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mortalityplays · 1 month

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You need more free art.

I quit my job yesterday. Well, actually I quit my job eight weeks ago, but they finally released me yesterday for good behaviour. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do - but I do it for the wrong reasons. Working for major charities, you learn very fast that 'I want to make the world a better place' is a phrase you use to ask people for money, not to give them things. I was an ass-backwards fit for that world.

You need more free art. I need more free art. Everyone has felt the shift in our media landscape over the last ten years, away from access and towards nickel-and-diming the human experience. That lack of access is making life and culture worse for all of us, across the board. Paywalled news sites leave us less informed, attacks on the Internet Archive leave us less capable of research. Algorithmic social feeds and streaming walled gardens trap us inside smaller and smaller demographic bubbles, where we are increasingly only likely to encounter ideas that have been curated for us by marketing departments. Hasty efforts to resist AI commodification have only led to more artists locking their work away and calling for even more onerous systems of copyright law. This is not good for us.

We all need more free art.

So what am I going to do about it?

This is a question I have been asking myself for years. It's easy to sit here feeilng frustrated and thinking 'boy I hope SOMEONE does SOMETHING'. It's harder to take action in a world where I still have rent to pay. But hard doesn't mean impossible. Sometimes hard just means time-consuming, frustrating and slow. And sometimes it's worth doing something time-consuming, frustrating and slow because...I want to make the world a better place.

I'm going to do this:

1. From April 1st, I am relaunching as a freelance writer and editor.

This is the one that will (hopefully) help to pay the bills. I am a very good and experienced editor. I've worked on hollywood movies, I'm a member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders, I have clients who have been coming to me exclusively for more than 10 years.

Alongside bigger contract jobs, I am going to refocus on offering my services to small-press creators at a reduced rate. That means you, graphic novelists. That means you, itch and amazon writers. I want to help you develop your work, the same way I help large organisations. You can learn more about what an editor even does and what kind of pricing you can expect here.

2. I'm also going to start giving shit away. Like, constantly.

Next week I'm going to launch a new free shop. If you're unfamiliar, a free shop, giveaway shop, swap shop, etc. is an anarchist tradition of setting up a storefront where anyone can take what they like for no cost. Offline, this often means second-hand clothes, tools, furniture, food etc. Online, I am going to be giving away digital art. Copyright-free, no strings attached. It will (eventually) feature everything from print-res posters to zines, poems, tattoo flash, t-shirt designs and anything else we come up with.

Yes, I said 'we' - while this is a curated collection, it will feature work from a variety of credited and anonymous artists and activists, all of whom have agreed to give their work away to the public domain. Some of it will be practical, some of it will be political, but a lot of it will be decorative or personal. This is, in part, a response to recent difficulty I had finding somewhere that would print a one-off joke poster for a friend that featured the word 'faggot'. Enough. No middlemen - no explaining ourselves. Just print our shit and enjoy it.

I'm very, very excited about this project. I'll have more to say about it closer to the launch, but you can expect it to go live on March 27th.

2.2 I forgot to mention the ACTUAL LAUNCH GIVEAWAY

To celebrate my launch, I am going to be giving away a ton of physical prints. When I went looking for my old stock to see if it was worth setting a new (paid) storefront up, I realised I had way more old work in storage than I thought. This will be announced in its own right on Monday, but this is why I've been hinting you should go follow my Patreon.

On April 1st, I will pick 8 random patrons (from across all tiers including non-paying followers!) and mail them a bundle of assorted prints and postcards. The prize pool includes A3 and A4 posters, packs of A6 postcards, and printed minicomics that I've previously sold for up to £12 each.

You don't have to be a paying subscriber to enter - this is strictly no-purchase necessary. It is purely and entirely a celebration of the concept of GIVING ART AWAY FOR FREE.

3. PORN, YOU PERVERTS

Because I still have to pay to stay alive, I am going to be subsidising all this free art with the introduction of Fuck You Fridays. Starting from March 29th, I will drop a new 18+ short story on the last Friday of every month, over on itch.io (yes I know my page is desolate right now, don't worry I'll get there).

The first edition, Go Fuck Yourself, is about, well - telling your boss where to stick it. Julia has had it with her millionaire man-child manager, and is just about ready to let him know what she really thinks. It's a short and steamy 5k words, with a gorgeous cover illustration by @taylor-titmouse, and you can pick it up for $3 starting from March 29th.

4. ANOTHER BIG SURPRISE

I'm keeping this one under wraps for now, but April 1st will also play host to one more (FREE) launch. If you've been following me for a long time, you might remember the other significance of this date (no not April Fool's day, though that is certainly thematically relevant to this entire effort). That's all I'll say right now. Watch this space.

tl;dr: I'm sick of paywalls and career ladders. I'm literally putting my money where my mouth is. More free art for everyone and I'm not kidding around!!!

#announcement #please reblog let's make this HAPPEN

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undreaming-fanfiction · 2 months

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As a crazy cat lady, may I offfer...

Eddie who has always loved cats, how free and soft and elegant they are, how they purr and close their eyes in affection, how they make him forget all his worries and stress. He's loved them ever since a neighbor's cat found him crying behind the trailer after he got bullied for his new haircut, the last gift from his shitty dad before Eddie got whisked away by the social services. The cat ignored his sniffling and jumped in his lap, plopping herself over the bony knees and thin thighs, and when she started rubbing her face against his scraped palm, Eddie felt complete.

He can't adopt one yet because he lives with Wayne who is allergic. Wayne offers to take antihistamines but Eddie refuses, he doesn't want to inconvenience him in his own home. Still, he dreams of one day sometime in the future, a small apartment of his own and at least two cats who will greet him when he comes home.

Eddie finds himself volunteering in a shelter and when a new cat café opens, he jumps at the opportunity. He is hired and spends his days taking of their cat ensemble and preparing delicious coffees. Cats help him be less jittery and more grounded, so it's a win win. Eddie loves this job.

Enter Steve Harrington, an insanely handsome man who stops by to make a reservation. Eddie is his usual flirty self, although he expects Steve will bring a date and that's the end of that. But then Steve leans to Eddie and asks: "Listen, uh...I will need some help."

Suppressing an internal groan, Eddie asks: "what, do you need me to drop an engagement ring into the coffee or something? Because can do, but it needs to be sanitized first."

"Oh no. Not that, no..." Steve runs his fingers through his hair and even though it looks like a nervous gesture, Eddie is seconds away from a cuteness induced nosebleed. "Not at all. I just...I have a little sister, you know? I mean, my adoptive dad is fostering her and she's the kindest girl you've met, but she had it rough in her original family. Apparently there was something involving animals and...she loves cats so much, but is terrified of hurting them. She would never!" he clarifies when he sees a frown forming on Eddie's forehead. "It's just that whenever she showed affection to any animal, her biological father made sure it would get hurt or at least chased away. And that's gone, that man is in jail and I just...I want to show her that it's okay to love animals again. That she can pet a purring cat without worrying about its safety."

Eddie just stares at him with mouth open. "That's...wow," he says. "Sorry. Processing."

Steve does the hair thing again and laughs and Eddie thinks that this man deserves a brother of the year award, yep, he'll ask Gareth to 3D print one right fucking now. "Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to dump all that on you, but I had to be honest because this is a big deal to her. To me as well. Just...listen, I like cats a lot, but I'm not the best at interpreting what they mean, their body language and all that. And I really need Jane to have someone here that can tell her what to do, when she's doing a good job...someone who will protect the kitties if she messes up. Her words. I know it's a lot to ask, but..."

But Eddie shushes him. "Say no more, big boy. I'll be here and I'll give the young lady the cat experience of a lifetime."

Eddie used to think he couldn't love his job any more. But with Jane's uncertain smile and big eyes, her incredulous squeal when a cat chose her for the first time, when she kept asking Eddie for specifics of each cat in his care - "which one is more shy, which one likes to be picked up, which one is a picky eater?" - he thinks he's finally found his calling. Steve beams at him and comes back the next day with a bag of approved cat treats for the cats and a box of chocolates for Eddie as a thank you, then asks him out for a dinner - "if that is even appropriate, shit, sorry, I don't want you to feel pressured or something, this is your job, I get it, but I just really admire you and you were amazing to Jane, uh, and the stuff you say about cats is so interesting I'd just love to hear more". Eddie's heart flutters like the traitor it is and he thinks - maybe this is someone I could adopt a cat with one day.

And unsurprisingly, he's right.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #eleven stranger things #jane hopper #steddie au #cat cafe au #steddie #steddie drabble #stranger things #THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE PARAGRAPH FFS

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steddielations · 1 year

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Eddie’s having lunch with Wayne at a restaurant, but he’s distracted while swiping through Tinder, getting hung up on this one guy.

