#there are so MANY interesting ways that gender could go with the champions

[zeldassecretwell]

listen. listen. hear me out.

trans zelda and trans link (of course), HOWEVER (long speculation and gender worldbuilding/headcanon follows):

link, afab and genderfluid. as a child, shrimply does not Care about gender. does not cross her mind (homeschooled and fucks around in the woods too much for it to be relevant to his life). But when they pull the sword, suddenly there's all this attention on them and guess what? The Hero Of Legend is a boy, and so Link must be a boy, always. He doesn't really mind at first, because it isn't like he cared anyways, but it eventually becomes stifling as he realizes that he, as The Hero, is expected to perform a certain kind of masculinity (and only ever perform that kind of masculinity).

zelda, amab and trans, she/her. grows up as aware of gender roles as a child can be (given that those roles are tied to the monarchical power structure that she's born into). Sees that her mother is 1) the one with the divine heritage and 2) I'm going to assume favorite parent since I dislike Rhoam intensely. Is like, yeah sure I'd like to be a girl, sounds neat! Rhoam et al. are like but your roles...no...be a boy... And then her mom dies when she's like 6 and everybody's like well shit The Princess Of Legend is a girl, and Zelda is an only child, so now we will choose to see you as a girl. And at first Zelda doesn't mind because she thought being a girl was neat anyways, but then it becomes stifling as she realizes that she, as The Princess, is expected to perform a certain kind of femininity (and only ever perform that kind of femininity).

I just think it's incredibly interesting how gender can play into the themes of destiny/expectations/personhood/choice/self discovery if you operate off of the assumption that the botw/totk universe has an (even slightly) different system of gender. because most societies do in one way or another. FOR EXAMPLE:

- link starts dressing more fluidly and expressing themself more after he wakes up post amnesia, moving away from rigid, stoic masculinity of pre-calamity

- zelda cuts her hair post botw. she cuts her hair. oh my fucking god! she cuts her goddamn hair! she is louder and more outspoken, and she leans into being a scientist. and she cut her hair!!! because she IS a girl, but not the one that her father wanted her to be.

- and on the topic of how this influences the rhoam-zelda dynamic: you could read an element of rhoam projecting onto zelda (and zelda very much perceiving this) "well, if only you had been 'BORN' a girl, maybe your powers would work sooner" or "well you wanted to be a girl, so why do you complain about the kind of girl that you must be for the good of the kingdom (read: the kind of girl I want you to be)"

- THUS. INTENSE ZELDA LINK BONDING (romantic or platonic doesn't matter) VIS A VIS BEING TRANS AND THE WAY EXPECTATIONS SHAPED THE WAY THEY WERE PERCIEVED AND THE WAY THEY PERCIEVE THEMSELVES. CAN I GET AN AMEN.

- also, last little note - because I'm assuming (as much as one can) that the kingdom of central Hyrule is to some degree imperialistic and subjugating other regions in the country pre-calamity - other societies in hyrule could have gender systems that differ from that of Central Hyrule (and this is sort of present in canon but. you know. in the way that canon is the way it is. well.). ERGO. none of the Champions have to be in line with the central hyrulean concept of a cisgender person. I rest my case.

#im fucking with gender in shrimp ways. in ways you cant even understand. #sigh. it's very much that post thats like. the worst thing is when a piece of media has interesting ideas and is sometimes good #but also is sometimes bad and does not explore the most interesting ideas to their full potential. that one #god. legend of zelda botw/totk. i love you. i do. but you could be so much more interesting #thats okay though because by the grace of the mother mary fanfiction exists #nintendo please for the love of god. STOP doing these things to the Gerudo. please. god. GOD. #like ahhhh yikes. this maybe could have been different #there are so MANY interesting ways that gender could go with the champions #revali sweetheart im looking at you #another post for another time #loz #botw #totk #link loz #the legend of zelda #zelda

[saey707]

omg i’m so excited to see your requests are open! could i get hcs of heartsteel sett or aphelios (or both if you want!) and how they’d show their affection toward their s/o? thank you!! 🩵

✿ Prompt: How Heartsteel Aphelios shows affection ✿

♡ champion focus: aphelios ♡ tw: none! ♡ Gender-neutral reader

Author’s Note: Hello! Thank you for sending a request. I chose Aphelios for this one because I thought I could get more ideas from him! I hope I am able to fulfill it to your liking! Enjoy ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱₊˚⊹

Aphelios tends to keep to himself most of the time, so at the beginning of your relationship, it's vital to anticipate for him to take time to adjust so he can get comfortable with you!

When he does begin to acclimate himself to a relationship, he becomes quite the snuggle bug and prefers to always be the little spoon when you two cuddle.

But overall, Aphelios is the type to show affection through actions over physical interactions! Physical intimacy is difficult for Aphelios to display, so it's easier for him to communicate how much he loves you through what he does for you over touch.

Aphelios is the type to always listen to you and especially adores listening to you talk about your passions!

So long as you're willing to read his excited rambles about his love for the moon and stars (along with the extreme knowledge he has on even the diameter of the moon or when the next lunar eclipse will occur and where), he is more than happy to immerse himself in learning more about your interests!

Even though he can no longer sing, he can still write words to you that mean something. It's just one of the ways he can openly express himself and how much he loves you.

The gifts he gives you are always meaningful, stuff that just makes sense when it comes to him! Items include a moon and star pendant necklace, a pair of matching headphones to his own, and his prized NASA hoodie.

If you're a morning bird, he'll wake up early just to send you a good morning text. Inevitably, he'll go right back to bed after he sends it, but it will give you a reminder of how much he cares!

If you're a night owl like he is, Aphelios gets on Discord calls with you and sits in comfortable silence with you. It may not be much, but if you talk to him, he'll respond with his soundboards and communicate with you through the text-to-speech bot!

Any time he dyes his hair, he makes sure you're there with him so you both can have the same colors in your hair! If there is one thing Aphelios is obsessed with more than creating music, it's matching everything he possibly can with you!

Love songs!! The genius composer will definitely dedicate certain verses in the songs he writes to you. You're his purpose. You're why he always pushes and drives himself forward. You make him a better person and allow him to see his potential, particularly when he feels like he's drowning under the weight of being a star.

Aphelios will teach you sign language! It's one of the many ways he communicates with the world around him! Of course, he may be biased and teach you only the romantic signs, so don't let that stop you from doing your own research so you can communicate with him even more!

It took Aphelios some time to work himself up to this high display of affection: Sharing his mooncakes with you. Even though it is meant to be shared, he'd rather share it with the one person he loves most in the world. Giving you a piece of his mooncake is like giving you a piece of himself in his mind!

#saeybaewrites #request #headcanons #heartsteel #heartsteel aphelios #aphelios #heartsteel aphelios x reader #heartsteel x reader #aphelios lol #x reader #lol x reader #aphelios league of legends #aphelios lol x reader #aphelios league of legends x reader #league of legends x reader

[bloody-britt26]

Hop - Loser Like Me

This is an older fic that I’m just now cross-posting from my Wattpad.

Summary: He was never able to win against his rivals, and he didn't become the champion. He couldn't live up to his older brother's name. He wasn't all that special, he thought. So, why would Hop ever think that you would ever glance at him? You were that sweet, lovable person that worked day in and day out to help better the lives of rescued pokémon. Surely, you wouldn't be interested in a loser like him.

Genre: Fluff + light angst

Pairing: Hop X Rescuer!Reader (Gender Neutral)

Content Warnings: | Hop’s self-deprecating thoughts | Fear of rejection | Mentions of abused pokemon | Swearing | Reader gets slapped once (not by Hop) | Slow burn kinda | Both Hop and Reader are depicted as adults. |

Word Count: 14,741

Sonia's lab was awfully quiet. At least, that's what Hop thought as he was the only person present in the building. Sonia was out, she had the urge to get out and do a bit of fieldwork for a change. Hop's Dubwool had fallen asleep near his desk quite some time ago.

Hop was seated at his desk, scribbling down various notes about pokémon and the Dynamax phenomenon. Even if he had been studying by Sonia's side for three years now, he still had a lot to learn and discover. There were so many pokémon out there, and there was new knowledge to be gained from them practically every day.

Behind him, the Dynamax readings showed stability, thankfully. Nothing had been out of the ordinary for a long time, but Hop and Sonia had the habit of keeping a close eye on them. Their slight paranoia was understandable due to the damage caused by the actions of Rose and the royal brothers.

Hop's foot tapped away as he wrote, he twirled his pen every so often. Even though Hop had matured quite a bit over the years, sitting still for long periods was still not his forté.

As he finished jotting down the final words of his report, he gathered up all of the sheets to place them in a neat pile. With a sigh, he leaned back to stretch his sore muscles, he had been hunched over his desk for a good amount of time, so it was much needed. Hop let out a small yelp as his computer chair nearly fell back from the pressure he was applying.

Once he stabilized himself, he reached for his Rotom Phone, turning it on so that he could tune into some live battles. He still had a bit of work to do, but he figured that he could take a small break.

He blinked once he saw footage of his best friend in battle. Hop had almost forgotten that today was Victor's exhibition match. Nonetheless, he smiled as he began to watch it.

Victor was battling Bede, and both men were giving it their all. Seeing those two battle it out on the pitch brought back memories from his own gym challenge. After all, the three had been the biggest rivals throughout their journeys.

Victor was a fantastic champion, and perhaps even better than Leon was, Hop thought. Even today, Hop couldn't believe how powerful his childhood friend was, and it seemed as though his strength grew with every passing day.

Victor wasn't just a strong battler, he was inspirational and a good man. He didn't care much about having many sponsors, nor did he go out of his way to partake in interviews. He often donated his prize money to people in need, and he was exceptionally humble.

Even Bede had matured into a decent man. Now the full-time gym leader of Ballonlea, he was a force to be reckoned with for challengers. Although he still kept a facade of toughness, Hop couldn't deny that Bede was much more polite than before. Even if Bede and Hop had never gotten along, Hop thought that it was great that Bede had found his place in the world.

Hop took a glance at his sleeping Dubwool, reaching down to stroke his coat softly. It dawned on him that it's been quite a while since he had battled someone because he was so focused on his studies to become a respectable professor. He hoped that his pokémon weren't too bored with his decision to lessen pokémon battling to focus on research.

However, they seemed to have accepted his choice of career, as did his friends and relatives. Even though being a professor was far from being his original dream, he thought it was fun.

All his life, Hop had wanted to be the champion. He wanted to prove to the region that he was just as good, possibly better than his brother. But that didn't happen, Victor got there first.

He continued to watch Victor's battle on his phone, completely immersed in the confident and enthusiastic energy that Victor displayed. Victor still had five pokémon standing, while Bede was on his last two.

"It's no wonder you became champion, mate," Hop chuckled to himself.

No wonder indeed. Three years later, and Hop had accepted that he never stood a chance of being champion. Not when he was up against Victor. Hop had never been able to defeat Victor, and he always felt like he was lightyears behind his dear friend.

Even today, he felt underwhelming compared to everyone around him. It felt as though his friends, rivals and family were all achieving great success and making names for themselves while he was constantly scribbling notes and watching wild pokémon.

Hop sighed, shaking his head in annoyance at his own thoughts. He knew better than to think so negatively, but the quiet atmosphere of the lab seemed to be the perfect setting to overthink life itself.

He shook his head once more, smiling to himself as a way to convince himself that everything was fine. He was usually so bubbly and energetic, for crying out loud! He loved doing research. It was his new passion, and that's what was important.

Hop grinned as Victor's battle came to a close, ending in a victory for his best friend. Though the outcome didn't surprise him, Hop mentally congratulated him.

As he turned off his phone to get back to work, the door to the lab opened. He didn't fully pay any mind to it as it was most likely Sonia since she was to return around these hours.

"H-Hello? Is there anyone?" A meek voice timidly sounded.

Hop's gaze lifted. That was most definitely not Sonia. He got up from his chair and smoothed his lab coat before heading to the entrance of the lab.

There stood a young, short-haired girl who looked to be more or less ten-years-old. She shyly fiddled with her sweater's sleeves as her gaze was fixated to the ground.

Hop blinked but quickly shook off his surprise to smile at the youngling. "Hi, there! What brings you here?"

"W-Well... is Professor Sonia here? I'm supposed to get my first pokémon today," she said.

Now that Hop thought about it, he did remember Sonia saying something about a girl coming to get her starter today. He had completely forgotten about that.

He looked around nervously, Sonia had most likely lost track of time. It happened to her often whenever she was really into her work, and he really couldn't blame her.

He scratched the back of his head. "R-Right! You must be Annabelle, yeah?"

The little girl nodded in response with a soft smile.

"So, er, the thing is that Sonia isn't here right now..." he said.

Annabelle's smile faltered a bit. "Oh... that's okay. I'll come back. I'm sorry for bothering you," she said.

Hop cringed at the dejected look she had, and before she could turn around and leave, he stopped her.

"Hey, wait! I can give you your pokémon, you don't have to come back later," he said before he could stop himself.

Surely, Sonia wouldn't mind if he took matters into his own hands, right? After all, he felt too bad at the thought of making her wait, he knew all too well just how exciting it was to get your very first pokémon.

"Really? Oh, thank you so much!" She said enthusiastically.

Hop chuckled and motioned her to follow him. "Well, come along. Let's have you meet the little fellows!"

She did as told and followed Hop. He then headed to a shelf where three pokéballs sat. He grabbed them and turned back to Annabelle.

As he called out the pokémon, three familiar faces excitedly made their entrance. Hop couldn't help but smile as the nostalgia hit him as he watched the Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble all pose adorably.

Annabelle seemed absolutely enamoured with them as well as she cooed at their cuteness.

Hop nodded to himself, it was time for him to put his knowledge to good use. This would be a good way for him to evaluate his performance as a future professor.

"Sobble is just about the most gentle Water-type pokémon out there! It can be pretty sensitive and timid, but don't let that fool you, Sobble is a master of camouflage and silent attacks. It never fails to aim for an opponent's weak spot! She's a little girl!" Hop explained.

Sobble wiggled her fin as she covered her cheeks to hide a little blush. It sounded like she was giggling.

"Scorbunny is a very energetic Fire-type! It's always raring to go and up for a good fight. It's a very confident pokémon who will always do its best to impress and protect its trainer! This little guy is a boy," Hop continued.

Sorbunny bounced in the air, pumping his little paw with a wink. He was trying to showboat a little.

"And lastly, we have the Grass-type, Grookey! It's a very peaceful pokémon with a good sense of leadership. It's a very speedy pokémon that can get quite immersed in battles. This one is a boy!" He concluded.

Grookey wagged his tail, chirping happily with a bright smile as he bounced up and down. He grabbed his stick to tap a little beat onto the tile floor.

"So, which one will you take? Choose wisely. This will be your most trusted partner who will stick by your side throughout your journey no matter what," Hop said.

Annabelle's gaze flicked between the three pokémon, but not for long as she had her eyes set on the little Grookey.

"They're all so cute, but I decided that I wanted a Grookey ages ago!" She said as she crouched to the pokémon's height.

"Would you like to travel with me?" She asked, holding out her hand.

Grookey nodded excitedly as he put his little paws onto her hand. Annabelle giggled at the pokémon's cuteness.

Hop grinned. "Grookey, huh? A great choice. It was the pokémon that I chose to travel with along with Wooloo when I first started."

Annabelle giggled softly, picking up her new Grookey in her arms. "I know. That's why I wanted one, Mr. Hop!"

Hop blinked in surprise as he registered what the young girl had said. "I- Really?"

"Yeah! I always watched your battles with my mummy when you did your gym challenge. You were my favourite trainer, and I want to be just as good as you!" She said.

Hop was at a loss for words. Not only did this child know who he was, but she was admitting that she favoured him as a trainer. He didn't think this could even be a reality. He wasn't that special, he knew that for a fact. Sure, he made it through his gym challenge, but he had always been in both Victor and Leon's shadows, and, in his opinion, rightfully so.

His friends, brother and rivals all outshined him by so much. He didn't have their strength, he knew that as he could never beat a single one of them. Not even once. Hop had since accepted that he was destined to be the weakest person of his entourage.

He definitely felt happiness at knowing that someone thought so highly of him, yet he couldn't help but listen to the little voice at the back of his mind, saying that this sweet girl was making the worst mistake of her life by idolizing such a loser.

Hop chuckled nervously as he scratched at his hair. "A-Ah! Well, I appreciate that, but I'm not that gr-"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Sonia made her frantic appearance into the lab, huffing slightly to catch her breath.

"I am so sorry! I got sidetracked and didn't see time fly!" She said.

Annabelle shook her head. "It's okay, Professor Sonia. Professor Hop gave me a pokémon!" She said as she snuggled her Grookey.

"But I'm not a prof-"

"I can see that!" Sonia chuckled. "Annabelle, dear, what do you say we equip that Rotom Phone of yours with a Pokédex?" She continued.

"Please!" She said, handing Sonia her phone.

"Alright. Hop, why don't you go get some Pokéballs for her while I set this up?" Sonia asked.

Hop nodded. "Of course."

As Hop distanced himself to rummage through some drawers for Pokéballs, Sonia explained to Annabelle the Pokédex's functions. It was just like she had done when he and Victor had first started their journeys.

He found five Pokéballs to get the young girl started on her team, so he headed back to the duo and handed Annabelle the catching devices.

"Here you go. They'll help you get started on your team," he said.

When she took the balls from Hop, he reached into his pocket to grab another one. "Here. This is your Grookey's Pokéball."

"Thank you very much for everything!" She said as she took her starter's Pokéball.

Hop shook his head. "It's our pleasure! Now, get out there and meet tons of pokémon! But remember to stay safe and have fun," he said.

"I will! Thanks again, you two!" She said before exiting the lab with her Grookey still in her arms.

When Annabelle left, Hop sighed in relief, happy that everything went smoothly. He then turned to Sonia, laughing nervously.

"S-Sorry, Professor. I hope you don't mind that I took care of things. I didn't want to make her wait too long, and I didn't know when you would be back," he said.

Sonia shook her head. "No, no, don't worry a thing. I'm glad you did, and by the looks of it, you handled that really well. Proper job!" She said with a grin.

"Thank you... I did my best," Hop said, relieved that he didn't mess anything up.

Sonia glanced at the desk where a large pile of notes sat before turning back to Hop. "Would you like to switch places with me? Arceus knows how much you hate sitting still."

"Yeah, I'll take you up on that. Fieldwork is my favourite kind of work!" He laughed.

