#Prof deserves a happy ending

[koco-coko]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: The Reckoners - Brandon Sanderson Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: David Charleston/Megan Tarash | Firefight, Jonathan "Prof" Phaedrus/Tia Characters: David Charleston, Megan Tarash | Firefight, Jonathan "Prof" Phaedrus, Abraham Desjardins, Cody (Reckoners), Missouri "Mizzy" Williams, Blain Charleston, Tavi Phaedrus, Edmund Sense | Conflux, Obliteration (Reckoners), Original Characters, Calamity/Larcener Additional Tags: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Canon, Childhood Trauma, Grief/Mourning, Grumpy Old Men, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Parents Going Missing, angsty teenager, and edgy teen, Prof learns how to be human again, It only took a decade or so and a moody teenager in lace and all black, This kid's been through some stuff, and so has he, Multiverse hyjinks, Dimensional Travel, Mystery solving, while kicking some Epics' ass, They're both self-destructive, and careless with their lives Summary:

Almost five years after Calamity, the Reckoners have grown a lot (and apart). David, Megan, and Abraham have taken over head positions in the Reckoners, more Epics and normal people alike have joined the Reckoners in a bid to do good, and an official Redemption Act was set in place. Now, any and all Epics can publicly renounce their actions and make up for past actions. The States are being rebuilt, more people are fed and safe than ever, and Steelslayer and Firefight are heroes! They even adopted a kid! It was truly a happily ever after.

Except for Prof. He hasn't grown, he hadn't moved on, and he doesn't plan to. He's just fine wallowing in sorrow in a filthy apartment with The Smiths, Belinda Carsile, and Tears for Fears blasting while he helped the Reckoners from the sideline. He was fine. Completely fine!

But then, a sudden disappearance has a teenager named Jackilyn Charleston end up on his doorstep.

Now, it's a race to solve a missing persons' case before all hope is lost, and maybe they can both regain some hope on the way.

[ruruumin]

i'll love you in every universe.

₊˚ ᗢ modern au! alhaitham x hoyoverse! reader.

⤷ when you're his favorite video game character. - spoilers for honkai impact 3rd, houken gakuen 2, and honkai star rail.

looking for a partner to co-op with, kaveh asked alhaitham to install honkai impact 3rd. at first, the man scoffed at him, reluctantly downloading it to play with his roommate. he would have never expected in a million years, that he would fall so deeply into the rabbit hole called hoyoverse. he stays up late into the night, tapping away on his phone to grind for materials to upgrade his most beloved character: you.

kaveh didn’t understand his strange fascination with you. he had passed on your banner but alhaitham on the other hand, would constantly pull for you no matter what. blame it on his financial freedom, he said. you only deserved the best after all. you had your signature five-star weapon and stigmatas. his entire team was based on maximizing your potential, and he was often known as “that guy who only played (name)” on online co-ops. 

his love for you was very quiet but his actions were loud.

he liked you a lot more than he bargained for. he made you his favorite character on the main screen, tapping your speech bubble to hear your voice lines. you had a very calm and relaxing tone. it was like music to his ears. and he finds that when life gets busy, all he wants to do is lay in bed and spend time with you in the miniature house he’s built. none of this made sense to his roommate. why would a brooding guy such as him, fall so enamored by a bubbly, joyous character like you?

your story mode was the most played-through for him. having started as just another side character to kiana’s journey, you became an integral part of the world. his heart wrenched every time he saw your lowest moments, even when he knew you’d prevail in the end, it kept him on the edge of his seat. he was devastated at first to hear you would be a villain in the later arcs. he didn’t want to fight against you. though, he ultimately would, to see you return to normal (he’ll go out of his way to completely avoid fighting you in weekly bosses). 

when you held out your hand to kiana, looking into the camera with enough warmth to melt the sun itself, he was happy kaveh asked him to play.

one regret alhaitham has is not being early enough to play houken gakuen 2, the predecessor of honkai impact 3rd. he only saw small snippets of your character in the final scene. you were holding onto kiana, the light in your eyes having faded in an instant before the world reset itself.

kaveh suggested he play genshin impact next, considering their world is interconnected with honkai impact. alhaitham would yet again scoff until he saw you in sumeru’s trailer. he couldn’t believe it. there was another you. your personality was a lot calmer and more reserved. more logical, he’d say. despite only being a scribe in this universe, you were a dendro character very closely connected to your archon and played a big role in overthrowing the corrupt sages. 

he was happy to know that your voice had stayed the same. your love for food also remained the same. it gave him jitters when you invited him (technically traveler) into your home. you weren’t the same person as you were in honkai impact 3rd, but you shared the same charm as your previous counterpart. some of the dry comments you had made him smile, like the time you left the traveler with a simple “see ya.”

he continued to grind for your ascension, building his team around you as usual. while you had less of a part in this game, seeing you return was more than enough for him. 

something he was very happy about was because of the popularity of genshin impact, there was much more merchandise for him to buy. after coming home from an exhibit, kaveh was gawking at the sheer size of his haul. from keychains, pins, and buttons, alhaitham bought every single one of your merch. his room was beginning to look less and less professional and more… interesting. it definitely had character. he had an acrylic stand of you beside his computer, with a large statue of your character displayed on his shelf.

kaveh would complain to tighnari and cyno about how you might as well be a third roommate, considering how often he had to see your face around the house. none of that would matter though, as long as alhaitham was less grumpy and going out to play games with him, he actually saw it as a good change. it felt like he got to know more about his roommate than he did beforehand. 

finally, when honkai star rail came out, kaveh didn’t even have to tell him to download it. alhaitham already had it on his devices and started playing before he did. he knew based on the name and hoyo’s previous games, he’ll see you again. and he wants to be more than prepared (with money) to bring you home.

and he’s still not sick of your character yet. his heart was leaping to his throat in the dead of night when you appeared in front of trailblazer during the penacony questline. holding out your hand for them to grab. you pulled them out of the rubble, patting them on the shoulder before pulling them to safety. this version of you was also different from the rest. still gentle and soft-hearted, but… sadder.

in this universe, you had lost kiana and many of your friends. turning to a life of solitude, you became more closed off. it took a lot more time for this version of you to finally open up to him. you talked about your journey before meeting trailblazer. having roamed various worlds until hearing about the express crew. the way you looked at archeon made him hopeful that there was still something between you and the other reincarnations. but you wouldn’t remember her. let alone realize you used to be friends in another game and universe. while tragic, he still wanted to give you the best as he always did. 

the same old tactic: he’ll build another team just for you. and he’ll continue to buy merchandise of you. from m.rage jackets that hung in his closet like a prized possession, to notepads and acrylic blocks. he was single-handedly saving the small business market by how much (name) merchandise he was buying off of every artist that drew you. 

kaveh had given up on complaining and succumbed a little to his antics. for example, on alhaitham’s birthday, he was gifted with a very comical cake with your character drawn on top of it. it gave him a good laugh that day.

in every single universe, whether it be from honkai impact, genshin, or star rail, you’ll always be his favorite character. 

… so when you appeared in his world, he was unprepared.

[think0fmehigh]

prof matty pregnancy scare perhaps?

i’ve already written something like this on my old account, so i’m gonna repost it bc i don’t like writing about anything related to pregnancy or kids. it’s just not in my mind palace 😭

maybe there’s a pregnancy scare about two after you guys started dating. you’re sure of your place in his life, but god you’re nervous.

you’re on the floor with like three positive tests strewn about beside you, crying, thinking it’s the end of the fucking world. you know matty’s heart and that he’ll never leave you over this or make you take care of the baby alone but it’s still so scary cause what if it all blows up in your face? how could you be certain?

you left the bathroom door open thinking he wouldn’t be home for an hour or two and you could find a way to tell him, but you soon hear his heavy footsteps running towards the bathroom at the sound of you crying. you don’t bother trying to hide the tests or anything. he deserves to know.

“darling, what’s wrong, what happened?” he sits down next to you and pulls you into his chest, only then seeing the tests while you’re sobbing and incoherently babbling into his sweater. “oh my god, y–you’re pregnant?”

“please don’t leave, i–i can’t do this by myself,” you softly say into his chest as he picks up one the tests to take a closer look.

matty’s taken aback, speechless. “fuck, i’d never leave you sweet girl, oh my god, i’m gonna be a dad?”

you tilt your head up to look at his face finally and he’s smiling, tears forming in his eyes. he puts the test down and cups your cheek, kissing your lips gently. “never ever think i’d let you do this alone. i love you so much.”

you start crying again, but it’s happier. tears start to stream down his face as well. you’re truly happy about the pregnancy in all honesty, and knowing he’s never going to give up on you and the baby makes you squeeze matty as tight as you can. “i love you. you’re gonna be the greatest dad.”

“fuck, this is like my dream,” he admits through tears, pressing kisses to every inch of your face until you let out a giggle. “gonna be the best mum, angel.”

