#funnily enough I remember just about nothing from when I made them so it’s like opening a lil surprise box | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

schemmentisbranzino · 3 months

Text

Italian Flavors - Part 1

Summary: Reader meets Melissa Schemmenti at a local italian grocery store and quickly becomes attracted to her. Where this is going to go? I guess we'll find out together ;)

Note: this idea came to me out of nowhere and wrote it when i was very much not sober, so i apologize for any grammatical mistakes.

Warnings: None?

Words: 3k

You have been visiting the same grocery store since you moved to the neighborhood a few weeks ago. They had the best selection of vegetables in the area and the best brands of Italian food. You couldn’t find canned San Marzanos anywhere and this little store always had them in stock. You weren’t Italian yourself, just a big fan of their cuisine. You enjoyed learning new recipes and pasta has always been a guilty pleasure of yours. But the truth is, you have found another guilty pleasure, funnily enough, another Italian one.

The second weekend you went into the store, you were just browsing in the deli section when you spotted a beautiful redheaded woman fighting the worker over a kilo of salami. You couldn’t help but stare at her in amusement. “Something something… ripping me off…ain’t a fool..something something” is all you could hear. Not necessarily because she was out of earshot, but because you were so mesmerized by her, her attitude, her beauty, her curves, that you couldn’t hear a word. After a few seconds you realized you were staring and decided to keep doing your shopping. As you were standing by the produce aisle, you see the redhead walk out, her determined victorious walk after probably winning her argument. Who wouldn’t give her anything she wants? You say to yourself as you watch her sway her hips out of the establishment.

You go about your day as normal, finish your grocery shopping, pick up an iced coffee and there you go back to your “work from home” job. You sit in front of the computer responding to emails and going over your list of pending tasks and projects. You try to concentrate and be productive, but you can’t. Your mind is clouded by visions of that gorgeous stranger at the store. Her raspy voice echoing through your head. You shake your head as if doing that will get her out of there. You hope she is a regular at the store, you wish you could see her again.

You go about your week, smiling every time you remember the perfect stranger. You keep hoping next weekend you get to see her again. You wonder if you should go at the same time and decide that thats probably the best idea. Friday afternoon you head to the store, grocery shopping list in hand, searching for the ingredients you need to make your Italian dish of the weekend. You hope to be there for a long time, hopefully long enough to see her again. You browse every aisle slowly, constantly looking around, but nothing. You finished shopping .“It was just wishful thinking huh” you say to yourself as you start walking back to your car while carrying your groceries. They might be heavy but heavier was your disappointment. You are lost in your thoughts when you feel someone bump into you making you drop a bag, “I am so sorry, hon” the redhead says to you while helping you pick up your stuff. You don’t say anything, just stare at her as she screams to someone on the phone. “See Gary I just made a girl drop her stuff because you wont stop calling me and made me be late to my grocery shopping, stop calling me, you bozzo”.

“Boyfriend problems?” - you said and instantly regretted it.

Melissa looked at you as if you had asked her for her social security number. Her face immediately relaxing after realizing you were just an innocent girl who she had just inconvenienced. “Something like that, my ex” she gave you a soft smile as she started to talk away.

“Th- Thank you” - you said nervously and quickly realized it made no sense, she made you drop your stuff, what were you thanking her for? Her existence? Yes, but you can’t tell her that. That makes absolutely no sense.

Melissa chuckles, “Anytime, hon” - she says, as if she somehow understood what you meant.

You walk to your car with the biggest smile in your face. You got to see this beautiful woman again and you will go on to think about her for days to come. Hoping to run into her again sometime soon.

Weeks pass by and you stay with this woman very present in your mind, you stop going to the store every weekend, since you are scared of looking like a stalker, a cute one, but a stalker nonetheless. Instead you assume your role of the yearning lesbian, seeing her in every little thing you do, making every song about her.

It is a Tuesday afternoon and you have already finished your meeting for the day, so you decide to lay on the couch and watch Carol for the 20th time this week. A movie about an age gap relationship, who would have thought?

In that moment your phone rings, it is your best friend Laura, the person you were the closest to in this world and the whole reason you moved to Philly in the first place. She was raising her daughter Melanie by herself and you figured you could offer her some support, since the little girl was your world.

“Hi y/n, what are you doing other than thinking about this mystery woman?” - your best friend said in a mocking tone.

“Uh nothing much, why? - you say without humoring her comment.

“Can you please pick up Melanie at Abbott? I got tied up at work and I can’t make it. I am sorry I will make it up to you”.

“Nonsense, I am on my way”

“You are an angel y/n”

“Oh I know” - you say as you walk out of the door and make your way to Abbott Elementary, having no idea of the surprise that awaited for you at the school.

You arrive and park in the nearly empty parking lot, most of the students were already gone, since Laura didn’t call you until it was already way past the dismissing bell. You run inside the school, looking for your niece. You walk past a classroom and spot her. Sitting next to her, is her teacher. You can’t believe your eyes. You shake your head as if somehow she was a hallucination. “There is no way”, you say to yourself as you try to muster the courage to open the door. You take a deep breath and open the door.

“Hi, I am here for Melanie” - you say and your niece starts running towards you, your eyes moving away from the redhead in order to pick her up.

“Hi, I am y/n, Melanie’s auntie. Well I am her moms best friend but she is a niece to me” - you say to the redhead, her looking at you with an unreadable expression.

“I have seen you before, haven’t I?” - Melissa asks you raising her eyebrow.

“Uhm maybe? I live nearby” - you tell her trying to keep your cool and not immediately say “yes yes, you go to the same store as me and I have been hoping to see you every weekend since that time I watched you fight that guy in the deli over a kilo of salami. I have thought of you every day and I want nothing more than to run my hands all over you”.

She looks at you unsure, thats not it. She knows you from somewhere else.

“Ahhh I think I have seen you at Claudio’s, I go there all the time” - you tell her trying to keep your cool.

“Oh yes yes, you were the girl I ran into when my dumbass ex was trying to talk my ear off” - she says with a smile. “You italian?”

“No, just an italian fan”

“Is that so?” - she says raising her eyebrow and you realize how that might have come off.

“Of italian food, that is Ms.”

“Ms Schemmenti, Melissa” - she extends her hand for you to shake it and you can’t help but stare at how beautiful they are, her fingers, oh your mind is wandering. You gulp before you take it in yours and give her a soft handshake.

“Pleasure to officially meet you, Ms Schemmenti” - you say as you look into her beautiful emerald eyes, they look like they could hypnotize anyone, if you weren’t already under her spell, they would have done the trick.

“Well, I better go” - you say and start walking away as your niece waves good bye to her favorite teacher.

“Y/n?” - Melissa says and your entire body stiffens. “Hope to see you at Claudio’s soon” - she winks and gives you the most wicked smile.

You walk out of the building with the biggest smile on your face. “Melissa, Melissa” you repeat in your brain. Of course such a goddess has such a beautiful name. And she wants to see you again? Is she playing you? Does she mean it? Could she tell you like her? Who knows, but you are definitely showing up at Claudio’s this weekend.

On your drive back home you ask your niece all sorts of questions about her teacher. All her answers making her sound even more perfect. “I love Ms. Schemmenti. She seems tough but she is so sweet, she always helps me when I struggle with my math problems. She gives the best hugs but that is a secret. Only her little eagles know. She is so pretty too” - Melanie tells you.

“Yes, yes she is, munchkin” - you sigh to yourself, picturing how gorgeous she looked today.

____________________________________________________

Saturday came around and you just couldn’t wait for it to be time to go to the store. You knew it would probably be obvious that you were showing up just to see her but you couldn’t care less. You put on your favorite jeans with a tank top that makes your chest look irresistible. You wear your platforms docs and a leather jacket, even put on some make up. Is it too much for the grocery store? Perhaps, but you need to impress this woman. If not now, when?

You wanted to make Arancini, a delicious Sicilian appetizer that you loved eating back home in New York. Once again, you browse the aisles slowly, hoping to see Melissa, or Mel, like you were already calling her in your head. You were looking at the different types of rice, you bend down to pick up a packet of Arborio and as you reach for it, a raspy voice startles you.

“Making risotto, hon?” - the redhead says, as she looks up and down at your figure, maybe it was you being hopeful but it seemed as if she was checking you out.

“Arancini, actually’ - you say with a smile.

“Oh woman after my own heart” - she says as she gets closer to you.

“I have actually never made them, but they remind me of home and I want to try and make some similar to the ones I used to eat back in Brooklyn” - you shared with the redhead, suddenly realizing you might have overshared and she might not care at all about your nostalgia and homesickness.

“Lucky for you I have a really good recipe, I can share it with you” - Melissa gets closer to you and firmly grabs your arm “If you share it with anyone I’ll come find you”. - You freeze, not in fear but in want, shivers running through your body at the contact.

She lets go and there was again, that wicked smile, she winks at you and gestures for you to follow her.

“Oh, that would be amazing” - your eyes light up and she can see how happy her offer made you.

She helps you find all the ingredients you need for her recipe. Browsing around this small grocery store with this beautiful woman seemed like a dream to you. Her scent, her voice, her smile, the passion with which she talks about food. She explains step baby step what to do and how to do it, giving you tips and tricks in order to make the most delicious dish. You struggle to retain the information, too focused on the way her glossy lips move. It doesn’t go without notice but Melissa pretends she doesn’t realize it as she continues walking down the aisles and throwing things in your cart. After half an hour or so the shopping is done and your heart feels heavy. You are going to pay and go away and probably not see her in a while, even if it is another week, it sounds like too long for you.

“You are all set, hon” - she gives you a smile that makes the butterflies in your stomach flutter. “Here, give me your phone, I’ll give you my number in case you need any help with the recipe or to thank me when you have a food orgasm thanks to it”.

“Orgasm orgasm orgasm” - the only word sounding in your head, the way it fell of her mouth had your mind going places it shouldn’t.

“Hey, went on a trip there?” - Melissa snaps your fingers at you bringing you back to reality.

“Ah yes, my phone” - you said handing her the device and watching attentively as she puts her digits on your phone.

“Well, thank you, Ms. Schemmenti, I’ll make sure to let you know how they came out”

“I’ll be waiting, hon” - she says as she smiles at you and you stand there, frozen, blocking the line with your cart, the cashier complaining and telling you to move.

“Oh, yes, I better go, bye Melissa”

“Bye, gorgeous”

Gorgeous? She called you gorgeous. Your eyes widen and you quickly get back to your cart, you want to scream but you don’t want anyone to see you. She called you gorgeous? Whoa.

You get back home, ready to start on her recipe, looking at your phone, your head doing mental gymnastics, trying to figure out what excuse you could use to text her. You figure you should cook first, not be too intense, you just saw her 15 mins ago for fucks sake.

You follow step by step her directions, so scared of messing it up, as if she were to try them. You have never been happier to cook anything. You wonder how they would taste if she were to make them. You move quickly through all the steps, wanting to finish as soon as possible. One because you want to try this deliciousness and two, because you cant wait to text her.

