#But actually I'm just waiting for the novels to come out where I live (╥﹏╥) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ddejavvu · 8 months

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pairing: spencer reid x reader

summary: spencer really likes your perfume

requested: any of our core 3 bau men (aaron, spence, or derek) reacting to gf!reader wearing that pheromone perfume stuff. you can make it smutty if you’d like since from what i’ve seen, guys tend to have ✨that✨ kind of reaction to it.

this post is 18+, minors dni.

Spencer's not very good at telling what he wants. Sometimes you can tell; his eyes drop low to your cleavage and he adjusts the way he's sitting. But more often than not he controls his behavior so that you can't profile it out of him, and you wish he'd feel a little more comfortable telling you that he wants to get his dick wet.

Today you're forcing his hand. He never gives himself what he really wants, and you just need to give him a little guiding push into admitting that he's turned on at 9:30 on a Tuesday morning. Then, once he sees it's not something to be ashamed of, you two will get it on day and night. A foolproof plan with an excellent reward.

Two spritzes of the perfume do it, and you head off to the living room where he's occupied with coffee and a novel.

"Spencer," You call, worming your way onto his lap like you're just trying to snuggle up beneath the blanket, "Do you have any plans for today?"

If he's surprised by your forwardness, he doesn't show it. He smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead, "No. I was just thinking-" He takes a pause, just barely too long to be natural, "Uh- I wanted to just finish this book."

"That'll take five minutes," You scoff, pressing your face into his neck so that your scent surely envelops him. You dot chaste, sticky kisses there, and you feel a slight movement from Spencer's lap.

"Yeah. Not that long," Is all he can muster in a feeble voice, "Uh- are you- do you want to stay here?"

"On the couch?" You verify, and when he nods, so do you. "Yeah. Thought we could cuddle. That alright with you, Spence?"

"Alright," He echoes warily, and you feel more movement, this time the presence of something half-hard, "But I- um, if you want, you can move like- there."

He shifts your thighs over with a quick hand, so that you can't feel his bulge anymore. You feign offence, dragging your face out of his neck to look at him, "What, you don't want me close to you?"

"No," He shakes his head, hair flying with it, "That's not- I didn't mean it like that, I just-"

"Spencer," You hum, lowering your voice to the edge of sultry, "You're a grown man. You can't say it? Be honest with me. I feel you, Spencer."

A whimper comes out of his throat that's so quiet you're surprised you actually hear it. He parts his pretty pink lips, exhaling shakily as your irresistible scent consumes him, "I just- it's kind of early, and I didn't want to inconvenience you or anything. I can wait, or something, or- y'know, you might be tired, or-"

"I'm not tired, and you're not an inconvenience," You promise, reaching over with a slow hand to palm over his bulge. He whimpers again, louder this time, and you bump your nose against his jawline to kiss it.

"You want this? Now?" You confirm, and he nods, once more messing up his hair.

"Next time just ask," You chide him, eagerly straddling his hips while he leans his cheek against your own, desperately dragging in more lungfuls of your intoxicating scent, "You can have me any time, pretty boy."

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dwobbitfromtheshire · 6 months

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Tw, I guess, for an accidental outing. It's kind of crack, and Robin has a dingus moment.

Steve makes a weird, awkward laugh whenever he sees someone he likes fully naked. Robin found it endearing when they were watching a movie together, and someone came on because it was also how she figured out he liked men. She didn't call him out on it, though, and let him come out to her on his own. She really didn't think about it when she talked to Eddie and he told her about their little incident.

"So, how is it living with Steve?" Robin asked as she sat in his living room with Eddie.

Eddie was still hated by the town, so until they calmed down, he was laying low at Steve's. Currently, they were waiting for Steve to finish making dinner. He was very particular about the kitchen and he didn't really let anyone help him cook. It was his space, but it was alright because his food was really good.

"I actually like it," Eddie grinned. "I mean, there was this awkward moment where he walked in on me naked, but we moved past that. I think."

"It's fine if you were a naked woman he liked, then he would have made this really awkward laugh," Robin said. "So I think you're good."

"Does it sound anything like this?" Eddie asked and proceeded to make the laugh. "Because he made that sound."

"Oh my god!" Robin exclaimed, looking horrified. "Tell me that I didn't just accidentally out Steve?"

"I'm afraid that you did," Eddie hissed mockingly, being helpful.

"You have to revoke my card!" Robin exclaimed and pulled a card out of her wallet, handing it over him.

"Hmm. You actually made yourself a queer card, and it's laminated. I didn't know you were an official lesbian. What's an unofficial lesbian?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, I made one for Steve, too," Robin said, her face pale. "And an unofficial lesbian is a fictional lesbian. Duh."

"Duh. How silly of me," Eddie said, rolling his eyes. "Can you make one for me too? Except inside of blue and red, can you make it black and red? Also, instead of lesbian can you put bisexual?"

"Really?!" Robin exclaimed with a gasp. "That's great! And yes!"

"Here you go," Eddie said and tried handing it back to her.

"No! You have to keep it! I'm suspended from any queer activities for outing him. I mean, you can't take it away permanently because I'm always going to be queer but I can't watch any queer movies, can't read any novels, and I can't go to gay bars," Robin said.

"Well, damn I was hoping we would watch Rocky Horror tonight," Eddie said, snapping his fingers. "Shucks."

"Nooo!!" Robin yelled and threw herself on the floor.

Steve came into the living room and frowned at Robin.

"I came in to tell you that dinner is done. Why are you on the floor?" Steve asked. "Why does Eddie have your queer card?"

"I'm sorry, Steve," Robin said, sitting on her knees. "It was an accident."

"So you had Eddie revoke your card?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Robin said.

"You realize you outed yourself by doing that?" Steve asked.

"Oh, damn. I did!" Robin exclaimed. "By the way, Eddie, I'm a lesbian."

"Yeah. I got that," Eddie laughed.

"Oh my God! I'm a dingus!" She yelled.

"Well, everyone has their dingus moments," Steve said. "Come on, I think we're even."

He pulled Robin up off the floor and into a hug.

"You don't hate me?" Robin sniffled.

"Your intention wasn't to out me or hurt me, so no, I don't hate you," Steve said. "Love you, babes."

"Love you too, babes," Robin said, sniffling again.

Steve put his arm around her and drew her into the kitchen. Eddie followed after with a grin.

"Oh, by the way, I'll out myself before there are any more accidents. I'm bisexual," Eddie grinned. "Robin's agreed to make me my very own card."

"Oh, thanks for telling me, man," Steve grinned and turned to Robin. "By the way, how did you accidentally out me?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that now, big boy, I'll tell you later," Eddie said with a smirk.

"Okay," Steve said, shrugging.

"Oh, so, Robin's not suspended then? Because now that I said it, I really want to watch Rocky Horror," Eddie said. "In fact, I have a Frankenfurter costume at the trailer. I might have worn it a few times."

Steve suddenly started laughing, a very awkward laugh.

"Oh my god!" Robin exclaimed.

"Look at that! It's not just when I'm naked!"

"What?!"

#stranger things #stranger things s4 #eddie munson #joseph quinn #eddie stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson lives #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #robin buckley #robin & steve #platonic soulmates #platonic stobin #platonic with a capital p #lesbian robin buckley #bisexual steve harrington #bisexual eddie munson

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underqualified-human · 1 year

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Self Aware[?] Yuu Incorrect Quotes 2

*During the Ignihide chapter*

Yuu, in a deeper voice than usual: IDIA, I HAVE COME FOR MY REVENGE!

Idia, scared shitless: Hold on we can talk about this!

Leona: So what's the first thing you notice when a guy approaches you?

Yuu: The audacity.

Leona: ...

Yuu: But most of you have enough of it to be attractive.

Yuu: If I die and he doesn't weep so hard that the sea gods can hear it, I don't want him!

*Frantic scribbling noises fill the air*

Idia: Wait what do you mean by 'if'?

Yuu: I think you know exactly what I mean

Idia: I really don't.

Ace: Oh good you're not busy.

Yuu, in the middle of a tea party with the rats, Grimm, the ghosts and Malleus: Actually Ace, I am busy.

Malleus: Hello, Grimm!

Grimm: Malleus, can I ask you a question?

Malleus: Sure! Anything!

Grimm: Why don't you go back to your own house AND STOP BOTHERING US!?

[he wants his friend henchman back]

*Vil notices a faint stain on Yuu's pants where something had been spilt the previous week*

Vil: Why are you wearing the same pants two weeks in a row?

Yuu: I only have one pair

Vil: What?

Yuu: Yeah it's called poverty, I don't expect you to understand it though

*Late night talk*

Jamil: One day I'd like to settle down away from the Al-Asims

Yuu, not missing a beat: In an itty-bitty living space?

Jamil, leaning closer: Yes, how did you know

Yuu, screaming internally: I-I also want that, minimalism is pretty appealing right?

Jamil: I suppose so

Riddle, scoping out his competition: So how did you first realise your feelings?

Azul: Yuu kicked my ass and I've been in love with them ever since

Kalim, urging him to confess: Just give it a shot, what do you got to lose?

Jamil: Hmm, let's see.

Jamil, counting off of his fingers: My patience, my dignity, my temper—

Anybody who overblotted: I think - I think I love you

Yuu, instantly: If you really loved me you wouldn't have missed

[Idia, regardless if he was the one confessing or not: *Wheeze*]

Yuu: Leona/Kalim, I'm going to need your credit card

Leona/Kalim, pulling out a wallet the size of a novel: Which one?

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void-wolfie · 10 months

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Falling Head First

summary: you're a bit clumsy, it's a good thing Jenna's always there to pick you up when you fall. [request]

pairing: Jenna Ortega x gn!Reader

tw: none? terrible writing lol... (let me know if I need to add anything)

words: 2.22k

a/n: hope this is what you were looking for anon. Sorry it took me so long to get to your request.

You skated past that house again, the one where the kids were always outside playing. The one where that pretty girl lived.

Except this time, there weren't any kids outside goofing around. Just her. That pretty girl who was roughly your age, maybe a bit older. She had her headphones in and her nose buried in her phone as she sat on the front porch.

You always rode past her house, hoping maybe one day she'd stop you and say hi. You'd stop yourself, but you just couldn't... Your mother called it being shy, your therapist liked to call it social anxiety. Either way, you couldn't bring yourself to talk to her. Or anyone really. Too many what-ifs... What if she laughed at you? What if you embarrassed yourself? What if she hated you? Or called you stupid? Or-

Lost in your thoughts, you'd completely missed the rock in the road. Your skateboard darted out to the side, throwing you head-first into the pavement.

You rolled over onto your back, trying to brush off the adrenaline pumping through your veins. Everything hurt, but nothing felt broken, right?

"Oh my god, are you ok?" You looked up to notice the girl rushing towards you, looking fairly concerned.

"Uh-" You looked yourself up and down, nothing felt broken, nothing looked broken, "Fine, I think,"

"You're bleeding," She kneeled beside you, softly tilting your chin to get a better look at your head.

She prodded at the corner of your forehead with her finger. You instantly recoiled, hissing at the stinging sensation.

"Sorry, sorry," She backed away, leaving the cut alone. "You're not gonna need stitches, come on, let me get you patched up,"

She stood up and held out her hand, offering to help you up.

