#- system. i've had friends cut me off because i came out as queer.

[butchdykekondraki]

kind of obsessed w this snippet of an ask i got . do you have any idea who youre talking to right now

[wouldvelovedmewheniwassoft]

help keep a queer disabled system couple from breaking NC with my rapist ❤️‍🩹

(CW: parental abuse/familial trauma, death from cancer, alcoholism, domestic violence, homelessness, sui + hospitalization, incest/rape, victim-blaming, abandonment + gaslighting by a toxic friend, harassment involving police, disordered eating)

please don't tag my post. proof of situation provided in imgur album.

i've held off on publicly asking for help beforehand, as i know there are many people in more dire circumstances right now. but i'm at a point where it's absolutely necessary.

i moved out of state to live with my partner system (we both have DID) in March of this year. we already planned to live together, but circumstances forced me to escape and go NC (no contact) with my remaining family for my safety.

i lived in my childhood home for my whole life until this year. my parents and extended family have always been abusive, but things escalated after my mom passed from Stage 4 lung cancer. my father started deteriorating after her diagnosis in 2018, and since her death in 2022, our relationship is no longer salvageable.

his alcoholism worsened significantly, resulting in multiple instances of him driving home drunk, collapsing, and almost being charged with a DUI. he hasn't hit me since i was 13, but he's acted domestically violent by slamming and hitting things whenever i've angered him. he threatened me with homelessness twice for being suicidal (once after a four day hospitalization, once after an attempted overdose), knowing full well i had no resources at the time and would've ended up on the streets. i attempted to escape last year, but my paternal aunt purposefully sabotaged it, forcing me to stay in an unsafe situation and suffer quietly. my mother's family abandoned me in 2020, and they no longer accept me (specifically for being queer/trans, disabled, and a vocal leftist), so they wouldn't help even if i wanted to resume contact.

it took over a year to move out due to my father controlling every aspect of my life with the justification of me being disabled. i tried to get his blessing for me to move in with my partner; but he refused to let me leave him, and he made it clear his disapproval of my relationship was because he didn't want me to have any autonomy outside of him.

the breaking point came after three days of nonstop verbal and emotional/mental abuse from him over an argument he started; everything culminated in him raping me while i was incapacitated. both my best friend of three years and their partner offered for me to crash at their apartment while my partner planned to get me. they also escorted me to a sexual assault center in my state to get a rape kit done.

i burned nearly every bridge in the process, as the people who could help me sided with him. but i didn't anticipate my friends to abandon me, too. they spent my last three days with them coercing me into changing my escape plan and dismissing my visible distress at how doing so would jeopardize my safety. less than 12 hours before we left, my best friend abandoned me via text, saying they'd refuse to help me if i didn't get police involved. anything i said in response resulted in gaslighting from them, mainly using therapy speak of "boundaries" and "triggers" to justify their actions. i cut contact with them after my partner told me they planned to drop me from the start (they told my partner this in a phone call while i was out) and discovering a cruel vague post they made after i last texted them. the last time i ever reached out was to send them money to get through their own situation.

since then, my partner and i have struggled financially. they're currently one write-up away from being fired, and their supervisor has always been volatile, so confronting him or going to anyone else at their job will do nothing. they've gotten help from their grandparents, but they're similarly abusive and unaccepting of them for the same reasons, so it hurts them to beg them even if they're unable to go NC right now.

i'm unable to reapply for disability, and previously lucrative sources of passive income have currently dried up. i'm waiting for orientation to be scheduled so i can start my new job, but we've financially suffered in the meantime. my account was charged off, and i only just now paid off a month's worth of PayPal debt; most of the debt came from paying off medical bills after i was injured in late April (currently contemplating pursuing legal compensation but nothing's set in stone).

i had to break NC twice for my father to help, but it's been triggering both times. i had to block his number before due to him harassing me via call/text, and he made me talk to police twice by falsely reporting me missing.

i cannot risk breaking NC again if my future job falls through or my partner loses theirs. we both had to skip meals several times within the past month to keep from buying food, so it's gotten scary already.

anything you can send helps. if you're unable to, PLEASE share this wherever you can. i also do writing commissions, so DM me to know my rates and what i'm willing to write.

ca | pp | vm

imgur album

(edit 6/18/24: created a new imgur album link; had no idea why the first one was inaccessible, but hopefully this is better formatted and contains additional context)

[asherthephoenix]

Oooh! Here's a question! What is one (1) headcanon you have for each reboot kiddo? (One for Priya, one for Bowie, and so on.)

Most of these I've had for awhile but thanks for helping me realize there were a few characters from this cast I never bothered to make hcs for lol. Some of these are gonna be sadder than others (I like making angst). TW FOR MENTIONS OF: Child neglect, transphobia, homophobia, the foster care system, child abuse, relationship abuse Caleb: Dumped Priya shortly after the season 2 finale when he realized they just weren't compatible and he'd rather just be friends (please let this be the case in s3🙏) Axel: She's related to Shawn and has a part time job as an instructor at the flower shop and fighting school. Years after the show she gets promoted to manager/class organizer

Nichelle: She's the daughter of the in-universe equivalent of someone like Beyonce or Will Smith, and so she got into acting as a baby.

Lauren: Her parents paid very, very little attention to her when she was a small child because they were preoccupied with their (full of illegal practices) circus buisness and Lauren was primarily raised by her older brother (who is 11 years older than her.) The computer was her babysitter a lot of the time and she got into creepypasta stuff at like age 4 Damien: He's trans ftm and was disowned by his parents after coming out, luckily he had a supportive aunt who took him in and allowed him to start HRT. He signed up for TD without hesitation or even bothering to look up what the show entailed when he heard he could win a million dollars because he knew he could use that money to A. repay his aunt for her kindness and B. afford top surgery

MK: Raised in the foster care system alongside her twin brother. She barely ever got anything for herself growing up and developed her klepto behavior after stealing her first video game and console (a 3DS and pokemon sun for anyone curious)

Raj: Figured out he was gay in middle school. Didn't want to come out because while he knew his immediate family would be supportive, his extended family overseas certainly wouldn't be. Needless to say his family cut contact with a lot of distant relatives after the show aired Wayne: He'd never actually had a girlfriend prior to being on TD. When the purple haired intern (who I hc started liking him after he helped her in the fear challenge) told him she had a crush on him she had to explain it very slowly several times over in order for him to understand what she meant Ripper: also had it rough growing up unfortunatley; he mentions at one point his parents dropped him a lot and told him that babies ruin everything so I don't think it's a stretch to say his parents were abusive. Axel was the first person who truly made him feel loved and accepted.

Zee: Uses perscription marijuana for anxiety. The soda is a clear metaphor for weed; while yes he drinks a lot of it normally since he probably wasn't allowed to use drugs (even perscription) on camera he seriously upped the amount of soda he drank as a sort of replacement

Chase: Was actually a decent person once upon a time and legitimatley did woo Emma over with actual charm. With time unfortunatley he started the youtube channel and once it took off the fame got to his head so he would do anything to make the next "viral video," including putting his GF's life in danger.