You finish them and you gotta say you are quite proud of yourself, you don’t know how they taste yet, but they look really good. You wonder whether you should try them first and let her know, or whether you should send her a picture. You settle for a bolder idea, quite harmless if she doesn’t like you in that way, but kinda flirty if she does feel attracted to you.

You retouch your make up and push up your boobs, feeling a little slutty but thats the point, no?

You set your phone in front of you and your plate of arancini. Taking one of the balls in your hand, you said to the camera. “Well, I figured that after giving me your secret recipe, you at least deserved a live reaction.” You smile to the camera and bring the ball to your mouth, your teeth parting the crunchy exterior as its inside melted in your mouth. “Mmmmmhhhh”, you let out a low moan, as an expression of the pure joy and satisfaction that bite gave you. The delicious taste of the dish was really flooding your senses, your eyes rolling and mouth falling open, but you remember you are recording yourself for her and quickly regain your composure. “Well, I guess, you are going to be able to tell that was incredible. I am going to have to ask you for more recipes”. You stop recording and wonder if that was too much, hell your face while taking a bite of the food looks pornographic. A wave of courage takes over you and you press send, then you get hit by a wave of anxiety.

It has been ten minuted and Melissa has not replied. You pace around your house, slowly losing your mind, your body shaking.

A few seconds later, your phone lights up. The name Melissa Schemmenti popping on your screen.

“Oh my, sweetheart, if you make those faces every time you eat my food, I am going to have to invite you over for dinner.”

“Anytime, gorgeous” - You said as you throw your phone on the couch, you figure if she called you that, there is no harm in using it on her.

“I am going to fill you up so well”

Your eyes widen at her reply, oh it is on!

“Can’t wait, Schemmenti” - you type as you bite your lower lip and run around of pure excitement.

“My place, Saturday, at 7pm”

“Wouldn’t miss the chance to get a taste of your flavors.”

You send the last text and your face is red as a tomato, you can’t believe what you just said but you are so glad you did. Your mind is racing with thoughts about what is possibly going to happen this Saturday. How did everything escalate so quickly? Was everything on your mind? She was flirting right? RIGHT? You sigh and decide to try and distract yourself. Whatever it was, you will get to spend an evening with the redhead.

#wlw fanfic #abbott elementary #melissa schemmenti x reader #melissa schemmenti/reader #melissa schemmenti x y/n #read on a03 #schemmentisbranzino #lisa ann walter

249 notes · View notes

papastarion · 4 months

Text

I know everyone has their different takes on Astarion’s character, and what they think his story should look like/what he would or wouldn’t do with his life after the events of the game, and I think they’re all valid. And not everyone is going to like your read or what you want him to pursue or be like after all is said and done. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Could you imagine how boring things would be if we all agreed? I personally love seeing the diversity of takes.

That being said, I am very much a fan of the idea of non-Ascended Astarion starting a family after everything, just me personally. Now, I know that’s a whole can of worms for people who don’t like that concept or who don’t like the idea of kids/pregnancy in their fiction. That’s completely fine. Funnily enough, I have no desire to have my own kids, but I love exploring that sort of lifestyle and the dynamic it creates when it comes to my characters in my own writing.

And I do think he wants kids, in my world state (to borrow a Dragon Age term), anyway.

I always go back to Astarion’s confession, when he says he wants “something real.” All those years where sex and love were nothing but a performance to seduce people and lure them to what he thought was their death. And now, with Tav/Durge, he wants the real thing. He wants to love and be loved.

He says he doesn’t know what “real” looks like anymore, which means he’s got to figure it out. And we know he isn’t much for plans, so that means a lot of what he learns is learned as he goes. That must extend to learning what he wants, too.

“I Want to Live” is the song that is consistently played in relation to his character development (despite being the players song.) Want. For all of those years, he was told by Cazador that he and his fellow spawn were a family. If he doesn’t ascend, then what he desires, and discovering what he wants, and taking what was false for so long and learning what the real version of it looks like to him all come together to make it easy for me to see him enjoying fatherhood.

He wouldn’t be Astarion without that prickly personality of his, but as his relationship with Tav/Durge progresses, you get to see the softness and sweetness he has in him, too. And I believe he really does mean it when he says he wants to protect them. He does genuinely care, as sarcastic and standoffish as he can be. That’s part of his personality and his character arc.

Now, do I think he likes all kids? Not at all. I think he likes certain kids, and for certain reasons. He may not encourage taking in Yenna, but he does insist on saving her from Orin. He seems to have a high opinion of Arabella. It depends on the kid. In a strange way, I think his own personhood being taken from him has made him view kids as more individual than most people tend to.

And I think he would adore his own kids because of who they are. They’re proof of how far he’s come, they’re proof that he’s alive and he’s living and that Cazador didn’t win in the end. He’s here. He won. He’s growing past everything.

And, most importantly: they’re his kid(s.)

Do I think he’s ever considered having children prior to having one, even before he was turned? I doubt it, honestly. But especially prior to his vampirism, I don’t think it matters whether he did or not. He can’t remember what color his eyes were, let alone what he wanted or who he was. And it doesn’t matter, he makes that much clear. He isn’t that person anymore, and he won’t ever get to be them again. So whether he had thought about children specifically or not, whether he wanted them or not, I don’t think that matters to him anymore.

He never saw himself as a hero, either, but he’s a Hero of Baldur’s Gate now. He cares. In his own way. And he defines and does things his own way in his life now. He’s still not your stereotypical hero, but he’s also no longer your stereotypical vampire. He wouldn’t be Astarion if he was easy to define. And after everything, he is still Astarion. He’s complex, and he can be quite contradictory and inconsistent. That’s both part of his personality and a result of the 200 years of trauma he survived, I think.

And again, he’s also not one for plans. I don’t think he considers being a father until Tav/Durge is telling him that he’s going to be one. And that kind of life-changing news can rattle even the people who have planned for it and wanted it their whole lives. Sure, I think it takes some getting used to, and I’m sure there are complex feelings that come with it. Rediscovering yourself and building a life are never easy. Living isn’t easy.

But this is another part of the life he’s living—really living. This isn’t the mockery Cazador forced the spawn to play pretend in, it’s a real family, his family. And I think that means everything to the person he chooses to be now.

#I just have a lot of feelings about Dadstarion #I’m so sorry this is such a mess but I just wanted to talk about him #Astarion #Dadstarion #Papastarion #character study #if you squint

185 notes · View notes

blessedwithabadomen · 2 months

Text

in love with the mess - day five

summary : Aubrey is going on tour and, for once, she's decided to focus on having as much fun as possible. Oli can be a little shit but he does nothing short of adore Audrey and... well, maybe Noah a little, too. Noah likes the flirting, as long as no one gets too close, emotionally. But what will happen when the three of them take it too far?

content : fluff, flirting, drinking, everyone gets a kiss

length : 4.2k

tags (let me know if you want to be tagged!) : @veronicaphoenix @cookiesupplier @lma1986 @jilliemiw86 @bngurngheart @lacktoesandtoddlerants @narcissisticbehavior81 @flowery-mess @shilohrosechicken @justeli6 @starvingarsyn @floatinglikeaswan @somebodyels3

a/n : here we go!! enjoy and feel free to comment, ask, reblog 💗

•••

day five

Something about the check-in at the hotel in Manchester was fishy and had caused a ridiculous amount of chaos that needed to be sorted out by the tour managers. I made the best of the situation and got comfortable in the lobby with my laptop, determined to get some work done ahead of time. Lia was going to be here in just a few hours and I'd promised her to free my schedule as much as possible.

Plus, I knew we would be drinking, so the ride to Glasgow tomorrow was going to be spent regretting my hangover and lying in my bunk, not doing hours of work.

The only strange thing about the day so far was that I had seen neither Oli nor Noah. Noah’s absence was to be expected to a certain extent; he was in a different band, on a different bus, with slightly deviating schedules, so the chances of running into each other could be quite low. I hadn't gotten a message from him either though. At least rumour had been going around that he woke up as good as new this morning, whatever had been beating him down yesterday had vanished completely. Oli was more surprising considering he was consistently put into an adjacent hotel room, travelled in the same tour bus and technically employed me.

Funnily enough, the question about the two missing frontmen was answered sooner than the check-in chaos got resolved. I heard the two of them entering the lobby together before I saw them. Pushing each other away, both seemed eager to get to me first as soon as they spotted me, stealing a bag from each other's hands over and over again.

“Fucking stop, I’m the one who knew to get this for her,” Oli complained, trying to keep the paper bag out of Noah’s reach, who was quicker than him and caught it behind Oli’s back.

“Yeah, and I’m the one who’s gonna give it to her!”

“Give it back, you wanker!”

Their fight came to an abrupt end as they stood in front of me looking up at them over my laptop.

“I got you something,” Oli explained, motioning to the bag.

“We got you something,” Noah corrected.

“Just because you walked next to me, doesn’t mean you had anything to do with it!”

I felt another bout of their little spat coming on, so I quickly intervened and stole the bag from Noah’s hands. Both of them quieted down immediately, watching me as I opened it up. The sweet scent of pastries filled my nostrils immediately.

“Are these…?” I didn’t finish my question as I brought the baked good to my nose, inhaling it deeply once again before taking a hearty bite ouf of its flakey goodness. I didn't know how Oli new. I couldn't remember if I'd ever told him and if I had, I was sure it was in passing only. The fact that he not only was aware of my sweet tooth but also went out of his way to satisfy it with my favourite goods caused my stomach to flip. “Thank you so much, that’s so sweet.”

“From your favourite bakery,” Oli proudly agreed. “You said you weren’t in Manchester that often and- well, I thought after yesterday-”

“Wait, what happened yesterday?”

Suddenly, Noah was all ears. I was much too preoccupied with the best thing I’d tasted in months to think about how to explain. Oli had mentioned it, Oli could solve the situation.

“Aubrey was in a right mood last night,” Oli said with grin. “A little brat.”

I almost choked on my pastry, a few flakes flying away from me as I got my breathing back under control. I shouldn’t have been so surprised. Oli was hardly known for being a prude about these things.

“And I went to sleep instead,” Noah groaned, sounding genuinely remorseful. Our eyes met for a moment. Somehow, I knew we were both remembering last night, too, me bringing him back to the hotel room, him warning me off. He looked away first, as if a little embarrassed. I wasn’t sure what to do with it.

“I’m sure you’ll find out for yourself soon enough,” it burst out of me. But I’d already learned that the combination of us three left very little room to hold back in that aspect.

Oli leaned down to me, his thumb wiping at the corner of my mouth where some chocolate had seemingly gotten stuck. He tapped my lips. It was enough for me to dumbly open my mouth and suck it in, twirling my tongue around it to get another taste. He chuckled darkly, satisfied how easily I went along with him, before pulling away, finding another bit of chocolate to swipe away, this time offering his thumb to Noah.

He was torn. Quite visibly so. The tension hung in the air as he tried to decide on which move to make now, all three of us basically holding our breaths to see what would transpire.

Then, some loud laughter from the crew erupted somewhere else in the lobby, loud enough to pull him out of it. He actually shook his head, as if that could make the thoughts disappear.

“Fuck you, Oli,” he muttered, without much force behind it.

