#we will see who prevails next week

[planetsandthefates]

the winners from each round!!! who will be the ultimate fandom favorite song? find out next week on rupaul's drag race the taylor swift fandom favorites showdown hosted by rupaul yours truly! have fun and may the best fandom favorite win!

#taylor swift #fandom favorites #sarah talks #im a comedic genius #HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!! #this is gonna last a WEEK so the battle may truly be gruesome this time #we will see who prevails next week

[etheries1015]

He finds you falling apart; in complete shambles, a sobbing mess.

Malleus

He isn't certain how to handle such strong emotions, he doesn't know what to do when he finds you sobbing in the garden. As the tears fall down your cheeks and you mutter apologies to the fae, All he can do is sit next to you and kindly offer his shoulder and words of comfort, waiting for you to calm down so he may ask what is causing your soul such misery.

He hopes you will communicate what it is he could do to assist you. If a hug is what you need, he shall provide. If silence is what you wish for, he will grant it as such. If you are in dire need of a distraction, he knows a place you will adore while he speaks about its history. He is not the type to simply assume what will help in this situation- he will awkwardly hover until you guide him to the best possible course of action.

You must expect to find new trinkets and shiny objects to come your way for the next week- he wants to make it abundantly clear he wishes for you to smile once more, and he hopes to achieve that by his little gifts.

"My dearest, what causes these tears to flow so heavy from your eyes? Whatever it may be, I shall be by your side and face it with you, for you needn't suffer alone. Now tell me, who do I need to confront for stealing your precious smile away from me?"

Lilia

Lilia had known the ins and outs of emotions fairly well. He could easily read people- you were no exception. He understands immediately if you need a hug, to be left in peace, or to be endlessly pampered. Upon hearing your painful wails of sorrow, he was quick to react.

Any attemps at apologizing to him for your sobs were fallen upon deaf ears. You were quickly chastised for those "sorrys" and were engulfed in his embrace, his hand stroking your hair or rubbing circles on your back gently with a tune of old escaping his lips. He had used this method for his inconsolable children in the past, and he found it just as effective for adults as well.

Even thanking the fae for being there for you was also quickly shut down. He insists that you need not thank or apologize to him for your tears, for you were important to him thus it was a requirement he be there in your time of misery. You felt comfortable talking to him about your woes, the red eyed fae listening intently whilst brewing you tea, setting up video games, or cooking you a meal (you didn't have much of the energy to reject this offer, he was doing it purely out of concern for your being. Crying takes a lot of of someone, he must do his due diligence and be certain you are properly sustained!)

"Ah...it pains me to see such tears. Remember, time moves forward, and you shall prevail past this little bump in the road, my little bat. Would you like to talk to me about it? I give good advice, if I do say so myself! Or shall we change the pace and play some games? I am not moving from this spot until you are smiling and laughing again!"

Kisses, cuddles, and comfort <3

#twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland x reader #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #twst x reader #malleus #malleus x reader #twst lilia x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader #malleus draconia x reader #i was crying until i started writing this to vent and now im slay #delusion for the win

[skyeslittlecorner]

Oh no...! The fluff...! I'm gonna have sweet tooth because of your works (jkd i luv them dun worry :'3)

So we had the kings as kids now... How about they meet their kids from the future??

Like some kind of accident(s) happen that take them back in time (yeah I'm out of idea 😭 sr)

Family's meeting!!!! *vroom vroom*

Shhh, that's my plan! If I give everyone cavities, we'll be lining up to see Morax as dentist, and he won't hurt himself in the war again lmao

The royal kids are definitely clever beasts. It wouldn't surprise me if they figured something out and were thrown into our times for 24 hours. We've already had a Christmas miracle, so I can believe anything. Let the kings meet their teenage offspring~

꧁:･ ✡ ･:꧂

Satan would like a family more than anything. When one day he saw white-haired twin nobles next to you and heard that they were your children from the future, his heart would melt in an instant. Ironically, they're both taller than him. But he's still able to get through it. He wants to take them to the front to see how they fight and then have a good beer (juice for them, they can fight but not drink) in the best pub. You have never seen him so happy and with so much love in his eyes. Do they really have to go back to their own time? Well... As soon as they were gone, Satan would grab your hand with a smug smirk. Be prepared to not get out of bed for a week, and certainly not on your own.

Mammon has a bunch of children, and nobody can convince me otherwise. You can create a whole group of idols out of them, and that's basically how they are treated in their times. He would spend time with each of them, curious to see how the future would unfold. Each of them is so enterprising that they would rule Tartaros without hesitation if he just left them alone for a while. But what he likes most is your reaction. He would watch lovingly as you happily talked and cuddled with every one of them. They also know well that the most important person in the entire country is their sweet human parent. Be ready to be spoiled by both Mammon and your entire group of children.

Beelzebub is terrified. He'd be sure he was absent so long that you'd actually had teenage child. There is no doubt that girl he met is his daughter. She appears and disappears just like him, has this petty smirk, and her first impulse was to sniff him. Besides... he just know it, okay? They actually ran into each other by accident in Avisos. After all day with her he will come back, promising you that he will visit you more often. You wonder how quickly he will forget about it, especially since he is clearly relieved when you tell him that you don't have children (yet), and it was just some anomaly in space-time. And it’s not that he doesn't want children. He would rather be there as they grow up… as much as he can. 

Leviathan first glances at you, just to find out if you and this beautiful princess have something in common. His daughter must be perfect, and only your genes and his combined would be able to create a being more beautiful than himself. Not that you'd ever heard him say that out loud. Jealousy would fight within him with duty. Fatherly pride will prevail when he sees that she is perfectly brought up and treats him with due respect. Ah, anyone who looks at her will hang. If he's only going to have her for one day, then only he and you can spend time with her. The nobles will be delighted because they haven't been hanged so lavishly for a long time. 

#whb #what in hell is bad #whb satan #whb mammon #whb beelzebub #whb leviathan

[kanmom51]

It's been over a week

And I'm still trying to digest and come to terms with it.

I know I said that I take comfort in them being together, and I got to say, that is a big big help in dealing with their departure, and yet, can't help but be sad and worry like a mom that just sent her kids off to the army.

Watching JM's live with JK's that followed (a few hours later and after their family dinner) was heart wrenching. JM struggling with his shaved hair was heartbreaking.

This clearly was not easy for them.

JM the next day (in the BTB).

I can't help but wonder, after the initial annoyance of getting a minute or a little more from the two's enlistment day, if the whole thing was just too emotional and more than what they themselves wanted to share publicly.

Again, seeing how JM is struggling, and JK knowing and comforting him. That look on JM's face when JK does that. Ugh, how I wish they didn't have to go through this. But they did. They are. And now it's time to come to terms with it.

I guess having lived it, done the army thing, gone through basic training and military service I have a little more insight as to what they will be going through, and that also gives me some comfort, because yes, it's going to be hard, both the physical and mental aspects of it. The structure, the loss of individuality, the harsh physical and mental training. But, a. they are 2 of the most driven people I have seen, a work ethic and a need to excel, and they will attack this (so to speak) no differently; b. they have been through so much getting to where they have gotten. Yes, the structure is a little different, but they are no strangers to being in a structured environment, told what to do, when to do it, how to do it. Basically, they are used to doing what they are told. Strenuous physical activity is no stranger to them as well. Experiencing struggles teaches you that you can prevail. Teaches you that you are strong enough to get through it. Teaches you that there is a light at the end of that tunnel. And knowing that, at times of hardship, can mean everything to the person going through that.

Their age, being mostly older than others enlisting (most do so at 18-21) has it's advantages and disadvantages. Advantages being having that insight and life experience that they have, especially starting their careers at such a young age. Disadvantage being that at this age they are all grown up, as in mostly know who they are, what they want to do with their life. Having to leave all of that at the door is not easy and takes adjusting to. But they are resilient. And their life experience and struggles they went through over the years will, as mentioned, definitley help them get through this as well.

For my sanity and mental well being I'm going to ignore the geo-political fuckery going on right now. Does willing things not to happen make them not happen? I'm going to go with yes on this. Don't you dare contradict me here. Let me live in my fantasy world at least on this one.

So yeah, it definitely won't be easy. Having each other's back there will definitley help, although having to keep their hands off each other in public will definitley be a challenge they will have to deal with. I digress. They will be ok. They have each other. They will get through this, and who knows, perhaps at some point (probably not basic training, cause that sucks) they might even enjoy their service (enjoy what they will be doing, feel satisfaction in their contribution to their country, who knows...).

And yet, knowing all of this, I'm still sad.

Because I already miss the shit out of them.

And it's kind of funny, because I know there is plenty of content coming up, including actual Jikook content, like just the two of them without the group as a buffer content, and that is definitely something to look forward to. And it's not like we were seeing them on a daily or even weekly basis before they enlisted (there were periods of time we were parched with them not to be seen or heard from for ages).

But this feels different. I guess knowing that even if they wanted to reach out, at the moment, they can't. Knowing that there isn't a chance of a JK restaurant visit popping up, or a surprise live makes it all so very real.

I'm not going to do the day counting. For me, that makes dealing with it harder. Maybe when we are down to two digits, definitely not before. I think I will just sit back, enjoy the new content they share with us, go through old content (there is so much out there, enough to definitely get me through the next 18 months, sob sob).

As for myself, well I'm not going anywhere.

Yes, I have something going on right now and am posting less often, but I'm still here, still around and will be posting and answering your messages.

We will all get through this together.

#Jikook #kookmin #minkook #jimin #jm #jungkook #jk #jikook military #jikook the inseparable

[horsewithaface]

So I rewrote the Battle of the Five Armies for my Everyone Lives AU because yes I’m still in denial and no you can’t stop me

• Everything up to Fíli getting captured is the same

• Fíli is caught by Azog and held out over the cliff. Kíli is below in the nook. While Azog is giving his speech, Kíli shoots him from below in the wrist, causing him to let go of Fíli. Fíli falls to the ground, onto Kíli, breaking his fall, who drags him into the nook and hides him as he tends to his brother’s wounds. Fíli regains his strength after a short moment and, despite Kíli’s better judgement, Fíli gets up, and races back to the top, calling for Kíli to follow.

• The two brothers fight countless orcs as they climb the stairs of Ravenhill, searching for Thorin. Once they come upon the plateau of ice, they find Bilbo weeping over Thorin as they speak.

• Kíli shuts down, thinking it is too late, but Fíli remembers something crucial. Back in Lake-town, he had pocketed a pouch of Kingsfoil in case his brother’s wounds hadn’t truly healed. With it was a messily-written note of Tauriel’s incantation written out phonetically.

• “I will not let you go, uncle. Not today. It is not your time. We will have a great feast tonight and will walk within the halls of Erebor among our kin. I cannot walk there without you.” - Fíli to Thorin as he kneels down opposite Bilbo, preparing the Kingsfoil. He rips open Thorin’s shirt, revealing the weeping wound before pressing the mixture into it. Thorin lets out a roar of pain but Kíli snaps to attention and runs to hold him down to stop his thrashing. Bilbo grabs Thorin’s hand with both of his, pressing his forehead against the bloodied knuckles, whispering pleas for him to hold on.

• The Kingsfoil incantation only partially works due to Fíli being a novice in elven spells, however it buys them time for Gandalf to get there and finish the spell properly.

• Thorin is taken to the medical hut where he regains his strength for the next week despite his refusal and insistence that he is fine. Bilbo eventually gets through to him and Thorin gives in, allowing the healers to aide him.

• Thorin does not remember what happened when he had succumbed to the dragon sickness, it is only when Bilbo flinches at a sudden movement of his when he is getting frustrated that Bilbo realises Thorin does not remember. Bilbo reluctantly tells him the truth when Thorin demands to know what he did wrong.

• Thorin never forgives himself for his actions, even going so far as to denying his birthright and banishing himself from Erebor. He gives the crown to Fíli who does not accept it, choosing to go with him for Thorin is more important to Fíli than ruling. Kíli never wanted the crown and so the brothers appoint Dain as the rightful king for they would not have prevailed without him.

• Thorin and Bilbo part ways, Bilbo returning to Bag End unsure if he will ever see Thorin again because despite what happened, he never blamed Thorin for it was the fault of the dragon sickness and not his own mind.

• After about a year, Bilbo hears a knock at his door. He is greeted with a very nervous Thorin, quite a juxtaposition from his usual stoic nature. Bilbo doesn’t believe his eyes, convinced that he is dreaming. Thorin cannot help but whisper, “Bilbo…” before engulfing the hobbit in a hug.

• Thorin rambles on a whole poetic speech about how he does not deserve redemption for his actions and he simply came to apologise. Bilbo takes Thorin’s face in his hands, pulling him down to eye level.

• “Stop it. Just stop it, you giant oaf. I forgive you. You never let me speak my mind after the battle. I never blamed you, Thorin. I never have and I never will. It was that bloody dragon, not you. I stand by my word when I say that I am glad that I have shared in your perils. You are more than any Baggins deserves.”

#lord of the rings #lotr #the hobbit #lotr headcanons #the hobbit headcanons #the hobbit fanfiction #the hobbit imagine #thorin oakenshield #bilbo baggins #bagginshield #thilbo #fili durin #kili durin #fili and kili

[bloodmoonmuses]

it waits for dawn | lee taeyong

requested by an anon! send me an ask!

genre: taeyong x reader, friends to lovers, summer coworkers, non-idol au, fluff sorta kinda :)))

wc: 2.3k

warnings: mentions of blood, some swearing

summary: while working your summer job, you meet an eclectic boy who's obsessed with stars and the beauty of the universe.

Working at the planetarium was an odd summer job, sure, but it was about the same pay as the ice cream shop or (God forbid) the zoo. The facility remained pretty empty most days, save for the occasional field trip or savvy tourist. For the first two weeks you worked there, it was just you and the manager, Taeil. Then, one day, Taeil says he finally found another lackey- some guy who just finished his undergrad. 

You’re not sure why a college graduate would be slumming it at a planetarium, but you don’t question the matter any further. At least now you’d have someone to split responsibilities with. 

“He’ll be here any minute,” Taeil tells you.

When he walks in, you’re a bit taken aback. His cotton candy hair and smattering of tattoos almost clashes with the nerdy polo and khakis he’s wearing. You assume this is his attempt at looking “professional”, which is funny because you’re in a band tee and cut-off shorts and Taeil is practically in pajamas. 

“I’m Taeyong,” he says bashfully, dipping his head as a greeting. 

