

he found that you were… stubborn. cruel, for someone so young, so fortunate to be as powerful as you were.

he watched as you began to emerge from whatever depths you’d fallen into, becoming fast friends with the two people in your year, and bonding with both shoko and suguru so quickly that satoru was practically bewildered.

(and maybe a little bit jealous)

suguru was his best friend, but he wanted more attention. he wanted your eyes and your laughter—the same kind that everyone else got from you.

so satoru pushed himself closer, forced himself upon you and… there was a lot to gain.

maybe it was the simplest of things—the way you listened. you teased him like everyone, groaned when you saw him making his way toward you—but you listened when he spoke. your eyes were attentive, and not just because of his looks.

or maybe it was the understanding that came with time. the person who he had once merely glanced over who was now communicating with him in glances, nudging him when he was distracted, nodding along with his rants about suguru’s high morality, or yaga’s complaints.

satoru couldn’t help but be impressed, or grateful with the way you got him. the things that other people questioned but you never did.

or maybe it was just the way you made him feel.

the light, airy feeling that clan heads don’t get—especially when they’re born being just that. the easygoing, enamored, wanderlust feeling that satoru had never imagined for himself.

the feeling that you saw him for something more than his god-given looks, more than his unbelievable strength.

that subtle conviction that made him feel like he could choose, perhaps, instead of just being chosen.

there’s much to gain from love, satoru realizes, only years later when he’s stopped pushing himself away from it.

there’s much to be gained from being loved.

…and if, maybe, he realizes that you’re probably the most beautiful person in existence and not him?

well, everything has its consequences.

[schrodingers-water-wet]

I think Dream can be more morally complex. If that's too far he can at least be flawed.

So I already touched on this in my Dreamtale revamp post but I think Dream particularly had a ton of different directions he could have gone in. Particularly he could have been morally dubious or just flawed in a handful of ways.

Morally dubious: So Dream is probably used to being the center of attention from Dreamtale. He's turned a blind eye to his brothers suffering for his own convince or is so oblivious to the suffering of others he doesn't notice for a long, long time. He directly benefits from helping people as it gives him one more persons positive emotions to tap into. If you change his motivation even slightly towards the right he's sorta... Scary? I mean someone who can blind with you with positivity, that can make you inheritly trust them because you are ALWAYS happy around them. If he only helped for the attention and power it brought him. If you found out you trusted someone with every problem you had and told them every weakness only to discover they never cared. If he was to only help others for his own gain without even understanding their suffering (or ignoring it) he'd actually be a more psychological antagonist than most in the UTMV.

There are a few ways to make him flawed without going to that full extent though.

Peacekeeper to the extreme (closest to cannon): Dream never intervenes until it's too late and he's too naive for anyone's good. He believes every single lie he's told. He's easy to distract and trick.

Too convinced of his own moral placement: this one requires more morally complex implications to his actions but Dream being so sure he's in the right. Hurting someone and insisting he's the good guy because that's all he's ever been. Hearing someone question his actions and getting mad at them because he's GOOD. Good people can't do bad things.

Dreams morally superior but also everyone else is stuck in their place: this one's hardly based off of cannon. Still consider, Dream is the same as the idea above but he also thinks others are unredeemable. Hes good and Nightmares evil because he hurts people. Dust is evil, Killers evil, Errors evil. Motivation doesn't matter, you are evil or you are good and depending on which you are every one of your actions is that. So everything Dream does is good, and everything an evil person does is evil. This idea would have him growing into being more forgiving like he is in cannon and having character development into being actually good (mostly. He'd come to realize nothing's black and white not even him)

Just make him pushy: this one's the simplest. Make Dream act like everyone has to help everyone. Not in a save their life way but in a constantly supporting others whether you want to or not. Helping others before helping yourself because that's the only way to be a good person.

Don't do any of that just have him destroy himself: Dream doesn't have to be morally flawed to be flawed. Dream clearly had issues they just are rarely shown to eat at him or affect him in any meaningful way. So have him ignore him. Putting himself and his own well being onto the back burner until he snaps. Have him so focused on fixing everyone around him he never takes any time to help himself. For this one to work though there has to be a real outward show of it at some point. It has to start harming him and or the people he cares about in a meaningful way or it's hardly a flaw.

This post does not reflect Dreamtale cannon, it is advice for fanfic writers/fan comic creator. Dream belongs to Joku.

[hiriajuu-suffering]

Loathing

I was really hoping this moment in time, this particular crossroads, would be a flashpoint I could decompress myself. Instead, the point in time just became emblematic of all the abject failures current to my life right now.

I got somewhat halfway through grad school before my mind couldn't bear the lack of novelty anymore. Now, I'm struggling to finish any classwork that's put in front of me because what intellectual growth was coming of it? I feel like everything I do lately is an expression of word vomit, shouting into the void for no one to ever pick up the tiniest sound, let alone listen. The biggest thing that was supposed to keep me going through a post-baccalaureate was the establishment of a sense of meaning, but moments of the world crumbling around me are still holding more weight than a greater path I can carve for myself. It's tough to believe I was ready for this: not because I wasn't mature enough, but my sense of conviction couldn't be manifested into something less aimless because my life experiences uniquely dulled it. To where not even medication checks my neurodivergences in a way allowing me to garner the will I need to push forward. I'm probably the only one left who knows I'm capable of it, but the whole point has been to show it and I've just been...unable.

Nearly everything I've been doing socially is seeing an opportunity that results in a blank. The last one was certainly a manifestation of all those elements: a misandrist, a shallow mind, a flake, but somehow I'm not compelling enough to get the simplest and most casual situations formed because I'm not the main draw. I'm uniquely non-beneficial from the outside looking in because why the fuck would I ever be wanted independently? Why do I only draw in people that are significantly and immensely less mature to the point of literally not being functional, let alone respectful, human beings? I don't crave simplicity in the sense of comfort: I crave simplicity in just people being reliable and faithful to their own words. I'm into both of you means ghost after literally only two days. Youth is wasted on the young, and when you only match with the young, all you do as elder undesirable is get gaslit. Equity shouldn't be means to disrupt happiness, so questioning engendered standards is always validated by experience, somehow. Only way to prove me wrong is functional affirmations of my subjective position to where I'm afforded some level of opportunity, but that doesn't happen. I have to capitalize on every little instance so hard I've had the same primary for 8 years with no progress for half that time at minimum. Why? Because I'm not worth being valued. Normative masculinity ought to be discarded by the 4th wave framework, so all we see is the ruination of social structure and a bunch of incels rising to create conflict out of the tension which manifests for no other reason than the ego of the standard itself. As it stands, the preference is to advance intersectional standards at the expense of men and necessarily amplifying sexual racism, not neutralizing it because we somehow forgot this century normative attraction is a function of gender relations because of course men don't matter when it comes to that argument.

The one thing I correct the speaker on is I didn't CHOOSE to be a cisgendered male if we buy the LGBTQ+ framework of sexuality not being a choice. I've felt moral guilt over not being pansexual or demisexual because I was fundamentally born with preferences less open than the most moral choice. It wasn't my choice to be the exact gender, race, and religion the movement hates most with all its being (though it likes to tout intersectionality as a core framing). Am I claiming any of my rights are being harmed? Absolutely not. But one can have the right to do something and will have such a small rate of potency on the action, the right might as well not exist: the same logic we operate under when we talk about institutional racism and systemic discrimination.

I've tried my damnedest to meet the impossible standard as a South Asian American Muslim cisgendered male the 4th wave wants me to be, but if you look at those intersections, and this something I learned nearly a decade ago in undergrad, postmodern feminism at this moment in time would prefer I don't exist at all. My existence is too inconvenient to their narrative: a socially conscious person with these intersections should NEVER have a voice. That's why my self-reflections in oratory were considered only ever manifestations of the ego. That's why educating got conflated with grooming when an internally racist white woman was onlooking any scenario I was in prior to turning twenty. That's why I was the only person on my college team who couldn't voice a legitimate perspective on feminism, the only straight, non-Christian background, darker-skinned man on the squad. The one person through all that time who strongly linked herself to the 4th wave accepted me for who I was, and while she couldn't always grasp the way approached these issues, she at least had support of my humanity, which is why I say she was the best coach I ever had: she's the only one of the dozen or so that ever did. That's also a significant contributing factor of why I was ousted from my first teaching position, if not less so but still present from my second teaching position. The 4th wave has uniquely harmed my life, not because my natural disposition was to ever take away opportunity from women, but because my opportunity had to come at the expense to advance its agenda.

We haven't made much, if any, headway on the gender pay gap on this current model, and women continue to be increasingly more educated than men. As a man, I don't feel the moral privilege to speak because men have been speaking for too long. The less attractive, the less socially/culturally/racially desirable, the less I'm afforded the ability for my humanity to be recognized and the more feminism pedastalizes whiteness from its perspective on masculinity. Hence, when I attempt to finish a degree where I have to critically think about author theses and narrative, I feel guilt for expressing my opinion at all: especially when Americanization forces me to think, as a Muslim, I have no right to offer perspective on Jewish generational trauma even though my family survived through an ethnic cleansing; as a man, I have no right to offer perspective on how disequitable standards in gender affects my ability self-actualize despite I've been doing work for years on my hoped-to-be-spouse on solving her internalized misogyny; as person of South Asian descent, I have no right to offer perspective on how normative beauty standards make us the least attractive humans in existence and how that creates anger and resentment among our kind, we're just expected to man up about it or we're incels; and, perhaps most disheartening, as a person with some privilege, I have no right to empathize on struggles with those of less affluence, as if familial wealth always translates to receiving any of said benefit, let alone makes for an environment removed from its own challenges when so much is just a given that I got none of but it's impossible to know that much at a passing glance.

I loathe this moment in time. Not because the world is uniquely worse than it has been recently, but because my social conditions do everything in their power to see that I fail because my advancement isn't seen as a good. And I'm only human, I get weary, too. But my kind are expected to be capitalistic work hogs instead of a vantage of poignant intellectual vocation, one that shifts the status quo in any way. A person takes one look at me and hopes I don't change the world because at no point in history did normative whiteness ever want my identity to make real differences in humanity. Even if it is positive.

[genzandulifecoach]

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The importance of putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation

With so much change and uncertainty in this world around us, it is normal to look for comfort in our daily routines and activities. If you prefer to stay in your comfort zone and stick to the same schedule daily, this post is for you.

Putting yourself out into the world in an uncomfortable or new situation means you must first embrace vulnerability and accept that you are setting out to do something outside of what you are used to. This takes immense courage, but in doing so, you are setting yourself up for success and creating space for new opportunities to surface that you were otherwise closed to. 

As a teenager especially, you are at a stage in your life where you are trying to understand your values, beliefs, and morals. Having been brought up with the ideals of your parents, family, and community, it is easy to get lost in trying to decide where you stand. Only by branching out and actively putting yourself in different environments and situations will you learn what you do and do not agree with. 

Being comfortable means living in a bubble; we cannot grow if we allow ourselves to spend all our time in that bubble. With that in mind, remember that you are only hurting yourself the next time you decide to skip out on trying something new and that you never know what valuable

skills, knowledge, and experiences you could gain from permitting yourself to embrace discomfort for a bit.

How to create a routine and its importance of it

In today’s world, it is incredibly easy to be swept up into a cycle of wanting to do more every day but not having enough time. We often dedicate too much time to unnecessary tasks and then lose time for important things such as meal times with family or sleep. Establishing a daily routine is incredibly important to arrange daily activities in a more time-efficient way as well as help achieve your goals, big or small. 

A routine does not have to be complicated but it does require some discipline and consistency to follow it. The first thing you should consider is what are your priorities and how can you incorporate them into your daily routine. Examples could be wanting to work out more, having more time to write, or even creating a healthier sleep schedule. After listing what you would like to include you must create a plan that is easy enough to stay motivated to follow but is also strict enough that you can follow it. Lastly, it’s important to remember to have fun with the activities you include in your daily routine and reward yourself.

It can be very challenging to do the simplest of tasks, especially in the morning, however, creating a system will improve your overall well-being and ability to pace yourself during busy times. I always suggest beginning your day by simply making your bed first thing in the morning because then you can start your day with an accomplishment

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[idatenjumpfanatic]

i think by the examples you've given, you're putting Sho more on the Neutral Good (NG) alignment rather than chaotic.

In the simplest terms, lawful-chaotic are the two extremes of this part of the alignment in the same way good-evil are, while neutral is the little bit of both. Lawful characters are strict with the rules/codes set in place whilst chaotic ones wouldn't give two damns about it.

Neutrals, on the other hand, recognize the rules/code, but will break any of them should it be necessary for their ideals. The only exception is the Lawful Neutral (LN) because their driving force is the rules they're told to follow, regardless of consequence. "that's law, it doesn't matter if it's unjust" is the thinking of a LN, not a LG.

LG, although they do their best to follow the rules, recognize if they are unjust but will deal with said injustice through the system set in place, and is willing to work with authorities to make the changes. For a NG, they'll decide to not follow that specific rule anymore. If it were up to a CG character, they'll raise hell and disrupt the system entirely. Robin Hood doesn't follow the laws; he follows his own moral compass. He steals, lies, and scams the rich so he could give the money to the poor.

LG characters work for the people, while LN characters work for the system.

Like I said before, Sho is not willing to play dirty just to deliver justice, so he doesn't qualify to be CG. Everything he does he does them in respect to the code that benefits the good. For discussion's sake, I'll use the prison break as the example.

Sho recognizes that there's a reason to as why they were arrested, but also considers the fact that they're wrongfully accused. Still, instead of causing a scene, he lets the detainment happen.

(bless u again YayaKoishii for subbing the show)

He doesn't defy the police force immediately, because he recognizes their authority hence answered the questions in full honesty when he was asked. If he were CG, he'd be fighting/arguing tooth and nail against the unwarranted arrest of himself and his friends (what Makoto was doing). If he were NG, he'd be playing along with the interrogation, but the same goal stands which is to prove their innocence.

However, once he recognized that the police captain (LN: he's willing to push through with the arrest and imprisonment regardless of Sho and the others are kids) would not be willing to sit around and listen, then he starts to defy. However, it wasn't him that instigated the prison break: Kyoichi (NG: he tried the bureaucratic method set in place first, but once he found out that the police wouldn't listen then he opted for the illegal solution) and Big Boss (I'll put him under True Neutral: he puts his people, and the ones he respect, first even if it branded him as an outlaw) did. Because of these two's actions, Sho realizes that there's a better good people out there than the police captain, and hence he starts following them and their authority instead. Now, in his eyes, the police force are the antagonists because their methods were not in place for the greater good based on his experience. Because of that he won't be willing to work with them hence continuously running away from them.

However, this changes because of this scene:

Now the police captain is willing to hear them out and prove their innocence, the very thing Sho and his friends want them to do in the first place. Since the police establishes this, Sho now becomes willing to cooperate with them and provides proof without hesitation. If he were CG, he'd be questioning first how sure was it that they were really absolved of unfair consequences if he did.

Sho's willingness to give second chances is the key thing that convinced me to put Sho in LG amongst the other good alignments. You mentioned the bandits so I'll defend that stance in passing as well.

Sho didn't see the bandits as good people immediately, since they sabotaged him and the trailer. However, once he saw that Terry was still willing to uphold his end of the deal Sho sees that they are good people, and since their Idaten Battle was what made them be like that versus how they initially met, in his eyes that was what the punishment delivered.

Saying that I think that also brings up another difference between LG and LN: the opportunity for change. LG characters will never give up on their villains when they see that there's room for rehabilitation (ex. Batman in the comics and earlier cartoon series) for them, whilst for LN the existing punishment equated to the transgression would suffice.

To compare, another commonly branded LG character is Aang from Avatar: the Last Airbender. He's very strict with his no-killing rule and the culture he was raised in, the same way that Sho takes his father's teachings to heart, and is vocal about it as well. This level of resolution would've put them as LN or LE if not for the fact that these ideals are meant for the greater good (saving lives for Aang whilst seeing the silver lining in every MTB rider for Sho).

even after experiencing Shin the Shadow scamming him in this same episode, Sho still believes he'd change because this is what his father taught him.

I'd give more examples, but I'd be at this forever lol. You still bring good points though! Paladins as a DnD class will not hesitate to slay people in the name of justice, and that is an extremity Sho won't do, but at the core the reason they fight, and how they fight, stays the same.

Idaten Jump x DnD Moral Alignment Chart

Surprisingly this was more fun to make than I anticipated.

If you want to read through all my lines of reasoning, feel free to read under the cut. Feel free to add more to the discussion!

Also, I used this article to pinpoint each character in their alignment, but I'll pick a few lines that best describes the alignment under the cut.

Lawful Good "They seek to eliminate evil, and are willing to forego their own comfort or safety to protect others."

Sho Yamato - Sho is the textbook definition of a superhero in terms of morale. He refuses to sit idly and is very much willing to go out his way to bring justice to every wrong he comes across. That's his very character.

Miss Yuki - Yuki, much like Sho, goes out of her way to help out. Even before she found out about Sho as the owner of an Idaten Bike, she was quick to assist them to make sure he doesn't caught in a bad place. This behavior is recurring, and her compassion extends to even to the likes of Gabu despite what the kid did.

Ayumu Yamato - Much like his brother, Ayumu is very willing to help out deal with situations. He's empathic, and is willing to take the extra mile to help or thank people (ex. meeting Kiku). He doesn't like to stand to the side, but is still an obedient kid considering how much he respects Sho and the "no riding" rule early into the Team X arc.

Neutral Good "Those under this alignment are willing to recognize unjust laws, and are open to bending the rules if it helps more people."

