#I mean I could see where they obviously took inspiration from the book but still

[ay0nha]

Venus Rising | Thomas Shelby

SUMMARY: Three moments in which you run into Tommy, the final provoking a deal neither of you are prepared for.

“I am afraid of getting older. I am afraid of getting married. Spare me from cooking three meals a day—spare me from the relentless cage of routine and rote. I want to be free…I want, I want to think, to be omniscient.” Sylvia Plath (1949)

PAIRING: Tommy Shelby x f!reader 

WORD COUNT: 2.4K

WARNINGS: ANGST, swearing, smoking (tobacco/weed), criticism of time-period misogyny/misogyny in general, canon-typical things, angst again, rich people being annoying, no proof reading, rushed ending, slow burn, etc.

A/N: Oop, another Tommy fic, apparently it’s not quite out of my system. Inspired by the film How to Steal a Million (title is inspired by the original title of the book!) and @huntingingoodwill‘s post (here), ESPECIALLY with the third part of this as it comes from Carmen’s beautiful brain. Inspo is taken from various feminist writing and particularly an Agnes Varda quote. MIGHT do a part two, idk yet.

Comments are VERY encouraged! Enjoy. 

“Thanks for that…” Tommy was finally catching his breath but still searched for your name. He hadn’t seen you in the gathering below and questioned if the room he found himself in belonged to you.

“We’re better off strangers.” You weren’t defensive, nor was your guard up; you were just focused. Fixated. The painting was borderline mesmerizing, and you struggled to tell if it was from the art or how your joint dwindled steadily.

Your isolation was purposeful.

The reception provoked the start of a migraine; its noise bleeding through the thick walls of the stately home only grew more deafening as the evening furthered. To find relief, you wandered the empty halls, the stairs that led to darkness, and every door that seemed particularly off-limits.

It was a simple measure of self-preservation until your seclusion was fractured.

The door opened abruptly, a body sliding through the narrow space to hide in the most prominent shadow. You thought you were caught, but the man held a finger to his lips, expression prepared for the obvious chase.

You were the perfect accomplice.

Those who came looking for him were met with your theatrics, a role well-rehearsed; your eyes never glanced to where Tommy hid in the most prominent shadows; your upset alone secured you hadn’t seen the man with the razor-lined cap; you simply wanted to return to your silence.

“You stick out, you know…” You filtered smoke through your nose, half-lidded eyes remaining ahead. The thought was absentminded, your lips tingling with indifference.

“I have an invitation.” Tommy had it forged, making it nearly identical to the one you’d received in the post.

You hummed with amusement. “I mean—you don’t belong.”

Considering how you equated his presence with his class, Tommy considered taking offense. However, your humor exposed no ill intent. You were trying to relate to him. To offer some solace, you offered the joint to him between pinched fingers.

“Let me guess, neither do you.” Tommy accepted your olive branch with a drag.

“Oh, I never will.” Although your smile remained, your tone became distant. You didn’t glance at Tommy until he took another puff. His eyes were ahead, just as yours were, attempting to see what had enraptured you in the painting. “Just like her.”

The face of the young woman depicted was covered, but her body was exposed. You were sure the owner of the canvas only valued the misinterpreted eroticism. Yet, the scene’s voyeuristic purposes were to convey the end of a very long day. You were convinced if you reached out, you could soothe her aching muscles from her obviously laborious job.

The painting's size didn’t speak for its cost. You wanted to laugh at how something so precious was stored on a wall as a forgotten decoration. However, you would do the exact same if it were in your possession. It would hang on your ceiling that way; when you rested your head against your pillow, you could get one final look at it as if it were a mirror, a grounding reminder that there was company in such an empty space.

“You pity the poor.” The statement held a questioning tone. Tommy interpreted the painting and your thoughts literally; a woman relieved of farm work was being judged by you—someone worse than the bourgeois.

“Don’t you see it?” Bitter ecstasy carried your words. You wanted to be heard. “Her and I are the same…”

Tommy returned the joint, realizing its purpose was to aid and calm you from the turmoil you hoped to escape. He felt an odd sense to comfort you but wouldn’t.

Instead, he repaid his earlier debt with unaccustomed humor, “I doubt someone like you shovels shit for a living.”

“Doesn’t matter.” You let the smoke settle in your chest, its warmth comforting. “From inception, we’re indistinguishable, born with an innocence that is only nurtured to be stolen. Our very being is never our own. Once our bodies are pried from our minds, we starve because of it.”

“Ah, I see…” Tommy started, “You’re a modern woman.”

The joint was almost a roach, but you passed it back, ridding yourself of its responsibility. The man beside you was a stranger, and you were thankful for that position. Anything said didn’t matter. It would evaporate and leave no trace. Tommy understood this well, participating in a game he didn’t know the rules of.

“Modernity is irrelevant.” You corrected. Your words sunk into your stomach, weighing you down. “This is beyond time.”

—

“Gave a try shoveling shit, eh?” Tommy crossed his legs, leaning back with an ease you were envious of. A cigarette was rolled along his lips, a habit formed by comfort.

Once lit, the image was complete. It had clicked. “You.”

Thomas Shelby. Your memory of him held a haze, that night's intoxication cherry-picking how you retained the interaction. But your vague image of him was enough to understand his occupation. You were warned against his world, but you could only do so much when your worlds overlapped so bizarrely.

“Me.” He confessed with mitigation. There was a cadence even in his silence. Clearly, he was thinking of how to approach you, but you failed to recognize how he always remained ahead in his business. “You were found near the stables.”

“Apparently, I’m a witch.” You mused. Cheltenham was never dull.

Tommy hummed, entertaining your wit only slightly. “They think you’ve cursed the horses.”

Horses were efficient beasts that were often mistreated, that much you knew. However, they intimidated you into submission. Their role in your life was distant, typically involving a reflection of wealth and nothing more.

You hid behind the stables because you misunderstood the distance you created. It had a false bottom that showed those in your world never enter their stables, allowing others to do the hard work. Those around you wouldn’t dare stain their fine fabrics how you chose to.

Although the air was foul, the stables were the only place you could breathe without the hands of your arranged date finding home where they weren’t welcomed.

You knew the man who caught you was Tommy’s brother. Though they looked different, the air surrounding them was suffocating. They were driven by brutal confidence that manifested physically and for Tommy mentally. The mind game you were presented with was just as predetermined as the races.

“I want us to understand each other.” Ash fell from Tommy’s cigarette in thought. “We do not share the same fantasy.”

“And what fantasy is that?”

“Poor little rich girl—” His words were punctuated. “—thinks she can play gypsy until she hears the dinner bell.”

Your laughter made him flinch. “And what’s for dinner?”

Tommy had vetted you. No one knew anything worthy about you. So everyone simply fantasized about you, spinning tales. Yet, you were an extraordinary nobody—an amazing unknown. Suspicion wasn’t necessary, but there was no need for his growing intrigue.

“That man you came with…” Tommy knew who he was. He was another kid that thought one day he could rule the world. But all he was capable of was poorly executed white-collar crime. “Who is he?”

You shrugged. “To him, I am his girlfriend.”

“And to you?”

“Does that matter?”

Tommy quickly learned that your only form of retaliation was posed through questions. The more philosophical, the more your guard remained. “I've been thinking about what you've said…”

The admission alone was out of character and also misrepresented. Tommy's mind was riddled with your sentiments. It was a thoughtful comment on something broader, something Tommy knew of and was growing to understand. But that wasn’t what preoccupied him.

It was how your poise wasn’t carried through your posture. It was how you expressed yourself indifferently but spoke so sharply. You were a constant contrast that perplexed him, possessed him to look into you, into your life. He planned to search until he found a moment where you put your thoughts to use the way he had.

“You, a suffragette?” Your lip curled at the thought. “Now, that, Mr. Shelby, is a fantasy.”

—

Planning an escape was satisfying but little compared to the follow-through.

The feeling solidified when the silk hem of your dress billowed was the only trail of your escape. You could hear your name echo along the corridor wall, someone sent to find you and force you back into the festivities.

“Where are you going?” The voice was a mix of a whisper and shout, reflecting nothing but urgency. The guests weren’t privy to your behavior, but your absence was clear. You heard your name again.“You must come down! You’re upsetting the guests!”

Although your home, the walls felt like they were shifting, creating a maze to your safety. The click of your heels was like a countdown to being caught. That was until your hand frantically found an antique handle of the most inconspicuous door.

Sliding into the broom closet, darkness invaded your senses.

With its veil, you could make out the sliver of light that fought to illuminate the room from the other side. It tracked the shadow of who chased you, showing you how they inched closer, hoping to hear your rapid breathing. Once enough time was given to their search; the footsteps receded in the wrong direction, their voice calling after you growing faint.

Your relief was borderline euphoric; your body demonstrated success as the tension drained the further you calmed. You sunk toward the door, forehead against the smooth, cool wood.

The sound behind was as quick as the movement. Identifiable and surprising.

The match created friction that illuminated the small space with an orange glow. You moved fast, your breath pinned to the roof of your mouth.

“Cigarette?” Tobacco filled the cramped room, the burning end of the cigarette not quite exposing your companion. But you could feel the amusement at the situation radiate from the corner.

Your stupor made you move with shock. “Christ!”

Your hand shot up to feel around for the light switch above you, yanking on the cord. Awash in light, you took in the sight of the man who was casually nursing a cigarette.

“Mr. Shelby?” You blinked at him, dumbfounded.

“Tommy.”

“What are you—

“I’m a guest.” The cigarette bobbed with his chiding.

“A guest.” You repeated, your tone brimming with doubtful sarcasm. “And what is a guest doing, hiding here, so far away from the party?”

“I could ask the same of you.” He quipped, icy expression holding your own.

“Ah, but I’m not a guest.” You defended yourself, holding up a finger as you corrected him. “This is my family’s party. I am technically a host.”

“Well—” He began, taking a puff of his cigarette, silver smoke spilling from his lips as he spoke. “—not a very good host if you’re hiding up here, eh?”

Your eyebrows cocked as you took him in. His presence meant business. “I don’t seem to remember my father mentioning gangsters would be on the guest list tonight.”

“Why not?” He replied, shrugging nonchalantly. “We’re good fun at parties.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that.” You mused. “But I doubt this is your kind of party.” You wished to witness him in action, for him to live up to all the stories you’ve heard about him firsthand. And you could tell he was itching for you to ask. “What have you got planned tonight?”

“If you must know—” Tommy remained externally stoic but revealed himself bluntly. “—I’m here to rob your family blind.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your father has come into quite a bit of money recently,” Tommy said, words calculated and measured. “He’s been stepping on the Blinders’ business. So, I came here tonight to take back what’s ours.”

“How much?” You asked.

“A million dollars.” He sighed, highlighting his statement with a drag of his cigarette.

“That all?” You scoffed.

“You’d hardly miss it,” Tommy explained. “And, with your family’s yearly legendary holiday party going on tonight, I figured I could hide until all the…” He took a second to ponder, searching for the words, “...rich fucks down there were drunk enough. Then, I’d take what’s mine and leave. No one would be any the wiser.”

There was a pause. He wanted you to protest, but he knew you wouldn’t. You were reading him just as well. It quickly became a stalemate, but you had the advantage of toying with him.

“Well, I should fulfill my host duties.” You sighed, tone wrapping up the unorthodox interaction. “Find my father while I’m at it; tell him bookkeepers are infested in our walls.”

“You’re not going back down there.”

Another pause. Your skin crawled with jest. “And why’s that, Mr. Shelby?”

He shook his head casually, eyes boring through yours. “You’re not going back down there because you don’t want to.”

“What?” Your laugh was soft and unexpected. It was hard to determine, but some of you would have rathered a threat. This was almost as entertaining.

“I can tell you don’t want to go down there. So don’t.”

Behind your back, you reached for the doorknob, but as your fingers grazed it, you lost your nerve. You sighed, flexing your fingers.

“Move over.” You instructed, and Tommy listened. He slid closer to the wall as you squeezed beside him, arm against him in a one-sided comfort. “Poor little rich girl opening up to a gangster. Never saw that in the cards.” You plucked the cigarette from his fingers, taking a drag, carefully considering your next words. “It’s never as simple as it seems, really.”

