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#tswift rel
daltonblaine · 1 year
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"We have mirrorballs in the middle of a dance floor because they reflect light. They are broken a million times, and that's what makes them so shiny. We have people like that in society too. They hang there, and every time they break, it entertains us." I was so proud to be with you. I hope so. I want you to be.
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adelle-ein · 6 months
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every year spotify wrapped just confuses the hell out of me. what is "pov: indie" (why not just indie????) what is "alt z." what the fuck is "hopebeat," is it like "indie poptimism." and where is provo
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upthebrackets · 8 months
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Seeing tswift and olivia fans on twitter screaming crying throwing up about how those tickets are unaffordable and unattainable really gives me extra appreciation for the fact I get to see my favourite music man twice next year for a combined 40€ 😭
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caruliaa · 2 years
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screaming bc i cant fucking. find it anywere which is so weird bc literally the way i wld look at memes as a kid since the only website i ever rly used was youtube was to google [X interest] memes and look at the results and i disticntly remember seeing it on google images but does anyone else remember a top text bottom text meme with like. okay i remember it as a like an official image like a promo image for the show but looking back i feel like it was more likely fanart that was jsut very common in the fandom with like. princess candance on one half and the changling queen (? did she have a name?) and its the tihng of one half being candences face and the other half being the changlings face if that makes sense with the text "cause darling im a nightmare / dressed like a daydream" its os insnaly clear in my mind yet i cannot find it googling for it and i need too. incredibly 2014 image. to me.
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ncxilearc · 2 years
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@kinklelegacy​ left a voicemail ;;  💬 for Nick Scratch ⸻  ( send 💬  for a starter with a random line of dialogue )
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❛  Midnight, on the bridge. Come alone.  ❜    The words messily scribbled on the torn piece of paper,  such contrast to the usual neat handwriting of Nick,  that he left somewhere easy for Harvey to find.    There was the slightest hint of irony in the last sentence,  it wasn’t as if the other was going to show up with someone else,  wasn’t he  ?    A low chuckle resonating in the empty night air.    The bridge lamps casting a soft glow onto Nick’s figure,  while he was perched on the metal railing,  waiting.    He almost felt as if his legs were dangling in the void due the dark water underneath the bridge.
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annarubys · 2 years
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forgot to make a little psa but!!!!! i might be posting a little bit about doctor who tomorrow so just a warning for blacklist purposes <3
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cloudmancy · 24 days
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which is worse: d20 tumblr or d20 twitter?
this is such a funny question. frankly I prefer talking with my existing friends over discord over either of them but here's a breakdown of my experience with them
d20 tumblr
feels like a more isolating experience because of the way tumblr is set up in general as a platform. I follow relatively few people here, so all my interactions are from people engaging with my art (love you mwah) or asking me questions. nearly every time I go into a d20 related tag I regret it
I think frankly I disagree with 90% of the opinions on d20 here but because I don't have to see it I can just post my art and go
feels relatively static like there's not a good way to get everyone talking about a specific transformative fandom thing instead of only what's happening in canon because it's a looser more disconnected community
allows for longer posts and the search system on my own blog is great though. I love directing people to go through my tags or archived art
d20 twitter
incredibly, astonishingly, bad at recognizing jokes for people who are fans of a comedy show
way easier to interact with people which means most of the friends I make are from d20twt...
very easy to get everyone talking about one specific thing (ie fhsonas) because of how interactive Twitter is as a platform and how quickly word spreads
downside of this^ is that every time I express an opinion someone disagrees with they tend to assume that this is a majority opinion rather than like, 3-4 popular gay asian artists speaking their mind? when I complained about fhjy 18 battle on here I got interesting and thoughtful reblogs and everyone kept it respectful meanwhile on twitter people started making vaguetweets about how people who hated the episode were morons. stuff like us joking that oisin's grandma's whole mahjong group got murked getting 200 likes VS people directly shitting on us getting 1.7k likes and people going "wait... people are mad about oisins grandma for REAL?! she was going to kill people !!" getting 2k likes. clearly there is some sort of strange authority people put on your words whether or not you're actually just trying to have fun with your friends
I did talk about this more on twitter but I am not a fan of the CRitterfication of d20twt either. feels like much of the fandom is now watching because they're megafans of the cast rather than for the story which leads to some really big toxic positivity bias and the implication that criticism of the show == direct attack on the crew and therefore on THEM because parasocial attachment. I don't think it helps that for a majority of them d20 is their first big fandom experience aside from like... kpop or tswift because they have not developed a lot of the detachment from canon + not being parasocial + ignoring opinions you don't like if they're not directly addressed at you mechanisms that people who've been around have. sorry I'm not trying to fandom elder or whatever here I'm 21 years old but I think it's incredibly hard for me to interact with people whose entire understanding of canon depend on siobhan thompson's opinions like this
tldr;
d20twt has way less reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. better for making friends. I interact almost entirely with 30-40 of my artist friends. (my) d20tumblr experience is more chill and feels like I'm doing a seminar and people come up to ask me questions afterward. more isolating but easier to do my own thing. I do recognize and am fond of a lot of you but I've made one (1) entire friend who I can talk to off platform and not just see on the dash/my notes and that's just the nature of how tumblr works as a platform (it's terrible for conversations)
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callsignspark · 9 months
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Mar[r]y Me - part seven
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pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)
summary: A love story told through friendship, laughter, and food.
series warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussion of insecurities, difficult family relationships, discussions of food and alcohol use, discussions of body image, conversations on what it’s like to be a fat woman trying to date in today’s society, extreme fluff, if you read these be warned that the last little bit will probably make you want to yell at me, ignore the fact that the mentioned tswift song wasn't out in 2021, warnings to be added as needed
word count: 4.8k
previous part | series masterlist | main masterlist
note: happy Friday!! it’s here! part seven!! I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks, I hope you all have an amazing weekend!! (side note: this chapter means we've almost hit 50,000 words on this story??? what!!! thanks for all your support!)
