#the earlier in the season the better almost bc just like

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

literally just. cannot stop thinking about s1 trent getting kissed absolutely senseless by ted

#i love concocting scenarios to make this happen #tedependent #its just such a good dynamic #the earlier in the season the better almost bc just like #trent is trying so so so hard to be professional and not to like him but goddamn it he DOES like him #(honestly i think just. past that first press conference even before the interview he finds himself unwillingly charmed) #so like. just. before or after the interview whatever the case #him trying to be sooo normal about this #and then ted just. fucking. kissing him senseless. like obviously there's really no reason for s1 ted to do this normally #hence concocting scenarios. but like. just. imagining it happening entertains me. rotating it in my brain #s1 trent just getting his brains snogged out #ted can wreck him SHOCKINGLY fast with very little effort. even trent is a bit stunned by how easy it is #one second you are professional bitchy journalist trent crimm the next second you are a dazed moaning wreck. #if youre lucky youre being quiet about it but either way ted lasso has your back to the wall and hands in your hair and WOW okay #no thoughts head empty only ted lasso is a PHENOMENAL KISSER APPARENTLY

[cocoreallylovesraiden]

How MK1 characters sleep with their S/O (liu kang, bi han, kung lao, raiden, shang tsung)

This is very casual and nonsensical but pointless useless headcanons give me life sorry; I might do this for other characters but idk which oops

Liu Kang

- I am in-between the idea of him needing sleep at all (being a god and all), but either way I think he would be in bed with them to spend time together.

- Mattress hard like a rock, so you’d be better off laying on top of him for any kind of soft squishy comfort.

- Likes the physical pressure on being laid on, would secure you in place with a hand on the small of your back, or cradling you closer if you lay your head in his chest.

- During the summer months he would be too hot to comfortably lay on, so either he just longingly stares at you back (rip) or holds your hand in the middle of the bed.

- Wakes up/ gets out of bed at the asscrack of dawn and folds the spare blanket next to you so its like he’s still there… and then becomes annoyed that you’d rather cuddle the blanket than wake up and see him.

- Laughs at you when you want to buy more western soft pillows or fluffy blankets, but he gets them anyways and then now HE can’t sleep bc it’s weirdly soft.

- Will read as you sleep in his arms, and has resorted to using your unconscious elbows to flip the page bc his hands are being held hostage.

- Likes to watch you as you sleep and tries not to smile when you twitch from a dream, even when you drool onto the pillows; is content to do so until sunrise.

- Sometimes tho in the middle of the night when you roll over you just see two military grade flashlight beacons glowing in the dark staring at you like an eldritch monster.

- “Hello, dearest 😊.”

- He says, like you didn’t almost piss the bed in fear.

Bi Han

- Has a meticulous string of tasks and duties he must fulfil before he can even think of getting into bed, and he still manages to be under the covers same time every night.

- Becomes VERY cranky if you are not in bed with him within 15 minutes and when you eventually settle into bed, his back is turned towards you and he huffs like a dramatic housewife.

- Self-assigned big spoon (non-negotiable) and loves resting his face in the crook of your neck, his favourite way to rest after a long day. He isn’t the best with words (in terms of emotional vulnerability) and uses little actions to let you know how he feels.

- His hair gets EVERYWHERE. It’s in his mouth. It’s in YOUR mouth. If you have long hair, have fun waking up 20 minutes earlier to sleepily untangle your newfound spiderweb of human hair.

- Doesn’t toss and turn and is a very light sleeper- it’s required of his job. At the smallest sound his eyes are open, and he cannot rest until he’s gone and checked the locks and such.

- You know when Asian dads wake up at 4am and just go hack and cough in the bathroom yeah that’s him… that’s how YOU wake up.

- You both look like hot fucking garbage in the morning it constantly looks you both are two struggling new parents who had a metaphorical baby keeping them up all night.

- Debates smothering you with a pillow if you snore and keep him up before a busy day.

Kung Lao

- I hope you’re a heavy sleeper.

- His snoring sounds like sails ripping, it’s so loud he scares himself awake sometimes.

- “BABE WHAT WAS THAT?”

- You girl….

- Doesn’t matter what season it is, what temperate, you two are always still too hot and on the verge of breaking into sweat, even after you’re dressed down to just underwear.

- Maybe you fall asleep a safe distance away from him, but halfway through the night its like looking an abstract painting of human limbs, his foot is on your stomach and your face is smashed against his knees. Chiropractors are scared of you two.

- You both complain about how annoying the other person is to sleep next to, but can’t sleep alone at night- the bed feels too big or too cold.

- It’s like when you wake up from a nap not knowing what country you’re in, drenched in sweat and covered in those red lines but every morning.

- Talks in his sleep and you have several videos in your camera roll having incoherent conversations with sleepy Lao.

- “Hey baby… Are you asleep?” “Not now babe imgndh tm running for presdidentnt”

- Yeah king you do that!

- He SWEARS that he’s a big spoon but likes being the little tiny eeny weeny teaspoon looks at you with the ugly goo goo gaga eyes until you relent and wrap your arms around his waist.

Raiden

- I don’t care unless it’s past a certain time in your relationship he will sleep on the couch or DIE

- He is traditional to an almost irritating extent YOU WILL NOT DIE IF YOU SEE MY UPPER THIGH OH MY GOD

- But let me tell you once y’all do share a sleeping space its over for you… He uses that farmer strength to squeeze the life out of you. Like Kung Lao where you fall asleep laying next to him and wake up in the alligator death roll fighting to breathe.

- Death by beefy man arms sounds great until you need to pee and have to scrap at 6am against an unconscious man (he is winning).

- Likes it when you nuzzle under his chin, but when he’s really tired, he really just wants to lay on your chest and have you smooth his hair.

- Feels a certain need to be the Bigger Strong Man but secretly wants to be cuddled and babied a little, just doesn’t want to ask for it.

- Doesn’t matter because however you sleep, you’re waking up to that child-holding-their-favourite-teddy-bear GRIP.

- Likes to chat about both your days before falling asleep, and will verbally ask like “are you asleep?” And then stop moving, breathing, thinking because he’s scared to wake you up. You have to smack his face half-awake like RAIDEN YOU CAN BREATHE before he relaxes.

Shang Tsung

- Idgaf if he’s a man and if you’re a woman, he is the girlfriend.

- Wants you to kiss the top of his head and stroke his hair, you can feel his ugly ass smug smile against your skin the entire time.

- Even if he does love you, I can see him being unable to sleep with his back turned to you; he has to be acutely away of what you’re doing (sleeping. Your tired ass is sleeping.)

- Unless of course he’s being the little spoon. Rolling eyes emoji.

- Another very light sleeper, but when he’s deep in sleep he has reoccurring night terrors, and maybe even sleep paralysis, so he clutches you tightly like he’s scared you’ll up and leave him.

- When he wakes up he’s probably frozen, so he grounds himself by listening to your heartbeat or readjusting your hold so it’s tighter and more compressing.

- Doesn’t matter if it’s a big ass bed or stack of pelts on the forest floor, you are not allowed to move a SINGLE INCH away from him. You two occupy 25% of this bed’s real estate.

- If he wakes up first, he is slipping out without a word. If you wake up first and god forbid, try to let him go, his eyes are snapping open and looking at you so judgementally.

- Throws your boots at you if you oversleep like. Wake up you Lug. We have things to do.

- Looks amazing the moment he wakes up and makes fun of you for having bed hair and overall being uglier than he is.

- Pokes your cheek and makes your head loll about if he wakes up first and chuckles at how cute he finds it, catches himself being mushy, then pinches your nose so you wake up.

#mk1 #mortal kombat x reader #mk1 x reader #liu kang #liu kang x reader #mk1 bi han #sub zero #bi han #bi han x reader #kung lao #kung lao x reader #raiden #Raiden x reader #shang tsung #Shang tsung x reader #mk1 2023 #no offence kung lao i would suplex you #shang tsung is like a stray cat are you gonna kill me or rub against my leg

[lnfours]

tolerate it | l.n

summary: if it’s all in my head, tell me now. tell me i’ve got it wrong somehow.

warnings: happy folklore/evermore season :) angst, language, fears of your partner falling out of love with you, slight anxiety and overthinking, fluffy ending bc i can’t make them stay mad at each other. kinda wanna do an evermore/folklore mini series, let me know if you guys would be interested <3

masterlist | listen

₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊

the colder weather meant the sun was starting to set earlier, and it was evident as you gazed out the window, sitting at the dining room table. the candle you had lit an hour or so ago flickering softly, illuminating the room with a soft glow as the gloomy sky hovered above.

you sighed to yourself, taking another sip from the wine glass that sat next to your plate. you tapped on your phone screen, lighting up and displaying the time and the picture you had set as your lock screen. the 5:30 hovering tauntingly above the picture of you and lando from a few months back, your smile wide and trying to hide it in his shoulder as he held his camera to the mirror. he was sporting a smile also, you could almost hear your shared giggles through the photo.

he was supposed to be home an hour ago, and nights like this were happening more often. he’d always be an hour to an hour and a half late getting home. it was always an apology, saying ‘training ran late’ or the quadrant shoot ‘ran on longer than it was supposed to’, you’d see him for fifteen minutes while the two of you ate dinner, and then he’d go off to the office until he decides to join you in bed later in the night.

at first, you didn’t complain, knowing he was a man with a busy schedule, but after almost two months of this same song and dance, your anxiety was getting the best of you.

what if he was out with someone else? what if he was slowly losing interest in you? what if he just tolerates you?

the sound of the door closing pulled you from your thoughts, snapping your head up as you heard footsteps enter the room. he placed his keys, wallet and phone on the counter, frowning softly.