Your mind was reeling. Why was she being so nice to you, the two of you were strangers…

"Uh, thanks," You took her hand, letting her help you up. It was either let her help clean you up, or skate home with blood dripping down your face. Might as well pick the option with the pretty girl, you thought to yourself.

You picked up your skateboard and followed the girl into the house, leaving the board by the door so as not to track dirt through the whole place.

"I'm Jenna, by the way,"

"y/n,"

She pointed at the toilet and you sat down, wringing your hands nervously. She dug around underneath the bathroom counter, most likely looking for a first aid kit of some kind.

She set a bottle of hydrogen peroxide on the counter followed up by a washcloth and a box of Band-Aids.

"I've seen you around before, do you live close?"

Oh small talk, why did it have to be small talk? You suck at small talk...

"Uh, yeah. Just a few streets down from here,"

"How old are you?"

You internally cringed, why did this feel so painfully awkward?

"Sixteen, my birthday's in a few months... what about you?"

"Seventeen, my birthday was last week actually,"

"Oh, happy birthday,"

"Thanks,"

The smile she gave you made you feel like you were on cloud nine. Butterflies, fireworks, every other stupid little analogy they talk about in those cheesy romance novels. You'd fall off your skateboard every day if it meant you could see that smile just one more time.

"Stop moving," You hadn't even realized your knee had been bouncing up and down, picking at your fingernails. Bad habits you'd picked up over the years, and ones you generally caught yourself doing when you were nervous.

She grabbed the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and the washcloth, placing herself in between your knees as she stood in front of you. "Alright, hold still. This'll probably sting."

"One, two..."

You waited for her to get to three, but it never came. Instead, you felt her pour the liquid into the cut, burning as it fizzled.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow-" You tried to sit still, but you weren't very good at it. You were squirming like a worm on a hook, eyes closed as a mix of hydrogen peroxide and blood dribbled down the side of your face.

You heard Jenna giggle, followed by the feeling of her hand cupping your cheek, "I said hold still." She wiped off the side of your face with the washcloth, dabbing at the cut slightly to make sure it was all dry.

You felt her leave the spot in front of you. You opened your eyes, watching as she tossed the washcloth into the sink, grabbing the box of Band-Aids from the counter.

"Ok, you have a very important decision to make," you tilted your head, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Jenna had to hold in a laugh at how adorable you looked.

"Scooby-Doo or Spiderman?" She held up two Band-Aids, one with little Scooby-Doo heads and doggy prints, the other with Spiderman doing a bunch of different poses.

She was attempting to look dead serious, a blank stare as she waited for you to answer, but you didn't buy the act for one second.

You scoffed playfully, "Scooby-Doo, of course."

She set the Spiderman Band-Aid back in the box with a smile, "Not a fan of Spiderman, huh?"

"Spiderman is cool, Scooby-Doo is just better,"

She stood back in front of you, nudging your knees further apart so could step between them again. Only so she could get closer to your face for the Band-Aid, no other reason. At least, that's what she told herself.

You watched her as she got closer, getting lost between the freckles that dotted her face like stars in the night sky and those big brown eyes, nearly black as night yet full of so much life and joy.

"You're staring," She smirked, enjoying the blush that spread across your cheeks and up to your ears.

"Sorry," You squeaked out, nervously looking at the ground.

"It's alright,"

She grabbed your chin in her hand, angling your head so you were staring at the wall so she could get a better view of the cut on your head. "Stay,"

You didn't move a muscle. How could you when she said it like that? Like you were some lost little puppy following her every whim… Putting it like that made you feel pathetic, after all, you'd only met the girl today. And yet, part of you knew you'd do whatever she said just to keep seeing that adorable smile.

Five minutes and you were already whipped...

You were so caught up in your thoughts you barely even registered her putting the Band-Aid on. You hadn't realized she was done till her hand was on your chin again. Her hand was still cupping your face as you stared up at her, once again falling prey to those enchanting eyes and countless freckles.

"All better," She took a step back, removing herself from between your legs, much to your disappointment.

"Hi, love," you leaned back, hanging upside down in front of Jenna.

She yelped, jumping back a step out of surprise. She hadn't expected you to be there when she rounded the corner, "Jesus, y/n. You scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry," You gave a sheepish smile, feeling bad for scaring her.

It'd been two years since you met Jenna, and one amazing year since the two of you started dating. Your only regret was not kissing her that first day you met. She was standing right there, right between your knees, and you let the chance slip away... But that was a thing of the past, and now you could kiss her as much as you wanted.

"What are you doing up there? It's starting to rain, baby, we got to go,"

You pouted, a bit childishly at that. Jenna had to fight off the urge to smile at you. She didn't want you to fall and hurt yourself, you were already prone to accidents as is.

The two of you decided to have a day for yourselves, just goofing off and having fun. Somewhere along the way you ended up at the park, walking along the trails and enjoying the peace and quiet. Jenna left you near the playground by yourself while she ran off to the restroom, it was only natural that you decided to goof off and have a little fun. After coming back, Jenna noticed the rain coming in, scaring off what was left of the remaining parents and kids.

It was drizzling as she searched for you. Rounding the corner she found you here, dangling upside-down from the pull-up bars by your knees.

"I wanted to try kissing you upside down, like in the movie last night,"

She couldn't hold back the giggles this time, smiling at your adorable pout, "You mean the Spiderman kiss? The upside-down, kissing in the rain thing?"

"Yes please, kisses now," You made grabby hands at her, which came out a bit awkward and uncoordinated from how you were hanging upside down.

She laughed, showing off that radiant smile that you adored. She grabbed the sides of your face, kissing you as requested. It was soft, simple, and sweet. No different from the dozens of other times she'd kissed you before. But goddamn, that feeling you get every time never seems to go away. Her kisses were addictive, they set your nerves on fire and left you craving more. You felt like you could melt under her touch.

Apparently, you relaxed under her touch a little too much. Your grip on the bar loosened and the bar slipped out from beneath you. Before you knew it Jenna was scrambling back as you tumbled head-first into the uneven ground below.

You knew something was wrong the second you landed, a small crack coming from somewhere.

"Ow..."

Jenna watched you slip from the bar, managing to brace your fall as you stuck out your arms. She heard a yelp, followed by a strained 'ow'. But you didn't get up right away. She watched you curl in on yourself instead, writhing about on the ground in pain.

Shit.

She was down on her knees beside you in the dirt, wanting to help but afraid to touch you and make everything worse, "Hey, what happened? Where's it hurt?"

"My wrist," You managed to get out between gritted teeth, tears already beginning to well up in your eyes from the pain, "I fell on my wrist."

"Ok, let me see,"

You stopped wriggling about long enough for her to look at your arm. It didn't look like it was broken, granted her idea of ‘broken’ entailed bones sticking out of the skin or limbs pointed in funny directions.

Jenna went to gently grab your arm, so she could check the other side, but you quickly pulled back with a little yelp and a rush of tears.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," She was starting to panic now, she'd barely even touched you.

The rain was starting to come down harder now, too much longer and the two of you would be soaked to the bone. Far off in the distance, Jenna could just barely make out the rumbling of thunder.

All she had to do was get you to the car. But that was easier said than done. You were still on the ground, wet from the rain, and tensed up in pain.

"Hey, baby, look at me,"

You stopped wriggling around for just a moment, long enough to focus on Jenna. She placed her hands on either side of your face and you closed your eyes, melting into her touch. She placed a kiss on your forehead, then on your nose, and finally on your lips.

"Let's get you home, alright?"

She lied. Well, not technically, but yes.

When Jenna said she was going to take you home, you assumed she meant right away. But that was a lie. Instead, she forced you into going to the ER first to get your wrist checked out.

After hours of waiting, having to endure the stale smell of disinfectant, and medical professionals poking and prodding at your arm, you were finally being sent home.

You flopped down on the sofa the second you got through the door. You were exhausted. You closed your eyes and curled up into the corner of the couch, being careful not to agitate your arm, wishing you could fall asleep right then and there.

You were just about to doze off when you heard footsteps approaching. You didn't bother to look, only one other person was home.

"Scoot over, love,"

You did as you were told, making room for your girlfriend next to you. The second she was comfortable you laid yourself across her lap, finding it a bit awkward to get comfortable with the splint for your wrist.

Your eyes were shut once again as you felt something soft being nudged into your arms. You didn't have to look to know what it was. It was the stuffed animal Jenna bought you for your birthday, the absolute softest plush dinosaur you'd ever seen. You definitely haven't slept with it every night since then.

She draped a blanket over the two of you and by the time she started running her fingers through your hair, you were already asleep. The only sound in the room coming from your soft snores.

#jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega #jenna ortega x fem!reader #jenna ortega x y/n #jenna ortega x gn!reader #void-wolfie

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wardenparker · 2 months

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Heeeeyyy. Congratulations on 2.5k followers. Great Milestone you got there just know we're all proud of you.

Anyways, can I request an angst fic from the propmts "Wait! Please don't go!" and "There is no 'us'." for none other than the slick cowboy, Agent Whiskey/Jack Daniels?

I can wait. Thaaaanksss!

Agent Jack 'Whiskey' Daniels. 1,373 words. "Wait! Please don't go!"/"There is no 'us'." (Warnings: angst) Co-written with @absurdthirst

The house is a disaster when he opens the front door. Making his heart drop and his instincts take over, reaching for the side of his hip even though his pistols aren’t there. He never wears his guns home. “Sugar!” He calls out, eyes searching and trying to make sense of the items strewn around.

If he follows the sounds and the trail of items that have been moved around and messed with, he'll find most of the commotion centered in the bedroom. That's where the most things have changed. Where they have been torn apart and not put back into any semblance of what they were before. Where the center of the heartache really lives.

“Baby! What the hell is going on?” He’s relieved to find you, bag opened and shit being shoved into it like you have thirty seconds to evacuate. He’s also confused as to what is happening. There’s been no alert, no word from Statesman.

"What does it look like, Jack?" You don't stop moving, spitting the words out at him while you shove some rolled up jeans into a travel bag. "I'm packing."

“Why?” His hat is off his head, a frown on his handsome face and his hands on his hips. “Where are you going?”

"I don't want to tell you that." If you tell him, he'll inevitably show up there in a day or two, and you might be weak enough from missing him to undo this stance that you're taking and come home to him again. Your mother said you could come home, so that's where you're going. Your old home. The home where you don't go crazy wondering if Jack is safe or what it is the two of you even are despite the fact that you've lived together for months now and been sleeping together far longer.

“Well sugar, how in the fuck am I supposed to accept that?” He asks, frowning deeply. “Talk to me. Everything was just fine and dandy when I left for work this mornin’.”

"Everything was not fine and dandy." Throwing the jeans down in anger, you whirl around on one ankle to face him with tears pricking at your eyes for only the fourth time today. The decision to leave wasn't an easy one to make, but you've convinced yourself it's for the best. "It hasn't been fine and dandy in weeks, but you refuse to see that. The issues don't magically go away just because the arguement is over, Jack. Or did no one ever teach you that?"

“We talked.” Jack defends, huffing. “What more do you want? We said our piece, what more was there? Did I miss something?”

