#also for 15 i like them both equally for different reasons

[ronearoundblindly]

For every cevans who are the ass men and who are the boob men 👀😏 .. maybe there are some who like both equally?

This...did not at all shake out the way I thought it would at first. More of them lean towards the top rather than the bottom, but the one's who like the butt really, really like the butt. I decided to do percentages in order of preference--the formula shows up as % tits / % ass. Warnings for sexual discussion.

A/N: What a bizarre thing to find myself thinking about for HOURS...

Ransom Drysdale 90 / 10

In a word? Jewelry. Now, an expensive necklace laying just in the valley of your breasts is not the only reason Ran prefers this view, but it's the main one.

Jimmy Dobyne 85 / 15

Breeding kink and lactation kink. Sorry. He's a simple man who is deep-down obsessed with your tits getting bigger because of him and what he did to you. This is a man who enjoys getting completely lost in sex (in his own head though, since he's not using a lot of brainpower to check in with you and your needs during the actual act).

Curtis Everett 80 / 20

He's hands-on, and the simple truth is it's easier to have his hands (or mouth) on your breasts during foreplay or missionary, even doggy-style. Curtis enjoys touch far more than he'll admit out loud, so there's also the simple fact that when you hug, he gets more contact with your top than your bottom, or dancing, or sleeping, etc. There is--and I will die on this hill--something deeply primal aroused in him when he sees your bare décolleté. Somehow that is more exposed and naughtier than you wondering around in a bikini. Not sure how to explain that further. Breasts to neck are just his real estate.

Steve Rogers 75 / 25

I mean, the guy was eye-level with them for most of his life, so yeah, Steve's fascinated by tits. He also finds laying on your chest deeply soothing. He likes the soft, sensual side of showing attention to your tits and loves when they're very sensitive. Don't get me wrong; Steve enjoys a well-balanced woman, and he will dote on all of you. He just...really likes playing with your boobs, darn it!

Important note: read that stat as "25% backside" for Steve's delicacy, please. He won't say the other thing...

Andy Barber 70 / 30

The low-key version of Ransom in the sense that for public and work events, Andy would like to show off how gorgeous you are. It's difficult to really highlight the ass without being too risqué, and he'd be far more angry if a bunch of people stared at your backside all night. He's comfortable being envied for your top half, thanks.

Jake Jensen 60 / 40

Purely a numbers game: he is more likely to be flashed than mooned, so Jake is slightly more enamored by the titties. Apart from that, his answer to the question of either/or is "yes."

Johnny Storm 50 / 50

Always changing it up because he's always on the cusp of getting bored, Johnny goes through phases. However, he is equally and actively interesting in both your tits and your ass in a sexual way which is why he gets the actual number percentages, unlike...

James Mace & Bucky Barnes- Indifferent

Slightly different reasons, but at any given time, these two change preferences. Bucky is more emotional and moody in his affection/attention, so depending on the day, he could be wildly into your breasts or your butt. He could also be really into you doting on him. This could all be for nine-million different little experiences that happened in a day or a week. Bucky can't be pinned down as just one thing--partly because he's been several different people in his life.

Mace appreciates that there are esthetically pleasing versions of body parts, that people have different ideals for those, and that it is nice to have one or more of those ideal exist in the relationship. Mace is also practical. Your body will change over time. Hell, his body will definitely change after months in space, so who is he to point out that your ass looked better one way while he loses 30 pounds of muscle between times you seen him? It's not fair and it's not realistic. He just...can't find the energy to care much about this argument. There are more important things that could be an actual problem if they changed, but your body isn't one of them.

[Enormous gap in percentages]

Ari Levinson 10 / 90

I may hate the phrase but Ari is definitely a 'dirty daddy.' He quite likes a nasty, no-holds-barred fuck fest, and those have way more to do with your lower half than your upper half. Something about your ass being his is also more satisfying than any other piece of you. He's a bit possessive that way.

Lloyd Hansen 1 / 99

Boobs can be fake, and unless he is actually fucking your tits, they aren't doing anything for him. Lloyd feeds off of touch sexually, so it's all about that booty bouncing on him or taking him deep or bruising beneath his grip, know what I mean? Yeah, you do, @ellethespaceunicorn.

Thank you for asking!

[Main Masterlist; 'Who Would...' Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

[constellationguy]

Another perspective

Episode four

"Text: regular talking

'Text': regular thinking

"Text": Saiki talking telepathically

'Text': Saiki thinking

ATTENTION! You might want to rewatch episode four of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K before reading to fully understand the events.

Previous episode

Summary: Episode 4 in L/N Y/N's perspective.

“To Mister Kusuo Saiki,

I am someone who knows you have psychic powers, but don’t worry. I intend to tell no one about you. I am writing this letter because I want to tell you that I am not your enemy and that I want to be your apprentice. To tell you the truth I also have unique abilities, it is because of those abilities that I came to know about you master.” -Y/N read to Saiki

“He’s already calling me master?” Saiki said confused. “Odd right?” Y/N agreed.

“I’ll come to greet you in person sometime soon.

-sincerely your faithful servant.”

“He’s gone from apprentice to servant. But the real news is there is another psychic out there.”

“I wonder what they’re like,” Y/N mused.

“I should figure out what he’s like before he shows up.” Saiki was clearly worried about this. “Let’s just stop for a moment, I’m sure he’s not too bad Kusuo. How about I go get some coffee jelly and all will be right again, how does that sound?” Y/N said trying to distract Saiki.

“Well sure. But I’m still going to use psychometry to figure this guy out first.” “Fine fine. I’ll be right back-” Y/N started to walk down the stairs but was interrupted by the door bell.

“Wow! Your house is really normal!” The new guy spoke to Saiki.

“This is too soon” both Saiki and Y/N thought.

“Ah sorry. Where are my mannors? My name is Reita Toritsuka. And it’s a pleasure to meet you master!”

‘Am I just gonna be ignored again, guess his manners don’t go very far.’ Y/N thought less than impressed.

“Let’s see, I’m 16 years old… Ah! But you know all that because you can read my mind.” Toritsuka continued.

“Anyway, feels like I know you! I’ve heard so much about you from people! Well from dead people, did I forget to mention that part.” He said bashfuly.

“See! I told you ghosts were real!” Y/N hit Saiki lightly as they teased.

“You can’t see spirits master?” Toritsuka asked.

“Not unless you’re one,” Saiki replied coldly.

“Oh good for you. I see about 15 right now.”

“Really? That sounds like a lot. What, are they having a party?”

“Nothing draws a crowd of spirits like a psychic. Their curious! There’s an old lady hanging out up in that corner there. And right next to you is a guy bouncing his bare butt. But forget about that! The reason I’m here is I want to be your apprentice!”

“Wait he’s doing what with his butt now?”

“Ya I feel weirded out, I’m leaving,” Y/N said walking around Toritsuka on the floor. ‘Oh no you’re not.’ Saiki communicated to Y/N before his bedroom door slammed on its own. Y/N just excepted their fate and started to lean on the side of Saiki’s chair.

“Don’t worry it’s totally harmless,” Toritsuka reassured. “Harms my peace of mind.”

“Oh looks like he’s gone now,” ‘Nope he’s rubbing his butt on his face’ Since Saiki made it so they could also hear Toritsuka’s thoughts, they didn’t know whether to snort at Saiki’s misfortune or move away from him.

“You know I hear your thoughts right?” “I’m sorry but I don’t really have any control over these guys,” Toritsuka admitted.

“You’re a psychic medium, can’t you just “begone!” or something?” Saiki replied unimpressed. “That, or can’t you just tell them to act respectfully is someone else’s home?” Y/N asked equally unimpressed.

“Ya well my abilities are pretty much limited to seeing ghosts. And talking to them.”

‘Ya! And why don’t you talk to them now?! Is he really that unconvincing?’ Y/N thought annoyed at being continuously ignored.

“I’ve had this gift since birth, when I was born into a temple.”

‘From birth? We’re the same in that manner’ Saiki thought.

“When I was little, I couldn’t tell the difference between people and ghosts. Then my beloved grandma told be, spirits can’t take on physical forms so that’s a good way to identify them. I was so relieved, I went to give her a hug, and that’s when I discovered… grandma was a ghost.”

“That’s dark,” Saiki replied.

“Ya, I was pretty bummed, but then grandpa came to cheer me up, except he was a ghost too. After that I started hugging people at random. A lot of people thought I was being creepy and gross, but really I-I was just trying to make sure they were alive.”

“That sketchy grin says otherwise,” “Agreed” Y/N said.

“When it comes to powers I really drew the short end of the stick, it’s more of a burden than a gift with no upsides.”

“That’s not true. By communicating with the dead, think of all the people you’d could bring closure to.” Saiki said, trying to be helpful.

“Ya but is there any way I can get rich off of it?” Toritsuka asked a little vindicated.

“Oh dear” “Ah, Gotcha.” Y/N and Saiki replied.

“When I heard about you from my ghost friends, I knew I had to meet you. He said there was a guy with all kinds of powers like telepathy, x-ray vision, teleportation, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis.”

“But you still cared more about the lady’s bath didn’t you,” Saiki frowned looking back on Toritsuka’s memory.

“Please Saiki, make me your apprentice and teach me your me how to do all of your tricks, I’m begging you!”

“Even if I could teach you these abilities, you’d just use them to do gross stuff right?”

“Look, I’m not gonna lie to you because I respect you and also because you can read my mind and would know that I was lying. To be honest, I mostly just want to see through girl’s clothes and predict lottery numbers. Tell me is that so wrong?!”

“That was too honest,” “I mean maybe but I kinda respect that,” Y/N thought allowed, still a bit grossed out.

“I think clairvoyance could help me with peeping too. Plus I want to lift girl’s skirts with psychokinesis and teleportation…..” Toritsuka’s words faded out ask Saiki started to talk to Y/N

‘But these powers don’t work how they think. People’s voices flood into your head constantly. You see through things too well and can’t touch anything without gloves on.’

“You have no idea how hard it is. Being a psychic is suffering.” Saiki stated harshly.

“Uh! Guess I should be going now!”

“Don’t tell anyone about this okay?”

“But can I come and see you again?”

“Just get out of here alread-” Saiki paused while grabbing Toritsuka, his face then fell in shock.

“Uh master? Master? Is something wrong?”

“Well, I guess we’re both suffering.”

After Toritsuka left Saiki had to ask Y/N a question.

“Can I sleep over at your house tonight?,” Saiki asked still shaken up.

“Sure, whatever you want. I don’t mind preparing dinner for another person, let’s go.” Y/N replied placing a comforting hand on Saiki’s back.

—————————————————————————

“Did you hear about the cool new transfer student from the class next door?” “Really?”

“Oo could you tell me about your guardian spirit is like?” “She looks like a noblewoman. And she’s stunningly beautiful, just like you are,” “oh stop it!” “Do me next!”

“Uh, Master!” Toritsuka lifted his head up at the noise and saw Saiki at the door.

‘Could this be anymore cliché?’ Saiki thought annoyed. ‘I hope not,’ Y/N replied. Saiki then grabbed Toritsuka and brought him to the bathroom.

“Hey. Change schools.” Saiki said harshly.

“Hold on a sec! Chill out. Why are you so upset? Didn’t I tell you I’ll be transferring to your school?” Toritsuka sounded scared.

“No.”

“I assumed you’d know, with you being a psychic,”

“Wrong.”

“Oh I get it. Are you worried I’m gonna tell people about your powers master?”

“First, quit calling me master.”

“I won���t tell anyone, I swear.”

CRASH. Then Y/N could hear the toilet flushing.

‘Don’t worry, I could barely hear you from beyond the door,’ Y/N thought while walking beside Saiki ‘Good.’ Saiki replied.

“I feel like a kid who just got beaten up by the school bully on his first day. You know I don’t get why you’d rather hide your powers. If you showed off what you can do you’d get so much attention.”

“Ya that’s where it goes wrong, Kusuo gets enough of dealing with people just from me.” Y/N commented.

“I guess it’s kinda creepy to know someone’s peaking into your brain. Wait hold on. Forget brains, you can peak at other body parts too right? Wow. So that means you can see all the girls naked anytime that you want. Go my god! Oh?” Toritsuka then made a shocked blushing face as Teruhashi passed by.

“Wow. Who’s that beautiful angel that just glided past us?”

“That’s Teruhashi. She just walked by you for no reason whatsoever. You should thank her.” Saiki said a little amused.

“Did you see all the nooks and crannies on her body?! Come on give me some details here!”

“Please don’t be weird.” “Gross, man” Y/N and Saiki replied.

“Look there he is!” A group of girls then surrounded Toritsuka.

“You see guardian spirits right?” “Tell me about mine!” “Well Saiki, I guess just can make do with this.”

“Ladies ladies, I’ll get to all of you! One at a time!”

“Hey, so what is a guardian spirit?”

“Just like it sounds, a spirit that always watches over and protects you.”

“Cool! So can you tell me who mine is?”

“Your spirit, is a samurai! Who looks like he can really keep you safe.” “Wow!”

“Yours is a fancy lady from Europe or somewhere else with lots of blond people.” “Really?”

“Me next! Do me!” “Yours is, ah! Um, he’s like a bard maybe? Could be from France.” Toritsuka couldn’t hide his off put face. “Oh my!” “He might be in his mid-twenties. Has long hair, and he’s really handsome.” He was clearly terrible at lying.

“Hey! Tell me about mine” “ya, me too,” “no me first!” A group of boys asked Toritsuka.

“Alright ladies, who else wants to talk to me?”

“Hey what about us?!” Y/N doesn’t blame the guys for being curious, they were curious about theirs too but didn’t really want it ask.

“Uh let’s see now. Old dude, old hag, old hag, really old hag. Now yours is!”

“At least pretend to care!” Takahashi exclaimed.

“Ah!” “Have him check yours Hairo.” “No, I don’t have to.” “Oh man, your guardian spirit’s incredible. He’s an intensely passionate man. He plays tennis. He’s got boundless energy! I think that maybe his name is!”

“He’s not dead yet.” Saiki interjected.

“Guardian spirit? Sounds dumb. But still. Supposed it’d be rude not to hear you out. So tell me about mine or whatever, don’t care.”

‘He totally cares.’

“Your guardian spirit… oh wow, it’s kind of abnormal.”

‘Huh?! What does that mean? Is it some sort of demon? Or monster? Or dark spirit?’ “So what is it not that I care-”

“A chihuahua.” Toritsuka said bluntly.

“Chihuahua?! How dare he insult me like that! This guy’s a fraud!”

“Hey now what’s going on here a festival?”

“Now here’s someone abnormal.”

“New guy says he can see guardian spirits, but he lies!” Kaido said, still hurt.

“Oh cool! What’s that?”

“Now now, no pushing. Just wait your turn.”

