#also go read paved with good intentions and give it all of the love in the world bc it's. it's

[razzle-zazzle]

When you first played Pn2 were you drawn to Dion's character? Did you hate him at first? Really like some other character? Ect?

I've said this somewhere before but I haven't,,, actually,,,, played the games?? Like,,, at all???

Psychonauts falls into that category of fixations where I fall in love with the lore and characters and story without ever actually playing the game. I have watched playthroughs though!

Anyway. When I first got into my PN fixation, Raz was the main blorbo. Raz was the little guy my brain was latched onto, and thus the guy I sought out silly little fics about when I finished watching playthroughs of the first game and desired more content. And then it shifted to Raz & Dion siblinghood content, because Raz & Dion siblinghood fics like It's Been a Long Day and Paved With Good Intentions absolutely destroyed me and left me wanting more. And from there Dion simply,,, became the main blorbo. Stress Ball #1. The guy I would like to crumple like a receipt.

tl;dr Raz was the main blorbo at first but then it shifted to Dion.

[iris-sistibly]

Since I'm rewatching Maria Clara at Ibarra on Netflix, at dahil may time ako for today's bidyow I'm just gonna give my two cents on this comment:

I think we can all agree that Maria Clara did NOT deserve to suffer the way she did, and yes she deserves to be happy with the only man she ever loved. But Maria Clara's story is the story of many women who were oppressed, and abused by priests during the Spanish era and sadly, this reality STILL exists even up to this day. And as much as I fucking hate to admit this, there are still many untold stories of women (even boys and young men) who were sexually abused by these disgusting hypocrites who call themselves instruments of God, and what's more painful is that the victims are silenced and the abusers get away with it because *coughs* ✨the Church protects them✨

Don't get me wrong, I was baptized and raised as a Catholic myself, but I refuse to ignore cases like these which thankfully in the modern times are being addressed and taken actions of, but I'm not sure how many of these mga sugo ng Diyos are actually punished for their crimes (*clears throat* Church is still quite influential af even in the 21st century 🙃).

Ibarra is a good man with good intentions for San Diego, yet he was framed and accused of being a heretic and filibuster by [again] these fugly Church peeps because they wanted the Filipinos to remain indios: uneducated and poor af. Juan Crisostomo Ibarra is the image of those people who only wanted to help their fellow Filipinos, yet are the ones who are being punished for the most nonsense reasons, and the very people who called themselves his friends and supporters are the same people who turned their backs on him because they were afraid of suffering the same fate as Crisostomo (and Don Rafael) .

In the show, I saw myself in Klay (except that I passed my Noli, El Fili and Rizal lessons 🤣) my only drive to read Noli and El Fili was to pass my Filipino subject. I did not have a full grasp of the lesson that Rizal was trying to teach. The moment I passed my subject, I was like "Oh good! Finally!" but I didn't take those learnings by heart. And I said the very same thing Klay said in the earlier episode, "What's the point of studying Noli and El Fili when I can't even apply it on the course I'm taking or my job when I graduate?" And I admit, history wasn't my favorite subject, I found it boring. I missed the whole point of what my teacher was teaching me.

I could go on and on about the characters of the novels and the show but to sum it all up, every character and events are the very images of every Filipino, their struggles, and the truth about what was really happening in our country. Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo weren't the kind of novels you expect them to be, it is not a stereotypical love story, and it wasn't written to make the readers OR the audiences happy. These novels are here to teach the Klays like you and me not only about our history but also open our eyes to the reality of how this cancer of the society still exists and if we, the Filipino people don't do something to "cure" this, our country will NEVER progress.

As much as I wanted Ibarra and Maria to have a happily ever after they both deserve, I am glad that GMA 7 actually didn't stray away too much from its source materials, because now I understand why I had to learn those books. I understand now why Rizal was named national hero, his novels paved the way for the Filipinos to finally stand up and fight the oppressors.

However, as much as it pains me of how tragic Rizal's novels are, at least in the show, they got a happy ending. Just in a different timeline and universe but still, happily ever after.

[grillinghamsposts]

Alright, I’ve been obsessed with Good Omens for years now and I just finished season 2. I haven’t been on tumblr for years now but I’m back in fandom mode because I can’t stop thinking about this… so indulge me if you will

I understand why people are upset at Aziraphale, but let me tell you why you can still be mad, but have empathy for him. Moreover, why I don’t believe the coffee theory in the slightest.

I’ll start by saying, his decision was by no means out of left field. We have seen quite literally from the beginning, the fundamental difference between Aziraphale and Crowley. While United by their love of Earth, Aziraphale is lead by his sense of morality. He longs to do good in the world and believes that Heaven gives him the ability to do so. Crowley does not carry this same weight, rather, he understands moral ambiguity. Crowley embodies the true experience of humanity, the forbidden fruit.

One of the many beautiful things about Good Omens is its ability to make abundantly clear the hypocrisies of modern day Christianity. How silly it is to consider life to be so black and white, ineffable… if you will. But Aziraphale does not share this understanding, and this is repeatedly pointed out throughout the history of their relationship. One example from this season I’ll specifically reference when he alters Wee Morag’s body to be useless after Elspeth brings it to Darhymple. Crowley sees how Elspeth is clearly trying to survive, while Aziraphale can’t see past the initial interaction of her uncovering the first dead body. He can’t understand the things she does in order to survive because of his religious teachings. His character embodies the struggle of brainwashing that the Church relies upon in order to maintain its following. He has been instilled with the “fear of God” that believers so often refer back to, and told that by obeying orders and doing good deeds is enough to earn God’s favor. Questioning your faith is the worst possible thing you can do, and Aziraphale has been lead to believe this at his core for over 6000 years.

So when confronted by the Metatron, Aziraphale approaches the situation with the same level of earnest we have always witnessed, simply misguided. Crowley knows he is “far too pure of heart to be anybody’s bit on the side,” but also far too pure of heart to knowingly and purposefully hurt anyone. This is why the kiss they share is the moment of recognition. He knows he has hurt Crowley, but he doesn’t understand why. How could he, when he earnestly believes in his core he is doing the right thing? That’s all he’s ever done… right?

In my opinion, that’s why he still makes the decision to go to Heaven. While he loves Crowley, he earnestly believes that this is his chance to make a difference, and stop Armageddon once and for all.

As a final thought, something I had read elsewhere brought up the fact that Aziraphale did not bear witness to the files that Crowley did, and has no idea that Gabriel was brought down for the very thing that Aziraphale set out to do. It will simply be his lesson to learn the hard way, which is why that knowledge couldn’t obstruct him from making the decision to head upstairs the way he did.

Just my thoughts, because I can’t stop thinking about it. And as someone who’s been through it with religion as well, I feel as though Crowley and Aziraphale are two sides of a coin when it comes to Christianity. There are those who cling to their beliefs, defining themselves by their misguided but well intentioned convictions… attempting to make sense of the world around them. And, there are those who recognize the grey areas in life. There are those who break free from the fear tactics and restraints of modern day Christianity, and pave their own rules. And to me, the understanding of Aziraphale’s struggle is what makes the end of season 2 so utterly heart wrenching. To say that he was influenced by some magic or miracle in his coffee from Metatron, taking away his agency in that moment, detracts from the real story of the romance itself. The true hurdle that they have forever been facing has always come down to this, and was finally confronted with Aziraphale’s choice.

So yes, be upset with Aziraphale, but more importantly be upset with the system that brainwashes him (without magic fucking coffee) to believe that his good deeds are enough to shake a bureaucracy that fundamentally wants to destroy the things he loves.

[bythenineshards]

i think the reason which makes me angry about acotar & its fandom as a whole is the double standard that exists in the fanbase. rhysand sexually assaulted feyre? 'it's a dark romance so you should go read your vanilla stories & also he did it for her own good'. but when someone says 'well, if it's a dark romance, surely we can have a tamlin redemption arc 'cause he & rhys are the same 'cause he was also protecting feyre 'for her own good'', they'll come at you with pitchforks about how feyre needs someone who is 'feminist' to have a 'healthy relationship' with. like WHICH ONE IS IT??

i am in the hannibal, killing eve & interview with the vampire fandoms. i do like me some mutually toxic relationships that makes you look through characters psyches & pick apart motives & themes.

but acotar goes for this weird stance in its own morality that it doesn't make an ounce of sense. it would've made sense if feyre had left tamlin even if they had a healthy relationship to go join rhysand & then the story could've had a darker turn there. that could've been the basis of a dark romance. or feyre & tamlin's relationship being built on the same lines of toxicity & feyre betraying/hurting tamlin to join rhysand because she wants more power. & tamlin be an equal adversary for them (not antagonist). then the story be continued from there. give me moral ambiguity so that i don't know who to root for. these kinds of things happen in adult high fantasies all the time.

but sjm chooses to compare two equally bad (or 'morally gray', as the stans love to call it) characters and be like 'see, this one is better!!' but if someone points out that they're equally bad you have to watch them do all kinds of unnecessary mental gymnastics & say 'b-but it is a dark romance with dark themes & it's adult!! and rhysand is MORALLY GREY!!! if you can't handle it don't read it!' or the argument of 'it's fiction & they're fae!! you can't apply real world morals to it!!' like sure but where is the CONSISTENCY???

Hey Anon! I could've sworn I answered this. But apparently I didn't.

I can't stand the justifying of Rhys' deeds. Dark Romance books don't feel the need to do that. The guy doesn't need the justifications and hero framing. The books are thrown around as feminist or empowering. The point is that the relationship is a toxic dynamic. Maas has said in interviews that she writes healthy romances. She views this as a healthy relationship.

You know what's funny? The road to hell is paved with what? Good. Intentions. The best villains are people who meant well but had evil methods to achieve that goal. Rhys did x______ because it was for....? Doesn't matter, still did it. Thanos (in the movies) killed half the universe because it would create more resources for those left. Good intention. Horrible idea considering he had the power to create more resources.

You're right that there were so many other angles this could've gone to make it better. Personally I believe the best idea would've been to just have them grow apart. Cuz that happens and it wouldn't have taken Tamlin being abusive to do. Feyre could've fallen for Rhys knowing what he did was wrong. I'm sorry but there was no excuse or justification for working for Amarantha. Rhys should've been punished. However that would mean more work than comparing a retconned Tamlin to Rhys and made Feyre actually flawed.

Ugh... this series... so glad I'm not buying anymore of her books. You know, it's so weird how easily impressed I am with books that do the bare minimum effort to be decent after reading these.

[meggoreads]

Meg Thinks: Iron Flame

There's going to be spoilers in this post so please read at your own risk.