“Yeah,” Oli laughed, licking the chocolate of his thumb himself, “I bet you’d like to.”

•••

Whoever said that time flies when you’re having fun had never felt time slipping through your fingers when you were desperately trying to get your boss to get to all things in his agenda on time while he was being an absolute arse for no reason but to amuse himself. On top of that, your best friend was blowing up your phone in excitement of getting to see you, effectively starting a countdown that only served to distract you from the work you should be doing.

By seven o’clock, I was thoroughly exhausted and annoyed. At some point, Noah had even pulled me aside to give me a much needed hug, although it had been cut short by Lia announcing her imminent arrival. Luckily, Lia did what she did best and that was raise my mood impossibly the very second I saw her.

Her arms around me felt like home. She was the only anchor I felt I still had, while I was always trying to never get too settled in one place with my work taking me all over, but we’d been friends since childhood and she’d always refused to budge. I didn’t thank her for it enough.

“Okay, catch me up asap, what’s been happening, what’s been going down, have you managed to bang anyone yet?”

I shot an apologetic smile at the two stagehands walking past as I walked down the corridor with Lia, an AAA pass hung around her neck and so excited that I wondered if she’d had a drink before coming here. With a slightly quicker step, I dragged her into Oli’s dressing room, aware he was currently hanging out with the rest of his band.

“Well, there’s been no fucking, but…”

I awkwardly started tidying up the dressing room. It came as second nature, really, trying to make sure things were in order, helping Oli out for later, not letting him drown in his chaos. I busied myself with a hoodie that I decided needed folding.

“But?! Aubrey, you’re not seriously gonna leave me starved for information here!”

“I mean, I did make out with Noah and I’ve seen Oli’s dick, so…”

Her squealing, I was pretty sure, could be heard next door and I couldn’t help but laugh. Lia was nothing if not supportive of basically anything I did.

I gave her a quick rundown of the last few days, keeping some of the details to myself while still letting her know what I’d been up to, including just about every endeavour I’d found myself in with the guys. She did nothing short of react appropriately, aw-ing and ooh-in and gasping and laughing. I’d missed having her around.

In the middle of me letting Lia know that, yes, I most definitely got cleaned up after last night’s escapade and, no, Oli and I hadn’t spoken about it yet and also, no, I didn’t think Noah knew, when the door to the dressing room flew open and revealed Oli himself.

“Speak of the devil,” Lia mused and I briefly panicked about her letting Oli know just what we were talking about, even though I knew fully well she would never betray me like that.

“I could say the same about you,” Oli replied, attempting to sound cruel but unable to hide the smile on his face.

“Why on earth would you have been talking about me?”

“Oh, I wasn’t. I was referring to the part where you are the devil.”

“Oh, you bastard!” Lia exclaimed with a laugh. “You coming out with us after the show?”

“Hell no. We got an early bus call and a four-hour drive to Glasgow. And I know what you get up to, Lia.”

My heart sank a little, even though I knew Oli was only being reasonable. We did only have a few hours in the hotel before we needed to get going again. I was going to be fine, really - I planned on not getting blackout drunk and there wasn’t too much left for me to do tomorrow that I hadn’t already taken care of. Plus, I wasn’t the one who had to be up on stage that night delivering the show of their life.

“Fucking party pooper.”

“I’m so much of a party pooper that I specifically came to get you two because Bad Omens are about to start. Managed to organise some wine for you too. Good enough?”

“Just about,” Lia mused, standing up and walking past him and out of the room with the confidence only someone who had on idea which way the stage was could have. We both looked at her leave, overly amused, until I remembered she was my friend and I should probably make sure she wouldn’t get completely lost.

Oli stopped me at the door. “You gonna stop by when you get back tonight?”

“I could just text you that I got back safe, you know. It might get late.”

He slung his arm around my waist, pulling me into a side hug, a telling smirk playing on his lips. “I’ll gladly wake up for you.”

•••

I wasn’t quite sure how we ended up in Oli’s suite - a suite! Motherfucker had a suite all to himself! - playing questionable drinking games (Truth or dare? Never have I ever? 21 questions? Honestly, it was hard to tell at this point) way past midnight and maybe it was because I was a little intoxicated - not drunk, I was still aware I had a bus ride in just a few hours - but I was tipsy enough not to question it just yet.

The evening had gone something like this: Oli had, in fact, organised two bottles of wine and exclusive seats for us during the show. Lia was blown away by Bad Omens and the way Noah sang and how she couldn’t blame me at all for crushing on him. Then, Lia followed it up by being blown away by Bring Me The Horizon and their production and the Oli’s stage presence and the fact that I had somehow not banged him yet. Especially when he effectively climbed his videographer. Didn't help with the thoughts in my head either. Both of those bottles were killed by the time the show was over.

We had briefly ventured out to Lia’s favourite bar for a few shots, but had quickly realised that talking about Oli and Noah in a crowded place full of people who had just left the very concert they had performed at, wasn’t the wisest decision. So, with some more alcohol in tow, Lia had stolen my phone and texted the two men and somehow, somehow convinced them to join us for a little afterparty. Now all of us were feeling the buzz and going along with Lia’s questionable ideas.

“Worst place you’ve ever vomited?”

“Just about every single time it happened on stage, and love, it happened,” Oli laughed. Those had been the bad times. I didn’t miss them at all. I’d trade them for this version of Oli, happy, healthy, optimistic, flirty, bloody gorgeous any day.

“Alright. No need to get into that. Noah, empty your wallet and show everyone what’s inside.”

Noah didn’t hesitate, grabbing the item from the back pocket of his trousers and emptying its contents. There wasn’t too much interesting stuff in there - ID, a credit card, some loose change in more than one currency. Lia grabbed onto the condom wrappers immediately. Three of them.

“Ultra thin, extra lube, ribbed,” she read aloud. “Damn, someone knows how to treat their partners.”

Noah blushed a little under the redness that the alcohol had already flushed his cheeks with. I was pretty sure I did the same, my mind running away with thoughts. This was good. He quickly gathered them up again and stowed them away but I didn’t think he missed the way Oli raised his eyebrows at him. Surprise enough that he didn’t say anything.

“Aubrey, who would you like to kiss in this room?”

“Who wouldn’t I like to kiss!” I giggled, taking another sip of wine, even though it was starting to get to my head. Obviously.

“Well, me, hopefully, or you’ll have to deal with my wife,” Lia laughed, holding up the wedding ring on her finger. “Anyway. What caused your last relationship to break down?”

She didn’t aim the question at anyone in particular, but Noah, sweet, closed-off Noah, suddenly had an intense urge to answer.

“What didn't,” he groaned, throwing his had back and cradling the bottle in his hands. “Touring, the distance, the groupies that don’t exist, the missed phone calls, the not being enough.” He threw his hands in the air in defeat. I thought it was the most he had revealed about himself, like, ever. “And here comes the kicker. I was talking about proposing to her with the guys and looking up rings the very morning of the day she broke up with me.”

Silence engulfed us. A comment from Folio, just a few days ago, and Noah’s very unamused answer was whirling in my head, but I was too intoxicated to make perfect sense of it right now. I just knew there was a connection.

I didn’t know if telling him I was sorry would cut it. Bit of a big deal, really, finding someone to marry who drops you like that. What do you say to that? Luckily, good old Oli jumped in pretty much immediately.

“Emotionally unavailable and obsessed with myself,” he said. “Pretty sure that’s a direct quote, too. Probably not too wrong about it either.”

Apparently we were sharing break-up stories now. My turn, I decided.

“Told her that, very theoretically, mind, I would be open to polyarmory. Because, you know, I definitely think you can be in love with more than one person. And if everyone’s happy, I’m sure there’s something great about relationships that aren’t just two people. Well,” I mused, throwing back another sip of wine to keep myself going, spilling a little on my top, “all she heard was ‘this is an open relationship without any rules now’ and went and banged someone else the next day.”

The three of us looked each other, throwing pitiful looks around, realising we were all pretty fucked up in our own ways, and suddenly broke out laughing. It almost took my breath away, the intensity of the relief of sharing these little things with people so dear to me, letting them understand me a little better, understanding them a little better in return and oh god more wine on me. These jeans would have to go straight into the washing.

“Enough tearjerker stories,” Lia announced, but there was no malice in her words. “Let’s get back to the fun questions! Worst sex experience! Oli, please, I want to hear yours.”

“Alright, first one that comes to mind right now, couple of years ago, right, I hook up with this girl, all fun and games, but it’s very fucking tame, you know? And out of nowhere she just fucking chokes me. I’m not saying I don’t like it, but that proper came out of fucking nowhere. Like. Normally, you’d ease up to it, if you hadn’t talked about it.”

Suddenly, Oli seemed to be sitting much closer to Noah than before. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination. Or the light.

“You’d have your hands on them somewhere,” Oli explained, drawing out his words, as his hand landed on Noah’s chest. He was caught off guard for a moment, but silently allowed the moment to play out. “Slowly move them up, see if they enjoy it.”

Oli followed through. Noah was definitely enjoying it. I was transfixed on the display in front of me.

“Get a little skin-on-skin contact.”

His fingers were tracing the line where Noah’s shirt ended, just letting his fingertips play with the hem a little. I’d never seen Oli so gentle, but it was doing things to my body. Noah’s breathing was speeding up now, chest heaving, unable to keep it hidden. I couldn’t blame him at all.

“See how they react to your hand being closer to their throat.”

Oli’s hand moved higher, carefully stroking the skin at Noah’s neck. Noah swallowed, hard, his eyelids fluttering shut. It was as if he was loosing all control over his bodily reactions. It was intoxicating to watch.

“And maybe, you know, if they don’t move away or move your hand, you can give it a try.”

And Oli did. Wrapping his hand around Noah’s throat and squeezing a little. Just the slightest bit. Just the possibility of more. And Noah moaned.

“And that’s my cue to get myself on an uber home!” Lia declared loudly, standing up and just about catching the wine bottle that had been in her lap before it toppled over onto the carpet. She was swaying a little, quite obviously the most drunk out of the four of us and I quickly made the executive decision to accompany her downstairs and wait with her. Oli gave me a nod, a satisfied smirk on his face. Noah didn’t look at me at all, but he seemed to be questioning all his life choices.

“Girl! What’s going on between the two of them? I knew you were developing… something with both of them, you didn’t tell me about the two of them with each other!”

I awkwardly fumbled with Oli’s room key as we descended on the lift. “I don’t think they know either.”

“But, do you mind?”

I looked at her, thoughtful for a moment, almost missing the time frame to leave the lift as it arrived in the lobby. Did I mind?

“No,” I answered, without giving it any further thought, just knowing. “No, I really don’t.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” Lia giggled, giving me a hug so enthusiastically it almost toppled us over. “Now go, go and get them together and then get them both for yourself.”

•••

I didn’t knock when I used the key card to get back into Oli’s room. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that I was going to be back - not only had I actively snatched the card from the desk but I had also left all my stuff in there. Still, none of us had seen the situation coming, apparently.

The first thing I saw when I entered the room was that neither Oli nor Noah were still sitting on the couch. The second thing I saw was that Oli had pressed Noah against the wall instead.