[melodygatesauthor]

Chapter 11: Torn to Pieces

prof!Steven Grant-Jake Lockley-Marc Spector X f!Reader

Edited by: @welcometostayingawake

Mood Boards - Book Cover - Masterlist

Chapter Summary:

Jake feels guilty, but wants to see you again too badly to care. You continue to see "Steven" when he texts you and tells you to meet up with him. Marc is still trying to get Steven to come back.

Tags/Summary (these are for the ENTIRE fic):

college AU, no powers/not in MCU/no Khonshu (as a deity), talk of mental illness, Marc has DID, forbidden relationship, age gap, reader is 21y/o, Boys are 38y/o, reader attends college in America but isn't necessarily American, smut, sex, masturbation, p in v, creampies galore, reader is on birth control, dubious consent due to identity issues, ANGST, romance, fluff and smut, oral sex, falling in love, reader is not race coded, minor mentions of alcohol addiction and depression.

Word Count: 3.2k

SPECIAL WARNING - DUBIOUS CONSENT. READER DISCRETION ADVISED.

----

Marc woke up on Saturday morning feeling like he’d hardly slept at all. He knew it was possible that Jake or Steven had fronted while he was out, but everything was still right where he’d left it the day before. Steven’s phone was on the end table, Marc’s clothes were still in a pile on the floor, and when he checked the closet, like he did everyday checking for any sign of Steven, there wasn’t a single shirt out of place. As far as he could tell, he’d just had a bad night’s sleep. He went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Nothing but his own reflection was looking back. Marc realized then that he missed Steven.

Marc may have taken a back seat after they moved back to the states, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t still been a fly on the wall, keeping an eye on Steven. The years of guilt he’d racked up meant he wanted to personally ensure that Steven could have that happy life he and Jake had promised all along. Now that Steven was gone, Marc was reminded that all he seemed to be able to do was ruin Steven’s life. He only hoped that Steven would come back and understand why he had to do this.

It had been a while since Steven hit the gym, so since he began fronting a couple weeks ago, Marc started going again. It helped him burn off some steam, especially with the guilt weighing so heavily on his shoulders. On his way back from his session today, he noticed you walking down the street. You seemed to be heading toward the coffee shop where you and Steven had first met. For a split second, Marc had thought of stopping the car to explain everything to you.

It would’ve been foolish, which is why he didn’t actually do it, but the guilty part of him wanted to tell you everything. He wanted to tell you why it was dangerous, beyond the loss of his career and your degree, for you and Steven to be together. He wanted to tell you why Steven shouldn’t have had you at their apartment. Mostly, he wanted to come clean about the mental issues, and the truth about who Steven was, and why Steven was. Marc felt like you deserved all that, and more, but it was too late now to tell you. You moving on from the breakup, he hoped, and telling you about their traumas would only drag you back in thanks to your empathetic nature. It was for the best if you hated Steven; at least then there would be little risk of you ever coming back.

Thanks to Jake though, you weren’t able to easily move on…not really anyway. You felt better though, thinking that Steven still wanted to be with you, and that he was willing to keep seeing you. You just wondered when. You’d hoped to hear from him that morning, to wake up with a text telling you that he wanted to see you that night, but you didn’t. In fact, you wouldn’t hear from him again until Sunday night. Your phone buzzed, lighting up with a text from him. Your heart skipped a beat.

Steven: Come outside at 11pm.

The text was short and sweet. You didn’t need to ask what he would be driving, you had a feeling you’d see him in that black car again, and you did. Layla was sleeping when you snuck out, wearing the skirt you’d worn on the day he broke up with you, a pair of lacy panties he’d mentioned liking once, and a form-fitting shirt.

Jake was waiting, sitting in the car on the other side of the street with the engine running. When he saw you coming, his breath caught in his lungs. You were so beautiful, it was no wonder Steven nearly ruined everything he and Marc had worked to give him just to be with you. You were perfect. Jake wasn’t someone who fell victim to anxiousness very often, but you had a way of making his palms sweat, and his breath feel shallow.

You slipped into the car and he pulled away from the curb. He seemed so different to you, and you wondered if this was what Steven was really like, calm and collected, smooth and mysterious, and the teaching thing was just a front for…whatever this was. It felt off, but you weren’t going to draw attention to it, you were still riding the high of having him back after the trauma of losing him. The fear that he might leave you again kept you quiet, despite your suspicions. You brought your hand to rest over his on the center console. You thought he would squeeze your fingers and hold your hand but he didn’t.

Jake felt your hand touch his and he thought he might swerve into oncoming traffic by mistake. He felt like his lungs might collapse and his heart might stop. Intimacy wasn’t something he was accustomed to. He wanted to take your hand in return, he wanted to, but somehow doing even that small of a gesture would increase the guilt for him, so he didn’t move. The disappointment was clear on your face, he could see it out of the corner of his eye.

When he parked, at the same place he’d been with you before when he picked you up, he got out of the car, leaving his jacket and hat in the front seat when he made his way to the back. He was standing by the door and clearly waiting for you to get in first. You felt nervous for some reason, but you pushed through and moved out of the passenger’s seat to the back. Maybe the cause of your nerves was that he wasn’t saying a word to you. Even as he joined you in the backseat, and pulled you onto his lap, chest pressed against your back, he didn’t say a single thing. The deafening silence continued, even when he put a hand on your spine and pushed you forward in between the front seats over the center console.

“I…I missed you.” You murmured from the front.

“Mm,” he hummed in agreement, pulling your skirt up to reveal your gorgeous rear.

“You don’t talk much these days, miss the sound of your–oh my…”

Jake had taken off one of his gloves and was rubbing his palm over your right asscheek. You’d worn such a pretty little thong. He reveled in the way the delicate fabric looked, barely covering the bits he craved. He brought his finger down and touched between the space where your pussy lips peeked out from behind the panties. You whined in front of him, squirming at the sensation. He smirked, throwing any reservations he still had about what the two of you were doing out the window. The sound of your arousal made him weak, forgetting any guilt he may still have. He needed you.

You heard his belt buckle clanking while he worked on his pants. You leaned back a little letting your cunt brush against his knuckles while he was getting his button undone. You turned your head to look at him. He had his head down, curls in front of his eyes so you couldn’t see him, but you watched him stop trying to get his pants down and instead he focused on you. You rolled back again, and once more his balled fist offered you some friction against your needy clit.

Jake shuddered, you were so wet for him already and he’d hardly touched you at all. It was delicious, the way you wanted him so badly. He only wished it was really him that you wanted. Would it be so bad if he came clean right then? Told you that he wasn’t the man you thought he was? Would you run? He decided quickly that couldn’t bring himself to tell you…not yet.

The panties became a problem when he finally pulled his pants to his thighs and was ready to take you. He tried to tug them aside, but they were so snug against you that he couldn’t fit his cock past them. With both hands, he pulled on the fabric, tearing it off you in two pieces and tossing it in the front seat by your hand.

“Did you just…those were expensive–oh my fuck–”

You felt the hard press of his fat tip against your tight entrance. He dragged his cock between your folds. It sounded so wet and felt so warm, you wanted him so bad. You rocked your hips backward, feeling his head push through your hole followed by a sweet and deep groan leaving Steven’s lips. He grabbed your hips on either side and pulled you over him completely, forcing you both to let out choked moans into the car.

You gripped the edges of the seats on either side of you for stability while he thrusted into you roughly. You thought your hips might bruise from the force that he was grinding you into the center console. The sensation of his hands exploring the globes of your ass was nice, like he was relishing the way your body felt under his palms. You felt the little slaps and grabs he did with his fingers while continuing you. He’d never been so fixated on that part of your body before.

When Jake looked down he lifted up his shirt so he could see his cock disappear into you with every glide forward into your tight hole. The way your cunt grabbed onto him and swallowed him whole made his body tremble. He’d been with a few women in his time, but none that made him feel the way you did. When he grabbed the headrests on either side of himself, he leaned back a little and watched in amazement as you worked yourself over him.

“Mm, así bebita,” Jake said, but quickly realized his mistake while caught up in the moment.

Of course, you caught onto it, turning your pretty face around to look at him, eyes bright and eager.

“What did you say?”

He put a hand over your back and shoved you into the center console again, fucking you harder so you couldn’t think too much about his minor slip. It seemed to work, because you just started moaning and whining so loud he could hardly hear himself think clearly. He grabbed your hip and drove himself in as deep as he could, feeling your walls clench in response. He wanted more, he needed to make you whimper and cry harder.

Jake spit on your tight ring of muscle and heard you gasp softly from the front. He used his thumb to press against the rim, circling around it to help you relax. When you finally let him in, he hooked his thumb in there and started pistoning your rear in tandem with the way his hips worked into your cunt. There you were, filling his car with the sharp choking whines that he craved so much.

Cool, calm, and collected Jake drooled on his pristine white shirt at the feeling of your tight little pussy opening up for him with every slide forward. He could feel your soft and slick, velvety walls stretching out around him with every pass. The tip of his cock was grazing against your cervix, he was so close, and judging by the way he felt you tighten around his length and his thumb…you were too.

