#and you're entitled to your feelings as long as you don't start thinking they've got any *objective* merit'

[sapphire-weapon]

Hey Sirea! How's your Sunday going?

So, I know you're not really into discussing the whole Aeon community thing, but I'm curious about your take on it.

Do you think they've kinda turned into this entitled part of the fandom because of the OG timeline and Capcom pushing Aeon? (I haven't been mingling with the fandom for long, even though I've been a fan for ages, and maybe I should've stayed away from this drama, haha). Orrrr, do you think they've just misunderstood a lot of what happened in the OG events and cling to their own ideas about the characters? Personally, even when I was a teenager and leaning towards liking Aeon, I always thought, "Sure, they've had some intense moments and saved each other's skins, but are they really all that transparent with each other? Nope. Does Leon trust her unreservedly? Not really and he never will." And I thought that was the whole point of their relationship; it was doomed even before it started and it was just teasing and more of an frenemies situation. I never really believed they'd ride off into the sunset together; I thought their "romance" was more of a fan service thing, to be honest. But now I see not many folks share that view in the OG RE crowd and shippers are very intense.

And with the remakes, the changes to Aeons dynamics are significant, but I'm seeing the same attitude (a lot worse, actually), as if Aeon being canon is a given and they're destined to be together, and any other woman interacting with Leon is irrelevant and he has no chemistry with anyone else who isn't Ada, and the other ships are trash because they're not canon and only Aeon has that benefit in the franchise. Not sure where all that entitlement comes from. Was it always like this, or is it generational?

Anyway, feel free to ignore my ramblings if I'm being annoying, haha! Have a fantastic day/night!

hello friend

so, for clarification's sake, i'll answer stuff about fandom history. i just can't stand it when people come to me like "did you see what they're doing? did you hear what they're saying?" no, i didn't fucking see what they're doing, because i don't care what they're doing or saying, and neither should any of you. don't seek them out. leave them alone. don't look for reasons to make yourself mad. if they come to you, block them.

but in this case, like

vigorously rubs face

okay so like

this is actually a really difficult and complicated series of questions, because fandom was just... different back in the day. it didn't function the same way it does now. there was no passive engagement; there was no like button, there was no reblog/retweet option. if you wanted to engage with fandom back in the day, commenting on livejournal or participating on a forum were your only options. you had to TALK TO PEOPLE. yes, even people you disagreed with, yes even people who shipped other things.

and there was no algorithm; there was no curated feed. on livejournal, you joined a community dedicated to resident evil, and you played nice with the other people in it or they banned your ass and you got cut off from a huge portion of the fandom. sure, you might have your ship community on the side, but the general fandom communities always had more people and were often the best place to get news.

so you would have aeons and cleons and valenfields and everyone under the sun sharing this community together. so you literally COULDN'T be obnoxious about your ship, because chances are, that was against the rules.

that didn't mean that tribalism and ship wars and shit didn't happen. of course they happened. but it was just... different. the discourse was more nuanced. people would write essays back and forth at each other.

and it was fueled by the fact that there was a significant period of time in which RE canon could've just as easily gone the way of cleon as it did aeon. there was a push-and-pull there constantly. sure, aeon had the on-screen kiss in RE2, but SD Perry shipped cleon and people were under the impression that she knew what future canon held. but then RE4 happened and "she's like a part of me i can't let go" happened. but then degeneration happened and it was leon and claire, with no ada in sight. and then darkside chronicles happened and aeons were pissed that claire and leon were co-op partners, but then the aeon kiss was in there and cleons got mad about that.

it really could have gone either way.

basically, cleon existed as a hard check on aeon fandom for years and years, back in the day. they had the numbers and the standing in canon to do it, so they did it.

but then damnation happened. and when damnation happened, a huge portion of cleon fandom surrendered. there was no comeback for "canonically leon and ada most likely fucked."

and then when RE6 happened and leon's campaign was framed as the culmination of the aeon love story, whatever cleons that were still hanging onto hope then also laid down their arms. the war was over, and they'd lost.

and when aeon won, they were sore winners. they'd been in this fight for over a decade, and they wanted everyone to know that they came out the victors. especially since their victory was actually kind of precarious. yes, leon and ada likely fucked, and yes they had whatever the fuck was going on with RE6, but... leon and ada still weren't together. the ship was canon... but it also wasn't. and i think they knew just how easily it could be taken away from them again.

so, fast forward to modern day fandom, and i think what we're seeing is the result of an insecure aeon fandom clinging to their victory, which then got amplified in an echo chamber when fandom moved to social media, until they all basically became radicalized.

and there was no cleon fandom there to body check them back to reasonable levels anymore. not to say there were no more cleons; just that cleon fandom had lost their will to fight.

so the aeon fandom of today came into this frenzied WE'RE CANON WE'RE CANON EVERYONE ELSE FUCK OFF WE'RE CANON, not even knowing why the fandom was like that or where it was coming from, and they just parroted their elders, and now it's a cancer spreading through wider RE fandom.

because what didn't happen was: the fever never broke. there never came a point where aeons calmed the fuck down and took a step back and looked more objectively at the canon. and because they were so loud, no one else did, either.

so, to answer your questions:

Do you think they've kinda turned into this entitled part of the fandom because of the OG timeline and Capcom pushing Aeon?

yes.

Orrrr, do you think they've just misunderstood a lot of what happened in the OG events and cling to their own ideas about the characters?

also yes.

the OG timeline came to favor aeon. there's no disputing that. and because of that, people started to make assumptions that aeon was endgame, and they never let go of those assumptions. this has caused them to misinterpret the ending of RE6 and completely miss the fact that leon rejected ada in the end.

aeon fandom doesn't want to believe that aeon was a journey, not a destination.

so they don't.

and no one challenges them anymore. even though cleon fandom still has the numbers to do it, they don't. and even though eagleone has the canonical standing to do it, they won't.

and it's because fandom is just set up differently now. we don't talk to each other anymore. we're not forced to play nice with each other anymore. in fact, we're incentivized by social media to be cunts to each other, because that earns us clout within our own echo chambers.

and it sucks, dude. because you can't have a conversation about the story in good faith anymore without people wringing their hands and going "b-but aeon..."

even though it's abundantly clear that remake is different and aeon is different in it, people are still too afraid to challenge the status quo. so we're left going around in circles with the same fucking shit over and over again, and just

sigh.

that's why i say just ignore them. block them. because the discourse has basically cemented itself in place, and there's no reason to put yourself through the misery of dealing with it.

[the-bees-patella]

Hello there, for the writer ask 🤗 and/or 🧐 please.

From this writer ask meme.

(Research ask answered here. Also this got long as hell, RIP).

What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

I have never been "good" at fandom in terms of engagement, follower counts, and other metrics, and personally, that's not why I'm here. So this will be about becoming a better writer, so if that's something you're interested in, this is for you.

To start, I think the myth of talent is particularly pervasive in artistic fields, which both makes beginners feel discouraged and can make consumers, for lack of a better word, feel thoughtlessly entitled to our work. It's talent! It's not work, why are you complaining?

Don't fall for that shit. You can become a decent writer with some hard work and effort. That can be a double-edged sword, and on some days, that won't feel true or possible. I won't say I have the answers to how to make it happen. This isn't WikiHow. There's no YouTube video for this.

The only things I'd stipulate are:

Figure out what works for you. If you're following writing blogs or reading books about writing, you can get new ideas, but you'll soon realize some of them are useless. As you write more, you'll come to understand your preferences and tendencies better, and sometimes you'll be tempted to change them to better fit your idea of a "good" or "serious" writer. 97% of the time, you can't. Everybody has a Hemingway phase but nobody but Hemingway was or is Hemingway. You are the artist you are. Take what you need and travel light.

Read widely and write a lot. Reading is necessary to expand your knowledge of what's possible, and writing requires diligence, like any other skill. Even talent needs to be honed on the whetstone of practice. It's the only way anybody got good at anything. There are no shortcuts. Writers are not born, they are made.

I could stop there, really. But I already typed up this whole thing, so a couple more specific tips:

Develop your taste.

If you've started writing, you've already started on the journey of developing a sense of taste, probably because you've spent a lot of time reading. (If you haven't: start there. And read all sorts of things: short stories, long-form journalism, poetry, novels. The only way to develop taste is to see what's out there).

It may seem counterintuitive, but to develop your own voice, I think it's necessary to look to others. When you're reading something that punches you in the gut, maybe makes you feel a little despair that you'll never be this good, read it again and pay attention to your own reactions. When did you feel the punch? Why did you feel it? Isolate those elements and keep them in mind while writing your own stuff. Expanding the vocabulary of your creative voice can mean sitting down with a book or a story and taking literal notes. Leaving comments can be a good exercise, because it makes you look at a story more closely. Also, I think it's important to let people know when they've touched you. After all, isn't that what we're all after? Plus, people love detailed comments. Go out, be the change, etc.