They didn’t notice me immediately, too caught up in their own world as Oli frantically pressed his lips to Noah’s. Entangled as if they simply couldn’t get close enough, one of Oli’s hands was in Noah’s hair, keeping him in place, keeping him complacent, the other running up the outside of his thigh, as Noah was pawing at Oli’s back, as if not sure what his hands were looking for, but trying all the same. My heart fluttered with… love? The door falling shut behind me caught their attention.

They didn’t jump apart. In fact, their hands were still exactly where they had left them. But both of them had turned their heads so fast it looked painful.

“Don’t stop on my account,” I grinned. “I’m very much enjoying this.”

Noah was visibly shaken up and out of breath and I wondered if that was what happened to people who got to kiss Oli Sykes, but Oli himself was in the best of moods.

“See, I heard that you went and kissed our Noah here,” he explained, slowly detaching himself from him. Noah’s body almost followed on its own account, seemingly not having enough of the other man just yet. “And I got really, really jealous. But now I’m realising that means he got to kiss you, too.”

“There’s really no need to be jealous, at all,” I replied, letting him come closer and closer, just to push him back onto the couch. Straddling his lap, my thighs on either side of his, was a logical conclusion. “You can kiss me anytime.”

There was a hint of hesitation. Something familiar in his eyes, something like home. A decade-long friendship that was begging to be ruined. I knew he saw the same in me. We’d done things with each other, things to each other, that went beyond any regular friendship. But this moment, this temptation of finally getting his mouth on mine, a kiss, felt like it weighed so much more heavily on both of us.

His hands landed on my thighs, moving up to the small of my back, giving me security and safety and all rationality be damned, I leaned down and allowed my lips to touch his.

A shockwave travelled through every inch of my being, then the tension evaporated, as if this was where I'd always meant to be. Oli was soft and pliant under me, a stark contrast to how he usually presented himself, to how he usually behaved around me even, but I indulged in the feeling, grabbing onto his arms to make them wrap around me, letting him hold me close, tightly. I couldn't stop my own hands from tracing along his torso, his neck, his face, silently mapping his body in a way I had never been allowed to before. When his tongue licked against my lips, I let him in.

The kiss became more frantic as I lost all self-control. Years and years of unfulfilled desires poured into us as I pressed myself into him. Oli tasted sweet, so much sweeter than expected, even with the beer still lingering. I could feel myself falling, deeper and deeper, like a feral animal willingly setting foot into a trap, the temptation of the bait calling too loudly to ignore.

I noticed the couch dip before my brain realised Noah was next to us. Then his hand was at the back of my head, gripping my hair and pulling me off Oli. Instantly, he had me turned toward him, Oli’s hands still on me, my body still on his lap, but now my lips were crashing into Noah’s. It was electrifying, his frantic kiss, how his lust must have built as he watched us. Oli’s mouth now at my neck, licking along my tendon, finishing it off with a soft bite.

Noah swallowed my moans easily, still holding me in place, still roughly moving my head to his own wishes. Oli was grinding up into me, his hard dick against my core making me squirm even through the layers, thoughts of what it had looked like, what he had looked like overwhelming my mind. When Noah let go of me it felt so sudden that I almost lost my balance, hands trying to find the couch table behind me as a way to steady myself. The dull noise of a bottle hitting the carpeted floor had all three of us halt in our movements.

The wine ended up on the carpet after all, like a bad metaphor for whatever the three of us had just started and might be unable to stop.

I got up from Oli’s lap, Noah also standing up as if he suddenly didn’t know where he was supposed to be anymore. The awkwardness in the room was tangible, the lines we had just crossed almost becoming visible in my mind as my tipsy brain struggled to make sense of the consequences.

When Noah and I announced our separate departures, Oli didn’t say a word, still staring at the dark red colour seeping into the plush beneath his feet. Both of us went in opposite directions in the hallway. I didn’t know if that was supposed to be a metaphor too.

#Noah Sebastian fic #Noah Sebastian #Oli Sykes fic #Oli Sykes #Noah Sebastian x reader #Oli Sykes x reader #in love with the mess

92 notes · View notes

queen0fm0nsterz · 8 months

Text

Also guys, about the locations of the podcasts: they are real places. 100%. They are real places somewhere in the Nowhere - most importantely, somewhen.

Prophetic dreams are very real in Little Nightmares and they are things that often happen: however, I do not believe this is yet the case for Noone. She describes feeling sensations and smells multiple times, something that can only happen if the plane of reality one is in is... well. Real. She also describes feeling Jester's presence as she does with Otto's, who is a real person in the real world alongside her. The fact that Noone isn't currently fully there yet doesn't necessarely mean the places aren't real.

Now, whether she's visiting the past versions of some already existing locations is up to debate (COUGH THE BATHHOUSE COUGH), and that locations and habitants of said locations can be parallels to some already existing ones, but the only certainty we have at this point is that these other places that are being described and witnessed by Noone are real places somewhere. After all, the Nowhere is an incredibly vast place of which we have explored incredibly little.

Would it be so surprising if the places Noone visits are separate from the, like, 3 ones we have visited?

(map is from LN II, the school, and is supposedly rappresenting a region of which we only see a single city.)

And another thing, actually: I have seen many compare the Lady to the Woman in Chains, but honestly, after reading through the transcript of the first episode of TSON made by @softichill... the two sound like the complete opposite of each other, appearence and behaviour wise.

The Woman in Chains is described as having a "stretched back face", therefore causing her to have wrinkles due to how her face is structured, which explains Noone talking about her as being "both old and young". There is no concealing, no mask, nothing to hide her face. She doesn't live in secrecy like the Lady does -- quite the contrary, infact.

And about features: in both her forms, the Lady's face looks the opposite of hers. Either completely relaxed, or... nearly like it's melting.

I have also seen some people try to claim that the "familiar outfit" as a reference to the Lady's kimono, but you must remember who the narrator is. The outfit is familiar to Noone. Not us. It is likely that the Woman is wearing either a nun's dress (Noone mentions seeing three laying on a bed in the Prisoner's bedroom) or something Noone might have seen from the institution she's kept in.

While the Lady does thrive in her occupation, she doesn't necessarely take joy in it like the Woman in Chains (Prison Ward, atp) does. For the Lady, it's much more a matter of survival. She is on the Maw because it's convenient, see as she's in a powerful position. The Woman in Chains is instead happily preparing torture devices to haunt the Prisoners with.

Some parallels are certainly there. Referring to them as being, even metaphorically, the same person... it would mean that the team wrote a very bad analogy. They are nothing alike in any other aspect BUT their occupation. Funnily enough, you could say the Thin Man and the Signal Tower operate in a near identical manner to both these places. He's also the living center/battery of his own mechanism.

Noone also mentions that the Workers seem to be made of shadows, similarly to the Shadow Children. However, it is also evident that these beings are different, as they work and can hold objects much like the nomes. Later, when she meets a living child, she notes that they have black goo in their hair that moves like shadows. If that's the same material the Workers are made of, then this would make them some sort of liquid entities.

Lastly, about the inhabitants themselves: no one else in this Prison is here because they want to be. The Prisoners are not like the Guests, who come on the Maw willingly. The Workers are mindless beings, unlike the Nomes who draw and the Shadow Kids who play just like children. The child and Noone want to leave... and that's understandable.

My friend @chorusofkhonshu smartly pointed this out, so I'm just gonna copy and paste what he said word for word.

"So I thought, if these creatures are made of liquid, it has to come from somewhere. So my mind wandered to the prisoners, their purpose. Perhaps like the Maw and Signal Tower need to absorb people. The Signal Towers thru TVs and the Maw thru the Lady. What if those prisoners are only alive to be bled dry so long as they live. Noone smells the prisoner rotting. All those prisoners have to share some purpose, they might be tortured. Some device that the lady there has. She uses straps and cranks. Masks with spikes in the mouth. It runs on tortured souls."

And just as Noone mentions later on:

Swelling.

If anything... rather than paralleling Six's journey, Noone seems to be living it backwards. Completely backwards.

... Mh.

208 notes · View notes

genericpuff · 4 months

Note

Oooh, I love that you're actually using Withy (and maybe Krokos as well?), so I can't wait to see where this storyline goes! Ngl though—and this is a problem I have with Rachel as well, I know Withy comes from there—but I kinda wish you had taken the opportunity to use a more Grecian name instead. Withy is another word for willow stem, so something like Helike or Itea could've fit very well.

Funnily enough, a Helike actually is associated with the abduction of Persephone, albeit according to the Roman Ovid in his Fasti, though in this case. If I remember correctly, she'd originally been a nymph (specifically one of Zeus's nurses) and eventually became Ursa Major as a reward, according to Aratus' Phaenomena.

Two Bears wheel together—wherefore they are also called the Wains. Now they ever hold their heads each toward the flank of the other, and are borne along always shoulder-wise, turned alternate on their shoulders. If, indeed, the tale be true, from Krete (Crete) they by the will of mighty Zeus entered up into heaven, for that when in olden days he played as a child in fragrant Dikton (Mount Dicte), near the hill of Ida, they set him in a cave and nurtured him for the space of a year, what time the Diktaioi Kouretes (Dictaean Curetes) were deceiving Kronos (Cronus). Now the one men call by name Kynosoura (Cynosura) and the other Helike (Helice)

"You Arcadian stars (since you can see all things, Never plunging beneath the watery wastes) Show this wretched mother, her daughter, Proserpine!"

She spoke, and Helice answered her in this way: "Night’s free of blame: Ask the Light about your Stolen daughter: the Sun views, widely, things done by day."

Sorry for the weird ask, I just found it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when names aren't consistent with a certain culture. Again, I have this problem with Rachel too and even some retellings I really like, so nothing against you personally.

Anyway, I really like that you made her be associated with music! The painter Polygnotos depicted Orpheus as having brought willow with him when he went to the underworld, and if I recall correctly, willow is a common plant to be associated with poets. He also encounters a willow nymph in the Argonautica, while Homer tells us in The Odyssey that willows (and black poplars) are sacred to Persephone.

Orpheus sobbed as he prayed. But the Nymphai were still at hand, and they took pity on the suffering men. They wrought a miracle. First, grass sprung up from the ground, then long shoots appeared above the grass, and in a moment three saplings, tall, straight and in full leaf, were growing there. Hespere (Hespera) became a poplar; Erytheis an elm; Aigle (Aegle) a sacred willow. Yet they were still themselves; the trees could not conceal their former shapes--that was the greatest wonder of all. And now the Argonauts heard Aigle in her gentle voice tell them what they wished to know.

When you have crossed the stream of Ocean, you will reach the shore, where willows let fall their dying fruit, and towering poplars grow in the forest of Persephone.

So yeah, the fact that Persephone—future Queen of the Underworld—encounters a nymph essentially named Willow twice, first while said nymph is playing music and now in the underworld, is a really neat reference, intentional or not lol!

Not a weird ask at all, that was actually one of the few things from LO that I kept that I still kinda go (ノωヽ) on as well haha Although my biggest worry wasn't so much Withy, but Krokos, because in the original myths Crocus/Krokos was a man (and supposedly one of Hermes' lovers though the sources on that are a bit muddier) who had nothing to really do with Persephone.

