#also another unrelated advice

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Any advice for figuring out how to work on writing characters arguing?

I’m just curious and also I mistakenly derailed part of my writing over struggling to write a scene of characters starting an argument that was meant to escalate.

Writing Notes: Arguments

Arguing is full of tension.

Even benign conversations between friends so often belies subtextual personal agendas that are antagonistic or covertly full of anger or upset.

Honesty itself sometimes is the product of extreme tension and upset.

One’s resistance to telling the truth to another or admitting to oneself a truth can be excruciatingly tense and stressful, even between lovers.

SIDESTEPPING

You instantly create conflict in dialogue when you avoid “on the nose” responses.

On the nose means a direct response, sometimes even echoing the previous line.

You can avoid direct response:

With a statement that is unrelated to the prompting dialogue

By answering a question with a question

With a line of dialogue that is going to need some explanation

Also consider using silence:

“Are you ready to go, dear?” Bob asked. Sylvia said nothing.

Or use an action response:

“Are you ready to go, dear?” Bob asked. Sylvia picked up the mirror.

OPPOSING AGENDAS

Always know what each character wants in a given scene.

If a character in a scene is just taking up space, give him an agenda or get him out of there. Or cut the scene entirely.

Scenes require conflict or tension, even if it’s subtle.

Before you write the scene, note what each character wants.

Then spend a few moments playing with those motivations.

List 3 other possible motives for each of the characters, then mix and match to decide which ones will make for the best conflict.

It is also important to create tension among allies.

One of the danger points in fiction is when two friends, or people who are at least on the same side, have a talk about what’s going on. The trouble is there might not be any trouble between them. So much of the dialogue becomes a friendly chat.

This will violate Alfred Hitchcock’s axiom (Hitchcock once said that a good story is “life, with the dull parts taken out.”).

The fastest way to handle it is to make sure there is tension manifested from the start.

Create tension in at least one of the characters, preferably the viewpoint character.

Example: When you have Allison meeting Melissa, her college friend, for coffee, don’t have them sit down and start talking as if nothing’s wrong in the world. Put the trouble of the story into Allison’s mind and nervous system and make it an impediment to her conversation with Melissa. In Melissa, place something that might be in opposition to Allison’s needs. Allison needs to ask Melissa’s advice about a crumbling marriage. Maybe Melissa is full of news about her sister’s impending wedding to a wonderful man and gushes about the prospects.

Spend some time brainstorming about the ways two friends or allies can be at odds. Then weave those things into the dialogue.

DIALOGUE AS WEAPON

Look for places where you can use dialogue as a weapon, a means for your characters to charge ahead in order to get what they want.

Keep in mind that dialogue is action.

It’s a physical act used by characters to help them get what they want. If they don’t want anything in a scene, they shouldn’t be there.

Note that not all weapons are explosive. They can be small and sharp, too.

PARENT-ADULT-CHILD

A great tool for creating instant conflict in dialogue is the Parent-Adult-Child model, popularized in the book Games People Play by Eric Berne (1964). This school of psychology is called Transactional Analysis.

The theory holds that we tend to occupy roles in life and relationships.

The 3 primary roles are Parent, Adult, and Child (PAC):

The Parent - the seat of authority, the one who can “lay down the law.” S/he has the raw strength, from position or otherwise, to rule and then enforce his/her rulings.

The Adult - the objective one, the one who sees things rationally and is therefore the best one to analyze a situation. “Let’s be adult about this,” one might say in the midst of an argument.

The Child - not rational, and not with any real power. So what does s/he do? Reacts emotionally. Throws tantrums to try to get his/her way. Even an adult can do this. We’ve all seen clandestine videos that prove this point.

So it is a helpful thing to consider what role each character is assuming in a scene.

How do they see themselves? What is their actual role? (It may indeed be different than what they perceive it to be.)

Most important, how will they act in order to accomplish their goal in the scene?

Answering these questions can give you a way to shape your dialogue so there is constant tension and conflict throughout.

Also consider that the characters might change their roles (try something new) in order to get their way. Thus, this is a never-ending source of conflict possibilities and only takes a few moments to set up.

TIP ON DIALOGUE

Look at all of your dialogue exchanges, especially ones that run for a page or more.

Analyze what roles the characters think they’re inhabiting.

Rework the dialogue by getting each character to be more assertive in their claimed role. (Also note that a character can change roles as a matter of strategy. For example, if the Parent isn’t working, a character might switch to pouting like a Child in order to get his way.)

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Hope this helps with your writing!

[gallusrostromegalus]

I am constantly procrastinating working on my original fic by writing fanfic. Any advice for how to refocus and finish my novel?

Well. The novel probably needs a nap.

Procrastinating is a symptom that something is preventing you from doing the thing you "should" be doing. Most of the time it's an unrelated, but actually higher priority task like resting after an illness (society is fucking lying about anything else being more important) or filing your taxes (actually this one is pretty important).

...but if you're procrastinating on one creative project with another creative project, you're not procrastinating: something about the novel is off right now, the fanfic is more appealing to you.

Consider the following:

You may be writing fic because it brings you more joy than the novel. If you really want to get back to the novel, figure out what would make working on it more enjoyable. Engagement from a beta-editor? Skipping this really boring scene and coming back to it later? Adding more smut?

You may also be writing fic because it's got a lower spoon coat than the novel and you need to conserve your spoons right now. Any extra stress in your life? Moving? Toothache? Recovering from Covid? Annoying roommate? Sick family member? It's an election year? ANY of those could soak up extra spoons and make your novel too expensive for your spoons budget. Let it take a nap, and come back when you're feeling better.

You may be sharpening your artistic skills on a lower-stakes project before going back to the novel. This is pretty normal- even Michaelangelo took breaks to work on other pieces while sculpting The David, both for a change of pace and so he could try something out without fucking up the big block.

Fortunately, you're writing, so you can always try writing the challenging scene a dozen times in different docs or save the parts that were good but don't not in a spare parts bucket doc.

Or keep working on that fic, it's helping you learn on a subconscious level.

You don't love the novel right now. This is alright. This is usually temporary, and the solution is the same- put it aside and work on something else.

Maybe you are just bored of the novel. That's fine and normal, you just save all the documents to your hard drive and come back later. When the fic inevitably gets boring too, you'll come back to the novel and either go "oh hey this kicks ass!" And return to it with renewed enthusiasm.

...Or you'll come back to it and go "oh. This is actually a piece of shit" And that's okay too, because there's nothing more useless than polishing a turd, but that turd is still valuable as compost. You learned things writing it, and you can still rifle through the novel for good lines or scenes or turns of phrase and put those in your spare parts doc to ferment into The Good Shit in the back of your mind.

HOWEVER:

If you are experiencing a different phenomenon wherein you are actively distressed while writing the fic- either out of misplaced guilt, or the fic isn't actually fun you just feel compelled to do something, or absolutely every creative endeavor is stressing you out, you may be experiencing a serious mental or physical health issue and you should see your GP or a specialist ASAP. Pain is an indicator that something is wrong. Do not ignore your body's warning light.

That sounds really dramatic and hyperbolic but realizing I was not enjoying ANY creative work was the symptom that finally got me to sit down and go "huh. All these random pains, irregular sleep cycle, frequent migraines and weird bouts of vertigo aren't normal either, I should get this looked at." And it turned out I had dangerously low blood oxygen at night from undiagnosed sleep apnea. I have a CPAP machine now and it's AMAZING.

I really hope this is regular artistic shuffle and not a serious health concern, but if you're experiencing creative stress AND a bunch of other shit, it may be serious.

[ckret2]

@marsupials-of-mars submitted:

I was planning to do maybe a fic and more doodles of this but now I'm busy with school so I might as well show what I did do!

Based on how the goldilocks fic seems to posit that Bill at his best is a silly professor who loves to teach his own way

Introducing Professor Locke!

Things about this idea:

-post redemption, however that will go. I'm calling it an AU because I imagine it is not your plan for what happens after lol, but currently canon-compliant.

-Bill is at first not very on board with the idea of working in the higher education system. It's a scam and it's dumb that they tell adult people how to think.

-He's eventually convinced to bless Backupsmore with his tutelage, on the grounds that they're less stuck up there, they seem to care about giving their students opportunities despite their backgrounds, and the kids there care about learning rather than going to college just because their parents said they should.

-Ford uses his academic connections to vouch for Bill even though he is very mysterious and has no academic records. This is another reason why they picked Backupsmore: i's a little more lax when presented with a shockingly smart mystery professor. Bill gets an interview and charms the pants off the university president.

-He teaches "astrophysics" in theory (that's the job description) but he ends up teaching a little bit of everything.

-He's one of those professors you either adore or despise. He's very loud, often outright mean, and if you're too shy to speak up in class he does not give a SHIT about you. You gotta want it!

-However, his class is notoriously easy. He thinks homework and tests are facist, but he's required to have a curriculum, so his "quizzes" are like a few true or false questions and then a short answer where he asks something he thinks would be funny or wants to hear about, like "what's the dumbest thing another student has said in class since the last test and why was it dumb" or "fashion advice: what's the coolest thing I wore this last week? Extra credit: draw something cooler I SHOULD wear."

-as a result, students who have completely unrelated majors will take his class. If they end up being interested, he deems them worthy. If they're just there to be lazy, he will bully them into dropping out.

-Mabel buys him stickers to put on people's tests when they pass, or to just hand out when they something he likes. He gets along most with the college kids who know how to appreciate a classic gold star.

-He really wanted a big pretty lecture hall, where his voice would echo and he could point at a big chalkboard. But all Backupsmore could provide was a cinderblock and linoleum basement classroom. The lights buzz very loudly and it smells musty. They have stools and folding tables. Bill finds he enjoys the more intimate environment where he can walk between the tables and also sneak up on people.

-He's broken multiple folding tables by trying to do the cool professor thing where you hop up onto your desk and cross your legs and talk all casual. He is able to do this on his own desk thankfully. It's aluminum.

-Ford gets a bit nervous if he did the right thing when bill tells his school stories at the dinner table, so he finds an excuse to accompany Bill to a campus event where he can meet some of his students.

-His fears are quickly assuaged when he sees how beloved Bill is and how well he gets along with the kids. When he eventually joins in on one of these conversations, one of the students asks if he's Sixer. The students are excited by this. Bill tries to shut them up, to partial success.

OK I guess I just ended up writing the fic more or less so enjoy I guess lol.

Aww, this is adorable! Thank you! (And the fact that you're imagining a future for Bill makes me so happy.) He's absolutely be the weirdest professor in the school and he'd ADORE having a crowd full of trusting impressional minds whose parents are paying him to change the way they think. Talk about playing to his strengths.

Your idea is so wholesome, meanwhile the moment I saw "Professor Bill" I went,

[luxerians]

The Last Mask (03)

Hwang In-ho/Oh Young-il/Player 001 x Reader

Chapter 03 - Majority Votes

Story Masterlist

NEXT : Chapter 04

PREV : Chapter 02

Your arms trembled uncontrollably as you squeezed your eyes shut. Fear coursed through you, a cold, unrelenting wave. The thought of the doll catching even the smallest movement from you filled your chest with dread. You tried to will the trembling to stop, but your body refused to listen.