“Sure it is.”

“It really isn’t.” You chuckled, eyes trained on the glowing end of the cigarette.

“Enlighten me.” He replied, taking the cigarette back as you passed it to him.

The emotions you kept bottled up bubbled in your throat. Living in the gilded cage of high society had privilege but was equally emotionally destructive. It felt foreign, the thought of exposing yourself with such vulnerability; you grew nervous at the prospect of having to do so.

“Simplicity is a pipe dream when your life relies on codependency.” Just the thought of it made you dizzy. “It’s better to hide than risk being a blemish to the family.”

Tommy stayed quiet. Then against better judgment, he spoke. “Why not just leave? You’re a clever girl. Surprised you haven’t figured that out yet.”

“You don’t think I’ve tried?” You countered without edge; you knew his slight dig was only to lighten things. He said his part out of decency. “Why do you think I was at those stables? If it weren’t for your brother…”

The crackle of your drag filled the new-found silence. You weren’t sure how long you’d stay there nor how long you subject Tommy to your company. It was a moment of brevity you both seemed to need. You hadn’t meant to find him, and his plan had nothing to do with you, but that in itself sparked your idea.

“Hey, Tommy?”

He turned to meet your contact, eyebrows raised, air mixing from the proximity. “Hmm?”

“How’d you like some help with stealing that million?”

#q #tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x f!reader #tommy shelby fluff #tommy shelby angst #tommy shelby fic #thomas shelby #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby x f!reader #thomas shelby angst #thomas shelby fluff #tommy shelby smut #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders fic #cillian murphy #cillian murphy x reader

[stelladoesstuff]

Ok

Okok

Hi hello

Loki episode 5 spoilers below because I have THOUGHTS

This is a lot of theorizing and just straight up rambling but who knows maybe you’ll get something out of it

Help me

The fact that one of the recap scenes TWICE this season has been Kang stating that he controlled every moment leading up to the moment is what’s making me think here. Because think about it- O.B. had to write the time manual in order for Victor Timely to create his temporal loom. And while O.B. stated that his work was based off of the work of Victor Timely, creating the whole chicken and the egg scenario, that first tempad prototype was because Loki gave him the TVA manual that HE wrote. He inspired himself. It’s a loop. Just like Loki pruning himself. Loki had to prune himself in order to go back in time just like O.B. had to write the manual in order to create the TVA.

And yes, he doesn’t remember this. But that’s because all of the TVA’s employee memories are said to be wiped when they entered. By Kang. Kang, who was Victor Timely, who had to read the manual written by O.B. to create the loom. But Kang can’t have O.B. remembering that O.B.’s manual was the basis of the entire TVA, so what does he do?

He makes O.B. believe that O.B.’s manual was based off of Victor Timely’s work. O.B.’s work was NEVER inspired by Timely. He just thinks it was, because that’s what he HAD to think in order for the series of events to proceed as they did. For the entire TVA to proceed as it did.

Also- notice how the room O.B. is in on the timeline is VERY SIMILAR structurally to his room in the TVA. Because that’s where it all originated. That was the foundation point. Kang couldn’t wipe all of O.B.’s memories from when he was on the timeline, because if he did, then O.B. wouldn’t retain the knowledge he had of making the tempad, or anything he read in his own book. O.B. had to retain some of that knowledge in order for everything to work.

So Kang specifically wiped specific memories. Memories that Loki had been the one to hand him the book. Skewed a few things- O.B. wrote a book. He remembers writing a book. So Kang took that knowledge and applied it to the handbook. O.B. remembers writing a book, and handbook states that he is the author, so obviously the memories align and his memories are skewed to apply the memories of writing his sci-fi book to writing the TVA handbook.

But then it’s a paradox. Because O.B. had to see the book to retain skewed memories, and so the book had to be written at some point… but when?

And so we’re back to the chicken and the egg. What came first, the TVA or the manual?

Also. We’re jumping topics.

Loki gathering everyone in one place. If you think about it… why did he have to do that? To figure out how to control the time slipping, sure, but… why did Marvel specifically make him run around on a wild goose chase getting everyone together?

Because he had to. Because it’s part of Kang’s plan.

Bring them all together. In order to do that, the tempad had to be made. The tempad which requires O.B. to read the manual. Which in turn leads to the creation of the TVA. Which means the entire group’s memories are wiped, and they are then TVA employees.

It’s a loop. As demonstrated by the beginning scene. Loki walked in, saw himself reading the manual, jumped back, and then was reading the manual and got called out by himself.

Same idea.

Loki went back in time to give the manual to O.B. In doing so, he sparked the entire creation of the TVA. He brought a group of people together who would become the TVA’s employees. And because he did that, every event of seasons 1 and 2 thus far could occur.

So in a sense, Loki created the TVA.

But still

WHAT CAME FIRST THE CHICKEN OR THE FUCKING EGG-

#loki #loki series #loki theories #mobius m mobius #mobius #ouroboros #tva loki #tva #time variance authority #help me im going insane #time travel bullshit #what the fuck came first #it’s a paradox #help #he who remains #victor timely

[babyrdie]

I gave my Patroclus curly hair and, as a fellow member of the "naturally curly hair" club, I wondered what it would be like to come back from the fight with some parts covered in blood. Really, in Patroclus' place, I would look forward to a bath at the same time as I would regret in advance the amount of time I would spend just on my hair (and in his case, a beard too). That's why he looks so sulky here lol

Armor

I remembered that Achilles' second armor (the one made by Hephaestus) was highly described, but I didn't remember the first one. So I went back to the scene where Patroclus wears it (Book XVI) to get a clue and there is a description, although short: the breastplate was made of bronze and had stars, the ankle cnemides were adorned with silver, the helmet had a horse's plume and the shield was huge. It's mentioned that Patroclus also took a bronze sword with silver ornaments, but I cannot say whether it belonged to Achilles as well. The Iliad clearly says that although Achilles is primarily a spear user, Patroclus did not take his ash spear with him because of the Achaeans only Achilles could lift it (it was a gift from Chiron to Peleus). As you may have noticed, this still leaves a lot of detail out, so the rest I made up from imagination.

I'll make it clear now that none of the armors in my drawing really matches Mycenaean times, they're more like "resembling" Mycenaean times. But in my defense: I've never seen anyone use the Mycenaean armor design when drawing the Trojan War characters either! In theory, it would look like this (although obviously we consider that this piece is old and has already been greatly altered by external conditions until it was found):

Dendra armor. See here.

So I tried to improvise to still get something close to the things I found, but that's it: I still doubt that my drawing is accurate, so let's use artistic freedom.

I was a little inspired by this vase, taking the Mycenaean tunic from it and the clothes decorated with fringes. Another site has attempts at reconstructing Mycenaean armor, which is convenient. Even more convenient is that the site indicates by name who is wearing whose armor (it also has Agamemnon, Odysseus, Diomedes, Hector and others from armies instead of specific characters). There are two versions for Achilles, but both are Hephaestus' armor, so neither is what I was looking for. I used a little of each for inspiration.

However, I still simplified the design instead of copying the reconstruction because I'm not much for drawing very detailed things. I'll probably change it more often, since here I only managed to draw the chest part due to the framing and the pose. And because it's after a battle, not even the helmet is present. So, I didn't do the entire armor design all at once, but rather "chopped it up". Result: I can't guarantee that I will keep what I already have because I don't know if it will be harmonious with the rest when I design it.

As for Achilles' hairstyle…well, truth be told! I've seen male characters being represented with a bun, as is the case with Apollo, but there is a catch: these representations of Apollo do not follow the Mycenaean period! From the Mycenaean period, you can tell that men had long hair, but I imagine by that they mean something more like at most chest length (average, at least). But my Achilles has hair so long it almost goes down to his butt. As a bonus, it's voluminous! It's a very impractical amount of hair, it can't be left loose. I could make a ponytail like Patroclus' (there's even a representation of Achilles with a ponytail), but I think with that size it wouldn't be enough because it's still easy to get in the way, so a bun and an accessory that helps move the bangs away. Of course, this would conflict with the helmet, but that's precisely why it's a low bun. From the images I saw, this part of the head was uncovered.

As for Patroclus, we have no description of an armor he wears other than Achilles' as far as I can remember. In other words, his armor had to be entirely invented, but I still used the same sources to get an idea of how to do it. I admit that I considered doing something generic for him, with the internal justification that he's neither a prince nor a king, so it wouldn't be so unrealistic and I would save time on this drawing too! But then I thought to myself if it would make sense with Achilles' character to not find a way to put Patroclus in a good armor and I came to the conclusion that it wouldn't make sense, so here we are. It took some work, but I'll tell myself that my man Patroclus deserves his non-generic armor too. And since he also has long bangs, I also had to add something to keep it out of his sight.

#tagamemnon #IK #patrochilles #the iliad #epic cycle #patroclus #achilles #achillesxpatroclus #patroclusxachilles #greek mythology #digital art

[thenanamisimp]

This isn't something I've really done much since I started this blog but I really wanted to discuss this week’s TGCF episode.

This is your spoiler warning!!

Heaven official's blessing season 2, episode 6 spoilers but there are also discussions of the respective scenes from volume 2 so if you haven't finished reading the novel, I'd suggest maybe not reading this post.

For context, I saw a user on twitter discuss how the donghua has been adapting Hua Cheng's display of emotions towards Xie Lian.

Source

I also saw another user discuss the difference between how the novel/audio drama and the donghua have been showing Hua Cheng expressing emotions.

(I can't share the source as the OP is now private on twitter)

While I haven't actually listened to the audio drama and I'm only on my first re-read of TGCF, these posts inspired me and I have thoughts and opinions that I need to share before I implode (one day it’ll happen I swear).

The scene the posters are talking about is after hcg saves xl from the heavenly Xianle palace, where they talk about what happened at paradise manor (aka xl apologising for burning down the armoury and lying to hcg about the earth master and hcg apologising for hurting xl’s arm).

In the donghua, we see hcg very obviously upset. He appears obviously and genuinely very sad about having hurt xl, even with the whole incident having been an accident. The distress in his eyes and voice is evident and clear-cut, seeming perhaps even a bit childish. In contrast, when reading this scene in the novel, while hcg definitely comes across upset, his distress appears a bit more calm and collected and he instead truly seems like a responsible adult who made a mistake and is sincerely apologetic for it to xl.

I believe that there’s multiple reasons why the dongua team chose to show hcg’s emotions in the way that they did. In my opinion, a reason why they could’ve chosen to do it this way is because of censorship. Now hear me out; clearly as a western fan I can’t speak much on Chinese censorship as I’m not highly knowledgable on the subject. However, I’d like to believe that the producing team is trying to work around the censorship laws in their own way. By making hcg’s emotions a little more over-the-top and obvious, it’s a lot easier for us as the viewer, especially queer fans that might understand queer dynamics better than others, to see and pick up on the subtext of what those exaggerated emotions mean while never having to be said out loud. And yes, we could argue that for those of us who have read the novel, it’s easier to recognise those subtle moments of vulnerability even if hcg’s reaction was made as ambiguous as it is in the book, because we have a lot more context. We have to remind ourselves that Hualian’s love story is never gonna be shown in the donghua in the same as the novel and people who are new to the story won't pick up on their relationship as easily.

As someone who hand’t heard of TGCF until Netflix licensed the donghua in my region (in 2021 I think?), I actually highly appreciate this difference in hcg’s character in the donghua. And while I don’t appreciate queerbaiting, watching season 1 made me search for the original source material and ended up with 8 very expensive books on my shelf (it took me 2 years to find volume 2 in stock somewhere…. 2 YEARS because I refuse to buy from amazon). San Lang (specifically referring to hcg’s form in volume 1 or season 1) is definitely slightly more aloof and energetic than hcg in his real form, so I do believe that his adaptation in season 1 was a lot more true to the source than season 2 seems to be.

My personal opinion is that, we need to view the donghua with a little more leniency as they have limits to the scenes they will be adapting later on (if the donghua doesn’t get dropped. Let us all pray together) and they have to make some things a little more obvious (but still no homo) to keep as much of the gay factor as they can without getting, you know, arrested. At the end of the day, it comes down to us what we prefer to consume and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people preferring one over the other. It's valid to prefer hcg in the novels and it's valid to also enjoy hcg's donghua adaptation, even if he's different and not completely true to the OG material.