He's unfairly attractive, Steve, 20, a total jock with too many shirtless pictures that Eddie won't admit make him blush down at his phone. There's also pics of 'Steve' with a cute service dog, which is always a plus. His bio actually makes Eddie snort, 'Yeah I'm a single dad of seven, don't cream your pants,' it's funny, confident in a charming way. He's hot, but still looks like a sweetheart in group photos with his friends at Pride, so it all balances out, gives him substance.

But, the last few times Eddie swiped right, he didn't get any matches. He already knows the guy is out of his league and he doesn’t want to bother anymore.

Wayne catches him moping, and as pathetic as it is to involve his uncle in his nonexistent lovelife, he shows him the pictures. Wayne totally disagrees that 'Steve' is too good a catch for Eddie, but Eddie brushes it off as Wayne buttering him up like any good parent would. Then Wayne pulls the Ultimate Supportive Dad move and completely humiliates Eddie by asking the guy sitting alone at the table next to theirs to weigh in.

“Help me out and tell my nephew that this boy here on the Tinder ain't outta his league, would you?"

Eddie's mortified by his Uncle's lack of social media knowledge and the fact that he's involving a stranger in Eddie's pathetic lovelife now too. He doesn't even get a good look at the guy, wearing a hat and sunglasses and besides, Eddie's just glaring at his uncle with his cheeks burning the entire time.

"I think you should listen to your uncle. If anything, you're out of this guy's league, it's his loss if he didn't already swipe right on you," the stranger says, making Eddie's blush spread, "I mean, he seems totally full of himself with all those shirtless pics, right?"

"I would be too if I was that hot," Eddie mutters, taking his phone back, "Fine, I'm almost embarrassed to death, I might as well just swipe right, get rejected and finish the job."

Eddie swipes the screen and he almost drops it when the little notification bell for a new match goes off.

Because it didn't come from his phone.

He looks up as the stranger checks his own phone, taking off his hat and sliding his sunglasses up, revealing the same perfect hair and pretty face that Eddie just swiped right on.

“See there," Wayne is oblivious while Eddie's close to bursting into actual fucking flames from embarrassment, "Told you I was right."

"Look at that, I just got a new match too," Steve says, winking at Eddie, "I have a good feeling about this one."

#this is why eddie should always listen to wayne #steddie #steve harrington #my fics #eddie munson #steddie fic #rueswriting #steddie ficlet #steve x eddie #steddie headcanon #wayne munson #prompts #meet cute #social media au

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cryptocism · 2 months

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Since I think about clones like I’m getting paid for it, I've been rotating those alternate universe "what if Bart and Thad were actually raised together" scenarios in my brain, with Thad either post-redemption-arc or pre-villainy. Because adjusting Thad's character to fit an ally role while still keeping true to his core motives and personality is so so fascinating to me.

Like I think there's an immediate first instinct to slot Thad into a "bad" twin category: ie rebellious and prickly, doesn't get along with people, mean lil shit. And obviously it's not wrong bc we're outside the realm of canon, but the reading still feels a little left of center.

Because Thad is mean and prickly in canon. In the Impulse comics he belittles Bart and Bart’s friends/family constantly in his appearances. He loves to goad, and monologue about his own superiority and intelligence. He’s very Not Nice, and he causes many problems, and he even does it on purpose.

But, I think it’s important to consider the context. From the jump Thad knows very little about anything except which team he’s on and who he’s playing for. He gets his orders from an unseen authority and he carries out his tasks because success means his team wins.

For all his self-aggrandizing talk, everything he does is in service of an end goal that doesn't actually center him. He's trying to get revenge for grievances he's never personally suffered, retribution for actions never committed against him. Everything he does is on someone else's behalf.

Thad sees in black and white, us or them. Up until the final few issues of Mercury Falling, Bart and co. are Thad's enemies, of course he's not going to be nice.

So Thad's motivation seems pretty simple: Thawne Supremacy™.

But it’s in Mercury Falling where this starts to fall apart, and the real core of his motivation gets revealed. Thad pretends to be Bart and suddenly Helen is nice to him. Bart’s friends think he’s funny. Bart’s teachers are impressed with his grades. Max ruffles his hair and gives him hugs and tells him he’s done a good job.

If he was actually an inherently mean and standoffish character, if Thad actually had significant personal stake in the Thawne VS Allen conflict, the weight of such tiny acts of kindness wouldn’t completely break him the way that it does in canon.

Thad thinks his goal is superiority and revenge and Thawne Supremacy™, but he's chasing validation. Thad doesn’t have a personal stake in the Thawne VS Allen conflict. He wouldn't get much satisfaction if he actually destroyed Bart and his family. Thad's personal victory would be the recognition after the fact: the praise and attention from the other Thawnes (a group of people he has literally never met) for his success.

He wants validation. That's basically it. And the fact that he gets it so easily from Bart's family and friends doesn't align with how he's told himself things are supposed to work.

Actually tangentially, Bart and Thad’s respective relationships to authority is so diametrically opposed and tbh kind of subversive in a superhero narrative. Where the hero is the one carving his own path without regard to social or societal rules, no fucks to give what anybody thinks of it. And the villain is a chronic people-pleaser.

Just based on Thad’s reaction to simple praise and affection from Max I really think Thad’s motivation has more to do with the response he gets than whatever the details are of any given task. He has no actual personal convictions beyond getting positive attention, and whatever he did have crumbled as soon as Bart’s friends laughed at his joke one time. Which of course leads into the core of his whole conflict at the end of Mercury Falling. He cares too much about Bart’s friends and family now, he doesn’t want to kill them, but worse than that, he’s faced with the sudden realization that he’s on the wrong side.

The Allens gave Thad everything he actually wanted and needed, but his conception of himself is inexorably tied to the Thawnes: who gave him jack shit. These two facts are in opposition to each other, and he can’t reconcile the reality of it.

Anyway all this to say, in an AU where Bart and Thad are raised together or Thad gets an actual redemption arc etc etc, I think my personal take on Thad’s personality whether it be pre-or-post-villainy would be one that is extremely socially conscious. He is much more of a people-person than Bart. Whether he's actually accurate in assessing people's feelings and how to respond to them can be hit or miss, but he wants to behave in a way that gets people to like him.

Pretending to be Bart isn’t remarked upon as, like, a difficult task for Thad. In his internal monologue he’s literally bragging to himself about how easy it is. But what’s especially notable to me is where his act differs from Bart's typical MO. Everyone notices, and lots of people comment, and presumably if Thad didn’t have the excuse of Max’s illness to “motivate” Bart to do better he would’ve been found out immediately. And those things are, specifically: paying attention in class, doing his chores, staying on task, and being helpful around the house. The one thing about Bart he chooses not to emulate is Bart’s rebelliousness.

Thad wants to prove himself, constantly, to whatever authority he respects (probably Max in this scenario) and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. In contrast to Bart, who only listens to authority when the shit they're saying actually makes sense to him. It’s excessively difficult to convince him to go against his own interests. (And I think a key part of that is Bart’s security in knowing that no matter how much he fucks up or doesn’t listen, the people he loves will always love him back.)

Thad’s got the people-pleaser in him that has to deserve whatever he’s given. It’s why he’s happiest when he’s given a clear goal or objective to complete, because it gives him an opening to prove himself.

All this to say that if we are quantifying Bart and Thad as a "good" or "bad" twin, in the eyes of every authority: Bart is the bad twin. Bart is the bad twin, Bart is the bad twin. Bart is the one who doesn’t care about school and whose grades vary wildly depending on his personal interest. He’s the one who goes off to do dangerous shit for fun and gets in trouble constantly and doesn’t do his chores and is thoroughly unconvinced by any authority figure trying to sell him bullshit.

Thad is the one who needs to know all the rules just so he can experience the joy of following them. Relentlessly obedient. He'll put all his effort into doing all the right things that’ll endear him to whoever he wants to impress - meaning he’s the asshole who reminds the teacher about the assigned homework. Bart might be the most popular boy in school, but Thad is a pleasure to have in class.

Like Thad can (and should) still be high-strung and short-tempered and sarcastic and edgy and mean, because he is. But he can’t be doing all that without rhyme or reason. Colouring every interaction has to be that one-zero binary of ally or enemy. He needs to have somebody he’s proving himself to: a team he’s on and a team he’s against. He’s not an inherently rebellious character. He can go up against The Enemy, whoever he deems as such, but it has to be in service of a hypothetical future in which somebody eventually tells him he did a great job.

And in the interest of continuing to beat a dead horse, it connects to their respective upbringings. Thad and Bart were both raised in VR, but Bart’s experience had the side effect of basically hard-wiring him against insecurity. His world was a playground tailor-made for him, and he was never made to feel bad or insufficient about any aspect of himself. His first interaction with a real human person was Iris moving heaven and earth to save him, without him knowing her, without her knowing him, with no reasoning for the act needed beyond Being Her Grandson. Which is probably a significant factor in why Bart moves through the world with frankly atomic levels of autistic swag.