Fresh air was definitely needed at the moment. Hopefully, it would help him keep his mind at ease from the negativity that has been plaguing him recently.

~~~~~~

"Thank you for having me over, Magnolia. I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced," you said.

Having decided to take a well-deserved break from work, you dropped by Magnolia's home for a visit. You found her company to be warm and homely, which was something you loved, especially when you needed to sit back and relax.

You sat in Magnolia's plant room on one of the comfortable loveseats as the older woman prepared cups of the finest tea she had in her kitchen. The scenery of her home, particularly the room you were in, had you feeling at peace.

Perched atop your head was your beloved Frosmoth. She could get quite heavy, so she made sure to not put her full weight on you. She absolutely refused to be left home alone today, no matter how much you protested. Thankfully, Magnolia didn't mind the presence of the larger moth pokémon, as she was very well-behaved.

Magnolia stepped into the room, a tray in hand and a warm smile upon her features. "Nonsense, dear. You're welcomed in my home at any moment. I don't get to see you nearly as often as I'd like," she said as she set the tea down.

You thanked her as she handed you a cup. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. I feel bad, trust me."

"Don't. It's to be expected with the kind of work you do, and I fully understand. Just know that you're always welcomed to knock on my door should you need anything," she said as she sat across from you.

You smiled. "Thank you. It's nice to have someone I can trust living nearby."

"Of course! You're practically family at this point!" She said, laughing softly.

You truly appreciated it. Your work required your constant presence at home, so you didn't have much time to go out of your way to make close friends, much less someone you could trust. Magnolia was such an understanding and patient woman, and she knew that you didn't mean anything ill by not dropping by all the time. You had your duties, and she accepted that. She was well aware that you cared even if you weren't always around, and for that, you were thankful.

"Speaking of which..." Magnolia started as she set her cup down, "... my granddaughter should be coming over shortly with her assistant."

"O-Oh! Should I leave then? I wouldn't want to be a bother," you said.

"Don't even get that idea. Sonia will be thrilled to see you, you know she adores you!" Magnolia said.

You chuckled at the woman's light scolding. "You're right. It's been a while since I've seen her, or that she's dropped by my place. She's pretty busy now, huh? Being a full-time professor and all."

"She certainly is, though she loves her work. It seems that journeying through Galar a second time was what she needed to discover her true passion," Magnolia said, fondness for her granddaughter could be heard in her voice.

"Sometimes, I think of having another journey myself, but I think I made the right call with the path I ended up taking," you said.

Magnolia nodded in agreement. "Absolutely! What was your original goal again?"

You laughed, shaking your head. "I wanted to be a gym leader of all things."

"Oh, that's right! You know, you're absolutely phenomenal at taking care of pokémon that I just can't even fathom the idea of you as a gym leader," she playfully teased.

"I know, right? Plans change, but that's okay!" You said.

You shivered when you felt your Frosmoth blow a faint gust of frigid air onto you in an attempt to get your attention.

"Are you hungry, Dumpling?" You asked, chuckling at her behaviour.

She let out a small cry in confirmation. So, you reached into your bag, which rested at your feet, and pulled out a plastic container that held Dumpling's favourite food. You held the container right in front of her, letting her sniff it out. Once she did, she happily chowed down.

As you fed your Frosmoth, you heard the front door open, followed by the familiar voice of Sonia.

"Hellooo! I'm here, and I brought Hop!" She called out.

Magnolia smiled. "We're in here, dear!"

"We?" Sonia said as she stepped into the room in which you were seated. Once she saw you, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Heya, Sonia!" You said with a bright smile.

"(Y/N), no way! How are you, stranger?" She asked, laughing.

You got up from your seat so that you could give your friend a hug. Dumpling flew off of your head to let you do so.

"I'm doing great! It's been a while, huh?" You said, letting go of her.

"No kidding. I mean, you're a hermit!" She teased.

You rolled her eyes. "Pft. It's not just me. Aren't you always buried in piles of research?" You shot back.

"You got me there," she chuckled. She turned to her grandmother. "You didn't tell me that (Y/N) would be here!"

Magnolia chuckled. "Ah... I wanted to keep it a surprise."

Sonia's eyes then landed on Dumpling. "And you've got Dumpling with you! She looks great!"

Sonia gently approached the pokémon and held out her hand in front of her. Dumpling sniffed her hand, and once she recognized Sonia's scent, she squealed happily and nuzzled her hand.

"Hey, you remember me!" Sonia said as she patted the affectionate moth.

"Of course, she does!" You said.

At that moment, someone cleared their throat. When you glanced at the doorway, you saw who you assumed to be Sonia's assistant.

He had an award-winning smile as he scratched the back of his head in a slightly nervous manner. Though he didn't seem much younger than you, he was pretty tall, more or less six feet. His hair was a lovely shade of purple, which fit rather nicely with his bright, yellow eyes. You were sure you recognized him from somewhere.

Letting go of Dumpling, Sonia clapped her hands together as she headed to her assistant's side.

"Right, you've never met. (Y/N), meet Hop. He's my assistant. Hop, this is (Y/N). They’re a good friend of mine!" She said, introducing the two of you.

Hop grinned at you, holding out his hand for you to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

You took his hand. "Right back at you, Hop!"

And then, it clicked.

"Hey, you're the former champion's little brother, right? You were in the challenge, like, three years ago?" You asked.

Hop blinked, a glimmer of surprise flashing in his eyes for a second. "Yeah, actually. You're spot on."

He certainly was not expecting for this stranger to know who he was. Maybe it wouldn't have surprised him if someone recognized him three years ago when he had finished his challenge, but now, he had convinced himself that practically everyone in Galar had forgotten about his existence.

Sonia raised a brow, which made you roll your eyes. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I like to watch the gym battles whenever I have the chance."

Magnolia spoke up. "Hey, now. What are you all standing around for? Why don't you younglings sit down while I go make some more tea? Perhaps some snacks as well?" She said as she stood up.

The three of you nodded in agreement. Hop and Sonia sat next to each other. Before you sat down, you scratched Dumpling's belly and gently guided her to you so she could perch herself atop your head once more.

Hop tilted his head in slight confusion at your interaction with the pokémon, but he didn't question it any further. At least, he tried. He couldn't help but analyze your Frosmoth, blame it on the researcher in him. As he looked at her, he noticed something off about her eyes. A Frosmoth's eyes were usually a deep blue, but yours were somewhat cloudy.

"Is your Frosmoth blind?" He blurted before he could stop himself.

He mentally cringed, hoping that he didn't seem too nosy or impolite by asking such a thing. However, you smiled at him, features clear of any kind of offence.

"She is, actually!" You said, reaching up to pat Dumpling's head.

"(Y/N) takes care of a lot of disabled and injured pokémon. They run their own sanctuary!" Sonia intervened.

At that, Hop's eyes practically lit up with wonder. "Seriously? Wow, that's amazing!"

You chuckled with a light hue of pink coating your cheeks. "Yeah, I do! It's not far from here, actually. Just a few kilometres behind Magnolia's house, there's my house and my sanctuary."

"Wait... really? I didn't even know that there was anything past Magnolia's house," he said, surprised.

"Yeah... it's pretty easy to miss, but that was kind of the point of picking that particular spot. It's just me and the pokémon with little to no disturbances, which is just what these pokémon need," you explained.

Hop nodded at your explanation. He then leaned forward, nearly slamming his hands onto the coffee table excitedly.

"So, what kind of pokémon do you have there?" He asked, eyes shining with interest.

Sonia chuckled, tapping at his shoulder. "Whoa. Simmer down there, Hop."

Hop immediately retracted as he was made aware of his little burst of excitement. He scratched the back of his head, blushing in embarrassment. He felt like a total child.

"S-Sorry about that. I got carried away," he said.

You laughed, waving him off. "No, no, it's totally fine! If anything, I'm glad that you're so interested!"

Taking care of rescued pokémon was your biggest passion, and you had sworn to dedicate yourself to making a difference for pokémon who were in need of a second chance at life. It was your favourite topic to discuss, and meeting people who seemed so excited to hear you speak about your work and experiences was something that made you beyond ecstatic.

You had to be honest with yourself: you were sometimes afraid that people would get bored or annoyed with you since you could never shut up about your sanctuary. You had the habit of always swerving your conversations towards it, and you really couldn't help it.

So, that's why you got along so well with women like Magnolia and Sonia. They were professors, researchers, and they loved to hear about your experiences regarding the pokémon you helped. You could always have great conversations with them.

You knew for a fact that Hop was highly passionate about pokémon. It showed when you watched his battles back then. And to want to become a professor, it took a lot of dedication and love towards these creatures. You were sure that you would get along great with him.

"You see, there are quite a few pokémon that are in my care. They all have their own story, and they are all unique. Every single one of them has a place in my heart, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for them. They're my number one priority in life," you gushed.

Your eyes then widened, and you chuckled nervously as you noticed that you were rambling.

"Ah... sorry. Here I go again, just talking my mouth off," you apologized.

"Wha-? Why are you apologizing?" Hop asked.

Before you could answer, Sonia chimed in. "They're a dummy, that's why. They think that they’ll annoy us if they talk too much about their sanctuary."

"Oh, come on! That's rubbish!" Hop exclaimed. "Can you tell me how you met your Frosmoth... Dumbo, was that it?" He continued.

You chuckled at the way Hop had managed to butcher her name. "It's Dumpling, and I'd be happy to!"

"It wasn't super out of the ordinary, but I met her right outside Circhester when she was just a tiny hatchling Snom, and when I say tiny, I mean it. She was smaller than any other Snom I had seen before, even for a baby. I guessed that she was the runt out of her siblings," you started.

"Oh! That explains why she seems smaller than the typical Frosmoth," he said. "R-Right, carry on!" He quickly added as he noticed that he had accidentally cut you off.

"She was still near her nest when I found her, but her family was nowhere to be seen. The thing that caught my eye, though, was that she was really unstable. She had a hard time walking without bumping into things. I was curious, so I managed to approach her, and she seemed to panic once she sensed that something was approaching, but she was turning in all sorts of directions, and she didn't seem to know where to look," you continued.

"And that's when you understood that she was blind," Hop said, making you nod.

"Yeah. I kept calm and talked to her in a gentle voice. I was really trying to reassure her that everything was alright. When she calmed down, she let me pet her and even pick her up eventually. I tried looking around the route for her family, but I couldn't find them. I guessed that the mother left her behind because she was the weakest, less likely to survive of the hatchings," you said.

You scratched Dumpling's cheek, causing her to nuzzle your hand with a soft, melodic cry sounding from her.

"I just kind of, you know, took her in. I mean... I just couldn't leave her out there. I don't think I would have been able to forgive myself if I left a vulnerable baby out there, you know?" You finished.

Hop grinned. "You should pat yourself on the back, mate! I mean, you gave her a chance, and she looks like she appreciates it a lot."

At Hop's words, Dumpling happily fluttered her wings, little snowflakes emitting from her as she did so.

"O-Oh... it was just the right thing to do!" You said.

"(Y/N), give yourself more credit. A lot of people wouldn't have had the same heart of gold that you had in that situation. It's not everyone who would have wanted to take so much time in helping and caring for an 'imperfect' pokémon," Sonia said, making Hop nod in agreement.

It might have been the first time he's met you, but Hop could immediately say that you were a great person. Lovable, even. His mind raced as he felt that he would love to get to know you some more. You had such a warm and inviting presence that practically pulled him to you.

As you were speaking, he could only find himself being completely pulled into a state of immersion at your words. He certainly didn't miss the way your eyes practically shined with life when you spoke about your meeting with Dumpling. You had so much emotion in your voice, and he found it to be absolutely endearing.

Of course, he knew that his desire to get to know you was most likely one-sided and merely wishful thinking on his part. After all, Hop knew that he wasn't very impressive. He was just an assistant who hasn't done anything remarkable. Surely, you wouldn't spare him a minute.

"Say, Hop," you started, making him snap out of his thoughts.

"How about you come over to my place for a visit whenever you have some free time? I could show you around the sanctuary if you're interested!" You offered.

Sonia nudged him. "You should take her up on that offer. You'll love it, I swear! It's so pretty at her place," She said.

"You really mean that?" He asked.

"Of course!" You said.

Hop was caught off guard by your offer. He didn't expect you to invite a nobody like him to your precious sanctuary. He really hoped that he wouldn't be a waste of time to you.

Still, he couldn't help but grin wildly as he practically bounced in his seat. "That would be amazing! Thanks a bunch, (Y/N)!" He exclaimed.

"Please, it's my pleasure!" You said with a smile. "Would you hand me your phone? I'll give you my phone number so you can text me whenever you want to come over!" You said.

"O-Oh! Right!" Hop said with a light blush.

He pulled out his phone and opened up a new contact page before handing it to you. Hop was definitely surprised, it wasn't everyday that a woman offered him her phone number.

"Alright. Here you go!" You said, handing him back his phone.

"I'm pretty much always at my place, so come on over anytime, honestly. Just let me know so that I don't miss when you ring the doorbell since I'm often outside!" You said.

"Gotcha. Thanks a bunch for the opportunity, (Y/N)," he grinned.

You smiled. Hop's smile and enthusiasm was contagious. You hoped that he would go through with your offer. Hop was precisely the kind of person you wanted to share your work and passion with.

~~~~~~

To: (Y/N) 

12:08 P.M

- Hiya! It's Hop, Sonia's assistant from the other day. I have some free time, and I was hoping to maybe come and visit you, maybe?

From: (Y/N) 

12:11 PM

- Hop, hey! I've been waiting for you to hit me up! I'd love for you to visit. Come on over. I can't wait to show you around!

To: (Y/N) 

12:11 PM

- Great! I'm on my way, like, right now. Is that cool with you?

From: (Y/N) 

12:12 PM

- Of course. See you in a bit!

Hop couldn't help the huge, dorky grin on his face as he hurried along the nearly hidden path behind Magnolia's house that led to your sanctuary.

He was beyond excited to get a feel for the kind of life you had as a pokémon rescuer. Plus, he had to be honest with himself: he was excited to see you again. 

He was definitely relieved that you meant it when you had offered him to visit, he had almost expected for your words to be hollow. He wouldn't have blamed you, you probably had better things to do than waste your precious time on him. Still, he was grateful.

And he couldn't help but re-read your messages. Especially the 'I've been waiting for you to hit me up.' It was simple, yet he couldn't deny that it made him feel like he was desirable, like you actually might be interested in his company.

The path to your home was rather bumpy. There were quite a few rocks and branches along the way. He had to slow down a bit as he kept tripping over the various debris on the road. You had really picked one hell of a spot for your sanctuary.

When he finally managed to navigate the narrow path of debris and trees, he came to a gorgeous clearing. There, he saw what was most likely your home, which was situated between a large fenced off area and a berry garden. 

He could already see many trees planted inside the fence, and there seemed to be a second building connected to the area, most likely an indoor area for the pokémon.

Hop grinned as he accelerated towards your house, completely hyped now that he was there and about to experience something entirely new to him.

Your home was a rather small, white farmhouse. It seemed that there were two stories to your home, and there was a small porch with an outdoor swing on it. It looked cozy, and for some reason, it was exactly the kind of house that he would think someone with a rescue would have.

Now at your front door, his hand froze midair as he was about to ring your doorbell. He mentally groaned, was he seriously having second thoughts about everything? 

It's not that he didn't want to visit you. If anything, nothing could make him any happier than visiting you at the moment. What if he was going to slow you down in your work? Hop didn't want you to put your whole day on hold just for him. 

He knew that you had told him that he could drop in anytime, but what if he had caught you at a bad time, and you were simply too nice to turn him away? The more he thought about it, the more he felt like a nuisance.

"Get it together, mate. You're here to have fun and get to know a sweet person better. That's all there is to it," Hop whispered to himself, attempting to calm his nerves.

When he finally rang the doorbell, he immediately heard frantic shuffling coming from inside your house. Barely a few seconds had passed, and you had already opened the door, greeting him with a big grin. You were holding a little Sobble in your arms, one of its front legs was bandaged.

Hop couldn't help but be surprised at the speed you had just displayed. Had you really been waiting for him to such a point? The thought was quickly lost, though. You most likely weren't. At least, not for someone as uninteresting as he was.

"Hop! I'm so glad you came by!" You said, stepping out of your home.

"I'm glad to be here! You're absolutely sure that this okay with you, right? I wouldn't want to be a bother," Hop asked.

He regretted asking as he wanted to keep the outing positive, but he really couldn't help sliding that question in. 

"Don't be silly. Really, I'm happy you're here," you said.

When your tone was laced with such sincerity, Hop couldn't help but grin at you. Perhaps, you truly would enjoy his company.

"Ah... wait. You've got a few leaves in your hair," you said.

You reached your hand to his hair, gently brushing it and causing Hop to slightly squeak in surprise. You couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. It was pretty cute.

"Yeah. I... well, I smashed into a few branches on my way here. I was so hyped that I could barely slow down and look where I was going," Hop admitted.

"Hey, it still happens to me!" You chuckled. 

When you were done brushing the debris out of Hop's hair, you shut the door of your home. 

"Well? Ready?" You asked as you beckoned him to follow you. "Front gate's just this way."

Hop nodded excitedly as he walked by your side. His gaze went to the Sobble that you were still holding.

"So, who's this little fellow?" He asked.

"I call him Dizzy!" You said.

"Dizzy?"

"Yeah... he has a neurological disorder that affects his balance and cognition. He's not super stable on his feet and took a bit of a tumble today. Nothing too drastic, though, just a little scrape!" You explained.

"Whoa, alright. Is it curable, the disorder? S-Sorry if it sounds stupid, I've just never met a pokémon with a neurological problem," Hop asked.

"Not stupid at all. You won't know unless you ask. It can't be cured. It's genetic, and it's there to stay. Unfortunately, Dizzy has the worst level of it, so he has to take medication every day, or else he could get seizures," you said.

Hop frowned at that. "That's... poor thing."

You rubbed Dizzy's head, making him purr in delight. "Yeah... but he's been great!"

You came to a stop so that you could open the main gate of your rescue, holding it out for Hop to go first. You followed after him, shutting the gate afterwards.

"Flygon?" You called out once you were in the perimeter.

Almost instantly, a Flygon dived from the sky, landing right in front of you and Hop. Poor Hop nearly squealed in surprise at the large dragon, especially since it was glaring right at him.

"Hey, hey, ease up! Hop's a friend, he's good!" You cooed, which seemed to calm him.

"Could you take him back to the water area, please?" You asked, handing him the oblivious Sobble.

With a happy cry of his name, the dragon nodded and took to the skies in the direction of the area you had told him.

"You okay there, Hop?" You asked, chuckling at the look on his face.

He quickly shook his head. "Y-Yeah! I just didn't expect you to have a big Flygon around," he said, chuckling.

"Yeah... Flygon's a big help around here!" You said.

"That's pretty sweet."

You nodded in agreement before clasping your hands together. "Now, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" You said enthusiastically.

Barely into your rescue, and it was already bustling with life. Beautiful, healthy plants, flowers and trees bloomed all over the area. It was rather grassy, except for the main pathway. 

Hootoots, Rookidees and Corvisquires were perched atop the branches. Hop could also make out a Leafeon peacefully sleeping in a shaded area. A Galvantula was carefully working on a burrow inside of a cavity in the base of a tree. Its web looked like a work of art.

There were even some berry trees, and a sweet Flapple was knocking ripe berries out of the tree so that a duo of Appletun could snack on them. 

Where large patches of flowers laid, there was a group of Gossifleurs, Eldegoss, Cottonees and Whimsicotts hanging together. Combees, Cutiflies and Ribombees happily twirled around the flowers. 

Hop had to freeze in his steps to let a trio of Nickit, Purrloin and Yamper pass as they seemed to be playing a game of chase with each other.

Your place was gorgeous and immaculate. He felt like he was in a pokémon research lab; only this was a much more natural environment.

"Look at all of 'em..." Hop said, eyes shining in absolute wonder.

You couldn't help but giggle at how cute Hop looked. He was truly in his element. 

"There's even more of them too! Some might be hiding, and others are in other areas," you said with a small yet proud smirk.

"Bloody hell... this is so cool!" He said. "So, do these pokémon all belong to you?" He asked.

"Not necessarily. Some are still wild pokémon, but they happen to be in my care," you said.

As the two of you kept walking along the path, Hop noticed that there was a lack of human presence in your area. Not a single person other than the two of you was in sight.

"Do.... do you run this all by yourself, (Y/N)?" Hop asked incredulously.

"Well... yes," you said, scratching the back of your head.

"How?! Taking care of pokémon with particular needs can't be an easy feat!" Hop said, mouth agape.

You laughed. "It's definitely something, but knowing that I'm helping pokémon in need, the fatigue is worth it."

"You don't have a single employee? Not even one?" Hop asked, still barely believing it.

"Nope. The closest thing that I have to employees is my team of pokémon that I raised during the gym challenge. I have some stationed in each area of the rescue, so if there are any problems, they'll come to me. I also have my Flygon, who keeps an eye on things from the sky during day time, and my Gengar is on night patrol!" You explained.

"Wow, mate, you sure have a handle on things," he smiled.

And then it hit him. "Wait, you were in the challenge?" He asked.

"Yeah! I wasn't doing it the same year as you though. I didn't get to the end... I met Dumpling, and I was so focused on helping her out that I just, you know, dropped out. But I'm happy I-"

You were cut off by the happy barking of your Growlithe, who was running as fast as she could towards you.

You smiled and crouched to her level, patting her fur as she rapidly and excitedly wagged her tail all the while snuggling you.

"Nubby, my little girl! How are you doing?" You cooed.

Alright. Hop had to compose himself for a few seconds as he nearly melted into a puddle of feelings at the sound of your adorable baby voice.

The more he spoke to you, the more he realized just how incredible you were. Boy, did he feel blessed that you even considered giving him a second of your precious time.

You were leagues above him in so many ways. The two of you had started off the same way: you had both started your lives as mere challengers. You didn't even finish yours, yet you still had managed to become someone. You had a goal, and you were accomplishing incredible things. Meanwhile, Hop had completed his challenge, but he was still utter rubbish who had not managed to do anything impressive of his life.

Your presence, Hop loved it more and more as the minutes went by. But he knew that he didn't deserve it. You shouldn't be associating with a loser like him.

He shook his head, trying to snap himself out of his thoughts, pronto. It was then that he noticed that the Growlithe was missing her right front leg. Only a little nub remained, which was probably why you referred to her as Nubby.

"So, who's this girl?" He asked.

"This is Nubby! Her leg had to be amputated because she had severe trauma where she suffered from too many fractures to the point where it was unfixable," you explained.

Hop crouched down as well, cringing slightly at the thought. "I'm kind of scared to ask what happened to her..." he added, extending his hand.

At that, Nubby bounced to Hop's hand, sniffing it before barking happily once again.

"Yeah... let's just say that her previous owner wasn't a very nice person," you said, a bitter frown on your face as you recalled the memories.

"That's absolute rubbish. How could someone treat a pokémon so poorly?" Hop said.

Nubby began to lick and nuzzle Hop's hand as she wanted some head pats, which is precisely what he did.

"Aw... but you're such a good girl. You didn't deserve that," he cooed.

"She really likes you, Hop! You're a natural with pokémon," You said, laughing softly.

"You think?" He asked with a big grin. His heart practically soared at the compliment.

"Duh! Why wouldn't I?" You said.

"I mean... I've never been a great trainer like my brother or Victor, and I can barely consider myself a professor. I still have a lot to learn, you know?" He said.

Hop instantly cringed as the words left his mouth. He wanted nothing more than to remain positive for the day. After all, he's been adoring every second with you. Yet, Hop couldn't help but let his feelings pour a bit. You just gave him that sentiment of trust that made him want to confide in you.

But, he felt absolutely silly at having unloaded his negativity on you. You didn't deserve to have his self-pity on your shoulders.

However, you just sent him a soft smile before crawling to his side and gently putting your hand on his shoulder. The touch had his stomach fluttering.

"Give yourself more credit, Hop. While Victor was completely destroying everyone, you were the only trainer to give him a run for his money. And you already know so much about pokémon, so imagine in a few years how much of an amazing professor you'll be," you said.

"I-" Hop stuttered, unable to express himself as he felt his face heat up. "Geez, (Y/N), thanks... you're too kind," he said.

"I'm just being factual," you said, grinning at him before standing up.

"Heya, Nubby? I have to finish the tour. Come find me later, and we'll play, okay?" You said.

She barked and nodded. She licked him one last time before pulling away from Hop.  She then bounced off to play with other pokémon.

You extended your hand to Hop, which he took and let you pull him up from the ground. Hop's mind ran wild as he noticed that you had not let go of his hand as you led him through your rescue. You were so casual about it.

As you brought him to the next area, his eyes widened at the gorgeous scenery—a large pond surrounded by rocks, shrubs and trees. There was even a little trickling waterfall. Aquatic plants were surfacing, and the stones had natural moss growing on them.

The little Sobble from earlier seemed like he was having a blast floating on top of a Lotad's head. Little Pyukumukus were chilling on the edges of the rocks, and many fish pokémon happily splashed about. Even non-water type pokémon were running around the area.

"So? What do you think?" You asked.

"What do I think? Mate, it's amazing! If I were a pokémon, I'd never want to leave. How'd you even manage all of this?" He asked, absolutely stunned.

