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#so let's show some love to the neglected 4
avianii · 8 months
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turns out all you need to kill artblock is a 70 page assignment from your history teacher you really don't wanna do :D
so here's more volleyball au (bottom right is not Mav fyi likeness is hard lol)
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animutate · 6 months
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man i dontthink i can be in a real relationship ever again im just starting to process how everyone has treated me HORRIBLY
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theabyssal · 6 months
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Yes, Death is still alive and kicking, and I am as well! 💀
I know this is rather unexpected, especially after the lack of any updates this last year, but I'm back and I owe you all an apology.
Life kicked me in the butt while mocking me that I should still be grateful to live another day. Shit happened and I'm not proud of how I acted. I took a step back from the Abyssal to heal, but I neglected my lovely readers while doing so. I'm not one to openly mope, but I received a lot of concerned asks and I thank every single one of you for still caring about my sorry behind 😊
Now, let's focus on the good part of this whole mess. I've got some news!!
Firstly, The Abyssal went through a considerable rewrite, nothing major but a few passages were added and other pieces were slightly changed. You guys will notice the difference, I hope.
Subscribe to my Patreon if you are interested in the early access, down below are all the release dates and their respective tiers:
Patreon Tier 5 early access: november 1
Patreon Tier 4 early access: november 4
Patreon Tier 3 early access: november 8
Patreon Tier 2 early access: november 12
Patreon Tier 1 early access: november 16
Public release: november 18
PATREON DEMO
Down below you will find some of the changes I made:
Sol is now gender selectable! Now only Wulfric is gender-locked, while the rest of the ROs are all gender-selectable;
Friend!crush Sol (friends to lovers) and Enemy!crush Sol (enemies to lovers). Romancing choices are marked with a 🖤;
Rescue—adopt?—a little kid;
Two interludes were added.
Choose to wear a mask or a veil, and pick between many designs of masks for your Death to wear;
Second part of Chapter 2 is focused on world-building, lore, and Éoin's life as a mortician.
Secondly, a list of small things that I added:
Around 15k words were added to chapter one and 12k to chapter two. The demo now has a total of 100k words;
Now the choices that will unlock the madness and fury domain are labeled.
Added time and location to each memory jump to better situate the reader.
Make sure to check the show stats option! I'll be adding details about the characters and the world of Hylaria there with every update.
Much more.
All in all this is it for this month. Any further changes I'll be sure to tell you guys!!
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Hello! I hope all is going well for you. Firstly i wanted to say thank you so much for these wonderful fics you have been posting lately. I am so happy i somehow stumbled upon your page and now am able to read so many beautifully written stories.
I was hoping you could write a fic with azriel where him and reader have known each other for a while, but later on when elain come in the picture along her sisters, reader feels left out because azriel isn't there with reader anymore and is spending more time with elain's company and this makes reader feel neglected because she can't voice her feelings for him. Perhaps rhysand or cassian see reader slowly being left out and decide to approach her and reader lets all her feelings out, so they can talk to azriel and azriel fixes everything with the reader...they could end up being mates...upto you. Thank youu❤️❤️
Idiot.
Azriel x f!Reader
Masterlist.
Warnings; angst, swearing.
Hello! Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy it! I can rewrite it if you don't like it!
When you met Azriel you instantly fell in love with him, the darkness that surrounded him never bothered you and when he realized that, he opened up to you and after some years he considered you his best friend. It hurt at first and no matter how much you wanted to tell him about your feelings, you were too scared of ruining your friendship and losing him. So, you ignored the ache in your chest and prayed to the Cauldron that he would fall for you too. You never completely understood why you felt that pull to him, it was like you were hypnotized. His sharp face with those high cheekbones and the strong jawline, those full lips and hazel eyes and not to mention the body that looked like it was carved by the Mother herself to tempt the world. He was made from sin and the most dark and unholy dreams, his huge membranous wings adding to that terrifying aura around him. But what could bring everyone on their knees was his personality; If you managed to get past those adamant walls he has built around him you would be mesmerized by him, his personality is a light that pushes all his darkness away. Only a fool wouldn’t be enchanted by him, and you sure as hell aren’t a fool.
So now that the other two Archeron sisters burst into your life and the middle one showed interest in Azriel every ounce of patience you had dissolved. Azriel would wake up, find Elain, spend his day with her, have dinner with everyone and then disappear into his room. Not even a second spent on you, his alleged best friend.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
You were having breakfast with Cassian and Nesta in the house of wind when Azriel walked into the dining room.
“G’morning” Cassian mumbled as he chewed.
Azriel nodded and headed to the balcony.
“Az could you come pick me up around 4, I want to go to the bookstore.” You asked with a hopeful smile.
“I don’t think so, ask Cassian or Rhys” he replied without even looking at you and flared his wings, shooting up.
You turned your gaze to your plate and blinked the tears away.
“I can take you there” Cassian’s voice was soft, and his big palm rested on top of your own.
“It’s okay, excuse me” you whispered and got up leaving the room as quickly as you could.
“He’s such an idiot” Nesta said and continued eating.
Cassian was staring at the wall across him, his hand scratching his chin as he was lost deep in thought.
“I have to go” he said suddenly and got up. Nesta only nodded.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
“I’m telling you Rhys he is completely ignoring her. She looked so broken today” Cassian exclaimed and hit the desk with his hand.
Rhysand was staring at him, trying to remember the last time he had seen you and Azriel together.
“I believe you Cass, I will watch them today during dinner and if he is ignoring her, we will talk to him together.” He replied and waved a dismissive hand at him.
Cassian left the office; he passed one of the big windows and glanced outside. Azriel and Elain were standing in the garden, Elain was explaining something as she pointed to some flowers. The warlord shook his head and left; he knew that if he stayed longer, he would snap.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Everyone gathered in the dining room of the house of wind for dinner, Cassian and Rhys sharing a look and taking their seats. You entered a few minutes later and glanced around the table, your usual seat next to Azriel was taken by Elain, the only empty seat was between Cassian and Mor.   “Az, do you want to change seats with me?” Cassian asked the moment you sat. Azriel furrowed his eyebrows.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you and y/n usually sit next to each other.” Cassian shrugged.
“Oh, no its okay” Azriel replied.
You let a shaky breath and picked your fork. Rhysand sighed and shook his head.
You didn’t know what happened during dinner, you were too busy keeping the tears back and thinking everything that was going on with Azriel. When everyone was done with their food, they moved to the living room with a bottle of wine. You tiptoed to your bedroom knowing that no one would notice and laid on your bed, letting the tears and sobs escape your body.
Cassian and Rhysand noticed though and they followed you. They stood in front of your door, their hearts breaking with every sob you let. Cassian opened the door, and they walked inside.
You felt the bed dipping.
“Az?” you asked as you turned to look.
Cassian’s expression turned from sad to angry. “That fucking idiot.” he growled.
“Y/n what’s going on?” Rhysand asked.
You were so tired of keeping all those feelings hidden, you couldn’t take it anymore, so you told them everything. How you instantly fell in love with Azriel, how you kept your feelings hidden in fear of losing him and how he broke your heart by spending all his time with Elain.
The two males frowned as you spoke.
“He is such an idiot, I told him to confess his feelings to you. He never listens” Cassian exclaimed and got up.
“Don’t worry y/n we will handle this.” Rhysand said and they both hurried off.
You were gaping at the door. Feelings? Confess? What? You were so confused that your brain felt like it would explode.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Cassian marched into the living room, grabbing Azriel by the collar of his shirt and dragging him outside. The shadowsinger didn’t fight his brother, he knew that Cassian could be a brute when he needed something. What he didn’t expect though was the angry look on Rhysand’s face when they reached the balcony. “What the fuck is going on?” Azriel shouted as he fixed his collar.
“You are a fucking idiot that’s what’s going on” Cassian growled. “Rhys?” Azriel asked ignoring the warlord.
“You’ve been ignoring y/n from the moment Elain stepped into our court. When was the last time you spent time with her?” Rhysand asked.
“I’ve been helping Elain adjust like you asked me to” Azriel exclaimed.
“Elain is fine for a while now.” Cassian said.
“She wants to hang out with me, she feels safe when I’m there” the shadowsinger explained.
“She wants to hang out with you because she likes you” Rhysand snorted. “That’s not the point of this conversation” Cassian growled. “Y/n is in her room crying her heart out right now because she is completely in love with you.”
“What?” Azriel’s eyes were wide as he turned his gaze to Rhysand. The High Lord nodded and Azriel spun around and sprinted off.
“Finally” Cassian screamed.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Your door burst open and Azriel stumbled inside, his eyes wide as he scanned your room.
“Angel please don’t cry” he breathed when he saw your face and approached you.
You couldn’t speak, you just stared at him as he knelt in front of you cupping your face.
“I’m so so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you angel. Rhys ordered me to help Elain adjust and then I kept spending time with her because I thought she needed me. I didn’t realize I was neglecting you, Cauldron I’m such an idiot.” He sighed. “Cassian said that you have feelings for me, is it true?”
You gulped and nodded.
“Even after all of this?” he asked.
“Yes” you whispered.
“Good. Because I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you for the first time. I feared losing you if I told you. I couldn’t believe that a sweet creature like you could love a monster like me.”
“Don’t say that! Please… you’re not a monster Az” you exclaimed.
“I kill faeries for a living”.
“You protect your court and family, and those faeries that you kill are not innocent. If someone can’t understand that then they are stupid.”
“My sweet angel….” Azriel stopped talking and furrowed his eyebrows.
“What?” you asked him. “Do you feel that too?” his hand went on his chest.
You felt it too, like a string unwrapping and then it snapped making both of you gasp and lean back.
“My sweet mate” Azriel whispered and smiled. You couldn’t believe it, your heart skipped way too many beats.
“My mate” you said, and tears filled your eyes.
“Do you forgive me?” Azriel asked.
“Yes. But you will stay away from her at least until I get used to the bond” “I will” he nodded “I love you my beautiful mate” “I love you Az” you smiled and he kissed you.
Requests are open but delayed!
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yourlocalsmutwriter · 6 months
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A dramatic overture - Bada Lee x reader
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You were a bit of an unusual ballet dancer. To put it plainly, you were a bit of a fuckup sometimes. But wasn't everyone? Apparently not, according to your overbearing mother. And your choreographer, the infamous Bada Lee. How you landed in her troupe was a mystery.
Not only was she an insanely talented leader, she had been a phenomenal dancer beforehand. Other girls like Lusher and Tater flourished under her guidance. You, on the other hand still needed some work.
And that is exactly what you did. Day and night you practiced tirelessly. After all, ballet was an art, and weren't all the greats tortured and starving? You were eating still, the only pleasure you allowed yourself. The rest was wake up, go to dance, go home, and then repeat the cycle again and again. But your efforts paid off in the end.
And you had perfected your routine just in time for your audition. You were doing Swan Lake, a staple in the community for dancers and the audience as well. And of course, Bada wanted to put her twist on it. So at the end of the season there would be a special ''modern'' retelling of the plot, with all original choreography from her. You were excited. As stereotypical it was, you loved Swan Lake. It was the ballet that made you want to be a dancer in the first place. And Odile was your dream role ever since you were a child. So you tried to brush off your insecurity and worked for it.
You had been to the studio at such late hours that your parents started to suspect you had a boyfriend. You didn't have the heart to tell them that a boyfriend was the last thing they would ever have to worry about it. So you brushed it off and insted went in during your allocated dinner hours. And since you absolutely hated breakfast and really anthing early in the morning, you were down to one meal a day. It's not like you planned it and it wasn't affecting you that badly. At least thats what you thought at first. But by hour 4 of practice, you were exausted. You did a turn and felt your body go limp. You tried to break your fall in, but you still slammed to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Your fall must have been serious because Bada rushed in. You didn't even know she was in the studio then. You prepared fora lecture and her berating you on your stupidity and carelesness. But instead she let you lean on her and get to her office. There, you sat on a comfortable plush chair as she brought you a sports drink and an icepack. You were too tired to think about where her personal fridge was located and just how big it was. As your pain got lighter, you could focus more on what she was saying.
''And please, be careful. I see you work hard. But don't neglect yourself too much. The most important thing to focus on is your health. And as for the role, don't worry, there's plenty of roles, plenty of other shows.''
While she was right, you were stubborn. But you did not have a death wish, so you scaled back your practices by only 15 minutes, but it's the thought that counts. And also you started packing sandwiches. And little by little, it came time for auditions. Surprisingly, Odile was still popular, so you were up against the stars of your group. Still, they relied on their already existing talent and hadn't really bothered to memorize new techniques. And you had worked hard, building a completely new persona for your dancing. And that did not go unnoticed by Bada. So her decision was easy. Almost as easy as the way you cried tears of joy upon seeing the cast list. You had it. The role was yours. The pain was over.
Little did you know, the pain was just beginning. Now it was just a lot. while Odile was a background character most of the time, there was still her solo. And you dreaded it. Not only the dancing but also dancing with a man. It's not like you had anything against men. In fact, you were on good terms with most of the male members of the troupe. You just couldn't feel the necessary passion and attraction needed to dance with them. And you couldn't fake that love, even on stage for just a few minutes. But you managed. Bada had some minor critiques, which you corrected. And so the first cour of your performances began. Your choreographer had you do a limited summer run with the original production. Then, in the quieter ballet months you'd train again for her version of Swan Lake.
You were excited to play Odile twice. But little did you know, in Bada's version the cast would be all female. And you found out that last.
While you were on your last regular performance, she pulled you aside and told you there would be some changes to the cast list. She watched your face pale for a few seconds before adding that your spot would not change. And you swore she added a wink at the end, just to torment you.
Maybe it was worry. Maybe it was a stomach bug from all the supermarket sandwiches. But you were too sick to make it to rehearsal. You called your choreographer and almost tearfully apologized over and over again. Yet, Bada reassured you. Your role was not in the first acts anyway, so she'd focus on them now. But little did you know, she was simultaneously holding auditions. And she made sure to take down the new cast list before you return.
