#I'm usually so monogamous you know?

[phoenixwrites]

WHY DO I KEEP WATCHING THIS SHIT HIGH.

TO RECAP.

If we are to say that this is when Lex Luthor was truly born--his father reacted to him with shock and horror at the loss of his hair. Jonathan reacted to him with loving protectiveness and kindness. And Clark, oh, Clark, the third person Lex Luthor as we know him interacts with--he reacts with an easy love and acceptance. That is the core of who Lex Luthor is, good and bad.

Clark's first moments on earth are when he peeks into Jonathan's overturned car and grins at Jonathan. Then he is curled into his mother's arms. Then he stroked Lex fondly and beamed. And this is the core of who Clark is--the easy tender humor with Jonathan, the fierce love and protectiveness of his mother, and the open friendliness and delight in a kindred spirit.

How could you not ship this.

[calypso-apologist]

hii

Could you do a odysseus nsfw alphabet too? 👉👈 thank u

in one sitting, by the way.

Odysseus NSFW Alphabet ♡

Template by @/the-coldest-goodbye.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

King of Ithaca and Aftercare. He always has everything you might need prepared before he actually suggests having sex and always makes sure he tends to you afterwards.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His? Probably his arms and chest. He likes feeling your body against his as he embraces you tightly.

Yours? First of all, how dare you expect him to pick favorites??? Your eyes. He could just sit there, looking into them for years. Days, even.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Very thick. Usually takes a solid minute or two with each orgasm just to get it all out.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He cannot keep anything that smells like you on him because he will get hard if he smells it one too many times. It was incredibly embarrassing to explain and he will get all red if you tease him about it.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He's experienced with you, if it makes sense. You two have learned everything together. He knows your body perfectly.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Anything that means you're close and he gets to look into your eyes is good in his book, but I think his favorite would just be the good old missionary, honestly.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He's a mix of both in the most loving, affectionate way. He's not completely serious, but not completely goofy, either. It's like the golden middle.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Pretty well groomed, trimmed relatively often to keep it nice and short for you. Much darker than his actual hair, but not dark enough to be considered black.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

All in. Fully. This man is locked in, focused on you entirely. The world could be on fire, but as long as you want him focused on you, he might as well burn alive just to keep making love to you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He (600) strikes me as one of those men who feels guilty about jacking off because he subconsciously thinks about it as cheating, so I'm gonna say he probably doesn't really do that.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Vanilla motherfucker. I see no kinks in this man. His only kink is his love for his partner.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

He's a sap. He loves your wedding bed. There's no better place than your bed.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

You exist. That's it. That's all he needs.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Threesomes, cucking, basically anything that involves another person joining. This man is strictly monogamous, you cannot convince him to even consider another person joining you.

Also, anything that means you're in pain or even the slightest bit of discomfort is out. Not ifs or buts, if it can do anything you won't like, he will die before he tries it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Definitely prefers giving. He's decent with it, not some incredible master of the craft, but he'll keep you very satisfied. He doesn't mind receiving, but he'll always insist on returning the favor.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Slow and sensual all the way. And even when he is fast, it's not so much rough as it is just... him being needy when he gets closer to orgasm.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He's not exactly opposed, but he does prefer regular sex. But if this is the best he can get when you two sneak away for a moment, so be it.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Listen. I'm not saying he would do absolutely anything you asked him to aside from the very few things I mentioned in the N section of the alphabet... But he would do absolutely anything you asked him to aside from the very few things I mentioned in the N section of the alphabet.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Solid three to four rounds on a good day, but he usually settles on one or two slower, more loving rounds. Can he last longer? Yeah, absolutely. But he prefers quality over quantity.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

I dunno, I don't see it. Maybe a blindfold to make you feel everything stronger, but I feel lik even that would be reaching.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He's a service top or a bottom. "I don't tease, I just please" type of guy.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He's not very loud during the act itself, he mostly lets out some low grunts and groans. When he cums, however, he lets out a much louder, slightly high pitched moan. It takes you off guard the first time.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

If he was capable of getting pregnant, Telemachus would have a sibling for each year you two are married. Just because he loves you so damn much and he would love to just make an army of mini-you.

I didn't know what to put here so you get mpreg.

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

WHY DO I KEEP DOING THIS TO MYSELF I'M TOO ASEXUAL TO DESCRIBE SO MANY DICKS

Around five and a half inches when hard, relatively thick. Has a mole very close to the tip.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

I mean... The Odyssey says something about how Athena asked Helios to make the night longer for him and Penelope when they re-united, right? So that should answer this one.

... I need to hurry up with my reading list and finally make it through the Odyssey.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Somehow, he's in complete sync with you. The moment you fall asleep, he falls asleep. So it depends on how quickly you fall asleep afterwards.

[bamsara]

I'll ask, if it hasn't been already - regarding the tags on the fanfic poll:

What kinda things make you click out/give you the squick? I'm so curious 👀

rubs my hands together: could be a mix of things anywhere between character dynamics, personalities or even how the fic is formated

Btw for people who don't know what squicks are: 'Squicks' are just personal preferences that someone doesn't like. Nothing wrong with em it's just not your vibe. (Exp: Like how all my friends HATE tomatoes but I am tomato eater forever)

anyway long ramble list:

Can't read big blocks of text without breaks very well, and I dislike when characters (esp main characters that are talking in every chapter/scene) have bolded or italicized dialogue. I think it's fine for special reoccurring characters but it genuinely messes up with reading flow for me when it comes to taking in information if used too much

If I'm reading a fic specifically for a monogamous romantic paring, I don't care for the 'past lover interest reappears' trope or one of them currently has one, or the love triangle that results in one of them being like 'oh but i love them both i can't possibly choose!' *cough twilight cough* it just makes the relationship feel disgenuine and icky. zero stars. Any mention of a character's past relationship usually makes me just click out, just personally not here for that

-^^^ to go with this, big fan of the 'misunderstanding where someone thinks there's a love rivelry but the third person never had a chance.' Like to the main pairing there's only eyes for each other and that's all they care about, there's just some third person who's there and causing problems (either because someone in the pairing is jealous of the third person thinking they're gonna steal the other when it's not, or the third person thinks they're a love rival when in reality they're not even thought about) *cough Tyren cough*. I think there's a lotta comedy to have with this. Bonus points if it brings main pairing closer together

When characters have linear character development and recovery. I prefer my characters to realistically relapse and bit a little bit of a hypocrite as they develop from start of story to end. Failing and falling short and again makes the final result much more satisfying when they're healing

When characters use 'therapy speak' or otherwise react perfectly 'acceptable' to stressful situations. Again, I prefer realistic depictions of characters under stress, and work out becoming better under that stress rather than just One Big Thing Happen and suddenly they're never going to react negatively or lash out again because another character told them It Was Bad and To find Better Coping Mechanisms.

Unhappy endings. (Or open ended ones) Sorry for hurt/no comfort lovers but none of my fics will have unhappy endings. I like my stories to have people that go through absolute hell and still come out on the otherside

The ace in me doesn't care for fics where physical attraction is a large part of the ingredients that gets the pairing together. Not saying they can't admire each other when the sunlight hits them or wearing a nice outfit but just not a fan of reading about how 'sexy' a character is to another. Probably why I usually blast all my characters with the aspec beam

That's all I can think of off the top of my head but if someone had a more specific question I might be able to answer

[bonefall]

Howdy Bonefall!! Great work wanted to start with that

I'm trying to come with a hyena xenofiction (+ other canid-likes), and I'm struggling with like... Not doing the stupid shit Erins did with the sisters of "in a WORLD where MEN are OPPRESSED". "Actually all the guys are okay with being second class" feels like a cop out, and I don't want to erase such an interesting aspect of hyena hierarchy.

So... I guess I'm going to you sorta for advice? Because you're super cool, and the only xeno worldbuilder I really follow. If you want, feel free to use this ask as a pass to infodump about the sisters instead, instead. Like, your version or the Erins.

Sorey for the long ask bye now

This is a neat question without a totally straightforward answer, but my advice would actually be to look very closely at historical systems with rigid gender roles, and try to understand the role it played in society.

What usually makes xenofiction sexism so rancid is the way that an author states (by assertion or just by subconscious assumption) that their ""natural world"" is bioessentialist, and this is justified because It's Natural. For a clear, STARK example, the Ginga series asserts that male dogs are better than female dogs, just by matter of biology, while also assigning gendered human behaviors (vanity, whininess) to its female characters to make its point.