“Hey! What’s my guardian spirit?”

‘Nendo’s guardian? Now that I’m curious about’ ‘same here’ Y/N thought.

“Okay, let’s see. Your is a politician” “what really?”

“Oh denied,” Saiki said and Y/N chuckled.

“Gotta say, I’m really happy I transferred to this school.” “Hey what’s my guardian spirit?” “I can already tell that I’m gonna have an awesome time here.” “What’s my guardian spirit?”

“Say Saiki, wanna hear about your guardian spirit Saiki?” “What’s my guardian spirit?”

“Me? I couldn’t care less, but tell him what his is because he’s getting really annoying.” “What’s my guardian spirit?” Nendo continued to whisper ask.

“AH JUST SHUT UP! I’VE TOLD YOU NOT TO FOLLOW ME AROUND EVERYWHERE, I HATE YOU!”

“Woah, what got into you?” Toritsuka then suddenly hit Nendo with his bag. Perplexed when it hit Nendo, he grabbed his face.

“WHAT YOUR NOT A GHOST?!”

“HAHHAHAHAHHA” Y/N burst out laughing, clutching their sides at Toritsuka’s amazement.

“You really didn’t know?”

“But all this time he’s bene following us, you’ve never once acknowledged his presence, I thought you couldn’t see him!!!”

“Hey what was that all about?!”

“No way! ITS TRUE I SEE AN OLD HAG BEHIND HIM!”

“So it’s true, he really can’t tell the difference between the living and the dead. Psychic mediums sure have it rough,” Saiki commented.

“Hey Saiki theirs something I’ve got to show you. But you’ll have to touch me using your psychometry power, okay? I think when you see this, you’ll understand why I was so confused before.”

“Ooo touch me too, I wanna see!” Saiki then put his hand on Toritsuka’s shoulder and Y/N touched the back of Saiki’s hand.

“Is that?”

“Allow me to introduce my guardian spirit.” It just so happened to be Nendo’s dad…

“I’m sorry, you really do have it rough.”

“Now that’s some misfortune…” Y/N said while snickering.

“Why did you touch Saiki? Couldn’t you see my guardian spirit anyway?” Toritsuka asked Y/N.

“Huh? No, why do you say that?” Y/N asked confused.

“Hold on…” Toritsuka then put a hand on Y/N’s shoulder.

“You’re real?!”

“Uh, ya? They’ve been here the whole time…”

“I genuinely thought they were your guardian spirit.” Toritsuka said to Saiki a little embarrassed.

“Well isn’t that quaint. Just think about that Kusuo, me watching over you your whole life. Not to far off from the truth now is it,” Y/N beamed. Saiki took a moment to think about this but didn’t respond.

“Sorry again about ignoring you…” Toritsuka said meekly.

“Oh don’t worry about it. You’ve provided me with some good entertainment today, just don’t keep doing it alright?” Y/N reached out their hand to shake Toritsuka’s.

“Sure” he smiled back.

“But quick question… are you a boy or a girl?”

Y/N chose to not let that get to them and just laughed.

—————————————————————————

Y/N was watching as a girl was carrying a heavy box, they were waiting until she would either trip or have to take a break. Obviously they would have helped if she tripped but they had to get their entertainment from somewhere right?

However, just as the girl tripped, Hairo caught her.

“Woah. You okay? This is heavy, where you taking it?” “The teacher’s lounge.”

“But! First I want you to bring it this far. We can only get stronger by pushing past our own limits! Come on! Great job, don’t give up, keep going you can do it!”

“Good hustle” he replied when the girl gave him the box.

“Now it’s time to push myself. I’m gonna carry it the rest of the way while doing bunny hops!”

“Oh! Hairo’s hoping like a bunny” “we should hop along with him!” “We don’t have stuff to carry but we can pretend!” “Ya!”

“AAAAAA, IM COMING FOR YA TEACHERS LOUNGE!” Hairo screamed.

“Is all that really necessary? I know the last time I was near Hairo I found it entertaining but this is a little much” Y/N said to Saiki.

“As hard as he is on others, he’s harder on himself. I don’t hate him as a person, but the two of us probably wouldn’t mix very well.” Saiki commented back.

“Hey Saiki, L/N! Did you know that scientists say that the average person sweats about 300mls every night while they’re sleeping?”

“You’re telling me why?” ‘Why is this thought relevant’ Saiki replied and Y/N thought.

“Well the school’s sports day is coming up and I’m working on building the entry gate for it right now. Kudo was supposed to be helping but then he when and came down with a cold. Really it’s almost done, all we have to do is connect the arch to the pedestals. So if you would just give me a hand…” Hairo paused as he opened the door and saw that the arch was destroyed.

“PEDESTAL?! YOU WERE STANDING JUST FINE YESTERDAY! HEY! COME ON GET UP!”

“Pep-talks don’t work on pedestals. By the way, this is more than we can fix ourselves so I’m gonna go now” Saiki commented at Hairo’s hysteria. Y/N also tried to follow Saiki out of the room before Hairo spoke to them again.

“Saiki we can do this! If we work fast we’ll finish before the last train leaves!”

‘Give me a break’ Saiki thought.

“Oh I can’t stay. It’s my turn to make dinner for my family so I really should head home… I’m sorry I couldn’t stay Hairo.” Y/N only lied a little to Hairo, in truth they knew that sports day was a month away so they didn’t want to waste time helping Hairo.

“Oh! That’s fine I guess, you can help us with something else another day!” Hairo said back a little disappointed.

“You got it!” Y/N gave Hairo a smile and a thumbs up, then left Kusuo and Hairo to deal with the arch way.

Once Saiki was done with helping Hairo he stopped by Y/N’s house before going home.

“Oh hey Kusuo! I’m sorry it took so long…” Y/N said feeling a little guilty for leaving him.

“Ya him and me don’t mix. I’m gonna raid your fridge for sweets in exchange for you ditching me and leaving me alone with him.” Saiki said while walking to the kitchen.

“What?! Oh, fine. I guess that’s fair,” Y/N sighed.

—————————————————————————

Y/N was reading on their sofa for most of the day. Their parents were at coworkers wedding so they left Y/N home alone. The day was leisurely and calm, maybe a little hot but that was nothing a fan couldn’t fix. Y/N briefly saw Nendo from outside their window headed to Saiki’s house but they didn’t worry about it and continued doing their thing.

—————————————————————————

“What Minako dumped you?!” “Hey keep it down”

“So you’re signal again?” “Welcome back!”

Y/N could not help but over hear conversations about breakups and love life’s being on the rocks. And they noticed that the way Yumehara was starring Kusuo that her relationship probably wasn’t going well either…. that or she was a cheater, probably not best to think your classmate is like that but at least it’s an interesting dynamic.

“So this guy’s Takeru?” Saiki said while spying on the guy. “I guess so, he seems rather normal, he’s got friends and such… I don’t understand why Yumehara would-”

“Ah!” “Are you okay?” Takeru’s jaw got dislocated while he was laughing.

“Ya, I’m fine, my jaw just got dislocated sorry.” “No we’re sorry for making you laugh…”

“That really is a buzzkill.” Saiki said. “Sure, but I’m sure there is something about him that could keep Yumehara tied to him, right?” Y/N responded worriedly.

“Oh hey Takeru, how’s everything been going with your girlfriend lately?” “Great!”

“Nope. Wrong answer.” ‘Oh dear’ Y/N thought exasperated.

“He thinks this is going great?” Saiki asked generally while spying on Yumehara and Takeru.

“I mean if he’s that oblivious then maybe there’s no helping them. If you really wanna try to keep them together, give it a shot. Just tell me what happens later, I’ll have coffee jelly waiting at my house for you. See ya Kusuo,” Y/N could already tell that it was helpless but they also knew Saiki would tell them everything he tried to do to keep them together later.

In Y/N’s book if Kusuo failed at keeping them together, they would still get the story and they would be there to comfort Kusuo with coffee jelly later. A win, win really. So Y/N walked home alone and waited for Kusuo to come home and spill the beans about Yumehara and Takeru’s relationship.

Just before dinner Saiki finally showed up at the L/N residence.

“So? How’d it go?” Y/N asked. Saiki didn’t respond, he just sat next to Y/N on the couch and collapsed onto their shoulder.

“That bad huh?” Y/N asked while starting to play with the hairs on the back of Kusuo’s neck.

“Her like-ability scare for him was up to 95. She could have married him! But as soon as they went to Okonomiyaki for dinner she saw all the things that she hated about him. His like-ability shot down to 0 in an instant.” Kusuo complained as he got more comfortable leaning onto Y/N.

“Ouch. Well, how about you stay the night so we can watch movies and eat all the coffee jelly we want to take your mind off of things?” Y/N asked Kusuo as they started to massage his scalp.

“Sure. I’ll go grab the coffee jelly and you can pick the movie.” Saiki said while getting up.

“How about you go change out of your uniform first? It’s not really made to be relaxed in,” Y/N joked.

“Fine. But I’m taking one of my hoodies that your stole from me.” Saiki joked back.

“Alright, I’ll be waiting here,” Y/N said and smiled warmly as Saiki went up the stairs.

—————————————————————————

Next episode

[quickgirl]

The Astrology of Fame: Jupiter and Pluto's Link to Superstardom

Jupiter expands and Pluto intensifies. When these two connect in the natal chart, something magical happens.

Note: Not everyone with a Jupiter/Pluto link is going to explode in popularity and become household names echoed around the world for decades to come. Not every star has the Jupiter/Pluto link, either. However, this is a theme I've (and others) have noticed more often than not in the charts of people who have had their breakthrough.

In the many charts I've seen, almost every single celebrity had an aspect to their Jupiter/Pluto midpoint OR Jupiter and Pluto connected through a different midpoint instead (i.e Jupiter conjunct Moon/Pluto midpoint). It seems to be a far more accurate and reoccurring marker than just a natal aspect between the two planets (though that shouldn't be ignored, either).

I believe long-time astrologer, Basil Fearrington, was the first to notice the link between wealth and the Jupiter/Pluto midpoint. Even though midpoints only tend to count when activated through a hard aspect (conjunction, square, and opposition), Basil surmised that the Jupiter/Pluto midpoint is so potent that even soft aspects should be considered.

The late and wonderful Marga, creator of Dutch astrology website "Astromarkt", took it a step further and said that the Jupiter/Pluto midpoint didn't even need to be activated. The two planets conjoining at all in any midpoint combination (or through natal aspects) was enough to generate immense potential for power and fame.

Soft aspects are not generally considered in midpoint astrology. The reasoning for that is because sextiles and trines require little to no effort. The owner of them may or may not ever put those talents to use, and thus the potential of certain aspects and midpoints may never get recognized. But I think that's underselling it a bit. We do use them, we're just not privy to honing them in the way we would a hard aspect.

Humans have a penchant for believing that suffering equals greater reward, therefore we're far more likely to try and understand then tame a Mars sq. Pluto and let the Venus trine Jupiter do its own thing in the background virtually untouched. Sometimes semi-squares and sesquiquadrates are taken into consideration in midpoint astrology, but their influence is weak. If they can get their day in the limelight, I'm also giving some to the sextile and trine. They obviously have a purpose or else the aspect wouldn't even exist.

Now if you'd like to check for this theme yourself, use Astro.com. The drop-down menu for "Chart drawing style" has two different midpoint options. Ebertin chart allows for a wider orb of up to 2°, but only shows major hard aspects. Keller has a much smaller orb, but also shows soft aspects and parallels/contra-parallels. I use both.

With the clerical info out of the way, let's gain more insight into the Jupiter/Pluto energy itself. Astrologer John Sandbach describes it as such:

A tremendous desire to learn and to grow, and to acquire power, be it of the more intangible, mental sort, or worldly in nature. Driving, unstoppable enthusiasm. A relentless urge toward excess. The ability to transform how things are organized. To have big ideas and far-reaching aims. Going to great extremes. The persistent urge to do whatever is needed to overcome problems. Grandiosity. Religious fanaticism.

Jupiter/Pluto promises a larger than life persona with strong intellect and passions to stitch it all together. Think not of just musicians, models, and actors, but of cult leaders, gourmands, CEO's, luxury jewelry salespeople, and even fine art collectors who amass the rarest of paintings. There is a salient and recognizable power and privilege. Clearly fame isn't the only highlight here.

But if you are fixated on fame, what kind are we even talking about? 15-second TikTok fame? One-hit wonders and Meghan Trainor's of the world who have a shelf life of 2 years then respawn 10 years later because of a viral tweet? Absolutely not. These are the stars you never forget who cannot be compared to others. Rather, others are compared to them. They set the standard and are known everywhere, even outside of their home country. They amass wealth, power, respect, and create a legacy.

May the examples below speak for themselves.

Very well-known celebrities with aspects to their Jupiter/Pluto midpoint:

Ariana Grande (Saturn trine)

Zayn Malik (ASC trine)

Jeon Jungkook (Sun trine)

Selena Gomez (Mercury sextile; Saturn trine; Neptune square)

Conan O'Brien (Saturn trine)

Tom Cruise (Saturn trine; Node sextile)

Marilyn Monroe (MC conjunct)

George Clooney (Mercury opposite; Uranus square)

Brad Pitt (MC square)

Leonardo DiCaprio (ASC contra-parallel)

Beyoncé (Saturn & Mercury contra-parallel)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Uranus conjunct)

Naomi Campbell (Moon sextile)

Taylor Swift (Neptune trine)

Barack Obama (ASC square)

Very well-known celebrities with an active midpoint that contains Jupiter and Pluto together:

Rihanna (Jupiter square Moon/Pluto)

Meryl Streep (Pluto trine Moon/Jupiter)

Kurt Cobain (Pluto sextile Moon/Jupiter)

Al Pacino (Pluto square Sun/Jupiter; Pluto square Jupiter/Saturn)

Zendaya (Pluto parallel Moon/Jupiter)

Angelina Jolie (Jupiter opposite Uranus/Pluto; Pluto contra-parallel Jupiter/ASC; Pluto parallel Jupiter/S.Node)

Stephen Colbert (Jupiter square Venus/Pluto; Jupiter square Pluto/Node; Pluto parallel Venus/Jupiter)

Timothée Chalamet (Jupiter conjunct Mercury/Pluto)

Joaquin Phoenix (Jupiter trine Neptune/Pluto)

Nicole Kidman (Jupiter parallel Mercury/Pluto)

Robert De Niro (Jupiter conjunct Pluto/Node)

Kim Kardashian (Jupiter parallel Moon/Pluto)

Priyanka Chopra (Pluto conjunct Jupiter/Saturn; Pluto parallel Mercury/Jupiter)

Margot Robbie (Jupiter sextile Pluto/ASC; Pluto trine Sun/Jupiter; Pluto trine Mercury/Jupiter)

Drake (Jupiter trine Venus/Pluto; Pluto sextile Sun/Jupiter)

From all of the midpoint combinations, Moon/Jupiter/Pluto was the most prevalent. For this post I personally combed through the midpoints of about 45 celebrities total with 30 making the cut here. The other ~15 did not have an active Jupiter/Pluto midpoint nor an active midpoint combination with them. What they did have was a natal aspect between the two planets in their chart, or Jupiter and Pluto both made an aspect to either their Sun, Moon, ASC, or MC within 7°.