It was worth the hassle and the looks of bewilderment from the other dancers. Because she essentially saw you go through every stage of gay panic in the span of 5 minutes.
You walked in the studio, seeing her. She queued up the pas de deux music and walked over to the oposite side of the room. She stood on the blocking of your partner's position and motioned for you to take your place. When you were still frozen on your spot, she began explaining.
''We're in Bada's version now. And seeing how abysmall your chemistry was with the male leads, I made some changes.'' she said.
''If I was so bad, why didn't you say something. Why didn't you recast me.'' you questioned.
''You're a good dancer. And besides, it was just Swan Lake. I cannot be revolutional, I don't want to claim I can rewrite the story better. But making my cast all female of my own show, that's another thing. A modern retelling of a classic. With a strong message on how love isn't dictated by the gender binary. These tickets will sell like fresh bread.'' she explained
''And you're coming out of retirement to do this.'' you added, getting it now.
''Jackpot.''
''So you're doing this to get money.''
''I'm doing this for art. And to keep your fees from raising. Costume, set decor, rent on the studio, I'm guessing you don't want to pay that. Unless you do, then get in position.''
Her movements were so fluid. Additionally, she could lift you with ease. The thing is, every time she touched you, it felt like electricity was running through you. So you couldn't really focus and fumbled. Bada was a bit annoyed, but then she started over. Still, you were rattled. Why did this make you feel this way? Bada was attractive. But why would her appearance affect you so much? And now? So you continued to dance, pushing away the thoughts for some time. And it worked for a bit. You two managed to complete the routine. And did it again a few times again, to solidify it.
And then you did it perfectly. You would never use that word lightly, but it was true. It was a million times better than with your male partners. So you were confident that you would nail it.
''Okay, you have the energy now. Let's start learning the routine.'' Bada said.
You were confused. You knew your choreography, and you were wondering if there was a light misstep on your part. And then, Bada started a completely new dance. You wondered when she had the time to choreograph this. It was a completely different way of moving, looking more like a street style. You had never danced like this. But clearly, Bada had. She was so good, even better than with ballet. Was this on purpose? Or was it just her trying to showcase a skill? But why throw you under the bus? You could talk to her about it. Ask her to pull back on some moves, but still add that Bada flare. But you didn't do that. You just tried to copy her moves. You were a professional, so you could pick it up. And it's not like you picked up ballet in one go.
So you tried again. And again. And again. At first, Bada was guiding you very closely, being next to you, correcting your posture with her hands. After a few hours of that, she gets tired of this and sits down, just giving you oral feedback. That frustrated you. And the fact that she kept forcing you to practice over and over again. And at the end of the day, you were just tired and ended up just going home, with no progress on your end. The thing is, you tried again and again. You ended up having a sleepless night in order to get something done. And even though you were dancing like there was no tomorrow, there was little progress.
But you just kept at it. Rehearsing. Going home and dancing there. By the time you went to sleep, it was time to get up again. On days when you weren't training you'd just sleep and eat, calling it a day. You were becoming slovenly. Makeup and brushing your hair were becoming luxuries and so were laundry and showers. And the worst part is, you weren't improving. Street dancing was just not your thing. But it was everyone else's thing. Bada and the whole group could do it. Except you. You were the outcast again. And for no reason. It's not like you were bad at performing in your signature style. What pissed you off the most was surprisingly Bada. She was the incompetent one, not you. She couldn't lead you properly. You hoped she would help and you were called to her office at the end of the day. But instead, you got chewed up. Midway through her rant, someone stormed in, talking to her about a defaced poster and how it was going viral, but not in a good way. She excused herself and promised she'd be back soon. But 5 minutes past. Then 10. Then 15. And the whole time Bada's phone was buzzing with notifications. It was driving you insane. So you reached out to put it on silent mode. But something caught your eye. All the notifs were from a groupchat called TEAM BEBE and the picture was that of the troupe. So you looked at the messages and everyone was talking about you. Lusher, Tatter, even Cheche, they were all bad mouthing you. Making fun of you for the things, that were beyond your control. You had had enough so you just stormed out of there.
So you did the only thing you could think of. You dressed for revenge. First, you went to a salon to reverse the damage to your hair. Then you actually took time and booked a morning makeup session at the MAC counter, making sure to add a striking red lip. To top it all off, you decided to get some new clothes for the rehearsals. A few sexy and black pieces later, you had wiped out your salary. But none of that mattered.
While your transformation was already almost unbelievable, you knew it wasn't enough to shine to dazzle your so-called teammates. But the first person with a target on their back was Bada herself. After all, she was the one that got you into this mess in the first place. So you knew just how to make her regret it. But your plan wasn't exactly foolproof. And you were about to find that out.
First, you joined Bada in your usual practice room. It was surreal to see yourself reflected in so many mirrors while looking like this. You brushed it off. You began the routine and messed up horrendously, this time on purpose. You kept butchering it again and again until Bada stood up begrudgingly to help you. As soon as she got close enough, you pushed her back, watching her topple to the ground, her spine contorting into a graceful, sweeping curve. She was beautiful, even when falling. You wasted no time in straddling her waist, fully prepared to fight her. By then, she was fighting back too, trying to knee you, making you enclose your legs against her thigh. Bada pushes you back, but her hands meet your chest. And you fucking moan. She just raises an eyebrow and looks at you. Then she moves her hands to your hips, making you rock back and forth.
''If a good fuck is all you need to dance correctly, I'll give it to you princess,'' she said. You were about to protest, but she flexed her thigh and you were a goner. You let her take control completely. Bada made you grind your hips on her, to hump her leg like a horny pet. She snapped off the buttons of your leotard, so your bare pussy was rubbing against her. Your wetness was all over her black pants.
''Bada, I'm going to cum.'' with that your mentor bounced her leg up and down. You leaned towards her and kissed her as your orgasm took over you. She helped you ride it out and watched as you rolled over on the floor, panting and tired. Bada watched you for a minute and then said.
''Oh, my darling, I'm just getting started with you, so you better get up.''
Taglist: @withoctober
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roosterforme · 1 year
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A Love You Don't Find Everyday Part 4 | Rooster x Reader
Summary: Wedding planning commences, and Bradley takes his frustration of being neglected out on you by getting even in the best way possible. 
Warnings: Fluff, angst, swearing, edging and smut
Length: 3700 words
Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader
Check out my Masterlist!
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You spent the entire day on Saturday with Bradley. You promised him you would be better, and he promised you he would be more understanding about your work, especially right now. As long as you were willing to be open with him about wedding plans. 
"It's only fair. You put up with my deployments like a champ," he told you, placing a kiss on your forehead. 
"How about this?" you asked, pulling Bradley over to the kitchen counter where your computer was charging. "I literally need to send an email about my lodging in Annapolis. We are all staying at the barracks to save money in our project budget, and I need to request a room. After that, we can do some wedding planning together. And then I'm yours until Tuesday morning."
Bradley stood behind you and massaged your shoulders while your computer booted up. "What happened to Monday morning?"
"We are both taking the day off and spending it together with Tramp."
Bradley tickled your neck with his mustache, making you smile as you entered your credentials. "I love you," he whispered. 
You still felt uneasy inside. You hadn't noticed how much you missed him until everything blew up in your face. But now that you were home for more than just enough time to sleep, you could feel your energy levels rising and your happiness growing. And you knew it was a direct result of being around your future husband. 
"I love you, too. Now look at this." You showed him some of your project specs, and he promised to help you work on your presentation in the upcoming days. 
-------------------------
Bradley's heart was swelling with happiness. He talked you into just ordering a pizza for dinner, because the two of you were starting to make headway when it came to wedding planning.
You were sitting on his lap at the dining room table, waiting for the pizza to arrive and jotting things down in a notebook. "I'm going to call my mom tomorrow and see what she thinks about the dresses. I guess I should make an appointment to try some on."
"I can't come with you?" Bradley asked, flashing his puppy eyes at you.
You turned to look at him over your shoulder. "Absolutely not. Maria can come with me. Or Nat. Or Jake. Not you."
"Jake?! Hell no. No," he was shaking his head. He would never let that one fly.
You started laughing. "You don't want me to get a guy's perspective on the dress?"
"Fuck, no. I do not. Especially not him. Take Bob."
You just snorted. "Jake has become my friend. You do realize that, right?"
"He's already seen enough. He saw the calendar photo yesterday! The photo with the red set. My favorite!" Bradley whined. He was entranced by the entire calendar, but that one was his favorite.
"I told you not to hang that thing up," you replied, turning back to the notebook. "So confetti cake? Yes?"
Now he was groaning. "Baby Girl, can't we do lemon?"
You abruptly stood and went into the kitchen, and Bradley tracked your bare legs as you went. You immediately returned with a tupperware container of the leftover cake and shoved a forkful into his mouth. "Get used to it. It's non negotiable."
Bradley chewed it up and sighed. "Fine. What about a venue?"
You shook your head. "I hate them all. They are all either so bland or so pretentious."
"Didn't you used to dream about your wedding day when you were younger?"
You shrugged. "Not really. Honestly? I just figured if I had the right groom with me, everything else would be good too." Bradley watched your hand glide up along his abs to his chest. "Got that part under control already."
He kissed you and pulled you against him with a squeak. "Then let's just go to the courthouse with your parents." Bradley wrapped your necklace chain around his fingers, toying with the charms he had given you back in January. 
You shook your head. "I want something unique, but not fussy. Fun, but not ridiculous."
"Sweetheart, you could have been telling me this stuff all along," Bradley whispered, pulling you closer. "I like all of your ideas so far. Even the cake flavor is fine."
"What do you want?" you asked him. "Other than a retro 80's nightmare."
Bradley was trying not to laugh, but he was so fucking happy to be spending time with you, he let you have this one. "I want an exact replica of Goose and Carole's wedding, right down to the powder blue cumberbunds, and if you won't let me have that, then I won't marry you."
You started cracking up, and the sound filled his heart completely. "Shit, Bradley, you had me at cumberbunds," you told him, kissing his neck. "Yeah, let's do that."
"You're a monster," he growled, sending you into another fit of laughter as someone knocked at the front door. 
"Probably the pizza," you muttered, standing up between his legs. But Bradley immediately stood and pulled his shirt over your head in one smooth movement, leaving you completely naked. 
"Hey!"
He slipped it on himself and gave you an innocent look. "What? I can't answer the door in only my underwear."
You couldn't move as he walked backwards toward the front door with a shrug. If you tried to make a dash to the bedroom, the pizza delivery person would see you, so you just stood still and listened to Bradley pay for dinner and bring it back to you.
He wrapped you in his arms and held you, naked on his lap while you both ate pizza out of the box. He had ordered your favorite toppings, and you listened to him humming a song for you while he pulled two slices apart. 
"Are you humming Fleetwood Mac?" you asked him. "Everywhere?" 
"Yeah," Bradley whispered before starting to sing the chorus. 
"You played that for me at the Hard Deck before. It's one of my favorites. That should be our wedding song."
Bradley dropped his pizza back into the box and wrapped his arms around you. "Yes!" he agreed immediately. "Yes, I love that."
You kissed his cheek and let him cuddle you while the pizza got cold, pleased that you were able to make a decision that made him happy, too. 
When you were finally done eating, you both fed some of your leftover pizza crust to Tramp when he sat and begged. "He really is as bad as you are, Roo."
"Nobody is worse than me when it comes to begging you for something delicious, Baby Girl. Now, will you please come take a bath with me?" he asked as he ran his fingers along your bare sides. 
You moaned softly. "You do not have to beg me for anything, Bradley. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you did." 
He collected you in his arms and carried you to the bathroom, depositing you on the edge of the tub as he got the water ready. 
"Why don't you get in and relax while I clean up the kitchen, and then I'll join you."
Bradley watched you put your hair up in a messy bun and slip into the water. You looked like a dream, and his cock was twitching for you. But he knew exactly what he wanted to do to you. So he adjusted himself and went to clean up the leftover dinner. He grabbed two beers and took them into the bathroom. He stripped down and you scooted forward in the tub so he could sit behind you and stretch out his legs. 
You turned toward him with a smile on your face, and your fingers found his cock easily underneath the copious amount of bubbles. 
"Roo," you whispered, but he reached down to move your hand, and you pouted.
"I have other plans for you, Baby Girl. Those plans will require our bed."
You shivered in his arms with an adorable smile on your face. He wasn't so sure you'd be smiling once he started, but he let you enjoy yourself for the moment. You settled back against his chest, drinking your beer while Bradley teased your skin under the water.
"Are you going to tell me what your other plans are?" you asked softly, looking up at him over your shoulder. He was entranced by your long lashes and the pretty curve of your cheeks. Had been since the moment he first saw you. 
"You want me to show you, Sweetheart?"
"Yes," you hissed in excitement. "Should we dry off?"
"Mmhmm," Bradley hummed, running his knuckles along your breasts as you knelt in front of him. "Dry off and go get in bed, Baby Girl." He watched you grin at him as you ran one of the sunshine yellow towels along your body and dashed into the bedroom. Bradley drained the tub and dried himself off as well. His dick was already hard, and he knew he would be putting himself through hell as well, but he needed to teach you a lesson.
When he found you perched hopefully in the middle of the bed, he stalked over toward you. You were licking your lips now and reaching for him. 
"Lay down," he told you, and your eyes lit up as you eased yourself onto your back. "Good girl."
Bradley took both of your ankles and spread your legs wide so he had plenty of room to work with. You were so pretty like this, needy and flushed for him. He'd wanted you like this for weeks, but you'd given him next to nothing. 
As he settled his body over your smaller one, you reached up and ran your hands through his hair. It felt amazing, and he let his lips touch yours, eliciting a soft sigh from you. As he moved his mouth to trail across your cheek and tease your ear with his mustache, he took your hands off his body. 