“Oh, Steven. I’m…oh shit!”

Your walls clamped down over him, as did your tight asshole. Despite saying the wrong name, the way you felt drew out Jake’s orgasm quickly. He looked down, choking on his groans while watching your pussy milking every bit of cum from his twitching cock. He pursed his lips, letting out a sharp exhale as he continued filling you up as full as he could. 

Your hopes for an intimate conclusion to the evening was denied when Steven promptly pulled out of you the second he was finished spilling into you. He waited outside for you to get yourself together and back in the front seat. You couldn’t put your panties back on, they were completely ruined, so you decided you’d leave them on the floor for now. He could deal with the mess he’d made. When you got out of the car, after using the napkins in Jake’s glove box to clean yourself up, you noticed him crushing something under his shiny shoes. He looked at you, face riddled with something that looked like guilt.

“Are…are you smoking? Steven…” You took a step toward him.

“Get in the car.” He said, pulling together a British accent, hoping you’d believe it.

Whether you were buying the facade or not, you furrowed your brow, turned on your heel, and got in the car. He could tell you were irritable by the way you kept your head turned out the window the entire way back to your dorm. You didn’t even kiss him goodbye that night, you just got out, slammed the door, and went into the building. Jake knew that he was going to have to work with Marc sooner than later to get Steven back. He couldn’t keep this up for long, and he couldn’t let you walk out of their lives.

“He was smoking,” you whispered to yourself, while walking down the hall to your dorm, as if to remind yourself of what you saw.

There was no doubt in your mind. You could smell it when he joined you in the car earlier, the distinct scent of a burnt out cigarette. It was the kind of smell that permeated everything around it. You weren’t going to lose your mind over it, sometimes people smoked, and the fact that he was smoking wasn’t necessarily the problem. You were more concerned with the fact that you’d never smelled it before that night. This was a new habit, that much was clear, and you were wondering what made him start it up in the first place.

----

Marc awoke with a start on Wednesday. He had a weird dream…a dream that involved you. He thought about it while showering and brushing his teeth. It kept flashing through his mind. You bent over the center console of a nice car he’d never seen before while he thrust into you. There was another dream he recalled where you were on his lap in the back seat of the same car, back pressed against his chest while you panted and moaned as you were riding his cock.

He felt himself getting aroused just thinking about it more. The way you sounded while he fucked upward into you, sharp gasps escaping your lips while you got used to his size all over again. He remembered you wearing a nice pair of red panties, plain as day, and then you thanked him for them, as if he’d gifted them to you. He shook the thoughts from his head.

“Great…now I’m thinking about her,” Marc grumbled while exiting the bathroom.

“She’s hard not to think about hermano,” Jake said from the headspace.

Jake knew what was happening. He wasn’t dreaming about you, he was remembering you. Jake had seen you just last night, bringing you a replacement for the panties he’d ruined. He wasn’t even going to fuck you that time, but you insisted, telling him to ‘take me, please, I’m so fucking wet’. And take you he did. He fucked you in the backseat once more, playing with your swollen clit while he buried his cock into you over and over until you were collapsing back onto him in his lap.

“Yeah, well…” Marc picked up Steven’s phone from the bedside table. There was a new text. “The head of the history department texted Steven.”

“How do you know the head of the history department?” Jake asked.

“Had to make sure none of Khonshu’s men were workin’ there when we got Steven the job, remember? I ran checks on everyone.”

“Ah, si.”

“He says that if Steven doesn’t come back soon they’re gonna have to discuss his future at the school. Guess being a new and absent professor doesn’t look good.” Marc dropped the phone back on the table with a loud thud. “For fuck’s sake. Steven!”

Marc stormed over to the three-way mirror vanity. Jake was there on Marc’s left, but he only saw his own reflection in the other two panels. 

“Steven, buddy, I know this sucks. I really do…alright. I’ve had my fair share of breakups, but we have to get things back to normal.” He kept looking at his reflection as though he were challenging it to move on its own.

“He will come out when he’s ready, we can’t–”

“Yes we can,” Marc’s voice cracked as he looked away from the mirror.

Jake recognized that tone. Guilt. Marc was feeling an immeasurable sense of guilt that was weighing on him heavily. Steven had suffered for years, forced to be a passenger in the body while Marc and Jake were doing unspeakable things. He’d finally found happiness, a good job, a girlfriend, all the things any guy could want…and now that was ruined too. Marc just wanted Steven to be happy, but not at the cost Steven would have to pay if things went awry.

“Steven…” Marc looked back at his reflection, “Steven I’m sorry, okay? I’m really, truly sorry. Not just for this, but for all of it. I can’t fix this situation. I can’t let you be with her, but I promise that we can work on finding you a new girlfriend. Right, Jake?”

Jake tried not to think about you, and all the things that he loved about you too. The way you smiled, the way you kissed, and mostly the way you looked at him like he mattered. It was such a simple thing, but most of the time no one looked at him like that. He was the ‘scary’ one of the three, often forced to front when neither of them were conscious or when things got physically dangerous, and they hadn’t been in physical danger for quite some time. Jake was nothing…except when he was with you.

“Right,” he answered begrudgingly, knowing that Marc was right in his suggestion to help Steven get over you by finding him someone new to fall for.

“See? You can find someone else. Plus you have all those students who look up to you that I’m sure would like to have you back.”

Marc was trying so hard to keep his cool. He started pacing around, eyes darting to every reflective surface they had in hopes that he would catch a glimpse of his alter. He flopped on the couch and slumped over, burying his face in his hands and groaning.

“We have to try a new approach. Jake…do you remember how to make Steven’s favorite meal?” Marc looked up at the television screen to meet Jake’s eye.

“Si.”

“Good. I don’t know if it will work, but at this point…I’m willing to try anything.”

----

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Moon Knight Masterlist

[rosethornewrites]

A long time ago, I took a class on peace studies for the minor. Only one professor taught it once a year and it took a while to fit into my schedule. So I took the other curriculum courses first. And joined clubs the professor was associated with, as a young leftist does.

The first week, the professor tried to teach us that “War is a result of patriarchy because violence is a masculine tendency.” Well, I’d taken a bunch of courses and I raised my hand and asked “Doesn’t that perpetuate gender stereotypes?”

Fam, she was not happy with that question. I’d be the only person with my hand raised and she didn’t want to call on me, ultimately.

The next thing she tried to teach us is “There is no conservative idea of peace. All conservatives are warmongers.” Which is factually incorrect but also destroys any basis for conversation. How can we have this conversation with such a disingenuous basis?

At one point we were shown a documentary that had misinformation. So when we talked about it the next class session I brought it up, because I felt it was important. How can you be a trustworthy source if you outright lie to back your opinion. I’d looked it up because I was shocked by the info, and found it was a lie.

We were told to go to peace protests and then to present what we discovered from our experiences in pairs. I paired up with a less vocal peer who was also so done with that class, and they went to DC for a protest and I went to a local one. We presented on the fractured nature of the peace movement because of infighting over who is the purer liberal, and said it was why it was doomed to failure. (It’s still an issue.)

Needless to say, this professor was not my fan at this point, and the feeling was mutual. I skipped enough classes that I deserved a B.

Then the professor unveiled our final. An essay. Which could be a written critique of the class.

Well, then. My thesis was “This was the least useful and most problematic course I have taken at the University level.” I outlined how the professor had broken university policy or come very close to doing so. I also outlined why what happened was problematic from a pedagogical perspective.

She gave me an A in the class. Why? Because I was right? Because she didn’t want me to take it higher?

Later, I happened to meet an alum at a grad school Halloween party halfway across the country. It was the year everyone was dressing as Joe the Plumber. Turned out that professor was their favorite, as they were a gender studies major and the prof was the head of that program. I admitted that I hadn’t liked the class I took with the professor but was part of several organizations with them. I named a different professor I enjoyed, and the alum wasn’t familiar.

By then the alum was hostile toward me. The conversation ended when I used the term “brotherhood” to mean human unity and was labeled a sexist. Out loud.

I wasn’t really surprised by this turn of events, given the professor. I decided I hadn’t had enough to drink and walked away.

Anyway, memories bubbled to the surface tonight. I learned how not to teach in this experience.

[ivebeenmade]

(Saw something about the Xavier v Magneto debate and got, umm, passionate.)

Magneto was right. I have so many points to make but I just want to lay out the few things that bug me most about the debate.

Why Xavier was wrong.

The prof's strategy has always been to approach those who are "afraid" of them with forgiveness, apologies, transparency, and patience. There's a huge gaping problem with this take.

First of all we see his arrogance when he tells the X-Men to forgive and be patient. This strongly implies that the humans are simple-minded. There's nothing wrong with actually respecting the "other guys" in a disagreement. Nothing at all. He's not preaching mutual respect. In fact I think he manages to insult both sides with his beliefs.

