#:') i love all my children they deserve the wORLD

[ryusjwks]

Sometimes, I think of such sorrowful scenarios involving Caleb, MC, and non!MC that it truly aches inside. Non!MC holds a very special place in my heart — her finding a good ending, being happy, being seen and valued the way she deserves has always been incredibly important to me. With other love interests, seeing that happen brings a deep sense of satisfaction. But when it comes to Caleb… everything changes. It feels like non!MC could never have a truly happy life with him, as if it just isn’t written in her fate.

Caleb is different from the other characters. In the original timeline, he grows up with MC — they share their childhood, their pain, their fight for survival. His world, without him even realizing, begins to shape around her. There are promises he’s made — to never be with anyone else, to always protect her. He’s not obsessive, maybe, but he has a deeply ingrained sense of possession and protection. And over time, that becomes a habit. And that habit hardens into something like destiny.

Sometimes I picture this one scene in my head: MC, Caleb, and non!MC are children, used as test subjects in a lab. Then one day, Josephine appears and saves them. Everything changes. Time moves forward. Their lives settle into something resembling normalcy — maybe — but Caleb doesn’t change. He never leaves MC’s side. He’s like a shield, a shadow, always there for her. But to non!MC… he’s wary. There’s always a distance between them. As emotionally closed off as he is to Josephine, he remains to her as well.

No matter how much non!MC tries, no matter how much she suffers, she never sees the same softness in Caleb’s eyes. Never the same smile. Because his love for MC isn’t just habit — she is his center. Like when they were kids and he worked part-time so MC could have more toys. Like when he always played the knight who saved her in every make-believe game. Like how every ounce of tenderness he has is reserved only for MC.

Non!MC looks at Caleb the way Caleb looks at MC.

With the same patience, the same depth.

Every time he turns his head, her eyes never leave him, always holding a little more longing.

Not for a smile, maybe — but for a scrap of attention, a drop of affection.

And she never gets it.

Because Caleb is always turned toward someone else.

Non!MC loves him even when she’s not supposed to.

She understands him without even trying.

She’s learned to be content with just being near him.

Because while Caleb is the center of her world,

She is just a shadow living in the outskirts of his.

And perhaps the most painful thing of all is this:

Even though her love is never reflected,

Even though he doesn’t look at her the same way,

Still, she looks at him

Just like he looks at MC.

Quietly. Patiently. Desperately.

Non!MC sees all of this.

And sometimes the thing that hurts most isn’t being unloved — it’s being unconsidered.

It’s not even being compared, because in Caleb’s eyes, there’s no need for a comparison.

And that’s why writing a happy ending for non!MC in a story where Caleb exists becomes so difficult.

Because sometimes, healing begins with accepting the truth — no matter how bitter.

And some people are simply written to be side characters in someone else’s story.

And still… maybe one day.

(I need a fic like that please please please)

[ghost-kings-court-jester]

People who think Hua Cheng hates everyone and everything that isn’t Xie Lian truly just misunderstand that the thing he fell in love with first is Xie Lians kindness and how he devotes himself to the common people who are below his station.

Xie Lian cares for the common people that his thing. Hua Cheng doesn’t even try to make that his responsibility because frankly that’s a lot and no matter how good he would be at it he could never be Xie Lian. That’s why he doesn’t try to be nice or patient because he knows it would only be a facade when with Xie Lian it would be genuine and he won’t do Xie Lian the disservice of pretending. And yes as far and he’s conceded his God shouldn’t humble himself like this but does over and over again because he is most importantly a kind person.

Hua Cheng could not love Xie Lian the way he does or worship him as he does if he didn’t give a fuck about people. He may think no one in the world deserves Xie Lians care but that’s because he has seen the truly terrifying self destructive lengths Xie Lian is willing to go to and he doesn’t think anyone is worth Xie Lian suffering like that including himself.

He understands fundamentally that Xie Lians cares so much about everyone and Hua Cheng which is why he literally says "If your dream is to save the common people, then my dream is only you"?

That is not him saying hey I only care about you and fuck everyone else they don’t matter.

This is him saying if you want to make the world better and care for people then you should because you’re the best person at it. No one could do it like you can. But as someone who has received that kindness I will be here to be sure you are adored and appreciated for your good acts like letting that tiny orphan eat from a shrine dedicated to you because ego means nothing to you if children are starving.

He is saying I will be there to pull you together and give you the affection and love and consideration I saw you lose time and time again because people see you as a God and a Prince and a Miracle Worker and I understand that you are just a man trying his hardest to make the world a better place and that is what I adore.

If you are willing to devote yourself to humanity I am willing to devote myself to you meaning that I will be a part of that dream. I will by help ease your burden by helping people at your side.

I created a city that tries to keep dangerous ghostly objects like my lantern fall into children’s hands. This city will become a home for you and a place full of ghosts, regular spirits of the common people just living their afterlives because I understand you would never want to be alone without people to help forever. So I will look after them because you would want them looked after. I will help the farmers in Puqi village and the Gods who I hate because you are doing that so that is what I will do.

The common people will always be cared for in Hua Cheng ideal world because that is a world that Xie Lian wants and he wouldn’t be Xie Lian if he didn’t want that which Hua Cheng understands that his kindness and compassion is why he became so devoted to Xie Lian in the first place.

So no he doesn’t hate everyone and everything, he doesn’t want Xie Lian to be locked in alone with him where no one can bother them forever and ever because he knows Xie Lian would be fucking miserable and feel so guilty for not being there and feeling like it’s his responsibility to be there for people all the time.

He may resent that and grumble because he like Xie Lian is still a regular person with flaws which include wanting to disappear to a quiet place in the world and love his husband forever because he’s been through so much but he is under no illusions of that happening because there are people to care for and he will help his God do that and give him everything including himself to make that happen.

Also we never find out what he’s like without Xie Lian because he is the POV character. Like he clearly doesn’t hate people he just doesn’t think anyone is as wonderful as Xie Lian so why spend time with them when Xie Lian is in the room. He is genuinely mad and bitchy at anyone but Xie Lian talking to him because they are distracting him from Xie Lian or annoying Xie Lian so he has to snap at them because Xie Lian is the only person worth his attention. If Xie Lian wants to talk to people that’s his business Hua Cheng will be right beside him listening and waiting till he’s needed because that’s his purpose but that doesn’t mean he wants everyone to shut up and die that’s just not who he is.

[chelseeebe]

build me up, buttercup

chapter 1 — orchid

after winding up in the dead-end town of hawkins, you start to lose faith in your dreams ever becoming a reality. not to mention the despicable boy next door who seemed to want no part in your happiness.

