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#thank you for the ask !! those were really interesting
deedeeznoots · 3 days
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Can we please get some hcs of Sukuna and reader in the fairytale AU 🥹🥹
Absolutely amazing writing I loved every single thing of it!💖💖
Cottage Life
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Characters: Ryomen Sukuna, Fem!Reader  
Word Count: 2.5k
Genre: Fluff, Mentions of Smut  
Content: MDNI, Established Relationship, True Form!Sukuna, Princess!Reader, Swearing, Mentions of Murder, Mentions of Smut
A/N: Hi Anon! Thank you for the kind words and the request, I’d love to do this. I’m so glad that people enjoyed my Sukuna Fairy Tale AU so I’m 100% going to explore the idea more. On another note, this is also my first ever request🥹 I’m giggling and kicking my feet at the thought of people enjoying my writing enough to want to request specific things for me to create so I just want to take the time to say if you have an idea for me to write anything specific please do not hesitate to ask! Thank you all very very much. :)
Synopsis: Small glimpses into your daily life with Sukuna in the deep woods. While not fully necessary to understand these little snippets, reading the beginning of your story with Sukuna would certainly enhance the experience. <3 
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ꨄ Pre-Relationship: Secret Meetings ꨄ
➼ When you first began meeting with him regularly he was pretty mean to you and ignored you most of the time when you tried to talk to him. Despite this, he always kept you by his side anyways and didn’t deter you from meeting him.
➼ One time you straight up asked him why and he said it was because you brought food to him. While you accepted that answer, you knew inside that wasn’t really the case because he would still keep you around even after you both ate. 
➼ After warming up to you one of the things that you two bonded over was the nature in the forest. Sukuna would explain the wildlife to you since you were unfamiliar for a long time and he was to your surprise, a really good teacher. 
➼ He was able to answer any questions you had and went over every detail that he knew about the woods and was able to keep things interesting.
➼ When you both spent that night under the stars he was serious when he tried flirting with you but quickly realized what he did so he tried to play it off as a joke (he couldn’t be caught being too soft, after all). 
➼ Since he’s so much stronger and bigger than you (and literally everyone lol) he makes sure to be extra cautious and gentle around you because despite what he seems like, he doesn’t want to genuinely scare people, especially you.
➼ Speaking of, he has no idea why you aren’t scared of him and doesn’t understand why you act like the way he looks is no big deal. He doesn’t complain though and never mentions it to you. 
➼ One of the reasons you’re not scared of him is because he has saved your life more times than you could count, and why would you be scared of someone who continually keeps you alive, most of the time at his own expense? 
➼ “No, don't eat those berries, they’re poisonous…wha-what do you mean you already had five?!”
➼ He had to do some poison control that day… and it wasn’t very fun. 
➼ Every time he saves your life he always tells you that he’ll just leave you next time but you know that’s not true at all.
➼ You would also always get injured for stupid reasons so he’d take care of your wounds like he did when you both first officially met (he’d laugh first though)
➼ One of the days you visited you realized you had a talent for making flower crowns so you would spend a lot of time with him doing it while you both talked and walked around the woods.
➼ You mostly gave yours to him as a gift 
➼ He would grumble and act like he hated it but he would keep them on anyway and he kept all of them. After a while it grew into a small collection that he secretly cherishes. 
➼ Sukuna secretly (though, it wasn’t a secret to you) loved these meetings, and your visits were the highlight of his day every time.
ꨄ Early Relationship: Locked Away ꨄ
➼ Sukuna was confused at first when you stopped visiting him after sleeping with him. 
➼ He thought he did something wrong and you didn’t have a good time, or that he hurt you in some way. 
➼ He tried to put on the tough guy act at first and tried to convince himself that he didn’t like you all that much anyways. 
➼ Obviously, it wasn’t true and he’s a big softy on the inside so he gave into his temptations to see you. 
➼ When he saw the guards by your bedroom window, he realized what happened, and remembered that you always had to sneak out to see him. 
➼ Once he realized what actually happened he chastised himself for being so pouty and feeling sorry for himself instead of going to see you sooner. 
➼ To make up for this he goes to look at you every day as you stand by your window.
➼ Eventually, you noticed him and you both would spend the whole day just sitting with each other from afar. 
➼ Sometimes he would see you cry when he visited and his heart would break because he couldn’t wipe your tears away. 
➼ He has resisted the urge to attempt to fight the guards by your window more than he can count.
➼ Only reason he didn’t was his fear of making things worse for you if he did.
➼ On the day of your wedding, he noticed that you weren’t by your window like usual. 
➼ He learned his lesson about giving up on you too soon, so he decided instead of leaving you be, that he would go around the castle and look for you to see if you were okay. 
➼ Too invested in finding you, he didn’t realize that he stood a tad too close to some of the guards of your castle, leading to him getting caught by them. 
➼ That turned out to be a happy accident however, as they led him directly to you and gave you both the chance to run away together. 
➼ He was secretly proud of you stabbing someone so easily, but he’ll never tell you that directly.
ꨄ Long-Term Relationship: Cottage Life ꨄ
➼ When you both first found the cottage in the woods, it was in very rough shape. 
➼ It was dirty, barely had a roof, and there were broken windows everywhere. It was obvious that no one had lived there for some time. 
➼ Well… one man’s trash is another one’s treasure, and you both worked day and night to fix the cottage after first finding it. 
➼ You weren’t used to any physical discomfort at all, so it took a while for you to get used to these types of conditions. However, Sukuna always made sure to help you feel better.
➼ For example, one time it rained and you two got super wet inside your home due to the roof not being 100% secure. 
➼ It was tough for you. Not only were the two of you wet, but the inside of the home you both spent tons of time fixing up was flooded now as well. 
➼ Thankfully, Sukuna always found a way to turn unfortunate situations upside down. 
➼ “Come on, let’s go play in the mud, you didn’t eat enough dirt as a kid”
➼ You both immediately felt better once you played in the rain together… especially when Sukuna would be ever the romantic and lift you up to kiss you as water droplets fell on both of you.
➼ After months of sweat and tears, the cottage was finally fixed and cleaned. 
➼ It quickly became the love of your life, second only to Sukuna, and you both quickly settled into your humble abode.  
➼ You would always wake up first which would give you a few moments where you could stare at Sukuna’s sleeping face
➼ This was your favorite thing to do every morning, because you loved his calm expression more than anything.
➼ Sometimes he catches you and as he opens his eyes he would sarcastically go “Don’t stare. It’s weird” and laugh at your blushing face. 
➼ When this happens you would just lightly hit his chest and jokingly tell him to fuck off. 
➼ You would always give him a nice long kiss first thing every morning though.
➼ Despite you no longer being a Princess, he always makes sure to pamper you like one anyways.
➼ For example, whenever you have a craving for something that can’t be found in the wild he would make sure to get it at any costs. 
➼ This includes traveling hours to the closest villages and sneaking in to take their stuff. 
➼ You always get mad at him for doing this because it could put him in serious danger, but he laughs and tells you it’s fine and that in all his time living near humans he was only caught once and it was because of you. 
➼ To this, you roll your eyes but you thank him anyways for caring so much about you that he’d work so hard to satisfy such a small craving. 
➼ Whenever you’re busy doing something, he makes it a point to catch you off guard and hug you from behind with his four arms. 
➼ You’re never actually caught off guard and can sense him from miles away (he has very loud footsteps), but you pretend anyway to get him to keep doing it. 
➼ Most days you both spend your time walking around and exploring the nature around you both. However, on particularly lazy days, you two spend most of the day just cuddling together.
➼ One thing that stays the same is that every night both of you look at the stars like the first night you two spent together. 
➼ Unlike that first night though, Sukuna would always make it a point to go down on you while outside. 
➼ Also unlike that first night, there was no pressure to rush home so you two would fall asleep outside under the stars.
➼ One time though, you woke up screaming when you found a giant bug crawling on you. Sukuna took the bug away but would always make fun of you for it whenever you both decided to sleep outside. 
➼ Sukuna would tell you he loved you in the most random of times: Walking around, eating dinner, anywhere really. He would just look you in the eyes and quietly say “I love you”.
➼ This is always paired with small kisses all over your face that make you giggle because of how ticklish they are. 
➼ Sometimes when you two are cuddling in bed he would randomly lick your back with his stomach mouth to make you jump. 
➼ “What the hell Ryomen!?” 
➼ “Hehe, sorry” 
➼ You both discovered your hidden talents while living together, and Sukuna realized his talent happened to be dress making. He realized this after he made a little makeshift dress out of your wedding attire when he carelessly ripped it away. 
➼ He was able to make you some pretty good dresses with the most random of cloth that he found around the woods. They weren’t the most formal, but they were certainly the best dresses you’ve ever had, being handmade by someone you loved.
➼ You once again tell him he doesn’t have to do all this but he makes you stuff anyway. 
➼ “Who said it was about you? This shit is fun as hell!” which made you laugh.
➼ He now has to pay extra mind to not completely rip your clothes off during bed because you two no longer had an infinite void of clothing choices. 
➼ In fact, he actually swung a little too far in the opposite direction…
➼ “Wait. Take it off carefully, I worked hard on this one. I SAID BE CAREFUL IDIOT–”
➼ Despite this, accidents still happen and sometimes he would rip them off in the heat of the moment anyways.
➼ Living together, you had to learn to do a lot of things related to maintaining a home like cleaning since you weren’t used to doing this stuff yourself.
➼ Sukuna told you that it’s fine and that he’d do it but you insisted that you should learn how to do things on your own now that you’re independent. 
➼ Being the good teacher that he is,  Sukuna would go on to teach you basic chores. 
➼ He would still tease you sometimes while teaching you though. Such as one time when you accidentally burned yourself by the fire trying to make dinner and he laughed when you kept flailing your hand everywhere. 
➼ He didn’t bully you for too long though, he was still worried of course. So, he made sure to heal the burns and help kiss them better. 
➼ You’re still able to make those flower crowns like before, so you guys would make flower crowns for each other all the time, and this time Sukuna didn’t hide how proud he was of them. 
➼ Everytime he gave you yours he’d give you a small kiss on the forehead before placing the crown on your head.
➼ You would try to do the same and would go on your tippy toes trying to reach him, but he’s hella tall so it doesn’t work. 
➼ “Jesus, you are 9 ft tall” 
➼ “Is that what they tell people? That’s not true at all” He would smile, crossing his arms as you attempted to jump up to place the crown on him. 
➼ “Well whatever you are I can’t fucking reach you”
➼ He eventually lifts you up by your hips and lets you place the crown on him and give him his little forehead kiss. 
➼ Whenever you two are together, he always has his hands on you (he has four of course, and he needs to put them to good use). Whether it’s placing your hand on his, or having an arm around your waist, one hand always had to be on you. 
➼ You both have every meal together, from breakfast to dinner. They’re mostly quiet and you both just take the time to bask in each other’s presence. 
