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freak-accident419 · 10 months ago

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Derek Danforth x GN!Reader

(gif by @joshfutturman) Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | More parts coming soon

Summary: When his mother hosts a party and expects him to bring a proper date, Derek is obligated to comply. Not wanting to disappoint her any further (mainly driven by the rumor of her cutting him off), Derek recruits his best friend to pose as his fake partner. However, the two have to keep up this lie when a series of constant, luxurious events are held, causing several shenanigans to ensue.

Word Count: 3.7k

Content: gender-neutral reader, swearing, reader is his best friend, Derek’s mommy issues, fake dating

Ao3 Link

(A/n: this is my first miniseries!! I will also be posting this on Ao3, so please show your support there as well. Thank you to everybody who showed me love and support. Special thanks to Skye especially :) enjoy!!)

“Uh, yeah, I’ll have a flat white with oat milk. You know, the usual.”

For the most part, Derek would go about his usual schedule, which deprived of responsibility and stress. In fact, his recent routine invariably consisted of privileged luxuries, little to no work tasks, and drunken parties every night.

Phone in hand, Derek skated through the office on his skateboard as he waited for the drink that he ordered at the coffee bar. He checked for any texts until he swiped out of the Messages app to surf through his social media. And as he tapped through his friends’ stories on Instagram, video footage that caused Derek to reminisce the events of last night’s party took over his screen.

It was a typical night out for him, actually. He would invite his group of friends to clubs or venues and indulge in the colorful strobe lights, bass-boosted music, and alcoholic drinks. You had always tagged along with him, as you were his best friend, getting drunk and partying together. Every night, he would get abysmally wasted and driven home by his employees. Ultimately, “reckless” was nearly an understatement to describe Derek Danforth—alongside irresponsible and hedonistic.

He smirked at the Instagram stories that his friends had posted of him taking a body shot off of a skimpy stripper. Ultimately, you took the best video of the scene because unlike the other posted videos, the camera was much clearer and barely shaking. Chuckling to himself as he hears your voice chanting for him in the video, he tucked his phone back in his pocket and skated back to the counter to retrieve his coffee.

“Flat white with oa—”

“Beautiful, thank you,” he replies dismissively, grabbing the cup that the worker handed him and continued to skate along the hallway, past several other employees.

Expecting the next hour to be full of pampering and Tibetan singing bowls, a stern, yet familiarly lavish voice suddenly stops him in his tracks.

“Derek.” The young billionaire stiffens at the sound of his name being called. “May I have a word?”

An irritated sigh left Derek’s lips as he stood still on his skateboard, neglecting to turn his head around to face the older man. He then rolls his eyes and finally got off of his skateboard, kicking it up in his hand.

***

“You have to clean up your act, young man,” Westwyld states as Derek slouches pettishly in his chair.

Great. It was just another one of his needless lectures again. Why did he even bother? From the moment Derek walked into Westwyld’s dreadful office, he already sensed that he would be given another ‘serious talk’ from the man who tries to act like his father after having a romantic past with his mom.

In response to his useless demand, Derek scoffs with a smug curl on his lips, taking a short drag from his vape pen. It was almost amusing to him that Wallace believed his lectures would give him the slightest motivation to “do better.”

“Isn’t your job covering up my ‘fuckups’? Keeping me out of the tabloids and the headlines, keeping my reputation clean?” He sneered, impatient with the predictable redundancy that Westwyld brought onto him. “Isn’t that all you’re good for?”

Westwyld sighs, not very keen on having to explain himself for the thousandth time. “Derek, my job is to keep Danforth Enterprises safe, to keep your mother safe. Her reputation, her name. For thirty-five years, I worked as the director of the world’s intelligence agency, but I chose this job as a favor to your mother.”

Derek rolled his eyes carelessly. It was the same, bothersome routine when Wallace would scold him and then run his mouth about how he could have had any other job, but chose security for Danforth Enterprises for the sake of President Jessica Danforth.

“Yeah, I’ve heard you tell me this for, like, a billion fucking times,” Derek retorts with a harsh scoff, “You know what, I don’t have the fucking time for this.”

He stood up instantly, storming off until Wallace’s next words made him freeze, bringing a chill up his spine.

“Your mother’s thinking of cutting you off, you know that?”

Derek processed Westwyld’s words for a second, sensing the threat behind it. His own mother wouldn’t do that to him. She completely adores him. Right? It was just another empty threat—everything had always worked out for Derek in the long run. So he kept his cool as always, scoffing in disbelief with a breathy chuckle. “Um, no. No, she’s not. She wouldn’t.” He turned around to face Wallace, walking back up to him.

“Everybody’s talking about it, Derek. A rumor, you would call it, but she spoke to her advisers. Money may play a big role in the grand scheme of things, but public image as well. I cannot keep covering for you, Derek. The endless social media posts of your immature, juvenile actions, the soirées, the strippers, it’s getting out of control,” Wallace spat sourly, evidently sick of Derek’s shenanigans and recklessness. “Even the tiniest information can spill, and your reputation will grow rotten. And your reputation is your mother’s. I won’t let you take this risk, Derek, you need to clean up your act now.”

***

Derek left Westwyld’s office slightly pissed, sipping his coffee as he rode through the hallway once again in his skateboard. Suddenly he felt his phone buzzing, so he grabbed it out of his pocket to look who was calling him.

Well, shit. Speak of the fucking devil.

It was his mother.

Taking a deep breath, Derek stared at the contact name and gulped nervously before finally clicking ‘accept’.

“Hi, Mom… What’s, um… What’s up?”

For the first time ever in Derek’s life, one of Westwyld’s lectures actually intimidated him.

Jessica Danforth was an incredibly busy woman. Hell, she was the President of the United States for fuck’s sake, there was no way she would call up her son for something casual. It had to be for something urgent, which inevitably provoked fear in him—all he could think about was getting disinherited. “Hi, Derek,” she says into the phone, sort of in a disappointed sigh. “I was just checking in, making sure you are able to attend the party on Saturday evening. You are able to come, yes?”

Derek let out a soft, gratified breath, relieved that his mother wasn’t calling him to discuss his reputation and financial situation. But either way, it seemed that he was still in deep shit; Derek forgot all about that party.

His mother spoke about it several times in the past, inviting him almost an entire month ago. She made it very clear about how important it was to her, but Derek was completey oblivious to it. It was either some kind of gala or charity event, but he’d been too baked recently to even remember.

