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#and the aesthetic i have going isn't even really me but just ignore that i promise i'm a cool person once you get to know me :)))
Note
I would like to request more slasher x reader whos on the period and is just emotionally exhausted and does a fall hug on them and sighs 😞
I actually looked up period aesthetic on Pinterest 🤦‍♀️ (didn't work, I had to instead looked up blood stain aesthetic)
Ps: why the fuck did I think it was a good idea to put blood stains pictures here, and also this might be the last post for this week and the next week, since my exams are only one week away I really need to start focusing on my studies. I love you all, byee :)
Slashers in this are: Michael myers, sinclair brothers, Jason, and lastly, Billy and stu
Warnings:
Relationship: romantic!!
Slashers with exhausted reader on her cycle!
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Michael
Michael sat rested on the couch of your living room. Letting himself sink into the soft cushion. This day was particularly satisfactory by far... Except for one thing.
You were ignoring him. You've stayed in your room with food and a bunch of other stuff saying you were on your period, you've explained to him before and stuff. But that didn't give you the right to ignore him. What did he even do anyway?
Deciding thinking about why his s/o's mad at him on their period isn't his thing, he shuts his eyes and prepares to pass out.
The silence and the comfy atmosphere. Not too hot not too cold, slightly slouching to his side now that the drowsiness is getting to him. Until he hears the door open ,your door open. he quickly sits straight waiting for your figure to come into the living room.
Are you mad at him right now? Are you going to yell at him? Did he forget to do something?
He sees you enter the room and make eye contact with him for a few seconds, waiting for you to do Or say something. He becomes a bit alert when you start walking towards him, you don't seem to have a bit of aggression in your manner and you just seem... Tired.
flop!
Next thing he knows you're on top of him with your hands around his body. Sighing loudly you don't do anything and he starts hearing you softly snore.
Maybe just these few times you can physically get this close to him. He takes a few breaths before his eyelids start feeling heavy again and he starts to feel less and less energetic.
Subconsciously he puts his hand on your back as the two of you slumber into a deep sleep together.
Sinclair brothers
Bo's not really the best in verbal comfort but he sure is one hell of a good physical one. He sat on the couch reading a newspaper after a long day of being mean. Having a cup of coffee on the small table next to the couch you kinda wanted to laugh. Your overly aggressive boyfriend sitting so quietly and almost innocently on the couch on a Thursday morning is really a contradiction to his usual behaviour. But the inner exhaustion is making you dramatic. Walking over to him he notices you. "What?" He questioned, not a single sound of roughness in them. Hmm, maybe he really was in a good mood today. Taking this as your sign you grab his newspaper and then fall on him dramatically, not forgetting to hug him as you do so. Sighing as you feel the warmth of his body seeping into yours. "What do you think you're doing?" He asks a bit annoyed and a bit more confused. You place the paper on the arm rest on the couch and just continue to rest on him. Bo stays quiet for moments before he wraps his arms around your waist. "Well you could've just told me if you wanted a hug." He chuckles a bit. Let's just hope this isn't cut short.
Vincent Although can't really talk or comfort you verbally, is willing to do anything for you. Acts of service, physical touch, gift giving... Anything. Especially since you're on this painful and tiring process called "a period" He's on his bed reading a book he got from a traveller. Flipping through the pages he hears steps coming towards his room. He memorised your footsteps by now and closed his book but kept his fingers in between where he was reading. He saw you in his sight and tilted his head as to say "is there something you need?". You smiled a bit and went towards him and your body went softly crashing into his. Tightly hugging around his neck and you sigh because honestly hugging him was the most comforting thing ever. Vincent's a bit startled but rubs your back as he realises you're just tired. He kisses the top of your head through his wax mask and he starts blushing and grins when you turn to him and his cheek. He couldn't help but fall for this side of you every single time.
Lester was the best at any kind of affection. So anytime you felt the bit of sadness you immediately went to him. Today or during the cycle was no exception, trotting over to find your lovely dearest boyfriend you needed someone to lay all your love on right now. You finally saw him, Lester who was dropping by for a few days to accompany his brothers was on a couch with Vincent, it seemed they were silently discussing something. Probably they broke the wooden floor and were planning on how to tell Bo without angering him. (Impossible) besides all that, you just wanted to feel your lover's warmth around yours. Lester who noticed you after Vincent did, immediately lights up with a goofy smile. "Hey baby! How are you doing?" You instantly knew he was referring to your cycle, you gave a small smile on your tired face. You walked over to him with your arms extended and fell on him. "Woah!" He relaxes after a few seconds. He strokes your hair as you lay quietly on him. (Vincent third wheeled his way out of the room.)
Jason
It were a particularly quiet and peaceful few days camp crystal Lake. Which was a very good thing which meant a longer spending time with your undead boyfriend.
Especially since being on the flow meant more emotional draining. And although your boyfriend wasn't the warmest in body heat, he definitely was the warmest in showing you his love.
He was on a bed just resting because he didn't really have anything else to do. He didn't wanna bother you since you said you were on your period and didn't wanna risk you getting mad at him. (He would be extremely sulky.)
In his train of thoughts he hears footsteps creaking and immediately gets up, did a trespasser come into the cabins without him knowing? He grabs his machete that was on the ground and prepares for any sort of unfamiliar faces, he sees your face and sighs. He drops his machete as he realises he almost hit you with it.
You see him and stare at him for a few moments. He tilts his head and you start walking over to him and jump on him with your arms around his body.
He presses his mask against your head as you sigh. He couldn't express how much he loves you if he were honest. He strokes your head as he thinks so.
Billy n stu
You knew who to go to when you needed some physical affection. Having two people around you was more than enough.
You couldn't bother telling them about the problems and pains of your period since they're both lowkey air heads.. Just one of them is a bit smarter but definitely more sassy with a shit more attitude.
You slowly made your steps over to where you heard bickering, you saw the two of your boyfriends who you could see were talking about a horror movie most likely. You lazily walk to them, damn. They still don't notice you yet.
You decide to just fuck it and throw your body to where they were and Billy made a surprise grunting noise as Stu just yelped.
"Jesus! You fucking scared the shit out of us Y/n!" Billy exclaimed. Stu made a small "yeah!"
You just sighed tiredly. You wrapped your arms around both of them. "Well, we were just about to watch a movie. Wanna join us?" You just nodded as you felt them adjust themselves around your grip.
You relaxed after you felt Stu hug you tightly as Billy started going through the tapes with his legs around yours.
You were starting to relax until they started bickering again. Damn they couldn't shut up could they?
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astonmartinii · 1 year
Note
love love love these social media aus. i am obsessed. would love to see a soft launch with carlos maybe of him showing her spain and his home? carlos just screams old money european vibes and i love it
old money | carlos sainz social media au
pairing: carlos sainz x reader a class in soft launching 101
carlossainz55
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liked by landonorris, charles_leclerc and 301,671 others
carlossainz55: some much needed time at home
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username WHOMST?
landonorris so i see my invite was lost in the mail?
carlossainz55 i thought you were tired of third-wheeling?
landonorris touche
username was deluding myself that it was maybe his sister but the third-wheeling comment just slapped me in the face
charles_leclerc ahhhh my favourite sainz
carlossainz55 thanks mate you're my favourite leclerc too charles_leclerc i meant the dog mate arthurleclerc that's not what you said to me at imola sainz
yourusername
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liked by carlossainzz5, yourbff1 and 21,761 others
yourusername: let's go explorin'
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username i'd eat her last when we eat the rich
username what i'd do to be her friend? assistant at least?
username i saw her in madrid the other day and omg she's even more graceful in person
username her posture is insane i need it bad
username while she looks great and you're all right - are we ignoring that a MAN is driving the car?
username i am ignoring it because i don't want to think about it username she can't be the coolest person in the world and be in a relationship it's not fair
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carlossainz55
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liked by yourusername, landonorris and 359,561 others
carlossainz55: blood is thicker than water
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username my favourite pastime is watching the old money aesthetic overtake carlos' entire being as soon as he sets foot back in spain
landonorris oh he's getting braver
carlossainz55 you gonna be bitter under all my posts cabron? landonorris until i'm wifed again, yes.
username so like why is y/n here?
username is that defo her? username i was referring to her liking the post but now you say it, the girl on the horse does look suspiciously similar
charles_leclerc mommas boy
carlossainz55 didn't know it was a crime to love my mum
username so yall be yelling about y/n but not telling us who she is and why she matters
username y/n y/ln is a spanish socialite whose family own a lot of the high end restaurants in madrid but she's most known for her poetry and style username so do we hate or love her? username i like her, and a lot of people do, just usual dislike for being grossly rich but from what i've seen she's pretty down to earth
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yourusername
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liked by carlossainz55, charles_leclerc and 29,871 others
yourusername: keeping the operation smooth
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username THIS ISN'T FUNNY
username stop playing with us please
username i feel like this is all the confirmation we'll get
username y'all i know he's an f1 driver and everything but we all know he's PUNCHING
username i need her haircare routine STAT
f1wagsupdates
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liked by username, username and 1,249 others
f1wagsupdates: it's all but confirmed!! after a pretty solid soft launch from both carlos and his new lover y/n y/ln, her latest post was captioned "keeping the operation smooth", playing on carlos' iconic theme song. our sources state that the driver and socialite poet have been together for as long as six months but after other relationships and relative platforms, both were determined to take it slow. what do you think?
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username they're very cute and i can't wait to see her paddock looks
username bestie i fear you'll be waiting a while she's notoriously private when it comes to event appearances - really only going out for her family or her own events
username they're annoyingly sexy like save some for the rest of us
username this soft launch feels like its been going for about seven years
username f1 drivers defo have a type
carlossainz55
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liked by landonorris, yourusername and 720,778 others
tagged: yourusername
carlossainz55: mi hermosa
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username AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
yourusername you live in my heart
carlossainz55 and i never want to leave landonorris free real estate yourusername my favourite third-wheel carlossainz55 stay out of grown people's business landito
username they're so lana del ray coded
yourusername
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liked by scuderiaferrari, carlossainz55 and 71,230 others
tagged: carlossainz55
yourusername: life with you feels like poetry in motion
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username NOOOOOOO WE LOST HER
username but does this mean new poetry ??
carlossainz55 you make me crazy baby
yourusername crazy in love
username when will it happen to me?
landonorris finally i can interact without having a year long argument with carlos
lando.jpeg
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liked by carlossainz55, yourusername and 301,285 others
lando.jpeg: a study in third wheeling, a six month project by yours truly
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username i'm obsessed with this couple actually
carlossainz55 as much as you are annoying landito, thank you for these ❤️
yourusername we love you landito landonorris so i can use the boat yourusername i don't love anyone that much carlossainz55 eh? yourusername other than you obviously
username lando just starts domestics in these comments and i love that for him
note: sorry this one is a bit short, but i hope you enjoyed anyway!!
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Text
Three for One 2
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Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, cheating, customer service abuse, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.
This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.
Summary: As a customer service associate, you’re used to work with a wide variety of characters. Your efforts to go above and beyond draw the attention of a certain set of customers who want more than what’s on the shelf.
Character: Andy Barber, Lloyd Hansen, Ransom Drysdale
Note: The ho-lidays are the daddies and the baddies.
As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3
Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)
Love you all. Take care. 💖
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You bob around to the tinkling of carols as they waft over the store. Unlike your coworkers, you enjoy the repetitive tunes. They are so fun and bright and help the time pass between customers and stocking. Not that there isn't more than enough to keep you busy.
In the rare moment where you aren't distracted, you let yourself browse the colourful lipsticks and shining perfume bottles all around. You don't have anyone to shop for, not even yourself. You have your dollar store glosses and discount nail polishes. You don't see the need to spend too much on those things. Or maybe you just prefer what you know. Simple and cheap.
Around lunchtime, traffic really picks up. Several customers ignore your approach and brush by you before you can entice them into buying some Chanel. You've already hit your sales targets but you never really think of numbers.
A woman stops you and asks for a very specific palette. You know just the one. You think it's cute, it looks like a cupcake, and while you adore the aesthetic, it isn't worth the price tag. It's just powder!
You show her where it is and Luanne comes over to take the reins. She's the makeup genius, her flawless contour is proof enough. You turn to float back to your zone and see a man watching you. You recognise him! Vaguely. You see a lot of people in a day.
"Good afternoon," you sing as you near him, "anything I can help you with?"
His throat bobs as he cheek ticks, "uh, yeah, er..." he pushes back his gray jacket, tucking his hands in his pants pockets, "you remember me?"
You smile as you try not to show your cluelessness, "I think..."
"I came in last week," he says.
You think, scrunching up your face as you tap your chin, "yes! You bought Liz Taylor for you mother."
"Mother-in-law," he corrects you, not unkindly.
"Yes, that's it," you jab your finger upwards, "you complimented my sweater."
"Yeah, that was me," He finally smiles, "anyway, I was thinking of getting a gift for my wife. Just a little stocking stuffer."
"Oh, that sounds so cute," you nearly squee. You get so excited to help people shop for a loved one. At the same time, you feel that void. Maybe one day you'll have a husband thinking of you. "We have some great gift sets, actually. They come with different scents so you're wife can figure out which one she likes best." You direct him over to a shelf, "oh, and if she has a favourite, you can get her a full bottle for Valentine's!"
He gives you a look. His eyes narrow just a bit and his cheeks round, "that's a good idea."
He glances over the shelf and you wait patiently. He turns back to you, his eyes flitting over your name tag as he reads it out, "do you have a suggestion?"
"Me?" You perk up, "well, I actually like the Coach. It's not too expensive and it's nice and subtle."
"Is that what you wear?" He asks.
"I don't... I use some cherry blossom body spray but I usually smell like the whole store by the end of the day," you shrug.
"Cherry blossom," he nods, "oh, by the way, I'm Andy."
He offers his hand in an overly formal way. You giggle but take it nonetheless. You don't really get that often.
"Sorry," he squeezes your hand firmly before letting go, "lawyer, habit."
"No, it's fine," you assure him, "I'm just a perfume salesman, is all."
"Well, you're really good at your job," he praises.
"How do you know?" You say.
"You're friendly and helpful. I have no complaints," he reaches past you and claims the Coach pack, "she's going to love this. I owe you."
"No problem. Do you need me to ring you up?"
"Actually," he sighs, "she has this idea. Christmas card. I'm supposed to find a sweater. So, I need to look around some more."
"Oh, that's so cool. A Christmas card? The sweaters are just over in the men's, right near the east entrance," you point, "they have some really cute Charlie Brown ones."
"Charlie Brown," he repeats.
"Anyway, I'll let you go," you clutch your hands together, "I hope your wife likes the perfume."
"I'm sure she will," he agrees, hesitantly clapping the kit between his hands, "uh, thanks. Again." He leans back on his heel, "oh and, that's a really nice colour on you."
"Uh," you look down at your gem green blouse, "thank you, sir."
"Andy," he insists, walking backwards, "again, you're a life saver."
You grin proudly and he spins on his heel, nearly knocking into Luanne as she comes over. He apologises as he side steps her and continues on. She gives you a strange look.
"Geez," she grumbles, "people. This time of year makes everyone so crazy."
"Well, he was nice," you say.
"Kinda cute, too," she intones.
"He was shopping for his wife."
"Lucky lady," she scoffs, "so, you wanna go on lunch first? I'm dying for a latte."
"You can go, I don't mind," you say, "I'm not very hungry."
"Deal," she winks, "I'll get you a hot chocolate for your trouble."
"You don't have to do that."
"I don't have to, I want to, sweetie," she preens.
"Fine, fine, I accept your coerced hot chocolate.”
🎀
Another day close to complete. It's like checking off items on a list. Each evening seems to darken sooner than the last, every morning rising too soon.
You yawn at the empty fragrance section as it’s only you left for the last hour. There isn't much to do except balance the till. Your headset keeps you entertained as electronics calls out possible shrink and home goods argue about their numbers.
“We need a body at returns,” Lucille cuts through the chatter. “Now.”