Emma: She used to be a model student- straight As, participated in a lot of extracirriculars, had a ton of friends, etc. All of that went down the drain when she used 90% of her time to work on the youtube channel. After breaking up with Chase (the second time) she went to therapy and is trying to become the great person she once was, but it's going to take quite a bit of time.

Julia: She first came out as queer for the sake of a pride month post/getting sponsorships from "queer friendly" brands but hadn't actually thought much about her sexuality at the time. Getting to know MK (and Bowie + the hockey bros) during TD made her realize she actually is a Lesbian, she wasn't lying like she thought she was. Millie: Developed a HUGE crush on Priya during s1. She first started gaining feelings around episode 6 or so but didn't quite process that it was a crush until she realized just how happy she was to have Priya back when she forgave her in the season 1 finale + how upset she would have been if she lost Priya. She cried herself to sleep after watching the season 2 livestream at the playa😭 Bowie: Was a huge brony when he was a kid and got into arguments about the show with grown men online in middle school Priya: After season 2, she was contacted by Courtney (who very reluctantly checked out the new seasons and was horrifed by Priya's situation) who offered to be her lawyer when suing her parents for the right to access the s1 prize money. They were sucessful and Priya moved in with Millie afterwards 😉

[randomshyperson]

Yellow Curtains - Chapter Eight - Wanda Maximoff Series

Summary: Wanda Maximoff's senior year at Novi Grad School is duly planned for her. She has good friends, good grades, and a good system to hide who she really is. Or, the one based on Evak from the Norway Skam series, where Wanda is queer and tries to survive the last year without anyone knowing about it.

Warnings: (+18), general warnings about language and violence, legal drug use, mentions of underage drinking, high school, internalized homophobia and discovery of sexuality, explicit mentions of mental disorders (bipolarity and depression), dysfunctional family, making out, and eventual smut.

A/N- So, the final chapter is here (I might have said somewhere that it would be 10 chapters? Idk where that came from; I can't do math that's clear) and I hope everyone had a great reading with this it surely meant a lot to me to write about bipolarity. Let's see what comes next.

Skamverse | Series | General Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad

--//--

Chapter Eight - Minute by Minute

Četrtek 17:45 (Thursday 5:45 pm)

Wanda hadn't seen you in days. She had been keeping those thoughts away because she got a job - she was supposed to start next week -and Pietro had finally told his mother about the reason for the fight. Because he didn't want to involve Erik, he was waiting for his 18th birthday in February to take any legal action - if he decided to pursue any charges anyway. Natalya said that she would be with him for whatever he needed.

You hadn't shown up at school since Monday. Wanda tried not to look so worried; she had met the guidance counselor Agatha who told her that she had given you the freedom to take some days off, and study at home, whenever you needed, and the school had already been notified about your absence. In addition, Carol also said that you seemed fine, just a little grumpy and that you were working normally. She also mentioned that Peter had shown up at the apartment to take the rest of his things away.

And now, in the kitchen where Wanda was sitting at the table, cutting tomatoes for dinner, she didn't expect her mother to describe your appearance.

She blinked confusedly away from the task, looking at her mother who was pointing to the window.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Outside, dear." Natalya says. "There's a girl knocking on our neighbor's door. Is it someone you know? If it's a saleswoman let's pretend there's no one home..."

Pietro, who had gotten up to get a glass of his water, let out a laugh as he looked out the window. "It's Y/N Danvers, Mama. I bet she's looking for Wanda."

"Oh, is that a new friend?" Natalya asked curiously, but Wanda was already running out of the kitchen as soon as she wiped the fruit juice on a dishcloth.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony at the same moment you were apologizing to her neighbor for the mistake.

"Y/N." She called out a little louder, and you turned your head, almost tripping over the step you were coming down. You smiled at her, before making your way to her entrance.

"Hey." You greeted gently, putting your hands in your pockets as soon as you passed the gate. "Did you know that identical houses don't help people with bad memories? I couldn't remember your place number and I've been bothering your neighbors for about twenty minutes."

Wanda hides a small smile. "You could have asked Nat."

"It was a last-minute decision." You shrug. "Besides this, it's more fun this way."

She swallows dryly. "What do you want?"

You sigh, but before you can speak, two figures are squeezing through the door behind Wanda.

"Aren't you going to introduce your friend, dear?" It's Natalya with a curious look on her face. You smile at her, nodding, and Wanda feels her ears heat up.

"Mama, that's Carol's sister, Y/N, a friend from school." She murmurs, looking at you only for a moment. You waste no time, moving forward several steps until Wanda can smell your perfume again in the closeness that occurs when you walk up the stairs and squeeze yourself next to her to shake Natalya's hand and greet Pietro as well.

"Hello, it's a pleasure." You say politely. Wanda looks out into the yard, away from the open buttons of your blouse that allow her to see part of your collarbone.

Natalya narrows her eyes a little. "You wouldn't be the reason my daughter has been so gloomy the last few days, would you?"

"Mama!" Wanda protests in shame, but you clear your throat quietly, stealing a glance at her before turning back to face Natalya.

"I am sorry to say that I am yes ma'am." You say upset. "I was unnecessarily rude and mean to her. But I am here to apologize, and make things right."

Natalya approves of your sincerity. "Well, it's a pretty mature decision. How old are you?"

"Eighteen, ma'am."

"And you work?"

"Yes, I am a parkour instructor for a gym in the capital."

"Interesting. Do you plan to go to college?"

Before you can answer, Wanda is giving you a gentle push by the hand. "Okay, end of the interrogation. We're gonna take a walk, okay? I'll be back for dinner."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Maximoff, it was a pleasure meeting you!" You waved goodbye, letting yourself be pulled by Wanda's hand out of the yard.

She didn't realize she was still holding it until around the corner, and let out an embarrassed exclamation that made you chuckle.

"Let's go this way." She pointed to the left, and you nodded before following her.

–//–

Četrtek 17:55 (Thursday 5:55 pm)

Rays of sunlight illuminated the playground where you both stood. Sitting side by side on the children's swings, Wanda studied the features of your face from the side as you stared at your shoelaces.

A long moment of silence stretched between you, and Wanda spoke before it became uncomfortable.

"You said you had something to tell me." She teased gently, making you smile.

Your gaze returned to hers, but only for a brief moment.

"I want to, but I don't know how to start."

Wanda firmed her foot on the floor to keep her swing from moving. "I've heard that apologies begin with I'm sorry." 

You chuckle softly, and unlike her, your feet push a little dirt to rock your swing very gently.

"I'd like this to be my last apology but that's nearly impossible." You confess sincerely, and that surprises her a little. Your gaze meets Wanda's, searching for some kind of annoyance, but all you see is her curiosity. You sigh. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you last week, and for being absent for so many days. My head was a mess. It was the bad mood."

