#who am I kidding those two would probably prefer actual torture

[halfstayed]

I hadn’t really thought about this in relation to S1 but what you said makes so much sense!!! Plus, I think it can help explain Helen’s reaction to Dale’s second proposal as well, in that Dale upsets her fundamental understanding of their relationship (a.k.a. the only safe & stable part of her life) and her immediate reaction is to run away and freeze him out entirely - which is also the same as her initial reaction to the revelation that Dale is attracted to men & has cheated on her.

It’s so interesting that you brought up 1x01 tho because I think there’s more to it on top of everything you said. In a way, it also shows that Helen is incapable of being vulnerable unless she is, essentially, forced to. And of course in S1 that became the catalyst for her to interact with him in ways she wouldn’t have otherwise (they’ve been working in the same office for god knows how long already). However, what bothers me is that her biggest emotional breakthroughs are all invariably reactive: opening up about her past in 1x06 after being called out by Dale (“it's not exactly like you've been forthcoming about everything in your life”), exposing her insecurities about their relationship after Dale mentions being propositioned by Gerry… it seems she only opens up in substantial ways when she’s afraid of otherwise losing him, which for me is the most concerning indicator of the unhealthy basis of their communication.

So, with all that in mind, her choosing to be vulnerable with Obnoxious Fucking Charlie Tate instead is just … a whole other can of worms I’m not quite sure how to unpack 😭

And on the point of their communication, it just KILLS me how much not-talking they do :/// We rarely see them have the “big” conversations on screen and a lot of their interactions seem to be based on unspoken agreements and (wrong) assumptions.

….. except talking probably wouldn’t have solved the problem either since neither of them are actually ready to have those kinds of conversations, exhibit A being: Dale feeling comfortable enough to open up to Gerry, yet in the process showing how much he’s still suppressing (which, of course, is exactly what @elialys pointed out in the first post). The stability of their relationship basically depended on them *not* talking about any of that :’)))

It just really sucks to know that the problems were always there, even during the good times 😭 but hopefully being apart gives them the space to actually work on themselves.

why do you think Hellen said no to Dales proposal?

I’m glad I waited before answering your question because I’ve listened to the Emsolation podcast with Michael Lucas (the show writer) in which he answered all kinds of questions about season 2, and that was one of them!

(I’m paraphrasing here, it’s been a few days since I listened to it!)

According to Michael, one of the main reasons why Helen rejected Dale’s proposal is because Helen genuinely can’t see herself having that kind of ‘normal’ life, not just with Dale but in general. The fact that it was Dale proposing made it even ‘worse’ because of how…atypical their couple is. Michael said Anna was pretty set on the concept that if Helen had a choice, she wouldn’t be in any relationship at all, that she was with Dale because she genuinely loved him, but it wasn’t something she felt ‘fit’ her, so Helen basically freaked out at being proposed to.

Because I love spending hours analyzing character’s motivations, fears and limitations, I’ve also thought a lot about this, not just because I’m going to be writing about it 😅 While I absolutely loved hearing Michael’s explanation and obviously believes it to be true since, duh, he literally wrote those characters, I think it’s even more complicated than Helen ‘simply’ not wanting to get married.

To me, from what we’ve seen in season 2, between the hotel scene in 2x01 with Helen’s reaction to learning Gerry had propositioned Dale, and the return of Tim in 2x04 reminding her of what’s happened before, she still had a lot of insecurities regarding Dale’s sexuality. The way I see it, even though I’m sure she believes it when Dale says he loves her and that he’s not just a closeted gay man trying to convince himself he’s INTO WOMEN, I’m sure it’s still one of her fears, that Dale is basically hiding with her, even unconsciously. And that to Dale, proposing to her and making her his wife is another way to PROVE THAT HE’S LIKE EVERY OTHER MAN.

Which is what was actually happening, in my opinion?? Even if I one hundred percent believe Dale is bisexual and that he absolutely loves Helen, he’s clearly not comfortable with that bi side of himself, in great part because he lives in a world that doesn’t accept people like him, and he’s been traumatized as a teen for having feelings for another boy—not to mention how his mum clearly doesn’t support *not being straight*. I highly recommend listening to Sam Reid talking about Dale in the official podcast for ep 2x06, he explains this so much better than me right now haha.

Basically Dale is trying to mold himself into what he believes a REAL MAN should be. So yeah, like he told Garry in 2x03, ‘of course’ he wants to get married (“Doesn’t everyone?”), because if he marries a woman, he’s CLEARLY NOT HAVING GAY THOUGHTS.

What I’m trying to say is that I think Helen is very much aware of that on some level. Of the fact that her sweet bi babygirl Dale is desperate for STRAIGHT VALIDATION, and that she might have been afraid it would just blow up in her face one day when Dale realized he actually did need “more” than what she could give him as a woman.

I’m not even going to delve into Helen’s insecurities about herself as a ‘fucking disaster’, because I could write a 40-pages long essay about her to be honest, but hopefully you get the idea. These characters are complex and very messy, and I think they broke apart because they weren’t communicating properly, which is often why people break apart. Dale never *asked* Helen if she was actually interested in marriage, even after his shitty first proposal. If they had talked about it properly, I think a lot of this would have been avoided.

[dark-visitors]

Okay, your opinion on ships? This is just for fun xP and research 😉 nah jk just fun because why not?

~~~Which do you prefer?~~~

Wyler or Wenclair?

Wyler or Tynid?

(Answer can't be wyclair because it's all 3 that's cheating🤣🫣) I do know you like both but do you like one higher than the others?

~~~Thoughts on these ships?~~~

Petroclair? (Just to see if you'd be interested in reading fics if I post of them) ~

Bucas? (Bianca and Lucas) (I feel like I'm the only one who ships them HARD) ~

Yoko x Divina? (Idk their ship name) and same with these two I feel like I'm the only one who ships them)

(This next one is a friendship because i don't ship young kids)

would it be sweet to see a friendship between Eugene and Pugsley?

(I know you're a multishipper & I'm not used to it, but I just want to know your thoughts on these ships for fun)

You want—you want me to CHOOSE between the loves of my life!?! Why would you do this to me? Did I do something to offend you?

I will amuse you. But you’re stressing me out dude.

Wyler vs Wenclair: If we’re looking at just the ships themselves I genuinely don’t think I have a favourite. I started in the Wenclair fandom but I tend to interact with the Wyler fandom a tad bit more these days. I love them both so much it hurts. But if I HAD to choose probably Wenclair because my favourite character is Enid and I’m going to get a lot more Enid content with Wenclair than I am for Wyler. Also I’m just a femslash kinda girl. 80% of my ships since I started in fandom at 11 have been femslash. Likely because I’m bi and complex queer women that actually interest me are hard to come across in media. And I already read a lot of published romance books that portray straight relationships that I enjoy so it would hurt slightly less to give up Wyler. SLIGHTLY! But I’m not happy about you making me figure that out. I’ve been sitting here for like 20 mins already.

Wyler vs Tynid: Wyler probably takes the cake here. Emphasis on PROBABLY. But because we have very little canon Tynid content it harder to make content about them and it’s a rare pair so I rarely come across other people making content about them either. Whereas Wyler has a very active and engaged community and that’s what fandom and shipping is all about. Like to an extent I already don’t have Tynid (when something does pop up it’s the best thing ever though). Also despite the lack of Enid (rude and unacceptable) Wyler as a solo couple has a very intriguing dynamic that is a lot of fun to pay with. They’re dark romance and obsessive devotion and that’s what I live for.

Now that torturous occasion is over (WYCLAIR ENDGAME) the rest of these are a lot easier to answer.

Enid x Ajax: Not really? I don’t have anything against it. I love Ajax and Enid really seems to like him. They’re cute. But I’m weird about Enid ships. I have a very specific idea of who Enid is and what type of relationship would suit her in the long run. And Ajax is too chill for Enid in my opinion. I think she’s better with someone who’s as intense as she is. Someone a little less hinged. Ajax is sweet and I think he makes a very good first boyfriend. That guy you go to school dances with. That you remember fondly. That very rarely upset you. And who was always by your side, holding your hand. Your first kiss. Maybe even your first time. But it’s as if something is missing. Love isn’t sweet. It’s intense. It’s obsessive. It’s always burning and sometimes it hurts like a bitch and you feel like your drowning. But it’s also fucking everything and it’s what makes life worth living. I’m in a ranting mood apparently, but to summarise, for some people sweet is enough, but I don’t think Enid is one of those people. It’s a valid ship but it’s just not for me.

Bianca and Lucas: Love it. Underappreciated ship. Will be writing it into the Wyclair fake dating AU. We haven’t seen much of them but from what we have I think they’re really compatible.

Yoko and Divina (Yokovina): Also love it. You’re obviously from the Wyler fandom and not the Wenclair fandom because A LOT (tbh literally all of us) ship it. It’s a big thing. You should check it out. Both of their screen times were lacking so most of the headcanons I have about them have come from their fandom curated personalities. But they’re endgame. I won’t take arguments about it.

Pugsley and Eugene: They’re already besties. They haven’t met but they’re inseparable. Wednesday herself thinks they’re super similar and she would know. Plus they’re both lacking in the friendship department and Pugsley would corrupt Eugene and I’m here for their antics. Also headcanoning that Pugsley has a crush on Enid too, and Tyler and Wednesday are like… you’re lucky we love you. You’re the only two people who could get away with that.

[bloodenkids]

Five characters, five tags

Jane Prentiss, The Magnus Archives: how many times have I listened to Hive? Too many. The past five to six months, she’s been a really strange comfort character for me because I see so much of myself in her. I too am the awkward witch woman who can’t keep friends and wants so desperately to be loved, feel useful and not like someone’s burden. I really can’t blame her for falling for the hive’s song considering I too would probably end up a nursery for wasp larvae. …except I usually prefer my corruption self-insert to have flowers instead of buggies. But… Mina the mun gets in her feels about Jane and is feeling about her currently

John Doe, Freddy’s Dead: he’s a blank slate, and that’s part of the charm, man. However, something else that’s just so wonderful about him is that he’s both the smartest member of the group and the dumbest. Most people focus on the dumbest because it seems the most obvious, but even if he got the wrong conclusion, he’s still the one who picked up all the clues everyone else ignored. Plus, he’s so trans coded, which is fun

Messers. Storm and Tender, American Murder Song: they have to share a space because they’re a package deal. I love a band with lore and I love historical recreation, which spawned my love for the first album. Plus the idea of immortal balladeers is just so funky fresh, and putting them with Cain from Abrahamic religions (made gender-fluid or a woman in this canon)? 10/10. We love making fun of dead people with the help of two dead people. Wish I’d discovered them before the Pandemic caused their indefinite hiatus 🙃

Caleb Widogast, Critical Role: comfort character central. I am the most anxious little gifted kid burnout bisexual weirdo, so I totally am relating to him. But also I want to smooch him? And Liam gives him a lovely voice and such a sad story with a beautiful arc. There’s something so comforting about seeing him heal enough to love people again. Jane helps me when I need to feel hopeless for a bit, Caleb helps me realize I’m not truly hopeless. I actually got one of those F/O or comfort character letters from him like two years ago and I read it when I feel low because that man has my hopeless romantic academic ass in a chokehold

Marius Renathyr, Legend of Avantris: another tortured dnd man I’m down bad for. You may see I have a type in fictional men. It was so hard to pick a favorite LoA character, but his vampiric ways and Arthurian knight references have entranced me. His flaws are so human even when technically they’re superhuman/inhuman, and it makes him such a compelling character to watch going through his trials, because unlike your typical Arthurian knight, he doesn’t have that support system, so his guilt festers and creates this gothic hero out of chivalry. Which. Two of my favorite tropes to play with, so blending them together is so fun.

Tagged by: @deafandstoned

Tagging: @oughtabeinpxctures , @phantomcurtaincall , @horrorsintern , @birdhouse-in-thesoul , @w-o-r-d-s--f-a-i-l :3

[robininthelabyrinth]

Hello! I love your writing! I'm gonna send five prompts, I hope at least one of them inspires you and you have fun with them. Prompt #1: Wang Lingjiao (Wen Chao's mistress) interacting with Meng Yao in Nightless City, can be a ship but not necessarily (I... guess you could count shipping it as infidelity towards Wen Chao??? so def don't write ship if it makes you uncomfortable). Preferably WLJ pov, with her making numerous not always accurate assumptions about Meng Yao's role at Wen Ruohan's court, maybe sort of assuming he is to WRH what she is to WC and therefore approaching him with something like ~camaraderie (whether MY plays along or laughs her off I will leave to you)

ao3

Friends were a luxury that Wang Lingjiao had never been well-off enough to have, not when her tenuous position might be lost at any minute by a pair of seductive eyes or a new (not better) pair of tits, but it wasn’t like she was totally without any fellow feeling.

“Well done,” she said to the boy with Nie braids in his hair like he thought it’d make him something he wasn’t.

He blinked, surprised, and fixed her with the same pleasant, competent, I’m-here-for-your-pleasure smile that she’d seen him use on everyone else. “Lady Wang, whatever do you mean?”

Wang Lingjiao rolled her eyes. Sure, he wasn’t doing anything more stunning than getting himself some off-hours food from the kitchens, same as her, but there was no way he didn’t know what she meant. 

He knew. Oh, he knew.

“For selling something else,” she clarified, and saw the darkness creep into that bright and clear gaze he was always pretending with, hiding behind; he couldn’t deny that he knew exactly what she was saying now. Personally, she’d rather be on her back in Wen Chao’s bed than helping out in the Fire Palace, but it was the principle of the thing. “And drop the ‘lady’ shit while we’re in the Nightless City. There’s no point in pissing off Lady Ma.”

His face didn’t give away any obvious tells, like eyebrows shooting up or eyes going wide, but she could feel that he was surprised. “You – care about that?”

Ma Liyuan was Wen Chao’s wife, officially, and Wang Lingjiao’s official job was as her maid, except of course she didn’t do any maid stuff because she was too busy fucking Wen Chao. Still, she would have thought that this Meng Yao character would know better.

“Born in a brothel, were you?” she guessed, and his face closed up. “Don’t be so squeamish. She told me to do it, of course. If she can’t keep him, better that she control him through me than let someone from the outside sink their claws into him. Doesn’t mean she wants it rubbed in her face or anything, though.”

It wasn’t an uncommon story, and he nodded slowly as she went to pick out some food – she could get better fare when she ate with Wen Chao, of course, but he liked the illusion of her being dainty and pristine, as if you could get tits like hers without having a decent meal on the regular, and so she supplemented in private.

“Someone told me you were from Yingchuan,” he said from behind her. “Yingchuan Wang sect.”

“I am,” she said, tearing at the flesh of an apple with her teeth. “What, the intonation didn’t give me away?”

“It’s not that,” he said. “I thought – Yingchuan Wang is a cultivation sect.”

Gentry, he meant. 

“Sure is,” Wang Lingjiao said, and her lips twisted in derision. “What, did you think it was all fun and games after you get brought across the threshold? Did your mother fill your head with dreams of your legitimate father sweeping in and buying your freedom and hers, setting her up in a nice little courtyard and you in disciple robes, then seeing your merit and giving you the respect you deserve?”

He was quiet. Brothel girls, she thought to herself. Always the same old tune.

“My mother was a whore, too, only she did get brought in as a concubine,” she said. “Nice and official, past the threshold and everything. The official wives hated her, of course: shorted her on firewood in the winter and water in the summer, always gave her the worst pieces of cloth to make clothing and no allowance to buy anything else, gave us incense that’d give you itches and food that gave you the runs.”

“That happens everywhere,” he said.

“She got that nice little courtyard,” Wang Lingjiao said. “It even had a nice little gateway to the outside world – not for her to go out, mind you, that wouldn’t be proper for an official concubine. But it worked perfectly well for men to come in, with all the earnings flowing to the family coffers.”

She laughed at the expression on his face.

“It’s one pimp or another,” she told him. “Men always want something from you, always, don’t you know that? And when they think you’re already dirty, they don’t think too hard about what they’re asking. I was born inside the door to a proper legitimate father, never spent a day of my life in a brothel, and they still sold me out just the same as any madam – no, worse. The stuff these righteous bastards ask for is always ten times worse.”

“Worse?” he echoed.

“Isn’t it?” she asked him. “Even a whore that’s lost her charm still doesn’t have to do much more than lie on her back and spread her legs, but look at you – look at me. Running around catering to their every need, doing every nasty deed that they don’t want to do because that’s all we’re good for in their eyes.”

He grimaced.

“I’m in charge of getting new women for A-Chao’s bed, when he’s in the mood for variety,” Wang Lingjiao said. “And for getting rid of any accidents that might happen later, my own or others’. The Wen clan doesn’t believe in them, if you understand me; if he wants kids, he’ll get them through Lady Ma or nobody. And if a woman turns him down, it’s my job to punish her, or else he’ll start saying I don’t care enough, that I’m looking elsewhere…”

She laughed and took a bite of some pork.

“I’d do it anyway, of course,” she said, chewing. “All those little bitches that think they’re better than me, it’s a pleasure to knock them down to size. And surprise, surprise, once they don’t have their looks, suddenly they’re more than happy to come around begging at A-Chao’s door to see what they can get, since now the righteous ones don’t want them anymore…Peel off all that shiny exterior and it’s all the same underneath.”

Meng Yao didn’t like what she was saying, she could tell. Not that she cared.

“Find yourself a fool,” she advised him. “A-Chao’s not bad to me, all things considered. I’ve been by his side for a few years now and his tastes are pretty run-of-the-mill, not like his brother or his father; a bit of ego stroking - ooh, you’re so strong, so capable, I’ve never seen anyone as big as you, that sort of thing - and he likes coming on my tits. Sect Leader Wen, though? He’s too clever. You won’t be able to keep his interest for long, not even with those ingenious little torture machines you keep inventing for him, and then he’ll have you doing the real scut work.”

“I appreciate your consideration,” he said stiffly. Didn’t like his work being compared to someone like her, did he?