No answer comes and you slowly slide your hand up the wire. Before you can hit the button, your name is snarled from the other end. You're ordered up to cash to assist with the hordes.
You leave the ghost town that is beauty and as good as skip up to the front. You calm your step as you see Lucille sneering at you from behind a machine. You give a tiny smile and claim the extra screen behind returns. 
“I can help the next person,” you call and wave your hand in the air.
You stand back and wait for your first customer. A man comes up and throws a torn open package on the counter, the item bouncing out of the plastic. You flinch and barely catch it before it can slide off the other edge.
“Hello, sir,” you bat your lashes, “how are you today?”
“Not fucking well,” the man snarls. His mustache tickles your memory; do you know him? “It’s a piece of shit.”
“Oh, okay,” you look down at the trimmer and examine it, “you’d like to do a return?”
“Yes, I’d like to do a return,” he snaps, “are you dim?”
“Of course, sir,” you punch in your ID and passcode, “I’ll just get you going. Do you have your receipt?”
“A receipt? I bought the damn thing here, look it up.”
“Ah, alright, when did you buy it?”
“You don’t remember, little trigger finger,” he sneers.
“What do you mean?”
“Pfft, right, you think spraying people with skunk spray is fun?”
“Um, no?” Your cheeks tremor as you withhold a frown; you think you know him now as you’re hit by a sudden wave of Gucci cologne, the scent of a memory. “Did you have the card you purchased this with?”
“You don’t think I have money?”
Everything he says is aggressive. Your questions bounce off him like accusations. You don’t know what to say that won’t agitate him further, He huffs and kicks a foot out, leaning on his back heel as he reaches in his back pocket.
He flicks a black card onto the counter, “put it back on this.”
You nod and take the card, examining the nameless front. You turn it over and swipe it in the machine instead to search the number. He scoffs, “bet you never seen one of those up close.”
“Sir,” you smile bigger, letting the insult ping off of you. All the money in the world and he has no manners.
You find the purchase with the same sku and put his card back on the counter. He snatches it up as you start the return. You scan the barcode and continue on to the next screen, “what’s your name, sir?”
“Lloyd,” he answers curtly. You type, waiting, then look up at him, “Hansen.” He finishes sharply, “with an E, got it?”
“Yes, sir, and the reason for return?”
He rolls his eyes, “it doesn’t fucking work.”
“Alright. So it doesn’t cut the hair or–”
“It won’t turn on,” he growls.
“Right,” you take the trimmer and turn it over. It looks fine enough, even after he threw it. You slip the door of the battery compartment off. It’s empty, “and you had double As in it?”
“Double As?” He repeats.
“It needs batteries, sir.”
He pauses, eyes flaring, nostrils flaring.
“You think I’m stupid? That I don’t fucking know that? You’re not getting free fucking batteries from me.”
“Of course, sir, of course,” you rarely feel this addled, even this time of year, “I’ll get you your money back on a gift card–”
“Gift card? I want my money,” he holds up his card between two fingers.
“Yes, sir, I understand. As per our return policy, personal care items, once opened, are only eligible for a store credit return. Or you can exchange for another item. Would you like to look at our other trimmers? I can put this aside while–”
“What? How would I know that?” He hisses.
“It says on the receipt, sir.”
“I don’t have the goddamn receipt,” he barks.
“I know, sir, sorry. I can only refund this amount on a gift card. I can’t override the option.”
“I want a manager. NOW!” He demands as you jump in your shoes.
“I… I’ll see if she’s avail–”
Lucille has you jumping even more as she appears beside you, no doubt drawn by the raging man in front of you. She elbows you out of the way, not even acknowledging you as she puts on her mask. She leans on the counter just slightly.
“Sir, is there something I can help with? I’m the manager,” she says.
“I want my money,” he echoes once more. “I bought a defective product and I don’t want store credit. I drove out here twice for this bullshit.”
“Oh, certainly sir,” she brushes you with her hip, further edging you out, “right back on that black card, right?”
She scans her keycard, overriding the safeguard, and proceeds to the refund screen.
“Yes, exactly,” he snorts, “not like I don’t have even more money to spend here. Even if the customer service is lacking.”
You back away, unsure what to do. Do you just stand there for the transaction or do you go back to your department? You twiddle your fingers and bob on your heels.
Your eyes meet that man’s and he smirks smugly, wiggly his credit card at you. It’s fine, you won’t let him ruin your day. He’s already ruined his own getting so worked up.
🎀
It’s another busy shift. Your hot chocolate has gone cold from your neglect and you long to sneak away and shove it in the break room microwave. You can’t mourn the lukewarm drink as the line before you stretches on. You’re only a week from Christmas.
You finish wrapping the Prada bottle and hand it over the iron-haired woman with her cute curls. You wish her a good day as she waddles off. The next customer comes up, slamming down a cup so hard, the foam of the drink spits through the slot in the lid.
“Hello, sir,” you croon, “how are you today?”
“Here for a pickup,” he ignores your question.
“Right, can I get a name?”
“Why?” He challenges.
“For… for the package,” you sputter.
“Oh, uh, Drysdale,” he sniffs.
“I saw that earlier. I’m the one who called,” you brighten up.
“So you’re the annoying songbird,” he grabs his drink again, “took you fucking long enough. Line’s a mile long.”
“It’s very busy, yes. Everyone’s catching up on their Christmas shopping,” you bounce, “are you almost done yours?”
“Yeah, I bought myself cologne. So, chop chop, sweetheart.”
You nod and quickly spin. People get so impatient. You go into the small back room housed behind the shelves of lockup and you search the shelves. Drysdale. You pluck up the box and hurry back out.
“Right here,” you announce, “I have good news, too.”
“Tell me you’re gonna stop yammering,” he snickers.
“Um, no, the uh… the cologne is currently on markdown so I can do a price match and give you your money back.”
“Why would you do that?” He asks.
“Er, because… it’s policy?”
“You think I can’t afford it?”
“N-no, I didn’t say–”
“Look, I don’t need some department store busy bee to judge me, got it? This scarf costs more than your whole wardrobe,” he touches the patterned scarf around his neck.
“It’s a very nice scarf,” you agree.
He narrows his eyes, “you’re mocking me.”
You shake your head, “no, sir, I like the colours–”
“Give my goddamn package," he reaches and rips the box out of your hands, “and a tip, shut up and do your job. Maybe then you won’t have half the city waiting to get their shit.”
“Thanks,” you swallow down his anger. “Have a great day, sir.”
He doesn’t reply as he takes his cologne and storms away. You watch him and notice his cup still beside your till. It’s too late to call him back. You’ll just put it aside, you’re sure he’ll come back for it.
You move it to the other end of the counter and face the next customer, “hello, how are you?”
“Good,” the blonde woman answers with a gentle smile, “some people…” she tuts, “don’t let the grinches get to you, honey.”
“Thanks,” you feel the ice melt away, “I won’t.”
“Adorable cardigan,” she adds, “I really love the collar.”
“Oh, thank you,” you trill, “is this everything for today?” You gesture to the bottle of Calvin Klein on the counter.
“That will be it. And I’d love to have it gift-wrapped, thank you, hon.”
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chuluoyi · 8 months
Text
UNHOLY MATRIMONY — 02
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✩°。 ⋆ unholy matrimony
- fushiguro megumi x oc/reader - oc/reader's character name is hara sena, pronouns still refer to “you” and i won’t mention it often—just for the sake of aesthetic rather than repeatedly writing "y/n"
in another life, in which fate is still screwing his life over, Fushiguro Megumi finds himself in an arranged marriage―with you.
genre/warnings: arranged marriage au, family drama, description of aggressive behavior
notes: somehow i just really love writing this. hope you enjoy this chapter!
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✩°。 ⋆ unholy matrimony (masterlist) | chapter one : to be wed <- previous ✩ next -> chapter three : the right husband
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And so here comes the day of your wedding to Fushiguro Megumi.
The two of you stood before the shrine altar, surrounded by your extended families, as well as your clansmen, who were there to observe this union. You looked down at the white silk kimono you were wearing. The thought of being Megumi's wife was still surreal.
The sky was grey and cloudy too―just the perfect weather for some nice, depressing nuptials.
Megumi seemed to stand there with no expression, staring straight ahead, not really acknowledging what was happening despite the fact that this was his wedding. You wondered if he felt the same way you did.
At least he is a friend, you thought. Even if everyone here is against you, Megumi is in the same boat as you. The knowledge brought you comfort.
The priest stood at the altar, droning on about how your marriage was one of love and respect. Everything that proceeded afterwards became a blur―the purification rites, prayer, exchanging sake, wedding vows. Megumi was the one who recited the oath with clear voice, as your mind was tuning in and out, remembering the circumstances that had led you both here.
Have you done the right thing? By dragging a wholly innocent person into your mess?
You were having second thoughts about all of this right when you caught the sight of your mother, who was wiping her tear-streaked face at the forefront seat while watching you. And those doubts dissipated. Yeah, this is the right decision. Should you marry Naoya, you were sure as hell that he wouldn't allow you to see your mother ever again. Your father didn't really care which Zen'in you were marrying, and by dragging Megumi, you have dissolved your binding vow with him.
Everything should be fine and dandy now, isn't it?
You and Megumi had been asked to exchange rings as part of the ceremony. He stood there, staring down at the gold rings, and found his breathing to increase in intensity. He hated to admit it, but even though he found this whole ordeal tedious, he felt like he wouldn't do you justice if he fumbled this part. Your hand was soft and warm, and he tried ignoring the rush of emotions as he put the ring onto you.
His hand did hesitate for a brief moment though, wondering if he could just pull it back at the last second. You awkwardly slid the ring into his finger afterwards.
You are now husband and wife, as the priest said so.
With the ceremony over, came the reception party. Both of you took a seat at the main tables, surrounded by numerous guests.
You caught him stealing many glances at you throughout this ordeal, seemingly uncomfortable with being under the spotlight. Megumi was not one to show his emotions, but you could tell something was going on inside his head.
After a while, you excused yourself from the main table to the washroom, as greeting the well-wishers took out more of your energy than you initially thought.
“Well, if it isn’t the runaway wench.”
You stopped in your tracks as dread soaked you. Oh hells…
He flung his arms around your thick wedding garments and pulled you aside. You gave him the most offensive side eye. “Let go of me, Naoya.”
“Ah, don’t be like that, sister,” his tone was scathing, amused at how prickled you were. “We are family now, aren’t we? We should be cordial with each other.”
“No, we are not,” you gritted each word through your teeth. “You don’t get to do this on my wedding day, Zen’in Naoya.”
And suddenly his nails pierced the skin of your neck, and you gasped, almost letting out a yelp.
“You insolent whore!” he hissed in your right ear, and you really hoped no one would walk through this hallway anytime soon. “You think you can do this to me? Do you really think I won’t do anything but watch you and that bastard walk all over me?”
Of course you knew. Gojo Satoru had warned you. The very second Megumi put one foot in his ancestral home, Naoya would be after him, out for blood.
“Unhand me this instant,” you croaked out with steel. No, you won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing your fear. “Or I’ll shout. Even your clansmen won’t take it too kindly if you murder me in front of them.”
Naoya spat at you, letting go of his hold. You immediately shoved him away, tried to control your trembling form, and took the chance to run.
“Enjoy this while it lasts, you wench!” he taunted as your thundering steps resounded throughout the halls. You shut the door of the restroom with a bang, trying to collect your bearings. You were so terrified. Even when you were the most overlooked daughter in Hara family that you hated, no one has ever manhandled you like that.
You wiped the trickling blood from your neck and washed it with the running water. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but you took a deep breath and swallowed it. You can’t. You have gone too far now. You have to see this to the very end.
When you got back to the reception hall, your mother caught you and pulled you into her arms. Her embrace felt warm, and you sighed against her, finally finding peace. “Mom…”
“Sena,” she breathed out. “Oh, my baby, you are really beautiful today…” she pulled back to caress your face, and then she whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to put you in this position.”
You shook your head lightly, smiling at her. “No, don’t be, mom. It’s fine.”
“At least he seems to be a decent young man,” your mother dabbed her eyes with her kerchief, referring to Megumi who was sulking at his dais. “I’m still sorry, but at least I can rest easy, knowing that your husband isn’t someone who would treat you badly.”
Almost, you thought with a sigh, shuddering at the remainder of Naoya's hold against you earlier. Once again, this reminded you that you have made the right choice. Whatever it was that Naoya had planned, it was a problem for another chapter.
“Now I can visit you every time I want, mom,” you said heartily. “Father can’t get in the way between us anymore. We’re free.”
She shot you a scolding look. “You silly girl, you don’t have to focus on that. Even if he tried again, I would crawl my way back to see you.” You almost didn’t want to let go of her hand, as she finally untangled them from your hair. “Now go back to your husband. Poor him, I think he’s having a hard time there.”
Your mother was right. Megumi really seemed to be struggling with the inquiries of people who surrounded him. Reluctantly, you went back to your place at his side, and politely answered their queries.
Megumi was slightly relieved. With you back, he didn't have to speak as much. Soon it was time for the guests to have a chance to pour you drinks. A troublesome tradition, he sighed to himself.
"Honestly, it's the first time I've heard of her," an elderly woman said in a thoughtful manner behind the first line of crowd surrounding the two of you. "And doesn't Hara clan only have three daughters? Aren't all of them married already?"
"Hush, auntie!" the woman beside her rebuked in a whisper. "She's not the daughter from the main wife."
"Oh, really? A lesser daughter... How come she got the Zen'in with the Ten Shadows?"
Megumi blinked, the sake felt bad as it burned his throat. Did these guests just slight you right in front of your face? He found himself glancing at you to see your reaction.
But you kept smiling, tending to each praise of your grace and sipping the drink with positive attitude. You either paid those whispers no mind or just didn't hear it altogether. And as he wondered, he noticed the bruise on your neck.
He was sure that wasn't present up until just now.
When those two women who gossiped about you finally got the chance to pour you the drinks, Megumi suddenly felt the unbearable impulse to blurt this out. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about my wife like that."
You were surprised. The two women were too. As they bowed in apology, you threw him a small smile―a silent thank you. He averted his gaze, ignoring the blush on his face.
And soon, it was Naoya's turn. He looked unpleasant and had this sneer on his face that made Megumi uncomfortable. But when he saw you tense and shrink back in alarm, he immediately connected the dots.
"Should I say it?" the elder Zen'in murmured with a low cackle, concealing it through the trickling sound of the sake he poured into his cup. "Why a bastard daughter can marry into my clan―because she is lucky to be legitimatized by her sorry excuse of a father.”
At this point, you really didn’t care a whit about what Naoya said—you just wanted him to leave. But Megumi took offense, clenching his jaw. "If you disrespect her one more time―"
"What? What can another bastard like you do, huh?" he challenged.
Megumi was this close to flipping this stupid table of drinks before him when Zen'in Naobito took a hold of Naoya's shoulder, silently admonishing him. Naoya grumbled under his breath and moved away in disgust.
"Well, that's that," Megumi grunted as the last person went back. There were murmurs among the guests, perhaps talking about your status or Naoya’s antics just now. He looked at you again, suddenly finding the atmosphere quite oppressing. "Should we go now? It isn't like we're bound to drink through the night anyway. I hate alcohol."
"Sure," you snorted quietly. Both of you moved away from the main table. For appearance's sake, his hand gripped yours―and he was taken aback by how clammy it was.
Many things ran through his mind, but one thing he knew was that he didn't like this at all.
"Did Naoya do that to you?" he released his grip as soon as you were secluded away in the gardens. His dark eyes seemed to gleam with something as he had a good look at your neck.
You let out a resigned sigh. "I’m alright. Please don't make a big deal out of this."
"Sena, if I see something like this again, I won't stay quiet, you understand?" He would take matters into his own hands. What in actual hell is this? Why should their lives be haunted by Zen'in Naoya in the background?
The very idea made him angry.
"Don't think about it that hard," you rebuked with a grin. You wanted to lighten things up really, with all that had happened during the course of today. "So we're friends already, eh? You’re concerned about me.”
