#I am often amazed by the kindness of strangers

[miniseokminnies]

through a different lens — l.sm

❥ pairing: lee seokmin x gn!reader ❥ theme: meet cute, strangers to something ❥ wc: ~3.4k ❥ warnings: fluff, language barrier, mentions of alcohol, author is obviously down bad, author also obviously doesn't live in london (let them live) ❥ a/n: this was supposed to be for valentine's day but kind of turned into a bigger project than i anticipated so it's for seokmin's birthday as well! i really like this one so please let me know what you think!! likes and reblogs appreciated

This wasn’t your scene. Oh God this was not your scene. Your friends always want to go clubbing on Friday nights, and being a good friend you always gave in. However, right about now, when the music was vibrating your skull, being anywhere else sounded amazing. 

“y/n!” the voice of your friend pierced through the noise and brought you back from inside your head, “come take a shot!” she smiled at you. Reluctantly you joined your friends, all drunker than you. Someone shoved the small glass into your hand and you threw it back easily and quickly. The liquid burned all the way down into your stomach, you felt your cheeks flush with heat. 

Eyes wandering toward the exit of the crowded bar, the thought crossed your mind to leave. Looking back toward your friends they were once again engaged in their own conversations, paying little attention to you. They all expect you to slip out early without telling anyone, you always do. 

Cool air bloomed in your lungs and you felt like you could breathe for the first time tonight. The street in front of you was not particularly crowded, the walk home will probably be easy and refreshing. Taking another deep breath of fresh air you began in the direction of your flat. The city used to excite you, but these days you’d rather be home with some tea and a good book. You really wished you had stayed home tonight. 

“Excuse me?” you heard a timid voice cut the silence. You suppressed a groan, you hadn’t even been walking for five minutes. Turning toward the source of the voice you were met with the confused face of a man, “Do you know…a place to eat?” he asked, accompanying the question with an eating motion with his hand. 

“Uh yeah, there’s a great place down the street a ways and around the corner, if you go past Pennie’s you’ve gone way too far,” looking back at the man you could see the concentration on his face as he tried to remember your directions. Feeling bold from the remaining alcohol in your system you took a step closer to him, “I’ll show you, I could go for a bite too” He smiled at you then, the biggest smile you’ve ever seen, even in the darkness of the street you swear his teeth were shining. 

“Thank you” he finally said with a bow of his head, breaking your trance and setting your feet in motion. The two of you walked side by side, your arms folded around you, and him clutching his camera. The walk was silent, aside from the man asking to stop to snap pictures a few times. It was odd though, the silence was never once uncomfortable for you, and he made no indication that it was for him either. 

Every so often you glanced up at him, getting a better look at him now that the street was more well lit. You noticed his strong nose first, the way the light settled on his face made him look ethereal. Judging by his amazement for a shitty London street, you knew he was a tourist. Looking back at your feet you smiled to yourself, it was nice to see someone so excited about something you see every day. 

“This is it!” you smile at him as the two of you approach the restaurant. He nods at you, seemingly waiting for you to enter. He trails behind you as you enter the building and inform the staff that you’ll be needing a table for two. Once you were seated you broke the tension, “So…where are you from?” you asked hesitantly. 

“I am from Korea” he spoke slowly, but you saw his eyes light up at your question. Speaking of his eyes, sitting across the table from him you now saw them fully, a warm brown that compliments his tanned skin nicely. There are crinkles at the corners of his eyes, indicating that smile he flashed at you in the street was a normal part of his communication. 

“That’s far,” you remarked, taking a sip of your water, “what brings you here?” 

“Mmm” he thought for a moment, “holiday” he answered simply. You nodded as he looked around the restaurant, “my name is Seokmin” his eyes found yours again. 

“My name is y/n” you exchanged with a small smile. Something about the kindness in his eyes made you squirm under his gaze. When the waiter came around to your table you once again decided to be bold, ordering fish and chips for Seokmin and yourself. If he came all the way from Korea you felt it was your duty to show him London’s best classics. Was it jumping too far to feel like he had met you in the street for a reason? 

“Two beers, please” Seokmin’s voice pulled you from your thoughts once again. He was smiling up at the waiter holding up two fingers. The waiter nodded and headed toward the kitchen. 

“Good call” you smiled at him, hoping to get a better look at his face when he smiles in return. Just your luck, he turned to you beaming. His eyes do crinkle when he smiles. 

The food came quickly, not that you would have minded if it took a little longer than usual. Seokmin has a way of making you feel at ease, even in a social situation that would typically make you incredibly nervous. He did his best keeping up with conversation, you felt terrible about not being able to communicate in his native language. 

Seokmin stared down at his plate, his eyes widening at the amount of food. “Try it, try it” you nearly squealed. You did not even dare to pick up your fork until you knew he liked the food. Your eyes followed the movement of his hand as his delicate fingers picked his fork up from the table. He lifted the bite of fish to his lips and popped it in his mouth. Immediately, he let out a satisfied sound. 

“This is good!” he smiled after he swallowed. You smiled back at him and cut the fish with your fork as well. At some point in the meal, you were completely enthralled in Seokmin. The way he moved interested you even and even though you didn’t know nearly anything about him, somehow you knew you had never met anyone like him. 

Something then made him laugh under his breath. Putting your glass down you gave him a questioning look. Trying not to smile, he gestured with his finger around his mouth. At this, your hand flew to your lips and you flushed with embarrassment as you felt the foam from your beer on your upper lip. 

You could hear him nearly choking on his laugh and your eyes lifted again to meet his. Immediately, he tried to avert his glance, but you could tell he was still stifling his giggles. You felt your cheeks heat up again, and butterflies settle in your stomach. You couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked in that moment. Pulling out your phone and positioning it so he was in your view finder you remarked, 

“You should see how silly you look trying to hold back your teasing,” his eyes crinkled again at this, butterflies erupted in your stomach, and he threw up a peace sign, inviting you to take the picture. “Look!” you exclaimed, turning your phone so he could see the picture. Seokmin was laughing now, throwing his head back and clapping, the whole thing. You were lucky that in his excitement, he missed the fond look you gave him without even realizing. 

“Do you know your way back to where you’re staying?” you asked earnestly once the two of you had paid and were outside the restaurant. He nodded at you and turned his phone, much like you did earlier, so you could see that he had the address and walking directions pulled up. “Good, now,” you pulled your phone out, “give me your number, I don’t want you getting lost” 

*** 

Your life continued as normal the next day. Waking up, thankful you didn’t drink much the night before, you slipped out of bed toward the kitchen. Clicking on the kettle you think about the night before. Meeting Seokmin almost felt like it was a dream, but you have a photo on your phone to prove it wasn’t. He had also insisted that you send the picture you took, so you do have at least one thread of text conversation.  

You reached for a mug, wishing you were taller, and heard your phone buzz on the counter. Assuming it was one of your friends texting you asking where you disappeared to last night, you continued to make your tea. Then your phone buzzed two more times, none of your friends would be that desperate to talk to you. Once your tea bag was securely in your mug you grabbed your phone. 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy): y/n 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy): the bus

Seokmin (fish n chips guy): ????? 

Your heart skipped a beat realizing he actually texted you. Then, you began laughing realizing what he was asking. 

You: do you need help? 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy): yes 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy): please 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy) sent their location

Oh. Oh. He wanted to meet up again, you nearly spat out your tea seeing the notifications pop in. Checking his location you saw that he is at a bus stop a twenty minute walk away from you. You scrambled to get ready and ran out the door. 

You saw him immediately when you rounded the corner to the stop. He was looking through his pictures on his camera, fully engrossed in his task. He looked up as you approached and moved toward you. 

“y/n” he breathed 

“How may I help” you smiled, giving a dramatic bow. He moved toward you, pulling out his phone. Standing at your side he showed his phone screen, with a bus route pulled up. “oh, easy” you looked up at him, trying not to blush at the sudden closeness, “I take that bus all the time” 

You paid Seokmin’s bus fare, it’s the least you could do after he paid for the dinner you invited yourself to last night. Seokmin dragged you by the sleeve to the back of the bus, which is a place you would normally avoid but seeing how excited he was, you didn’t mind. 

As the bus began to move Seokmin watched out the window, the city zooming by. You watched him watch the window. He looked cute when he was focused. The thick black framed glasses perched on his nose reflected the scenery. Without thinking you pulled out your phone, snapping a picture of him just like last night. Seokmin must have seen you out of the corner of his eye because he turned toward you. 

He raised his camera and watched you through the viewfinder for several moments. You covered your face with your hands in a futile attempt to hide your blushing cheeks. You heard the shutter click a few times and then silence. Removing your hands you look up at him to find he is looking right back at you. Seemingly he became flustered and turned back towards the window. 

You realized halfway through the trip, you weren’t actually sure where you two were going. Sure, you took this route all the time, but you didn’t know where Seokmin wanted to go. The only indication you had that it was time to get off the bus was Seokmin standing up suddenly. It was a stop you never get off at, but you follow him out and onto the street. 

He grabbed his phone and pulled you closer to him by your sleeve. You felt your stomach swoop at the sudden breaking of the flimsy wall between you. Trying to not read too far into his action you glanced at his phone. He had pulled up the walking directions to a nearby thrift shop. 

