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mattsdae · 10 months

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help wanted pt 3

read part 1 and part 2 and part 4

content warnings: joe young x masc reader , hurt/comfort , joe’s congregation finds out about his little side gig , lots of fluff , reader actually being nice to joe , but also gets called out , makeout session lol , cumming in pants , situational humiliation but /neg , joe has a weird surge of dominance

word count: ~4.1 k

synopsis: joe gets bad news and goes to reader for comfort

a/n: this is set some time in the late 90’s/early 00’s. once again, i never watched the movie so idk when it actually takes place but i get the vibe.

“joe said he can’t come in, so i guess the whole shoot is cancelled.” dave’s voice crackled over the phone line as you huffed. it was 8 am, only a couple of hours before you were supposed to head in to film. you thought for a moment, still trying to wake up. he was clearly upset, probably being told they wouldn’t be paid if nothing was released. it was a common threat, but it never got to that point before.

“do you know why he cancelled? that doesn’t seem like him.” everyone on the shoot knew how reliable he was. he’s never called out on a shoot before or showed up late. even though he was only a pornstar, he still had a solid work ethic. you and everyone else on the team trusted him more than any other pornstar in the past.

“he said there was some personal shit he had to deal with. he sounded real upset, so i just let him go handle it.” you nod.

“okay. i guess just let me know when our next shoot is. i’ll try to check up on him later, just to make sure he’s okay.” dave laughs.

“if y’all are queers, just say it.” you scoff.

“dude, chill. you know joe’s mormon, he’d probably have a heart attack if he knew what we were doing was gay.”

“he doesn’t know already? didn’t he cum on you?” you flushed.

“look, just let me handle it? okay? he’s really sensitive and i don’t need you running around talking about how much of a fag he is.” you rubbed your temple, frustration clear in your voice.

“i’m not calling him a fag, i’m calling him a queer. there’s a big difference.” you rolled your eyes and laid back down in your bed.

“i’m going back to sleep. call me if you need me,” you said and hung up. just as you were curling back up in your sheets, you phone rang again. without looking at the caller id, you answered with a groan. “what?”

you heard crying along with what you assumed were words. you looked at the number and recognized joe’s. he kept crying while trying to blubber out explainations.

“hold on, joe. calm down. take a deep breath,” you tried to comfort but he kept crying. he kept babbling, too upset to form proper words. you quietly hushed him, a small shh until he stopped talking. “take a deep breath. try to follow me.”

you took a breath, counting to four as you breathed in, held it and breathed out. even though he gasped and sobbed throughout, he was at least trying to listen. you repeated until his breaths were relatively even.

“are you okay? can you try to talk slow for me?” you asked but he almost instantly started sobbing again.

“they- they know! they saw my videos and, and they kicked me out!” he wailed.

“who? what did they kick you out of?”

“my church!” he let out a long cry, sniffling and gasping as he did so. you didn’t know how to respond. you weren’t exactly expecting a phone call from joe at 8 am about being ex-communicated from mormonism. you swallowed.

“shh, shh.. it’s okay. just breathe, that’s all you gotta do. just breathe..” he still cried, but was no longer wailing. “good, in and out. everything’s gonna be okay, joey. just breathe.”

“i’m sorry, i know you sleep in but- but i don’t have anyone else..” your heart ached as he said it.

“it’s okay, baby. where are you? you’re safe, right?” he sniffles.

“i’m in my car.. i had to pull over ‘cause i couldn’t see too well.” you cooed.

“i’m so sorry, sweetheart. is everything okay?” he hums.

“as good as i can be. i’m sorry, y/n. i shouldn’t have bothered you..”

“don’t apologize. what do you need?” he whimpered.

“can i come over? i-it’s fine if i can’t,” he started to ramble. he tried to cover up the fact that he needed you, making sure that you knew he didn’t need to come over, but the truth was obvious.

“yeah, you can come over.”

joe was knocking on your door within 15 minutes, which interrupted your frenzied cleaning as you picked up whatever trash you had laying around. it wasn’t perfect, but definitely presentable. you opened the door.

“hey-“ he cut you off, pulling you into a tight hug. he squeezed, arms wrapped around your waist and forcing your hands in the air as you avoided them getting pinned to your sides. it almost hurt how tight he held you, his strength hidden well by the costumes and the uniform he always wore.

“i’m sorry,” he mumbled. his face was buried in your chest, unable to bring himself to move away. slowly, your arms wrapped around him as well, a hand finding it’s way to the back of his neck, fingers becoming intertwined in his hair.

“you don’t need to apologize.” he nods. you toy with his hair, waiting for him to make the decision to pull away. after a while, it felt like he never would, too enamored by your embrace. “do you want to tell me what happened?”

“they.. they found out about my job.” he sniffled. you sighed. for some reason, you never really questioned how he did porn as a career. you knew he was religious and most likely used different stunt devices to avoid showing himself off, but you forgot to question how he went to church the next day, knowing he was going against one of the biggest laws of his religion.

“oh, baby..” you held him closer as you heard him sob, parts of your shirt starting to feel wet against your chest. his grip tightened. his hands gripped onto your shirt, forming fists as he cried. you looked up, blinking away tears of your own. you weren’t a cryer, but hearing him made it difficult not to. “let’s sit down, okay? i’ll put something on, how does that sound?”

he nods, slowly letting you go. you led him, hand on his back, towards the couch. he sat and looked up at you with big, teary eyes. you pouted, holding his cheek for a moment and wiping the excess off. he shut his eyes, leaning into the touch. he really is gorgeous, even with flushed cheeks and red eyes. you understood why he held you for so long, now wanting to stay in this position forever, just as he did.

“what do you want to watch?” you pulled your hand away, sitting next to him. he looked down.

“i never really watched tv before.” you looked at him, trying to read his face and see if he was joking.

“you’ve never watched tv?”

“i have! but not that often. i used to watch service on the tv when i was sick and i couldn’t go in. that counts, right?” your jaw dropped, a grin spreading as you quickly flipped through channels.

“dude, you really never watched cable? that’s fuckin’ crazy!” you laugh. he shrinked a little in his seat, taking your attention away from the tv guide. “it’s fine, man. i’m messing with you. i’m about to show you some of my favorite shows, if i can find them.”

you wrapped your arm around him, ruffling his hair with a smile until he returned it. you pulled away again. you glanced over at him, seeing how politely he sat. his back was straight and hands were placed directly over his legs.

“dude, relax. kick your feet up or something.” he watched as you rested your feet on the coffee table. he looked shocked.

“on the furniture?” you nod. he leans down, taking off his shoes and placing them underneath the table neatly before awkwardly kicking his feet up. you wiggled, digging yourself deeper into the couch.

“just lean back and relax. do you want something to eat?“ he shook his head, trying to copy your movement and get more comfortable. “i can’t find anything good. it’s too early for all the actually entertaining shit..”

“oh, what about tom and jerry! i’ve watched that before!” he pointed at the tv. you almost shot down the idea, before deciding against it. he was already upset enough, why not let him watch whatever he wanted?

“uhh, sure.” you clicked on it. he pulled his feet away from the table, instead pulling his knees to his chest and watching the screen with his head resting on top of them. he smiled as it instantly opened to tom chasing jerry down the hallway before getting hit by a frying pan. he giggled.

“why are you staring at me?” he looked over. you didn’t even realize you were staring until he said it. he was still smiling at you. your face reddened.

“oh, i was just making sure you’re.. okay.” you excused, leaning back and focusing on the tv. he nodded. you stretched your arms across the top of the couch, now feeling anxious about having him in your house. you almost felt paranoid about leaving something out. you didn’t clean out the fridge, so that probably looks bad. you also forgot to put your laundry in the hamper. actually, you forgot to do a lot of stuff. you should have cleaned the bathroom at least, maybe even mop-

“do you have any movie recommendations?” he pulled you out of your racing thoughts. his arms wrapped around his knees, bottom half of his face covered by his bicep. “i never watched any movies before. maybe i should start now since i’m not.. mormon anymore.”

“uhh, yeah, man. i have some tapes we can watch. or we can go by blockbuster and you can pick some stuff out. my treat,” you smiled. his eyes lit up.

“really?! i always wanted to go there!” within 10 minutes, you were driving him to the nearest blockbuster in the same attire you slept in, only with socks and slides added to your outfit. he was buzzing, a big smile on his face as you parked. “have you been here before?”

“yeah, dude. i used to work here, actually.” he smiled even harder.

“really? i used to always wonder what it was like to work outside of the church.” he mumbled as you both stepped out of the car. you stuck your hands in your hoodie pockets, glancing over at joe as he basically skipped to the door. you smiled.

he was cute, you admit. he was sweet and so innocent you could barely wrap your head around it. the idea of someone like that actually existing made you hurt, especially since he trusted you of all people. you sighed as you opened the door.

“aw shit, get out! get out!” the manager yelled. joe paused, staring in genuine fear as you laughed. you patted his back.

“he’s fucking with us, dude. that’s anthony.” you pointed towards him as he held out his hand to shake joe’s. he awkwardly held his out as well before anthony took the initiative to grab it and shake.

“anthony. what’s your name?” he asked before glancing down and noticing his name tag. elder young. “damn it, y/n. you dragged a mormon in here?”

joe quickly unclipped his nametag and stuffed it in his pocket.

“ex mormon. now that he’s ex-communicated, we thought to do some things he wasn’t allowed to do.”

“oh, i’m sorry about that, man.” joe nodded, still looking away. “we have most of the classics in stock, short of pulp fiction. some guy came in here with his girl talking about how it’s the greatest piece of fiction ever created.”

“what a douche,” you laughed. joe glanced at you and you tilted your head towards the shelves. “go look around. just grab whatever you think looks cool while i catch up.”

he nods, disappearing behind a random shelf that he clearly wouldn’t be interested in. you watched as his eyes darted around the store, trying to find a genre that caught his eye. he was clearly overwhelmed by the volume of movies.

“how’s that.. ‘filming gig’ going?” anthony spoke up, using air quotes as he scanned returns and put them in a box. you shrugged.

“it’s going pretty okay. that’s actually how i met him.” you nodded towards joe as he grabbed ring and jumped when he turned the boxset and saw the girl crawling out of the well. you chuckled. “i’m making good enough money to get by. i was supposed to be filming today but something came up.”

“oh yeah? so you decided to go out on a little date with an ex mormon.” he emphasized the ‘ex’ like you did before. you rolled your eyes.

“it’s not a date, dumbass. we’re just friends.” this time, he rolled his eyes.

“i’m the dumbass? you’re the one walking in here with heart eyes for the dude. plus, you met on a porn set.” he whispered the last part. he glanced at joe, who wondered his way to the 18+ section before quickly departing. “was he an actor or did he pull up on set trying to sell the whole jesus thing to you.”

“shut up. look, i just helped him out with figuring out what certain words mean.“

“did you demonstrate or-“

“fuck off.” you turned away as he laughed. he put the final tape down and leaned forward on the counter.

“he seems like a sweet kid. you aren’t.. taking advantage of him, are you?” you turned to him, shocked by his bluntness. “i just wanna make sure. i know you aren’t a bad guy, but i gotta look out for people. if i thought someone was taking advantage of you, i’d say something.”

“i’m not taking advantage of shit. he asked for help, he gave him help, end of story.” you sat by the counter for another couple of seconds, waiting for his comeback.

“i’m guessing he was ex-communicated because he’s gay?” you tensed up a bit, looking away.

“no. he doesn’t know that..” anthony furrowed his eyebrows, looking you up and down.

“you had sex, how doesn’t he-“ you shushed him.

“we didn’t have sex. i just.. told him i was just helping him out. i don’t want him to freak out about being gay. he already called me crying over being kicked out of his church, i don’t need to make him more upset.”

“so you’re lying to him?” you paused.

“what?”

“you’re lying to him so he doesn’t know that what your doing is gay.”

“i’m not.. i didn’t lie. i’m just protecting him.” anthony held up his hands, turning away.

“whatever you say, man. he’s gonna figure it out at some point, though.” you scoffed.

“whatever.” you went towards where he was, seeing he was stood in front of the kids movies. he already had a couple in his arms, including the lion king, a tom and jerry movie you didn’t know existed, and mighty joe young. “you picked that because it has your name, right?”

“what?” you pointed at the vhs and he blushed. “oh, um. y-yeah.”

“that’s cute.” you didn’t even realize you said it out loud until anthony laughed in the back. you poked your head from between the shelves and glared. he mouthed ‘just friends’ as you went back to joe.

an hour later, you were sat on your couch with joe watching titanic. turns out, he never heard of the titanic so after a brief history lesson, you started the movie. joe watched intently while you mostly spaced out. you’ve seen the movie a couple of times, but never found it super interesting. he liked the cover, though, so you rented it.

“we should do that.” he pointed at the screen, pulling you out of whatever thought you were having. you looked. jack and rose kissing at the front of the boat. you turned a little red, trying to figure out if he was joking. obviously, he wasn’t.

“what? they’re just kissing.” you shrugged off the comment as if you weren’t flushed. he pouted.

“i’ve never kissed anyone before. is it nice?” he looked at you, genuinely curious. you nodded.

“yeah, kinda. if you like the person, it’s nice.”

“why would you kiss someone you don’t like?” he questioned. you flushed, looking away and watching the screen.

“i mean, i don’t like every girl i sleep with. it’s weird to kiss someone during a one night stand anyways; it’s too intimate. i mean, i don’t even like kissing that much.” now, he flushed.

“why would you.. sleep with someone if you don’t want to be intimate?” you shrugged again, starting to feel defensive.

“sometimes you’re just horny and you have to go out and find someone to sleep with. it’s common.” he stopped asking questions after that, most likely realizing that you didn’t have good answers anyways.

it was quiet for the rest of the movie, leaving you to marinate in your embarassment. he didn’t mean to, but he made you feel horrible. maybe it was a mix of what anthony said earlier along with his questioning that made you feel this sleazy.

the movie ended and you went to rewind the tape before putting it back in the case. he didn’t say anything, not even about the movie. as you clicked the case shut, you looked at him.

“do you really want to practice kissing with me?” you tilted your head. he thought for a moment before responding.

“do you want to?” you did, but him making you admit it made you feel even worse. holding back your ego, you nodded before sitting next to him again.

you felt your heart race as he shuffled a little closer. you patted your lap, inviting him to sit. he adjusted, lifting his leg to go over your lap and straddle you. he planted himself, now closer to you than ever, his nose just an inch from yours. you could feel him, the heat from his body radiating onto you as your heart beat quicker. you could smell him, too. a fresh scent that you weren’t familiar with. it was intoxicating. his eyes flicked between your features, focusing on your lips. he swallowed.

“what should i do?” he asked, voice cracking as it broke the threshold of being a whisper. his hands landed on your chest, kneading your shirt nervously. you wondered if he could feel your heart racing. you held his waist, glancing down at his lips as he chewed on it.

“kiss me.” and that he did. he closed the gap between you two, lips pressed against eachother, just as you started to kiss back, he pulled away with a quiet smack, only giving you a small peck. you chuckled, hand leaving his waist and to the back of his head, fingers pulling at his hair. “come on, baby. you can do more than that..”

he nods, closing the gap again. he was still gentle, nervous to do something wrong, but with you now guiding him, he felt more confident. you bit on his lip, making him moan against you. you could never get enough of his noises, instantly trying to find ways to hear more. he squirmed, hips moving in circles subconsciously. you joined him, moaning as he grinded against you.

he sucked your bottom lip in, hands moving from your chest to your face. he cupped your cheeks, holding you still as you licked. his mouth opened as he let go and you took the opportunity, tongue meeting his. he moaned again, hips bucking against yours. your right hand gripped his hips, guiding them back and forth while you played with his hair. both of you echoed eachothers noises, muffled by your lips. you pulled away.

“you’re good at this..” you huffed, weirdly out of breath for something as simple as making out. you looked at his lips, shimmering. when you looked back up into his eyes, you found he was watching you intently, pupils blown. you smiled.

“you like it?” he asked. you chuckled. you did like it and he should be able to feel how much you like it just as you felt him. either way, you nod, pulling him closer again. his eyes fluttered shut, lips just barely grazing eachother.

“i love it, sweetheart.” you couldn’t get enough. his hips rolled against yours and his hand moved back to your hair. you were throbbing in your pants, but you couldn’t imagine pulling away. his slacks were almost rough against your sweatpants, fabric constricting his thighs. you quickly unbuckled his belt. he pulled your hair, making you gasp.

“i just wanna kiss. is that okay?” your eyebrows furrowed, mouth hung open as you nodded. he kissed again, picking up exactly where you left off. your groin felt warm as you witnessed dominance in him. you would have felt proud if it weren’t trumped by pleasure. he toyed with your hair, making you whimper.

never in your entire life have you been this turned on by making out. it almost felt like a chore to you most of the time, but now you couldn’t get enough. you could feel him, through his uniform, the nametag in his pocket prodding. the feeling heated you. knowing he was ex-communicated, that he’s all yours, only made you want more. you needed to teach him everything. you needed him to know how to please you and only you. he let go of your hair and you grabbed his wrist.

“fuck, keep pulling it..” you whined. he nods, yanking it. you whimper, gripping his hip harder as he did it. you looked at him, seeing a look on his face you could only describe as corrupted. he wanted more, just like you did. he wanted to hear you and feel you, desperate for it. his eyes were darker than you’ve seen them, glancing over you as he thought of what to do next.

the gap closed. your hands ran up and down his body, sliding over the button up. you untucked it, fingers running over his bare skin now. he moaned, squeezing his fist and pulling again to hear you respond. you did, squeezing his side. his skin was soft, almost silky. you pawed and caressed him as he grinded down on you. it was addicting. the push and pull, constantly grasping at eachother for more.

his free hand retreated from your face, running down your chest. you groan as he begins palming you, experimenting with his touches as you writhed under him. it was overwhelming. you needed more but you couldn’t handle it. everything was warm and he was moaning against you. his fingers tugged at your hair with just the right pressure. you fucking loved it. you loved him.

you trembled, moaning into his mouth as he did the same. you throbbed, cumming in your pants. he kept moving, hips stuttering as he came at the same time. you both sounded pathetic, high pitched whines and moans as he grinded down. his thighs trembled, your hips bucking up into him.

he pulled away, panting. you buried your face in his neck, still rutting into him as you finished. your arms wrapped around him and you pulled him close, basking in his warmth. it took a while before the wetness in your underwear made itself more apparent and you realized what happened.