Now when it comes to the whole “making xl seem oblivious thing”…. The jury is still out on this one I’m afraid. This was the final scene of the latest episode meaning, we don’t actually know how they’re gonna adapt the following scenes and this could very heavily affect the way xl reacts from here on. An adaptation is just that and like mentioned before, the donghua team has to make decisions on how to adapt things due to censorship. And at the end of the day, I think this is an interesting take on xl’s character as one of the biggest parts of his character is how he struggles to accept love and care from other people so one can argue that… He actually is oblivious in this scene? Especially at this point in the story considering he’s known hcg for like, a week, 2 weeks max (do not quote me on that, I haven’t actually calculated, I am lazy. Point is, he hasn’t known him for very long at this point in time). And while I would for sure be a bit disappointed if he still is presented like this later on in the story, we’re still too early into it to criticise the donghua over this and future scenes that haven’t even been touched yet. It’s not in any way fair to base our opinions on the upcoming scenes on a singular 2 minute clip of Hualian’s interaction.

So, I have said my peace. Please remember that everything I’ve discussed is purely my opinion and not fact, so take this post with a grain of salt. I’d actually love to discuss this further with people so please send asks if you have anything to add!

(This is also another good post to read about the censorship stuff I talked about in this post. I like how this user phrased it.)

Once again, thank you for reading a (lengthy for once) ramble!

theNanamiSimp

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #tgcf season 2 #heaven official's blessing #heaven official's blessing season 2 #hualian #hua cheng #xie lian #please nobody attack me about this #these are OPINIONS #thanks

[goodluckclove]

Migration Pattern Sneak Peek: Scott and Edgar

Is this spoilers? Kind of? I mean, if you don't want to know any cute developments in the relationship between Scott and Edgar you can skip this one. This does reveal a small element of their shared past, but if you don't consider spoilers to be literally any element of the story give it a shot.

I don't know, man. It's cute as fuck and I want to share it. Read more below!

Edgar’s mouth quivered in a hesitant smile. It broke free a while after that and he grinned fully, staring down at the bed. Scott willed himself to remember this moment and its entirety. The fading light of an early winter’s evening. The musky warmth of the room around them. His lover’s hands, still lightly squeezing his leg. If he had to crystallize one inch of the wild expanse of feeling he was capable of on an hourly basis it would be this one – the pride and affection, the shy hope like fresh-peeled oranges.

“What are you going to do with it?” Scott asked.

“Huh?” Edgar looked up at him, still blinking away the daze provoked by his praise. “Oh. Hah. You...You can have it. If you want.”

Scott smiled. “No. I mean – yes, obviously. But,” he looked down at the words again, almost as if confirming they were still there. “You’re going to submit it somewhere, right?”

“Submit –?” Edgar made a breathy scoff. “Come on, Scott. I haven’t written poetry in years, I’m not about to publish it.”

“There’s a birthright literary journal. Two of them, actually. I’ve only been checking the online one, but I think the magazine is still sold in Witch Town regions,” something occurred to him, and Scott perked up. “And the elders organize a yearly grant for emerging creatives! They used to, at least. When I was growing up.”

Edgar relaxed into curiosity. Maybe in hopes that he could change the subject. “Did you ever get it?”

“No. Yes – well,” Scott frowned, a little embarrassed. “They tried to, at least. I said no.”

“Seriously? Why?”

Scott allowed himself to drift into the grounding lucidity of Edgar’s presence. He thought of those snapshot moments – all he really had left of his past at the moment – where he woke up from sleep and immediately dove for his notebook to write the words fresh from his dreams. That time, alone in the silence of his small bedroom, was a completely different kind of inspiration than what he felt playing the piano. It felt like being cold and having someone who loves you wrap their coat around your shoulders.

The words weren’t his. He always knew that. When he tried to explain it to others they took it as the ravings of a muse-crazed artist. Scott didn’t know how to explain it any clearer than what he said. He had no idea how he arranged the lyrics that he did, but he knew with abject certainty that those were not his words.

“Can I show you something?” Scott asked.

Without waiting for an answer he shifted out of Edgar’s touch and went to his bookshelf. He knew in the back of his mind what he was looking for, but it took him a long while before he found where he left it before leaving home. Then it was there – the thick, battered composition book that contained every song he – or they – ever wrote.

It was so old. The spine was long ruined and held together by duct tape frayed along the edges. A lot of the black and white splotches on the cover were worn into soft, blank card stock. There was a mailing label stuck to the center where Tenzin drew a little doodle of him with his hair put up the way he liked it as a teen.

The shyness was odd. He was sure by now that he wasn’t showing Edgar anything he’d seen before, and yet his chest felt tight with anticipation. Because once Edgar would see this, he would know. He of all people would know. And even the thought of his understanding how Scott spent years weaving together their minds so intimately that he barely understood what he was doing...it brought a physical quality with it. A hand on his waist or the small of his back.

He took a deep breath and turned around. It was time they understood each other.

“Here,” he said.

Edgar didn’t look like he understood what was about to happen. Still, he took the book, and after smiling at the state of the outer cover he opened to the first page.

His smile didn’t fade. He wasn’t upset. Edgar’s expression did freeze in place for a while, and for a moment or two it was clear that he stopped breathing entirely. His eyes didn’t blink as he carefully flipped through the pages. A few times he stopped like he was about to read through a page, but then he would quickly swipe away.

After some time he closed the notebook and put it down on his lap. Edgar still stared down where it once laid open. He wasn’t upset. It just looked like he was thinking.

Scott felt naked. Skinless. Just bare, shamefully-pulsing meat shivering in the still air of his bedroom. It was unbearable.

“These are your songs?” Edgar said, quiet and a little vague.

“I know they’re…” Scott coughed softly into his hand and tried again. “I know they’re not…”

“Are these the only ones you wrote down?”

“No, I – I’d think of more. But…” he smiled weakly, even though Edgar wasn’t looking at him. “Those were my favorites. They were the ones that I could think of a good melody for.”

“Because you’d...sing them,” Edgar’s voice got even softer. “You would – would sing my...sing your…”

Edgar’s chest was beginning to rise and fall at a slightly faster rate. Scott wanted to touch his chest. He craved the heat of his bond’s skin warm against his cheek and the sound of his heart beat thumping in his ear. But if he did that now Scott would leave damp, sour-smelling stains on Edgar’s shirt, because at the moment he was still a pile of skinless meat.

“You…” Edgar let the word grow, bloom, ripen and fall in the air above their heads. “You liked it?”

“It meant everything to me,” Scott said.

A small smile touched Edgar’s face. “I-I’ve never – I mean, I never showed my poetry to anybody. But some of this…” he made a noise that was between a laugh and a sigh. “A lot of this are things I’d rip out and burn as soon as I finished them.”

“They’re so precious to me,” Scott whispered. “You’re so precious to me.”

Edgar lowered his head. He took one hand and ran the thumb up and down the inner crook of his opposite elbow. Scott remembered the first time he did that, right as they stood by Edgar’s open bedroom door on the night they meant. He could still feel the ghost of what he felt back then, but overlaid on top of that was the new determination of what he had to do next.

He crossed the small space between them and got down on his knees in front of Edgar. Just as his lover started to lift his hand, Scott carefully took his hand from off his arm and pressed it to his lips. He held it there, then cupped the palm against his cheek. Scott closed his eyes and felt the slight roughness of Edgar’s touch, the grazing of callouses, the raised line of his bond scar.

In the darkness of his closed eyes he head Edgar’s voice begin to tremble. “You’ve been waiting for so long…” he began.

“I’d do it again.”

“I haven’t done anything.”

“You survived,” Scott said.

Edgar huffed a derisive laugh through his nose. “Look at you, Scott. I’m nothing like you –”

“I know,” Scott breathed. “That’s my favorite part about all of this.”

He felt Edgar’s hand move on its own, fingers tracing down the side of Scott’s face. He opened his eyes when he felt Edgar tilt his head up to look at him.

“It isn’t fair,” he said. “It’s not fair to you. I’m pretty much a normal human being, and you’re this goddamned painting –”

“Then let’s be normal together.”

Edgar furrowed his brow. “What?”

In a sudden burst of passion Scott rose up higher and kissed Edgar, gentle and long with his lips relaxed. He pulled back enough to see nothing else of reality other than the vibrant brown of Edgar’s eyes. Scott smiled, immersed in the color.

“Teach me how to tie my shoes,” he said.

Edgar was torn between laughter and charm. “I – you know, I had a feeling…”

Scott kissed him again, moving forward until he had Edgar fully reclined across the middle of the bed. He felt Edgar’s hands on either side of him – not obstrusive, more stabilizing than anything else. Which only fueled his fire even more.

“Let’s go grocery shopping together,” he whispered in Edgar’s ear. “I want you to show me how to drive a car.”

He heard Edgar shudder a breath and tighten his grasp on Scott’s waist. Just weak – no, not weak. Not Edgar. Just surrendering.

Scott kissed his forehead. “I want to register to vote,” he said.

“Are you not..?” Edgar’s breath hitched as Scott kissed each of his cheeks. “Have you never voted?”

“Security measures.”

He started to kiss Edgar again when his bond stopped their faces from fully meeting. Edgar steadied his face about a foot above him and stared deeply into his eyes. Scott felt his fingers graze the bridge of his nose and run across his lips. Edgar took every part of him in, seeing with such clarity that Scott could almost use him as a mirror.

Scott let this happen. He let himself be seen.

“I don’t want to go back,” Edgar finally whispered.

“Okay,” Scott said. “Then you won’t go back.”

“I don’t know what else is out there,” Edgar lowered his hands and let them fall on the mattress above her head. “You’ve been all over the country, haven’t you? What’s it like?”

They were lying across the bed, Scott straddled over Edgar’s waist. In another life, and with another person, Scott would be stripped and in the middle of ravishing or being ravished by now. But Edgar was apparently open for a casual conversation. If the depths of Scott’s devotion for him in that moment had a physical presence it would be an ocean without a bottom.

He moved off from on top of Edgar and laid down beside him across the bed. They stared up a the ceiling. After a moment, Scott moved to interlace their fingers.

“Vermont’s nice,” he said.

#writeblr #writers on tumblr #authors of tumblr #queer writers #on writing #writing #writing community #migration patterns #actually writing #asexuality #asexual #acespec #asexual smut

[buffyfan145]

I finally got to read Tolkien's "The Fall of Arthur", his unfinished poem of his take on the King Arthur stories, and it was really good!!! :D I've always liked these stories/movies/shows about Arthur, Guinevere & Lancelot, and Camelot and knew it was one of the major inspirations for LOTR too, but now being a Haladriel shipper this also took on a different meaning like how I see their relationship now in the other LOTR books. I've broken down some of the similarities I noticed and how this also fits them, and this is again another example of how Tolkien actually did write similar Haladriel like stories as some of these also fit our fics we've written.

Mordred and Guinevere were a couple first in the original stories. Both fell in love and decided to marry and rule the kingdom together. Similar to "Tristian and Isolde" where a young woman marries an older king but falls in love with his nephew that's closer to her age (and in that story Tristan hid his identity at first because they were enemies with Isolde being an Irish princess and he and his uncle from Cornwall). They had children together too in some stories, and before he was killed Arthur cut off Mordred's hand.

Obviously their names when you use Sauron's original name: Mairon/Mordred & Galadriel/Guinevere.

Tolkien wrote Guinevere as having golden hair similar to Galadriel and blue eyes that captivated the 3 men who loved her and looking like a beautiful fairy-woman (aka elf) likely because she was a Welsh princess (and Morfydd being Welsh). Mordred and Lancelot both are described by him too as being dark haired, tall, and handsome. Using this gif here of the 2011 series "Camelot" as Guinevere was like how Tolkien wrote and there's even a scene where she holds up a dagger to Arthur's throat (though couldn't find a gif of that moment LOL).

Lancelot only got added to stories later when the French started writing them and took the role of being Guinevere's lover away from Mordred as most there thought he was too evil to be with Guinevere (LOL), but Mordred still lusted after her and wanted her to be his queen/wife but she turned him down in these stories.