Men.

“I hear things about the brothels in Lanling,” she offered, just to needle him. “Not just perfume and flowers and a bit of witty conversation, not for men with all the money in the world; they like getting a little extra. If you’d gotten taken in the way you wanted, I’d bet that’s the job you’d get: you’d be seeing those women every day, bringing the women in smiling and taking them out crying – or worse. Some jobs you aren’t meant to come back from, after all; my best friend growing up ended up that way. You couldn’t even recognize the body as human below the neck.”

He was too well-trained to glare, but Wang Lingjiao could tell he wanted to. Someone like him, who signed up to do torture work, probably wouldn’t mind the bodies, she reflected, and shook her head.

“What’s Qinghe like, anyway?” she asked, nodding at his braids, actually curious. “Secretive sorts, and the one or two times my people acted as hosts to their inner sect disciples, they always turned down any offers for late night company.”

“I wouldn’t know,” he said.

“Stop having a stick up your ass. I’m not saying you provided services yourself, and even if you did I’m hardly one to judge. I just want to know. You were close with that big man of theirs, their sect leader, weren’t you? Sect Leader Wen sure talks about it enough.”

Talked about it the way Wen Chao talked about Wang Lingjiao getting close to a woman he was pursuing, sometimes. There was really no accounting for taste – Sect Leader Wen could have any woman he wanted and often did, her and Lady Ma included, and even sometimes at the same time; yet what he really wanted, apparently, was to hear Meng Yao talk about Sect Leader Nie’s personal habits.

Probably he wanted the joy in breaking him or something. Wang Lingjiao didn’t make it her business to try to guess, though she supposed Meng Yao did.

“No way someone as sharp as you didn’t pick up some clues about what he likes,” she continued. “Come on, what is it? He like beating his whores or something?”

“He didn’t frequent whores,” Meng Yao said. “And he didn’t take lovers.”

He smiled, faintly, probably at her expression of disbelief.

“He liked slaughtering Wen-dogs,” he added. “Rather a lot. See that you don’t end up on the wrong side of his saber. He didn’t make allowances for women.”

Wang Lingjiao tossed her hair – there was no need to bring in blood and war into their perfectly nice conversation! – and huffed. “Oh, I get you. The marrying type, then?” she sneered. “The ones that’ll give you their heart and forgive you for everything, then end up wearing green hats for cuckolds when it turns out the one they like isn’t near as virtuous as them? What a fool!”

“I thought you said I should find myself a fool,” Meng Yao said mildly.

“You still have to be able to keep him,” she mocked. “If you could get someone like Sect Leader Nie on the hook, why would you be busting your ass here?”

That shut him up.

“Well, your loss is Sect Leader Wen’s gain, I guess,” she said, and put aside her plate without washing it. The kitchen staff could clean up for her. “Ugh, I can’t wait for this war to be over already. I miss the discussion conferences! Even though I had to stay back with the servants, at least you got to see some new people…that last one, with the archery, that was a fun one.”

She grinned. “All the sect leaders came here to sit at Sect Leader Wen’s feet, your father included. He asked all three of his housekeeping maids to serve him in bed, you know. All at once. Brave man, at his age…come to think of it, you might want to check the nursery. See if you have some siblings there. Who knows? Maybe they’ll grow up to be competition.”

Meng Yao said nothing.

Wang Lingjiao laughed again.

“Have fun in the Fire Palace, Meng Yao,” she said, sashaying away. “Try not to end up on the wrong side of it.”

See? It was almost like being friends.

[writingwithcolor]

B’nei mitzvah in spaceship without Jewish community | Jewish character celebrating Christmas

Hi! Thank you so much for running this blog. I appreciate how much time and effort all the mods have put into it. I finished reading through the whole Jewish tag a few days ago, and I’ve learned so much! I’m writing a Voltron fic (I *know* lol) and decided to make one of the protagonists a white nonbinary Ashkenazi Reform Jewish girl. Her astronaut brother mysteriously disappears in space and is presumed dead, so she runs away from home a couple of months before her b'nei mitzvah to find him. Now, she’s in a group of rebels in space fighting against an Empire. I have two concerns:

1. Everyone on the ship misses home, so part of the way they cope is through getting in touch with their cultures. They’re gonna celebrate (a mostly non-Americanized) Christmas because it matters a lot to some of the characters for non-religious reasons. To what extent can my Jewish character participate in the celebration without it being weird? I want her to enjoy herself more because she’s with her friends than because Jesus etc. They’ll also celebrate Chanukah, if that helps. I know Chanukah isn’t a major holiday, so I also want to have her celebrate a more significant one like Rosh Hashanah and/or Purim with them. Is it okay for gentiles to participate in those holiday celebrations, or should she do that alone?

2. Throughout most of the story, she’ll struggle with choosing whether to prioritize fighting the Empire or finding her brother and bringing him home. When she eventually does find her brother (who also turns out to be a rebel), he lets her decide whether they stay or go home. I thought it would be nice if she decided to stay and keep fighting for the greater good after she finally has her b'nei mitzvah. Her friends and other experiences are also a big part of why she decides to stay, but the b'nei mitzvah would be what gives her the final push she needs to decide. I don’t know if it would be okay for me to write the ceremony itself or if she can even have one if only two of the eight people on the ship are Jewish. I read that not everyone has a b'nei mitzvah and that it’s not required, but I feel like it’d be a big deal to her character. Should I keep the b'nei mitzvah idea, or am I heading towards appropriative territory here?

I want to make her Jewishness a big part of her character’s growth, and I really want to make sure I do it respectfully and accurately. I plan on finding a sensitivity reader when I’ve made more progress with actually writing everything out. Thank you for any insight you might offer!

It feels off to me to join a community symbolically when you’re far away FROM the community. Why not just have had her already have done the ceremony before she has all these adventures? That way it could just be a straightforward story about a Jewish teen having exciting heroic adventures in space, rather than a story about what happens when you have to miss aspects of Jewish life because you’re in space. It would also make the “….well, I guess I’m around for Christmas” bit less weighted because then that would be the only one of those instead of having two of those.

–Shira 

I’ll cover some other territory here. For those who don’t know, b'nei mitzvah is something you just automatically become at the correct age, the ceremony is simply to celebrate that with the community. Not all people have the ceremony, but if you are Jewish, and of age (for religious purposes), your status changes with or without it. Personally, I’m comfortable with showing a Jewish character finding a way to have a Jewish celebration when the circumstances are less than ideal, for me the other aspects of the story are more troubling. 

On the subject of having a Jewish character celebrate Christmas with their friends… look I don’t like this trope. There are many Jewish people, who are completely secular, who don’t celebrate Christmas, because it is explicitly a Christian holiday, and secular Jewish people are still Jewish. Some Jewish people (secular or otherwise) do choose to celebrate other holidays, and I am very comfortable with those folks telling their own stories. What I’m not happy with is the push from outside of the community for every Jewish character to slide into assimilation. 

Some Jewish people will go to Christmas parties and not eat the food, because they keep kosher, or won’t stay for a tree-lighting, because that feels like it goes too far, or will give presents but not receive them. There are a huge number of ways we might handle Christmas, and I appreciate that you plan to show holidays other than just Chanukah (and yes, it’s fine for non-Jewish characters to join her in her holidays, if she invites them), but I always question why a non-Jewish writer is so keen to show Jewish characters celebrating Christmas. The most generous version of me wants to assume that you get so much out of Christmas that you want to share it, but the part of me that knows about the pressures to assimilate, and the history of increased antisemitic violence around Christmas thinks… just leave this kid alone. She missed her celebration, she’s far from her community, and now she has to go put on a Happy Assimilated Smile for the culturally Christian folks around her. From a nonbinary Jewish perspective, it’s a little unusual for your nonbinary character to use she/her pronouns, and use b'nei mitzvah as a gender neutral alternative to the gendered bat mitzvah. In secular life, at least in the US, it’s not uncommon for people to use multiple pronouns, but I haven’t met, or even heard of, a single person using gendered pronouns secularly, and using new neutral alternatives religiously. It absolutely could happen but, because it is so unusual, to me it reads as either invalidating the character’s gender, or tokenizing her in the religious sphere. 

–Dierdra 

Shira, I think that’s a really good idea to make the character post-b'nei mitzvah. That way you just have a Jewish character having adventures rather than her culture being The Conflict. (And also, a pre-b'nei mitzvah seems a bit young for this storyline? Can she really consent to fighting alongside the rebels? Do they habitually take unaccompanied children on their ship? To me a teenager would make more sense, but hey it’s not my story!)

Dierdra, your answer regarding the Christmas aspect was awesome and really thorough. Thanks for your thoughts on the pronouns as well, it also jarred with me but I was waiting to hear your opinion as you have lived experience. My worry is if you use gender neutral terms for one but not the other, you risk falling into to the stereotype that only marginalised religious folks have to change our language etc to be inclusive to LGBTQ+ people, but everyone else is fine. 

I wanted to come back to the point about Rosh Hashana. First of all, thank you for acknowledging that we have holidays that are more important than Chanukah! Sooo many OP’s don’t know that. In terms of how she would celebrate it, I agree it’s fine to invite non-Jewish people along. However, given how community-based Jewish life is, making her keep Yom Tov on her own feels a bit like a torture story, especially when others have people to celebrate Christmas with. I wonder if you’ve thought about giving her a Jewish friend on the ship? Especially if you want her Jewishness to be part of her growth as you mentioned, an older Jewish friend and mentor could be a huge help :)

–Shoshi

As you can see, we have a wide range of possibilities for “what happens when you ask a Jewish person about celebrating Christmas.” I didn’t mind hanging around it as an outsider myself until a certain subset of Christians started being mean-spirited about it in the news plus some personal trauma that time of year, as long as everyone involved was clear that I was just participating from the outside and this didn’t somehow change me. (If I may make an analogy: compare it to going to a baby shower when you want to support your friend or family member but also really don’t want kids of your own. You’re going to have a whole different experience if your decision is respected vs. if all the other guests treat you like you being there means you’ll change your mind about not wanting kids.)

That being said, it’s still all over the map. Some people IRL are okay even going to mass with their partner’s Catholic family (without participating in communion obvs.) Some would never, ever do that and are sitting here with shocked faces that I even typed that. But what becomes important is the way it’s written. Sitting around listening to the Christmas story is probably a bad fit for your fanfic, but helping other people bake Christmas cookies or put ornaments on a tree could work. The ornament thing could remind her of decorating a sukkah, and she could point that out to the others. 

I guess I’m saying is 

keep her participation secular, and 

keep her participation from leaning into the idea that we’re unhappy with our customs and would prefer to do it their way. 

I have literally never in my life felt jealous of the kids who “got to do Santa” (for example) and while I’m sure some kids were and they’re valid too, I think it’s important to show that it’s not a universal phenomenon.

–Shira

[acciofanfics]

Say Please (George Weasley x Reader) SMUT

Request: Any chance you could do one o f the weasley twins and a slytherin reader. From enemies to lovers with a nsfw

Pairing: George Weasley x FemReader

Warnings: Bad language words and smut

Word Count: 2567

A/N: So I hope this fits in with the request, the timeline is a little rushed. Also, I normally prefer Fred myself, but my partner in crime loves George so I figured I’d try writing for him 😂 -S

—————————————————————

Honestly, (Y/N) rarely caused much trouble. It might’ve come to a surprise to some of the close minded Gryffindors, but not all Slytherins lived to torment their class mates. In this particular moment she wondered how her house ended up with the poor reputation, because she would not be in detention if it hadn’t been for those annoying Weasley twins. She shot a glare over at... she thought it was George. “3 days. 3 days detention because of you and your brother! Could you have not at least waited until after class? I’m not sure what it is that warranted the abuse to begin with but no that wasn’t enough detention to?!”

Fred and George never thought too much about detention. They mostly didn’t get caught, but there were always a few hiccups and they’d learned the best way to deal was grin and bear it... it did suck that McGonagall was aware the punishment did little to deter them. It was her policy that they had to be separated during detention, she thought they had too much fun otherwise. Poor Fred... he was stuck in Snape’s classroom alone. Not that George much cared for the girl scolding him, “If it’s any consolation we weren’t even aiming for you. It’s hardly our fault you decided to sit next to that git Clark.”

As far as apologies went. That was a rotten one, but she supposed it did provide some comfort. If she were being frank, she didn’t really care for her desk mate either. He often snuck looks at her parchment and tried to correct her or offer his help to even the slightest mistake. It was so condescending, and he rarely knew what he talking about. She tried to imagine what it would like if he had been the one to open the exploding note. “Well, I guess that does clear some things up. Maybe you should work on your aim.”

“Well you can blame Fred on that, he’s the one with the bad aim.” George chuckled although he had to admit it wasn’t nearly as fun to pick on his slightly older brother when he wasn’t there to disagree with him.

“Well who’s the brains of the operation because it wasn’t the brightest plan to start with?”

Yeah, George definitely didn’t enjoy the company that much. She might’ve been pretty, but that seemed to be the only thing she had going for her. A sense of humor? Definitely not. An eye for genius? Clearly lacking. Sure the exploding note had been delivered to the wrong target and landed them all detention, but it got a great response. Lots of laughs. “Agree to disagree.”

“Well you don’t have to agree with me, I’m still right. You got a few kids to laugh, you missed your target, there’s no lasting effect really and had it been Clark who opened it you would’ve been spending detention with him for 3 days. Since you called him a git I’m guessing you three aren’t that close.” Her voice was so matter-of-fact, and so annoying. It also didn’t sit right with George that she might’ve gotten a few details right.

“Well what would be your brilliant plan?”

“Oh I don’t have one.” (Y/N) stopped her cleaning (no magic, because it was a punishment) and looked at George. He thought she was smiling for a split second, but upon further inspection it was definitely a smirk. “Of course I haven’t put any thought what so ever into it. I guarantee that I could come up with a better one though.”

The next day George cursed the fact he had detention again... it didn’t seem fair that it was only him that had to share it with (Y/N). When he asked Fred to go in his place, Fred told him the fact that he asked him to trade was proof enough he didn’t want to trade. Thankfully Professor McGonagall had a task for them that required a little more concentration and therefor less time he actually had to speak to the girl.

“I’ve done some thinking and I think I figured it out.”

George snickered at her thought. McGonagall had them grading first-years parchments. They should’ve definitely known the information already, but she left them an answer key just in case. “Well, I’d hope so. You’ve been looking at the answers for the past 30 minutes.”

She rolled her eyes, and didn’t bother looking up from the parchment. “Ha ha. I meant I figured out what I think would be a numerous prank for Clark.”

“Oh do tell...” George sighed, not at all interested, but willing to humor her all the same.

“I’ve spent an unfortunate amount of time with him, and I’d say he fancies himself more than anyone else. I’ve been paying a bit more attention, since our last conversation and I’ve noticed anytime he passes a mirror he checks his hair. I think you should do some sort of charm to mess with his hair. Even if it’s fixed relatively quickly he’ll be furious.”

Hmmm.... maybe? “What if it wasn’t a charm?”

“A potion might have a longer lasting effect... but how would you give it to him without him knowing something is up?”

“Maybe slip it in his drink?”

“He’d see it and none of us he likes enough to not suspect something and immediately know who it was.”

“Do you think it’d be possible to hide it in some sweets? Sign it from a secret admirer? He’s too arrogant to turn it down.”

George hadn’t meant to honestly give what she said too much thought and there he was:planning out a whole prank with the girl. Fred would feel so betrayed, until it worked at least. Maybe she wasn’t as bad as he originally thought, but he still didn’t know if he liked her that much. Plus she was probably all talk.

Finally it was day 3, the end of their torturous sentence. It couldn’t come fast enough, especially since they had to clean again. George had shared the information he’d gathered from (Y/N) with Fred and he was all in. As much as he hated that they didn’t think of it, a good joke was a good joke.

“So it might interest you to know that I’ve acquired most of the ingredients to brew a hair raising potion. I just need one more thing I can nab tomorrow.”

Wow. Honestly he hadn’t expected her to really go through with it, much less steal the ingredients. “We haven’t even gotten out of detention yet and you’re already trying to get back in. You’re gonna miss me, huh?”

“Oh come off it. If you and your brother want to help, I’m going to set up in the girls bathroom on the second floor tomorrow night after dinner.”

There would’ve been no problem with that plan whatsoever. Sneaking out hadn’t ever been a problem since Fred and George snagged the Marauder’s Map in their first year, and even though they’d given it to Harry they still had most of the secret passages memorized. No, the problem that Fred had landed himself an extra day of detention. It wasn’t a secret that Snape didn’t like them, but it seemed unlikely that Fred really had done NOTHING to provoke him. He honestly couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit annoyed at his twin for leaving him to walk into that bathroom alone...

“Where’s Fred? I thought you two did everything together?” (Y/N) teased as she pulled a cauldron out of one of the stalls and gathered all of her supplies around the surrounding area. George was just a bit surprised that she actually recognized it was him. They’d tricked their own mother more than once, and she’d caught on in 3 days time?

“You know Snape, he’s got it out for us. Fred took the brunt of it today,” George shrugged and drew closer to her, ready to offer his assistance. “Look on the bright side, now you have me all to yourself.”

“Yay...” Her voice was less than enthusiastic, but a small smile played on her lips none the less. “Well don’t just stand there, hand me those rat tails.”

George had to admit that it wasn’t nearly as bad as he imagined. While, he was starting to come to the conclusion he might’ve misjudged her, he was now sure that was the case. He’d even gotten her to laugh! Surprisingly it was a good laugh too, one of the ones that were highly contagious. Brewing the potion didn’t take nearly as much time as he thought, and it wasn’t long at all before (Y/N) was giving it a final stir. “Now it just has to set for about an hour. I suppose after that we just need to put it in some candy and give it to him?”

“Seems simple enough, once we figure out the best place to leave it that will make sure he gets it.”

