#nicole you should be running this blog
Text
An Office Redecoration
Genre: Pure fluff, baby!
Word Count: 1.4k
Warnings: N/A
Author's note: I almost didn't finish this in time for Victor's birthday, but I did! A little self-indulgent fic for my first muse's birthday. Happy Birthday, Victor!
Tagging: @darlingdummycassandra/@darling-dummy-blogs, @otome-and-fanfiction
It takes a lot of convincing for Victor to attend a lunch meeting; it took even more to convince him to participate in a lunch meeting on his birthday, no less. Reluctantly, Victor agreed, leaving his office empty for 3 hours—just enough time for Nicole to come in and redecorate for his birthday. Something she enjoyed doing every time this particular day came around.
Before they got together, Victor rarely celebrated his birthday - it was just another day to him, nothing special about getting older. Now, she makes it a point to make a big deal about it, to celebrate him and show him that he is worthy of celebrating the day. Today, she planned to decorate his office when he returns, complete with a red velvet cake she baked herself and presents - some homemade, most bought.
She was on her way to his office when she saw him coming out of the elevator. “Hey you, where are you off to?”
Victor faintly smiles, quite happy to see her, before walking over to her and kissing her gently. “I have a meeting I need to attend, which unfortunately means we’re going to have to reschedule our lunch, sweetheart. I’m sorry.”
Nicole frowns, pretending as if she didn’t already know. “Oh no, that’s okay, my love. We can just have a dinner date when you've finished work. You should get going, can’t have Mr. Punctual running late.”
Victor lets out a chuckle before he gives her one last peck on the cheek before he heads out the main doors, leaving her alone. She texts her friends Violet and Cassie that the coast is clear and to come on in with the rest of the belongings. Nicole hops into the elevator, intending to meet her friends in his office. Also, because she has a key, she can unlock it.
Cassie and Violet get up to his office after 5 minutes, decorations and presents in hand, ready to transform his borning, minimalist office into a colourscape of decorations. Placing everything in a giant pile on his desk, the three girls set to work, Nicole decorating his desk, Violet standing on the couch to hang streamers from the ceiling, and Cassie ensuring the table was set up and organized with the gifts and cake. They talked, laughed, and often wasted time, making a task that should have only taken them 2 hours at most take them over 3 hours.
The sound of Victor clearing his throat caused the girls to jump. The 3 of them turn and look at him sheepishly, waiting for the verbal whipping they are about to receive. “And what do you 3 think you are doing?”
“It was Nik’s idea! I swear!” Cassie says, quickly hiding behind Nicole while Violet tries to sneak out behind Victor while he is distracted. “She wanted to do something special! She paid me to do it!”
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus, woman!” Nicole chuckles, walking over to her husband and placing a hand on his chest. “I wanted to do something special for your birthday; Vi and Cassie were more than willing to lend a hand and help me celebrate you. They even got you a few things. Let them all easy; it was my idea.”
“Yeah! Listen to your wife! Let us off easy, or I’m taking my gift back!” Violet says from the door. Victor turns to her, levelling her with his gaze. She squeaks before dashing out of the room, Cassie hot on her heels. “Love you, Nikki! If you’re still alive, text me later!” Violet calls from down the hall.
Nicole rolls her eyes before looking back at Victor, getting a read of him. “They really are innocent; this whole thing was my idea, love. Including the lunch meeting, I’m sorry, I just wanted to surprise you.”
Victor scans the room, looking at the carefully made decorations, the photos of them together lining his desk, and the 35 gifts all placed on the table and floor in the corner. “You didn’t have to do this for me, darling.” He says, regarding her again with a soft look in his eyes. She always found a way to make him feel loved.
“Both Cassie and Violet got you a couple of things, too, as a thank you for everything you’ve done for them. Although they never asked me, so lord only knows what they gave you.” Nicole laughs before walking over to the table and pouring Victor a drink. “As annoying as they can be, they both love you.”
Victor follows her, taking the drink from her hand and looking at the wide assortment of gifts before him before picking up a small, unassuming bag. “Text them to come back; they helped you; they should be here to celebrate, too. Plus, I’m going to need someone to clean up with. I’m dealing with your ass.” He chuckles, taking a sip.
It didn’t take long before Violet and Cassie were back in his office, drinks in their hand, sitting on the couch as Victor began opening his gifts, grabbing the same unassuming bag from before. “That looks like Violet’s handwriting.” he chuckles before opening it, seeing a lump of black fabric at the bottom. Further inspection reveals it's an apron that reads Mr. Good Looking is Cooking.
Victor looks at her as she fights the urge to contain her laughter. “You need to wear that the next time we are over for dinner! It’ll be so good!”
Victor rolls his eyes before reaching for another gift, a small package with Cassie’s name on it. He opens it to see several regular, sophisticated-looking ties until he reaches the last one. Pulling it out, he holds up a tie adorned with several different cat faces. Cassie points to one particularly grumpy-looking cat, “Look! It’s Victor!” Cassie laughs before pointing out the other cats. “The cute fluffy little kitten is me; Violet is the orange cat, and Nikki is the sophisticated-looking cat!’
Victor glares at her while she smiles innocently. “This is why you’re the grumpy cat, Victor!” She whines, hiding behind Nicole.
“You two are menaces, you know that?” Victor groans before letting out a small chuckle. They may be menaces, but he really did appreciate their gifts. He opens one of Nicole’s gifts next, hoping it isn’t something ridiculous but not putting it past her. “Tie clips and cuff links, thank you, my love.” Victor smiles, placing them down beside him.
***
Hours pass, the cake devoured and all the gifts are unwrapped, save for 2 - a bottle of whisky from Cassie, more ties from Violet, as well as some Shiba Inu plushies from her as well. All 3 of them got him cooking-related items or something food-related. His wife gave him a subscription to a whisky club plus new whisky glasses to go with it, a new leather wallet, and a few more odds and ends.
The two remaining gifts wait on the table as Victor and Nicole say goodbye to Violet and Cassie, shutting the door after they leave. “Why did you want me to save those two for after they’re gone, darling?” Victor asks, walking her back to the couch and taking the two gifts off the table as he goes by.
“Those two are quite special; I wanted to get your genuine reaction, not your measured ones with the others here.” She smiles, watching as he tears open the smaller of the two, revealing a silver and black Rolex Sky-Dweller watch.
“Baby…this is beautiful. I love it so much. Thank you.” He says, pulling her in for a kiss. He breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “You’ve been so good to me this year, my love. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“There’s still one more, darling. This is my favourite gift, actually.” She hands him the last gift, her hands trembling slightly with nervous anticipation. Victor carefully opens it, revealing a black leather-bound book. Opening the front cover, he’s greeted with the photo they took on their first date. Flipping through the pages, pictures of them together at events, photos from dates, and even a few of their wedding photos line the pages.
Victor’s eyes well with tears, looking at the memories and sweet little notes and drawings she added. “I…don’t know what to say, my love. I think this is the best gift I have ever received. I love you so much it hurts. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a perfect wife, but you made my birthday so special. I am never going to forget this day. Thank you.”
#victor li#mr love queen's choice#victor mlqc#mlqc victor#mr love victor#love and producer victor#Victor Li MLQC#mlqc#mlqc fluff#mlqc fanfic
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
a sapphic lit primer 🌸
also known as, an opportunity to insist you read my favourites
if you’ve ever found yourself wanting to read more sapphic books, but not quite sure where to start, let this be the post for you! if you’re looking for even more sapphic books, i hope you find something in here too.
there are a few books on here i’ve not read, that i wanted to include to raise awareness of them, more than anything. those are marked by *. as such, you will probably also see a fair few more well known books and authors missed off (but i promise i know about them!).
this is not meant to be at all exhaustive! it’s a collection of sapphic books that i’ve read and would rec, meaning there are still tons more out there. & you can find some of those more at @sapphicreadsdb, readsrainbow (which i co-run with @tenderpotter), sapphiclitbot on twitter & my list of every sapphic book i’ve read.
as ever, this was meant to be a relatively short post. haha.
(i promise i did put links on this post, but for some reason those aren’t working on the blog page. dashboard version seems fine, i think.)
🌼 middle grade
🌻 contemporary
hurricane child by kacen callender
in the role of brie hutchens... by nicole melleby
hazel hill is gonna win this one by maggie horne
candidly cline by kathryn ormsbee
how to become a planet by nicole melleby
proud of me by sarah hagger-holt
the science of being angry by nicole melleby
middletown by sarah moon
p.s. i miss you by jen petro-roy*
almost flying by jake maia arlow*
in the key of us by mariama j lockington*
kenzie kickstarts a team by kit rosewater & sophie escabasse*
⚔️ fantasy
the strangeworlds travel agency by ld lapinski
the tea dragon society by kay o’neill*
📜 historical
tell no tales by sam maggs & kendra wells*
⁉️ mystery/thriller
goldie vance by hope larson
pepper’s rules for secret sleuthing by briana mcdonald
drew leclair gets a clue by katryn bury*
🦇 paranormal/horror
artie and the wolf moon by olivia stephens
🧪 science fiction
our sister, again by sophie cameron
🌼 young adult
🌻 contemporary
we are okay by nina lacour
this is what it feels like by rebecca barrow
the gay girl’s guide to ruining prom by siera maley
the liar’s guide to the night sky by brianna r. shrum
i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston
the flywheel by erin gough
amelia westlake by erin gough
how to make a wish by ashley herring blake
taking flight by siera maley
like water by rebecca podos
don’t date rosa santos by nina moreno
all the invisible things by orlagh collins
orpheus girl by brynne rebele-henry
the henna wars by adiba jaigirdar
you should see me in a crown by leah johnson
love and other natural disasters by misa sugiura
rise to the sun by leah johnson
epically earnest by molly horan
if you still recognise me by cynthia so
truth be told by sue divin
thieves by lucie bryon
ask the passengers by a. s. king
starting from here by lisa jenn bigelow
annie on my mind by nancy garden
laura dean keeps breaking up with me by mariko tamaki
the stars and the blackness between them by junauda petrus
the last true poets of the sea by julia drake
i kissed alice by anna birch
fiebre tropical by juliana delgado lopera
melt my heart by bethany rutter
laurel everywhere by erin moynihan
every body looking by candace iloh
something certain, maybe by sara barnard
⚔️ fantasy
a dark and hollow star by ashley shuttleworth
the scapegracers by h. a. clarke
girl, serpent, thorn by melissa bashardoust
down comes the night by allison saft
engelsfors by mats strandberg & sara b. elfgren
summer of salt by katrina leno
from dust, a flame by rebecca podos
spellbook of the lost and found by moïra fowley-doyle
girls made of snow and glass by melissa bashardoust
out of the blue by sophie cameron
witch, cat & cobb by j. k. pendragon
girls of paper and fire by natasha ngan
the afterward by e. k. johnston
the never tilting world by rin chupeco
the midnight lie by marie rutkoski
the dark tide by alicia jasinska
the midnight girls by alicia jasinska
sweet & bitter magic by adrienne tooley
wench by maxine kaplan
way of the argosi by sebastian de castell
ash by malinda lo
the raven and the reindeer by t. kingfisher
the last magician by lisa maxwell
shatter the sky by rebecca kim wells
we set the dark on fire by tehlor kay mejia
queen of coin and whispers by helen corcoran
ghost wood song by erica waters
these feathered flames by alexandra overy
the bone spindle by leslie vedder
into the crooked place by alexandra christo
edie in between by laura sibson
crier’s war by nina varela
the winter duke by claire bartlett
sofi and the bone song by adrienne tooley*
girls at the edge of the world by laura brooke robson*
dauntless by elisa a. bonnin*
📜 historical
dangerous remedy by kat dunn
forgive me if i’ve told you this before by karelia stetz-waters
the pearl thief by elizabeth wein
heavy vinyl by carly usdin & nina vakueva
valiant ladies by melissa grey*
a curse of roses by diana pinguicha*
⁉️ mystery/thriller
far from you by tess sharpe
the girls i’ve been by tess sharpe
people like us by dana mele
summer’s edge by dana mele
the truth about keeping secrets by savannah brown
i hope you’re listening by tom ryan
eight pieces of silva by patrice lawrence
bad things happen here by rebecca barrow
the things we don’t see by savannah brown
the hollow inside by brooke lauren davis
throwaway girls by andrea contos
you’re next by kylie schachte
a lesson in vengeance by victoria lee
the sullivan sisters by kathryn ormsbee
cold by mariko tamaki
the killing code by ellie marney*
rules for vanishing by kate alice marshall*
🦇 paranormal/horror
the dead and the dark by courtney gould
to break a covenant by alison ames
shallow graves by kali wallace
wilder girls by rory power
afterlove by tanya byrne
house of hollow by krystal sutherland
specter inspectors by bowen mccurdy
burn down, rise up by vincent tirado
hollow by shannon watters & branden boyer-white
missing, presumed dead by emma berquist
perfectly preventable deaths by deirdre sullivan*
the dark beneath the ice by amelinda bérubé*
ghost walk by kay solo*
🧪 science fiction
joyride by jackson lanzing & collin kelly
crownchasers by rebecca coffindaffer
the good luck girls by charlotte nicole davis
cosmoknights by hannah templer
jane, unlimited by kristin cashore*
🌼 adult
🌻 contemporary
summer of the cicadas by chelsea catherine
take a hint, dani brown by talia hibbert
in the event of love by courtney kae
night tide by anna burke
beautiful world, where are you by sally rooney
spell heaven and other stories by toni mirosevich
far from home by lorelie brown
once ghosted, twice shy by alyssa cole
spindrift by anna burke
cow girl by kirsty eyre