"We talked but nothing changed." Angry steps seem to be the only ones you have in you today, and you storm across the bedroom to sweep your books off the dresser on the other side of the bed. Your side of the bed. Or it used to be. "If we have a fight because things aren't going well and we talk about the things we need to fix, then we actually have to fix the shit we talk about afterward." There are four novels in your hand, but you notice one of them is a Louis L'Amour novel -- one of Jack's -- so you put it back down and stalk back to your suitcase. "You never fix anything I ask you to unless it's a Honey Do chore. The apartment and the relationship aren't the same thing. Hell, I don't even know what our relationship is anymore."

“This is why you’re mad?” Jack sputters and then huffs. “Because I’m not jumping up and down to talk about my feelings?”

The books follow the jeans into the bag you are haphazardly filling, and you groan at the disbelief in his voice before facing him again. "Yes." You tell him flatly, hating that you let it get this far in the first place. "I'm allowed to be upset about the fact that you are never willing to talk about how you feel about me. I am entitled to be mad about that."

“I show you how I feel.” Jack manages to flash you a grin and waggles his eyebrows. “As often as you let me.”

"Jesus fucking Christ." The groan that rips out of you is downright angry, which holds well enough in line with how you're feeling that you don't bother to stifle it. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. Right there."

“Sugar….” Jack lifts his hands, helpless as he realizes that you aren’t taking his little act as something cute. Not like you had before. “What do you want me to say?” He asks seriously.

You pause in your steps, sighing heavily and shrugging your shoulders with so much defeat that you feel like you might just collapse backward on the bed. "Nothing," you admit after a long pause. "I don't want you to say anything. I just want you to let me finish packing so I can go." As much as it makes your heart break, as much as you feel sick to your stomach, this is the decision that you've made. You can't give all of your love to a man who refuses to acknowledge that love even exists.

Jack’s brows pull down, knitting together and he shakes his head. “I don’t want you to go.” He admits quietly, a shiver of dread rushing down his spine as he hears the quiet finality in your tone.

"It's too late." A last sweeping look around the room says that you've packed everything from the bedroom that you care to. This room was last, and then that's it. You'll walk out of this place for the last time and battle with your regrets on your mother's couch for however long it takes. "Maybe the next girl will avoid having her heart broken for a little bit longer because of me, maybe not."

The panic, the fear that he has been avoiding when it comes to emotions starts to set it when you pick up the bags and start to walk out of the room. Jack waits for you to stop, to change your mind like you have before. Never actually going so far as packing before. “Wait!” Jack rushes out of the bedroom when you don’t turn back, don’t come back. He chases you down the hall and into the living room. “Please don’t go!” He begs, his eyes wide and worried.

There are a few things to gather along the way, but your car is almost full and you have your arms full when you pause in the front hall to turn and face him one more time. "Give me one reason to stay," you challenge, knowing you won't forgive yourself if you don't at least let him try. If you don’t give it one last ditch effort. You've been in love with Jack Daniels since the day you met him, but this is the last chance you're going to give him to disappoint you. Unless he's ready to actually say something about real emotions, you're walking out that door. "Tell me why I should."

“You belong here, with me.” Jack tells you stubbornly. “You’ve practically moved in and I’ve - we- we are good together.” Saying the words, truly saying them, has scared Jack to his core. Even with the boss ordered therapy. Afraid the world will rip away another person he loves if he says those words, so he doesn’t.

“If you can’t even muster up the words when I’m about to walk out the door, I think that just proves my point,” you murmur sadly, reaching for the door handle. “Have a good life, Jack.”

“Baby girl, wait.” He reaches out and takes your hand, heart pounding and he feels like he’s about to throw up. Swallowing harshly, he stares into your eyes, trying to say the words you want to hear. “But I have plans for us.” He promises seriously. “Big plans for us.”

“There is no us, Jack.” You whisper, hand on the knob and tears in your eyes. “Goodbye.” His hand falls away and his world crumbles as you walk out the door and out of his life.

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Jack Whiskey Daniels #Jack Daniels #Agent Whiskey #Jack Daniels x you #Jack Daniels x reader #Jack Daniels x female reader #Jack Daniels x f!reader #microfic #angst #break up

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eunnieboo · 7 months

Text

IYHM ask replies!!

also, a current snapshot of my mind:

💛 burrito-puppy asked:

Love to see the progress and art you made along the years! Can’t wait for the release 💕💕💕

thank you so much! 💞💞💞 i can't believe it's less than a week away... i can count the number of days left on one hand! AHHHH

💛 Anonymous asked:

Listen. The way that I too am freaking out! Gah. So excited. Can't wait.

THANK YOU!! every day i wake up and i lose my mind LMAO... the only time i'm calm is when i'm distracted, so i can forget it's actually happening haha!

💛 mickiee-art asked:

Where have you been my entire life?? I love your work so much! So excited for your graphic novel release! 💕🫶🏼

thank you so much omg!! i'm so glad! 🥺💖

💛 tabsters asked:

YOO DUDE ONE OF THE PROTAGONISTS OF YOUR SAPPHIC GRAPHIC NOVEL IS VIETNAMESE??? I'M VIETNAMESE AND BISEXUAL AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY THIS MAKES ME HSAKSHKAHSKAHSKAHSAKJ

AHHHHH i'm so thrilled to hear that!!! i live for these messages HFDSKDJHSK HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY

💛 Anonymous asked:

I just found your art today and after scrolling through your stuff I went and pre-ordered your book. I'm so excited!!

oh you are too kind!! ;_; thank you so much <3

💛 nimona-antifa asked:

WAITTT THE BLACK HAIRED CHARACTER IN IF YOU'LL HAVE ME IS A BUTCH LESBIAN? I THOUGHT IT WAS A DUDE OMG THEY'RE BOTH SO PRETTYYYYY FBFBDGD I'M GAY 💗💗💗 I seriously love your art its always so wholesome

HAHA OMG I LOVE THIS 😂 thank you!!! BUTCH LESBIANS FOREVER AND ALWAYS 💕💕

💛 albedosleftb0otych33k asked:

I don't know how but I only just found out about your graphic novel and OML! I WILL BUY IT THE SECOND IT COMES OUT! Anyways, I love your art and just wanted to tell you ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

omg thank you so much!! you are the sweetest! ( *´ω`*)♡

💛 jeweljupiter asked:

I just wanted to say seeing your art of Momo and PG makes me feel seen and heard I love the poc representation I’m a plus size dark skin nerdy black girl and seeing more women who look like me finding love gives me hope and makes me happy

when i tell you this means everything to me... it means everything to me. thank you forever T_T ❤️

i've been so focused on IYHM for the past couple months... now that the pub date is so close, i'm full of giddy anticipation and terrible dread. so thank you everyone for the love and well wishes! it's really getting me through it.

also, i wasn't sure how to announce this so i wanted to mention it while i'm here: Waterstones now has a special sprayed edge edition of IYHM! i got my copy a little while back and it's really gorgeous. if you like paperbacks i think the color is a lovely touch!

and as another reminder, i'll be having an in-person launch event next tuesday with Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond, WA! truthfully i'm torn between my desire to interact with people and my embarrassment at being seen in public, so please feel free to spare yourselves lmao 😭 i wasn't sure i'd do an event at all but i decided to try at least once before deciding if it's for me. so we'll see how it goes!

whew. the 17th is coming up so fast but i still have so many little tasks to do. the last time i talked about my busy schedule on here, someone sent me a message that said "you deserve a spa day," and i think about it all the time. maybe someday, anon. maybe someday...

#iyhm #anon #replies #jeweljupiter #albedosleftb0otych33k #nimona-antifa #tabsters #mickiee-art #burrito-puppy

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dduane · 8 months

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OK so listen: I am the same age-ish as both the illustrious Mr. Gaiman and, I believe, you. So when you wrote the first Wizard book I was closer to having a kid, not reading like one. Still, I will read nearly anything, my mother used to tease me b/c if all there was to read at breakfast was the cereal box, I'd be reading it. I've read a LOT of books.

Just read SYWTBAW. Not to state the ridiculously obvious but it was well worth the 6-week wait (at the NYPL no less, who has plenty of copies). The rest of the series, of course, are now on my waitlist.

2 questions for you:

1: Should I read them in order? Will it make a difference to story arc/character development?

2: Did you pick Schenectady off a map/resource or have you actually been there and were speaking from personal knowledge? Double funny b/c aforementioned kid has lived there.

I'm so glad I found you and your work. Thanks for being such a nice person and fantastic writer (and cook, huh?)

...Yeah, I'm not a bad cook. (Though my most effective education in the art came from the gents on whom Tom Swale and Carl Romeo are based.) :) ...And I've got a shade less than a decade on @neil-gaiman. But once you're past 50, these differences don't matter so much, as you'll no doubt have been noticing. Especially among fellow cereal-box readers.

Meanwhile, I'm glad you liked So You Want To Be A Wizard! (And NYPL kept you waiting six weeks for a copy?? WTF. ...But I guess that means their available copies are in demand, so I shouldn't complain.)

Re: reading in order: In this series's case, I do recommend sticking with the publishing order, as there's a definite events arc... and as part of that, both plots and character development become more complex as time goes on. (Possibly a symptom of the author coming to a better understanding of the world she was building. Who knows.)

And re: Schenectady: I've been in and out a few times during trips upstate, but the main reference is to an old joke of Harlan Ellison's. He used to get a lot of questions from people at conventions who wanted to know where he got his ideas. Harlan eventually took to answering "Schenectady," claiming there was some kind of useful-idea warehouse up there... so that when he felt he was running low, he'd get on the phone to them and do a bulk order. (snicker) It was a favored riff. He kept adding unlikely stuff to it as time went by. Eventually I asked to borrow the locale-bit of the shtick, and he said "okay".

Anyway: glad you're planning to follow up on the series. When you run out of the in-traditional-print material, you may want to have a look at Ebooks Direct. There's more YW material over there, including at least one non-main-sequence novel, the offshoot Feline Wizards series, and a batch of novella-length works. (Not to mention the revised, updated-timeline New Millennium Edition ebook versions of the main sequence.)

Meanwhile: hope you enjoy what lies before you! :) And thanks for letting me know you liked the first one.

#So You Want To Be A Wizard #Young Wizards series

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silviakundera · 4 months

Text

Dramas I watched in 2023

[Chinese Dramas]

My Journey to You - Wuxia. Spy games, badass ladies, subtextually homoerotic cousins. Gentle & sweet ML who melts the cold & calculated heart of FL assassin. Gorgeous setting and cinematography. Left me with a burning desire to see Zhang Ling He play more gentle babygirl MLs and Esther Yu to play more anti-heroes. Absolutely perfect to me.., if we just pretend the director didn't add a pointless cliffhanger in the last 5 min. Which is how I choose to live my life.

Story of Kunning Palace - 'rebirth' costume drama that I waited to air for like 2 years or something and then it... actually didn't disappoint? And was almost everything I wanted? 😳😲 This is THE couple for that post about the pair that need to be stuck in a neverending monogamous relationship with each other as a quarantine measure to protect everyone else.