If I had to speculate on short-term fame aka "fast rise, even faster fall", I'd wager those kinds of viral sensations have a transit hitting their Jupiter/Pluto midpoint instead, and the lack of natal support can only push it so far. This is something I have to do more research on.

All done! Thank you for reading. This is my first real astrology post. I'm not sure if I'll ever write more as I prefer to lurk, but who knows. Ciao🌷

Sources: (1), (2), (3), (4) + astrotheme.com for providing the birth details

[mothmanssweetsucculentass]

Ok here’s my two cents that no one asked for on the current (sort of?) debate going on in the Creepypasta fandom on here rn.

For starters, I grew up with Creepypasta. I also grew up mentally ill. I am also autistic. So I know my way around good and bad mental health rep at this point. And to be honest? A lot of the original stories DID suck balls at representation or just horror writing in general.

However, nowadays I see other people on here, often mentally ill or any other social outcast, taking these characters and reshaping them as their own to fit their own feelings and experiences, and I don’t think anyone has the authority to criticize things like that. Cringe culture is supposed to be dead anyways, nevermind the fact it’s inherently ableist at its core.

We also need to take into account kids still exist in the fandom. Pre teens who got tired of shit like scooby doo and wanted something more “mature” or “edgy” to get into without fully going off the deep end into full blown horror movies. At least that’s how it was for me. Not everyone, especially someone who’s younger, is gonna be comfortable with the grit and gore a lot of Creepypasta “purists” are pushing for these days, and that’s okay! When a fandom gets popular it’s always inevitable and unavoidable to have the popular characters get two dimensionalized.

There’s also the whole mascot horror thing that I don’t wanna get into, but I’m 90% sure that also plays a part in the old favorites like Jeff and slenderman being brought up again. They were and still are recognizable characters. Recognizable characters aren’t a bad thing. Making horror more approachable for younger audiences isn’t a bad thing. People having their own interpretations based out of their own experiences isn’t a bad thing.

Some of us grew up and wanted the more edgy and reality based content, and that’s also not a bad thing! But neither side should be dictating or policing how the other enjoys content in this fandom. If you personally don’t like the way something is written, characterized, depicted, or drawn, no one’s forcing you to look at it. No one’s claiming it as canon. No one’s asking for you to accept it as the end all be all.

At the end of the day this fandom was built on OCs and personal depictions of stuff. I can’t name a single character or story in this community that was created by some outside party like a movie or TV studio FIRST (because I know some got so popular they breached the fandom and got their own shows/movies/comics/etc). Everything here was created by someone who wanted an outlet for their creativity, or their pain, or their coping, or whatever else.

Realism and dark headcanons aren’t bad, and neither are any of the headcanons out there who just wanna make a goofy found family of social rejects as a form of escapism.

A 13 year old drawing a fictional layout of a fictional mansion where these fictional characters live isn’t going to suddenly invalidate the horror, I promise, it’s not that deep and it never was.

A 22 year old making a dark comic on the realistic origins of Jeff who is a fictional character in a fictional world isn’t going to suddenly invalidate the more softhearted side of the fandom.

Sure, there can still be a split if people are so adamant about that, but as someone who personally enjoys both the brutal horror side and the “haha Jeff is 15 and gay” sides equally, y’all need to at least learn to be civil to anyone who has a different headcanon than you. And if that seems like too much still, the block button exists for a reason.

TL:DR this fandom is based entirely off OCs and headcanons and people can do whatever the fuck they want because none of it is real and horror comes in many shapes and sizes and intensities and no one should be bashing anyone on their headcanons or views or rewrites or whatever else.

EDIT:

Actually wait I think I have more to say-

Horror, like any genre, has NO AGE LIMIT. And by that I mean, if someone younger wants to delve into scary stuff, they should be allowed to do so without criticism. I personally grew up on “child friendly” horror media like Scooby-Doo, and the older I got the more horror I wanted to experience.

There’s no right or wrong way to “understand” horror, and I frankly think it’s ignorant and stupid to say if you don’t fully “understand” something, then you shouldn’t be involved in it at all. Horror isn’t always about gore and unspeakable violence and the eldritch entity that wants everyone’s skin inside out. That’s why horror has sub genres for fucks sake. Gut wrenching brutality against innocent people isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay!

However, bashing anyone’s tamer headcanons, or calling anything anyone interprets differently than you “stupid”, that’s not okay. God, I feel like an exhausted parent giving this lecture to fellow adults, but this really needs to be said and stressed.

I am an adult. I like when stuff in the fandom takes a dark turn. But for nostalgia’s sake, I also love the fanon so much, because that’s what I was exposed to.

And for fucks sake if it comes down to picking sides, I would rather stick with the part of this fandom that gives zero shits how you see a character as long as you’re having fun.

You can have your serial killer 30 year old Jeff and your canon-accurate-to-that-one-image eyeless Jack, but don’t shit on other people if they don’t want the same thing. Your interpretation isn’t canon, and neither is anyone else’s for that matter.

Realistic, dark, gritty Creepypasta isn’t a new concept, and neither is “adult” Creepypasta. And by the way, Creepypasta was never stated to be for adults. That’s like saying kids and only kids can eat trix cereal. It sounds that stupid on paper.

Let people interpret things the way they wanna interpret. No one is infringing on YOUR character ideas. Creepypasta has no age limit, nor a set way the horror has to be presented. Those who do continue to claim that just sound like pretentious assholes.

Very small side note, I personally think it’s inappropriate and rude to keep using Toby as a “bad example” of mental health rep when the creator has stated multiple times the character is old, not researched, and not even in the fandom anymore. Leave the poor guy alone.

[matthew-gray-gubler-lover]

Sex With Spencer Reid All Seasons (season 3)

If you are under the age of 18, please do not read this story. Thank you.

This will cover what I believe sex would be like with Spencer Reid from season 1 to 15. Warning contains adult situations, Sex. Dirty talk, Orgasms, Crying, Spoilers for all seasons and Spencer Reid being a sex God.

Also includes fingering and oral sex. (Female receiving only.)

These are a little bit longer than I anticipated them to be because I wanted to give a back story as to why the sex is the way that it is for each season. To give it in depth feeling of why Spencer was the way that he was in bed that season.  So I will be posting them by each season rather than all at once. I hope this gives you something to look forward to, and please leave comments,  I will be leaving links to the next season below.

You are a new agent at the BAU and Spencer Reid's girlfriend, the one who takes his virginity and has sex with him for all 15 seasons and beyond.

Spencer Reid knew the first time he saw you walk through the doors of the BAU that you were the one that he was going to love forever. The first time you smiled, he knew it was the only smile that he ever wanted to wake up to. The first time he touched your hand, he knew yours was the only hand he ever wanted to hold. The first time he kissed you, he knew your lips were the only ones that he ever wanted to have pressed against his own. and the first time he made love to you, he knew you were the only one he ever wanted to do this with, and he also knew he would never be the same you or his life now, his love and his only desire.

season 1

season 2

Season 3

In Season 3 Spencer is getting used to the idea that he no longer has Jason Gideon and now has a new team member David Rossi. he obviously still misses Jason Gideon, as he was a very good friend of Spencer's. He's also a big fan of David Rossi's writing, so he's thrilled to have him be a part of the team. The team also thought that they were going to lose Penelope

 During that time, she was shot by a killer who she thought was someone who liked her. even After Morgan advised her not to go out with this man, it resulted in JJ having to kill him. It also introduced Penelope to Kevin Lynch, the man who would eventually become her boyfriend.

In Season 3 Spencer finally decides to dabble in the world of oral sex. Something that shocked you since the way he feels about germs and touching people. But he never had a problem 

kissing you. Or touching you in any way. So it really shouldn't have been much of a surprise to you. But you were both very eager to try it out. You knew that he had to be good at it, since he's 

good at everything else. And you have to admit, since you lost your virginity with Spencer and had never had oral sex yourself. But you've heard about how good it is. And but judging by the 

way that he licks his lips all the time, you know he has to have a skilled tongue. He waited until a night that he knew he was going to have the next day off so that he could spend as much time 

with you as possible and practice this new skill that he was wanting to learn. He waited until the night that he knew you both had the next day off, so that he could spend as much time with you 

as possible and work on learning this new skill that he's so excited to try. You laid in the middle of the bed and opened your legs wide for him, something that he always loved the sight of, but 

tonight is even more excited for a different reason, since it's the first time he's actually going to taste you. "Are you ready?" He asked you looking in your eyes with love. When you shake your 

head in pant yes, equally as excited as he is, he made his way down to the edge of the bed and licked his lips before licking you for the first time, a feeling that almost drove you right over the 

edge. The moan that you let out caused Spencer to chuckle and look up at you. "Honey I've only barely licked your clit tip once and you're already ready to orgasm?". You panted and told him "I 

can't help it. It felt that good God are you good at everything that you do?". 

"I sure hope so" he told you before licking you once more. still not to sure of himself he keeps asking "how am i doing?" 

"does it feel good, "are you enjoying it?" He was the best oral sex giver that you could have ever hoped for. The licking, the sucking, the way his thin long fingers slid into you with ease, making it feel 

even better than you ever imagined, this moment was even more magical than you could have ever dreamed of. After he gave you four orgasms, he finally was ready to be inside of you. 

Actually, he was ready to be inside of you after the first loud moan that you let out. Needless to say, the two of you enjoyed a very sexy and pleasurable weekend together before you were called the way on yet another case.

A case that would Threaten Spencer to spiral back into the drug world. A teen boy being killed in front of him. A boy who he tried to help but was not able to. Something caused by a girl named Lindsey, a girl who would haunt him later in his life.

Spencer ended up attending a meeting in hopes that he wouldn't reenter the drug world. Thankfully he did not re-enter the world of drugs and used his abilities to be able to save another young man Named Owen.

After Hotch talked with Spencer on the jet, Spencer really no longer felt any need to use the drug that once destroyed him.

 Spencer was happy to get back home with you and get into bed. The one place that he always felt safe and loved.

[sorcerersandskillusers]

Analysis of how Chuuya see's Dazai over the course of their history based on what we see in cannon.

Part 1: Dazai Chuuya 15

First meeting: In 15 we see that Chuuya didn't think much of Dazai when they first met, he just thought he was some weird mafia grunt with suicidal tendencies. Immediately dislikes him.

First working together: Chuuya clearly finds Dazai annoying, and resents that he's been forced to work with him. But I also think he genuinely enjoyed being around another kid his age who he didn't feel obligated to protect (like the sheep)

After Dazai shoots the soldier: I think this was a turning point, Chuuya didn't think much of Dazai dark comments and suicidal tendencies. I think this was the first time Chuuya caught a glimpse of the darkness within Dazai. he defiantly found it unsettling.

The arcade: I think this is one of the first times in his life Chuuya got to truly just mess around with another teen. The relief of actually arguing and challenging someone like equals. He seems to genuinely be having fun here.

But Dazai's interaction with the sheep shook him back to reality. Dazai wasn't his friend, he was a mafia chaperone who was only interested in manipulating and using him. (a misunderstanding of Dazai's reasons for sowing doubt among the sheep)

The fight with Rimbaud: The light novel differs from the anime a lot here, and im going to stick with its version of events. since it connects to storm bringer.

This fight was when Chuuya realised just how incredibly strategic and cunning Dazai is. Its also the first time he had to put all his trust in Dazai, relying on Dazai's plan and risking his life to carry it out. This is the closest Chuuya would feel to Dazai for a long time but it fell apart when...

Dazai tricks the sheep into betraying Chuuya: I've seen people say that Chuuya didn't resent Dazai for this, or that he just took it as a challenge. I think Stormbringer destroys both of these Ideas.

WE see in storm bringer just how much Chuuya misses the Sheep. how much he sometimes wishes he could still be a part of them and how much it truly deeply hurt him when they betrayed him. I think by the end of Fifteen, even if they got along ok when they had too, Chuuya did genuinely hate Dazai. We even have this confirmed when in stormbringer, he sees a vision of Dazai and he is described as the person Chuuya hates most in the world, even more then Verlaine who just killed his friends (this description comes from Chuuya internal monologue so it defiantly isn't a front)

But I do think Chuuya's view of Dazai changes drastically for the better, we will get into why in the next part about stormbringer.

[dangermousie]

Best kdrama you have probably never heard of - Someday (2006)

"I can't breathe because my heart is filled with thoughts of you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."

Answering the ask about my perfect kdramas made me think of and want to make a pusher post for the most underrated drama on that list Someday, starring Bae Doona, Lee Jin Wook, Kim Min Joon and Oh Yoon Ah.

When she was 17, Hana (Bae Doona), a Korean brought up in Japan by her grandmother, won a prestigious award and was launched on a career as a popular manga artist in Japan. The same day Hana was launched on her path to popularity and fame, Seokman (Lee Jin Wook) was having the worst day of his life -- he and his family were involved in a car crash, leaving him the only survivor. Fast forward three years or so and the paths of Hana, now a well-known mangaka who is facing a creative drought, and Seokman, now a sort of a missing-persons detective, are about to collide.

This is both an old drama (2006) and also one released on OCN back when it was just starting, so even back when I originally watched it 15 years ago, it was not well known. It's such a pity - this one is on my Top 10 kdramas list of all time for a reason. There are so many reasons as to why this deserves to be better known - it has a delicious off-beat vibe and in some ways it reminds me on an old school jdrama with its realistic feel and its meditation on life; but it retains old school kdrama strengths of romance and suffering and gorgeous cinematography. Its love story, which made me cry and cry and then grin like a lunatic and hug my pillows - it's so unexpected and sneaks up on you and then grabs and refuses to let go. Its stories of alienation and connections and families lost and found and made. Its laid-back charm which lures you in until you, all relaxed, are whacked with the darkness at the core, and are left gasping for breath (full disclosure - this drama made me cry more than once.)