“shit, shit.. it’s okay.” you quickly adjusted him until he got off. he watched as you looked around, trying to find something to wipe off with. “fuck, it’s fine. let’s just.. let’s get cleaned up.”

“what’s wrong?” he asked as you rushed to your room. you grabbed a rag from the bathroom, wetting it, before you grabbed whatever underwear and pants were clean. “y/n, what’s wrong?”

“don’t be embarassed, baby.” you comforted, ignoring the fact that he wasn’t even embarassed. you kept mumbling comforting phrases as you cleaned him and yourself up. you dressed him, putting him in a pair of your underwear and pants.

“thank you.” he said slowly as you dressed yourself. you didn’t respond, instead grabbing up all the dirty clothes and throwing it in the wash, desperate to get rid of any evidence that anything happened.

don’t get it twisted, you weren’t embarrassed about making out, at least not that much, but you were utterly humiliated by cumming in your pants. you never thought it would happen. you almost struggled to cum when you were with girls, why would you cum prematurely with a guy?

you found your way back to the couch, sitting on the opposite end as you realized he put another movie in. this time, it was the lion king. you didn’t really watch, though. instead, you stared straight forward in shock. he turned to you.

“is everything okay?” you nod. he scoots a little closer, reaching his hand out and touching your thigh. you looked away, hiding your face in your palm. “i don’t know why you would be, but don’t be embarassed. i’m sure everyone’s done it before. i did it, too!”

you wanted to cry. he tried to comfort you the same way you did for him. his voice was so gentle, it hurt. you loved him. even though you tried to convince yourself you were confused and horny, it settled in. he was perfect and you loved him. he patted your leg and pulled away, settling on the opposite end as scar was introduced.

#things r happeninggggg #joe young #joe young x reader #orgazmo

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dimeeasy · 3 years

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Whether you’re an artist, writer, designer, or entrepreneur, physical products can be the perfect canvas for monetizing your creativity. Yes, you heard that right. You can start your own merch for free. Starting an online T-shirt business is booming in this era an why don’t you be one of them. You do not need to hold any inventory, just design your t-shirt online and publish it.

Let me make it clear. So what is print on demand? How to start your free t-shirt business

Print on demand is a process where you work with a supplier to customize white-label products (like baseball hats or tote bags) with your own designs to sell them on a per-order basis under your own brand.

That means you don’t pay for the product until after you’ve actually sold it, so there’s no need to buy in bulk or hold any inventory yourself.

Plus, with print-on-demand services, everything after the sale, from printing to shipping, is handled by your supplier. Once you’ve set everything up, it takes only a few clicks to fulfill an order once you’ve made a sale.

You can use print-on-demand services to:

Test a business idea or new product line for an existing business without the risks that come with buying inventory.

Monetize an audience you’ve built. Printing on demand is a great option if you’re a YouTuber, cartoonist, or social media influencer who wants to spend your time creating content instead of fulfilling orders.

Create original products for a niche of customers. For example, apparel for people who are passionate about gaming.

Easily print one-off items—t-shirts, books, shoes, bags, wall art, phone cases, clocks, laptop skins, mugs, and so much more. You can send these as gifts or keep them for yourself and your team (source-Shopify)

You can get started with print on demand for almost free with teespring, redbubble, printful . Or you can start your online store on Shopify and sell them as a custom branding.

Do not worry if you are not a pro in graphic designing. You can design your t-shirt on canva and paste the design on your t-shirt too. This is a legitimate and easy business for beginners online. You can promote your merch by using SEO, keywords, and various social platforms.

Let's take a look at the print on demand statistics:

This statistic depicts the market value of the custom t-shirt printing market worldwide from 2016 to 2025. In 2016, the global custom t-shirt printing market was valued at 1.16 billion U.S. dollars, and was forecast to reach a value of 3.1 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.

This is insane amount the industry is making from print-on-demand only.

COVID-19 impact Fabric face mask accounted for 11.14% of all goods sold through Printify in September 2020. (Printify)

A 2020 survey revealed that about 96% of millennials and Gen Z have concerns about how the ongoing pandemic will impact the economy. (BigCommerce)

With more people staying at home and focusing on home improvement projects, the Home & Living category is on the rise, with the first 6 months of 2020 seeing a 243.77% growth. Both canvas gallery wraps (2.19%) and premium vertical posters (1.35%) are in TOP15 products sold by Printify merchants. (Printify)

According to Merkle’s report in 2020, roughly 79% of consumers plan to be more conservative with how much they will spend shopping online during the pandemic. (Merkle)

In the first 6 months of 2020, Printify monthly active users have grown by 69%, with registrations up 39%. (Printify)

62% of sellers in the United Kingdom changed their marketing plan because of the pandemic. Moreover, only 14 percent of businesses have decided to stick with their original marketing strategy for 2020. (Statista) ( All sources- Printify) Read more at: https://printify.com/ecommerce-statistics/ And these are just stats alone. Don’t wait now. Start your print-on-demand business right away.

Online Tutoring

Again, online tutoring is gaining massive demand in this digital age. During the pandemic the online tutoring business was a boom and it will be more in the coming years. Just teach people what you know. There are many people in this world who want to learn and are ready to pay for it.

Whether you know to speak English, or drawing, graphic designing, marketing, business, or anything that matters, turn your own skill into a business

You can tutor in paid platforms like cambly, Oakary, iTutor, or just start teaching in YouTube and create tour own course and sell it. You can create courses and teach in udemy too. People all over the world are searching to learn skills and may be you can teach them what you know and monetize your skills.

Amazon KDP [ Selling E-books and low content books ]

As I told you print on demand is a big thing and so does amazon KDP is too. What is KDP? Amazon KDP is nothing but kindle direct publishing. KDP allows you to self-publish eBooks and paperbacks for free. Amazon gives you direct access to your book on Amazon and allows you to create a product detail page for your book. It also gives you the option to expand your book’s availability on a global scale, making it more accessible for readers around the world. Publishing with KDP gives you full rights to your book, which is not something a traditional publishing house typically allows.

What types of content can I publish through KDP?

KDP allows you to publish eBooks (Kindle) and paperback books. However, KDP does not allow the creation of magazines, periodicals, or spiral-bound books.

Content types typically published using KDP include but are not limited to the following:

Novels

Book Series

Children’s Books

Comics

Cookbooks

Journals

Poetry

Textbooks (source: amazon.com)

Selling Photography

Are you a photographer? Are you making enough money? If no then this will help you , if yes you are gonna make an extra dime.

You can sell your beautiful photos on Getty Images, Pexels, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock and many more sites and earn money whenever your image is downloaded. If it is a subscription-based site then your earnings will be more. You can post your beautiful images on Instagram and become famous. Ultimately you can collaborate with various brands for their product photography.

If your camera is lying there near you, take it and start clicking pictures and sell your photos online.

Selling on Etsy

Etsy is an online market place that works as an intermediary between customers and artists, crafters of handmade items or collectors of vintage products. The company engages in customer to customer (C2C) or peer to peer (P2P) e-commerce in which both the seller and the buyer are private individuals or micro-businesses. This is in contrast to other forms of internet commerce such as B2C or B2B (source: Statista).

Let's head to our facts about how profitable it is to sell on Etsy

Etsy had over 2.5 million sellers at the end of 2019, and we can only expect that this number has increased.

Etsy sellers live all over the world, in 234 countries

62% of Etsy sellers are based in the US.

California is home to the most Etsy sellers with 14% of US-based Etsy shops. (credits: veeqo)

Etsy is a huge commerce platform, with an especially strong US presence. Plus, the fact that most sellers are multi-channel retailers—and also selling their products on marketplaces like Amazon and Shopify sites—suggests that the platform isn’t just for amateur makers. It’s for eCommerce businesses.

So if you’re already selling handmade or vintage products on another platform, it’s worth it to expand and start selling on Etsy.

If you’re starting a business, it’s important to run the numbers before setting up shop—or at least quitting your day job. Etsy does have associated costs, though it’s worth noting that the listing and transaction fees are lower than other platforms, like Amazon and eBay. (cre: veeqo)

So, if you can start your print on demand you can sell it on Etsy too. If you are good at handicrafts Etsy is the best place to promote.

Conclusion

So here are the top 10 ways where in you can make legitimate money online. You can try all these methods one by one. Well, everyone will look for quick methods to make money online, but those won’t suffice for long run.

If you should build a strong business online you need to stay consistent no matter what. Staying consistent will help audience grow along with you on your journey to make money online. For beginners starting out these methods will help you in starting out to make a dime or two.

One thing I need to make particular is you will not see results instantly. You need to try and try, keep on trying. Whether it is 2 weeks, 1 month or 3 months, you should not stop. Keep up that grind and let’s start the digital lifestyle. Start by making money online fore free with these methods and start investing in ads and make the business run for you in long run.

#passive income #makemoney #make money online #remote jobs #jobsearch #building a business #freelance #social media #education #money tips #earnmoneyonline #make money blogging #make money on instagram #make money now

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mrpenguinpants · 3 years

Text

Venti and Diluc: Friendship HCs

Hi elliechan! I’ve already written friendship hcs for Venti but I never want to leave anyone hanging (unless the dupe request is incredible specific and I can’t add onto it anymore) so think of it as a part 2. But if you haven’t seen Part 1 yet, I added a link.

Also, I would like to credit fulltimeventisimp for helping me out with this fic. My monkey brain couldn’t think of anything for Venti but they gave me literally a fics worth of content. PLEASE IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, MAKE IT AN ACTUAL FIC! I LOVED IT! I tried my best to not piggy back too hard off it but if it does seem that way, let me know and I’ll definitely change it.

But thank you 💕💕💕

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Part 1: Venti Frienship HCs

Xiao: Frienship HCs

[Masterlist]

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[taglist] <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji @mikeysbike @unionwitch @musekala @sunnshiii @stanzastic @akaasea @xoneaboveallx @adoring-ghost @asheseiler @childelover @dilucsz @dai-tsukki-desu @thicmitten

Venti and Diluc: Friendship HCs

Venti

The first time you met the bard, it was when you were visiting Mondstadt as a small pit stop. He was sat on top of some wooden boxes, next to an apple vendor, singing a short ballad. You’ve never encountered bards throughout your journey and he did have a lovely singing voice so you decided to stay a bit and listen in. It felt like the wind itself was carrying his voice throughout the streets but you couldn’t help but feel a bit...melancholy from his tune. Was it homesickness? You clapped with the crowd when the bard finished and on a whim, you decided to buy him a small bag of apples. He seemed to like them as he only asked the apple vendor to gift him two for his efforts. When you paid your purchase the bard seemed to be in a deep conversation with the same vendor that you didn’t want to disturb them, after all you weren’t going to be in Mondstadt for long. So you placed the small bag of apples beside the bard’s lyre with a quick thank you note, a couple extra coins, and continued on your journey.

You didn’t expect that small act of kindness would lead to anything but when you were preparing for bed, the same bard popped his head outside your window and almost gave you a heart attack. This bard was lucky he didn’t catch you while you were changing your clothes or else things might have turned ugly. He wanted to thank you for your generous donation which you simply waved off explaining that throughout your journey, you never met anyone that could sing quite like him. A small token of appreciation. Perhaps it was because you fed his ego too much or other reasons but that seemed to peak the bards interest and ask about what other fascinating places you’ve been too. You talked about the horrible mountain you needed to climb through to reach Mondstadt, the shining electro lamps of Inazuma that would spark if you got too close, to the clear pools and lotus heads in Liyue.

“You’ve been around all over the place! Perhaps you would allow me to write a ballad of your conquests?”

“Hm? Is that so? Why don’t you come with me? Go outside the walls of Mondstadt and explore. So you can write your own ballad instead of others.”

“Is this another acting whim of yours?”

“Haha, perhaps.”

Unsurprisingly, you don’t see the bard the next day. It was probably a lot to suddenly ask a stranger to drop everything and come with you to unknown places. But you decided to stay in Mondstadt for a short while and see what the City of Freedom had to offer. From meeting the supposed gliding champion and learning a few pointers, to the mysterious Calvary Captain who you were sure was probably the shadiest person you’ve ever met, to the aloof red headed tavern owner. You weren’t much of a drinker but everyone in Mondstadt, especially the knights, seemed to really enjoy their wine and were incredibly friendly to strangers. On the night you were planning to leave Mondstadt, the rowdy knights you’ve became friends with decided to celebrate and urge you to drink to your hearts content (please drink responsibly haha). You must have been a bit tipsy when you met the bard for a second time, introducing himself properly as Venti. You could blame it on the alcohol when you suddenly challenged him to a drinking contest but it was the most fun you had in a while. You were pretty sure everyone got kicked out but as you leaned against Venti absolutely hammered, laughing about the silliest things, it was the most freeing feeling you’ve ever felt.

From then on, even after you had left the City of Freedom, you could would randomly see Venti pop up sometimes. Should it be at Starsnatch Cliff or all the way in Wolvendom, you would see a few fluffy feathers appear as the bar- Venti announced his arrival. You were pretty sure Venti was bored whenever he visited you to see what you were up to but you didn’t mind. His liveliness nature was addicting and you were an easy going person. Though, some of the jokes he made, made you a bit suspicious of him. Whenever he would say that Andrius was secretly a grumpy mother hen or that Dvalin was actually a shy sweetheart.

“You sure do know a lot about Mondstadt. You sure you’re just a bard Venti?”

“Hmm, well it shouldn’t hurt to tell you. I am Barbatos. The Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. Pleasure to make your acquaintance..-again.”

“I see...and yet you still get ID checked?”

“Rude!”

Outside of Mondstadt, Venti is a whirlwind of emotions. Always wanting to see what’s changed or linking your hands and dragging you off to some far off chest he found. How did his small body have so much strength to nearly pop your arm out? He did come in handy during your Liyue expeditions since he can give you a small boost to just reach the top of that cliff. You thought violet grass was bad, it should be illegal for Qingxin flowers to grow on the very top of mountains. Venti thinks it’s really sweet that you put so much faith in his winds to let yourself fly when he uses his elemental skill. Though, it’s a bit of a double edged sword. When you finally reach the very top and you’re waiting for Venti to join you, he might pretend to loose control and throw himself off the cliff. You sometimes forget he’s literally the anemo archon and you’re ready to go gliding after him before he pops up in front of you to give you another scare. While he’s laughing, you’re already planning how to sneak slime condensate into his hat.

“You should have seen your face! I didn’t know you could scream like that! Liyue must think a banshee is haunting their mountains again!”

“Watch yourself gremlin, you might wake up without hands tomorrow.”

“Haha, you wouldn’t do that...right? How would you even do that? Why aren’t you saying anything?!”

“Isn’t there a saying in Liyue Venti? You can’t run from your debts? Prepare yourself.”

For as child-like Venti appears, you both end up getting into a bit of trouble when Venti get’s a bit too bold. While it’s incredibly refreshing to see someone speak their mind regardless of the consequences, you actually kind of admire him for that, usually the boldness comes from trying to bribe the bartender for free drinks. Your poor wallet is crying out every time Venti spots a new tavern. While he say’s he will pay you back or he’ll pay you back in a song, you can’t actually eat his words. But on other occasions you can’t help but join in when it happens to be one of the Fatui guards giving you both a hard time. You feel like you’re acting out a Shakespearian play with all the flowery nonsense and metaphors you’re both spitting out.

When you’re both in the thick of a forest or even on top of Liyue’s mountain, Venti will bring his lyre out and strum his strings softly as you both fall into a comfortable silence. Looking at the sunset or relaxing under the trees as the sun peaks through as you both live in the moment. It’s these times that you’re harshly reminded that Venti is an archon as he slips out of his persona and speaks as Barbatos. He tells you how fun your adventures have been, that he was glad to have made friends with you, speaking as if you’re about to die tomorrow. You’re not sure how to handle it, what kind of burden Venti is carrying, but you immediately drop everything and comfort him. Giving him a strong but warm hug that you’re still here and he’s not alone right now.

“Come on, I’m still waiting for the Ballad of Venti. You haven’t given up on that right?”

“Hmph, of course not. Every being deserves a name to be called upon, and woven into a song.”

Diluc

It was a peaceful day, one Diluc hadn’t felt in a long time in his hectic life. Though it was a bit too early to determine how the day would go since it was still noon. The tavern would soon get loud as it approached night but for now. Everything was peaceful. The sounds of Monstadt streets bustling. The peaceful atmosphere as the sun shone through the windows. Working on mundane tasks of wiping the counter down. No Kaeya in sight. A small moment of peace. All broken when his door was kicked nearly off its hinges as you announced your return from your shopping trip as if you had returned after a 3 year long journey. Diluc sighs under his breath, takes a moment to pray he doesn’t need to repair his door again, and helps you with your bags as you ramble about your day.

To others, it’s always seems a bit weird when they catch Diluc and you chatting since Diluc always gives off the lone wolf persona and yet you’re this ball of sunshine. Maybe it’s because you knew Diluc when he was a child, back when he was still bright-eyed, that you never treated him any differently when he came back. Diluc never really talks about it but he’s happy that you’re still the same and he can let himself relax with you. He still keeps his silent demeanor as he listens to you talk about anything and everything, it helps keeps his mind occupied, but he might add a few comments here and there. Just to let you know he’s still listening.