the split by laura kay
tell me everything by laura kay
everyone in this room will someday be dead by emily austin
transcendent kingdom by yaa gyasi
the fat lady sings by jacqueline roy
conversations with friends by sally rooney
flamingo by rachel elliott
the wrong end of the telescope by rabih alameddine
a map of home by randa jarrar
mostly dead things by kristen arnett
patsy by nicole dennis-benn
little fish by casey plett
undone by bryce oakley
satisfaction guaranteed by karelia stetz-waters
tack & jibe by lilah suzanne
all at sea by cheyenne blue
i kissed a girl by jennet alexander
january embers by hildred billings
the simple answer by lily seabrooke
under the rainbow by celia laskey
the world cannot give by tara isabella burton
la bastarda by trifonia melibea obono
the one hundred years of lenni and margot by marianne cronin
all are welcome by liz parker
the romance recipe by ruby barrett
disoriental by négar djavadi*
the thirty names of night by zeyn joukhadar*
bastard out of carolina by dorothy allison*
among other things, i’ve taken up smoking by aoibheann sweeney*
marriage of a thousand lies by s. j. sindu*
honey girl by morgan rogers*
too much lip by melissa lucashenko*
delilah green doesn’t care by ashley herring blake*
the secret lives of church ladies by deesha philyaw*
the barrens by kurt & ellie johnson*
28 questions by indyana schneider*
there are more things by yara rodrigues fowler*
⚔️ fantasy
the unbroken by c. l. clark
the jasmine throne by tasha suri
wild and wicked things by francesca may
the true queen by zen cho
isola by brenden fletcher
the impossible contract by k. a. doore
foundryside by robert jackson bennett
the traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson
the empress of salt and fortune by nghi vo
the bone shard daughter by andrea stewart
blackheart knights by laure eve
the velocity of revolution by marshall ryan maresca
the gracekeepers by kirsty logan
in the vanishers’ palace by aliette de bodard
the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon
thorn by anna burke
penhallow amid passing things by iona datt sharma
sing the four quarters by tanya huff
city of lies by sam hawke
moontangled by stephanie burgis
burning roses by s. l. huang
a master of djinn by p. djèlí clark
ashes of the sun by django wexler
fireheart tiger by aliette de bodard
bestiary by k-ming chang
the black coast by mike brooks
night flowers shirking from the light of the sun by li xing
the councillor by e. j. beaton
silverglass by j. f. rivkin
water horse by melissa scott
high times in the low parliament by kelly robson
into the broken lands by tanya huff
the fire opal mechanism by fran wilde
among thieves by m. j. kuhn
the factory witches of lowell by c. s. malerich
the forever sea by joshua phillip johnson
the final strife by saara el-arifi
brother red by adrian selby
the winged histories by sofia samatar
the vanished queen by lisbeth campbell*
the northern girl by elizabeth a. lynn*
the bladed faith by david dalglish*
the worthy by anna k. moss*
📜 historical
the wicked cometh by laura carlin
the pull of the stars by emma donoghue
she who became the sun by shelley parker-chan
infamous by lex croucher
devotion by hannah kent
under the udala trees by chinelo okparanta
after the wedding by courtney milan
heathen by natasha alterici
mrs martin’s incomparable adventure by courtney milan
the night watch by sarah waters
tell it to the bees by fiona shaw
kept animals by kate milliken
a lady’s desire by lily maxton
the ophelia girls by jane healey
that green eyed girl by julie owen moylan
the perks of loving a wallflower by erica ridley
the companion by e. e. ottoman
her countess to cherish by jane walsh
paris, 7a.m. by liza wieland*
mademoiselle revolution by zoe sivak*
dark earth by rebecca stott*
⁉️ mystery/thriller
dirt town by hayley scrivenor
the lighthouse by fran dorricott
after the eclipse by fran dorricott
the final child by fran dorricott
proper english by k. j. charles
the last place you look by kristen lepionka
the better liar by tanen jones
fortune favors the dead by stephen spotswood
real easy by marie rutkoski
the best bad things by katrina carrasco
the case of the good-for-nothing girlfriend by mabel maney
the kill club by wendy heard
bury the lede by gaby dunn
beloved poison by e. s. thomson
the lady upstairs by halley sutton
ash mountain by helen fitzgerald
last call at the nightingale by katharine schellman
return to blackwater house by vikki patis
payback by charlotte mills*
a reason to kill by eve zaremba*
the heard by andrea bartz*
snare by lilja sigurðardóttir*
amateur city by katherine v. forrest*
the savage kind by john copenhaver*
the dime by kathleen kent*
the verifiers by jane pek*
🦇 paranormal/horror
abbott by saladin ahmed
the animals at lockwood manor by jane healey
black water sister by zen cho
hearts in the hard ground by g. v. anderson
they drown our daughters by katrina monroe
meddling kids by edgar cantero
yellow jessamine by caitlin starling
our wives under the sea by julia armfield
briefly, a delicious life by nell stevens
dead woman’s pond by elle e. ire
tripping arcadia by kit mayquist*
🧪 science fiction
a memory called empire by arkady martine
this is how you lose the time war by max gladstone & amal el-mohtar
the unspoken name by a. k. larkwood
the space between worlds by micaiah johnson
dead space by kali wallace
the quantum thief by hannu rajaniemi
ninefox gambit by yoon ha lee
ancillary justice by ann leckie
motor crush by brenden fletcher & cameron stewart
unconquerable sun by kate elliott
compass rose by anna burke
a big ship at the end of the universe by alex white
the light brigade by kameron hurley
empress of forever by max gladstone
the doors of eden by adrian tchaikovsky
seven of infinities by aliette de bodard
hard reboot by django wexler
last exit by max gladstone
sisters of the vast black by lina rather
gods, monsters, and the lucky peach by kelly robson
so happy for you by celia laskey
battle of the linguist mages by scotto moore
bluebird by ciel pierlot
an ancient peace by tanya huff
god’s war by kameron hurley*
barbary station by r. e. stearns*
this will kill that by danielle l. roux*
valkyrie by meg ludwa*
night sky mine by melissa scott*
the stars undying by emery robin*
🌼 poetry
if not, winter by sappho, trans. by anne carson
floating, brilliant, gone by franny choi
evohe by cristina peri rossi
bestiary by donika kelly
soft science by franny choi
rummage by ife-chudeni a. oputa
the world keeps ending and the world goes on by franny choi
bone by yrsa daley-ward
dream work by mary oliver
living as a lesbian by cheryl clarke*
womanslaughter by pat parker*
oral tradition by jewelle l. gómez*
the black unicorn by audre lorde*
hermetic definition by h.d.*
325 notes
·
View notes
Text
Superlinguo 2022 in review
At the start of 2022 it was my aim to move gently through this year, after the general global upheaval the pandemic brought, and settling back into work after parental leave. I mostly think managed that for myself, and things worth sharing still happened this year.
Lingthusiasm
Lingthusiasm turned 6 this year. As well as regular episodes and bonus episodes every month, this year we ran a special offer for patrons and did a one-off print run of lens cloths with our redesigned aesthetic IPA.
Main episodes
Love and fury at the linguistics of emotions (transcript)
Who questions the questions? (transcript)
The linguistic map is not the linguistic territory (transcript)
What If Linguistics - Absurd Hypothetical Questions with Randall Munroe of xkcd (transcript)
Various vocal fold vibes (transcript)
Language in the brain - Interview with Ev Fedorenko (transcript)
What we can, must, and should say about modals (transcript)
Tea and skyscrapers - When words get borrowed across languages (transcript)
What it means for a language to be official (transcript)
Word order, we love (transcript)
Knowledge is power, copulas are fun (transcript)
Making speech visible with spectrograms (transcript)
Bonus episodes
Speakest Thou Ye Olde English?
103 ways for kids to learn languages
Linguistics and science communication - Interview with Liz McCullough
Behind the scenes on making an aesthetic IPA chart - Interview with Lucy Maddox
Using a rabbit to get kids chatting for science
Language inside an MRI machine - Interview with Saima Malik-Moraleda
There’s like, so much to like about “like”
What makes a swear word feel sweary? A &⩐#⦫& Liveshow
Approaching word games like a linguist - Interview with Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer of Spectacular Vernacular
Behind the scenes on how linguists come up with research topics
Emoji, Mongolian, and Multiocular O ꙮ - Dispatches from the Unicode Conference
LingComm: 2022 grants and conference posts
This year we ran another round of LingComm Grants, and we’ve been enjoying seeing new linguistic communication projects come to life. We also published summaries of top tips from plenary panels of the 2021 LingComm conference, and I teamed up with Gabrielle Hodge to write about how to plan communication access for online conferences. The LingComm conference will be back in 2023!
Tips for LingComm series
Planning communication access for online conferences: A Research Whisperer post about LingComm21
LingComm23 conference (February 2023)
2022 LingComm Grantees: New linguistics projects for you to follow
Top Superlinguo posts in 2022
Superlinguo remains a place where I can test out ideas or share things that aren’t necessarily the shape of an academic publication. I also continued my slow series of posts about linguistics books for kids, with a gem from 1966!
General posts
Superlinguo turns 11!
New Superlinguo Welcome page
Linguistics books for kids: How You Talk
Long form blog posts
Notes and observations about air quote gestures
Fictional gestures in scifi and fantasy
Information and advice
Doing your own Linguistics Job Interviews
Planning communication access for online conferences: A Research Whisperer post about LingComm21
Managing Breakout Rooms in online Tutorials and Workshops
Adopting the Trømso Recommendations in academic publishing
Linguistics Job Interviews
In 2022 the Linguistics Job Interviews series was edited by Martha Tsutsui-Bilins. After 8 years and 80+ interviews, the regular monthly series is coming to an end. There were 12 new interviews this year:
Interview with a Director of Conversation Design
Interview with an Artist
Interview with a Research Scientist
Interview with a Language Engineer
Interview with a Data Manager & Digital Archivist
Interview with a Natural Language Annotation Lead
Interview with an EMLS/Linguistics instructor & mother of four
Interview with a Performing Artiste and Freelance Editor
Interview with a Hawaiian and Tahitian language Instructor, Translator & Radio Host
Interview with a Customer Success Manager
Interview with an Impact Lead
Interview with an Online Linguistics Teacher
Regular interviews may have ended, but I’ll have more on linguistics, jobs and careers in 2023. I also wrote this post about doing your own Linguistics Job Interviews, to encourage other people to share their stories or interview others about their experiences.
Academic articles in 2022
This year I had two academic articles published. I also published one academic review of a monograph:
Gawne, L. & S. Styles. 2022. Situating linguistics in the social science data movement. In A.L. Berez-Kroeker, B. McDonnell, E. Koller & L.B. Collister (Eds), The Open Handbook of Linguistic Data Management, 9-25. MIT Press. [Open Access PDF][Superlinguo summary]
Gawne, L. & T. Owen-Smith. 2022. The General Fact/Generic Factual in Yolmo and Tamang. Studies in Language. Issue number forthcoming doi: 10.1075/sl.21049.gaw [published version][Green OA version][blog summary]
Gawne, L. 2022. Review of Repetitions in Gesture by Jana Bressem. The Linguist List. [HTML]
The year ahead
I will be on parental leave in 2023 🎉
Last time I went on leave with a newborn I had no idea if I would have a job to return to. I’m very grateful to not have that stress hanging over me this time around. Lingthusiasm will continue as regularly scheduled. It will be interesting to see how things here go without the monthly job interview posts. I’ll still have new publications, and various linguistics resources and observations to share, if maybe on a less than weekly basis. You can always follow Superlinguo on Tumblr @superlinguo), join the mailing list (in the sidebar), go retro and use the RSS feed, or follow me on Twitter (@superlinguo)
Previous years
Superlinguo 2021 in review
Superlinguo 2020 in review
Superlinguo 2020 (2019 in review)
Superlinguo 2019 (2018 in review)
Superlinguo 2018 (2017 in review)
Superlinguo 2017 (2016 in review)
Superlinguo 2015 highlights
61 notes
·
View notes
Text
Gay People vs. Webcomics: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
This will be a different kind of article thingy. It is Pride Month, so naturally, I feel like I should talk about gay people in webcomics. Yes, I identify as a homosexual (former bisexual) myself, and also gay people have appeared most frequently in these webcomics.
The Good:
There’s a reason I wanted to save this article for late June, it’s because of Burke. While I sadly doubt we’ll ever see followup on his and Sulfur’s relationship, the little amounts we’ve gotten is somehow better than most of the shit in the mainstream. Burke and Sulfur weren’t in an abusive relationship, but their relationship wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. They disagreed with eachother’s philosophies which is why it didn’t work out, but neither of them carry ill will to this day. I liked Burke before but this whole scene turned him into one of my favourite characters in this comic. Burke starts off as rather generic gay guy, he has a crush on Matt and they never openly admit he’s gay, but overtime he not only becomes the most competent member of Matt’s group, he’s also excellent at calling out other people for their shit, like he did with Carson. It’s sad that someone as out of touch with reality as Albert could write a better gay character than any Hollywood writer ever combined.
Thankfully Burke is not the token gay of Albertverse, on the Kit n Kay Boodle side of things we have Squinx and Snowicet. Although they’re the only true gay couple we see in Yiffburg, they’re much more mature than rest of Yiffburg’s manchild population. They do get their own arc where they help Dee Muir to overcome her fear of boinkberries. Rereading that arc, they do both have unique personalities, unfortunately it’s ruined by Squinx putting his dick inside Dee Muir at one point but still, these two are way better than rest of the comic, and the only lesbian couples we see in Yiffburg are Bill Blaine’s rats and even then they’re bisexuals and do nothing besides licking each other’s pussies.
Speaking of lesbians, it’s time to discuss the bad stuff.
The Bad:
When it comes to LGBTQ+ rep, Lesbians are overused, not just in the mainstream but also in webcomics, and there’s a reason I’ve been calling them a webcomic cliche since this blog first started. I’m sure there are well-written lesbian characters but I haven’t run into one yet.