“sorry i’m late,” here we go again, “i told max i needed to be home by 4 and he insisted we played another round before i left.”

you nodded, taking another sip from the glass on your right, “‘s fine.”

he watched you swallow thickly, tilting your head to look back out the window. he noticed the way your hand tapped against your arm softly, his eyes moving to the plates set on the table. your grandmother’s china.

his heart dropped when he thought back to your conversation the other night, him saying the two of you would have a proper sit down meal tonight since he felt bad for running late lately.

and he just fucked it all up even more.

“you don’t have to lie,” he said, making you advert your attention back to him, “i know you know it’s not fine.”

you shook your head, “what’s it matter to you, anyway?”

he knew he deserved the digs and jabs you were sending his way, “seriously, lando, if you’re not interested in me anymore just say it instead of making me play this stupid game.”

the silence that fell between the two of you after was the final blow. he watched your cheeks glisten in the soft candle light, and fuck, he hated seeing you cry. especially when it was because of him.

he didn’t know what to say as your chair scraped the floor, getting up from your spot at the table and picking up your plate. the food untouched as you grabbed the saran wrap from the pantry.

he heard your quiet sniffle, “i’m so sorry, y/n-“

“then where have you been the past two months?” he blinked back at you before you continued, “every single day it’s the same, overused excuse. so, what is it really, lando? enlighten me.”

he swallowed because he didn’t have answer that didn’t sound like he was making an excuse. he really had been busy with work, but he knew he could’ve done better with planning to make more time for you and him.

you knew he loved you with every fiber of his being, but you were upset. you were angry and sad and all you wanted was for him to come home and spend time together like the two of you used to do. but it was like it was too much to ask for.

of course you knew what you were signing up for when he took you on your very first date, but you didn’t know it would mean being put on the back burner, begging to be let in on the things going on his life.

his silence made you nod, “right,”

he reached out to you slowly, not sure how you would react. you bit down on your bottom lip, the dam breaking now as he stepped towards you.

“y/n,” he said your name softly, understanding that your lash-outs were because of men who had hurt you in the past, knowing too well what it felt like when anxiety and over thinking takes over. he couldn’t be mad at you, he just wanted to make things right. make you feel reminded that he loved you. more than racing, more than his friends, more than anything in the whole world.

the back of your hands were raised to your eyes when he grabbed them and pulled you closer to him, letting your body rest against his chest. you gave in, knowing that at the end of the day, he was your safe place. your shoulder to cry on, the one who always saw you in your most vulnerable stages. there was no getting past him with this one.

your hands wrapped around his middle loosely as you cried softly into his chest. he rested his head against yours, rubbing your back the same way he always did whenever he’d comfort you. his lips pressed against your hair before he grabbed your face gently, lifting your chin to have you look at him.

he wiped the tears from your cheeks, eyes searching yours and that’s when you realized he had been crying too, “i’m gonna talk to my trainer and the guys and tell them i need a little bit of a break, and you and i are gonna spend every single day together doing whatever you want.”

you felt selfish now, “but this is your job, lan,”

“i don’t care,” he said, shaking his head as he moved his hand to hold your cheek, “they’ll be fine if i take a few days off.”

your hand came up to mimic his on your cheek, your fingers brushing against the small moles on his face. the same ones your lips press against whenever you kiss his face. the pads of your thumbs brushed away the small tear lingering around his nose.

“i’m sorry,” you apologized, feeling guilty for being cold to the boy who loved you like no other.

“don’t apologize,” he said, “i should’ve done better. you don’t deserve to feel like you’re on the back burner of my life.”

you wrapped your arms around his neck as his snaked around your waist, pulling you closer as if it was even possible. you looked back out the window, the light from the golden hour sun shining on the trees in the backyard. he pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek, “i love you.”

you smiled softly, pulling back to meet his gaze. your smile making his lips turn up into one mirroring yours, “i love you, too.”

he leaned down and pressed a kiss to your lips, a mixture of the wine you had with dinner and the salty tears you had cried a few moments prior with the subtle hint of your chapstick.

you both pulled away, him taking you by surprise when he lifted you off the ground. you squealed, a soft giggle escaping your lips as you clung onto his hoodie for dear life.

“lando!” you laughed, letting him carry you to the couch and thanking yourself for putting his dinner plate in the fridge earlier.

you had your boy back.

#lando norris x reader imagine #lando norris x reader fluff #lando norris imagine #lando norris fluff #lando norris x reader #lando norris #ln4 fluff #ln4 imagine #ln4 #ln4 x reader #mclaren formula 1 #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 x y/n #formula 1 x reader #formula one #f1 #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #mclaren f1

[wileys-russo]

would love a flu season part 2 (with grumpy lessi and leah bc you recover but they both get sick)

flu season 2.0 II a.russo & l.williamson

"baby!" you looked up from your phone hearing a tired yell from the bedroom, dropping the device on the kitchen counter and hurrying over. "yeah lessi?" you smiled from the doorway, the blonde sniffling and pointing to the tv.

"can you get me the remote please?" she requested weakly, voice croaky and broken as you nodded, darting in to grab it from on top of the dresser. "here love." you smiled, smoothing her hair away from her sweat dampened forehead and placing the remote on her chest.

"watch something with me?" the girl asked, shuffling over a little and patting the gap. "babe!" before you could even give her an answer you heard another yell from the living room. "i'll come back, find something to watch." you bent down and kissed her forehead affectionately before racing out of the room.

"yeah lee?" you stopped in front of the lounge where your other girlfriend was sprawled out like a starfish, sending her a smile.

"can i have a cold cloth for my head please? i'm boiling." leah groaned, having stripped down to just a pair of shorts and a sports bra but you could still see her body glistening with a thin sheen of sweat.

with a nod you darted back to the kitchen, cracking open the freezer and grabbing out one of the frozen towels you'd stashed away earlier. "here baby." you knelt down on the carpet, gently placing the cold cloth on her forehead as she sighed in relief.

"baby!" you placed a kiss to leahs shoulder blade and shot to your feet, quickly returning to the bedroom. "yeah less?" you asked with an almost pained smile, hovering in the doorway. she didn't say another word, only lifting the covers again and patting the empty space beside her.

"okay." you sighed with a nod moving to lay down with her, sticking your legs out of the covers, immediately overwhelmed with her body heat as your girlfriend wrapped around you, head falling to your chest.

you rubbed circles into her back and tangled your other hand in her hair, feeling her body settle on top of yours as you tried to ignore the way you were very quickly starting to overheat, the taller girl basically a human hot water bottle.

"babe!" no sooner had you started to relax a little did you hear the cry from the living room. "sorry love." you mumbled, nudging for alessia to let go of you as she did so begrudgingly and you slipped out of bed, hurrying back out of the room.

with both of them falling sick right as you'd started to feel better you'd spent the last two days running around like a madwoman trying to cater to their every need, and it was starting to take its toll.

"yeah lee?" you forced a smile, shrugging off your hoodie still hot from cuddling with alessia, tossing it on the back of the lounge. "can you put the ac on?" the blonde grumbled, face hidden beneath the cold cloth covering her face as you strode over to the control panel.

"its on now baby." you leant down and squeezed her leg as she moved to lift the cloth. "come." she forced herself to sit up, patting the space behind her head. "aren't you hot?" you asked with a concerned gaze.

"yeah but i wanna put my head in your lap at least, i miss you." leah pouted, face still ghostly pale as you melted a little at the rare vulnerability from the stern captain, nodding and doing as she asked.

her head now laid in your lap you played gently with her hair at her request, your eyes slipping closed for just a moment, exhaustion beginning to catch up with you.

"baby!"

your head shot back up at the noise, shifting to move leah who grunted and pushed her head back onto your lap. "no, she's had you all day." the defender huffed grumpily, hands latching onto your shorts possessively. "lee, baby-"

"baby!"

"leah, my love i need to make sure she's okay." you sighed, kissing her forehead and gently prying her fingers off of you, moving to stand as her head thumped back to the lounge, ignoring her grumbles.

"yeah less?" you stepped back into the bedroom, ignoring the ache setting into your back and neck. "you left me." the striker frowned grumpily, opening her arms again as you sent her a tired smile, returning into bed with her.

you were laid down for all of two minutes before her stomach grumbled. "do you think you could keep something down baby?" you murmured quietly, thumb tracing her jaw as she nodded. "soup." she yawned, rolling off of you as you nodded and returned to your feet.

you sighed in relief as you darted past a fast asleep leah on the lounge, gently peeling off the now warm cloth from where she'd left it on the coffee table.

careful to keep as quiet as you could you rummaged around the kitchen, grabbing out a pre-made soup and starting to heat it up on the stove. you relished in the brief moment of peace and quiet, closing your eyes and resting your head on your fist.

"babe!" you jolted back awake, leahs head popping up over the lounge as you hurried over. "cloth." she ordered, flopping back down and covering her face with her hand as you obliged, darting back to the freezer.

"baby!"