Thad’s VR upbringing installed self-consciousness in his psyche before any other personality trait. As in: he is immediately made conscious of himself and his relationship with everyone he will ever encounter. He’s told two things: he’s a clone of someone else (inherently derivative, lesser) and that he was made to be superior (a status to achieve). Which is such an instant clarifier for Thad’s everything. Where superiority is a condition that everyone either has, or does not. It’s the one-zero binary again: are they better than me or am I better than them. Being above others is mandatory, and if his superiority is ever challenged by hard evidence or god forbid nuance Thad’s brain physically cannot take it. He needs to be better, to be worse is unthinkable, and there is no other way to be.

And this status of better or worse is, crucially, not up to Thad to decide. He needs The Authority to validate him. Bart never tries to prove himself because he has nothing to prove. Thad’s entire identity hinges on the self-worth he gets from doing a Good Job.

It is such an inherent part of his motives in the Impulse comics canon, which is why it always feels a little off when he’s interpreted as a jackass indiscriminately.

Like I don't think he needs everyone to like him. But I do think he has either one person or a set of very particular people that he needs to like him. Everyone else is either in that circle or outside of it.

(Which is why Bart is such a great foil for Thad tbh. There is no set of words or behaviors that’ll change Bart’s opinion of Thad, because Bart is unaffected by obedience or charm. So ironically Bart is probably one of few people that Thad doesn’t bother to put on even a little bit of an act for.)

While Bart goes with his instincts, his personal beliefs and convictions at all times, Thad is hyper-conscious of big-picture goals. They balance each other out that way. Thad's keeping track of whatever expectations he has placed on him, and how his actions reflect on him and the team beyond short-sighted solutions. He's a team player. AND he's an asshole.

#soapbox #dc #thad thawne #thaddeus thawne #inertia #bart allen #impulse #like he cannot be mean indiscriminately... u must interrogate WHY hes mean and to whom #if hes being raised with Max and Helen he would not intentionally do anything to make their lives more difficult #if hes being raised by Meloni same situation #he needs to be trying to get validation from SOMEWHERE u know #and of course he'll mess up and hurt the people he loves or wants to impress he is a human being #but while that can sometimes be the result #that is never the Goal u kno #not his Core Motivation #i feel like the more i talk about this the less sense im making

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esamastation · 6 months

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Shizuroth, part eighteen

Previous parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen

Why hasn't he ever gone shopping with Sephiroth before? Aside from the fact that Sephiroth was socially repressed and awkward and aloof and would've never lowered himself as to be seen in public with anyone. And the fact that Genesis didn't want to even think about sharing his few precious moments of downtime with Sephiroth, of all people. And also the fact that Genesis was pretty sure, at least up until this point, that it would be an excruciating experience for everyone involved….

But it turns out that Sephiroth makes for a hilarious shopping company. The man is unexpectedly prissy and demanding - and, really, quite fussy when it comes to his looks.

While waiting for his coat to be readjusted, Sephiroth is putting on a fashion show in the tailor's very cushy dressing room.

"No, the hue is too cold - can you please get me the darker green one? Same size," Sephiroth says, making faces at his reflection, after trying out about a dozen different, almost identical, button up shirts.

"Right away, sir," the rather flustered tailor's assistant says and scurries off.

"I never thought you'd have a favourite colour," Genesis scoffs, lounging back on a fancy armchair while watching as Sephiroth accepts the shirt from the eager tailor's assistant. There's a pile of rejected and another of accepted articles of clothing nearby, and they're all in shades between dark forest green and the lightest shade of mint green.

No matter how much mess Sephiroth caused, the store would be making a big sale today - so much so that they'd closed early, just for Sephiroth.

But then again, there probably isn't a store in Midgar that wouldn't close for Sephiroth.

"You've never worn green before," Genesis adds, leaning back on the comfy armchair lazily and enjoying the VIP treatment - which includes coffee service and everything.

Tch. He was a VIP patron too - but they'd never closed the store for him.

"Hm," Sephiroth answers, deftly buttoning up the shirt and adjusting the cuffs, before pulling on the jacket of the suit he'd been trying on. Because that's what he's doing, trying to colour match a suit. A very light green suit.

It doesn't suit him.

"A much better match, sir," the tailor's assistant says, a little too eagerly, all but fawning over him. "You have such a keen eye."

"Is that so," Sephiroth says noncommittally, making another hilarious stink face at himself while buttoning up the suit jacket. He still doesn't look satisfied.

"It washes you out," Genesis points out the obvious and swings to his feet. "My friend, you simply don't have the colouring for such pale hues."

Sephiroth sighs unhappily, giving his own reflection a disappointed look. It's almost a Goddess damned pout. "I don't, do I?" he says in defeat. "And the green really doesn't do my complexion any favours."

"It really doesn't," Genesis grins, clapping him on his shoulders. "I'm afraid black is still your colour."

Sephiroth sighs again and then looks at him thoughtfully. "What is that shirt you're wearing?"

"Alas, it's not high fashion. A Shinra issue," Genesis explains with a sigh. "Mass produced and utterly commonplace."

"Huh," Sephiroth looks surprised. "It… looks good?"

"Oh, spare me, I know it doesn't, but when you go through so many it's simply easier to get them in bulk," Genesis says, shaking his head. "Bullet holes simply do not come off, after all. And the SOLDIER uniform turtlenecks are just about the only good article of clothing Shinra has ever produced."

Sephiroth hums, looking him up and down and turning back to the mirror. Then he sighs. "Please get me another version of this suit," he says to the tailor's assistant. "In black this time."

"Right away, sir," the mostly useless assistant says, doing a remarkably good job at not bouncing in excitement. "And for a shirt, sir?"

Sephiroth looks at himself for a long moment. He scrunches up his nose and then mutters, "... I suppose it should be in red."

"Stealing my style, now?" Genesis asks, leaning against his shoulder. "Also what is wrong with red?"

"It's not just red, rather the combination of black and red… ah, never mind. I suppose it will bring out my eyes," Sephiroth says, like he's admitting defeat.

It will bring out his eyes? Who is this guy and what has he done to Sephiroth? Genesis snorts and claps him on the shoulder again. "If you say so."

He's right, though. Red and black look much better on Sephiroth. As does the suit. Genesis has never even imagined Sephiroth in formal wear before, but… it's not a bad look.

"You know, one fight in those delightful clothes, and they're in very expensive shreds," Genesis points out, while idly trying on some gloves, wondering if he should invest in some formal wear.

"Why would it be in shreds?" Sephiroth asks almost resentfully, turning to select a tie. He's actually a little mad about red and black suiting him so well!

Wow.

"You…" Genesis starts and then sighs. Of course Sephiroth doesn't remember. "Fancy and very fitting," he adds, just to dig it in, "though they are, clothing of this calibre can't stand the types of battles you and I get in. That's why we wear leather. Or mass produced uniforms we don't have to pay for."

Sephiroth just sort of blinks at him, easing the tie over his head. "You've worn a uniform?" he asks, dubious. "You?"

"Yes, I have worn a uniform - I had to go through the whole two ranks to get where I am now, didn't I?" Genesis asks, testing the gloves by spreading out his fingers. They're fingerless and quite nice. "Not a fan of trousers, I admit. I never had the ass for them."

Sephiroth coughs at that, smothering a laugh, and tucks the tie into his collar. "I see," he says, looking down at himself in order to adjust the tie.

Genesis leans back to watch him. "Neither do you. Or, rather, you have too much shoulder going on. Far too top-heavy, you'd look ridiculous."

"Thanks?" Sephiroth says, amused, and then turns around to face him, a black tie firmly in place. "How do I look?"

"Like a damn Turk," Genesis scoffs. A very good looking Turk, but one nonetheless. He turns to the starry-eyed tailor's assistant. "Get him one of those great coats from the back - a black one, obviously, with red lining if you have it."

"Ah, those aren't leather, sir - mainly cotton and wool," the assistant says apologetically.

"Then get us a fancy wool one, and then go check how your master is coming along with our order."

"Y-yes, sir, right away, sir!"

"Please and thank you," Sephiroth says to the assistant, who almost trips hurrying off. "There's no need to be rude, Genesis."

"Who's rude? It's their job," Genesis huffs and folds his arms. "You rock up at Shinra tower looking like this, and they'll start making you go to functions too."

"What do you mean, functions?" Sephiroth asks warily.

"Parties, galas, meet and greets, maybe even interviews," Genesis scoffs. He's usually the one who has to go - he was more presentable than Angeal, who didn't know how to swim those waters, or Sephiroth, who had the social graces of a poisonous wallflower. "Public events of the social kind."

"Ah," Sephiroth says, fiddling with his cuff. "That's fine then."

"... That's fine? You hate those things!"

"Do I?" Sephiroth asks, giving him a bitchy face like he knows something Genesis doesn't. "Hm."

Genesis eyes him dubiously. "Well, I suppose you'll learn why very soon," he mutters. "If they make you go."