“O-oh, um, party, right, that party…” he replies dubiously, the information barely coming back to his mind. “Yeah, um, yeah, of course.” He blinks for a moment, trying to remember the information about the party. Right. It was some kind of charity auction. Raising money for a good cause. Extremely tasteful and elegant, the kind of boring parties that Derek was never a fan of.

“Alright. Good,” she says briefly. Jessica bit her bottom lip hesitantly. “Derek, there’s something I also need to mention.”

Oh shit, here it is. The slight panic returned to him once again. He wasn’t sure how he was going to take it.

“Oh, and, um, what’s—what’s that, Mom?” He asks, raising an eyebrow and trying to sound calm.

“Your… your public image has been in a very rough state lately, especially with all of the partying posts that your friends shared online. The hard drinking and the strippers, Derek, it’s just… It’s affecting how your investors and all these businessmen perceive you. They won’t take you seriously with all of your recklessness. Just… Settle down or something. Find a really nice girl, or boy, or whoever, and take them out to dinner,” she urges. “I want you to stop partying and… hooking up with strangers so much. Please be presentable at the party, Derek. I’d—I’d even be pleased if you were able to bring a date.”

Derek didn’t process the words the moment they left his mouth abruptly, blurting out a blatant lie. “Actually, that’s what I was going to bring up. I actually have a date to the party.” Shit. No. No, you don’t, you fucking idiot.

“What?” She asks curiously, completely taken aback. “Are you serious, Derek?”

“Yeah! And, um, we’ve been serious for a long time, but uh… yeah, they are helping me become a better, uh, man, and I will no longer be reckless. My reputation will be restored, so no drastic measures have to be done,” he says, digging himself in a deeper hole as he tries to indirectly convince his mother that she shouldn’t cut him off. If those rumors were to be true, at least.

“Well… Derek, if you’ve been seeing them for a long time already, then what was that scandalous video clip of you and that… that stripper, posted everywhere online?” She questions, thinking to herself about the logistics of Derek’s situation.

“Oh yeah, that was—see, that was an old video. People have just been reposting it recently, you know the algorithm. I—Actually, I, uh, I met my partner on the day after that video was taken, and they, uh, yeah, they convinced me to be a better man, donate to charity, all that… philanthropy shit—uh, stuff.” Derek had attempted to simultaneously make his mother believe he had a respectable date to the party, as well as being a much better person than he was before.

“Which was when?” She raises an eyebrow.

“Uh, like.. gotta be a few months ago, give or take,” he answers briefly.

“Alright, and who is this date of yours?” She finally asks.

“Oh, right, that would, um, that would be my partner,” he answers in a mumble, nodding to himself with clarity.

“Derek,” she sighs exasperatedly.

“Oh. Their name? Their name, you mean? Their name is, uhh, umm… Actually, I would love to surprise you, Mom!” He answers immediately.

“Seriously?” She scoffs with a disappointed sigh. Jessica knew her son like the back of her hand. Hell, she birthed the kid, having to push out his dumb, big head out of her snatch. The point was, she could always sense when he was lying, or at least when there was something fishy. Sadly, she frequently expected very less of him, unbeknownst to Derek.

“Yeah, Mom! Trust me, they’re really kind and they’re a good person, and I am—I am just thrilled to introduce the two of you,” he exaggerates pridefully, hoping to eventually sell it.

“I worry about you, Derek,” she sighs softly. “Fine… Fine, whatever, Derek, I’ll see them at the party. Please promise me that. Just… Just be good, okay?”

Derek smiled to himself. “I will. And I promise. I won’t disappoint you. I love you, Ma.”

“I love you too.”

***

“I am so royally fucked,” Derek states bluntly.

Later on in the evening, Derek was hanging out with you as always, at the club you two would habitually meet up at. You were his best friend for many years already and earned the position of being his right-hand man ever since you first met in college.

“Why? What did you do this time?” You reply lazily, sipping your drink. You always expected bullshit from Derek. He always got himself into trouble that he would make other people fix. It wasn’t very bothersome to you, personally. You enjoyed hanging out with him and his privilege was just a big bonus.

“Well… So, I was speaking with Wallace—”

“Ew—”

“Yeah, I know,” he scoffs. “As I was saying… The guy pulled me into his office and, get this? There’s a whole fuckin’ rumor that my mom is going to cut me off.”

“What?” You perked up, sitting up from your previous slouching position and looked at Derek seriously. “No way. That—No, that’s not true. You’re—You’re a full-time Mama’s Boy, the fucking suck-up of the century, there’s no way she would do that to you!”

Derek shrugged as he sipped his bourbon, the blue lights in the bar beginning to give him a headache. “Yeah, well… Remember that… that super dope video of me drinking a shot from that one stripper’s belly button? What was her name?”

You bit the inside of your cheek in deep thought. “Vixen?”

“No, she was last week’s. Was it Trixie?”

“No, that was way back during the New Year’s Eve party,” you recalled.

“Candy? No…”

Enthusiastically, you slapped the wooden surface of the counter with your palm. “Tiffany!”

“Yes, fuck, it was Tiffany!” Derek exclaimed. “Okay, well, you recall all those videos of her and me posted everywhere, right?”

“Hell, yeah! I had the best fucking recording, man,” you chuckle softly, thinking about the wild night before.

“Yeah, you did,” he slightly smiled, “but, uh… It’s getting viral and well… I don’t fuckin’ know why Wallace can’t do more cover-up shit for me, but because I’m ‘ruining my reputation’ with this, it’s gonna give my mom a bad reputation too? So, like… Wallace said there was talk about her… cutting me off the inheritance or whatever.”

“Shit…” you blew a low whistle, raising an eyebrow. “That’s… That’s really tough, man. Look, I’m sure that there’s a reason why it was solely a rumor and she’s not actually thinking of that. She loves you, you’re the last physical form of proof of your dad, and ultimately, you’re a manipulative suck-up. You’re not getting cut off anytime soon, dude.”

Derek scoffs, pinching his eyebrows together. “Well, its too late because I sorta fucked up a bit more.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Really? How?”

“My mom was so insistent about me getting a date to the party this weekend and I think she believes that me being in an exclusive, healthy relationship or whatever would improve my reputation,” he explains, humming a small mutter of gratitude as a bartender walked over to refill his drink. “So… I lied and told her that I had a date already. And that I’ve been dating them for a few months already and they’re helping me improve so that she would have no reason to cut me off.”

“But like… the video of you and Tiff—”

“I know the video of me and Tiff!” He exclaims in frustration. “I told her that video was filmed a long time ago and people are just reposting it, or something.”

