#which it makes sense he wants to impress both of these men and he doesn’t believe the book will ever be published

[heartshpedfx]

I support Armand's fanfic

(I think he fucked Lestat but not in that way he described necessarily)

he ABSOLUTELY fucked lestat but i don’t think it was in one of the theatre boxes in front of nicki, to me that just doesn’t seem like lestats style

[oceantornadoo]

ch 1 of the wrong john: masterlist | next

john price x f!reader (johnny's twin)

--

You figure one whiskey in the fancy bar across from your hotel can’t hurt.

Johnny put you up in a nice hotel, considerate with all the travel and logistics it took to get here. Two days of your PTO gone, an almost-argument with the gate agent who lost your luggage, chasing down an AirTag with said luggage, and a very uncomfortable taxi ride. But it was fine. It was for Johnny.

Johnny: the brother, the twin, you hadn’t seen face-to-face in over a year. The one who got in a screaming match with your Catholic family last Christmas over who he can love. Nevermind the sacrifices he makes for the safety of the world, it’s where he puts his dick that matters to them. You told him it was bullshit and thus remained the only family member he contacts. You were worried for a second that he’d group you in with them, would sever your holy twin connection for it, but you should have remembered who you were thinking about. If anything, you’d do that to Johnny before he did it to you, a fact you both pretended did not exist. That scrappy self-awareness that somehow only you had been born with, mistaking protection with isolation. So when he said he had a slow week, said he had a partner (a boyfriend!) he wanted you to meet, you couldn’t say no. That was as good as siding with your family.

The meeting was tomorrow (“1000 sharp, m'eudail. Come t’ base an’ we’ll show ye around. Yer gonna love Simon, ‘es all claws like you.”) For the oddest reason, you were nervous. It wasn’t like Johnny needed his family’s approval, if anything, you needed to meet the approval of his found family. The one he created when he left, the one he was slowly opening to you like a secret garden. One sense of a parasite and the gate would be locked forever. He never said as much, too happy-go-lucky for that, but you could sense the protectiveness behind his words during glitchy monthly phone calls. “Price, Gaz, an’ there’s the L.T. Calls himself Ghost but ‘es more bark tha’ bite. You’ll see, m'eudail.” And so you ordered a whiskey to quell the nerves.

“Miss, a drink for you.” The bartender placed a gin and tonic down that was certainly not what you ordered. “I���m sorry, I wanted a whiskey? You can take this back, I haven’t touched it, I swear.” He shook his head, reaching down to grab a whiskey glass. “‘S from the gentleman on the corner. Told me to say our gin is better than our whiskey, which I disagree with, but whatever pays the tips.” He placed a glass of whiskey (on the rocks) in front of you. “Both are on the house, courtesy of your admirer. Let me know if ya need anything or he bothers you.” You nodded your thanks, glancing around for this mystery man. The bar wasn’t too packed but with a game of football on, there were more single men than not.

Finally, you felt a pair of eyes on you, sticking to the back of your head like honey. You turn and there he is, icy blue eyes and a lumberjack look, bearded in flannel. He’s broad and he knows it, carrying himself with the grace of self-confidence. To add to it, he’s sitting alone in a back corner table, perfect view of all exits (like how Johnny told you to look for one tipsy night eons ago.) When you catch his eyes, he raises a glass, giving you a glimpse of hands you want to examine. Are they soft or worn? What about his beard? You promised yourself a drink to settle you nerves, a bubble bath and lights out before 11, but he’s throwing a wrench into your plans. It feels like foreshadowing, to what you don’t know.

“Bit rude to tell the bartender you don’t like his whiskey. Doesn’t give a good first impression.” Somehow, your feet took you over to his table without your permission. You’re standing while he’s sitting and somehow you’re still tilting your head to meet his eyes. They’re darker than they were on first glance, swimming with something that sends a shiver down your spine. You purposefully take a sip of whiskey, your gin and tonic abandoned at the bar, to will that feeling away.

“Jus’ givin’ some advice to a pretty traveler. Can’t have y’ thinkin’ this part of London has no drinks f’ a woman like you.” You find a gray hair in his beard and track it to the curve of his lips as he speaks, taking in the small details you couldn’t see from the bar. Like the way his eyes crinkle in a world-weary manner or the gruffness of his tone, like he’s used to giving orders rather than initiating conversation. It’s your new mission to unpeel the layers of this man tonight.

“And how did you know I’m a traveler? Could be a local for all you know.” He snorts, and in any other man, the arrogance would put you off, but it’s somehow attractive on him. “Well, sweetheart, everyone’s payin’ attention t’ Arsenal playin’ an’ y’ve barely given ‘em a glance. And any local worth their salt knows the whiskey here is watered down an’ grimy.” You take a sip of your drink, again, to prove a point, biting back a grimace at the taste. You can’t let him win.

“Does that make you a local?” Gracefully, he ignores how you could barely swallow down the last drop in your cup. Instead of answering, he signals the bartender for two gin and tonics, then gestures at you to sit in the other seat at his table. His silent command, and consequential dismal of your question, pulls at a string in your belly you didn’t know existed. Perhaps it’s the whiskey.

“Nah, ‘v been around. Been in London for work a while an’ hav’ learned about whiskey choices the hard way. And you? Not from ‘ere, can tell by the accent.” You write that down in your imaginary notebook, hoping a whiskey enthusiast doesn’t equal a reliance on alcohol. You’re fast to determine red flags, especially with strangers. “From Scotland but haven’t been home in a while so the accent’s a bit over the place. What’s your work?”

He takes a sip of the newly arrived gin and tonic, savoring the taste with his tongue. It darts out to catch a drop the edge of his lip and you’re hit with visions of where else he could put it. God, you don’t even know his name yet. “Security consultant. Protectin’ whatever they pay me to protect. An’ you?” It’s a lie. His eyes don’t stray from your face but your bullshit-o-meter is ringing somewhere. You let him have it, deciding a lie for a lie is the best way to go.

“I’m interviewing with a company around here, so I’m currently in between jobs. But I trade in corporate bullshit.” He chuckles, smooth and low like good whiskey, and it’s enough that you forgive the lie, letting it gather dust in the back of your mind. “My name’s John, sweetheart. An’ yours?” You murmur it sweet and slow, fluttering your lashes to lock in the deal. It’s near 10 now, and you don’t want to be yawning when you meet Johnny tomorrow. You have a feeling the man in front of you could keep you up all night if you let him.

John pulls your chair into his until your thighs are slotted in between each other like puzzle pieces. “Got any plans tonight?” You shake your head no, pressing your leg into his own. The harsh denim of his jeans scrapes against your well-worn ones, reminding you of how rugged he seems. You want to see how untamed he can be, and your panties dampen at the thought.

“Well, John,” you overemphasize the last syllable of his name to make sure he’s paying attention. “My hotel is across the street if you need to expand your London knowledge. Really give you that local aura.” His thumb grazes your knee, stroking against the grain pattern. “Sounds good t’ me, sweetheart. Let’s give it a go.”

–

Few thoughts:

m'eudail - my darling, my dear

The base is on the outskirts of London but the hotel is in the city because I said so.

I don’t know anything about London football, Arsenal was the first team that showed up. Thanks google

This was all build up but the next chapter will have some smut! 

This is more for a plot based audience so here’s my AO3 if you’d like to subscribe

Comment if you want to be tagged 🙂

[handyowlet]

Believing all women means hearing them out and taking all evidence into account. It means you don’t automatically assume they are lying, but it also does not mean you should automatically assume everything they say is 100% accurate always and everything their alleged assaulter says is 100% a lie always, no matter what any other evidence may suggest (and yes, I have been assaulted in my lifetime, before you come at me).

We have so little information at this point that it’s impossible to know what happened. We will likely never know because we weren’t there.

I agree that it is problematic to sleep with your kid’s nanny but it is not impossible for such a situation to still lead to a consensual relationship. It is not impossible for someone to want to work for and then possibly sleep with a celebrity. I also believe her when she said it started out weirdly but was consensual, and when she told Neil multiple times that it was consensual. It would make sense for him to have the impression that it was consensual based on those exchanges.