Arguably the most prominent gay couple in this blog are Spinnerette and Mecha Maid, I’ve explained about a hundred times why this couple sucks. Mecha Maid is more of an object for Spinny than a source of affection and it seems Mecha Maid lost all of her personality and ability to criticise Heather after they hooked up permanently. Outside of the times this comic introduces a homophobic villain, this relationship is no big deal. Honestly this couple is the biggest wasted opportunity in this blog’s history, since if Kraw wasn’t a hack we would’ve gotten a really tragic couple whose story we could’ve been invested in. But no, MORE PORN COMICS FEFEFEFEH
Marilyn here is not the only girl after Spinny’s clit, there’s also Sarah Nicole, after being indoctrinated into the homophobic church, we learn she is secretly a repressing lesbian, and in fact she becomes somewhat of a stalker for Heather. This angle of Sarah Nicole servers nothing besides making her another porn comic fodder character. It really is a shame because Heather’s chemistry is Sarah Nicole is way better than her chemistry with Mecha Maid, it’s one of the ONLY times she was actually likable!
But moving on from Spinnerette, it’s time to go into another superhero comic. Tsuki is labeled as a lesbian despite being fucking bisexual, and that shows you how much of a moron Dumok is. She treats Kriti as her “girlfriend” but they’re always fighting and arguing, they only bond because of Llew spanking Tsuki or something. There is some attempt at drama as the villain Bittersweet hates lesbians, but her only response to Tsuki being a lesbian is NOOOOOOOO and then she disappears. While Tsuki is one of the worst characters ever, the fetishist treatment of her lesbianity is expected. What I’m saying is, she could be WAY worse, how worse?
The Ugly:
For a comic that tries to be Mookie’s justice serving Banksy protest piece about the evils of government, sports players, paying customers and Orc Haters, the way it treats the comic’s token gay, Szark, is something right out of homophobe’s playbook. Szark starts as a depraved bisexual, but after his wife who tried to kill him dies, he develops a crush on Deegan. He somehow becomes a ridiculously exaggerated gay guy which is a real shame because his character is otherwise decent. He imagines Luna as a temptress and iirc, he has lewd fantasies about Dominic. But once Dominic pukes, pisses and shits his pants he realizes he no longer loves Dominic. It remains to be seen if he will be improved and become a decent character again, but I doubt it.
At least Szark’s love was never implied to be non-consensual, that is not the case with Bowser from Roommates, whose first action is harassing the hideous creature that is VeERGHmon and then he finds him masturbating in his room, and rapes him. And that’s how they fall in love. Yeah, even if VeERGHmon is a sleep paralysis demon he doesn’t deserve to get raped. This whole comic feels super homophobic in general, even the homophobes are homophobic! Wait...I mean, the treatment of homophobes is based on homophobic assumptions that every person who hates gay people must be secretly gay, look no further than Olly and Mondo. We see Olly in the main comic as a guy who brings a little bit of bigotry into the world where no women seem to exist, after an intense Rapist vs. Bigot fight the duo leaves, but Mondo has a pretty decent apology scene after the whole incident, which paints the duo as troubled individuals...and then an Addendum arrives which reveals Olly and Mondo were gay all along. I can’t remember why these two became homophobes to begin with but I’m sure the reason didn’t match any semblance of reality and psychology that exists. And the worst thing is these characters were actually written by gay people. I don’t think Spelunker Sal and Dreamous are “internalized homophobes” or whatever that stupid buzzword is, I just think they’re out of touch with reality.
And yet, YET, YET, these aren’t the bottom of the barrel when it comes to gay characters. For that we must go outside the radius of this blog, and into the horrible world of SuperSaiyanCrash. Yes, Cora Bandicoot should stand out as an example on how to not do a gay character. Cora is a nudist and a molester, she harasses every single woman she comes across, and there was even a cut scene where she gropes a character without the creator’s consent. She claims to be lesbi-err, lesbain, but she also ends up getting impregnated by Goku (Richie’s selfinsert) and thus raises two children, who also end up becoming lesbians. I don’t go “yikes sweetie this is homophobic” that easily, but I feel this character is so offensive the only way she could be more offensive is if she wore a blackface. Cora’s creator is a homophobe who only hated male gay people but liked lesbians because “they were hot”, which perfectly describes the mindset behind most of these characters. They’re stereotypical and presented as overly sexual characters, which has done lasting damage to gay community.
Thankfully I haven’t run into any “zoomer gay” characters, but that might change in the coming years.
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
(Don’t want to read all this? Scroll down to “read here” in red)
Btw: I’m black.
Hey everyone! I’m here to address a common misconception that’s been circulating. It’s not so much about “debunking” as it is about understanding why spreading this kind of misinformation can be harmful to our conversations.
Often, when people bring up race in discussions where it’s not relevant, it seems like they’re not genuinely concerned about the issue—they might just be seeking attention or social media validation. It’s essential to recognize that social justice, at times, has become more about garnering retweets or clout than fostering meaningful dialogue.
I want to emphasize that this isn’t an attempt to bash anyone or encourage hate. I’m sharing public information to make it easily accessible for those seeking the truth and for those who might encounter false information and want to set the record straight in a respectful manner.
Don’t want to read all that? Read here:
The misconception: “Travis Kelce spent no money on Kayla Nicole or did anything for her. She had to pay half of everything & he never got her gifts.”
I don’t know this person by they’re attempting to establish themselves as a “pop culture writer”, but their approach involves spreading misinformation. Additionally, they’ve been disregarding corrections from people pointing out the inaccuracies in their tweets.
If you look at her bio, it looks like she associates herself with certain organizations, but there’s no evidence of her being a journalist or contributing to the mentioned publications. It seems her presence in those features is tied to a rags-to-riches narrative involving her success with NFTs.
She does however run a DIY blog about pop culture things and she has mentioned Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce before.
Here it is in its full glory:
Yes, that does embarrassingly say “goodbye fried chicken hello to green bean casserole”
But she says a lot of cringey things in this post alone. The insensitive police brutality joke, the racial stereotyping and the backhanded insults to Kayla Nicole.
If you’re trying to be a reputable pop media source then you should know by now that Barstool is notoriously known for lying to appeal to their bro audience. But she listed Barstool has a source for Travis Kelce apparently being a cheapskate.
But it isn’t about Travis Kelce being “cheap.” It’s more about him being apparently “cheap” to the former “black girlfriend” as everyone keeps calling her.
Let’s speak about Kayla Nicole now.
Who is she?
Kayla Nicole, an accomplished and intelligent woman, holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Pepperdine University. While she’s an ambassador for various brands, her passion for journalism stands out. Referring to her merely as an “insta baddie” or tying her identity solely to being Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend is not only offensive but diminishes her achievements.
What has she said about the rumor of Travis Kelce being “cheap” in their relationship?
This is what she said on her official twitter page:
What has Travis Kelce said about the rumor?
Travis Kelce previously called out publications for spreading false information, but he has since stopped doing so. There was an insinuation a year or two ago that Travis Kelce cheated on Kayla Nicole with someone referred to as a "becky" (eyeroll). He promptly denied the allegation by quoting it as false, although he later deleted the post. Travis also briefly addressed this matter during a podcast discussion.
The Pivot Podcast in January 2023, Kelce denied that he was "too cheap," adding, "don't buy into that s---." He continued, "I would never say that I was supporting her. She had a very financially stable life and what she was doing in her career."
He added, "But you've got to be crazy if you'd think I would never helped or gave her a couple thousand to grab some food or she gave me some money to go get some food.... we were in a relationship for five years. A hundred dollars here, a hundred dollars there wasn't even thought about.
My personal thoughts:
I sympathize with Kayla Nicole, not because of her relationship status, but because she is constantly defined by her past partner. It takes a special kind of strength and self-love to see your ex move on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Usually, to heal from a breakup, you need to distract yourself, but Taylor Swift's presence is everywhere, and that's not Taylor's fault, of course.
However, individuals like the person who spread that false tweet should be more mindful of their actions. If you want to gain retweets by exploiting someone else's pain, go ahead, but don't be surprised when that person finally snaps. Kayla Nicole is her own person, regardless of who she chooses to date.
Taylor Swift isn’t the “white woman” who “stole” from a “victimized black woman” They’re both people.
Travis Kelce's dating history reflects the natural course of life, and reducing it to racial stereotypes is unwarranted. Relationships evolve, and assuming any racial motivation is unfair. Everyone's dating history is personal and diverse, and it's important that we do not reduce people (who clearly have no harmful intent) to who they date.
When they (TnT) were later spotted together. Subsequently, a barrage of offensive tweets emerged. These tweets body-shamed Taylor Swift, supposedly in defense of Kayla Nicole, with men comparing their body types as if it held any significance, and reducing both women's worth to their physical appearance. Some men even brought up Taylor's wealth and how Travis had supposedly "leveled up," resorting to immature middle school notions.
I saw another funny tweet of someone stating Travis Kelce is a "gold-digger."
Rich people cannot use one another.
Travis Kelce signed a 4 year, $57,250,000 contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, including $22,750,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $14,312,500. In 2023, Kelce will earn a base salary of $11,250,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $14,801,667 and a dead cap value of $19,155,000.
NFL players' paydays are highly contractual, whereas Taylor Swift's income is much more diverse and flexible. She earns money from concerts, streams, mentions, and merchandise, and her extensive experience in the industry has allowed her to accumulate a significantly higher income compared to Travis Kelce. This will happen forever.
6 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Here’s the roundup for June 2022!
Remember to leave kudos and comments if you check these out.
Feel free to submit you fics to the blog if you want to be included in future lists.
🌈 In the midst of a storm by @quelsentiment --- [fic post] [[WIP]]
ot5 | 51k | mature
Zayn didn’t know that a new story was about to unfold right in front of his eyes.
If he had known, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to claim that his life was quiet and uneventful, even verging on boring at times. If he had known, it was hard to say whether he would have stayed in bed that day, kept the bookshop closed, and avoided all that was to come or, on the contrary, gone to the pier himself to greet the newcomer with eagerness.
🌈 Vampire's Kiss by by @blaise-on-melancholy-hill
ziam | 50k | mature
Zayn works as a servant and blood giver for a group of old and rich vampires. He just does what he's told, whether that's cleaning up around the big mansion house, or opening a vein for them. One day, he's asked to take food downstairs to the basement dungeon where there's a few prisoners in cells. It's not the first time he's done it, but there's something different about this time. He doesn't know what the new prisoner has done to deserve being tortured and thrown in here, but he can't just leave him to die.
It's too late by the time it dawns on him that he should've just walked away, and by the time he figures out that he should not get involved with this vampire, he's already way in over his head.
🌈 I drown with every kiss, I’m not used to this by just_a_blurryface --- [fic post]
ziam | 41k | mature
Zayn is an artist who fell in love with the chocolate sculptures he keeps seeing every time he passes by the chocolate shop. He didn’t intend to fall in love with the guy he’s met inside it too.
🌈 run away with my heart by storhan
narry | 28k | explicit
Niall’s a con artist who was only after Harry’s money, but he left with something much more valuable: his heart.
🌈 Killer by Avariiice
narry | 28k | teen and up
When Harry arrives in Ireland, he's hoping to leave everything in his past.
Then he meets Niall Horan and suddenly everything seems to fall in place for once in his goddamn life.
That is, until someone decides they'd prefer Harry dead.
🌈 Two Birds On A Wire by DaphneLoligo
haylor | 20k | mature
Taylor and Harry are best friends since childhood. One night, their entire relationship changes. They plan to just have sex without feelings, but when has that ever worked out?
🌈 I Know It's Weird, But It's Worth It by @restless-rebels --- [fic post]
zarry | 10k | not rated
Zayn's on a journey and Harry is there to help her along
🌈 Feeling Green by SyupeoBWanna
ot5 | 9k | mature
Harry is not feeling well but he doesn't want everyone to be worried. He didn't tell anyone. A fight happened and is everything will be okay?
A sickfic.
🌈 Under Your Skin, Over the Moon by Cowboying
horville | 9k | mature
Orville is leaning some of his weight on the table before Harry, where he sits tucked into the booth alone. What a terrible socialite he is tonight! He ought to be ashamed of himself. Dorothy would have already befriended every misfit in the crowd of afterparty-goers, the people who didn't quite fit in with the rest. He supposes it's alright the tables are a bit turned.
or, Harryween Weekend featuring Orville and Harry.
🌈 stay soft (but don't be gentle) by mywonderwall
gryles | 7k | explicit
The moment Nick hooks his arm around Harry’s shoulders and brings him into his side, as he has done so many times before, Harry knows he’s a goner. He hates that he doesn’t even know if his body would like what he thinks his brain likes. Because all those years ago, fooling around with Nicole in his childhood bedroom, he had been so convinced that he wanted her, so hot for her in his mind, and then…
At least Nicole had been kind about it.
He wonders if Nick can feel how fast his heart is racing.
🌈 All The Small Things by @restless-rebels --- [fic post]
lilo | 6k | not rated
Louis finally looked up, staring at the same boy from the laundry room, his hair dry and soft looking, a short quiff at the top of his head. “Hey, uh, Liam, right?”
The tall alpha nodded. “Not a problem, Louis?” The omega nodded. “Is your wrist okay?” Before Louis could answer, he felt a rush of calm wash over him, as though he took a shot of whiskey. He watched as Liam closed his eyes and smiled.
Louis cleared his throat, having forgotten for a second that he had even fallen. “I think so. I didn’t put all of my weight on it, at least I don’t think I did. I’m sure Harry will insist on wrapping it when we get upstairs either way.”
“Good, that’s good.” They stood there awkwardly, Liam’s hands still holding Louis’s arm, both just staring, neither saying anything.