Kyoichi Shido - I initially put him under true neutral considering his behavior earlier on, but for the entire show it seemed more fitting that he'd be put in neutral good. He's a lot less willing to go out his way compared to Sho, but will step up and help someone out if need be. That doesn't mean he's all goody-two-shoes though, as he will go against the rules if it meant for the better good (ex. rescuing Takuma from the volcano eruption despite Idaten Battle rules stating no riders should interfere with a race). A more prominent example though is that he's more than willing to omit information and even say hurtful things to Sho and co. if it meant helping the team improve.

Kakeru Sakamaki - Kakeru wasn't given enough screen time by the show compared to Sho and Makoto, but given how he responds to situations he has a very strong sense of right and wrong. He's quick to call out Shark Tooth in episode 1 how the race's winning conditions were unfair and is even willing to compromise for the training grounds, but he doesn't have enough driving force to push through what he says.

Chaotic Good "They don't care much for rules or regulations, but a strong sense of right and wrong remains rooted in the hearts of Chaotic Good characters."

Makoto Shido - Girlypop is very willing to throw hands against every antagonist in the show. - But for real though, Makoto, much like Sho, is very willing to step up and deal against injustice, but unlike her friend who'd do it through races, Makoto is very much willing to forego those formalities to get the point across (throwing a metal basin against one of the rouge gang members in ep. 10, consequences be damned, and she even has a wrench ready for round 2). She's also very vocal about injustices towards her as a female, and although her fighting against is has a notion beyond herself. She's belittled constantly because of her gender (and Japan IRL is very patriarchal), but yet she proves time and time again that she's just as capable as the rest of them, and by extension proving that girls are equal to their male peers.

Lawful Neutral "Lawful Neutrals believe in organization. Many are devoted to law and order, believing that their nation or faction would collapse without it."

Arthur - Predictably as a knight, Arthur has a very rigid moral code. Although he could've fallen more in Chaotic Good during his disguised era, with his fake reckless/clumsy acts causing mayhem, my defense is that his people, his royalty were the ruling organization before Shark Tooth, hence he's only doing what he can to restore that rulership while he's by himself. The reason why he falls under neutral instead of good is because he's more rigid with his morales, hardly considering Gabu an ally while battling against Team X, unlike Yuki who has the patience to console Gabu despite it all. Another reason why I consider him more neutral is because of his response to Imperial Knights and possessed Kyoichi: he may mourn that they were possessed by the Dark Emblems, but he doesn't let that hinder him from accomplishing the responsibilities assigned to him.

True Neutral "...are often characterized as survivors, doing whatever they have to do in order to keep themselves or their loved ones alive and thriving."

Koei & Kiku - It makes sense that these siblings are more likely to look after each other first before anything, considering that they're financially struggling. Koei was a pickpocketer prior to being hired by Gabu, and even then he chose to work under Shark Tooth as a means to fund his sister's medical needs rather than going for an honest job. - Kiku could've been put in the Chaotic Neutral aspect, since she desperately yearns for her own freedom and disobeyed Koei and the hospital staff for it, but considering how quickly she was to try and protect Ayumu after she befriended him this alignment seemed to suit her better. She's quick to defend her loved ones on their behalf, going out of her way to defend Koei's honor not only to strangers but to Sho as well. However, maybe it's because she's physically ill but we've never seen her go out of her way to help out people she didn't know, so she fails to be in the Good alignments because of that.

Chaotic Neutral "...chaotic neutral characters value their freedom above all else." "Chaotic Neutrals are individualists first and last." (note: the initial candidates for this category was Yoko and Rika because it's so hard to find recurring characters under this alignment, but after watching through some eps I found the best candidate for it)

Hosuke - Since most of Hosuke's screen time is dedicated to his character as an amnesiac owl, this is how I based him. In a literal sense, episode 2 his introductory lines is literally begging for the group to free him, but overall as a character Hosuke tends to put his wants first, even so much as to throw the kids under the bus when he felt neglected in favor of women flaunting over him in episode 7 (side note: a character trait of his that I absolutely despised, and im thankful they toned it down much much later on in the show) and demanding more food from the Four Kings in episode 38 without regards of whether they had more or not. He his selfish yes, but what keeps him from being categorized under the evil alignments is that he wouldn't go out to cause unnecessary harm, and is willing to accept the consequences of his transgressions (sometimes). If something is not going his way, he will very much be vocal about it.

Lawful Evil "...are capable of vicious cruelty and plenty of illegal deeds — but they follow a strict internal code, and thus often believe they are doing what is right or honorable." - Putting it out now, "lawful" doesn't mean the laws of the land or ethics as a whole, but rather a character's capability of adhering to a set of rules. Tyrants, fanatics, and extremists are best examples of this alignment, but the reason why Gabu isn't on here will be explained later on

Taiga Samejima - Despite the examples given, I consider Taiga to be in this alignment is because of the definition of following a strict internal code. Yes, he's willing to put heinous henchmen out there to hinder the protagonists, or for the benefit of Shark Tooth, but still he believes in playing fair during Idaten Battles. Outside that though is a far different topic (in episode 11 he had no qualms about Captain Jackal deserting Sho and co. in an abandoned island, but scolded him and the crew for violating the rules of Idaten Battle). He followed and assisted Gabu without complaints, only trying to step in and interfere when he realized that his brother was going too far. Yes, he's capable of harm, and yes he will do it if need be, but only if it doesn't go against his own code.

Neutral Evil "They have goals to accomplish, and they're certainly not going to stand in their own way."

Gabu Samejima - It's like this alignment was meant for him. Gabu will do whatever it takes to become the strongest out there and hold the power for himself. What makes him different from Lawful Evil is that he doesn't care; if you're in his way, he will take you out. He has an eye for theatrics through intimidation, and gains satisfaction from it. He's self-serving and willing to blackmail and manipulate people to get what he wants, but he's meticulous about it as well. He's impulsive, sure, but he won't go out of his way to cause unnecessary collateral (and yes, during the Team X arc sabotaging plans and wanting to abandon the group multiple times was necessary collateral for him; he knew he couldn't get Imperial X by himself, despite what he says). He hardly holds remorse for his actions, since he could really care less about what the others think of him.

The Four Kings - As Gabu's loyal henchmen, they'll do whatever they needed in order to give Gabu the upper hand—moral code be damned (hence why they fall in this category and not in Lawful Evil). Although there are times they question Gabu, in the end they'll still bend their backs for him.

Chaotic Evil "These characters often take pride in causing suffering, and pursue destruction for its own sake."

Takeshi Yamato (possessed) - Takeshi himself is not an evil man, but under the possession of the dark energy he aims for nothing else but mass destruction. He's willing to not take down but to obliterate anyone for this cause, without any regards for anyone or anything (he let Sho fall hundreds of feet off the air for the sake of winning). Chaotic Evils are the most dangerous and destructive out of all the alignments, so it also stood to reason that the biggest threat of the show falls here.

[verycharismaticdragon]

Hello! I wonder what's your thoughts about Zhou Zishu planning a r*pe incident in Qi Ye? Was his action really necessary for their goal or not? Are you in his side and understand well why he did that or find it very disturbing? I would like to hear your thoughts about it if you don't mind. :D

So you’re asking a few quite different questions here, and I’ll get to the actual textual analysis in a bit, but, forgive me my presumption, I kind of get the feeling that the main thing you want to know is more along the lines of: how does one reconcile knowing Zhou Zishu did that with... well, liking the character. And this is, I think, ultimately the question one can only answer for themself, even if that answer is that they can’t like a character like this at all. But at the same time, what I can tell you is that to enjoy a fictional character, you absolutely do not have to support everything they do and be on their side in everything.

To explain this further, if I were to judge Zhou Zishu based on my real-world moral standards, him creating and running Tian Chuang – an above-the-law assassination and spywork organization serving the government – would be enough to find him reprehensible. More than that, I’d say it is a crime much worse than any harm he’s done to individual people. However, for a fictional character, I think that “imperial assassin/spy” is just as valid a concept as any, and worth exploring. An even simpler example, liking a character who murders people does not mean you think real life murder is okay. Those things are not at all contradictory! More than that, I believe that being able to separate these two angles – moral judgement of character’s actions, and treating them as elements of a work of fiction – is key to having the best reading experience.

(cont. under cut)

In that way, to return to your question somewhat, understanding why Zhou Zishu did what he did is not mutually exclusive with finding it disturbing and morally wrong; those are two entirely different methods of evaluation. I do consider what he did horrifying, absolutely; had to go take a walk and cleanse my head after reading that part. Whether that’s a proof my moral compass is still kicking, or simply indicative of authorial intent (after all, if you are uncomfortable with something in fiction, there’s 80% chance that is the intended effect), or both, having that reaction also does not preclude me from generally enjoying Zhou Zishu as a character. Liking a fictional character is not the same as liking a real person; it’s about value one derives from their story, whatever it may be, not whether or not one approves of them.

Well, I hope this takes care of those of your questions that have to do with moral evaluation of his actions. To summarise, yes I do think it was morally wrong, but I also think that has roughly nothing to do with analysing or enjoying a piece of fiction.

Now, to the actual meta about this plotline.

To start with, one of the ideas central to Qi Ye is that, in simplest terms, politics are terrible. Participation in political games destroys any possibility of sincerity and trust between people, and brings out the capability for atrocities even in those who, left to their own devices, are not inclined towards cruelty. Those in positions of power can’t obtain any meaningful, long-term happiness; the path to a good life lies instead in putting as much distance between one’s self and the capital/throne as possible. In this, Qi Ye subverts core values of the court drama genre (same as Tian Ya Ke does wuxia’s). This novel refuses to be enamoured with political maneuvering, and instead focuses on the ‘underside’ of those plots – the ugliness, the victims, the toll.

And Zhang Tingyu’s plotline is one of the core elements in establishing this. The way the text refuses to gloss over his fate, spends time to make sure we are aware of the victim’s pain, and pain of those close to him as well; the way it highlights several times that he is innocent, that he committed no crimes of his own; the way it is used to show the worst effect of Zhou Zishu’s ‘ends justify the means’ attitude; the way it is Second Prince’s political status that enables him to treat Zhang Tingyu and all of his other victims that way…

Actually, I want to go into more detail on the last two points.

First, it is not just Zhou Zishu’s lack of morals we are made aware of here, but that of the Crown Prince’s party: Zhou Zishu does the deed, but Jing Beiyuan doesn’t stop him, Helian Yi has no qualms reaping benefits, and Lu Shen is willing to step back on seeking justice when it doesn’t suit their political goals anymore. This plotline effectively and brutally destroys the notion of our protagonists being ‘the good guys’: they are just as capable of heinous crimes as their opponents, just as scheming and just as callous. Which I find to be rather bold and candid, comparatively, because a number of political dramas I’ve encountered either make the protagonists ~the only good ones~, or say the protagonists are ruthless but shy away from actually showing it, or, worst case, romanticize the political play while sweeping the uncomfortable consequences under the rug. But Qi Ye refuses to be a fun&sexy kind of court drama; it wants you to be horrified by this, by how far people can go when power is at stake.

Second, aside from thematic and character work this plotline does, it also works as worldbuilding. While the novel does not explicitly question separation by social class, class dynamics actually underpin a large number of events and interactions in it, and this plotline is no exception. You asked whether Zhou Zishu’s actions were necessary for their goals, and this will, in a roundabout way, answer that question.

So, the intuitive answer is that it wasn’t necessary, as their scheme largely failed – their goal was to have the Second Prince lose imperial favor, and they did not succeed in that, and ended up sacrificing even more innocent people to finally get rid of the guy… but this fails to take into account why their scheme failed.

Because there was no way for them to succeed.

Or, more exactly, because the Second Prince’s status as the son of the Emperor allows him to tread upon everyone ‘below’.

To start with, before Zhou Zishu ever does anything, Second Prince already has a whole residence for the purpose of keeping the teenagers he’s fucking, whom he grоoms and аbuses as he pleases. This is not even a blip on anyone’s radar, nothing to bring up, because those children are of common birth. At most, someone could criticise the Second Prince’s dissolute character – but those children’s well-being wouldn’t be a topic worth pondering to anyone at court.

Zhang Tingyu, on the other hand, is a son of a high-ranking official. Him, and only him, suffering at the Second Prince’s hands kicks up a storm. Unlike the other boys, his status is as close as can be to those court officials themselves, and they finally react – if the Zhang family isn’t safe from the Second Prince’s misconduct, then none of them and theirs are either. This is what produces a commotion, not the fact that Second Prince r*ped someone.

And that is still not enough, because the perpetrator is the Emperor's son. Helian Pei’s ‘pity’ towards his son simply overrides any notion of victims receiving justice. Even someone of Zhang Tingyu’s status is nothing when weighted against imperial mood, much less the rest of them.

How unfair.

So, Zhou Zishu’s scheme fails, but that serves to highlight this unfairness: that the system is simply too rigged in favor of those at the very top of society. This is what the plotline in question does, worldbuilding-wise. So, you know, you could say that Zhou Zishu did something horrible for nothing, as it not only failed to bring the results, but also became a stone that set off an avalanche of misfortunes later. But at the same time, consider that in the fair world, it would be enough to expose Second Prince’s actions to oust him from power, without there needing to be an appropriately high-ranked victim for his crimes to get noticed. Qi Ye’s world, of course, is not so fair (and to be honest, I’m not sure ours is) – so should we blame the player, the game, or both?.. This is a question you should ponder for yourself. The novel doesn’t give an easy, ready-made answer here, nor should it – but I think it is safe to say that a literary work that makes you think about hard questions is very much performing its function.

[spacedikut]

my all ; spencer reid

pairing: spencer reid (criminal minds) x f!reader

summary:  “hey could i do a fic request for an x spencer? could u maybe do something with really touchstarved spencer (bc germaphobia) and him being at first too awkward to go n cuddle and then as he gains more confidence he gets much more touchy and huggy and stuff? and reader being shocked by how cuddly he is? plzplzplz? its totally ok if u dont write it but just wanted to send in the request!” 2689 words

a/n: i hope i did this justice! i love spencer reid!!!!!!!!!

masterlist

Spencer first realised how much he loves your touch after a case where he put himself directly in danger.

You ran up, flung your arms around him and pulled him against you so tightly he felt winded.

He was shocked, stunned, and everything in between, but the most important thing is that he hugged back. It felt natural, the right thing to do, and his arms felt so snug and perfect around you his heart stuttered.

You pulled back, noticed his expression, and winced despite his reciprocation, “Sorry. I just. You could’ve died, you moron. You scared me.”

All he did was give you a breathless smile and with a squeeze of his shoulders you let go, allowing him to get checked by a medic.

Spencer struggled to sleep on the jet home, plagued by the thoughts of you - you with your arms around him, how much he enjoyed how it felt.

It felt… wrong to like it as much as he did. Like, in theory, enjoying your physical touch went against his moral code – as a germaphobe, the thought of having to come into contact with anyone in any way makes him want to vomit. But, with you?

You smelt so good, even after running for God knows how long. You were so soft, yet so firm, so warm and welcoming and dear God Spencer has never wanted to touch every inch of someone so bad in his life.

The case was a rough one, so Garcia was waiting for you all with loving eyes and a pitiful smile, arms wide open for whoever may need it. Spencer instantly decides no thanks, but you swoop in and cuddle up to Garcia within seconds of seeing her.

You even place a series of kisses against her cheek, and Spencer is transported back to your hug.

If he was more like Garcia, open to any form of love as long as it’s love, would you have kissed him like that?

His pulse quickens, palms get sweaty and he has to clear his throat to bring himself back to Earth.

He can’t afford to think like that.

But your lips…

No. Paperwork? Let’s do that and not think about a colleague’s lips.

+++

You’re furious.

You told Spencer to wait for backup, to not do anything stupid or irrational and definitely do NOT go in there alone, genius!

And what did he do?

He didn’t wait for backup, did something very stupid and irrational, and definitely went in alone.

And now he’s dealing with a hefty concussion and flurry of other injuries; cuts, scratches, and bruises alike all dotted over him like he’s a connect-the-dots drawing.

The second he wakes up, you’re gonna kill him.

For the time being, you’ll gently thread your fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp, and watch his chest rise and fall to ensure he’s alive and breathing.

“Mmm,” A groan, “That feels nice.”

His eyes flutter open. You lean towards the table next to him, pick up the bottle of water and the jello cup, and offer him both.

“Thanks,” He says, hoarsely.

You sit back in your chair. Spencer doesn’t take his eyes off you once. Not when he drinks the whole bottle of water, or when he cracks open the jello and inhales it with one slurp.

Your brows furrow.

“You’re banned from work until you’re fully healed.”

“I’m suspended?!” He guffaws.

“No,” You shake your head, “I’m personally telling you you’re not welcome back until you’re okay.”

“I’m okay now.”

“Do a backflip, genius.”

Spencer giggles, “I can’t do that in peak physical condition, Y/N.”

“Sounds like a cop out to me. So, again, you’re banned from work until you’re fully healed.”

He considers fighting back, but then he remembers what you were doing when he woke up, what he felt when he woke up.

He was confused and, you know, in pain, but there was this tender and soft, repetitive touch that immediately eased him. His subconscious knew it was you, in all your glory and sweetness, that had stayed with him for however long, looking after him even when he wasn’t conscious to know it.

So he just keeps staring at you, spoonful of jello in his mouth.

+++

When you get to Spencer’s place, he looks around like it’s his first time seeing it – awe and wonder painted on his face.

Everything he’s doing, everything he’s going through, you’re putting it all down to his concussion.

On the way here, he told you the whole history of car air fresheners after taking a good five seconds to get a good sniff of the cherry blossom scent you have.

“Let’s get you settled in, huh?” You say quietly, guiding Spencer to his bedroom. He walks a little like a mummy, kinda stumpy and heavy, and he flops on the bed.

You give a lopsided grin as you watch him. He’s mumbling incoherently, shuffling up to the top of his bed to fall flat on his back.

He moans.

“Alright, alright,” You placate, “Let me go… gather some things.”

You don’t know Spencer’s place all that well, so it takes you a while to find even the simplest things like a glass, a flannel, a snack. You get lost in snooping around, trying not to profile him, and the one thing you deduct is his apartment is so him. So Spencer, so lovely and comforting and a little odd.

You can’t get enough.

There’s a weak call from his bedroom: “Y/N?”

“Coming!”

He hasn’t moved an inch from where you left him. He looks so pitiful, bruised eyes and a cut right through his lip, and you almost coo at him.

“I’m not a good cook, so I thought we could order some food later.” You hand him the water and gesture for him to drink. “In the meantime, you need to rest. Mind if I borrow a book while I keep you company?”

You turn to leave, but Spencer’s voice makes you pause.

“Could you play with my hair again?”

A part of you wants to say no, like this is some overly intimate thing he’s asking, but then you remind yourself that he’s injured, which has reverted him to acting like a sleepy child.

“Please?” He looks at you with glassy eyes and he looks adorable, “Only for a little while.”

You say nothing, sliding into bed next to him. He scoots over a little to make more room for you, curling into you before your back hits the bed entirely. One hand rests above the covers, naturally placed on his arm, thumb smoothing him back and forth. The other, the one wrapped around his head, cards through his lightly tangled hair, all warm and loving.

He falls asleep instantly and, not long after, you fall asleep, too.

You both dream of eachother and wake up blushing.

+++

Spencer’s back in work within four days. You’re working a new case the second you arrive.

There’s been a shift in your dynamic and everyone’s noticed it. No one questions it, however, because they’re all aware you looked after him while he was away, and they witnessed how worried you were when you found him, but they can’t help but ogle and whisper.

They might be federal agents, but gossip is gossip and they love it.

You’ve noticed it, too, obviously. JJ tried to tease you about it, after Spencer bought you your favourite coffee and morning muffin on the way to the precinct, but you shut her down (and yourself from thinking about it too much) by reminding her you spent several days caring for him. He’s repaying you, even though you’ve told him he doesn’t need to.

Ever heard of transference, JJ?

A shiver runs through you as you look into the interrogation room. It’s not because of the suspect, though, it’s because the AC has been turned up – a tactic Hotch promises will be worth it despite your chattering teeth.

Something’s wrapped around you, suddenly, light but cosy and adds some heat to you that you need.

It’s a cardigan. Grey, much too big for you, the sleeves falling way beyond your arms and length reaching your mid-thigh. There’s a little red heart with eyes stitched on the left breast.

It’s Spencer’s.

“You’re shivering,” Spencer chastises, seemingly appearing from nowhere, “You know, when we shiver, it’s our bodies doing the opposite of sweating – it tightens the skin and shakes the muscles, a process that conserves and generates heat. We shiver to get warm. Do you not have a coat?”

“Alright, dad,” You tease, “It’s in the conference room. I wasn’t prepared for Hotch to make the unsub an icicle.”

Spencer breathes a laugh, moving closer to reach an arm around you. His other hand presses against your bicep, his grip sturdy as he vigorously rubs up and down your arms to generate heat.

Whoa.

It certainly works. You feel hot, suddenly, but not because of the cardigan or whatever the hell he’s doing, because Spencer has voluntarily touched you and is standing so close you feel like you’re on fire from the inside out. You’re sure your heart skips a beat and you stare at him in bewilderment.

He shrugs, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, “My mom used to do that for me when I was young and got cold. I thought you’d appreciate it.”

You give a shy smile, “Yeah, I appreciate it a lot, Spence. Thanks.”

When Hotch leaves the interrogation room, he half-halts when he sees you in Spencer’s cardigan. It’s the perfect Hotch reaction, combined with the rise of an eyebrow as he walks past you to reconvene with the team.

You don’t take it off when you all walk back to the conference room, and Spencer doesn’t ask for it back.

Everyone notices. A lot of eye contact is made with many questions silently asked.

You and Spencer pretend not to notice.

+++

There’s a knock on your door at precisely 10:12pm. You check because your first instinct is if I’m about to get robbed, I’m making sure the timestamps are correct.

It’s not a robber. It’s Spencer – frazzled, wrapped up all nice and warm like a pretty present, Spencer Reid.

His nose is slightly red from the biting cold outside.

Leaning against your doorframe, you say, “Hey there,”

“Hi,” He waves.

You stare for a couple of seconds, then remember the polite thing to do is invite him in: “Come in, come in! Do you want some tea? You look cold.”

“Coffee would be great, thank you.”

You move to your kitchen, not very far from your front door, but Spencer stays put and awkwardly glances around your place. He loves it, he decides. Very you.

You notice he hasn’t moved, “Make yourself comfortable, Spence. My cat is somewhere if you want to say hi.”

He slowly moves to your couch, removing his coat, scarf and satchel as he does it. Two drinks in hand, you join him and fling your fluffy sock-clad feet onto your coffee table.

“So what can I help you with?” You ask.

Spencer takes a sip of his burning drink, “What makes you think I want something?”

“Why else would you be here? You wanna watch Grey’s Anatomy with me?”

Spencer laughs lightly. You’re right. He’s here for a reason that isn’t to watch TV that he loves to correct with you.

He’s quiet, then, and does that thing where his tongue flicks out to lightly wet his lips in nervousness.

“Something’s been going on.” He starts, ambiguously, “And it’s left me asking a lot of questions.”

Your brows furrow. It’s not like Spencer to be cryptic like this.

“Did it mean anything?” He asks, finally, turning to look at you. “Any of it?”

“Did what mean anything?”

“The.. the playing with the hair, the over-all gentleness, the cuddling.”

Your shoulders tighten up and you hope he doesn’t notice.

He does.

“Spence,” You give a fake laugh, “You were hurt and I was comforting you. Looking after you. You know, like a friend does.”

“No one else did as much as you.”

“You wanted comfort, and I’m more than happy to provide that, Spence. Everyone else was busy.”

“You took time off for me.”

You don’t have an answer for that.

You’re trying to keep the conversation light and breezy to not show your true feelings. You’re not ready for that kind of conversation, but he’s right. You used your vacation days to stay with him and care for him.. and you know you didn’t do it platonically.

“You’re my friend, Spence,” You say, voice soft.

“That’s it? That’s all it was?” He doesn’t sound angry, or hurt, maybe peeved. He won’t look you in the eyes, though.

“What else would it be?”

Spencer scoffs.

He moves away from you, hands running through his hair in exasperation when he lets out a breath.

“We cuddled, Y/N. I haven’t done that with anyone in-in years! The last person was my mother when I was ten years old!”

“That’s supposed to mean something?!”

“I-I don’t know,” He sounds exhausted, as if the complications of his emotions are taking way too much energy out of him, “But I really liked it. And I really like you.”

You look at him, then, and he’s staring back. He looks… hopeful.

“I really like you, Y/N.”

You swallow deeply.

“I tried to show you with the uh, the cardigan thing,” He scratches the back of his neck, a laugh to mock himself leaving him, “But I’ve never been good with that stuff.”

He moves closer, shifting to face you, eyes remaining locked with yours.

“Say something.” He whispers.

“I-I-“ You stutter, “Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. I’ve spent the last week thinking about it non-stop.”

“Really?” You laugh in disbelief.

“Yeah!” He gives a small smile, “I-uh.. wrote to my mom about you, too. She told me that if I’m this caught up on you, you must be special. Which you are, by the way.”

“I’m special?” You grin teasingly.

“Very special.”

There’s a moment where you think he’s going to kiss you, but instead he shyly asks, “Do you feel the same?”

You bite your lip. “I do. Really, I do. I’m just.. a little apprehensive, I guess.”

“Of what?”

“It’s stupid.”

“Nothing is stupid when it comes to you.”

God, he’s so infuriatingly sweet. You wish you could kiss him all over.

You might be able to, if all this goes well.

“I don’t want things to be weird if we don’t work out.” You admit, adding a shrug to appear casual. It’s not like you’ve worried about this since you realised you liked him.

Spencer tilts his head at you, “You’re already thinking about a breakup when we haven’t even gone on a first date?”

You giggle, which he returns with a smile, “I mean- I like you, Spence, and have for a while. I’ve thought about all outcomes.”

“All?”

You roll your eyes as he gives you a look, “Yes, all. I’d want us to work out but.. what if we don’t?”

He places a now warmed up hand on yours, “Well, we won’t know unless we try, right?” His hold tightens, “I’m willing to give it my all if you are.”

You look from your hands to his face, and decide yes, if there’s one risk you want to take in your life, it’s a risk that could possibly result in you spending the rest of your life with your favourite person on this planet.

So you nod.

“I’ll give you my all, and then some.”

He grins, “That’s quite the promise.”

You don’t reply, instead swinging your legs over his lap and leaning into his side to cuddle up to him. He reciprocates like it’s second nature, hand slipping from yours to wrap around your waist and tug you closer.

“Wanna watch Star Trek as a mini first date?” You look up at him through your eyelashes.

You really are perfect for me, Spencer thinks.

“Yes. Yes I do.”

[zhansww]

210227 — Xiao Zhan's weibo update | translation by xzhan1005

Today, I have some things I’d like to say to everyone. I thought about various methods, and in the end I decided to use the simplest one, which is to tell everyone my feelings and perceptions this year. These thoughts may not represent anything, and may not solve anything, but I still hope to say this openly today.

This time last year, the storm happened very suddenly, and like a bomb that suddenly exploded, it sent me into a state of shock — my phone rang off the hook, my Wechat notifications never stopped, everyone’s suggestions and questions all came at me at the same time. I wanted to speak out, but I didn’t know what to say. I had many concerns, and I was scared that any word or sentence would be over-analyzed and exaggerated, causing further disturbance. So at that time, I chose to not say anything.

I didn’t expect for the feelings of opposition between various circles and levels of online discourse to snowball bigger and bigger, with more and more ramifications. Gradually, it was out of one person’s control, and even though afterwards, I wanted to speak out to recover it, nothing could have worked out the way I had hoped for anymore.

This kind of life clamored and tore at me until now. And this year, my condition was as if I had been through countless long and dark corridors. Uneasiness, reflection, struggle… I also once questioned, what did I do wrong, why did everything after that day sail off like an uncontrollable ship?

I spent a long time digesting all this, and I spent even longer to understand everyone’s actions and words. Slowly, I began to understand what everyone’s criticisms were of me. From the moment that I didn’t express my attitude, I had already missed the window to rationally communicate with everyone; from the start, I was wrong.

At that time, I hadn’t gotten a clear understanding of the entire issue, and I didn’t understand everyone’s emotions. Further to that, I didn’t understand what kind of responsibility I needed to take on at times like this. Therefore, I missed the timing to communicate with everyone, and missed out on taking the responsibility to guide those oppositional emotions. Now, I clearly realize and understand that in this year, everyone’s criticism towards me being “idol without a voice” is correct. In this year, I constantly reflected that as a public figure, aside from improving my skills continuously, it’s even more important that I bear responsibility, take on my social duties, and bravely express correct values. Within my limitations, I should guide those who love me, and pay attention to me. Even though in this year, my studio and myself have expressed this attitude through Weibo and interviews, the storm caused because of me and the harm brought to others due to opposition of different circles is hard to heal.

No matter how late, I must correct my problems. I hope to make my first stance — Xiao Zhan hereby apologizes, to the people who were hurt last year and continue to be hurt because of my “loss of voice”. This is the first responsibility I should take on towards the public; face the problem straight on, and accept my mistake.

At the same time, I hope to use this chance to say some things to my fans. This is the second responsibility I need to take on. In an interview last year, I said, I don’t agree with “managing” fans, because everyone is their own individual person, and whether it’s me or my studio, we don’t have the right to treat this relationship like a senior-junior management relationship. Later on, I repeatedly thought and reflected, and maybe I can’t use the word “manage” for the relationship with fans, but I have the duty to “guide correctly and encourage actively.” So today, I want to tell my fans, everyone has the right to like or dislike, and regardless of whether it’s liked or disliked, it should be respected, and allowed in its respective spaces of expression. Of course, this right applies within the boundaries of correct values and if it’s rational and doesn’t hurt others. I hope that my fans can understand, no matter what industry or age group you’re in, your likes and actions cannot reach outside of those boundaries, and definitely can’t be against the rules of the profession or beyond moral limits. Whether it’s online or in the real world, each person should be responsible for their own words and actions. Furthermore, I hope that each of us do not let ourselves be represented by the self-created label of “so and so’s fans”, and don’t form a distinct position from this, and even more importantly, don’t judge good and bad from this position. Everyone has their interests and likes, please respect each person’s choice and freedom of speech. Whether they like me or dislike me, it’s in their own right. Love should be the source of strength for us, and I hope that this source doesn’t wear on or hurt others. Maybe I cannot change the overall environment, but at least we can start from you and me; today is a new starting point.

Finally, I want to chat with everyone about myself. From the moment I entered this industry, until now, I’ve always had labels on me. But my original reason for coming into the industry was my love for acting and music. And because of this, I’m always working hard to become a more professional actor and singer. In the face of the sudden criticism of “idol without a voice”, I realized that aside from focusing on my own skills, I need to take on my rightful responsibilities and duties as a public figure, as an idol. I was born in an ordinary Chongqing family, and like many people, I lived an ordinary life for more than twenty years. Today, I want to take this opportunity to express my apology for inappropriate remarks I made as a regular person, and to the people I unintentionally hurt. I will work had to learn to become a better “public figure”, as I do my own tasks well. I’ll make it so that these two Xiao Zhans can accept each other and merge so that I can become a better version of myself.

I need to be responsible for the various disturbances that arose because of me in this past year, whether big or small. I can have requirements for myself, but I cannot force them upon others. I just hope that the people who truly like me can listen seriously to me; please add a level of “rationality” beyond a person’s likes and dislikes. Live positive and healthy lives, and put your focus and most of your energy in your real lives. Spend less time fighting, battling, opposing virtual IDs in the online world, and more time working to improve in the real world. It’s just for the sake of becoming better versions of yourselves.

[astrowithkaro]

Hello there! I was wondering if you could add the date of 26 March in your language of birthdays series? Thank you if you do xoxo

Language Of Birthdays: March 26 - Aries

The Day Of Integrity

March 26 people manifest the innocence, spontaneity and candor of a child. They manage to get things done without resorting to overt aggressiveness. For them, simplicity is the keynote; they are averse to all forms of excessive complication.

This means that if a person were to consistently create difficulties and problems, he or she would not remain long in the company of a March 26 person. Those born on this day usually seek the simplest solution to any human question by following things back to the source. For this reason, the splendid intuitive qualities of March 26 people will often allow fellow human beings an insight into how things work.

Although March 26 people are active, they manifest a kind of philosophical detachment. They are able to stand back and quietly view a situation, chew over what may be wrong and come up with an insightful and helpful solution. They can also be somewhat withdrawn from life, even to the point of isolating themselves for periods of time. This need for isolation may have them retreating to a favourite place, perhaps remote mountains, desert or seaside to recharge with nature. Generally what they accomplish in this time alone is simply experiencing isolation for its own sake, meditating in the Eastern sense of clearing the mind rather than mulling over plans or ideas.

March 26 people work at their own pace and are usually unhurried, thus relaxed. But just beneath the surface lies a spontaneity capable of producing quite unexpected thoughts and acts. More often than not, this spontaneity takes the welcome form of humour or expresses itself in a well-needed digression from the work at hand. Sometimes, March 26 people can be too relaxed, holding back when they really need to push ahead, and this can put them at a disadvantage with those who are more aggressive or directed.

March 26 people are aware of their foibles and that they prefer to do things their own way. However, because they are a bit more eccentric than most, they may at times be viewed by their peers as being off course. Fortunately, they are not known to be flaky or irresolute because they do not give their word lightly and do not make exaggerated claims for themselves.

One is lucky indeed to be close to a March 26 person, and favoured as well, since they are not interested in making a great number of friends. For them, a friend is a friend for life and no matter how many years go by they will always have an open heart and home for those with whom they share that special rapport. If, on the other hand, they themselves are forgotten or rejected, they can turn a page and accept the situation stoically.

Strengths:

Intuitive

Self-sufficient

Responsible

Weaknesses:

Negative

Insecure

Depressive

Advice

The greatest perils for March 26 people lie in the mental sphere. They can brush off negativity in others, but when it surfaces in themselves they are too often defenceless against it, and they may even turn away from life. People born on March 26 are very physical, needing challenges of many kinds. Sports, recreation and sex are all important in large doses to keep them healthy and happy. Although their adventures may bring accident or injury, March 26 people generally heal quickly and overcome disability well. They should seek to keep their eating habits constant, not gyrating from starving to stuffing; they must be fed (they like being cooked for) regular meals which stimulate their appetite with piquant tastes.

Be careful of being overly moral and judgmental

Keep it light and learn to take yourself less seriously; loosen up and have fun

Preserve your childlike qualities

Do not give in to bully-ing and push ahead in your work

[matchamorphosis]

𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐙 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐒

・゜ʚɞ ゜・ 𝑎.𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ʚɞ 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑦 ・゜ʚɞ ゜・

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 || you’ve been testing ari’s patience and it’s up to him to put you straight— even if it’s going to be your first real punishment.

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 || smut with plot

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 || daddy!ari levinson × little![black//woc]fem!reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 || 5.7K — oof i’m sorry

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 || 18+ nsfw, ddlg lifestyle and dynamics, daddy kink, extremely bratty reader, big mean daddy!ari, punishment, cursing, spankings, pussy slapping, some steamy scenes, spilt apple juice, a ruined Care Bear’s coloring page, use of nickname: muffin//muffin cake — MINORS DNI || 18+ INTERACTION ONLY —

𝐰. 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 || my head was spiraling out of control and I felt bratty + missed my daddy!ari nonnie so I wrote this :): planning on making much more ddlg scenarios like these because they always seem like such a hit and i have so much fun writing them! anyways I hope you cherubs enjoy this! ♡  

↬ p.s || do not repost or plagiarize my work on any other fanfic platform such as: wattpad, ao3, tumblr, etc or plagiarize my work all together. do so and i will rip your spine from your scumy asshole and shove it down your talentless throat. ♡♡♡  

it all started with a simple question.

the simplest of simple questions you know the right answer to. neverminded the fact that the supreme authority in the house, Ari Levinson, would still call you a big dumb baby if you’d answer correctly.

today was not the best day for you to endure one of your aggressively bratty tantrums he says you’re to old to commit — just as well as it wasn’t the best day for you to exclaim your snappy clever remarks he insisted you’re to little to speak of and understand.

you’re either his big girl or his little girl and no in-between’s.

today ignited something in you, lit a measly match that trailed a kerosene path he didn’t dare think fast enough to put out critically. Ari was too slow to realize the build up and now he’s facing the burning fire that’s practically charring the good nature that was usually your morally-correct actions and behavior.

today you just didn’t feel like being good.

simple as that.  

however no matter what you did you wouldn’t win, not on daddy’s watch.

glossy black Mary Janes kick the air in a fiery frenzy, folded arms shielding your face as you sob into the pink fluffy play rug. it’s laying underneath your arts and crafts table and of course your thrashing petite body that’s spiraling in the tantrum.

muffled curses and melodramatic wails fill the pink playroom and the cause of this brat fit was the man at the opposite end of the table. no more than a foot away from you, thick muscled arms crossed over his navy blue polo chest. tapping his foot against the floor impatiently, waiting for your tantrum to end he holds the plastic package of goldfish grahams he took from you.

it wasn’t a good decision to ease your previous brattiness with the brownie baked cookies. of course he couldn’t help but give into your sweet tooth if that meant for you to calm down. although Ari didn’t expect you to finish all the sugary goldfish in your snack bowl in the ten minutes you were out of supervision.

additionally, he didn’t see it coming at all when he left you at that to sip from your juice box and snack on the chocolate goldfish while you colored perfectly in between the bolded lines. all so he could finish some paperwork but not until finding you ten minutes after with the whole package at the account of checking in on you.

the sight of your hand in the bag greedily grabbing the graham goldfishes and shoving them into your mouth was a damn sight to see. even when he secretly hid it in the highest and secret, kept out of eyesight corner of the pantry closet— you somehow retrieved it and smuggled it back in your playroom.

the confiscated, nearly-empty package is now in his fisted grasp. Ari cannot believe the shade of anger and disappointment breaking unknown levels of his calming limits.

words cannot describe the irritation inflaming his mind, you’re suppose to be his good little girl.

his precious little starlet who behaved and acted accordingly but instead he has a brat screaming ass up and face down into the play rug. crying her bug head off because he took your spoiling sugary snack from you that he shouldn’t have given in the first place.

rolling his eyes at the scene in front of him, his blue hues lock on your baby lotion thighs that your tiny purple argyll mini skirt reveals. cotton thigh highs adorned with purple bows at the frilly cuffs that match the small silk ones braided into your hair he helped design, capture his eye.

ever since this morning your attitude has been off and not only did it confuse Ari but it confused you to at first. until you slowly grew into liking the devious part that was hidden inside you for so long that maliciously appeared when you woke up on the naughty side of the bed.

from Ari getting you out of bed, giving you your routine bath, arranging your outfit and getting your hair ready. as well as eating breakfast, you pouted and grumbled the whole time but Ari was still so soft and patient with you. it made your heart gooey but you were craving his mean side.

so after you two got ready and started your separate chores and hobbies for the day, you were slowly working your way to anticipating Ari get mean with you. just like your magic always worked wonders, he did get mean. scolded at you when you were in the middle of reading your book, raising his voice just a slight at you that you did all your chores wrong and haven’t even completed some.

it was scary just for minute that he even had a hint of anger in his voice but damn did you enjoy the wetness in your panties at the same time when he ordered you to do them fully and correctly. until finally what he believed would be the end to your brattiness, nap time arrived.

thankful for it as he started lunch, thinking that when you’d wake up he would recognize his well mannered princess but what he didn’t expect would happen afterwards as he woke you up that you were more crankier than before. 

the two of you had your lunch of toasty grilled cheese, thick tomato soup and chicken salad. you were still moody and cranky when you sat down in your pastel chair with the wooden pink painted words of princess displayed on the crest rail.

of course he looked at you as if a mountain troll was stealing his princesses throne because he didn’t recognize the pout pulling at your full glossy lips. the scrunched brows making a dramatic impression that married well with your anger inflicted face that spoiled your pretty facial features.

as much as your daddy thought you looked adorable being cranky, every little thing seemed to tick you off. you had a problem with everything that could either easily be fixed or was out of your hands.

the grilled cheese wasn’t cut in the shapes that you wanted, he placed the cheesy slices in your wrong disney princess plate, you didn’t want to eat your greeny nasty salad, you wanted another cup of sprite. which you were neglected of because ari had a limit set for you from not drinking anything more than the amount your tiny hello kitty cup provided.

and most importantly you wanted to have Lulubelle, your tangerine teddy bear, to eat at the table.

of course he fixed his first two mistakes but you knew better than to argue against and ask for anything that went against the rules. instead of putting you to a corner, he set up another option.

encouraged you to eat your greens to set a good example for your stuffies. replaced the second cup of sprite you wanted with a juice box of your choice and placed Lulubelle on one of the living room couches telling you she will wait for you to finish eating and washing your hands.

but even with those resolutions there were major bumps and outbursts.

you played with your food by smacking your spoon against the soups surface which caused little splatters of red dots across the glossy cherry oak table and grumbled under your breath as you picked off the crust of the grilled sandwich.

flicking it with the swiftness of your two inch acrylics, the pieces landing in Ari’s soup or hair.

it was as if you were set on getting on his nerves because damn right you were.

rolled your eyes and silently mimicked his mouth when he ordered you to stop. deviously giggled when the funny vein on his forehead that only bulged out when he was really mad at you was potentially going to pop out. 

a smirk playing your lips when the corner of your eye caught every clench of his fist when you would hit the table leg obnoxiously as you slurped your soup. misbehaved yet did what he ordered you to when you believed his attention was back on his own food.

it was a very long lunch and as much as he thought he was going to snap at you and put you in your time out chair that was rarely used because you never ever acted like this, he left you to wash up as he cleaned up after lunch.

you would normally help him with cleaning the table or giving him any dirty dishes for him to clean when he was busy at the faucet. but he allowed you to run off into the living room and play with your stuffed bear in whatever todays make belief adventure the two of you were on.

cleaning up was easy since he only had to clean the bowls, plates and utensils the two of you ate with but it wasn’t until he started to clean the table did he notice all the soup drops against the cleaning plastic as well as the chunky pieces of lettuce, tomato, and bread crusts under the table around your chair. 

Ari was close to exploding, because he taught you better then to throw food and waste it but he gave himself a breath, counted to ten and made sure to make a mental note tonight. after your special cartoon marathon, he’d have a very important talk to you about food waste and how wrong it was.

so after cleaning up and warning the two of you were going to have a talk tonight, he settled you in your playroom since it was a room away from his office. Ari never felt comfortable or secure with leaving you all alone downstairs without someone watching over you. 

adjusting and nestling the baby monitor on one of your teddy bears heart strap, he placed the stuffed bear near your arts and crafts table. even if you were glaring at him for doing so, you weren’t a baby. although as usual, your daddy shushed at you and placed a kiss at your temple that made you silent as you pulled out your coloring books from your big wooden weaved basket with a grumble.

Ari knew you despised the baby monitor but he made it a priority to place it near you at all times when he wasn’t near. even if the meeting was only going to be around fifteen minutes, your daddy wasn’t going to narrow down the possibilities of something going wrong. 

after settling your desired snacks when you remind him that it’s snack time, Ari settled your juice box that he already pierced the straw through the tin foiled hole and your brownie goldfish in your hello kitty snack bowl halfway. checked his watch knowing he had to attend the virtual meeting in less than a few minutes.

kneeling down at your level as you munched on the fish shaped cookies and colored in a fluffy cloud a Care Bear was sleeping on. pulled you into a hug and pressed a kiss to your temple, “Daddy is going to be working in his office princess. can you behave like a good girl until daddy’s done with his meeting?”

the smile that was on your face disappeared, you didn’t want daddy to go and leave you alone!

I mean what was more important than sitting and watching you color? have you feed him the chocolatey goldfish and draw pretty sparkly hearts and shooting stars for him?

“Daddy I don’t want you to go! can the work wait?” you whine but Ari shook his head with a sigh, standing up to your dismay. peering down at you as you glare up at him.

“no the work can’t wait, muffin. it’ll only be twenty minutes and after Daddy does the work he’ll be back here. helping you color a page from your coloring book, how does that sound?” the soft lowness of his voice didn’t leave room for you to bite back an aggression but only nod.

“yes Daddy I would really like that.” Ari smiled to himself at that, thinking that your brattiness has finally come to an end as he left your room.

oh how wrong he was when he arrived back once the meeting was over.

Ari literally caught you with your hand in the cookie jar and you didn’t even look ashamed at all. not stuttering trying to explain your faultless contribution to this crime-like action.

to add onto the shock, when he snatched the bag just full of five goldfishes and crumbs did you start to cry and spiral into you tantrum even when he said nothing yet.

now we are here five minutes later.

with Ari looking down at your still continuing tantrum but noticing it’s lessening with your kicks and whines.

the only thing he feels is disappointment.

not only were you ruining your chances of watching the annual cartoon marathon the cable TV’s going to premiere later on tonight— that he allowed you to stay up to after relentless begs and your good behavior from previous weeks before — but you completely spoiled your appetite for dinner.

your favorite meal he made specially to go along with the cartoon marathon but now watching your tantrum become even more relentless Ari is confirming that you most definitely will not participate in it. maybe even cut your day short once you complete your night routine after dinner and make you head straight to bed.

“are you done being a brat now?” Ari, you’re soft daddy bear snapped viciously.

however you’re still letting out whines and sniffs as you reveal your red teary eyes from the carpet. the sight of them makes him want to drop the bag, kneel down and scoop you in his arms. kiss your face and tell you he’s sorry that he took the cookies away from you, but he can’t.

Ari cannot let this tantrum slide and give you what you want no matter how much it hurts his heart he isn’t trying to calm you down himself in the security and warmth of his arms around his little one.

he needs to put his foot down.

and it serves him right, because once latching your eyes on your mean Daddy’s austere blues you grab your white tiger stuffie nearby. covering your tear stricken face within the faux white fur with a gritted and bratty hmph! 

it was infuriating how your Daddy had to take all the things you wanted away from you. obviously you didn’t have a say in anything cause you were suppose to be his good girl but why continue to act good now when you know you’re Daddy is going to ruin the only thing that you’ve been anticipated since the beginning of December?

today approximately around eight o’clock on the dot the big people channel you were forbidden to watch from was going to premiere all your favorite holiday cartoons. The Powerpuff Girls, Scooby Doo, Charlie Brown, Looney Tunes, and the various vintage episodes of nostalgic Mickey Mouse.

if all went wrong as you went down with your ship you could watch some of the holiday issued tapes of Strawberry Shortcake and Winnie the Pooh on your vcr but it wasn’t as often you would have access to the other cartoon specials you enjoyed premiering their limited episodes at the touch of a remote and Ari knows this!

your big mean Daddy knows how much you’ve been looking forward to it but he’s probably going to instead send you off to your secluded bed in the separate room he sends you to when he was to furious to have you sleep with him in your shared big king bed after dinner. 

belly full of your favorite food that’s going to stir badly in your stomach as you shift under your warm covers restless because it wouldn’t be your goddamn bedtime. only having the single company of your golden fairy nighty nightlight and the only stuffie he’d allow you to cuddle for the night.

it makes you want to explode because you know how this is going to end but you’re head is to tired to even say anything in retaliation or beg him not to reconsider.

but maybe… if you think up something quick to throw him off it’ll buy you enough time to behave and show him you could be good. 

even though you screamed all the naughty no-no words Ari would have you over his lap in a second if you even thought of them. throat sore and red eyes stinging from crying so damn much and rubbing your closed eyelid fiercely against the play rug and stuffie.

a plan is concocting in your mind, nothing devious but it will have its dose of your witty pettiness and unholy brattiness.

daddy won’t suspect a thing, you thought as you stopped your sniffs and cries.

wiped your tears with the cashmere sleeve of your cropped lavender cardigan as you got up from your sprawled position. patted your argyle patterned skirt down to smooth out any wrinkles and got back to work on the arts and crafts table.

and your plan is beginning to work because it does take Ari by surprise when you get up from your pathetic little position. the purple argyle skirt now fully covering your bum, he knows you’re ignoring his stern stare when you scoot your knees back to the small crafts table.

continuing to color from your coloring book as if nothing happened.

Ari scoffs to himself, what kind of mind game were you playing on him?

“what do you think you’re doing muffin?” Ari spoke and for once you stare back at him. eyes slightly red as evidence of your crying, they’re calm now as they meet his.

“nothing Daddy, i’m just coloring,” you spoke, the crayon in your hand shading in a midnight sky. Ari continues to stare down until he takes the crayon from you— but what he doesn’t expect is that when he snatches the crayon from you he accidently knocked over your apple juice box.

the mellow yellowish liquid spills onto your crayon box, containing the limited edition colors you prized. soaking your beloved coloring tools with the sticky juice; it made your bottom lip tremble as you quickly grab the slightly soggy box. you let out a whine as you feel tears spring in your eyes.

the unintentional incident and your heartbroken state almost has Ari yet again stumbling to fix what wasn’t really his fault. leaving the room to get paper towels and a cleaning spray.

coming to terms with this, you’re surprised to find the casualty of your crayons diverting the attention away from you and onto something else.

maybe if you kept this up, eight o’clock would come and he’d have nothing else to do then allow you to have your cartoon marathon.

you thought as you tapped a single finger to your peachy cheek in thought.

all you had to do was put him in situations that would conflict him into think it was initially his fault therefore guilting him into giving you what you wanted!

then you’d be set on the living room rug with a plate of your favorite food on your lap. a stuffie at your hip and looking up at the tv as the credits for the first cartoon of the night rolled in.

quickly finding some Lysol wipes and tissues in the playroom you clean up the mess and the cardboard crayon box as Ari’s loud footsteps come closer and closer.

swiftly disposing them in the craft trash basket and settled in your cushion seat before he arrived in the doorway with his arms full of cleaning supplies. when Ari stepped back into the room he was surprised to find you already cleaned up the mess and properly sitting as you continued coloring.

twirling a braided lock of purple silk bowed hair around your finger. figuratively showing how much you were controlling those dominant Daddy instincts of his he wasn’t going to have you get your way.

you still need to come to terms of all the wrongs you committed today and if all goes well he’d decide if you could attend to that cartoon marathon. “muffin?” Ari spoke and on que your head lifts up, your pearly white smile so tender and innocent as if you weren’t messing with mind to get whatever you wanted.

meaning excuse all the trouble you got yourself into.

“yes Daddy?” voice soft and perky as you settle the crayon on the table, he catches you sitting up straighter. elbows resting on the table and arms pressing close to your chest to pronounce your plump cleavage the top three un-buttoned piece of your cardigan displayed.

the delicious sight has him licking his lips, wanting to throw you over his shoulder with the loud and rough slaps to your ass and take you to your room. throwing you on the bed and rip every little piece of clothing off of you. 

—but that’s what you want him to do, you want to have him distracted from the task at hand. especially when the task is putting you in your place and marginalizing your chances of watching the night special of holiday cartoons.

“what do brats get?” that question has you dropping your eyes from his to stare blankly at the coloring book and lined arrange of crayons in front of you.

did you want to answer him correctly or did you not want to answer at all?

the options where bouncing in your head but you didn’t realize Ari’s still waiting for you to answer when you ignored the question. picking up a crayon and colored in a Care Bear as if he didn’t ask you anything at all.

“muffin are you listening to me?” Ari sighs, tone no longer the softness as a few minutes ago and no longer bearing the same patience as before.

it doesn’t match your inattentive focus, you’re still coloring and teasing him. the sleeve of the tight periwinkle cardigan slipping off your shoulder, showing more of your rich skin that Ari wants to kiss and mark with his lips.

shaking his head out of it, telling himself that he was the adult and you were the brat and he was going to— no matter how much you were going to cry — discipline you into obedience and get his well behaved muffin back.

“i’m going to count to three and if-” he’s cut off when you roll your eyes on him, catching his voice in his mouth like a frog in his throat. Ari’s conflicted entirely and pissed entirely because you’ve never rolled your eyes at him, ever.

so as you persisted to ignore Ari, scribbling one of your multi colored crayons, you have a pink one in your hand. shading in a heart and an idea shines like a lightbulb above his head.

without any warning his large hands snatch the coloring book from under your grasp. the pale purple crayon in your small hand that was once shading in Share Bears fur runs along the whole paper. the sudden climax of running colored wax against moving paper, shocking you to a gasp.

an offended wail excludes from your mouth but Ari is too pissed to feel sympathetic. getting up he holds the coloring book he bought for you during the weekend above his head. somewhat enjoying and taking pleasure as you stand up on your tippy toes and jump to retrieve it with fail. 

indeed taking pleasure as he stares down at your full tits bouncing in your comfortable tube top that’s underneath the cardigan. loving your cries and whines as you beg him to give your coloring book back.

eyeing your tiny delicious figure that's far too small to reach the skyscraper height that holds your beloved Care Bears coloring book. it made Ari’s heart melt when you hugged and pressed your kisses all over his bearded face when he gifted you it some day ago but he never thought he’d enjoy taking it away from you.

right now he has to put you in your place and ignore the tightness in his pants to deal with later. “Daddy you ruined my drawing!” your sobs and whimpers proclaim, continuing to jump as your cries became louder and tears become more present.

“you didn’t answer Daddy’s question little one,” he hissed and with that your cries come to an end to just reveal a glare then a smirk.

quitting your attempts of retrieving the coloring book you turn around and walk away. a slight hypnotic flow of your hips and curves making Ari’s eyes train to the plump assets.

“what was the question again?” you sighed tiredly, encouraging the deadly glare your Daddy has on you.

a yawn overcoming you as you hovered your hand over your mouth that makes Ari scoff. glossy lips still bearing cookie crumbs at the corners you stretched, you lick them off and you bite your lip at him.

mocking him in your divine rebelliousness.

letting out little high pitched noises as you arched your back with your hands twined together above your head. again, to emphasize your cleavage, “would it just go in one ear and out the other or would you actually listen and answer like a good girl?” Ari seethed.

you stand there and register it and of course you were heading off the direction you want but maybe you can turn the tables on him. “i’ll be a good girl Daddy, I promise i’ll listen,” voice soft and assured.

Ari cocks his head to the side at that promise, quirking a brow but not breaking the stare he has on his precious angel that’s playing the devil. he’ll put that promise to the test, walking around the small yet wide arts and crafts table he finally stands in front of you.

making you heart thump louder and louder with each step he takes.

crouching down on his knees to face you at your eye level, Ari sees the devilish twinkle in your starlight eyes. waiting for him to ask the question he knows you can answer correctly.

“what do brats get?”

his stern and mean face that always makes you stutter on your own words and trip over your own feet clashes with yours.

of course you can answer correctly, you can but you can’t believe how fun and thrilling it is with not just your growing ego but the wetness growing in between your legs. soaking your lace panties when your hands lift up to trace his bulging biceps through the short sleeved polo.

“treats?”

you whisper, before your hand goes to grasp the bulge of his trousers that he lets out a pleasured hiss. before you can smirk he’s slapping your hand off his trouser covered cock.

and in a blitz of a second you’re squeaking out a squeal as Ari grabs you by your arm. dragging you to the rocking chair resting near your bookshelves of thick hardcover storybooks and sits in the cushion seat before throwing you over his lap.

whines and cries getting louder when Ari lifts up the tiny argyle skirt to reveal your ass. tummy squirming against his lap he pulls gently at your hair to lift it up.

“keep squirming and i’ll add another five to the twenty you already have,” he hisses but you still can’t believe everything has lead to this.

Daddy never gave you spankings.

never gave you physical punishments before but as much as you were despising the situation you can’t believe how your slicked core is getting wetter with each second that’s passing. with your Daddy’s large hands caressing your ass cheeks and those thick fingertips teasing your pussy’s slit.

“you’re going to count each spank I give you and after each spank I want you to thank me. no whines, no crying just ‘thank you Daddy’. do you understand me?”

Ari’s deep low voice above you rumbling your core like thunder on a dark stormy night. only leaving you to whimper in fear as you nod but were caught off guard when he landed a loud swift slap! to your ass. causing you to gasp in pain.

“yes!” you cried but squirmed when he chuckled down at you. leaving you wandering what you did wrong before he landed another spank to the same cheek. causing you to cry out and feeling the honey of your pussy drench your inner thighs.

“what was that? did you even listen to your Daddy?” he hissed as another rough spank crashed onto your ass, “what do you fuckin say?” he practically roared, leaving more tears to drop down the landscape of your dewy face.

“one! thank you daddy!” you wail pathetically, tears soaking your cheeks, you knew your Daddy is doing what was best for you but you couldn’t help but want to squirm away from his grasp.

catching you doing so he grips your neck in his grasp. “don’t you fuckin run from me now muffin, you acted like a brat so i’m gonna treat you like a fucking brat. we have one down and nineteen to go, don’t disappoint me,” Ari seethed before grasping your panties and pulling them off you.

by pulling off he ripped them at the area that covered your ass, marveling at the wetness of not just the panties but your pussy as well. “my muffin got worked up misbehaving? you get your dumb cunt wet when you disrespect Daddy’s authority?” he murmurs.

stuttering and attempting to answer the words become inaudible once your lips part at the calloused hands of Ari’s. soaked panties in his hold, he shoves them into your mouth. making you taste your own sweetness as he licks his own fingers from your honey and moans at the tangy palette.

“I thought we established no talking, you really are just a stupid little girl,” as much as his words sprung tears in your eyes you couldn’t help but feel your core burn. clenching your thighs together as result he darkly chuckles at the pathetic action.

his hands grip your thighs to forcibly split them apart, “oh muffin cake don’t distract Daddy now,” he darkly chuckles and before you now it a loud and swift slap hits your wet pussy. making you cry out in pain that’s slowly growing into pleasure.

“you’ve done enough of that for today. right now Daddy’s gonna have to punish you,” his hand that’s still at your cunt rubs it.

the slick of your wetness sounding off creating an erotic echo in the room and just like that he’s slapping your small wet pussy with his rough hand again. 

“and no matter how much you cry or squirm or beg me to stop I want you to handle it like the big girl I know you can be. do you understand me?” his growl overcoming your muffled pained whimpers and moans as you feverishly nod your head up and down.

pulling the panties out of your mouth you nod your head, “yes Daddy, I understand,” you whimper after a few hiccups.

you can’t see the smirk plastered on his face but you can see his risen hand in the air from the corner of your dress up hand mirror. angled on the floor to capture the moment, shuddering when it disappears from the mirrors image you feel the rough spank at your cheek.

not as rough and angry as the first three but still enough that it stings tremendously, “two, thank you Daddy,” 

“that’s what I like to hear muffin,” Ari smirks before getting back to work.  

your Daddy continued to give you your deserved spankings, your ass bruised and sore by the time he was finished and was satisfied with each one you counted and thanked him for.

praised you for not squirming even when you wanted to as he covered your ass with the thin material of your skirt.

“you did so well muffin cake. handled and took your punishment like the good girl I knew you could be,” he whispered lovingly in your ear m as he carried you to both your shared bedroom to rub some soothing lotion on your sore bum.

“thank you Daddy. I-i’m so sorry I was so bad today,” you whimpered as chocked hiccups become more unbearable. eyes swelling up with tears and a little sob erupting from your mouth. Ari shushes it by taking your face in his hands and pressing a kiss to your lips.

“it’s okay baby, I promise everything is okay. no matter how bad you act always know, always know that Daddy still loves you. i’ll always love you muffin cake, that’s forever.” those soft blue hues lace with yours and you truly do feel at ease.

nodding your head at his soft supportive assertion, his forehead pressed to yours and your noses rubbing tenderly against each other. making you giggle and he grins as he laughs with you before setting you down on the bed.

Ari rubs the soothing cold lotion against your bum, continuing to shower you with divine praises, sweet appreciations and heart warming adorations that made your peachy cheeks sore from your never-ending smile.

afterwards he gently carries you in his arm downstairs heading to the living room. telling you how you and him were going to fix the coloring page he ruined as snuggle you face into his neck. large bunny stuffie in you locked armed connection he settles you down on the couch.

grabbing the fluffy throw blanket draped on one of the other couches he grabs it and wraps your lower half in it. giggling as he tucks it around your sides to make sure you’re nestled nice and warm, pressing a kiss to your temple.

Ari glances down to his watch with a soft smile, clutching the remote on the coffee table he turns the TV on.

smirking at your confusion when he goes on the channel that’s minutes away from airing the cartoon marathon.

“Daddy what are you doing?” your hushed voice catches his ears, Ari turns his head over his shoulder at you looking up at him with those conflicted doe eyes.

“i’m letting my muffin watch her cartoons. Daddy knows you’ve been waiting a month to watch them and daddy knows his princess deserves it,” his soft smile only but eludes your guiltiness.

“but i’ve been really bad today. b-bad girls don’t get TV time. they don’t get to watch cartoons,” you sob as tears began to fall once more but they’re quickly wiped away at Ari’s warm hands, cooing you into calming down.

“Daddy knows you’ve been bad today, but you proved to Daddy that you were good at handling your punishment. bad girls don’t get TV time, you’re right, but bad girls who take their punishments well and understand what they did wrong get TV time. because they’re no longer bad girls,” he smiles and you smile as well, leaning in for a kiss he accepts.

“there’s only a couple of minutes left before the premiere starts. Daddy’s gonna be in the kitchen starting dinner, if you need anything just call Daddy’s name out okay?” he whispers and you nod your head, shifting attentively on the couch to get into a comfortable position.

smiling to yourself as you pull your bunny plushie closer when the commercials end and the beginning credits to How The Grinch Stole Christmas starts to roll in.

you come to a solid conclusion.

no matter how you get in your bratty fits that your Daddy is going to forever love you. and no matter how stern Daddy is and how angry you are at him, you’re forever going to love him.

and no spanking or ruined drawing is ever going to change that!

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[milliedazzledust]

Turning Pages (Kol Mikaelson imagine)

Request by @scallisonbaby : Could you write an imagine for Kol, she’s the daughter of one of his main enemies, she tried to keep it a secret but he finds out and klaus tries to kill her saying she’s probably spying on us but Kol proctects the reader.

Words: 2858 words

A/N: this doesn’t follow the chronology or history of the show. Kinda felt inspired, this is long

Y/N knew she was screwed the moment she saw him. The brown eyes, disheveled hair, handsome smile and smartass attitude, not to mention this british accent that could make her swoon. Yes, Kol Mikaleson really was her weakness.  She suspected he knew it and played with it anytime he could. She hadn’t known the Mikaelsons for long but had helped them countless times.

Several years ago, before the family came back to New Orleans, she had come to seek shelter. Her path had crossed Marcel’s. He had come to her rescue before some vampire could kill her one night and she confided a whole part of her story she wished she could forget to him. She had expected him to ask her to leave and never come back to his city, but instead, he had agreed to help and hide her.

Ever since, she had kept that secret and had sworn no one would ever find out. Before New Orleans, she had another life, another name. A one she despised more than anything with a man she no longer considered family. She’d learn of his implication with Klaus himself later on when the man she had succeeded to avoid for years came back, hellbent on revenge against the Mikaelsons.

« How exactly do you think this is gonna go when they’ll find out ? » Marcel asked her, handing her a bottle of beer.

She sighed. Sitting on the couch in his living room, her feet crossed on the table, she took the beverage and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

« I think Kol is gonna kill me » She answered.

« Kol isn’t the brother you should be worried about »

She gave him a side look and pursed her lips before taking a sip from her bottle.

« Family’s a real bitch sometimes, huh ? » She half heartedly joked.

« He’s not your family, not anymore. Not since you came to New Orleans »

She smiled at her friend.

« But your father has become powerful enough to kill an original over the past couple of weeks and you know he’s gonna try to destroy them »

Again, she sighed.

« What am I suppose to do ? »

« I know you don’t want to see him, but you might just be the only one who can stop him »

« Do you really think he’ll listen to me ? After all I’ve told you ? »

« Lucien is … well … complicated, but not beyond reason »

She chuckled.

« Complicated ? Is that your definition of psychotic maniac killer ? »

Marcel stood up then turned to the girl, offering her his hand.

« You owe it to yourself to at least try »

She rolled her eyes.

« Damn you and your moral Marcel » She muttered, taking his hand and getting up.

With a heavy heart, she let him take her to the compound. So far as she could remember, she always had felt scared of her father. When she was a child, often she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her heart would race at the simplest sound of his feet approaching. Countless times she cried herself to sleep, hoping he wouldn’t hear, otherwise he’d come to show her what it was to be strong and not weak, as he would put it.

Marcel took her to the French Quarter, knowing whatever Klaus was planning, it was certainly to lure Lucien into the compound. He wasn’t wrong. The moment they step foot inside the Mikaelson’s mansion, one of them was already flying across the room, landing with a loud noise on the staircase. The vampire she had once known as her father was standing in front of Niklaus as his brother got back on his feet.

« You should’ve ran while you still could » Klaus threatened him.

« And miss an opportunity to kill you ? » Lucien laughed.

Klaus grinned, taking a step back. He silently nodded at his sister Freya. She instantly started chanting ancient words, a grimoire in one hand, the other raised in defense against him. In a matter of seconds, Lucien was on the ground, screaming in pain.

All this time, Y/N stayed behind Marcel. It was her way to shield herself from him. No one except Kol acknowledged their presence. Instinctively, after a quick look at her, he put himself in front of her. For a moment she thought it was to allow his brothers to attack, but when she felt his hand clasped around hers, she knew he was trying to protect her from the fight to come.

Suddenly, almost as quick as it started, her father stopped screaming and laughed. She’d recognize that evil, wicked sound anywhere.

« Did you really think this would work ? » Lucien proudly stated, standing up.

Freya took a step back, glancing at Klaus. Whatever spell they had planned, it wasn’t working on him. They all looked tense when he casually crossed the magic border around him with ease.

« Let’s get this show on the road, shall we? » He grinned.

The Mikaelsons spun in a defensive stance. Elijah launched himself first and made Lucien fall, but the vampire was quick to get back on his feet. Klaus used his speed to attack but the other creature anticipated his move and threw him against a wall. Angry, he got back up, breaking a chair and stabbed him with it. Lucien took the weapon out of his chest and Elijah used this distraction to get behind him and try to strike. It was no use. The other vampire turned before he could do anything and grabbed his arm, breaking it in the process. Seeing his brother struggling, Kol glanced behind him at Y/N before rushing to help him.

« Don’t move » He warned her.

He squeezed her hand one last time and ran to Lucien, punching him and making him lose his grip on his brother. Y/N watched in horror her worst nightmare happening. Soon, Marcel joined the fight and the violent dance started against the vampires. Her breath suddenly got caught in her lungs when she saw her father twist Kol’s arm, making his knees hit the floor. When Elijah and Klaus tried to get closer, he pulled harder on his shoulder. Kol winced in pain and his brothers stopped dead in their tracks.

When Y/N saw her father’s fangs retracting and the black veins running on his face, she swore her heart stopped beating. Right then, out of pure fear for the man she loved, she deciding she could no longer stay back.

« Enough! » She yelled.

His mouth wide opened, close to Kol’s arm, he looked up at her and smirked. For a moment it all sounded quiet. Everyone was completely still and no one moved over the silence of the room. The invisible tension was almost palpable as she took a tentative step toward him.

« Let him go » She told him, her voice quivering.

Still wearing that god awful smile, he looked back at her, pleased by her intervention.

« Stay back, Y/N » Kol warned her before, worried she would try to come closer.

She stopped in her track. As she looked around the room, she could see the questioning stares around her and she knew this moment would change everything, but she couldn’t let him hurt this family.

« Please … stop » She whispered, her eyes watery.

« Why would I ? » He darkly chuckled.

« Because I’m asking you »

Her lips quivered as she forced herself to take a breath.

« Y/N, step back. He is dangerous » Elijah advised her.

Lucien let out a sinister chuckle, raising an eyebrow.

« They don’t know, do they ? »

She pursed her lips, silently answering his question. Once again he loudly laughed, finding the situation amusing.

« Marvelous ! »

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Klaus started to put the puzzle into pieces. She was screwed and she knew it.

« I’ll come back if you let them go » She offered, ignoring Kol gaze on her.

He bitterly smirked.

« You chose your side when you fled my home, Y/N. And for that you will die too »

He tightened his hold on the vampire beneath him when he started to fight back at his words.

« And your pathetic lover with it » He spitted.

« You left me no other choices ! »

« You were supposed to rule by my side! » He screamed. « You were suppose to defeat the Mikaelsons with me ! »

« Those were your plans, not mine » She cried.

Again, she saw his fangs retracting and she felt the fear growing in the pit of her stomach.

« I’ll teach you what happens when you betray your own father, Y/N ! »

This was it. They finally knew. She saw each Mikaelsons widened their eyes in surprise. Marcel took a defensive step toward her when she noticed Klaus starting to shift, angry. What hurt her the most was the way Kol stared back at her. His jaw tightened, his fist clenched, he looked betrayed and it broke her heart. Before any of them could process the news or react, she watched her father plugged his fangs into the arm of the man she loved, making him scream in agony.

« No! » She shouted, running to them in a vain effort to save him.

Before she could even reach Kol, she felt her body being pushed and her back violently smacking a wall. The force of the impact made her close her eyes just for a second but when she opened them back, she noticed her father had fled. Ignoring the physical pain she felt, she tried to stand up.

« I’ll kill you! » She heard Klaus yelled at her.

He reached her at an impressive speed, clasping his hands around her neck. With all the power he could, he strangled her, and the girl was no match against Klaus Mikaelson. Marcel was quick to come to her rescue and threw the vampire attacking her across the room.

All Y/N could focus on was Kol cries. The man was on the ground, Freya and Elijah by his side, fighting an invisible force trying to kill him, fighting a fate brought by her father. He screamed in agony as his brother tried to hold him still while their witch sister had already started to gather ingredients for a spell.

« We don’t have long » She told them.

« Why are you protecting her ?! » Klaus shouted to Marcel. « That wicked woman lied to us! »

« She had no choice, Klaus! »

« So you knew ! You knew she was a spy send to destroy my family and you said nothing! »

« She’s not with him ! »

« Do I care about terminology ?! He is her father ! »

Elijah watched Y/N as she tightly shut her eyes at his brother’s words.

