#It's still a work in progress but I just want you all to know I am still alive

[ace-of-bass]

All of this is real but I wanna add on a personal story that's the reverse of the original post, just so folks don't think all is lost.

When I was growing up, my parents were staunch Republicans. Both of them are very Evangelical, both are from from southern families, both were military brats, and my dad spent 20+ years in the air force. Not a combo that's particularly well known for making people less conservative. My mom tells me that when my parents were in college in the early 90s my dad could've been a Young Republican.

I think my dad's mind began to change around the 2008 election, when we lived in DC. DC is a fairly progressive city, though it's also a military town, and for the first time my dad knew people at church who were liberal and had productive, respectful conversations with them. He still disagreed, but he understood that it was a difference of opinion - not that liberals were evil or stupid.

My dad's mind further changed in 2014, when he was deployed to Afghanistan. He became really close with his translator, who was working and hoping to immigrate to the US - actually I think his first translator did immigrate while he was there and he had a second one for the last couple months he was there. He also saw the incredible hospitality of Afghan people and was blown away by it. He still keeps up with his translator, who lives in Texas now. One thing he said to me at the time was something to the effect of, "Afghans are just like us. They want a better life for their children and are willing to work hard to attain that."

I couldn't trace the evolution in my mom's beliefs quite as well, since she was less outspoken about her politics when I was a kid, but I know a couple things more recently helped move her left. One of our good friends from the church we attended in Arizona, a kid a couple years older than me, came out as trans a few years after we moved away. When we knew her, she had always been thoughtful, intelligent, and well-spoken, as had her mom. When she came out, her mom was unflinchingly supportive, despite plenty of transphobia from other people at the church. My mom didn't actively join in either side but watched it play out on facebook. A few years ago, after the Club Q shooting in my parents' current home of Colorado Springs, my mom said that she thought that all the homophobia and transphobia from the church was wrong. She said there were maybe some Bible verses against being gay, but she couldn't think of any that were against being trans.

But the thing that got my mom really fired up against the republicans was COVID-19. My sister is immunosuppressed and so the isolation of the pandemic hit my family particularly hard, since it was really not safe for them to go anywhere. All the while, conservative voices at their church insisted that services go on as usual, in person, masks and tests not required. This was life or death for my sister, and the callousness of my mom's community broke her heart, I think, and also got her upset at the republican party and Donald Trump (someone my parents had never liked). In 2020, my parents cast their first blue votes.

As my beliefs have rocketed leftwards, my parents' have less quickly. But I still find it fairly easy to talk about politics with them, as long as I don't use the most inflammatory language. Last year, my dad brought up not liking Biden's foreign policy, and said that the handling of the situation in Palestine was a disaster. He said, "I'm not pro-Hamas, I mean, they are a terrorist organization, but the response from Israel has just been so incredibly outsized and unwarranted, and Biden has done nothing against it." Maybe not #fromtherivertothesea, but a more progressive stance than most would expect.

Anyway, I think this reiterates what prev said, that you have to be continually progressing forward. My parents haven't ever been radical, but they've always been open to new ideas, new experiences, and new perspectives, listening to others and hearing what they have to say. If you strive for those things, I think that will do a lot to inoculate you against propaganda.

[4milly]

make it to morning • jimmy u. 1

gif credit @punksrhea.

the tales of 2 roommates, and 1 man.

warning: unprotected sex, possessiveness, cheating, fingering, drunk sex, sex tapes, secret-relationships, pillow talk, oral sex (both m and f receiving), sneaky links, exhibitionism, manipulation, (warnings will update as story progresses)

parings: trinity x jimmy uso x malasia (black!oc) (no one is married in this story!)

inspired by @msbigredmachine !!! <3 for this amazing marvelous piece here xoxo ❤️

the music pumped through malasia's body. that mixed with endless counts of reposado shots? wasn't going to end well. she could feel the room beginning to turn. people jumping up and down all over the place, screaming out sexyy red's lyrics, the heat from the club. it was all damn near suffocating

if i don't get out this bitch, i'm going to fucking faint.

"girl, you good?" trinity yelled out above the music, and slightly less drunker than her.

"yea! i-i just need some air." she stumbled out of the section towards the outside. unaware, of trinity behind her.

trinity and malasia were far from best friends. or even friends. it was trinity's birthday, and wanting to be kind, she invited out malasia.

that was their relationship: practical, transactional. their paths rarely crossed in the apartment—trinity worked nights at a high-end restaurant on ocean drive, while malasia designed websites from their tiny dining room table.

they'd established silent routines: trinity made coffee before bed that malasia would reheat in the morning; malasia would wash any dishes before trinity woke up at noon.

the ad had been simple enough: "roommate needed. 2bed/2bath. south beach. $1100/month + utilities." malasia had responded within minutes of seeing it pop up on craigslist, desperate after her ex-boyfriend had decided their five-year relationship wasn't worth continuing—or helping with rent. she'd attached a brief bio, mentioned she was clean, employed remotely, and needed immediate housing. trinity had responded with equal brevity: "apartment tour thursday. 6pm. don't be late."

they'd spent exactly forty-seven minutes together before trinity handed over a key and a list of house rules. rule #7: "don't expect us to be friends."

"you feeling better?" trinity asked now, leaning against the railing. her birthday crown sat crooked on her braids, catching the neon lights from the club sign.

"yeah. just… went too hard." malasia took a long sip of water. "you didn't have to follow me out here."

"i didn't expect you to invite me tonight," malasia admitted, the tequila still loosening her tongue despite the fresh air.

trinity shrugged, "seemed rude not to. we've been living together for almost a month."

"living together" was a generous description for two people who existed in carefully orchestrated shifts to avoid meaningful interaction. malasia had moved to florida for a fresh start—new city, new people,

new malasia.

but so far, her fresh start consisted of zoom calls, takeout for one, and the occasional awkward nod to trinity in their shared hallway...

"well, h-happy birthday," malasia slurred and offered lamely, suddenly aware of how disheveled she must've looked.

trinity studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable in the dim light. "you know, you're nothing like my last roommate."

who? before malasia could ask, even though she could've cared less, jimmy and jey, jimmy's twin brother, busted outside, "damn, there y'all ass is. y'all wasn't gone say yall left out?" jimmy's voice boomed

"we just needed some air," trinity said, straightening her crown and immediately gravitating toward jimmy. his arm snaked around her waist possessively, but malasia couldn't help noticing how his eyes lingered on her—a fraction too long, a shade too...interested.

"you good, asia?" jimmy asked, his voice dropping an octave lower than when he'd addressed trinity. "looking a little unsteady on them heels."

"i'm fine," malasia managed, though the world still tilted slightly beneath her feet.

the tequila was playing tricks with her equilibrium, but she wasn't so drunk that she couldn't recognize the appreciative way jimmy's gaze traveled from her face down to her silver mini dress and back up again

jey cleared his throat. "yo, trin, that dj just announced they doing birthday shoutouts. you might wanna get back in there."

trinity's face lit up. "for real? hell yeah!" she tugged at jimmy's arm. "baby, come on."

but jimmy was still looking at malasia, that slow, deliberate smile spreading across his face—the same smile she'd seen three days ago when he'd "accidentally" brushed against her in the kitchen, his hand grazing the small of her back as he reached for a glass in the cabinet above her head. when he'd comment on her workout clothes as she passed through the living room.

"what about your roomie?" he asked, thumb brushing trinity's hip bone while his eyes remained fixed on malasia. "she don't look too good."

malasia swallowed hard. the way jimmy looked at her made her skin prickle with a confusing mixture of discomfort and something she refused to name. this was trinity's man—trinity who might not be her friend but who had still invited her tonight, who made coffee she could reheat, who had given her a place to live when she'd had nowhere else to go.

"nah—nah, i'm cool. i'm gonna just head back home." malasia had redirected the conversation back to trinity

trinity hesitated, clearly torn between her birthday spotlight inside and the roommate code she pretended not to care about. "you sure? we could all bounce if you're—"

"nah, baby, it's yo night," jimmy cut in, his voice smooth as butter. "i'll take her home. jey can stay with you, make sure you get all 'em birthday shoutouts."

"no no no," malasia quickly started, "i can call an uber or something. you should stay."

"it's cool," jimmy continued, already pulling his keys from his pocket. "i'll come right back. twenty minutes, tops."

malasia hesitated, her mind a fog of tequila and uncertainty. trinity's eyes narrowed slightly, but the pull of birthday attention was stronger than whatever suspicion flickered across her features.

"fine," trinity finally agreed. "but come right back, jimmy. it's my night." she pressed a quick kiss to his lips, her crown tilting precariously.

malasia gave trinity a small smile—part gratitude, part guilt—as jimmy's hand found the small of her back, guiding her toward the parking lot. she could feel the heat of his palm through the thin fabric of her dress, his fingers splayed wider than necessary.

"this way," jimmy said, his voice close to her ear. the parking lot was a maze of luxury cars and valet attendants rushing between them. jimmy's matte black g-wagon sat in a reserved spot near the entrance, gleaming under the streetlights like some predatory animal

he reached around her to open the passenger door, his chest pressing against her back for a moment longer than required. the leather seat was cool against her bare thighs as she slid in, suddenly aware of how high her silver mini dress had risen. she tugged at the hem, but the metallic fabric refused to cooperate, clinging to her skin.

jimmy walked around to the driver's side, his eyes never leaving her as he slid behind the wheel. the interior smelled of expensive cologne and new leather. he started the engine but didn't put the car in drive, instead turning toward her, one arm draped casually over the steering wheel.

"you good, ma? " his eyes traveled slowly from her face down to where her dress had ridden up again, exposing the smooth expanse of her thighs. "that dress straight fire on you."

malasia shifted uncomfortably. "thanks. can we just—i really need to get home."

he finally put the car in reverse, backing out of the space with one hand on the wheel, the other resting dangerously close to her knee. the music came on automatically—something slow and explicit that made the already small space feel even more intimate.