In Cheek by Jowl, Le Guin points this out as "cheating." The author both describes the world they're writing as "natural," while prescribing their own human biases to it.

With the Sisters, the Erins did this lowkey fascinating thing where they sort of did the reverse. They described realistic, normal cat behaviors, but they're SO repulsed by the idea of not portraying heterosexual, monogamous marriage as ideal that they got scared of their own concept.

Hence the way they've turned on the Sisters, using human values to have the Warriors react with disgust and hostility when they don't have husbands, don't raise kids in nuclear families, send teen males away at 6 months, etc. They're doing the same thing Le Guin pointed out, just in a different flavor.

So-- that's why my advice is to look at societies. If you're anthropomorphizing animals enough for them to consider high concepts like justice and equality, they aren't just working on raw biology. Gender roles can be influenced by sexual dimophism, sure, but look deeper.

WHY do those roles exist? What purpose do they serve to society? Hunting, food preparation, spreading news. Are there materials to be prepared, like clothing or tools? Are there social laws to be taught and remembered?

Are these gendered? How? Why are they divided in the way they are? Are these divisions rigid?

These sorts of questions in humans are not answered purely by biology. Gender and roles are different across cultures and, while most have common trends, nothing is truly universal. Why do Xenofiction writers assume that would be the case for fantasy animal cultures?

Be thoughtful. The phrase "Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History" wasn't a victim-blaming call to action for every girl to start 'misbehaving' to appease the historians-- it was to implore people to appreciate the contributions that women HAVE been making since the dawn of time, even within oppressive roles that downplayed those achievements.

And, I would also call for you to do some deeper research on hyenas, because here's a surprise-- the "male oppression" thing is actually an oversimplification!

Exactly like the concept of the Alpha Wolf, it's only partially true but largely inaccurate. Hyena clans are much more complicated than that.

Hyenas are not actually highly sexually dimorphic. Females are only slightly larger on average. In this way, they are quite like humans; we also aren't massively different between sexes.

Hyenas are so intelligent that they have theory of mind. Shenzi is capable of understanding that Ed likes Banzai more than Banagi, and uses that to her tactical advantage. Shenzi knows that she needs to befriend Banzai to have Ed's support, and then both of them will help her usurp Banagi.

Clans are not matriarchal, they are matrilineal. Cubs inherit their mother's rank, just below her. A male cub can massively benefit from staying in his birth clan because of this-- and that does include inheriting his mother's status.

So that thing about "highest ranking male is below the lowest ranking female" is not accurate. That applies to migrant males, not clanborn.

And here's the real kicker; size and strength is almost completely negligible to which hyena wins a fight. It's ALL about SOCIAL CONNECTION. me and the girlies attending the ides of march

Males are more likely to leave their birth clan and females are not. Leave home and your mom won't help you beat up your bullies, and you can't rely on the other males because they aren't family. This is the reason why females "dominate," they don't disperse so they've got family watching their back.

The idea of hyenas being "bizarro world" where the big, mean sex oppresses the tiny, demure sex is just as much a misconception of spotted hyenas as it is a misconception of human beings.

It would make a downright delicious concept to play with, if you wanted to make a deconstruction of gender roles broadly.

(Disclaimer: this post is intentionally discussing sex in a binary way for simplicity in how it influences gender, especially in a historical context. Sex is not actually binary. Even "bimodal distribution" barely scratches the surface of the topic)

[lamentationsofalonelypotato]

The Best Kind Of Medicine

Pairing: Soldier Boy x f! Reader

POV: Soldier Boy

Tropes: Established Relationship, Navigating New Relationship Jitters, FLUFF

Summary: When Ben hasn't heard from you in a few days, he drops by only to find you in a compromising position.

Warnings: Cursing, Soldier Boy being mean to Hughie (because apparently that's something I always do?), Mention of a strip club? Soldier Boy being a little sexist, Soldier Boy (because he's a warning and we all know it). Soldier Boy might be a little bit OOC. It's mostly fluff y'all.

Word Count: 2.9K

Note: Any references to the reader is made using you or your. I tried my best to proofread, but nobody's perfect. If you don’t like, don’t read, but if you do like, you’re my favorite!

Internal monologue is in italics and is in first person.

Main Masterlist

A/N: This is for @winchesterwild78 💗 I know this is far from small, but I'm sorry that you're sick and I hope that you feel well soon sweetie 🥰

Rain misted through the air, swirling and floating in the yellowed light from the streetlights coating everything in shades of gray as Ben trudged down the dampened sidewalks in the direction of your home. It caught against his leather jacket and slid underneath to drip down his collar, but Ben didn’t feel the chill.

It had been three days since he’d last seen or heard from you, given his history with dangerous supes, Ben felt an odd feeling tighten in the pit of his stomach. 

The two of you had been together for three months, navigating through the awkward phase where Ben didn’t understand what it meant to be monogamous and through the awkward phase of what it was like to be with someone who wasn’t a supe. 

Ben was still adjusting to that, but he was getting better each day. 

He frowned for a moment and tried not to think about how fragile you were, or how someone could and would use that against him if they got the chance.

Ben was worried about you.

He’d been out of town on a mission and unable to pull away from Butcher’s watchful eye. And Ben didn’t like that you hadn’t at least tried to call him. 

When the two of you had started dating, Ben hadn’t understood why you kept calling him so much or texting him, the old him would have rolled his eyes and called you “clingy,” but now he craved it. He liked to hear your sleepy voice over the phone as you fought to stay awake late at night, liked to hear you bitch about something crazy that one of your co-workers had done, and Ben loved seeing random texts from you during his day that you sent just to tell him that you were thinking of him or that you missed him and texts making plans to see him at the end of your day.

He sweeps the outside of your apartment building with a critical eye, looking for some sign of forced entry, but finds nothing and instead types in the security code you gave him. 

Ben frowns slightly at the darkened hallway, the flickering light that the super never wanted to fix no matter how many times you asked, and the faded red carpet that leads to your apartment. 

Ben hated where you lived, but you loved it. It was within walking distance of your favorite coffee shop, your favorite bookstore, and your job- the same one that you often called to complain about and Ben lended an ear to hear you complain, getting just as outraged as you at your boss and the people you had to deal with everyday. He liked learning how your day was, it was the kind of normal that he wasn’t used to, and honestly, it made him feel more connected to your life. 

Ben didn’t realize how much he wanted the life he had with you until he’d gotten it, and like hell he was going to lose it now.

Ben briefly wonders if he’d done something to offend you. He’d done that more times than he could count and it usually took a cup of coffee the way you liked it 

He stops outside your door, eyes scanning the worn wood for signs of foul play, but he finds none. Ben knocks once and waits, but you don’t answer. The odd feeling in his chest tightens again, and just as he prepares to kick down the door he hears something stir inside. 

The soft shuffle of your feet within as you make your way to the front door is thunderous in his ears, but at the same time it brings a surge of relief. It meant that you were alive.

Ben opens his mouth to ask you why the hell you hadn’t called him as the door opens, but the thought fizzles to a stop when he looks at you. 

Your t-shirt is inside out and half-tucked into your sweatpants, as if you’d done it in a hurry, and you have the quilt from your bed up over your head, shielding your eyes from the light in the hallway. Ben’s eyes skate to your face, where your eyes are squinted and your cheeks and nose are flushed bright red with fever.

“Ben?” You croak, your voice hoarse and sticking on his name. “You’re back?”

“Baby? What’s wrong?” Ben steps towards you and you turn away to cough, raising the blanket to cover your face for a moment. Ben can hear the way your bones shake as you do and he feels his heart tighten in his chest like a vice. 

“I have a cold.” You clear your throat, but it only makes you sound worse. “I was going to call but-” Your body wobbles slightly, as if the effort of being upright is too much and Ben reaches forward to pull you into his arms.

He steps forward into your apartment, kicking the door closed behind him, but he doesn’t look away from your face. Ben can feel the feverish warmth of your skin through your thin clothes.

Shit. 

He didn’t know the first thing about how to deal with someone being sick. He’d never, never been sick, not since he’d gotten the injection to become a supe. He figured that was because his immune system got boosted just as much as the rest of him. Not to mention the only experience he had with someone being cared for when they were sick were the memories he had of his childhood with his mother.