You shake his outstretched hand and his ears turn red. He has the biggest eyes you’ve ever seen, like a drawing almost. The prevailing word at the front of your mind is “cute”. He’s very cute.

Taeyong is a sticker book come to life, eclectic and vibrant against the dullness of the overcast day. You’ve never seen him around before. You would’ve remembered. He must be new in town- or a figment of your imagination. A part of you wishes it’s the latter.

“I’m ____,” you say, fixated on your still conjoined hands. When Taeyong realizes he hasn’t broken away from the hand shake, he drops his arm quickly, coughing to fill the awkward silence. Taeil is none the wiser. 

“If you could show him around the place, that’d be nice.” Taeil says nonchalantly. He walks back into his office, going to take his daily three hour nap. Taeyong looks at you confusedly.

“If you had any worry about this being a strenuous or uptight job-” Taeil’s snoring interjects, “-I can assure you, it is not.” you contend. “It’s like a movie theater, honestly. We run the projection presentations every other hour, and when there’s field trips, we walk the kiddos around for about 45 minutes or so.”

“Ah, really? That’s it, huh?” Taeyong looks a bit disappointed.

“Yeah. Pretty easy,” you say, shrugging. “Oh, and we stock the gift shop.”

—

The next day, Taeyong somehow manages to bomb his first real shift.. You’re shelving plushies in the gift shop when you hear a loud crashing sound. When you make your way to the supply room to see what happened, Taeyong is buried in a pile of commemorative cups on the floor. 

“You okay?” you ask, trying not to laugh. The moon phase tumblers are the most popular of the gift shop items, constantly needing to be restocked. 

“I think so,” he says. As you help him stand, you notice blood on his hand.

“Need a band-aid?” Taeyong’s eyes shimmer with tears, and he places his cut finger into his mouth, pouting a bit. He nods and you grab the first aid kit off the wall. It’s covered in a layer of dust from lack of use. You blow on its surface.

“How’d you cut your finger?” you ask, still giggling a bit.

“I tried to catch the box as it was falling.” He winces as the air hits his wound. “Ouch.”

You “tsk” at him, shaking your head as you open the first aid kit. “Taeyong, you gotta be more careful. Taeil doesn’t care if we live or die!”

He chuckles. “That’s not true! I think he has a soft spot for me.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get this cleaned up.” You take some alcohol and soak a cotton ball. Then, you clean his (minor) cut, unwrapping a bandage and securing it around his finger. He looks at you with wide eyes.

“Kiss it better for me?” he asks, jutting out his lower lip and extending his hand towards you.

“You wish.”

—

Taeyong and you become quick friends. If he comes in for a shift after you, he brings you ice cream. If the two of you close together, he walks you to your car. If you take a day off, Taeyong sends you pictures of Taeil sleeping.

He’s a great conversationalist as well. You learn a lot about him over the summer. He wanted to be a firefighter before falling in love with art, dancing and music. Now, he has a bachelor’s degree in visual art. He shows you videos of him dancing and lets you look through his sketchbook. He talks about his sister and how she’s just as kind as him. He tells you about his love of stars, and how he mediates on them as if they’re lost lovers. 

Despite the warmth Taeyong’s eyes fill you with, there’s also an underlying sadness in them- stress beyond his years swimming beneath their sparkling glory. He doesn’t speak much of it, but you can feel it. You can also see that stress leaving his body everytime he cranks up the projector for the solar system presentation. His favorite planet is Saturn.

You’re quite fond of Taeyong. You realize this when you catch yourself staring at him on a particularly slow day. A few elderly couples have come to see the permanent exhibit in the front of the facility, but other than that, it’s just you and him here. Even Taeil has taken a day off, the sloth of summer’s near end seemingly blanketing the entire town. The day progresses in slow motion.

Taeyong’s sleeves are rolled up, exposing his arms. You study his tattoos, committing them to memory.  His ever changing hair has been black for a few weeks now, which was a bit out of the ordinary for him. He looks a bit pedestrian, if that’s even possible, and not elven like his usually colorful hair makes him seem.

Despite the snail pace of the day, Taeyong is working way more than is actually necessary- always a self-starter and ready to please. 

“Take a break, Taeyong. You’re gonna have a heat stroke.” The A/C unit is busted. Again. You’ve plugged in a few portable fans, but they’re not doing much.

“Inventory’s gotta get done eventually.” You’re enamored with the multitudes of Taeyong’s character. He’s often an easy going guy, but stern when it counts. Not a killjoy, or anything to that extent, just more upright than you’d assume at first glance. Such is the issue with assumptions; they’re just asking to be subverted. 

You feel bad watching Taeyong lug around boxes by himself, so you push your laziness aside and begin helping.

“I got it,” Taeyong says.

You continue to lift a box, following him on the trek from the supply closet to the gift shop. “I know you’ve got it, but you’re gonna die if you carry all of these on your own.”

“I’m not gonna die,” Taeyong says, blowing a few strands of hair out his face as wobbles about.

“Tell that to the red flush covering your whole body, Superman.” 

Taeyong huffs at you. “You’re so mean to me,” he says. There’s that lower lip again. It’s becoming your weakness, the more he pouts at you. Sometimes you tease him just to see it more often.

“Fine. Want me to stop?” you say, putting down the box you’re carrying. You pretend to walk off.

“No, don’t leave! I feel like I’m gonna die!” Tayong shrieks.

You deadpan at the cartoon of a human standing in front of you.

__

It’s a field trip day and the planetarium is packed. Unlike the usual, Taeil is actually helping, saying something along the lines of “all hands on deck” as if that doesn’t entail a total of six hands. The children stream in like a school of fish, neon summer camp shirts glowing in the bright sun. They’re beaming at one another, skipping and running around with boundless energy. Their liveliness sparks something in you, smiling so much that makes your cheeks hurt. What hurts more, however, is seeing how sweet Taeyong is with the kids. He takes the lead on showing them around the permanent exhibit, explaining the solar system and composition of stars and other space rocks. You watch from the back of the crowd, blaming the flush of your face on the temperature and not on the fact that Taeyong’s smile makes your breath hitch.

You should think he’s the nerdiest person in the world right now. This whole exchange would be great material to tease him with (-something about how he’s a softie and a loser or whatever). However, all you feel is a terrifying fondness taking over you, ripping at your chest as if it’d been ravaged by a lovesick wolf, its claw marks creating deep caverns where your heart lies. It fucking hurts how much you simply like him. You don’t even want to imagine- no, you can’t  even imagine what’d it be like to fall in love with him. 

One of the kids asks about Saturn and Taeyong nearly erupts with excitement. He talks in detail about its rings, tracing his fingers along the ridges of the replica of the planet. His eyes are sparkling, mirroring the faux stars above him. 

When kids leave, you glance at Taeyong. A tired smile is plastered on his face and he contently sighs. “That was so much fun.”

“I’m not sure who enjoyed it more- you or the kids,” you state. Taeyong chuckles. 

“Definitely me. I almost don’t wanna go home,” he says. 

“Then let’s stay.”

After finishing your closing duties, you and Taeyong meet in the planetarium’s theater. In the center of the rows of seats is a projector.  

“Lemme start the presentation,” he says, queuing up a video about Navajo astrology and constellations. “I’ve never actually gotten the chance to watch Southwestern Skies from the seats.” 

After he presses play, the two of you sit right in the middle of the theater. The video comes to life on the dome shaped ceiling. Your jaw drops in wonderment, feeling less self conscious when you see that Taeyong’s mouth is also agape in your periphery. Then, you’re drifting in outer space with him, your seats floating away into the ether as you become completely absorbed into the stars that surround you. You rest your arm on the divider between your chairs, subconsciously inching your hand towards Taeyong’s. As it draws nearer, your desire to interlace his hand in your own grows. The nerve endings at your fingertips buzz. Taeyong is magnetic. 

“This is my favorite part,” Taeyong whispers, awestruck. You try to break away from looking at him, to instead look at the display above you, but you can’t. Instead, you watch the stars in the reflection of his eyes. 

The dome bursts with an explosion of stars as various constellations fade into view. Orion’s Belt, The Big Dipper, Libra and Virgo- Taeyong had told you about them in detail, insisting on thumbing through his astrology textbook as he explained. (He stole it from the library, leaving five bucks on the counter to rid himself of any lingering karma.) Finally, the Milky Way comes into view- referred to as It Waits for Dawn by the Navajo people. Taeyong audibly gasps. 

“I think the whole thing is your favorite part," you tease. 

“Mmm.” He nods in agreement.

Distantly, your mind wanders to how the summer is coming to a close. You’re not sure what will come of you and Taeyong’s friendship. You hope he won’t be a memory, or strangers like the two of you started as. You want him to be a fixture in your life- a constellation to familiarize yourself with and never tire of, even as the universe expands.

You realize you’ve been laying your head on Taeyong’s shoulder.

“Sorry,” you mumble as you move to sit up. 

“It’s okay,” he says. Then, he places his hand on your head, guiding it back to his shoulder. “Unless your neck hurts, or something. Then, I won’t force you,” he adds hurriedly. 

“No, no. It’s good. I’m good,” you say, returning your head to its original position. When the presentation ends, the lights in the theater automatically come up. Suddenly, the moment feels too intimate for daylight, and Taeyong must agree, because he’s tense. You can feel it in his shoulder, the anxiety radiating off of him in waves, but he doesn’t tell you to move, so you continue to rest your head on him 

“Does the universe scare you? All the stars and planets and the unknown...” Taeyong says out of nowhere. Before you can respond, he says, “Ah, nevermind. Forget I asked.” He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck as he backtracks.

“I like the question, silly!” You consider your answer for a moment, lost in thought. “ How infinite it is, yes. But the universe as a concept is very romantic. Like, philosophically speaking.”

“How so?”

You shrug. “It brought us together.”

“What a pretty thought,” he says. 

Life’s a bunch of little universes sewn together. Self contained and finite worlds that exist within infinity. Like your summer with Taeyong- a blip in the grandeur of your life, simply due to how little time he’s spent in it. You want to sew a little bit more of him into your universe. To make him more than a blip. To make him your entire universe. 

“Can I kiss you?” you ask suddenly, throwing caution to the wind.

“I’d like that,” he contends. 

You lift your head from his shoulder and place a delicate peck to his cheek. Taeyong gently grasps your chin, guiding your face to his. He then kisses you on the lips, tenderly, his lips just barely grazing yours. The moment seems to stretch on for infinity, though only lasting a few minutes, and you make haste to sew it into the fabric of your memory.

a/n: unedited + feedback is always appreciated!

#bloodmoonmuses #nct 127 #lee taeyong x reader #taeyong fic #taeyong fluff #nct 127 fic #lee taeyong #nct taeyong

[maralarsen]

He is my misfortune 🎀

~Lorenzo Berkshire x reader~

WARNING: cursing

°Nepriateľ milovníkov°

Fluff

Summary : You unhappily end up tutoring a boy who brings you more misery than life itself

• |Reader is in Hufflepuff

• | I plan to make another part/parts. But I don't know if you will like this part, so I'll see 🎀

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lorenzo Berkshire. A lot of people think of this name as a smiling face of a boy who is always positive, laughing and sometimes even kind. The only thing that comes to mind with this name is disaster. Everywhere he goes something always goes wrong. Either I'm unlucky with him or I really don't know anymore.

For example, my Hufflepuff friends and I were in Hogsmeade. It was cold, so we went to the Three Broomsticks to warm up like every student at Hogwarts. A pleasant atmosphere prevailed there, at least I felt pleasant until I saw his face. At that moment, I sighed and realized that another problem was on the way.

We sat down at the table next to his. And why ? The reason was clear. Berkshire wasn't sitting there alone, he was there with his crew. For my friends, it was literally a feast for their eyes. I don't understand what they like about guys who just drink, smoke and change girls like socks.

That's not my type at all. I'd rather have some nice boy who likes to cuddle, go on cute dates, buy me flowers and..."What the f*ck?!" I was snapped out of my reverie about a boy who might not even exist by the boy who was the most annoying to me. nerves. "Sh*t Berkshire watch out! Great, I'm all wet now," oh of course who else but Berkshire could have tripped over his own feet and spilled butterbeer on me. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to, this really wasn't on purpose," Berkshire apologized with a smile on his face.

I heard how his friends started laughing in the back, especially Malfoy, another icon of the school. I wanted to cry. I don't understand why he always has to do this to me. "I said sorry, don't be so relational, it's just beer, it will dry out," I looked at him in disbelief.

"Yes, it will dry out. But it's your fault that it's wet!" I stood up and left the room. Why does he always have to do this to me? Fool. I got on the first carriage I saw and went back to the castle.

This happened about a month ago, I'm currently sitting in the library completing an assignment on herbology. I really don't enjoy this subject, but somehow I still manage it. Unlike Berkshire. Whatever he is, I feel sorry for him. He's been sitting here in the library since lunch, and I can see he's still doing the same thing, with a herbology book spread out in front of him.

During that time, I managed to make elixirs, astrology and now also herbology. Maybe I would help him, but that's what he needs. Unfortunately, the butter beer cannot be washed off. He's lucky he covered my old sweatshirt and not a new one.

Curfew is in a moment. I pack my things in my bag and I look at Berkshire, but he is already looking at me. Why is he looking at me? Better do your homework, moron. I smirk, take my bag and leave the library.

The next day I enter the greenhouses, as I expected, I had a good homework and so did the others except Berkshire. "Mr. Berkshire, I don't want to worry you, but you're failing Herbology," Mrs. Sprout said sternly. Berkshire didn't say anything, just stared blankly at the ground. "Are you going to do anything about it, Mr. Berkshire?" the teacher asked him. "

Well...I...I don't know..." Mrs. Spraut just sighed and announced: "Mr. Berkshire, I suggest that someone tutor you. He will tutor you for 3 weeks, 2 times a week. And I already know who ." She suddenly turned her gaze to me. Wait. NOT. He probably can't be serious. After all, one more moment in the same room with him, and that boy will set my hair on fire with his happiness.

"M...Mind..Mind me?" I stammered back to her. "Huh? Do you have a problem with that Mrs. (y/l/n)???" "Um, no?" I replied, more of a question than an answer, "excellent! You can leave at the end of class!"

What on earth did she dip it in, and why me? I ran out of the greenhouses into the corridor to make it to the next class. "Hey! Wait!" "oh god what do you want?" I turned to face Berkshire. "Wouldn't you like to go...ah!" I reached for his shirt and pulled him to the side "You were standing in way, Lorenzo," "Oh, thank you." So wouldn't you like to go for a beer with me? We could..." "No! There's no way I'm going anywhere with you anymore. The last time you had a beer in your hand, it ended on me. So no!" I said even before he could finish the sentence and I turned to leave "Jesus, you're terrible," he said with a laugh in his voice "but I still don't like you!" I said and went into the corridor.