The doll’s head rotated back to the front, and you opened your eyes just in time to see it settling into place. Relief washed over you. Your trembling had gone unnoticed, at least for now.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

Quickly, you pulled your trembling arms to your chest, hugging them tightly to steady them. Your legs instinctively shifted into a wider stance, grounding you for balance. Around you, the field was utterly still. None of the players dared to move. Fear had locked everyone in place, their realization sinking in. Player 456 had been right. This wasn’t just a game. One wrong move, and it would all be over.

…has bloomed.”

The field remained frozen, not a single person daring to move. It felt like everyone was holding their breath, unwilling to risk even the smallest sound.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

You heard the sound of footsteps. In the corner of your vision, you caught sight of player 456 sprinting forward, weaving through the sea of motionless players.

…has bloomed.”

Everyone stopped again, as still as statues. The tension in the air was palpable.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

Player 456 broke through the crowd, dashing ahead with a burst of speed.

“…has bloomed.”

He froze at the exact moment the chant ended. He shouted, “You’ll also die if you don’t make it there in time! That doll is a motion detector! But it can’t detect motion that’s not visible to it!”

He paused and demonstrated, clenching and unclenching his hand behind his back. True to his words, no sound followed. No gunshot. You understood immediately what he was trying to convey.

“Get behind someone bigger than you! Like you’re doing Follow the Leader! We’re running out of time! We’ve got to move!”

“The Mugungha Flower…”

The chant began again, and everyone started moving. The sound of feet shuffling against the sand filled the air as players hurried to follow his advice. You quickly positioned yourself behind a taller player, number 120, a tall woman who stood just ahead of you. From the corner of your eye, you noticed others doing the same, forming multiple straight lines as they aligned themselves behind larger players.

“…has bloomed.”

You stopped immediately, staying directly behind player 120. Bending slightly, you kept your body low, hoping the doll wouldn’t detect you. Your trembling arms stayed locked against your chest, an effort to steady them.

Crack!

The sound made you flinch. Another body hit the ground with a dull thud.

Crack!

Silence followed as another player collapsed. You didn’t dare look.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

Everyone moved forward cautiously, keeping to their lines. The sound of shuffling feet filled the air. You noticed more players had lined up behind you, forming a growing chain. Player 120, standing tall in front of you, had unintentionally become the leader of your line.

“…has bloomed.”

You froze. You noticed player 120 had stood up straighter. She was shielding you and the others behind her. Her actions spoke louder than words; she knew she was the cover for everyone in her line and she had no problem with it.

From your right, a faint commotion broke through the stillness. You heard a soft “why” before three gunshots shattered the air. The field grew quiet again as the chaos subsided.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

The players jogged forward, advancing steadily. You noticed player 120 slowing just before the chant ended, giving those behind her extra time to halt safely.

“…has bloomed.”

The cycle continued, round after round. Occasionally, gunshots echoed across the field, signaling more casualties. Each time, you held your arms tighter to your chest, forcing your trembling limbs to stay still. With each round, the finish line drew closer, inch by inch.

When the doll turned its head toward the tree, player 456’s voice rang out: “Let’s go!”

“The Mugungha Flower…”

Most of the players broke formation, abandoning their lines to sprint toward the finish line. You followed suit. Your arms, no longer locked to your chest, swung freely at your sides as you pushed yourself forward.

As the pink line drew closer, you gave it everything you had. When you reached it, you jumped, your feet landing safely past the boundary. Relief flooded you as you stumbled to the ground, collapsing in exhaustion. For a moment, you just lay there, catching your breath. Around you, others who had crossed also expressed their relief, lying, collapsing, or sitting down out of exhaustion.

You turned your gaze back to the field. From where you sat, it looked like roughly seventy percent of the players had made it across. The remaining players were still on the field, their lines fractured and disorganized.

“…has bloomed.”

The players who hadn’t yet crossed froze in place, their bodies stiff. Gunshots rang out again, and you flinched as a few unfortunate players fell to the ground. One man, hit in the thigh, collapsed with a sharp cry of pain, clutching his leg as blood began to pool beneath him.

“You can do it!” player 456 shouted. “You’re almost there!”

“The Mugungha Flower has bloomed.”

The man who had been shot whimpered. “Please help me.”

You frowned, concern gnawing at you as you watched him struggle. Your eyes shifted to player 456, who glanced quickly at the timer.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

He sprinted past the finishing line, rushing straight toward the injured player. You scrambled to your feet, your heart pounding as you watched player 456 reach the fallen man.

“…has bloomed.”

Gunshots cracked through the air again, but player 456 and the injured player remained unharmed.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

Player 456 quickly wrapped the injured player’s arm around his neck, lifting him off the ground. Together, they began limping toward the finish line, but their movements were awkward and unsteady. Then they stumbled.

“…has bloomed.”

To your shock, player 120 appeared out of nowhere, catching them before they could fall. She propped them up, steadying the pair just as the chant ended. The three of them froze. Everyone in the finishing area, including you, watched with bated breath.

“The Mugungha Flower…”

With only five seconds left, the three of them surged forward, rushing toward the finish line. Your lips pursed as fear and suspense gripped you. You silently prayed they would make it in time.

As they crossed the finish line, the doll completed its chant: “…has bloomed.”

The timer beeped, signaling zero. Relief washed over you as you saw player 456, player 120, and the injured player 444 collapse onto the ground, breathing heavily in the finishing area.

“Are you okay?” player 456 asked, patting player 444 on the back.

“Thank you,” player 444 sniffled, his voice trembling. He turned to player 120. “Thank you-”

Crack!

You flinched as the sound echoed across the area. Player 444’s head snapped back, and his body crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Player 444, eliminated,” the female robotic voice announced.

You stared at the lifeless body in front of you. His face was bloodied from the headshot wound, and a pool of fresh blood began to spread around his head. Your arms started trembling again, this time without restraint. There was no need to stay frozen anymore so your fear had taken over completely. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the gruesome sight.

This… this was just as horrifying as the day you found your father and mother on the front porch, their tortured and battered bodies lying there like broken shells. The memory slammed into you, raw and unrelenting, blending with the horror of the moment.

All of you who survived the first game were led back to the dormitory where you had first woken up. The atmosphere was heavy. Fear lingered in the air, and many players huddled together under the dim light of the empty piggy bank hovering above.

You found yourself sitting near player 456 and his friend, player 390. Maybe it was instinct or subconscious reasoning – your mind seeking some semblance of safety or guidance. Being near player 456 felt like the closest thing to a haven in this deadly situation.

“Gi-hun,” you heard player 390 say, addressing player 456. “What the hell is that creepy doll? It shoots people with its eyes.”

Player 456 glanced at him. “It’s not the doll. There are shooters.”

Curiosity got the better of you, and you leaned in slightly. “How… do you know?”

Both player 456 and player 390 turned to look at you, as if noticing your presence for the first time. Before either could answer, a beeping noise cut through the tense air.

The lights flickered on, brightening the dormitory. The double doors at the front slid open, and a group of pink-clad guards marched in. The sight of them sent waves of panic through the room. Players scrambled backward, some ducking behind beds or hiding underneath them. Whimpers and muffled cries filled the space as others climbed up to the top bunks in a desperate bid for safety. You instinctively moved behind player 390, who was already using player 456 as a shield.

“Congratulations for making it through the first game,” announced the square-masked guard. “Here are the results of the first game.”

The large TV screen above the double doors flickered on, displaying the statistics.

“Out of 456 players, 84 players have been eliminated. 372 players have completed the first game. Congratulations again for making it through the first game.”

Suddenly, the mother, player 149, dragged her son, player 007, toward the center of the room. Tears streamed down her face. She dropped to her knees while her son stood awkwardly beside her. “Sir! Please don’t kill us! I beg you! As for my son’s debt, I will do whatever it takes to pay you back! Please forgive us!”

Then, she tugged at her son’s arm, pulling him down to the floor. “Don’t just stand there. Beg for his forgiveness!”

Her son reluctantly joined her, lowering himself to the ground and pleading for mercy. As their cries echoed in the dormitory, the square-masked guard spoke, “There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

But the mother and son weren’t alone. More players crawled toward the center, their voices rising in desperation as they begged for forgiveness. The sight of so many people pleading made your chest tighten. You hoped that all of you could be set free due to their pleads. The thought of staying in this killing field any longer was unbearable.

You wanted to go home. Back to Ji-yoo and your parents. The money didn’t matter anymore. You could always find another part-time job, no matter how grueling, as long as it meant staying alive.

Then, player 456 stood up from the floor in front of you. “Clause three of the consent form!”

The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward him. He stepped forward, walking to the center of the room. “The games may be terminated upon a majority vote. Correct?”

The guard nodded. “That is correct.”

“Then let us take a vote right now,” player 456 demanded.

“Of course. We respect your right to freedom of choice.”

A wave of relief swept through the players. You heard murmurs of gratitude, and some players visibly relaxed, hopeful at the chance to leave.

“But first,” the guard interjected, “let me announce the prize amount that’s been accumulated.”

He pressed a button on a remote, and the dormitory lights dimmed. Only the golden glow from the giant piggy bank above illuminated the room. A familiar jingle played, signaling the announcement of money.

Stacks of cash began to drop into the transparent piggy bank, the bills piling higher with each passing second. The sight drew players out of their hiding spots. They moved cautiously at first but soon gathered around the center, no longer fearful. Everyone stared at the growing fortune in awe, including you. The golden light reflected in your eyes as the weight of the moment sank in.

As the stacks of banknotes stopped accumulating in the piggy bank, the guard announced:

“The number of players eliminated in the first game is 84. Therefore, a total of 8.4 billion won has been accumulated. If you quit the games now, the 372 of you can equally divide the 8.4 billion won and leave with your share.”

“How much is that?” player 100 asked.

“Each person’s share would be 22,580,645 won.”

You dropped your gaze, disillusioned. Around you, other players voiced their dissatisfaction.

“Twenty million? You said 45.6 billion!” Thanos retorted angrily.

The guard clarified, “The rule is that a hundred million won will be accumulated for each eliminated player. If you choose to play the next game and more players get eliminated, the prize amount will increase accordingly.”

“How much will it be if you survive until the end?” player 100 queried.

“As I already told you, the total amount of prize money for all 456 players is 45.6 billion won. Those who make it through all six games will equally divide the 45.6 billion won.”

“So if you’re the only one to survive, you get 45.6 billion?”

“That is correct.”

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the group as the players processed this. The sheer possibility of such a massive fortune left many in awe.

“So we can take a vote again and decide to leave after the next game?” another player asked.

“As promised in the consent form, you can take a vote after each game and decide to leave with the prize money accumulated up to that point. We always prioritize your voluntary participation.”

A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone contemplated their choices. The explanation had made you question your own decision, your resolve wavering as the implications sunk in.

“Now, let’s begin the vote.”

The guards moved swiftly, setting up the voting system in no time. A counter with X and O buttons was placed at the front. The dormitory floor lit up to indicate the voting areas: the right side glowed red for X, and the left side shone blue for O.

Almost every player stood at the back of the hall, clustered together, as the guard announced, “If you wish to continue the games, press the O button. If you wish to end them, press the X button. The vote will be held in reverse order of your player numbers. Player 456.”

You glanced to your side where player 456 stood. After a brief moment, he stepped forward, leaving the crowd behind and heading toward the counter.

“It’s all pointless!” a voice called out, breaking the silence. Everyone’s attention shifted to player 044, perched on one of the highest bunk beds. “You didn’t decide when to come into this world, and you can’t decide when you leave it either. When and where you die were already decided by the gods the moment you were born. No matter how hard you try, you can never escape it.”