"two seconds lessi!" you called back, placing the cloth over leahs sweltering forehead. "m'hungry." leah mumbled, eyes still closed. "i'll bring you something in a sec lee." you promised, turning on your heel and running to the bedroom.

"baby!" you arrived to the door right as she shouted again. "i'm here love. you alright?" you asked, slightly out of breath. "kiss." alessia demanded grumpily. you moved to peck her lips a couple times, ignoring her whines for a proper one.

"soup." she gave up and repeated her earlier word. "yes! sorry its coming baby." you promised, pecking her lips one last time and running back to the kitchen. "babe!" you halted in your tracks, spinning on foot.

"yeah lee?" your lips forced a smile. "come back." the captain ordered, patting the space behind her head. "two seconds love." you requested. "you've been spending more time with her than me." the blonde accused with a scowl.

"it would make things so much easier if you were both just together babe, then i wouldn't have to keep running back and forth and all of us could be together." you suggested, somewhat desperately.

"no! all less wants to do is cuddle and suffocate me, i'm dying." leah groaned in disagreement. "i heard that! asshole!" alessia croaked back, voice breaking from the bedroom. "stop yelling please less you'll lose your voice again." you remanded darting off to the kitchen, hissing as the soup had just started to boil over.

"baby!" "babe! "baby!" "babe!" "baby?" "babe?"

"oh fuck!" you swore, grabbing the soup pot with your bare hands to try and move it off the heat, racing to the tap and running the burn under cold water, wincing with each second that passed.

"baby?" "babe?" "baby!" "babe!"

you withheld the urge to scream, yanking your hand away and hastily drying it, your girlfriends refusing to cease their calling out for you as your head began to pound.

"two seconds!" you called back as you grabbed your phone off the counter, racing off to the bathroom and slamming the door shut, sitting down on the toilet lid and hitting dial.

"hi! i'm so sorry to bother you but the girls have both gone down with the flu and i really need some help."

~

knowing support was on its way gave you a sudden second wind, racing around to dish up the soup and giving alessia a bowl, promising to come back and give her a cuddle soon as she'd eaten.

leah had turned her nose up at the soup claiming it was too hot, so you'd thrown together a plain ham sandwich instead which she was taking cautious bites of, the silence of the two of them eating allowing you a brief moment to chug a few glasses of water.

then finally, the door bell went.

"whose that?" leah croaked out after she'd swallowed her sandwich, eyes narrowing as you purposefully refused to answer, knocks sounding now instead.

"whose at the door?" alessia shuffled out of the bedroom with a frown, a blanket wrapped tightly around her like a cocoon, empty bowl in hand.

"babe. who is there?" leah asked, more sternly now as you gave them both a guilty smile and the knocks increased.

"don't hate me. remember, i'm only doing this because i love you and i want you to get well as soon as possible." and with that you opened the front door, the two figures hurrying inside wasting no time fussing around and ordering about the two sick blondes.

"you called our mums!?"

#leah williamson x reader #leah williamson #alessia russo x reader #engwnt #woso blurbs #alessia russo #woso fanfics #woso x reader #woso imagine #woso

[izzyhandswhore]

Thinking abt season 2 Izzy x Reader where after everything w Izzy’s leg Reader will sneak down into his room and just comfort him and hold him, just coddle him a bit bc he deserves it<//3

((I too am thinking about this :) Don’t ask me what’s going on with the format bcs I have no idea))

Comforting Izzy in Season Two, pre-Unicorn.

• It starts with you and the crew watching as Izzy painfully and drunkenly crawls down the corridor after sawing the unicorn’s legs off. It shatters your already broken heart to see him suffering like this, but you know any attempts to follow him would be futile. Then you feel the eyes of the crew burn into you next and white hot shame rubs through you. You should know what to do, you know Izzy better than almost anyone, you’re the one he lets in and cares about.. Or you were. With tears in your eyes, you simply walk away.

• You can’t sleep that night. You and the crew have started construction on Izzy’s new leg but your anxiety prevents you from being excited. What if he hates you it? What if you get it wrong again? Heart hammering, you get up. You can’t take it anymore, you just need to see him.

• Before you can even knock on his door you can hear him talking to himself. He’s drunk, obviously, slurring his words and cursing himself and Ed and the sea and any other poor fucker he can think of.. Though notably, you’re not included in his hit list. Knocking on the door just earns you a “fuck off!” but you persist. “Izzy, it’s me,” you call quietly. Silence follows. You let yourself in.

• The stench of alcohol hits you like a ton of bricks but you don’t care. You only care about the haggard, broken man who’s sat on the bed, glaring at you, swaying slightly despite the sea being calm. You start to approach. “Thought I told you to fuck off,” he spits, stopping you in your tracks. You only have to give him a stern look to take the wind from his sails. He averts his eyes like a naughty schoolboy and mutters, “what d’ya want?”

• You’ve brought him some warm water and a washcloth along with a few other supplies. He protests a little at first but eventually lets you strip him of his dirty clothes and gently wash away the grime he’s let build up. He closes his eyes and leans against the wall, head lolling a little as he focuses on your warm, gentle touch rather than his aching body for a bit. In his drunken haze he thinks about how much he’s missed this, how much he’s missed you. The words just won’t string together and come out somehow, making him feel more ashamed. He was supposed to be the one taking care of you, not the other way round.. Just how the fuck did it come to this?

• When you reach his leg he snaps to attention and grabs your wrist, holding it tight. You look up at him expecting anger but instead you just find shame.

“Don’t,” he grunts, “you don’t have to touch it.”

“I won’t if you don’t want me to,” you assure him, “but it might be good to just check it’s alright.. You know, after you fell earlier.”

He scoffs and automatically reaches for the rum again, letting go of your wrist. “Bet the crew fucking loved that..” he mutters, earning another sad look from you.

“They’re worried about you,” you tell him, “everything you did for them hasn’t gone unnoticed, you know. Everyone knows how much they owe to you, how much you - you sacrificed.”

A heavy silence falls over the room once more as he processes the information and you do your best not to get emotional. You can’t even imagine what Izzy’s going through, what happened between him and Ed behind closed doors.. You focus on carefully unwrapping the bandages around what’s left of his leg. A couple of stitches have split and are crusted with blood, but it’s nothing serious. You get to work cleaning and redressing everything. Izzy doesn’t even flinch. Whether he’s numbed by the alcohol or exhaustion, you’re not quite sure.

• When you’re finally done you pull back and dare to smile at him. You ask if he’s feeling a bit better and, though he sneers at first, he eventually nods and admits that he does. You even get a thank you.

• Then comes the awkward part. You and Izzy haven’t slept in the same bed together since Stede abandoned Ed. You want more than anything for things to go back to normal but you know that’s probably a long way off. You point out the obvious.

“You should sleep, Iz.”

He laughs and holds up the near-empty rum bottle. “I will,” he says, “eventually.”

You bite back a sarcastic comment and just sigh, pulling back the blanket and fluffing the pillow, willing to play this little pantomime for as long as he’ll let you. He grumbles something about you not being his fucking mother, but there’s no venom in it. He lets you guide him under the covers and finally put the bottle down. You perch on the edge of the bed, knowing now you really should leave, but you just can’t. You need to find any excuse, any reason to stay just that bit longer. Just when you’re about to give one, he reaches out and gently holds your hand.

“It hasn’t escaped my notice either,” he murmurs, eyes glassy and sincere, “how much you’ve done for me. Even before all this shit, back when we first met Bonnet, I -“ His voice breaks. “I was a fucking dick. And you stood up for me and I - “ He’s getting worked up now, shaking you to your core. You’ve never seen him like this. “I didn’t know this was going to happen. I didn’t know Ed - “

“Shh..” You hush him, squeezing his hand, “you are not responsible for that man’s actions, Iz. At all.” Anger seeps into your voice before you can stop it. “You didn’t deserve to be hurt like this.”

He just stares at you, his chest heaving with sobs that he refuses to let out.

You decide you don’t care to hesitate anymore. You kick off your boots and slide in beside him, taking him in your arms where he belongs. He doesn’t protest and just quietly cries into your shoulder, clinging to your shirt like it’s a lifeline. You stroke back his damp hair and pepper kisses along his forehead, assuring him over and over again that it’s all okay. No one’s ever going to hurt him like that again because you won’t fucking let them. You both know that in the life of piracy promises like that are fragile, but right now neither of you care. This is the safest he’s felt in a long, long time and he doesn’t have the strength to pass it up. Eventually his sobs dissolve to quiet sniffles and you feel his body start to relax against yours.

“You don’t have to stay,” he whispers.

You just smile and hold him even tighter.

“I know.”

#ofmd #our flag means death #izzy hands #izzy hands x reader #wtf is this format fml #this should not have taken me this long to write jiminy criminy #apologies all round for everything

[booksandpaperss]

How Stranger Things (poorly) handles racism as a topic compared other heavy topics it successfully tackles

before we get started, I would to direct you all to some other accounts who have already discussed this that you should check out either before or after reading this post: @wewebaggit @googoogagaeyes @elekinetic and anyone else please feel free to tag yourself or another account that’s discussed this and I’ll happily boost it

Content Warning for in show examples of racism and discussions of racism, as well as mentions of homophobia and the AIDES epidemic

.