Lancelot and Guinevere were given matching, magical rings in some stories that warded off evil. In some stories too she has magical powers of her own and might be part fairy. He also saved her when she was held captive.

Lancelot and Guinevere were separated by the sea and would only meet again after death/end of the world. Tolkien even wrote it that it "sundered" them, similar to the Sundering Seas.

Tolkien reused names of places like Mirkwood and Avalon. Christopher even included outlines of how his dad was going to end his version and that Arthur being taken to Avalon was going to connect to LOTR with it being Avallonë and that Eärendil's Way was going to take them there.

Tolkien kept referring to Mordred taking over Camelot as a shadow taking over it, similar to how he described both Morgoth and Sauron doing the same in Middle Earth.

Also was the only time Tolkien ever wrote a character lusting after a married woman (Mordred) and having fantasies about her. He also wrote about how Guinevere and Lancelot were truly in love, even with her being married. The guilt though over all of this, the destruction of Camelot, and the deaths of Arthur and Mordred also, normally led her to becoming a nun and staying away from Lancelot even though they could've been together, and Lancelot became a priest. However, Christopher said Tolkien was going to end it with Lancelot going after Arthur to Avalon and he never came back to England (possibly if he found Avalon he couldn't leave as like in all the LOTR books if a mortal finds the straight road they can't go back to Middle Earth/our world) while Guinevere went back to her family in Wales. It also makes you wonder what Tolkien considered Arthur's sister/Mordred's mother Morgan as she could travel between the island and England and Christopher never addressed this. Would also mean Mordred is part what his mother was too.

There's now been books that have included Guinevere and Mordred being lovers again too, and even some where she does fall in love with Lancelot as well, but he's still exiled and then her relationship with Mordred happens. Kiersten White's YA book series "Camelot Rising" even has the two of them form a friendship first and she's torn between all 3. The reviews I saw also sounded like us with Haladriel as Mordred is more sympathetic and it's easier to understand his motivations, he alone truly sees Guinevere for who she is and the power she could have, and their feelings for each other are real.

Then "The Book of Mordred" by Vivian Van Velde's cover image of Mordred weirdly even looks like Halbrand/Sauron/Charlie Vickers but it was released in 2005!!! LOL :D

#the lord of the rings #the rings of power #haladriel #galadriel x halbrand #galadriel #halbrand #sauron #mairon #jrr tolkien #king arthur #mordred #guinevere #lancelot #books #morfydd clark #charlie vickers

[manuscripts-dontburn]

Leia, Princess of Alderaan

Author: Claudia Gray

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★★☆

In the beginning, I felt this would be simply a decent fanfiction filled with movie references and easter eggs, but I was pleasantly surprised, as I read on, that instead, this turned out to be quite a compelling portrait of a girl who grew up to be the character I loved in Star Wars so much. A very believable portrait. I was also quite captivated that the main conflict here does not center on romance or teenage rebellion, but quite well-measured and carefully thought-through discussion of the prize of an uprising, its importance and difficulty, and the hard choices those with means to oppose the evil often have to make.

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

Author: Ilan Pappé

First published: 2006

Rating: ★★★★★

Sombre, precise, and accessible. Also very important and heartbreaking. A clear portrait of a colonial project that is still brutally taking people´s lives, homes, and history. I still find it extremely bitter that the Zionists took so many lessons and inspiration from the Nazi regime. It is also extremely interesting that the aims, language, and strategies the Israeli government is using in the autumn of 2023 are the same as they had used in 1948. This book is even more terrible now, as we see the genocide of Palestinian people in real time.

The Maiden

Author: Kate Foster

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

Interesting take on a real historical event. Lady Christian, accused and deemed guilty of the murder of her lover (who was also her uncle - thankfully not blood-related, but still urghhhh), a professional courtesan Violet, who hopes the said uncle might just be her ticket to a better life, and a bunch of other female characters who all have their agendas, reasons, and hopes, are all linked through ties that are only gradually revealed. In spite of revealing the murder and the death sentence of Christian at the very beginning, the author still manages to take you on a journey where there are unforeseen twists and turns. I personally could have done with less raised petticoats and sweaty fumbling, but at the same time, the grittiness and awkwardness of human sexuality are presented in a way that is very real, but never pornographic or lewd for the sake of it. Definite feminist tones are running through the whole book and I appreciate they do not turn any of the women in the book into a 21st-century robot. No. everything is very real and I am sure that many women will also find the characters relatable in their actions and motives. The book COULD have been shorter and left the same impact, but if you don´t mind slower pacing, you might enjoy this a lot.

The Escape of Alexei, Son of Tsar Nicholas II: What Happened the Night the Romanov Family Was Executed

Author: Igor Lysenko

First published: 1998

Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆

Except for reprints of some genuine documents in full (i.e. the request of Dr. Botkin for allowing Alexei´s tutors to be allowed into the Ipatiev house), there is really no value to this publication. The whole first half merely gives some basic historical background, pretty much dismisses the accounts of the executioners as faked (without proof) and then there is a lot of trying to persuade the reader that Alexei lived. this the authors came to believe based on some really low-quality photograph comparison, a privately orchestrated writing analysis, and the fact some dude grows his beard like Nicholas II. The fact that Vasily Filatov was obviously very intelligent cannot be taken into account as proof at all, especially since the writers insist he spoke languages Alexei had never been taught and played instruments Alexei had never been taught to play etc. I also found it extremely weird that they insisted Alexei survived the brutal massacre in the Iptaiev house completely unharmed. This book was, of course, written before the 2007 discovery of the two missing bodies, so perhaps the fact those bodies had been missing in the first grave was just too tempting for the writers to let go of once they were contacted by Filatov. Yet in the whole book, there is not a single suggestion as to the fate of the "missing" sister. What happened to her according to these people? I picked this book up because I am fascinated with the Romanov pretenders and how much mental gymnastics they can go to. I am never disappointed in the amount of de-lu-lu.

And the Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

First published: 2012

Rating:  ★★★★★

Not one story, but many lives tying in together, all of which could have been their own book. This is, actually, one of my favourite types of novels and Khaled Hosseini managed to weave a beautiful tapestry full of sadness, desires simple and complicated, and some hefty moral questions. His characters are all so human that you can clearly see their faults and flaws, some of which are more and some less understandable to the reader, but you can always find something to relate to, care for, or pity in them. I would have wished for an ending more book-ish. But the one we get is not bad. It brought tears to my eyes. One of those books that capture life and that which makes us human.

Dostoevsky in Love: An Intimate Life

Author: Alex Christofi

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★★★☆

As I am writing this, I have only read one short story by Dostoyevsky and read only one of his novels (Crime and Punishment). I suppose I should have read a bunch more if I didn´t want to be spoiled for the rest. I imagine a proper biography on this complicated man could easily be a 1000+ pages book, so one must give credit to Alex Chrisofi for writing just about 200 and yet successfully introducing him to me. His childhood, his experiences of exile in Siberia, his ambitions to become a writer - and of course his loves, his gambling, his moral struggles - none of it is missing, everything has its place and tells enough to get to know Dostoyevsky and rouses interest to read more. As criticism, I might offer several footnotes that do not really connect to the matter at hand, and though compelling, I would be always careful before assigning a specific sentence from the author´s book to a specific moment of their life, because that is nothing but guesswork (even if effective in portraying emotions).

We Had To Remove This Post

Author: Hanna Bervoets

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This was short and that is the reason why I finished it. I suppose that is as good a review as any.

The Madman’s Gallery

Author: Edward Brooke-Hitching

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★★★★

Very entertaining, gorgeously illustrated, and left me feeling like truly walking through a gallery. I love Brooke-Hitching´s books, they are filled with funny and fascinating trivia and can point you in new directions of interest. The artworks are listed from the dawn of time up to contemporary times, finishing with a chapter about AI.

Silk Roads

Author: Peter Frankopan

First published: 2015

Rating: ★★★★☆

Money and greed rule the world, have always ruled the world and the West is really great at pretending it has always been the greatest part of the world while selling their souls for the dreams of colonialism. Peter Frankopan says all this in a very accessible way, pointing out both the obvious and providing lesser-known information. to be completely honest though, I do not think I have retained too much new stuff, since there was way too much all at once, but I suppose this book also gave me some good pointers to topics I have previously overlooked. Definitely worth checking out if you are unsure about how the world became such a mess (and actually always has been a mess). Pretty depressing with all the knowledge we have acquired and events that have happened since the publication of this book though.

Mammoths at the Gates

Author: Nghi Vo

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

These books are such healing plasters upon my soul. A moment of peace and quiet, silent beauty, emotions that are welcomed and not repressed.

Starling House

Author: Alix E. Harrow

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Things I liked: the writing, the atmosphere, the creepy old house. Things I did not particularly care about: the contemporary settings, the characters who all just seemed to fulfill a spot rather than actually live in the book. Things I did not like: repetitive situations. Overall I will need to think about this one a bit more before I come to a truly solid conclusion. Some time ago I was not thrilled with the author´s debut book, yet I keep thinking about it. Mabe this will be the same case?

#booklr #wrap up #November 2023

[conniebunny]

The first kiss

A/n: heyaaaaa so i‘m in a writing frenzy and this was completely inspired by the song Sonne by Rammstein. Since i‘m german i see the same image everytime i hear this song, i decided to make this song into a Fanfiction bc hahahaha i can

Sypnosis: The reader‘s ability is basically called Angel‘s kiss. So basically when they kiss someone they get immune to their actual ability wich can basically start an apocolypse by singing. Like in the song there‘s this part where there‘s (i think) a siren or sum singing and yes that‘s the typa singing i mean. Like they can make the sun stop moving and then everybody (everything) freezes until the reader is either killed, sleeps or passes out. 

TW:  kissing obviously, also like nikolai is a pervert, sex jokes and stuff like that but no actual smut, swearing, passing out, hitting people with a pan

The DOA had always seen you as a last choice of weapon. An exit plan. 

It was a normal evening in the DOA Base. Kamui was still gone and with the hunting dogs while Sigma was in the Casino. Fyodor was with the rats in the house of the death, he said he had a Business talk with someone called Ivan. Or at least you think so. So it was just Nikolai pulling his little tricks on you while you tried concentrating on your book. Well it got a bit to far when one of nikolai's portals together with his hand started appearing under your skirt. 

You took his hand and held it firmly. 

„Your explanation?“

“Hehe…. Well i wanted your attention! I really didn’t wanna resort to this but you gave me no choices!“

“you could have called my name and said that you wanted attention.“ 

„[NAME] i want attention“

you sigh and let his hand go.

„well okay then what kind of attention do you want“

“play a game with me“

“no“

You turned back to your book and focused on the words again before Nikolai cuddled up to you and hid his face in the crotch of your neck. But seriously? At this point you didn’t even care anymore.

About 3 hours later. It was midnight by now and Sigma returned to see that Nikolai was cuddled up to you and sleeping.

“Don‘t. Even. Dare. Ask.“

Sigma didn’t know if to go to his room and cry or scream or just ask what the fuck was going on right now.

„B-but-…. You? A-a-and Nikolai? A-are you two-…“

“NO! God no! He just suddenly cuddled up to me and i let him in an attempt to calm him down because he kept annoying me!“

“I-i- o-ok…“

Sigma‘s face was pale as he went to his room. 

About 1 more hour later Kamui came back and was kind enough to carry Nikolai off of you. He put Nikolai back onto the couch before telling you to meet him in his office.

“So, [NAME], if you haven‘t realized, We slowly need your help in our little mission!“

His Voice was strong like the roar of a lion yet it was natural. 

„Yeah… i have realized.“

“So! Even though Bram may be the vampire king he is still weak and mortal to your ability. Since i was gonna wake him up anyway i thought i‘d take you with me to cure him for when you use your ability!“ 

You nodded. You weren‘t meeting Bram for the first time. You had accompanied him a lot of times when he had to stay awake. Those were the times kamui was gone with the hunting dogs and you had to make sure Bram finished doing his job. But well… you hadn‘t seen him in a while. And you probably wouldn‘t see him often anymore as Kamui was planning to get rid off the hunting dogs as another step of his plan to erase all ability users.