Wanda reaches out for the chain of your swing, following the rhythm of the gentle motion. "You don't have to go through any of this alone, Y/N. You know that, don't you?"

You look away, with a sad smile. You try to mumble that you do, but you don't believe it, and Wanda would probably realize it's a lie. It's all right, if it was for her, you would know that by heart.

"Maybe we should just not do this, Wan." You mutter looking away. Wanda feels her heart tighten in her chest. Your gaze returns to her, and it is as sad as your next words, "I am just going to hurt you, and then you will hate me."

She denies it with her head, and her hand leaves the chain to touch your wrist. "I would never hate you. Never. I want to be here, Y/N. For the best, and for the fucking worst too."

You don't reject her touch, but you give a humorless laugh.

"I can hardly stand myself, Wands. How can I ask you to do that?"

She releases her grip to slide her fingers down your hand, pulling you in and bringing it into her lap, where she intertwines your fingers. The motion of her swing begins to mimic yours.

"But that's my choice, you know? I want to be with you, and I don't need more than you."

A small smile emerges, but you shake your head, your free hand pushing your hair back.

"You say that now, when I'm okay. But when I'm not, I'll fuck it up and you'll go away-"

"Hey, stop, look at me." She gives your hand a squeeze and waits for you to obey. Her gaze, though gentle, contains no hesitation whatsoever. "Let's do something, alright? Let's stop thinking about tomorrow, and just slow down."

You frown softly. "What do you mean?"

She smiles, her thumb caressing your hand, and her gaze focused on yours. "For example... Do you think you can stay well for the next 60 seconds?"

You give a confused laugh, but with Wanda's look of encouragement, you nod. "Yeah, I can try."

She chuckles lightly, leaning over to bring her free hand up to your face. Her finger draws a heart on your cheek.

"Then we'll do it like this." She whispers like a secret. "All you need to worry about are the next 60 seconds. Not a week from now, or even tomorrow. Just the next minute. That's the way we're going to go, Y/N. Minute by minute."

You smile, resting your forehead on hers. Wanda strokes your cheek, smiling too. You just hold hands, and breathe together, for five, and then ten, and finally fifteen seconds.

"Can I use the rest of my minute to kiss you?" You ask in a whisper, and Wanda chuckles, nodding before you break the distance.

You both miss the feeling with all your hearts. 

The sun has already set by the time you walk Wanda back home. She pushes you out of the window's view, against the entrance wall, to kiss you deeply goodbye, and you almost give up on leaving.

It's probably the happiest you've been in a long time.

–//–

Torek 15:10  (Tuesday 3:10 pm)

"I have a gift for you."

Wanda could imagine your expression, especially the little smile she loved because she thought it made you look charming, as you typed, "Really? Now I'm more excited than before. Come soon, Maximoff!" followed by two more 'Run! Get here soon!" with a giggle emoji below.

The subway was pretty quick, but Wanda still took almost forty minutes from Barton Construction to Novi Grad, at the Academy where you worked. She had to walk a bit but followed Google Maps to be able to find the small building. 

It looked like a great place to work - besides the good location with several stores around, it was an open area, and before even passing the gate, Wanda could see you teaching outside to kids between 10 and 12 who seemed to be having the time of their lives jumping through false obstacles.

You two had been going out for a few weeks, taking things slowly as you agreed. And with school and work, you didn't see each other as often as Wanda would have liked, but that only made the moments together even more precious.

She announced her arrival at the gate to one of your co-workers, and as soon as class was over, you led the students out of the room and walked over to her.

Wanda giggled against your lips as you pressed her behind the lockers at the entrance to the locker room - a needy kiss that left her all flushed.

"You're sweaty." She teased, but you twitched your nose at her, kissing her again. Wanda was grateful for the hands-on her waist that provided support for her weak knees. "Aren't you hungry?" she reminds, half breathless from the exchange of affection, and you pull away only to kiss the tip of her nose. 

"I'm going to take a shower and we'll have lunch in a minute." You say. "But can you please kiss me for real? I missed you." 

Wanda giggles embarrassedly, looking away for a moment. "We're in the middle of your work, babe..."

"Just one kiss? I promise I'll return it to you later." 

She giggles, but accepts, pressing your lips together. It is Wanda who slides her tongue into yours, pulling you by the shoulders to press her harder against the wall, and then breaks the kiss with an affected gasp.

"There you go, baby, now go take a shower." She prompted, shuddering at the way you were looking at her with your pupils fully dilated. "Y/N?"

You shook your head, grinning affectedly. "Okay, wait for me outside if you don't want the staff filling you with questions." Was your warning before you released her and headed for the locker rooms.

Wanda thought it was okay, and went to the reception desk, so she spent the next 20 minutes listening to questions from her co-workers who called her the mystery girlfriend you kept talking about. She didn’t mind.

–//–

Torek 15:35  (Tuesday 3:35 pm)

Wanda got off your back with a giggle. Although you had been the one working on physical activity so far, it was enough that she mumbled that her feet were a little sore from walking from the subway to there that you insisted on carrying her to where you were going to have lunch.

The food-truck area was empty, and you got a bench at the end of the hill that accommodated the food carts.

"What do you want, Italian, Sokovian, or Mexican? I think they're doing Thai now too."

"Surprise me." She retorted with a little smile, and you had to kiss her for it. You left a second later, going to buy the food, and Wanda adjusted your present in her jacket pocket.

You soon returned with lunch, and Wanda almost forgot about the gift because she got so caught up in the conversation. There were empty packages next to you when you entwined your hand in hers to play with her fingers while you asked: "Wasn't there something you wanted to give me?"

She exclaimed softly as she remembered. "Oh, that's right. Wait a second." She asked, releasing her hand to grab the gift from her jacket pocket.

You frowned slightly as the item was placed in your hands, a short chuckle escaping. "That's..."

"The church." She completed in expectation of your reaction. "I printed the picture and made it myself. Did you like it?"

You giggle, nodding, and twirling the item in your hand. It was a CD, with songs by Taylor Swift, but the cover was a picture of the church. Everything was handmade, and the dedication made your chest inflate with tenderness.

"I love it, Wands, that is really sweet." 

"There's something else. Open it." She asks while studying your reaction as you busy yourself with obeying.

Inside is a CD, which also has handwritten markings in black pen. But what catches your attention the most is the song list on the inside. There are 20 tracks, all the songs that you imagine are Wanda's favorites, but the 21 just says 'I love you'.

You smile, kind of emotional, and stroke the track with your finger.

"Did that come from you, or is it an unreleased song?" You joke, receiving a light nudge but managing to make her laugh. 

"It’s all coming from my dirty little heart." She teases back, and you smile, reaching over to kiss her gently for a long moment. Wanda sighs, but when she goes deeper you break apart. You brush your noses together, and whispers:

"I love you too, Wands. Never doubt or forget that." You ask, and she smiles, a hand going to your neck.