🌈 just me and you (sweet endings too) by mywonderwall
gryles | 5k | explicit
Nick swoops down to kiss him, unable to help himself. “I want this to be all about you, alright? Nothing gets me hotter than you feeling good.” It’s true, and it seems to be something that is very Harry-specific for Nick. Or maybe it’s the whole “being in love” thing. Turns out, it’s not as overrated as he once thought. Under Your Skin, Over the Moon
🌈 Love and Hate (on Tour!) by lastdirection
gryles | 5k | mature
Nick reluctantly uses his holiday time to go on tour with his boyfriend’s band. While his boyfriend’s best friend seems to hate him, Nick can’t bring himself to care, honestly.
🌈 we could be the ocean (or nothing at all) by caujinary
ziall | 4k | general audiences
Zayn finds himself helpless to the call of Niall’s sea blue eyes.
🌈 Welcome To the Family by Chai_tea_bea
ziam | 3k | not rated
Zayn just wants his baby, and the universe grants him that wish, but it takes longer than he would've liked it to. It's all worth it though, when he remembers that he gets to be a dad, and gets to watch the love of his life be a dad.
🌈 Bluebirds Fly by @lh-home --- [fic post]
horville | 2k | explicit
Orville gets railed by his little bluebird on Harryween.
🌈 Louis-my-hedgehog by ColThKnighthold
zouis | 1k | teen and up
In which Louis has not a nice childhood, but does find love in the end
🌈 Naughty naughty by FeatherLight55
ot5 | 1k | mature
Subs Niall and Zayn are very sneaky, going out clubbing in the middle of the night. Turns out, the Doms knew all along and they are not happy.
🌈 Virginia is for Lovers by @haztobegood --- [fic post]
narry friendship | 1k | general audiences
Harry and Niall go hiking in the Appalachian Mountains.
🌈 never seen anything so obscene by sunflowerrry
gen | 596 | not rated
Louis is performing live in Mexico and decides to do things a bit differently.
🌈 Snap, Crackle and Pop by Purple_Pixie143
tomlinshaw | 300 | mature
Just trying to clear these dust mites outta my head
32 notes
·
View notes
Text
Alright, I'mma take this on neutrally compared to my responses with Mobox87's brother SonicCrash since I barely know Hanna besides that she's doing the kind thing to take care of Mobox87 as a close friend and run her Tumblr during her recovery.
The Suzuya alter ego will be out of this and I'mma just be myself on this.
First thing to address, it's good that Mobox87 is improving better mentally and physically getting back up on her feet to live her personal life. I'm not coming off as sarcastic but being brutally honest since despite the harsh criticism from the Moboxcritique, Zombify and I. Along with my violent behavior with my critiques in my comic strips, we don't hate Mobox87 as a human being nor do we condone the threats involving to wish death or rape upon her own mistakes online.
When Nicole went to go DM Cagney for an interview it didn't go well because of how Nicole approached them with their rude remark on Cagney not wanting to voice call with an explanation on why.
Now due to this post being made, Nicole was unaware about it after being block until later on she found out and has claimed that the conversation posted on the Moboxcritique blog is taken out of context in the ask inbox on her second account then goes to slander Cagney along the critique blog.
The issues about the out context screenshot claims is that Nicole has not bother to show proof of that being the case. If Nicole has the guts to call out Cagney over a conversation that didn't go as intended based off of screenshots shared on Moboxcritique blog then she should show screenshots or a screen recording of the conversation as a way to provide proof that Cagney allegedly lied to everyone.
Since Nicole interviewed one of the running accounts of the Moboxcritique blog. Kevonica would be another person that she'd interview which resulted in the same issue as shown in the screenshots that are in the archive link posted on the critique blog.
Zombify would take a part in defense for Cagney and Kevonica against Nicole's allegations about the conversation being taken out of context.
Nicole treated these interviews as a way to intervene in the drama to her liking as a stan for Mobox87. She made the interview with Mobox87 one sided during the stream and has kept it that way towards both Kevonica and Cagney instead of the neutral approach to be in between both sides of the drama.
All these allegations and claims that Nicole made on her Tumblr and Instagram are the ones that's all truly taken out of context.
Nicole is the one who is harassing and you've only fallen for her lies, Hanna.
Nicole is condoning this behavior as a come back for revenge over these threats you don't wish upon your own friend and possibly not to anyone else deep within your own heart.
If this makes you truly feel sick then you should feel the same back with what Nicole is doing since you are not just being the administrator of Mobox87's blog but also being the bigger person to show others that Mobox87 has changed.
The people who follow me and the Moboxcritique or any account against Mobox87's actions might not agree or believe that she's change with our comments and opinions on her publicity online but that doesn't mean we would want to threaten her life or think she deserves death for the things she's done as an act of justice.
So yeah, we're adults but are we harassing a minor as justice for what we do? No, we're dealing with a minor having a temper tantrum by making allegations against the Moboxcritique blog and Cagney for supposed harassment.
Now I know you said that you won't be choosing sides Hanna but you should at least look into our side more over this current beef with Nicole instead of relying on her messages.
Anyways, that's all I wanted to say in regards of the situations narrative for everyone to see and whenever you get to read this Hanna since tomorrow you have plans with cheering up Mobox87🧁.
Yours truly,
MinerWarFare Suzuya
Oh! Actually one more thing for Nicole!
Nicole quit accusing Cagney of lying and harassing you when you are the lier and a hypocrite of doing these proclaimed actions.
Do everyone the favor.
Cierra la boca y toma esta L
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
gooodddd MORNING!!!! i left my phone charged for 12 hrs that totally won't damage the battery in the long run (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ (it went from 100% to 98% within like 7 minutes?? idk i can't tell time)
i had the WEIRDEST fucking dream ever i kinda hated it tbh, it wasn't exactly a nightmare but it was just really bad (人*´∀｀)｡*ﾟ+ (it involved me getting repeatedly lost in the city, everyone misinterpreting my intentions and getting mad at me, me somehow making enemies out of everyone from school..... it was bad!)
i woke up to 24 notifs! thank you so much for noticing me for even just a moment guys <3 attention is attention! although i will kill myself and mention Tumblr and horropedia in my suicide note (like Nicole's dad in class of 09) (im Nicole btw hi WHAT THE FUCK /ref) if my horropedia graphic gets the most notes out of all my posts. i do not want that bitch to get the most notes. I'm just joking (✿^‿^)
that's all for my morning blog post... now i should probably go downstairs and get my day actually fucking started
#watching my phone steadily lose battery charge#even the smallest bit#kinda makes me panic though#💫﹕ the stars glow 𝜗𝜚 ︵#suicide tw
1 note
·
View note
Text
How to Observe Someone’s Instagram Story with out Them Knowing
There is definitely a approach to view someone’s Instagram story with out them figuring out excellent out of your Instagram account. In this information, you’ll discover ways to view Instagram tales with out them understanding. To watch someone’s Instagram story with out them knowing, open Anonymously Instagram Story Viewer by iStaunch. Enter the IG username within the given box and faucet on the submit button. That’s it here you may view stories without them understanding. If you wish to view private Instagram stories with out them figuring out, you should utilize the Private Instagram Story Viewer by iStaunch. Open the Instagram app and log in to your account. Find the story you wish to view with out them knowing. Tap on the story earlier than or after the one you want to view. Press and hold a story to pause it and slide your finger a bit to the left or proper. It'll robotically play the preview of the subsequent story. Doing this enables you to simply view their story without being listed on their ‘seen’ checklist. That’s it. The above steps will enable you to to view someone’s Instagram without figuring out them. In case you have any questions, then be happy to comment below.
Between its reputation and this latest influx of money, this app is probably going right here for the long haul. For some of us, maybe it's a worry of being "that guy," however for me it is extra a matter of consideration span. Anything that makes capturing and sharing recollections easier, then, I'm grateful to discover, and I'm glad to say that within the means of studying about the app for this text, I've change into a bit of a diehard person myself! Fast Company. "The one hundred Most Creative People In Business, 2011." https://insta-viewer.cyou Fast Company. Frommer, Dan. "Why Facebook's $1 Billion Instagram Deal Is Brilliant." SplatF. Graham, Jefferson. "Instagram is magnet for begin-ups." USA Today. Ionescu, Daniel. "Instagram's Android app tops 5 million downloads." Pc World New Zealand. Isaac, Mike. "Exclusive: Facebook Deal Nets Instagram CEO $four hundred Million." Wired. Malik, Om. "Here is why Facebook bought Instagram." GigaOm Blog. Sengupta, Somini, Perlroth, Nicole and Wortham, Jenna. The new York Times.
RQ2: How are values employed in design actions? These questions are tightly linked, such that the way values are employed in design actions contributes to their definition and selection. Thus, I'll handle them together. I started this chapter by identifying values associated to intended outcomes of IndieWeb software program. Autonomy and self-empowerment are offered as overarching goals, defined and selected from group members’ lengthy held perspectives of the web, and further articulated in rules for building. 10. Have enjoyable-specify that these values are outlined by individuals controlling what information they put on-line. The overall strategy for this is to use one’s own webpage as an alternative of relying on a 3rd-get together platform. Clearly, this can be a basic design choice that defines IndieWeb’s overall strategy. These values are also articulated through ideas about processes for constructing, with autonomy being significantly salient. 4. Use what you make), and to start out building instantly relatively than waiting for consensus.
It's available for both Mac and Windows. Installing BlueStacks is a very simple process. All it's important to do is obtain the program from the BlueStacks website and run the file. The installer file is kind of giant and the engine setup may take awhile. Once the initial installation process is completed, opening this system doesn’t take greater than a number of seconds. Google account like any Android smartphone or pill. Through the set up course of, you may come throughout error messages like “Hardware acceleration is just not accessible in your system” or “This host helps Intel VT-x, but it is disabled.” Enabling hardware acceleration features assist virtualization apps run smoother and far quicker - apps like Bluestacks are principally running a whole OS on prime of your current system. If you have not put in another packages that affiliate with the APK file type, BlueStacks will automatically open APK recordsdata. Double-click the file to launch BlueStacks and install the app. You can too drag-and-drop the APK file onto the BlueStacks dwelling display screen. Confirm that you really want to put in the app, and it'll seem on your BlueStacks house display screen after installing. That's it! Now you've successfully installed View Instagram Stories Anonymously, Download Story in your computer using Bluestacks.
1 note
·
View note
Note
i dont like mchateful either but you literally have mocked his physical private parts. hes under age TRANS PERSON. calling him transphobic trash?? really?? youre being transphobic right now & have been before. its gross. stop making chris fans & karamels look bad with your sh^t pls. your adult but your obsession with a trans teen is weird af. follow nicole’s cue & just block him ffs
He is what he claims. On a random social media account. While most of what he says there are bigass gross lies about other people. So believe what you want.
If you believe that saying he has a small dick complex (or something like that), was about his real "private parts", not metaphorical, then what I can say, if you will ever have literature theory exam, I recommend reading some professional books before and trying to understand them.
Plus it's funny, how he can "joke" about other's people sexuality, look, say they are cheaters and abusers, that they are unemployed, spread lies about them among their co-stars, harass their every tweet etc and the moment he tastes the same pill, he's the victim. No lesson learnt, I guess?
Also, I was informed by SC how karamels who are LGBT+ are phobic and their queerness doesn't stop them from being phobic and called my aro/ace ass staright and that it "lusts after white bread man" more than once etc. so as you can see, following scs amazing logic, being a LGBT+ doesn't stops you from be phobic, what goes for McCreep too *sad violin noises*
Sad fact is Mr McCreep who claims he is a teen constantly starts interactions with adults on social media and uses his so called age to cry how adult people are "harassing him", soooooooooooooooo ya know. Plus most of the people he calls adults have no age on their profiles. Do you kow how he and his drones figure out people's age? By stalking their accounts. Think about it.
Lastly, I don't give a fuck if someone is a teen, I don't give a fuck about the sexuality, gender, race, age, social status, nationality of people who are online abusers on social media. If you are brave enough to claim total bullshit, then you should be brave enough to meet the consequences of your actions, without hiding behind your age, sexuality, gender etc. Because the only thing that matters, is that your an online abuser. This is that simple.
Also, your message suggests that adults should not call out teens SM media becasue of age. Ageism?
Sweetheart, I blocked him long time ago. I just get pics of his shit from people who are equally done with him. Also, I'm doing this shit for past years, so i don't understand what are you still doing on this blog. Like, block my ass maybe and move with your life to better blogs, run by amazing people, not assholes like me.
Bye?
1 note
·
View note
Text
About Me Meme
Tagged by: @thefantasyhasnolimits! Thank you for the tag. 🥰
Nickname: Heather, I’ve gone by Nicole, Peach, and a few other names in the past though.
Zodiac: Aries
Height: 5’3” (160 CM)
Last movie I saw: I feel safe in assuming it was the Empire Strikes Back stream I did but genuinely, no clue.
Last thing I googled: ...catboy Palpatine don’t ask
Favorite musician: Green Day
Song stuck in my head: None right now at least. Who knows later.
Other blogs: I used to run @khdiscussions once upon a time. I currently run @swzines because I have no control and want to write for Star Wars zines too.
Blogs Following: 320
Amount of sleep: Around 6 normally, minimum of 5 now. Starry has convinced me to get more sleep and it’s working.
Lucky Number: 14. It’s the year I graduated high school (2014) and that of Xion, my beloved.
Dream Job: I would love to get into the psych field so bad. It’s my dream.
Dream Trip: Japan. I’d love to go to Japan one day.
Languages: Just English
Favorite Food: Pumpkin Spice Cake
Favorite Song: Haha uh...Wishes. 😇 My theme park love oops.
Random Fact: I collect fruit dragon plush. They’re really cute and I love them all.
Describe yourself as an aesthetic thing: Pastels, absolute pastels, and dresses. Idk just picture a cute pastel plush and that’s what you should view as me.