➼ From this, you learned just how much Sukuna LOVES to eat.
➼ You noticed this already before of course, since your relationship started with you bringing him food, but you really notice it once you begin eating together 
➼ Sometimes when he’s eating his food too quickly you tell him to take it easy in order to not upset his stomach 
➼ In response, he’d point to his smiling stomach mouth and go “Does he look upset to you?” 
➼ You’d just laugh at this point lol and leave him be with one last comment about how he seriously shouldn’t eat so fast 
➼ He listens for a bit and takes smaller bites, but he goes right back into it after a few minutes.
➼ You weren’t great at cooking at first, but Sukuna didn’t really care and ate your food anyways
➼ “Don’t worry I eat anything, this is trash though” he’d say with food in his mouth, only half joking.
➼ Once you got better at the skill, he always insisted for you to cook or for the two of you to cook together since it tasted better when you did it (when you knew what you were doing, of course). 
➼ Speaking of together… At first, you two tried to take baths together at the nearby river.
➼ Emphasis on tried, because Sukuna always got too excited seeing your naked body and you two weren’t able to get clean at all. 
➼ Due to this, you decided it was best to bathe separately, to Sukuna’s dismay. 
➼ Occasionally you still allowed him to join you, of course. 
➼ Sukuna made love with you every time like it would be the last time. 
➼ In the back of his head, he always remembers the time you were taken away from him right after you both spent a night together.
➼ With this in mind, he always makes sure to make each session one you’d never forget, and he always delivered on this promise, of course. 
➼ He would always take care of you after of course, and always made sure you were okay. 
➼ You were fine, but you passed out 99% of the time so he would wipe you down and make sure to cuddle you. 
➼ He’s always worried about you being in danger again, but whenever he sees you asleep next to him he can’t help but think of anything but what he ever did to deserve you 
➼ Of course, from the moment you wake up to see his sleeping face, you can’t help but think the same thing about him.  
➼ Your life is a lot different now. Not only do you no longer have the title of Princess, but you’ve traded in your castle for a tiny cottage, and a crown for dirt-covered feet. Yet, you wouldn’t change it for the world… because for every painful burn and disgusting bug on you, is his smile, and that smile is worth more than any title.
-
A/N: Enjoyed seeing Fairy Tale!Sukuna? Just a reminder that if you haven’t read it yet, please feel free to read the story that these headcanons are based on!
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polinsated · 3 days
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@polin-erospsyche said these tags i wrote shouldn't be tags, and i trust her with my possible-inpending embarrassment, apparently, so, here you go:
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i adore this look so much. the way colin looks at pen here will never not be used as a defence against people saying polin are 'rushed', or 'have no chemistry', or whatever it is they're saying now. and here's my little take on it.
-> you know how they say, you don't know what you have until it's gone. in this case, colin didn't realise how much he needed pen and her letters until they were gone....
this lonely, weary traveller has been away for months. we know his family doesn't often reply to his letters. and although he jokes about it, and they do too, we can all agree that he's upset by this, yes?
so in this moment, he turns around and sees the only person who has been corresponding with him throughout his journeys. he sees the woman who not only responds to every letter he sends but also who does so with genuine interest and fondness. the person who has made him feel like he has had a friend there with him on his travels. i personally believe he was alone for most, if not, nearly all of the time he was away. though, even if he did have some companionship; penelope was his constant for that time.
she has probably been keeping him entertained with stories, making sure he knows his family is okay, and asking him about every detail of his adventures. and in my opinion, i believe she barely ever mentioned herself in these letters. she has really been there with him every step of the way via her open ears (nay eyes) and written words.
and so finally, he sees her there, and i don't think he knows what to do with himself.
does he want to just say hello? probably not - look at his face! does he want to sit down with her right away and ramble on about things he has yet to say? or maybe just tell the same stories - because he knows she will listen, and she will understand, and she will enjoy hearing about them. maybe. does he want to hug her and say thank you? possibly.
my point is that i think he doesn't know what to do. it's such a short look that he doesn't have time to decide. and he's suspended in those moments when he sees her looking back at him with a huge smile on her face. he's overwhelmed.
i may be wrong in this part, but i also think he's a little surprised. he knows pen hangs out with his family a lot, but i don't think he expected her to be there right at that very moment he walked in the door. the man is baffled, to me. and in love.. despite not knowing it yet, hehe.
and it leads me to the sudden and heartbreaking point of 3.01. when colin has finished greeting his family, he turns to look at the featherington house because he notices right away that pen is not there like last time. and now it feels wrong that she isn't.
and if you watch that moment, the exact part when he turns back to his family again, there is something in the way his hands swing loosely at his sides, like a defeated sigh from his body - if you know what i'm trying to say.
his body language, to me, just screams disheartened... dispirited, or whatever other fancy word you'd see fit to use. but it's so subtle...
and then later we find out that penelope didn't respond to any of his letters this time. and i can only imagine how confused he is. because, honestly, he probably forgot about the horrible courting comment he made, and even if he remembered, he doesn't know then that pen heard it. so in his mind he is wondering where on earth his friend is. the possibility that she could be unwell has probably also crossed his mind. he is just - desperate, most likely - at this point to find out what's going on.
the thought of him, on his travels, everyday wondering why there still hasn't been a single letter signed 'penelope' absolutely breaks my heart.
and while i was about to end this post, i just thought about colin actually writing his own letters, and how he might've changed his tone along the way... do you think they ever included such words as something like: "i eagerly await your response." / "i hope to hear from you sometime soon." / "are you well, pen?"
or even this soul destroying, lump in the throat inducing quote that my mind has just come up with: "i've begun to think that there's a possibility you have not received my recent letters. for several weeks i have not heard back. not even a single tidbit about your mama, or my bothersome siblings. i must admit, my travels have not been as such fun or as fascinating as when i have my good friend to tell them to. i hope my writing finds you soon enough, or that yours finds me."
......
anyway, i don't write metas.. or i do and i never post them because i feel stupid and rambly and i'm never sure if it makes sense, but, i'm being a little brave here, haha. (thank you, luwen)
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ratgrinders · 2 days
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HIII i’m also a rat grinders fan in the “not interested in pretending they aren’t fucked up” but rather “interested in Why they are so fucked up” way 💥💥💥 i have Thoughts on how the shatterstar ritual affected the rat grinders in different ways and i wanted to know if u had any similar thoughts :3 - @teenagerebellion
THIS IS SUCH A GOOD ASK thank you for sending it!!!!!!!!
Ok so I AM gonna be working off the assumption that a rage crystal functions less like "mind control" and more so amplifying existing feelings to murderous extremes. Think Adaine in the mall fight when she's asked to picture "what would the world look like if all Adaine thought about was rage" and we see a destroyed Sylvaire from Adaine's search for her mother. We know that Adaine would never do that, but we see the underlying motivation is the same.
Off the bat we know Kipperlilly's ritual is different from the others since she chose to do it "willingly" and wasn't forced to choose via death (it's described as having no scar, unlike the others, so she may have not even had to die at all). That doesn't mean though that she wasn't infected with a rage that caused her to do things she never would've done normally, as I don't think Freshman Year Kipperlilly, whose biggest grievances were "I think Aguefort likes them more", would jump to coldblooded murder. I think the fact that Kipperlilly chose the shatterstar affects her mindset pretty greatly going in to rest of the year, because there's no easy way to differentiate between what's "her" and what's the rage star. She probably is constantly thinking things like "This is all me. I am in control of my own faculties. There was no coercion involved I'm just naturally a villain", partially because she doesn't want to admit that she, a mastermind, let herself get controlled like that. Essentially, the ritual itself was so seamless and the descent so gradual, I don't think even Kipperlilly has a strong sense anymore of who she is without rage.
Ruben we know canonically has a bit of amnesia after being revived, not even seeming to remember the entire year he was shatterstarred. Ruben basically has the opposite problem from Kipperlilly, where his change in identity post-shatterstar is so drastic that his sense of self is almost completely eroded, because "how could I have been motivated to become someone like that?". Ruben's not a naturally angry person, but still though, that WAS Ruben, the rage star just tapping in to Ruben's underlying desperate need for approval, emotionality, etc. and bringing it to the forefront. The rage star imbued Ruben with such an intense pain and rage that he felt he could only express it through his music. Post finale revival I think was Ruben just being in shock at how much he's changed, but I think the memories will come back to him and he'll have to reconcile these two Vastly Different versions of himself.
Ivy I believe was still kind of a mean girl before the shatter star, the shatter star just made it more likely for her to say it to people's faces rather than behind their backs. Honestly, I'm imagining her maybe as a young Sandra Lynn before, in the sense of both having this constant bemusement. Beyond that, though, I think Ivy may have been the most likely to take the rage star willingly as opposed to being killed for it (I actually think most of the Rat Grinders still could've been persuaded to take it willingly, but that's a post for another time). Ivy seems to have a lot of pent up rage and disdain for the world around her, and the shatter star only amplified that.
Oisin got buff after getting shatterstarred, which is a really funny canonical fact to think about lmao, because I'm just imagining him doing a bunch of angry push-ups or something. Anyways Oisin before the ritual I'm honestly imagining him to be the type to hang out with guys like Skrank and Shellford, aka those kind of nerdy unpopular guys who nonetheless are still kind of egotistical and little dicks sometimes. (This is actually why I think they were the ones playing pong at the party with Oisin, because they were actually kind of friends before.) Just like Ivy, the rage crystal just gave Oisin more of an excuse to externalize his rage at the world, but I think the main thing it did was just give Oisin a little more self-confidence because now he has all this power backing him up.
Mary Ann was EXACTLY the same before and after the ritual, it was actually a little disconcerting to Jace and Porter and they didn't know what to make of it. The main thing for Mary Ann, I think, is that she really doesn't have much of an emotional stake in the rage ritual, or the beef with the bad kids, or anything like that. She's just Entirely Indifferent to whatever atrocities are being committed, which is just a different type of fucked up lol. Honestly, I think as a barbarian Mary Ann's a bit more used to controlling her rage which is why the rage crystal might've had less of an effect, Lydia Barkrock style.
Buddy's death was so sudden and traumatic, with such a short amount of time to get used to the implications before the finale, I think Buddy's mind is just in a tailspin post-ritual just trying to grab on to anything that makes sense lol. He knows worship and devotion, its been a crutch in his life for so long, and that's what he defaults to when he can no longer reach Helio. In fact it almost seems a bit like a coping mechanism, latching onto it so securely even in the face of all other logic.
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andshesaidwhat · 3 days
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Web of Lies - Stephen Glass Smut
Summary: You and Stephen are coworkers and he’s always harbored a secret crush on you. When he finally works up the courage to ask you to hang out with him, he’s elated that you agree. However, after an innocent night of company, you return to the office the next day to find your name as the hot topic of gossip. When you confront Stephen about the matter, he finds himself trapped in a web of his own lies.