You quickly went to your room to put on something nicer than the blue dress you had been wearing because it was sort of wrinkly from Nikolai laying on you for like 4 hours or so. 

Putting on a nice yellow and white checkered shirtwaist dress with a white blouse underneath and some white socks you went downstairs. At the door was kamui already waiting. You quickly put on your black oxford shoes and went after Kamui to follow him to King Bram‘s coffin. 

As you fixed you half up mermaid kind of hairstyle that had a yellow bow in it you got called over wich left you to leave your hair open (i am so sorry if ur bald)

“Well then! I‘ll leave you two alone for now. Take your time and come back when you please [NAME].“

Kamui said as if it wasn’t already 4:30 in the morning. 

Well as soon as Kamui left, you sat down at the edge of Bram‘s coffin.

“sooo…. Um… do you wanna…. Just get it over with and never talk about it again or…?“

“…that certainly does sound very nice. Although i do have to ask. You are not married are you?“

“first off, i think i would have told you that, second off i wouldn’t be here right now if i did and third off screw cheaters!“

“So you would not be committing adultery then?“

„….Bram i‘m not gonna have sexual intercourse with you….“

„Right we are just going to kiss….“

You sighed as you fixed your dress and slightly leaned forward. 

„You comfy?“

“Let us just finish this as soon as possible.“

“right….“

the kiss was quick yet long enough to actually count as the cure.

Soon after you turned away and started getting ready to leave again, with that i mean you stood up and walked to the door, the bow tie still in your hand. 

„Well then goodbye Bram…. I‘ll see y-…. Actually i don‘t know if i‘ll see you around. I might kill myself if Nikolai touches me again and you kinda have a sword up your ass"

“I certainly agree to that type of reason for unalivement. Yet i do have to say. My bottom half was cut off. I do not have an anus."

Having to walk back home because you forgot your phone was torture. But soon enough you arrived at the base at 5:30 in the morning…. It had been a long night and you were ready to sleep…. Yet you got stopped by Nikolai who held both your hands and had you face him.

“How was the kiss?! Was it long? Sloppy? Messy? Good? Bad? Slow? Fast? Tell me everything!“

“Jeez Nikolai. You almost sound as if you wanna kiss Bram yourself just to find out.“

“Maybe i do who knows? Anyway! I learned a new trick today!“

“oh really? If it‘s another flirting try of yours i‘ll leave. If it‘s a bad flirt i‘ll come back-„

“and do something with me?~“

“-and hit you with a  pan i will get from the kitchen“

“awe man! Well okay. Did you know i can make my dick disappear and make you scream my name?! You just gotta take of your-„

that‘s the point you left. Well what means left you went to the kitchen and got a pan only to go back to Nikolai and hit him with a pan. That morning he passed out and you didn‘t even care enough to drag his body somewhere else than the hard wooden floor.

A/N: SO THIS WAS THE FIRST CHAPTER? UM I WANTED TO MAKE LIKE A ONE SHOT BJT THE SEXUAL TENSION GOT ME SO INTERESTED IMMA WRITE A WHOLE ASS BOOK- ANYWAY BYEEEEEEEEEEE

#bram stoker #bungou stray dogs #nikolai gogol #fyodor dostoevsky #bsd fyodor #bsd nikolai #bsd sigma #kamui #bsd kamui #Ability reader

[emeraldgreaves]

For the Weird Questions for Writers please and thank you! 1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting? 16. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark? 25. What is a weird, hyper-specific detail you know about one of your characters that is completely irrelevant to the story? 29. Where do you draw your inspiration? What do you do when the inspiration well runs dry? (#16 is kinda personal, because I used to work at a library and we had an unofficial contest to see who could find the weirdest thing someone left in a book as a bookmark! Trust me, we found some weird and gross things! lol)

[weird questions for writers]

What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting?

usually I go for the default when I’m just starting out (calibri on word), then switch to something that feels tonally appropriate when i need a change of pace! e.g. for the bridgerton fic, I was using a serif typeface called book antiqua because honestly how could I not, lol. also jazz recently clued me into a relatively barebones word processing program called stimuwrite, and I just use the default there!

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark?

story time. i once signed up for a work event where a mildly popular tv chef cooks rapidly over video call while you and your coworkers frantically try to keep up. said event came with a promotional cookbook, which i flipped through most of before putting it away to look at later. it was not a very interesting cookbook, so later never really came. because i use my hands a lot, i have a habit of taking off my wedding ring and putting it out of the way on the nearest available surface. this means it sometimes goes missing for days at a time. so i’m rearranging the cookbooks on the kitchen counter and starting to wonder if I’ve accidentally knocked my ring down a drain or something without realizing, when i realize the books are sitting at a slight angle and refusing to line up. i come to realize that the culprit is said promotional cookbook, so i take it out and open it, and what is sitting nestled close to the spine?

TLDR this man ate my family jewels.

(fabio was sent to the donation pile as penance, although honestly he was headed for it anyway. it wasn’t a particularly good cookbook.)

more answers under the cut!

What is a weird, hyper-specific detail you know about one of your characters that is completely irrelevant to the story?

The following is actually for a fic, so standard disclaimer that shepherds of haven & its characters of course belong to lena, and I’m just making up things based on them. because take your daughter to work day is a time travel story that starts a generation after the main game, i had to nerf the future!versions of the inner circle somehow so they couldn’t just go back and fix things themselves. for the most part time has done the work for me—the early shepherd recruits skew so young that future!tallys is the only one who could still pass for recruitment age, and there’s obviously already a tallys running around—but there is one person who that still might not stop, and that’s our favorite planeshifting academic/mad scientist liefred antiqua. so i took a bat to his knee. more specifically, at some point he was up on the roof of their house fixing idk, their magic satellite antenna or something, when he slipped on a wet patch and fell off, breaking his leg in a couple of places. he’s healed from it, but definitely can’t run like he used to, a fact that is leveraged to keep him from joining the travel part of the time travel mission LMAO

Where do you draw your inspiration? What do you do when the inspiration well runs dry?

Mostly books, theater, and art! The scope of my life is very small and fairly boring i.e. not good creative fodder, so i have to draw inspiration by proxy. If I get stuck, I try reading something that’s tonally in the same wheelhouse, which I can usually analyze for ideas for sentence construction or new ways to advance the plot. I tend to write out of order, so I’ll sometimes reorganize my snippets to put them in the order of the story to see if that clarifies anything. And if that doesn’t work, I hop to a different WIP. While I wish I was better about not constantly abandoning stuff (and am working to change that), I’m not on any deadlines except for my self-imposed ones.

#ask meme #weird questions for writers #book antiqua has also become the go-to body font for my typesets #i prefer the relative openness of the letters to garamond #this is what happens when you get into bookbinding btw. you start developing Font Opinions

[savvythepirate]

Away From Me

Pairing: Hector Barbossa x reader

Warnings: Mentions of forced marriage, kidnapping, insults, that’s all

Requested by: @personlovinganime

The Request:

Hello, it's me again) I would like to ask something with Barbossa. The idea is that Y/N has been stolen from Barbossa by his enemy and is trying to forcibly marry himself, insulting Y/N for every attempt to respond with something caustic. The ceremony is almost over but at the last moment Barbossa appears and rescues Y/N.

*Inspired by on the song, “Away From Me” by Evanescence *

***

It all happened so fast, neither of you saw it coming.

Even after all this time, you knew that Barbossa would go to the ends of the earth searching for you. He wouldn’t rest until he had you back, and it has been two years now since you’ve been captured and taken away from the one you loved most.

You still remembered it as if it happened only yesterday, it happened during the nightly hours as you were wrapped in the arms of Barbossa, both of you sound asleep when a loud crash startled you awake. The men who took you obviously had thought things through and well, you knew that they didn’t have any plans to kill you, but what was in store had you thinking several times that maybe it would be better if you were dead. But then the thought of Barbossa looking for you changed those thoughts that would creep in and bring you that light of hope once again. When your captors say that you’re going to be one big family, you didn’t know how to process that, it was like your mind telling you that you had no idea what they had meant by that when in reality, you knew very well. They had even given you a small pamphlet that was basically telling you how you should serve your captors and treat them like they were truly your family.

There may have been times when they frightened you, but you weren’t going to listen to a single thing they tell you. It eventually came to you that in the survival’s book, if you wanted to live you were going to have to do whatever they say. It was your only way out and if it meant you could be with Barbossa again one day, you were going to do it. It was something you were going to do with that being the only real meaning. During your time in captivity, your captors acted as if they truly cared about you, other times when they were unhappy, they were just down right cruel to you. You had come through but it had come with scars, physical and emotional scars that would stay with you and Barbossa forever. Two years now and you were still fighting to pull through, now that you were acting in the way they wanted you to act, you had no idea what it was going to bring you to.

Or, almost bring you to if you will.

Now comes the part where just as something bad was about to happen, your prince charming coming to your rescue right on time.

You were being forced into a marriage you obviously didn’t want to happen, but you knew that if you were going to live, you would have to do it. Do whatever it takes, you were taken away from Barbossa, the real true love of your life but he was just about to get you back. When Barbossa had laid his eyes upon you for the first time since the night you were taken from him, you were almost unrecognizable. You were still you, but it wasn’t the you he once knew and it was devastating to him. But that wasn’t going to change his love for you at all, nothing was. Even now just watching you, being forced into a wedding dress that should be the one that you want to wear, a wedding dress that should be the perfect one and only for your two’s best day of your lives. Not only seeing you being forced into a wedding ceremony really get to him, it was the way you were being treated as well. Seeing the physical as well as the emotional scars laid upon you had his heart shatter, this being the saddest thing in the world for him to see.

The more he listened into the caustic insults being thrown at you, while you were literally being dragged down the aisle by your hair made him all the more livid and it had given him just enough adrenaline to make his move to take action in his rescue plans. While that happened, the ceremony was just about to close so there could really be no better timing to put everyone who followed him into action. It all happened so fast, no one saw it coming, and that just meant one thing, the rescue mission was a complete success. Barbossa really couldn’t be happier or more pleased once he finally reached you, after all this time, there you both were. Standing just inches away staring at each other as if it were for the first time all over again. He didn’t know what all you had gone through over the two years, but he was sure that you had gone through hell as if it laid on earth.

In your case, it did.

What came next was something you were longing for so long, that it slightly startled you before growing into it. One minute, you were being forced to be a bride who was being “married” to her captor and now, you were kissing your true love once more. It was a wonderful feeling, yet so emotional that you didn’t know how to feel in that moment. Once you were pulled away from each other, you look directly into Barbossa’s eyes as he continued to stare at you, lips hovering just inches above before making a final saying.

“Let’s get you out of here, let’s get you home.”

I've woken now to find myself

In the shadows of all I have created

I'm longing to be lost in you

(away from this place I have made)

Won't you take me away from me

Crawling through this world as disease flows through my veins

I look into myself, but my own heart has been changed

I can't go on like this

I loathe all I've become

Ever since you’ve been rescued, you haven’t been yourself. But the very first thing that Barbossa did once he got you back to your safe haven, he helped to patch any fresh that stood out, tried to patch all the wounds he could.

Rage was taking over, but he kept his composure around you, not wanting to scare you away from him. You’ve gone through enough, why make it seem to continue by releasing his anger in front of you? Of course just like anyone would, he wanted to know what all has been done to you but he wasn’t going to force details out of you. During this time of your new life, you felt like a disease had been attached to you as you now keep isolated from everyone. Everyone except Barbossa, and this had him worried as he was now wanting to do something to help you through this. For in the mornings, you felt like you were waking in the shadows, in the shadows that you had created yourself not long after your return. Other then the love you held for Barbossa, your heart seemed to have changed be that coming from your days in captivity. You were beginning to loathe who you’ve become the following days later after being rescued. Only you could understand the fact that how you wished almost more then anything in the world that you could be taken away from you.

At that point however, was when the realization had hit you that couldn’t let yourself think that way. The thought pulling you out of your darkest thoughts was that of Barbossa, and you owed it to him for saving your life even though you already belonged to him. It wasn’t long until you’ve learned that the men who took you away were in fact, some of Barbossa’s worst enemies and he had a debt to pay to them he couldn’t seem to provide. So as a settlement in their eyes, the best way to obtain the settlement was to take something away from Barbossa he treasured most.