As I expected, it happened. He chased me. "Why are you following me like a lost puppy?" "I was waiting for you to calm down," I looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding, aren't you?!" "When was I kidding," he replied with a grin. I swear if that boy was closer I would slap him. "Oh well, well. So what do you want so urgently that you're chasing me," "I just wanted to ask about the date of the first meeting," he said quietly. "Why didn't you ask right away?"

"Because you didn't let me talk you into it?! Did you!?" that bastard... "When is convenient for you?" I asked him with a sigh. "Whenever you want, I can do it any time," "Then Wednesdays and Fridays. I want to have peace from you during the weekend," "Mrs. (y/l/n)'s order!" he turned and left. Oh god it's going to be a month.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• | This is my second story so I apologize for any mistakes + English is not my first language ✨

#slytherin boys #harry potter x reader #lorenzo berkshire x reader #lorenzo berkshire #lorenzo berkshire x you #enzo berkshire #enzo x reader #enzo berkshire x reader #enzo berkshire x you #enzo berkshire fluff #fluff #enemy to lovers #tutor #english is not my first language #hp fandom #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter fandom

[killjoyfem]

Remembering her: with the American verdict, Heard has faced more than the culture’s wrath — she has faced global humiliation.

The entire case had been like a “Black Mirror” episode. A dystopian nightmare in which TikToks of a distraught woman detailing an alleged sexual assault were devoured with popcorn and laughter. Twitter hashtags — #AmberIsALiar, #AmbersAPsychopath, #TeamJohnny — made it a trial by media.

Those supporting Heard received death threats, rape threats, a constant bombardment of hate for simply saying, “I stand with Amber.” I know: I got them in bucketloads.

We saw tired, misogynistic methods used again and again to discredit a woman trying to stand up for her rights. Blaming Heard for not leaving, for fighting back, for not being bruised enough, for not having enough evidence. And when she did have evidence? Depp’s team portrayed her as a manipulative liar — and the jury appears to have found this credible.

Heard’s psychologist, Dawn Hughes, testified that Heard had post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of domestic abuse. Psychologist Shannon Curry, a witness for Depp, diagnosed Heard with borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder — despite having never treated her.

As a barrister, I have witnessed the pathologization of survivors become a go-to tactic to discredit them. Slamming a woman’s mental state has always been a quick and easy way to gaslight them — “Oh, she’s crazy,” “she’s so unstable” — “medicine” as a misogynist’s handmaiden.

Many women who watched this trial will recognize this, the classic DARVO playbook in action: deny, attack and reverse victim and offender. And they will fear that they could be next.

The trial reinforced the notion that those who speak out must look, sound and act a certain way. They must conform to the stereotype of the “perfect victim,” one who cowers in a corner, voiceless and powerless. That woman doesn’t speak or fight back.

This is a trope. It rarely exists.

I’ve seen victims behave in all manner of ways in abusive relationships and in the courtroom. Perhaps the only time we see the “perfect victim”? In movies written by men.

As the verdict came, abuse survivors expressed their devastation online. One psychologist told Rolling Stone that “hundreds” of survivors had contacted her to retract victim statements or pulled out from court cases as a result of watching the trial.

The biggest losers here are the U.S. justice system and the women who might otherwise have put their faith in it. Women have been told that if we have enough evidence, we’ll be believed. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how much evidence we have. The system is rigged against women.

Do you think it’s fair that a woman had to testify before a man she says abused her, while that man sat there, smirking? Do you think it’s fair that, throughout the trial, the most intimate and traumatic details were broadcast for the world to see? Do you think it’s fair that Heard was ordered to pay millions of dollars for writing an article that didn’t even name the man who has prevailed in this case?

Heard had the PR team. She had the legal team. Still, she couldn’t win. All we got during weeks of painful testimony was a woman being treated like a villain, a famous man showered with adoration and a justice system failing to protect what it supposedly promises to defend.

The Depp-Heard trial was a circus. The verdict is a gag order. (source)

#my post #i stand with amber heard #amber heard #johnny depp #domestic violence #sex based oppression #violence against women #domestic abuse #feminism #radical feminism #radblr #radfems do interact #radfems do touch

[jgyapologism]

anyone else thinking of the seven deadly sins while watching only friends??? I mean, we have 7 main characters who all exemplify each of the sins at least a little bit, but some prevail a bit more than others.

We have Boston, who is the sluttiest of them all, but honestly? I think his pride will be his downfall. He can't handle rejection. He needs to be wanted, and he's proud of the fact that he's want-able. We already see him trying to screw over Mew and Top out of jealousy .. but I think it's really out of spite more than anything. Top rejected him for Mew, and he absolutely cannot stand the hit to his pride. Boston's excessive pride will be his downfall.

As for lust? I mean, we'll see next week what happens between Top and Boston, but I think that if Boston succeeds in convincing Top to fuck him again, it's going to be the driving wedge between him and Mew. Top's lust is going to be his downfall.

Ray is easy. Ray has a drinking problem. He drinks too much to the point where he blacks out, can't walk, etc. He's been called a "burden" multiple times by people because of his alcoholism. Ray's gluttony (aka drinking excessively) will probably lead to some sort of fallout or explosive confrontation between the friend group.

If I remember the trailers correctly, I think Nick's downfall will be his wrath. He has a sex tape of him and Boston (I don't think he's taped it yet tho??) and based on previews for ep 3, he becomes aware of the sexual relationship between Top and Boston. He is willing to use these things as blackmail in some shape or form to keep Boston around. I guarantee it.

Sand is a tough one to crack, but I think based on all the crying we've seen him do in the trailers, his envy of Ray and the love he has for Mew will be his destruction. He already said in ep 2 that sleeping with friends is like playing with fire. We already know he's going to catch (has already caught*) feelings, and he's not going to be able to stand idly by and watch the man he's falling in love with love another man who doesn't love him back. It's going to be messy as hell.

This one may be controversial, but Mew's deadly sin? Absolutely has got to be greed. He wants Top to be with him, and only him, and I'm sure he has to be aware of Ray's feelings to some degree, and yet actively ignores them because he wants to maintain a friendship with Ray, without caring how Ray hurts in the process. He wants things to go HIS way. I think he's greedier than he lets on, and I'm interested to see how his character progresses.

We honestly haven't seen enough about Cheum yet (sadly), but I think her sin is sloth. She doesn't recognize that her friends are falling apart, or she just doesn't want to acknowledge it in order to keep the peace. Her inability to act in order to save her friend group may cause some problems in the long run.

What do yall think? Any one agree/disagree? I just had the thought and would love to hear others.

#only friends #only friends the series #ofts #ofts spoilers #ofts sand #ofts ray #ofts mew #ofts top #ofts nick #ofts boston #ofts cheum #sand x ray #boston x nick #top x mew #ofts theories #ofts discussion

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Costume Meta 6x17

This has been an epic journey to get this meta written! my AuDHD did not want to play ball this week, the battle raged and I prevailed! Later than I’d intended but I hope you enjoy the penultimate costume meta of season 6!

What an Episode from a costume perspective! I was going to do my usual character by character breakdown for this episode but when I started writing it became obvious that this method wasn't going to work, so we have a hybrid thing going on here so forgive me if it appears a bit odd, but sometimes the colour use is more important!! 

Bobby

First up, we have Bobby wearing a light grey T-shirt and a black zip front Hoodie. The use of this light, grey and black combination is an interesting choice. When you consider how the only other person in the episode we see wearing black or grey is Eddie (Buck does wear a grey top at the end of the episode, and that’s relevant, but I want to focus on Eddie). This choice is signalling to us that Bobby will be more connected with Eddie story than any other characters in the episode. The light grey T-shirt is neutral on Bobby, but it also represents stability, reliability and insight. The black Hoody represents protection and also authority, the authority in the scene we see him where it is evident with his comment of filing forms on the next shift, but we also see Bobby in that position of authority when it comes to his conversation with Eddie in the sense that Bobby answers Eddie’s question from a position of prior experience.

The navy blue that Bobby wears to the hardware store is a nod to security, but also honesty and reliability. This is Bobby placed into a position of trust, Eddie is trusting Bobby to give him honest advice. Interestingly, the scene from 5x18 where Eddie visits Bobby at home, we get an almost reversal of colour-ways, Eddie is wearing black and dark brown while Bobby is wearing a blue shirt, not dissimilar to the Blue, Eddie is wearing in this scene. Obviously the black and brown Eddie wears is not the same as the navy Bobby is wearing. However, the choice of dark colours in both scenes and one character indicates which one has the knowledge to share. In 5×18. It is Eddie, whereas in 6×17 it’s Bobby, who has the knowledge.

Bobby wearing a maroon button up shirt with the sleeves fully down. I’ve spoken before about how the show has uses maroon in the past as a representation of fatherhood, especially in relation to Buck and Bobby. This shirt is not that because maroon can also be a colour of confidence and passion - the deepness of it as a shade of red speaks of an intensity of feeling - her in this scene it is all visual representation of Bobby’s love for Athena. When earlier in the episode we have had Bobby speaking to Eddie about how he and Athena found and built their second (or third if you’re Athena) chance at love, this shirt is showing us just how true and deep that love for Athena is.

Athena

Athenas only non uniform costume for this episode is this sparkly brown/gold button front cardigan worn over a black tee. we’ve seen her wearing earthy bronze toned and sparkly tops in connection with Bobby a couple of times this season and there is something about the bronze colour representing strength and support and staying grounded and how that ties into what Bobby said to Wendell about Athena making him feel like he was on solid ground. While the use of sparkle is a nod towards the idea that being or feeling grounded by something doesn’t mean boring - that it can still feel magical and ‘sparkly’. It says so much about not only Bobby and Athenas relationship, but also about the wider message of the episode - the idea that grounded love is better than love that is airy and floaty because it is built on a strong foundation. 

Athena also has a new necklace - which I've not yet been able to identify so I can't look into meaning if anyone figures it out please let me know - it looks to be either some form of compass or a cross of some sort, but its hard to be sure as we don’t get much time to look at it - I am leaning towards it being a cross rather than a compass because it only has 4 points and just generally looks more cross like to me but unless I can find it it is hard to be sure!

Hen

Hen was out there with her outfit choices this week - first up we have the lilac purple thick flannel shirt with the dark grey and maroon check. Obviously the first thing is the check pattern - so Hen in danger! This could be signalling the danger she comes up against in the episode - Maddie. Or it could be foreshadowing for 6x18 and whatever danger the 118 finds itself in because we know that Hen is trapped in the back of the ambulance somehow! The choice of lilac is a hint that its more likely connected to the conversation with Maddie because lilac is empathetic and compassionate, but it can also be easily offended - all things that connect into Hen through this Madney engagement arc.

We also get this amazing green and yellow cardigan that I can only describe as fizzy and sherbet-y! THis one actually follows on from the orange and brown one we saw her wear in Bucks hospital room - when Chris came to visit him. the yellow and green combination is really interesting and doing a lot of the work in this scene - yellow being communication, while the green is growth and renewal - the fundamentals of this scene - we seen Hen communicate with Maddie (the first tie they've actually had a scene together which is insane!!) as well as show her growth since the last episode - she owns up to her mistakes and her and Maddie are able to move forwards.

Maddie

The grey oversized hoodie worn open represent speaks of Maddies comfort in her own home and in her life more generally. The grey represents stability and compromise, it is a neutral colour and it is considered reliable. In combination with the purple tracksuit pants, purple meaning imagination, inspiration, enlightenment, and spiritual growth, hints of both Maddies initial uncertainty yet growing confidence and enlightenment when faced with the question of marriage, something she had been uncertain of prior to actually seeing the ring. 

The black tee is a representation of the power Maddie has - it is close to her chest so the power is with herself at this point in time - she needs to reckon with her own feelings on the matter. The fact that the black then transfers to a blazer means that the things Maddie has to confront are more external - Hen and Buck, but that power very much remains Maddies and ultimately it is her choice (which she has already made before she even puts the ring on).

Maddie in Pink when she puts on the engagement ring is so perfect because pink is the colour of unconditional love. It’s a blend of red and white and speaks to the love for oneself one’s family and one’s partner. It is also a colour of calm comfort in the face of any obstacles that may be ahead. it’s a positive colour and highlights perfectly where Maddie is whilst wearing this pink shirt, she is experiencing a range of emotions and feelings surrounding finding the engagement ring, but we see her taking positive steps, showing compassion and a sense of self confidence that we haven’t seen from Maddie in awhile.

Marisol

So Eddie runs into Marisol in the hardware store wearing a raglan sleeve top with a decal of strawberries and Seattle city with 'Dreamer' written above. So strawberries are considered a food of love and romance due to being heart shaped, not because they have any sort of impact or influence on love, but simply because they superficially look like hearts. The addition of the word dreamer written above it in blue (which makes the word stand out more) really plays into the theme the show has been weaving into the season - about reality v fantasy and or dreams. about how dreams don't live up to reality and about how dreams or fantasy are lacking in substance. To me this is saying that if Eddie were to pursue something with Marisol, it will be lacking in substance, that it won't ever compare to anything he had with Shannon (the thing Eddie has been comparing his relationships to) or anything he already has. The whole scene with Marisol was a sort of jinx Ana reintroduction redux, the tee is just confirming and adding weight to that for us - it is the same colour ways we saw Ana wearing in the Jinx scene - reenforcing all the other hints and signs we we given in this episode (and others) that Marisol isn't going to be endgame. 

I also loved the 8 pointed star necklace - 8 pointed stars are more commonly seen as compass roses or wind roses - they show the 4 cardinal and 4 inter-cardinal directions. Compass roses are considered symbols of the freedom to choose your own direction - free to choose the life you wish to lead. I think in this case it was a reminder to Eddie that it is he who is in control of his destiny and no one else. there is also the fact that a compass rose cannot point towards the wearer/ holder because it would mean heading backwards and not forwards.

Taylor

Sorry for the jump scare but the Bitch is back and bitchier than ever!!! Firstly the necklace - this is a Taylor regular necklace - we saw her wear it in several scenes, the first time being in 4x14 when she comes over to Bucks after he didn’t chase her - a pertinent and deliberate choice considering that Buck wears a navy vertical striped shirt in both that scene and in this episode!