"you gotta man?" jimmy asked as they pulled onto the main road, the club's neon lights fading behind them. his question hung in the air between them, heavier than it had any right to be.

"no," she answered, then immediately regretted it. "i mean—i'm not looking for one either."

jimmy chuckled, a low sound that seemed to reverberate through the luxury car's interior. "everybody looking for something, asia." the way he said her nickname—drawing out the syllables—made her skin prickle, "good as you look? somebody fucked up."

at a red light, his eyes drifted to her legs again. "where's your dress from? it's cute, ma." his eyes flicked down to her thighs, his fingers tapped against the leather steering wheel in rhythm with the bass-heavy music.

"some boutique on lincoln road," she mumbled, tugging at the hem again. the dress had seemed perfect when she'd tried it on—sexy but not too revealing. now it felt like shrink wrap under jimmy's gaze.

"you must be making good money with them websites trinity says you design."

the mention of trinity's name sent a flush of guilt across malasia's face. trinity might have been just a roommate. but there was something about the way jimmy's eyes kept finding her in the dark that felt like a violation of something unspoken, something that existed beyond friendship. a roommate code. something.

trinity, who had invited her out tonight when she could have left her sitting alone in their apartment. trinity, who despite their careful dance of avoidance, had never been unkind.

"you quiet, ma," jimmy said, his voice cutting through her thoughts. "that tequila got you in yo feelin's or what?"

"just tired," she lied, pressing herself closer to the door.

her phone buzzed in her clutch. a text from her friend jade back in chicago: "how's the birthday party? meet any cute miami guys yet?" the irony made her stomach churn. or maybe that was the tequila. either way, she left the message unanswered, the blue light of her screen illuminating her guilty expression before she clicked it off.

they turned onto her street, the familiar row of low-rise apartment buildings coming into view. malasia had thought this place beautiful when she'd first arrived.

"i should go," malasia said, fumbling for the door handle. "thanks for the ride."

jimmy's laugh was low, teasingly. "damn, ma. i'm just being friendly. trinity told me you ain't got no friends down here yet."

boy, just go the fuck back to the club.

the observation stung with its accuracy. malasia had spent most of her first month in miami hunched over her laptop, building websites for clients who existed only as email addresses and zoom rectangles.

"i really need to go in," malasia repeated, reaching again for the door handle. this time jimmy pressed the unlock button, the doors clicking open.

she pushed the door open, grateful for the rush of humid night air that hit her face. standing proved more difficult than anticipated; the tequila had settled into her legs, turning them to rubber. her silver heels—borrowed from trinity, she realized with another stab of guilt—wobbled beneath her. the sidewalk tilted dangerously.

before she could stop herself, malasia stumbled, ankle twisting. she braced for impact with the concrete, but instead felt strong hands wrap around her waist, steadying her.

"i gotchu, ma. c'mon." jimmy's voice was close to her ear, his breath warm against her neck. his hands were firm on her waist, thumbs brushing against the exposed skin where her dress had ridden up. "let's get you inside, ight?"

malasia steadied herself, painfully aware of how their bodies fit together, of how trinity would see this if she were here. something about the way jimmy held her felt like a betrayal anyway.

"i can walk," she mumbled, pulling away slightly. but jimmy kept one arm firmly around her waist as they made their way to the building's entrance.

"this yo key?" he asked, plucking her clutch from her hands before she could protest. his fingers brushed against hers, the contact sending an unwelcome spark up her arm.

she watched as he rummaged through her things, finding her keys with unnecessary thoroughness. the elevator ride was seventeen seconds of exquisite torture. jimmy stood too close, his cologne filling the small space.

the apartment door clicked open under her key, the familiar darkness greeting malasia like an accomplice. the silence felt heavy compared to the pounding bass they'd left behind at the club.

"just need to get to my room," malasia said, attempting to disentangle herself from jimmy's grasp, but his arm remained firm around her waist.

"let me help you, ma. them shoes 'bout to be the death of yo ass."

finally breaking free of his hold. she kicked off trinity's silver heels, leaving them haphazardly by the door.

malasia made her way to the kitchen, desperate for water, for distance, for sobriety. the clock on the microwave read 1:37 AM—the green digits swimming before her eyes. she reached for a glass, her fingers trembling slightly.

"let me help you with that, ma." jimmy was suddenly behind her, his chest pressed against her back as he reached around her for the glass. his other hand settled on her hip, fingers splaying wide against the metallic fabric of her dress.

"i got it," she insisted, sliding sideways out of his grasp. "you should get back to trinity. her birthday and all."

jimmy leaned against the counter, watching her fill the glass with water.

"what's the rush? trinity got her whole squad there, her brother too. she cool." he stepped closer, taking the glass from her hand and setting it on the counter. "besides, i told her i'd make sure you got home safe. that's what i'm doing."

malasia took a step back. "well, i'm home now. safe and sound."

"you still looking wobbly to me." jimmy's voice dropped lower, feeling her out "might need to make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself."

"i'm good," she insisted, reaching for her water again. "really. you can tell trinity i made it fine."

jimmy chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. "you nervous, asia? don't be like that." his fingers brushed against her hand, attempting to grab it. "we both grown. ain't nothing wrong with two adults getting to know each other better."

"you should go, jimmy." she said, but the words lacked conviction. she knew it. she felt it/

"lemme ask you some, asia." jimmy replied, moving closer.

malasia gripped the counter behind her, the cool granite pressing into her lower back. the kitchen suddenly felt impossibly small, "trinity's your girl. she's back up the club and you need to leave and go back there."

"trinity's my girl, yeah." jimmy nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "but that don't mean i can't appreciate what's standing right in front of me. do it?" his gaze traveled the length of her body, lingering on the curves the silver dress accentuated. "them little ass gym shorts? this little ass dress you got on...i peeped the way you kept tryna see if i was watchin'. you thought you was slick?"

malasia shook her head, trying to clear the fog of tequila and desire that clouded her judgment. she had to admit. when she first met jimmy, she couldn't deny he was sex on legs. but she buried those thoughts so deep out of respect for trinity.

"trinity—" malasia managed to whisper, but even her roommate's name sounded weak on her lips, a feeble protest against the tide rising between them.

"trinity ain't gotta know," jimmy murmured, his breath warm against her face. he was intoxicating in ways the liquor couldn't touch. "this just between us. just tonight."

she became aware at the touch of jimmy's hand coasting towards upwards. the dress slightly moving upwards bunching up on her waist. asia closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder.

she'd been rushing to get ready and grabbed the dress at the last minute. it had a built-in slip that made underwear lines show, and she'd made a split-second decision that seemed harmless—

his foot kicked hers outwards, so his hand could drift between her thighs. she let out a small gasp as his hand covered her slicked pussy.

"that's why you was so careful sitting down," he murmured, his lips now close to her ear. "why you kept pulling at this dress all night."

she let out a small whimper, as his fingers circled over her clit. her body responded to his touch like an instrument perfectly tuned to his hands, each brush of his fingers drawing forth reactions she couldn't suppress.

"look at chu'" he whispered pressing kisses onto her neck, "soaking my fingers, while my girls out celebrating her birthday."

the mention of trinity should have been cold water, should have snapped her back to reality. instead, it added a forbidden edge that only heightened her response. jimmy's fingers circled her most sensitive spot, drawing forth a gasp she couldn't contain.

"jimmy," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of their breathing. "we shouldn't—"

we should.

"but we are, mama," he replied, his voice husky with want. he withdrew his fingers, bringing them to his lips and tasting her essence, "goddamn, you taste good as you look. c'mere."

before she could protest further, jimmy bent slightly, wrapping his strong arms around her thighs and lifting her effortlessly. instinctively, her legs wrapped around his waist, the silver dress bunching completely at her hips now, exposing her to the cool air of the apartment and the heat of his body.

"which room is yours?" he asked, his eyes locked on hers, challenging her to stop this, knowing she wouldn't.

malasia hesitated, her last thread of resistance fraying dangerously. "second door on the right," she finally panted, the words feeling like both surrender and victory.

his hands gripped her ass, fingers digging into her flesh with a possessiveness that made her whimper into his mouth; his kisses where deep and consuming.

just like him.

her heart hammered against her ribs with anticipation, as he laid her down on the edge of the bed. her ass nearly just dangling off the edge. her silver dress now nothing more than a metallic band around her waist.

"tell me you whatchu want, mama." he demanded, his voice low and commanding as he unbuckled his belt. the sound of metal clinking sent a shiver down her spine. "say it loud. it's just us."

malasia swallowed hard, caught between desire and the image of trinity that floated at the edges of her consciousness.

trinity in her birthday crown. trinity who had invited her out tonight. trinity whose boyfriend was now standing between her spread legs.

jimmy leaned down, his weight pressing her into the mattress as he captured her mouth in another searing kiss.

when he pushed his pants down his hips, her breath caught audibly. he was magnificent—thick and long, already fully hard. pride gleamed in his eyes at her reaction, at the way her lips parted involuntarily.

he lowered himself between her thighs again, but instead of entering her, he took his length in his hand and began to slide it through her wetness. the sensation sent electric currents racing up her spine—the hot, hard length of him gliding against her pussy, coating himself in her arousal but never pushing inside.

she let out a loud moan, as the base of his dick rubbed against her clit. "fuck," she gasped, her hips rising instinctively to increase the pressure.

"ask me nicely, baby. tell me whatchu want me do, asia." he panted in her ear, pressing hot kisses against her collar bone.

trinity was a thought long gone. the guilt still present in her stomach was intense. she wanted to be rid of it. and jimmy. but how could she when he was laying on top of her about to stretch her right around his dick.