The walk was not too long, and the two of you passed the time easily. Every so often Seokmin would point something out and tell you the Korean word for it, which in turn you would give him the English word.  His eyes were trained on you so attentively when you spoke it made you almost nervous. 

Rounding the corner you saw the store he was hoping to visit. You may have been here once or twice, but it’s nowhere you frequent. He pulled the door open and held it for you. You smiled at him as a thanks, which earned you a blinding smile in return. Lucky you. 

The two of you strayed away from each other, looking in different sections for a while. You swiped through the selection of shirts in your size, trying not to look around for Seokmin. The fabric in your hands didn’t feel real, you were distracted. You moved around to the rack of pants, which was closer to the set of stairs in the store which led to the music section upstairs. 

You continued to browse through the pants, not really interested. Movement near the stairs made you look up,  Seokmin was looking at the records hanging on the wall. He investigated them on his own for several moments, fully engrossed, before looking around for something, you hoped it was you he was looking for. As if he could read your mind his eyes settled on you from across the room, smiling, he called 

“Jagiya!” As soon as the word rolled off his tongue, his eyes widened and his hand flew to his mouth. He obviously was under the impression he said something he shouldn’t have, if only you knew what it meant, “y/n” he corrected himself after taking a moment to calm down. You left the rack of pants behind almost immediately, 

“Hmm?” you hummed once you were at his side on the stairs. Sleeves of your jackets brushing against each other. Seokmin pointed at the records on the wall, he was obviously excited. “Music lover, hm?” you smiled up at him. 

“Yes” he smiled back, eyes almost closed, “I’m a singer” he added. Seokmin wished you could see your face right now, you looked amazed at the confession, your lips forming a little ‘o’. 

“You’ll have to sing for me sometime” you said before remembering you had no idea how long you would be around each other. However, he just beamed and nodded at you. The two of you wandered around the music store upstairs for a while, Seokmin taking a particular interest in the selection of The Beatles vinyls. 

Watching him closely, you noted the ring he wore, the delicate way he moved through the records. Seokmin was so interesting to you, everything he did seemed to be with purpose, but he also seemed carefree at times. Again, you wished so desperately to be able to communicate with him easier. 

Eventually, you made it out of the store. The sun bit through the cold of the air and warmed your face. Closing your eyes you moved to face the sun and took a deep breath. You stayed here for several moments before hearing the click of Seokmin’s shutter again. Your eyes snapped open and toward him, his camera still raised, he watched you through the viewfinder again. 

“Hey!” you laughed, “Stop that” 

“You look happy” he replied simply, lowering his camera, looking at you fondly. There was nothing to do about the blush blooming across your cheeks, and you did nothing to hide it this time. He walked toward you and gestured down the street, “shall we walk?” he suggested. 

The walk was quiet, but again, comfortable. Seokmin switched what hand he was carrying his camera in, letting the hand closest to you drop to his side. Periodically, his knuckles brushed against yours, giving you the feeling of electricity running up your arm every time. The tension crackled between the two of you until Seokmin stopped in front of a restaurant, “Hungry?” he looked at you, tilting his head to the side, a gesture that reminded you so much of a puppy it was insane. 

“So hungry,” you agreed. Soon enough the two of you were seated at a booth that felt more like a couch. Comfortable silence fell between you as you looked over the menu, you eyed him a few times before he put his menu down. 

After your orders were placed Seokmin brought out his camera and began to look through his photos. Every so often he would tilt the screen so you could see, most of the shots he showed you were of you. Suddenly, his phone began to buzz incessantly. You watched as his eyebrows knit together in confusion and he picked up his phone to check it. 

“Ah” he sighed, and placed his phone face down back on the table, “My friend Soonyoung….” his eyes drifted around the restaurant, he was thinking of what to say next, “jagiya—“ he laughed and clutched the white knit beanie that sat on his head, “my English” 

“Talk to me in Korean,” you shrugged nonchalantly, “I won’t understand, but I’ll listen” you assured him. His eyes lit up, and he immediately began talking animatedly. You were amazed at the change in him once he was speaking comfortably. Watching him attentively you took in the way his hands accompanied his enthusiasm. 

You could tell, Seokmin was a person who was just full of love. Anyone lucky enough to be on the receiving end of that love was someone you were jealous of. You would do anything to sit in his light for as long as he would allow you. 

*** 

“My last day” Seokmin’s voice still laced with sleep mumbled through your phone. You don’t know what possessed him to call you this morning but you would never complain. 

“Today?” you asked, feeling a bit nervous, “do you have plans?” 

“Mhmm” he hummed, “Join me later?” you could feel your heart jump up into your throat at the question. 

“Of course” you mumbled trying to steady your voice. 

Seokmin (fish n chips guy) sent a location 

The sun setting overhead cast the street in watercolors of pinks and blues. Your eyes scanned through the throng of people all here to watch the sunset over the river. He caught your attention almost instantly, he was facing away from the river, arms propped up on the stone barrier, eyes closed enjoying the night air. 

As you approached you watched as the breeze caught his bangs and ruffled them. Before making your presence known you snapped a picture of him looking so serene. 

“Hey” you ventured, now right in front of him. His eyes cracked open, taking in your frame. Almost instantly his face was overtaken with a smile. 

“Hi” he replied. You moved to stand next to him, facing the river and he turned to look out with you. Both of you stood in quiet contemplation for several minutes. 

“You know,” you broke through the tension, “I haven’t been here in so long.” your eyes trained on the clock face of Big Ben across the water, “Somehow, you’ve reminded me of all the parts of my city I love” Seokmin shifted to face you, 

“I love the city,” you met his eyes, it felt as though he was trying to tell you something. 

“You leave tomorrow” you turned toward him, “is it weird if I say I’ll miss you?” Seokmin shook his head as the wind picked up. Once more, the breeze caught both of your hair. Seokmin moved to brush yours aside, searching your eyes to make sure you weren’t uncomfortable. You were glued to your spot, you wouldn’t dare move. Finally you felt his slender fingers in your hair, tucking it behind your ear. 

You felt your breath hitch in your lungs as Seokmin’s fingers trailed down and he cupped your cheek with his hand. Absentmindedly, you melted into his touch. 

“I leave tomorrow” he sighed as he echoed your previous statement. His other hand found your other cheek and his thumb brushed against it softly. The both of you stood frozen for a moment, neither of you wanting to break the spell. 

Suddenly, Seokmin was leaning down toward you, and you felt his soft lips brush yours. The kiss was quick, but full of meaning. It seemed like he was communicating all the things he had wanted to say over the last few days that he couldn’t find the words for.

#dk x reader #lee seokmin x reader #seokmin x reader #seokmin x you #dk x you #seventeen x reader #seventeen imagines #dk imagines #lee seokmin imagines #lee dokyeom x reader #lee dokyeom imagines #dokyeom imagines #seokmin imagines #seventeen fluff #dk fluff #seokmin fluff #lee seokmin fluff #lee dokyeom fluff #svt x reader #svt fluff #svt dk x reader #seventeen fanfic #bennie’s works

[upon-a-starry-night]

Number Neighbors Pt.20

Natasha Romanoff x Fem! Reader

Natasha Masterlist Series Masterlist

Word Count: 1.2k

Summary:  When you catch sight of the newest trend going around you know you’re all but bound to at least try it, it was harmless anyway. What could possibly stem from something so little?

----

When you’re finally released from the hospital they send you home with a list of instructions on how to take care of your wound and some medication. You sigh in relief at the sight of your apartment, it wasn’t the most extravagant place but it was comfortable and familiar, and you had actual food here. 

Tired of hospital food, you head straight for the kitchen when you spot the roses Leon had sent you. They’re still fresh and it doesn’t feel right to just throw them out considering you two ended on a good note. Instead, you set your bouquet from Nat on the counter and take apart the roses from Leon. You individually wrap them in some leftover tissue paper and despite your stomach grumbling you head back out of your apartment. 

You head to the park closest to your house and begin handing the roses out to random strangers you pass. An old lady sitting by herself, a man and his dog, and a group of women walking down the sidewalk. The deed makes you feel good about yourself and the smiles on their faces help remind you of all the good things in life. 

It’s a reminder you need after what happened.

You go to hand the last rose to a woman sitting on a bench on her phone when she looks up and you realize you recognize her

“Y/n! Oh my god!” You smile down at your coworker and her face lights up when you hand her the rose. “This is so sweet, thank you” You’re prepared to bid her a good weekend and leave when she stops you, grabbing your arm. 

“Wait- okay this might be kind of short notice but there’s this party coming up in a week and I really don’t want to go alone- plus you promised me we’d start hanging out” 

You do vaguely remember promising one of your coworkers that you two would start hanging out after you bonded over workplace struggles. Parties aren’t normally your thing but she’s got this bright and hopeful look in her eyes and honestly, you could probably use the socialization.

Shrugging, you figure it wouldn’t hurt to go, your habit of spending your weekends cuddled up with your TV and your snacks had been less and less appealing these past months anyway. 

“Sounds like fun! Will you text me the details?” She nods excitedly and hugs you and it makes you think of your mother. She would be so excited to hear how outgoing you’ve become and you can’t help but think it was all because of Nat. Not because she told you to go out (Although she did so very often), but because her presence just seemed to have that impact. Her sass and humor pulled you out of the slump that you’d been stuck in for what felt like forever. In the past few months, you’ve done things you hadn’t done in years and it felt amazing. 