18+ mdni. eventual smut. grumpy, borderline mean eddie. no use of y/n!

hello! dropping this and running because i’ve been so badly inactive it hurts. this is the first part to my mechanicasshole!eddie x floristsunshine!reader that’s kinda short in hindsight, take it as an introduction, but the next part is also finished so will follow shortly, hope you enjoy idk i like it!!

༘⋆✿

a dying, otherwise desolate strip mall in buttfuck indiana was never an ideal place to set up shop. other than the tiny, family-run vietnamese restaurant, the only other shops that weren’t bordered up were your florist and the despicable garage that lingered right at the end. 

it was dark and dinghy, men with grease stains and tattoos littering their arms swaggered in and out daily. swearing and smoking as if they owned the entire town. 

in the eighteen months you’d owned lavender lane, you had never, ever seen eye to eye with the conceited prick who owned munson’s & co. 

a self-obsessed, arrogant asshole who had no business acting the way he did. 

ridiculous hair and torn jeans that’d serve better as one of the rags he kept hanging out of his back pocket. 

it’s almost too much, a show he’s putting on to prove to everyone else that he didn’t care, that being normal was beneath him. 

yuck. 

he’s stood now, horrific music blaring out of the shop, cigarette in hand, paying you no mind as your stomp over for the second time this week. 

you’d have left him alone if you hadn’t found cigarette butts littered along your doorstep. a spiteful, purposeful act no doubt. 

“what’ve i told you about smoking outside of my shop!” jaw clenched, ready to throw fists if it really came to it. 

eddie turns, already rolling his eyes, “what’ve i told you about speaking to me like that?” blowing the smoke right into your face. 

he’s repulsive. his smug little smirk makes your skin crawl, so much so you’re sure no human had ever possibly loved him before. 

“control your staff, before i have to do it for you,” sneering your reply, no words were enough to describe the utter contempt you felt for him. 

eddie’s laugh echoes, a cackle that cuts deep, “yeah? or what? what the hell are you gonna do ‘bout it, princess?” 

your brows furrow, he was only using that to taunt you. looking down on you from his dirty, cement tower. 

with your blood boiling and a rapidly declining sense of self-control, you hiss, “i’ll.. i’ll smash that bike of yours to pieces,” turning on your heel to stomp back to your own store, feeling their eyes bore into the back of your head. 

eddie whoops and they leer, making comments amongst themselves, a pathetic gaggle of school children really. 

your eyes burn, desperate not to let him see that he’d got to you. he didn’t deserve that satisfaction. 

you could pack up and go home if you really wanted, you’d maybe get one more customer between now and five, they could go without for one day. 

that’d be giving up and giving in, something you were most definitely not prepared to do at the hands of eddie. 

-

they’re still outside when you do shut up shop, talking loudly about the bar they all frequent. a grotesque shithole, you don’t doubt. 

any place that eddie munson went, trouble was guaranteed to follow. 

he was crude and uncouth, swaggering about like the world owed him something. everything you stood against as a person. 

you attempt to get out of there quickly, the bottle of pinot grigio you’d chilled before work loudly calling your name, but he has other plans. 

“hey,” he hollers as you turn the key, cursing the sky, “you joining us tonight sweetheart?” kissing the backs of his teeth, knowing full well what your answer would be. 

your lip snarls, finding it hilarious that he’d even waste the breath to ask, “i’d rather die,” monotonously and without faltering as you stride over to your car. 

they share a laugh at your expense, leering over the crumbling brick wall, “that’s your loss sweetheart,” watching as you climb in and pull away. 

who he did he think he was? 

like you’d ever degrade yourself enough to even entertain him or his pathetic friends. 

his words, and attitude for that matter, make you fume the entire way home, still grumbling to yourself as you pull into your driveway. 

the man was a narcissist, plain and simple. that was the only explanation you could conjure up on the ten minute drive. 

you try and push him out of your brain, his irritating, grating voice still niggling away in your ear. an impenetrable force that was bound to curse you forever. 

or at least until the first sip of cold wine passes your lips and eddie munson becomes but a distant memory. 

practically launching yourself on the couch, your pants strewn across the floor and a severe lack of energy to care. you press the answering machine, half-expecting silence until the all familiar warm voice rings out. 

‘hey sweetie, i was just calling to see how you were doing, but i suppose you’re busy at the shop! i hope you’re working hard and indiana is treating you well. okay, that was all. love you baby, bye.’ 

your mom, only calling to to see how her 

how could you tell her the store was failing? that three customers a day was a victory at this point? 

she’d be so ashamed, funnelling money into your move east just for you to crawl back home with nothing to show for it but a failed business and a new sworn enemy. 

there he was again. always lingering, haunting if you will. 

you’d call her back tomorrow, or another time when you had the nerve to face her.

she deserved to know, but she also deserved so much better. something you had not been able to provide for her like she had you. 

it’s not as if you’re not trying, hawkin’s was a dying town before you’d moved there and now with starcourt mall lingering on the outskirts, main street remained empty. 

why would they waste time coming to you when the mall has everything they’d ever need? 

you couldn’t believe so many people had fallen for such an obvious gimmick, the neon lights and extensive food court was everything hawkins stood against. only the people didn’t seem to think so. 

the tv comes on, a re-run of full house you’d seen a hundred times by now. but it’d do as you sipped wine for supper and planned exactly what lies you’d spin your mom tomorrow. 

-

it’s a dull, bleak morning, highly reflective of your mood. another day spent pitying eddie and pretending that the lack of footfall didn’t hurt your feelings. 

maybe an entire bottle of wine wasn’t wise, now paying the price for your greed as your head pounds all the way over to the store. 

some days you ponder if opening is even worth it, if the extra hours spent in bed would be far more beneficial than dragging yourself here. 

but then the ever-growing voices of your mom weigh in and remind you that this is your dream and if selling one bouquet a day was what you had to do to live it, then so be it. 

an envelope—the envelope, sits on the doormat when you get in, obviously slipped under the crack in the door some point this morning. all red and glaring. 

your heart sinks, knowing exactly what this meant. 

you’d failed. miserably. and now you’d have to crawl back home with your tail between your legs, begging for another chance. 

your eyes only skim the words; regret, closure, re-development, final. all daunting and without a trace of sincerity. 

glancing over at the garage where eddie stood with his steaming mug, seemingly unaffected by the news. maybe they’d decided to leave the garage open and just tear your little shop down. 

that’d be right, wouldn’t it? 

you must know, stomping over, letter in-hand to question the smug man. 