"please.." she finally managed, and regretfully. the words were barely audible.

"please what? hm? what is it?" jimmy pressed further onto her pussy,

"fuck! jimmy, fuck me! oh god—" she let out a gasp as jimmy slid all the way home, burying himself inside, his thick length stretching her in ways that made tears appear at the corner of her eyes. malasia arched beneath him, her body stretching to accommodate his size.

"goddamn," he hissed through clenched teeth, "you tight as fuck."

he established a rhythm that had her clutching at his shoulders, nails digging crescents into his skin.

each thrust drove her further up the bed until he wrapped his arms around her waist in a bearhug, pulling her back to the edge, keeping her exactly where he wanted her. his muscular forearms flexed beneath her, holding her in place as he drove into her relentlessly.

"that's right, mama. just lay back. you taking this dick so good, asia. so. fucking. good." each word was punctuated with a thrust that hit something deep inside her, something that made her curl her toes and arch her back.

her fingers tangled in his close-cropped hair, nails scraping against his scalp as she held on for dear life.

"jimmy," she gasped, as he hit a spot deep inside that made stars burst behind her eyelids. "oh my god—"

he shifted his grip, large hands sliding down to cup her ass, fingers digging into the thick soft flesh as he used the leverage to drive deeper into her pussy. obscene sounds of their sexing bouncing off the walls, sounded like a song.

it would go diamond if you heard it.

the silver dress was bunched uncomfortably between them now, the metallic fabric scratching against her sensitized skin. jimmy reached down, yanking it over her head in one fluid motion, tossing it carelessly to the floor. her breasts spilled free, nipples hardening instantly in the cool air of the room.

he moved his hands under her knees to push them against the bed. his eyes glued to the image of his dick pressed into her pussy.

she felt a fire building inside her belly. she should've pushed him away. make him go. but the adrenaline pumping in her veins made her lay back and moan his name.

"we shouldn't—" she tried again. wanting to convince herself this was wong...it was wrong. but her protest dissolved into a moan as he circled his hips, grinding against her in a way that made her thighs tremble.

"the way this pussy gripping me? lookin like you dont ever want me leave." he growled, tightening his grip on her ass.

malasia's head fell back, exposing her throat to his hungry mouth. he took advantage immediately, sucking at the sensitive skin beneath her jaw, surely leaving marks she'd have to hide tomorrow. the thought of trinity seeing them sent another conflicted wave of guilt and arousal through her.

jimmy must have seen the flicker of guilt cross her face because he leaned down, capturing her lips in a bruising kiss that drove all thoughts from her mind. he wrapped his arms around her in a tight bear hug, lifting her slightly off the bed. her breasts pressed against the hard plane of his clothed chest.

"don't think about her," he commanded against her mouth. "think about how good you feelin'."

to emphasize his point, he drove into her harder, deeper, the new angle making her cry out. her arms wound around his neck, fingers tangling in his close-cropped hair, holding on as he pounded into her. the room filled with the obscene sounds of skin slapping against skin, of her wetness accepting him over and over.

malasia couldn't form words, could only respond with desperate moans as pleasure built inside her. jimmy's hands slid down to cup her ass, fingers digging into the soft flesh, controlling her movements, forcing her to take every inch of him.

"this what you been needing, ain't it?" he panted, voice rough with exertion. "this why you been walking around half-naked. wanting me to see you. wanting me to fuck you just like this?"

"jimmy, i can't—i'm gonna—" her words faltered as pressure built low in her belly, a tightening coil of sensation threatening to snap. her pussy latching onto him like a deathtrap wetting him up

"hah, not yet," he commanded, suddenly slowing his pace to torturous, deliberate strokes. "look at me first. i wanna see your face when you cum on my dick."

she forced her heavy lids open, meeting his intense gaze. the raw desire she saw there nearly undid her—how long had it been since anyone had looked at her that way? like she was something to be devoured, something precious and rare?

"that's it. you feel that ma? wanna feel every inch of this pussy." he held himself above her now, arms braced on either side of her head, watching her face with an intensity that made her feel both seen and exposed.

malasia whimpered, her body trembling beneath him as he withdrew almost completely before sinking back in with excruciating slowness. the drag of him against her walls sent sparks shooting up her spine, each nerve ending screaming for more, faster, harder—but jimmy maintained that devastating pace, a half-smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched her squirm.

"touch y'self for me, baby. give her some attention. she deserves it."

she hesitated. a fleeting moment of shyness washing over her despite their current position. no one had ever asked her to do this—to participate in her own pleasure so explicitly, so visibly.

"don't get shy on me now, ma," he coaxed, his free hand guiding hers downward. "show me how you like it."

her fingers trembled as they slipped between their bodies, finding the slick swollen bundle of nerves where they were joined. the first circle of her fingertips made her gasp, electricity shooting up her spine. jimmy watched, transfixed, as she began to touch herself—hesitant at first, then with growing confidence as pleasure mounted.

"that's it," he encouraged, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. "just like that."

the dual sensation was overwhelming—his thick length stretching her while her own touch built a different kind of pressure. her eyes stayed locked to his, as her mouth formed an O shape. tears began to spill from her eyes as her thighs started to shake.

"whose making you feel this good? hm? whose fuckin you right now? you mines, aintchu?"

the possessiveness in his voice should have repelled her. instead, it sent a fresh wave of heat coursing through her veins, pooling low in her belly where he was buried deep inside her.

"you," she cried out, her nails digging crescents into his shoulders. "you are."

"nah. that ain't enough," slowing his pace to torturous, deliberate strokes that made her squirm beneath him. he slapped her hand away to rub her clit fiercely, "whose pussy is this?"

"it's yours," she sobbed, the guilty admission flooding her center, "'i'm yours, jimmy. please—i need to cum. please, please let me cum."

"that's right," his hips continues their merciless assault on her pussy, until she started to babble incoherently, "lemme feel it, baby. go ahead, pretty girl."

a triumphant smile spread across his face, predatory and satisfied. the pressure in her belly finally snapped in violent waves, flooding jimmy with her arousal. her muscled clenching as jimmy continued his relentless pace.

her vision blurred, pleasure radiating outward from her core in concentric circles that made her toes curl and her fingers twist in the sheets. she heard herself crying out—desperate, broken sounds she barely recognized as her own. her thighs quivered uncontrollably, her inner walls gripping him with each pulse of her release.

"fuck," Jimmy hissed, his rhythm faltering as her body squeezed him. "you feel so fucking good when you cum."

with a final, brutal thrust, jimmy buried himself to the hilt and let go. his rhythm faltering as her body milked him. his body went rigid above her, muscles tensing as he spilled himself inside her with a groan that seemed to emanate from the depths of his soul. she could feel each pulse of his release, hot and thick, filling her completely.

for several heartbeats, there was only the sound of their ragged breathing, the distant hum of the air conditioner, and the faint ticking of the clock on her nightstand. reality hovered at the edges of her consciousness, waiting to crash in.

and then it did.

the clock—3:27 AM. almost an hour and 30 minutes had passed. the tears came without warning, hot and shameful as they slid down her temples into her hair. jimmy lifted himself onto his elbows, looking down at her with an expression that shifted from post-coital satisfaction to something harder, more calculating.

"hey, hey," he whispered, brushing a tear away with his thumb. "c'mon. none of that. you aight, ok? we aight. relax, baby."

"oh god! what did i do, oh my god." malasia cried out into the air. his causal dismissal of her distress only made her tears flow faster, sobs echoing around the room before her hand could catch them.

"shh, these walls thin as hell," jimmy whispered, pressing a hand against her lips. His eyes, so full of desire moments ago, now held something else—more, "don't cry, ma. i gotchu, yea? you felt good? don't cry over some that felt good, ight?"

malasia's tears continued to flow silently beneath his palm. her chest heaved with the effort of containing her sobs, guilt and shame swirling together. jimmy removed his hand slowly, watching her carefully to ensure she wouldn't start wailing again.

she turned her face away, shame burning through her chest. "trinity—"

"don't think about that right now," jimmy interrupted, gently turning her face back toward him. his thumb traced the outline of her bottom lip. "just think about how nice it felt. how perfect we fit t'gether."

his words washed over her like a balm, soothing the ragged edges of her conscience. she wanted to believe him—that this hadn't been just a terrible mistake, a betrayal born from loneliness.

he withdrew from her body with careful movements, and she winced at the sudden emptiness, at the warm trickle of their combined fluids running down her thighs and onto the edge of her comforter.

"don't move," he stated before fixing himself up. she watched through tear-blurred vision as he tucked himself back into his pants and fixed his shirt. he turned to leave the room—more than likely to the bathroom.

jimmy returned with a warm, damp washcloth, kneeling beside the bed. he leaned down to flick his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her one last time, as the towel swiped against her tendered area. he cleaned their combined release from her inner thighs, from between her folds, his touch clinical yet somehow special.

jimmy's movements were practiced—too practiced, a distant part of her mind noted.

"lift up," he murmured, helping her sit upright on the edge of the bed. he moved off the bed towards her closet with a casual confidence; he knew she wouldn't question him or...this anymore.

at least for tonight.

he picked out a plain oversized shirt and a pair of panties to dress her in. he returned to her, bunching the fabric in his hands before easing it over her head. he guided her arms through the sleeves with surprising tenderness. the shirt fell to mid-thigh, covering her nakedness but not the memory of what they'd done.

he lifted one ankle, then the other, sliding the underwear over her feet, then up her calves, her knees. his fingers brushed against the tender skin of her inner thighs as he pulled the fabric higher.

"lift," he said again, and she raised her hips, allowing him to settle the cotton against her still-sensitive flesh.

when he finished, he remained kneeling between her legs, looking up at her with an expression she couldn't decipher. his hands rested on her knees, thumbs tracing small circles on her skin.