It is also a chance for you to see some wonderful performances. The always sublime Bae Doona is well...sublime, as the quirky Hana who has locked her capacity for warmth and caring far away due to childhood loss - when the story starts she is almost an alien dropped among those weird humans - curious, exploratory, and oh-so-different. One of the biggest pleasures of the drama is to watch her learn to become fully human - to feel compassion, to feel love. Lee Jin Wook is one of my huge kdrama crushes and he doesn't disappoint, playing his character with so much sweetness that you get lulled into a false sense of security and don't realize just how much damage and despair Seokman has inside, until you are confronted with it, and then go "of course - it all makes sense now." His chemistry with Bae Doona is just so pitch-perfect - their whole relationship is so full of discovery and hope and tentativeness for both of them. You can't help but root for these two very damaged people to work it out and heal each other. She has no emotions but he has no hope or self-worth - and the biggest pleasure for me was to watch both of them recover what they lack. The drama Someday reminds me of most is my favorite twdrama, Mars - the two horribly damaged protagonists with vastly different coping mechanisms make each other better. It goes dark sometimes, terribly dark, but ultimately it's the story of new beginnings and of hope.

Kim Min Joon and Oh Yoon Ah are not secondary characters in this - every member of the quartet (and they are not really a love quartet in the usual sense) is equally important. If Hana and Seokman are horribly wounded children, both KMJ and OYA play grown-ups. If you are expecting a typical older kdrama evil secondary girl, you are in for a disappointment. OYA's Hae Young is the sanest, best person in the quartet, and the one most in touch with her feelings, which include her unrequited love for her best friend Jin Pyo (KMJ). And speaking of Kim Min Joon - he plays perhaps the most controversial character in this - a psychiatrist who gloms onto Hana as a representation of his fanboy fantasies, not a real woman (he does not get to know the real Hana the way Seokman does) and who is the one most in control and delights in manipulation. But I ended up liking him nonetheless - in a way, he was caught in a bubble as much as Hana was, only this bubble was of his own willful making.

My favorite scene? Because I am a sadist, it's the sequence leading to Seokman's suicide attempt (it's either that or he gets done in, due to the debts) - his counting how many minutes he has left and getting his math wrong, his visiting the hospital and tying up all the loose ends, his scene on the river bank with Hana, his suicide attempt itself, when he walks off limping and muttering "stupid stupid stupid" not able to think of anything but that he failed.

This drama is SO GOOD and SO UNDERRATED and really should be watched.

[starlostlix]

Moriarty the Patriot and Brotherhood

(Adam and Sam Whiteley vs The Holmes Brothers vs The Moriarty Brothers)

[that's a lot of brothers, especially since I don't even have a brother. So, another analysis! This is a long one that's been in my drafts for ages but since my exams are over I can reread and post it lmao]

Brotherhood is a key theme of Moriarty the Patriot, with many examples in the story. Some are quite similar, some are kind of different (looking at you Holmes brothers) but all are important.

First to talk about the slight outlier, the Holmes brothers. Whilst many of the other examples of brotherhood show close and caring dynamics among family, the Holmes brothers seem not only very distant but in conflict with one another. Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes live very different lives. The elder is a close associate of Queen Victoria and is, essentially, 'the government'. He has huge power over the empire's inner workings, enough to set up secret divisions like MI6. He speaks with a stereotypical 'posh' accent used by the nobility and lives much like the nobility in some ways. Sherlock, however, is a consulting detective who struggles to pay rent, struggles to clean, has to wait for cases and seems much more 'immature'. He also keeps his distinctive cockney accent - a reminder of his mother and working class upbringing. And my personal favourite distinction - Mycroft consistently wearing a bow tie compared to Sherlock's almost absolute refusal to do so (and him never doing up the buttons all the way to the top) - a detail that I just find really fun. Sherlock often accuses his brother of cosplaying nobility and the two seem to barely speak, and when they do there's clear animosity between the two. It may be because they feel so different from one another that they don't feel able to connect with one another now.

There is, however, hints that they are more similar than you first think. They both share the ability of good deduction and attention to detail. They both put an emphasis on protection of others - whether it be Mycroft protecting British Empire secrets (and his brother from.. women?) or Sherlock trying to protect Irene Adler from execution. And despite their animosity, it is clear that they do care for one another - Mycroft's reaction to Sherlock's 'd3ath' is a good example of this (he is clearly distraught but tries not to show it). They also both get themselves involved in the Moriarty plan (although that's less their fault and more the Moriarty brothers choosing them), and also both interact closely with the Moriarty family (sherlock with William and Mycroft with Albert).

Their definition of brotherhood is more strained in comparison to others, and for some people can be considered more realistic. To them, brotherhood can be both an annoyance or something nice depending on perspective. In particular, Mycroft seems to look out for Sherlock more than Sherlock does for Mycroft (or himself really). Whilst Mycroft sees brotherhood as another duty like his loyalty to the crown, Sherlock sees Mycroft's care for him as somewhat limited.

[Mycroft and Sherlock are really interesting in the way they interact and act about each other, like I read volume 15 recently and the funeral and Mycroft still drinking the tea that Miss Hudson recommended for when you feel down means he's still grieving 3 years later i'm so sad]

The Whiteley brothers are distinct in their difference in age. Adam is an adult, old enough to be an MP, whereas Sam is likely a teenager. This creates a dynamic where the elder is very very protective of the younger, especially due to Sam being wheelchair-bound. Part of the reason Adam is pushing for equality and changing the world for the better is so Sam can have a better life, with more accessibility like the park Adam designed. This is, of course, all the more tragic when Sam is murdered by Sturridge, an action that causes Adam to murder in revenge and give up on his own plans to make the world a better place. Adam, in response to Sam's death, says "What point is there to changing the world if you aren't here to enjoy it?" It is clear that to Adam, Sam's safety and enjoyment of life takes precedence over his own. No matter the reaction he would face from other MPs and the press and the house of lords, Adam would have kept going and made sure his bill was pushed through. For Sam. But that opportunity is taken from him, as Sam's life is taken too soon.

Brotherhood, for Adam, is protecting his brother and making the world a better place for him. Whilst we don't get to see Sam's point of view much, it is likely that care and support for Adam is Sam's idea of brotherhood. Even in death, all Adam can think about is making the world a better place and finding Sam again.

[this part feels devastating they actually make me so sad they are incredibly tragic]

Then we finally get to the main focus of the story - The Moriarty Brothers. What's most interesting about them to me is that, despite the fact that not all of them are blood related (as Albert isn't directly related to William or Louis), they seem to have the closest bond. One thing about brotherhood for them is that it's not limited to blood relation - it's about the bond they have as both family and accomplices. I have to stage this in 2 parts to explore this well - William, Louis and Albert, as well as William and Louis specifically.

1) William, Louis and Albert - Albert was the one that gave William and Louis a new home and a new life. He took them in when no one else would care for them, and supported their ideas of making the world better when no one else would. Their bond is defined by their shared desires, shared secrets and shared crimes (starting with the Moriarty household fire), rather than blood relations. And they're very protective and focused on helping one another. Albert being willing to go to prison for the Lord of Crime plans is proof of this. Albert is part of their chosen family which you could say also includes people like Moran and Fred. Albert is shown to care deeply for William in particular due to him being the mastermind of the plans and Albert's role in MI6 is usually surrounding in taking missions that are useful for William's goals. There are limited interactions between just Louis and Albert, but they also are presented to care deeply for each other.

2)William and Louis - these two are related and have a history before they met Albert. Louis' heart condition causes William to be protective of him (kind of like how Adam Whiteley is with Sam) and sometimes this can seem a bit too overprotective. Louis seems to have a strong desire to prove himself useful to William, and views William as a reason for him to live (and eventually to go on after William's 'd3ath'). Sometimes it can feel like because he's so wrapped up in William's goals and is quite reliant on him at times, Louis hasn't had the chance to fully develop his own identity and life outside of his brotherhood. William's view of brotherhood is seemingly about protection, but to Louis his brother is his closest person, his world and the only person that makes him feel that his existence is right. This is why his role as Em after the Tower Bridge incident is so important for him as a chance to grow on his own and lead, establishing a new moral code and system for the team. It isn't that William held him back, but that Louis felt so indebted and attached to William that he struggled to find meaning elsewhere. In this way, the strength of his reliance on his brother feels like it restricts him, but his commitment to his brother is also a strength. He sees William's compassion and other positive qualities in a way not many others do (besides the Moriarty group and the Holmes') once he's revealed as the Lord of Crime, and it is that insight that leads him to do whatever he can to save his brother, so much as wanting to convince his supposed rival to try and help him. Louis acknowledges his own selfishness in going against William's plans, but this is also out of such deep compassion for his brother that it shows us how he's such a committed and caring person. Louis wants to help William just as much as William wants to protect Louis.

[the more I talk about Louis the more i realise just how interesting he is to talk about thematically especially his dynamic with William... I've got to make more character centred posts]

So I feel that these differing variations on the way brotherhood is presented really adds to the characterisation of the people on the story and to the world itself. To me it's meant to feel somewhat realistic (despite its fictional characters) because of its historical basis on the empire and 19th century London and its social structure - the differing ways brotherhood is defined can add to this. It's such a central theme that I don't feel enough is said about (and general sibling representation is also big in the series but brotherhood in particular stands out due to the majority male character base, especially within the main characters).

[I told you this was a long one, this may have been in the drafts for around a month that I kept adding to so it's been a while in the making. Since my exams are over I have a lot more I want to do here, including casual reviews and highlight of a few trips i'm going on alongside this style of post so hopefully those will be enjoyable too! Anyways I hope this post was interesting and maybe well written it was hard to read all this over after a month and many exams]

[ammstify]

Okay, I'm a bit late to the game, but I have some THOUGHTS after watching this weeks stream from Atlus about their new game, Metaphor: ReFantazio!

If you don't know yet, Atlus is releasing a new IP created by three of the main members of the team who helped develop Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5! This of course includes:

Katsura Hoshino, who was the director for the past main Persona games, as well as SMT 3: Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga, until he moved on to create Metaphor with Atlus's new division, Studio Zero.

Shoji Meguro, the composer for a LOT of Persona's most well-known music who has composed a new, equally stylistic soundtrack for the new game!

And Shigenori Soejima, the main character artist and designer for Persona who has created similarly distinct and unique character designs for the vast cast in Metaphor!

The game is set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, a pseudo-fantasy world that is described as a "mirror" to our world, where humans are feared by the many tribes that dot the land. After the sudden assassination of the King, we the protagonist, among many other individuals from the tribes around the kingdom, are chosen to join in a impromptu Royal Tournament to determine who shall become the throne's successor!

Similarly to Persona, the game has a focus on time and how your choices affect the world around you. From what we saw in the stream, our team of characters have a limited time to complete the various quest bestowed upon us, some side quests, some bounties, and others of course being story important quests. Alongside that, our biggest goal in-game is to try and gain the support of the people and gain allies in a Social Link-like system with specific NPCS of specific tribes, villages, and cities!

I'm a bit excited to see how they change up this system from Persona's social links, and what ways they may potentially affect our gameplay! Will they provide us certain special abilities like Persona 5's Confidants? Or will we be able to get some special teammates we might normally not get in the story?

Alongside that, the game also has a lot of other features commonly shared with both Persona and SMT, including the turn-based battle system and a lot of familiar physical, magical, and stat affecting abilities! Though the magic does go by different names this time, such as "garu" being referred to as "cyclo" instead! But hey, we still have tarukaja and matarukaja, so who knows what else may have reutrned or changed?

Unlike Persona though, the game has quite a few distinct differences too, notably the travel system and specific changes to the battle system. In Metaphor: ReFantazio, travel is a very important aspect of the game as our party moves across the kingdom, going from town to town to gain the support of the locale. We enter dungeons that are found in semi-open exploration locations and fight through them

As for the fighting system, there are two main differences from both SMT and Persona that folks may notice; The ability to fight outside of turn-based battle, and the Archetypes System.

Similarly to games like Final Fantasy 15, Persona 5 Strikers, and the Dynasty Warriors series, Atlus has implemented an action role-playing battle system that allows you to either take out weaker enemies quickly in the overworld without engaging in turn-based combat, or getting a a few hits in on a stronger before switching over to turn-based fighting! Hashino noted that the reason why they did this was to make the gameplay flow a bit more enjoyable by eliminating constant turn-based battles with weaker enemies.

Some folks don't seem to quite like it, but personally I'm a bit indifferent. On one hand, constant turn-based combat can get a bit boring and resource wasting when fighting enemies that are weaker than you, a problem that I have faced a bit so far during my current playthrough of Persona 3 Reload. But on the other hand, there is always something enjoyable about being able to defeat enemies with ease and getting a few extra experience points, so we'll just have to see how it feels!

Then comes the most distinct part of Metaphor's battle system so far; The Archetypes. Our team of characters have the ability to awaken to powerful, magical weapon forms known as Archetypes, which are described as "individuals who embody the traits of typical fantasy classes like a knight or warrior, who can then transform into their Archetype once they awaken to this knowledge."

Sounds a little similar to Persona, no? Well, a lot of people, including news companies like Polygon, Kotaku, Game Rant, and more have compared the Archetype system to the Persona system, since it allows you to utilize different forms with different abilities and statuses. However in my opinion, I believe that the Archetype system is more akin to another system we've seen in a game from Hashino....

The demon transformation system in Digital Devil Saga 1-2.

Unlike the system in Persona, which allowed your protagonist to utilize multiple Personas alongside your teammates singular Personas, Digital Devil Saga's demon system had a different focus. You and your teammates have the ability to switch between human and demon forms, with each specific characters demon forms having a variety of special stats and magic specific to them.

However, there is one distinct aspect to this that is similar to Archetypes system: The ability to gain specific magic and change your stats via a skill tree. Both the demons in Digital Devil Saga and the Archetypes are able to change aspects of their builds in unique ways, providing them magic that they otherwise wouldn't have had before, or specific skill boosts that change them entirely. You could change an ice magic focused demon into fire resistant physical figther, and vice versa!

And ultimately, unlike both Persona and Digital Devil Saga, any character can equip any Archetype, allowing for versatility when it comes to the players fighting style! A good example that Hashino gave during the presentation was equipping all the characters with the Brawler archetype, boosting all of the characters defense and physical strength, and providing them all physical based skills instead of magic So, while there are quite a few similarities to Persona, there are also a lot of similarities with past SMT projects directed by Hashino too!

Overall though, I can safely say that I am VERY excited to see whats in store for Metaphor: ReFantazio since I'm an absolute sucker for the Persona games, but also new RPGs in general! I'm looking forward to seeing what other information comes out while waiting for both the games release and any future news for Persona 6, and hope that anyone else reading this might be too!