"I won’t."

–//–

Sreda, 23:12 (Wednesday, 11:12 pm)

Wanda's birthday is a bad day for you. It's all very unfair, you both think. You had been great the previous few days, incredibly supportive to her about the whole Pietro thing and how he had finally decided that he was going to pursue the case against Jake for the assault, and how Erik, as soon as he heard the news, said that they could stop counting on his financial support once they came of age for embarrassing him in front of the whole community. 

Pietro would be starting work in a few weeks, he had gotten a trainee instructor position at your gym and Wanda was immensely grateful for this.

She had hoped that you would celebrate her birthday together, but on the day, you texted her.

"I don't feel well. I'm really sorry." And Wanda can't even blame you for that.

Pietro was sympathetic about the whole thing - While you were at home, buried under the covers as Carol informed Nat, who in turn informed the twins, Wanda went out. She wanted to stay with you, keeping you company, but you insisted that she enjoy her birthday, and your friends made sure of that.

Although she spent the day feeling a bit guilty, thinking about you alone, Wanda knew that there was nothing to be done, and tried to respect your request that she enjoys her 18th birthday celebration. Since it was a weekday, her friends took her to an arcade after school and promised that they would throw a decent party at the weekend.

Wanda came home with a dozen gifts, just like Pietro, and her first thought was to call you, even though you hadn't answered any of the dozens of messages she had sent you earlier.

"I don't think that's fair." Pietro declares from her door when Wanda has been staring at the screen of unanswered messages for some time. She blinks away and stares at him with confusion. He puts his hands in his pockets. "Why couldn't she just be there?"

Wanda sighs and blocks her cell phone, adjusting herself on the bed. "Don't be like that." She says seriously. "Y/N doesn't feel well. If she forced herself to go, she would be cranky and irritable all day. She'd end up saying things she'd regret, and I'd be worse off if she ruined the party than not going at all don't you think?"

Pietro hums grudgingly, shrugging. "I'm sorry, you're right. I know she likes you."

"She loves me, Pietro." Wanda corrects, and the boy gives a small smile, rolling his eyes in good humor.

"All right, birthday girl. Happy birthday and good night to you." He says, making her smile.

"Happy birthday to you too, Pietro."

She has already fallen asleep when a knocking sound wakes her up. Fighting sleep to get to her feet, Wanda shouldn't be so surprised to see you on her balcony.

"Y/N? What are you doing here?" she asks confused, her hair half messed up and using one hand to scratch her eyes while the other opens the balcony door for you.

You stumble inside with a mischievous smile on your lips. "I felt better. I didn't want to miss your birthday."

She looks away at the little study table by the window, "But babe, it's late..." You cut her off with a kiss on the mouth, it's short, more like a greeting, but it makes Wanda smile.

"Happy birthday." You say, taking off your jacket as you walk away from her. The item goes to the couch in the corner of the room. "Come, I want to show you your gift."

You throw yourself on her bed, adjusting yourself against the pillow, and Wanda steals a glance at the closed door. You shouldn't have to worry about Mom or Pietro waking up, because it was just you, in her room, at night, alone..."

"Wands, come on." You rush her and she gives a little giggle before going to lie down beside you.

As soon as she is comfortable, you take the cell phone out of your pocket. Wanda twitches her nose in curiosity.

"Your cell phone is my gift?"

You laugh. "You're pretty funny, aren't you, Maximoff." You retort back, resting the cell phone on her stomach. "I made you a video with my amazing cinematography skills."

Wanda chuckles, watching curiously as you open the youtube app. Once she read the name of the video 'Deklica, ki ni mogla zadržati diha pod vodo' (The girl who couldn't hold her breath underwater) she let out a soft exclamation of protest. "Hey, I won that challenge!"

You giggle, turning your face to kiss her cheek quickly. "Watch the video, Ariel." 

Wanda adjusted herself against you and clicked play. The title screen gave way to a montage of videos with the sound of La Vie En Rose - all recorded by you and her over the weeks of your relationship. Saved moments of Wanda cooking in your apartment, sleeping in your bed, studying with you. At school, waving from where she was talking to Nat and Carol, or standing next to you, making disgusting sounds to the couple in love. There were videos she recorded, of you training for work, doing push-ups on the bedroom floor with her on your back, both of you laughing your asses off. You, wearing social attire and offering a wink as you caught her recording through the reflection of the mirror.

Wanda, sleeping on your chest as you stroke her hair. 

The video ends with you, speaking to the camera: "Zdravo lepo dekle! (Hello, beautiful girl!)  I wanted to make something special for your birthday, something about all the happiness you are bringing me, and what better way than a video showing it? I hope you enjoyed the present, Wands. I love you. Happy birthday."

You put down your cell phone, looking at her for a reaction. Wanda thinks she might start crying at any moment, and once you see the tears in her eyes, you let out a sigh. "Is that a good sign or a bad sign?"

She laughs tearfully, leaning in to kiss you. Your cell phone slides off the bed as Wanda intensifies, straddling your lap to press you onto the bed. You gasp softly but respond. And she doesn't stop, which you honestly find incredible.

By the time your hands have moved up to her stomach under her blouse, and Wanda is panting on top of you, you break the kiss with a sigh.

"Wands, wait." 

She stares at you with dark, but concerned eyes. "What's wrong?"

You smile, stroking her hip with your thumb. "You...are you sure? I want to, but your mother and brother are in the next room..."

"I'll be quiet." She assures you in a whisper, leaning in again to kiss you before giving your bottom lip a tug that makes you grunt. "Do you think you can be quiet too, babe?" She challenges affectedly, and you sigh deeply before flipping your positions on the bed with a single movement, stifling any sighs of surprise with a hungry kiss that Wanda matches in the same second.

Wanda likes this more than anything else. Your hands feel right, tracing every line of her body as if to memorize it. Your mouth is hungry but follows her motions. Wanda loves the sounds you make as if you are as affected as she is, even though you are in theory doing all the work.

She figures you have more experience, by the way, you steady your knee between her legs and cover her mouth before she moans loudly to the ceiling, and she tries to think of something other than the desire burning in her system but nothing but how much she loves and trusts you come up.

Your hands pull off her pajama top, and Wanda has to force her face against the pillow when your mouth latches onto one of her breasts. Your tongue teases the nipple, and you bite and suck and Wanda whimpers against the pillowcase, a hot tingling sensation spreading throughout her body. She struggles to throw her hips against you, but you only giggle, forcing her back on the bed by her waist.

"Calm down. There's no rush." You tease, cupping her hardened nipple, and have only half a second to cover Wanda's moan with your hand. "Damn, baby, I love those sounds but you need to be quiet. You don't want to wake up the other people in the house."

She grunts against your hand, a whimper threatening to tear her throat when you continue to grab and stimulate her breasts. "I-I need... more. Babe, please..."