"you good?" he asked, his voice a low rumble in the quiet room.

malasia nodded, though she was anything but good. her body hummed with satisfied pleasure while her mind screamed with regret.

"lemme getchu' some water," jimmy said, rising from his position between her knees.

she watched him move through her darkened bedroom with the confidence of someone who belonged there—not a visitor, not an intruder, but someone claiming space.

when he returned, he cradled the back of her head like she was something fragile, something precious, as he held the glass to her lips. the water was cool against her throat, washing away the taste of tequila and regret. his thumb wiped away a droplet that escaped the corner of her mouth, then lingered there, tracing the outline of her bottom lip.

"you still crying?" he asked, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it. In the faint light filtering through her curtains, his eyes looked almost tender.

malasia shook her head, though she could still feel the dampness on her cheeks. "I'm just…" the words wouldn't come. how could she explain the hurricane inside her? the way her body still hummed with pleasure while her conscience screamed in protest?

jimmy set the glass down and took her face in both hands, his palms warm against her tear-stained cheeks, "you good. we good. this stays between us, yeah? our little secret. it's gone be trinity and me, but that don't mean it can't be me and you, too. ight?"

she was unable to form words around the lump in her throat.

how could she agree with his sick lullaby?

jimmy leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. despite every warning bell clanging in her mind, malasia found herself responding. the kiss deepened, his hand sliding from her chin to cradle the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as she kissed him with just as much passion.

time seemed to stretch and compress simultaneously—the kiss could have lasted seconds or hours, malasia couldn't tell.

"i can't," she whispered, but even as she said it, her body betrayed her—leaning into his touch, craving more of the connection that had left her so thoroughly undone.

"you already did, mama." jimmy reminded her, his voice a silken caress. "and you liked it. you wanted it. we both wanted it and we both know that."

the moment felt like it should've belonged to lovers, not to whatever tangled, illicit thing they had just created.

"i gotta get back," he murmured, though he made no move to leave. his fingers traced idle patterns on the bare skin of her thigh where her oversized shirt had ridden up. "trinity's probably wondering where i'm at."

with me...

malasia nodded, but her hands betrayed her, fingers still clutching his shirt. the thought of him leaving—of being alone with what they'd done—sent a wave of panic through her chest. the room would feel too empty, too full of echoes and implications.

he gave her a small kiss, before turning to leave. after he closed her room door, she waited until she heard the front door lock before laying down and finally crying to herself. after what felt like hours, she lifted her phone to see another text from jade, and an instagram notification.

-

j.us.im has sent you a friend request.

j.us.im: she's staying with me t'night.

j.us.im: taking her to her girls place tomorrow.

j.us.im: can't stop thinking about you now ma. don't matter what you tell yoself.

j.us.im: you ain't going no where.

what did she get herself into?

heyyyy, everyoneeee.

this one????….its intense. it’s gonna be intense. 🙂‍↕️ i can’t get enough of a nice toxic trope. but dw. ill be continuing the valentines day writings still. so we’ll get some sweet-ish too😜.

i’ve been going crazy yall. college is draining me. but my spring break is upon us. so i’ll finally get a chance to relax.

tell me in the comments what you guys think !

🏷️: @lizes-posts @uceyliyahh @punksyeet @charmed-dreamssss @msbigredmachine @shes2real @prettyfilmz @caramelcleopatraa @harmshake @luvrsluxe @angiedawn02 @amandairene88 @cyberdejos2 @queeny23 @empressdede @trentybenty @heauxvibez @whatdoeseverybodywant @romansthrone @acknowledge-reigns @southerngirl41 @jaza23 @usoinked @fearlesschimera @holycollectivekitty @trippinsorrows

[hoe-days]

OKAY HERE WE GO

Y’all this is 3+ years of not writing fanfiction and pent up thoughts I am so sorry

(Also mind any spelling or grammar mistakes I am on 30 minutes of sleep and it’s 2AM)

(Senku x Smart! F! Reader SMUT)

——————

‘Frustrated’

‘Unfocused’

‘Pent up’

‘Math.’

‘Math…?’

‘That’s right. I need to focus.’ But how could she focus on this equation like this. She’s been pent up for ages. There’s not really any time for intimacy when you’re building the new world.

(Y/N) sighs as she puts her mind back on the equation before her. The team is on the brink of a break through, she can’t falter now.

Wrong.

“Huh?”

“That’s wrong.” She turns her body to look over at her lover. Senku gazes at their makeshift chalk board with his head tilted to the side.

“Not like you to make that kind of mistake. Pulled an all nighter?”

“No- Well, yes. I did, but that’s not what’s wrong. I’m fine.”

Senku watches as she corrects her mistake, getting any little detail wrong can crumble everything. They both know that. But they’ve been working nonstop since they broke free of the stone, their efficiency doubled once they found each other in the stone world.

She puts her chalk down, rubbing her aching eyes. “I’m gonna call it a night. Can’t utilize my brain if it’s half dead.” Senku nods, understanding the feeling.

“T’s cool. I’ll take over,” He assures. She gives him a small kiss to the cheek before leaving the lab, heading to her sleeping quarters.

———

“Left over materials are a life saver. Had just enough Methyl Chloride to create a mold…”

(Y/N) smiles at her little “side project”. She carefully places the small motor into the silicone tube she made.

“First vibrator of the stone age. Hilarious.”

She chuckles to herself as she delicately adjusts the wiring.

“Done!”, She allows the hot glue she whipped up to cool before testing out her creation, she twists the dial and it hums to life.

“Science my love thou hast never failed me.”

She stands to go over to her cot when she hears shuffling outside the door. There’s a shadow at the door. Shit.

She scrambles to turn off the machine and lock it back away in the small chest she made for it.

The door opens just as she locks the latch.

“You’re still awake?”, Senku stands in the doorway, holding some papers.

“Yeah, I was just working on a side project.”

Senku raises an eyebrow, “Oh? Like what.”

She averts her gaze. “Confidential.”

“Ya. Okay.” He chuckles as he rolls his eyes.

She slides the chest under her cot and walks over to him. “Need something?”

“Just wanted you to double check me.

“You’re a smart, grown ass man.”

“And?”

She shoots him a teasing smile as they both sit on her bed, checking over his calculations together. It may seem odd, but it’s their love language.

———

Sadly, (Y/N) fell asleep midway through their calculation session, she never even got to try her toy, how tragic. The next day comes and she’s more irritable than before.

Senku had a sneaking suspicion something was going on. He wants to get to the bottom of it immediately, whatever is happening is hindering their progress.

While walking to check on (Y/N) during her break from working he catches her right as she’s storming out of her room in a huff, heading towards a loud crash a little ways away. It’s always something.

Before he can follow he hears something curious from their room. Buzzing. Senku’s curiosity gets the best of him as he peaks in, immediately spotting the toy on the cot

“Oh. So that’s what this is all about.”

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Guess I haven’t been the most attentive boyfriend, huh. Let’s nip this in the bud then.”

He smirks as he turns off the toy, tucking it away in his pocket before leaving the room.

——

(This next part is absolutely freaked out. You were warned)

Panic.

“No, no, no, this is NOT happening.”

She can’t find it. This is awful. Did it roll under something? She frantically opens the drawers at her makeshift desk.

Senku watches from the door, an evil smirk painting his face as (Y/N) searches for her toy, her face flushed with embarrassment and frustration. He chuckles, enjoying the the scene before him. "Looking for this?" he asks teasingly, holding up the vibrator and letting it buzz loudly in his hand.

(Y/N) freezes, her face burning with humiliation as she slowly turns to face Senku. "Give that back to me," she demands, trying to snatch it from his grasp. But Senku quickly moves it out of her reach, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Not so fast," he chuckles, backing away and examining the object with intrigue. “Interesting side project.”

(Y/N) crosses her arms, glaring at him as she tries to maintain some semblance of dignity despite her mortification. "It's not what you think," she snaps. "…Okay maybe it is. I just... I needed a release, okay? And there aren't exactly sex shops in the stone age."

Senku's grin widens, and he takes a step closer to her, one hand still holding the vibrator behind his back while the other reaches out to trail his fingers along her arm. "I’m a bit offended you didn’t come to me directly, but I can’t say I don’t find that innovative mind of yours exhilarating," he murmurs. "

“You are really annoying, you know that-”

Senku silences her with a searing kiss, his lips claiming hers with a passion that steals her breath away as he walks her back against the desk. She melts into him, their bodies molding into each other as the vibrator begins to buzz softly against her inner thigh. (Y/N) gasps into his mouth, her hips jerking slightly at the unexpected sensation.

Emboldened, Senku slides the toy higher, rubbing it along the damp fabric covering her most intimate area. He swallows her whimpers and moans, his tongue delving deep to taste her as he grinds his semi hard cock against her.

Without breaking the kiss, Senku pushes her papers and tools aside to a safe distance as (Y/N) stands on her toes to get up onto the desk. Senku pushes her thighs apart to step between them. His hand slides underneath her dress, caressing her thighs.

"Let's see what this thing can really do," Senku hums, hooking his fingers in the waistband of her underwear and tugging them down. (Y/N) lifts her hips, allowing him to strip them off completely and toss them aside. She shudders at the cool air, Senku doesn’t give her any time to relish the feeling though. He presses the vibrator directly onto her clit.

(Y/N) cries out, her head falling back and her fingers searching for anything to grab behind her on the desk. "Ah! Senku, fuck! It's too much!"

“Too much? You’re the one that gave it so much power. I’d figured you could handle it.”

He leans down, kissing the petrification marks on her skin as he applies a bit more pressure.

“Stop being a dick..” Her fingers curl around the edge of the desk, gripping it tightly as she fights the urge to push him away.