The tailor's assistant brings in the great coat, and Genesis throws it over Sephiroth's broad shoulders before the man can try putting his arms into the sleeves. Hanging over him like a cape, it ties the outfit together perfectly.

"There, you look fit to take over the world," Genesis says, motioning to the mirror.

Sephiroth hums, stepping so that he faces the mirror at an angle. "I guess it's a popular colour scheme for a reason," he murmurs, begrudgingly impressed, and flicks the hem to make the red lining flash dramatically. "Fitting, I suppose."

"Silver Elite are going to lose their little minds," Genesis agrees. "You'll take it, then?"

Sephiroth takes a moment, adjusting his collar. "I'll take it," he says finally. Then he smiles and slightly bows at the tailor's assistant. "Thank you for your efforts."

"I-it wasn't any trouble, sir!" the poor assistant gulps, looking a little wobbly at the knees. "The master is finished with your leather coat, sir. If you're ready…"

"I am," Sephiroth agrees, running a satisfied hand down his front. "I am very ready."

The planet isn't, Genesis thinks with a sense of exhilarated doom. The planet isn't ready for this at all.

Shizun can no longer rock Qing Jing Peak colours ☹️ The Tragedy is immeasurable.

(aka I meant to put him in Qing Jing Peak colours but then I looked up Sephiroth in a suit and 👌 black and red is really the Aesthetic here.)

(This is all Very Important To The Plot. Which Totally Exists.)

#Fanfiction #ffvii #ff7 #svsss #genesis rhapsodos #sephiroth #shen qingqiu #shen yuan

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the-golden-vanity · 6 months

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Hey, @asparklethatisblue, are you still looking for possible modern AU jobs for the Terror boys? I would like to submit for consideration:

A large museum!

This is purely based on my experience, but in terms of having lots of different possible jobs and specializations for the lads, with different levels of status associated with them, I think this could combine the best or the worst of the most popular Terror modern AU settings: corporate and academic. Please imagine with me:

Director John Franklin: more interested in sucking up to the board and/or bringing in large donations than he is the very real and present problems at the museum that are just threatening to get bigger.

Rival curators Crozier and Fitzjames: speaks for itself. Crozier's more of a traditionalist, Fitzjames wants big-budget, high-interaction, media-attention-grabbing new solutions. They fight about it in every weekly meeting.

Head of Admin Thomas Jopson: Secretly runs this place. If he ever took a sick day, the whole museum would fall apart.

Conservation lab technician Harry Goodsir: Loves his job, hates that he could do it EVEN BETTER if the higher-ups would only budget more for conservation. Type of dude who gets into the field because he genuinely loves it & is taken advantage of for the same reasons.

Visitor Services desk staff Gibson and Armitage: It takes two guys to do one half-assed job around here. They mostly sit around, gossip, make after-work plans, and judge tourists who don't know how to read a map.

Security guard Solomon Tozer: Do I have to explain this one? Might be gossiping with the guys at the Visitor Services desk.

Visiting scholar Cornelius Hickey: definitely faked his credentials and probably committed identity theft to get this grant money. Has no business being here. Visitor Services likes him.

Visiting scholar Silna: Doesn't respect any of these people. Just wants to get her research done in peace.

And that's not even all the jobs we can give the boys (and girls)! I haven't even touched on exhibition designers, archivists, social media coordinators, and more! I think Lady Jane would be an excellent advancement coordinator (a high-level fundraiser, basically), and Hodgson would be a very enthusiastic education coordinator.

The ship's boys, of course, are unpaid interns.

#the terror amc #the terror #amc the terror #museum au #modern au #silliness #free to a good fanfiction

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ego-meliorem-esse · 1 year

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Public Figures AU

The fantastic and very fuckin funny @sunnylolli reminded me of my own au where the countries are public knowledge and people have known about them for a while.

In my au the countries have been public knowledge forever. In my humble opinion it's very hard to hide immortal being from humans. There would be too many questions, too many stories and too much effort in hiding such a thing. The public is used to them and treats them like any B-list celebrity

ALFRED IS MADE FOR THE SPOTLIGHT! That boy is so comfortable in the spotlight its actually an issue. He posts so regularly on social media that one could consider that one of his hobbies. Being that famous of course, he can't really work for NASA or have a normal engineering job (like in my regular universe) so he has a big social media presence. Be that instagram, twitter, tiktok, youtube or even twitch.

Alfred streams on twitch with Gilbert. They play some FPS and talk about some historical event completely unrelated to the game.

Arthur has a personal instagram account where he only posts pictures of his garden, his books an his kids. Every once in a while he posts a picture of Zee or Jack while they were younger during the victorian era in those frilly dresses and one of them will just be like: "dad delete this or im rebelling"

Arthur is active on facebook and so is Francis

Francis only follows cooking channels, fashion blogs and philosophical content. He constantly endorses brands and takes part in commercials for Vogue, LV, Dior... He is a sort of sponsor/face for some brands and is asked to promote them online. You'll see his face in every third magazine and fashion articles follow him on a regular basis.

Matt is the one who avoids the spotlight the most. He will answer interview questions and do a QnA on tv or youtube but will hybernate for the rest of the year afterwards. He is also the one who is most secretive about where he lives. De has a huge fear of doxing himself and wants more than anything to keep his privacy. In my universe Matt is still a doctor and has a clinical doctorate in medicine but can't work as one due to being a sort-of celebrity. That's why he still gives lectures on college campuses and publishes papers regularly but doesn't work in any clinic or hospital.

Smaller countries have an easier time with fame and being public knowledge. They can walk around in their own countries on the street and pass of as a normal human being while, for example, Alfred has a harder time doing the same. Being himself, he is lucky he hasn't doxed himself yet and doesn't have paparazzi follow him from his home to work.

There are some meetings held by personifications that are broadcasted to the world to see and people online make compilations of cringe and funny moments during those meetings. (That would be my fat ass in that au)

"10 minutes of Francis being himself at the UN" the youtube video

Countries are often asked to help and aide with the makings of history books and are often cited as a source at the end.

Countries are legal citizens and have rights. Not all rights but the ones that the do have include: right to life, right to freedom from torture and inhumane treatment, the right to equal treatment before the law, the right to privacy, the right to freedom of thought (religion, opinion and expression), the right to work, the right to education, the right to social services... While not having certain rights like the right to marry but all the while having a right to have a family.

Gilberts diaries are considered a valid source of historical information unfortunately for us

I have so many more hcs for this au holy shit

#hetalia #meli speaks #hetalia au #hetalia public figures au #historical hetalia #hws america #hws canada #hws france #hws england #hws prussia #another universe #god damn i cant tell you how long ive had this au in the making #this might be lame but it came straight from the heart

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shelaghdette · 3 months

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some thoughts on the turners and may

spoilers for the synopsis of s13e05 ⬇️

i don't think she's going to die. i've seen a couple of people panicking about that, but i honestly don't think so. the fact that she HAS a future to call into question, suggests that she survives, but the incident is still enough to cause a lot of distress and uncertainty.

here's some pics from on set -

patrick doesn't seem to have noticed anything. phyllis looks concerned. shelagh looks absolutely distraught. they're running towards something. i think this is when the incident takes place.

in a scene that looks like it's from before, may and angela are in the background with an inflatable. i think this can give us a clue about what happens to may.

i predict that may gets into some sort of trouble in the water, but is ultimately rescued. given her future with the turners is called into question, it could be severe enough to land her a trip to a&e. and if a child in the care system has to attend hospital/engage with emergency services, social services are automatically informed immediately.

remember back in season 9 or so, when may hurt her foot playing and shelagh was "over reacting" about it? this is the reality for a lot of foster and adoptive parents - every tiny injury and incident is brutally scrutinised, and even minor things can lead to another placement being found for the child.

as a formee foster kid/adoptee myself, i'm really aware of this. in my final placement (adopted by a family member) social workers were watching my guardian like a hawk for a couple of years. she was questioned about everyone who had contact with me, anyone who was staying in the home or even visiting had to have extensive police background checks, all of my doctor visits and hospital appointments were endlessly scrutinized.

in conclusion - i think shelagh and patrick are about to be investigated by social services, which will possibly involve cyril too, because of his new job.

i'm not ready for this :(

#call the midwife #shelagh turner #patrick turner #may tang #roo speaks absolute shite

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masterjedilenawrites · 1 year

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Clones: Love Languages (Part 2!)

I've been incorporating a lot of other clones into my writing recently. Some from requests, some from my own curiosity. It can be a challenge to tap into a character that maybe only got a few brief moments of screen time, but I end up having so much fun with it, and I'd love to explore more of their personalities!

So, let's start with some good ol' fashioned love languages shall we? 😇

Keeli: Quality Time. Likes to schedule time with his loved ones, like date nights or weekend getaways. It helps him get rid of distractions and be more purposeful in giving them attention. Gets annoyed when his company texts someone else or otherwise gives attention to their holo-pad and not him.