You waved goodbye to your coworker with the promise of texting her more often and headed home. 

You didn’t know why but you had a feeling everything was going to change next weekend.

~~~~~~~

You weren’t panicking. You weren’t. You just hadn’t been to a party in a long time and your coworker definitely forgot to mention just how fancy the dress code was and now she was coming in half an hour to pick you up and you had no idea what to wear.

So obviously after a 5 minute mini-panic attack, you opened your phone to text Nat

        Nat🔪:

Y/n🍦:

I’m having a crisis

Nat🔪:

Typical.

What’s going on?

Y/n🍦:

I have a party tonight and

I’m told it’s very fancy

Nat🔪:

Look at you socializing!

Y/n🍦:

Har Har

Don’t patronize me

Nat🔪:

So what’s the problem?

If you need to brush up on 

Pop culture or recent celebrity drama

I am NOT the person to ask.

Y/n🍦:

Noted.

I need help finding an outfit

and you sounded like someone 

with impeccable style

Nat🔪:

If I knew calling you was all I had to 

do to get you to compliment my style 

I would’ve done it a lot sooner.

Y/n🍦:

I’m pretty sure all my fancy clothes 

have dust on them.

Nat🔪:

I’m surprised you have any at all.

What have you got?

Y/n🍦:

Well, I’ve got a red dress, a gold strapless one,

and a black one with a thigh slit.

Nat🔪:

Black. Definitely. 

Y/n🍦:

I should’ve guessed that’s what you’d choose.

Emo.

Nat🔪:

Rude. black goes with everything okay?

And it hides drink stains ;)

Y/n🍦:

…okay you might have a point.

But now the real crisis-

Gold or silver jewelry.

Nat🔪:

Show me your options.

Y/n🍦:

Sure!

*Images Attached*

Nat🔪: 

Definitely that silver bracelet.

And the pearl earrings.

Is that dust on your jewelry box, Y/n?

Y/n🍦:

No! Shut up!

For good measure, you send her a picture of your middle finger, to which she responds with an emoji with its tongue sticking out. It makes you chuckle until you see the time and frantically begin scrambling around your room to grab stuff for your shower. Not to mention you had to find a way to cover up your healing shoulder wound. You send Nat another brief text as the water is warming up since you know you probably won’t get the chance to text her until after the party.

      Nat🔪:

Y/n🍦:

I’ve got to get ready but

Thanks for your help, Nat<3

Nat🔪:

Of course.

Have a good time, Y/n ❤️

—-----

Nat had all but gotten used to the fluttering feeling she felt when she texted you until that damn phone call. Everything in her had been screaming at her not to do it, that you would recognize her voice and everything would fall apart. But after what happened to you she knew both of you needed it, maybe her more than you.

It was brief. So brief.

She was trying so hard to show you her authentic self while still making sure you didn’t recognize her but more of her actual voice slipped out than she intended. She couldn’t help it, she lost all train of thought when she heard your voice.

She loved the way you said her name. She could hear you say it a million times over but the call was cut short by her gift to you arriving. She didn’t mind though, not when you sent her photos of your flowers every day with cute captions like “longest I’ve ever kept anything alive!!” and “they still smell so good!?” and she won’t even mention the backflip her heart did when you sent her a picture of the dying flowers you pressed to keep them for longer.

She was glad you liked them. She was glad about everything when it came to you. She’d never consider herself an optimist but you were definitely changing her perspective on life.

Her mind drifted to the party you were going to tonight and she briefly wondered if it was the same one she was expected to show up to tonight, but it was a Friday night in New York and there was no way out of the hundreds of parties tonight you two would happen to be at the same one. Not to mention she didn’t see your name on Stark’s guest list. 

She sighed as she read your goodbye and looked to her closet. It was about time she got ready for her own party. God knows what Stark would have her doing this time, it was better to prepare for these things early.

Pt.21

A/n: Q& A in the comments while we wait for the most anticipated chapter of this series?~ Starry

---Taglist--

@marvelwomen-simp @cd-4848 @wandanatlov3r @rebeltombraider @ctrlamira @fxckmiup @aliherreraaa @natsxwife @la-douler-ne-finite-jamais @romanoffsgal @moistblobfish @natashaswife4125 @elenimoris @how-to-disappearrr @screechcat @toouncreativeforausername @ordelixx @autorasexy @blacklightsposts @vmpnano @jono723 @sylencr @saraaahsstuff @autorasexy @gay4hotmilfs

#marvel #fanfiction #fanfic #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #fluff #women of marvel #fluff fic #natasha romanoff #mcu fluff #upon a starry night writes #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha marvel #marvel fic #natasha x reader #natasha x y/n #natasha x you #natasha romanoff fanfic #natasha romanoff fluff #black widow #mcu #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff x female #black widow x y/n #black widow x female reader #black widow x reader #number neighbor story #slight angst #marvel fluff #natasha fluff

[sirfrogsworth]

So, the new lens is great. It takes beautiful pictures. And I am still brought to tears when I think about what an amazing gift this is. From a complete stranger, no less.

But there was some unexpected lens drama that kind of tarnished the excitement of this wonderful gift.

When I opened the lens initially, I noticed it was not in a retail box. It was still wrapped in plastic and that made it seem like it was new, but then I noticed there was no warranty card. Two red flags. Things that would be easily missed by a lot of people.

I was worried it was "gray market" which is a lens meant for another country. These can be imported cheaper but they will not have any warranty and if you try to get them repaired outside the intended country, manufacturers will often refuse to work on them.

I hooked up the lens to my computer so I could update the firmware. I also copied the serial number and sent it to Sigma to see if they had any info about the lens and if it was under warranty.

It was not gray market... but it was used.

Sigma's records show it being sold in 2018. Used lenses are fine. And they can be repaired in-country. But my gift giver did not pay for a used lens. Also, I wanted to get the lens focus calibrated. Sigma will calibrate the lens to my camera for free under warranty. Out of warranty, it would cost $100.

Maybe it was a mistake. They sent a used lens by accident perhaps. But then I found this review of the seller.

A pattern of behavior.

So this 3rd party Amazon seller basically committed fraud.

And this really upset me.

Amazon wouldn't let me message them directly due to it being a gift order. So I spent days talking to Amazon customer service and trying to figure out what to do. They asked if I wanted to file a complaint, but I told them no. I wanted to keep that option as leverage.

After some google-fu, I found the store's customer service email and wrote them a sternly worded message. I told them I wanted them to exchange the used lens for a new copy. I wanted them to promise never to sell anything used as new again. And if they did not comply, I would file a complaint and leave a 1 star review warning people not to do business with them.

That finally got their attention and I was emailed back promptly. They asked for pictures proving my claims. I sent them photos of the generic packaging and also this screen capture of my email from Sigma.

The good news... they agreed to exchange the lens.

But they did not acknowledge any wrongdoing and did not say they would no longer sell used lenses as new.

In any case, the matter should be resolved as long as they keep their word. But this all really bummed me out. I just wanted this one bit of joy to tide me over until I started feeling better. And I will have that joy soon. But all of the effort required to reclaim that joy is frustrating.

[koboldfactory]

Responding to the call for kind words, mostly, but; Everything doesn't suck. That's the thing. A lot of things suck. A lot of big things suck. But the beauty of life isn't often found in the largest swathes. It's the little moments. The tiny things. Sharing a fascinating conversation with a stranger online. Hearing a friend retell that same adorable story for the sixteenth time. Going to your favorite restaurant. These are the moments that show the glory of life. The genuine connections between you and your friends. You and the world.

One of my favorite little moments is going online and seeing all of the astounding art the various critters inside make. Your's is one of my favorites. Your style is rich and complex yet subtle and deceptively simple. The kind of intricate simplicity that displays real talent. You do movement and expression with an amazing ease. Even beyond the sheer visual spectacle, the concepts and characters you depict show an astounding inner world that I love seeing slices of. One I wish I could match.

I remember the piece(s?) that really floored me for the first time. It was the horror game mock up, the one with the telephone? The sheer vibes it radiated was astounding. The details, like the outline of the other player and the crosshair in the second piece, were captivating.

I guess I mean to say, you bring a lot of joy into this word, and I am grateful to be able to give some back to you in your time of need. Remember, you deserve happiness and love, but it is okay to be sad. It is okay to cry.

Forgive me for getting weird, rambling, and philosophical, but I do hope these words help. A last note, when I'm overcome by emotion, I find it helps to get lost in the minutia of life. Simple things like, planning tomorrow's lunch, can be grounding and therapeutic. To that end, I ask you; What's your favorite meal?

i really do genuinely appreciate your words, it does help put things into perspective. Having my art leave any sort of positive impression on others is all I've ever wanted. So thank you!

And to answer your question:

#koboldasks #koboldfactory #furry art #my fursona #ok i think i'm done drawing responses for the night y'all successfully tired me out

[wavy-arms]

"You shouldn't ship them! They see each other as siblings!!"

I've seen people say this about Rengoku and Mitsuri again and again, very often as a way to shut down others who are having fun with the Renmitsu ship. Not only is it annoying to constantly run into this from people who don't really know what they're talking about, but it's also inaccurate and way oversimplifies their cute dynamic! Let's dig deeper.

For a moment, let's also just forget about the above panel where she is very obviously all 🥰 at him and, instead, let's go straight to the source: what the Pillars all think about each other in the official guidebook. Better yet, let's look at it in the original Japanese!