"With a lot of work. My family and I all pitched in to build, landscape and plant everything," you said.

"Bloody hell. You definitely succeeded!" Hop said.

Off in the distance, he saw a more rocky and sandy area. Larvitars were rolling around in the sand. A Sizzlipede and Helioptile were sunbathing on rocks. Hop could also see a large group of Salandits.

"Whoa, you've got a lot of Salandits," he commented.

"Yeah... they tend to be a pretty common pokémon in the rescue," you said.

"Is it because of the Salazzles? I'm pretty sure some Salazzles are pretty ruthless with Salandits. You know, taking all their food and stuff," Hop said.

You grinned. "You're actually spot on, Hop! See? You do know your stuff!"

He blushed again, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. Hop was definitely happy that you were complimenting him. It was a nice, refreshing change from his usual intrusive thoughts.

"They're all males, and they've been starved to the point of near-death because of overly dominant Salazzles. Nature can be just as cruel as humans at times," you said.

You sat down in the shade of a tree. Hop followed, sitting next to you.

"Definitely. But they seem really ha- huh? Is that a shiny Salandit," he asked with wide eyes.

You followed his gaze, and you smiled once you saw the sweet Salandit that he was referring to. The little guy was watching you from afar, yet he made no moves to come to you.

"It is... that would be Blizzard," you said. "Blizzard, sweetie, come over here," you called out.

Blizzard flinched, but he complied. However, he was taking slow, shaky steps, and his posture was excessively nervous, which didn't go unnoticed by Hop.

"Hey... what's wrong with the fellow?" He asked.

"Oh... well, he's petrified of anyone who isn't me," you said.

"O-Oh... maybe I should leave, then? I wouldn't want to cause problems," he said.

You shook your head. "Don't be silly, Hop. You're allowed to stay."

"Can I ask why he's so nervous with people?" Hop asked.

You nodded, sighing at the horrible story. "I happened to be in the area when it all went down, releasing some pokémon who were fit to go back in the wild. A shiny hunter had been looking for a shiny Salandit for months to add to his 'collection.' When he finally found Blizzard, he was outraged that he found a male since they're incapable of evolving. In his fit of rage, the hunter yelled at Blizzard, calling him a worthless piece of shit and kicked him so hard against a rock the poor thing's skull cracked."

"What the hell?!" Hop nearly yelled. 

"I know..." you said.

Blizzard had finally crawled to your hand. He sniffed your hand before rubbing his head against your hand. Hop noticed a few scars on top of the Salandit's head. 

"He seems so sweet," Hop said.

You nodded as you scooped Blizzard into your arms and your lap. He curled up into a bundle, really cuddling up to you as much as he could.

"Hey... thanks again for letting me come here, I mean, look at this place! It's amazing! I could just sit here and watch the pokémon all day," Hop said enthusiastically.

"Well, why don't you drop by more often?" You proposed.

"R-Really? I mean, I'd love to. B-But I wouldn't want to be a bother!" He stuttered, voice laced with surprise.

"Oh, come on! I really enjoyed your company today. It's so nice to have someone as enthusiastic and passionate as you around. Plus, wouldn't it be good for your research? To come here and all?" You said.

"I.... you have a point. I had fun today too, and well, you know..." he said, trailing off near the end as his cheeks erupted in a cherry hue.

Hop was adorable, and you meant it when you said that you'd like to have him over more often. You hoped he would as you definitely had an interest in him blossoming within you.

~~~~~~

Hop never expected that a visit to Magnolia's home would make him meet someone like you. Someone he felt at peace and ease with, someone who he sought out their company.

He kept telling himself that he shouldn't be such a burden by dropping in on you so often, but he couldn't help it.

He went to see you whenever possible, and he lived for the moments where he did. Hop was always so mesmerized by all of the pokémon you took care of. You brought so much to his research, even Sonia had noticed.

And today was another day where he was racing down to your home to see you again.

Getting to your place, he immediately saw you on the porch, sitting on your little swing. As he got closer, he noticed that you were holding two little Dreepys. Next to you was Blizzard, who was snuggling against your thigh.

Hop also saw two bottles and blankets placed onto the table next to the swing. You were probably in the midst of caring for the little ones.

You heard footsteps approaching you. Lifting your head, you saw Hop heading your way, a perfect smile upon his face as he waved at you.

"Heya, Hoppers! Come sit with me, you've got to meet these little cuties," you called out.

Upon realizing that Hop was here, the Salandit that had been cuddling you scurried off of the swing to hide behind your feet and under the swing.

Hop frowned at that. Most of the pokémon had gotten used to his presence, and they all let him play and pet them. But it wasn't the case for Blizzard. The poor thing was still terrified of Hop. Not that Hop blamed him.

"Shoot, sorry. I didn't mean to scare him off," Hop apologized, sitting next to you.

You waved off his apology. "It's fine. He'll come around eventually."

"When did you get Dreepys, (Y/N)?" He asked.

"Just the other day. Aren't they cute?" You gushed as you wiggled your fingers at the little ones, causing them to squeal happily.

"They're tiny. Babies?" Hop said.

"Yeah... they're practically newborns. Their mum passed away. Someone contacted me the other day saying that he found the babies near their mum's body," you explained.

Hop frowned. "Poor things. I wonder what happened to the mum."

"I'm not sure. The Dragapult didn't seem to have any wounds, so she may have been sick," you said.

"So, are you going to keep them until they're old enough to fend for themselves? Like what mother Dragapults do?" Hop said.

You smiled. "That's the plan! Unless they decide that they want to stay."

Suddenly, the duo of babies was trying to nibble at your fingers, causing you to retract them before you got chomped.

"They're probably hungry. Why don't we feed them?" You said.

"We? But-" 

Hop was interrupted as you handed him one of the hungry babies. It wiggled its paws excitedly in Hop's arms.

"A-Are you sure, (Y/N)? Maybe you're better off handling things. I don't want to mess anything up," Hop said with an undertone of nervousness.

You couldn't help but frown. This was a recurring problem with Hop. You had noticed that he seemed to think rather lowly of himself ever since you first met him at Magnolia's. At the time, you had brushed off his behaviour as pure nervousness, but you were most definitely wrong. 

Hop put everyone around him on the highest pedestal while he put himself down. He was constantly doubting his abilities and brushing off his accomplishments as if they were nothing. Every so often, he would make pessimistic comments about himself.

His low self-esteem was heartbreaking to you. You thought that Hop was great, and you wished that he could see himself the way you saw him.

"This isn't the first time you've helped me feed a pokémon from the sanctuary, you'll be fine!" You reassured him.

"I- well, alright then," Hop said.

You grabbed the bottles from the table and handed one to Hop. You shook your bottle and held it out to the baby Dreepy who immediately latched onto it.

"Don't tip the bottle too much, so the Dreepy doesn't drink too fast and choke. That's all there is to it!" You said.

Hop stared at you as you fed the baby dragon with a small blush colouring his face. You looked so cute when you took care of pokémon. Your passion and love for what you did really surfaced, and it was so sweet.

The Dreepy that Hop was holding nudged him, wanting food as well. Hop mumbled a small apology to the pokémon for making him wait.

So, Hop copied what you were doing to feed the baby. Hop had never fed a baby dragon before, so this was a pleasant experience.

Your Dreepy was already done eating, and he let out a big yawn. You set the bottle down and grabbed one of the blankets, wrapping him in a little bundle.

"It helps them feel more secure. They usually spend a lot of time in their mother's catapults at this age, so they like being bundled up," you explained.

"You'd make a good parent," Hop blurted, which he instantly regretted.

His blush worsened as he processed the idiotic and embarrassing thing he had just said. What the hell was wrong with him? How in Arceus' name did he come to the conclusion that that was an appropriate thing to say?

"I-I mean I- never mind! J-Just pretend that you didn't hear that!" Hop said, embarrassed.

But, all you did was grin at him. "You really think so?"

He blinked, surprised that you weren't mad or uncomfortable. "Well... yes," he admitted.

You nodded, still smiling. You glanced at his lap and noticed that the baby Dreepy was finished eating and had fallen asleep all curled up in his lap.

"And... you'd definitely be a great dad," you said, winking at him as you held out the other blanket.

Hop's mind practically stopped functioning at your reply, and he would most likely have a heart attack if this kept up.

He grabbed the blanket, and although his hands were a little shaky from what had just transpired, he managed to wrap it around the Dreepy.

"See? You did really well with the Dreepy! Thanks for giving me a hand," you said.

"I-It's my pleasure- huh?" 

Hop paused as he noticed that Blizzard was starting to poke his head out from underneath the swing. The Salandit was looking straight at Hop and tilting his head. He seemed to be intrigued in Hop.

Hop smiled. "Heya, lil' buddy."

You grinned at the scene. Although Blizzard wasn't making any moves to come to Hop, he was starting to recognize Hop as a good person, which was a good thing.

Hop leaned down, holding his hand out to Blizzard. Blizzard continued to stare at Hop's hand, but he ultimately decided to back away a little and hold onto your leg.

"Still not passed the 'no touchy' boundaries, huh? It's alright, take your time," Hop said, sitting upright.

"If anything, I think Blizzard likes you. He's never even tried to make eye contact with others," you said.

"Really?"

"Yeah! He must sense that you're absolutely amazing!" You said.

Hop blushed. "I- thanks, (Y/N)"

Hop never expected that a visit to Magnolia's home would make him meet someone like you. Someone he would end up crushing on, even if he knew that you would never glance at him in that way.

~~~~~~

"Hello? Sonia? Hop?" You called out, entering the research lab.

Hop, who was putting away some books on the second story, turned around at the sound of your voice. He grinned when he saw you.

"(Y/N)! Whatcha doing here?" He asked, heading down the stairs.

You hugged him, which he immediately reciprocated. Thankfully for him, you couldn't see the dorky, lovesick smile plastered on his face when you did.

"I was actually dropping off some rare berries by Sonia's request. You know how much she loves making curry," you said, waving a bag around.

Hop took your bag to place it onto the desk for Sonia to grab whenever she came back to the lab. 

He looked back at you, playfully pouting. "Aw... you didn't come here to see me?"

"Well, it might have been an excuse to come and see you," you winked.

You were just joking around, he knew that. You had to be, there was no way you actually meant that. Even if he knew not to put much thought into it, he couldn't help but hang onto the slight sliver of hope that there was some underlying flirtatious message in your comment. 

"But, er, do you mind if I stay with you a bit?" You asked. "I'll leave if you're busy, though," you added.

Hop practically lit up at your desire to stay with him, and he hoped that he didn't seem like such a dork. 

"No, no, I'd be happy for you to stay. I was getting kind of bored any- hey... are you alright?" Hop interrupted himself, smile faltering a bit when he noticed that you looked exhausted.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Perfectly fine," you said.

You mentally cursed yourself for not covering up your fatigued state better. You were completely drained, and that was a big fact, a fact that you tried to push away as best as you could. 

You knew that you needed to rest, yet you were so stubborn and strict with yourself that you continued to work and work until you looked and felt like a wreck. It made you so happy to make your pokémon happy that you had managed to convince yourself that your own health wasn't as crucial as their wellbeing.

The last few days and nights were particularly rough with the baby Dreepys getting up a few times per night. Plus, you had gotten a difficult Toxtricity who was pulled from a sadistic owner. The pokémon was missing an eye, and scars littered his entire body. He was exceptionally aggressive and defensive, and you had spent a lot of time and energy on him to try to ease him up a bit. There was progress, but the rehabilitation would be long.

You had hoped that it would have gone unnoticed by Hop. He was already struggling with his own self-esteem issues, and you didn't want him to worry about you. You wanted him to take care of himself first and foremost. To hell with the state you brought upon yourself.

But, you knew that he wouldn't let it slide. Hop was just as stubborn as you were.

"Have you been sleeping all that well at all, (Y/N)?" He asked.

"Yes!" You said enthusiastically, though your voice cracked as you felt your head pound from how tired you were.

"You should sit down," Hop insisted, gently taking your hand in his to drag you to the couch.

"I swear, I'm fine, Hop," you protested, even though it was apparent that you were lying as you made no effort to stop Hop from sitting you down.

"(Y/N), we both know that's rubbish. I mean, you can barely keep your eyes open," Hop said.

"I... I guess you're right," you sighed, rubbing your eyes and forehead.

Hop put his hands on your shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. "Take it easy on yourself, you poor thing."

You nodded, barely having the energy to even speak properly.

Feeling a bit bolder, Hop wrapped an arm around your shoulders and brought you closer against him. You immediately responded by laying your head on his chest, making him blush at the unexpected action.

"You don't mind, yeah? You're kinda comfy," you said.

"I-It's fine," Hop squeaked.

His heart raced a mile a minute, which you could probably hear. Still, he managed to bring his hand up to your head to run it through your soft hair. He swore that you practically purred at the contact.

"I might fall asleep if you keep doing that," you mumbled.

He chuckled. "Guess I'll keep at it then."

And that's exactly what happened. After a few minutes of innocent cuddling, you had ultimately passed out on him. You seemed so peaceful that Hop didn't bother moving from his spot.

It was also because he enjoyed having you so close to him.

He figured that this was the closest thing to more intimate physical contact he would get with you. So, he wasn't complaining. But he kept telling himself that it was just a coincidence that you happened to fall asleep on him, that it didn't make him special. 

As Hop kept playing with your hair, Sonia had walked into the lab, and the first thing she saw was you and Hop cuddled up against one another.

She stared for a few seconds before smirking. "Well, isn't that just adorable?" She teased.

"It's... not what it looks like," Hop defended rather poorly, cheeks beginning to heat up.

"Oh, right, pardon me. You totally aren't cuddling with (Y/N)," she winked.

"They... they were just really tired and ended up passing out... on me," he said, mumbling the last part.

"I mean... it's not like you're complaining, right?" Sonia said.

"Sonia..." Hop warned.

She ignored him. "Like, you're crazy for them, so it must be a dream come true!"

Hop huffed, red-faced in embarrassment. "Your berries are on the desk..."

"You're not getting out of this that easily," she said.

Hop sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. No, I don't mind having them like this. Far from it, actually."

Sonia giggled, heading over to the bag of berries. "So, when do you plan on asking them out on an actual date?" She said, rummaging through the bag.

He shrugged. "Not now... or ever."

Sonia turned around, looking at Hop questionably. "Why?"

Hop shrugged again, a sad smile overtaking him. "We're just friends, and that's all we'll be. I know they’ll never like me the way I do, so why risk ruining everything, you know?"

"What makes you say that, Hop?" She asked.

"They just... won't. B-But that's fine!" He said, not wanting to pour his feelings of insecurity to Sonia.

She frowned. "Right... well, you should give it a chance. If anything, I've never seen (Y/N) come to the lab as often as this ever since they met you. I think you've got a good chance."

Hop nodded. However, Sonia's words practically went over his head. He would rather endure a one-sided crush than face the reality of rejection. He was convinced that that's what you would do should he try to say anything about his feelings.

Why would you like him? Hop couldn't find a single reason why you would, and it did shatter his heart to pieces.

Even if he would die to have the chance of calling himself your boyfriend, the shattering feeling of rejection and ruining your friendship weren't things Hop wanted to go through.

~~~~~~

Hop was visiting you once more, and he was giving you a hand in handing out food for all of the pokémon. Really, he couldn't have asked for a better way to spend his days; spending time with you, helping you, taking care of pokémon and learning new things.

He was outdoors, near the water and sandy areas of the rescue. You weren't too far from him. He could see you through some trees sitting at a fair distance from your Toxtricity. He could hear you talking about random little things as a tactic to get the pokémon used to your presence.

Glancing at you, he smiled at how determined you looked to get Toxtricity to trust again. There was a small difference in behaviour that was noticeable. The pokémon no longer tried to attack you on sight.

He placed various dishes down for the pokémon that were hanging near the water area, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the little Sobble lose his balance, which had the lizard nearly slip off the rocks.

Hop rushed over to Dizzy, catching him before he could fall and hurt himself. 

"Heya, you've gotta be more careful, mate. You don't want to get hurt again, huh?" He lightly scolded.

Dizzy, still in Hop's arms, tilted his head innocently, not understanding what was going on. Hop chuckled at that and patted Dizzy's head, making him purr in delight.

"Everything alright, Hoppers?" You called out from the trees.

"All good! Just Dizzy being, well, dizzy," Hop replied.

"You sure are a handful, aren't you?" He said to Dizzy. "Not that you mean it, or anything."

Hop set the Sobble back down onto the ground, near all the other pokémon so that he could eat. It was one big, happy family, and all of the pokémon of the area always pitched in to keep an eye on the Sobble whenever possible.

Turning around, Hop blinked in surprise as saw the shiny Salandit slowly crawling over to him. However, Blizzard immediately froze in his tracks when he noticed that Hop saw him.

Hop crouched, holding his hand out. "You have nothing to be afraid of. Trust me, please?"

To his absolute bafflement, Blizzard took more steps forward. They were slow and shaky, but he was approaching Hop nonetheless.

And then, the Salandit sniffed Hop's hand. Going a bit further, Hop rubbed the underside of Blizzard's chin, which he responded by nuzzling Hop's hand, happily wagging his tail.

"See? I'm not so bad, right?" Hop said, making Blizzard nod in agreement.

"Can I help you, sir?" 

Hop stopped petting Blizzard at the sound of your voice, immediately on alert. The tone of your voice sounded very wary, and rightfully so as there was an unknown man in front of you.

You stared at the new presence with caution. Your sanctuary wasn't open to the public, so this man was trespassing.

You didn't like the way that he was looking at you, glaring at you and scanning you with a sneer. He was making you slightly uncomfortable, but you kept your cool. If anything happened that you didn't like, both your Flygon and Hop would be by your side.

And you had a feeling that Hop was keeping an eye on you in the distance. You had noticed how he had started becoming a little protective of you. It was especially noticeable when he scolded you about taking poor care of yourself.

As the man wasn't responding, you spoke up again. "If you don't have any particular business with me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is private property."

"I've got business with you," he said.

"And that would be..?" You pressed.

"You the bitch who's got my Toxtricity?" He asked.

Your eyes widened. The Toxtricity you had gotten just two weeks ago, this was his previous owner. From the corner of your eye, you saw the pokémon in question flinch. You were, suddenly, feeling very bitter.

"Oh... you mean the Toxtricity that's covered in scars and burn marks? The one that's missing an eye?" You said.

He smirked. "Yeah. That one. I'm here to pick it up. Just hand it over to me, and we ain't gon' have any problems."

"I don't think so," you said, taking a step back as the man stepped forward.

The air felt heavy as the man kept a glare etched on you. He was tall and rather buff. If he had no issues harming his own pokémon for nothing more than sick pleasure, then what would stop him from hurting you?

"I'm not gonna say it again. Hand the fucking thing over if you don't wanna end up like it," he said.

That was enough for Hop.

"Is there a problem?" Hop said as he stepped to your side.

The intruder chuckled, his tone was full of mockery. "This fuckin' stick is your bodyguard? How cute."

"I swear, mate, leave them alone," Hop nearly growled, taking a step forward so he could be in front of you.

"What the fuck do you expect to do- oh... there you are," the man said, glancing off to the side and noticing Toxtricity.

Toxtricity growled at the man, though you could clearly see the poor thing shaking in absolute fear. 

In mockery, the man chuckled and took a few steps towards the panicked pokémon, causing you to panic a bit.

"No! Don't even think of getting close to him," you yelled.

You tried to hurry to Toxtricity before he could, but before you could, the man had smacked you hard enough for you to plunge to the ground.

This caused your Flygon to dive from the sky, snarling at the man as he shielded both you and Toxtricity. As for Hop, utterly furious, he had decided to release one of his most prized pokémon to come to your aid. That's how the intruder found himself sandwiched between a furious Flygon and a powerful Zacian.

"Zacian, Flygon, pin him down! Make sure that this worthless piece of rubbish can't escape," Hop ordered.

The two pokémon were more than happy to comply, the man never stood a chance as Flygon whacked the man with his tail, causing him to fly to Zacian's side where the legendary wolf kept a paw on him to prevent him from escaping. It looked beyond painful, but Hop didn't care.

"Keep him in place, Zacian," Hop said.

Even with the aching pain you felt, you couldn't help but stare at the legendary pokémon in wonder. You knew that Hop had Zacian by his side, but you had never seen it. And looking at it in person, obeying Hop's commands without a single protest was terrific. Hop was truly a great trainer that deserved every ounce of recognition, but you had never doubted that. Not once.

With that, Hop raced to your side, wasting no time in hugging you tightly before helping you back up on your feet.

"(Y/N)! Are you okay? Shit, that's gonna leave a bruise," he said, analyzing your injury.

"I-I'll be-"

"Shit... I'm so sorry I let that happen," he continued, not letting you speak.

"Hop, it's not-"

"Oh fuck... how could I let that happen to you?"

"Hop..."

"I'm so stupid. I should have reacted sooner. What was I thinking?"

You hugged him tightly, catching him off guard and causing him to finally cease his frantic, pessimistic comments about himself.

"I'm glad you stepped in when you did. If you hadn't, who knows what would have happened to Toxtricity and me. Thank you," you said.

"B-But... you got hurt," Hop muttered, voice cracking slightly.

"It'll heal. It's not your fault. You're a hero, for all I care," you said, pulling away with a smile.

"I... I'm glad you think so," he said.

He turned back to glare at the piece of shit, still struggling underneath his Zacian's weight. 

"Go inside and clean yourself up. Get a bag of ice, sit down and decompress, okay? I'll call the police so they can come to pick up the trash. I'll stay here until they arrive," he said, turning back to you.

"Okay. Thank you. But... can you, you know, come inside with me after? I don't want to be alone after what happened," you said, cheeks heating a bit.

Hop felt his heart skip a few beats at the fact that you were seeking comfort in him.

He nodded. "Anything for you," he said, smiling nervously at his choice of words, but you didn't seem to mind.

As you distanced yourself from the scene, you couldn't help but smile despite it all. You were so thankful that Hop was there for you, and you knew that you could trust him with everything. He was wonderful.