I’m not a fan of large age gaps in relationships because one or both of the participants are so often in it for the wrong reasons, but an age gap alone does not make it not consensual. An adult is an adult and they can make their own choices. I don’t hear anyone calling Michael a rapist because Anna is 25 years younger than him. Also, fans sleep with celebrities all the time. Groupies are a thing for a reason. Yes it is possible for celebrities to take advantage of that, just as it is possible for fans to seek them out. Doesn’t mean it can’t be consensual. She also said over and over that their relationship was consensual. She did mention one time when she said no due to a UTI and he didn’t listen- that is the only clear cut nonconsensual act noted and is indicative of our society’s insistence that your partner is owed sex in a relationship (which doesn’t make it right, but it does make it harder for people, especially men, to understand that it isn’t right).

I’m also not into rough sex or BDSM (I’m grey ace and happily married), but it’s also not my place to judge anyone for their tastes. There is nothing wrong with either of these, but of course they should be properly negotiated.

It is also important to note that the podcasters appear to have sought out as many women as they could and these are the only two they came up with, both of whom noted over and over that their relationships were consensual.

If you haven’t listed to the podcast, find Not Becky on Twitter. She summarized the whole thing so you don’t have to.

Not saying Neil is perfect or that he didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m also not jumping on the “Neil is a monster and should kill himself” train that roared out of the station yesterday.

[sciencegothic]

curious abt ur interpretation, but why do u think zeus turned on athena so suddenly after she completed the games?? a lot of people say it’s just because he’s a sore loser, but i think there’s more to it!! :0

hi, hello !! i do have some feelings about this !!

for me, i think it’s sort of, like, less about the fact that she won, and more what she stood for in winning? so, like, the fact that she managed to convince five other gods to set free a mortal man, the fact that she won for the sake of a mortal man - that’s what zeus can’t reason with

so, zeus does say:

No one beats me, no one wins my game!

which gives the impression that he is, just, a sore loser. that he cannot handle being beat. and, okay, i think there is like some truth to that. he is the god king, he does not lose at things. i think he expected that this would be a lot harder for her, that the other gods would care a lot more than they probably do. it’s the shock more than anything, then, that gets him. he didn’t expect to lose

but, also, before this line he says:

You dare to defy me? To make me feel shame?

and i think this part is important to consider. let’s look at it line by line. he use the word “defy”, which seems odd, because athena did exactly what he laid out for her to do. but i think in this case it’s more, that she’s defying him by aligning herself with a mortal. it really doesn’t help that the specific man in question is one that zeus himself punished personally. in his eyes, odysseus is weak and pathetic, he isn’t worth the mercy of the gods. athena had abandoned him at one point, and i think that shows her father’s will being reflected in her. if she - someone who has befriended odysseus, taken him under her win - was willing to turn her back on him, then the likes of zeus would have no sympathy for such a man, and thus it is a defiance that athena would suddenly turn back to helping him

she defies his will by getting this far in the game for the sake of odysseus. actually, i think zeus had hoped the game would change her mind, show her the “godly” perspective. the fact she still holds her ground after it, then, is defiance

okay, and then zeus talks of “shame”, athena making him “feel shame”. again, this ties a lot back into what we just covered - zeus is ashamed that his own daughter would fight this hard for a mortal whom he hates. that she would face five gods who try to sway her opinion and still come out standing by odysseus. athena is zeus’ favourite daughter, after all. he would surely then expect that she would always align herself with him or his morals, so to see her stand before him after playing his games, games designed to force her hand, and for her still want his help - that is a cause for great shame for the father

now, looking at the wider context of the musical, we see that zeus is “fair” (at least by his own standards). he gives odysseus two choices across the course of the musical, in regards to the baby and in regards to his men. in both cases, he doesn’t force odysseus either way to choose, and when he does make his choice, zeus doesn’t interfere any further. at the start of god games, he gave athena a choice. to face the other gods OR face him. by his own standard set before, when athena chooses to face the gods and wins, zeus should stand by that. it is fair.

but he doesn’t. and for me that’s what shows that this is so much more than just a sore loser. this is a god who is going against his agenda in order to punish his daughter - that’s something that runs a lot deeper than “aw, i lost”. he didn’t expect athena to win, no, but that’s because he always expected her to come back to her senses (his reason) before the game was up. she didn’t. that is a great defiance of his will, and that is a great shame on him as her father

zeus is all about pride, we see that most clearly in thunder bringer. his daughter - his favourite, perfect daughter - has essentially just embarrassed him in front of all these other gods by beating his game for the sake of someone he has previously sought to punish. she has, in front of all these other gods, shown that his faith in her was misplaced, because she is willing to defy his will. this is a god king who could not bring someone around to see his reason. this is a father who has realised in that moment that his daughter is not who he thought

so, okay, yeah, this is very long and ramble-ly (i just woke up, so i do apologise) but TLDR, it’s about pride and shame and zeus’ sheer fury that the game he designed for athena to lose - or to, at least, bring her back to his reason - did not work. she still stands against him for the sake of one, mortal man, and that is a defiance he cannot have

[shizuturnspages]

same anon who asked about yandere childe with strong s/o, and i was wondering... which yandere genshin characters do you think would be totally into a strong s/o (minus childe ofc) and which ones would see it as an obstacle since it means they're tougher to restrict/'protect'/etc??? don't need much detail, just wondering what your thoughts were on genshin men/women who would find it appealing and who would see it as another issue to deal with

Yandere Genshin Characters Who Would Be Into a Strong S/O

These characters would thrive on the challenge or admire your strength, seeing it as an asset rather than a threat to their obsession.

❥ Xiao: Strength impresses him. He’s used to protecting others, but if you can hold your own, it’s both a relief and a bond-builder. He might even secretly admire you more than he lets on.

❥ Kaeya: He would find it incredibly appealing. He loves a good challenge, and having a strong S/O would keep him on his toes. He’d flirt and test your boundaries, intrigued by your strength both physically and mentally.

❥ Beidou: She’s all about strength and freedom. A strong S/O? Perfect match. She loves sparring with you and seeing your skills in action.

❥ Eula: Due to her background as a noble outcast, she respects strength and resilience. A strong S/O would earn her respect and affection. She’d bond with you over shared battles and see your strength as a shared asset rather than a threat.

❥ Rosaria: She would silently appreciate your strength, as it means she doesn’t have to constantly look out for you. She’d enjoy the fact that you’re capable of protecting yourself, and might even view your strength as an extension of her own independence.

❥ Arlecchino: She thrives on power dynamics and sees your strength as something to respect and wield alongside her.

❥ Cyno: He respects competence and strength, especially in combat. He’d see a strong S/O as an ideal match, someone he could trust to have his back. His yandere tendencies might even become more subtle since he doesn’t have to worry as much about your safety.

❥ Wanderer: He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Wanderer would love a strong S/O. He’d see your strength as proof that you’re someone worthy of his attention, and it’d feed into his fascination with you. His possessiveness might even grow, knowing others might covet your abilities.

Would See It as an Obstacle

❥ Diluc: He would struggle with a strong S/O because he’s so used to taking on a protector role. He’d view your strength as a barrier to him fulfilling that role, which would frustrate his yandere tendencies.

❥ Ningguang: She prefers to have control over every aspect of her life, including her relationships. A strong S/O might disrupt the balance she tries to maintain, especially if you act independently in ways that challenge her authority or plans.

❥ Thoma: He’s more of a caregiver at heart, so a strong S/O might make him feel like he’s not needed as much, which would bother him in a possessive way.

❥ Alhaitham: He might find your strength a little inconvenient because it challenges his need for control. He respects intelligence over brute force, so if your strength overshadows his calculated plans, he might get a little exasperated.

❥ Tighnari: He would view your strength as a complication, especially if it means you’re more independent than he’s comfortable with. He wants to be the one to protect and guide you, so your strength would sometimes clash with his protective instincts.

❥ Zhongli: His old-fashioned nature might make him see your strength as a hurdle to his protective instincts. While he’d deeply respect your abilities, it’d also challenge his need to shield and safeguard you.

❥ Raiden Shogun: Ei is used to being the ultimate authority. A strong S/O who acts independently might clash with her rigid sense of order, making her feel like her control is being undermined. She’d see your strength as both a threat and an obstacle to “keeping you safe.”