Tagging (No Obligation to Do It): @underworldobsessed @beetlesacquired @meltic-daze @st-segment @ajedilikehisfather @whisperoftheheart925 @lup-laguz @luigiman21 @cartoonvillainy @pmd2 and whoever else would like to do it.
#I’d have tagged Starry too but they never get on 😔#personal stuff#Tag meme#This close to making my fun fact: I am in love with Anakin Skywalker
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
Sonally Celebration Week, Year 3, Day Three!
Day three is here, and as usual, I tend to go for my flair with thematic tones over the literal idea of the prompt. Everyone else enjoying what @gojira007 and their blog @boundforfreedomsonsal brings will find this to their pleasure.
Sonally Celebration Week, Year Three: Day Three
Foreward: This episode takes place mere months after Mystery. I know last year sometimes I hoped about the time-line a bit, while with at least episode one-through-three I’m keeping it rather linear in the story-telling. Last time we saw Sonic and Sally as babysitters to Sonic’s younger siblings; now their own time has parents twas’ nigh.
Day three: Crossroads
“Sonic Maurice Hedgehog, I love you, I love you with all my heart and soul, but-nrghh!” Grimacing, Sally Acorn-Hedgehog panted heavily as another contraction wracked her body. Her grip on the hand of her husband tightened. “But I swear, I SWEAR if you do this to me again, I-will-EAT-YOUR-SHINS!!”
Making a soft, but audible sound of physical distress, Sonic swore he felt the bones in his hand crunch. Yet he did not dare wretch it free, not that he felt he could if he wanted too. Sally’s grip was intense, and furthermore, any attempt to save his own skin would be met with death. As sweat trickled down his brow, making the mask attached to his face, and the scrubs he wore a bit uncomfortable. Yet his own discomfort was his least priority at the moment. “Y-you got it Sal, j-just hang in there a bit more…”
Sally’s eyebrow raised incredulously. “Hang in th-nrgh, t-there?! Oh my dear husband, you just did-urghhh! N-not tell me to hang in there? Just what the f**k do you think I’m doing?! I’ve been ‘hanging in there’ since my water broke and the contractions kicked in, and those two little darlings ‘you’ put in my belly can’t decide if they want to come out now, or kick Mommy’s bladder some more!”
“H-hey I’m just trying to help!’ He pleaded as she clutched his hand tighter than before. “I know this isn’t easy on you Sal, but it’s not like I can whip out a Power Ring or Chaos Emerald and make it better. If I could-ghhh, take your place I would!” Sonic knew this was in no-way easy, but in the span of a few hours he’d seen Sally run the gauntlet of her emotional range. Mostly all centered at being upset with him. Now he understood what his Dad meant by ‘Nothing will prepare either of you for this; but remember, Sally’s going to be put through a wringer, so be patient, and be understanding’. “Sal, please you need to calm down some, it’s not good for you, or the babies right Doc?”
The ‘Doc’ in question lifted her head from her position between the Queen’s legs. After almost twenty-plus years of service, Doctor Quack had retired from medicine but remained a consultant for the Acorn Kingdom Ministry of Medicine. So the new Royal Doctor, one Jolene Fredrick, and one of Quack’s protoge’s was tending to the birth of Sally and Sonic’s children. The spotted-Hyena doctor managed a bemused smile behind her surgical mask. “Your husband is quite right, your majesty, I know it hurts, but the more you let the pain stress you out, the more it will complicate things.” She spoke evenly, softly, and kindly but with a firm authority a doctor should carry. “I know giving birth to twins is not easy, especially for a first-time pregnancy, but despite the pain, it looks like the babies are finally about ready to come out.”
A part of Sally wanted to scream and kindly (or not so kindly) tell Jolene to jump out the window, or anyone else asking her to ‘bear with it more’. After all the hours she already had dealt with the discomfort, and false alarms, up until the pains really started to kick in over the last hour and a half. Yet Sally held back that urge, both from her brain managing to get through the pain and reminding her, Jolene was trying to help. Plus as a Mother herself, she’d had first-hand experience with what she was going through. The other reason she pushed her anger down was the soft touch of Sonic’s hand that wasn’t currently in the vice grip she was placing on the other. A quick glance into those emerald-pools, seeing concern and love, did much to soften her.
A small whimper left Sally as she eased her grip and held Sonic’s hand to her face. “I’m sorry, it just huuuurts.” She whined softly, feeling utterly pathetic she was reduced to such a state. Her composure was thrown out the window, cursing freely, and just, the sheer roller coaster of hormones and emotions over the last several hours had taken a toll. “I want my babies, but-rugh, I want them out, nooooow!”
“I know Sal, I know.” Sonic murmured, wincing at the defeated, pained sounds coming from the love of his life. Bringing her hand to his face, he did his best to kiss the top of her hand through his surgical mask. “I’m with you, however long this takes you got me at your side.”
A small, strangled laugh left Sally as she managed a warm smile as she gazed at her husband. “How’d I get so lucky? Some people take forever to find their soulmate and I met mine at two years old.” Letting out a dreamy sigh, Sally pulled his hand to her and planted a kiss there, with both her hands (gently) cocooning both of her hands over his. Just as quick as the quiet moment came, it was taken away as Sally let out another sharp gasp. “Oooooooff!! I felt that one!”
Eyeing some equipment next to her, Jolene made a ‘hmm’ and then turned to look over at the couple. “Good news, it looks like the babies are finally making up their minds, one is starting to make way. Take deep breaths, your majesty, just like you practiced, we’re almost at the end goal.” She smiled through her mask, her own mild fatigue visible in her eyes. Yet like her predecessor there was a fire to see things through. “You can do this your Maj-.”
“J-just Sally please!” Insisted the mother-to-be as she gripped the edge of her bed rails with one of her hands, as the other still clutched onto Sonic. “T-this is too personal to keep using formal titles. Nrgh, j-just for now, please, no titles.”
A part of the doctor felt awkward at putting the habit of being so informal, but if it would help. “Alright Sally, we’re in the final stretch, deep breathes. We’ll see the crowning any moment now.”
Nodding, Sally looked to Sonic, wincing and breathing deeply as she was taught. “I love you.”
“Back at’cha Sal, you got this.” Sonic fought back a wince from his extremely sore hand. Focusing more on giving Sally his support. “Back at’cha, now let’s welcome our kids and you get some rest.”
Some Time Later:
Exhausted deeply in body and soul, Sally could feel all this in the back of her mind; yet her focus was on anything but the fatigue. A warm, happy, glowing feeling replaced the fatigue as she stared at the two swaddled bundles in her arms. “They’re beautiful…” She cried, happily as she stared at the mewling infants. Who seemed to instinctively lean against her body through their swaddling. It had been worth it, the long labor, the pain, all-worth-it. The girl of the twin-set was a chipmunk-ish hybrid like Sally but clearly sported her Father’s blue hues in her fur. The boy, clearly of the hedgehog variety had the more soft browns of his Mother. Time would tell if Sally’s red hair, or the blonde or brown hair from Sonic’s side of the family would pop up.
As she glanced over at Sonic, she was nearly bowled over by the sheer awe in his eyes and face (his surgical mask was off). His eyes were misty, making her wonder if she was looking at a mirror of her own expression. “You just love in love don’t you?”
“Totally.” Sonic nodded, a strangled laugh leaving him as she leaned in, getting eyefuls of the two joys the two had both patiently and impatiently waited for all this time. It had been a long road to parenthood, both held off having kids right away due to many reasons after the war. The rebuilding efforts, just enjoying themselves free of fighting, and other small, miscellaneous reasons. Last year they finally felt ready and well, started working on getting Sally pregnant, which didn’t take long with how they were.
Sonic wondered if this surge of pride and absolute happiness was something both his parents felt when either his siblings and he had been born? The sheer high of it almost-no, no it absolutely did dwarf the high of running free in the wind. Gently he reached a hand down, running a finger along one child’s cheek, then the other. “Hey you two, glad to finally meet’cha. I’m Daddy, this is Mommy, and we’re going to love and look after you until the end of time.”
Nodding her head eagerly in agreement, Sally sniffed back more tears of joy. “Forever and ever, all ours.” She giggled, kissing the soft, furry cheeks of her newborns. “Welcome to the world Kathleen and Jaleel-Craig.
“I still think Justin-McCooiagel sounded pretty good.” Quipped Sonic with a smug, joking smirk.
“I will not let our son be mercilessly teased because his Father wanted to give him a ‘cool nickname like ‘Just Cool’ or whatever string of odd nicknames.” She firmly stated, giving Sonic a dull stare. “Seriously, one of your names was Radical. Just Radical.”
“Hey it’s a good gender-neutral name, and we knew we were having twins.” His wide grin, showcased he enjoyed pulling her chain. He mostly had been joking about the aforementioned names, well mostly. The ones they settled on were perfect. Kathleen Nicole Acorn-Hedgehog was named after Sally’s Grandmother that she sadly never got to know, and her middle name was in honor of a certain BFF of the Queen’s. Jaleel-Craig Acorn-Hedgehog, or J.C. for short, got his name from Sonic learning Jaleel had been one of ‘his’ potential birth names. Seems his Father knew a Jaleel from school who had been his best friend until he died in the war, and had considered giving him his name in remembrance, only to decide Bernie’s idea of Sonic seemed fitting. Both Sonic and Sally thought it would be a nice name, and as for the Craig addition, Sonic just liked the name, and felt a two-word name would be great for one of the kids. His desire won out after he won three out of five rock-paper-scissors matches with Sally for the final say-so.
“Sure it is…” Rolling her eyes Sally reached over and ran her hand, playfully over Sonic’s face. “You’re just lucky you are adorable.”
“Ha! Adorable wished it were me.” Murred Sonic as he nuzzled against her hand. “Although my wife and lovely children are top-tier competition.”
Snorting, Sally then yawned loudly. “Oh my, I-I *yawn*, damn it, I don’t wanna sleep…”
The door to the suite opened and Doctor Jolene stuck her head in. Having overhard the yawn, she gave the couple a knowing smile. “You should get your rest while you can. The kiddos will be tuckered out themselves, and the nurses will watch them overnight. Trust me you will want as much sleep as you can before they want to feed.” Given it was between two and three o’clock, the Royal Family didn’t have any visitors waiting on them until much later in the day to worry about.
As another yawn tore from her throat, Sally nodded in acceptance. She then poked at her own chest, semi-covered by her hospital gown. “Finally these udders will get some use. The swelling of the milk is getting annoying.”
A dirty joke formed in Sonic’s head, but he wisely (this time) fought off voicing it. A low, tired, yawn left him as well. “Snooze n’ Zzz’s sound about right Doc. Plus there’s that saying, we should get as much as we can?”
“As one parent to another, ooooh yes!” Laughed Jolene as she walked over to give the Mother and children a once over as a nurse came over with a rolling cart with two portable baby-carrier cribs for the infants to sleep in. “That should be your priority as much as looking after J.C. and Kathleen now, making sure you’re rested so you can look after them.” She then gives her Queen a playful-if-stern look. “Which means our dear Queen needs to knock off the all-nighter paper-work and project binges.”
Unable to not but wince at the accusation, Sally sighed in defeat. She knew her bad habit was one not to be ignored at this juncture in life. “I’ve already delegated my tasks to Nicole and the Council, and all necessary parties…”
“After taking weeks to painstakingly do so…” Her husband quipped with a mirroring playful-but-stern with a dash of accusatory as Doctor Jolene.
Sally sent Sonic a glare, but fatigue and looking upon the faces of her children made the frown go away. “I know what my priorities are… I know that I'm going to need to get back to running the kingdom but I’m not going to ever put these two what I meant through. I will find the balance.”
Rubbing her shoulder, Sonic leaned in, planting a kiss to her cheek. “N’ you got me to help, we’re doing this as a team forever, and always.”
“Always.” She agreed, craning her head to kiss him back. Another yawn left her as the nurse gently took the snoozing children. Her gaze followed them as they were carefully put in the sleeping cribs. “See you soon my loves’.” She murmured, eyes beginning to feel heavier as she watched them be wheeled out. “Love you Sonic…” She murmured feeling him tuck her in as her eyes closed.
“Love you too Sal, I’ll be right here.” He murmured, waiting until he was sure she was dozed off. Leaning back from her bed, he popped his back and shook his hands. One was extremely sore but thankfully not damaged. “I’m gonna get some water, and then I’m gonna crash myself Doc.”
“I have a rollaway being brought in for you.” She nodded, giving one last check over of Sally’s vitals, and pleased with what she saw, intended to conclude her rounds and get some shuteye herself. “Sleep well Prince-er Sonic.” She corrected as the Prince-Regent gave her a tired but mild glare. “Sorry, force of habit.”
“S’okay Doc… Just titles n’ crap ain’t me, but I married a Princess who’s now Queen so… eh if you gotta for decorum n’ crude sure. Like this… Sonic is fine.” He grinned, giving a two finger salute before padding out of the suite. Water was his priority, his throat was dry, and then, bed. Sweet, sweet bedtime. If the way twins seemed to behave in the family held up, Sally and he would need to be on their toes sooner than later.
A new crossroad of life at been reached, and they were committed to what the future may hold for them and their family.
11 notes
·
View notes
Text
Family Matters | Chapter 3: Trivia
Hello People!
I hope you have had an amazing week and are going to have an ever better weekend. I am so done with this week. It was really crappy and I just can't wait for the beginning of next, hoping it will be better. The only positive side is that I was able to get over my writer's block and have finished about 3 new chapters.
Anyway, enjoy this chapter of Family Matters and let me know what you think!
Warnings: Swearing, sexual references, violence and murder references, public embarrassment, and very bad jokes!
Word Count: 3.6k
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Tag list: @mcntsee @lets-be-gay-for-the-angel @evelyncade @haylaansmi @paulaern @myfandomlife-blog
*************************************************
(This gif is not mine)
Chapter 3: Trivia
She closed the blinds and made sure for the fifth time the door was locked. Her breath caught in her throat and the fear and adrenaline that had rushed through her body made even Spencer Reid nervous.