“Okay, right,” you nod, trying to get a sense of his train of lies. “So, what, did she believe you?”

“I don’t… I don’t fuckin’ know,” he mumbles, “I can’t tell. But I told her I would bring them to the party as a surprise and I couldn’t even come up with a name or anything.”

You groan, putting your head in your hands before taking another sip of your alcohol. “Derek, you are a total idiot. What are… So—so, who are you gonna pull up to the party with? A fuckin’ cardboard cutout of fuckin’… Margot Robbie and call it a night?”

“No, I’m not a dumbass, Y/n. I’ll just tell her that they couldn’t make it because they were sick or something. Better yet—they were doing some kind of modeling job in Europe,” he replies, wanting to give the impression that if he would have a romantic partner, they would be incredibly successful and beautiful. He had a reputation to uphold, after all.

“That’s rich,” you scoff, wiping an eye with your finger. You were absolutely done with him. “You really think she’s going to believe that? Seriously? She’s your mom, Derek, I’m sure she can tell when you’re lying. And—and at one point, she’s going to ask for proof of photos and to actually meet them in person, and I’m sure that when she gets the news that you lied to her, she’d want to cut you off even more! Derek, you’re just digging yourself in an even deeper hole than before. You’re practically digging your own grave,” you argue.

“Fine, fine, then if she asks again, I’ll just say that they broke up with me,” he shrugged dismissively, leaning back and drinking from his glass.

“I thought the whole point was to improve your reputation, make you seem like a goddamn saint?” You retort, wiping your hand over your face in exhaustion.

He frowns. “Okay, you do have a point. Fuck. Then what do you suggest I do?”

“Why’re you asking me?” You whine with a frown.

“Because you keep correcting me on shit, clearly you must have better ideas than me,” he shrugs, looking at you expectantly.

“Well, I don’t. If I were you, I’d just cut your losses and accept that your fucking consequences have actions!” You reason fairly. “Might as well just get kicked out to the streets, having to con people for their money—oh wait, that’s exactly what you’ve been doing for the past few years! That’s all you do, man, I’m sorry, I can’t back you up! All you do is trick and deceive with all your lies, using people as pawns, it’s ridiculous!”

And after all that calling out, there was only one thing that the arrogant bastard got out from your outburst. His eyes lit up and you could tell that he had another stupid idea.

“Wait, Y/n, that’s it!” He exclaims brightly. “Using people!”

“Dude, I really fucking can’t with you—”

“I can get someone to pose as my fake partner for the night!” He grins.

“Yeah, I am really not liking the sound of this—”

“And get this,” he began eagerly. “You can do it.”

You feel your eyes widen as you hear Derek’s proposal. “Oh, no. No. Hell no. No, no, no, not in a million fucking years.”

“Y/n, come on,” he whines childishly. “It’ll only be for a day. You can pose as my partner at the party, impress my mom, deceive the press for a bit, and boom, I won’t even be considered getting cut off.”

You let out a prolonged groan, rolling your eyes and gulped much more of your drink than a regular sip. “Derek, she knows me. She knows I’m your best friend, she’s met me, there is no way—”

“That’s the point! I can pull some strings and shit, saying that we were friends until we, like, fell for each other or some other cheesy fuckass story. And if we want this entire charade to end after the party, a few days later I could just say that we broke up because we were more compatible as friends! No bitterness so that neither of us seem like the bad guy in the breakup. It’s the perfect fucking plan,” he explains, somehow more intricately than you would expect from him.

You pause, pondering deeply about his plan.

“Hell no.” You finally say, drinking more of your beer.

“Aw—come on, Y/n. Please. It’s only for a day. Look, my life is at fucking stake! I could lose all my fucking money, and—look—you won’t get to take advantage of my rich, privileged ass anymore. No more luxuries, no more rich parties. Come on, Y/n. Please.” His voice was pleading and you could tell he was heavily desperate. He wasn’t wrong. If the rumors were true and his mother was going to cut him off due to his recklessness and immaturity, he would lose so much money that you can’t leech off on. And of course you cared about him more than the money, he’s been your friend for years. But this whole thing seemed so complicated.

However, you were his right-hand man. His best friend since college. He relied on you. But hell, if you had to humiliate yourself for one night as Derek’s romantic partner, you should at least get something out of it.

“I wanna get paid,” you blurted.

He looked at you with an almost offended expression. “What?”

“Look, if I have to spend a night at a boring ass party, shaking the wrinkly, sweaty hands of old, ancient fucks, and having to pretend I’m your partner, I expect to be paid,” you reason, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re fuckin’ kidding,” he scoffs distastefully, rolling his eyes. God, you wanted to stab a fork in them.

“No! This whole plan is so complicated and I hate you for involving me in it!” You growl, pointing at him accusingly. “What am I getting out of this? Nothing! So you might as well just pay me to do this stupid acting job.”

“You’re—You’re not serious—” he glances at your obstinate expression. “You’re fucking serious. Well, okay! Fuck, fine. How much are we talking?”

“How long is the event?” You ask, grabbing your glass up to your lips to indulge in another sip.

“Probably a few hours, I don’t know, it’s a whole fancy live charity auction event,” he shrugs carelessly, grabbing his vape from his pocket and taking a quick drag.

“Okay, then. I won’t burden you too much. Two hundred dollars,” you answer confidently.

“That’s it? Oka—”

“However,” you began with a small smirk. “If we have to be all couple-y and gross and romantic with each other, I may consider raising the price. Like, if we have to hold hands or I have to look into your eyes for more than five seconds.”

“Fine, that seems fair,” he sighs softly. “Do we have a deal?” Derek, like he always would when he’d negotiate, took out his hand in front of you.

You grimaced at it. “I really don’t wanna shake to that,” you whine, groaning to yourself. “Just one night, right?”

“One night,” he confirms.

“Staging a break up right after?”

“Yup.”

“Little to no PDA?”

“Hopefully.”

“And you’re gonna pay me five hundred bucks?”

“Yes. Wait, wh—”

Before he could protest, you shook his hand immediately, completely sealing the deal.

Having to pretend to be Derek Danforth’s romantic partner for a whole night?

Yeah, there was no way in hell that this was going to end well.