Warnings: afab!reader, she/her pronouns, dacryphilia (he’s so pretty when he cries, i can’t help it), voyeurism, exhibitionism, masturbation (Stephen receiving), dub-con (kind of? not really, but tagging it just in case), sub!Stephen, nipple play, manipulation, angst, lying, teasing, edging, denial, begging, humiliation, degradation, stephen whines and whimpers a lot because obviously.
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The soft material of Stephen’s socks padded quietly across the floor as he made his way into the break room at The New Republic.
He stood by the door, watching with a small smile as you angrily hit the drink machine. He laughed to himself as you huffed, the frustration clear on your face.
This was something he did often. He observed you from a distance. The two of you had never spoken beyond the occasional greeting when your paths would cross in the office or a brief congratulations from you when a piece of his did exceptionally well.
Those were his favorite times. Watching you react to his stories. He’d ride the elation for hours when your lips would turn up in a smile during one of his pitches. He found himself tuning in to what made you laugh, what peaked your interest, warping his tales to accommodate.
He could do an entire write up on you by now if he was ever asked to. He’d studied you, down to every little detail. He knew what made you laugh and what pissed you off. He knew how you took your coffee and what pastries you’d swipe from the bakery you passed by every morning. He knew how you’d worry your bottom lip when you were deep in thought — that was a personal favorite of his. You’d become an obsession of sorts.
He had found his rhythm, watching your life from the outside. He was content that way. Which was why he was surprised to find himself walking up to you now.
“This machine never works,” he said, startling you as he appeared behind you. He grinned, sheepishly, ducking his head. “Sorry, it’s just that this machine gets stuck more than it doesn’t. Besides, the drinks inside of it are all flat anyways. There’s a better one on the third floor of the building. Works every time, honest.”
“Oh, thanks for the tip,” you laughed, embarrassed that you’d been caught fighting with an inanimate object.
“I was actually coming in here to put a note on the machine before leaving for lunch,” he lied, scratching the back of his neck. “There’s this little cafe a few blocks over that’s just to die for.”
“Are you talking about the one on 3rd Ave?” Stephen nodded, watching your face light up. “That’s one of my favorites!”
Stephen already knew that, of course. He’d watched you accumulate new takeout menus every time you’d go there for breakfast or lunch. He was willing to bet that you had upwards of twenty by now in your desk drawer. Still, he raised his eyebrows like this was the first he’d known of this information.
“Really?” Stephen asked, shoving his hands into his pockets as he shrugged. “Well, if you wanted, I wouldn’t mind the company.”
You eyed the blonde curiously. His glasses were perched high on his nose and his cheeks were illuminated with an ever present blush. He had an adorable, naive quality about him. Sure, it was clear to you that most of his stories were more fiction than fact, but who amongst you didn’t embellish every now and then?
You were intrigued by him, by the way his mind worked. He seemed to be nervously awaiting your answer, so you eased his fears with a gentle smile.
“I’d love to,” you told him, giggling at the way his eyes widened before he broke out into a breathtaking smile.
There was certainly a reason why he had the majority of the office wrapped around his finger. He was charming and incredibly easy on the eyes. He was observant, noticing things other people wouldn’t.
Maybe that was why, despite the controversy of his recent article, he didn’t seem to be catching too much heat.
“I’ll grab my things and we can walk there together,” Stephen told you, giving you a shy grin. “I’ll meet you by the front.”
You nodded, noticing the way some of your coworkers were observing your interaction. You brushed it off as typical office nosiness, waiting for Stephen to return.
As the two of you walked through the city, Stephen couldn't help but chat about mundane things: the weather, the noise of the city, your favorite books. He felt an unusual warmth in his chest, enjoying your conversation and company.
You couldn’t help but find his nervous rambling endearing, fascinated by the way he turned everything into a story.
Once you arrived at the quaint little cafe, he led you to a table by the window with a gentle smile.
“This is the best spot to sit,” you said, beaming as you looked out the large window. “You can watch all the people go by.”
He admired you, feeling his chest swell with pride that he had made a good choice.
You continued chatting about various topics, from your hobbies to your favorite TV shows. Stephen found himself opening up more than usual with you — something about you made him feel at ease and encouraged him to share pieces of himself.
By the end of the lunch hour, you had made your way back to the looming office building. You both stopped before returning inside, Stephen turning to look at you with a small smile.
“Thanks for the company,” he said, that familiar blush tinting his cheeks. “It meant more than you know.”
“Of course, Stephen,” you smiled. “Anytime.”
He watched you turn to walk back into the building, reaching out to stop you before he realized what he was doing. He felt a spike of anxiety shoot through his stomach as you turned around to look at him expectantly.
“Would you maybe wanna come over after work?” Stephen asked, breathing heavily. “I have Monopoly, if you like that sort of thing. I also have some left over danishes from that bakery down the street that I simply can’t finish all by myself.”
He watched your ears perk up at the mention of the pastries you’d stop to get before work some mornings. Hope brimmed in his chest as you contemplated his offer.
You couldn’t deny the intrigue. You’d enjoyed his company during lunch, and wouldn’t mind spending more time with him.
“Can I play as the top hat?” You smirked, laughing as his face lit up.
Stephen felt a wave of relief wash over him as he responded, “Consider it yours.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” you said, genuinely, before returning back to the office.
Stephen watched you walk off, his smile refusing to leave his face. As you parted ways, he couldn't shake off the feeling of butterflies in his stomach. Each step felt lighter, as if he was walking on clouds.
The upcoming game night weighed heavily on his mind throughout the day. Every time he caught himself daydreaming about it, he'd snap back to reality and focus on his work. Yet, the excitement lingered, making the hours drag by slowly.
When evening finally came, he rushed home to prepare everything for your meeting. He wanted everything to be perfect — from setting up the game board to arranging the pastries he’d stopped to pick up after work.
You followed the address Stephen had sent you, showing up to his apartment. You couldn’t deny that you were excited to spend more time with him. He fascinated you in more ways than one. There was the obvious about his stories, yes, but there was also the way he seemed to melt when he looked at you.
You knocked gently on his door, waiting for his response.
Stephen stood at the entrance of his apartment, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He had cleaned and prepared everything meticulously, ensuring every detail was just right. As he opened the door, he found his hands trembling.
"Hey," he greeted softly, gesturing for you to enter. The sight of you took his breath away, and he couldn't help but blush under your gaze.
He showed you to the living room, where the Monopoly board lay spread out on the table. Next to it was an array of pastries and a fresh pot of coffee.
"Please, sit wherever you'd like," he said shyly, already feeling self-conscious.
“You’ve got the whole spread, huh?” You asked with an impressed smile, sitting down on his couch.
Your cheeks warmed with a blush of their own when you noticed he’d laid out the exact amount of creamer and sugar that you usually used.
Stephen chuckled softly, glancing around his apartment nervously. "Just trying to make it special," he explained, sitting across from you with the Monopoly board between you.
He poured you both a cup of coffee, watching as you observed your surroundings.
As you began playing, Stephen found himself getting lost in the fun, enjoying the sound of your laughter and the occasional touch of your hand while passing money or property cards. Every interaction sent electric shocks through him, leaving him spellbound.
You had genuinely enjoyed the game night. Both of you winning your fair share of rounds. He knew how to reel people in, that was for sure.
Eventually, you’d consumed all of the coffee and sweets that you could handle and had just bought out the last property on the board.
“There,” you said, triumphantly, winning again. “That makes three for me.”
Stephen couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at losing once again, but instead of sulking, he smiled widely, clapping for you.
"Impressive! Congrats," he said, sincerely. He noticed the time on his wall clock, realizing how late it had become. "Want to order some pizza before calling it a night?" He proposed, hoping to extend your time together.
Despite the losses, he cherished every moment spent with you. Your presence brought him a comfort and joy that he hadn't experienced in years.
You also weren’t in any rush to end the night, enjoying the time you were spending with him.
“I like pizza,” you smiled.
Stephen grinned, elated that you’d agreed.
“Fantastic,” he said, grabbing his phone to order the pizza. “It’ll be the best pizza you’ve ever had, honest.”
While waiting for the food to arrive, he engaged you in conversation — asking about your interests and hobbies.
When the doorbell rang, he quickly answered, accepting the piping hot pizza box. As you both sat down to eat, he felt grateful for this rare glimpse of a normal evening.
You were both laughing, talking about 80s music when you finished the last of the pizza.
“Really, Stephen? Like a Virgin is your favorite 80s song?” You asked, trying to catch your breath from your fit of giggles.
Stephen chuckled, shaking his head. "Guilty as charged," he admitted, sheepishly. "What can I say? It reminds me of being a teenager."
“I don’t know whether that’s hilarious or extremely sad,” you laughed, wiping your eyes.
“Yeah, me either,” he shrugged, grinning at you.
He glanced at the clock, realizing how late it had become. "I suppose we should call it a night," he said reluctantly, standing up.
Your eyes widened as you saw the time. It was nearly midnight. You’d been so lost in the night that you hadn’t even realized how much time had passed.
“Yeah, I suppose we should,” you agreed, standing up as well. “We won’t be very useful at work if we’re walking around half asleep.”
He smiled at your comment as he walked you to the door. He found himself wanting to kiss you, willing his eyes to stay away from your lips. Instead, he extended a polite handshake.
“Thanks for coming over,” he murmured, nervously. “I had a great time.”
You liked this version of him. The sweet, shy Stephen who didn’t feel the need to rely on stories of grandeur to captivate his audience. This version, the real version, you felt yourself falling for.
“Thank you for having me, Stephen,” you said, taking his hand gently. “I had a lovely time.”
Stephen watched you leave, feeling a mix of excitement and sadness. He waved until you disappeared from view, then returned inside his apartment.
The guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders as he sat alone in silence, staring at the Monopoly board left scattered on the coffee table.
The next day, when you arrived at the office, you noticed some of your co-workers giving you odd looks. You ignored it at first, unlocking your office and going about your morning.
You had honestly expected Stephen to greet you, but he was strangely nowhere to be found. He’d been so eager to spend time together yesterday…
You tried to ignore the twist of disappointment in your stomach as you went about your morning.
Later, when you left your office to grab some papers, you noticed the strange looks again. This time, they were accompanied by hushed whispers and giggles. You looked around, skeptically, continuing on with your task.
It wasn’t until you were walking back to your office that you managed to hear a bit of what two women were saying.
“Can you believe it? He said she used handcuffs on him,” one of the women whispered, eyeing you up and down.
“She seems so reserved… I guess you never know when someone’s a freak in the sheets,” the other responded in hushed giggles.
You stopped dead in your tracks, trying to hear more of what they were saying.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to fucking Steve either, but I didn’t think she could be so…animalistic.”
Anger burned underneath your skin as you clutched the papers so tightly that they had all wrinkled. Your breathing was labored as you walked over to Stephen’s cubicle.
“Can I talk to you in my office, Stephen?” You asked, sharply.
Stephen looked up from his desk, startled by your sudden appearance. He swallowed hard, noting the anger simmering in your eyes. "Of course," he replied, following you to your office.
Once inside, he closed the door behind him, waiting for you to speak. "Is everything okay?" He inquired cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest.
You leaned against your desk in front of a chair where Stephen moved to sit, crossing your arms.
“No, Stephen, everything is not okay,” you said, narrowing your eyes at him.
He was nervous. Fidgeting in his seat, refusing to make direct eye contact with you for longer than a second. All signs that he was feeling anxious about something — or guilty.
He shrunk in on himself, his tongue darting out to lick his lips that had gone dry the minute you walked into his office as he asked, “Are you mad at me?”
“Mad?!” You questioned back, fuming as his eyes stayed glued to the floor. “Care to tell me why the entire office is gossiping about some story of the rough, passionate sex we supposedly had?”
"It was...a misunderstanding," he stuttered, his voice barely audible, panic etched into his features. "They thought we had an affair, which isn't true."
“Yeah, I know it’s not true Stephen,” you scoffed, “but why do they think that it is?”
“You know how office gossip spreads,” he shrugged, his right knee bouncing as he pushed up his glasses. “Someone starts a story and everyone latches onto it like a bunch of leaches until they’re so full of shit that they drop it and move on.”
Your jaw ticked as you asked, “How would they even know to start this kind of story?”
“I don’t know!” Stephen defended, furrowing his eyebrows as his nostrils flared. “People are animals. Believe me, I’m just as upset as you are by all of this.”
He was scrambling, trying to play off innocent like he always did. Normally, you’d write it off. Even finding it somewhat endearing on most occasions. This time, however, it only fueled your anger.
“Did someone make up the story as petty office gossip or did you make it up so that the office would talk about something other than you completely making up Hack Heaven?” You asked, matter-of-factly. You saw the shock in his features, the readiness to deny, so you added, “Yeah, I know you made up that article and god only knows how many more. There’s no point in lying to me.”
Stephen stared at you in disbelief, shaken by your revelation. "How...how did you…?" he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Please, Stephen, you’re a tremendous writer but a terrible liar. I saw through your stories the moment I met you,” you said, a certain bite to your words. “What I didn’t expect was to become the center of one of your fictitious escapades.”
He could feel his world crumbling. All of his lies had caught up to him, and worse, he had involved you in it. "I...I didn't mean for any of this to happen," he stammered, rubbing his temples.
Stephen winced, feeling his face heat up. He stared at his shoes, unable to meet your gaze. "I'm so sorry," he muttered, genuinely remorseful. "I never meant to drag you into this mess."
He took a deep breath, mustering the courage to speak the truth. "I made up stories because I wanted to succeed. I craved recognition and believed that's what it took." His voice cracked as he continued. "Seeing how much it's hurt you... I wish I could take it all back."
The weight of his actions bore down on him, realizing the consequences. There were no more webs to spin, no more excuses to give. He’d been caught in the worst way possible.
You looked at him for a moment, studying the way he sunk in on himself and the water rising in his eyes. You didn’t know whether you could believe his regret or not. A small piece of you wanted to.
“Tell me the story, then,” you said, uncrossing your arms. When you saw Stephen’s confusion, you continued. “You seemed to have such a riveting tale of our affair, so let me hear it. Tell me what you told them I supposedly did to you.”
“W-what?” Stephen sputtered, eyes wide as he glanced at you. “But…I…”
He waited, desperately hoping you’d back down, but he could see the fierce determination in your eyes. His face flamed as he took a shaky breath.
“I…I told them all kinds of details and descriptions,” he whispered, nervously. “I’m really sorry.”
“Tell me the details and descriptions, Stephen,” you said, sternly. “You didn’t have a problem telling them, so tell me.”
Stephen sighed, shakily, closing his eyes for a moment before recounting the fabricated encounter.
"I told them you were-”
“Look at me, Stephen,” you snapped, interrupting him.
His breath hitched as his eyes snapped up to meet yours. His skin burned hot. It was already bad enough having to tell you all of this, but it was even worse having to look at you while he did it. He released a shaky breath, beginning again.
"I told them you were aggressive and dominant in bed," he started, his voice barely audible. He winced, ashamed of his imagination. “Please, forgive me.”
“Start from the beginning,” you told him with a glare. “How did you tell them it started?”
Stephen swallowed hard, feeling nauseous as he recalled his lies. "I said we started chatting about music, after playing Monopoly," he began hesitantly. "Then, I said that you suggested we continue the night doing…something else."
He paused, unsure if he should continue. "I said you initiated it, that you wanted me in ways I'd never imagined," he murmured. "I painted a picture of desire and lust, claiming you were the one taking charge."
Stephen felt sick, realizing how much damage he'd caused — not only to his relationship with you, but also to your reputation.
You didn’t miss the brief flash of desire in his eyes as he recounted the beginning of this tale he’d spun, even if it was quickly replaced by guilt and anxiousness.
You crossed one leg over the other, leaning back onto the desk more.
“So, in this story, you made it sound like I was all over you?” You clarified, your anger ticking. “What did you say happened next?”
"Yes, I...I made it seem like you pursued me," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "I described your actions in explicit detail."
He hesitated, feeling uncomfortable talking about it. "I mentioned the way you touched me, and your voice...” He took a breath, fidgeting. “I said that you led me into my bedroom a-and that you…undressed me. I told them that you had…uh…that you had handcuffs. I made it sound like you were very aggressive."
Seeing your anger, he felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry. Please, understand that I never meant to hurt you."
You noticed him shifting uncomfortably, covering his lap with his hands as he spoke. Why was he trying to cover his lap? Was he getting turned on by this? Did he want to hide his arousal? Without wavering your stoic face, you said, “Put your arms by your sides, Stephen.”
Stephen's eyes widened slightly at your command but he obeyed without question. He put his arms by his sides, his face flush. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice barely audible.
He could feel his heart racing, partly due to the embarrassment of his reaction and partly due to the regret of his actions.
As he held his arms at his sides, you noticed the unmistakable tent forming in his pants.
“Keep going,” you said, cocking your head. “How did you tell them I used the handcuffs?”
Stephen's face turned bright red, mortified by your observation. He gulped, struggling to maintain eye contact. "I...I said you handcuffed me to the bedpost and...um…took control," he stammered, his voice breaking.
“Was this some sort of weird fantasy you’d had all along, or did it just fly off your tongue like all the other stories you tell?” You asked, harshly.
Stephen's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't deny it.
"I...I won't deny that it was partially a fantasy," he admitted, his voice a whisper, "but I never intended for it to become reality or cause you any harm."
He could feel the weight of his words, realizing the magnitude of his actions. "I'm so sorry. I was wrong, and I will do whatever it takes to make it right."
“Is that why you’re getting hard just talking about it?” You laughed, bitterly, glancing at the growing erection.
Stephen's face was crimson, his embarrassment palpable. He couldn't look at you, averting his eyes instead. "I don't...I don't know," he mumbled.
He knew he'd crossed a line, and he was desperate to fix it. "Please, I'm so sorry. I'll do anything to make it right. Just give me a chance."
“Anything?” You asked, raising a brow at him. The sunlight from the open blinds lit up his scarlet cheeks, accentuating the blue in his eyes “Unbutton your shirt.”
Stephen froze, his eyes wide with shock. He glanced at the open blinds, then back at you. Despite his reluctance, he slowly took off his tie and started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his pale chest.
You didn’t move from your position as your eyes trailed down the exposed skin of his torso, stopping back at the growing erection in his pants.
“Now, undo your pants,” you instructed, crossing your arms.
Stephen gulped, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he slowly started to remove his belt and unbutton his pants. He hesitated, his hands shaking, but he knew he had to follow your instructions.
As his zipper lowered, the erection became more apparent, straining against his boxers. He tried to keep his eyes on your face, but the embarrassment was overwhelming.
The bright redness that burned his face had now also began flushing his chest. You stopped yourself from smirking at the sight.
“Well, go on…” you told him. “Push them the rest of the way down.”
Stephen hesitated, his hands trembling as he gripped his pants. He took a deep breath, knowing there was no turning back. With a shaky hand, he pushed his pants down to his ankles.
He sat there, utterly exposed and humiliated, waiting for your next command. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and shame coursing through him.
You stared at his sizable erection, straining against the boxers he wore.
“Boxers, too,” you said, cocking your head.
Stephen's face was beet red, but he complied, slowly pulling down his boxers. His erection sprang free, standing rigid and exposed.
He felt vulnerable and humiliated, but at the same time, he couldn't help but be aroused. He waited for your reaction, expecting your anger to be unbearable.
Your eyes widened slightly at the size of him, springing free from its confine. The sunlight caught him deliciously and you couldn’t deny the stir in your stomach.
“Look at you,” you laughed, “this worked up from your own imagination. You’re practically leaking everywhere.”
He felt his entire body flush at your attention, feeling the pre-cum dripping down his shaft. He felt like he was drowning in his own desire and lies.
“Yes, I'm...I'm sorry,” he murmured, his voice hoarse.
“It looks awfully painful,” you said, still studying him. “All red and aching…”
You stood up straighter, standing tall over where he was sat in the chair. If he wanted you to take control, then that’s what he was going to get.
“You’re going to finish telling me the story that you told them, recounting every twisted detail you dreamed up, and you’re going to fuck yourself in front of me while you do it.”
Stephen's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't argue. "Yes, ma'am," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart. The combination of his arousal and your command left him breathless.
He reached for his erection, feeling the heat and wetness pulsating in his veins. Hesitantly, he began to stroke himself, his mind flooded with the details of his fantasy.
He hoped this would show you his remorse, that this would be his way to beg you for forgiveness.
“What did you tell them happened after I handcuffed you, Stephen?” You asked, watching as he fisted his dick.
Stephen's grip tightened on his erection, his breathing becoming ragged. "I...I said you took control, touching me slowly...and teasing me." He groaned softly, his body responding to his thoughts. His actions mirrored his words as he absentmindedly teased himself, adding to the intensity of the current situation.
You locked eyes with him, seeing how his pupils dilated as you asked, “How did I tease you?”
Stephen's fingers danced faster, his breaths growing ragged. "I, uh, said you played with my nipples, tracing them with your fingers." He moaned softly, his eyes fluttering closed. "Then, I said you kissed me...all over." He gasped, his body arching slightly.
His mind was consumed by both your questions and his arousal, making it harder to separate fantasy from reality.
“Did I make you beg for it, Stephen?” You asked, your voice growing husky. You were relishing in the way he was falling apart, so submissive and eager.
Stephen's eyes snapped open at your question, his body trembling. "Yes," he gasped, his fist moving faster. "I said you made me beg for it, for relief and your touch."
His breathing became erratic, every thrust of his hand mirroring the intensity of his thoughts. "I begged for you, begged for everything you were doing to me."
He could barely focus on the task at hand, his arousal and fantasies clouding his mind.
“Tell me what you said I did to you after you begged for it,” you told him. You saw the way he was quickly losing himself and added, “and don’t you dare thinking about coming before I tell you to.”
Stephen's breath hitched, his grip tightening on his erection as a whimper escaped his lips. "I...I said you took me, forcefully and passionately," he panted, his body trembling.
He could feel the edge, the pleasure threatening to overtake him, but he forced himself to slow down, obeying your command.
His eyes locked on yours, desperation evident in his gaze. "Please, I need...I need to come."
“Is that what you dreamed of saying to me in this fantasy of yours?” You asked, leaning a bit closer. “Did you beg me to let you come while I was passionately taking you?”
Stephen's heart raced, his mind whirling. "Yes," he breathed. "I...I begged for release, for you to let me come."
He could feel the pressure building, the pleasure and humiliation overwhelming him. "Please,” he whined, “please let me finish this."
His eyes pleaded with you, hoping you would grant him the release he craved.
“Not yet,” you said, coldly.
His skin was flushed with arousal and embarrassment, sweat was beading on his brow, and his eyes were blown with lust. You enjoyed his desperation, deciding to push it further.
“What do you think would happen if someone looked through the window and saw you right now, Stephen?” You taunted, tilting your head towards the open blinds letting in the sunlight. “Or what if one of our coworkers walked right in to my office? What if they saw you, desperate and begging, just like your little stories?”
You glanced over at your closed office door and said, “Come to think of it, I don’t remember locking the door.”
Stephen's eyes widened, panic rising in his chest. "Oh god," he gasped, his grip tightening on his erection.
He could feel the orgasm building, the pleasure and humiliation threatening to consume him. His eyes darted to the door, the possibility of exposure sending chills down his spine.
He knew he was at your mercy, desperate for release and terrified of what might happen. "Please, I can't...I can't take this anymore."
You walked over, placing your hands on each of the armrests and leaning over him — giving him a delectable view of your cleavage beneath your shirt.
“What’s stopping me from opening that door right now and letting them all see you, hm?” You taunted. “You were so keen to describe the details of this fantasy, why not let them witness it for themselves.”
Stephen's heart pounded in his chest, his body trembling. "No," he whimpered, his gaze locked on your cleavage. "Please, don't do that. I...I can't handle it."
“What’s wrong, Stevie?” You taunted. “You made up this story in the first place to take their eyes off of your fabricated articles. I think this would certainly do the trick. Nobody would be thinking about Hack Heaven if they saw you like this — exposed, desperate, needy, fucking yourself as you beg for my mercy. I think this is a front page picture.”
Stephen's eyes widened, panic rising in his chest. He glanced at the door again, the possibility of exposure weighing heavily on him.
"Please, I can't... I can't have them see me like this," he pleaded in that whiny voice of his, tears in his eyes.
His grip tightened, his body shaking as he fought against the impending orgasm. He needed you to decide, to put an end to his torment.
“Yet you’re gripping your dick that much harder,” you noted with a smirk. “Does the thought turn you on, Stevie? Being seen like this? Being exposed?”
Stephen's breath hitched, his eyes locked on yours. He nodded, slowly, tears streaming down his face. "Still…I don't want them to see me like this. I'm begging you."
His hand didn't stop, his body betraying him as the pleasure built. He felt trapped, his desires conflicting with his fear of exposure.
“You look so pretty like this, though,” You teased, grazing your nails lightly across his nipples. “I’m sure they’d love to see their favorite coworker so compromised.”
Stephen gasped, thrusting his hips up off of the chair. "Please," he whined, stroking himself faster.
You kept teasing his sensitive nipples with your nails, loving to see how wrecked he was. The anger you had felt had morphed into desire as you watched him falling apart in front of you.
“You’re just so close,” you cooed, taunting him, “aren’t you?”
"Yes," he whimpered, his eyes locked onto hers. "I'm...I'm so close."
He could feel the orgasm building, the pleasure and humiliation overwhelming him. Your touch sent shivers down his spine, his body betraying him once again.
“Beg me to let you come, Stevie,” you told him, mercilessly circling the hardened buds on his chest.
"Please," he gasped, his voice trembling. "Let me come, please."
He could feel the climax approaching, his body tensing. He needed your permission, your approval.
You backed away from him, becoming his audience.
“Come for me, Stephen,” you commanded, watching him intently.
Stephen's eyes widened, relief washing over him. "Thank you," he whimpered, his grip tightening as he chased his peak.
When he finally let himself fall over the edge, his eyes rolled back, his body jerking as the orgasm hit him. He came hard, whimpering your name and arching off of the seat as he bit down on his bottom lip to muffle his whines.
He slumped forward, panting heavily, his emotions a chaotic mix of gratitude and humiliation.
He looked utterly disheveled. His clothes hanging off of him, his skin flushed, his hair a mess, his glasses fogged. He looked delectable.
You handed him a box of tissues and said, “Clean yourself up and put your clothes back on.”
Stephen's breaths were heavy, his body still trembling as the afterglow settled in. He took the tissues gratefully, cleaning himself up.
He quickly straightened his clothes, his movements shaky. He felt vulnerable and exposed, but also strangely liberated.
As he stood up, he met your gaze, a mix of gratitude, embarrassment, and desire in his eyes. "Thank you," he murmured.
You crossed your arms, standing in front of him after he’d somewhat composed himself.
“Never ever lie about me again,” you told him.
Stephen's heart raced, his eyes locked on yours. "I won't," he promised, his voice quiet but firm. "I'm sorry for everything."
He knew he'd made a mistake, and he wasn't going to repeat it. He wanted your forgiveness, to start anew and make things right.
Despite the harshness in your tone, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him.
You nodded, sighing as you uncrossed your arms.
“Well, I didn’t have handcuffs on me, but at least now your story has some credibility,” you joked, letting up on the sternness.
Stephen managed a weak smile, the blush still tinting his cheeks. "That it does," he replied, trying to lighten the mood.
He could feel the tension easing, the weight of his lies lifting from his shoulders. He knew he still had a long way to go, but this was a step in the right direction.
He hoped you could move past this, build something stronger and more honest.
You didn’t think he was malicious, just insecure and unsure of how to create his true identity. It was somehow still endearing.
You grabbed his face, gently pressing a kiss to his lips.
Stephen's breath hitched, his heart racing as he eagerly returned the kiss, melting into you with a soft whimper.
He felt a mix of relief, gratitude, and desire. You had given him a chance, and he intended to prove himself worthy.
As you pulled away, he met your gaze, his eyes filled with sincerity. "Thank you," he whispered.
You glanced at the office door and then back at him, his adorable face flushed.
“If they ask what happened, for once in your life just keep your mouth shut,” you giggled, softly.
Stephen chuckled, his cheeks flushing even more. "I will," he promised, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He knew he had to learn from this experience, to be honest and true to himself. He wanted to earn your trust and respect.
As he looked at you, he realized that, despite the chaos, something had changed between you. You had shared something intimate, and he felt grateful.
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lyssasdrafts · 19 hours
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★ 𓈒 ݁ STAR—CROSSED (rhysand x reader) ⊹
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chapter four: (written) ✧
𓈒 ݁ ✫ masterlist previous next
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you never expected to be in the position you were right now.
a part of you considered leaving at the sight of rhysand, dying inside at the possibility that he knew your secret interest. you thought about all the ways he could use this knowledge against you, taunting and teasing you about it in class as usual.
if it weren’t for mor, and if it weren’t for how great of an opportunity this was, you would’ve packed up your things and walked out the door.
you can stood there frozen in place, staring at rhysand and thinking of all the ways this could go wrong when he calls your name again, forcing you to answer him.
“y/n?” he repeats, his voice questioning you.
“rhysand,” you respond with the same tone. “what are you doing here?”
he picks at the invisible lint on his clothing, dusting off the imaginary dirt on his shoulders before he says, “i’m today’s model.” he holds his head up high, still as stuck-up as usual. you didn’t know why you had expected him to be more professional outside of school.
“well, i’m the photographer,” you respond, blinking at how obvious that statement was. you wait a moment in silence before adding, “i guess that means i’m working with you today.”
you expected him to throw his head back groaning or make a retort about your inexperience. instead, a flash of amusement lights up in rhysand’s eyes, he swiftly brushes a hand through his hair while he walks closer to you.
“you must be the photographer that mor was talking about,” he realizes. “it’s your first time working with velaris?”
you nod silently. rhysand seems taken aback, “i didn’t know you did photography.”
“you never asked,” you shrug. it was the truth, though you had to admit that you purposefully kept any details about your life outside of academics from him.
“i saw your portfolio,” rhysand says, “it’s… quite good for a beginner.”
you blink at him before responding, “thank you….” staring blankly at what he just said. “is that a genuine compliment?”
“i can recognize fellow talent when i see it,” you could’ve sworn rhysand gave you a wink there, there was that arrogance again, before he continued, “don’t tell me you’re one of those photographers who think they’re better than us models.”
you cross your arms, “well then, don’t tell me that you’re difficult to work with—”
“and what if i was? have you heard what other people at the studio have said about me?” rhysand cuts in, only for you to shake your head.
“it doesn’t matter to me,” you say. you knew plenty about how insufferable he was already, you wouldn’t be surprised if other photographers have felt the same during their much briefer experiences with him.
you expect rhysand to further question you about your photography and working with the studio, but instead he smirks deviously at you, “it doesn’t matter because i am still a great subject model, after all.”
“oh please, you’re anything but,” you scoff.
the hint of playfulness in rhysand’s violet eyes never dulled as he licks his lips before smugly responding, “really? because i could’ve sworn you were repulsed by me until you called my face pretty today.”
“let’s just start the photoshoot.”
rhysand chuckles, but the look in his eyes never leaves his face as he waits for your direction in front of the camera.
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“not like that!” you say, correcting rhysand’s pose. he pauses and turns his head towards you frustratingly, “what do you mean?”
“i said to pose like that, not this,” you frown, bringing your camera down to examine the photos. taking a pause from your photoshoot, rhysand walks over to you while you squint at the pixels on the camera screen.
“i never knew your stuck-up self did anything but study,” rhysand huffs from behind you. “let alone anything creative.”
you shoot him a look, “it’s just for fun.”
“whatever you say,” he crosses his arms. “but there’s definitely nothing wrong with the way i pose.”
“it looks awkward in this photo,” you tell him. you hesitant before confining, “…i think it’s better if you pose like this.”
you take his wrist and position his arms above his head. “place your arms like this,” you mumble. then you instruct him to lean back so his posture seems more natural. you had never been this close to rhysand before, even physically touching him. you tried your best to push away the thoughts in your mind, thankful that he had only complied instead of complaining, quietly nodding whenever he asks about your opinion on the slightest movement.
you try your best not to look him in the eyes and focus on his position, blinking when you lingered too long on his raven hair. maybe his stylist did a good job earlier. rhysand looks at you starry-eyed before you clear your throat and move away from him, but his gaze still never leaves you.