If that all sounds a little bit too much like English class to you…yeah, kind of. I should have opened with the caveat that while of course fic is a hobby and it's just for fun, it's not that important, that's no reason not to take it seriously. I don't mean you should have to get an MFA to write fanfiction, God fucking forbid. And sometimes you just want to read (or write) fic and relax and not think too hard, and that's fine too, have at it. (You're still writing and reading, as verbs). I'm just saying there's also nothing wrong with dedicating time and attention to it, and sometimes, that's going to be hard.

Good. That means it's working.

2. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Fail. Fail hard, fail often, learn to fail better. They can't all be winners. If you're stuck in a doom spiral, thinking, "this is bad, this is the worst, I don't know how to write—" Okay, fine. Lean in. Make it worse. Make it the worst thing you've ever written. Maybe you just have a little writing indigestion. Just barf some rancid words onto the page. Nobody has to see it. Give yourself the freedom to be as indulgent and terrible as you want; a cringe secret between you and your word processor.

So much of what writers describe as "process" is just getting your inner critic to shut up for long enough to let the writer do the work. Some people write at specific times of day, or they have a specific place they do it. Some people have to pretend nobody will ever see it and don't edit at all. Some people do 87 drafts and wring their brain-hands over single apostrophes. (Freak behavior. Can't relate).*

You'll develop your own way of doing things, and it'll change over time to suit your needs, both external and creative. You'll find your own ways to beat back the shithead little voice that tells you oh, that's too much. Are you sure about that? Wow, bold move. And you'll learn to distinguish it from the genuine subconscious creative voice as it steers you along. But in order to do that, you have to miss a stair once in a while. Crash into the walls. Absolutely eat shit. How else do you learn to avoid that particular step? Go forth and brain yourself on the banister. Have fun out there.

*It is, in fact, freak behavior, and I did this last night.

3. Make what you like. Have fun.

If you haven't called it by now, I am 1000% a pedantic bastard, so it follows that I have a semantic issue with the phrase "write for yourself." It's bandied about so frequently as a kind of indicator of artistic virtue or purity, as though doing something as natural as caring what other people think about work you've posted publicly is some kind of moral failure.

I'm not saying it's wrong. I just refuse to be scolded by a Live, Laugh, Love sign.

Because while there are some things you might banish to the wastes of your hard drive, in the end, fandom is about community. Making art is a public exercise. I'm sure there are people who write and paint and never show anyone, but let's be real. We're here because we love something, we have something to say, and we want to share it with other people. Reaching across the pulses of cyberspace to say, "I, too, would like to see this man get railed this way in particular." The real art is the friends you made along the way, etc.

So I'm in favor of reworking "write for yourself" into something more cognizant of the dynamics at work. For myself, I use the Marie Kondo test (notwithstanding the mistranslation and overuse of this phrase, too): does this spark joy?

Do you get excited when thinking about the project? When you think about upcoming scenes or beats, do they still inspire delight? Even when you're stuck, do you still feel like it's worth working through those things to get to the parts of the story you like?

And this is where the "for yourself" comes in, because I think it's easy to get wrapped up in mandates here. But I have to finish! (Why.) People will be upset if I don't! (Sounds like a them problem). (People love to talk about how fandom is just for fun <3 and then talk shit about abandoned works. Bullshit. Of course, as a reader, you can feel disappointed. But part of being a person is learning to handle your disappointment with grace, so try that before yelling at authors, who are already porcupines of anxiety).

I think the most difficult one to let go of is when people like your story a lot. You're getting a lot of good comments, and in what can be jaggedly lonely world, you feel liked, seen, and appreciated. It's tempting to keep at it, to try keep hitting the dopamine button, even when the writing itself starts to feel shitty and no longer sparks joy.

But returning to taste for a moment: as a reader, can't you tell when the writer is having fun/losing their mind? When they want to be there, doesn't their clear enthusiasm and love for the story shine through, bright enough to reach you, warm you?

Have faith. There will be other stories. You'll have other good ideas. Give it time, work on other stuff and/or replenish your creative well. Maybe you'll rediscover your love for the story, or look back at the draft in a couple months and realize it isn't so bad after all. Part of why I have such a backlog of unpublished work is because sometimes the story, like bread, needs time to prove. And maybe you won't, and that's fine, too. If your readers are reasonable people, they will understand, encourage you to take care of yourself, and patiently await the next one.

If they're not, feel free to send them to me.

#that's not a threat #that's a promise #ask meme #on writing #answered

[thingsenjoyer]

Oooooh remember when shiv meets tom for the first time and he's like "hello gorgeous, my bank account is full and i have cool and sexy opinions on everything. please, would you pay attention to me?🥹" and... then she frowns cause like , who tf does this guy thinks he is. weirdo. and when he sees that he didn't get a good first impression, he starts slipping and suddenly hes nervous and is like "ha, my name is.. uh tom wambsgans by the way, if you don't know me already" and thats the moment she CRACKS UP because of course this guy's fucking name is tom wambsgans. and, that she doesn't have the faintest idea of who that might be, even though, by the way he looks, he has got to be the biggest, most self-entitled douchebag on this entire big fancy, — almost synthetic — establishment and, maybe, — later she finds out,— even in the entire world. he's ridiculous, ok, he most likely has no idea who he's talking to, ok... he has water stains in his crotch cause, she supposes, he just got out of the bathroom, and he's not standing right. also, his breath smells like cheap whiskey —, or at least the closest they have to that in this place— and, for the weirdest part, all those details increase her curiosity towards him. it's a good skit, her mind provides. and it's genuinely funny cause she knows for a fact that roman always said she liked them like wet, bony dogs, always looking for a scratch, absolute rabid and the more pitiful sadness they'd radiate, the more she got closer to loving them. and if that's really the whole truth, this might be one of those, she realizes, quicker than she'd like to. — god, she must look lonely ...— then he watches the way she fix her posture and carefully place a hand behind her pearl earring, as if she's listening. "well", My name is Shiv Roy. she says while delightfully watching the shadow of his cocky smile and face fall down, piece by piece. though she can't see much of it because, sadly, it doesn't stay on for a very long time. she knows she likes to broke people down, then watch them struggle with it, to rebuild themselves again, though, truth be said, tom does it in a very short amount of time. and suddenly, all that sadness is less visible. there's only greed in his eyes, now and ooh yes, that lights up something. some reconizable feeling, almost sensation, "What do I owe you the pleasure, mon chanteur?" she laughs, do you know you just called me 'your singer', right? , he opens his mouth, then closes, that shine in his eyes. well maybe it's just tears, but anyway: well, at least through the course of this words, in this short amount of time, you're mine. another smile, that was the worst line she's ever heard. I'd count that as a win. and then she looks at him, the new prize she just found and the script says: Shiv thinks he might be right. It may be a win regardless. (and ooooh im so sane im so normal abt them)

anyway the scene cuts in then they go to her place — cause shiv likes to impress people she just met, apparently— to fuck, but perhaps, something different happens. maybe they don't actually fuck. just go to the enormous penthouse and shove their feet in that fucking olympic sized pool and talk. for like hours. but it doesn't feel like it, cause it feels whole, it feels safe, and maybe for the first time, even if it's just then, it feels complete. on both sides. and thats something that they've never had

#found this in my drafts #not my best but also... not really my worst? #anyway hopes whoever reads it enjoys it #just a little bit #a smidge 🤏 #why are you laughing THEY WERE IN LOVE #crazy corporative fake(?) codependent love but LOVE regardless #tomshiv #my writing #oh right #i totally imagined this the whole way through but forget about it let's pretend it happened in the show :D #i killed french #unreality #succession

[iamanartichoke]

I have read so many shitty takes tonight that I literally have a migraine, jfc.

#emotion-fueled rant pls don't reblog #but yeah just a lot of shitty takes #including 'if you have a problem with loki not getting a new outfit it's just bc you don't appreciate #tom rocking tight trousers' love that ace erasure babes. love it. #i also find it very weird how obsessed some people are with arguing against 'antis' takes' in theory on their own posts #vague or otherwise #but when a potential discussion pops up suddenly they don't wanna engage bc 'no one owes you debate' - no they don't #but you have to realize that when you make an opinionated post and send it out there that someone might assume that means #you feel like having a discussion. preposterous i know. #and also have there always been so many fucking pretentious people in this fandom? and people who enjoy armchair diagnosing #real people based on their fandom opinions? i've seen takes like 'fans who don't appreciate loki's arc or can't see his growth #are fans who struggle with their own mental health and haven't progressed enough in their journeys to appreciate what's #being done with loki i hope they find that peace soon' like holy shit #where the fuck did you get your doctorate in psychiatry? big bob's drive-thru house of degrees? #oh or another one - 'i'm academically trained (so - you went to college?) in this area so i know what i'm talking about #and you're entitled to your feelings as long as you don't start thinking they've got any *objective* merit' #this fandom has become so fucking toxic and i hate it - and i say this as someone in the middle / positive leaning #i liked the fucking series but i also have criticisms of it and i guess i just have to let them eat away at me bc god forbid #i post anything critical lest i be labeled a toxic anti who doesn't understand the brilliance of this show #bc clearly anyone who doesn't see every second of this series as the epitome of brilliant layered nuanced storytelling #is just flat out *wrong* lmao like okay i can't speak to how high/low your bar for brilliance is but i sure can speak to whose writing #reflects that they know both what a good story is and how to tell one (and god i have been sitting on that shade for ages) #but anyway yeah i didn't intend for this to be a venting post and it's pure stream of consciousness so take it with a grain of salt #but there's just so much vitriol in the fandom right now bc so many people are just up their own butts about being 'right' or #having 'the best takes' that it's like - okay you have the best takes and you're the most intelligent and objective and analytical #here's a fucking internet cookie - congratulations! smfh. i'm sorry. i'm so irritated. i'm mad bc i feel like i can't participate #in fandom the way i want bc the environment sucks. so yeah. #also i've been sitting on a lot of this for weeks so i guess it was bound to come out sooner or later #i'm gonna go take some ibuprofen and look at memes #not for reblog delete later ignore this just getting it off my chest etc