Player 456 didn’t acknowledge her words. He resumed walking, his focus on the counter ahead. When he reached it, he wasted no time and pressed the X button. A deep ping echoed through the hall as the TV screen above displayed the updated vote.

“Once you finish voting,” the guard said, “put the patch you are given on the right side of your chest and stand on the side you have chosen.”

From your position at the back, you watched as player 456 fixed the red X patch to his chest and walked over to stand on the X side of the hall.

“Player 454,” the guard called next.

A female player stepped forward with steady strides. To your surprise, she pressed the O button, creating a lighter ping sound. After fixing the blue O patch on her chest, she walked to the O side of the room. The process continued, players being called one by one in reverse order. You stayed silent, your gaze fixed on the TV screen as it updated with each vote.

Then the guard called your number. “Player 423.”

You stepped forward. The weight of countless gazes bore into your back, but you kept walking until you reached the counter. Staring at the buttons, you felt the temptation of the piggy bank linger in your mind. But the thought of your own life outweighed everything else. You pressed the X button, and the deep ping filled the air once more.

The guard handed you the red X patch. You fixed it to the right side of your chest before turning and heading toward the X area. As you reached player 456, he nodded politely, and you returned the gesture before standing beside him. Together, you watched the votes continue.

Soon, player 390 was called. He also voted for X and joined you and player 456 on the same side, nodding in quiet acknowledgment as he took his place.

More and more players were called to vote, and the results seemed to be edging toward a tie. When Thanos’ turn came, he jogged up to the counter like an excited kid and pressed the O button with a wide grin.

His enthusiasm seemed to set something off in player 456.

“Wait a minute, everyone! Wait!” he called out, his voice cutting through the murmurs and turning every head.

Stepping out of the X area, he positioned himself in the center, between the X and O sides, facing the players who had yet to vote. “You can’t do this. Come to your senses! Don’t you see? These aren’t just any games. We will all die if we keep playing! We have to get out of here now. With a majority vote, we can! We must stop here!”

Before the tension could settle, player 100 burst out of the crowd of unvoted players, his voice booming. “Who do you think you are?! Why do you keep egging people on like that?! You scared us by saying they’d shoot us before the game even began!”

You frowned, agitation bubbling up. He literally saved us by warning us, and now you’re blaming him?

“That’s right!” a female player who had already voted O stepped forward. “He was going on about how we’d die, and I almost did because I got so nervous!”

“How did you know they were going to shoot us?” another unvoted player, number 226, asked suspiciously. “Are you one of them?”

Player 100 pointed accusingly at player 456 and addressed the pink-clad guards. “Are you conning us all by pretending to be a player? Did you plant him to mess with our heads?!”

Player 390, who had been standing beside you, stepped forward to defend his friend. “Uncle, that’s uncalled for. We wouldn’t have won the game and survived if it weren’t for him!”

Several players in the X area nodded in agreement, silently backing him up. Player 390 turned toward player 226. “And you! I saw how scared you were. Your legs were shaking. You should thank him, not treat him like a fraud!”

Player 226 bristled. “And who the hell are you? Are you conspiring with him?”

“How rude,” player 390 shot back. “How old are you?”

“Older than you. What are you going to do about it?”

“Come on now, stop it!” player 149, the frail mother, stepped into the center beside player 456. Her voice was gentle but firm. “Please don’t do this. Listen, everyone. None of us would be alive if it weren’t for this gentleman. So enough with the greed. Let’s put our lives first and get out of this place!”

The dormitory erupted into chaos as X voters raised their voices in a loud clamor.

“That’s right!”

“Let’s all get out of here!”

O voters weren’t backing down, shouting over them.

“No, we have to keep playing!”

You furrowed your eyebrows, silently hoping the unvoted players would side with X. Lives should come first.

Suddenly, player 456 screamed, his frustration spilling over. “I have played these games before!”

The room fell silent as every eye turned to him. Even you felt a jolt of shock, your eyes widening at his outburst.

“I have done this before!” he admitted, his voice heavy with emotion. “I knew about the first game because I played it three years ago! Everyone who was with me back then… they all died!”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Player 390 looked stunned, his disbelief written all over his face. But you believed it instantly. It explained how he had known about Red Light, Green Light and the deadly stakes involved.

“Hold on,” player 226 asked, his tone skeptical. “If they all died, how did you survive? Are you saying you were the sole winner?”

Player 456 hesitantly admitted. “That’s right. I was the final winner.”

A wave of murmurs swept through the room, a mix of disbelief and awe. You stared at him, still processing the revelation. Player 456 declared, “If we continue these games, every single person here, just like everyone back then, will die in the end.”

Player 100 scoffed, his skepticism turning into mockery. “Bullshit. If you were the sole winner, it means you got 45.6 billion won. If that’s true, why would you come back here?”

“That’s right! He’s lying!” shouted a woman from the O area.

Thanos came forward. “If you really won, it works better for us. You can give us tips on how to beat these games.”

“That’s right!” player 100 chimed in. “We have a previous winner with us, so what’s the problem?!”

You couldn’t hold back a scoff, drawing attention from those around you. Player 100 glared, but you held your ground and spoke calmly. “Do you really think the next games will be exactly the same as before?”

The room shifted as all eyes turned to you. You took a steadying breath and continued. “They know there’s a previous winner here. They’re not going to let him give us an advantage. The games could be entirely different tomorrow, but we know one thing. elimination means death. We should prioritize surviving over chasing money.”

The X voters nodded in agreement, their support growing louder as your words sank in.

Player 100’s glare intensified, his frustration spilling over. “Hush, girl! Stop complicating things. If the Red Light, Green Light game was the same as three years ago, why wouldn’t the rest of them be the same too? Maybe we actually have an advantage this time. Ever think of that?”

His words struck a chord with some of the players, drawing nods from a few O voters.

Before you could reply, Thanos stepped in with a casual shrug. “Pretty lady, you might be overthinking it. There is a previous winner among us. What else should we worry about?”

“And who even are you?” player 226 interjected. “You're still young. You don't know what we've been through."

Player 390 stood protectively beside you. “Wah, you all really got blind. She's got a point. At least she’s thinking ahead, unlike some people who can’t see past their own greed.”

He shot a pointed look at player 100.

“Greed?” player 100 snapped, his voice rising. “I’m trying to survive! I don't give up so easily like all of you! I don't think you all deserve that 20 million won share!"

The room quickly descended into chaos as X voters and O voters began shouting over each other. Accusations and insults flew from both sides, the noise growing louder and more heated by the second.

You sighed loudly, frustration boiling inside you as the shouting escalated. The decision weighed heavily on the unvoted players, who stood frozen in uncertainty. Glancing toward player 456, you saw him watching the chaos with an unreadable expression.

Then he turned to the unvoted players, desperation etched into his voice. “Please, I’m begging you. We have to get out now! If we keep playing, more people will die. That could be you. We have to stop this now and get out of here.”

Before he could continue, a triangle-masked guard marched forward, pressing his gun against player 456’s back. The tension in the room skyrocketed as the shouting stopped instantly. Player 456’s body tensed, his arms frozen at his sides.

“From here on, we will not tolerate actions that disrupt the voting process,” the square-masked guard announced coldly. “Now, let’s resume the vote. Player 228.”

The triangle-masked guard kept the gun trained on player 456, who slowly raised his arms in surrender. The rest of the players hesitantly returned to the voting, the silence now thick and oppressive. You couldn’t help but glance at player 456 who stood under the guard’s watchful aim.

As the voting progressed, you noticed the gun still pointed at player 456 even after several players had cast their votes. Your anxiety spiked. Unable to stand it any longer, you pushed through the crowd of X voters, drawing a few surprised looks as you made your way toward him.

When you reached him, several eyes, including his, turned to you. You gently took hold of his sleeve and said softly, “Come on. Let’s go back in.”

Player 456 gave a small nod before meeting the guard’s gaze. The triangle-masked guard, interpreting this as compliance, finally lowered his weapon. You led player 456 back to the X zone, standing once again beside player 390. The guard returned to his position behind the square-masked guard, and the voting resumed.

The minutes stretched on as votes were cast. You watched anxiously as the numbers edged closer and closer to a tie. Your heart sank when the tally on the screen displayed an almost even split.

[X: 185 | O: 186].

The guard called out the final player. “Player 001.”

All heads turned to the far back of the room, where the last player stood.

“Everyone, say O!” Thanos shouted suddenly.

“O!”

“X!” came the counter-shouts from the X zone.

You bit your lip, your nerves fraying as player 001 walked between the chanting zones toward the counter. Your mind raced with silent pleas. Please. Just one more vote for X. If we gets a tie, we could still vote tomorrow. Some players will come to their sense in time.

The room went quiet as player 001 reached the counter. All eyes locked on the screen, waiting. Then, after a few quiet seconds, a lighter ping echoed through the room.

The tally updated. [X: 185 | O: 187].

Your shoulders slumped. On the other side of the dormitory, the O voters erupted into cheers. They hollered and clapped, their earlier fear and hesitation forgotten in their celebration. You couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness as you watched them, remembering how quickly they had scrambled away from the pink guards after the first game. Now, all they care about is money.

The X voters’ reactions were a stark contrast. Some groaned in disappointment, others shook their heads in frustration, and a few simply stood still, their faces pale and haunted. The fear in their eyes was unmistakable. No matter how they had voted, the realization that they would continue risking their lives weighed heavily on everyone.

As the O voters continued their celebration, players from the X zone began filing out quietly, heading for their bunks. You glanced at player 456, who still stood frozen in place, looking defeated.

You let out a small sigh and nudged player 456 gently. “Hey. It’s disappointing, but what else can we do? Let’s go.”

Player 456 didn’t say anything. His gaze lingered on the screen for a moment longer before he turned to follow you and player 390. Together, the three of you walked towards the corner of the right side of the hall.

NEXT : Chapter 04

PREV : Chapter 02

Story Masterlist

I would love to know what you think so feel free to comment as long as you could!

Leave a comment on the masterlist post to be added to the taglist.

[art]

Creator Spotlight: @chaaistheanswer

Hi everyone! I am Clara, but you can also call me chaa! I am a digital artist based in Auckland, New Zealand, with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Media Production. After graduating from uni, I moved out to pursue my art career and I’ve been a freelance digital artist ever since. I love concept art, especially character design! Creating characters influenced by my love for fantasy is what I live for. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed my art! And thank you, Tumblr, for this opportunity!

Check out our interview with Clara below!

Did you originally have a background in art? If not, how did you start?

I specialized in art in high school and have a bachelor’s degree in Creative Media Production from Massey University with an animation pathway. For our thesis film, which I worked on with several of my classmates, I took on the role of producer, art director, and concept artist. Our short film was featured in the Wellington Film Festival Terror-Fi in 2020. After graduating, I went on to become a freelance artist, but my goal is to work for the gaming industry as a character concept artist. Ever since I first picked up a pencil, I knew I wanted to become an artist!

Have you ever had an art block? If so, how did you overcome it?

Art block is quite common among artists, and unfortunately, I too have fallen prey to the affliction. I have several ways of overcoming art block: watching movies, playing games, reading, or going out for a drive with my sister. These are just a few things I love to do to help keep my creative juices flowing!

What is one habit you find yourself doing a lot as an artist?

I tend to obsessively research about completely unrelated topics while I draw. I find learning new things helps improve my concept designs, especially in creating backgrounds for my characters.

Over the years as an artist, what were your biggest inspirations behind your creativity?