#derek danforth #derek danforth x reader #derek danforth x gn!reader #gender neutral reader #gn!reader #josh hutcherson #josh hutcherson x reader #derek danforth smut #derek danforth x you #mike schmidt x reader #clapton davis x reader #josh futturman x reader #peeta mellark x reader

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mused-like-roses · 1 month ago

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// The official list of muses for mused-like-roses, now designed for the mobile moots! Specify a muse, or "go nuts/your choice" from the list, or the blog mascot Ruby Rose will be used by default ❤️

Guide:

Bold = NSFW is available (sinblog only)

Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright, Miles Edgeworth, Mia Fey, Maya Fey, Dick Gumshoe, April May, Klavier Gavin, Athena Cykes, Franzika Von Karma, Emma Skye, Trucy Wright

AI: The Somnium Files: Kaname Date & Aiba, Kuruto Ryuki & Tama, Mizuki Date, Shizue " Boss" Kuranush, Ritsuko Enshu/Receptionistitsuko Enshu

Azumanga Daioh: Chiyo Mihama, Sakaki, Tomo Takino, Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara, Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga, Kagura, Yukari Tanizaki, Minamo "Nyamo" Kurosawa, Chiyo-chichi, Kamineko, Tadakichi-san, Mayaa

Bayonetta: Cereza/Bayonetta, Jeanne, Rodin

Beat down: Fists of Vengeance: Raven, Aaron, Jason G, Gina, Lola

Black Lagoon: Revy, Dutch, Rock, Benny

Bleach: Ichigo Kruosaki, Isshin Kurosaki, Grimmjow, Renji Abarai, Orihime Inoue, Rangiku Matsumoto, Rukia Kuchiki, Uryu Ishida, Ryuken Ishida, Yoruichi Shihōin, Kon (NSFW only for human form)

BNHA: Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, Ochaco Uraraka, Tsuyu Asui, Inko Midoriya, Todoroki Shouto, Mina Ashido, Mei Hatsume, Momo Yaorozu, Mitzuki Bakugo, Katsuki Bakugo, Nemuri Kayama, Aizawa Shoto

The Boondocks: Huey Freeman, Riley Freeman, Robert Freeman, Jazmin Dubois, Sarah Dubois, Ed Wuncler III, Gin Rummy, A Pimp Named Slickback, Cristal, Luna

The Boys: Billy Butcher, Hughie Campbell, Homelander, A-Train, Queen Maeve, The Deep, Starlight, Soldier Boy

Castlevania: Simon Belmont, Trevor Belmont, Grant Dynasty, Sypha Belnades, Maria Renard, Eric Lecarde, Shaona, Alucard, Carmilla, Cornell, Aeon, Johnathon Belmont, Soma Cruz, Charlotte Aulin, Dracula

Catherine: Vincent Brooks, Catherine, Katherine Mcbride, Rin, Orlando Haddick, Jonathon “Jonny” Ariga, Tobia “Toby” Nebbins, Erica Anderson

Chainsaw Man: Denji, Makima, Aki Hayakawa, Power, Himeno, Kobeni Higashiyama, Asa Mikata/Yoru, Kishibe

Daredevil (2015): Matt Murdock / Daredevil, Karen Page, Elektra Natchios

DanDaDan: Momo Ayase, Ken “Okarun” Takakura, Seiko Ayase

Danganronpa: Makoto Naegi Aoi Asahina, Akane Owari, Junko Enoshima, Nagito Komaeda, Byakuya Togami, Jin Kirigiri, Ibuki Mioda, Juzo Sakakura, Chiaki Nanami Monokuma

Devil May Cry: Dante, Virgil, Nero, V, Trish, Lady, Nico

Digimon: Takumi Aiba, Ami Aiba, Kyoko Kuremi, Nokia Shiramine, Arata Sanada, Erika Mishima, Date Makiko, Beelzemon, Leemon, Renamon, Angemon, Angewomon

Dino Crisis: Regina, Gale, Rick, Edward Kirk

Dragon Ball:: Goku, Vegeta, Bulma, Chi-Chi, Krillin, Gohan, Goten, Yamcha, King Piccolo, Android 18, Android 21, Goku Black, Zamasu, Bardock, Perfect Cell, Beerus, Frieza

Epic Battle Fantasy: Matt, Natalie (Natz), Lance, Anna, No Legs

Fairy Tail: Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Lucy Heartfilia, Levy Mcgarden, Cana Alberona, Gajeel Redfox, Juvia Lockster, Jellal Fernandes, Gildarts Clive, Wendy Marvell, Master Markarov, Happy

Final Fight/Streetwise: Cody Travers, Mike Haggar, Guy, Maki Genryusai, Lucia, Jessica Haggar, Poison/Roxy, Sodom, Belger, Retu, Kyle Travers, Vanessa

Final Fantasy: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus "Gladios" Amicitia, Cloud Strife (v: KH), Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart (v: KH), Aerith Gainsborough (v: KH), Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind, Turks (Reno, Rude, Tseng, Vivian, Elena), Scarlet, Squall Leonhart (v: KH), Tidus, Yina, Rikku, Lulu, Jecht, Claire Farron/Lightning, Snow Villiers, Jack, Jed, Ash, Neon, Sophia, Astos, Chocobo (Mystery Dungeon), Mog

Fullmetal Alchemist: Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, Winry Rockbell, Rosé Thomas, Roy Mustang, Mae Hughes, Jean Havoc, Alex Louis Armstrong, Sheska, Riza Hawkeye, Olivier Armstrong, Envy (They/Them pronouns), Lust, Greed, Trisha Elric, Izumi Curtis, Scar

Gears of War: Marcus Fenix, Dominic “Dom” Santiago, Damon Baird, Augustus "Cole Train" Cole, Bernadette “Bernie” Mataki, Jayson “Jace” Stratton, Anya Stroud, Samantha Byrne, Clayton Carmine, James Dominic “JD” Fenix, Kait Diaz, Queen Myrrah

Guardians of the Galaxy: Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot

Henry Stickmin (series): Henry Stickmin, Ellie Rose, Charles Calvin

Hunter x Hunter: Gon Freecss, Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika Kurta, Leorio Paradinight, Hisoka Morow

Invincible: Mark Grayson / Invincible, Eve Wilkins / Atom Eve, Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man, Deborah Grayson

Jet Set Radio: Beat, Combo, Cube, Gum, Mew, Piranha, Yoyo

Jak And Daxter: Jak, Daxter, Kiera, Tess, Ashelin Praxis, Torn, Sig

Jujutsu Kaisen: Yuji itadori/Ryomen Sukuna, Nobara Kugisaki, Megumi Fushiguro, Satoru Gogo, Maki Zen’in, Toge Inumaki, Panda, Kento Nanami, Akari Nitta, Shoko Ieri, Mai Zen’in, Kasumi Miwa, Aoi Todo, Noritoshi Kamo, Utahime Iori, Suguru Geto, Toji Fushiguro, Mei Mei