❥ Kaveh: He would see your strength as a direct threat to his overprotective nature. He thrives on being needed and would find it hard to cope with an S/O who doesn’t rely on him emotionally or physically.

❥ Ayato: He would find it bothersome in private, as he prefers being the one in control of situations. Your strength would make it harder for him to manipulate or safeguard you, which might frustrate his possessive streak.

❥ Albedo: Your strength might disrupt his plans of keeping you isolated for his “observations.” He’d have to strategize around it, which he might find annoying.

[lightningidle]

A thought about Gerard’s scene in Episode 18, which is: Elody watches the conversation between Gerard and Rapunzel.

                                                    ——————

Princess Elody is a tactical motherfucker, so even when these cool young women approach her and say all the right things, things that make sense, she doesn’t fully buy in. Not at face value.

When they talk about princes, it’s somehow both completely flippant and with caustic derision — like these young men were props meant to move the plot along, sole owners of agency in stories that weren’t even titled after them. (Elody wonders about their treatment of the princes as the fairies’ deux es machina, wonders about how easy it is to “kill a lot of princes” as Snow White explains. And by their own logic, how likely is it, really, that the princes are cardboard cutouts if Cinderella is so sure her stepmother, not even royalty, has her own book?)

There’s evidence to the contrary of this in her story specifically, which she has no trouble recounting. There’s no way her prince was meant to pacify her into an idyllic life, because he’s a layabout! He’s unreliable! And sure, he’s charming and fun, yes, he tried to pull her away from the war table, but that wasn’t because of any scheming to get her to stay in line, it was just because he wanted attention. He’s frivolous, he’s not a monster, she says. She’s so passionate in her defense of Gerard’s personhood that she almost misses the shared look of the princesses, the glint in Rapunzel’s eye.

Let us show you, Rapunzel says, what a monster looks like.

The scrying ritual is completed quickly and without fuss. Rapunzel stares into a mirror that ripples like water, and then, on the other side, there he is. More froglike than he’s ever been.

“You’re a prince, friends are probably pretty expendable, right? How many friends have you really had, other than Elody?”

Now hold on, Elody wants to say, that’s goading him. That’s not fair. Cinderella puts a firm hand on her shoulder and shakes her head no, to stay quiet, to wait it out. Elody bites her tongue and waits for Gerard to prove one of them right.

“Your friends seem to really value you as a person. I’m sure it’s a comfort to know that they’re not just sort of putting up with you because you’ll tag along and swing your sword, prove a little bit useful.”

Gerard has snowball fights with his friends. He has friends? He has a dedicated workout buddy? She’s not sure he’s ever been dedicated to anything, except for gossip... or her. Now that she thinks about it, he has always been unquestionably devoted to her, hasn’t he?

“I have seen some titanic feats of strength from my companions the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White. Truly impressive acts of heroism.

I do not think I have seen any of my sisters strain more greatly than the Princess Elody to find something kind to say about you.”

Elody does open her mouth to speak this time, which turns out to be a huge mistake when a writhing mass of knotted hair wraps around the lower half of her face. Not to constrict, only to silence. A pit forms in her stomach at the thought that Rapunzel might not be lying, that in trying to defend Gerard she only condemned the worst of him.

“Yes... I don’t... I don’t doubt that.”

Her heart breaks for the second time.

“But I haven't seen the Princess Elody in a while, and I think it's telling that I'm seeing you in this lake and not her or any of the other princesses. I think you’re... manipulating people, or not telling them the full truth.”

Her eyes dart to the other princesses. Snow White’s expression remains unchanged, though Cinderella’s darkens slightly. When Rapunzel speaks again, it does not escape Elody’s notice that she doesn’t acknowledge what Gerard pointed out; she deflects. Elody is getting angrier, now, tugging at the hair around her jaw, hardly even hearing the next bit until a third voice speaks up, says the Princess Elody cares for you deeply.

“Not quite the same thing.”

“It's not, but seeing as the last thing she saw of me was me running away after I had already done that, I’m grateful that she still cares for me at all.”

The hair gathering around her tenses. Elody was brought here to see that, when Gerard thought nobody else could hear, he would prove himself to be just an agent of the fairies, or an empty vessel, or a selfish monster. What she’s seeing is none of those things. But she’s also not seeing the man she knew as her husband: he’s grown and changed, almost become someone else entirely. She wants to call out to Gerard. She wants to get to know him all over again.

“Gerard,” Rapunzel hisses, “what do you think the odds are that it got into Elody's head that the virtuous thing to do was to fall in love with a cold and slimy frog, and that every kindness she has paid you in your life has been a testament to her charity, rather than anything about you that would bring her joy?”

Elody freezes.

“I don't know that I can answer that.”

“It doesn’t seem very fair to Elody that you can’t.” 

“... I agree.”

The image in the mirror of the man who will never be a man again ripples and vanishes. Elody’s hands have fallen away from the hair around her face, which is convenient, as she finds herself suddenly holding a book. The hair recedes, and she doesn’t register what it is Rapunzel is saying to try and placate her, because the book in her hands is a slim volume, bound in her favorite shade of green and embossed in golden ink.

On the front is the title — The Princess Elody.

[cherrari]

TRICK OR TREAT MINAH do you have more chalex <3

they're lesbians. surprise

This isn’t the first time they’re being corralled pre-race into some silly PR stuff, and it won’t be the last. Alex expected it the moment she read the headline saying Charles would be moving up that year. Two girls on the grid—two talented girls on the grid—was unprecedented. Hell, if Alex were a marketing intern, she’d milk the shit out of them too.

That doesn’t mean she has to like it, though.

“You’ll be playing against—oh, here they are now,” the staff member begins, and is promptly cut off by Charles’ gasp.

“Antonio!” she shouts, clapping Antonio on the back. He flushes slightly, but manages to get a greeting out before she launches into hasty Italian. 

Behind him, Artur waves at Alex. Alex waves back.

“Ferrari drivers, am I right?” Alex jokes. Artur only makes a noncommittal noise back, his eyes shifting back towards Charles every few seconds.

Alex can’t help but snort at how obvious he is. The staff member waits patiently off to the side as Antonio and Charles chat; Charles is loud, all dramatic hand movements as she discusses what Alex imagines is her earlier wall tap, judging by the sound effects she makes. Antonio laughs at that, which makes Charles laugh even more, and something in Alex sours.

“The game?” Alex prompts, nodding to the staff member.

“Oh, yes!” She stands up straighter and herds Charles back in Alex’s direction. Charles falls into line without complaint, and Alex soon feels Charles’ eyes bearing into the side of her face again. “Okay, so as I was saying, you guys will be split into teams and…”

The game is simple. She’ll ask them a question and they’ll have to write down their answer. Whichever pair has the most matching answers wins. 

Charles’ face scrunches up. “We are going to do terribly,” she grumbles. 

“No faith,” Alex says, but she privately agrees. She doesn’t know how much she and Charles have in common, other than being girls, but it can’t be much. 

“If only our partners were swapped,” Charles laments, picking up her whiteboard.

“You each need to pick a team name too,” the staff member says. “Pick while I set up the camera.”

Alex is content to let Charles decide, and decide Charles does: “Let’s be… Team Guys.” 

“Team Guys,” Alex repeats in a deadpan. “Is that a French word?”

“No, no. Like, Team Men. Guys,” Charles repeats, with emphasis, as if that makes any more sense. “Since we both have guy names. It is about the irony.”

Alex’s head whips around, and she makes proper eye contact with Charles for the first time that day. “Excuse me, I do not have a guy name,” she huffs. “And neither do you.” 

Charles’ real name is Charlotte. Everyone knows this. The Sharl comes from the first syllable. It’s easier to say in a hurry.

Charles pouts, hugging the whiteboard to her chest. “My male cousin is named Alex, you know,” she argues.

“Alexander, probably.”

“No,” Charles says, stubborn. “Just Alex.”

Alex rolls her eyes. The last thing she needs—or wants, really—is to draw more attention to how she’s not a guy. It’s an objectively stupid name anyway. Everybody already knows why they’ve been paired up.

“No, Charles.” She uses the name to soften the blow, but keeps her voice firm. “Let’s just use… I don’t know. Team Art.”

“Team Art,” Charles repeats, like the very word makes her sick. “Fine.”