[missbubblesoda]

early in the morning, especially when it rains, and a little before noon. (10)

erwin x fem!reader

chapters: (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (11) | (12) | (13) | (14) | (15) | (16) | (17) | (18) | (19) | (20) | (21) | (22) | (23) | (24) | (25) | (26) | (27) | (28) | (29) | (30)

summary: I basically took Isayama’s work, forced it into a romance story, and made Erwin the love interest. Commander meets cadet and they fall in love (not instantly though)

notes: very berry canonverse (but some events were modified to fit my narrative), wasn’t intended to be this long, but it all is in the details right?

content warnings: smut where it fits (or where I make it fit. Also, reader is NOT underage, so likewise, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, please.) slow burn (I really mean it. I’m not olympic diving into any form of smut for the first chapters.) no angst. I dislike angst. I would never. I could never. (Although angst can be somewhat subjective so take it with a grain of salt?)

wc: 2.3k

The holidays had always been your favorite time of the year. You never waited for the first snowfall in order to start daydreaming about generously spiced cookies and thick, melted chocolate. When it came to fantasizing about buttery batters rich in raisins, and biscuits dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon, you were always months ahead everyone you knew.

But the holidays weren’t just about desserts. You also craved the savory dishes your mother laid out on the dinner table, and the equally warm conversations that always came along with them. You craved the familiar sight of your parents sitting by the fire, your father, indulging in his favorite book, and your mother, in a steaming cup of chocolate. You always kept them company, from your favorite spot by the window, where the sight was just as comforting and homey. You enjoyed looking at the white, thick blanket that covered the narrow streets, and the yellow lights that glowed through the neighboring windows. You liked to think that inside those houses people were also enjoying good food and a good laugh in good company.

Everything about the winter holidays was warm and homemade, and that’s exactly why you had never spent a single one away from home. Even during the three years you lived at the training camp, you always made sure to be back home with your family by the time the holidays rolled around. And this year would be no different.

And so, for weeks now, you had been counting the days, as it was tradition. Only that this year, it had felt more like a back-to-school countdown than anything else. ‘Anxiety’ and ‘reluctance’ had replaced ‘anticipation’, in both the sentences you wrote in your journal every night, as well as in your mind. However, you weren’t surprised. Not when the obvious reason was on the other side of the door you were about to knock on.

You lifted a hand and gave the hardwood a couple of tentative taps. He told you there was no need to announce yourself before coming in, but it was already way past working hours, and you weren’t sure he would still be awake.

When you heard his familiar voice, your heart lightened a little. Leaving without seeing him, at least one more time, would be as ridiculous as going to the doctor and leaving before receiving treatment.

You pushed the door open and, as soon as he saw you, he rose from the couch he had been lounging on. If the swiftness of his movement and the tentative smile now present on his lips were anything to go by, he was just as surprised to see you as you were to find him wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a white shirt, partially unbuttoned.

Your nails dug deep into your own skin, all while wishing it was his instead. His bolo tie was discarded on a nearby table, and so were the straps of his gear. The flames dancing in the fireplace behind him, and the steam coming from the mug placed beside the chess board, made it feel as if you were stepping into something intimate and personal. What you had before you, was a sight deserving of a dozen diary entries, and you knew you would write them once you were back home. For now, and for the sake of your own sanity you decided to focus your attention strictly on his eyes instead.

“Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt you, commander, but I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning and…” Your nails buried deeper into your flesh, as if testing to see if you had the courage to say it. “I wanted to see you before that.”

You stared directly into his eyes. There was a certain boldness that only became available to you once darkness descended, a certain notion that whatever impulsive actions were committed under the moon didn’t really matter, because their consequences would reset come morning anyway. That’s why ghosts waited for the sun to leave in order to haunt forests, and so did the howling of wolves. And maybe that was also the reason why your honesty didn’t exactly bother you. Your feet had brought you there to see him. There were no papers he needed to sign, no questions you needed to ask, no tea or cookies you wanted to bring him. No tricks or excuses up your sleeve. He was the only purpose of your visit.

“I’ll confess your absence has me worried already.” He started making his way to you as a playful smile graced his lips. “I don’t know what I’ll do without those butter biscuits and hot tea in the afternoon, but,” you couldn’t help but notice that the innocent crinkle in his eyes didn’t match the picture his exposed collarbones and prominent Adam’s apple were painting, “I’ll try to survive without you.”

Me too. “I’m pretty sure you’ll be just fine without me, commander.” Now that he was close enough, you noticed he smelled like all your favorite spices, and the tinge of cherry on his lips told you it was probably mulled wine in his mug.

“That’s debatable.” His voice sounded several octaves lower than usual, and you didn’t need to time travel to know that you would be missing it for the upcoming weeks. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Go ahead.” You replied, happy to cling on to anything that would help you put off your departure.

“That night, at your doorstep. What was it that you wanted to tell me?”

His eyes were so different in moments like these, when it was just the two of you. It was as if the 13th commander of the Survey Corps was gone, and the only one left in his place was Erwin Smith, the blond man who loved chess, boring history books, and sweet afternoon treats. The owner of those distinctive eyebrows and those sapphire eyes that, right now, were drilling into you, all your emotional walls and reservations, with such piercing vulnerability. If it were anyone else you would drop your gaze, but with him, you were drawn closer instead.

“So much.” You took a deep breath, the type that usually precedes a long speech or a lengthy confession. “For one, I don’t understand why everyone here likes ale so much, and I have no idea how ODM gear works either.” As the words left your mouth, your feet diligently worked on closing the distance between your bodies. “I think I cheated on a test once, and performed so poorly on my physical examinations I almost failed all of them.” His lips twitched slightly, as if wanting to form a smile but stopping halfway in fear of interrupting the flow of your ideas. “I cry at least once a month, especially when I’m bored.” And in that moment, boredom seemed such a foreign and absurd concept, because how was it possible for anyone to be bored when the world had such wonderful views to offer, like his shirt and the way it clung to his body, for example. The fabric was close enough to show the shape of his chest, and unbuttoned enough to unveil skin generously sprinkled with light brown hair. “I’m completely clueless when it comes to chess and I hate to think that I will never be able to impress you in a game.” In such intimate space, the air was even more infused with his cologne, making it all the more difficult to breathe. “I spend too much time in my head, overthinking everything. But oddly enough, the only thing I can never think too much about is you. It is never enough.” Your fingers found his hand at the same moment his eyes found your lips. “Commander, nobody thinks about you as much as I do.” You interlaced your fingers with his. “Not while doing the things I do.”

For a while, the snapping of firewood was the only thing breaking the silence of the night, as he stared into your eyes, and his hand held yours firmly. But then his lips parted slightly.

“Well, for one, you don’t need chess to impress me.” With his other hand, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear before cupping your cheek. “I can’t guarantee I can make boredom disappear, but I’d be delighted to give it a try whenever you need me to.” His thumb stroked your skin lovingly, and his gaze, his touch, as well as his words, all felt like the warmest of cardigans. “There are many young men here thinking about my assistant the way I do. I’ve seen how their eyes follow her, how they linger on her. And I know that look all too well myself.” You could almost feel the rising and falling of his chest against you, and you wondered where had all the oxygen in the room gone. “But I must admit it satisfies me to know they don’t get to have her as close as I do everyday, and especially not as close as I do right now.” His thumb caressed your bottom lip softly, the same kind of gentle squeeze farmers give peaches when trying to tell if they are ripe enough. “Sweet, we like ale because it’s sweet, and also quite nutritious. And on that note, I would explain more about that, as well as how the ODM gear works, but that would take too long, and I really want to kiss you right now.”

You knew that sensation. You had felt it before. It used to happen quite often when you were a child, around this same time of the year. When you woke up, and ran downstairs to find all the presents you had been waiting a whole year for, all of them beautifully wrapped. Excitement filling you up completely and seeping through your lips as you smiled. As you smiled in anticipation of the wonderful time you had ahead.

“But, commander, I thought chess helped you stay away from impulsive decisions.” You used a playful tone to match the beaming grin you were now wearing, as you signaled to the chess board he had been giving all his attention to before you stepped into the room.

“This is anything but impulsive.” He assured you before finally closing the distance between your lips. And you were glad his arms were around you, holding you tightly, because there was no way your legs could, not anymore. Not when his lips were finally moving against yours.

It was mulled wine in his mug, for sure. He tasted like cinnamon and anise, like oranges and honey, spiced with a little bit of brandy. It felt like a summer, a wonderful one, spent under lemon trees; like a rogue spring night in late July. His kiss was smoky, mixing in with the smell of burnt wood and the sweetness of his cologne. His lips were soft, and so was his bristly chin, rubbing against your skin. And you decided this was your new favorite sensation.

His lips moved slowly and gently against yours. He kissed you like this was the only chance he had, like he would never get to do it again, almost as if you were a character in some dream he would soon wake up from. His lips and his hands confirmed in their soft, silent way that this hadn’t been impulsive at all.

His tongue, or rather the sudden appearance of it, elicited a moan, that made you feel as if you were whispering in a library. There were rooms nearby, and in the quiet of the night you knew any sound you made would be magnified, but you couldn’t help yourself, not when his tongue was drawing such delicious patterns inside your mouth. Oh his tongue, turns out it was just as skilled at kissing as it was at forming words.

You didn’t know how long you had been kissing him. It could be a minute or ten or even a century. You didn’t really care. And even though your lips were starting to feel sore, you had no intentions of stopping. Your palms were resting on the toned muscles of his chest, as the slow movements of his tongue patiently unraveled what little remained of your self-control. And whatever little remained was finally lost when his big, curious hands ventured a little beyond the small of your back, making you moan again. Loudly, this time. The same kind of sound you would make when biting into a juicy peach on a scorching summer day. And it all made you aware of the painful discomfort present between your legs. It was hurting like never before. It hurt from thinking about him, naked, hovering over you, strands of gold sticking to his forehead. And most importantly, it hurt from craving to be filled up by him.

And so, despite feeling like you could kiss him forever, you pulled away slowly. He was looking at you through heavy eyelids, his lips were red, a little swollen, and glistening with your saliva. You smiled at your work, the same type of smile artists give their sculptures once they’re finished. And you couldn’t help but think about how wrong you had been on that day in the forest: you didn’t want to fuck him, you wanted to make love with him.

“Commander, touch me.” Your words didn’t seem to register with him, because all he did was staring at your eyes. So you decided to guide his hand under your skirt, and between your legs, where you needed him the most. “I want you to touch me right here.”

“I’m not sure I should.” He said before pulling his hand away.

-

next chapter

taglist: @elnyrae @angelaevangelion @depitaangeline @ynackerman9499 @afatalheat @pumpkin-toffee @velouria17 @gassytritis

[twistedroseytoesy]

Last mere request I just love how you write mere mc so much.

What about the octavinelle trio and liona whit a lionfish mc.

When I was a child this was my favourite fish and I still love it but there so many beautiful fish in the sea.

Again a beautiful human sea creatures that I don't know the artist for look how beautiful a lionfish looks.

thank you again for so many of these wonderful asks! Lion fish are so pretty but very dangerous to their environment. They are able to swallow up to 2 fish that are their size! They have huge appetites and desolate large schools of fish with one large gulp taking out 7-15 fish each!

Description

Just like the image in the ask, you have long beautiful spines along your sides that contain some venom that you used to defend yourself, and your bright colors and spiny body chased off many around you. And your appetite didn't help either. Able to swallow up to 5 fish whole with a single well-placed suctioning gulp. you were fine with the more secluded life with others fearing your spines and abilities. you would even corner those that mocked you and give them a warning sting. you were happy with the few who were brave enough to be around you and defended them happily from others.

When you got your legs you were covered in stripes similar to your mer form, beautiful lines along your skin. The fairly average height of about 5'9. You enjoyed the surface and how different it was. You still stood up for yourself and could give a mean venomous scratch with your fingernails. You kept them nice and sharp for a reason~

Octavinelle

Azul: Knew you were a merfolk and tried to hire you as a beautiful server and helper around the lounge, able to defend yourself even! it's a win-win for him. You gave him a pice of your mind for trying to take advantage of you. but after his overblott he apologisd and asked you again with a more equal contract for you. You did like getting the attention and the food they served was very nice. You two would become decent friends and connect over somewhat secluded childhoods due to your rarety and "ugly forms"

When he sees your merform he is amazed. Loves your spines and how confident you are in this form. You even corner him playfully and he is blushing so hard. He admires you but please don't tease him like the twins.

Jade: Knew what type of mer you were just from your spines, I feel like he looked messing with the predatory fish of reefs just because. Likes to mess with you and corner you with his confusing words. Loves to watch you squirm and likes misleading you. Does notice how you find interest in the colorful foods of the human world, devouring large amounts at a time even. So when he introduces some colorful mushroom dishes and you happily excepted them, he was a very happy camper. likes to see how much he can slip into your food since you eat so much and just swallow a lot of stuff with little chewing.

Really liked your mer form. Asked for any spines you may or may not shed. still likes to mess with you and corner you as you do with him at times. you both circle each other like the predators you are.

Floyd: Called you lionfish since he really liked how you kept your ear fins that matched the spiny fins of your mer form. He liked poking at them and annoying you. Didn't even get mad when you scratched him, he just laughed and happily licked at his wounds with a crazed smile. Likes to chase and corner you like how you so with some other students laughs when you try to corner him back.

Same as with human form, Floyd likes to poke at your spines and giggle at the tingling sensation of the venom. laughs when you try to corner him, he also likes to chase away any fish you may be trying to corner and gobble up. You both are good frenemies.

With special guest

Leona: Called you a tiger since you were stripped like one, you both ate an absurd amount of meat. you both had rather prickly (heh) personalities but you both got along since you were both fairly lazy and had a deep sense of pride in yourselves. Over time you both became close due to these things and he didn't grumble as much when you were around. Would help you beat the sh*t out of those who try to make fun of you and your stripes and ear fins. You both make one heck of a power couple too.

When he got to see your mer form he called you a pufferfish thanks to your spines and laughed at your upset expression. made a remark about why you were so easy to get along with a fellow lion, even if you were a fish. it would take a lot to get him to say anything else. thinks you look really nice but would die before admitting that, also took some secret photos of your merform and looks at it every once in a while. might ask you about the spines and what they can do.

[dr-futbol-blog]

Duet, Pt. 15

A new day is dawning, and since the sun was setting when McKay came up with the idea of using the gate crystals to get Cadman's body out of the dart and her consciousness into her own body, we can assume that a night has gone by between the two of them passing out on the hangar floor and now. Whether anyone besides McKay and Cadman had any time or opportunity for sleep we don't know, but it's important to note that there was a time-skip between Weir and Sheppard watching Cadman in McKay's body kissing Beckett and Sheppard now running to catch up with Weir in the gate room. He did not just leave their unconscious bodies on the floor and go after her to check up on his pet project.