“perfect.”
he gives you a sidelong glance while remaining still in his pose that you directed, “you want me to stay like this?”
you nod, moving with your camera to start taking pictures at different angles with this new pose. then you slightly position rhysand differently, with his arms placed over his chest and his head tilted.
“you take everything so seriously, no wonder you’re like this with photography too,” rhysand mutters.
“i think we’re finished,” you say dryly. “i’ll send these to the studio and they can decide which ones are good.”
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you begin packing your things as rhysand fixes his hair in the mirror before leaving, you fight the urge to roll your eyes at the sight. this first photoshoot hadn’t actually been half as bad as you expected. while you had put up with rhysand’s humor and remarks, you also noticed that he didn’t seem as unprofessional as you thought he was.
“i guess i’ll see you again next time,” you sling your bag over your shoulder, placing your camera around your neck with the strap. you don’t bother to wave goobye to rhysand and expect that he doesn’t give you the curtesy either. you weren’t nearly close enough for that yet.
he’s still getting ready to leave the studio by the time you’re by the door when you walk out. you let out a deep breath knowing that your nerves about this first photoshoot were for nothing. taking one more look around the lobby of velaris studios, you’re about to catch a ride home before you feel a tug on your arm.
“give me your number, y/n,” rhysand says. “we should keep in touch for the next photoshoot.”
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— NOTES
the tension between rhys and y/n 👀👀
cassian and azriel will make their appearances soon 🙏
— TAGLIST
@thelov3lybookworm @starsand @lilah-asteria @therealmoonstone @just-a-social-casualty-1 @ashjade19 @girlontheblock @cherry-cin @daughterofthemoons-stuff @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @sweet-chai-amore @kierramofficial @noelli-smv @c-dizzle99 @littlestw01f @marina468
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kingovharts · 2 hours
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I love reading your asks they just make me so giddy about the IF. Omg i have a problem. 😭
I must ask my most favoriteissssstttissssst... it's a word shhhh... ask ever. Because i can be slightly toxic.
But how would the ROs react orre think about someone flirting very boldly with MC during the crushing stage riiiight where they can see them.
Lmao especially H because they literally have no other choice but to be around 😭🤣🤣🤣
Thank you so much for your kind words huhu. Also, under the cut cuz it got too long!
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Yudai Sakaguchi:
"Where did this person come from? When did they manage to get close to [MC]? Oh ho, look at them boldly flirting with [MC]. The audacity, the guts, how dare they! But, oh? [MC] is smiling???? SMILING?? Oh, must be them being polite. Right. Riight. Fuck this."
Yudai walked closer and stood beside you, observing the person you're talking to. He then said, "[MC], we're running a bit behind of our schedule. We must go now."
"Oh then [MC], if I could have your number please?"
You were supposed to decline when Yudai grabbed the person's phone and wrote down a phone number. He then took your wrist and led you away.
"Yu, whose number is that? That wasn't mine."
"Oh, I don't know? I just randomly wrote down some numbers."
⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆
Vivienne Ramos:
"Who is this person? Why are they getting too close to you? I suppose it's alright, seeing [MC] being polite. However, that person is really starting to invade [MC]'s personal space."
Vivienne walked closer and stood beside you. She then bluntly said, "She's not interested at you. [MC], let us go."
"But, if it's at least okay to get their phone number...?"
Vivienne stopped at her tracks and reached out for her pocket. "You can contact this person if you wish to have a conversation with [MC]. Thank you."
"Oh thank you! Wait, WHAT?! A LAWYER?!"
⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆
Héctor Alonso:
"[MC], they're trying to flirt with you."
The person boldly flirting with you suddenly stopped and stared at Héctor in bewilderment.
"See, [MC]? I'm right. Look at their face after being caught red-handed. They look ridiculous. They don't suit you. I mean, look at them, I think they didn't brush their teeth. I can smell the fish they ate from here."
You saw Héctor covering his nose. When he suddenly gasped rather dramatically.
"Oh my god, [MC], their nails are dirty! And they were biting them earlier. Oh god I also saw them picking their nose with those same nails..."
"Hey! I did not--"
Héctor spoke again, cutting off whatever they gonna say.
"See, [MC], you shouldn't settle for less. Or else your father will direct his anger towards me instead. You should at least find someone as beautiful as me. Gosh."
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Matyáš Dvořák:
You were talking to someone and whey they asked for your phone number, Matyáš appeared next to you.
"Are you trying to ask for [MC]'s phone number?" Matyáš asked with one brow raised.
"Uh... no... Now that I think about it, haha no. I will take my leave then. Thank you [MC]!"
The two of you stared at the person running away from the both of you.
"I love being tall and big sometimes."
⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆
Genevieve:
Genevieve saw you with someone else, and it's pretty clear that they're trying to flirt with you. Emphasis on the word "try" because they definitely making a fool of their self.
Genevieve observes you for a moment, trying to gauge if you need help fending off the stupid person. Getting rid of such people is her speciality.
You noticed Genevieve from the corner of the room, her eyes locked to you and the person you're conversing with. She then strutted, stopping just close enough to intervene.
"[MC], do you need help fending off someone who can't accept the fact that you're not interested, yet keeps trying as if that would change an already established fact?"
⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ⋆
A Wadia:
"[MC], did you know, I can juggle five balls simultaneously? I bet not anyone can do that"
"Oh [MC], I'm actually also ambidextrous. That's pretty rare, right?"
"[MC], I can even imitate the sound of a cat in heat."
You don't know when did Wadia started listing off their skills. But you did notice that they won't let the person you're supposed to talk to say a word.
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spookygingerr · 3 days
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tag game wednesday!
*blob dance* thanks so much for tagging me @jrooc, @creepkinginc, @doshiart & @deedala !! <3
+ @blue-disco-lights and @thepupperino whilst i was writing it! twinsies!
how did you get into the fandom?
i don’t tend to like things a sensible amount. so once i watched the show and fell in love with gallavich is was a downward spiral. but i love it here so 🤷‍♀️
how long have you been here?
lurking? coming on 2 years. participating? 3 months? it takes me a while to come out of my shell. but once i’m out, i’m out (as my new fandom friends will know)
what’s the first fandom channel you found? (Youtube, Reddit, Tumblr, Insta, Twitter, FB, other?)
the tumbles
what’s your favourite now?
see the last answer
which mutual have you known the longest in the fandom?
willow @ian-galagher is the first person I spoke to, i actually had a blank blog and only starting using it to send willow an ask. they were so nice to me that i decided i’d share the fanart i’d been working on and the rest is history.
which tumblerino’s did you have your first fandom crush(es) on?
willow @ian-galagher , jaclyn @crossmydna (i loved the menagerie so much and it was my first wip), sky @transmurderbug because you were one of my first followers and made me feel so welcome and jess @jrooc for tagging me in my first tag game (and the rest thereafter) and inviting me to discord. i have so many now tho and if i tagged you all we’d be here all evening
first Gallavich fan fic you read (or that blew you away that you remember)
defo not the first i read but the menagerie is probably the first that really blew me away
fan art that blew your mind?
literally anything by @doshiart and @deathclassic
fanfic trope that you were sure wasn’t for you but now you low key (or high key) love?
bdsm… the menagerie
what surprised you most about the fandom?
how bloody lovely everyone is
moment in the show (or YT vids if you’re one of those) that you fell in love with Gallavich?
mickey coming out and the scene after with terry and the cop car
Ian or Mickey?
mickey. i’m so sorry ian
which Gallagher or Milkovich are you?
i have no idea. interested to see if my fandom friends think i’m like any of them?
this was a really fun one :D
i’m tagging @roryonic @transmickey @transmurderbug @deathclassic @vintagelacerosette
@ian-galagher @heymacy @sgtmickeyslaughter @mickeym4ndy @crossmydna
@em-harlsnow @astaraels @jademickian
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Anonymous asked:
[ask edited for length and content]
Egodeath/Jealous Anon. Thank you. I feel better after your response. I wanted to clarify two things, just if you want more context: With the similarities, I think I'm afraid that if I do get published, my books will be instantly rejected because people think it's just another copycat. I've seen people instantly reject a book just because it was similar to one that's already popular. I put so much effort into making sure my ideas are my own, it would really hurt if readers thought the work was copied and not my own.
You are deeply overthinking things here.
If you want to be a published writer, you need to reconcile yourself with the fact that everyone isn't going to love your books. And that's fine, because no one has EVER written a book that was universally loved 100% across the board. No one. Ever. In history. Every single book ever written has its critics. Every single author whose ever put pen to paper has people who don't like them. This is just a reality.
If some people don't like your books because they're similar to another book they read, that has nothing to do with you. That's their prerogative. Other people might dislike your books because they're not similar enough to another book they read. It's pointless to worry about it because you will never please everyone. Why people don't like your book is none of your concern.
I guess with ACOTAR it was just too many specific things. The character design and role of Rhysand. The telepathy between the love interests. There was a whole lot more but I put it down so long ago I've forgotten most now - but at some point it just felt like reading my own notes when I opened one of those books. The worst was when a fictional name I made up was used in that book - and given it's popularity I 'd probably have copyright issues if I tried to keep it in my work anyway. I think that was just the last straw to make me quit the series.
It happens, and it's honestly not as big a deal as it feels like it is now. Again, ideas don't come from nowhere. As much as you strive to make sure your ideas are your own, our "creative wells" are all filled from the same places, and human experience is only so varied, so the odds of multiple people coming up with the same things over and over are actually pretty likely. You're holding yourself up to impossible standards by expecting yourself to create stories that are wholly original and share no similarities with any other story.
Let me share a few times when this has happened to me in hopes it will help you see it's not that big a deal...
A few years after I wrote my first novella (which was not yet published at that time), I saw a commercial for a new TV show. The background concept, setting, and many surface details were pretty identical to my novella, but what KILLED me is one of the main characters had the same name and nickname as my protagonist... and they weren't even that common a name/nickname for that time period. I was sick... absolutely sick. It completely derailed my plans to flesh the story out into a full novel and publish it. Now, YEARS later, I just laugh when I think about it because the things that felt like glaring similarities now are nothing. The plot and conflict of the TV show are completely different from my novella. In the intervening years, I've come across countless other stories with the same background concept, same setting, same surface details, similar characters... and all of those shows, movies, stories, books, video games, comics, graphic novels, plays--whatever--have people who adore them and DGAF about any similarities to some random TV show.