He could remember the cool drag of the cloth over his forehead, the taste of the chicken soup on the tip of his tongue, and the way his mother rubbed his back as he drifted off to sleep. 

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.

Ben didn’t know how to do any of those things. Not to mention he figured that medicine had changed in the past hundred years and he wasn't sure what would help you.

You shiver, but turn away from Ben’s face. “No. Put me down.” You wheeze half-heartedly. “I don’t want you to get sick.”

Truthfully, you were a little bit embarrassed that Ben was seeing you like this. You wanted him to think of you as a beautiful sexy woman, not as a snot-filled, feverish mess that couldn’t take care of yourself. You didn’t want to scare him away.

“I don’t get sick Sweetheart.” Ben chuckles, dragging his finger down your warm cheeks to push the hair that sticks to your sweaty forehead out of your face.

He couldn’t believe that even when you were this sick you were still worried about him. Ben hadn’t met someone as soft and generous as you in a long time, someone who was willing to give him pieces of yourself and care for him in a way that no one ever had, not since his mother anyway.

“Please go I’m okay-” Your voice cracks and your body descends into a fit of coughing, covering your mouth the best you can. 

Ben can feel the spasm of your body in his arms. He waits until you can speak again before he answers you. “I’m not going to leave my girl, not when she's like this.”

“But-” 

“No buts. So stop telling me to fucking go.” Ben frowns at your flushed cheeks, before he turns back to the door preparing to walk you to the urgent care across the street.

“Where are we going?” You murmur into his shirt. It was still wet from the rain outside, but you didn’t care. You’d missed Ben over the past few days, and even though you were embarrassed that he was seeing you like this, you were happy that he was here. You hated when he went on missions, it made you worry even though you knew your boyfriend was a little more indestructible than everyone else.

“To see a doctor.”

It was the only thing that he could think to do, given that Ben had no idea how to make chicken soup nor would he try, given it would make him feel like a fucking pussy to step foot in your kitchen.

“I went today.” You curl into Ben’s chest, fingers loosely gripping the front of his shirt, voice still no more but a wisp of what it usually is. 

“And you didn’t fucking call me!?” Ben snaps, but he’s not angry, he’s frustrated. 

Ben hated seeing you like this, seeing the woman he cared about weak and fragile, it was like seeing a shell of the person you usually were. The woman who made him smile despite how much you annoyed him, the woman who made him feel differently than everyone else, and the woman who was changing everything for him.

And the thought that you spent the past three days like this without anyone to help you made his heart clench in his chest. 

“I’m fine-” You choke out. “Just have a cold.” 

To be honest you weren’t sure if this was really happening or if you were having a fever dream. You couldn’t breathe through your nose, your head was swimming, and you were cold, despite being in Ben’s arms. 

Ben sighs. He hated how stubborn you were, but he turned back from the door despite how much he wanted to take you back to a doctor and have them look at you. 

The quilted blanket drags along the ground as Ben steps lightly through your darkened apartment finding his way to your bedroom. He’d been there enough times to know his way around. The two of you spent more time together here than at his anyway. 

Your bedroom is just as dark as the rest of the apartment, but Ben can still see. There are balled up Kleenex strewn all over the floor, half-drunk bottles of gatorade and water on your bedside table, and an unsettling amount of empty Mucinex bottles on the dresser. 

Your laptop is sitting open on your bed, the dull glow of the screen sending a whitish-blue hue over the headboard.

“Why do you have that out now?” Ben asks as he places you in your bed.

“I was doing some work-” You say hoarsely. “Have a presentation-” You slur.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

She’s been doing work like this, but she didn’t fucking call me? 

“Ben, I’m fine.” You shake your head to clear it as if that’ll make the congestion go away, but it doesn’t. “I just need some more nyquil.”

Ben stops your hand before you reach the bottle. “How much of that have you drank?”

Your bleary gaze turns on him, not quite focusing. “I’m not sure. One bottle? A bottle and a half?”

“A whole bottle!”

“I’m fine-” You sneeze loudly interrupting your train of thought and making your head rattle. You blink your eyes a few times, glancing up into Ben’s face looking confused. “Have you always had a beard?”

Fuck she’s delusional.

“Yeah baby I have.”

She wouldn’t be able to stop me if I took her back to a doctor. 

“Really?” You raise a hand to squish his cheeks, eyes narrowing suspiciously as if you don’t believe him. “Are you sure?”

“Mhmm.” He hums, taking your wrist and putting your hand back down under the blankets to warm you. Your skin was clammy and sweat beaded along your forehead.

He’s again frustrated that he doesn’t know what to do. He’d never felt this helpless before and never wanted to care for someone else. But, fuck, he wanted to take care of you and he was far from used to that feeling. Not when in the past he would have called that urge “feminine” and “fucking useless.” 

Ben wracks his brain thinking of something that he can do other than stand there like a fucking idiot, but he’s got nothing.

Absolutely nothing. 

“Ben please go, I don't want you to see me like this.” Your voice comes out nasally and you reach for the box of tissues on your bedside table, weaving your hand through the half empty bottles of gatorade to find it. The room fills with the obnoxious sound as you blow it. 

Ben watches you sink a little further into the bed with a soft moan, the blankets covering you doing little to stop the cold chill that raced down your spine. 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ben asks. 

“I-” Another cough shakes through your body. “We’ve only been together a few months and I didn’t want you to-” You sneeze again so loud that the bed shakes beneath you. “Get grossed out by me or something.”

When you’d told him that you were tired of just sleeping together and wanted to be more, he scoffed at the idea. He didn’t have relationships, hadn’t tried since Countess, and certainly wasn’t ecstatic about going through something like that again. He'd said no initially and walked away, but then he'd thought about it, agonized over it, sat in a strip club and felt absolutely nothing for any of the women in front of him, and woke you up in the middle of the night by banging on your front door and telling you that he wanted to try.

You were different. Ben knew that and he treated you differently than any other woman he’d ever known. You deserved that. 

“Is that why you didn’t call me?” He tried to fight the disappointment that pulled at his heart. He hated the idea that you were afraid to call to tell him that you were like this, that you worried it would drive him away if you showed a version of yourself that wasn’t perfect or together and you’d rather suffer all by yourself in this dark apartment.

Personally, Ben thought you looked just as beautiful now as you usually did whenever he came over. Sure your cheeks were still flushed with fever, your eyes were watery, and your hair was a tangled mess, but you were still you. 

And he’d missed you more than he realized.

Ben felt the warm feeling that he always did whenever he was around you begin to bubble up. It was the same one that made him want to cut and run sometimes, a feeling that he couldn’t ever put a name to and hadn’t felt with anyone else before.

You try to nod, but stop when it makes you dizzy. “I thought I’d be better by the time you got home.” Your voice wheezes slightly and you pull the blankets up under your chin to fight the shiver that courses through you. 

Ben sighs looking at where you sit bundled in the bed, curled slightly in on yourself. “Sweetheart-” He sits down. “I know that I’m not the easiest man to be around, but you’re not going to gross me out.” He gently pushes back more of the hair stuck to your sweaty forehead and you lean into Ben’s touch, sighing softly. “You can’t help that you’re sick.”

“But I look-”

“You look beautiful.” Ben mutters, before moving his hand down from your forehead to your back. “Now, no more talking. I want you to get some sleep.” 

“But-”

“Baby.” Ben says sternly, but it doesn’t hold the same weight, not when he’s trying his hardest not to fold you up into his chest and run you to the hospital himself. “You need to sleep.”

“I have to finish my presentation-”

“No.” He pushes away the laptop, shutting it with a loud slap and he hopes that he didn’t break it. "You need to sleep. It'll make you feel better."

Then again, maybe that’s better. Better I fucking break it than her do work like this. I’ll buy her a new one when she’s better.

You’re too tired to fight him, eyes blinking away sleep. “Okay.” Your voice slurs a little as you sink deeper into the blankets, and Ben’s hand continues to rub soft circles into your back. It’s the only thing that he can think of to do. 

You hum to yourself, hands curling in front of your face as you allow the warm touch of your boyfriend’s hand, soothe you. 

And just when he thinks that you’ve fallen asleep he hears you whisper:

“I love you Ben.”