“There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’m far too invested in this experiment to waste even a millimeter of a breath on it.” He shoots her his signature shit eating grin before sliding his free hand between her legs, pushing two fingers into her.

She moans out, rocking her hips along with the motion of his fingers. She’s so close. The build up is intense. Just as she reaches her peak-

Nothing.

“Senku what the fuck?” Senku doesn’t say a word as he adjusts his clothes, swiftly pulling his aching cock out. “I’ve got all the data I need on that experiment. I’ve got to give you a participation reward.”

With one hard thrust, he sheaths himself inside her, burying his length deep into her wet heat. (Y/N) throws her head back with a cry of ecstasy, her walls clenching and fluttering around him as he fills and stretches her. The vibrator falls forgotten from Senku's hand, buzzing around somewhere on the floor.

Senku starts to move, pulling out until just the tip remains before slamming back in, setting a hard and fast pace. The desk creaks and shakes beneath them with the force of his thrusts, the lewd sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through the room. He leans down to capture (Y/N)'s lips in a passionate kiss, her moans and his groans and (sorta pathetic) whimpers mixing together like a melody.

(Y/N) meets his thrusts eagerly, wrapping her legs around his waist and using the leverage to pull him deeper with each pump of his Senku gasps, breaking their kiss and burying his face into her neck.

He can feel his stamina waning, his breath coming in ragged pants against (Y/N)'s neck. He's not built for such intense physical exertion, and his muscles burn with the effort of holding himself up and thrusting into (Y/N) so vigorously.

With a grunt, Senku suddenly pulls out and sits back on the chair that sat in front of the desk, his chest heaving.

(Y/N), knowing all too well about his stamina(or lack there of), wastes no time in straddling Senku's lap. She positions herself above him, reaching down to grip his shaft and line it up with her entrance. With a sensual roll of her hips, she sinks down onto him, taking him to the hilt in one smooth motion.

They both groan at the sensation, She starts to move, rolling and grinding her hips in slow circles as she gets used to the new position. Senku lets out a breathy chuckle.

“You’ve made me throw all logic out the window.”

(Y/N) is confused for a moment, but recalls a conversation from a while back. Senku expressed his hesitance for unprotected sex, that’s the last thing they needed in the stone world. But here he is, his lust, his needs overpowered his mind for once.

(Y/N) rocks her hips faster, chasing her own release. She leans in closely to his ear, mustering up all she can to speak.

“I got you, baby. Don’t worry about it.”

Senku nearly came right then, she’s going to be the death of him.

(Y/N) shifts her position, allowing him to hit that special spot inside her with every thrust. Her fingers claw at his chest, leaving red marks in their wake as her body is consumed by pleasure. She can feel that familiar knot forming, tightening and tightening until it finally snaps. The motion of her hips falters, jerking sporadically as she rides out her orgasm.

Senku holds on tightly his head thrown back, biting his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The feel of her clenching around him nearly being too much to handle.

Once she’s come down from her high, (Y/N) pushes her self up weakly. She stands, wobbly legged and all before lowering herself to her knees, massaging his balls as she takes him into her mouth.

Senku can’t even muster up a witty remark, no tease or quip leaves his lips, all he can do is grip onto the back of her head, weakly thrusting up into her mouth as he chases his own release.

All it takes is one touch. One motion of her free hand against an area of his side she knows is sensitive. That’s all it takes for him to spill into her mouth.

She stares up at him with hazy, half lidded eyes as she swallows all he has to offer. Senku’s body spasms and twitches as he reaches his high, instinctively pushing her head away, the feeling being too much for him.

(Y/N) sits back on her knees and pants, attempting to catch her breath.

“I feel better now.”

——————

[too-much-tma-stuff]

Discovery and Progress (part 5)

Previous | Masterpost

The next two days were uninteresting, school didn’t hold his attention but he spent more time with his family and on the ‘family business’, putting their worries at ease. He, Sam, and Tucker had their study session and they were able to fill in any gaps for him about what he’d missed while he was distracted or dozing off. Hopefully this would work well going forward and compensate some for his extra curriculars.

Friday night he pulled Bruce aside after dinner to talk to him privately, because the one thing he hadn’t thought of that week was a better way to get Bruce off his trail.

“Do you have time to schedule a bit of a meeting with me some time this weekend?” He asked his father softly.

“Of course Chum,” Bruce agreed looking worried. “You can always talk to me, if it’s urgent you don’t have to wait till this weekend, I can make time now.” He offered, it probably helped that Danny rarely asked anything of him, so this request was probably alarming.

“No it isn’t urgent, and I’d rather do it on one of my days off,” Danny assured, fidgeting with his fingers a little as he spoke. 

“Then tomorrow is fine, how about 10 am?” Bruce asked, for the bat family that was first thing in the morning, but Danny was a little less nocturnal then them (at least on paper.)

“That sounds good, but don’t set an alarm. You need sleep and if you sleep in we can just do it later,” Danny requested.

“Of course,” Bruce lied, they both knew he was going to set an alarm. Danny had never doubted Bruce cared deeply about his children, he wouldn’t miss one of his more independent children Asking to talk to him. “Will you be going out with us tonight?”

“In spirit,” Danny said with a wink making Bruce crack a small smile.

“That reminds me, you were talking about changing your code name into something ghostly, did you settle on what you want to be called?” Bruce asked, no longer keeping his voice down since this wasn’t private.

“Well, I know it’s a little cliché but I looked into a lot of options and I really think I just like Phantom,” Danny admitted, fidgeting a little bit.

“That’s just fine Danny, we’ll spread the word around,” Bruce assured, ruffling Danny’s hair before walking away, probably to go prepare for the night. There was nothing big planned for today, but that didn’t mean that nothing big would find them and Batman liked to be prepared.

Danny helped Alfred clean up and then followed the family down to the bat cave and dusted off his sorely underused station. It was a shame he couldn’t duplicate himself to be in two places at once.

------

Even though Danny had already thought about and written out what he wanted to say to Bruce he still spent a good part of the night going over it and tweaking the plan. Not that he would stick to it, he couldn’t bring out note cards during their talk! It needed to seem like he was speaking from the heart, this was just to deal with his anxiety about the talk. He wouldn’t be surprised if Bruce was doing just about the same thing, coming up with theories about what Danny had to say and how to properly respond. Would the truth be better or worse then Bruce’s theories? He might even have got it right, Danny was trying to be believable not surprising.

Come morning he was, once again, blurry eyed and listless, picking at his breakfast without eating to much. Again Damian gave him a worried look but didn’t ask. Bruce was there too, looking more alert then Danny but he didn’t think he was imagining that the bags under their fathers eyes were a hair darker then they usually were. Bruce hadn’t slept well either, he was just more used to functioning on so little sleep. Danny would have to get used to it too eventually, right?

Bruce at least could drink coffee, Danny was still resisting because he didn’t want to end up as short at Tim! Who was currently on his third cup, but given that him being up at this hour meant he probably hadn’t slept at all that made sense. Danny would have to ask what it was Tim was working on later, it was usually interesting stuff.

After breakfast Bruce hesitated before approaching Danny. “Do you want to get it over with?” He asked, which wasn’t flattering phrasing but Danny understood.

“Ya, we’ll just keep worrying about it if we don’t,” Danny agreed getting up from the table. Normally he’d stay to help Alfred clean up, the thought made him hesitate and he looked towards the kitchen.

“I will assist Pennyworth,” Damian said in a clipped tone, which Danny really appreciated. Damian was a bleeding heart as well, a truly kind person. It sometimes amused Danny in a bitter way that Damian was a truly good person who pretended not to be to protect himself, and Danny was the exact opposite. Not that he was evil just… not as good as his twin, or the rest of the family really.

“Thanks Dami,” Danny said simply. Dick would have made a full production about how he knew Damian really did care, but Danny didn’t want to fluster his brother.

Danny followed Bruce up to the office, sometimes it was easier to have serious conversations in a serious environment. There were different places for different conversations, casual, in front of a movie, in the car where there was a good excuse not to make eye contact, or across a desk.

Danny sat in the comfortable armchair across from Bruce who sat in his desk chair leaning against the desk. He made sure his laptop and everything was shut down, flipped over the papers on his desk so they were blank faced up, no distractions. When he was ready he looked back at Danny with a little smile, an invitation to share whatever was on his mind.

“I just wanted to get ahead of this because I think my teachers will have concerns at the next parent teacher conference,” Danny admitted folding his hands in his lap and looking down. He wasn’t sure about that start because it implied he might keep secrets, but Bruce did know Danny wasn’t as well adjusted as he tried to seem. Bruce hummed encouragingly. “I’ve been falling asleep in class, I’ve been having a harder time focussing and it’s because.. I’ve been having more nightmares, about the my death, the Lazarus Pit, and the League of Shadows as a whole.” He ran his thumb over the back of his opposite hand, a small self sooth.

“I didn’t before, but I did some research and apparently people often have these symptoms when they regain safety after a traumatic experience. The emotional effects get worse before they get better. I think that taking a step back from the night life was both a symptom and a cause, I stepped back because I was already struggling, and it just gave me more time to struggle. This is not me requesting to do more, or heaven forbid actually go Out with the rest of you. That might work for Damian and Tim but I… Well, you don’t need to worry, I’m managing it and working through it on my own. I just wanted to keep you apprized in case my teachers do call you.”

Bruce had listened quietly, and stayed quiet for a little while afterwards, considering his response no doubt. Bruce was a man of few words when he wasn’t being ‘Brucie’, and the words he did say were carefully formulated.

“I know you value independence, but you don’t have to do this alone you know.” Bruce said after a long moment.

“And what? I’m going to tell the school guidance councillor that I died and was resurrected by my grandfather who runs the largest assassin ring in the world? Or did,” Danny added. He and Tim had devastated their numbers while Bruce was lost in the time stream. That was something Bruce hadn’t asked about much because he knew he didn’t want to know.