Less than two years after my debut novel was published, I was reading a newly released book and was absolutely floored by the number of similarities. Two less common names, two unusual titles used in a similar way, and three unusual descriptive words used in the same way. Plus, 24 bigger similarities like setting similarities, plot point similarities, situational similarities... Were it not highly unlikely that the author had read my book, and had it not been for the short amount of time between my book and their book, it would have been tempting to think they'd intentionally copied me, because the similarities were just that glaring. But the reality is, we're just two writers who think alike, and in the years since, I've found a few other writers with whom I constantly have these kinds of similarities. They happen, and they feel world-ending at the time, but I promise you they're not as big a deal as your brain is making them into.
So, seriously, stop worrying about it. Similarities are going to happen, and they're going to be glaring sometimes, and there's nothing you can do about it. There's absolutely no way you can write a book that has not a single similarity with an existing story, and even if you could, that's not going to mean you'll write a book that will be universally loved 100% by everyone. People are going to dislike your book no matter what you do, and some of those people may see similarities between apples and oranges. There's nothing you can do about it. You're not writing for them anyway. You're writing for the people who are going to LOVE your book, and that will be the majority, similarities or not. ♥
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!
♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here
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s1 episode 24 thoughts
aka SEASON FINALE! wow, one full season with these nerds... time flies <3
this episode was super fast-paced and full of twists and turns, straight from the beginning. we open on a very jerky chase scene that was hard to watch and which set the mood as a guy was shot and then jumps into some water and no one can find him
!! the title sequence changed !! it said "trust no one" rather than "the truth is out there"!! surely this means something, but what? i'm spooked!
mulder is sleeping on his couch again. can we please start a fund to get his ass a mattress. it's getting serious.
looks like he fell asleep working on a case when a phone call from deep throat wakes him up, telling him to change the channel where he sees the news of the opening car chase and records it on his VCR (how vintage!)
he shows the footage to scully who is basically like why do we trust this deep throat fellow- a valid question, as mulder trusts almost everybody like a little baby duckling- but scully referring to him as "deep throat" means they've discussed the subject before, which is interesting
we then visit a scientist who is working on monkeys. scully, for some reason, wants to say hello to the monkeys- perhaps we can chalk this up to her innate goodness
the scientist is like "leave those monkeys alone" and she says "i'm sorry, i thought they were friendly" scully, you should know that monkeys are NEVER friendly! they tried to bite her but thank god they missed because these are, after all, no ordinary monkeys, but Alien Monkeys
after the monkey business scully is pissed because they have no leads and she says we need to wrap this up! we've learned nothing! ohh i wrote this next part down word for word because it gagged me:
mulder is so trusting of deep throat and scully says he's stringing mulder along for some unknown purpose...
to which he says: "you think he does it because he gets off on it?"
and scully replies "no, i think he does it because YOU do"
oh i gasped and yelled at my screen! she got him! valid question though, why is this guy leaving them little clues beyond his earlier in the season confession of alien murder guilt? it IS suspicious.
mulder and deep throat confront each other and play more sick and twisted mind games which is fine; deep throat insinuates that mulder doesn't care as much as he used to which is rude but it spurs him on his quest for answers
next the monkey scientist kicks the bucket which obviously means his monkey science was deeply important
the guy who was doing the running during the car chase confessed to being underwater for 3 days after he was shot which obviously has implications but we aren't given a whole lot of time to explore them
back at the monkey lab, now a crime scene, mulder hands scully a flask of mysterious liquid and says "what do you think this is". she says "i don't know" then runs on a quest to go find out because he asks her to. god, dana scully has really had to endure SO much with this man, and now a mystery liquid from the monkey lab? again i ask where her compensation is
mulder breaks into the dead scientist's house, which revealed another basic and universal truth akin to gravity: if no one lets mulder in a house, he Will find a way to break in. he cozies up to the dead guy's desk and starts flipping through his stuff, and the runaway underwater alien guy calls and he picks up the phone like this is a typical day for him. alien guy is emitting some sort of gas that hurts everyone which is unfortunate.
scully fell asleep on the couch of the microbiology department which was soooo <3 but then the lab scientist comes in with the plot twist...
monkey liquid reveal: it has some sort of secret bacteria... with a new base pair! which means it HAS to be some sort of extraterrestrial life!
mulder tracks down a storage unit that is filled with bodies in tanks, and he looks like a kid in a demented candy store while some crazy orchestral stuff goes on in the background. then he is chased by some people but leaps over a fence with astonishing agility.
scully realizes that the monkey liquid is actually Very Important and they meet up to explore the tanks and she says she's sorry for doubting him. "i should know by now to trust your instincts" she says, to which he replies "why, nobody else does" and they both smile and it is not emotional at all, shut up!
"you know, i've always held science as sacred. i've always put my trust in the accepted facts. and what i saw last night... for the first time in my life, i don't know what to believe" <- banger scully line
(i don't believe that this is the first time she's questioned it, though. she's been on edge the whole time, this is just the most she has been. she was thrown off by the psychic who quoted her dad, and by the alien bites in the very first episode. regardless, character development!)
((also, love that she talks about holding science as sacred while wearing a cross necklace in every scene. she's got that "raised catholic" aura about her))
gasp! just as i knew it would be, the room of tanks is now entirely empty, all cleared out except for... deep throat? he reveals that this is the place where the first alien-human hybrids were developed out of terminally ill patients, who got better, but developed superhuman strength and the ability to breathe underwater. a valid tradeoff, in many ways, and exactly what has happened to our friend who was shot and hid underwater and now gives off noxious gas. so now they have to find him before the Others do.
mulder runs back to the dead guy's house, which he seems far too comfortable entering, and finds the alien hybrid man. alien man tries to choke him out, but mulder still says "i'll protect you"
(man, i love that line. we Will be psychoanalyzing that at a later date)
but alien man is shot by an intruder, and his noxious gasses burn mulder while he's tied up. poor scully has been blowing up his cellphone, to which he mumbles "i'm a popular guy"
(always with the damn one liners while he's beaten within an inch of his life; you are popular to one individual, mister mulder, but granted she's a very special one)
deep throat says scully can get into a high containment facility and trade the alien tissue for mulder which okay. sure. why not? she guesses the mystery password and gets into the building and. well. this was my reaction:
"she's opening a mystery container and i lowkey expect a frozen head but NO IT'S AN ALIEN THINGY AUGHHHH IT'S LIKE A BABY"
gross!
only 6 minutes left in the episode at this point and i was stressed! scully's got a box full of alien, is meeting deep throat on a bridge, and refuses to hand the alien box over because. again. who tf is this guy? he gets all mad and says that she NEEDS to hand the box over because these guys that they're dealing with took some of the alien tissue and injected it in children.
and this maybe was supposed to get her to hurry up but she was just like. nah why the hell would we give them the alien back? so we can get more alien children?
to save mulder, of course! because they are the only two who can shine light on what is really going on!
(don't talk to her in such a condescending manner, deep throat, i will bite you. she has perfectly valid reservations about handing ur mysterious ass a box full of alien. but she finally does)
and then as he hands the box over to the mystery people HE IS IMMEDIATELY SHOT! i gasped so hard here i actually hurt my mouth which is still recovering from surgery and so all of us had a bad time around this point. they do toss mulder from the back of a car, though, and deep throat's dying words are to "trust no one"
(so is it really mulder that we have back? if we can trust no one, does that mean someone has hacked into mulder? and scully doesn't know that? that's what i'm guessing here. sort of a winter soldier-ish situation)
13 days later, mulder calls scully in the middle of the night and says the fbi is shutting down the x files and they're being reassigned, but he won't give up, he can't give up. he says someone named "skinner" made this decision. i am unfamiliar with this individual but have a feeling we will become acquainted.
the season ends with the alien being placed in a mysterious room. to this i wrote the following:
"alien baby in formaldehyde in an archive i would kill to get my hands on it let me see it let me see it let me see it NOW"
(i bet they also have JFK's brain in that archive!)
so what a whirlwind of an episode! we certainly can't trust anyone moving forward, but does that apply to the trust between mulder and scully themselves? what will they do now that the x files have been shut down? somehow i have a feeling they will come back, a sort of hunch to do with the 10 more seasons of this show.
will they meet up for coffee during their new assignments? who is skinner? so much awaits us on the other side of this season, but i still need to process all i've seen so far!
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compacflt · 8 months
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Fully support your desire to cut down on the extras as they're already so long, but as someone who was also looking forward to the sickfic section and is sad to hear it's been taken out, I will simply have to ask you about it instead! First off the discussion of home in the snippet you shared was delicious - when do you think Mav started thinking of the house as 'their' home? And Ice taking Mav to the hospital has a lot of crunch there around how they're seen and how they act in public, especially if Ice was worried and Mav was kind of out of it. Do you think Ice would have taken Mav in to the hospital if he'd really been spiking a fever and decided he needed it? How would he explain themselves? And I suppose a separate, related question: who are their official next of kin/emergency contacts?
the reason i got rid of the sickfic is cause all those questions were answered better elsewhere in the extras ❤️
i was kind of annoyed that the house inconsistently appears to be the property of whomever the plot calls for at the moment -> another reason to cut the sickfic
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Yes Ice would take mav to the hospital. it happens elsewhere LOL, maverick is extremely incident-prone
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obviously a fun surfing injury with friends != the sickfic’s ice taking “a friend” to the hospital in the middle of the night for dangerous levels of illness-related dehydration… implies familiarity, intimacy above everyone else… the hospital staff would probably assume they’re together, yes, & i don’t think ice would challenge that at all, especially if he had to make sure all the paperwork was filled out right. just not worth the effort. “is there anyone else we should call for mr mitchell?” / “Um no. Just me.” Yeah i took him to the hospital at 4am bc i love him and im worried about him what r u gonna do about it 🤨 violate his hipaa rights? It’s 2009 gay people exist grow up🙄 hospital staff isn’t gonna tell anyone, so who cares
(Luckily for ice in the sickfic he didn’t have to take mav to the hospital)
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the point of the sickfic was to establish a precedent for one of them voluntarily taking care of the other who is unable to take care of himself, to set up the parallel of maverick taking care of Ice when he Really gets capital-s Sick. but then i still can’t bring myself to write ice actually being capital-s Sick because i have some weird neurosis where i simply dislike thinking about ice (powerful guy) being helpless or incapacitated or, um, dead. so the mav-sickfic isn’t really relevant anymore because i haven’t written (and never plan on writing, besides that one half-assed one-shot) the corollary ice-sickfic. so the sickfic became the Nixed-fic ❌
And according to this wip wednesday snippet, they are each other’s emergency contacts. don’t ask me how that works or how they figured that out, idk. some stuff you do have to talk about for logistics purposes i guess. which is kind of the point of all the house-related/money-related discussions I’ve written throughout my fics—they Have to talk about the logistics because that’s real life. But they don’t INTERPRET those logistics or assign them a normative value.