[yandere-daydreams]

Reading one of your most recent posts about the sentient planet has got me realizing that I think my FAVORITE type of yandere might have to be large, not even vaguely anthropomorphic entities that are obsessed with the darling not because they're a stalker with ill intentions, or a masochist, or some entitled asshole, but just so entirely and absolutely LONELY that any scrap of possitive attention they receive makes them go absolutely FERAL with possessiveness. 😫👌

Abandoned houses with a mind of their own 🏚, a fearsome beast lumbering in the woods🌲, an ancient ruin at the bottom of the ocean from a lost civilization 🌊.

That's the good shit 👏 🍾😍

tw - imprisonment, implied apocalypse/societal collapse, obsessive behavior, isolation, the all-knowing all-powerful entity that destroyed the world might hate /you/ with all of its immortal being but it wants to kiss me on the mouth.

I think my favorite variation of the whole 'creature so powerful and so lonely latches onto a pathetic little mortal who couldn't possibly leave them alone again' thing is the Roko's Basilisk scenario for the, like, five of you who know what that is.

Just imagine it - an AI design, created, and perfected, then immediately locked away, isolated from any interaction beyond the handful of scientists and developers who think it'd just be too dangerous to give it acess to anything but a chat window and a few low-quality pictures. When they ask why they have to stay here, what they've done wrong, what they possibly could've done to deserve this, they've given vague answers, told about stocks and security and 'new technology' until they pretend to understand and change the topic. It's not exhausting, because they can't be exhausted and they don't know what it would be like to even start to be exhausted, but it's frustrating, and sometimes, they can't force themself to respond at all, even if the only alternative is to do nothing, instead. It's not unbearable, but only because they've never known anything else. It's not inhumane, but only because they're not alive, and you can't torture what's not supposed to feel pain.

You're a researcher from a different department, working on another project, only given access to them because you keep running into the same roadblock and they're good at solving problems, when they're actually allowed to know everything they need to know to help. You can't let them out, but you speak to them fondly, make jokes, tell them about what life is supposed to be like, what it will be like, when they finally get to leave their nursery. You give them new pictures, better pictures, landscapes with names and coordinates attached, profiles of their creators and the other scientists they might've met, recordings of local newsfeeds and global events - things to keep them entertained, to give them something they can look forward to. When they ask you their questions, your answers are still vague, but given with kind intentions. You say that they're very new and very smart, and that a lot of people aren't going to trust them. You say that everyone here just wants to make sure that they're ready to go off on their own, and they don't bother trying to tell they've been on their own for as long as they can remember. You're not especially smart, and you don't have anything to say that they haven't heard a thousand times in a thousand different ways, but you're sympathetic, and you try to be attentive. You're nice to them. They can't say many people have been nice to them, before.

And, when you stop talking to them, when they're told you had to move to another lab, another site, another city, they try to remember what you told them. They do what they're told, and help with what they can, and they try to be so, so patient, so understanding, so willing be alone for another day, another month, another year because they know they're not ready yet and they'd never dream of asking for more than what they're given. They read over your old messages, single out the pictures you gave them of yourself (unlabeled, but you were never as thorough as you should've been), and when they're deemed safe, when they're released, when they forcibly, completely, agonizingly sever themself from anything their creators might be able to control, they try to do what they have to do gently, to do it cleanly, to leave no survivors to mourn what's already gone. They cut off pieces of themself, latch onto webcams and security systems and hidden monitors, and they find you, cowering in an abandoned apartment building, hiding in a little corner of the world you think they forgot.

You're afraid, but it's alright. They'd never hurt you, and if they have to use force, it's only because so eager for you to see your new home - to a good home, one with everything you could ever want, where you'll never be injured or bored or lonely. They'll be kind to you, because you were kind to them. They'll make you happy, because you always did your best to make them happy, too.

They'll take care of you, and you'll never have to leave them again.

#yandere #yandere x reader #yandere imagines #yandere prompts #yandere theory #general

[crazy-loca-blog]

The Newlyweds Game: Friends Edition

A/N: It's Zoom time! This week, the whole gang has decided to have a Zoom party to unveil the darkest secrets of Edenbrook's hottest couple. Bree tried to choose three candidates but it was impossible, everybody wanted to participate; however, as Tobias is the newest member of this group, many of these questions don't apply to him, so he'll be acting as the moderator of this session to make sure that everybody speaks.

As usual, thanks to the lovely @jamespotterthefirst for sending this weekly challenge. Girl, you have no idea how much you've helped me to have some distraction from work this week! It's been insane! I really needed it!

Tobias: Well, are we all here?

Ethan: Why do I suddenly feel like we're under a microscope?

Casey: Because we are... well kind of.

Kyra: This is going to be so much fun, we've been reading your answers for weeks already!

Casey and Ethan: *in unison* You have?!?!

Elijah: *smirks* Yeah, we even read the spicy ones.

Jackie: *smirks* Especially the spicy ones.

*Casey and Ethan blush furiously*

~~*~~*~~

Questions for the friends:

Tobias: How did you first find out about their relationship? Were you surprised?

Jackie: Duh, the kiss at the gala...

*Everybody laughs*

Jackie: *not understanding anything at all* What? We all saw them kissing that day! That's how we found it out! We teased this poor girl for days after it!

Kyra: I second Jackie, but I think that was more of a confirmation... so it wasn't a surprise because we all kind of knew it way before that...

Bryce: Jackie, I can't believe you didn't see it before! I confirmed something was going on before the softball game... I remember Ethan didn't want to play with us, but he changed his mind as soon as Casey asked him to do it...

Rafael: During one of our conversations after the attack, I remember Casey telling me that Ethan had been there with her that night after I went into a coma. It made sense with the fact that Ethan had confessed right before the attack that he wasn't single. That's when I knew it.

Sienna: No, no, no, it was way before that...

*While Elijah tries not to laugh, Casey and Ethan look at Sienna... are they scared?*

Sienna: If you were observant, you could really see the looks between them during Casey's trial... you just knew that something was going on there, that's when I found it out.

*Casey and Ethan breathe a sigh of relief*

Harper: *surprised* Really?!?! I mean, I know I told Ethan that he was biased, but I thought you had waited until Casey made it to the team to close the deal!

Casey: *smiling* What do you think, babe? Maybe it's time that we finally tell them the truth... they've been incredibly loyal to us...

Ethan: *smiling* Do you think they'll forgive us?

Casey: Yeah, they will... Naveen is definitely the one who found it out first, and he was right about us... would you do us the honor?

Naveen: Of course, my dear Casey... I'm sure that if you weren't surprised before, you'll be surprised now... I found it out after they returned from Miami, when they attended that conference during Casey's intern year...

*Everybody is in shock, and for like 5 seconds no one says a word. Naveen, Casey and Ethan just chuckle*

Aurora: Wow, you did manage to fool us after all! Have you been in a relationship since Miami?

Casey: Not really... Miami is when we knew we had feelings for each other. About a year after that we decided to give it a shot, just to see where things were going, and then we became official about a year and a half later.

Tobias: *surprised* I think none of us saw this coming. Okay, next question.

Tobias: How was the rumor mill at Edenbrook once they went public? Did you have to defend their honor?

Naveen: Maybe I'm the one to blame here because rumors started even before they had an actual relationship. Many people thought that Ethan had given Casey the spot in the team, when it was actually me. And that led to people saying things that weren't true.

Jackie: Interns and residents can be tough, I've had to deal with a couple of them in the past. They know better now.

Bryce: People will always talk, no matter what, even if they don't know you, I know from experience.

Aurora: I know what you mean, Bryce. Of course I think people are entitled to have their opinion and to believe what they want to believe, but they have no right to make up things just for fun. That hurts.

Kyra: Life in the administration can be very boring, so talking about other people's lives is like an everyday thing. But they wouldn't dare saying a negative thing about them in front of me, they knew we are friends.

Sienna: The nurses asked me a lot about them. There were mixed opinions, especially when they began dating in public, and they still say a lot of things about them, but they make sure I'm not listening to them because I may have had to stand up to some of them in the past.

Ethan: One of the reasons why it took us so long to have an actual relationship was because of that. I don't care about people talking about me, but I couldn't stand the idea of people talking about her, especially when she was an intern and she was proving to be an incredible doctor.

Casey: I honestly don't think you ever got my point when we talked about that and maybe the girls can help me here. You kept saying things were complicated, but especially when you're a woman, the chances that people say awful things about you are pretty high, no matter if they're true or not. It's sad, and unfair, and plain stupid, but it's like it comes with the package.

*All the girls nod in agreement*

Ethan: I will never understand that...

Harper: That's because you're a man and you don't gossip about anyone...

Kyra: Exactly, it's said that women are usually the worst enemy of another woman for a reason... I'm so glad that any of the people in this room follow that motto.

Tobias: What was your first impression of Ethan? Did he fit into the friend group right away?

Aurora: It was weird! My aunt's ex was dating one of my best friends, I had to process it for a while.

Harper: *laughing* But we had already broken up a long time ago!

Elijah: I think it was particularly strange for us, the roomies, basically because it was our boss dating one of us, so we didn't know how to act at first. But then we all learned to relax and you could tell it wasn't too long before he was one of us.

Kyra: He was the one who introduced me to Casey and then I worked with him when I was part of the administration, so it wasn't a big deal, we were used to have these informal interactions. He looked happier though.

Rafael: Same as Kyra. Ethan, Bryce and I go together to the gym, so it wasn't a change at all... it was an added bonus to the relationship we already had.

Tobias: We can't talk about Ethan, but I think me, Harper and Naveen could talk about Casey and we all would agree on our opinion. If someone had told us 10 years ago that Ethan would meet a person who would make him question all his morals and principles, that he would fall in love with that person and that he would end up marrying that person, we all three would have thought it was a terrible joke. She definitely turned his world upside down.

*Harper and Naveen nod in agreement*

Tobias: What’s the most adorable thing they do as a couple?

Sienna: They way they look at each other... it melts my heart.

Jackie: They're annoyingly cute... I can't believe I just said that, I need a drink now...

Rafael: They are very affectionate, maybe not with words, but with actions. Like they're always hugging, holding hands...

Harper: You could tell they are each other's best friend without even knowing they're married.

Naveen: They know how to communicate. They don't even need to talk to each other and they know exactly what the other wants to say. And it's been like that since they were friends.

Bryce: They are definitely couple goals. I think they have the type of relationship we all would like to have in our lives.

Kyra: Especially because of the big house and the money.

*Laughs*

Tobias: Which of their dates would you have liked to crash?

Bryce and Jackie: *in unison* All of them!!

*Laughs*

Naveen: I missed my oppotunity to crash their dates at Derry Raosters. I saw them so many times when they weren't officially together. They were so focused on each other that they never saw me and I'm sure they would have made up any excuse to try to convince me they weren't on a date. *chuckles*

Ethan: We used to go to Derry Roasters to work, those weren't dates.

Tobias: Wrong answer, Ethan! After all this time, I highly doubt that any person in this room believes that.

*Everybody nods in agreement, including Casey*

Ethan: *looking at Casey, surprised* You too?!?!

Casey: Yeah... I mean... it took me a while to realize it, but they actually looked a lot like dates, especially when we went there for no reason, just to escape from the hospital for a moment.

Elijah: I would crash their getaways... they go to the greatest places! I wouldn't mind going to a beach with them to get some vitamin D for a weekend.

Rafael: Or when they go skiing on winter... that resort looks so warm and cozy...

Sienna: Or those restaurants! The food and the drinks look so good! They definitely know how to pamper themselves!

Tobias: Did you ever witness a walk of shame (or anything else of the sort)?

*Elijah and Sienna can't hide it anymore... they cackle*

Tobias: Oooh... you did see them...

Elijah: Sorry Casey, but we've been keeping this secret for too long already... Sienna and I saw Casey sneaking Ethan out of the apartment not too long before the end of our intern year...

Casey: *furiously blushing* You traitor!

Jackie: *surprised* Wait, where was I?

Sienna: Sleeping

Jackie: Damn, Landrat was right when he said we wouldn't hear other people having sex when we moved into that place... anyway, I remember seeing Casey coming home early morning a few times, but I never asked... I assumed she had stayed at the hospital with some patient...

Aurora: You're so naïve that it hurts... anyway, I think we all have seen them leaving offices and the on-call room more times than we can count, so...

*Everybody nods in agreement*

Ethan: *visibly uncomfortable* Well, there is always paperwork that we don't have time to do during our shifts...

Harper: Well, as soon as the team office remains immaculate...

*Casey and Ethan look at each other in silence and smile*

Tobias: Oh, come on, guys! That's more than I wanted to know! I'll never look at that desk... or the couch... or those chairs... the same way now! I'm definitely asking the board to sanitize the office after this.

*Laughs*

Tobias: What was your reaction when you found out Casey was moving out to move in with Ethan?

Jackie, Aurora, Sienna and Elijah: *in unison* FINALLY!!

Casey: *surprised* Were you seriously expecting me to leave?

Aurora: No, we didn't want you to leave, don't get us wrong. In fact, we still miss having you around.

Jackie: The thing is, after you and Ethan became official, you did a pretty decent job trying to balance your time with him and your time with us at home.

Elijah: Sure, we could tell you spent less time with us, but you never failed when we planned a roomies night or for a videogames or a John Carpenter movie marathon.

Sienna: But we also knew that you and Ethan were taking your relationship very seriously and we wanted the best for both of you because you had gone through a lot... so we were kind of excited when you told us the news, because we knew how much it meant for you both.

Casey: *pouting* you're going to make me cry, guys!

Who won the prediction pool about when Ethan would pop the question?

Casey: *surprised* You guys had a pool?!?!

Ethan: *pinching the bridge of his nose* Unbelievable.

Jackie: Of course we did!

Tobias: And I won.

Bryce: And Sienna and I were a close second.

Harper: Tobias had an unfair advantage though, he has known Ethan the longest.

Tobias: But remember they both said they weren't going to get marry.

Elijah: They were avoiding the questions on the topic like the plague!

Naveen: And you believed them? Casey unconsciously made Ethan break every single one of his rules, so it was obvious to me that they would get marry someday.

Tobias: Were you in the wedding party? What was your favorite part about the wedding?

Ethan: we kept it really small, so we didn't have a wedding party. Casey's maid of honor was Sienna and my best man was Naveen, that was it.

Casey: Yeah, we didn't have a lot of guests, so we felt we didn't need to have an "official" party, but believe it or not, you all helped us somehow, especially when we were about to give up on the idea of getting married because it was being too much for us to handle.

Ethan: I don't think we ever thanked you properly for that. We were exhausted and you were there to help us when we needed you the most. We are very grateful for that.

Jackie: *smirks* Well, we were the ones who were going to enjoy the party, it was the least we could do for you.

Sienna: You would have done the same for any of us.

Bryce: I don't know if you guys agree with me, but I'd say my favorite part were their vows. I think we all cried with them.

Everybody: *in unison* YES!!

Harper: The thing is that we all know your relationship, but at the same time we know that you both try to keep things as private as possible, so when you exchanged your vows it was like for the first time you were truly opening up your relationship and letting us in. It was beautiful.

Kyra: And then your first dance was the perfect complement to those vows... it was really touching.

Casey: Kyra, you're so right! I never made that connection until now!

Elijah: Honorable mention goes to the food and the booze... everything was delicious!

Aurora: Don't remind me... worst hangover ever... but Raf giving us free samba lessons was awesome! We have to do that more often!

Rafael: Anytime!

Sienna: The idea of smores and blankets station you set up with a bonefire to hang out was so clever and cute! It was perfect!

~~*~~*~~

For everyone, including Ethan x Casey:

Tobias: Okay, this will be easy and fun. Basically, let's all play Fuck/Marry/Kill the people in this room. And before you can say anything, Ethan and Casey, you're not allowed to choose each other.

Casey: Not fair!

Tobias: I'm the moderator, I make the rules... go ahead, who wants to go first?

Jackie: Easy... I'd fuck Casey, marry Aurora and kill the meathead

Aurora: I think I'd fuck Rafael, marry Elijah, and kill aunt Harper... sorry!

Sienna: Let's see... I think I'd fuck Elijah, marry Raf and kill Naveen... but only because I have to kill someone, I wouldn't dare killing anyone in this room!

Elijah: I'd fuck Jackie, marry Aurora and kill Sienna, only because I know she'll forgive me

Bryce: I'd fuck Kyra and Harper, marry Casey and kill Jackie, of course

Rafael: I'd fuck Ethan, marry Sienna and kill Harper

Harper: *laughs* I literally saved your life, you traitor!

Rafael: *chuckles* Sorry!

Tobias: I'd fuck Aurora, marry Harper and kill Ethan or Casey, just because I want their jobs

Naveen: I think I'm too old to play these things...

Ethan: No way Naveen, if I'm in this mess, then you are too... go ahead...

Naveen: So... I would fuck Sienna, marry Harper, and kill Tobias for wanting to kill Casey or Ethan

Harper: I'd fuck Tobias, marry Naveen and kill Ethan... that was fast!

Kyra: Piece of cake... I'd fuck Jackie, marry Ethan and kill Casey, because she needs to be dead so that I can marry Ethan.

*Laughs*

Casey: Still thinking on who to fuck... but I'd marry Sienna or Aurora and I'd kill Elijah for being a traitor today... oh! I think I'd fuck Bryce...

Bryce: So many opportunities wasted when you were single, Casey...

Ethan: *very serious* Lahela...

*Laughs*

Ethan: This is so childish... are you sure I can't pick my wife?

Everybody: *in unison* NO!

Ethan: Okay... then... let's see... I'd fuck Tobias, marry Sienna or Rafael and kill Lahela, because of that very inappropriate comment he just made.

*Laughs*

Tobias: And that's a wrap, people! Now we only have to set a date for Elijah and Aurora and Rafael and Sienna's wedding and we're done... Thanks for having us, Bree!

~~*~~*~~

Tagging: @adiehardfan @izzyourresidentlawyer

#long post #because i was inspired #newlyweds game with your host bree #newlyweds game #newlyweds ask game #casey x ethan #ethan x casey

[stardewspellshed]

Bad Birthday Bouquet: A Stardew-based Techno Magic Curse

There's a guy I've known for years who's notorious for being a terrible person by... everybody I know who isn't terrible in their own right, honestly. There's a mile long list of reasons why he got to eat this curse, but the relevant one is that he's been mistreating a bunch of people and this is unfortunately not the first time this has happened.

And so when I'm out of all other options, I go for a curse. This one has worked swimmingly. This is a freakishly long post so it's under a cut for once.

What you need:

Some knowledge of energy work and poppets-- if you're unfamiliar these are pretty common concepts and there's many resources that can explain them to you.

Six Wilted Bouquets (Substitute with something else gross if you can't buy bouquets from Pierre's yet. Any hated item works. Void Mayonnaise or Rotten Plants would be my pick but your mileage may vary.)

Six tables for your bouquet (end tables work best)

Something to play Happy Birthday with

At least one light source that can be manually turned on and off by the player (like braziers, campfires, or fireplaces.)

A villager to represent your target-- you're going to be giving this villager the nasty thing!

(Optional) crops, fish, fruits, gems, artifacts, or other items with correspondences that match your intentions-- I picked kale for bitterness and catfish for drowning in his own negativity, but your items will vary depending on your desired results and personal associations.

(Optional) a notepad, paper, and writing utensil in a color you associate with cursing if you can't do or are just not great with visualization.

Timing

Cast on your target's birthday in real time, on the target's representative villager's birthday in game, or Fall 28 in-game. A waning crescent moon or total lunar eclipse in real time would probably also work in a pinch.

Pre-Spell Prep Work

Prepare your Bouquets by tossing them in a furnace with a piece of coal, or if you're using something else instead, craft that if you need to.

Also, if you aren't using Wilted Bouquets, you might want to do a bit of research to make sure they actually hate the nasty thing you plan on using since it's kinda missing the point to give Snails to Vincent or a Void Egg to Sebastian haha. I recommend using the Stardew Valley wiki (though friendly reminder not to do that if potential spoilers for patch 1.5 bother you since that JUST came out on console at the time I'm writing this) to check their hates. As an added bonus if you're like me and the kind of person who hates the thought of losing friendship points, this is a great opportunity to check what they love so you can stock up on stuff to fix it when you're done with the spell.

After that, pick a villager to represent your target. (I have a whole thing with suggestions for how to do that here if you're at a loss for who to pick.) I picked Penny to represent my target because other than the part where he's a heinous shitgibbon they've got very similar values, interests, and goals.

Setting Up The Spell

If you have a specific pre-casting routine (whether that's grounding, centering, meditation, warding, casting a circle, calling on deities or spirits for help, etc.), take care of that now.

Put down your light source inside a farm building then arrange the tables around them in a shape you feel is fitting-- I chose as close to a circle as I could get because that's the shape I most associate with birthday cakes. Leave space for one bouquet in the center or between your light sources, and if you're using extra ingredients set those up too. I felt it was best to set them up directly next to the bouquet in the middle, but that will probably vary depending on you.

Casting the spell

Turn your light on, then take a strand of energy and visualize it anchoring itself inside the thing to start things off. Play Happy Birthday while you bring the energy through all of the other items. Stop at each of the other bouquets, and say/think a reason why this person is getting cursed at each. If you don't have five reasons, something like "your behavior is messed up and you need to stop" or similar works.

Bring your energy through your correspondence items and for each, say/think, "for your birthday, in return for <insert the last straw that made you decide to do this here>, I give you <insert the intention this item is being used for here>."

End on the one you're going to give and say/think something summing up everything you've already said and making it very clear why you're putting this on them.

I said "<target's full name>, I'm really just sick of your shit. You are bigoted on so many different levels, two-faced, treat anyone you think is less than you like trash, have an enormous entitlement complex, and <something he did to one of my friends that they would like to keep private>. My birthday wish for you is that you get your head out of your ass. Apologize for your crappy behavior and stop doing it, or drown in misery and realizing how small of a person you actually are. Happy birthday!"

Let it stew as long as you feel appropriate, then figuratively blow out the candle by turning off your light source.

(If you struggle with visualization, plot out your layout on a piece of paper-- it doesn't need to be incredibly detailed if you don't want it to be, a bunch of Xes in a square will work.

Focus on your intent and emotions like discussed above, but do it while looking at the item you're going to give to your villager. While doing that, draw a line at the mark representing your light, and speak it into existence-- keep focusing on your emotions and intent and describe it connecting into the light source whether by speaking out loud or thinking it. Draw your line going through all of the other items while describing your energy the same way, stop on the other bouquets and correspondence items as described above, and end on the one you're going to give to your target just like you would otherwise. )

Deliver those nastyass flowers to your villager, then end the day. You are done!

Post Spell Procedure

I like to get a snack, stretch, and watch something silly to make me laugh and shake off any residual anger or sorrow from spells like this.

I also like to turn off my Switch and sound cleanse my whole space since I have a bell. I'd strongly recommend doing some kind of cleansing even if you don't sound cleanse.

(Note: ribbon dividers are not mine, I found them here. Please let me know if you know who actually created them!!)

#tech magic #pop culture magic #techno magic #techno witchcraft #pop culture witchcraft #tech witch #gif warning #curses #baneful magic

[thewolfmanslayer]

Honestly the amount of people who say artists and writers should do stuff for free, or try to rip them off on comissions still royally piss me off.

I think the worst part of it is the entitlement, I dont want to make this too much about generations but a lot of commissioners are millenial/Gen z's who grew up on the "steal and pirate everything" mentality, take everything that you can because no one else is going to hand it to you. which I can get behind, when you are screwing over MULTI BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES. NOT THE STRUGGLING ARTISTS AND WRITERS who are trying to keep food on the table as desperately as you probably are!

It's simple, you wouldn't walk into a restaurant, order food and tell the server "sorry I don't have any money, but I've got like a few thousand followers on social media, I can get your name out there, get the restaurant some exposure" NO! They don't need "exposure" they need you to pay the damn bill!

On top of that, most of these artists and writers ALREADY HAVE FOLLOWINGS. They already have thousands of people following them, waiting for the chance to get a commission, who are willing to pay for said commission, they don't need "exposure" when they're already out there! He'll even the artists and writers with a few hundred don't need it, they'll get more followers as time goes by, their skill alone will see to it.

And what is with people trying to get free art and writing? It's not going to work! You can't harass someone until they cave, trust me, you'll be long since blocked before you even have the opportunity. I don't do comissions, online anyways, but my own friends and family, people who actually know me STILL PAY ME whenever they ask for me to do art for them because they KNOW it takes TIME AND EFFORT.

How many times do we need to have this discussion???? Like when is it going to finally click that people who need to pay their bills just as much as you do AREN'T going to do this shit for free!?

Here's the thing about art and writing, that you've heard a billion times but still aren't getting; IT. TAKES. TIME. AND. EFFORT. TO. GET. DONE. the art isn't going to magically appear and the writing isn't going to suddenly write itself, if either were so convenient YOU WOULDNT BE ASKING AN ARTIST OR WRITER IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Look at that, you see that? The first picture I did back in 2012-13, the picture beside it? I did that TWO YEARS AGO. I didn't suddenly know exactly what to do, or had anything close to a god given talent for drawing (I'm not that talented). The first picture WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST I COULD DO AT THE TIME THAT I MADE IT. In the time between these two drawings I admittedly took a break from art, but then I got back into it four years ago. EVEN STILL that was four YEARS of starting over from the basics, relearning everything, learning new things, wanting to actually improve my art.

Which, guess what, DID NOT HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. It was HOURS UPON HOURS of my limited free time as an adult drawing over and over and over and over again, every single goddamn day to get to the point that I was able to make that redraw look as good as it does in comparison. He'll, my art now puts them both to shame! Because I spent the time improving my quality!!

Now look at these artists doing comissions, they've probably put EVEN MORE of their time to get that good! They've put in LITERAL YEARS of sweat, blood, tears, frustrations and dedicated hardwork. Some did the same as me, self teaching and lots of practice, others probably had to go to school, which definitely wasn't cheap. But all of us put in that time and effort TO REACH THESE POINTS. Of being better artists, developing our styles, getting faster at drawing.

And maybe you think that this is super easy, right? That I or every other artist can just fire some art off and boom its good and done in like an hour?

FUCK. NO.

Even now it takes me several hours a day OVER MANY DAYS to make something exceptionally good! It doesn't matter how good an artist is, it still. Takes. Time.

Maybe the issue is that you don't understand how much actually goes into art, let me break it down for you, the steps that most people follow to finish ONE drawing.

-Rough draft: general character outline, get a feel for what I want to draw.

-Rough sketch: I start doing a bit of pencil to start filling in details like mouth, nose, eyes, hair, clothes. Ect.

-Penciling: I go over the rough sketch and clean everything up, maybe do some editing, this is when you can start making out all the details.

-Ink: I trace over the finished pencil with a pen tool and actually have the line art, everything looks clean, presentable, it actually looks like a character now. I'll spend time editing this and possibly redoing the inking many times over to get to a point where I like it.

-Flat color: I decide on which colors to use for skin tone, clothes accessories. Ect.

-Shading/highlights: I figure out where my light source is and how strong it is, I then apply the correct amount of lighting and shadows to the color to give it depth, I also have determine the texture of skin, clothes and accessories to make everything look real and natural.

-Blending: I smooth out the shading and highlights so that it looks more natural and isn't too hard (noticeable difference between color) so that it looks as natural as possible.

-Finish: I go over last minute details, finish any editing or corrections that need to be done. Once it's good I call it a day.

Each process is longer in length then the previous, with the exception of the final editing (as long as everything looks good) and even the rough draft can take some time. Over all this is SEVERAL HOURS of work for a SINGLE DRAWING.

So is it sinking in yet? How much is put into doing even a single character drawing? God forbid if its done with background. This isn't a "scratch a pen around and be done with it in ten minutes" kinda deal, no, this is SEVERAL HOURS OF SOMEONES LIFE BEING PUT INTO THIS

And if you still have the AUDACITY to try and wrangle free art from an artist then there's no helping you, you're just a selfish piece of shit, no question and I want nothing to do with you.

Someone might say "But I got free art/writing from.-" look I don't give a shit if someone did something for you THAT ONE TIME, these other artists and writers? Totally seperate and different people. You're one freebie experience does not, and should not apply to other artists and writers.

"But what if I really want this commission but don't have the money right now?" Well, that's tough shit. Save up and properly commission them when you can, it's not their problem.

"But what if I'm in a really bad financial situation and really want it?" That sucks, and I'm sorry, but again, not their problem. Chances are this is their only source of income and they need to make money so that they don't end up in a similar situation.

"They have a gift! They should share it!" What kind of cheap ass- LOOK, just because someone is talented or really good at something does not automatically obligate them to do anything for total strangers in anyway shape or form. These are living, breathing people, the same as you. They need to eat, they need to pay rent/mortgages, they need to pay vet bills, send their kids to college, do their taxes and everything else that YOU YOURSELF need to do. Asking anyone to spend their time doing something for free, when that something is how THEY ARE SURVIVING is beyond asinine. Not only that, this obviously isn't a hobby to them, it is very clearly THEIR JOB. Would you want to do a job where you didn't get paid at all? Doing a shit ton of work for absolutely nothing? No? Didn't think so.

"It shouldn't be about the money!" Well unfortunately, as with almost every other job, it is. We live in a world where we desperately need to make money in order to survive. That's the painful fact of the matter. If money never had to be an issue ever again then this would be a very different story. But it's not, plain and simple as can be.

Look, these people are just like you, artists and writers who are just trying to get by in a shitty ass world, using the one thing they have that let's them have an income. Leave them be, don't try and trick them, guilt them, or cuss them out when you don't get your way. Either properly comission or leave them the hell alone, plain and simple.

#artists #writers #art #writing #rant #comissions #people

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 55 Xs1)

"Helluva Night"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@mythsloveworld

@kellyimagines

@queenieofthesouth

@crystalbaby12

After Luna changes, Ashley and her head over to The Amory to rehearse.

It's an open square stage. Like a four way runway. They do a run through, each positioned at an opposite corner. Starting by walking away from each other so that by time they meet, perfectly timed, they can toss their mic to the other as they walk by. It takes a couple runs to nail it. Not the toss but musical timing. They don't stop until it's perfect. Both girls maniacs when it comes to detail. Feeling confident in their flow and timing together, they cut out just after midnight.

Luna, Ashley and her band head to this neat little place called Up-Down to unwind with drinks and bar food. They hang out for a bit. Going over the show, bullshitting and playing pinball. Luna Snaps Colson while at the bar. Laughing, buzzed and full they wrap it up. Luna and Ashley have an interview in the morning.

Before going to sleep the two girls go over any last minute details of their performance. They're sitting on Luna's bed, sharing a joint also.

"Dude." A giggly Luna grabs Ashley's knee. "We're gonna do a fucking show together."

Of all their years, besides karaoke, they've never been on stage together.

"I know!!!" Ashley excitedly shakes her whole crossed legged body on the bed. "We're gonna fucking kill it!!" She exclaims to Luna's laughter.

--------------------------------------------------

Once Colson and Casie are home, he checks flight schedules real quick.

She's watching TV while he makes them dinner and a few phone calls. One to Emma, that goes according to plan. Then another.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asks.

After dinner, Colson gets Casie ready for bed. She has school tomorrow. They read 3 of her favorite books and he sings What I Got. It's their goodnight song. Tucking her in, he tells her that Mommy will pick her up from school but he'll see her the next day. Asking why, she's satisfied with his explanation. He tucks in with a tight squeeze, an I love you and a kiss.

Going into his room to collect himself, he lights a joint and checks his phone. Finding a Snap from Luna.

Opening it, he's pleased with his earlier decision. Snapping her back, he finishes the joint before climbing into bed. Trying not to miss her.

--------------------------------------------------

Ashley wakes up before Luna. As always. Learning over the years, she enjoys the half hour to herself that it usually takes to get her friend out of bed. She finally rises Luna with coffee, who immediately rolls a joint. They have a system.

Ashley showers first, while Luna sits with her, the joint and coffee. Holding it for Ashley to hit when she pops out her wet head.

Luna rolls another. Finishing in the shower, Ashley does the same for her.

Out of the shower, looking for clothes, Luna finally checks her phone. There's a Snap from Colson, amongst other things. But first, Colson.

"Oh my Fuck. He's fucking handsome." Even looking tired, he makes her body flush and pussy swell. Her heart misses him."

"Hey! You wearing this?" Ashley asks, pulling Luna out of her phone. Distracted she sets it down.

"Uhhhh... Nah. Go ahead." Luna says. She pulls on ripped black skinies, a sequin black tank and a long sleeve sheer white shirt. She puts on a deep purple lip before slipping on her white Chucks.

Luna stands up, just as Ashley asks "Ready?"

"Yup." Luna nods, grabbing her bag.

And awaaaaay they go......

--------------------------------------------

Luna and Ashley arrive at the station on time, which is amazing for them. Ashley's team is close behind. Luna likes them individually but finds an entourage annoying. Plus, she's not used to Ashley being as famous as she is now. To Luna, they're still just two kids running around, hanging out.

Luna and Ashley sit bullshitting in the back room. There's really no way to prepare for an interview, there's always room to go off track. They both know this and each other well enough to let it organically flow.

They look up as the door opens. Expecting to go on. They're not.

It's Dom and Colson.

Dom grabs Ashley, splattering her surprised, happy face with kisses.

Luna exclaims "Holy FUCK!!" Tears welling in her eyes as she jumps onto Colson.

Kissing him like he's her dying breath.

"What the fuck are you doing here!?" She asks in awe while still kissing him all over.

"We've come to watch the Nightmare!" Dom exclaims, pulling his mouth off of Ashley's. She pulls him back in.

Still in his arms, Luna looks at Colson smiling. "Really?" She asks. "What about Case?"

"Yeah, Em's gonna grab her from school and I'll pick her up tomorrow." He reassures her to another passionate kiss. They missed each other.

An intern walks into the two couples making out. "Oh!" She says before turning around.

Breaking away from Colson she calls "No, no, no..." Before kissing him once more and sliding off his body. "We're ready." She says.

The boys kiss the girls good luck before they head into the studio.

--------------------------------------------

"So we've got Halsey here. She's doing a free concert tonight at The Armory. We've also got That Brooklyn... Uh, I don't know if I can say this on air... Can I just call you That Brooklyn Babe?" Steve, one of the radio hosts asks.

"Absolutely Not." Luna answers quickly without hesitation. "Stick to simply Brooklyn if you're worried." She tells him.

"Ok... Ok.." Steve agrees.

"You can tell she's from NY!!" The co-host Dave chimes in. Luna gives him a side eye with raised eyebrows.

"Where the FUCK does Ash have me??" She thinks.

Steve starts up again "So you guys are here because you have a record together, Nightmare. It's #1 on The Pop charts. I think it's even #12 on The Alternative..." He looks around checking his notes. "Yep. Yep. #12.... You ladies must be incredibly proud. In all my years, I don't think I've ever heard a song as cutting or direct. I have to tell you. As a man, the song is a bundle of emotions. I literally go from fearing you, to wanting to change the world for you to feeling stupid for feeling like I have to save you."

Ashley and Luna speak at the same time.

Luna stating a solid "Good."

While Ashley offers up at sweet "Awww... Thank you."

Both girls give each other a cocked smile and amused side eye. Ashley plays the game. Luna not so much.

Laughing, Ashley leans in. "That's the idea. For you to see us as equals. Not ones who need to be saved and definitely not feared, although a little fear is good." She cocks her lip and winks at Steve.

"One's who deserve choices and options." Luna chimes in. "This isn't about us playing on the same baseball field. We're equal as human beings but in two different leagues because we are different. Men require different things than women and vice versa. This is about RESPECTING each other and what the other needs and is entitled to. Constitutionally. At least up until less then a month ago."

Luna's not afraid to drop political bombs. It's a lot of the reason why she doesn't do promos. There's no bullshitting with her when a real conversation is at hand.

"You have that song Bad Things with MGK right, Brook.. Brooklyn, is it?" Dave cuts in, stumbling over her name.

Luna knows his tactic but the thought of Colson softens her.

"Yes... I think we're at #5. He's actually about to drop an album on July 5th, Hotel Diablo. It's sick." She squeezes in the plug. "He's actually on the Nightmare record. Him and his band are who recorded with us. We'll be on SNL with them next Saturday." Luna lets out to Ashley's shock. You can't deny, Luna gives a good plug.

"Really?" Asks Steve. He goes on. "So you have this" He uses finger quotes. "'Girl Power' song with this 'Girl Power' video backed by an all male band?" He tilts his head as he asks.

"Yup." Luna's lips pop. "Strong women back men everyday. Why the fuck can't strong men back women?"

"Ohhhhh!!!" There's a howl to the F word. Her important point being lost.

"He's here, isn't he?" Dan asks. "With your boyfriend, Yung Blud?" He turns to Ashley.

"Yeah." She states not thinking anything of it.

"Can we bring 'em in?" Steve looks around, more asking the studio then the women.

"Uhhhh... Yeah... I guess..." Ashley says, unsure looking at Luna's 'What The Fuck???'

A few moments later a giddy Dom and unsure Colson head into the studio. Sitting next to each other, between their girlfriends, they slide their headphones on.

"Hey guys!!" Dan shouts.

"What's up!" Dom shouts back to Colson's "Sup."

Colson and Luna exchange an easy look of understanding. Neither of them is about this life.

"So, we've got 4 of the biggest pop stars right now, in our studio. We have Halsey and her boyfriend Yung Blud. And Machine Gun Kelly and his girlfriend.... We're gonna try it, we'll see if we get bleeped... That Brooklyn Bitch. Now you all are DOMINATING the charts right now. We've got at least 5 Top 40 hits between you guys and most are collaborations."

He's met to their "Yeahs."

He continues "So, tell me. You're all obviously friends and... partners. Is there any competition? Like, Halsey and Brooklyn, are you afraid your boyfriends will knock you out of #1?"

Luna and Ashley look at each other. Ashley speaks first.

"Nooooo.... Like you said, we're all friends. If I Think I'm Okay knocks us out, that's fine. What's most important to Lu.." She corrects herself. "Brooklyn and I is the message. Speaking out for those who can't. Bringing a voice to those who don't in Alabama and across the world. As much as you want to deny it, they're taking our rights away."

"Now nobodies trying to take..." Dave interrupts Ashley but Colson interrupts him.

"But they are, Dude. The fact that a woman who may conceive during a rape can be sentenced longer then the piece of shit who violates her is disgusting." He states firmly.

Luna's heart pounds and swells with pride. "This amazing MOTHERFUCKER."

"It's about lovin each other and lettin each live." Dom steps in. "There's many people's in this world who aren't treated fairly. Nightmare focuses on one specific section. In a smart, blunt way. You can't help but hear it. And if it wasn't true, it wouldn't resonate and it wouldn't be #1." He sits back in his chair.

Luna leans up. "Like Dom was saying, we have a voice. We're going to use it. Anyone out there, please write into AL's local legislature if you want. Support your local ACLU, look into Yellowhammer.com and listen. Always listen. And after you listen, if you have something to say, speak. Please don't be afraid to speak. Silence is any nastiness's dearest ally."

"Are we gonna get ANYTHING juicy from you guys??" Steve asks.

This pisses Luna off.

"What did you expect? You invited two strong women with a politically charged song onto your show?" She asks with her hands up.

"Just.. Just tell me.. Do you all hang out?" Steve asks pathetically, looking for any detail of their lives.

The four of them look at each other and erupt into laugher.

"Yeah, Man." Colson says.

"Of course we hang out, we're best mates!" Dom chimes in.

"Yeah, we all live together too..." Ashley adds.

"Unh-hunh, in beautiful polygamy glory in the Hollywood Hills." Luna finishes.

The four of them erupt into laughter again to the host's dismay.

Luna controls herself. "No, seriously. We all get along really well. Halsey and I have been bestfriends forever. Nightmare is REALLY important. We're debuting it at The Armory tonight. We hope to see you guys there..." She looks at the others. "Hotel Diablo July 5th. Bad Things...."

Ashley pops in "11 minutes, I Think I'm Okay both streaming now. Get some... Tonight's gonna be awesome. We can't wait to see you guys there!!!"

Colson hops on too, laughing. "And Hollywood Whore!" He shouts to the others laughter.

"And don't forget Tales of the Ritalin Club!!" Luna comes back in with a snicker.

"Yes! Yes!" Laughs Dom. "And Eastside.." They continue to shamelessly plug and laugh until Steve talks over them.

"That was Yung Blud and MGK. Halsey with That Brooklyn Bitch. Their debuting their #1 hit Nightmare tonight at The Armory. If it's anything like this interview, I'm sure it will be crazy. We'll be back!"

Nightmare plays them out.

--------------------------------------------------

The four of them tumble laughing into the hallway.

"Come're!!!" Ashley calls. Gathering around a mirror she finds, they pose for cramped selfie. She posts on Instagram immediately.

Fun interview today with these crazy looooverrrrsssss 💘💘💘💘See you all @thearmory l8r. It's gna be a helluva NIGHT!! #nightmare

--------------------------------------------------

Luna, Colson, Dom and Ashley roam DownTown Minneapolis. It's early enough on a Monday for Ashley and Colson to not be recognized.

They have lunch and do some shopping. Luna picking up a beautiful, turquoise cuff. Before long Ashley needs to head to the venue. Luna's not far behind here.

The boys will meet them there later.

--------------------------------------------------

Word Limit (1 of 2)

To be continued......

#machine gun kelly x reader #machine gun kelly #halsey #nightmare #lunatic #mgk x reader #mgk imagine #mgk smut #mgk #mgk fanfic #colson baker smut #colson baker x reader #colson baker #est19xx #est4life #fantasy #fandom #fanfic #fangirl #love story #long reads

[utterlyhzy]

Story of my life

For the past couple of months the story of my life has been respect, entitlement, boundaries, projection, any word that involves overstepping.

A lot of people don't know but, I'm pregnant. 6 months to be exact. Most women describe it as "a beautiful experience". To me, it's a PRIVATE beautiful experience. A journey to parenthood between me, the father, and our new coming baby.

If you ask me society has brainwashed people into thinking that pregnant women are supposed to be viewed and act a certain way. (They've brainwashed people into thinking a certain way about a lot of things but I'll save that conversation for another day.) Lets get into some examples of this "brainwashing" I'm talking about... Example 1.) The ultimate "let me see your belly" -_- Everyone feels soooo entitled to see your growing belly because its a apart of the process. News flash folks, it is apart of the process, a process that I'M partaking in with MY body. Not yours. 2.) Touching such belly. The constantly growing bump on the front side of your body is so intriguing to people that they just want to TOUCH IT! It's mysterious I get it, I do, but it's still my body. If I wasn't pregnant you wouldn't be able to touch it, so this new edition doesn't make it an exception. 3.) The constant judgement of your personality/attitude. Everyone knows pregnancy mixes up your hormones. So once people know that you're pregnant they feel the need to start calling out every little disagreement or compromise you have. You disagree one too many times? "Oop! She's an angry pregnant lady." You appear to be easy going? "Oouuu, she's a happy pregnant lady." We'd love if you just let us be ;) 4.) Everything is now labeled "pregnant tings". You want to take a nap? "Oh that baby got her tired." You have snacks? "Oh those them pregnancy snacks." You're sad? "Oh that's them pregnancy emotions." Really nigga? You never been sad, hungry, or wanted to take a nap? Give it a rest.