Bruce winced a little and shook his head. “No, I mean the family-“

“None of us know how to process emotions in a healthy way and we all have a ton of trauma, I’m not asking any of you to help me with this.” Danyal said firmly, Bruce winced again.

“There are therapists approved by the Justice league, you could talk to them about everything without worrying about confidentiality,” Bruce said, a little more hesitant this time.

“Have you been to see them,” Danny asked dubiously, eyeing his father suspiciously.

“Well, No, But-“

“Then no thank you,” Danny said rolling his eyes.

“I vetted all of them! I may not have been to see them but I do trust them. If you need to talk to someone I promise they’re a good option.” Bruce said, in a tone that was edging on desperate to those who knew him well.

“If all of you can deal with your problems on your own so can I,” Danyal said tilting his chin up defiantly. “I may have decided not to be a hero but I could be! I’m not any weaker then you!”

“It’s not weakness to be hurt Danny,” Bruce said gently.

“You don’t believe that,” Danny said, looking Bruce straight in the eye, not an accusation or a question, just a fact.

“Danny, I-“

“No, Don’t lie! You don’t mean that! Batman can never get hurt because it’s a sign of weakness! That’s why Dick wears the suit and pretends to be you. Because it’s a sign of weakness.”

“That’s not.. Danny I don’t think it makes anyone weak! Especially not you! None of us will think any less of you for needing help.”

“But none of you need help? I’m not going to be the only one,” Danny said just as defiantly, his jaw clenched.

Bruce’s shoulders slumped a little as he seemed to understand what Danny was getting at. “And if I go with you? Will you go then?”

Danny paused as if considering it, as if he hadn’t already made up his mind about that before the conversation started. “Yes, if you, or any of the family go with me, I’ll go. Besides Damian, he should go too but I’m not ready for that. Our trauma is to similar, and we play to heavily into it for each other. We were so hard on each other then,” he sighed heavily slumping back in his chair.

“I understand Danny, I’ll talk to him. He probably won’t go unless I do too so I guess I’ll be getting double doses,” He said wryly. “I’ll bring it up at the next family meeting too. It’s long over-do.”

“It is,” Danny agreed, shifting to the edge of the seat, ready to leave.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you Danyal,” Bruce asked, that name had Danny sinking back into his seat instantly. Suspicious and anxious, Bruce almost never used his proper first name. “You know none of us would go on our own, but we’d go for you. Even Tim will for you.”

“I’m not-!” An aborted denial, before he took a breath and actually considered his words. “Yes, I did it on purpose,” He sighed, running a hand back through his hair. “I’m not lying, but I admit before I talked to you I thought about the most… advantageous way to bring it up.” He bit his lip for a moment, shame and defiance warring for pride of place. “We all need help Bruce, I’m sick of this. I’m sick of you and Dick fighting, I’m sick of Tim never sleeping because of the nightmares and insecurities he won’t talk about. I’m sick of no one talking about Jason! Having this dead brother I know nothing about hanging over all of our heads!” Bruce flinched, Danny took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

“Bruce- Father, this is Our family and we’re constantly tearing ourselves apart. The world is hard enough on all of us which is why we still cling to each other even though half the time we don’t actually make it that much better! I just- Is it a fucking crime to want this family to get better!?” He snapped and was immediately ashamed of his outburst.  This wasn’t some movie, one where some plucky young person would show up to show the broken and sad family how to have fun again.

“I’m sorry this is stupid, forget about it we don’t need to go to therapy,” He said grumpily and went to get up only for Bruce to almost lunge across the desk to grab Danny’s arm. And let go immediately when Danny flinched back into his chair.

“No, no Danny it’s not stupid. It’s okay, I promise I’m not mad and I don’t think you’re lying. You’re right that we need help. I’m sorry I made it sound like that was a bad thing. If anything I’m glad, that you haven’t given up on this family and you care enough to try. Thank you.”

“Oh,” Danny sounded, blinking at his father, the show of support and approval was unusual. At least so explicitly, Bruce almost always tried to support them but he had a hard time saying he was proud of them. Which was basically what had just happened right? “Thank you, dad,” Danny said with a genuine smile. “Oh course I care, more then care. I hope this will be good for us.”

“I’m sure it will, I’ll contact one of the league therapists and discuss it at the next family meeting. You’ll have to back me up, I don’t think Dick or Tim would go for me,” Bruce said with a sardonic little smile.

“I will,” Danny assured, getting up from his chair again, this time Bruce didn’t stop him. “Thank you for making time to talk to me.”

“Always Danny, I know it doesn’t always seem like it, but nothing is more important to me then this family. I’ll always do my best to support you, even if I don’t always get it right.”

Danny nodded and gave his father another smile before slipping out of the room, that was enough emotions for both of them and he needed a nap.

He consciously avoided the rest of the family as made his way back to his room. He got back without being spoken to and slid inside, closing the door softly after himself with a soft sigh. He collapsed onto his bed with a little groan, throwing one arm over his eyes to block out the light and breathing deeply. He refused to let himself think, pulling his mind back to his breath every time it wandered, meditating without the stupid uncomfortable sitting position. Letting his nerves and emotions settle before he could try to make sense of them.

He flinched violently when there was a knock on his door, he groaned loudly and sat up, he hadn’t finished processing! He wasn’t ready for more. “Is it an emergency,” Danny asked dryly.

“No,” Tim’s voice came back sounding hesitantly. “But I brought hot chocolate.”

Ah, if there was one thing Alfred had instilled in this family it was hot drinks as a love language. Tim must have been more worried then he let on to make Danny hot-chocolate, that wasn’t just pouring a second cup of coffee he was already making, that was specially for Danny. He sighed softly, well, he couldn’t let a perfectly good hot chocolate go to waste. He got up from bed and went to open the door. Tim was holding to mugs, and held out one of them to Danny, the one with the little green cartoon ghost.

Danny smiled a little as he took it, and turned back into his room, leaving the door open to silently tell Tim he could come too. He followed Danny, nudging the door closed behind him and going to sit in Danny’s desk chair, spinning it around to face where Danny was sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked down as he took a sip of his coffee, Danny cradled his mug of hot-chocolate and waited patiently for Tim to speak.

“Are you okay?” Tim asked finally. “You’ve been tired lately, and you’ve been pulling away. Which would be normal for most of us I guess but you’re… you. You haven’t spent any time with me in the lab for months.”

Ah, Danny had been so busy in his private lab in crime ally he hadn’t spent hardly any time in the one he’d been sharing with Tim. Internally he was kicking himself for being sloppy but he only let out a soft sigh. “I’ve been having a hard time Tim, I’ve sort of given up. I was trying so hard to find a way to synthesize the Lazarus Water but it’s been years and we haven’t made any progress. I’m still dependent on the league, and I’m starting to really hate that stuff. I don’t want to work with it anymore, or anything really.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to Bruce about. That I’m… depressed, maybe traumatized. He’s going to get me into therapy, we were going to talk about it at the next family meeting because, honestly Tim, I don’t think I can do this alone.”

“Well then it’s a good thing you don’t have to,” Tim said firmly. Danny was surprised by how quickly and confidently Tim said. “I’ll support you. I’ll even go with you if you want me too.”

“Thank you,” Danny said with a soft smile. “That means a lot.”

“Right,” Tim said with a firm nod, getting up from the chair. “I know I’m not exactly the most emotionally intelligent, and that’s saying something in this family. But you know I’m always here for you right? I’ll try to be a good big brother.”

“You are a good big brother Tim,” Danny promised with a little smile. “I know you are, I just wasn’t ready to talk about it.”

“Right. Good. Come back to the lab sometimes? We’ll put the Lazarus water away and work on something else. Or maybe just blow some stuff up,” Tim said, hopeful and awkward.

“Sure, that sound fun Tim. I promise I’ll come back to spend time with you soon. Judging by the way you were muttering to yourself at breakfast you must be working on something interesting,” Danny teased Tim lightly.

“Oh I am. Come check it out when you’re ready,” Tim agreed with a crooked smile. He gave Danny a little wave as he left again.

Danny watched him go and then put his mug of hot chocolate down and collapsed back on his bed with a sigh. He hadn’t expected Tim to notice anything was off. He had underestimated how much his family knew him, both with Bruce realizing that he was manipulating the situation, and Tim having noticed that something was wrong. Danny hated making mistakes like this, they always made him wonder what else he missed, and what else his family had seen.

He rubbed his face and ran his hand back through his hair letting out a soft groan. Well, he had been the one who decided to keep secrets, it was necessary, but it was still a choice. He could do this. He could do it all. If there was one thing that his childhood had taught him it was that he could do just about anything, tolerate just about any amount of pain and discomfort temporarily. This only had to hold until he had built the portal, and then… well he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

[mewsmagic]

One thing about avemuji ep 11 I haven’t seen anyone talking about yet is how (if her story IS at least partially true) Hatsune’s obsession with Saki started because she had everything she didn’t have:

She was a legitimate child of their family and thus had her existence accepted and loved, at the same age as her also

She was happy, rich, had a loving family and a healthy childhood

She was allowed to be close to her family (while Hatsune grew up hearing about how she was a secret, not supposed to exist, was prohibited from getting any closer to her other side of the family, and especially from that random girl her age for no reason she knew of)

Like yeah I did ship them at the start but if we put the ship aside for a moment to think about what this episode brought to the table, there’s SO MUCH to think about yk?