He insults humans and their leadership by saying that the X-Men should always understand that humans can't fully comprehend what they are, so they deserve some kind of grace. Well, unfortunately, this is rarely true. Yes we see genuine ignorance that easily turns into violent mobs, as ignorance does. But more often we see intelligent powerful people with an agenda and all the means necessary behind it.

He insults mutantkind by teaching his teams and students to be sorry for who they are. Yeah. Ok. I can hear the arguments. He loves them, is proud of them, helps them grow and know themselves and their abilities?

Yeah...can we talk about Jean Grey? Isn't it sad and scary that he both helps her grow her control over her abilities but also tells every-damm-body to watch out, she's too powerful and dangerous? Why encourage her, why place her on the teams? When he could be encouraging her to utilise her abilities in ways that don't risk her very mind and soul, and also the possible destruction of all life? Or maybe even worse?

How about Rogue (my personal favorite)? In my opinion, it's insulting to ever put her on a team after warning and scolding her for the times she has not been able to pull back, for whatever reason?

There's the whole plot line of her trying to get cured in secret. Because Xavier says she has to accept, live with, and use for good, this ability that seriously impacts her life and happiness. Couldn't he instead focus on finding some work-around?

Yes, we want people to accept and love themselves. Of course. I personally am a firm believer in doing the very best you can with the cards dealt. But would I accept anything that took the edge off of emotional and physical pain? Pretty much. Am I going to survive and still be myself? OK. Let me at least consider it without a lecture on morality and responsibility!

The transparency thing: I can keep this super brief. What happens when he encourages mutants to reach out and help humanity understand them, to stop fear out of ignorance? Very nice idea, in theory, sort of.

It's pretty demotivating to pre-explain why you're different all the time and let's not forget that telling people how you work down to the dna is awfully invasive and foolish to expose. Why would a stranger be entitled to this? Why should anyone just accept it? You can tell them they are perfect just the way they are, but then expect them to patiently take hits while relations slowly build. Especially when they repeatedly don't.

Xavier pisses me off to no end. Magneto was right. And their friendship (or more, we all love a troubled ship) is founded on bitter lies. At least Erik is upfront. Charles pretends to have the answers but he's unsure and scared himself, and often times makes decisions / expresses opinions that sound like he just wants to preemptively claim the high road.

Magneto was fucking right.

[sunnyrealist]

Chapter 49: Cartwheels

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Previous Chapter Recap/Context: Sebastian has moved into Kate's cottage. In the previous chapter, Sebastian completely unpacked, explained his frequent use of sleeping potions, and sentimentally reminisced about his family as he shows Kate three old portraits. He shared a lot of details in particular about his parents, including their research. Kate suggested displaying the pictures in their house, and then she and Sebastian spoke about having portraits done of them as a couple. They also had a discussion about Sebastian's dangerous work with the DMLE and how he needs to find a way out of it. When the previous chapter ended, a letter from Hogwarts had just arrived. This chapter picks up right after that and features these two being playful, lovey-dovey goofballs, sharing their most embarrassing moments, and post-lovemaking pillow talk about children and their future.

Pairing: 25-year-old, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x 24-year-old Kate Mayflower (my OC), the assistant librarian at Hogwarts

Content warnings: In general, this is rated 18+, so minors should not read or interact with this story. This chapter doesn't have any smut, but there is definitely some innuendo and mentioning of making love.

The full chapter is available below the cut; it can also be found on AO3 (link is posted below). Please leave some feedback if possible, especially if you like what you read! 🥰

Chapter 49: Cartwheels

Sebastian holds out the envelope to Kate. “It seems that Hogwarts has business with you.”

Kate’s face scrunches up. “Hogwarts? During the summer? That’s odd.” She quickly breaks the seal and looks for the signature. “It’s from Prof- I mean, Matilda Weasley,” she informs him. As she reads, she goes red.

Dear Miss Mayflower, I am writing regarding some library business. As you know, in the summer, Headmaster Black requires me to complete an evaluation of each of our spaces to ensure that the castle is in an acceptable state for the next term. I am not certain as to why this has occurred, but the library is not ready in terms of organization and cleanliness.  Additionally, the Ministry of Magic has recently gifted the library about a dozen new artifacts for safekeeping in the Restricted Section. These must be catalogued and stored properly. I will explain more in person. If possible, I would appreciate a conference with you during normal working hours next week to discuss when you might be able to complete some work over the summer. Please reply with a date and time for our meeting, and I will be happy to see you in my office. I hope you have had a lovely first week off of work, filled with well-deserved rest and relaxation.  All my best, Matilda Weasley  Deputy Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

“Matilda wants me to do some work over the summer,” Kate summarizes after reading. “It sounds like Agnes and I might not have been as thorough with organization as we thought before leaving for the summer. She also has items that must be catalogued into the library’s Restricted Section, but she’s being a bit dodgy about what these artifacts are. That probably means they’re hazardous.”

“Hazardous?” Sebastian echoes. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Well, I don’t know that for sure - it’s just speculation,” she notes. “But it is part of the job. I’ve never had to do that before - Agnes has always handled it in the past… I’m sure I can handle it.”

“I know you can take care of yourself, but it doesn’t mean I won’t worry. I don’t know what I would do if…” he trails off, then gives her a pointed look. “Just… Be careful, alright?” 

Kate smiles sweetly at his concern. “It’s just a meeting for now. It’s not like I’ll be working with these artifacts right away next week.” She slides off of the bed. “Well, I had better write back to her.”

Just a meeting… Sebastian thinks to himself. Nothing to worry about. Not yet.

“Oh!” Kate suddenly adds. “I almost forgot! I need to send an owl to my parents, too. They asked me to write as soon as I returned from our trip.”

“Good idea. I don’t want them to think I’ve kidnapped you,” he replies, half-kidding.

“Dearrrrr mamma and papa,” Kate loudly begins to recite with a cheeky smile on her face. “You wouldn’t believe how much danger I was in on our trip! I know we’ve only officially dated for about a week, but I’ve invited Sebastian to live with me. Also, I can’t wait to tell you all about the things he can do with his mouth…” She pauses for a moment as he processes her words, then cracks up, darting into the kitchen. 

“Oi!” Sebastian lets out a chuckle, shaking his head as he follows her in a rush. “Be careful what you say to your parents! I don’t need them to know all of the sinful things I’ve done to their precious daughter!”

She giggles as he chases her into the kitchen, right on her heels as she rounds the table. He’s far too fast and strong, easily catching her. 

“Sebastian!” she shrieks, cackling as his arms wrap around her waist.

Leaning in close, his lips hover just above her ear. In a low, seductive tone, he whispers, “You know you’re in trouble now, darling. Teasing me like that and running away… We can’t let that slide, can we?”

Kate chuckles to herself. “Oh, Bash - I would never!” 

“I don’t believe you for a second,” he retorts, grinning widely and tightening his hold on her. “You know exactly which buttons to push.” He presses a kiss just above her ear.

After a moment, she murmurs, “I… should write those letters,” as if she needs to convince herself. 

“You probably should,” he reluctantly agrees. “Though I must admit, I would much rather spend the rest of the day doing… other things.”

She breaks out of his grasp, raising an eyebrow. “You’re insatiable, you know that?” 

“Sure. Insatiable and unapologetic about it.” He smirks, crossing his arms. “My girlfriend is absolutely irresistible. Can you blame me?”

“Yes,” she replies with a pointed look. 

Sebastian pouts melodramatically. “Fine. Go write your letters. I’ll just… be all alone and neglected.”

Kate kicks him playfully. “I love you, ridiculous man. Read a book, play piano - just find something to do so I can get something done. You’re rather distracting.” She pulls her wand out of a pocket in her dress. “Accio correspondence supplies.” 

Sebastian begins to leave the room as the summoned items soar into the kitchen. He decides at the last moment to return for a kiss, and that’s when he collides with the ink pot, which spills all over Kate’s dress. 

“Ugh!” She shoots up, grabbing the ink and shoving it upright back on the table. “Scourgify!” She points her wand at her dress. The stain slowly begins to disappear, but the ink is so dark, it still leaves a blotch. She sighs, plopping back down. “It’s ruined.”

“Sorry, love,” he murmurs, feeling guilty, but a moment later, he gives her a mischievous look. “You know, you could just… take your dress off.”

Kate narrows her eyes, shaking her head. “You sly dog.” Then, a smile of amusement tugs at her lips. “You know, now that you mention it, it is a bit chilly in the cottage. Perhaps I should take the dress off… and replace it with an oversized sweater, scarf, long skirt, stockings… you know… fully cover up.”

Sebastian groans dramatically, mock suffering on his face. “Ah… no, no, no. Don’t hide your heavenly body from me. I’ll suffer.”

“Oh, well, we can’t have that,” she plays along. “But I simply cannot be naked all of the time, Bash. You wouldn’t want me to catch a cold… that would make me suffer.” She giggles.

