#ESPECIALLY if they’re also fat or grew up fat

[heartual]

eugh

[illyrianbitch]

One Summer — Part Nine

Pairing: Reader x Azriel

Summary: One beach house. One festival. One summer to fall in love.

Warnings: 18+ SMUT, marijuana usage, sweet dirty talk and praise, fingering, oral, p in v, fluffy sex <3

if you’re uncomfortable with smut, this chapter can be skipped with no impact on the plot <3 it can also be read as a stand-alone if desired.

Word Count: 4.7k

Previous Part | Series Masterlist |

✹ ✶ 𖧷 ✶✹ 

It was nine at night and you and Az were the only two in the house.

Rhys had made reservations for him and Feyre at an upscale restaurant half an hour away, a place where his father used to take his mother on special occasions. You'd been nosy and googled it. It was the kind of place with candlelit tables and a string quartet in the corner, where the waitstaff wore tuxedos and addressed you by title.

Mor and Cassian were out, too. The twins they’d met at Summit were staying in some house twenty minutes away and throwing a huge party. They tried to drag you and Az along, but the idea of squeezing into a crowded house with a bunch of strangers didn’t really compare to the night you had in mind. So you and Azriel had politely declined, both secretly craving something more enjoyable—smoking a fat joint and enjoying the quiet, just the two of you.

You sat on the kitchen counter, swinging your legs idly as Az finished preparing your snacks— the main thing that brought you both to the kitchen to begin with. Your mouth was still slightly dry from the joint, that earthy aftertaste still lingering in the back of your throat.

“This isn’t a conspiracy theory because it’s like, an actual thing,” you said, leaning back on your hands. “But I love the fact that so many of those sea monsters we read about were probably just whale penises.”

Azriel stilled, turning to look at you with an amused brow. “What?”

You nodded emphatically, cheeks aching from the deep smile still on your face. “People would see these giant, weird things sticking out of the water and think it was some sort of sea serpent or whatever, but it was actually just a whale showing off it’s huge dick.”

Azriel held your gaze for a moment before he burst out into laughter. The sound dissipated throughout the room and you swore it made it lighter, made the kitchen glow with a sense of life it didn't have a few moments prior. You weren't sure how it was possible, but somehow your smile grew even wider.

There was something about Azriel’s laugh that felt energizing, especially when you were high. It was something far more than just a sensory experience. You watched as he shook his head, the curls on his hair moving as his eyes found yours again. Slightly puffy, bright with amusement.

“I have to show you. It’s crazy.” You moved to grab your phone from its current place face-down on the counter next to you.

Azriel reached out and covered your hand with his. “Nooo.”

“Az, you have to.”

“Later, maybe.” His expression softened as he looked at you, the laughter fading into a tender smile. “But first, taste test time.”

You sat up straighter, looking down at the plate in front of him. “They’re ready?”

You’d had a specific craving—something sweet, gooey, and crunchy. Azriel had taken it upon himself to make your dream come true. He made do with what was in the pantry, melting down marshmallows and making a pan of small home-made rice krispy bars. He’d covered them with Nutella, rolling them up like some delicacy you’d find in a high-end bakery.

His smile widened, and without a word, he held one out for you. You eagerly accepted it, your fingers brushing against his before you brought the treat to your mouth. Your eyes fluttered closed, and a moan left your lips as the sweet, rich flavors exploded on your tongue.

“How is it?”

You nodded, head bobbing as you took another gluttonous bite.

“It’s perfect,” you said, finally finding the strength to open your eyes and look at him. “This might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

He chuckled softly, watching as you took another bite. “Yeah?”

You nodded again. “You could be a chef. I would pay you to stay in the kitchen, looking all pretty and making food for me.”

Azriel raised an eyebrow. “So a trophy chef.”

You grinned. “Exactly.”

He laughed again, bringing his hands to either side of your thighs as he leaned in closer. “What happened to me being a spy, huh?”

You shrugged lightheartedly. “That too. Honestly, Az, you could be anything you wanted.”

He narrowed his eyes, brows furrowing slightly, the corners of his lips still curved in that half-smile that made your heart skip.

“Because I can make little treats?” He asked.

You cocked your head at him, running your gaze over his face. “Because you’re so good at putting yourself to the task at hand.”

Azriel blinked, and the crease between his brows softened. You watched as something crossed through his face, something wistful and warm.

“What?” you asked when he didn't speak.

“Nothing.”

You let your thoughts wander as you finished the treat in your hand. Everyone seemed to have a clear idea of what they wanted— or, at least, an idea of where their ambitions lied. But Azriel was different. He was like you. Hesitant, unsure. Back in freshman year, he’d taken a few criminology classes he loved. He had a passion then, but as the years went by you assumed he’d switched gears, choosing to focus on his general education classes instead. Azriel understood the pressure of fitting into a mold you weren't entirely sure about.

“What do you wanna do, Az?”

Azriel’s face grew thoughtful, his gaze scanning your face as if searching for something. His eyes flickered and then a smile, slow and soft, spread across his lips. He leaned in just a fraction closer. “I want to kiss you.”

You felt a rush of heat and looked down at your lap, nervously brushing your hands together. “That’s not what I meant.”

Azriel lifted your chin with a delicate finger, bringing your gaze to his. He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes playfully. “No?”

His gaze flicked to somewhere below your eyes. A second later, he brought his thumb to the corners of your lips, gently wiping away what you knew was probably excess chocolate.You inhaled sharply and felt something deep in your chest – something like a wire strung tight, ready to sing with the slightest touch. You’d been craving him for so long now. You could feel that familiar sensation, that burning desire simmering low in your gut. The way those damn grey sweatpants hung on his hips didn’t help matters either.

His touch lingered on your skin, hovering just above your bottom lip. Before he could pull his hand away, you took his thumb into your mouth, sucking off the remaining chocolate.

Azriel’s breath hitched, lips parting in surprise. The low groan that left his lips next invigorated you, pushing you to bring your tongue around his thumb, swirling and sucking on it. When he met your gaze, you slowly released it, and he traced it along your bottom lip as a shaky breath escaped him.

“We have the house to ourselves."

With darkened eyes, Az ran his thumb along your lips again, swallowing hard. You traced the motion down the column of his throat. Before you could fully register the loss of his touch, his hands gripped your thighs, pulling you to the edge of the counter. You gasped as he positioned himself between your legs, and instinctively, you wrapped them around him.

"Az.."

He closed the gap between you, lips crashing against yours as he kissed you deeply. You weren't sure if you'd ever get used to it. Perhaps it was a very strong honeymoon period, that the way Az kissed you felt magical because it had only been two weeks of this. But you felt starved, felt as if you needed more and more of him to satiate you— yet even still, you were insatiable.

You nipped at his lower lip, moved yourself to press against him further. You let him take the lead, letting out a breathy moan against his lips at the feeling of his skin pressed against yours. His kisses moved from your lips to your neck and you arched into him, welcomed him with a bared throat and a tug to his curls. His touch was everywhere at once—his hands roaming over your back, his lips trailing down your collarbone. Your body sang with every movement, with the feeling of his mouth on your skin.

You could feel the heat of his breath against you as he nipped and kissed his way to your ear.

“Do we want to go upstairs?”

You nodded before words could form. Nodded as you tangled your fingers further into his hair, nodded as you pulled him to your face, bringing him into another kiss. "Yes," you whispered between breaths. “Yes, please."

Azriel’s smile brushed against your skin as he kissed you back.

You made your way up the stairs, every step wobbly and uncoordinated as Az attempted to lead you both, lips still locked, his hands around your waist and yours around his neck.

"Shit." Azriel cursed as he bumped against the well, the pictures frames rattling with the impact. You pulled back, steadying yourself against the wall as your laughter bubbled up.

"Az," you playfully scolded through a breath, "You're going to knock everything down."

He only shushed you with a mischievous smile, wrapping an arm around your waist to pull you back into his orbit. Another frame tilted askew as he maneuvered you both along. You pulled away for a moment, your gaze falling to the framed photo in front of you, the one you'd come to love so dearly. It got better every time you saw it, from the pizza in Mor's braces to the nauseatingly sweet frame of awkward fifteen year old Azriel.

"I love this photo," you said, pointing to it with a delicate smile. "Look at you."

Azriel glanced at it, his face scrunching in mock horror. "That’s a horrendous photo," he said, leaning down to press a quick kiss to your lips. He broke apart, shaking his head against yours. "Don’t look at it."

"But Az—"

"Don’t look!" He insisted, and you laughed into his kiss.

"I love hearing you laugh," Azriel murmured against your lips, "And that I'm the one causing it." He kissed you again. "But right now," he said, his voice dropping to a low, heated murmur, "I’d much rather be making you moan.”

You didn’t need to be told twice. You melted into his touch, feeling your skin set alight as his hands roamed, his lips pressing against yours with a hunger that tasted of deep desire, something sweet and smoky like longing. The touch of a lover craving another.

You stumbled together into your room— the nearest one to the stairs, and the door slammed shut behind you. Azriel fumbled with the strings of his waistband, fingers slipping as he struggled to undo the knot.

"Ah, fuck," he said, voice still tinged with that sense of amusement, that laugh still in his tone. A few seconds later, his sweats were halfway down his leg, tangling around his ankles as he tried to kick them off.

"Careful," you warned, trying to stifle your laughter. Azriel then watched, amused, as you struggled to pull off your shirt, the fabric snagging on your earrings. And when you'd managed to free yourself, your hands were on him, slipping under his shirt, curious fingers skimming over the hard planes of his stomach. You tugged the fabric over his head, taking in the grin that played on his lips.

The shirt sailed through the air, landing haphazardly on your bedside lamp. You and Az laughed, a shared sound that he swallowed as he pulled you into another kiss. His hands were on you, guiding you back, and you were both still laughing as you fell back onto your bed in a tangle of limbs, all clothes besides his underwear long removed and thrown in a corner. Azriel leaned over you, face flushed, eyes filled with warmth.

"Hey," he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face.

You laughed, biting your lip as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer until your noses almost touched. "Hey," you repeated, like a schoolgirl with a crush.

"I really like you."

Azriel's voice was soft, a whisper that felt as soulful as a Sunday confession. It caressed your skin, made your heart flutter and core clench.

"Good to know," you said with a dainty smile. "I like you too."

A smile broke out across Az's face and you brought a trailing hand to feel the dimples on his cheeks, tracing the smile lines etched into his skin. You were completely naked below him now. Strangely, you'd never felt this comfortable, never felt so at ease. Your fingers brushed against the cool metal of the chain necklace hanging around his neck. You played with it absentmindedly, feeling the smooth links sliding between your fingers.

You tugged at it lightly as you murmured, "And I also like this."

"Yeah?"

You nodded, still running your fingers along the chain, feeling the heat of his skin just beneath it. You weren't sure how it was possible for a piece of jewelry to be so attractive, for simple metal to make you picture the dirtiest of images. But it was. And you had been. You weren't ashamed to admit that you'd imagined how it would feel dangling in your face as Az pounded into you. You finally met his eyes and nodded, breathless despite having done nothing but trace the cool metal around his neck. "Yeah."

Azriel’s eyes darkened, the playful warmth in them shifting into something deeper, hungrier. His smile curved into a smirk. "Good," he rasped, and your breath hitched at the intensity in his voice.

His lips were on yours again. Gone was the soft, teasing rhythm from before. Now, his mouth was hot and demanding, as if he were starving and you were the only thing that could satisfy his hunger. The sudden switch from sweet to searing made your heart race. You tugged on the chain again, more forcefully this time, and he growled in response, fingers eagerly tracing the outline of your body. You shivered with each touch, with each drag of his hands across your skin.

His hand found your breast, exposed to the cool air, and you shuddered as his ridged fingers tweaked your nipple. You arched beneath him and he paused for a moment, lips hovering just above yours.

“Tell me what you like,” he whispered.

Your mind raced, the words catching in your throat as you tried to form a coherent thought. You wanted him everywhere, wanted him to explore you for hours, to ruin you for the touch of anyone else. You shook your head, breathing heavily, trying with all your might to summon an answer.

"I-I don't know."

He shook his head, leaning in to brush his lips against yours in invitation. He said something else, something quieter and alluring, a sentence probing you to answer, to think.

"Please just touch me," you managed to breathe as your gaze bounced between his eyes. "I just want you to touch me."

Azriel's lips curved into a satisfied smile. “Like this?” he asked, beginning to move down as his hand slid down your exposed stomach.

“Yes,” you said, your body reacting to his touch. “And kiss me."

"Kiss you where?"

He was beneath your navel now, the trail of his path wet with the open kisses he'd left. You took a shaky breath. "Everywhere."

He chuckled softly against the bare skin of your leg. “Everywhere, huh?”

You nodded, unable to find the words to express how much you wanted him. Your hands moved to his hair, fingers threading through the dark curls as he continued to explore. He leaned, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss against the very top of your thigh, just shy of where you needed him, where your body ached for him. But just as you thought he might give you what you were silently begging for, he pulled back. His lips began a slow journey upward, leaving you yearning, the frustration building with each inch he traveled.

He paused just above your mouth, sharing a breath as he looked down at you. "I've thought about this for so long," he murmured, "How I wanted to touch you first, the ways I wanted you to fall apart."

You released a sound in response, needy and pleading. You’d spent countless nights imagining what it would be like to be with Azriel, to see the side of him he reserved for only a few. You’d wondered how his touch might feel—gentle, reverent, like a lover tracing sacred ground. You'd thought of him worshiping your body like a saint, his hands gliding over your bare skin, fantasized about the way his fingers might curl inside you, delicate yet purposeful, stroking the most intimate parts of you until you unraveled beneath him.

“I want to hear all those pretty noises I know you can make,” he continued, his thumb brushing over your swollen lips. “Can you do that for me?”

But you hadn’t imagined this. You hadn’t expected him to be so talkative, to render you speechless with a single look. The hunger in his eyes made you feel divine, as though he was starving for you, for the taste of you, for the sound of your voice.

You nodded. It was all you could do— barely able to breathe, let alone speak. He smiled like the sun and kissed you again, one hand curving along your shoulder, sliding down your body with painful slowness, a detour around the curve of your breast, a whimper into his mouth.

It felt like hours before his palm slid down the rise of your belly, torturous and tentative. Then finally, his hand slipped between your thighs. He traced the slickness of your core and you gasped in relief, felt as he greedily accepted the sound with his tongue.

There was something profoundly intimate about the way Azriel's eyes locked with yours as he worked his fingers inside you, something about how your foreheads rested against each other as he groaned. Az was watching you, observing every reaction to the movements he made. He kissed you throughout it, rotating between staring at you, molding your lips to his, and sucking on that sensitive area of your ear lobe; kissing alongside your neck as he praised you.

"Such a pretty mess," he murmured against your ear. "Does this feel good?"

He added another finger, thumb circling your clit. You squeezed your eyes shut, a desperate moan escaping your lips as the pleasure mounted. Then he was moving, pulling away from you as he descended down your body, following the trail of kisses and marks he'd left before. Azriel shifted his body, positioning himself right before your core, pushing your legs further apart to nestle between them. Your gaze fell to his hands, slick and glistening with your desire. For a moment he stilled, focused gaze as he watched his fingers disappear inside you.

And when he pulled them out, he spread the wetness further across your folds, eyes locked on yours, pupils blown with need. He was saying your name, praising you, watching as you squirmed at his touch.

"Azriel." You moaned out.

"Yeah, beautiful?"

You couldn't respond, weren't sure what you wanted to say.

“Jesus. Look at you,” he said, his voice a low growl. “So fucking pretty. Your body is perfect.”

You were torn between begging him to keep talking, to speak more and let his words roll over you, and begging him to touch you more, to feel him inside you, to fuck you.

With his eyes still locked on yours, he brought his mouth to your cunt, groaning in approval the moment he drew your essence into his mouth. His fingers slipped back inside you, finding a deep, aching spot, and your hand tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. Each tug on his hair elicited a low, approving groan from him, and you stored that information away, tucked it safely for a later time.

Your eyes fell shut as you neared the edge, body tensing with the imminent release. No, your mind echoed. Not yet. You let out a ragged breath, pulling at the curls on Az's head and pushing him away from your cunt. Azriel immediately loosened his hold on you, eyes shooting up to yours, brows furrowing with a growing concern.

“Not yet,” you managed, your voice breathy and urgent. “With you. On you. Please.”

The crease softened and his eyes grew dark again, hungry and blown wide. He grinned, hair tousled, lips glistening and swollen, and nodded in understanding. Az rid himself of the last piece of clothing he had, shedding his underwear as you drank in the sight of him before you. His naked form pressed against yours as he lay over you. You reached between you, wrapping your hand around him and stroking him slowly, tentatively. His answering groans were low and guttural, brows furrowing with each movement of your hand.

“Do you have—?”

He nodded toward your bedside table. “You should. Rhys’s mom was very serious about safe sex.”

His voice was rough like gravel, octaves below what he normally spoke. If you weren't already drenched by now, you would've been pooling at the sound alone. You let out a breathless laugh and Azriel managed to lean over to your left drawer— the one you’d never really used, never even bothered to check what might be in it. His fingers fumbled briefly before he pulled out a small foil packet. He ripped it open with still glistening hands, and you took it from him, rolling it over his length with careful precision. Pumping him once, twice. Savoring the sinful sounds leaving his lips.

He was bigger than you had anticipated and your mouth watered at the sight, at the fact that beyond just its size, it was pretty. You'd get your mouth on it soon, you told yourself, taste him just as he tasted you. You'd wrap your lips around his head, let him fuck your mouth the way he wanted, and taste his release with a greedy tongue. But not now.

Az maneuvered himself, a forearm near your head to hold himself as his other hand went in between you, replacing your hand with his own. You ran your freed palm along his chest, bringing it up to his shoulders.

"Are you sure?" Az asked, eyes focused on you.

You almost laughed at the question, a smile forming on your face as you nodded. "For the love of god, please," you said, and you were sure it was the hundredth time you'd muttered the word. "I want you. I-I need you."

Az’s growl reverberated through you, a primal sound you’d never heard from him before. It sent waves of need crashing over your body. Your legs instinctively locked around his back, drawing him in as his cock pressed firmly inside you, an intense surge of pleasure that made you both gasp for air. You clenched around him, welcoming him and the stretch he provided, the sensation of him as he rolled his hips, as he bottomed out with another sinful groan. Azriel kissed you again and again as he moved, as he picked up the pace and you clawed at his back— nails digging into the ink that adorned his golden skin.

His mouth explored every inch of you—your nipples, your throat, your ear—before he covered your mouth to muffle your moans once more. You dug your heels into his back, fingers tangled in his hair as he pressed you firmly into the mattress with the snap of his hips. You were lost in the rising waves of sensation—his quick, sharp thrusts, the heat and sweat of your bodies moving together.

Faintly, you heard a soft whining, a mewl of pleasure. You realized, seconds later, it had come from your own throat; desperate and babbling, repeating Az's name like a prayer. He was everything now, every thought in your mind, filling every sense, his hands, his tongue, his cock.

You were so close, on the edge of something monumental, ready to fall and fall and fall. Azriel must have seen the desperation in your eyes as he started whispering in your ear, murmuring things that you knew would later make you blush and squirm, turn red and pink and every color between.

“Holy shit, yes,” he growled, “You feel incredible, Y/n.”

You clung to him, your breath mingling with his, praying that, somehow, through this shared rhythm, you could bind him to you forever. That this moment would make him truly yours, beyond just the physical, blending every part of him with every part of you.

"Talk to me, beautiful." He nipped at your bottom lip. "Does it feel good?"

"Yes, god, yes." You moaned and pulled him closer to you. As you separated from another hungry kiss, you reveled in the way his chain dangled over your face, in the way it swung as he fucked you. It was even better than you imagined, even hotter in every way. You clenched around him, shivered at the sound he made.

He looked beautiful. Face flushed and glistening with sweat, tousled hair falling into his eyes as he gazed at you with a look of pure adoration, a look you felt too soft to be reserved for you. It was a look meant for those that did great, praise-worthy things, a look for a lover and a soulmate. You stared at him, breathing heavily, taking in all that he was, and he looked at you back, took you in just as carefully. Then he smiled, reaching up and gripping your hands in his. He pressed gentle kisses along your cheeks and entwined your fingers with his, held them above your head.

"I'm so close,” you murmured, “So close.”

Azriel's eyes darkened. He brought his bottom lip between his teeth and his cock surged into you with such force that the bed groaned beneath you. You gasped, body going slack as he drove into you with relentless speed, each thrust so intense that you were left completely immobilized. His movements grew uneven, body trembling as he strained to hold back, his fingers pressing deeply into yours.

“Azriel.” His name was all you had. “Az. Az.”

He was buried deep inside you, trembling with the force of his release. “Come on, sweetheart,” he breathed heavily. "Come with me, baby."

You clenched at the name, at the way his words caressed your skin. Azriel cried out against your shoulder, his moan wavering like he was descending from a high. You felt his entire body shudder and you pressed kisses to his ear, cheek, and neck. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, maybe a little too roughly, but he only whimpered and slumped against you, his full weight pressing you into the bed.

He took deep breaths and you laughed as he blew your hair out of his face. A few moments later you loosened your hold on him, bodies reluctantly untangled, condom disposed, and you both shifted onto your sides. You leaned in to kiss him. His response was tender and unhurried, his lips moving against yours with a reverent slowness. His hands roamed over your back, your hip, and the curve of your ass.

Long after you cleaned up, as you laid against Az's bare chest and he played with your hair, that feeling of falling was still there, something exciting and equally terrifying. It filled your stomach, flowed through your veins.

You looked at Az, took in his contented smile, his eyes closed and peaceful as he held you, and you wondered if you truly knew what love felt like, wondered when it was too soon to decide you could never let someone go.

✹ ✶ 𖧷 ✶✹  

authors note: your honor i do believe theyre falling in love. i also, do believe, that they boutta be fuckin like rabbits

permanent tag list 🫶🏻: 

@rhysandorian @itsswritten @milswrites @lilah-asteria @georgiadixon 

@glam-targaryen @cheneyq @darkbloodsly @pit-and-the-pen @azrielsbbg

@evergreenlark @marina468 @azriels-human @panther-girl-124 @bubybubsters 

@starswholistenanddreamsanswered @feyretopia  @ninthcircleofprythian @velariscalling @azrielrot

@justyouraveragekleemain @marigold-morelli @mrsjna @anarchiii @alittlelostalittlefound

@melissat1254

@m4tthewmurd0ck @beardburnsupersoldiers @isnotwhatyourethinking @tothestarsandwhateverend @raginghellfire

As always, thank you for reading 🫶🏻

[agentmarvel]

nsfw alphabet - johnny "soap" mactavish

afab!reader

mdni - 18+; minors and ageless blogs will be blocked

divider credit: @/cafekitsune

♡ a = aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

- When you finally manage to wear him out or firmly tell him you can't take any more, Johnny's full of praise. He wants you to know he's proud of you, whether it's for letting him beat one of his personal records or setting one of your own or just taking as much as you did. You'll have to keep a case of bottled water in the bedroom somewhere, too, because he's worried about you getting dehydrated after all the... fluids lost. Isn't big on cleaning up, though. He prefers you teary-eyed, sweaty, and filled.

♡ b = body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

- He's got an unusual fixation on your throat, tbh. The way it looks covered in bitemarks and hickies, wrapped by his hand or bulging from his dick, how soft it feels under his lips. He thinks you're gorgeous, obviously, and he loves you so wholly and entirely that he's just so hard-pressed to pick favorites, buuuuuuuut... ��

On him, though? Johnny is a big fan of his chest. If anyone somehow misses the stock of his arms, they definitely can't overlook his broad, muscular chest. It's his secondary intimidation factor; a silent assurance of your continuous safety at a glance. He loves the nights you fall asleep on those built-in pillows or the way your hands look almost alarmingly small in comparison when you lean in to kiss him.

♡ c = cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

- Johnny is such a menace about it. He'll cum inside you just to eat it back out and spit it in your mouth. Or he'll finish on your face and smear it around with the tip of his cock, telling you how good it is for your skin. It's cute when you pout about being sticky - gets him hard all over again, listening to you chastise him for making such a mess.

♡ d = dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

- He has this wild fantasy of watching his team run a train on you. The thought of you being stuffed by his friends, filled to the brim with at least half a dozen loads, none of which are his... yet. He'll take his turn when they're done with you and you're begging for him because no one else can please you quite the way Johnny can.

♡ e = experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?) 

- Ain't no way a man that pretty and persistent hasn't racked up a body count. He definitely knows by now exactly what he's doing, especially after taking the time to memorize your body the way he has. He knows where to kiss, where to touch, how much pressure to use, everything. There's not a single secret he can't suss out from the little sounds or miniscule movements. He's observant to a fault. Makes him a solid soldier and an even better lover.

♡ f = favorite position

- Face down, ass up. He wants that back in a deep arch, halfway muffled screams while your head is pressed into the mattress, bruises on the fat of your hips from his vise-like grip. He'll settle for bending you over anything nearby, though. He loves watching your ass jiggle with the force of every vicious thrust, could cum just from the sound alone.

♡ g = goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

- Johnny is a goofball on his best days, but he tends to be significantly less jokey during sex. Not to say he doesn't find ways to make you laugh where he can, but his focus is definitely on seeing how many orgasms he can wring out of you instead.

♡ h = hair (how well-groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.) 

- He def manscapes when he's home. Gets the stray brow hairs waxed and shaves down just enough to keep a stubbled appearance on his jaw. Trims the downstairs pretty short as well, but only so he has to do it less often.

(Soap once shaved his pubes into a mohawk. And I do mean mohawk. He grew out a landing strip with the intention of spiking it up so that the curtains literally matched the drapes. 🙄)

♡ i = intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

- Johnny has his own form of intimacy. The romantic aspect really stays out of the bedroom - he'll make dinner, bring home flowers, no-occasion presents, surprise drop-ins while you're working, holding your hand any time you go out together, etc. He's pure adrenaline and carnal need when he wants you. There are times where he's less fuck, more make love, but those are few and far between in comparison to the opposite.

♡ j = jack off (masturbation headcanon)

- Johnny’s cranking his hog daily, sometimes multiple times a day. The dopamine release is his cure-all. Bad mood? Nut. Minor aches and pains? Nut. Missing his pretty lil thing while on missions? Nut. Even thinking about you? Nutnutnutnutnut.

♡ k = kink (one or more of their kinks)

- Spit. He'll spit on your holes just to watch it dribble or use it as lube to finger you. He'll spit in your mouth and beg you to spit in his. He'll make you sick on his fingers just to smear it across your face. It's one of his many possessive tactics; a method of branding you as his without leaving those love bites that your coworkers and family question.

♡ l = location (favorite places to do the do)

- He doesn't really have a favorite. Anywhere is fair game, and there's no such thing as inconvenient. He'll obey laws, of course, but that's where his fence ends. It's only natural, after all, and who doesn't admire the beauty of nature?

♡ m = motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

- lbr, a stiff breeze would probably brick him up, but he's been found to be particularly fond of you wearing his clothes. He once put his SAS beret on you when you picked him up from the airport; that was a game changer. He spent weeks afterward "forgetting" his sweatshirts at your flat (conveniently always a size too big for you), left his house slippers on the side of his bed reserved for your stays, always put his hats on you when it was even slightly chilly... Johnny has that possessive streak, and anything of his on you riles him up something awful.

♡ n = no (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

- He isn't big on the idea of any sort of bodily functions or fluids aside from cum, spit, or that time of the month. It's not like he's disgusted by any of it - sometimes things happen spur of the moment, and he's seen it all at some point or another - but the thought of intentionally invoking it doesn't do anything for him.

♡ o = oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

- He's a giver, through and through. Whatever you're willing to dish, he'll gladly take and return tenfold. Your mouth makes him cum? That talented tongue is coaxing three electric orgasms out of you at bare minimum. He knows exactly what he's doing.

♡ p = pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) 

- Johnny is vicious. He's brutal. He's merciless. It brings him unparalleled joy to hear you complain about being sore or see the little hitch in your step from the strain. He's equally stiff, muscles grumbling every time he moves, and he loves it.

♡ q = quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

- Quickies are 100% a necessity. Often, there isn't quite enough time for extended play, and he damn sure won't allow for something a silly as time restraints to stop him from showing his undying appreciation for you.

♡ r = risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

- Johnny prides himself on being willing to try just about anything twice; once for the experience, once to decide if he enjoys it. He's always down to test his own limits.

♡ s = stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

- This could go without saying, really. John MacTavish is basically the Energizer Bunny™️. He's got a seemingly endless supply of energy that keeps him going for hours. Legit, it's not unusual for one round to last over half an hour, and he'll shoot for 3-5 consistently. Can't ever get enough. He lives for being inside you in any way he can.

♡ t = toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

- There is a free-standing cabinet in the bedroom that is FULL of various toys. You both use them, on yourselves and each other. Nothing wrong with a little extra simulation (or a lot 👀). There's also a stockpile of lubes, toy cleaners, and massage oils. Better to be prepared for anything!

♡ u = unfair (how much they like to tease)

- Surprisingly, he's not a huge tease. Soap is pretty blunt about his wants. He'll make his advances through lingering touches in certain spots, but the intent is not to get you worked up. It's more along the lines of silent communication to see if you reciprocate the mood. Any teasing he may do comes in the form of foreplay.

♡ v = volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

- It's a well-known fact that Johnny is physically incapable of being quiet when he isn't required to be. That man even talks in his sleep. In bed is no exception. He's not shy in the slightest about how good you make him feel, always growling in your ear about how you were made for him. It's like he can't filter his thoughts because he will pant out the most vile shit when he's inside you.

♡ w = wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

- Soap is really into anal play, both giving and receiving. He'll do 90% of the prep work for you if you let him, and on multiple occasions, he's cum from rimming alone - no additional simulation needed.

♡ x = x-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

- He's all corded muscle and chisled features, an inverted pyramid made of solid marble. Broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist and slim hips cut into a perfect V.

6", cut, above average thickness, slight right curve

♡ y = yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

- His drive is fucking obnoxious. It's through the roof. Johnny is always keyed up and ready to go at a moments notice (not that he isn't constantly trying anyways). He cannot keep his hands to himself for any reasonable amount of time.

♡ z = zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

- On the nights where you can successfully wear him out, Johnny is out cold in minutes. He'll fall asleep halfway on top of you, careless to how quickly you'll lose feeling in the arm he's weighing down. He won't wake as you eventually wiggle yourself out, either.

[poxy-domain]

big fat May post, my main sve farmer!!! art is May over the years, ive talked about her here before briefly but not much

rest of the post under the cut is essentially her backstory, it ended up being WAY longer than i thought it would be though so be warned lol

basic run down of her life pre-farm, is she was average in every sense of the word essentially. she basically had nothing exceptional going for her. she lived in the suburbs outside of zuzu city for a majority of her childhood before going to a cheap 2 year college and eventually working at joja. however, she knew nobody at zuzu city nor was she good at socializing at all. it basically caused her to become a hermit, she would hardly ever go outside aside to go to work and she had a terrible sleep schedule as well as diet, she was overworked and underpaid at joja so she couldn't afford much good or healthy food (she also picks up sign language as a way to avoid social interaction after a while). after basically 4 years of this, she decides to read her grandpa's letter and boom!!! stardew plot happens

she started off kinda terrible at farming ngl, like may legit grew up in peak urban area and she saw barely any plant life, now you expect bro to be a farmer?? LMFAO funny joke bro. having a hard time breaking out of her former hermit lifestyle, she barely talks to anyone outside of small talk with lewis, marnie, pierre, and robin, and those 4 are only because its essential for her job, and lewis is because he knew her grandfather. yippie!!! she went out to the country to start a new life and it really isn't that different from her lonely, sad, former one!!!! may was initially hoping this move would be a cure for all her problems, but seeing that she's still the same person as before, and doesn't have a magical effortless personality glow up does go thru a sort of arc of resenting herself. other villagers try to talk to her but she doesn't really try to manage anything further than small talk. She does have a sort of mutual understanding with sebastian because of both of their introverted natures, as well as geeky interests that may especially got into over her years of being a social recluse. 

This all changes when she gets into the adventurers guild, and i mean actually get into it, when marlon first offered for her to adventure into the caves full of monsters, she initially brushed it off thinking he was exaggerating. “monsters were just some made up story that only existed years and years ago, they’re practically extinct now!” which was basically may’s thought process, as the city intentionally covers up any news coverage related to any magical or monster related topics. may learns this is very much not the truth the hard way. rip bozo, deserved tbh. After this encounter, she starts frequenting the caves much more often for the adrenaline rush, a way to escape the thoughts plaguing her that she really needed to fix herself, not just her environment. She frequents the guild for more supplies and ends up talking (generous term for her nods and hm’s) more to marlon and gil. At first the two of them do wonder about her quietness, but they’re both used to eccentric characters from other guilds so they’re not too bothered by it. marlon even picks up on some sign language for her to use with him when she doesn’t want to talk. The wizard also becomes quite used to her behavior, being even more accustomed to unconventional characters, he even knows sign language so she primarily uses it to talk to him!! may finally finds people more like her in the form of adventurers and mages, it sort of clicks in her head when she starts to learn a bit of magic with rasmodius. her love for the adrenaline rush of adventuring turns to a genuine love of adventuring itself. She also meets krobus and IMMEDIATELY clicks with him, and spends a dubious amount of time in the sewers because of it (the villagers start giving her weird looks for going into the sewers so much so she starts going in through the forest entrance). bro smells terrible. by her second year in stardew, krobus and may end up becoming roommates. he doesn’t mind her silence, though she does become comfortable talking to him more often. 

Also i wanted to show in the art of her getting progressively more muscular from her work as well as tanner, if any y’all notice her scars forming over the years kudos to u lol. She also cuts her hair year 4 but decides to grow it out again by year 7.. i should also prooooobably address her relationship with lance, considering she does get married to him later on. but i kiiinnddaaa wanna write a small fic about that ngl. i will work up to it or write another post on this later lol. but this is getting too long so i’ll end it at year 3. also she totally fucks with isaac. she may be quiet and socially inept but she fucks with people sooo much. devious in nature

[tg-headcanons]

Thinking about ghouls as farmers/farmhands

I imagine that some types of kagune would be excellent for harvesting/ploughing with a nice bonus of no carbon emissions. I imagine ghouls, after criminalisation, would possibly even revolutionise farming/carbon footprint from farming?

(Although of course ideally a farm wouldnt till but even then for harvesting ghouls would be quite efficient.)

GHOULS IN FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION IS SO INTERESTING

Ghouls have always been a part of society, and regardless of where they are or how accepted they are, they’ve always had some hand in farming since, especially before industrialization, it was a good field for them. Their strength, senses, and kagune make them fantastic at cultivating, protecting, and harvesting food

In old world cultures where ghouls were always ostracized, they couldn’t be open about why their crops grew so well, so they tended to make up myths and stories about some ritual or another that makes their harvests so bountiful. They had senses of smell and pressure detection that could help them sniff out blights and pests, as well as semi-accurately predict rainfall, letting them handle issues before they got too bad. That, and their strength that lets them handle the physical task of planting and harvesting, helped them produce a lot of plants. But telling humans how they did it is off the table, so it was common for them to have a plowing Ox just for show and to say they said some prayer that helped

A lot of why ghouls thrived in farming is due to their regeneration. It may not be talked about much anymore, but it is DANGEROUS. Not just the modern machinery, but the strain of lifting and carrying. The illnesses carried by plants and animals. The workhorses and oxen that can just fucking kick you to death. The PIGS. It’s all risky work, and back before antibiotics, just one cut and you’re done for. A person who can not only survive almost any cut, but take a donkey kick to the face and get right back up to finish plowing the field is one of the most valuable people any farming village can have

Farming animals is more hit or Miss, because a lot of prey animals panic when they smell ghoul. Some ghouls still kept them and after enough time, or enough animals born around the smell of them, they could get used to it. Historically ghouls have run a lot of butcher shops because it was one of the best places to hide human meat before dna testing became widely available, so some animal husbandry skill was a good thing

Ghouls tended to make good shepherds. In especially rural areas, a lot of humans would collectively decide not to talk about the fact that someone is obviously a monster because they’re simply so fast and strong and don’t let sheep and cattle go missing or get hunted. If you were in Cold Ass Nowhere Ireland in 1635 and you had a shepherd who not only never loses a sheep but also eats the English, you’d pretend you didn’t notice either

In areas and cultures where ghouls were more accepted, they were essential to hunting and farming. North and central american ghouls had traits designed for taking down megafauna to supplement their diets, and their human companions could depend on them to bring countless Buffalo and deer home. Jungle subspecies had traits built for climbing, and were central to the harvest of high growing fruits and beans. A now likely extinct species native to Canada had semi aquatic adaptations and a thick layer of fat who were designed to hunt seals and small whales, and shaped the way any community lucky enough to have some survived. In places where ghouls were welcomed, they were so efficient at harvesting and hunting that land rarely needed to be developed for monocultures at all

When ghouls are decriminalized in more parts of the world, their physical abilities are allowed to shine again. Stories of ghoul farmers through history arise. Plenty of American and Polynesian communities (who had been telling people about ghoul’s contributions to their land and cultures for years and were having that brushed off as myth) can legally reintroduce the old practices of ghoul hunting and harvesting techniques. Smaller farms hire more ghouls once it’s clear that they can do machine level work without the expense of maintaining machines, and it’s one of the biggest ghoul hiring fields at the start of their legalization

Naturally, ghoul farming unions are quick to form. They can do machine level work, but are not going to risk being treated like machines for it. As with any Union there’s some backlash, but when it becomes apparent just how much better ghouls are at crop maintenance and harvesting, demands are met. It’s become a well paying profession, and has been good work for ghouls that struggle with the human grade education they were denied when they were younger, or ghouls who simply prefer to work outside doing something that benefits people

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

Jennifer Lopez

At this point, Jay is very unpopular with the world at large. There’s many things come out about her that aren’t too good and also she could be attached to this whole Diddy drama with the fact that his house got rated the things with Rodney Jenkins the music prodigy who works on did he love album And the fact that at the time did he spilt some tea on the fact that the night he was in the club with Jennifer that they did have a gun and that she held it in his purse and he did shoot someone it was down to him even though somebody else got the jail sentence these fucking people up in power. Everything is a bribery. Everything is a game and you you win or you lose it so snakes and ladders, it’s why they’re also connected to Jeffrey Epstein as well because that was all a game of bribery they all cameras in the house they all up to the same debauchery rubbish but different degrees and it kind of reminds me of is the pornographic world and how porn actors go Darker and darker into the role of it so let’s say someone starts off doing a blow job scene, then they get told alright you’re ready for sex now we do it all different positions everything, and the woman’s like yeah sure I’ll do that I don’t mind at all and then carries on and something comes along. There is something that isn’t quite you but you get told that you’ll get paid a lot of money for doing this act now there are choices in this but they may not feel like they have those choices, especially if they’re working with the butcher kind of people which I’m sure they are, talk about it. She said about the time and she has tears in her eyes when someone pissed down her throat., and I’m sorry I have to say as somebody used to love porn in their 20s and late teenagers, looking back and I always thought it at the time anyway I hate the way they were the pornos and the films for example fat slut takes it up there or something like that, it’s never for men men just treated differently and always well-being. It seems., it’s just unfair that it’s just realistic.,,,, anyway going back to the scenario they get paid all this money for doing it so they do it and then another thing comes up and then they get numb to it and then they start taking drugs to cope with the pain all the time you’re gonna be destroying and you have to have the right mental constitution is gonna end badly.