“did you get one of these?” flapping the paper about in his face, making sure he knew exactly what it was. 

his eyes narrow, prepared for an argument only to realise you’re not so angry at him today. “what? that crock of bullshit? yeah, i got one,” nodding at the crumpled piece of paper tossed on the floor, “they’d never close this place down,” so certain of himself, “i’m not worried and you shouldn’t be either sweetheart,” taking another sip. 

your brows furrow, unsurprisingly, you don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth. “this isn’t a joke, eddie,” frustration seeping out of your mouth, “i think you owe it to your uncle to care, or at least pretend to,” snarling your lip, though this wasn’t your usual bickering. 

his blasé attitude wouldn’t run this time, someone had to care before they left both of you without jobs. 

his uncle is a nice man that took the time to get to know you, holding a genuine interest in your shop all until he gave it up six months back, retiring just to leave the garage to his dorky nephew. 

eddie’s gaze averts yours, shaking his head as if to dismiss you. “you done? i’ve got work to do,” folding his arms over his chest, attempting to slink off back into the dusty building. 

if he wouldn’t fight it, you would. 

you and mr. pham maybe. 

though you can’t see him putting up much of a fight either. 

trundling back over to your own depressing storefront, wasting no more breath on eddie munson. 

it’s the worst news in the world and yet, you can’t help but feel relieved. 

months of stress and fretting over bills needn’t amount to anything if they were just going to bulldoze the entire thing. 

but then, leaving without a fight would be futile, downright pathetic even. that’s not who you were, or who you were raised to be. 

mayor kline would have to listen to you, either that or you’d tie him to his chair and frankly force him to. 

you ponder asking eddie for wayne’s address, hoping to get him on your side yourself but knowing him, he’d send you on a wild goose chase around town just for the fun of it. 

you were fighting this on your own it seems. the only person left in this desolate town that cared about the little people. 

[twopoppies]

Damn... what you wrote about fimq really brought back a lot of the past for me. I've been a larrie since 2012 and i have never understood why antis have always gone through such lengths with their hate for us. Like most of us are grown adults now and they still act like children, then accuse us of being the toxic ones, when clearly the type of antis that doxxed and threatened Ellie are much worse. It was so bad that i even remember thinking if the ones who did that to her were part of a higher power in their label/management (don't blame me i've watched a lot of videos on conspiracies lol about the dark things the music industry is capable of doing), but after a lot of thinking i'm like wow harry and louis genuinely have awful fans. Harry - the nicest most chill person and celebrity whose motto is literally treat people with kindness - has fans that are capable of threatening someone's life for their beliefs, Louis - who is literally sunshine in human form - has fans that doxx people for believing he loves another man. And it all comes down to that, how the world is still disgustingly homophobic like you have said in the past few days. I honestly think if i was h&l and if my contracts gave me the freedom to come out, i would still choose to keep my love private from all the disgusting fans who would want to see it fail. That's why if they decide to never come out, i would completely understand it and respect it. And i'm sorry for saying this, i know you don't like swift lol, but their whole relationship reminds me of her song but daddy i love him "I'll tell you something about my good name, It's mine alone to disgrace. I don't cater to all these vipers dressed in empath's clothing. God save the most judgmental creeps Who say they want what's best for me Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I'll never see. Thinking it can change the beat Of my heart when he touches me

And counteract the chemistry And undo the destiny". Like that's antis! Thinking that being so hateful they can stop how much h&l love each other. They're so immature too, i saw a tiktok of a louie complaining about mcdomlinson hating her not because it was an obvious PR but about how louis would look so much better with her, and she's in her 30s already. Like i also used to have parasocial relationships with 1d as a teenager, i think a lot of fans did, but as a full grown adult? That's just weird. And i know that h&l know not all their fans are like that, but it's still embarrassing how such a loud majority of the fandom is like that. Anyways, sorry Gina for sending you such a long ask. I just wanted to get that off my chest.

No apologies necessary (except for making me read Switie's lyrics LOL!). I think many of us feel the same way you do. Harry and Louis deserve privacy and deserve to share their lives on their own terms.

[lili-ice-cream]

My headcanons. Part 2.

You can read part 1 below.

Now that we know the world around Kawasemi and Kuina, we can continue to talk in more detail about their childhood and characters.

4. Kuina wanted to stand out.

I think Kuina suffered from a lack of attention. As I said before, in their world, children are raised by the state, all children live in boarding schools and wear the same clothes. I think that Kuina didn't follow the rules in everything, he was a freedom-loving and free-thinking person. And deep down, he really wanted to stand out from the environment he hated. That's why he tied a jumpsuit around his waist and never took his glasses off his head. His yellow sneakers also deserve special attention. Where did he get them from in dystopia? Perhaps the only logical explanation I see is a reward for academic success. I think Kuina was a very smart kid and was good at math. Perhaps he could win the competition and thus get soft yellow sneakers. I think it's very rare for a child in their world. Kawasemi wears ordinary shoes.

At the same time, before Kawasemi, Kuina had no real friends (and after him, too). I think Kuina considered all adults to be evil, stupid, and ideologically minded. He also considered other children to be either evil or idiots. And Kawasemi wasn't like other kids. Kawasemi didn't have an opinion, he was calm, patient. And perhaps he also had a reputation for being a bit of a strange kid?

I got the impression that Kawasemi and Kuina were the weirdest classmates that no one talked to. That's why they became friends. Kuina took the place of the leader, he shared his thoughts and opinions with Kawasemi. Kawasemi listened to him, and eventually Kuina got the attention he needed. Little Kawasemi thought Kuina was very smart, obeyed him, adhered to his opinion in everything, and trusted Kuina unconditionally. If Kuina was the leader, then Kawasemi was the co-pilot. But it suited them both. They became very close and were the only people close to each other. They played together and dreamed of how one day they would build an airplane and fly far, far away from all cities. They'll run away from here. They will be able to cross borders and fly to a place where there will be no one else. Or they will find other free people just like them. I think that at the age of 10, Kuina was very arrogant. He really believed that they would be able to assemble a plane out of junk, break through the bars of the cage dome, fly out and escape from their pursuers. He did not think that they could be shot down or that the plane would not survive. He was just a noisy kid with a dream that would have seemed silly to any adult. But he infected Kawasemi with this dream. They both believed and dreamed about it.