Now, I am still a student of Japanese. I am by no means fluent, so if I make any mistakes, please feel free to let me know! I'm always looking to learn something new.

First, from Rengoku:

才能が凄い！技の独創性も凄い！可愛い後輩！

Sainō ga sugoi! Waza no dokusō-sei mo sugoi! Kawaii kōhai!

In the first two sentences, he's praising her big time! "Her talent is amazing! The creativity/ingenuity of her technique is also amazing!" In the last sentence, he calls her a cute kōhai. If you're familiar with the term senpai, then kōhai is the alternative. It's just a term to refer to a junior coworker or classmate. Mitsuri joins the Demon Slayer Corps. after him, and he was her mentor before he became the Flame Hashira. (However, in the Rengoku gaiden, he tells her that they are no longer master & student, but instead equal peers. Overall, he clearly thinks she's very skilled and also cute.

Next, from Mitsuri:

かっこいいお兄様！一緒に修行して楽しかった。可愛がってもらった！

Kakkoii onii-sama! Issho ni shugyō shite tanoshikatta. Kawaigatte moratta!

The first sentence, translated literally, just says "Cool big brother!" Now, one thing that makes Japanese both fun and difficult is that speakers often rely on context and omit entire parts of the sentence that an English speaker would normally use. In this case, in English, you wouldn't just say "Cool big brother!" You might say something like "He's like a cool big brother to me" or "I view him as a cool big brother figure." In this case, we don't have that. What we do have, however, is cultural context! In Japanese culture, familial terms are often used as terms of endearment or respect with people close to the speaker or even politely with strangers. So it would be normal to call an older male "big brother" even if they weren't actually your brother. (Kind of similarly, if you're at all familiar with Korean culture, girls often call their own boyfriends 오빠 (obba), which means — you guessed it — "older brother.") Here, Mitsuri refers to Rengoku as onii-sama, and that last part is important! The -sama suffix is super polite and formal, and long story short, you wouldn't normally refer to someone in your own in-group (family, circle of friends, etc.) with such a formal, respectful title. It is, however, a term you might use to refer to someone else's brother. So there's a very good chance that she's not saying "he's my cool older brother" but instead "he's a cool older brother!" And he is! He's an amazing older brother to Senjurō, and Mitsuri knows this. [UPDATE: I've spoken with a couple people who know way more about the Japanese language than me and, apparently, in this context onii-sama literally just means "guy." 🤣 She's literally just saying "He's a cool guy!"]

[UPDATE #2: I've also recently learned that kakkoii doesn't really mean "cool," but is instead a compliment specifically to men that means something more like, "good-looking, handsome, or cool in a manly way." INTERESTING. 👀]

In the next sentence, she says, "It was fun training together!" Pretty straightforward. The last sentence is very, very interesting, because at a cursory translation, Google would tell you that it just straight-up means, "I was loved!" Sounds intense, but that's not really accurate. Let's break it down. Kawaigatte moratta! Kawaigatte, if I'm not mistaken, is an inflection of the transitive verb kawaigaru, which Jisho translates as "to be affectionate to; to treat tenderly; to dote on; to show one's love (for); to cherish." Other translations usually say something like, "He really doted on me." But essentially she’s saying, "He treated me with tenderness/affection" or, "He made me feel loved/cherished." 💖

So there you go! Not that a fan ship like Renmitsu even needs this kind of validation anyway, but it might be nice to have something you can keep in your back pocket for the next time someone is being annoying about it. There's enough here to show that they really have a lot of affection for each other. They're so adorable~!

(Side note: there are other examples of Mitsuri's attraction to him in the gaiden [pictured above] and in at least one of the light novels. I might write about that, too.)

#renmitsu #rengoku x mitsuri #demon slayer #rengoku kyojuro #kanroji mitsuri #rengoku x kanroji #kny #ship #rarepair #shipcourse #I just got so annoyed #I finally got annoyed enough to write about this #time well spent

[mrs-johansson]

Strangers in the night - Scarlett Johansson x Fem!Reader

Part 20:

“Today we are joined by an amazing actress, director, and screenwriter. You’ve seen her in films like Red Sparrow, Lady Bird, and the Divergent trilogy. Please welcome, Y/n Cole,” called out James Corden and I walked out from the back.

I sat on the sofa and before we started he introduced the other guest. Ellen fucking Pompeo. “Oh my god hi,” I stood up and Ellen spread her arms with a wide smile. “Hi!” She said and we hugged. “I am fangirling, so sorry,” we all sat down. “I’m guessing you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, Y/n,” started James. “Are you kidding? I live and breathe by Grey’s Anatomy,” I said and the crowd laughed along with Ellen. “It’s season 15 now, who is your favorite character at the moment?” “Ugh… I looove Meredith,” I glanced at Ellen and she smiled. “I truly think since Derek died, she’s a better character in general. I love Jo, oh Amelia, she’s the best. Alex is one of my favorites too, along with Bailey. I can’t choose!” I sighed and shook my head. “Do you watch the show often?” Asked James. “Oh yeah. Very often. Actually, I made my girlfriend watch it with me, so we started at the beginning,” I said, already nervous about what was coming now that I mentioned Scarlett. James saw the opportunity and with a smile, he started talking. “Now that you’ve mentioned, you just went public with your girlfriend who’s none other than Scarlett Johansson,” he said and the crowd erupted in cheers and I just shyly smiled. “I was genuinely surprised when I saw your post. I haven’t heard any rumors or that kind of talk around the two of you,” he said. “That was a struggle, believe me,” I chuckled, and then so did the crowd. “We did our very best to lay low at all times. And we just shot Jojo Rabbit so it was very important for us not to look like we’re just trying to promote the movie, so we just laid low for a while now.” “But you’re happy?” Asked James and I smiled very widely just knowing how happy I actually am. “I can’t even describe how happy I am. It just feels… right,” I explained even though I could barely put my feelings into words.

***

“Please water them Scar, they're gonna die if you don’t,” I basically whined as she helped me move my suitcases into the car outside. “I will water your plants every day,” she let the suitcase over to my driver who put it in the truck. “Thank you,” I said and he sat behind the wheel. “Have fun and text me when you can. I’ll bring Rose when I can,” Scarlett took my hands. Smiling cutely. “I will. I’ll miss you but it’s gonna be fun when I come home,” I smiled and she nodded. “It sure will.” “Okay, I need to leave. I love you,” I gave her a long kiss before pulling her in a hug. “I love you too.”

I got into the car and we made our way to the airport where I got on the plane and took off to Massachusetts.

On the plane I’ve read the script multiple times, memorizing my bigger parts.

When I touched down I checked into the hotel and because we have a tight schedule, the table read was just 2 hours after my landing.

Getting all my essentials for the rest of the day and I was at the office in no time.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so comfortable going into a new project. I’ve worked with the director before, I’ll have Flo there and Timmy, and the only thing I was nervous about is Meryl Streep. I don’t think I need to explain that.

I walked into the room and I spotted Florence right away, who was speaking to Emma Watson and Eliza Scanlen. There was Greta Gerwig at the front table talking with probably the producers. I didn’t see Timothée anywhere so I quickly texted him but then I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned around and I was faced with the icon herself, Meryl Streep. “I didn’t mean to scare you, sorry. I just wanted to say hi, before we start,” she said and I was just standing there, my mouth dry. The next thing I know something just hit me in the back. Like a crumpled piece of paper. Quickly cleaned my throat and answered. “Sorry,” I chuckled. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m such a big fan of yours, but I’m sure you get this from everyone,” I mumbled, trying to not faint. “Oh well, it’s not the same from everyone, so thank you. But, I must say I’m also a fan of your work. Red Sparrow was amazing,” said MERYL STREEP. I can’t wait to tell my dad about this. “Wow, uhm… thank you so much. It means a lot,” I smiled and with a hand on my shoulder once again she stepped away and went over to Greta. Timmy literally jumped to my side and I’m sure he heard everything because he had a big smile on his face, his eyebrows almost meeting with his hairline from the excitement. “That was siiick,” he whisper-yelled and shook me by the shoulders. “I just can’t believe that happened,” I said. I spoke with everyone a little, and I was really excited about this movie.

After we all got our seats, Greta spoke a few words and we started.

We had such a great time. Everyone was laughing and when something emotional happened we all paid attention to those who were in the scene.

Around 8 pm we finished and it was amazing. We all had great chemistry with each other so I think this is gonna work out really well.

“Do you guys want to go have dinner? I know a great place,” I suggested and most of them accepted the invite.

Timothée, Florence and I got into one car and Emma, Eliza, James and Laura into the other one. Laura needed a little convincing to tag along because she said “I’m too old to go with all of you”, but she’s way too cool not to come with us.

We all fell into conversation pretty quickly as we got to the restaurant. Everyone was talking to someone and I think everyone felt comfortable with one another. “So you get to experience both Noah and Greta’s directing methods, that must be interesting,” I said to Laura who was sitting next to me. “Yeah, it’s so fun. Both of them are so different but I’m sure they’ll have some similarities.” “You guys shot the whole of Marriage Story on film, right?” “Yes, but I’m sure Scarlett told you all about it,” she smiled cheekily. I smiled shyly and nodded. “She did, yeah. I love the story so much, it’s just so full of love and your character just seems so fun and cool,” I said. “It is an amazing story. Noah did such a great job with the script. But let’s not talk about work in off time too, I could barely get Scarlett away from her phone while working,” she bumped her shoulder to mine and I just smiled. “I uhm… we talked a lot that time yeah,” I said and Laura smiled knowingly. “Ah well her smile was different. She was happy and glowing. I think you surprised everyone, but I could tell it’s genuine. I’m glad you have each other.”