“I’ll leave it outside his room.” (Y/N) stated simply. It only made sense that she would, she was in the same house and the magical enchantments that the school was founded had a pretty backwards, but beneficial rule on the dorms. Girls could get into the boys dormitory quite easily, so I’d wouldn’t be a problem.

George couldn’t place it, but he didn’t know how thrilled he was with that part of the plan. There were other ways: like leaving it on a table in the great hall... or visiting the owlery? “What if you get caught?”

“I suppose I’m no stranger to detention now, am I? Don’t worry I don’t plan on letting you guys take credit for my brilliance, I won’t snitch.”

“It wasn’t that!” He didn’t know why it was so important she didn’t think he was worried about that, but it seemed like it was relevant in that moment.

(Y/N)’s smirk came back when she saw his cheeks turning just the slightest tint of red. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, but there was the possibility she didn’t hate the twins as much as she did when she first opened that blasted note. Well, George at least (she hadn’t been forced to spend time with Fred). And it wasn’t like she was blind, he was attractive. Plus she hadn’t even planned any payback for him ruining her reputation in McGonagall’s class... it wouldn’t hurt to tease him just a bit. Really, he kind of deserved it. “We have an hour to kill... I wonder what we should do?”

George tensed ever so slightly when she leaned closer to him and batted her eye lashes. She was definitely on to him. Damn, well he wasn’t usually one to back down from a challenge. Usually he had his brother for backup, but that wouldn’t do him any good here and honestly he no longer desired to have Fred’s company... at least at the moment. “Well, I have a few ideas... we are alone.”

(Y/N)’s confidence didn’t waver, she expected a bit of stubbornness from him. Instead she climbed into his lap, her knees resting not so comfortably on the cool tile. Her forwardness seemed to catch him off guard slightly, but he quickly regained composure and smirked at her. It took a good bit of effort not to roll her eyes, but she managed. “Well don’t just sit there.”

George knew he was falling into a trap, but to be honest at that moment he didn’t quite care. He didn’t need to be told twice and he captured her lips in a lip bruising kiss. It was almost instantaneous that they both seemed to forget they they didn’t fancy either other. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands found her thighs, where he began to pull her against him.

It took no time for a sweet kiss to start burning into something more. No, it was more like someone throwing a match into gasoline: an immediate explosion. Her hips moved willingly against him, both enjoying the friction and she didn’t even think twice about George snapping open the buttons on her blouse. It gave her the idea to start on his shirt.

(Y/N) shivered when George helped her out of her bra. The cool air making her arch herself into him even further, but the cold didn’t last long because George began placing feverish kisses all over the newly exposed skin. Her moans definitely did something for him, even if it was just a confidence boost he nipped a bit harder or his grip on her skin got tighter. Normally, George might worry about leaving a hand shaped bruise on her arse, but he was far too focused and seeing how loud he could make her.

(Y/N) awkwardly reached between them and started to undo his trousers. George was willing to pull his hands away from her briefly to help her accomplish her goal. She leaned up, just enough for him to be able to wiggle his trousers and underwear down enough to free his erection. It wasn’t the most graceful thing they’d done, but she hiked up her skirt and pulled her panties to the side so she could sink down onto him.

The two let out a moan in unison and George grabbed hold of her hips, “Bloody hell...”

(Y/N) wasn’t sure what exactly came over her, other than a mixture of satisfaction and lust. “Say you’re sorry for getting me detention.”

Was she kidding? “Seriously?” When she started to lift herself up, he quickly changed his tune. “I’m sorry!”

She quickly dropped herself back down, earning another moan from the redhead underneath her. Of course having his cock buried deep inside her felt amazing, but having a bit of control made it feel even better. “Say please.”

George didn’t even think twice about obliging her order. The word spilled from his lips before he could even comprehend what he was saying, but he didn’t care. The plea made her move against him finally and he would say anything to keep her bouncing on his cock. Clearly she knew it too and that was enough to keep her satisfied because she kept it up.

It was somewhere between an eternity and a few minutes, before she felt herself getting close. It was harder to keep it up her rhythm, and George must’ve noticed because he started to use the grip on her hips to his advantage by lifting her and pulling her back down. She stopped abruptly, “If you want something from me, you need to ask.”

“Please?”

“Please what?” (Y/N) purred into his ears, rolling her hips.

“Please let me fuck you...” George’s voice was needy and he was so scared that she would tell him no. It was an instant relief when she muttered an okay against his skin.

Before (Y/N) could even register what was happening her back hit the frigid tile and George’s hips were snapping against hers hard and fast and she was seeing stars. So close... so close... she was coming undone. “George!”

It was no time, before he finished. Her orgasm fast-tracking his. He had to let his breathing steady before he could speak, “I think that should be a regular occurrence. We are way too good for it to be a one time thing.”

He laughed when she winked at him, “Well you know what to say.”

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #008

“if there’s a god, why did he let the devil do his work on me?”

Are you currently mad at anyone? Nah, not actively. Do you like drawing on cement with chalk? I loved drawing with chalk as a kid. I mean I probably still would, but my fat ass and inadequately-muscled legs are NOT letting me get on the ground if I want back up, haha. When was the last time you went tanning? I've never deliberately tried to tan because I hate the feeling of heat literally cooking me. Do you like the smell of fresh cut grass? No. Have you ever worked at a party store? No. Are you creative? I think I am and have been told I am. Do you know how to play poker? Haha, it's funny, I did at a certain age as a kid, but now remember nothing as an adult. Do you always wear your seatbelt? Yes, always. Do you sing in the shower? No. Showers are fucking torture for me because of my legs so I get in and get the fuck out as fast as possible, I'm not concentrating on anything else. Have you ever been called a slut/whore/something along those lines? Only playfully by friends, never seriously. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly/didn't even know? Yes. Do you do drugs? No. Where do you want to get married? I have a few ideas. The absolute dream wedding would be in some sort of beautiful gothic building, like an old mansion, in the ballroom. I'll tell you right the fuck now I couldn't even dream of affording a venue like that though, so a more realistic option would be in some autumn woods, maybe by water or even a waterfall. Have you ever made yourself throw up? So, uh... I have tried. At my last job, when I was in the restroom having a panic attack and crying, I stuck my finger down my throat trying to force myself to vomit to give myself an extra reason to go home. And let me add how fucking TERRIFIED I am of the sensation of vomitting, if that helps give you an idea of how severely I was panicking. It didn't work. Honestly I probably would've kept trying if my co-worker hadn't come into the restroom making sure I was okay. Approximately two hours of fucking disaster. Have you ever fallen in love with a really good friend of yours? Haha yeah, I'm dating him rn. Do you own a blacklight? Not to my knowledge. Do you like fruit better than vegetables? Oh, absolutely. Have you ever been expelled from school? No. Do you believe you've met your soulmate or one of them? I don't believe in the concept of "soulmates." When did you last have grape juice? Literally the worst flavor of juice, ugh. I tried some back in March at the hospital because I really didn't want water, but I took one fuckin sip and got some water lmao. Have you learned anything today? Yeah honestly, but I don't wanna write an essay about it. Do you like the smell of coconut? Sure. It's not a favorite or anything, but it still smells fine. Do you prefer longer or short socks? Oh god, I used to be ALL over ankle socks, not feeling the sock stop there drives me FUCK-ING insane, like I can't wear them. I like socks that are at a normal length, really. Not terribly high, not very low. Do you like to leave your window open at night or do you use a fan? I have two fans that are always on in my room. If you find a spider in your home, do you set it free or kill it? I actually haven't been in this position in a very, very long time, considering these days I would want to catch it and let it out. How many pets have you had in your lifetime? I literally couldn't count, especially when we had a cat problem growing up. Do you sunburn easily? Ludicrously easily. What did you get into trouble for as a kid? Mostly for reasons related to being on the computer too much, fighting with my younger sister, and uhhh... idk. I was a good kid. What's something good that has happened here recently? Uh... idk. Like, there's stuff ig, but nothing remarkable. Who did you last say "I love you" to? My boyfriend. When did you last feel beautiful? Ugh I never do. ^ tries his hardest to assure me I am, but I just honest to god don't see what he does. Are you currently frustrated over something? Yeah. I just don't feel like getting into it. Have you ever had a yard sale? Yes. Do you enjoy going to yard sales or garage sales? It's not something we really *do*, but Mom and I both do like looking at random and obscure stuff. Do you like gummy bears? I do, gummy candy is the best. Do you ever get room service when staying in hotels? We barely ever, ever stay in hotels, but any time we have, we haven't gotten room service, to my memory. Who knows you better than anyone else? My mom. Sara. Have you ever caught a fish? Many, growing up going fishing all the time with Dad. Can you honeslty say you love the last person you kissed? I can very very confidently say I'm in love with him. What does your last text mesage say? I don't feel like checking, but I think it was Dad sending me a picture from the plane he'd just boarded to go to Michigan (or Ohio?) to see family. What does the last person you kissed name start with? "D," though I don't call him by this name. How many people have you kissed in the last 5 months? One. When did you last have sex? Still never lmao we just haven't gotten to that point yet for multiple reasons I'm not gonna elaborate on. Like we're perfectly comfortable doing it, there are just a number of reasons why we haven't. When did you lose your virginity? ^ Does anyone call you baby? Girt, sometimes. It's not a regular, and I prefer it that way. What do you currently hear? "Armee der Tristen" by Rammstein. It's never going to end y'all Who was your first love? Jason, my high school boyfriend. What would you do if your doctor told you, you were pregnant? Well, given what I just said a few moments ago, I'd tell them they physically couldn't have the right person because I don't believe in immaculate conception. Do you still watch MTV? "Still?" I never did to begin with. Does the person you like know you like them? I make it pretty obvious. If you're dating someone how long have you been together? 10 months. What’s the longest relationship you have ever been in? 3 1/2 years. Do you know anyone who has gotten an abortion? Yes, and I promise you do too. It's not rare. People just don't talk about it because of the stigma. Have you ever kissed in the rain? Yeah. Have you ever spent the night with the last person you kissed? He literally spent the night a couple days ago. He's done it in the past too. I've never stayed at his place yet, though. Do you have a bad reputation? I wouldn't know, go ask people I associate with. Have you ever gone through a bad breakup? *performs Sign of the Cross* Has anyone ever used a cheesy pickup line on you? Idk, maybe. Would you ever want a statue made of you? Uh, ew. Has anyone ever called you dumb? Probably at some point. If we're including myself, then yeah that's like, daily. Do you have any cats? We have one. <3 Sometimes I want one more, but more often I'm content with just Roman, especially considering he would get out-of-this-fuckin'-world jealous. Have you broken anyone's heart? I don't know. Jason chopped me off and out of his life like a gangrenous limb, completely and entirely ceasing contact that I really don't have any way of knowing exactly how the breakup affected him. Tyler ACTED like I broke his heart after two fucking weeks when I can absolutely assure you I did not. He just had insane attachment problems. God I'm glad I said "fuck this, I'm out" when I did. What’s the craziest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself? I've only ever heard one, which was basically that Jason and I magically had a baby over one summer. It was started by his ex, who had a grudge against me even BEFORE we dated, and she clearly did not think this shit through considering I was very slim in high school and clearly NOT pregnant at any point. Anyway, I'm friends with this person now. Things sure do change, haha. What’s the coolest name you’ve ever heard someone have? Ohhhh let's see... Well, I did have a friend named Journee (like "Journey") which I always thought was a beautiful, brilliant name for a person just going through and experiencing life. I am sadly 90% sure though she committed suicide because of something very serious she was dealing with at way too young of an age. No one should go through what she did, but never mind a child. She confided in me a lot, and during our last few messages, she was saying some concerning things and then just disappeared, permanently. What’s your least favorite genre of music and why? Rap, probably. I just don't like what is typically sung about and just the whole style of it. There are rap songs I love, but in general it's just not for me. What did you last complain about? I actually don't know. Did you ever like nursery rhymes as a child? What was your favorite? I did. I remember liking "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" as well as that "This Little Piggy" one, whatever its proper name is, because it involved Mom tickling me. What do you usually purchase at gas stations? (aside from gas of course) If I get anything, it's likely to be a certain flavor of Mountain Dew, and then I'll sometimes get a sort of candy. Do you drink regular or diet soda? Only regular. The artificial sweetener in diet sodas gives me a headache, but diet is also just gross imo. What’s one of your favorite artists/bands, and least favorite song from them? All right let's go with Ozzy. There are a few of his songs I'm just sorta "meh" about, but if I remember it correctly, I believe I wasn't into "Diary of a Madman" at all. Have you ever seen them live? Bitch I would cry lmao. I would LOVE to see Ozzy, especially with it being so clear he's in his twilight years with all the health issues he's been fighting. Seeing Ozzy live would without a goddamn doubt be a very strong highlight of my life. Mom and I actually WERE planning on seeing him, all the way in Charlotte, but then that tour had to be cancelled due to the arrival of health problems. Can't say I know if he's planning another, but I would think so with a new album in the future. Do you consider graffiti to be true art or just messy? I mean, it can be both. Depends on where it's at, the content itself, everything. What last overwhelmed you? In a recent survey I mentioned that I don't know what really qualifies as sensory overload, but dear god I think I experienced it at Girt's place when Mom and I went there for an early 4th celebration. SO many people were talking about different things and I was trying to be aware and listen to everyone, but it just wasn't possible. I was so overstimulated with all the noise that I literally didn't even process what my mom was eventually saying directly to me; like I just stared at her blankly and had to come back to just me and her to understand anything. What did you last watch on TV? Girt and I were watching a Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach speedrun via YouTube on the TV the other night. We were curious because of the insane amount of glitches in that game how fast you could really do it. Do you know anyone who keeps a Christmas tree up year round? I mean I might, but not that I know of. What’s the strangest video you’ve ever seen? Oh brother, who knows, I've been on the Internet too long. Though I will say I actually haven't seen like... *any* of the notoriously gross and/or shocking videos because I cherish my eyes. They suck, but I cherish them lmao. Have you ever received a present that made you cry? Oh jeez, that's easy to do. Do you know of any haunted buildings in your town? No. I know of a location with false origins that portray it as haunted, but it's just literally not true. What’s the most random song on your playlist that people wouldn’t expect? HAHA at Girt's place, Mom was VERY surprised to learn Brittney Spears is on my iPod lmaooo. When did you last receive a business card from somebody? I haven't the slightest idea. Would you try that Flaming Hot Mountain Dew? ... I do wanna try it... lmaooo. I love both so I mean... leave me alone, haha. When it was first revealed, all the reactions made me feel horrible about myself, ahaha. Do you own any adult coloring books? Yeah, somewhere. What did you last draw or write down? Uh, probably my signature. Have you ever played pinball on a machine or just online? I've played it on machines before. Have you ever had a bad sunburn? I once had sunburn so bad it was actually sun poisoning. It was fucking excruciating.

[percyjacksonfan3]

For the salty asks: numbers one, five, six, and twenty through twenty-three please 😇

I live for the chaos so pls just... go off my dude

Ah Tay, reason #187893467 that I love you is that you indulge me in my rants <3

Salty asks are from this post!

K this got LONG so here's a read more!

1. What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?

Honestly even though I don't multi-ship often I DO usually get the appeal behind ships so this is a really short list. This will probably get me some hate but I still to this day can't get behind c/ex@ from the show that will not be named. But then again I do get the appeal of two super attractive women with chemistry and the whole ruler/ girl who makes the ruler change their ways thing. So I guess I get it even if I don't like it?

Also, and this is not to hate on Hinny, but Harry and Ginny from HP are not my cup of tea. I like what fandom has done for them but the actual content we get for them in the books (and movies, but I prefer the books) isn't enough for me to love them. Same with Mal and Alina from S & B/ Grishaverse, they're so bland to me in the books but the show is doing far better with them and actually making Mal ya know. Likeable. Again, I don't ship it, but best friends to lovers is top tier so I get it.

Oh! I also don't really get Dwalin/Ori from The Hobbit, but that is probably in large part because I'm a Dwalin/Nori shipper. Again though, all of the secondary characters' relationships in The Hobbit rely on fans to extrapolate HARD and wear extreme shipper goggles, and ik there's that scene where Dwalin helps Ori out of the river so like.. maybe that's where it's from? I don't hate it or anything but it's always something that's made me go ??? cause I have no idea where the heck it came from.

Apart from that... I can't think of any rn? I feel like I understand where all the PJO ships come from, even if I don't ship them. There are a couple that I don't understand how they can be someone's OTP, just because I find them super boring (no offense to those who ship C@leo or J@siper but I just don't love how Rick handled those relationships). In TSC I think fandom mainly vibes with the same pairings and that's true for most of my book fandoms. With the shows I watch I don't think fans majorly ship anything too out there for me. Maybe I don't interact enough with fandoms to tell. So this is all I got.

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

Oh my god, oh my god, this is a can of worms, my lord. A pairing I'm not so sure about, but characters? Abso-fucking-lutely. I took a break from PJO fandom for exactly that reason and the list of characters is endless honestly, for multiple fandoms.

I won't say fandom ruined Bell@rke for me cause I still ship it, but I definitely lost enthusiasm with how toxic the shows fandom was and then that was made even worse when the show completely destroyed itself with the worst writing and plots ever in the latter seasons.

Also I have a feeling that G@me of Thrones/ @soiaf ruined one for me but I can't remember this very second. Maybe not, and again that's probably cause I don't interact with fandoms en masse, usually just through fic and following a few people I vibe with in each.

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

Yes, quite a few! I used to dislike Drarry (for obvious reasons I feel) and Romione (as a kid I wanted Hermione to be with Harry and even when I grew out of that I really didn't like she was with Ron) but fandom changed that for sure. And same with Darklina now, I was upset cause I felt like the books really underutilized their relationship and fell short of what could have been a super awesome pairing if better explored, but the show fandom is taking it in so many different ways that I'm starting to really love them despite the reasons I shouldn't.

And I won't say I hated Hayffie in THG, but definitely the only reason I ship them is from reading @ellanainthetardis's fic Have a Drink Sweetheart and then all the others written for them. That portrayal of Hayffie and the characters have become my own headcanons now because I've been reading them for so long and they're so good.