You, and that’s exactly what they did. Barbossa was right, if there was hell on earth, you sure lived through it and didn’t want to encounter that horrific ordeal again. Barbossa felt he would be damned if he didn’t make any moves on capturing those men responsible and didn’t stop searching for them since the day he started. All it took for him to call the seemingly pointless search off was of you somehow convincing him to call it off and move on. It wasn’t easy, but he did it for you. Barbossa was always by your side, watching and appreciating how much he is grateful to have you put back in his life.

You were his life, after all. Nothing was ever going to change that, it didn’t matter what anyone says or tries to do to rip you away from him. There was going to be a happy ending between you two, and nothing was going to take away that part of your lives and keep it out of reach. As a start to your fresh start, you were both going to work hard together and make sure that nothing would be successful in wedging a whole in your relationship.

Just as you were going to do, he was going to do everything in his power, to keep things from being thrown your way because nothing ever was going to change.

Ever.

***

Requests: OPEN

@savvythepirate

#jack sparrow imagines #jack sparrow imagine #jack sparrow x reader #jack sparrow #hector barbossa imagines #hector barbossa imagine #hector barbossa x reader #hector barbossa #davy jones imagines #davy jones imagine #davey jones x reader #davy jones #pirates of the caribbean imagine davy jones #pirates of the caribbean imagines #pirates of the caribbean imagine #pirates of the caribbean x reader #pirates of the carribean #i take requests #requests wanted #requests are welcome #requests are open #taking requests #requested #request #requests #ask box #ask box is open #send in an ask

[eis4ngel]

Chapter 4:

~ This chapter contains mild swearing ~

Eventually it’s time for him to leave on stage, and so he does exactly that. He leaves and you sneak off backstage to go to the audience to watch how the show plays out

You have the time of your life, honestly and I’m the meantime your friends are also having a great time by visiting their favourite authors and their panels as well.

The way he talks, the way he sits, and most of all his smile, it mesmerises you. One’s smile determines the person’s intentions at times and through his genuine smile you can see he loves what he does, and now more than ever has it kicked in. You basically whisper to yourself saying, “I may have just met him but he makes me smile, so hard.. I really do love his work” or maybe him?

Ayaka is beside you nodding to whatever he, Ayato says, and she’s going up on stage in about 10 minutes or so and is just running up from a small passage behind the audience, she’s so pretty.

Watching the siblings together and seeing their bond and true teamwork throughout the panel was so intriguing and honestly inspiring. I remember how they looked, so happy and so passionate, that kind of passion only exists in books, or so you thought.

Finally, his panel ending after 45 minutes though it was shorter it was beautiful and well planned out. You really enjoyed yourself and hoped to see him backstage again though it felt extremely disrespectful to go back up there no? You stepped out and as you were you definitely felt eyes behind you. Oh no, was it the toilet paper? Did it get stuck on your shoe?? Thankfully it was not and you took a shallow breath for a moment, before realising it was, fuck.. Him?

I could see his bright blue piercing gaze from behind me, “Mr Kamisato! Ayato!” You scream a little on accident out of shock. “What, was I truly too good?” He whispers next to you, truly you were dying inside.

It looks like you were avoiding him (though you clearly were), even if you really loved his panel. “I wasn’t avoiding you I swear I just I didn’t want, I..” ugh, do I have to start stuttering? “I didn’t want to bother you-! You’re busy! Here on business and I’m your fan yeah just because we talked backstage and you showed a lot of interest into me even as a fan” He then interrupted me by a mild chuckle,

“You do realise how you sound right now right miss y/n? I understand indeed, please do trust me. You do not have to get nervous, and yes why I am on business but as you said, you are peaking my interest, I intent to talk to you as much as I can” a slight giggle and with his puppy dog eyes,

“Would you still like to join me none the less Y/n?”

Is this a dream? Everything that happened in the past 4 hours are completely in my mind aren’t they? How could I refuse his request? Of course I want to join him, but my friends, Hm.

“I can’t refuse, of course.” “Oh? Grea-“ “BUT! Ayato, Mr Kamisato my friends are going to join us, I dragged them here anyway!”

“Why, I thought that was a given miss Y/N”

“Great, good boy Ayato”

What the fuck did I seriously just say that what is wrong with me. The look he gave me after was neither positive nor negative it looked like he was processing so hard that his hard disk broke and he was a robot, I mean he might as well be he’s so beautiful and kind of perfect even if I don’t believe in perfection.

“Y/n, this means Venti would be there too right?”

“Obviously”

“Grea-!!” His voice cracks, out of excitement and god it was hilarious.

You start cracking up and joking around about it with him as if you guys have known each other for 10 years.

You two take a walk to where your friends were suspected, and supposed to be. Though while you were approaching the area they were literally no where to be seen. Ayato was talking to you about some very basic things such as his inspiration to write and such. “I was always a person who took care of everything and anything especially as a child, sadly. Yet it has taught me a lot of things and given me experiences no one else and nothing else could have given me. I’ve become an expert in extremely detailed things a lot my age would not know, or would just learn. Taking care of my loved ones, in this case Ayaka and well seeing my life oh so differently has truly changed my impact of the universe. Thus everything small or big truly never fails to amaze me. I may be in a high position today but seeing the stars can truly make me smile. That’s what gives me inspiration, the small things.”

He left you quite speechless and truly so happy with such an answer. You actually had no idea what to say but you understood him, weirdly.

“Yeah! That’s, a great answer. Thank you for sharing that, I think you’re quite open with this? I understand what you mean strangely. It’s like, I have a thing for baking okay? It’s this bakery thing café, whatever I have it it’s below my house yes yes anyway so, whenever I bake, decorate my stupid little cakes and just watch them grow, look better each time It’s not that I want it to just get over with so I can sell it or something, it’s more like I love the process of making something that’s yours, and then watching the people with hundreds of stories to tell and just, being the main character in their own stories just come in and out and enjoy something I made, something I spent time and energy to create. I made them happy with that.”

The conversation was so open and freeing, you loved it. You’ve honestly never lived through the moment more with a person, especially a person you basically just met.

- x - x -

{ PS }

Ayaka found her best friends and some fans! She was hanging out with them backstage.

Author’s note : IM SO SORRY for disappearing for 25-26 days I had exams and this and that, and life happened. Yes I will write more now, thank you so much for reading <3

-

Chapter 5 will be out as soon as possible

#genshin ayato #ayato smau #ayato fanfic #kamisato ayato #kamisato #genshin fic #genshin au #event au #fanfic #genshin impact #fic writers

[backtothestart02]

Not Just a First Love - 1/? | Dirty Dancing (2017) fanfiction

A/N: I just watched this remake of Dirty Dancing tonight, and while the original is better, I still got engrossed in this one and felt the need to change that ending! Who knows when I'll update again, but I'll be more inclined to if I get positive feedback! Check it out if you're interested! This first chap is just a tweaked version of the ending scene of the movie, but I have many more ideas for where this could go. Enjoy.

...

Synopsis: Nothing is ever by chance. Johnny Castle believes that especially when it comes to Baby.

...

Chapter 1 -

The play brought tears to her eyes, especially the choreography, and she knew why. It wasn’t just because the production took inspiration from her first novel of the summer her life changed forever.

It was the reason the dancing was so special.

It was…Johnny.

Ten years had passed. They’d gone on their separate paths, and though it was heartbreaking at first, they’d both moved on – she became a doctor and he found his true calling on Broadway. She was engaged now, that wedding just a month away now. And yet, as excited as she was for those upcoming nuptials, she felt those feelings of love and anticipation fade to the background as she was drawn back into the fairytale drama the summer she turned 18 had been.

She’d fallen in love for real that summer, and she could almost taste what that had felt like, watching the dancers and seeing the story unfold.

Inevitably though, the play ended and people started to exit the theater. She was the last one there in fact. Still wiping tears from her eyes at the memories the production had brought to the forefront of her mind and heart, she almost missed the individual whose mouth fell open at the mere sight of her.

She was older now, wearing make-up with a longer hairstyle, but there was no mistaking who she was. Just like him, looking a bit more dapper in more sophisticated clothing and something akin to bangs draped across part of his forehead.

“Baby?”

She gasped and turned around.

“F-Frances, I mean.”

He cracked a grin, the same one that made her weak at the knees at 18.

“You recognized me,” she said, smiling tremulously.

“Your face is on the back of your book,” he confided, and her smile widened. “Obviously I’ve read it a hundred times.”

She blushed.

“A hundred times, huh?”

And they stood there, bashfully smiling, living in the moment for as long as it would last.

“The play was incredible,” she said, breaking free of the web she was getting tangled in. “I noticed your choreography right off the bat.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She giggled. “Took me back.”

“Well, your book was the inspiration…and that summer. That summer changed everything for me, Baby.”

He was so serious now that she didn’t bother to correct him.

“For me, too,” she added.

“I never thought I’d make it on Broadway until you convinced me.”

“It definitely took some convincing.”

“Your words stuck with me.”

Her heart beat faster.

“Your dancing stuck with me.”

She licked her lips.

Then, from behind her a man came down the aisle, muttering to himself about something. Johnny wasn’t paying much attention, but Frances recognized who it was immediately.

“Frances, for god sakes, what is taking so lo-”

“Charlie,” she said warmly, ignoring his increasing temper. “I’d like you to meet Johnny. Johnny Castle. He did the choreography for the play tonight.”

Charlie blinked, confused, and then shook Johnny’s extended hand.

“Pleasure.” Johnny smiled. “And who are-”

“Charlie is my fiancé,” she said, avoiding eye contact from both men for a few brief moments.

“What a lucky guy,” Johnny said, and there was no mistaking how strained his voice was.

“Yeah. Right.” Charlie turned to Frances and whispered something that appeared to involve something quite urgent.

“Okay, I’ll be right out.”

He sighed, didn’t bother to look at Johnny again, and strutted back up the aisle into the lobby.

“He seems delightful,” Johnny commented, and she allowed herself to laugh.

“He’s just stressed, under pressure…I’m sure you know what that’s like.”

“I do.”

A brief moment of silence, and then—

“Well, I should g-”

“I should probably let y-”

A chuckle followed by a smile.

“It was good seeing you again, Johnny. Truly.”

He leaned in for a hug, and she gave it to him. More than, actually. She sunk into it, breathed it in, breathed him in, and was transported to another time.

When they parted, tears were in her eyes again.

“You still dance?” he asked. “I know that’s not in your bio.”

She laughed.

“I take a salsa class once a week just down the road from here. It’s all the time I can spare as a d-”

“Doctor,” he finished. “Sure.” He smiled. “Well, keep that up. Don’t ever stop dancing.”

He winked, and she felt them again. Butterflies.

“Goodbye, Johnny,” she said at last, forcing herself to turn towards the exit.

“Bye, Baby,” he called back, and she smiled to herself on the way out. No one ever called her that anymore, and she wouldn’t let a single soul…except him.

#johnny x baby #johnny x baby fanfiction #backtothestart02 fanfiction #dirty dancing (2017) #not just a first love #chapter 1

[maglors-anion-gap]

Why Breaks Thou The Wand BTS

a very late response to this ask game

Q: write a BTS for your favorite passage from this fic

A:

Passage: (trimmed for length)

From a pocket of his robes he pulls a crystal jar of salve.  He uncaps it - the contents smell of sage.  ... He smears a thumbful of salve over each of Gimli's eyelids.  It stings like wintergreen and a feeling like ice water rolls down to his toes like a curtain falling.  When he opens his eyes, the court is changed. ... [Gimli] sees a woman in an alcove across the room - what could pass for lace evening gloves is actually webbing between her fingers - put a whole wriggling spider into her mouth.  ... "Do you see what I mean?" Legolas murmurs.  "Nothing is as it seems."  And this is true, for Gimli can see the prince's fingers, long and slender with the dappled aspect of the birch switch, the fluttering wheat of his hair, the embroidered flowers and vines on his robe as waxy as the living thing. ... Gimli can see now that what looked to be a crown is a sweeping set of antlers, wrapped in vines and studded with glowing white crystal.  ... Galadriel finds Gimli in the throng.  While she is still very lovely, there is something unreal in her aspect.  The white feathers he earlier took for a shawl now seem to creep from the low back of her dress out along her bare arms, and her teeth are infinitesimally too sharp. 