So, McKay and Cadman's bodies were taken to the infirmary. Whether Weir and Sheppard went along to see them taken in we don't know, although there is no reason to assume they didn't. They both have perfectly professional reasons to want to know how their team member, an officer under their command, and the chief scientist of the expedition are doing and whether they are going to be alright. But regardless, we now find Sheppard pestering Weir about the Ronon-situation, and again it's not coincidental that his level of urgency for making sure this happens is upped now that McKay is unconscious in the hospital once more. The previous time when McKay was still under was when he first approached Ronon and now he's insistent that they seal the deal:

Sheppard: Did you get the chance to talk to Ronon? Weir: Yes, I did. Chatty fellow, isn't he?! Sheppard: And? Weir: He would be your responsibility. Sheppard: I knew you'd say yes!

Here, Weir makes Ronon Sheppard's responsibility like he was a pet dog and while it is dehumanizing, it is essentially as an attack dog to put on his front yard to guard his most precious property that Sheppard did initially intend him. And Sheppard does seem excited like a child that had just been promised a puppy here. He will take good care of it, he swears! It isn't so much that he is excited by the prospect as that he is using his charming persona to manipulate Weir, which we have seen him do before. The smile, lifting the eyebrows, tilting his head with boyish charm, they're all designed to get that "yes" from her. The look he has on his face before Weir turns to look at him, when she can't see his face, is very different. It's apprehensive. He needs this to happen. Note also the hand that he kept raised as a barrier between them while they were walking from where ever they were coming from.

And again, it's not that Sheppard really required Weir's permission to take him on. It's more that he needed Weir to assess Ronon's character and confirm to him that this is not a bad idea. That this does not pose a danger to McKay but will, in fact, help to keep him safe. Sheppard knows that Weir cares about McKay enough that he would never allow any danger to come to him, and he knows that Weir as a diplomat knows how to assess people well enough to be able to know what kind of a man Ronon is much better than he can. But the thing is, Weir also knows enough about people to understand that Sheppard has been using her and while it is not the first time and it probably won't be the last, she's not exactly fine with this happening.

Weir: I haven't said yes. Sheppard: Well, you were about to. Weir: Yes. Sheppard: There you go!

Weir is willing to give him a pass this time since he has clearly been under a lot of strain but this has got to stop. Sheppard is being so obvious about it here, too. He's like a child trying to talk their mother into giving them a permission to get candy from the store.

Now, while Sheppard and Weir go their opposite ways here (and they are not forces of equal magnitude even though, as ever, they do give people the opportunity to interpret them as such here--although I really find it quite fascinating the way Sheppard's eyes glide past her body not looking at it as he looks down and then up when she's standing right in front of him), we next find the both of them sitting by McKay's bed, waiting for him to wake up. What's interesting is that while we saw Weir by McKay's bed the first time, we have not seen Sheppard by him at the hospital at all. It is as though the fact that Cadman, the young Lieutenant under his command, is also here that gives him the pretext of hanging around. Cadman gives him an excuse to be there. But make no mistake, he is there for McKay. They are all there for McKay which you can tell by the fact that Cadman seems to already be awake when McKay starts stirring but all of the people are still waiting for something.

And Sheppard is thankful that Weir is there with him because this, having to watch McKay unconscious while being helpless to do anything to make sure he's alright is really difficult for Sheppard. He's not good at this. Even if there weren't a hundred different things making it complicated for the two of them, he would still have a hard time sitting by McKay's bed just waiting for him to be alright. He would rather dive in front of a bullet for him a thousand times over than have to do this. This is the worst. Well, almost the worst. McKay dying slowly in front of him by something attacking his mind that he is helpless to stop, that is the worst. And he would rather think about anything else than that.

Now, McKay doesn't say anything as he wakes up this time, although it's possible he was trying to form words. He seems to have been asleep rather than unconscious here. While Sheppard isn't seated at the centre of his field of vision from the bed, Sheppard is the first thing that comes to focus for him, Sheppard is what he focuses on the moment he wakes up. Where Zelenka and Weir seem to be sitting occupied in their own thoughts, Weir resting her chin on her hands and Zelenka reading something, Sheppard for his part appears to be asleep himself, resting his head on his hand as he dozes off.

As mentioned previously, Sheppard seemed exhausted before and seems to have had difficulty sleeping recently, so he may have taken the opportunity to catch up on sleep while they wait for McKay to wake up here. We have seen him sleep sitting on a chair before, and as a soldier he is likely capable of catching Z's where ever. But it's also possible that he feels comforted here, near McKay, being able to listen to him sleep which is something he hasn't been able to do for a while now (in The Intruder S02E02 Weir told Sheppard that she couldn't sleep without the sound of the ocean because she had grown accustomed to it, and it's possible Sheppard feels the same way about listening to McKay sleep). Sheppard is sleeping lightly, though, as he lifts his head up the moment they hear McKay making sounds.

Cadman waves at McKay using her right hand, suggesting that she indeed is right-handed.

While McKay's gaze focused on Sheppard, he avoids looking at him until he's sure that Cadman is out of his head. But as soon as he sees her next to him, his eyes briefly flicker to Sheppard. As it's all coming back to him, he is apprehensive of just how much trouble they are in for her stunt and he decides to keep not looking at Sheppard. And Sheppard is likewise being cautious around him. While, as mentioned, Cadman had already been awake, now that McKay is awake they approach their beds. Zelenka comes by McKay but both Weir and Sheppard stay by Cadman's bedside. Weir doesn't really know her at all, so their arrangement has more to do with it seeming pretty rude to go in between their beds with their backs turned to her. Standing like this, they are able to encompass them both.

However, note how Sheppard stumbles slightly as he follows Weir to the bed. Either he's not fully awake yet or he was about to step around her bed and then decided against it at the last moment. His little stumble also coincides with McKay's "Ah!" which seems to be the results of stretching but is not unlike a sex noise he could make and that Sheppard has probably heard before.

McKay realizes that Zelenka did a lot of work to get him back and is touched by seeing the man sitting by his bedside so he tries to say something nice to him. But just as soon as it's out, he has to walk it back and while it is true that he's not very good with people, partially it is also because his masculinity has been attacked pretty severely during this whole ordeal. He has to reclaim some of his manhood back and being brusque with another man is one way doing that.

McKay: Nice work. Zelenka: Well, it was your idea. McKay: Well, of course it was, but you... you were... there.

And Mckay is not the only one who feels like they have to do some damage control. It is extremely important to interpret Sheppard's line here in context:

Sheppard: Lieutenant, way to survive what I think may be my worst nightmare. Cadman: Thank you, sir! McKay: Yes, thank you...

First of all, while Sheppard is saying this to Cadman, he's not actually talking to Cadman, and McKay knows this perfectly well, too. Like he often does, he uses someone else as a prop while he's really saying something to McKay. In fact, although he's not quite sure what to make of it, McKay again takes it as though Sheppard had intended it to him. However, McKay interprets it as a disparaging remark and a lot of the audience will too. These are the kind of scenes, these are the kind of quips that are easy to interpret as hurtful delivered in his sarcastic tone during emotionally fraught moments that make Sheppard look like kind of a dick. What is Sheppard saying here? He's making a joke that his worst nightmare is being inside McKay? Because a man being inside another man, that's gay. And being inside McKay is even worse than being gay because he's such a dweeb. This is precisely how a marine might interpret the line, and it's not impossible Sheppard meant for her to interpret it like that, too. Letting her know he's not gay. He has no desire to be inside a man in general and McKay in particular. Right?

It is because many people did interpret it this way, not understanding Sheppard's need to wisecrack his way through heavy emotional moments because they are overwhelming to him, that we later on get a whole episode about Sheppard's worst nightmares where they literally put him inside McKay's subconscious mind and we are explicitly told that that's not his nightmare. Being inside McKay, whether physically or mentally, is not nightmare fuel for him and, in fact, having had McKay inside his mind is the happiest that we ever see him in the whole run of the show. We briefly see his unguarded, genuine emotion, we see him at peace. This is what Sheppard would look like if he woke up in his personal heaven, and this euphoria is all because he had just had McKay inside his mind.

In this same episode, we are shown that losing McKay is Sheppard's worst nightmare because apparently that's something that really needed to be driven home. It's his worst nightmare, but not the only one. He also dreams about clowns. But he also has nightmares about hot girls. I'll get to the whys and the wherefores and things that may have happened in his youth and adolescence later but let's just take it at face value that this is, in fact, the truth of it. His nightmares feature women and McKay knows about this. While they may not be his literal worst nightmare, as he's likely in denial about what his worst nightmare already clearly is by this time, he may very well believe that these recurring, extrtemely distressing dreams about hot women are his worst nightmares.

Now, where Cadman did survive the ordeal, Sheppard didn't actually say that what happened to her during all of this was his nightmare fuel, only that she participated in it, she survived it. And having a beautiful, sexually aggressive woman coercing or forcing him to do things against his will sounds much more like something Sheppard might have nightmares about than any manner at all in which he could find himself inside McKay. In fact, having access to McKay's body was something that he deeply desired and which was (currently) denied to him. Being inside a mind he respected and admired? Would have been an adventure. He's not saying that being inside McKay's mind would be his worst nightmare. That's not what he's saying at all.

In one sense, this is also pure projection in the sense that what he says is the opposite of what he actually means. Being inside McKay is not his worst nightmare, it would be a dream come true. But that is obviously something Sheppard would never say, he could not physically make the words come out of his mouth if his life depended on it regardless of the company present. So, he flips it, he says the opposite, and it's par for the course in the sense that they have been exchanging these barbs recently because they haven't found any other way of being close to each other in this new situation. And a part of why this comes out sounding so bitter is that Sheppard is actually feeling jealousy, here. He's jealous that Cadman got to have this experience, that Cadman got to spend all that time with McKay, was able to get closer to McKay than he ever did because even though he has been in McKay, inside McKay, he has never been that deep inside him and not for lack of wanting to. Sheppard is being overwhelmed by a variety of different emotions here and he doesn't know how to deal with any of them beyond turning them into a joking remark.

McKay seems initially confused by what Sheppard says. He takes it as an insult, as they have been exchanging entirely unnecessary barbs of late, just to have some outlet for their feelings when they were forced to work together, to be near each other, as though that might make it hurt less. Of course it didn't, but they hadn't yet learned another way of seeking the closeness they both missed. But he interprets it as Sheppard implying that he would rather be anywhere else but in McKay's mind, as though being inside his mind is the most horrible thing he can think of. As far as McKay is concerned, Sheppard has been not choosing him a lot lately, has let him know that he is not Sheppard's first choice for anything, and this is precisely what he has always feared. His broken down self-esteem causes him to believe this to be true because he has no idea how hard Sheppard is working on guaranteeing his safety, how important McKay is to him, how he literally didn't waste one fraction of a second choosing him over Cadman a day ago. He is Sheppard's first choice but he interprets his actions as demonstrating otherwise. And hence, he is hurt by what Sheppard says here. He hears it the way a large portion of the audience heard it too. And it is this, interpreting Sheppard as kicking someone when they're already down that makes him look like a dick. But that was not his intention at all.

And then Sheppard hears McKay's tone, sees the hurt and he tries to make sure McKay understand what he meant by it. He gives McKay what is clearly a fake smile, and this is not the important part. It's the look that accompanies it, the way his eyes linger on McKay for a fraction too long for the look to be from one friend to another, everything in his eyes that he means to say and that only McKay would be able to read off of him. He fake-smiles and nods but his eyes are serious, letting McKay know that what he's doing here is damage control. It's not about him, it's not about them, it's about making Cadman forget all about everything she might have seen or heard or come to believe. He makes it into a joke so that she might put it behind her, and not start digging or putting anything together in her mind. If she thinks McKay is inconsequential to him, there is no reason for her to suspect anything. With that look he is reminding McKay that he knows about his actual dreams and nightmares, and McKay is the only one Sheppard has ever shared them with. But the look Sheppard gives McKay to reassure him has something broken in it that he can't hide. There's fear in it. They have both avoided looking at each other like this, of communicating this way, for a while now and in giving McKay this look, he reveals too much. There is a downside to someone knowing you very, very well.

Now, Weir looks at McKay and suggests that "you two" might want a moment alone. She shifts her eyes to Cadman after she has said this, seemingly just to check her reaction, and Cadman interprets Weir as meaning herself and McKay. Like they'd need a moment alone together for some reason, like they hadn't just spent every minute of every hour together for the past two days.

Weir: I imagine you two might want a moment. Cadman: Actually, ma'am, I think I'd like some time alone. McKay: Same here. It's... been a while. Weir: Alright. Release them as soon as you can.

It doesn't make any sense for Weir to have meant the two of them. And even after they both say they would rather not be alone together, everyone just leaves them alone together anyway. Now while McKay rolls with her answer, he does look at Sheppard as he says this. It's been a while, he says. But while he's glad to be rid of her inside his brain, he does not want to be alone. He has felt more alone than he ever thought possible after they returned to Pegasus, and the most alone he feels is when Sheppard is somewhere close but out of reach. He's tired of feeling like this. But as it is, neither Sheppard nor McKay feel like they can react to Weir's offer in this context. She might mean well but that kiss had been way too public for them to even be able to have a conversation with just the two of them. Sheppard gives him the briefest look as he leaves, not reacting to Weir's proposal at all. They do need a moment. They both want a moment. But they can't have one. Not here, not now.

And to add insult to injury, we see Beckett squeeze Cadman's hand as he leaves. Cadman and McKay look at each other without speaking a word, exchanging knowing glances as though they now have a better understanding of each other, as though they've learned some valuable lessons about the opposite sex through this ordeal. As though Cadman had taught him about women and given him confidence to approach them as his authentic self, and she learned that she's more than just what her body can do or what ever she was meant to get out of this. Fable concluded, all is well that ends well.

But then we see McKay's face here, at the end, as he turns away from her. He smiles at her but where she can't see, he looks deeply unhappy. We are meant to think Cadman had just helped him start a relationship with a cute, funny and bright woman but he doesn't look like a man at the top of his world. McKay looks like someone had just died and he's trying to keep himself from falling apart. He sighs deeply, like this is one of the times when it hurts to breathe. These people that have basically just met are able to show their affection in public and he's barely allowed to look at the man that he just can't stop loving, however much he tries. And now, for damage control, he probably was going to have to pretend to court the botanist and eat salads for weeks, maybe months. So many salads. And he would have to come up with some way of explaining his behaviour during the dinner that would allow him to get by without having to do that again.

As far as we know, that was the only kiss between McKay and Katie Brown. He never denies Sheppard's suggestion that they didn't get past first base, everything else is conjecture. And this, McKay's face here at the end tells us a lot about how deeply upsetting the events of the episode were for him. McKay turning away from Cadman after he sees Beckett squeeze her hand is the same look as Sheppard had when he turned away from the (likely) newly wed couple in Weir's office earlier. It lets us know that both of them had once shared a dream, and that dream has since been shattered. The best-laid plans of mice and men oft do go awry and leave us nothing but grief and pain for promised joy. That is a lesson he had learned long ago. It had been foolish to think anything else.