Then we have the black top under the plum blazer - throw back to Buck's outfit in treasure hunt anyone??? so plum as a colour is a shade of reddish purple and generally is associated with power, ambition arrogance and magic. with the exception of magic, these are all things very definitely associated with Taylor and especially Taylor in this scene. it all plays into her true nature as someone for whom everything is a story and she will happily sell out for a pay-check and to further her career!

Natalia

The interesting outfit choices continue for Natalia as well. we have  the bright red top, generally a colour of passion and romance, but worn under a black jacket and with a black skirt which has flamingos, magnolias, lilies and eucalyptus branches. Flamingos symbolise balance, freedom and individuality. Lilies are most often associated with death and funeral (very on brand for a death doula)  while Magnolias are dinosaur plants they predate bees and are considered to be a symbol of stability but also history and  and we saw Ana wearing a dress with a magnolia flower pattern (I now cannot find the post I wrote on the subject!!) The foliage is eucalyptus, which is a symbol of strength and protection is also a symbol of purification. 

I made a post just after the episode airs about how the necklace she is wearing is Santa Muerte - the grim reaper and I want to go into this a little deeper here. Santa Muerte is a personification of death and is associated with both healing and the safe delivery of a person to the afterlife - the obvious inference here is that while initially her presence may seem healing, if Buck continues to pursue something with Natalia it will only end with her leading him to the afterlife rather than enabling him to live. 

The choice to continue the nods towards Natalia‘s job as a death doula is very deliberate. If they wanted to show her as more than a death doula, they would have put her in a necklace that was a nod towards other interests or aspects of her personality, putting her in a Santa Muerte necklace insures her connection with death remains central to her character and continues to emphasise the fact that she is a literal representation of death. Buck reckoning with death and the fact he’s walked side by side with it his entire life is one of the central themes of his story this season so this textual and visual manifestation of that reckoning through his attempts to form a relationship with Natalia and it ultimately only leading to healing for Buck and not a future with death because Buck still has so much life to live. death deals in dying not living and so Natalia has played a part in Bucks healing but she can go no further with him.

There’s also something in the fact that in this scene we get mention of three options for tipping and that it’s Natalia that points this out to Buck when his maths skills (gained through his temporary death) fail him, it continues the theme of three surrounding Buck this season and as this is his second date with Natalia hints that they’re being one further date before he figures it out makes changes which leads to him getting it right – we see the third date play out later in the episode - now all we have left to see is buck figuring it out, making the necessary changes and ultimately getting it right - whether we get that in 6x18 or are going to have to wait until season 7 remains to be seen!

The second date in the episode and the third date we see Natalia and Buck have, her in a denim jacket over a black dress with green foliage and a star jasmine floral design. The star jasmine is a symbol of spiritual Ascension, health and healing, and are commonly found in funeral bouquets across much of Asia. They can also be seen as a symbol of innocent love, and this is generally held mean I love that hasn’t developed into anything substantial or lasting. It’s also worth noting that, apart from the date in the previous episode, Natalia has always been wearing outfits with a large predominance of black, this maintains her ties to death as it is a colour most commonly associated with mourning.

We also have some different necklaces - and these are ones we've seen Taylor in before as well - just to further the necklace links between Bucks love interests and them meaning failure! I’m going to write a meta on the use of necklaces in the show - especially on Buck and Eddies love interests during hiatus as its actually a very interesting and telling topic!

Christopher

Only one Chris scene in this episode and my boy is back in the horizontal stripes - change is coming. The stripes are set agains a cream background and are 2 shades of blue and 2 shades of green as well as 1 shade of brown. The collar of the tee matches the henley Eddie is wearing, while the Hoodie mimics the one we saw Buck in at the beginning of the episode. We’ve seen Chris in blue and green stripes only one other time this season - in Bucks coma dream - when he was also wearing the same hoodie. There is something to be said about the fact that the costume team have chosen to draw a parallel between that moment in the coma dream when Chris is asking for help finding his father with all of its layered meanings and this scene where Chris has been engineering for a school project that requires constructing - a project that comes heaped with multiple layers of meaning as well.

The use of the hoodie to parallel with Buck in the episode itself is also interesting - both scenes involve conversations about Eddie dating - for Buck it revolves around Eddie downloading but not being able to bring himself to open a dating app while with Chris it’s more subtle - Eddie fending off Pepa’s attempts to set him up and a comment from Chris about what’s been distracting Eddie’s attention away from him and this project - ‘are you going to run errands again today?’ 

 Eddie

We start off with Eddie in his trademark olive khaki green jacket and with a black tee. Like I said about the use of Black on Maddie, the black tee is about  Eddie having the power in relation to his dating life. The wardrobe department have deliberately chosen to show us Eddie in an outfit which is familiar to the audience as a representation of who Eddie is. The reason for this is so that when we see Eddie out in his various attempts to meet someone the clothes he’s wearing stand out as not being the Eddie we know. It all helps to add to the storytelling of Eddie doing things that Eddie doesn’t normally do, it’s an additional layer that helps to reinforce the fact that his attempts at meeting someone are essentially more to get his Tia off his back than they are to genuinely meet someone.

All of the outfits we see Eddie wear on his attempt to meet someone - to engineer a meet cute if you will are in a limited colour palette - lots of grey with some black and a bit of yellow ochre. It was all very barbie/ken dollesque which had me giggling because Eddie dressing for his surroundings and not as himself screams of someone very much outside of their comfort zone and trying too hard!

First up we have coffee and magazine Eddie in the long sleeve dark grey top with very light grey trousers and a black gilet. This is the most un-Eddie out fit of all the outfits we see him wear in the montage. it is all monochrome and the padded gilet is essentially protective armour - both in terms of colour and the use of a gilet - which Eddie has zipped up pretty high.

Then we get the golfer Eddie - again its all grey and the top has a grey on grey weave that gives the effect of camouflage - someone who is trying to hide in plain sight. 

Then we get hiking Eddie in his grey and black tops with yellow ochre trousers. This outfit is probably the closest we see to real Eddie - but even here the yellow ochre trousers are out of character. He is also fully covered up and wearing a fleece and I’m sorry but out in the sun in LA it doesn’t get that cold in April/May (and we know it has to be around that time thanks to the calendar on the Diaz fridge from previous episodes) so the only reason to wear a fleece is if you are subconsciously making yourself cocooned or protected - essentially unapproachable. The yellow ochre trousers are an interesting choice considering the fact that we had coma Buck in the same colour of trousers and they are out of character for Eddie as well - much too bright normal Eddie is far more muted in his colour choices. These ones are actually even brighter than Bucks from his coma and are much closer to an orangey brown ochre than yellow. 

We also need to talk about watches - Eddie wears his work watch to both the coffee attempt and the hiking attempt while he wears his Christopher watch to the golf attempt. We can also figure out the timeline - coffee was indeed first, then he went hiking before attempting golf later on - he has the bandage on whilst playing golf (but no golf glove - another hint that golf is not something he does regularly or ever!!) There is something about the fact that Eddie wears his work watch in the two scenes where we do actually actively see him attempt to interact with some people and the work watch also representing a form of protection - its a piece of his uniform. Yet in the golf scene - the queerest of the 3 scenes we have him wearing his Christopher watch - the scene where Eddie gets actively checked out by a male character far more than the female ones do.

Eddie bumping into Marisol in the hardware store wearing a black top was a choice - I spoke in the Maddie section about black being a colour of power and how her black tee being closest to her skin represented the power of a decision being hers in relation to her engagement. Well the same logic applies here to Eddie - he is the one with the power in the scene - black can also mean aloofness and keeping people at arms length (because of its intimidating nature) and there is the fact that it is the colour of mourning (when worn without other colours as we see in this scene)  - we saw Eddie rocking out the black in the hospital during Bucks coma, so fact that we see Eddie walk away from Marisol whilst in this colour speaks volumes for the likelihood of any relationship between the two of them working!

Buck

So so much blue on Buck again in this episode - honestly the weighting towards blue on him this season has been insane and very intentional. I can’t wait to finish the season so I can tally it all up and show you the colour graphs (love a good graph to show all the data!!) for Bucks costuming throughout the 6 season!

I also want to talk about watches for a moment because Buck wears his watch the entire episode and its very deliberately on show, he always has his sleeves rolled or pulled up, he’s wearing short sleeves and the one long sleeved top he wears with the sleeves down the sleeve is tucked behind the watch so that the watch can be seen. There is something in the fact we’ve had such a prominant display of Bucks watch this season specifically and the idea of time - the idea of Buck being up against the clock in some way has been a theme throughout hte season - racing to be able donate his sperm - the race against time to get him to the hospital and get his heart started again - the coma dream was one big race against time and even several of the rescues this season have been about a race against time. 

We start off with the navy blue hoodie - a hoodie which it turns out is paralleling Buck and Christopher! The hoodie is over a blue top which is similar to the colour of the long sleeve polo we see him wear later in the episode - we can only see a tiny bit of it at the collar in the scene, but thanks to the BTS we got, we know it is a slightly lighter shade of blue, and that it its a long sleeved tee. So the Buck wearing blue theme continues, but now at the back end of the season we are getting an increasing amount of darker shades - all the blue tops he wears this episode are generally darker in tone than we’ve seen him in this season. This is telling me that the blue theme is heading towards its conclusion and I’m increasingly convinced that the use of blue is about water finding its level. I mentioned the parallel with Christopher, but there is also a less obvious one with Bobby as well - all three of them wearing hoodies - and the only ones to do so in the episode - there is something in the idea of them representing  their respective found father and son dynamics with these hoodies and in a season all about family and building a family more specifically and when we’ve had canon confirmation that Buck and Bobby have a father-son relationship, the choice to parallel Buck and Christopher in these hoodies only furthers the fact that Buck and Christopher also have a father-son relationship developing.

Next up is the yellow ochre broadcloth shirt over a black tee - Buck again wearing yellow ochre on his second date with Natalia sure is choice given what I wrote in my 6x15 costume meta about his yellow ochre shirt for the first date. The same dual meaning is in play once again, it is about communication, but it is also about loneliness and isolation. It is no coincidence that immediately after a conversation in the station about Eddie having downloaded a dating app and his Tia continuing to set him up on dates Buck calls Natalia and sets up another date. 

The ochre shirt also plays into the theme of Bucks mental health being in a vulnerable place - I think its telling that he made a comment to Eddie about Natalia ‘really seeing’ him and then we get the context that it has been (at least) a bit of time with her comment that she was surprised to get his call and she thought she had come on too strong. That is not the response of someone who really truly feels seen by another person in my book - he would’ve been keen to set up a second date, not holding off. The other aspect of his mental health being in a vulnerable place in this scene where he is wearing yellow ochre is the fact that his math skills appear to either be fading or gone completely. This  suggests that Buck is through that initial period of change - that the being different and not knowing what to do with that and that feeling of being all at sea is also fading and that he is now actually starting to find his level - something which we see come into play later with the third date outfit.

Much like with Maddie and Eddies black tee, this one on Buck also speaks about him being the one with the power - the power over his own heart and destiny. The universe throwing Lucy into his path to ‘fluster’ him also plays into the black and yellow ochre combination. Buck trying to pick the perfect place for a date and then picking a badge and ladder joint - somewhere ‘old Buck’ is familiar and comfortable with for a date with someone who supposedly sees him better than he sees himself is a Buck falling on his safety net and in many ways falling back on old habits

Navy blue vertical stripes - now where have we seen those before?!! I’m fascinated by the parallels we get between this episode and 4x14 centred around Buck , because there are a fair few especially in relation to events that occur and the use of colour in both episodes. So Buck in a navy shirt with white vertical stripes opens his door to an unexpected guest - Taylor in 4x14 and Maddie in 6x17. I’ve already spoken about Taylors necklace pendant being the same, but we also get the black and pink parallel as well - Taylor wearing pink over black in 4x14 and Maddie wearing black over pink here. Ew also get yellow ochre parallels in both episodes - Bucks jacket in this one and the yellow ochre jumper he wears when packing to go back to the Diaz house and when Taylor kisses him. We also get the parallel of Natalia running away and Buck not chasing her in the same way Taylor ran away in 4x14 and Buck didn’t go after her because he had family related things going on - foreshadowing through costumes at its finest!! its also similar to the Taylor I love you scene shirt as well. With the costumes paralleling to 4x14 and specifically scenes in Bucks loft from that episode, I think is a deliberate choice - it’s meant to indicate that Buck is at risk of repeating the same mistakes and going down the same road he did with Taylor.

Domestic housewife Buck my most beloved - put that man in an apron, slinging a tea-towel over his shoulder or wearing pink floral washing up gloves and I will melt!! I would like to point out that he wears the white trainers throughout the episode (although I don't know if he is for the bar scene as we don't see his feet!) and he actually has longer length trousers on in this scene too! The thing with the apron is the choice of horizontal stripes - not something we see on Buck ever and that is why this apron is interesting - it plays into my stripe theory so it represents change coming. Oliver spoke about Buck being in a place where if he's going to be in a relationship then  the other person is going to have to meet him where he is and accept him for who he is. 

The stripes are the perfect think for Buck in this scene - one where things play out in a similar way to the start of his romantic relationship with Taylor at the end of season 4 and one where Taylor herself is again part of the narrative with her appearance on the tv. In season 4 we had Taylor kissing him and running away and then berating him for not chasing after her when Eddie had woken up post surgery and Buck prioritising him (his family). 

This diner date scene plays out in a remarkably similar way - with Natalia running away and Buck not chasing her - prioritising Kameron's comfort and issues. Kameron is the representation of life to Natalia's death Buck choosing to allow Kameron to stay and to help her is less to do with the sperm donor arc and more to do with the representation of Buck choosing life over death - choosing to continue living life rather than flirting with his 'old friend' death. This is really really important for Buck - the person whose entire existence has revolved around death and his passively suicidal tendencies. The stripes mark the change - the moment he has learnt from dead Bobby in his coma dream  and the moment he essentially makes the choice to choose life rather than death. I'm not for one minute suggesting he's magically healed or anything - Buck still has a long road of healing ahead of him, more that this is a moment where he has made a big  step - now that there is some distance between the moment he died and was resurrected and where he is now.

Its going to be interesting to see how and why Natalia pops back up next episode, it would be a massive marker of growth for Buck to actively state to Natalia he's not interested (in whatever form that takes) as we would get to see him break the cycle of his past relationships - him recognising that he has the power of choice - of not going along with things and finding himself in the middle of a relationship without knowing how he got there. It’s an important step for him.