Kill Bill: Beatrix Kiddo, Elle Driver, Sofie Fatale, O-Ren Ishii, Gogo Yubari

Kill La Kill: Ryuko Matoi, Satsuki Kiryuin, Nonon Kauzure, Mako Mankanshoku, Soichiro Kiryuin

Kingdom Hearts: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Terra, Aqua Ventus, Organization XIII, Ansem (Seeker of Darkness), Master Eraqus, Young/Master Xehanort, Stella (OC / Sora’s mom)

The Legend of Zelda: Link, Zelda, Sheik, Impa (Hyrule Warriors), Paya, Purah, Urbosa, Riju, Lana, Malon, Marin, Cia, Ghirahim, Demise, Zant, Volga

Life Is Strange: Max Claudefield, Chloe Price, Rachel Amber

Mega Man: Mega Man (NSFW for X & Legends only), Zero (X/Zero), Bass, Spider, Alia, Nana, Marino, Ciel, Massimo, Elpzio, Omega, Lan Hikari, Mayl Sakurai, Dex Oyama, Yai Ayanokoji, Eugene Chaud, Ms. Mari

(Icon credits go to alwxysrunning) Meta Runner: Tari, Theo, Derek Lucks, Belle Frontiere, Evelyn Caythorne, Sofia Porter, Lamar Williams, Masa Shimamoto, Lucinia Porter

Miraculous: Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug, Adrien Agreste/Cat Noir, Alya Cesaire, Luke Couffaine, Sabine Cheng

Naruto: Naruto Uzumaki (+ Sexy Jutsu form Naruko), Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, Tsunade, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Ino Yamanaka, Jiraiya, TenTen, Temari, Anko, Kushina, Shizune, Mikoto Uchiha, The Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Madara Uchiha, Tobirama Senju

One Piece: Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Vinsmoke/Black-Leg Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Nico Robin, Brook, Franky, Johnny & Yosaku, Portgas D. Ace, Sabo, Boa Hancock, Yamato, Eustass Kid, Trafalgar D. Water Law, Shanks, Buggy D. Clown, Captain Kuro, Jango, Don Krieg, Gin, Arlong, Smoker, Tashigi, Crocodile, Enel/Eneru

Persona

1: Naoya Toudou, Maki Sonomura, Masao "Mark" Inaba, Kei Nanjo, Reiji Kido, Hidehiko "Brown" Uesugi, Eriko "Elly" Kirishima, Yuka Ayase, Yukino "Yuki" Mayuzumi, Saeko Takami

2: Tatsuya Suou, Maya Amano, Lisa "Ginko" Silverman, Eikichi "Michel" Mishina, Yukino Mayuzumi, Jun Kurosu, Ktasuya Suou, Ulala Serizawa, Baofu

3: Makoto Yuki, Kotone Shiomi, Yukari Takeba, Junpei Iori, Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Fuuka Yamagishi, Aigis, Koromaru, Ken Amada, Shinjiro Aragaki, Elizabeth, Shuji Ikutsuki, Chihiro Fushimi, Yuko Nishiwaki, Isako Toriumi

4: Yu Narukami, Yosuke Hanamura, Chie Satonaka, Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi, Rise Kujikawa, Naoto Shirogane, Teddie, Ryotaro Dojima, Nanako Dojima, Tohru Adachi, Margaret, Marie, Mayumi Yamano, Noriko Kashiwagi,

5: Akira Amamiya/Joker, Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull, Ann Takamaki/Panther, Yusuke Kitagawa/Fox, Makoto Nijima/Queen, Futaba Sakura/Oracle, Haru Okumura/Noir, Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet, Morgana/Mona, Sojiro Sakura, Chihaya Mifune, Munehisa Iwai, Sadayo Kawakami, Ichiko Ohya, Sae Nijima

Pokémon: [Note: Outside of the human characters, any/all Pokemons are available to RP with upon request.] ~ Gen 1: Red, Gary Oak, Green, Brock, Misty, Lt. Surge, Erika, Koga, Sabrina, Blaine, Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, Lance, Professor Oak, Giovanni

Gen 2: Silver, Falkner, Clair, Karen, Professor Elm

Gen 3: Brendan, May, Wally, Lanette, Brigette, Zinnia, Flannery, Glacia, Steven Stone, Maxie, Courtney, Tabitha, Archie, Shelly, Matt, Professor Birch

Gen 4: Lucas, Dawn, Barry, Cynthia, Hayley, Professor Rowan

Gen 5: Hilbert, Hilda, Bianca, Nate, Rosa, Hugh, Cilan, Cheren, Lenora, Skyla, Drayden, N, Professor Juniper, Fennel

Gen 6: Calem, Serena, Grace, Viola, Clemont, Lysandre, Professor Sycamore

Gen 7: Elio, Selene, Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, Acerola, Olivia, Nanu, Guzma, Plumeria, Gladion, Lusamine, Wicke, Professor Kukui

Gen 8: Gloria, Marnie, Klara, Sonia, Milo, Nessa, Kabu, Bea, Melony, Piers, Raihan, Leon

Gen 9: Nemona, Penny, Rika, Poppy, Ms. Geeta, Jacq, Dendra, Raifort, Miriam, Katy, Iono, Professor Sada, Professor Turo

Anime: Deliah Ketchum, Jessie, James

Prince of Persia: The Prince/Dark Prince, Farah, The Dahaka, Shahdee, Kaileena, Mahasti, Axe/Sword Twin, Malik, Razhia, Ratash

(Netflix) The Punisher: Frank Castle / The Punisher, Billy Russo / Jigsaw

Red Dead Redemption: John Marston, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Dutch Van Der Linde, Micah Bell, Javier Esculla, Abigail Roberts, Karen Jones

Resident Evil: Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, Ada Wong, Ashley Graham, Sheva Almore, Claire Redfield, Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, Albert Wesker

River City Girls: Kunio, Samejima Riki, Hiroshi, Misako, Kyoko, Shimada Mami, Hasebe Kasumi, Yamada Taki

RWBY: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrah Nikos, Lie Ren, Sage Ayana, Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao-Long, Raven Branwen, Qrow Branwen, Emerald, Mercury Black, Roman Torchwick, Cinder Fall, Neapolitan, Kali Belladonna, Ghira Belladonna, Winter Schnee, Willow Schnee, Elm Ederne, Salem, Zwei