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part seven - pasta e piselli
C’mon, pick up. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.
Bradley repeats the plea over and over again in his head, staring at his own stressed expression on the Facetime call screen. He’s not sure why he’s worried; she’s picked up every other time he’s called.
Which has been every day this week, so far.
He’s just about to give up, figuring she’s still busy at work, when Mary answers.
“Happy Thurs-” Bradley stops when he realizes she’s on the phone, holding a finger up.
“Just hang on one second, Zia! No! I-” She speaks rapidly in another language, surprising Bradley, before pulling the phone away and bending closer to her iPad. “Sorry, I just need like ten minutes to get her off the phone, and then I’m all yours. I can call you back?”
“Nah, that’s okay. I’ll just be here.” He returns her smile, only slightly distracted by the brief flash of lace he gets where her work shirt is unbuttoned.
Bradley watches her bustle around her hotel room, tidying up and throwing things in her suitcase as she talks on the phone. He gets comfortable on his couch, propping himself up on a mountain of pillows and letting the sweet sound of Mary’s voice wash over him. He’s pretty sure she’s talking to her aunt in Italian, based on the googling he did of the bits and pieces he was able to understand.
It’s sexy, he thinks, imagining what it would be like to have her whisper in his ear in Italian, even if he would have no idea what was being said.
“You would think the fact that she’s closing in on 100 would mean she would have less energy to talk, but somehow, she’s only gained strength over the years.”
His focus comes back to the screen, drifting away from the fantasy he was building in his head to find Mary smiling sweetly at him, her chin resting in her hand. “Hi.”
“Hi, Bradley.”
“You speak Italian.” She nods, saying something to him and laughing when he just looks confused. “What?”
“I said that you must have had a stressful day because your hair looks like your call sign, Mr. Rooster.”
“It’s not that bad!” A glance at his Facetime window tells him that his hair is sticking straight up. Of course, he can’t admit that it’s from running his hands through it during his minor panic that she wouldn’t pick up and then while dreaming about having her on his lap. “Okay. I’ve had better hair days. But back to you, Italian?”
“Yeah, my whole family speaks it to varying degrees. The first few generations - on both sides - spoke very little English, if any at all. My parents and their siblings are the first generation that you could consider fully fluent in English. I had older relatives that only spoke Italian live with my family growing up, so I was a bilingual baby.”
“Was it hard to learn English?”
“Not really? Our house was English first, Italian second whenever possible, so I picked both up pretty quick.”
“That’s so cool! I took Spanish in high school, but I really only remember how to ask about the library. Donde está la biblioteca?” They laugh at his poor pronunciation. “So, how was your day?”
“It was good! Very productive; with all the meetings today, I finally had enough time to finish my program review slides! So tomorrow, I can fully focus on outfitting the last three jets. The team up here understood the upgrade really quickly, which is encouraging. It means the training pipeline that Dave put in place is working.”
“That’s good. What uh- what are you doing now?” Bradley’s mouth goes dry as he watches Mary unbutton her shirt, slipping it off to reveal a white camisole that clings to her in all the right places.
“Some of the people I worked with in Florida are here for training and program review prep! And we finally all have a free evening, so we’re going to dinner! I want to wear that shirt tomorrow morning, and I don’t want to get makeup on it while I’m retouching.”
“That sounds fun.” He can hear how rough his voice is, heart thumping when he watches her eyes dart to his, a light pink appearing on the apples of her round cheeks.
“How was your day?”
He tucks an arm behind his head, watching her freshen her makeup and telling her about the antics the Dagger Squad had gotten up to without her. It had been a light day; everyone got grounded due to rain, so Cyclone had them act as guinea pigs for a new training regiment the Navy is considering. They had, of course, gotten too competitive about it and completely over-performed the expected standards. Admiral Simpson was so frustrated that he let them go early, banning them from his sight for the rest of the day.
“He really swore at you guys?!” Mary laughs, swiping something shiny over her lips.
“He did! And he did that thing where he gets so mad his face turns red, and it looks like that vein in his neck is going to rupture!”
“You guys are going to kill that man.”
“It’s Mav’s fault. He taught us the right buttons to push.” Bradley shrugs when Mary raises a doubtful eyebrow at him, a laugh threatening to break through.
“I only half believe that some of you are quite annoying all on your own.”
“Wow, hurtful.”
She giggles at his dramatic chest grab. “I didn’t name names; if you took offense, that’s your own fault. Does my makeup look okay? Any places need fixing?”
Mary holds the tablet up to her face, closing her eyes to show off her makeup. Bradley takes the quiet moment to admire her. She’s never really been one to wear much makeup, but every time she does, it just enhances her beauty.
“You look great.” He holds back all the compliments and praise he wants to shower her with, reminding himself they’re not quite there yet, choosing to add some helpful feedback instead. “You do have some mascara on your right eyelid, though.”
“Oh, thank you! I’ll clean that up when I change.” She walks over to the closet, pulling out two dresses. “Which one for dinner?”
“The red one.” He answers with zero hesitation. He loves red on her; the color always looks so good against her tanned skin.
She hums, holding the dress against herself and looking in the mirror. “Yeah, good choice. I’m gonna ch-”
Mary shrieks as a door flies open, and Harvard comes bursting in. “Are you ready yet?”
“Brigham! You’re only supposed to use that for emergencies!”
“I’m hungry, and I want to get going.”
“That is not an emergency! What if I was naked?!”
“I could hear Rooster’s big mouth; I knew you weren’t naked. C’mon! Get changed. I want to eat!”
Bradley sits there baffled as Mary throws the dress he didn’t pick at Harvard’s head, snapping at him to hang it up before slamming the bathroom door behind her.
Harvard does and then takes Mary’s seat, waving at Bradley with a big grin on his face, completely unaware of how Bradley is reeling inside. “Hey, man! What’s up? How’re you?”
He doesn’t break to let Rooster answer, rambling on about his week and the mentoring program Cyclone had sent him to work on. Bradley can only let it go on so long before he bursts. “How did you get in?”
At that exact moment, Mary reappears, the red fabric highlighting her tan and accentuating her curves, even better than he remembered it from the night they met. “We ended up with adjoining rooms.”
“We’re keeping them unlocked for emergency purposes, aka so I can make sure she actually has some fun while we’re here.” Harvard proudly announces.
“I was swindled; he’s got very convincing puppy dog eyes.” She ushers him out of her chair so she can slip her shoes on. “It’s like the little brother I never wanted.”
“You’re so mean to me.”
Mary looks at Bradley and rolls her eyes. “And yet he refuses to leave. Go grab your wallet and the keys so we can get going.”
They both ignore Brigham’s muttered complaints as he heads to his room, focusing on each other.
“You look beautiful, honey.” Bradley says lowly once their friend is gone, like if he’s quiet enough with his compliments, then their just friends for now promise won’t be broken.
She looks at him through her lashes, putting her earring on and answering just as lowly. “Thank you. You look handsome.”
“Even with my hair sticking up?”
“Even then, dolcezza.” She hums. A yell from next door interrupts them before he can ask what she called him. “I gotta go, or we’ll be late for dinner. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Have fun, be safe.”
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“Hello?” Bradley grumbles into the receiver, not appreciating being woken up after it took almost an hour to fall asleep.
“I can’t see you, Bradley; turn the light on.”
He pulls the phone back, pleasantly surprised to find Mary staring back at him. She’s showered and propped her phone against something, her brown eyes looking sleepy as she snuggles under the covers. A wave of longing hits him; she looks so soft and sweet. He wants nothing more than to be there with her.
“Sorry I woke you up.” She apologizes as he flips the light on and stands his phone on his bedside table.
“S’okay. Did you have a good time with your friends?”
“Yeah…” She sighs, a lazy smile spreading across her face. “It was great! I haven’t seen them since I left last year. We drank so much wine, which happens every time we let Ron pick the restaurant.”
“You tipsy, honey?”
“Think so.” She giggles, burying her face in her pillow for a second. “But it’s okay. Brigham drove, and he made sure I didn’t twist my ankle in those sandals.”
“Did he complain about it?”
“The whole time, he’s a good guy.” She blinks at his annoyed grumble. “Are you jealous? It’s okay if you are, but you don’t have to be. He really is like a brother. Besides, you’re the only sexy Dagger. Like, you’re all ridiculously attractive - statistically, only one or two of you should be hot, and somehow you all are; someone should study the probability of that - but you’re the only one I think is sexy.”
Bradley feels his jaw drop at her admission. He wants to stop her and talk about the fact that she thinks he’s sexy, but she’s steamrolling ahead on a different topic.
“I’m so excited to get home! It’s Annie’s birthday on Saturday, so I get to watch her run around with all her little friends from preschool. It’s gonna be so cute!” She coos, her smile wide.
“You’re gonna need a few Advil after listening to all that screaming.”
“Probably, but it’ll be nice to see her have fun on her birthday.”
“Hey, speaking of birthdays. I was thinking we should do something for your birthday on Sunday since I’ll be gone on the actual day.”
“You remember my birthday?”
“Of course I do, March 14th - Pi Day. And if I did my math correctly, you’re going to be 34.”
“That’s right.” Her answer is just above a whisper.
He can’t describe the way Mary is looking at him; her eyes are big and glassy, and there’s something in her expression he just can’t quite recognize.
“I was thinking we’d spend an evening together - just the two of us - and I’ll make dinner for you.”
“That’s so sweet, Bradley, but I don’t know if I can accept. That’s a lot of work.”
“No, it’s not. Not if I’m doing it for you.”
“Bradley… that plan isn’t very just friends.” Her voice is quiet, shy.
“I know. But I promise, this is completely different than the dinner I promised you after I get back in May. It’s not a date like that’s going to be. So whatdya say? Gonna let me make you dinner?”
“Only if I’m bringing dessert.”
“Nope, it’s your birthday. You’re not bringing dessert.”
Mary’s eyebrows scrunch as she sits up to get closer to the camera, the covers slipping down to reveal her nightgown. Bradley swallows hard. He knows she’s not doing it on purpose - doesn’t think she is anyway - but the pink fabric drapes across her skin in the most tantalizing way. He watches the strap slip down her shoulder, feeling weaker with every millimeter it moves. It makes him want to give in to her, but he stays strong, insisting that she’s not allowed to bring food to her own birthday dinner.
“Fine. Am I allowed to bring wine?”
He thinks for a second. “That’s okay, as long as that’s all you bring.”
“Scout’s honor.”
“Alright, smartass. Time for bed.” He lays back down, watching as she gets comfortable.
Mary hums, fighting against her eyes that are trying to slip close. “Talk tomorrow?”
“Course. Good night, honey.”
The last thing he sees before she hangs up is her pretty face, a sleepy smile on her lush lips, and her dark hair spread out on the white hotel pillows. “Night, dolcezza. Sleep well.”
The screen goes dark, and Bradley smiles back at his own reflection. It had taken some trial and error, but he had looked up what dolcezza meant while she was at dinner.
Dolcezza: Sweetheart or Honey (literally: sweetness; considered old-fashioned)
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Mary’s anxiety has been eating away at her all day. From the moment she woke up, to getting ready two hours early because she was worried about being late, to this very second. The combination of nerves and excitement has her entire body vibrating. Her hand even shook a little when she lifted it to knock, thankful that she had tucked the wine safely into her canvas bag.
It’s just dinner with Bradley. There’s nothing to be nervous about.
She’s been telling herself that since accepting his invitation, but she can’t fool her own heart. Bradley inviting her over so he can make a birthday dinner for her because he’s going to be gone on her actual birthday? She knows this means more for them than just dinner.
More than just friends.
She’s beginning to regret asking that they wait to go on a date until he gets back from this deployment. He was so kind and understanding when she explained and had been taking everything at the pace she requested. But an itch is starting to form, one she can’t scratch by herself.
An itch that can only soothed by Bradley’s lips pressed to hers. By his big hands cradling her face. By his strong body pinning hers to the bed. By the two of them sharing a bed at night. Now that she’s had a slice what it would be like to be with him, she’s desperate for more. Just the thought of how he might taste-
You have got to calm down. Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.
Mary follows her own instructions, trying to practice the Lamaze breathing she learned at Danielle’s birthing classes, the ones she attended when they weren’t sure what Reuben’s schedule would look like. She’s smoothing nonexistent wrinkles out of her shirt when the door opens.
Why the fuck did I say we should be just friends for now?
Bradley looks gorgeous. There’s no other word to describe it. The sleeves of his sweater are pushed up and hugging his arms, the soft fabric stretched across his broad shoulders. He’s wearing her favorite pair of jeans, the light-wash ones that cup his ass just right. And he’s gotten a trim, his curls slightly shorter than the last time she saw him in person.
As a familiar aroma wafts past his tall frame, his flushed cheeks make her wonder if it’s because he’s been cooking or because of her. She hopes it’s because of her.
“Hi. Happy birthday, Mariella.”
She loves it when Bradley says her full name. His pink lips curving around the letters, the syllables effortlessly dripping from his mouth. He even develops the tiniest Italian accent, an unconscious effect of her name. Her heart pounds with the care he always uses with her name, the respect.
“Thanks, Bradley.” She’s momentarily taken off guard when he pulls her into his strong chest but is reluctant to pull back from his warm hug. “Whatever you’re making smells good.”
“Thank you! I think you’re gonna like it.”
Mary’s smile widens as he takes her bag while she slips her shoes off. “Yeah? What are we having?”
“Oh, that’s a surprise - you’ll just have to wait a little bit and see. Have a seat at the table, and I’ll pour you a glass of this wine you brought.”
She slips into a dining room chair and watches as he opens the wine, bobbing his head to the music coming from the record player across the room. He dramatically sniffs the cork, and the cheeky smile he shoots over his shoulder makes her laugh.
“Something funny, Miss Mary?” Bradley saunters around the counter peninsula, handing over a stemless wine glass.
“Nothing, just unaware I was in the presence of a sommelier. Did you taste the peach the label talked about?”
“I did; I also picked up on notes of lime. Very delicious pinot grigio you selected for tonight.”
“The Navy’s amazing reading skills in action.” She smirks at the confused tilt of his head. “It’s a sauvignon blanc, Bradley.”
He throws his head back as he laughs. “Shit! They all taste the same to me.”
“Me too.” She admits as he checks on the food, warmth blooming in her chest at the domesticity of the scene. All the anxiety from earlier suddenly seems ridiculous; she’s never felt more comfortable with a man. “Which drives Dani insane because apparently there’s a lot of differences.”
“Wine is wine! You know, like Mr. Incredible when he tries to do the math homework?” Bradley jokes as he sets salad and bread on the table. “Could you dish out the salad while I serve the pasta?”
Mary is slicing the loaf of sourdough when Bradley sets a bowl of pasta at seat. His chest brushes her back, and he squeezes her hip as he moves to his seat, murmuring a low thanks when she puts bread on his plate. She loses her breath as she sits back down, her heart racing when she sees what he’s made.
“Pasta e piselli?”
“It’s your favorite.”
“You remember that?”
“What’s your favorite?”
Mary perks up at the question, happy that Bradley is so interested in what she has to say. “Pasta e piselli, which is just pasta and peas. But it’s so good and filling and comforting.”
“Do you make it a lot?”
“I don’t actually, Amelia, even though it’s very easy to make.” She sends a conspiratory wink to her, getting a big smile in return. “It’s one of those recipes I break out for a special dinner or when I need a pick-me-up meal.”
“Special dinner? You ever make it for a date?”
The question stops her cold. She knows Amelia catches the way her face drops, a shocked expression she can’t quite control. One of her worst qualities, according to her mother. She can feel pity radiating from the young girl standing on the end of the cart, feeling sad for the pathetic thirty-three-year-old woman who can’t understand when a man just thinks of her as a friend.
Her throat feels acidic, swallowing the tears that threaten to show themselves. She feels so stupid, because up until that question, she would have sworn Bradley was flirting with her. She should know better by now. She’s not someone that men find desirable. She’s fat and awkward and bad at flirting.
Mary stutters out an answer, some bullshit about commitment, before focusing on Amelia, who interrupts to talk about cupcakes. She takes advantage of the distraction, using it to move them toward the cashiers and taking the first chance to get away from the siblings. She can’t help but feel even more heartbroken when Bradley offers to carry her groceries. He’s such a good guy. It’s not his fault she’s so pathetic and convinced herself a man like Bradley could want someone like her.
“That’s sweet, but I’ve got it. Been doing this all by myself for years now! Enjoy your pizza, guys!” She gives a poor excuse of a wave, her smile sad as she thinks about how true her statement is.
She has been doing it by herself for years. All alone - no partner, no roommate, no help - since she graduated college. Her best friends usually thousands of miles away, limited contact with her family in New York, only a few friends in Missouri. And then, in Florida, just when she had started to get friendly with people besides the admiral she worked with, she had gotten the job in San Diego and moved, leaving that budding life behind.
She should probably be thankful that Bradley didn’t press more after Amelia interrupted. That he didn’t ask her to help him make the recipe for whatever lucky woman he had in mind when he asked about making it for a date. Because she would have said yes, desperate to spend time with the man she had a crush on.
Well, that’s gonna stop now righ now,  she decides as she sends one last small smile to Bradley and Amelia, trudging out to her Jeep and letting herself cry for a few seconds once the groceries are loaded. Driving home with tears leaking down her cheeks as her favorite sad Taylor Swift song plays on repeat.
“Of course I do.” His socked feet brush her own, and he reaches over to grab her hand.” You said you would only make it for someone who was committed to you.”
Her heart races at the implication of his words.
I’m committed to you.
“You asked if I would make this for a date.” Bradley nods. “This isn’t a date.”
“It’s not a date.” He confirms, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.
“It’s only been a week, I’m not-”
“I know, Mary.” He gently cuts her off. “It’s not a date; I just wanted to make something special for your birthday.”
She tries to swallow around the lump in her throat, overwhelmed by the sweet and thoughtful man sitting beside her. Compared to her previous relationship attempts, Bradley keeps surpassing her expectations by leaps and bounds. She knows it’s not fair to compare them, to keep waiting for him to act like them. He’s not them.
He is so much better.
Bradley is kind and caring. He listens to her, really takes in what she’s saying, doesn’t just nod as the words come out of her mouth. The slightest brush of his skin against hers sets her on fire. He makes her feel safe; she’s never once questioned his intentions or felt uneasy while in the car with him.
Logically, Mary knows the beautiful man in front of her really does care about her, but it’s still hard to believe they’ve gotten here. That they’re here, having this not-date that is so clearly a date. That they’ve confessed their feelings.
“Try some.”
Her stare lingers on his face for another minute, committing his soft expression to memory, before looking down at her bowl.
“It really does look great.” She doesn’t let go of his hand, scooping a bite with her right hand and blowing to cool it down. Bradley’s eyes twinkle as she takes the first bite, his pupils dilating at the involuntary sound that escapes as the flavors melt in her mouth.
No one had made this meal for her since her grandmother passed away twenty years ago. It's like a taste of childhood between the fresh peas and the sharp pecorino cheese.
“Is it good?”
“Well, it’s not Nonna Romano's pasta e piselli, but you did a great job, Bradley. It’s delicious.” She smiles as his face drops in relief, a wide smile replacing his nervous one.
They spend dinner talking and laughing, their legs constantly brushing together as they discuss which post-program review happy hour mixers they should attend. Then, after the leftovers are packed up, Bradley ushers her onto his balcony and plops the two of them on his wicker loveseat, ignoring her protests that she could do the dishes.
“I’ll do them later. Just sit here and relax with me, would ya?”
“Fine.” Mary huffs, shuffling closer until she’s tucked into his side, warm and content under the blanket he grabbed.
The two sit in comfortable silence, cuddled together as they listen to the sounds of the street below and watch the last rays of the sunset slip away. It’s not until the few stars that are actually visible through San Diego’s light pollution appear in the sky that one of them moves.
“I’ll be right back.” He says, chuckling at her tiny, displeased whine when he pulls away. She watches him walk into his apartment, appreciating the long lines of his body.
When the door slides shut, she takes a second to just breathe, the crisp evening air filling her lungs and cooling her warm cheeks as she tries to calm herself down. The butterflies in her storm are waging a war against her, but not in a bad way. It’s not nerves or anxiety that’s making her stomach flip.
It’s happiness.
It’s Bradley.
An involuntary laugh escapes at the realization. Mary presses the blanket against her face, muffling the excited giggles she can’t control. Giddy like a schoolgirl with her first real crush. She brings the blanket down at the sound of the door opening; her cheeks are sore from smiling so big but they stretch even more at the sight in front of her.
Bradley walking towards her, singing Happy Birthday with a slice of cheesecake in one hand and his phone in the other. He carefully sits back down, handing over the plate to light the candle.
“Happy birthday to you!”
Mary can’t look away from the man sitting next to her. Her heart is so full she could cry. She’s never been one to make a big fuss about birthdays. Usually spends the day working and enjoying her colleagues' happiness at the treats she brought to share. Treating herself to dinner out and maybe some dessert before calling her best friends to chat and catch up, laughing through their awful rendition of Happy Birthday.
The effort Bradley has put in has her on the brink of happy tears. Not only did he remember her favorite dinner months after she mentioned it once, but he put in the time to actually make it. He’s done all the work himself and hasn’t let her lift a finger. Something she appreciates more than he could ever imagine. Growing up, there was never a day where she was allowed to not help. Every special day of her - birthday, graduation - ended with her in the kitchen, putting leftovers away and washing dishes while her brothers got to have fun. And on top of all that, she knows he asked Dani or Reuben for help because he’s stuck a candle in a slice of chocolate raspberry swirl cheesecake - her favorite.
His soft voice interrupts her thoughts. “Make a wish, honey.”
I hope we never get tired of each other. I hope we grow old together. I hope we love each other forever.
She keeps eye contact with him as she blows the candle out, hoping he understands she’s wishing for him.
For them.
Bradley stops recording and drops his phone on the table without looking, scooting closer to her with a hungry look in his eyes. It’s clear as day how much he wants her, even in the low light of the balcony, and it sends shivers up her spine.
“What did you wish for?” His voice is rough compared to a few seconds ago, like there’s gravel in his throat.
Mary’s eyes flicker between his lips and his eyes, unable to decide which one she wants to look at more. “I can’t say, or it might not come true.” His mouth wins the battle when his tongue peeks out to wet his lips.
“Well, we wouldn’t want that. Would we?” Her heart kicks into overdrive as he leans closer, his right hand pushing hair out of her face while the other slips around her back, tugging her closer.
“Thank you for this, it was perfect.”
Mary leans in, her breath hitching when the tips of their noses brush. Her free hand runs up his chest, appreciating the soft sweater before dipping into his curls. Bradley presses in even further, the small dessert plate between them the only thing keeping them apart.
“Of course. Happy Birthday, dolcezza.”
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discluded · 8 months
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Not looking to dump on you about the state of fandoms in your inbox but the MA fandom is the most Kpop adjacent fandom I have ever been a part of that shares some similar characteristics. It has been really eye opening to see the power of trending and just how much the efforts of the fans really do pay off in the promotion of the celebrities and the opportunities they receive but IMO you have to have one fan buy enough tickets to account for half of the presale record the movie set it is genuinely a bit demoralizing. It's amazing that fans are super committed and there was clearly interest in the movie as half the presale tickets did come from genuine fans and the public but I sometimes fear that people are too focused on the numbers games. These actions show the passion that fans have for these celebs but a person's work and the results should speak for themselves. I mean fandoms are changing constantly so maybe this is the new normal but for someone who isn't used to it it's been a bit annoying trying to find out what the actual reception of the movie is amongst the general audiences and how well the movie is actually performing in the box office.
https://twitter.com/Pandababygirl2/status/1709397703736824259?t=_yF0NTDyS3VL7wK3Jj19vw&s=19
you're not wrong with that and you're not the first to have noticed this rapid shift and interest in Thai stars recently.
for example this article was published on HBSg (which has a very friendly relationship with mileapo thanks to Kenneth Goh) and resyndicated in other Sg media outlets in the last couple of months.
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As for whether that's good or bad, I think you've hit the nail on the head that business as usual changes, and this appears to be a new business as usual.
I mean, western celebs are also taking advantage of this as well. Some more egregious than not. TSwift recently got called out by her own fans for one of these common kpop practices of releasing multiple album versions specifically to drive up sales (cough line her own pockets with fans' money).
(op has already deleted her account now as she said she would but I have it cached from earlier)
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as far as I'm aware, this was also a ticket donation project so not just a single person buying tickets and leaving the seats empty, or the equiv of a single fan buying dozens of albums which they can't listen to.
I actually think this is a much better use of fan funds than some of the projects like the Time Square ad placement for Man Suang... which of course was useless because there was no international release date announced 🥲 you want your advertising dollars to go somewhere effective and this was pretty much an equivalent of throwing money into a river. (sorry to the FCs who ran this.. I understand how hard it was to organize things like this so I tried to avoid criticizing but the effort could've gone somewhere else...)
as for the "actual reception", it's actually a relatively new phenomenon that we're able to hear first hand the thoughts of common viewers on the film à la Rotten Tomatoes. historically, films relied on good critic reviews to drive foot traffic. I actually have so many negative opinions about forums like RT (which suffer from the same problems as film critics... ie who is frequenting the site) but that's for another time.
ultimately the one who controls your fandom experience is you, so if you don't want to engage at this level or see this kind of behavior, just remove these kinds of more extreme (passionate?) fans from your line of sight. As long as they're not hurting anyone, including themselves in a financial sense, I don't feel like it's appropriate to moralise on the best way to be a fan. these fandom spaces are predominantly female-occupied when male dominated fan spaces (see, sports and video games) are not subject to the same amount of scrutiny over the level of zeal.
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daltonblaine · 1 year
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every fandom needs a cliche high school edit to "you belong with me" (blaine's version)
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nuatthebeach · 1 year
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2022 Wrapped
Tagged by @corneliaavenue! You're a lovely thing <3
Oof, it's already 2023, isn't it? Oh, well.
Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)
it's gonna be 4 now lol.
persist and resist the temptation to ask you - this one is perhaps the most authentic, soul-pouring fic i've ever written. and the one i'm most proud of because of my growth in writing prose and pacing overall. there were many times i would huddle with a blanket in a dark room (💀) simply because of how much i was feeling in the moment. it was the most visceral experience i've had writing so far.
like passing notes in secrecy - i would say that when i finished persist, i was in this writing craze/high in that i simply wanted to write anything since i finally felt like i was on a roll, but that wouldn't do this fic - and my work - justice. because persist was so angsty, i desperately needed to write something that was light and fluffy in consequence for my own sake. i'm very happy about the banter and humor i was able to apply to this OTP; it was pure serotonin, and i hope it was the same for others.
Midnight - my first hinny smut!! aka i took my headcanon of switch!hinny and really ran with it. though i no longer have the same exact headcanon about the two of them, i'm still really proud of how steamy this turned out. and i have a feeling all the private bookmarkers do too 👀
you knew that i'm a mastermind, and now you're mine - man, the sheer power tswift holds on all fic writers everywhere. the aim was to use this song ("mastermind") in irony to show how the wizarding world perceives ginny relative to her relationship with harry. and because ginny is such a force of nature, she and the press manage to come to a certain albeit amusing level of agreement (a true mastermind har dee har). it's a bamf character moment for her, and she owned every second of it.
your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year
you reminded me to open up my google docs for the first time in a month! phewww.
premed hinny!rivals to lovers fic - snippet here. my final fuck you (and extremely reluctant thank you) to undergrad in the form of my OTP. fic is fully outlined and ready to be written if only i could give it the time of day 😭. but now that i have a lot of time opened up for me in the next several months, i'll finally get to it! fingers crossed
anniversary hinny smut - hinny roleplays as strangers in a bar, and let's just say we'll stick the art of acting to the shitty movies. a whole ass page written so far, so i take that as a win!
a somewhat angst, somewhat crack fic... i uh... have the most written for this wip so far of all my wips and im both proud and mortified by that. let's just say it's a story of how hinny finds themselves back to each other postwar... and the path is not exactly a straight route. playlist is a wip as well.
another crack fic because apparently that's all @takearisk-ao3 and me are on... though it's more accurate to say i helped to brainstorm and Hannah, the brilliant Executioner. to quote Hannah's post... "no comment."
im adding a fifth one because why not. hinny!vampire au. though there's only been half a page written for it so far, and hence a lot of white space, im so, so ready for the tools of creativity to lead me to more crackheadery that ive yet to discover. (like i needed more to start with.)
your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year
i think my writing comes off a bit "cleaner" now? there's more of a coherent plot, resolution to my fics than most of the simple "slices of life" that i wrote more of last year.
i'd like to think the dialogue comes off more natural now too. im finally getting the hang of doing more "showing" than telling and implementing symbolism and metaphors when trying to display a broader theme/concept.
im able to sit with fics and be at ease with the fact that im not going to have the right answer immediately. that i have to wait before i can post to make it better. i started prioritizing quality over mass production - and while this is still something i struggle with a lot of the times - i feel like this is a bit of a step up from last year. and most importantly, i learned that rewrites - not just editing - may be necessary too, and that is okay. that does not make me a bad writer but (hopefully) a thoughtful one.
your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year
to not constantly compare myself to other people's writing. focus on how i can improve myself without being intimidated by all the works of the many amazing writers in the fandom. to finally put words on the page fearlessly and authentically, like i felt i did with persist.
to take more risks. keep putting my characters in uncomfortable situations and testing out how they can grow from them. to not feel limited in my writing just because in my young age i havent experienced them. to push my boundaries more. (i thank @fairsquare16 @takearisk-ao3 and @narukoibito for encouraging this and the first goal every single time i feel even the slightest bit down about it; they're also the reason im still entertaining all these crackfics so put the blame on them when they eventually come out)
and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year
my fucking answer to this changes every two seconds...not for any other reason except that it's my biggest conspiracy theory that i have early, early onset dementia and can't for the life of me remember. here's one for now:
Like the story, the moral is just as simple: love unconditionally, act irrevocably. One shouldn't fear wearing their heart on their sleeve if the alternative is to never plant, water, and bathe it with the light of day.
After all, what are mistakes if not signs to grow?
Tagging
@narukoibito @heartstopping-waves @ashotofogdensoldfirewhiskey and whoever else would like to do it (i truly mean that)!
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dostoyevsky-official · 9 months
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Merve Emre as the Taylor Swift of litcrit + someone recently describing TSwift’s songs as ‘relatively bland and inoffensive but nonetheless well-crafted’ I was like Oh Okay. The anonymous note was *insane* but contained some nuggets of truth imho. Speak on it, Mr. Dostoyevsky.
the most insane part of the profile for me was when the "philosopher" jason stanley's was introduced as her friend, with flattering quotes. that's damning. otherwise, i haven't read or don't remember her articles well enough to comment
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One MidgeLenny x TSwift Fic Per Day
106. Gorgeous
He loves her so much that sometimes it fills him with rage.
And he can’t say anything about it. One: because she’s perfect and so far out of his league they’re not even playing the same sport, but two...how dare she make him fall in love with her?
It was supposed to be a crush on a gorgeous woman he met in the back of a police car. Just a crush that he would never act on. But then she had to go and be funny. And smart. And kind.
If she hadn’t offered to stand outside of his playdate, he wouldn’t be sitting here, in a club in Miami, staring at her gorgeous face, getting lost in those ocean blue eyes. 
“You’re staring.”
“Am I?”
“Do I have a hair out of place?”
He smirks. “I didn’t know how to tell you.” That I love you. That I can’t live without you. That you’re the funniest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and if you don’t let me touch you, I’m going to curl up in a ball on the floor and weep like a small child. “What do you think?” He asks instead.
She pretends to ponder before quipping, in typical Mrs. Maisel fashion, “I just wish it had a little more atmosphere.” It’s a joke, meant to break the obvious tension, but it fails because he’s utterly, hopelessly, pathetically in love with her, and he just can’t hide it anymore.
He’s a miserable guy, generally speaking. Between alimony and lawyer fees and his relatively new dope habit, he’s broke. And he’s generally disillusioned with the state of their world, but when he’s with her...everything else just fades away. When he’s with her, he actually lets himself be happy.
“You’re still staring,” she points out.
He doesn’t know how he gets up the courage to say it, but he replies slowly, intentionally, “So are you.”
And she smiles.
Somehow, a short while later, she’s in his arms, and they’re dancing to a Peggy Lee song, and he can’t believe this is happening. Her head rests on his shoulder, her fingers toy with the hair at the nape of his neck, and he’s pretty sure he could die right now and be totally content.
But then they’re standing outside of his hotel room, staring at each other, and she kisses him. It’s slow, and it’s sweet, and her fingers are soft and a little cold as they graze over his jaw. It’s tentative at first, and he doesn’t deepen it, lets her take the lead.
She does happily, her hands finding the back of his neck and pulling him deeper into the kiss, and he finally lets himself tug her closer as his jacket falls off her shoulders.
She shivers as the cool air off the water hits her now uncovered shoulders, and then she giggles against his lips. “Wow,” she breathes.
“Yeah...wow,” he agrees a little dumbly before capturing her lips again. She moans as her back hits the doorframe behind her.
“Lenny,” she whispers as they part again a while later, both panting a little. “I need you to promise me something.”
He nods. “Okay.”
“If we go inside, and we...do some very blue things...” She swallows before gathering her courage and lifting her chin. “I need you to promise me that you will never forget that I am very, very funny.”
He grins and nods as he cups her face in his hand, tenderly brushing his thumb over her cheek. “I will be laughing through the entire thing. I promise.”
It’s half a joke, half serious, because this happening is so unbelievable he might laugh at the absurdity of Midge Maisel actually wanting him. But also...
How could he ever forget how funny she is?
She smiles up at him, and he kisses her again.
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sherifftillman · 1 year
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What's Ralph's music taste now like? To which concerts has he been?
oh, you know he's still a major swiftie, the day they announce when the uk eras tour goes on sale, ralph's booking annual leave: the day before they go on sale to prepare, the day of to wait and the day after to appropriately react depending on whether or not he got them
but that's mostly to share the experience with anna (cc @keerysquinn) and to take part in the theatrics of making an eras outfit of his own and maaaaybe also to tie in with another deleted-scene idea where the swiftie community tries to claim ralph as their own (i'll reblog that other ask with more on that). i think in general his music taste is relatively generic. he still loves to dance, but more to generic pop music, as long as it's not too heavy on the electronic instruments. i like to think he discovers harry styles' music all by himself, enjoys it, but is then horrified to learn that he's also one of tswift's exes lol
he likes more muted songs, too, ones that he can learn to play on his uke (and i think connor would eventually teach him to play guitar, too)
okay i typed this whole thing out about how i think concerts would overwhelm him so he would only attend them if the artist meant a lot to his friends, he'd go with them, but i now have the thought of influencer!ralph stuck in my head so he'd totally abuse his pr privileges to get himself and his friends their own box or backstage access, but he'd only do that for artists they really enjoyed, not so much for his own enjoyment. he's happy enough just listening to music on the amazon echo that he refuses to help you revert the voice preference settings on lmao
it's a busy streets and busy lives-themed sleepover night! :)
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officialtayley · 11 months
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I hate that my gut reaction to this huge ass tswift tour is scared that it’s gonna make them like way too perceived and hard to stay in their (compared to other artists of their size) relatively small low key bubble. why can’t I just be happy for my faves instead of immediately going into doom and gloom!!! that’s very hayley coded of me actually
i'm a little :/ cause when they said they were already planning on coming back here i thought it would be their own tour like they always do, and i know there's many ppl out there who'd get taylor tickets just to see paramore but i am not one of those cause it would be a waste of money. idk if their exposure will change though, swifties can be very..... idk the word but they can be very taylor only focused yknow? which is fine but who knows. i'm happy for pmore tho esp hayley cause i know this will mean a lot to her
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thestalwartheart · 2 years
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6, 19, and 30, if you can, for the fic ask. :)
Hi @theexistencegame! Thanks for the ask 💙 I answered no. 30 here.
6. Favorite title you used
the guardian of progress. I thought it up on my own (no TSwift needed that time 😂), and it's one of those titles that doesn't really click until you finish the fic. I got a really nice comment about it that made me feel extremely smug haha.
Aside from that one, titles aren't generally something I'm attached to. I'm curious if readers register/remember/appreciate them. If there's one you liked of mine, let me know in the replies!
19. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?
Well, we all know there's one pairing that isn't leaving my brain any time soon!
Beyond 00Q, though...
I keep teasing about this and not releasing the fic (I'm so sorry - it'll be posted when I'm happy with it, I promise), but: Bond x Moneypenny. There are layers upon layers to it (at least in my head) that I'm fascinated by. I'm intrigued by Bond x Vesper, but will probably be much too intimidated to write any.
Honestly, I'm just chomping at the bit to write more women.
In terms of other fandoms, idk. I had a crack at Geraskier for The Witcher earlier this year, but with the TV series falling apart, I've lost a bit of interest. There's always Star Trek, though. I have a 20k+ half-written Kirk/Spock epic (relative epic maybe, I'm never going to be a 100k story author) sitting in my WIP folder. Who knows, maybe next year will be the year it sees the light of AO3.
In my head, I'll also probably write the mystery rom-com backstory for Benoit Blanc x his partner.
Anyway, you asked for one pairing. One. And I gave you a shopping list. I don't know how you all put up with me. Thank you for doing it anyway! 💙
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