. While we're discussing historical accuracy in stranger things and homophobia + ignorance being present even in well meaning characters, I want to point out that if the writers of the show weren't so squeamish about addressing racism in any in depth way, than this type of historical accuracy would be for racism too.

what I mean by this: in this sense, the show is not consistent. It's clear that the writers have done their research on 80s homophobia and how openly prevalent it was, if the AIDES allegory in season 2 and the way homophobia was very clearly present in seasons 1 and 2 (it still is in seasons 3 and 4 but the first 2 seasons showed it in the scope of the entire town), but racism was just as overtly prevalent, and yet the writers have neglected to address it in the same thoughtful and coded way. if the show was just as consistent about racism as it is about homophobia, than the white characters would be at the very least shown as ignorant just like the straight characters are.

and I'm not going to say that it's completely ignored, because that's not true:

-in season 2; mike makes an ignorant comment that implies Lucas should have been Winston because he's black, and Lucas calls him on it. There's also the very racist undertones (that are practically overtones) of Billy's treatment of Lucas. -There is almost nothing in season 3 except for a jokey joke when Nancy says the whole party is her family and the receptionist, who is a black woman, gives Lucas a skeptical look.

-Season 4 is a little better, with the implications (key word: implications, I'll come back to that in a moment) of Lucas's season 4 arc being that he was trying to fit in because he didn't want to be racially targeted and bullied for being a nerd at the same time anymore, that he felt like even more of an outsider compared to the rest of his otherwise all white friend group who, as far as he knows, are all cishet and giving him shit for wanting to lessen how much he's perceived as an outsider because he's automatically seen as even more of a "freak", and his friends just weren't getting it because they were white and ignorant. So the writers aren't blind to race and racism.

However. None of the examples that I've just listed are addressed later in any in depth way; not like the homophobia is. The only one that's even remotely delved into instead of simply being glossed over is Lucas's s4 arc, and even that is still very flitted around and left up to interpretation of the audience.

The writers seem to have a very "hit and run" sort of policy with addressing racism. They clearly know they should, and they at least seem to know that having a black character in an 80s setting with a cast of mostly white characters inherently creates a lot of racial subtext-

-for example, the very loud subtext of Jason (a white boy much older than Lucas) seeing Max (a white girl) in a trance alone with Lucas (a black boy) and immediately assuming the worst + Jason's white friends tackling an 11 year old black girl to the ground: subtext that I'm still not sure if the writers and directors were even aware of bc they never addressed it and their track record isn't great-

-but they hardly do anything about it.

I'm not surprised, considering this show is headed by two white men, but what really gets me is that they all truly could have tried harder. Like I said earlier, it's clear they've done research and put thought into addressing homophobia (it still could've been handled better but that's an entirely different conversation), and it's evident from Max's s4 arc that they also did research on Depression, PTSD, and the impacts on someone of their abusive family member dying. So the lack of care and thought put into addressing racism in the same way is clearly more than ignorance (which would still be bad, when you're writing a show this big in 2023 with topics like this you're actually, shocker, responsible for making sure they're addressed properly, ignorance is a choice at that point), its just fucking lazy. they don't care. And this not caring is inherently harmful on a show this big and frankly, I'm tired of so many viewers and people in this fandom straight up ignoring this fact, just like the show runners.

And I haven't even covered the complete lack of effort put into Patrick's backstory, or the fact that Erica is very much the sassy, mature for her age black girl stereotype (she deserves so much better). Oh, And we can’t forget the copaganda.

I'm glad that season 4 started to explore the dynamic between Lucas and Erica and expand on both their characters, and from the looks of things that will continue in season 5, so the writers have a chance to do their research, actually put effort more effort into the sinclair sibling’s characters, and improve, and I'm hoping they will but as of right now I don't trust them to, and won't unless they prove me wrong.

TDLR; the main issue is that Stranger Things is clearly a show that addresses topics like depression, abuse, homophobia, and racism, but the racism part is neglected compared to the others, just like how Lucas and Erica's characters are handled poorly compared to the white characters,. it's lazy, horribly insensitive, and racist in and of itself. There's a clear bias, and even if it improves in season 5 we still should be talking about it, and more white people (yes white queer people included, we are not exempt from this discussion, if anything we should care just as much about it as when we’re talking about homophobia) in this fandom need to start listening when black and brown people do talk about it instead of just waltzing through and ignoring it for your own peace of mind.

also I should clarify that I myself am white, I made sure I did research before making this post in order to talk about this accurately and consciously, but if I made any mistakes or said something insensitive or used an incorrect term or anything else, feel free to correct me and I will readily fix it

as a final note: please check my rebligs of this for links to more posts that talk abt this issue

#also I know this is a lot of text I’m sorry I tried my best to format it but it’ll be way easier to read on desktop than on ur phone #stranger things #stranger things analysis #stranger things fandom #tw racsim #elli talks stranger things

[gorgonwrites]

bound to you, part 3

diluc x fem!reader

wc: 1, 844

author's note: im really edging all of us with this rn goddamn

cw: fem!reader, 18+, no *actual* smut in this chapter but smut from last part is mentioned, MDNI!!!, mentions of anxiety, reader is DEF hiding her feelings, diluc is a soft man because i say so. cheesy "where is my wife" mentioned bc i live for that shit

Did you really leave your door open? You frowned, sitting up in your bed. You were almost positive you closed it, but you had been so needy earlier that your memory felt blurry. You were quiet, though, and no one had a room near your chambers. You fell back onto your pillows, looking out your window at the night sky. Did you really just come undone on your fingers, singing praises to your absent husband? The thought annoyed you, reminding yourself that Diluc pulled away from your touch just this afternoon. You rolled your eyes at the thought and turned away from your window. You considered whether or not you really wanted to know more about your husband, or if your lust earlier had completely clouded your mind. It was definitely lust, nothing more you reasoned. As you kept going over the afternoon’s events, you slowly drifted to sleep in hopes of coming to a better conclusion tomorrow. 

“What do you mean he left this morning? I thought he was finished with business for the season?” you were interrogating Adelinde while you ate your breakfast. Diluc had left the winery and no one knew when he would return. 

“Like I said my Lady, sometimes Diluc has to go away for weeks on end. It can be sudden, but we get along just fine. Don’t worry too much, okay?” you stared at her and finally let out a huff. 

“He said he would spend time with me,” you grumbled, “Not that I care. He can’t stand being near me anyways.” you quickly added after seeing Adelinde’s satisfied smirk as you pouted over your husband’s absence. As she began to clear your dishes from the table, you crossed your arms over your chest. How long would he be away this time? 

After a few days of following Adelinde around begging her to give you anything to do, you finally gave up. Your restlessness knew no end, and you were close to leaving the manor to travel back to Fontaine just to have something to do. As you began to actually consider that thought, there was a loud knock on the manor’s front door. You excitedly bolted to the entrance of the manor, ready to give your husband a piece of your mind. You ran past several maids who were also making their way down to the parlor to greet their unannounced guest. You arrived at the door out of breath, and stood for a moment to compose yourself and smooth your hair before you opened it. To your dismay, it wasn’t your husband on the other side. A young woman with ears and two tails stood in front of you with a package. 

“Lady y/n? Kirara. I have a delivery here for you from Liyue!” you stared at her, dumbstruck. You didn’t know anyone from Liyue. Confused, you remained silent. Kirara furrowed her brows, checking her delivery address again. 

“Lady y/n. That’s you, right? This is the Ragnvindr residence?” 

“Ah, yes it is, I apologize for my behavior. I’ll take that.” You gently took the package from her hands, and smiled as the young woman ran off to continue her delivery route. You looked at the name on the package. Lady y/n Ragnvindr. It still felt strange seeing your husband's last name after your own. Feeling the maid’s eyes on you in the parlor, you excused yourself to your chambers where you could open the box privately. 

You sat on your bed with the package in your lap, carefully snipping the strings that held it shut. You opened it and found beautiful red packaging paper inside with a small note on top. It read:

I have heard that this is the best paint in all of Teyvat, hand crafted by an Adeptus here in Liyue. Use them to your heart’s content.

-D

It couldn’t be. You continued to unwrap your gift, only to discover an assortment of paint that you had only ever dreamed of. It was indeed handcrafted by a reclusive Adeptus from Liyue, and it was incredibly expensive. Considering all of the colors your husband purchased for you, it meant he had given up a hefty sum for them. Your breath hitched in your chest, and you brought the note to your lips. What would you paint? You briefly thought about repainting Diluc’s portrait but you were quickly engulfed by embarrassment just at the thought. What about the Winery? And the vineyard! They were two things that were incredibly important to your husband. You bolted upright and immediately began gathering your things to set up an easel and canvas outside for the perfect view. 

After Adelinde helped you set up your easel on a hill across from the Winery, you quickly got to work. The paints were so smooth and so pigmented you wanted to jump from the excitement. You spent hours that afternoon painting, your mind drifting off peacefully as you worked. Each day you woke up, ate breakfast, and spent hours on that hill trying to capture your home on the canvas perfectly. After a week, you felt you were close to being finished. You just needed a hint of azure blue to finish the sky. You turned too quickly and knocked your paints and brushes all over the ground. With a huff, you crouched to clean up your mess. 

Diluc was relieved to be home. He was only gone for a week and a half this time, but he was exhausted. Adelinde greeted him in the parlor, delegating tasks to the maids so he didn’t have to lift a finger as soon as he walked inside. He sighed with relief. 