She’s sulky for all of five seconds before the staff member calls for their attention and she brightens back up. Alex finds it impressive how quickly she can move on from disappointment. She’s never seen her sad for more than a few minutes.

To Alex’s private relief, Artur and Antonio pick Team Trident as their name. It sounds better because of the alliteration, but it’s objectively just as uninspired as theirs.

The game proceeds smoothly enough, and by that, she means it goes exactly how Charles predicted: terribly.

Favourite season to race in? Charles says spring. Alex says fall.

Favourite Italian food? Charles says pizza. Alex says pasta.

Favourite track on the calendar this year? Charles says Monza. Alex says Silverstone. To be fair, they would’ve never agreed on this one even if they were given a thousand retries.

The end result is a total demolition. 9-2 in the Trident’s favour. Charles buries her head in her hands when she sees the prize: a signed Sebastian Vettel driver card. Originals, not photocopies.

“You’re going to be driving with him in a few years anyway,” Alex consoles her, patting her back. “I’m sure he’ll give you all the signed driver cards you want then.”

“I did not want it for me,” Charles huffs, then adds matter-of-factly, “My brother is also a Ferrari fan, you know.”

“Of course,” Alex says, and notes how unsubtly Charles dodged the rest of her comment.

[silversodas]

What Happened Between Crimson and Moxxie’s Mom?

The flash back Moxxie had paints an interesting story, and it also gives Crimson a more interesting motive then “because he’s an asshole” the first thing I noticed is that he is definitely jealous of Moxxie

Moxxie can’t cut his stake on his own so Mama cuts it for him

Crimson has this odd tension about him, which could be read as him being annoyed that Moxxie couldn’t cut his own food, but this tension is held inward it’s not projected out to Moxxie, which is why Moxxie doesn’t even notice.

He is glaring at Moxxie’s mom but the tension is still held inward, showing he is conflicted about something.

People have mentioned that him getting angry at her pulling away from this is a sign of aggression and it is, but it’s also interesting that the initiation of the touch was not, it’s almost timid, it’s careful. All this together gives the impression that Crimson is jealous of the affection she shows Moxxie and he wants her to want to give that to him and she turns him down flat.

It’s possible that when dating the relationship was not working out, but then she gets pregnant. It’s often herd that women use pregnancy to tie down a guy, but men can do that too. Did he threaten to take Moxxie? I mean it’s possible, but maybe he didn’t have to. When guys try to keep a girl through pregnancy he doesn’t have to threaten with responsibility, it’s actually easier just to make it more appealing that she won’t have to do it alone and that he’s gonna be there for her and the baby. And if he was already rich that probably made it a much more attractive option then being a single mother in literal Hell.

But unsurprisingly, trying to keep someone who might not even be that into you makes for a vary unhappy marriage.

This is possibility #1 possibility #2 is “I love you, but I never should have had a kid with you”

It’s possible that Moxxie’s Mom is a morally gray person that was perfectly fine with her husband’s work, her being a woman, in crimsons eyes, ment she didn’t have to get her hands dirty. I also think it’s a possibility because she was never afraid of Crimson, hinting at a trust that he wouldn’t hurt her even though he has the power to do so with a snap of his fingers, but that could be because she was trying to stay brave for Moxxie both are plausible. What I am getting at is that having children can change you and your relationship drastically, so it’s possible that they were on the same page and she was still in love with him, until they became parents. Like the shooting range for example

She was fine with Moxxie learning to use a fire arm, what she wasn’t ok with was Crimson teaching Moxxie to kill people.

If you look closely you see Moxxie’s moms silhouette in the background, Crimson is looking to her first before teaching Moxxie. Almost like he is making sure she is watching. And she never felt powerless to do anything, she didn’t hesitate to shove the gun back into crimson’s hands and walk off without a word. So it gives me the impression he is looking for her approval, that he is contributing to Moxxie’s shooting lesson. And him being angry at her taking Moxxie and leaving the shoot range tells me one of two things

1) His Mom has been rebuffing Crimsons attempts to teach Moxxie the family business for years and it’s frustrating him that she wont see it his way already

2) Crimson doesn’t see where being a better person gets you, so it makes perfect sense to make Moxxie like them. And it pisses him off because before Moxxie was born, to her, this was the good life, before she got pregnant she would happily sit in his lap while he talked to her about his day as long as he didn’t bring work home and get blood on her carpet. But NOW she has a moral compass? NOW that life isn’t good enough for our son?

I admit I like possibility #2 because it would be relatable, my brother used to run with people who liked drugs and a little after high school too, and it’s heartbreaking to learn who is actually your friend and who was only your friend in a certain circumstance, like he was just part of the indulgence. I work at a bar and that’s happened to a couple of regulars too. They had more drinking friends then actual friends.

It would also be interesting if she was ok with her life with Crimson, but wanted her son to be better then them, not be like them. And this difference in priority caused her to fall out of love with Crimson, but there is one more thing that makes me think of possibility #2

It’s when his mother is gone and it’s just them now. Crimson is full on hate glaring at Moxxie, I think it’s to show he blames Moxxie for their relationship going bad, to me this glare says “everything was fine until YOU showed up”.

But then again He could just be blaming Moxxie for his relationship issues simply because he can and her loving Moxxie more is also Moxxie’s fault, the alternative is blaming himself and he isn’t about to do that.

And as for Moxxie being born in the Wrath Ring, his parents either 1) didn’t get married till after he was born or 2) she already tried leaving Crimson once because she wanted her baby away from that life style, straight up Kill Bill style but he found her and either threatened her or convinced her to come back by convincing her he was a better financial option for the baby

But it’s just a theory

[mrboogerlip]

Nah you couldn't scare me away.

Your ocs are so silly (In a good way). I have the same piercings as rolando! That's pretty silly. When did he get his piercings? How many does he have? (I have three in each ear).

How would your ocs react if they met the people from TDDUP?

Wat do you think would happen is Jason found out about Jack's hobbies? How do you think Jack would react?

Also, at 11 pm last night I had a joyous idea for a story or drawing: Jason and Marcus getting a call because some dead bodies were found mutilated in a basement.

The close they get:

Jason: Hey my dad lives around here! I hope he's okay.

5 min later.

Jason: Damn they even live on the same street how wild.

That would be so weird. To go in and be like: Aight pops. I know you had nothing to do with this but we gotta check anyw- WHAT THE FUCK.

Or alternatively if Jason was told to always stay out of the basement and then on some holiday or other Jack left the basement unlocked and he walked down there.

Anyways that made me giggle at ungodly hours of the night.

I hope you have a great December and it doesn't get to cold for you (I personally love cold weather but I'm cold anyways. Stupid iron deficit).

See ya!

- 🐠

Aww thank you!!! XD They are very silly, aren’t they?

Rolando got his first piercings when he was a teenager!

Around when he was 18, he had met his best friend, or right hand man as they would say, Autumn! Autumn kiiind of influenced a lot of how Rolando acts today. And that included the piercings. XD He has 2 in his left ear, and 4 in his right ear!

Ooooh, now that’s an interesting question!! …Honestly, I can’t even imagine under what circumstances they would meet! I wish I could make up a whole entire scene, because that’d be more fun… but I’ll just give their impressions!

Estevan would really admire Marcus and Jack, both being older men who take their work quite seriously and have a good reputation in the community! Estevan really admires that kind of thing! Not to mention Marcus is in law enforcement, just like Estevan!! I think Estevan would see how meek and hesitant Chris seems and immediately take a guess that his personal life isn’t so great. Estevan is a major people pleaser and he just cannot help himself but feel the need to get in someone’s business and try to help them get better XDD (He won’t do so for himself though XD)

Rolando somehow thinks he can outmatch Marcus when the guy has like 85 more pounds than him LOL Really, Rolando just likes a good challenge. Which is why... Rolando gets pissed at people who are clearly holding back on him, so that’s why he’s angry at Chris for seemingly no reason! He sees it as that person thinking he’s weak XD Rolando would kind of be able to “sense” the stench of death all over Jack. It’s not something he always consciously acknowledges or cares to acknowledge. It’s something that he can pick up on in the back of his mind, so he probably wouldn’t mention his discovery to anyone.

I know I didn’t draw any of the other characters, because, honestly, I just had no idea what to say XD

If Jason found out about Jack’s hobbies… That’s a good question! Oh man, I have no idea. XD Jack says he would never kill Alice and Jason… But if it came down to that… would it still be true? I’d say maybe… I think Jack would be horrified. Maybe it wouldn’t set in immediately… But I think Jack would just knock Jason out and immediately escape, cutting off all contact with everyone. Of course Jack doesn’t want anyone to find out about it… But I imagine it’d kill him if his family ever got involved in what he does…

Oh my god!! XDD That would be hilarious!!

If the mood ever strikes, I might just… do it… XD (If you aren’t planning to make it yourself anyway!)

Thanks, you too! :D Luckily, I don’t live somewhere that’s too cold. Otherwise, I’d die XD I swear I remember liking cold weather when I was young though… I don’t know what happened

Make sure ya stay warm fishy anon~ (and everyone else reading this! :D)

[meetinginsamarra]

My fave Sherlock BBC tropes: Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Around mid-month I’ll do a fic rec list with my fave AU genres or tropes. Summaries are taken from OP on AO3.

Enemy Number One by lookupkate

When Anderson finally crosses a line and gets fired a new pathologist takes his place. Sherlock isn't happy to find that the new doctor is almost as good at his job as Sherlock is. Said new doctor, John Watson, wants to woo the genius until he finds out what a prick he can be. Then he's just amused. And maybe a bit fond. And kind of smitten. Then he falls in love with the prick. Bloody hell.

Oscillation by lookupkate

John and Mary have been together for two years and John thinks they should probably settle down. John is happy with Mary. It's the only way their situation makes sense, so it must be happiness. Sherlock sees a flaw in that logic. What does John do then, when the strange man brings parts of his life into question and refuses to just bloody go away? Well, fall in love with him, of course.

Roommates are for little people by alexxphoenix42 @alexxphoenix42

John was looking forward to seeing his friends back at uni, but a new year brings new complications, not the least of which is a dorm room with only one bed, and a stroppy roommate with an utterly spectacular arse. God, John doesn't need the headache.

Mistletoe and Misdemeanours by Robottko

When Victor Trevor backs out of the Holmes family Christmas at the last minute, Sherlock panics because he has no way to impress his parents. Thankfully there is a handsome army doctor with nowhere to go in his coffee shop, though it would be more helpful if he were a bit more willing.

An Everlasting Inferno by thatawkwardfriend

Sherlock and John are both men who operate outside the law. John works for Mary and her hitmen in order to keep a roof over his head. Sherlock does anything his drug dealer asks of him in exchange for free drugs and housing.

They meet one night in a darkened garage to negotiate a deal. But they soon find out that neither of their bosses are being entirely honest with them about their goals or motives. With a little poking around, they stumble upon something much bigger than themselves and discover that perhaps, it might be in their best interests to work together.

(Loosely inspired by StartUp and Little Favour)

The Key to Castles in the Air by LadyKailitha

John is a clerk (and writing a book on the side) at a bookshop run by Mrs Hudson. The one downside to this perfect job is Sherlock Darling, Mrs Hudson's friend who loves to rile John up. About everything.

All that changes when they are forced to spend a week together in the country when bad weather hits. Sherlock's got secrets. What will John do once he finds them out?

Pencil Through My Heart by elwinglyre @elwinglyre

What’s worse? Sharing a byline with an arrogant consulting reporter or falling for him? Seasoned section editor John Watson faces this impossible choice. But first John must find him. Of course Holmes is out chasing the story of the century without him! In the process, Watson must reassess who and what he is, and even worse, admit he cares.

Aim for the Head by Breath4Soul

Sometimes you don't really find yourself until everything has ended. A fic about finding love, healing, and purpose after everything has gone to hell.

As if the doctor can read Sherlock's thoughts, he holds out a protein bar in the space between them. Sherlock’s eyes narrow on the man and flick to the bar with an expression of disgust. “You're at least one stone underweight,” the soldier states matter-of-factly, confirming for Sherlock, in yet another way, that he is a doctor. “Eating slows me down,” Sherlock grumbles. “No, fainting does.” The army doctor smiles kindly, patiently. Sherlock looks at him with confusion. “What do you care?” Sherlock snaps. The soldier’s smile deepens and he gives a casual shrug, turning his eyes to the road a moment. “You faint; we crash.” The soldier’s eyes slide back to Sherlock with their placid expression.

A Further Sea by i_ship_an_armada, ShinySherlock @ishipanarmada

(also on pirate and mermaid AU rec list)

Here be a tale of adventure for both body and soul, but beware if ye be not of stout heart, for this be piratelock, ya savvy? Luckless ship's surgeon John Watson takes a chance, and finds himself eye to eye with The Ghost, the scourge of the seven seas and a definite thorn in the side of the blaggard, James Moriarty. But when John finds there's more to this most cunning pirate than be meetin' the eye, he has to choose--is it a pirate's life for him?

Dive by FinAmour @finamour

It’s John’s third year of studying abroad at Harvard, and he’s still struggling to fit in. On a cold night in December, he finds his girlfriend with another man—and meets a tall, gorgeous bartender with horrible manners that he can’t stop thinking about. Just as John falls for him, madly, swiftly, deeply—the bartender disappears, and the bar unexpectedly shuts down. Unexplained occurrences begin to happen to John and his friends, and he slowly discovers the truth about the one he loves. Will he find him in time to tell him how he feels, and more importantly—can he keep him safe?

Synchronicity by Calais_Reno @calaisreno

Excerpt: John is just muttering some nonsense about bit different from my day when they enter the lab. A tall fellow with dark, curly hair is using a pipette to drop some liquid into a Petri dish. Hearing John’s voice, he looks up. Sherlock Holmes. They both freeze for a moment. He stares into those grey eyes that haven’t changed, still seeing every detail. Holmes gives a tiny smirk. “Afghanistan or Iraq?” It’s been years, and he is surprised at how much it still hurts. Realising that he’s staring, he clears his throat, shuffles his feet, and mumbles something about an appointment he’s forgotten.

OR: John and Sherlock meet again, years after they were school boys together. John hasn't forgotten why he still hates Sherlock Holmes.

The Company He Keeps by wibblywobblytimeywimeystuff

At his lowest point, John Watson met Sherlock Holmes. And Sherlock saved him. At Sherlock's lowest point, he met Greg Lestrade. And they saved each other. This is how Greg met Sherlock, how he met Mycroft, and how he became important to them both.

Toe to Toe by standbygo @blogstandbygo

(also on soldier and spy AU rec list)

Sherlock Holmes is an international ballet star. After a favour for his brother goes south, he finds himself trapped in a foreign country, with a man named John Watson who could be an enemy... or an ally. A crossover of sorts with White Nights, the 1985 film with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.

If Baker Street Could Talk by a_different_equation @adifferentequation​

There is a thin wall between 221b and 221c. As if by fate, it has separated two sitting rooms that now are almost morphing back into one. One of the sitting rooms belongs to Sherlock Holmes (43), a pianist, while the other one belongs to Dr John H. Watson (45), whatever he might be after everything. John is a war hero, an ex-surgeon and a widower; John tells everyone that he is developing a game that might take a lifetime. There might be a wall between them, but Sherlock Holmes and John Watson cannot be separated.

[primewalker]

i want to talk about jay’s voice change

in the first 7 seasons, jay’s voice was lower and a lot of people prefer this voice and get mad that they changed it. but i want to say that i DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ACTUALLY ‘CHANGED’ IT!! and here’s why:

i personally think that jay is trans and autistic. with these two things comes a lot to do with the voice. autistic people typically have a naturally higher voice compared to neurotypicals, and when you are both trans AND autistic (like myself) it becomes a huge point of dysphoria.

even if he isn’t trans or autistic tho, it doesn’t exclude that he could have dysphoria around his voice! a lot of cis guys have it, especially in their teen years, thinking that their voice ‘isn’t masculine enough’ because they don’t have as low of a register as other men do

bc of all this it would make sense that jay lowered his voice on purpose in the earlier seasons, especially considering that he was younger and trying to impress everyone (esp nya) constantly. another reason i think he lowered it on purpose is because he still uses that register in the later seasons!

there are many times after the reboot of the show where jay will be very focused on something or trying to come off seriously and drops the pitch of his voice to that lower register again. even in season 2 of Dragons Rising he does it, during the flashback with Nya.