"What's going on?"
"This is bad, I didn't realize the consequences of this until it was too late. I am so sorry I got you all tangled up in this mess."
"What are you talking about? What happened?"
"I-" She turned and took a peek through the blinds, ensuring there was no one around. "I did not think things through. I think it's best if you go home, that way you might be spared."
"You are seriously starting to make me nervous, please tell me what's going on, how can I help?"
"There is nothing you can do; I am basically a dead woman."
"Why? Who's after you?"
"Anna Hemingway."
"Your cousin is after you? Did she threaten you or something?"
"No, she didn't have to." She walked towards the bed and sat on the edge, still glancing every now and then, making sure the coast was clear.
After her and Spencer's victory, they had both decided to go to bed, and while the rest of her family insisted on having another dinner dedicated to the couple, they had both decided best to eat and head back to their cabin. He had finished first and decided to head back, and as soon as he was gone, the memory hit her making her mistake obvious. And the main reason she had resorted to a passive competition with the world's worst cousin was clear once again. In a hurry she had returned to their cabin, ensuring she was not being followed, and locked the door, startling the doctor.
"The last time I beat Anna at something was when I twelve. We were both auditioning for the same role in our school musical. They gave me the part." He smiled, truly excited for her accomplishment, as well as happy to learn this new fact about her. "Don't get too peppy. On opening night, at Grandma's celebration for the play, I fell down the stairs."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Because, Dr. Spencer Reid, as hard as it is to believe, me falling down the stairs was not due to my immense clumsiness."
"Wait, your cousin pushed you down the stairs?!" He exclaimed, truly horrified. How are children so cute and so evil at the same time?
"More like, she set her foot for me to trip on, but you get the idea." She glanced back at the door and then at the man in front of her. "I was lucky, I didn't break anything, but I have a feeling that might not be the case the next time. I also would prefer not to drown or anything like that."
"But we're federal agents, doing something to you or me would be unwise."
"You're speaking of the girl that tripped me down the stairs and thought that stealing my boyfriend and marrying him was wise."
"I'm gonna double-check the door is locked."
After hours of attempting to stay vigilant, her body had given in and she had fallen asleep. Although Spencer knew the danger, to him it was as simple as closing his eyes. She knew they were trained to deal with a lot of sick people, but he didn't understand the limits his cousin would go to destroy those who she felt wronged by. Although her main target had always been her, she once had basically ended a girl's life by getting her banned from pretty much any respectable college or job position because this one had made fun of her prom dress. Anna Hemingway was one to be cautious with, and they had both just embarrassed her in front of the people whose attention she had snatched years ago. It was worse than she realized.
"Spencer, Spencer." She spoke as she slightly moved him. He growled and moved away from her, attempting to continue his slumber. "Spencer."
"No, let me sleep." He complained.
"Spence, get up, please." After minutes of silence, she devised a new plan. "Spencer!" she screamed, making him jump, falling off the bed and landing between the edge of this first one and the door of the closet. "Oh good, you're awake."
He didn't say a word, for what seemed like centuries, and she wondered if screaming him awake was not the best decision, especially as her next request would not be something he would be inclined to.
"Sorry for that, I just needed you to wake up."
"Is there a fire I don't know about?"
"No, I just thought we could go for a run." There it was, the look Spencer had only given the unsubs he despised the most. She had earned it, but that didn't mean she liked it. "Sorry, I just, Nicole had to leave, and since I have a target on my back and there's safety in numbers... I also didn't want to leave you here alone, and vulnerable. I just felt like, despite your muscles, I am concerned you haven't yet mastered the use of your body."
"I will have you know that by all accounts I definitely know how to use my body. Quite effectively if I do say so myself, and others."
After his words, her mind went to a thought she never imagined having. She wondered if he meant it that way or she was just losing it. "Good, then you can come with me." That sentence following her thoughts was probably not ideal.
"No thank you, you can do it by yourself." She needed to change the direction her thoughts were going; they were definitely not helpful.
"Spencer, please. I am honestly a little terrified, and you should be too."
"Well, I'm not. She isn't worse than any unidentified subject we've dealt with before."
"Oh but she is. She's the worst type of unsub you could think of, but ten times worse."
"What's the worse she could do?"
"Let's not find out."
After whining from him and pleads by her, they both made their way out of the cabin. The shorts he had avoided yesterday were now covering almost nothing as they jogged. This was not a good reminder of their earlier conversation, so she simply focused on something easier: her cousin's imminent revenge. She thought it would come in the form of her accidentally pushing her into the lake, or a repeat of her falling down the stairs. She was even worried this time Spencer would be the victim since he had been the one to embarrass her. Her thoughts were interrupted by deep breaths and a yelp.
"Are you okay?"
"We've been running for hours, how dare you ask me such a question?"
She looked at her watch, "We've been running for exactly three and a half minutes. Actually, we haven't been running, more like jogging."
"How long do you usually do this for?"
"Depends on the day, but from thirty minutes to two hours."
"You need help."
"It won't be as bad, come on."
"You can go on, I am just gonna sit here and have a heart attack real quick."
"How on earth did you pass your physical?"
"I got it waved."
"Cheater."
"If it isn't it the 'it' couple of the weekend!" Suddenly the one having a heart attack was not Spencer, but her. "I didn't know you guys ran together, that's so cute!"
"Yeah, truly the reason I love her," Spencer said, a pinch of sarcasm in his voice.
"How adorable." It's coming, she could feel it. "Anyway, I was thinking, since love seems to be in the air this weekend, why don't we celebrate it by wrapping up the family retreat with a trivia night!"
"What does trivia have to do with love?" She regretted the words as soon as they came out, as Anna looked at her like she might as well be six feet under.
"Silly, the trivia would be about your significant other, of course!"
"Well, that's just-"
"Wonderful, I know!" The blonde smiled, delighted by her idea. "The family has already been briefed and they are all on board, I have started taking in questions and designed the cards, so we'll all meet around the campfire for dinner, and then we'll have trivia night!" She smiled brightly and began to leave, stopping by to appreciate Spencer's figure and palming his behind as she left.
"Did she just-?"
"Yes, yes she did."
"I need a shower."
After both had showered and changed they made their way to grandmas house, alert as to anyone following them. Most of her family had moved on from spying on them, but she knew Anna and Uncle Ernie were not that normal.
"So, what did your grandma do?"
"No one really knows, I mean it had to be good to make her so rich, but by the time my uncle Ernie was born, the eldest, she was already rich enough to sell whatever business she had and become a full-time parent."
"What about your grandpa?"
"He died before I was born."
"Oh."
They sat at the same table he had been at the day before; the chessboard was still in place. She began messing with the pieces, creating the game that always made her win, courtesy of her grandma.
"I didn't know you played."
"I too began at a very young age. I haven't really played since grandma died; she was my game partner. The only one that treated me like I was a human being." She sat down, remembering the hours she spent here when Nicole wasn't around, and everyone pretty much ignored her. "She was the only one that ever consoled me for losing my dad. Losing her was just one more box to check."
"I am sorry for your loss." He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, hoping to convey his sympathy.
"Yeah well, by how calm Anna looks right now I guess it won't be long before I join her, so we don't have to worry about that anymore."
He rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips. "So, what should we expect during this trivia night?"
"To lose, that's our safest bet."
"I don't really do losing."
"And all I do is lose, so I will be your guide this time."
The family had made their way inside, their excitement overflowing the room. She couldn't help but wish she could simply run for the hills. She knew the chances of them winning were null, because a) she needed to lose and b) Spencer and her hadn't known each other, really known each other long enough to be able to answer these questions. She wondered if that was the plan all along, that Anna somehow had found out about their lie and was using this as a means to expose it.
"Okay everybody, let's get started." Said, uncle Ernie. He wore the same clothes as their first day here. "Let us start with the competition. Since we have the newlyweds as well as the new couple in the family, I think they should make the honors."
She looked at Spencer and he smiled at her, she leaned closed and whispered. "Remember, to ease the monster, we need to lose, which shouldn't be hard, we're not even a real couple, there is no way we know enough about each other, right?"
He nodded and they both moved to the sofa that was designated as their spot, her uncle who now apparently served as the show host, handed Spencer and Tyler a buzzer, explaining whichever sounded first would get to answer the question. She mentally prepared herself, hoping she could answer enough questions to not raise suspicion but not enough to win the game, what a grand world that would be.
"Ready everybody?" everyone cheered in approval and she prepared herself. "This round is for the guys, once we finish you will pass the buzzer to your partner and at the end, we will have one round where either of you can answer. Now, the first question, what is your partner's Starbucks order?"
Spencer's buzzer went off as Tyler attempted to recall the memory. "It depends on the season. During winter and for as long as she can get it, it will be a Grande Peppermint Hot Chocolate, during the summer it will be no-coffee Double chocolate chip cookie crumble Grande Frappuccino with extra whipped cream, and no straw." She looked at him completely taken aback by his answer, how specific it was, and the fact that he knew she was a seasonal drinks person.
"Yeah, that's it." She spoke.
"Point for team FBI!" Her uncle cheered. "Next question, what is your partner's favorite color?"
His buzzer went off and the doctor spoke again, "Blue."
Ten questions later the scoreboard was 8-2, Spencer's lead, and the two questions he hadn't answered were because he decided that would be enough to lose. She didn't understand how he knew these things, or the fact that she knew what her answer for him would be, but what she did know, was that she had to be really bad in order to allow Anna to take the lead back, what she wasn't sure about anymore, was whether she wanted to let her cousin win.
"Ladies, you're up." Spencer handed her the buzzer and she smiled at him. "First question, how does your partner drink his coffee."
"That's easy. He doesn't drink coffee." She said soon after her buzzer went off. "He drinks sugar with a side of coffee, no creamer. Eighty percent sugar, twenty percent coffee."
"That is so mean to say! But it's true." Spencer agreed.
"How are you a doctor and drink so much sugar?"
"Not that kind of doctor." He clarified to the man.
"I have no idea what that means! Next question, what is the thing your partner is most proud of?"
"His job. Spencer loves helping people and using his knowledge to reunite families, he's the bravest guy I know." She smiled at him and he returned the gesture.
It was no surprise Anna was not content with the results, as the end was a 23-4 in favor of Spencer and her. As soon as the game was finished she knew that she had basically carved her own grave.
"That is not fair, they are not even really dating!" Her cousin screamed, "it's all a lie!"
"What?"
"Yeah, I know your little secret, I overheard you and Nicole talking about how Spencer was not really your boyfriend and how he didn't actually have dyslexia!"
"I-" She didn't know what to say, how had she not seen her? How could she let this happen?
"First of all, I think it is very inconsiderate of you to suggest that my dyslexia is not real. I have fought so hard for such a long time to ensure my condition didn't prevent me from succeeding, going as far as getting a Ph.D. in mathematics, for someone to simply come and question my hard work." Spencer said, seemingly very upset. "Second of all, this woman right here is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I will not sit here and tolerate you calling her a liar. We are in love with each other, and you as her cousin should be happy about it. Yet you seem so upset about her finding someone, it seems to me you're jealous, but what do I know, it's not like I can understand human behavior or anything. Oh, wait." He said, he took her hand and pulled her as close to him as she could. "Just leave my girlfriend alone, you took her sloppy second and married him, so what more can you want from her?"
The room fell silent, everyone eyed Spencer and Anna, trying to grasp what had just happened. "You and I both know you're lying, you two are not a real couple, you are just trying to ruin this weekend for me."
"Really, not a real couple? Then how did we end up destroying you at trivia? You made the questions Anna, I had no idea what was on them, you did. And I am not the one wearing a wedding ring. So my question is, how do you marry someone without knowing their proudest moment, or their Starbucks order?"
"Well, how come no one has ever seen you two kiss? You can learn facts about each other but that doesn't really make you a couple."
"You want to see a kiss? Fine." She turned and pulled Spencer's lips to hers. She let herself enjoy the moment, really enjoy Spencer's kissing skills, not because she wanted to or anything, but rather because that is how she should kiss him, there was no way anyone would have any doubt about them if the kiss looked authentic. Which it did, it also might have felt a little more authentic than it should but now was no the time to dwell on that.
Spencer kissed her back, creating an atmosphere in which her cousin's word didn't matter any longer, in which the humiliation her family had put her through was nothing worth thinking of, and the fact that both of them had such deep knowledge about each other only fueled it, melting her a little in her spot, she felt his teeth on her lower lip applying slight pressure and she couldn't help but wish they were by themselves right then and there.
"We get it! You guys want to take your clothes off, now please stop." Tyler's voice echoed, and the two doctors left each other's lips reluctantly, looking at him. "Now, can we please move on?"
"No! Not until they admit they are not really dating, and all this was a plot to humiliate me!" Anna screamed.
"You know what? I am not going to stand here and tolerate this behavior any longer. Bitchy Anna, you can whine all you want, but that will not change that I am with a man I love, and that loves me. I have let this family make me feel like less for long enough and I am done doing so. You can all go fuck yourselves because I am done with each and every single one of you. You allowed this crazy brat to humiliate me and treat me like I was less for long enough. Let's go home, Spencer." She grabbed him by the hand and exited the house, giving her family the middle finger before she banged the door. She walked to their cabin and gathered her stuff, him following suit. As soon as they were in the car and far enough away, she pulled over and sighed, coming down from her adrenaline rush.
"In the wise words of Penelope Garcia, that was hot," Spencer said.
"What was?"
"Everything." They laughed for a couple of minutes, the scene she had just created replaying in her mind. "I am so proud of you."
"Why? Because I gave my uncle Ernie the middle finger?"
"Because you stood up for yourself."
"Yeah, well even if she was right, I tend to get a little too angry when people call me a liar or get in my way."