“Thank you, Addy. I’m happy to be home.” Adelinde tsked at the old nickname, but she greeted Diluc with a smile.

“Welcome home, Master Diluc. Would you like to change into something more comfortable?” He did, actually, and he wanted to find you as well to apologize for his abrupt absence. While he had been almost too worn out to venture out to Liyue to tie up some loose ends on wine deliveries to Sumeru, he was grateful for the distance after accidentally stumbling upon you touching yourself as his name fell from your lips. 

Damn it, he thought. Of course he was rock hard as soon as the memory flared in his mind. He changed slowly, to let himself regain his composure before he started searching the manor for you. He first went to your chambers, prepared to be more careful than last time. Your door was ajar, though, and he stepped inside only to be greeted by the quiet breeze blowing in from your window. He slowly explored the room, trying to control his urge to pry. He did, however, notice a note at your bedside. It was the handwritten note he sent with your paints. Seeing it set out made him smile, his anxiety being replaced with a warmth blooming in his chest. He moved on, searching the main rooms and even the kitchen in the manor. His anxiety crept back into its permanent home in his chest, and he quickened his pace. He became increasingly stressed after each room, realizing there was no sign of you anywhere. Diluc found Adelinde again in the parlor, agitated.

“Where is my wife?” it sounded more aggressive than he intended, but he was beginning to tire from your continued pushing of his boundaries. He’d give you anything Teyvat had to offer, if only you’d ask. He simply wanted you to stay within the safety his manor provided while he was away. 

“Your wife is outside working, Master Diluc.” Adelinde’s usual playful tone was absent from her voice. Diluc rubbed his palms over his face, ready to crack. This was another boundary you continued to push. He appreciated the enthusiasm you displayed, truly he did. He knew his employees adored it about you as well, but as the Master and last remaining heir of the Ragnvindr clan, he felt there were expectations he needed to meet. One of them being his wife not working tirelessly out in the vineyards. Normally Diluc could care less for expectations but with the Lords of Fontaine breathing down his neck, he became increasingly aware that he sometimes needed to play by the rules. He took a slow breath, and thanked Adelinde before heading out to find you. 

You finished cleaning up the last of your brushes, carefully picking out each strand of grass that was entangled in the bristles. Satisfied with your work, you turned around and slammed right into your husband's broad chest. You look up, only to see his amused face looking back at you. He seemed relieved about something. You push away from him, trying to create some distance between you. He reaches out and swipes a smear of green paint from your sunburned cheeks. 

“Beautiful.” he whispers, his touch lingering. You see the crinkles around his eyes form and you chance a quick look at his lips. 

“The painting, of course.” Diluc grins as your expression sours. You could only grumble wordlessly in response. You turned away, hoping to put the final touches on your painting in peace. Your husband didn’t leave, though, and you became increasingly fidgety under his watchful gaze. 

“I don’t think I meant to paint for an audience when I came out here.” you were doing everything you could to stifle the joy you felt knowing Diluc was home. The manor felt emptier than usual when he was gone this time but you’d never admit that. You began to consider backing out of your plan of giving this painting to him- it felt too personal. Though you did consider the paints he bought you to be a very personal gift, even if he had no idea that you’d always wanted them. 

“You’ve been putting them to good use, I see.” he sounded proud of himself. 

“Yes, I have.” you turned and met his gaze, “Thank you, so much. I actually painted this… for you.” You felt a flush rising to your cheeks and you hoped your face was pink enough to disguise it. He tilted his head, and glanced between you and the painting. You continued,

“I know they cost a fortune. You shouldn’t have.” 

“It's the least I could do for you, after leaving so quickly. I wanted to apologize for my absence.” That was a first. Usually Diluc came and left the winery without a word. Up until recently you both had avoided each other easily, unconcerned with unnecessary chatter. 

“Oh, I- please don’t apologize. I understand how busy you are, there’s no need to dwell on it.” you began to turn away again, but Diluc caught your hand in one of his own. This time it was you that recoiled from the sudden touch, surprised that he’d reach out to you so casually. Your gazes locked, and you could feel your steeled resolve melting by the second. 

“Master Dil- ah… Diluc. Would you like to paint with me this afternoon? 

#JUST FUCK ALREADY #diluc smut #diluc x reader #diluc fluff #diluc x fem!reader #diluc x y/n #genshin fluff #diluc genshin x reader #diluc loves his wife but is too dumb to realize it yet smh #reader is a brat but we love to see it #diluc ragnvindr

[vexic929]

Hi, I'm just curious about what you meant by Barry being suicidal all through season 3? Because I never got that vibe at all, and I'd like to see where you're coming from. I feel like I'm missing something.

yeah for sure! thanks to @shrinkthisviolet and @angst-is-love-angst-is-life for helping me come up with some of these because my brain refuses to brain tonight lol

specifically, he actively plans to die at least once (possibly twice?); just after the Savitar reveal he jumps to killing himself as the solution SO fast it's alarming, I genuinely don't think he'd have done so in earlier seasons especially, he might have come to that conclusion eventually but not immediately

future Barry while not being exactly the same as present Barry clearly hasn't been taking care of himself - is he actively suicidal? debatable but probably not, he certainly is passively suicidal though wasting away in the Time Vault

Savitar, again not quite exactly the same as present Barry but Barry nonetheless, almost kills Barry more than once "I want so badly to kill you" really shows the self-loathing Savitar has and Barry is capable of

baiting Caitlin to kill him - admittedly a bit of a grey area but that icicle was WAY too close for comfort and Barry knew there was a chance that she would actually kill him

amnesiac Barry is all but the exact opposite of season 3 Barry, full of life, energy, and most importantly hope, I honestly think this Barry is one of the most compelling arguments for normal season 3 Barry being severely depressed to the point of passive suicidal ideation because everyone acknowledges that amnesiac Barry is better off at least mentally

in Duet, Barry actively steps in the middle of a gun fight, smiles as he's dying, and seems lowkey disappointed or at least a bit put out when he wakes up in the real world alive

EDIT bc how did I forget: he walks into the Speed Force in the finale with a smile on his face fully prepared to never come back from it, he's not only accepted his fate but he's relieved

there's definitely more and I fully intend to make a list during a full watch-through when I have the time

#icedteaandoldlace #psychoanalyzing barry allen #vexic answers #vexic lives

[kg-clark-inthedark]

People I wanna know better tag meme

I was tagged by @uncontrol-freak. Thanks for the tag!! <3

Last song?

Been listening to this at least once a day lately bc I'm considering making a comic about it. Only song I've ever found that accurately represents how I feel about my body. Also just generally a beautiful masterpiece of progressive groove/death metal.

Favorite color?

Black. Though green is an extremely close second.

Currently watching?

fucking Ink Master lmao (guilty pleasure). Been on a 1-episode-a-day-over-dinner "marathon" of it with my partner for a while. Finished season 12 earlier this evening.

Last movie?

saw The Boy and the Heron in theaters like a month ago (I almost never watch movies). It was disappointing.

Sweet/Spicy/Savory?

Spicy. I put cholula on everything

Relationship status?

I'm engaged! Not planning a wedding anytime soon though lmao

Current obsessions?

Eastward! Started playing it about a week ago and I've fallen head over heels. It's so cute and fun! Plus the soundtrack is incredible. Also going through a major Victorian and Edwardian clothing obsession. Currently in patient wait for my historical emporium order (that store has me by the throat). Last current obsession is local theater. Going to see Sweeney Todd later this month at our favorite playhouse! They also did an amazing production of The Exorcist in December.

Last thing you googled?

citizen sleeper 2 release date (spoiler alert there still isn't one. hahahahaha someone help)

Selfie or another pic you took?

my dramatic ass and my cat poo bear. throwback to warmer weather and leaves being on the trees :'(

I'm tagging @nsk96 and @toyfriskman but no pressure obvi

#uncontrol-freak #tag posts #will this woman ever stfu about gojia? #no #no she will not #also idk how much people liked the boy and the heron #is it a hot take to say I didn't like it?? #the main theme of that movie (acceptance/letting go) was just not executed well imo #Youtube

[dantevhell]

I think Sasha complicated feelings towards Marcy this ep was very interesting to see actually and ppl are once again missing all the hints of Sasha's true feelings towards her friendship with Marcy

First of all the ep started with Marcy showing her favorite movie to the girls and them (in her vision) ignoring her interests. It's totally natural for Marcy to be hurt and sad over this and hold a little grudge (even if subconsciously) over them and how they treated her

Sasha is changing and becoming a better person FOR SURE but we also have to remember that above all else Sasha is a child and human, she obviously has flaws and, while doing her best to control them, it doesn't just disappear so fast over years and years of having this behavior

Sasha is controlling, selfish, quick to anger and very hypocritical and even if she is making progress to make her qualities outshine more, her flaws are still something that she can't just let go completely. That's totally normal specially to a KID trying to change

But the thing is that Sasha even tho saying that she didn't cared about Marcy's movie, she still remember the plot that marcy told her perfectly!

Sasha even tho she said that she didn't know if she could save her friendship with Marcy, was worried about her and was the one that mentioned her THE WHOLE TIME. She was the one that brought the topic of her to even start all of this !

And look, I know it sounds really angering hearing Sasha of all people not wanting to forgive Marcy after spending the whole season talking about 2nd chances... SPECIALLY considering her own mistakes...

just because sasha made her own wrong doings this doesn't mean she isn't allowed to be hurt

BUT

And if she didn't care about Marcy why would she even mind and be SO bothered about the idea of their friendship not lasting anymore??