She is definitely into this world Jennifer Lopez that that is she came into the scene with Diddy when he got her on this song that was originally somebody else’s surprise surprise I’m that was if you had my love, because before that she was more of an actress and if you’re a millennial you grew up with Jennifer and at the time of course he didn’t know all these things. I was a huge fan but we started to slowly realise that it was her vocals that she was using Natasha Ramos! Anyway, she got involved with Tommy Matola, who at this point was Mariah Carey‘s ex-husband and at the time he hated Mariah and he wanted to sabotage her career mainly because she’d got away from him he brought brought and had them but changed a little bit to her music. He’d ring up all the radio station saying don’t play any music off. The glitter soundtrack . Wendy Williams was one of the first people to Diddy and I think she was hinting at the fact that he was gay , see you guys people don’t mind if you’re gay. That is not the problem. The problem is that you are homophobic and closeted. That is the part that people do not like, and the other part people do not like is the fact that your predatory and that you grow up and that you do things to people , and let’s face it Jennifer Lopez is a glorified Kardashian if you wanna put it nicely , she’s an amazing business , a nice person she was told or told people not to look in the eyes and you know Wendy Williams dead she did it anyway and I love her. I miss Wendy somebody said she followed Jay to the bathroom and she didn’t wash her hands . but now she is connected to another ex who is her husband I think and that is Ben Affleck who has his own issues with addiction and alcoholism , and she still from Jennifer Gardner who was there for him , Yes, maybe so so she has a passion of being with people for my past and also while she was with Puff Daddy P. Diddy whatever you wanna call him he was with his wife Kim Porters, but Jennifer Lopez was his showgirl girlfriend his celebrity girlfriend his popstar .

So Jennifer isn’t that popular for many reasons such as that and the fact that she stole lyrics of Ashanti and her voice the fact I say she’s a glorified Kardashian she’s made a career of not very much and then there’s a few with Mariah Carey and I don’t know her, and I don’t take no shit. She’s not gonna pretend she’s not gonna be humble like Ashanti is because Mariah is not a libra like Ashanti she’s a powerful Aries woman and it’s just another case of. I don’t know her in my case me talking to you here Leo woman who cannot stand the fact she’s getting older and less relevant who is another Leo woman who does this? Why who else could it be? Madonna Who has a reputation of not being that madonna, who are the people who don’t Madonna Diana Ross Michael Jackson Cher . I think the time could come where she has looked into because of the whole Diddy situation correct me if I’m wrong but he’s just an example of why is not so popular but she has that healthy Leo ego I’ve not giving a shit .

[astro-duck]

In defense of DT17 Doofus!

He’s better, I’m sorry. I’m sure some people, especially if you grew up on the cartoons and are used to him, would disagree. But I’ve seen too many memes slandering Doofus Drake and I will not stand for it any longer.

1) He’s a foil to Louie Duck in 2017

He serves more of a purpose in my opinion. Characters don’t need to serve a purpose to be good, but Doofus in ‘87 wasn’t super impactful and when he was the center of the episodes, the could have been filled by someone else. For example, anyone could have found the crystal he finds in “Superdoo!” (S1 E52) and it would have a similar story. Louie desires to be super rich, so it’s good to see him compared to a kid who did get super rich very quickly (and kept his money). Him being really weirded out by Doofus works to show the audience how it could turn out if Louie achieved his goals long-term. This is especially true when you consider how he acted when he was briefly the richest duck in the world.

2) He’s less of a harmful stereotype

Now, he’s not not a stock character in ‘17, but he plays a different sort of character. Instead of being a fat idiot who really likes food, he’s a spoiled rotten psycho who will do anything to get his way. Both are stock, stereotype characters, but I’d argue that stereotyping spoiled rich kids is much less harmful. He’s also just more modern. The fat dumbass character has become less popular over time, where making fun of insanely rich people is all the rage.

3) He has more room for development

Now, he doesn’t change a lot because he’s a fairly minor character, but at the bare minimum things happen to him that are implied to affect his development off screen. His arc with Louie ending with him forgiving Louie for “ruining his inheritance” was certainly something. As well as his inheritance being halved in the first place by B.O.Y.D., who deserves it more than him. These things are the start of a significant change for Doofus, even if it just happens after the events of the show. OG Doofus does not have the space for that sort of development, because being big and really liking Launchpad aren’t flaws that should be fixed, they’re traits to be laughed at.

4) He’s just funnier

Personal opinion, but I like him more in DT17, I just prefer when he’s on screen to when Doofus87 is on screen. I think it could be because of my age and the shows I’m used to watching and the character types I’m used to, but I prefer the style of humor Doofus17 brings. Plus he has some of my favorite one-off gags, like the “What is he gonna do with umbrella and walnuts?!” Line. Technically said by Louie, but caused by him.

Final thoughts:

I think it would be funny to watch them physically fight.

Also if you don’t like ‘17 Doofus, try picturing that he’s not named Doofus Drake. Maybe if you stop looking at him through that lense, he’ll bother you less, because he is an insane departure from Doofus87. They aren’t even close to being the same character.

[bloodandfleshautism]

man I’m usually not a huge fan of the new gen monster high dolls compared to the old ones (not that they’re bad, I just liked the more alternative fashion and darker aesthetic of the old ones. And also those are the ones I grew up with) BUT they went OFF with the Venus design like. Her new hair is so cute!!! I’ve never seen a doll with a protective hairstyle before (not that I’m super into dolls anymore) and her hair looks so pretty. I also love the sculpt they gave her with the vine textures and I also really like the new sculpts in general for the new gens bc it’s nice to see some dolls that aren’t stick thin for once, especially ones that I grew up loving so much. If I had dolls that actually had fat on their bodies like mine when I was a kid I genuinely think I probably would’ve grown up with fewer body image issues lmao

Anyway that was my little mh rant/appreciation for both new and old versions and also just. Venus bc I’ve always rly liked her bc I rly liked flytraps when I was a kid lmao

[cutiedwaekki]

Ok so I have a fic request if you’re interested! Basically Changbin is already really fat, and he’s with someone (whoever in skz you want it to be), and so his own lazy habits rub off on them, and they start eating more too. The person is in denial of their weight gain at first, especially as they’re skinnier than Changbin. Eventually though, they like getting fatter, especially as Changbin appreciates both of their growing bellies.

Ok thank you for hearing me out. Please write this, thank you 😌

basically, the fact that this was a request for a fic from you and that it included Changbin was a too good a thing to refuse to write 🤭

I think the last time I wrote so fast for a fic was a long time ago.

So for the pairing i go for a Seungbin because I think it's an underestimated pairing but above all it's my favorite 😌

I hope you like what I wrote ♡

ARE YOU HUNGRY ?

- "Hyung ... that's a lot of food isn't it?" Asked then Seungmin confused

- "What do you mean? I barely ordered a bit more than usual"

If "a bit more than usual" meant a dozen takeaway bags full of fast food instead of eight bags then yes it was more than usual.

-Hyung you know it's not healthy, I don't care what you do with your health but don't complain if you can't get out of bed without me" teased then the puppy like before sitting down next to him.

Changbin chuckled before putting his arm around his alant's shoulders and adding "You always say that, but you'd really like to see me at your mercy".

-"I just love your curves hyung that's different" he said without showing indifference while his hands they rested on his imposing belly to rub it

-"I'm sorry but this is more than curve" he interrupted him amused

-"What ? So you want me to say how much i love your fat ? You want to hear me saying how it drives me crazy hm ?"finally retorted the puppy with a smirk before snatching a languorous kiss from his lover

So as their Netflix and chill night was about to begin!

Oh, but let's introduce you to the couple.

On one side, Kim Seungmin works for a finance company. With his sarcastic nature and dark humor, he hid his devilish side behind his cute puppy dog looks that made everyone fall over. and he's also the number one fan of Changbin's body since day 1

He was of average height and very slim, so slim that you'd be thinking he was a model!

On the other side, Seo Changbin, his boyfriend of over 6 months, music producer for the JYP label and member of the trio 3RACHA who co-produced various music together, was his opposite, he might look imposing and frightening from the outside, but deep down he was a a melting marshmallow who could barely be spoken to.

Compared to Seungmin, he was small but above all big... really big! It was said that he should weigh between 130 and 150 kilos, but the brunette wasn't used to weighing himself. He was confident in his own body and love so much food to compromise

As you can see, Changbin was fat from a very early age, the son of a very well-to-do family. As he grew older, his love of food intensified, and so did his waistline, reaching the stage where he was now.

Their first meeting was something really special! it's was in a supermarket around 10 p.m , Seungmin was in a hurry and Changbin was tired, but as soon as they crossed each other's paths they lit up.

And it went on until now! They'd just moved in together, and although they'd have to get used to the routine of the other , it was such a pleasant feeling to live under the same roof as your lover.

and then over time they will be able to take on the other's habits for their own ...