He threw you a look. "I suppose we can call each other friends for today."
"Not just today. From now on. Because you're the only one I can trust now, amongst people with agendas within our clans."
It wasn't your intention to say that. Maybe the many cups they poured you loosened your tongue.
"You really trust me?" Megumi asked, amused, his arms folding across his hakama.
"Out of those Zen'in who see me as vile and people in my clan who clap their hands as they ship me away?” you squinted, sighing. “Yes.”
He barked a satire laugh. If he had doubted it before, then after tonight he was certain that this marriage thing with you was indeed doable. "Well, good, because I don't not trust you either."
Both of you were getting somewhere, and you could feel it. Your wedding day might not go as smooth as either of you wanted, but you couldn’t care less about that. As you walked in the same tempo with him, you shared a laugh and company.
"Don't you hear what they were saying earlier? They told me to have your child as soon as possible."
"Huh? We haven't even been married for a day and they're already pushing us to have a child?"
"They mostly whispered it to me. It's incessant."
It isn't so bad, each of you thought to yourselves, unaware of what life has got in store for this marriage that had started with duty, lies and betrayal.
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✩°。 ⋆ next -> chapter three : the right husband
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🏷️ taglist
@moonmalice @hellothere9597 @qtnfer @firstplaidpeachnickel @waddlingwanderer @chilichopsticks @satorus-slut
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riyangiis · 5 months
Text
flowers for you ! ─ han yujin
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you've had a crush on yujin for so long, you just gave up on trying anything because you're nowhere near his level. but rumors started to go around about him and another idol in your school, you couldn't help but be jealous.
pairing , han yujin x reader
warnings , idol!classmate!yujin, idol! oc, rushed..
𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 !
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han yujin, a name known all around your school. insanely talented, unbelievably attractive, his whole existence is precious, and so many more. you were absolutely nowhere near his level. he's adored by many and probably has his own group of admirers.
you know there are so many other talented people like him in your school, so you don't even bother and try to get him to notice you unlike delusional daydreamers who can't seem to catch a break.. chocolates here, letters there.. you just sort of ignore him the whole time to ease the pain of knowing that there isn't asingle chance of him liking you back.
just one thing caught your attention, seo jiwon. she's the rising star of the infamous group starlinx. the frequently praised and adored, the super talented maknae, the drop-dead gorgeous girl. she was exactly what you were scared of.
jiwon's had her own share of admirers too, but rumors started going around stating that yujin and jiwon have a thing for each other after a fan recorded their interaction in school. it's nothing really, socializing at it's finest. but fans started realizing how 'good' the both of them would be for each other. you felt a little bit of jealousy bubble up at the thought.
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nevermind. articles like k-daily use their aesthetic and unique style more than the main focus of the entire website. so it shouldn't matter at all, right? maybe. you snapped out of your thoughts and went to a specific app to see other's opinion on this. you scrolled on twitter and find some tweets about the whole situation.
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this whole idea may sound stupid, but you really thought of fully ignoring both jiwon and yujin as if you were only able to sneak a few glances with them whenever you got lucky. give up.. it's not like they will notice and as if it's gonna do anything major.. (maybe)
you turned your phone off and started getting comfortable in your bed, trying to get some sleep. all you could think about was yujin, jiwon, yujin, jiwon, it was suffocating. if anything you should be drowning in your soft bed and get some sleep, not drown in those stupid thoughts.
what should you do tomorrow? just let them be? safest option but your intrusive thoughts or your heart will never agree to that. be mean to them? might get cancelled by their fans around the school. fully ignore them and act like they never existed and dodge every option that leads to them? maybe.
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"gosh jiwon, no wonder people called you helpful."
yujin sighed and dropped the notepad with a million ideas to make the first move. for who you ask? you'll see. he checked each page to see how many recommendations jiwon did with a whole lot of research about what that lucky person likes and possibly wants in a guy.
"how do you even do this?"
yujin's face was full of shock and wonder, jiwon smirked and looked and yujin's reaction in satisfaction. she snatched the notepad and flipped every page to boost her ego a little bit more.
"hey, it's me, the super wonderful maknae, jiwon! you'll never get anything wrong with me around!"
"i don't understand how you're good at this more than taking simple notes and putting the teacher's lectures to use."
jiwon slowly looked at yujin to create a more dramatic effect, she stared at him as if she just failed her exams. yujin just sits there confused.
"was i wrong?"
jiwon smacked yujin in his shoulder playfully and made sure he wasn't hurt at all, yujin acted as if he just got shot and played along with her.
"all we need to do is focus on the main thing, get [name] to like you and not get scolded or caught."
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a camera from afar failed to hear their conversation and just snapped a picture of yujin and jiwon at the back of the school, jiwon seemed to notice an awkward presence and looked around in her surroundings, yujin followed. the person slowly walked away without the both of them knowing that they pretty much screwed their plan up. a little bit i guess.
the bell rings, a few people sigh after getting tired of hearing the teacher's boring lesson in mathematics. everyone grabbed their bags and rushed out of the classroom. jiwon and yujin involved. jiwon sneakily watched the both of you exit the room, why do you look more gloomy than usual? yujin hold the chocolates in his hand feeling a little nervous, he walked up to you and tapped your shoulder, you continue walking.
"hello?"
you continue walking.
"i'm busy."
he tried to catch up and stopped in front of you. in which you tried to pass by him, is anything wrong? you usually tried to greet him but his fans were always near him that time. he gently pulled you to a private spot and held you as if you were delicate. you blushed at the thought, but snapped out of it.
"what is it that you want?"
"i was about to ask if we could hang out for lunch, since you were busy i just wanted to give you these."
yujin opened his hand that had pieces of your favorite chocolate inside. you slowly took them and kept them inside your pocket. he knew what you liked?
"wait.. why are you giving me this?"
oh, yujin didn't think about that. he tried to brush it off with a pretty bad excuse.
"i always saw you buy them in the store or eat them at least once a day. and you're really kind to me and treat me like a normal person instead of some deity.. i just wanted to give you these as a thank you.."
yujin nervously looks down at the floor with his face fully red. he tries to cover his blushy state with one hand but you noticed right away.
"i.. thank you, i don't really know what to say. don't hide yourself, yujin. you look so cute right now."
you teased him and removed his hand covering his face and held it. you remembered that he asked you to hang out with him, you can't miss that opportunity.
"uh, also, we can hang out another time if you want? i can ditch my friends-"
"what? no need to ditch your plans.. that's pretty ridiculous to do for someone you only interacted with a few times.."
"someone? you're the han yujin! even if i tell my friends they will probably get it.."
there goes your blushing yujin again. he's all giggly as well, you could honestly ditch everything just to see yujin blushing. maybe that's just how adorable he is.
"maybe we can hang out at the park, if you're free at saturday?"
and there it is. you finally got to have a pretty long conversation with him, is this a dream? whatever. you just had to get prepared for saturday, get your best outfit, maybe prepare incase anything happens.
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"what do you mean you're gonna hang out with someone?"
gyuvin asks yujin confused, they had a packed up schedule and this is the first time yujin was able to hang out with someone.
"are they special? what did they do for that hang out? is it jiwon asking you to do your 'secret sessions'? what is it??"
gosh, gyuvin really sounds like a curious mother. curiosity kills the cat (ricky) you know? (probably why he's really curious)
"hyung, calm down. were only studying for a quiz.."
yujin looked down on the floor knowing he messed up big time, that horrible excuse did not do anything but peak gyuvin's curiosity more.
"a quiz?? you can ask hao hyung for help.. or maybe gunwook.. what is it that you need help for?? are you hiding something from me??"
yujin inhaled and tried to explain to gyuvin about everything.
"uhm.. iwantedtoaskjiwonforhelpbecauseilikesomeoneandiwantedtomakethefirstmovesoiaskedthemtohangoutwithmenowweregoingtotheparkonsaturdaybutidon'tknowwhattodo."
gyuvin's brain was processing on what yujin just said. holy, his son is a rapper too?
"wait wait, YOU LIKE SOMEONE??????"
gyuvin shouted out loud enough for the other members to hear.
"be quiet!"
hanbin, zhanghao, and ricky scolded gyuvin for #1 being too loud, #2 disrupting hao's precious beauty sleep, and #3 ricky just wants to scold gyuvin. gyuvin's jaw is still on the floor after what yujin just said. him? liking someone? his son is growing up?
"wait, i have an idea."
gyuvin dragged ricky and hanbin to a flower shop and asked hanbin which one should yujin pick for his.. crush..
"what are their preferences anyway?"
yujin looked around and spotted a bouquet full of pink tulips.
"this, i once saw in their instagram post that they liked pink tulips."
ricky looked at the price and the quality of the flowers. hanbin seemed impressed by yujin.
"pink tulips.. affection, caring, good wishes, and love.. not as deep at red tulips, which is good because you guys are still kids. impressive yujin."
ricky grabbed the bouquet and his wallet to pay for it. they walked out of the store and talked about what yujin should do on the way back to the dorms.
(i cant add more pics so pretend this is a divider)
it's saturday, you decided to pick a casual but good-looking outfit. you tried to look as presentable as you can, you're literally gonna hang out with an idol. yujin probably has better things to do.
you walked all the way to the park and waited for yujin to meet you at the spot you both agreed on. you waited for a little while until a familiar voice called your name. yujin walked up to you holding something behind his back with that cute smile he has.
"what's that behind your back?"
he slowly revealed the bouquet of pink tulips. you got flustered and took the bouquet, the price tag was still attached, it looks pretty expensive for flowers.. you looked at yujin in shock, how did he know? he just smiled in satisfaction. it's obvious that you love his gift.
"flowers, for you."
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esamastation · 7 months
Text
Part thirty-four of Shizuroth, aka, the SOLDIER General's Self Saving Shizun.
Ao3 link.
Previous parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three
-
Sephiroth feels a little better after an evening of meditation and a full night of sleep. Things look a little better in the light of day, and though the question of what the fuck he'd going to do about the war is still there, it has been put off. In favour of monster hunting!
"You seem… excited?" Angeal comments as they prepare to go.
He is! "Mn," Sephiroth answers, and carefully doesn't bounce with eagerness.
Even if the monsters of Final Fantasy can't hold a candle to the convoluted, messy and lazily put together nature of the monsters in PIDW, they're still interesting! Especially since he isn't sure what they actually are and how they work. Advent Children and Crisis Core really make it so unclear, because, like, everything turned into energy sparkles when it died? And he thinks in the movie one of the Sephiroth copies - weird to think about them now - summoned some monsters with magic? And then there was Zack in Crisis Core. Who turned into sparkles when he died!
Not everything can just disappear into energy, right, you need living things dying and rotting and composting to make up soil and stuff! If plants just disappear when they die, what do people eat, what were all these buildings made from? Plus he distinctly remembers coal being a thing in this setting, there was a whole town that got shafted because of it and everything, so fossil fuels exist, therefore stuff must leave behind physical remains! Except when it doesn't?
So! Is death like instant ascending here? Or like it descending, since all energy returns to the Planet? Sephiroth is pretty sure that Aerith left behind a body, and there were definitely corpses in the original game - but again, in the prequel it was really unclear. Enemies in combat disappeared, but cutscene death left a body. Except when it didn't!
Ah, the limitations of technology.
Still, he's interested in seeing how the creatures would look and feel and compare them to those he knows from PIDW. Final Fantasy VII had some really weird monsters, and he has a bet going with himself about how much they resemble awakened beasts or yaoguai. 
Angeal looks at him and then smiles, hoisting the Buster Sword to his back. "Ready to go, then?"
"Ready," Sephiroth agrees.
"We're going to have to talk to the Colonel first, but don't worry - I'll handle the talking," Angeal says. "He's an… old-fashioned soldier." 
Sephiroth arches a brow. It sounds like a warning. "Which means…?"
"He doesn't like SOLDIER, he thinks we're stuck up and get our abilities handed to us, we don't deserve our reputation, the usual stuff," Angeal shrugs. "Just ignore it and let me handle it."
"... If you say so."
They head outside together, and Sephiroth takes a moment to look around and try to be an objective observer. This place isn't really anything like the towns back home, in PIDW - the aesthetics are mixed, and though they're more like home than Midgar was, it's as if the place was squeezed through a funhouse mirror. It's just a little off.
And of course, there are no locals anywhere to be seen for a full comparison - just Shinra troops, infantry men and SOLDIERs. Who, the moment they notice him and Angeal, stop to stare and point and whisper.
Has the… incident in Midgar already spread this far, or is this really what it's like being Sephiroth all the time?
Depressing.
"Here," Angeal says and leads him to another house, apparently being used by the Colonel. "Remember, let me do the talking. You just stand there and look imposing, okay?"
Sephiroth snorts. "I think I can manage that."
The Colonel didn't look happy to see them, but then, he doesn't look like a man that's ever really happy. He sizes Sephiroth up and then scoffs. "It's about time. I don't know what kind of discipline you SOLDIER Firsts enjoy in Midgar, but this is a war front, sir, there are rules here."
Does that mean Sephiroth isn't a General then? 
"Right, you're right, of course, sir," Angeal says placatingly. "Well, we're here now, and we already have missions lined up, so -"
The Colonel ignores him and comes around his desk and to Sephiroth's face. "You've been in and out of Wutai for most of this war, isn't that correct, SOLDIER?"
Sephiroth blinks at the man, slowly. "I suppose so." Behind the Colonel Angeal looks panicked.
"What was that?" The Colonel asks dangerously, narrowing his eyes. "You suppose so?"
Sephiroth narrows his eyes back.
The Colonel continues. "When talking to an officer of superior rank, you answer yes sir, or no sir. You do not suppose! Now, do you have experience in the war or not, SOLDIER?!"
Oh, someone is feeling very insecure in their boots, aren't they?
Now, Sephiroth could handle this with all the tact and delicacy of Shen Qingqiu… but even Shen Qingqiu wouldn't have swallowed that kind of spiel without biting. The original definitely wouldn't have! And Sephiroth is supposed to be a villain… well.
Sephiroth smiles - the Colonel recoils.
Last night he'd reread everything there was on his phone about Wutai, going through all his missions again, trying to get as much intelligence as he could. Funny, the things the tutorial left out. 
"I'm sorry," Sephiroth says sweetly. "Who are you?"
The Colonel goes a little red. "Excuse me, SOLDIER?"
"You're barking at me as though at a private, expecting me to go yes sir and no sir," Sephiroth says mockingly. "And yet I have no clue as to who you even are."
Behind the Colonel Angeal gapes and then lifts a pleading look to the ceiling.
The Colonel sputters. "You, you - How dare -"
Ah, you gotta love zero IQ bullies.
"I was given a whole slew of missions and orders," Sephiroth says softly. "All are very vital and high priority. I'm to slay monsters that have killed your men, I'm to hunt down spies you've clearly failed to find, I'm to clear a guard station you haven't been able to get near, I'm to weaken a fortress you cannot even touch, and ten other things besides. All my mission files are very clear. And you know what they all have in common?"
He leans a little closer to the Colonel - right in his purple face. "Not a single one of them mentions you."
Then, before the Colonel can recover, Sephiroth turns on his heel with an imaginary mike drop and saunters out, feeling a whole lot better about everything. The sun is shining, the troopers are scattering at the mere sight of him, and the air is fresh and sweet with natural Qi.
Already this day is looking up.
Angeal, clearly deciding that evasion was the better part of valour, hurries after him. "We're going to pay for that later, you know," he says, sounding defeated.
Of that Sephiroth doesn't have any doubts. What good is a one-time bully? There'd either be a horrifying scene of comeuppance to bring home the realities of war, or a heartfelt discovery and understanding about how they're not so different after all, or whatever else. 
"We'll burn that bridge when we get to it," Sephiroth says cheerfully. "Now. I was promised monsters."
Angeal sighs, glancing back at the house commandeered by the Colonel. "... I guess we better clear out anyway. Alright," he motions. "Right this way to the monsters."