Ben’s entire body tenses with the words, his hand slowing to a stop against your back. He waits for you to say something else, to laugh or giggle, say "just kidding," but all you do is slip deeper into sleep. It’s the first time that you’ve ever said it to Ben, and the first time that Ben has heard those words in over forty years. 

The warm feeling begins to creep back in again the longer he sits there with you.

He stares down at where you lie listening to your heartbeat begin to slow, watching your breath come in gentle gasps, watching the way you curve towards where he’s sitting subconsciously while you sleep as if you wish to be closer to him all the time, and noticing the way the end of your lips pull up in a smile. 

And there in the darkness of your bedroom, while you’re asleep, and no other living soul can hear him, Ben allows himself this one indulgence, to say the one little thing that he’d never admit he was afraid to do. 

“I love you too Sweetheart.” He murmurs, continuing to rub his hand in soft circles on your back. 

When he's sure that you're asleep, Ben shrugs off his jacket and pulls out his cellphone. There was only one person that he could think of to call at a time like this. As much as he didn't want to, Ben needed someone to tell him what to do.

“What the fuck do I do if someone has a cold?” Ben says as loudly as he dares into the phone.

“Ben?” Hughie answers mildly confused. Ben never called him, ever, but Ben believed that Hughie was just the kind of pussy to know how to deal with something like this. 

“Yeah fuck-face it’s me.”

“Um-”

“Tell me what the fuck to do if someone has a cold!” Ben repeats, but then lowers his voice just a little bit so as not to wake you up. His eyes flick down to where you’re lying, but you don’t stir. 

“Fine.” Hughie sighs on the other side of the line, used to the way Ben spoke to him. Hughie had given up trying to be friends with him months ago. “You should get a pen.”

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, Reblogs, and Comments are not required, but are always appreciated! I love hearing what y'all think! 😊

Taglist:

@roseblue373 @livya99 @mrsjenniferwinchester @zepskies @waynes-multiverse

[tsukii0002]

My demons' periods cycles. By Mc

Note: these are purely my headcanons at the moment, they are based on animal ethology and behaviours that I think would suit each character depending on their personality and Lore. I would love to read your headcanon in case you have them.

Warning: Long text. Possible grammatical errors. It's written as if Mc was writing for themself.

Hey, it me Mc, the best human. Here is a compilation of the behaviours of my demons during their periods, cycles, for practical day to day use. It wasn't easy but I sat them down and got to talk to them, with a little effort I now know what they need. So now I am ready to assist them during these complicated times and be prepared in case I find a dead goat on the porch as a tribute.

Lucifer, Mammon & Levi || Satan, Asmo, & Beel || Belphie, Barbatos & Diavolo || Simeon & Raphael

Simeon

He is totally diurnal, so when he's in the Devildom is always sleepy and a bit disoriented. But with the help of artificial light (what a nice trick magic is) he can regulate his schedule.

Under normal conditions, during his period he spends most of his time awake and alert. But in hell he sleeps much more.

During his period Simeon feathers himself, with new feathers on his wings and fluff covering on other parts of his body such as his chest or lower back, sometimes with different coloured shine (iridescence)

He does not usually show them, but if he is relaxed he reveals his halo and celestial formations equivalent to eyes (among others) Sometimes those eyes watch you while his real eyes are looking elsewhere.

Simeon grooms himself constantly and will groom you with the same intensity. But you don't have feathers so be careful, he can hurt you, you can avoid this by helping him preen so he'll be. distracted.

Simeon's nest is small, cosy and compact, he usually nests in his bedroom. He spends a lot of time indoors, even more in the Devildom.

You won't be able to help him nest because he wants to surprise you. How do I tell him that I don't usually live in nests?

He needs things that give him comfort and remind him of the Celestial Realm.

Bring him lots of flowers and things that are brightly coloured and warm but not poisonous or dangerous, those thing are for Asmo.

Simeon is not territorial. But in his period he have a highly developed protective and paternal instinct.

That's because in the Celestial Realm the younger angels are mentored by the older ones and Simeon plays an important role in this.

That's why Simeon feels anxious without having "his chicks" around, which is why Luke cannot be around during his cycles in the Devildam because he would overwhelm the young angel.

Due to this he cries a lot, so to comfort him you have to let him cuddle and coo at you. (He won't say directly that he wants more chicks but with you, I'm not ready for that Simeon ).

Simeon has a couple of days of pre-heat. Can you tell? Yes, when he starts to eat more protein, to hide blankets in the corners, and when he is more vigilant and follows Luke everywhere, the cycle is approaching.

Although he eats a lot before the heat, he hardly eats at all during it. But being in a different place than usual, with a little insistence he will do it.

He thinks you can't eat without him, he has to make sure he provides for his mate.

Simeon is not non-verbal in his cycle, but prefers to communicate with cooing and chirping, after several days it is easy to identify them.

When he looks at you with his big eyes and makes a little chirp he has you in the bag, he is a master manipulator.

Simeon's pheromones are very strong, and harmful to low-ranking demons, but he only limits the marking to his mate and his nest. (Luke too but he usually goes with Barbatos or to the House of Lamentations)

During the cycle physical contact is a must, as he hardly ever leaves the nest, he is practically glued to you at all times.

Turtledoves are monogamous and spend many hours in pairs, Simeon is the same, he will treasure you as the most important thing in all three worlds.

Simeon's courtship consists of showing off, spreading his wings and puffing out his feathers, (angelic formations also play a part in this).

However, the most important part of his courtship is singing, cyclical melodies and with a wide vocal range ( you can't hear some notes with your human hearing range >:(), he can spend hours singing + make sure he is properly hydrated and rested.

Simeon's senses during his period are heightened, but especially his hearing, any sound will make him alert (soundproofing spells will be very helpful in calming him down).

Simeon's temperature rises. Snuggling next to him means instant warmth, especially in his chest (if he were a bird he would hatch his eggs with his chest, cero proof, cero doubt).

Simeon's purring is like continuous chirping (can it be called purring?), sometimes it produces no sound but you can feel the vibration in the chest and throat.

It is not common for him to purr, but he does it especially when you are about to sleep cuddled together he's so cute when he wraps you up in his wings

Simeon: *crying silently*

Mc: *worried * Hey what's wrong?

Simeon: *hugging them* Mc *sad chirp*

Mc: What's wrong Simeon?

Simeon: I miss the little ones...

Mc: *apprehensive* There, there, how can I make you feel better?

Simeon: *staring at them with tear-filled eyes* make a chick?

Mc: … *cheeks about to explode* maybe another time.

Simeon: *apparently sleeping while his angelic formations watch them*

Mc: … *waving their hand to see if they'll follow it*

Simeon: *the "eyes" follow Mc's movement*

Mc: Heh

Simeon: *smiling* If you're so entertained, I can show you my primal form….

Mc: … Sorry, *kissing his forehead' sweet dreams.

Mc: *wraps themself around Simeon's wings as they caresses them* I'm getting sleepy….

Simeon: *purring as he smiles* I'm going to take you to the Celestial realm.

Mc: *stunned* Won't that be a problem?

Simeon: *softly cooing at them* I don't think so.

Mc: *practically asleep* Hum?

Simeon: *hugging them with a big smile* No one will dare question the couple I've chosen.

Raphael

Raphael is also diurnal, but he tolerates the dark better than Simeon, and he sleeps much less than him, that doesn't mean that in Devildom he is not a little disoriented.

Like most angels, Raphael is feathered during his period, his wings acquire new feathers and parts of his body are filled with smaller feathers and fluff.

In his case he has no iridescence, his plumage blends in very well with his environment.

He lets his halo and celestial formations show normally (he also uses it as an intimidation technique) although he wasn't sure if he would continue to do so after seeing your first reaction to them. They're cool... but kind of disturbing.

He spends considerable time grooming, he is calm and independent, he won't need your help, but he likes you to be close by "as if you were grooming together".

He tries to hide it, but he constantly looks sideways at you to make sure you are still there.

Raphael nests high up, so in the Devildom he nests inside the roof of the purgatory hall (in the Celestial Realm he has several nests, to keep watch despite the period)

He doesn't expect you to be in the nest all the time, but when he rests he does like you to be together.

Raphael feels a bit guilty that you take care of him. Is that vulnerability?

He does not know how to express his feelings well and is very indipendent, although he worries that you'll think that you make he feel uncomfortable or that he does not like you to take care of him, he's kinda cute.

Always alert and vigilant. Raphael is very territorial, he has the perimeter constantly guarded, nothing and no one is allowed near the purgatory hall, several spears are seen around the building as a warning to demons passing by.

It is not sure if it can be considered pre-heat but... Raphael becomes elusive and leaves the house less, he hardly talks to other people outside his circle.

Rapahel, unlike other angels, hunts during his period. So he usually feeds on raw prey, often wanting to share it with you like a hawk. Occasionally an evil imp has crept in and you have quickly released it, demons are friends not food

Raphael is totally non-verbal, his communication consists of small grunts and warning cries.

Ironically, he expresses a lot with his wings. It's funny because his wings make him much more expressive than when he's not on his period.

Raphael's pheromones are not as strong as Simeon's, but he marks much more, the whole Purgatory Hall is filled with his pheromones. Sometimes one of the brothers had been marked.

Raphael become more nervous than Simeon, he's less familiar with the Devildom, so to calm him down, cut off stimuli, cover his eyes while you talk to him and stroke his hair or wings.

Although he likes physical contact, you should always ask permission before doing so or he may become upset. He will do the same before cuddling next to you or stroking your hair.

Raphael's courtship is impressive, it involves Bridal Flights, which consist of acrobatic flights and all kinds of aerial pirouettes to get your attention. In an angel-angel situation the couple would accompany him in flight.

Then he also uses singing, (and it's true, Raphael's voice is out of this world) , you can't fly but you can sing so he'll expect you to reciprocate, if you hum along he'll be more than happy.

The sense that Raphael develops the most during his period is vision, he is able to see for miles this helps him not only to hunt but also to defend the fort.

His body temperature rises during his period this means that he is constantly ventilating the nest, so he wears warm clothes as a precaution.

Raphael's purring is deep and soft. It is impossible to catch him purring, he seems to wait until you are asleep to do it. But all in all it is an indicator that he is at ease and relaxed.

Raphael was the first one to talk to you about the periods of angels and demons, since he felt that as a human you would be the best person to help him in that kind of situation in a new place. Soooo unconsciously he is the one who clarified a lot of things for us... a lot of things, and the one who has triggered all this :D.

Raphael: *preening his wings*

Mc: *laying down next to him* This is rare…

Raphael: *watching them*

Mc: It's almost disturbing... so much independence, used to what I'm used to.

Raphael: *caressing their cheek with his own*

Mc: Thank you, I feel much better now.

Mc: Is it ok if I touch you?

Raphael: *blindfolded* … *nodding*

Mc: *caressing his back gently* You have to rest, as long as I'm here nothing dangerous will happen.

Raphael: *melting into the touch* …

Mc: Do you want me to keep talking? Or do you prefer to be silent?

Raphael: *cuddling up next to them*

Mc: *smiling* All right… today I went to the market…

Raphael: *singing as he stares at Mc*

Mc: *totally enraptured* Wow.

Raphael: *smiling in an angelic manner*

Mc: Damn, that's courtship and the rest is nonsense.

Raphael: *wrapping his wing around them and singing again*

Mc: *flustered* Wow....

.

.

.

If you haveade it this far thanks you 🩷 the angel's part is a little longer but they are only two so...

[tisanegarden]

hey you wanna come camp with a bunch of gays and do archery and climbing and shit? it's in the west midlands, england. reblogs for visibility and comments and stuff welcome

this isn't a big professional ad, it's a volunteer community thing so I'm just gonna yell about it to tumblr and maybe it'll find its people

it's for bi+ folk but we're the opposite of gatekeepers, there's usually liiike 60-100 people, some of them are token cis, monogamous or not-yet-disabled but only some. discounted tickets for fellow poors, extra discounts for PoC. we don't need proof of disability or income or whatever for accommodations cause fuck that noise

uhhh what else do people need to know? it's catered (there's vegan and gluten free and stuff), there's usually a bunch of cuddle piles throughout, and it's the one time of year I can get up, dress as Me and walk outside without worrying I'll be misgendered or stared at

alright i think everything else is in the link, i'm gonna try and learn how to use blaze so i can show it to a bunch of people

[installzoey]

Ever wonder who's on the other side of the screen making fun of you? Let's take a look today at one prime example!

This is someone who posts daily to Systems Cringe. Now, believe it or not, I'm not a system - so I don't have a dog in this fight. But what I am is a good human being. So naturally, someone who spends their time 24/7 bullying people online made me go "yuck"!

but.. who are you letting get under your skin? let's recap!

these people spend all day on reddit, discord, and god knows where else discussing and posting about people they look feverishly online for to post (hi, you found my post by accident, but I'm not a system)!

they think the world revolves around them and DID. they think that everybody has a grasp on syscourse and people you meet in real life will ask about your trauma to see if you pass the validity test or not. but no, because you guys have never been outside, here's how it usually goes talking to someone else IRL: "hi, nice weather today, isn't it?"

they're unhappy with their lives and themselves. let's take a look at the example we picked for today's lesson - they constantly post on Reddit, red flag, right? but what they post about shows how pathetic their life truly is

they're obsessed with my spouse, posting them daily, but sorry, we're monogamous! find another relationship to join and crash..

they talk about how the world sucks because nobody notices their art. I would feel bad but.. karma much?

they post yaoi hazbin art and discuss gay hazbin hotel ships. please, don't let a yaoi viziepop shipper ruin your day - they clearly don't have much going for them already. (no offense to viziepop fans.. smh)

they are OBSESSED with character.ai to the point of posting about it regularly as well. I mean, I knew they needed to touch grass, but wow.. make some real friends! your waifu robot doesn't really love you (or exist!)

they're an adult but browse minor-oriented spaces like teenager subreddits - WEIRD much?

they also just have very weird stances which doesn't sit right with me, especially given the above - like defending the option to romance a child in a video game (because she's actually 200000000, duh) and comparing dating someone with DID to dating an anime child.. wow..

and so much more.. horrible takes and sad cries for help...

So what's the point? I just want to remind everyone that the people on the other end of the screen are often super miserable and unhappy with their own lives, riddled with their own flaws, and use others as a punching bag to feel better about themself and project their insecurities on - like this dude! As someone who again is not a system, regardless of any takes on syscourse, bullying is just objectively pathetic. Do better. And if you're a victim of their bullying, don't let them get to you.

[simpjaes]

Homewrecker! Jake and Husband! Jay universe…

Something about how arousing it would be with Jake begging and pleading Jay to share his (new) wife and Jay finally gives in one time, only for you to sneak around with Jake behind his back multiple times after that😃😃

a very short drabble bc im an absolute feral fucking mess over these two at all times.

"Jay, listen-" Jake pleads without context, downing the rest of his beer as he grips his friend's shirt for dear life. "I'm listening." Jay says off handedly, eyes everywhere but Jake, only because his face is so close to him. Then again, his best friend always tends to get too touchy and close when he's been drinking. "Your wife." Jake whispers against his friend's face, beer-breath all but tolerable. "Just hear me out man, please. It'll be just like the college days- Just hear me out. bro- what if-"

Jay shifts his head to face him, a mere inch or so away from the other man's glazed over, very drunk eyes.

"Jake, what the fuck are you going on about? My wife? What about her?" He warns, knowing the realm of absolutely not's Jake is trying to tread. "Just hear me out man, we're best friends, i'd never do anything to-" "Anything to what?" Jay finishes for him, tensing his muscles and fixing his posture to that of someone who is....somewhat intimidating, despite his own drunk state. Still, this is his wife Jake is bringing up. "Bro I haven't gotten my dick wet since the last time we took that girl home." Jay is...arguably shocked into disbelief by that. He and his best friend never had trouble in the bedroom, in regards to finding someone anyway. "So? What? You want to fuck my wife?" "Well..." Jake offers him a crooked smile, the answer plastered on his face. "No." Jay wavers, his state allowing him to imagine the old times just for a moment. And, well, that no didn't last very long considering his friend's promises of staying in his lane, and his persistence of course. Just a week later, he's watching his best friend bury his length into his very own wife, watching you moan for a man that isn't him all while keeping eye contact. At least he had that, and your mouth, of course, to bury into with little to no fight against your gagging throat. ~ Unfortunately, a one time thing with Jay, your husband, became a thirteen or fourteen time with Jake. Always coming back. Always pleading, persistent, and approaching you with a pre-dripping cock. Jay should know, actually, that you always loved the neediness in a man. Though Jay himself, usually got what he wanted, he played along with your little kink of whining, crying, and begging from time to time. Jake though? He's not playing along. He's genuinely just a needy motherfucker, crying and whining any chance he can get you alone. Unfortunately, Jay trusts the man a bit too much in terms of leaving the two of you alone together. Thirteen or fourteen times too much. Straying hands, pleading fingers, eyes always on the verge of near tears just to get yet another taste of his best friend's wife. That's how Jake is, and you're all to willing to be wanted and needed by more than just your husband. Who are you to say no? Outside of like, you know, mostly being in a monogamous relationship and all. You think hard about it one night, dripping in wet due to Jake's consistent texts asking when you'll be home alone again. Jay wouldn't be so hard to ask. Really. For a third. ~ note: man, yall gonna fucking love the jayke threesome ill soon upload lmaooooooooooooooooooo

[drdemonprince]

I am very very attracted to my boss and it's driving me insane. There's this amazing chemistry and tension between us and all day long we're just teasing eachother and flirting. We're always gravitating towards eachother and happy to see eachother, finding excuses to work together, etc. He is, however, a straight man twice my age who has a girlfriend and I'm a trans guy who could be completely misreading our interactions. Straight guys often banter and "flirt" with eachother so maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe he's just excited to be some sort of a mentor figure to me and he likes to be admired, and likes to see me grow and learn, and that's all there is to it. He calls me his protege which I find incredibly hot. Anyway I'm seriously contemplating whether I should confess my attraction. I'm not really anticipating him to reciprocate, but would do it more so to get rejected so I would be able to stop fantasizing about him all day long and give myself some closure. On the other hand, I don't want to humiliate myself and create a possible distance or awkwardness between us. There would be no consequences for my job so that's not an issue. I was wondering if you have any words of wisdom for me? You always have such a unique yet sobering outlook on things and I would love to hear your thoughts on this situation.

"Unique yet sobering outlook"! That's the kind of compliment I would have put in the word document alongside all my favorite feedback from English professors back in the day when I still needed that. Sincerely, thank you.

I am of several minds with regard to your question. On the one hand, I think straight people are terminally monogamous most of the time and that it would be hell on earth to get involved with this man and draw the potential ire of his girlfriend even if they weren't.

I think it's usually a self-hating maneuver to date a straight man as a trans masc (I have been there, it is terrible) but as a gay man, I support the frisson of danger that comes with seducing a heterosexual and think it would be a baller little feather in your cap to ruin this man's identity and relationship for a fling with you, even if it would be destined to end in agony.

I hear that this misadventure will not affect your job, but I don't exactly understand how that could be true. It sounds as if you work together quite closely and that his flirty banter is part of what makes the gig pleasant, and even if he doesn't have the capacity to fire you (I'm guessing) this affair could devastate the vibe enough that someone else might step in and fire you for its indirect consequences. happens sometimes.

Part of me however does believe in "fuck it we ball" and in being a bit reckless when you find yourself in a moment of raw, transfixing chemistry. chasing after fascinating moments that are destined to shatter our hearts is one of the core aspects of being alive. It keeps us growing, fills us with vigor! Who doesn't want to one day have an interesting story of a love affair like that?

One of my follow up questions would be how rare this kind of connection is for you. If it were me? Someone I truly connect with on the level you are describing is rare, and I've been willing to risk upending my life as i know it over a fleeting few weeks or months of passion before, and sometimes it's been worth it! Some mistakes are worth making, because we will become stronger and more interesting people after they happen!

But another part of me also thinks "straight men flirt with eachother sometimes" makes no sense and that what you are likely experiencing is him not seeing you as a man, or doing the thing some sensitive straight guys do of leeching attention off of queer men to feed their egos. (Which isn't evil, we all need attention sometimes, but it can be devastating.). If he lets you down because he sees you as a man and is not gay, that might relieve the pressure for you and work out fine. If he is into you because he doesn't see you as a man, you two will fuck and it will be horrible in the long term probably. But maybe hot in the short term.

I also think there are probably hotter ways to play this one (and more strategically effective ones) than a straight-up love confession, which would probably force him to bring up his girlfriend as the reason not to pursue it.

I think if you really want to SEDUCE this man you should spend time with him after work, ask him to mentor you on a labor intensive but potentially rewarding project, disclose little personal details that endear him to you, ask him lots of questions about himself, allow him to open up to you about his life... and then strike.

I think it'll be interesting if you go for it, at least. I certainly want to hear the story. But I don't want you to get fired, lose a mentorship that is important to your career, or get your ass beat by the gf.

So I will also tap my followers for their feedback.

[antianakin]

hey, just wanted to say that i appreciate you creating this space to discuss more uh....unpopular takes on star wars. obviously fandom is a hobby and i don't want to ruin anyone's fun! but i also want a space to push back against fanon interpretations without treading on anyone's toes, you know?

like the whole obi-wan catholic guilt trope, jedi repression trope at large...i'm being dramatic but as an asian person, sometimes it sucks that this is such a prevalent idea about a heroic group that was influenced by buddhism and is very asian-coded. i'm not wording this well but just like how stories about european knights often reflect *the very best* of western values like chivalry, honor, gentility, i could really see a lot of the best of asian culture (a huge over-simplification) in the jedi.

but all that being reduced to "oh actually it's totally catholic guilt" or a inadvertently a regurgitation of prevalent asian stereotypes (the jedi as a group suppress individuality, they don't express emotions, they are too harsh, too unforgiving, lack compassion) is...frustrating to see, even though it's everyone's right to interpret & relate to things as they see fit.

especially when focused on obi-wan! even if we assume that obi-wan is repressed, secretly attached to an unhealthy degree but hiding it, or whatnot - the man quite literally airs the dirty laundry in front of mace and yoda, perhaps the "highest" members of the jedi. he says that he thinks anakin is arrogant, isn't listening to him. i dunno but a repressed person who hates confrontation and vulnerability probably wouldn't do that. he should've gone "haha nope anakin and i are totally fine masters, totally fine" instead of looking for advice & airing out his frustrations.

people getting angry at obi-wan for putting the jedi order over anakin is still annoying, but at least accurate. like yes! obi-wan does put the good of his culture and the galaxy at large over his old padawan! good for him!

but honestly all popular fanon obi-wan tropes go round on a roulette wheel waiting for me to pick one to be petty about lmao.

I definitely get what you mean about wanting a space to push back on common fanon interpretations without stepping on anyone's toes. That's obviously exactly why I made this blog in the first place. It's why I named the blog "antianakin" at all, it's supposed to be a giant neon warning sign to people that I'm not going to feel ashamed of some of my more negative opinions. It's why I use anti and critical tags as much as possible, and don't use the more general tags most of the time (aside from just... "star wars"). This is my space to put my feelings out there, positive AND negative, and I work really hard to make sure I'm not invading spaces that are meant for being positive.

I also often don't reblog people's posts that I completely disagree with JUST to talk about why I don't like their take. I won't invade someone's Jedi critical post in order to tell them that they're wrong about Star Wars. People have tried to tag me into posts like that, but I'm not interested in doing that kind of thing. If I DO want to say something about what I've seen, I make my own post about the issue.

It's interesting that you mention that stories about European knights often reflect what's viewed as the best of Western values, because so often when I see people talk about what would make the Jedi BETTER (or Legends versions of the Jedi that they think were done better), it's usually pretty clear that the Jedi are being turned INTO your more typical European knight to reflect those exact values. They're often wandering on their own, doing what they personally believe to be right whenever and wherever they want, defending the helpless wherever they find them by just riding in on a white horse and slaying an enemy or a monster. And of course some of those values they uphold are about what love and relationships should look like, too, so they all end up in committed monogamous relationships (even if it's with more than one person, it's still usually monogamous). This is one of the reasons I started getting frustrated with the High Republic novels by the third one because it started having that vibe that the "good" Jedi who stuck to more "traditional" ways of doing things and "traditional" values were so much more like your typical European knight, while the Jedi character doing something more modern and more political was losing his way and struggling with a desire for things he was repressing.

It's a feeling we've seen come up time and time again and it keeps getting tossed out in more recent shows, too, the idea that the Jedi "lost their way" from what they should've been, that they once used to represent something worthwhile and losing those traditional values is what caused their destruction and the only way to keep it from happening again is to go back to that. It's not hard to see where that storyline feels compelling, obviously, but it IS sad to see the values that the Jedi DO have in the Prequels in particular getting tossed aside as unworthy and to see their defeat being rewritten as THEIR failure instead of everyone else's.

I've had people tell me that this story feels like it has more nuance to it than the Jedi simply being the heroic victims and the Sith being pure villains. And I get why people think that, I just think that there's a lot of nuance they're MISSING in the story being told, and that that nuance exists EVEN WITH the Jedi still being the heroic victims and the Sith being clear villains. I am more than happy to help critique some of the WAYS that that story got told in the Prequels, the issues in the structure of the Prequels and how it maybe muddied some of the messages that the story was trying to get across, but I also think that that critique is SEPARATE from my feelings on the intended narrative itself. I don't think that the narrative itself is bad or lacking in nuance simply because it may not have been told perfectly. And, personally, I think that some of the more "nuanced" Jedi critical takes often seem INCREDIBLY simplistic themselves.

As for Obi-Wan, fandom will do what fandom does to its darlings. I've certainly done my fair share of simplifying my faves down to shadows of themselves because I happened to enjoy the shadow sometimes in its own right. But I do think that there's plenty of evidence to contradict a lot of people's more popular interpretation of Obi-Wan as a repressed, damaged, traumatized waif. I don't mind a LITTLE of that sometimes, usually when I read fics set in the early years of his apprenticeship with Qui-Gon following some of the events of Jedi Apprentice, but it comes with the context that Obi-Wan is still VERY YOUNG at the time and is dealing with some fairly specific things that have just happened to him and is still learning how to do that in a healthy way.

By the time you hit The Phantom Menace and ESPECIALLY the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan should no longer be a repressed, traumatized waif of a person. That's when it stops being believable to me because the character we see on screen in that time period never fits that description. Like you said, he's ACTIVELY confrontational to his superiors. He does do it with Mace and Yoda (and he does it in ROTS as well as in AOTC) and he does it with Qui-Gon during his apprenticeship, too.

The one other time I was willing to accept some of this characterization was in the Kenobi show where we do see him being more repressed and traumatized and less willing to stand up for himself when faced with confrontation with people like Owen. But one of the reasons this worked for me is because, much like with those JA fics, it comes with a VERY SPECIFIC CONTEXT, and it's done with the intentional purpose of giving Obi-Wan somewhere to develop. He also doesn't stay particularly submissive or waif-like for long, we see him gain back a LOT of his willingness to stand up for himself and confront people by the second episode. The message wasn't that Obi-Wan had ALWAYS been damaged and traumatized or that he was always "meant" for sadness or whatever, but that he had the capacity to find happiness IF HE CHOOSES TO ACT LIKE THE JEDI HE ONE WAS. The only reason he's struggling is because he ISN'T acting like a Jedi anymore. He's not finally figuring out how to handle his traumas, he's GOING BACK to being the person who can handle his traumas.

Anyway, yeah, I feel you, I have definitely experienced the roulette wheel of petty frustration at fandom interpretations of Obi-Wan lol. I can barely handle the "he drops his lightsaber all the time" joke because I feel like it often makes him come across as childishly incompetent.

[absolutepokemontrash]

Biggest fic squick is a mean mammon. I know these are all our little dolls to wiggle around and make kiss but I just can't take Mammon seriously as an antagonist in fics (usually jealous that MC is with another brother). Making him jealous? Making him try to win MC back? sure, sure. still not really my cup of tea but it's whatever. but when they make him straight up mean? Verbally or sometimes physically abusive with MC? Just can't do it. It just seems WAY too out of character for him, even IF I try to mentally lean into the greed-centric yandere interpretation, he is just literally too sweet and selfless and self-effacing in canon for me to ignore.

imho if he's jealous and trying to make MC break up with one of his brothers it's wacky and kind of endearing shenanigans that end with him crying after a serious conversation that MC is happy with the other brother and then he just teases them like a normal person. In canon all the brothers share so it's hard to take anything TOO seriously when fics choose to make it a monogamous thing (again, which is fine, you do you!), but MAMMON of all brothers? I'm out

EXACTLY!!! Jealousy is one of my least favourite tropes, but Mammon is the only exception because the narrative makes it clear it’s not meant to be taken seriously and is meant to poke fun at Mam, not MC.

He’d cry like a BABY if he actually genuinely hurt MC or one of his brothers in his pursuit of MC.

In yandere fics though, I don’t read them, but I see no problem in pushing his greed to a more possessive, dangerous level because that’s the genre of the fic! But in like- *normal* AU fics that are meant to stay close to their canon characteristics, no way. Not my Mammon, and I’d know, I’m a connoisseur of Mammonism (not in the capitalism way-)

[ratsplendor]

favorite fiddlestan headcanons GO!!!! as many as you can and want to think of!!! (and fiddauthor if you want to add them as well!)

deranged anon, lowercase this time

ok ok lightning round.

fiddlestan:

nobody in this house brushes their hair.

there is a ridiculous amt of oral fixation going on. if it's in one of their hands, it has been in their mouth or will at some point. more than once, chewing the same pen has led to one of them finding out the other has been smoking in secret behind the house again.

they're just. so gross man. Fidds will see Stan scratching his ass and go That Could Be Me. what does he mean? everything you can imagine and some things you can't.

said it before but Stan will just pick the guy up if he wants Fidds to come with him somewhere. or move him casually out of the way.

Stan is the more romantic one, not that either of them is especially romantic. like i have a HC that part of comphet for Fidds = always doing the perfect, expected, traditionally "romantic" things so he's not as prone to those grand romantic gestures now that he's no longer in the closet. having them *directed* at him, however--he starts thinking shit like I want you to get me pregnant.

^ that's actually a thing i could see myself writing at some pt. fiddlestan breeding kink. usually i'm not into it for m/m stuff but. smth about it man.

quickest way to get bent over the nearest surface is to cook for Stan.

they like to crash weddings together when they're bored. there are a couple popular venues where the staff know it's on sight. they are only non-monogamous when crashing weddings because whoever can blow or get blown by a groomsman is the winner, double points if it's the best man, triple if it's the groom.

fiddauthor:

it's very hard to pin down a timeframe for "having sex" in this house. sometimes it's exactly what you'd expect. others, foreplay pauses due to Ford getting distracted by infodumping or Fidds needing to write down the idea he's just had, and then they flow back into it like nothing happened, only to start chatting while actually having sex about how they could innovate (tm) whatever it is they're doing to be more efficient, etc. so some days are just round after round of starting/going in circles/picking right up where they left off/etc.

Ford's favorite weighted blanket is Fidds in his lap. they might as well only own one chair with how often they're just. working like that.

Fidds is the one who tends to be the picture taker, or to encourage Ford to slow down and actually enjoy an experience for what it is instead of getting all scientifical about it.

meanwhile Ford will keep Fidds on track with more analytical or professional type stuff when he's getting too hung up on the details or lost in the moment.

Ford likes to dress Fidds. it's not necessarily in, like, a kinky way. he just really likes tying his shoes for him if they come undone, or ironing a shirt for him for the next day, picking out a tie for him, helping him put his coat on, etc. it's like an act of service/intimacy that he really digs.

they are Obsessed with each other. like, if they could crawl inside each other's skin, they would. Ford has like a million drawings of Fidds (awake AND asleep) and Fidds will just follow him from room to room standing like way too close the whole time.

i think that's abt all i've got for now <3 ily deranged anon! thanks for the ask!! :)

[velvetvexations]

i know you dont usually get caught up in polyamory discourse super often but good fucking lord, anti-polyam people are so insane. "if someone im dating said they wanted to be polyam, it must be because im Not Enough For Them and i'd [describes graphic suicide and/or murder]" like. wow. one: your romantic partner should not be your sole emotional support, and two: if you were "not enough for them" they would probably just. leave you?? asking to be polyamorous means knowingly and willfully preserving their relationship with you in a world that tries to force monogamy on everyone. it really should be interpreted as an act of continuing commitment because they weighed the options between breaking up w u to pursue someone else and still trying to stay with you while adding a third person and still chose to stay with you. speaking as someone who made that decision once in my life, i chose to be polyam because i loved two people with equal intensity and the idea of being forced to choose between them made me want to die.

the way these people speak in such violent and hyperbolic hypotheticals just really makes me think of conservative parents who talk about beating their kids if they turn out gay/trans. like seriously. anti-polyam people are so drenched in jealousy that they imagine killing themselves at the mere THOUGHT of having a polyamorous partner and it drives me insane that people will say shit like that and then turn around and try to eject polyamorous people from queer spaces on the grounds that polyam ppl aren't oppressed or mistreated. like. polyam ppl cant get married to all their partners. huh. it's almost as if the right to get married to those you love isn't considered an important fundamental right in society any more the moment the assimilationist gays got their gd white picket fence fantasy bullshit.

sorry but i just see so much hatred for polyam people and it gets so fucking old. societally enforced monogamy IS oppressive, some people just refuse to see it as such because they're personally monogamous and knee-jerk hate anyone who isn't. almost like theyre, yknow, bigots or something.

Yeah, that's all fucking bullshit anon. I'm polyam as well and we kick ass. <3

[endless-weightless]

Random nameless ghoul headcanons (SFW and NSFW)

I'm taking the piss with all of these. And remember, kids, this is fanfiction!

I mostly just wrote about the current ghouls but I'm more than happy to write about any past ghouls if you guys want!

TAGS/WARNINGS: mating cycles, CNC, weed mention, primal play, polyamory and orgies,

SFW✄

All of the ghouls have a specific scent but Mountain for some reason can emit any particular scent so long as it's earth related. He usually smells like pine trees and grass but if any of the ghouls are anxious leading up to rituals or just worried in general he'll make himself smell like lavender because he knows how calming it is.

Mountain is also victim to clothing robbery because he smells so nice and is SO DAMN TALL.

They're some of the most open-minded and accepting people you'll ever meet.

Full moons tend to have a weird effect on the ghouls. Not as bad as say a werewolf but they definitely become a bit more... feral. The less extreme effects would just be heightened senses and craving gamey meats more while the worst of the worst would be bordering violent and definitely nsfw (see nsfw for more on this). They'd probably call it a hunter's moon (badum tss).

All of their eyes glow very faintly in the dark.

Their pupils are like a mix of feline and just regular ol' human.

They all have claws but Aurora and Sunshine are the only ones who actually have them out because everyone else needs short nails to play their instruments.

They all purr when they're happy or they're experiencing physical affection, though the volume and intensity varies depending on the ghoul.

Mountain sleeps like a log unless he's sharing a bed, then he's everyone's teddy bear and always has an arm around someone whether he agreed to it or not.

Rain absolutely HATES throwing up.

Swiss and Sodo convinced Mountain to grow marijuana by letting him try some. The ghoul den now constantly smells faintly of weed.

All of the ghouls have their own bedrooms but prefer to cuddle with each other and usually just make a nest out of blankets and pillows in the main common room area and turn it into one giant bed for everyone.

Cirrus and Aether tend to take on an almost parental role in the group just to keep the newer ghouls in line which can be draining at times but rewarding in the end.

They all have black tails and horns that are pretty much identical with the only difference being everyone has a slight tint to theirs depending on their element (Sodo's are red, Rain's are blue, Phantom and Aether's are purple etc).

Their fangs aren't actually too sharp. Could be because they've just become blunter over time with less need to bite actual people.

Most of them straight up act like cats depending on how new they are to the mortal plane. Since Omega’s been on earth the longest, he acts more closely to a human than Phantom, who is fresh out of hell.

Zephyr gets really bad chronic leg pains which is why he's always sitting while performing and so quick to sit back down after finishing the Mummy Dust solo.

Aurora has super painful cramps leading up to her heat so Sodo has taken it upon himself to use his hands as a heating pad for her (which he will do for anyone in need of a heat pack).

NSFW✄

If you had to make a spectrum of all the ghouls from most submissive to most dominant, it'd be Sunshine, Phantom, Rain, Cumulus, Swiss (ultimate power switch), Aurora, Ifrit, Sodo, Mountain, Zephyr, Cirrus, Aether, Alpha and finally Omega.

None of them are strictly doms or subs, they like experimenting and switching things up every once in a while to keep things interesting but they certainly have preferences.

They all enjoy both monogamous and polyamorous sex equally. Sometimes they just want soft intimate sex with one person or they're just craving multiple people.

Full moons don't make everyone horny in an "I need to impregnate someone/be impregnated now" way, they make the ghouls horny in a primal way...

Some of the ghouls that are more affected by the full moon or just enjoy primal play with a bit of CNC will sometimes ask some of the siblings of sin and/or you if you'd all be comfortable with letting them "hunt" you down.

Aether and Cirrus have sleepy and lazy sex when they're tired from dealing with the ghouls and need a break and some relief.

Mountain is always looking down the sisters of sin's and the ghoulette's tops to see their cleavage. In his defence he's pretty fucking tall and can't help that he has to look down to talk to people.

If anyone in the group, including you, are feeling lonely, stressed or just exhausted and in need of some kind of relief, all of the ghouls are more than willing to give head to anyone for hours, making sure they cum at least four times before they let them have a break.

All of them have a marking kink because of their need to mate during heats and ruts.

They all go just a teensy bit feral when they pick up on the scent of a virgin with Swiss being the most dramatic about it.

And if someone doesn't smell like a virgin but instead like ghoul, they still go feral because ghouls like sharing when the moon isn't full.

Aether feels the constant need to slap every ghoul and ghoulettes ass possible, even Sodo.

Aurora, Zephyr and Phantom the most handsy out of the ghouls.

Heats and ruts are already hellish enough, but what makes it worse for the ministry is how only half of the ghouls get their heats and ruts at the same time while the other get it the other half of the time, which basically means twice as many heats and ruts in a month.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

that's all my lovelies, lmk if you want any more!

[valyrfia]

people playing morality wars with f1 drivers is so funny. "all f1 drivers cheat EXCEPT MY FAV!!" no babe your fav definitely cheats too

tmi time - i dated a pro athlete (not motorsports sorry) when i was in my early 20s and like...... it's the kind of thing where if you go into it knowing it's essentially an open relationship it's not bad at all, i don't think there's anything morally wrong with it. i'm sure that sounds a little bleak to people who love the idea of pure monogamy but it's not the same when you've already established when you're apart you're going to be spending time with other people 🤷🏻 the issue is only if they lie and say they won't but then they do it anyway, but i've honestly never met the partner of an athlete that seriously thought this. everyone i met during that period was actually really mature and understood what the open relationship meant (even though a lot of them were influencers and came off as vapid, i was humbled by how smart most of them actually were negl)

you also need to be capable of separating your love for the other person from your personal desires like with any open relationship.... which i have a feeling a lot of people who like formula 1 are too young to fathom (and to be fair some f1 drivers probably *are* too immature to pull off a stable relationship like this, but i wouldn't hazard to guess who - we just don't know them like that and i find people guessing usually devolves into low-key fandom wars)

we love personal anecdotes on this blog thanks for sharing anon! if you ever want to share more insights…..im fascinated to know more just ab culture/inherent power imbalance in WAG/athlete relationships….

I agree a lot of people in the f1 fandom still have a very fairytale view of relationships—which I argue the WAGs/drivers are also trying to sell you because it increases their PR power. Open relationships are more common than people realise (whether it’s handled with maturity….well that’s another thing entirely) and you can still afford a partner dignity and respect while being in one (whether all pro athletes are good at doing it is a separate thing). The realisation that physical intimacy and emotional/romantic intimacy are two entirely different things is a realisation that comes with age, and some people ARE very naturally monogamous and some people just….aren’t. There’s no wrong or right way to go about it so long as all parties know the expectations. I think the only place where I would apply morality/criticism to it is if a driver is very obviously humiliating their partner with their actions because their partner wasn’t aware. Otherwise who careeeees your honour.

Last point quick that I think sometimes people care so much esp in fandom spaces/spiral into fandom wars because it shatters a fantasy. Which, people are entitled to their fantasies but I also think one has to have enough self-awareness to know they’re being sold a fantasy. Which maybe comes with age. But either way I don’t really give a shit if let’s say Charles or Oscar or Max is cheating (apart from the natural titillating nature of hot goss) because no aspect of my moral ‘worth’ is based off my support of them, all I need out of them is good racing and rpf.