"You are my top priority, Baby Girl," he whispered next to your ear. "You know that, right?"
"Yes, Roo. I know," you moaned, running your hands along his shoulders. Once again he removed them, and you turned to look him in the eye, trying to figure out what was wrong.
He held your hands above your head in one of his and kissed your ear. Then he told you, "From now on, I am your top priority as well. I don't come in second or third. Ever again. When I tell you we need to talk about something, we talk about it. When I tell you something is important to me, it's important to you, too. Understand?"  
He pulled his face away from you to watch you answer him. "Yes. I understand," you whispered, your voice breaking on the last word as if you really did understand what was going to happen. 
Bradley let his lips ghost over your soft skin as he took one of your nipples into his mouth. You grunted softly as he pulled the peak between his teeth and swirled his tongue. He bit you softly, making you squeak before soothing you with his soft tongue. 
"That feels good," you told him, and when you reached for him again, he released you with a pop.
"Tuck your hands under the back of your head and don't move them again."
Your eyes went wide, but you did exactly as you were told. Then you nodded at him as he focused his attention on your other breast, giving it the same level of attention, pulling your nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. Your whimpers as he sucked and teased you were making him painfully hard, but he focused on the lesson at hand. 
Bradley eased his body further down yours, nipping and licking you along the way as your breathing got heavier. 
"I'll never hurt you," he promised when he had reached your belly button. "I'll always take care of you. Do you trust me?"
"Yes, of course."
He looked up your body at your already flushed cheeks as he sunk his teeth gently into the soft flesh of your belly. Then he soothed you with his tongue before moving his mouth lower.
"Bradley?" you whispered, but he ignored you. He placed one soft kiss on your pussy before running his index finger through your slit and gently swiping your clit. You were already soaking wet as he meticulously teased you with the tip of one finger. Your little huffy breaths sounded so sexy; he was dying to fuck you. But not yet. 
He slipped his finger inside you, paying close attention to the way your body reacted to him. The arch of your back, the tilt of your hips... he knew them so well. He wrapped his lips around your clit and swirled his tongue back and forth. He felt you trying to clench your legs together, but he pushed them apart, still teasing your hole with just one finger. 
You were getting worked up now, but he could tell you weren't quite to the point where he wanted you to be. So he added a second finger inside you, fucking you slowly with both digits and sucking harder on your clit.
"Oh!" you gasped, your back arching off the bed in response. Now you were getting closer. 
Bradley released your clit and withdrew his fingers, licking them clean while he pushed his cock inside you.
"God," you moaned, and he couldn't help but grunt at how perfect you always felt to him. He pressed his body weight against you, fucking you in a steady rhythm until you were humming and shaking your head, never moving your hands from where you had placed them. 
"Feels so good," you whispered, squeezing your eyes closed.
Bradley braced himself and fucked you a little harder, really making you moan. When he ran his right thumb across your clit, he could feel you squeeze his dick, and he knew he had hit the magic spot. 
He listened to you gasp and watched your legs scramble as he withdrew from you. 
"Want more, Baby Girl?" he asked, holding your thighs wide.
"Yes!" you whined like a spoiled brat. Bradley's first instinct was to fuck you good, take care of you the way you liked best, but he wouldn't do that tonight. Instead he buried his face in your pussy again, licking and sucking until your back arched off the bed.
"Please!" you cried out, but he just shook his head and counted to ten before sucking on your clit until your back left the bed once more.
"No."
--------------------------------
He was punishing you. The level of pleasure you were practically drowning in was addicting, but he wouldn't take you past this point, no matter how hard you ground yourself against his face. 
"Please, please," you gasped, trying again to get him to work you to completion. But when you looked at him he shook his head.
"No." It was the only word he had been saying for what seemed like the past hour. 
And now he was slipping his penis inside you again. You felt so full, so perfect. Yes, he was going to let you come this time. He had to. You could already feel the pressure building. You were so close. You could feel that first squeeze around his cock. 
Then he slowly slid himself out, letting you feel every inch of him along the way. 
"Bradley!" You could feel tears stinging your eyes as he repositioned himself, and a moment later his tongue was lapping along your clit. Heavenly. His mouth was warm and wet and you loved it. But he was overworking you now. He was doing it on purpose. Bringing you so close over and over. Here you were again. You swore you were about to explode on his tongue, but then he removed it, placing kisses along your thigh instead. 
You took a few deep breaths, worked yourself up to begging again, but then his fingers were inside you and his lips were on your clit and his mustache was teasing your pussy, and you knew this time you'd come. 
"No!" you keened when he left you with nothing once more. Your vision was a little blurry now, but you could see him perched between your thighs, his mustache wet. He looked as exhausted as you felt, but just when you could finally breathe easily again, he fucked two fingers inside you. 
"Bradley!" you squealed. So close. So so so close. You just needed ten more seconds. Five more seconds. Nearly. There.
Nothing. He'd given you nothing again. You tried to thrash your legs, but he had a firm grip on your thighs almost immediately. You were dripping wet. You could feel your moisture everywhere along your legs and down to your ass. You were shaking now too, mouth dry and ready to cry. And then he pushed his cock inside you again with four hard pumps before stopping and circling back to your clit with his mouth. 
---------------------------
Bradley watched you cry. He wasn't sure you even knew you were crying, but you were sobbing, tears leaking from the corners of your eyes. 
You were so sweet. You were his Baby Girl. He wanted nothing more than to make you cum for him. But he wasn't going to. Not yet anyway. Not while he still had the ability to keep going. 
It had been nearly an hour, and now he was pouring sweat as he fucked you with his fingers, dragging his mouth across your beautiful tits.
"Please," you gasped, soft hiccups preventing more speech than that. 
"I would love to make you cum, Sweetheart," he growled through clenched teeth. "But I'm not sure you've learned your lesson yet."
You were shaking. You were crying and shaking, gripping your own hair now as your legs quaked. But he just pushed your thighs apart and licked you, soft strokes alternating with a little rub of his mustache. 
"Roo," you pleaded, and he almost crumbled. He'd been gone for you since the first time you called him that. But he never wanted you to hurt him like you did ever again. 
He knelt between your thighs, his dick just inches from your hole as he stroked his fingers across your clit and watched you. Your legs had given out a few minutes ago, and you were no longer arching your back when you were close. You were mewling like a kitten and squirming for him, biting your lip and shivering as you cried. 
"Daddy, please."
He stroked you softly with his thumb and leaned down to kiss your tits. "Oh, oh, oh," you gasped in time with his thumb, and he could feel your hips moving beneath him. 
"Oh, fuck!" you gasped. Bradley could feel it first, and when he looked down to where he was still stroking your clit, you were soaking him and the bed, squirting for him from your perfect pussy. 
"Holy shit," he groaned. He had actually made you squirt. His cock, his hand, and his thighs were covered in it. 
He looked up at your face, flushed and damp and perfect. Mashing his lips to yours, he wrapped his soaked hand around your neck and gave you a light squeeze. "Did you learn your lesson?" he growled.
"Yes," you promised softly through your tears. "Yes."
Bradley released you and buried his face in your pussy, licking up all the wetness and rubbing himself in you. God, you tasted so good. You were laying in a wet spot, still crying for release as he licked your thighs before ramming his cock inside you. He braced his palms on the bed above your shoulders and fucked you with a few sloppy strokes until he was filling you with his cum. 
You looked up at him with trusting eyes, whispering, "Thank you," as he felt you squeeze his already softening cock.
----------------------------
You were vaguely aware that Bradley was scooping you up into his arms. You tried to talk, but you were way too tired. So you just let him hold you.
"I got you, Baby Girl," he whispered. 
"I love you," you told him as he set you down on the couch. He had let you come. He finally let you get off. You opened your eyes as he stroked your hair away from your face. 
"You're such a good girl," he told you, and you smiled. "Relax here while I make the bed, and then we can go to sleep."
"Make the bed?" you asked, a huge yawn causing you to stretch your arms and back. You sat up on the couch and looked up at him, completely naked before you. "Why are you making the bed?"
Bradley's eyes went a little wide and he grinned. "You soaked the bedding, Sweetheart," he told you, running his fingers along your cheek. 
"What do you mean?" you asked, but you could tell what he meant by the way he was looking at you. "I did?"
"Yeah," he replied. He let his fingers trail down your neck. "You squirted all over me. Really earned that orgasm, didn't you?"
Your jaw dropped open. "That's never happened before," you said, your voice raw and harsh.
Bradley froze with his fingers tucked in your hair. "Never?"
You shook your head slowly. 
Bradley was climbing on top of you, guiding you to stretch out on the couch. "I made you squirt for the first time?"
"Yeah," you whispered. His lips found yours in the sweetest kiss as your legs tangled with his. "But you were punishing me."
He peppered kisses all over your face and called you a good girl. "I was," he agreed. "But you learned your lesson. And you gave me a nice little treat, too."
You moaned into his mouth and let him touch you everywhere.
-----------------------------
Bradley led you back into the bedroom on shaky legs so you could see for yourself what you had done to the bed. 
"Oh, God," you groaned, covering your face while he stripped the bedding. 
"Yep! Beautiful, isn't it?" 
And as soon as Bradley had you in the freshly made bed, you snuggled up on his chest and started drifting off to sleep as you asked him, "Are we okay now, Roo?"
He ran his fingers through your hair. "Yes."
-------------------------
Hope you all enjoyed that edging..... thanks to @beyondthesefourwalls for proofreading this for me.
PART 5
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yinyangofnevermore · 1 year
Text
So you’re considering watching RWBY
Or you’re trying to convince someone else to watch it
(I made another similar post about this a while back)
But you/they aren’t sure. Something is holding you/them back. Like:
“But the animation n stuff is SO BAD!” - Sure. In the beginning it’s not great (though many of us now look back on those early volumes with fondness.) But you have to understand, RWBY started as a passion project at a small company with a budget of like $20 (yes I’m exaggerating but STILL.) They simply didn’t have the funds for good animation. But, after volume 3 came out, the show became a literal international hit and so the budget increased. And, subsequently, so did the animation quality. You can see that progression easily enough here. The quality goes from this:
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To this:
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“It looks stupid and childish!” - Yeah, in the beginning it’s meant to seem silly. And it still has its cartoonishly silly moments later on too. But those silly moments are meant to soften the blow of the PAIN. Because, while RWBY starts off as a silly, “good always triumphs over evil” slice of life magic academy type show it does not STAY that. There is PAIN. LOTS OF IT! If you keep watching, you’ll find out within like 6 hrs worth of watching that it’s not just some silly slice of life show. There is a complete 180 along the way when you find out what RWBY is truly about. The show actually delves into some pretty heavy stuff. PTSD, abuse, neglect, abandonment issues, alcoholism, loss, the inability to move on from loss for some, and more. For more on this, check out this post.
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“I saw some stuff on Twitter/Tumblr/Youtube about how bad it is.” - That’s because there are ppl out there who want the show to be something it’s not. Or they got upset when things didn’t happen the way they wanted. Like Blacksun shippers or Adam and Ironwood Stans. Or they just want to shit on something. But EVERY show has its haters. Every piece of media has its haters. And they like to be loud edgelords about it. Sometimes just to be controversial and pick a fight. But that doesn’t mean shit. There are ppl out there who absolutely hate your favorite pieces of media, whether you’re aware of it or not. And that doesn’t stop you from liking it, does it? Don’t let a few haters prevent you from potentially finding your new favorite thing. Because there are a LOT of ppl out there who absolutely LOVE this show.
“I tried watching the first few episodes and I just... Couldn’t.” - Dude, I get it. Trust me. I did the same exact thing when I started watching. I watched the first couple of episodes and literally turned it off. But then I saw a few ppl posting about it here on Tumblr a while later and gave it a second shot on a whim. And BOY did it not disappoint when I got far enough in (and yes, that took a minute.) Mind you, this was back when Volume 3 was originally airing, so the drastic improvements in animation hadn’t happened yet. But I stuck with it anyways. And now look at me. But the show does take a while to really ramp up, so to speak. The beat doesn’t DROP until a bit later on in volume 3.
But, if you enjoy character growth and analysis, then you will most likely enjoy this show. The number of analyses on Tumblr and prolly Twitter as well are MANY. The main 4 characters are badass ladies learning how to fight and deal with life. Every character in the show is based on either a fairy tale, mythology, history, pop culture, etc. (sometimes they have multiple allusions to different degrees) and teasing out those details on top of everything else is quite fun if you enjoy searching for Easter eggs, significant imagery, foreshadowing, parallels, and so on. Interesting villains too. Not just the standard “Evil Witch because she’s evil with henchmen” thing. But fleshed out villains that have their Reasons™️. Like “Cinderella took so much abuse as a kid/teenager that she fucking snapped” type reasons. There is SO MUCH you can delve into with this show if you want to. Details as small as a whale statue in Gepetto’s office, or Belle reading a book with a candelabrum that looks like Lumiere, or characters wearing the colors of the person they love, or characters having eyes the color of their love’s aura (an extension of their soul.) SO MANY PLACES TO FIND THESE DETAILS. Including the lyrics to the music.
Which leads me to the music in this show is freaking AWESOME. And if you can’t appreciate that Casey Lee Williams has been singing in these soundtracks since she was like 13 or 14 (and listening to how she’s grown as a musician throughout it all to the point where she is now one of the music leads for the show) then I don’t know what to tell you. The music is all produced in house. And the lyrics reflect that. Each song is from the perspective of a RWBY character (or like team RWBY in general, depending on the song) and the lyrics give insights either about the characters or about stuff in the show (lore, foreshadowing, etc.) And they’re as fun to analyze as they are to jam out to.