Sephiroth grins at his bitchy tone, and together they head out.
-
SY can have a petty bully scene, as a treat.
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nancy-reads · 5 months
Text
am I the one you think about?
part 2!!
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pairing: fred weasley x reader
summary: having your heart broken before love really blossomed hurts more than it should. but fred's flirty banter never quits. maybe your love story isn't quite over?
warnings: slightly angsty but with a happy ending
authors note: i am so sorry for how long this took! school got crazy and college applications are a nightmare. however, i hope you all had a good holiday season and enjoy this late christmas gift!
part one
CROSS-POSTED TO AO3
You refused to cry as you stomped back to your shop. Fred could do whatever he wanted. It wasn’t like the two of you were together or anything. He just flirted with you like crazy and you developed a massive crush on him. 
And of course, the girl Fred was kissing was gorgeous. You couldn’t get her face out of your mind. Clear, gorgeous dark skin and eyes, black hair in a braided ponytail that looked effortless, and a tall figure that looked like she was meant to be a model for Quidditch robes. 
You didn’t know how you even thought you could pull someone like him. Fred was gorgeous and strong and funny, and you were just…well, you. Not anything special. 
You swore as you stepped into a massive puddle near your shop. Tears were beginning to prick your eyes, but you blinked them away. You would not cry over a man you knew not even twenty-four hours. 
And it would be better if it didn’t work out, you thought. You were going to be very busy with your shop once it opened, and you wouldn’t have time for any sort of relationship. It would be an absolute logistical nightmare, and you had to focus on your business. 
You nodded to yourself as you stepped inside your shop, decorated with candles, fairy lights, and plants. This was where you belonged. This was the important thing, not some stupid boy you met once. 
*
MAGICAL HERBS AND HEALING GRAND OPENING!!!
You smiled to yourself as you lowered your wand and took in the exterior of your shop. Everything looked perfect. The plants were in place, the widow displays were shining, and best of all, the banner hung front and center, inviting anyone and everyone to come in. 
People were beginning to trickle into Diagon Alley for some early morning shopping, so you rushed inside your shop and flicked the sign from open to closed. You bounced on your heels as you did some final checks to make sure that everything was in place.
You had already checked about seven times, but there wasn’t any harm in one more, was there? 
Soon enough, you didn’t have time to check anything, too busy ringing up the barrage of customers who entered your store. The line was spread throughout the shop, and you couldn’t stop smiling as your products and potions flew off the shelves. 
Your dreams were coming true. Everything was running smoothly, the customers were marveling at the aesthetics of your shop, and you’d gotten many promises to come back.
But the day couldn’t stay perfect forever, and your eyes widened as a familiar face entered the shop. You couldn’t help but notice Fred’s handsome face and body, but you cursed yourself. You would not be thirsting for a taken man.
Attempting to look as busy as possible, you straightened the boxes behind you and fussed with the register. You could feel his stare on your back, and it took every ounce of your will not to turn.
He is a taken man. He has a girlfriend. 
And he is still staring at you.
After a generous amount of time, Fred cleared his throat. You sighed, closing your eyes for a moment, and finally began to turn around. As slowly as humanly possible. 
“That excited to see me, huh?”
You ignored him.
“And what are you looking for today sir?”
His eyes widened. “Sir? You haven’t forgotten my name already, have you?”
Taken man. Taken man. Taken man.
This was going to be an exercise in self-control.
“Just-” you paused. “Come on, Fred-”
“I knew you remembered-”
“This isn’t a great time-”
“Well then tell me when is,” Fred said. “I’d be glad to arrange a date.”
Why did he have to say these things?
“Are you really going to make me do this now?” you asked, anger coloring your tone. “It's opening day, and I’d really rather you not ruin it.”
“Ruin it?” he asked, dumbfounded. “What do you mean?”
“You know what? Fine,” you snapped. “Come here after closing. We can talk then. I have customers to help, and I’m sure you do too.”
Fred’s eyebrows were scrunched together, and his mouth pulled into a frown. “I-” he paused when he looked at your face, and a defeated expression appeared on his face. “Okay.”
You stared at him as he left, and a part of you wondered if you’d hallucinated the whole thing. He seemed so earnest, like he actually wanted to talk to you. Like you were important, not some other girl he wanted to have on the side. 
But you couldn’t think like that. He probably had some other ulterior motive.
You turned to the next customer in line. “Hi, how can I help you today?”
*
You had to give him credit, Fred was at your shop door at six pm sharp. You tried to ignore him for a while, but he eventually caught your eye as you wiped down the counters.
He gave you a big smile as you opened the door, and part of you wanted to melt. His smile was so bright and full of ardent hope. His freckles made him look younger, and it really added to the sweetness of his face. 
“So,” Fred began after a moment. “Why didn’t you come see the shop? It’s been weeks.”
You sighed. “Look, Fred. I just don’t think us talking like this is appropriate.”
He scrunched his brows. “Appropriate? Why not?” his eyes widened. “I haven’t been impolite, have I? I swear I’ve never meant to say anything weird, I just like to have a laugh-”
“No! Nothing like that,” you said. “I’m not interested in the kind of relationship you want.” There you said it. You would not be someone’s side piece or a good fuck. You wanted something real.
You should have known he was too good to be true as soon as you hit him with those boxes. 
“Oh,” Fred said, his face falling. “I’m so sorry that I assumed-” he paused, “I mean, yeah, sorry, you’re really busy so…yeah.” He forced a smile and stepped back. “I guess I’ll see you around?”
You nodded. “Yeah. I’ll see you.”
You ignored the disappointment in your chest as the bells rang, signifying Fred had left the shop.
*
The shop was still packed a few days later. You supposed word had spread about your low prices and fast wait times because potions were flying off the shelves. You’d begun to think about hiring someone else to help check people out while you brewed in the back. 
Plus, people seemed to like the idea of a small A&E in the back, and you’d definitely need more help with that. 
You’d just finished restocking some salves when he walked in. His brown eyes sparkled when they met yours, and that easy, earnest smile was back on his face. There was no hesitation or the anxiety you’d seen the other day. He was acting like nothing had happened. 
You hesitatingly smiled when he reached the counter, but your jaw dropped when you noticed the bruise that had formed around his eye. 
“Holy shit, Fred!” without thinking, you reached to touch his black eye. “What happened?”
He scoffed. “This is nothing. We just had a slight malfunction with one of our new products.”
“This doesn’t look very slight.”
“I’m fine. But,” he smirked. “I do appreciate your concern.”
“It’s professional concern,” you muttered as you searched for the anti-bruise cream behind the counter. “You’re not special.”
Fred’s jaw dropped dramatically. “You hurt me, dear lady.”
You snorted. “I think you can take it.”
Fred’s hand brushed yours as you handed him the cream and the anti-swelling potion. Your cheeks flushed, and he gave you a sweet smile as he left the shop. 
You could feel yourself smiling throughout the rest of the day, and you cursed yourself every time.
 He isn’t actually interested. He’s just a flirt. 
*
The next time Fred came in was a week later, and this time he had a cut branching up his arm. Thankfully, it was nearly closing time and most of your customers had trickled out by then. 
“What is this?” you fretted, grabbing his arm. “You hurt yourself again?”
“It was just a small incident with one of the pygmy puffs,” he chuckled. “They don’t like being told what to do.”
“Probably because they’re your orders,” you joked. “They can probably sense the stupidity from a mile away.”
“Hey!” he mock-yelled. “They don’t listen to George either.”
“My point still stands,” you said, tapping the cut with your wand. You held back a shiver as your thumb brushed his strong bicep. Was it just you, or did he have goosebumps?
“You don’t even know George.”
“He’s your brother, so if he’s anything like you, I’d be worried about his intelligence.”
Fred pouted. “They don’t listen to Angelina either, and she’s got a good head on her shoulders, so I think they just don’t listen to anyone.”
You paused your cleaning of his cut for a moment and tried to make your face as neutral as possible. “Who’s Angelina?” Could she be the girl he was kissing?
“Oh she’s George’s girlfriend,” he said, oblivious. You breathed a silent sigh of relief. “I don’t know how they’re still together, honestly she could do so much better, but she likes him, I suppose.”
You hummed, finally letting go of his arm to grab a potion. The cut was just barely a scratch now, but you wanted to make sure it didn’t get infected.
“Make sure you drink this, Fred, tonight and tomorrow morning. It’ll wash out any weird pygmy puff or whatever you call it infection from your body.”
“Yes ma’am!” he saluted and headed for the door. You couldn’t help but watch him make his way back from his shop, a spring in his step and a smile on his gorgeous face.
*
It kept happening. Fred came in with food poisoning, many more bruises, and even boils at one point. They were apparently from his inventions and experiments, but you were starting to get worried. Who gets injured this much?
The last straw was when he walked in with an injured leg. Your A&E hadn’t been opened yet, but you had hired a retired healer to run the counter so you could run in and out on occasion.
You were in the back, mixing a new potion when there was a loud commotion at the entrance. You had a sneaking suspicion of who it was but continued to stir the liquid until Martha poked her head into your office. 
“It’s your boy,” she said. “And I think you’ll want to see this.”
That got you out of your seat immediately. Most of the time Fred’s injuries honestly seemed more like excuses to come see you, for what reason you didn’t know, but Martha’s tone made it seem much more serious.
“What’s wro-” fear shot through you as you saw the pain on Fred’s face, and the fact that he was leaning on….a direct copy of himself?
You weren’t sure whether to be more worried or confused. Had Fred somehow invented a cloning machine? 
As you looked closer, you realized that they weren’t completely alike. The person next to Fred’s face was more rounded, and his nose was slightly bigger. His face was a bit uneven, and there was something off with his ear, but you couldn’t tell from far away. 
Suddenly, it all clicked. 
“You must be George!” you exclaimed. “Fred, you never told me that you had an identical twin!”
“Pleased to finally meet you,” George said, turning to Fred. “I can’t believe you never mentioned we were twins!” He glanced at you, mischief in his eyes. “It’s like you don’t care about me or something.”
“Shut up, George,” Fred said, turning your attention back to him. “I’m sorry to bother you again, darling-” your heart jumped, “-but I’m in quite a bit of pain and I was wondering if you could fix me up again?”
He is just a flirt. He is just a flirt. He is just a flirt. 
“Yes, of course,” you scooped Fred’s other arm over your neck and helped George carry him into the patient room. “Martha! Can you hold down the fort for a bit?”
You didn’t wait to hear her affirmative before slowly and carefully lowering Fred down onto the patient bed. His face was contorted in pain, and you couldn’t help yourself from squeezing his shoulder in support once he was safely in bed. 
“Drink this,” you said as you passed him a cup full of silver liquid. “It’ll make the pain go away for a bit.” Fred gulped it down, and a goofy smile filled his face when he finished. 
“You’re so pretty,” he said lazily.
You could feel heat creeping up your face, but you ignored him.
“Sleep well.”
You cleared your throat and turned to George. 
“Judging from the dirt and the Quidditch robes, I assume he fell off his broom?”
George nodded. “Yeah. He got distracted and a Bludger came flying toward him and…” he made a violent gesture, “Crash!”
You nodded. “Did he fall unconscious at any point, or hit his head?”
“He was a bit confused at first,” George said, hesitating. “He kept asking to come here though. My girlfriend kept trying to convince him to go to St. Mungos, but he wasn’t having it.” George smiled. “Are you two together? Because he kept asking specifically for you.”
Call the fire department, because your face was scorching. “I-” you stammered. “I thought he had a girlfriend or something?”
George snorted. “Fred? A girlfriend? He hasn’t dated anyone in a long time. I was honestly starting to wonder if he was gay and just afraid to tell me or something.”
“Really?” Your mind was spinning. Had you actually just hallucinated seeing Fred kiss someone outside of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes? “I thought saw him kiss a girl outside your shop a few months ago.” You sighed for a moment. “They looked really happy, so I didn’t want to intervene or anything.”
“That would be news to me,” he paused for a moment, lost in thought. “Wait, what did she look like?”
There was an insistent knock on the door. 
“Sorry, we’re busy right now!” you called. “Ask the counter if you need anything.”
The door burst open, and your jaw dropped when the women came crashing in. She was much less put together than the last time you’d seen her, her hair flying everywhere and her cheeks flushed. But she had the same dark skin and hair, and the same commanding appearance that made you see why Fred liked her. 
“I’m sorry,” you said politely. “But I’m currently busy with a patient. Please wait outside or go to St. Mungos if you-”
“She's fine,” George interrupted. “This is Angelina, my girlfriend.”
Suddenly, it all clicked into place. It wasn’t Fred you’d seen kissing a girl, it was George. Who was kissing his girlfriend. Like a normal person. 
You were completely and utterly stupid. 
“Angelina, this is that girl that Fred won’t shut up about.”
“Oh excellent!” She strolled over to you and stared at you seriously. “Please go out with him. Just to put him out of his misery. All I hear about anymore is him whining that some beautiful girl from the shops won’t date him and I need it to stop,” Her eyes were wide and solemn. “Please.”
George snorted. “Way to expose Freddie there.”
Angelina grinned back at him. “I think he needs it.”
“Well,” you clasped your hands, ignoring the redness in your cheeks. “I’m just going to do a quick skull exam just in case he hit his head, and then I’ll set his leg and let him rest.”
You couldn’t believe you’d messed it up this bad. Of course, you’d just seen Fred’s identical twin kissing his girlfriend. How hadn’t you thought of it before?
You quickly began your work, murmuring spells to yourself as you ensured everything was fine. You winced at the loud crack that sounded when Fred’s leg was set, but a final “Episkey,” finally healed the break.
You turned to face George and Angelina, who were watching with rapt attention. “Fred needs to sleep for an hour or two, just to make sure he doesn’t feel all the pain right away. I’d prefer to keep him here, just to make sure he stays asleep and pain-free, and I’ll also be able to check him over again once he wakes,” you said. “But I’ll do whatever you guys want.”
Angelina elbowed George before he could speak. “I think Fred will be perfectly content with staying here for a few hours.”
“Yup,” George said. “He’ll be fine.”
*
You’d been running in to check on Fred for what probably was close to every 5 minutes for the past hour and a half. Martha had given you multiple suspicious nods and knowing looks every time you stepped out of the back room, and she winked at you as she left at the end of her shift.
The store was closed and empty after another long and busy day, and the urge to go check on Fred was already pulling at you. 
Just in case.
It seemed your intuition had been correct, as he began to stir the moment you opened the door. His nose twitched adorably, and there was a small smile on his face as his eyes opened, the sleep still present in his stare.
Without thinking, you stroked his hair, but Fred didn’t seem to mind. He actually leaned into your touch, the smile on his face growing. It was all so domestic, and you couldn’t stop your own smile from spreading across your face. 
“Your smile is so pretty,” Fred mumbled. “You should do that more.”
Warmth filled your face. “I like yours too,” you sat on the edge of his bed. “Does anything still hurt?”
“Not when I’m looking at someone as beautiful as you.”
“You are shameless!” you giggled, smacking him on the side.
“Are you slapping a patient?” Fred teased. “I’m gonna have to report you to the Ministry.”
“You’re making me wonder if you have brain damage that I missed somewhere.” You said as you helped Fred sit up on the side of the bed. “Let me check again.”
Fred, much to your surprise, passed all of his exams with flying colors.
“First time that’s happened,” he joked. 
“I guess that means you’re sane enough for me to do this.”
You leaned in and brought your lips against his. Fred gasped into your mouth and responded eagerly, his hand rising to cup your face and bring you closer. His mouth was soft and gentle, and you almost wanted to cry with how sweet he was. One of your arms wrapped around his neck, while your other hand grabbed his bicep.
Fred leaned back for a moment, chuckling. “I guess you’re finally free to touch my arms now.”
“What do you mean?” 
“Don’t pretend that you haven’t been thirsting over my arms the entire time we’ve known each other.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He laughed again as he leaned back in, taking control of the kiss this time. He was more passionate now, and you let out a gasp as his tongue brushed against yours. Your heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and you had to break the kiss because you couldn’t stop smiling.