5. Growing up.

Day after day passed. Kuina and Kawasemi were getting older. I think they both wanted to assemble the plane as before. But as Kuina grew up, he got older and began to look at this world more soberly. They live in a dystopia where any dissent is brutally suppressed. Closed city, police. He began to grow up and realize that nothing would work out for them. They'll never escape from here. And that was getting more and more frustrating for Kuina every day. I think these thoughts depressed him. The situation with Kawasemi was different. Kawasemi grew up more open, and when he was teenager, he looked like Kuina when he was 10. Kawasemi had given up on studying more than once because he believed they would run away, even though Kuina was already beginning to urge him not to. Kawasemi, still a teenager, firmly believed that they were about to start packing up and fly away from here, and show them everything, haha. But Kuina wasn't so sure anymore. And here we need to understand that since childhood, Kuina and Kawasemi have been in a somewhat unequal position. Kuina always took the place of the leader and thought for the two of them, he had no one to rely on. Whereas Kawasemi always had a friend who could help. Kuina took a lot of care of himself and helped himself and Kawasemi. So Kawasemi didn't worry about anything and continued to believe, while Kuina broke down. I think that in adolescence this change became more noticeable, Kuina became more calm, talking about the plane did not cause fire in his eyes, but only some kind of hidden sadness. But Kawasemi ignored it, it's Kuina, what could be wrong with him? But don't blame Kawasemi for that, he just didn't know. They also grew up in a world where emotions and feelings are not talked about. Kawasemi and Kuina just didn't know that emotions were something important, so Kuina just quietly broke down, and Kawasemi decided to ignore it because he didn't know what exactly was going on with Kuina, but he thought it wasn't something important. It's all good. And one day it led to an extreme point.

I think they've grown up and passed their final exams. They were at their base that evening. And Kuina said he didn't want to build an airplane, it was all nonsense. Kawasemi was shocked by this information, at first he thought that Kuina was joking. But no, Kuina was serious. Kawasemi looked confused. Kuina breaks away from the escape plan and builds an airplane. It was their whole life's goal. And the purpose of Kawasemi's life. He felt betrayed. He sincerely believed in their escape plan, they have grown up, now they can forgive the plane, he knows it! He began to assure Kuina of this. Kuina got mad at Kawasemi, probably for the first time in his life. He shouted that it was stupid, they could be arrested, killed. They're not kids anymore, they need to be more serious. We must finally come to terms with this and take our place in the city. He said that he had been offered a position in the monopoly police. The second blow was delivered to Kawasemi. How? Kuina had hated them all his life, just like Kawasemi. He couldn't just leave and betray their dream! Oh, they had a very loud argument. Fortunately, no one at the base heard them. (I think that this base is somehow located so that people are far away from it. Otherwise, it would be problematic for Kawasemi to make a fuss and build a plane at night).

Kuina, meeting resistance from Kawasemi for the first time, was also surprised. He didn't know what to do. He's used to Kawasemi always following him, always obeying him. Kuina thought he would just talk to Kawasemi, who would listen to him, and they would both become police officers. But Kuina was met with open protest. Kuina left in a rage, saying that Kawasemi would grow up. Kawasemi told Kuina to go to hell, saying that he would do a great job himself and build an airplane!! It was the first quarrel in their lives. They were both shocked by the betrayal. They parted ways that evening.

6. Adult life

As I said before, they were both depressed by the quarrel. But the life and system of the city itself pushed them forward. Kuina was accepted into the cadets, and he left. Kawasemi had failed his exams, so he didn't have much choice where to go. I think it's impossible not to work in their city. After all, this is a dystopia in the era of industrialization, everyone is obliged to work for the benefit of the Monopoly. (I've seen different versions in which Kawasemi is hiding from the monopolistic authorities. I love everything creative about Datsugoku. But I don't think it's possible. How can you be homeless in a dystopian country? No, that's impossible. Where could Kawasemi get food, clothes, and other supplies? And, probably, in their city there are passports and a clear record for all residents. So Kawasemi just couldn't arrange his own disappearance. In addition, the adult Kawasemi in the video looks pretty well-groomed. So, I think it's wrong that he was hiding, he was quite successfully leading a double life. By day, he is a simple local resident and an employee of the Monopoly, and at night he builds an airplane. The night, by the way, is visible in one place of the video, so I think my guess is correct).

Let's go back to the time when they just had a quarrel. I believe Kawasemi was given a list of jobs, and they were all at the factory. He had no choice but to agree. But he still hoped to build an airplane, even though he didn't understand anything about aircraft construction. He didn't understand anything at all without Kuina. Kawasemi had always relied on him, and now he was all alone.

Kawasemi was much more depressed than Kuina. Kuina hoped that he and Kawasemi would reconcile soon and Kawasemi would come to terms with adulthood, as Kuina himself had done. But Kawasemi didn't want to put up with it.

But I can assume that this was not their last meeting. Since they were friends, it should take a little longer to break up. So, below are my thoughts on what theoretically could have happened after their breakup. After a week or two, Kuina found out where Kawasemi got a job, and after studying, he decided to meet with him. Kuina was just standing in the crowd on the street in a cadet uniform that looked like a police officer, waiting for Kawasemi. When Kuina saw him, he was very happy and hurried to Kawasemi, but Kawasemi just pointedly walked past. From the look in Kawasemi's eyes, who was still angry at Kuina for betraying him, Kuina realized that Kawasemi didn't want to see him. Kawasemi left, and Kuina was left alone in his uniform. So yes, I think at that time, Kuina would have taken a step towards reconciliation, but Kawasemi couldn't do it. They broke up, and the point was finally made.

It was unbearable for Kuina, he knew that he was doing the right thing, and that Kawasemi would soon realize this and change his mind. Kuina wanted to believe it. But now they had quarreled and meant nothing to each other. They were used to being next to each other, dreaming, but now life had brought them face to face with reality, and no one could support them.

It wasn't easy for both of them. Kuina is undergoing police training. Kawasemi works at the factory.

What I really like is that Kuina chose the path of a policeman himself, it was his decision. I've seen a couple of fanfics in which Kuina was forcibly recruited, and while I love all fanfiction, I find that's not quite true again. I think the real drama is that Kawasemi and Kuina were close people with similar views, but the structure of society became an obstacle for them. They went their separate ways. Each of them chose to fight or go with the flow. Despite the fact that initially they had the same views on life. Kuina never forgot about his childhood, he carefully kept his glasses, he remembered everything. I don't think he could have changed his principles and become immoral. And, just like in childhood, Kuina hated his surroundings, but he believed that it would be better this way, and Kawasemi would accept it too. Such an existence in a cage is better than being killed or arrested. Even though they weren't communicating anymore. So yes, the drama here lies precisely in the conflict between man and society. It's just that Kawasemi and Kuina have chosen a different lifestyle.