"Yeah, I know." He chuckled, "How did it go, oh yes, 'Nu-uh bruh, I know you didn't just interrupt me mid-sentence.' And then you commented how a man who wore sweaters in the middle of July was not going to cut you off."
"I am so sorry about that; I was just so used to being cut off I didn't want it to be a thing at work."
"It's okay, I understand. I began cutting people off because that's what most people did to me when I spoke."
"Well, that's dumb. I love hearing your facts, you have all this knowledge, and you chose to share it, people should be grateful for it."
"Thank you, I appreciate that." He smiled, "Speaking of facts, our chances of getting murdered will increase by the minute if we continue to sit on the side of the road."
"Right, forgot about that!" She turned the car back on. "Let's go home, Spencer." As his apartment complex became clear, she slowed down, making a stop right in front of it. "Thank you for coming with me this weekend, I really appreciate it."
"No problem, that's what friends are for." Before he moved to get out of the car, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "What was that for?"
"For being the best fake boyfriend and real friend a girl could ask for." She smiled at him, so grateful for his existence. "I will see you tomorrow morning at 5:45 am sharp. Goodnight Spencer."
"Goodnight. See you tomorrow." He opened the door and walked out, waving to her before he entered his building. She sat there for a couple of minutes, taking in the past weekend. She knew her mother wouldn't let her get away with her actions, but right now that didn't matter, Spencer Reid had told her he was proud of her, he had even used the term hot which in itself was hot because she never even imagined he used that type of vocabulary.
Regardless, she stood up for herself, she let Anna have it, and Spencer was proud of her. It seemed like a win-win. She drove home, a smile on her face.
55 notes
·
View notes
Text
Discredit Pt. 2: More Recommended Reviews For A.Z. Fell’s
Alright, folks. Some notes first:
1. You all rock. I’m sending out 20k+ virtual hugs for all the notes I NEVER expected to get on this nonsense.
2. This is probably the final section, just because I’m not sure I can adequately follow up part one and it might be foolish to attempt it here. Let alone twice. But for now, here we go.
3. Kudos to the anon who reminded me of Aziraphale’s cash-only policy <3
4. Nicole Y’s review is based off an actual comment I read years ago, but heaven only knows where online it was. I’ve got the memory of a goldfish.
5. Trigger warning for the use of a queer slur in this. It’s the same review as above, number 5 if you want to avoid it.
6. There’s a text-only version of just the reviews at the end, after all the images. I’ll upload that to my Sparse Clutter collection on AO3 in a bit.
Bonus 7. People thinking this is a real shop deserve all the good things in this world.
That’s all I’ve got. Hope you enjoy! 👍
****************************************************************************
I’m a simple guy who likes simple jokes. If there’s a whoopee cushion I plant it. I will call you up to ask if your refrigerator is running and then tell you to go catch it. (Actually that one died out so thoroughly it’s actually capable of a comeback now!). Yes, I’m a dad and yes, I have a t-shirt that says Dad Jokes? I Think You Mean Rad Jokes! which I wear un-ironically every Saturday. All of which is just to say that my wife was well prepared for my stupidity when I walked into Fell’s.
I? I was not.
You see the bibles when you walk in? The ones to the left? Let them be. Don’t even look at them. Definitely don’t pick out the fanciest one you can find and absolutely don’t walk up to the owner with it held in your pudgy little fingers, grinning like a loon, cheerfully asking whether this should be in the fiction section. Just don’t. Mark my words you’ll regret it. Though your wife won’t. She’ll get a great old laugh out of it all.
In conclusion: it’s quite possible that mama did raise a fool and he just got his ass verbally whooped by a guy in a bowtie.
***
Shout-out to Mr. Fell for being the only decent bloke in this city. I’ve popped in and out of his store for years—including before I started transitioning. So he knew my dead name, dead look, whole shebang and I was definitely nervous to play the ‘You know me, but this is what’s changed and are you gonna throw a fit about it?’ game.
You know what he said? “Oh, Rose! What a lovely choice. Crowley dear, why aren’t you growing any roses? Some white ones would look splendid next to my Henredon chair.”
That’s it. He just went straight into dragging his partner for not giving him roses. So hey, Mom? Next time you’re snooping through my social media why don’t you explain to all these nice people why the 50+yo book seller accepts me in ways you won’t. Don’t go telling me age is an excuse or that you’re ‘Stuck in your ways.’ I’ve watched Fell dress in the same damn clothes since I was ten!!
Yeah. Sorry. Rant over. Fell’s a gem. That’s my take. Rose out.
***
Anyone else in the shop when that guy started yelling about buying pornography? And then got escorted into the back room for some ‘private conversation’? Well done, Mr. Fell! Didn’t know you had it in you.
***
Alright alright alright alright I am TOTALLY calm about this.
Went into A.Z. Fell’s last Thursday. Not because I knew anything about the place. Just because I’ve been hitting up every bookshop within a twenty-mile radius, asking if they’re hosting any book signings. Long story short I self-published my novel Blight last month—which you can get for a mere £5 here but I swear this isn’t a promotional thing I’m just BROKE—and have been looking for networking opportunities, tips, stuff like that. So the owner listened politely as I explained all this. Then said he didn’t do anything of that sort, which didn’t surprise me given the shop’s vibe.
But then? Then??? He offered to let me do a signing there??????
As said. Totally calm about this. This man either plans to kidnap me or is actually giving me my first shot at an audience outside my blog. AKA totally worth the risk.
Tuesday the 9th. 7:00pm. Just in case anyone’s interested ;)
***
holy sweet baby jesus i was tripping balls last week you tryin’ to tell me that kING KONG SIZED FANGED FUCK SNAKE IS REAL
***
Witnessed the most perfect exchange the other day:
Grumpy Dude With No Manners: “You. Boy. Where’s the man I spoke with over the phone?”
Mr. Fell’s Partner Who Knows Damn Well Only Two of Them Work There But Clearly Doesn’t Like This Guy’s Tone: “Did this man give you his name?”
Grumpy Dude: “Might have. Don’t remember. Sounded like a fairy though.”
Me: “....”
My girlfriend: “....”
This Poor Sweet Startled Kid On Our Left: “?!?!?!?”
Fell’s Partner In The Drollest Voice I’ve Ever Heard: “None of us have wings. Out!”
***
This shop gets full stars simply because every time I walk in they’re playing Queen.
I mean, I’ve walked in once, but once is enough when you’ve got Crazy Little Thing Called Love blasting full volume.
***
Okay, I’m still kind of shaken up but I needed to write this out somewhere and this seemed as good a place as any.
I spilled my latte on a book. Just tripped on thin air, popped the lid, and chucked a venti’s worth of coffee all over a very expensive looking text. I didn’t mean to, obviously, but it happened and I just started bawling on the spot. Full on sobs because this semester has been absolute hell, I ruined this guy’s antique, there’s no way I can pay for it, I can’t even sneak away because I’m drawing the whole store’s attention...just all the things all at once. I really was straight up panicking and was seconds away from pulling out my inhaler. I couldn’t breathe.
And then Mr. Fell showed up.
Jesus it’s embarrassing to admit but I think I hit him once or twice. On the arms I mean, because he was trying to touch me and I figured, I don’t know, it was a restraint or something. He was going to call the police and hold me until they got there. But then he managed to start rubbing my back and I lost it like I hadn’t already been bawling my eyes out in this shop. Ever cry into a perfect stranger’s chest? I have! But if Mr. Fell seemed to mind he definitely didn’t show it. Just kept holding me while I probably ruined his shirt and then took me into the back and made me a new coffee in this cute little angel mug. He let me stay there while I called my sister and waited for her to arrive.
She’s a good twenty minutes outside of Soho, so we talked for a while. It’s not like Mr. Fell could fix my shit roommate or bio classes, but I guess just talking about it all really helped. I was a lot calmer by the time my sis arrived and Mr. Fell insisted I come back any time I wanted—for browsing or more coffee.
Of course, sis offered to pay for the book herself. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone look so surprised in my life. “Certainly not!” he said. “Contrary to popular belief, no one should pay for their mistakes. It’s what makes you all so wonderfully human.”
So yeah. Thanks, Mr. Fell.
***
This little shop must have started a book club for kids! Lately I’ve seen the same group of children hanging out at Fell’s. Three boys and a girl. They’re a bit rambunctious at times, but who isn’t at that age? So wonderful seeing literature passed down to the next generation. Even if some of it is rather questionable looking...
***
It’s an honest crime that more of you aren’t talking about what a wonderful bookstore this is.
I’m a book lover at heart and Fell’s always makes me feel like I’m coming home. I just arrived somewhere safe and familiar after a particularly harrowing day. I’ve slipped under the covers of my bed after dinner and a bubble bath. It’s something like that, but with an element of surprise too. One of the reasons why I adore private and used shops over chain stores is that little touch of chaos. You walk in and sure, there are general sections to browse, but everything is just a little bit disorganized from people leafing through books and then putting them back somewhere else. There’s no real record keeping, you’ve just gotta head to one particular corner and hope for the best. It’s not the sort of place you go to if you want something specific because the chances of them having it are slim—that’s just how the universe works—and even if they did no employee knows where it is anymore.
But if you wander the shelves for a while, crouch down low to get a look at everything on the bottom shelf, pay attention to the books that don’t have easy to read titles or any summaries to speak of... you just might find something you didn’t know you were looking for. That’s Fell’s: the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of the unknown.
***
A lot of people might assume that these stories are embellished or outright made up, but as a bookseller myself going on twenty years I believe every single one of them.
That being said, I accidentally moved a rug and found chalk sigils that look like they belong in a cult. Make of that what you will.
***
There’s a special place in hell for 21st century shop owners that only take cash. Who carries cash anymore? Not me! I haven’t bothered with that nonsense in years! You can get a card reader for 15 pounds on Amazon. Or you know what? Be stingy and pay 7 for the little attachment on your phone. This place is nuts if it thinks it’s going to survive much longer on a cash-only policy, especially with some books that look like they’re worth hundreds or thousands of pounds! Yeah, yeah, just let me pull out this giant wad of bills for you. I’ll carry them around a crime-laden city because there’s no ATM near you either.
I mean jesus, you’d think this guy didn’t want to sell anything.
***
I walked in. There was a man screaming at a fern while another threatened him with an umbrella. I walked out.
5 stars do recommend.
***
I once walked in on the same (?) guy yelling at a book for daring to fall on the owner’s head. I think that’s just a Thing over there.
***
Like a lot of people here I didn’t actually go to Fell’s for any books (flat tire, Angel Recovery taking forever) and ended up staying three hours (not because of Angel). No, I wandered towards the back and found this ancient CRT set propped on a table of books, the kind that my Dad used to watch Twilight Zone on. This lanky guy had a marathon of Gilmore Girls going... though how he was managing that with a broken antenna and no DVR, I really don’t know. But yeah. He told me to pull up a chair and I did. Guy gave me popcorn.
I wish I’d paid a little more attention to his name. Charlie? Curley? I really can’t remember, but thanks for the enjoyable afternoon, man.
***
I BOUGHT A BOOK HERE
Not sure how though. Just kinda happened. First edition of Just William. Frankly I didn’t even want the thing, but the owner basically shoved me out the door with it when I took two seconds to look at the spine. Odd that he was so willing to part with this one.
Update: ... hold up. I didn’t buy a book because I never actually paid the guy. ‘Basically shoved me out the door’ was literal. Do I go back??
***
This page has really gone feral the last couple of months so I’m just gonna bite the bullet and say it:
Anyone notice that Fell’s snake and Fell’s partner are never in the same room together?
***
I really don’t like the implications of this…
***
This is precisely why the Internet has turned into a cesspool. You all should be ashamed of some of the stuff you’re writing here. Can’t two men just be friends anymore? Two real life men? These guys aren’t some characters for you to ‘ship’ or whatever. Quit making outrageous assumptions about their sexualities and use this website for what it’s actually for: reviewing the bookshop. Honestly I’m so sick of this sort of this shit.
***
Dude. They run a queer-focused shop together with a flat on the second floor. Fell calls the guy ‘Dear’ and he’s always calling him ‘Angel.’ People have literally seen them kissing. If you want I can give you the number of my physician. He might be able to help you pull your head out of your ass.
***
What the hell is your problem? I’m literally just reminding people to stop making assumptions. It’s gross and insulting. These guys check their Yelp page. You really think they’re gonna be okay with this stuff?
Also: I’m not the five-year-old relying on insults, so.
***
Making an account purely to set the record straight: I’m the hot twink in question and I married that angel. Peace
#good omens#ineffable husbands#air conditioning#good omens fic#guess who spent 48 hours doing nothing but writing and formatting#can I get a wahoo
11K notes
·
View notes
Text
Foreign Touch ch 2
Chapter Summary: Thomas needs a favor, but will Adeline give him the chance to ask? What could Thomas want?
Warnings: Once again, I didn’t proofread. Sorry <3 some cute shit, but y’all will see for yourself. HEHE
Word Count: 1,230(Give or take... idk i forgot)
Previously
Y/N didn’t know why, but she found herself always running from Thomas Jefferson. It wasn’t that she personally had anything against the man, Y/N just didn’t want the unnecessary drama that comes her way because of her brother. Alex was many things, one of those many things was him being a total drama queen. It was quite sad really, that the man would actually bitch and complain to her about Thomas and blah blah blah.
Sighing, Y/N looked at her phone for a few minutes before shoving it back into her pocket. Fixing the strap of her bag over her shoulder, Y/N made her way to the football field where cheer practice was taking place. She had just come tutoring a few kids a grade below her and so Y/N was trying her hardest to try and rush so she wouldn’t be even more late.
“Y/N! Yo, wait up!” a voice called out to her, turning to see the one and only Thomas Jefferson. Y/N shook her head.
“No can do! I’m late already. Byeee!” She waved her hands and rushed even faster.