After you leaned back, Fred just stared at you for a moment, a soft smile on his face. Sure, he was already handsome, but that smile made him look ten times better, and even younger than before. His freckles made his smile boyish, and there was childlike joy in his face as he looked at you. 
“What made you change your mind?” Fred asked after a moment, his brows furrowing. “I thought you didn’t want a relationship.”
“So here’s the thing,” you laughed nervously. “I thought you didn’t want a relationship.”
Fred’s eyes widened. “I think you’re the one who needs to get your brain checked, love. Because I think I was being pretty obvious.”
“Hey! You’re supposed to be nice to me now.” You poked his chest. “But remember when I told you I’d come over to see your shop the day after we met?”
“Vividly.”
“Yeah, so I ended up seeing George and Angelina kissing in front of the door to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, and since someone,” you stared at him pointedly, “didn’t tell me he had an identical twin, I assumed it was you.”
Fred was silent for a moment. “I have been coming to your shop nonstop for months, and you still thought I had a girlfriend the whole time?”
“Well now it seems stupid-”
He kissed you lightly before you could finish. “You can never make fun of me for being clueless again.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a way to upstage me.”
Fred wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close. You couldn’t stop the stupid smile that was on your face, and you were sure Fred had a similar one right next to you. He squeezed your shoulder, and you leaned your head against him. Warmth enveloped you, and you’d never been so comfortable before.
“Don’t worry, love,” Fred said. “You’re the only one I think about.”
*
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zsupika · 4 months
Note
Hello! How are you doing? :D
I was wondering if I could request some headcanons or even a little drabble/fic, whatever you prefer, for Zayne! Something with a reader that's a lawyer, if that's okay. The reader is aloof and diligent and quite strict in her work, takes it really seriously and at first she butts heads with Zayne's cold demeanor but later they realize they have feelings for eachother. Anything on this idea is fine, just as long as you enjoy doing it! Thank you for your time either way ❣️❣️
Zayne x Lawyer!Reader
A/N: thank you very much for the request! I'd love to write this. I haven't written a proper fic in a while so please excuse me if this isn't good :> this is also wayy longer than I expected lol so enjoy? It might be a little rushed and cringy-ish... so yeah be aware of that
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After a long day of work the only thing that you wanted to do is sit in a café and relax. Too bad that all the tables were already filled with people. Sighing, you spot one seat in a booth that isn't filled, although it is right across a rather stern-looking guy. Contemplating what you should do, you decided to just ask him if you could sit at his table. After all there was really nothing else for you to do. You walked up to him, holding your head up high, hoping to come across more confident.
"Hello, I was just wondering if the seat across from you was taken?" you asked him while pointing towards the empty space. The man, not even looking up at you, simply shook his head while returning to drink his coffee. His lack of words took you aback at first but you decided that it's best not to think about it for too long. You quickly thanked and sat down. His rudeness made you slightly regret even asking but you tried to shrug it off. After all you still had some paperwork that you wanted to finish. It was related to work so you had to finish it up quickly to be able to go home before it gets dark outside because you had to bring it back to your workspace before going home. After ordering a drink and a piece of your favorite cake, you got to work. You noticed the man across from you glance at your papers every once in a while. He looked slightly interested. Although your impressions of him was that he was rather rude, you decided to attempt to make some small-talk with him. At least until your order was finished.
"So, are you in this café very often? It's the first time I've seen you here and I come here every afternoon while I'm on my break." you pointed out while looking into his eyes. His look felt really cold and you wondered what a guy like him was doing in a café. It just seemed a little out of place considering that the café had a cute-ish aesthetic and he was, more or less, the opposite..
"No,", he exclaimed in a calm voice, softer than you imagined, "I come here pretty often. Although I'm very busy with work lately, this not being able to come here as often.".
You asked him what he does for work. After he said that he works as a doctor, your order came to the table, interrupting your conversation.
".. I'm a lawyer. There's some paper I want to finish. That's why I came here. I love this café. It's calm and usually not as filled as it is today. I apologize if I bore you with my talking but I just feel that it'd be impolite for me to just ignore your presence after basically stealing your seat." you chuckle.
"It's not boring me." he simply answered.
"I'm Y/N by the way." you said while taking a sip of your drink and further working on your papers.
"Zanye." he exclaimed. You smiled up at him. After this short interaction, you're conversations didn't resume. A few people left the café after some time and you considered switching seats to a booth without Zayne. But him presence somehow made you feel at ease. Even though you though he was a little rude at first, he wasn't. At least not too much. Finishing up your work, drink and cake you didn't see a point in staying any longer. Zayne was reading some news article while sipping on a coffee. You got up and went out of the café. You figured saying goodbye would be a little unnecessary, considering that you haven't talked at all after that small interaction. But you could've sworn you saw his gaze follow you all the way to the door.
It was snowing outside as you looked out of the window. It was Sunday, the weekend. Outside you saw people from all around coming together and walk or do other activities. Families, friends and partners. You had to admit that you were slightly jealous. You yearned for a person to stay by your side. After moving out and being on your own, the loneliness that came over you was hard to ignore. The only time it went away was at the day in the café with Zayne. Zayne, you could get his name out of your head. What was it about him that intriguing you? You barely even talked with each other. But there was no time to think about stuff like that, for now it's time to work on a new lawsuit. It was quite the tough one at that. You didn't have anything to do so you just decided to work on it on the weekend as well. It was pretty much the only thing you could do. Rotting in bed or doing nothing at all simply wasn't an option for you. There was no way you'll ever get to the point of not prioritizing work. It's what truly matters in your eyes. The rest can wait.
On your way home from the office you stumbled across a cute-looking bookshop. You figured it would hurt to look into it for a little while. Walking from isle to isle you couldn't find anything that was worth reading. After looking out of the glass door of the bookshop you spotted a familiar looking figure in the distance. Zayne. You couldn't form any proper thoughts when you noticed him walk towards the shop. You quickly walked towards the back of the shop. But why? What was the point of you doing that. It's not like he's gonna take a notice of you if he were to see you.
At least that's what you thought. In truth, Zayne couldn't stop thinking about you all week. When he saw you walk into the café he was mesmerizing by your beauty. When you spoke to him with your kind voice, he almost couldn't contain his excitement. He was cursing himself all week for not getting your contact info or anything really. He only had your name. Y/N. The only think he could think about. He went to the café every single day after that, hoping to see you, no matter how exhausted he was. But it was no use. It's like you just disappeared. His desire to see you again grew bigger and bigger by the minute. While walking home after work he noticed your figure in a small bookshop on the side of the street. He quickly walked towards the shop without giving it a second thought. Truthfully said, he had no clue how to approach you or what he was gonna say when you two were face to face again.
While he walked into the bookshop it looked like he was searching for something or someone. It made you feel slightly anxious to see him like this. Maybe he was looking for him girlfriend. All of those thought flooded your brain, so you didn't hear him walk closer to you once he spotted you. He stood right next to you, facing the bookshelf in front of you two. You gave him a slight side-stare and surprisingly make eye contact with him for a second, making you jump slightly. So he did notice you, you thought. You quickly grabbed a book and shoved your nose into it, trying not to make this whole situation too awkward.
Zayne saw you so intriguing into the book. When he saw you stare at him, he thought you might say something to him, making him hopeful. But it didn't seem like you even took proper notice of him. You probably didn't even remember him. He felt stupid thinking that you cared as much as he did. But why did he even care? He couldn't figure it out. There was just something about you that made him be drawn to you. You were like a magnet to him. You made him feel at ease. How was he supposed to deal with such a situation.. He couldn't find the right words to start a conversation.
You realized that staring into the book without actually reading it was making you look more awkward than you thought so you decided to close the book and put it back onto the shelf. You've waited for a couple minutes but he didn't say anything at all. He barely looked at you or so you thought. There was no point in waiting any longer in your eyes, so you moved around him and walked towards the exit.
Before thinking properly Zayne decided to rush after you. He couldn't let you walk away another time. He grabbed your arm as you walked out. His action made you jump but as soon as you saw that it was him you calmed down. He looked into your eyes thinking of a way so tell you that he wants to get to know you better, he wants to spend time with you and he wants you to feel the same way. You two stared at each other for some moments before you took the chance to say something to him.
"Zayne." you called out. He softly nodded, signalizing you that he was listening to you, still holding your arm and looking deep into your eyes. His look was quite intense and intimating but it didn't bother you at the moment. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you inside the shop. I... I didn't really know if you recognized me to be honest. I thought you forgot about me." you said while awkwardly chuckling. You didn't know if he felt the same way that you did and you had a hard time reading him. Just what was he thinking..
Zayne couldn't wait anymore. In his thoughts the only thing that mattered at the moment was you and the fact that he wanted to be with you. There was something tying you two to each other. He wanted more of you.
"Y/N. I didn't forget you. How could I possibly forget you. You have been all that's Ben on my mind for the last week. The moment I saw you walk into the café, I was mesmerized by your beauty. Your presence makes me feel at ease and I want to get to know you more. I don't know what it is about you but you drive me crazy. I am a rational person but when I see you, I can't help but follow my heart instead of my head." his breath is quicker than before and it's the first time you heard him say so much. You were staring at him, baffled. You were hoping to get some kind of confession but you didn't expect that he felt so strongly about you. It made you flustered. You nodded at his words and replied that you felt the same way and that you'd like to get to know him better.
Hearing your answer made him feel so relieved. He moved his hand from your arm towards your hand and he took your hand into his. Your hands now intertwined.
"Well then I suppose I'm allowed to do this now. I've been yearning for this moment."
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oneatlatime · 5 months
Text
The Earth King
As always, commentary off.
No. Sokka. No. Stop. This is your stupidest idea yet. I want to LEAVE Ba Sing Se.
Sokka. Listen to your sister. And your other sister.
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Toph embodying my will manifested on screen.
What makes you think the Earth King is going to listen to four teens and their fluffy dog? When I put it that way, this is Scooby Doo. Scooby Doo plus Momo. Does that make Momo Scrappy Doo?
We're going back to Ba Sing Se. Great. Yay. I'm so excited.
It is rapidly becoming apparent that Sokka has lost his mind.
Surface to air rocks is funny. I'll give it to them, that's good.
This fight scene music is fantastic.
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Aang took a level in badass at some point without my noticing.
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I know these hats are inspired by real historical hats, and so I really shouldn't make fun, but these look like the lovechild of a toilet brush and a feather duster.
This fight is majority Toph and Katara. RIP the egos of these several hundred Earth Kingdom soldiers.
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Please ensure your fluffy little butt is securely stored in the overhead bins before takeoff.
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There's no way these guys are still alive. This is what was done to Jet, doubled. They dead.
The girl who doesn't even want to be here is doing all the work. Typical.
My congratulations to Toph, Katara, and Aang for demolishing an army without breaking a sweat. If only season 1 Katara could see you guys now.
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I said in my previous write up that Zuko doing something good always comes back to bite him. I didn't mean it this literally. Did he have to take the jug out with him, or was that for the drama?
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Good job guys!
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Soka steals my job and points out the fulfillment of the Beat Up Sokka quota.
His earthiness has an interesting set of priorities.
So... is this episode just going to be talking?
He brainwashed your friend? Did you miss that he killed him too?
I said in my last write up that Long Feng was Avatar's first competent villain, but the tone he takes with the Earth King is so unsubtle that I'm thinking of rescinding that claim. Unless the King is so dumb that subtlety isn't required?
Toothprints. Sokka the idea guy coming in clutch. Too bad his brain wasn't engaged at the start of the episode.
Appa is a herbivore. Confirmed. Although he should have fangs for aesthetic reasons. Fanged Appa would be metal.
This king is a confusing mixture of endearing and infuriating.
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No mere fever will prevent me from doing mundane actions in the most dramatic way possible!
Way back in the 90s there was a print ad for Chevy trucks that I remember seeing in magazines. It had a shirtless guy in jeans sitting on the bed of his truck in a field, pouring a bucket of water over himself. It was kind of at sunset and had a very late summer vibe. I had completely forgotten about it until I saw Zuko's bucket shenanigans in this scene, at which point I was abruptly -ABRUPTLY- reminded of how much time little me spent staring at that ad.
OH MY GOD. The King doesn't know about trains!!! BLASPHEMY.
Huh. So the King isn't stupid, he's just horrifically naive.
Positive attitude Sokka is kind of frightening. I do not like.
If I told this King that I had a bunch of puppies in my windowless van, he would totally fall for it. So much about the Earth Kingdom suddenly makes sense.
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That one guard is having a doozy of a day.
Did the King just show a smidge of self-awareness? Wasn't expecting that.
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Who is this? I have no idea who this is. I didn't realise how integral the scar was to the character's design. Give it back.
Yikes. A bunch of shmymbolism. I suck epically at decoding shmymbolism unless it's really spoon fed to me, so I'm not even going to try to understand this dream beyond 'poor guy has a really bad fever.'
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Has anyone seen the Spencer Tracy movie Father of the Bride? There's a bit where he has a dream that the floor on the way to the altar does pretty much exactly this. Hungry floors must be a common dream experience.
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Pretty.
If the King is really this completely ignorant of the war, who's been directing the army?
It's pretty neat that Sokka is the spokesperson of Team Avatar, and that no one disputes that.
Aang says "there's a comet coming this summer," but I heard "comic" and I know they made tie in comics for the show, so I was like "ooh a crossover episode!"
"You're already vulnerable. The Fire Nation won't stop until the Southern Water Tribe falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive, and give yourself a fighting chance." -Sokka's dad speaking to the men of the Southern Water Tribe, while his son listens perhaps a bit too closely.
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If the King really was completely in the dark about the war, how does he even know who the General is? Did Long Feng have the power to keep the General from mentioning the war?
"Your majesty I'm General How, head of the Council of Five." "What's that?" "It's in charge of your army." "Right. And what's the army up to these days?" ... " ...I planted a lovely tomato garden this year."
I love that earthbenders don't wear shoes, and that it's culturally normal. Makes an intriguing visual contrast to their fancy duds.
I have GOT to know what Mushi the teamaker's secret file says.
Toph can't read guys.
Sokka, Katara, I get it. You miss home too. But how would anyone at all from your tribe know to send a message for you to Ba Sing Se? Last time you all touched base, you were headed to the Northern Water Tribe. And those guys sent you off to Omashu, not Ba Sing Se.
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Nitpick time! Katara starts reading the text of this letter out loud before she unrolls it.
Katara's voice acting while she's reading the letter is sweet. She's so excited.
Iroh. Priorities. Tea can wait.
"Huh? What's happening?" "You huffed a bit too much cave slime under Lake Laogai. Just ride it out."
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This vase is lit like a main character.
"You're going through a metamorphosis my nephew." Iroh, he's a bit too old for that talk. Hang on I just realised that Zuko went through puberty on that ship. I bet that was rough.
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I don't trust this. This news is all too good.
Aang referring to them all as "the family" hurts a little bit.
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It is unbearably sweet to let Sokka go see their dad while Katara helps the Earth Kingdom plan, but Katara sucks at planning. Then again, the Earth Kingdom sucks in general, so maybe having a sucky planner will be a net improvement?
Either way it's good little sister content.
But there are six Kyoshi warriors. I counted in Appa's Lost Days.
Oh they didn't
Attack hug!
Airbender Zuko is a very effective jumpscare. Don't blame him for freaking out.
You know it's bad when finding the scar intact comes as a relief.
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Nope. Don't trust it.
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Fuck this guy.
Long Feng even eats rocks maliciously.
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Fuck these guys.
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Oh they did. Fuck these guys.
Final Thoughts
And just like that, it all went to shit. Or it will.
I was braced to be annoyed by how conveniently quickly the Earth King got with the program, but it actually fits well into the rest of the episode. Instead of a thing that goes improbably well, it's the one thing that goes right in episode filled with set up for everything falling apart. That bothers me less.
This episode was actually fun. At least until the end. It was mostly talking and Zuko on a bad trip. But it was win after win for everyone but my Ba Sing Se hating self, and it's always good to see your favourites having a good day. But! I have a glimmer of hope! So long as Sokka and Aang aren't completely written out until they return to Ba Sing Se, at some point I'll get some episodes outside of the city. And I have Appa back, so things aren't too bad in the grand scheme of things. I wonder that Appa wasn't upset at having all his people back for five minutes then having them split up again.
I do not like positive thinking Sokka, and I especially don't like that I have no idea where he came from. That point wasn't set up at all. I want my baby cynic back.
If letting Appa go was enough to trigger Zuko's morality crisis to the point of physical illness, why didn't letting Aang go in The Blue Spirit, or choosing to chase after Iroh rather than the Gaang in The Winter Solstice Part 1, cause a similar illness? What is different about this time?
Toph was once again the voice of reason in this episode, or rather my personal audience insert. Although it did surprise me how excited she was to see her mom. I thought that sending bounty hunters after their own daughter was kind of unforgivable, but either Toph doesn't know, or she's a more forgiving person than I am.
I realise now that this should have occurred to me when I watched Appa's Lost Days, but what idiot didn't take the Danger Ladies into custody when the Drill was stopped? btw I keep calling them the PowerPuff Girls in my head.
This episode was simultaneously a finale to a lot of threads and an introduction to a lot more. It was a chance to breathe between crossing the finish line of the 'find Appa' quest and starting the 'season finale' quest. It was also structured backwards. The big fight was like six minutes in. The 'what are we doing this episode?' was one of the last scenes. But it still works. I'll be interested to see what I think of this one when I rewatch it. It was such an info dump that I wonder if my opinion of it will be different once I watch it with all of the relevant facts known to me already. Either I'll appreciate the episode's other parts like the comedy, or I'll be bored. We'll see.
Two episodes left this season! I don't think I'll be getting to those before next year. See you all in 2024! (time needs to slow way down)
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infamous-if · 1 year
Text
✮ FAQ ✮
hi, it's amy!! i did not expect this kind of reaction and there's a lot of questions-- so much more than i expected--which has made me very happy. i've mostly left them on a rolling queue so if your question hasn't been answered yet, it's coming i haven't ignored you :)
there's been a lot of repeat questions about some things so this is just a quick FAQ to clear things up and not clog the dash with the same answers.
CONTENT WARNINGS?
This post is spoilery, but content warnings for the game here.
Will we able to choose X, Y, and Z?
Pertaining to the band, I will make it type-in and customizable as much as possible. Right now you can:
Choose your band's name.
their genre
the name of your song and the theme (as of right now, the theme will be choice-based so i can have the variables and write accordingly)
whether your band has a unifying 'aesthetic' or you guys all wear whatever you want on stage
you'll be able to occasionally write lyrics, it'll be a combination of typing in and 'filling the blanks' and if your MC is co-songwriting, it'll also be choices
your band's approach to their image, whether they're underground or mainstream, kid-friendly or 'devil music' according to parents (lol)
and more. i really want infamous to be as customizable as possible.
Pertaining to your MC:
the usual stuff is customizable: (name/surname, appearance, height, pronouns, gender identity etc)
personality and public image is up to you. customize whether you're controversial, whether you have strong stage presence, whether you're a fame/money hungry social climber or a passionate ~artist~ etc etc.
The things that are set with your MC:
their age is set. where your MC was born and raised up until middle school will be headcannon, but they are American. The state in which you grew up after that will be headcannon. no matter what, you grew up with seven and you met your bandmates freshman year of high school.
your MC idolizes G and Misfit Alley. They will think and feel like a fan, at least in the beginning, and that can't be changed. Of course, whether you maintain a cool face or go crazy and act like a fan is up to you.
your MC cares about Seven. They were your best friend since you were 11, so it makes sense. Of course, you can choose whether your MC wants to mend the relationship or is just as angry, and even if your MC has accepted Seven is their past and they need to move on, but Seven isn't someone MC just doesn't give a fuck about. it wouldn't make sense.
Do we have to engage in an affair to romance G or Victoria?
Yes.
MC is a doormat/loser/isn't as talented as everyone else!!
You're wrong.
I will not be answering about this anymore.
Read.
What is a sub-romance?
It’s the same as a romance except your decisions do not influence how it ends and it is controlled by the narrative. I have full control on whether the romance succeeds or fails based on what the narrative requires.
Do we have to [insert anything about Seven]?
Lol, these are prob the most frequently asked questions but you do not have to hate Seven the way they hate you. there's going to be a variety of approaches toward seven.
but they will hate you no matter what! at least in the start of the route.
you can
be former friends and then reconcile as lovers
be former friends and reconcile as friends
be former lovers and reconcile as friends
be former lovers and reconcile as lovers
be former lovers/friends and not reconcile at all
Why are they like this? Why can't they be like [this]?
Yes, I have gotten this question already 😭 i really want to be clear that these characters aren't completely moral people. they will do problematic things (obviously not bigoted things, dw) they will fuck up, they will be toxic, they will probably (emotionally) lash out at MC sometimes (and MC can do so in return). i just want to make it clear now so i don't surprise anyone when the story gets more plot heavy.
they will also engage sexual acts, do drugs, drink, party, do terrible shit yk...
that's showbiz, baby !
Do we have to engage in [insert sexual or immoral behavior here]?
Nope.
Attitude wise, your MC can theoretically be a pure glittery unicorn who has never had a mean or immoral thought in their life.
Is NSFW allowed?
Yes.
Can I call August [insert gendered term here]?
Nope!
Do we have to have a crush on Orion?
No.
Do we have to romance anyone at all?
While this is a romance-centered story, I'm going to insert a non-romance platonic play-through for people who just want to play with the fame parts. Soo no.
Can we be friends with Soft Violence?
Yep, you can befriend the members of Soft Violence.
Seven and Avina.
I won't be answering questions in terms of Savina and Avina's relationship as that is spoilery. But I will say that Seven is an RO and the MC is the main character. No false advertising here :)
So we can end up with Seven?
Yes.
Do we have to?
No. You can end the story hating or ignoring Seven.
Can we romance multiple ROs?
Yes, but there will be a point where you can only romance one RO outside of the G-Vic-MC poly.
Can we romance G and V individually?
Yes.
Can we romance Rowan?
As of right now, no plans for that!
Does every route have angst?
Yes. August has the least.
Can we write songs about the ROs/will it be acknowledged?
Yes and yes.
Subromances?
Dakota, Blake (you meet in the prologue) and E (you meet in chapter 2) are sub-romances.
There’s (possibly) one more.
Be warned: sub-romances are at the mercy of my writing.
Who the f**k is Dakota?
Spoilery!
Will you be having a plan for the next update?
As of right now, it's a release-when-done deal. Maybe if my life is more organized I'll actually have plans set lol! I'll try to keep things updated as much as I can.
Can you add [customizable thing]?
You can suggest it but I can't guarantee it will be added!
Does choosing a bus lock you out of Seven's romance/stay for the whole game?
The bus you choose stays the same the entire story and no, it does not lock you out of a Seven romance. Really you'll just miss some 'bus exclusive' scenes.
Can we draw the characters or imagine them differently?
Do as you wish and imagine them as you wish! So as long as you do not whitewash them.
Can we write fanfiction?
Sure! I just won’t reblog or interact in order to protect myself!
Twine?
In the future and if I ever learn to code twine.
You don't answer my questions.
Sorry. I don't mean to ignore your ask. Or it's spoilery and I can't! Sometimes I also miss mentions. I try my best to see them all!
This is problematic for me.
That is the point. I will not be sanitizing Infamous. Apologies in advance!!! 🙏
I don't like [this].
Don't read it :)
[Suggestion]
I listen to them all! Doesn’t mean I’ll add them though :)
[Music Rec]
Even if I don’t reply, I do see it and add it into a queue to add it to the Infamous master playlist! I love song recs!
[Any praise or kind words or jokes]
i am so grateful and even if i do not reply (to avoid spamming), i read it all ! (and giggle to myself)
Do not:
request things rudely please. I take into consideration all requests if they are said politely. It doesn’t hurt to be kind :)
whitewash my characters of color
follow or engage in infamous if you are under 18 ! <3
✮✮
thats all i can think of now, but i know there's more i just haven't noted them. if there's any more i'll make sure to add it here, if you guys have any questions that weren't answered pls send them my way and thanks again for your interest!
449 notes · View notes
romanarose · 5 days
Text
About a Girl: Chapter 3
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Beautiful header by my beloved @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog
Joel Miller x Trans!Fem!Reader (Nickname, Blue)
Summary: Blue surprises Joel by rebuffing everyone advances in favor of him.
Warnings for whole fic, not chapter by chapter: 18+ ONLY!! I cannot warn against everything, but these are major themes. Joel is a lil ignorant but not out of hate. He just doesn't know. He's trying his best. There will be smut. Penetrative sex, all of the anal play, oral. There will be transphobia from other people. Addiction and alcoholism. QUICK child neglect not by Joel but I promise, Sarah is fine and is having a great time in life. Fetishization of women attracted to women by a shitty guy. Will update as needed. Again, this is adult content. Expect adult content.
Immersivity: Reader is transgender, AMAB female, reader has had gotten bottom surgery, not top, and is on hormones. reader has visible hair and a blue streak in hair, but not described. Could be braids, could be natural hair, whatever. Header is for aesthetics only. Reader is about Joel and Tommy's height. Let me know if i miss anything!
AN: FIRST DAY OF PRIDE EVENT!!!
A note on langauge. This is a 90's au, different langauge was used than we know know, words we find offensive now. While no one uses slurs theres langauge used that may not be comfortable. Just remember in the 90s there wasnt such a unified community all over, especially in the south. Blue isn't going to talk the same as say, a new york queer today. I want to remain as most "time period realistic" as i can.
TRANS LIVES MATTER! TRANS YOUTH MATTER! TRANS ELDERLY MATTER! TRANS WOMEN MATTER! TRANS MEN MATTER! NON BINARY TRANS MATTER!
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Tommy woke up hungover, just as Tess, Talia, Max and you probably were. 
Joel only had one, but he was up early packing things for Sarah. Jessica didn’t have much as far as clothes and other stuff for a 5 year old, so Joel wanted to make sure she was prepared. It was supposed to rain and she definitely didn’t have rain boots or coat, not enough kids stuff to entertain Sarah inside all weekend. He made sure to pack her barbies, etch-a-scetch, and a few cassette tapes. Sarah wasn’t even up yet when Kayla knocked. 
“Hey Kayla.” Joel tried to be nice and welcomed her into the home they used to share together. 
She smiled at him, said hi to him and Tommy. She must’ve calmed down after last night, as she usually does after a spiral. “Sarah up?”
Joel shook his head, getting a few granola bars Sarah could eat for breakfast. “Naw, I let her stay up a little later with Jessica, you can wake her if you’d like, or you can hang out.” He nodded to the coffee pot. “All yours.”
“Does she know I’m coming?”
“No, she was fast asleep when I got home.”
Kayla grinned. “Great, she’ll love the surprise.” and dashed upstairs.
“She’ll love the surprise.”  Joel muttered to Tommy, not looking away from his task. “But she’d love regular visits she could count on more.” 
Tommy patted his back. “You’re a good man, Joel. I don’t think I’d put up with all that you did.”
But Joel just shook just head. “It’s for Sarah.”
“Most things are.” He looked up from his coffee. “Hey! I’m meeting everyone for brunch, Sex and the City style. Since Sarah’s gonna leave, why don’t you come with us?” Tommy teased Joel with a nudge. “Blue’s gonna be there.”
Joel harshly shushed Tommy, wide-eyed. He looked down the hall to check for Kayla, but heard Sarah squealing mommy up in her room. “C’mon, man, you know how she gets.”
Tommy laughed, “I know, I know!”
But he didn’t really know. Tommy didn’t know about the screaming, the threats to hurt herself, the way she smacked his chest and arms… it wasn’t hard, he was a big guy. He could handle it. It wasn’t abusive, no. He could stop her if he wanted to because he was so much stronger. It was his fault he let it happen so he can’t really complain, can he?
Kayla reappeared with Sarah. “Daddy look! Mommy’s here!”
“I see baby!” Joel feigned enthusiasm. “Mommy’s gonna take you for the weekend, gonna stay the night, isn’t that exciting?”
Sarah was beyond excited. 
Setting her down, Kayla told Sarah to go put on her shoes. To her credit, she’d gotten her dressed already. She spoke to Joel quietly. “Hey, Joel, could I borrow some cash maybe? My um… my tank is almost empty, you know how prices are right now. Fucking Clinton, right?” She chuckled nervously.
Joel wanted to sigh. He saw Tommy looking at him from over his coffee mug. But… he didn’t. Instead, he opened his wallet. And grabbed a $20. “You got food there?”
She shrugged. “Enough.” Joel grabbed another bill and handed the $40 to her. “Thanks, Joel.” She turned to Sarah who had walked up with her shoes on the wrong feet. “You ready, baby?”
Joel said goodbye, hugging and kissing tight. “Be good for mama, okay princess?”
Next, Sarah ran to her uncle, who whispered loudly. ”Be bad, okay squirt?” Joel glared at him, making him carry out the bags for Sarah’s things to the car. 
*
He spent way too long trying to find a nice shirt. In the end, he settled on a green shirt. And his only pair of jeans without holes.
When Joel saw you ride up on a motorcycle, he knew it was all over for him. The way you lit up when your eyes connected with his… fuckign hell. He remembered your eyes when you were on your knees, his cock stretching your mouth… fuck he needed to sit down before he got a hard on.
“Joel!” You run up to hug him, taking him by surprise but he hugs you anyway. Joel likes the way you are very clear about what you want. Joel didn’t have to guess or walk on eggshells. He could want you and know you wanted him too. You took his hand to the table that Talia and Tess are at, not letting go when you both slide into the both.
Everything was going great. Tommy ordered unlimited mimosas, and Joel took one single look at the prices and ordered 2 eggs and toast. And you… Joel learned more and more about you, eating up every bite.
You were a school teacher, elementary english. You loved grunge, the color blue, and horror movies, Halloween being a favorite. Right now, you were horrifying him with a scene from Candyman.
“And then he opens his shirt,” You mimic the actions minus the undress. “And his chest is just like, a cavern of bees! And he kisses her with his mouth full of bees!!”
“Bees?” Joel grimaces, and you laugh, asking if it was too much. Joel loves laughs along; with you, when you laughed, it didn’t feel like it was at him. “Well,” He chuckles. “Maybe a little graphic for brunch.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” You continue with a smirk. “Should we maybe talk about sex, like Sex and the City? Maybe you’d like to fill us in on your latest sexcapades, Miller?”
Joel coughs, choking on his coffee and you pat his back as memories of last night once again popped in.
“I’m-” Cough cough. “I think I’m good there.”
Tommy spoke up, “WELL, since you asked-” Joel told him to shut up, not to talk to a lady like that.
“You let me talk like that around Tess!”
Tess leaned over, her tone teasing. “Joel doesn’t think of me as a lady.”
This led to Joel scrambling to defend himself, which he does, actually! Joel left out the part that if he didn’t see her as a lady he wouldn’t have slept with her all those years ago. Tess is different. Tess is family.
The conversation went on, and Joel noticed how closely you sat next to him while eating your food, your jeans pressed up against his. 
“Frank finally scheduled his knee surgery.” Tess mumbles with a mouth full of waffles. “After harvest, so plenty of time to rest.”
“Why not during harvest?” Talia asks. “You said he doesn’t do farm work.”
Tess stumbled on her words a moment, glancing at Joel before mumbling something about Bill needing to take care of him, even though it was pretty minor.
Joel cut her off. “She's tryna let me save face because I can’t afford a babysitter. Frank has watched Sarah every harvest and planting season since she was born, except the first plant.”
Not meaning to pry but unknowingly waltzing into sensitive territory, you ask why not the first. Joel swallows hard but Tommy answers.
“Because his bitch of an ex was still around.”
“Tommy!” Joel chastises, but Tommy looks bewildered.