You know what sounds really hot? Sitting in the same room with someone while you both do your own respective thing. You both don’t feel forced to talk to each other just because you’re in the same room or you have to do everything together just because you’re together. It’s an easy atmosphere that settles as Diluc works on business papers and you’re planning your next expeditions. Until you end collapsing on his couch because your brain processing has suffered enough and it’s time to take a nap. You always end up dragging him out of his work to go outside and take a nice doze in the sun.

If you ever have a problem, he won’t necessarily coddle you unless it really bothers you or you’re in a situation where it could hurt you, but he’ll do everything to help you work through it. You’re his friend and if someone is giving you a hard time then he has no problem chasing them away, especially if its a Fatui member. If it happens to be Kaeya, well that’s an entirely different story. Likewise, if it appears to you that Diluc is going through a rough time you’ll try and comfort him. Do small little things to let him know that you care and while he doesn’t need to tell you what’s wrong, you’re here to support him.

Diluc enjoys playing chess against you, even if he wins most of the time, you’re always so determined that he can’t help but laugh along with your over reactions. Presenting him an entire 20 page paper on chess and yet getting checkmated in 10 turns. You’re 95% sure all the chess strategies he offered were all fake, if his smug grin is anything to go by. You both have agreed to never play darts together, well more specifically, you’re pretty sure you’re banned from playing darts when you almost hit Adelinde. That was the first time you ever genuinely feared for your life.

Whenever Diluc has to attend a gala or has to host a party to further his business, he’s always appreciative when you show up. You’re not exactly apart of royalty or even a business owner but it’s so refreshing to Diluc, after spending so much time keeping a polite attitude and trying to talk business, when he can come to you as you laugh about how one lady almost tripped because her dress was too long. Sometimes he’ll lean a bit on you or pretend to be in a conversation just so he can recharge.

More often then not, you’re mistaken to be Diluc partner even though the idea of holding Diluc’s hand makes you want to throw up. But when Diluc get’s random father’s trying to offer their daughter’s hands in marriage, he’ll pull the excuse he’s already with someone if they can’t no for an answer. It’s always funny to you, linking arms with Diluc and re-telling the grandiose story about how Diluc saved you from falling off a cliff when you were both younger and you were both star-crossed lovers that were destined to be together. Or something like that, you’re pretty sure you’ve changed the story enough times that you can’t keep track. But it seems to work and as soon as they are out of ear’s reach you make a quick gagging motion. He shoves you a bit to which you elbow him in the side. Old habits die hard.

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I swear, I could probably recite character stories word for word at this point. Gripping my writing hand don’t make it angsty, don’t make it angsty, don’t fucking do it. But I still did, whoops.

I feel like my fics are really long so I’ll add a read more tag. Mmm writing styles are hard. I don’t know if I like this;; I ended up writing so much to try and combine my “hcs are just another word for fics just without the dialogue” and “actual headcanons” styles. Ahh, well whatever. I have to go speedrun my assignments since genshin is going to eat all my time this week.

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fific7 · 3 years

Text

Cold Day in Hell - Part 1

Logan Delos x Reader

A/N: This does not completely follow canon, it’s mainly lemon zest 🍋 because the world needs more Logan Delos.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content, including oral, between consenting adults* in future chapters. Drinking and swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My GIF)

Logan Delos was bored. Mind-numbingly, screamingly, terminally bored. He was rapping out an irritated drum solo on the arm of his chair with his long fingers. He was shifting in his seat, constantly crossing and un-crossing his long legs. He was moving the papers on the conference table in front of him from side to side, then backwards and forwards.

The businessman who was talking through the main presentation had a voice that was flatter than roadkill and had only one tone... monotone.

Logan leant forward and propped his elbows on the conference table in front of him, using his fingers to physically hold open his eyelids as they kept closing of their own accord. He felt a yawn coming on and fought to stop his mouth opening to accommodate it... but failed.

He was aware of the door to the conference room opening behind him but didn’t even have the energy to turn and see who it was. This asshole is draining the fucking will to live out of me, he thought. He vaguely heard said asshole saying something about his colleague talking through the next section of the presentation.

Logan sat right up in his seat as he spotted a beautiful - no, stunning - woman making her way to the front of the room. She was dressed in ‘business smart’ but even those sensible items couldn’t hide her curves. Her hair was pinned up, and he had already started fantasising about loosening it and running his hands through it. He wished he’d paid attention when Asshole had said her name. Or had he said her name? Logan had no idea.

He heard her starting to speak, a melodic voice... he had to know her name! Logan tutted and picked up the meeting agenda, riffling back and forth through the pages to get to the correct one, but wasn’t even sure what page he should be on. Suddenly the folder tumbled from his hands and clattered onto the floor. The talking stopped and he became aware of everyone’s eyes on him, including hers. In fact, she was kind of glaring at him.

He gave an apologetic wave to the room in general as he retrieved the folder from the floor. She began speaking again, and he resumed his page-riffling. Finally he found the current one, and there was her name in black and white. A melodic name to match her voice, he thought.

He started paying attention to what she was actually saying.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

You’d just started your part of the presentation when some asshole dropped his agenda folder, the sharp noise bringing you to a screeching halt. When you saw a hand waving around in the air, your eye followed the arm down to its owner and noted that he was in fact a very good-looking asshole. But he was still an asshole.

You cleared your throat, trying to collect your thoughts and then launched back into your presentation. The asshole was now staring at you relentlessly; every single time your eyes swept the room, his dark eyes were on you. Like... always on you. Not like the others, who were at least glancing down at the handouts occasionally.

The section you were presenting drew to a close, and you now took an empty seat at the table. It was diagonally opposite the handsome asshole. Who was still staring at you.

Now that you were much closer, you could see that his eyes were a dark chocolate brown, with a wicked gleam in them. They matched his shining dark hair, which was immaculately swept back from his forehead. You boldly met his stare for a while, before breaking eye contact to listen to your colleague Craig deliver the final part.

At the end of the presentation there were a few questions which were duly answered, and then everyone was gathering up their paperwork and milling around prior to leaving the conference room. As you tucked your folders away in your document bag, in your peripheral vision you became aware of a pair of long legs making their way to you. You knew who it was bound to be so you didn’t bother looking up. A throat cleared next to you but you continued packing away your items, and then you heard your first name being spoken in a low, husky voice. This time you did look up - it would be rude not to - and yup, it was Handsome Asshole. A hand was proffered to you and by reflex you took it, your hand being crushed in a strong grip. “Logan Delos,” said that suave voice, “...it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, sweetheart.”

��Sweetheart?” you scoffed, “...how original!” while thinking, oh... so this is the infamous Logan Delos, whose name you’d heard all the time in connection with the projects but never actually met before. He had a reputation of being a bit of a diva. You heard him give a deep chuckle. “Yeah, that’s me - an original. Unique, in fact I’d say.” “Well, you’re super confident, that’s for sure!” You picked up your document bag and headed for the door, saying “Nice to meet you, Mr Delos,” as you started to leave. His tall frame scooted round in front of you before you could reach it, “Oh, not so fast.... I can’t let you leave before you agree to have dinner with me.” You tried to sidestep him but he blocked your way, and then a little ‘step to the right, step to the left’ dance ensued. Finally, exasperated, you stood still and put your hands on your hips. “Mister Delos! Will you please let me past!” He copied your stance, “Not until you say you’ll have dinner with me. Or lunch. Or.... breakfast, if you prefer?!” wiggling his eyebrows at you. You huffed, “I don’t date business partners!” He still stood in front of you, seemingly immovable, “We’re not business partners - technically speaking. Boring Asshole is my business partner, not you.” Your mouth dropped open but before you could stop it, laughter bubbled out.

You hastily silenced it, saying, “I admit, Craig may not be the most inspiring public speaker, but he really knows his stuff,” trying to cover your somewhat indiscreet reaction and save your colleague’s honour at the same time. “But that’s beside the point, Mr Delos, because we are business partners despite what you’re trying to say.” Logan had moved slightly aside while you were speaking and you took this opportunity to brush past him, calling out, “Goodbye, Mr Delos,” with the emphasis on the goodbye as you went.

If you’d bothered to look back, you would’ve seen Logan Delos watching you go, a very determined expression on his face.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Juliet looked up from her laptop as Logan breezed into her lounge, tossing his car keys onto the coffee table and throwing himself onto the sofa, long legs spreading out in front of him as he did so.

“Good meeting?” she asked, seeing that his head had gone back onto the cushions and he was staring up at the ceiling. He hummed, “Good and bad. The presentation was the single most boring thing I’ve ever heard in my life, but on the other hand one of their staffers.... wow! It was like an angel came down from heaven and found her way into that conference room.” She sighed, “Logan... by all that’s holy... do not try to screw one of our business partners for god’s sake! Dad will go ballistic if you mess up our working relationship with them.” Logan looked offended, “Who says I’d mess it up?” Jules gave a big sigh and shrugged, “Me, for one. Dear brother, I love you with all my heart but you’re fucking awful at relationships. You’d just fuck her and drop her like a hot potato. Who is it that caught your roving eye this time anyway?” Logan said her name in a dreamy tone and Jules rolled her eyes heavenwards, “Oh, no, no, no!... no way, Logan. I know her, she’s a lovely person and also does a fantastic job - she’s one of their top software engineers, specialising in middleware.”

Logan smirked, “She can engineer my middleware anytime she likes.” “Oh, shut up and get your mind out of your pants, Logan. Stay away, okay?!!” He huffed, “Hey! You can’t tell me who to pursue or otherwise, Jules!” “But that’s it, right there - you’ll chase her, catch her, bang her and drop her! I really like her as well as respecting her work, so you better just be damn careful!”

Logan sighed. He loved his sister but god, she was a king-size pain in the ass sometimes.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

A week or so later, and you’d almost forgotten about that handsome asshole at the presentation. You couldn’t deny that he’d popped in and out of your thoughts since, but you’d googled him the day after you’d met him and had also made some discreet enquiries amongst those colleagues who’d worked with him before on projects. What you’d discovered had not endeared him to you.

He was a world-class player, that was obvious - and not fussy about which gender he played around with either. Not that that put you off, it was just the sheer volume of men and women he was pictured out on the town with. And alcohol and substance abuse had been there in the mix too, with some stays in rehab mentioned although the last one had been over a year ago. So no... you’d decided you wouldn’t be entertaining any further thoughts of the undeniably attractive Mr Delos.

You turned your thoughts back to the current middleware solution you were constructing, in fact it was for Delos Corporation, involving various scenarios for their Westworld hosts. You were immersed in code and structure when your phone rang, and you saw your boss’s extension number on the caller ID. Hmmm... what could she want? She usually gave you free reign when you working on a project, catching up with you every couple of days at team meetings. Answering it, you heard her assertive voice asking you to pop along to her office and so you set off on the short walk there. You knocked on her door and heard her say ‘come in’, so in you sailed and then came to an abrupt halt. Logan Delos was sitting opposite your boss; he was half-turned towards you with a somewhat triumphant smirk on his face. Your boss indicated the chair next to Logan and you quickly sat down, wondering what this was about and why Logan looked so smug.

Your boss launched into a mini-summary of what you were currently working on, and all you could do was nod. Eventually she finished up with, “So all your current projects are for Delos.” It was a statement not a question, so you just nodded. “Mr Delos here...” she levelled a hand towards Logan, “....has come up with a suggestion, and I happen to think it’s a good one.” She smiled at Logan, before looking back at you and continuing, “He thought it would be beneficial to have the person working on most of his projects - that’s you, just to clarify - to be based at Delos Destinations for the next three months, to facilitate progress.” You knew you were looking completely dumbfounded as she hurried on, “Obviously I’d like your input on this, but I’m sure you can see that it’d be very helpful for you to be on-site with our partners while you’re working through the projects?” Meanwhile you were desperately trying to come up with reasons to remain in your own office, but truthfully you couldn’t. It would be helpful to have instant access to their engineers when you needed an answer on something, you couldn’t deny that. Reluctantly you nodded, “Yes...I can appreciate that. But couldn’t we just have me spend maybe one or two days a week over there rather than be actually based in their offices?”

Logan spoke for the first time, his expression business-like now, “That wouldn’t really fulfill the brief though, would it? Because we’d be back to having a slight delay in receiving and giving responses for the time you weren’t at our offices. And I’d ... we’d... make you very welcome. There’s an office waiting for you... right next to mine.” He couldn’t stop that smirk reappearing as he finished speaking. You forced a smile, “Well, I can’t really refuse an offer like that, can I Mr Delos?” You looked back to your boss, “I guess that’s agreed then. When does this take effect?” Your boss beamed at you, “Excellent! I don’t see any reason for it not to commence immediately, do you? How about as of tomorrow?”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Logan walked onto his office the next morning, whistling a happy little tune. He’d had a small glass of wine the night before at Juliet’s place when he’d dropped in on his way home, knowing he had to break the news to her that evening about the cunning plan he’d come up with. He was happy for two reasons; firstly, visiting Jules and his niece Emily and not having to see William’s stupid damn face any longer would never get old, and secondly, his little scheme to get closer to that gorgeous woman was coming together. As Jules worked partly from home and partly at the office, he had to let her know that a new face would be around for at least the next three months. It would give him a much better chance to persuade her to go out with him - she wouldn’t really be able to escape him given that she’d be right next door to him every day. Predictably, Juliet had issued a stern warning about what would happen to certain parts of his anatomy should he overstep, but had reluctantly accepted that it was a fait accompli. (Privately, she was looking forward to working more closely with her and also warning her about the usual antics of her beloved brother, that’s if she wasn’t already well aware of them).

He’d been racking his brains for ideas on how best to pursue her ever since she’d turned him down flat at that conference. Logan wasn’t used to being turned down. He’d had a brainwave a couple of days later and had checked into who was handling the Delos projects at her company - after all, surely she wouldn’t be at the conference in the first place if she wasn’t involved somehow? He’d been overjoyed to find out that she was handling just about all of the current open projects (so why on earth had they allowed Boring Asshole to give the majority of the presentation?! he’d thought incredulously) and had then begun to put together a plan to somehow get her into his close orbit. He was really quite proud of what he’d come up with.

His secretary knocked on his doorframe and announced that his visitor had arrived. A big smile appeared on Logan’s face.

Here I go! he thought, the thrill of the chase coursing through his veins.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

The secretary smiled at you over her shoulder as she leaned against Logan’s office doorframe, “Please, go right in,” before stepping aside so you could enter.

The man himself was lounging back in his fancy office chair, which to you looked more like the type of padded seat you’d get on a private jet, waving you into the office before getting up and striding over to you. He held out his hand which you took but instead of shaking it as you expected, he pulled you towards him and kissed your cheek very softly. A waft of delicious and no doubt expensive cologne reached your nostrils before he stepped back, “Welcome on board!” he said, “...I’m so glad you’re joining us here at Delos Destinations.” You smiled, “Thank you, Mr Delos.” “Logan!” he said immediately, waving his hand and saying your first name. “Logan,” you said dutifully, “yes, thank you for the welcome ....of course I do still work for my own company.” He smiled at you, still holding onto your hand and beginning to lead you to the door, “Well, for now you do. I’ve a mind to steal you away for myself, you know. Or, sorry... for Delos Destinations, I should of course say.”

OK... seems like he’s still interested, even if that wouldn’t last longer than a heartbeat once you’d gone out (and especially if you slept) with him. You knew this secondment was going to be trouble, you thought. Three whole months of trying to resist Mr Player of the Decade. But you were convinced that you could do it.

As he lead you from his office to what was going to be yours, you were suddenly very aware of his tall figure beside you, your hand in his (he still hadn’t let go of it) and a hint of that beautiful cologne of his again. He looked across at you, dark eyes gazing into yours and gave you a mischievous grin. Annoyingly, your stomach did a little flip.

Yeah, really convinced.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

(Not my GIF - credit to owner)

#logan delos x reader #logan delos #ben barnes #westworld #logan delos fanfic #logan delos imagine #logan delos fan fiction

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shy-badger · 3 years

Text

At Least One Thousand More.

Garfield kept his left hand on the mirrors, and Raven's hand in his right, as they made their way through to the center of the fun house. He had paid the attendant a good amount of cash to make sure they wouldn't be interrupted

Raven laid her head on Garfield's shoulder while they wandered slowly by the content reflections of themselves. He couldn't help the stupid grin seeing his girlfriend's warm smile that she had been wearing nearly that whole evening. He hoped that he wasn't about to ruin it.

"Thanks for the wonderful night Gar, I needed this." Raven almost sighed as she spoke, so clear was her relief. This increased Garfield's nervousness, but he decided to carry on with his plan.

"Well I figured I owed you a nice night out after what happened last weekend." A broken sting of memories flowed through Garfield's mind, of some Tanmaranian holiday, drinking, dancing, more drinking, a very caring Raven trying to help him to bed, several times, asking a serious question at the worst time, getting a disappointing response, and lastly, a rough time kneeling at the porcelain throne.

Garfield kicked himself for bringing it up directly after she thanked him for the relaxing night. He was sure the last thing Raven wanted was to be reminded of a stressful night trying to take care of him.

Raven however only chuckled.

"I did tell you that you owed me one. If this night keeps going this well, maybe I'll consider us even."

"That all depends on if this next surprise hits or misses." Garfield tugged on Raven's hand to stop her from rounding the next corner. "But to find out properly, I need the pretty lady to close those gorgeous eyes of hers.

"Pulling out the flattery Gar? Someone is hoping to get lucky." Raven said with a smirk before putting her free hand over her eyes.

"You have no idea how right, and how wrong you are." Garfield remarked under his breath. He took a split moment to steel his nerves for what he was about to do, before finally stepping into the stage he had set up.