First of all, this book felt very Anime Filler Arc. I feel like we've been reading 2000 pages of setup between the first and second book.

Honestly, I think Book 1 and the first half of book 2 could have been one book as long as all the fluff from book 1 was taken out. Take out Jack Barlowe coming back and keep Varrish as the big bad (make him the secret Venin) and then keep the ending with everyone fleeing Basgiath with Book 2 starting with everyone in Aretia and go from there.

Because right now I am getting whiplash between all the back and forth between Aretia and Basgiath.

But let's get into it.

Things I Liked:

Always always the dragons. Though I do feel like they are still set up as comic relief and plot devices rather than fleshed out characters. We didn't get nearly enough of Sgaeyl (and Andarna) in this book.

Jesinia & Imogen, whom I felt were better friends to Violet than her own squadmates. And also felt like more fleshed out characters.

Things I Didn't Like:

Violet & Xaden. God, their relationship was so annoying. Xaden, you should know which information you should be forthcoming with. Violet, people are allowed to be private even if you're in a relationship with them.

Someone also mentioned that the whole "ask me" schtick feels very weaponized incompetence and now I couldn't agree more.

The "intentions" signet. Congratulations, you're just really good at reading body language. They introduce mind-reading as some stairway to madness but of course give the MMC the Lite version instead of actually writing something interesting like descent into insanity (but I guess the venin plot will be doing this for us ???)

Still no real explanation for Violet's disability and it doesn't seem to really impact her day-to-day life outside of a few throwaway lines. I would just like to see the representation be representing. But maybe this will pave the way for other authors.

I don't think having both Sloane and Cat vehemently hate Violet was necessary in one book. Cat's whole "I don't love him, I just want the crown" was flimsy at best, & Sloane just all of a sudden does a complete 180 as soon as Cat is in the picture makes no sense.

Things I Need Clarity On:

Okay, what color is Andarna supposed to be? Is she purple? Is she all of them? I was hoping she would be silver to match Violet. It just didn't feel explained very well. (The last couple chapters in general seemed rushed)

Things To Be Improved:

I still feel like I know next to nothing about Rhiannon, Ridoc, & Sawyer. I don't feel their camaraderie. I actually can barely tell the difference between Ridoc and Sawyer.

Like I had said in my Fourth Wing post, when it was announced Iron Flame would be released so soon, I knew that this book would be unpolished and rushed and RY had no time to really deep dive into the criticisms of the first book to improve her craft. But kudos to her for producing that crack that makes you want to keep reading.

Will I continue to read the series? Probably. Do I think they'll get any better? Probably not. Do I still hope for a decent live action adaptation? Most definitely.

[lindira]

Oh, for Envy of course: #'s 3, 16, 17, 20, 21, 30, 40, and 66? I love seeing Envy facts ❤️

Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying my infodumps about Envy! I wasn't sure anyone was reading them. <3 And thanks for the ask!

3. What is your character’s moral alignment?

I'd say Envy falls just barely into Chaotic Good. He's not an altruist, but he generally doesn't want innocent people to get hurt. He has a definite dislike of authority and will protect people from abuses of power whenever he can. But Envy is also prone to flights of fancy and random whims, and may do things that aren't very morally sound if it sounds fun or funny. He mostly thinks "laws are laws only when the Fist are watching". So he strays into Chaotic Neutral territory pretty frequently.

16. Which of the companions does your Tav trust most? 

Envy trusts Wyll and Karlach the most, and they're the companions he likes the most outside of Astarion. He knows that they're always trying to do the right thing, and they're incredibly loyal.

17. Which of the companions does your Tav distrust most?

Probably Gale. Envy likes Gale, but his hunger for power is disquieting. He knows Gale wants to do good, but he also sees how power could corrupt Gale very easily. The road to the Hells was paved with good intentions.

20. If you’re romancing anyone, why did your Tav fall for them? And why did that character fall for your Tav?

Envy fell for Astarion because he's funny and smarter than he acts. Despite how Astarion gripes about compassionate acts, Envy sees that when kindness is shown to Astarion, Astarion gives it back. After the level of torture and misery that Cazador inflicts upon his spawn, a lesser man would have had any kindness stripped from him completely. That Astarion has the capacity for it at all is astounding to Envy. For all of Astarion's faults - of which there are many - Envy finds him to be fascinating and remarkable.

Before Envy, most of Astarion's smiles and laughter were performative or tinged with bitterness. But then Envy came along and made him really, truly smile and laugh for the first time in a great many years. Astarion fell for Envy because Envy was the first person to notice how deeply Astarion was hurting and to want to do something about it. Though Envy wasn't strong enough to kill Cazador at the time, he provided solace and comfort to Astarion. Envy fed Astarion and listened to him and felt outrage on his behalf. Envy didn't just offer platitudes - he did things to help. Small things, but important ones nonetheless. All of that was stunning and baffling and SO important to Astarion.

 21. If you’re romancing anyone, who fell first and who fell harder?

Envy fell first. A few months after they had met, he was already crazy about Astarion. As soon as Envy found out about what Astarion was going through, he felt so much admiration for how Astarion had survived that he couldn't help but love him.

Astarion was a case of "he fell in love slowly, then all at once". Astarion distrusted Envy's kindness at first, and then didn't want to get attached to anyone because of how Cazador had punished him in the past. But he eventually realized how deeply Envy cared for him, and that he was finally important enough to someone for them to give a damn about his situation. Envy reminded him of the good things life has to offer that Astarion had long since written off as unattainable for him. For Astarion, the very concept of happiness came into existence the day Envy entered his life. It might as well have not existed before then.

30. How does your Tav react when someone insults their friend/partner?

One should assume that Envy is ready to fucking wreck someone verbally at any time. He has lost many jobs because of this. Insults to his friends or to Astarion are worse than insults to himself, and he will tell off and insult the offending party right back. If the person refuses to apologize, Envy is ready to fight them physically, but would prefer making up a scheme to annoy them an equal amount (in Envy's eyes) to how bad the insult was. No one fucks with Astarion or his friends.

40. What is the biggest mistake your Tav ever made?

Envy underestimated Cazador. Astarion had warned him that Cazador was cruel and powerful. He had warned Envy that Cazador had a stranglehold on Astarion. But Envy thought he could trick Cazador and stay safe from him. He was wrong.

66. Does your Tav consider themselves a hero, villain, victim or something else?

Envy might boast about being a hero because he's a bit of an ass and likes showing off with a lot of bravado. But he doesn't actually think of himself as a hero. He doesn't consider himself a villain or a victim either. He really just thinks of himself as a person trying to get by in the world. People will put labels on him as they will, but that's not for him to worry about.

Questions taken from this Baldur's Gate 3 Tav Ask Game!

[corvatrix]

Nothing We Learn Is Useless | Scythe by Neal Shusterman

RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💡 REVIEW

Incredible, fascinating book. Lots of thoughts on empathy, compassion, personal growth, consequences, and what it means to be human when your mortality is no longer an issue. Parts of the book were a bit predictable, but it wasn’t so bad that it felt like lazy or cliché writing...it felt like good writing with consistent characterization and world building. 

The book ends on a cliffhanger, but the ending is also satisfying enough if you were to just read the one book by itself. I already own the next two books (hurray for box sets!) and I cannot wait to devour them.

Spoilers and predictions below. Please keep spoilers out of the comments!

 🗝️ THEMES

The pain of empathy

Humanity and the loss of innocence

Duty and honor vs. passion and desire

Emotional intelligence and vulnerability

Worthiness (and who decides worthiness & unworthiness)

📖 TROPES

Coming-of-age

Teenagers selected for special assignment (Chosen Ones)

Teen angst

Starcrossed lovers

Good guy wants to keep things as they are; bad guy wants systemic change

Political intrigue

Life-or-death stakes

📆 PREDICTIONS

Rowan & Citra are star-crossed and I’m sure the romance will grow, but there will absolutely be conflict; this will probably be the differences in their opinions on how to behave as scythes and what should be done about the more “progressive” members of the Scythedom

The Tonists are going to be a major plot point moving forward (possibly an uprising and a desire to return to mortality, or at least giving people the option to be mortal)

Curie & Faraday will fall in love again and end up gleaning each other

Goddard sympathizers will continue to push for limitless gleaning

Rowan will find Citra’s “old guard” ideals problematic and Citra will think Rowan is going too far gleaning Goddard sympathizers 

💬 QUOTES

“Scythes were no more supernatural than tax collectors in the grand scheme of things. They showed up, did their unpleasant business, and were gone.”

“It’s refreshing to be challenged. You have no idea how tedious it gets--the pandering, the obsequious flattery, the endless parade of sycophants. A slap in the face is bracing. It reminds me that I’m human.”

“We’re roughage. If we don’t cause a little intestinal distress, no one knows we’re there.”

“Good intentions pave many roads. Not all of them lead to hell.”

“Nothing we learn is useless.”

“Scythes wished to be seen as the many facets of light, not of darkness.”

“There are no accolades for the unworthy.”

“Motives can easily be beaten into weapons.”

“I live here not because of its extravagance, but because my presence here is the only way to preserve it.”

“It’s not about age, it’s about stagnation. Some people grow stagnant before they turn their first corner. For others it could take hundreds of years.”

“Learn how to show compassion in the face of tragedy. It was emotionally exhausting, but rewarding. It was preparing her to be a scythe.”

“The idea of irrevocable death without the controlled hand of a scythe was too much to bear for a world that had conquered mortality.”

“In a profession where conscience was a liability, who would want one?”

“I am legend. Yet every day I wish that I was not.”

“I think all young women are cursed with a streak of unrelenting foolishness, and all young men are cursed with a streak of absolute stupidity.”

“Although scythes may be the most powerful humans on Earth, they are also the most vulnerable.”

“There are times I feel I am fighting a losing battle against an old-fashioned apocalypse of the living dead.”

“He wanted to be a failure, because only by failing would he know that he held on to a shred of his humanity.”

“My greatest wish for humanity is not for peace or comfort or joy. It is that we all still die a little inside every time we witness the death of another. For only the pain of empathy will keep us human. There’s no version of God that can help us if we ever lose that.”

“Martyrs testify far more effectively than the living.”

“In our line of work we must hold on to every bit of honor we have.”

[yhwhrulz]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for July 7

Tozer in the Morning Living as Light in the World

Whether or not the Christian should separate himself from the world is not open to debate. The question has been settled for him by the Sacred Scriptures, an authority from which there can be no appeal. The New Testament is very plain: "They are not of the world," said our Lord, "even as I am not of the world." James wrote, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." John said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Such teaching as this would appear to be plain enough, and there should be no doubt about what is intended. But we must never underestimate the ability of the human mind to get itself lost on a paved highway in broad daylight. Some well-intentioned souls have managed to get themselves confused about their re lation to the world and have sought to escape it by hiding from it. They read into the biblical command to separate from the world the idea of complete withdrawal from all human activities and seek peace of heart by cutting themselves off, as far as possible, from the great stream of human life and thought. And that is not good.