The inclusion of Krokos and Withy is definitely one of those times I've ultimately decided to keep an element from LO despite it being out-of-place. Some things I changed for the sake of correcting the course Rachel put LO on, other things I kept in spite of the inaccuracies for the sake of storytelling, Krokos and Withy being one of those inaccuracies. The Act of Wrath plotline was one of my favorites from the LO storyline so when Krokos and Withy got swept under the rug, I wanted to use Rekindled to give them an actual spotlight and role in Persephone's story as unique characters, especially for readers and critics of the comic such as myself who wanted to see more done with them. I thought of changing their names at one time, but I felt like it would stray too far from the goal of redrawing/rewriting LO in doing so. So that's one of those "bear with me" things while I work with LO's ingredients (a challenge I'm fully open to taking on LOL) while also trying to respect the original myths.

What I will say without spoiling is that the Withy Persephone saw in the opening parts of the comic and the Withy she's seeing now are one and the same ;) So have fun with that fridge horror thought (•̀⌄•́)

#ama #anon ama #anon ask me anything #ask me anything #lore rekindled #lore rekindled ama

63 notes · View notes

stromuprisahat · 2 months

Note

I've been reading a lot of criticism about Alina lately, and while I agree that she is a shitty protagonist, but the main problem I have with saying that she is the true villain of the story is that... no one told her? No one talked to her about Grisha persecution? Yeah, we hear about it vaguely in TGT, but it isn't until SoC when they find the burnt corpses and the kefta mural that it truly starts to sink in. It's not until you read DitW that you realize how desperate the situation was (and still is, in some ways). It's not until the Nikolai Duology that the true horror of the Shu experiments is brought to us. We see nothing of it in TGT, so maybe... Alina just doesn't know?

Yeah, sure, she has been around Grisha and is one of them now, but hear me out, it's like white people who say they don't have a problem with POC but they don't realize that it doesn't negate the fact that POC still face racism from others. Add to the fact that nowhere do we see newspapers and as an orphan Alina is definitely less aware of social justice situations than your average white guy- how is she supposed to know? All that she sees is the luxury of the Grisha- their tents their bulletproof clothes, etc.

Just a thought about how the story might have gone different if instead of the crows, it was Alina who found the three burnt bodies while chasing the stag and had to put one of them out of their misery. And how the story might have changed if Alina truly understood the situation.

I'm almost halfway through Siege and Storm, so I’ll talk from this perspective.

I’d say it’s the same issue as anything with Alina- she doesn’t want to know.

She’s almost murdered by a guy yelling “witch” in her face. Funnily enough- at this point it’s still in English (Ravkan), not drüsje, but witch:

I twisted and kicked as the yellow-bearded man grabbed hold of my legs. I looked desperately down to the glen, but the soldiers and Grisha below me were fighting for their lives, clearly outnumbered and unable to come to my aid. I struggled and thrashed, but the Fjerdan was too strong. He climbed on top of me, using his knees to pin my arms to my sides, and reached for his knife.

“I’ll gut you right here, witch,” he snarled in a heavy Fjerdan accent.

She gets safely to Little Palace, mentiones this whole experience twice and that’s it. It wouldn’t even take that much to get back to this topic- next chapter she learns such attack isn’t anything unusual for Grisha:

“ ... Other countries don’t treat their Grisha so well as Ravka,” he said grimly. “The Fjerdans burn us as witches, and the Kerch sell us as slaves. The Shu Han carve us up seeking the source of our power. ... ”

Alina sees there’s a difference made between Grisha and other Ravkans, but never connects the dots. It doesn’t concern her, she’s doing the same after all.

She isn’t interested in situation, not only the wide picture, but more personal perspective- we don’t see her ask her “not-friends” anything about them. Their lives, families... You won’t hear a scary story if you won’t ask or listen...

She got study materials on Grisha history, but that's just that. Words on a paper. Something she repeats when she remembers she's supposed to be hunted, although the reasons don't quite click.

She goes from being prejudiced herself to staying that way. Why would she change? She went from denying being Grisha to being Saint and that’s a completely different thing. The only person she truly cares about is an otkazat’sya, so why would she consider wrongness of slurs and disdain?

She was told, but the Darkling "never tells the truth" and she doesn’t feel the need to ask anyone else.

She hears First Army soldiers insult Ivan for refusing to share information with them, and doesn't blink an eye.

She hears about First Army slaughtering Grisha, and thinks "good, I'd do the same".

She only cares about Grisha being potentially mistreated as long as it's the Darkling harming them (Genya's punishment, Grishenka in R&R).

When forced to face other harm partially caused by Grisha status of slaves in Ravkan society, the circumstances allow her to ignore that aspect (Genya's abuse).

I don’t think she needs anything more explicit. She’d just find the way to blame the Darkling, or forget it ever happened as soon as it was out of her sight.

Burned Grisha corpses?

Some foreign tradition. Or barbecue gone wrong...

Just look at her reaction to Harshaw's story in R&R:

I thought of the dream the Darkling had once had, that we might be Ravkans and not just Grisha. He’d tried to make a safe place for our kind, maybe the only one in the world. I understand the desire to remain free. Was that why Harshaw kept fighting? Why he’d chosen to stay? He must have shared the Darkling’s dream once. Had he given its care over to me?

Zoya's the one, to note how fucked up it is. Alina's concern is possible responsibility. There's no horror, there's no resolution to take over Aleksander's efforts. The goal remains the same- hunt down the Firebird, kill the Darkling, destroy the Fold.

Even when talking as Grisha, Alina doesn't act like one.

#reply #Alina Starkov #grishanalytical #S&B Chapter 4 #S&B Chapter 5 #S&S Chapter 1 #S&B Chapter 21 #S&S Chapter 10 #R&R Chapter 13 #anti Grisha sentiments #self centred and paranoid #Grishaverse #Grisha trilogy #anti Leigh Bardugo #anti Alina Starkov #but not really

41 notes · View notes

stellocchia · 5 months

Text

Even now, I still don't understand the logic behind having the Disc War Finale be faked when it was executed the way it was. Specifically, having Dream want to go to jail.

I'm assuming that, by the time the reveal happened, they already decided that Dream and Punz both knew how the Revival Book worked. And, regardless if they did or not, the characters canonically already knew. They'd been experimenting.

With that knowledge, if Punz gaining the trust of the public (which was never actually used in any context ever, so, even that is a very debatable gain to aim for?) was the aim, them killing Dream in front of everyone and then reviving him once they all left would have served the goal just as well if not better?

Like, what did Dream gain from actually going to prison? To the prison, he specifically made awful on purpose? Literally nothing. Just some torture which, sure, he could not have foreseen, but he knew his permanence in there would not be pleasant. He also, like, didn't give Punz the blueprints that explained how to get him out? Which meant that not only Punz couldn't help directly, but he couldn't even get Techno to pay back the favor and get him out that way. Which means that Dream's brilliant plan of being in prison for a while was wholly reliant on Techno giving enough of a shit to remember the favor and decide to pay it back, and then also on Dream giving him the location of the blueprints and hoping that Techno had a way to safely get out alive with that information.

Like, sure, it happened after well over a year, but that was not a concrete plan by any means. It couldn't be. Chucking books at the warden until he was let out would honestly have been just as well thought-out!

And, for all of that time, Punz didn't do much in general. He got mind-controlled for a while and that's about it. He didn't use the time to gain intel or allies or even spread 'Dream isn't that bad' propaganda. He did jack shit with it. So Dream got out right back where he started off.

And the thing is, there was still a way they could have played this out effectively.

They could have gone for an approach that humanized Dream (so we didn't have to have the child he abused later on be the one who realized his "humanity" and apologized, because that was laughably ridiculous and a terrible decision, though that's a rant for another day) by making it so that the original plan WAS the kill and revive Dream one, but, at the last moment, when it should have happened, Dream got scared.

Fear of death is a very human thing to have. It could have been interesting for him. A character who sees himself as a god with no weaknesses and no attachments, still so attached to his own life and scared of his own mortality. It's even in line with his desire for immortality!

And that's when he blurted out about the revival book and begged not to be killed. And Punz, still trying to gain the favor of the masses, couldn't go against their will when the plan shifted from killing Dream to trapping him.

It could have been interesting. It would be a loss for them, but one that would, funnily enough, make Dream look like less of a complete and utter moron than the "win" they got.

It would explore his character's weaknesses and his hubris. His belief that he's above the ridiculous attachments the rest of the server is plagued by would be the very thing that crumbled beneath his feet and caused his fall.

But, instead of that, we got the nonsensical "lmao I'm always 10 step ahead of everyone... what do you mean I walked into a plothole?" story instead. What a waste.

#dream smp #dsmp #dream smp analysis #c!dream #c!punz #staged duo #staged duo critical #dream smp critical #ultimately no character without weaknesses is fun #and no character who never loses is fun #not even when they're villains #and trying to spin c!dream's biggest loss as a victory is what fucked them

84 notes · View notes

dialingyoudarlingyou · 1 year

Text

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you

Tw: none, just fluff. so much of it. blame Taylor swift’s songs for being the best thing that has ever happened. Since my brain isn't letting me write the second part for this love I wrote this instead hehe. This is based on that one line in New Year's Day. I heard it and I couldn’t stop thinking about how it’d make for a perfect prompt.

He looks at her. Because somehow that makes things easier for him. Sometimes he feels like this is a dream and he might just wake up any second. Sometimes he wonders what he did to deserve her because there is no way in hell that someone as beautiful and understanding as her would ever be with someone as pathetic and boring as him. He looks at her like she is the sun. Resting in the warmth she gives off. When she smiles, it radiates a calming warmth like nothing else. The peace and hope her warmth gives off fills his heart with overwhelming amounts of love and devotion.

So, he sits down next to her and stares with astonishment at how the person he loves has brought so much colour to his life. And he blissfully wonders if she knows how much beauty she radiates every time she laughs or smiles, and how every time he looks at her his heart soars and fills with joy, he feels as if time could never catch up with him.

He wonders when he’ll be able to tell her how he feels without stuttering and mumbling. They have been together for almost 2 years now, but it feels as though they have been together forever because he cannot imagine his life without her.

‘I love you' these three words are always on the tip of his tongue. Anytime, anyplace it doesn't matter.

Funnily enough, he used to struggle with saying those words but then he discovered something peculiar.

“You remembered? Oh my god!"

Her voice echoes as she enters the Batcave. She rushes in with a big grin on her face and he knows exactly what she is thinking. Bruce knows that face all too well. She skips a few steps and gives him a tight embrace. He eventually melts into it.

"I can't believe this bruce! You remembered and I only mentioned it once- and you-" she sniffles as her grasp on him tightens. His fingers slowly run through her hair, and he murmurs "do you like it?" "Like? Bruce, I love it. I love you. But you didn’t have to- This complete set of merchandise is so expensive Bruce. So expensive, it's worth my one month's salary."

"Love, I'll give you anything you want all you have to do is say. I'll give you the stars, the moon, and the fucking planets." Bruce inhales her scent and sighs. God, he cannot think about how he would ever live without her. Her eyes seemed to have teared up at his words and she just squeezed his hand three times in reply.