"Let's say you're right"

Sasha is very reluctant to accepting that she's wrong and that she committed mistakes and even with her redemption we know that she still has a hard time forgiving others (and herself)

Sasha truly cares about Marcy but considering her attitude in s2 with Anne's "betrayal", we should've know better and see this little stubborn part of her coming from a mile away.

But even with all her anger, all her resentment and all her sadness, Sasha can't help but worry about Marcy all the time!

Hell! Why would she even create this rebellion who's one of the goals is to rescue Marcy if she didn't CARED about her?!?! And this is her goal all the ep!!

.........

AND HERE COMES THE MARCY'S GRUDGE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER!

The core knows how hurt Marcy was by her girls, SPECIALLY, Sasha's indifference to a lot of Marcy's ramblings and actions

And so does Sasha.

So that's why she's the only one truly hurt at this scene bc she KNOWS that this message was directly to her and how she treated Marcy (before AND during amphibia)

And THATS why their fight next EP is so perfect

Sasha trying her best to get Marcy back to show how much she meant to Sasha, how much she cared about her!! This has so much potential!

Look how Sasha has her guard down in this fight... Almost like she doesn't want to truly hurt Marcy... But also is going to make an effort to get her back.... Splendid!!!

#MATT. DONT DISSAPOINT ME LET ME HAVING SASHA TRYING TO RESCUE MARCY WHILE ALSO GAINING AN EYE INJURY! DONT LET ME DOWN NOW YOU- #anyways sasha cares about marcy and if someone disagree sorry if youre not as big brained as me to notice all these details 💋😘 xoxo #this is how sasharcy still can win- #anyways pls pls i want sasha fighting with darcy but not actually making one moves to hurt her bc she doesn't want to hurt marcy #and then we have her FAILING AND SHE LOSES AN EYE AFTER WHATEVER HAPPENED AT THE SCENE WHERE SHES CRYING #PLS PLS GIVE ME THE ANGST GIVE ME THE DEVOTION TYPE OF LOVE THAT SASHA HAS FOR HER GIRLS PLS #amphibia #also STOP WITH THE GRIME GETS HURT BY DARCY THEORIES. #NO. I DONT WANT THE GOOFY WAR CRIMINAL DAD HURT #I WANT HIS DAUGHTER WITHOUT AN EYE INSTEAD YALL HEARD ME!! #also this post is just a big ramble pile bc ppl analisys of sasha this ep are SO bothering me #and as the biggest sasha apologist and kinnie i need to defend my pathetic meow meow sometimes #sasha waybright #marcy wu #darcy wu #the core #amphibia sasha #sasha amphibia #marcy amphibia #amphibia marcy #amphibia the core #the core amphibia #darcy amphibia #amphibia darcy #sasharcy #kinda. #not against it 😉😉😉😉😉😉😉 giggles #who am i trying to fool this was my intention since the beggining #the beggining of the end #bellverom.txt

[time-is-restored]

oh shit i forgot here's another one, this time its an old neal caffrey analysis rant (this one fueled by insomnia, and written much earlier into my first watch of white collar - i think early season 3??):

im gonna be weird about white collar but the thing is so many people are weird about white collar in the wrong direction

like woobifying neal to hell and back or inventing whole new personalities for el or . i don’t even know how to describe what they do to peter

like the thing about neal is he Is a magpie he’s just a surprisingly loyal one, he flits from shiny thing to person to ideal, sure, but certain classes of ppl can fully hold his attention

peter holds his attention bc he is good as in skilled (it’s borderline canon that no one else can catch him, or even really come close), and extremely principled w a cunning streak which neal basically approaches as like. a puzzle box, bc like none of their principles line up so he’s curious how the apparent closed system rube goldberg machine of his morals work LOL

then it becomes a dedication through loyalty, in that peter sticks his neck out multiple times due to faith in neal, and neal is EXTREMELY weak to loyalty/consistency (gestures at the mess of his childhood)

and due to generally low self image (morals wise, he kind of thinks he sucks? like he’s competent and cool and charming and everything, but he also tends to consider himself a nuisance, w how he’s disruptive to ‘normal’ / ‘good’ people) that dedication can become disproportionate

we see through kate (and later, adler) that the easiest way to con neal/get him acting against his own self interest IS to cultivate that loyalty

there’s an easy archetype to it, even, in that u present him with a competent, smart individual (bonus points if they’re a conventionally attractive woman), but have her off limits in some way (uninterested, taken, stand off ish, whatever), activate his thief urge to ‘take’ what he wants, then when they are friends/partners whatever, his inadvertent guilt over like. corrupting/endangering this person/tricking them about who he ‘really’ is will loop around into VERY strong loyalty, and a commitment to being whatever they want him to be x2, bc he Cannot handle being left behind LMAO

peter simultaneously feeds into + challenges this framework, bc he clearly has the least biased opinion about who neal is, even though he’s still wrong about a lot of things. and beyond that, he REALLY likes neal, thinks he’s interesting and funny, but at the start of the show can’t deal with even 0.01% of his chaotic neutral methods

WHICH IN TURN!! actually breaks through some of Neal’s shit bc:

peter picked him out of prison before neal had changed at all

he essentially sees his role, from as early as ep 1, as tactically breaking the law where peter can’t/won’t, in ways that help them close the case faster

after peter (more or less) gives a thumbs up the first time he does this, neals puzzle box brain goes ‘oh?? morally grey bestie??? CRIME BESTIE????’ and now he’s trying to ‘solve’ peter’s moral code

this is actually almost in complete opposition to elizabeth, who is compete open and clear about her affection and friendship w him basically since they meet, and apparently has no prerequisites for it. which, again, pointing to the low self esteem, triggers the ‘oh god what have i done to deserve this i haven’t even CONNED her yet’ so he’s low key more invested in + comitted to elizabeth in a specific. 'i want to be on good terms w this person' targeted way than he initially was w peter (since their mutual obsession manifests so fucking frequently as 'what, you're gonna hit me? you're gonna hit me with that big bat? better make it hurt. better kill me in one shot!' style antagonism)

HENCE the constant check ins w their relationship, reminding peter about anniversaries and dinner times etc, though that’s also due to a general fascination he has w stability + permanence

we learn in s2 he was seriously considering proposing to kate, and that he genuinely wanted to take the ‘true love’ way out of the conman life, even though he wasn’t quite sure whether it would stick, hence we see a lot in s2 his fascination w peter + els marriage, along with june (crime aunty <3)‘s relationship w her passed husband

a lot of his dedication to peter circa s2 is, by my reckoning, explicitly because peter is so determined to stick with Neal, and doesn’t give up on him/their deal even when it would be entirely reasonable (neal admits to crimes, gets put back in prison, constantly breaks rules and goes looking for kate) which is like. neal HATES being trapped, but he also REALLY values consistency + competency

hence the complexes, y'know?

#wc #white collar #can you tell im procrastinating uni work. im gonna get a functional draft of this assignment done and then i'll reward myself by posting my #inconsolable wailing circa elizabeth's kidnapped arc

[feyhunter78]

Hi, me again… I might have another idea… sorry you might have opend the flood gates with writing my ask. But please don’t feel pressured to write anything you don’t feel like wringing!

But can I interest you in Elrond as a blushing mes, due to a corny pick up line? 👀. Like for instance this one: “Hi quick question. I just got this encyclopaedia full of mythical and beautiful creatures. I noticed that when I was looking through it. The most beautiful of all, you. Wasn’t in there.”

Lizi!!! Love this prompt it's so cute, plz continue to dump any and all ideas you have into my inbox, I'm seriously loving them so much!!!! I tweaked this a bit, but I did use your example bc it's just so cheesy-cute!

Flattery and Breakfast

You and Elrond have been friends for ages, but as of late you started to notice your deep feelings of affection for the half elf might not be purely those of friendship.

 It first started when you sat next to him at dinner, and he placed his strawberries on your plate, so casually you almost missed it. When you asked him why he would give you one of his favorite fruits, he said that you had mentioned earlier that you had a craving for them.

Next it was his smile, the way it shined so brightly whenever he saw you, even if it had only been a few minutes, Elrond greeted you with such joy is seemed as if you had been gone for centuries.

Finally, and with this final blow, you could no longer deny what had taken root in your heart. He wrote a poem for you, gifted it to you with no fanfare, as if he was handing you bread at the table and not an eloquently written text that brought you to tears.

So, you decided to test the waters, to start slowly and attempt to discern his feelings without revealing your own so blatantly.

With that course of action in mind, you sat across from Elrond, a mischievous smile on your face. “Elrond, my dear friend, has anyone told you how wonderful your posture is?”

Elrond raised an eyebrow at you. “No, they have not, but thank you y/n.”

“Of course, I awoke this morning, realizing I do not praise my beloved friend in the manner he deserves.” You rested your elbow on the table, propping your chin up in your hand.

“You do not need to praise me; your friendship is reward enough.” He said, smiling softly at you before returning to eating his breakfast.

He was always so sweet, it made your heart skip a beat as you scrambled for another compliment.

“And your words, you always know the perfect thing to say, the Valar have truly blessed you.”

He smiled wider, but it was still a humble and grateful smile, “And I use their gifts to benefit our kind.”