Tozer in the Evening The Sword of the Spirit

Undoubtedly God goes along with us as far as He can in this weak and one-sided treatment of the Holy Scriptures, but He cannot be pleased with this way of doing. Our Heavenly Father takes pleasure in seeing us develop and grow up spiritually. He does not want us to live entirely on a diet of sweet stuff. He gives us for our encouragement Isaiah 41, but He gives us also Matthew 23 and the book of Jude, and He expects us to read it all. The eighth chapter of Romans is one of the most elevating passages in the entire Bible, and its popularity is well deserved; but we need Second Peter as well, and we should not neglect to read it. When reading Paul's epistles, we should not stop with the doctrinal sections but should go on to read and ponder the bracing exhortations that follow. We should not stop with Romans 11; the rest of the epistle is also important, and if we would treat our souls fairly, we must give it the same attention we gave to the first ten chapters.

Briefly, the health of our souls requires that we take the whole Bible as it stands and let it do its work in us. We cannot afford to be selective with anything so important as the Word of God and our own eternal future.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[hannahmationstudios]

3, 13, and 14, and also 21 for red rowan, please <3

Eee thank you Kate ;v; 💜💜 taking writer asks here!

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

I can tell you immediately what tropes can be found repeated through my fics.

Some aspect of parenthood, present or future (wanting kids, pregnancy plots, or characters being parents already). That was easy to fit in with Red Rowan because Yennefer canonly wants children very much, so it made for a compelling narrative conflict and an interesting exploration of her character.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" - characters are forced to make choices and do things they would never otherwise see themselves doing because they hope it's leading towards a good ending they deserve. Combine that with the occasional fall from grace/"I gave up everything and in the end I still lost" and it's just. Chef's kiss.

"Retired badass" is another trope I love and will use whenever I have a chance. Yes, I lived through hell and retired... but now circumstances have forced me back into the fray, and I'm about to make it everyone's problem.

13. Are there any tropes you used to like but don’t anymore?

Hmm. Not exactly a trope, but I think I used to be a lot more into shipping than I am now. I think I'm about 50/50 with whether I even care about ships at all when I get into a media these days. I still enjoy them of course but they've drifted significantly from being my main focus of interest in creating for things I like.

14. Are there any tropes you would only read if written by a trusted friend or writer?

Ah, yeah, a few for sure. I'm not huge on a lot of more campy fanfic tropes (that's generous - I'm extremely picky about fanfic tropes) but I'd read them if I knew/trusted the writer and wanted to see what they did with them. There are also a few darker subjects where knowing/trusting the writer and their intentions more in-depth makes it easier (or even possible) to allow for unfettered immersion.

21. If you wrote a “missing scene” in Red Rowan, what would it be?

For Red Rowan? Aw man, there are so many things I'd love to write for that fic (including an entire sequel of sorts I was picking at at one time), though to be completely honest you wrote the most amazing interlude scene imaginable with Camellia (there needs to be more soft Eskel/Shani in this world, you have truly done the lord's work). If I had to think of any other scenes I might like to write...

Possibly something that better explores Lambert and Keira's outcome, where they are, and what's been going on with them. There's more going on behind the scenes with the two of them - both of them have deeper issues that they're willing to let on, but both are too stubborn to just come out and talk about them, even with how deeply in love they are and how much they trust each other over all other people. I didn't want to delve too deeply into their story in the actual fic because 1) it's Geralt's story, not Lambert's, and 2) Lambert gave exactly as many details as he was meant to give, and any more would unbalance the narrative.

But... I do love them, your honour. Maybe once the big overall story wraps they can have more content. As a treat.

[yhwhrulz777]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional: July 7th

Tozer in the Morning Living as Light in the World

Whether or not the Christian should separate himself from the world is not open to debate. The question has been settled for him by the Sacred Scriptures, an authority from which there can be no appeal. The New Testament is very plain: "They are not of the world," said our Lord, "even as I am not of the world." James wrote, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." John said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Such teaching as this would appear to be plain enough, and there should be no doubt about what is intended. But we must never underestimate the ability of the human mind to get itself lost on a paved highway in broad daylight. Some well-intentioned souls have managed to get themselves confused about their relation to the world and have sought to escape it by hiding from it. They read into the biblical command to separate from the world the idea of complete withdrawal from all human activities and seek peace of heart by cutting themselves off, as far as possible, from the great stream of human life and thought. And that is not good.

Tozer in the Evening The Sword of the Spirit

Undoubtedly God goes along with us as far as He can in this weak and one-sided treatment of the Holy Scriptures, but He cannot be pleased with this way of doing. Our Heavenly Father takes pleasure in seeing us develop and grow up spiritually. He does not want us to live entirely on a diet of sweet stuff. He gives us for our encouragement Isaiah 41, but He gives us also Matthew 23 and the book of Jude, and He expects us to read it all. The eighth chapter of Romans is one of the most elevating passages in the entire Bible, and its popularity is well deserved; but we need Second Peter as well, and we should not neglect to read it. When reading Paul's epistles, we should not stop with the doctrinal sections but should go on to read and ponder the bracing exhortations that follow. We should not stop with Romans 11; the rest of the epistle is also important, and if we would treat our souls fairly, we must give it the same attention we gave to the first ten chapters.

Briefly, the health of our souls requires that we take the whole Bible as it stands and let it do its work in us. We cannot afford to be selective with anything so important as the Word of God and our own eternal future.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[masquerain-with-a-mask]

Thoughts on Charlie in Underworld!

OK OK OK THANK YOU FOR ASKING THIS BECAUSE 500 LETTERS ON THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE ISN'T QUITE ENOUGH TO GIVE MY ENTIRE OPINION THIS IS GONNA BE VERY RAMBLY, SPOILERY AND PROBABLY PRETTY LONG SO I'M CONTINUING UNDER THE CUT

So first of all I gotta say that I played Underworld Office practically when it came out by finding it a little randomly. I absolutely fell in love with the game in pretty much all of it's aspects - be it the art, the characters or the story- , got obsessed with it for around a month, and then it went a little to the back. But what I can tell you is that I loved Charlie practically the second they were introduced because they're quite literally the kind of character I love the second they're shown to us so OBVIOUSLY when my friends told me that there was gonna be a sequel ABOUT CHARLIE I was hooked.

And now that the game came out, boy I was NOT disappointed.

First of all, the main cast is just as awesome as it was in Underworld Office. I love Eugene as much as I did in Underworld Office, maybe even more, I've always loved him, i'll always love him, he's my son (and one of highest kins but that's a story for another day). He's all grown up (which made me strangely proud of him) and yet still as much of a kind-hearted, self-sacrificing dumbass who just wants what's best for everyone as he was back in the first game, but you can see that he came such a long way from the nervous-wreck he still kinda was even at the end of underworld office and he has friends and I'm so proud of him and his chapter WRECKED ME like HOLY SHIT WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME WRITERS THIS POOR GUY ALREADY SUFFERED ENOUGH. He deserves so much better and he's still such a lovable character to me partly because he's a really expressive character. Like a part that really hurt me was the moment where he has his fight with Charlie, on the illustration you can read his emotions so clearly I love him so much his anger at the end of chapter 6 is so justified and i empathize with him so much this guy can just do no wrong zoieieizozorhrjrike.

Hayden - who happened to be a character I was quite indifferent to in underworld office (i liked him and thought he was a good character but it didn't run deeper than that) - brought so much sympathy out of me I was NOT expecting that. He's genuinely such a cute character he's just a kid who's doing his best and it was heartbreaking to see his reactions to learning his parents were going to have a new baby like you can sense his anguish (OR maybe it's me being way too invested in fictional characters IDK) and holy crap I melted inside when he asked for his brother to be named Charlie and absolutely died inside when I had to let him become an evil spirit to get an ending and he's also on one of my favorite illustrations of the game so THAT'S A PLUS IG

Boss. I am SO GLAD that Boss FINALLY got more depth than he used to have. I get that the entire point of the character is that we don't know lots of stuff about him but it feels great to have at least just a bit more informations about his story. Boss is the embodiment of the expression the road to hell is paved with good intentions. He wanted to protect himself but at the same time didn't want anyone to get hurt because of that and ended up causing more pain in the end because he handled all the situations with all the member of the office in a shitty way because no bestie hiding the truth from everyone and drowning in your own guilt isn't the right way to protect people. I love him and I dislike him at the same time he's my poor little meow meow.

River. I really liked her in Underworld Office. I still really like her. We FINALLY know what her death was and my god the circumstances of her death are awful and I wish she could have found peace instead of sulking in her own anger and hate she deserved so much better and yes much better means GO APESHIT YOU DESERVE IT. She's just such a fun character and didn't deserve the stuff that was thrown at her in her life.

Joan is great. I love Joan. You don't love Joan? Tbh I can understand why, but really her being kind of a stuck-up grandma is the strength of her character I think. Her story is heartbreaking like she didn't mean to kill Bill and I understand why she covered up the stuff but that doesn't make it right and Bill's anger is so justified but his actions are really not and kzjejdkzlsmmdld BOTH WATCHING HER EXILING HERSELF WITH BILL OR BECOMING AN EVIL SPIRIT HURT LIKE SHIT HELP.