His eyes were piqued with curiosity. He asked her what the gesture meant. “It means I love you,” she whispered, her voice was so soft it was scarcely audible. But he heard it. a smile made its way onto his face; he immediately squeezed it back. and no, he didn’t stop after three; he repeated the gesture six times.

From that day onward, Bruce repetitively told her ‘I love you.’ Sometimes he squeezed her hand randomly- before he left for his nocturnal ventures.

Aside from that sometimes when it was just the two of them alone in the Batcave, he would casually tap out the gesture with his finger on the desk.

tap. tap. tap.

She would look up from her book and make eye contact with Bruce who was sitting across the room. She knew what it meant. She somehow always did.

Bruce said I love you all the time now, more often than the ones she said out loud.

She realized that he had a unique way of declaring his love, and it was okay because, in the end, it was the love that mattered.

#bruce wayne x reader #bruce wayne x y/n #battinson x reader #batman x reader #battinson #batman 2022 #the batman #robert pattinson

186 notes · View notes

inlocusmads · 3 months

Text

poster child ~ nora rose

For someone who has made it clear she wants to do everything for vengeance, Nora has second thoughts. Also, Buddha is a good listener. (crimes of passion)

wc: 1.2k / warnings: strong language, discussion of depression and self-destruction

a/n: I woke up and chose angst. enjoy <3

The empty room that hosted support group meetings for mental health illness survivors had this portrait of Buddha. It was one from a Buddhist monastery in Western Bali. Supposed to be all all-encompassing, all-nurturing with the smell of incense and talks about finding a balance and everything. Funnily enough, it was built exactly like a crossover between a church and a college classroom. The seats were cold. A podium straight ahead. An instructor to talk, between 9 and 10. One hour to fix all of her grievances in a proper ordered list, as if that were ever that easy.

She had enough battery in her phone to make one phone call. To tell them to pick her up because she’d fled the scene and now it was raining outside.

She didn’t.

“I’m not Buddhist, but -- I am assuming you’re -- someone--” Nora stared at the portrait, averting her eyes away as quickly as possible. “- who probably listens.”

When there aren’t people, your brain sort of configures this perfect audience scenario. To Nora, a perfect audience was no audience. One that didn’t talk over her for starters.

“Anyway, I had these parents, you know -- panicky people with no soul in them, because they just keep giving and giving-- and I want to be able to do that, you know? Give back. Because nobody is going to remember them. Nobody knows Jimmy. Who knows Alison? No, they’d be ‘who the fuck is Alison?’. Nobody.”

Nora took a staggered breath.

Breathe, said the posters around her. Breathe in and out.

“Look, I’m not trying to -- offend you, Buddha, but -- I can’t sit under a tree. My mom died of medical neglect. No. I genuinely thought I could become some sort of a -- medicine person-- a doctor, and just-- do something about it. But no, I was shit at that--”

Nora stopped herself. The blood across her knuckles sent a sharp jolt of pain as she dabbed her spit on the end of her jacket and pressed it against the wound. Her eyes were botchy and it was hard to see properly. The cheeks she saw in the mirror on her way in, were red and at the mere sense of touch, they felt like they could fall apart.

“Anyway, I -- my dad, back before he died, told me to be kind. He said ‘Hey Nora, I know you suck at everything, but do me a favour and be kind for a change’ and -- me with this-- was all a big ‘fuck you’ to him.” - she held up her blood-caked fists as if Buddha could see her. “Because that’s what people say. They say Jimmy was driven by vengeance, he got what he deserved and this was the universe coming back for a second shot at me..”

Nora inhaled a sharp breath of air. The walls seemed to be closing in. Take a brain break! It is okay to ask for help! Just ask! You are not alone! Self-love is the best kind of love there exists! Want someone to talk to? Just phone one of our partners! Love is love is love!

“And so yes, I wanted it to be a ‘fuck you’ to him, because I cannot stand idly by when I never had a childhood. It’s me doing this because there’s probably a kid at home, some thirteen-fourteen years ago, wondering what she did wrong. It’s --”

Mental health help is not a sign of weakness. You’re doing great! You have come this far! You can make it tomorrow!

“-- it’s all I have. The very reason I exist is because I want to get back at the people who wronged me. I have no plans, no ideas, no -- thoughts -- nothing. Just nothing. Mom’s dead. Dad’s dead. Where the fuck do I go? You tell me, Buddha -- don’t you want to destroy your life trying to make sure they get to rest?” - she pointed at the ground, before her arm hung limp.

“And I know that. I know. I have a friend -- Trystan and -- he had this epiphany where he sees the good in people. Even a brother who killed another. He feels for him and it’s this huge -- thing for him, you know, Buddha? Like he gets to show off his enlightenment because he picked a side that allowed him to grieve for the living and the dead. And he wants me to do the same. Stop going on a rampage. It’s funny how nothing changes. Dad’s talking about how you shouldn’t follow him and you do, and you find him dead. Trystan says it isn’t nice to beat the shit out of someone and you do anyway. This is all I have.”

Nora wasn’t good at anything. The one thing she was, and felt proud of herself for, was shutting off her tears entirely. She grieved. Her heart broke. She didn’t cry. She couldn’t afford to.

“I feel like if people get to know me, they are going to leave me. And I can’t have them leaving me, because I need their help to ensure my parents get a send-off. And I need them because they are my only hope of keeping myself --” Nora yanked her bangs, fistful of hair being pulled in, due to sheer agony -- “from-- me..”

She watched as the blood poured out of the crevices of her hands. “Dad would not want this. Mom wouldn’t want this either. And yet, I’m doing this for them, because deep down, I want to believe that if I die tomorrow, knowing they -- died knowing they did what they had to do, I would pull the life support off, myself. Do things on my own accord."

Her hands hovered over her phone. Uncle Tommy’s number came up first. Trystan, the second. Third, fourth, fifth, sixth -- all the way until the very end - Dad’s. Then Mom’s. She had no reason to save those numbers; they didn’t exist anymore. Their sims thrown into the ocean, their phones in a recycling factory somewhere, them erased out of existence and thrown into a birth certificate and then crushed as fine as salt. No heroes’ salute. No bereavement food, just silence.

“I just want them to -- anyone to-- clap my shoulder and say, ‘good job, Nora’ in the last moments of my life. This feels like it. So Buddha, if you can talk, I recommend you start doing that right now. Ha.” Nora swallowed hard. “This feels like the end, because -- I have run-- and talked to imagined audiences all my life that I can’t do this anymore. I can’t go on, hoping and hoping because -- this routine isn’t saving me. I am never going to be someone else. Just that one lonely kid in the class, no boyfriends to talk about, no girlfriends to get side-eyes for- on this fucking Roman crusade because I have nobody and that pisses me off so much, I start thinking if I punch someone really really hard and kill them, I can bring my Dad back and the -- Devil can keep the other poor guy. And I’m scared I’m never going to truly grieve the loss of my childhood, because everyday feels like I have always been that kid. That yearns for approval from dead people.”

The posters were laughing at her.

Nora scrolled through her contacts. She dialed Trystan’s. It switched to hold music.

“Will you recognize me?

Call my name or walk on by

Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling

Down, down, down, down.”

“Shit.”

“your defenses… Vanity and security, ah.”

She clicked her phone off, studying the poster straight above the Buddha.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself!

***

A/N: the song is 'don't you forget about me' by simple minds. I hope you enjoyed this!

The sheer audacity of Nora to discuss death with Buddha is just everything to me. I love her so much.

I'm so glad this is done, lmao. I have been working on this for a solid 3 days. It went from 4k words to 1.2k and I am the happiest I can possibly be.

perma: @quixoticdreamer16 @tessa-liam @stars-are-within-me

crimes: @trappedinfanfiction @ao719 @cassie-thorne @peonierose @moominofthevalley @jerzwriter @thosehallowedhalls

#crimes of passion fics #crimes of passion #trystan x nora #w:inlocusmads #trystan thorne x mc

15 notes · View notes

copperbadge · 1 year

Note

Sam, you’ve talked a bit about the anger that comes with going undiagnosed for so long, and with having parents that dismissed your struggles. I’m about your age and I recently told my mom that I am relatively sure I have ADHD and that I was looking into getting a diagnosis, and I was at least 60% expecting her to disagree. And instead she said. “Oh yeah, I always thought that.”

Like. ????? WHAT. WHY DID SHE NOT EVER SAY ANYTHING???? Also, she was a teacher for years, and she knows how much I struggled in school so I am just. I’m honestly not sure if this is better or worse than her trying to say I couldn’t possibly have it. Like, at least she acknowledges that I struggled I guess? :/ Anyways, how’s it going with you?

I mean, I'm a big fan of repression.

That's only partially a joke. I'm not a big fan of repression but I do believe in trying to correct negative/damaging thoughts when they can't lead anywhere productive. I'm not a "think positive" person per se, but...

Yes, I am angry I didn't get a diagnosis earlier, particularly since it's not like my family was ignorant about the issue. But meditating on that just makes me more upset, and discussing this with my mother is not going to be cathartic for me or productive for either one of us. Even if I just wanted to take out my anger on her, which is a childish but understandable impulse, it's not like she did it maliciously. She was doing the best she could alone with three kids to raise and she desperately needed at least one of them to be "normal", for reasons that have much more to do with her upbringing and mental health than anything to do with me or my siblings.

And that's all a fucked up situation, but there's nothing to be done about the past. So when I feel annoyance or anger, I stop and think, okay, but there's no point in lingering. Get it out if you have to, but then let's move on to how you can repair that damage. Then I talk about it on here so other people will feel okay about it, and I try to practice compassion, to remember that my parents tried to give their kids a good life with the tools they had and with their own disabilities to deal with.

It sounds like you're in a different place than I am, so I don't know how helpful this is. Not that you really asked for help, it's sweet that you just asked me how I'm doing, but I like to be helpful anyway :) I think the anger you're feeling is normal; the "oh yeah I assumed you had a disability and DID NOTHING" situation is actually quite common, you're not the first person I've spoken to who's had that experience. But part of managing the anger is making a conscious decision about what to do when you feel it.

Pema Chodron, a Buddhist nun, wrote a book called Start Where You Are that I read about five years ago and which I've found useful in managing emotions about things I can't change. I think it gets overhyped as a self-help book, but that's not really how it functions; it's more about explicating a specific line of Buddhist reasoning and using Buddhist practice to accept the difficulty of the world without buying into helplessness over it. Part of that is learning to sit in the pain of unhappiness -- to acknowledge an emotion, experience it, and move into either using it for a productive purpose or letting it go. It's a practice that doesn't come easily, but it does seem to help, at least for me.

Funnily enough, I started writing the Shivadh novels before I had a diagnosis but I knew from the first novel that Jerry was neurodiverse. Writing him with ADHD, even as a supporting character, has been very helpful for me because like me he can't really talk to his parents about it, with a father who has passed and a mother who is in denial. But he's still a fundamentally likable person who gets to demonstrably mature over the course of the books, to achieve things he couldn’t before and be praised for it. It's very satisfying to write about someone who got a late diagnosis and that made his life measurably better. Because it has, for both of us! I would rather have this diagnosis at forty than never have had it at all.