The writing is FANTASTIC. Is it perfect? No. Of course not. They made mistakes along the way. Prolly will make some more. But every piece of media does to some extent. People aren’t perfect and so neither are their creations. But those imperfections don’t outweigh how amazing the story they’ve woven is. The writers of RWBY constantly subvert expectations in a BRILLIANT way. Not in a “wtf?? Where did that come from?” sort of way. But in a “OMG! Now that I go back and watch this again it makes SO MUCH SENSE” sort of way. And things that happen in early volumes actually COME BACK to affect things later. The show doesn’t just MOVE ON. The writers have been playing the long game this whole time. And rewatches will almost always show new details and foreshadowing you might have missed before.
Also, it GAY. And it’s THE major romance of the show. Not just a side story. And the voice actors are the Captains of the Ship! And it’s a beautifully written slow burn romance (amongst other romances also in the show) with yearning and pining for DAYS.  I believe it was Monty who said, “Good romance is earned.” And boy are they earning it!
So, in short, FUCKING WATCH RWBY.
DAMMIT.
If you do decide to watch, Volumes 1-8 are all on RoosterTeeth.com for free or everything is on Crunchyroll. And I definitely suggest starting with the 4 trailers, in order: Red, White, Black, then Yellow.
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psychelis-new · 1 year
Text
pick a pile: "Your soulmate's light and dark"
take a breath and choose the photo/number that calls you the most to read about what may be the "good" and "bad" sides of your soulmate: remember a soulmate can be either romantic or platonic (it's part of our soulmate family). I will let the message open to any type of soulmate also cause not everyone wants a romantic partner now.
As you can see from the pics, the reading is divided in two parts: if you feell called by the light side of one pile and the dark side of another, it's obviously fine. Sometimes lights aspect may mix up with dark ones and vice versa: it's fine. Nobody's here to judge what is really light or dark in everyone's life. Thanks to the 2 Anons who suggested this topic.
don’t take the reading too seriously. only take what resonates with you and leave the rest. if you're not called by any pile, let this reading slid as it may not hold messages for you. if you're called by more than one, there may be messages in each of those piles. remember that is a general reading and some things may not resonate with you. energies can change and readings are based on present ones (as you read); you're always in charge of your life.
(photos found on unsplash)
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1 2 3 4 top part/colored pics : light sides bottom part/bnw pics : dark sides - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ -
pile 1
--light--
Someone good with words and communication, very talented in what they do. Someone that may be rich, not just with money but also in experiences. Someone into magic or that has magical abilities (or perceived so). A joyful optimistic, open, ambitious, spiritual, not too corrupted by the harsh world, and healing for you. Your connection may bring healing to both of you. Balanced, may also be doing two jobs. Very giving to those they like/love, the classic "helping hand". May also be an healer as a job (also through communication). They may be healing some dark aspects of them too atm. Physical in their displays of affections (loves hugging).
song: quiver | lonas
--dark--
A "shield hard to break": might not be easy to get closer to them, not much physically but emotionally. May have had not positive past experiences or fear being played with; once they trust you though, nothing can break that trust (unless you do something stupid which ofc would make them show you a different side of them: I think may have problems with anger, at times). Kinda possessive/jealous of their partner and friends/family. Likes to take care of you/them and go beyond in order to do that (meaning they may second guess themselves, at least on occasions). [18+ MESSAGE: may be a dom and like to tie you or ordering you]
song: the boy is mine | brandy and monica
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pile 2
--light--
I keep hearing "simplicity is the key". Might not appear or stand out physically, but hides loads of amazing and different traits in their character. Sophisticated, empathic, harmonious, likes to be one of the many out in the world, but appreciate everytime someone (and in particular you/their family/friends) remind them of how much important they are. Wise, smart, into books, a philanthropist. Might be donating a lot to charity. The person you'd go to for advices. Has continuosly transformed, grown and adapted through their life. Might be popular, even just in their field or city.
song: the fabulous emancipation of one harley quinn | daniel pemberton
--dark--
Too kind for the world, too sweet, too easily hurt. Too giving. Still needs to work on boundaries and self esteem/worth. Tendencies to people please, feeling neglected and abandoned on occasions. Still needs to work on some of their traumas, despite how much they've already done. Might fear running out of time and gets anxious. Needs someone to ground them and remind them it's fine to not know and to be patient and hopeful. To not be scared. Might have fear of commitment/intimacy, and not realize when it's time to take a step back and see how much they've done. They want to do more constantly. They need to do better. Never satisfied. Always searching for something else, and for someone that needs them/their help. Needs to learn how to take care of/show up for themselves.
song: song of the sea | lisa hannigan
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pile 3
--light--
This person is light. And love. Bright, optimistic, happy, a warm ray of sunshine. Ofc they have some issues too, but when they're around others, they try to be as positive and encouraging as possible. They want to see people succeed. And applaude them. They are a gift from heaven to everyone they encounter. People may randomly start speaking with them, confessing stuff to them e.g. when on a train or in line at the grocery shop. They make people feel understood and never judged. Very welcoming, accepting and kind energy. Tend to not see immediately when they're being deceived, may be a bit naive.
song: if you love me | brownstone
--dark--
Nobody/not many know this cause they rarely speak about their darkest side, but they've been through hell and back. They've been in the mud, they navigated the darkest waters but still managed to came out so pure and kind as nothing happened. Only at their core they know and remember every little step of those trips (and sometimes they may still feel that deep hurt). They have known hate, judgment, abandonment, neglect... maybe even more. They stayed strong through all that, through all the physical and mental struggles. It doesn't matter if others aren't aware of this trait and tend to judge them easily as a "lucky one". They want to save others from experiencing the same hell, and for this reason they try to be this bright kind person everytime they can. They didn't let pain change them.
song: fade away | lucky daye
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pile 4
--light--
A little bright pure star. Someone who likes to be at the center of attention, doesn't mind that. Might be popular online/make public speeches. May like to be different or results different in their environment (clothing/style, physical features...). Healing eyes/smile. May help those around them to change perspective, to see how beauty is hidden in the darkest places. May have scars or some other particular feature/medical aspect, and not mind showing them and how well you can live even while being "imperfect". They may nurture everyone's fears, trying to help them balance their mind and emotions also by being an example/guide (for some). Someone everybody can learn a lot from. They "change the game" (and mentality) of people. Strong minded. They use their differences (whatever those are) as a way to stand out from the crowd. Not as something to be afraid but to be proud of. Leader.
song: wanna be on your mind | valerie june
--dark--
Might have slightly manipulative behaviour occasionally, in particular when triggered. May fear not making it, not having done enough, not being able to do enough. Might fear to be forgotten by their dear ones in particular. Despite not regretting being different, secretly wants to be as anyone else especially when triggered (our emotional immaturity comes out when we're triggered). Needs time outs to get away from those moments (especially in nature/meditating). Constantly fighting with their mind and emotions to keep a balance, may experience outburst of anger and powerlessness/unworthiness. Might try to isolate themselves, not to hurt others. A bit of self sabotage and impostor syndrome. Might find their self validation in others.
song: under my skin | claudia kane
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deadpool15 · 5 months
Text
Overshadowed Ch.1
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"Hey, look at me. I don't expect you to the most perfect fucking man. There is no such thing. You have scars from the stuff you've been through. It's understandable. I understand you, si-o. I don't want you to change your plans or anything unless you truly want that. I won't expect anything from you except to be honest with me." I slowly clasp my hands upon his face, holding him with my gentle touch to let him know I wouldn't hurt him. After all he has been through, I want him to know I'm the last person who would want to hurt him. "I want you to trust me, I know I must earn your trust, and I will do everything in my power to show you how much I care for you. No more pain, ok? I'm not leaving."
I needed him. For the first time in my life, I had felt like I was wanted, loved. This feeling couldn't be replaced by anything my mother had gifted me over the years to make up for her lack of parenting. Though, I knew si-o had never felt such love either. He was used to pain and resentment. I wanted to be the one who showed him there was more to life than those things. I didn't want to change him. Sure, he had flaws and issues, but I wanted to embrace all of them. They were a part of him, making him who he is today. My father once told me he adorned the villains in fairy tales. Younger me had questioned that for a long time, though know I see it. A hero would sacrifice you for the sake of the world as if you meant nothing. One casualty means nothing compared to thousands, yet a villain would sacrifice the entire world for you. Thinking more about it, why was the villain deemed bad in reality? The hero was selfish, thinking one could have it all with no consequences.
Imagine someone's love for you to be so passionate and devoted that they would sacrifice everything for you without a second thought. I had never seen a love story in real life. My parents went divorced because my mother prioritized work over her family and because my older sister had gone missing in a foreign country. They made it seem like their love died, though I always felt like my father held more love for my mother. My mother cared for nothing but money and having a daughter. She had two, one that possessed the strength of the many generations before her, then there was me. I was adopted at age 2. I can't remember a thing about my biological parents, but I had an amazing relationship with my father. He was the one who loved all of his children equally despite only the three of us having superpowers. In my mother's eyes there was only nam-soon.
Completely neglected by her my entire life. I was invisible, one would say. Whenever she missed a dance rehearsal or important event in my life, she loved to buy gifts. Overly priced gifts, hoping it would make 4 year old me forget that mommy hadn't bothered to show up again because of work. Money was everything to her, and I wasn't. I grew envious of my sister. Of course, I missed her while she was gone, but would it be an evil thing to say a small sick part of me was happy, thinking mother would have no choice but to pay attention to me. I was wrong. Nam-soon this, nam-soon that. Hosting strength competitions and constantly fixing her favorite dishes at dinner. I hated myself, why couldn't I be happy she was back? Why was I so jealous of her? And why can't I make my mom love me?
When I met si-o, all that changed. I had shown up to give nam-soon her lunch for the day. She had been undercover working with some cop she liked, and it was obvious he liked her as well. Now no one in the public knew of me, after nam-soon went missing our parents thought it would be best to shield the world from us. I was known as the spoiled rich daughter of some famous ceo. No one bothered to ask who? I stumbled upon this man, taller than me. Bumping into his chest, which was as far as my head could reach, even in heels. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I wanted him to be mine.
Chapter 1: Overshadowed
Chapter 2: To be loved
Chapter 3: You and me
Chapter 4: Second place
Chapter 5: Love is hard
Chapter 6: No matter what
Baily Bass(oc)- Danny
Byeonwooseok-Ryu-si
Other characters are their respective characters.
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theerurishipper · 9 months
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Could you please explain why Cat Noir is no longer healing for Adrien after season 4? I technically know the answer but I love your metas <3
Thank you so much for your compliment!
Anyway, about your question. The short version? They made Ladybug treat Chat Noir like Gabriel treats Adrien.
Let me explain. The Ladynoir conflict was about how Ladybug and Chat Noir were experiencing a shift in their dynamic because of Ladybug’s new role as the guardian. Ladybug starts to keep secrets from Chat Noir and leave him out of the loop. She replaces him with Rena Rouge as her primary partner in all but name. And Chat Noir understandably feels neglected and ignored by someone who is supposed to be his partner. His home life is shit, and Ladybug and his life as Chat Noir have always been his escape. Ladybug has been the one who accepted him unconditionally and cared for him with no need for him to change himself to please her. He trusts her with his life and heart, and suddenly, she doesn’t do the same for him. Instead, she’s keeping secrets from him, she’s leaving him out of things and more or less treats him as “just another holder.” And yeah, this is because of her new responsibilities as the Guardian and her trauma from Chat Blanc. But the fact remains that even if she wants to make these changes, she should tell him.
It's pretty obvious now that Marinette has a controlling side to her, and that shows itself more than ever. She wants to control everything, she admits it herself in Strikeback. And that includes Chat Noir. She controls what he knows and what he can do, and denies him information he actually needs. She lashes out at him and dismisses him when he does try to talk to her, like in Kuro Neko. And this behavior is, how do I say it, very much like what Gabriel is. Of course it is more understandable than Gabe and it is certainly nowhere close to the level of Gabriel’s treatment of Adrien, which is abuse plain and simple, but there are some… similarities. They both keep him at a distance, they both start making decisions for him, they both want to have control over everything, and that includes him. They both take advantage of his trust and forgiveness and they both take him for granted.
Again, Ladybug doesn’t go anywhere near the levels Gabe has reached with his treatment of Adrien, but she does in fact take advantage of his trust. Ephemeral is the worst offender here, with Ladybug actively deciding to trick Chat Noir into an identity reveal without his consent. I think it’s awful to do that to someone. And what’s worse is that the episode ends with her not even realizing that she was wrong to do something like that.
Anyway, she’s treating him not unlike the way he’s treated at home. And while her actions are obviously not as severe and not as malicious as Gabe… it doesn’t change the fact that Chat Noir feels suddenly less like an escape, and Ladybug becomes not much different from the people who only like to see him as an object or a perfect little doll. He used to mean something to her as her partner, and now he doesn’t. He’s just another tool in her toolbox. He’s just someone who’s in the way. Ladybug doesn’t care for him anymore. He’s a bother.
She used to roll her eyes at his flirtations, but now she flips out and throws him in a trashcan for them. She used to treat him like an equal partner, but now she yells at him if he tries to talk to her or help her. He’s bothering her. He’s in the way. And he’s not good enough.
So he quits.
And then he decides that he wants to be the partner Ladybug wants. Not Chat Noir, who is his escape and the only way he can be free. No he’s going to be the Adrien side of himself, the perfect doll who wants for nothing except to cater to Ladybug’s needs.
Now, here is where the show loses the plot. Kuro Neko is supposed to be the resolution to the Ladynoir conflict, apparently. And the way it happens is… Adrien putting aside his valid concerns and emotions because Ladybug needs help, and apologizing to her for wanting to be treated with respect. Which is what Gabe taught him. That his feelings don’t matter, and that he should be perfect and cater to everybody’s desires for how he should be. That he shouldn’t have emotional needs because he’s too emotional and he’s a burden on others for having them. He literally says, “the boy who was Chat Noir was probably too sensitive,” which is what Gabe taught him! That Adrien was too emotional to be able to make his own decisions, and so Gabriel had to protect him and keep him in control. He had to be perfect for everyone because in reality, he was too emotional, and no one wanted to see that.