Sean I actually don't have a lot to say about him except that we don't deserve him. He's so sweet and, much like Eugene, just wants what's best for everyone and tries to do his best to make the underworld better for everyone and we really don't deserve him my sweet son ily 😭

And now for Charlie. Charlie my absolute beloved. Like I said at the beginning, Charlie was my favorite character practically the second we were introduced to them in Underworld Office. Before Charlie in Underworld came out, when trying to theorize why Charlie was the way they were in Underworld Office, my theory was that Charlie was someone who died surrounded by indifference, and seems I was both right and wrong. Charlie lived among people's indifference of their situation. Their father was awful I don't think I need to explain why and their mom was just trying to survive and only did what she could do in her situation and Charlie just felt like they were ignored, them and their suffering and when Mike came into the picture, I like to think that Charlie wanted to have Mike as a friend, but they just never learned how to have a healthy relationship, be it friendship or anything else and because of that they just kept on telling themselves that they were pathetic for dwelling on their situation because Mike's was supposedly worse and i'm sure they blamed themselves so much for what they did to Mike and what happened to him and their mother after what he did to them both before and after their death and just. Their story made me tear up each time it came they never meant to hurt anyone they were just scared and while it doesn't make any of the things they did right it explains so much. And after losing their memory. My god the SNARK. THE CYNICISM. THE SARCASM. THE ANGER AND YET THE GUILT. JUST EVERYTHING. Charlie just has such a strong personality and is also a really expressive character and I absolutely love them for it. Basically even without knowing shit about themselves, the kid they're supposed to protect or the people they're supposed to work with Charlie knows one thing, they were a fucking menace and they're sure gonna be staying like that. And yet even while being a menace who's also really bad at communicating their feelings, Charlie understands other's feelings way better than they would probably care to admit. Like they say towards the end of the game, they're a shitty person who's done shitty things but that doesn't change the fact that in the few days they spent with the underworld office's workers they've come a long way from who they were as a ghost terrorizing people in the subway just to feel seen and not just because they didn't remember anything because they clearly feel guilty when they're about to turn entirely dark after remembering their past they just went through so much and didn't deserve any of it they just wanted to be left alone and my god I already loved charlie before but now I'm just like KQKDJEISOKZKRKRJ. AND I BARELY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT CHARLIE BUT I JUST. CAN'T FIND THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW DEEPLY I FEEL ABOUT THEM. I JUST LOVE THEM SM.

NOW IF YOU'RE STILL READING THIS I CAN MOVE ON.

I'm not gonna dwell too much on how much I love the art style of the game, or how I think the design are great, be it with the shapes, the colors, or the expressions of the characters who are always very expressive, which really makes it clear to guess what they're feeling even to a dumbass like me because I already made you read through my thoughts on the characters.

The story in itself is great. I don't really know what else to say. I love the idea of the workers deciding to unseal Charlie to keep Eugene safe. I LOVE EUGENE BEING AN ADULT I AM SO PROUD OF HIM. I am not exactly a fan of blackmail but y'know, I can understand why they would doubt Charlie. The fact that Charlie has amnesia is also a really great way to carry the scenario and to make them empathize with the other characters of the cast, be it by empathizing with them and validating their anger because they know what it feels like to feel alone, hurt or afraid and they know what it feels like to feel wronged or, like in Joan's case, by calling them out on their bullshit like others should have done to them. The fact that Boss has hidden the truth about how good and evil work to the others is great, and heartbreaking when you see the impact it has on both River and Eugene, who both trusted him, and i also think it's hilarious that Charlie ends up being the only level-headed person in the last chapter considering how they were in Underworld Office. Serves again to show how much they've grown during the game. SAME HERE I BARELY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T FIND THE WORDS BUT THE SUBJECTS THE GAME BRINGS UP ARE REALLY WELL HANDLED I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD IT ANY OTHER WAY.

Speaking of which, I can now talk about the relationships

First of all I'd like to say I absolutely adore Eugene and Charlie as a duo. They're legit a great duo and as a trio with Hayden they're just as great. Just Eugene's level-headedness, kindness and naivety mixed in with Charlie's free-spirit, hot-headed and desechanted self makes them work together really well, especially since Charlie, due to their lack of tie to any of the members of the team and pretty much hating Boss on sight, isn't being lowkey manipulated by Boss because they're too naive. Plus who doesn't love two absolute dumbasses working together?

I also love Charlie's and River's dynamic. River is absolutely unhinged and Charlie is not having a good time because of that, especially since they didn't exactly take well the fact that River doubted them because they used to be dark. I like them because, due to them being fundamentally shadows like River says, they're way more similar than meets the eye and while what makes Eugene and Charlie work together is the fact that they're opposites, what makes River and Charlie works is that they're similar. Also I really like the fact that we're given the choice to be somewhat thoughtful of River in Collapse.

The last relationship I can think of is the one between Charlie and Sean. Because while it may be a really background one, it's just very symbolic and I like the conversation they have in the sixth chapter.

OH AND THE ENDINGS. I LOVE THEM ALL BUT LIKE,,, THE ONLY CHARLIE IN UNDERWORLD ENDING IS MY FAVORITE I JUST. I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. LIKE YOU GO CHARLIE YOU GO EUGENE YOU GO MY CHILDREN YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

BUT ALSO THE SWAMP OF EVIL SPIRITS ENDING IS SO COOL I LOVE IT. I LOVE THE IDEA OF IT EVEN IF IT'S SO PAINFUL LIKE BASICALLY FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD EUGENE'S SPIRIT WAS DESTROYED LIKE WHY DO YOU SO THIS TO ME BUT ALSO.... I LOVE THE IDEA OF CHARLIE JUST HANGING AROUND BUT THE THOUGHT THAT CHARLIE IS JUST STUCK WITH GNAWING GUILT BUT THE MEMORY OF EUGENE JUST WON'T LET THEM TURN INTO A MONSTER IS HEART-WRENCHING LIKE CHARLIE I'M SO SORRY YOU DESERVE BETTER.

AND THE GOOD ENDING IS A GOOD ENDING SO OF COURSE I LIKE IT LIKE YOU GO CHILDREN KEEP BEING A BUNCH OF DUMBASSES BUT BE BETTER DUMBASSES THAN YOU COULD BE WITH BOSS AS YOUR BOSS.

I think I'm done here I can't think of anything else to say I absolutely adore this game if it wasn't obvious thanks for sending this to my inbox i really wanted to ramble about it

Tl;dr : i am in love with this game, its characters, its story and its relationships

[writingwithcolor]

What Does Our "Motivations” PSA Mean?

@luminalalumini said:

I've been on your blog a lot and it has a lot of really insightful information, but I notice a theme with some of your answers where you ask the writer reaching out what their 'motivation for making a character a certain [race/religion/ethnicity/nationality] is' and it's discouraging to see, because it seems like you're automatically assigning the writer some sort of ulterior motive that must be sniffed out and identified before the writer can get any tips or guidance for their question. Can't the 'motive' simply be having/wanting to have diversity in one's work? Must there be an 'ulterior motive'? I can understand that there's a lot of stigma and stereotypes and bad influence that might lead to someone trynna add marginalized groups into their stories for wrong reasons, but people that have those bad intentions certainly won't be asking for advice on how to write good representation in the first place. Idk its just been something that seemed really discouraging to me to reach out myself, knowing i'll automatically be assigned ulterior motives that i don't have and will probably have to justify why i want to add diversity to my story as if i'm comitting some sort of crime. I don't expect you guys to change your blog or respond to this or even care all that much, I'm probably just ranting into a void. I'm just curious if theres any reason to this that I haven't realized exists I suppose. I don't want y'all to take this the wrong way because I do actually love and enjoy your blog's advice in spite of my dumb griping. Cheers :))

We assume this is in reference to the following PSA:

PSA to all of our users - Motivation Matters: This lack of clarity w/r to intent has been a general issue with many recent questions. Please remember that if you don’t explain your motivations and what you intend to communicate to your audience with your plot choices, character attributes, world-building etc., we cannot effectively advise you beyond the information you provide. We Are Not Mind Readers. If, when drafting these questions, you realize you can’t explain your motivations, that is likely a hint that you need to think more on the rationales for your narrative decisions. My recommendation is to read our archives and articles on similar topics for inspiration while you think. I will be attaching this PSA to all asks with similar issues until the volume of such questions declines. 

We have answered this in three parts.

1. Of Paved Roads and Good Intentions

Allow me to give you a personal story, in solidarity towards your feelings:

When I began writing in South Asia as an outsider, specifically in the Kashmir and Lahore areas, I was doing it out of respect for the cultures I had grown up around. I did kathak dance, I grew up on immigrant-cooked North Indian food, my babysitters were Indian. I loved Mughal society, and every detail of learning about it just made me want more. The minute you told me fantasy could be outside of Europe, I hopped into the Mughal world with two feet. I was 13. I am now 28.

And had you asked me, as a teenager, what my motives were in giving my characters’ love interests blue or green eyes, one of them blond hair, my MC having red-tinted brown hair that was very emphasized, and a whole bunch of paler skinned people, I would have told you my motives were “to represent the diversity of the region.” 

I’m sure readers of the blog will spot the really, really toxic and colourist tropes present in my choices. If you’re new here, then the summary is: giving brown people “unique” coloured eyes and hair that lines up with Eurocentric beauty standards is an orientalist trope that needs to be interrogated in your writing. And favouring pale skinned people is colourist, full stop.

Did that make me a bad person with super sneaky ulterior motives who wanted to write bad representation? No.

It made me an ignorant kid from the mostly-white suburbs who grew up with media that said brown people had to “look unique” (read: look as European as possible) to be considered valuable.

And this is where it is important to remember that motives can be pure as you want, but you were still taught all of the terrible stuff that is present in society. Which means you’re going to perpetuate it unless you stop and actually question what is under your conscious motive, and work to unlearn it. Work that will never be complete.

I know it sounds scary and judgemental (and it’s one of the reasons we allow people to ask to be anonymous, for people who are afraid). Honestly, I would’ve reacted much the same as a younger writer, had you told me I was perpetuating bad things. I was trying to do good and my motives were pure, after all! But after a few years, I realized that I had fallen short, and I had a lot more to learn in order for my motives to match my impact. Part of our job at WWC is to attempt to close that gap.

We aren’t giving judgement, when we ask questions about why you want to do certain things. We are asking you to look at the structural underpinnings of your mind and question why those traits felt natural together, and, more specifically, why those traits felt natural to give to a protagonist or other major character.

I still have blond, blue-eyed characters with sandy coloured skin. I still have green-eyed characters. Because teenage me was right, that is part of the region. But by interrogating my motive, I was able to devalue those traits within the narrative, and I stopped making those traits shorthand for “this is the person you should root for.” 

It opened up room for me to be messier with my characters of colour, even the ones who my teenage self would have deemed “extra special.” Because the European-associated traits (pale hair, not-brown-eyes) stopped being special. After years of questioning, they started lining up with my motive of just being part of the diversity of the region.

Motive is important, both in the conscious and the subconscious. It’s not a judgement and it’s not assumed to be evil. It’s simply assumed to be unquestioned, so we ask that you question it and really examine your own biases.

~Mod Lesya

2. Motivations Aren't Always "Ulterior"

You can have a positive motivation or a neutral one or a negative one. Just wanting to have diversity only means your characters aren't all white and straight and cis and able-bodied -- it doesn't explain why you decided to make this specific character specifically bi and specifically Jewish (it me). Yes, sometimes it might be completely random! But it also might be "well, my crush is Costa Rican, so I gave the love interest the same background", or "I set it in X City where the predominant marginalized ethnicity is Y, so they are Y". Neither of these count as ulterior motives. But let's say for a second that you did accidentally catch yourself doing an "ulterior." Isn't that the point of the blog, to help you find those spots and clean them up?