Samurai Champloo: Mugen, Jin, Buu

Sgt. Keroro: Keroro, Tamama, Giroro, Kururu, Dororo, Fuyuki Hinata, Natsumi Hinata, Aki Hinata

Shantae: Shantae, Skye, Bolo, Rotty-Tops, Risky Boots, Nega Shantae

Sonic: Sonic (V: SMBZ), Tails, Knuckles, Shadow (V: SMBZ), Silver, Blaze, Espio, Vector, Charmy, Rouge, E-123 Omega, Amy Rose, Cream Rabbit, Vanilla Rabbit, Dr. Ivo Robotnik/Eggman, Chaos, Mephiles, Infinite, Seelkadoom, Nazo, Sunky.MPEG

Spawn: Al Simmons / Spawn, Wanda Blake, Nyx / She-Spawn, Lisa Wu / Jade, Redeemer, Malebolgia, Clown / Violator, Zera

Spectrobes: Rallen, Jeena, Krux

Spec Ops: The Line: Cpt. Martin Walker, Lieutenant Alphonso Adams, Sgt. John Lugo, Konrad, The Radioman

Spider-Man (Insomniac / Spider-Verse): Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Mary-Jane “MJ” Watson, Yuri Watanabe / Wraith, Felicia Hardy / Black Cat, Silver Sable, Aaron Davis / Prowler, Rio Morales, Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099, J. Jonah Jameson

Splatoon: Agent 3, Agent 4, Agent 8, Callie, Marie, Pearl, Marina, Shiver, Frye, Big Man, Judd, Crusty Sean, Sheldon, Annie & Moe, Cap'n Cuttlefish, DJ Octavio, Grizz

SPY x FAMILY: Anya Forger, Yor Forger, Loid Forger, Bond Forger, Franky Franklin, Yuri Briar, Sylvia Sherwood, Fiona Frost

Star Ocean: Fayt Leingod, Sophia Esteed, Cliff Fittir, Albel Nox, Nel Zepher, Maria Traydor, Mirage Koas

Streets of Rage: Axel Stone, Adam Hunter, Blaze Fielding, Max Thunder, Barbon, Shiva, Cherry Hunter, Estel Aguirre, Diva/Beyo/Riha, Mr. Y, Ms. Y

Super Mario: Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Toad, Mallow, Geno, Paper Mario Partners (PM64 - SPM), Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Princess Rosalina, Pauline, Wario, Waluigi, Bowser, Bowser Jr., The Koopalings, Bowsette

SMG4: SMG4, SMG3, Steve, Fishy Boopkins, JubJub Boopkins, Bob Bobkowski, Meggy Spletzer, Saiko Bitchitaru, Kaizo Koorumaniru, Melony, Axol, Old Man Hobo, Swagmaster6969696969, Chris, Niles

Totally Spies!: Samantha "Sam" Simpson, Clover Ewing, Alex Casoy, Mandy, Gabriella Simpson, Stella Ewing, Carmen Casoy

Uncharted: Nathan Drake, Elena Fisher, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Chloe Frazer, Harry Flynn, Katherine Marlowe, Talbot, Sam Drake, Rafe Adler, Nadine Ross, Cassie Drake

Wrestling [Disclaimer: I will only RP the kayfabe characters, not the real life person/people outside of said character. This is not the place if you’re looking for non-kayfabe RPs!] ~ WWE: Asuka, Kairi Sane, Drew Mcintyre, Io Shirai, CM Punk, Lita, Seth Rollins, Natalya, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Damien Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, Liv Morgan AEW: Riho, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Seth Rollins, Orange Cassidy, Kip Sabian, Hikaru Shida NJPW: Hiromu Takahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito

Xenosaga: KOS-MOS, Shion Uzuki, Chaos, MOMO Mizrahi, Gaigun Kukai Jr., Ziggy

X-Men: Wolverine, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Colossus, Beast, Storm, Psylocke, Jean Grey, Rogue, Emma Frost, Phoenix / Dark Phoenix, X-23, Cable, Mystique, Sabretooth, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Domino

Yakuza/Like a Dragon: Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, Ichiban Kasuga, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, Akira Nishikiyama, Ryuji Goda, Daisaku Kuze, Hiroki Awano, Keiji Shibusawa, Makoto Date, Haruka Sawamura

Misc. Hunter & Ripto (Spyro), Prinnies (Disgaea), Lina Inverse (Slayers), Faith Connors (Mirror’s Edge), Kratos (God of War), Hellboy, Samus Aran (Metroid), Chel (The Road to El Dorado), Afro Samurai, Master Chief & Cortana (Halo), Amaeratsu (Okami), 2B (Nier Automata), Rebecca (Cyberpunk Edgerunners), Dick Grayson / Nightwing, Jason Todd / Red Hood, Salem Saberhagen (Sabrina The Teenage Witch)

#; 𝖔𝖔𝖈 #; 𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙 #tw: long post

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strautmaskreplica · 9 months ago

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Who defends the realm of collective consciousness?

A Fool's Errand: The Network Defenders is a new 3-part actual play set in a world of tarot, androids, neon dreams, and data divine.

youtube

The Network Defenders have long been a subtle protective influence over the realm of dreams and data. Now, half the Network Defenders have gone missing. With KnightFall’s most recent disappearance, can Snowshoe and his deadly crew find the missing Defenders and save themselves from the sleepwalkers, glitches, and their own worst memories?

youtube

Featuring:

Samm Star as Chaise Drakoniques as The Brass Alchemist Noordin Ali Kadir as Snowshoe J Strautman & B Marsollier (@b-marsollier) as GMs

Edited, scored, sound designed by J Strautman Character art, lyrics, & additional music by B Marsollier Visualizer and tech production by Shaun Oldfield Additional production help by Peter Marsollier & Skye Wallace

A Fool's Errand - The Game

The series utilizes the custom game system and setting, A Fool's Errand, set to crowdfund in late 2024. In A Fool’s Errand, players draw from a deck of tarot cards to resolve challenges and use specialized abilities. All the while, their characters perform that most delicate of tasks: fulfilling or denying the destiny foisted upon them by the Major Arcana— deities of this world who intertwine themselves with the characters’ adventures.

Episode 2 premieres July 9th, and the finale on July 23rd!

youtube

Three Fools walk into a cabin, then break into a labyrinthine dance of devotion, intimacy, loss, and revenge.

Stay tuned, or flick through the channels. The Network Defenders will find you either way.