Neyo: Acts of Service. Would rather do things himself so they get done right, and that urge becomes stronger when he's around his partner. Doesn't want them to lift a finger. Also likes to cover the cost of things, like a meal, a piece of jewelry, or even the utility bill. Says "it's on me" and never accepts reimbursement.

Blackout: Physical Touch. Is quiet and standoffish at first, and doesn't seem to be the touchy-feely type. He reserves all his touches for the few people he truly, deeply cares for, including his romantic partner. He thinks it's weird to get physically close to someone who is only an acquaintance or casual friend.

Gregor: Acts of Service. The first one to show up at a friend's house in a time of need, looking for things to do to help lighten the load. Continually checks in on everyone so they're taken care of. Romantically, he's the king of understated acts like pulling his partner's feet into his lap for a massage.

Howzer: Quality Time. Can create special moments of out seemingly nothing. Steals them away from a social gathering to admire the view, finds a way to make them laugh during a stressful time, takes a few extra minutes to hold them close and wish them a good morning. Sharing time even in small ways is enough for him.

Thorn: Acts of Service. Runs all the errands. He honestly would love nothing more than to get a text on his way home asking him to pick up some random item. He can always roll with the punches and find a creative solution to an unexpected problem, soothing his partner's worries with his swift attention.

Hound: Physical Touch. Always has a hand on his chosen person. On their lower back, across their shoulders, in their hair.... Finds it comforting if they do they same in return. He needs to explore the physical side of things with someone first, as much as they are comfortable with, before he can make more long-term commitments.

Mayday: Words of Affirmation. Recognizes and acknowledges effort. Even if it isn't perfect, or a big deal, he'll still say thank you or good job. He constantly texts his friends and loved ones throughout the day, just random little thoughts he has to share. He'll be incredibly grumpy if he doesn't have such an outlet.

Gree: Gift Giving. Really big on holidays, anniversaries, etc. He'll buy things year round that remind him of people, or that he thinks would generally make great gifts, and he'll keep them on standby for whatever occasion comes up. Also big on thank-you gifts as well, as they express more gratitude than what he can say with words.

Waxer: Physical Touch. Physical boundaries seemingly don't exist for him. He's always standing or sitting close to someone, clapping them on the back or socking them in the arm. And he's never shy in giving hugs. With a partner he somehow gets even closer, drawn to them like a clingy magnet.

Boil: Words of Affirmation. May be quiet at times, or even come across a bit grumpy, but he actually does love hearing people talk. The best active listener; makes his loved ones feel heard and usually remembers what they share so he can follow up on the topic later. Asks questions because he's genuinely curious what others think.

Wooley: Gift Giving. He's like a crow, finding shiny objects to take back to the nest. He can't go anywhere without bringing something back for other people. It's usually small gifts, little trinkets and tokens picked up along the path of life. Or it'll be additions to a collection he knows his loved one's been searching for.

Everything Tag: @damerondala, @dangerousstrawberrypie, @fallingforthem, @harleyevanstan, @imabeautifulbutterfly, @justanothersadperson93, @misogirl828, @itsagrimm, @error6gendernotfound, @theroguesully, @clonesimp, @techie-bear

+Clones Tag: @marvel-starwars-nerd, @pandora-the-halfling, @darkangel4121, @sobstea, @rintheemolion, @dionysuskid21, @jesseeka, @hanbetired, @thatmultifandomdumbass, @sarahtanmarvel, @call-me-a-fool, @lackofhonor, @theclonesdeservebetter, @hannahhearttcw, @salaminus, @arctrooper69, @katzs-current-obsession, @501st-rexster, @rebel-finn, @not-a-big-slay, @writing-positivelyexisting, @nekotaetae, @the-mom-friend-dot-com, @pickle-rick-y, @flowered-bicycles, @lucyysthings, @severalseashellsbytheseashore

(Join my tag list here)

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lydiaas · 1 year

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You know what's something really subtle I really really REALLY hated Mike for? When he said "but then I learned about hard work" TO JJ!!!!

This kid is 16 and has been working for God knows how long ‘cause he doesn't have a single adult figure who provides for him, he worked with boats, he worked at the bar, he did small things for the Heywards 'cause yeah, Pope's dad is actually a decent man who recognizes JJ doesn't have much and offered him to help out with their family business from time to time for some extra money and the Carreras who also own an activity?What have they done to give this kid a chance?The guts Mike Carrera has to know damn well this 16 years old kid comes from an abusive household and had to provide from himself since forever and to say he doesn't know about hard work and what have you (an adult aware of the situation) done to help? He could have easily thought "ok my daughter's friend is in serious need of help and we could offer him a job" but he didn't. You have a job to offer, give it to him a sixteen years old homeless kid who also happens to be a really important person for your daughter.

I hate JJ's situation so much 'cause not only it's incredibly hard as it is but you also add the fact there isn't a single adult who cares enough to help him out of it, starting from the cops who should have reported him to social services like they did with John B but instead constantly mocked him, the school, the parents of his friends who could have easily stepped in but didn't (except for Heyward, the only adult with rights in this show)... and as if it isn't enough those same adults are also surprised and blame him for not trusting the system, adult figures and authorities, well how could he? Every single one of them let him down.

JJ DESERVES NOTHING BUT HAPPINESS AND I HOPE HE BUILT HIMSELF THE LIFE HE DESERVES IN THOSE 18 MONTHS!!

I'm gonna put you in jail for these takes in a second!

You're so right. I'm now thinking about the way that half of JJ's wardrobe are clearly things he got from places he's worked. He's been providing for himself for so long.

A lot of the way JJ is treated comes down to who his father is and it's sadly realistic. Luke is a piece of shit who has probably burned a lot of bridges and people can't look past that and recognise JJ is still just a kid who is doing whatever he can to survive.

Every negative thing JJ thinks about himself comes from other people or his father telling him so. He had no hope at being a well adjusted teen. It's really damning that Mike, someone who admits to recognising parts of himself in JJ, can't realise he could be the one to make a positive difference. This choice of characterisation for Mike is really interesting to me because it is in line with the way the writers explore flawed father figures (Heyward really stands alone).

At the anniversary party JJ says "When you see Mike, could you just let him know that I don't feel bad about the money clip? Okay? Just let him know I actually needed it". And yeah he's lobbing a grenade into his relationship with Kie because he's in self sabotage mode but there is also nothing but truth in that statement. You can feel the resentment in "Just let him know I actually needed it". Resentment that no one recognises how much he is struggling and resentment that every terrible thing he thinks about himself keeps being validated by the adults around him. JJ is drowning and Mike can't even throw him a lifeline.

#jj maybank #obx #jiara #jj x kie #again FUCK mike carrera #asks

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space-mermaid-writing · 2 years

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The witchling and the god [Loki x Witch!Reader] Chapter 5

Summary: The Avengers were looking for someone to help Loki fit in with the team. To become socially acceptable, so to speak. He had been given the choice of sitting in a cell in Asgard or serving some sort of community service probation on Midgard. The Avengers and Shield both felt that as long as Loki was on Earth, he should be under supervision. This is now your job. Why? Because you’re a witch. You’re not sure why this qualifies you, but here you are, giving it a shot. What could possibly go wrong?

Tags: Witch!Reader, Magic, Witches, slow burn, everybody lives in the tower, character development, Loki‘s redemption, Stephen Strange is a friend, Loki and Stephen are frenemies, Tony Stark is a good bro, kids love Loki, Tony has stupid nicknames for everybody, eventual smut

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist | Read it on AO3 | Previous | Next

Chapter's Note: It's time for your lunch date with Loki!. Beta by @zaria-04 <3

Chapter 5: Lunch Date

For once, you knock on the door of the suite instead of going right in. It's more polite today, since you just want to pick up Loki. For the occasion, you've thrown on an elegant dress and chosen shoes that are both comfortable and daringly high. You may have used a little magic for this combination. Since it's cloudy and a bit chilly outside, you've thrown on a thin summer coat.

It's not long before Loki steps out the door.

You were curious regarding what he would wear, because until now you only knew him in Asgardian clothing. Today he looks like he's stepped straight out of a commercial for Armani: he's wearing a perfectly fitted black suit and a dark shirt to go with it, the top two buttons undone. A tasteful combination of sharp and casual. You can see green cufflinks flashing at his sleeves.

The difference between him today and Thor yesterday is like night and day, you notice with amusement. Even though they're both incredibly handsome in their own ways.

"Glad you followed my instructions," you greet him. As if Loki has ever shown poor taste in his choice of clothing.

His eyes scrutinize you, traveling down and up your body once before nodding, as if your appearance has received his approval. However, his gaze lingers on your high neckline. "You, on the other hand, could have made more of an effort," he retorts.

You merely roll your eyes at that without being offended. You get into the elevator and go straight to the underground parking garage. Tony made a joke by installing stereotypical elevator music in all of them. It jingles softly while you take the way down in silence. Loki is standing close to you, you feel him in your personal space. You don't let it show, though, nor do you move aside.