Video games and anime were my biggest inspirations! Anything with a captivating story that’ll send me to the edge of my seat, and loveable characters. I’m particularly drawn to high and dark fantasy.

How has technology changed the way you approach your work?

Technology has made a huge impact on us artists over the last few years. I used to draw a lot on paper, but since getting a tablet, I find myself searching for the undo and redo buttons and even trying to zoom constantly while I draw on paper. I used to only draw for myself as well, but after posting my art online, I now have an audience to whom I can share my art. Because of this, I am able to earn a living doing what I love by creating illustrations for clients.

What is a recent creative project that you are proud of?

I am very proud of this recent commission I’ve done for a client! Fortunately, the piece turned out exactly how I wanted it to look, and my client was very happy with the result. I am also in the process of working on a Webtoon, which is going as smoothly as I hoped it would be before its re-release!

What advice would you give to younger you about making art that's personal or truthful to your own experiences?

The best advice I would give my younger self is to never hold back! Try not to think about the negatives of creating and sharing art that you believe in. Embrace vulnerability, and don’t be afraid to dig deep into your own emotions and experiences. Always explore, and don’t limit yourself to your own bubble. And most important of all, stay true to yourself! Stay true to your values and beliefs, and never compromise your own authenticity for the sake of pleasing others. Your art is a reflection of you as a person.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

@yuumei-art has been an inspiration to me since my early Deviantart days. I admire how she uses her skills to focus on environmentalism and cyber activism. @nipuni is another inspiration of mine. I found her when I was in the process of recovering from Dragon Age Solavellan hell. I admire how she manages to capture faces well while also sticking to her style. Her paintings are so beautiful and very pleasing to my eyes!

Thanks for stopping by, Clara! If you haven't seen her Meet the Artist piece, be sure to check it out here. For more of Clara's work, follow her Tumblr, @chaaistheanswer!

[minhosimthings]

Girl Dad!Skz headcannons

Pairings: husband!Skz × wife!fem!reader

Warnings: fluff fluff fluff, mentions of pregnancy, reader wears a dress, mentions of food, teensy swearing

A/N: GUESS WHO HAS BABY FEVER AYY ITS THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE. I am so DONE with watching my fav idols play with babies and not expect me to die. WHERE IS MY CHAN WHO'LL GIVE MR A BABY HUH? anyways enjoy my very drunken headcannons

Bang Christopher Chan

DID I JUST HEAR BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD

This man was born to be a dad istg

He'd be so amazing when you're pregnant, like he'd ask his mom for advice, give you belly rubs if your ask and will willingly lend his entire closet to you.

Would be so supportive through the birth process, is not disgusted or anything because he is him.

"She looks just like you."

Would be just a teensy bit overprotective, just a teensy bit.

"And you will bring her back by 7 yes? Oh and what's your address for unrelated purposes?"

*sends the address to Minho incase he needs to murder anyone*

Would be so comforting when she gets her period

"you know I used to do this to your mother.", While massaging her back.

The baby would grow up multilingual and Chan would be so smug about it

"my daughter is my second producer

Lee Minho/Lee Know

Would have such mixed emotions when you tell him you're pregnant

On the one hand A PERSON MADE UP OF BOTH OF YOU? WOAH

On the other hand OH SHIT A PERSON WHO HAS BOTH OUR GENES

Cooks all your weird ass cravings for you but not before giving you a side eye

"Alright y'all are gonna get a sibling." *Is talking to the cats*

Buys everything cat themed

"baby what if the baby is a dog person?"

Y'all have twins, a boy and a girl (manifesting my twin dad Minho fantasies)

Would dance for them when they're babies and would get elated when they try to copy him

Pouts when their first word is mama

Brags so much about them

"I mean they are MY spawn, obviously they're better at dance than your kid, Susan"

Seo Changbin

GIRL DAD GIRL DAD GIRL DAD

So elated when you tell him you're pregnant

PREGNANT CUDDLES KZKSNSNJ

Would be a 100% on board with lifting your belly to save your back

When you find out it's a girl, he straight on sobs.

"I CAN'T HANDLE ANOTHER PAIR OF ADORABLE YN EYES LOOKING AT ME"

Holds the baby extra carefully in his buff ass arms

She looks like you part 2

Tea parties with her are serious buisness for him

"jagi can't you see im currently discussing with the princess about her magical dragon I'll do the dishes later."

Would probably ask her if she wants to go to the gym with her dad and when she says yes he'd be so happy

"you're better than your mother she can't even lift her ass up and go to the gym"

Hwang Hyunjin

When I say this man would paint you a portrait when you tell him you're pregnant-

HE'LL PAINT YOU A FUCKING PORTRAIT

So sweet with you all throughout but also a nervous wreck

Much like me

Would love to paint your belly if you allow him to

Would try your weird cravings with you

And actually like them

Let's not pretend like Hyun doesn't do the pregnant woman pose everyday

Cries so hard when your baby is born

He doesn't mind the gender or anything, but when he found out it's a girl-

"GUYS ITS A MINI Y/N"

She looks like you part 3

Such a clumsy mess when it comes to taking care of her

ART CLASSES ART CLASSES ART CLASSES

"Darling, we painted this for you."

Han Jisung

Immediately freezes when you tell him

Jisung.exe has stopped working

"wait so the protection didn't.... Protect?"

Now Y/N.exe has stopped working trying to figure out whether you actually used protection or not

Talks to your belly all day

Treats the baby like a gossip partner

"girl you won't believe what Hyunjin did today."

"what did he do?"

"yn shush I'm talking to our baby girl."

Is your personal high school cheerleader during the birth

"jagi you are slaying right now you can do this."

Cries when baby is born part 3

Calls her a co-producer part 2

Spoils her shitless

She has him wrapped around her finger, much like her mother :)

Making playlists with her is his love language

Lee Felix Yongbok

Did I just hear breeding kink

Cries when you tell him

Bakes so many brownies when you tell him like one time that you're craving his brownies

Makes your weird cravings part 3

Idk what it is with me and DanceRacha making all your weird cravings

Runs you baths, with bath salts, bath bombs, scented candles and massages your aching muscles I WILL DIE RIGHT NOW

Is the best during the birth, holds your hand allowing you to squeeze it as hard as you want

Dresses baby up like the fashionista she is

Is so amazed and ecstatic when the baby gets an Aussie accent

"JAGI SHE JUST SAID BREKKIE"

Kim Seungmin

Tsundere daddy meow

Will literally melt like his face will be like 🥺

Buys all the cute stuff on day one

I'm talking cradles, blinkies, toys, bonnets for some reason

"of course she needs a ponyo outfit darling come on"

Tones down his teasing a bit

Still makes fun of your penguin walk tho

And if you cry, he will comfort you and never forgive himself for it

Is kinda disgusted by the birth process but he's a strong soldier

Cries when baby is born part 4

Like Kim Seungmin crying is a real thing chat

Singing lessons are free for her, and she has her dad's angel voice!!

Also inherits her dad's roasting style, and she's the only one who can roast him back hehe

He kinda died inside when she told him he was old (he's never been prouder)

Yang Jeongin/ I.N

Bruh this guy istg

Mixed emotions part 2

"IM TOO YOUNG TO HAVE A CHILD"

Calms down eventually (after a slap on the head)

BELLY RUBS

Spoils the shit out of you because obviously

Asks his mum for advice part 2

Sings to your belly at night when he thinks you're asleep

Secretly hopes baby will have his dimple

He loves kids, so parenting is a natural thing that comes to him

Probably more experienced at holding a baby than you are

Feeds her for the first few days when you're tired

Perfect husband honestly he should marry me

Loves braiding her hair and giving her fashion advice

Mini fashion shows!!!

Dances with her a lot

[sophie-frm-mars]

I just wanna gush about DBT for a second

DBT saved my life so I'm gonna spend a moment telling everyone how helpful it can be because I know there are a lot of people with BPD out there who need to hear it.

so cluster B personality disorders are characterised by, among other things "unrelenting crisis" - this is the combination of the feeling that every small problem you encounter is just yet more insurmountable bullshit and the reality that you have a lot of bad shit going on in your life, some of caused by the wider world beyond your control and inevitably some of it self-inflicted. The problem is, to someone who is constantly activated and feels life as this kind of non stop catastrophe, it's really hard to practice skills learned in therapy to do anything about it AND it feels impossible to judge what is an appropriate thing to spend your energy on, where to even begin tackling your problems.

The group component of DBT is explicitly justified in the therapists' manual as tackling this, which I think is genius. A borderline patient will bring new problems to their therapist every week and not focusing on them will trigger feelings of abandonment but the patient will definitely have forgotten all about this problem and moved onto a new one by next session or the one after so you have two therapies, one talk therapy one-on-one and the other a group setting like a class where you learn the DBT skills, and then in the group setting no patient feels like they're being especially ignored by the therapist because they're all there to learn the skills as peers. I just think that's really clever

The bit that really whips though is the skills around Accumulating positive experiences and Building mastery. Okay so your life feels like shit, right? Like one shit thing after another? Your therapy is to have a nice time and get better at something in a way that makes you proud. There's a whole acronym for the skills you need to use to keep yourself well, ABC PLEASE, but C and PLEASE are all essentially preventative skills to stop you having an actively bad time or worsening your mental health, and A and B (Accumulate positive experiences, Build mastery) are the ones where you're proactively creating your life worth living and I love it so much.

Accumulating Positive Experiences really does just mean having a nice time in an intentional way. It can literally be watching TV, it can be whatever you want, but you approach it thinking about what will make good experiences that will actively make you feel like you are leading a life worth living. My girlfriend and I went to the planetarium and took edibles last month and it owns so hard that according to DBT that's therapy

Building Mastery is all about helping you get a sense of momentum and direction by improving at something, ideally something that isn't also what you do for work. I know "get a hobby" seems like such basic advice for helping someone out of a rough time but like I've been bouldering since early last year and seeing myself get better at it has been impossibly good for me.

I've been getting into cooking this year as one of my Building mastery practices, at first just regularish like "how can I feed myself in a way that feels like I'm showing myself care at all" like finally learning how to make some of the comfort foods I had in childhood like beef stew, or trying out new things on my very basic salmon, potatoes and broccolli, like teriyaki glaze on broccolli or making hasselback potatoes. Then after a while it became a thing where I felt confident enough to actually thing about a little project and do it like around when my gf and I started officially dating I made her roast lamb and dauphinoise potatoes (nothing photographs well, sorry in advance lol), or we started rewatching Twin Peaks and I really wanted cherry pie so I made my own, which I had never done before!

and at the same time as improving at that stuff I felt like I was good enough at it that cooking for other people was a way I could show them care, which was something I had always wanted but never put in the time to making a reality.

In The Endings Machine: Technology & Teleology I talked about how cooking vegan food in groups is more effective in several ways that going vegan yourself and afterwards my sister (who helped with recording) said to me and a friend "I've been thinking about this ever since filming, we should do this!" and we've been holding a rotating vegan group meal at other's places fortnightly since then, and it's been really good! (This idea btw was partly inspired by my time on the ZAD where communal living leads to group cooking on a rotation, mostly vegan) For the first one I made a spicy mushroom pasta, then I had to bring the dessert to one and I made a vegan chocolate tart with coconut milk instead of dairy making a coconut chocolate filling and it was SOOO good

Last week the vegan meal was at mine again and it fell on halloween so we invited more people and arranged a little spooky movie screening and I made SOOO much food and it was all fucking fantastic. My gf and I made dhal makhani, aubergine rice, parathas, vegan raita and onion bhajis and served them with some mango chutney and some oven-cook samosas that were just from big tesco. I'm so fucking proud of myself, I've never cooked this much before and it went so well! I guess what I really want to get across is how looking at this from the DBT perspective I gotta get across how good this shit is for your mental health and how absurdly well it dovetails with building community.