He leans against the wall, a lopsided smile on his face. “Of course - of course. But… who needs clothes anyway? They’re just a hindrance. We should both just walk around naked all the time. That would solve everything.”

“Oh, yes, what a brilliant idea, Mr. Sallow,” Kate retorts sarcastically, peering at the stain again. “And while we’re at it, why only be naked in the house? We can garden and do laundry in the nude, too. Then, any old passerby could see me, too.” She laughs, knowing how mad she’s about to make him. “Imagine how many men might see my body…”

The silly glimmer in Sebastian’s eye immediately disappears as he squints at her. “Don’t even joke about that.”

Kate chuckles, unable to stop teasing him. “You know you’re not the only man who’s seen my body before…” She rests her chin on her hand, studying his reaction.

“I know, sunshine, but I don’t like thinking about it,” he mutters, looking away. “I damn well will be the only one to see you naked from here on out.”

She glances away, biting her lip and grinning, debating whether to bring something up. “Have I… ever shared with you my most embarrassing moment?”

Sebastian’s eyebrows raise in curiosity, and he takes the seat next to her. “No, you haven’t.” He smiles. “I promise I won’t laugh too much.”

“Well…” she begins. “It happened during my sixth year at Hogwarts. Hufflepuff had just won the Quidditch Cup, and it was quite a big deal. I think every Hufflepuff was packed into the Three Broomsticks that night, and let’s just say that… alcohol was flowing freely. Professor Garlick was kind enough to turn a blind eye - no one got in trouble. So, anyway, my friends and I were absolutely pissed when we stumbled back into the Hufflepuff common room. We were some of the first people back, and we decided to continue the fun and play drinking games. Eventually, Truth or Dare became our game of choice… Do you want to hear more of it?” She gives him a questioning glance.

“Yes, yes,��� Sebastian replies eagerly. “Go on. What happened next?”

“It was kind of what you might expect - a lot of stupid dares and silly questions. But it got wilder and wilder as the night went on,” she continues. “We were passing around bottles of vodka and gin, taking shots, and we were quite sloppy around 1 o’clock in the morning. Someone dared me to perform a cartwheel, which probably sounds quite tame.”

Sebastian can picture a younger Kate, drunk and giggly with her friends, causing chaos and mischief, and it makes him grin. “It is pretty tame. So what happened? Did you fall on your arse?”

Kate grimaces. “Not quite. I agreed to the dare, but I had forgotten something important. It was unseasonably warm, and over the course of the night as we drank, body temperatures rose. Most of us stripped down a bit since we were amongst close friends. I myself was just wearing a loose, low-cut shirt with my corset… which I had loosened considerably as the hours passed. Right when I started the cartwheel, the door to the common room opened, and in walked the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, flanked by just about the entire house. I was midway through the cartwheel, upside down, when suddenly… my tits popped out of my corset, and I exposed myself to just about everyone. The Quidditch guys whistled and cheered like I had actually intended to flash them.” She turns beet red, recalling the incident.

Sebastian bursts out laughing, the sound echoing around the room. “Oh - Oh, Merlin!” he exclaims. “I’m sorry, love, but, my gods, that’s hilarious! I can almost see it! I bet the team thought they won the World Cup!”

“Yeah…” She joins in the chuckling, able to see the humor in the situation now that it is long past. “I suppose it was quite the warm welcome back for the team. Personally? I just wanted to turn invisible. To be permanently under disillusionment.” She shakes her head with merriment. “Everyone kept making comments about it for weeks afterwards. I already had a boyfriend at the time, but I kept getting asked out by other guys. And one girl, too. I guess they… erm, enjoyed the view…” She raises her eyebrows, looking away.

He rests his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair. “I would have remembered that for ages, too, had I been there. I probably would have been the one whistling loudest, in fact..”

Kate reaches out to swat at him; he dodges. “Se-BAS-tian!” she chastises, punctuating each syllable. “You’re terrible! Don’t you remember, I was an entire year younger than you at Hogwarts!” 

“Oh no!” Sebastian replies dramatically. “One whole year younger?!” He cackles again. “If I had been there, I would have absolutely tried to muster the courage to ask you out for a Butterbeer after your little show. In any case… it would have provided some… shall I say, inspiring material for many nights to come.” He waggles his eyebrows.

“Inspiring material?!” Kate shouts, laughing even louder. “You mean… You would have…” she doubles over, unable to breathe. “Is that what the boys would call… Quietus Time?”

He nearly falls out of his chair at her response. “That’s exactly what I would have called it! I guarantee that you made your way into many a Quietus Time after your little… accident.”

“Oh my gods, Bash! Gross! Teenage boys are so gross!”

They devolve again into a fit of giggles. 

When the two can finally breathe again, Kate cocks an eyebrow. “Well… What about you? What was your most embarrassing moment? I’m guessing you didn’t flash all of your housemates.”

Sebastian runs his hand through his brown hair, still grinning as he takes a moment to think. “I guess I could tell you about the time I lost a bet and had to wear Hufflepuff house colors and cheer for them during a Quidditch match against Slytherin - in the Slytherin stands. It was a very traumatic experience for me.” He feigns a shudder.

“Oh, not that!” she yells dramatically. “Imagine cheering for Hufflepuff - what an embarrassment!” She shakes her head disapprovingly at him. “You just watch. Someday, our kids will be in Hufflepuff, and you’ll have to cheer them on.” She pokes his arm.

He grins at her playfully. “I sure hope not. If we have children, they had better be sorted into Slytherin. I’ll have nothing less.” He leans in to whisper in her ear. “Besides, I think you’ll look amazing in green and silver.”

“Oh, do you?” Kate asks innocently, then turns her nose up. “You wish.” Moments later, her haughty expression melts into a smile. “Bash, I’ll be happy with them no matter what. Even if they end up arrogant little Slytherins.”

Sebastian’s eyes glint with amusement. “Arrogant, you say? Not so. We’re simply confident and proud,” he retorts, pretending to take offense. He reaches out to brush a stand of hair behind her ear. “I’m calling it now, Kate. Our many, many adorable little ones are going to be Slytherin, and you’ll learn to love it.”

“You’re insufferable,” she mutters with a grin, throwing up her hands. 

They chuckle, and then Kate leans in to press a kiss to Sebastian’s lips. “I love you, my insatiable, insufferable Slytherin.”

He grins against her lips. “And I love you, my… intoxicating, irresistible Hufflepuff.” He kisses her more deeply, his hands tracing up and down her arms. “You know,” he murmurs, his voice low, “When you tell me you love me, I can barely fathom the wonder of hearing those words. But it sounds even better when you’re breathless underneath me, moaning it in my ear…”

Kate’s suddenly heated gaze flicks up to him. “I… I feel like we’re on our honeymoon. Do you?” she whispers. “It feels like… time has just stopped today.” She kisses him again.

Sebastian’s eyes sparkle with affection. “I know what you mean, my love. It always feels like time freezes when I’m with you.” His voice is soft and tender. “And yes, it feels like a honeymoon, but now that I know it’s… permanent, I feel like I’m in heaven. I am so privileged to have you by my side every day now.”

Eventually, she insists that it’s time to finally complete her correspondence and demands that she is given at least a little bit of privacy. It’s clear that, without it, she will not get much done. In her letters, she arranges a meeting with Matilda Weasley on Monday and writes to tell her parents that she is home and safe and that she would like to visit soon to tell them about Sebastian. This, in particular, weighs heavily on her, but she resolves to put it to the back of her mind until she hears back from them.

Later that night, Sebastian lays next to Kate, both of them naked and content after making love. His fingers gently stroke her wavy blonde strands. “I can’t stop touching your hair. It’s just so soft and beautiful. I love it. I can’t help myself.”

“Maybe our daughters will have my hair,” Kate replies dreamily. “You can learn to braid.”

Sebastian lets out a laugh at her words. “Daughters? Bold of you to assume we won’t have sons instead.” His gaze softens as he considers it. “I suppose, though, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want to have little girls with your hair and eyes.”

She chuckles. “And they’ll probably inherit your freckles. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” She kisses his cheek. “What do you think we’ll have more of? Daughters or sons?”

He hums thoughtfully, a smile tugging at his mouth. “Who knows? There’s an equal chance for both. But personally, I’m hoping for at least one daughter with my freckles and your golden hair.” He raises an eyebrow, considering the alternative. “The thought of little boys with my stubbornness and recklessness is… a bit scary. They would likely end up driving both of us insane.”

“Yes, they would!” Kate laughs heartily. “They would keep me on my toes every minute.” 

She kisses him, still chuckling, weaving her hands into his wavy chestnut hair. He leans in closer, his hand wandering up her abdomen.

“They will keep us on our toes,” Sebastian corrects. “You won’t be the only one dealing with them, you know. They’ll be the spawn of two troublemakers who will suddenly find themselves having to keep miniature versions of themselves in line.”