And then we have Buck in grey - there’s actually something really interesting that I’ve spotted in relation to Buck and the colour grey. We haven’t actually seen him wear it that often this season. In fact we don’t see him wear it in season six until after Kameron has become pregnant and all of the scenes we then see him wearing grey in are in someway connected to family, and more specifically children. So we see buck wear Grey for the first time at the end of 6×09 when he’s asleep on the bed. The next time is in 6×12 when he is seeking comfort and falls asleep on Eddie‘s sofa, then in 6×13 when he is cookie baking with Christopher. We can you add this grey knit top to the list, and once again it is connected to the family and children. I want to point out at this moment that Kameron sleeping on that side of the bed with her pregnant stomach positioned where it is is a deliberate choice because it throws back to that final scene from 6×09 when the camera pans to the onesie on the bedside table.

I’ve spoken before about Buck and, his wearing grey being tied to uncertainty and confusion and I think the added layer of family and children is an interesting combination. The fact that we getting these scenes which either directly or indirectly relate to Christopher, along with the impending parenthood of Connor and Cameron through Bucks sperm donation being linked through colour and colour related to uncertainty and confusion, speaks volumes about bucks journey this season, we are being given a visual connection that implies that buck, through his sperm donation is questioning and figuring out the parental nature of his relationship with Christopher. 

Whether or not we see this reach it’s full conclusion once Kameron has given birth remains to be seen, however I think whatever scenes we get with Buck talking to Connor about becoming a father in 6×18 may play some part in things clicking for Buck and his full acceptance that he is a parent. The sperm donation storyline is very much about Bucks recognition and acceptance of himself as a parent, we, as an audience might have balked at the idea of Buck donating his sperm because of him misunderstanding the assignment, but the reality is that the journey, this storyline has taken him on, actually leads him to understanding the assignment and if you remember the scene in season five, where he states, he misunderstood the assignment and drew a cartoon heart was a scene where Buck was wearing grey! In fact, in season, five since the misunderstood the assignment scene in 5×14 Buck only wore grey in one further scene – the one in 5×17 in Christopher‘s bedroom when Eddie was packing to go to Texas.

So having Buck in grey - connected to family in season 6 and then also having Eddie wearing blue and it also being connected to family (across all the seasons) in the same episode is making me feel a little bit insane.

I’ve saved it until last - and its why they are missing from the character by character breakdowns - but we need to talk about these specific blue costumes in this episode because boy were they telling a story all their own in this episode! Maddie and Chim’s engagement outfits, Bucks loft date night outfit and Eddies outfit in the hardware store with Bobby. 

Blue is a colour of loyalty and trust, security and it is confident, it can express persistence and wisdom, but it can also belie fragility, insecurity and uncertainty. These are all meanings that we see in play with these 4 blue outfits in varying degrees. 

Putting Madney - who have had to go through a huge amount of trauma together and separately to get to where they are now - who have had to fight for each other, fight for what they have and fight for happiness, being paralleled with Buck and Eddie - who have also been through a huge amount of trauma together and separately and have fought for each other and are seemingly fighting their way towards their own version of happiness and togetherness is a pretty telling and loud choice!

Maddie is in the brightest of the blues - her’s is the one that is slightly separate from the other three and I feel like that is deliberate (not only because having both her and Chim wearing the same shade of blue in a scene would look weird and matchy matchy!) Maddie is the one who proposes, she is the one who takes control of the situation presented to her, whereas the other 3 are all experiencing varying levels of doubt, confusion and uncertainty. For Maddie (and Chimney) we see the loyalty and trust play out very obviously, we also see wisdom. Maddie is secure and confident in these scenes and the blue being brighter than the others shows us that.

Chim talking through things with Gina - questioning everything related to his decision to propose - he is feeling uncertain and somewhat insecure in both himself and in his decisions. He is in a similar place to both Eddie and Buck in this colour although for obviously different reasons.

The other thing about Chimney being a similar colour to Maddie is that they wanted us to see them as being on the same page - as a unit and a pair. this is the moment we get them in harmony with one another after a few weeks of crossed wires. The use of colour and especially blue (which has its own marital connection - something blue) highlight the trust in their relationship as well as the confidence in it.

The blue top is in line with the many other blue tops we've seen him wearing this season - and so it continues the blue theme Buck has going on. I spoke earlier in the section about Bucks yellow ochre jacket about Buck wearing yellow for the first two dates and mentally being vulnerable etc in the aftermath of his experience with death. well this blue top is the other side of the coin - its about water finding its level. The choice to put Buck into the same shade of yellow for the first two dates - when he felt seen after the first one and then thought he could pick that feeling back up with Natalia, only to find that those things - those differences - are fading and he’s less certain of things and then follow it with blue - a blue that is very close to the blue of Eddie and Chim in the episode - for a scene where the reality of Bucks life - of his being very alive and living his life to the max is such an intentional choice. We have had the resurrection theming around Buck so very heavily in this season, but across the series as a whole and this change from yellow to blue also plays into that theme somewhat. I wrote about yellow representing Judas and therefore betrayal in the 6x15 meta and that concept of betrayal is very much in play here too - Buck betraying all the things he learnt in his coma by pursing someone who sees him for a specific and superficial thing. 

‘if what matters to you most is how other people see you than you haven’t learned a damn thing’ 

but the math skills have worn off and Buck begins to see more clearly and so he transitions to blue for date three - when more of who Buck is is revealed and he is not seen for who he actually is. Its interesting that Buck wears blue, yellow ochre and green in his coma - with the green being most prominent - the mix of blue and yellow with the yellow being the next most prominent colour and now we have him transitioning to blue from the yellow - almost like the coma being green was also about the mixing of who buck was - mixing his uncertainty and vulnerability of the yellow with the trust loyalty and confidence of blue. The blue being the trust in himself, the loyalty to who he is as a person and the confidence that that person is enough. it feels like the colour transition through these three dates is Buck figuring things out and his water finding its level. 

I answered an ask earlier in the week about what Eddie being in a blue henley meant and if it would be connected to the time we saw Buck wearing the same Henley in 2x01. I hedged my bets a little bit because we had zero context for the scene(s) the Henley would be appearing in but said I was inclined to come down on the side of it being more bout the fact it was blue than the connection to the scene from 2x01. It does feel good when I'm right and colour theory plays out for me! this Henley is very much connected to Eddie and family - you can read the answer to that ask here if you want a bit more detail, but essentially we don't see Eddie wearing blue all that often and when we do it has always been in connection with family moments be they with Shannon or with Buck or his wider family, and Chris is invariably involved. the shades of blue have varied, but the fact remains that Eddie wears blue in connection with key moments in his family life. 

The fact that we have a questioning somewhat fragile and insecure Eddie in blue - choosing to try and put himself back out into the world - asking Bobby for advice - for an outside and honest perspective - someone who is Eddies mirror and someone who he is loyal to and trusts (more blue colour meaning ties) not only connects Eddie to Chimney, Buck and (to a lesser extent) Maddie - because Madney is being paralleled and juxtaposed with Buddie through this episode - through the colour blue, blue but it also ties him to family - especially the concept of building/ rebuilding family and that is something I love - for him and for me!

Thanks as always for reading it means a lot to me and I hope you found it interesting and that it was worth the wait - I’m off to spiral about the finale now!!!

As always, tag list below! Until the next episode! 💜💜💜

@ryderdie​  @theladyyavilee​  @leothil​ @girldadbuddie​ @kitkatpancakestack​  @buckscurls​ @lemotmo​ @trashendence​ @elishareads​  @clipboardsandstethoscopes​ @comfortbuddie​ @fiona-fififi​  @callanee​ @calyssmarviss​ @pbandjeremiah​ @batgrldes​  @spotsandsocks​ @livingwherethesidewalkends​  @idontshitpostbuttheolympicpark​ @diazboysbuckley @sweettsubaki​ @shortsighted-owl​ @sherlocking-out-loud​ @wh0re-behavi0r  @favouritealias @hearteyesdiaz  @ktinastrikesback  @princesschez75 @bucksbuddie @oneawkwardcookie  @leatherati @moniquekatie @wanderingwomanwondering  @trickster-archangel  @asharadaine @ajunerose  @talespinner230 @pop-kam @swiftiebuckleys @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @butchjerry @mandzuking17 @yelenasbuddie @copyninjabuckley @name-code-black-widow @rogerzsteven @bi-moonlight @usercowboy @inthecarwithaboy @inandoutoffocus @toboldlynerd

#kym costume meta #911 costume meta #911 on fox #911 fox #911onfox #911 costumes #colour theory #6x17 #6x17 meta #meta #911 meta #long post #bobby nash #athena grant #chimney han #maddie buckley #hen wilson #christopher diaz #evan buckley #eddie diaz #buck

[raspberryfingers]

A Lion in the Garden -Tywin Lannister x Reader- (Part 14)

WARNING: Gore and death

—————

With Winterfell retaken and back in shape, Loras and Sansa had said their goodbyes and returned to King's Landing. For a time, at least, because they were expecting to travel to Highgarden in a few weeks. 

They’d arrived at the perfect time, though, because a several day tourney was happening and Loras had decided to enter for jousting. This of course was despite Sansa’s protests, given that the last time she’d watched him joust the Mountain had nearly murdered him. But Loras was smarter now, and it made me glad, as I’d be spending the day with the Lannisters while watching rounds. 

Currently, my father was seated a row behind me with Margaery and Sansa. The girls were catching up and telling stories, and I was casually joining in every now and then when I wasn’t watching rounds. I had desired to sit in the front row, however, as I did not want to miss a thing. 

“Lady (Y/N), may I join you?” 

I looked up, seeing Lord Varys with his hands in his sleeves.

“Certainly, Lord Varys,” I said, moving over a bit so he might sit next to me. 

“Thank you, my Lady.”

“I did not expect to see you here, Lord Varys, you are not usually prone to events like these,” I remarked, watching him scoff and smile.

“After witnessing Oberyn Martell’s death, I find myself needing my spirits lifted as well.”

Ah, yes. The tourney had not explicitly been hosted because of Oberyn’s death, but it certainly seemed with so much death in Kings Landing lately, we could all use it. That was the reason the tourney had been deemed an acceptable expense. Plus, it’s not as if the Lannisters couldn’t afford it. (Keeping it like the book where there’s still gold in their mines).

“I can certainly agree with that, Lord Varys. It’s ironic, isn’t it? We distract ourselves from death and violence with more death and violence,” I said, watching as one of the knights currently riding got knocked off his horse. 

“Yes, we certainly do that, don’t we?”

The next round started, and I was surprised when one of the knights came up to me and offered a rose. It seemed others were following in my brother's footsteps.

“Thank you, ser,” I remarked as I accepted, smiling when he winked at me. Varys raised both of his eyebrows when the knight rode off. 

“I don’t think Lord Tywin’s going to like that.”

I began to laugh, nodding and looking over my shoulder subtly. Sure enough, Tywin looked enraged. 

“Oh he’s furious. I’ll be sure to cheer extra loud if my knight wins,” I said, both of us grinning. 

I watched intently as the joust began, and neither was knocked off on the first go. On the second run, however, ‘my’ knight prevailed, successfully knocking the other man off of his horse. I instantly rose from my seat, clapping loudly and smiling. 

He rode before us, bowing before King Tommen. That had also happened recently, and I expected it wasn’t long before he and Margaery were married. They were already set to, it was just a matter of time now. 

“You didn’t make him any happier,” Varys said when I sat back down. I merely turned around and smiled at Tywin who took a deep breath. He definitely knew what game I was playing. 

“Good.”

I had no clue then, but when I returned to my room that night, I would find red roses all over my room. It was most assuredly Tywin making a point, but it would make me laugh nonetheless.

“Lord Varys, Lady (Y/N). Might I sit?”

I looked up and found Tywin standing before us expectantly.

“May I ask why, Lord Tywin?” I asked, battling my eyelashes. 

“Your brother is going next, and I’ve heard he’s as good at jousting as you are at dancing,” he replied. I motioned to the space next to me, and Tywin sat down with a sigh. 

“You love to test me, don’t you, woman?” He whispered in my ear, making me smile. I did not reply, instead focusing on Loras who came out handsome as ever in his flowery armor. Of course, it was not as beautiful as mine. I hoped to actually wear it soon. 

I heard Margaery and Sansa quiet down behind me, clearly both interested in watching Loras. From what Sansa was saying, her and Loras had become quite good friends, and I was happy to hear it. 

The other knight Loras was going against didn’t look particularly formidable, and I could tell it eased Sansa. Though, I knew better. Even if Loras had been going against Gregor Clegane again, I had no doubt he would win. 

As my grandmother had put it, he was quite good at knocking men off of horses with sticks. 

The entire Tyrell family, plus Sansa, Varys, and Tywin, watched Loras intently. 

He was waving to the crowd, armed with his lance and securing his helmet properly. When the horn blew, him and his opponent charged. It was unfortunate that he was on the other side of the rail and I couldn’t see him better, but I figured it wouldn’t matter very much, he’d win on the first go anyways. 

And just as I’d predicted, he did. Though, as I watched his horse start and his lance successfully knock into his opponent, it seemed the man’s foot had gotten caught in the stirrup. 

If not that, something else had happened, because his horse jolted and turned slightly. Before I even realized what was about to happen, I felt Tywin grab both of my arms and lift me out of my seat, quickly dragging me to the middle of the stand. 

A mere second after that, I watched the man and his horse crash into the stand, knocking over the small fence and destroying a decent chunk of the first row. Lord Varys had also had the sense to rise and move, and thankfully so did everyone else. Nobody had been injured at all, but I realized then if Tywin had waited another second to grab me, I might’ve been seriously injured or even killed. 

Tywin was holding me close to his chest with his arms tight around me, one hand protecting my head. We were safe now, but I knew he was in a protective mode and needed to be sure there was absolutely no risk present. 

“Tywin,” I said softly, making him realize and loosen his grip on me a bit. His hands came to the sides of my arms, and he gently felt up and down them. 

“Are you alright? Hurt at all?” He questioned, scanning my face for anything at all.

“I’m perfectly fine, Tywin. A little bit shocked but fine,” I said, placing a reassuring hand on his chest. He nodded, looking around. 

“Have someone come and clean this mess up. Ser Elias, see Lady (Y/N) back to her room, please,” Tywin said. I raised my eyebrows in shock.

“Pardon? Lord Tywin there’s no need for me to go back to my chambers, all is well now,” I said, slightly shocked and feeling somewhat patronized. My father and sister both looked a bit surprised too. 