[nerdierholler]

Doing an A romance route? Want N or M as a BFF but because the code is broken you keep getting F? Here’s some Book 1 and 2 choices that will get you the BFF of your choice!

Notes:

I could not have done this without the Book 1 and 2 guides made by @wayhavenguide A million thanks for all of their hard work on those. Also for their posts on what is going on with the coding for BFFs in Book 3 in the first place. I’m not a code diver so I would never have figured this out otherwise.

In order to get N as your BFF, they must have more friendship points than everyone else and everyone else’s friendship points must be tied. Increasing M’s friendship will give M as a BFF. Technically there’s more wiggle room with M but I’ll leave other people to go down that rabbit hole if they want. I’ll make a note on one M conversation in book 2 that very easily allows you to switch between N and M as BFFs and you don't have to sound like a jerk about anything in a conversation

A, F, and M should have around 13 total friendship points by the end of book 2 (My math got off somewhere. The number is equal, I'm not just sure what it is). N will have about 20 points. You can cut some N approval dialogue if you want as long as you don't choose an option that increases friendship for someone else.

I made this with my detective in mind but it should be a good enough base for others to check the guides and figure out how to change things to fit their detective’s choices. This is not a service I’m offering. There are probably plenty of other ways to make the math work out correctly, this was just the one that worked best for me.

Major path choices include: Douglas route, did Agency tests, supernatural research, Tina knows, rescue Sanja, Maa-alused treaty with agency. Others will be noted in the guide. Friendship will be at the max level for all of Unit Bravo to start Book 3.

Similar to the formatting of the guides, I won’t by typing every option out in an effort to keep this from being too long. It’s designed to be used in conjunction with the guides for more details. Sharing google docs always seems to allude me so this is just one long post.

In Book 1, some A conversations have both romance and friendship options. It is important not to choose the friendship options so that has been taken into consideration, if you wonder why a seemingly friendly option is noted as an exclusion.

I was able to get the Book 3 opening with N using this. I haven't tried to go further in the book but I see no reason why it shouldn't keep working from there.

Book 1

Chapters 1 and 2 - No friendship points available

Chapter 3: Go talk to Verda Choice 16: “Don’t worry about it” or “Don’t worry, I’m ashamed” (N +1) Choice 17: Thank them for helping to calm situation (N +1) Choice 23: “It was good working with you too” (N +1)

Chapter 4 Choice 4: Glare back (M +1) Go see Kate with A (A +1) Choice 11: Any EXCEPT “I think we could make a good team” Choice 15/16/17: Any EXCEPT “Is that someone’s attempt at modern art” Choice 18/19/20: “Of course. Happy to help” (N +1) Chapter 6 Choice 3: “Let’s get this over with” (M +1) Patrol with A Choice 7: Any EXCEPT “Aw, see? You do like me, really”

Chapter 7 Choice 4: “This is how I look” (M +1) Choice 8: Call A (A +1)

Chapter 8 - None

Chapter 9 Go for drinks with Tina (Douglas Path) Choice 11: “Might be nice to get to know…” (N +1) Get drinks with A (A +1) Choice 14: Any EXCEPT “You get that one, I’ll manage the rest” Chapter 10 Choice 12 (Detective reacted well to Rebecca’s secrets): “I love her too”, “ I don’t blame my mother”, or “It’ll be easier for me” (N +1) Choice 17: Do the tests (+1 friendship for all of UB)

Chapter 11 Visit A Choice 2: Any EXCEPT “Despite our differences, I respect them” Choice 4: Any EXCEPT “...but you are monsters”, “Exactly!”, or “You’re not a monster but your attitude is” Choice 5/6/7/8/9: Asking the vampire questions Skip or choose any answer for: Blood, Stakes, Pheromones, Reflections, and Sparkling. There are no points with any of these Sunlight: Skip question or “Books got a lot wrong” or “Everything is getting more terrifying” Boosted Senses: Skip question or "Don’t read me" Garlic: “Enjoy a Bolognese” (N, A, F +1, these points are required) Crosses and Holy Water: “No cross wielding at Murphy” (+1 all)

Chapter 12 Choice 5/6: “Thanks for worrying” or “If he’s still lurking around” (N +1) Go to Hospital with A and F Choice 10/11: “I don’t mind, just unexpected” (A +1) Choice 11/12: “Knowing even part of his motivation” (A +1)

Chapter 13 Choice 4/5: “How could I not help like you” or “I’ve come to like you” (F +1) Choice 6/7: “Come in” (F +1) Choice 7/8: Any EXCEPT “I’m terrified”, “Angry at the lies”, or “I’d rather not talk” (F +1)

Chapter 14 Choice 1: “I’m grateful”, “Don’t worry”, “Keep buying me food” or “I’ve enjoyed having a team" (N +1)

Chapter 15 - None (Choose A romance)

Chapter 16 Choice 2: “Can’t let you fight them off yourself”, “I’m not leaving you” or “It’s the best plan” (A +1)

No further choices in the game affect friendship points

Book 2

Chapters 1 and 2 - No friendship options

Chapter 3 Choice 2. “I’m very happy to be working with you all again.” (A, N, F +1)

Chapter 4 - None

Chapter 5 Choice 6: “I agree. We don’t have enough information yet” (A, N +1) Choice 7: “I want to protect the people in town”, “I want to make sure everyone is safe”, “I know we can figure this out”, or “Fighting a vampire is one thing” (N+1)

Chapter 6 Choice 2/3/4: “Can you put that out?”, “I’ll get the extinguisher”, “Those things will kill you” or Ignore them (M+1) Choice 3/4/5: Letting UB use the detective's first name or a nickname gets a +1 from everyone

Chapter 7 Choice 6: “Offense completely taken”, “Next time you need a driver” or “None taken” (M +1)

Chapter 8 - None

Chapter 9 Choice 2: Supernatural research (N, F +1) Choice 4: Any EXCEPT “Underestimating anyone…” or Nod in respect (M +1)

Chapter 10 - None

Chapter 11 Choice 1: “I’m with M”, “Maybe some picture books” or “The more you complain” (M +1) Choice 3: “I’m happy to stay”, Roll my eyes, or “You owe me” (F, M +1)

Chapter 12 Choice 3: Choosing options that give M points will result in M being the BFF, otherwise N will be the BFF“Maybe we shouldn’t touch anything”, “Won’t make us wait much longer” or Ignore it (no points, N will be BFF), “Bored?”, “You feeling uneasy?”, or “Enjoying yourself?” (M +1, M will be BFF) Choice 4/5: “Glad we could meet”, “Nice to meet you” (Treaty, Falk, and Sanja +1)

Chapter 13 Choice 1/3: “Nice to have company”, “I still need to work”, or “Prepared to be bored” (F +1) Choice 2/3/4/5/6/7: Help them (F +1) Choice 3/4/5/6/7/8: Any EXCEPT “After the mess, I don’t think so” (F +1)

Chapter 14 Choice 7/8/9/10/11: Meet A’s gaze, frown, and look away (N +1)

Chapter 15 Choice 2: Walk with N Choice 3: Any EXCEPT “They showed their true colors” or “I don’t think much about them” (N +1) Choice 7/8: “No and getting harder”, “Part of the job”, or “Thought it would be easier” (A +1)

Chapter 16 Choice 6/7: Rescue Sanja (M +1) Choice 7/8: Any option that returns F’s high five (F +1)

Chapter 17 Choice 2/3/4/5: “This has turned complicated” or “Are you worried” (A +1) Choice 3/4/5/6: “It’s been a challenge”, “I suppose I have no choice”, or “Of course. I’m prepared” (A +1)

Chapter 18 (assumes Maa-alused Treaty) Choice 1: “Wanted to end in the best way” (A, N +1)

No further choices in the game affect friendship points

[aquariius-rising]

Lavender Latte (Shikamaru x reader)

Thinking about a slow burn situationship with Shikamaru Nara, who you meet during your first year at university. I got carried away with the mutual pining, but I’d like to eventually make this into a series of fics that can also be read as standalones.

feat: fem!reader, university student! reader, fluff, angst, comfort, mutual pining, two idiots in love

wc: 2.4k | masterlist

It was a general education class, which had little to do with your major, but you were determined to maintain a perfect GPA. Shikamaru did not care too much about GPA, he just wanted to graduate (D’s do get degrees, after all). 

On the first day of class, he was the last person to arrive. The only seat available to him was up front, next to you. You smiled at him and passed him an extra copy of the syllabus, which you saved in case someone came in late. He mumbled a quiet thank you. 

He found your attitude grating at first, especially since the class was at 9am. He couldn’t understand how you managed to show up early, eyes bright and well-rested with your color coded notes that you took ahead of each lecture. 

You answered every discussion question and hosted study sessions in your dorm room. Shikamaru, on the other hand, showed up late (if he showed at all). He didn’t talk unless he had to, and he certainly didn’t take notes. You were sunshine in human form, and Shikamaru preferred to stay in the shadows. 

When he showed up 15 minutes late one morning, he noticed that you’d saved his seat and left an energy bar with a smiley sticker on it. A sticker! 

‘Tch. troublesome.’ 

He cursed you for being so sweet, but the lazy man made a point to grab your favorite coffee as a thank you for the next class. He scoffed at your order, a flowery latte with plant milk. 

‘Women,’ he muttered to himself, ordering it and a black coffee for himself. 

Despite your differences, the two of you got along.

You only see each other in the context of the single class you share, but you make a powerful study team. The rest of the class, sensing that they could never keep up with your high energy and his intellect, slowly stopped showing up to your sessions. 

Noticing this, Shikamaru began to come each week. Eventually, you two had a private study session. You tell him you need an A in this class because you want to apply to law school, and for some reason he decides he wants to help you get there. Your grades soared, and Shikamaru found himself making a point to get to class only 5 minutes late.

His group of friends teased him about it every time they met for a kickback. Since when do you care about gen eds? They’d ask. Shikamaru could only curse at them and roll his eyes. 

Your friends were equally confused. They couldn’t understand why you’d spend time with a slacker like Shikamaru. You laughed them off, assuring them that he’s actually the smartest person you’ve ever met, and that he’s just waiting until his higher level classes start next year.

Exam week looms over campus like a thick fog. You were especially anxious to set the best foundation for your academic performance, which is why you were camping in the library. You spent a solid 6 hours staring at your textbooks, willing your brain to understand what you were reading. 

“The answer is C,” a voice drawled behind you, startling you back to reality. And there he was, smirking down at your disheveled appearance, your latte in hand. 

He’s never seen you so flustered, and for a moment, he wondered what else could make you look like that. He wanted to be the one to tousle your hair and make you stare up at him with those wide eyes. A slight blush crosses his face and he averts his gaze. You don’t notice. 

He offers the caffeine to you and you accept it, your eyes filled with gratitude and he settles in a seat beside you for a quick tutoring session. It helps, and you try in vain to offer anything in return. 

You both get the highest grades in the class, of course. Your friends go out for a night to celebrate and to loosen up after 16 weeks of focusing on classes, volunteering, and internships. They meet you in your tiny dorm room with 2 bottles of cheap red wine and dress you in your roommate’s old little black dress before sneaking out to a bar on campus.

The smell of cigarette smoke mixes with greasy pub food, and you can’t maneuver around the space without bumping into someone. The experience is equal parts mortifying and exhilarating.

Shikamaru notices you walk in. He’s surprised you’d come to this shitty establishment since he’s never seen you out during the regular semester. He puts out his cigarette and ambles toward you, ignoring his friends’ prying questions. 

You beam when you meet his gaze, and emboldened by the unfamiliar territory, you offer to buy him a drink. To make up for all the coffees he got you, of course. Shikamaru lets out a laugh at this. 

‘Troublesome woman,’. You giggle at the nickname and loop your arm with his, dragging him to the bar. Your shoes stick to the linoleum flooring, making your inebriated steps clumsier. 

He steadies you, rolling his eyes despite the mirth dancing in his eyes. You let him order for both of you since you don’t know what you like, and he hands you a yellow drink. The bartender smirks knowingly at Shikamaru, and you quietly pay and offer a meek “thank you”. 

His eyes drink in the way your hair sticks to your neck and the soft sheen of sweat that gathers at your hairline, causing the tiny hairs there to curl from the moisture. You smell like summertime, citrus and wildflowers. It cuts through the heavy smell that lingers around the venue. 

“Tequila pineapple,” he offers. You look at him with slight confusion. 

“Your drink. It’s not a real cocktail since this isn’t a real bar, but it works,” he said simply. You thank him again and try it. It burns, of course, but the pineapple juice offers sweet relief. He laughs at your attempt to drink without wincing. 

Your friends find you before you can talk properly and you follow them to the dancefloor, careful not to spill on anyone. You shoot him an apologetic glance before getting lost in the fervor around you. It’s sweaty and maybe a little gross, but the tequila makes it difficult for you to concentrate fully. 

Shikamaru returned to his friends, his beer half finished. Lately, your conversations have left him feeling uneasy. He’d hoped it was because of exams but he knew what was happening. Every shared laugh, every conspiratorial look, felt like a punch to his gut. It was a tangled mess of emotions he was ill-equipped to deal with. 

He tried to pay attention to whatever Kiba was talking about, but his eyes kept flickering to you. Eventually, Choji followed his gaze to your form. 

"So that’s why you’re up at 8AM on Mondays?" Choji asked, darting between his childhood friend and you. The rest of the group, sensing a juicy conversation taking place, turned to face you too. Kiba whistled, causing Naruto to burst in a fit of laughter.   

“It’s not like that,” he muttered, watching some guy wrap his arm around your waist and whisper something in your ear. The dazzling smile you give him in response could have stopped Shikamaru’s heart. His hand tightens around his beercan, denting it a bit. Choji looks at him, sympathy clear on his face. 

You swayed, holding onto someone’s shoulder for extra stability. The air around you was electric. You hummed in tune with the music, loud and overpowering. 

A guy from your political science class, Sasuke was it?, approaches you. He tells you he was impressed with your final project, making you blush. He was handsome, but the connection between you was friendly. He leans into you and asks you about your roommate and you grin, ecstatic to play matchmaker. 

You grab your roommate to introduce her, but she surprises you with her own observation. 

“He keeps staring,” 

You blink, once, twice. She motions for you to turn around, so you spin dramatically. Your friends groan at your lack of subtlety. You lock eyes with Shikamaru, who finishes his drink without breaking eye contact. A shiver races down your spine.  

Shikamaru Nara didn’t like girls with so much energy. Shikamaru Nara will never put in the effort to date. You knew this, but the hours you spent together made it impossible to ignore the way you craved his attention. 

Frozen on the dancefloor, all you can do is watch as he leaves the bar. The night continues, wholly unaware of your pity party. 