And Ladybug accepts this! She also thinks that Chat Noir is being a bother, and she starts crushing on Catwalker so quickly. And this isn’t salt on her for crushing on Catwalker, but it is so bad from a narrative standpoint and when you consider the implications of that. You see, what Adrien is doing with this whole Catwalker thing is something called fawning. It’s a trauma response because of Gabe's abuse. He pushes aside his own needs and desires to please Ladybug. He assumes responsibility for her mistakes and blames it on himself. At the end of the episode, he apologizes to her! And she just says some things about how he’s irreplaceable to her and how she needs him and all that.
And what is tells me is that Ladybug doesn’t like when Chat Noir has emotional needs and expectations of her in their partnership, and that she likes only boys who take care of her emotional needs without expecting anything in return. Adrien just seems so perfect and unbothered by anything, and he’s always praising and encouraging her. Luka always put her emotional needs first and was always in her corner even when she didn’t pay as much attention to their relationship. And now Catwalker, who says he’ll take care of her. And considering the Love Square from a writing standpoint is supposed to have Ladybug fall for both sides of Chat Noir, seeing her fall so quickly for him when he denies himself his needs and accepts being her emotional support partner is not the best look.
And what’s worse is that this reaction from Adrien is because he is an abuse victim. He is once again, putting on a mask to make himself into the person Ladybug wants. And they specifically say that he should act like the “perfect son” side of himself, so Adrien is acting the way for Ladybug the way he usually acts for Gabriel. And he ends the episode by apologizing for having emotions and for inconveniencing her. And since Adrien pushing aside his own desires is a trauma response, and Ladybug likes people who don’t inconvenience her with their emotions, it comes across as Ladybug benefitting from Chat Noir being traumatized, and it’s so great for her that Chat Noir comes pre-abused and ready to supress his emotional needs and cater to hers while demanding nothing from her.
Yikes.
But let’s move on to Strikeback, where Ladybug admits her mistakes. She admits she wanted to control things, that she pushed him away and left him in the dark. He hugs and reassures her he’s always here, and it’s beautiful and sweet. The Ladynoir conflict was not resolved, but surely, they would address it next season, right? Surely, we would get episodes of Ladybug apologizing and working to make up for her mistakes, right? Surely Chat Noir wouldn’t just forget this treatment, right?
It's never brought up again in Season 5. In fact, Season 5, where the Gabriel-Marinette parallels are really hammered down onto us, ends with Marinette siding with Gabriel and lying to Adrien about his entire existence. So, the entire conflict ends with Chat Noir putting aside his own emotional needs because Ladybug is sad, and he just accepts that he’ll never be treated with the respect that he wanted. Ladybug doesn’t learn squat, and she just does the same things again, but even worse this time.
At this point, they have their own toxic cycle. Ladybug does something to Chat, he puts his own needs aside to forgive and support her instead/accepts the blame onto himself, she does it again. All the while, he’s offering her emotional support while pushing away any of his feelings so that he doesn’t inconvenience her with them. When he does seem at the end of his rope, she says something along the lines of “I need you,” or “you’re irreplaceable to me,” and he comes right back to her, ready to continue being her emotional support partner even though she never actually fixes her mistakes. And while she obviously does mean what she says to him, her actions prove otherwise, and they end up coming across as similar to those little concessions Gabe gives Adrien so that he won’t get away from him. And this is never resolved. Season 5 ignored it, but it was never resolved, and the finale just brings it back full throttle with Marinette literally siding with Gabriel and doing what he wants.
This should have been an arc showing how Ladybug’s and Gabriel’s treatment of Adrien is ultimately different. They both make the same mistakes, though Gabriel is worse. But what’s different is that Ladybug actually does love and value Chat Noir, and she would never go as far as that because learns and grows, and because she is a good person. But instead, they had the protagonist act like the love interest’s abuser, established a bunch of parallels between them, and had her literally follow his request on how to treat his victim. They flat out went beyond it being a coincidental parallel. She’s literally doing what he wants at his own request. Not a good look for the abuse victim’s girlfriend to be behaving like the abuser.
But that was a long tangent. Anyway, to sum it up, Chat Noir was supposed to be Adrien’s escape from a toxic, controlling environment into one where he could be free. But everything changed when Season 4 attacked. And Adrien goes back to his trauma responses that he tries to escape from as Chat Noir, and this is treated as good and correct by the narrative. His hero life is also now being controlled, and Ladybug is behaving like Gabriel. His life where he once felt free is just another prison.
I hope this answers your question. Thank you for your ask!
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bakersimmer · 1 year
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Sims 4 Flower Garden Legacy
This legacy is inspired by flowers and the meanings attributed to them. I used the interpretations from two books I found on my mother's bookshelf.
These are more like guidelines and thoughts on how to make your different generations more interesting, especially if you are like me, and you need goals and challenges to stay engaged.  I didn't have time to playtest all the generations, but I know it's possible to push your sims to the limit without cheating. 
First things first
TS4 is easy enough to play without cheating
Different generations are linked to different expansions
Objectives are not in chronological order
To add more excitement, try out different mods
There are no assigned traits, but some traits would make your sims life easier. Follow your gut on this
There are no assigned colors. Again, follow your gut
English is not my first language, so please ignore any grammar mistakes 🙃 unless I wrote complete gibberish and you don't understand a single word in a sentence, then let me know
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G1 Azalea
Azalea symbolizes friendship, family, joy, and tradition. With the right amount of sunlight and water, this low-maintenance plant will bring an abundance of color and beauty to your life. 
You have a gentle and nurturing personality, with a talent for caring for others and creating a warm, welcoming environment. You prioritize spending time with loved ones and creating meaningful connections with others in your community. You find joy in the beauty of nature and have a passion for gardening and spending time in the kitchen. 
Aspiration: Big Happy Family
Have at least three kids
Develop the highest possible skill level in cooking, baking, gardening, flower arranging, and parenting
Have some kind of social event with family and friends every Saturday (dinner, bbq, etc.)
Grow at least 10 different types of flowers in your garden (As of May 2023, there are 24 flowers in the game) 
Use only low to mid-range furniture and appliances. Never replace anything, fix it yourself
To make money, you can only sell what you have grown or made yourself (vegetables, flower arrangements, preserves, cakes)
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G2 Hollyhock
Hollyhock symbolizes ambition, abundance, resilience, and determination. With little care, this tall and sturdy flower will bring vibrance to your garden. 
You always felt like you had to compete for the attention. You are highly ambitious, striving to achieve your goals and exceed expectations. While putting a lot of emphasis on your education and career, you neglect your close relationships. You struggle to express your feelings and connect with others on an emotional level. Despite all this, you are a loyal and supportive partner who does everything to show your feelings in a more practical way. 
Aspiration: Academic -> Fabulously Wealthy
Complete the first aspiration and move to the next one
Get the best possible grades in elementary school, high school, and university
Have a career in business. You aim for the top
Marry the first sim you have a romantic relationship with
You are the breadwinner. The spouse quits their job after marriage and never works again
Don't spend much time with your child/children
Your home has medium and high price items. When something breaks, you always replace it with a new one
Pass the family money to the next heir
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G3 Hydrangea
Hydrangea symbolizes vanity, arrogance, and desire. With little care, hydrangea brings elegance to your garden with its large and showy blooms. 
You are highly creative and have a refined sense of style. Being in front of the cameras feels natural to you. You are self-centred and tend to prioritize your needs and desires above those of others. Thanks to your skills and fame, you accumulate a large amount of wealth.
Aspiration: World-Famous Celebrity
Develop the highest possible skill level in charisma, comedy, and acting
Go to a club/restaurant at least twice a week
Have one Meet and Greet in every season
Use mean interactions often
Change your hair color at least 3 times in your life
Hire a butler
In old age, an unexpected wave of generosity hits you, and you donate all your wealth
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G4 Yarrow
Yarrow symbolizes strength, courage, overcoming and recovery. This flower will grow even on the poorest soil and doesn't require any care to thrive. 
You grew up in luxury and wealth, but now you have nothing. Despite the obstacles, you are determined to provide for yourself because you want a stable and secure life. It is very important for you that your children are equipped with the necessary skills to be independent and successful by the time they move out.
Aspiration: Renaissance Sim -> Super Parent
Complete the first aspiration and move to the next one
Start with 0 money and a tent
In addition to work, dumpster dive to find valuables that you can sell (Don't sell collectibles or paintings/music/books for extra cash)
Attend different skill classes
Choose medicine as the last career and work in that field until retirement
Fall in love with a patient and end up marrying them
All your kids must gain a Top-Notch-Toddler trait
Always help your children with homework/school projects
All your kids must gain at least one positive character value trait
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G5 Gardenia
Gardenia symbolizes sensuality, passion, and secret love. This sweet and intoxicating flower requires a little bit more attention from its grower. 
You have a magnetic personality and natural charm. You are a hopeless romantic who tends to get caught in the passion and excitement of new relationships. You avoid long-term commitment because you fear that the daily routine will kill the excitement and passion. For that one special person, you are willing to take a chance on love despite your fears. 
Aspiration: Serial Romantic -> Soulmate
Complete the first aspiration and move to the next one
Have a childhood friend who later becomes your soulmate
Work in Public Relations (Social Media career)
Get married at least 3 times
Woohoo in 10 different locations (As of May 2023, there are 23 locations/ways on the list)
No kids until adulthood
Reconnect with your childhood friend and settle down with them
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G6 Protea
Protea symbolizes dreams, exploration, courage, and resilience. This plant needs a lot of space and sun to grow. It should not be planted deeper than the surface level of the soil. 
You have a strong sense of wanderlust and a need for adventures. You love new experiences and cherish old memories. For you, a job is just a means to an end. 
Complete two adventure/location-based aspirations
Develop the highest possible skill level in fitness, photography, programming, and logic
Work as a freelance programmer
Complete the postcard collection
Move repeatedly and live in at least 3 different worlds
Settle down in one of the desert/warm climate worlds (Oasis Springs, StrangerVille, Sulani, Del Sol Valley, or Tartosa)
Go on a family vacation in every season
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G7 Snapdragon
Snapdragons symbolize passion, deception, denial, duality, and strength. This eye-catching, mostly warm-colored flower spices up your garden. 
You are a master of deception, leading a double life. At first glance, you appear ordinary or even mundane, but looks are deceiving. Beneath your boring surface lurks something more sinister. Your purpose in life is to make others' lives a living hell because seeing them suffer is your favorite pastime. You are very passionate about your hobbies...maybe even a little fanatical.
Aspiration: Chief of Mischief
Develop the highest possible skill level in mischief, singing, piano
Fight with 5 different Sims
Become a Triple Agent (Secret Agent Career)
All your kids have to play one musical instrument at the highest possible skill level before they become young adults
All your kids have to have one negative character value trait
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G8 Daffodil
Daffodil symbolizes new beginnings, rebirth, truth, and creativity. Daffodils love sunlight and well-drained soil. Therefore, the best growing place for this flower is an open and raised flowerbed.
You are a detail-oriented individual driven by a deep desire to uncover the truth. While searching for the truth, you stumble on a secret that will profoundly challenge your worldviews. You are loved and supported by your community, who admires your dedication. 
Aspiration: StrangerVille Mystery & Friend of the World
Work as a journalist
Be a member of at least two clubs and host club meetings every week
Solve StrangerVille Mystery
Get married to a sim who helped you defeat the Mother Plant
Host at least 8 different types of social events in your lifetime (As of May 2023, game has 25 different social events)
All your kids have to complete the Social Butterfly aspiration
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G9 Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia symbolizes justice, fairness, motivation, and optimism. Rudbeckia is a hardy flower that loves evenly moist soil but can also survive drought and scorching sun. 
You are a highly principled individual deeply committed to upholding justice and protecting others. You are willing to make great sacrifices to ensure that justice is served. After work, you enjoy creative pursuits which allow you to unwind from the stresses of your work. You desire balance and harmony in your home life. 
Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire
Develop the highest possible skill level in wellness, painting, knitting, and cross-stitching
Work as a detective
Have a romantic relationship with one of the suspects but break it off eventually
Own a house with a large and luscious backyard where you spend most of your free time
Be strict with your kids, and never miss an opportunity to discipline them
All your kids have to earn the Emotional Control trait
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G10 Lavender
Lavender symbolizes spirituality, intuition, devotion, and growth. Lavender needs a lot of light and warmth. Although this flower looks hardy, it's highly receptive to changes in the soil. 
You are fascinated by the concept of magical and mystical, so you spend a lot of your time exploring spiritual practices and rituals to connect with this hidden world. You are determined to connect with and become part of the supernatural world. You have a soothing energy that puts others at ease.
Aspiration: Choose a vampire, spellcaster, or a werewolf aspiration
Develop the highest level of Medium skill
Work as a paranormal investigator
Become a friend with a vampire, spellcaster, or a werewolf
Become a vampire, spellcaster, or a werewolf
370 notes · View notes
ilyasorokinn · 2 months
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always a winner ― ilya sorokin
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note, i love ilya, and can’t believe i haven’t written as many things as i have for other players. he’s literally the love of my life, and i’ve kind of neglected him lol. anyways, this fic is part of the "sorokin, party of four" series. check out this masterlist for more. another note, also, let's please not talk about how this is like a 300 years late. i'm so behind on things and so tired and i think i'm getting burn out? but idk so let's just enjoy that i wrote something :) all-star fics are in the works. last note, sorry one last note. in this fic, mila is 4 and victor isn't really in this, but he is 2 :) summary, regardless of the outcome, ilya sorokin is the best dad in the world to his kids. warnings, kids/children word count, 1286 words (a little short, i'm sorry. it's just ilya being cute with mila ig)
mila’s eyes were wide as she took in the converted football field. she was wearing her sorokin jacket and a beanie with a sequined ‘30’ on it. victor was only 2, so you left him with ilya's parents because you knew he wouldn't remember most things.