“What?! She is, and you know it. She’s-”
But Joel cuts him off. “What she is is none of your business and not the point. I told you we don’t talk like that about women.”
Putting down his silverware, Tommy stared Joel down. Joel knew how Tommy felt about Kayla. “Joel, she was nuts, she turned you into someone I didn’t recognize and she left my niece alone to get f-”
“Enough!” Joel was louder than he meant to be, noticing people around them turning. Heat crept up his neck in embarrassment and shame. He didn’t like snapping at Tommy, but he especially didn’t like raising his voice in front of you. Joel wondered if he scared you, if he lost your trust and ruined everything- He felt your hand on his knee, and when he turned to look at you, he didn’t see fear, just gentle compassion. He spoke quieter now. “I understand how you feel… but that is the mother of my child, and I ask you treat her with respect.”
Tommy opened his mouth to say more, but Tess whispered to knock it off. There was silence for a while as Tommy stewed, eating his giant plate of food, stewing. Tommy’s anger problems were nothing new to Joel, but this stressed reaction Joel was having to it was. Why did his chest feel so tight?
You noticed, because of course you did, and took his hand. “Wanna step outside?” You whispered, but Joel shook his head.
“”M Alright, thanks.”
From across the booth, Tess, Talia and Tommy all talked while you and him sat on your own side. As you chatted, it felt like you were in your own world. You had a tendency to help him forget everything else. 
“I think it’s so neat y’all know an older gay couple, ya know?”
He didn’t. “Howdya mean?”
You took a bite of toast. “Well, you don’t see that much. We’re just now starting to get to a point people can really come out. Then the AIDS crisis took so many…” You shake your head. “I just think when I was a gay teen, how much it would have meant to me to see a future that wasn’t about hate crimes and death, you know?”
Oh. Gay? Were you a lesbian? No, no had blown him, quite enthusiastically… Maybe you were just trying something new? Was that offensive to think? Goddammit, Joel, what is wrong with you? “Oh, are you…” He trailed off.
You laugh a little. Joel hadn’t realized the three others had gone silent, watching what was happening unfold. “Gay? Well, I guess not anymore.”
Joel was confused. “Did it… go away?” He’d been told some people grew out of it, like a phase, or that some people went to therapy to change…
You laugh again, but slightly nervous. “No… I just mean, like, I transitioned so… now I’m a woman, so it’s not gay to be attracted to men…”
Joel blinked. Transitioned? What did that mean… 
You turn to Tommy. “I thought you’d told him?”
“Told me what?”
Tommy shook his head. “Hey I may be stupid, but I know not to out someone.”
Tess confirmed she hadn’t said anything and Talia looked intensely uncomfortable, asking you if you wanted to go.
“Joel… you do know I used to be a man, right?”
A flash of warmth covered his skin, eyes burning and chest tighter. He had, of course, heard of people like that… but he didn’t know the first thing about it. Did that mean you were a guy doing dress up? Was this drag? Or transvestite, is that the term? Most of all, he was confused, because he liked you. Was he gay?
“Joel?” Your voice breaking him out of his spiral. It was small, meek. Unlike anything he’d heard from you before. “Can we talk outside?”
*
You stood a few feet away from him, wringing your hands. He hated how you were shaking.
“Can you just…” He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I'm gonna be real honest Blue, I don’t really know what you’re talk’n about. Can you just… Tell me? Is this like a transexual thing?”
Despite the tension, you give a small laugh. “I guess people used to call it that. Or transvestite. I don’t really know if there's a difference… I think people call a lot of thing under the same umbrella, like cross dressing…”
“Is that…” He swallows. “That's what you’re do’n? You a man that likes women’s clothes?”
You shake your head vigorously. “No, no that’s not it… at least to me, I guess. Some people say that’s all I am but… I don’t think so.”
“”Please.” Joel begs, a slight huff of a laugh. “I’m just an old farmer, I ain’t never left this town, no college, no life experience. I practically raise Tommy and when he was finally grown, I had my daughter so I just…” He sighs, heavily. He’s very confused, but he doesn’t want you to think he’s disgusted or hateful. “Please just explain it so I can understand.”
You nod, looking a little hopeful. “I was born a boy, but I never felt like one. My whole life, it just felt… wrong. I can’t really explain it, but it's just this… this knowledge inside myself that my body was wrong, a gut feeling…”
A slight breeze rustled his shirt, blowing your hair around and drawing his eyes to the blue.
“So… you’re a woman?”
Once again, you nod, crossing your arms over your chest. Joel didn’t know if that was from nerves or the fall beginning to settle in. “I am. Yeah.” You take a deep breath, and exhale in a ramble of words as your eyes plead to him. “Joel I’m really sorry! I thought, I thought you knew! I met Tommy a few times with Talia and it came up so I just assumed he told you! I know you probably don’t wanna be with me but I swear, I wasn’t trying to trick you!” Your voice cracks at the end.
Concerned, Joel frowned. He didn’t know why you were shaking. He stepped forward, wanting to hold you. “Hey now, darl’n, don’t cry” But he froze when you scrambled backwards, fear in your eyes. “Whoa there… I ain’t gonna hurtcha…”
You didn’t look like you believed him, eyeing his movements. “You won’t?”
“No, oh my god no. Why would I do that? Wait, that’s stupid, I know how people are but… I ain’t like that, I promise.”
Shoulders relaxing, you appear to be calming down. “Some men… well, they get really violent if they find out the person they… they did anything with was a man…”
“That aint me, I swear it, Blue.” He shuffles his feet. “I can’t say I really understand all this but… I ain’t like that.”
He could sense your dejection from where he stood. “I understand. I won’t bug you. Again, I’m really-” You turn to leave.
His eyes went wide. “Hey, hey, hey wait-” Joel grabs your hand, but not tight. You could pull away if you want to.  “Do you… do you still wanna be with me?”
You giggle softly, still looking sad. “Of course I do… Joel, I barely know you but… of course I do. But you don’t wanna be with me.”
“I didn’t say that, Blue…”
You look at him curiously. “Joel, you just found out what being trans was 2 minutes ago, are you sure you wanna be with a trans woman?”
Joel let go of your hand to rub the back of his neck, smiling. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really know if I’m ready to date at all. I got my kid,” He thumbs back to the restaurant, chuckling. “I got Tommy. It’s a lot right now. And honestly? I don’t know if this makes me gay or not but… I’d like to try to be with you… if you’re cool taking it slow.”
Looking directly at him, you smile. “I would absolutely be okay taking it slow. And, listen.” Reaching you, you take both of his hands in yours. “Would it help if we just got together and I let you just… ask whatever you wanted? Like, having a little learning session.”
“Yeah.” Breathed out a laugh. “Yeah that would be great, asking.”
*
It was 3 am when Tommy came stumbling home. Normally, Joel wouldn’t notice but he heard a loud crash, running downstairs with a gun to find the coffee table nocked over and Tommy trying to bake pizza bagels. After some back and forth shouting at him, it clicked.
“Jesus, Tommy, are you on coke?” He gawked in disbelief. 
Tommy just laughed. “You said I couldn’t use when Sarah was around!”
“That’s not an excuse to to hard drugs the second she’s out the door! You’ve been gone since 6, what if she came home early?”
Tommy waved Joel away, putting pizza bagels in a cold oven. “She’d be fine.”
His blase attitude was pissing Joel off even more. “I don’t want you high around my daughter!”
Standing up and apparently thinking the oven was on, Tommy glared at Joel. “Relax, Joel. She ain’t here!”
Joel fisted his hand into Tommy’s shirt, voice bellowing in the kitchen. “I don’t give a shit Tommy! Don’t you ever come into my home coked up again, you understand?!” He le go and shoved Tommy away.
Half an hour later, Joel came downstairs to find Tommy crashed out on the couch. Joel took off his shoes, pulled a blanket over him and placed water by his side. He cleaned up the messed up coffee table, turned off the oven that was now on and burned bagels and locked the door again.
*
Blue’s POV
You were nervous, to say the least. Sure, you liked to play it cool but really, Joel scared you half to death. He was so fucking… perfect. Tess had thought you’d like him. She told you so much of his personality, you’d assumed he was ugly: hardworking, good father, responsible, loving, kind, protective… When you saw him you were dumbstruck. How is a man that good of a person and that fucking hot?
You’d just wished Tess had told him you were trans, since  she was trying to set you up. Still, you understood she didn’t want to out you. Not a lot of people here knew, and you needed to keep it that way. As far as the parents and faculty at your school knew, you had been born with two tits and a vagina… okay maybe not tits but you passed a just flat chested. If anyone found out, technically they could still fire you. 
Still, Joel was kind and had taken the information in stride. You didn’t think it was going to work out between you… you’d figured Joel wouldn’t but up for dating you, especially if he wanted more kids... But you suppose today would tell.
Joel looks genuinely happy to see you. “Hey, come on in.”
You’re impressed to find the house is still clean. There’s things on counters and a little mud on the floor but you like it looks lived in. Still, he obviously takes care of his house.
“I really hate to do this,” He starts and your stomach drops. “Sarah’s mom called, wanting to bring her back early, like in a few hours.”
You understood. Bringing everyone over on Friday was one thing, but bringing a women over (that wasn’t Tess) around Sarah might confuse her, and he wanted to be careful. “I totally understand.”
“You eat yet?”
You watch, smiling as Joel cooks you breakfast. “Where’s Tommy.”
Joel grunted, a slight tonal change. “Upstairs sleeping off a binge. He’s a dumbass.”
Ah, so the tension hasn’t subsided.
After eating, you and Joel sit down on the couch.
He looks as nervous as you are. “Just… stop me if I saw anything offensive.”
You shake your head. “Nothings off the table today, you can ask whatever, I just wanna be straight forward. In fact, I’m gonna go ahead and answer the question I know you have. No, I don’t have a dick.”
Joel coughed, choking a bit. “I wasn’t going to ask that!” He begins to laugh, and so do you.
“Yeah, because you’re polite, so I just said it. I got bottom surgery a few years ago.”
“What’s that?”
“They turn my dick into a vagina.”
He nods. “I’ll be honest, that is a positive.” His eyes go wide in that way you noticed he does when he thinks he’s said something wrong. “Not that- well I wouldn’t- I could… umm..”
You reassure him. “I understand, Joel. You’d have been working with whole knew equipment. I promise, this is probably what you’re used to working with. Maybe if you get lucky, one of these days you’ll get to go for a test run.” He turns bright pink, but smiles. “Your turn, go ahead.”
He took a deep breath. “Does this make me gay? I ain’t got nothing against be’n gay, I mean, Tess is my best friend and I work for two of ‘em” the phrasing there almost made you laugh. He was so clunky sometimes, but he was trying. “It’s just, I didn’t think I was.”
You shake your head. “No. I mean, some people think that but, no. I don’t think I’m a man. Do you think of me as a man?”
“Not one bit.” He was earnest. 
“Then you’re not gay, Miller.”
For the next hour, he asked a lot of questions. Some were more in depth, like what transitioning looked like, or what you felt like as a child.You told him you were on E and he had lots of questions about that. You explained you hadn’t gotten top surgery, and his eyes only flicked to your chest once. Respectful cowboy. He asked if you wanted “uuhhh, you know…” breasts, and you said you honestly didn’t feel the desire for it. You liked yourself as you were right now. Some were a bit fun, like how you chose your new name or if you stopped growing facial hair.
What you loved about him was he came from a place of genuine curiosity. He wasn’t judging you, he was trying to learn. You check the clock.
“I think Sarah will be coming soon. Did you have any other questions?”
Joel thinks for a bit. You imagine he probably had a lot about between your legs, but he was too polite to ask and honestly, details of surgeries, although you were comfortable, were a lot for someone you just met, even if it felt like you knew him already. 
“I don’t think so. This has been nice, actually, so… thank you.”
He walks you to the door and as you bend over to put your shoes on, you look up at him. “I’m gonna give you some time to sit on that information… if you wanna go on a date, I’d love to. If not-”
“What about friday?” He hurries out, hands in his pockets. “If I can find a sitter, I mean.”
You stand up straight, unable to stop the beaming. You feel giddy. “I’d love to. We can even go later in the evening, like after dinner so you can spend time with Sarah.”
His face falters just a bit. “I um… I should be honest. I usually don’t have this much free time. I can’t really afford a regular sitter and Kayla isn’t really around with Sarah much… so I guess I don’t really know how well this will work…”
You kiss his patchy beard cheek. “Let’s just take it one day at a time then, okay?”
Joel smiled at that. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”
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PRIDE EVENT TIME!!!!
love yall
i know thi doesnt get much notes but somewhere out there is a trans woman seeing this... is going to feel so fucking seen and thats what matters to me.
How to keep up with the series:
Follow About a girl series on tumblr
follow @romana-updates and turn on notifications
Ask to be tagged!
@my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @ashleyfilm @bumblepony @snnyc @casa-boiardi @del-ightfulling @joelsoftie @valoxwayward @axshadows @qveerthe0ry
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thestobingirlie · 1 year
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Somewhat tangentially related to that other ask but I wish fandom would just acknowledge that Eddie is also bully in his own right and just because he's antagonist towards jocks doesn't mean they deserve it by virtue of being jocks (no matter how much fandom likes to pretend it's warranted because Eddie is bullied himself- this is nowhere near canon and I'd go so far as to say it goes against canon if we're basing it off of Eddie's own behavior) and beyond all that; like the other asker and yourself said Eddie isn't just antagonizing jocks! He openly scorns band kids, geeks and pretty much everyone that isn't his specific brand of nerd which is not about academics so much as nerdy interest like fantasy and "non-conformist" music.
I put that in quotations because Eddie is actually probably the one that buys into the whole high school hierarchy spiel more than any other character on the show; by setting himself up as such an anti-establishment non conformist (all within the high school setting mind you we see nothing to make me believe his ideals go beyond that setting and it makes sense to me considering he's a Peter Pan archetype stuck in a state of arrested development- but I digress) because he sets himself up in such a way that his entire persona is built off of the abject refusal to adhere to societal expectations he's by and large helping to perpetuate them. He's cosplaying this attitude more than living by it because the societal norms still very much dictate how he views himself and how he approaches others.
Ironically Steve is the real deal in this regard by shucking what others expect from him and living his own life the way he wants it divorced from the excepted norms he used to let dictate him as late as mid s3 while changing the things he didn't like about himself behaviorally while still retaining his core personality and interests without the need to revise himself fully.
But because he doesn't have an alt style or interests that go against the mainstream, fandom refuses to see him in this light. He also doesn't let his new friends change his own interests nor expect them to change theirs for him.
I guess this rant makes me sound like I don't like Eddie but I do! I think fandom Eddie is entirely separate from canon Eddie however, to the point where his only recognizable qualities are his interests and aesthetic. Fandom really seems to martyr him in that regard and fully drink his kool-aid which is hilarious because it's largely performative with no substance lmao (even the "woe is me hunt the freak huh 🥺" falls flat narratively when a whole ass dead girl was found in his home).
I think the duplicitous nature of his personality and his hypocrisy (while still fully being a good guy! If you ignore the whole uh selling hard core drugs to a 17/18 year old girl who clearly never did them before thing) I think it's this dual nature and slightly shady actions while still having a caring heart and good intentions is what makes him a good character and we don't get to see that hardly ever with the way a laaaarge portion of fandom worships at his freak alter.
god, beautifully written. i agree with every single point. honestly, you anons just know how to word exactly what i’m feeling.
yes! eddie pretends like he rejects societal ideals, but he just reinforces them to the next generation. he’s built his life on being the freak, he plays it up to get attention, and to rile up his classmates. i honestly think eddie won’t know who he is post high school. which is, like you said, ironically the way the fandom tries to portray steve. but we see that he’s much more secure in himself and his life than eddie. does he have everything figured out? of course not, he’s 18!! but he knows a hell of a lot more than eddie.
but because he isn’t a nerdy outcast, the fandom would have us believe that he actually hates his life and who he is, and secretly doesn’t want to be a jock. fanon steve is honestly way more like canon eddie than i think the fandom wants to admit.