.˳⁺⁎˚ ꒰ఎ ★ ໒꒱ ˚⁎⁺˳ .

- "Minnie? Why didn't you tell us we could have watched this movie together?" Changbin complained as Seungmin began to fall into one of his habits: hanging out when he had free time.

And it just so happened that the puppy had decided to do this on the day Changbin had to finish a music production and get to the agency, something he rarely did as he worked from home. So when the brunette saw her lover surrounded by empty snack packs, a pizza box on the edge of the table and an unfinished doughnut, he was only concerned that Seungmin was watching a film without him, even though they'd forbidden each other to do so.

-You don't like this kind of movie, so I didn't want to bother you with it" declared Seungmin, looking very concentrated on the screen in front of him.

- "I'd like to make an effort for my Minnie anyway" he declared as he scooped up some rubbish from the floor and slumped down beside his boyfriend.

-Ouch, don't push me too hard, I've got no more space afterwards".

The brunette simply giggled as she settled down to cuddle his lover and enjoy the film. Seungmin was right, he didn't like scary movies but he made an exeption just for clinging next to his boyfriend.

.˳⁺⁎˚ ꒰ఎ ★ ໒꒱ ˚⁎⁺˳ .

And moments like this began to happen quite often. Changbin, who found Seungmin to eat more , becaming lazier . He had always been an advocate of home cooking, and now found himself ordering food very often, claiming he wanted to spend more time with his boyfriend than cooking.

The reality? He'd become completely lazy! If it weren't for going to work, he'd spend his days in bed, cuddling Changbin and watching a movie in front of a fastfood meal.

But this new routine began to take its toll on him and his waistline...

You might say that eating so much junk food a day only made him fatter, yet he seemed not to notice how his belly was now resting on his knees, how his thighs had thickened and his hips widened! It was something he had to face every day when he had to put on his three-piece suit to go to work, but he just assumed that Changbin didn't know how to use the washing machine but didn't say anything because he didn't want his lover to take it the wrong way.

- "If your suit's too tight you can have mine, it doesn't fit anyway" Changbin declared before pinching his own belly, he too seemed to have put on weight recently but it was only an addition to his already large and massive body. Just like that, Seingmin began to wear Changbin's old costume without making any sense behind them, as if it were normal for him to go from size S to XL so quickly.

In fact, he was in a state of desilusion, and it wasn't as if the world was hiding from him that he was getting big! His desk chair squeaked loudly when he sat in it, his appetite had increased even morr, approaching that of his lover, and let's not even mention the talk of his colleagues on his back, because obviously no one was going to ask him directly how Kim Seungmin had turned into a whale in just a few months?

The answer? His boyfriend, whom he loved so much that he agreed to have another piece of cake, was the reason why he had to spend almost entire weekends watching movies and eating junk food. The answer? Love.

.˳⁺⁎˚ ꒰ఎ ★ ໒꒱ ˚⁎⁺˳ .

-"Binnie yah come help me my jean don't want to close" yell Seungmin from their bedroom while he was squirming to try to close the button of this pair of jeans (which incidentally belonged to Changbin at the time they met)

The brunette came waddling up to him rather quickly before coming to his side, breathing heavily as if those few smetres of avakt mzrches were hard on him and his big, fat body.

But as soon as he saw Seungmin wriggling into one of his old jeans, he couldn't help but giggle loudly, earning a dark look from Seungmin, who cried out "Yah, you're not helping me!

- "Sorry Minnie, but ... these pants definitely don't fit you, so stop insisting, I've got some others that might fit you".

But Seungmin persisted, for him it wasn't a question of size but of willpower. "It's your fault it shrunk in the washing machine" he then accused him before finally goving up , totally out of breath.Changbin took offence (or at least pretended to) and gave Seungmin a half-confused, half-amused look.

-"My fault? You forgot you did the laundry last week! Besides, I don't think the reason here is the jeans, but you".

- "So it's my fault ?!" The youngest then raged before sitting down on the bed, causing a tear on the back of his pants that made him blush violently while Changbin became even more amused.

-"Now admit it, Minnie, you've put on weight... and not just a little!" He said at last, grabbing the part of Seungmin's belly that was sticking out of his shirt.

-"How dare you say that? I've only had to gain a few kilos, it's no big deal!"

- "Just a few kilos? Jagi , these jeans were mine, I was wearing them when we met. Remember how fat I was even before?" Declared then the brunette with a more understanding tone although amused

Seungmin sighed to himself, he had to face the evidence, if he'd just rip a pair of jeans from Changbin, who was very fat, then he'd probably become very fat too .... although he like the idea, after all, it's not as if he was going to lose that weight by magic.

-"Hyung, I'm hungry, let's order some pizzas!" he declared as he got up, stroking his own tummy to coax Changbin (which worked because he couldn't stop staring intently).

But the brunette didn't try to understand, in this kind of moment words weren't enough, so he just said "What kind of pizza do you want?"

.˳⁺⁎˚ ꒰ఎ ★ ໒꒱ ˚⁎⁺˳ .

- "Minnie, that's a lot of food, I don't think we can manage to eat it all. .."

Seungmin turned to Changbin in disgust, when did the brunette refuse food now?

-"You're the one who told me you couldn't make up your mind, so I took it all, and if we don't eat it all, we'll have something left over later".

-"But it won't taste the same afterwards".

- "Let's make eat now then"

- "I'm going to start believing you eat so much to try and look like me."

- "Or I'll make you eat much as I do so that I look thin even next to you."

- "You'll never look thin with that body" he camebashing as he patted her bellybmasskf lying heavily on her thick thighs

Seungmin just laughed before kissing his lover and adding, "At least I always want to go through the front door!"

-"Only for the moment"

[moltengoldveins]

hey um… I dislike being political on the internet, but like…. If you only draw one kind of person, or your art style really only manages to portray one kind of face or body type or ethnicity with any sort of accuracy or beauty, that’s… it’s not necessarily a moral failing every time, but it is a failing. It’s a lack in your skill. It’s, at bare minimum, a sign that you have not been exposed to a broad range of art and people to draw from in real life. It’s possibly a sign that you haven’t actually learned to draw from reality and instead are photo-bashing together a thousand other art styles who Also only draw one kind of person in your head and creating from that, not from reality. the same way that someone who learned to draw cats from Warriors fanart as opposed to real cats can really only draw A Few Cats In A Few Ways and then recolor them.

Digging a little deeper, it might also be a sign that you are failing to actually see the world around you. Those people are beautiful. Ima stop you right there, because whoever leapt into your head? Them too. Because they’re human, they get the privilege of being beautiful for free. Really, the only thing that can make someone hideous is if they do something to distance themselves from their humanity. Which means that, in most cases, if you cannot see them as beautiful, you are the one failing.

Usually, you’re doing so in one of a few ways: you do not know what is beautiful, you have not learned how to see beauty around you and then replicate it, or you are only willing to see beauty where you already think it exists. This is not meant to be a curse upon you and your bloodline: everyone has these three problems in some respect, because we’re finite and flawed and fallen. But it is meant to make you think about yourself. Why don’t you draw old people as they are, and find them beautiful? Why don’t you draw children? Or boys playing in the mud? Or girls climbing trees? Or people of different races? Or people of different backgrounds? Mothers? Fathers? Grandparents? Siblings? Teenagers? The impoverished? When you polish these people to make your drawings ‘pretty,’ what are you removing, and why? What about those things are ugly? Why? This isn’t just about thinks like wrinkles or distinctive racial features: what about acne? What about fat? What about the space they take up? What about the stains on their clothing? The scar on their chin?

Again. No accusation, just a genuine desire to help you self reflect: why do you draw what you draw, and why do you Not draw what you don’t? What does that say about you, positive or negative? What have you done well? What have you portrayed honestly? Where could you improve?

There is always space for growth here, and a good place to start might be to go find a reference picture of someone who looks nothing like your art style, and draw them as well as you can. Eventually you’ll find them beautiful, but that can come later. For now, we practice! We learn how to draw strong noses or big lips or narrow eyes or wrinkles or children or eyebags or curly hair because we are kinda bad at it right now :/. And we know going in that the first few attempts aren’t gonna look great. They might even look ‘racist.’ But that’s ok! Not doing something edifying for the fear of looking racist is the surest way to never actually learning love and acceptance and respect.

Let’s be honest: maybe you don’t find black people beautiful. I’m serious: maybe you think they’re just strange looking, or you grew up told that they were only ever poor, or that black skin meant someone was unsafe. Maybe you genuinely just kinda think Asian eyes look weird and you’re absolutely dead certain the internet would crucify you for it if it came out. That’s not ideal, but it’s not necessarily abnormal either: humans don’t tend to find foreign things beautiful right away, especially if they’ve never encountered anything like them before or they’ve been taught that foreign things are bad. The important thing is the acknowledgement that that impulse is wrong, the desire to improve, and the willingness to work on that tendency over time.