A Journey to Love - wuxia perfection. The stand-out drama that I wasn't expecting. Murder mommy & murder daddy became an otp for the ages and all of the supporting characters were interesting and dynamic. I cared about so many more characters than I expected and never fast fowarded. Just immensely satisfying.

The Ingenious One - wuxia with a weak, scheming scholar protagonist on a revenge quest (yes, we've all heard that before!) who puts together a group to execute his cons, Leverage style. I love me a martial artist x weak scholar couple 👌. Some exciting twists & turns in this one. Both A Journey to Love and The Ingenious One are best enjoyed coming in with little to no information. Hell, skip the trailers and simply dive in!

Hidden Love - Modern drama. Top tier romance-novel-on-screen writing and acting. It felt honest and real. The coming of age arc for the FL was well done. Great brother & sister relationship that feels authentic. The ML's backstory was so heart breaking because it was never overplayed for melodramatics. Just a quiet pain, a distance and a burden he carried with him.

Road Home - Modern. "Do you remember who I am?" / "Yes. If I were to turn to ashes, I would still remember you." I am very weak for the "reunited exes", "second time around" trope when the actors are capable and the breakup wasn't a narratively convenient 'misunderstanding'. As a career woman who works very long hours, I also tend to appreciate modern drama relationships where the couple manages to stay functional & supportive while not having a lot of free time for each other. That's my version of wish fulfillment 😂. I felt like this narrative made me fully understand why they couldn't make a long distance relationship work as young adults but now they're ready and have experienced enough of the world to know that they are happier with their lives joined together than apart.

Love You Seven Times - xanxia. I wrote a whole review post (love letter) on this one, since it seems rather underrated. I feel like this one may actually end up one of my fav examples of the genre. I just sincerely bought into the couple and their mutual devotion.

The Last Immortal - xanxia. Terrible trailer but turns out to be a decent show. I'm a fan of the genre, so I'm enjoying it. (I think you do need to be, to enjoy it - it doesn't transcend or really subvert..just a solid representation of xanxia) I like both lead actors and they do a good job with the material. It's working better for me than Ancient Love Poetry and Ashes of Love. After being eager for Song of the Moon in 2022 but then being let down (I dropped that one quick), I'm very happy 2023 brought me 2 xanxia I liked.

Three Body - modern sci-fi. Book 1 of my fav sci-fi trilogy of recent years. As a novel fan first, I was pleased to see it on screen with talented actors. Eager for book 2.

Love Me, Love My Voice - modern drama with an unusual couple (2 introverts) and dubbing fandom hyper fixation. A laid back relaxation drama, to de-stress with. Minimal plot, no conflict. Just sweet slow burn relationship building, singing & audio performances. Supportive friendships.

Here We Meet Again - modern drama that suffered from sloppy editing. I mean almost incoherent editing in a couple places, like when they are counting down the days until getting married and then.. It's not mentioned again? 🙃 But I very much enjoyed the couple's chemistry. I can't say it was objectively good but it sure was compulsively watchable for some reason.

Royal Rumors - Costume drama that was so aggressively mediocre that I don't have any real explanation for not dropping it. Except I find the lead actress unspeakably alluring. Blame my hormones.

Dropped

Back to the Brink - xanxia. Great concepts but the execution didn't work for me. I'm not a fan of slapstick and wacky humor within serious subject matter. (It's the reason kdramas can be very hit or miss with me.) The amount of humor layered into AJourney to Love is basically my limit for tragicomedies. (Note: I did go read the book and it was very entertaining - the tone was much more to my taste.)

My Lethal Man - modern. Embarassing english name, but they had me in the first half, not gonna lie. Then after her identity was exposed, I wasn't feeling it idk. Sometimes it's just not that complicated.

Destined/Chang Feng Du - costume drama. idk really why I dropped. I watched about a 3rd of it and then was distracted by other shiny objects. I plan to come back to this one in 2024 and finish.

Romance of the Twin Flower - costume drama; unholy abomination of a great novel. I hope somehow, someday, the culprits pay for their crime. Need I say more?

[Korean Dramas]

Perfect Revenge Marriage - a modern rebirth tale. For the 90% of it, I was high on the love of a drama that is just what you didn't know you wanted. The camp, the dedication, the scenery chewing, the glorious evil step mother. It was magical. And then the last 2 episodes I found underwhelming. I can't really explain it, the climax just didn't hit for me. But that's very much a personal taste issue and I'd definitely recommend to all drama lovers who enjoy the genre. Seriously, the performance of evil step mommy was a master class.

King the Land - modern workplace romance. I've heard complaints that there wasn't much of plot. But tbh that was fine with me, because some dramas are simply character pieces. This was all about the personal growth of the FL and ML. I ended up invested and rooting for the ML to become a decent guy who isn't a gross classist like his dad.

Destined with You - modern reincarnation drama. I blame my lingering kdrama good feelings about King the Land for convincing me to keep powering thru this one. Such a strong start but then half-way in I began to realize it simply wasn't going to go into the direction I wanted it to. I still have no idea what they intended to communicate with that love potion subplot.

Vincenzo - modern crime drama. I was late to the party on this one. But after I got around to watching the delightful Kinnporsche, this was rec'd to me as another drama that embraced the bigger than life unreality of Fantasy Mafia™ and provides a rollicking good time. Absolutely ridiculous and compulsively watchable. 10/10.

[American]

House of the Dragon - Awful people doing awful things to each other, as a 1st act before everything goes straight to hell. Plus freaky dragon-riding fantasy incest. What's there not to like?

Fall of the House of Usher (YES i DO watch every horror drama by Mike Flanagan thx) - Was it as good as the first 3..? No. Did I still breathlessly binge it in 2 days? Yes. Awful things happening to awful people, poetically. 👌 👌

#cdrama #drama review

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happilyfeatherafter · 1 month

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Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Back back back again, and I don't know guys, I think we should all just totally stab Caesar! Welcome back to a new fortnight of fics that I’ve read and loved recently.

If you want to find more you can see my previous rec lists here!

15 March 2024

Are You Writing From the Heart? by @luckshiptoshore is now complete!! Congrats Luck! Full disclosure, Luck is one of my very best friends, but that just means I know not only how much of a talented fic writer she is, but also how much of her heart and soul she poured into writing this love letter to queer storytelling, season 4 Destiel as a romcom, meta text (and subtext), and finding out who you really are when society and your upbringing is fighting against you. Castiel is a ghostwriter for L.S. Shore's Supernatural novels about Neal and his brother. Caught in a storytelling rut, Cas finds himself adding the fallen angel character of Bel...what could possible go wrong? Meanwhile at his local writing coffee shop spot, he meets the handsome stranger Dean who is an up and coming standup comedian and Supernatural fanboy. They because firm friends, but that's definitely it because Cas is straight....right?! Following these two dummies as they FAIL TO USE THEIR WORDS is a total joy, as Luck's humorous and emotional writing paired with her eye for detail is so very on point, and I'm so excited more people will finally get to read this story in full.

Baker Six by komodobits because !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how goddamn excited I was to get this email notification and finally be back in 91w world, and to witness these early stages of Dean and Cas' relationship through Dean's eyes at last. This barely needs a rec because it's THEE 91w Dean, but komodobits hasn't missed a beat in getting back inside their heads and I was once again swept away by this iconic love story against the odds. Head the trigger warnings as always, this is truly on the front lines as a medic in a war zone. Baker Six was written for the very good cause of the fandom Palestine fundraiser, in support of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Please donate if you can!

Truth & despair by @shallowseeker was a recent discovery and such a fascinating read! It's set in a post-15x18 verse, but importantly it features a fun Sam narrative perspective that delights in his lens by...being a bit of an unsympathetic oblivious dummy (affectionate). I really appreciate a crunchy Sam characterisation and oooboy does this pay off. Dean is steeped in his grief for Cas, and Sam is oh so concerned. He reaches out to Mia Vallens to understand his own grieving, and that leads to him making a discovery...Dean's memories of Cas' death aren't what he claims happened. With the unwelcome reappearance of Chuck (he lost...didn't he?) and LITERAL sinkholes appearing in the fabric of the universe, can they figure out what's happening to save Cas and save the world? This wip plays with physics, theology and narrative fuckery in such intriguing ways. I can't wait to see how it wraps up in the next two chapters.

The Leap by @friendofcarlotta started reading this one when Tina reshared it on Leap Day...because of course. I'd actually read it before but it more than lived up to the reread. 'Castiel Krushnic is a police officer in Soviet-occupied East Berlin. He is also gay, in a city where that’s a dangerous thing to be. One night, he meets Dean Winchester, a mechanic from the American sector. Their mutual attraction is instant, and a convenient hookup quickly turns into a passionate love affair that defies all rules and expectations.' Meticulously researched, emotional, heartrending and thought provoking. I highly recommend taking the leap on this fic!

See you in two weeks and OMG it's @deancaspinefest time!!!! I'm so excited *clears calendar*

Tag list under the cut - let me know if you'd like to be added to be notified of future recs!

@dean-you-assbutt-cas-loves-you

#happilyfeatherafter ficrec friday #destiel #ficrec #destiel fic

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hyuuukais · 7 months

Text

.・゜-: ✧ :- FICTIONAL REALITY .・゜-: ✧ :-

pairing • bang chan x fem reader

synopsis • fiction or reality? y/n preferred the former, escaping into another world, escaping her problems. so what happens when reality takes that away from her; wiping her own story-in-progress off both her laptop and beloved usb? and what happens when she opens the door in the middle of a crisis to none other then the love interest of her novel... and he's holding her usb?

warnings • general

MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

CHAPTER TWO • NEW LIFE (1.6k)

"Café guy?"

How is his number already in your contacts? And what cafe? The only place you could think of was the one chain coffee shop across town, but that couldn't be it. Or could it? There's only one way to find out...

The phone rings twice before he picks up.

"Hello?" When you fail to answer, he speaks again. "Anyone there...?"

"Yes!" You cringe at your loud volume. "Yes, sorry."

You pace around the living room, waving your left hand around trying to think of something to say. Thankfully, 'café guy' replies before you can get another word in.

"Oh, Y/n! I didn't expect to hear from you so quickly." He laughs breathily, and in the background there's distant honking; he's still walking back. "I also didn't think you'd actually save my number."

Another chuckle, this one less enthusiastic. Finally, you settle your pacing, opting to sit on the arm chair by the window looking out to the street. From here you could see the forest, and the kitten who lives there.

"Shit," you breath.

"Everything okay?" You almost forgot about the phone attached to your ear.

"Yeah, sorry, I just remembered something I have to do," you say, holding your phone in place with your shoulder. "I was just calling about... the USB! Thank you for bringing it back. It had something really important to me."

"Don't worry about it. I figured it was important since I always see you in here hunched over your laptop." He lets out a little chuckle.

"Oh, um," you force a laugh out, throughly embarrassed. "Anyway! I was wondering if I could thank you properly? Maybe over some food?"

"Are you asking me out right now?"

"No!" You jump up from where you were sitting, free hand outstretched. "God, no."

"Ouch," you hear keys then a door shutting. "I'll pretend I'm not a little offended by that response." Before you could respond, he was talking again. "Feel free to drop by the café, yeah?"

"Sure thing." You open the door and cross the street quickly, a bowl with cat food in your free hand.