I just think that Jay was able to be more comfortable with his voice after a while and finally stopped trying to hide his naturally higher tone. It’s also not annoying or stupid or anything like a lot of people say and i’m not even going to get into that because it pisses me off.

Lastly, if i recall correctly, Michael Adamthwaite said that he made the choices about Jay’s voice himself, no one told him to changed anything. So I would believe that Michael made the decisions for Jay’s voice based on his own interpretation of the character development arc. which further makes me believe that jay’s current, higher pitched, voice is just genuinely who he is!

whoever doesn’t like his voice, whatever, i always get pissed talking about it because it’s like the main point people use to hate on jay and he’s my favorite character so obviously i’m gonna get mad, but this is just what i think about jay’s voice change

[ad0rechuu]

★ MILKY WAY. ━━ (050) I’m alright, I promise

WORD COUNT. 1346

WARNINGS. none just fluff, a lot skinship tho!

credits to @ari-shipping-stuff for being my beta reader / writer <33

THE MOMENT YOU WALK INTO THE DANCE STUDIO, THERE ARE EIGHT GUYS CROWDING YOU, BOMBARDING YOU WITH QUESTIONS AND GREETINGS.

And in San and Mingi’s cases, apparently, affection too. They immediately throw their arms around you the moment they see you, showering you in praises and compliments while the leader tries to get them off you in a protective fashion.

“Please let her breath!” Hongjoong yells, holding both of the men by their collars. Chuckles echo trough the large space. San looks embarrassed while Mingi looks mildly displeased, at most. It never fails to surprise you that someone of Hongjoong's stature could control the seven individuals just like that. It’s honestly impressive.

He walks up to you and places a hand on your shoulder.

“It’s nice to see you again Yn.” He nods with a polite smile.

Rolling your eyes, you push his hand off your shoulder, only to engulf him in a tight hug. He groans like it’s a chore but he returns it almost right away.

“Why do you sound so formal, Joong? Are we strangers?”

“So much attitude. I feel Seulgi’s pain.” Hongjoong moves away from you and flicks your forehead.

You stick your tongue out at the older boy, rubbing your forehead as you turn to the others.

Jongho is the first to come into sight, and you greet him.

“Took you long enough!” He replies, not meeting your eyes.

You completely ignore the youngest's words, only focusing on their underlying meaning.

“I was right you are pretty cute!” You laugh, ruffling his hair. He begrudgingly accepts, much to the others shock (and maybe a little bit of envy).

“Our Maknae is adorable, isn’t he?”

You hadn’t even noticed Wooyoung creeping up next to you. His voice gets louder as his head moves to rest on your shoulder, startling you.

“He never lets us do that though.”

Yunho joins your other side. “This feels like favoritism.”

You look up to him. While he’s about the same height as Mingi, he has a more innocent face. Which definitely doesn’t translate to his body.

The two of you share a quick side hug before you go over to meet the reserved boy who hasn't said much, thus far.

He’s a lot more timid in person compared to over text. You offer your hand to him which he gladly shakes as you two exchange pleasantries.

“Did you find any blackmail content yet?”

A unique giggle erupts from Yeosang's lips as he shakes his head.

“Nah, you deleted all the good stuff.”

His deep voice compared to that angelic face surprises you, but at the same time, it also makes a lot of sense.

Not even a minute later, you walk with determination to the eldest. He kept his distance the most, mainly just watching you interact with his younger brothers. The first thing that you note is that his hair grew quite a bit. You had your suspicions during the call a month ago, but it was more noticeable now.

“Your hair never fails to take my breath away.” You said, still eyeing the hair. Pink truly suits him.

His brown eyes met your own, a glimmer in them as you connected your hands in excitement.

“Only my hair?” He jokes shyly, making you laugh.

“I lied! All of you does actually!”

He wants to laugh at your comment but his breath gets stuck in his throat the moment he realized the close proximity you two were in. If only you knew what you did to him. While you were busy giving him the prettiest smile he’s ever seen, he worried his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

Sadly, he didn’t have enough time to respond in a cool way like he wanted to as Mingi interrupted.

Mingi is someone with a lot of natural confidence. Not in a cocky way, but rather in a way that he radiates it to those around him.

That same confidence seems to disappear the moment you turn to him.

“Hi.” Is all he could muster, the wide smile on his face growing even wider as you cup his cheeks with adoration.

“Did you forget about me?” The voice behind you that you recognize as San asks. You turn to him to meet his pouting face.

“Of course, I didn’t, Sannie!” He nearly tackles you with the hug when he hears his nickname leave your lips.

His cheeks turn a warm color when you whisper some encouragement about his crush in his ear before he can even respond. The guilt of lying to you hits him but he also knows that now isn’t the time to come clean. Instead of saying anything, San opts to hide his face in the crook of your neck, leaving you to stroke his hair as you laugh.

You aren’t laughing at him, the opposite actually. The fact that you feel so carefree with these guys makes you laugh. Suddenly, happiness doesn’t feel that far away anymore.

As you part, you shoot a smile at everyone. “So, you guys wanted to show me something?”

And they did. You reminisce about the intricate dance moves and impressive facial expressions they just showed you as you’re sandwiched in between Mingi and Seonghwa in the booth everyone has settled down in.

You expected them to be good but not to this extent, you bet that they would make it big if they chose the idol career instead of the dance crew route.

You let the phone fall on the table after watching the dance video for the nth time with a loud sigh in admiration causing you to get some weird stares from the patrons of HanuelSan on accident.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you guys are this good!” You whine, looking at Hongjoong specifically.

Yunho, Yeosang, and Jongho, who sit in front of you chuckle at your enthusiasm. Seonghwa and Mingi exchange a look that you can’t really decipher.

“Did you ever ask?” Hongjoong says simply as he reaches over the table to retrieve his phone.

An offend look replaces the previous emotions on your facial features.

“I did! Many times! You just refused to show me anything!” You quip back.

You let your head fall on Mingi’s shoulder dramatically as you slump back in your seat. You feel his shoulder tense up at your action. Just as you’re about to lift your head back up his hand pushes you gently back to your previous place.

Your pouting doesn’t last long when San returns from behind the counter with your drinks. 'Thank you's are thrown to the dark-haired man in response.

A silence falls over the group as everyone enjoys their drinks without a word, clearly tired from the dancing. It’s not awkward though, not at all! It’s strangely comforting. Just as you push your mask down and lean forward to sip at your own drink, a familiar voice reaches your ears.

Only it’s not actually speaking to you, instead Taegyu’s warm voice fills the cafe. The group exchange worried glances as you search for the speaker that the song is coming from.

“I’m so sorry, my sister must’ve added this song to the automated playlist.” San stands up quickly, apologies spilling from his mouth. “I’ll change the song, don’t worry, Yn!”

You reach for his hand, making him stop in his tracks.

“No, let it play please! It’s alright.” You insist, your other hand also wrapping around his as reassurance.

San still looks unsure, regardless of your words. Judging by the looks he shares with the others, they seem to share the sentiment.

Seonghwa places a consoling hand on your shoulder lightly. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

You nod. For the first time since you’ve met Taegyu, your heartbeat doesn’t speed up when you hear his voice. The idea of him doesn’t make you want to throw up with sadness. And when you picture him, you feel positive feelings but none of them heartbreaking or romantic in any way.

You’re finally over Park Taegyu.

“I’m alright, I promise.” You smile.

‹ PREVIOUS ᜊ NEXT ›

NOTES. i’m a terrible writer and writing this was really fucking draining but im glad i did! 10 more chapters hehe

TAGLIST. @bunnystrm @seongwin @aestheticsluut @meginthebuilding27 @gaebestie @stopeatread @pr1ncessm1ng1 @persphonesorchid @se0nghwaswife @seonghwasslytherin @leeknowsnothing @alixnsuperstxr @bluehwale-main @miriamxsworld @tocupid @rieuvie @sunoo-bby @jcngh0-hq @dudufodd @nikisbf @mrowwww @end0rchans @qtdenks @mintgki @dear-dreamie @leo-seonghwa @legohwas @evilsailorsenshi @seonghwaddict @choichaeyiul @sunshine1438 @iw4milf @yunstarz @cvberidiot @tubatu-wari-wari @not2daym8 @jaehunnyy @brrrkdslek @whippedforbeomgyu @amara-mars @crvzy-fujoshi @hyuk4ngel @atinyinateezverse @nickiminajleftasscheek

[deluxewhump]

if you still want questions for the ask game: #3 for cam & alex and perhaps #26 for carlo & zee if it interests you? they don't have a relationship (afaik) but I'm curious about how they might interact

Of course I still want questions! :)) this one is going to be long omg

What were their first impressions of each other? How does that compare to their impressions of each other now? Alex and Cam:

You know I think it’s so interesting with these two because in some ways their first impressions have endured, in other ways they’ve been totally disproven, and in some ways they’ve disappointed eachother beyond anything they could have imagined on a first impression.