People fail to recognize good or true or beautiful things sometimes. That’s ok. We dust ourselves off and keep trying, because even if we cannot see the beauty YET, we know it is there, and we are looking for it. Art is out creative reflection of truth and goodness and beauty. Learning to make it more true can only help you improve. Hope y’all are having a wonderful day, and drinking water 💜

[the-good-bad-truth]

Ariana, Selena, Rihanna, Taylor, Camila Cabello and the list can go on and on of these women and many others whose bodies have been criticized and picked apart by the social media and the public over the years. Yesterday, I watched the tiktok that Ariana posted talking about how she’s fine and for people to stop commenting on her body and health. Although, I get why fans tend to worry over their favs when their bodies or appearance changes drastically because in the past many celebs had to practically starve themselves or bring harm to themselves because their labels or team made them keep a certain image. However, I do think that sometimes fans or the media can go a bit overboard with expressing their concerns. For example, if you constantly are talking about how a celeb looks sick, that they're dying, ugly, fat, or that they lost their beauty or are going downhill, then you are crossing a line. Because what if they do have a medical issue or disorder or what if they're at their healthiest and someone commenting that they don’t look like how they did before is not going to make them feel any better. I also think it’s weird that physical looks are so heavily tied to determining the value of a female celebrity or any one for that matter. Like women can never truly look perfect. They are either too skinny or fat, short or too tall, either look too manly, too old, wrinkly, too plastic, their dresses are too short or they cover up their body too much. One example is Billie Eilish, now I’m not a fan of hers but the way the media kind of praised her but at the same time was someone shaming her because of the mystery of her body. She made it known when she was a teen that she liked wearing baggy clothes because she didn’t want people to pay attention to her body more than her music, which made perfect sense. However, people ended up focusing on her body even more especially when some pap photos came out where she was wearing a tank top and people would make comments that she was overweight or on her chest size. She even got more backlash when she appeared on vogue where she was wearing lingerie, I believe and her fans were upset because they felt she was being a hypocrite. My thing is that she grew up, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be covered up just as much as there’s nothing wrong with wanting to dress sexy. I just don’t like how female celebs will get ranked based on their looks like Adele was never seen as attractive but know that she lost weight, She’s hot and a classic beauty or how designers didn’t want to dress Bebe Rexha cuz she didn’t fit their body type. Even the Kardashians, like Kourtney is being praised for showing off her natural body but where was the same energy for Khloe when she was being called Fat and the ugly sister, know she got surgery and somehow she’s plastic and seen as an attention seeker. It’s like Women can never win, but have to be perfect even though there is no such thing as perfect.

[chipkoy]

~The Main Four’s Bios~

I decided to create bios for my new ocs because I absolutely love them already, and I wanna give them all the attention they need!! And I hope y’all love them as well!!

Litton the Knight

Name: Litton Hughes (transmasc, he/him)

Age: 38

Height: 6’1

Sexuality: Gay

Bio: Litton is a British man, servicing as a knight for the kingdom of Utozia. He is very intelligent, he is in fact bilingual, and a little book worm. But for someone who is smart, you can say he sometimes has his head in the clouds, given the fact everyone in his kingdom praises him a lot for being so strong, handsome, etc. Litton grew up in a loving and supporting family, they practically spoiled him with unconditional love, but Litton is thankfully not a snarky spoiled brat. In saving Princess Ellis, he develops a friendship with her. But as for Tog and Lorelei along the journey, not likely. Especially Tog…?

Tog the Orc

Name: Tog (male, he/him)

Age: 40

Height: 7’2

Sexuality: Panromantic, Ace

Bio: Tog is an introverted orc who isolates himself in the middle of the forest. Well, he is not necessarily alone, he in fact has his human mother (Anastasia) that looks after him. Many years ago when Tog was a baby, his parents tried to eat him, but Anastasia came in to rescue the little orc. Tog was raised fair and well like a gentleman, and he definitely wasn’t used to receive love and affection, but he heavily appreciates his mother for looking after him. As Tog gotten older, he trained into being a bounty hunter, so he can collect bounty to support him and his mother. When word was let out that Princess Ellis was kidnapped and need of rescuing, he was promised a bounty of 200,000 coins. But when he finally reaches to the princess, he runs into Litton and Lorelei trying to get to her as well, and he is not fond of those two at all.

Princess Ellis

Name: Ellis Alfie (female, she/her)

Age: 26

Height: 5’2

Sexuality: Lesbian

Bio: Ellis is the princess of the kingdom of Utozia. She is really kind, very soft spoken, and a gentle soul to all. She enjoys writing poems, painting, and creating dresses. What she dreams of doing is traveling to many places, and open a shop for her poems, art, and dresses. As much as her parents support her passions, they are very urgent to get Ellis to marry a prince, and raise a family. But one of Ellis’ biggest fears is her parents discovering that she loves women and have them get upset. On the day she has gotten kidnapped, and she meets Litton, Tog, and Lorelei, she often wonders if they can change her life.

Lorelei the Evil

Name: Lorelei Navahan (nonbinary, she/they)

Age: 32

Height: 5’11

Sexuality: Bisexual

Bio: Lorelei is a wanted thief in the kingdom of Utozia. But “thief” is a naughty word, and they prefer to be called a pickpocket. They’re not exactly a villain, but they’re definitely not a saint. Also they’re kind of a messy thief at times. Lorelei is really extroverted, sassy, and has a feisty attitude. They grew up in an orphanage when they were younger, but they were never adopted because no one wanted them. Due to having a bad attitude, Lorelei never had any friends or partners, but in their adult life they would swing from time to time. When hearing of a princess in need of rescuing, and they meet the princess, the privileged knight, and fat orc, they are totally up for the time of their miserable life.

[baconcolacan]

As a response to your cat post about people ignorance when it gives to petting:

I HATE THAT SO MUCH

As a cat owner, it really upsets me that people do this - to any animal really, but especially cats because they tend to be more obvious in their dislikes than say a dog who are usually bred to do whatever you say and as a byproduct have more subtle signs of discomfort before they get aggressive

But cats are usually very vocal and obvious from what I've seen

Like my girl, who's name is so lovingly Fat Cat, does NOT like to be pet

She's old enough now to where she's grown more accustomed to this and I'm not the only one who can pet her anymore, but any longer than a minute and she starts growling and trying to move away and gets obviously overstimulated - most times, anyway

But often times family will visit who just, for the life of them, do not understand that she is a bitter bitter old woman and DOES NOT like to be handled by anyone other than me and then they get scratched and get mad at her and me for it like I haven't told them every time they visit to not pet her because this would happen

It's very upsetting to see people view pets as objects like this :( they have feelings and emotions and are living creatures, not a toy you get a kid for their birthday only to drop at a pound later in the year because the kid was too young to understand that (to no fault of their own)

Sorry for the rant I'm very passionate about cats

YEAH NO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN YOU’RE SO RIGHT JAY.

My whole life I have always adopted or rescued animals, and usually they came from homes who outright hated them, didn’t even want them, or just completely abandoned them. So I’d like to think I’m a bit more sensitive to an animal’s likes and dislikes.

Cats especially, I grew up with a lot of strays and adopted cats, they ALL had different personalities and their own boundaries, of course they do, and I wouldn’t fault someone who may not be familiar with cat behavior stepping over a line by accident, but when you CONTINUOUSLY make them uncomfortable/disrespect their boundaries, THATS when I have a problem, especially when someone tells you that the cat outright doesnt like whatever you’re doing.

You’re absolutely right about them not being toys, they’re a responsibility, if you choose to take in a pet you are their whole world! They rely on you for so much and you don’t even NEED them (excluding working animals) but they need you.

Taking them in might just be a small thought for us, but to them it could be life or death. I’m so serious about this.

Anyway, respect their boundaries, thats all. It’s like making a new friend, you learn about them the more you spend time with them.

Also heres Parm-o with his uncle Ham. They’re actually asleep rn but I like this pic of them together <3

also cartoon parm lmao cause he usually looks like this

I love you my sweet baby boy 😭

[watsername]

based on the way i’ve seen people talk about content creators online, especially female creators, here’s a list of things i’d receive mounds of hate for .

• being fat

i’m not fat. the point is here that people are so tight with the standard that female bodies are held to that they harass any women who don’t resemble certain body types. typically that means being either very thin or curvy . even then most women no matter how they look are subjected to weight based insults from particularly men online

• being a woman

im bad at the game, dragging my team down, only creating content for sexual validation, i only have fans because i’m a woman and people want to fuck me. but that also doesn’t mean that i’m hot so i can’t let it get to my head <- real behaviour from, again, particularly men online .

• not being perfect at what i do

there’s so much expectation for people who play games, cool, do art whatever to have mastered their medium which is just . not viable . nobody is ever perfect at anything. but content creators get so much hate for not being ‘good at the game’ . double points if you’re female because even if you’re good you’re a woman so 1v1 me slut.

• acne

thinking back to when people made whole posts about how sapnap was gross because he has acne. he was 20 at the time . it’s not gross to have acne . people have skin conditions its literally just normal .

• bisexual in opposite sex relationship

sighs .

• being a 14 year old when i was 14

kids say a lot of ignorant things before they have the self awareness and education to realise what they’re saying isn’t right . ‘i knew when i was 14’ chances are we grew up in different environments and were 14 at different times . that was 7 years ago, people have the ability to chance and learn from their mistakes and holding people accountable is good but basing your entire judgement on an adult person on how they acted around a decade is not going to give you an accurate judgement

• not being aware of american specific history or holidays

a lot of international creators get a whole load of shit for not being aware of or not discussing or not discussing enough about american holidays traditions and history . it’s honestly pretty weird of people to expect international creators to prioritise a different countries traditions and history

and finally

•speaking out on the way people treat me

because that means i’m defensive and hiding something and i’m guilty of whatever the hate is based on . it means im sensitive and i have to get over it and i can’t tell people not to talk to me like that because i have a platform and even though i’m being subjected to the hate im the bad guy for ‘sending people after the haters’ . there’s so much moral policing online nowadays it’s impossible to interact with communities or talk out about treatment from other communities

[shaftking]

Insane anon you got; I grew up with a few chubby kids who stopped being that when we all hit puberty. Puppy fat was exactly what it was and they were all taller than my country's average. I grew up w/ one girl whose mother put her on a diet at ten though. I watched her be utterly miserable until she hit 14 and suddenly all that fat spread as she got taller. Still a bit of chub but definitely more even as she aged. Her father was also a tall, broad and kind of chubby man. Her mother took her off the diet after growth spurt 1. :/ Why she was on it to begin with though? Disturbing.

Some people are weird about pretty normal things that kids and teens experience, especially if it comes down to genes. Nobody can control genetics after all.