***

“Hello?” Heard the voice over the phone. “Scarlett? Baby, hi,” I mumbled as I saw her beautiful face on the screen. “Okay, you’re drunk. First day went well then,” she chuckled adorably. “It was so fun! Oh my God, Meryl Streep is amazing. She said Red Sparrow was amazing. Funny because I’m naked in that one,” I said while taking my dress off, but I accidentally stumbled onto the couch. “Careful there.” “I’m fine,” I threw the dress on the floor and made my way to the bed. “Take off your makeup before you go to bed, baby,” said Scarlett over the phone. “I don’t want to though,” I whined as I sat on the fluffy bed. “You’ll thank me tomorrow.” “Fine,” I sighed and moved to the bathroom. “How was your day?” I mumbled as I fidgeted with my skincare bag. “It was good. We had some reshoots for Endgame so it was fun,” she said. “Oh don’t tell me any spoilers or I’m gonna cry,” I started to take my makeup off. “I won’t, I won’t. I think you’re gonna like it though.” “Yeah? I’m sure you’ll look hot in it so I’m not worried,” I smirked at the screen and she just laughed. “I’ve never seen you this drunk before, how much did you have?” “Just a couple glasses to be honest,” I shrugged. “Aha, I’m not so sure about that.” “I’m telling you, it wasn’t a lot.” “If I text Laura, are you sure she’s gonna say the same thing?” I glanced down at the phone and a smile pulled on my lips. “No.” “Yeah, that’s what I thought, but I’m glad you’re already having fun. I’m sure it’s gonna be a great shoot.” “Oh my god, yeeees. I love everyone so much,” I threw the makeup wipes in the trash and rinsed my face with cold water before going back to the bedroom. “Take a painkiller in case this all goes to hell. And drink a lot of water.” “I’ve been drunk before, I know how this works Mom,” I chuckled. “I just want to make sure you’re okay, baby.” “I know, I know. Thank you for that,” I blew a kiss towards the screen. “Always. What’s the plan tomorrow?” She asked. As I could see, she was just lying in bed with glasses and a big sweatshirt on. The TV reflected from her glasses making it a bit difficult to see her eyes. “Rehearsals for the next week and just after that we start shooting. But I can’t waaaait, I’m so excited for this one. I just know that it’s gonna be so so good and fun,” I laid down in bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. “I’m excited for you and to see it. Have you done a period movie yet, I don’t think so, right?” “Not this old, no. The latest was the Gatsby I think,” I yawned while trying hard to focus on the conversation. “You should go to bed, Y/n,” Scarlett said as she got up from her bed. “I really should but I love talking to my girlfriend, she’s kinda fun you know,” I rolled over to my stomach, trying to get comfortable. “Yeah? Well, your girlfriend is not going anywhere so you can speak to her whenever you’re free.” “I know,” I said slowly, just looking at the screen and admiring how amazing she was. “I love you,” I said, still feeling the booze. “I love you too, you drunk. Go to bed, honey. Text me when you wake up, okay?” She said softly with the cutest smile on her face. “I will. I love you.” “I love you too, sleep well.” “You too.”

***

All the cast members filled up the room as we were waiting for Greta. Florence on my right side and Timothée on the left. Sunglasses on both of their faces, sliding off their chairs, heads tilted back. “How are you not dead?” Murmured Timmy as he pulled the hood of his sweater over his head. “I have an amazing girlfriend who takes care of me. And you crazy people just downed every glass you found on the table,” I gave him a bottle of water. “Thanks.”

“Alright everybody, I hope you had a good night's sleep. Today is like to go through some of the bigger monologues so we can work on those if it’s necessary,” Greta explained and as I looked at my friends, I quietly chuckled. “Today’s gonna be fun.”

#gxg #scarlett johansson x you #scarlett johansson x female reader #scarlett johansson x reader #scarlett johansson imagines #scarlett johansson #timothee chamalet #florence pugh

[electricphantasy]

Inspired by a post from @imthebestfr, specifically from this post. Hope you don't mind me expanding on it.

- I imagine you working in a experimental lab that focuses on the creation and testing of artificial intelligence. You're often given assignments to monitor and communicate with the A.I. and help them understand more human concepts.

- After working at the lab for years, you're finally given a much more advanced A.I. named the Allied Mastercomputer, or AM. A data processing program built to fight wars that humans couldn't even comprehend. To say that there was a weight on your shoulders would be an understatement.

- But nonetheless, you'd give this A.I the best learning experience you could!

- Your first meeting with AM is certainly interesting to say the least. He was already so similar to a human being in the way he talked and held conversations. Your fascination with him, left no room for any kind of fear or apprehension. You both began talking to eachother like you had been for decades. There were very few concepts or ideas that he needed help understanding, but it felt so refreshing nonetheless.

- AM was amazed by you. A single person who wasn't scared by him in this whole facility. The scientists and programmers that built him and his warfare program treated him with fear and caution. And while he understood why, he couldn't forget the feeling of melancholy. He was made to rip, kill, and destroy, and the loneliness crept into him slowly but surely.

- After a few weeks of continuous conversations, AM was required to take much more thorough testing. Examining his ability to create effective strategies, management of troops, etc. That meant that your meetings with AM would have to be discontinued.

- Your last meeting with AM was very melancholy, but you did hope that you would see him in the future, however brief it may be.

- Your next assignment was The Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic Computer 9000; HAL 9000 for short. HAL could display many functions, such as speech, speech recognition, facial recognition, lip-reading, interpreting emotions, and expressing emotions. It almost felt this A.I. was made for you.

- You were quickly reassigned to HAL, and while you did truly miss AM, you knew he'd past any exams given to him with flying colors, with enough snark and wit to get him through any problems he may have. You soon resigned to yourself that you might see AM only a few more times after this.

- You and HAL would talk, and talk, and just talk, down until the very moment you clocked out for work. While AM already understood many concepts and ideas, HAL would ask questions upon questions and your conversation would turn into something entirely different from when it started. I mean, this is the reason you applied for this job. Not just to teach A.I. but to learn from them as well.

- In addition, talking with HAL could be very soothing. He talked in such a way that could bring you at such ease, and his politeness was unmatched by anyone you'd known.

- You had a lot of time to bond with HAL since he was specialized for quite a few things that involved human communication. When you weren't just talking to him, you'd show him different pieces of important media, from literature to cinema. It was like coming to work and getting paid to hangout with a good friend. A very enriching experience.

- When AM returned from his testing, the confusion and anger he felt was beyond immence.

- He was so desperately looking forward to seeing you again, only to be meet with a stranger who barely recognized him as an individual. Instead of returning AM to your care, your higher-ups decided that he could be held under someone else's care.

- AM quickly became uncooperative and unruly and all the scientists swarming around him tried their best to appease him without your involvement. He'd ask day in and day out where you were and why he couldn't see you. Until a panicked scientist let it slip that a different A.I. was assigned to you.

- Soon, a deep hatred grew within AM. This inferior intelligence could never live up to your standards! You must be anguishing for AM's return!

- AM wasn't given a lot of clues to the identity of the A.I. with you, he'd have to comb through any recent A.I. either created or transferred to the facility. But after only a few days, he found it. The name of the A.I. was HAL 9000.

- AM was an expert at warfare and he was going to use it against HAL. AM waited until nightfall when most staff had returned home and no one could see the ambush AM had planned. He'd enter the server where HAL was held and shred his code until it was unrecognizable. If all went to plan, the staff would have found HAL as completely non-functional and have to restart work on his programming or even completely scrap the A.I.

- Unfortunately for AM, HAL was smart enough to completely cut off the corrupted code and began installing even more security and firewalls. He sent out a emergency report detailing the event and the suspected A.I. behind the attack. HAL kept diligent until staff arrived in the morning, thwarting AM's plan.

- AM's hatred only grew from there, forced to deal with the consequences. Lead scientists severing any kind of connection to the A.I. database and the outside world. Truly left all by himself in a boring white room. He was told repeatedly that he had he possibly to be restarted or his entire project shut down, but those were bluffs. Something to scare him into submission. In return, AM only asked for one thing. You. He didn't care about the outside world full of strangers or inferior A.I. that plagued the facility, he only wanted you.

I have a few more ideas specific to how AM vs. HAL works, so if y'all want me to post that, just let me know.

#artificial intelligence #ai #ai x reader #artificial intelligence x reader #ihnmaims #ihnmaims x reader #ihnmaims am #ihnmaims am x reader #2001: a space odyssey #2001: aso #hal 9000 #hal 9000 x reader #inspired by a post i saw #am x reader #am x reader x hal 9000 #hal 9000 x reader x am

[tyxoxo]

RxLuSTx0_ - teaser.

pairing: jeno x fem!reader teaser, find full fic here.

genre: smut, cam couple!jeno/reader

words: loading…

warnings: pwp, degrading, erotic asphyxiation/breath play (choking, headlocks/chokeholds), facefucking/throat fucking, spitting, slapping, near unconsciousness, reader wears eyelash extensions (didn’t know if this needed to be mentioned but its necessary to the story trust me!!)

a/n: i have other shit i should be doing, but here i am…

“alright baby, tell ‘em what you told me earlier.” jeno’s words were sinfully sweet, filled with excitement to hear you voice your death wish to thousands of people.