#tarot #androids #planet arcana #the fool #ttrpg #new ttrpg #actual play #sleep paralysis #dreams #noir #original score #the dream network #the digital network #ttrpg podcast #actual play podcast #tarot ttrpg #tarot cards #Youtube

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tinderbox210 · 8 months ago

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Terra Nova reboot

Esai Morales as Commander Nathan Taylor Jodie Turner-Smith as Mira Toby Stephens as Jim Shannon Lesley-Ann Brandt as Doctor Elisabeth Shannon Isabela Merced as Maddy Shannon Charlie Gillespie as Josh Shannon Freya Allan as Skye Tate Owen Teague as Lucas Taylor Katrina Law as Lieutenant Alicia Washington Rahul Kohli as Doctor Malcolm Wallace Evan Evagora as Sergant Mark Reynolds Orla Brady as Ayani Taylor ??? as Zoe Shannon

#terra nova #terra nova 2011 #terranovaedit #my edit #felt like making some Terra Nova stuff #i don't think we'll still get a continuation of the original show #but would love for the show to get a reboot with more than one season #and yes i put Fraya and Owen as Skye and Lucas because of KOTPOTA but i also think they would be great for the characters

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pearsandhyacinths · 2 months ago

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This Year's Reading List

I have a central reading list of a little over 510 books that I have been adding to and breaking down for almost a decade. Of that wrapping paper scroll of a list, I have randomly selected from a few categories to make my active reading list for the next 18 months. I am always looking to add more, so if you have any similar to the ones below, or just a book you love, don't hesitate to comment them, or you can add some of these to your own reading list if you so choose

TWs: some of these books do discuss some difficult themes such as death, violence, chronic or severe health conditions, various forms of maltreatment (mental, physical, and sexual), racism, and sexism. Please be aware of this before reading the summaries or the books themselves.

Fiction

Where the Dead Sit Talking- Brandon Hobson

“Set in rural Oklahoma during the late 1980s, Where the Dead Sit Talking is a startling, authentically voiced, and lyrically written Native American coming-of-age story.

2. To the Lighthouse- Virginia Woolf

“The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women. As time winds its way through their lives, the Ramsays face, alone and simultaneously, the greatest of human challenges and its greatest triumph—the human capacity for change."

3. Thérèse Raquin- Émile Zola

“Set in the claustrophobic atmosphere of a dingy haberdasher's shop in the passage du Pont-Neuf in Paris, this powerful novel tells how the heroine and her lover, Laurent, kill her husband, Camille, but are subsequently haunted by visions of the dead man, and prevented from enjoying the fruits of their crime.”

4. The Well of Loneliness- Radclyffe Hall

“Stephen is an ideal child of aristocratic parents—a fencer, a horse rider, and a keen scholar. Stephen grows to be a war hero, a bestselling writer, and a loyal, protective lover. But Stephen is a woman, and her lovers are women. As her ambitions drive her and society confines her, Stephen is forced into desperate actions.”

5. The Moon is A Harsh Mistress- Robert A. Heinlein

“It is a tale of revolution, of the rebellion of a former penal colony on the Moon against its masters on the Earth. It is a tale of a culture whose family structures are based on the presence of two men for every woman, leading to novel forms of marriage and family. It is the story of the disparate people, a computer technician, a vigorous young female agitator, and an elderly academic who become the movement's leaders, and of Mike, the supercomputer whose sentience is known only to the revolt's inner circle, who for reasons of his own is committed to the revolution's ultimate success.”

6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Victor Hugo

“Set in Paris during the 15th century. The story centers on Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral, his struggles with isolation and the treatment of a tyrannical guardian, Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, and his unrequited love for the beautiful dancer La Esmeralda.”

7. The Blood of Others- Simone de Beauvoir

“Jean Blomart, patriot leader against the German forces of occupation, waits throughout an endless night for his lover, Helene, to die. He is the one who sent her on the mission that led to her death, and before morning, he must ultimately decide how many others to send to a similar fate.”

8. The Beach Dogs- Andy Jennings

“Watership Down with dogs. A dramatic and stirring depiction of a community of dogs living on a beach in Thailand, told from the animals' viewpoint, in alternating chapters.”

9. Real Life- Brandon Taylor

“Almost everything about Wallace is at odds with the Midwestern university town where he is working uneasily toward a biochem degree. An introverted young man from Alabama, black and queer, he has left behind his family without escaping the long shadows of his childhood. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends—”

10. Peau d'Homme- Hubert et Zanzim

“Dans l'Italie de la Renaissance, Bianca, demoiselle de bonne famille, est en âge de se marier. Ses parents lui trouvent un fiancé à leur goût : Giovanni, un riche marchand, jeune et plaisant. Le mariage semble devoir se dérouler sous les meilleurs auspices même si Bianca ne peut cacher sa déception de devoir épouser un homme dont elle ignore tout. Mais c'était sans connaître le secret détenu et légué par les femmes de sa famille depuis des générations : une « peau d'homme » ! En la revêtant, Bianca devient Lorenzo et bénéficie de tous les attributs d'un jeune homme à la beauté stupéfiante.”

"In Renaissance Italy, Bianca, a young lady from a good family, is of marriageable age. Her parents find her a fiancé to their liking: Giovanni, a rich merchant, young and pleasant. The marriage seems to take place under the best auspices, even if Bianca cannot hide her disappointment at having to marry a man about whom she knows nothing. But this was without knowing the secret held and passed down by the women of his family for generations: a man’s skin! By wearing it, Bianca becomes Lorenzo and benefits from all the attributes of a young man of astonishing beauty."

11. Parable of the Sower- Octavia Butler

“In 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed, and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.”

12. Northanger Abbey- Jane Austen

“The story's unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry's mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy?”

13. Giovanni's Room- James Baldwin

“Set in the contemporary Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. James Baldwin's brilliant narrative delves into the mystery of loving with a sharp, probing imagination, and he creates a moving, highly controversial story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the heart.”

14. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines- Joseph Bruchac

After being taught in boarding school that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.

15. Baise-Moi- Virginie Despentes

“One of the most controversial French novels of recent years, a punk fantasy that takes female rage to its outer limits. Baise-Moi is a searing story of two women on a rampage that is part Thelma and Louise, part Viking conquest. Manu and Nadine have had all they can take.”

16. Il Decameron- Giovanni Boccaccio

“Dieci uomini e donne lasciano Firenze durante la Peste Nera. Rimangono in una villa per dieci giorni, durante i quali condividono un totale di cento storie per passare il tempo.”