The kitten's ears perked up when it saw you, but was hesitant to come forward. Although you'd been feeding it consistently for the year you've lived across the small forest, it never approached, still scared of what you might do if it got too close. From what you could see at that distance, there was a bit of scarring above its right eye and part of its tail was missing.

"I'll treat you to a free slice of tiramisu and everything."

"Holding you to that," you put down the bowl, standing up with a small smile and crossing your arms. "Tiramisu is my favourite."

"I know! That's why I chose it to be dessert of the week." Doors opened with a jingle. "Ah, I've got to go. Customers await!"

"Wait-" You're about to continue, but when you turn your head to the left, you see a black figure at the edge of the forest.

It's looking directly at you, but you can't see its face. The shape is human, a long coat moving slightly in the breeze. For a moment, fear ceases you. Something about it seems vaguely familiar-

"Y/n?"

Fuck, you need to stop forgetting about the phone in your hand.

"Sorry. Um, I'll see you soon?" You cross the road back to your front steps, not taking your eyes off the being.

"See you then!" He hangs up, leaving you alone with the figure and the kitten.

You watch from the safety of your home, now inside, as the figure approaches the small animal. Unlike with you, the kitten doesn't move away. Instead, it lets the figure brush its fingers on its fur. The kitten leans into the touch, and you can imagine it purring loudly. Part of you is hurt that this animal you've known for a year has chosen a creepy-ass shadow creature over you.

Pulling your eyes away from the two, you focus on getting ready. You're about to run up the stairs, but turn around and lock the door first. You don't know what- or who- that thing is, and you're not risking it entering your safe haven. The familiarity leaves you unsettled. Part of you wants to run back outside, confront it, demand the reason it's here; the other part wants to hide under a blanket like a child afraid of the monster in their closet.

There are too many skeletons in your closet for a monster. Or maybe the skeletons are your monster. Either way, the past is the past, and in the present, you are getting ready to meet a man who shouldn't exist. Meeting at a café that shouldn't exist. In a timeline that shouldn't exist.

When you leave again, the shadow is gone. A chill runs up your spine, goosebumps forming despite the warmth of the sun. Mind racing, you can't help but wonder-

No, don't think like that, you think, he has no idea where you are. You made sure of that Y/n.

Clouds obscure the sun by the time you make it to Main Street, keeping an eye out for the café. You had to text Café Guy- you really should get his name- to ask the address. He questioned it a bit considering you were a regular, but you quickly ended the conversation. Now, you're walking a street you've been down a million times, and at the first intersection is the café.

"That's not fucking right," you whisper, voice higher by the end of the sentence, breathing constricted.

Upon entering, you immediately spot him. He's running around behind the counter, helping his employees and cracking jokes, and getting closer, you can read his name tag; Chan. You don't approach the counter right away, opting to stay behind a group of teenagers waiting in line to watch him. He shouldn't be real- yet, here he is, looking more alive than you have in years. A smile that could replace the sun, laughter ringing throughout the building.

What you would give to laugh freely like that again.

You don't notice him coming around the counter, having spotted you when you looked down briefly.

"Y/n! Come, we'll eat in my office." You give him a look. "It's quieter in there! C'mon."

Chan grabs your arm lightly and it takes everything in you not to rip it away. He leads you down a hallway to the right of the counter with three doors, two of them bathrooms. Behind the third door is another, smaller hallway, one door at the end and another on the left. You go through the left one.

"Cozy," you comment. The office is small, with a modest desk and chair tucked into the corner. Most of the décor is black and white, but there isn't much. "Spend a lot of time in here? Real homey."

"Actually, no," he admits, leaning against the desk, gesturing you to sit in the chair. You don't.

"So, Chan, what brings you here?" You question, although unsure of how much you already know. "There's not much here, unless you like neighbourhood drama."

"I could ask you the same thing. From the few times we've talked, you... you don't seem to like it here."

"That's a conversation for another time." You look down, crossing your arms.

"Alright, cryptic. Maybe I should be used to that by now." Chan pushes up from the desk, taking a step toward you. "If I'm honest, I don't really know how I got here, but you already know that, don't you?"

"W-What?" You stutter, looking up at him.

"Well... we've talked about this before!" He breaks into a smile. "You don't remember? Ahh, it was late, I guess you were tired. Basically, I just kind of found myself here after a long, long night. Cute town, decided to stay. That was... say a month ago?"

You force out a laugh, nodding along to what he was saying.

"Ah! I promised you dessert, let me go get it for you." As soon as Chan left, your phone began to vibrate.

Pulling it out of your pocket, you saw the words Unknown Number across the screen. This day had been weird enough, what was one more thing to add to the list of strangeness?

"Hello?" Silence. You heard a sharp inhale on the other side, but nothing followed. "Helloooo?" You repeat. "Listen, I really don't appreciate-"

They hang up.

"Asshole," you pull the phone away, rolling your eyes.

When Chan returned with the promised tiramisu, you got to chatting fairly quickly. Something about him made you comfortable, at ease. The odd phone call and shadow creature seemed so far away now.

"So what was on that USB anyway?" You blush.

"Um, nothing, just a story."

"Just a story?" He raises an eyebrow, picking up the now empty dessert plate. "Must have been a pretty important story."

"I've just been working on it for a long time," you wave your hand, as if to wave the conversation away.

Before he could reply, there's a sharp knock on the door. An employee enters, talking low to Chan about an angry customer.

"I'll be right there," Chan sighs. The employee glances toward you, gives a strained smile, then leaves. "I had a good time Y/n, don't be afraid to swing by for free desserts whenever you like."

The smile he gives you made your heart melt. On the way out, you turn before the end of the hall, giving Chan a small peck on the cheek. Embarrassed by the impulsive action, you all but run out of the café. If you had turned back, you'd have seen him smiling like an idiot, hand hovering over where you kissed him.

notes • i started this draft on september 14th ...................... it was so close to being able to post then i got sick !!!!! but hey !! now that i'm feeling better, i hope to be able to update this more frequently!

taglist • @yongbbokkie @chaeryred @tenebrisirae

TAGLIST CLOSED

#.・゜-: ✧ :- FICTIONAL REALITY .・゜-: ✧ :-#skz #stray kids #bang chan x fem reader #bang chan #bang chan x reader #stray kids x reader #skz fanfic #skz au #chan x reader #stray kids series

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bloodynereid · 8 months

Note

hiya! I'd like to make a request! being a roadie for daisy jones and the six (helping with the setup and things of the stage and instruments) and warren falling in love with you because you're always helping him with his drum kit (fem pronouns and I don't mind if you make it a one shot or head cannons, whatever feels best for you!! tysm!!)

Comets Ricochet

pairing: warren rhodes/rojas x fem! reader

a/n: hiii anon! sry for taking AGES to write up this request but I hope you enjoy what I did end up writing. (requests are open btw I'm getting back into writing so hopefully I'll be able to get back to you sooner - also feel free to just send in thoughts or if you feel like chatting)

tw: none ig? swearing, drinking mentions, kind of cheesy (i'm so in love with this man okay???), fluff

description: who knew making the wrong turn in search for your best friend's house would lead to this?

Y/N: Oh ok hi? Is this thing on? Wow alrighty then soooo where would you like me to start?

Interviewer: How about when you first met The Six?

Y/N: So you don’t want to know anything about my early life. Well now I’m offended. *You send a teasing smile at the camera before taking a sip of some coke at your side.* Right it was a really hot night, something you come to expect when living in California…

Carefully adjusting your tank top and wiping some sweat off your neck you rang the doorbell at what was meant to be your best friend’s new house. For some reason she had decided that moving to Laurel Canyon was going to help with the writing of her novel and you fully supported her… which is why you brought along enough champagne to fill a small pond to her housewarming party.

You could vividly remember the phone call from just this morning, her voice distorted by the receiver basically begging you to come.

“Please! I’ll even set you up with one of the guys from my yoga class.”

“You do know that’s going to turn me off going even more.”

“Come onnn. I’m sure you will meet some hot literature professor or something, just please promise me that you’ll come.”

“Okay fine fine! I give up, see you at 6.”

After no answer you huffed and then proceeded to lean on the doorbell until suddenly angry shouting was heard over by the garage area. Furrowing your eyebrows you peaked over the side of the house only to see an admittedly really attractive curly haired man walking towards you with an annoyed look on his face. Since when did Bev have hot friends? Other than you of course.

“Can I help you?”

Warren: This random chick showed up at our porch during one of our practice sessions and holy shit she was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

“Yeah uh hi. I’m looking for Beverly.”

“Beverly?”

“Yeah Beverly Stewart? This is her housewarming party…”.

When the guy’s face continued to hold a mask of complete confusion you were absolutely certain you had made a mistake. It wasn’t your fault though the roads all basically looked the same.

“Oh yeah I think you’ve got the wrong house.”

“Great! Ok sorry for interrupting whatever you guys were doing. I’ll be off then.”

The guy’s face had morphed from being confused to smiling over the course of the conversation and god he had a really pretty smile. You felt your whole body start to heat up, which only seemed to add to the embarrassment you were already feeling.

“Wait! Do you know the house number or name? I’m actually just finishing up practice so I could help you find it.”

“You really don’t have to do that.”

“No, no I insist. When a beautiful lady is in distress I’m obliged to help.” That comment would usually have you scoffing but he said with such an annoying degree of charm it almost infuriated you.

“Ok if you’re sure I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all, I’ll just head inside to let the rest of the band know I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Band?”

“Yeah I’m part of The Six.”

“Oh I’ve seen your flyers around town, I meant to check you guys soon.”

“Well darling you can check me out anytime.”

The man gave you a teasing smile as you rolled your eyes before quickly popping back into the garage and coming back out basically a second later. The entire time you were just mentally thanking Bev for making her come to her housewarming party.

Y/N: So yeah I met Warren first and I kind of became their unofficial then official roadie. And I loved it, even if I didn’t desperately need a job I would have quit any other job in a heartbeat for the band.

Rod Reyes: Y/N was a fast learner, she was better at managing the whole on the road situation in the first week than some of the guys I kept under employment.

Y/N: I warmed to the band quickly but ever since that first meeting Warren and I just sort of gravitated towards each other.

You were crouching next to the drum set, taking your time to make sure it was all being carefully put away. In your intense focus you barely realized when a large hand carefully landed on your shoulder. You shot up like someone possessed and nearly tripped over the drum kit if it wasn’t for a pair of hands catching you by the shoulders.

“Christ Y/N are you okay?” You twirled around to face the drummer whose face was covered in a concerned expression as his hands fell away from your shoulders.

“Fucking hell Warren. You nearly gave me a heart attack.” You playfully punched him in the arm after getting over the fright of your life. “I thought everyone left already.”

“Yeah well I wasn’t really in the mood for a party tonight.”

“You? Not in the mood for a party? Warren, is that really you or have the aliens swapped your body somehow?” You smiled, slightly mockingly, as you started poking his cheek.

“Haha, very funny. I just wanted to see what my favorite girl was up to okay? Is there something wrong with that?”

A string in your heart twinged at the words “my favorite girl” and you could feel your face lighting up in a smile, which Warren quickly returned - easily making you lose your breath again.

“Nothing wrong with that at all.”