"mama, look!" mila pointed up at something before her attention was grabbed by something else. you tried your best to keep up with her but she was running on sugar and adrenaline, a dangerous combo for a toddler.
"i know," you laughed, "slow down, mimi." you called after her. you eventually spotted the girls and all the kids, standing off to the side of the field, talking and taking everything in as well, "look, there's your friends." she quickly spotted all the other kids and ran over to join them.
you followed after her a little slower, wrapping your jacket tighter around you and taking everything in. it still was mind-boggling to you, even a decade later, that this was your life. you were in metlife stadium, watching your husband play the sport he loved, surrounded by a group of girls doing the same thing. it was special.
"take it all in." kristy wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "it's magical."
"this is so insane." you laughed.
after bribing mila with some more sugar and almost having a meltdown, the guys finally came out. before family was let out onto the ice, all the media content was taken. once that was all taken care of, family was finally let onto the ice.
once he was able to, ilya immediately made his way over to you and snatched up mila, flipping her upside down, making her giggle like crazy.
"put me down, papa!" she giggled, trying to get out of his grasp. he put her back down and set her down on the bench. he made quick work of helping her tie her skates and helping her get her helmet and pads on.
after helping mila, he turned to you. even though you had been together for a decade and no matter how much you protested, he would always help you put your skates on.
he kneeled in front of you and grabbed your foot, tying your skate, "new trick?" mila asked. she had been taking skating lessons for a few weeks.
"you want to show everyone your new trick?" she nodded her head, "of course, you can," you smiled, kissing her head and switching legs so ilya could tie the other skate. once he was done, he helped you off the bench, and you each grabbed one of mila's hands, walking her over to the ice.
all around you, the rink was a buzz. everyone was skating around. kids were playing mini sticks, guys were skating around, girls were mingling and skating.
it took a few laps, but eventually, mila was comfortable with skating and let go of your hands and skated around. you and ilya followed behind her and when she did fall, ilya was quick to pick her up and soothe her before she could start crying.
ilya skated off to the bench and grabbed a stick he had brought for her and handed it to her. varlomov's kid was in front of the net, just like their dad, so mila winded up and skated shakily up to the net with the puck and managed to get it past them.
she turned around and looked at you, shocked that she had done it. you both gave her a thumbs up, "celly." you told her. she did a little celly, which the media team had caught on camera and would later be posted on the isles social media account.
she skated over to ilya, who picked her up and held her to his chest, "that was amazing, mimi." you cheered, patting her on the back.
she skated around a little more before she was distracted and started playing with the other kids. you managed to take lots of pictures and got a picture of mila with her favorite guy on the team, mat barzal, cause of course her favorite uncle is uncle maty.
mat carried her around the rink, making her laugh and giggle (which gave the media team more amazing content of mat with a child). you and sydney got pictures of matt holding mila and ilya holding winnie which melted your heart.
the next day, mila somehow overcame the sugar rush and was filled with even more energy. the entire way back to metlife, she was bouncing around in her seat in the car.
"mimi, calm down." you laughed, watching her talk to herself through the rearview mirror, "now remember, when we get there..."
"i know, i know. hold your hand and don't let go, i know." she sighed. you didn't have to look back to know she was rolling her eyes. you knew where she got her attitude from.
"good." you nodded. you looked back at victor, who, on the other hand, was as calm as a cucumber in his seat. he had been occupying himself and barely paying attention to his sister.
you arrived at metlife earlier than all the fans attending, and met up with a few other girls, as well as your parents and all of the family ilya had invited. it wasn't many people, but you were excited to see them.
after pregaming the game with a few of the girls, fans started to arrive. there was a good mixture of both rangers and islanders fans so you were excited. you had left mila and victor with ilya's parents and your's so you could go off with the girls to get snacks and drinks.
by the time you had returned, mila already had a bag of cotton candy and victor was asleep, his headphones on so he couldn't hear all the loud noise. when mila saw you, she looked at you, her eyes big and scared.
"who gave you cotton candy, miss mila?" you asked. without hesitation, she pointed over to your dad. you looked over at him and raised a brow.
"who am i to deny my grandchild?" he simply shrugged, accepting a piece of cotton candy mila was offering him. you shook your head and smiled before turning your attention to the game.
the first period of the game was strong. the isles were up 3-1 and everything was looking good. by the end of the second, it was 4-3 and by the end of the third, it was tied and mila was asleep.
then, 10 seconds into overtime, panarin scored and the rangers fans in the crowd went crazy. when the horn blared, an overwhelming feeling of sadness filled your heart. you knew ilya tried his best and he would probably beat himself up about it.
you left mila and victor with your parents and ilya's family, who would drive back to your home where they were all staying, and you would drive back with ilya.
you followed alexa, matilda, and emma down to meet up with the guys. when you saw ilya walk out of the locker room, you couldn't help but smile. he managed a sad smile back and made his way over to you.
no words were said as he wrapped his arms around you. you stayed like that for a few minutes, just wrapped in a hug. you pulled away and cupped his face, "i'm proud of you." you leaned your forehead against his.
he nodded, "you were amazing, ilya." he nodded again before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, "let's go home. order some sushi and go to sleep." you grabbed his hand and let him lead you over to his car.
-
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aesterblaster · 9 months
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How Awkward Are The Blue Lock Boys In A Relationship?
Gender neutral//No Warnings
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-1- Not Awkward At All
Maybe it's because you're friends beforehand or maybe it's because he's been in relationships before but he settles right in. You two just clicked from the first date and now you're connected at the hip. He doesn't care if you see him all sweaty and gross after practice or if he has a habit that kind of grosses you out. He bares it all from the get go and has a sort of charm you can't deny. PDA is a must and you swear he doesn't know the meaning of the word "cocky" with the way he peacocks and shows you off to everyone he knows. Even when he isn't the life of the party he makes sure to look out for you and assure you're having a good time wherever you two go.
Shidou, Oliver, Lavinho
-2- Not Bad, Not Bad At All
He tries to hide at least some of his more stupid habits from you. Except for the fact that he has a before game good luck ritual. And yes you do have to participate. He's the type of boyfriend to show up where you work just to surprise you with flowers. He has a sort of calming aura to him that makes you feel safe and at ease, even when you meet his parents. It's obvious to everyone around him that he loves you with all his heart and he isn't afraid to show it. You know each other inside and out within the first few months of dating because he's just that open and honest.
Bachira, Tabito, Nanase
-3- Only A Bit
Honestly didn't expect you to go on a second date with him. Between his busy life as a professional athlete and his love of egoism, he didn't expect to ever be in a relationship. But then you came along. His personality kind of saves him from being awkward, or at least percieved as such. All about communication, if he's feeling jealous or neglected he'll tell you outright. He honestly doesn't realize the absolute vice grip he holds on you or the way you stare in awe as you watch him train for his next big match. If anything, he'll make you feel awkward as you try to explain to him just exactly why you love him so much.
Sae, Snuffy, Kaiser, Chigiri
-4- Has A Healthy Dose Of Nerves
He probably waited a while to ask you out and got the final push he needed from his friends. Insanely thoughtful and compassionate, but also a bit of a dork sometimes. He is a bit more guarded about how quickly he lets you in on his innermost thoughts and probably gets nervous that you might leave him easier. Deep down he just knows how lucky he is to have a partner like you and he takes that seriously. He warms up to you quickly though and soon you find yourself getting up to all sorts of stupid antics with him. He holds your hand a lot just to feel your palm against his.
Kunigami, Chris, Naruhaya
-5- You Can't Tell
He isn't awkward in the steriotypical, blushing and easily flustered way. It's more introspective than that. He just learning how to be with you, slowly but surely. And the growing period that comes with that can feel awkward at times. You can just tell from the way he holds you and tries to get closer to you that he doesn't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do. Honestly, he'll probably be a bit more comfortable if you take the reins and tell him what you need. He'll gladly comply
Nagi, Gagumaru, Ego
-6- Bad Enough To Get Sweaty Palms
You absolutely undo him. Your laugh, your smile and praise, everything about you has his heartbeat speeding up. This man does not know how to act around you. Anyone who tries to hit on you will immediately get hit with an "Excuse me, is this guy/girl bothering you?" and a glare, but outside of that he is almost weary of announcing that you guys are together because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable. His text messages are all mini paragraphs that could win prose competitions and it's equally funny and sweet.
Loki, Reo, Kuon, Kenyu
-7- Doesn't Know The Meaning Of Relaxing
Let's be honest, it's probably because you tease him. You just can't help it! He's so cute when he's struggling to come up with a response to your compliments and sly comments. At the beginning, he didn't expect it to turn into a serious thing at all, which is why he's utterly unprepared when the relationship turns more romantic. When you tell him you love him he freezes up a little bit. But every single time you start to worry your love is unappreciated he manages to gather the courage to wrap his arm around your waist and stare at you with a look of adoration that says it all.
Zantetsu, Ness, Lorenzo
-8- A Concerning Amount
He's a little bit pathetic. It kind of bothers him how nervous you make him. He's a world class athlete damn it! He's at the top of his field, anyone in their right mind would pay money just to date him for a week! And yet people are shocked when you mention you two are an item because he's so damn stiff standing next to you. When you two are in private he shows his love mostly through quality time than anything else. You can feel the way he relaxes and breathes a little bit easier when you lean up against him. It's a miracle you aren't just after his fame and money or he'd go broke just to please you.
Noa, Barou, Rin
-9- Seconds Away From A Heartattack
During your first kiss he accidentally hit your teeth against his and that just set the tone for the whole relationship. You wake up to a notification in the middle of the night that he liked one of your posts from years and years back, and then just like that it disappears. He accidentally drops the expensive gift he meant to give to you for your anniversary. He is the definition of fail cringe and yet he managed to snag you anyway and he will never stop wondering how. He somehow forgets that he's never missed a date, never failed to be respectful and nonjudgemental and overall has been the best boyfriend you could ever ask for.
Sendou, Hiori, Isagi
-10- Even Anxiety Meds Can't Help Him Now
On the field he's a beast, a master of trash talking and trickshots and yet when he talks to you he finds himself lost for words. He feels his mouth go dry when you ask him anything and he finds himself mesmerized by your eyes at inappropriate times. Please initiate plans with him, please talk to him often or he'll get confused and think you hate him. The type to almost start crying if you try to play mind games with him. While on the outside it sometimes looks like you're constantly pushing him to even be social, it's impossible to deny how much he loves you when you see him searching for you in a crowded room, completely lost without you by his side.
Raichi, Kurona, Niko, Ness
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Epithet Erased (webshow & lite novel) | Ace Attorney (video game series & anime)
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[This poll was made by silly mistake on the part of the tournament runner, who misread the bracket. Sorry! It won't count towards the overall tournament. Followers have voted to make Gio/Molly PPP's mascots if they win tho!]
Giovanni Potage & Molly Blyndeff:
1. THEY’RE SO SILLYYYYYYY i love them. they’re such a prime example of friendship with an age gap in media, which, i think needs to happen a bit more. i have friends older than me! i have friends younger than me! and also they’re just. goofy. silly 2. Would any friendship bracket truly be complete without this dynamic duo? She’s a serious an disillusioned elementary school student, resigned to her miserable lot in life after years of neglect and doing her family’s taxes. He’s a wacky and optimistic teenager turned supervillain, here to sweep her away from her abusive family. Together, they commit CRIMES! 3. She is an anxious child who has the power to dumb down noises or impacts to help her deal with the literal everything in her life, as she has to balance school and her family’s toy store, especially as her father and sister seem to prioritize their own selves and not care about the family as a whole. Molly is like 11 or something and has to do her family’s taxes! He is a villainous mastermind!…well, he says he is. In actuality, Giovanni is a captain in the Bonzai Blasters, with ambitions of being promoted to Vice Principal…or even Associate Justice or Valedictorian! (Yes. This is how that system is organized) But unlike the rest, he prioritizes the wellbeing of his minions above all else. He’s comfortable with his masculinity, as he knits for his minions and packs them all some soup in case they get hungry. Oh! He also has the power of soup. He can make soup, make steam of soup, and every 13th physical hit from him deals critical damage (that has nothing to do with soup. It’s just what he does). After a heist gone wrong, these two meet, and Giovanni adopts Molly as one of his minions (giving her the minion name “Beartrap”, on account of her bear hoodie. She likes bears). Together, they thwart/do a heist and steal a valuable amulet. Giovanni also distances Molly from the Banzais when the cops show up, so she will not have to worry about legal troubles. Not spoiling much about the book (Prison of Plastic, go read it), but Giovanni continues to stand up for Molly against her family, who continues to write her off. He tries to get her sister to connect with her and soften up. He can’t do much with the dad because he sucks. Giovanni makes sure Molly knows how cool she is as a person and that she doesn’t let herself be walked all over by other people. He helps her stand up for herself, and in turn, she helps him with crime.
Maya Fey & Phoenix Wright:
1. Quite frankly I don’t think they will win. They are constantly being tormented and experiencing the horrors and this poll would be no different. 2. they literally cannot die no matter what hell canon puts them through. fall off that bridge n cliff to a deathly boy! get kidnapped like 4 times girl! when she gets kidnapped like the first time, they had to make a new sprite for Phoenix coz he didn’t look devasted and depressed enough. Power of friendship though! and she is OKI! :) 3. The most iconic attorney and assistant pair in the series. Phoenix canonically ran onto a burning bridge to try to save Maya when she was in danger. His call with her got cut off once and he left the country to go make sure she was safe. She’s been kidnapped twice to be used as leverage against him and both times she was more worried about him than herself. She once jumped in front of a taser to try to protect him. He’s also defended her from murder accusations like four times. Their relationship defines the original game trilogy even more than the Wright-Edgeworth relationship does. Other Ace Attorney games wish they could replicate this dynamic. They got added to a fighting game as a single unit where they work together to fight. They both think they’re the reasonable one in this friendship, despite neither of them actually deserving that title.