Tbh yeah kids being a little chubby is generally nothing to worry about below a certain level, but it should definitely be addressed once they surpass overweight and become obese. Because yeah there’s baby fat that evens out as a person grows and then there’s setting your kid up for an adulthood of weight issues that will have to deal with, and deal with the consequences of.

I don’t really agree with “putting your kid on a diet” insofar as severely restricting them or putting them on some nonsense fad diet, but I do think that it’s fine to put more attention into portioning their meals, helping them understand their hunger cues, and teaching them cooking and nutrition.

I think when a kid is chubby it’s less to do with genetics and more to do with kids just eating more because they’re growing and they’re compensating for the energy it takes to do that that will eventually balance out with their height.

[tallmantall]

James Donaldson on Mental Health - Parenting Tweens: What You Should Know

James Donaldson on Mental Health - Parenting Tweens: What You Should Know Explaining the challenges of early adolescence Writer: Juliann Garey Clinical Experts: Laura Kirmayer, PhD, MSW , Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD What You'll Learn - Why are the early teenage years difficult for kids? - What kinds of changes happen to kids during this time? - What should parents of tweens look out for? - Quick Read - Full Article - Physical changes: - Cognitive changes - Social changes - Emotional development Kids between 8 and 12 are called “tweens” because they are in between children and teenagers. It’s very normal for kids this age to start to move from being very close to parents to wanting to be more independent. But they still need a lot of help from their parents. Kids this age go through big physical changes. Girls may develop breasts and start to get their periods. Boy’s voices may change. Both can grow very quickly. They can become embarrassed about their bodies. The biggest change in kids this age is how they think. Little kids are more interested in themselves. Tweens start to care a lot about what other people think about them. This means they want to fit in with other kids and feel bad if they’re left out. They compare themselves to their friends. Even confident children can become insecure and oversensitive at this age. This is also the time when bullying starts to happen. Kids may not tell their parents about bullying. Bullying can result in poor school performance and even depression. Additionally, tweens become more aware of gender roles and expectations. It’s the time when girls start to worry about how fat or skinny or pretty they are, and feel pressure to be sexy.  And boys get the message that showing emotion or weakness isn’t masculine. Trying to live up to these roles can be hard on all kids’ self-esteem. Kids this age may “try on” a lot of different personalities to see which feels best for them. They may quickly change how they dress, talk or act. It’s an age where kids are trying to figure themselves out, which can be hard on their confidence. As our kids get older we spend a lot of time thinking about what can go wrong during the teenage years. We worry about reckless driving, unprotected sex, alcohol, and drugs—to say nothing of the whole college application process. We’re so focused on the challenges of adolescence, and how to respond to them, that we tend to overlook the crucial stage that precedes it. Pre-adolescence, often referred to as the “tween” years (defined loosely as the years between eight or nine to twelve) is a time of monumental shifts in your child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. It’s a time of growing independence but it can also be scary for kids. So while it’s completely normal for your child to start turning away from you and relying more on friends, kids this age are still very much in need of parental support and guidance—even when they tell you otherwise. In order to help, you need to understand how your preteens and tweens are changing both inside and out. Physical changes: Girls especially are heading in to puberty at an earlier age than they used to. It’s not uncommon for it to start at 9, 10, or 11 years old, with boys tending to trail just a little behind them. Some parents feel as if their little kids have morphed into new beings practically overnight. “My son grew six inches and his voice changed completely all when he was eleven,” says Michael Levine, a professor at Rutgers University. “I kept messages of his little boy voice on my phone for a year because it all happened so fast. I wasn’t quite prepared for it.” Laura Kirmayer, PhD, a clinical psychologist , says that those kinds of physical changes can result in awkwardness, clumsiness, and actual growing pains from extreme growth spurts. They can also cause kids to become really self-conscious about their bodies. And yet, despite how major the changes may look on the outside, they’re not as fundamental as what’s going on inside. Cognitive changes The biggest shift according to Dr. Kirmayer is a complete change in the way your preteen thinks. It’s at this age that kids go from the more literal and self-absorbed perspective they’ve been using to view the world for the first 8 years of their lives to what Dr. Kirmayer calls a “meta-cognitive state.” That means “they’re starting to develop the ability to be aware of their own thoughts as well as others’ thoughts,” she explains. Which means all of a sudden they may go from being blissfully uninhibited to caring what other kids think of them, wanting to fit in, feeling left out, and comparing themselves to their peers. “They’re starting to realize that there are other opinions and values and viewpoints than their own,” Dr. Kirmayer says, “and that’s a whole new world that they’re being exposed to and having to learn how to regulate and tolerate.” #James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com Link for 40 Habits Signupbit.ly/40HabitsofMentalHealth If you'd like to follow and receive my daily blog in to your inbox, just click on it with Follow It. Here's the link https://follow.it/james-donaldson-s-standing-above-the-crowd-s-blog-a-view-from-above-on-things-that-make-the-world-go-round?action=followPub Social changes Because the hallmark of this age is an awareness of others—especially of peers—the social landscape of your child’s life changes profoundly during this period in ways that are both good and bad. Major social factors that come up during pre-adolescence include: Independence: Because of the change in the way they see themselves and each other, pre-adolescents become progressively more attuned to their peers and less identified with their families and parents. Luke Hruska will be 10 in August and this summer, when the family went on their annual vacation to Watch Hill, Rhode Island, his mother, Flossie Crisp, says they saw a dramatic change. “He used to be the kind of kid who at a birthday party would linger on the sidelines,” she explains. “This summer I saw a major transformation where he was sort of drunk with this new-found self-confidence and he’d go hopping off on his bike with his friends at 6:30 in the morning without telling us. So he has a lot more self-confidence in good ways and bad ways because there’s a little bit of swagger and attitude.” At 12, Luke’s sister Bea is already at the eye-rolling stage when it comes to her parents. “She has definitely reached the age where she’s embarrassed by us and she thinks we don’t understand,” Crisp says. Social Hierarchy and Cliques: “Pre-teens are looking more to their peer group for advice and guidance,” says Dr. Kirmayer. “At the same time they’re all going through major shifts physically and cognitively, and are feeling the awkwardness and self-consciousness of all that—and that’s where you can run into some of the really tough social dynamics.” This is the age when bullying can really become a big problem. Molly Cobhern’s family actually moved to a different town because of her middle school experience. “My pre-teen years were terrible!” says Molly, who’s now in high school. At the time, her mother, Tina, admits she thought the problem with the school was mostly academic. She didn’t realize Molly was being targeted by the “mean girls” in her grade. “Molly’s personality was such that I didn’t really know how bad it was because she was like ‘I don’t like these girls anyway, I’m fine, I’m fine.’ ” It turns out Molly wasn’t fine. “She was pissed and angry and frustrated and it had an impact on her academic performance. And so there was tension in the house over that,” Tina says. “We were blaming her for bad grades but she was just unhappy. She had it coming from all sides.” The family moved after Molly finished sixth grade and her mother saw a huge change. “She was 13 when she finally admitted that it had really gotten under her skin.” The Gender Code: The gender code is the barrage of cultural messages received by both girls and boys everyday, from the media, from parents and teachers, from commercials and fashion magazines and the Internet, telling them what it “means” to be a girl or boy—how they should look, act, think, and feel. “The gender code comes in loud and clear at this time, while their bodies are also changing,” says Harvard psychologist and school consultant Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD, “and that brings with it all kinds of issues about what it means to be a boy and a girl that are harmful to both genders.” For girls this is the age when body image issues start to arise. Studies show that self-esteem in girls peaks at age 9 and for many decreases sharply by age 12. Girls are objectified and sexualized at an earlier and earlier age (just take a look at a Bratz doll). The problem and its consequences have become so widespread over the last decade that in 2007, the American Psychological Association formed a Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “If you grow up as a young girl being prematurely objectified, says Douglas Bunnell, PhD, a clinical psychologist, “that begins to create an internal representation of yourself. It’s not just that people are susceptible to the culture, but it actually becomes a core part of the way you see yourself.” Boys don’t have it much better when it comes to the cultural cues they receive. “One of the really hard things for boys at this age,” says Dr. Steiner-Adair, “is that the messages from the dominate culture are so harmful to them about their capacity for love, for real friendships, for relationships. They say that anything to do with real feelings—love, sadness, vulnerability—is girly, therefore bad.” Self-Identity: Don’t be surprised if you see your kid trying on a new personality every other week during the tween years. While kids feel a certain pressure to fit in, they are also experimenting with who they want to be, how they want to dress and talk, and what kind of humor they think is funny. They may take on the role of leader one week, follower the next, rebel the week after that. “They’re still trying to flesh out who they are,” Dr. Kirmayer says. “So you see them trying out different trends. They’re really still testing the waters.” Emotional development Just to add a little more drama to the changes taking place, the early adolescent brain is also evolving with regard to emotional development in ways that makes kids both more sensitive to their own emotions and to those of others. They develop a heightened reactivity to emotion, but their brain development lags in the regions that are active in regulating emotions. “They’re fumbling with the ability to interpret other peoples’ emotions and even their own emotions,” says Dr. Kirmayer. “It’s a tough stage and a lot of parents will talk about how suddenly their child is really moody. It’s normal for kids this age to have these really intense swings of emotions and interpersonal dynamics. But it’s histrionic. One day it’s ‘you’re my best friend ever‘ and the next day it’s ‘you’re not my friend any more ever.’ It can be really hard for parents.” Imagine looking at the world one way your entire life and then having the way you perceive things, including your own feelings and thoughts and your place in the world, shift over the course of a few months. This is the exciting, sometimes frightening new territory your pre-adolescent is navigating every day. She is not the same little kid she was just a few months ago, but she still needs her parents’ support and guidance. In order to set the stage for a good relationship with her as she moves into adolescence, you need to change the way you relate to her in keeping with the seismic shifts going on in her. Read the full article