That was when you saw something change in his eyes. Like a little spark was ignited and he came to some sort of realization. You felt as if you were the only two people in the world, almost like a spotlight was thrown on the two of you leaving the rest of the stage dark. Warren trailed his knuckles down the side of your cheek, outlining your cheekbone and then your chin before coming to rest on your jaw.

“Would you hit me if I kissed you right now?”

“I’ll hit you if you don’t.”

Warren’s face lit up and he cradled your face as you both started to lean into each other. When your lips met his it was like millions of comets crossed the sky in that very moment. Your body surged with energy and love as you tossed your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss.

“Hey! Y/N do you have the kit ready for me?” You quickly disconnected your lips from Warren’s and swiveled around to face a smirking Rod.

“Uhh not yet.”

“Well maybe Warren can help you with it, he is the drummer after all.” Rod sent you a wink before disappearing backstage.

“Now where were we, sweetheart?” Warren asked as he looked at you with a teasing smirk, but his true feelings were given away by his eyes. They twinkled with adoration and an emotion you were certain was also visible in your eyes, love.

“I think we were right around here.”

Y/N: So yeah I ended up finding not only my career but also the love of my life. *Your head turns to look off camera and a blinding smile fills the frame as you look at your husband.*

Y/N Rhodes is one of the most sought out for tour managers in the business today. She currently lives in LA with her husband, Warren Rhodes (former drummer for Daisy Jones & The Six) and their daughters Sophie and Laura alongside their many dogs. She will be co-managing the tour for the newly reunited Daisy Jones & The Six with Rod Reyes.

lmk what you think in the comments ly

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teriwrites · 3 months

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about me: a writeblr re-re-re-introduction

Hello! My old pinned post is officially over a year old and makes me cringe whenever I'm on my blog, so it's time to freshen things up again!

I'm Teri, I'm smack dab in the middle of my 20s and figuring out life. My writing is pretty exclusively original stuff, a lot of novels and a lot of fantasy, but I play around with various genres in short stories. Sort of a jack-of-all-trades in regards to hobbies - aside from writing, there's anything from baking to drawing with my ancient art tablet to cross-stitch to playing music to rambling around the patch of woods near my house to watching long-form D&D let's plays.

my goals

I recognize that every time I post something like this, it's with the intention of finally becoming as active on writeblr as I was during the pandemic. I also recognize I've never quite managed that.

So here are some more general goals to get me through 2024:

Finish my 2nd draft of Beyond Alder Creek

Write as cringey and brutally honest as I never allowed myself to as a teenager.

Speaking of, a large reading/writing goal of mine is to go back through every NaNo draft I've ever written (I've participated since 2011). So aside from just reading that and likely turning it into a whole spectacle on here for people's amusement, generally just survive reading through the writing from 8th grade. Stay tuned for more on that in the coming weeks lol

Finally, I have a general goal every year of reaching 100K words, between writing and editing and the like, but I'd happily be a little looser with that goal if it meant getting through others.

And now, without further ado:

my writing

Before I get specifically into WIPs, a general overview of the kind of writing you can expect from me:

As I said, I'm a fantasy nerd. I love worldbuilding, both on a large scale (nations and cultures and political relationships) and a small scale (a magic shop in an otherwise contemporary setting).

There's not a lot of romance in my writing, but there Are a lot of transformational relationships and codependency. Friendships, siblings, guardians, general ride-or-dies.

Thought experiments. I've been trying to catch and indulge more in my 'wait, what if?' ideas. Sometimes, that's fun little snippets of silly ideas, sometimes it's a majorly emotionally heavy scene for a story I'll never write. Sometimes, it's coming up with ideas to 'combine genres'. It's all about expanding the range.

wips*

Beyond Alder Creek /// draft 2 /// tag: bac

Winnie Pewitt has never believed in the fae. That is, until her little brother disappears, and she stumbles upon a faerie ring on the edge of town. Inside, a man seemingly carved from gold suggests that he knows who took the boy. With everyone else around their hometown accepting her brother's fate as certainty, Winnie takes it upon herself to craft the perfect deal and enter the realm of the fae with her new companion in tow.

The Lies in the Legend /// draft 1 /// tag: litl

The fictional autobiography of an elven noblewoman who rose rapidly in station and influence from an unremarkable youth to a diplomatic powerhouse. Spanning centuries during the prime of her life, Lady Ghislaine Agassi charts the course of her career and reputation, and highlights the dangers of making myths out of our idols.

*Though these are my primary WIPs, I have a page that covers various other WIPs and projects that I've brought up over the past few years.

I think that about covers everything! As always, I can't make any promises about how the year will wind up and where it takes us. But I will say, I've actually been writing recently, and yk I'm just gonna ride that high.

And for fun, here's some random facts about me:

fun facts

I have degrees in psychology and music!

I've lived across three continents, but currently live in upstate New York for whatever reason lol

The animals I've ridden on the back of include: horse, pony, elephant, and ostrich. The horse was my least favorite. By far.

I got diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a couple months after Covid landed stateside (in May 2020) and am Always ready to talk someone's ear off about it.

The first story I ever wrote was on PowerPoint and was about war breaking out between humans and aliens that had taken refuge on Earth after their planet was destroyed. I was 8. There was a Lot of Clipart involved.

I've never been published, but I once secretly planned out, wrote, edited, and self-printed a couple copies of a novel about my best friends and our college apartment. They received it for Christmas last year and loved it (or at least were kind enough to tell me they did)!

#writeblr introduction #writeblr #writeblr intro #writers on tumblr #writing #hello once again friends #here is my annual promise to be different this year and actually talk about writing #we'll see how long it lasts this go round!#teritalks

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mirrorhoppingdays · 11 months

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not me and portrayal of twinship

Be forewarned, this is long as hell.

Normally when I think about writing about media depictions of twins (as a highly opinionated twin), two things stop me. One, nobody cares. Seriously, most people actively want to avoid understanding twins' point of view. It's my overwhelming experience. Two, it's just too much to delve into and I have thoughts about every little thing. I would digress until I became overwhelmed. But I think it might actually work to discuss this one facet. It might connect with a few people because fandom types are often actually interested in novel points of view and the emotional landscapes of others. And if I only talk about this one show that narrows things for me in a helpful way. So here goes.

As soon as Not Me starts with episode 1, there is an item on the balance sheet. We begin with the idea that twins can feel each others' feelings and feel when the other is seriously injured. We see this in Black & White's childhood and then again when White returns to Thailand after many years away. So, psychic twin connections. I'm both highly militant and oddly patient when it comes to twin depiction stuff. I don't love the psychic thing, but that's the variety of twinship media nonsense I'm willing to take on board *if* it's done well and it's worthwhile. When you begin a story about twins with a psychic connection and make it a central feature of your plot, you've essentially borrowed goodwill from me. If you squander it, then your balance will come due and you'll be left owing. If you use it well, I'll forgive the loan. So we start not on a bad note, but with higher stakes.

Pretending-to-be-one's-twin plots work okay for me. Why? Because as much as they might rely on twin resemblance, they can't work without the twins being different, whole people. That shouldn't be considered a positive because all characters should begin as whole people, but we know that doesn't always happen in general and it certainly doesn't always happen with twins.

We begin a whole big chunk of the story where the crux may be that White is sort of undercover as his own brother, but twinship isn't actually at issue much at all. It's about deception and risk, not twin connection or twinship. We do get constant reminders that White and Black are very different, and we get a lot of White trying and only kind of succeeding at pretending.

One thing that rings true to me is that he doesn't actually have to do all that great a job of pretending. If you don't know somebody has a twin, and to some extent even if you do, as a human being you'll default very hard to this-is-the-same-person. It's just necessary in every moment of our lives that we're not dealing with identical twins, so it's necessary to lean that way. Also, as a twin I know very well that the majority of people are highly unobservant about a great many things. And it's not like these guys have any reason to think this is some other guy, though it would have been a note of realism if at some point at least one of them had gone wait, is Black reporting on us to the cops or something because he's acting sketchy. They do point out that he's being weird, so that base is partially covered.

I did some Tumblr poking around before I was done watching, so I saw a few spoilery things. Thanks partly to that, I couldn't help but hope that Sean figured out comparatively early that White was not Black. That would have been kind of thrilling to see, honestly, as a twin. But I certainly understand how that might not happen, and I also see the efficacy (to the plot) of having him not figure it out too quickly. It's more interesting if he doesn't know right away.

Clearly Tumblr world loves memeing about how Black woke up from his coma when, possibly because, White hooked up with Sean (I'll be more coy in my wording than some). Twin-rep-wise, that's a wash to me, neither better or worse than the psychic connection trope. I'm already tolerating the psychic stuff, and I can't say it's not an interesting plot point. If you need Black to wake up, when else would it be? It probably borrows a little more goodwill, but again that's stakes rather than a deficit.

As someone who remains skeptical of the psychic twin connection trope, I will say this. The particular way Black wakes up kind of shows the absurdity of the whole conceit. I'm cool with it because this is melodrama and it *should* be bonkers, but it goes to show what you're playing with when you invoke that trope.

This is when stuff gets interesting, to me but I assume to everybody. White and Black are both running around in the world of the show, and crucially they're also interacting with each other. And some of what happens is honestly pretty great twin-rep-wise. I really have to hand it to writer/director Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana—she must be a pretty empathetic, intuitive person. (Along with her cowriters.) She seems to have made an effort to put herself in both Black and White's shoes in a real human way. Like, well beyond what the story would require.

I wanted to avoid digressing too much, but I want to go back to the very first moment in the entire show. In that brief scene, White looks in a dark, foggy mirror and says these words in voiceover: “When you see somebody who looks precisely like you, every part of his body resembles yours, you must feel really strange. But for me, it’s special. I call that specialness ‘twins.’”

When I saw this scene, I won’t say I knew this would be a thoughtful treatment of twins. But I did find it promising. Part of what annoys me about being a twin is how non-twins, aka singletons, think that being a twin is great because on some level they think of their hypothetical twin as an extension of themselves. Your twin is not you, and your twin is not part of you. Your twin is a human being, and like any other human being in the world there are some moments and some ways when they can seem utterly unknowable, foreign, unfathomable.

Back to the point in the story where I left off.

There’s a big twin moment near the end of episode 9: White is confronted in Black's apartment by an unknown figure, only to find that it's his brother. White’s voiceover tells us what he's thinking, and he calls back to that brief beginning scene. Now that I’ve gone back to look at both moments, I can say that they’re very similar in length and rhythm. So I suspect our writer/director was not only deliberate about the echo but also exacting in how both moments play out.

White’s voiceover says: “I’d always imagined the day I’d see my brother again. It’s supposed to be a heartwarming moment. But now it’s happening. It’s surprisingly frightening. It’s as though I’m meeting my doppelgänger.” Of course this is a translation, but it’s worth noting that you can hear actor Gun Atthaphan saying “doppelgänger,” so you know there isn’t a ton of poetic license on the part of the translator here.

White and Black exchange some awkward pleasantries, and then Black echoes White, saying "You look so much like me, it’s creepy.”