Garfield led Raven into the center of the circle of mirrors, careful to not let her touch any of the dark streamers hanging from the ceiling. Once in the center he made sure she was facing in the right direction, quickly checked his hair and clothes, and took a knee right in front of her.

"Alright you can move your hand now." Garfield said after a few more silent seconds ticked by. As Raven allowed her hand to drop and her eyes to open, he was sure to press play on the old fashioned stereo sitting next to where the two stopped, starting one of Raven's favorite songs, an orchestral piece that she shared with him on their first date.

"Raven, there are some things I remember from last weekend. The most important thing I remember is that I asked you the right question at the wrong time. I asked you to marry me, and you said, ' Gar, that's the alcohol talking. You wouldn't ask that if you were sober.'" Garfield even exaggerated an unamused tone to hopefully keep the mood light.

Garfield took both of Raven's hands in his and made sure to look her straight in the eye.

"Then I wanted to know how many more times id have to ask before you would say yes, and you said 'at least a thousand more.'"

"Well here I am Raven. Here to tell you that I love you more than anything. You and I didn't start out like your standard fairy tale love story sure, but I wouldn't trade us for anything. You were always so heroic and brave. Braver than anyone I've ever met. Fighting so hard to save people, despite your stupid dad."

Garfield's eyes were already getting watery and his throat was feeling a bit tighter than wen he started his speech.

"Ugh I didn't think it would be this hard just on the build up." Garfield said with a nervous laugh, which Raven couldn't help but copy, her own eyes growing misty as well.

"Ok you got this. You got this." Garfield said under his breath.

"Raven, you have always been there for me. When no one believed in me, you were there, seeing something in me that even I couldn't see."

Garfield then let go of Raven's hand and focused instead on making sure his moved exactly the way he had practiced all week, and watching as all the mirrors reflected his actions in an infinitely growing number of reflections.

Garfield spoke the words he was signing with as much love and conviction as he could muster.

"Raven, will you do me the greatest honor, of being my wife?"

He couldn't help the cheeky grin that wound up on his face as he added his next line.

"And before you answer, please note, I did ask at least a thousand more times." Beast Boy motioned to the mirrors surrounding the two of them in a triumphant display of wit.

Raven looked around, clearly trying to find someway to undermine Garfield's wordplay, only to realize that she had let her smile grow beyond the ability to hide.

Shaking her head, Raven looked down with tears in her eyes. "You idiot" she spoke softly, afraid her voice might fail her. "Yes. How can I say anything but yes?"

#bbrae #might finish this later #idk #on the spot drabbles

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fonulyn · 3 years

Note

(Spoilers Ahead!)

So, at the end of Infinite Darkness when Leon denied Claire access to the chip, I agreed with his actions. Why? People are unpredictable and dangerous as individuals and as a group. Leon believes that if the chip and its contents are shown to the public that the fear that Jason wanted people to feel would come true and he's right. Claire, on the other hand, feels like the people deserve the information, which is also true because let's face it, the government hides and continues to hide some awful shit and whether it's for the people's own good is a conversation and can of worms to open on another day. However, this time, I felt like Claire wasn't thinking that far ahead. I believe she was on the mindset of "let's handle that when we come to it," which, in all honestly, is how the U.S. is handling COVID-19 and we all know how's THAT going. Leon, on the other hand, is thinking far ahead and the repercussions that come with the release of that information. He sees the flames and the destruction and the fear. He sees people rioting in the streets. He sees people turning against people. He sees hatred and despair. Leon has faith and will always continue to have faith in people but he sees the stupidity and fear in them too. I love Claire but when she asked for that chip, I was on Leon's side and was like, "Nah, can't do it, sis."

yeah i mean

it's a clear cut example of a situation where the characters are both right, but they're looking at the situation from completely different angles and focus on the different aspects of it. Claire is focusing on people deserving all the info they can get and I absolutely agree with her that keeping secrets rarely ends well. Leon is focusing on trying to keep people safe and preventing large scale public panic, and I absolutely agree with him that a bombshell like that would've probably created a huge irreparable wave of panic.

so yeah i mean. they're both right. and both their solutions to the situation have both positives and negatives. it's just a matter of what you actually want to put most weight on. and like. both their solution could've blown up spectacularly. people focus a lot on how Leon thinks he can solve things from within, and how we know he in the end fails in eradicating the corruption. but we have omniscient knowledge of how things will turn out in the next fifteen years, while none of the characters do, at that point. he has a reasonable chance to weed the corruption out and he takes it, and if it doesn't work out in the end it doesn't mean he made a bad call. it just means things turned out a lot more complicated and difficult than there was reason to believe.

also we don't know how Claire's solution to the situation would've worked out. sure people would've learned about the BOWs sooner and there would've probably been public uproar about it. but the actual corrupt politicians? aside from the ONE person named in the files the rest would've gone underground, would've set up alibis, would've paid off whoever they needed to pay off and continued their corrupt bullshit but now even deeper underground and even more difficult to counter. it would've had positives, sure, but bringing it out in the open wouldn't mean it's now solved forever. it's like... when you try to stop the criminals from using the internet they go deeper into darknet and like. the problem might go out of sight but it doesn't go away.

AND i think people tend to forget that ID is literally something that takes place before re5, re6, damnation and vendetta, and so forth... we see the corruption and how shitty the world is in those installments. having a clear-cut solution that would've made everything better? that was never in the cards. they can't afford to fix everything because that'd throw all of the following canon in the trash.

what pisses me off, personally, is how people see everything so polarized because honestly, this conflict was not a case of one being in the right and the other being in the wrong. this was a conflict where two different people had different outlooks on the situation. both have a point. neither is infallible. because c'mon. that's not how the world works.

also there's better meta about this out there than I could ever manage to ramble lol, but i think it's interesting what you said about Claire not thinking that far ahead because it really kind of tracks with her characterization! both the Redfields are the kind of people who need to act to make things better, they will fight anything and anyone if they believe it's the right thing to do. but they are spontaneous and get easily caught up in it and thinking very far ahead might be one of their weak points, on some level at least. they're the kind of people who attack the problem head on, and sometimes the long term effects might get lost in the moment.

but I ramble, I'll shut up now before this'll become even more incoherent :'D

#re answers #ask and i shall answer #infinite darkness

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notbecauseofvictories · 4 years

Note

oh I'm interested in the tag novel on how fan spaces becoming more meat spacey benefits the producers!! also happy Halloween! 🖤🧡🖤🧡

It’s not a particularly academic argument---I don’t have sources to back this up, I haven’t done research. I’m also wary of painting a picture of “fandom” as anything more than a lot of weasels in a trenchcoat, because that word means a lot of things to a lot of different people, some of whom hate each other. But as long as everybody understands that this is the ethnographical equivalent of drunkenly throwing darts at a copy of the AJS...sure.

[under a cut because it’s long and baseless, and also I had a lot of thoughts and feelings. Sorry.]

My basic premise is that fandom occupies “fanspace.” Fanspace is not solely online, since fanzines and conventions are fanspace too, but since the 90s it has become increasingly and primarily internet based. While some websites are designated fanspace (e.g., AO3, ff.net, stand-alone fansites) fanspace is not necessarily contiguous with a hosting site (e.g., there is fanspace on tumblr, but tumblr is not a fanspace). Fanspace is really just those urls, message boards, threads, blogs, accounts, etc. designated for fandom and/or where fannish activity takes place.

Its deeply-rooted internet presence has allowed fanspace and what I call “meatspace” to operate on different rules. Meatspace has always informed fan spaces, of course---disclaimers on fic to ward off accusations of copyright infringement, for example, or asking readers to attest that they’re over 13 before reading an R-rated fic. But traditionally, fandom has accepted as norm things that don’t apply to meatspace: fake names and anonymous posts, pictures of someone else’s characters, lengthy self-published stories featuring violence, explicit sex, sometimes even gay people. Fanspace is in many ways an artificial carve out from meatspace, where fewer of its rules apply; fanspace supplements these with its own norms.

The division between fanspace and meatspace is not and has never been a clear, settled line, however. Debates on how much meatspace should inform fan spaces have been raging for as long as I’ve been on the internet, and to be fair to meatspace, it has made good points. (I’m not sure if “don’t be racist,” counts as a meatspace rule given...racism, but fandom frequently reacts to it like a meatspace intrusion so I think it should count.)

However, what used to be intra-fandom conversations have become increasingly more public, for a few reasons:

Part of this is just the natural development of the internet---it’s not like fanspace was ever hidden, but there just weren’t as many people online, and stuff was harder to find in a pre-google, pre-algorithmic promotion world.

Part of it is the changing architecture of fanspace---websites shutting down, Strikethrough, and the tumblr porn ban have all, in their own ways, served to alter fanspace and move towards more and more public-facing sites.

But part of it---and this is the biggest factor, I think---is that over the last two decades, we’ve seen content-producers** increasingly willing to engage with fandom.

On its face, this sounds good! After all, fans like people who make things, people who make things want fans. What could possibly be wrong about both sides recognizing their mutualism?

I think this works when the most interaction you could expect with a creator was showing up a bookstore to ask Tamora Pierce a question, or writing fanmail to Paul Gross. But it falls apart when you consider just how public-facing fanspaces have become, and just how much interest content-producers have taken in cultivating the fannish audience. Content-producers engaging directly with fandom are a thumb on the scales of mutualism, and a heavy one. After all, one side of the relationship is a loosely collected anarchic cult, migrating along a series of websites they mostly don’t control, making do with nothing but ongoing wank and general obsessive tendencies.

The other side has D*sney, Harper Collins, and Comcast.

That thumb on the scale has paid off, more than I think even the content-producers could have anticipated. Fandom is good at loving what it loves and talking loudly about it, but capitalism is way better at doing what it does---turning everything into profit. So now people pay $100 a pop to go to Harry Potter World. Conventions are well-produced extensions of their parent companies, raking in money and providing a blitz of publicity---directly to the source most likely to take your messaging and amplify it. Make a superhero movie and the minute the trailer drops you conjure up thousands of online fans will be your de facto, unpaid publicists---generating interest via fan art, fic, and controversy with minimal corporate effort. Of course fic writers who have established online presence are the darlings of the publishing world---what publisher wouldn’t want a built-in hype machine for a new author?

And, just coincidentally, of course, fanspace and meatspace are drawn closer together, that line further blurred by this new and very, very interested third party.

I’m not saying this is some big conspiracy. No tv exec is out there rubbing their hands together and cackling evilly about how they’re going ruin fandom. But in exchange for meatspace validation and an endless stream of new content, I think fandom has ceded important ground. And I think it’s changing fanspaces, even now:

One of the founding rules of fanspace is that it does not generate money---you risk real copyright infringement that way. (This isn’t to say that money hasn’t been involved in a few massive fandom scandals, but it’s not typical.) Increasingly, however, the grumblings about getting paid for fan art and fic have gotten louder, probably due to meatspace’s general emphasis on the side-hustle, and seeing content-producers churn out more and more fan-like things for a profit.

(It seems unimaginable now, but once upon a time the HP Lexicon was an invaluable resource, a rare unicorn in a pre-wikipedia age. Now, D*sney wouldn’t even think of releasing a tentpole movie without a novelization, a picture dictionary, and a tie-in novel.)

Also, those calls for fan art that “might be featured” by a content-producer are (rightfully) scorned for asking for work pro bono. But the takeaway seems to be “we deserve to be paid for our fan art!” rather than “how dare the content-producer intrude on our fanspace and its activities!”

Fanspaces have never expected or required legal ID, permitting anonymous or pseudonymous activity in order to protect individual privacy. And while there’s still no expectation you link your legal ID with your online/fan ID, the norm has shifted---it’s no longer considered gauche to go by your legal ID, even necessary when turning mutuals and followers into an “audience.” We’re not anonymous fans, engaged in our mutual hobby anymore---some people are doing that, and others are potential content-creators.

I’d argue that even purity wank if an example of this new blurring, classic “don’t like don’t read” arguments taking on new life now that meatspace is so nearby---we wouldn’t want to offend the neighbors!

Even these things benefit the content-producers: the more fan-like stuff they churn out, the less fanspaces will create on their own; the more fanspaces that emphasize linking legal ID to online ID, the less people will be able to engage in fan activities privately; the more meatspace rules assert themselves on fanspaces, the less fanspace we’ll have.

Now, maybe this is just...evolution. As I said before, there is a porous and shifting border between fanspace and meatspace. I remember angry threads about whether m/m fics should be rated higher than a het equivalent; I remember the tagging debates, the incredible resistance to accurately describing what happens in your fic. Maybe in a few years, my longing to return to a more separate fanspace will seem equally as embarrassing, incorrect, and unnecessary.

But right now, it feels more like an erosion---one fandom is about as willing or able to resist as the tide.

** “Content maker” is a term that’s come to mean “anyone who makes something” which is sheer nonsense. There’s a difference between publishers/television producers/movie studios and someone recording a podcast in their bathroom. There’s even a difference between D*sney, a vast undead creative monopoly animated by copyright protections, and someone like James Patterson, who uses a stable of ghostwriters to churn out “his” works. We shouldn’t be scrutinizing all these things them the same way, it’s lazy, and intellectually dishonest.

#long post #long post for ts #........this is a whole honest to god essay what the hell #nonsense. malarky. ridiculousness and speculation.#guys I'm so sorry this is A Lot #(ps is it election terror driven towards sometime I can maybe describe without vomiting and panic attacks? I mean MAYBE)#either way here I am coming up with fun intricate theories as the world burns #transannecarson #celestial emporium of benevolent knowledge

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cruciatusforeplay · 4 years

Note

Do you know of a comprehensive list of Hawkeye appearances in the comics, with summaries?

So when I first saw this ask I thought "a comprehensive list of Hawkeye? With summaries? That is absolutely madness, who would have done that?"

I had a quick glance at Marvel Unlimited and found there was over 500 issues listed under Hawkeye (and that's not considering his time spent under other names, or alternative universes, or Kate Bishop doing her thing) and confirmed to myself that a comprehensive list would indeed be completely unmanageable. So obviously I decided to give it a go.

I absolutely cannot give you an entire rundown, because ya boy's been busy, but I can try to give you a little bit of an overview. (Head's up, I said "little" but that was a lie. This is a BIG post and I'm hoping it might give you some key points for Clint's comic career and his background which will hopefully be useful for figuring out which comics to read or anyone writing canon-based fanfic)

A not-so-brief history of Hawkeye in Comics (spoilers below the cut)

First appearance: Tales of Suspense #57 (1964)

We run into Clint working at Carson's Carnival, where he is being underappreciated by the audience and very unhappy about it. He's a proactive lad, so he makes himself a new costume and arrows to be utterly unforgettable. He accidentally gets himself implicated in a crime and meets the Black Widow. They become allies and he uses trick arrows and nearly manages to take out Iron Man, but must abandon his plans to save Black Widow from a blast of his own arrow. He kicks off as an enemy to Stark basically. There is also a bunch of Iron Man shenanigans happening here and it's a fun read.

He sticks around as a villain for two more issues in Tales of Suspense #60 and #64 (1964 and 1965).

First appearance as an Avenger: Avengers #16 (1965)

Clint shows up about halfway through and has determined that he'd like to be an Avenger instead now, thanks. He tells them a little about his doomed love with Nat and how she paid the price and they decide they're on board. He is introduced to the press. There's a bunch of other Avenger member swapping around in this issue (and if you want the most of it, you should start with issue 15 because it's a direct follow up story wise)

He's a key member of the Avengers from hereon in and features in most issues. He spends his time shooting arrows and having problems with authority (particularly Cap)

Key background: Avengers #19 (1965)

This issue gives us a bunch of background on Clint. The Swordsman shows up wanting to be an Avenger (because he wants an Avengers ID - yes really). Clint objects and we find out Clint's an orphan and that the Swordsman took him in and trained him at Carson's Carnival. Clint then caught him stealing from the circus and they fight where he leaves Clint for dead. It's a big old betrayal. The Swordsman then spends the rest of comic kidnapping and trying to kill Cap, so all round that's a no on the Avengers ID.

Hawkeye quits the Avengers: Avengers #109 (1973)

Hawkeye doesn't like that Scarlet Witch and Vision are in a relationship, and essentially he plays the jealous jilted lover who throws a tantrum (door slamming included). He quits the Avengers, immediately realises he didn't actually love Wanda after all. He spends his fresh downtime teaching The Champion archery, who then promptly betrays him. The Avengers come to the rescue.

His involvement in the Avengers is spotty over the next decade.

Hawkeye gets Hitched: Hawkeye #1-4 (1983)

This is Clint's first solo run. It's important for two reasons. He meets Mockingbird who he marries by the end of the run, in what can be described as an enemies to lovers speed-run. This is also the series where Clint is originally deafened; he has to make a sacrifice play with one of his own sonic arrows which is how he ends up deafened. There are some other classic Clint moments: he starts the run by getting dumped, he rides on the skycycle/sky-sled and he ends up with his outfit getting mostly ripped off more than once. We also get some background about him and his brother Barney running from the orphanage to join circus, how Barney got him to hospital after the incident with the Swordsman, and we find out that Clint didn't speak to his brother for years and that he's dead now. Honestly this run is great fun and I have a big soft spot for it.

The West Coast Avengers: West Coast Avengers #1-4 (1984)

Clint helps found and then leads the West Coast Avengers with his wife Mockingbird. This is another mini series, but it led to a much longer run starting the following year that ended in 1994. Real talk: I've only skimmed this iteration of WCA but what I've seen is campy fun, the skycycle is back, Clint really settles into being a leader and the sun is always shining. Special shout out to Tigra who is a bad-ass in this mini series. During the longer run, Clint and Bobbi's marriage is put through the ringer amongst other things, and they eventually separate. Truthfully there is a lot of other stuff going on regarding their relationship in that run and onwards. If their marriage is something you want to know more about I recommend checking out the full summary listed at the back of Hawkeye and Mockingbird #1 (2010) - it starts on page 22 of that issue - be aware it contains major spoilers for later stories.

Key background: Solo Avengers #1-5 (1987)

We get to meet Clint's other circus mentor here: Trickshot aka Buck Chisholm. You'll be shocked to hear that Clint gets betrayed. We kick things off with some circus shenanigans where his charity performance/showing off opportunity is interrupted by mercs sent to kill him, by Trickshot wanting to settle a debt. The second issue presents us with a lengthy flashback where we find out Hawkeye's dirty secret: it wasn't actually the Swordsman who taught him archery, but instead an actual archer called Trickshot. We see Clint get trained up only to be immediately pushed into a life of crime where he ends up shooting his own brother. Buck then shoots Clint when Clint wants to take his brother Barney to hospital. Trickshot is shown to have an unsavoury taste for killing for pleasure and promises to kill Clint when he's got something to lose. In addition we also get some flashbacks to Clint's abusive home situation and his time in care before joining the circus. The next two issues cover a side story that honestly doesn't lead anywhere or get resolved by the end of the run. Issue #5 (which is the first of this run available on Marvel Unlimited if that's how you're reading) then brings you into the real action. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, Clint spends this entire issue in only his undershorts. There's some fun archer Vs archer antics, before an emotional reveal where Trickshot begs Hawkeye to end his life because he has cancer and doesn't want a slow death. Trick has a cry, Clint refuses to kill him and instead they have a comforting cuddle on a beach under a sunset. It's an unusual run, but Trickshot will show up again later in Clint's arc, and it's got a lot of fun quips and action sequences.

Quick note on the 90s

In my opinion, the 90s weren't real good to Clint. He had a couple of solo runs, but imo nothing with major substance, or character development so I'm skipping them. If you want to know what you're missing check out Hawkeye #1-4 (1994) aka Clint broods in Canada and there are wolves, and Hawkeye: World's Mightiest Marksman #1 (1998) aka Clint is stubborn and goes head to head with Taskmaster.

Key background: Hawkeye #1-6 (2003)

This series, which has Clint travelling on a motorcycle in order to find the best chilli and sporting some 90s boyband hair, also gives us some really great insight into his and Barney's relationship. We get snapshots in amongst the rest of the story of Barney being the moral compass for Clint. We see Barney getting his GED while Clint works on archery, and later we see Buck encouraging Clint into crime and Barney telling him it's wrong. We get another retelling of the Swordsman story, this time with both Buck and Barney coming to rescue Clint. While Clint's broken leg is healing, Barney tells him he's joining the army and Clint should come with. Clint says no, then changes his mind, but ends up missing the bus. We again see Clint on a job with Buck where he shoots a guard only to realise it's Barney, and is subsequently shot by Trickshot for wanting to help Barney. They both make it to hospital. Clint asks what happened and Barney tells him "guess you are what you are." Years later we see Clint at Barney's grave and are informed that he was involved with the mob. Clint is upset, only to then be informed Barney was actually working undercover for the FBI. These snapshots are my favourite part of the entire series. The rest of the series focuses on Clint doing some detective style work and shooting arrows. If this is the first run you've checked out since the WCA or Solo Avengers runs, you'll note this is very different in both art and story style. There was a definite shift in the 90s that brought us closer to the style we have today.

Clint doesn't have any solo runs for a while, but he is involved in a bunch of bigger stories which we'll take look at in part two of this post.

The MCU push and key background

In the lead up to the movie premiere of Avengers Assemble (2012), Marvel produced a lot of content for the Big Six as promo to their preexisting market. Hawkeye and Mockingbird #1-6 (2010), Widow maker #1-4 (2010) and Hawkeye Blindspot #1-4 (2011) follow on directly from one another, though you could read any of them independently and the first two are less about Clint. Avengers Solo #1-5 (2011) also featured during this time. All but Blindspot are simple action comics without any lasting impact for Hawkeye. Blindspot has a pretty comprehensive rundown on Clint's history including his abusive dad, the circus, the Swordsman, Trickshot, his relationship with Cap and the Avengers, him becoming Goliath and some very important information regarding his brother and their relationship, all woven into a well paced plot. Additionally, he's going blind. There is a lot of story in these four issues. It also provides the foundation on which Fraction set his run, so it's a good story for anyone who had any unanswered questions regarding the start point for Hawkeye (2012).

The Fraction/Aja Run: Hawkeye #1-21 (2012)

This is the big one. Either you're here because you've read it and now you love this idiot, or you want to start reading Hawkeye. This is where you start. I'm not gonna summarise this one because everyone deserves to read it without spoilers. But I'll say this: this is Clint when he's not being an Avenger. He's messy and relatable and he loves dogs. This is a character defining run and it is one of my all time favourite comics. There is so much good stuff in here and I could talk for hours about it. Go forth and feast your eyes.

If I've missed anything major, or listed something incorrectly or you just have some Clint related opinions that I need to know about, do hit me up.

I've run out of images, so this post will continue in part 2 which you can read here.

#clint barton #deaf clint barton #hawkeye comics #marvel comics #let's talk about comics #comics #hawkeye #hawkguy #hawkguy and other costumes

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wolfliving · 3 years

Text

A Stacey Higginbotham manifesto

*One doesn’t see those very often.

7 principles for regulation in the IoT era I give about 10 talks a year to various organizations, which gives me the chance to think broadly about trends or holes in the IoT ecosystem that I keep stumbling over in my reporting. Earlier this summer, I gave one at the WiSec security event, and it was one of the scariest experiences I've ever had. After all, these people were researching security flaws in the IoT. They were experts. They wanted me to talk about how normal people evaluated risks in the IoT and what steps people were taking to protect themselves. Setting aside the question of whether or not I'm a good representation of normal people, the talk gave me time to think about the challenges that the IoT, in a world of federated and highly distributed computing, brings, and where regulators might need to step in. I provide seven of those ideas below. And I would love to speak with more people about their thoughts and ideas, too, as I'd like to dedicate more coverage to these issues in the coming months. 1. Define consumer rights for software disguised as hardware: Connected products live in a grey area between hardware and software. This leads to a lot of conflicts and uncertainties for consumers when companies pull the plug on a cloud-based service, rendering a physical device useless. Or when companies change their software terms and conditions, changing how a device might operate. The most recent example of this was Peloton changing the software on its Treadmill product to prevent consumers from using it without a paid subscription. Peloton has since backed off that idea. This lack of clarity around the rights associated with software wrapped in a hardware shell is also behind the "right-to-repair" regulations, and behind the lawsuits filed by consumers when companies pull digital content. The confusion mostly hurts consumers, and so as it becomes more difficult to buy unconnected products, Congress needs to codify basic rules of ownership to protect consumers. I'd also welcome the FTC getting more involved in setting rules as opposed to waiting for egregious acts by companies and then fining them. 2. Rethink the Fourth Amendment for the digital era: In the U.S., the Fourth Amendment protects the rights of citizens "to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures." Centuries of case law have helped define where citizens can expect protection from police search and seizure, but new technology and tools mean we need to lay down clear rules around how police departments access data from public and private devices and when they need a warrant. We should also provide more assistance to citizens who find themselves pulled into an investigation. In some cases, the only notice they might get that their cell phone location data or some other data about them has been swept up in a warrant or subpoena is an email from the tech provider that gave up the information. From that point on, the burden is on that person to figure out why their information was targeted and what they should do. They often have only a short window to address this. 3. Penalize private entities for leaking data/require rapid disclosure: This has less to do with civil liberties and more to do with the outsized harm that can come to a consumer from a data leak. Companies should face penalties for insecure practices such as using production data in tests, leaving unencrypted personal data in unlocked cloud instances, and more. When data breaches are the result of poor security practices, companies are negligent, and should have to pay for that. On the disclosure front, the sooner someone knows their data or passwords have been compromised, the sooner they can fix it. Right now, the administration is discussing a rule that forces companies to tell the public they have been breached within 24 hours. That feels pretty fast; I think a 3-7 day window would be fine. 4. Build auditing authority into existing government agencies to test outcomes: This principle is to address the claims of bias or a lack of transparency in AI. We are embracing the use of AI as a tool in many aspects of people's lives, from deciding who gets bail to using facial recognition to make arrests. I'm not against these tools, but I do think that every government agency needs to have an auditing agreement in place to both show how the AI makes decisions and to lay out justifications for the biases that will undoubtedly show up. There's no such thing as an unbiased algorithm; all algorithms are designed to prioritize some data over other data to achieve a result. Audit committees need to be able to assess those results and see if they meet the current policy goals. 5. Provide GDPR-style rules to help consumers control their data: We still don't have a good federal law to help consumers control how their data is used. California has the California Consumer Privacy Act, which is a start, but we need a federal law to help consumers opt in to sharing their data, to offer them chances to evaluate the data a provider has about them, and to force the provider to correct or delete that data as needed. We should also create laws that dictate what data can be used and how companies can discriminate against consumers based on their data. Consumer data will be out there, so it's imperative we figure out how companies can use it. 6. Ensure data can be corrected/expunge childhood data: I mentioned the ability to correct data as part of a federal data law, but I think it's important enough that we should pull it out on its own, especially because having inaccurate data on a person could materially affect their life. Think about all the poor people who are erroneously included on the federal government's No Fly List. The risks of a company sharing incorrect data expand as we use AI and data so computers can make decisions about people. I also think that kids should have the opportunity to eliminate their data when they turn 18, giving them a clean slate. This is harder said than done, however, because of that pesky digital ownership question. If my kid wanted to eliminate all the photos of her from the web, she'd have to ask me to dump my photos of her that are in Google's cloud or hunt down friends who have shared pictures of her on Facebook. Whose rights matter most in that situation? I think Google's latest policy decision around kids, which removes images of kids under the age of 18 from Google image search, is a good start. Ironically this is a private company taking action on issues relating to kids on the Internet because other countries have instituted new regulations. Giving kids the chance to be kids without having it haunt the rest of their lives is important, especially given that their images are increasingly caught by cameras in private and in public. 7. Rethink current forms of identity and create layers of identity: This is a tough one, but I think it's worth a big discussion. We're in the middle of granting access to our faces, our fingerprints, and even our palm prints to private companies as a way to authenticate ourselves to computers. But these forms of ID can get stolen and potentially misused. There's also no clear indication for consumers when to use a great password and when to use a fingerprint, for example. Given the potential for misuse and the confusion about the potential for harm, I think the government should be educating and maybe implementing some kinds of rules around when a password is sufficient and when you should be asked for, say, an iris scan. It should also put in place rules around how companies store the most sensitive of these identifiers to force those that gather this information to treat it like it matters.

#Stacey Higginbotham #IoT

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shhh-no-ones-home · 3 years

Text

artistry (1/2) bucky barnes x reader

+++++++++

part 1 part 2

therapy, and hatred for the same things; the beginning of a beautiful love story 😌

also sorry this is not any of the stories on the list i published a couple weeks ago. ive been submerged in the falcon and the winter soldier and really wanted to write more for Bucky so here's the beginning of that. i will be working on the other stories they just may take more time. but for now i hope you all enjoy the bucky content!

Song: never know by set it off

tag list: @cynic-spirit

+++++++++

I stood, knees to the couch, arms folded over my chest, Studying the wall as best I could. God I fucking hated it. It was so polite and warm and inviting. Barf.

"Disturbing."

I grumbled, hearing soft footsteps against the carpet.

"Oh sorry, they told me to wait in here I didn't realize there was someone-"

I glanced over at him for a moment. He seemed like he wanted to leave but I'm sure he was curious what I was doing. I was staring at the wall behind the couch after all.

"It's kind of infuriating isn't it?"

I asked, looking over the pale greens and blues.

"Um, what is?"

He now seemed very confused. I nodded towards the mural.

"Sometimes when I look at this wall too long I can just imagine myself punching a hole in it."

I half laughed.

"I couldn't tell you how many times I've wanted to offer to paint over it."

I uncrossed my arms, side stepping the couch and touching the wall gently.

"I never really thought about it but it is kind of ugly isn't it?"

He sent me a smile and I couldn't help laughing more.

"Y/n."

I said offering my hand to shake.

"James."

"Firm grip ya got there James."

He rubbed his gloved hands together, looking to the floor as his smile faded.

"Thought I knew my own strength."

I kept the smile on, touching his shoulder gently.

"Hey, a firm grip isn't necessarily a bad thing. Besides, no harm no foul. I'm sure you put it to good use."

I winked at him and he seemed like he didn't know what to do again. Until he let out a nervous laugh.

"Right."

I nodded once, looking back over the wall and dropping my hand from him.

"I should probably get going, doc should be in soon and I wouldn't want to take away from your session."

I walked past him.

"It was nice to meet you James."

As I reached the door he cleared his throat.

"Hey y/n-"

He said quickly and I turned back around to face him. He was fiddling with his fingertips, pinching the leather of the black gloves.

"I uh, don't get out much but I was wondering if you'd like to get a drink. Maybe, talk about how you'd repaint this wall?"

He pointed to it haphazardly, a smile making its way back to his face. In that moment I couldn't help the one creeping it's way across my own lips. I nodded quickly.

"I'd like that a lot James, uh here, you can call or text me at this number and we can work something out."

As I spoke I reached into my bag and pulled out a business card that I probably hadn't used in too long. The edges were fraying and my occupation had changed but I handed it to him anyway. He held it between both hands and looked over it.

"Are you free tonight?"

He asked, hope behind his eyes. I pretended to think for a moment.

"Ya know what I think I am."

I said and his smile got wider.

"Meet me at the bar at the corner of tenth and Jefferson?"

I nodded slowly at his inquisition, backing up into the doorway and squeaking when my back hit the wood.

"Eight o'clock, don't be late."

I said, turning and almost running into Dr Raynor.

"Oh, sorry, uh have a good session."

I mumbled quickly, ducking past her.

"I'll see you tonight James."

°°°°°°°°°

As I sat at the bar alone I began to doubt he was even coming. It was almost nine already and I was starting to think I was stupid for even waiting this long. Maybe I should go. Or maybe I should try to find someone else to talk to. The band was pretty good after all. I sighed and raised my finger to get the bartenders attention. when she turned around i opened my mouth-

"I'll have what she's having."

I heard, looking over to James with wide eyes as he sat beside me. He was wearing a navy blue leather jacket of some kind that exposed his left, metal, arm.

"You actually came."

I said surprised. He seemed almost ashamed.

"Sorry I'm late. My friend needed me and we got a little caught up. I was going to call but-"

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and the top was barely hanging onto the base by a wire. the flip phone kind of took me aback though. but it didnt matter, he showed up.

"It's okay, im just glad you actually came."

He let out a nervous laugh and took a sip of the drink the bartender had sat down.

"I was hoping you'd still wanna talk, even though I'm an hour late."

I nodded, looking over his face as he fully turned to me and my face fell.

"An hour late and bleeding."

I reached towards him and touched his temple gently. He winced at first.

"You wanna get out of here? I can get that fixed up; I only live about a block away."

I suggested and he nodded slowly.

"Uh yeah, I'd like that."

I paid the bartender and stood up, James following me outside. I inhaled deeply at the scent of rain as the sky darkened with clouds.

"So, something life-threatening happen on your way here?"

I asked, laughing a little as he looked to me.

"I'm kidding. Unless it did, in which case I'm glad you're okay."

He scratched the back of his neck, pacing slowly beside me.

"Good talk."

I said and he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry I just, I don't do this often and I feel like I've already lost my chance with you."

I looked to him and drew my brows.

"would i have invited you to my house if you had?"

he shrugged, side nodding before tucking his hands into his pockets. i frowned when he didnt respond.

"look, james, i think I'll be the judge of whether or not youve lost your chance and right now I say you haven't. but you said you wanted to talk and there's not a whole lot of that going on."

He let out a nervous laugh.

"Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

I asked, slipping my right hand into his left elbow and he stopped. He looked down at our arms connected for a second and then I felt bad.

"Sorry, I just uh, figured it'd lighten the mood a bit. Sorry."

I pulled away and kept walking.

"Wait. No, it's just-"

I looked back at him and watched as he opened and closed his hand a few times.

"I don't really associate good things with it so it took me off guard a little bit. You can, uh, you can hold my hand if you want. That's fine."

He stepped closer to me and took my hand in his. I smiled at him and nodded.

"Thanks, I guess I just wasn't really thinking."

We kept walking.

"It doesn't bother you?"

He asked and I shrugged.

"Why would it bother me?"

There was a long silence as we rounded the street corner.

"I don't know."

He said softly.

"Uh, we're here."

I said, letting go of his hand and walking up the stairs to unlock my front door, looking to him as he looked over it. when i offered for him to come inside he hesitated for a moment but followed me in anyway.

"here you can sit here, let me get a look at where this blood is coming from."

he watched as i pulled the stool out form under my breakfast bar and i felt more nervous than before. it had suddenly occurred to me that we would be getting much closer and that led to some pretty self-conscious thoughts. but who was i kidding? he bared himself to me already, why should i be scared?

i inhaled deeply as he sat, moving to turn another light on so i could see better. i moved back over to stand between his legs, touching his jaw lightly and tilting his head down. he kept his eyes on me as i touched the wound gently, hearing his breathing hitch in the back of his throat before i let go to get a cold wash rag.

"so, you wanna tell me what happened?"

i asked, trying to lighten the mood as i came back and began wiping the dried blood away from the cut at his hairline. my finger tips were at his chin and he seemed more relaxed now.

"i was helping a friend."

he repeated like before. i nodded once.

"you live a dangerous life don't you James?"

he looked up at me with innocent eyes.

"bucky."

he said and i raised a brow.

"bucky?"

"thats what my friends call me."

i nodded once.

"are you calling me a friend?"

i asked and he finally cracked a smile.

"if you want to be."

he said and i let out a short laugh.