(and yeah, chrissy is found dead in his home. people aren’t just witch hunting eddie for no reason lmao)
all this is what makes canon eddie an actual interesting character!!! and the fact he (and steve) are entirely stripped of these characteristics is one of the reasons that i just can’t vibe with the fandoms rendition of steddie.
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otomegrandma · 1 month
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Just so you know this isn't hate, i'm GENUINELY askin' because i want to understand
Why do you ship togafuka ? Because i can don't really understand the appeal ?
You're free to ignore this text, you don't own me anything, i just want to know (It's kinda my goal to understand everyship i don't ship)
Hello! I don't mind you asking.
from an older curiouscat answer:
I’ve always understood why many people don’t like togafuka or dismiss it outright, and I don’t really take issue with this point of view. I obviously like them, but these are two characters with a lot of issues, and so the way they interact with eachother (or with anyone) is going to be bound up in all that until they change. Actually, in a way I think this is part of why I like the ship - it’s hard to see Byakuya interacting with, for example, Chihiro without feeling bad for Chihiro, and when Makoto is trying to befriend Byakuya I can tell it takes a lot out of him just to be around him, and I want to think Makoto deserves to spend time with someone who respects him more. But because Touko and Byakuya are both nasty people, having them spend time together is kind of like a quarantine, haha. We see in DR1 that both Touko and Byakuya often exclude themselves from the rest of the class, and so they end up “excluded together”
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While I like Touko and Byakuya’s interactions during the killing game, the way they are during this period is clearly not conducive to an actual relationship. Even though they seem very different on the surface, however, I think they actually have a lot in common - having difficult childhoods, preferring a blunt way of speaking rather than delicacy, you know. As they change as people independently, I imagine that their relationship to eachother could change as they may begin to see eachother in a different light. I think Touko already sees and thinks of Byakuya a bit differently by DRAE, and as Byakuya becomes better at forming sincere connections with people (which he is incapable of in DR1) he may begin to admire things in her he previously dismissed. (<-this does not necessarily mean he has to return her feelings - they could just be friends, or two people who are otherwise mature enough to exist in eachother's lives without it being a problem. but i think its cooler if he wants to kiss her grossly) To be honest, I also just find them really funny. I like that Touko gets to be a funny female character, and I like that in their dynamic it reveals a bit of Byakuya's gap moe ignorance and he can get flustered. Its fun (and endearing in a mean way) to imagine them bonding over insulting and gossiping about the rest of the cast together.
I also find them to be aesthetically pleasing to draw together; I like the contrast in their designs and mannerisms, and independently they're both the kind of character I find fun to draw (Togami, being a cool, mean, princely guy and Fukawa being a loud, pathetic woman.) "They're my type" wouldn't be enough to explain why I've been obsessed with them for 7 years straight but they're also appealing to me in a way that is kind of obvious in my mind. It didn't take 'digging deep' to make me like them!
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sorenblr · 11 months
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since we're on the subject what are your honest thoughts on eva. me personally i think its really great in a lot of ways but also completely full of shit and really falls apart when analyzed non-emotionally (in more ways than just it's *extremely* loose Christian theming)
I think it's fantastic, at least the original series and EoE. Many of the criticisms commonly levied against it are justified- this is a series that castigates its otaku audience for leering at its grossly sexualized portrayal of adolescents while at the same time constructing one of the most vociferous merchandising apparati ever conceived around exactly that purpose- but it's greater than the sum of its defects.
In the matter of broad aesthetics, direction, and composition, I would place Evangelion near the apex of the medium. The industry mechanism necessary to create something that looks like this simply no longer exists. The philistine reaction against the long takes, which would elsewhere be recognized as part of the basic grammar of any serious film, is a credit to Anno's sensibilities as director. There aren't any characters that I particularly dislike, and I think Shinji and Asuka are near to brilliant. And the first thirteen episodes are simply exceptional, even fairly undemanding genre fare. The fucking Israfel one is just an outstanding episode of television. The dramatic idiosyncracies that the series is known for don't manifest in greater quantity until the latter part, which is I imagine where less receptive audiences will start to check out, but I think they're both necessary complements to the whole.
I think about Eva-02 catching that missile to the face on a semi-regular basis. The entire MPE scene is one of the most compelling pieces of animation ever put to film. This and the Gouf battle from 08th MS Team around the same time are the acme of the thought that emphasized plausible heft and momentum in mechanical animation.
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The extent to which the original series is celebrated as 'deconstructive', or as a radical departure from previous, less 'cerebral' works, is grossly exaggerated and I think dependent on a historical ignorance of the genre. That isn't to say that it's complete equivocation, but Amuro's first character arc in 0079 is going catatonic after being compelled to fight in the ambulatory war crimes machine, and Pen Pen is not some sort of embedded reflexive criticism- he is a fun penguin who basically loves to hang out. Much of the thematic material is indebted to Ideon-era Tomino, who was at least as catastrophically depressive as Anno during the period of his most prolific cultural output.
The greater innovation in Eva is its radical orientation towards psychodrama, which I think does finally reach a deconstructive apogee in EoE. Still, the basic theme of the series, the communicative impediments to human intimacy, is also the overriding concern of the first several incarnations of Gundam- but only Evangelion will have a character literally describe the hedgehog's dilemma aloud. So a lot of the perceived deconstruction is a maximal treatment of what was marginally less explicit in earlier works, and I think Anno's direction does produce striking and beautifully affective turns on that material. But the old joke that this mecha anime is about the characters is still descriptive of the entire genre. This isn't meant to be a criticism- I think it's infinitely more engaging to consider Eva as the ultimate Lost Decade continuation of earlier forms than some sort of iconoclastic rupture from tradition.
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The Judeo-Christian imagery is another point of radical continuity with hyper-influential genre fare, in this case Ultraman. Anno's recent directorial output is enough to evince the tremendous debt owed to the series, but whereas the religious iconography was a genuine article of faith for Tsuburaya, in Eva the material is valued more for its aestheticizing effect. It was only when transplanted to a Western audience that the desacralized treatment of religion assumed a transgressive quality that happened to be a perfect 'in' for adolescents nationwide. Shinji is a Midwest emo icon and I can make an AMV of the series set to Chop Suey by System of a Down? This phenomenon is, to me, more interesting than the actual thematic connections the series draws from myth, which is certainly not what the thing is 'about' in any case.
Also, I am an episode 25-26 truther. EoE is great but the television finale is its obvious complement. If you're out here telling people to watch EoE immediately after episode 24... grow the fuck up! bitch!!!*
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*parody parody
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lawbin-archive · 3 months
Text
Lawbin Dressrosa Analysis 1: Dating while handing over Caesar team
Finally, I finished re-reading dressrosa! It's probably one of my favorite arcs. Maybe top 3 haha The other two are probably Wano and Enies Lobby. The pacing in manga is definitely way better, so I actually enjoyed this arc more. I might missed something because I was too immersed into the story and sometimes I forgot to jot down notes lol But anyways, let's start!
As usual, things highlighted in purple are my delulus.
Warning: It's my personal blog so don't read it if you don't like lawbin, include lots of delulu :D
~LAWBIN ALLIANCE PHASE~ why can't I choose yellow on tumblr anymore?! :(
Chapter 700: Law hates bread
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Robin weird thoughts always live in my head rent free. I also like how most of the crew are complaining or interrupting Law but Robin (and Zoro) just listen to his plan. Of course it's also because their personality is similar (they mostly won't say anything unless something it's wrong), and I think they just trust Luffy hence they trust Law.
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I love the fact that Robin's favorite food is sandwich but Law hates bread!! It's gonna be a funny debate between them about bread!! >< I also find Robin and Zoro just follow their captain and ignore Law's plan are so funny. (Remember this, it's changing in the upcoming plot *wink*)
Chapter 701: Adventure in the land of love, passion and toys [This is the actual title of this chapter] That's kinda obvious is it? That's where all the love starts *smirk*
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Every time they are together is such a beautiful panel, (maybe I shouldn't said that people will say I ship them just for their aesthetic haha it's like that's a problem) The *aggressive* *calm* *calm* *aggressive* combo is also really interesting and entertaining, I can understand why Oda will choose Robin and Usopp to be Law's companion. Or maybe Law chose Robin himself to spend more time with her?! It didn't say how they assign the team but in any way, I'm sure Robin and Law realize they have similar personality. Robin even found Law's plan fun haha. Their mind just sync a lot and I think Law will appreciate to have Robin here because she's the only one that follow his plan without a complain lol. And from this point, Law & Robin started become a "I want to scare Usopp just for fun" team. (and also Caeser but I don't think they give a fk about him lol)
Chapter 705 ~ 711: Let's go to Greenbit
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Again, the aesthetic is just ~amazing~. I'm gonna compliment it regardless, they look good together and that's a part of why they have good chemistry to me. I'm not gonna deny it! And I like it so much that Robin and Law are sitting across each other, they can see each other clearly!
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They really look like they are on a secret date together! >< (minus Usopp and Caesar I'm sorry) I saw a newspaper poster (made by a one piece theme park in Japan, but it's closed now) and this "news" was saying they found out Law and Robin secretly meeting? (I'm just guessing) Literally create my vision of them getting caught dating haha And I like how they share a lot of common knowledge - they know how dangerous CP0 is and recognize them is right away. At least I think most of the straw hats won't recognize and realize who they are.
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The small bickering they have are so cute, Robin isn't scared and she's super calm but she has her little complain that she expected fish to look like a fish (maybe that's the only complaint she has haha) and Law was like "Looks like a fish to me". It’s like she hates gum because she expects food can be swallowed.
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I'm always wondering who's Law talking to here haha because Robin & Usopp are the ones who fight the fish after but from where he's pointing, isn't look like he's talking to Caesar either. So maybe he's telling Robin don't need to worry? If that’s true, that means Law cared about her haha I feel like the whole time, he just want to talk to her and teasing Usopp only
~LAWBIN FRIENDS PHASE~
From this point, I think Law and Robin started to trust each other more and treated each other as friends. At least you can see their interactions are more friendlier. I will explain a little bit more later.
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They even sit together on the Caesar hot air balloon!! In my mind, it's probably Usopp scared to sit in the middle because he might fall and Law being a gentleman so he volunteered to sit in the center (less safe). If you think about it, this could be their date lol Going to a cafe, fight some fishes and sitting on a hot air balloon. Law planned the whole thing and Robin was like *I have fun with this* the whole time haha. Robin likes to explore and Law's hobby is wandering around. They just seem to get along so well together!
I think I already explained a few times that how they both get so investigative once they arrived at Greenbit they are so similary in lots of ways!! They both will analyze the situation and environment they are in.
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Robin can see through him so easily. She probably can figure out how he did it anyways And see how Robin changed her attitude so much?! From distrusting him and observing him a lot in Punk Hazard, and now she's teasing him. If she didn't get close with someone, she probably won't say anything and just observe. That's definitely a sign that she got closer with him and a friendly behavior.
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I like how Law already knew what each Straw Hat specialized with and ask them for help. And again, only Robin listened to Law. She looks like she enjoyed the adventure so much and I'm actually surprised Robin just followed Law here. I guess after Punk Hazard, she found he isn't a bad person so she just followed his plan. But also mainly because Luffy trust Law.
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The first thing Robin woke up is to think about how to contact with Law (and also care about Usopp of course) When I was reading the Greenbit part, I actually thought Robin is gonna tell Law where she is and he can use his ability to transfer him and Caesar to underground, so Doflamingo couldn't find them there haha. But my delulu didn't come true ;'(
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I also saw a person said the reason why they ship lawbin it's because Law treat Robin differently than others. And here is one of the evidences, when he was talking to other straw hats, he usually just order them around lol and for Robin, he's like *help me using your intelligence skills* *ok I understand* it's just seems he is so much calmer in front of her, like they can actually communicate without arguing. I wouldn't say he cared about her but at least he is nice enough to say good luck to her too. Robin actually treat him differently than others too. She said "Good luck" to him, something I rarely seen Robin did to other people outside of straw hats and Robin worried about him a lot in this arc (again I'll elaborate later on, there is so much to talk in this arc omg ><!)
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When the whole Greenbit shaking, Robin worried about Law's fighting. Their relationship really change drastically here. Robin seems to care about Law a lot more. To be fair, I think the whole crew started to care about Law's safety in this arc a lot and of course it's natural to care someone that's an ally of you. But also if I really compare, Robin seems like she cared the most about Law maybe after Luffy.
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I actually think Law is so similar to Robin here. He really gave me the Enies Lobby Robin vibe here. In my perspective, I don't think he really meant to use straw hats at this point (definitely yes before tho), I think he told Doflamingo he is using them to try to protect them. So Doflamingo will think it's useless even he threaten Law he is going to kidnap the rest of the straw hats because Law said he won't care about them. (the mind games). Law and pre-time skip Robin are so alike, they always try to take all the responsibility to themselves or sacrifice themselves in order to protect others. Law didn't even bring heart pirates to here is just like when Robin pretend to be betray the straw hats in Enies Lobby sigh :(
If Law is really using the straw hats, he is gonna betray them once Doflamingo is defeated, but he kept his promise to defeat Kaido. That's one of the reasons why Law is one of my favorite characters, even he looks so unbothered and sometimes mean on the outside, his actions always tell the opposite >///<
And it’s cute that during Dressrosa, Robin is the one who cares about Law a lot and once they get into Wano the situation switched haha the feelings are mutual!!!!
That's it for today! Thank you for reading! <3 I think I have talked too much again lol I will probably start writing about the rest of the arc soon! Hopefully I can finish writing the whole arc under 2 parts! (probably not) I actually have something to write about my thoughts on other ships during dressrosa, uhm maybe I will briefly talk about it next one.
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mcromwell · 3 months
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Hello! I have been following your art for awhile now- I just had to refollow because Tumblr is a webbed site. If this is rude to say, ignore it, but I find your pieces inspiried! They truly are so cool. It got me to get a set of caran d' ache water soluble pastels myself! I have been hitting a bit of an art block lately, and I wanted to try something different than what I have been doing.
I just have a question about what you draw/paint ON. I see a lot of what you are describing as reclaimed support - what is it and how/where do you get that? It is wood correct? Is it a specific type of wood? Is there any specific way to prepare it for painting?
Thank you for taking the time for reading!
Hello there! Thanks for your ask! I'm really glad you're inspired and trying new things, and with my favorite art toy, no less. The wax pastels are truly a joy to work with. Like the crayon of my childhood dreams.
I typically paint on scrap wood. I will scavenge plywood, old shelves, lumber, furniture panels, flooring, etc. and prep them for painting. Part of my personal set of values I try to live by is to buy as little new things as possible and that counts for art stuff, too. I have a video about how I like to prep scrap wood here: https://youtu.be/9Ni8aIgB7F4?si=fBAaaB1fSWQC4bfS
Lately my friend and fellow artist Sasha reminded me that mounting paper on the scrap wood is also a thing! So I've been doing a bit of that lately, too, and it has been really nice for pastels and colored pencils. (I mount paper usually with Nori paste and/or matte acrylic medium.)
When I use words like "support" instead of scrap wood, sometimes that's just shorthand for "an archival panel of indeterminate material", such as my stash of 12"x16" PVC panels I got from a fellow art supply hoarder friend. It's strange to say "mixed media on plastic sign material" because that... doesn't necessarily bring up a clear idea...? But yeah, a lot (like the heron series) are done on sanded and gesso'd PVC panels that were once intended for outdoor signage.
Salvaging your own surfaces takes more time and work, but costs barely anything. It works with my rough and natural aesthetic so I lean into the wood's imperfections. Look, this one even has a hole in it! And you can see the grain and the pop-and-lock groove on the left. This was a piece of cedar flooring.
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Boy he's a sad little guy isn't he
tl;dr I paint on flat sturdy things likely to last a long time. If you can sand, gesso, and attach wire hanging hardware to the back-- you're good. Go nuts.
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