Fandom made me ship Leon and Morgana from Merlin too, though that's very lowkey. I never hated them, I just never thought of them as a pairing until reading fic.

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom?

Percabeth. I don't care which fandom, it's Percabeth. Growing up together, going from enemies to friends to best friends to lovers? The establishment of them being best friends and the way Rick wrote that friendship was so pure, and they are a couple with no internal problems, all external, and you just know they're gonna be together through everything, fighting at each other's side, cause that's the way they are. There's a reason they're my OTP and it's cause they are the most well-established, ride or die couple I can think of. They're just so solid.

21. What are your thoughts on crack ships?

Love em for fandom but personally I very rarely get behind crackships just because I usually need a lot of build up, scenes, good dialogue and chemistry, etc. to ship something, so most of my ships aren't crack ships. The only one I can really think of that I actively root for and ship and would read fic for is Billy/ Owen from 911 Lonestar which is just... something.

Like idk if Barduil from The Hobbit is crack because ik it's quite popular... what makes a ship a crack ship anyway? Lack of canon reference? Is it cause they two characters would be so random together because they barely ever interact? Or because it's SO unrealistic you know for sure it will never happen but want it to anyway? Or is it lack of popularity in fandom? I need someone to define this so I have a better answer :D if it's the second option then I have MANY

I love seeing fandom stuff for crack ships though, cause seriously, it's fiction, ship who you want. If you ship two characters just cause you think they're pretty side by side then that's enough for me. Make all of the fan art and fic you like.

22. Popular character you hate?

Oof. Jason from HOO. And Leo in everything after The Lost Hero. I hated Piper in The Lost Hero and Mark of Athena but like her after those. I don't like any of the book characters from S & B except Nikolai, but I like everyone in the show (except David? Why did they make him so weird? Like he's not even awkward, he's straight up rude imo, but anyway). In @soiaf I don't like Jon Snow, I think he's boring. And I despise Jorah Mormont cause I think he's creepy for having a crush on Dany.

Didn't love Stefan in TVD, too much of a goody-two-shoes. I liked dark Stefan but it felt like a totally different character. Honestly most of the characters I don't like cause they're boring or too by-the-book.

OH! A big one in M@rvel is Captain America. Can't stand him honestly, I like him as a character to have in the story, but I like never agree with him on anything. I like a couple of his one-liners but that's it really. I also don't like Gale in THG, idk if that's controversial. Or Lex@ from the show that will not be named because I think she's manipulative and not good for any of the characters i DO love.

Is Ron popular? I think so. I like fandom Ron but not canon Ron and idk why. I think I'm growing out of it but I read those books when I was like 7 initially so I thought it was awful of Ron to stop being friends with Harry because he was jealous and I never really got over that.

There are so many but I'm gonna stop now.

23. Unpopular character you love?

Again, tons. I love anyone whose got kind of a tortured backstory because it makes them more interesting to me.

I love Movieverse Hawkeye! I think Clint is great and while I wish his deafness was canon in Marvel and I don't love J Remmer, I do love Hawkeye a lot. He was honestly one of the only Marvel characters that felt consistent and in-character throughout the movies.

I like President Snow from THG just cause I think he was a fantastic villain. And Effie and Haymitch aren't unpopular, but they're probably my favourites, again because of the fics mentioned above.

Leon from Merlin!! I don't actually think he's unpopular, but he's like... my fourth favourite character in the show which I know IS considered high for most people.

Sandor Clegane from ASOIAF. Not the show, just the books. His book character is phenomenal and I am so excited for GrrM to finish the goddamn series so I know what happens to him.

The Stolls and Katie Gardner from PJO cause fandom created Tratie and sucked me in at a young age.

Bellatrix Lestrange? Is she unpopular? I don't think so but she's another one I think is a fantastic villain. I'm almost more interested in her than Voldemort tbh.

That's probably it!

Thanks so much for the ask Tay, this was tons of fun! Anyone else who's interested can feel free to fill my inbox!

[pi-cat000]

MSA time travel idea (part 39)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Vivi POV, 8, 9, 10, Lewis POV, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Lance POV 18, 19, Lewis POV 2, 21 , 22, Vivi POV 2, 24, 25  Lewis POV 3,  Mystery POV , Vivi POV 3, 29, Lewis POV 4, 31, ViVi POV 4 , 33, 34, Lewis POV 5, Mystery POV 2, Lewis POV 6, Vivi POV 5

Part 40: here

...

LEWIS POV

Lewis comes to welcome the dark interludes which provide a brief reprieve from the parade of fake-Arthur-memories. The cold, empty silence is preferable to the increasingly dour scenes depicting the day-to-day struggles of fake-Arthur and fake-Vivi as they fail at dealing with fake-Lewis’s death. Not that either of them know about his death. Arthur doesn’t remember the cliff or the body snatcher, thinking fake-Lewis is alive and lost somewhere. Vivi doesn’t remember him at all. He’s been erased completely from her mind, leaving her confused and Arthur distraught.  Lewis has no idea how long he’s spent watching them struggle. The scenes come and go at varying lengths and changing levels of detail.  He must have lived through several weeks’ worth of fake-memories now. Months of Arthur’s life flit by, broken up into chunks. 

...

A conversation with Vivi, trying and failing to convince her that the other-Lewis had existed at all.

“Lewis…you know, Lewis. Please remember.”

“I’m sorry, I blanked out for a second there…what were you saying?” 

“Nothing. It’s nothing…”

“Oh shit…I was...how long was I out for this time?”

“An hour...You were gone for an hour.”

 “I’m sorry Arthur.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Was my fault…Mentioned something I shouldn’t have.”

Fights with Lance when the older man attempts to intervene and stop Arthur’s increasingly destructive behaviour.   

“This behaviour isn’t healthy.”

“What am I supposed to do!”

“Maybe, stop and actually think about this…” 

“Lewis is out there somewhere, and you want me to just give up!”

Hours spend online and in police stations trying to convince people to look for the other-Lewis. 

“Kid. You’re friend is listed as missing. We have alerts out in the neighbouring states and so far there’s been no word. Search parties, caving experts, were combing those old mine shafts for six days after you came in. There was nothing there.”

“Something happened there...something bad...if you would just...”

“The cave is just a regular cave. Those old mines are old mines. Nothing weird or spooky about them, just very easy to get lost in. There’s nothing more to be done so go home, eat a hot meal, get some sleep. If your friend shows up you’ll be one of the first to know. ” 

...

 It’s like watching a highlight real, only nothing about these memories is a highlight. He’s almost sure the fake-memories are selected and purposefully skewed towards negative experiences. Surely, even if this were real-it’s not real, it can’t be real-Arthur’s life wouldn’t be this bad without Lewis there.  

When the darkness falls away, transitioning into another memory, Lewis wants to yell out in frustration.

…

…

…

Lewis’s eyes open of their own accord and he’s looking out at the world, experiencing life from his friend’s perspective.

…

…

This memory starts with Arthur staring as a door handle, hesitating to pull it open. Lewis recognises it of course, he’s seen this door serval times, scattered in amongst the most recent lot of fake-memories. It’s the door to Vivi and Arthur’s apartment in Milton, faded green in colour and rusted around the hinges.

Arthur lets out a long breath which tranistions into a yawn, fiddling around with a set of keys with his one, good arm. Lewis tries not to worry when his friend drops the keys to the ground, hand slightly shakier than usual. Arthur probably hasn’t been sleeping properly. Not-sleeping is a running theme for this fake-memory-Arthur.

When the door does finally swing open, it is to reveal an irate Vivi. She is blocking the flat’s narrow entryway, her hands on her hips, expression creased into a scowl.

“In what universe does ‘I’ll be back early’ mean 11:30 pm?”

Arthur winces. Lewis can’t see his expression but his friend is probably grimacing. Most memories that feature both Vivi and Arthur involved an argument of some sort. Another form of torture for him no doubt. Seeing them struggle to come to terms with his disappearance was always a painful viewing experience. Lewis braces himself for some sort of emotionally charged argument, wishing he had the power to intervein. These fake-memories are some of the hardest to sit through.

“A lot of the guys in the lab work late hours.”

Vivi looks unimpressed, “And I suppose they’re all recovering from a recent amputation as well are they?”

“It’s been four months …It’s healed plenty.”

Lewis feels the echo sensation of pain as Arthur drops his bag to the floor, freeing up his remaining arm. Arthur lying to Vivi about his wellbeing is another common theme in these fake-memories. Vivi knows it too, Lewis can already see the tension in her shoulders.

“I’m fine,” Arthur tries to reassure, skirting around Vivi, avoiding eye contact. “The prototype for the new arm is almost done, we’re just waiting on the guys in programming to double-check some of the coding….”

“This new arm isn’t going to be worth much if you’re too exhausted to do anything with it.” Vivi interrupts angrily, following Arthur as he slinks past the small kitchen towards bedrooms at the back of the apartment.  

Lewis feels her grabs the back of Arthur’s shirts, pulling the other up short.

“I said I’m fin….wait.”

 Vivi drags Arthur to the narrow kitchen bench just big enough to fit two bar-chairs, ignoring his objections.

“Sit.” She orders, stopping over to the frig, pulling out a bowl and thrusting it into the microwave. The hum of the microwave makes the following quiet twice as uncomfortable. Even Lewis feels it.

Arthur clears his throat to speak and is cut off when the microwave lets off a loud ping.

Vivi all but slams the streaming bowl down in front of Arthur.

“You really don’t have to…” Arthur tries.

“Oh yeah? What did you eat for dinner?”

Silence.

“Lunch?”

“…”

“Because I only know you ate breakfast because I was there for it.”

More silence hangs between them.  

“Eat.” She instructs and glares until Arthur picks up the spoon. Lewis can feel Arthur shift in awkward discomfort as he starts eating. After living through so many of these fake-memories, Lewis is becoming an Arthur body language expert. 

“How was work?” Arthur breaks the silence, glancing at Vivi. She is sitting with her arms crossed, still upset, still annoyed. Lewis can read the worry fuelling her frustration clear as day. 

Her expression clears as she deliberately puts the issue of Arthur arriving late to one side, “Work was good. Duet is a real character but they’re nice and super knowledgeable when it comes to the occult and other supernatural stuff. They’re helping me research memory-related curses and whatnot. The first person, apart from you, who doesn’t think I’m crazy. So that’s a plus.”

“When my arm is fixed, we can hit the road and follow up on any leads you hear,” Arthur murmurs between mouthfuls and Lewis wishes he could face-palm because that is the exact wrong thing to say. Not for the first time, Lewis longs to be physically present so he can smooth over the sudden tension which spikes in the room.  “Or we could go before that…I mean…I don’t really need two arms.”

“It’s not urgent or anything,” Vivi responds with the forced cheer of someone holding back on speaking their mind. “I bleary notice that the memories are gone most days. Your arm is more important.”

 “Don’t say that,” Arthur stops eating to frown.

“Don’t say what? That I’m fine postponing the search for my memories for however long it takes you to get better?”

“That’s not…what I mean is that your memories are important.”

Vivi’s expression hardens, becoming terse, “Not more important than your health.”

Arthur tenses.

“My missing memories can wait,” She insists. “I’ve been doing fine without them. Especially now we live here and not in Tempo. I haven’t had a blackout since we moved.”

“It’s not just that…” Arthur retorts, frustrated.

“Then what.” Vivi snaps, almost yelling now, “Do you hear yourself speak?  ‘I don’t really need two arms,’…are you kidding me!  What could possibly be more important than your health.”

“You know I can’t tell you.”

Vivi lets out a long, frustrated breath, standing. “You promised, when we moved closer to the hospital labs, you promised that you’d make an effort to actually look after yourself.”

Arthur doesn’t respond as Vivi continues.  “When your arm is finished. When you look like an actual person and not a zombie. When we don’t have to have this conversation every day. Then we’ll go searching.”

The bar stool squeaks on the floor as Vivi pushes it back, “I’m going to bed. I’ve got work early tomorrow. You should sleep as well…when you’ve finished.”

A long silence stretches between his two friends, all the heat gone from the argument. Lewis can’t see Vivi anymore, Arthur’s vision is now fixed on his spoon which is resting on the lip of the bowl.

“I would tell you everything…if I could…” Arthur doesn’t look up. His voice is strained.

Vivi pauses in the doorway. “I know.” She sounds tired. Lewis’s heart aches. “That doesn’t change anything.” 

Arthur flinches.

A sigh and Vivi adds, “I better not find you awake in an hour because I’m going to set my alarm to check.”

“What?” Arthur finally looks up. “You can’t do that.”

“I can and will.”

“…but you just said you have work in the morning.”

“If you’re not gonna sleep then I’m not gonna sleep.”

“But….”

“Just the way it’s gotta be apparently,” Vivi finishes, strolling out of the room, leaving Arthur- and, through him, Lewis- to stare after her.

Arthur slumps, “God…damnit…” rubbing his eyes. There’s no anger to the word.

No matter how many times he’s seen Arthur and Vivi argue in the weeks and months following his counterpart’s death, it never got any easier.  They were both too stubborn for their own good. Arthur’s got a quiet, methodical stubbornness about him while Vivi is loud and abrasive. Mix that with emotional stress and an obvious concern for one another and the result was a whole load of tension. Lewis knows Arthur has low self-esteem and tendency to beat himself up and blame himself for stuff that definitely wasn’t his fault, but he’s never seen him this bad. It never seemed like that big a deal when both him and Vivi had been around to help.  Vivi too, he’s never see her so stressed and angry at seemingly everything.  Or maybe Lewis doesn’t know Vivi or Arthur as well as he thought he did. 

There is movement in the corner of the room and Lewis notices Mystery for the first time. The not-a-dog had been lying in the corner.

“What.”

Mystery just cocks his head to the side.

“I know you can understand me,” Arthur mutters, shifting with discomfort. Mystery doesn’t speak or do much of anything, trotting out of the room after Vivi. Not too surprising. Another trend in these illusions was that Mystery tended to just sit and watch.

Sometimes, Lewis wonders if he just imagined the whole ‘giant fox’ thing. His memories for the car park confrontation are fuzzy, he’d been in a lot of pain at the time and probably suffering a bit of blood loss. He’s lived through so many of these memories that the real would seams so far away. Then he remembers those shinning teeth biting into him, and very real physical pain. That was real. 

The real world was still out there. 

None of these memories were real. He had almost forgotten. 

“I’m not crazy,” Arthur murmurs, eyeing the dog uneasily before turning back to finish what’s left in his bowl. Lewis can’t read Arthur’s thoughts, but he suspects that his friend might be having similar doubts about Mystery’s true identity as well.

“I’ll find you, Lewis…”

For a second, Lewis thinks Arthur is addressing him directly before remembering that that’s impossible. This fake-memory-Arthur is addressing the ghost of a best friend he doesn’t know is dead. Lewis is only a passenger, watching life through Arthur’s eyes, invisible and stranded.

“I’ll find you …no matter what it takes. I’ll find you. And everything will go back to normal…”

…

…

…

The memory fades, darkening and Lewis is once again back in the dark.

...

...

...

“DAMNIT!”

He slams both fists into the ground, watching the darkness ripple under the impact. His yell doesn’t echo, swallowed by the nothing.

“Damnit…DAMNIT…DAMN IT ALL!”

Feelings of frustration and anger smother his hurt and sorrow. He growls, smashing his fist into the ground again. If this were the real world, he’d have to worry about bruising his knuckles or breaking his fingers. The void offers little in the way of resistance. 

“I GET IT, ALL RIGHT! They’re miserable…they’re struggling…I get the point!”

Nothing responds to his shouting. He’s alone. He shouts again, screaming into the void. He’s stopped questioning the motive behind what he was seeing long ago. They were illusions masquerading as his friend’s memories. Designed to hurt him as much as you can hurt a person without touching them.

“Just stop already!” He rages. Nothing responds.

 Fury, white-hot, is better than the creeping sadness threatening to drown him. Sure, being angry about things had never worked well for him in the past. He’d been a very angry child and it was only thanks to his adopted patents and then Vivi and Arthur that he’d put the unpleasant emotion behind him.

None of that mattered here. Here, in the dark, the anger is his only defence against the green bastard’s torture.

Lewis regrets not punching the asshole when he had the chance. He wishes he’d done a lot of things differently. Lewis continues yelling right up until the dark once again fades into another memory.

..

NOTE: Resurrecting this fic in anticipation for a possible new video maybe? One can only dream. Sorry if it reads slightly different, i’m a bit rusty.  

Part 40: here

[aer-in-wanderland]

구미호뎐 | 이동욱 Lee Dong Wook VLIVE 2020.11.18 - *VS* Game

In which Lee Dong Wook’s promotional team present him with ridiculous Tale of the Nine Tailed-themed questions to answer (and the occasional embarrassing line to perform). Full transcription below the cut. 

Full Transcript [0:37:41~1:08:30]

Intro

Then, now in earnest we’ll... (breaks down laughing at himself). Don’t I talk a lot? Right? I mean, every week they release a behind the scenes video, right? And in all of them it’s just me talking the whole time. Of course, I really sort of joked around a bit on set. Well, not a bit. I joked around a ton on set, with the staff and the with the other actors, I did have fun playing around a lot and I did that but...I mean I was just talking so much, all by myself [in the BTS]. It was to the extent that I thought, ‘Hey, what’s with this? Is that why I was so exhausted?’ (chuckles). Yes (chuckles more). I’m a chatterbox, a chatterbox, a chatterbox.

Well, in any case, we’ve now had free talk for about 40 minutes (chuckling at himself), so now we’ll start the first activity prepared for me by my promotional team in earnest. 

[Looking to his staff] What might the first activity be? [Staff shoves a box full of folded slips of paper towards him silently]. (Breaks into laughter) [To the staff] Well what is this? [*silence*] (Bursts into a fit of laughter watching the staff) No, it’s not that, it’s just, will you die if you talk here? No, everyone, it’s fine if you talk. Everyone, promotional team... 