"and if i dont?"

his smile began to fade and he cleared his throat. i looked to the ceiling for a moment before leaning down and kissing his cheek gently.

"thats not what i meant bucky."

when he looked back up at me he seemed so lost, like this was a new type of kindness. part of my heart broke thinking about what could have happened to lead him here.

"what do you say we call this a trial run? we can take a weekend sometime and maybe go to the art museum down the street, get pizza for lunch, and just have a good time."

he seemed like he was still trying to study me as i put the wash rag on the counter and wiped my wet hands on my jeans.

"no blood, no confusion, just two people having a good time."

i held my hand out for him to shake. he nodded slowly, the smile barely there as he reached for it.

"i think id like that y/n. i think id like that a lot."

#wattpad #x reader #bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #winter soldier #captain america #the falcon and the winter soldier #imagines #one shots #315

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cottage-babe · 4 years

Text

Burning Scars part VIIS

Previous | Chapter 7.5 | Next

Masterlist

figured id drop this real quick before the next chapter!! Its really short and not that important so its not really a real chapter ig

also! new update schedule is on sundays <3

Summary: Y/n, a werewolf from a hidden village, comes across Zuko and Iroh after being exiled. How has fate intertwined the wolf into the avatar’s destiny?

*****This chapter takes place on Season 2 Episode 13*****

___

Groggily, Y/n sat up and yawned.

The sun was blinding; they all should’ve slept in the covers of the ferry, not right next to the railing and fully susceptible to the elements. She rubbed the palms of her hands over her eyes to remove some of her sleep, but all it did was further the blur of her vision. The werewolf had to owlishly blink until her sight cleared.

When it did, the view didn’t disappoint.

There was a large wall stretching farther than her eyes could see. It was still a bit away, but the impressiveness had her awestruck. She looked around at her friends and saw that her travel buddies, along with her new acquaintances the Freedom Fighters, were still sleeping peacefully in their bedrolls. Y/n figured that it was the rocking of the waves that woke her and stood.

Actually, now that she was taking account of everyone again, she noticed that one person was missing from the group. Standing at the very front of the boat, the werewolf could see the familiar figure of Zuko, standing with his back facing her.

It was very cool that morning. It must’ve been due to the sun barely rising or the slight sprays of the water around them. Either way, it relaxed her in a way that she never truly felt on land; it almost made her nod off again. Despite all this, she pushed through her drowsiness and made her way over to Zuko.

The golden light from the sun made his hair shine brightly. The boy’s posture was relaxed as well, it seemed like she wasn’t the only one falling for the morning’s charm. He was leaned over the rails and rested gently on his forearms.

“Hey,” Y/n yawned as a greeting as she finally reached him.

Trust her, it was such a nice morning and she wasn’t all there. That was completely, 100%, the only reason why when she paused at his side, her head found itself leaned on his shoulder, eyes closed. He had tensed up at first, but once he realized who it was, relaxed once again.

“Why are you awake?” Zuko asked.

She shrugged her shoulders, sleep almost overcoming her before he spoke.

“I don’t know, but it’s way too early.”

Y/n looked up at the boy and found that he was already looking at her. His eyes were almost as breathtaking as the Wall that they were heading toward. The sunrise seemed to hit his iris’s perfectly, making the auburn color seem more accentuated. If she thought that they were pretty before, now couldn’t even be described.

Unfortunately, the memories of what happened last time she was in this position flooded back to her. She cleared her throat and removed her head, replicating his position on the barrier. The werewolf missed the disappointed look that he gave her.

“So, why are you up?”

Zuko nodded his head toward the large wall that Y/n had seen when she woke up. “I wanted to see the Wall while I still had the chance,” at her confused look, the boy continued. “That’s the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. I’m sure once everyone wakes up they’ll be crowding to see it.”

Y/n remembered what Jet had said the night before, about wanting to set his eyes on the wall. This must’ve been what he meant. She had to remind herself that this was a monumental moment for a lot of people.

“Do you think it’ll be good here? Like the people and stuff?” She asked.

The boy’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Probably not, the only people that come here are filthy refugees. It’s not like we’ll be here long anyways; we’re just waiting for everything to calm down and pass.”

“Right... and then you guys will go back to your ‘castle’ or whatever.” She whispered solemnly.

“Well, yeah, that’s the plan.” Zuko snorted.

People had started to crowd around the edges of the boat; it seemed like more passengers were waking up. She looked back to her group and found that Iroh and the Freedom Fighters had risen as well. She stated that fact to the boy next to her.

“We should head back anyways.” He offered.

Y/n shook her head. “You go ahead, I want to take one last look.”

Zuko went back to the group and left her to her thoughts.

Some part of her knew that this was going to happen. Their partnership was just that, a partnership. Zuko let her join their trip because he thought that she could help them; not because he cared. And once he does whatever his father wants him to, he’ll go running back home with his uncle. She was never part of that equation.

She scolded herself after thinking this, but she wished that she was more permanent in the duo’s life. She would probably still keep in touch with Iroh after they left, but with Zuko? Not so much.

And what was she going to do after then? Stay here in Ba Sing Se?

Y/n decided that she was just going to cross that bridge when she gets there. Worrying was just going to stress her out.

After that inner battle, she had gone back to the group and helped them pack up. Just as they finished, the ferry had landed on shore and the workers were directing them off. They had to walk a bit, but eventually they made their way to a train station that would bring them into the walls of the city.

First, however, they had to get their passports checked one last time before they could hop on the train. They waited in the line for what felt like hours until finally, they were up next.

“So... Mr. Lee, Ms. Y/n, and Mr... Mushy, is it?” The ticket woman asked with a suspicious look on her face as her eyes scanned their passports. In response, they all smiled at her politely.

Iroh, however, just had to correct her. “It’s pronounced Mushi.”

The woman fumed. Her nostrils flared and her eyes turned to slits.

“You telling me how to do my job?”

Iroh visibly panicked. He quickly made his way up to her desk. “Uh, no, no.” He cleared his throat. “But may I just say: you're like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating.”

Y/n let out a laugh, but disguised it as a cough when the ticket woman glared at her. The werewolf looked off to the side and saw that Zuko had a repulsed look on his face.

“You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome.” The woman winked at Iroh and let out a purr. Then, she stamped three tickets and handed them to the old man. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se!”

Iroh smiled at her and turned around, looking at the teens with a proud look on his face. Zuko, instead, snatched his ticket out of his uncle’s hand and stormed off, muttering how he never wanted to see that again.

‘Mushi’ handed Y/n her ticket as they followed his nephew.

“You know, I didn’t know you had that in you.” She smirked and bumped shoulders with him.

He held himself up and puffed out his chest. “I used to be quite the lady’s man when I was your age.”

They laughed together and caught up with Zuko. The boy was still a little upset about what he had seen, but was otherwise in a pretty good mood.

The trio had to wait a couple minutes for the train to come; the teens sitting on both sides of Iroh. They sat in silence, with Y/n starting up her people-watching hobby again. She looked over to her left and saw Jet walk up to them once again.

“So,” He started, “you guys got plans once you're inside the city?”

Y/n was going to answer him, saying something about how she was dying to eat some food, when a screaming man passed by them with a cart.

“Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!” The man yelled.

Iroh waved his hand excitedly at the cart. “Ooh! Jasmine, please!”

The tea man brought his cart over and poured his drink into Iroh’s and, after asking, Y/n’s leaf cups. The uncle paid for their drinks and smelled it happily. Y/n took the first sip, but swallowed it quickly with an ‘ew.’ Iroh looked at her curiously, then took a sip from his.

“Ugh!” He spit it out dramatically. “Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace!”

“I know right.” The werewolf replied with a scrunched up face.

While they insulted their cups of tea, Jet and Zuko left to go talk privately. It’s probably because of how loud they were being.

“Can’t you just like,” She made movements with her free hand. “Heat this up?”

Iroh looked at her like she made the greatest epiphany. “You’re right!”

Y/n couldn’t see any flames emitting from his palms, but soon enough, steam began to slither out the top of the cup.

The girl’s eyes widened in excitement. “Do mine!”

They switched cups and she watched as the same procedure occurred to her tea. He handed it to her and they both took a sip happily. Zuko came back, but they weren’t really concerned with what he left to talk about.

Suddenly, though, Zuko’s hand stuck out and slapped the cup out of his uncle’s hands. Iroh’s arm, not being prepared for the movements, flew back and hit Y/n’s cup as well. Two cups laid on the floor, their contents spread around them.

“Hey!” Iroh and Y/n yelled out at the same time.

Angrily, Zuko looked at them and whispered. “What are you doing firebending your tea? For a wise, old man, that was a pretty stupid move!”

Y/n almost went off on the boy, but, after seeing the calm and mournful expression on Iroh’s face, calmed herself down as to not get into another argument.

“I know you’re not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but it’s just so sad.” The uncle sniffled with his eyes trained on the floor.

She almost felt bad for him, but decided not to bud into their family drama. Instead, she expressed her confusion on Zuko’s phrases.

“What’s so wrong with firebending, huh?” She huffed and crossed her arms.

Y/n didn’t really mean anything by her question, she kind of asked it jokingly, but Zuko scoffed and rolled his eyes. Was there really something wrong with it?

She looked out at Iroh questioningly, but he just smiled and waved his hand to dismiss her. Maybe it’s a prince thing? I really don’t know.

Before she could question it further, the train came down the railways, but it was being pushed by... people? Were they earthbenders?

Could I learn to do that?

Zuko ushered the two of them up and over to an empty part of the train. They entered it and took a seat, Y/n in the middle of them.

“What a handsome baby,” Iroh smiled at the family next to him. Y/n bent to look at the baby and awed at the sight. This was the first human baby she’s seen!

Suddenly, they started moving and Y/n looked around as they were surrounded in darkness. She almost panicked, but after seeing that no one else was scared, she calmed down.

Then, light burst through the windows.

The werewolf’s eyes widened as she took in the sight around her. There were blocks of plants racing past them, possibly farming areas. Everything was just so spacious, the only time she had seen something so empty was in the Wu Shong Desert, the only difference here being the lush greenery. She stood up from her seat and turned to look out the window behind her.

“Zuko! Look!” Y/n grasped onto his shoulder to make him see an animal, something huge that she’d never seen before, only to have him pull her back to her seat abruptly.

“Sit down, you’re being weird.” He looked around cautiously. “And if we’re in public, call me Lee.”

Y/n looked around as well and saw that a few people were looking at her; some of the adults smiling at her childish curiosity. She blushed and adjusted her skirt in her seat. Still, though, she tilted her head to see the passing views.

Maybe being in Ba Sing Se will be better than she thought...

___

and now we go to Ba Sing Se!! I was so excited to get here, I just wanted to get this out of the way oml

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Masterlist

Taglist: @bucky-blogs @hopefuloperaangelnerd @simplyfandomish @oddlypointlessescapes @lozzybowe @woohoney @whalerus @cece-lives-here @bwndito @kiaoizz @lrmilikepie

#atla #lok #zuko #zuko x reader #zuko x you

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honeyhellsbells · 4 years

Text

Some Obey me Headcanons!

This wasn’t anything requested, nor is it canon, just a few things I thought about while playing the game and brought together in a post that is far too long :) feel free to add your own thoughts and opinions, what you agree or disagree with!

Lucifer

Chronic nailbiter. He is constantly under a lot of stress and while he has trained himself to stop bouncing his legs this habit never really went away. Asmodeus is the only one who knows since he is on permanent manicure duty and once tried one of those bitter tasting nail polishes only to have to run for his life when Lucifer found out. The only thing that works for him are his trusty gloves which he only takes off for the bathroom and for the rare times he goes to sleep.

Dyes his hair black every once in a while. While his hair grows very slowly the same stress that makes him bite his nails gifts him with a few stray grey hairs every now and then. Of course his appearance is important to him and he could not bare the teasing he would have to endure from his brothers so he just uses hairdye.

No one but Barbatos knows how much sugar he usually puts in his coffee. He would never admit that he hates the bitter taste but he is not too fond of milk either so he drowns it in sugar. The demon butler is still the only person to brew it to perfection, but he is also a little shit that sometimes puts enough sugar in to make the coffee solid.

Mammon

Actually quite good with money when it comes to calculating, his uncontrollable greed just always wrecks his plans before they can work out.

He once won the jackpot of the biggest lottery in the Devildom and spent almost everything in one night. Against popular belief though, most of the money went towards his brothers, as he purchased most of the things they had wished for for a long time anonymously. All of them know where it came from but Mammon gets far to embarrassed to actually admit to it.

He gets constant nightmares, by now they keep him up almost every night, but he thinks that he can't go to his brothers for comfort since they would only end up making fun of him. Little did he know that he once spilled the beans to his little (big) brother Beelzebub after a long night of getting drunk and since then the glutton made sure to always give him some of his special good night tea before curfew. Mammon doesn't know what it is supposed to do but he doesn't complain since it tastes nice and it's rare that his brothers do something genuinely nice for him.

Leviathan

He didn't pay for most of the snacks he hoards in his room, they mostly come from raffles he entered and never won the first price for. Of course he shares most of the food he doesn't like but other than that he has enough provision to stay locked in his room for months at a time.

Sometimes he gets so engrossed in his video games that he just forgets to take care of himself. More often than he'd like to admit he had been dragged out of his room by one of his brothers to get rid of the stench and to be thrown in the nearest bathtub. Sometimes he does it on purpose since he likes being taken care of.

Has a very nice singing voice. Starting from singing along with the anime openings he likes he started to take online lessons. While Asmodeus could charm some people as a lead singer of a cover band, Levi has the potential to actually become famous with his voice. He is very dedicated to his hobbies, whether it's gaming or singing and he has improved spectacularly in a very short amount of time. But he is also very shy and so for now his only audience is whichever Henry is currently sharing a room with him.

Asmodeus

While charming people is as easy as breathing to him, he actually feels more lonely every time a person enters and exits his bedroom. Not that he would ever admit it, but his charm often feels more like a curse. How is he supposed to know if the people he shares a bed with are actually attracted to him as a person or just to the Lust he practically radiates?

He craves attention and affection for the same reason. While he likes looking good for himself, hearing praises from strangers and more importantly from his brothers, makes him feel more like a person again.

As the Avatar of Lust he enjoys sex more than most but what he craves the most from it is the intimacy. He is always down for rougher sessions but most days he prefers a gentle partner. He also gets quite offended and hurt when his partner wants to skip aftercare, not matter how intense things got. The act itself is important to him but being taken care of afterwards and being allowed to take care of them as well is even more so. Being denied that pleasure is unforgivable to him.

Can't stand pick up artists. If he sees a lady or a gentleman being targeted he often just slips in between, stealing the prey right from the despicable predator before offering them something to drink and an explanation. Seeing those people trudge away dejected with their tails between their legs brings him the biggest high he could imagine.

He has so many sugar demons, he hardly has to pay for anything himself. Cosmetics, clothing, food, you name it, he has someone who will provide and he is quite liberal with sharing when it comes to his loved ones.

Satan

Suppressing his anger gives him frequent headaches. Reading usually makes it worse but by now he is so used to the dull ache that he can mostly ignore it. It's a secret between the two of them but every once in a while Lucifer will take Satan out to a remote location where he can explode to his hearts content and scream at his older brother as much as he needs to make the headaches fade. It doesn't help with his hate for his brother but at least it makes him feel a little better.

He reads the fastest out of most demons he knows. He isn't sure if its due to how much he actually reads or if it's just a talent he has been born with but he is able to retain the information on a page by just skimming over it.

The only time he can really forget his anger and his troubles is when he get to play with some cats or dogs. Animals have never cared for his temper, if anything most of them were even more drawn to him than to any of his brothers. He once spent three hours sitting on the floor of a shelter because a family of three kittens fell asleep on his lap and he didn't want to wake them. It was a bit embarrasing that he needed help to stand up again afterwards because both of his leg fell asleep.

Beelzebub

Even with the vast amount of food he consumes constantly, Beel is quite picky when it comes to spices and textures. Some spices give him a horrible stomach ache and certain textures are so gross to him that they make him gag. Unfortunately he tends to forget which spices and ingredients he doesn't like so it's always a new game of Russian Roulette when he goes to dinner at a new place.

Some restaurant owners in the Devildom have blacklisted him. At first they were ecstatic having a demon lord in their establishment but that soon turned into horror when he ate them all out of house and home only to wander over to the next restaurant after he had paid his bill. Other owners on the other hand always keep extra ingredients on hand just in case if he decides to drop in, which he always does.

He loves children, but he is a bit too scared to approach them to play. He's a big guy and even stronger than he looks so he is worried he might scare them off or hurt one of them on accident. During the internship Diavolo had suggested, where each demon still in school should try to find a job they could see themselves working in the future, Beelzebub had dared to intern in a demon daycare.

Against his worries the little ankle biters loved him to bits, crawling all over the tree of a demon, hanging from his arms and legs as he tried to clean up after them only to end up covered in children again during nap time.

Belphegor

He has his special pillow for a reason. While others tended to make fun of his appearance in demon form, after all a cow seemed hardly intimidating compared to some of his brothers, his twin made sure to let him know how awesome he thought he looked until he presented him with his own custom made pillow scented with the perfume oils Lilith had loved to wear when she had snuck out to earth.

He hates being so lethargic the entire day. He often gets jealous of his brothers going out without him since he often can't go too many hours without a nap. Sometimes he gets himself sick by falling asleep in the park in an effort to get some fresh air only to get rained on for a good hour until his body decided to wake him up again.

He is quite good at some sports though. His motivation and strenghts tends to come in waves and once is feels at least kind of rested enough he could easily take down Lucifer or Beelzebub in a fight or outrun any of them without any kind of competition.