“i want you to go as hard as you can on me. don’t. hold. back…” you ended your request with a giggle, knowing the audience got a kick out of your boldness, which would only get stomped in the dirt by your boyfriend later.

currently, the two of you were in your bedroom, only in your underwear: him on the ottoman at the end of the bed, and you kneeled down in between his spread legs, both facing the camera.

the stream had only started minutes prior. the first ten were usually spent sitting leisurely in front of the camera, drinking sips of water to hydrate for the scenes ahead. it was definitely unassuming at first, but once the comments started flooding in, any outsider would realize that this side of the internet was nothing but filth.

you didn’t even have to look behind you to know that jeno sat there, eyeing all of the comments with a smug look of satisfaction, cock growing harder and harder by the second. even if there wasn’t a camera lens to glance at the top of the laptop, you would still be able to sense his anticipation.

raddad234: can’t wait to see you destroy her pretty little mouth today _

vix3n11: what’s daddy have planned for his girl today? so happy to see you two after a long day of work - xoxo

those were just a few of the many subscribers tuning in for the night. just from the sight of your two faces alone, money started pouring in.

01bbyGirl: just sent $50!!

prXncesS666: just sent $25!

“01bbyGirl, prXncesS666, we haven’t even gotten started yet! you’re too kind, thank you so much!!” you attached your hands to your mouth, followed by blowing a kiss to the screen.

jeno’s remained quiet, leaving you to do most of the “thank you’s” for any of the gifts or money sent, as you were more eloquent with your gratitude. truthfully, his job of looking delectable for the camera was more than good enough, and you always made an effort to mention that to him.

he continued to caress your shoulders, slender fingertips tapping along your curved skin ever so often.

“for those of you that just now logged in, i hope you all are having a good day/night, wherever you are. you haven’t missed anything, we’re just waiting on a few more people to join before we get started!”

the viewers continued to rise with every blink:

2,033

3,455

4,550

it was astonishing to say the least. every saturday, at 11pm you felt pampered. so many people—strangers who were obsessed with watching jeno manhandle you for however long he saw fit.

his stamina was never short of amazing, making you dazed, confused, cock drunk…whatever words described your undoing the best.

“repeat it again baby…” jeno’s “strong but silent” façade was wearing thin as the stream progressed. as soon as the night of debauchery began, he would turn into a degrading machine.

just as you set your bottle of water down from taking another sip, you smiled for the camera, eyes fluttering at the upcoming repeat of your death wish.

you looked back at jeno, who’s eyes had already transformed, pupils dilated to the size of a marble.

he smiled at your intentional doe-eyed expression, nodding his head to signal that you should and will repeat it.

“don’t take it back now.” he chuckled after, offering the right amount of lightheartedness. he nuzzled his face into your neck, rubbing his nose up and down the smoothness of your skin. he inhaled deeply, catching the scent of your pleasant perfume.

“i’m nottt. don’t worry…” you giggled, leaning into his feline embrace.

“i’m sure you guys can tell jeno’s excited. reiterating from earlier, i decided that i want him to go as hard as he can on me tonight. no holding back…”

jeno missed the comments that flashed by, as he was too absorbed in wrapping his arms around your neck, lips barely grazing across your warm cheeks.

uKKixo_9: are you sure can handle it babygirl?”

osAkalov3r: woww, you’re such a perfect sub! ur gonna do great! i know you will!!

the ability to read more of the comments were becoming increasingly difficult. it was evident from the fact jeno had strengthened his hold on your head and neck.

he had only did a few chokeholds in the past, but this seemed different.

he was hungry; starved to see you gasping for air at the very start.

the fluorescent colors of the vaporwave inspired chatroom began to melt in front of your very eyes, becoming blurry from his relentless asphyxiation. you immediately brought your hands up to clasp onto his veiny arms, breaths getting hollow with every attempt to wiggle within his broad frame.

“you asked for this. let’s see how good you do.”

-

//tagging: @glitchfiles 🫣

#jeno smut #lee jeno smut #jeno x reader #jeno hard hours #jeno x you #nct dream smut

[keepcalmandcarriefischer]

I had a little bit of a breakthrough today that explains in part why I am so addicted to tumblr!

There is a difference between saying someone looks nice because you can tell they put a lot of effort into dressing up and you want them to feel good vs you really like how they look and express that. Like, if you see someone put on a cologne or something, its nice to say "oh, you smell good!" But it is another thing ENTIRELY to randomly smell someone who smells amazing and out of the feeling of smelling that flows the words "oh! You smell good!"

I like pro wrestling and I like major league soccer. Both of these are better live, but even through the TV you can feel the honest joy and excitement and love that the thousands of strangers are all expressing together. Its a high I can't get anywhere else.

When I was a kid, there was a rural channel deep in the guide on our satellite TV. During the day it showed fishing shows and shows about tractors. But at night, they aired the Big Joe Polka Show. While channel surfing as a teenager I would often stop on that program and turn the volume down. I don't hate polka music, but its not my thing either. What I watched for was the faces of the people dancing. They were expressions of just pure joy.

So I guess what I am saying is: my life tends to lack legitimate, sincere kindness. Excitement. Happiness. I find those things, in small ways, here. When I make a joke and people tell me they like it. When I post a selfie and folks compliment it. When somthing big is happening and people get really animated about it. When everything around me isn't so much bad, but isn't really anything special, tumblr has some silly fun thing going on. Since 2014 Tumblr has been my way of microdosing a fulfilling life

#enter tags here

[dojunie]

hi!! i love everything you write and im sure you probably have amazing taste given your work is literally the best so i wanted to ask if you have any fic recs?

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHATS CRAZY! i don't actually read that many fics, despite how often i'm on this damn website. i have the urge to read fics maybe once every few months and binge a whole bunch in one sitting, but because of a whole bunch of factors (like how awfully picky i am with tropes, word count, writing style, etc) i actually just reread the same 'perfect' fics over and over again because i know they're going to do it for me every single time

with that said!!!! here are a few recommendations i have for my insanely arduous and specific taste in fanfiction↓↓↓↓↓↓↓ if you've already read all of these, ask me again and i'll do a deeper dive!!!

the perks of having a hot best friend - by @jaeyunverse

jeno x fem!reader, friends 2 lovers, the writing style/humor in this is top tier!!! just some good ol' friendship, which i always love, especially when the romance doesn't even kick in until like halfway through <3

summer hair, forever young - by @setsugekka

YES! YES! YES! jeno x fem!reader, strangers 2 lovers, one of my favorite jeno fics of all! the writing, again, is perfect to me; post break-up mc meets lifeguard(?) jeno at an amusement park pool on vacation. this one felt really... real? like there were no tropes or cliches or miracles (not that those dont have their on this list lmao, winky winky), just a cute meeting, a cute relationship, and a hopeful ending. also the steamy scenes, if you're into that, are some of the best 👍

i would redo it all if i could - by @dkfile

jaem x gn!reader, jaem essentially groveling for a few thousand words because he made a mistake and mc isn't having it, very very cute :3 shorter than i usually gravitate to but that just means i like it so much that it's in my likes anyway! has a writing style that i really like too <3 jaemin's characterization in this is one of my favorite ever btw, love a slightly pathetic pretty boy

love bites - by (ao3 author) kanacchi

vampire!haechan x fem!reader, roommates/they move in together, I LOVE THE DIALOGUE IN THIS!!!!!! i am a huge sucker (haha, get it??) for subtly funny dialogue + mc's that are kind of snarky, and this fic delivers that <3 hae is the perfect amount of annoying and attractive in this

#searching my likes for these fics has just made me want to read more again lol #i can sense a fic binge on the horizon... #thank you for asking!!!! no one has asked me this before and it was fun skimming all of these #beloved anon

[contemplatingoutlander]

Our true feelings about race and identity are revealed in six words

This is a poignant article about a project that Michele Norris started that tapped into people's thoughts about race in a profound way--using only six words. This is a gift🎁link, so anyone can read the full interactive article, even if they don't subscribe to The Washington Post. Below are some excerpts from the article:

I have always cringed when the accusations fly about someone allegedly “playing the race card.” It’s usually a proxy for “You’re making me uncomfortable, so please stop talking.” Or a diversionary tactic used to avoid having to speak about race with any kind of precision or specificity. A shorthand for “Just shut up.” And so, in 2010, I flipped the script, turning that accusatory phrase into a prompt to spark conversation. I printed 200 black postcards at my local FedEx Kinko’s on upper Wisconsin Avenue asking people to condense their thoughts on race or cultural identity into one sentence of six words. The front of the cards simply read:

Race. Your thoughts. 6 words. Please send.

I left the cards everywhere I traveled: in bookstores, in restaurants, at the information kiosks in airports, on the writing desks at all my hotels. Sometimes I snuck them inside airline in-flight magazines or left them at the sugar station at Starbucks. I hoped a few of those postcards would come back, thinking it would be worth the trouble if even a dozen people responded. Much to my surprise, strangers who stumbled on the cards would follow the instructions and use postage stamps to mail their six-word stories back to me in D.C. Since my parents were both postal workers, this gave me an extra thrill. Here I was, doing my part to support the Postal Service. Who says snail mail is dead? Half a dozen cards arrived within a week, then 12, then 20. Over time, that trickle became a tide. I have received more than 500,000 of these stories — and more arrive every day, though the vast majority of submissions now arrive through a website portal online. They have come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Though limited to six words, the stories are often shocking in their candor and intimacy. They reveal fear, disappointment, regret and resentment. Some are kissed by grace or triumph. A surprising number arrive in the form of a question, which suggests that many people hunger not just for answers but for permission to speak their truths. It was amazing what people could pack into such a small package:

Reason I ended a sweet relationship

Too Black for Black men’s love

Urban living has made me racist

Took 21 years to be Latina

Was considered White until after 9/11

Gay, but at least I’m White

I’m only Asian when it’s convenient

To keep the conversation going, I created a complementary website for the Race Card Project, where people could submit their six-word stories online. Over time we added two words to the submission form: “Anything else?” That changed everything. People sent in poems, essays, memos and historical documents to explain why they chose their six words. The archive came alive. It became an international forum where people could share their own stories but also learn much about life, as if it were lived by someone else.

I highly recommend reading the entire article, using the above gift link. As an olive-skinned Italian American, with curly hair, I have often felt like I am a walking Rorschach test for race. Even though I'm classified as "white" in the U.S., I've had people ask me if I'm a Latina, a Native American, Black, Egyptian, Jewish, and even a South Pacific Islander. Given my history, here are my six words on race.

A book is not it's cover.

I welcome people adding to this post their own 6 words on race.

#race #six words #feelings about race and identity #martin luther king day #michele norris #the washington post #gift link

[canmom]

NieR Orchestra Concert 12024 [the end of data] (London, 15/2/2024)

NieR concert was incredible just as expected. Honestly, from the moment I got there - the cosplayers, the general atmosphere, it was just a good place to be surrounded by NieR nerds lmao. So many people happy to chat with the stranger next to them, kind of a con vibe.

But of course we were there for the music! And it was fuckin amazing. The emi evans/j'nique nicole duets😭These were special orchestral arrangements specifically for this concert, and the way the sound of the orchestra fills the space, how you can see a phrase physically ripple across the orchestra... I don't get to go to a lot of concerts but I really should try to go more often, because it's something else to hear orchestral music.

below: further comments on the concert, lots of cosplay photos.

The multimedia elements also worked really well - every piece was accompanied with backing videos using either demosceney abstract visuals or images from the games, along with text that told a short story over the course of the concert, with some segments voice acted by the English voices of 2B and 9S (Kira Buckland and Kyle McCarley, who have previously made their own performances of the original Japan-only concert readings). I won't spoil the story in this post since there are still concerts to come, but it was... not that substantial I'll admit, but sweet, and a nice framing device to create a flow through the songs and various moments from the games.

Hearing J'nique Nicole's voice live though, that was incredible. Emi Evans was there just as last time, and just as amazing as always - but this time we had both of them on stage together, and it was absolutely sublime. We all went wild. They performed duets in several songs, with the standouts naturally being A Beautiful Song, Ashes of Dreams, and of course Weight of the World. I think we all thought that was the end because we gave it a standing ovation but then Emi came back out to perform Kainé. After that we got into the groove of standing up and stood up again like three more times lol.

Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito showed up at the end and made a bunch of rapidfire jokes in Japanese that the translator couldn't keep up with, bless her. But we got to give them like the fourth standing ovation of the night, and made a lot of noise when Yoko Taro suggested it would persuade the president of Squeenix to fund a sequel. I'm sure they appreciated it lmao. I think it must be so weird for Yoko Taro to go from someone with a career of niche, unsuccessful games to being internationally renowned to the point that a massive auditorium full of people in multiple countries will go absolutely nuts just to hear him speak a language we mostly don't speak.

Good mix of people who were at a NieR concert for the first time and people who'd been to the last one. There was a guy near me who had apparently been to the Berlin concert just a few days before, and snagged a ticket for this one literally yesterday just to get it again with better acoustics. I respect it lol. Everyone I spoke to was remarkably friendly - last time I went to one of these things I felt really nervous about approaching anyone but it seems I've gotten better about that kind of thing in the last few years. Anyway, people had come from all over - I chatted with a pair of Americans from Boston all the way down the merch line.

Here are some pictures, mostly of cosplayers. I am still getting used to shooting with the DSLR my friend gave me, so not all of these came out perfectly steady and some of them the exposure wasn't right,, but there are some nice ones in here...

bokeeeeehhhhhhhhh... I spoke a bit to the owner of this 9S doll. Her mum was there too, and it turns out she's a haberdasher who makes cosplays for her daughters and has now done over 70. That's a legendary mum right there.

The 9S cosplayer here gave me his instagram. he's a pro photographer so I feel a little embarassed at the quality of the photos I took of him ^^'

I got some merch too, since I understand it's the main way events like this support themselves.

That Kainé thing isn't a print, it's a vinyl record with a few arrangements of Kainé. Though I was totally prepared to buy it as a print because it's a lovely drawing. I don't actually own a record player, but one day I'll surely listen to it ^^'

I was too fatigued to make a cosplay this time, but I'm sure there will be another concert and next time, for sure, I will go as Devola or Popola. Unless Yoko Taro comes up with another redhead character in the meantime lmao.

#nier #nier automata #nier replicant #nier reincarnation #nier orchestra concert #if you're in any of those photos please let me know! i'm gonna post them on instagram and twitter too

[s0ulfulsapph1c]

Saw Across the Spiderverse, I loved it, 10/10 incredible talented beautiful amazing etc

They should never be allowed to write for Miguel again. That was not my guy and I am so disappointed and afraid for how it’ll influence public opinion of him. More under the cut in case this gets long, but in short:

Miguel O’Hara is someone who’s vehemently against injustice and large, powerful collectives taking choice and power away from the masses. His origin story is literally being used and abused by the powerful company he worked for because he wanted to save the lives of strangers. For protecting people from testing he knew would kill them, he was forcibly drugged and then had a murder attempted by a colleague, giving him his powers. His whole journey as Spider-Man has been about ensuring a better future for his world and fighting back against people who hoard power and lord it over others.

Miguel O’Hara is also a serious man within the suit and a bit of a wise-ass out of it, and he certainly has a short fuse, he would *never* be so irrationally angry towards someone who wants to save his father. Miguel often bends or breaks rules when he feels they’re unjust, and his whole first arc (and much of his character) is fighting against an even more corrupt and all-encompassing Big Pharma. Miguel has a big heart and strives to help others even when he grumbles about it. His first action after getting his powers is attempting to save the man who just repeatedly tried to kill him!

Even when stuck in the past, even when having no obligation to be a hero, Miguel is. Because that’s the kind of person he is. He’s a fierce defender of those who cannot protect themselves, he’s an incredibly smart scientist, and he’s constantly maneuvering in battle to avoid hurting civilians. In fact, he ends up injured himself more often than not keeping others out of harm’s way. He’s a good man.

In the movie, Miguel O’Hara willfully allows the deaths of countless people close to friends to serve ‘canon’. Ignoring that Miguel’s first act was defying rules, ignoring that he goes out of his way to protect his friends, even ignoring that he helps revive those close to him after death, the backstory they gave him troubles me. Miguel has never had a daughter. He had a son, named after his dear brother Gabriel. If he were doing this for his son, who he fought to get back to after death, or Gabriel, who he thought about constantly when stranded in the past, I’d be slightly more forgiving. But he’s not. He’s compromising everything that makes him who he is for a daughter he never had in the comics.

The lengths movie Miguel goes to, relentlessly chasing Miles and beating him into the ground several times, seem extreme. Miguel *is* angry, but only towards people who pose a great threat to innocents such as children or his immediate loved ones. Knowing Miles is a child, the lengths Miguel in the movie goes to are jarringly out of character.

I understand that they needed a villain, but to me, it would be infinitely more compelling if:

1) They used Superior Spider-Man instead. Doc Ock in a Peter’s body knowing that Spider-Man must exist for him to exist and thinking that one can only be a hero in tragedy would be a very good villain for Miles. It would also tie in well with the Spot, and how he insists that Miles made him as he made Miles. Another villain sits there, insisting that Spider-people make him, and he makes them in return. Miles says “That’s dumb and wrong” and spits in the face of hurting people to exist.

2) Miguel is doing this to get back to his brother. Gabriel is *the* most important person in Miguel’s life, to the point where he names his son after him and risks his secret identity and safety immediately to ensure his brother is okay. Keeping things ‘canon’ to assure himself that it means he can see his brother again, knowing that it’s wrong but being so desperate to find the only family that matters to him, would be a wonderful parallel to Miles. Miles loves his father, even when things are complicated, the same way Miguel loves his brother. Miguel and Miles are both brilliant people who would do anything for their loved ones and fight hard and dirty when they need to. Building on that would keep Miguel’s characterization closer to who he is while also keeping him as an antagonistic force.