[To the viewers again] Right now there are five members of my promotional team in front of me, six including my manager, but they won’t say a single word (laughing), like people who will die if they speak. [To his staff] I just have to pick one? Ah, if I pick one I’ll naturally understand? Understood. Then I’ll, (more laughter). In that case, I’ll pi- (bursts into another fit of laugher). Understood. Then I’ll pick one. 

[Selects a paper] Okay! I picked one. They’re telling me that if I pick one I’ll naturally come to understand, so I picked one. [Holding the paper up] I see, it’s a VS game. 

Q: Who is the strongest whiner? [0:39:48~]

A. Sajang who is whining to give him the Chinese lantern plant - VS - B. Yoo Ri who is whining to save Lee Rang-nim

(Laughing) [To his staff] Yah~ the question is really cute. Did you all prepare this? Oh, I see. This is cute. 

[Re-reads the question] I think, in any case, for this one, I can’t help but think that Sajang who is whining to give him the Chinese lantern plant is the strongest whiner. I mean, as a human being, if you’ve lived for hundreds of years isn’t it enough already? While torturing people, while eating the Chinese lantern plant, do you really have to cling to life? I can’t help but think that... (trails off)

⇒ A

Ah, and Eom Hyo Seob-sunbae who plays Sajang acted together with me in Life [2018], so when I met him again this time I was happy to see him. In Life he was the head of the Cancer Center, and I was a fellow in the Emergency Medical Center, so on set I used to call him ‘Mr. Cancer Center Chief’ (laughing). I would be like, ‘Mr. Cancer Center Chief, you’re here!’ like that. Well, in any case, there was that behind the scenes, a very slight, a very slight TMI.

[Note: Sa-jang-nim is actually just his job title meaning ‘head of a company’ while ‘Am-center-jang-nim’ means ‘head of the Cancer Center.’ LDW was basically using his title from Life instead of his title in TotNT.]

(Clears his throat) Okay then I’ll pick the next one. [Pulls another slip] I’ve picked it. [Spends a second debating where to place the box of questions]. I’ve picked one. 

Q: Which scene was the most moving to Lee Yeon? [0:41:33~]

A. The scene where he saved Ji Ah after he returned in a near-death state from the Knife Mountain Hell - VS -  B. The scene where he went to save Lee Rang who stood on death’s door in the Forest of the Starved

Yah, but for this one, isn’t the question framed wrong? In this case, these kids were the ones who were moved by me, weren’t they? (Laughs) 

[Looking at his staff] No? Oh, talk! Please just talk! (Dies laughing)

[Looks back at the viewers] For this, I would have to ask these two though? I’d have to ask these two, for this one, I think that rather than Lee Yeon being moved, these were scenes where these two were probably moved by Lee Yeon. But in any case, the ending to episode 4 here and the ending of episode [8] where I go to save Rang-ie, they’re both meaningful. They’re iconic scenes that you can’t miss in our drama, they’re precious scenes, so I like both of them. 

⇒ x

[Noting the heart count in the VLIVE app]

[Reading the live chat] I’m not going to call them. Those two are both busy people who each have their own lives so for me to suddenly call them would be an irresponsible thing to do. For today’s VLIVE, please just be satisfied watching me. I’m not going to call Kim Beom-ssi or Jo Bo Ah-ssi. 

Then, moving on to the next question...

Q: If you had to have one as a morning desert, would you choose: [0:43:28~]

A. Meal worms that taste like mint chocolate ice cream - VS - B. Mint chocolate ice cream that tastes like meal worms

If you had to have one as a morning desert, would you choose: ‘meal worms that taste like mint chocolate ice cream’ ‘aish~ (laughing). [Knocks over the white board and fixes it] Okay, ‘mint chocolate flavored meal worms’ or, ‘meal worm flavored mint chocolate ice cream’? (chuckling - 3rd gif). 

[To his staff] Who’s ever tried eating meal worms? What do they even taste like, meal worms?

Ah what’s with this~ How am I supposed to choose one of these? (Ponders the question for a bit) So I’ll choose B. Meal worm-flavored mint chocolate ice cream. (Sighs) Don’t you think it would at least be better to be eating ice cream? Rather than eating insects that taste like mint chocolate, I’ll eat ice cream. (Shaking his head) Ah~ that’s hard. 

⇒ B

[Reading the live chat] Oh, it tastes nutty? Eh? You tried eating it? You’re saying you tried eating meal worms when you were seven? Who would try eating meal worms? There’s a lot of interesting people...

[Selecting another paper] Okay, next. 

Q: If you had to dispose of one of your abilities which would you choose? [0:45:25~]

A. The ability to control nature - VS - B. The teleportation ability to move anywhere in an instant 

Wah~ You can’t miss out on either of them though? Ah~ There’s nothing more appealing than the ability to teleport. Everyone, please think about it. How much time each day do we loose on the road? On our way to school, on our way to work, getting off work, going to cram school. If you save that time, you can get that much more sleep, right? That’s a really big [merit]. And think about it. When coronavirus ends and you can travel abroad again. Then you can use teleportation to go abroad instantly. You don’t have to spend like 14 hours on a plane. 

The ability to control nature, how cool is this? This is really something that not just anybody can do. (Sighs while pondering the question again) Even so, if I had to give up one of them...I would give up my ability to teleport. I would use my ability to control nature and like...make it rain when there’s a drought, or make the rain stop when it rains too much, make the wind blow where there’s need of wind, that’s how I’d like to use my power. That’s what I’d do, yes. 

⇒ B

[Talking to his staff] Oh~ you guys really did a good job coming up with difficult and weird questions. Really, the promotional team’s performance right now is really beyond my expectations. [Looking at a member of his staff] (chuckles) You really don’t ever smile, do you? (Laughing) Okay, continuing on, then... 

Mission: “Don’t fly away. Your puppy will cry.” [0:47:15~]

‘Don’t fly away, your puppy will cry.’ [Looks to his staff] What’s this? You’re telling me to do this? (Looks at the paper for a while) You’re telling me to do this? Ah, this one’s a mission? So there’s not just VS questions, huh? 

[To the viewers] Today, before doing the VLIVE, they told me about this corner and asked if I wanted to see the game ahead of time, and I said ‘I won’t. It’ll be more fun if I’m seeing it for the first time,’ but now I’m wishing I’d looked at it in advance. (Looks at the paper and sighs) 

[To his staff] I have to do this like in the drama, don’t I? Is that right? (Laughs hollowly and puts his head down on the table) Ah~ I’m going crazy, seriously... (Puts his hands up to his face like in the drama but then can’t handle it and puts his head down on the desk again) ‘Aish~

[Softly to his staff] Everyone get out. Everyone go out. I want to be by myself. 

“Don’t fly away, your puppy will cry~” (Performs the line but then can’t take his hands away from his face in embarrassment. Takes a long moment to collect himself) 

(Sits up with his eyes closed) [Staff start clapping] Everyone get out. Leave before I open my eyes. I want to be by myself. If I open my eyes I think I’ll be really embarrassed so leave. (Waits a minute before opening his eyes, sighs, and then turns and calls to his staff). Team Manager, is there any soju? (chuckles) Okay, I understand. 

[To the viewers] Ah, the promotional team really went and prepared a lot of things that I didn’t even imagine. Thanks a lot [said very formally but also without any sincerity whatsoever lol].

Q: If you were to be born again as a human, would you prefer to be: [0:49:25~]

A. A rich unemployed person - VS - B. A civil servant guaranteed employment until retirement

Of course it’s unconditionally A, right! There’s no need to even think this one over. Ah! (covers his mouth) Actually there are a lot of students watching right now. Everyone, you still need to study hard. We can’t be unemployed, right? 

But I’m going with a rich unemployed person. OK. 

⇒ A

Okay, next. [To his staff] I have to do all of these, right? (Answering his own question) Well, because I have to pay respect to the work you put into preparing them...hmmm [To his staff] Team Manager, that soju, can you put it into a water bottle and just... (laughs) Ah, it’s hot~ 

(Opens the next slip of paper and yells in chagrin) Ah, this!

Q: A never-ending battle? [0:50:12~]

A. Amazing Saturday - VS - B. Yoo Quiz

[Note: This question requires context so bear with me or skip to the next one. ;) 

As part of the promotional rounds for TotNT, Lee Dong Wook, Jo Bo Ah, and Kim Beom appeared on Ep.128 of the quiz show, Amazing Saturday. There, they made a bet with the regular cast surrounding one of the quiz answers where whoever lost the bet would have to give a shout out to the other program (so if the TotNT cast won, the Amazing Saturday cast would have to promote the drama on their other variety shows, and if the AS cast won, the TotNT cast would have to reference AS in TotNT). They lost, and Lee Dong Wook promised he would reference AS at some point in an adlib. (This whole segment was actually really great because everyone figured it would be impossible and LDW was just like, ‘Call! I accept the challenge. I can do that.’ You can watch it here from about 5:50~)

LDW upheld his promise in EP05 when Yeon and Ji Ah go drinking and they compare the things they like. When LDW threw out the question he asked, ‘Yoo Quiz (another program that a close friend of his appears on) or Amazing Saturday?’ So then he felt apologetic towards Yoo Quiz and ended up sending them a coffee truck when Gong Yoo (Goblin, 2016) appeared as a guest on the program about a week or so before this VLIVE took place....so even though he’d finally managed to sort everything out, his staff are basically inciting him by asking him to choose again lol]

[Takes a moment before addressing the viewers] Just when I had finally finished all my reparations...(Nodding to himself) Just when I had finished all my reparations another wave is going to happen. (Looks at the paper for a long time) I’d like to appear on both programs sometime. If Amazing Saturday would invite me again, and Yoo Quiz please invite me sometime. I’ll just leave it at that. (Sighs) It’s hard, it’s hard. 

⇒ x

[Takes a moment to drink some water and reiterate the things he wrote on his white board]

[Reading the live chat] Ah, it’s water, it’s water! It’s not soju, it’s not soju. This has been here since earlier. Everyone don’t misunderstand, that’ll be a big problem. There’s no way I’d do a live broadcast while drinking alcohol. Bad things would happen. No, please don’t misunderstand. 

[Reading the live chat] It’s water, it’s water, yes. Please don’t misunderstand. 

[Gives a shout out to the overseas fans and thanks them for the coffee trucks and gifts]

[Reading the live chat] My alcohol tolerance? My alcohol tolerance differs from day to day, but I never drink so much that I’m completely drunk or lose control of myself. I only ever drink enough that I’m still in good possession of myself and able and get home safely. 

Then, continuing on. There are... (counts them) six left. There are six left, so I’ll continue...

[Suddenly thinks of something and looks to his staff] Are there more missions in here? You’re not going to tell me, are you? In any case. Alright. (To himself) How can I avoid picking those? Well, I have to do them all anyway...

(Opens the next one, reads it, and chuckles) [To his staff] You guys are crazy, seriously...

Q: If they were both drowning, who would you save first? [0:53:24~]

A. Ji Ah - VS - B. Shin Joo

If they fell in the water, if they fell in the water....Ah~ So this is how Shin Joo felt yesterday, this is how he felt. Yah~ ‘If they were both drowning, who would you save first, Ji Ah or Shin Joo?’ Ah~ I understand our actor Hwang Hee’s feelings. I understand Shin Joo’s feelings (sighs, then remembers something and chuckles). 

[Note: This question is a reference to an exchange on Instagram. In preparation for an interview with Esquire, Hwang Hee posted on his Instagram inviting people to ask him TotNT-related questions. So Lee Dong Wook (who doesn’t run his own Instagram and isn’t on social media) texted a bunch of questions to Kim Beom and Jo Bo Ah to ask in his place. One question that he had Jo Bo Ah ask was, ‘If Lee Yeon and Yoo Ri were both drowning, who would you save?’ to which Hwang Hee responded, ‘That water, I will drink it all.’ lol] 

[Looking directly at the camera] ‘That water, I will drink it all.’ (breaks into laughter) I’ll drink all of the water...Even if my water consumption goes badly I’ll do my best to save both of them. 

[Reading the live chat] Ah, that’s right! I’m a mountain god so I can just make the wind blow like this and just part the water, I just need to do that. Why didn’t I think of that? As expected, the fans who are posting comments here are much smarter than me. Thank you. 

That’s right. I was a mountain god. But I completely forgot that...

⇒ x

I’m not a really fast swimmer or anything but I’m still decent and I like playing in the water. I mentioned Life briefly earlier as well, but while shooting Life, free... (catches sight of something and starts laughing)

[Holds up a slip of paper with the words ‘Are you angry?’ written on it - lol] I’ve just received this message from my promotional team. No, not at all, what are you saying? I’m not mad. I’m not mad, and we can talk about more detailed things after the broadcast is over. 

[Turns back to the viewers] When I was shooting Life, I learned free diving. I’d dive into about 10m deep water, so I don’t have any big rejection (fear) of water. But the ocean is different. Because the ocean has waves and undertow, you really need to be careful. 

[Reading the live chat] I can’t do the butterfly stroke. The butterfly stroke is diffic-  [Catches sight of the next prompt card and stops speaking mid-sentence. Drops the paper, sits back, and sighs lol]

(Holding the paper up reluctantly for the viewers to see)

Mission: “Part this darkness and lead me to that woman!” [0:55:32~]

(Long sigh)

[To his staff] How did you manage to pick all the most...these sort of lines, everyone? 

(Reads the line out and laughs) You really went and picked just these kinds of lines one after another....I’ll do it standing, I’ll do it standing. Since I’m doing it anyway, I’ll do it standing. 

(Spreads his arms wide and delivers the line like in the drama, then slowly sinks to the floor and makes like he’s going to crawl under the desk)

(Returns to his seat as one staff member starts clapping) [Looking at the person] Don’t clap. That’s more cheeky, don’t clap. Yah, if you’re going to clap you should all have clapped, what’s with just one person clapping? (laughs) Agh~ 

Even so, since today the broadcast was cancelled, even if I’m a bit...embarrassed or whatever, if you can enjoy yourselves, I’m satisfied with that. Yes. (Sighs again) This is definitely going around the internet as gifs, isn’t it? [Lol it definitely did] Yes, well, but in service of alleviating your disappointment at the broadcast being cancelled, I can handle this much. (Nods to himself) Okay, then continuing on...

Q: If you had to wear the same outfit and hairstyle for the rest of your life, would you choose: [0:58:02~]

A. The clothing of a mountain god + dark hair styled with pomade - VS - B. A suit + red and silver long hair 

(Already laughing as he reads the question - gifs 1&2). Hey, this is essentially that right? Either the clothes are the mountain god clothes and the hair is dark and combed back with pomade in a modern style, or wear a suit with the mountain god hair, right? 

[Directing the question to the live chat] Everyone please choose. Which do you think would suit me? What do you think would suit me, everyone please choose for me. Please send me your choice via the chat. I’ll choose whatever you choose. 

Ah, this is really, the balance on this is really no joke. Wah~ This is really hard. Wah~  I mean, wearing a suit with that mountain god hair (breaks down laughing) Ah, how could you live your life like that? (more laughter) Ah, okay, I know. I know that this isn’t for real. And I know that there’s no way it could happen, too. But why do I end up taking it so seriously? Because I can’t help but keep picturing it (laughs). 

[Checks the live chat] Oh? There are a ton of B’s? There are way more B’s than A’s? I see. I understand. In that case, if it ever became like this, if I could only wear one outfit and have one hairstyle for the rest of my life, I would have the suit and the mountain god (breaks into laughter before finishing his sentence) I’ll have the mountain god hair. Yah~ this one...the balance was good. Ah~ of all the questions in this VS game so far I think maybe the balance on this was the best. 

⇒ B

Okay, then continuing on...Everyone, there are still 3 questions left. I have to do three more questions. 

[Takes a water break]

Then I will continue with the game. 

Q: Which term of affection would you prefer to hear from Ji Ah? [1:00:55~]

A. OPPA - VS - B. My puppy

‘What term of affection would you want to hear from Ji Ah? O-P-P-A, VS, my puppy.’ [He literally spells out the word in English here instead of just saying oppa lol]

Hm~ Hm~ [Takes a break to check the chat and reiterates that he’s drinking water and not soju] Please stop chatting that it’s soju. I’m going to get in trouble with Naver. That’d be bad, really bad. It’s water, don’t misunderstand. 

[Returning to the prompt] ‘What term of affection would you want to hear from Ji Ah? O-P-P-A, VS, my puppy.’ Within the drama, Ji Ah has never once called me oppa, right? From the very beginning, she just uses banmal (chuckles) And from the very beginning she says ‘I waited for you (neo)’, right? [Note: ‘neo’ can be a bit rude, or at the very least isn’t polite]. So I think if she called me oppa it would be really awkward. I think, I just want Ji Ah to dote on me. So I’ll pick ‘my puppy.’ Because foxes are canines too. 

⇒ B

Q: What makes you more angry? [1:02:15~]

A. When Imoogi fixates on Ji Ah - VS - B. When Sajang tries to drive a wedge between you and Lee Rang

Ah, okay, things that make Lee Yeon angry, right? ‘What makes Lee Yeon more angry?’ (Reads out the options) Ah~ This one is a bit... the balance doesn’t crumble in this situation. This one is definitely A. 

To be honest, when Sajang tries to drive a wedge between the brothers, because I’m perfectly capable of resolving that myself, and I actually did resolve it in the drama, so that’s not a big problem. Also, I think that Lee Rang isn’t the type to fall for that either... 

But when Imoogi fixates on Ji Ah, at those times, yes, a bit - well, not a bit - I get very angry. 

That’s why, there’s that [scene] in the drama right? Where we’re fighting on the rooftop, and Imoogi says something about Ji Ah so I get angry and say ‘this XX,’ like that. And when he’s got ahold of Ji Ah’s shoulder, I show up and say I’ll break his wrist and such...yes. 

⇒ A

[Reading the live chat] ‘When this is over is the promotional team going to be okay?’ Of course! They’re safe. It’s been amusing for me too. Only one question is left.