How it started: Cam thought Alex was charming, levelheaded, and in total possession of himself. He looked up to that a little bit. Alex was also not as mean as he could’ve been during pledge week (Alex is a year older and was already well established when Cam arrived on campus). This admiration soured pretty quickly though when Cam started to realize the ways in which he felt he did not fit in, and he started to realize all the things Alex has in life that he does not including a big loving family, money, genuine relationships with his friends and fraternity brothers, and the big one, he is out as bi and has been since highschool and no one even teases him about it because he’s so comfortable with it that it’s old news, it’s boring. So Cams almost crush-like admiration turned to some insecurities and resentments he still deals with about Alex.

How it’s changed: Cam still hates Alex sometimes and feels that he doesn’t understand certain things and never will. But he also has a spot that’s been worn soft for Alex because Alex has been so genuine with him— loving and trustworthy and thoughtful and honest and all of that despite their previous disagreements. The fact that Cam now has this deep guilt about how he treated Zee at first makes his relationship with Alex worse, because Alex was right, as always. Part of him wishes Alex hadn’t seen him behave like that, didn’t know that about him.

How it started: Alex thought Cam was an odd recruit, not someone who struck him as a fraternity guy, but gave him the benefit of the doubt and was nice to him. He started to dislike him a little because he came off as judgmental sometimes, especially about drinking. He made fun of people when they weren’t in the room as well as when they were. He was like a heat-seeking missile when it came to zeroing in on someone’s weakness or insecurity and using it against them. Alex thought he was a bit of a bully. So he just kind of shrugged him off until the Zee problem. Which put them in direct opposition to each other and as we know caused a lot of friction that ended in physical altercations more than once. Which may have been part of the catalyst for the sexual tension between them.

How it’s changed: Once the sexual element was established, there was this constant exchange of vulnerability and power between them that was just irresistible to both of them. The more he finds out about Cam, the more Cam makes sense to him. It’s still so easy to get angry with him but also to just want to hug him and remind him he can knock it off now, he’s with people that love him. Cam’s relationship to Zee is a real point of contention for them still even though Alex doesn’t consider it his business anymore. It was at one time though.

___________

How would these characters react to being stuck in a small room with each other? Cam and Carlo:

I think this one is most interesting if we assume they know each other to some extent because as strangers stuck in an elevator or something they’d just be like… hey. Yep this sucks huh hope they get us out soon.

But if they knew eachother? Carlo is not intimidated by Cameron in the least. This is a kid who was stuck out in a blue collar working environment (if you can call a criminal organization blue collar) from the time he was fourteen with grown men… many of whom, including the boss Keith, had a grudge against him. He had to navigate the whims of people like Erik Holstrom or Martin Olson. An overly sensitive college boy with a bit of a mean streak does not faze him. Cameron would privately think Carlo was hot and therefore maybe try to push a button or two to see how it goes, assuming he knows about Carlo’s past. “So are there any words I shouldn’t say around you? Sit, stay, come?” (Wink)

When being insensitive and antagonistic didn’t get him a fun reaction, Cam would fly his white flag and say something friendlier. “You’re not claustrophobic are you? Coz I’ll break that window up there if you want me to.”

Carlo is not above rewarding Cam for good behavior by being friendly back. If you don’t give Cam an inch so he can’t take a mile he’s fairly predictable to handle. Carlo would figure this out and be able to manipulate Cam pretty easily. Again, he’s used to much bigger fish than Cam.

[therealslimshakespeare]

That’s the thing! How does Gale react to it? We know he has objections (ignoring which is a bad thing to do -thats obvious) but I always was under impression that he was fond of her and would welcome a lot more of her advances if it wasn’t for their situation (first army protocols and later on stalag). Her ignoring or dismissing his boundaries is not a good thing to do, but it’s clearly not as easy as it may seem. They end up in love, there must be something there to build upon (even if it’s not easy due to their respective traumas). If they are able to build rather happy life post war that speaks volumes on how well they must end up understanding one another (because we must remember that this is a generation which was denied proper therapeutic care and were expected to just move on from killing people on daily or being tortured to being stand up civilians, mothers and fathers. On top of pre existing traumas connected to often lacking parenting care). So my question is how does Maureen end up opening up to Gale about her past, both her traumas and her own wrongdoings and how does he take it? And how much she reveals (purposefully or not) to the rest of the crew?

Excellent points all and the questions posed here are totally on my list of things to be woven into fics because they’re essential for their story making any sense, ya know? So, love this.

First off. One hint we have in Gale’s POV (in First Night) is that from the first time he saw her in the nose of Our Baby, he adored her nose. Tiny detail, doesn’t mean he was in love, doesn’t mean he was asking for a hand in his lap. But as we will learn, Gingerale had a rather startling attraction to her right away.

Why was it startling? Because Gale Cleven hadn’t felt attracted to a woman since…well, couldn’t remember when.

Not strongly, at least. It had been sometime early in highschool when a dreaded presentment settled over him that he was odd, and that worsened into knowing he was outright queer by college.

No like really. He liked men. In that way.

And that wasn’t something he was going to pursue, not if he was gonna rise up in the world, make a better run of it than his daddy. But it was something to acknowledge and he had to finally. Then he moved on.

And then he met Bucky, and he almost wanted to think Bucky felt the same hot gut devotion he did, but Bucky was like that with everyone.

Including a new girl named Candy. Or Maureen, to be proper. She was a new girl among many new girls who came flooding in with the war on. And Gale got along with all of them just fine. Used to them all, used to the batting eyelashes or the pink cheeks, the slipped phone numbers and the not so subtle attempts to bump into him in a corridor. He was used to that.

Plenty of them were really capable. Shockingly so. Among them, Kendeigh.

What he wasn’t used to was being watched by a woman across the bar, being hunted down by her, laughed over his stringent lack of alcohol, have her buy him a Gingerale, call him by the same name in a voice that suggested nothing good, like she knew he wasn’t as good as he pretended anyway. He felt a hot gut longing for that.

If only they’d met before all this. Before he was her Major and she was feuding with the new Lady Colonel over being demoted to bombardier. She was ferocious in her own way, very good at getting a party going, could make anyone forget how many folks they’d lost in a practice crash last week. She was good to have around. He asked if she might get put as his bombardier when they shipped out.

There weren’t any objections. He almost wished there were, to knock some sense into him for wanting to keep her so near. It diluted all his half hearted protests to the contrary. But soon she wasn’t just a a friend, someone to help wrangle and occupy Bucky, she was also his deputy. As missions got worse and the stakes got higher, he needed someone like that. When Curt went down, she felt like the closest thing left. It was her and Benny, and it felt wrong to have both eggs in one basket, as it were, but he wanted them with him all the same.

That’s a brief, but rather long all the same, fly over of my vision for some this.

One other addition: Maureen has a gay brother. One of those Ivy League homosexuals who wasn’t at all out but lord knows he wasn’t in either. And she knew it. Liberal in many ways, she accepted it, easily, and didn’t think much of sniffing another out when she found one. Much to Gale’s horror and then relief. It’s a dangerous to admit to a woman he’s not sure he fully likes, even if he rather adores her. But what she does with that trust -it’s like watching a flower bloom.

She’s oddly touched by it. Almost rises to the occasion under it. And for Gale, it’s good to be known.