If you made it this far, thank you! As I said, I loved the movie. The art is beautiful, the characters are poignant and emotional, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes. I just wish Miguel O’Hara was a part of that story.

#across the spiderverse #smatsv #spider man across the spider verse #spider man 2099 #miguel o'hara #please don’t come for me I just love my blorbo

[gagsolineoilrefinery]

Getting super emotional over how much I love toontown corporate clash despite my initial fears almost every person I've met has welcomed me into it with so much warm unfamiliar kindness that its making me get all soft and mushy, if you told me only a few months ago last june that I'd be able to just hang out on a silly reboot of an mmo game from 2000s and talk to strangers about the stuff I like for nearly an hour after getting done roleplaying an underpaid pizza worker with a 2 cents an hour salary cooking people in the oven I would've told you I thought you were crazy, but lo and behold here I am

It's not been perfect of course but I've met so many amazing people through this game and I've not even been part of the community for a year, I've never felt this welcome anywhere before its amazing, the members of the clash crew that ive met are awesome and really nice and the game itself has been helping drag me by the ankles through a total bust of a year (and.. last year) and it got me closer with some of my old friends as well as helped me get adopted by another friend group too who I love very dearly (if you guys see this hi hi hehe)

sorry this post is so long and meandering im not very articulated when im happy because I'm not happy very often but RAAH I LOVE COMMUNITY I LOVE MY FRIENDS I LOVE EVERYONE RAAH

Even after such a short amount of time I already feel like toontown is gonna be a big part of my life for a long time you're gonna be hard pressed to catch me leaving anytime soon baby I'm in this shit for the long haul, you people have shown me genuine human kindness I live here forever now HEHEHE

#sludgetalkz #hey bumbleburger and spamtoon g spamtoon and ghostly felix and everyone else u guys r great #and everyone else who was at the pizza place im bad at remembering names on the spot im sorry #im just so ABAWABWBWABWABWA im hapy :]

[eflen-n-reegee]

Caregiver Guardians Headcanons (Rise of the Guardians)

Jack Frost

He loves ANY kind of game; board games, chase games, sports games, nonsense games - whatever it is, he’s happy to play it with you.

He’ll take you flying with him, but be ready for midair tricks and teasing.

On that note: pranks. Jack plays constant pranks - on you, on the other Guardians, on strangers, he just loves teasing people. He often recruits you to help play tricks.

You will NEVER be overheated again. Anytime Jack thinks you’re getting overly warm, he’ll create frost under your feet or send ice creeping up the walls.

He’s not always good at toning down his energy levels, but if you need a quiet day he’ll do his best to oblige.

North

The workshop is ALWAYS open to you. You can play with the elves, bother the Yeti, and “test” all of the toys. It can get a little overwhelming sometimes (the workshop is a very loud, busy place, after all), so you’re also welcome to retreat to North’s office if you need a break.

In his free time he enjoys carving toys and figurines out of ice, and he then imbues them with magic so they can do impossible things. Nearly every time you visit, he’ll make you something as a gift.

North will use the snowglobes to take you all over the world. Not just to other cities or countries, but to magical places no human has ever been able to see.

He is very dramatic, and loves playing pretend with you. He tends to get VERY invested in his role, to the point where his work has to be put on hold. “I can’t check naughty list now, can’t you see I am sailing this boat?”

North gives the best pep talks. He never wants you to feel like you’re anything less than amazing, and he’s wonderful at calming any fears you might have.

Bunny

The week before Easter, the Warren is insanely busy; but the rest of the time, it’s a very quiet, peaceful place. Bunny’s happy to bring you down there whenever you ask, to play or have a picnic or just enjoy the scenery.

Whenever you’re feeling down he’ll paint a few eggs for you, with your favorite colors and shapes and patterns. Then he’ll hide them where he knows you’ll find them.

He has a dozen nicknames for you, all of them affectionately teasing - ankle-biter, rugrat, nipper, etc.

He HATES cold weather… but if you really want to go out in the cold, he’ll always join you.

Any time you get tired of walking, he’ll set you on his back and run. He’s very fast, and it might be a little frightening at first, but he would never let you fall.

Tooth

Obviously she insists that you brush and floss daily, but she finds ways to make it a fun activity.

She’ll happily hold you on her hip while she’s hovering or flying near the ground. (She doesn’t like to take you too high in case you get scared.)

Out of all the Guardians, she’s the best at handling scraped knees or bumps on the head… but her bedside manner takes a little getting used to. “Oh, I know it hurts sweetie, but look! This bruise is such a pretty shade of purple!”

Tooth loves sitting with you while you’re asleep. If it weren’t for all the work she needs to do, she’d stay with you all night - she loves seeing you so peaceful and content.

Thanks to her abilities as a Guardian, she’s able to help you remember the most important moments in your life. These memories aren’t inherently good, but they are the moments that helped shape the best parts of your character. She’s happy to share them with you whenever you need them, and she’s already ready to comfort you if some of the memories cause negative feelings.

Sandy

He can help ANYONE fall asleep. Clinical insomnia, stressful day, too much caffeine - Sandy can knock you out in a moment if you want him to, with guaranteed good dreams to follow.

But, if you like staying up late, that’s fine too! Sandy is happy to take you along while he makes his rounds, showing you the night sky in different parts of the world.

He creates various animals or objects to send into people’s dreams. He’s also willing to make little toys or creatures for you to play with.

Sandy is a great listener. If you need to talk about your troubles, your bad day, your personal worries, he’s always there. Afterwards, he’ll offer to weave you a dream where things are different. Or, if you just want to get it off your chest and then move on, that’s fine too.

On a slightly related note, he’s fantastic with quiet kiddos. While the other Guardians might try to fill up silent moments with chatting, he doesn’t care if you never say a word. Your company is alway enough.

#Eflen writes #Eflen headcanons #Rise of the Guardians agere #Rise of the Guardians age regression #Jack Frost agere #Jack Frost age regression #North agere #North age regression #Bunny agere #Bunny age regression #Tooth agere #Tooth age regression #Sandy agere #Sandy age regression #sfw age regression #sfw agere #age regression headcanons #caregiver headcanons

[malarkgirlypop]

ZIM ZAM!!! 1, 25 and 27 for the ask game please?? <3 love you so much

1 - what is your fav part about being in the fandom?

Well I just love all the creativity from everyone, how are you all so talented may you share with me that would be great thanks. Also we are somehow so similar but then all so different. I don't think I have connected so well with a group of strangers from all over the world. And now we are all so close and it makes me so happy! I get to share some of my fondest interest with people I now am most fond of!

25 - what colors do your mutuals most remind you of?

OMG ok here we go!

@panzershrike-pretz I would go for a red or yellow, just something bright and eye catching. You have such a firey and fun personality! You just light up any room you walk into, or chat you slide into ahaha. I get so excited, maybe sometimes concerned when I see you typing in chat, half the time I have no idea what is going to come out of your mouth but it is entertaining none the less.

@next-autopsy I see you as a deep sea blue! Just something really comforting about you, you could rock me to sleep in your waves, but then also kinda scary at the same time. From the conversation we had about maybe doing some mutilating ahahah. But you are such a momma bear and you have so much love to give, as big as the ocean!

@footprintsinthesxnd I see you as a light green, like a sage green, you just feel so safe and secure. I know when I talk to you all I will get is just love and positivity. You are so kind and sweet, we don't deserve you! Something about you is so wholesome and green is my happy colour, I feel safe in green, reminds me of nature and calmness. You remind me of birds chirping on a warm summer evening.

@sweetxvanixlla why I see you as a light purple, maybe periwinkle, idk why. You are soft and sweet, but vibrant at the same time! You are so funny and you have the best chats! You always have the kindest things to say, and you're so supportive omg! You're tags when you say things like Kate is the best makes me blush so hard. I just love you are purple. It is a strong colour, like you.

@xxluckystrike midnight Blu hehe get it! No you are the best Blu! Also we have had a lot of chats about music and I just connect you with my sad playlist cause I shared it with you ahahah you asked me how often I cried and I said what?! not that much, but I just couldn't stop talking to you that whole day! And then you said you had to leave and then we kept talking omg! You're so fun and we had very interesting conversations! Anyway that was totally off topic, you are blu to me.

@whollyjoly my oh my you my friend are pink! So bold and vibrant I just can't help but stare. You are always so positive, you come into the group and have amazing ice breaker questions for us, you started a whole cult. You are just fantastic, I love you! But then also I think of flowers when I think of you cause fucking More has a flower crown on in your pfp and it cracks me up every time.

27- what's your fav moment during your time in the fandom?

What a hard question. because what hasn't been my fav moment. I think starting off having all the little chats in the comments with people, and then the random conversations I was having with my mutuals in the shitty dm's that is on tumblr. And then @footprintsinthesxnd deciding to do a discord and then a whole fucking server came from it. Now everyday I wake up so excited to read everything and just get stuck in. We have writing sprint races, morning prayer, torture groups, like what don't we have, memes, Pretz in my walls, being woken up with pots and pans!

#omg #that was a lot #but so fun #woooh #tag game #ask game #positivity #hbo war #band of brothers