“Gods help us. And don’t forget how sneaky I’ve always been. I’m an expert at getting away with things.” She scrunches her nose. “That will make it even worse. Sneaky little mischief-makers… How will we ever handle them?”

“The only way is together, as a team. We’ll keep each other sane… or at least, as sane as we possibly can be.” He kisses the top of her head. “Just imagine it, darling. We’ll fill this home with love and laughter and joy. There will be books and toys everywhere, and it will be absolute chaos, but… it will be perfect.”

Kate exhales softly, snuggling into him. “It sounds like a dream - a beautiful dream. Oh, I love you so.”

“One day soon, all of this will be our reality. We’ll have our own little family, and we’ll be happier than we ever thought possible,” he murmurs contentedly.

“I’m already happier than ever,” Kate whispers before kissing his chest. Then, she yawns uncontrollably. “Oh, Bash, I’m so tired. You’ve worn me out. I think I’ll go to sleep. It’s been quite a day.” She adjusts to a more comfortable position, turning over to face away from him. “Are you staying up or going to sleep as well?”

“I’ll stay here with you, but I’ll probably read for a bit. I’ll keep the light hidden away as best I can,” he replies. “You should rest, my sweet.”

Kate closes her eyes, pulling the covers up over her shoulders. “Good night, my moon. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Good night, my sunshine. Sweet dreams,” he whispers, his heart full of affection.

It isn’t long until Kate is lightly snoring. Crickets chirp outside the cottage, and the room is lit only by the soft glow of one burning candle. Sebastian eventually grabs his book from the nightstand and flips through pages, but it’s difficult for him to focus. His mind is reeling with anxiety over tomorrow’s journey to the Feldcroft cemetery.

As if reading Sebastian’s tumultuous thoughts, Kate turns over, deep asleep, wrapping her arm around his waist and putting her cheek against his bare back. It’s as if she knows, even unconsciously, that he needs comfort. His heart performs cartwheels.

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

got my prof's feedback on my short story draft today and honestly . wild

one . most important . she liked it :]

said i needed to show the characters falling in love more which i will Not be doing bc im trying to portray their relationship as smth inherently complicated and also queerplatonic but ALSO the way she phrased it was 'more details so i feel like these characters are good together and ship them' and honestly never thought id see a prof use the word ship in that context

she's been a big supporter of me getting published which im so happy about but it's kinda funny when she ended the comment with 'you deserve an audience' like oh Dont You Worry i Have One. they are here for my stories about a doomed horror protag falling in love with a block man with no mouth. im making it big over here

[gojonanami]

Prof geto get lost..yuta for the win

hahaha oh nooo I think prof geto made a mistake for sure but he had the best intentions, he wants the best for reader. yuta is also very sweet and he deserves the world — he will have his happy ending too 💕🥹

[lesbicona]

why is season 6 of community your favourite /genq im just curious !! :]

the short answer is frankie

the long answer is: im very particular about endings, not in that i need them to have specific qualities (like sad or happy or epilogue-esque or what have you) but in that i need them to have narrative intent. we came close to living in a universe where basic story and basic sandwich closed community's story, and as much as i do genuinely like those episodes (mostly for comedy reasons), i only like them in the context of the full show we have now. i was not old enough to appreciate the show as it aired, but looking back i can see opinions at the time of the ending were divided. season 5 in general, honestly, seems close to season 4 in people's minds- in the post you're referencing where i expressed this opinion, season 5 received literally 0 votes. season 4 is controversial, but season 5 commits a worse sin- it's forgettable. (and i do like it, i really liked prof hickey which is truly a take on this webbed site, but this is my impression of the public opinion of it).

so in just existing, season 6 elevates my personal opinion of the show, but i mentioned public opinion in the paragraph prior because season 6 often gets lumped in with 4 and 5 as 'bad'. now while i have my own set of takes about even just season 4 (really guys, it's fine, it's just an ok season of tv in an excellent show, but it's not BAD) i will try very hard not to get into here, it is an objective divide between the widely acclaimed seasons 1 through 3 and the more controversial rest. my opinions of season 6 are very influenced by this, because it's like my little meow meow i must protect from the haters.

i feel season 6 closes up the themes of community, as evolved and changed as they are, in a satisfying way, and gives the characters themselves a logical narrative end. i especially enjoyed the themes of growing up continued from season 5, which are very pressing in a show about college. of course i realize this is a silly sitcom we're talking about, so i'm not saying that it put forward anything groundbreakingly subtle or even new, but any long-running show (especially one which could not keep the entirety of its main cast) that can wrap up so satisfyingly deserves praise.

and yet, because of the season 4 hurdle, which leaves many people with a bad taste in their mouth for the rest of the entire show, it is not as acclaimed as i think it deserves to be. i don't think people realize how much the show was probably going to change in season 4 even without dan harmon's departure. the idealized season 4 in people's minds seems to be season 3 part 2, which could not have happened for a successful season of television. seasons 1 through 3 are all already very different from each other despite being clumped together. yet people despise every single change to the show from season 4 onward indiscriminately. so of course season 6, with its many, many changes, is so far from season 3 that people blinded by the latter's glory cannot even see the former.

but most if not all of the changes season 6 brings are purely beneficial in my perspective. frankie and elroy are excellent additions to the cast; they are great comedic forces, with a strong role in relation to the others. they both play the almost-straight man jeff used to be, normal in reaction to most of the shenanigans of the original cast while bringing in their own insanity. they also represent the aging of the show. by bringing them in instead of, for example, freshmen students, the new, more grown perspective of the show is reinstated. the bits of their lives outside the committee that we get to see are interesting, funny, and bring them depth.

of course in particular im fond of frankie, who's normal to the point of pathology, whose line deliveries have a 90% chance of obliterating me on the spot, and who is just like me fr fr (a lesbian). she does not budge in her responsibilities, leading to her fluctuating role in the eyes of the cast, antagonist in some episodes and co-lead in others. her presence adds something new for each character to compare themselves to, for the better. in particular, annie, jeff and the dean are all improved because of her.

britta also receives some focus she hadn't since a few seasons past, and while i do not agree with the narrative framing of all of it (as clearly the show itself does not side with her in disliking her parents, as much as she, as a character, has proper reason to), the contents are extremely enjoyable to me. getting a chance to analyze the wannabe-therapist's relationship with her parents is perfectly ironic just as a concept.

season 6 offers some of my favorite comedy of the whole show. while my favorite line forever remains "i need help reacting to this" (which i saw you also enjoy <3), i was in tears of laughter at the end of a majority of season 6 episodes on my first watch. elroy's addiction to encouraging white people is absolutely unforgettable.

sorry for the Whole Fucking Essay! the medium answer, which you unlocked by reading the long answer, is: though perhaps not the objective best community has to offer, i love season 6 twice as fiercely to protect it from its undeserving haters. stan frankie, bring me 6 cans of olives, goodbye.

[daxwritesstories]

The Game: Chapter 34

Naomi's P.O.V

It was a beautiful day to be out on the beach, soaking up the warmth of the sunshine and checking out hot chicks. Naomi was doing just that, always trying to live her life the fullest. It was her philosophy to maximize pleasure and minimize boredom.

To make the day even better, Naomi was in the company of Tessa and Katrina. She had decided to try spending time with them at least once more before the girls returned home. The three of them were sunbathing and chatting about life.

It turned out that Naomi's suspicions about them being sugar babies were correct. Apparently they all "belonged" to one very rich man. Due to the man's status, they were hardly seen in public with him and, as a result, went on a lot of trips with just the three of them. Tessa explained that part of their agreement with him was that they could only hook up with other girls. Typical for an entitled rich man, Naomi thought.

Naomi was happy to have her new friends open up to her more. It seemed that their romp in Zoe and Naomi's hotel room made them more trusting. That was one of the many things Naomi loved about women. You give a girl a couple amazing orgasms and she'll tell you almost anything.

The girls also told Naomi that Katrina was the newest sugar baby in their group. Tessa and Christy met her at a high-end nightclub and invited her into the VIP section with them. They showed her how much money they were making by just being pretty and the rest was history.

"Katrina never knew what she was worth until Christy and I found her," Tessa said. "She thought she didn't deserve that kind of luxury without earning it first."

"Mhm! Now I know that I deserve the world and then some," Katrina elaborated.

"That's a wonderful view on life, ladies," Naomi praised. "In my opinion, beautiful girls should never have to work a day in their lives."

"Exactly! You get it," Tessa replied.

"Of course!" Naomi gave the girls a charismatic smile.

"Naomi!" A familiar voice called to her. It sounded like...

"Professor Jessie," Naomi replied, turning her head to look at her teacher.

Jessie waved and came closer to their little beach set up. Tessa sat up and Katrina took off her sunglasses to see who was approaching them.

"Hello!" Tessa greeted. "Are you one of Naomi's friends?"

"She's one of the professors at my college, actually," Naomi explained.