Note: This blog is run & followed by aromantics. Insisting any pairs are ~actually romantic~ will not only cause you to be blocked on the spot, but you’ll out yourself as someone not safe to be queer around. No one wants to hear how stupid you look with those shipping goggles on.
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theteasetwrites · 1 year
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The Dixon Problem
❧ Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader ❧ Era: Season 1 (The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning series) ❧ Pronouns: she/her ❧ Warnings: swearing, mild violence ❧ Word Count: 5k
❧ Summary: Not everyone is happy with the Dixons’ presence in the camp, especially Shane. When things go haywire, the only solution is a compromise, and to let Daryl know you care.
❧ A/N: I realize I’m posting this after a weird little argument over the ethics of zooming in on a man’s crotch but here we are. This is a fanfiction blog, believe it or not. Anyway, here’s another fic set in the same universe as The Beginning (I really like doing these ok), and this one takes place between Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. I really wanted to do some oneshots that would’ve happened before they got together because idk it just seems to cool to read about them before they kissed at the CDC and sort of build up to that. I find it fun to hint at their burgeoning attraction to one another, and how they’re both kind of in denial about their little crushes lol. We all know it was love at first sight. Also I loved writing Daryl fighting with Shane it was so fun. Daryl should’ve punched Shane in the show don’t @ me.
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A deep huff escaped your lips as the back of your hand wiped the dripping sweat from your brow. The sun was a few hours from setting, but Georgia summers were unforgiving, and even a setting sun would prove to be dangerous if you didn’t hydrate.
Taking a sip of water from the crinkly plastic bottle, you watched Lori skillfully sew up the rips in one of Shane’s shirts. It was a skill you had neglected, but at one point, you were pretty good with a machine. Hand sewing was something else entirely.
“You’re so good at that,” you said. “How’d you learn?”
Lori smiled as she looked at you, staring in awe. ���My mom sewed, my granny sewed, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my great granny sewed, too.”
“That’s sweet… Maybe you could teach me sometime?”
“Sure, but I thought you were trying to get Mr. Crossbow to teach you how to hunt?” She spoke with a crooked smile, on the verge of laughing. You failed to see what was so funny, frankly.
But mostly, you were embarrassed. The warm blush on your cheeks and the butterflies doing somersaults in your belly betrayed you, though you just pretended none of it was there.
“Well, he, uh, said I should learn how to fight first. He said he’d teach me that, though.”
“Oh?”
“Mhm… Why are you laughing?”
Lori lowered her head until her hair covered her face, but you heard a few snorts and giggles from beneath the dark curtain.
“You’re so cute,” she said. “That’s all.”
“Cute? Why am I cute?”
“You just are…” She leaned closer to speak in a quiet voice. “I bet Daryl thinks you’re really cute.”
You scoffed, trying to laugh it off as you awkwardly nudged her shoulder with yours. “Stop. That’s not funny. Not true, either. I think he finds me annoying.”
“Oh, really?” she asked. “What about the little rock he cracked open for you? That doesn’t sound like the actions of a man who’s annoyed.”
That “little rock” was now your prized possession. You had one half, and you’d let Daryl keep the other. It was a simple gesture, but it meant the world to you. That rock was a geode, something your father would’ve added to his extensive collection. Maybe you were thinking too much into it, and maybe it was cliché, but you liked to think that it represented the last beautiful thing in the world. You kept it by your cot, on full display so it was the first thing you saw each morning. Sometimes, the translucent purple shards would catch the new light that streamed through your tent in just the most perfect way.
“He was just being nice,” you said. “Daryl’s… really nice. I mean, he’s a little… grumpy, but he’s got a good heart. I can tell. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t think so.”
Before Lori could respond with another teasing quip, you both flinched at the sound of Daryl, the man you were just talking, and thinking a little too deeply, about. His voice was raised, one decibel away from being a yell. It sounded like it was coming from the center of camp, near Dale’s RV, so you both jogged over, anxious to see whatever was causing Daryl to yell a series of curse words and a few other words you couldn’t yet make out.
“Stupid cop!” you heard, now getting closer. “Who the hell do ya think you are?! This ain’t Miami Vice.”
You stumbled upon Daryl, with his chest puffed up and his hands moving vigorously along with his hostile words, in some kind of argument with Shane, who only shook his head with his hands on his waist as the bowman hurled insults his way.
“Listen, Dixon,” replied Shane, who was visibly also beginning to lose his temper, “we gotta maintain some order ‘round here. Now, I don’t give a shit ‘bout what you and your white trash redneck brother used to get up to in bumfuck nowhere, but there’s women and kids here, and I don’t want this shit ‘round ‘em.”
Oh, noble Shane, you thought to yourself, but then again, you still had no idea what the men were arguing about, so maybe he had a point. Still, you did take some issue to being compared to a child, but you weren’t about to jump in the middle of a fight between two burly, hotheaded men for the sake of feminism.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?! It ain’t nothin’, Merle goes off into the woods to do it! Ain’t no women or children gonna get hurt. You’re just as stupid as you look, Columbo.”
“It ain’t them seein’ the drugs I’m worried about,” Shane replied, getting closer to Daryl until their chests were nearly touching. “It’s you and your ugly ass brother.”
Drugs? You knew Merle had a stash of drugs, including crystal meth, and most others figured it based on, well, everything about him, but you didn’t think Shane would pick a fight with Daryl over it. Maybe Merle himself, but not Daryl. Merle wasn’t even there that day, having taken his turn to go hunting, though he never brought back nearly as much as his brother. You weren’t sure if it was because Merle wasn’t a very good hunter, or because he just didn’t care enough to bring back food for your group, but either way, it was clear which brother was better.
“Man, that’s bullshit,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at Shane. “You wanna see a threat then look in the mirror. There’ll be a big arrogant prick starin’ back at ya.” Daryl punctuated his sentence by shoving the other man backwards, but before Daryl could strut away as he planned, Shane shoved him back.
“Watch yourself,” Daryl warned, voice low and raspy. “I don’t want your pig blood on my hands.”
He tried to brush past Shane, but the man was fuming. He shoved Daryl back once more, knocking him to the ground.
A puff of dirt swallowed his body as you let out a small gasp of disbelief. No one in the group had gotten physical with anyone like this yet. Maybe it was only a matter of time before it happened. After all, a group of several strangers under incredible physical and mental stress in the middle of the end of the world was a recipe for disaster, but you’d hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon.
All you could register was the sound of Daryl’s grunting before he sprung back up to sock Shane across the face, disorienting him. He soon struck back, but Daryl ducked and delivered a blow to Shane’s stomach.
Shane had managed to deliver a few blows of his own, but at this point, all you could focus on was thinking of a way to break them up without getting hurt yourself.
“H-hey!” you shouted out, along with Lori and several other women who’d gathered around, yelling to the men to stop. “Stop it!”
Dale was frantically climbing down the ladder of the RV, then greeted the scene with wide eyes. “Hey, hey! Break it up!” He managed to get his arms between the two of them, but he could only keep Shane back. Daryl even tried to get around Dale so he could deliver one last blow to Shane’s face, but T-Dog came up behind and pinned the enraged man’s arms back.
“Get offa me!” he yelled to T-Dog, then turned his attention back to Shane. “I’m gonna beat your ass, you hear me, bacon bits?!”
Dale stood between them, holding his hands out to keep them both at bay. Their chests swelled with heavy, panting breaths as their faces molded into their own unique scowls. Shane’s was terrifying, much more than Daryl’s. His dark brown eyes didn’t need to narrow at all, they were just as terrifying in their wideness. His mouth wasn’t agape, it was sealed shut as the breaths pumped out of his flared nostrils. He stood completely still, like a ticking time bomb. You’d never been more terrified of the man.
Daryl paced back and forth for a few feet on each side of him, his face much more natural looking, but still enraged. At least you could make some sense of Daryl in his anger. He didn’t send a shiver down your spine like Shane did. Well, and maybe you were a little partial to Daryl now, since he’d shown you kindness. In any case, the awkward silence that permeated the stiff, humid air was excruciating.
“Just calm down,” panted Dale, arms still outstretched between them. “What the hell is going on here?”
Shane huffed before speaking. “I was just tryin’ to have a civil conversation about the drug use goin’ on in this camp.”
“Drug use?” questioned Lori. “No, no way. No drugs, not around the kids. That’s the last thing we need right now.”
Daryl turned to look at Lori, not with anger, but confusion. He seemed troubled, unable to reconcile something in his head. His eyes squinted shut as he wiped his nose, which had just begun to bleed from the punch. He spat a glob of pinkish saliva onto the dirt ground, then turned back to face Shane.
“Talk to Merle,” was all he said. His voice was quieter now, almost timid, but still with an air of defensiveness.
He turned back again, in the direction of his tent. You met his glance for a moment, at which point he seemed to stop in his tracks. His foot backstepped, flashes of blue still on you until they averted to the ground. When he regained his focus, he moved quicker, more determined. Still, his confidence seemed drained after he looked your way, but all you could pay attention to now was Shane, who was walking directly towards you, huffing and puffing.
“What the hell were you thinkin’, bringin’ those meth heads here, huh? You stupid or somethin’? I thought you were some kinda… librarian.” He ended his sentence with a sarcastic chuckle.
Before you could respond, Lori spoke up, and thank God she did. You were still petrified by Shane’s aggression, and Lori knew him from before the fall. Maybe he’d actually listen to her.
“Stop it, Shane,” she scolded in an almost motherly tone. Fitting, since the argument between him and Daryl seemed more like that of children than two grown men in their thirties. “It’s done. No point in arguing about it.”
For your part, you took a moment to collect your thoughts, then spoke to Shane with as much bravado as you could muster. “It’s because of Daryl that we’re not starving to death,” you said.
Dale stepped forward, hand outstretched slightly to gesture towards you. “That’s a good point, but what about the drugs?”
You shook your head profusely. “I don’t know anything about any drugs.” That wasn’t true, you knew Merle was getting high, and that he was a dealer, but that honestly didn’t matter to you much at this point. As far as you were concerned, everything that had ever separated the human race from each other was out the window. Drug addicts were no different from Mormons now. Granted, Merle could be unpredictable, and you hated him, frankly, but Daryl and Merle seemed like a package deal, so you’d have to deal with both of them if your group was to reap the benefits of having a skilled hunter.
Plus, you might’ve fostered a bit of admiration for him. Friendly admiration, of course.
“Well, I just ain’t havin’ no crystal meth in this camp,” replied Shane. “And I’m about this close to killin’ your buddy, so’s as far as I’m concerned, this is your problem to solve if you wanna keep them here.”
Diplomacy wasn’t your strong suit, but if it kept Shane from kicking out the Dixon’s, you’d try your best to find some common ground.
“Compromise,” Dale said with a nod. “(Y/N), you should talk to Daryl, ask him to talk some sense into Merle when he gets back to camp. We give them shelter, they get rid of the drugs.”
It sounded more like an ultimatum than a compromise, but you were perhaps the only person who’d had any meaningful contact with the slightly more tolerable brother, so you put aside your reservations to head to the Dixons’ camp, several yards away from the rest of the group.
He was on one knee as he chopped the head off a squirrel on the sawed log he was using as a butcher block. The sound of the axe slicing through the flesh and digging into the wood was so powerful that you flinched, alerting the hunter to your presence.
Though he didn’t look your way. He simply set aside the axe and continued skinning the creature as if you weren’t there.
“You want a piece of me, too, woman?” he asked. “Whatever you gotta say, I ain’t in the mood.”
You bit your lip as you stood still, thinking of what to say. Daryl was tricky, you knew that. Sometimes he was nice to you, and sometimes he wanted nothing to do with you. No one in the camp knew how to deal with him, really. You only knew a little because you somehow found yourself trying to ingratiate yourself with him, but why? You still weren’t exactly sure.
“May I sit down?” you blurted out, thinking that might be the first step to talking to him.
He looked up at you then, with a suspicious glare.
“Why?”
Just as you were still trying to get used to talking to him, he was still trying to get used to your desire to talk to him in the first place. Why would a woman like you want anything to do with a man like him, anyway? Surely you had an ulterior motive, though he couldn’t deny there was something genuinely kind and soft about your face. Maybe even, dare he say, pretty? Not just physically, though he was painfully aware of that, but through and through, you were quite lovely. Well, that’s how it seemed, anyway.
Merle always said that women couldn’t be trusted, that if they weren’t childlike and dumb, they were manipulative and cunning. Nothing else, nothing in between. Of course, Daryl had a hard time believing that. People weren’t that simple, and Merle’s authority on the topic of women was questionable at best. Still, old habits die hard, and maybe he was just a little skeptical of your intentions. After all, no woman or man had ever shown this much interest in talking to him.
Daryl was, for all intents and purposes, a loser. He still felt like one, though he had to admit, when you brought him to your camp, insisting that your group needed him, he did feel a small sense of real, genuine pride, for the first time in his life. Maybe he had something to offer, something good he could do. Maybe you really wanted him there, and he wasn’t just a loser with a bad temper and a meth head brother.
His deeply ingrained insecurity, though, told him otherwise, and that you were only kind to him because of what he could offer your group, not because you actually appreciated him. But then again, the rest of the group had all but ignored him since he arrived, and you were the one who’d spoken more than five words to him at a time. That had to mean something, right?
“I want to talk to you,” you said simply. “So, can I?”
He chewed his lip as he looked you up and down, as if inspecting you. Wordlessly, he nodded, then lowered his head again to focus on the mutilated squirrel.