BTS:

I had a couple pieces of inspiration for this scene in particular. One, obviously, is the Child Ballad itself. The second is O. R. Melling's "The Summer King." There are a couple things I cribbed from that, including only answering their questions with a question of your own, and the idea of the elves actually looking quite different. There's a scene where the main character goes to see the elves in a sea cave and when she fails to answer a question with a clever question of her own, they become displeased, try to kill her (for voiding their obligations of hospitality), and drop their beautiful aspect to reveal that they are wet, ugly, and covered in seaweed (iirc). Other general stuff: clary sage was purported to give someone the Sight, so that's why the salve smells of sage. Galadriel covered in feathers is a hamfisted reference to the swan boats and her heritage. Likewise Thranduil with antlers is a nod to the movie decision to give him an elk to ride. I smashed a lot of book and movie stuff together because I liked the aesthetic of it.

[casadefreewill]

I think I went for more of a chill vibe then they actually had in the chapter but this is always the first scene I think of when I think of book 1 (seriously, not the sea dragon or anything, though that usually comes next).

“‘Hello, Toothless,’ said Hiccup, in what he hoped was a good accent in Dragonese. ‘What are you doing?’ Asked Fishlegs curiously. Dragonese is punctuated by shrill shrieks and popping noises and sounds MOST extraordinary when spoken by a human . . . ‘Just talking to it,’ mumbled Hiccup, very embarrassed. ‘Just talking to it???’ gasped Fishlegs, in astonishment. ‘What do you mean, you’re talking to it? You can’t talk to it, it’s an ANIMAL, for Thor’s sake!’ ‘Oh shut up, Fishlegs’ said Hiccup, impatiently, ‘you’re frightening it.’” - excerpt from Chapter 7 of How to Train your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

#httyd #book 1 #How to Train Your Dragon #chapter 7 #toothless wakes up #hiccup horrendous haddock iii #fishlegs no name #ok #I feel like I have to admit that I never watched past the first movie #mostly it was that I watched it and was like #‘this isn’t httyd?’ who are these people #not the characters from the book that’s for sure #*thats not toothless! that’s a revamped windwalker !?!??* #with like /maybe/ half of toothless’s assholeness levels #I mean I could see where they obviously took inspiration from the book but still #also I was a little salty we got Astrid instead of Camicazi #*what do you MEAN you can’t have one of the main characters in a mainstream children’s movie be named Camicazi* #but anyways #I think I’m mostly over it #and people say they’re really good movies #I think I just have to approach it like it’s an entirely separate story #like the switch between atla and lok #so I think I’ll figure out a way to watch them soon #oh! I just checked and the second one is on Netflix #not sure what to do about the third but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #my art

[bluelove24]

The Regular: (Gong Yoo x Male Reader)

I’ve never written anything like this before, this is my first smut. I’ve been reading stories from “Kinktober” and kinda got inspired. This is in no way an accurate portrayal of Gong Yoo, this is just fantasy. I don’t own the gif and I did not make it.

Warnings: strong language, slapping, cursing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a full-time college student with a job, I didn't have much time for sex. I kept my head in the books and figured the rest would follow.

Most of the guys on campus didn't interest me that much. I knew for sure I was gay, but I hadn't managed to find that many men who turned me on. I had jerked a few guys off in high school, but overall I was still very inexperienced.

Mr. Gong was a regular at the coffee shop where I worked. Over time, we struck up a casual acquaintance, making small talk while I prepared his latte - the weather, how our days were going, things we saw on the news, etc. We eventually discovered a mutual interest in baseball, and that our teams were rivals, so we messed with each other about their wins and losses. I learned that he was an actor and that he had a dog, and I told him about my college classes. He was in his early 40s. Nice guy, friendly, relaxed, not looking to get on anyone's bad side. Masculine, without being a jerk about it, and not too much thought put into his clothes. He usually just wore jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and a face mask. He was a good looking guy, medium height, full head of dark hair and a great smile.

We kept talking for a few months she one day he stopped in to ask if I could take care of his dog. He explained, "I'm going out of town for a few weeks for work. I would obviously pay you. Would you mind feeding him once a day and taking him on a walk? If you can’t I completely understand.”

I said sure, why not? I can't lie, I felt excited about the idea of being inside Mr. Gong’s house and also having some extra money is not bad. We exchanged numbers and set everything up. I was starting to develop a serious crush on my favorite regular. I took care of the dog while he was gone, and everything went smoothly. He'd said he'd be home late Tuesday night and we had agreed that Tuesday afternoon would be the last time I'd come by to take care of the dogs. When I arrived at his house, I let the dog out in the yard, and as I was refilling the water bowl, I heard the key turn in the lock and Mr. Gong walked in. I jumped, spilling water all over the floor.

"Hey, you're home early, Mr... uh, Gong," I stuttered.

"Yeah, I managed to get on an earlier flight. Hope I didn't scare you." He grinned and almost smirked.

"Uh, no, not at all, just wasn't expecting you."

"I see. You know, Y/N, the truth is, I was hoping to run into you."

"You were?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm glad I caught you." His smile widened as he closed the door and set down his suitcase. I was confused and a little scared was this some kind of set up?

"Oh, you are?" I managed to get out, trying to keep my voice level.

"Don't fuck around with me, Y/N." His lip curled into a mean sneer.

"I know you've been thinking about seeing my cock. Smelling it. Tasting it. I can always tell when a young guy like you is cock- hungry. You think I was just talking to you for fun the past few months? I could tell from day one that you were a little queer bitch. I've just been waiting for the right moment."

I stared at him, at a loss for words.

"And I think I've found it. You want me, don't you." It was not a question. Lying seemed pointless, so I nodded.

"Good boy. That's what I thought." He started rubbing the crotch of his pants, and I didn't try to hide the fact that I was staring at the growing dickprint. I still felt surprised and nervous, but also very excited. Maybe this would finally be the day that my fantasies came true. To be honest, I masturbated nearly every day thinking about him using me for his pleasure, shoving his dick down my throat, and then stretching my hole while he fucked me hard and deep. Sometimes I even imagined him slapping me. Up to this point I'd been too nervous to act on it. But Mr. Gong wasn't giving me any time to be nervous.

He barked out, "Stop staring at me cock and clean up that water you spilled."

I found some paper towels and wiped up the water as fast as I could.

"Good. Now take off your shirt." I was self-conscious about being shirtless, but Mr. Gong seemed to like it. He was staring at my body with intense lust, continuing to massage his penis, now fully rigid, through his pants.

"Come here, boy. Get on your knees." I obeyed and crouched down in front of him. He unbuttoned his pants and slid them down, leaving only his dark boxer briefs, straining to contain his throbbing erection.

"Sniff it." I obediently leaned into his massive balls, and breathed in deeply through the fabric. The intoxicatingly heady musk made me lightheaded. I inhaled again and again, under his balls, and up along his shaft. The aroma varied in different places but was no less heady. I grew rock hard from his manly scents. When I placed my nose against the fabric stretched over his cockhead, I caught a whiff of his pre cum.

"You like the way a man's cock smells? Answer me, boy."

"Yes."

"Yeah? Tell me more." He gazed down at me with a stern look.

I took a deep breath and whimpered "I love the way you smell."

"Mmmm, good. That's right." He shoved my face into his balls again and rubbed his hard erection over my cheeks and forehead. He kicked off his shoes and shoved his foot against my aching cock.

"Wow, you do love that, don't you? Your dick is totally hard. You're a real slut, you know that?" Was I? I was shocked to hear him call me a slut, but I quickly realized that it made my dick throb. It was hard to argue with that. I nodded as I gently licked the fabric over his balls.

"Good. I love having a little bitch boy like you to work on me. With all the work I’ve had I’ve been horny all the time. I'm going to be your daddy from now on, so when you answer me you call me 'Daddy.' Got that?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Good. Now suck daddy's cock." He whipped out his erection and pushed it against my lips. I opened up and he slid it in roughly. I had imagined being able to discover his cock slowly, at my own pace, and gradually work up to sucking the full length, but Mr. Gon- Daddy was impatient. He grabbed my ears for leverage and began thrusting hard immediately, pounding my tonsils until I gagged. He pulled out and slapped my face with his dripping cock, leaving sticky trails of precum and spit on my cheeks.

"Open up for me, baby. I want to feel my whole cock in your throat."

I did my best to open up but I kept gagging as he thrust his meat in harder. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I choked and slobbered on his thick penis. I wanted to please Daddy so badly, but try as I might, I couldn't fit any more of him in my mouth. We spent a few minutes trying to get his whole length in to my throat when it finally happened. He bottomed out in my throat.

"There you go, boy. I can feel your throat opening for me. Now you're taking daddy's whole cock like a good little bitch. Daddy's going to nut in your throat soon. You want to taste daddy's nut?" I moaned around his cock, trails of spit and precum running down my face and neck.

"You're such a fucking whore." He pistoned his cock deeper still into me. "That's right. Let daddy fuck your tight throat."

Bracing himself with one hand on the wall for support, he grasped the back of my head firmly with the other, and continued his dominant assault on my mouth and throat. He groaned, louder and louder, until with a final roar of pleasure, he leaned back and began to drain his balls into my throat.

"FUCK! TAKE. THAT. CUM. EAT IT." He pulled his cock out just enough that I could feel it spurting on to my tongue, and taste his tangy sperm.

"Swallow all of your daddy's nut, like a good boy. That's what you wanted, right? Goddamn, that feels good. You've been waiting for this for months, haven't you." He grinned as he slowly withdrew his still throbbing cock from my mouth. A few strands of cum still clung to his foreskin.

"Clean it off, there's a good boy." I obediently lapped at this cockhead until all the sperm was gone. I started to jerk myself off, and was seconds away from coming, but Mr. Gong stopped me. SMACK! He slapped me hard on the cheek, knocking me almost to the floor.

"No jerking off! If you ever want this cock again, you cum when I give you permission, and only then.”

"But, Mr. Gong I-"

"You loved that, didn't you?" I nodded. "You loved me fucking your throat and feeding you my sperm, right?"

"Yes."

"Tell me 'yes sir."

"Yes, S-Sir." I stuttered, rubbing the sore spot on my cheek where he'd hit me. It hurt!

"Then save your cum. Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while. Get your things and leave, I have to unpack. But be back here tomorrow, 7 pm sharp."

"Yes, Sir."

"And don't let me find out that you've shot your load before then. You don't want to see me angry."

“Yes, Sir.” I gathered my things and left in hurry. I was shocked about what happened but also excited for tomorrow.