A dark car with a driver is already waiting for you in the garage. It's a fancy limousine, you realize. Presumably Tony doesn't own a single inconspicuous car.

Loki is faster than you and opens the car door for you. He gets a small smile in return but nothing more. You don't want him to think this impresses you.

He takes the seat next to you. "Where are we going?" he asks as you leave the garage.

"It’s a surprise."

Loki chuckles. "You’re making me curious, Witchling."

You notice the new nickname. "Oh, have I been promoted?" you ask amused.

A wide grin spreads across Loki's face. "Don't you worry. You're still my pet."

You leave it at that without a comment.

The drive doesn't take long; the restaurant is only a few blocks away. The car pulls up in front of it and you get out. The restaurant is on the second floor of the building. You climb the stairs and are greeted by the receptionist.

The staff has been briefed in advance and they all behave totally professional. You can't tell if they recognize Loki. Probably the name Tony Stark and the promise of a more than generous tip helps overseeing his past if so.

Maybe it's also because Loki acts like a courteous gentleman. He helps you take off your coat, exhaling sharply as he sees the low back neckline of your dress. You smile knowingly. That was absolutely intentional.

You are led to your table, Loki letting you go ahead. You feel his piercing gaze at your back.

At the table, he passes you and pulls out your chair. You sit down as if it's the most normal thing in the world for him to do. Just because he shows some manners for once doesn't mean you forget his other acts or let them lapse. But it's a nice change from your other interactions and you actually enjoy it. And it's a good show for the staff to see this side of Loki.

He takes a seat across from you and you both get poured champagne.

You two are the only guests at the restaurant. Stark rented the whole place just in case there was trouble. It was apparently not a necessary precaution, but this way the meal has a more private atmosphere.

You raise your glass. "To what are we toasting?"

"Fine food and lovely company."

"Can't argue with that."

The appetizer is served and Loki is in his element. Maybe it's the luxurious surroundings. It's probably a nice change for the prince to be pampered again. Despite the luxury of his suite, he's otherwise on his own in the tower, and aside from Thor, no one else is friendly to him. You wonder if he misses his home. Difficult family circumstances or not. It was certainly a difficult adjustment for him when he arrived back on earth.

"Is this how it is now?" Loki asks, pulling you out of your thoughts. "I wish for something and you make it happen?"

"I thought we'd already established that this isn't the case," you reply.

"Then why the lunch now?" He seems genuinely interested.

"I thought it would be a nice change," you admit, "and you asked nicely. Besides, it's a good opportunity to talk."

You definitely plan to take advantage of the fact that he can't just run away. Tony and Thor are just waiting for a call and would be right here. Loki seems to sense that.

"About what?" the Asgardian asks amused. "My inclusion into the team of these heroes?" He pronounces the word with every ounce of sarcasm.

"I'd love to hear from you about what the attack in New York was like for you."

Loki is taken aback by this change of topic and for a split second his face falls. Then he has a neutral mask back on, but the lightness of a moment ago is gone. "I have nothing to say about this. I'm sure you've already been told about it in detail." He turns his head away, looking seemingly interested at the paintings displayed on the opposite wall. But you're not intimidated by his dismissive manner.

"Some things hurt. But they don't get better unless we talk about them. I imagine it must have been hard to go through all that, to have a captured mind and then to be punished for it later." It's your honest opinion about it. You have had your own experiences with mind control magic and you know that the more complex and stronger the mind is, the more painful the procedure is for the victim. At least if it is done involuntarily. But who would like to be a voluntary victim?

"Then you can guess my opinion about my stay here on Midgard."

"I wouldn't like it either," you admit, "but I'd make the best of it."

"I do."

"Really?" You raise an eyebrow. "Because to me it looks like you just sit in your room and sulk most of the time."

The corners of Loki's mouth twitch up. "I'm sitting here with you, aren't I?"

You nod. "That's right. Thanks, by the way, for calling my company the best."

This makes Loki laugh and his spirits seem to rise again. You've already noticed that his mood is as fickle as the weather on a spring day in April. "I’m planning on calling you other things, too," he promises you with a suggestive look.

"I'm not sure if you earned that yet."

Something in Loki's eyes flashes. It's a challenge you didn't intend, but one he accepts. Fortunately, at that moment, the next course is brought, together with a red wine.

"Can you read the future from entrails, Witchling?", Loki asks you, looking at his beef tartare.

"The only thing I'm reading out of this is that we're going to have a delicious meal." You try your beef and it’s really good. Tony really has the best recommendations for restaurants. However, you don't want to know how expensive this lunch is. In that respect, it's really convenient to have a rich employer.

"When I was younger, I learned the art of palm reading," Loki tells you, drawing your attention. "It's been a while, but I dare to say I’m still good at it.”

"Really?"

Amused, you catch his gaze. He holds his hand out to you. "May I?"

You put down your knife and lie your right hand into his. He turns your palm upward and studies it, tracing the lines. He takes his time, as if he were looking at and analyzing a work of art. His fingers are firm but their touch is gentle.

"Well?" you ask after a while of silence.

Loki looks up at you. "It seems you are quite blessed," is his professional opinion.

"Am I?"

Without averting his eyes, he brings his lips to your hand and kisses your wrist, right where the pulse is. A pleasant shiver comes over you. "You are now." His voice is low as if he were casting a spell on you.

You blink and a moment passes before you remember to react.

"Silvertongue." You chuckle and draw your hand back. But you register that you should be more careful. It’s not wise to be lulled in by his charms. Loki seems to notice his effect on you as well and he winks at you before he turns his attention back to his food.

For dessert, a platter of various small sweets is placed on the table. Loki tries everything and you notice that he seems to have a sweet tooth. You let it go unremarked, but make a mental note of it for future reference.

"So, why are you doing this?" the Asgardian suddenly asks you.

Somewhat puzzled, you look up. "What do you mean?"

"I know it's a great honor to be in my presence, but I'm still wondering why you are here."

You now he doesn’t mean here in the restaurant, but with him in general. "That's quite simple actually: a friend asked me and I was curious," you explain.

"A friend?" Loki asks. "Stark?"

"No, the Sorcerer Supreme."

Loki grins. "Look at you, Witchling, casually throwing in the fact that you are friends with the Sorcerer Supreme."

"Let's just say he's a friend from work. Why? Do you know him?"

Loki swirls the red liquid in his glass. "I've met various Sorcerer Supremes in the past. Can't say I’m fond of the current one."

That makes you curious. "Why not?"

"Let's not talk about that second rated wizard," Loki says firmly, putting his glass back on the table. "This evening is too lovely to ruin it with that."

You drop the subject, but you'll definitely ask Stephen what happened between the two of them. There has to be a story behind it and you are determined to find it out.

Eventually, you finish the meal and stand up. The bill is sent directly to Tony, so you have nothing to do but collect your jackets. On the way to the reception, Loki stays by your side and puts a hand on your back to guide you. Your back tingles at the skin contact and it's not because his hand is surprisingly cool.

You feel the loss of his touch as he pulls back his arm and helps you into your coat.

You leave the restaurant and wait for the car to pull up. The streets are filled with traffic and people whose lunch break has just ended and who are on their way back to their offices. There is a lot of honking, you hear the siren of an ambulance and a child is crying somewhere. You would never think of driving yourself in these narrow streets and you silently thank Tony for offering a chauffeur. New York is really a big city, you haven't gotten used to it yet and you're glad you can spend most of your time at the Avenger Tower. There are a lot of people working there too, but the hustle and bustle isn't as noticeable.

It may be the nature of your being that you're not a fan of large crowds. A large crowd always has its own essence, its own mind. And in your experience, nothing good ever comes out of it. You remember only too well how people used to gather to watch someone similar to you undergo a test. The rules were always simple: if the person died, they were not a witch. If they did not die, they were a witch and had to be killed. The end result was always the same. Fortunately, your mother was always careful to teach her children how to stay under the radar. When it was better to get to safety and move to a new place. The cards helped you do that. It's always quite good to have a little glimpse into the future. Unfortunately, not all of your siblings had the same luck. The modern era got off to an impetuous start. You yourself only barely escaped once. But by now, things had really improved for witches. People were no longer focused on eradicating the occult or simply what they didn't understand. Or at least you stick to those countries where it's like that.

You see your car arriving and turn to Loki - only to find he's no longer standing next to you.

Oh Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Your heart hits your stomach. You've been so preoccupied that you haven't paid attention to him. Searchingly, you turn around, but you don’t spot him anywhere. His tall figure should be visible above the heads of the others. Silently you curse that you have been so careless. The friendly conversation at dinner has put you in a false sense of security. You reach for your cell phone in your pocket to inform Tony or Thor, while walking down the sidewalk a bit. They wouldn't be thrilled at all that you lost the younger prince. Tony had specifically warned you about this.