As you cleared your throat, you sat yourself on a dinky camping chair across from the fire pit. Both of you were silent for a little while, with only the sounds of flesh tearing from the muscle of the little furry critters Daryl was skinning. You watched with furrowed brows, though at a certain point, you had to stop looking, otherwise you’d get a little woozy, so you lifted your gaze to the top of Daryl’s head, covered in short, choppy brown hair.
Surprisingly, just before you were about to say something, Daryl spoke first. “I ain’t no meth head,” he said abruptly. “I don’t touch that shit.” Not anymore, he thought, but something stopped him. Could it be… embarrassment? Maybe shame. All he knew was there was a part of him that cared what you thought, for some odd reason. He’d trained himself not to give a damn about anything, though it was in his nature to. Why was your presence bringing out his sensitivity? It was a blessing and a curse. It hurts to care, he’d always thought. Nothing good could come of it. He cared once, before he knew how cruel people could be.
“I never said you did.”
“S’what you all think,” he replied. “Y’all think I’m some kinda… stupid redneck bastard.” Wouldn’t be wrong, a voice inside him retorted.
“I don’t think that.”
He finally raised his eyes again, glowering at you. “You will.”
It shouldn’t have hurt you, but it did, just a little bit. “I bet you I won’t.”
He shook his head and stood up to retrieve the red rag that was often dangling from his back pocket. Wiping his hands, he nodded towards you. “What’d ya really come over ‘ere for? They send ya over to kick me out?”
You shook your head immediately. “No, no. Not at all. Just… You need to tell Merle to quit with the drugs.”
Daryl scoffed, almost a laugh. “Askin’ Merle to give up crystal’s like askin’ him to cut off his own hand. ‘Sides, ya don’t think I’ve tried? Ain’t no use in it. Might as well jus’ kick us to the curb ‘cause it ain’t gonna happen.”
His apathy frustrated you, and you let out an exasperated, now quite irritated, puff of air. “So you’d rather live out in the woods by yourselves than in a group, with people who will look out for you?”
“None of these people will look out for me,” he scoffed.
“Well, I would.”
He looked your way again, this time not suspicious, but confused. “Why’d ya bring me and Merle here in the first place? All ya got to show for it is bein’ yelled at and bossed around by that asshole Shane.” He spat the man’s name out in obvious distaste.
“I told you,” you said, “I thought you would be able to help us… And you saved me. I’d be dead right now if it weren’t for you.”
He lowered his head again, busying himself by cleaning between his fingers with the rag in the hopes of distracting you from the obvious blush on his cheeks. When he didn’t respond, you realized you hadn’t asked him a similar question.
“Why’d you save me, anyway?” you asked, your voice a little more quiet, as if afraid of him even hearing it.
After all, you were a complete stranger, why should he have helped you? What you knew from human nature was that people often only helped others if they knew there was something in it for them. True altruism was hard to come by, and often not evolutionarily beneficial. Those who helped others and put themselves in danger often died out before their lineage could carry on. Well, that was your vague memories of anthropology class resurfacing, but it still applied.
Indeed, you yourself hadn’t been acting out of true altruism. You had decided to bring Merle and Daryl into the fold because they were hunters, and they could benefit your group by providing your people sustenance. But Daryl’s motivations were less clear.
He swallowed hard as thought for a moment, himself now forced with the reality of facing that question. Why did he help you?
For the next several moments, he transported himself to that day just a month ago, when he was trudging around in the woods outside Atlanta, listening to Merle ramble on about some drunken memory, a relic of his “glory days” that he seemed unable to forget about. They had no destination, no idea where they were going. They’d tried the refugee center in the city, but that had been overrun about as soon as it was set up. Merle was quite content to rough it, and so was Daryl, so long as there weren’t flesh-eating monsters roaming around.
When he heard the rather faint sound of a woman screaming, somewhere ahead in the maze of aspen trees dotting the humid forest, something in him switched, and though he remembered the muffled sound of Merle’s protesting, all he could hear at the time was the scream getting closer and closer.
Soon he was in a small clearing, setting sight on a decrepit creature. Below it were two squirming legs, belonging to the screaming woman who was just inches away from becoming something’s lunch.
Without hesitation, he lifted his bow to shoot, snagging the creature in the head until it fell less than gracefully onto your chest. Pushing the body off, you faced him, mouth panting and eyes hazy with tears.
He tried to think of what he thought then, but it was difficult to put himself in that position again. He only remembered your face, how scared you were. You seemed so fragile, and yet somehow brave enough to look him in the eye. Most of all, you were peculiar to him, different from anyone or anything he’d seen before. Of course, there was nothing particularly strange looking about you, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. You were just… special, with a calming aura of warmth around you, something he was instinctively drawn to for whatever reason.
So, how was he supposed to explain that? You seemed special, important, warm… Creepy. He knew that would’ve sounded creepy. He was already embarrassed from Shane’s display earlier, and his stomach stung to think of you seeing that cop strike him across the face, to appear weak. Once again, he wondered why he cared in the first place.
He finally settled for a somewhat satisfactory explanation. “S’just what people do.”
Indeed, he would’ve done it for anyone. That wasn’t the issue Daryl struggled with, he knew right from wrong, for the most part. He struggled with understanding why you looked at him the way you did, and why he found himself wanting to keep you safe even after the creature attacking you was long dead.
At least you seemed happy with that answer, as one corner of your lips upturned into a small smile. “Well, I am sure some people wouldn’t have done anything. I’m really grateful… And I really don’t want you to go. Merle… I will put up with him if it means you stay here, but if you could please talk to him, try to get him to at least hide the drugs better and maybe go further away from camp to do it, I’d be even more grateful.”
Though he had no idea how he was going to get Merle to agree to changing anything about himself, he couldn’t deny that you were convincing. Something about your wide, almost pleading eyes. Somehow, making you happy seemed to make him happy, too.
“I’ll try,” he said. “But I ain’t promisin’ anything. Merle don’t care ‘bout what I got to say.”
“Well, he should,” you said as you stood to your feet. “He’s your brother… I have a brother, too. We used to talk all the time, though we sort of lost touch before all this.” You gestured around vaguely, ending your sentence with a small nervous chuckle.
Daryl almost didn’t speak, didn’t want to ask what he was thinking, but the look on your face as your lips began to droop and your eyes became vague made him wonder if maybe you needed to talk about it.
“Where is he?” he asked simply, though he immediately began to regret it when he noticed you shifting awkwardly where you stood. “I mean… I, uh… Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” you replied with a shake of your head. “No, it’s fine. He’s, well… I don’t know where he is. Last time we talked he was in Atlanta. Actually, that’s why I was headed there when it happened.”
“It’s okay,” you replied with a shake of your head. “No, it’s fine. He’s, well… I don’t know where he is. Last time we talked he was in Atlanta. Actually, that’s why I was headed there when it happened.”
It seemed to be a universally agreed upon signifier. The fall, the turn, the apocalypse, the plague… Everyone called it something different, but what it all came down to was The End, or The Beginning, depending on who you asked.
“Sorry,” was all he could reply, though he found himself going further, speaking more than he normally would’ve. “Hope he’s all right.”
That meant more to you than anything anyone had ever said to you since the world turned. You hadn’t told anyone about your brother, and you weren’t sure why you decided to tell Daryl, but it felt right. In a world where everything was suddenly wrong, lots of things still felt right, all of which had to do with him. Strange.
“Thank you. I do too. He means a lot to me… I’m sure your brother means a lot to you, too, so I understand why you care so much about him. He’s lucky to have you as a brother.”
If Daryl wasn’t so strangely calmed by your presence in this moment, he might’ve protested to the assertion that Merle meant a lot to him, but he supposed he really did, whether or not Daryl liked it.
As he shifted his shoulders, he raised his hand to scratch his neck, chewing the inside of his bottom lip all the while. The unique little nervous mannerisms he had were already becoming part of your ever-growing encyclopedia of quirks Daryl displayed, and you had to say you found that quite endearing. Indeed, you truly felt that Daryl could become a friend. You wanted him to be a friend.
It reminded you that Daryl spent almost all of his time alone. Whenever Merle was gone or at the edge of camp getting up to his illicit activities, Daryl was by himself. You figured he had to get lonely, and surely the sole company of a man like Merle would eventually drive him insane, even if he was his brother.
“Daryl?” you asked, moving closer as you tried to telepathically direct his gaze up at you.
He did, and a flash of silvery blue eyes that caught little sparkles of light from the sun looked up at you. His eyes were quite deep set and narrow, making them seem at first glance to be cold and uninviting, but that wasn’t really the case at all. Now that you saw them in full view, there was mystery there, something waiting to be revealed. You had a feeling whatever it was, it was something lovely. Your curiosity made you eager to get to the bottom of it.
“Yeah?”
Even the strange softness of his often rough, gravelly voice struck you. As he licked his chapped lips, you found yourself trailing your eyes to his light stubble, sparse on his cheeks but more concentrated around his lips, which weren’t particularly full, but beautifully sculpted as if by delicate, intentional little hands. You found his face much more tolerable than his brother’s. Handsome, even. Perhaps not an A-list Hollywood movie star (certainly no one so clean-cut as Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt, both of whom you had at one point hung posters of on your closet door in the mid-nineties) but he had been blessed with good proportions and a pleasant visage that you only dwelled on for a moment until your subconsciousness took the image into its darkest recesses. The last thing you needed to do today was to admire a man’s physical appearance, though it did tempt you for just a few seconds. Maybe a few more.
“You should really join us for dinner tonight,” you said. “You know, around the fire… Dale’s going to make something special. I have no idea what, he says it’s a surprise.”
When his breath seemed to hitch and his muscles flexed in seemingly anxious response, you quickly tried to explain yourself. “I mean, I know it’s awkward, with the Shane thing… but Shane has watch during dinner tonight. Maybe you can just… talk to me, and Dale, Andrea, Amy, Glenn, Jacqui… We all sort of congregate, talk a little bit. I’m sure they’d like to get to know you more.”
He found himself wondering how to respond, how to tell you that he hated talking, especially to people he hardly knew. Then again, he liked talking to you. That was clear to him.
“Maybe… I dunno.”
Though you didn’t want to pressure him, it was hard not to try to convince him. You were shy sometimes, too, but the older you got, the more you realized that you needed people, and that couldn’t be more evident than right now, when people were hard to come by.
“All we have is each other,” you said. “You told me that the world’s never gonna be like how it was, and you’re right. We should never take people for granted anymore.”
He’d never wrap his head around the way you spoke sometimes, how you could be so articulate and intelligent, and at other times, so high-strung or bubbly or aloof… You were about as hard to read to him as he was to you.
“I’ll try,” was all he replied.
“That’s all that matters.”
When he briefly lurked around the fire that night, exchanging a few brief words with Dale and Andrea (and you, of course), you felt like you’d gotten somewhere further with the temperamental hunter.
He didn’t stay for long, and hardly ate any of Dale’s “mushroom mash,” but it was something, and though the day started with a fight between Shane and Daryl, it ended with the latter feeling just a little more welcome.
Most of all, you had no regrets about bringing Daryl Dixon to your camp. You had a feeling it was the right thing to do.
~
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yui-kuromori · 1 year
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One of the things I had to come to terms with, as a manga reader is that in order for me to fully enjoy the live action adaption of Alice in Borderland is for me to sepparate Manga Chishiya and Show Chishiya as two different characters.
Some things change during adaptions, that's inevitable, but AiB did such a remarkable job at keeping (and sometimes elevating) the core concepts of the source material, I fear I may have grown a bit spoiled.
Take Kuzuryuu for example. In the manga, Kuzuryuu was the dealer for the 4 of clubs (which Arisu and Usagi don't participate). He plays the part of the inured player who needs to stay in the bus, there he meets a kind woman who refuses to leave him behind and stays on the bus with him. In the show, he meets the 4 of clubs survivor, the guy Arisu saved, who in an effort to pass on Arisu's kindness, saves Kuzuryuu himself.
Even if these are altered scenarios, the core of it stays the same. Through the 4 of clubs, Kuzuryuu finds that kindness and altruism are possible even in the borderlands (something he believed to be impossible).
Chishiya on the other hand, has his core aspects changed.
One thing I have touched a lot on ever since season 1 came out was the decision they made to switch Arisu and Chishiya's specialties. Arisu is a hearts specialist who in the show becomes a diamonds player. Chishiya is a diamonds specialist who is changed into a hearts player.
This fundamentally changes both of their main arcs as well as the way they paralel each other. Chishiya suffering the most for it. In the manga, Chishiya is fully incapable of understanding hearts games. He doesn’t deal well with them to the point where he never actually solved the witch hunt. He was never part of the Jack of hearts in the first place.
Manga Chishiya was neglected from e very young age, to the point where he doesnt remember what it's like to properly emote or empathize with people. His own complicated relationship with his father causes him to view every relationship he has as transactions. He's cold, to the point of denying a dying man his last wish only because it was inconvenient for Chishiya to help him.
Show Chishiya used to be an empathetic person. He went into pediatrics. He cared for his patients. The medical industry had beaten it all out of him to the point he had been numbed to his own feelings. He's alone and scared to be alone.
Now, I don't particularly dislike this adaption of Chishiya. After the initial shock, I came to the conclusion that the show's writing team had been really smart about the way they went with his character.
Especially considering that Chishiya is a fan favorite, it makes sense that the show writers would want for him to remain desirable and lovable to the audience. Manga Chishiya as complex and fun as he is, is a really dislikable character. Choosing to give Chishiya that hearts speciality, that softer side, managed to keep him likable even as he acted like a anti-hero.
It's also my belief that this was a season 2 choice, as in season 1 he acts pretty similar to his manga self. Which is why you can see the disconnect in his characterizartion between both seasons.
So yeah, once I let go of the manga a little bit, I was able to fully appreciate the work they did for the character in the show. AiB is a wonderful adaption and it deserves a lot of love and praise.
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