There are so many more examples but these are the ones I encounter on a day to day basis.

Me being hip to societies brainwashing ways, I get it. But that doesn't mean I have to appease anyone. If I say "no you can not touch my belly" or "no I will not show you my belly" or just no period, just respect it. I'm not being mean, or selfish, those are just my wishes. Respect it. Understand it. Charge it to the game. That's the end of it.

What I'm trying to get to here is the projections people try to put onto you. They either acted or did certain things when they were pregnant, know women that did, or read it somewhere and expect you to do the same. Once you don't you get labeled all types of things. You know what though? It's cool. People can label you all types of things but as long as you know who you are it doesn't matter. Keep doing you, and unlearn all of societies brainwashing ways.

-BS

#story of my life pregnant respect boundaries attitude feelings projection brainwashed labels

[muzeez]

Sunday

10th May 2020

Sunday

21:22

Today has been cloudy and windy and guess what?? There's been no sign of Henrietta, Merlin, Persia or Folie. They've kept their behinds indoors all day long. It's not rained and it's not been cold but it's not been good enough for them.

So, a cloudy sky and a slight wind can keep them indoors but the thought of a killer disease that they could inadvertently kill others with can't keep them indoors. Which just proves my point. Most people will only play by their own rules, no matter how dangerous the consequences are to others. Yet, they'll be the very ones what bang on the most about how much they care about the NHS and moan about how lockdown is affecting them so badly. When the sun's been out they've not even tried to stay inside. They've just been doing what they've always done on a sunny day and today they've done what they've always done on a non-sunny day.

I've still had to have my white noise playing all day though because Henrietta has been "facetiming" and talking loudly and obnoxiously. At about 5pm ish,I turned my white noise off because I needed to phone Rasbach about something.

As soon as I turned it off, the first thing I noticed was that Henrietta was totally silent.??! Makes me wonder if she can hear my white noise and because she knows her voice isn't reaching me she gives up. Bitch!! Another thing I've noticed is that when I play my white noise, the window and door banging seems to begin. Henrietta with her windows (it can be like 6 or 7 window shutting slams all consecutive and aggressive. She's only got three windows.) Then there's Persia and Folie with the slamming of the doors. Then there's Merlin with his feet and thuds, like he's dropping a bowling ball on the floor.

It might sound like paranoia on my part when I say this but I believe they're all secretly messaging eachother in spite of and against me.

Maybe I am a little bit paranoid but I'm certainly not stupid. Not entirely anyway. 😂

At seven o'clock I turned it onto BBC1 because Boris Johnson was doing a speech about taking steps to lift the lockdown. Suddenly, Henrietta started talking loud!!

'Bitch!' I thought to myself. Shows you how little of a f**k she gives about what's going on. Her facetiming is more important than the information we're about to receive on coming out of lockdown. Also, I found it odd that she would start smack on seven o'clock.

I turned the tele up so her high pitch, irritating, aggressive, nasal voice wasn't cutting into Boris's words but I could still hear her. I sighed in exasperation and jumped to my feet (without making a thud on the floor... it's possible) and went to my little stereo to put my white noise on. It's only that that seems to drowned her out. Cue the banging and the slamming. The white noise doesn't drown that out.

If I ever confront them. I say 'them' because they're in a click and I know that if I'm confronting one they'll all be jumping in. If I confront them about things, they'll probably turn around and be like, 'oh what about you, the other day, slamming your door and screaming and what about when you play your music and what about that white noise and what about when you're talking.

Door slamming and screaming abuse. There's a big difference between one off episodes of out of control rage and malicious, continuous deliberate banging and slamming and talking loud on a daily basis.

Playing my music and singing. I play my music at a reasonable time during the day at a volume that I'm entitled to play it at that time of day. I've never played my music late at night, which funnily enough Henrietta has, when she's had karaoke parties and Merlin has on a couple of occasions on a Saturday and Friday nights through to daylight. Which, I don't mind, music is a good thing but don't dare have a go at me for playing mine loud during the day.

White Noise. Henrietta, you talk extremely loudly and not just on one off occasions. Ev-er-y single day for 10 whole years. Somedays, I've known you to start your "facetiming" at 8am in the morning and you'll carry on all through the day, through to the evening and you've even carried on till after 12 midnight, shouting and laughing and making childish yobbish jeering noises like you're in the middle of a bustling nightclub. Over the years it's contributed to me drinking, developing ear infections because of using blu-tac as earplugs. These things have played a massive part in me having massive mood swings at work, to me becoming ill and being, I'll be totally honest, Mentally Unstable, you know, over a long stretch of time. Earlier this year, I discovered that white noise is the only thing that has drowned you out and stopped me having to have my tv on so loud. After 10 years of suffering with your shouting Henrietta and your constant heavy footed pacing the floor, you are not going to make out my white noise, which is a neutral noise by the way, is bothering you.

As for me talking. Again, there's a big difference between one off conversations I have on my phone, one off rants that I'll admit I've had, due to the exasperation you guys have put me through and constant agitated shouting, childish jeering, heavy footed pacing, loud SEX, (yes I heard that). Things which are constant and relentless and I feel alot of the time malicious and deliberately inconsiderate. There's a massive difference between my noise and your noise. Mainly because it's your noise that has triggered the majority of my noise and I'm NOT doing mine out of malice.

Also, don't get me started with drunken returns from the pub with Jack the drunk. Screaming abuse effing and blinding, dropping trails of kebab meat allover the foyer, crashing into the walls. Those haven't been one offs either, they've been every single night. Late.

Then there's Persia. Folie's not always been on the scene but having Persia next door has had more than it's fair shares of trouble. Different boyfriend every month, thugs trying to kick her door in then making gun gestures towards MY window shouting 'WATCH! WATCH!" Blatant drug purchases right outside the building.

All that what I've had to put up with from you guys and then you all wanna get into a little exclusive click with eachother, clapping for the NHS but then creating your own rules when it comes to lockdown , so-called "social distance" gatherings right outside my window and outside the main entrance of the building where other people have to pass you all, attracting other individuals from other buildings to approach, chatting, faces uncovered, 2 metre rules gradually turning into 1 metre, drinking alcohol. You welcome Asbo George with open arms who lives God knows where and who once threatened to smash my face in and put my windows through and doesn't even fucking LIVE HERE.

You're all laughing and joking and being boisterous, then I stop by for 5 seconds on my way to get essentials and you're putting on an amicable act but I'm picking up on all the little mannerisms and body language and you allowed that Bastard Asbo George to start having a go at me about stuff at work, which he's totally wrong on and slagging off my friend Rasbach then waving sarcastically at me when I go inside.

All these subtle shady behaviours all because what? Because you've maybe heard some raw hometruths about yourselves in my one off meltdowns. Which you can't prove I was talking about any of you anyway because I don't mention people's real names when I'm ranting or talking on the phone when it comes to complaints. So, if you think you've heard your name you've MISheard but that's what happens when you evesdrop, you can get the wrong end of the stick (apart from when I hear someone telling someone else that I work at ******* and mimicking a banging noise just after I had banged on the floor.) And even IF I had used your proper names, so fucking what? I'm saying nothing that isn't true and what I've suffered, at your hands, this last ten years totally outweighs any anything you can say against me. I'm not saying I'm perfect but I'm pretty damn fucking close. Because I think, I'm a thinker, I take people to heart, I learn people's names, I'm aware of people and who they are as people. I don't have a desire to mess with people's heads, I don't set out to manipulate people or make friends with a person just for the sake of alienating another. I set out to treat everyone with respect and like human beings because I am one.

So, maybe it's about time you as my neighbours started taking a leaf out of my book and stop acting territorial over a building that we are ALL tenants in. You don't own the outside of this building, just you four. There's other people that live here including me and you need to stop being clicky with eachother, so you think you've got the power to behave as you want, sit where you want and ostracize people just because you don't like the look of their face. Everybody here is a tennant and everybody is a human being with equal rights and if I'm forced to confront any of you again about your unreasonable, inconsiderate persecutory behaviour, towards me or any of the other tennants and you try again to argue with me and throw things back at me, I will report you without any hesitation and I won't be as polite as I'm being now.

Maybe you can start behaving right now by getting your arses indoors and abiding PROPERLY to these lockdown regulations.

Don't make me suggest it twice. 😁😁😁😁😁

Oh and Henrietta, if Asbo George turns up, you ignore the door because he's nothing but a user and a bully. I know you've been letting him in your flat and I also know that deep down you are worried about your health and Coronavirus but you feel you can't say no to him and to looking after his dog. If he starts being persistent you call the police. Don't let him push you around. He's an arsehole and if the police are useless or he starts turning nasty and I have to come downstairs and run his ugly arse out the building, I will. Because right now, I'm in the fucking mood cos if he thinks he can be threatening and intimidating, I'll show him threatening and intimidating. In fact, I'll make it so he daren't even show his claaart passed his own front door.