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for instance debriefing presents (maverick’s) death & taxes as the only two things that ever get them to actually talk to each other lol. logistics become a vessel through which they can talk about their situation without actually talking about it. The state of being each others emergency contacts might be a death-and-taxes discussion—acknowledging permanence without acknowledging permanence
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todayisafridaynight · 2 months
Note
would it be okay if u told me why u like aoki😭/gen😭😭😭😭BEEN TRYNA LIKE HIM FOR SO LONG I JUST CANTT but i love ur art so much so i still consume it otherwise lol
i liked tohru adachi in high school and tbh i think that alone is enough of an explanation for why i ended up liking aoki
#snap chats#haha see i told you last post's tags were relevant#anyway vLKVJEVLKAEJVLKJ IM CRYING ANON youre so funny. this is the funniest ask i coulda got thank you so much#i dont know why i like him either <- yes i do#fine lets get Real Talk about it#well first off all i thought he looked hot rolling out the elevator and i was playing the eng dub and i think his voice sounds hot there#and thats like. not athing that happens to me ever <- literally thought sawashiro was hot two frames into the game but anyway#i like politician characters. or characters that are in a position of power ESPECIALLY if they have to act like they dont suck balls#like i very much love the idea of the power of charisma and that type of thing not to mention the 'strategizing' as aoki puts it#that comes with politics. LIKE HE SUCKS DONT GET IT TWISTED HE SUCKS BUT //shrug emoji//#like its why i love the mine rggo stories i like seeing mine's thought process and how he uses his intelligence#smart's sexy to me idk what to tell you but moving on#its fun watching him lose his cool too ESP IN HIS FIGHT LMAO HE STOMPIN HIS FOOT LIKE A TODDLER SHUT UP#i also really love the arakawa family in general and thinking of aoki's relationship with each of them makes my brain explode#especially him and sawashiro that shit is painful to watch and i love it so much#i also thought him going from goth to republican was the funniest shit in the world like i howled at that AND i was distraught#aokis so interesting to me from the notion that he IS loved by his family but he has so much hatred for himself it eats him up#and as a result he cant be happy no matter what he does- how hes constantly seeking validation even if it's nothing meaningful#his lil. Dog-Eat-Dog world world belief to ichi also appealed to my edgy depressed high schooler brain. sorry.#his speech at the lockers also got to me. unfortunately. sorry everyone i empathized too hard it got too real it wasnt funny anymore#like as much as i complain bout the very end the ending is what solidified me liking aoki if not also cause of ichi's impact in those scene#plus... analyzing him and the environment around him is so much fun too....#idk reasons for why i like aoki also boil down to personal reasons. he still sucks tho so i cant be upset when people hate him LOL#i probably have more reasons or could elaborate more i love rambling but i mean. who really wants to read all that 💀💀#maybe for a character that WASNT the worst but. aoki is so LMAO#thank you for loving my art regardless :) im sorry i have to be attached to the worst guys ever
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queen-of-bel · 2 years
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I’m curious on your take is on what the core themes of Devil Survivor are?
AHH A DESU ASK THANK YOU I LOVE YOU
this may be a bit of a cop out, but i think i'm just gonna quote the staff directly on this:
“Instead of simply surviving in a desperate situation, we offered the player choices through with they could interact with others, overcome various experiences, and decide for themselves what they should do about their situation. The keyword behind the main concept of ‘Devil Survivor’ is ‘Choices’. Personally, if I was put into that situation, I’d probably head to the nearest emergency shelter and try not to move. Despite having choices, my reality would be nothing like the game. [laughs]” - Shinjiro Takada
“The story of ‘Devil Survivor’ itself is like a personal message from me. Don’t ever let the situation dictate what you do. See things with your own eyes and make your own decisions. Don’t just sit back and complain about your circumstances, do something about them! The Internet may be convenient, but something as simple as a power outage can take it all away. Don’t take things for granted, because nothing in this world is certain. Always expect the unexpected. These are some of the thoughts I hope I will have gotten across to the player after they’ve finished 'Devil Survivor’.” - Yoh Haduki
I think they put it into words way better than I could have (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
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numetaljackdog · 11 months
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..my chemical romance, asking alexandria, alexisonfire black veil brides, pierce the veil, bring me the horizon, hawthorne heights, motionless in white, the wod alive?????
????? hi why are you putting scene boys in my askbox. i mean i'm not mad about it but what do i do.... do i rate these. sure i do why not
mcr: overexposed but still goated
asking: not as good as you remember them
alexisonfire: goated especially bc they're willing to actually change
bvb: pussy shit
ptv: pretty cool
bmth: fav of mine especially bc they're willing to change
hh: pussy shit but i haven't actually listened to them much so whatever
miw: realistically just okay but willing to change and also i love them
twa: boring but i like that one song a lot (2012)
bonus - of mice & men: overrated; attack attack!: a lot of fun but the comeback is so disappointing
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ducktracy · 2 years
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Idk how influential you are on the LT fandom on a Whole but you definitely inspired me to check out the originals, and especially appreciate Porky/Daffies more. It helps that my favorite short for years was Yankee Doodle Daffy!
AWWWWWWWWW THIS IS SO SWEET THAT IS 100% MY GOAL THANK YOU!! you don’t know HOW much this means to me!
i tend to stay away from fandom spaces/don’t consider myself a part of the fandom, so quite honestly your guess is as good as mine—i HOPE people think of me or associate me with these cartoons HAHAHAHA but 100%, my goal is to spread the joy of the originals and shed a light onto the people who made them and how their experiences and input inform the cartoons as a whole, and maybe how our perceptions of these shorts and characters have changed as time has gone on…
there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy the franchise, but i really do think it is a more fulfilling experience to Experience The Originals for yourself. i really enjoy talking about cartoons that are given less love from a mainstream angle and that 100% includes the Porkies and Daffies (and is also why i’m so adamant about spreading The Porky Gospel; he gets such a bad rap and is so underappreciated and every person i’ve spread my gospel about him to seems to really like or appreciate himself after HAHAHA. Daffy will always be my #1 favorite but he doesn’t really suffer from this, though i absolutely think his ‘40s persona gets a lot of misunderstanding as well)
THIS REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME GENUINELY. making the plunge and checking out the cartoons is the best decision i’ve ever made. there’s a lot of rightful hesitancy to be had since there are SO many cartoons and it’s hard to find a starting point (and not to mention the many, many, many, many aspects that have aged poorly and/or were poor to begin with), but i can’t begin to tell you how fulfilling this experience has been.
so, if anyone who’s following me is cautious about making the plunge, i encourage you to give the originals a chance, ESPECIALLY if you’re into more modern LT media to familiarize yourself with the source material. you absolutely do not have to be a nut like me and watch every single in chronological order, but these cartoons are so ingrained and formative in the animation landscape today that i think anyone with an interest in animation should definitely give them a chance. and, if you’re a bit of a history nut like me, it’s very fun to see the evolution of culture as a whole as the years go on… radios evolve into TVs, the rambunctious attitudes of the shorts during the war years take a more domestic turn after the war, celebrity references depend on the decade, even the stylings of music, and of course the art styles of the shorts themselves… it’s so fascinating from a multitude of reasons. i really can’t tell you how happy i am to hear this (and Yankee Doodle Daffy is a GREAT favorite to have!)
#i’ve never fit particularly well with fandom spaces because i’m a bit of a contrarian and very stubborn/dedicated to my points of view and#often times they’re viewpoints or interests not largely reciprocated by other people and so i just really enjoy marching to the beat of my#own drum. i don’t go in tags or look up fanart or anything like that#not that that’s a good or bad thing but i feel the originals as a whole are undercirculated in fandom spaces or misinterpreted/viewed with a#very fandom centric point of mind if that makes sense. and while there isn’t anything wrong with that i personally encourage people to seek#out the real thing and frame their experiences from and opinions from that because sometimes a game of telephone happens if you know what i#mean. like i’ve seen people say Bugs Bunny was 100% intended as a gay icon in good faith and that’s just blatantly false. i WISH the#intentions were in good faith and he 100% is a gay icon but… these cartoons were made by people who made fairy jokes and described their#units as being filled with ‘drunks and queers’. i’m 100% for reclamation but i think it’s ignorant to assume they weren’t laughing AT us#while making those jokes… and i guess that’s just my issue with fandom as a whole with that sort of misinterpretation.#not at all trying to be like ‘i’m better than you because i watch the originals’ FAR FROM IT i don’t think i’m better than anyone at all but#i do tend to wish people would watch the originals more and familiarize themselves with them because i feel so much more fulfilled as a#result and i want others to experience that same joy#AHHHHHH i’m sorry i hope this doesn’t sound preachy or egotistical i’m in too deep i don’t wanna come off as the fun police or like I Am A#Genius You Are Doing It Wrong way. i’m digging myself in a hole here and gotta stop but basically thank you#anonymous#asks#long post
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mintjeru · 2 years
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2022 art year in review!!
more thoughts under the cut!
in comparison to last year, i made digital art every month this year, so i was able to make a year in review ^^ my lineart hasn't changed, but i started trying out the gouache brush around summer, and that changed the way i color. i've tried the painterly style before, and i didn't really enjoy it, but now, i think i have a better grasp of shading with color, so i'm happier with the results even if it requires more time and effort. as for burnout and feeling like i have to fulfill others' expectations, i'm still learning how to deal with them. hopefully by reflecting on why i want to draw a piece before i start it, i'll be better able to cope with these issues.
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pinktinselmonstrosity · 9 months
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I read a while ago that you were reading 'our wives under the sea'. I've also recently finished the book and was wondering what you thought of the ending?
*Feel free to ignore this ask if you haven't finished it yet! I'm just curious ☺️*
ahh thank you for asking! i was a little disappointed with the ending, but i don't think it was bad, i just think it was different from my expectations of it
i loved the concept of the book, but i come from a background of reading more traditional science fiction and i think that was what i was expecting/hoping for from that premise. idk about you but i REALLY wanted to know what the hell was going on!! shady organisations sending marine biologists to some mysterious part of the ocean, and when they come back they're like. possessed or something and then they turn into water? or into fish or something? absolutely intriguing!!! and of course my gut reaction to that mystery was to want to see it solved, so i was a little disappointed when the ending left so many questions unanswered
BUT i do realise that that is simply not the story that armfield was intending to tell. the sci-fi/fantasy elements are just a vehicle to tell a deeper emotional story about love and grief, and to that effect it doesn't actually matter that they're not 'solved', since the central conflict of the novel is miri's inability to let go of the past/of leah, rather than the mystery of what the hell was going on in the first place
i read a book last year called the first time lauren pailing died, and it was about this girl stuck in this weird time loop where every time she died she was reborn into another version of herself, which sounded FASCINATING, but it took a similar route to our wives under the sea in that the time loop was a fairly unimportant device to tell more important stories on interpersonal/emotional themes, and the time loop/multiverse situation was never really explained or solved in any way
and i do 100% think that's a valid narrative choice!!!!! but also as a reader who loves sci-fi i think it's possible to still include those themes AND solve the mystery, and so both books left me feeling slightly unsatisfied despite being really good overall
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