Suddenly, you hear his voice and as you round a few passersby, you see the Asgardian god kneeling by a child in front of a store window. It is a dark-haired girl with a backpack in the shape of a rabbit, who has red puffy eyes, as if she had been crying bitterly until just now. Slowly you approach the two, your cell phone still in your hand, but not dialing a number yet.

"Loki?" you ask cautiously.

The dark-haired man looks up at you. "There you are. Little Lady Sofía here is lost and can't find her way back home."

Once again, big tears well up in the eyes of the girl who may just be in elementary school, if at all. Loki reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a handkerchief, which he hands to her.

You, meanwhile, decide that you can scold Loki later for just disappearing like that. Instead, you hunker down next to Loki to the girl, who backs away a bit, though.

"It's okay," he reassures her. "She's a friend of mine and she's helping us."

There are so many things you wonder about. Loki's reassuring way of talking to the child. How he even managed to get her to trust him so quickly. That he called you a friend. But for now your focus is on the girl.

"Where do you live?" you ask her.

"In a tall house," she answers, sniffling loudly. Unfortunately, that applies to pretty much every building in New York, so it doesn't help you.

"There you are," you suddenly hear a voice behind you. As you turn around, you see a short, broad man approaching you, his gaze on the girl. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

You rise. "Are you her father?"

The man shakes his head. "The uncle. I was supposed to pick her up from school, but I got held up at work. By the time I got there, she was gone." He turns to the girl and leans down a bit toward her. "I'll take you home now," he promises her, holding out his hand.

That's when Loki pushes his way into his path, arms crossed. "Don’t get any closer," he growls at the man, who looks at him in surprise at his sudden aggressiveness.

"It’s none of your business," the man says, but uncertainty resonates in his voice.

That's when Loki grabs him at the shoulder and pushes him back. "If you touch her, I'll kill you." If his eyes were daggers, they would have killed the stranger immediately.

You put your hand on Loki's arm. "Loki, what are you doing?" you ask him calmly but firmly.

"He's lying," the Asgardian growls. "I can smell the falsehood in his words."

This makes you frown. You have no reason to doubt the man. However, you have no reason to doubt Loki's words either. Therefore, you lean down again to the girl, who has been watching the whole scene with wide eyes. "Do you know this man?" you ask her, but she only plays sheepishly with the handkerchief she got from Loki. She is too intimidated by the attention of all these strange adults and doesn't answer.

"Let go of me!" the man demands meanwhile, trying to free himself from Loki's iron grip. Some passers-by become aware of the scene and stare at you curiously. You don’t like that, because it's not good when Loki's face is in the public eye in a story like this.

"Let him go," you therefore say to him. "We will report him to the police, but first we need the girl to get home safely."

Loki turns his head toward you and your eyes meet. You nod at him in what you hope is a confident and reassuring manner. This must not escalate or you both will be in trouble. He seems to realize that, because he reluctantly lets the man go, pushing him back a bit while he does. "Lucky for you, the voice of reason is present.”

"You'll hear from me!" the man scolds. But it is half-hearted and he quickly disappears between the passer-by.

Loki clenches his hands into fists and closes his eyes for a moment to take a breath and resist the urge to hurt the man after all. He looks in the direction he disappeared and with a small gesture he sends a spell after him anyway. You don't know what it is and you don't ask. Then the Asgardian turns back to you.

Meanwhile, you've spotted a police officer among the people, who is grabbing something at a food truck. He's probably on his lunch break, but you don't care right now. With what just happened, you'd better get an official party involved. "I'll be right back," you say to Loki and walk over to the officer.

"Excuse me, officer."

"Yes, Miss?" he turns to you questioningly.

"My friend and I found a child who got lost. I'm afraid she can't tell us where she lives," you explain and he looks in the direction you point. Between the passersby, Loki and Sofía are only vaguely visible.

"A child you say? A little girl?"

"Yes, about this tall." You point at hip level.

The cop hands the food truck owner some money for his food, then reaches for his walkie talkie. "Officer Decker, this is Daniel. Are you still with the woman who lost her daughter?" he asks into the device. "What's the girl's name again?"

After a brief pause, the device crackles. "Yes, she's still here. The daughter's name is Sofía, seven years old."

Daniel gives you a questioning look and you nod. "Come over to 34th Street and Lexington Avenue. I think I found her here."

He follows you to Loki, who looks towards you. "He might know where the mother is," you explain to him as the cop leans down to the girl. But Sofía doesn't seem to be in the mood for further acquaintance and hides a bit behind Loki's leg. Daniel looks questioningly at him, but the Asgardian merely shrugs. You all decide to wait.

A few minutes pass by, when the girl suddenly shrieks. "Mommy!" You follow her gaze and see a petite woman step around the corner alongside another police officer. When she hears the call, her worried face turns to relief. Then she spots her daughter.

"Sofía!"

The child runs toward her and the two embrace.

The policemen follow the women a little slower, taking care of the details. Loki and you stay around briefly to make a statement, especially because Loki insists on reporting the strange man from earlier.

It turns out that mother and daughter were shopping when Sofía left a store while strolling. She wandered around a bit and then couldn't find her way back. Apparently she got two blocks far. The mother, who only let the little one out of her sight for a short time, had all the employees search the entire store.

She's very glad to have her girl back.

Loki and you take your leave quietly and get into your car, which is still waiting for you nearby.

Relieved, you exhale. What an afternoon. You hadn't planned something like this to happen when you organized lunch at the restaurant. But with an Asgardian god, you never know exactly what's going to happen next.

Loki looks out his window, seemingly bored, but turns his head to you when you put your hand on his arm.

"You did great," you tell him with an honest smile.

He looks at you with an unreadable expression. His eyes move down to where you are touching him and he withdraws his arm. Then he looks wordlessly at the window again. You get no response. But you don't care, because you know Loki did the right thing when it mattered.

What you don't know is that he is so surprised by your unexpected praise that he doesn't know what to say. He's not used to it and it actually makes him a little embarrassed.

_________________________________

Surprise! Loki didn't run off at the first chance he got. He behaves decently when he is treated decently. Shocking news I know! Kids trusting Loki will be a recurring trope in this story. He deserves all the love and trust. Also, you finally got your nickname: Witchling. Yay

Tag List: @lokisgoodgirl @lokixryss @itsybitchylittlewitchy @yokshi-unbeliebubble @fictional-hooman @elennair @all-envy-suyu @purplekitten30 @elisadmaggiore @nothing2113 @baebeepeach @ceo-of-stfu @moonlightreader649 @ronipiamka @fluffybunnyu

Tell me if you wanna be added/removed

#loki x y/n #Loki x reader #loki layfeyson x you #loki laufesyon x reader #Loki x you #imagine loki #the witchling and the god #imagine marvel #mcu prompt #loki odison x reader #marvel x reader #mcu x reader #loki fanfction #slow burn #loki odinson #loki laufeyson

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soldier-poet-king · 3 months

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i am going to kill everyone in this house and then myself HOLY FUCK

everytime im like 'yeah okay maybe bro 1 isnt THAT awful and we can have a single discussion that's not about anime without fighting' he pulls this shit

bro3, a young teen, asks a question about the new(ish) vacant house tax in the city, aiming to help pop the godawful housing bubble. IMMEDIATELY bro1 goes on a fuckin screaming rant about how the govt is evil and taxes are evil and literally quotes the ron swanson parks and rec sandwich bit yes the one DELIBERATELY EXAGGERATED AND SIMPLIFIED FOR COMEDY

and i, try, calmly to ask how he would like to fix things instead. he brings up a bunch of republican & libertatian states as 'havens' from tax. i ask how he would like public services to be funded. he replies that he doesn't want them funded. i ask why then he uses public services. he insists he doesnt, and 'as long as i have a job in the states i have healthcare'. ok. putting aside the obvious issues with workplace-tied insurance (which canada is not free from!! our health system is ALSO a shitshow. it is just MILDLY less so in some respects.) I ask about public infrastructure that he cannot avoid using, like ROADS. he yells and genuinely has a FIT. YELLING. like the apathetic guy who does not ever have emotions is fuckin YELLING at me about taxes. this man clearly has way too much fucking time online.

and THEN, i bring up the 'idk how to tell you we should care about other people' wrt public services that serve a greater good but that he might not necessarily use directly (education, libraries, childcare, senior care, social assistance, etc). and he straight up 'i dont care about other people. i dont care about strangers'. and bro 3 AGREES WITH HIM. this tiny baby child who i have practically raised as my own kid half the time and have tried SO HARD to impart a measure of kindness in this godawful house. agrees with him

and bro1 finishes it off with 'if someone has a second house, they deserve it' as if i didnt just finish explaining about social services and how rich people 99% of the time acquire wealth unethically and at the expense of the poor and how the wealth gap is only increasing and how yeah sure in an ideal world everyone would give freely, but as he literally just finished explaining to me while complaining about 'the liberals', people are corrupt and selfish, and so instituting things with widespread tax funded programs is going to help a lot more people than just oh let's hope these instinctively selfish rich people acquiring money thru unethical means take pity on the poors this year. like. we KNOW that doesnt work. my solution isn't perfect by any means but it passes on the slim margin of being NOT AS BAD AS IT CURRENTLY IS

i genuinely do NOT understand how anyone has so little disregard for the concept of a greater good, of societal health, of caring for people NOT yourself. how can he be SO selfish and yet still enjoy, and DEMAND, so much of the luxuries he enjoys in a developed country which historically and at present has profited off of various forms of exploitation!!! like!! bitch!!!!

not to be like im glad his 4yr relationship ended bc his gf deserves way better (for various reasons, not just his shitty politics, but this is pretty emblematic of his personality at large) + his friends are all shitty and terrible people and hes lowkey abusing alcohol and weed bc of them + he needs to get offline and go to a monastery for his health. but like. i AM saying that.