You nodded and continued. “Your smile shines brighter than the sun. I fear I would die if you ever ceased smiling at me.”

His face tints lightly, and he takes a drink from his goblet.

“Of course, I have heaped praises upon your hair, its softness, the rich color, and thickness.” You tilt your head, meeting his gaze. “But your eyes, they are the color of a strong oak tree and hold all the warmth of the realm within them. Ever-changing and ever brilliant, I long to uncover the secrets they hold.”

“Your eyes hold warmth as well, bright as the stars, and as vibrant as the summer season.” Elrond said, recovering quickly.

“Yes, but you, my dearest friend, are worth your weight in mithril, who else among us is a better diplomat, a better representation of Elvenkind?”

That got him. His cheeks began to warm, a light pink dusting appearing. “Y/N, I do not deserve such praise.”

You got up from your seat and took the one beside him, batting your eyelashes at him. “Why not? Your voice is a complex melody created by our greatest composers, a song that quiets fears, and stirs hope in hearts, one that I crave all hours of the day.”

He glanced at you, and you bit back a satisfied smile at the blush on his face. “Y/N, what is this game?”

“There is no game, I truly wish to express my affection for you.” While not speaking falsehoods, you were not revealing the full truth of your words.

He turned in his seat to face you, abandoning his meal. “Truly?”

“Truly.”

He sighed, a fond expression on his face.

“I must ask, though, was your father a baker?”

He gave you a confused look.

“Because those are some perfect buns you have.” You bit your lip to keep from smiling.

 Elrond groaned. “I knew this was a jest.”

“No, no, it is not.” You assured him.

His face was fully pink now, and you relished the color.

“I was in the library last night, looking in the book of enchanted creatures renowned for their beauty, but I noticed it was missing the most beautiful one.” You said seriously.

“It was?” He asked.

It was almost too easy.

“Yes, I found no mention or image of you.”

Elrond’s face went bright red, and he turned away, staring at his plate.

“Come now, my love, do not turn from me.” You cooed, gently taking his chin, and turning his face back to yours.

“My love?” He questioned, eyes not meeting yours.

You cursed yourself, it had been a slip of the tongue. You had been calling him that in your mind for weeks now. “Yes, I love you. No jests, truly and earnestly do I love you.”

Elrond surged forward, connecting your lips. “I love you.” He said between kisses, the heat radiating off his skin.

You pulled back and looked at him, a fond smile on your face. “My handsome love, you are simply adorable, blushing in such a way.”

Elrond ducked his head, blushing all the way to the tips of his ears. “Your teasing is becoming quite cruel, my lovely y/n.”

You lifted his head with one finger under his chin and lavished light kisses all over his reddened face. “Apologies, I will end the praises.”

He caught your lips once more, the taste of sunlight and blackberries on his tongue, making you dizzy in the most pleasant way possible. “My starlight, your sweet words make my heart sing in gladness, but it also cannot take much more. Perhaps at a later time, in a more private setting, you will grace me with them once more?” His eyebrow is raised, his voice low.

It is your turn to blush, as his lips graze your sensitive ear, whispering promises of what is to come once you both are tucked away in his quarters.

Tag list: @nyctophilic0vitnir, @elronds-pointy-ears, @thesolarangel, @elrondscalaquendi, @dilf-superiority

#elrond x reader #elrond x reader fluff #elrond x you #young!elrond #young elrond #young elrond fanfic #elrond peredhel #meg's writing #thank you for the request! #I hope you like it!!! #rop elrond #elrond rop #rop fanfiction

[kimkhimhant]

It's me again, I'm hesitant about reblogging because my first ask was spoilery but in the end, who cares lmao. FUCK I forgot about Sara. I agree that the ending was choppy, especially the hospital scene... he moved from ambulance to post-mortem way too fast. What always gets me though is Peter's breakdown. He's alone, and it hits this unemotional man with full force. It's magnificent. I'm also just... sad that Neal was made to believe that he could never fully change. He deserved better. He tried so hard and he WAS succeeding despite Mozzie's disappointed resistance plus everyone else's mistrust. Thanks for geeking out on this with me hehee

hi again!!!

ugh yes Peter's breakdown is heartwrenching, and it brings me back to a line he says earlier in the show, i don't remember the exact words, but he says something about how if something were to happen to Neal, he doesn't know if he'll be able to live with it. and i just. yeah. ow. lol

now buckle up for another character analysis essay bc i can't shut up ever lol

Honestly i have a lot of mixed feelings about Neal's "redemption/reformation" ! because yes he wants to be good, but also... i don't think a true/complete redemption arc is necessary for his character, and i honestly like that he doesn't have one? I think that the most important aspect of his character development in that sense is that, he considers the effects of his actions on other people a lot more by the end, and i think that's all the reformation that he needs and that makes sense for him. I don't think he needs to become someone who commits no crimes/cons in order for his reformation to be recognized.

i think what i'm more sad about is the lack of recognition for that development. he isn't perfect, and he still has a lot of vices, but now his actions are almost all out of a desire to fix things/protect people/etc. Most of the other characters, namely Peter, don't seem to recognize or appreciate this development. Understandable, to an extent – Peter has dedicated his life to law enforcement, and his moral code is, for the most part, aligned with the law. Neal is still breaking the law, even if, in his own mind, Neal is doing so with good intentions, to Peter, the outcome matters a lot more than the intent.

Neal begins the show as a con-artist and art thief whose priority is his own enjoyment and gain, and he ends the show still a con-artist and art thief, but now his priority is shifted. In the later seasons, almost none of the crimes he commits are simply for the hell of it. there's almost always a reason, and the reason is almost always to fix something or to protect the people he loves. his moral code is still very distorted, and he has a strong disregard for the law and authority, but he also cares about other people, their safety, happiness and their opinions of him. He still loves the thrill of the con, and he still loves living luxuriously, he's still impulsive, and he's still very proud of his skills, but...

these things don't make him "bad," in my opinion. He wants to be good, and he is good. His intentions are good, it's just that the way he understands and navigates the world isn't aligned with "legal good."

I could write an essay on that alone. Neal is very traumatized, and very good at compartmentalizing and masking so that no one can tell, and also (this is entering headcanon zone) probably some form of neurodivergence, on top of probable CPTSD and some kind of personality disorder. So, obviously his relationship with the world as a whole is... disrupted and warped by these things, so maybe that's one of the main issues. "moral and good" as Neal understands these things, simply don't perfectly align with most people's definitions of them.

And I think this is the main issue in his relationship with Peter. Neal wants to be good, and is trying to be, and he wants Peter's recognition and appreciation for that. But that's still not enough for Peter, who operates on a different moral code, and doesn't understand Neal's perspective.

Once again, this is very longwinded, but basically: I think Neal did have as much of a redemption arc as he could have had without having a complete shift in worldview, and I really like that about him and his character. That he didn't end the series as a perfectly reformed ex-con, but he did end the show as a good person.

#benji talks #white collar #neal caffrey #peter burke

[thicctails]

The Baker's Daughter and her Evil Butterfly Future Father-In-Law

A potential ML AU is bubbling around inside my brain like the DVD logo. It wouldn't really be feasible in canon probably (then again, the writing for Miraculous could be done better by cocaine snorting gorillas, so...) and doesn't work with the current state of Hawkmoth, what with him being an almost comically abusive/evil parent instead of the "abusive via negligence but still loves his son" dad that i always saw him as in the earlier seasons, but I guess since this is an AU it's fine if we ignore canon somewhat.

Anyways, in this AU, Gabriel realizes that, despite being a fashion designer, over half of his Akuma designs are coming out really fucking ugly. Not willing to have this be his legacy, he manages to actually remember Adrien mentioning that his classmate, Marinette, has some real fashion talent. So, he reveals his supervillain identity to her (not knowing that she's Ladybug) and basically bribes/threatens her into helping him design better Akumas.

Marinette is, of course, freaking out over being trapped in a situation where Gabriel can not only make or break her future in fashion, but also has the power to ruin her or her family/friend's lives via his influence or by making them into Akumas or victims of Akumas. However, she realizes that her problem has a silver lining, which is that if she is the one designing Akumas, then she'll already know where the akumatized object is, plus she'll have opportunities to try and reclaim the Butterfly Miraculous. So, she agrees, and becomes Hawkmoth's partner in fashionable crime.

As the two spend more time together, Gabriel realizes that, huh, this girl really is talented, and she reminds him of his wife in both her genuine kindness and her ferocity whenever he threatens to make good on his threats. This tiny little baker is not taking his shit, and will gladly go toe to toe with him, even when she's not Ladybug.

This leads to him subtly manipulating her into opening up about her personal life, which isn't too hard because Marinette really doesn't have a lot of people who will actually listen to her problems and believe her at this point, and he learns about just how much drama goes on at her school. It's like a soap opera, and Akuma attacks go down simply because Gabriel's too invested in whatever bullshit Lila has concocted this time, or because Marinette lets him see some of her regular fashion concepts. This is also how he learns that Marinette has a crush on Adrien. (she doesn't tell him out right, he just picks up on it bc girly is not subtle)

All of this leads to Gabriel deciding that Marinette would make the perfect daughter-in-law, and a potential Butterfly/Peacock Miraculous holder, should something happen and he needs to prove he's not Hawkmoth/ he needs help pulling off a plan. After all, she already likes Adrien, she's actually talented in something that's relevant to his corporate empire, and although she usually appears meek, he knows she's willing to toughen up when she needs to!