Whether you think her obsession is love, platonic or whatever (personally, I think it is limerence, in the platonic way just bc limerence can get that crazy without being romantic, but I do get where yall are coming from if you think it’s inherently romantic)

What intrigues me the most is that it didn’t start all that emotionally attached, it was mostly the forbidden factor. The fact that she wasn’t allowed to meet this one girl who had everything she didn’t, and I’m damn sure it could even be the start of this forbidden “love” also, attraction for what is forbidden even though she hates herself for feeling that way

But then she actually got to learn about Sakiko through Uika (if Uika exists), she learnt that she was kind and liked adventure, liked catching bugs, didn’t bother making friends with a lower class girl, and ultimately, she met her herself and became human for the first time because of her…

That tells me so much about how it started, how it progressed and how it got this bad, you know? And damn I think it is intriguing, definitely not romantic bc I really don’t think they’re romanticizing any of it, but like… That’s kinda how mental illnesses work

As a neurodivergent myself, I really appreciate how they’re picking the taboo aspects of mental illness and portraying them through these characters. Especially Hatsune, who’s clearly shown multiple times to feel so much shame for how she feels

I’m soooo damn sure she doesn’t want to feel that way for someone she’s been prohibited to meet all her life, much less her niece, knowing she’s her niece 😭😭😭😭 she knows it’s wrong, and super embarrassing, she freaked out when Nyamu sent that message, she got scared by her own intrusive thought of killing Saki’s bff just because of her possessiveness, she’s scared of herself!!!!

This is also why I think she may be exaggerating, especially those aspects of her story that paint her as the villain yk? She can’t see herself as anything less than the evil villain so she makes up excuses as to why she’s guilty for everything, and damn that’s so real of her you knowwww 😭😭😭😭

Like I mentioned though, I ship uisaki more platonically right now LOL I really wish they could develop a more real friendship going forward, the relationship they have right now is purely on Hatsune’s head, a fantasy, and Saki is painfully aware and uncomfortable by this at this point

But like Saki showed in this episode, she still cares about her and is worried about whatever is going on, so I really don’t think their potential is lost already 😔 they definitely need to start as friends and with Hatsune growing out of her limerent obsession though

[blackflash9]

That Time When AC3 Flipped Indigenous Portrayal

I always liked that AC III flipped familiar tropes about Native Americans in media, particularly regarding the language barrier and cultural awareness. Ziio mocks Haytham for assuming she can’t speak English, subverting the usual narrative where the comedic effect of not knowing the 'language of the land' is on the indigenous.

It is also Haytham - not Ziio - who causes the bar commotion despite his rather arrogant and baseless assumption that her culture would make her more prone to violence despite only being in the country for roughly a couple days. This also highlights that she understands the land and its people far better than he does.

Redcoat: "Oi, where you goin’, cully?" Redcoat: "No. The other cock robin." Haytham: "Well, I uh… I WAS leaving." Redcoat: "Oh? And now?" Haytham: "Well, now… I’m going to feed you your teeth." Kaniehtí:io: "And you were worried I was going to be the problem."

This also extends to Connor, as he regularly defies expectations by displaying more morality and virtue than many of his colonial counterparts. He criticizes the manipulative nature of the media for countering lies with more lies. Sequence 5: Stop the Presses (Transcript)

Samuel Adams: "So now you've had a chance to see how it all works. Untoward actions will upset the citizens and inevitably lead to the guards being called. Depending on the severity of your transgression, they may simply search a bit before giving up and returning to their posts. But should you offend them severely or repeatedly – they'll become much more aggressive in their pursuit. I've shown you three ways to turn the tide. Remove wanted posters, bribe town criers, or visit a printer to create your own propaganda." Connor: "This feels wrong. Why not just speak to someone and explain my innocence?" Adams: "You can't be serious?" Connor: "We counter one lie with another. Words on paper instantly taken as truth. And all of it without question."

Calls him out on his hypocrisy in fighting for freedom while owning slaves Sequence 6: On Johnson's Trail (Transcript)

Samuel Adams: "Of course. I'm headed to a meeting with some men who should be able to help. Why don't you come along? It's good to see the people finally taking a stand against injustice..." Connor: "Says the man who owns a slave." Samuel Adams: "Who, Surry? I practice what I preach, my friend. She's not a slave, but a freed woman... At least on paper. Men's minds are not so easily turned. It is a tragedy that for all our progress, still we cling to such barbarism." Connor: "Then speak out against it." Samuel Adams: "We must focus first on defending our rights. When this is done, we'll have the luxury of addressing these other matters." Connor: "You speak as though your condition is equal to that of the slaves. It is not." Samuel Adams: "Tell that to my neighbor—who was compelled to quarter British troops. Or to my friend who's store was closed because he displeased the Crown. The people here are no freer than Surry." Connor: "You offer excuses instead of solutions. All people should be equal and not in turns."

And even stops Israel Putnam from kicking a dead enemy’s body - emphasizing that even someone as ruthless as Hickey was still a man. Sequence 8: Public Execution (Transcript

Israel Putnam: "At ease, men! At ease! I said lower your goddamn guns! This man's a hero! The General can be so stubborn sometimes. Piffle, he said, when we warned him something like this would happen! Piffle!" *Israel Putnam kicked Thomas' body* Connor: "Stop." Israel Putnam: "He wanted to kill the Commander. Nearly killed you as well. He was a scoundrel." Connor: "But still a man." Israel Putnam: "Hmph. You're nothing, if not consistent."

Assassin’s Creed III challenged the traditional portrayal of Indigenous people as either savages or passive victims, instead presenting them as individuals with intelligence, morality, and deep cultural awareness. The narrative highlights their ability to navigate complex social and political landscapes while exposing the hypocrisy and shortcomings of colonial figures. Rather than being depicted as primitive or completely naive, characters like Ziio and Connor demonstrate a greater understanding of their environment and the moral contradictions of their time. The game doesn’t just critique the British and questions the American revolutionaries, revealing how their rhetoric of freedom often excluded those who did not fit within their social order.

Through Ziio and Connor, AC3 asserts that Indigenous people were not merely bystanders in history but active participants who approached their world with wisdom and integrity.

[firstelevens]

Top 5 Self-Rec Game

@sambambucky and @sunsetmaidenwrites were kind enough to tag me to share my favorite 5 Sam/Bucky fics that I've written. I'm not sure who's left who'd like to share their work, but if you see this and you were looking for an excuse, consider yourself tagged!

sugar pie, honey bunch | 55k | au (no powers)

Three years ago, Sam and Bucky competed together on The Great American Bake Off. They baked cakes, made pies, and bantered enough to fill multiple fifteen minute YouTube compilations. Now they're back for an all-star season, with new competitors, tentative alliances, and some very opinionated viewers. OR The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but make it The Great British Bake Off.

counted days, counted miles | 2.5k

Separated for months by Captain America duties and missions with the Thunderbolts, Sam and Bucky somehow still manage to keep up their domestic squabbles, browbeat each other into taking care of themselves, and deal with their not-strictly-platonic feelings. A story told in correspondence.

if you got the notion (i second that emotion) | 5.4k

If there is a field that Sam’s kind of an expert in at this point, it’s admiring a good view: earth from the deck of the Guardians’ new spaceship, the skyline of Birnin Zana against the mountains in the distance, lightning bugs flitting around the backyard as the sun dips behind the trees. Now, on a breezy May afternoon, Sam stands a little ways away and considers the deadliest assassin of the twentieth century as he watches a middle school choir performance, and not a great one at that. Sam and Bucky go to a carnival and feel some feelings.

outlaw life looks pretty wholesome | 14.8k | au (canon divergence)

Rescued from a HYDRA base by the Avengers, a rehabilitated Bucky runs covert missions for Nick Fury by night and is one half of a cheerful, cat-owning couple in an exclusive DC apartment building by day. When he gets called out on a mission to protect an important asset, the second-to-last thing he expects to see is a baby. The actual last thing he expects to see is his ostensibly-civilian husband Sam, wielding his own secret agent badge and ready to run point with Bucky on this new mission. Now they just have to hole up in a house in the suburbs, take care of an adorable baby, and try not to collapse under the weight of everything they haven't said over the course of their marriage. Easy.

pretty poses, rows of roses | 11.2k words

"The only thing Sam’s worrying about right now is how he’s gonna hold onto his cool uncle status while telling people to—what did your mom say? Leave room for Jesus?” In the mirror, Cass’s eyes go wide in horror. “If either one of you says that to anybody I know, I’m gonna have to run away and change my name and join the circus. Is that what you want?” Bucky pretends to think about it. “Would you at least be able to get us free tickets?” On leave from Team Cap and the Thunderbolts respectively, Sam and Bucky face their most fraught mission yet: chaperoning prom.

Honorable mentions to midnight driving with the windows down, which is the first fic in my Sam/Bucky Formula 1 AU, and the bells stand still and hollow, which is my Dungeons and Dragons AU and is still a work in progress!

[monosanimegenericzone]

Hunter x Hunter: Zoldyck

you wanna know whats real tragic?

the zoldyck legacy ends in this arc.

i clown on the zoldycks a lot for being bitches (lookin at you silva) but this is actually like a generational tragedy.

what i'm talking about is the fact that illumi and kalluto are the only two kids that the most recent line of zoldycks has produced that actually care about appealing to the family.

like they don't have options.

milluki is the middle child (derogatory)

killua ran away

alluka ran away

it's not entirely clear but kalluto and illumi, the youngest and the oldest, are the only two that really have a chance at progressing the zoldyck bloodline.

illumi of course is devoted, body and soul, to serving the family. his need for control was probably stemmed from the demand to reel in his younger siblings and indoctrinate them to the family tradition. even his monologue about alluka was all about accumulating power in the zoldyck name.

kalluto is still growing and deciding what he wants or if he is even strong enough to have those wants (at least that's my read), but he is working towards the same goal. he wants his brothers back and he's doing everything he can to do so. HE WAS ALSO attached to kikyo and supposedly coddled for his entire life, so it is likely he's not even learned how to have autonomy.

but the tragedy is that they are probably both going to die on the black whale one.

the way the plot is going (and my own wishes), i think that boat is going to blow up and everyone is going to die. the only exceptions being *maybe* hisoka and *a little more likely maybe* leorio.

and also beyond but shhh

the point still stands.

unless killua is eventually going to return to the family, or unless kikyo has another child, there will be no one left to carry on the family name.

and im sorry milluki lovers but he reads so much to me like the child that the parents gave up on. he just does his own thing. maybe he's got some fighting game in this- if illumi dies then literally, he has no choice but to step up- but from what ive seen i really dont see it.