Making it out on the field, glad she changed into her workout clothes before going to tutor, the h/c girl shrugged out of her jacket and threw it down to the ground along with her bag and rushed over to be with the rest of the cheer squad.
“Hamilton! You’re late!” the coach yelled out to her, raising an eyebrow, stopping Y/N from giving an excuse as to why she was late. “Two laps around the field. GO!”
With a sgh, Y/N started her run. Honestly, she should have seen this coming. Y/N missed the warm-ups and so this was going to be the closest thing to a warm-up she would get.
Tying up her hair in a tight ponytail as she started out in a slow jog, Y/N pulled off her oversized shirt, so she was wearing just her purple racerback sports bra crop and black leggings. Shirt held tightly in her hand; Y/N was slowly gaining speed as she ran. Focusing on her breathing. Never realizing the football team coming out onto the field as she was in her zone.
It wasn’t till after her run and joining the rest of her squad did Y/N finally see the guys of the team. They were doing their own workout on the other side of the field.
Catching a certain males eye, Y/N looked away and started on the cheer they had been practicing for a while.
“Y/N! Top of the pyramid!” “Nicole! Lift her foot higher!” “Brenda! Put your back into those flips!” “Dylan! YOU ALMOST DROPPED Y/N CAREFUL!”
Those were the commands from Coach Stone. By the time 5 o’clock hit, the girls and guys of the cheer squad were out of breath.
“Good job everyone! At this rate we’ll be ready for the first game of the season this Friday!”
With that said, everyone made their way to their things to make their way home after a tough practice.
“Damn, y’all almost looked like you worked out as hard as us.” a voice caught her attention, making Y/N snap her head up at the source. Only to narrow her eyes.
“Oh please, you and your little buddies couldn’t do what we do if you even tried.” she smirked and shrugged, pulling her shirt over her sweaty body and tugging her jacket over it. The cold wind caused goosebumps to form over her arms.
“Anyways, as awesome as it’s been to talk to you... Oh wait, it hasn’t been awesome. Bye now!” Y/N laughed and grabbed her bag before starting to walk away.
“Yo, Y/N wait up. I need a favor to ask you!” Thomas called out after her, yet as he stepped closer to the girl. His coach called him back to the field.
That just caused Y/N to laugh and make her way to the parking lot where her car was waiting for her. It was Wednesday and all Y/N wanted to do was go home, shower, eat and watch T.V. Seeing as she finished her homework while she was tutoring.
»»-———— ♡ ————-««
Being in an empty house, freshly showered with only a night gown on and her robe on covering her night wear. Y/N found herself in the kitchen, stirring the pasta sauce she had been making for her dinner. Her parents were out for a date night, Alex was with John. Y/N was glad she could have some down time.
Hearing a ping from her phone, the girl sighed and went to check who was bothering her. Not knowing who the heck the number belonged to that was looking for her.
After seeing who was texting her, Y/N was quick to tell them that she was not the person they were looking for and silenced her phone.
After having her pasta and cleaning up the kitchen. Y/N groaned when she saw that Thomas wouldn’t stop messaging her. Blocking his number, Y/N tossed her phone to the side and wrapped a blanket around her body. Turning on Supernatural on the tv, she cuddled into the blanket and pillow before laying on the couch and watched the show.
It wasn’t much longer that Y/N felt her eyes drop close and she fell asleep.
Laughing and running around, holding a water gun, Y/N ran away from someone. The two laughing and she hid behind a tree.
“THAT’S IT… I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUAL.” Y/N yelled out and smirked at the male before her.
His curly hair was dripping wet, curls perfectly forming around his face as he stood there shirtless. Thomas raised his eyebrow as he eyed her. “A dual?” he asked grinning. Watching as Y/N nodded grinning.
“Mmhm… each of us get a water balloon. Take ten steps from each other. On ten, we turn and throw the water balloon.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
That’s how the two found themselves holding a water balloon. Thomas holding a purple one while Y/N held a green on. Each balloon filled with water.
“One”
“Two”
“Three”
“Four”
“Five”
“Six”
“Seven”
“Eight”
“Nine”
“Ten paces… FIRE!” They yelled and at the same time the two threw the balloon and as if it was all in slow motion. The green balloon hit Thomas right across the face while Y/N managed to dodge the purple one.
“That’s it sweetheart! You’re gonna get it!”
With wide eyes, Y/N dashed off laughing and squealing as she tried to escape Thomas’ hands, sadly for Y/N she fell down and Thomas was on top of her tickling her until she was out of breath.
“You give up?” he asked, laughing as she squirmed underneath him.
“YES! “was all Y/N could respond with in-between her laughter.
When Thomas stopped, he leaned forward, grinning at Y/N until their lips were almost touching. “I win sweetheart…” he whispered, and their lips connected.
Gasping and sitting up, Y/N looked around the dark living room. Wondering where the hell that dream came from and why Jefferson out of all people. Glaring as Dean Winchester was lip-locking with some girl on her screen. Y/N got up from her bed and shut the tv off, muttering under her breath that it was Deans fault for that dream.
Little did she know that a few streets away at the Jefferson household, a certain boy was sitting up on the couch thinking about the dream he just had. Confused as well.
Next Chapter
Taglist: @the-baby-bookworm @ballerinafairyprincess @criminallyhamilton @slytherinssssnake @youtxbemusic @i-honestly-dont-know-anymore @yes-i-know-im-weird-blog @they-write-once-in-a-blue-moon @wtfevenismypage @sabbrriiinnaa @1elysium @exquisite-dreamer @i-know-i-can @exquisite-dreamers @ 0-flamingo-0 @marie-is-in-the-dark
Don’t forget to Like, Reblog and send Feedback! My asks are also opened and so is my IM!
Much love from me to you!! ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)
#hamilton fanfic#alexander hamilton#hamilton lams#hamilton#daveed diggs#daveed x reader#daveed#lin manuel miranda#lin manuel miranda x reader#daveed diggs x reader#lafayette#john laurens#lafayette x reader#lams fanart#thomas jefferson#thomas jeffershit#thomas jefferson x reader#soulmate au#high school au#hercules mulligan#hercules mulligan x reader#james maddison#james madison x reader#lin manuel x reader
172 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.
Interview with Marasmus
Marasmus only has a handful of fics left at Gossamer, but you can find more X-Files fics at AO3 (as finisterre). Some of my favorites of her stories I've recced here before, including one of the most clever fics you could read, Cellphone (here at AO3), and the lovely, London-set A Candle for Katherine (here at AO3, bonus commentary at LJ). Big thanks to Marasmus for doing this interview.
Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?
Mine, yes, older XF in general, no — some of that stuff is amazing. Though I wonder how well fandom operates now there is not a plethora of rec sites. I know of yours and one more Tumblr blog and that’s it. I find it really difficult to find good stories in any fandom unless someone whose taste maps to mine recommends something.
What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?
I look back on it fondly, but it was one of the first things that really hammered it home to me that every grouping throughout life follows the pattern of school.
A lot of people are really talented and funny and kind. Then there are absolute ego-rampaging nightmares who act like lady bountiful in public but do cruel things in private, or chuck their toys out of the pram at the least provocation.
And like school, fandom brings together a disparate group of people who you’re friendly with, but once you leave, the ones you stay in touch with are your friends.
Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?
Thank God.
I watched the show pre-widespread internet and mostly when I had almost no money. I didn’t have regular internet access until the third season, and that was only at my incredibly conservative workplace. I didn’t get home internet access until midway through season six. You couldn’t download episodes easily, you couldn’t stream, you just had to wait until it aired overseas. I decided I didn’t care if I was spoiled and that worked for me. In fact for some particularly annoying episodes, I was glad.
I was a newsgroup and mailing list sort of person. Never really did message boards unless a newsgroup counts, though I had a Haven account.
What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?
Mostly, how talented people are. I know some are now professional writers, but so many people who didn’t do it as anything but a hobby were also amazing.
What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?
I always liked science fiction, oddness and urban legends, so it was kind of made for me. But it was the relationship between Mulder and Scully that kept me around, and after season six, it was the fandom that kept me around. I loved Scully in particular, cos let’s be honest, Mulder can be kind of a twerp at times.
What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?
I hung out on alt.tv.xfiles.analysis (a newsgroup), which was one of the smartest boards I’ve ever been on. The threads were full of well-read, erudite people. That led to a site which collated reviews of XF episodes. They mentioned alt.tv.xfiles.creative, and I got there the summer after Gethsemane, which was pretty optimal timing.
I’d take floppy disks into conservative workplace and quietly download the most gloriously filthy fanfic onto them for reading at home on my ancient second-hand Mac.
After that I joined Scullyfic, a mailing list, which was a lovely place to hang out for a while, and got stories through a couple of other mailing lists.
What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?
Like my relationship to ice hockey: glad that activity exists and that some people enjoy it, but not watching and not involved myself.
Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?
Reading, yes, and writing the odd bit of feedback, but any other fandom involvement didn’t really take. I’ve never found a bunch of people I liked as well as I liked some of the people in XF.
Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?
I am usually more interested in female characters than male ones (the Doctor, Mulder and Jack O’Neill notwithstanding), which is why I only read a bit of m/m slash. I usually develop a perverse dislike for any woobie the fandom loves.
Some favourites are: Samantha Carter and Jack O’Neill, Granny Weatherwax, Furiosa, everyone from The Good Place, Donna Noble, Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones and Yasmin Khan, Maia from The Goblin Emperor, Cordelia Naismith and Miles Vorkosigan, General Leia Organa, Rey and Finn, and lately all of The Old Guard, even Booker...
I like nerds, pining, best friends discovering feelings for each other, second chances, redemption narratives, people being sneaky for good ends and stoics who stay stoic through all kinds of misery, only to crack and start crying when they get a happy ending.
Basically, you know Eleanor at the end of the Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility? That.
Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully?
No. I had about four years there where I made up stories about Mulder and Scully on any commute where I’d forgotten a book, but that’s gone now. I watched two episodes of the revival, but it wasn’t for me.
Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom?
I occasionally wander in and read a bit on AO3, but nothing that deals with anything past season seven. Not interested in William, not interested in domestic fiction, not even interested in post-col any more, which was 100% my crack during XF fandom days. I did read By the Dim and Flaring Lamps [Lilydale note: by @sunflowerseedsandscience] earlier this year. Love a bit of AU historical.
I read lots of different fandoms, though I am between intense enthusiasms at the moment, which always feels a bit odd.
Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?
Yes, but they’re all about 20 years old. Is there such a thing as fandom classics any more? There used to be a litany of stories that ‘everyone should read’. I wonder how well they hold up now.
I think there are waves of writers who come into a fandom and then leave again: I think I was part of a second wave, with the first wave being Mustang Sally, RivkaT, Karen Rasch, Lydia Bower, Nascent etc.
Then there must’ve been a third wave for the revival (and mini-waves in between). I don’t know that group of writers, so I am probably leaving out people who are really good.
One of my favourite Scully voices is Five Years and One Night [Lilydale note: by Shalimar], because of the contrast between her inner monologue as written and how little she actually says.
I really like quieter, thoughtful authors like Michelle Kiefer, Cecily Sasserbaum, Scullysfan, Cofax, Anjou, Maria Nicole, Kipler. Love everything Kel ever wrote.
At one point there were also about three authors called Rachel who were knockout. I like to think Rachel Howard is writing professionally because it’s a waste of talent if she’s not. Rachel Anton had a crazy gift for pacing and wrote a good Krycek.
I really liked Branwell’s strange AU novels, which riff off The Field Where I Died (a wretched episode but so much good writing came from it.) [Lilydale note: Condemned to Repeat It by Branwell is a really long story involving The Field Where I Died.]
Everyone who is reccing other people’s stuff here is also a good writer. (and their taste in recs is — mostly — excellent):
http://www.thebasementoffice.com/museaxfnet/museans/TitlesAF.html
What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?
I like The Flexible Concept of Tomorrow. I loved trying to work out the timelines. I like the one about airships and cross-dressing which only exists on my iPhone and in my imagination right now.
Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?
Only an AU, if ever. I am completely at sea with canon.
Do you still write fic now? Or other creative work?
In my head. Mostly AUs. Everyone has daemons! It’s an airship! They’re exploring space! It’s mediaeval Slovenia!
Most of my creativity is sucked away by work. Which is good I suppose, as writing fanfic never paid my Netflix subscription.
Where do you get ideas for stories?
Reading long-form journalism and non-fiction books.
What's the story behind your pen name?
Well, I changed mine. The first one was picked out of a magazine article about Branwell Bronte, and I liked the shape of the word. Then I got to feel uncomfortable with it because it was a real illness that made people suffer. The current one comes from the shipping forecast when I was a kid.
Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?
No, and also absolutely not. Over my dead body. Over YOUR dead body.
Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now?
I took my stories off Gossamer but I don’t remember why. They’re on AO3 now and there are probably stray copies on some archives out there.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with fans of X-Files fic?
I have made all of these mistakes. All of ‘em.
— On no account offer unsolicited concrit. In fact, do not provide concrit EVEN IF THE PERSON ASKS FOR IT, unless you know them reasonably well and it’s in private.
— Avoid the wank. If you have the perfect riposte to something awful, write it and file it to drafts for two days. If you still want to send it after that, godspeed.
— Write anything you want, and when you start keep going. You can edit later.
— Never put any story into the public sphere unless you’ve had a second pair of eyes on it, preferably the eyes of someone who is willing to say “are you SURE about that?”
Finally, just have fun. Being in the grip of love of story is a wonderful thing, and you never know how long it will last.
(Posted by Lilydale on September 29, 2020)
65 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
big-ole-blog-of-rp-blog
It's a Small Multiverse After All
cigarswithcoffee
Coffee's Blog
marigold10
Untitled
canadianvirtualgurus
Canadian Virtual Gurus
kidsorthopedic
Kids Orthopedic