So yeah I'm sad, and angry, and struggling, but crucially I'm not taking it out on myself or others, and I know that this is a temporary situation. These are feelings that will fade in time because they arise from grief for could-have-been, and it's worth the sadness and the anger to have the diagnosis and to finally have help. I can't help the failures and bad relationships and mistakes I made because I had a disability I didn't know about, but I didn't know about it -- and now that I do I can improve my life going forward. What I'm feeling now is passing; what caused those feelings is permanent, and from now on I'll understand myself better (and, at least in theory, have access to bomb-ass medication to help raise my quality of life).

#sam has adhd

204 notes · View notes

bangobeep · 3 months

Text

A Love Letter to Jazzpunk, by Ed

It's crazy how fast time can go by when you're enjoying yourself. It's been about three years since I first encountered this game, and I could not be happier with where it's brought me. I've learned so much and met so many wonderful people through it.

For a game that can be played in 2 hours and a half, it sure is complex; so full of jokes and content that can take literal hours to be taken apart. It's brought me closer to an appreciation of things like abstract art, the cyberpunk genre, analog tech, vintage clothing, suits, among a few others.

I remember my first interaction with the game. Funnily enough, it was not through Ranboo like what I usually tell. Back in the day, 2021, I was a mere high school student who, to cope with the horrors of the pandemic, used to be into the DSMP. Woo. Yeah. No shame in admittance. Well, only a little bit.

There was this one cosplayer I used to follow on TikTok (if I recall correctly, their name is Fern [they/them]); mainly because of their c!Foolish cosplay. I was drawn to them and their energy and the way they portrayed characters! So, naturally, I followed them and interacted with their videos every now and then.

On the 23rd of June of 2021, I found myself doom-scrolling on the app (as one does), and I came across one of their videos, though this one was not from any media I knew or was used to watching from them.

The song spy? by WHOKILLEDXIX started playing, and there he was. Glasses and (makeshift) orange tie. Business card. Coat. A little unhinged, yet classy. The Editor.

I feel as if I was so drawn to him because of what I wanted to do after high school. I wanted to study literature in college to become an editor myself! I wanted to correct people's texts, be annoying about it and get paid for it! And would you look at that, the name of the guy is quite literally The Editor. LOL.

As the days went by, I found myself going back to the video, waiting for them to upload more, to feed into my curiosity. I loved the video I saw so much I saved it to my gallery the exact same day I saw it.

Then came the second one, with actual footage from the game. "Quick, look behind you." The Director says, and the camera cuts to the ground, and Fern's shoes. I heard their voices for the first time. "Improvise, I know you'll do well by me." He says again, and I grow ever so drawn to it. Five videos are more than enough. And while I don't look it up just yet, it's in my head.

Until the 25th of July 2021! Like I said, I used to be into the DSMP, though by then, the fixation was fading, and I found myself in that limbo where nothing quite caught my attention. On that day, Ranboo tweeted something about a Jazzpunk stream, and it instantly caught my attention. I was quick to put down anything I was doing to find out what it really was.

And though I was not particularly interested in them, or their streams anymore, I was hooked! I was not the kind to stay for an entire stream, yet there I was. Two hours and thirty something minutes of being beamed in the brain with pure madness.

And then it was over. And I found myself gripping every single piece of fanart I could find with my bare hands, screaming because there had got to be more, right? There had to be more.

And there was! That's when Tumblr became my main form of internet presence. First was Instagram, then came Twitter, and well, would you look at that, I made it here.

I started drawing. I must admit, my first few drawings were atrocious, but looking back on them now, I feel proud. People say that when you fixate on something, your art develops as you go, and they're right!

A year and a half are all my prior account lasted. By the same name. I made a stupid joke to my boyfriend, sending one (1) spam message in their ask box and it was gone! And so, bangobeep 2.0 came to fruition. But that's not the point.

Back when I first got into the game, the need for connection was strong. I found myself craving the partnership; the long, late-night talks about little details of the game, the roleplaying, the scenario thinking, and so the Jazzpunk server came to life on the 13th of August 2021. Named Jazzpunk Moment. I sent a DM to the people I saw most often in the tag back then: Pangolin-404 and Vendotlover, both of which I admired very much!

I remember looking at their art and reading their fanfics and thinking to myself: 'Wow, what I'd give to be able to talk to the cool kids!' And well, I did! I talked to both, and they both agreed to give me their discord, after which they (and a few others with time) joined the server.

Some time after that, I befriended them personally through our mutual love for the game and similar interests, as well as through general chitter chatter about me being hyperactive when on caffeine, 404/Caligula telling me about Sammy Lawrence from Bendy and the Ink Machine, and Ven telling me of xeir OC whose name came from Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss. I’m happy to say nowadays I still talk to both Caligula and Ven very often. In fact! I consider Cali one of my best friends, and I am kinda gay dating Ven. So, you know. Fun things bring fun people together. :)

Then came around people like Jazz Jazzanon, Zippy Zippycup, Jazzhands, Noah, Wither, and a couple others that, while I won’t mention, made this experience something wonderful for me.

I can’t quite find the words to express this something so dear to me. Jazzpunk, as short as it is, changed my life in ways I could’ve never imagined. I’ve started researching things I thought I’d never be into, started books I loved, got into music I had never listened to before, and it all helped build me as a person these three years. It’s brought me unimaginable amounts of comfort and joy, and I don’t think I’ll ever find something else that will make me feel this whole.

I could go on and on about how I have projected so many little aspects of my life onto my interpretation of it. About how the way I interpret Polyblank is highly influenced by those I love. About how the paintings in The Editor’s house fit him and his personality, but those are topics for another day.

The world out there is wacky and crazy, and Jazzpunk does a great job at feeding into the fact it can be strange, it can be difficult, and it can be fun.

So, to 10 years of community, 10 years of happiness, 10 years of a game that will stay with me forever, and many more to come!

Thank you, Jazzpunk.

#jazzpunk #jappy jazzpunk janniversary :^)

16 notes · View notes

perhaps-in-anotherdream · 8 months

Note

I've read latest chapter in EN server and indeed it's very rare for ML to stop MC from going down to the path of darkness. However, it raises an interesting question: What if MC, out of frustration, chooses to tread that dark path to protect Victor from those who have harmed him? How do you envision Victor's response in such a scenario? Because if it were me I'd tread that path because they deserve it for hurting our way-too-good-for-this-world Victor ୧⁠(⁠ ⁠ಠ⁠ ⁠Д⁠ ⁠ಠ⁠ ⁠)⁠୨

Thank you for answering!

HAHAHA let me start from the last, b/c while it’s the general mood for chapter updates, but for the last few, this has pretty much become the slogan of Li Zeyan wives: “[...] 狗叠!!! 老子才不去拯救世界呢，我要炸了恋语，带着李泽言跑路!!” the [...] refers to some very strong slangs which actually don’t have english equivalents to convey just how strong they are LOL. 狗叠 is a play on PaperGame’s name players mostly use when they are crazy mad or being sarcastic not gonna translate that either lmao and the rest translates to “the f*ck with/ screw saving the world! I’m just gonna blow up Loveland and grab Victor and run away!!” funnily enough, even players who don’t have Victor as their main were echoing similar words, which actually shows how his writers have been massively successful with their knives lmao but— anon, don’t worry, you’re not alone, that’s pretty much the mood of all Victor stans (including myself) 😂

going back to the very first part, you echo my thoughts here as well, and i actually did a long thread on twitter (yes i still do and will call it that) on this couple of weeks back haha. now, to answer your questions, S2 CH 31 itself was actually a crystal-clear answer to all of them.

i still remember just how intense of a fourth wall breaker S2 CH 31 was for me when i read for the first time— from the heroine’s monologues to her words, everything seemed palpable tbh.

the heroine unhesitatingly sacrificing herself and her life for the men and the world is nothing new around here actually, and it definitely speaks volumes of the love she has for them. but what struck a chord with me was how she didn’t think twice to head down the dark tunnel the second Victor was about to be attacked, and the only thing what kept her at bay was the man himself, which then made her re-realize how much respect she has for his beliefs and values.

the reason it hit me so hard was you don’t usually see the heroine’s of the otomes showing ugly, pure human emotions like this. the reason MC first used the black box, despite not knowing what it could do, was to “help Victor” save everyone on the ship. and literally within 30 seconds, she did a total 180 when she saw those very people were turning against him, for saving their own lives mind you. and then alongside everything she was trying to do, we see her monologues of how she couldn’t care less for what happens to everyone else as long as it meant Victor would be safe, or if it makes her selfish or cold-blooded, the things he isn’t willing to do, she’d do them for him— and here again, we see how she reminded herself the mountainous love, respect and pride she had for him that she couldn’t do something he was fighting with his life to not let happen, the best she could do was stand by him. it’s truly not a common sight where you see a male lead working as the core voice of reason for the heroine. b/c stretch it back just a little, if Victor had not stopped MC and she had proceeded with her actions— she would be going against the very reason the story exists, which is helping those who need it and saving the world :)

so, S2 CH 31 chapter gave us the clear picture that for the MC (like you and me haha)— her man, her love comes first, and if that meant the world would have to burn in hell, she wouldn’t hesitate one bit. now as for Victor’s response in that scenario– well, again, CH 31 showed us loud and clear that he’d never, ever let you do so for his sake, that’s how much he takes pride in his values and loves you and wants to protect your values first and foremost.

which is why, we often joke about how we actually have to “grab” Victor to run away and before setting Loveland on fire— i.e., knock him unconscious or something LOL cause there’s no way in hell he’d let you do that as long as he’s conscious 😂😂

—

#ask #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mr love queen's choice #李泽言 #恋与制作人

23 notes · View notes

hrryshoney · 12 days

Note

tennis girlie and matty maybe developing a reputation for pushing the limits with pda and indecency at events 🤭

that comment u made about the edits had me THINKIN

oh u get me badly!!! yea i feel even if girlie tries to stray away from the narrative, even she knows that they are very much On Top of eachother at like, all times. (this is like, the first Actual written blurb that we have gotten for them so kinda cool)

When Matty immediately lifts you into his arms after a game, you think nothing of it. He’s a supportive boyfriend, he’s there for you, after all. When Matty pours water into your mouth during your break, you chalk it up to him being a boy. And when he’s always tugging on your skirt and ponytail? Well, he’s just affectionate.

And when announcers bring it up during your matches? You think they’re trying to take the spotlight away from you. Though your boyfriend is very much in the spotlight too, do they have to bring it up at every game? Or when you accompany Matty to one of his award ceremonies with the guys, and his hand always lingers on your waist. The paparazzi always catching you two in less than ideal moments, lips always locked. How most of the pictures from The Brits Red Carpet are just you and Matty hanging off of each other, his lips planted on your cheek. When Matty sends you back to the court with a kiss on your lips and a firm smack on your ass.

