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adriennebarnes · 1 day

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First Date

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x Hispanic/Latina Single Mom! Reader

Summary: Charles decides to take Y/N and Vidia out for dinner to celebrate his podium in the Canadian Grand Prix

Warning: spelling and grammatical errors

A/N: so @barcelonaloverf1life commented say that they wanted more parts to “meet and greet” so I was thinking of writing a collection of one-shots that fit in the fanfic universe of Charles dating a single mom if you’re interested

Vidia and Y/N we’re in the hospitality waiting for Charles outside his driver’s room. He came out wearing jeans and a button down shirt.

“Oh, do I look okay for wherever you’re taking us?” Y/N asked.

“Yes, you look great. And so do you Vidia, can’t forget about the little princess. We could just go to a diner.” Charles suggested

“Don’t you have a diet to stick to?” Y/N asked

“They have salads there.” Charles said.

“But you NEED to try a milkshake.” Vidia said, tugging on Charles pants.

“I most certainly will try a vanilla milkshake.” Charles told vidia. They walked to the car that Charles rented. “Now I’m glad I rented a 4 person car.”

“Quick question, are you sure your team principal will be okay with you going out tonight?” Y/N asked.

“As long I make it on time for practice 3 and qualifying tomorrow, I’m sure everything will be fine.” Charles said. He unlocked the door, opening the back door to help Vidia get in, closed it, and opening the passenger door for Y/N to get it.

“Always the gentleman.” Y/N commented and Charles smiled, closing the passenger door and walking around to get to the driver’s side. “Where are we going?”

“NDG Lucheonette, been a few times before, I like the food.” Charles commented. Y/N texted her dad saying that her and vidia were going out to eat, Vidia took a nap on the car, 45 minutes later, they made it to the diner. Charles opened the door for Y/N and she went to wake up Vidia.

“Princesa, we’re here, let’s go.” Y/N said and Vidia nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the car. Y/N held her hand as they entered the diner.

“Hello, table for three please.” Charles said and the hostess led them to their table. “So, Y/N, what do you do?”

“Oh I’m a baker.” Y/N said.

“Mami owns a bakery.” Vidia said.

“Really? How’s it like?” Charles asks

“You have to wake up early in order to bake, we provide pan dulce too, you know, like bread to eat with your coffee or hot chocolate.” Y/N explains.

“Conchas with hot chocolate is the best.” Vidia said “Mami has a lot of customers, she makes birthday cakes too.”

“Oh wow, you are a very accomplished baker indeed.” Charles said.

“I’m the best in my city.” Y/N said,

“I should stop by your bakery whenever I’m in New York.” Charles said.

“That would be great.” Y/N said, the waitress came and took their orders.

“And you vidia, what do you do?” Charles asked. Y/N loves that Charles is also engaging with her daughter.

“I’m in school, I watch tv, color, play with friends.” Vidia started.

“And when we get back to New York, you have to start the reading list the school gave you.” Y/N said.

“I Don’t like school.” Vidia grumbled and Charles laughed lightly.

“I didn’t like school either, but reading makes you smart like Matilda.” Charles said.

“Who’s Matilda?” Vidia asked and Charles looked at Y/N shocked,

“Yeah, she hasn’t seen the movie yet.” Y/N commented.

“Matilda is a little girl who reads a lot of books, is very smart, and gains the power to move things with her mind.” Charles explained and Vidia’s eyes widened.

“I want to move things with my mind!” Vidia exclaimed.

“Then I guess you need to read when we’re back home.” Y/N said. The milkshakes came first and then the food. The date went well, they were talking, Charles paid, but unbeknownst to everyone, there were F1 fans at the diner who recorded them together. They got into the car.

“I had a great time.” Charles said.

“Me too. By the way, congratulations on Monaco, can’t believe I haven’t said anything about it.” Y/N said.

“Thank you, you saw the race?” Charles asked.

“Of course.” Y/N said.

“Mami was crying.” Vidia commented.

“Did you really?” Charles asked.

“It was your first home race win, of course I was going to cry, all of Ferrari cried.” Y/N said.

“Well thank you, where’s your hotel?” Charles asked.

“I’ll just type it in,” Y/N said and she did just that. The drive was kinda quiet, just Charles’s playlist in the background until he made it to the front of her hotel.

“I hope it’s not too forward of me to ask for your number.” Charles said.

“Well you met my daughter and took us out on a date, asking for my number is definitely not too forward.” Y/N said, Charles unlocked his phone so Y/N could type in her number.

“Thank you, I’ll see you two tomorrow, call me in the morning so I can give you paddock passes.” Charles said.

“I will hold you to it. Vidia, mi amor, let’s go, we’re here.” Y/N said, getting out of the car while Vidia stirs awake. Y/N carried Vidia out of the car. “Text me, Charles, don’t make me regret giving you my number,”

“You won’t regret it, I swear.” Charles said, Y/N carries Vidia to the hotel room and her dad is awake watching TV.

“Como les fue?” Y/N’s dad asked. How’d it go

“Nos fue bien, Vidia está muy cansada la pobre.” Y/N said, laying vidia down in the bed. It went well, vidia is really tired, poor thing

“Me trajeron algo?” Did you bring me anything?

“No papi, lo siento.” Y/N said. She felt her phone vibrate and it was a text. Sorry

Unknown number: Hello Y/N, it’s Charles, hope you and Vidia have a good night.

Y/N smiles at her phone and replied back to him.

Y/N: Hello Charles, we hope you have a good night too. You need to be well rested if you’re going to be in pole again

Both Charles and Y/N went to sleep knowing that there might be a new relationship brewing.

The End

Hope y’all liked it, I’m sorry if it seems a little rushed

#charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc fanfic #charles leclerc fluff #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc x you #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #charles leclerc #f1 fanfic

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cherryredstars · 9 hours

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hello cherry this is my first time requesting something :)))) i was wondering if you could do a miguel x reader where y/n and miguel get into a big fight because miguel hasn’t been home / hasn’t been letting the reader know when he isn’t going to be there and after their fight y/n goes out to the club to let off some steam with her friends and it turns out miguel is at the club for a business meeting and he spots her and gets a bit possessive (feel free to add anything else you’d like hehehe that’s what im mainly been thinking about )

Pairing: Miguel O’Hara x fem!reader

Warnings: Possessiveness, Suggestive, Slight Praise, Dom!Miguel Vibes

A/N: Hello, love! I hope you enjoy!

Unedited

You were still fuming when he left.

Your cheeks puffed in agitation, glaring at him from the couch as he walked out the door. Horrible timing if you ask him. One second the two of you are fighting about how he barely has time for you with all these meetings, and the next he’s asking for a rain check because he’ll be late for a business conference. Really helping him out there.

It’s left him annoyed the whole meeting, resisting the urge to bang his head against the table and rub his face until it peels off. In all honesty, he doesn’t really need to be part of this meeting. He’s only here for looks, not even expected to know what the meeting is about or add any input. He could be at home, laying on the couch between your legs as he laps at the liquid gold between your thighs as an apology.

Miguel lets out a heavy sigh, the noise getting lost with the loud music that’s giving him a headache. His eyes wonder from the table of men, turning his head to peer over the railing surrounding the balcony of the VIP section. His eyes scan the mass of people, taking in the writhing mass. At his age, things like clubs have lost their appeal, but he knows this place would be something you would like. You’d love to dance to these songs, too.

Miguel hums to himself, making a mental note to take you here sometime soon. His eyes are about to go back to the meeting when he spots a familiar face in the crowd. Or, multiple faces. His eyes zero in on you, your face turned to talk to your friend behind you. The strobe lights light your face in different neon colors, and he straightens up. His eyes stay on you as you walk through the crowd, a drink in one hand and the other slapped over the top as you walk. Good girl.

Miguel is content to have you have this time with the girls, knowing after fights like this you need something to take your mind off of things. But his eyes stray to a group of men near the bar leering over at your group of friends, one of the sleazy fucks gaining courage to walk towards you. Miguel’s expression sours, and he fixes his suit jacket as he stands up. The group instantly stops talking, focusing on Miguel.

“Where are you going?” One of his coworkers ask, brows furrowing in confusion.

Miguel doesn’t spare him a glance, adjusting the cuffs of his suit. “Bathroom.”

The group continues to watch him, slowly turning back to each other and continuing the conversation. Miguel turns his back to them as he leaves, his eyes sticking to where you and your group stand. He can see the fuck walking towards you, and he grumbles when he realizes he’ll get to you first. Once he descends the stairs, it gets slightly harder to spot you. But it isn’t an impossible task with his abnormal height, and he can still make out the vague area you’re in. The crowd parts easily for his intimidating build, and soon enough he’s a few feet away from you.

As expected the sleaze is already with you, mouth moving way too much as he talks to you. Your brow is furrowed in annoyance, and you glare at the man as he talks. Miguel can’t make out what he’s saying, but he can tell you aren’t interested in his shit. Miguel’s stare hardens when the man leans forward, getting into your personal space and whispers something to you.

Miguel reaches you right as you lift your hand to slap him. Miguel’s front presses into your back, his hands acting fast as one wraps around your wrist and the other around your neck to tilt your head up. Your face shoots up to stare at him, the glare in your eyes softening slightly at the sight of him. Miguel’s thumb strokes the pulse point on your neck, calming you down as he stares at the man in front of you.

“Down girl,” he mumbles to you, slowly lowering your hand so it rests at your side.

You make a sound similar to a scoff, but you don’t resist. Your body melts into him, and you turn to hug him when he lets go of your neck. The man looks between the two of you and scoffs, walking off with an irritated grumble once he realizes he’s not getting lucky with you. Miguel watches him go, his large hand stroking your hair.

Once he’s completely gone you pull away from Miguel. That glare is back on your face, and you cross your arms as you stare at him.

“I’m not some dog.” You sass, tilting your chin up.

Miguel hums. uninterested. His hand comes to grab your cheeks, squeezing them together so your lips pucker. The furrow in your brow grows deeper, and Miguel’s mouth twitches at the corner.

“Of course not, mamí,” he agrees. “But you are a brat.”

You begin to grumble a protest but Miguel pinches your cheeks tighter.

“Ah-“ he cuts you off. “Behave and have fun, yeah? I’ll come get you when my meeting’s done.”

Your lips jut out further with a pout, and your grumble something inaudible before nodding reluctantly. Miguel hums, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to your lips.

“Good girl. I’ll be back”

He lets go of your face, pressing a kiss to your forehead before giving you a once over and leaving. You watch him go, trying to ignore the ache between your thighs.

You hate that fucker.

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dangerpronebuddie · 3 days

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Been talking to a bunch of people about a bunch of things since that episode, and despite how mad I am, I still have hope. (Foolish? Quite possibly).

Hold onto your hoola hoops folks, this is long lol.

I'll start with the issue that affects the most characters: our beloathed bigot, Captain Gerrard. He has something against each and every one of the characters: race, gender, sexuality, what socks they wore on Thursday. This jackass hates everyone.

Judging by the still Tim shared, Ortiz had a hand in putting him in charge. It's honestly the most logical explanation since we could've easily had Hen or even Chim as captain again if push came to shove (and captain Han again could've been really interesting considering 6x14 but I digress). Regardless, he's there. And he's going to make everyone's lives misery. And no one is going to let him. He's intruding on a family. Not one of them is going to willingly stay silent. It's much more likely they'll have to hold each other back.

The one person that likely won't stick up for them? Tommy. Don't attack me yet, hear me out. We know how he was in the Begins episodes. But when he came back in 7x03 he had a dry sense of humor and an attitude that could've mixed well with the 118 (I'll admit it. I liked him in 7x03). But 7x04 emphasized not only Buck's jealousy that Eddie was spending time with Tommy, but also Tommy's jealousy of Buck and the fact he has a family at the 118 and with the Diaz boys. He has high expectations and gets pissed when they aren't met (re: expecting Buck to be completely comfortable and out for their first date just days after their kiss and then leaving him on the curb when he wasn't). He dismisses Buck's wants and concerns (not even trying for the bachelor party and then waving off Buck's worry over Bobby because his real dad's alive). That last bit, that 7x10 scene was quite deliberate.

I'm not going to get into the kink joke. That's not even an issue. But Buck was worried about his surrogate dad and wanted someone to lean on, only for Tommy to dismiss said worry and then spin it to be "woe is me" about how he didn't have that found family, or a real family. The jealousy he feels towards present day 118 keeps on being addressed. Any topic Buck discusses with him is waved off as if it means nothing. What does that mean for Gerrard being back?

Well. Tommy's "tough luck kid" attitude towards Buck isn't likely to stop. They've made no move to suggest it will. So when Buck wants to vent about how bad Gerrard is, Tommy is going to dismiss it. "I had to put up with it too, ya know." No empathy, no support, just diminishing valid worries and making Buck the butt of the joke, as always. (Side note: see a pattern? Any specific characters ring a bell... at all?)

Why does this matter? Jealousy started this relationship. Jealousy will end this relationship. Just like Abby finding herself started and ended that, Buck's job started and ended Ali, Taylor's job started and ended that, and Buck's death started and ended Nat. Jealousy (in general and involving Eddie) started BT. Catch my drift? When Tommy gets jealous that the 118 stick up for one another and support one another and when he sees Buck and Eddie lean on each other more and more, he's not going to stick around long. Will it be a confrontation? Most likely. Unless he gets the LI treatment and it happens off screen. I think it would be more fulfilling on screen and show the most growth from Buck, like the Taylor breakup did.

As for dealing with the bigot himself, he's either going to be reported, replaced, or rigor mortised. I see Bobby having to do some intense healing both physically and mentally before he returns either to work in general or as Captain (I really have no idea whether they'd basically demote him to have Gerrard or not. I don't get it pero ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯). Also, his heart stopped for 14 minutes and he just walked away?? Sure, Jan. But maybe it's a 911 miracle. Or it could be like Buck in 3x01. An injury you think is completely fine only for it to come back to haunt you. But considering Bobby mirrors Eddie, it's much more likely his mental health takes the biggest hit and gets to heal (unlike my poor Eddie. I'm still so pissed. More on that later). He also resigned. That has to be fixed. He'll probably be forced into therapy, either by the department or Athena (who should go herself and I'd be incredibly disappointed if she didn't suggest he see someone). And once that's all dealt with, he'll be back to work. How long that will take? Don't know. Whether he directly replaces Gerrard or if the jackass is already gone when he gets back? Also don't know. (Little side note that's totally unrelated: I want to see Eddie as Captain at least once. It would be interesting to see).

And then there's Ortiz, the supposed puppet master. Drama for the sake of drama. I think they just couldn't have more than two or three happy characters in a finale so they decide to traumatize the children and torture Hen and Karen as usual. I hate it. But I'm focusing on what they'll do with it. I've hated storylines before and some have been resolved, some have been dropped (for now). But what they'll do with this woman? I don't know. Will she find out Madney has Mara and go after them? I don't know. Her end goal and their plan for her is the one thing I simply cannot figure out (yet).

And the most heartbreaking and infuriating of all... My Diaz boys. I cannot begin to tell you how upset I am over that. I can't. There's so much they could've done instead and so much I hate about what they did. These boys have been fighting since day one to heal and as soon as they take a step forward, they're yanked five steps back and punished for being in pain. I cried twice yesterday talking about Chris. So I won't get into all that. My anger is not the point.

Right now, Helena is the victor. She proved herself right. Eddie is unfit, incapable, unstable. She didn't want Eddie to drag Chris down with him and Eddie has spent the entire time since she said those words preventing it. He's tried to show Chris they're enough just the two of them, that no one can tell Chris he's different, that people do stay, that running from the problem won't sto-

*Record scratch*

Yeah.

Eddie learned from experience that the Diaz way of handling everything (re: not at all) doesn't work. You can't run from the problem and expect it to go away. That's how you start piling up those boxes Frank warned him about. He knows that running doesn't work, and he (and Buck) have consistently shown Chris that staying is what matters (insert Buck's definition of love). But Helena and Ramon just showed Chris he can run from his problems.

Now, Chris is a smart kid. Like Carla said, I think he understands a lot more than we'd like him to. 7x01 broke my heart when he admitted that love didn't matter because everyone just leaves anyway. He's still in the mindset that whether or not you stay makes no difference. He's going to realize that, in fact, it does. Because the way Eddie loves him is vastly different than the way his grandparents do. And it won't take long for him to realize that. The only way Helena will see that Eddie is a good dad is if Chris confirms it.

Whether or not he and Eddie will have patched things up by the time he wants to go home is still up in the air. I think I would personally prefer to see the work they put in to repair this. I love how Eddie and Chris communicate. No matter the issue, they always talk about it eventually. It may take a little bit for them to get to that point, but when they do it's beautiful to see (the skateboard, Eddie's therapy, Chris' independence).

And speaking of communication, can they please clarify that Eddie only hugged Kim???? Everyone acted like they found them in bed together! I need that cleared up because the reactions from the others were disproportionate. (Chris I understand, but Buck implied Eddie and Kim slept together and so did the parents. Bad editing. Happened a lot this season).

As for buddie, I have no complaints on them this season at all. The communication, the openness, the vulnerability they had with each other was remarkable. We made headway this season. And now, for however long Chris is away, Eddie and Buck will only be BuckandEddie. They are the only thing each of them is allowed to have, and I'm really hoping they actually lean into that. Feelings realization on one part at the very least. What sparks it? Who knows! It could be Chris' absence making them reexamine their relationship, Tommy pointing out their bond, one of them getting hurt and the other absolutely losing it (Drown Buck 2024/ Trap Eddie 2024). (I have way more buddie specific specs but here isn't the place for them all lol). The possibilities there are endless. And I am excited for it, despite of- and in spite of- that finale.

Am I still incredibly pissed at the episode? Yeah. Was the season lackluster overall? Also yeah. Ten episodes and constantly changing plans doesn't make for a good season. But I'm still going to stay hopeful. It's a beautiful story and I'm letting them tell it, but these bonkers decisions really need to be fixed. And soon.

Anyway, if you read this I love you 🩷 (and tell me your own specs/ hopes for the next season!)

#okay #rant over #im staying hopeful #but apparently ls did something even more bizarre than this so that hope is quickly fading #oh well #time will tell #911 #911 abc #911 spoilers #911 speculation #s8 #7x10 #anti bucktommy #just in case #honestly im just trying to make myself feel better after that shit show #everything is going to be okay #right?#😭😭😭

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vechter · 3 days

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Top 5 Dick headcanons?

1. dick having long term impacts from blüdhaven being bombed (n52 i'm furiously pretending you don't exist)- i just don't think dick should ever be able to talk about the city he chose to protect that got nuked bc he got under a cringe old man's skin. even years later, he wakes up from nightmares about chemo being dropped. he can't talk about it. it's his biggest failure, his biggest what-if. he can't talk about it still. the guilt occasionally threatens to eat him alive. if he had never vowed to protect it, would it still be standing? also i know continuity about where exactly he was at the time is confusing- infinite crisis puts him in new york but his own solo has him in the thick of the action in blüd, which is my personal preference. i would also like to see long term impacts from the level of radiation he was exposed to. a few chemical burns, possibly sterility (an interesting thing to explore that his parents' legacy biologically dies with him- he is the last grayson. but persists in the way he has taught those around him to fly and catch.) plus i want bruce to feel insane about this because no one else will understand how dick feels about a city like bruce does. also, bruce regretting not having stepped in earlier when dick was in the mob or the circus was burning down. it's one of his biggest regrets, too.

2. dick moves back to new york after bruce comes back bc new york has always shepherded and saved him. he went there when he lost robin, when he lost blüdhaven. preferably, he moves in with donna or roy because the year he spent being batman changed something intrinsically in his code and he needs to be around people who love him for him. he doesn't know how much of it was an act, how much of it was the mission, how much of it was grief. he never wanted to be like bruce and yet. yet. also a big fan of dick convincing tim to move to san francisco with young justice after bruce comes back because he is seeing what gotham, what batman is doing to his brother. tim stays there for a year, attends college before upping and moving to new york, instead. far enough from gotham but still tethered to batman. it is a little brother's prerogative to copy everything your big brother does <3

3. he and cass have a complicated dynamic. they both see and understand bruce in a way no one else does. it can sometimes be a good thing because they feel seen. but it also leads to conflict and subsequent resentment and hurt. and they both feel guilty about it because they know the other person has nothing but good intentions and their heart in the right place. also, dick is an intensely private person so for cass to be able to clock his lies, his performative nature- it often feels like too much. people are always watching him but cass sees him. and i don't imagine dick being too pleased about that. meanwhile, cass, to whom bruce and babs are probably the most important people, also feels a degree of resentment that they both are so intensely abnormal about dick, even when dick lashes out/hurts them. i miss cass throwing dick out of windows, it was so fun. but also, their entire approach to vigilantism and the concept of perfection. there is so much untapped potential for them to have excellent conflicts and resolutions. also idk where i saw this but cass being unable to do a quadruple and dick privately gloating about that. hilarious <3

4. recurrent knee pain. listen, the boy is an acrobat and he tends to stick his landings on unforgiving terrain like concrete and roof-tops. plus, firefly shot him in his right leg and he spent a big chunk of canon on crutches and wearing a brace. sometimes, your body recovers from an injury but it is never the same again. a notable part of the pain is also psychosomatic. it reminds him of one of the worst times in his life- the circus burning, his apartment being blown up, blockbuster, tarantula, etc. and how much of a failure he thinks he was during that time. like i said, the guilt often threatens to eat him alive so ofc the long-term, intermittent pain of an injury like that is mixed with immense mental stress as well.

5. his most intense and most private thoughts about jason and tim. things he hates himself for thinking, things even truth serum or magic or whacky comic shenanigans wouldn't pull out of him. bruce took on jason as robin to get over the pain of losing dick and somewhere deep, deep inside, dick resents both of them for it. because jason died in his colours, under his name. and now they all live in a post-jason world, jason included. and maybe if bruce had never had jason, he wouldn't have ever lost him and bruce could still be the man/god that dick unquestionably put his faith in.

building up on this, their first real interaction after bruce punches dick for confronting him about jason's death is primarily because of tim. tim is the catalyst for the events in a lonely place of dying.

and while i don't subscribe to the bruce-is-abusive-camp, i think exploring scenarios where dick leaves bruce for good is so compelling. like i don't fuck with batman beyond and don't claim to be super knowledgeable about those runs, but what is enough for dick? what would make him abandon bruce? what would make him come back? it's so neat to explore. and i think in a world where dick decides bruce is unforgivable, he would come back for the kids. in fact, he does come back for terry and bruce is perhaps the most expressive we see in terms of his regrets about dick, about missing dick, about hurting him but dick doesn't really want to listen.

and i think, that interaction post jason's death altered their dynamic fundamentally. it makes dick go to therapy lol. and we never see on-screen resolution of that, just a continued glimpse into bruce's worsening spiral. so, i think, it's interesting to consider how dick would view tim's role in this. like yes, he loves and adores tim (a thousand ninjas wouldn't be enough, the closest thing i have to a little brother).

but does he privately wonder what would have happened if tim hadn't come in and dragged them both in a situation where they have no option but to co-exist semi-harmoniously? it took tim for them to talk again but is that really for the better? or for the worse? because dick's devotion to bruce is not only detrimental to his mental health, it is often straight-up dangerous for him. and while dick may be unable to recognize the mental strain it puts him under, he would probably have a sort of inkling of the physical harm. taking back blackgate all alone for bruce, the time bruce hits him when he thinks gordon is dead, the time he jumps in front of a blast aimed for bruce, the time bruce has superman's powers and beats dick down when dick calls him out.

6. a fun, small one. he had a threesome with kory and roy in the outsiders era exactly once. it made sense because he loves them and he knows they loved donna just as much as he did. it was soft and fun and a very transparent attempt to get dick to let down his walls. dick left when they were both asleep, cried when he went home and they never spoke of it again.

#thanks for the ask!#this became way too long and incoherent sorry i just have lots of thoughts on dick grayson #ur mental illness and devotion to a half decent man have bewitched me body n soul #asks

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lesbiansforboromir · 3 days

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Alright, I saw too many posts about DA4 and the pressure valve on dragon age opinions burst so I'm breaking my silence about mage discourse.

One day someone at bioware, can't remember who, made the worst possible PR decision and openly declared mages as an allegory for mental illness. It has all been downhill from there. Quite literally I could not be less interested in treating mages and mental illness as even tangentally related. Within the canon of DA, mages are people who literally have demons speaking to them, can literally become possessed by demons, and who are literally dangerous in extremely real and unavoidable ways even without the demon stuff. Lobotomies not only exist, but also work, the 'tranquil' are no longer plagued by the demons, nor do they have the powers of fireball anymore. It's like they called the 1300's and asked a witch hunter to write this.

And I am absolutely certain this framing is extremely cathartic for some people to relate too. Themactically speaking, turning all the dials up on a social issue for a fantasy world will always resonate with many of the victims of that issue. There is something impactful about taking all the insane stereotypes society has created around your lived experience, deciding they're real in an imaginary world and then playing out scenarios where you deal with them. God only knows gay people love vampires and werewolves.

But in that case it also has to be understood that others will not like it, or find it cathartic at all. The sticking point for me is probably the fact that mages are immensely powerful, something I find so egregiously unrelatable that any possible power fantasy it might be tempting me into just evaporates. And then of course there is Tevinter, which if we're following the allegorical logic is a state ruled by the mentally ill whom have 'embraced their demons' and so are now ruling an empire built on the enslavement of the 'pure' and 'untainted undemonic' population. Which I feel like, if we're weighing the mage narrative on the merit of it's being a cathartic themactic framing, is stretching the concept quite thin.

So I've always experienced mage based narratives as entirely seperate from their irl allegories at least emotionally, even if cognitively I do understand the parallels. And when you look at it like that, so sorry, it actually is a grey moral issue. If there were people in real life who could, without any additional equipment or technology, just create a fire/lightning storm from thin air, that on it's own would be a problem society would have to grapple with solving. You could not just let people with such power live under the same rules as everyone else. Like Wynne as a child nearly burned a barn down and scarred another child. These are not hypothetical issues within the canon.

And somewhat unrelated side tangent but I've seen people say, without an ounce of irony, 'magic doesn't kill people, people kill people' as an argument against the need for magic control. Which is just a fascinating framing all by itself, given the only difference between guns and DA magic is that one is an external tool and the other is built into select people. AND given that witholding gun licenses from the so called 'mentally disturbed' is an often advocated for policy... it's just kind of ironic is all!

Anyway the POINT is this is kind of frustrating to me because technically the mages COULD be a fun little play pretend thought morality experiment. This IS a difficult problem to solve, DA rightly engages with the fact that any institution created to control a subsection of people will create an environment of horrific abuse and dehumanisation. And that is only doubled with the introduction of religious control. When presented neutrally this is a 'do you sacrifice the few for the sake of the many' quandary with a lot of interesting caviates. IS it for the sake of the many? Would the actual number of people harmed by mages really exceed the number of mages themselves? Are we not just sacrificing the peace and freedom of many people for a hypothetical? But IS it a hypothetical since the slaver empire ruled by mages exists? But the hypothetical in the other direction isn't a hypothetical either, since the mage rebellion also exists and arguably did greater harm than free mages might have otherwise! But is that true? What about all the years worth of people in history hypothetically saved from harm by the strict control over mages? Isn't pushing for a more ethical circle a better plan than total abolishion? But is an ethical circle even possible given the cultural position mages hold? But in that case are free mages really going to be able to lead peaceful lives anyway? Doesn't the circle also protect them? But that is a situation the circle created and enforced right? Or is it? Since, once again, Demons definitely exist and mages have become possessed by them for centuries, and other mages have used their powers to dominate and abuse others in the past!

Theoretically, two people with exactly the same humanitarian purposes could argue the opposite ends of this debate in good faith, which is a fantasy. Because in the real world no one is born with a body inherrently able to cause more harm than the majority of other bodies. In fact, the opposite is true, people are born with more vulnerable bodies than the majority and are oppressed for it, their vulnerability taken advantage of by the dominant states in order to further those state's agendas in some way or other. Oppression does not have a 'good reason' to exist that originates from the oppressed class, those supposed reasons are fabricated after the fact to justify oppression in the minds of the general populace whom hold themselves to moral standards that a State does not. So, inherrently, the mages in DA are a fantasy idea and should be thought of as such.

But, amongst many DA fans, this is not the case. We've all seen people argue without irony that NOT taking a moral stance on the side of the mages and against the circles reflects badly upon your actual IRL moral compass. And it's not just that you cannot be pro-templar, even being neutral about it or finding the pro-mage characters or the mage narrative uninteresting is treated as an immoral action. People will ask things like 'who would even side with Meredith?' or 'does anyone even save the templars in DAI?' as if the choices you make narratively in a game have to be a moral judgement! Which we all know is nothing new in terms of fandom discourse, but within the mage/templar discussion it is so pervasive and so volatile that it makes it worth noting.

And like, obviously 'people get too serious about fiction on the internet' is such a non-issue that it's barely worth talking about. But I do find it interesting nonetheless as it's been a major part of my experience of being in the DA fandom, which now spans longer than a decade of my life (screams).

People have told me that I shouldn't treat this narrative theme as debatable because they relate to mage struggles as an autistic. And at the time I was pretty young and didn't really have a response to that other than a vague but powerful sense of discomfort. Nowadays, when I'm pretty sure I'm also autistic, I realise I was made deeply uncomfortable by the idea that there was anything relatable for me within the mage narrative. I do not have magic powers and I can't blow people up with my mind, I can't even get out of bed most days. Most people feel like mages to me just for being able to work a job or take care of themselves without help. And narratives of oppression that surround people with inherrent powers that far exceed anyone else just do not resonate! Which ultimately is just a reinforcement of the concept that the way people engage with fiction is not equivalent to actual real social issues, and really should not be treated as such.

#text post #dragon age #bioware #this might even be an autopsy of my own dragon age era since it's highly possible I will not play DA4 #given how dreadful bioware/ea has gotten #we will see

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elminx · 1 day

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DIY Egg Candle Molds For New Beginnings

I've been working on my candlemaking skills for a while now with mitigating success but these are the easiest candles I have ever made.

I really like these for all kinds of spring spell work. They would work perfectly for a Spring Solstice or May Day spell but I also see them as a perfect vessel for a spell to invoke new beginnings. I personally associate eggs with pure potentiality.

Here the goal is to create an egg candle with the "Seed" of your intention, then incubate your intention, and finally burn your candle to hatch your magic into the real world.

Note: This is not a magical how-to on how to CAST a spell, this is a how-to on how to make a vessel for your spell. I expect you to bring your own magic and traditions to this.

For this project you will need:

One egg (probably chicken but goose or duck works too)

A pokey tool

Candle Wax*

A wax-safe container for melting

A wick

Something to stabilize your eggshell (egg cartons work fine)

Scents, wax color, powdered botanicals (optional)

I'm assuming here that if you're interested in this project, you have some experience with candlemaking and the right tools to do so. If not, you can buy a basic candlemaking kit nearly anywhere on the internet that includes some wax, a wax boiler, and wicks. *I would suggest using beeswax for this candle as it will help the candle to maintain its shape as it burns. Soy wax has a low burn point and tends to melt which will deform the shape of your candle more quickly

1. Clean out your Egg

You need to make a small hole at the top of your egg with a pokey tool. I used a knife to make the hole and then inserted a chopstick to whip the insides so the yoke would come out. Pour out the egg (and eat it! Yumm!) and then wash it until the water running out of the egg runs clear. From this step, you want the inside of the egg to dry out - you can put it into a 200°f oven for two hours or let it sit out until it dries (it may take a couple of days depending on your humidity levels).

Letting your egg dry out isn't strictly necessary but if you don't take this step, the egg membrane will stick to your candle. This will make more work for you when you remove the egg mold later.

Note: My friend gave me two goose eggs to try, so I used them for this test run of egg-shaped candles. If you use chicken eggs, they will be significantly smaller (3/4 the size probably).

2. Heat wax in a double boiler until it is fully melted.

You can add in anything that supports your intention here: scents, coloring, or powdered herbs/flowers work well. (please practice good fire safety here and only add in things that are safe for candlemaking)

Note: if you are adding botanicals to your wax, you want to be very careful to make sure they are fully powdered or they may cause a fire.

3. Pour Your Wax

Place your eggshell mold in an egg carton for stabilization and carefully pour the hot wax into your mold. You want to fill to the top as much as you can - the wax may settle as it starts to cool so you may want to add more.

Note: the hole in your egg should be wide enough to accommodate pouring your wax. I used an extra flask funnel I had on hand to facilitate this process.

4. Add Your Wick

Let your wax cool slightly (approximately 10 minutes) and then add in your wick. With a chicken egg, you can use a birthday candle for this step or any wick that you have on hand. You can use a wick stabilizer or chopsticks to keep your wick in place while your wax hardens.

5. Cure Your Candle

Candles should cure for 7-10 days (for beeswax, this may differ for other types - do your research!) before you burn them. Though there is some debate on the internet, it is generally considered true that curing is a part of candle safety as a young candle that has not properly hardened can burn unevenly which may cause fires.

You can choose to begin the process of changing/incubating your candle (listed below) during the curing stage.

6. Remove Your Shell

Once your candle is done curing, it is time to remove the eggshell. For chicken eggs purchased from the grocery store, this should be a relatively easy process. Simply roll your egg candle on a hard surface until the shell cracks and then carefully peal the eggshell away from the wax.

If you are using non-chicken egg or a farm-fresh egg, the shell may be more difficult to crack. I used a goose egg for my candle so I had to use a tool to remove the shell - I used a dental pick that my partner uses for clay sculpting.

Take your time with this process, if you use tools, it is easy to scratch the surface of your egg.

7. Incubate/Charge Your Egg Candle

Unless you added magic during the wax step in this process (which is totally valid), this is where the major magic begins. You want to imbue your magic into the egg at this stage - this can be done in any way that suits your level of creativity and your personal practice. You can carve your intention directly into the wax or mark it with bindrunes or sigils. You can charge it with energy. You can dedicate it to a particular deity or spirit that you work closely with or set it on your altar. You can charge it in the sunlight or moonlight (beware of low-temperature wax and high heat from the sun here). You can make it a nest full of objects that represent your intentions.

The goal in this step is to build your intention by returning to your egg over a period of time (or, alternatively, letting it sit in a way that charges it) before you burn it to release this intention. You can use numerology here by choosing a number that aligns with your intentions, or begin your incubation on the new moon and burn your candle on the full moon.

Pro-tip here: Chicken eggs need to incubate for around 21 days so this is a good number to use if your mold was a chicken egg, or you otherwise work with chickens in your craft.

Note: This was a test on the applicability of this method, but I couldn't help but enchant my candle. I carved my intentions into my candle and then glued (with wax) dried violets onto my candle because I use violets in my craft to encourage transformation. I also used other methods to create a vessel for magic.

8. Use Your Charged Egg Candle in a Magic Ritual

The majority of work is already done here, the rest, as they say, is up to you. Because egg shells are round, you will need to find some way to stabilize the bottom of your candle while you burn it. You could choose to level the bottom of the candle or use any other method that works for you.

I happened to have a piece of pottery from a friend that made the perfect stand for an egg-shaped candle.

______________________________________________________________

Do you like my work? I am doing a fundraiser over on my KoFi page to help pay off an unexpected bill. You can tip me there, commission me to write an astrology report for you, or sign up to be a monthly supporter of my writing.

#witchblr #spell crafting #candle making #witch crafting #cottage magic #folk magic #egg magic #DIY

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ravelqueen · 3 days

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One thing that is actually super interesting - character wise is how stark the difference between Angel and Angelus is when compared to Spike and be-souled Spike.

Angelus and Angel might as well be two completely different people - the way they act, react and conceptualise the world around them is honestly completely opposite.

Meanwhile, besouled Spike is a lot more aware of his past actions and isn't interested in killing humans for sport etc, but in the way he interacts with the world around him, he's actually still very similar - he's snarky and sarcastic, romantic yet cynical etc.

It's extra funny when you consider that probably this was never supposed to be a Deep Philosophical Ponderance Of The Nature Of A Soul

In my opinion this came out of happenstance: a writing choice forced on the Buffy team, based on when in the narrative it happened.

Angelus was always set up to be this enormous threat, this absolute monster tormenting Buffy, while Angel was supposed to be this fairytale first romance of a wonderful older boyfriend - the dichotomy was probably decided upon before /in season 1.

Spike on the other hand was never planned to get a soul - he wasn't even supposed to stick around longer than the 2nd season! However, the ensoulment made sense with the progression of the story/character if the writers wanted to adhere to the rules of the universe they set up namely:

Vampires are Evil Demons, inhabiting the body of the human before them, and most importantly they are irredeemable and incapable of true human affection. This is extremely important lore in that universe, because Buffy kills a lot of vampires - in the later seasons they aren't even really a major threat and more background ash. If you suddenly introduce the idea that Actually vampires can be fully redeemed, your main characters has been just murdering Possibly Good People willy-nilly for several seasons

Unfortunately, at this point in the narrative, Spike might as well have been ensouled already - he was acting altruistically, out of love (self-reported) and was mostly just helping our heroes, with motivations unrelated to villainous impulses

So really the writers had to give him a motivation to go and get his soul (the writing choices on how he gets there Being Bad notwithstanding).

HOWEVER, they really really couldn't pull the same move with Spike that they did with Angel re: his 180 degree personality switch simply because the audience liked non-soul Spike. They enjoyed the personality and character that had been crafted for the last 5 seasons, so changing him too much would have with almost complete certainty been met with negative reactions .

Which is why I assume they decided to simply soften parts of his personality, make him stop wanting to kill humans and called it a day on his other less-than-cuddly personality traits.

Which leads us to question on why two people in the same circumstances turned out so wildly different ESPECIALLY since William seemed Basically Alright when he's human.

Does that mean that Angel is fundamentally a worse person, only held back by the morality of his soul? Or that he was fundamentally a much more virtuous man and therefore the loss of his goodness had a larger impact, as removing those parts took away more of what he used to be?

That William was a lot more acerbic and mean deep down and therefore not too different? Or that actually William lost way less of his morality/capacity for empathy when he turned because Something and that led him to doing less awful things that would lead to a personality change??

Those are such interesting questions that somehow the show never addresses (as far as I know? comics people?) aside from Angel Being Mad that Spike got over his angst so quickly and it's just hilarious to me that if I'm right this basically was never meant to be that deep and simply just a byproduct of What The Fuck To Do With Spike

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #angel btvs #spike #angelus #if I want to be screamed at I'll write another way too long post on why I hate That S6 Ending writing wise #and no it's not because I ship Spuffy and don't like Spike Being Evil - it's because that was fucking weak as shit writing #but what do you expect from whedon #he fully lucked out on getting a character like Spike to happen but instead of thanking his lucky stars he resented it ever since

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brucewaynehater101 · 1 day

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I'm seeing a lot of asks about this and I want to give my two cents: I'm cool with Bruce being a bad father, but only if DC admits that he is a bad father.

You can't have him doing downright abusive shit only to never address it. The only character that consistently criticizes Bruce parenting is painted as entitled and vindictive. I genuinely think the reason why we can't have a decent Red Hood arc is because if you want Jason to make sense you're gonna have to admit Bruce is a fucked up father or rewrite canon.

Same reason for Tim "never aging", not so much physically but emotionally. Because to have the character establish itself like Nightwing did you would need to address at some point all the bullshit he went through. Even with Dick. Like sometimes it looks like they want to recognize how being raised by Batman fucked him up by they end up settling for "oh it's the pressure". Like that's the most DC will say "Batman puts his kids under a lot of pressure buuuuuut it's justified because they're fighting evil :)".

Not just the kids, I think Batman himself would be so much more interesting if DC was willing to let him confront these things. As a redemption arc or as a fatal flaw that keeps his family at arms length. But they want to have their cake (have Batman be edgy and give the Robins Character Development™ through good old child abuse) and eat it (have Batman be Dad of the year). And that's what doesn't work.

Batfam fandom is great because you have people making content for Good Father Bruce, Bad Dad Bruce (he's trying and it's a bit funny/tragic), Awful Father Bruce (with no intention of changing. Every option is way more interesting than DC's directionless mess. Like, we don't even need them to make Bruce Good™ we just want them to pick a side and stick to it.

Thank you. My gods that sums it up perfectly.

Like, I've got no problem consuming Good Dad Bruce content... if it's not the comics. The animated stuff is usually fine, and fanwork is also great. There's a ton to like about it.

Hell, I'm even chill if Bruce makes mistakes and errors and fucks up with his kids. That's realistic, as long as they address that he did, in fact, do that shit. They need to talk about how his actions have hurt his kids and his relationships with them. He can try to do better, or he can stay distant with his kids because of it (low to no contact). It's truly not that difficult to chat about.

Now, media that addresses all of the horrid stuff he's done and considers realistic reactions/solutions to it? Fantastic. I love that so much. It's so cathartic watching him get his ass handed to him.

It's not necessary, though. I'm chill with good dad Bruce.

Despite that, outright ignoring what he does or brushing it under the rug? That's horrific. That reads like a sickening cycle of abuse, and I can't stand it. It's the exact same shit an abuser pulls by harming their victim (psychologically, mentally, physically, etc.), apologizing (ish), finding a way to pin the blame back on the victim, and then love bombing. Like, my gods. Bruce will beat the shit out of Jason and say it's Jason's fault for killing someone... "I wouldn't harm you/take a machine to permanetly fuck up your brain if you didn't do that. It's not my fault that I decided to hurt you. It's your fault that I did."

I just fucking can't.

I think Tim, with his little statement of "I don't expect you to apologize" after Bruce caused him to have a nervous breakdown post 16th birthday, that's a close approximation to admitting that Bruce is a piece of shit that does tendencies like an abuser. No matter what someone's intentions are, they should still apologize if they've cause unjustified/unintentional harm. Only assholes who don't regret their actions or people who feel their actions are justified won't apologize. There's times when apologizing isn't necessary or desired. That's fine. I won't apologize if Comic!Bruce and I are in a room, and I "accidentally" set him on fire.

Yet, Bruce is out here fucking up his kids. At the very LEAST, they deserve a fucking apology. Maybe a restraining order.

I ranted a bit. My bad. Anyways, have DC acknowledge the shitty actions Bruce does or don't have him do them. It's simple.

#dc comics #thank you for the ask!!!!#bruce wayne bashing #tw abuse #tw child abuse

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brandyllyn · 1 day

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Silk from their soul (06)

The Ghoul / Cooper Howard x f!reader [no use of y/n]

Rated: Teen (series will be explicit) Words: 1.2k Summary: Sleepwalkers

Series Masterlist My Masterlist

He can see her ass.

He doesn’t bother trying not to look. There’s just the two of them in the small room, her stretched out on the bed while he sits with his back to the wall across from her. There’s no blanket to speak of and she’s lying on top of the ancient cot facing away from him. He’s still not sure what happened but she shifted a while ago and the skirt of that little sundress had ridden all the way up to her waist.

He was a saint for not touching her.

It was a few hours til morning yet, she’d let him sleep longer than he actually needed. While he was hefting himself off the bed she had yawned, stretching her arms to the ceiling and making parts of her body do some absolutely fascinating things.

No harm in looking.

His hands move as he keeps one eye on her, an ear turned towards the hallway, waiting for the inevitable footsteps. If someone doesn’t try to rob them tonight he’ll eat his hat. Fingers far too used to the work refill his shotgun shells, checking their weights and deciding if the contents are still any good with barely any input from his brain.

And those damn thighs keep calling to him.

They’re edible, is what they are. Two prime pieces of grade-A meat. Of course he’d stare, his mouth was practically watering.

“It ain’t you,” he mumbles to his cock. “You ain’t had a vote in a long fucking time, ya hear?”

It does not. It twitches in interest as she sighs in her sleep, thighs rubbing together. It’d be the work of a moment to cross to her - hell he wouldn’t even have to get off his knees - set his teeth to those perfectly rounded asscheeks and bite. Not enough to break the skin, but enough to turn those little sighs into moans.

Yeah, his cock was definitely looking to cast a vote.

He felt almost light-headed, hormones his body hadn’t made in decades suddenly swimming in his system. With a hacking cough he takes a hit of chem, hoping it might resettle his balance. It does, a little, enough that his fingers stop twitching her direction.

A floorboard creaks.

The Ghoul cracks his neck, setting his hat to the side and resting the end of the shotgun on his knee. Another creak, then the shuffling of boots outside the door. It opens slowly and he clocks three men standing there, two he recognizes.

“Well now, I was beginning to think y’all weren’t ever gonna show. D’you come to party or just watch?”

The man in front stops suddenly, single eye scanning the room. It’s nearly pitch black, barely any light coming from the hallway either. Ever one for the dramatic, the Ghoul scrapes a match across the floor, letting the flame light up his face before he sets it to the end of a cartridge.

“Now, ordinarily, I might let y’all off with a warning seeing as you’ve only made some regretful decisions thus far. But it seems to me a group of fellas like yourself could only have one reason for breaking into a lady’s bedroom in the middle of the night.” He drops the shell into the shotgun, chambering it one fluid motion. “And I cannot abide that kind of man.”

The shell is a special cocktail of his own, a mix of chemicals and tar that burns hotter than acid and sticks to everything it touches. The effect is quick - no need to burn the place down - but aggressive.

The sound of the blast is deafening in the small room, the screams of the two men the shell explodes onto nearly as bad. Next to him he hears a muffled “What?” before he rolls to his feet and places himself between the wakening woman and the door.

“Does anyone else have something they’d like to add to the conversation?”

The screaming continues, even though the fire has burned out. He can see patches of bone where the mixture ate through face, neck, and arms. Smiling to himself he takes a step forward, gently pushing the trio away and closing the door.

“Y’all should go take care of that, and stop that caterwauling.”

“What happened?”

One strap of that dress of hers has fallen and he reaches out to fix it without even thinking. He can almost hear the scrap of his leather gloves on her skin, too much rough against all that softness.

“Just a group of townies looking to make friends. I disabused them of that notion.”

She looks confused, still blinking away sleep. “You shot them?”

“Look here, when it comes to charming the locals you’ve got me beat by a mile - but when a fella needs to be reminded of his manners a bullet has a more lasting impact.”

She groans, burying her face in her hands. “I knew this would happen.”

“You knew they were gonna come up here, and yet you were sleeping there sound as a babe?”

“I knew it was a risk,” she groans again, “kind of comes with the territory.”

“And yet I found you prancing your way through the wasteland alone, looking like that.”

“I’m not alone, I have you.” He barely gets to revel in that statement before she frowns. “And what do you mean, looking like that?”

“Sweetheart, you look like a six course meal in that getup. It’s a wonder no one ain’t gobbled you up already.”

She looks down at herself and purses her lips. “It is a tradeoff.”

“For what?”

Her mouth opens for a moment like she is going to answer then clicks shut. “It’s… thank you. For protecting me.”

For a moment he considers telling her he hadn’t been. That he was just guarding his stuff. Or that it was tit for tat since she had taken the first watch. But it wasn’t true - alive and unharmed included by other people. So instead he simply grumbles, “Don’t say nothing about it.”

Sighing, she lies back on the bed, stuffing her pack under her head with her feet facing the wall. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to get back to sleep.”

“Well, if you ain’t gonna use it…” he moves to the cot, shifting her legs so he can stretch out, back propped to the wall.

She snorts, closing her eyes. “Tell me a story.”

“You looking for some once upon a time fairy tale shit?”

“No,” another one of those low laughs, “you’ve been around a while, tell me something that happened… here.”

He considers her for a moment, stretched out next to him. There’s about a dozen better ways to pass the time that he can think of offhand, but quite a few of them require him to be the kind of man he swore never to be. He didn’t have many lines in the sand, but that was one. Faded and brushed over as it was - it weren’t like he had much of a call to use it.

“You ever seen a naked mole rat fuck a Brahmin?”

That laughter would have to be enough.

☢ ☢ ☢

For updates follow and turn on notifications for @brandyllyn-writes

#the ghoul #the ghoul x reader #the ghoul x you #fallout series

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chubs-deuce · 2 days

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Okay I recently said that I really don’t like the idea of Alastor being shipped with anyone but now I think I’m starting to backtrack on what I said. I recently just read your fic “If you piña coladas.” AND IT WAS SO AMAZING I AM LEGIT ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT WAITING FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. Everything about it is great! The writing, the art, the humor, Fredrick’s rivalry with Al. It’s all so great! I honestly really like how Alastor is written. It’s interesting seeing his point of view. It’s usually the girl’s pov in a romantic fic so it was a nice change. Also your fan kid, Dawn, IS LEGIT SO GREATTT, I love her design and her relationship with her parents/other hotel staff. I always have kinda shipped them since the pilot just didn’t want to admit it since I was scared of the fandom hating on me for it. I legit don’t use twitter for the amount of hate that Radiobelle gets on there. I really like their dynamic but of course there is the elephant in the room, Alastor being Ace (also probably aromantic) and Chaggie. Don’t get me wrong I like Chaggie I just find Chalastor’s dynamic more interesting. Vaggie is a character with so much wasted potential. Her personality revolves around being Charlie’s girlfriend and nothing more. She does whatever Charlie ask of her. While Alastor on the other hand is much more anonymous with his relationship with Charlie. I also love the fact that Alastor and Lucifer hate each other’s guts and Alastor just continues to be with Charlie I just think it’s funny. But as a person who has been on the ace and aro spectrum I personally find no problem with people shipping fictional characters. Ship what you want!!! (Unless it’s problematic ew). I just wanted to rant or whatever lol.

dude you are so so so valid for all of this!!!

I'm so glad you're liking our fic, @hazbinhobo and I are having such a genuine blast working on it :D

I feel you about chaggie, they're cute and I have genuinely nothing against them!!! I just feel like being cute is kinda all they have going for them and it simply doesn't interest me enough to crave exploring further ^^"

I'm on the aro/ace spectrum too! (demiromantic and demisexual) A lot of people within the charlastor fandom space are actually!!! I also know that a large amount of us tend to headcanon him more grey too, which has been amazing for me bc I see so much of my own "I didn't think I was plagued with feelings of this kind until they hit me like a fucking truck" kind of romantic/sexual awakening experience in him in many of these fics <3

That is actually also why I always find Alastor's POV in charlastor fics so fascinating! I find a lot of fics written from his POV in this pairing too actually, it's been one of my favorite things in the ao3 tag to find :D

Watching this man go into the hotel with a plan and the ruthless willpower to execute it to a T stumble ass-first into feelings he never wanted and believed himself above of and having his plans fall apart is such a fucking joy to read sometimes <3

Also I get you about feeling scared of admitting it, I was soo fucking nervous when I posted my first charlastor art of this year on here, but the community has been so lovely that the few rare haters I *have* had felt like barely even an inconvenience - I learned you just gotta know when to block, stick to your tags and not confront anyone needlessly; then you're gonna barely have any trouble with them haha

Thank you for dropping this in my ask box actually, I appreciated reading it <3

#charlastor #radiobelle #anti chaggie #not really but I gen don't want the pairing enjoyers to have to see this while scrolling their tags #chubs answers

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pikahlua · 2 days

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The problem is that even if it's supposed to be bittersweet and the message is that they can't save everyone, there are other factors in this story that make it look weird. All of AFO's major victims end up dying. Tomura being saved spiritually but not physically, becoming a martyr and "inspiring" the future generation of heroes is Tomura becoming another Yoichi. The story doesn't need another Yoichi, we already have one. If we're supposedly breaking the cycle here, wouldn't it make more sense for this "Yoichi" to actually escape AFO in full?

I do want to combine these two, because the problem is you're saying I'm implying all this stuff that I am literally on the record disagreeing with.

1. I didn't say the message IS they can't save everyone, I said that Izuku and All Might both acknowledge they can't save everyone. That's a big distinction. This is about Izuku's and All Might's sense of dissatisfaction and the solutions they come up with for this problem. What do you do WHEN you can't save everyone? That doesn't mean Tomura won't be saved. Hell, the story already posited that his heart was saved. The question is whether or not his life will be saved, and as I've said, any answer to that question can lead to an interesting outcome depending on how it's handled.

2. It is not true all of AFO's major victims die. Touya and Overhaul are alive. Himiko Toga, Spinner, and Kurogiri's statuses are currently unknown. Depending on how you wanna define "major victim," Izuku and Katsuki and All Might and Endeavor and Aoyama all survive, too. You're just talking about the vestiges (who were always dead characters) and the Shimura family.

3. I disagree that Tomura is a martyr. Just because his life inspired people doesn't make his death martyrdom. If Tomura's death sticks, he didn't die for what he believes in or to make a point or to stay true to himself. He didn't kill himself. His body was already crumbling, and AFO was about to abandon it to turn to dust. Whether or not Tomura changed his beliefs or identity in some way would have had no impact on whether or not he still would have died. He just showed up at the end to exact vengeance on AFO for what was done to him, despite the fact that they were both on their way out anyway. The only control Tomura had over his death was whether or not he'd do anything before it happened, and he did. That's a testament to his character and how he would behave in the face of death, but it's not the same thing as being a martyr. I bring this up because you're throwing a lot of assumptions about the story around as if you and I are on the same page. If anything, I've noticed I disagree with so many people on what Tomura's death even entailed, let alone the meaning behind it.

4. You have to understand, your talk about "the story doesn't need another Yoichi" and "breaking the cycle" is your reading. I never talked about breaking any cycle here. You're assuming that's the point, but I don't know if that's the point. There are many cycles that are still quite preserved in the story. Why wouldn't we need another Yoichi if another Yoichi just refers to a person who pays it forward? A person who believes in others and entrusts their legacy and dreams to them without forcing that other person to BECOME them? The story has never criticized characters for being inspiring, not even All Might. This leads into my next point.

5. I am so vocally on the record even just recently as saying I do not believe the theme is simply "this generation is better than the old one." I do not agree with the implication that Izuku getting out of All Might's shadow means his admiration is bad or part of a cycle that needs to be broken. "You're next" was a detriment to Izuku because Izuku took it as a message meant only for him when in fact it really was a message for everyone. Izuku took away a message that he should separate himself from others, but the true message was that everyone should come together. Everyone includes the old generation. The new generation is taking what the old generation gave them and improving on it with their own ideas and feelings, but they're not breaking what the old generation made. They are continuing the struggle in trying to make things better with each generation knowing that they will never see the completion of the thing they strive for. This is the natural cycle of human social struggle, and it is a struggle that will continue forever.

I'm not saying the ending as we have it now is good--because it's not even complete. I'm saying that there are things Horikoshi is consistent about, and there is POTENTIAL for Tomura's death to work well. I'm not saying Tomura is going to stay dead. The point I'm really getting at is that we can receive messages from stories all we like, but that doesn't make them the intended ones, ESPECIALLY when the story in question is not yet finished. If the Japanese readership is getting an entirely different feeling out of what's happened, it stands to reason that there are some cultural context points the western fandom is missing. I am open to the messages I read being incorrect, and I have revised my criticisms each time it has happened. I am open to learning whatever message Horikoshi has in store, no matter the outcome. And I am interested in understanding it as best I can even if my understanding is limited by my not being the intended audience. There is a lot I could be missing that I still need to learn, and it would be arrogant of me to presume I understand everything about this story's presentation the first time through. That makes it worthwhile for me to see what has remained consistent with my reading and what has not.

#anon ask #ask pika #my hero academia manga spoilers #epilogue arc spoilers

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lemoncrushh · 2 days

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The Entertainer II - Track 07 - With Bells On

Summary: What if it wasn’t the end? What if Sky did actually see Harry at the Forum in the early 80s, and he saw her too? What if fate took hold of them both, and they realized their journey was not over? Set in 1981, Harry and Sky’s story continues with more music, more romance, and a few more twists and turns.

STORY PAGE

Track 07 Word Count: 4k+

Read The Entertainer

“Nobody gets too much heaven no more It’s much harder to come by, I’m waiting in line…”

I hummed along mindlessly to the Bee Gees as I sifted through a rack of dresses.

“Sky. Hello, Earth to Sky Jones!”

I took a deep breath and blinked, turning towards my friend, her hand waving in my face.

“Sorry…um did you say something?”

“Jesus, Sky,” scoffed Halo. “Are you in Harryland, or what?”

“Sorry,” I blushed. “I guess I was.”

“And have been all morning,” Halo chuckled. “Boy, you got it bad.”

Harry had left my apartment early that morning, just five hours after he’d arrived. He’d left me in bed with a kiss, whispering that he had some things to tend to and errands to run before rehearsal for tonight’s show. I’d drifted back into dreamworld for maybe an hour until I had to get up myself to meet Halo for our shopping day. His scent lingered on my sheets, the feeling of his warm mouth on my body as I’d tried my best to step down from the cloud I was on.

“Donna says I daydream at work, too,” I remarked, draping a dress over my arm. “I guess I need to snap back to reality.”

“That’s the beauty of it though, isn’t it?” remarked Halo. “This is your reality now. You’re actually dating him.”

I followed Halo into the dressing rooms where I tried on my one dress that I really had no interest in. Halo had five.

“Did I tell you about Greg?” I heard her ask through the wall.

“I don’t think so. Who’s he?”

“Greg Cassio. He’s one of our artists we showcase at the gallery. He’s smoking hot, and I’d been dying to find out if he’s gay or married or anything. Anyway, he came in this week, and he was totally flirting with me.”

“So…what did he say?”

“He was leaning over the counter, checking out my rack, and I asked him when we might be getting any new pieces from him. He winked at me and said I could get a piece whenever I wanted.”

“Um…okay.”

“Okay, so maybe that doesn’t mean anything, but did you catch the double entendre?” Halo asked.

“Yeah…kinda creepy if you ask me,” I remarked.

Halo and I had been friends long enough that we could be honest with each other. She knew I wasn’t crazy about her new preference in men, but she also knew I would stick by her.

I heard her exasperated sigh just before her door opened.

“Alright, tell me what you think of this,” she called.

Opening my dressing room door, I saw her standing before me in a stunning black strapless dress.

“Oh, Halo, so pretty!”

“Truly?”

“Yes!” I sang. “You look like Princess Diana.”

My best friend laughed and twirled around. She was going to a holiday party as well, but one a bit more formal than mine.

“Okay, it’s your turn to find something,” she announced. “Are you getting that?”

I looked down at the simple frock I’d chosen, more like something I’d wear to work.

“Nah,” I shook my head. “I want something sexy.”

“Atta girl! Let’s go have lunch, and then hit Rodeo.”

With a huff, I pushed open my apartment door and heaved my haul of shopping bags onto my kitchen table. Halo soon followed, closing my door with her elbow.

“Every year I say I’m not going to wait ‘til December to do my Christmas shopping, and every year I lie,” remarked Halo with a sigh.

“We got some good deals, though,” I said.

“I say that every year, too.”

With a laugh, I walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water.

“You got anything harder than that?” Halo asked as I ran the tap.

“It just so happens, I do have a little of that scotch left from your birthday,” I nodded.

“Oh goodie!”

“Harry and I had some, but there’s still plenty left.”

I took down another glass from the cupboard and poured some for Halo. Then I added a splash to my water.

“What did he think of your apartment?” she asked me when she took a sip.

“He liked it. He said it was very me. And he laughed about me not having the itchy couch anymore.”

“Oh God, he remembered the couch! What a guy!”

I didn’t tell her all the other things he remembered. Some things I enjoyed keeping to myself.

As if he knew we were talking about him, the phone rang. Already knowing it was him calling, I answered with a smile.

“Hello?”

“Hi, baby.”

“Hi.” I must have either said it in a certain tone or with a look that gave me away, because Halo rolled her eyes and leaned back against the sink, her arms crossed.

“How was your day?” I asked.

“Great, how was yours?”

“Good. I just got back with Halo. We’ve been shopping all day.”

“Oh yeah? Did you-”

“Hi, Harry!” Halo called into the phone and grabbed her glass from the counter.

Harry chuckled, “Hi, Halo!”

“He says hi. And he can’t wait to see you,” I told Halo.

“Hey, babe, I just wanted to make sure you know where to go tonight.”

“Oh yeah, definitely.”

“I don’t want you to get stuck in the queue to get in, so I’ve put you and Halo on the list,” explained Harry.

“On the list?”

“Yeah, remember that bouncer out front? His name’s Tommy. Just tell him you’re Sky and Halo, and he’ll let you in.”

“Oh cool. Thanks, baby.”

“Oh! I get a ‘baby’ now?” Harry asked.

“Sure, why not?” I shrugged.

Harry made a sexy sound before he mumbled something that sounded like “so fucking cute.”

“What?”

“Nothin’ babe,” he chuckled. “I’ll see you tonight, yeah?”

“With bells on,” I sang.

Harry laughed harder. “I’d love to see that. Bye, angel.”

As I returned the receiver to its spot on my kitchen wall, I heard Halo groan, “If you two were any sweeter, I might gag.”

“Help me, Halo, I’m in love.”

I said it matter-of-factly, but also as an honest plea for help. Catching the look of desperation on my face, Halo embraced me like only a best friend could.

“Oh, sweet Sky,” she said as she rocked me back and forth. “You didn’t have to tell me. This is Harry Styles we’re talking about. The only guy I’ve ever known to make you feel this way.”

“Kinda pathetic, huh?”

“Not at all! I love teasing you because you’re my friend. But in all honesty…I find this all incredibly romantic.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Now, let’s go start getting ready for this gig tonight. We’ll get you all dolled up so he can’t stand to look at anyone but you. And we’ll make the other girls jealous like we used to do.”

I gave her a huge squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks, Halo.”

“That’s what friends are for, right?”

I turned on my stereo and we sang along to every song while we got ready.

“When will you see me, my salamander Don’t try to tell me, oh no don’t answer…”

“What do you think that means?” I asked Halo. “My salamander?”

She laughed as she danced. “Who the hell knows? I think Paul McCartney is one of those people who can just get away with making up rubbish and it still sounds good.”

“You’re probably right,” I giggled.

“Harry’s like a Paul, isn’t he?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, besides being incredibly handsome, and British, he was in a successful band, and now he’s trying out the solo thing.”

“Yeah, good point,” I nodded as I slipped into my shoes. “But the other Beatles have solo albums too.”

“True,” Halo agreed, then paused as she brushed her hair. “But he’s definitely a Paul.”

“I’m getting closer to your heart…”

Not wanting to have to worry about parking, Halo and I took a cab to the club. When it dropped us off in front, I noticed a line had already formed down the street.

“Jesus,” I muttered as I stepped out onto the curb.

“Sky, look!” Halo, poked me in the shoulder and pointed up at the marquee that read HARRY STYLES.

“Wow.”

We made our way up to the front where I remembered Tommy being the last time. Relieved when I spotted him, I half hoped he recognized me, though I was sure he wouldn’t.

“Line’s back here, sweetie,” I heard a woman call, but I just smiled and pretended I didn’t hear her.

“Hi,” I said nervously when I approached Tommy. “I’m Sky, and this is Halo. My boyfriend said we should be on the list.”

“Your boyfriend, eh?” Tommy smirked. Then he picked up his clipboard and scanned it. “Oh yeah, Sky and Halo, I remember now. Harry did give me your real names because I gotta see some ID.”

“Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that, sorry,” I cringed, digging into my purse.

“Just standard policy, sweetheart.”

“I understand.”

I handed Tommy my ID and passed Halos along as well.

“Alright, thanks,” Tommy grinned. Then he lifted the velvet rope. “Have a good evening, ladies.”

“Thanks, Tommy,” I waved as I crossed the threshold.

“Oh, Harry told you my name, did he? Nice kid, that one.”

I beamed with pride as Halo and I made our way through the club.

“He was nice,” she yelled into my ear.

“Yeah. I wish they were all like that.”

“Helps to have boyfriends in high places,” Halo laughed.

Just like Harry and I had done, we stopped at the bar to grab drinks. Halo had just taken a sip when a Billy Squier tune came on.

“Shit, I love this song!” she screamed, her arms in the air.

“Lonely is the night When you find yourself alone Your demons come to light And your mind is not your own”

I smiled as I watched Halo sway on her stool. How I’d missed sharing my love for music with her. She would have had fun with me at the Journey concert. The last time we’d done anything like this had been well over a year ago.

“One glimpse’ll show you now baby What the music can do…”

“I missed this,” I commented when the song ended.

“Me too,” Halo agreed.

I knew that she knew I meant her, but also Harry. And anything else that had to do with music. Music was in my veins, in my blood. Although I’d never really let it go, I had allowed myself to step away from the lifestyle a little bit, thinking it was no longer for me.

“You didn’t like Alan, did you?” I suddenly asked.

“What?” Halo leaned towards me. “Alan? He was a dick.”

“I thought so,” I nodded.

“What made you think of him?”

I shrugged. “I was thinking about how wrong he was for me. Not just because he was kind of a jerk. But because at the time I’d thought he was what I needed.”

“He was dull as hell,” groaned Halo, making a face.

“I know,” I laughed.

“Look how Harry lights you up. Alan never did that, Sky.”

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”

Just then, a short, bald man tapped me on my shoulder.

“Excuse me. Is one of you named Sky?” he asked.

“I am,” I replied.

“Hi miss, I’m Carl Peterson, I’m the manager here,” he offered his hand.

“Oh, yes, hello,” I shook his hand nervously.

“Mr. Styles reserved a table for you over here, if you’ll follow me.”

My jaw open, I slid off my stool and grabbed Halo’s hand, following Carl to the same booth Harry and I had sat in the week before.

“Thank you,” I told Carl as I slid into my seat.

“Thank you ladies for coming,” he smiled. “If there’s anything you need at all, please let me or one of my waitresses know.”

“Look at you!” Halo exclaimed when Carl was out of ear shot. “This is the big time now! VIP!”

I shrugged out of my jacket, feeling warm already. I wore similar jeans from last time, but paired them with a cute off-the-shoulder peasant style top, gold sandals and a gold belt.

As I looked around the room, I quickly noticed how much more crowded it was than the prior weekend. All the tables were taken, and within just a few minutes, the rest of the area was filled with people as well. The waitress had to squeeze through to get to us, but she managed to bring us fresh drinks right before the lights went down.

As soon as the overhead music came to a halt, the crowd began to cheer. Carl took the stage, a spotlight on him. Already, I got the idea this was a much more special event than Stargazer had been.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced. “Thank you all for coming tonight. It is my honor and privilege to present to you…Harry Styles!”

I felt my heart leap from my chest and into my throat. The noise in the room grew thirty decibles when the band walked onto the stage. I caught a glimpse of the new bass player and drummer; I smiled when I saw Mitch take the guitar pick from his mouth and begin to play. But then my eyes zoomed like magnets to the tall, long-haired rocker at the microphone. Just as if I’d gone back in time to 1976, the sight of Harry Styles singing in front of me hit me in the chest like a bolt of lightning.

He addressed the crowd at the start of the song, like he always did, waving and getting them to scream louder. By the second verse, he seemed to search the audience, seeking out someone particular. That’s when our eyes met, and he gave that amazing smile that was only meant for me.

When the first song ended - a hit from Wildfire's first album - the band went straight into “Only Angel”. I screamed and cheered just like before, but it was even more exciting hearing him sing it with his own band, and not Hunter Howe’s. And just like before, Harry singled me out, pressing his hand to his chest, as if to say I was his. I caught a few heads turning and eyes glaring at me, but I didn’t care.

“Make ‘em jealous, girl, make ‘em jealous,” Halo yelled in my ear.

I turned and looked at her, a knowing smile on her face.

“He loves you,” she mouthed.

I simply nodded, returning my focus on Harry. He strutted on the stage like a rockstar in all his glory. I cheered like I used to, like he deserved.

During the middle of his set, Harry sang the acoustic ballad that got me emotional. I felt myself tremble, wishing I didn’t let music affect me so much. But Halo, being the good friend she was, held my hand and swayed with me. When it was over, she was the first to stand and hoot and whistle, enough for both of us since I could barely move.

The band didn’t give me much time to wipe my tears before they kicked into the next track, but I was grateful it wasn’t another heartbreaker. Afterwards, Harry introduced the rest of the band - Danny Mercedes on bass, Bret Alkin on drums, and of course Mitch Rowland on guitar.

“And I’m Harry Styles,” he grinned and the crowd erupted once more. “Thank you so much for coming.”

Harry turned back to the band, said something, then addressed the audience again.

“This is something new.”

Wide-eyed, I stared at Halo who stared back at me. Something new? Harry hadn’t told me he was working on any new songs. But, then again, I hadn’t thought to ask.

It was a fantastic song, a rocker. I didn’t take the time to really listen to the lyrics, however, as I was more focused on how amazing Harry looked. He was the perfect showman, completely in his element. The audience loved him, and he loved them.

“Um…Sky?” Halo nudged me in the middle of the tune. “I think this song might be about you.”

“What?” I glared at her incredulously. “No!”

Halo raised her brows, nodding her head to the melody as the chorus came around again and sang along to the line…”she’s all I want, and I can’t get enough. I’m drunk on her.”

I made a face. “That could be about anybody.”

Halo side-eyed me. “If you say so.”

She continued to dance in her seat, clapping her hands to the beat. I had to admit, I started paying more attention to the lyrics after that. But I couldn’t really find anything that was obviously in reference to me. It just sounded like any rock song about a guy who had flipped over some woman. I really liked it though, regardless of who it was about.

The audience cheered louder than ever as Bret ended the song with a flourish and Harry bent back, giving one of his signature rockstar moves. When he stood up straight again, his hair had fallen over his eyes, and I instantly felt that little twinge in my stomach.

“Hell yes!” screamed Halo, rising to her feet.

I joined her, yelling for my boyfriend - my favorite front man. As he combed his fingers through his hair, I caught the lopsided grin I loved so much. When his eyes met mine, he smiled even brighter, then blew me kisses. As I blew some back, he pressed both hands to his chest and mouthed “I love you so much.”

The band kicked into another hit from their last album as I stood dead in my tracks. Had he just…?

“Oh my God!” Halo yelled in my ear, grabbing my arm. “He said he loves you!”

“You saw that too, huh?”

“I told you!”

“No…” I furrowed my brows and shook my head. “No, that…that wasn’t for me. It was for us, right? Like he does with fans? He was just saying he loves his fans.”

“He was not looking at me,” Halo laughed. “Or anyone else. That was straight at you, Sky!”

“No,” I argued again. “I don’t think he would have done that. Not in front of everyone. That was just a love for his audience thing.”

Halo shrugged, clearly in disagreement. “Maybe so, but…it sure didn’t seem like it.”

Letting it go for the time being, Halo and I continued to enjoy the show. The band ended with one of their bigger hits, and we both stood and danced along. Then Harry gave one more round of waves and kisses, and expressed his thanks into the microphone.

“You’ve been absolutely incredible,” he said, getting a bit choked up. “I really truly appreciate this. It feels so amazing to be back. Thank you.”

The crowd cheered, whistled, hooted and hollered as the band exited the stage, and the noise continued long after they’d left. It wasn’t until the stage lights went out and the club lights came back on that everyone began to disburse. Halo and I stayed in our booth as people walked past us to get to the door. I saw several sets of eyes glaring at me, some curiously and some just plain jealous.

“Wow!” Halo exclaimed, throwing her head back. “That was so fucking fantastic! I’m kind of bummed we didn’t go see them on tour.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered.

“But who’s to say you’d be here now,” my friend added with a shrug. “Maybe it was for the best.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself.”

“Hi, ladies, did you enjoy the show?” I heard a male voice ask.

“Oh my God, Mr. Irving!” I squealed.

Irving Azoff chuckled as he approached our table. I quickly slid out of the booth, ready to give him a hug. Then I worried maybe that seemed too presumptuous.

“Do you remember me?” I asked hesitantly.

“Of course I do, dear. Well…I didn’t at first. But Harry refreshed my memory.”

I smiled at the idea that Harry and told Mr. Irving about me.

“This is my friend Halo,” I gestured.

“Yes, I remember now,” he nodded as he took Halo’s hand. “You two came to a lot of shows when Wildfire was just starting out.”

“That’s right,” Halo and I sang in unison.

“Harry thinks a lot of you, and I can appreciate that,” Irving nodded.

My face flushed with pride. Just then, Carl walked up and addressed Mr. Irving. When he noticed us, he smiled.

“Let me show these ladies backstage, Mr. Azoff, and then I’ll be right with you.”

“Of course. Have a good evening, girls.”

“Bye,” I grinned as he patted my arm.

Halo and I followed Carl to a side door that led backstage. Before I was halfway in the room, I heard his voice.

“There she is!”

“Who, me?” I beamed as Harry walked up to me.

“Who else?” he replied, sliding his hands around my waist. I squealed when he pinched my behind.

“Damn, I thought you were talking about me,” I heard Halo mock behind me with a giggle.

“Halo! C’mere love!” Letting go of me, Harry embraced Halo in a tight hug. “You look bloody fantastic. How’ve you been?”

“Thanks, I’ve been great! You guys were so good!”

“Yeah?” Harry looked from Halo to me and back. “Did you like it?”

“God yes, the new band sounds incredible, Harry.”

With a smile, Harry eyed me, though he was talking to Halo. I merely nodded. “What did you think of the new song?”

I heard Halo say something at the same time I murmured, “loved it.”

“I’m glad,” said Harry.

His hand found mine by my side, and he tickled the back of it with his finger, his eyes still staring at me. My chest rose and fell as I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding, and I heard Halo clear her throat. Casting her a glance, I caught a glimmer of knowledge on her face as she raised her brows at me.

“I don’t believe it!” a voice called from our left.

Halo turned with shriek.

“I thought I recognized that voice,” said Mitch as he approached. “I knew it had to belong to the one and only H-A-L-O.”

“Mitchell Rowland, come give me a hug!” Halo yelled.

“You didn’t tell him?” I whispered to Harry.

“Nah. I reckoned I’d take the piss.”

I shook my head and laughed at his British phrase. After Mitch gave me a hug as well, I left my best friend and Harry’s guitar player to begin their reunion.

“Oh Sky, let me introduce you to the new members of the Harry Styles band,” he announced proudly as two other guys entered the room.

With a smile, I graciously shook hands with Danny and Bret. Because I had been so focused on Harry during the show, I hadn’t really gotten a good look at them on stage. Danny was tall and dark with a mustache. He reminded me of Tony Orlando with long, curly hair. Bret, a little shorter than Danny and Harry, had blond hair that kissed his shoulders, and a smile that could rival Harry’s.

“Damn, Styles, you didn’t tell me how gorgeous she was!” he exclaimed when he took my hand.

“I’m most certain I did,” Harry chuckled, cleverly sliding his hand around my back.

“Ah well, y’know,” Bret said with a wink, “you don’t always believe it ‘til you see it.”

I looked up at Harry who merely rolled his eyes, making me feel a little more at ease. But as Bret and Danny moved on to greet Halo, I couldn’t shake the strange way Bret made me feel. Maybe I just wasn’t used to being ogled over by someone else.

“Sorry about that,” Harry leaned into me. “Bret is…kind of a flirt.”

“I can see that,” I nodded as I watched the drummer introduce himself to Halo.

“He’s harmless though. And they all know how I feel about you.”

I widened my eyes in question. “How you feel about me?”

“Yeah,” he said, as if there was no doubt.

As he leaned in for a kiss, I thought about how he’d confessed his love on stage, and whether or not it had been meant for me alone. When our lips touched, however, I decided not to ask him about it. At least not yet.

Songs mentioned:

Bee Gees - Too Much Heaven

Wings - Getting Closer

Billy Squier - Lonely Is the Night

Taglist: @fkinavocado, @daphnesutton, @freedomfireflies

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

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mondsphere · 10 hours

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Luo Binghe & Tianlang-Jun: Origins. And a Bit of Projection.

Disclaimer: This is basically just a collection of quotes from The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, Volume 3, accompanied by (adjective) thoughts, and then even more relevant quotes listed at the end. If I could, I’d paste the entirety of Chapter 18.

“As expected, I can’t bring myself to hate humans.” — Vol. 3, Chapter 21: Always Together

I will always be conflicted on the topic of Tianlang-jun, and it annoys me. There is so much I could say about him, and so little I can successfully articulate. He is, to me, more confounding, complex and tragic than Shen Jiu.

He’s pitiful and awe-inspiring, wicked and affable, cunning and wide-eyed in his curiousity. He is a compelling, heartbreaking character. He alternates between emotionless wisdom and mournful apathy. I admire how his knees don’t buckle under the weight of his grief, but how he crumbles at the barest hint of hope. How rage claws at him and, still, he can’t figure out how to make it stick.

I empathise with him. I understand him.

But then, in the distance, Luo Binghe's indifferent voice disturbs the silence, causing me to drop my drink onto the floor and this post onto your screen:

“He’s not my father.”

It’s an interesting exercise, exploring their relationship in reconciliation fics. To see them interact (semi-)honestly, watch them take turns filling up the chasm between them. It’s wonderful. Every fic I’ve read centred around them was a delightful read that I still think about.

However. I cannot see Tianlang-Jun, as I understand him, as Luo Binghe’s father. And not just because of the 3rd Novel’s events.

But because Binghe had hoped for something; he did have that wide-eyed wonder. He did hold one last window open, for the sake of an improbability he couldn’t quite, just yet, dismiss.

It’s what (most) orphaned and/or adopted childred do.

Though Luo Binghe had never said a word about it before, Shen Qingqiu knew that he harbored some fantasies about his birth parents. […] In fact, he’d always secretly fantasized about whether his parents might still be alive, and how well they’d treat him, and how they’d never let him suffer the mildest slight. — Vol. 3, Chapter 17: Tianlang

It is the most human thing; to want to be helped, accepted, invited by those given to you. A family is given to you. Whether you believe it an act of the divine, of nature, of coincidence, it isn’t something you fight for. It’s the first and, arguably, only thing you don’t have to fight for in life.

Depending on a multitude of factors, that can be a blessing or a curse; but where there is room for interpretation, questions left unanswered, most childred—Binghe included—will turn to their imagination, and try to make sense of it. Usually, to comfort themselves, to reassure themselves that surely, if their family could, they would have.

And, yeah. Most likely, if the Palace Master had gotten punted into the Sun like he fucking deserved, they would have. But does it matter?

In the face of a bleak reality, what comfort is a could-have-been?

He liked to call Luo Binghe “that son of mine,” but he didn’t seem to possess any concept of fatherly affection. […] Luo Binghe was in fact…someone who was unloved by even his own parents. — Vol. 3, Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

What use are good intentions to an abandoned child? What consolation is it, to say, They gave birth to you, when that child has seen no evidence of their care? Does it dry their tears, that their mother can’t be here, but she surely would have wished to be? That their father would protect them, if only he knew of them?

(And don’t make me tell you about the visceral horror I felt reading the Origins chapter. I’ve yet to make my peace with it. MXTX, Airplane, whoever: you’ve ruined me.)

The washerwoman was and continues to be, to Binghe, his only mother. And I would argue, that’s healthy. Even independent of his other traumas (Abyss, Shizun’s betrayal, Xin Mo’s influence, living on the streets, etc, holy shit Binghe) Luo Binghe will not accept anyone else as his mother.

“Who is this Su Xiyan?” Luo Binghe asked coldly. “My mother was a mere washerwoman.” — Vol. 3, Chapter 18: Origins.

It may seem callous. It probably even is! But it is a healthy line he’d drawn by his own initiative. It’s what helps him, what he feels he needs to do in order to do right by his mother, and his own heart.

And! Tianlang-Jun doesn’t seem to give much of a shit, either!

Won’t, probably, even in the future, once the dust will have settled. He is exhausted, weary with carrying the corpse of his love, the loss of his nephew. Whatever goodwill he shows, it’s a perfunctory sort, because he can’t afford more.

So. Uhh.

Tianlang-Jun is not a character I can love, nor one I can hate. Usually, I can’t help but be inclined to love complex characters. Like them, too—though that’s more of an action-based thing rather than just said character’s personality.

But with Tianlang-Jun, I’m stuck whichever way I turn. If I want to love/like him, I’m drawn back by Binghe’s pain and disappointment. If I try to hate/dislike him, I’m drawn back by his own history and grief.

In conclusion:

I don't know! I'm not really trying to, like, prove anything. I still love the aforementioned TLJ & LBH fics, I still love their dynamic. I started walking and ended up exactly in the same space. This, perhaps, could be considered a Heavenly Demon Family Mobius Strip!

I'm not really trying to say anything. It just… makes me feel conflicted, and angry, and whenever I allow myself to think about it a bit more, sad.

But.

However!

Alas.

Nonetheless, even.

As a reader and—on my better days—a writer, all I can say is:

As promised/threatened: some selected passages, for your reading pleasure:

So, it looked like neither the father nor the cousin had any intention of acknowledging Luo Binghe. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

He liked to call Luo Binghe “that son of mine,” but he didn’t seem to possess any concept of fatherly affection. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

Tianlang-Jun lifted his hand, took a look at Luo Binghe’s snow-pale face, and commented indifferently, “He looks like his mother.” “His eyes look like yours,” came a chill voice from the side. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

The faint hopes and dreams Luo Binghe had held in his heart for many years had been mercilessly pulverized into so much dust. […] [Tianlang-Jun] refused to speak a single word of their relationship and had been utterly ruthless back in the Holy Mausoleum. […] To his parents, Luo Binghe was an unwanted child. — Chapter 18: Origins

“If he was my father, why didn’t he bring it up earlier? Why not tell me?” The most Tianlang-Jun had said was that single line he offered while beating up Luo Binghe, devoid of either praise or criticism: “He looks like his mother.” He looks like his mother. What of it? But that was all. There was nothing more. — Chapter 18: Origins

Luo Binghe was indifferent. “He’s not my father.” […] Luo Binghe shook his head. It was unclear what he was stubbornly clinging to, but he repeated, “He’s not my father.” — Chapter 18: Origins

Luo Binghe raised his smiling face, his eyes shining brightly. “Mother was the kindest person in all the world to me.” — Chapter 19: Shen Jiu

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lovepotionsandlust · 1 day

Text

All Of The Ways We Differ

This is my first ever fic I have written. this will be MULTIPLE parts. *please note this is an AU* Not proof read

no use of Y/N

no warnings for the first chapter

enjoy!

“Explliarmus!” you watched as Harry’s wand flew from his hand. For your first try at the disarming spell, you were shocked how well it had worked. You were late to join “Dumbledore’s Army,” making you the newest member. You could not stop the nerves of feeling behind everyone’s progress. “Well done!” shouted a student whose name you were yet to be aware of. As you strode away from the center of the room, enjoying the praise from your peers, you joined your group of friends.

“Fred Weasley,” he said, extending his right hand to you. Looking up at him, you reached out, shaking his large hand. From his right stepped out his identical twin.

“Now Freddie, don’t take all of the star students’ attention.”

He bumped shoulders with his brother making more room for himself.

“George Weasley at your service” you couldn’t help smiling up at the red headed twins.

“I wouldn’t call myself the star by any means but thank you for the vote of confidence.”

“it’s about time you three met,” interrupted Ginny, your best friend. “I’ve only told you about her a million times.”

“ah so you’re the infamous twins I have heard so much about” you chuckled up at them.

“so what brought you to join the big boys?” they asked in unison.

Rasing your hand, showing the back of it. Still red and irritated, “I shall not speak disrespectfully to my superiors.” You mocked Umbridge’s voice. “after she decided to insult my work in class, I promptly asked if her hairstyle was some form of curse we would be learning about in the upcoming chapters.” You smiled to yourself, still staring down at your hand. “Was well worth it though, the look on her face was a thing of dreams.”

Shooting your eyes at the twins, both looking amused. “absolutely brilliant if you ask me! We were thinking of slipping her some puking pastels in her tea, they are an invention of ours.”

Your interest peaked, you had to know more. As you stood taking in all of the information regarding the skiving snack boxes, their deliciously devious contents. “here, consider me a founding member, and remember who supported you at the beginning.” You handed them each ten galleons.

Right then and there Fred knew he had fallen, and fallen hard.

***

Every meeting since then, you had always held Freds attention. Frequently catching him watching you in the mirrored walls when your back was to him. Typically ignoring it, “he’s just watching you because you’re a fast learner, don’t think too much about it.” Today you decided to stick your tongue out at him, letting him know he was caught. Quickly straightening himself up, his face turned a darker red color than his bright hair. George leaned over to whisper something in his ear in your general direction. Whatever he had to say clearly upset him as he gave his shoulder a quick shove. Leaving George to walk away looking far too smug.

You turned walking your way to Ginny, noticing the expression on her face.

“Now what is that face about Gin?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? You clearly have caught my brother’s attention” she tilted her head in Freds direction. “he was so busy trying to impress you with his patronus charm, that he sent it flying into the back of Nevilles head.”

“Yeah, bloody hurt too. If I didn’t have a hard enough time remembering things, now I have a head injury to worry about.” Neville exclaimed joining the conversation.

Rolling your eyes, shaking your head, you did your best to hide the blush that had risen to your cheeks.

“You both have gone mad, he has got most of the sixth years wrapped around his finger-“

“Well, your finger is the only one he is wrapped around. All he can ever do at home now is ask about you. Speak of the devil, look who’s coming.”

You could feel his approach from behind you. Ginny leaned in closer adding.

“At this rate we will be in-laws before the semester is through.”

“you keep pestering me and I will send Goyle a love potion with your name on it.”

With this she put her hands up in surrender stepping back, “hey, I have always wanted a sister.”

You stepped forward at her causing her to turn around, exiting the room. A throat clearing behind you caught your attention. Turning on your heel, there Fred was, standing much closer to you than you had expected. Catching you off guard you stumbled backwards slightly, he reached out catching your hand helping you find your balance. Both of you blushing, avoiding each other’s eye contact.

“Sorry about that, I just wanted to come to with you a happy Christmas.” He smiled down at you in a way that made your knees feel as if they were going to give out.

“Thanks Freddie, Happy Christmas to you as well.”

“Going to visit your family I trust?”

“Not this year actually, ill be staying at the castle. My family is traveling around Europe visiting relatives from all over the country. They won’t return for quite some time after either. With O.W.L.s quickly approaching, figured it would be best to stay behind to catch up on my potions preparations.”

“Well, now if I knew you were staying behind, I would have signed up to stay as well. Percy, Bill and Charlie, all cannot make it home this year. Should be a quiet day at the burrow.”

“don’t you worry about little ol’ me. There is always trouble somewhere that I can find myself in the center of.”

A low chuckle left him, as if without thinking he replied “That’s my girl” with a grin.

Your eyebrows raised at him, biting back a smile.

“Oh- uh- I just meant- um” he stammered.

You watched as he tried to back his way out of the corner, he had just put himself in.

“For the biggest prankster in Hogwarts history, I really thought you would be quicker to get yourself out of trouble Weasley.” Without breaking eye contact, you slid your bag over your shoulder.

“I hope you have a very merry Christmas Freddie.”

Without another word shared, you exited the room. Attempting to hide the amusement on your face. Fred watched you intently as you exited into the large hallway, rejoining your friends.

George joined his side “ugh, I missed her! Did you at least wish her a Happy Christmas from me?”

Without moving his attention from you, he leaned closer to George, “ do you remember how much trouble I had got in for turning moms knitting needles into snakes last summer?"

“How could I forget? She wouldn’t let me out of the house either for fear you were lying to her to get out of the house. Wait- why?”

Fred nodded in your direction “that one over there is more trouble for me than that, I assure you.”

***

As the campus refilled with student, you could not help but feel eager to see Freddie again. Too many nights to count over the last week you had found yourself in the astronomy tower yearning for his company. Classes roared back up with the looming O.W.L. examinations nearing closer. Sitting in the library you could not focus on your text books, your mind often wandering. You were so distracted you didn’t even notice Ginny join your table. Your name being called pulled you from your day dream.

“Lost in the clouds again?” she teased.

“just cant seem to keep my feet on the ground, nothing out of the ordinary. Did you enjoy your break Gin?”

“well, I tried to, but most of the time I was being harassed. Do you want to know by who?” she smirked up at you.

“Yes, absolutely I do.” You thought. Keeping your eyes on your textbook, afraid she would read your facial expressions too easily. “oh, here we go again, I do not want to hear your theories- “

She promptly interrupted “Fred would not stop pestering me regarding what you were talking to me about before break. He overheard my comment about wanting a sister. You should have seen his face when I told him that we were discussing your schoolgirl crush for Ron. He turned just about the same shade of red as you have now.”

You crumpled up a near piece of paper and threw it at her.

“You did not!”

“Well what else was I supposed to tell him?”

You hid your face in your hands with a sigh.

“tell me you’re joking you did NOT tell him-“ you looked around your surroundings quieting your tone, “that I fancied Ron of all people.”

Pushing your arm gently, prompting you to remove your hands, your eyes flashed up at her.

“well would you have preferred I told him the truth about who has caught your eye?”

There was no point in trying to lie to her at this point.

“you open your mouth and I will tell Harry about that dream, in which I swore never to repeat”

She placed her hand over her heart dramatically. “you wouldn’t!”

Smiling back at her, you waited a moment acting as if you were dep in thought.

“but you promised!”

Pure embarrassment and panic flushed over her expression.

“you’re right Gin, I wouldn’t. even thinking about having to repeat that depravity and I’m feeling ill. Have been doing my best to forget it since you told me about it.” You placed your hand over your mouth pretending to fight back vomit.

“you and Fred are perfect for each other, you know that? Glad to see you finally admit that you do in fact fancy him, don’t think I missed that.” Swiftly you kicked her under the table.

“Now it is your turn to promise to keep things between us Gin.”

She extended her pinky to you, interlocking them in a promise the way you would as a child.

***

Days had passed since your conversation with Ginny in the library. No practice sessions took place in the room of requirement as everyone prepared for the O.W.Ls. Tensions continued to build as Umbridge had really supped her retaliation against the students and now the staff. With her rules prohibiting students of opposing genders to interact in the halls, your chances of spending time with Fred any time soon were dwindling.

As students sat quietly in the rows of desks that now lined the great hall, the only sounds to be heard were the quick movements of quills and the swinging of the pendulum. That was until a fizz and pop noise caught everyones attention. Before you knew what was happening, Fred and George were flying through the air above you. Throwing more fireworks than you had ever seen. You could not keep your eyes off of him. The loud cheers of the fellow students gave him the courage he needed to make a move. Swiftly he flew down to you slowing only for a moment to leave a kiss on your cheek. Turning to wink at you as he returned to his brothers side. Ginny grabbed your hand pulling you closer, the smile on your face could not be removed with the cruciatus curse. Between the twins antics and the sound of Umbridge screaming as she ran, the previous months of stress seemed to melt away. As a large dragon made of fireworks chased her out of the room, all of the students followed. Chasing after the twins as they entered the courtyard, a large “W” filled the sky in shimmering colors. As they were out of eye sight, something else caught your attention. A small paper bird flying near your side. You extended your hand allowing it to land softly in your hand. Noticing the ink bleeding through from the other side, you quickly opened the parchment.

“tomorrow 6pm

3 brooksticks

Back booth

Don’t be late xx

Freddie”

#fred weasley #george weasley #george weasley imagine #fred weasley imagine #fred weasly x reader #george weasly x reader #weasley twins

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