#IM SO GODDAMN ANGRY #the duality of fran #politics sorry not sorry #do not fuckin argue with me. like. if ur gonna go all libertarian in my inbox. consider #i dont care <3 #that is so mean of me #and in a calmer state i would argue my points politely #but my opinion is not going to change #i am concerned with societal and greater good. not my own immediate benefit #he's also sexist. racist. homophobic!#long post

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unchataparis · 5 months

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I gotta say, one of my most hated salt trope is when Gabriel or Audrey prefer Marinette over Adrien and Chloé. They see Marinette as the better child/the more talented/the more deserving and the entire fic's plot revolve around Adrien/Chloé's realisation and concluding devastation over that fact. :/

Salt has a questionable status in this fandom, as it does in most fandoms, but as I've come to unpleasantly realise, most people who are writing salt are, in fact, not twelve or thirteen year olds but full grown adult with jobs, career, even children of their own.

Sometimes, I see posts that are so overwhelmingly filled with hatred for certain characters, it's shocking to realise that you guys aren't being ironic, you're being for real. Your opinion is yours to have, and all of your emotions and feelings are valid. It's always good to be passionate rather than bland. I'm sure that if we were to meet on the streets, no one would be this zealous over their opinion of a children's cartoon show. But I feel like some of you are so sucked into this imaginary, badly-written, fan service-orientated world, you've forgotten your common sense and dedicated effort that this show does not deserve into defending your favourite, mistreated characters.

This show isn't well-written. It has questionable plots and characters. Thomas Astruc is a dubious man. These are all facts that no one is arguing against. But even with all these truths in the air, it still doesn't justify the sheer amount of unregulated hatred reserved for certain characters.

I'm speaking to the 'I live for salt' girlies who churns out Marinette Deserves Better wips on the daily. The people who are swearing at each other on the Internet over whether or not Chloé is a good person and deserves to be redeemed. I'm talking about those who accuse Lovesquare shippers of enabling toxic relationship and misogyny.

What are you talking about?

I don't think any of you truly believe that Miraculous is bad for children or that it's upholding the patriarchy, you're simply grasping onto whimsical straws of social justice in order to advance your own egocentric agenda.

Fandoms are meant to be a safe place to discuss your interests and find like-minded friends who aren't available in your local area. Not a feedback loop of aggrandising, disproportionate speculation.

If you hate the show so much, you're not even watching it anymore and following other people's social media AUs instead – nothing wrong with that, but you do realise that means you have no idea what you're talking about, right? If the show is so terrible and you don't even care about XXX or YYY, why not just leave? Place your time and effort into something that wouldn't make you so angry and dissatisfied?

I've been watching Miraculous for about six years now, and this show has a lot of impact on my artistic and internal psyche and it means a lot to me and I can see both the good and the faults in it. But at the end of the day, the characters of Miraculous are literally just characters. They're not real, they don't have opinions of their own, and they do what they do at the behest of the people writing them. You can't let yourself be consumed by their fictional plights.

Take this statement with a grain of salt and know that there is fluctuations to the fact of it, there are always exceptions, but: fandom arguments are ultimately pointless. There's better, more worthwhile things to do. There's always going to be annoying, infuriating people, you don't want to add yourself to the mix. Think about it, what's your endgame? That everyone will apologise to you and admit that you were right and follow all your opinions? That the writers of the show will change the story and rewrite everything according to your suggestions and 'corrections'? You're bitterly giving all your energy to something that will never reward you.

#miraculous #adrien agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #lila rossi #chloé bourgeois #opinion piece #also: be nice #just be nice #don't swear at people don't be mocking don't condescend #understand that you're not always right and you're not always wrong #and life is full of moments where you're simultaneously wrong and right at the same time

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opinated-user · 4 months

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https:/ / archive. ph/ svv67

archive for lily telling britt to unalive herself.

thank you, anon! you're a real one!

reading through this, i have no doubt in my mind that LO send that to herself just to have an excuse to try to one up Brittany... even though Brittany has her own blog to do that on her own space. which brings the question, LO, if you have anything specific to say about anything we claim, what exactly is stopping you from just screenshotting those pots and respond to them directly instead of this weird "anon brought me this thing you say and therefore i get to rant about it while pretending i had nothing to do with how this information came to me" you do? just about in general, you comes off less trustworthy because of this because nobody is actually seeing what you're reacting to. you can make all the angry anons you want. doesn't mean that people are going to actually believe that is Brittany. anyway, there are some point in the response of LO that i want to talk about for a second.

so, sincerely speaking? from my bottom of my heart, hypothetically, if LO was actually a ghost writer and she was earning enough for a comfortable living, enough that she can drop youtube entirely, i'd be honestly happy for her. i'd prefer that she became a full time ghost writer than a youtuber, because you can't groom people with ghost writing gigs. you can't form an audience around being a ghost writer, only inside clients who need your services, who are all pressumably going to be adults in the first place. whatever bigotry or misinformation you spread on that job comes from what a clent asked of you, not from you having horrible opinions about issues that either don't affect you or you don't actually care about or generally being an awful person. because the thing that LO is missing is that nobody is trying to deplatform her because. we want to do that and encourage people to not give her views ever, no matter what kind of video she's making about what topic (which is why my pinned post will always be resources for people to avoid going to give her clicks), not because we want her to become homeless and struggle to have her basic needs met. we know that it's not going to happen anyway because she's daddy's girl and will always count with his money when this youtuber thing completely fails for her, but even if that wasn't a factor, nobody is aiming for that. we want to deplatform LO because she has actively used her platform to abuse, hurt and traumatize people. i'm not talking about her bad takes on anime or show or animation or anything she claims we have an issue with. i'm talking about the way she has groomed people, used her money to make vulnerable people do things they wouldn't otherwise, exposed minors to think they shouldn't have been exposed to by a trusted adult and spread outright lies to defend rapist or other dangerous people because it was convenient for her narrative. we want LO to not be watched anymore by anyone because she has shown, time and time again, that she'll never try to not hurt someone the moment she has a chance for it. because as long she gets views, has subscribers and has any level of influence, she's still a danger.

i'm sure that the Brittany hivemind agrees with all of this as well. so no, LO, you had it all wrong. if you had a job outside of youtube or any social media, we'd love that for you. if anything, we'd encourage it so much more than keep creating bad essays in video form. but we both know that it's not true and you told us that yourself without realizing. so we have to call out the obvious lie you naively expect people to just take.

literally the first result in google search when you type "do ghost writer write fiction":

the second one:

who is the one who looks like they have no idea how this industry works? (although, if i want to get extra petty here, another reason why people can have reasonable doubt about your ghost writing job, beyond the fact that we have evidence of the many lies you tell on a regular basis... a ghost writer by definition has to know to be versatile and write on an more than acceptable level, if not being also good for the editing. LO, you don't even edit your own scripts. you record them in the first draft. your writing style is terrible, both in a grammar sense as an stylistic sense. so you mean to tell me that for your fanfiction, videos, posts, and everything to do with your name, you make zero effort into making it look decent and reserve all your hidden abilities for... writting for crappy apps? oh and flavor text on some unnamed RPG? seriously? how is anyone supposed to believe that?) anyway, the relevant portion is this:

LO, you're a despicable horrible human being. every ounce of compassion or grace i was ever willing to give you have killed it, smothered it, turned it into ashes and then piss on the debris just to spite me. every chance i gave you to be a better person, to do the right thing, you have squandered it and ignored it. you genuinely disgust me. you're repulsive. i feel sorry only for myself for ever believing you were more than a parasite, a groomer and an abuser. Brittany has never been better than the day you both stopped being friends. your sibling, who never liked you in the way you wanted them to and never would have, is a better friend you never was. everyone who has left you is better for it and someday that fact will fully crush you, but there won't be anyone there to console you and tell you that you "deserved better" because you'll be all alone. nobody will be responsible for that when it happens. not me, not Brittany, not Courtney, not any of the other blogs who criticize you. you. you always be your worst enemy and, the best part is, that is the one you'll never get rid of.

#lily orchard

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