Try thinking of it as “finding things that need adjusting” rather than “things that are bad” and it might get less scary to realize that we all do them, subconsciously. Representation that could use some work is often the product of subconscious bias, not deliberate misrepresentation, so there's every possibility that someone who wants to improve and do better didn't do it perfectly the first time. 

--Shira

3. Dress-Making as a Metaphor

I want to echo Lesya’s sentiments here but also provide a more logistical perspective. If you check the rubber stamp guide here and the “Motivation matters” PSA above, you’ll notice that concerns with respect to asker motivation are for the purposes of providing the most relevant answer possible.

It is a lot like if someone walks into a dressmaker’s shop and asks for a blue dress/ suit (Back when getting custom-made clothes was more of a thing) . The seamstress/ tailor is likely to ask a wide variety of questions:

What material do you want the outfit to be made of?

Where do you plan to wear it?

What do you want to highlight?

How do you want to feel when you wear it?

Let’s say our theoretical customer is in England during the 1920s. A tartan walking dress/ flannel suit for the winter is not the same as a periwinkle, beaded, organza ensemble/ navy pinstripe for formal dress in the summer. When we ask for motivations, we are often asking for exactly that: the specific reasons for your inquiry so we may pinpoint the most pertinent information.

The consistent problem for many of the askers who receive the PSA is they haven’t even done the level of research necessary to know what they want to ask of us. It would be like if our English customer in the 1920s responded, “IDK, some kind of blue thing.” Even worse,  WWC doesn’t have the luxury of the back-and-forth between a dressmaker and their clientele. If our asker doesn’t communicate all the information they need in mind at the time of submission, we can only say, “Well, I’m not sure if this is right, but here’s something. I hope it works, but if you had told us more, we could have done a more thorough job.”

Answering questions without context is hard, and asking for motivations, by which I mean the narratives, themes, character arcs and other literary devices that you are looking to incorporate, is the best way for us to help you, while also helping you to determine if your understanding of the problem will benefit from outside input. Because these asks are published with the goal of helping individuals with similar questions, the PSA also serves to prompt other users.

I note that asking questions is a skill, and we all start by asking the most basic questions (Not stupid questions, because to quote a dear professor, “There are no stupid questions.”). Unfortunately, WWC is not suited for the most basic questions. To this effect, we have a very helpful FAQ and archive as a starting point. Once you have used our website to answer the more basic questions, you are more ready to approach writing with diversity and decide when we can actually be of service. This is why we are so adamant that people read the FAQ. Yes, it helps us, but it also is there to save you time and spare you the ambiguity of not even knowing where to start.

The anxiety in your ask conveys to me a fear of being judged for asking questions. That fear is not something we can help you with, other than to wholeheartedly reassure you that we do not spend our unpaid, free time answering these questions in order to assume motives we can’t confirm or sit in judgment of our users who, as you say, are just trying to do better.

Yes, I am often frustrated when an asker’s question makes it clear they haven’t read the FAQ or archives. I’ve also been upset when uncivil commenters have indicated that my efforts and contributions are not worth their consideration. However, even the most tactless question has never made me think, “Ooh this person is such a naughty racist. Let me laugh at them for being a naughty racist. Let me shame them for being a naughty racist. Mwahaha.”

What kind of sad person has time for that?*

Racism is structural. It takes time to unlearn, especially if you’re in an environment that doesn’t facilitate that process to begin with. Our first priority is to help while also preserving our own boundaries and well-being. Though I am well aware of the levels of toxic gas-lighting and virtue signaling that can be found in various corners of online writing communities in the name of “progressivism*”, WWC is not that kind of space. This space is for discussions held in good faith: for us to understand each other better, rather than for one of us to “win” and another to “lose.”

Just as we have good faith that you are doing your best, we ask that you have faith that we are trying to do our best by you and the BIPOC communities we represent.

- Marika.

*If you are in any writing or social media circles that feed these anxieties or demonstrate these behaviors, I advise you to curtail your time with them and focus on your own growth. You will find, over time, that it is easier to think clearly when you are worrying less about trying to appease people who set the bar of approval so high just for the enjoyment of watching you jump. “Internet hygiene”, as I like to call it, begins with you and the boundaries you set with those you interact with online.

[yasmindifference]

Hi! If you're still doing the fake title thing, what do you think of

What we call "reason to live" is also an excellent "reason to die"

I thought I wasn't gonna answer any more of these (I got so many! I appreciate y'all's enthusiasm but it got overwhelming, I'm sorry), but I am on the good drugs and just read this amazing fic about the Joker dying so:

This would be a fic about first Tim falling desperately in love with Jason. Just stupid, helpless, totally overwhelming love....which is a problem because Jason still doesn't like him. They're past the point of violence, but Jason pretty much constantly gives him the cold shoulder and makes it clear he doesn't want to be anywhere near Tim.

And that's a really painful contrast to everything that made Tim fall in love with him: seeing how gentle he is with victims, how fiercely he protects people in his territory, how crazy smart and competent he is....after all that, the way Jason totally shuts down around him hurts.

So Tim is determined to win him over--not even necessarily to loving him, just to being able to tolerate his presence! And after extensive thought + research, he determines the absolute best way to do this is to kill the Joker.

And then I don't know if I want this to be cracky or really dark so two potential ways that goes:

The cracky version, Tim just fucking goes for it. Kills the Joker, decapitates the Joker, presents the Joker's severed head to Jason like the world's most messed up courting gift. Jason is shocked and awed and yeah, Tim's his new favorite person. Grudge, shmudge. They get together in very short order and live happily and messed up-ily ever after ♡♡

The dark version, Tim is Tim, he's not just going to off the Joker in the middle of the street. Instead, he sets up an elaborate plan in which Joker is manipulated into actions that corner Tim into having "no choice" but to kill him, thereby letting Tim do the thing WITHOUT having to face severe consequences from the other bats. That part proceeds as planned, but it inspires Tim--it's so easy to do, to pull a Rogue's strings until they're no longer a threat! So he does it again, and again, and again, and you know how the road to hell is paved in good intentions. So Tim just crosses line after line until he's a criminal mastermind taking over all of Gotham "for its own good" and Jason is his enforcer/consort

[filipinoizukuu]

hello mr simp do you have any thoughts on the leeks 👀

FIRST OF ALL. THEY CAME SO FUCKING EARLY??? BRO I WAS ASLEEP

SECOND OF ALL

holy SHIT YALL

Okay, it's no secret that I'm an All Might stan. I LOVE All Might. Very very much. Not just as a simp, but genuinely, I enjoy his character SO MUCH.

--And unlike what some people may think, I'm not totally blind to his flaws. I know he sucks as a mentor and that he's done way more harm to Deku than good. He's.... not perfect. in every sense of the word. The whole point of AM's character is that he is a DEEPLY FLAWED individual— but at the end of the day, still good.

This new chapter gave me SOOO many new feelings. I'm not gonna lie to y'all and say I was a Stain apologist beforehand because I wasn't. I disliked Stain to a certain degree, but I also knew he was morally grey enough that I was able to still quite appreciate him as a character. This chapter was about EVERYTHING to me because I honestly did NOT expect Hori to go in this direction and for things to happen the way they did. It was too good to be true! Too fanfic-y! The disbelief I felt when I read what happened was on par with when Bakugou and Deku had that apology and kinda-hug in the rain!

But this disbelief is not because it was a bad thing.

I think the writing in Chapter 326 is phenomenal. The moment that All Might was really beginning to lose hope in not just himself as a hero, but himself as a PERSON... we finally hear the opinion of someone who would abso-fucking-LUTELY make or break the last of his spirit.

Stain is, as much as his views are pretty agreeable and his label is that of a vigilante, still a pretty shitty guy. He's tried to kill literal kids who got in his way, even if said kids made pretty dumb decisions. AM hearing what he has to say is absolutely mind-boggling to him because he knows all of that. He knows Stain is a shitty person and that his worldview is perhaps terribly skewed. He knows Stain has spent a hot minute frying his brains down in Tartarus and isn't good at making judgment calls. Knows that for all intents and purposes, Stain's opinions are not to be trusted.

But the thing is... Toshinori also knows that Stain, regardless of the soundness of his mind, is telling the truth.

Regardless of how fucked-in-the-head Stain is, we as readers are able to acknowledge that he isn't blinded by hero worship. Sure, he's bitter, cynical, and quite the absolutist--but Stain is still clear-headed enough to be able to see AM's flaws for what they are and accept them, ultimately proving to Toshinori that the power of All Might was never his own but rather the legacy that he inspired.

The society MHA takes place in is flawed. We all know this. Heroes, as a concept, had been corrupted into being purely about good and evil. Purely winning fights for money or fame or the abstract concept of victory (coughs Endeavor and the no.1 spot coughs), making heroism as we know it about flashiness and power instead of mercy and the desire to help others.

All Might symbolizes the ideal version of the Hero Society. He represents doing the best you can. Being a hero until you reach your limits, and then going even past that. He symbolizes pure intention and the desire to be a hero not for material gains but because of the pure want to make society a better and safer place. Stain refers to Kamino Ward and the statue as a "holy land" because he believes that through and through, AM's only had the purest of intentions and morals. To him, Toshinori was like a deity that had no fault in making society what it was in the present because that accountability fell on the generations of heroes that failed to fulfill his legacy.

The point being, Stain understood that All Might was fundamentally not about 'being there' for everyone 24/7, but rather the message his presence had sent.

All Might's monologue at the beginning of the chapter essentially boiled down to the ideas that:

A. He regrets not being there properly for Deku

B. His image was a delusion that ultimately led to the downfall of hero society.

To break this down, his problem with Deku is his inability to be a competent mentor. It shows that he has led him down dangerous and horrible paths (Deku's stubbornness to do things by himself and his 'dark' arc post-war), and is unable to bring him back into the light even if he tries. It was only when Class 1-A had intervened that they were able to get Deku to rest and let people tag along, after all, which is why Toshinori was far too embarrassed to follow him into UA's walls even after everyone had come out with umbrellas.

Stain disproves this in two ways.

First, he says that it was never about All Might's ability to actually be there for people. The whole point of what inspired Deku to be the inherently good-hearted "true hero" he is today is because of the values that AM's brand had instilled in him as a child. AM's biggest positive impacts came from behind the screen where he was used as the proof that true heroes can and do exist. Deku does want to be exactly like All Might, yes, which is why we see Toshinori leading him down the same path that he walked--but the underlying message of this is that the very first thing All Might gave him even before OfA was the courage to help fix society.

I do believe Deku is an innately compassionate person. Most people in the series are. However, what makes All Might's smile so uniquely impactful to what it did to Hero Society is the way it gave people courage to help people. Less hesitation. Less bystander syndromes. The ability to move without thinking. Because you can feel the want to help a person, but the courage to be nosey and actually do it? That's portrayed as something AM's image teaches people.

The second way he disproves AM's insecurity of dragging Deku down is that he makes it clear that this pain is somewhat of a necessity in reforming society. He says, interestingly enough, that this is but the 'middle process' in reforming society. This spills over to how he addresses Problem B, but what Stain is essentially saying here is that this sort of brutality and isolation that Izuku faces is impermanent. A phase. It implies that even if Deku is struggling and Toshinori is unable to help him, it is something that needs to happen before they re-realize the ideal heroes All Might's image is meant to create.

The second problem in regards to how All Might feels about current society (how it's collapsing because of him, etc. etc.) is more interestingly addressed. There are many things that Stain says--like how Toshinori doesn't need to actually be the one to fix society with his bare hands. The current society is not his fault because of the fact that it is not finished developing. I'm not sure if I can go so far as to say that Stain means this in the sense of the Scorched Earth method of tearing everything down to build it back up better-- but I can say that Stain still has faith in society to rebuild after this period of chaos.

This rebuilding starts with the old generation of heroes correcting what they messed up (i.e. Endeavor v Dabi) and more importantly, paving the way for a better generation of heroes that was inspired by All Might's image. Heroes that are led by people like Deku, who is defined by his proclivity to help without thinking. The violent deconstruction of society is about exposing society to the raw truth of All Might's image that not everybody can be as strong as him-- which is why we have to take care of each other.

When the lady comes in to remove the sign and start cleaning the statue, it's symbolic. It's a clear metaphor that the past few chapters are the turning point for society as a whole, and how people are starting to remember what real heroism is. From the distrust that was seeded in society ever since LoV had surfaced, we are seeing that trust being returned TEN-FOLD now that people can see not only the mask of a hero's smile, but also the person underneath.

I think it's some really neat symbolism here too about how Deku, who's metal mouth guard was literally all about representing All Might's smile, is shed.

This is hero society dropping their masks. Letting people see them for as they are. Toshinori revisiting the statue in this form makes all the more impact because he shed his mask ages ago during the Kamino Bust, so this is him coming face to face with the image he's created and seeing the differences between them, and how his image continues to live on even after he's almost completely Quirkless. The lady cleaning the All Might statue shows off the fact that things can be repaired again--that society can be clean (hehe stain pun) again.

It's interesting to me here how Stain offers the information from Tartarus.

He doesn't care anymore about his life. It's evident. He disagrees with what the LoV is doing, but believes enough in Deku to think that it's time for him to retire the mantle of 'Stain'. Unless this is another test, it's very odd for me to hear that Stain is offering a blade and his life to someone he isn't even sure is All Might.

But the impact of this action reads loud and clear.

This is Stain taking pity on All Might. This is him realizing that All Might too is a person behind the hero. That Toshinori Yagi is incapable of doing anything past the image he had already created. By offering that knife and information on Tartarus, Stain is giving control back to Toshinori. He is giving AM the chance to do something big again to help society's reconstruction. To be a part of the revolution that he so badly deserves to see. That knife is essentially an exit ticket from the sidelines, and one last chance for All Might to be able to see what his image has done for people.

I personally think that the main reason Stain is willing to die then and there by Toshinori's hand, despite not being sure that he is All Might to begin with, is because of the final impact it creates that it isn't about Toshinori Yagi's true power as a person, but the image of All Might. It is because he looks like the symbol of peace, that Stain (the literal HERO KILLER) feels comfortable laying his life in his hands and giving away valuable information.

If that isn't a great testament to the power of AM's image, I don't know WHAT is.

I guess all I have to say is I absolutely love what Stain did in this chapter. Everything felt so incredibly symbolic and emotional and as someone who absolutely ADORES All Might and what he stands for in the story, this felt like a cool balm after seeing Deku tragically reject his bento box a good few chapters ago. I have a few more opinions about symbolism, and how I think Deku's generation of heroes is going to stray from the old gen, but I think that's a discussion for another time.

Thanks for reading 'til the end!

[casuallyimagining]

BTS Masterlist

Long Term Couples Masterlist*: Various fics exploring long term relationships with select members. Each piece can be read on its own or part of the series.

Hold Me Together Masterlist*:  A collection of drabbles and headcanons featuring seokjin, yoongi, and namjoon and their significant others…. all of whom have chronic illnesses. Each piece can be read on its own or as part of a series. 

* The drabbles in this series are also linked individually on the main BTS Masterlist.

Reactions & Headcanons

Post-Performance

Jealousy

♠ Caramel: Namjoon likes his coffee a particular way. Unfortunately, his order gets swapped with a stranger’s when he’s running late for a meeting. (fluff)

♠ Jiyoon 23.8.12: Your second date with Namjoon. He decides to take you to a museum. (fluff)

♠ It’s a Date: You spend a relaxing evening with Namjoon playing your favorite game. (fluff)

♠ Grass: Platonic Yoongi x Seokjin. Yoongi and Jin visit a cafe to work. (slice of life)

♠ Some Day: Jin has a realization about you and his future. (fluff)

♠ Less of Them: As the daughter of one of the oldest families in the kingdom, when the king decides that it's you he wishes to marry, you're forced to make a decision and fulfill your duty, leaving behind everything you've ever known--and the only man you've ever loved. (arranged marriage au, established relationship, star-crossed lovers, angst, smut, fluff)

♠ Set Me Free: Tired of being told how to live his life and unsure of where he stands in the world, Yoongi--your soulmate--yearns to be free. When you give him what he wants, it causes a rift in your relationship that seems irreparable. 12 years later, you find him back in your life. Can you mend your relationship? Do you even want to? (supernatural au, soulmates au, f2e2l, angst, fluff)

♠ Fallen: If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then where does that leave you? Spurned by your ex-fiance, you seek the one person who can help. But as it turns out, the price of revenge may be a little more than you bargained for. (hurt/comfort, fluff, angst, fallen angel au)

♠ Fix You: When you take in a stray cat, you have no idea he’s secretly a hybrid trying to escape his past. Can you help him heal? (series) (hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, slowburn, Hybrid AU)

♠ Home: After helping Yoongi get away from his abusive former owner, you’re left to focus on your relationship and how it progresses. That is, until you find six other hybrids who need your help, and their former owner decides he’s going to make your life hell. (series) (hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, eventual smut, Hybrid AU)

♠ Darkest Day: Yoongi doesn’t like pokemon, doesn’t want one, doesn’t care to be around them. What happens when he finds an abandoned pokemon during one of the hardest weeks of his year? Can you help him through it? (pokemon trainer au, fluff, angst)

♠ Exiled: After a year of being on the run and the world’s shittiest luck, Yoongi comes across a familiar face. You. The only problem? Everything is trying to kill him including, he assumes, you. (zombie au, magic au, angst, fluff)

♠ Human: Yoongi is a monster, but there’s always something worse lurking in the shadows. When that something threatens everything he loves, Yoongi is forced to choose: embrace his humanity, or give in to the monster? (series) (vampire au, fluff, hurt/comfort, angst)

♠ When September Ends: Six years after leaving your home planet, you’re forced to confront your past… and the one you left behind. (series) (friends to enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, Star Wars AU)

♠ Drunk in Love: Jimin begs you to hang out with his friends, including one Min Yoongi. (fluff)

♠ Tomorrow: You bring Yoongi dinner when he’s suffering from writer’s block. (fluff)

♠ Miscommunication: It’s the day before Valentine’s Day, and Yoongi bought flowers. (fluff)

♠ Official: Yoongi insists on going on a proper first date. Unfortunately, it doesn't go to plan. (fluff)

♠ Little Secret: Your relationship with Yoongi, though young, couldn't be better. But that doesn't mean it's perfect. A rewrite of Dirty Little Secret. (fluff)

♠ Help: Your thoughts run wild. Yoongi wants to help. (fluff)

♠ Ace of Hearts: When things start to get hot and heavy, how will Yoongi react if you want to slow things down? (fluff, hurt/comfort, slice of life)

♠ Big Thoughts: Yoongi's late night confession spurs some deep thoughts. (hurt/comfort, fluff, slice of life)

♠ Burden: You care for Yoongi after surgery. (fluff)

♠ First Snow: It’s the first snow of the season, and you’re excited. Yoongi is… sleepy. (fluff)

♠ Home Alone:  Yoongi has a special attachment to a certain Christmas movie. (fluff)

♠ A Long Winter’s Nap: You and Yoongi celebrate your first Christmas together. (fluff)

♠ Keep Me Around: It’s your birthday, and despite having a meeting at BitHit, Yoongi does his best to make it special. (fluff)

♠ Soft: Spending time with Yoongi on his birthday leads to softness. (fluff)

♠ On the Living Room Floor: You and Yoongi finally officially move in together. (fluff)

♠ The Roommate: After years of living apart, Yoongi is finally reunited with his favorite roommate. And he’s excited to introduce him to his new favorite roommate. (fluff)

♠ Caroline and Andrew: Attending your best friends’ wedding in New York has you and Yoongi thinking about the future. (fluff)

♠ Meant to be Yours: (Not) Meant to Be: Yoongi would make a great dad. There’s only one problem… (angst)

♠ Meant to be Yours: Sequel to (Not) Meant to Be. It’s been a week since you made the toughest decision of your life... (angst, hurt/comfort)

♠ I’ll Be Home for Christmas: You spend Christmas with Yoongi’s parents. (f)

♠ Rest: Yoongi is sick. Luckily, you're there to take care of him and make sure he rests. (fluff)

♠ First Times: With the start of a world tour literal hours away, Yoongi takes a moment to reflect. (fluff, angst, slice of life)

♠ It Feels Right: Yoongi has a realization about his future. (fluff)

♠ Grass: Platonic Yoongi x Seokjin. Yoongi and Jin visit a cafe to work. (slice of life)

♠ Forever: Hobi knows what he wants his future to look like. (fluff)

♠ Warm: A snowstorm knocks out the power in your apartment. Luckily, Jimin is there to keep you warm. (fluff)

♠ Nothing’s here...