If I hadn’t seen my twin in ten years (especially at that age), it would have been very surreal even if that person weren’t as menacing as Black seems to be. It’s just that there are dimensions to twinship that fade in your mind when you’re not actively engaged with them. I assume that regular degular siblings can experience this in partial ways or in flashes, but I don’t have any of those so I can only guess. Seeing your twin after a long time apart isn’t somehow magical in a good or a bad way. But your twin carries all the powerful associations of any close family member along with a similarly large number of associations to your own identity.

I chase catharsis in media, but I don’t usually experience it strongly. But there can be a catharsis in recognition of self, and that’s what I get from these moments. To be clear, I don’t feel some profound otherness when I interact with my sister. She’s a sweetheart and I feel very close to her. But the twin experience, for me at least, connects strongly and meaningfully to some very basic aspects of my human existence. The fact that one is a little bit alone even in the closest togetherness. The fact that other people are never fully knowable. The fact of my own identity and how its boundaries aren’t quite as firm and distinct as I might pretend they are. How much I need connection. The way so much about my perceptions and actions can be strongly influenced by others in ways I’m totally unconscious of. Some of this may sound hokey! But it’s difficult to express it any other way.

Moving on. White goes to meet their mother as Black, and just as their conversation is ending she makes it clear she knows who he really is. You might think that bit is meaningful to me, but it doesn’t strike a stong chord. Parents can tell their twin children apart, yes. Would it be harder after ten years? Assumably. What is it supposed to mean about her that she can? I don’t know; I’m not a huge fan of hers.

Black encounters Sean and is incredibly cruel to him, beats him, and it sucks. It annoys me to heap praise on actors for playing twins—actors play different roles all the time and that’s just doing two of them in the same project—but I have to admit that Gun Atthaphan not only does a great job playing dual roles, but a good job playing twins specifically. In a way it’s hard to understand now, having seen what we have as the audience, how Sean could fail to see that this isn’t “his” Black. But he doesn’t, because there’s no way anything else is possible according to what he knows about his world.

Sean sees White-as-Black again as White saves him from sketchy mercenary types, and then tries repeatedly to confront him. White doesn’t really explain and Sean doesn’t come to an obvious epiphany. But when Sean sees Black again, something has clicked. He attempts the trust fall White showed him and Black just stares on contemptuously. Black is smoking “again.” And we get to another big twin moment. This is episode 12.

Sean gets it. He says “You’re not the Black that I love.” He handcuffs himself to Black. They have an oddly realistic fight that involves various uncomfortable wrestling positions. And he says “You have a twin brother?” Black denies it, Sean insists repeatedly. And you see Black’s face change from contempt to anger as he says “Don’t you get close to my little brother again.”

This is a fun, climactic moment. It is, of course, adorable that Sean insists he won’t stay away from White, and honestly pretty adorable in an extremely grumpy way that Black is being protective. (Here again Gun is very convincing. For such a small, baby-faced guy he is genuinely menacing as Black.)

The moment is also true to my experience, though the only direct connections I can make aren’t exactly similar in circumstances. If your social world intersects heavily with that of your twin, there really are particular moments in many romantic relationships and even in many close friendships where the other person will sort of take a twin inventory with you. They don’t go on a spiel about how you’re cooler than your twin (unless maybe they suck as a person), they probably don’t even compare you exactly. But each person has to come to their own realization because (often at least) while they knew you and your twin are different people, they had to learn it all over again on another level. And they want you to know they perceive it.

There are smaller iterations of this phenomenon where people will emphatically tell you that while they have been able to tell you apart in the past, *now* they don’t even think of you as looking the same, now they can’t imagine how anybody *ever* confuses you. It’s not like this happens every single time I get to know every single person, but it’s so common in its broad strokes that I feel confident saying that the people around me and my sister share some common experiences in how they perceive us. And a change comes at a certain point that’s compelling enough that people are motivated to talk about it, try to make you understand.

Anyway, while this is a phenomenon that happens around me rather than to me, Sean’s insistence strikes a chord.

Sean finds White. White does a totally accidental trust fall, and it’s pretty cute.

White... decides to halfway drown himself to “remind [Black] of [their] connection”? Which makes some intuitive sense in the moment even if it sounds a bit silly. And is a little. Black finds him, they talk, Black concludes that he can’t stop White from staying with the group, going on their mission, and being with Sean. White stops Sean from going to the drug warehouse alone, at which point he says something that rings true for me as well. He explains why he hesitated to stay part of things, and says “I thought it wasn’t my place.”

When Black returned and demanded his phone, demanded White go away and not see the gang anymore, White went along with that because in a real way that was valid. White had genuine reasons for essentially stealing Black’s life, but that is what he did. White is an empathetic sweetheart so while he did get used to Black’s world he does feel guilty and out of place suddenly. But now he sees that things have changed, and he can’t go back to before all this happened. And of course he’s in loooove, so there’s that as well.

Then White tells the other dudes who he is (except for Gumpa, who knew the whole time) and it takes them a while to believe him. But when they do, they immediately do the twin inventory with him, saying how did I not see this earlier, etc.

They do their attempted heist, loads of shit goes wrong, they fall from various frying pans into various fires for a good while. They get away, things settle down. Sean does the twin inventory with White again and insists he’s completely able to tell White and Black apart now.

Then we have my final twin moment. White says he knows Black won’t be returning to the group. “Nobody wants to live in someone else’s shadow,” he says. “My brother sacrificed this role for me.”

This rings true for me. As a twin, you never want to think of yourself as interchangeable with your sibling. But at the same time many relationships and groups don’t have room for each of a pair of twins to feel comfortable. It’s not like you have to come up with some legalistic scheme for who “owns” a social group or anything like that. But at least in my sort of twin relationship, you’re never going to have a symmetrical relationship with a third person or a social circle. Even if you each have the same degree of connection to the same person, it’s different. And I can’t say it’s ever really been the same. One has always been closer, or more comfortable, or something.

Well, if you can believe it that’s not everything I could have said. But it’s a lot, and if you made it to the end I thank you. In case it doesn’t go without saying, I did find it worthwhile to indulge the psychic twin trope. What I got out of Not Me was worth the latitude.

#not me #not me the series #gun atthaphan #off jumpol #avoiding twin tags like the plague until i figure out which are not sketchy

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codylabs · 1 year

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WAIT WAIT WAIT are you familiar with bionicle lore??? I need your help

Because when I was a kid I watched Bionicle: The Legend Reborn, and I fell in love with all the characters in it, and have been completely baffled in trying to find out what the hell the rest of bionicle lore is.

Can you help me understand?? Where did Mata Nui and his friends go after that movie??

Aight so first off, curse you.

Curse you and dang you and blast you and encase you in protodermis for all eternity, because this question is too difficult to answer. It's just too long. But since I love Bionicle lore more than any other lore (it is better than any other lore) and since you asked so earnestly, I will do my best.

I'm also not a real expert on this (there's a lot of tie-in novels for example that I haven't read), but I know enough that I can guarantee the rest of this will have only like 1 or 2 errors.

So.

The center and focal point of Bionicle lore (if you want the big picture and/or have already seen the big reveal (which I gather you have)) is that everything revolves around an enormous titanic robot.

This guy:

That guy.

In case THE OCEAN coming up to his ANKLES and the ATMOSPHERE ending at NIPPLE LEVEL wasn't enough of a giveaway, this lad is fairly large. Enough that he has entire civilizations and ecosystems of biomechanical people and animals living in chambers inside of him, to maintain and repair him, and fill him with life and beauty. All of the regular characters (the ones you read about in the comics and see in the movies and get toys of) are at this comparatively-microscopic scale. Most of the regular characters were actually part of this robot's original crew and passengers, and it's possible that most of them didn't even KNOW they were inside a robot. The robot was controlled by an AI called Mata Nui, aka The Great Spirit.

The robot had originally been constructed on the planet Spherus Magna. A cataclysm had split the planet apart into three pieces: the desert planet Bara Magna, and two moons, the oceanic Aqua Magna and forested Bota Magna. The robot's destiny was to remake the shattered world, but it first traveled the universe doing other tasks. Before it was able to accomplish its destiny, disaster struck:

One of the onboard crew, a Makuta named Terridax, was led astray by conceit and ambition, and sought to supplant the Great Spirit. He sabotaged his home, knocking the Great Spirit offline, and causing the robot to drift off-course and crash into Aqua Magna, where it remained dormant (though not broken) for thousands of years.

The majority of the Bionicle story (the first 8 of its 9 years) follows the adventures of the robot's inhabitants: the Matoran (workers), Turaga (elders), Rahi (drones), and especially the Toa (the warriors) as they worked to defeat the Makuta and his allies and reawaken the Great Spirit. The heart of the symbolism here is that Makuta is a brain cancer, and the Toa are the treatment.

After hundreds of years (8 IRL years) of struggle, the heroes finally accomplish their goal and reactivate Mata Nui, but Makuta Terridax had been ready for them, and managed to install himself into the mainframe instead of the rightful Great Spirit. The robot gets to its feet for the first time in thousands of years, but it's under Makuta's control. He begins to brutally oppress his body's inhabitants, and banishes Mata Nui's spirit to Bara Magna, trapped within the Mask of Life.

Since you saw the Legend Reborn movie I need not recount all the events of that story, but it follows the Great Spirit on an alien world, the same world where his body was first created, among the people descended from those who originally caused the disaster that necessitated his creation. During the events of the movie he joined the warrior caste of Glatorian, faced down a Skrall lord, and helped unify the planet's warring people.

From the moment he had reawakened, Mata Nui's priority had been to return to his body: to save his people and fulfill his destiny.

During and after the movie's end scene, he works with the planet's people to rebuild an second giant robot: the original prototype for his own body, which had been broken ages before. Mata Nui himself goes on a quest to retrieve an power source, and then uses that power source to reactive the prototype. Meanwhile Makuta, back up on the moon, senses this, looks down and sees him standing in defiance and challenge, and then COMES DOWN TO FACE HIM.

If you think you comprehend just how hype this image is, you do not. Comprehend again.

THEY THEN FIGHT

Makuta's minions swarm out of hatches in his feet, to make war with Bara Magna's people, while the titans duke it out above the cloud layer. When the land war seems to be turning against Makuta, he threatens to use a gravity beam to crush the whole planet to dust. Mata Nui grabs his arm and deflects it, forcing the gravity wave to hit the world's moons, and bring them drifting back toward the planet.

Mata Nui's prototype body is fast running out of power, and he knows he dares not harm Makuta, for Makuta's body is full of innocent lives, whom he loves.

But the story's main characters manage to win a sweeping victory on the ground, which distracts Makuta just long enough for Mata Nui to drive him back, right into one of the approaching moons AND WHAM

The cranial circuit that housed Makuta is smashed to bits, and the tyrant falls, never to rise. Mata Nui uses the prototype's last reserves of strength to finish remaking the world, and to fill it with life, before he too falls.

Mata Nui is very much the Jesus character in this whole saga. He had been a God, but defeating his enemy and bringing peace and happiness to the people he loved meant living among them a time, and sacrificing his power for their good. It's a really beautiful thing.

The series ends on a hopeful and open-ended note; the subjugation and annihilation that Makuta threatened will never come to pass, and all the other characters are free to make their own lives on a paradise planet: no longer warriors fighting blindly or refugees from disaster or cogwheel slaves in a grand design, but free people. To answer your original question about what happened to the specific characters of the movie, we get no answer. We know that Kina and Ackar and the others participated in the final battle, and we know that they lived, but of their lives and adventures after that, we do not.