Non-fiction

Women in the Picture: What Culture Does With Female Bodies- Catherine McCormack

“Art historian Catherine McCormack challenges how culture teaches us to see and value women, their bodies, and their lives. Venus, maiden, wife, mother, monster―women have been bound so long by these restrictive roles, codified by patriarchal culture, that we scarcely see them. Catherine McCormack illuminates the assumptions behind these stereotypes, whether large or subtly hidden.”

2. Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction- Gary Wilson

“When high-speed internet became widely available a few years ago, growing numbers of people began to worry that their porn use was running out of control. Far from preparing them for fulfilling relationships, viewing an endless stream of porn videos led to unexpected symptoms. Gary Wilson has listened to the stories of those who have tried giving up internet porn and related them to an account of how the reward system of the brain interacts with its environment. And now a growing body of research in neuroscience is confirming what these pioneers have discovered for themselves – internet pornography can be seriously addictive and damaging."

3. Women, Race, and Class- Angela Y. Davis

"A powerful history of the social and political influence of whiteness and elitism in feminism, from abolitionist days to the present, and demonstrates how the racist and classist biases of its leaders inevitably hampered any collective ambitions. Davis shows how the inequalities between Black and white women influence the contemporary issues of SA, reproductive freedom, housework, and child care."

4. Wolf Children and the Problem of Human Nature- Lucien Malson

“Malson carries one step further the assumption of behaviorists, structural functionalists, cultural anthropologists, and evolutionists that "human nature" is a constant. If the content of the analysis made by anthropologists is not affected by a "human nature" that lies outside of history, humanity to all effects and purposes, becomes its history. So-called wolf children are children abandoned at an early age and found leading an isolated existence. They are thus natural examples of complete social deprivation, and Malson explores their history in this study.”

5. Whipping Girl: A Transexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity - Julia Serano

“The powerful story of Julia Serano is that of a transsexual woman whose supremely intelligent writing reflects her diverse background as a lesbian, transgender activist, and professional biologist. Serano shares her experiences and observations—both pre- and post-transition—to reveal the ways in which fear, suspicion, and dismissiveness toward femininity shape our societal attitudes toward trans women, as well as gender and sexuality as a whole. Serano's well-honed arguments stem from her ability to bridge the gap between the often disparate biological and social perspectives on gender. She exposes how deep-rooted the cultural belief is that femininity is frivolous, weak, and passive and how this “feminine” weakness exists only to attract and appease male desire."

6. The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government- David K. Johnson

“In The Lavender Scare, historian David K. Johnson relates the frightening, untold story of how, during the Cold War, homosexuals were considered as dangerous a threat to national security as Communists. Republican charges that the Roosevelt and Truman administrations were havens for homosexuals proved a potent political weapon, sparking a Lavender Scare more vehement and long-lasting than the more well-known Red Scare.”

7. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee- David Treuer

“In The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, Treuer melds history with reportage and memoir. Tracing the tribes' distinctive cultures from first contact, he explores how the depredations of each era spawned new modes of survival. The devastating seizures of land gave rise to increasingly sophisticated legal and political maneuvering that put the lie to the myth that Indians don't know or care about property. The forced assimilation of their children at government-run boarding schools incubated a unifying Native identity. Conscription in the US military and the pull of urban life brought Indians into the mainstream and modern times, even as it steered the emerging shape of self-rule and spawned a new generation of resistance.

8. Enduring Creation: Art, Pain, and Fortitude- Nigel Spivey

“Enduring Creation reveals the amazing power of art to console, to warn, to prepare the viewer for the harsher experiences of life, raising intriguing Can pain be beautiful? Do we always pity suffering? Are sainthood and sadomasochism linked? This compelling study concludes with a positive message of hope for the enduring human spirit.”

9. Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and its Legacy- Heather Ann Thompson

“The first definitive account of the infamous 1971 Attica prison uprising, the state’s violent response, and the victims' decades-long quest for justice, including information never released to the public published to coincide with the forty-fifth anniversary of this historic event.”

10. A Male Grief: Notes and Essays- David Mura

“Through examining the relationship between child abuse, addictive family systems, and the adult male's consumption of pornography, this classic essay argues elegantly that this addiction to pornography is self-destructive, joyless, and unsatisfiable, a symptom of a consumer society rather than a natural urge.”

Biographical and memoirs

Until I Meet My Husband- Ryousuke Nanasaki

“Ryousuke Nanasaki married his husband in 2016 in the first religiously recognized same-sex wedding in Japanese history. This collection of essays follows Ryousuke’s search for love on the journey to his extraordinary marriage. From unrequited junior high crushes to awkward dating sites to finally finding a community.”

2. The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone- Olivia Laing

“What does it mean to be lonely? How do we live if we're not intimately engaged with another human being? How do we connect with other people? Does technology draw us closer together or trap us behind screens?

When Olivia Laing moved to New York City in her mid-thirties, she found herself inhabiting loneliness on a daily basis. Increasingly fascinated by this most shameful of experiences, she began to explore the lonely city by way of art.”

3. The Last Act of Love- Cathy Rentzenbrink

“With unflinching honesty and raw emotional power, Cathy describes the unimaginable pain of losing her brother and the decision that changed her family's lives forever. As she delves into the past and reclaims memories that have lain buried for many years, Cathy reconnects with the bright, funny, adoring brother she lost and is finally able to see the end of his life as it really was - a last act of love. Powerful, intimate, and intensely moving, this is a personal journey with universal resonance - a story of unconditional love, of grief, survival, and the strength of the ties that bind.”

4. The Book of Disquiet- Fernando Pessoa

“He attributed his prolific writings to a wide range of alternate selves, each of which had a distinct biography, ideology, and horoscope. When he died in 1935, Pessoa left behind a trunk filled with unfinished and unpublished writings, among which were the remarkable pages that make up his posthumous masterpiece, The Book of Disquiet. Published for the first time some fifty years after his death, this unique collection of short, aphoristic paragraphs comprises the "autobiography" of Bernardo Soares, one of Pessoa's alternate selves. Part intimate diary, part prose poetry, part descriptive narrative.”

5. Notes From A Sick Bed- Tessa Brunton

“In 2009, Tessa Brunton experienced the first symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). She spent much of the next eight years unwell, in a medical holding pattern, housebound, and often alone. In 2017, she found a strategy that helped reduce her symptoms and soon began creating the first installments of a graphic memoir.”

6. Go Tell It on The Mountain- James Baldwin

“Baldwin chronicles a fourteen-year-old boy's discovery of the terms of his identity as the stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem one Saturday in March of 1935. Baldwin's rendering of his protagonist's spiritual, sexual, and moral struggle of self-invention opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understand themselves.”

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