♠ I Meant What I Said: You have something important to tell Jungkook. (fluff)

♠ Increased by One: Jungkook shows up at your apartment with a surprise. (fluff)

♠ 사랑해: You go on a trip and return with two surprises. (fluff)

♠ Postcards: Jungkook goes on tour without you, and he sends back mementos to let you know he’s thinking of you. (fluff)

♠ Cold: It’s cold out, and you’re freezing. Jungkook does his best to help warm you up (fluff)

♠ Support: Jungkook shows up at your door after a difficult day at rehearsal. (fluff)

shout outs to @missgeniality​ for the lovely banners.

[irrelevantwriter]

White Flag

Pairing: Rio (Good Girls) x Female Reader/You

Rating: Explicit, NSFW

Warnings: Language, public sex, unprotected vaginal sex, mention of bodily fluids, slightly vulnerable Rio, declaration of feelings (sorta?)

Word Count: 4.3K

Summary: Part 5. Two months without seeing or speaking to Rio has left a significant mark and feelings finally decide to show themselves. Kinda.

A/N: I hope everyone had a good holiday or at least a chill Friday. I come bearing gifts with the next part of our favorite toxic saga. More smut for my lovely readers. But first, some plot. We jump right into it and just like our favorite non-couple, we gloss over a lot of bullshit and get right to the filth. But as a Virgo I love communication so I have to make these two stubborn assholes talk about their issues a little. At least in a vague way. Also, Rio has his read receipts on bc he is a petty king. There’s one more part after this and it's all naughty fun from here. I hope you guys like it. Feedback is that good shit. 💗

A/N dos: I’m thinking about making the next part strictly from Rio’s POV. I feel like it’ll give us a peek into what he’s thinking and a new take on the series thus far. I’m excited to explore that so let me know what you guys think!

*Read Part 1 here

*Read Part 2 here

*Read Part 3 here

*Read Part 4 here

*Read Part 6 here

*Give and Take series masterlist

*Masterlist in bio.

*********************

“So you’re just gonna eye fuck the hot stranger at the bar all night?”

Your friend’s teasing cut through the haze, jolting you back to the dimly lit bar. The music boomed around you while people drank and danced, enjoying the Saturday night out in the same way you and your girlfriends were.

“I was not.” You insisted, though the coy smile you wore said otherwise.

The group of women scoffed and rolled their eyes, seeing right through your faux innocence.

“Besides,” You started, taking a sip of your drink as the song changed into a bass heavy melody. “He’s not even my type.”

“Oh, bullshit!” Kara interjected with a raised brow, shaking her head.

You opened your mouth in surprise, but bit back your response when the other women chimed in.

“She’s right.” Evelyn agreed, throwing her dark hair over one shoulder.

“We knew you in high school and college, remember?” Nikki threw in, pursing her lips knowingly in your direction.

“Okay, so?” You said with a poor attempt at nonchalance.

“You were all over guys like that when we were kids. Paul ended up being the black sheep of the bunch.” Kara reminded you with a laugh, Evelyn and Nikki joining in with their own drunken giggles.

“Yeah, we were convinced you’d marry a felon with tattoos and not a real estate broker who wore khakis.” Nikki quipped, causing another round of laughter and snorts.

“Okay, okay...I get it. So I had a type. I think I’ve grown out of it.” You cut in, sounding as if you were trying to convince them as much as yourself.

“Not if the hottie at the bar has anything to say about it.” Evelyn joked with a wink.

You shook your head as you took another sip of your drink, unwilling to let them see you flustered. Or that they were in fact correct. You definitely still had a thing for bad boys...bad men to be more specific.

The evening had been going smoothly so far. It was a rare girl’s night out. An event that happened only once every five years when kids were shuttled off to babysitters or their fathers, and the women were able to enjoy an adult meal with adult beverages. Schedules between four busy women didn’t often align so when they did, you all jumped at the chance to indulge in the nightlife you’d left behind in your younger years.

You’d been the one to suggest the bar. It was a swanky, sophisticated space with an air of youth. The perfect mix for your outing. You’d been here only one other time.

With Rio.

Thinking of the man made heat pool low in your stomach, despite your lingering frustrations. It’d been two months since that shit show of a night at your house. You hadn’t seen or spoken to him since. After that debacle, you blocked his number. As childish as it may have been, you were angry. Still were. And rightfully so. He’d been a complete dick. He’d chosen the most inopportune moment to make adjustments to your arrangement. He’d been careless in his deliverance, harsh even. The entire exchange had you questioning everything. And instead of analyzing the situation and communicating like adults, you’d decided to stop all interactions with him. You’d wanted to send a message. Just as he had with you.

After the argument, you’d been an anxious mess in the days leading up to the next drop. But it was all for nothing because Rio wasn’t there. And neither was the new contact he’d told you about. Instead, Mick was waiting for you and offering up no other information. And it’d been that way for two long months.

In the days since, your mind wandered to Rio often. Your body lingered on his phantom presence constantly. You replayed the conversation you’d had a million times over and each time it made deep fury spill over and mix with the lust still raging like white water rapids through your veins. You missed his touch. Missed his desire for you. Missed the way he made you feel, so supremely sexual and wanton. All things you’d been lacking in your marriage. And now they were suddenly hitting you square in the face and begging you to pay attention. Begging you to not lose the source of your sudden awakening.

You missed the toxicity of your interactions. You were two twisted souls fighting for control over a situation that belonged to neither of you. And in truth, the basis of your relationship with Rio was denial and attraction. It would continue to thrive on that as long as you both refused the obvious.

So maybe, just maybe you’d come to the bar in hopes of seeing him in order to test that theory. It was a slim chance he’d even be here, but you were just buzzed enough that you were willing to roll the dice and find out. Plus, your desire for him felt like an extension of your body at this point. You had to satiate it. Had to feed the raw passion that grew stronger each day without him. It demanded it. And it wasn’t for lack of trying. But your own hand didn’t ignite your body the same way his did, asshole or not.

“I’ll be back.” You called over the music, gesturing to the darkened hallway that predictably led to the bathrooms. Your friends nodded and went back to flirting with the handsome blue-eyed waiter.

You shot a meaningful glance in the direction of the bar. To the “hot stranger”. Whether or not he’d take the hint was on him.

You made it to the single-use bathroom easily. It wasn’t late enough for it to be crowded with the surge of a Saturday night crowd, but the place was still busy. You set your purse down on the sleek surface of the sink counter, admiring the emerald green tiles that paved the walls. The fixtures were brass and gleamed in the light of the vanity bulbs. It was a beautiful space. Carefully crafted for a magazine like Architectural Digest.

Your eyes swept over your reflection in the large mirror that sat over the sink. You made sure not a lash was out of place as you surveyed your appearance. You adjusted the low neckline of your yellow dress, the hue radiating more gold than you’d initially noticed. The silk material felt cool against your heated skin, the slit in the skirt offering some relief. The long sleeves of the garment added a sleekness to the otherwise risqué ensemble. You’d never worn the dress. But tonight seemed as good a time as any to debut it.

The sound of the bathroom door creaking open made you pause, eyes watching in the mirror for who entered. You wondered if it’d be him. Wondered if he ended up following you like you’d hoped.

Your stomach knotted when Rio stepped in, closing the door and locking it with a resounding click. He was stoic. Shrouded in black and looking every bit as menacing as he truly was. A sight for your sore eyes.

You turned to face him, your chest both tightening and expanding at seeing him in the flesh. He made your heart stutter and your spine tingle, yet irritation slowly seeped into your pores, reminding you of the last interaction you’d had with him. It was a clash of sensations and feelings. It was utter chaos. And it's what you’d been missing.

Silence hung in the air as his gaze roamed your figure, appraising you hungrily. You shivered, careful to hide the gesture from his intense stare. You schooled your features and angled your chin up in confidence that you weren’t entirely sure you felt. But you weren’t going to budge. You were going to make him come to you.

He was leaning up against the door, a barely there smirk adorning his lips. His scent began to eclipse the smell of vanilla soap that permeated the air. Your eyes wanted to roll back at the familiarity of it. It was soothing. A comfort to your deprived senses.

“You miss me, mama?”

That deep rasp made your panties soak immediately. It was a question he’d asked you many times in the past, but you’d never felt it as much as you did now. Because yeah, you did fucking miss him.

You stayed silent.

He chucked at your refusal to answer. “Still mad at me?”

Again you said nothing.

He licked his lips, eyeing yours as he did. “I tried calling.”

“I blocked your number.” You finally responded, voice icy and detached.

“Damn, that’s cold.” He said with an amused shake of his head and a laugh, the sound making your nipples harden in traitorous lust.

“Why? Did you need something?” You questioned coolly, crossing your arms over your chest to hide your mounting arousal. Your thighs rubbed together, beginning to slid against each other as your arousal made itself known.

He stepped forward, heading in your direction with intent. You straightened your back, unwilling to let him get the upper hand on you. You knew what was going to happen. Knew where this was headed. So why not use it to your advantage? Why not toy with him for a change? He deserved it. 

You used the added height of your heels and eased yourself onto the countertop, parting your thighs slightly so that your dress fell between them. You leaned back on your hands, the chill of the marble countertop beneath you reminding you so much of that day in your kitchen.

Rio’s steps halted momentarily as he watched you, eyes zeroed in on the juncture between your thighs that was hidden behind the silk. Your pussy practically begged for his attention. Dared him to see your need through the fabric that shielded you.

You were still upset with him. Still displeased with the way he’d chosen to handle the situation and you. But more than anything you wanted him to succumb to you. You wanted to feel that thrill of having him at your mercy. So powerful, yet so fragile in the midst of his bliss. You wanted...no, needed him to wave his white flag first.

“Tell me then,” You began, slowly easing the hem of your dress up as you spoke. “Business or personal?” You questioned, wanting to know if he’d be truthful about why he’d tried to contact you.

He resumed his path towards you with a dangerous lick of his lips, but his gaze never faltered as it took in every new stretch of skin that was revealed. He tried to reach out and touch you, but you raised a heeled foot to his abdomen and stopped him, keeping him at a distance.

“Answer me.” You breathily demanded.

His face registered your words while his eyes took in the stretch of leg that kept him away. You eased the limb back down and waited for him to comply.

He decided to play along.

“Business.”

He continued walking when you didn’t stop him, standing between your legs and trailing his fingertips along the inside of them. His movements shifted your dress up even higher onto your thighs. The sensation would’ve tickled if you weren’t already deliriously turned on.

“Liar.” You accused, already feeling his warmth radiate onto you as he edged closer. His breath mingled with yours, mint and whiskey assaulting your nose.

“So are you.” He retorted, eyes planted firmly on your parted lips. He moved in until you were sure he could do nothing else but touch his mouth to yours. And yet you still weren’t going to meet him.

“So we’re both liars?” You asked, arching a brow up at him.