"Shh, it's okay. I'm right here. I'll give you what you need." You meekly assure, as affected as she is. Your hands reach down to pull on her pajama shorts, and once the item comes off, you turn your face to hers. 

You kiss her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, and the tip of her nose before brushing your lips together. Wanda is ready to respond to your kiss when you slide your hand between her legs, pressing on her clit and drawing all the air out of her lungs. She chokes, and you kiss her, swallowing her moans that increase as you tease your way inside - first with one finger, and then with two.

The knee that has been applying pressure until now is the one that holds her legs open for you. And when you have stretched it far enough to move in, Wanda digs her nails into your back as she feels two fingers sliding in.

You both moan at the sensation. "Fuck, you're soaking wet." You grunt affected, feeling her pulsing in your fingerprints. "All this for me, my love?"

Wanda whimpers, hiding her face in your collarbone. She feels the stretch, but the pain has long since given way to throbbing pleasure. She needs you to move, or she thinks she's going to explode. And part of her thinks that might be a good thing.

Her hint is to push her hips against your hand, and you follow willingly, removing your fingers only to sink them again, and again, in a slow, intense rhythm as you turn your face to her, to kiss the sounds she lets out with each thrust.

"Baby..." Wanda whimpers, nails digging into your waist. "There's-fuck-something happening." She gasps with her eyes closed. You breathe her an affected laugh, curling your fingers inside her wet intimacy and making her see stars. Her body tenses and her legs twitch. You know exactly what is happening.

"Come for me, pretty girl." You ask with kisses on her jaw, your fingers never failing inside her. "I want to see you fall apart." 

Wanda moans in your ear, struggling to breathe as her orgasm washes over her, the blinding pleasure making her clutch at you in desperation, squirming beneath you as she soaks your hand. You pant against her neck, kissing her skin as she calms down.

Once you rise to face her again, you meet Wanda's lazy eyes, and slide your fingers out, enjoying her sigh against your cheek.

You wipe your hand on her thigh, resisting the urge to sink into her again.

"Did you like it?" you ask in a whisper, rubbing your nose against her jaw before kissing her skin a few times. Wanda chuckles, still twitching lightly as she nods. "Was it good for you? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." She retorts in a false offense, her hands going to your neck. "I feel really good. Thank you."

You smile, kissing her before retorting, " Don't mention it." You whisper in a slightly teasing tone. "Can I sleep here? Just sleep. Or not just sleep, if you prefer."

Wanda laughs, pulling you to lie down on the bed next to her. "You don't even have to ask, darling."  She reminds you, kissing you again, and again until you breathe a sigh. Wanda opens her eyes first and brings a hand to your cheek. She traces a heart with her index finger, and you smile, closing your eyes. She swallows dryly. "I love you."

"I know." You respond immediately, wrinkling your nose when she chuckles. You open your eyes at her, and stare at her. "I love you too, Wands." You assure her. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday."

She frowns in surprise at the subject, but quickly shakes her head, providing an assured smile for you. "Don't be, it's not your fault. And you're here now, aren't you? And you gave me an incredible gift..."

"I'm glad you liked the video."

"Oh, I was talking about the sex but sure, the video is cool too." She jokes, giggling at your exclamation of indignation. You move on top of her, teasing her with tickles, and soon you are laughing together.

The noise is enough to wake her mother, and when the hallway light comes on, Wanda pushes you lying on the bed and covers herself with the sheet.

"Honey, are you still awake?" Natalya asks as she enters the room, her expression going from confusion to surprise at seeing you. "Oh, Y/N? I didn't know we had guests..."

"Hey, sorry, Miss Maximoff, I came to bring Wanda's birthday present." You clumsily clarify, trying to look decent despite the crumpled hair and clothes, hyper-conscious that Wanda was without her panties under the covers. The brunette next to you was completely red. "B-but maybe I should go, it's late-"

"Don't be silly, Y/N, it's unsafe this time of night." Natalya cut her off with a nod. "Since you're already here, take the guest room. Have you eaten?"

"Hmm- a few hours ago..."

"Good, we still have a little left over from dinner. Come, come."

"Okay..."

Wanda covered her face with her hand, ignoring your plea for help in your gaze to escape the unexpected dinner with her mother.

–//–

Sobota, 09:43 (Saturday, 09:24 a.m)

"Can I eat this?" 

Wanda chuckles at your startled cat expression. You have been so adorable all day, respectful of this symbolic and more intimate version of what for years was a traditional Orthodox Shabbat of her family, that she thinks she is falling even more in love with each of your questions.

"Yes, darling." She assures, moving closer. "You're not Jewish, you can eat whatever you want."

"But I..."

"It's okay, Y/N. It's not disrespectful." She clarifies, pouring some of the grape juice from the table into two glasses. "Besides, you're kind of pale. This is your first time fasting, right?"

You chuckle embarrassedly, accepting the glass of juice. "I didn't want you to feel lonely."

Wanda smiles warmly, placing a hand over your face. "I never feel lonely with you, sweetheart. Besides this, Pietro also did the fasting. You didn't have to starve for me." You sigh, shrugging. Wanda raises her cup, to toast with you. "Eat to your heart's content. Please. You wouldn't want to pass out in front of my family, right?"

You grunt softly. "You've convinced me." You joke, taking a large gulp before focusing on the food table.

Around it, a dozen or so Maximoff family members circle around. Natalya and Wanda look beautiful in their dresses, and despite what Erik would call a blasphemous mix of Wiccan and Jewish cultures in one room, everyone there is having a great time.

Wanda's cousins run around, and her uncles chat. There is no electronic equipment on, and the light comes from candles and the sun itself outside through the wide open windows. In addition to Wanda's family, there are you, Natasha, and Clint, all dressed half-formally for the Maximoff Shabbat.

You leave the food table to sit in an armchair, engaging in conversation with Pietro, and Wanda is trying to pretend she's not stealing glances at you all afternoon.

"You both look happy." It is Natasha who says, coming to get some more juice. Wanda adjusts some napkins on the table, and waves to her friend.

"We are." She says with a smile. "Like, really. I didn't even know it was possible to love someone that much."

Nat smiles affectionately. "I'm glad you two have found each other." She says, making Wanda smile. They look away, at you laughing with Pietro, before your gaze meets Wanda's. You offer her a wink before returning to the conversation, and Wanda looks down to hide the soft pink of her cheeks.

Natasha watches Carol go out onto the balcony to answer the phone, and sighs lightly. "She's thinking about going back to New York." She comments, surprising the brunette next to her. But Nat smiles, "To NYU, Wanda. Carol sent her letters last week. If she gets in, she'd like to go back home."

Wanda steals a glance at you before facing the table again. "Y/N and I sent ours as well. Half of Europe, including Novi Grad. But she doesn't want to go back to New York."

Nat hums in understanding, changing hands off her glass. "Do you guys have any plans for the future?"