There are all sorts of other ways Accumulating positive experiences and Building mastery help, because DBT is a very holistic approach to helping people get better - like if you know what things you like doing and you plan them to be available to you, you know that you're going to be happy with your own company, which means if you're having a shit time around someone else you're happy saying "I would be having a better time being alone right now" and just leaving. That makes it easier to live up to your self-respect goals, which are a big part of the DBT interpersonal effectiveness skills, as well as helping to tackle every cluster B girlie's deep seated fear of abandonment.

I could go on an on, but the salient thing right now is that there are a lot of people struggling with stuff I relate to as someone who has had my shit rocked by Borderline Personality Disorder for years and years, and I know that the biggest feeling at core is like "what is this all for? what is the thing that we are all trying to do in the space we are chaotically scrabbling to try to clear all the time?" and this is the answer: you want to accumulate positive experiences and build mastery, and when you get to doing it you have such a profoundly more grounded sense of being in the world, of what it is that's worth being here for and what stands in the way of life just being like that for everyone and a more meaningful drive to try and make it be that way for everyone.

I also wanna go on and on about how Interpersonal Effectiveness makes everyone better at organising too, but I think the Life Worth Living is the better sales pitch for DBT. idk in short a close friend pitched it to me a little while ago that all leftists should learn DBT and it would make the revolution way easier and the more I live of my life worth living the more I agree.

[qcomicsy]

AITA for firing my 18 year old from his job?

I (M33) have my son (M18) working for me nonsalaried in the family business since he was 10 years old. We had our share of arguments (regarding the job and other personal matters) and he started to live with his friends in another city ever since he moved out for college. He has his own job there too (with his roommates), but since it's a city away, his college, other job and personal life has making lack on the job I gave him lately, (even though he should be absolutely capable of assuming both responsibilities).

So last month when he showed up late to the job again, I told him that this job is serious, that it's a war out there, and I need my second lieutenant, anything less than total devotion is a waste of time and fired him off the job. After that, he told me he was leaving, I asked him to give his uniform back, and we haven't spoken with each other ever since.

I thought (and still do) that was the most logical conclusion to make but ever since my fight with him, a close family member (M??) (that helped me raise him) said I was out of line and I have “impossible standards” regarding my children, at pretty much the same week a friend of work called me asking if I didn't go too far this time (he knows about the altercation because my son visited him to ask advice about the matter). Also, the same family member who I mentioned previously refuses to talk to me without any snark or bitter remark as some form of “punishment” ever since my fight with my son.

My son hasn't called yet about the matter and I won't call him either.

On an unrelated note, I also just adopted another child (M12) and put him to work in the place my eldest had in the family business, and he's (my eldest) been acting extremely upset over that even though he tries not to show it. I don't understand why, since he couldn't do the job and my youngest wanted it. It just felt logical to put another person to do it.

TLDR: My son was unable to be a reliable person to keep the unpaid work I gave him ever since he was a child because of his other job, college and personal life in another city so I fired him and put my other new adopted son in his place and now work colleagues and family members has been implying I'm an asshole for it

AITA?

[semperamans]

yk that one clip of joseph quinn fixing lupita nyongos dress strap when i slipped on the red carpet and picturing benny doing that so casually GIRLL

grrrrrrr woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof

also known as the two times benny adjusts your clothing and the one time he doesn't :) (ft johnny because i am so insane)

slight voyeurism? LOL! i am FUCKING NUTS and i am so sorry! smut happens below the read more line, so only venture down there if you feel up for it!

it’s the first day of summer and benny couldn’t be any happier even if he tried. the guys think he’s snorting something or off his fucking rocker because he’s smiling. he’s got that dazed, happy-go-lucky look he usually only has when you’re around, but this is constant and has been since the club made the three hour journey to this lakeside piece of paradise. it’s not like a run where benny has to stay on high alert. it’s not club business, more of a family gathering, and he’s is just happy. can’t a guy be fuckin’ happy? right now he’s laying on the sun warmed grass, tan skin still glistening with leftover lake kisses. he can hear cockroach and his son somewhere over on the rickety pier, their bobbers plinking in the water, and the not-so-welcome advice from zipco who is a self-proclaimed master fisher. corky, cal, and sonny are hunting for frogs, the fucking bozos, with their swim trunks pulled up to their belly buttons, knees sinking quickly into the sweet smelling swell of the lakeside. they’re giggling damn near louder than the girls who are bouncing each other popcorn style on the trampoline and, fuck, benny just really likes life right now and likes it even better when something blocks the sun from his face and he opens his eyes to sees you. you’re wearing a swimsuit and a big smile and benny can’t help it. he reaches up, grabbing your arm, and with a swift pull, you’re toppling onto him. a squealing giggle bursts from your lips as you attempt to squirm away, but it’s no use. “you’re gettin’ me all wet!” “thought you liked when i did that?” your eyes widen, hand playfully coming to cup his mouth shut. in all the commotion your swimsuit strap has slipped and now loosely dangles near your elbow where benny just can’t help but look. you move together, your hand sliding from his mouth, fingers brushing through his damp curls; his callused fingertips birthing goosebumps as he situates the strap to its rightful position. “gimme a kiss?” he asks, taking your face between his palms. he tastes like summer.

the days melt into one another all hot and sticky like dripping ice cream. summer’s heat is unrelenting and benny has an almost radiant golden glow to his skin. the respite from the city has all of you slowing down, appreciating the little things: the way the sun tucks herself into the lake at night, the sweet zing of homemade tea, the giggle of gail and brucie's baby girl, and how capturing these moments together somehow bring each of you closer. it's not hard to adjust to this lifestyle. your days consist of swimming and baking and laughing and drinking and telling stories and hiking and you even find a liking for astronomy when the stars you’re studying happen to form new constellations on benny’s shoulders and down his spine. somehow he's more handsome here, if it's possible and tonight he's hauntingly beautiful in the sun's dying glow and angelic against the wavering bonfire flames that flick warmth over your chilling bodies. you can't stop looking at him but cal, who refuses to sit still, has finally wired that damn radio the right way and it crackles to life. there are cheers all around, beers hoisted skyward as a bluesy country song everyone seems to know hisses out of the aged speakers. perched atop stumps and spread over foldable chairs, a singalong begins. the boys drunkenly toss their arms over one another, lifting their chins to serenade the moon. even benny joins in. he's got one arm around you, the other holding tightly to johnny's waist as he sings with this elvis-like intonation. he looks down at you and can't explain it but you just look like you're his. maybe it's the t-shirt you're wearing, but no, it can't be. it's gotta be johnny's, benny's shirts are big on you but not so big that the collar droops down past your collarbone. benny likes it and grins and tells you he likes it and rights the fabric before pinching your cheek because god you're fucking cute.

it's five beers, four shots, and three singalongs later when johnny notices two people are missing. he rises, all wobbly legs and swirling colorful flashes as he extracts himself from the group. when did you and benny slip away? he can't seem to remember and it's not a big deal, not really, but he misses the two of you and just wants to see what you're up to and oh. he shouldn't be watching but his feet have grown roots. he can only see benny at first; the corded muscles in his back waning and flexing with exertion. but then he hears you. my god. the soft little gasp you puff into the air, the way you so delicately say benny's name like you're savoring the flavor of each letter-dragging them out, rolling them over your tongue. johnny shouldn't be watching. shouldn't be watching. can't stop watching. can't turn away. can't stop himself from uprooting his feet and moving over, over, over until he can see both of you clearly. you're pressed against someone's car, one hand splayed over the candy-red paint the other on benny's shoulder, nails biting into the flesh and johnny feels like a fucking freak and maybe he is but he'll worry about that later because benny. benny. benny. that's what you keep saying and your eyes are watery, he can make out their glint through the darkness thanks to the moonlight and he knows you, knows you cry when there’s a lot going on and there is a lot going on. there is pure desperation in your voice and you’re making these delicate preening whines and fuck you're still wearing the shirt. his shirt. the shirt you slipped from his bag then so innocently swore you didn't take. his shirt. and maybe you and benny want him there and that's why you're still wearing that shirt while benny, while he- jesus. it's rucked up and dirty and pooling over the leg you've got thrown around benny's hip but you don't make any move to fix it and now you're close. somehow the three of you are already so close to the edge and how special is that? sharing something so intimate even though you and benny have no idea. close. that's what you say as you bury your face into benny's neck, as your nails bite deeper and draw blood. close as you look up and lock eyes with johnny then you're no longer close but tumbling over the brink and down into rippling, blissful oblivion.

[gothicxreylover]

Yandere hashiras with a mizunoto s/o that uses the same breathing style as them.

Here you go! Thank you for your request and enjoy! I had done another request similar to yours so I hope you don’t mind that I put it in here.

Giyu Tomioka (Water Hashira)

Giyu is a quiet and withdrawn yandere who struggles to express his emotions, but his obsession with his Mizunoto S/O runs deep. He’s both proud and apprehensive about them using Water Breathing. While he admires their dedication, it also fuels his anxiety, as he knows the dangers of battle all too well. Giyu convinces himself that no one is as capable of teaching them as he is, leading to long, isolated training sessions where he carefully monitors every movement they make.

In his mind, his S/O’s safety is his responsibility alone. He uses his rank to manipulate the mission board, ensuring they’re never assigned to anything too dangerous. If they’re injured—even from a minor scrape—he blames himself and becomes even more protective, to the point of smothering them. Though his behavior might come across as cold, Giyu’s intensity grows if he perceives others trying to get close to them. He may not express jealousy openly, but those who overstep their boundaries often find themselves on the receiving end of his sharp gaze and subtly threatening words.

Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame Hashira)

Kyojuro’s fiery passion extends to his Mizunoto S/O, who he adores and cherishes with his whole heart. Seeing them use Flame Breathing fills him with pride, as he feels they’re carrying on the legacy of his family. However, his obsession with their safety is overwhelming. Kyojuro insists on supervising all their training personally, praising their progress while subtly discouraging them from taking on challenging missions.

His boundless energy and enthusiasm might feel suffocating, as Kyojuro rarely leaves them alone. He constantly reassures them, telling them they’re “precious” and that he won’t let anything happen to them. While his love seems warm and genuine, it hides an intense possessiveness. If anyone tries to harm or get too close to his S/O, Kyojuro’s sunny demeanor can shift in an instant, and he won’t hesitate to confront the offender with unrelenting force. His need to protect them becomes his driving purpose, to the point where he’ll even consider retiring them from active duty if it means keeping them safe.

Shinobu Kocho (Insect Hashira)

Shinobu’s sweet smile hides a razor-sharp possessiveness that her Mizunoto S/O might not notice at first. She’s thrilled that they use Insect Breathing, viewing it as a unique connection between them. Shinobu dedicates herself to training them, often tailoring techniques specifically to their abilities. However, her guidance always comes with an undercurrent of control—she ensures that they remain dependent on her expertise and approval.