“Yeah.” He nodded and swallowed, the tattoo splashed across his throat pulling your focus. You fell captive to his spell as you got lost in memories of licking and sucking the inked flesh, remembering the way he tasted on your tongue. The recollection caused your legs to widen and your back to arch into him, pushing your chest against his. God, you wanted him. You wanted him so badly that your pussy clenched around nothing, as if feeling him already deep inside you. It was a silent call to a lover. One he would never hear. But he’d feel it soon enough.

Your clit throbbed against your lace panties, aching to be assaulted by his talented fingers. With him so close you could feel just how badly you needed him inside you. It felt wrong for him not to be. Felt wrong to not have him share a pulse with you when he was this near. You were going to remedy that.

“Well then,” You whispered, leaning forward to hover over his lips. “I don’t want you to fuck me in this bathroom.”

His hands glided up your thighs while his nose skimmed along your cheek. His breath was hot against your ear as he maneuvered himself so that barely a sliver of air was left between you.

“So I won’t.” He lied in return, the words coating you like his cum had done numerous times before.

In an instant your lips were being pulled to his. His hands were suddenly everywhere and all at once, seeking out your flesh in desperation. It pleased you to know just how badly he needed you. How badly he craved you.

He slid you closer to him, letting your lace-covered lower half come into contact with his crotch. Ragged breaths and low hums filtered through the air as your bodies grinded against each other, seeking firm hands. You could feel him pressed against the zipper of his dark pants. He was hard. The notion made you moan into his mouth, scraping your nails over his scalp.

It was just like riding a bike. Except there was an added layer of intensity this time that hadn’t been there before. His touch burned hotter than usual. Your grew cunt wetter with every pass of his tongue along yours. They weren’t new sensations, but they felt different. Indescribable. Perhaps it was the public sex. Perhaps it was the underlying tension. Either way, it was remarkably explosive.

You pulled away from his insistent lips to take in air. He continued on, mouth moving over your neck and across your exposed cleavage. He nipped at the flesh, his lips sensuously soothing the area as he explored. You pushed into him in invitation, widening your legs so that he could press harder into you.

You waited for him to take the next step. Waited for him to escalate the moment into more than just heavy-petting and sloppy kisses. His hands, as if reading your mind, traveled up the skirt of your dress and found the edge of your panties. There was no hesitation or teasing in his movements as he roughly pulled them off, the elastic popping against your skin and making you cry out.

Rio licked at your neck in apology, his own hands now moving to his belt. You shifted closer to the ledge of the counter and followed the trail of heat that led to his pulsing cock. His flesh bumped against you, the feel of him hot and heavy along your soaked slit making you whimper.

Your nails dug into the fabric of his shirt as he pushed forward and sheathed himself inside of you in one hard thrust. You gasped and tightened your legs around him, your right hand in search of something solid. It landed on the mirror behind you, your palm sticking to its cool surface as you braced yourself for the inevitable.

His facial hair scratched at your skin as he buried himself into your neck. He held your hips steady as he retreated and then plunged back into your welcoming walls, stretching you with a burn that made you hiss. Your pussy massaged his length with fervor, seducing him further inside and begging him to claim you once again.

You reached for anything you could to stabilize yourself as he fucked you into the reflective glass at your back. Moans and groans intertwined as your bodies rocked against each other. The soap dispenser fell into the sink with a loud clatter as you accidentally made contact with it. The stack of towels folded neatly near the faucet became disheveled as your ass knocked them out of place with the momentum from Rio’s cock. The entire vanity shook with each intensely thorough thrust of his hips into your womb. It was animalistic. The very epitome of what bathroom  sex in a bar should be.

No words were said. None were needed. Your actions led the conversation.

You squeezed your inner muscles around him, daring him to surrender before you. He twitched, his hips stuttering at the feel of you so tight and wet around him. He growled into your ear, a sure sign that he loved the gesture a little too much.

So you did it again.

“Stop that shit.” He grunted, hips picking up their pace.

“Cum.” You whispered in response, the demand disguised as a request.

“Fuck…” He groaned when you held him to you and clenched around him once more. You trapped him, giving him no choice but to experience your deliberate enticement. His fingers dug into your thighs almost painfully so, forcing you to wince.

He was close.

You reached between your bodies and massaged your clit, feeling your pussy react immediately. Sporadic tremors vibrated your walls and his cock, making both of you moan. Rio’s palm slammed into the mirror at your back as he rutted his hips harder into yours. He was rough and unforgiving, the aggression heightened by your disobedience. It had never quite been like this. There had always been a touch of softness, a soothing placation or word of encouragement. Not tonight. Not as he fucked you so hard you were sure the mirror was going to crack and rain down luminescent crystals of glass over you both.

You showed no mercy as you forced him to submit to you and your body. The precipice was there. It was within reach. You could feel that tightly wound coil ready to unravel. It felt like too much and not enough at the same time. Your mind was a prisoner to your pleasure. You thought of nothing but the sweet release that you knew was waiting for you. And it was. It was waiting for you with open arms as Rio finally came, triggering your own climax as he filled you so deliciously full of himself. His entire body tensed within you as he held you firm and painted your shuttering walls.

The familiar sensation only added to your high as your limbs tensed and loosened with each wave of euphoria that washed over you. You squeezed your eyes shut and catapulted through space as your body struggled to ground itself once again. Rio had gone rigid, letting you ride out your orgasm in peace as you suffocated his cock. His cum was already leaking from your walls before you’d even finished, a trail of him decorating your swollen pussy.

Your eyes fluttered open to see him staring back at you, his lips pulled into a lazy smirk. You mirrored his expression, releasing a breathless chuckle. Your body still hummed in excitement, but this time it was punctuated by the deep satisfaction that radiated from between your thighs.

“You good?” You teased, hands resting on his chest and feeling the rapid beats of his heart beginning to slow.

He laughed, the sound low and tinged with fatigue. “Yeah.”

He licked his lips and took in your disheveled state, gaze catching a glimpse of the lace bra you wore underneath.

“Let me drive you home.” He said suddenly, his arrogance alive and well.

It was on the tip of your tongue to deny him, but you chose not to.

“Sure.”

**********

The car ride was silent.

After your impromptu coupling in the bathroom, you’d made up an excuse about not feeling well to your friends and explained you’d already called an Uber. They were hesitant to let you leave alone, but somehow you’d persuaded them to stay and not follow you. You were sure the alcohol they’d consumed had something to do with it.

With hugs and promises of texts that everyone made it home safe at the end of the night, you departed from the bar with Rio in his Mercedes. He’d been driving for about ten minutes, the air not as tense as it’d once been. He seemed content to let the quiet linger, but you weren’t.

“What happened to the new guy?” You asked, glimpsing his face to gauge his reaction. It was dark in the vehicle, but you could still make out his silhouette amongst the various street lights.

He furrowed his brow and pouted his lips, confusion reading easily across his features.

“What new guy?”

“My new contact. The one I was supposed to have.”

“Didn’t work out. Mick has it handled.” He replied simply, gaze still trained on the road in front of him.

“Okay.” You said with a nod, the dryness in your tone letting him know you didn’t quite believe him.

He wordlessly turned onto your street and came to a stop alongside your driveway, putting the SUV in park. He angled his body to face you, trapping you in his stare.

“It was never about you.”

The question must’ve shown on your face because he continued.

“The switch. It wasn’t about you.”

“Wasn’t very convincing.” You deadpanned, scoffing as you played with the zipper of your clutch.

He didn’t react right away. Instead, he watched you. Watched you in that way that let you know his thoughts were as impure as the counterfeit money he produced.

“You look good in that dress.” He complimented, chin jutting out and gesturing to the fabric that adorned your body.

His praise made warmth bloom in your chest. The kind of warmth that was usually accompanied by butterflies in your stomach.

“Thanks.” You replied evenly, not letting him see just what his words did to you. Though you had a feeling he did, despite not bearing witness to it outright.

“Better without it.” He added with a slide of his wicked tongue across his bottom lip, his teeth following. The action was purposeful. Erotic. Blatant. It was all Rio.

You didn’t respond to his flirting. You only sighed, mirroring his position as you resigned yourself to have an honest conversation with the man.

“So,” You started, forcing your fingers to still. “What is it that you want?”

He eyed you for a long moment. Long enough that you started to feel self-conscious.

“You.”

You nodded, disappointed but not shocked by his reply. The word wasn’t new. Though it was lacking the hollow cockiness that usually accompanied it.

You opened your mouth to respond, but he spoke up before you could.

“In whatever way you’ll let me have you.” He admitted.

The statement caught you off guard. He wasn’t trying to be cute or charming. He wasn’t being placating or condescending. He was being serious, the hardened intensity in his dark orbs softening to a tender resignation that you were sure matched yours.

“What about you? What do you want?” He repeated back to you, eyes narrowing as he waited.

You took a moment to observe him. Your eyes followed the arch of his brows and the sharp jut of his cheekbones. You studied the pout of his lower lip and his Adam's apple as it bobbed with his throat muscles. He was so many things to you. None of which you could put into words. You didn’t think a word had even been invented yet. It didn’t matter. You were both making your own rules. And it seemed, for once, that the both of you were on the same page and playing by the same rules.

“I want you to have me.” You confessed, meeting his gaze.

And there it was. He was resigned to having you in limited capacity. You were resigned to finally letting him have you. Two conclusions coming together at the same moment. You weren’t quite sure what that meant for you both, but it was a start. 

“Goodnight.” You whispered into the darkened cab, a small smile pulling at your lips.

You didn’t wait for him to react. You turned and opened the door, exiting the vehicle. He didn’t try to stop you. You rounded the front of the car, hearing the driver’s side window slide down.

“So I’ll see you next week?” Rio asked out the open window, chin resting in his hand.

“At the drop?”

He nodded.

You shook your head and laughed, though there was no real humor behind it.

“You wanna tell me again it wasn’t about me?” You challenged, a wide grin decorating your face.

He could deny it. He would probably try. But you knew the truth. And that was enough.

For now.

“Night.” He called, an amused upturn of his lips showing in the light of the full moon.

He turned to the street, starting the car as you walked up your driveway. His eyes followed you the whole way, ensuring you made it in safely.

You heard him drive away once you shut and locked the front door, your lungs releasing a long breath. You pulled out your cell phone and went to your blocked caller list. You selected Rio’s number and unblocked the listing, adrenaline releasing into your bloodstream as you did.

Almost immediately your screen lit up with a text.

Same time and place tomorrow?

You bit your lip, feelings akin to teenage infatuation bubbling to the surface. You hastily typed a response.

See you there.

The message was read immediately. 

Rio Tags:

@tomhardydallasstarsgirl​