[erithel]

Hi! Happy birthday! (If it still is in your timezone, and if it's not - happy belated birthday!)

Seeing your latest post, i wanted to tell you how much your fics, comics and art in general changed my life.

Reading your fics got me through the hardest times of my life. It's written to a degree so high it's astonishing. No fic i have ever read has made me feel the way yours did. Each and every one of them - even the unfinished ones - are so important. To me and so many others who have read them.

The things you write about, the angsty, sad and angry parts of life many are afraid of - they make processing the accidents that happened in your readers' lives so much better. Reading the characters letting their feelings out, reading them talk about the harsh truths, is what makes doing it in real life so much easier. It makes it less frightening.

Through your fics i learned how to communicate so many problems and difficulties in the last two years of my life, i genuinely don't think i would be alive today without them.

Your art has made a place in my heart at least 3 years ago. Your art has been a lighthouse in a dark, dark ocean. Always saving the lives of so many.

Your art-style, your comics, are some of my favorites. It's so beautiful, and it's so delicate - every detail perfected to a fault. The plot in your comics is, in my opinion, on par with the plot of your fics. Every plot twist is masterfully crafted, each word impactful. The characters never lacking in any way.

Your effort is showing in ever comic page, in every new chapter of your fics. It's been a pleasure to follow your art for so long, seeing the new things you tried. It's never invisible, never wasted. The thought you put into every single piece of any form of art is appreciated, and very viable.

Your art is never going to be replaced as long as people buy and read it, and i know it's never going to be replaced because i am one of those people. I will always be exited to see your url on my notifications, never mind the state i'm in or how uninterested i am in the fandom at that point in time.

Your art saves lives, and it's not going to stop doing that. Never.

Thank you for continuously putting out your art, even at times when you felt like giving up on it.

I hope this made you feel a little better about yourself in that regard. Your existence itself, and not just the art you put out, is important and appreciated. By many. Please never stop doing what you love as long as it's not hurting you.

I had to sit on this message for a bit just to process it.

Now, I think I want to say three things in response.

This is incredibly meaningful and the fact that you took the time to type this all out means the world to me.

I hope that you are okay. Obviously since this is posted anonymously, I cannot reach out to you directly or privately, but learning how to process emotions and communicate issues is such a tough road sometimes. It's one I'm learning to do, myself, and I am so happy to hear that you are learning what works for you. Progress might not feel like it's there at times, but it is there, I promise.

Everything that's been written here should be validating for anyone who writes or reads fan content. Personally, I have always written stories that hold personal importance to me, and I know I am not alone. A lot of people use fanfiction as not only an escape but as a means of catharsis. It feels more personal, in a way, than some traditionally publishes books or widely available shows/movies. And it makes sense because people aren't writing about things that will do well in the market at the time, they are writing about things they truly want to write about. Things that often hold deep, emotional meaning to them, and they are simply using the form of already established characters to convey those things. Creating fanfiction can often feel like something not to be taken seriously (and, to be fair, there are those who truly just do it for fun). But I know I need to remember — and others probably need to remember, too — that you never know who might find your story at the exact time they need to read it. You never know how much these things might stick with someone, or what they could mean to someone other than yourself. Thank you for reminding me that even though these fan creations aren't taken seriously by so many, the chance that they might actually have an impact on even one person is the thing that matters.

[mllehel]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I have been trying to think of what to say about this for what feels like forever now. I think I'm just going to have to start rambling and hope it does justice to the incredible amount of gratitude and comfort I have felt since receiving this beautiful card. I've been wanting to get on Tumblr for ages but this was what really gave me a proper nudge to do so. I don't know if I am ready to talk about everything that was going on; I think that's still a work in progress because every time I think about it I tear up and it's like I'm back there again, in what was one of the most stressful and devastating weeks of my life. So, that remains a project for another day, because I know I do need to work on processing it properly.

What I can say is that I felt unspeakably lonely that week and that feeling has been following me around a lot of late. This card is the antidote to that. I have read through it more times than I can count and am continually so blown away by the kindness contained within. It is truly such a lovely gesture and to everyone who contributed, and to Mac for organising, thank you, thank you, thank you. Being a part of this fandom has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am immeasurably grateful for the connections and friendships I've made along the way. You all really are the best ❤️ Once again, with much love, thank you all!

If any of you have ever read and enjoyed Mlle_Heloise’s (Mads’) work or interacted with her in some way (especially if her stories have ever gotten you through a rough patch or cheered you up) I would love if you could send her a little message of love into my DMs or my inbox (where you can go on anon). She’s having a tough week, so I’m hoping to surprise her with a card holding lots of lovely messages ❤️

(If you draw 00Q fanart and want to contribute a doodle, I’ll happily trade you a ficlet, just DM me!)

[yeye23]

I am not sure if this is legible, BUT just wanted to show a work in progress of one of the things I am working on! (imma not tell you from what fan comic this is from...) Where Donnie is kicking butt with a group fight. Plz enjoy!

[navree]

Incorrect, the fact that Biden has dropped out and a candidate with history of supporting medicare for all and being more receptive to a ceasefire in the I/P conflict has made me go from "I cannot morally support the Democratic nominee" to "I am voting for the Democratic nominee despite the fact she isn't perfect in every respect." I'm really happy this played out. The Dems for the most part abandoned the old Obama platform and it feels like its possible an actual progressive agenda could come to pass in my lifetime.

Kamala 2024!

If you weren't going to vote Democratic in this election before Biden dropped out you're a dorkass loser who does not care about any of the issues you're yammering about here and also a fundamentally bad person, and I hope you get run over by a bus.

But you got one thing right in all of this gibberish, Kamala 2024.

[hylianane]

And when OPLA calls back to Zeff telling the crew to read stories to Zoro so he can hear their voices and recover faster, by having Sanji sit by his bedside on Thriller Bark and read him a book about the All Blue. What will you do then?

[crossbackpoke-check]

the work is certainly not in progress, but it is wednesday !!

[improbable-implosions]

This one's kinda funny, I went into affixing that patch SO sure that the design of that sword of mine, Arma, would be plenty for that patch, but the longer I stared at it doing other mends for these pants, the longer I felt it needed _something_ else, you know?

First up, we've got to stitch on the patch itself! I did some nice even straight stitches, because initially, I was planning on a little area of sashiko mending.

But, in looking at the size of the chunk of dissolvable backing I had cut, there wasn't really any patterns immediately springing to mind that'd work at a scale that small, or, so I thought after seeing how that basketweave pattern came together on an earlier piece. For context, the whole patch is roughly the size of the palm of my hand, at 3.5 inches square.

So, instead, I decided to try something a bit more complex to render than I'd really tried out before, this art of Arma! (Despite the sword's design being my work, the art in question is by @razzmatazic, who I did ask if I tried to trace, and she had no problems!) And so trace I did, tracing the outlines of the major features of the piece, namely, the outer lines, and the shapes of the gemstones.

Unfortunately, in my haste (and, admittedly, my focus, since this was much higher detail than I normally tackle around here), I didn't grab any in-progress shots of this. Still, I actually really enjoy how this came out looking, even if it doesn't perfectly evoke the design or detail of the original piece, it certainly emulates the look of Arma well enough I recognize it, and very visibly reads Cool Sword, y'know?

Next up were a few colorful rims around the edges of the front pockets! They were fraying pretty significantly, so not only does this add a fun splash of color, but it keeps me from picking the edges of these seams apart while I'm not thinking about my hands. Initially, I was going to pick a different set of colors than that turquoise and purple, based on a fun fact about my hometown, but that color scheme was just calling out to me! I decided to lean into the somewhat royal vibes and went for a different, lighter purple, with two little bits of yellow thread, which, fun fact, I actually dyed with some yellow flowers I foraged back in the boston area!

As for these two little spot-mends, they were really more an exercise in frustration. Really, I'm mostly miffed the thread broke on the original patch in the one place the hole kept trying to expand through, but hopefully that little bit of randa stitching (which looks MUCH more like randa stitching should than my previous efforts, namely on my wallet and that previous pair of pants that we detailed, the ones with the segaihana sashiko) alongside some additional reinforcement along the edge of that original yellow patch, made from some thread I scavenged from a fraying bit of denim, should keep this particular pair of shorts from getting any more fixes right on the edge of the patch that has misbehaved TWICE now!

Last but not least, while I was wrangling those pocket rims and the spot mends, I really just had the feeling that Arma would look kinda... lonely, I suppose? Centered in the framing straight stitches like that, so I improvised a little open book next to her! (She's not a sword-girl, promise, it's she/her like you'd she/her a boat) There's actually some really nice dimensionality to the book, too, with some looser stitches to emulate ruffle-able pages, and those two knots along the spine make for a pleasant, crinkled texture to the cover lines! Can you tell I'm pleased with myself for getting that just so, without any guides?

All that said, hopefully that's all the mends my poor poor jean shorts need, I swear, just as I get one set fixed, the other winds up with another hole! Don't get me wrong, I'm starting to enjoy the whole almost boro-like vibe they're developing, with all these overlapping mends, but I'd like them to develop it slower, thanks! (And yes, I do plan to wear these at LEAST until they look like I've quilted them back together, they're comfy!)

[seventh-district]

.