Wanda smiles, looking at you for a moment. "I don't know." She says. "Life is good right now. I'd rather enjoy every minute I have with her than grow anxious about what hasn't happened yet."

"That's clever." Natasha flatters with a smile, taking a long sip of juice. "Stop wasting time on me, Wands, go sit with your partner."

Wanda chuckles, hugging Natasha before pinching her nose in affection and turning away to go sit next to you on the couch.

Pietro is excitedly telling about another one of his pranks at school, and she takes the opportunity to slide her hand over yours, intertwining your fingers on your lap.

When one of Wanda's uncles enters the conversation, you divert your attention to her. "Everything okay?" You ask quietly, squeezing her hand gently.

She smiles, resting her face on your shoulder and kissing your cheek. "Everything is perfect."

[its-ya-boi-kai]

Documenting my transition

Part 8:

I love this picture so so so much because it's the most masc I've felt so far. This angle makes me look like I have top surgery already lmao. It's been a while since I took this, I should do another soon.

I'm four months on T now. My arms and shoulders are getting bigger causing my shirts to get really tight in those areas. I'm asking for gift cards for christmas so I can get some new clothes. Half my wardrobe suddenly doesn't fit my arms anymore 😅

My partner's family has been so kind to me through my transition. Calling me "part of the pack" and offering whatever support they can give me. I've never had a family accept me so wholly as I am. My name and pronouns haven't been a problem and my transition doesn't make them uncomfortable. It's just really nice feeling like I'm part of a community system where I can be myself for the first time.

After leaving my birth family, even before I cut them off, I have been seeking to build myself a better community. One that can accept what I have to offer and actually meet my needs as a person. It took many failed friendships, multiple moves, and a failed marriage. But I've finally built myself the support system I've always sought out. I have my queer community that's been lifting me up even before I came out. I have my close friends that have been my lifelines. I wouldn't have had a way to get out if they didn't emotionally support me, and offer me places to sleep while I worked out housing. I have a warm family to welcome me home, give me hugs, acceptance, and the love and support I've been missing from my own. And I have a partner that's been with me every step of the way, even before we were together. They held my hand through everything that's been happening. They've been my training wheels and I don't know when they let go but now I feel like I'm riding on my own. I owe so much of what I've been able to accomplish to them.

I will be posting a four month voice update soon. I've been really sick and my throat has been in too much pain for it. (I'm acting like I don't hate that I didn't do it when my voice sounded DEEP AF due to the cold)

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9]

[icannotgetoverbirds]

hi yeah holy fuck holy shit y'all

gotdamn this is a story for the ao3 author hall of fame. im still homeless and i promptly realized a couple of days afterwards that uh yeah no can do the whole living independently thing so im looking for a group home. in the meantime i managed to get into a decent shelter, get acchs insurance, and am working on getting a case manager.

holy fuck it's been quite the. week or so? the days have kinda been blurring together so idk. hopefully i'll get into a group home soon. i've got some family that i'm gonna try and contact in case they'd be more understanding than my parents about the whole 'being disabled' thing.

anyways that's the short version. long version under the cut

so basically bc im an exmo i've been incredibly isolated as i've tried and failed to build an entire new support system from the ground up. i had one singular friend who i could reliably talk to (i think i have two now and a few case workers so that's an improvement) and even then it was only over the phone. aside from that, i do have y'all online here, but again, i need a device in order to be able to chat with y'all.

and because my body is an absolute shitshow - in addition to my executive functioning issues - i wasn't able to get much done around the house. now, for some reason, my parents looked at me and decided that this shit is all a lack of responsibility. don't get me wrong, i couldn't exactly be responsible for much. but the key word there is couldn't, not wouldn't.

and for some reason, they look at the situation and decide, time and time again, that the best solution is punishment - by taking away my phone and internet access. not necessarily out of the ordinary for most parents, but given the circumstances, that's absolute dogshit for my mental health.

so, when i literally developed a new fuckin health issue that left me bedbound for a couple of days, my mom told me that we were going to 'have a conversation'. aka my shit was gonna get taken. again.

and that would've been it for me. isolated, in pain, sick, tired, without anybody to lean on. so i said fuck that shit, packed my stuff, and walked out.

i started off at a shelter that used to be a prison, and oh my fucking god i don't think i've ever been more pro-prison-abolition or whatever the fuck it is. like goddamn that shit's inhumane. i ended up having to take a trip to the ER because they didn't stock enough water, resulting in me becoming so dehydrated that my ribs cramped to the point of keeping me from breathing.

not long after that i spiralled a bit so i went to a crisis center where i got people that started working on my case. we determined that i'd be best off in a group home and they transferred me to a transitional facility while they got that figured out.

I get there and discover that my hip, which i thought had just popped weird, felt like it had dislocated. Thankfully, i think i just sprained it, but I was in a lot of pain that first night. Night shift came around to take vitals, I told them what was going on, and they proceeded to not only wave me off, but also one of them looked at me - as i was writhing in pain, crying, trying to keep quiet, and digging my nails into my skin to distract myself - with the look you reserve for dog shit you've just stepped in. So, you know, that was fun. Also nobody there got their medications that night. The shitshow that was nightshift there is gonna be important later.

i had tried to make friends with some of the people there that evening, and, being myself, I spoke very openly and honestly about my queerness and sexual history (or lack thereof), like a dumbass, and obliviously believed them when they said that I was one of the guys.

I later overheard them making plans to correctively rape me. Thankfully, I was on my way out to the hospital for my hip, so I notified day shift before I got into the ambulance.

I spent that night at the hospital, sleeping in a lobby chair (the hospital staff were very sympathetic to my situation, thankfully), and then called the crisis center that was attached to the transitional facility. managed to get taken into the crisis center, where i stayed for a couple of days. one of the guys who'd been making the plans ended up transferring into the same crisis unit, so that was a fuckin' blast to deal with. thankfully, the people at the crisis unit cared and did their jobs well, so i had eyes on me at all times and stayed safe.

eventually, i got sent back to the shelter i started at, then transferred back to the original crisis unit where people had been working on my case. i got some rest, got sick from eating gluten because i was so sleep deprived that i didn't care, then they got me into a much nicer shelter. i have a meeting with someone in about an hour and a half to try and get into a youth shelter, and I'm also going to attempt to contact some family members that might be more understanding and willing to help me while I pursue a group home.

I am very fucking tired, and despite everything that I've been through, I still wouldn't go back to my parents to save my life. Definitely gonna be a lot to unpack with my therapist.

o7

[a-homestuck-but-give-me-a-chance]

This may not be fully relevant but I made an entire rant on my plural experience. Tw for brief mentions of s/h and dissociation. (Don't worry, the overall tone is pro-plurality) Full rant under the cut:

My journey to figuring out I was a system? I found out about DID from youtube, and hyperfixated on it. Did a whole lot of research and listened to a lot of accounts from various systems. I was mildly obsessed with the concept of plurality, though I thoroughly believed I was a singlet. Then, later, my friend came out to me as being plural. I helped them figure some stuff out by providing resources and insight I had learned through my research. Then, more people I knew started to open up about their experiences. It turned out most of my friends experience some sort of plurality. I was ecstatic, because on some level I understood them. But I still thought I surely must be a singlet.