7. Adult life of Kuina

Now each of them found themselves face to face with the system and adult life. It was very difficult for Kuina to study to be a policeman. As a child, he was used to freedom, but now the soldier's bearing was doing its job. He had long since exchanged his children's sneakers, first for usual boots, and now for military boots. His once cheerful voice became quieter, he began to answer laconically, obeying his elders. He became the same as everyone around him. Every day, something important was dying in him, but there was nothing he could do about it. The days seemed like an eternity to him, but on the other hand, they were rushing very, very fast, and now Kuina had already graduated and became a junior officer. He was used to service and work. It should be noted that the police in Monopoly live much better than the rest of the residents. They have separate apartments in special buildings for Monopoly employees only. They get better nutrition than regular workers. In totalitarian societies, the military is always supported more by the government. But Kuina was lost anyway. He didn't like his classmates or his colleagues afterwards. But he still became his own for people who were strangers to him.

I think that at first Kuina was a patrolman, and then he was promoted, and he could go to detentions.

Tired, he stopped looking at the sky, and childhood seemed to him distant and almost fictional. The red-haired man was the only living proof that it wasn't a dream. But Kuina thought Kawasemi was just as depressed and broken.

8. Kawasemi's adult life.

Kawasemi also had a hard time at first. After the quarrel, he began to doubt himself greatly, wondering if he was really destined to live in a cage. Early risers, engine oil, mechanisms. But he desperately wanted to prove to everyone, both to himself and to Kuina, that he was capable of building an airplane. During the day, he worked as a mechanic at a factory. And it gave him the necessary skills. He learned how to solder and understand engines. And at night he puzzled over complicated books on aviation. I think people didn't specialize in airplanes and other aviation in their city, but in their country it was in other cities, so the theoretical material could be found in books. This is how Kawasemi's lifestyle developed. He works in a factory during the day, and at night he plans an escape plan.

But theoretical knowledge alone was not enough, it was necessary to get the details for the construction. You can't just buy them in a dystopia (I think they don't have any shops there at all, the authorities either give you everything you need, everything is already in the workplace). But Kawasemi found a way out of the situation. He stole decommissioned and broken parts, and then repaired them at his base. Any nut found was sent to his pocket. He took everything that could be useful during construction, and it was important that he not be caught. He was sleeping in... I do not know, sometimes he is slept, but I think it was rare, lol.

Finally, he began to come out of his depressed state. He also began to understand life better, but decided to struggle. He also didn't like his surroundings. And he thought a lot about Kuina's leave. He resented him for a very long time. Kawasemi's best friend and the police became one. Enemies and friends are mixed up. But Kawasemi still condemned the social order and wanted to get out of it. He wanted to live freely. He became a warrior of freedom

But it wasn't easy to build an airplane. Sometimes Kawasemi believed in himself, and on other nights, when he walked quietly to the base, praying that he would find all the spare parts from the plane in their places intact, avoiding all the patrol posts, he forgave Kuina. Kawasemi was still afraid. Building an airplane is a big challenge. He understood why Kuina had backed off. But Kawasemi continued to struggle. It was a real one-man riot that no one knew about. He was determined to escape, even if he was alone. But Kawasemi also understood that he might not get out of this adventure alive. He could have been arrested, interrogated, imprisoned, or executed. Or he could have crashed his own plane. That's why he didn't ask Kuina to fly with him that day. It was a risky move, and Kawasemi wasn't going to drag anyone into the abyss with him. That's why he didn't get close to anyone. Only Kuina could understand his way of thinking, and now they were on opposite sides of the fence.

But I think Kawasemi had a better chance to socialize in his own society. But there were several factors involved: Kawasemi wasn't interested in anyone, because no one but Kuina would understand his true feelings and thoughts. And secondly, all these years he was too busy to pay attention to anyone except nuts and bolts.

And many years have passed in this mode, now they are already 25. Kawasemi worked and played with fate every day. Kawasemi forgave Kuina. But despite the difficulties, he continued to follow his dream, sacrificing everything. He calmly fought the system, accomplishing his feat.

Kuina also bore the burden of responsibility. He was working, but the loneliness was killing him. Still, he decided to go make up again.

9 .On that day

One of my most important theories is that Kawasemi didn't have time to finish building the plane from the inside. I think that one day at his workplace it turned out that Kawasemi had been stealing all this time. He stole enough parts for an entire plane! Do you know how much a plane costs??? A lot, and in times of dystopia and the 20th century even more. Of course, no one knew that he was building an airplane. But he obviously stole so many things to get a prison sentence, and when he arrived in the morning, they tried to detain Kawasemi. The cards are out, now don't take a step back. If he gets arrested, he will never see his plane again. He tried his best and ran away. A chase began for him.

The day before, Kuina had been thinking about their childhood. He thought that Kawasemi had long since accepted the fate of the workers and residents of the cage-city. But Kuina was still lonely. And he decided to make peace. When he went to work in the morning, he took his glasses with him and hung them on his belt. He wanted to find Kawasemi in the evening and visit him. And he took the glasses as what little he had left from those days. I came to this conclusion because it's unlikely that Kuina took his glasses with him to work every day. It's dangerous, they obviously could have crashed. So it turns out that he took them with him on that particular day intentionally. What for? I've only found one answer. I think that day he wanted to go make up with Kawasemi again. And then he goes to work and sees a red-haired fugitive being shot. Who is armed with a knife and who needs to be arrested, dead or alive.

Kuina was furious. All these years, he had thought that Kawasemi existed just like himself. That, unfortunately, he had accepted such a life. Kuina did everything he could to keep Kawasemi out of danger, and now this idiot is in trouble, and at best he's facing arrest. Kuina went berserk again. He had to find Kawasemi first, before his colleagues did. Kuina knows where Kawasemi will run to. Kuina guessed why the fugitive needed to steal so many parts. And he was terrified. Was this red-haired idiot stupid enough to make their childhood fantasy come true, damn it? Although Kuina was sure that Kawasemi had not been able to assemble all the parts into a real working plane. And now Kawasemi just ends up in jail because of outdated stolen equipment and for trying to escape.

And so they met. In a place that all the residents have forgotten about, which was abandoned many years ago. Which one curious child found and brought a friend there. The place of their friendship and childhood. And now Kuina ran in there with a revolver. He didn't know what to do because the case was lost, he couldn't help Kawasemi, and so he was angry at him.

Kawasemi was on edge. Dodging the bullets, he didn't know if it was a dream or reality. But the sky was clear and blue, and he believed in luck. He finally met his friend. After all these years. He noticed the glasses on Kuina's belt. Kawasemi put his own on his head. It's time to break through and make their shared dream come true! There's not a minute to lose. Let Kuina, his former best friend, the one who came up with their dream, see it come true. Kawasemi quickly ran up the stairs and started the engine.

And then you know what happened. There was an explosion, which was watched by the whole city. Even on approach to the border of the city, the plane began to smoke, Kawasemi was unable to gain the required speed and altitude. But it didn't matter anymore. He had almost reached the sky. Even if he gets blown to pieces, he did it. He has fulfilled his dream. Now he's not afraid of anything. There is only heaven and himself. If growing up means turning a blind eye to what was important in childhood, then it's better to remain a child forever.

Kuina saw the explosion. A flash, a crash. Standing on the second floor, he couldn't help himself. He saw the charred glasses fly towards their base. Kuina fell to his knees in despair. Shock and pain mixed into one whole. Scream. He couldn't help but scream. Kawasemi was the only one who understood him, his only friend in the whole wide world. I don't think it's necessary to describe everything that was in his head.

And here we come to the end. We don't know for sure what happened to Kuina. But I think he shot himself. I've read a fanfiction with the same ending and I agree with it. Kuina has nothing else to do. He had lost his only friend in the world. There is nothing in his life that he can cling to. There is not a single living soul near him. He picked up Kawasemi's burnt glasses, took off his cap, and placed it on the window next to the toy plane. It doesn't matter now. His friend was dead. The whole city saw the explosion, and according to eyewitnesses, the police will soon find out the place where the plane took off from. They're coming here. His own people will probably arrest him and interrogate him, this is a high-profile case. And Kuina is the only one alive who is involved in this case. But it doesn't matter. Kuina doesn't care what his colleagues do to him. He looks up at the sky and at the spot where Kawasemi's plane crashed into the cage, smashing it to smithereens. It's all over now.

A light click of the trigger, a shot.

Then the Monopoly police will have to try very hard to calm the crowd and hush up the matter, and the dandelion behind the cage wall will continue to sway in the wind.

My opinion

Kawasemi and Kuina are dystopian heroes, and according to the law of the genre, Kawasemi could not survive. But the bottom line is that this whole story actually happened because of the inability of people to understand each other, the discord in society and two children, and then two adults. There are only two characters in this story, but that's enough. Besides, these assholes are fictional, so you don't have to act like Kawasemi or Kuina. Don't do it! But the story is great, and I'm still shocked at how it can fit into a three-minute video for everyone to understand. And some people liked it, and 10 years later they were discussing it. You can just give a standing ovation.

And here are a couple more separate headcanons that came to my mind:

• Kawasemi wore his glasses when welding to protect his eyesight.

•One day, Kawasemi saw a real pilot's cap from someone from another city and wanted it for himself. He wanted it so much that he did everything he could to get it. And he made an agreement with the owner and exchanged the hat. Of course, he had to work for a long time because of this. He could have stolen it, but I think he took it honestly.

•An adult Kawasemi is physically stronger than Kuina. Kuina is still strong because he works for the monopoly police, but Kawasemi dragged airplane parts across the city and up to the second floor. Obviously, he is very tenacious, since he was able to escape from the chase without taking a breath.

•As a child, on the contrary, Kuina was stronger than Kawasemi and carried him on his back 🤲🤧

• Kuina was very upset when his yellow sneakers became too small for him. By that time, they had already fallen into disrepair, but he wore them until the last, until they became too tight for him. And then they were thrown away.

• Kuina has a confident gait and a soldierly bearing. Kawasemi walks fast but quietly. Because he's used to not drawing attention to himself at night.

• They both probably have bags under their eyes. Despite the fact that Kuina's working and living conditions have improved, he still looks like an unhealthy pale toadstool against the background of a healthy, active Kawasemi.

•They both had vitamin deficiencies in childhood, and perhaps in adulthood, too.

•Quina likes to drink coffee. Kawasemi's food set is worse, so he's happy to drink even bitter tea. Although coffee would have been useful to Kawasemi during the construction, but he did not have it.

• Stray cats live in the city, which were brought to catch mice and other pests. Kuina loves cats. Actually, this headxanon isn't really mine, it's just that I've seen some of Kuina's art with cats, so why not? It's pretty cool.

•As a child, Kawasemi was afraid of insects, especially spiders. Kuina doesn't understand how Kawasemi can be afraid of creatures less than his fingernail. Maybe he was laughing at it. And then they grew up, and Kawasemi, in his loneliness, fell in love with spiders when he was building an airplane. Besides him, there are several other living beings.

•Kawasemi was very cold as a child. He always wore a zipper jumpsuit, while Kuina was wearing only a turtleneck. But I think Kawasemi has become more frost-resistant as he gets older, and now he only wears a shirt and a vest.

•As a child, Kawasemi sometimes had a faraway little deadly look. But when he grew up and had a purpose, it disappeared.

•I've read that Kuina's eyes have been compared to amber, but I think Kuina himself would have compared it to the color of rust.

•Kawasemi has green eyes that can appear blue in bright light.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[prismbearer]

Idk why there's disbelief over Mark S/Helly in terms of motivation. Helly is just as capable of cruelty and selfishness as Helena. They are at the core of it, the same person with different memories/experiences. They can be two perspectives worthy of indulging their own dreams and desires and also be the same person. Narratively here especially, this isn't about morality, it's about human nature.

Helly was never cruel, sure, of course. Helly felt like she was the same as the other people in MDR. But Helly has something right now that she never even achieved as Helena. Someone who loves her. Someone who is choosing her. Helly is Winning over Helena here.

Jame Eagen wanders down just to be a freak and reinforces the reality of it. Helly is "More" than Helena, hasn't been worn down by the weight of experience and the world (and their cult and corporate bullshit). She still has, in some way, the innocence of youth and lack of experience with the world. She doesn't have the same fears and burdens or triggers as Helena in her conscious experience. She still has the ability to express her passions and outrage and defend herself. And to love and not feel sorry for it.

Severance gave Helena a chance to exist without the learned perspectives and burdens of the Eagens and she is able to be free with herself and her passions and desires-- whereas Helena was likely drained of any dreams for potential beyond a strictly guided future decades ago.

Of course Helly is feeling a rush of joy and satisfaction over Mark loving her. Mark choosing her. She tried to do the "right thing" by being logical with Mark. "I'm her." Even outside of Lumon, if they bring it all down, there's no hope for an Eagen and an ex-severed employee in reality. In the Real World they will never be together. Mark couldn't love Helena, how could anyone love an Eagen? (Poor Helly really with like, the enemy is within etc, but that's kinda the situation framed by Lumon for everyone by setting the stage with your Innie isn't human kinda rhetoric.) (This was also reinforced by Helena trying to get close to Mark to see if he still had feelings or chemistry with her and finding out they were not going to work outside Lumon.)

What if the equator is a building that could be a continent? Can be their whole world? They're choosing to live Now. Together in the present despite knowing that with their half lives, they could be brought to an end at any moment. It's very willful young love of them. And why wouldn't it be? This is their First Love. They haven't even been "alive" that long or have any memory of romance beyond their current infatuation. They don't know the world or it's places, and maybe that's okay, maybe they can exist in this space so long as they have love and the others.

It's completely human for Helly to accept Mark choosing her. To run to him just to see him for maybe the last time. It's human for Mark S to run to Helly. It's human for poor Gemma, who doesn't even know her fucking husband is severed, to be pounding on the door.

But this is their Final Day to Mark and Helly. Maybe the very end of their world. It's Judgement Day. Of course they'd have them holding hands and running back to the unknown to face the end together. To die together.

There is also zero fucking chance Mark Scout would risk his life and brain continuing reintegration once his wife is back. Mark Scout is going to choose his wife. Mark is choosing Love on both sides here.

All of it is reasonable.

[thesylverlining]

Finishing Disco Elysium felt like a great way to end 2023

i'm not crying you're FUCKING CRYING AND SO AM I

[bat-the-misfit]

"disappointment" is when you show a drawing of the main male character of the book you're writing to your mother and she says he's "kinda ugly" as if he had the responsability of being handsome for being the Main Male Character (tm)

[astridthevalkyrie]

my little cousin is my favorite child in the world but her parents are not currently home and she just broke down crying because she wants to be in her room alone by herself/wants to play on her mom's phone and sure i managed to calm her down without yelling at her or anything but let me tell you right now i do not have it in me to be a good parent

[joellesolo]

I’ve just been bawling my eyes out. We just watched the newest Ted Lasso, and like, the conversation between Trent and Colin just absolutely gutted me. I can’t stop crying.

We live in twenty fucking twenty three and people are still living in fear, of who they love, of who they truly are, so afraid because some people think it’s wrong or whatever homophobic bullshit they’ve come up with and it just breaks my heart. You guys. It shouldn’t matter who others love or how they identify, it just matters if they’re a decent person to those around them. Like, that’s legit it, the bare minimum of being human. 

To those of my followers who are still living with that fear, who haven’t come out yet, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for this bullshit world we live in, I wish it wasn’t this way.

Sorry for being all rambly too but I can barely breathe at this point, I’ve been crying for so long. Sending my love to all of you.

[envolvenuances]

6) Contributes equally or more in household chores, child and elder care without the need of a woman always asking him like it's a favour or first instructing him as a grown adult

7) Perceptive and caring about the emotional needs of others

[yourprinceofnothing]

yay adop me, I'm Kokichi kinnie 😋😘

You have been adopted as well. Welcome, I shall give you head pats and cookies and anything else you'll need.

[ashraffamilynew]

Please help secure a future for an entire family - me, Ashraf, my wife Ghadeer, and our lovely innocent son Yamen 👶💙

Vetted by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi , fundraisers list Number (#328)

Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on their list ( #74 )

Vetted on X platform on this spreadsheet (#391)

Shared by @90-ghost | Shared by @a-shade-of-blue | Shared by @dlxxv-vetted-donations

Please bring us back to life without war, destruction, genocide or killing because this is what fills our memories after we forget what a life full of hope is like ‼️

I'm Ashraf from the war-torn Gaza. I've lived an entire life under siege in Gaza, facing relentless military actions and life-threatening conditions daily. In October 2023, the conflict escalated drastically, devastating my newly built house, my neighborhood,my workplace, and jeopardizing the lives of my family.

My wife, Ghadeer @ghadeerarqan , and I live in Gaza with our baby son Yamen. My wife gave birth to Yamen during the war, and it is all he has ever known. Yamen has spent the tenth months of his young life without a stable home, surviving a genocide.

I mourn the loss of our safe haven, but more urgently, I need to secure a future for my family away from the constant threat of bombings that have become our grim reality.

Meet Yamane, our precious tenth-months-old. Who was born during this war, We aspire to provide him with opportunities that surpass our own experiences, fostering a future filled with joy and prosperity.

This campaign is a call to arms for all who believe in the transformative power of community support. By contributing, you're not just donating; you're actively shaping Yamane's world, ensuring his journey is filled with the promise and potential every child deserves. Join us in making a profound impact on his life

Yamen... he's only a baby. He doesn't understand the fear that grips us, the darkness that engulfs our lives. He just smiles, his eyes bright with innocent wonder, oblivious to the terror that surrounds him. He reaches for me with tiny hands, his laughter a fragile melody in this symphony of destruction. 💔

can we shield him from the reality of this war ⁉️can we keep him safe ⁉️

Your generosity is a beacon of hope for my family, especially for my little baby boy Yaman👶🩷, who deserves a future free from fear and filled with opportunity.

Thank you for standing with us during this incredibly challenging time. Your support means the world to us, 🌺🩷🌿🕊

But we still need your help to reach our goal. Please continue to share our campaign and consider contributing if you can. Together, we can create a brighter future for Yamane and all children affected by this conflict.

Vetted by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi , fundraisers list Number (#328)

Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on their list ( #74 )

Vetted on X platform on this spreadsheet (#391)

Shared by /@90-ghost

Shared by @a-shade-of-blue

Shared by @dlxxv-vetted-donations

[tahani-family]

GAZA 😭😭🇵🇸🔗⬇️

support us we lost our home and our workes😔💔

My children are sick from the cold and the spread of diseases, and they are all in pain. I have been displaced with my children many times, and each time we had to bleed her precious evacuation money to buy transportation and transportation.

These conditions are absolutely catastrophic. It's the end of the world. No child, no mother, no person should have to go through this.

You can help by donating and sharing so we don't have to struggle anymore. All we are hoping for is to get enough money to evacuate to Cairo so we don't have to rely on the black market for simple things like food anymore.

You can help. 

Please take time out of your day to donate to my family, our campaign is moving very slowly and we need your help.

Please help my family get out of this hell. We, like all human beings, deserve safety, comfort, and warmth, and now you have a way to help provide these things for us.

https://gofund.me/5770752d.

Dear, please don't let me down, we deserve life and we deserve your generosity and kindness towards us, you are our lifeline and with your generosity you give us life even a little, but you relieve us of injustice and the cursed war, you are the hope and life once again, be side by side hand in hand, we will make a big difference with faith, strength, will and determination, we will reach the goal, we are very close, I hope you participate and contribute if you can. 💜🇵🇸🍉🍉💐💐.

I am a mother of three beautiful little girls, Sana and Hanan. Hla has been sick recently and Hla needs to be vaccinated very soon, but I can tell you that the situation has been very difficult in Gaza and the campaign has been slow lately.

Thank you to everyone who donated and participated from the bottom of my heart, but my campaign needs more support and interaction. I think that my campaign did not receive the required interaction and attention. It is not my fault that I am Palestinian so that I do not receive support. I think that other campaigns and non-Arab campaigns take momentum from interaction and support. It is not my fault that a Palestinian is marginalized for the sake of my children, humanity, and children's rights. Help m🙏🏻🙏🏻💔💔.

My name is Tahani, I am 30 years old from Gaza and I have three very young children, Sana, Hanan and my youngest, Hala, who grew up during the war. Our house was destroyed, I was displaced several times and I am currently separated from the rest of my family - my husband, brothers, sisters and parents. I cannot tell you how stressed I am.

@xxx-sparkydemon-xxx @lampthehealthminister @baandar @doug-dimmadumb @astronotesstuff @prokyon @the-bitch-isback @aceofrage @intheindustrynow-blog @horrorcore2002 @thescavenger29 @yvening @springcres @meowmaids @akaratna @ezras-turtleneck-blog @fagarlic @grandpom @omens-augury @pianta @kingtransgender @friendlizard @intricatecakes @marbirds @error-core-animations @block-swing-perry @br-eddrolls @kraigerzz-blog @daily-click-reminders @commissions4aid-international @anneemay @tumkaafiho @balaclava-trismegistus @ripley-stark @mangocheesecakes @bees-fantasies @girl4pay @turtletoria @rikebe @esperantoauthor @starless-gaze @frehsca

I am doing my best to take care of my children by myself, despite facing hunger, thirst, disease and the threat of death. The other day, there was heavy shelling near me and another family close to us was killed. Life in Gaza is now hell and I tell you that we are living as if we are waiting for our turn to die.

I am Tahani from Gaza, I am 30 years old. I stand before you as a person trying to maintain my family. I am married and a mother of three children: Sana, who is seven years old, Hanan, who is five years old, and a girl named hla. She grew up during the war and in very harsh conditions that no human being can bear. I moved from the hospital directly to the tent. I cannot describe the extent of the suffering and difficulty of living in the tent.

But I need help. The situation in Gaza is very bad right now, with the IDF preventing aid from entering and the food, water and medicine that is available are very expensive. Please share and donate to help me and my children survive and eventually leave Gaza.

Thank you all. I hope you will support me to save my life and the lives of my children🇵🇸🍉🍉.

‼️Please don’t skip taking a look 🍉🇵🇸.

We are trying to survive in miserable conditions in tents in Mawasi Deir al-Balah, south of Gaza. It is difficult for me to find the words to describe what we face every day in Gaza. No food, no medicine, no clean drinking water, oppression, helplessness, psychological pressure, doubts and daily trauma due to the loss of loved ones. In Gaza, it is not only hunger, disease and fear; it means actual death.

We have been forced to move more than 7 times, and my house has been completely destroyed, and I cannot provide enough milk, diapers, medicines, and vitamins for my children.💔🍉🇵🇸😭

Now, I find myself in this difficult situation, and I strongly and humbly ask for your help to save the lives of my family, especially my children, by getting us out of Gaza. The situation in Gaza has become unbearable due to slow death as a result of hunger, thirst, displacement, the spread of diseases and continuous bombing.🍉🇵🇸💔

The past months have been full of hell and horror. This war has gone on for too long, and our mental health and lives are constantly at risk. We have reached a point where there is no hope anymore in Gaza, as if we are waiting for death. Even if a ceasefire is reached, the devastation in Gaza in all its forms cannot be quickly repaired

Please help me and my children to get us out of genocide🍉🇵🇸💔.

Your help will contribute greatly to alleviating our suffering. I hope you will share my story with your family and friends.💔💔

I will be forever grateful for your kind assistance in this difficult time🇵🇸🇵🇸

Thank you for your kindness and generosity❤️.

Donation link 🇵🇸👇

https://gofund.me/5770752d

1. Verified using Butterflyeffect Project font (1153)

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #275 )✅️

[forthegothicheroine]

Tanith Lee Recs

Since Tanith Lee deserves to be known for much more than having been plagiarized, I thought I'd share some recommendations. She had a HUGE body of work, and I've seen it suggested that the reason she never became a household name in fantasy and science fiction is that she wrote so many things that were different from each other, rather than staying in one easily labeled niche. I've only begun to make a dent in her catalogue, but here's the stuff I liked the best.

Note: A lot of her stuff can be disturbing, and I can't remember everything well enough to give perfect trigger warnings.

Red as Blood and Redder Than Blood: These fairy tale collections are being talked about now for the title story, but my favorite is The Golden Ladder, an incredibly creepy and hot version of Rapunzel, or perhaps When the Clock Strikes, a horrifying beautiful take on Cinderella.

The Weird Tales of Tanith Lee: As you can see, I love her short stories. These are all the ones published in Weird Tales, which includes some of the above fairy tales (including When the Clock Strikes) but also Arthurian, steampunk and science fiction stories. It's a great sampler of all the things she could do.

Blood 20: One more short story collection! This one is (most of) her vampire stories, so I know you goths will like it! There are things erotic, fantastical and grotesque in here, but to me the most haunting is the tragically mundane The Vampire Lover.

The Secret Books of Paradys: In this series, an alternate history of Paris, bad things happen. Supernatural things, sexual things, horrifying things. And sometimes good things happen, such as a man saved by a Jewish sage an his beautiful daughter who then actually converts to Judaism.

The Secret Books of Venus: I've only read the first entry in this similar series about an alternate world version of Venice, but once again it leaves the reader feeling totally transported to this sometimes sinister, sometimes lovely place where romance and cruelty live next door to each other.

Vivia: This tragic medieval plague-influenced vampire story is maybe the darkest thing of hers I've read, but dear god can she paint a picture with words. Along with The Birthgrave (which I didn't like as much), George RR Martin definitely pulled a lot of Danaerys's story from the title character here.

Islands in the Sky: And now for something completely different- a children's book. I remember finding this at the library as a kid and wanting to cry when it was over, because it gave me an equal sense of wonder and happiness as The Lion the Witch and the Wardobe, which I hadn't known was possible and worried would never happen again.

...but if you're like me, you'll just see which of her books you find at the library and used bookstores. You may not love every single thing, but it will always be interesting!