Solomon

He genuinely doesn't know how old he actually is. He knows when and where he was born but dabbling in magic sometimes came with unforseen consequences. While he always managed to find a way out, he had accidently sent himself straight into the void more than once. Magic was funny like that and there was no way of knowing how the time was flowing there. He stopped wondering about it after he almost gave poor Barbatos a stroke when he asked him to look into his future and whether or not something like that was bound to happen again any time soon. He took his reaction as a clear yes.

Forgery is one of his specialities. He can't very well use official papers with his actual birthdate so he became a master at producing any kind of ID or license he might need. He does have a drivers license but nobody can tell if it's actually legit or not (it isn't).

Experimenting and tasting potions has indefinitely messed up his sense of taste and smell. The only reason why his cooking is so awful and he doesn't seem to care is because everything tastes the same for him. Not even the spiciest of peppers can make him feel anything which he likes to take advantage of to make people freak out. There is nothing more funny to him than to watch other peoples eyes grow bigger and bigger as he chows down on one Carolina Reaper after the other as if they were just candy.

Luke

He tends to get quite underestimated only for his size. Angels come in all shapes and sizes and he actually is not that much younger than Simeon or much weaker. But while he is more used to doing „office work“, Simeon gets to work in the field more often, making Luke a little softer around the edges, at least when it comes to appearance.

He loves baking but too much sweets or sugar make him sick very easily. Mostly he bakes them for the aesthetic anyways and because has a reason to pester Barbatos for new recipes. The demon butler scares him a little but he always tends to let some gossip slip when distracted and Luke valued that kind of information a lot.

Since he was always kind of seen as the harmless little kid, angels and demons alike never saw him as a threat and just talked trash around him all the time. If he ever got fed up from the mistreatment he would have enough verbal ammunition to start another Celestial War. The only person he confides in is Simeon, which makes him even more glad that they got to go to the Devildom together.

Simeon

Surprisingly naive for an angel of his age and rank. He tends to say he's just very friendly or forgiving but many compare him to a doormat and wouldn't be too far from the truth. Good luck to those however that manage to get him genuinely angry. Satan had nothing on this angel if he got fed up enough. Angels were pacifists by nature but Simeon has a tongue sharper than a razorblade and no fucks left to give once he has reached his limit. He never has to raise his voice but the pure venom that spouts from his mouth is enough to make even Lucifer cry. Even though his anger is always justified he always feels bad afterwards.

He is very sensitive to tastes and smells but he also doesn't want to hurt the feelings of the person that went through the trouble of cooking for him. He clears his plate with a gentle smile and compliments the food but he can't help to throw up later once he is by himself again.

He was one of the angels tempted to follow the gems of heaven into rebellion. It was no secret that he and Lucifer were close during their time together in the Celestial Realm and the Morning Star often confided in him when he thought that things were getting to much for him. He never did rebel but he still often thinks about how different his life would be now if he would've followed them to hell.

Diavolo

While appearing confident, he still doubts his every move as future King. He always had the feeling that his father didn't care too much about relations between realms and in a way he hadn't either until recently. He thinks the exchange program was a good step in the right direction but he always wonders if something like this could turn sour very fast as well. The peace, if you could call it that, between the Celestial Realm and the Devildom was still very unstable and while heaven and hell would be quite unaffected if another war was to break out, he couldn't help but think about the real victims. Humans were at fault for most of their own wars but to involve them in something so much larger than them was just wrong.

He doesn't understand much of it, but he absolutely loves internet culture with their funny words and memes that he always takes out of context and uses wrong, much to Levis chargrin. The ones he actually understands he still uses in the wrong way just to make others angry. Just because he is to be king, doesn't mean that he always has to act that way.

He frequently thinks about taking a human as a partner. Of course there would be risks, but what better way to build a bridge between the realms than this? His heirs would be half demon, half human, with all the perks of both races and none of the downsides, right? As usual it fell to Lucifer and Barbatos to stop the daydreams of the prince since while it might sound good in his head, just the bureaucratic mess such a marriage would produce was more than reason to talk him out of it. But it still didn't keep him from his usual trek to the human realm to scope out possible suitors.

Barbatos

Another person who doesn't know how old he actually is, but unlike Solomon, Barbatos doesn't remember ever been born either. He's not sure if he had always been a demon or if he had been an angel just like the demon lords, but by now he has stopped caring to find out. For all his life he had been dedicated to keeping reality in check and keep idiots from meddling with the timelines, as well as serving the current king or prince of the Devildom. By now it was the only thing he knew to do and the only thing he felt confident in doing. He's probably the only person who is a hundert percent honest that he has none when asked what his hobbies are.

He never had an issue with his temper, until Diavolo became ruler of hell and the harbingers of chaos fell from the sky. Since then he went from his usual schedule of cleaning, making food and organizing the schedule of the ruler as well to trying his best to keep himself from just chucking the entire tray of the afternoon coffee at Diavolo when he kept pestering him with his stupid jokes. (Diavolo got doused in scalding hot coffee a least three times by now)

If asked he couldn't also possibly say when he last had a proper meal sitting down. He usually snacks on the ingredients he uses while cooking, taste testing everything to make sure Diavolo won't end up throwing another tantrum. Because of that he gets frequent indigestion due to the fact that many of the ingredients are not actually meant to be consumed raw, but Barbatos is a busy demon and a stomach ache is just another inconvenience for him.

If he got one Grimm for every sigh and every urge he suppressed to throw haymakers 24/7 out of frustration he could've bought Diavolos castle millenia ago.

#not a request #headcanons #obey me #obey me shall we date #lucifer #mammon #leviathan #satan #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphegor #luke #solomon #simeon #diavolo #barbatos

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lovemalecforever · 3 years

Text

Chapter 16

Angels and Immortality

After resolving the issue, Jace and Alec went in search of others and found them in the library, reading the history of parabatai.

"So, how does this procedure work exactly?" Jace spoke.

Izzy and Clary exchanged a look, then looked at Alec and smiled widely. "Finally, Jace! Glad to know you got back into senses." Izzy commented.

"I had my own worries, okay? Don't look at me like that!" He eyed both women.

"Okay, enough!" Alec said. "I'll call Cat and let her know!"

They all nodded and Alec left the room to call Catarina. After 15 minutes Catarina came with the book held in her hands with the help of her magic and met them in the library, she kept the book on the circular table placed in the library and looked at Alec worriedly.

"Alec, can I talk to you privately?" She asked, her tone visibly worried.

"Yeah, sure." He frowned but followed her outside.

They were standing in the hallway outside the library when Catarina voiced her concern.

"Alec, did you talk to Magnus today?"

"Yeah, in the evening. He seemed fine. Why, what's wrong?"

"Alec, I got a call from Miss Rose, she's Madzie's teacher here at NY, they've organised a world tour for all the warlock children, she was in Alicante to take Madzie. She left with her around half an hour ago. Alec, Magnus-"

"He's alone..." He said with concern dipped in his voice, instantly getting worried for his husband.

"Alec, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm calling Magnus to check up on him, you go inside and explain Clary her part." He said. Catarina nodded and left.

Alec sighed, rubbed the bridge of his nose, then took out his phone from his pants pocket and dialled Magnus's number.

__________________

Magnus kept refilling his glass of Dry Martini, trying to wash away the emptiness and disappointment residing inside him. He was standing by the bar counter, eyeing the dance floor and ordering a new refill when his phone buzzed, he saw the caller ID and gulped. He quickly took the glass from the counter then put a sound barrier spell around himself blocking all the noise of the bar around him then received the call.

"Alexander, thought you wouldn't call. How was your day?" He said trying to sound cheerful.

"Hey, love. It was fine. What are you doing?"

"Oh, n.. nothing, just tucked Madzie into the bed, she's really stubborn and mischievous, didn't want to go to sleep. She finally slept just now. It was such a tiring day running around her. She's a sweetheart though. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I'm thinking of teaching her some new tricks." He gulped, hating lying to him but he didn't want him to worry.

Alec clenched his fist tightly, anger seeping through his body after hearing a clear white lie from his husband. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, not wanting to yell at him, remembering the state he could be in. "Magnus! Seriously!" He said coldly instead.

"Alexander, what? What happened?"

"Really Magnus!?"

Magnus was about to say something when realisation dawned on him. 'Shit! How can I be such an idiot! Catarina is with him in New York, she must have told him, and I lied to him right now. Damn you, Magnus!' he cursed himself.

"A... Alexander, I.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie to you, I just didn't want you to get worried, that's all. I'm really sorry."

Alec sighed heavily. "Magnus, if you keep lying to me like this, how can you expect me to not get worried?"

"I... I understand and I'm really sorry, Alexander. I just-"

"Are you drinking?" Alec asked sternly, cutting him mid-sentence.

"What!?" Magnus was shocked by his sudden question.

"Are you drinking, Magnus?" He asked again.

Magnus looked down at the glass he held in his hand of Lilith knows what number of refills, and gulped nervously. "N..No. No, I'm not drinking, Alexander. I was just about to go to bed. Don't worry, I'm fine."

Alec rubbed his temples in frustration. He could clearly hear his hoarse and rough voice, the voice he always gets after infinite no. of drinking. But is still oblivious to the fact that his husband is at a bar in Germany and not at home. "Fine, Magnus. Just take care of yourself, love. I'll try to be back as soon as I can."

"Hey, do your job, shadowhunter, I'm fine, okay. I'll go to bed now."

Alec sighed. "Okay, I love you, bye."

"I love you too, darling."

Magnus sighed heavily when he cut the call and removed the barrier around him. He looked at the glass in his hand, rubbing his finger around the rim of the glass, he closed his eyes, thinking about the lies he just said to his shadowhunter, then opened his eyes and swallowed the content of the glass in one big gulp. He then paid the bartender and left, completely oblivious to the deep black pair of eyes watching his every move.

"Oh my love, so vulnerable, Magnus. It's going to be so much fun." The woman gave a vile smirk and disappeared into the crowd of people.

___________________

Alec sighed frustratingly. 'Why Magnus! Why do you lie to me so much? Why hide your pain? Why don't you talk to me? Just why?' he thought as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He stood in the hallway for sometime, calming his nerves then walked inside the library, noticing everyone's eyes were on him.

"Are you okay, big brother?" Izzy asked, voice filled with concern.

Alec nodded in response.

"Alec is Magnus," Catarina started, but Alec cut her mid-sentence.

"Not fine. He lied to me again. He's drinking, even when I've warned him not to." He looked at Cat, noticing her worried filled eyes for her best friend.

"Can we just please get this over with!" Alec said in a low voice, everyone nodded knowing talking about Magnus will only worsen Alec's worries. Jace put his hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed it gently.

The book was placed in the center of the table, and everyone took their places beside it, giving Alec one final look of reassurance.

"Clary? You know what to do, right?" Catarina asked, and Clary nodded.

Clary closed her eyes and focused her attention on calling Angel Ithuriel.

"I calleth upon thee, Angel Ithuriel. Prithee hark to mine plea." She repeated it like a chant several times but she frowned and opened her eyes when it didn't work.

"It's not working..."

"Is there something written in the book on how to call upon him?" Alec asked Cat, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

"No, there's nothing in this book for that. I've gone through it many times already. Sorry, Alec."

"Try something else, Clary. Maybe say it in your mind instead of saying it out loud. Don't stress yourself, just relax first then try again." Izzy suggested she saw the look on her brother's face and hated seeing him like this. She wanted to do anything she could to make her brothers happy.

Clary nodded as she took a few deep breaths to relax herself, then closed her eyes again and concentrated.

"The light to the darkness, the creator of our kind, the one we pray to. I calleth upon thee. Prithee hark to mine cries for thee. I plea for thy presence." She said in her mind, then started repeating it like a chant, just when she thought it's not working again, her body became stiff, she felt cold and felt like she's falling down from an infinite spiral of darkness, the world around her completely gone.

Everyone looked at Clary in shock when her body became stiff like a statue. Her skin became pale and she looked really peaceful like that.

"Guys, her skin is really cold." Izzy said when she touched her.

"Clary? Are you okay? Clairebear?" Jace asked, worried filled in his voice for his girlfriend.

"What's happening?" Alec asked.

Izzy was about to touch her again when Catarina stopped her. "I think it worked, we can just wait for now." She said and looked at the others. They all nodded and looked at Clary's stiff form.

Clary felt like she got stuck in an infinity loop when she finally felt ground beneath her. She got up and opened her eyes. When she did, she saw bright white light all around her. When her eyes adjusted to her surroundings she realized that she was in a forest completely covered in mist. There was the rustle of winds and whispers of distant forest creatures. The forest seemed like it was enchanted.

"Why did you call upon me Clarissa?" A heavenly voice echoed in the whole forest.

"Angel Ithuriel!" She looked around to find him, but there was no one.

"I'll only appear when you give me the reason for your visit." The voice echoed again.

"I need your help, Angel Ithuriel. My friends need your help. He has a request for you."

"What is that, Clarissa?" The voice was soft this time but still had the heavenly essence in it.

Clary explained to him all about Magnus and Alec and the situation they were in, and Alec's request to get an immortality spell from him. When she was done she saw Angel Ithuriel standing in front of her in all his glory. She smiled helplessly.

"Immortality is not something to gain, Clarissa. This spell was removed from existence because of the consequential damages it wreaked upon the mortal lives. I've only provided to those who have proven their worth that they'll cherish and respect it, not regret and waste it."

"Alec won't disappoint, Angel Ithuriel. He'll respect it till his death."

"I'm not risking it until I see it for myself, Clarissa. I want to see from his eyes why becoming immortal means so much to him."

Clary's eyes widened. "But, how?"

"Is that person sitting near you?"

"Yes."

"Then hold his hand and don't remove it until I ask you to." He said and put his right hand over her head.

Everyone was tense with Clary's state, she hadn't moved in the last 15 minutes. They all started to get worried when Clary moved her right hand.

"Clary?" Jace asked.

"Looks like she's searching for something! Clary? What is it?" Izzy asked.

"Alec!" She whispered, sounding completely different from her own self.

Everyone looked at Alec, and Alec moved his right hand forward and held her hand. He didn't feel anything at first, but after some time he felt a wave of energy flowing inside him and invading his mind and memories. He closed his eyes to block the sudden brightness which appeared in front of his eyes. After what felt like an eternity but were just ten minutes, he felt the energy withdrawing from him. He opened his eyes and saw that everyone except Clary was looking at him with shock written on their faces. Not long after, Clary withdrew her hand and went back into her trance state.

"Okay, that was weird!" Alec stated.

The angel removed his hand from Clary's head when he was done going through Alec's memories. Clary looked at him expectantly, desperately wanting to help Magnus if this was the only solution left.

"I see, that boy is really determined and strong. His passion and protective nature will make him even stronger. His intentions and heart are really pure. I'm ready to help him, Clarissa."

"Thank you, Angel Ithuriel."

The angel put his hand forward and a light golden colored ball appeared in it. "These are the spells, Clarissa. I'm giving it to you now."

He absorbed the energy in his hand and put his thumb on Clary's forehead.

They were all confused and shocked after what happened a few minutes ago. Alec was feeling restless, and others were looking at Clary and waiting for her to get out of her never-ending trance. Suddenly, Clary's forehead started glowing with bright golden lights.

"Clary! What the.." Jace exclaimed.

"Paper! Pen! Fast!" Clary whispered.

Catarina quickly summoned a pen in her hand and a piece of paper in front of her. As soon as Clary felt the pen around her fingers she started scribbling on the paper. Once she was done, the glow on her forehead stopped and she got out of her trance-like state with a loud gasp. She blinked a few times to adjust to the surroundings.

"Clary! Claire Bear! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jace." She said softly but suddenly widened her eyes at Jace. "Did you just called me...?"

Jace blushed, not realizing he called her by the nickname they decided not to say in front of others. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, didn't realize I said it." He pleaded with his eyes not to be mad at him.

"Aww.. as much as this is fun seeing you both like that, we need to know what happened." Izzy said mockingly, earning a glare from Jace.

"I got the spells!" Clary exclaimed while holding the paper in her hands. Everyone sighed with relief and she handed the paper to Catarina when she asked for it.

"So, what's next?" Jace asked.

As soon as he asked, a copper bowl with intricate designs over it, and a metallic dagger laced with emeralds and diamonds on its handle appeared on the table.

"Next is," Catarina said, "Clary, you're going to cut your palm with the help of this dagger and pour your blood in this bowl, then I'll perform the spell on it and keep it in the moonlight. Alec, I'll let you know when you have to reach the forest, I'll be present there already."

Alec nodded in response. Clary went ahead with the procedure, after filling the bowl to its brim, she felt exhausted. Izzy helped her by activating her iratze, healing her cut instantly. Catarina vanished the bowl and the book into her apartment then took her leave and left.

"So, you're going to drink my girlfriend's blood, I didn't say it before, but it's disturbing, Alec."

Alec glared at him. "Shut up! Jace!"

"Come on, people. Let's get some rest." Izzy said while dragging everyone out of the library and into their rooms.

*************************

*Next day at the early stage of dawn*

Alec stepped out of the portal into a jungle, where Catarina was already there completing the pentagram. The copper bowl with the blood already turned into golden white was kept on the ground. He looked around, it was dead silent, the stars were gone and the sky had started turning into light shades of blue. He could see the moon vanishing into the clouds.

"Alec, on time. You need to remove your shirt and step in the center of the pentagram. You have to handle me your stele and your pho-"

"I've already given it to Jace." He handed her the stele, then stepped inside the silver pentagram drawn on the ground. Then she handed him a bowl of blood.

Alec looked at the bowl in his hand and sighed heavily. 'I love you, Magnus. Always and forever.' he thought to himself, then looked at Catarina and nodded.

He took the bowl and placed it on his lips and started sipping on it, as on cue Catarina started performing the spell simultaneously.