Shinobu manipulates circumstances to keep them close, whether by influencing mission assignments or subtly dissuading them from seeking advice from others. She’s incredibly protective, but her kindness takes a dark turn if anyone threatens her S/O. Colleagues who grow too familiar with them might suddenly find themselves on the receiving end of Shinobu’s unnervingly polite warnings, laced with implications that send chills down their spine. Her obsession is carefully masked by her outward cheerfulness, but in truth, Shinobu views her S/O as a delicate treasure she must shield from the cruel world—no matter the cost.

Mitsuri Kanroji (Love Hashira)

Mitsuri’s adoration for her Mizunoto S/O is boundless and overwhelming. The fact that they use Love Breathing makes her feel an even deeper connection to them—she sees it as proof that they’re destined to be together. Mitsuri constantly showers them with affection, praising every little thing they do during training and encouraging them with enthusiastic declarations of love. Her compliments are sweet but excessive, making it impossible for her S/O to escape her doting presence.

Despite her bubbly and kind demeanor, Mitsuri’s obsession runs dangerously deep. She’s terrified of them being hurt, so she works behind the scenes to keep them away from dangerous missions. If that means pleading with her superiors or even taking their assignments herself, she’ll gladly do it. Mitsuri’s clinginess can be suffocating—she insists on being with them at all times, whether it’s for training, eating, or resting.

If anyone else shows too much interest in her S/O, Mitsuri becomes surprisingly intimidating. Her normally soft, cheerful voice takes on a sharper edge as she gently but firmly asserts her claim over them. In her heart, she believes that her obsessive need to protect and love them is justified—after all, she’s doing it because they’re her one and only.

Sanemi Shinazugawa (Wind Hashira)

Sanemi’s yandere tendencies are fueled by his deeply ingrained fear of loss and his fierce protectiveness. Seeing his Mizunoto S/O use Wind Breathing fills him with a mix of pride and dread—he knows firsthand how dangerous their path is, and it terrifies him. While he admires their determination, Sanemi can’t stand the thought of them getting hurt, so he takes it upon himself to train them to his impossible standards. His training sessions are grueling and often harsh, but they’re born out of a desperate need to ensure they can survive.

Sanemi’s possessiveness is intense and volatile. He keeps a close eye on them, demanding to know where they are and what they’re doing at all times. If they disobey him or take on a mission he deems too risky, his anger flares, but beneath the yelling is a deep fear of losing them. He often uses his rank to interfere with their assignments, ensuring they’re only sent on missions he considers safe enough.

If anyone flirts with or even gets too friendly with his S/O, Sanemi’s temper explodes. He doesn’t care if it’s a fellow Demon Slayer or a civilian—he’s not above using intimidation or outright threats to make sure everyone knows they belong to him. Despite his rough exterior, Sanemi’s obsession stems from love and fear, though his methods of showing it can be controlling and suffocating.

Tengen Uzui (Sound Hashira)

Tengen’s flamboyant and larger-than-life personality makes his yandere tendencies loud and impossible to ignore. He’s overjoyed that his Mizunoto S/O uses Sound Breathing—it’s “flamboyant,” after all, and he sees it as a sign that they’re uniquely suited to be with him. Tengen insists on being the one to train them, declaring that only he can help them reach their full potential. His training sessions are intense but laced with constant praise and flirtation, making it clear that he sees them as both a warrior and a treasure to be protected.

Tengen is incredibly possessive and demands absolute loyalty. He expects his S/O to stay close to him at all times, going so far as to arrange their missions so they’re always together. His protective instincts are nearly overbearing—if he thinks a situation is too dangerous, he’ll outright forbid them from participating, regardless of their protests.

When it comes to rivals, Tengen is unapologetically bold. Anyone who flirts with or tries to get too close to his S/O is met with a charming but cutting remark that leaves no room for doubt about who they belong to. Behind closed doors, Tengen’s jealousy becomes even more apparent—he won’t hesitate to remind his S/O that they’re the most “flamboyant” part of his life, and no one else could possibly compare. Despite his controlling nature, his love for them is genuine, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe and happy in his own extravagant way.

Muichiro Tokito (Mist Hashira)

Muichiro’s yandere tendencies are subtle yet deeply unsettling. His aloof demeanor makes it hard to tell just how possessive he is, but in truth, his Mizunoto S/O is always on his mind. The fact that they use Mist Breathing strengthens his attachment to them; he views it as a special connection that no one else can understand. Muichiro often insists on training them himself, his tone calm but firm, as if it’s a given that no one else is qualified to guide them.

Muichiro’s obsession manifests in quiet but controlling ways. He uses his authority to manipulate their assignments, ensuring they’re always within his reach. If they show signs of independence or try to push back against his control, he’s quick to shut it down, often with a chillingly detached remark like, “It’s for your own good.” Despite his usually forgetful nature, he remembers every detail about them—where they are, who they talk to, and how they’re progressing in their training.

If anyone tries to get close to his S/O, Muichiro’s behavior turns cold and unyielding. He’ll confront the person with an eerie calmness, his sharp words cutting through any attempts to argue. His obsession is rooted in a fear of losing them, though he rarely expresses it outright. To him, his S/O is like a wisp of mist—fragile and fleeting—and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep them from slipping away.

Gyomei Himejima (Stone Hashira)

Gyomei’s yandere tendencies are deeply rooted in his protective and nurturing nature. He views his Mizunoto S/O as someone fragile and precious, someone who must be shielded from the harshness of the world. The fact that they use Stone Breathing fills him with pride, but also a heavy sense of responsibility. Gyomei insists on overseeing their training personally, his gentle guidance often accompanied by prayers for their safety and well-being.

Despite his calm and kind demeanor, Gyomei’s possessiveness runs deep. He uses his rank and influence to keep them out of dangerous situations, going so far as to volunteer for their missions himself. If they ever express a desire to take on more challenging assignments, Gyomei gently but firmly denies them, explaining that their life is far more important than any mission.

Gyomei’s obsession becomes evident if anyone tries to harm or take them away from him. While he rarely loses his composure, his anger is terrifying when provoked—he will confront threats with unwavering resolve, ensuring they never come near his S/O again. He rationalizes his actions as acts of love and protection, believing it’s his duty to keep them safe, even if it means isolating them from the dangers—and people—of the world.

Obanai Iguro (Serpent Hashira)

Obanai is an intensely jealous and possessive yandere, though his obsession is often hidden beneath his quiet, observant nature. The fact that his Mizunoto S/O uses Serpent Breathing deepens his fixation on them, as he views it as a sign that they’re uniquely suited for one another. Obanai is highly critical during training, pushing them to perfection while secretly relishing the time they spend together. He masks his possessiveness with cold, calculated words, but every action he takes is meant to bind them closer to him.

Obanai’s jealousy is suffocating. He watches their interactions with others like a hawk, his gaze sharp and unyielding. If someone dares to get too close, he doesn’t hesitate to use his cunning and influence to eliminate the threat—whether through intimidation, sabotage, or outright confrontation. His pet snake, Kaburamaru, often acts as an extension of his obsessive tendencies, keeping an eye on his S/O even when he’s not physically present.

Despite his controlling nature, Obanai is deeply insecure. He fears that his S/O might leave him or find someone better, which only fuels his need to keep them close. In private moments, his vulnerability shows as he clings to them, quietly whispering that they’re the only person who could ever understand or love someone like him. His love is as suffocating as it is intense, and he’ll go to any lengths to ensure they remain by his side, no matter the cost.

Here the other scenario that’s similar to this, request -Can you do yandere hashiras with a mizunoto s/o that is beyond reckless when fighting and keeps getting hurt.

Giyu Tomioka (Water Hashira)

Giyu silently watches his S/O’s reckless behavior with a deep, burning sense of dread. He’s used to bottling up his emotions, but seeing them put themselves in danger again and again chips away at his calm façade. After every battle, Giyu insists on tending to their wounds himself, his hands trembling slightly as he works in silence. He doesn’t scold them outwardly but makes his displeasure clear through cold, cutting remarks like, “Do you have no regard for your life?”

When words don’t work, Giyu becomes even more controlling. He starts assigning himself to their missions or outright using his rank to pull them off dangerous ones. If they resist, he becomes quietly stern, his icy tone leaving no room for argument. Deep down, Giyu blames himself for their injuries, believing it’s his failure to protect them. His obsession grows stronger with every reckless act, until he’s willing to isolate them entirely to keep them safe.

Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame Hashira)

Kyojuro’s heart breaks every time his S/O comes back battered and bruised, though he hides it behind his usual bright smile. He admires their courage, but their recklessness terrifies him. After a battle, Kyojuro immediately fusses over them, his voice filled with concern as he lectures them about valuing their life. “Your life is precious! Please don’t throw it away so carelessly!”

When his words don’t sink in, Kyojuro takes a more hands-on approach. He insists on being with them during missions, not trusting anyone else to keep them safe. His overprotectiveness becomes suffocating—he won’t let them fight without him nearby and actively intervenes if he feels they’re being reckless. If their recklessness continues, Kyojuro might even try to convince them to step away from battle entirely, all while framing it as a loving, protective act.

Shinobu Kocho (Insect Hashira)

Shinobu’s concern manifests in her usual sweet yet unsettling way. When her S/O returns injured, she greets them with a warm smile, though her sharp eyes betray her true feelings. “Oh my, you’ve gone and hurt yourself again. How careless of you,” she says lightly as she patches them up. Her words are kind, but there’s an underlying tension that makes it clear she’s not happy.

If their reckless behavior persists, Shinobu begins to manipulate their circumstances. She subtly influences the mission board to keep them out of harm’s way or assigns herself to their missions to keep an eye on them. Her obsession drives her to ensure they’re never in a position to endanger themselves again, even if it means lying to them about the severity of their injuries to force them to rest. Anyone who encourages their behavior quickly finds themselves on the receiving end of her unsettlingly polite threats.

Sanemi Shinazugawa (Wind Hashira)

Sanemi is furious every time his S/O comes back injured, his anger masking the sheer panic he feels inside. He yells at them, his voice rough and trembling with emotion. “What the hell were you thinking? Do you want to die?!” His harsh words come from a place of fear, but he doesn’t know how to express his worry without it sounding like anger.

When yelling doesn’t work, Sanemi becomes even more controlling. He insists on training them himself, pushing them to their limits to ensure they can defend themselves. At the same time, he uses his authority to restrict their missions, arguing that they’re “not ready” for dangerous assignments. If anyone questions his actions, they’re met with his signature glare and a snarled, “I’m doing what’s best for them.” Sanemi’s obsession only grows as their recklessness continues, driving him to extremes to keep them alive—even if it means locking them away from the battlefield entirely.

Mitsuri Kanroji (Love Hashira)

Mitsuri is devastated every time her S/O gets hurt, tears streaming down her face as she tends to their injuries. “Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Don’t you know how much I worry about you?” she sobs, her voice trembling with concern. She tries to reason with them, begging them to be more careful, but her pleas often fall on deaf ears.

When her words fail, Mitsuri’s protective instincts kick into overdrive. She insists on accompanying them on every mission, even if it means going against orders. Her usual bubbly demeanor becomes overshadowed by her desperation to keep them safe, and she grows increasingly anxious whenever they’re out of her sight. Mitsuri’s obsession drives her to extreme measures, such as sabotaging their weapons or exaggerating their injuries to force them to rest. Her love for them is pure, but her fear of losing them turns her into an overbearing shadow that refuses to let them fight alone.