[Reading  the live chat] ‘Are you close with Lee Tae Ri-nim?’ Yes, we’re close. All of us actors in Tale of the Nine Tailed are close and doing well. 

[Reading the live chat] ‘If you mess with Ji Ah, Lee Yeon won’t stand for it, right?’ That’s right. 

[Reading the live chat] ‘Long time no see, Lee Yeon’ (quoting Imoogi). Yeah, long time no see~

[redacted]

[Reading from the live chat] ‘I pray that at least one of those is a normal mission’ (laughs) [To his staff] Yah, look at that. Even the fans are telling you they hope it’s a normal mission. Okay, the last mission. [Holds up the empty box and reads off the title] ‘Do You Really Want to See It, Lee Dong Wook’s VLIVE?’, the last mission. Ah! I said mission, but. The last, I’ll now attempt to pick the last VS. It might not be a mission. Okay, what’ll it be? Ta-da! Ah~ it wasn’t a mission.

Q: If you had to experience hell one more time, which would you choose? [1:06:27~]

A. The Knife Mountain Hell full of knives - VS - B. The Forest of the Starved full of agwi?

(Blows out a long breath and contemplates the question for a while) This is hard. Why is this hard, you ask? I had a really really hard time filming both sequences. I went through a lot filming both, and the memories of those times keep flashing across my mind...Even so, I....

[Reading the live chat] ‘This question stresses me out.’ ‘I hate both.’ ‘There’s no end to the Forest of the Starved even if you die, right?’ ‘I really hate the Forest of the Starved.’ You’re right.

[Reading the live chat] ‘The knives hurt don’t they?’ That’s right.

[Reading the live chat] ‘Wah~ Isn’t this too cruel?’ [To his staff] Everyone, isn’t this too cruel, they say.... It’s not?