I understood, innately, the concept of plurality. I didn't know *how* I understood, because it seemed to me that most singlets probably would have had at least *some* trouble grasping the concept. I shrugged it off as me just being queer and neurodivergent enough to relate to being different.

It wasn't until I had the worst year of my life that I finally was made fully aware of my alters. To keep it short, a lot of really bad stuff happened in my life that lead to a complete and total mental breakdown. And, at the peak of it, I attempted to s/h. My wonderful wife intervened but as a result of my mental state I slipped into a deep dissociative episode. I remember thinking "I wish I had an old grandfatherly man to comfort me."

And then, suddenly, Henry appeared. He took over control of the body, and got his bearings for a moment before informing my wife that I was no longer in control. I could still see everything happening, but it was not *me* who was speaking and moving.

He called my friends, who are also systems, and informed them that there had been a split and I was indeed a system. Then, he walked me outside in 7 degrees Fahrenheit without any shoes on to "get some air.".

Since then, I have become aware of many, many people in this brain. Most of whom I don't even know yet, as there are over 100 now according to those who regularly interact with me.

I've grown really close to a handful of people in here. I even discovered that I have a brother, one who actually cares about me. I've made friends with my brain people, they look out for me even when I really don't want to be looked out for. It's not drama-free by any means, especially since I have BPD and it also seems to affect a few of them as well.

But I knew from my research that traumagenic systems could have in-fighting and moments of tension. Hell, I helped my friends through that before I knew I was a system too.

I saw the plural experience, in it's full range, and from the moment of discovering it I knew that I wished I had the same experience. I understood the downsides, I knew that it's often the result of trauma. But I connected with the concept and now I know WHY. It's because I was already the host to a system who had been keeping itself hidden from me.

I love being a system. I don't always love the negative experiences that happen, no. But I love my alters. I love talking to them and having them make jokes and dunking on each other. I love watching them interact with my boyfriend's system and the relationships they form there. I love waking up and being able to chat with someone on the spot. I love that some of them have goofy names like Rage or Pretend! I love it when the fictives get to see fan art and fan fic that they enjoy, when they get to connect from others from their source. I love having Originals who have been here from the start and know me better in some ways than I know myself. I love dating other systems and swapping experiences and stories and thoughts. I love being plural, I love my alters, and I love my system. And I don't think that's going to change.

hey shoutout to systems who enjoy being plural and would choose to keep their system if given the option. systems who don’t want to fuse. traumagenic systems who wanted to be plural before finding out they were. willogenic systems. systems who love their headmates. shoutout to systems who want to be systems. you’re all valid af. i know it can feel like you aren’t when everyone around you is like “it’s clear they aren’t fake because they don’t want it.” you aren’t fake even if you DO want it. i love you.

[bopinion]

2023 / 12

Aperçu of the Week:

"Don't study me. You won't graduate."

(The Joker)

Bad News of the Week:

"The climate time bomb is ticking". This statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres can be taken as a summary of the current final report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Thus, even in the two most optimistic scenarios, which assume a significant reduction in global emissions, warming will increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Which is generally accepted to already lead to irreversible consequences, such as the melting of glaciers.

According to the UN, however, a value of 2.6 degrees is more realistic. This already assumes that all the pledges made so far by governments and industry to cut greenhouse gas emissions will be kept. Whereby there is apparently still a lack of ambition. Because "public and private financial flows for fossil fuels are still greater than those for climate adaptation and mitigation."

This is downright idiotic. For mankind has the necessary knowledge, the appropriate technologies and also the financial means to change this, says Green politician and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, for example. Whose coalition government has just almost prevented the EU-wide phasing out of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles. Absurd.

Personally, I've lost hope that humanity has enough insight and willingness to give up comfort to halve global emissions in the next seven years. And then that's it. By the end of this decade. Then all that's left is a technological miracle to implement the concept of "carbon capture and storage" CSS effectively and safely and on a large scale.

But we'd rather concentrate on developing e-fuels and going to the moon again. Should the expected breakthrough of artificial intelligence actually come, I am pretty sure what will happen: it will laugh at human intelligence.

Good News of the Week:

Silvio Berlusconi was already bad. Matteo Salvini was worse, because he was also ideologically questionable. With the landslide victory of the Fratelli d'Italia party, classified as post-fascist, in the 2022 parliamentary elections and the appointment of Giorgia Melini as prime minister, Italy seemed stuck for good on the political right. But then came Elly Schlein.

Against all expectations, she won the battle for the party chairmanship of the Democratic Party, the second largest party. Among others, against the ex-prime ministers Enrico Letta and Matteo Renzi. She is fresh in parliament, Swiss-born, young, unconventional, Jewish and avowedly bisexual. And above all, left-wing. A sensation in the motherland of machismo. And anything but establishment.

Since the party congress a week ago, Schlein has officially become the leader of the opposition. Many hopes are pinned on her, and much hatred and aggression is directed at her. It is a tough opposition in every respect. Misogynistic, homophobic, anti-Semitic - in many respects she is the target of hostility. And so far she has shrugged it off with admirable sovereignty.

The foundations of her political positioning are very left-wing and very feminist. As if she wanted to challenge Italy's patriarchal system in the most radical way possible. She "had the strength to free herself from (the) paternalistic shackles that lie in (her) party" says Daniela Prezisosi of the newspaper Domani. And is thus now the antithesis of Meloni's ultraconservative government. A real alternative. Exactly what Italy needs right now.

Personal happy moment of the week:

My personal rediscovery of going out for breakfast on the weekend continues: Today we went with friends to a café in Munich, where I already had breakfast 25 years ago. And it's still just as (good as) I remembered. Nice.

I couldn't care less...

...that the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder suddenly discovers a heart for queer people. "Love and let love." he says all of a sudden. As the head of state of the only German state that does not yet have a plan for sexual and gender diversity. He has no credibility with that. He only listens to the opinion polls. Because there are elections in the fall.

As I write this...

...I am annoyed - as I am every year - about the time change, which cost us an hour of sleep last night. And once again it will take me a whole week to get over this mini-jet lag. And once again I wonder what it's supposed to be good for.

Post Scriptum

The Finns are the happiest people in the world. This is the conclusion of the latest World Happiness Report, which weights factors such as standard of living, health, personal freedom or the absence of corruption. The fact that all Nordic countries make it into the top ten of the ranking allows one to draw a conclusion about the lowest common denominator: societies that focus on solidarity, social balance and public welfare are more profitable for their citizens than those that value competition and capitalism.