Tengen Uzui (Sound Hashira)

Tengen pretends to laugh off his S/O’s recklessness at first, calling it “flamboyant” and teasing them about their daring stunts. But beneath his flashy exterior, he’s deeply worried. After every battle, he insists on checking their injuries himself, his usual confidence giving way to genuine concern. “You’re making me look bad, you know. How am I supposed to protect you if you keep throwing yourself into danger like this?”

When their recklessness doesn’t stop, Tengen’s possessiveness becomes more apparent. He starts assigning his wives to shadow them during missions, ensuring they’re never alone. If that’s not enough, he steps in himself, claiming it’s for the sake of teamwork. Tengen’s obsession with their safety becomes overbearing—he won’t let them fight unless he’s sure he can intervene at a moment’s notice. If they continue to defy him, he might even go so far as to sabotage their participation in missions entirely, all under the guise of protecting them.

Gyomei Himejima (Stone Hashira)

Gyomei’s heart aches every time his S/O comes back injured. He blames himself for their recklessness, believing that he’s failed to protect them. He kneels beside them, hands trembling as he prays for their safety, tears streaming silently down his face. “You are too precious to me to be so careless,” he says, his deep voice filled with sorrow.

Gyomei’s protective nature becomes suffocating as his obsession grows. He insists on accompanying them on every mission, even if it means going against orders. If that’s not possible, he uses his influence to keep them assigned to safe, low-risk tasks. His gentle demeanor hides a fierce determination to keep them out of harm’s way, and anyone who encourages their recklessness finds themselves on the receiving end of his quiet but intimidating warnings. Gyomei would do anything to keep them safe, even if it means taking away their ability to fight entirely.

Muichiro Tokito (Mist Hashira)

Muichiro’s reaction to his Mizunoto S/O’s reckless behavior is subtle but deeply unnerving. At first, he doesn’t seem to care much, his detached demeanor making it seem like their injuries barely register. But beneath his calm exterior, Muichiro is quietly fixated on their every move. After a particularly reckless battle, he’ll wordlessly patch them up, his hands methodical and precise, but his sharp gaze betrays a simmering frustration. “You’re making things harder for me,” he might say, his tone eerily flat, as though their injuries are an inconvenience to his desire to keep them safe.

If their recklessness continues, Muichiro’s control starts tightening. He insists on training them personally, under the guise of “helping them improve,” but it’s really so he can monitor them constantly. Missions become a point of contention—he’ll use his authority to restrict their assignments, ensuring they’re never in situations where they might get hurt.

Muichiro’s possessiveness intensifies as his obsession grows. If they continue to defy his efforts, he won’t hesitate to isolate them completely, subtly sabotaging their opportunities to fight. While his actions seem calm and calculated, they stem from a deep fear of losing them. To Muichiro, they are like a fleeting mist—fragile and precious—and he will do whatever it takes to keep them from slipping away, even if it means they resent him for it.

Obanai Iguro (Serpent Hashira)

Obanai is both furious and terrified every time his reckless S/O gets hurt. His sharp tongue lashes out at them, his words dripping with venom. “Do you even care about yourself? Or are you trying to make me lose my mind?” he demands, his anger a thin mask for the deep fear he feels whenever they come back injured. While his scolding is harsh, his trembling hands as he wraps their wounds betray just how much he cares.

When words don’t work, Obanai’s possessive nature takes over. He starts shadowing them on missions, using Kaburamaru to keep a constant eye on them, even from a distance. He becomes increasingly controlling, insisting on approving their assignments or outright preventing them from taking on dangerous tasks. If they argue, he’s quick to guilt them, his voice low and cutting. “Do you know what it feels like to see you hurt over and over again? I’m not going to let you die because of your stupidity.”

Obanai’s jealousy also flares up during these moments. He becomes paranoid, convinced that anyone encouraging their recklessness is a threat. Whether it’s a fellow Demon Slayer or a superior officer, he won’t hesitate to use intimidation—or worse—to ensure they stay away. His obsession drives him to extreme measures, all under the pretense of keeping them safe. In his mind, his S/O belongs to him, and their life is far too valuable to be thrown away in battle, even if it means taking away their freedom to fight.

[dentiststoothfairy]

hello! can i ask a norton,Aesop,and naib

with an s/o that got really hurt during a match like it injured the whole right side of there s/o face and also made their s/o loss there right eye? so like at first another survivor told them you got hurt so they went to you thinking you just got a scratch or something but they didn't expect to find there s/o in a puddle of their own blood holding the right side of there face because it got hit with a flare gun which exploded right when it hit the right side of there face,

(it's fine if you don't want to do this or your not comfortable writing it, that's fine but thanks for taking the time out of your day to read my request(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

🟢 𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐁 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐑 🟢

Accidents occasionally happen in the manor, which always gets on his nerves. It's just the soldier in him.

No room for mistakes with this one.

So when he found out you were in an accident with a flare gun, he was pretty pissed off.

THIS is why people can't afford to fuck up, anytime, any day. Because people like you get fucking hurt.

Cracking his knuckles for a totally unrelated reason guys don't worry.

Emily was pretty stern with him before letting him into her little nursing room that she made for injuries after matches.

Don't apply extra stress on the wound.

Allow for proper rest.

Don't let them apply for matches until their face is at LEAST 77% healed and that's if we're being generous.

As Emily listed off the rules, Naib just got more agitated.

Had something like. Actually gone wrong?

And once he saw you. Holy fucking shit.

Memories came flooding back.

It was like. Actively sort of triggering him. Looking at you like that.

As Emily applied the final bandages to your face to make sure you wouldn't get infected, he couldn't look at you.

Not that he thought you were ugly, no no. It was. Physically painful to see the one he utterly adored to be in that position.

A position his friends were in so long ago.

He tries to get you to rat out who did it. He just wants to talk.

Once the healing is done and it turns out you've lost an eye. He honestly feel sick, for you. Again, he isn't any less attracted to you. But it's. It's so raw for him. It takes him a while to feel okay.

He has war trauma guys.

🍩𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 🍩

He's a little more careless than Naib, so when he heard about an accident in a duos match.. He didn't really bat an eye.

You were tough, he trusted you. Although, he'd still pretty fucking upset. Like. Come on. How the hell did that even happen in the first place? In fact, the news that an "accident" occurred kind of unnerved him.

And like Naib, Emily gave him a run down on how to treat the wound. Which he could only scoff at.

He knew how to treat a wound like that. Especially a facial wound.

*vaguely gestures to his face*

And. GOD. his reaction to your face.

FUCK DUDE.

It hurts him knowing that you've gone through the EXACT same thing that he has.

Unlike Naib, he doesn't struggle to look at you from guilt. No. He doubles down.

He's extra attentive to you, although he basically discards Emily's advice, he handles it in his own... Mr Mole sort of way.

⚰️ 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 ⚰️

He's pretty expressionless on the daily. It's hard to read his eyes especially with the mask, so when someone br𝐪oke the news that something happened to you during a match.. It was hard to gauge his reaction.

Internally, he was pretty conflicted actually.

One half - was he finally allowed to preserve you for your beauty? No scar or scratch or anything could ever doubt your luminescence to him.

On the other half -

If you weren't already dead...

ARE YOU OKAY?

He was stressed, very stressed.

Anyways. He's actually not a germaphobe as one would expect from the gloves and the mask. So when Emily advised him to watch after you carefully, he listened cautiously.

Once he saw your face

He didn't flinch.

"Oh dear,... Poor [Y/N]...are you feeling alright?"

Probably the only time Emily saw him actually interact with someone like.. A normal human ngl.

Aesop doesn't blink twice.

When I say nothing could tear his eyes from you, I mean nothing.

Lost eye, half scarred face, burnt skin smelling like a chicken dinner.

He truly believes you are the most beautiful th. FINE. FINE. HE'LL PUT DOWN THE SYRINGE :((

U don't love him anymore.... And u hate him 😔 u want him dead /j

[ranastro]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATION

Hello everyone, this is a follow-up reading on astrological observations, you can find other readings in the table of contents. Since this is a hobby and the article is observed from a personal perspective, please consider it for entertainment purposes and take what is useful.

[Article disclaimer] These are my observations about moon positions:

- Cancer Moon is like a mother, a nurturer, a mentor, a companion, they can be very tolerant, accepting of others but when their emotions are suppressed, repressed, angry they will express it with terrible intensity. However, when they return to a balanced state they will return to normal but they will mostly not forget what happened with them.

- Leo Moon/5h often has a passion for expressing themselves through art by creative forms such as music, poetry, movies, acting, playing musical instruments, painting, architecture, makeup, etc. They also often have strong personal opinions,  good for the collective; sometimes, their opinions will be a bit stubborn in their own way, they also learn a few lessons if it violates the law, causing harm to others; if they express that opinion on social platforms, many people will immediately object to that opinions of them. In many cases, their intuition is often accurate about the feeling of something wrong or shady, but the way they present evidence leads to another unrelated problem.

- Sagittarius Moon is quite humorous, they easily start conversations and tell interesting stories, they are also friendly and humane, pay attention to the events, news happening around them and also the views, the differences between the perceptions and actions of others with the same thing. They are easily angered, may say quite harsh words if someone is rude, disrespectful, steals the privacy of others, they can also remind others if their actions are wrong. They also like to analyze, they can tell a story full of nuances, causes and effects, results, how the people in that situations feel, what their views are, thoughts of them, ... so they can also be very good listeners and give advice.

- The Moon in Pisces in 8th is often dreamy, likes to immerse themselves in romantic stories, gentle gestures, sweet words, they like to experience many fairy tales with different colors, even if they have hopeless plots, but they all hope for a happy ending, besides that is a deep connection, truth, strong intensity, promoting loyalty and a little possessiveness, they want their lover's world to only have them, be honest, they want to find and understand the other person thoroughly. Therefore, they can have high demands on their partner. The Moon in this position is also passionate about art, healing, mysteries of the universe, religion, laws, prohibitions, magic, witchcraft, has experiences that transcend the physical world, intuition, tarot, ... some neurological symptoms, hallucinations, headaches if they go too far. 

- Sun/Jupiter Sagittarius easily get luck in help from elders/experienced people/younger generation/subordinates if they work together. 

And below are about Sun & Venus positions:

- Sun, Venus Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, Pisces/ harsh aspects between Venus and Mars can change the lover's preferences very quickly as fast as a pinwheel,. For example, they are in the process of learning about love, they may like who has beautiful appearance, famous; they pursuing romantic experiences. These positions can have feelings of love for many people at the same time if they do not intend to commit long term or understand it and do it.

- Venus Capricorn in 7th usually likes hard-working, romantic, wealthy/financially stable partners. They also like to work, or work too much, some emotional relationships attract them from the workplace, school, learning environment. These people can attract people with good economic background, in leadership, management, team leader positions, good communication but a bit patriarchal and possessive. Tend to marry late. (If aspect between Venus Capricorn and Saturn is strong they may have the intention of not marrying)

- Sun Aries/1st can have strong positive impacts on others in work/study, they strongly motivate, help increase strength, energy for others to move forward. When someone has difficulty related to an unstable environment, difficulty concentrating on work and study, the presence of these "leaders" will help purify the atmosphere there better like a fire that clears away the fog and removes some unfavorable residues. Therefore, this position can be trusted by everyone and hold certain responsibilities in work and life. However, there may be a situation where they do wrong but stubbornly refuse to admit their mistakes, do not correct them, stubbornly do not change, causing persistent mistakes and a hot temper. Careful consideration and balance are some of the lessons they will encounter in life.