Okay, If I had to experience one again....I will not go to hell. I won’t choose~ 

⇒ x

Okay, with this, I played the VS game, and the occasional missions hidden in between, that my promotional team put a lot of effort into preparing for us. This was fun. [To his team] You did a really good job choosing the questions (nodding). Thank you all. Thanks (claps). 

~~~

Wow, that was long! If you read this far, thanks for your attention and please consider liking or reblogging to let me know. I also posted a transcription of some of the Q&A that follows this, so please check that out as well if you’re interested. Annyeong~!

[definitely-not-an-alb]

fanfic tropes! identity porn, friends to enemies to lovers, hurt/comfort, coffeeshop au (don't have to answer them all, pick what you like). hope work went by quickly :)

Ahhh! Thank you, anon!

Identity Porn

How  likely am I to write it: Identity porn isn’t really a narrative kink  for me, so I wouldn’t go out of my way to put it into anything, if it didn't come up naturally. Or if it would be funny.

What characters/ships/fandoms would I write it for: I don’t  really have a lot of fandom I could do identity porn for, too, so that's the next problem I have. RoL doesn't go for it much, and neither do TMA or Witcher or SGA. In the MCU/marvel comics I'm kind of only invested in Characters that just superhero under their legal name, zero fucks given in all canons I'm aware of, so oops there. Hannibal, maybe? Hannibal might work. Altho I prefere season 2 era, with everyone vague degrees of aware of each other's bs and scheming like petty murder divas.

Friends to enemies to lovers

How  likely am I to write it: Very unlikely. I think the only thing with this dynamic I like is Hannibal, as in, both Hannigram and Clannibal and Clannigram, but I don't think I'd really seek it out in fic or write it. I don't even know why, I should be into The Drama Of It All, but I'm just not.

What characters/ships/fandoms would I write it for: Like I said, Hannigram/Clannibal/Clannigram, if it's something that retells an arc. I don't really do Ironstrange, but enemies to lovers or friends to enemies to lovers might be the only way I would, probably. They just don't get along in canon, and I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why people ship it so much. Also why is their Doc always ooc. Enough moaning, I'll stop, I'll stop. Have fun ya'll, but stop the goddamn cross/mass-tagging. There shouldn't be that much Ironstrange in the gen tag, ya hear me?

hurt/comfort

How  likely am I to write it: VERY LIKELY. Hmmmmmm give me that good hurt/comfort.

What characters/ships/fandoms would I write it for: Basically everything, lol. All my faves are idiots who need to be shipped with therapy and tortured with hugs. The Bev & Thomas fic is very hurt comfort-y, as is the Nonromantic-Soulmates WIP. Yes I know I never finish anything, shhhh. There's also an unfinished Strangewong fic in my drafts that's technically sick!fic (I MEAN ... what else lmao) and involves cuddling and soup and being sad about Endgame, so. Which, btw, is THE ONLY reason I will ever acknowledge that dumbassery masquerading as plot. To mine it for FRIDGE HORROR *evil laughter*. And then hand out soup.

coffeeshop au

How  likely am I to write it: Relatively unlikely? I don't really do fluff without plot (and I'm down with emotions as plot or snapshots that reveal something halway and sideways), and incidentally the only version of this trope I ever started would need a Graphic Violence tag lol. (If it wasn't LANGUISHING IN MY DRAFTS.) So I think I might be doing this trope wrong. Also doesn't help that I have experience manning a beer-counter / drink station, so I fall hard in the camp of 'that's an awful place for cute/fluffy shenanigans, have ya'll ever worked customer service lol'-camp. I see the appeal, but I also ... don't.

What characters/ships/fandoms would I write it for: Like I said, the only one I ever started was low-key a joke, because I don't do the trope and the fandom didn't have (and still doesn't have) one, and also because, you know. Graphic violence.

Have the first four or so paragraphs of the very unfinished RoL Demi-Monde Coffeeshop ... pre-canon canon divergence. Is there even a tag for that kinda thing? Anyways. I think the best part about this is getting to write a snotty totally-an-adult!!!-Peter who has zero respect for anything and thinks Thomas is the most ridiculous person he ever met. No graphic violence yet, only canon-typical ableist language.

There’s a lot of reasons people hate working in customer service; The bad pay, the atrocious hours, the customers, the service.

I did about two year of it, first on-and-off positions in some retail shops around where I grew up, punctuated by getting dragged along to my mother’s cleaning gigs, and then later, about a year in a not-actually-fancy Coffee House near Russell Square. And I figured afterwards my stint in customer service and retail had, at the very least, taught my younger self some much needed humility and compassion.

I’m kidding, of course. It just confirmed the suspicions I held towards my fellow humans. Especially the kind that start magic duels in public.

Now, I worked in a Coffee House, not a coffeshop, which meant Management got to price everything even more ridiculous then the rest of the world, we played wannabe-jazz elevator music instead of pop and our clientele wasn’t weird and crazy but more slightly bizarre and very deranged.

Like that one vaguely East-European guy who thought combining windowpane and paisley was a grand idea and who we – that’s the staff – did certainly not call Dracula, or the posh black lady who came to pick up her coffee before heading into the City every morning, except for that one time when, I swear on my dad’s record collection, she was wearing a diving suit under her costume, and of course Mister Stranger-Danger, who was the reason younger cousins didn’t get to do their homework behind the counter any more.

Of course we got your everyday stroll-by white girls and hipsters, but our regulars where, as far as I could tell, decidedly posh, but mostly not yet fully upper class, and also completely batshit looney, is what I’m saying. No offence to actual crazy people, because they certainly don’t dress that badly.

That’s why I didn’t even bat an eyelash when one day someone walked into the shop who was either a time-travelling noir-spy or a runaway extra from Downton Abbey.

He was a white guy, in that inexplicable past-40 age range where I can’t tell their age for the life of me, with a side sweep that must have been held in place with actual pomade, and dressed in one of those sleek looking, old suits with the broad, deep lapels and incredible narrow waists. To round off the impression that he’d come over, lean homoerotically close and tell me the name of the Kraut’s informant any moment now, he’d draped a Burberry over his arm and lugged an actual, honest to god walking cane around the city. It seemed impractical to me, but who am I to judge people’s fashion choices; I’m only the barista.

He also had that stiff demeanour about him, which I’d taken as a sign of something shifty going on anywhere else. Here, in seven out of ten cases, and even more with posh dudes, it meant that he longed to order something utterly ridiculous, with a long name, six ingredient and maybe some speculoos dust uptop, but didn’t have the courage too. Honestly, the way grown men start acting once there’s pumpkin spice on the menu is hilarious – you’d think we’re selling sex toys under the table.

[rykerelias]

TEMP BLURB.  okay so i’ve been talking over potential plot / backstories for dark! elias when in a verse dealing with supernatural entities.  long story short, unless there’s a REALLY GOOD REASON otherwise, he pretty much hates them all - he’d be a hunter to the extreme, and probably like, the kind that would make them suffer before he finally got around to putting them down.  basic backstory is loosely based in a really shitty movie i watched a couple years ago where a marine unit was searching for some enemy combatants and ended up finding a cave where some supernatural entity had been locked away hundreds / thousands of years ago and long story short, the thing got busted loose and ended up massacring most of his unit - possessed one of the other guys though they didn’t know it at the time.  

only like two or three survived, they all went a little crazy, nobody believed them about what happened and elias ended up in military prison for four years before finally being released after further investigations into the actions of one of the other survivors leave them questioning what really happened but he is given a dishonorable discharge. after his release, he sets to tracking down the one survivor that wasn’t charged / confined, to find that he has gone on a rampage / massacre and killed his wife and children, until eventually elias tracks him down and realizes that he’s possessed by the entity and ends up having no choice but to kill him, unknowingly releasing the demon / angel / whatever to go possess someone else.  

he spends the next year or so obsessing, trying to find out what this thing was, and eventually gets dragged down deep into the world of hunting supernatural creatures of all kinds with the intent of ridding the earth of as many of them as he can.  he does not believe that any of them have the right to be part of the human world and it would take a realllllllly good argument to convince him otherwise, probably not feasible especially given that this is meant to be one of his dark verses. he also probably has a lot of a miscellaneous records / warrants / misc. shit in terms of violence / breaking and entering / arson / who knows what and probably has a number of aliases of varying degrees of authenticity.

he is in peak physical condition for a human; he has a pretty good mastery of your basic range of melee and ranged weaponry and has been at it in the supernatural hunting field long enough that he’s got a fairly good knowledge of what affects / what hurts / what traps / what kills what.  of course he is still just human, and is infallible and is not going to win every fight or walk away unscathed from every mess.  he’s probably made a shit ton of enemies on both sides of the field and is definitely one of those hunters that is not known for playing nice - he doesn’t care what side of the good / evil scale you supposedly fall on.  he is NOT a nice guy, he does not have a soft heart under it all like he usually does; this is a DARK plot based verse and there will be VERY FEW interactions with supernatural creatures that do not end in him trying to torture them / kill them.  

please know that i am entirely okay and even welcome plots where the tables get flipped on him.  where he bites off more than he can chew, where a supernatural is stronger than he expects or has a trick up their sleeve or his guard is down or WHATEVER and he gets his ass kicked / tortured / killed.  i am fine with plots that end in character death in this verse especially, though i do prefer to plot that kinda stuff out at least in part first.  i’m also fine with dealing with moral conflict and angst in terms of, what if there really is that one ‘truly pure’ super that he’s torturing / trying to kill or, like in the plot with @ORPHANEDSHADOW when he gets a kid that he never knew about dumped in his lap without warning and oh look, it turns out she’s actually a demonic abomination but now what does he do cause it’s his own flesh and blood – or him getting turned into something super and him having to try and cope with that / decide what to do with it etc.  i’m literally here for all the angst and trauma.  

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN THAT VERSE THAT ELIAS IS NOT LIKELY TO BE SWAYED BY REASON AND IS NOT LIKELY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ANY OF HIS PREY OR ANYTHING IF THAT SORT THAT WILL BE LIKELY TO DISSUADE HIM - IT’S NOT IMPOSSIBLE BUT HE HAS PASSED THE POINT WHERE LOGIC AND HUMANITY APPLY IN HIS MIND TO ANYTHING NON HUMAN. EVEN IF HE HAD FEELINGS FOR SOMEONE FIRST AND FOUND OUT LATER THAT THEY WERE NOT HUMAN THE RAGE AND BETRAYAL ON TOP OF HIS HATRED WOULD PROBABLY CANCEL OUT ANY HESITATION. THIS IS NOT OUR NICE GUY TEDDY BEAR UNDER IT ALL ELIAS.

[robininthelabyrinth]

I love your story with LW and JC raising LS! Do you plan on writing more?

Delight in Misery (ao3) - part 1, part 2

-

“So, I have a problem,” Jiang Cheng said, bursting into the room.

Sometimes Lan Wangji wondered if Jiang Cheng had ever heard of any other way to enter a room. Through the window, perhaps, since clearly walking wasn’t seen as a valid alternative.

“Just one?” he asked, not looking up from where he was repositioning A-Yuan’s hand on the guqin.

“No, I – hey!”

A-Yuan giggled, and that made Jin Ling, currently nestled in blankets next to the guqin, giggle as well, and predictably, Jiang Cheng forgot all else in front of such adorableness, immediately crouching down to make faces at Jin Ling.

“Your problem?” Lan Wangji prompted after a few moments.

“Ah..? Oh! Yes. Remember how I got into a fight with – what’s his name, that idiot?”

Lan Wangji pointedly remained silent. Jiang Cheng got into any number of fights, given his temper, and those were only the ones he told Lan Wangji about – and he wasn’t always reliable on that score, either.

The doctor that came to visit every week was not given to gossip, as Jiang Cheng had promised, but his assistant who waited outside the door, never entering, sometimes said things.

Disturbing things, sometimes.

Lan Wangji had not yet found a way to ask Jiang Cheng if he really did capture and torture demonic cultivators to death – mostly because he didn’t know what he’d do if the answer was ‘yes’.

He knew Jiang Cheng believed that Wei Wuxian had been corrupted by demonic cultivation into something unrecognizable, that he believed it was his own fault for not having stopped him sooner, that he thought it was his responsibility to stop demonic cultivators before other innocent people suffered the way he had because of Wei Wuxian; he knew that Jiang Cheng both longed and feared any success in finding Wei Wuxian’s spirit, wanting desperately to have any hint of him again and yet terrified by the possibility that it had been Wei Wuxian, in the end, that had destroyed him utterly. There were many flaws in his thinking, but without that defense mechanism, Jiang Cheng’s psyche would collapse.

When Jiang Cheng was a little steadier, he’d bring it up, Lan Wangji promised himself. When things were a little calmer. 

Soon.

“Right, right, I fight with too many to count,” Jiang Cheng said, grimacing. The expression made Jin Ling giggle again, as if it had been made to amuse him, and that lifted Jiang Cheng’s mood a little. “The one who called me a filthy cutsleeve that shouldn’t be allowed around children.”

Lan Wangji remembered. Even if Jiang Cheng hadn’t told him, A-Yuan would have: he’d been full of excitement at how Jiang Cheng had foregone even whipping the man with Zidian and just punched him full in the face with a fist full of purple sparks. And then there’d been some kicking, according to A-Yuan, and a great deal of shouting about how people who abused children were people who abused children and that being a monster had nothing at all to do with anyone’s preferences in bed.

That poor man – he might have escaped with fewer broken bones if his timing hadn’t been so bad. That confrontation had taken place just after Lan Wangji had finally confessed aloud that his feelings about Wei Wuxian were, in fact, of a romantic nature. Amusingly enough, Jiang Cheng had not guessed it – he’d spluttered and waved his hands and said really?! at least six times – which in retrospect was in line with his general level of obliviousness. After he’d finally realized Lan Wangji was serious, though, he’d responded well enough: he hadn’t said a word about cutsleeves or anything like that, not a single word. Instead, he’d immediately leapt into criticizing Lan Wangji’s poor taste in men, claiming that actually living with Wei Wuxian would have driven him mad within weeks.

He hadn’t said that Lan Wangji could do better, though. They both knew that that was impossible.

“I remember.”

“Well, all sorts of rumors got started after that – no, don’t look at me like that, I told you that I don’t care one way or another! I don’t even want a wife right now; could I even handle having a wife the way I am now, more nightmares than sleep and no ability to control my temper?”

Lan Wangji shrugged and continued to strum the guqin in a repetitive motion, demonstrating to A-Yuan. Jiang Cheng would remember to get to the point eventually.

“Anyway. Rumors. People have started – asking.”

Lan Wangji’s hands paused. “You’ve been propositioned?”

“No! Well, I mean, yes, but dealing with propositions from men is the same as from women; you just glare until they go away –”

Sometimes Lan Wangji felt certain that Jiang Cheng would never find a wife.

After all, one would have to put up with him long enough to find the tolerable parts buried deep (deep) under all the prickliness and bad temper, and that was a task fit only for the inhumanly patient.

“– and anyway, no, I meant…someone asked me for help.”

Lan Wangji finally turned his head to look at him. “Help?”

Jiang Cheng sat down next to him. “Jin Guangshan’s bastard, the new one – Mo Xuanyu. He came to me during one of the conferences recently. He’s…he’s not fit for Lanling.”

Lan Wangji frowned.

“He’s getting bullied at Koi Tower, and pretty badly, too,” Jiang Cheng said. “He gave me some examples. Nothing truly intolerable in isolation, but when you put it all together…He’s very weak. Sensitive.”

“And he approached you?”

“I know,” Jiang Cheng said, long-suffering. “What’s the point of being infamously bad-tempered if people still approach you to ask for things…? He said that he trusts me because he thinks I’m, you know, like him.”

“A cutsleeve?”

“Exactly. It’s not looked on favorably in Lanling, to say the least.” He sighed. “Sometimes I wish we were all like Qinghe. I’m pretty sure if Nie Huaisang announced that he was marrying a sentient rosebush, Chifeng-zun’s primary concern would be how good its saber skills were.”

Lan Wangji felt a similar pang. His own sect elders, at Gusu, were not especially favorable to the idea either – Lan Xichen had long ago warned him that he would need to keep his inclinations to himself and that, if he ever found a partner, it would be best if the two of them could maintain low profile, pretending as much as possible to be merely brothers or close friends.

He’d thought that had all sounded quite reasonable, right up until he met Wei Wuxian, and little by little the idea of denying the way he felt had become utterly repulsive to him.

“Anyway, I feel like I should do something? But I can’t interfere with anything in Lanling, you know that.”

Lan Wangji knew. Matters between the Jiang sect and the Jin sect remained highly precarious. Jiang Cheng’s agreement not to marry or have children had maintained the alliance between them, but there was always the looming pressure that they could one day revoke the agreement and reclaim Jin Ling – perhaps even going so far as to bar them from seeing him again.

It was one of Jiang Cheng’s many nightmares.

“I can’t not do something,” Jiang Cheng was saying, waving his hands, and that was sign enough that whatever Mo Xuanyu had told him had made an impact. Normally if something touched on Jiang Cheng’s bottom line – Lanling and its threats – he stopped thinking about it immediately. “If this isn’t stopped, it’ll only get worse and worse, and the kid’s unstable as it is…I wouldn’t be surprised if he killed himself. Maybe not immediately, maybe not for years and years, but – one day.”

The Lan sect prioritized the preservation of human life over all else.

Lan Wangji considered his options.

“But then we get back to the fact that it’s Lanling. It’d be one thing if he were a nobody, but he’s Jin Guangshan’s son – I probably wouldn’t even be able to get near him, usually –”

“Brother could.”

Jiang Cheng twisted to look at him. “What?”

“Brother could,” Lan Wangji said. “He is sworn brothers with Lianfeng-zun; he has an entry token into Lanling and is familiar with much of Koi Tower.”

Jiang Cheng blinked. “And this helps me…how? I don’t think even Zewu-jun, however kind, would make trouble over a second-hand story that’s not even objectively that bad.”

“He would believe me.”

Jiang Cheng went quiet for a moment, and there was nothing but the innocent plinking of A-Yuan’s fingers on the guqin.

“This had better not be one of your attempts at self-sacrifice,” he finally said. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to – especially for Mo Xuanyu, of all people, you don’t even know him – ”

“I am ready,” Lan Wangji said, and Jiang Cheng looked abruptly stricken. Lan Wangji didn’t understand why until he saw the way Jiang Cheng’s eyes flickered towards A-Yuan, then away, and then back again – as if he were simultaneously trying to memorize his features and also distance himself. “To speak with him only. I will not return to the Cloud Recesses at this time.”

Jiang Cheng gave a guilty start. “Really? You know you don’t have to –”

“I have decided,” Lan Wangji said simply.

Jiang Cheng rubbed his nose. “Well, good,” he said, not looking at Lan Wangji. “It’s better for A-Yuan to get a good grounding in the basics in one place before you move him around. You can always reconsider later, when he’s older.”

Lan Wangji hummed in agreement and looked back down at the guqin. “You may choose how to tell him.”

“Wait, what? Me?” Jiang Cheng asked, looking appropriately horrified by the idea. “Are you crazy? You remember that I have only the most passing familiarity with tact, right?”

“It will probably be better that way,” Lan Wangji said, and even mostly believed it. A letter would be too impersonal, a passed-along message almost certain to get garbled – he had never been eloquent in his terseness.

Jiang Cheng, however tactless, would at least be able to offer some context.

Besides, Jiang Cheng’s inevitable rant about the Lan sect’s mistreatment of Lan Wangji would likely take up several minutes, giving Lan Xichen time to recover from the shock and for his mixed emotions to settle into joy at finding Lan Wangji again. He had made his brother suffer, he knew, and he would have to explain himself and account for that – but enough time had passed, time spent here in the room where his beloved had lived, where they might have lived together if the world had been different, that Lan Wangji felt that he could do it without fear.

He was fairly sure Lan Xichen would respect his request not to share his location with the rest of the sect, and accept his refusal to return – and if he didn’t, well, possession was nine-tenths of the law. It would be very difficult for them to force him to return through anything other than emotional pressure.

A-Yuan broke a string and yelped, making Jin Ling start fussing, and Jiang Cheng immediately panicked, all other thoughts forgotten, and even as he unfolded himself to go over and make peace, Lan Wangji thought to himself that there was enough here to make resisting that pressure worthwhile.

Besides – if it came right down to it, Lan Wangji suspected he would look quite well in purple.

[pastabrand]

Unpopular PJO/HOO/TOA opinions

This is gonna be wordy but I’m not sorry for it.

Percabeth is hella overrated. It’s nice, but I would prefer other ships over it and some of y’all Percabeth shippers are scary as hell

I love TOA. A lot people don’t like it because it doesn’t include the main 7 and another topic that I’ll mention later but honestly, I could care less. I’m glad that the others aren’t there other than cameos. It means they’re getting a chance to heal after everything and honestly, good for them. People like to cast TOA as an unnecessary spinoff that didn’t need to be included yet it gives y’all the type of character development you scream and beg for in other books. It’s literally the perfect character development trope you crave, yet puts a good spin on it.

Some of you haven’t even READ toa and say you hate it. Like what? How is that supposed to work.

PJO was way better than HOO. TOA sits in the middle of the two.

I love TOA because it shows Apollo’s character growth from one of the most arrogant, cocky, and prideful gods. And even then, he doesn’t go from that to a helpless mortal loving fool, he stays arrogant and prideful but less so. Not to mention more understanding of mortals and demigods live and what they go through. He doesn’t go from one extreme to the other, but one extreme to more of a center balance. It’s more natural that way.

While Jason’s death in TOA was sorta cheap, it goes to show demigods can die at the least expected times. If Jason had died during the war, then it would be “oh, well, that’s what war does. It kills people. Nothing new.” Compared to Jason going about life as normal and one small mission is his end. It’s more impactful and realistic that way. It goes to show that life as a demigod is always dangerous, fighting or not.

Jason’s anger to Percy for not noticing Nico’s feelings towards him is absolute bullshit. Fuck that as a whole. Nico acting cold and hateful towards Percy doesn’t and shouldn’t equal “I like you, notice me please”. The internalized homophobia should be Jason’s focus, not Percy’s lack of attention at Nico’s feelings.

Same for Leo about Calypso. Not to mention they both shove the blame onto Percy like its his fault when it really isn’t. Having your memory forcefully wiped mere months after a war isn’t gonna help when remembering stuff like that. Not to mention the Gods are bums who will try to do as little as possible and leave the rest to demigods. It leads to one sided anger and unnecessary confusion and guilt on the other side. Bad writing on Rick’s part tbh.

People need to stop acting like Jason didn’t die. That’s clinging into a ghost and not letting it move on. I hate to be the one who says it, but Jason is canonically dead and acting like he isn’t won’t change shit. It’s gonna lead to unhealthy habits in the future, trust me. You can’t write a fic post TOA then be like “oh yeah, Jason’s alive because I want him to :)))” because that isn’t how life works sweetheart.

People also need to stop pretending TOA doesn’t exist. You might not like it but you have to acknowledge that it is actually there and it follows the PJO/HOO timeline.

Paul was just a card to give Sally a nice man to lean on when it wasn’t necessary.

Percy should’ve been wayyyy more suspicious of Paul when he was first introduced. 6 years of abuse from a “father figure” isn’t just gonna go away because “oh he’s nice.” Guess what? Gabe was nice at first canoncially (even if it was for a very short amount of time).

Percy. Has. Serious. Anger. Issues. He’s sassy and stuff, sure, but he’s also got some severe anger problems that he both inherited from Poseidon and developed and festered over time from living with Gabe for 6 years.

Percy is the type to act like Hades or Apollo, attack a lesser being(s) because he can’t go after the big shot without fear of punishment. I wouldn’t be surprised if some his expulsions were from beating up various kids and/or teachers.

For the first half of TLT, Percy did not like Camp Half-Blood or consider it his “home” other than Grover and Luke. The camp treated him like shit because he was a noobie at first and then because he was a son of the Big Three. He hated Poseidon for his lack of care and lack of help when he and his mom were abused under Gabe. Had Luke talked to him during that time period and/or Kronos spoke to him in dreams, he would’ve joined the Titans. His loyalty for the camp didn’t form until near the end of TLT.

Nico and Percy basically had somewhat personality switches. Nico was an excitable, happy, laid back, and naive kid while Percy was a quiet, angry, and irritable kid. Nico’s switch came from Bianca’s death while Percy’s was more gradual. In the end, Nico became the quiet, irritable kid and Percy became the more happy, laid back kid.

Stop ignoring the fact that Nico, a literal 14-year-old, traversed into Tartarus. Alone. There’s always fics of Percy and Annabeth recovering or suffering from the after affects of the fall and war while Nico is relatively normal. The boy is not and has not been okay. His life has been one shitshow to the next ever since he was ten.

Both Percy and Nico have incredibly dark sides to their powers that they seemingly enjoyed that was fueled by anger. Percy with Achlys and Nico with Bryce. Percy admitted to liking torturing the goddess and Nico, though more subtly, seemed amused by Bryce and his attempts to justify his crimes and then frantic attempts to stay alive. Bryce literally says “I’m Bryce Lawrence! I am alive!” And Nico casually responds with “Who are you?” as he turns Bryce into a souless husk of a person. You cannot tell me that he wouldn’t have tilted his head innocently and cracked a small smile at that.

Piper’s portrayal as a Native American. Do I even need to go into that?

Percy. Liked. Luke. The boy knew the son of Hermes for what? 1 week? 2? Yet considered him to be a friend, possibly a close one at that. It probably went the same route Nico’s crush did. Hero adoration to actual romantic feelings but godspeed. Not because he just wanted to like a boy, but because, other than Chiron, Luke treated him with kindness, patience, and understanding as a male figure, something Percy didn’t really have growing up. Not to mention Luke helped Percy when no one else would. As a 12 year old, those type of feelings were bound to develop.

People who make the characters treat Percy and Leo as dumb, oblivious, or one dimensional sassy bois™️. Percy and Leo would be offended and/or defensive of such a thing because of childhood trauma. How many years do you think they can to endure that when they were younger from people they were supposed to trust or respect? You seriously can’t think they would be fine with it because their friends. Maybe a reference once or twice, but constantly? Absolutely not. Old habits die hard.

Solangelo seemed forced to me. I dunno, Nico’s whole confession felt like a ruse to get him set up with Will right away. I felt as though there wasn’t any real “connection” between the two prior to them getting together. It all felt rushed and out of place for the setting they were in. I’ve never understood it nor liked it and usually try to avoid it. That and Caleo seemed like a way to put all the characters in relationships so that they were “happy”, portraying that they needed to be with someone to achieve their happiness. Leo and Nico would’ve been better off single and learning to love themselves before loving someone else. Same applies to Sally.