« Enough, Niklaus! » He shouted at his brother. « This is not the place, nor the time »

Kol was still restless on the ground, the spasms making it harder for Elijah to hold him still. His skin had started to become sickly pale. Y/N stared at him, a few feet away. Never had she felt so guilty and ashamed. She could see his misery and knew the mere sight of it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

« Freya, do something ! » Klaus urged her when his brother stared to violently shake.

« I’m trying ! » She responded.

She quickly gathered everything she needed around her, working as fast as she could.

« I’m gonna need Lucien’s blood » She informed them.

The brothers shared a look. They knew wherever the man was, they wouldn’t reach him in time.

«  Would … would mine work ? » Y/N softly suggested.

« Yes »

« You’re not coming anywhere near him! » The hybrid shouted back.

« Niklaus, let the woman help! » Elijah answered him.

He nodded at her and she almost ran to Freya, offering her arm to her. She winced when the witch cut her skin but her eyes never left Kol. Freya finished her spell and mixed all her ingredients, adding Y/N’s blood then handed a cup to Elijah. He brought it to his brother’s mouth, forcing him to drink. The girl waited by his side, anxious. She hadn’t noticed the tears on her face, nor her hands trembling. She let out a breath of relief when she saw the man stopped shivering.

« Leave, now » Klaus firmly ordered.

« Are you serious ? She just saved your brother! » Marcel warned him.

« It’s … it’s alright, I’ll go »

She stood up, shaking with emotions, ready to collapse in tears, and walked to the door. She took a look back, needing to make sure he was alive.

« He’s gonna be alright » Elijah reassured her.

She nodded, glad he at least wasn’t showing any sign of anger toward her then glanced one last time at Niklaus.

« You and I share one thing in commun, we didn’t choose to have a crappy father. I thought you of all people would’ve understood that »

He pursed his lips, holding himself back from answering.

« I’ll leave New Orleans tomorrow » She told them. « I’ll try to draw him out of the city »

« You don’t need to go » Marcel told her.

« Just … tell him I’m sorry, okay ? » She asked, looking one last time at Kol.

Marcel sadly nodded at the girl before she disappeared. For a while, she just wandered around the streets, enjoying the eery atmosphere of New Orleans one last time before going home and packing.

Leaning over the balcony of her home later that night, she stared at the life still roaring so late in the city. A man on the street was playing the sax while some people danced to it. She could hear the noise from Rousseau’s, the laugh, the music, the chatter. Bourbon street and its live music and vibrant people felt so alive and inviting, a chaotic contrast to what she was feeling. Time seemed to slow as she tried to photograph this memory, a keepsake to give her strength in the rough times she knew would come against her father. She felt a sudden gush of air behind her and shivered, knowing what it was before he even spoke.

« Were you really expecting me to let you go that easily, love ? »

She closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. All the noises around her disappeared. All she could hear was the loud silence and his heavy presence. She tensed when she felt him take a step closer, scared he might say something that would definitely hurt her.

« Kol… » She whispered.

« Why ? » He simply asked.

She pursed her lips, trying to come up with an answer that would be enough to make him understand.

« I was scared »

« Of what ?! »

« My father has done terrible things »

He grabbed her wrist, making her sharply turned to face him.

« Y/N, have you seen my family ? » He argued. « Did you think I would judge you ? Do you think so low of me ? »

« Are you alright ? » She suddenly asked, not acknowledging any of his questions, her eyes scanning his body for any sign of injury.

« What ? »

He seemed lost for a moment.

« Your wound » She explained. « Has it healed ? »

« That’s beside the point, Y/N »

« You almost died because of me »

« Because of him » He corrected her.

In a second he was in front of her and entangled his hand in her hair, his thumb softly stroking her cheek.

« Why, Y/N ? » He asked in a whisper, his eyes pouring into hers.

She felt small under his gaze, unarmed and vulnerable.

« I didn’t want to remember » She admitted. « I just wanted to forget him, forget he existed, forget the years of … »

She stopped herself and he knew why. He didn’t need her to say it to know Lucien had hurt her, badly.

« I didn’t think I’d see him again » She kept going, a lump forming in her throat. « I thought I was free, Kol »

She starred right back at him, a sob escaping her throat.

« I thought I was finally free » She told him, her shoulders shaking with every word.

He dragged her to him, squeezing her as she melt down in his arms. It was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of all hope. He felt her sank to her knees before she could touch the ground and tightened his hold of her. He waited patiently until she was calm enough to take a step back.

« There’s no way I’m letting you leave the city, Y/N »

« I have to make him go. Besides, your brother will have be beheaded if I don’t disappear »

« The hell with Niklaus, he can go fuck himself for all I care »

She rolled her eyes at him.

« I’m not letting you go » He vehemently stated, cupping her cheeks.

« He’ll come back for you. All of you » She muttered.

« Well good. We’ll be waiting for him »

« Kol … »

« Mark my words, Y/N ; I am NOT letting you go » He repeated.

He leaned into her and kissed her forehead, then her nose, then softly, her lips.

« I can’t let him get to you » She confessed.

« And I can’t let you go near him. This is a dead end, love, and you’re not winning this argument »

She chuckled.

« I really thought I’d lost you for a moment »

He smirked.

« Never. You’re stuck with me for an eternity »

[ohnopoe]

Hey, love your work! I was wondering if you could write a Frankie Morales one shot with prompt 33 from the kissing prompt list? Take all the time you need, and thanks! ❤️

Unexpected | Frankie Morales

Ship: Frankie Morales x Reader Prompt: An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it. Word Count: 1k+ Warnings: Alcohol Author’s Note: Thank you so, so much! I jumped on this way quicker than I thought possible, it was just so darn cute!

This is part of my follower celebration! Click here for info!

If it hadn’t been for the liquor making your mind swim pleasantly, you might have been able to think of an excuse for your actions. An ex you wanted to make jealous, a bet from Pope, because you just knew Benny wouldn’t have your back on this one, maybe even sheer curiosity. But the drinks had been flowing readily for far too long now, stealing your thoughts and replacing them with that same lack of care about consequences that had brought you into this mess in the first place.

Your eyes widened in shock as the realisation kicked in, your lips still tingling from excitement at knowing the feel of his kiss as you finally pulled away.

It had been a heat of the moment thing, even though the thought had been plaguing your mind for far longer than you’d care to admit. For months now, you had wondered what it would be like to kiss the man of your dreams, the very same man who was, somewhat unfortunately, your best friend, and thus, ought to have been firmly off limits. For months you had woken from dreams of him, had lost yourself to your imagination, had craved him in ways that no friend ever should.

But then you had found yourself drinking, more than you ever did usually.

Will was never one for a large celebration when it came to his birthday, always preferring to simply find an out of the way bar and have a few drinks with friends. Well, a few was a relative term amongst the group. It wasn’t long until a few quiet beers became shots of tequila, quiet jokes turning into rowdy laughter as you all slipped into intoxication.

And there it was, that lingering question filling your mind as you watched the quietest of your group smiling softly, those perfectly pouted lips curving enticingly and dragging your attention away from the topic at hand.

You were on him before you had even considered your actions, leaning forward until you were precariously sat on the edge of your own seat, not giving a damn about the way it shifted under you as those lips drew you in.

They were all you could have imagined and more, soft and plush, with the mixture of beer, tequila and that one glass of whiskey Will had insisted upon mingled with something different, something smokey and smooth and utterly addictive. He didn’t move at first, the shock of you darting forward to kiss him rendering him utterly frozen as his brain failed to come up with an explanation for your actions. In fact, it wasn’t until you were pulling away that he so much as breathed, following your withdrawing kiss hesitantly, a breath away from you as his mind filled with questions.

And then you were staring at one another, shock filling both your features as the group hollered around you.

How could you explain yourself? How could you ever begin to apologise for throwing yourself at your best friend? How could anyone else ever compare to the heat of his kiss, even when he had done nothing to respond?

Fear and anguish plagued your intoxicated mind, your eyes wide and showing every emotion to an equally startled Frankie. But he was too lost in his own mind to truly take it in.

He could find no reason for the kiss, but, admittedly, he wasn’t looking very hard. No, he was lost in the sensation of your kiss, even now as you shifted back onto your chair, your mouth falling open in a failing attempt at an excuse for your behaviour.

“I-” your throat was too dry to finish the thought, half formed though it was. Clearing your throat and looking determinedly anywhere but at the shell-shocked features of Frankie, you glanced hopelessly at your empty glass, both cursing it and wishing it were full all at once.

“I-” you tried again, but this time you were cut off by his hand, feather light as it settled against your jean clad thigh, uncertain and timid.

He was trying to catch your gaze, trying to read your emotions as he had grown so good at doing over the years, but you couldn’t bare to meet his eyes for longer than a second before the heat of a blush filled your features.

What could you even say? I’m sorry? I didn’t mean to do it? I didn’t mean to give in to the aching desire I’ve felt for you for so long? I didn’t mean to ruin everything?

Nothing could ever begin to touch on how devastated you were at your own impulsive actions, nor the way your heart had swelled at the simplest touch of his lips against yours.

But then his hand was moving against your thigh, his thumb reassuring you with those gentle caresses you had tried desperately never to overthink in the past. His other hand reached up to take your cheek in hold, so careful, so reverent, that your eyes shut on instinct, your body instantly melting into his touch even as the fear remained within your mind.

You could feel the warm rush of air against your lips, his own heated breath anything but smooth as anxiety ran like a current between you.

And then his lips found yours once more.

It was slow, gentle, but determined. That same care that Frankie seemed to put into everything was found tenfold in the way his lips shifted over yours. You almost moaned as his tongue ran over your bottom lip slowly, asking in that timid fashion for permission to deepen the kiss. Eagerly, you gave way, leaning into him, your own hand finding its way into the mess of curls that sat at the back of his head, below that tatty cap he always wore.

You didn’t hear the low whistles from your friends, or the groan of “fucking finally!” from Pope. It was like a cliche moment in a film, the crowd around you fading into the background as you melted against the kiss of the man you had loved in secret for so long.

When he pulled away this time, he didn’t go far. His hold on your cheek keeping you with him, his gaze filled with wonder and affection, and not an ounce of the questions you had feared.

“I don’t know what caused that,” he admitted, his voice low and gravelly as he spoke only to you. “But that needs to happen a whole lot more often.”

[popculturebuffet]

Scottrospective: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together! or Days of Summer

Hello all you happy scottaholics! Welcome back to those of you who’ve read the rest of this retrospective and welcome to those of you just joining us. This is the Scottrospective, my look at all 6 volumes of Scott Pilgrim, the game and the movie. It’s all the video game refrenes, slice of life story telling and boob punches you can handle!

It’s been three months since I left off with “The Infinite Sadness” , and while I intended to cover this one for Valentine’s Day, my schedule got away from me and with March being full up, this ended taking till April

I”m not too put off by it though as the hiatus between these two reviews is fitting for this one both in story and out. In story there’s a couple month time skip between books, while out.. this book got delayed a few times.  

This is notable to me at least because this was the first volume of the series I bought when it came out. As i’ve brought up before I came into the series via the Free Comic Book Day Issue and the second and third volumes, picking one up later. I still have my original copies despite no longer really needing them thanks to having the color editions in general. Always will provided something dosne’t happen to them. So this was my first instalment that I got to read fresh and got to wait for and be hyped about and i’d saved enough money that I was able to pre-order it. So the experince of waiting and waiting for the book only to keep seeing it slide back is vivid in my mind as is the frustration I felt having the one thing I COULD NOT WAIT FOR, keep going further and further back. 

So with this long wait and the fact I bought this one when it came out, as I would for the next two which didn’t get delayed thank god, this volume naturally means a lot for me. When I wrote Scott Pilgrim fanfiction, this volume’s status quo is what I based it on. It was the coolest to me and the one I loved to reread the most. It has the most contained story, the most character growth at the time, and the best art due to Bryan’s style having finally hit it’s stride. Not that the art for volumes 1-3 is bad mind you, but it’s very clear his style was changing and shaping into what it is now with each one and while it’d change a bit more, this volume is where the style and quality everyone thinks of when they think of this series and the kind you see on various art done from it comes from. 

So as you can tell i’m excited for this one. Before we get started there WERE two shorter comics released between this one both for Free Comic Book day, the first of which, Free Scott Pilgrim, is the reason I got into the series and the second, the Wonderful World of Kim Pine .. was both delightful and sets up Kim moving in with Hollie for this volume. Originally I intended to cover these in this review.. but I realized they wouldn’t of helped the pacing and this review is going to be way longer than my standard as is.

So instead I came up with the compromise. I did review them.. but as bonus reviews on my patreon. For just one buck a month you can read them and help me reach my stretch goals which now include reviews of Lost at Sea, Seconds and SnotGirl, aka Bryan’s OTHER comics. You can find my patreon THROUGH THIS LINK HERE if your intrested in the exclusives or helping me reach my reviews. I also intend to do an exclusive of Monica Beetle, a short comic Bryan did starring Scott’s dad in the 70s at some point so keep your eyes peeled for that, as well as the three strips he did of Style, the comic that gave us the prototypes for Lisa and Kim. 

I will talk about their connections and setups for this volume briefly: FSP sets up the next ex as a ninja, with Roxy having a bunch of posters come to live and pummel our boy, while Wonderful World has Hollie tell Kim she can move in with her. It’s not much, hence why i made these exclusives but they are good stories, so check them out. And with that JOIN ME UNDER THE CUT, as we enter Scott’s world once more as he grapples with the past, employment, and saying the L-Word... which might be Lesbians. I don’t know. Find out bellow!

So we open Two Months after Volume 3 with a beach birthday party! Complete with Kim in a swim suit!

But it’s for Julie who lobs a volley ball at Scott’s head when he and Ramona try to make out. 

I also dont’ know if “Manfiesting out of all the world’s collectives sorrows” counts as a “birth” necessarily but whatever. I love a good beach story. It’s just a fun setitng for swimming, romance and battling a giant crab with the help of the bird what lives in your backpack.

So after the beach our heroes get dinner and Ramona sweetly calls Scott the nicest guy she’s ever dated. He responds with “That’s sad”. Blunt, but entirely accruate. Julie calls it pathetic and tries to counter Ramona RIGHTFULLY saying “who the hell asked you?” something that really should come after EVERYTHING Julie said with “Back off bitch i’ts my birthday”

So later that night Sex Bomb-Omb has a beach sing along, and I can’t help but notice Neil’s hairy legs. 

I mean yes it does make since for a 19 year old to have leg hair, but of all the characters besides Stephen, the ONLY other character we’ve seen it with to give it to, why the character you specifically single out as “Young” it’s just a weird choice I never noticed before. 

But anyways Julie has to whine about it because she’s Julie, she can’t stand other people being happy and complains the song...

One of my faviorite moments of the series. Knives puts a nicer spin on it, she’s here too and not over with Neil because, as we’ll find out later they broke up, but she just asks if Knives should be drinking. She shouldn’t but for fucks sake lady she was just trying to talk. I also do like that despite Julie trying to control Ramona’s love life, you know the thing the VILLIANS are doing, Ramona cannot stand her now.. and honestly probably never did. 

But Julie, SOMEHOW turns out to be right for once as Kim and Knives have disappeared later that night, and Scott elects to go look for them. Also Ramona says she wants to marry kim while drunk after Julie asks if she does. The throuple is strong with these three... serioulsy that’s my one true pairing for all three now. I mean it ballances out their collective flaws, it’s cute and Ramona is just as into her boyfriends ex as she is her actual boyfriend even when she’s not hamered. Why the fuck not?

Scott instead finds the two making out. I will confess I shipped these two when I was younger.. but I don’t. Not because their gay or anything or because I found another ship for them but because the age gap is still just as wide as it was for Scott. The game did not get this memo and made them a couple which is... ehhhhhhhhh. I mean I wouldn’t mind either being bi, but it just brings up the same problems even if their both hammered. I also question why this scene exists. No really outside of one face punchingly dickish comment from Scott later, this never comes up again and it doesn’t effect Kim’s or Knives character any. Why have this? it’s clearly not fanservice, it’s just a thing that happened. And while Scott Pilgrim as a series does have some of those, as does life and that’s fine.. this is a bit too major, i.e. Kim and Knives, two of the main cast, making out, drunkenly or not, to just.. gloss over you know? I feel Kim would feel majorly guilty for this, as she has the most active moral compass of the main group, and Knives would be massively confused but it’s just.. forgotten because I dunno. In a story that’s otherwise pretty stellar this stands out as an utter waste of potential. I’m not saying have them hook up, gay or not it’s still not better than what Scott did, but have them at least talk about it and have both grow or something from it. Sheesh. 

So we cut to.. another day. Maybe the next day I dunno but it’s August. Point is Scott and Wallace are grocery shopping and Wallace notes they can’t get fancy mayo as their barely in budget. I would’ve glossed over this scene... but @panur​ pointed out back around the Infinite Sadness review that this scene reveals something very intrestng: Scott.. is kind of a fincial burdern to Wallace. Before this while Scott mooched off him it wasn’t all that clear that Wallace was struggling. 

But here we notice that outside of some Havarti, it’s just the simplest stuff imaginable: turkey, bread, boxed mac and cheese ramen noodles... it’s nto BAD stuff, I have all of that in my house and it’s good stuff... but it’s not the kind of thing that you need to carefully budget for. Now granted part of this probably is Wallace as he likely spends a LOT on drinks, condoms and two 2 liters of diet soda a day.. but while he really needs to adress his alcohol issues, the rest is fair. He should be allowed to have as much sex and diet coke as he wants it’s his money. Same with the havarti. He earned it if he wants some really delcious cheese with herbs, seriously Havarati is the best, then that’s his bidness. But the rest of the time he’s barely managing to get  a basketfull of cheap food.. because he has to provide for Scott. It’s clearly something Scott dosen’t get and something I can relate to not getting. It took me a while to get how hard it is to budget for a full family, let alone two people on one income like Wallace has to. But Wallace is working on a nice job... but still a call center or something. He can’t pay for everything and the finccial stress is about to give as their landlord wants to meet with them. And as we’re about to learn things were even worse than we thought. 