Now all he needs to do is convince her...

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug au #marinette dupain cheng #hawkmoth #gabriel agreste

[lesbiannancytruther]

fruity four curse discovery </3

its time to talk about how the fruity four found out Holy Shit They’re Monsters

they all had very different experiences, and none of them experienced overnight transformations, but it didn’t take its time before the real onslaught yknow

okay starting with nancy because she’s complicated. she actually started this process way back in season one when she first went into the upside down and came out and was very much Never The Same. after her first trip she lost her appetite and regular food, while still nourishing her, didn’t really do much for her in the sense of satisfaction. something was always missing and she couldn’t put her finger on what. she sunburned easier and lost endurance in the sun way quicker than she used to. she was suddenly allergic to all of her genuine silver jewelry, which was her first inkling that something was off beyond not taking care of herself like she used to. she didn’t get many of the physical benefits other than basically getting up without a scratch after she got thrown against that wall in season 3, and also having more intuition to things around her (journalism moment). also you wanna know how she pulled so many people? by being really awesome first and foremost but after her first foray into the upside down it’s really hard to not pay attention to her. then things start getting WEIRD after the second upside down trip and getting vecna’d- where she’s suddenly cold all the time and she can’t really eat anything and everything feels so intense like she swears she’s hallucinating hearing conversations that happen across a house with crystal clear clarity and seeing dust flying around across the room. nancy being nancy who shoves all sorts of actually concerning things surrounding herself under the rug thinks its just nerves and trauma but like no girl! ur cursed! and things go crazy when she finds her fangs and robin, who touches her shoulder in concern with her heavy silver rings (that have been kinda bothering her since she got back from the upside down ngl) and it burns like holy shit. shit goes haywire when they go “okay but maybe later” and then vecna happens and nancy, who isn’t dumb, who’s noticed that all of this got even worse when they went into the upside down again, and suddenly her mouth starts watering when she looks at the pulsepoint and robin’s throat and FUCK she’s a vampire oh god damnit

okay now robin bc gfs who r cursed together stick together!! as someone who’s only experience with the upside down had been the russians weird experiment, shit really hits the fan when she goes through watergate and suddenly everything is super weird and she hates it tbh. i hc both robin and nancy as autistic so this is sensory nightmare for both of them bc holy shit robin can smell and hear everything and it freaks her out! robin, who doesn’t shove anything weird happening to her down until she explodes immediately starts talking about how weird she feels bc what if she has rabies or smth and actually snaps at steve when he tries to interrupt her and she’s like “oh my god why did i do that”. also her rings have been bothering her ever since they got back, all irritated and almost burning, and she wishes she just bit it and took them off earlier because holy shit she burned nancy and it scared her BAD because before this nancy had been sorta fearless so now nancy is kinda crumbling and she cries out in actual pain and robin is kinda floored?? and freaking out bc she wants to make it better but she doesn’t know how- the first thing she does it toss her rings across the room because obviously smth is wrong with them! this is way strange and they find out robin has fangs too but she actually doesn’t turn into a wolf until after vecna’s initial “defeat” since she only fully turns on the full moon. when that happens though everyone is like “what the fuck” especially because steve does it at the same time!! and they’re all like!! what the fuck!! they kind of suspected that’s what happened with robin before she ever turned but they sorta thought what she was going through would be it, they didn’t think she’d actually turn!! and then run away!! and then get lost in the woods!! that is a long night for everyone involved. also fun fact the iconic boost actually switches to robin straight up picking up nancy by her hips and LIFTING HER UP TO THE PORTAL to which nancy is like “oh my god this can not be fr” bc she’s STRUGGLING and blushing like crazy (and it looks kinda crazy bc now her blood is like turning BRIGHT RED)

okay eddie time so im abusing the fact that eddie stayed back in the trailer as “holy fucking shit why does the sun make me want to keel over and die now” on top of yknow being wanted nbd. he notices he’s way stronger and everything is more intense and when robin mentions feeling weird he’s kinda like “oh wait me too” and its like “huh” but in this au eddie survives the attack because like nancy, he puts two and two together but not bc he’s as smart as her but bc he’s kinda obsessed with vampires, and he TURNS INTO A FUCKING BAT and camos and everyone thinks he’s dead for like a week before he comes back and is like “.... surprise....” he then gets almost murdered by everyone bc wtf. (also poor dustin thinking the bats ate eddie is making me laugh rn). despite the shitty thing with the sun eddie likes being even weirder and also like super strong and cool like a dnd character and this is kinda fun (the blood part isn’t awesome tho bc in my mind he has sorta subpar control and everyone is lucky steve heals fast bc...)

steve time steve time so funnily enough steve just thinks he’s really worried about everyone and i think his very wild and new instincts are the reason he has the audacity to give nancy that six lil nuggets speech in this au if i decide that still happens bc being entirely real with u steve stans that scene WAS in character u just don’t want to admit it but ANYWAYS he’s basically freaking out the entire time trying to protect his little siblings and his closest friends and he basically forgets to worry about the fact that his dna is literally changing lol! no one suspects that anything really happened to steve until he actually shifted into a wolf bc he’s been so stressed that he doesn’t even notice. this makes the first change back way harder on him though bc she’s like “oh my god what the fuck you guys” and robin was like “damn i was hoping that wouldnt happen but ok”.

that first night of the change is so stressful bc robin is running so god damn fast and tiny nancy is like trying to pounce on her to keep her still (because she’s realized her own strength at this point) and wolf robin is like “ok so we’re racing now okay” and makes it even harder! they end up getting lost for 2 days afterwards fun fact and this is before nance feels comfortable feeding on anyone so the extended period before being able to find a solution is no good. steve is the one that finds them when eddie is freaking out abt how there’s no way they’re gonna find them and steve is like “wdym??? they’re that way” and eddie like “OH MY GOD YOU CAN SMELL THEM” and they get found.

after this steve is more aware of how different things are and on one hand he’s grateful for the buffs but on the other hand oh my god this is so messed up oh my god

also eddie and nancy caring for their partners respectively after the first change and they feel like (no pun intended) dog shit is smth that can be so personal <3

robin at some point is like “holy shit i’d rather have rabies” and nancy’s like “no you wouldn’t” in this super soft gay ass voice as robin is like “yeah ur right” THEYRE SO TENDER okay i gotta stop

#stranger things #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #ronance #eddie munson #steve harrington #steddie #vampire!nancy #werewolf!robin #vampire!eddie #werewolf!steve #mythical moment au #the fruity four

[dxcinhx]

dropping some thoughts about vida here

i started watching this show for melissa barrera and i absolutely enjoyed it and have rewatched some episodes bc it's very entertaining

s3 felt kind of different, it was almost like the sisters switched roles at some points

i might be reading too much into it, but in the first few eps as emma and nico's relationship was going well i would look at emma's face and be like she's happy but she's still waiting for the other shoe to drop, and of course it did. and i was so sad to see her clam up again and fall back into her whole "vulnerability = weakness" thing. for a few episodes she just looked so dead inside like she was seriously depressed and triggered with everything going on, like nico's secret wife and her awful dad making himself known

i love lyn so much but i need her to be single. i'm so glad she finally realized where her true priorities lie and that she needs to work on turning into a chameleon with the men in her life but i just hate that it happened in the last like 20 minutes of the series finale

side note but i was not expecting lyn to get so into religion for a hot minute. i mean i understand that it was her yet again molding herself to the people in her life, so i think she snapped out of it once her father showed his true colors but still like it was so jarring. god the man gave me such awful vibes and the last scene of him and emma after she confronted him was legitimately hard to watch

the sisters spent so much time apart and on different pages this season it made me sad :( i completely understand why but i do miss the moments in the first episode or in earlier seasons when they were sisterly and messing with each other

i love that mari had some more time this season to build herself up a little more and yes this is cruel to say but her dad dying is a blessing ! now she can finally look after herself and find people who appreciate what she does. honestly that man pretty much killed himself after he kicked out the only child who actually took care of him. ladies ask not what u can do for machismo but what machismo can do for u

speaking of this family i can't STAND johnny oh my GOD get off my screen and get away from the women in ur life all u do is hurt them

god i wish this new generation of shows had longer seasons. a 6 episode season is nowhere near enough to develop the characters and storylines better (even tho this season the episodes weren't all 30 min like s1 and s2). i was like holy shit things are happening so fast it's one terrible thing after the other but of course they are, they only have like 5 hours to tell the story!!

i'm really fond of this show and how witty it is, its integration of mexican and american and mexican-american cultures, the spanglish, the butch rep!! everything

actually one of my favorite moments this season was when lyn was talking to that european dude at her bf's mom's bday party (fuck her bf and his mom by the way holy shit he was such a weirdo) and she was talking about how difficult it is to be perceived as mexican by gringos while still not being mexican enough for mexicans. when she said she couldn't even hold a conversation in english or spanish i was like u read my mind. i'm literally incoherent. anyway it really resonated with me as an immigrant and i think it's such an important conversation to have!!

anyway emma and lyn repaired their relationship and their bigoted father is rotting in hell and they keep the bar and eddy's back too and everything is going better than ever, they told me so themselves <3

#honestly i relate so much to emma #emotionally constipated gay older sister of a latino family with mommy issues? #present #vida