Shikamaru stalks toward the exit, ignoring the calls from Choji and pushing past drunk people more forcefully than he should. He needed air. Stepping outside, he leaned against the brick wall, a cigarette dangling unlit from his lips. The cold air felt welcome after being in the hot and humid bar for the last 2 hours. 

He groaned and searched his coat pocket for his lighter. It was unfair how much you affected him. He hasn’t felt quite like himself for months, and you seemed to be completely oblivious to the effect you had on every fiber of his being. 

Taking a long drag of his cigarette, Shikamaru reflects on just how much he wishes he could say something to you. He has no idea if he’ll see you again once he left campus for winter break since you were going to be in different programs. 

Tonight felt like a gift until you were ripped from him by circumstance. He hears commotion near the exit, so he turns to the source of noise. His heart rate skyrockets when he sees you, searching for something. 

You talk to the bouncer, but the wind makes it difficult for him to hear your words. The burly man motions in his direction, and you see him. You start to head in his direction with that same dazzling smile. 

He offers you his cigarette and you laugh. Of course you don’t smoke, but he wanted to break the ice somehow. There’s a heaviness that lingers between you both. And for once, he notices, you seem to realize it too. 

You shiver, December weather finally penetrating your liquid jacket. He shrugs out of his jacket and offers it to you, ever the gentleman. It’s hard not to swoon when he treats you so sweetly. 

The jacket smells like smoke and his cologne, a distinctly masculine scent. You nuzzle the collar and inhale, earning a laugh from your normally stoic companion. The sound sends goosebumps over your skin. He tells you the dress looks good on you, that it makes you look cool with his jacket. He asks you how it feels to go out for the first time. You retreat into the jacket, but will yourself to respond. 

"It's...different," you admit, the words muffled by fabric. You weren't sure if you meant the change in style or the shift in your dynamic that you both seem to be acknowledging tonight. 

Shikamaru chuckles again,"Good different, I hope?"

You meet his gaze, the playful teasing you usually shared replaced by a hesitant vulnerability. "Different...and confusing."

He pushes off the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

"Confusing?" He echoes, his voice a low murmur. He looks dangerous and you gulp despite yourself.

"You," you blurted, surprised by your own boldness. "You looked upset. And then you were gone,"

Shikamaru flinches, a flicker of something akin to embarrassment crossing his face, seeming to wrestle with the right words. You take a step closer to him. 

There was a beat of silence, thick with emotion. Finally, Shikamaru sighs.

 "Look," he mumbles, scratching the back of his neck, a nervous habit you noticed on the first day of class. "Don't get the wrong idea about… back there."

You feel the moment slipping away before you’ve said what you’ve been too afraid to say for 4 months. You reach for him, desperate to prevent him from sabotaging what they had before they could confess to each other. 

“Sasuke was interested in my roommate. He’s my friend,” you say, firmly. 

He meets your gaze, the air crackling between you, tension reaching a fever pitch.  "This isn't..." He paused again, frustration evident in his furrowed brow. "This isn't how I thought things would be. I hoped to tell you before now, I guess"

Your heart hammers against your ribs. Did he just...? But before you can press him further, a mischievous grin spreads across his face. "Besides," he continues, a hint of his usual playfulness returning, "You wouldn’t want to waste your time with a troublesome guy like me, would you?"

The playful tease sent a wave of relief and confusion washing over you. Before you could decipher his mixed signals, he flicked his cigarette butt onto the ground, an almost defeated sigh escaping his lips.

"Come on," he said, offering you his arm. "Let's get you back inside before you freeze."

You hesitate for a moment, the weight of his unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Then, with a small smile, you grab his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. Before nerves can convince you otherwise, you brush your lips against his.  Time stands still as he takes a step toward you, deepening the kiss for a second longer before parting. Your breath heaves from excitement and he swears he could cry tears of joy. 

“Okay, now let’s go back,” you whisper against his lips. He nods, unable to say anything. 

You join him inside, this time meeting his friends. 

Choji watches Shikamaru joke with you, his demeanor more excited than he’s ever seen. And you stare up at him, the depths of your feelings obvious to everyone but the two of you. Even Kiba, normally the jokester and playboy, can’t help but smile at your obvious chemistry. 

Sasuke buys everyone in both groups a round, as a thank you for setting him up with your roommate. Despite your differences, everyone chatters excitedly about their upcoming plans during break and your schedules for next semester. 

You have no idea what the future holds, or what tonight means for you and him, but you decide not to think about it for now as you take a sip of your second tequila pineapple. 

Shikamaru never thought a troublesome 9AM class would inspire gratitude, but looking at you tucked beside him warmed him like a sip of perfectly brewed coffee on that fateful morning.

[neoyi-backstreetback]

Aephorul/Resh'an, 4, 10, 15, 20!

And Marine/Prima, 2, 13

*cracks knuckles* Let's start with Marine and Prima since there's less of that.

2) who says “I love you” more?

Honestly, both of them would be equally sharing that role, but in significantly different ways. Marine is much more outwardly and while it's not always a direct "I love you!" He is far, far, far more affectionate about it. That is, in a very blatant, glomping/planting dramatic kisses/locking-arms-out-in-public kinda way. He's a french robot, what'd ya expect?

Prima tends to be more subtle. He prefers the quiet "I love yous" in the privacy of their home (well, space ship in this case.) He tends to wordlessly wrap his arms around Marine or give him reassuring pecks on the forehead whenever Marine is sad or something like that. I personally like writing where the two don't necessarily say "I loves you" at the drop of a hat, but express it in their own ways through gestures and spoken reassurances/affections.

And without delving too much into spoiler territory, Prima would be the kind to softly tell Marine he loves him when the latter is asleep, for reasons I can't say yet since we're not at that part in the story.

13) who gives the most compliments?

This is the only one on the answer list that I did not draw art for, partially because after drawing everything else on this blog post, I started getting tired and partially because I could not really think of what to draw with Marine and Prima specifically for this piece.

The answer is, both would, but again, in their own ways. When Marine is especially happy Prima did something he likes, that bot is gonna be super giddy and enthusiastic with his compliments. Prima would dish out his more casually with a thumbs up; kinda like a "eyyy, that was the ritz, Fish Bot."

Okay, now for Resh'an and Aephorul.

4) who swears more?

Aephorul.

Resh'an tend to swear when prompted more than anything.

10) who usually makes dinner?

In his younger, pre-immortal days, Resh'an was a prince, so he had personal chefs literally cooking for him everyday, so dude never learned a damn thing. Obviously, also being a guy hyperfixated in alchemy meant he'd ignore food for hours at a time and sustain on coffee and whatever meals his servants left him that he only shoved into his mouth hole when he realized that, oh right, eating and drinking is what keeps you focused and not feel like dying.

Aephorul isn't a master chef by any means, but constantly traveling alone for so long and surviving harsh conditions meant he learned to cook what he could. We're talking camping, wilderness survivor levels, so he knows how to skin rabbits, pluck feathers from birds he's shot, and gut fishes he's killed. Most of them are just roasted over an open fire. Everything else is food he'll have bought from any towns and cities he's in and often ones that'll last, like dried sausages or cheese. ...He can fry eggs, but boiling them means he can store them to be munched on later.

Aephorul did try to teach Resh'an how to cook (survival and all), but it basically boiled down to Aephorul just doing most of it himself when it became clear that man would be likely to burn a house down with his lethal handling of a frying pan.

Post-immortal, Aephorul has an army of minions from all across the multiverse who often serve him food, half of which he doesn't really eat anyway because he just has a lot of work to do. Though the ones he does eat, he's actually very grateful for it. Aephorul genuinely has fond memories dining out in restaurants and bars in his travels, so he likes eating whenever he has the time. Sometimes, he actually will eat with his minions because he liked the bustling sounds of a busy bar in his youth. Aephorul doesn't really say much, he just lets Barma'thazel or the Acolytes chat about what Kevin's been doing to the office fern the other day or if any of them signed the card for Carol's retirement party.

Resh'an, being the kind of guy with a lot of time on his hands and genuinely appreciate of the world(s) around him, did eventually learn to cook and especially bake (hey, it's mixing ingredients, just like alchemy) which would prove useful a few times...........................but largely never really did make good use of it in favor of the truly heinous amount of take out he ends up ordering instead due to his literal centuries holed up in his library cave doing spacetime research and the shitton of endless money he can alchemy up whenever he damn well wants to pay for his umpteenth Chipotle burrito.

15) who isn’t afraid to embarrass the other in public?

Technically both. Aephorul, usually when he's the most angry; Resh'an if Aephorul pushed his buttons enough. There have been MOUNTAINS of arguments between the two of them out in public before they learned to at least STOP TIME so they could conduct their bitchfest without prying eyes or ears.

Pre-immortal days, it was usually Resh'an embarrassing Aephorul, but in a very affectionate way. In spite of being, like, 20, Resh'an would do that shit where kids would pull someone's pigtails or poke them with a pencil as a sign that they liked them. Past Resh'an would absolutely do that to Aephorul when they were slowly getting to know each other. Aephorul found it annoying, but damn it, he could not stop blushing at that guy For Some Reason.

Resh'an did stop eventually, largely because he outgrew it. Running away from home and learning to adapt to life outside a palace took the spoiled child out of him relatively quickly.

20) who is more ‘physically passionate’? (hugs, kisses, or maybe more…)

Aephorul without a doubt. And absolutely out in public. He will smother that man with kisses, hugs, and minor inappropriate touching until someone complained and the two of them would be escorted out of the park because damn it, they were warned about this.

Resh'an tries to put a stop to it before it gets too far and maintain some decorum, but he secretly feels validated that Aephorul, after millennia after millennia, has never stopped loving him. Resh'an adores the affection, he just won't admit it.

[evidence-based-activism]

Hi! Thanks so much for your hard work, I always appreciate the amount of effort you put into your posts and your devotion to promoting the truth above all.

Recently, I was curious about what proportion of men use pornography on a regular basis, so I googled it, and the search results were not useful in the slightest. There were a huge variety of studies cited in various different articles with wildly differing statistics attached to each of them. I don't really know how to effectively parse through all the information available on the subject, so I was wondering if you, as someone with an admirable grasp of statistics, had any light to shed on the question of what proportion of men are regular porn users.

(While writing this, I realized that the answer to this question is probably heavily dependent on which demographics of men are given which surveys, so for my purposes, being a USAmerican, I guess I'd be primarily curious about USAmerican men's habits, but if you had any way to break the data down by region or continent or country, that'd be incredibly interesting too)

Hi, Anon! Thank you!!

There are definitely a wide range of estimates for this, and they vary even more when considering what "frequent" is (at least once a week? more than once a week? at least once a month?). That being said, I think there are still some good estimates:

This article [1] reviewed relatively large (n >= 100) studies published between 2010 and 2017 on non-clinical samples. Both their pooled, weighted, analysis of studies with convenience samples of young adult (~18-39) men from developed and nearly-developed countries* (final sample size > 14,700) and an estimate from a review of large-scale, nationally representative surveys of young adult men from the USA yielded a final estimate of: ~45% of men use pornography at least weekly.

There have also been some more recent studies that help provide a clearer picture.

First, random/probability samples (better for generalization):

This 2021 study [2] on people aged 16 to 84 in Sweden found 33% of men used pornography at least once a week, but this ranged by age group from 66% for men aged 16-24 to 7.4% for men aged 65-84.

This 2021 study [3] on adolescents aged 14 to 17 in six European countries (Greece, Spain, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Iceland) found 40% of male teenagers used pornography at least once a week.

Next, non-random/non-probability samples (issues with generalization, but still useful for investigating specific aspects of a phenomenon):

This 2021 study [4] on more than 15,000 young adults (age not specified) in Arab countries** found 55% of men used pornography at least once a week.

This 2018 study [5] on more than 1,000 adults (>18) in the US found 92% of men used pornography in the last month with an average (across participants) of 68 minutes per a week

This 2017 study [6] on 941 participants (aged 15 to 29) from Victoria, Australia found 84% of men used pornography at least once a week

This 2022 study [7] in that it performed an analysis of "objective website traffic data" in Poland found that pornography use has been increasing over time and as of 2016, 49% of male internet users used pornography in a month. Averaging across all study years, and dividing out by age, the estimates ranged from ~25% for boys aged 7-12 to ~60% for men aged 18-22. (And these are averaging across the period of increase, so the current estimates would likely be higher.)

In summary, frequency of pornography use varies by age and (to a degree) by geographic region (i.e., by degree development and gender equality). All of these also only considered prevalence among men with internet access, which means it is most likely not generalizable to very low income countries.

That being said, given the similarity in estimates between the review, the probability samples, and the convenience samples I think a reasonable rough estimate for the percentage of younger (not senior) men (with internet access) who use pornography at least once a week is ~45%. Just keep in mind that there is definitely significant variation by age, such that older men use much less pornography than younger men.

There are also a lot of studies that look specifically at problematic pornography use, but I didn't include these because (1) they wouldn't be representative of the general population who may or may not be registering their behaviors as an issue and (2) I consider all pornography use problematic.

I hope this gives you the answer you need!

References below the cut:

Miller, Dan J., Raggatt, Peter T.F., and McBain, Kerry (2020) A literature review of studies into the prevalence and frequency of men's pornography use. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 15 (4) pp. 502-529.

Kinda Malki, Christoffer Rahm, Katarina Görts Öberg, Peter Ueda, Frequency of Pornography Use and Sexual Health Outcomes in Sweden: Analysis of a National Probability Survey, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 10, October 2021, Pages 1735–1751, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.08.003

Andrie, E. K., Sakou, I. I., Tzavela, E. C., Richardson, C., & Tsitsika, A. K. (2021). Adolescents’ online pornography exposure and its relationship to sociodemographic and psychopathological correlates: A cross-sectional study in six european countries. Children, 8(10), 925. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8100925

Eljawad, M. A., Se’eda, H., Ghozy, S., El-Qushayri, A. E., Elsherif, A., Elkassar, A. H., ... & Islam, S. M. S. (2021). Pornography use prevalence and associated factors in Arab countries: A multinational cross-sectional study of 15,027 individuals. The journal of sexual medicine, 18(3), 539-548.

Solano, I., Eaton, N. R., & O’Leary, K. D. (2020). Pornography consumption, modality and function in a large internet sample. The Journal of Sex Research.

Lim, M. S., Agius, P. A., Carrotte, E. R., Vella, A. M., & Hellard, M. E. (2017). Young Australians' use of pornography and associations with sexual risk behaviours. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 41(4), 438-443.

Lewczuk, K., Wójcik, A., & Gola, M. (2022). Increase in the prevalence of online pornography use: Objective data analysis from the period between 2004 and 2016 in Poland. Archives of sexual behavior, 1-15.

*USA, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Indonesia, Korea

**Egypt, Bahrain, Algeria, Yeman, UAE, Tunisia, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Oman, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq