#(sorry if there are typos I wrote this at work with no spell check add on)

[lordofspiritsandbazongas]

New game! - This isn’t a goodbye; It’s see you later

When asked what the name Eagle Jump meant, pretty much everyone who worked at the company gave a different answer. Those who were the most passionate said that it was their life, while those who simply viewed it as a job and nothing else said that it was but a means to earn their monthly earnings. For Rin Toyama, it was more than both of those things, but not for the reasons one might have expected. While she did enjoy her job of assistant producer, what she enjoyed the most were the people she got to work with, one talented artist in particular. And now that same woman was about to leave. It was hard for Rin to put up a brave smile and pretend like everything was okay in the world, when on the inside it felt like everything was crumbling down. If she were to show her true feelings, let alone in public, it could effect the entire team and their morale, so Rin knew how important it was to pretend that she was fine, even if that smile was forced and only achieved by gritting her teeth. It was unknown for Rin herself how long she had felt this way. When she remembered earlier years in the company, the most vivid memories were always assosiated or directly tied to Kou Yagami; be it the disasterous crunching weeks or nervously reading the first reviews of their name game. Over the years, the two of them had bonded so much that it was now an inside joke to ask where the other one was in case they were seen on their own. While Kou was able to wave it off and laugh about it, Rin was always seen blushing faintly. Anyone who worked at Eagle Jump knew that there was something in between the two of them, even if they wouldn’t flat out admit it to themselves or each other. Rin laid on her bed, staring at the slowly rotating ceiling fan. She had tried to close her eyes more times than she could be bothered to count, but whenever she tried to welcome the sweet slumber, she simply couldn’t fall asleep. It didn’t help the fact that she kept on checking her phone every five minutes or so, in hopes of getting a text message from Kou where she’d say that this was all but a joke to get on her nerves. Maybe the younger, more inexperienced Kou would have done that, but Rin knew her well, better than anyone else quite likely. She wouldn’t do that, nor would she travel abroad if she wasn’t truly serious about it all. A choice like that couldn’t have been easy. Rin hated to feel like this, so selfish when she wanted her to stay, for her sake. Despite the fact that she wanted to say that, let Kou know her true feelings, she knew that it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Given how committed she was, a choice that would lead to momentarily happiness wouldn’t be worth it if it possibly came with a lifetime of regret. It was a time to let her leave, but not before she got to speak her mind. The ride to the airport was surprisingly quiet, with mostly Kou doing the speaking, trying to fill up the silence by talking about Aoba and the rest, how despite her being gone, they would be able to fill her shoes pretty easily. Rin wasn’t really able to focus on what was going on inside of her head and what Kou was talking, so she simply nodded and focused on driving, with the sleep depravation already making it harder than it had to be. “So...” Kou coughed out. “... Are you gonna be okay?” Rin wanted to answer, shout even, what was more than obvious, but instead she simply looked at the slightly taller woman standing in front of her. Slowly, her lips opened up, but no word came out of her dry mouth. Normally Rin would have been teasing her by now, but this time it seemed like she knew how to properly handle the situation, as she simply stood still and waited for Rin to pull herself back together. “I think we both know the answer to that.” She eventually managed to reply. “... Yeah,” Kou sighed. She had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this, that she could simply get into her plane and leave without any more awkwardness, but it seemed like Rin had other plans. “B-but, you really don’t have to worry about me. I’m gonna be just fine, trust me. I mean... I survived through Fairy Story 3, so how hard that can be?” Kou asked, forcing a chuckle to hopefully smoothen the tense atmosphere. Sadly, her effort had no such effect. “I do remember when you were assigned to be a character team leader,” Rin played with her for a bit, a sign Kou remembered her doing when she was nervous even when they were children. “You were really nervous, despite being a lead designer in your previous projects.” Now Kou didn’t have to force her chuckle, as the vidid memories of not so distant past bounced right back up. “Yeah, I do remember that. I mean being a lead is one thing, but leading an entire team... It’s just... hard.” “But despite your nervous ramblings or stomach pains, you succeeded.” “And big thanks goes to you. Not like I can talk about all of these... insecurities and such with them, you know?” It had been a while since Rin had been able to smile, so when her lips curled up into a smile on their own, she was surprised. Reaching out to grab a hold of Kou’s soft hand, she let her fingers slowly interlock with her’s, feeling her warmth and her faint, but fast pulse. “I couldn’t... let you leave before I told you something. Something... important. Really important.” Rin managed to say after a moment of silence. Kou gulped, knowing fully well what was on Rin’s mind. While part of her had hopes that she would keep such thoughts to herself, she knew deep down that she wouldn’t be stepping into her plane before she got her own thoughts off her chest. With a weary nod, she gestured Rin to continue. “I... I...”  Rin stuttered, her hold of Kou’s hands tightening as she tried to get the words our of her mouth. Kou couldn’t help herself not to smile at such honest display. Both of them had been participants in a dance of what if’s for more than they were willing to admit, never being truly open and honest about how they felt until now. “I know,” She whispered in return, leaning in a bit closer to ensure that Rin would hear her despite the crowds of people surrounding them. “I love you too.” Much to Kou’s surprise, Rin was the one to initiate the kiss. Her arms were quick to wrap themselves around her, pulling her down ever so slightly for a much needed goodbye kiss. Somehow, the one kiss held everything inside of it, all the suppressed feelings and emotions that had gathered over the years were all unleashed in that one kiss. It was long, as if it was the one thing that kept Kou in Japan. Eventually, it came to it’s end, with the two of them pulling apart, but still losing themselves into each other’s eyes. “But don’t worry...” Kou chuckled while wiping the few teardrops that had started to develop around Rin’s eyes. “This isn’t a goodbye, but see you later. I’ll be back and then we can... see what happens next?” Rin joined the chuckle. “What happens next is a wedding, house and a fluffy cat.” Kou didn’t even get to respond, before Aoba’s voice interrupted them. As they turned to greet her, their hands hold onto each other behind their backs. Kou now had Rin’s permission to depart, but not leave her heart, for she had taken it.

[yourstarvic]

A Month Later

It has been a month since the music convection. You barely remember the face of your savior. All you could remember was that he has black hair and was wearing a white mask. 

I can memorize quotes, names, and useless facts but when it comes to faces, I could never remember them.

“Miss Yukie, can you please tell me the answer," the teacher asked you.

Lazily looking up, you quickly saw the equation. "the answer is y= 3(2x+ 1/4)^2-83/16),” you replied as if it was second nature. Not realizing how quickly you responded, you went back looking at the window. Once the realization hit you, you felt your face starting to heat up as your eyes widen. Looking back to the front of the class, your teacher and classmates all stared at you in shock.

“Ummm, I already learned it from when I was middle school,” you said nervously, hoping no one would question it.

The teacher slowly nodded their head and when back to explaining the problem. Letting out a small sigh you went back looking out of the window.

 That was close... 

After admiring the outside world, you looked down at your notebook, noticing that you barely wrote any notes. Letting out a soft sigh, you grabbed your pencil from your desk, looking back up to the board, trying to pay attention to what the teacher was saying.

Soon after, you heard the bell rang, signaling the end of school. Cleaning up your desk, you put your notebook and pencils into your bag. As you did that, Hitoka walked up to your desk. With a surprised look on her face, she said, “How did you know the answer! You weren’t even paying attention! You barely even looked at the problem! You knew it right away! Are you psychic?”

Rolling your eyes at her jokingly, you got up from your desk. Both of you walking out of the door, “I’m not psychic,” you started with a joking smile, “Actually, I’m a witch.”

“I knew it,” you heard her whisper to herself. Laughing softly, thinking it was a joke, you didn’t realize that she was serious about it. 

Both of you made your way to the girl's locker room, talking about what happened in class and what might happen during practice. Finally, in the locker room, you put your bag into your locker and then grabbing your track pants, jacket, athletic shoes, and a white shirt. Taking off your shoes and your socks, you heard the door opening, seeing Kiyoko walking in.

“Hi, Kiyoko! Ready for practice?” you heard Hitoka said happily. 

Smiling with a teasing tone, you said, “of course she is! She’ll be able to see Tanaka.”

Both you and Hitoka saw the small red blush heating on her cheeks, knowing that she is trying not to make her whole face red. Chuckling at her, both of you thought, “she is so cute!!!”

“I talked to Takeda-Sensei and he and Ukai-San are thinking of working with serves and receives,” Kiyoko said faking a cough in her hands, trying to not seem flustered.

“We don’t have practice tomorrow morning, right?” you questioned as you put on your pants.

 “Yes, we only have is evening practice,” Hitoka said, changing into her shirt.

Nodding your head, you started to change into your shirt as well, as you did so you heard Kiyoko questioned you and Hitoka, “how is tutoring Hinata and Kageyama?”  

“Kageyama is getting better but still has a little more way to go,” Hitoka said thoughtfully, “hows Hinata with English, (y/n)?”

Looking at both of them, you respond with a happy smile, “he is getting better! He just needs to work on his spelling a bit! He will be fine for the exam!”

Kiyoko nods her head, happy that the two trouble first years are getting better with their studies.“Oh yeah, I almost forgot that you speak fluent English (y/n),” Hotoka said, putting a finger on her chin, thinking deeply, “you used to live in New York right?”

A bashful smile made its way to your lips as you replied, “yeah...” you chuckled shyly, “I used to live in New York for a while.”

Seeing Hitoka eyes light up with stars and Kiyoko eyes filled with curiosity, they both asked: where did you live before? Why move here in Miyagi? How was living in New York? But most of the questions were mostly from Hitoka.

With amusement in your voice, you answered, “I lived in London for a bit and some other places as well. I loved living in New York but I wouldn't say it is my favorite. And I moved here because um...” you hesitated, thinking of an answer that won't reveal too much about yourself, “my parent's job?”

Both eyed you in confusion as to why you question your reasoning. But then shrugging it off, thinking nothing of it. 

Wanting to know more, Kiyoko asked, “where do your parents work?”

Trying to think of an occupation, you stuttered out, “um.. y-you know..they w-work as a-an..accountant?” 

That seems like a good job. No one ever questions an accountant. Accountants are boring...Well, I think they are boring...

“Yeah! They are accountant!” you said more confidently, hoping they believed it.

 You quickly closed your locker, giving them a big smile, trying not to seem nervous. Thankful they nodded their heads, not questioning it and finishing getting dressed. 

After you were all dressed, you all started to head towards the gym, but not without getting the towels, filling the water bottles, and getting the practice jerseys. As you three did that, you all talked about anything that came to mind. Finally, walking in the gym, seeing the boys messing around, or already starting to stretch. Before any of you, three could greet them, you heard two boys yell, “Kiyoko! You're here!”

Seeing both Tanaka and Noya jumping towards Kiyoko, you were surprised at how high they could jump.

If only they could jump that high during a game...

Kiyoko quickly moved out of the way, making the two chaotic athletes landing on their face. Kiyoko walked past them as if nothing had happened, Hitoka just walked pasted them with a concerned look on her face, when you went up to them asking if their face was alright. Instead of answering, they got up, holding their hands together, sticking their butt out and swaying it side to side like a tail, with heart eyes, they both said, “I love it when she ignores us.”

Laughing at their enthusiasm, you walked to the bench and helped set up the towels and jerseys. Hearing Ukia walking in, everyone looked at him, waiting for orders. “Today, we are going to practices our serves and receives. Then, we’ll do a little practice match,” he yelled, making sure everyone heard. 

Everyone yelled out in excitement, ready to practice. Except for Hinata who, not only yelled out but jumped with his arms and legs out, hitting Kageyama. 

Yelling out in pain, Kageyama said “Boke Hinata Boke!”

And with that, the practice started.

Waking up to the sound of your alarm, you reach your hand over, lazily trying to turn it off. Sitting up, you used one hand to rub your eye, trying to get the sleepness out. Moving to the side of the bed, making your feet touching the floor, you stretched out your arms, letting out a random noise as you did so. As you were getting out of bed, you turned on the lamp that sat on your night table. 

Walking into your bathroom, you started doing your morning routine. Once you were done, you walked back to your bed and started making it. Finishing, you grabbed your phone, unlocking it, you saw it was 1:14 am. Thinking out loud, you said, “we don’t have to be at school until 4...So...ummm maybe take a shower?” 

Scratching your head, you looked around your room. Your eyes landed on the opening that leads to the bathroom, and right across from it, your walk-in closet. Seeing an empty luggage bag and a duffel, you quickly made your decision, “a warm shower sounds nice.”

After your “quick” shower, you put on a pair of athletic leggings and a random shirt. Looking at your phone, you checked the time, 2:05 am. You eyed your empty luggage. Biting the inside of your cheek, you slowly walked towards your closet. “Might as well start packing,” you said softly.

Finished packing, you doubled checked everything, making sure you have everything. Making sure your morning routine, extra sets of clothes, undergarments are in your suitcase when the small medical stuff for the boys was in the duffel. 

Going back to your nightstand, you grabbed your phone, checking the time once again. “Alright!” you cheerfully said, “it only took me 30 minutes to pack. New Record.”

Unplugging your charger from the socket, you hold onto both the charger and your phone in one hand. Instantly walking towards your desk, you grabbed your notebook and pencil bag. Walking back to your closet entrance, you put the notebook and pencil bag carefully into the duffel bag. 

Swinging the duffel bag over your shoulder, pulling the suitcase behind you as you head out. Turning off the lights in your room and closing the door behind you, headed towards the front of the house. Putting on your shoes, thinking of anything else you missed. With nothing coming into mind, you grab the keys sitting on the table near the front door. Opening the front door, you looked behind you, feeling the dark and empty the penthouse.

“I’m leaving now,” you said halfheartedly, with a sad smile.  

If only there was someone to say, “be safe.”

Masterpost - Prev - Next

Notes: So.... seems like (y/n) is hiding somethin and she’s kinda lonely :( But all will be revealed soon! I hope you guys are liking it so far!! Sorry for the typos and terrible grammer!! If you want to be add to the taglist just click on that link!!! 

Fun Facts:

(Y/n) is considered a genius in the academic world and in the fine arts world. She tones it down, fearing people would ask her to do their homework.

One time a guy was bothering Hitoka and asking for her number. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima saw and quickly saved her.

(y/n) has two older brothers who are twins. She never mentions them because they are the most embarrassing people ever.

To get back at Kageyama, Hinata styled his hair the same as him. There was a lot of gel involved.

Ever since the 3rd grade, (y/n) learned how to live by herself. She spent most of her childhood reading different genres of books, ranging from kid's stories to medical books.

Taglist: @wickedgamesoyaoya @bloody-bella @mangotacoluverz @weebartistinc

[shawnssongs]

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 ⋄ 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

02. 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠

It’s the first day of senior year (also we’re just going to pretend they’re all seniors in high school, the pogues and the kooks, including Rafe at Kildaire County High)

series masterlist 01.

an: sorry this chapter is kind of boring! I promise there’ll be more action in the next one :)

warnings: typos, probably wc: 1.4k ish

thanks @jjmaybankx for the moodboard!

It was finally here. The first day of senior year. JJ never cared much about school since it had never been on his list of priorities, but he always loved the first day. He’d usually spend all summer working or hanging out with his friends, so being the social butterfly that he is, he loved catching up with everyone else that he really only saw at school. Plus, at this point, he needed to catch up with his own friends as well. He felt like he hadn’t seen John B, Kie, Pope, and Sarah in months, and other than a few “hey”s here and there, he truly hadn’t.

John B was the same way. Ever since finding out what happened to his father, he’d gotten back on track with his education. His grades improved junior year, especially with the help of Sarah Cameron. John B was ready to catch up with his friends, but he was really just waiting for JJ. His best friend had been MIA all summer.

“John B!” Kiara greeted with open arms when she noticed her best friend standing next to his beaten up Volkswagen.

John B accepted the hug gladly.

Sure, JJ had been absent, but John B had also admittedly been spending more time with Sarah than with the rest of the pogues.

“Where ya been?” He asked her with a smile.

“Around,” Kiara chided, “unlike you, lover boy.”

John B chuckled at Kie when he noticed Pope approaching. They all greeted each other, catching up a bit when Pope asked where Sarah was.

John B shrugged in response. “Met a new girl. She told me she was going to show her around.”

“Sarah loves strays,” Kiara acknowledged.

“There he is!” Pope cheered, gazing behind John B and Kiara at the missing member of their group.

“Man of the hour!”

“Where have you been?” John B asked when JJ was close enough, reaching his hand out for a quick hug.

Kiara prodded. “Yeah, what have you been doing all summer?”

JJ just smiled, playing it off. “I was hanging around at the beach.”

“So were we.” Pope added.

“Guess we didn’t cross paths.” JJ shrugged.

“Or you were too busy checking out tourons to talk to your friends.” Kiara crossed her arms across her chest accusatorily.

“Nah, I did meet this one cool chick though.”

John B noticed the little twinkle in his eyes. “You mean she put out?” He asked, earning a punch in the arm from Kiara and a glare from Pope.

“Is that all you ever think about?” Sarcasm dripped through JJ’s voice. Clearly, he was the one with that reputation, not John B.

The group continues to giggle like children and tease each other as they caught up outside Kildaire County High.

Meanwhile, Sarah Cameron had been incredibly helpful to you so far. You met her just a few days ago when you found out you’d be staying in the Outer Banks instead of moving back home. She agreed to meet you early and show you around the school a bit so you wouldn’t be too lost on your first day.

“Do I look okay, Sarah?” You ask her, noticing all the students walking around in cut off shorts and crop tops. You weren’t allowed to wear just anything like that back home at your private school, so you really weren’t prepared. In a pair of linen shorts and a button up tee, you felt a bit out of place.

“Sure!”

“I’m really nervous.”

“You look terrific,” she complimented.

“So this is Kildaire County High?” The school seemed surprisingly active. It was small, and rundown, unlike your school back home, and even though your old school was large and daunting, somehow you still felt more intimidated by Kildaire County. The uncertainty was causing your nerves to run rampant.

Sarah gripped your arm to calm you. “I know it’s not much, but you’ll love it. Come on,” she smiled, “I’ll help you find your first class.”

With Sarah’s help, you managed to make it through your first couple classes of the day until it was finally time for lunch. The cafeteria looked run down and dirty, but luckily Sarah pulled you outside to meet Kiara, who she’d described as her best friend.

“Y/n, this is Kiara. Kie, this is Y/n!” Sarah introduced giddily, excited to have another friend to do girly things with like shop and do each other’s hair and makeup. The boys would partake sometimes, but it wasn’t the same. Kiara was just as stunning as Sarah, the two of them contrasting in every way. Kiara’s skin and hair both darker than Sarah’s golden complexion, the straightened strands of Sarah’s light hair next to Kiara’s curls. As beautiful as they were, somehow you didn’t feel envious. You felt content. You felt sure that these two girls were people you wanted to keep around. Back home you never got that feeling. You were always comparing yourself to the other girls, trying to be like them or dress like them because that was what was most desired. Here, with Kie and Sarah, you knew they’d accept you for you, and you weren’t afraid to be yourself, because they clearly weren’t.

“Hey!” Kiara greets, breaking you from your thoughts.

“Hi! It’s nice to meet you!” You smile as she reached out for a hug.

The two girls caught up on each other’s summers a small bit of time since they’d spent most of it together. You gathered that Sarah is dating a cute surfer boy named John B, and Kiara has a thing for a studious kid named Pope. It wasn’t long before Sarah asked you how your summer in the Outer Banks had gone, and boy were you glad to tell.

“I met a boy at the beach.” You boasted, unable to hold back your smile.

The guys ate their lunch by the Volkswagen because Sarah apparently didn’t want them to scare away the new girl she’d befriended. He didn’t mind though. They had a lot of catching up to do.

“Okay, so what happened with that girl you met this summer? Stop playin’ around.” John B asked his friend sternly, not wanting anymore jokes.

“Nothing!” JJ lied, but he knew he couldn’t get away with it.

Pope rolled his eyes. “Sure, nothing.”

“Come on, you guys don’t want to hear all the horny details, right?”

The guys pestered him until he finally gave in.

“Alright! I’ll tell you.”

“Oh he was so romantic!” You gush. “And cute. Really cute.”

The girls ooh and aww as you continue your story.

“He ran by me, showing off, splashing around.”

“She swam by me and got a cramp. I saved her life, man.” JJ embellished. “She almost drowned.”

Pope and John B didn’t believe him, but they let him keep going. “Took her surfing, showed her the ropes.”

“We went strolling along the beach. We stayed out until ten o’clock.”

“We made out under the dock.”

“Then what?” Pope asked.

“We got friendly.” JJ quirked a brow, smirking at his curious friend. “Down in the sand, if you know what I mean.”

“He got friendly, and he held my hand,” you explain to the girls, recalling the memories. “He was sweet. He just turned 18.”

You pause, the girls watching you in anticipation. “It got colder. That’s where it ends. That’s when we made our true love vow.” You knew it’s sounded extreme, but you wouldn’t explain it any other way. You loved JJ Maybank, even if you only got to spend one summer with him, and losing your virginity to JJ was you vowing your love to him.

“Y’know, I told her we’d still be friends.” JJ shrugged. “I wonder what she’s doing now.” He truly did, more than the guys knew. Y/n was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and now she’s just gone, clear on the other side of the States.

“He sounds real nice.” Sarah smiled. She was a hopeless romantic, of course. She loved the story.

You agree. “He was a gentleman.”

“What was his name?” Kiara asked, sure she’d recognize any of the locals.

“JJ. JJ Maybank.”

Kiara noticed Sarah’s eyes widen and just before she was able to tell you, Kiara kicked her leg under the table.

“Maybe if you believe in miracles,” she started, “he’ll show up again, somewhere unexpected.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course!” Sarah chimed in, a bright smile adorning has face.

The six of them went back to class as the bell rung, all blissfully unaware of the events to come.

an: kinda hate this ngl... excited for the next chapter though :) thanks for reading, and please send feedback!

also, ty to now both @milaonthemoon​ and @storiesbymads​ for your spotify playlists that helped while I wrote and edited this :)

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[erraticfairy]

6 Ways to Overcome and Benefit from Embarrassment

Henri Rousseau once wrote, “It’s not the criminal things which are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and shameful.” We’ve all been there, strutting down the path of humiliation with our tail in between our legs.

As the queen of embarrassment, I now know what to do and what not to do while donning a dunce cap. I have learned that my idiotic acts aren’t as important as the way in which I rebound. If I can maneuver gracefully back to two feet and walk forward with confidence, my flaws have a way of deepening my bonds with people and celebrating my humanity. Humiliation strips away pretenses so that everyone can be real.

Here are six ways to lose the shame and overcome embarrassment so you can enjoy the perks.

1. Be Transparent

You think there’s a chance no one will notice the significant blood stain on your skirt courtesy of your period. Do you tie your sweater around your waist, explaining to folks that the sweater-over-your-skirt is a trending fashion that hasn’t yet made it to your town, or do you pick a trustworthy woman from the crowd and explain the situation? I propose option two.

My situation was slightly different. As I was swimming laps early in the morning with my swim group, my swimsuit split in half down the back. The lifeguard spotted my bare butt and came to my aid with a towel. At that point, I could have made up some lame excuse, like I was about to vomit and had to leave the pool. However, the lifeguard was laughing so hard, transparency was really my only option. Needless to say, it provided everyone with a morning laugh and nice start to their day.

2. Keep It Simple

Related to the first point, don’t try to cover up the situation by giving complicated, long-winded explanations. Doing so is going to impact you more negatively than if you simply spill the beans. “You see the massive hole in my swim suit? Apparently I didn’t know it was there as I swam 20 laps. Funny!”

“The curse word in 15-point font found on page 7 of the annual report distributed to the senior executive team? Ah, man, that was mine. Spell check has quite the potty mouth. Oops.” No excuses. No lies. Just the simple truth.

3. Add Some Levity

When you add a little humor to embarrassment stories, they become great ice-breakers and material for cocktail parties. For example, when I meet a new mom who is beating herself for some parenting blunder, I always interrupt her. “I’m sorry,” I will say, “but I’m pretty sure I have you beat.” Then I tell the story about how my two-year-old son pushed a fellow preschooler into the 15-feet frigid waters at the City Dock in Annapolis — the boy rescued by an angel in cowboy boots eating sushi in front of the water, because his panicked mother had her baby girl strapped to her and couldn’t jump in to save him.

I fill in the story with the hilarious details that, of course, took me a few months to appreciate. Almost every embarrassing story has some comedic relief. The trick is to lose the shame so you can find it.

4. Share Your Story

If you start to share your humiliation tale, you might not get a chance to finish it before someone chimes in about his. People love embarrassment stories because they make us feel more human.

I didn’t have choice but to share my City Dock humiliation with fellow Annapolitans because the details of it were published in a story the next day, celebrating the heroic deed of the rescuer. After it was printed moms flocked to me and confessed “Mommy Oops” moments: a pile of dirty laundry that saved a fall, spoiled meatballs that gave the kids food poisoning, the pitcher of Sangria that filled the sippy cups, and so forth. I had so many rich, wonderful stories that I decided to compile them in a book called The Imperfect Mom: Candid Confessions of Mothers Living in the Real World.

5. Stop Apologizing

Apologizing is your natural response to embarrassment. It’s like sneezing. You HAVE to do it. Even if it hasn’t worked before to eliminate your shame, you’re convinced that the 303rd apology is what is needed to wipe the slate clean and erase this horrible moment from your memory. But a curious thing happens. You feel worse.

One apology is acceptable. It can lead to redemption. After that, you’re burying yourself deeper into shame. When you get the urge, treat it like an obsession to check if the lights are off or if the pillows are in place.

Accept this hard truth: you can’t fix what was done or what happened. The period stain on your skirt, the swimsuit splitting in half, the typo on the annual report, the kid who got pushed into the drink … you can’t undo any of these. BUT none of them are an indictment on your character, either. No need for further apologies.

6. Make a Top Five List

One technique that pushes me through a depressive episode is to revisit depressions of the past and realize I emerged not only whole, but often as a more resilient, self-aware person.

Visit humiliations in your past, where you thought you’d never recover from an embarrassment, and yet you did. Your blushing moment may have even initiated a new friendship or opened a door you thought was closed. Make a top five or top 10 list. Not only will it inspire you to rebound with grace, it may make you laugh at the power of emotions you attached to past humiliations.

from World of Psychology https://ift.tt/2JyIQJM via theshiningmind.com

[psychotherapyconsultants]

6 Ways to Overcome and Benefit from Embarrassment

Henri Rousseau once wrote, “It’s not the criminal things which are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and shameful.” We’ve all been there, strutting down the path of humiliation with our tail in between our legs.

As the queen of embarrassment, I now know what to do and what not to do while donning a dunce cap. I have learned that my idiotic acts aren’t as important as the way in which I rebound. If I can maneuver gracefully back to two feet and walk forward with confidence, my flaws have a way of deepening my bonds with people and celebrating my humanity. Humiliation strips away pretenses so that everyone can be real.

Here are six ways to lose the shame and overcome embarrassment so you can enjoy the perks.

1. Be Transparent

You think there’s a chance no one will notice the significant blood stain on your skirt courtesy of your period. Do you tie your sweater around your waist, explaining to folks that the sweater-over-your-skirt is a trending fashion that hasn’t yet made it to your town, or do you pick a trustworthy woman from the crowd and explain the situation? I propose option two.

My situation was slightly different. As I was swimming laps early in the morning with my swim group, my swimsuit split in half down the back. The lifeguard spotted my bare butt and came to my aid with a towel. At that point, I could have made up some lame excuse, like I was about to vomit and had to leave the pool. However, the lifeguard was laughing so hard, transparency was really my only option. Needless to say, it provided everyone with a morning laugh and nice start to their day.

2. Keep It Simple

Related to the first point, don’t try to cover up the situation by giving complicated, long-winded explanations. Doing so is going to impact you more negatively than if you simply spill the beans. “You see the massive hole in my swim suit? Apparently I didn’t know it was there as I swam 20 laps. Funny!”

“The curse word in 15-point font found on page 7 of the annual report distributed to the senior executive team? Ah, man, that was mine. Spell check has quite the potty mouth. Oops.” No excuses. No lies. Just the simple truth.

3. Add Some Levity

When you add a little humor to embarrassment stories, they become great ice-breakers and material for cocktail parties. For example, when I meet a new mom who is beating herself for some parenting blunder, I always interrupt her. “I’m sorry,” I will say, “but I’m pretty sure I have you beat.” Then I tell the story about how my two-year-old son pushed a fellow preschooler into the 15-feet frigid waters at the City Dock in Annapolis — the boy rescued by an angel in cowboy boots eating sushi in front of the water, because his panicked mother had her baby girl strapped to her and couldn’t jump in to save him.

I fill in the story with the hilarious details that, of course, took me a few months to appreciate. Almost every embarrassing story has some comedic relief. The trick is to lose the shame so you can find it.

4. Share Your Story

If you start to share your humiliation tale, you might not get a chance to finish it before someone chimes in about his. People love embarrassment stories because they make us feel more human.

I didn’t have choice but to share my City Dock humiliation with fellow Annapolitans because the details of it were published in a story the next day, celebrating the heroic deed of the rescuer. After it was printed moms flocked to me and confessed “Mommy Oops” moments: a pile of dirty laundry that saved a fall, spoiled meatballs that gave the kids food poisoning, the pitcher of Sangria that filled the sippy cups, and so forth. I had so many rich, wonderful stories that I decided to compile them in a book called The Imperfect Mom: Candid Confessions of Mothers Living in the Real World.

5. Stop Apologizing

Apologizing is your natural response to embarrassment. It’s like sneezing. You HAVE to do it. Even if it hasn’t worked before to eliminate your shame, you’re convinced that the 303rd apology is what is needed to wipe the slate clean and erase this horrible moment from your memory. But a curious thing happens. You feel worse.

One apology is acceptable. It can lead to redemption. After that, you’re burying yourself deeper into shame. When you get the urge, treat it like an obsession to check if the lights are off or if the pillows are in place.

Accept this hard truth: you can’t fix what was done or what happened. The period stain on your skirt, the swimsuit splitting in half, the typo on the annual report, the kid who got pushed into the drink … you can’t undo any of these. BUT none of them are an indictment on your character, either. No need for further apologies.

6. Make a Top Five List

One technique that pushes me through a depressive episode is to revisit depressions of the past and realize I emerged not only whole, but often as a more resilient, self-aware person.

Visit humiliations in your past, where you thought you’d never recover from an embarrassment, and yet you did. Your blushing moment may have even initiated a new friendship or opened a door you thought was closed. Make a top five or top 10 list. Not only will it inspire you to rebound with grace, it may make you laugh at the power of emotions you attached to past humiliations.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/6-ways-to-overcome-and-benefit-from-embarrassment/

[lordofspiritsandbazongas]

Tales of Vesperia: The start of my journey

Day 4:  Liberation (breakout, expanse, independence) for Yustelle week.

The great trees in Halure were a common tourist attraction, but little did most people know what significance they hold when it came to shaping the world to be what it was today. Yuri could still recall it all like it was yesterday, when in a blink of an eye a seemingly ordinary princess had shown a completely new side of her. Unlike most roayalties who sat comfortable behind their barriers and walls, Estelle was different. Even at the risk of her own life, she was willing to fight for the common man, unselfishly fighting to protect those who couldn’t do it for themselves. It was thanks to her that the people in Halure were safe to this day. It was a question Yuri had been asked numerous times, be it Judith after a hectic sparring match or the old man in midst of drinking. When did he know that he was in love? To this day, Yuri couldn’t give a definitive answer, but what he could say was that it was at Halure when he realized that she was something else entirely. Not just another pretty face, but someone who’s heart was in the right place. In a world filled with greed and other selfish desires, such purity was to be treasured. As Yuri watched children gather around the tree for their weekly get together with Estelle, he couldn’t help himself not to smile. The nostalgic memories of it all were still fresh in his memories. It did help out that before they had to take their leave and run, he had caught one of the blossoming petals with him. The fact that they matched Estelle’s clothes was at first, at least in Yuri’s mind, but a mere coincidence, but when asked about it today, he joked it perhaps being faith toying with them, bringing two souls together in it’s own, unspoken way. Switching his balance from one leg to another, Yuri leaned into a tree, while carefully listening to Estelle’s story from a far. The children all seemed to love it, given how carefully they were all listening to Estelle’s carefully chosen words. Even the ones that didn’t always get along were now sitting in silence, mesmerized by Estelle’s storytelling. It helped out that Estelle wasn’t only talented, but enthusiastic as well. She knew that in order to engage her audience, she’d have to show the passion she wished to see from them. Whenever the villain was speaking, she changed her tone to sound like Yuri, cocky and confident. As for the heroine, she used her own voice, although reaching just a little bit higher tone in order to sound like someone of her audience’s age. Estelle’s voice was such a soothing melody for Yuri’s ears that he didn’t even realize that he had fallen asleep. Resting up against a tree, simply listening to her made his soul go at ease. Unfortunately, his nap didn’t last very long, as Yuri felt small finger grab onto his wrist, shaking him to wake up. “Wake up mister!” The boy shouted. Yuri shook his head and sighed before lifting up his hat enough to see where the voice was coming from. “And how may I help you?” “The princess needs your help!” The boy shouted once more, still shaking Yuri by his wrist. “You have the ring, she needs you.” Raising an eyebrow, Yuri glanced at his hand, not noticing anything out of ordinary. “What ring...?” Yuri smirked, only to realize that he was indeed wearing a ring. A golden ring, it was already such a natural part of him that it was hard for Yuri to imagine being without it. “You mean this one?” Yuri chuckled in dismay, pointing at his wedding ring. “Yes, yes!” The boy cried out while hopelessly trying to drag the still partly drowsy swordsman with him. “She said she has been put under a spell and she can’t continue reading unless someone with the chosen ring comes and saves her!” Yuri bursted out laughing, shaking his head before eventually properly standing up. “Oh, is that so? Tell me, did the princess tell you how to break this evil curse put on her?” The boy nodded in an instant. “Yes! You have to touch her lips with your own.” Yuri’s lips curled up from smirk into a grin as she saw Estelle pretending to have fallen asleep. The smile on her face was contagious, as Yuri couldn’t help but to smile after realizing he had been pulled to be part of this particular gathering. “I guess we have a princess to save then, huh?”

[lordofspiritsandbazongas]

Tales of Berseria - The unspoken desires

Some magivel, very much inspired by the talk I had with @ultrajacket this morning.

It was indeed a rare occasion to have Magilou of all people to be quiet, but at times even the self proclaimed witch was left speechless or otherwise had no reason to open up her mouth. It was as rare as a shooting star, requiring both the right person, situation and atmosphere for her to be so comfortable; Velvet just so happened to be the right person in the right time to witness this small miracle. Their normal makeout was anything but quiet, with moans, gasps and furnitures telling just what was going on. This time was no different, but when it was all said and done, exhaustion of a long day and the recent release were strong enough of a combination to bring down what walls both of them held. On the outside they were strong in their own rights, Velvet being the broody, quiet, yet strong leader of their ragtag group, while Magilou made her best to act as uninterested or unattached to anything as humanly possible. Despite the two of them more or less polar opposites in many regards, they were similar when it came to showing their true colors; hesitant and defensive, but much like any wall, if one paid enough attention, they’d notice small cracks. Neither of them said a word, as both of them simply laid on the bed, the sheets coated in both sweat and other bodily fluids. Neither of them were looking at each other directly, only side glancing at each other briefly before looking away. Still, the need for intimacy and aftercare was obvious, with both of them reaching out for each other, their fingers trying to find a pair to interlock with. Even without looking, the thinner and shorter pair of fingers found their dancing partner before locking themselves around one another in a tight and warm embrace. Magilou turned her head a bit, her hair swinging with her head movement so she could see the daemon laying beside her. She had expected Velvet to be looking the other way, her eyes fixated on the wall or the roof, but to her surprise she was instead of Velvet’s back greeted by her direct gaze. In that moment, Magilou saw something truly rare. Velvet, the woman who’s eyes burned like the inferno, was restful. Magilou instictively blinked a few times as if to make sure she wasn’t just dreaming, but even after doing that, the unusual sight persisted. The more she looked at those eyes, ones that reflected a life and happiness before that nightmarish night changed her life forever. Even when Velvet was sleeping, there was always a sense of tension, as if she was ready to fight on a moment’s notice. She was willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of her revenge and proper, restful sleep was one of the first things she had cut from her life in order to fulfill her goal. Magilou opened up her mouth, but no word came out of. She wanted to say that this new look suited her, or alternative try to cut the tension with a bad joke, but her lips couldn’t turn her thoughts into words. The silence between the two of them continued, with only occasional sounds of ocean waves clashing on the wooden frame of Van Eltia. Both of them were too proud to say that this is what they deep down wanted the most. Sex was just an act that needed to be satisfied, much like eating, but the intimacy and aftercare, the sense of belonging and care were something both of them desired and needed, but at the same time, couldn’t simply say out loud. The worst part about it, was the fact that both of them knew it, it was obvious. It was the one time when Velvet didn’t pretend to be angry and when Magilou knew that she didn’t have to joke to hide her unsecurities and self doubts. This, to them, was truly being naked and vulnerable; not just in the literal sense, but more so in metaphorical sense. For once, neither of them had the energy or will to put up an act or keep their barriers up, revealing each other what they tried so hard to keep hidden. The larger hand pulled the shorter one towards it, dragging the witch with it. Still, no word was spoken, with the exception of a sudden, but delighted gasp. Now, the witch was lying right next to the slightly taller woman, their eyes gazing into each other as if hoping to find the answers filling their minds. Neither of them got those, but what they found was a sense of calmness that was rare for both of them. When they would leave this room, the life would return back to normal, with Magilou still being the one with the talent to get under Velvet’s skin and Velvet acting like she hated her. Both of them knew that this was all but a lie at this point, with such feelings long ago changing into something else entirely. Still, despite both of them being ready to face whatever their journey would bring before them, even death, neither of them were brave enough to say the obvious. Maybe they never got to say it, but a deep look into one’s eyes told them more than enough. Stay with me... Please.