Our heroes head home where we get a truly iconic conversation when, over margeritas (again proving my point that while Scott certainly isn’t HELPIGN wallace’s finacials, it’s not all on him)

This will be imporant later.. both the Lesbians part and Scott’s struggle saying it. he tried earlier on the beach but couldn’t get it out and Ramona clearly didn’t want to hear it as she kapt sshhhhing him.. playfully of course but still. 

So some time later it’s moving day! Kim is moving into Hollie and Josephs, and Scott, Stephen and Jason are helping. You might be wondeirng who the hell Jason is. He’s Kim’s boyfriend. I do not likes him. Not because he’s kim’s boyfriend, getting upset because a fictional character you fancy is dating is just patently stupid. I’ts like getting upset a celebrity crush is in a relationship: you had no chance anyway why. I wasn’t even bothered as a kid. I don’t really like him.. because he has no real personaliy and no real baring on the plot and I struggle to think why Bryan included him other than for a really annoying plot twist next time, which does not help my liking him knowing what’s coming. 

But while our heroes help our heroine move in, and Scott is suprised Hollie is there despite Kim having told him a minute ago she was moving in with her, something I can relate to sadly, we get something vitally plot important; Stephen passes Joseph’s room.. and notices he has a small recording setup in his room. Stephen quickly begs him to record the band’s album and Joseph agrees if only because he finds Stephen hot. Eh i’ve seen better relationships start on less, fair enough. And yes I said relationship more on that in a bit. 

So after a brief scene of Scott and Ramona having lunch where Scott fails to know her age and when Ramona says he could just ask.. hea sks and she dosen’t tell, not a bad scene character wise just not very plot important and probably should’ve bene swapped in order with the previous scene, we get to the next day. There’s a heat wave so Wallace orders Scott to go to the mall maybe find a job. He emphasises that. 

Instead Scott just sorta bums around thirst but nto having any money.. until an old face shows up. 

For those who forgot like Scott has, it’s Lisa Miller from the Volume 2 flashback, the girl who had a crush on Scott and was close friends with him and Kim. After a tackle hug  and some panic Scott eventually remembers.... if in a curiously unique and self serving way

At the time this was just hilarous. Now it’s very clear foreshadowing for the big twist in Volume 6. The two catch up while Scott is very clearly attracted to her but very clearly dosen’t want to be, with Lisa wondering where kim is, finding about Ramona, etc, before offering Scott lunch as the two catch up and Scott is very conflicted about how he feels. It’s nice visual stuff as he’s blushing, something more clear in the color version and trying to desperatley sort things out. As for why Lisa’s here she’s moving to the states soon, but is staying with her sister for now. 

So after an incdental scene with Wallace we catch up with Knives, who has broken up with Neil. And after some talk about Clash at the Demonhead, Tamra notes Knives apparently put a big x on her shrine of Scott... which baffles Knifves as she sure as hell didn’t do it and is still, sadly, obessed with Scott as ever. Granted Tamra isn’t at all helpful here claiming she did it even when she says she didn’t, is clearly confused and while yes we don’t know who else would care Tams, that just makes it all the more creepy. Stop gaslighting your bestie, she’s already got enoguh issues. She dosen’t need thinking she might have a split personality on top of the stalking, obession over a guy who has no intrest in loving her back, and attempted stabbings. Knives dosesn’t get a ton of focus in this one sadly. She kind of takes a back seat, and while sh’es not GONE from the volumle and someone close to her does impact it, she dosen’t really have any personal progression, negative or positive, like she does in every other volume, a shame since her personal jouney is one of the most intresting of the main cast. 

Anyways that night Scott hangs out with Lisa, having not gotten around to telling Ramona she exists yet and plays a game of find the Kim Pine. She goes to Neil’ and Stephen’s place for practice, but finds no one there and Neil being a dick... get used to that it’s going to get about 80 times worse soon enough. Though we do get this classic panel i’ve gotten some use out of 

He goes to Kim’s place, but she , Hollie and Satan’s Misterss have all left to Sneaky Dee’s, the local mexican place, for something to eat and Stephen is either high or doing.. something with Joseph. 

Yeah i’m not hiding that Stephen turns out to be gay in the final volume or cheating on Bitch and a Half with Joseph. And even if I hate Julie with the power of a frozen sun, I still dont’ think cheating on her is kosher. He could’ve just broken up with her and while part of it was likely confusion, and he could also be bi and not decided which one he wanted to be with, it’s still a dick move.. and later makes him a hypocrite but that’s a rant for next volume. 

So our heroes FINALLY find Kim, along with Hollie and Mouthface. And a nice thing I like is that Kim and Lisa are just.. increidbly close, happily catching up and making plans to hang before Lisa leaves, that despite Lisa having feelings for Scott the two ended up as close and She and Scott did and i’ts sweet to see. it’s also just.. rare to see Kim GENUINELY happy. I mean look at her

It’s not like she HASN’T smiled across the series but normally she’s just so miserable, likely because her best friends are a grumbly asshole who forces them to hang out with a raging typhoon of bitchiness, and an insenitive asshat who she never got closure with. This is the first decent human being whose not Ramona or Hollie, and that last one’s not going to last, in a while. It’s genuinely sweet to just see her.. enjoy the moment for once, honestly engaged with someone. Ramona shows up and finally meets Lisa, who apparently was on Degrassi.. I mean she says candaian show no one ever watched, and I watched that plenty but i’d like to think she was on there for a season or two. I liked Degrassi.. I honeslty miss it and think it could use some form of revivial and think porting it to netflix was a smart decision.. what wasn’t so smart was not having the other seasons leading into it on there. Need to watch more of it. 

So the next day Ramona stumbles into Scott’s dreams and both are annoyed, with Ramona suggesting he get a job. This finally gets him to try. He asks about Wallace’s work but understandably, he dosen’t really want scott there and asks if he even knows. So Scott sets out to ask his other friends for jobs, while Knives shows up saying she’s “totally not stalking him” but someone is following HER, a mysterious spiky haired dude in a black leather jacket, shades and with a sword on his back. Whu-oh. 

He tries Second Cup, with Julie annoyed that Stephen’s recording.. it’s hard to tell if she’s annoyed because she’s a bitch or because Stephen is both gneuinely annoying right now and clearly screwing around behind her back. My take?

But Scott realizes maybe getting a job at his Sister’s place of work who also works with his arch enemy might be stupid and backs out. He next tries Kim’s, but backs out of that too, admitting to kim it’d be stupid and Kim lists off all the reasons (His lack of resume, the fact them working together would be stresful and his ountain of late fees) why that’d be stupid, but in a jovial way. For once i’ts clear that while she’s still taking the piss out of them she isn’t mad at Scott.

In fact she genuinely helps him get a job, taking him to Stephen’s work since hers is dead right now anyway, a vegan place.  While Scott naturally compares things to a job system as he’d start as dishwasher while Stephen taught him prep, Scott agrees to genuinely take this seriously and Stephen’s boss decides “eh why not” when he asks her to employ him. Scott is gainfully employed baby! God I miss that. Seriously i’m not pimping my patreon for shits and giggles. 

But as he celebrates and Kim wishes she could punch his life in the face, they run into some trouble on the way home: Katana man who slices a motherfucking bus in half and chases them, with Scott reluctnat to fight because he has a sword and Scott does not, which is valid. He does escape though using subspace. He and Kim part awkardly and he returns home to Wallace throwing a party with two intresting charcters, a woman and a man of color, one of the few in the entire work, who are never seen again. 

The next night is practice.. or rather recording, and we start to see Neil get edged out, with him unable to come due to exams and clearly not happy about it, and Stephen just kind of ignoring anything he cares about like the dickhead he is. It dosen’t get any better as “recording” ends up just being Scott, Ramona, and Ratfaced Knacker watching bored with Joseph and Stephen work. Eventaully Scott and Ramona decide to get out of there as things are getting tensed between thing one and thing bitch, and leave.. and take Julie with them for some reason. 

So the three have dinner with Lisa, Kim, and Jason before The Mummies Curse thankfully leaves. Jason thought they were friends. 

We also get this exchange. 

I mean.. she is the better option. She his THE option. But before we can get the obvious answer of 

Stephen comes in with Knives. He smuggled her in. This leads to problems when Scott returns from the bathroom to find Queen Bitch throwing a bitch fit about him having brought her and screechs at her when she dares to talk to him “How do you even know my name?” Well Ted Cruz, you see when someone is an actually thoughtful and likes other people, they keep track of things about them and don’t constnatly tear them down or assume their partneer is automatically bonking a 17 year old instead of you know, actually forming something of a friendship and not shutting her out sensing she needs this friend group. Some people are not vacous piles of vitriol who care about nothing but themself and seem to go off at the slightest thing. 

Scott takes Ramona home but finds a drunken barely awake wallace so no sexy times. Not that he could anyway as the next day is the meeting with Peter their landlord. 

Peter reveals they’ll have to clear out by the 27th as their lease was for one year and their paid up.. as in only the first and last month. The two part melacholy knowing this sucks and isn’t a great situation. Then it’s time for Scott to work work, angelica, work work, eliza and peggy. After grueling day, can relate, he runs into  a wisp on teh wend and steels himself for a fight.. okay he bitches about it being too hot but it’s Scott. so it’s expected. He does get a hit in on his mysterious persuer.. and that’s when we meet Roxy.

Via boob punch, something Scott’s not proud of but in his defense, as Roxy keeps complaning about it, he was blindly struggling for a hit and din’t know the next Ex, or any of them, were female.. not that Ramona didn’t suggest it loudly enough by empahsising “exes” but scott’s a bit of a fuckwit. She mentions “everyone allways remmebers you”.. which is kind of ominus and tells me she tried to hook back up with ramona despite her having a boyfriend and she rejected her. Still on good terms though. But this confusing encounter ends with Roxy vowing she’ll get him next time gadget, next time. 

So we get some assorted slice of life scenes with the band, lisa and what have you as Scott tries to get in touch with Ramona but she keeps avoiding him. THat’s not worrysome at all. And Lisa brings up high school while drunk and clearly hits on Scott. He sidesteps it with her drunkness.. but this clearly isn’t over or going to stop being a problem. 

Speaking of problems Wallace makes Scott confront the truth: He either needs to find a new place to live or commit to staying, though Wallace is trying to nudge him toward asking Ramona to move into her place. Scott starts thinking it over, it being very hard especially since, as Stephen points out this was his very first place of his own.. but Stephen also points out these things are temoporary.. right before Scott ducks from katana guy. 

At work Scott wonders who it could be, though it turns out Stephen’s met him before, as he’s brought his family in here. So he’s PROBABLY not one of the exes.. but it leaves the question why he wants to cut Scott in half like Dewey Cox’s brother. But it turns out he’s nto the only enemy Scott’s casually running into as Roxy is there too.. with Ramona. 

The two talk, clearly about Scott and Lisa with Roxy trying to convince her he’s cheating and Ramona rightfully trusting Scott: while he IS attracted to her, he’s been fighting it every step of the way. Scott storms over to find out what’s going on and while Ramona is more distracted by his new job, she eventually realizes Roxy did attack him and he simply dscribed her poorly when he mentioned the incident over the phone. Scott is confused as he dosen’t get it. Is she with one of the exes what? After some hiinting from both parties, and Roxy rightfully mocking him for not getting the obvious... he finallyg ets it in the grandest way possible. 

So Roxy gets ready to fight and Scott can’t because sword, and gets fired in the background as he hides in Ramona’s bag and Ramona prepares to step in. Roxy screams at her for trusting him and defending him when Ramona.. just dosen’t her boyfriend to be bisected by her ex. A fight insues and a damn cool one at that. I honestly wish the movie had taken more from this, but simply didn’t have time leading it to instead be more like the envy fight with a bit of the Winfried Hailey fight from Free Scott Pilgrim. 

Roxy chases her and Ramona rightly points out Scott can’t run forever but takes him into Subspace.. where Roxy heads them off, having “taught you everything you know bitch” leading to a cool fight in the wintery version of subspace. Again why THIS wasn’t used instead I have no real idea. We also find out she’s a half ninja but she eventually leaves afer Ramona presses that button.. but Rammy is actually apologetic about it and Roxy’s “I hope you and your 24 children are happy together comment” is telling. 

Upon this readthrough of the volume.. I realized Roxy is the most layered and intresting of the exes next to Gideon himself. None of them are out and out terrible, but most of them have pretty simple motives: to kill Scott, ???, profit. Or in Todd’s case to kill scott, bang around and be a dick. But Roxy.. genuinely wants Ramona back. She’s the ONLY one who does: Gideon kinda does, but only in the sense that he wants her for his collection. But Roxy geninely still loves her, admitting so during this fight. And it’s not like she has no chance: out of the 7 exes she’s the ONLY one who parted with Ramona on anything resembling good terms. While intrestingly we don’t find out WHY they broke up, Ramona didn’t cheat on her like she did everyone else she was with. The two have coffee and hang out and Ramona geninely dosen’t even consider until Roxy tries to attack Scott that she’d really try killing him and tries her best to talk her out of it. But what holds Roxy back is her anger: She’s so bitter about the fact Ramona is bi or pan, so dedicated to viewing Ramona’s very orintation as a betryal (though Ramona calling it a phase dosen’t help and the movie RIGHTLY has Roxie comment on it and fly into a rage over it), and so driven to make sure the woman she loves dosen’t get hurt again that it blinds her to the fact Ramona dosen’t love her the same way anymore, and that while Scott is objectively a dick, and a cheater, and a greasy buttcrack pooflap, he is not a terrible person. A meh one sure, but he’s got good to him. She’s so biophobic she simply can’t see he’s a harmless moron.. well harmless to Ramona even with the cheating. He’s killed two people at this point and will kill again. Also she apparently has issues with only being a half ninja but this is never adressed. Point is Roxy’s really grown on me and is now probably my faviorite ex.  

Scott and Ramona talk it over on their way to Sneaky Dees and Scott finally asks to move in and gets a yes. His response is downright adorable. 

So at Sneaky Dee’s Young Neil is just a bit absolutely irate with Scott.. which isn’t fair as them not playing things is entirely on the blocky face asshole. Yell at him.. which he does, pointing out that they haven’t played shows in forever, and that the lady who owns Sneaky Dees not only runs shows, in the upstairs space, but has been asking them to play. Kim is rightly curious about this and to both Stephen just keeps saying “We’re recording right now.” And some of you may of wondered why I hate him. Well while he’s not exctly stellar in the first half in the second Stephen becomes goddman insufferable, slowly destroying the band for his affair and not giving one iota of a shit what anyone else wants. He’s a selfish, egomanical cheating prick. And yes I get it their recording an album.. but doing live shows would give them extra practice, MONEY, even if likely not a lot and exposure for said album. I get professoinal bands stop touring for a bit to do an album but you are not a professional band, and said bands still often iron out the album on the road. God you suck.

But while Scott sidesteps this argument he walks into another where Ramona confronts him about lisa about liking her.. and he rightly says if there was anything, which there was not it’s in the past. And while yes he is a cheater, she does not know this yet. This plot honestly would’ve worked better if she learned about the knives thing sooner, but instead she just comes off as paranoid for listening to Roxy about something that isn’t happening. Yes Scott’s been shown to be attracted to her.. but he’s been ashamed of it, fighting it and in denial about it, and is clealry all in with Ramona. Being attracted to someone else on a phsyical level does NOT mean your relationship is doomed. 

Things get worse as he goes home to ruminate.. and instead sees a man’s Penis. And Wallace..is at his second most unsymapthetic, not letting Scott get a shirt or a bus pass or something like a decent human being for no goddamn reason. Usually when Wallace is a dick to Scott, Scott’s earned it and badly needs a slap in the face. Here he’s just being a prick because.. the plot needs him to? I dunno it dosen’t work for me. It’s in character, I just don’t have to like it. 

So with no other options.. Scott ends up at Lisa’s. And so we get the last temptation of Scott. Lisa admits, embarassed that she’s been wearing sexy dresses and what not specifically to attract him, with Scott also mentioning how things are rough, Lisa tries to fight it herself pointing out he’s with ramona.. and when Scott points out they didn’t do anything in the past Lisa points out they should’ve.. and maybe they should now. 

We fade to black as Scott ends up in a dream and finds Roxy, who naturally has the same skill and tries to Freddy Kruger him before he wakes. He finds Lisa but they didn’t do anything: Scott pushed her away and babbled about how much he loved Ramona instead. As i’ve said.... his heart was never with LIsa... and even when he was so close to giving in he couldn’t. It’s a tangible sign of growth: He screwed around on Knives with Ramona, and given how bad things were getting with Ramona, it would be oh so easy to once again ditch a relationship the minute he found something else and oh so understandable. But... he dosen’t. He loves Ramona even if he hasn’t said it, he wants to make this work, and he’s changed. She’s changed him. He’s not quite a good man yet.. bu he’s getting to be good enough. Love turned him from a skeezy dumbass into a far more loveable dumbass. Ramona’s gotten him to stop dating a teenager (even if again he cheated), face his past with envy to finally move on and now get a job. He’s realized just hwo much she means to his life and world and so he goes to tell her. 

Riggghtttt after going to get his job back and works a shift, with steven wanting to punch his life in the balls. Stephen shut the fuck up. Just because Scott is lucky and your stuck dating satan’s scrotum does not mean you get to punch his life int he balls. Kim does, because he’s put her through more shit but not you. 