"Yes, but I consider my students to be my friends," Jessie said.

Naomi moved over on her towel and patted the open space beside her. Seeing her signal, the prof sat down next to her. As she lowered herself to the ground, Naomi took the opportunity to admire the high-waisted one-piece swimsuit she was wearing.

She hadn't yet realized that being at a resort might give her a chance to see her professors in some more revealing clothing. Jessie was already tempting enough in her work clothes. She was a young prof with a small frame and a -frankly- submissive attitude. She was still new to the job so she hadn't yet grown the backbone required for it.

"Jessie, this is Katrina and Tessa." Naomi gestured to each girl as she introduced them.

"Nice to meet you two. I'm Jessie. It's good to see that my students are making friends on this trip." Jessie gave Naomi a light, approving tap on the shoulder.

"So what is this school trip even for?" Katrina asked.

Naomi looked to her prof to answer. She had been wondering the same thing.

Jessie shrugged in response. "I'm not sure. It wasn't my idea. The school just asked me to come along as supervision. Although it's essentially a free vacation since college students don't really need to be supervised."

"Well that's great," Naomi said.

Jessie nodded in agreement and the conversation slowed for a moment. Eventually Tessa broke the silence.

"Where's Zoe?"

Naomi shrugged. "Dunno. She's off doing her own thing."

Jessie gave her a confused look. "Excuse my forwardness but I thought you two were dating."

"I thought so too," Katrina agreed.

"Nope," Naomi said, shaking her head. "We're just really close friends."

[kbondoxxxxav]

Both for Kaito and Shuuji, 11/16/18/20/23 (pick any number you want for either of them!)

Yes my favorite divorced couple 💗

11. What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character?

Kaito - his design is super neat, his unbleached roots, his 🚫 eyes, piercing, black shirt, boots, etc—his partner is so cool too like damn that’s a hell of an evolution line, he’s The Cool Guy™ but he’s also the biggest loser lol

Shuuji - He’s overhated and he deserves better and after rewatching the playthrough again, he’s not even that bad like i don’t know i used to get annoyed with him like others too but after knowing more about him, he really is just traumatized kid being thrown to strange situation of course he would lost a lil bit of his sanity

16. A childhood headcanon

Kaito - I like to think he took some martial art lesson, i read a fanfic mentioned he took judo so it would be nice!

Shuuji - He’s the type of the kid their parents forced to go to Kumon even they didn’t want to lol, also i want to think every time he wanted to play with his older brother, their parents always stopped him with some excuse like “Your older brother is busy studying”

18. How do you think they were as a kid? (Like, were they shy, noisy, wild, etc)

Kaito - He’s just loud noisy kid, i just liked to think he used to be friendlier but not social butterfly either, so maybe he had a handful of friends to play with, and he always took care of Miu and fought every kid who mess with her (and also i liked to think Miu used to admire him until—well until that incident)

Shuuji - He seemed to be obedient kid who didn’t cause any trouble, or it’s just how he raised by his parents after all. I just think Shuuji might be a little bit more difficult to be disciplined than his brother at first until his dad started comparing him and he stopped rebelling and just did what his father wanted

20. A weird headcanon

Kaito - he’s quite infamous in school, i just think he’s that type of shonen protag delinquent who always had beef with the school gangsters, and maybe some of those gangs actually were interested to make Kaito join their gang coz he was strong but he was just like “nah i don’t have time for this bullshit i need to pick up my little sister from school bye assholes!!” and then he left

Shuuji - Shuuji once helped tutoring Saki and Minoru and they asked to play some songs, Minoru commented how boring Shuuji’s playlist was and started playing current pop songs on Shuuji’s account. Shuuji ended up listening to those pop songs secretly but he won’t admit to anyone ever he actually enjoyed listening to Doja Cat

23. Future headcanon

Kaito - So i don’t know why that Kaito having a band is pretty popular hc (maybe because he’s yamato expy etc etc) but i do like it and i will go along with it too hehe, i actually headcanon him to move to the city since high school, he started this band he met online so he left to the city to be serious on it, he wasn’t the type to continue college but not because he’s stupid or anything, but even if he continued going to college he would work first taking some part time jobs and performing in some gigs with his band for some years, and it would be funny if he took some major that was unexpected for him to take

Shuuji - i just like to think he worked with Prof Akiharu as his assistant, pupil, etc i don’t know something like that i’m sorry haha, his dad wasn’t really happy with it because yeah when his dad was satisfied anyway? I just think his dad didn’t want to do with him anymore since well, he’s already an adult anyway, he would just think Shuuji as a failure, but Shuuji already made peace with that issue, as long as he’s happy with what he’s doing now, it’s all that matter. Also i wanted to think Shuuji and his brother actually started communicating more and had better relationship

[greenxprof]

favorite part of canon?

( ask for leo's opinion on... )

Really hard to choose!!! I like so many things about pokémon, but I guess I'll try to choose from the general lore instead of a single game.

I really like the role a Rival has in every story! No wonder they're usually my favorites (Green, Silver, Barry, Nemona, Carmine etc...)

I feel it to be very special and actually quite endearing, specially the rivals that are pre-stabilished friends. They often share their journey with you, trying their best to get stronger and ending up making you stronger as well. I love watching the mcs and rival's bond deeper and thicken as they venture and work together to defeat the villains or dangerous legendary pokémon. I often get really moved or sad when a Rival has a sad moment, and I feel really happy when they overcome it.

I did feel bad when Barry failed to defeat jupiter and got all sad. I cried when he came help us at the top of mt. coronet and said he couldn't do anything more than that..... And recently when I finished firered for the first time and saw Prof. Oak say he was disappointed with blue/green i did cry too. I'M A LITTLE SENSITIVE

( ps: Green deserved a better ending. No wonder he looks fucking depressed in cinnabar, staring at a random wall....)

[shinneth]

#Conway Day

The Happy Endgame where Conway indeed gets the girl! Not only is Conway a successful Pokemon Prof., but he's a proud husband of Dawn and a prouder daddy of the twins, Soleil and Sunil!

The Twin Suns, you might say. And I conceptualized them before Sun/Moon was a thing >>; Soleil is the daughter, Sunil is the son.

We've seen that @anghappylady totally beat my ass in designing a superior Adult Conway. I had at least one other design that didn't make it through the final phase.

... not much different only than slightly worse, huh?

Soleil had a prior design, but even today I'm rather happy with how she ended up now. Maybe her color palette could use an adjustment, but otherwise I totally dig how she ultimately ended up.

Sunil, though... hooboy. I could never get him quite right in line with what I saw in my head.

Like... I just don't like any of these designs. Even the final product. Sorry, Sunil. I just can't get you right somehow. As a product of Conway, you deserve better.

BONUS:

First-ever designs of Soleil and Sunil.

BONUS BONUS: Barry, Bianca, and their kids!

Gwen and Dwight, if you were wondering about their names!

[cullenbluewrites]

Hello! Remember me? Hi, happy new year. I have returned because recently thought of a TF Animated version of this specific brand of shenanigans.

Basically, Sari, being part Cybertronian herself, would probably be able to make Sparkling Distress Cries™ with zero effort (I’m thinking of this pre-reveal so they don’t know she’s Cybertronian). Would this give the autobots the mechanical equivalent of an aneurysm? Probably. Would it have devastating effects on the Decepticons (who have not seen newsparks since LONG before their banishment)? Absolutely. Does Sari use this power responsibly? Fuuuuck no.

* She does it at the constructicons (who have never even heard of a sparkling) and the autobots come to the rescue… only to find the two cons on the floor begging her to stop the guilt is killing them. If they were human they’d be crying inconsolably.

* Lugnut’s reaction was a shocker. She did it at him mid battle (he was just about to use The Punch) and he just freezes, then VERY SLOWLY lowers himself down in an attempt to seem non threatening and tries to soothe what he has decided is a very strangely shaped sparkling (and not a frame walker because he is NOT dealing with that. No thank you Unicron).

* Blackarachnia doesn’t really know how to handle the situation. She’s quietly trying to sooth Sari and also trying to check if the child is a fellow techno organic as gently and politely as she can. (The fact she was correct is an irony not lost on any of team prime).

* Blitzwing was also caught mid fight, and he just flat out panicked. He just instinctively scooped Sari up and tried to shuffle away from the battlefield/out of danger while Sari continued to make ‘I’m being murdered’/‘this is the scariest moment of my life’ sounds. Blitz honestly looks like he’s gone into shock, all three faces are Alarmed™. The Autobots drop their weapons and have to cajole the panicked triple changer into please giving them THEIR sparkling back. He eventually does and then books it. Sari appreciated that his first instinct was to try protecting her at least.

* Starscream (mid battle, naturally) seems to quite loudly go through all the different stages of grief (while panicking), before just nopenopeNOOOPE-ing his way out of there. He doesn’t know how to deal with this and it’s making him feel a lot of emotions. And maybe a bit depressed? And you know what maybe the clones he planned on making shouldn’t be used as disposable soldiers, they deserved more than that, they came from him after all! Frag it he’s starting a seeker colony on that uninhabited red planet nearby and NO HE DOES NOT HAVE EMPTY NEST SYNDROME shut up.