🍓~ Have a nice day ~🍓

[try-set-me-on-fire]

Picked an episode at random to watch while doing stuff and forgot it was the one with the take me (in a fight)(suggestive beer slurp)(Buck was like doing weird stretch squats at the start of this conversation why did he do that)(real talk I forgot this episode also has eddie talking to Frank about not being able to feel anything but still going to therapy because he doesn't want chris to become closed off like him and now here we have Buck who, when Eddie tries to dismiss another apology, says he's not over it and wants to talk about it, immediately showing Eddie an example -from another man his age who he sees as a peer and not like a respected advice giver like bobby- of not shutting yourself off and letting yourself feel and work through negative emotions even when they're you're own fault/something you're mad at yourself about)(and all this acted like the start of a porno)(Buck's just wiggling around this kitchen. Hey Eddie you wanna put your hands on my body. You wanna make it hurt.)(also unrelated but also in this episode, Bobby just a little bit raising his voice while telling Hen "it was an accident" about the ambulance crash. Man. He knows how it feels. He knows how it feels to have killed someone(s) and for official paperwork let you off scot-free.)(anyway. Blow jobs?) kitchen scene

[just-an-enby-lemon]

Another one of my silly Epic headcannons is that Athena was also training baby Diomedes while she was training baby Ody.

Now while she helped heros Athena tended to try to not be at all involved with them. She even chose a champion but kept her distance. That is until her champion just decided to eat a guys brain.

She decided that not only she needed a new champion she needed someone she could mold so they would met her standards and more importantly not comit canibalism in front of her for no reason. First move magic boar.

Except she got bored no one was solving her test and did a move that would have very different results when repeated and went check on Tydeus kid. Six years old Diomedes was smart, dedicated and thanks to being raised as a child soldier already really good with a spear. And she was like "oh perfect". Unlike Ody, Dio is shy and very awed/respectfull at first.

Less than a year later ten year old Odysseus solves her test (now Diomedes is sayed to be four when his dad died, I'm not making that one up, but Ody's age is very open, Epic implies he already had Athena when he became king at 13 so I'm going with 10, the boar was his Pokemon journey). So she now has two chances.

She never figths with Diomedes but they get distant for a bit. When she goes for Telemachus she is hoping for second Diomedes and instead she remembers that a) Ody is one of her kids at this point b) she actually likes Odysseus c) Ody didn't ate people. Besides 3 warriors are better than one. She soons recognizes she just has 3 mortal friends.

Before the Troyan War Dio and Ody were not friends, buddies, Diomedes gay awakening, and in fact didn't know about the other except via Athena weird questions. Some memorable moments:

- When Odysseus becames king and is overwhelmed by anxiety and sadness over his father condicion. Athena goes "Diomedes what humans do when their fathers go mad" and Dio is "my dad is dead" + "how do I deal with my human being sad and anxious and make sure he'll be a good king when he is a child?" "I'm literally nine"

- Athena fails to explain her worries about Diomedes fate as a kid soldier and instead Ody is fully convinced she wants him to invade Thebes and starts to get ready for when the order comes. "Okay, goddess, for real do you want me to invade Thebes or not?" and Athena is like "No, but hypotetically if it distressed you" "It does sound distressing" "How do I help a crying human" "Have you tried conforting them? Maybe offer a hug."

- Thanks to Odysseus Athena knows puberty is a big deal for humans. But unlike Ody, Dio does not have active and present parents to help. So Athena goes to older teen Ody "how did your parents give you the talk?" and Odysseus is fully dying of embarassmenet after the conversation is over but Athena now has enough notes to give a sort of decent talk to her other kid.

- The moment Diomedes turns 17 Athena is fully expecting another "pleasepleasepleaseplease help me with Penelope" situation so they have akwards "Do you want me to like wingman you" conversations for a bit. [When Diomedes actually starts liking someone it is Odysseus and Athena is just "you have bad taste good luck with that one" and very unhelpfull].

- After getting bad advice from Dionysus and trolling from Apollo, Athena finally goes to her other human to ask for help about not noticing her human was expecting + tiny baby in no armor. Diomedes got his talk from Athena and suddently realizes he actually has no idea how babies are born and has very weird conversations with his war friends.

- Athena is fully used to talking to her champions and not being heard by anyone else. This cauuses a small problem when she is trying to advice Odysseus about Iphigenia and Diomedes is fully "what are you talking about?" and that how the War Crimes (with Extra Lying) Trio is founded.

- Unrelated but after realizing Telemachus could think it really was a Tydeus situation except with forgiving Athena goes to Telemachus to assure him his dad was not a family-murdering cannibal. Telemachus knows Ody would never kill his family but he had never even considered his father and cannibal in the same sentence before and is very concerned over why Athena felt the sudden urge to promisse him his dad never ate people.

[certifiedsexed]

hi there! this isn’t about sex itself, but since periods are usually a part of sex ed and i’ve literally just been woken up because the cramps were bad enough, i thought i would ask — is it normal to be in a lot of pain when you’re on your period?

context: i still live with my abusive parents, who don’t let me take any kind of pain medication after a suicide attempt at thirteen, so i know that this problem might just be that i need to take a strong painkiller. also the pain doesn’t ever last more than three days? like the first three days (and sometimes the days leading up to it) of my period are always hell but then it’s fine, i have no pain afterwards.

but the problem is that the pain is… bad. like being woken up in the middle of the night because my sides hurt and my legs hurt isn’t uncommon, and there’s this weird thing where i’m scared to use the toilet during these first three days because it makes my butt and my sides hurt so much that i genuinely can’t move and have to bite myself to stop myself from screaming. sometimes i’ll be in so much pain, usually in my sides but also sometimes in my stomach or legs or my butt, that i can’t even move, so i just kind of… have to lie pressed into my bed and hold my breath.

my mother has always just told me that she had worse pain when she still used to get her period, and that i’d be completely fine if i just listened to her and used a hot water bottle (i have poor circulation, so hot/cold stuff just doesn’t really feel great for me usually), and i’ve always just kind of accepted that. i know it’s common for people who get periods to talk about how painful things like cramps are, but i genuinely usually feel so miserable for the first couple days of my period that if i don’t need to get out my bed, i literally won’t at all.

i’m just wondering… is everyone who gets periods in as much pain as i usually am, at least for the first couple days? or, since i know that people experience periods differently, are people in more/less pain than i am but it’s fine since this isn’t that bad and i should just take medication each month for it? idk, but ever since i started to get periods they’ve genuinely always made me feel so so bleak and in agony, and i’m someone i’d consider who has a maybe above ‘average’ pain tolerance (i have chronic back pain, migraines, and health issues that make it easy for me to sprain/fracture my ankles which i’ve unironically managed to do about eight times in the past two years — again, unfortunately all of this with mostly no painkillers unless i can get them from the school first aid box), so i just… don’t know anymore, but i thought it couldn’t hurt to ask.

anyways, unrelated but i really do love this blog — the reblogs are always good things to read as someone who’s still unpacking being raised by very puritanical parents, and the asks always offer good advice too, very empathetically in a way that sometimes catches me off guard (there was one post on here that was something about how the asker’s father would belittle them and i think your reply said something like ‘it’s not your fault and nothing’s wrong with that aspect of you’… which i know sounds obvious but that was something that i don’t think had ever been obvious to me ever since my father started doing the same when i was younger. it was really comforting to hear, is what i mean, and your replies often are. so thank you for that! and for the time + energy i can imagine it takes to run this, you post/rb so often!)

Hi! This is absolutely a sex ed question, you're right!

So, first, let me make one thing clear: no! You are not supposed to be in this level of pain on your period. Some pain is understandable but once it gets to the point it's bad/debilitating in Any fashion, something is going wrong.

But I also want to say, being in an abusive living situation can fuck up your periods. And so can being restricted from pain relief, which-just in case you're not aware-is another type of abuse.

But what you're talking about sounds like more than just a lack of basic pain relief. That's very disabling, even if it doesn't last long. It may be that intense reactions to periods run in your family [especially since your mother mentioned experiencing something similar] but that's still something you should be getting something like specialized pain meds for or even stopping your periods altogether.

What you're talking about, especially on top of an abusive living situation, is very unhealthy for you to have to deal with.

Not everyone is in that much pain. Some people are but that's a medical condition. It's a disability! What you're talking about is a disability. It can be caused by PMS or endometriosis or PMDD or it could even be connected to whatever causes your other chronic pain but it's still very much something your parents should be getting you checked out for.

Even if your mother had the exact same pain on her period, that doesn't mean you should have to suffer through it, especially not with her revoking your access to basic pain relief. That's all completely unacceptable and I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.

I'm not sure how helpful this is but I hope it's at least good to know the pain levels you're dealing with are unacceptable and Not "normal" period pain.

Also I'm so glad you're learning and enjoying the blog, especially the advice. I also grew up in an abusive household so to hear it's helping someone else in a similar situation means the world to me, fr. 💕 Sending love, Anon. <3

[godsstrongestangel]

Astro notes - 2

This post is definitely for my softies and also I'll be talking about positive side of signs I shot in my previous post

The element of your moon sign tells how other feels when they come to you during tough times

Air moons will make u forget about ur problems and lighten up the mood also makes jokes as well they are funny and u will realise things are not that serious :)

Water moons will make u feel seen and heard they will hug u n comfort u, might even cry with u :)

Earth moons will make u feel grounded and calm u will realise things aren't that bad n they can be solved :)

Fire moons are they type to motivate you and encourage with lots of positive words, they might even start speaking some quotes or wise words to fire u up :)

Venusians suns with leo moon are great to get advices if u dont like to do the thinking part they can also save u from making stupid mistakes but dont take advice from them if u r not gonna follow through cuz some yall love askin for advices but end up doin wt u wanted in the first place 😭🤣if they find out be prepared for consequences (yes there are consequences n im not telling which one)

Capricorns moon do give this vibe of being well put together, they might not be emotionally but definitely practically so u can really learn from them when it comes to making rational decisions in life.

Libra suns are great to be weird with infact they will adapt ur personality so if u want another lil u befriend a libra sun

I heard this on a reel long time ago it said that air energy is great because it can transcend but if it is underdeveloped it can become gossipy and vain so all my fellow air placement people must develop their energy

Tips for developing air energy would be - meditating, drawing, journaling ur feelings i.e. writing them down with no filter though these habits are great for everyone but its a must for air signs if u want me to explain why u can tell me I'll do it on another post

Dating an aquarius venus is great because they will give u space and freedom and also they wont loose interest in u unlike other venus signs who might give u space and adventure but will loose interest quickly as well (just make sure u tell ur aqua venus partner that u will be busy for this much time they r just happy with knowing u r theirs n please dont break their trust if u have agreed for monogamy although yall should communicate well with all signs)

Speaking of air venus communication is a must for all of them because speaking and talking is their main way of expressing their emotions

Aquarius venus might not be that possessive with their partners but they can be with their bestfriends

If you find a sagittarius sun who is not that famous it could be because they are not sagittarius dominant

Make out sessions with cancer suns can leave u feeling good (not so sure about sex though) good tip for anyone who might wanna burst into a hookup or smthng

Speaking of hookup ik its unrelated to astrology i think its much better to just make out or do oral/mutual masturbation bcuz sex itself is not that pleasurable,its overrated plus its dangerous on a spiritual level bcuz there is always a risk of soul tie u r not missing out if u dont do penetrating sex trust me on that

Now i mark the end pheww.. Just another day helpin yall with my wise words