“I need to make sure you are safe. I am requesting that you go back,” he whispered, looking down at me quite seriously. I scoffed and shook my head, going toward Ser Elias. 

Fine, so be it. I’d go back to my damned chambers if it truly made him feel better. I was in no mood to argue, and I’d already seen Loras joust so I felt it was pointless to fight back. 

It was a several day tourney as well, and tomorrow there would be the fighting portion of it. I suspected the final round would be in the afternoon, which all of the nobles would be watching. I imagined the lower rounds would be too boring for them to consider. Nonetheless, I would certainly enjoy them.

“Are you alright?” Ser Elias asked as we made our way back to the main part of the castle.

“I’m alright, Ser Elias. A bit annoyed, but otherwise fine.”

“He’s only doing it because he cares, (Y/N). Had he acted any later you might’ve been seriously injured or killed,” He said, walking a step behind me.

“But he didn’t need to send me all the way back here like a child. He could’ve merely asked me to sit in a higher row.”

“This eliminates all chances of danger for him. Tywin Lannister is a cold, sharp man, but anyone with half a brain can see that he values you more than anything else. Your safety is of vital importance to him, he’s not going to let it be risked so long as he has a say in it,” Ser Elias said softly, watching my face. I was not surprised that he’d also picked up on our affections. By now, I was quite certain everyone in all seven kingdoms knew, they simply just didn’t discuss it publicly out of fear. 

“He’s not going to have a say tomorrow.”

“I’m aware, and that is why I am urging you once again to not do it.”

“Don’t worry yourself, Elias. I’ll be careful.”

—————

The next day was the last day of the tourney, and it was the day set up for fighting. The lower levels had begun early in the morning so that eventually the champions—or five best fighters—would be presented to the nobility of Kings Landing before a fight to the death. 

The earlier rounds had consisted mostly of merely knocking out, but there was inevitably death. For those stupid and talentless enough to let themselves get killed, anyways. 

In any case, everyone was gathered in the main arena to watch the final round of the fighting. King Tommen sat under the royal tent beside his grandfather and mother, excited to watch the fight. Others present under that tent were Jaime, Tyrion, and the entire Tyrell family plus Sansa. Of course, Olenna Tyrell had gone back to Highgarden, but she naturally would not have cared to watch. Margaery was truthfully only there to sneak glances at Tommen and speak with him beforehand and afterwards.

There was also a seat for you next to your father, but you and Ser Elias were currently not present. You were running a bit late, unfortunately, and Tywin had quickly taken notice.

“Lord Tyrell, where is your eldest? She expressed quite a bit of excitement about this yesterday, I would not expect her to miss it,” Tywin inquired casually. Mace Tyrell looked over and scoffed.

“Her and Ser Elias went to watch the lower rounds quite early this morning. I expect they are on their way over here with the champions,” Mace reasoned, sipping his wine. Tywin gripped his seat. He knew you were simply friends with Ser Elias, but it was always a touchy subject for him. The thought of you spending an entire day alone with another man made him furious deep down. 

“I saw Ser Elias watching the lower rounds this morning, (Y/N) was not with him. I suppose that’s why he was cheering so loudly, he certainly wouldn’t have done that in her presence,” Loras said, smiling as Margaery began to laugh. The Tyrell children were quite close to Ser Elias, but he’d always had a certain decorum with all of you despite that. 

“Well, in any matter, I’m certain she’ll be here soon. She wouldn’t want to miss this,” Mace reasoned, looking around and shaking his head. What a burdensome child you were in comparison to your siblings. Had the gods not given you such a gift with combat, he would’ve given the army to Loras. It certainly would’ve been easier to manage that way. 

Just then, the horns sounded out and people began to cheer as the five ‘best fighters’ emerged and made their way into the arenas. They were already armored and armed, and some looked miserably tired while others looked excited. 

“Sister’s going to miss the start,” Margaery noted with a sigh. Just then Ser Elias walked up and stood behind them. 

“Ser Elias? Where is our sister?” Loras asked, surprised to see one of you without the other. Ser Elias sighed, and Tywin was curious. What was happening?

“I’m here to watch her, my lord.”

Just then, the horn sounded again and people began to cheer as loudly as they could, it seemed. That was when it clicked in Tywin’s head.

He looked down at the arena and scanned the champions. He’d noted that one champion had quite a nice set of armor, and when he looked again, he realized he’d seen it before. He felt his heart drop. 

He’d given that set of armor to you. 

His hands immediately clasped onto the arms of his chair as the champions took their helmets off. Sure enough, there you were. He was not surprised you’d managed to reach the final round, but he was terrified. 

The four men beside you had also made it to the final round, and several of them were quite tall. One in particular was nearly as tall as the Hound, and he recalled what had happened at the Battle of Blackwater.

“Do not let the fight continue!” He shouted, looking around and finding a squire. When they made eye contact, the young man instantly began to run, trying to find someone who was running the tourney. 

It was not fast enough, though, because the horn blew once more and the fighting began. Everyone had put their helmets back on and drawn their swords, and it did not take long for them to start clashing against each other. 

The entire royal tent had a variation of looks. Your father and sister looked terrified, and so did Sansa, Jaime, and Tyrion. Tommen also looked worried, he was unsure of what to do, and he’d never seen his grandfather in such a state before.

Tywin, to anyone who did not know him well, would appear to be perfectly fine. However, his family knew quite well that he was practically in ruins. There was a visible tremor in his hand as he watched you fighting. 

Oddly enough, the only two people not nervous were Cersei and Loras. Though, for two completely different reasons. Cersei hoped to see you struck down, and Loras knew you certainly wouldn’t be. 

“Get her out of there. Go!” Tywin scowled at one of his soldiers, who swallowed and nodded, running to the edge of the royal’s platform and jumping down twice as to actually be in the arena.

When he approached you, however, the attempt was pointless. Realizing quickly enough that Tywin was sending soldiers to come and get you, you did not let it stand. Once he was within three feet of you, the man was knocked out cold even despite his helmet. People cheered when you did so, not wanting to see the fight interrupted.

Tywin, realizing it was hopeless, began to attempt deep breaths. There was a deep panic setting inside of him. What if you got hurt? 

What if you died?

What if you died and he had to watch?

—————

I swung at the man before me, who must’ve made it here due to others failing, for he certainly lacked true talent. 

I was grateful the armor was relatively light, for it was easy to move around in and proved to be quite the advantage on the men around me. They certainly had armor, but nothing like this. Not to mention, the sight of my sword paralyzed many of them.

Though, some didn’t even know what Valyrian steel looked like, and I was not surprised. 

I left these thoughts alone, though, for I was finally getting an opportunity to kill the man. I’d knocked the sword out of his hand, and I finally grabbed his shoulder, pulling him closer by his armor and plunging my sword deep through his breastplate.

There were cheers from the crowd when I did, but I ignored it. There were still three men left, and I couldn’t let myself get distracted by it. 

The tallest men were fighting each other, so I let myself target the currently free man. I spun my sword, gripping it with both hands and smiling. I hadn’t gotten to kill a man since the Battle of Blackwater. 

Gods, I’d missed this. 

When the man saw me approaching, he lifted his sword like he was preparing to block. 

“I don’t want to kill a woman,” he said when I first struck, managing to block the hit. 

“A nice sentiment. A mistake, though, as this woman intends to kill you,” I shot back, still grinning as I spun and took another swing at him. He blocked me once more, so I attempted a technique I’d been practicing lately. 

I lifted the sword and brought it forward as if about to swing, watching him raise to block, just as I tightened my grip and let the sword swing back. My wrist loosened as the weapon spun backwards, and I managed to plunge straight into the man’s stomach as it was coming back up. 

I watched his eyes widen as he dropped his sword and pressed on his stomach. 

“W-Well done, my lady.”

“Thank you,” I said with a smile, stepping back and watching the life drain from his body. When I turned, I found the two men from before were still fighting. Had I been less cocky, I would’ve attempted to kill the larger man while he was distracted, but the other was already wounded, and I wanted a chance to prove myself after what had happened at the Battle of Blackwater.

No, I would not let my height or size define me.

I was quiet in my approach, and before the smaller man realized I was there, I had already slit both of his ankles. 

He fell to his knees, and I grabbed his head, pulling it back toward me and slitting his throat to the bone. More cheers—and admittedly boos—came from the crowd. It was just the large man and I now, and I smiled at the anger in his eyes.

I’d just taken his kill, after all. 

I removed my helmet, as he was not wearing one either. A stupid move, yes, but I was not afraid. I wanted every single person in the stadium to see the face of the woman who would kill this giant man. 

“They let some cunt in here, huh?” He scowled, beginning to raise his sword.

“They did. Turns out nobody is good enough to beat a cunt,” I spat, spinning my sword and holding it up. His anger seemed to intensify as he advanced on me, and I began to smile when I dodged all his attempted strikes. There were people cheering faintly, and I could hear Loras among them. It made me even more proud. 

I swung then, listening to him cuss me out while he blocked me. I wasn’t worried, as the other man had tired him out a bit already. I could certainly be swift and smart enough to disarm him. From there, it would be easy. 

I managed to land a hit on his arm, and he groaned out due to how deep I’d gone, but it was clearly not deep enough, for he simply continued to swing.

And of course, I continued to retreat, dodging and blocking all of his swings with ease. He was only getting more frustrated, and I began to move like I was going to dodge, but I didn’t. Instead, I blocked him and let my sword push his own down as I moved away. I let out a small laugh as I smacked him across the face with the back of my armor, which must’ve hurt due to all the intricate patterns and thorns.

He was surprised by the move, and faltered for a moment, allowing me to knock his sword clean out of his hands. I swiftly filled the space between him and the weapon, pointing my sword at him. 

I watched him get nervous, and people began to cheer even louder. 

“Finish him!”

I had no clue who’d said it, but in my confidence I decided they were right. I lunged forward, meaning to strike, but this time he dodged me. And when he did, he knocked me to the ground. My sword fell from my hands, and my stomach dropped when I felt his hand grab the back of my armor. 

Oh fuck.

—————

Though Tywin had been extremely nervous the entire time, practically flinching whenever the man had swung at you, this was horrible. 

His entire body began to shake when you’d been thrown down, and his eyes had gone wide. All the Tyrells were too busy watching you, concern also consuming them, but at least their nerves felt normal. 

Tywin’s children couldn’t take their eyes off of their father. He was shaking. Never in their entire lives had they seen the man display even a moment of fear, and this made them all extremely concerned.

Though, if Jaime and Cersei thought hard enough, they’d remembered the way their father had paced and shaken when Joanna was birthing Tyrion. 

When Tywin saw the man grab your armor and begin to lift you into the air, a single tear slid down his cheek as he shot up from his chair. 

“Stop the match!” 

He had yelled it so deeply, in such a commanding tone, and yet neither you nor your competition had bothered to even look over at him.

“Stop the match!” 

His voice was even louder with that one, and there was a terrified desperation in his tone. He looked around, head swimming when he saw Ser Elias rushing down and jumping into the arena, followed by several Lannister soldiers.��

The man had begun to choke you, and Tywin’s heart was racing. 

Was he about to watch you die?

He thought he might break down and sob, feeling so helpless to do anything as he stood there and watched. Ser Elias and the guards were running toward you, but it didn’t seem fast enough to Tywin. 

However, Ser Elias’ attempts were in vain. The entire stadium gasped out, and for a moment afterwards there was silence. 

Until there were screams. 

In your disadvantaged position, you’d managed to draw the two daggers you’d had and bring them up, swiftly stabbing them into both of the man’s eyes. Instantly, you’d been dropped, and he’d begun to scream, writhing as he fell to the floor. You hadn’t stabbed deep enough to kill, only enough to blind, but it was clear to everyone now that you would win this fight. 

Ser Elias and all the guards instantly stopped, slowly backing away when they realized you were alright. You gave a small cough, and then you smiled again. Slowly, you got up and made your way over to your dropped sword. When you picked it up, you let the metal drag on the floor. 

The man you’d just blinded must’ve been terrified, only able to hear the distinct sound of the blade against the stone ground. He tried to move back, but the second he thought you were in one place, you were clearly in another. 

He sat up, still clutching at his eyes and shaking. There was utter silence, and everyone in the stadium watched as you inhaled and then ran toward the man, slicing his head off in one fluid movement. The Valyrian steel had not failed you, and you were smiling brighter than any sane person would be after almost dying. 

But, that didn’t matter to you. You’d won, clearly evident by the man’s head detached from his body. The stadium erupted into cheers, claps, and whistles, and you watched your entire family stand and join in. The Lannisters also stood for you, and even Cersei spared a few claps. 

In fact, the only person not cheering was Tywin. He’d fallen back into his chair after you’d stabbed the man’s eyes out, still shaking and breathing heavily. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d been so afraid. 

But, despite his trembling, he couldn’t deny that you looked magnificent. The sun was shining down on you as if the Gods had chosen you themselves, and you looked so happy, so proud, that he felt it too, even if it wasn’t showing. Tywin let out one shaky exhale and smiled at you, feeling his love so deeply at that moment. 

You smiled back at him, raising your sword before everyone as they cheered. People had said many things about you throughout your life, but there was great comfort to you in knowing that after today, nobody could deny your talent with a sword. In fact, some would even go on to tell stories. The blind, headless man indeed.

—————

“And when you pulled out the daggers and blinded him! Gods, it was beautiful, (Y/N). You scared me for a moment, I won’t lie, but it was the most awesome display of talent I’ve ever seen. You were wonderful, (Y/N). Wonderful,” Loras said, walking me back to my room. I was—of course—wearing a dress now, as my armor was being cleaned and polished, just like all of my equipment. It was nice to be out of it, even though it had been relatively light. 

“Thank you, Loras. In all honesty, I was scared too. I realized, though, that he was holding me far enough out for me to do it, and I almost found myself excited when I realized. Gods, It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so… so proud,” I noted, smiling over at my brother.

“Good, you should feel proud. I’ll bet you you’re the only woman in all seven kingdoms who can command a sword like that, (Y/N).”

“Usually I’m modest, Loras, but Gods it felt so good to hear them all cheering. To know I’d won. Especially against that insufferable cunt of a man,” I scoffed, shaking my head and looking at the small garden near my room. It was my favorite courtyard in the entire Red Keep. 

“Well, given that you’re now in love with the last man you called an insufferable cunt, I think it’s lost its meaning,” Loras teased. I smacked his arm, laughing when I heard a cough from nearby.

“Lady (Y/N), Ser Loras.”

We turned around and found Tywin there, hands behind his back.

“Lord Tywin, how may we help you?” Loras asked, though I had to look down to keep myself from laughing. Loras truly did turn me into a child again. 

“I was hoping to speak with your sister, if you don’t mind,” Tywin said, watching Loras nod.

“Of course. Sister, Lord Tywin.”

Loras walked off, leaving the two of us alone. We were in front of my door now, and Tywin motioned for us to enter. I swallowed, doing so nervously. I knew he was not going to be thrilled about what I’d done. 

Once the door was closed behind us, it was exactly what I’d expected. Tywin looked furious. 

“How could you be so stupid?” He asked, scowling at me and going to serve himself a glass of wine. I sat on one of the small ottomans, eyebrows raised. 

“Stupid? Nothing about what I did today was stupid. For gods’ sake, Tywin, you saw the way I blinded that man,” I told him, not appreciating the criticism.

“And before that? That man was about to kill you!” He shouted, gripping his cup so tightly his knuckles were going white. 

“And he didn’t! I wasn’t going to succumb so meekly.”

“Like you did at the battle of Blackwater?”

“Oh leave that out of this!”

“I’m not going to leave it out because I know it’s what possessed you to target the larger man! Why, (Y/N), why! Why put yourself at risk to make up for something so pointless?” He questioned, clearly still furious. 

“It’s not pointless, Tywin! I knew I could kill him, so why wouldn’t I? Nobody wants to watch me kill some man that’s already practically dead!” I reasoned, looking away from him. I knew he was right, deep down, but I was truthfully too proud to admit it.

“You removed your helmet, (Y/N)! You removed your damn helmet and I’m supposed to believe this has nothing to do with your pride?” He scowled, eyes narrowing and jaw clenching. I’d really done it this time.

“Even if it does, who cares? I’m alive! I’m alive and fine, it’s already done with!” I shouted, sighing afterwards. I watched Tywin put his cup down and clench his hands behind his back. He approached me slowly, and I thought he might snap. 

“I care! I care very much, (Y/N)! Do you have any idea how scared I was? You’d been putting your life at risk all day, and I didn’t have a damn clue!” 

“I’m not a slave, Tywin! If I’d told you, you never would’ve let me and gods forbid I do anything besides spend all my time in the tower of the hand with you! I love fighting, Tywin, and I’m damn good at it! I haven’t had the chance to even practice with anyone since the Battle of Blackwater. Is it such a sin to want to engage in something like that?” I asked, explaining my side with pleading eyes. I didn’t know what was so hard for him to understand. 

“I never would’ve let you, (Y/N), because I value your life! If you wanted to fight someone so badly I could’ve arranged for it safely. If you really wanted to, I’d take the time to fight with you. I know you’re talented, (Y/N), I know you enjoy it, but did it ever cross through your mind what would’ve happened if you’d died?” 

There was silence in the room for a moment. I didn’t know how to respond, for once in my life. The fear was coming out more than the anger now, and I was beginning to feel absolutely horrible. 

“Your entire family would’ve watched you die, (Y/N). Loras, Margaery, your father. They all would’ve watched it. I would’ve watched it. Do you- do you have any idea just how terrified I was?” He asked, and I could hear him getting choked up. 

“My entire body was shaking, (Y/N). I was so scared- so scared that I would lose you. That I would have to watch some man stab through your body. I was terrified of seeing the confused, afraid look on your face that everyone gets when they’ve been stabbed. I was terrified of seeing that and watching you fall to the ground, coughing up blood and going cold. I truly- truly thought I was going to lose you,” he said, going quiet at the end and turning away. I saw his body begin to shake, and I realized he was genuinely crying. 

I instantly rose from my seat, rushing over to him and taking him into my arms.

“Oh Tywin, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, my love,” I whispered, feeling him cling to me as he sobbed. 

“I was so scared of losing you, (Y/N). So scared I’d lose you… I can’t- I can’t lose you. I can’t do it again,” he wept, burying his face in my neck. I realized he was talking about Joanna, and my heart broke. In all honesty, I truly hadn’t considered that he’d be so afraid. I thought he trusted my skill, though it was more than that. 

I knew Tywin trusted my skill, he was simply scared anyways. And how could I blame him? He’d saved my life once, why wouldn’t it need saving again? 

I rubbed his back as he cried, and it was almost strange to see him so emotional, but it felt correct. 

“Don’t leave me, (Y/N). Please don’t. Promise me, promise me you’ll never endanger yourself again… I can’t… can’t live without you,” he sobbed, pulling back a bit to look me in the eyes. I cupped his face and nodded, a few tears of my own falling now.

“I promise, Tywin. I promise. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, pulling him back in. 

A hand came to my head, and he pressed me against him as tight as he could. I felt safe in his arms, which was an odd statement to make. I never felt unsafe, per say, but there was a certain emptiness without his touch. Especially without his kisses.

I moved back from him, wiping the tears from his cheeks and pressing my lips to his. He responded sweetly, holding my face. 

“I love you, Tywin,” I whispered, letting my hand smooth over his hair. 

“I love you so much, (Y/N). So much. If I ever lost you I’d- I’d be… gods…” he muttered, shaking his head. It was clear as day that whatever he envisioned was not good, and I took him back into my arms.

Truthfully, I knew I’d be just as lost without him as he would without me, and I prayed to the gods that they’d given him many more years with me. It was odd to think about sometimes, that the man I’d vowed to hate for the rest of my life was the one I desired to vow to spend the rest of my life with. 

I realized it then, the depth of my love for him. And, on top of that, I realized the depth of my lust too. 

TAGLIST:

@cheyxfu @lemonscoffee @groovy-lady

@ladysindar @vesta-ro @exo-nova @paola-carter

@prettykinkysoul @nothing2113 

@fullmoonshadowwrites @kishie8 

@the-desilittle-bird @dianilaws @girlonfireice @muscari-fae @abigfanofgameofthrones

#tywin lannister #tywin lannister x reader #house lannister #game of thrones #game of thrones x reader #Charles dance #a lion in the garden

[impossiblesuitcase]

Acts of Service - deleted scene.

Read the fic here

Tap click tap.

“Cress?”

Clicking fills the room as her fingers dance over the keyboard; the only sound Cress hears outside of her own voice in her head.

“Crescent? Light of my life?”

Tap tap. Click tap click.

“Cressy?”

Her nose pinches. The voice from the door had filtered unrecognised through her ears until that particular sobriquet. Cress swivels around in her desk chair to face her boyfriend. 

He grins. “That got your attention.”

“Cressy?” she drawls incredulously.

Carswell leans against the doorpost, mirth etched in his dimples. “It’s cute.”

“It’s awful.” She spins back to her desk, finding her place in the coding she was just on the verge of cracking. Ah, yes, she was adding a new variable.

“What? You’re not going to ask what I’m here for?” he presses.

“I won’t answer to that name,” is her short reply.

He laughs boyishly. “Aww, sweetheart, I tease you because I love you.”

She casts a stern glance back to the offender. “How would you like me to call you Cars-ey?”

Carswell smacks his lips, amusement stalling. “Touché,” he grumbles.

Her hand flicks up to her mouth, smothering a giggle. 

Resigned, Thorne sighs and lifts off the wall, holding out his hands. “Cress. My darling. My moon at night.”

“Yes, Cars-ey?” she calls sweetly.

His eyes shoot sewing needles. 

“Uh, sweetie. That’s what I said,” she corrects. “What’d you come to tell me?”

Excitement steams off him as he pulls two ports from his belt, advertising them in the air. “The new update on Android Assault is out! Wanna be obliterated at every turn?”

Cress beams, elated. They’ve been awaiting this update for six months now, and the prospect of seeing Thorne’s pout as she unquestionably prevails invigorates her. But her smile falls quickly.

Seeing this, he frowns. “I’ll let you win a few rounds, I promise.”

“Oh honey, I want to. But this coding is really urgent.”

He returns the portscreens to his belt and folds his arms. “Pfft. More urgent than hanging out.”

“It’s an assignment from the president of the American Republic.”

“President shmesident"

“Yes. The president shmesident who’s loaning you the very ship we’re on,” she reminds kindly. “We can play later, I promise.”

Thorne sulks by the door for a moment, brow furrowed. “Why do you have to be so responsible?”

Cress doesn’t know what to say. She blows him a kiss and returns to her screen. From her periphery, she sees Thorne catch the kiss and smack it onto his cheek. Then his footsteps patter down the hallway.

“Thanks anyway,” she hears, “Cressy.”

“Cadet!” she yells.

“Hey!”

Chuckling, Cress removes the flirting with boyfriend mode chip from her brain and plugs in the work mode. Right. The initial commands are working, and that is technically enough to cover the president's request. Still, she isn’t content to hand over the code with the backbone incomplete. It’s unlikely, but if this aspect fails, the entire system will.

Under Sybil, such a mistake would have earned a berating, glaring, and even the half-empty, half-full threat of execution. The former because Cress had known Sybil relied on her programming skills to remain in Levana’s good favour. And the latter because every guard before Jacin Clay that escorted Sybil to the satellite had been executed for looking at Mistress the wrong way.

President Vargas didn’t bring the promise of death if she misstepped. But singlehandedly losing the Rampion deal would be a fate worse than death to her boyfriend.

The cursor blinks over the script, nagging her. She knows which variables to assign, but it’s a matter of the right code to execute the correct function. Cress bites her lip, mentally running through the best candidates.

Something stronger nags at her.

She’s poured herself into this code all week, and ashamed as she is to admit it, this isn’t the first time she’s brushed Thorne off. Next Wednesday is their first anniversary of when they met, and they’ve spent the past month propounding all the fantastical things they’ll do to celebrate, yet none of them have been chosen, planned or booked. But this task is important. Ludicrously important, international-security level important.

He looked so disappointed…

Her fingers sit atop the keys, unable to commit to press down. 

Computer analytics show the likelihood of system failure to be 4.6%

She can’t live with that percentage. She can’t live with his dejected frown.

Cress grips the desk, using it as leverage to careen her chair backwards. Lips ready to call out a name, toes grazing the carpet to stand.

When she turns, Thorne is already at the door. She blinks rapidly as though he were a glistening mirage. She hadn’t heard his normally thudding footsteps.

“Missed me?” he teases, voice honeyed. He saunters over, a European pillow tucked under one armpit and his portscreen under the other.

Cress stands. He reaches her and coaxes her back into the chair. Then he drives it back to the desk, using his foot to toggle the lever so she drops down with an “Oof!”

Then he settles onto the floor, stuffs the pillow at his back and rests his head against her thigh. With a wiggle to get comfortable, he boots up his port and sighs contentedly.

Cress bites her smile. Leaning down, she presses a kiss to his forehead. His muscles relax under her lips.

“You keep working, stress-head. I’ll play the old instalments until you’re finished.” He winks up at her. “Gives me some extra practice to completely destroy you.”

She buries her hand in his hair and gives it a good tug. 

“Ow!”

“You know, a big ego slowly kills your brain,” she asserts. “It might explain the pain you’re experiencing.”

Thorne adamantly thumbs the start key and scoffs. “Get back to working, Missy.”

She does. It’s a little slow with only one operating hand, and in the tougher crunches she has to pull the other from his hair to the keys. Between event, array, and else functions, Cress ponders just how he became so relaxed with her, and how when she’d met his parents for the first time last spring, he’d been anything but. He had transformed before her eyes into a tense soldier, stiff-backed and overly formal. He hasn’t outright told her, but she knows implicitly that his family have never prioritised quality bonding time or enveloping hugs. Sure, he was an inexorable flirt, but Cress sees the softness behind his intentions. He just wants people to notice him. For people to care.

She well understands that yearning. So maybe right now the two of them are speaking to each other without words, saying exactly what they both need to hear.

Tap tap tap and click click click fills the room as percussion. Content, slow breathing is the melody.

@cindersassasin @hayleblackburn @spherical-empirical @just2bubbly @gingerale2017 @slmkaider @luna-maximoff-22

#tlc #the lunar chronicles #lunar chronicles #cresswell #cresswell fanfiction #carswell thorne #cress darnel

[beardedmrbean]

Elise Stefanik’s viral line of questioning of an elite trio of university presidents last week over how to respond to calls for the genocide of Jews didn’t just spark bipartisan outrage and lead to a high-profile resignation. It settled a personal score the congresswoman had with her alma mater, which had all but disowned her in the wake of Jan. 6.

Back then, in 2021, the dean of Harvard University’s school of government said the New York congresswoman’s comments about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election had “no basis in evidence,” and the Harvard Institute of Politics removed Stefanik from its senior advisory committee. Stefanik at the time criticized what she described as “the ivory tower’s march toward a monoculture of like-minded, intolerant liberal views.”

Now, Stefanik’s high-profile turn assailing the presidents of Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania is a real threat to those institutions. Penn president Liz Magill resigned in the wake of her testimony on Saturday, and Stefanik has made it clear she expects more: “One down. Two to go,” she posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

More than achieving vindication, Stefanik opened a new front in the culture wars — all while scrambling the Democratic Party’s traditional coalition of well-educated voters and their institutions of higher education.

Mitch Daniels, the retired former president of Purdue University and a former Republican governor of Indiana, called it “higher ed’s Bud Light moment” — referring to the beermaker’s divisive ad campaign featuring a transgender influencer — “when people who hang out with only people who adhere to what has become prevailing and dominant ideologies on campuses and suddenly discover there’s a world of people out there who disagrees.”

Republicans, of course, have been the loudest voices defending Stefanik. Daniels, who has also testified before hostile lawmakers on behalf of his university, mocked that the administrators Stefanik questioned retained the white-shoe law firm WilmerHale to prepare.

“Were they unprepared?” Daniels said in an interview. “Yes, they were unprepared by a lifetime of being cloistered in an ideological bubble and groupthink.”

Speaking at an event Monday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a graduate of Harvard Business School, told Bloomberg the contentious exchange on Capitol Hill marked a “cultural moment.” He added: “There is a tipping point, and we have to be clear on where that tipping point is. And extermination speech is clearly on the wrong side of that tipping point.”

But it is the movement against the university presidents from a chorus of Democrats that suggests a possible realignment of a traditional political alliance, one that could see bipartisan pushback against the elitism of the ivory tower.

“The president believes strongly that this is a moment to put your foot down and to ensure we have moral clarity,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said during a gaggle on Monday, as President Joe Biden headed to Pennsylvania for an unrelated event.

Josh Shapiro, the high-profile Jewish Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, called for Magill’s ouster.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a Massachusetts Democrat and an alum of both Harvard and MIT, said it’s “too soon to tell” whether the bipartisan backlash would become an issue in next year’s election. He attributed the larger cultural conflict to a “tension between individualism and identitarianism.”

“It’s fundamentally about hypocrisy,” said Auchincloss, whose great-grandparents fled the pogroms, emigrating to the U.S. around World War I. “And, at least for me, what I reacted to viscerally from the testimony was particularly Harvard, which has an abysmal track record on championing and incubating free and open speech — now, [they’re] into the First Amendment, when it’s about antisemitism? That was more striking to me.”

On the presidential campaign trail, the issue was finding new life.

“Finally, the veil has been lifted on the ugly underbelly of what’s going on in our culture, including in our universities and our educational institutions,” Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur who authored “Woke, Inc.,” the 2021 book that railed against social justice, told POLITICO.

Prior to last week’s hearing, many candidates, including Ramaswamy, had largely relegated talk of wokeness to the back burner after finding it did not resonate with primary voters.

But that has changed for now, and Ramaswamy welcomed the new discourse. He called on universities to rewrite their speech codes to include antisemitism and said university presidents should be fired not just for their testimony, but for failing to “actually embrace free speech and open expression, embrace the true purpose of seeking knowledge as opposed to indoctrination.”

At least for now, Stefanik’s criticism has wrenched open whole lines of attack in the campaign.

“I’m gratified that I think people have opened their minds on both sides to the arguments that I was making back then,” Ramaswamy said.

#nunyas news #they were asked if antisemitism had a home on their campuses #and they said it depends

[roydeezed]

One Piece-Mini Chapter Round-Up(Chapter 1087)

My heads not in analysis mode much right now but a new One Piece chapter came out after the most recent Void Month so I wanted to talk a little about the focus of this weeks chapter. Catch it below the cut.

Garp. That's the focus of this week's chapter. And through it, we get so much more insight into the hero of the navy than is evident at first.

A lot of my assumptions and conclusions are based on what happens next. Because the situation looks hopeless at the end of the chapter and Garp isn't smiling even though he is a D and he might die soon. SO! What does that say?

First of all, there's an assumption that Garp expects some intervention. Now, I'm gonna come out and say that I expect Coby and the other marines, as well as everyone they have rescued, to make it out. I also expect Garp to die. I also don't think Garp's death will be front page news. I don't know how it's all going to go down but I think there's a chance Garp expects Kuzan to bail them out. I don't think Kuzan will blow his cover that early. So that leaves some deus ex machina to save the new generation. Who knows what that'll be? I'm not here to speculate. What I am here to do is to talk about what all this says about Garp.

Garp is in deep denial. That's basically what his character is. At the beginning of the chapter, Commodore Brannew states that being a hero is a strength that you have to earn. And Garp has earned that. But just like Kuzan, he has also let it slip away by denying the obvious truth. The Marines are a corrupt organization that he continues to be the poster boy of by staying with them. He sees the truth of it. He also sees the truth of the matter in that those he loves and trusts choose things other than the Marines, and therefore condemn it as well. Him having to watch the execution of his adopted granson, Ace, should've been the final nail in the coffin but we see how he deals with that and all of those painful choices and decisions. He ignores it and keeps punching away. Training his body instead of confronting what all of it means. At the end of the chapter, Garp states that Justice will Prevail with a grim look on his face. Not at all like the D's we have seen in the past, smiling as they face certain doom. To me, this feels like Garp losing the way of the D's, those who challenge power. This invoking of justice at this time also brings back to mind my favourite Marine, Fujitora, and how he represents that Justice is blind. Garp wants his justice to be blind too. Thinking that if he does enough good on the side of the law that he'll tilt things in a way that'll lead to change.

It's the perfect counter to every single Marine with a strict sense of justice. Arguably they all see themselves as necessary if not even the good guys. But Garp, with his immense strength, reputation and extremely long tenure is the perfect counterpoint to them. He shows why their efforts will not pan out. Right now the only reason he's even making a dent is because he is working outside of the system. And even then, as an agent of the government, it's just senseless chaos. It's a resetting of the status quo and not real progress. To me this seems to be heading towards a tragic end for an extremely tragic character. Garp is denial and ignorance. Garp is stubbornness. Garp is one of the best foils in the series. But most of all, Garp, who's had so many of his loved ones choose a path away from him, is a tragic figure.

Being a hero is a strength that you have to earn and that justice will prevail are also concepts that link back to Luffy in a positive light. And by having Garp basically be a foil to Luffy in this sense, Oda highlights how great our protagonist is as well. A lot of people disliked the idea of Luffy being a chosen one a la the gum gum fruit/nika/gear 5. But Oda really wants to hammer in the point with this chapter that being a hero is something you earn. And something Luffy has earned with his actions as well. I'm sure Garp's end will be epic and tragic and probably somewhat heroic, but that heart of a hero that Luffy has is something Garp lost a long time ago. And Luffy shows how Justice really is blind.

Blind in that it doesn't follow laws. There's a lot that can be said about how justice is subjective, with how each admiral seems to have their own version and how Luffy's is entrenched in kindness. And how there is no cosmic right or wrong and how the law is a threat to follow rules and not at all true justice.

Garp also reminds me of so many of the older people I know and some that I dearly love and some that I wished I could love. He's stuck in his ways and because of that it's not hard to project that loved one that refuses to change onto him. He's relatble in the the way that he's someone who wants the best for you but your definition and his don't quite match up. And you see the love there but there is also the overbearingness and the expectations. I love garp. I hate garp. I love garp. He's such a great character.

One last tangent in this wildly rambling post. Garp and Koby. Koby is naive and falls for the pirates trap. But Garp realizes that it's not a fault with Koby. Koby needs to keep that innocent heart he has. It's absolutely essential that he does. And just like how Whitebeard couldn't get mad at his idiot son Squard, Garp can't let Koby take the blame and become what he has. Someone blinded to other's because they've been too busy ignoring their own pain. So Garp has only one job. And that's to get Koby off the island as the same marine he was when he got captured. He doesn't want Koby to change like Dragon or Luffy or Ace or Kuzan. More and more this becomes like Marineford and Whitebeards death. The ship splashing down. The hidden stab wound. The absolute insistence in believing in your own son. You hope that these character's learn from the past. That they change. That they aren't doomed to repeat the past because the story needs them to. You hope that this time it's different. You hope.

#one piece #one piece 1087 #op 1087 #one piece chapter 1087 #one piece spoilers #manga recap #manga discussion #weekly shonen jump #this one is a little different friends #was I crying at the tragic nature of this week's character? yes yes I was #it was badass too but the emotions are sometimes too stronk

[thegreenmeridian]

Amazing fucking week:

Friday: Driving to the city and having such intense anxiety about the impending visit from my horrible boss on Wednesday that my vision keeps pinpricking

Saturday: Holiday in Amsterdam for my birthday with the intention of going to a gay sex club for gay sex on Sunday, enjoying vibing with nice old gay men in a very old gay pub on the Saturday. Someone gives me a bump of coke from a little envelope with Dutch blue porcelain patterns

Sunday: See a message from my awful boss at 1.32 am. I am full of alcohol and drugs. I am raging that he is once again hassling me while on vacation/sick leave, and over an issue that I have continuously tried to fix despite him turning down every possible solution I offer because for him, the only acceptable solution is me staying within 15km of the shop and never having evening or weekend plans. Wake up with hangover and hellish anxiety. Too shaky to even consider going to the gay sex party.

Monday-Tuesday: More anxiety, basically doing fuck all with my holiday. Message from bossman on Monday saying we will have a *serious talk* on Wednesday. Frantically messaging my group chat like “ok gang can I sell a car while it still has a loan? Anyone got a sofa I can live on when I get fired?”. Ask therapist for emergency appointment on Thursday.

Wednesday part 1: basically running on pure adrenaline and oscillating between borderline panic attacks and fuck you I quit. The head office people arrive. Bossman is not among them. CEO is. He walks around the shop and says I’m doing a great job. The recycling project lady (who I *love*) whispers to me that bossman isn’t coming so I can relax, I say “yeah I think he’s gonna fire me anyway” and she very vehemently says this won’t happen.

Wednesday part 2: I check my phone at 11.30. Bossman is not coming. Something has come up. He will see me next Wednesday. A reprieve! I’m more jittery than when I was on the Dutch cocaine, my fight-or-flight system is going mental. I hyperactively stock shelves for the next few hours. An email arrives at 14.30, while I’m on the phone to the union trying to work out if I can set fire to some things before I quit because fuck me I am DONE. The email is from my boss, announcing in two stilted sentences that he no longer works for the company, shortly followed by an awkward HR email like “he has ended his journey with the company, we wish him well”.

Wednesday part 3: ngl I have no memory of the next few hours, I think my brain chemistry entered strange new territories. When I come to, I’m walking into the “key meeting” which has been moved from the fancy hotel to a local sports bar in a sort of large shed. There are many, many football scarfs. The manager of the netto pounced on me looking for gossip about my boss. Bitch I don’t know the fuck dot gif. The presentation is in Icelandic. I zone out while staring into the machine knitted eyes of Eric Cantona. Dinner is spent sat next to the brand manager for one of the other supermarket chains in the company, mostly chatting about British football violence as befits the setting.

Thursday: as the great Ronnie O’Sullivan once said, I am up and down like a whore’s drawers. Stroppy email from accounting sends me into a panic spiral. Bouncing between hysterical laughter and pinprick vision. I am Coping. I am also doing an interview with an airport handling agent company for a job as a ramp agent. I think it goes ok? Most of the day a blur until emergency therapy, which is spent rambling like a mad bitch while squishing clay because art therapy slaps. Later, as I’m delivering shite to a boat an hour after I’m supposed to finish, the HR lady calls me. I am, apparently, still mental, because I tell her I thought I was being fired yesterday and when she reassures me I am NOT being fired, I snort and go “well *he* fucking is!”. I also tell her “yay I can stop taking the anxiety pills” and “full disclosure, the prevailing theory in the <boss’s name> support group is that he said let a slut slip while ranting about me in a meeting”. She assures me he would never and he’s just very Honest and Forthright. Ma’am maybe cycle back to the whole “several employees have a support group about this man” and “several employees very easily believe he’s been barely holding back the slurs”. Point of the conversation turns out to be she is *desperate* for me to take another management job out east that I maybe sorta hinted at being willing to do. She vaguely implies that if I don’t agree soon she will have to look elsewhere but they’ve been looking for someone for this job since August so nah ima take this slow.

Friday: adrenaline high is wearing off. I am tired. I hate this job. I have to work tomorrow. One of my apparently three new bosses phones. Man is apparently decent according to people I know who’ve worked with him and my own limited experience but he is clearly trying to Be Assertive now and is talking to me a liiiiitttle too much like ex-bossman used to. Long story short I bought a large tank of helium out of spite today. Phone call from HR Lady as I was leaving work (about half an hour after I was supposed to) and she is seriously desperate for me to take the job out east. They couldn’t get someone up to help me while I was unable to lift shit after surgery with two months notice but they can apparently find someone to cover me for a visit to this shop out east after I said multiple times I wouldn’t say yes until I’d seen the place.

[positivelybeastly]

💬

"It's the damndest thing, Kurt."

They're sitting on the shore of this little - place, this island, this (prison) thing called Utopia, and Hank is just a ball of nervous, upset, fizzing energy. It's not a side of Hank that Kurt gets to see very often, he's usually so very composed, or rambunctious, or sardonic, or stoic, he's never like this.

Eventually, it gets to be a little too much and he takes a moment to pull off his glasses, breeeeeeathe, and exhale through the nose, his fingers rubbing gently at the bridge of his snout as he gestures in a particular direction.

"About - 10,000 miles that way is . . . Genosha. Give or take a few hundred miles."

He stops rubbing at his nose, but he doesn't put his glasses back on, just lets the gold bleed out of his eyes. Just stares out.

"16 million people dead. 16 million mutants. And we thought that that was the worst that it could get. We thought that there's no way that someone could possibly equal that level of destruction. How could you possibly?"

The 'But Wanda managed it' stays unsaid. Hank won't hear a word against Wanda, even now. He's maybe the only X-Man who won't snap at her back with a viper's hiss.

"And I think back, and I think . . . about standing there, in the rubble. I think about the fact that were it not for the respirator, I would have felt the kiss of the dead as their atoms slid down my throat like a lover's tongue, because they weren't just killed, Kurt, they were vaporised. There was nothing left, they were just. Gone."

He reached down into the sand and ground it between his fingers, watching the granules slip between them with a soft hiss.

"When I got back to the school, I just kept washing. I was so very extra-hygienic for a few weeks there. I kept feeling - dusty. Ashy. Like there was something on me that I couldn't touch, couldn't taste, couldn't smell, but it was there, I swear to - "

God. He stumbles on the word like he's going to be sick, throws his glasses to the ground away from him.

"There was this - atrocious movie. Oh my stars and garters, it was awful. It was lurking in the entertainment room back at the Mansion, I have no idea who bought the DVD, but it was called 'God's Army.' A movie about Mormons. In the Mansion. I mean, really, what next, 'Crash'? And there was this line, that even at the time I thought was just so very banal, but it stuck with me precisely because of that."

""Sometimes I think God does it on purpose. It's like He gives you a hundred reasons to believe, and then He just drops one or two for you not to believe. So that you can choose, to see if you really want to believe."

He laughed. It was an ugly, pained little noise.

"I have sixteen million reasons not to believe anymore, and the best anyone can tell me is that the times of greatest crisis are the exact moment when faith needs to most prevail. As if that, alone, were reason enough. It's not even remotely enough, Kurt, I need more than that.

No, Joe Hill had it right. 'I see God now as an unimaginative writer of popular fictions, someone who builds stories around sadistic and graceless plots . . . the author is unworthy of His own characters.' And what does He have to rebuke me, hm? Does He have a riposte?

Here I am! I want to believe, in anything right now, but I don't. I don't. I need a fact. I need a truth. I need - something, that I can hold onto, right now.

I need empirical proof. I need something I can touch. I need something real.

I need, a rock, and all I've got is sand!"

His breathing turned heavy and yet feathery, as if he were in the process of shaking himself apart, needing a good few moments to just - simmer, before he got to his feet and walked away, leaving his glasses behind on the beach.

#bothsidesofaquestion #monologue meme #genocide tw #loss of religion tw #religion tw