So, yeah. Maybe you two are always on top of each other. But so what? It’s not hurting anyone, certainly. There’s proof enough when Matty grinds his hips into yours at one of his after parties, or after your match. When you win a game and he pulls you in for a bruising kiss, or when The Band wins an award and you’re giggling in his lap for the rest of the night.

Or when the cameras catch you in a slightly compromising position, what appears to be Matty’s hand trailing up your skirt, his mouth attached to your neck, and your head thrown back. Even worse, you remember the night vividly. “Fuck, baby. So ready for me, should take you right here, huh?”

The embarrassment that floods your face when you see the photos in the morning barely diminishes when your boyfriend grins wolfishly. A sly comment about how they ‘got a free show.’ And how he would, ‘be taking pictures of you, too. Fuckin’ look at ya.’ You forget most of your embarrassment when he drags you to the bed, buries his head in your thighs and tells you that you can be loud as you want, he wants you to let go. How nobody else is watching, ‘unless you’re into that, babe.’

The edits, of course. They’re inevitable, with how often you two are on camera in your public lives. The first one you’d see if because Matty posts it on his story, a video of you, most likely, yelling at someone during a match. A stupid caption of something like ‘Me when?’ that causes you to giggle and reply to the story. The next time you see him, his for you page is practically just videos of you, or you and him. He loves it, funnily enough. You can’t lie and say you don’t.

Tabloids that come out about the both of you, phrases like ‘heavy petting’ and the ‘royalties of PDA’ that only make you both laugh. Attending an event with him, and when the camera pans to you both a silly graphic comes up that says ‘kiss cam’, and Matty practically smashes his face into yours. When introductions are being made by announcers, and as the camera skims past Matty in the crowd, one of them makes a comment on how they managed to ‘pry the two of you apart for your match.’

But you love every second of it.

#tennis!reader #like a full blurb abt them frl awwww my babes #can’t wait for them

14 notes · View notes

clairehadenough · 6 months

Note

Now can I ask an honest question. I have asked other certain blogs but they ignore my ask.

With regards to AB I know about the cultural misappropriation IG posts and the hand signal which to me was the just the ok subject which is used everyday in sign language. I don’t know it had in recent times come to have another meaning but can someone tell me is there any evidence of the antisemitism comments/behaviour on set or did she really did get fired from Mother Mary or is it’s just all rumor? The Mother Mary firing came from a certain blog and we are just meant to believe her. Remember they also she said was blacklisted in HW but then Mother Mary happened.

Justin and KiKo tweets aside from 8 yrs ago for the moment has she actually posted anything?

Not wanting to make excuses for her I just want to know what’s the truth and what’s ‘unproven rumor’.

In my opinion Kiko’s tweets are the worst because they were in really really really bad taste. That piece of shit she likes to quote and make a joke while using his name is the biggest mass murderer of all time. Also it did not happened once. There is no excuse, she isn’t funny and it’s bad to even talk about him casually, let alone quote him and joke about him. By the way this piece of shit persecuted Jews and lot’s of other groups of people based on their religion or sexual preferences. Nothing in my opinion excuses Kiko’s behaviour and she hasn’t even apologised publicly.

Justin’s problematic tweets are idiotic and stupid. Why mention that the girl at the gym was Asian, how does it relate to the story? Funnily enough Captregina did the exact same thing this week. But of course when she doesnit it’s ok😏 The fat joke was cruel and insensitive and stupid too which was also the way to describe Justin’s personality.

As everybody knows these tweets are 11+ years old. When they were tweeted Alba was a 14 year old child. I don’t know if she knew these people back then to begin with. So the dumbest thing to say is that Alba is racist only because when she was 14, someone she probably didn’t know yet tweeted racist or body shaming tweets. Also, when you make new friends you don’t go searching their social media from 11 years ago. You know who does that? Unhinged, deranged, jealous people who don’t accept the fact that their parasocial boyfriend has a real life girlfriend so they are desperate to find dirt on them so they can break them up😂 The hand signal is a yoga gesture that is wildly known and the fact they tried to pass it for a White suprematism thing is both hilarious and scary.

Everything else is made up rumours by the delulus. My favourite is “her co star on WN said that she was openly anti-semit on set. Proofs? Which co star? Where did they say that? I asked regina about that specific subject once, asking her for proofs, she said “it’s all over the internet”😂. Sure Jan because if this was true and you had proof you wouldn’t be pinning that all over your blogs lol. There is no proof whatsoever about ANY of the claims they came up with. They act as if they know people in Hollywood lmao but they know nothing.

Like everyone has been saying from the beginning, regardless of how you like or dislike Alba, saying that old tweets belonging to someone else makes HER a racist is BS. PR blogs are seeing themselves losing their narratives so they just tell people that if they don’t agree with them, it means “they are defending a racist”! LoL. I wish they had the same energy to spend on real racism issues instead!

Unless they give you a tangible proof about whatever they’re claiming, don’t believe them.

19 notes · View notes

fischerbees · 2 months

Text

Bite Me! - a lavashipping fanfic

[A/N after a long time I'm trying to post a fic on tumblr again, so bear with me :D gotta remember the steps...]

A werewolf AU with a sprinkle (a blizzard) of lavashipping because there is nothing else in my brain. Hopefully with a touch of mystical mystery! I'm trying to give it my own twist :]

Synopsis: On a simple quest to retrieve a few scrolls from an abandoned library, Cole and Kai get swarmed by a bunch of wild wolves. Lucky for them, their injuries aren't life-threatening. Unlucky for everyone, they begin to pick up strange new habits. And nights with moonlight crowning the night sky become sleepless.

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence! gore? I think it could be enough to be called that. food consumption issues...

Cross-posted on ao3 and wattpad!

[chapter 1 word count: 1185]

I. Hunted

Except for the path they followed, the forest was thick with lush trees. Their needles rustled as Kai and Cole pushed the branches out of their faces. Twigs snapped under their feet, almost muting the sound of their breathing. The forest was silent as if it was holding its breath. Something about the quizzical atmosphere made even Kai quiet down.

Funnily enough, it was Cole who broke the silence, despite being the one welcoming it with open arms any other time, “All right, am I the only one who thinks it's weird there's literally nothing? Shouldn't there be birds and deers, does, and fawns, and stuff?”

“We probably just scared them off.”

“We would hear that, though.”

“Jeez, Cole, what's your problem? At least there's no trouble.”

“It's weird.”

“You're weird.”

“And you're even weirder.” Despite the lack of any echo, their voices seemed to rumble through the whole place, almost shaking it like an earthquake. Cole was certain they were not being obscenely loud, although the forest seemed to disagree. They wrecked the stillness of the place like a thunder. Something about it made his nerves tingle, made all his hair rise, while he could not spot anything remotely dangerous. All he knew at the moment was that they had to get back to the others as fast as possible and get away from the strange place as far as possible.

Kai snorted, about to poke fun at Cole, who just caught his arm and made them both come to a stop. “Did you hear that?”

“For the sake of spinjitzu, Cole–” Rolling his eyes, Kai turned around, only to freeze on the spot. His eyes were glued to another pair of eyes staring right back at him. The forest was not significantly dark, they arrived around noon, yet the wolf’s eyes still seemed to glow. Cole did not hesitate to follow Kai’s stare.

“How did we not…?”

“Because you were too busy complaining that there's nothing !” It was probably not the best time to be glad about Kai’s volume coming back. But hearing his usual intense tone brought a sense of familiar comfort.

“Calm down before you freak him out!”

Until he felt claws sink through his clothes into his skin, Kai had no idea there were more than one. When he managed to get the second wolf off himself, he learnt that they were not only surrounded, they were absolutely outnumbered. And even when there were so many that Kai could not even see Cole anymore, more and more wolves still seemed to be coming. Kai tried to fight them off but all that did was help them get his skin torn until he felt his blood dripping all over his body as if he just got out of a bloody shower.

“Cole!” he yelled over all the growls and barks and snarls to no avail. All he could see was silver fur and their sharp pearl white teeth and claws. Their eyes seemed almost dead despite the shine but the burning of his wounds was more than enough to confirm that they were, in fact, very much alive and bloodthirsty.

Their bodies kept smashing into him, knocking the wind out of his lungs until he was not even able to call for his teammate. To top it all off, all the sudden noise gave Kai a headache, as if there was not enough piercing pain. If he does not stand his ground, it all might as well be over.

After throwing off another one with a growl of his own, Kai noticed a living pile at the bottom of which surely must be Cole. It was the exact scenario replaying in his head whenever one of his feet lost touch with the ground.

And it couldn't be good, especially once he heard a pained cry that was unmistakably Cole’s. A cry that haunted his days and nights.

“ Cole! ” He had no time to ponder over the fact that there was zero echo, as if they were in open space and not surrounded by hundreds of trees. Once again there was this burning feeling inside his chest threatening to swallow him whole from the inside until he redirected it into his hands and onto the wolves. The pain mixed with frustration was blinding.

Physical strength was not going to be of any use, however, fire was a very effective way to fight his way out. Soon their growls changed into yowling and their numbers went down as they ran back into the trees where they came from. Kai began firing at the pile over Cole with no mercy for the animals until they were all gone and burning and slowly the forest fell silent back again. He didn’t worry about where the animals had gone, once his vision cleared again, all of his focus was on Cole. A habit that surprisingly did not get him killed yet. Although it got close a few times.

“Cole.” Both of their gis were torn into shreds with blood seeping all around, getting easily lost in their respective colours. Kai dropped to his knees next to Cole and as carefully as he could, turned him around. For the sake of his sanity, he tried to mute out whines and avoid looking at the raw wounds but one called for his attention nevertheless. Cole was clutching his shoulder with blood running all over his arm and when Kai finally pried his hand away to check it, he saw a bite mark. Most likely the reason for the yell.

Kai never had an issue with seeing blood and all kinds of wounds, he was used to administering first aid, it was all a sole part of his life, however, the thumping of his heart and all the adrenaline rushing through his veins and seeing Cole covered head to toe in blood made him sick to his stomach. He never should have tried to ignore his gut, the forest was weird and they had to get the fuck away from whatever was going on in there before they get tangled into another huge mess.

Ironically, it was supposed to be a quick and simple mission. As per usual.

He should have known better. Now Cole was clenching his jaw shut in pain. Lucky for them both, he didn't have to struggle with his sleeve for too long to tear off some to tie the wound. It should be enough for the quick walk back to the rest of the team.

“Where the fuck did they come from?” Cole muttered, his breath rigid. He had only on eye opened to stare at Kai.

“No idea.” Kai took his not-really uninjured hand and helped Cole get back up, supporting him to continue on their way. “Come on, we shouldn't be far from the others, we'll get you patched up.”

“You need patching up yourself, you look like a mess.”

“A hot mess, baby. Come on.”

Cole spat out some blood. “I am so going to murder Jay for this.”

“Well, we are a team, so I gotta help you with that.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Masterlist Next chapter >

#ninjago #lego ninjago #kai smith #ninjago kai #ninjago cole #cole brookstone #kai x cole #kai ninjago #cole ninjago #lavashipping #ninjago lavashipping #werewolf #werewolves #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #please tell me i remember this right lol i haven't done this in years #bite me lava au

10 notes · View notes