Nico and Thalia would never get along because Thalia would be a reminder of what Nico lost (Bianca) and how easily how she could be replaced.

Demeter kids need more respect. I feel like that’s what Meg is for. To show that they can also technically be considered “Big Three” material because, if you forgot, Demeter is a child of Kronos as well. That means Demeter’s kids are cousins with the Big Three kids as well.

Aphrodite’s kids also need more respect. Aphrodite in the PJO universe is literally older than all gods, as she was born from Uranus’ gentials in the ocean and arose from there. Their powers could be exapanded wayyy more if they were focused on more.

Not to mention Poseidon kids could possibly gain attibutes of what would be considered Aphrodite’s powers since she was born from the ocean and vice versa. The possibilities are endless there.

That’s all I could think of for now! Lemme know what you guys think though.

[ificanthaveu]

Agreed || Shawn Mendes

Description: Shawn wanders into your store one day with his daughter, and you help them find the perfect sweater and even teach them a thing or two. 

A/N: single dad!Shawn and sales associate!reader, do you honestly need anything else? Anyway, this is super cute and I love it and it all flowed out of me and could it get a part 2??? it just might

Word Count: 2.6k

Monday nights were never meant to be easy, but this Monday felt that way. It felt a little too easy. Like you were definitely missing something. 

The kid’s store you managed in the mall was particularly quiet tonight. It seemed like every kid and parent must have just not felt like shopping tonight. So, there you stood behind the counter, reading and rereading what you could possibly do to pass the next two hours and thirty-three minutes. 

If you weren’t going to be doing anything, you figured you could try to get ahead with the marketing change that was supposed to be saved until after close. But would anyone really care if you took down the “25% off denim” signs early? And changed them with the advertisement of some girls in school? You really didn’t think it mattered at this point.

You walked towards the back door and propped it open, so you could keep an eye out in the store while looking for the new signs. Since they were window signs, they were much taller than you were. Preferably you’d have someone to help you, but your store was already short-staffed. Adding the fact that it was a Monday, it’d be just you and these signs tonight. 

You struggled to pull out the two large signs. You definitely knocked over a few things, but that was something you’d take care of later. You huffed as you dragged them behind you towards the registers where you could add on the protective edges and the hooks you pulled aside earlier.

Right as you started to slide on one of the protectors, in walked in a tall man with who you assumed was his daughter. She had to be since she was a spitting image of him. She skipped in between displays in her little rainbow rain boots and her pink dress with her dark brown curls bouncing. Her dad simply followed her wherever her heart took her. 

You finished sliding on one of the sides before setting it down to go greet them. 

“Hey, guys, what brings you in today?” You said with a big smile as you came up to them near the middle of the store. The dad smiled at you before looking back towards his daughter.

“This is actually our first time in here,” he said in a soft voice as you nodded your head. The little girl ran back up to you and her dad as she tugged on his sleeve.

“My daddy said he’d let me get something!” She yelled. Her dad pressed a finger to his lips before she muttered, “sorry.”

“Well, what are you looking for? Do you want clothes or jewelry or a stuffed animal?” You asked as you kneeled down to her height. She rocked back and forth on her feet as she thought about your question. 

“I think I want a sweater,” she said very matter-of-factly. 

You nodded your head and stood up to go show them the table of sweaters you had off to the side. It was filled with an array of knits and colors and cuts to please every child. She skipped behind you as her dad followed closely behind. 

“What color do you want?” You asked. She peeked her head over the table, and you watched her eyes scan over everything carefully before pointing at one near the back. 

“The purple one!” She said. 

“And what cut do you think she’s going to prefer?” you asked her dad. He gave you a confused look. 

“Regular?” He said carefully. 

“Well, we have the loser fitting ones like this,” you said as you held one up. “Then we have a tighter, longer fitting one,” you said as you reached over and held up that one. “And then we have one that’s kind of in-between, but cropped a little.”

He looked at each sweater carefully, obviously not clearly understanding what the difference was. His daughter patiently waited next to him. He sighed before he scooped her up, so she could see better. 

“Which one are you thinking, Char?” He asked her. 

“All of them!” She yelled. 

He sighed as he set her down. “Why don’t we try them on?” He asked her. She nodded her head as she tried to reach for the sweaters. Her dad scooped them up for her, and you walked them towards the fitting room to the side. 

The little girl, Charlotte, you assumed, skipped into it, and when her dad tried to follow her in to help her, she held up her hand and slammed the door in his face. He stood back with a look of shock on his face as you let out a laugh. 

“She’s got an attitude. I like her,” you say quietly so just her dad could hear you. 

“Yeah, it’s fun for you when you just have to see her for less than an hour and then she’s out of your hair, I have to live with her,” he said as he rubbed his eyes. 

“At least she’s cute,” you added.

He forced out a laugh, “Yeah, at least she’s cute.”

Charlotte walked out in the first sweater, the loser fitting one. She struck a pose in front of the two of you as you giggled at her. She really was something else. 

“How do you like it?” You asked her. 

“I like it,” she said simply.

“Does it feel ok? Is it itchy?” Her dad chimed in. She thought for a moment before she nodded her head.

“It’s a little itchy,” she said. 

“Do you have those shirts that…um, go underneath?” He asked you. 

“A cami?” 

“Yes, yeah, a cami,” he said as he nodded along. 

You nodded your head before walking towards the other side of the store and grabbing a nude one, a white one and a purple one. 

“Try wearing that underneath the sweater, honey,” you said as you handed her the tank tops. 

She skipped back into the room as you leaned against the wall behind you.

“You’re really good at this,” her dad said.

“Well, it is my job, so I kind of have to be, but thanks anyway,” you said with a smile. 

“I’m Shawn by the way,” he said quickly. “I just felt weird because I know your name because of the name tag, but you didn’t know mine and you’ve been helping so much. I honestly panic any time I have to do any of this,” he rambled on. 

You nodded along to everything he said before he finally stopped talking.

“You good?” You questioned. 

“Yeah, sorry,” he said. 

“No, you’re ok, don’t worry about it,” you said back.

“My sister is usually the one to take her to do the shopping, but Aunt Liyah lives back in Canada, so it’s all on me when we’re back in LA,” he explained. 

Before you could say anything else, Charlotte slammed the door open and exclaimed, “This feels much better!” as she did a spin in front of you. 

“Well, aren’t you the cutest darn thing I have ever seen,” Shawn said as he kneeled down to look at the sweater. He pulled the neck up a little bit and had her lift her hands up to see if it was too short. 

“Send a picture to Auntie!” She exclaimed as she played with the sleeves. Shawn nodded his head before stepping back, taking a picture and sending it off to his sister. 

“Try on the other ones,” he said as he lightly pushed her back into the fitting room. 

“She looks just like you,” you said as she shut the door. 

“How unfortunate,” he said softly.

“That’s a compliment,” you whispered. He rolled his eyes at you before leaning against the wall.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he paused. “She’s got her mom’s eyes though,” he said softly. “Not that it matters,” he said in a less-than-satisfied voice under his breath.  You probably weren’t supposed to hear that. 

“Is it just you and her?” You asked carefully, not wanting to open anything you shouldn’t. 

“Yep, since the day she was born,” he said as he looked over at you. 

“You’re doing a remarkable job,” you said back to him.

“Thanks. My family’s been a big help. My friends also love her to bits, so it’s not all me,” he rationalized.

“Still, raising a little girl on your own isn’t easy. I’ve seen every type of parent come into this store, and I can tell you, honestly, that you’ve got this under control,” you said. “You just gotta trust yourself a little more.”

Charlotte popped out in the next sweater before he could respond. You both looked at her as she struck another pose. 

“I think I like the other one better,” Shawn said. 

“Agreed,” you added. 

She nodded her head as she looked in the mirror. 

“Agreed,” she said before marching back in.

Shawn shook his head and placed it in his hands.

“You just taught her a new phrase. She’s not going to stop saying that for weeks,” he groaned. 

You laughed at him before saying, “I am so sorry. You never say the word ‘agree?’”

“Not like you just said it. Like, yeah, I say I agree with someone, but I don’t really say ‘agreed,’ but now it’s all she’s going to say. I promise you that most of the time it won’t make sense either,” he said as he looked over at you with a “disappointed dad” look. “You owe me one for the weeks of torture my ears are about to endure.”

“I can get you 25% of the sweater, but I’m afraid that’s it,” you paused for a minute. “Oh, and if you ever need a night off from her, I’ll gladly babysit. She’s phenomenal.” 

“I think I’ll pass on the discount, but I might have to hold you to the night of babysitting,” he responded with a smile on his face.

“And, I’m here every Monday night, and it’s usually this dead. So if you ever need help with the shopping thing again, I’m always here to help,” you added. 

“Thank you, it means more than you’ll ever know. I get this is your job, but still, thanks,” he said. 

Charlotte popped out of the dressing room again with the last sweater on. It was cropped so the purple cami was sticking out of the bottom. 

“I still like the first one the best,” Shawn said with a concentrated look on his face. You simply nodded your head in agreement as Charlotte looked in the mirror before turning back to the two of you.

“Agreed,” she said before marching back into the room. Before you could say anything, Shawn looked at you with that same dad look he gave you earlier. He was good at it.

“Sorry,” you whispered. “You’re good at that look. I honestly feel super guilty right now.

“Good, then you’ll learn from your mistakes, and you won’t repeat them,” he said in probably the perfect dad voice.

“Alright, you can stop. That’s terrifying.”

He let out a laugh as he leaned his head against the wall again, briefly glancing down at his phone.

“What time do you close?” He asked, bringing you back into the reality that you were a sales associate helping a customer. 

“9:00,” you said before glancing down at your watch. “You’ve still got like an hour and forty-five minutes, so no rush.”

He nodded his head before he looked behind you at the signs by the register. 

“I really don’t want to keep you from that, though,” he said as he gestured towards the signs. You shrugged your shoulders.

“I wasn’t supposed to do them until after close, anyway. I should probably wait until then because I know they’re going to kick my butt,” you said as you looked back at him. 

“Can I help maybe?” He offered. You sighed and shook your head.

“As much as I would love to say yes, that’s an incredibly huge liability,” you explained as you scrunched up your face and he nodded his head. 

“Yeah, I guess you don’t want me suing your store if I fall,” he said. “I definitely understand that.”

Charlotte came out of the dressing room again with the three sweaters and camis in her hands. 

“Remember which one you want?” Shawn asked her. 

She nodded her head and held out the clothing to him, along with the purple and white camis. You gladly scooped the rest of the sweaters out of her hands and brought them back with you to the register to put away later. 

“Anything else I can help you guys look for today?” You asked them as they walked up to the register. 

Shawn looked down at Charlotte as she let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes. 

“I think we’re good for tonight,” he whispered to you. You began to ring up his few items before placing them in the bag.

“Do you want to sign up for the rewards program?” You asked him as the screen prompted. 

He sighed, “Yeah, I probably should.”

“The pinpad will ask you all the questions,” you said as you tapped your finger on the top of it. Shawn tapped all the necessary buttons and typed in his information. 

You recited all the information back to him for clarification, and he nodded along to everything you said. 

“And receipt with you or in the bag,” you said as you propped the bag up. 

“Just throw it in the bag,” he said as he looked down at Charlotte who was leaning against him and who was also clearly tired. “I guess it’s getting near bedtime,” he said quietly as you handed him the bag. 

“Agreed,” you said at the same volume as he rolled his eyes at you. 

“Yep, I’m sick of you. Time to go,” he said jokingly as he held Charlotte’s hand. 

You walked them out the door before Shawn stopped and turned to you. 

“About that babysitting offer…” he trailed off. 

“Yeah?”

“I guess I’m going to need your number, you know, just in case I need a babysitter,” he said without really looking at you. “Or, also, I mean, if you’d ever want to catch a movie or something. I can find a different babysitter, and we can just do something, but if not, that’s also totally fine,” he rambled on. 

You bit your lip, trying to contain your smile, as you could feel your face burning up. 

“I thought you were sick of me,” you said teasingly. He shook his head before finally looking at you.

“You’re so annoying,” he said through a laugh.

“It’s in my job description,” you retaliated.

“Really? Well, then I’d like to speak to the manager about that.”

“That’s cute. I am the manager.”

Shawn had to give up after that one as he shook his head and glanced down at Charlotte, oblivious to whatever was going on. 

“I would love to go out sometime,” you finally said.

“Maybe I’ve retracted that offer,” he responded. 

“Well, then I’d love to babysit sometime.”

“Well, I am still going to need your number, you know, for babysitting,” he responded as he held out his phone for you.

You quickly typed in your name and number before handing it back to him. 

“See you this weekend maybe?” He said as he began to walk out of the store, still gripping on to Charlotte’s hand with one hand and the bright pink bag with the other. “I’m thinking dinner and a movie,” he said as he backed out. “For you and Charlotte of course.”

“Oh, yeah, sounds perfect. Send me the day and time and I’ll be there, for Charlotte,” you said as you crossed your arms. 

“See you later, [Y/N],” he said before waving and turning around. 

“Are we going to come back?” you heard Charlotte ask her father. 

“Yeah, I think we will,” Shawn replied. 

“Good, I like this store,” she responded before stifling another yawn.

“Agreed.”

Reblog! Comment! Send me an ask! A message! Y’all know I  T H R I V E  off praise and attention, so hit me up with that good shit.

[littleredroseonthevalley]

Marry Thy Neighbour

Summary: Susan and Ernest are arranged to be wed. Neither party seem so sure about that match.

Rating: T - Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.

Notes: When I was a kid, my grandmother used to say that, for an even marriage, one should marry their neighbours. Funny we didn’t have much in the way of neighbours.

Enjoy!

Susan stole surreptitious glimpses of him during the church service, wondering if he already knew, if his father had broken the news to him already.

Well, she was quite sure that he knew. What she was not so confident about was if he even knew who she was. She was always rather part of the background than the crowd, preferring to be secluded and alone, while he… Susan could not say he loved to be seen, but it does not seem up to him. His blond hair and clear eyes, not to mention his fortune and manners, has him a coveted bachelor, followed around by all debutantes in the county.

He was always casted into the sunlight while she hid behind the shadows.

The only similarity she could name between the two was their aristocratic blood, and the fact they were neighbours. Maybe that is exactly why this happened. Of course, Susan knew that their parents have been good acquaintances for ages, even if as it stands, she never actually got the chance to properly meet the Sinclaire boy face to face besides short encounters at the church.

She did not mind that, she was beyond too shy. Stupid of her, possibly very stupid, but she did fancy him. Nothing too big or life-threatening, but she always eyed him carefully, just this time her glances were beyond more frequent and alert.

An arranged marriage.

God, she was not even sure if she fancied the male gender quite enough. Yes, as mentioned, she did like Ernest, but she never even considered having any chances, so the thoughts of him was just as crazy as any of her fantasies.

Despite of their fathers seemed to think, she was beyond too low for his status, no matter how blue the blood in her veins was pumping, no matter how deep the earldom’s coffers might run, she was absolutely certain that it must be someone else more suitable.

She knew that her mother had most likely praised her to the esquire and his wife, but for them to fall for that? She thought of them as wiser.

The adage, in the elders’ eyes, held true, that one ought to marry their neighbours, but Susan and her younger brother, Henry, were proof it was weakly enforced. Their mother hailed from France, having fled the Revolution at her homeland. Hardly an even match. Yet, the Earl seems to believe his children should do as he says, not as he does.

Susan, putting it roughly, was an outcast, as mentioned again and again, she was a dull conversationalist, a melancholic soul. She was smart, yes, and an accomplished lady, but nothing extraordinary at all.

Heck, Susan being the pathetic being she was, has no other suitors. She has never even held hands with anyone before, let alone kiss or touch in any other way.

That is the reason she never acted on her infatuation. Ernest was a fantasy only, nothing more. A fantasy that she was now arranged to marry.

Besides, he was always with that other girl. She had to be some sort of country aristocrat, as there was little opportunity for Ernest to socialize with anybody else. She was tall, poised and blonde, the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. So, really, probably this whole sham was the Countess’ savvy in action, interested in a match, that made a giant fuss at how great her daughter was. False advertisement, she did love that, and God above, was Susan ready to disappoint.

It was Christmas Eve and while Susan wanted to avoid her family and their engagements as much as possible, a reward they got themselves for trying to decide her future, she was now back at her room, a sigh passing her lips as her handmaids tried to make her minimally presentable.

It was probably the first time in years that the Sinclaire family would come over with their heir, the same happening to them just with Susan, the two scions seeming to avoid each other like the plague.

Tonight, was her reckoning. She could only hope it would not hurt that much.

*_*_*_*_*

Ernest was taken back when he saw her.

He knew who she was of course, his stepmother would never shut up how great the Earl’s daughter was. He paid no mind to that though, seeing her very rarely, and when he did, he barely let his gaze linger. She seemed to be one of those people who did not like being looked at, so he did not torture her.

She looked fragile enough for Ernest not to touch, but seeing her now was leaving him breathless. He has never seen her outside her demure church attire, under the Countess’ watchful eye, or with her hair let loose. He defended himself with the declaration that this sight would be a shock to anyone.

She looked stunning, eyelashes brushing over her cheeks as she looked down, uneasy under the county’s judgement, slender fingers tugging at the sleeves of her black dress, to try and hide herself more, no matter how perfectly it hugged her curves, her button-like, delicate nose, the wavy and soft chestnut hair falling in a waterfall-fashion, framing nicely her heart-shaped face, and Ernest loved that the most, beyond all of it. She was truly beautiful and he did now wonder how he ever dared to pull his gaze away from her.

After dinner he had to do it. It was rehearsed. Ernest was even quite angry at his father and stepmother, but he was a dutiful son and would never do anything to disobey them. So, as he knelt down on one knee, Susan stood, or actually placed in front of him by her own mother, he began speaking what he had memorized that day earlier.

Susan barely heard any word that passed his lips, she was looking at his eyes. They were empty, not a single emotion she could grab on to, and that was when she cracked.

Before that proposal, she was going to bear what her parents were forcing upon her, but as she looked at him, she felt a sort of hurt, a maim on her soul. Leave it to her to fall in love with the bloke she would end up having such a complicated situation with. This is why he was a fantasy, because he could never even like her.

The reality was right in front of her as he was proposing, there was no emotion and as he slipped the ring upon her finger, she decided. She would leave her home and run away. She will not bear not being loved back, or force the person who she does not even deserve to spend the rest of his life with. Not in such a salacious manner.

*_*_*_*_*

As the season passed and Spring came, it was no surprise that nothing has really changed between the two of them. The only ostensive difference was the shiny band looped around Susan’s finger.

She probably could have taken it off, it was not as if Ernest would notice either way, and her parents were busy with preparations for their return to London, but she found that she liked it being on her finger. The thought of belonging to someone was comforting and made her keep it. Belonging for a short time of course, but still, being loved and needed was not something she came by often, so she let herself be rewarded at least for this.

There was another difference too, one that Susan did not notice. Ernest’s eyes now lingered upon her more often, so often it had been noticed by others.

Not by the girl though, not by his fiancée, he was careful enough for that, knowing how she was and how she looked at him that night. The whole thing really did put a tiny crack on his heart, because he did not want this, he did not want to hurt her, but he knew that he already had, and the feeling of wanting to protect her was now here, and for God’s sake, he has already taken a liking to her.

That afternoon, her grandmother was holding a tea party at their garden, and she had invited her usual fanfare. Susan had been walking out of the manor house, walking towards the tents set up at the lawn in a fashion resembling a woman marching to the galleys. She was yet to talk with anyone and she was ready to flop on to bed and just forget all about it.

Before she could reach the tent, however, she was stopped. The girl Susan noted to be always hung by Ernest’s neck stood in front of her, lips pursed and arms crossed. Susan tried to walk past her, but Felicity Holloway, one of the many daughters of the Viscount Lochdale, only shot her a look.

A warning.

To avoid a more violent confrontation, Susan stood by, lowering her own gaze much to Felicity’s amusement.

“You know, I have always seen you looking at him, always, but he never looked back. Not once. So, it did not bother me, but now, I do not know what on the seven hells have you done, he will not look away. I am here to warn you, one move closer and you will regret it.” She threatened.

If anything, Susan found it ridiculous, but she has never really had the confidence to put her in due place, so maybe this was quite normal in the jaunty world.

“I think you should really have a word with him, or his parents in that matter, I do believe they chose the wrong person, you two seem lovely together.” Susan offered, still not daring to look up at her as she twisted her ring off her finger, her mind completely made up as she tried to steady her breathing. “You should take this. It would look better on you.”

She took her hand, placing the circular jewel, that matched Ernest’s signet ring, in her palm as she gave her a sad smile.

*_*_*_*_*

Now, the crack that Ernest had carried in his heart the whole season was completely crippling, his heart was shattered the moment he sees the golden band on Felicity’s gaunt finger.

He does not know why or how, but it breaks him. Then, he is angry, so angry he is shouting at the Holloway girl, peeling information at how she obtained the ring piece by piece, storming out with it before he could set up much more of a scene. His father would be hearing of it already, no need to shame his family any further.

By the time he calms down, the whole party knows. Poor, shy Susan, who very few have heard about, has gotten herself tied up with the Sinclaire family.

Truly, Susan had expected to have some peace until Summer, not to have her life and appearance scrutinized until she could leave her father’s house and hide somewhere in the continent, but after Felicity confronted her, all of that was left behind and she was now throwing her things inside her trunk, her mind buzzing with how she could explain herself to her brother when she came calling for him in Cambridge.

A knock on the door interrupted her then, Susan biting her lip and praying to anyone that it was not her grandmother, probably the only person who would care enough to hear about her side of the scandal, even if it was only for strategize damage control.

Alas, God heard her wishes, but it was far worse than her grandmother. Ernest stood in front of her at the hallway. Susan’s eyes wide as she tried to shut the door straight in his face, him quick enough to stop her. He fished the ring out of his pocket, showing it to the girl in front of him who only managed to look down.

“Why did you give this to her?” Susan’s eyes widened even more if possible, his voice so broken as she desperately tried to avoid his gaze. “Why would you give this to her?”

“I did not think it mattered to you. It mattered to me, and she is way more suitable for you. She is a suitable bride, you ought to concur. I am sure you could talk it through with you parents, and she would make you happy.” Susan said quietly, but the room was empty so he heard it perfectly clear.

“I do not want her, I want you.”

“That is nice of you, Mr. Sinclaire, but you do not have any need to. I know what I am and I will not force it upon you, you do not deserve it.”

“That is exactly why I never looked at you, you are too timid.” The young man said, evenly. “You do not want me to, so I did not, but I was forced to and I am glad I was. Because you are stunning, Miss Foredale, I do not know why those sad eyes of yours make you view yourself like that, but I do not even come near finding one flaw in you.

“You are kind, you are the only one I ever known who will stay after the tea to help your handmaid take the porcelain back to the kitchens. You are the most intelligent lady in the county, I am sure you spend more nights in the library than your room, you love knowledge. You are obsessed with tea, you are gifted, you are beautiful. You are shy, you will flinch or blush to the slightest touch, even if it is just your brother’s hand coming to pick the same piece of toast at the table. That is not even all of it, but that is all I managed to find out just by watching you these days, and if I just…”

“You really do not have to, Mr. Sinclaire. You want to please your parents, I understand it. You do not have to lie to me.”

“Lie?” He scoffs. “You do not… You do not believe me?” He said in disbelief.

Susan’s self-loathing getting the best of her as she sniffled, trying her best not to let the tears falls.

“I am not lying, if you know me even the slightest bit, you know I would not say this to anyone. I am not a man of empty flattery. Please, Miss Foredale...” He trailed off, leaving them in silence with only her occasional sniffles, while he thought on what he could say to make the situation right. “How about… What do you think if I take you on a date, yes? How about that? Maybe you would see that I am not lying then?”

*_*_*_*_*

To Ernest’s great elation, Susan agreed to give it a shot at his plan. So, he took her to a fair in the county town, chaperoned, of course, by her handmaid.

People were whispering around them as Susan buried herself further inside her scarf, Ernest throwing glances at her to make sure that she was okay. After the day of bonding and looking at the wares, they just stood outside, admiring the snow, Ernest admiring her more than snowflakes, even though he was playing it off for her not to see.

He, then, watched her take out her hands from her dress pockets, stretching her fingers for them to immediately turn redder from the cold. Seeing this, he just went for his instincts, grabbing her palm with his own, watching her cheeks colour as he took off one of his gloves and placed it upon her hand.

“For a moment I thought we would hold hands.”

“Well I wanted to! But it seemed more logical this way; warmer.” Ernest beamed, Susan giggling at him as his own cheeks tinted, but he smiled because he had earned a laugh from her. “Also, your ring is now on your finger.”

Susan looked at him confused, but she took off the glove, the gold band not inside it but on her finger now. She pursed her lips, trying to make herself look angry, but she was actually flattered. Yes, she still kept her things packed, still not believing that he could like her, but for the moment she went with it.

“You are quite scheming when the proclivity hits you, Mr. Sinclaire.”

“Aye, but I think you are starting to like it, Miss Foredale.”

“I think I just might.” She said before grabbing his hand and dragging him back to the fair.

*_*_*_*_*

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