* Shockwave, if he encountered her, would just be like “huh. Fellow shapeshifter, but small and very young”, move her to once side (near a food source, he’s a professional and he has standards) and continue on his way.

* Megatron feels immensely conflicted about the whole situation. He doesn’t particularly like the fact this organic? (he’s pretty sure that’s an organic. Maybe. Maybe not) is somehow able to sound like a newborn in apparently excruciating pain. He also wants to at least try and sooth it, which is a weird sensation. This is a strange situation, he’s not used to this. He’s… he’s going to call a tactical retreat. This is giving him a processor ache now.

The result back in the Decepticon base is Prof Sumdac watching the constructions having a mental breakdown, Megatron nursing a headache and asking him where the pit he got his progeny from, a rather baffled looking Lugnut, and Blitzwing depressed in the corner because he ended up also getting empty nest syndrome and is handling it badly. Sumdac feels a bit sorry for them.

——

Bonus is her doing it at the Elite Guard to fuck with them. She makes a series of Pissed Off Sparkling chitter at them (aka the ‘leave my guardians the pit alone’ noises). Ultra Magnus just blue screens for a minute or two because What? Jazz backs off but emphatically requests an explanation because organics shouldn’t be able to do that, right? Right? The Jettwins pause for a moment, before deciding to Not Question It™ and chitter back at her. Sentinel shrieks “Frame Walker!!” and runs away screaming. Bumblebee seizes his moment and proceeds to chase him around with her. Optimus… doesn’t have it in him to stop them. This is karma.

I got the image of the Jack, Miko and Rafael learning to imitate Distressed/terrified Sparkling cries and using them against the decepticons. It’s a very efficient defense mechanism. Every cybertronian who heard them is freaking out because oh primus how is the squishy thing making that noise and I gotta protect it at all costs. The sheer chaos that would ensue as the ‘protect/rescue the sparkling’ programming kicks in full force.

——

The vehicons are clustered at the other end of the room panicking. They don’t know what to do. The human sparklings are looking right at them and making distress noises. The guilt is killing them.

Knockout going “is the car form less alarming?! If I turn into a car will you stop seeing me as the threat?!”

Breakdown is having a breakdown.

Starscream pinned to the wall on the other side of the room having an internal crisis. He doesn’t like this. Make it stop.

Soundwave makes no noise but you can FEEL the sheer distress radiating off of him.

Megatron is frozen. No thoughts, head empty. He’s not moving at all. He doesn’t know how to handle this.

——

The autobots have mixed feelings about this. They’re glad the kids have a way of defending themselves but please don’t do it near them. They’re stressed out enough as it is.

(This might sound kinda dumb but I thought it was kinda funny. Very tired while writing this)

Wait no this is actually brilliant.

The Decepticons never anticipated their long buried parental nature to be used against them. No one did. But they day the human children turned up on the battlefield looking far too confident, every Bot and Con present had the all encompassing feeling that something was terribly wrong. Their suspicions were quickly confirmed when, before the Decepticons could do much of anything to get the relics they were after, Rafael began to wail.

Normally, human screams meant nothing. But there was a certain pitch that sounded so close to a cry of distress from a sparkling that, to warriors who had not heard a sparkling in millennia, it was enough to send them running to help. In this case, the issue was only compounded as the children scattered like mice and started making the same noises. The Decepticons could hardly focus on the Autobots booking it to the relics as they frantically tried to locate the fictitious sparklings calling for aid.

The Vehicons managed to get to Jack, but he just kept looking up at them defiantly. Every time one of the dozen or so Vehicons on the field tried to grab him, blast him, or otherwise hurt him, Jack would chirp like a sparkling and send all of them scurrying back. It wasn't cute to the Vehicons. Having never seen actual sparklings but still having the coding needed to adore them, they looked at Jack and saw a weird frame-walker. They weren't sure what to do about it except try to haul themselves away while also keeping a vague circle around the human male.

Miko on the other hand made it a point to chase after Megatron and Soundwave, screeching like a sparkling about to be shredded. Neither stopped for her, but Megatron completely lost his train of thought every time that screech rang out. He could have been aiming at Optimus with a perfect head shot and he would be unable to fire as Miko's distressed sounds rang out in his audials. He KNEW she wasn't a sparking. His coding wasn't even that strong. But by Primus, hearing her screech was the same as watching a civilian get run over by a bus, repeatedly. Focus was impossible.

Soundwave wasn't much better. He didn't react outwardly, but the slowing of his steps and the way he tried to sidestep Miko gave away his distress. He avoided her like the plague, trying to refocus but being unable to really get far as Miko screamed like a demon. It was a fight against the Unmaker himself to keep Soundwave from bolting over to collect the sparkling who sounded so very upset.

Rafael, for his part, followed Miko's lead and harassed the other three members of High Command most often found out on the field. Breakdown ran screaming the moment Rafael started chirping at him. This was both out of fear of the frame-walker and to escape the inevitable overreaction of his coding. He may or may not have attempted parkour once or twice to get as far away from the smallest of the humans as possible.

Knockout tried to ignore Rafael when the kid chirped up at him, he really really did. But how does one ignore the Cybertronian equivalent of a soaking wet kitten meowing up at you? Simply put: you don't. Knockout gave in and quickly dropped down to try and soothe the non-existent sparkling every. single. time. Rafael pulled his noise trickery. He never fails to panic and attempt to flash colorful things at Rafael to get him to stop. Every Decepticon has since been endlessly disappointed in him.

Starscream, being terrified of things that really shouldn't be there, took the skies the instant the trio began screeching. Nope. Not today Unicron. He'll get the mission done or get the heck out of dodge to avoid coding coming online. He doesn't need empty nest syndrome on top of a crippling case of "I Love Power." He also doesn't need to deal with the horrific mental image of a squishy somehow managing to sound like a sparkling. Nope. Nope. NOPE.

The Autobots are grateful the kids can protect themselves a bit now. But by Primus, they have known NO peace since the kids figured it all out.

[darkmaga-returns]

November 04, 2024

Presidential Election 2024

"Neither is qualified. Both deserve to lose."

Video: Prof. Jeffrey Sachs Q & A at Cambridge Union as published on Oct 30 2024

Starting at 48:06 min (automated transcript, slightly edited):

Sachs:

I will not vote for a candidate that doesn't meet the minimum threshold for being president of the United States and we have two candidates, lead candidates, that don't. And so I decided I'm not voting - period. Because I want a candidate that actually has some possibility of doing something.

Now maybe they will but not based on what they say every day.

It is a profession of love for Israel's murderous reign in the Middle East. Okay, by itself I wouldn't support that. That's enough for me because Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza and it's sickening and it's obvious and we see it every day. And if a candidate can't figure out to say something about then I can't support them. Period.

But then Kamala Harris, who would normally be my candidate because I was a lifelong Democratic Party voter. Although with great disappointment whether they won or lost. Because when they won I was disappointed with what they did. When they lost I was disappointed that my candidate lost. So I've never been happy for a while about us politics.

It's been five miserable presidents as far as I'm concerned from Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden, awful all of them. They brought us to the brink of nuclear war. I can't forgive them for that kind of recklessness.

But when it comes to Ukraine Harris says we stand with Ukraine. Just everybody understand what does it mean to stand with Ukraine, like Boris Johnson stands with Ukraine. It means 2,000 Ukrainians killed or wounded severely every single day. That's not standing with Ukraine. That is standing with the destruction of Ukraine. It's exactly the opposite. And so that's a purely Orwellian idea that we're standing with Ukraine by continuing this war.

And that's what she says because she doesn't seem to have any idea other than what she's told to say or she says her ideas. And either way I can't vote for her.

And with Trump - don't even get me started.

So the answer is I don't see either of them based on what they're saying right now doing much.

But I think there's another point that is important in this. I'm not without hope for a quite different reason and that is that our politics is not determined by American presidents. Our politics is determined by the Security State apparatus. And what is happening right now is not in America's security interest and so they could change their mind.

President Putin said something actually very interesting in an interview in 2017, I think in Figaro. By the time he had three presidents as his counterparts, Bush, Obama and Trump, and he said to this French reporter in 2017.

He said: "You know I've dealt with three American presidents. Now they come into office with ideas but then men in dark suits and blue ties come to tell them how the real situation is and you never hear of those ideas again."

And this is from a very tough-minded leader who was himself KGB he understands how the American system works very well. He understands what the CIA means for American foreign policy. He understands that American foreign policy is very deeply rooted.

It's not this one wins then Obama changes everything and then Trump comes in and changes nothing like that. By the way this has been a consistent foreign policy arguably since 19 certainly since 1991 and arguably since 1945.

- end of Jeffrey Sachs quote