He goes to second cup to talk to Stacey.. only to end up at the wrong one where Knives also now has a job... and we finally get an answer to who the mystery katana guy is...

Yup turns out wielding giant weapons in vengance runs in the family. As for how he knows about Scott her aunt mentioned her boyfriend, everyone freaked out and obviously while her mom was mentioned as knowing in volume 1, they did not tell her dad whose brain turned into an engine of vengance and defaced the shrine. While part of it is apparnetly racisim for Scott being white the fact is he clearly saw Scott’s photograph. The guy is 5 years older. I get him being protective. Still dosen’t justify cutting off his head. His balls maybe but not his head. 

And then Scott ran, once agian finding a subspace entracne.. and this time we see inside ramona’s head and well...

Yeah.. that’s.. kind of fucked, and Ramona isn’t happy scott saw that, though she backs down once Scott explains..a nd then gets upset over him staying at Lisa’s but before SCott can tell her he loves her it turns out Roxy stayed over. So yeah, Ramona might of cheated, she tells him to alk it off and he runs around in a psycadelic haze of emtoinal confusion. And meets.. someone new...

Scott snaps out of his funk and ignores his doppleganger heading back for Ramona... whose fighting Mr. Chau. Scott left the door to Ramona’s head open and he followed him through Subspace. Scott lures him into the house and away from her only to run into Roxy. This leads to both of his attackers fighting and her wondering if Gideons ent him “Why does no one ever belivie in me?!” 

She soon realize no i’ts just unrelated and calls Scotto ut on hiding behind not having a sword and behind her being a woman, caling it a flimsy excuse. I mean she’s tring to kil lhim. It’s okay to hit an enemy combatant. Scott realizes he has to stop running... and get real with ramona leading to a truly epic, romantic and heartfelt speech and given how far he’s come and just how heartfelt it is it’s a real sign of how deep he feels. Sure we’ve seen genuine chemstiry between the two.. but htis moment is a shit.. from a simple relationship.. into true love. 

I may of only had a few but Relationships are not easy, They take work, they take time, they take patience and theyt ake love.. but if your willing to work with someone, look past some flaws and help them with the rest.. then it’s worth it. And Scott has finally realized it and for the first time in a while is running TOWARDS something difficult, actually working on this relationship and talking with his partner instead of running finding someone else or wallowing. He’s truly grown up. While he still has miles to go.. he’s taken about 50 steps forward with this. And as such given the kind of unvierse we’re in, as Ramona is genuinely touched by it he levels up a glowing sword with a heart shaped hilt coming out of his chest.. and realizing what’s happening he pulls it out....

So Scott faces off with roxy and in an awesomly short battle, their sords clash.. and he bisects her. 

Scott then honestly talks down Mr Chau who leaves after a nod, and Ramona tells Scott she loves him two. The two make out and all is well.

One make out fades into another, as we cut to Scott moving in with Kim and Blockhead’s help. Well kinda they only had one box but they owed him one. He and wallace comiserate over the end of their time as roomies. They’ll always be friend but it’s truly the end of an era. Also Wallace gets off another bit of dickery as he’’s very glad it all worked out for scott...

 Now there’s the Wallace I know and love. Dickish but just the right loveable kind of douchebag with that swagger. 

Back at Knives house she’s apparenlty into somebody though who I have no idea, Mr Chau give sher his blessing and she.. apparenlty doesen’t know chinese. I dunno. As I said her subplot this go round was her weakest overall. 

And so we end with the whole gang gathered to see Lisa off. It’s a REALLY nice shot, and one of the only times Wallace is seen with the Sex Bomb omb side of the group. Oh sure he goes to their shows and what not, but generally their never in the same vincinity so while there’s no interaction I still find this neat. Seriously the whole main cast is there, it’s a really lovely shot

Also Jason and Hollie.. who are getting awfully chummy. Whu Oh. And of course Craphole and Mouth Face are as likeable as ever. 

So we jsut get a genuinely nice sene. Except Stephen and Julie reconciling. Fuck that. Please move on. And as everyone fondly wishes Lisa adeu and wish she stuck arond the res tof the series we end on Scott and Ramona snuggling, Scott asking her her birthday and finding out she’s 24, and they both will be come september. Scott wishes this moment could last. 

They probperly snuggle as the volume ends on a high. 

Final Thoughts:

Yeah.. Gets it Together is, on rexamination, DEFINTELY my faviorite of the 6. Besides personal value i’ts hte best contained story, contaning lots of character development, great character moments, jokes, and EASILY the best art so far, with goregouness and creativty abounding. 

There is a problem here or there: Stephen and Julie’s subplot feels underbaked, and not just because I hates them, and there are several scenes that don’t further plot or character stuff. Ther’es also stuff that could’ve been expanded on.. but given this is still a pretty meaty graphic novel, it’s understandable why it wasn’t.. though it is why I’d love a streaming series since while the movie is excellent, a full series could expand on stuff from the books more Brian simply didn’t have time for. Knives also didn’t get a lot to do. 

But their drowned out by tons of great decisions: Lisa was a wonderful additoin to the cast and I genuinely wish she’d stuck around, adding in some energy, blending well with the Sex Bomb Omb crowd, and having great dynamics with everyone and her arc with Scott is heartbreaking,knowing she can’t have him but wanting him anyway having never gottne proper closure on the man she’s always wanted. She’s a heartbreaking character and its nice to see her end in a decent place and on good terms with Scott, having let him go for both thier sakes. 

And while Lisa is a highlight everyone is on their a game here for the most part apart from knives, girl hitler, and captain dumbass: Scott grows signfigantly but is funny as hell, Wallace has an intresting arc trying to nudge Scott out without being overt about it, scared to really confront him, Kim is in a happy and serene place for once and it shows. The villians are also intresting: While Mr Chau is a tad underbaked, he’s sitll a cool imposing presence. I do think he shoudl’ve had more to do with the plot.. but is still just so freaking cool it papers over that and him just.. disappearing after this like poor Lisa. 

Roxy is far more intresting, having clearly more going on than we see and while I wish we’d got her backstory, she’s easily the most engaging of the exes, being the only one to actively compete with Scott (All her and ramona end up doing is making out a little it turned out), and have bigger stakes than just “The glasses wearing douche asked me to beat up my exes boyfriend and I was like alright. 

All in all Gets it Together is really magical, the series high point, and just damn fun and it was a pleasure to go through

Next Month on Scott Pilgrim: It all falls down as we take a look into what once was my least faviorite Album, vs the unvierse. Two perfect assholes try and murder scott with Robutts, his relationship and band crumble and things get sad so very very sad. 

Next on this blog: More LIlo and Stitch! The Proud Family come to Kauai and get into a fight with our heroes. Also wizard kelly... who if nothing else is now far more tolerable now i’ve had to spend another volume with the wicked bitch of the west. Touche universe touche. See you at the next rainbow. 

[spider-pxrkers]

i'm all yours || bucky barnes x reader

summary: y/n pulls bucky in for a late night slow-dance to try and comfort him from his nightmares, all while he struggles to accept whether he deserves to be loved.

a/n: these past few weeks have consisted of me falling so hard for bucky barnes i decided to emit everything into one angsty fic lmao enjoy

warnings: fluff, angsty, swear words, bucky needing like a million hugs.

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i do not own any gifs used. all credits go to the original creator.

A light breeze blew through the kitchen window of the tower. The room was dim lit, the soft stream of the full moon’s light through the large glass panes were enough for Bucky to get around the room. He moved his arm to wipe the thin coat of sweat covering his face before reaching down into the fridge, his metal fingers wrapping around a cool bottle of water before he brought it to his lips, walking to slump down on a bar stool.

His shoulders still shook as his eyes shut, his face finding its way into his hands as he sighed.

His nightmares.

His fucking nightmares again.

It was like there was someone out there who made it their mission to make sure he never forgot what he’d done when he was in Hydra.

Not that he ever could.

Most days he’d be fine. He would go by quiet as usual around the tower, making light conversation with whomever was willing to talk to him. Missions would go by well and if it was a particularly good day, he’d actually catch himself cracking jokes during group conversations amongst the team.

Other days he’d close his eyes and the faces of innocent men and women he’d killed would flood in, haunting him. His anxiety would take over and he’d lock himself in his room, refusing to talk to anybody. His nightmares would leave him days without sleep, making him grow not only more irritable but it would feed into his guilt even more, causing a wave of insecurity to wash over him again.

Today was one of those days.

His breath was shaky as he reached down into his pocket, pulling out his phone knowing what he needed to do. He swiped to unlock it, fingers tapping to play that one song you’d told him you thought he’d like. His lips turned at the memory.

You had insisted on it about a hundred times, jokingly going on about how it was ‘old’ and it would fit right up his alley. He was unsure at first, but there was something about the way your eyes lit up that day when he agreed to give it shot and reached for the earphone you held out to him that made him realize the last thing he’d want to do is hurt you in anyway.

Turns out, he actually liked the song. It wasn’t too quick like a lot of the songs on the radio these days, but it wasn’t too slow either. The song had a good balance in rythym, something he found comfort in.

Bucky closed his eyes again as he lightly dropped the phone back on the counter, music softly echoing through the speakers. He took those deep breaths Romanoff had told him about to calm him down before hearing light footsteps to his right.

He lifted his head from his hands, tilting his face to the side to see you walk in. A gentle breeze circulated the room, lightly kissing your skin and lifting your hair slightly before it settled back into its usual position to frame around your face. He was in awe of you. A smile reached your lips as you moved to press a switch, a faint yellow light flickering on above the kitchen. It wasn’t too dull that one couldn’t see, but not bright enough to disturb the almost tranquil atmosphere in the room.

“What are you doing up so late?” Your voice was quiet and gentle as you walked to sit on the stool beside him. The simple action alone made his chest flutter as he shifted to face you better. You had that power over him, a power you didn’t even know you possessed. Your ability to make his heart stop with the simplest of smiles fell into one of the million reasons he adored you.

One of the million reasons he’d never act on it either.

It scared him. After years of Hydra hammering the shit they did into his head he was convinced the world would never get better, could never get better. That was until he met you. Somehow, you’d wormed your way into getting him involved in conversation and recovery. Yet, every time you neared the brink of getting him to open up, he’d spiral back into pit of guilt and grief, refusing to pull you into that part of his life no matter how many times you’d beg him to let you be there for him.

His eyes glazed over at your question, shaking his head at you. Your lips turned upwards into a faint smile and he almost cringed at the pity in your eyes. He hated that about you. He hated how much you felt for him. How you’d always seek out to see how he was doing, how much you’d sympathize with him no matter what he did. The way you’d defend him in front of Stark and the way you refused to end a conversation unless he’d smile.

It was also one of the million reasons why he loved you.

“Tiny Dancer, huh?” He looked back up at you again to see you gesturing to his phone. He couldn’t help but chuckle at you beaming beside him, your eyes twinkling as you sat basking in the fact he actually liked the song you told him about.

“Y’ were right doll-” his voice came out hoarse, causing him to cough. He looked up to see if you noticed and his face fell as he saw it again, that pity in your eyes. The same pity he hated seeing on you mainly because he knew it only came out for him. He hated how you worried about him and now, there was no hiding the fact his voice was hoarse because of his screaming from the nightmares before.  He almost wanted to walk right out of the kitchen then and there, but when you rested your hand on his knee his heart grew and he cleared his throat continuing. “It’s a good song.” He whispered. He wasn’t lying, the song reminded him of you, and how could that not be good?

That same smile returned to your face once more, but it wasn’t the same as before. It felt like a mask to cover your eyes that currently scanned his face, judging him for scaring so easily and acting like a fucking child who couldn't sleep because of his stupid nightmares. But he knew that wasn’t true, no matter how much he tried to convince himself of it.

You never judged Bucky, you were never scared of him like so many people were. You managed to see through his torture and abuse and slowly started uncovering the real him. And that’s why Bucky always felt at ease around you, there was no doubt about it. You had a way of understanding things he had no clue about.

He liked knowing you cared.

You chewed on your lip for a bit as the first verse of the song ended. His eyes were back onto his barely touched water. Your heart broke at the sight of the man in front of you. His broad shoulders were slumped on the stool, dark bags under his blue eyes. You wanted to hold him, trap him in the warmest embrace and wash away any negative thought in his head. You wanted to storm Hydra’s base and find anyone and everyone who was responsible for breaking the man beside you. Instead, another more practical idea struck you.

You grabbed his phone earning an eyebrow raise from him. You stood up, putting the song a little louder to fill the room even more before your fingers wrapped around his hand, tugging him to stand up with you.

“Where are we going?” he asked, letting you lead him to middle of the large kitchen.

You had a large grin spread over your face as you laughed a little. “We’re going to dance.” You told him while you moved both his arms to wrap around your waist.

He quickly shook his head before pulling away from you and taking a step back and chuckling humorlessly. “I don’t think so doll.” Years ago, he never would have passed up the opportunity to dance with someone as beautiful as you. But now, he knew the only reason you were doing this was to cheer him up, to distract him.

And he wasn’t worth that.

A frown flickered across your face. “Why not?”

He eyed you, a pang of guilt hitting him at seeing your frown. Still, he shook his head, shrugging.

You cleared you frown, your gaze meeting his as you reached for him again. “Come on, just one dance.”

He wanted to rush to you, hold you and even kiss you for being so loving, so patient towards him for years. Someone like you, so bright so happy, didn’t belong with someone as broken as he was. The two of you played this song and dance for years of mild flirting and mutual pining. But his side always hurt more because he knew no matter how much he wanted to, he could never make you happy the way you deserved, and that would never change.

So why did the sight of you two feet away make him want to throw those morals out the window and instead hold you all night?

He sighed, allowing you to guide him. This time, you moved his right arm to your hip and he didn’t resist as you interlocked your hands.

His eyes closed in bliss at the feeling of your warm hand resting in his metal one.

“‘m probably gonna step on you, you know.” He tried to joke, the sound of his deep voice over the song making you smile again. He looked down at you, pleased at your reaction. The two of you began swaying, slow dancing to the song.

He couldn’t help but brush your hands with his thumb, allowing you to pull him closer. His eyes never left yours before you leaned against his shoulder, softly singing out the lyrics.  “When I say softly, slowly.”

He rested his chin on top of your head, joining you. “Hold me closer, tiny dancer.”

“Count the headlights on the highway.” You couldn’t help the laugh that broke through your singing. You continued the song, trying to push away the laughter, but it just made you grow even louder and he swore you were the one who put the sun in the sky. Bucky looked down at you, an amused twinkle in his eyes as he grinned at you, pulling you even closer to his chest, your frame shaking in chuckles.

Bucky couldn’t stop the feeling in his heart as he felt you smile against his chest. He moved the hand that was on your hip to the back of your head, his hand resting in your hair, holding you against him. He never imagined he’d have something like this. Something so warm, so full of solace.  He was convinced there was no good left for him after Hydra and because of that, he pushed you away.

But you. God, you were so persistent. So determined to be there for him. And no matter how much he tried to project his rejection towards you, he knows how dependent he is on you. How much he craved your words after a hard day, how easily you could break his heart with a smile. He was starved for your touch but refused to ever ask, afraid of getting too attached.

But now, with you in his arms, it’s evident how much he’s fallen for you, no matter how much he’ll deny it. It began hitting him slowly, then all at once and he couldn’t stop the words from falling out of his mouth.

“Doll,” he murmured after your laughter resided and you hummed in response. “You know I’m all yours right?”

You tilted your head away from his chest, the two of you remaining in your close proximity. “Are you?” You whispered. “You push me away every time I get close.”

His mouth parted as his blue eyes flickered between yours, his hand grasping tighter around yours as you lightly swayed. He shut his mouth, shaking his head, not knowing what to say.

All you did was take a deep breath, leaning up to press your lips against his cheek before pulling back. “You deserve to be loved Bucky. No matter how much you try to deny it.”

He shook his head, a sad smile finding his face. “You can’t love me. You shouldn’t.”

“Yeah then how come I do?” He looked back down at you, not realizing how close you’d leaned in, your face a few mere inches from his. “And before you try to say anything, I know you love me too.” Your thumb rubbed circles on the knuckles of his metal hand.

Your voice was soft and gentle, your words sending him as he shook his head at you once again. “I’ve hurt people, doll.” He whispered. “I’ve killed and stolen, I’ve even-“

“And none of it was your fault.” He felt his breath stop at your words, the words he’d been longing to hear ever since he got out of that Hydra base. The same words which if it was out of anyone else’s mouth wouldn’t have meant a thing. But here you were, right in front of him and for a moment the thought of letting you in didn’t seem so bad. “You are not what Hydra made you.” You murmured, your hand leaving his shoulder and instead stroking the light stubble on his chin, making his breath hitch in his throat.

His eyes immediately closed at your touch. “Then what am I?”

You thought for a moment, looking him up and down before a smirk settled on your face. “You’re my tiny dancer.”

His eyes crinkled as they opened in laughter at your dumb joke. You grinned at him before he finally leaned down, trapping your lips against his.

The two of you stopped your dance, his right hand moving to pull you closer by the waist while his metal hand squeezed yours. Your lips moved against each other’s, divulging in years of desperation and pining into one gentle soft kiss. You stayed that way for a while, your head eventually tilting to deepen the kiss while his right hand cupped your face.

After some time, he pulled away, leaning his forehead against yours as you opened your eyes and watched his smile.

“I’m so fucking in love with you.” He breathed out, voice raw as his breath mixed with yours while he rubbed small circles in the corner of your mouth.

“I know you are.” You pushed your head back onto his chest, hiding your smile as you tugged him to go back to dancing with you. “You’re gonna be okay.” You mumbled.

His smile faltered before he caught his breath, pressing his lips to your head. “If you say so, doll.”

“If you say so.”

 -

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