[if-wishes-came-true]

1 am existential crisis right on time :)

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

Hey, I saw you were doing headcanon stuff! So, I have this like burgeoning headcanon that Josh x Donna's first daughter is wlw. I don't know if you build off of other people's headcanons, but this one has been with me for a long time, and you are such a talented writer and storyteller in general that I thought maybe you'd be interested in taking a crack out of this very specific headcanon?!? I've just been projecting a lot of brainpower towards it and I want to talk to someone else about it!

Okay, so first, all my future headcanons for TWW spring from this original post that’s gotten around a bit. I’ve written a tiny bit of kidfic using them as well so I decided to connect yours to mine because tbh I love this idea and heck yeah, at least one of their daughters should be queer :D that’s just way more fun than if they’re both straight.

So, given what I’d already sorted out for the future, here are my thoughts. There are oh so many ideas behind the cut because apparently I can’t sleep but I can create a bunch of people out of thin air.

Their eldest daughter, Brianna Joan, started insisting everyone call her ‘Jo’ when she was five. They were both surprised by her stubbornness on the matter, but Josh was secretly pleased since her middle name was a tribute to his sister. Donna assumed it was a phase she would grow out of, like a lot of kids when they’re young and establishing their independence. She didn’t–and Jo later believed it was the first hint that she was never meant to be the girly daughter they might have expected.

Charlotte inherited her mother’s grace under pressure, along with her dancer’s form and creative flexibility. While Jo had Donna’s sass and sense of humor, she shared her dad’s brown hair and eyes, constant need to be in motion, and impulsive streak. Josh liked to say Jo got his athletic prowess, too, but Donna always countered with ‘your what now?’ and made the girls laugh. Jo surpassed him in sports talent by junior high, thanks in no small part to coaching by Charlie’s not-so-little-anymore sister Deena.

Junior high and high school were rough, especially girl’s softball and basketball. The rumors and slurs about which girls were probably gay because they were a little too good on the court or the mound bothered her, especially when she got sick of her unruly hair and cut it off at fourteen and the kids started aiming them at her…but it was hard to do the right thing and stand up to them when she was starting to wonder if maybe they were right.

The first crush she developed on an older, female student that she actually admitted to herself was a crush happened a year later, when she was trying to survive her entrance into high school. She came out to her best friend at sixteen and felt bad that she didn’t tell her parents first, but her dad was still working with the White House occasionally during his “retirement,” and her mom was starting her campaign for Congress, and the last thing Jo wanted to do was make that harder.

It wasn’t like she thought they’d be upset, or disappointed in her, exactly. But a tiny part of her did have doubts, after a couple of her friends had come out to their liberal parents and hit a cruel wall of family double-standards. Surely Josh Lyman and Donna Moss, champions of progressive causes, wouldn’t be that way…she hoped.

Just to be safe, Jo told them the week after her mom won her Congressional campaign, when it would cause the least trouble if they did freak out. Donna wasn’t surprised, not even a little, and only shared her worries at night with Josh. She knew how hard it was to be a woman in the world, and it could only be more painful for their eldest facing additional discrimination on top of that. “We just have to love her even harder,” Donna whispered, “and hope it’ll be enough.”

Unlike his wife, Josh was–as always–oblivious. Jo coming out was big surprise, but one he was happy about. She trusted them enough to tell them, and include them in her confusing teenage life. Surely that meant they were on the right track. “And hey,” he offered up in the initial shock of her disclosure, “I can’t exactly blame her. Women…are great. I’m a big fan. Of them.”

Just like he did with all the girl’s activities over the years, from dance to soccer, Josh threw himself into being a parental ally until he annoyed Jo with his enthusiasm. PFLAG, marches, fundraisers, sponsoring local clubs…"which one of us is gay again?” she would mutter to her sister with an eyeroll sometimes, out of earshot of the DC dad with the rainbow t-shirt passing out mini flags.

She was grateful though, especially after she survived college, and law school, and volunteered at a nonprofit that exposed her to so many kids whose parents didn’t care if they lived or died, simply because of who they turned out to be. Josh started getting handmade cards for his birthday and Father’s Day every year, filled with Jo’s illegible handwriting–that, he knew, she definitely didn’t get from him–telling him how much she loved and appreciated him. He put them on the fridge next to the sketches her little sister sent, like they were both still in grade school. Donna teased him about that, but whenever their friends visited she was the first one to casually point them out.

In the family, Charlotte was the only one that ever gave Jo any grief about her sexuality. It was mostly sibling sniping, because Charlotte was quieter than her sister but even more competitive, and she was never quite able to catch up with the three year gap between them. Still, it made Jo uncomfortable in her late teens because she and her baby sister were always so close growing up, and she couldn’t tell if the snark was coming from someplace deeper. When Charlie was fifteen, she got a week’s suspension for breaking a boy’s nose after he called her valedictorian sister a slur she refused to repeat to anyone. Jo worried less after that, and the sarcastic comments never happened again.

Toby’s son Huck came out as bisexual in college, and Jo joined his twin sister in being his closest support system while he braced for his parents’ reactions. There was a lot of hugging, and some knowing looks between Toby and Josh when the kids weren’t paying attention, and Huck had to pay Jo twenty bucks because she promised it would go over fine and he was certain it would be a disaster. He never learned to love the Yankees but he shared his father’s temperament from an early age. He and Charlie dated briefly in their twenties, causing a minor scandal to ripple through the connected families.

CJ’s daughter Nora, who was like a distant cousin Jo never got to visit enough in sunny California, only allowed the family to use her full name. She got a lot of weird looks when strangers overheard, or friends found out how old-fashioned it was, but Jo liked to call her by it anyway when they chatted. She never got to meet her dad’s mentor, and she thought based on the stories she’d heard that he would be embarrassed but proud to learn that Claudia Jean named her firstborn Leonora after she left the White House.

Nora was the one who introduced Jo to her future wife, an architect based out of Sacramento with an independent streak and temper that secretly reminded Josh of one of his exes. Unlike him and Amy, Jo and her fiance were a happy fit, sharing similar political beliefs but no professional rivalry. They spent as much time at home swapping stories and advice about their demanding careers as they did on community activism. Jo mellowed out a little after they got married–”she’s so much like you,” Donna told Josh with a smile–and they moved five times in three years before buying a house and starting their attempts to have a family.

That was the first time Jo ever really surprised her mom, who cried when she found out they were expecting. “I thought…you never talked about wanting kids,” Donna said carefully, and Jo just grinned that bright grin that was so much like her father’s. “I needed some time,” she told her mom, “to figure out what I wanted. But I think that if I manage to be half as good at it as you were, I’ll be an amazing mom.”

Josh and Donna bantered anxiously in the waiting room while each of their eldest daughter’s three kids came into the world. Two she gave birth to, and one she didn’t. They spoiled them all the same.

And when Charlotte brought the Lyman-Moss legacy back to the White House, Jo’s youngest son got to hunt Easter Eggs on the lawn. He stood next to his aunt during the photo op, just one of a dozen kids surrounding the first female President of the United States.