With each sip, he felt a tingling sensation in every part of his body. He could feel the smallest of the sensation, the gentle wind touching his skin felt like millions of sharp needles poking on his skin. His blood rushing through his veins, the slow rhythmic beating of his heart, he was able to feel everything. By the time he was done drinking, he noticed that his whole body was glowing.

Catarina waited till he stopped glowing, then she stepped into the pentagram, stood in front of him, and placed the immortality rune right above his heart to seal the spell. Once she was done she stepped out of the pentagram.

"I have completed the procedure, Alec. Your awakening will start in some time and I can't stay here for that. It will be really powerful, so I'll leave now."

"Thank you, Cat. Your help meant a lot."

She nodded and smiled at him then created a portal for herself and left.

After sometime Alec felt pain surging throughout his body, he screamed and fell on the ground.

"It's not easy to turn into an immortal, Alec." A heavenly voice said.

Alec looked around and saw a man standing by the woods who was slowly walking towards him.

"A.. Angel Ithuriel!?" He gaped at the man who was looking glorious, a huge pair of white wings were fluttering by his sides and was in ancient clothing.

"Yes, it's me, Alec. You're really brave, but it's not going to be easy, child."

"I'll d...do my best, A... Angel Ithuriel! I.. I want this." He managed to say while gritting his teeth because of the immense pain surging in his body, especially on his spine and shoulders.

He screamed in pain and fisted his hands in the grass beneath him as all his pain got centered around his spine and shoulder blades and he felt his skin and muscles getting ripped and something crawling out of it.

He fell on the ground and screamed as loudly as he could, his eyes becoming watery when all the pain got focused on his ripped skin and his shoulders and back started getting heavy. He felt the blood oozing out of it and flowing down on his back.

He composed himself and started getting up when he felt the pain fading away, but heaviness was still there. His mouth fell open when he realized the source of the heaviness.

He stood straight then looked around himself and found a pair of 8 foot long appendages on either side. Before he could react his body started glowing again, his runes glowing a brilliant shade of goldish silver, his beautiful hazel eyes turned into a mesmerizing pair of icy silver, and his wings fluttering beside him.

The angel looked at him in complete disbelief, his eyes never leaving the newly awakened angeled shadowhunter.

"A.. Angel Ithuriel? Is something wrong?" Alec asked the wide-eyed angel, once he stopped glowing and his eyes turned back to hazel.

The older angel stepped forward and ran his fingers through Alec's wings, each feather carved in three different colors, white on the base blending into brilliant silver-tipped with a light tint of gold.

"Silver!" The heavenly voice stated. "Silver is a rare color for angels to have, Alec. You might not have realized, but your eyes turned to icy silver for a fraction of the time. The angels possessing silver eyes and wings are very rare and really powerful. They are supposed to be great warriors and protectors of the earth."

The older angel looked at Alec with gleam and pride in his eyes. "You were destined to become an angel, Alec Lightwood. If you wouldn't have chosen for yourself, destiny would have caught you up in some other ways. You're brave, strong-willed, a leader, with a pure heart who wants to protect his loved ones by any means. You are one of your own kind, Alec."

Alec's jaw was dropped on the floor and he was left completely speechless by the older angel's confrontation. His wings fluttered and curled around his legs in excitement.

"Wha.. I.." He looked at the wings curled around himself in confusion.

Angel Ithuriel smiled. "Your wings are part of your body now, Alec. They will react to your emotions and feelings."

"Oh! But on my shoulders, it's still painful. And the heaviness.." he trailed off, still confused by the new abilities he gained.

"That's why I'm here, you're here, in the bed of nature, nature is the source of our energy, it's going to help you. Now, let's help you control your awakened powers."

Alec nodded and stepped out of the pentagram with his new pair of wings and a newly turned immortal. He smiled to himself knowing he's an immortal now. 'Only for you, Mags. I love you, always and forever.'

#asaab #angst with a happy ending #angst #fanfic authors #alec lightwood #fanfiction #lightwood bane family #malec forever #malec fic #fantasy #fanfic #happily married #magnus bane #malec

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heat0death0of0the0universe · 4 years

Text

i gotta talk about Narrative Telephone

I. Fucking. Love. It.

when my extreme dislike of second-hand embarrassment takes a loud backseat i can fin so much that i love about it.

but what i love most isn't the humor. or even the continued critical role content. no, i love the allegory and the metaphor of the whole concept.

all my life i loved the concept of watching time move forward. seeing evolution, hearing language change, watching cultures rise and fall. but what i dont like is time and the fact that im along for the ride. id rather watch evolution, not be step 48801 of a process with no end. and sadly most media and general public doesn't like watching time change. no one wants too see how the English language evolves with a rise in Spanish speaking folks and pop culture creating new idioms and words. everyone would much rather watch something with the same animals with the same people walking the same cities speaking the same language, albeit maybe with a few more neon lights and holograms to make you feel like its in some vague ~future~. but narrative telephone gives me the change i like to see. i can finally feel like im watching a story going through the times and changes of a culture.

im gonna need to explain a little more. what better way than to show off all the current episodes.

episode one is simple, pumat and the big bad wolf. the sorry starts with pumat on a stroll through the woods. he finds a talking wolf and they fight. the story ends with the pumat eating a nice mushroom and wolf stew. but the changes to the story are what get to me. i love ashley, trust me i really do. but in this context, she’s basically the dark ages. everything crumbles and the story follows in the crash. this point is when the more brothers grimm tales and nonsense folklore are added in. people dont like the night, so the seen changes to match. suddenly the wolf not only speaks, but has a beak! the fighting through being somewhat vague in the original story now is lost to time and is none existent. taliesin builds off it, changing it ever so slightly from a garbled to a more of a warning story. a story that reflects a change in a cultures thoughts on the woods. when everything was all writings and giant building the woods where just a place to rule over and harvest, but after the fall now its returned to the unexplored. the place of fey and monsters that should never be explored at night. marisha adds winter and gives it just the smallest bit of added context. a man in the woods during night before might have been seen as mad or crazy, but a man scrounging for some mushrooms in a dead forest in winter isnt tempting fate, he’s struggling to live. a shift in view also makes it so that the beaked magic wolf is just as weakened by the winter, and is easily turned away by just a voice. sam is..something. if ashley is the dark ages than id say sam is like a renaissance. specifically a very drunk renaissance. the kingdom was risen and is filled with hubris and pride.its gained a very “man falls for his hubris” greek vibe to it. pumat has gone from scavenging to walking unbothered by cold dead winter. the kingdom has lost its enjoyment of strange creatures, monsters are still around in legend, but most have been replaced with magical people, with a clear rise in “person in an animals skin” tropes. the original fight has been mostly lost, now the story is that of a magic hunter who eyes the mushrooms taken by pumat and gives a chuckle and permission to continue exploring the woods unimpeded. pumat eats just the mushrooms, which now have gained the lupine taste, and the vague description of “he became something more” giving the idea of some sort of curse for his nature. Laura has added back the wolfs anger, but removed the suspicion of pumat. the curse is still in the end of the story though. this could be a change into more of a forbidden fruit trope. because pumat still trusted strange mushrooms in a dead forest with a magic guardian, he paid the price. travis is a sort of close to modernization of the story. its the point in time when its nonsensical nature and magic was viewed as weird and convoluted. similar to when we look at older myths with long intricate plans and think “nice story, but poor pacing”. liam goes for the “granddad telling stories by the fire” vibe. the tale has died down and is being co-opted for new use. now the rather dark tale has turned into more of a children's storybook with messages like not to trust strangers and to not do drugs being tagged on.

ep. 2: jesters ability to say 1000 words a second. pickadors plume is a story in a story. a story about gaining a treasure through a complex and detailed series of events with lots of loaded lore about the world with no clear description of what the treasure truly is. liam is the first few generations. the generation close enough to the original to try and remember, but not enough to keep every detail. the best example is of the ending, where the treasure should be. humans love rewards, so a story with a vague reward isnt enough for people. in liams generation transition to the griffon, travel, and fruit specifically being the treasure begins to lay its foundations. since this is already so long i will also mention that the transition from stone shaped like a heart ---to----> stone shaped like a hut could be an example of a changing dialect and language. sam, travis, and marisha are clear evidence of a shift in culture. jesters complete backstory wasnt introduced till now. and in it comes the cultures want to explain this event. humans love simplifying, but we also love to describe things. if we want to, we will add words just as much as we remove them. the dialect changes just as much. the new word of “schtupping." has either replaced or become a synonym of the word fucking, the name of the plum as even changed too. the treasure has gone from “lost to time” to “there is treasure, i just wont name it”. but fret not, for the mystery aspect is still in the story. for now everything will disappear like it never happened, or did it? though travis specifically specifies that you keep the treasure. humans love rewards, it was gonna come back eventually. matt is the sorta an enlightening moment in the society. at the very least its the point in time where people who know geography and history say “wait, that layout doesnt make any sense”. taelisan and ashley are the beginning of the end. the slow fall into the dark ages. the story becomes vague and small. slowly becoming more of a statement and less of a story. the society is forgetting large chunks and its bleeding out into other legends. there maybe a sort of thanksgiving/ christmas sort of event spawned from or because of the myth, but the story itself isnt going to live every far (hence why its ending in a dark age and not somewhen else)

Ep. 3: boy do humans enjoy rich’s, love, and drama. sam’s story comes from a society that warns against wanting what you wish for without expecting some strings attached and features a evil ruler to boot, just so they can date the legend. the story of a delivery boy who invents a pair of glasses to see through objects and uses them to win rewards and gives them all to a rich woman that only loves him for the money, and really loves the prince. matt changes the story so the two are already in love. but also changed it so that it was the greed of the prince and the wife that lead to the heartbreak rather than the delivery boys naivety. travis changes delivery boy from a clever inventor to just already owning the glasses. both matt and travis with there respective fictional cultures are showing how humans like to remember the stuff they liked in a story, so when they forget when something specifically came in, they just fill in the blank and assume its always been there. travis specificaly begins the stories slow march to a less heartbreaking story by adding a joke to help give the couple a more flushed out relationship. this is also the shift in cultural perspective. the antagonist began his life as a evil prince, but now is simply a rotten neighbor. this could mean the myth was co-opted to fit a better role, possibly after the removal of monarchy or just of a specific bloodline.the rich wife becomes just the wife, no money involved. this is also the beginning of what a full fledged re-write of the story. now the delivery man has gone from giving up to still being in love with the wife and now even standing up for himself. (possibly a mix of when the story was of a prince and used to promote the common folk to rise up against the kings, leading to the theory of a removal of the crown). ashely...oh ashely. this moment in history atleast solidifies the love between them, and even brings back delivery husbands inventor skills. liam is the slow clawing climb back up out of the collapse. he’s still very much in the collapse of the kingdom. but aleast its just before when begin to solidify into the new meta of the era. laura and taelisin’s era is a complete re-write after the collapse of the society. the focus has moved to more of a folk-hero style legend about rising above through theft and cheating (could mean that after the collapse the culture around theft changed from crime to fighting to survive. the antagonist has really changed from being the bad guy to just in the love triangle. the society seems to agree with every polyamourous person when we all say “this how drama triangle could have been avoided if you guys all just got together”. marisha’s only real change a more modernization from “specticals” to “goggles” and that the culture either wants to make half-orcs feel more inclusive or just really dont like goliaths and changed it.

ep. 4: deargodfinallyigottheneedtowritethisoutofmysystemsoletsspeedrunthisshit. liams story is an analogy for the horrors, pointlessness, and sacrifics of war. but over time the story shifts from a “we did this to ourselves” narrative to a “an outside force did this to use”. this shifts the goal from a need for peace to a need to protect everyone for the sake of the many. ill write more later but dear god i my hand might fall off soon

#cr #critical role #narrative telephone #telephone

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langdxn · 4 years

Note

Cody asking for the new girl Y/N in the party that the crew of AHS organized today. One of his cast friends tell to him that she just didn't come. She was a very reserved actress and was a very introvert girl, she prefer be in the comfort of her home. What she doesn't know is that Cody would leave the party only to be with her, in his very glamorous (as always) outfit and just chill out with her.

NAWWW I love this so much! Thank you anon, this was a lot of fun 💖💖💖

(gif by codyfernsource)

“She’s not here?”

Cody’s eyes swooped around the crowded room, the blur of familiar faces as he tried to avoid eye contact in case anybody caught him staring. He fiddled nervously with the zip on his striped top, wracking his brains back to the day he invited her. She knew what day and time it was, right?

“Maybe she had other plans,” Gus shrugged, downing the dwindling contents of his solo cup. “Have a drink, dude.”

“No thanks, man,” he refused calmly. “Need a clear head.”

Billie Lourd made a beeline for the duo, landing an acknowledging tickle on Cody’s waist.

“Hey baby, how are—“

“Have you seen Y/N?” Cody cut her off. “Is she here tonight?”

“Um, I don’t think so,” Billie spun on her heels to check the perimeter. “Maybe she got stuck in traffic?”

“On a Wednesday night? Besides, she doesn’t live far from here, right?”

“Couple blocks,” Gus proffered. “She walks home from set every night.”

Cody’s gaze darted to the front door. He could walk to her house and be back before anybody noticed he was gone.

“You’re not honestly going out there, are you? It’s raining like hell!”

Cody raised his eyebrows.

“Honey, do you even know me? Hell is home to me!”

“You got a crush on her, Cody?” Billie giggled, an expressive hand landing on his chest.

“No, of course not,” an empty dismissal fell from Cody’s lips as he formulated a plan to leave the building without attracting too much attention. Brad Falchuk was pitched at the front door, Kathy Bates covering the patio doors leading to the pool. Luckily, the kitchen door was guarded only by the AHS camera crew. They may be the most observant creatures on set, but tonight they’re off duty and they haven’t yet noticed how many drinks Leslie Grossman has sneaked past them.

“I—I’ve gotta go,” Cody excused himself, blowing an air kiss to Billie and thrusting his half full cup into Gus’s chest. Gleefully accepted, the contents were gone in seconds.

“Tell Y/N we said hi,” Gus called over with a chuckle. Smiling to himself, Cody kept his head down as he weaved skilfully through the numbers.

———

The TV drama mumbled nonchalantly, blissfully unaware it had been reduced to background noise while you stared into the middle distance. Tucking your feet snugly into your fleecy robe, you reached for a supersized candy bar and an incredibly generous bottle of champagne. Flinging a chunk of chocolate in the direction of your wide open mouth, you nearly choked on it as you cheered your own success.

An introvert’s food-throwing Olympics is never won nor lost.

Your phone vibrated on the leather couch with an almost obscene buzz. No doubt another Instagram notification from the party, Emma Roberts looking endlessly stunning in a dress you couldn’t even imagine affording, let alone wearing.

It wasn’t that you didn’t like the cast and crew’s company, quite the contrary. You just needed some me time. The wrap party was the annual ultimatum you dreaded ever since you joined the AHS realm; lighting guys making inane small talk with makeup girls, hair guys battling in vain to find something in common with the runners. You scrunched your lips together, aware of how much you were missing at the party but consoling yourself in the knowledge that the anxiety wouldn’t have paid off. Singing into a hairbrush and watching dramatisations on serial killers was a much more profitable pastime. That is, if you can find your hairbrush.

Checking the luminous screen, Cody Fern’s caller ID glared back at you.

Shit, I forgot he invited me.

The longer you left the call unanswered, the more you panicked. Tapping to answer would only lead to twenty questions about your avoidance, but you couldn’t exactly turn down a call from Cody Fern. Your finger hovered shakily over the screen, wincing in agony. Unfortunately for you, said shaking finger tapped the button for you, making you curse silently and yank the phone to your ear.

“Hey—hey Cody, what’s up?” You answered feigning cluelessness, scratching your neck nervously.

“I thought I’d find you at home! I’m outside your door,” his familiar Australian tang chirped down the line.

“Easy there, Ghostface. What happened to the party?”

“Look, if it rains on my hair I swear I will barge my way in there and soak your damn couch.” His playful tone betrayed his serious message, giving you a handful of seconds to race to the door in fear of ruining The Hair.

Swinging the door open, you both simultaneously eyed each other up and down. You in your fluffy dressing gown, plush slippers and pyjamas, Cody head to toe in some glamorous clothing brand you were far too poor to identify. You shared a nervous, mouth-covering laugh before you stepped aside and ushered him in.

“What the hell happened to your hair, Mr Fern?” He instinctively shot a hand up to touch his blonde curls, all still perfectly fixed in place like some Flavian work of art. Cody snapped around to see you grinning from ear to ear. “Got you, babe.”

“So tell me,” he boomed as he made his way to your kitchen, grabbing a glass and the already half empty champagne bottle. “What is it about this very attractive drink that’s more important than the wrap party?”

“Ooh I don’t know,” you humoured him, swaggering over to the counter mocking the clanking of his ridiculously expensive boots on your linoleum floor. “Maybe I wanted a night in with a mysterious bubbly foreigner.”

Cody’s eyebrows raised so high, they may as well merge with his hairline.

“Okay,” you huffed, “I’ll bite, just this once. I’m not a wrap party kind of girl.”

“That’s all well and good honey,” he sassed on his way to the couch, kicking off his boots en route. “But why couldn’t you tell daddy you were going to abandon him and leave him asking the rest of the cast where your pretty face was?”

“That’s my problem, baby. I’m too new, nobody would really notice I’m not there anyway.”

Sinking into your couch and making himself at home, Cody cocked his head with a smile.

“Well I noticed!”

You sighed warmly, perching beside him and whipping your robe over your legs.

“What about the party? Don’t you wanna go back? You’ve seen I’m alive in here, that’s all you wanted to know, right?”

“Screw it, there’s always next year,” Cody declared, throwing an arm over your shoulder as you dipped into his chest. “So what’re we watching?”

“Something called The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”

“Oh really?” Cody chuckled heartily. “Never seen it.”

#cody fern fanfiction #cody fern #cody fern imagines #cody fern x reader

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