If you want to get a more in-depth plunge into the lore, the Biomedia Project is pretty much your one-stop-shop. I'd recommend reading the comics. They don't give the entire story, but they're a good jumping-off point, and you can absolutely get enough of the story to make all but a few things make sense. In this explanation of mine I brushed over countless worldbuilding cornerstones and plot threads: the protodermis, the elemental powers, masks, the lost city Metru Nui with its eyelid suns, the jungle island which is confusingly but appropriately also called Mata Nui, the red star, the saga of Voya Nui, the masks of light and life, and Karda Nui, the center of the universe floating in the swamp beneath the thousand city pillars.

Bionicle is the greatest.

#bionicle #story #ahh #great spirit #robot

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aqours · 7 months

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In defense of JK Haru Vol 6

i know the plot decisions that emerge in volume 6 of the JK Haru manga (about halfway through the novel) are controversial but i'm gonna go to bat and say i think it. actually really makes sense and if anything i think helps create more context for what this story is supposed to be and fits into its themes very well.

and it isn't like, surprising its controversial: its a huge thing that comes out of NOWHERE on the semi-final volume of the manga/halfway through the book. and the question of "Why would Haru go back to the brothel?" and "Why didn't she just use this early on?" are, imho, actually really valid questions. and the answer is because it wouldn't matter. JK Haru isn't a story about changing the world, it's about the abuse that sex workers face and how Haru exists in that world. nothing really changes in the entire world from beginning to end: and i think that works perfectly, actually.

gonna post more under the readmore both for spoiler consideration and so it's not too long if you don't have the thing that cuts down post automatically! bare in mind i've read the novel and a chunk of JK Haru Summer so there might be spoilers inbound, as well as talking about what vol 7 will probably cover! (and on that note if i'm incorrect about anything from JK Haru Summer let me know, i haven't read all the vignettes yet and i'll edit this post)

nothing really changes in JK Haru's world from beginning to end. hell, the last bonus chapter of the novel is more or less just sharing the setting's mythology and explaining why misogyny is so deeply rooted into its culture: Haru does not change this world, nor could she. it is impossible for one person to have the strength to change such an incredibly rooted misogyny in the world.

Haru has an incredibly godly OP power that is not revealed into halfway through the novel because there is no way to capitalize on it. women are barely allowed to go outside on their own, and her power is one that requires her to -as bluntly as possible- fuck a LOT OF PEOPLE before it can start doing anything useful. and i'll acknowledge this could've been an interesting story in itself: "JK Haru Is A Former Sex Worker In Another World Who Wants To Defeat The Demon King" with chapter 1 being about how she's waited for the better part of 8 months to amass skills before setting off on her adventure: it'd be a dime in a dozen beyond talking about misogyny and having a fem protag for that genre, but i'd like to imagine it's a shiny dime. like, if i had to use a dime for a vending machine and had two dimes, i'd use the other dime first.

but that's not what it it's about.

JK Haru isn't just a scathing criticism of misogyny present in the isekai general, it's a scathing commentary about our real world attitudes. and it IS funny at many times, it is absolutely an erotic work that also wants to sexually entertain its readers if they want it to be a work for such, it is a commentary about what sex workers actually face. we live in a world where prostitution is referred to as the world's oldest profession: and society at large views their lives as worthless. Haru's problems aren't bad because she's a sex worker: it's the rampant misogyny and the treating that the lives of her and her friends are worthless as a result.

Haru at no point really objects to the fact she does this for a living in this odd new world she finds herself in. the most is her shock at the very beginning of "oh, ok wow yeah ok i'm gonna be a sex worker i'm learning how fantasy world contraceptive works-" and it's not this aspect of her life that's nightmarish. the abuse she and her friends have to face because they are women and because they are sex workers is a societal ill. it is made very clear that even if Haru had done this scenario of biding her time before setting out: what would have realistically happened?

if she beat the Demon Lord, if there was even a single man that was a part of her traveling party society would do their damndest to cover up and hide this fact. again, the skeletons of what could still be a fun story, is one that approaches the attitude of one person alone can destroy society's evil. so at the end of the day: those super OP powers end up just becoming a tool for one moment, then it's back to her old life.

because Haru enjoyed her life. she actually notes with hope this is the world she turned 18. this is the world where she graduated from being a JK.

Haru never dislikes being a sex worker because it's sex work: her issues come from misogynistic customers. and she even enjoys it more than once: her relationship with Sumo was something that even if she didn't particularly get a lot of physical pleasure from was something she enjoyed doing. the time with the Bard, while weird, was funny and clearly not something she actually disliked. she's a human being who enjoys sex, and at one point even develops feelings for somebody else and wants to have sex with him.

Haru, Lupe, and Sherasquo's problems are not because of the fact they are sex workers, that they are people who have sex to make a living, as opposed to the misogyny that comes with it, which tragically takes Sherasquo's life. if either her or Lupe had Haru's OP skill? it's likely that beyond the fact Sherasquo survived, they wouldn't have done much for it.

Haru isn't looking to be a hero. she's just trying to live her life as happily and peacefully as she can in the other world. and as we've now stated, Haru does not dislike the fact she is a sex worker and is unashamed that this is her occupation. the treatment she faces, the misogyny, those are the things she hates and harms her and women like her.

and the world keeps revolving. even after Haru finally uses her power to murder an entire squadron of soldiers, nothing changes in that world. Haru goes back to doing the work she is good at and comfortable with because she has found a happiness in her life and does not feel a need to use this power to radically change her life. because the truth is, even if she did, the misogyny is simply so deep-rooted into this world that Haru would probably find herself significantly less happy and much more miserable than doing what she wants to do. that is the choice she ultimately makes, and why a status quo returns: and it's a status quo that is still riddled with pain and suffering, but despite it, Haru managed to find a happiness for herself. and it is not as if she decides to forego all other desires ever: Haru does make a choice she wants to use her skills as an adventurer at the end of things, and even decides she does want a shot at the Demon Lord. she actively tries something new in her life: and ultimately returns to where she was to continue trying to live happily.

nothin really changes all that much in the world of JK Haru. everyone goes through some growth: hell, even Chiba of all people actually manages to become... kind of a decent person by the end of JK Haru Summer? but the world is largely the same. the reality is that sex workers like Haru will continue to face horrific misogyny, and at worst it may result in their murder. Haru is pregnant and ready to raise a baby and might or might not be married to the Demon Lord of her own free will.

so i don't believe Volume 6 doesn't ruin the manga. i don't believe that Volume 6 renders everything pointless. this was never a story of epic fantasy and fighting and how Haru changes the world around her: it's a story about one girl ripped from her home finding her happiness in another world. and she finds this happiness as a sex worker, is not ashamed of that, and has to overcome many trials to be able to truly claim her happiness in her hands. those who describe this as truly bleak misery porn are, simply put, just kind of wrong.

Haru is probably the single most powerful individual in this entire world and rather than using it to change the world with force returns to sex work to continue seeking her happiness, and that's OK. she decides that the usage of these powers cannot bring her to happiness, and that's OK. JK Haru is about the struggle of a young woman that must navigate a violent and misgoynistic world to obtain her happiness while drawing attention to the fact that for many sex workers in the real world, in our earth, this is a reality they have to face, and an adamant message that sex workers are people who are as entitled to their happiness as you, me, and everyone else. the fictional world doesn't change because of one woman's actions just as our real world will not change because of one person's actions, the entire setting isn't radically changed by Haru, and her having her powers even if enough to defeat the Demon Lord would not be able to change the world around her.

so in all?

volume 6 doesn't ruin this story or anything. it just further hammers in what kind of story this truly is, what it's really about, and i think that's... that's OK too.

#starposts #yeah if you can't tell i really fell into a rabbit hole #jk haru #jk haru wa isekai de shoufu ni natta #jk haru is a sex worker in another world #wow that. took a while to write

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ryin-silverfish · 7 months

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Chapter 11: Taizong's trip to the Underworld

-Fun fact: "Taizong's trip to the Underworld" is actually a tale that predated JTTW, and its earliest surviving form could be dated to a book called 朝野佥载.

-Another late Tang version could be found in the Dunhuang collections, in which Taizong's bargain with Cui Jue was a lot more complicated. In JTTW novel proper, Cui Jue/Ziyu was just another high-level official who took his work into the afterlife, but in the Dunhuang version, much like Wei Zheng, he was a living person working part-time for the Underworld.

-However, his position in court was nowhere as high as Wei Zheng's, so he took the chance to blackmail Taizong into giving him a promotion, and the whole exchange was full of subtle psychological warfare——Judge Cui offhandedly mentioning "Hey, you heard the ghosts crying next door? That's your dead brothers (whom you totally didn't murder in a coup)", Taizong being scared out of his mind but also trying to keep up appearances while figuring out the appropriate bribe for this guy…

-Fun Fact #2: Dead People Lawsuits were a common trope in Tang legends and folklore, where people explained sudden deaths as the dead getting a summon to the Underworld courts, or, in slightly more fortuious cases, appointed as ghostly officials.

-The novel sadly skips the courtroom scene and handwaves it with a "Yeah, the prosecutor had already been sent to reincarnation", which kinda defeats the whole purpose of summoning Taizong here, but whatever.

-On the plus(?) side, he got a free tour of the afterlife!

-I'm a big fan of Underworld tales in Chinese mythos, because, aside from all the brutal tortures and horrors, it can also be pretty damn funny.

-Like the Ten Kings asking Taizong for some pumpkins ("southern melons") just to complete their Directional Melons Set.

"Wait, pumpkins? Isn't that from the Americas? And aren't they still missing the 'northern melons'?"

-Precisely! This could actually give us some clue about when the book was compiled: pumpkins were most likely brought to Ming China in the 1520s by Portuguese ambassadors visiting Nanjing and Beijing, and the earliest JTTW novel was printed in 1592.

-So, when this segment was added, pumpkins were still considered a rare, exotic vegetable. Further research also suggests that, throughout the Ming and Qing dynasty, "northern melons" was just another name for pumpkins of lesser quality.

-How Taizong managed to find a pumpkin in 639 C.E. to give to our conveniently suicidal delivery guy is beyond anyone's guess. Hey, maybe the immortals of the eastern seas ran a cross-Pacific mailing service with their cranes or something.

-This is clearer in the Chinese version, but the law of Underworld's reality literally dictates that you cannot walk back from the way you come. So…does the road disappear behind you as you go? Are buildings in the City of the Dead constantly shifting and rearranging themselves like an Escher painting in Lego form? Or do you just have to go round in circles, a lot?

[A very rough map of Taizong's route through the Underworld, as I visualize it]

-In Buddhist canon, the Wheel of Reincarnation isn't like, a literal magical wheel. However, in JTTW novel and illustrations, this is very much the case, and might be a result of people mixing IRL scripture wheels (轮藏) with reincarnation (轮回).

-Personally, I'd like to see more creative reimagining of the thing; for example, a giant waterwheel on the Nai River that sifts through souls like droplets.

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

#jttw reading group #journey to the west #xiyouji #jttw book club

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