#male reader #squid game #squid game x male reader #gong yoo #x male reader #my writing #gong yoo x reader #my fic #actor x you #squid game x you #squid game x y/n #x y/n #celebrity x reader #celebrity x male reader #fiction #writing #writers #writers on tumblr #gay writer #gay writing #gay fanfiction #gay smut #smut #male reader smut #male reader imagine #male reader insert #gay #lgbt fiction

[thequackcity]

Quackity and Schlatt’s Relationship - More Complicated Then You Think

(this is all /rp and about the characters from the dream smp! pls assume i have the dignity not to write analysis of youtubers)

recently there was a bit of discourse surrounding the relationship between Quackity and Schlatt floating around on tumblr. tho i never saw the original post that sparked the conversation, i did see a few posts that were inspired by it mentioning how they disliked that the original post implied that Quackity and Schlatt were mutually abusive and/or equally bad for each other 

since i never saw the original post, i can't be sure if that's what the op meant to imply. it's not really my place to speak about a post that i never got the chance to read. BUT the conversation that was caused by the post in question did get me thinking about how this fandom treats the relationship between Quackity and Schlatt and how little nuance there is in discussions about it

now before i say anything else, i want to make a few things clear:

i don't think Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship is mutually abusive. no need to worry about hearing that from this post

i don't look down on ppl who have different interpretations of their relationship

there will be potentially triggering content in this analysis. i will place a quick warning whenever i think one is needed!

their relationship is romantic in canon and therefore i’ll be treating it as romantic

alright now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, we can finally get on with the analysis! i apologize for how long this is gonna be

part 1: let's talk relationship!

i think we can all agree that Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was not exactly a healthy one. tho it didn't start out that way, it certainly turned into what could be read as abusive or toxic (i personally read their relationship as being abusive in its later half due to evidence provided by the text, but i understand if others prefer to view it as just toxic instead)

but what happened that led to their partnership ending so badly? what caused all of this mess?

well, it was a lot of things. but we will get to that later. let's talk relationship first!

from the very beginning, Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was pretty one-sided. tho they both clearly liked each other as friends/partners in crime both before and after the election (yes they did interact before the election!) Quackity was also interested in Schlatt romantically- something that Schlatt wasn't fully committed to

as we all know from the infamous date stream and from a few other moments, Quackity and Schlatt enjoyed playfully flirting with each other- tho it was pretty obvious that Quackity was more serious about it then Schlatt was even tho Schlatt considered Quackity to be very attractive

in my opinion, Quackity is someone who wants a long term relationship, while Schlatt is more interested in flings. this can be seen in Schlatt refusing to marry Quackity and rejecting most of his advances while Quackity tried his best to convince him to feel otherwise. Tommy put it best: Quackity is just one of Schlatt’s many bitches U_U

to Quackity, the romantic aspect of their relationship was very important. because Schlatt never actually shot him down or told him that he didn't feel the same way, Quackity took that to mean that they were truly in love. Schlatt on the other hand wasn't very invested in the romantic side of things but clearly valued Quackity’s looks and his support as an ally against Pogtopia so he never fully rejected Quackity’s advances

this might not seem like too big of a deal considering the other things that happened between them, but i think it shows part of the nature of their relationship. there is a lot of miscommunication and, on Schlatt’s end, manipulation of emotions. love is a strong motivator for loyalty and Schlatt is a smart guy who would know how to use that to his advantage

but that isn't to say that Schlatt didn't ever care about Quackity!

Schlatt is a complicated guy and figuring out when he's actually being genuine can be pretty difficult. but i think there are some moments that point to Schlatt genuinely caring about Quackity

when he was alive, Schlatt was pretty paranoid. not as paranoid as Wilbur, but certainly up there. but there were never any times where he truly questioned Quackity’s loyalties after his first day as president. Schlatt also seemed truly upset that Quackity betrayed him, bringing up their status as partners in crime while ranting about how much it hurt him and singling Quackity out while talking about how he had been abandoned during his time of need

Schlatt also spent a lot of time sulking after Quackity betrayed him and whining to Ponk about needing a new bitch. this is in contrast to how angry he was after Tubbo betrayed him- both during and after the execution

there is also the situation with the Big Man Gym 

after being dead for a while, Schlatt contacted Quackity despite them leaving off on bad terms and asked for him to visit him in his cave gym. when Quackity showed up, Schlatt talked about how he valued their relationship and the good times they had together. tho this can easily be seen as emotional manipulation, Schlatt’s a lot smarter than he seems and- if he doesnt have memory issues due to being a ghost- would know that Quackity’s opinion of him was in the dump at the time of his death and most likely wouldn't have improved since then. Fundy has a higher opinion of Schlatt than Quackity does and is someone who obviously craves validation. but Schlatt went to Quackity first anyway and trusted him to help revive him

i think that this is all good evidence that points towards Schlatt truly caring about Quackity as much as someone like Schlatt can care about anyone- or at least valuing him as a companion

i also think that it is pretty common knowledge that Quackity cared about Schlatt- and possibly still does- but i will go over a bit of evidence that i haven’t already mentioned before we move on to the next part

Quackity tried multiple times to impress Schlatt (like when he lied about knowing how to play chess), would attempt to help Schlatt when he was drowning in water, sadly said that they could have had something together while Schlatt was dying in the caravan, and implied that he wouldn’t have left if Schlatt hadn’t taken down the white house. Quackity also willingly went to the Big Man Gym after being summoned there by Schlatt and wanted to revive him long before the revive book became part of the story

part 2: what made it fall apart?

everything i've said so far has been pretty interesting (hopefully) but it doesn't really answer the original question: what went wrong to turn Schlatt and Quackity’s mainly positive partnership sour?

well it comes down to two things in my opinion: their incompatible desires for political power and Schlatt’s deteriorating mental state

Quackity wanted political power from the beginning and wasn't afraid to be open about his desires. he pooled his votes with Schlatt because Schlatt offered him the position of vice president, something Wilbur and Tommy weren’t willing to give to him. tho Quackity obviously cared about L’Manburg and wanted to see good things for it, he also desired power and was willing to team up with someone he didn't fully agree with to get said power

at 32:40 in this video, Quackity talks about how in politics everyone uses everyone so it's alright if Schlatt is using him. he then talks about how he doesn't want to be a man with no power and how he understands that Schlatt’s main goal is also gaining/keeping power. Quackity also shows a bit of his naughty evil side by saying if he overthrows Schlatt then the fun ends too early! 

(side note: these two are pretty evenly matched in intelligence and manipulativeness, i love it!) 

it's a bit of a fandom misconception that Quackity was a love sick yes man during the Manburg era. tho Quackity did want to please Schlatt and was in love with him, he didn't shy away from standing up to or disagreeing with Schlatt when he believed it was needed

at around 26:12 of this video, Quackity and Schlatt meet together in private and Quackity tells Schlatt off for playing down his role in the power structure of Manburg. since this was very early in Schlatt’s reign, Quackity shows no fear towards him and confidently tells him not to treat him like that

Quackity also broke Niki out of jail after regretting letting her be put there in the first place, tried to convince Schlatt to not execute Tubbo, jumped in front of Fundy when Schlatt tried to attack him, tried to stop Schlatt from tearing down buildings, and attempted to protect the white house he built from being destroyed by Schlatt. these are not behaviors of a pure yes man but of someone who, despite fear, has the confidence to speak up for himself even when disrespected by someone in authority

Quackity has always been someone who wanted power and someone who was never a yes man to authority. this contradicts with how Schlatt believed Quackity should act as vice president. in Schlatt’s opinion, Quackity’s one job is to sit around looking pretty while Schlatt does all of the important things and holds all of the power. Schlatt was a big fan of promoting people to worthless positions of authority and its pretty obvious that he considered vice president to be similar to the fake positions he gave Fundy and Tubbo 

in the end, this was a big part of what destroyed their relationship. like it or not, Quackity’s a power hungry guy and always has been. he didn't like that Schlatt constantly shoved him aside and refused to listen to him

now onto the nasty bit...Schlatt’s mental state

cw for mentions of alcoholism, mental deterioration, and abusive behavior  

before i say anything more, i just want to say that i don't think having issues with alcoholism makes someone a bad person. i personally have some issues with such things so it would be pretty stupid of me to say being an alcoholic makes you a bad person. alcoholism does negatively affect your cognitive functions tho and, combined with other health issues, can cause some of the very serious mental problems that Schlatt clearly struggles with

throughout the Manburg era, Schlatt’s mental state rapidly deteriorated. he went from a pretty normal- if eccentric- guy who had a drinking problem, to someone who was delirious most of the time. it's a sharp and noticeable decline that caused a lot of pain for Quackity due to Schlatt often taking his excess aggression out on him by yelling at him and/or belittling him. tho Schlatt often belittled Quackity before he went fully off of the deep end, it was never as aggressive as it was when he was in this delirious state of mind

it was during one of Schlatt’s most aggressive and delirious moments that he tore down the white house despite Quackity’s protests. as we all know, this caused Quackity to snap and kill Schlatt (it's more complicated than that but we will get back to that). as mentioned previously, Quackity implied that he would have stayed with Schlatt if the white house hadn’t been destroyed

in my opinion, these two things combined are the biggest reasons why Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship fell apart. their differing desires for power were not compatible and Schlatt’s awful behavior while his mental state declined caused a rift between them that couldn't be fixed

part 3: how toxic was it really?

cw for emotional and physical abuse 

as i said all the way back in part one, Quackity and Schlatt’s relationship was not healthy. i have provided many examples in the other two parts that shine a light onto why it wasn't healthy, but i didn't show the entire picture

there are many moments that show exactly how Schlatt treated Quackity when he was acting at his worst and none of them are pretty. tho Schlatt was never truly aggressive with his insults until he started to go off of the deep end, that doesn't mean that what he said wasn't negatively affecting Quackity

Schlatt would belittle, insult, and mock Quackity for his appearance not being up to his standards, for his opinions, and for being emotional in ways that Schlatt disapproved of like crying. tho Schlatt would often brush off Quackity’s reactions towards this cruel behavior, it's very clear that Schlatt’s treatment of him has stuck with Quackity in many ways

Quackity is very sensitive about his appearance and it seems to be because of how badly Schlatt hurt his self esteem during their time together. Schlatt tied Quackity’s worth to his appearance and then would claim he wasn't meeting his standards of attractiveness. we can tell that this has stuck with Quackity because of his sensitivity towards people bringing up the scar on his face (something that greatly alters his physical appearance) and he still reacts very badly when Schlatt calls him the mocking nickname flatty patty

speaking of flatty patty- that stupid insult shockingly has a lot of weight in Quackity’s relationship with Schlatt. tho its something the audience is meant to laugh at, the nickname also shows just how little Schlatt respects Quackity because he's constantly throwing it around just to make Quackity upset. Schlatt’s last words are flatty patty all because he wanted to get in one last dig at his ex and ruin Quackity’s day even further 

Schlatt tends to do a lot of things that are intended to make Quackity upset. tearing down the room Quackity made for him in the white house is the biggest example of this- especially since Schlatt mentions how it will upset Quackity while he does it. you can see this moment at around 19:10 of this video

and now let's get into the elephant in the room when it comes to these two: Quackity was scared of Schlatt. tho we never really see Schlatt hit or attack Quackity physically outside of their confrontation at the white house or their confrontation in the caravan, these clips imply that Quackity was at the very least scared of Schlatt physically harming him in some way 

as for actually physically harming him, Schlatt hits Quackity multiple times with a pickaxe and with his fists during their white house fight. Quackity hits Schlatt a couple times too, tho these are all primarily defensive blows since he is trying to protect himself and his property. he also chases after Quackity with a bow after Quackity’s plan to trick him into signing Manburg over to the Pogtopians fails and hits him multiple times during the caravan confrontation

all of this evidence shows that Schlatt was an abusive (or at least toxic) partner towards Quackity and someone who greatly affected him in many ways

tho Quackity did a few questionable things throughout his relationship with Schlatt (such as trying to get Schlatt to have sex with him despite Schlatt not being interested as shown in the later half of this video) and did some downright morally wrong things during his time as vice president of Manburg, no one deserves the pain of an abusive relationship- even a person who has done bad things

as a brief side note before we move on because i know people will bring it up if i skip over it, Quackity did- and most likely still does- want to literally possess Glatt. he brought up reviving Schlatt and using him as a political pawn after Schlatt’s funeral and during their conversation at the Big Man Gym Quackity talked about owning Glatt and having him work at Las Nevadas with no pay

this is unsettling behavior to say the least but this essay isnt about the aftermath of their relationship so much as it is about their relationship when it was actually happening. maybe i will make another post talking more about how Quackity’s relationship with Schlatt affected him even after Schlatt’s death and/or about Quackity’s relationship with Glatt

part 4: final thoughts

i’m not exactly sure why the nuances in Schlatt and Quackity’s relationship get lost when it comes to the fandom, but it’s pretty disappointing to see. hopefully this essay can help people take a closer look at canon and maybe even help them find something interesting that they’d want to explore!

tho the point of this essay is to clear up any misconceptions and hopefully add some nuance to the conversations surrounding Schlatt and Quackity’s relationship, i also wrote it in hopes of showing people how fascinating these two partners in crime were back in the Manburg days. i didn’t cover everything but i think i did a pretty good job for my first analysis post in the dsmp fandom

also since you read to the end, i must say thank you! it really does means a lot to me that you did. i hope you enjoyed and maybe even learned something. this post can be used as a resource if anyone wants to use it as such

here’s a tiny devil Quackity for your troubles <3

#quackity #jschlatt #manburg #dream smp analysis #dsmp analysis #posts by me #this was really fun to make!! i worry it wont show up in tags tho bc of how many links there are in it #so pls reblog!! if you read it and liked it that is haha #meta by me