Having that aspect known, by the time he gets to the stalag, goes through what he’s been through, proceeds to go through more once there —Maureen already knowing some of the most intimate details about him, he can’t manage to fully push her away when he begins to spiral. Meanwhile she is on a learning curve about how on earth to help. Since all the selfish ways she used to extract his attention would only be harmful and -selfish. And she rises to that occasion. She does it for Brady, too. And might be the only one tangibly keeping those two men’s morale’s afloat.

You can imagine after all that, how utterly ingrained and intertwined they are by time of liberation.

Before then. Before Gale leaves her behind in the escape. She tells him she loves him. And I think she tells him more. Now she’s learned there is a more to her story.

[league-of-blorbos]

So, on a reddit post I made (it was on potential Arcane seasons) someone in the comments convinced me to write a whole essay on Rhaayn and despite writing it in an hour long hyperfixated haze I like how it came out so I'm posting it here too for the people who want to read my analysis on why their relationship could work:

Ok, so for myself my favorite thing about ships is when you can see what each member offers to the other, or you can see why they fell in love and chose to spend their life with that person specifically. And what Kayn and Rhaast have in common is that they are both lonely men that have been traumatized by war. Swain even says in a voiceline to Kayn that what he really wants is love, since as a child soldier Kayn has only ever known hate. On the other hand, the darkin have all lost themselves from their war with the Void and from being isolated for centuries in their weapons, and the other darkin we see all remedy their isolation in different ways: Varus’s heart is changed by Kai and Valmar, Naafiri embraces being a pack mother and wants the darkin to come together like a pack of wolves, and Aatrox calls his darkin brethren to him so they can have one last war together. Rhaast would never admit it, but I think him toying with Kayn instead of spending all his energy trying kill him is his remedy, he’s the only form of interaction he’s had in so long and deep down he knows he’d be isolated all over again without him. 

From there, we know from their Odyssey voicelines Kayn is much more susceptible to getting attached to Rhaast, he still tries to talk to him after he’s killed Rhaast off and reminisces on the fun times they shared, which makes sense. Kayn is much more of a serious edgelord while Rhaast is still edgy as hell, but more in a Dante from DMC and always joking around kind of way. Kayn could use someone less serious to balance him out and keep his mood from getting too dark. Kayn is also someone who desires praise, he wants to impress Zed any way he can and in Odyssey he wants the galaxy to bow down to him as emperor. What I’m saying is Kayn has an obvious praise kink. And in his own way, Rhaast praises Kayn for being both a worthy opponent and a worthy vessel.

Which brings me to Rhaast, and I have an idea for how he would fall for Kayn which relates back to his desire for a worthy opponent. Rhaast rejected many possible vessels back in Noxus because he knew they wouldn’t give him a good fight, and were therefore too weak for him. But he respects Kayn’s power and wants to fight Kayn head on for his vessel. But what would happen if someone other than Rhaast brought Kayn near death? Rhaast feels like the type of character who wants to fight Kayn as his full power and have a fair battle before he would slay him (back with the DMC references, a very Vergil thing to do). I could see that turning into Rhaast being very protective of Kayn and even using his hemomancy to heal him during fights, as he can’t have someone stealing his kill, he needs Kayn to stay strong and healthy for when they have their epic duel to the death! Then once the time for that duel comes, Rhaast finally realizes he doesn’t want to kill this man he’s been protective over, who is just as bloodthirsty and lonely as he is, and who he sees as an equal. 

And from there, there are so many ways their dynamic could go that doesn’t involve them killing each other and they could spend the rest of their time together doing whatever they want and bickering over the dumbest shit imaginable. (may have strayed a lot from the rom-com idea and got too into character analysis, but that’s the beauty of this ship is that there’s a lot of different parts of their dynamic you could focus on and find the romance in, they just work so well together.)

[alicepao13]

I wanted to rewatch S06E09 before writing this, preferably with subtitles and a better rip, but someone's dragging their feet, so maybe I'll write another post at some point. Some good parts, some I didn’t care about, some that I personally wish they were different (not really bad but I had other thoughts).

So, in this NCIS Hudson and Rex episode:

The first shot seemed like kind of a small ship, it probably wasn’t but the shot made it that way. Sorry, Canada, I’ve been spoiled by all the aircraft carrier shots through the years lol. The one where it turns from day to night, I hated that. It seemed so fake.

The way Charlie’s dad kept criticizing him about everything got on my nerves. I also don’t love the casual sexism of him implying that it’s best if a wife stays home. Definitely shows that Charlie barely had meaningful interactions with this man. And to mention Sarah as Charlie’s “office romance”? Ugh.

This is where I decided that Charlie was raised by Aunt Miranda. It was a good thing that his dad probably missed quite a bit of his childhood.

“Charles” makes me feel like they should be inside the Buckingham palace. And truly, this is the only place I’d ever think they’d feed a dog using a toothpick. Poor Rex had to eat off a toothpick to satisfy that man! I kept hoping that he’d bite him.

Imagine this show having any continuity at all. Charlie would have to explain some of his latest adventures, the poisoning, the jail, etc.

I like that Sarah touches Charlie as soon as he tells her that the killer could be one of his dad’s sailors. She understands what this means for him.

Classic “found the killer the moment they appeared on screen” episode.

Sarah, we have chairs. (Nah, just keep doing that, actually.)

I didn’t know that Canada also had JAG officers. Now I can't help wondering who investigates crimes committed against Navy personnel lol

Here’s where Commander Hudson’s possible motivation doesn’t make that much sense: In most Navy ships, the higher ups barely know their sailors. So, he wouldn’t feel like he needed to protect them. He would most likely feel like he needed to protect the Navy's reputation from possibly harboring a killer. Having said that, I have no knowledge of how big this ship is. And the initial footage was kinda terrible. Understandable, because this isn’t that kind of show, but still terrible.

I love Rex's defensive reaction to the Commander throughout the episode. He can sense how much he unsettles Charlie and makes him change things about himself.

Charlie’s dad implying that Rex has an attitude problem when he is trying to cover up a crime… the nerve…

“...my boys” Oh no he did not. I know how much that can hurt.

The hilarity of the justification of sending troops in the other side of the world, to “keep the peace”… I expect this from military shows, I don’t expect it from shows like Hudson and Rex. And the triumphant music in the background… we get it.

Rex’s barks as Charlie puts the guy in handcuffs could mean nothing other than “suck it, asshole”.

Charlie was a bit… I’m not sure how to put it… Not exactly himself during that interrogation. I imagine he knew his father was watching, but he seemed like he’d jump the guy, or his JAG lawyer, or both.

How did we get from “office romance” to “my son is a lucky man”? Who knows. I mean, Sarah is quite impressive, but this seems like some kind of witchcraft.

Well, at least they didn’t make the bad guy be the Lieutenant in an episode full of men with bad behaviors. Also, I didn’t know they pronounced "Lieutenant" the British way.

Charlie is learning Rex’s language (growl). I find nothing weird with this.

The scene with Joe was nice. But Joe, just put a damn pillow on that couch. You know that none of your subordinates actually sleep in their homes (which is one more reason we’ll never see a bedroom set *sigh*)

John Reardon’s voice drops another half octave when he’s lying down. Good lord. Also, I started praying for his poor neck in that position, at least he didn’t stay there for long. That would have incapacitated me if I stayed like that for even ten minutes.

“I let my issues with my dad…” Which are…? Please, elaborate.

Charlie beckoning Rex when neither of them has slept for a day. Leave the poor dog alone, you sadist. Dogs don’t understand the meaning of overtime.

So, I guess when Hudson men have sorrows, they literally run?

I wanted to keep hating his dad a little more. Why’d they have to reconcile them so fast?

Good episode. I’d have liked if Charlie said a bit more about what bothered him in his father’s behavior, and not regarding the case. It seemed like his father just wasn’t around as much and possibly considered his sailors as his children, maybe even more than his actual children, and Charlie seemed to resent him for that, understandably. But we were also already at the part where the two men were trying to mend fences, and although all the effort seemed to he made by Charlie at the start of the episode, it shifted towards the end to his dad making the effort.

Promo: The dreaded (by me) golf episode. Let me get this straight: The team went golfing and found a body? We can’t take these guys anywhere. 

Poor Rex! If that's a serious head injury, I’ll sue. That’s what we have Charlie's head for. But also, please allow Charlie to lose it a little.

Charlie Hudson is having such a bad time in this season, and I’m loving it.