~~~~~~

You stared at yourself in your bedroom mirror, nodding confidently as you felt that you looked presentable. Although you weren't really going for an extravagant look, you looked cute.

There had always been chemistry between you and Hop. Being with him felt natural and right; you had practically instantly clicked. Over the months, your interest in Hop grew and grew until you could confidently say that you had fallen in love with him.

And so, after much consideration and hyping yourself up, you had decided that you would take it upon yourself to make a romantic move on Hop. You were going to ask him on a little date.

You exited your house to head to Wedgehurst, a giddy and warm feeling surfacing. If Hop accepted, you would be the happiest person in Galar.

It's been so long since you've dated anyone, and although you hadn't been actively looking for a significant other, you were happy that you happened to meet Hop.

Hop was the kind of man you'd love to date. He was such a bundle of energy, passion and ambition, which made him stand out from other people you've met. He was such a sweetheart with you, and he obviously cared a lot for you. What more could you ask for?

When you were in front of the lab, you took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself. You were excited, but nervous. You nodded to yourself, it was now or never. Entering the lab, you saw Hop lazing on the lab's couch, watching something on his Rotom Phone. You heard some rummaging noises coming from the back of the lab, most likely Sonia.

Hop lifted his gaze, grinning when he saw you heading his way. He set his phone down.

"(Y/N)! Hi! What brings you here?" Hop asked, still grinning.

"Well, I... I'm not bothering you, right?" You asked as feeble attempt to take your time in asking him out.

"Pft. When do you ever bother me?" Hop said.

"Okay. Good, that's good," you said, already feeling your cheeks heat up.

You came here, feeling so confident in yourself, knowing exactly what to say and how to say it, only to transform into a moron when you were in front of Hop.

"Hey... you feeling alright? Are you sick or something?" Hop asked, concern lacing his voice.

"No, no, I'm cool. I just-" you took a deep breath. "You see... there's this really nice café in Turrfield, and well, would you like to go with me?" You finally asked.

Hop blinked, visibly processing your words before blushing madly. "Wait. Are you... are you asking me on a date," he asked, completely shocked.

You giggled. "Well, yes!"

Hop couldn't believe it. Why were you asking him on a date? Of all people that you could choose, you were going for the most significant failure the region had ever seen.

Hop had been pining for you for so long now, but he had convinced himself that this scenario was improbable, impossible, even. This had to be some kind of sick joke, right?

But, you weren't the type of person to do such a thing, to play with someone's feelings. You were better than that.

And that was the problem: you were too good for him. You deserved better, and he knew it. Hop accepted it.

Meanwhile, your heart was practically pounding out of your chest as you waited for Hop's answer. His silence was making you beyond nervous.

Hop shook his head and cleared his throat. "I... I'm sorry, (Y/N), but I'll have to say no."

Your heart shattered in millions of pieces at that. 

"O-Oh..." was all you managed to say.

Hop cringed at the dejected look you had. He didn't mean to hurt you, but hopefully, this would push you to seek someone better than him.

Or maybe it was a ridiculous thought that he was regretting. He regretted it so much, but he couldn't seem to voice his actual feelings. He was so deep in his low self-esteem.

You nodded, averting your gaze from Hop's. "Right. Yeah. That's totally fine!" You said, trying to remain positive, but it was more than evident that your enthusiasm was fake.

"(Y/N), I-" 

"It's fine, really! You don't have to explain yourself. You have every right not to want to go on a date with me," you said, voice quivering.

Hop didn't say anything. There was nothing more that he desired than go out with you. Why couldn't he say anything?

"I'm gonna go now, okay? I'll go do... stuff. I'll see you, right?" You said, already backing away.

Hop bit his lip. "Yeah..."

And you were out the door quicker than you could have imagined. Feelings of humiliation, frustration and heartbreak were taking over you, and you didn't want to stick around for anyone to see your tears.

Hop stared at the door, running his hands through his hair in absolute horror at what he had just done. He initially thought that this was going to be the best option to keep you from dating an absolute nobody, but he was processing what a colossal mistake that was.

Hop hated seeing you upset, he always wanted to see your eyes shine with life. Now, he had never seen you so broken, and he was the cause of it. That stung on so many levels.

"I outta smack you right now. What in the world was that about, Hop?" Sonia exclaimed, stomping over to him.

"I-"

Sonia interrupted him. "No, you know what? I don't even want to hear your excuses. I thought you liked them!"

"I do like them!" Hop said, flinching at Sonia's tone with him.

"Then, why did you reject them? I don't get it, Hop. They obviously like you!"

"But..."

"No! You are going to take the day off, and you are going to go see your friend, whose heart you just split, and talk things out with them," Sonia ordered.

Hop bit his lip and nodded. Sonia was right, he fucked up, and he needed to make up for his mistake. He needed to open up to you.

Weren't you, after all, the best person that he could pour his heart to? Weren't you the sweetest, most open-minded and trustworthy person he knew and fell in love with?

~~~~~~

Sitting on your living room couch, your Frosmoth cuddled up to you as you cried your heart out. She was trying to make you feel better, and you appreciated her efforts, even if you both knew that your heartbreak wouldn't cure with little cuddles.

You glanced at your front door as someone knocked on it. You ignored it at first, not having the energy to get up, but you eventually caved in as the knocking became more frantic.

You reluctantly stood up, and when you opened up the door, Hop was there, looking as guilty as ever. His eyes seemed glossy, seemingly about to cry himself. You contemplated slamming the door in his face, but you couldn't bring yourself to do that to Hop.

"(Y/N). Can... can I come in?" He asked softly.

You nodded, sidestepping to let him in. The two of you remained silent for what seemed to be an eternity. The air was tense.

Suddenly, Hop tightly wrapped his arms around you, placing your head against his chest. He rested his face in the crook of your neck, and you felt little droplets streaming down your skin.

"I'm... damn it. I'm so sorry, (Y/N)," he muttered. "I'm such an idiot. I just- I didn't want to hurt you like that. I'm the worst."

"I told you, Hop. It's okay if you don't want to go out with me. I'm not forcing you," you whispered.

He pulled away from you, keeping his hands on your shoulders. "But I do want to go out with you."

"Wha-? But you said-"

"I know what I said, and I lied through my teeth," he admitted.

"Why? If you wanted to, then why did you reject me?" You asked, genuinely confused.

"It's going to sound stupid, and it really is, b-but I..." he said, trailing off as he struggled to find the right words.

You took his hand in yours. "Here, let's sit," you said as you guided him to the couch.

You didn't let go of his hand when you sat down, hoping to give him a bit of comfort. You weren't as upset as you were just a few minutes ago, though you were confused and wanted answers.

"I said no because I thought you would be better off with someone else," he admitted.

"Someone else? Why would you think that?" You asked, completely flabbergasted.

"(Y/N), I- damn it. I'm nothing special! You could do so much better than a failure like me. You deserve the best, and I'm not that. I'm talentless rubbish."

Your jaw nearly dropped. It wasn't uncommon for Hop to make small, negative comments about himself, but this was the first time you've heard him degrade himself to such an extent.

"I wanted to be a legend, to surpass my brother and become the champion, but my friend was better than me. Everyone throughout my entire journey was better than me. Everyone is still better than me."

"Hop-"

"I haven't accomplished anything, there's nothing to set me apart from others. I figured that the right thing to do was to spare you from the embarrassment that would come with dating Galar's biggest loser..." he squeezed your hand, "... but it would destroy me to see you with someone else, even if I know that you deserve the world. The world that I can't provide."

More tears streamed down his cheeks as all of his darkest thoughts finally came out of him. It was heartbreaking to see Hop in such a state, to voice what he thought of himself. 

You thought none of the things he had just said, and you thought that you had made it obvious over all the time you've spent together. You were always there to give him reassurance, to hype him up when he didn't believe in himself. Hop looked so broken and lost like he didn't know what else to do or think. You couldn't believe that he thought so lowly of himself to the point where he felt that he didn't deserve anything good happening to him.

"Hop, sweetheart, look at me," you said. "How could you even have the audacity to say all these horrible things about yourself?"

"It's the tru-"

"No. You think you're a failure because you didn't become a champion? Please. I don't care that you didn't win. Don't you like what you're doing right now?"

"Yes..."

"There! That's all that matters. And for the record, you're phenomenal at what you do. You have so much knowledge about pokémon, and you're a natural with them. I should know, I see the way you are at the sanctuary. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: imagine just how amazing you're going to be as a professor in the future when you're already that good."

Hop wiped at his tears a bit. "You... really think I'm doing okay?"

You smiled. "More than okay! You think you're talentless, that you haven't accomplished anything and that you're not unique? Bullshit. Say that to the Zacian, who chose you as one of the heroes. Say that to Victor, who has a hard time standing against you in battle when no one else can. Say that to the insane amount of progress you've made to become a professor. Heck, you might just become one of the youngest professors!"

"(Y/N)... I- you really think that of me?" He asked, hope lacing his tone.

You nodded, rubbing soothing circles on his hand with your thumb. "Yes, and I really like you, Hop. Without even looking at what you've accomplished, I still like you. You could be the most ordinary person, and I'd still like you. You get what I'm saying? I'm attracted to you as a person for all of your amazing qualities and your adorable quirks. I like you because I feel a connection between us, and I just feel comfortable with you."

Hop chuckled, his bright smile returning to him as he blushed madly. He pulled you into a hug, and you immediately clung onto him.

"Thank you, (Y/N). I needed to talk to someone about this, and I just- thank you. I like you too, a lot. So, so much," he said. He pulled away from you. "So.. about that date?"

You laughed softly, leaning in to plant a small kiss to the corner of his lips. That alone made Hop's mind go blank as he chuckled with a smitten look on his face.

Maybe he wasn't Galar's ultimate winner, but why should he care when he already had everything he needed and wanted? Hop would be damned to let a gem such as yourself go, so he'd be selfish just this once and keep you for himself.

Not that you seemed to mind.

#pokemon #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon headcanons #hop pokemon #hop x reader #pokemon hop x reader #gn reader #gender neutral insert #pokemon imagines #galar region #pokemon shield #pokemon sword #pokemon x reader #pokemon sword and shield x reader #fanfiction #one shot #reader insert #x reader #gender neutral reader

[charlottan]

What are your best book recommendations? Fiction and nonfiction both welcome

THANKS FOR ASKING 😁!!!!!!!!!! i have no clue what sort of reader you are so here are just a few of my favorites

first off i simply Must tell you about billy summers by stephen king. its a thriller about an assassin whose last job is a setup. classic premise. but hes also a writer and has War Trauma 😲 i read this book faster than anything in recent memory or maybe ever at all- like half of its ~600 pages in a week which is an INSANE pace for me. cannot recommend this enough on the offchance that its your thing even nearly as much as it was mine. it feels weird calling it my favorite stephen king over Everything Else ive read from him but but it kind of earned the title i guess LOL

then i need need need to recommend house of leaves. not much to say about this one its just really good especially towards the end, and not just because thats when the Gimmick of the fucked up text gets more intense lol

then of course slaughterhouse five by kurt vonnegut<3 or breakfast of champions or sirens of titan!!! you have so many good vonneguts to choose from you can hardly go wrong (just dont start with player piano)

then a book thats kinda weird but Really Interesting is dhalgren. by Samuel R. Delaney. its a speculative fiction sci fi from 1975 that touches on topics of race, sexuality, and gender, in an Evil City where some mysterious apocalypse happened (it is never explained What Happened) and a bisexual half native american man called Kidd must have as much sex as possible. its really really cool. plus the last chapter has fucked up text kinda like house of leaves lol

another great book is hitchhikers guide to the galaxy! again not much to say, this is just a classic for a reason

then theres piranesi by susanna clarke!! its about a House (castle) with many many rooms that one mentally ill Special Boy must uncover the Secrets of. really dreamy sort of book i wish i could smoke weed with Piranesi

another book i love is the name of the wind! fantasy book by patrick rothfuss about a boy who loses his whole acting troupe family and decides to pursue magic. its a liiiiittle bit male chauvinist and purple prosey in an annoying way but the magic system is really interesting and the characters are great

speaking of fantasy theres also discworld<3 just pick a book u cant go wrong

so there you go:) hope you find something you like among these, or even anywhere else, because reading is a beautiful adventure!!!

#asks #book talk

[ren-meteor]

Finally sat down and did an MK1 Tethys bio 😔

The format belongs to @starneko123 🥰

First Name: Tethys - Greek Goddess of Freshwater

Last Name: Marsalis - ‘Little Soldier’ or ‘Warlike’

Date of Birth: October 20th

Age: 24

Alias: Nomad

Gender: Female

Siblings: n/a

Sexuality: Bisexual 

Species: Half Human, Half Edenian

Hair Color: Warm Brown

Eye Color: Brown

Origins: Earthrealm

Current Location: Earthrealm 

Height: 5’8

Alignment: Neutral Good

Status: Alive

Affiliation: Lin Kuei (Formerly)

 Shirai Ryu 

White Lotus Society (Ally)

Physical Health: Excellent

Mental Health: Good

Likes:

Oceans

Beaches 

Sailing

Helping others

Gardening

Stargazing

Protecting Earthrealm

Dislikes:

Disrespect

Greed

Liars

Manipulation

Injustice

Unnecessary death

Stats

Speed: 5/10

Agility: 7/10

Intelligence: 9/10

Strength: 9/10

Stamina: 8/10

Stealth: 9/10

Cooperation: 7/10

Durability: 8/10

Fighting Skills:  9/10

Flexibility: 6/10

Reflexes: 8/10

Instincts: 7/10

Mentors:

Bi-Han

Kuai Liang

Madam Bo

Thalia Marsalis

Zaid

Rain

Family:

Zaid (Father - Alive)

Thalia Marsalis (Mother - Deceased)

Rain (Cousin - Alive)

Love Interest: Tomas Vrbada

Love Status: Lovers

Weapons / Accessories

Jewel of the Edenian Sea

 Greek Short Spears (formed using water)

Powers:

Water manipulation - Hydrokinesis 

 Healing

 Teleportation

 Turning into a liquid state/hide in water

Pulling moisture out different sources (plants, humans, air, earth)

Personality:  

In Liu Kang’s new timeline, Tethys is much more headstrong than previous iterations. She still cares for those around her deeply, and would do anything to keep them safe, but can be a bit more reckless on how she deals with threats. She is still reliable, passionate and altruistic, but can be a bit intense at times. Tethys also enjoys the thrill of battle more than her previous iterations, and while fighting is almost never an option she would choose first, there is always the hope in the back of her mind that it ends up going that way. 

Tethys is also a bit more morally grey this time around, doing what’s best for her and those she is close to, regardless of laws or order. A downside to this, though, is she can be more easily persuaded or manipulated into doing something that may seem beneficial to her/her loved ones, but really only helps the benefactor. 

History: 

Tethys was born from an affair between her mother, Thalia, who was one of Liu Kang’s champions, and a powerful Edenian water mage, Zaid. She grew up among many people, but spent much of her time alongside the Lin Kuei. Her mother had been taken in after losing her family, as Tethys’ grandfather had been close to a previous Grandmaster, and in turn trained her daughter in a hybrid of their ways. 

Tethys was granted the ability to travel between Earthrealm and Outworld, being able to spend time with her father and his people. During a short visit, she found her affinity for water magics, and her ability to control and manipulate it. Her father trained her whenever they were together, whether they were alone or Rain joined them, due to Zaid being his uncle. During their training, she found herself a friendly rival in her cousin Rain. 

During her training with the Lin Kuei, she was mostly influenced by Bi-Han. She developed her abilities into a harsh, strong, more intense but still fluid style. She enjoyed the strength she felt with the fighting style, as it made her feel as though she could prove herself among the strongest of fighters. 

Because of their time spent together, Tethys developed feelings for Bi-Han. She kept them to herself, but eventually he found out. After a brief fling, the two had a falling out but remained professional due to their duties. Because of her tactical prowess and ability to assess situations quickly, she often found herself working with him anyway, so quickly had to shove her feelings out of the way, resulting in a sort of resentment for Bi-Han. She still cared deeply for him, but it was no longer in a romantic way.

As time went on, Tethys spent more time alongside the other two brothers, going on missions with both Kuai Liang and Tomas. While working with Tomas, she found that she had a knack for stealth work, and the two ended up getting along and working together quite well. At first, they bonded over their mutual feelings about Bi-Han, but eventually developed into an honest, good and wholesome friendship. It made their teamwork on missions that much more cohesive.

Tethys had worked and trained together with Tomas consistently for almost two years before she realized that she had fallen for him. She didn’t register it at first, but she eventually noticed when the two would hold eye contact for a little longer than necessary, the small touches between them- on the arm, their back or hands. Her mood rose when he was with her, and missed him when he wasn’t. She craved his laugh, his smile. 

The two hadn’t acted on their affections though until after a particularly rough mission where Tethys ended up injured. All feelings for each other came to a head and after sitting on it overnight, the two entered a relationship the next day. 

 By the time the events of MK1 roll around, they’ve been together for almost a year. She assists in the assessment of Kung Lao and Raiden, fighting Raiden at first before taking the fall. After the potential champions get recruited to train with the monks, Tethys joins them to assist in teaching them to fight against people who have magical abilities. 

Once Raiden is chosen as champion she joins the group in Outworld, acting as a bodyguard/guide, and to pay a visit to old friends and family. After winning the tournament, Tethys returned to the Lin Kuei. Once learning about the soul stealers, she was tasked along with the brothers to destroy them. She stays outside with Tomas, watching over the soul stealers to make sure they weren’t activated. 

After meeting back with Kuai Liang and learning of Bi-Han’s betrayal, Tethys hesitated. She knew of Bi-Han’s want to turn the Lin Kuei into a ruling factor of Earthrealm, and saw his point of view behind it. But this was not the way she wanted to do it. She wanted to help lead, not rule. She didn’t want power over anyone. 

When running into Bi-Han on their way out, he tried to sway her to his side, persuading and telling her what she needed to hear to switch sides. If she was alone, it would have worked. But both Tomas and Kuai Liang grounded her back in reality and she rejected Bi-Han’s proposition. The three of them left after the quick fight, regrouping back with Liu Kang and informing him on the developments. 

Tethys joins the other champions during the fight against the dragon warriors, fighting on ground level to destroy as many as she could. She also fought alongside the group against their evil counterparts, and in turn met with the Tethys who was victorious against Shang Tsung in her own timeline. After a grueling battle for their timeline and a few life lessons from her prior self, she along with the others were successful in protecting their timeline. 

Once the dust had settled, she joined Kuai Liang, Harumi and Tomas in forming the new Shirai Ryu.

#my art #mk1 oc #oc #mk oc #mk #mortal kombat #mortal kombat oc #tethys #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 2023 #mk1 #This is the generality of it #I might have to switch some minor things but #yeah 👍 #and I've decided that her main/story outfit is the lin kuei uniform #her greek one is her alt

[charlie-lec-stories]

PR's biggest mess // CL16

Pairing: Charles Leclerc/Russell!sister

Summary: Lea Russell was the first F1 female driver, making history for the women’s movement in the racing world. But when things got more and more complicated, her life became a constant PR mess.

Chapter's Warnings: Some suggested sexual activity, not described though. Descriptions of a panic attack. Mention of an accident.

Author's Note: This one is a long one-shot. Hope you like it.

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When George made his first steps into the karting world, Lea always followed behind. They were close in age, she was 10 months older but since she was constantly getting into trouble, people would often say that she looked younger. It didn't help when George hit puberty and started growing in height, it seemed like he would never stop, finally ending with an over ten centimeters of difference over his older sister. They always felt like twins, doing everything together, sharing friends, classes and even sometimes clothes. Karting became a shared passion that them both used as a stress reliever during their teenage years. Lando Norris and Alex Albon were close to the Russell siblings, the four of them going for lunch every weekend after karting.

Years passed and the three boys made their debuts in F1, Lea staying behind. There were many factors that kept her away from the tracks, there was a gender bias and she was well aware of it. People would never pay the same attention to her as they paid to her brother. She learned to live with that, so she looked for other ways to stay close to the tracks. She went to college, got a degree on engineering and mastered on physics and mechanics, then she proceeded to make her way into a team. McLaren were the ones interested in what she had to offer. While the boys raced, she worked on the cars. With her masters, she quickly became Race Engineer and started working with Lando. The two made a fantastic team, she would guide him swiftly through the races, and he would listen carefully to what she had to say.

Her technics were odd, she would constantly be taking notes, calculating things and no one knew exactly what went through her head. All they knew was that whenever she grabbed the pencil and chanted numbers at Lando, he would go faster and cleaner through the tracks. That was the reason everyone was nervous when she looked so worried one Thursday night, no numbers on her pages, only pencil smudged everywhere from using her eraser so much. Lando was the one worried the most. It was his best championship so far, with an easy third place on the grid and 9 podiums. Lewis Hamilton was close behind on the fourth place and Charles Leclerc was extremely close to him on the second place. He needed to win if he wanted to leave Hamilton behind and keep up with Leclerc. Leclerc and Max Verstappen were close to each other, by a just two points difference, so Lando believed that if he could win at least three of the five races left and get second place on the other two, he could be champion. His Race Engineer losing it was the last thing he needed.

"Tell me what do you need and we'll do it, Lee". Lando was willing to do whatever she needed. He could see her calculating things inside her head, her eyes moving frantically around the screen in front of her, full of data about the car, the track and a bunch of things he had no idea what they meant.

"I need to test it". She said out loud, but Lando wasn't sure if she was talking to him or not, she had been mumbling things for hours. They were practically alone on the circuit by that point. Max, who was Lando’s close friend and fellow driver, and Cristian Horner, Max’s boss, were also there at the Red Bull Racing garage doing the same as Lando and Lea, trying to get the last touches done before the first free practice session.

"What is it you need to test?". Lea looked at him and he knew exactly the kind of mess they could get into. "We're gonna get fired. No, Russell". He said shaking his head. There was no way she was driving the car. “That’s what they pay me for”.

“You can’t drive until tomorrow and I would never send you out there with something I’m not sure about”. She of course felt responsible for his life, she was well aware that he trusted her and she wanted to keep that trust.

“That’s unsafe for you too then”. He was not letting it go easy. “If it dangerous for me it is for you too”. She gave him a look of warning. “I’m not suggesting I’m a better driver. I just want us to get out of here in one piece… and not jobless”.

"I need to make sure, and if this gets you the championship, then we'll never get fired". She took Lando’s second race suit and a the whole head security gear.

Lando won that race but didn't win the championship, he finished in third place. Still, that night gave Lea the best contract of her life when Horner saw her drive.

She felt like it was the craziest dream, the pictures, the merchandising, the press. Everyone wanted a piece of her. Max was the only one who could get it, he was her light in the darkness of the sea of people. And for Max, Lea was like fresh air, she was the first teammate that he didn't want to push out of the track. They worked good together and PR saw that as the best way to sell the team. As friends, they were a little uncomfortable with PR's strategy, flirting for fun was natural, they were both flirty people, but the touching was a little too much for them. Hands needed to be on each other constantly, and that wasn't something they liked. She needed to be a lot of things: a good girl with the cocky personality of a bad girl, sexy but not sexual, straightforward but no impolite, cheerful but not annoying. There were a lot of expectations on her and too much of something or too little of anything could mean the biggest fisco for Red Bull. PR knew how important it was to have the first female F1 driver ever on their hands and they didn't want to mess it up. Lea had to be the face and heart of Red Bull, there was no place for something else. She was forbidden from cheering for her brother, Lando or their teams. Alex and Charles, who were good friends for her too, became off limits, she could never be associated to other team other than Red Bull, so Max was the only real contact she had.

Getting P3 on her first race was the most epic moment of her life. The battle with Charles for second place would win awards as the best moment of racing for many decades later, the monegasque winning literally by the distance of the size of a tyre. The celebration was crazy, Max and Charles showered her in champagne while her brother screamed her name and jumped excited. Everyone was out of their minds, the first female driver got a podium on her first race. She wasn't just making history, she was a whole movement. There were little girls dreaming of being her. Things were going too fast for her, and after just four races she found herself running away from everyone. Her chest closing as her head felt heavier. Her trembling legs were taking her to her brother's trailer the best they could, she needed him so fuck PR, but the dizziness that clouded her mind was too much for her. Heart pounding out of her chest, vision almost black she stumbled into the first trailer she could find. Once the door was close, she let the panic take over her. Her body fell to the floor once her legs finally gave up.

"It's okay. Breath with me". She heard the voice but couldn't even process who was talking to her, so she just assumed it was George. She gripped at him for dear life, feeling like she could die any moment. The arms that wrapped around her pressed her so tight she actually felt like she was snapping out of whatever state she was in. She felt him breath and tried to follow him. The voice became more clear, guiding her breathing at the top of her head, and the rest of her senses started coming back with each deep breath. When she was finally able to smell, she noticed that the person wasn't George. She lived her whole life with him and she could recognize her brother with her eyes closed anytime once she was feeling like herself again. Her foggy vision subsided and she saw the red and black clothing on the good samaritan that helped her. "Are you feeling better?". Charles voice filled the air, his hands going up and down her back and his voice vibrating on her face that was tightly pressed against his chest.

"Yes". She managed to squeal out and she felt him kiss the top of her head. She always found Charles nice, but he was pretty shy around her and she never expected him to be this affectionate. She wasn't complaining though. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude into your trailer. I was actually looking for Georgie". She could feel him laughing softly, it warmed her inside, discarding some of the embarrassment she felt for the whole situation.

"It's okay. I'm glad I could help, even though I'm not George". They stayed like that for a moment, silently breathing through their noses to lower their heart rates. Both of them for different reasons, but Charles had no plans on letting her know that. "Do you want to talk about it?". He asked on her hair, trying to ignore the fuzzy feeling on his chest brought by the closeness. He then tried to pull away a little to look at her face, but she grabbed his race suit tight and forced him back onto her.

"Please, don't go, I think I could fall apart any minute". She sounded so desperate he couldn't help but pull her even closer.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lee". She sighed in relief, her face still buried on his suit. He sat more comfortably on the floor, bringing her to his lap and they stayed like that. "You can always come to me if you need to".

And so she did. When things got too much, she would sneak into his trailer and they would lay on the small couch, chests pressed together, her face buried on his neck while they talked about nothing and everything. They would avoid each other in public, like oil and water, only talking when it was necessary and then they would let everything out when they were alone. He could feel his hands aching whenever they were close on the paddock, and Max's would go up and down her arm while they talked. He wasn't sure about their situation. But he knew that what they secretly had couldn’t be something that Max could be okay with. Why don't go to Max when she felt like escaping? They seemed so close and she always talked so good about him when they were cuddling. Why was she sneaking into his trailer when she could openly go to Max's? Why would she need him when she obviously had Max eagerly willing to get close and she always let him? Too many questions he didn't have the guts to ask.

PR got a little more indulgent with time. Around Silverstone time was also Lea's birthday and she was allowed to celebrate however she wanted since she was doing great on the championship, but she had to at least post a picture or story with Max. If there was something she was grateful for was that her friendship with Max was strong, otherwise they would have hated each other by then. Fans were shipping them together and PR was constantly shoving them onto each other, it was exhausting. For her birthday, Lea decided to invite some of her closest friends to her home in London for a night of partying. She could finally let loose of all of the tension. Max, Charles, Alex, Lando, George, Carlos and Pierre, with the girlfriends of those who weren't single, were all gathered around a fire on her back yard. Jokes and bottles of different brewages were exchanged between the group. Max and Lea published their picture together and then immediately went on their different ways, Max sat next to Lando to plan their getaway for the summer break, while she sat next to a pretty drunk Charles, who was missing the upper three buttons of his shirt and was loudly laughing at something Pierre had said in french. It seemed that what he had on his glass was good, so she poured some on a glass for herself, and then another... and another, and another.

"You shouldn't drive". Was the first thing that left Pierre's lips when he saw Charles looking up at him to say goodnight. "Maybe you should stay here, man".

"I have a guest room". Lea said in between sips of whatever was on her glass at the moment. George got up and took the glass away from her.

"You should slow this down, sis". She smiled and nodded her head. It wasn’t the first time they partied together and they both knew how she got with alcohol. They also knew that she would drink again once George went out the door, but that warning gave him the excuse to scold her later, while the worst hungover ever ached inside her head.

Once everyone was out, Lea plopped down next to Charles on the couch. Her eyes felt heavy and her skin cold. She was falling asleep when Charles started getting up from the couch. She looked at him for a moment, slightly sobering up from the realisation of what he was doing when she saw him reach for his jacket, wallet and phone.

"You're going...?". She wasn't sure if she was asking or not. Charles looked back at her. He knew he was going to cross a line if he stayed. There was this caged desire inside his chest for years and it really wanted to get out. He was dying to kiss her.

"Max won't be happy if I stay". Max and him might be rivals who were constantly fighting each other for almost everything and they were extremely petty about it, but he wasn't playing with something as serious as a relationship. He would hate to be on Max's end of the situation. They must have been a lot more serious that what she had with Charles for them to be so openly touchy and post about each other all the time. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the fire, as if trying to connect the dots.

"Why would he be mad?"

"Aren't you... something?". He emphasised the word 'something', since he wasn't sure what they were.

"We're friends and teammates". She said giggling a little. "Damn, we're better at acting than I expected". Her words flew into his drunken mind with some difficulty. "I never thought you would buy into that PR shit".

"PR?". He felt stupid asking, but he wasn't exactly on his smartest state to process information.

"It's fake". She assured him, sneaking her arms around his neck, feeling a lot bolder thanks to the alcohol. "We're just touchy because Karen at PR told us to. Well, more like she forced us to. Max and I are just friends, really good friends, but just that". She smiled up at him. "I don't want you to be my friend, Charlie".

Once the words sank into his brain, his lips crashed on hers. Finally, all that pent up want was out. His hands went to her ass and squeezed, signaling her to wrap her legs around his waist. She followed the command eagerly. Before they both could process what was happening, they were lying on the couch inside the house, him on top of her, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and chest. Her hands went under his shirt, ready for the only birthday gift she was actually wishing for. The next morning they woke up to the faint light of the raising sun coming through the back yard glass door. Charles was the first one up, running one of his hands up and down her arm while he covered his eyes with the other. His hungover was killing him. She stirred a bit on his chest, releasing a whine when the sun kissed her eyes. The sound reminded him of the night before, a smile appearing instantly on his face. On his chest, he could feel her smiling too.

After three months and a summer break of sneaking around for make-out sessions, sex and cute dates, they finally had to let PR know. They were sure of their relationship, and wanted everyone to know. They haven't even told their families and Lea felt awful for lying to her bother. She had never lied to George before, not even for the most embarrassing things, so lying about something as great as her relationship with Charles was painful for her. Charles wanted to tell his mother like crazy, he was on the best time of his life, winning races, loving the woman he liked since he met George, and the car was on its prime. Again, he was close to be world champion. Max had the same points than him, but Charles was leading on winnings. He just had to keep winning, and he totally felt like he could. He looked at Lea before opening the door, kissing her one last time. Outside, he checked no one was around the trailer's area and let her go. She walked straight to her PR's office, searching for Karen.

To say that the conversation was awful would be an understatement. Lea was even surprised that Karen could raise her voice to the level she did and even though Lea has always been someone to stand up for herself, she could barely say a word. Charles didn't have much luck with his agent either. The point was clear: They couldn't date a rival, it wasn't good for business, and the whole market worked around competition and rivalry. Max and Charles had a long history of pressing each other's buttons, Lea dating Charles was like treason to Red Bull. It also didn't look good for a raising driver to be romantically involve with another driver, it made things messy and made her look like she 'got the seat sucking the right guys', Karen's words exactly. One thing was flirting with Max and a whole another was officially dating a fellow driver. The pair found themselves under the most intense scrutiny, purposely booked on different interviews and placed away from each other on public events. Lea's spirits were going down by the day and Max was more than capable of noting the change on his friend's aura.

"What is it, Lee?". He asked her once he quietly took her to his drivers room. She just looked at him tired, like the flame usually burning inside her was nearly dead. "You've been losing power lately".

"That's nonsense, Max. I'm fine". She tried to get out but he placed his hand on her shoulder. He didn't press or forced her to stop, she just obeyed the motion, like a robot.

"You're not". He made her turn around and look him in the eyes. "You're my friend, we've known each other for years and you're the only person I talk to every day. I know you". He could see the guilt pass her eyes momentarily, so he kept talking. "I know that for the last few months something really good must have happened to you. I've never seen you so happy, not even after your first race. I was waiting for you to bring it up yourself and tell me, but seeing you so down I wonder-"

"I'd tell you, Max". She cut him off. "God knows I'd tell you, but I would literally get fired. Plus, I don't think you'd be happy if you knew".

"Try me". He sat on the bed and grabbed her hand to make her sit with him. "I know I have a temper, but I won't get mad. And I won’t tell anyone that you told me. I promise".

"I am- was- am. I don't even know anymore". She stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm dating Charles". She could see his brain working. He made a face of slight disgust, he definitely wasn't a fan of the idea. His teammate and closest friend dating his rival and a guy he didn't have the best relationship with. Charles was usually nice and he tried to be nice back, but he daydreamed a lot about Leclerc losing and DNFing for him to like the idea of him and Lea dating. "You're not the only one who made that face". He was about to justify himself when she kept talking. "Don't worry, I get it. It's okay, I didn't expect you to love the concept". Max relaxed a bit. "PR doesn't love it either. They have been suggesting me, rather intensely, to break up with him".

"And what do you want?".

"I want Charles".

Max went from hating the idea to fan number one. He would make up almost any excuse to keep people busy and give her a small window to see Charles. The Ferrari golden boy also talked to his teammate, Carlos, who was more than eager to help. Lea knew that she had to come clean with George, the fact that other people knew before him was eating her alive. But when the conversation finally happened, George took the news way different from what she expected.

"I know". He said chuckling. They were on her hotel room in Spain, sitting on the bed while eating homemade biscuits that their mother sent. She furrowed her eyebrows. "I guessed it since your birthday, you were too comfortable with each other. You two weren't like that before. Plus, Charles has liked you for ages, I already knew that too".

"You never told me that!". He just shrugged his shoulders.

"It was not my place, and you never told me you liked him. If you had just told me, I would have done something about it!". He raised his hands up in defence.

"I didn't thought of him like that before. We kinda hit it off this year". She blushed and George giggled only to be rewarded with a pillow to his face.

Ferrari's PR was ready to give Charles a free pass when he won the championship against Max, but they weren't exactly keen to give him the only pass he actually wanted. Tired of hiding, he finally told his mother and brothers and before they both knew it, the circle of people knowing the secret became larger than they expected. The holidays came and Lea decided to spend them in Monaco and her family was okay with that. They took a few pictures with the outfits before she went to Monte Carlo, so they could post them online and keep the façade for her. Christmas with the Leclerc's were great, she got to hang out with Charles' brothers and finally they got some time alone at Charles' apartment. They enjoyed every second of it. They celebrated Charles' first championship and their six months together.

Before they knew it, another championship started and Lea had a real chance to win. The races became more and more interesting, with Lea, Charles and Max constantly fighting for the top. The three of them were highly equipped to win and they weren't slowing down. With a secret relationship and the championship competition, Lea and Charles were constantly pent up and they became less careful when sneaking around. The first picture that appeared online was of a terrible quality, so most people assumed it was fake. But it was a close call: They needed to do something about it. People started to suspect that something was happening and PR's stunt of Max and Lea wasn't selling anymore. They did the best they could to turn things down a notch, but they were playing with fire and at some point, they were going to burn themselves.

It all started with a crash. It wasn’t a big one, but it meant a DNF for Charles and Max, who were pretty heated up about it. They started their argument on the track, next to their cars, shoving each other while throwing accusations partially muffed by the helmets. Nothing got recorded since they were already disconnected from their radios, but it was clear that it was an intense discussion since Charles ended up falling butt first to the grass from a particular hard push from Max. Things kept escalating once they reached the garages. There was no calming them down. People was used to them exploding at each other, but they have never gotten that physical. Their helmets were off and their voices could be hear clearly. The race had still 15 laps to go and the teams were doing the best they could to control the situation in the garage while still concentrating on Carlos and Lea who were fighting each other for first position, left to their reach with their teammates’ DNFs. Max was completely out of it, he was already pissed from last year’s loss of the championship, and this was the last thing he needed to jump at Charles’ throat. On his end, Charles’ was uncomfortable with Max and Lea’s public image and he could barely stand whatever Max did. The race finished with Lea in the front and Max was trying to be forced to the podium to be a good teammate and support the winner, but things were too out of control and Max’s desire to hurt Charles got the best of him.

“You did it on purpose. You’re just jealous of me and you know it”. He could see the fire in Charles’ eyes and that only fuelled him up to keep pushing. “You’re scared she will leave you for me”. Max had no interest in dating Lea, he knew it, she knew it, but he also knew that the comment would make a large wound on Charles’ pride. The moment the comment hit the air everyone stopped what they were doing. Charles, initially taken aback, broke the silence.

“Take that back!”. Before he could launch himself at Max -again- he was dragged inside the Ferrari garage and forced to his driver’s room. Max, on the other side, was suddenly changing his mood, running into the Red Bull garage by himself, well aware of the implications of what he had just done. He silently preyed for the argument not to have been recorded, but he knew that it was, people loved drama and their argument was the perfect show for all the cameras present. All hell broke loose. He didn’t just outed his friend’s relationship to the media, he also made it seen like he was involved in the whole thing as wanting to be a possible candidate for her. PR was going to kill him or, worse, fire him. But whatever they’d do to him would be nothing compared to Lea’s rage when she’d find out. He had to tell her himself, before things kept going down further.

Showered in champagne, she walked to the garage followed by the cameras and the press. She was so happy that she didn’t even try to listen to what the press was asking her, she just wanted to get her ice bath and sneak into Charles’ trailer to have the best sex of her life. But her track of thinking was suddenly interrupted by a very worried Max that was running towards her. Before she could make her way towards him, Charles appeared by her side. She turned around to greet him, maybe ask him how he was feeling after the DNF, but his hands grabbed her face and he crashed his lips in hers before she could actually say ‘hi’. Since the first time they kissed she was physically unable to resist, she just loved to kiss him too much to ever say no, so her first reaction was to instinctively kiss back. Her hands went to his chest as Charles moved his lips on hers kind of desperate. The moment of clearness came and she moved away, Charles almost falling forward for how much he was pressing into her. She all of sudden became aware of the cameras and the people yelling at them. She sent Charles a warning look but he wasn’t even staring a her to notice. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were focussed on the garage to her side. She followed his gaze and saw a scared Max looking back at Charles. She quickly gripped Charles’ arm and pulled him towards the Red Bull garage and to her driver’s room, motioning for Max to follow them, who walked behind the pair looking down at his feet and cussing under his breath in Dutch.

“What was all of that about?”. She asked once the door was closed behind Max. None of them said anything, Charles kept his eyes glued to Max, while the other tried to keep as much physical distance with the Ferrari driver as possible. He was actually worried about his safety, he knew he crossed a line and he could see himself paying for it. “I asked a question, gentlemen”. Lea continued, her voice hard and cold.

“I messed up”. Max admitted looking down. “I pushed Charles’ buttons on the wrong matter”.

“What happened?”. She was now looking at them more worried than pissed.

“What happens it that your teammate wants to fuck you, that’s what happens”. Charles said through gritted teeth. She could feel the anger radiating from him. Charles wasn’t a jealous person at all, it was actually weird to see him that possessive, so it had to be a pretty direct comment for Charles to get to that point. She knew he was as uncomfortable with her and Max’s PR stunt as they were themselves, but they talked about it plenty of times and he always understood.

“What are you talking about, baby? We’ve talked about this. Max and I are just friends”. There was this hurt expression mixed with the anger on Charles’ face and she could see that he was feeling like shit under his threatening demeanour.

“Seems like he didn’t got the memo, because he’s sure that you’ll leave me for him”. Max sighed loudly and Lea moved her attention from Charles to her teammate, her confusion clear on her face.

“I didn’t mean it, I swear. I know it’s no excuse, but I just wanted to make you mad. I was furious, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s not true, Charles”. The other softened his expression a little, but he was still loudly breathing through his nose. “I wanted you to hurt, like the championship hurt for me last year. I crossed a line”.

“You did”. Was all that Charles left out, his shoulders a little more relaxed and his gaze moving from Max to Lea. “I’m sorry for making a scene, Lee”.

“Me too”. Max added. “And I’m sorry for what I said earlier, Charles. I really am”.

“You two being sorry won’t solve this mess”. Now it was her turn to be furious. “You two outed something that we weren’t allow to out. Our jobs, our sponsors and my bloody fucking career are on the line here! You’re men, you can give two shits about your reputation and someone will always support you. I don’t have that privilege. Karen will have our heads on sticks outside by night. You fell into this testosterone pitty party and I’m the one who got burned!”. Both men looked at the floor. “Get out. Both of you. I need time to think”. With that, they walked out of the room. Outside, photographers pictured the battled men walking side by side silently. They sat on the floor of the garage, backs against Max’s broken car, facing the door of Lea’s driver’s room. They spent fifteen minutes in silence, until they saw George get into the garage, his pissed off expression fired at them when he saw them. Max tried to speak up, but George shook his head and raised his hand to shut him up. The younger Russell kept walking and entered his sister’s room.

“They’re gonna get the cold shoulder for a while. I don’t care how much time they camp outside this door”. He said once inside the room. His sister was laying down on her little bed and he sat on the floor in front of her.

“You’re kidding, right?”. Her brother answered no with his head making a groan leave her immediately.

“They’re sitting outside. Actually, I think I never saw them this quiet around each other, like, ever”. She chuckled at the comment. “Their ‘I-am-truly-sorry-I-was-a-cunt-please-forgive-me’ faces are pretty good though”. He added, earning a full laugh from his sister this time.

“Thanks for always making everything better, Georgie”. She said once her laugh subsided. Her brother smiled big and giggled a bit.

“That’s what brothers are for, sis”.

The press conference post race was messy. Carlos, who got second place wasn’t even asked one question, Lando’s presence and his third place weren’t acknowledged at all, and Lea was only asked about her personal life. She had to explain that she had a recent, she had to lie there, relationship with Charles and that since Max and him didn’t get along pretty well, they would usually say things they didn’t mean to get into each other’s nerves. Karen made her say that it was all too new and that they were still trying to see if things worked out. PR decided to explore the ‘jealousy trope’ for a bit to see if it could help to raise the tension of the competition. Lea wasn’t comfortable at all with that, but she was well aware of who she could piss of and who she couldn’t. Charles and Max refused interviews and they both posted apologies on their social medias to address their fight on the track, explaining that the adrenaline of the race sometimes leads to things getting out of control and that they were really sorry for what happened. It was a half truth and they were satisfied with that, after all, driving at 300 kph was for sure something difficult to get down from, the high being too high not to come down with a crash.

“What do you want, Charles?”. Asked George that night when he opened his sister’s hotel room door after hearing the monegasque knocking on it non-stop.

“Is Lee here?”. He said timidity. George had always seemed to him like the sweetest guy ever, but the look he was giving him was anything but sweet. If looks could kill, Charles would be visiting the Titanic for eternity.

“You already gave her your half-assed apology”. George was being way meaner that he needed to be, but he really wanted to make Charles suffer before letting the matter go.

“You can let him in, Georgie”. Lea authorised from inside the room. George moved aside to let Charles in, grabbed his jacket and walked out of the room, not before telling his sister to call if she needed him and throwing Charles a nasty glare. “What do you want, Charles?”. She repeated her brother’s greeting with the same tone but a higher pitch.

“I want you to forgive Max”. Charles answered while he shifted his weight from foot to foot. “He’s your friend and the truth is that I said awful things to him too and it was wrong of me to do that. I pushed too hard and made him mad”. Lea saw the video of their fight, she didn’t know what was said when they had their helmets on, but she saw that Max was the one who outed the relationship and by far the most pissed off, even pushing Charles to the ground at some point. Charles taking the blame for Max was definitely new. “I know that he’s important to you and I don’t want you to lose a friendship because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry for all the mess I put you through”.

“It’s interesting”. She said when she saw him walk towards the door after a moment of silence that he took as a refuse to listen to him. “Max came here an hour ago telling me something different”. She continued. That caught Charles’ attention. “He told me that I should forgive YOU, because it was all his fault, that you are a great guy and would be a real shame if I’d let you pass me by”. Charles frowned in confusion, Max talking his side wasn’t a common sight.

“He did?”. She nodded her head. After a long sigh, she patted the spot on the bed next to her and he took a seat. He looked at her in the eyes, trying to figure out if he was forgiven or not. Since the answer wasn’t clear, he choose to ask. “And did you follow his advice?”. Lea smiled and nodded again. He copied the motion and kissed her tenderly, already feeling the weight on his shoulders subside a little.

“I will follow yours too. But I will give you the same condition I gave Max”. She said once they broke the kiss. Charles nodded and she kept talking. “I want you to get along with him. There’s a lot that I can’t do, this world is ruled by politics that are way bigger than us. It’s full of pressures that make me do things I don’t want to do. It’s a lot, Charlie, and if I can do just one thing to make my life easier, this is it. I want to keep you both. I want my friend and I want you”. She looked down, another sigh leaving her lips. “I’m already PR’s press puppet for as long as I keep racing. I want to keep close the last few things that still remain real”.

“Deal”. He said without doubt. Max had sticked his neck for him earlier and got him forgiven, so the least he could do was try and be nice to him. He could see how much pressure Lea was under, how making history as the first female F1 driver also implied giving herself to whatever political wave was currently controlling the market without a say. He didn’t want to be a burden, on the contrary, he wanted to be forever one of those things that remained real.

“Good”. She smiled. “Now start taking this shirt off”. She said pulling at the hem of his shirt. “Today I won and I want my price”. He let out a chuckle and took off his shirt. Then, he kissed her, grabbing her by the waist and lying on top of her, a giggle from her slipping between their lips.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Hi, I’m back. I’m leaving this one-shot here for you guys. It’s pretty long. I know that the series are still ongoing, it’s just that the next two chapters need a lot of change to fit the F1 plot and I haven’t been inspired to change those lately, so here’s this one that was a lot easier to change. I hope you like it.

#charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc imagines #charles leclerc one shot #charles leclerc x reader

[codyrhodey]

Wrestling is stupid.

cody rhodes x gender neutral reader fic!

no smut, fluff and teasing, au

———————————————————

“drew can you and your stupid ass friend shut the fuck up!” you yelled from your room at your brother. “you’re literally 20 years old and still watching grown men fight eachother half naked”

He didn’t answer and didn’t quiet down either.

You groaned and pulled yourself out of bed pulling your door open hastily.

“These basement walls are made of literal fucking paper” you started as you walked toward your brother and his friend. “i don’t want to hear you giggling like little girls over-“

you stopped making eye contact with your brothers blue eyed friend. Your mouth immediately went dry, now unsure of what to say and the silence filled the air and the tension was palpable as neither of you looked away.

Until, “you’re one to talk” drew piped up pausing the match that was on the tv, “did i not walk in on you watching twilight the other day?” he laughed to himself getting up off couch.

The tension was sliced with a rusty saw.

“twilight is a beautiful love story, better than titanic, better than romeo and juliet” you went off. “but incredibly besides the point. And now i have a new issue.”

“hmm?” drew asked shuffling stuff around in the mini fridge, before finally pulling out a baja blast.

“who dis?” you asked pointing at the blue eyed boy who was flipping through a star wars comic book.

“oh, that’s joe” he responded and the boy chuckled.

“joe mama” the blue eyed boy mumbled in between giggles.

You rolled your eyes, “okay so another one of your virgin friends got it.” you nodded to yourself turning to walk away.

“‘m cody!” the blue eyed boy piped up. “i went along with the joke because i thought you were kidding, ya know asking who i am”

“have you ever been in this house before?” you questioned, he shook his head in response.

“then why, on gods green beautiful earth, would i know? hmm?”

Cody finally put down his comic looking up at you from his spot on a bean bag. “I-“ Drew cut him off.

“They genuinely don’t know who you are codes, they have never watched wrestling with me a day in their life.” Drew spoke plopping back down and opening his soda.

“Untrue, i watched that one um match where the big guy in all black like killed the dude with the mask on his face” You retorted, “but other than that he’s right. Don’t tell me you’re a wrestling lover too.”

The two of them started giggling both shaking their heads.

“i guess you could call me a wrestling lover” cody said in a mocking tone.

You just shrugged no longer interested in the conversation.

You began to walk away and Drew pressed play on the tv again.

“Dude i said to turn that shit down,” you turned around now facing them again.

“AND STILL YOUR INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION, CODY RHODES” The tv blared.

You stood there, staring, eyes darting between the screen and your brothers friend.

“Like i said, could call me a wrestling lover.” Cody said turning to look at you, a stupid smile on his face.

—————————————————————

It had been a month since the first time you saw cody, and if it wasn’t a Thursday or Friday he was usually over.

You hated it at first because the two of them never shut up about wrestling, constantly keeping a match on the TV, playing way too loud.

But as time went on you found yourself sneaking out into the living room more and more. Standing behind the 2 boys, making fun of whatever was on the screen and asking cody way too many questions about what it was like.

“So like do you know who wins before you go into it? If yes do you know like a month beforehand or like 2 hours before? or do they tell you right before you go out?”

Cody laughed and shrugged, “it all depends things change all of the time. storylines aren’t always linear, ya know?”

You nodded stuffing your face with popcorn. “Doesn’t this shit like hurt?”

“No darling, it feels amazing” He said causing drew to laugh.

“Oh cool fun, i show the slightest bit of interest and suddenly it’s the bully y/n show” you waved your hands in the air in an over dramatic fashion.

Drew groaned getting up from his spot, “gonna go pick up some pizzas, you coming codes?” he asked grabbing his keys off the hook.

Cody’s eyes quickly darted between you and drew, “m no, i think i’m gonna stay, gotta answer this one’s question.”

“Suit yourself” drew shrugged pulling on his hoodie and running up the stairs.

“GET BREADSTICKS!” You yelled up at him, only hearing a faint “go fuck your self” in response.

You and cody sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, and again a strange tension filled the air.

“So” cody cleared his throat breaking the never ending silence, “what other questions do you have?”

You shrugged, tapping your chin in a comedic way, “do the ‘submissions’ actually like hurt? i know it’s a dumb question, but i feel like there has to be a way to do that stuff without it feeling like you’re actually gonna die”

He just smirked at you, “if you’re wrestling the right person it won’t hurt.” he stopped adjusting in his seat, “i can show you.” he stood up, motioning for you to stand up as well.

You squinted your eyes at him, slowing standing up, “people know i’m down here, if i die they’re gonna know it’s you and-“

“I’m a professional” He cut you off, cracking his fingers, “and i’d never dream of hurting you.”

He made eye contact with you, he looked so soft and you somehow knew you could trust him.

You nodded, “okay what do i do?”

He stepped toward you, keeping eye contact, “okay um turn around so your back is facing me”

You nodded again doing as you were told.

“You trust me?” He asked softly.

“Mhm! now do it before i regret this”

“okay okay,” he put his hands up in defense. “Alright so this is a sleeper hold”

He wrapped his left arm around your neck pulling your body against his.

“You can feel that there’s a little pressure but not enough for it to actually hurt you. It’s all in the acting.” He spoke slowly, “see now if i take my other hand and grab my arm, i can make it look like i’m straining to hold you,” He did so, “and then you’d struggle and wiggle and try and get out”

Which you started doing catching cody off guard.

“wow wow wow” he quickly said losing his balance, falling back onto the bean bag, taking you with him.

“I’m so so sorry y/n” He blurted out adjusting his grip on you so he wasn’t still choking you out, “are you okay?”

You turned to look at him, gazing into his eyes, “yea, yea ‘m fine” you mumbled out, not looking away.

The two of you stayed there, you on top of him, both so entranced in each others presence.

“I um” you started beginning to stand up.

Before you could finish, he pulled you back down onto him.

“you are incredibly mesmerizing” he whispered, stroking your cheek with his thumb.

You felt your cheeks heat up as you watched him glance down at your lips and then back up to your eyes again.

“you gonna kiss me or what mr. intercontinental champion?” you sassed at him.

he chuckled pulling you down further, pressing his lips against yours.

It was a soft kiss, like one you see in movies, where the 2 main characters are standing in the rain under a street light. Like when there’s fireworks going off for some weird reason even though it’s raining.

You pulled away from him, “cody rhodes, you are dashing”

he rolled his eyes pulling you into kiss him again.

“PIZZAS HERE BITCHES!”

#cody rhodes #cody rhodes x reader #wwe x reader #wwe #dashing cody rhodes #x reader

[johannestevans]

Good Coin

Romance & Fantasy short. A warrior has tension with the rogue in their party.

7.5k, rated M, M/M. Just some romance and learning to understand one another. A mercenary — not an adventurer, thanks much — struggles to understand the compulsive deception of the party’s rogue.

Adapted from a TweetFic.  Mentions of sex work, past sexual abuse, trafficking, implied gender dysphoria, some power dynamics.

---

Bale has never much liked the word “adventurer”. Many of those he works and travels with disdain being called mercenaries or swordsmen or hired blades, don’t like the emphasis on the fights they get into – they want to be known for their exploring, their discovering, the mysteries they solve, the personal disputes they manage and tamp down.

As far as he sees it, they end up leaving piles of corpses either way.

Bale doesn’t see much point in equivocating. He’s been at this for years, ever since he was old enough for his father to throw his hands up and replace the hammer in his hands with a sword instead, advise him to leave the forge to him and his sister and go off to make his fortune.

Bale hasn’t made a fortune just yet, but he makes good money, sends most of it home to his da and sister – the smithy has three more floors than it used to, has boarding space for passing adventurers, and a warehouse, and shares in a local mine, and their rooms are bigger and more luxurious than they were before.

“You could retire,” his da keeps telling him. “You’re past five-and-forty – you can’t keep at it forever.”

Bale likes the idea of being called a “retiree” even less than he does an “adventurer”.

This newest hero he’s been following – it seems to Bale that every other sod is a hero or chosen one or champion or friend of the people or whatever else – is a decent sort, charitable, patient.

Too patient.

Case in point, the newest member of their party: there’s the Champion, bright-eyed and not-so-much naïve as they are painfully good-natured; there’s Deezia, a quiet and smoky mage that thankfully doesn’t show much interest in chatting to Bale; there’s Bale himself, tired and bitter and more than a bit grumpy; and now, there’s Quiver.

Bale doesn’t care for Quiver one bit.

He likes to pretend he’s slender and delicate, wears loose-fitting robes with lace edging and slit sleeves and a plunging collar that emphasise the most delicate parts of him – his pretty face and his slim, dainty wrists, and his graceful neck – but Bale has seen him stripped down. When they drop their armour after a fight and Quiver sets his leather pieces aside, the sweat makes his under pieces cling to his flesh, to the heavy muscle on his abdomen, his thick shoulders, his heavy thighs.

He is not fucking dainty, not remotely.

It drives Bale spare when he feigns weakness, keeps telling the Champion he can’t possibly fend with heavy things, keeps saying, “Oh, Bale’s your big strong man, ask him!” or “Deezia’s magic could fare much better with this than I could. What if I break a nail?”

Quiver lies easy as breathing, and Bale’s never much cared for liars.

Read on Medium / / Read on Patreon

#musings #original fiction #writers on tumblr #romance fiction #short story

[ilynpilled]

What I also find so compelling regarding the analysis of masculinity in the books and the inherent violence present in the construct of westerosi trad masculinity is how so many of the male characters overcompensate with violence. The sons that do not meet this fictive ideal of masculinity try so desperately to convey strength (Theon, Joff, even Tywin!!! but more bc his father does not meet that fictive ideal, and many more). In doing so, they just create more victims and perpetuate a horrid cycle. Like it is very much a deconstruction of chivalry and destructive and violent masculinity. It is really a construct that creates bombs that not only set themselves on fire, but damage everyone around them too. What I find so interesting about Jaime is that he is violent but for a very different reason. He is successfully violent, too, he does not have to overcompensate, he is powerful, brave and skilled or whatever. He actually fits the westerosi ideal of manhood in so many ways, so he has a very different issue. But to him, violence is such a psychologically complicated concept. It takes on such a dark and dissociative quality that is very interesting in the context of his ptsd:

I said this before, but he uses violence as a means of depersonalization, as by killing and destroying he transforms into some beast who operates on impulse. He loves the battle fever. Death is all around him but he can dance through it, laughing. It turns into an extension of his go away inside thing. If he is so powerful physically then he is untouchable and does not have to face the complex paradoxes and dilemmas that he cannot seem to overcome inside of his mind and heart: [ “Knots and tangles, Jaime thought, wishing he could cut through all of it with one swift stroke of his sword.” ] It is like he seeks out this destructive masculinity (violence, sex with Cers, embodying the chivalric knight) in order to achieve detachment, because the alternative, the state he is gonna be forced into after his maiming (losing the sword hand: a representation of that status, his strength, his knighthood, what makes him “whole”, his identity/persona), is the grueling and difficult navigation of the self. Once that happens, once he is literally stripped of all that, the literal and metaphorical ability to cut through problems and stay detached, he seems to progressively get further and further away from this kind of violence (link, link, and it is interesting how he also tries to recreate it, the phantom of it remains: link) Also, in many ways, there is a lot of subversive gender symbolism that starts happening. He starts playing the role of Brienne’s maiden: [“Ah, but which one is the knight and which one is the lady?” If I had my hand, (he doesnt and never will again lol) you’d learn that soon enough, Jaime thought. ] & [ Ser Galladon was a champion of such valor that the Maiden herself lost her heart to him. She gave him an enchanted sword as a token of her love. The Just Maid, it was called. ], as opposed to the Warrior to Cersei’s Maiden: [ I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid ], and he starts being connected to the moon, as opposed to the sun: link.

#all the theon and joffrey talk got me thinking #and its also so interesting bc u see how theon reacts to jaime #jon too #he is kind of that masculine ideal #but then the reality that that entire image hides is so brutal #and jaime also associates masculinity with detachment when he cannot cry over tywin #It was queer but he felt no grief. Where are my tears? Where is my rage? #“Father it was you who told me that tears were a mark of weakness in a man so you cannot expect that I should cry for you.” #jaime lannister

[infinitenicknames]

Saw others making Twisted Wonderland X Pokemon content, and I thought I'd join in! This is my Pokemon Trainer OC and their team! Hopefully I'll do some short scenes with them and the boys here soon :3c

More writing with these guys: [To Be Added Soon]

(Here's the picrew I used if your interested)

Yew Ironwood

Genderfluid (they/she/he/it. Honestly could go for just about any gender and/or pronoun given the mood/circumstance)

A resourceful and honorable Pokemon Trainer who has been out on their journey for many years. While they know them and their Pokemon's limits, Yew isn't afraid to push themselves if the situation calls for it. While out on their journey, Yew had managed to collect virtually every Badge available. Even though that proves their great power, Yew hasn't claimed any titles like Champion or Gym Leader despite qualifying for it.

Yew somehow found himself at Night Raven College while he was on his way back to Nimbasa City to meet up with his Uncle Morose for Uncle Morose's birthday. Yew initially tried to fly straight back home, only to realize that he didn't recognize the world at all. Begrudgingly, the Pokemon Trainer accepted Crowley's offer to stay at Night Raven College until they found a way back to his own world.

Yew is a trainer first and a student second. She loves to battle, which isn’t really considered normal in Twisted Wonderland. Some people believe that she is aggressive because of this, but in reality Yew means these battles in the friendliest way possible.

Yew had had a lot of difficulty settling into Twisted Wonderland. They're used to traveling around a lot since they were on their journey. Despite this, Yew is incredibly curious of Twisted Wonderland and is constantly asking questions about it. Some questions may be "stupidly" obvious to the people of Twisted Wonderland, so Yew often has to remind them that they're not from there. Strangely they seem almost... Ansty being in one place for so long...

Annabeth the Hydreigon

Female (She/her)

Yew’s first pokemon and partner. They're practically inseparable and usually go everywhere together. Annabeth is surprisingly docile for a Hydreigon. She'll only display her brutal nature if she feels like she, Yew, or any of their Pokemon are threatened.

The two smaller heads have retained a little bit of their personality upon evolving, which is highly unusual for Hydreigons. Because of this, Yew has named each of the heads so that she can refer to each of them if needs be (An the right head, Na the left head, and Beth the main head). Any time Annabeth is curious about something she'll bite it gently.

Kayden the Arcanine

Male (he/him)

A playful goof who loves to mess around. His lighthearted nature has stopped many bad days from ruining the team’s spirits. Kayden loves cuddles and will gather up the entire team for a cuddle pile when the nights get cold.

Kayden once belonged to Yew’s father, who passed away a few years before she went on her journey. Kayden feels like it’s his responsibility to raise and protect her on behalf of his old trainer. He is a constant source of comfort for Yew through countless trials.

Lapis the Manaphy, Prince of the Sea

Bigender (he/she)

Yew found Lapis as an egg caught in a tidepool when visiting the beach with uncle Morose. Yew tried to move the egg back to the ocean when it hatched. Yew and uncle Morose looked for Lapis’s family, but when they couldn’t find them, Yew begged Uncle Morose to let them raise the small blue Pokemon.

Shortly after that Team Rocket began hunting the both of them, since Team Rocket wanted to get to the Sea Temple. Uncle Morose tried his best to hide Yew and Lapis from Team Rocket by claiming that Lapis was just a Phione instead of the mythical Manaphy. By doing this among other things, Uncle Morose was able to keep them hidden until Yew set off on their journey.

Due to his young age, Lapis is still very childish and naive. She is still learning about the world and why she is so important to it. One day though, Lapis is destined to return to the sea to fulfill his role as the Prince of the Sea.

Maylee the shiny Mawile

Female (she/her)

A shiny Mawile that Yew met on their journey. Yew helped Maylee after she had injured herself in a fight. Yew carefully nursed the wild Mawile back to health before asking her if she wanted to join the team. Due to this, Maylee feels undying loyalty to Yew.

Relatively shy, Maylee doesn’t like to make a scene out of anything. She’d much rather hide away in the background. However, Maylee does have high standards, which she holds the entire team to. This sometimes causes conflicts in the team, but they all understand Maylee has the best of intentions.

Relic the Sigilyph

Nonbinary (it/its)

Relic met Yew when the young trainer had gotten separated from his Pokemon in some ruins. Relic led Yew back to his team. Yew didn't have much to offer the wild Sigilyph to show his thanks, so Yew offered his water bottle to it. Relic, who absolutely loves water, was overjoyed and decided to join Yew on his journey from then on.

Relic is quite expressive for a Sigilyph and expresses itself through various body movements. To most people these wild flailings mean nothing, but Yew has managed to decipher its meanings over the years. Relic loves ruins and old buildings and will often wander or patrol them when left unattended.

Patches the Mimikyu

Male (He/him)

Patches met Yew when they were attempting their Island Challenge in Alola. Yew had been attacked by members of Team Rocket and was forced to hide in an abandoned building in Po Town. The young trainer broke down crying from stress, and was found by Patches. Patches took good care of Yew until they fell asleep. When the trainer woke up again, Patches had alerted Team Skull to where they were. Team Skull offered Yew a place to stay. Yew accepted their offer, along with letting Patches join their team.

Patches loves fashion and dressing up. Yew and Patches often work together to sew up new outfits just so that Patches can have some options at any given time. Usually though, Patches just dresses up as a Pikachu.

Legion the Falinks

Mainly masculine (He/him [individual], They/them [group])

The initial group of six Falinks joined Yew while she was traveling around the Paldea region, but during the team’s journey through Galar they adopted another young Falink who had no group. This is quite unusual since Falinks usually only stay in groups of six, but Yew has had no issues with this larger group of Falinks.

The group works together with mechanical accuracy. They have boundless energy and are always working. If not given a task they’ll find something to do, whether that be constructive or destructive.

Nicknames for the members of Legion

Captain: The Brass and leader of the group. Always in charge and confident in his abilities.

Scout: The fastest of the group who loves to run. He's the one who gets sent out if Legion needs to scout ahead or get someplace fast.

Grunt: The most aggressive. He acts all grumpy but actually cares about everyone deep down.

Doc: The best at treating the other’s wounds. He really likes gardening and berries, so he's often in charge of Yew's Berry Pots.

Hot Rod: A bit of a jokester and loves messing around. He's always trying to impress the others. He usually has to get saved by them when his pranks go wrong.

Tiffy: The repair man. He's always fiddling with something or looking for something to dismantle and put back together.

Junior: The youngest who they picked up in Galar. He tries his hardest even if he’s too young or too small to do most things on his own.

Adorabolt the Rotom

Nonbinary (they/them)

Yew found Adorabolt stalking around the Old Chateau in Sinnoh, but didn’t realize that the little ghost had jumped into her phone until after they had left. Yew didn’t mind and let the Rotom stay in her phone. Adorabolt chats a lot with Yew about various things since they're the only one capable of human speech.

Adorabolt LOVES social media and the internet, almost to a concerning degree. Adorabolt constantly catalogs all of their journeys online with various pictures and anecdotes from their travels. Surprisingly they're camera shy.

#twisted wonder x pokemon #pokemon x twisted wonderland #oc #pokemon #pokemon trainer oc #pokemon team #twisted wonderland #twst oc

[thehollowrp]

“mountains aren't move, they evolve, they reshape and become different on the surface but the same at their core.”

× name: dojin fenn × age: 62 × gender identity: cis male × sexuality: demisexual & demiromantic × face claim: hiryouki sanada × faction: the factionless × element: earth × district: the berg × traits: stoic, withdrawn, protective, blunt, decisive, stubborn

BLURB

a silent detractor and shield against the storm you have waited for years to be able to speak up — to speak out and tell your truth and fight for what you believe in. the powers that bind no longer hold you down and you see through clear eyes and on that horizon is glory in a new form, a world made up of all the things you dreamed as a child and your will to fight for them is absolute.

BIO

Life was never easy, but it was bearable and enjoyable with his family. As a child, his parents taught him the importance of respecting authority even though those in the positions of authority looked down upon his family. Why did a single person, corrupt or otherwise, have so much power over many? He never quite understood that, but it was something that would stay with him. The age of curiosity passed and with his own family, there were more pressing things than to call that into question. He was content with living a quiet life.

But fate wasn’t going to grant him a quiet life. While he and his wife nearly lost their lives when the Foundation fell, their son was not as lucky. While a new city was built, they could not rebuild their relationship. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but the void of their missing son and his refusal to talk about the events made it clear that they wouldn’t be able to survive together on memories of ghosts. It was a simple understanding. They would always share their past love and grief but not share their futures. Alone, Dojin embraced his connection to the earth, to feel its energy and warmth. He focused on protecting others, busying himself with training and venturing beyond the city to tackle threats. It was a good way of keeping himself occupied, as it kept him out of faction politics. Fate would deal him another blow many years later when his wife died in an accident just outside the city walls.

The factions had little appeal to him, as he had no interest in being told what and how to think. As time wore on, those at the top appeared to him to have lost their true purpose and had become blinded. He’d seen enough of human nature to know that those at the top likely enjoyed their power and would do what they could to seek more. As such, The Mason had never quite settled well with Dojin. There was something about one person holding so much power and sway, despite putting on the guise of staying out of things. No one truly steps away from something they created. But he kept that to himself.

The Mason’s death was surprising, more so because like many others, he thought the constant presence would never go away. Although, if he were to reflect on it, The Mason was as human as the rest of them and death comes to everyone. In his eyes, the aftermath of the event revealed many people’s natures. The power vacuum it created and inevitable spillover it would create. The event reignited something else in his subconscious, his dream. For the first time, he could see a way forward to make it a reality on a large scale. He decided he would do whatever he could to bring a change, balance to the city, as that was the only way to truly have peace. While he would like to see his goal achieved, so long as the idea is planted in enough minds and perhaps someone else to champion the cause, it doesn’t matter if he lives to see it come to fruition. But someone has to set things in motion, and it might as well be him.

CONNECTIONS

priapus ↪ kindred in spirit you understand that it might seem odd to those on the outside looking in as you and priapus sit in quiet conversation, your stoic face an unreadable mask with each word the other speaks but warmth radiating from your core. you have found a kindred spirit in priapus and have no intention of letting others guide where your friendship ends.

astraea ↪ curiosity killed the cat you have eyes and you see things. you have been seeing things for longer than most within the realm and you are renowned, but you see in them something to be molded and encouraged. you are not ignorant to the way they might feel about you and you have considered it but it is far more likely you will let it lie dormant unless it is brought up... it doesn't mean you won't continue to train them, either.

geras ↪ a storm raging outside your window those around you see something in the two of you that is similar, and you suppose you can agree, a touch of wisdom and age and a want to protect, but you feel yours is perhaps far more quiet. you cannot fathom having the amount of attention that they do. you two have come together on a few occasions to fight the good fight, as they asked you to help with the corruption in trilane woods once or twice but... is there more?

pinterest — playlist

#lsrp #modern fantasy rp #skeleton rp #original rp #new rp #magic rp #skeletons #closed skeleton #skeleton: dryops #hiroyuki sanada

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Luke Grimes

full name: Kaden Daniels

nickname(s) / goes by: Kash

pronouns & gender: cis man & he/him

sexuality: bi-sexual

birth date: January 25, 1986.

birth place: Vicksburg, Mississippi

arrival to merrock: Two weeks ago

housing: Currently an apartment in Historic Downtown. Looking to purchase a farm house in the Rural Countryside. 

occupation: Ranger

work place: Merrock State Park

family: Lucie Newman, mother of his unborn child

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

Positive Traits: Hard-working, Compassionate, Humble, Steady

Negative Traits: Guilt-Ridden, Blunt, Secretive, Withdrawn

Kaden was raised a proper country boy. His mother engrained manners into him from an early age. Yes ma’am and no sir. His childhood taught him the value of hardwork and when to find time for fun. It inspired his intense love for animals and enabled him to do the work that he does. He was once a hard-working family man and aspires to be that again someday. Someday being now as he has a baby on the way. Most would describe him as calm and stoic, the temperament needed to break a colt. Bravery and determination also describe him. Both were necessary to get on the back of a bucking horse. He is still much that same man even after his accident. The only difference is the anger. It was touch and go for a while but eventually he learned how to gain a hold of a temper he never before had to deal with. Along with a lot of guilt. The only real way to rile him up anymore is to make mention of his past: accident, addiction, or daughter. 

WRITTEN BY: Bird (she/her), cst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: tags: death tw, child death tw, drugs tw, injury tw

Born in Tennessee Kaden Daniels was raised along the banks of the Mississippi mud, never given a chance to be anything but the down-home country boy, which had always suited Kaden just fine. His daddy was a colt starter and former rodeo champion, having won national titles for roping and reining. From the moment Kaden could waddle he was following his daddy around everywhere, at first just watching as his father worked and as he got older helping with the chores himself. He found that spending time tending to the many horses was cathartic and volunteered for just about any chore that would get him around them. Never once did he need to be asked to pitch in to do what was needed at the family ranch, from picking vegetables in the garden for his mama to helping his daddy check the cattle fences. As far as most childhoods go, his was pretty perfect. Sure, sometimes his dad drank too much and sometimes his mom just would not stop fussing over him, but he had no cause to complain.

His father, seeing his boy take an interest in horses at such a young age decided to help Kaden begin to follow in his footsteps. As a kid he enrolled Kaden in the pee-wee portion of rodeos where his wife would take pictures of the young boy struggling to stay on the back of a wildly running sheep, but in the end, he stayed on. He almost always did. With natural talent like that his father was quick to get his son started on the path to becoming a bull-rider. His mama threw fits and got into fights with his daddy, it was too dangerous, he could be hurt, killed even, but as he got older and started to have a mind of his own there was nothing that he wanted to do more. So he practiced, and practiced. By sixteen he was competing on broncs, a safer alternative to the bull, and was cleaning up at junior rodeos, his room becoming full of belt buckles, the tack room full of all the special made trophy tack he had won. But being bucked was far from his only talent. At age ten he had broke his very first colt and at twelve he was winning local roping competitions. He even became adept at helping his dad sort and catch cattle, something he was never fond of but did anyways as it was expected of him. Despite how it sounds, his childhood wasn’t all work. While never the best in school he managed to get passing marks and had a group of boys he roughhoused and fucked around with who were constantly getting him into trouble as a teenager.

Fast forward a few years and he was one of the hottest young bull riders to hit the circuit. But his career as a rider didn’t last as long as anyone would have hoped. The reason? He fell in love. Some would have called the pretty woman he fell in love with a buckle bunny, what with her affinity of dating all the big rodeo stars, but when him and her spent one night together the rest was history. Now twenty-two and married with a baby on the way, Kaden knew he could not be as pell mell as he had been for the past few years. He now had a family to think about; and so, he quit bull riding and switched exclusively to broncs. It was still dangerous, but the risks less than if he was on the back of a bull. Life went on and for the most part the little family was happy, until tragedy struck. On the night of his twenty-eighth birthday, with his wife and little girl in the stands, he overtightened the strap around his hand. At first everything seemed to be going well, he had one of his best times, but as he threw himself off the bucking bronco his hand caught. It was an instant disaster. The animal began to panic, bucking harder and higher, with Kaden hanging on for dear life. His only blessing was that the first hoof to his head knocked him out cold. He was rammed into the side of the fence and drug for minutes before those in charge of wrangling the horse were finally able to calm it down. In the midst of the chaos, his wife, fretting over her husband, had not noticed her daughter slip down through the stands calling out for her daddy. No one noticed her presence in the ring until it was too late. All it took was one wrong move from the frightened animal and the sunshine of Kaden’s life was no more.

The blow to Kaden’s own head had been so severe that he was kept in a medically induced coma for two-weeks, giving the wounded flesh time to heal. When he awoke, his whole world was shattered. He grieved, and as he did his grief turned to anger. Anger at the situation, anger at the long arduous healing process, and anger at himself. But all that anger had to go somewhere, and with the only person around during his recovery being his wife, she took the brunt of it. It took him a little over a year to fully heal physically, and during that time he began to develop a dependency on his pain medication. He spent his days sitting in front of the tv drinking beer after beer on top of the opiates as his wife worked in a small diner to try and keep the roof over their heads. One day, a year and half after the tragic accident, the woman had decided that she had had enough. She gave Kaden an ultimatum, get help or she was gone. It led to largest fight yet, a massive blowout that made it clear where Kaden stood. Two months later Kaden was arrested for possesion with intent to distribute and spent two years in jail. 

When he was released he was nearing thirty-two and with nowhere else to go moved back in with his parents. His father though older now was still tough as nails and no patience for his son’s pansiness as he called it. He put Kaden to work. Sober or not he was expected to help, and if he didn’t, God help him. At first he railed, his rage boiling over and eclipsing everything. Rather than argue with his son, the elder Daniels simply gave him a new task. It would be his only job- start the colts. It was something Kaden had used to excel at, but his anger and rage at the horse’s mis compliance made things difficult. The gentle animals became scared of him and began to lash out. One colt in particular, a beautiful bay, resented Kaden more than any of the others, and he let him know it. That was Kaden’s wake up call. He ended up forming a bond with that colt that pulled him out of his stupor and set him back on track. His special relationship with that animal also earned him a nickname, Kash, because wherever Kash went, Johnny followed, drawn to the dolcent songs Kaden would always croon to Johnny. Hence: Johnny and Kash aka the country singer Johnny Cash. It was a clever nickname that soon became a permanent moniker. The pair competed in countless roping and reining competitions, and for the next years, Kash allowed himself to feel the happiness that had come into his life. The two traveled all over the countryside, with Kash picking up odd jobs such as stable hand or working cowboy. Until one competition where in the middle Buzz came up lame with an injury too bad to fix, leaving Kash the tough choice of having to put his beloved companion down. 

The loss of his friend sent Kaden ass-first back into the destructive patterns of his life, drugs and alcohol once more waging war inside his body. Only this time he wasn’t a young man, and the substances were taking a heavy toll on his health, not that he cared. His parents, unable to reach him, packed his things and kicked him out. Kash’s father, unable to completely give up on his son, reached out to an old friend who owned a dude ranch an hour outside of LA. For over a year Kash lived there, forced to claw his way back to sobriety through back-breaking labor. The option was always there for him to quit the job, fend for himself, but the company of the horses and being the source of looking after their well-being brought him back from the brink much like it had the last time. A year and a half later he was completely back on the wagon, though he can be known to slip with the drinking whenever the subject of his daughter is brought to the forefront of his mind, mainly around birthdays, his and hers, as well as holidays. 

Wanting more independence Kash turned in his resignation, thanking his father’s friend for getting him back on his feet. With a new horse and a firm grasp on his addiction, Kaden set back out onto the rodeo circuit. That’s when he met Lucie. Their mutual need for freedom drew them together quickly and soon they were officially an item. Things were good, though sometimes the mutual distance made it difficult. Lucie was someone Kaden could see himself choosing to settle down with a few years down the road when the time was right. Maybe even start another family. But then came the argument. It had started out trivially enough but a jab from Lucie about his past sent him over the edge. The fact that she had not only dug up his past, but used it to fling mud at him during an argument caused him to lose control of his temper. Tthe rage that spilled out put a nail in the coffin of their relationship. 

Since then he’s continued to travel and compete. Picking up odd-jobs along the way to keep his simple lifestyle afloat. He likely would have remained like that for the rest of his working years had he not stumble across Lucie on instagram one night. A very pregnant Lucie. Quick math told him the timeline made sense and before he could think better of it he was on his way to Merrock. There was no question, never a doubt in his mind that Merrock was where he needed to be. Despite his flaws he had been raised to place family above all else and the child on the way made Lucie and him family, whether she likes it or not. 

#merrockbio #kadendaniels #death tw #child death tw #injury tw #drug use tw #drug abuse tw #drugs tw

[pochiperpe90]

Here comes “The Old Guard”. Marinelli goes to Hollywood, alongside Charlize Theron.

“Alone, fragile and immortal.”

A story of love, friendship and compassion with an ancient warrior and a young African American, who has just discovered she is immortal, as protagonists. Because the world needs women and courage knows no gender differences. 20 years after “Love & Basketball” and after “The Secret Life of Bees” and “Beyond the Lights - Find Your Voice”, Gina Prince-Bythewood comes to the action movie with very clear ideas on how to reinvent the rules. We talked to her over the phone while she was in Los Angeles during the lockdown. 

A superhero movie that doesn't look like a superhero movie. Is that why you decided to make it? 

Absolutely yes, when I read the script I realized that despite the fantastic genre there was a very realistic background. These characters are real and it's easy for the audience to relate to them despite being immortal. They fight for goals and reasons that people understand. The more realistic the film, the more viewers can reflect themselves in the protagonists. 

In fact, the most fascinating aspect of the characters is their vulnerability: they are immortal, but up to a certain point, which is a paradox. They too have to deal with the sense of the end. 

There is a possibility that they may die, that their immortality is interrupted, that they still suffer from their wounds, and this brings them closer to us. The public still feels sorry for them when they see them in danger.

Immortals suffer, and not just physically.

Many think that being able to live forever would be extraordinary, but no one asks what this really means. Immortality has consequences: it can be a gift, but it can also be a curse.

And we don’t know why immortality fell to them. 

The thing I loved about the graphic novel and the script is the fact that there is no explanation. Not only do we not know it, but neither do the protagonists. But it is a trilogy and therefore there is still a lot to tell.

Could you offer your contribution to the script? 

It was a great script, with great roles based on the graphic novel so I stayed very true to the text. With the author, Greg Rucka, we wanted to reflect on the fear of taking someone's life, the one that sometimes overwhelms soldiers in war, whose psychology is often neglected. Hollywood films have never been very concerned with this aspect, as if killing had no consequences. The protagonists are forced to kill, but if someone has been doing it for centuries, for others it’s the first time. 

What struck you about Luca Marinelli? 

I could talk about him for days, I love him, he's the actor that all directors dream of having on set. He loved the character and gave him life in a very credible way. Between him and Marwan Kenzari is born a great complicity, necessary between two people who have been together for centuries. Luca's eyes are full of soul, his Nicky is the heart of the group, he’s the most sensitive character of all of them. 

Charlize Theron, who is also one of the producers, has an increasingly and more torn body.

Charlize has already played roles like this one, she is very credible in the genre of action and has been helpful to who had never faced it before. From her, who really worked hard, others learned to do the same. She is very credible in the role of a woman who lived for thousands of years.

Matthias Schoenaerts, on the other hand, has an insidious role. 

He embodies the tragedy of immortality, loneliness, betrayal. He is the actor who most resembles his character in the graphic novel. He wanted to make the film at all costs because he had never measured himself with the action genre and felt he had things to express. 

The film underlines how today it’s no longer possible to hide, images can capture you at any time. 

In a scene near the end, when the immortals look at photos and articles about them, they truly become aware for the first time of everything they have done to protect humanity. They understand the power of images from which they continually try to escape in order to hide their identity. 

And then we talk about science and profit. 

In the film, people from different places join forces to protect the world, a need even more relevant today. Yet it is increasingly evident that profit matters more than human lives. 

Do you think the film industry is becoming more inclusive with women? 

Things are finally changing and I am grateful that, despite having no other action films on my resume, I have been entrusted with The Old Guard. I am grateful for the trust they have placed in me. It should be taken for granted by now that women are capable of coping with any film genre and I think how much pressure from the industry Patty Jenkins, who directed Wonder Woman to success and opening the door for many of us, went through. But the door must be wide open because there are still few who have such opportunities. 

In your opinion, have opportunities grown with the arrival of platforms like Netflix? 

Netflix wasn't afraid to trust a series of directors. Which studio would have produced Roma or Irishman? He has the courage to make films that Hollywood deems too risky.

The Golden boy

“Luca Marinelli, as we have never seen him before: in his Hollywood debut, he becomes an immortal and fights with Charlize Theron to save the world.”

Just before the lockdown he was one of the jury members of the 70th Berlinale in the city where he has lived for years - and he swears he had so much fun watching three films a day. The audience awaits him in theatre in the role of Diabolik, in the film directed by Manetti Bros., but on July 10th he arrives on Netflix with The Old Guard, the action movie that sees him alongside Charlize Theron. And where he plays the Italian Nicolo, Nicky for the group of immortals he belongs to. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, the film offers Luca Marinelli an insidious superpower, an endless love and a new opportunity to demonstrate his talent as a true champion. We reached him on the phone and he, less shy than usual, told us how he became a secular "superhero".

How did you get to the project? 

I auditioned in London, where I later returned and met the director. Lastly, there was a final meeting between me and Marwan Kenzari. We made a scene together and then they announced to me, "We'd love for you to be Nicky." 

What struck you about this character? 

The story fascinated me because it tells of immortals as if they were the damned. Nicky and Joe live this condition as a gift because they are linked by a wonderful love story and they are not alone. They met in an absurd and paradoxical situation, during the Crusades, ready to kill themselves. They did it a hundred times and then they looked at each other and fell in love. But others suffer from it, like Andy and Booker. In a beautiful scene, Booker, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, explains what happens to them: they see the people they love die and blame them because they cannot prevent it. And they are tired of watching the world repeat itself following the same dynamics. They fight to save people, but everything seems to go on the same way. Only in the end will they discover what they have done and what they are doing. 

How did it go with Charlize Theron? 

Well, it was wonderful! As I read the script I said to myself: am I really going to make a film with Charlize Theron? And hug as well! I was very excited and intimidated already while reading. She is an extraordinary actress. In the scene where we are at the table and everyone tells Nile something about us, Andy tells her what we are and it was nice to see her running and venturing into the midst of emotions and thoughts. Sometimes I got distracted and didn't say my line. But Charlyze is also a crazy athlete. You have to be really athletes, otherwise you don't survive at the end of the day. And Charlize is an athlete of the body and the heart. 

What about her athletic training? 

We got together a month before shooting to start working with the stunts. I had to get some athleticism back: when I arrived and they looked at me I think they were a little worried. We had to become familiar with martial arts and then we switched from the sword to other weapons and to hand-to-hand combat. We prepared scene by scene, including the choreographies, different for each fight, and each of us had his own rubber reproduction of the sword. It was an unforgettable training.

The immortals come from different places in the world. How much of Italy is there in Nicky? 

Apart from the pronunciation? They still laugh at some of the things I said. Marwan and Matthias, but also Charlize, speak Italian at different levels and every now and then I enjoyed shooting a few sentences to which they could answer me. 

Did you offer your character something that wasn't in the script? 

Well, being in such a group, shy as I am ... I tried. I have always focused on the bond between Nicky, Joe and the other members of the group, because I am interested in discovering what is inside a character, his feelings, how he looks at the world, what excites him. Nicky has lived for centuries, but still greets the people he meets in the desert with a smile, inside him there is the flame of an infinite good. Each character has a different sensitivity and their own armor. Nicky is perhaps the least armored one.

The challenge was also to make people believe in a love story that has lasted for centuries. 

Marwan recites a beautiful monologue in which he talks about their love story. I hope that each of us, in their short life, can say the same thing about the person they love. 

You’ve already had superpowers in “They Call Me Jeeg”. What is your relationship with this genre? 

I like it very much and I think that both films, very different from each other, have a very interesting soul. In Jeeg Robot, Enzo Ceccotti uses his superpowers to help others, taking on a social responsibility. In The Old Guard the protagonists put themselves at the service of others, even if no one has asked them to. “This is what we do,” they repeat over and over to each other. What they do is save people, participate in what they think is right. 

How do you think they would react to protests on American streets and around the world?

I don't feel like playing games, mixing reality and fiction on a terribly real subject like this. I think that in reality, outside of any cinematic fiction, it’s fundamental to fight for equality, within society, but also within ourselves. To go back to our film, if in a microscopic way we manage to carry a message in that direction, I would be very happy. 

What director was Gina Prince-Bythewood? 

She is always ready to listen, and I am someone who asks a lot of questions even at inappropriate times. She always had great patience and was very attentive to the emotional side of the film, to the interiority and beauty of the characters.

CIAK Magazine - Luglio 2020

Just wanted to translate this old interview for the non-italian’s fans ^^ (sorry for my English)

#Luca Marinelli #marwan kenzari #Charlize Theron #gina prince bythewood #Matthias Schoenaerts #the old guard #TOG #TOG Cast #Film #netflix #magazine #movie #interview #english #english translation #mine #joenicky #joe x nicky #Immortal husbands

[thevindicativevordan]

On Wonder Woman's Rogues

Wanted to offer some thoughts on Diana's Rogues. Frankly I think they're stronger than many would give them credit for, just horribly underused. I'm leaving Cheetah and Circe off of this since I'd like to get to them separately some day. Obviously this doesn't cover everyone, but here's some of my thoughts on the major players.

Ares

Other than Cheetah and Circe, Ares is probably Diana's greatest foe. Traditionally he's been the embodiment of everything Diana is opposed to in Man's World: toxic masculinity, war, greed, pride, and so forth. George Perez gave him a killer design for Post Crisis, and that really helped to carry him. Problem is that Ares as a character is pretty flat and one note. He's evil... because he's evil. Not necessarily a dealbreaker, not every villain needs a sympathetic backstory or goal, but when your first confrontation with Wonder Woman involves plotting to start WW3 as a gambit to become king of the gods, only to have Diana point out that would kill humanity and thus rob you of worship, where exactly can you go from there? Outside of that one story, writers struggled to figure out what to do with Ares. Peaking in your intro leaves you nowhere to go but down.

Personally I think the best solution is to mix what Perez and Rucka have done with Ares and what Azz did with Ares. I think that Ares works best as someone with some sympathetic traits, but ultimately should still be a villain at heart. I personally would make Ares a Ra's Al Ghul figure villain for Diana. He wants Diana to take his place as God of War, or at the very least to embrace war as a tool. Perhaps he wants this in order to free himself from the restrictions being the God of War place upon him, perhaps it's a simple "fuck you" to Athena by taking her champion for his own, perhaps he has another motive altogether for why he seeks someone to take his place. Regardless that's what I think his interest in Diana should stem from.

His end goal should be to convince Diana that Man's World can not be changed peacefully, only by force. Basically he wants Diana to end up like her Flashpoint incarnation, and he's the villain whose goal is to break Diana and then mold her into something resembling himself. Ares should constantly be offering her advice and tempting Diana with taking the easy route of forcing her beliefs on others. Resisting his toxic influence and not becoming the monsters she fights against is as key a part of Diana's conflict with Ares as stopping his plots to trigger bloodshed.

Dr. Cyber

Rucka's WW Rebirth run really made the character click into place for me, along with a bunch of the other WW Rogues. Before she was a character I didn't get the appeal of. Was cool that she was created in the Mod Era of WW, but I didn't really see how she could fit into a modernized take on Diana. Really enjoyed the Rucka revamp, and her personality and connection to Cale as established by him are features I'd like to keep. Really weird how she has yet to return since Rucka's run, does no one else see any potential in her?

Best way she can serve as a foil to Wonder Woman is by contrasting Cyber as the prophet of the singularity in contrast to Diana preaching the Amazon Way. Diana seeks to bridge the gaps between the sexes by promoting love and acceptance, by sharing the philosophies created on Paradise Island. Cyber seeks to eliminate all differences of gender, race, or creed by transforming humanity into a posthuman technological race like she is. Diana is not an imperialist, she doesn't spread her beliefs by force, and she attempts to understand the myriad beliefs of humanity. Cyber holds the current "meatbag" ways of belief in contempt. She intends to force "ascendance" upon everyone, believing that by doing so she will eliminate inequality and help humanity achieve understanding. Where Diana has the Amazons Cyber has Godwatch, the organization she "inherited" from Veronica Cale.

Both want to eliminate prejudice, discrimination, and injustice, both are powerful women who have powerful organizations behind them, and both are motivated by their personal philosophies which they believe can solve humanity's problems. I'd even deliberately call back to Rucka establishing Cyber as being a WW fangirl pre-transformation, and say Cyber is deliberately crafting Godwatch as "Anti-Amazons". Really do think Cyber has a ton of potential there if someone is willing to build upon the foundation Rucka laid.

Dr. Psycho

Guess I have to say one nice thing about Harley Quinn: I'm glad her animated series made more people aware of Psycho. He's such a shit and that works great. Of course there's going to be a villain who hates Diana simply because he's a misogynist, and wants to break the uppity bitch who is talking nonsense about "rights for women". Psycho is a great foil, the exact kind of guy Wonder Woman exists to fight against, and his mental powers make for a good contrast with her physical ones. Do think he should be balanced out by having a woman counterpart on Diana's side either as an Amazon or a Holiday Girl if he's going to be a dwarf/little person. My favorite Psycho incarnation is actually Morrison's take in WW: Earth One, Psycho as a PUA works surprisingly well. Overall Psycho works pretty great as he is, just needs to get used more.

Guess I'll just throw out my controversial take on Psycho here: Given his powers and his nature I just can't not see him pulling a Purple Man at some point. Just no way can I buy him not abusing his mind control powers like that. Frankly given the type of issues Diana deals with, I don't think a rapist villain should be off the table, but it's obviously something that has to be handled with extreme care and to avoid titillation. Maybe best explored in a Black Label WW book outside of main continuity.

Mayfly

God damnit this one I'm really conflicted about. On one hand, Batman has Deathstroke and Deadshot, Superman has Lobo and Bloodsport, Wonder Woman should have a mercenary villain who is only in it for the cash as well. Mayfly is great she looks cool, she has cool guns that can hurt Diana, and she's in it for the money. It's nothing personal just business. But Steve Orlando wrote such a great issue in WW #51 where Diana actually reforms Mayfly over a period of time. Feels too depressing to just undo that, so I'd turn another one of Diana's Rogues good as compensation, and make it so that Mayfly isn't dragged back into crime by choice. Have Circe or Cale basically press-gang her into their service, Circe would do it just as a middle finger to Diana. Mayfly should always be conflicted about being a criminal again and want to leave, but is more or less boxed in by outside forces.

Minister Blizzard

Weird that this guy doesn't get more use. Diana's one of the most religious superheroes around, building Blizzard as a contrast to that feels like a slam dunk. Make him either a delusional melomaniac who thinks he's on a mission from God to freeze the entire planet as punishment for it's sins, or make him an actual contrasting champion of divinity. Blizzard serves much more malicious gods with a much more malevolent plan for mankind than the mission Diana has been entrusted with, and their fights are as much ideological as physical. If both have been entrusted with divine mandates who has precedence? Can Diana truly claim Blizzard is any less just if he truly has holy backing? Explore Diana's religious faith by contrasting it with Blizzard's, that's an underexplored topic when it comes to Wonder Woman.

Red Panzer

Dude has a shit load of alternate looks that I can see and somehow they're all amazing? How does someone who looks so cool get such little use? Anyway he's a NeoNazi, he and his fascist leagues are a perfect choice for simple evildoers Diana has to stop. Why haven't he and Gundra teamed up yet? Have them be part of the same fascist organization. Make him into a hammy Dr. Doom type villain for Diana to beat up where he only refers to himself in the third person, that would be a hoot.

Silver Swan

Right so in exchange for Mayfly returning to being a (reluctant) villain, I say let Diana redeem Vanessa. Let the Silver Swan mantle be taken up by someone else or have Vanessa turn it into a heroic identity, either way let Diana finally make up for failing Vanessa so hard in the past. Cheetah now fills that role post-Rebirth of "former female friend/confidant that believes Diana abandoned her", so I think a Vanessa redemption has a chance to stick. Feels like that's an acceptable compromise for putting Mayfly back in play in my opinion.

That should be the ultimate culmination of a lot of hard work on Diana's part however, not something that happens overnight. Would be cool to see Phil Jimenez write that story as part of a Black Label book, but regardless it's something I'd like to read.

Giganta

Giganta is simple and straightforward. She hates Wonder Woman for foiling her schemes and just wants to get rich. It works and is enjoyable, just please stop making her job all the time. Go use a Greek myth monster or one of Byrne's OCs for that role please.

Dr. Poison

Ok I think this is a rare case where Rucka's Rebirth revamp wasn't an improvement. Look at her, Poison looks cool and fucking terrifying. Roll with her being an absolute sociopath who is only interested in creating better and better bioweapons. All Poison cares about is continuing her research into toxins, plagues, and all kinds of sicknesses. There's no one she won't work with, no job she won't take, no man, woman, or child she won't experiment on to finish her life's work. Her dream is to create the ultimate poison, one utterly incurable, and who better to be a test subject upon which to test her creations than the immortal Princess of Themyscira? God help us all if Poison succeeds in achieving her goal, for the probability of her simply storing such a creation on a shelf is.. unlikely.

Grail

Look there have been a lot of attempts at making an "evil Wonder Woman" besides just turning Diana into that. Conceptually I don't have much objection to Grail. Batman has Bane and Ra's, Superman has Bizarro and Zod, "evil counterpart" is a classic component of a Rogues Gallery. Darkseid fucked an Amazon at some point and that Amazon gave birth to Grail on the same day as Diana was born? Sure, why not, I don't have any real objection to that. Diana has ties to the Old Gods whether through the blessings of the goddesses or Daddy Zeus and her mother's Amazon heritage, Grail her evil counterpart gets her powers from her New Gods/Amazon heritage. Makes for a nice simple conceptual contrast.

Problem is that Grail is a fucking mess when it comes to what her goal is. At first she wanted to kill Darkseid, then she wanted to raise him to not be an evil monster, then... I guess she changed her mind and helped him return to his old form and power? So what exactly does she want? To serve her father? You could get some mileage out of that with Diana having a loving relationship with her mother while ignoring her father, while Grail betrayed her mother to seek her father's approval. But why does she want that? Someone needs to try to untangle the mess this character has become and frankly I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Grail has a cool design and a simple origin that lets her serve as an effective foil for Diana in an easily understandable way, so I suspect she will stick around and they'll try to make something of her again at some point. Hell if she's serving Darkseid now, make her the Leader of the Female Furies, that would provide another nice contrast with Diana's status as Princess.

Ran out of images spaces so I'll make a part II to cover the last two villains I wanted to talk about: Maxwell Lord and Veronica Cale

#wonder woman #ares #dr. cyber #dr. psycho #mayfly #minister blizzard #red panzer #silver swan #giganta #dr. poison #grail #rogues gallery

[epicspheal]

( this is gonna be long super sorry!!!) I have some Thoughts™ about Lusamine cause I'm conflicted. I love Lusamine as a character. And by that i mean I love to hate her. Rich white woman that's probably from Kalos( France) abuses her children, constantly gaslight them to make her the victim, and etc. It doesn't matter if she gone crazy, she's still an abuser.

The reason USUM boils my blood at times is because it goes the route of " oh yeah I wanted to save everyone" route which completely glosses over the fact that she abused and controlled her children for so long to the point of them both running away. And this one is purely headcanon in my part, cause I doubt Nintendo intended this, but she is, again, a rich white woman in comparison to the majority poc Alola. Is it infuriating how they welcomed her( well, at least on the front) after everything she's done? Yes. Is it a sad reality? Also yes. But it I'm still gonna complain. It also seems that Lillie and Gladion forgave her so easily? Of course, they have their own right to feel however they feel about their mother( especially if there was genuine good memories prior everything that happened), but like???? Idk it rubs me the wrong way.

But here's where I'm conflicted. Pokemon masters have shown a redeemed Lusamine. I understand masters is it's own thing, but also it's really interesting cause when you think about it, out of the Bad Parents Club, she's kinda the most likely to get that???( Other than Rose). Like by the end of SM, she finally acknowledge Lillie, and maybe going to Kanto will also mean getting therapy, which could lead to the Redeemed Lusamine we see in Masters( and what USUM were trying to sell). I personally feel like the other two, Giovanni and Ghetsis, are too far gone. So, like, Lusamine has a chance. But I hate her. I made an oc with the goal of at one point throwing hands with Lusamine for a REASON( other than parallels with her own life but that's different). Also when you take into account what lead her to this point, you kinda understand ( NOT JUSTIFY) her decent into madness. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they really should have portrayed her "redemption" better( putting quotations in redemption cause we don't know if she fully learned her lesson or not).

Okay that's all. Super sorry this got very long, I just have many Thoughts ™.

Hi there @ihopethisendswell! Oh boy Gen 7's story is not my favorite for multiple reasons and the shift between SM and USUM's handling of Lusamine was a big one. Like honestly if they truly wanted to redeem Lusamine USUM should've been a sequel rather than retelling because that way a few years would've passed, Lillie and Gladion could've healed on their own and Lusamine could've gotten some time to get herself together and maybe earn a redemption. But honestly I didn't want Lusamine to be redeemed. Let her rot in the "crappy parents" brigade with Giovanni and Ghetsis. I've said this before in a previous ask that I already didn't care for the Aether Family Plot to begin with but I at least enjoyed finally having the main villain be a woman and her being just absolutely a piece of crap too. I I don't like that they tried to redeem they chose her, and in such a haphazard way. Let the women be irredeemly evil. We need to see more of that in fiction. Unrestrained cruelty knows no gender.

But then again Lusamine's writing flops just fall in line with other issues Gamefreak has with writing female characters. Right in step with "Let's make Lillie, the one female child character whose been cursed with a crappy parent be the only helpless, passive one to the point of pretty much being the load while Silver, N and her own brother Gladion who also have shitty parents get to have more agency and fight to them. Because girls are the only ones who can be damsels and boys have to be tough."

Oh and I can't forget "Let's make Professor Burnet mostly irrelevant to the plots of SM despite her field of research being the most valuable concerning the whole research plot. Can't have a female researcher be useful" As you can see I have a lot of gripes with the gen 7 plot.

But your point about how Lusamine was handled in the majority POC region of Alola is probably my biggest issue with the Aether family. Because I really didn't care for the fact that the blonde family took up so much presence and importance in the story at the expense of the POC characters who were actually born and raised in the region. Like there was two whole plotlines of the Hau trying to live with the burden of being a Kahuna's grandson and Kukui trying to show pride in his home region by creating league while also not stepping on the traditions that make Alola's island challenge so sacred and special but we don't get to see it because it's the Aether Family show. Gamefreak has had a rather prevalent issue in writing when it comes to balancing story plotlines in general, but Gen 7's botched handling really stood out to me. The Alolans had really interesting stories that I wish had of gotten more prominence rather than being shoved off to the side like they were in canon. I hope whenever we get gen 7 remakes they add more depth to Hau, Kukui, Guzma, Acerola, and Hapu's stories because their stories as natives deserve as much attention as Lillie being able to find her confidence. Finally there should've definitely been a "press x to punch Lusamine's lights out" option in game. Like you I made alolan champion OC specifically just straight up give Lusamine a black eye. Yeah it meant aging her up to around 17 instead of the canon protags age of 11. so she could have more force behind that punch but it was worth it :D

#lusamine #pokemon sm #pokemon usum #ask epic spheal

[ailuronymy]

I doubt you'll remember this, because it happened such a long time ago, but it's been bothering me for years now and I wanted to get some closure on it. Many years ago, when I was 14, pretty new to roleplaying and completely new to Tumblr, I sent you an anonymous ask laughing about ridiculous unrealistic things that people were having their cats do in a roleplay I was in. Building blanket forts, among other things, and being transgender. At this point in my life I thought transgender only meant someone who had undergone gender affirmation surgery, and the idea of cats doing surgery on one another was hilarious to me. I shared it with the hope that other people would find it hilarious too. Instead, you told me that I had said The Wrong Thing and called me a bigot. I was confused, I was horrified, I didn't understand at all, and I more or less fled from tumblr for about two years. It was a formative experience for me.

Hello there. I do actually remember that post, although obviously since you were anon then as well, I didn’t remember you specifically. But I do remember. 

I thought about how to answer this ask for a few days. I’m not sure exactly what it is you’re looking for from me, but I’m going to give you the best reply I can and I hope that’s good enough for the both of us. 

When you wrote in to me, about eight years ago, I was younger than you are now. I was nineteen and I’d only been on tumblr for a bit over a year at that point, I think. I’d never had social media before, of any kind. It was all pretty new to me as an experience too, and I’d never expected this blog to get the attention that it did. I never even imagined that was a possibility. But it happened and I learned how to run a relatively popular ask blog on the job, as it were. 

There’s a lot I regret when I look back on that early era of this blog. The humour and jokes I allowed and sometimes encouraged and said myself here was often not kind, and that’s something I really regret. Eventually, I put an end to that because it just wasn’t the kind of thing I wanted any of us who have fun here to be doing. But I absolutely allowed it to happen for a long time first, and that’s on me. 

Also at that same time, there was a particular way of interacting on tumblr that was very popular. It was a lot of exuberance and hyperbole and insults, and being rude for fun, and overall very over-the-top and often harsh or just plain uncaring that there was someone else at the other end of the message. For everyone who was here in 2012, I think you can probably remember what it was like. It wasn’t a nice mode of communication, but it was popular and got great responses and a lot of people found it fun to read. For a couple of years after I started Ailuronymy, I was absolutely guilty of buying into it and acting this way, until I finally hated it enough to stop. It wasn’t who I wanted to be, in general or on this blog specifically. It felt mean and inauthentic and I wanted to be better. But I did act like that for a long time, and that was a choice I made. 

I’m not saying any of this because I want to make excuses for myself. I’m more aware than anyone else of the problems early on in this blog’s history, and it’s something I regret and wish I could go back to do differently with the knowledge and experience I have now. Unfortunately, I can’t change the past. I can only own up to it and do better going forward. 

I’m sorry for the tone I often used, including to you in that post, and I’m sorry that because of that behaviour, you felt scared and unwelcome here. That’s a failure on my part. I shouldn’t have used the tone I did, or assumed I had to take a defensive, intense stance the way I did. It’s very sad to me to know that because I did that, you were frightened and decided to leave. 

However, I would like to share my context too. Because at the time, I was nineteen years old (which I know probably sounds ancient to younger teens, but it’s not, really), and a bisexual guy (which I still am, obviously), and Ailuronymy was already a place that people (especially queer people) in the fandom were looking to for support and education. Insofar as this blog was developing a niche, that was it. I felt a significant amount of responsibility to champion and defend the people this blog was made for. 

2012 was also a time when the Warriors fandom on tumblr was genuinely very homophobic, and also quite volatile. It was common for people to be very angry (in general, and often at me) for saying that ableism isn’t okay, or that Warriors characters can be trans, or sometimes just “canon naming doesn’t make much sense.” I got quite a lot of hate mail--also sometimes just... confused, angry mail, for this naming system or any of the political things I talked about--and I was doing the best I could with what I had to give. A lot of what I learned during my years of running this blog came from making mistakes, but I always did my best.

The reason I’m bringing this up is because what you actually said was: “these cats can be homosexual, asexual, bisexual, pansexual, and transgender--don’t even ask me how that’s possible. I don’t want to know.” You came to me, a queer man, running a blog that in no small part is about how queerness is allowed to exist in this fandom and is in fact not implausible, during a time when the fandom as a whole was solidly anti-queer, with something like that. Like you said, you shared it with me--and the readers here--because you hoped we would find it hilarious and unrealistic too. 

But I didn’t, because, to me, that’s just what a lot of the fandom already was. It was a hostile environment that regularly argued that queer characters, or people, had no place here. That was the kind of things people on anon fairly often came to yell in my inbox about how I’m wrong, etc. etc., and how I’m bad, etc. etc. 

I reacted defensively, which I wouldn’t do now, because I’m much older, and I have experience and confidence I just didn’t then. At the time, though, what I heard in your ask was “queer characters are absurd and don’t belong here, don’t correct me,” and that is what I reacted to. I’m sure for you, it felt scary and disproportionate, and as I said before, I wish I had handled things differently, and gentler. 

But I don’t disagree with what I said. The points I made weren’t wrong. And my response--although not how I would respond now--was not wrong, even though it hurt you. It genuinely is horrible to know that because of my lack of tact, you were scared. It was also horrible to receive your ask at the time, just like many of the rest. It wasn’t hypothetical to me, because I’m queer. It was about me, and other people I care about very much.

The fact I’m queer is probably news to you, and you were new tumblr and probably didn’t know what was going on in the fandom, and maybe you would have said something different if you knew all this. 

Likewise, though, you were on anon and I didn’t know who you were. I didn’t know you were fourteen. I didn’t know you were asking in good faith, and not just another one of the homophobic fans thinking you’d found a friend in me, which frankly felt a bit insulting. I didn’t know you were and, again, although I wish I did more back then and was kinder in my approach, I didn’t have insight into your intentions. I also didn’t have the maturity for that not to matter.

That said, even in my very imperfect answer I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. I specifically said:

“Before you think I’m victimising you - I’m not. This is not personal right now; currently, this is a mistake on your part, and I understand that mistakes are incredibly easy to make. If, by the end of my post, you get where you went wrong here, then it will be like this ask of yours never happened and I will forget you ever said it. I don’t like to hold any kind of grudge if there’s any way to avoid it, and an acknowledgement of where you went wrong here would completely fix everything about this.”

&

“So what you’re saying when you say that you don’t believe that “homosexual, asexual, bisexual, pansexual, and transgender” cats are possible in the context of Warriors is, basically, that you’re a bigot. I am really sorry to say that, because the chances are - I sincerely hope - that you aren’t. You’re a good person. You’re a good person who said something bigoted by mistake. And if you don’t believe what you’ve said is a mistake yet, let me show you some interesting true facts about our world.“

Because I know how easy it is to make mistakes and how hard it is to get everything right all the time, and know everything, and never do something dumb or hurtful. It’s easy to fuck up. I’ve done it a lot. The answer I gave you back then is just one example.

That what you took from my answer was only fear and confusion isn’t something in my control, however. I hate that that’s what happened, and I regret not being who I am now back then, but even though I did fuck up back then, I still did what I could at the time to mitigate the damage and reassure you that a mistake doesn’t define you. I am sorry it wasn’t enough for you to feel okay coming back. But I can’t say I’m sorry for telling you that coming to me on my blog with that kind of mentality is something I’ll tolerate at all. 

Ultimately, I’m sorry that our experience of each other was not a good one. I’m sorry that your memory of me is someone scary and mean, and that you felt you had to leave this site entirely for two years because of it. I regret that my actions left you with such a negative experience, because that was never my intention, even though the way I handled things with you was very poor. 

I hope you’re able to find the closure you’re looking for and I genuinely wish you all the best.