#and i think this is great for Seeing A Show. i always want this kind of broader Context and also i think it sure really would help for like

[dipperpepper77]

Arranged Marriage AU LADS Men

Dipper's Delusions

TAGS: Fluff, AFAB reader, children, men who yearn... ARE MEN WHO EARN.

Intro: Your kingdom reeked of smoke and burnt produce. The heat was so palpable that it seemed to stick to everyone's skin. Leaving yours to always be damp with soft sweat. The war was taking far too long to end. Your parents, the king and queen, opting for more drastic measures. Securing your hand to a foreign kingdom could provide aid and stability to your tiny kingdom. You weren't one for dramatics. Only nodding hesitantly as the documents were filled and signed over. Whilst, you didn't want to marry out of convenience... you also didn't want to see your people starve or succumb to the war.

The resources and power of the foreign kingdom would be enough to end the war and establish your own as one of the greats. One to not be messed with. Your people could now live in peace for your sacrifice. It would help that he was easy on the eyes.

It wasn't hard to convince him for your hand. He knew you. From prior balls were you didn't even spare him a passing glance. Now it was relatively the same. You still didn't grant him a passing glance in your shared castle. But, oh... how he longed for you. You were completely unaware of his sentiments for you. However, you'd soon find out.

Sea god Rafayel: You picked at your food with the gold plated fork. Your lips parting to make a comment but stopping halfway. Rafayel cleared his throat, "something's on your mind. Say it". You gave a curt nod before speaking "I thought it would be highly inappropriate to eat one's own kind". He let out an amused laugh. "Seafood? It's the circle of life, my dear. Eat or be eaten. Humans truly know nothing.. do they?" You shook your head a bit. Feeling more comfortable to take a bite of the seafood. It was rich and buttery. Light with the slight taste of the ocean. His hand grazed yours, picking it up in his soft delicate palm. "May I?" You nod. He places kisses to your knuckles. You felt a burning feeling in your throat. A lump forming as he nuzzled against your hand. "You don't need to feel the same... just know one thing. You will always have a place in my heart."

You found yourself easing into Rafayel. Gradually picking up with his steps. Finding yourself nuzzled in his embrace as he showed you his art pieces. More often than not you just found that... you couldn't be apart from him. His head laid on your lap as you fixed up his hair. You held golden shears as you cut small bits of his violet strands. "Raf... I think I'll do this wrong." He only smiled up at you. "You could never do wrong in my eyes. I trust you." He bit back a smirk. "Besides, If I look awful I'll tell everyone it's because my dear wife is possessive."

The kingdom was pushing for an heir after the anniversary of your marriage. You sat on the bed. The lump crawling back into your throat. You loved Rafayel. But, you were afraid. What if he changed? What if all he was doing was wooing you for an heir?

Rafayel kissed behind your ear. "Listen to me. We go at your pace.. okay?" You nod gently. Breathing out gently. "I'm scared.." His gaze softened. Looking at you like you were a wet trembling animal he needed to protect. He pushed a strand of hair out of your face. "Have I ever told you... you always happen to be the most beautiful woman in the room?" He got up. Extending his hand for you to take. He lead you to the garden. You looked at it in awe. You. Paintings full of your face. Painted in a way that showed you how utterly devoted he was.

(Skip forward) Rafayel was a proud dad of twins. One girl and one boy. Both had your hair and his face. Oh, how he doted on them. Kissing their cheeks constantly. The kingdom was quick to choose the boy as the heir. Leading to constant protests from a moody Rafayel. "No. Whoever shows they are ready for the throne gets it." He will NOT back down when it comes to showing equality to your children.

Crown of Light Xavier: A man beyond his age. When you heard of him at first, you thought he was an old man. But, when you saw him... it was another story. He was beautiful. You averted your gaze away from him. The side of your face seemed to be cradled by the candlelight. He smiled softly. "Do you like the light?" Your eyebrows furrowed but you decided to indulge him with a soft nod. His palm extended, a bead of light appeared only to transform to a bunny.

As soon as the precious moment occurred, it seemed to fleet just as fast. News of the kingdom awaiting an heir seemed to strike Xavier down. He hardly spoke to you. Leaving you to go into the bed chambers and sleeping. Dozing off as if he didn't have a wife.

You sat on the plush cushion of the couch. Embroidering a pillow for your future children if your husband just got out of his bed chambers for once. Then, you saw him standing at the doorway. His face looking like he mourned you. You spoke softly, "what troubles you so much?" He shuddered before he took a seat next to you. Whatever he was about to say seemed to be rehearsed. "I.. can... I can not give you children." Your eyebrows furrowed. "Can't or will not?" He shook his head gently. "Will not."

The castle has been tense ever since. You hardly spoke to him. It was the casual difference of him saying will not rather than could not. You sat on the silk bed in your bed chambers. Looking at nothing in particular. Rather, you were deep in thought about how you even got into this situation. Xavier walked into the room, blowing the soft flames of the candles that illuminated your room. You were about to protest... but, his hand rose. "Just... let me speak okay?" You nodded quietly. "It's not that I do not want children with you. It's more that I... I'm scared. Terrified actually. What if I'm not a good father? What if I don't last long enough to see them into adulthood.. I... I can't". Your hand went to the small of his back. Truly the most reassuring thing you could've done. He smiled softly. Using his evol to make a little light show for you as an apology. Light illuminated the room, forming intricate shapes.

You two had triplets on the first go. Poor Xavier's heart nearly dropped. But, he was making the most of it. Two little girls with golden strands and your eyes. The boy inheriting your hair and his blue eyes. King Xavier was reduced to a restless father. His girls pulling at his locks while the boy nestled in his chest... he wouldn't have it any other way.

Ice King Zayne: "I'd like to formally introduce my-". He walked away before you could even finish your sentence. Your eyes widened. What? He was the one who rushed your union. So why was he pushing you away? Did he think you lower than him?

You avoided him like a plague and so did he. The ice of his evol was not the only thing making this castle so... frigid. You ended up developing a routine: wake up, finish up royal tasks, meet with your ladies in waiting, eat in the empty dining table, and go to bed. 150 steps to your bed chambers. So you started counting again and again. 150 exact. What a mundane and boring life.

Today was no different. 150 steps to leave your room and to the dining table. But, this time you saw Zayne eating. You took your seat and ate in silence. The day was pretty pleasant afterwards. 150 steps to the chambers... 1...2...3. You only counted to 50 until you felt a hand grab your wrist and tug you somewhere else. Your mind was on autopilot. 150... 151? 180 steps to Zayne's chambers. Wait.. why are you in his chambers? He helped you out of your robe. His gaze appreciative of the silk white nightgown you wore. You looked up at him baffled. But, he just tugged you into bed with him. You were spooned into his embrace. Back hitting his muscular chest.

You were weak. How else do you explain just sleeping comfortably? He nuzzled his face into your neck. "I'm... not one for affection. I really tried... I just find being away from you is unbearable." What you didn't know is that he was a mess around you. The times he rushed away from you... he was hiding in the corner of the room blushing like a fool. He was not good at being vulnerable at all. But, he will try for you.

Twin girls appeared in his arms. Both having your face, your hair, your mannerisms. His genes didn't seem to even fight it. He thanked all the wishing he did. These little girls thawed the rest of his frigid heart that you couldn't reach. He would always carry snacks hidden under his heavy crown. Chocolate for the eldest twin, strawberry jam packets for the other, and whatever you craved. All with a faint blush whenever he was around you.

Dragon Sylus: You signed up for a marriage… not this. You were stuck in the tower being guarded by a damn dragon? You knew his name was Sylus. Knew he was also the king of the kingdom. Knew he preferred to be alone and recluse in the tower. Knew he hated humans. But, also knew he had to endure to keep the kingdom out of ruins.

He clung to you. His strong voice squeaking out. What happened to this strong dragon? “M-may.. I hold on to your ribbon?” You nod. His long fingers twirled around the ribbon that laid behind your dress. The one that held your waist. His black nails scratching lightly on it. “Pretty.”

You woke up more often than not in his arms. He always asked before he touched you. Not wanting to scare you off. His finger tips were ash black. His nails pointed and sharp. The noir color fading past his knuckle to reveal pale skin. Your fingers reached his horns earning you a soft groan. “They’re sensitive, my belle.” You took your hands off. He looked at you with almost worry. His nail dragging on your soft cheek. “Do I.. scare you?” You shot up. Wanting to protest. He shook his head. Getting up and leaving the room.

You found him mopping by a small nest that could only fit you and him if you squeezed. Maybe he made it so he could envelop you whole? That’s how he felt he could protect you. Your hand petted his hair. Asking.. begging to talk. He looked up at you. “I don’t want to scare you. It’s hard enough to ask you to have heirs with me. They’d be half dragon and half human.. I can’t ask you to create monsters.” You shook your head. Explaining you didn’t find him repulsive. But, his hand found yours again. “D-don’t.. not for my sake. I’d do anything for you. My horns? I’ll shave them down. Look more human. I’ll cut the claws.. the fangs too. Anything. Please.. I don’t wish to frighten you.” When you finally got him to see reason, he slept soundly on your chest.

He was the best girl dad. His little girl had your hair and his crimson eyes. She had the most fierce personality anyone had ever seen. More importantly… she had her dad wrapped around her finger. He’d always make her a nest. Always laugh whenever she started showing her dragon side. You two would take her to the gardens so she could enjoy the sun.

God of War Caleb: Strategically, this was a match made in heaven. His kingdom was one that never lost a battle. The soldiers were all top quality and ruthless when it came to protecting the crown. But, you grew up with Caleb. The powerful king was the same person who’d fuss over your dress, fix your ribbons, put your shoes on for you. His reward? You hardly acknowledged him as a romantic prospect. Hardly batting an eye to him at the balls.

How long would it take for him to snap? Not long actually.. you’re his wife now. His queen. You were blissfully unaware to his romantic sentiments. Usually giving him the same polite nod as always. Caleb… was a good and dear friend. Until tonight.

His hand snaked to the small of your back. Keeping you pressed against him. His cheek rubbed against yours. His voice… soft. Almost melodic. “Am I not enough? I’m yours… so humbly yours. My heart..” He placed your hand on his warm chest. Your fingertips feeling his steady and strong heartbeat. “This… it beats for you.” You could only swallow hard. Your eyes flickering with recognition. You truly loved him.

He followed you around like a lost puppy. Making countless excuses as for why he needed to be in your line of sight. No one understood how this man crumbled to a pathetic fool over you. But, they weren’t crazy enough to question him. A single utter of your name had his intention. If it was a negative comment? The person would rather be dead and gone than face Caleb’s wrath. Come hell or high water, that man would go to war for your dignity.

Caleb had his heir. A boy who looked exactly like him. A carbon copy down to his pout. He adored the boy.. absolutely. But, mentally cursed himself because he wished he looked a bit more like you. He also cursed himself because his son is EXACTLY like him. Caleb would follow you around for affection or praise, only to get knocked by his son. His son was equally possessive and jealous over your time. A chaotic but loving home is what I can best describe it as.

[prettydaisygirl]

boyfriend!James Potter x fem!reader who thinks he's cheating ✿ 1.8k words

cw: fem reader, reader thinks James is cheating (he isn't), James is a professional athlete and kind of a himbo, reader is jealous/a bit possessive of James, Sirius and Remus back reader up, angst with a happy ending

james potter masterlist

°˖✧✿✧˖°

James Potter. Your beautiful, wonderful, oh so sweet boyfriend. He is the best man in the world. Except he has one flaw. 

He is way, way too trusting. 

You believe it’s because of his heart, too big for his body. He carries his emotions like a badge of honor, wanting to be good and see the good in others. And because of this, your boyfriend can be a little naive. 

“Jamie, I just don’t think it’s a good idea-“ You’re trying to reason with him, but as lovely as James is, he is also stubborn. 

“I just don’t see why you are making such a big deal out of this, angel.” James is wiping down plates, setting them aside for the team dinner tonight. “Olivia is a part of the team, she asked if she could come!” “She’s not a part of the team, she’s your social media manager.” You argue, rolling your eyes, but James doesn’t let up.

“She told me she thinks you have something against her.” You stop for a moment at James’ words, placing the towel you just finished folding aside. You raise your eyebrows at your boyfriend.

“And her words are so much more important than mine?” 

James seems to know he struck the wrong cord when his shoulders sink a bit. “That’s not what I said. But you did ignore her the entire dinner last week.”

“I told you when you came home from that meet in Florida, James. She was all over you, I watched it on tv.” You hate the way you sound, you know James doesn’t see Olivia’s actions the way you do. 

“You haven’t really met her, my love. I promise once you do, you’ll see that she is just our social media manager, and she wants us to look good so we get more sponsors!” James makes his way in front of you where you sit on the couch, kneeling down to meet your level. “Just give her a chance.”

You really rather wouldn’t. You’d rather James listen to you when you tell him about your concerns. But you know tomorrow’s meet is important to your boyfriend, so you decide to swallow your pride and nod.

“Fine.”

You regret agreeing almost immediately. 

Your house swarms with tall, athletic men. You don’t know when your home became the pre-meet dinner spot, but you don’t mind. You find great pride in helping James and his team do well. 

Olivia shows up after the rest of the team has arrived. When you open the door, her grin falters for a second before she reaches out a hand to greet you, squeezing too tight. She eyes you up and down and you decide to attach yourself to James for the evening. 

You latch yourself onto his side, arm around his waist. His own settles around your shoulders and for most of the dinner you can keep the green jealousy monster at bay. Especially when surrounded by his teammates, laughing and joking at the dinner table.

The best part about James’ team is that the others have seemingly adopted you. Remus and Sirius especially, given their lifelong friendship with your boyfriend. You’re always with them, and you consider them very close friends.

You’re chatting with Remus about his new favorite novel when you realize James has been in the bathroom for a long time. Remus sees the moment he loses your attention, your brow furrowing as your eyes scan over the room, looking for James in the small crowd of his teammates. He isn’t there.

“Are you looking for James?” Remus asks, eyes darting around, and your expression changes, mouth pursing a bit.

“And she’s gone too…” You whisper, under your breath but loud enough for Remus to hear. He seems to put the pieces together right as you stalk off toward the staircase.

Your heart pounds as you make your way upstairs, toward the bathroom. You feel your head spin when the door is open and the light is off. 

Things get worse when you hear James’ voice. You can’t make out what he’s saying but it comes from the bedroom. You step closer, and the next words you are able to make out definitely come from Olivia’s mouth. 

“Why does she even need to know?” The words sound sultry, spoken slow and sweet in a way that makes every hair on your body raise up.

The door is cracked open just enough for you to see the two of them. She is sitting on your bed, her perfectly manicured hand wrapped tightly around your boyfriend’s wrist. You can’t see James’ face and you’re glad for it.

“Olivia-“ His warm, rich tone reaches your ears but you’re gone before you can hear anything else. You try to flee silently down the hall, down the stairs, and past the team. You’re two feet away from the door when Sirius steps into your path and you bump into him.

“Hey-“ He starts to greet you with a smile but it drops the moment he sees your face. You don’t know what you look like. Frantic, maybe? Are you flushed? Crying? You aren’t sure, all you feel is the need to get out of here. “Woah, are you alright?”

“I just-“ You take a heavy breath and move to step around him. You can definitely feel tears pooling in your eyes now and you shake your head. “I have to go.”

The last thing you see before the door shuts behind you is Remus approaching Sirius with a questioning look on his face, looking toward the door where you left. 

You walk for a while, nervous to go too far. You turn off your phone, just wanting some space and to be left alone for a while. You stay in familiar areas, especially given how the sun has fully set now. Eventually you reach the park near your house and take a seat on a bench. 

Your mind races. You didn’t see or hear anything that explicitly suggested your boyfriend was considering having an affair with the team’s social media manager. But her voice, the way she was holding his wrist. It’s obvious that’s what she was asking him. 

There are two different possibilities here. You couldn’t see James’ face, only his back and the way he stood in front of her. Either he was going along with it, or he wasn’t.

You know James. James loves you, and he is not a man who is afraid of showing it. He’s always getting you flowers and little gifts, leaving you small love notes. Before he leaves for every practice he gives you an extra long kiss to your lips, then your forehead, and he whispers, “I love you, angel.” You know James.

So, why hadn’t he pulled away from her? 

It was that thought that kept you on the bench. You sit there longer than you should. Any other night, any other circumstance, if you were out this late and James couldn’t reach you, you know he’d be worried sick. Your legs are stiff and your lower back aches when you finally stand. The walk back to your house is miserable, your soul heavy with anticipation. You don’t know what you will do if this somehow ends with you losing James. 

The lights are still on when you approach the house. The only car left in the driveway is James’ so you know all of his teammates have gone home. That means Olivia is gone too. 

Your feet drag as you move up the steps to the front door. You know it’s unlocked but you get your key out and move to unlock it anyway, just to delay this for just a moment. Every second is heavy with possibility, your heart aching. 

The door creaks open and you step inside. James sits up on the living room couch and the two of you lock eyes immediately. The first thing you notice is that his eyes are red-rimmed and swollen, they probably ache as much as yours do. You hate the thought that he has been crying here by himself. 

James stands, and he’s in front of you before you can blink. He gathers you into his arms like you’re something precious and you feel the warm heat of his breath on your neck as he exhales shakily. You wrap your arms around him too, grasping gently at the fabric of his shirt.

“Angel,” He breathes into your skin, and you find your eyes closing. His scent is warm, familiar and comforting. For a moment, just a moment, you let yourself go, focusing only on how wonderful it is to be in his arms. 

His voice pulls you out of it, rough and scratchy from crying. “I’m sorry I really didn’t think-“

You open your eyes to blink up at him when he pulls back. This is the worst conversation the two of you have ever had and it hasn’t even really started yet. You hate fighting with him. 

“Jamie-“ You start to say something. To tell him that you just need him to tell you he loves you. But you don’t get the chance, he’s already speaking.

“No, listen. I’m so sorry, I should have listened to you,” The look on his face breaks your heart, and when his eyes turn glassy, you can’t help but find your own burning again. “I thought she was just being nice, that she wanted to do a project for the team. I didn’t- when she said ‘we’, I didn’t think she meant her and I, I thought she meant the team, you know?” 

“Jamie-“ Your quiet, shaky voice barely breaks through his rambling explanation. His hands move to cup your face. 

“Sirius and Remus already chewed me out, and I know I messed up.” He says, his voice cracking a bit. His expression is raw and a tear slips down his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” The words are barely out of your mouth when he kisses you. You don’t know if it is the intensity of the situation or the buildup of emotions but you find your knees weak and your grip on him tightening. 

“Jamie-“ You whisper against his lips, a silent plea.

“We fired her.” He whispers back, lips disconnecting from yours as he leans back just enough to look in your eyes. “As soon as I realized what she was asking me, I shut her down.”

“I know.” You tell him. And you do. You know James loves you, and you believe him when he tells you nothing happened with Olivia. “I shouldn’t have… run off. I just needed some time to think. And now you have your meet tomorrow and-“

“Don’t worry about me. I just need you.” James brushes his lips against your forehead before placing another lingering kiss to your lips.

“I love you, angel.” 

“I love you too, Jamie.” 

°˖✧✿✧˖°

© prettydaisygirl

[thefrogman]

Alright, let's address this point by point.

@khorneschosen said:

if I have to choose one or the other kind of existence I'm picking the one in which I'm fat unhealthy but I ain't starving.

I would choose that too, but that is a false choice. Our country has plenty of food. No one has to starve.

But the cheap, calorie-dense, high-fat, soft, and easy-to-prepare foods are killing us. Heart disease is the number one cause of death. And commercial food industries are trying to engineer this unhealthy food to be as addictive and easy as possible. We have these ancient food-motivated drives telling us to eat as much as possible so we don't starve. And for many, it is difficult to ignore that instinct. And we shame folks for succumbing to that survival adaptation.

People get hung up on the "processing" of it all. They think industrial process is tainting the food in some way to make us all sick. But it is so much simpler than that.

It's full of fat and calories and it's soft.

Don't sleep on the softness. It is easy to eat quickly before we feel full. And many working class people gravitate towards these foods because they are so tired from the grind of capitalism, they never have the energy to prepare their own food with individual ingredients.

If you're happy our society solved the problem of not starving and want to call the issue resolved, that is up to you. But man-made food processes have long stopped caring about feeding people and moved on to overfeeding people for profit.

@siryouarebeingmocked said:

If the choice is between fake sugar that tastes bad and real sugar that tastes good, and both are just as bad for you, why is it wrong to say "I'd rather have the good tasting stuff? Which should also be cheaper?

High fructose corn syrup is not fake sugar. It is just very concentrated sugar. But chemically they are pretty much the same. In fact, when the body breaks it down, it is functionally identical to cane sugar. Our body sees it all as fructose and glucose.

As far as it "tasting better," that is a myth. People are biased toward the "organic" version always being better, but blind tests do not show a huge difference in taste and it usually comes down to a preference of how sweet you like your drink. The American brands often pump up the sweetness in soda and candy—probably to make it more addictive.

When people do a blind taste test, they often pick the American version as "better" most likely because they prefer it a little sweeter.

He got it wrong.

And so did he.

Both preferred the US version.

This video busts the myth of cane sugar being superior due to its "natural" chemistry.

And this video is full of comparisons and experiments on this issue. In the end he eliminated all variables and tasted sugar against HFCS and found no difference between them.

As far as cane sugar being cheaper, that is just not true either. It is cheaper in Mexico for Mexicans. It is more expensive in the US. Switching to cane sugar would increase the prices of soda for US consumers.

I think lobbying for lower sugar versions might be better.

Or we could stop demonizing aspartame. Because, guess what, it's fine.

All forms of sugar are the bad thing people are over-consuming. There is no distinction in their overall badness.

Spending our tax dollars on resources to legislate a pointless switch from sugar to sugar is wasteful.

It is... inefficient.

>Eliminating food deserts

How, exactly?

A food desert isn't 'people are starving', it's 'lack of access to healthy food'.

Do you want the government to force supermarket companies to open branches in unfriendly neighbourhoods? Subsidize those stores with taxpayer money?

Or just to give out free food?

There are plenty of experts with great ideas for how to reduce food deserts. Here is a handy list I smooshed together from a few different sources.

Subsidize Grocery Stores Offer tax incentives and grants to attract full-service grocery stores to underserved areas.

Mobile Markets & Food Trucks Fund pop-up farmers markets and food trucks that bring fresh produce and healthy foods directly into low-access neighborhoods. Ya know, like the ice cream truck, but with tomatoes and shit.

Urban Agriculture Support community gardens, rooftop farms, and local food co-ops to increase local access to fresh produce. Vertical farming and hydroponic technology offer a way to grow fresh vegetables at scale in an urban setting.

Improve Public Transportation Enhance routes and reliability so residents can easily reach grocery stores outside their immediate area. Trains and buses and subways, let's go!

Cooking and Nutrition Education Teach people how to cook nutritious food. Focus on low cost meals with accessible ingredients that can be prepared with minimal effort.

Free Food Yes, free food. We should expand SNAP and make school lunches free. There are 14 million kids living in food-insecure homes. Kids should have access to nutritious meals.

@beardedmrbean said:

Never thought I'd see the day when people on the left started to defend HFCS, guess all it took was the right person suggesting reducing it.

No one is defending it. It's bad. But it is not *worse*. Our understanding has evolved. We realize that replacing sugar with sugar is not going to solve our sugar problem. Eliminating HFCS and replacing it with an identical amount of cane sugar will not have any noticeable health improvements.

@robert-the-foul said:

Another big thing to end food desserts is for fucking junkies and assholes to stop stealing. Then, stores won't close due to a huge money loss.

Poverty is a huge causal factor creating drug addicts and desperate people who have to steal to eat. Right now this country is trying to treat its addiction issue by sending kids and grandmas and pesky protestors to another country.

That's the strategy for the opioid crisis.

Deporting migrants is going to solve everything... because reasons.

*whispers* Most drug smugglers are American citizens.

People are always going to have access to drugs. If you want less addicts, we need to treat them. We need to keep them out of severe poverty and desperation. They need Narcan to stay alive and healthcare to get better. We've tried rounding these people up and putting them in jail and it doesn't work. It's time to take a different approach.

As for the stealing, Universal Basic Income could really help with that. When people aren't desperate, they don't feel compelled to do desperate things to survive and stay fed.

@libertarianbean-plz-dont-step-sh said:

A year ago they were the ones bitching (quite rightly, in my opinion, they were just annoying in the way they did it) that the US didn't have enough restrictions for harmful ingredients in the food industry.

They would also bring up how much different it is in Europe (it is) a lot of studies keep being made every year (they are) and all the chemicals that are discovered to be dangerous are banned (tis true). These people would point out (whine about) how in the US, soooo many of these chemicals are allowed without any sort of restrictions, and said (cried) that the US should be more like Europe.

Everything is chemicals. Chemophobia is an unhelpful approach to food safety. There are plenty of chemicals that are great and plenty of natural ingredients that will kill us.

Europe and the US both have their own food safety systems. And both are pretty good when they are well run. The US does some things better. Europe does some things better. But this idea that Europe is banning more harmful ingredients while the US allows them is mostly wrong. It's complicated and nuanced.

The gist of it is that Europe regulates more with an "abundance of caution" approach. If there is a small chance that something might be harmful and people won't miss it much, they will try to ban or limit it. Sometimes they will ban something just because of public demand despite little evidence to back it up. Which is what happened with food dyes—as there isn't much evidence to support that they are actually harmful.

Food scientist Ann Reardon breaks it down well.

Oh woe is the poor innocent multi billion dollar company! Why would anyone force them to use something that won't cause kids to develop diabetes at an early age!!!

Switching to cane sugar will not prevent diabetes in kids.

Less sugar will.

@siryouarebeingmocked said:

"you only know what the right wingers want"

Not even that. They regularly hallucinate sinister motives for right-wing people.

There are plenty of sinister motives on the Right. I don't have to hallucinate extras.

In this case, RKF Jr. is a conspiracy-brained nut job. He thinks scientific consensus cannot be trusted and will only entertain dubious evidence that goes against that consensus. For him, the truth must always be hidden or hard to find. He needs to be the hero who uncovers it and saves the day. He spits in the face of millions of working-class researchers who have spent their lives building up preponderances of evidence and data to help create the best medicines and treatments in human history.

He wants to burn it all down and have his every conspiracy theory entertained as if it is valid and worthy of consideration. He is cutting the funding of vital research and prioritizing solutions that are either pointless or will make such a small difference that the beneficial health outcomes will be imperceptible.

Spending time, money, and resources switching seed oils to beef tallow is stupid.

If you are deep frying French fries and chicken wings changing to beef tallow isn't going to make them any healthier. You are far more at risk from the fat and calories than what oil is used.

Spending time, money, and resources changing sugar to sugar is stupid.

Spending time, money, and resources banning food dye is also stupid.

Spending time, money, and resources removing fluoride from the water is *very* stupid.

But it gets worse than RFK Jr. wasting time with his pointless crusades.

Many of his crusades are very dangerous. He has already laid off thousands of people in important healthcare roles. He has cut funding for important research.

And he is handling the measles outbreaks about as well as you might expect. He is recommending people take Vitamin A as a treatment.

Whoops!

This isn't the first time his advice has harmed people.

And now he is talking about scouring the private health data of autistic patients to come up with some magical cause for autism in September.

@lordascapelion said:

But holy shit is OP retarded?

“I think we should do X.”

“UH WHY ARE YOU DOING X? YOU SHOULD DO A, B, C AND D YOU FUCKING MORON DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?”

But honestly at this point political propaganda blogs are fueled by retard logic

No, I am not retarded.

Though I am very tired of people trying to force that word to have a comeback. I know you think it signifies you are rebelling against the woke crusade to censor language. But in reality you just immediately let everyone know you are a cringe-lord dipshit.

I think my logic is sound. The government has finite resources. They only have so many employees. They only have so much time to accomplish important work. They only have enough budget to address a handful of major issues.

A good leader of a government department will triage. They will figure out which problems are urgent, which are easy, which are near impossible and then adjust the department's goals and priorities to efficiently address what needs to be done.

Spending time, money, and labor on pointless endeavors robs resources from the more important causes. He's fixing hangnails while the country is bleeding out.

I want him to fix things that are actually broken. I want him to take action that will improve health outcomes on a population scale. We need more research, not less. We need the 5 million kids without health insurance to get care. We need drug costs under control. We need more nurses in hospitals. We need a pandemic response team.

The list of needs is sooooo long and he wants to waste time adjusting the hue/saturation of Froot Loops.

RKF Jr. is picking easy performative actions that will do nothing except satisfy those who believe in conspiracy over actual evidence. Many people are convinced that all of our health issues are due to these inconsequential factors. So when he addresses them and these fools give him a big "attaboy," he will increase his political capital and feel emboldened to tackle bigger conspiracies...

His white whale.

Vaccines.

Actually his white whale was an actual whale that he beheaded.

Okay, vaccines are his OTHER white whale.

He wants to disrupt the most successful medical treatment in history.

Did you know we used to have constant dead babies? Before 1900 people just assumed a few of their kids were gonna die. People think the average lifespan used to be 40 and no one ever made it to old age. Nope... there were just so many dead babies it skewed the statistic. If a person survived childhood, they had a very good chance of living until they were old and gray.

"Vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past 50 years. This includes 146 million lives among children under 5, with 101 million being infants under 1 year. Increased access to crucial vaccines means that infant mortality rates are 40% lower than they would be in a world without vaccines."

So... am I hallucinating?

I can think of a hundred things we could do to improve our collective health a hundred fold more than replacing sugar with a slightly different sugar that breaks down to be the same sugar in our bodies.

Free cancer screenings.

Eliminating food deserts.

Free vaccines.

Free birth control.

Drug treatment.

Naloxone to anyone who wants it.

Okay, I am too tired to do one hundred. But I'm sure I could.

[lovelybucky1]

okay so dad!matt is rotting my brain so how about this: matt is older than reader and somehow she comes into his life, whether she be a client or the daughter of a client/friend. he takes her on almost like a protégé, maybe given her an internship at the firm. he tells himself it's because he wants to protect her like he would a daughter but in secret he can't stop thinking about bending her over his desk.

he is so ashamed of his feelings and hide them very well but quickly notices that she trusts him "like a father".

she on the other hand is quite attracted to him but she also sees him as a protective father figure and feels ashamed of her attraction because "that's almost her dad"

lots of pining and being confused by their moral compasses and immense attraction and need for the other person and ahhhhhh

- 🪆

i love this so much oh my god

you’re the daughter of a long time and well paying client of matt’s. when the client asked if his daughter could intern at murdock and mcduffie, it was hard for matt to say no. you don’t bite he hand that feeds, after all. he was worried about having a spoiled young girl from harvard law working under him, seeing as he specializes in helping the less fortunate, but that turned out to not be his biggest problem.

you’re sweet, kind, humble, and devastatingly sexy. devastating because you’re in your early twenties and he’s pushing forty.

he tried so hard to keep it professional, but you were insistent on getting to know him on a personal level and he couldn’t resist. after you became closer than the typical boss/employee, he tried to friendzone you, or more accurately, dad-zone you. he took on a mentor role and constantly called you kid, trying to put that space between the two of you. no matter how many times he reminded himself of your age, your inexperience, your innocence,he couldn’t help but imagine you bent over his desk.

despite how perceptive he usually his, he had no idea you felt the same. his own feelings were clouding his judgement and he didn’t realize how your heart races when you see him, how it skips when he called you kid in that warm, gentle tone. you didn’t mean to fall for your boss. you know he’s way too old for you and you’ve even referred to him as your work dad, but late at night, your fantasies always include him.

you started to dress up more for work which feels ironic because you work for a blind man, but you don’t know what else to do. somehow he seems to have taken notice. your skirts are shorter, still professional, but they show off more of your legs. you bought a new perfume, something sweet and alluring. you even started wearing your hair different, just to get his attention.

the two of you reach your boiling point late one evening while you’re helping him work on his opening statement. he had asked you to read it back to him, partly to catch errors, but mostly because he wanted to listen to your voice. you’re sitting close, your voice soft in the small, quiet room. this time, matt is paying attention to all of his senses and catches how your breath hitches when his thigh makes contact with yours.

tension is thick in the air, confessions sit heavy on the tips of your tongues.

“matt-”

“don’t.”

“but-“

“we can’t.”

it’s as close as you can get to confronting it without putting words to your feelings. no i’m too old, i’m your boss, i’m friends with your father. just, we can’t.

as much as it kills you, you understand. in fact, you understand so well that you begin to date another lawyer at the firm. he’s a first year from harvard, and despite being in the program at the same time, you never saw him around campus. he’s exceptional, a literal genius, and he treats you well. he’s great, except he’s not matt.

its been two months and you’re working late with matt again, scanning case files in his office. at this hour, in this small of a space, nothing good can come. you’re close again, touching at the ankles, thighs, and almost the shoulder.

“sweetheart-“

“don’t.”

“please-“

“we can’t.”

no i’m too young, i’m with someone else, you’re my boss. just we can’t.

“i don’t care,” he breathes.

he grabs your face and kisses you, lips gentle but full of passion, longing, and something darker. something you’ve both been pushing down since you’ve started working together.

“matt,” you gasp.

“i can’t stop myself,” he mumbles against your lips.

you have no idea the devil that hides behind the mask of matt murdock.

[lumiluffy]

⋆˙⟡ — Roronoa Zoro

a/n : this is my first post here! hi! i wanted to write something soft for him, since i feel like he often gets mischaracterized as him just being rough and tough, when really he's got a kind heart, and cares about his crew. he just shows it in his own unique way!

summary: one night aboard the thousand sunny, reader has been feeling down because of her insecurities towards her body. zoro takes notice, and comforts her in his usual grumpy manner. ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-

The stars were just beginning to peek through the dark navy blue sky, the sea calm around the Sunny as the crew settled in for the night. Laughter and music filtered out from the men’s quarters where Luffy and Usopp were no doubt causing chaos, but you sat alone on the upper deck, hugging your knees to your chest as the breeze rolled past.

You hated how you felt.

No matter how much you told yourself it didn’t matter, the comparisons always crept in. Nami and Robin—confident, gorgeous, with curves that always turned heads—and then you, with none of that, sitting here, wondering if anyone would ever see you the same way.

You heard footsteps behind you but didn’t turn. You already knew who it was.

Zoro’s quiet presence had always been strangely comforting. He wasn’t the type to ask questions or pry, but tonight… he didn’t keep walking.

Instead, he stopped right behind you and grunted. “You’ve been up here for a while.”

You didn’t answer.

He sighed and finally dropped down next to you, arms resting across his bent knees. “Alright. Spill it.”

You blinked, caught off guard. “Spill what?”

Zoro didn’t look at you, just stared out at the horizon with that usual deadpan expression. “You’re quiet. Like… too quiet. Not just today. You’ve been off for a while.”

You tried to shrug it off, turning your face away. “It’s stupid. Not worth talking about.”

“It's got you actin' all weird,” he muttered, glancing at you sideways. “Must not be that stupid.”

You hesitated. The words were heavy on your tongue, shame curling in your chest. But Zoro didn’t pressure you—he just waited. Quiet, patient, and solid.

So you finally spoke, albeit softly.

“I just… I’ve been feeling kind of insecure. About how I look. Compared to the other girls.”

Zoro’s brows knit slightly, confused.

You fiddled with your fingers in your lap. “You know… I don’t really have the same figure as them. And it’s like, every guy on the Grand Line falls over himself for Nami or Robin. I feel like… no one would ever look at me like that.”

There was a pause. Then, in typical Zoro fashion:

“…You’re kidding, right?”

You frowned. “What?”

He finally turned to face you fully, brow furrowed with disbelief. “You really think that stuff matters to people who actually care?”

You gave him a look. “It matters to a lot of people, Zoro.”

There was a pause before he spoke again,

“You’re an idiot.”

You practically gawk at him, “Wh.. What?!”

He sighed, scratching the back of his head, “You heard me. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard— and I talk to Luffy everyday.”

You just blink at him, stunned. 

He scoffed and leaned back on one hand, the moonlight casting a silver glow across his face. “That stuff only matters to a bunch of shallow bastards. But anyone with half a brain would know you’re worth more than that.”

You looked at him in surprise, and Zoro rubbed the back of his neck, clearly not used to this kind of conversation.

“I’m not great at this kind of thing,” he muttered. “But seriously… you don’t need to look like anyone else. You’re not less because you don’t have…” he waved a hand vaguely in the air, clearly uncomfortable, “…those proportions.”

You laughed weakly. “Nice save.”

He rolled his eyes, but you could see the slight color rising in his cheeks. “Shut up. You know what I mean.”

Zoro leaned forward again, elbows on his knees, and fixed you with a rare, sincere gaze. “I’ve seen a lot of strong people in my life. Warriors. Captains. Enemies. And I’ve seen you, day in and day out. You’re not weak. You’re not lesser. And you sure as hell don’t need to change anything.”

You swallowed, heart thudding louder than before, silently praying he wouldn't be able to hear it.

“I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” Zoro said bluntly. “And if someone does care—if they only see you for something like that—they don’t deserve you in the first place.”

He looked away again, muttering, “You’re fine the way you are. More than fine.” He mumbles that last part, but you catch it anyway.

You couldn’t help but smile a little, your heart fluttering softly. It wasn’t poetic, and it wasn’t full of flowery compliments like Sanji might give—but Zoro’s words were solid. Honest. The kind of comfort that came with zero sugar-coating and a lot of quiet truth. Something so uniquely...  Zoro.

“…Thanks,” you said softly, feeling a little lighter than you did just a few minutes prior.

Zoro didn’t answer right away. Then he stood, brushing off his pants and glancing down at you with that casual smirk of his.

“…C’mon. Let's go back inside. It’s getting cold.” He scratched the back of his head, voice a little quieter.

Surprisingly, he held out a hand for you to take, a shy gruff expression on his face as he looked away. 

And that you did.

You both walked back inside together, your hand still in his calloused one. 

Neither of you seemed to want to let go.

[biancadoes1]

Sorry, this is long and if you don't post it, I understand.

I want to go back to the WT for a sec, and one of the reasons I don't think what we saw was fake. First of all, I think the existence of dating co-stars, while having the potential to be great for a project, is more likely to be a headache for PR. What if there are problems, or the couple break up while doing promotion? Obviously, when doing promo, there is always the desire to present co-stars who get along and had a great time working together (even when the opposite is true), but beyond that, I don't think Netflix or Shondaland would be putting pressure on them to mirror their characters--certainly not to display the level of unhinged behaviour we saw. Whether or not they were flirting like mad because they're obviously attracted to each other (but were not together), or carrying on an affair while seeing each other people casually, or together all along....I firmly believe that chemistry and closeness is very real.

I didn't really start to think they were together until they started responding to people asking about it. I couldn't for the life of me understand their reactions. I expected them to be clear that Penelope and Colin are characters they play, and reality is different than fiction. Yes, I think Luke said at one point, it meant they did their jobs well, and obviously Nicola said they were great friends....but obviously, I was not the only one that noticed what seemed like very careful word choices, a lot of smiles and blushing, and an acknowledgment that fans shipping them was "sweet" and "not to worry". They saw the whole shipping discourse getting bigger and bigger, you would think they would want to push back harder, not in a mean way, but in a "we're bloody actors" kind of way. And no, I don't think it would have affected viewership--people were already very excited about Part 1, and looking forward to Part 2. And I would say most people--at that time--were not expecting them to behave the way they did; we're still flipping out about it all now.

What's happening now obviously poses many questions and possibilities...the surface narrative that the media is always right there to jump on *could* be true. But for people that are both described as warm, wonderful, caring people....are both really ok with the nasty vitriol their "partners" receive? To have your bf/gf called names, have their appearances and careers mocked; wouldn't that be reason enough to come out and show some kind of support? Or are we meant to believe that's what the no-comment-uncomfortable-looking appearances are about? ("See, this is who I'm with, leave us alone.") Meanwhile, both N and L seem pretty quick to come to each other's defense, when no one would expect them to (for example, the recent SAG blind item when N emphatically denied L was the subject). And while we know she was at the William Tell premiere, I'm fairly certain she posted nothing about the movie (all the other members of the friend group shared supportive IG stories celebrating Jake). Also, while we know she went to see his play (more than once?), yet she also never made a peep about being there, and what she thought of it and his performance, as a supportive gf (or friend!) would do. And while I can understand that L and N are not as active interacting with each other on SM because of the current insanity of fans, wouldn't things like wishing each other happy birthday be a way of retraining fans and assuring them that they are, in fact, the best of friends, who tease each other and have fun the way they used to?

As always, I want to say that they obviously can do whatever they want to do and don't owe the public a thing. But what we do see....mixed messages, indeed. It just reinforces to me that we really have no idea what's going on.

.

[positivexcellence]

Jensen Ackles Gets Us Fired Up for His New Prime Series Countdown

AMAZON'S PRIME VIDEO is in the Jensen Ackles business—and if you've seen his performances on the Prime Video hit The Boys and its spinoff Gen V, you know you'd want this man in your corner too. Not only is he starring in an upcoming The Boys prequel, Vought Rising, but today, Prime Video is announcing Countdown, a 13-episode crime thriller that will premiere worldwide with three episodes on Wednesday, June 25. As part of the exclusive announcement with Men's Health, the streamer also offered up a first look at the series.

Ackles stars as Mark Meachum, an LAPD detective recruited into a secret task force consisting of undercover agents from across various branches of United States law enforcement. They've been assembled to investigate the mysterious case of an officer with the Department of Homeland Security who was murdered in broad daylight without any suspects or leads at the scene. As they hunt for the killer, they begin to unravel a larger and larger plot that could end with not only one dead victim—but millions of them.

The show was created by showrunner and executive producer Derek Haas, who wrote the screenplays for movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious and 3:10 to Yuma, and who brought us the NBC mainstays Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med. So at its helm is a writer who knows high octane thrillers—with a healthy dose of levity to balance things out. "I grew up loving action movies like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, and Beverly Hills Cop, so those wild character-based, set piece-based action thrillers are always in the back of my mind," Haas says. "I like it when the heroes have a bounce in their step and love their jobs, versus the depressed, I’m-haunted-by-what-I’ve-seen type of characters."

But that doesn't mean Haas doesn't flirt with the dark side of his story either. Viewers, he says, can come for a "crime story with huge stakes, but stay for the drama and the romance and the humor and the twists and all the emotional turns with the characters." But, he adds, "I think they will be surprised by how involved they become with not only our protagonists’ lives, but also the villain’s. When they get to episode 10 of 13, they'll see something they haven’t seen in this genre before. No spoilers!"

Ackles has been acting in TV for almost 28 years, so stunt work, fight prep, and immersing himself in the highly technical aspects of the world his character inhabits is all old hat. But that doesn't mean he's not in the gym prepping as if it's the first time.

"I like to make sure I’m in shape for the long hours and stunt work," Ackles says. "I did do some brush-up on my firearms training; In fact, we went to a training facility in California where Keanu Reeves does his gun training for John Wick." To him, that didn't pose the biggest challenge. Instead, it was getting used the acronym-heavy lingo of law enforcement.

"The police jargon, talking in acronyms, was not something I'm overly used to. We had consultants to help with that," he says. "Most of my questions were about what the acronyms mean and familiarizing myself with the terminology–rather than how to bust down a door."

Ackles describes the series as one with a big, cinematic scope. "The camerawork is mostly handheld which gives the show a lot of energy," he says, "It’s high energy, high stakes, and there’s a lot of momentum that pushes each episode." But he and Haas both point to the chemistry between the characters as the biggest draw.

The show boasts an ensemble that Haas calls "an embarrassment of riches"—one that includes Eric Dane, who immediately became a steady hand and guiding force on set. "We formed a brotherly bond quickly and it was so great to have someone who’s a veteran in series television to connect with," Ackles says. "He was like a North Star for the entire cast." Haas adds: "Eric is a natural, dynamic, thoughtful team leader."

As for Ackles, he's exactly the kind of protagonist Haas has always been drawn to.

"Jensen has that innate natural joy and love for what he does that not only translates perfectly to the character he plays, but elevates everyone around him, myself included," Haas says. "He is genuinely, enormously funny and I would ruin takes by laughing out loud from the monitors 30 feet away. Our sound men Ron and Kevin would gesture at me like Cool it! and I’d just shrug. What am I gonna do?"

If Haas found himself charmed by Ackles, he is far and away not the only one. After his 15-year run on the cult show Supernatural, he's amassed a huge and loyal built-in viewership. What will they find when they tune in?

"There’s plenty of action and adventure but there’s also humor and a lot of heart in the show, especially in the way the characters relate to each other," Ackles says. "Which feels like it aligns with a lot of the things I’ve done before. For example, with Supernatural, yes we were dealing with demons and ghosts, but the heart of the show was the brother’s relationship, that they would die for each other, or for the greater good. I think there’s a similar theme here. These are outcast officers that don’t necessarily find comfort with their unit, they’re renegade mavericks in their departments, and they see themselves within each other. I think the fans will react to that."

[syndrossi]

Look, I KNOW they are babies and we have literal years before we have to think about ~romance~ but I had forgotten how damn stinkin' cute Jon's first interaction with Helaena is here --

Jon at one point had taken up beside Helaena and whispered a question to her, after which he began braiding her hair, slowly with the use of only one hand, until it matched Rhaegar’s. It had been, in all, a successful dinner, Otto decided. He’d observed none of the immediate irritation that had developed between his grandsons and Rhaenyra’s bastards; rather, his grandchildren seemed to enjoy the company of their cousins.

The twins themselves were more difficult to read, but Jon’s smile toward Helaena was soft and kind, while Rhaegar continually incorporated suggestions from both Aegon and Aemond into his story, utterly unruffled by their demands. King Aegon was no longer cruel, and he in fact joined Aemon the Dragonknight on his adventures, along with Queen Naerys. And where there had been no dragons, now each rode one: Ebonwing, Dewdrop, and Bloodrage.

Viserys’s obvious favor toward them, while irksome, ultimately did not matter. In fact, it could only work in their benefit, should something unfortunate befall Daemon, planned or otherwise. Otto did not doubt the king would insist on raising them himself alongside his children.

Girls would have been easier, but boys formed all manner of bonds. Otto merely needed to ensure Daemon’s children formed the correct ones.

-- I mean, come on. THEY ARE ADORABLE. Clearly even Otto could get behind a Jon/Helaena match if circumstances allowed it...

Jon is so sweet, and I have to assume he's one of the first people, let alone BOYS, who ever go out of their way to be sweet to her. I love it. ❤️ We need more Helaena and Jon scenes. Helaena and Rhaegar, too! Helaena just needs more sweet and happy scenes, okay!? 😭

Anyway, I just wanted to yell about how cute they are here.

I expect we'll get a chance for some sweet interactions with the upcoming Harvest Ball / Princesguard Tourney arc! Jon benefiting here from years of experience with sisters in interacting with Helaena. Hilariously, I think this means that Jon's behavior would generally be read as more familial whereas Rhaegar, who mostly only interacted with highborn girls in the context of lords vying for matches, would likely read more as "courtship" until he learns how to loosen up a little.

I'm curious if Valyrians had any customs around hair-braiding. Was it a sign of familial bonding? Considered a romantic gesture? ...with Valyrians obviously it could be both but obviously the latter would be more when they're of age! (I'm sure a slave/servant doing rote styling had no particular meaning; this had to be something between relative equals.)

Hmm, you've also got me thinking about Otto's relationship with Helaena vs Alicent. It's not that he doesn't have affection for Alicent too, but she was always a tool, as daughters are for the noble houses. He needed her to get a foothold for House Hightower on the Iron Throne. But grandchildren are different. Helaena...he doesn't need to use her in quite the same way, and I think that shows in their relationship. He's allowed to love and dote on her, and be charmed by her oddities where he would be sternly correcting them in Alicent.

Marrying her and Aegon seemed somewhat like a political statement ("see? they are a brother-sister match, like the Targaryen greats before them"), but also as much about denying her to the Blacks as a match.

But if she had a strong preference, could that ever be enough to sway Otto enough to at least not actively work against a match with one of Daemon's spawn? I don't think it's impossible. Really, Viserys has the ultimate say. If he's sufficiently charmed by the notion and Daemon isn't screaming bloody murder, it would be done.

[jamieedlund]

Not a question but i wanted to say i love the way you depict Aaravos and Callum’s dynamic. I wish TDP delved more into their interactions and relationship because they have the potential to be a great mentor/mentee kind of thing with similar interests. And your art style is amazing, it has a pretty watercolor feel to it with exquisite lighting. (But may I ask how you approach your art?)

(5 months later, but better late than never aha(❤´艸｀❤) )

I think Callum would say thank you with a big smile on his face

Meanwhile Aaravos being the anomaly that he is:

while I intend to make this as short as possible, I'm not sure what exactly are you asking about when you said how I "approach my art"

Because from what I can infer, I can interpret the question it as:

Literally, as in: "approach" = "get started" - specifically you meant how do I get started working on a piece of art

or  

2. As in you're asking about my entire thought process + work flow from start to finish, since your previous sentence was about my art style, I would also assume that you want me to elaborate on--how I draw things??

Either way, I will do my best to answer, as the 1st way of interpreting your question can also be answered in the 2nd.

I think after working on the Aaravos thesis, my work habit from the time I was making it still remains---

so how about I just guide you through my approach/ art process of the most recent piece I had worked on:

Find my references/inspiration

I can't explain it very well but I can only draw when my brain feels inspired and or motivated. This can happen for numerous of reasons but I find the best and most consistent way to get my brain synapses to connect is to look at arts that makes me wanna draw. And then copy paste all of them into a mood board or onto your drawing canvas, like so:

I also use this program called 'Pureref' so I can just have a moodboard/reference that is constantly on top

you can also use pinterests but be picky about your references because of the AI slops.

I look for references while simultaneously jogging down the sketch/compositions that I want, as you can see the sketch growing along with the references in the previous photos

One useful tip I have for this phase is DO NOT, LINGER. I've since figured out that my hand-eye corelations works best if I don't think to much about it and just let the line flow. Of course this is different for everyone, it's just for me, because my brain really think too fast and have troubles locking in details, it's best for me to keep everything loose. And also having the references right next to me is extremely helpful, so I sketch and look for references at the same time.

And then I just - start drawing I guess?

for this particular piece I decided that I wanted to do some color testing first so

I laid down my base + some large thick brush strokes to make the shapes I wanna keep visible

Now that I have a solid base to build on, I just - render 🤷‍♀️

basically re-line on different layers and color underneath them, merging them and keep fixing until I feel like everything is right--- basically manual labor lol. Lighting on chibis is fairly standard, I don't have an explanation either, I just did what felt good???

I blocked in Callum later on a layer folder on top because if I want to move him around, I won't have to worry about losing/redrawing Aaravos in the back

Finish rendering Callum

Block in background and foreground

And TADAAAA

One happy man and his happy bunny ready to celebrate Spring🥚🐣🐥🍳 (and become a sticker that you can own soon, hopefully 👁🌷👁 )

I'm always against gatekeeping how my art is made so lmk if you have any more question regarding this topic.

That's all! Thank you for reading it this far. Here's some bonus Callum and Aaravos content from my warehouse ˋ( ° ▽、° )

A sketchboard of a mysterious carriage ride rendezvous!

(I have to clarify non of these are official canon material- I do not work on the show nor am part of the production; I am literally just a random guy on the internet who loves these two to death).

[slaaverin]

It doesn't matter who's name is on the deed or the address location or multiple addresses, really if you think about it, Jikook have never not lived together/cohabitated together in some way. They always find a way. From sharing a dorm when they were trainees and even a bed back then, since Jk spent more time in Jimin's than his own, to being the last two to leave the house & growing up and getting "separate" places, but for some reason those two still having sleepovers at each other houses, as nearly 30 year old men and tell us about it. To hotel rooms and staying in each other's room more than with other members, in and out all day, 3 times a day and at 1 am always together where other members joke its Jk's room when its actually Jimin's, to bedroom & bed sharing on personal trips they've taken together, to now Room sharing in the military for almost 18 months now. The location & address may change or differ sometimes, but in the end, the togetherness in one place, is what has remained the same for years. And I think it's something alot of people overlook, when wow that is just so special and really tells you all you need to know about how close they are. We see members doing shows together alone or with friends out of BTS and its Jikook doing a show together. We see members living their separate lives in their separate houses on a documentary and its Jikook together in Jimin's house cooking. It's members enlisting separately and Jikook enlisting together. Jikook even sending joint gifts together from the military. And seems Jk still wants that togetherness for the next 50 years with Jimin, traveling the world. His words. And he has never ever said that about anyone else. I would say at this point, Jikook won't be looking back, no matter what kind of relationship they have, cause they have already overshared so much to go back. They just want normal it seems "hence oversharing" when they don't need too. Who knows, maybe one day they will live together. Maybe as besties, roommates, or more, cause these two can't seem to stay away from each other, no matter how hard they try. Wouldn't be the first time. I kinda don't see them living with other people either tho, cause Jk is out here planning for Jimin to travel with him for 50 plus years. That alone says commitment, when you think about it, even Jimin was taken back lol but he agreed and wants that too. And if they don't do any of that, it still won't change anything. Whatever they have is special and its unbreakable. Good for them. We shall see what happens.

Yes, yes, yes.

They also spent 18 months together yet still manage to spend even more time together during their vacation.

That level of commitment and closeness is completely unheard of. Not only in kpop but in real life. It's very rare and quite astonishing.

But I agree, there will be no going back. They already shared so much, they already reinforced that they would choose each other over and over until they are 50 (and more!) in their heads they appear quite sure of themselves and their relationship.

It's my opinion but this great change that is most likely to come, all those deep discussions they had about how they wanna live, it can all lead to one only conclusion: being themselves even more, letting go of fear, being unapologetic about where their hearts want to lead them.

Because anything else would be going backwards and that's usually not how consciousness works. People can experience setbacks and regress for a while, yes, but usually the direction is up. Everything they've done so far is very gradual and soft in a way. Over the years we got more and more until AYS and enlistement. So the next "natural" thing to happen next would be expansion (but the form will depend, it could mean anything.)

The heart wants what it wants, and to go against it is far more difficult than going with the flow of it. I believe that's why they had "no choice" but to follow their heart for all those years and be this open. The other option would have been way too painful.

I don't know what the future holds, we are not in their heads, but from everything we know from them, I think it's safe to expect a few things most likely to happen.

Whatever the circumstances (living arrangements, schedule) they will find ways to spend time together, that's pretty much a given. And I don't think they will want to repeat a separation like in 2023 if they can avoid it because clearly that year was a bit hard on them both.

So whether with new content such as AYS, collabs, living together, or something else we don't even think of, they will remain intertwined.

Honestly, this service probably did a lot of good to their relationship. They spent 18 months with the other being their one true support system without fame's distractions and they had all the time to have soul-deep discussions about where they are at (10 years of relationship is also a good point to reassess things) what they truly want, what they want their relationship to look like and how they want to include it in their lives, also how much a priority it is for them. I believe all of this must have been discussed and it's a very good thing.

They were also there for each other in an obviously quite challenging environment and it can do nothing else but to bring them even closer.

Perhaps it helped them come to quite enlightening realizations about what they truly want. That's my theory. And depending on this realization, conclusions, and plans that come from it, it could really go in two ways.

First, this will to be intertwined will remain and they will find ways to make it happen, reinforcing for us what we already knew and continuing on this same path of gradual openness and sharing while still remaining careful as they've always done.

OR, and that's my recent theory, perhaps the realization, the will of the heart, the leap in consciousness is bigger than what we imagined, and it spurts them to make a bigger change, something bolder, something we don't even envision and that can truly shake things up in ways we didn't expect. That's also a possibility. I keep in mind the Wheel of fortune in Blue's reading and spirit turning the wheel. It could mean a lot of different things. I don't know what exactly and how it will look like in practicality, but I guess we will find out soon.

The first live will be perhaps the most important thing to look closely to because it will give us A LOT of information, and then we'll be able to speculate further. (Isn't it fun to speculate? It's fun!)

Whatever happens, I'm not too worried, as you said their bond is unbreakable, maybe even more now, so whatever route they decide to take it will all be fine.

Of course I'm still very curious to see what enfolds 👀 I feel like a child at christmas ready to receive presents lmao

It's hard to be patient. But we must 😭

Maybe it's good to have quiet time now, to prepare, because once it will be going there will be no stopping. And trust me its gonna be INTENSE. So let's buckle up.

Thank you and take care anon 💜

[pavedinashes-if]

First of all *bonk on your head* for the april fool

Second : did you change the driver name ? Bc i was sure it was Klaus but the name Karl shows up once we arrive

Kassandra never able to know on which foot to dance with her 💃🏻

Not once in my life did I had that much money in my hands give them over lol🤑

A text flavor i'm thinking be it with the ROs or others is the contradiction between outfit and room like : colorful room and goth outfit

I check the luxe option just to and i'm just like MC in terms of being out of place in the luxurious atmosphere even if it's beautiful lol

Love the text flavor of wearing something out of place literally and having the salepeople watch us

Good ass guy 🤫 I leave him to everyone else. The allergy following it makes it even more clear. Get him

Now the changing room scene in the other option is *clear throat* unexpected. I guess it's the Hamburg charm (i'm sticking to luxe)

Those damn achievements will not stop being funny

N is being adorable

That's all for now i'll make a part two with my conclusion -sarah

The talk with N was refreshing it sets the mood in a less oppresing vibe you see what I mean

My MC at the restaurant : spectacular give me 14 of those

Good ol train shenanigans (grandma looked great tho)

Sarah is gonna break in 3..

2..

1..

No... No.. is it.. helmet... Blond... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH MY HUSBAND IS HERE !!!!!!!!😻😻😻😻😻😻😻 I'M BLUSHING ! 🤭🤭🤭🤭 (Sarah hold back you need to do the golden retriever cop before) making the sacrifice of chosing option 2

Honey you can hold me back anytime a train jerks forward

"Do you want to switch the pov or-" SWITCH

*slowly dying* your honor i love this man too much 😩

End of the fangirling

That person who break the mirror better not get close to me i'm warning them

It's good to have a little perspective of what nice Kass look like (guess you don't always have a stick up your ass)

Theory : Manbitch is violent with Kass and the coldness she shows is some type of mecanism to not break. I guess we are kind of like an anchor but over the years she doesn't really know how to talk to us again.

How much ego is enough for Manbitch ? None of course.

I was THIS close to discover the truth from the 3rd floor damn it

Something seems off with Kass but what 🤔

I liked the demo the visit in the house was really intriguing hope we can have another try at founding out the truth and can't wait to see the skate competition -sarah ------------- Hi Sarah, thanks for the 2 long ass messages. Had to copy and paste to show them both. Sounds like quite a rollercoaster you went on. Dayum. I am not responding to theories, but I got quite a lot about what's going on at the new place you have to call "home" —for now. Well, the "good-ass-guy" ... he conquered quite some heart from disbelievers I have to say (side-eyeing a certain someone here) So yeah, thanks for sharing your thoughts, it is always super exciting to read how my writing is perceived and I am so grateful the characters, no matter how important their role, leave an impression.

[spectral-idiot]

Clemont's characther analysis (Pokeani centered)

Okay so... I’ve really been wanting to do an analysis of this little sour lemon for a while now, and since I got the green light in the XY community, I just couldn’t resist.

Warning!: This post is going to be long and it's translated from Spanish (I don't think my English is good enough for this kind of thing)

I find it very interesting how my hyperfixation with Lem has developed now, as I’ve grown older.

When I was a kid and watched the series (I still identified completely as female back then), my favorite character was Serena in every possible way. I was stunned by her performances and I wanted to be like her.

But when I went back to thinking about the series (and later rewatching it), I found one of the most human characters—at least in that season. Him.

So, as you guys would say, “Bear with me,” or as we’d say in latin-america, “Síganme los buenos,” and let’s begin this analysis.

“I’m not satisfied with who I am rigth now” — Clemont, episode 866/62

His background, story, and initial surroundings:

It’s most likely that he lived his whole life in Lumiose City—or at least that’s the most reasonable assumption, since we see one or two flashbacks of him as a kid living there (like in the Shinx episode, where he studies in a neighboring town he had to move to for a while).

And we can already see that from his immediate family environment, there’s a bit of pressure. A family that may well be the only support system he ever had, since, based on his slight social awkwardness, we can assume he didn’t have many friends.

He’s the city’s Gym Leader—a position he earned, according to the anime, because he’s a genius when it comes to Electric-types. More recognition—and yep, more pressure.

Even in the games, he’s known as “The inventor lighting up the world!”

It’s clear he doesn’t have much faith in himself, or at least he doesn’t seem very confident in that role.

He has a father who’s incredibly encouraging, someone who supports and believes in him—which, on the surface, sounds great.

But at the same time, we see that Clemont didn’t feel confident enough to tell him the Gym had been taken over or controlled by Clembot. There’s no solid reason for this, especially since his dad genuinely supports him—but if we dig a little deeper, we can see it was out of fear of disappointing him.

His father is always trying to help him improve as a Gym Leader, with a positive and well-intentioned approach.

But to Clemont, those intentions may come off as expectations.

And then there’s his sister—but not an older sister who could guide and support him, show him the way.

Instead, he has a younger sister. He’s the one who has to be that figure for Bonnie: a guide, a companion, a shoulder to cry on, and the brother who gives advice. Even if no one directly told him to, he wants to take on that responsibility.

Yep, you guessed it. More pressure.

I want to make it clear that none of these pressures and expectations come from a place of bad intent or malice. His family—and even, to a certain extent, the city—genuinely have a lot of faith in him. They believe in his abilities and see him as someone capable of great things.

But that doesn’t make the weight of it all any lighter. That faith ends up becoming some pretty big shoes to fill.

And it’s mostly him who feels that pressure and sees things this way. It’s not so much that others are pushing it on him—it’s that he puts those expectations on himself, just by realizing how much people believe in him.

His personality and role in the group

(Quick disclaimer: it’s been a while since I rewatched XY, so I might not be 100% accurate.)

We can't get much insight into his personality outside of the Kalos group, since there aren’t many glimpses into his more recent past. Most flashbacks go way too far back.

(Though it’s worth highlighting that in the Shinx episode, his natural inclination to help and his determination to use science for the greater good are already present—showing that these traits existed before his interest in battling.)

That being said, we can assume he used to be a bit more quiet and reserved than how he appears in the main anime—maybe even more nervous.

From the start, we can tell he’s a rather calm person, as expected. He’s knowledgeable in many areas related—obviously—to science and Pokémon. He often plays the role of the “informed” one in the group, recognizing moves, abilities, and strategies.

I’d also like to highlight his mannerisms, way of speaking, and even his language—at least in the original Japanese version (not sure how much of this was lost in translation). His speech is always very polite, though never to the point of sounding snobbish or unnecessarily formal. He’s still the softest and kindest in the group. For instance, he’s the one who most frequently says “please” when calling on his Pokémon or giving them commands (again, in the original version at least).

He seems like someone who’d rather focus on finding a solution than dwell on the problem—unless the issue is too big and he feels incapable of solving it. In that case, he tends to quietly give up instead of complaining, getting angry, or whining. Almost as if he expected to fail.

Like when he believed Luxio hadn't forgiven him or thought Chespin would be better off with another trainer - he didn't cry or cause drama; he just quietly prepared himself, almost like he thought he deserved it.

He also gets noticeably flustered when complimented (maybe a bit insecure).

It’s clear that he’s one of the calmest and most collected members of the quartet—alongside Serena. He’s never loud or disruptive, and often acts as the peacemaker when tensions rise.

Of course, he’s calm.

Unless we’re talking about science and inventions.

That’s when his passion overflows, and the calm demeanor starts to fade. His conviction about how “The future is now thanks to science!” takes over and he turns into a full-on fanboy. Anything science-related excites him—even just visiting a Poké Ball factory is enough to make him giddy.

He genuinely believes that science can create a better future and help people. (Please, hold onto that idea of helping.) He finds it deeply disturbing when robotics and technology are used for unethical purposes.

This less shy and withdrawn version of him shows us something important—he really is comfortable around Serena, Ash, and the group in general. At least during the Kalos journey, he seems more at ease than we imagine he was before the series began.

Another noteworthy trait—especially when you consider his upbringing—is how he’s always looking to help. That small need is always present. When one of his inventions has the chance to be useful, he presents it with a bit of pride, happy to have found a situation where his passion and talent can actually make a difference.

But this goes so far that it once led him to be tricked by Team Rocket, who pretended to be someone else and convinced him that he could help by building a machine for them.

If you look closely, Clemont's very first appearance in the anime is him trying to save Ash! He doesn't know him at all he just sees someone falling from Prism Tower and immediately tries to help.

This shows that his need to help isn’t something trivial—it’s tied deeply to those expectations placed on him.

Even within the group, he plays the most “responsible” role—not just literally (he’s the one who apologizes on behalf of the group, the most grounded one), but also behaviorally. He acts in that “older brother” way: cooking, looking after others.

Beyond his natural role as a big brother, this also seems to stem from his ongoing desire to behave in an “ideal” way—as if he’s still trying to fill those shoes.

This gets to the point where in the games, he uses his defeat as an opportunity to advice Bonnie!

“Responsible.” “Kind.” “Calm.” “Useful.”

His Interests and His Inner Conflict:

He definitely has very defined interests.

His great passion for science/mechanics/robotics, his love for Pokémon (more specifically, Electric-types), and, a little more hidden, his enjoyment of battling.

Why bring these up? Because they tell us a lot about Clemont—not just about his personality, but also about expectations.

And about a small yet huge inner conflict between what he likes, what he knows he's good at, and something in which he feels he's not good enough. Because yes, they do clash with each other.

To begin with, his love for Pokémon is not something isolated—it intertwines deeply with both his passion for science and for battles.

He loves science as a way to create a better world for Pokémon. And he loves battles as a way to understand them.

There isn't much more to add about his passion for inventions that hasn’t already been said. It’s something that clearly interested him from a young age, something that fascinated him ever since. He loves understanding how things work, how to create, and most of all, how to provide or help through it. (Yes, I may be repeating myself, but it really is a strongly marked trait.)

And, moreover, it’s something he’s good at. It’s something that comes naturally to him, something he feels is truly his own, something he sees as his gift and what he can offer to the world. Naturally, it's a passion where he finds comfort in the feeling of being sufficient—something he, as we know, deeply needs.

He found a purpose through this.

But even though it’s not immediately noticeable, it’s not the only thing he likes.

Besides his general love for learning more about Pokémon, he truly enjoys battling.

We can notice that he’s the one who knows the most about it in the group—second only to Ash, of course—which comes naturally with his role as “the knowledgeable one” and as a Gym Leader.

Moreover, we can see how much he enjoyed battling Ash, both in their first encounter and in their official Gym battle.

No, he’s definitely not as vocal about it as Ash is, but he likes it. He enjoys preparing, training, crafting a good strategy.

He simply doesn’t openly say it, and he's not the type to actively seek out battles. (Important note: he usually only battles when it’s to protect his loved ones—especially against Team Rocket—without hesitation.)

So that leaves us with a question: why?

We know he enjoys battling, and sees it as a way to better understand Pokémon, so why does he keep it so hidden?

Wasn’t that the very reason he chose to become a Gym Leader? Because he wanted to understand Pokémon better through battles?

We could simply attribute this behavior to his more peaceful, reserved nature—and we wouldn't be wrong.

But we can also see that he doesn't believe he's particularly good at it. And that's probably why he doesn’t feel very confident about it—not just showing it, but even within himself.

Because being a Gym Leader is about that. In his own words, a Gym Leader must be a wall that pushes trainers to become stronger.

And he doesn’t believe he lives up to that.

During the journey with Ash, he sees—quite clearly—many other Gym Leaders. Leaders who, surely to him, perfectly fulfill their role (presenting a real challenge, helping Ash grow as a trainer), putting in front of him a living example of what he thinks he should be.

And not only that: he also gets to see, firsthand, the other side—the challenger’s side. He sees how Ash gets truly excited about battling for a badge, how he prepares, eager and happy for a good match.

This, added to the involuntary pressure he felt back in Lumiose City, ended up making him even more insecure in that area.

So the question now is: how does he deal with these insecurities? How does he handle not feeling good enough at something he should excel at?

He doesn't. He escapes.

Well, better said, he used to escape.

He takes refuge in what he is truly good at: inventing (let's ignore the fact that they sometimes explode).

To avoid facing the feeling of failure or inadequacy, he focuses on what he knows he can do well, where he feels useful and safe.

This gets to the point where that’s practically why he created Clembot. I'm not arguing that he did it out of laziness to improve, but I do want to highlight that it was, at least in part, to have more time to focus on mechanics rather than confronting his deeper issues.

Yes, because instead of facing his insecurities head-on, he seeks to feel useful and capable through other means.

I’m not saying he doesn’t genuinely love science and mechanics.

But his focus on them may also be tied to avoiding that internal conversation.

You could even argue that one of the reasons he agreed to join this journey was to get out of Lumiose for a while.

I'm not saying it was his only reason—but it definitely was one of them.

Let’s remember that before this, Clemont spent his days wandering around Prism Tower, trying to find a way to regain control of it.

In other words, constantly surrounded by a reminder of his failures.

He always seems to avoid these problems.

Maybe because he doesn’t believe he can solve them.

Maybe because he simply doesn’t have the courage yet to face them.

His Growth:

It could be summarized in one sentence:

"Grant me the strength to change the things I can change within myself, and the love to accept the things I cannot."

Although his development is more a matter of one episode rather than a gradual thing across the series, we can still highlight how he grows.

We know he started out as a calm and slightly insecure boy, who seemed to prefer escaping from problems and feared failure.

To understand this, we should ask ourselves: What does he need? What kind of push does he require to start moving forward?

We know he doesn’t need someone to believe in him—or at least, that’s not the most important thing—because that would likely just put more pressure on his shoulders.

But he doesn’t need that pressure to disappear entirely either. While he does need to stop feeling like he’s not enough, it would also be a mistake for him to think he has nothing to improve, because that would mean denying reality.

He needs to look inward with sincerity, seeing both his virtues and his flaws, and accepting himself.

To stop running away from reality and to work on it. To stop seeking refuge only in what he’s already good at and focus on improving in what he wants to be better at.

He needs a fuller self-concept. More positive, of course, but above all, more complete—one where he’s not blind to his flaws (like fleeing from his insecurities).

And he starts doing that, little by little.

-Victory Over Clembot

In this episode, he starts to take a step forward.

It’s an episode where he returns to Lumiose City and admits the whole truth to the others.

He tells them the story of Clembot, and with their help, he ends up defeating his own creation.

He must face his responsibilities, the weight that comes with them. Now Ash and Serena know who he really is. He has to look reality in the face and accept it.

He had decided to keep it hidden, but was forced to show it. He’s still not completely ready or comfortable, but it’s a big step.

Moreover, he accepts it: by agreeing to battle Ash himself, he’s accepting that responsibility and the role on his shoulders.

And that's why the victory over Clembot is symbolically important too. The takeover of the Gym was one of his mistakes, and now, he is capable of confronting it.

He is able to face one of his failures and fix it, to make amends.

Beyond accepting it, he sees that he is capable. Capable of fixing a mistake.

Maybe this time, because he didn’t try to fix it alone, he succeeded.

Other positive experiences that helped him gain more confidence included episodes like the one with Shinx.

He saw that the Pokémon he thought would never forgive him for not keeping his promise actually forgave him.

Which was something important.

But that bond goes even deeper in the episode where his whole development truly takes shape.

Earlier, we could already see how surrounding himself with a more positive environment was good for him, making him calmer.

But more importantly, what helped him the most was his bond with Ash. He sees in Ash someone fearless, someone he’s willing to become better for.

Because Ash gives him an example. An example is crucial—it allows you to look inside yourself.

Something he really needed.

But soon, that would reach another level.

-Voltage Badge

This character arc is the most important one. And it begins a few days before the battle between Clemont and Ash. It’s after this arc that Clemont truly begins to move forward.

It all starts when the group realizes they’re finally close to Lumiose City.

And with Clemont... hesitating.

It was time to fulfill the promise he made. The time for their battle was drawing near.

Would he be able to meet the expectations?

He had learned a lot from Ash, and he wanted to give something back. But would he be able to?

He doesn’t think so—and all the insecurities he tried to bury resurface.

But once again, it’s seeing Ash’s determination that pushes him to act.

The group gets cornered by Team Rocket again, who this time have taken control of Ash’s Pikachu and Clemont’s own Luxio.

A lightning-strength Thunder Fang attack is coming straight at Ash, and yet his only thought is to reunite with his Pokémon—even if it means putting himself in mortal danger.

And seeing that, Clemont decides something.

Ash was always like this. Some might call him stubborn or reckless. But to Clemont, he is determined.

If he lost five leagues, he’d challenge a sixth.

If the first hit didn’t work, he’d keep trying until it did.

If he wanted to rescue someone, he would—even if it meant putting his life at risk (jumping from Prism Tower to save a Garchomp, or crossing a cliff to rescue Bonnie, for example).

And that's when, surprising everyone, Clemont's usual calm is replaced by determination.

He gets hit by a Thunder Fang, but he doesn't care.

There’s a greater good—something he wants to protect: his friends and his Pokémon.

It’s in his nature to defend, but this time, he crossed one of his own internal barriers.

That’s why the group’s victory was possible. But there's more.

His mindset had changed drastically.

When the incident needs to be reported in Lumiose City, Clemont makes a decision.

He decides to face his insecurities head-on.

He hesitates for a moment, but he asks if he can accompany them back to the city.

He’s going to leave the group for a while.

No more running away. Now there is reflection.

He knows he's not satisfied with something, and instead of hiding behind something else, he decides to change it.

He even tells his friends—and his sister—"I’m not satisfied with who I am right now."

But there’s no sadness in his voice, no discomfort, no anguish you would expect from a confession like that.

Because there’s determination.

He’s not saying it out of insecurity or pressure.

No—he says it with resolve.

The resolve that he’s going to get better.

That’s why he takes some time off and starts looking inward.

He works hard. Really hard.

He has decided.

And later, during the battle, he says it himself:

He couldn’t be happier to be a Gym Leader at that moment.

Because when the time comes to face Ash, we see a Clemont we hadn't seen until then.

A changed Clemont.

Not only happy, but excited.

Someone who enjoys the battle wholeheartedly, win or lose.

Someone who looks much stronger, who shows that his hard work paid off—managing to corner Ash for most of the battle.

But above all, someone who is much more confident.

Someone who faced his weaknesses and, no matter the result, will leave the match happy.

Because he grew.

Because he faced his own flaws.

Someone who is more at peace with himself.

Conclusion:

This analysis was really just an excuse to rewatch the Luxray episode and Clemont’s battle against Ash!! Haha. The end.

Okay, not really.

I wrote all of this simply because I find it incredible.

Because I really like the character and I wanted to share why.

Because without giving him an epic story about becoming the best or saving the world, he has one of the most interesting arcs in the anime.

Because it only takes looking a little deeper and asking yourself some questions to find one of the most human characters.

You don’t need epic stories like N’s or Gladion’s to make a character interesting or to connect with them.

Humanity is enough.

It’s enough to see how a boy, whose pride was his inventions, ends up giving us one of the most spectacular battles in XY.

Because the story behind it is about someone normal, someone ordinary,

Giving it everything he’s got.

Because it’s a story about acceptance, about growth,

And about the power of human connection.

How the people you surround yourself with can transform who you are today.

Because I—and I believe many others—can empathize with a character like this. Because he’s coherent, real, carrying a backpack full of burdens that could happen to anyone.

And because he can inspire.

As a writer, I can only take my hat off to the work that was done here.

Simple, but no less powerful because of it.

Because something simple and well done can be truly wonderful.

So, to finish this:

"The future is now, thanks to science!"

Or as it's said in the version I watched as a kid:

"El futuro es ahora gracias a la ciencia!"

[lightdancingwords]

Second Chances: Forever - Part Twenty of ?

Pairings: Beau Arlen x Y/N Female reader Series Summary: A chance meeting in the grocery store brought a whirlwind of change to Beau Arlen’s life—change he had no issues with whatsoever. A second chance at life, love, family—a second chance at forever. Word Count: 6,153 Tags/Warnings: 18+ implied smut/smut, fluff, a touch of medical/pregnancy concern A/N: Comments, Likes, Reblogs, Kind feedback are always highly appreciated. Please let me know if you want to be added to the tag list! Divider: credit to @sweetmelodygraphics

Chapter Twenty: Ringing The Alarm

The clinic room was peaceful in its own way—muted tones, soft lighting, the kind of quiet that usually comforted Y/N during her routine check-ups. She sat on the crinkling paper of the exam table, one hand resting absently over the swell of her belly, eyes tracing the mobile hanging from the ceiling above the monitor. A paper cutout of a bear floated in slow, lazy circles. Her baby moved faintly beneath her palm.

She smiled, small and calm.

Until the door opened, and Dr. Thomas entered with her usual warmth—but a touch more weight behind her eyes.

“Hi, Y/N,” she greeted, sitting on her stool and rolling a little closer. “Everything with baby looks great—heartbeat’s strong, measurements are right where they should be. But I want to go over your vitals before you leave.”

Y/N’s smile faltered just slightly. “Okay.”

The doctor folded her hands. “Your blood pressure has increased again—slowly, but steadily since your twelve-week appointment. And I want to talk to you about what that might mean moving forward.”

Y/N nodded, her fingers tightening slightly over her belly.

“We’re not in a danger zone yet,” Dr. Thomas reassured her. “But you’re eighteen weeks, and this kind of trend is something we don’t ignore—especially not in a pregnancy with multiple young children at home, and especially given how preeclampsia develops.”

Y/N’s heart gave a quiet flutter. “You think it might be… that?”

Dr. Thomas was honest but gentle. “It’s too early to say. But preeclampsia can begin showing signs with elevated blood pressure. And while it's most commonly diagnosed in the third trimester, we do sometimes see signs earlier. What’s important now is monitoring closely and adjusting anything we can—diet, rest, stress levels.”

Y/N exhaled slowly, nodding again.

“You’ve already got a lot on your plate—young children, a full house, a partner in law enforcement. You’re not doing anything wrong, Y/N,” she added quickly, seeing the guilt flicker in her patient’s eyes. “This isn’t something you cause. But it is something we need to take seriously. If it progresses, it can become dangerous for both you and the baby.”

“What happens if it does?” Y/N asked quietly.

“Depends on how early, how high, and how fast,” the doctor replied. “Sometimes we can manage it with more frequent monitoring and rest. In more serious cases, it can mean hospitalization. We’d talk about that if we had to. But we’re not there now.”

The room was quiet for a moment. The only sound was the faint rhythmic hum of the monitor still tracking her baby’s heartbeat.

Y/N nodded, the information settling like a quiet weight in her chest—not panic, but a deep awareness. “So we take it seriously. We pay attention.”

Dr. Thomas nodded. “Exactly. You don’t have to live in fear. But don’t brush off the signs either. If you get headaches that don’t go away, sudden swelling, or any changes in vision, you call immediately. And let your partner help. I know it’s hard to slow down, especially when you're used to taking care of everyone else. But now, it’s your turn to be looked after, too.”

Y/N offered a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes—but it was grateful. “Thank you.”

They scheduled an earlier follow-up, and when she walked out into the Montana daylight, the warmth on her face grounded her a little more.

In the car, she sat still for a beat, processing it all. Not spiraling—but aware. And then she called Beau.

“Hey,” he answered on the first ring. “Everything alright?”

“Mostly,” she said. “Baby’s perfect. But my blood pressure’s climbing again.”

There was silence on the other end. Then, his voice low and firm. “What’d they say?”

She relayed it all—Dr. Thomas’s calm but clear explanation, the mention of preeclampsia, the next steps.

Beau didn’t speak for a long moment. When he did, his voice cracked just enough to reveal how tightly he was holding himself together.

“I’m comin’ home,” he said. “I want to be there with you. We’ll make whatever changes we have to. Just… thank you for tellin’ me. For not carrying it alone.”

“I never do,” she said quietly.

And she didn’t.

Because Beau wasn’t just her husband. He was her partner in all of it—the joy, the mess, the fear, the hope. And now, more than ever, they’d lean on that bond.

Together.

Beau’s truck pulled into the driveway barely an hour after Y/N had returned home. She hadn’t expected him to drop everything, but when she heard the crunch of tires on gravel, saw the familiar silhouette through the window—broad shoulders, purposeful stride—her heart cracked open a little with relief.

She stood in the kitchen, a hand resting on the edge of the counter, the other gently curled over the curve of her belly. Caleb sat in his high chair gnawing on a teether, while Eliza knelt on the floor with crayons spread around her like a battlefield of color, narrating a story about a wolf prince and his magical blueberry crown.

Beau stepped through the front door, his eyes finding hers instantly.

He gave her a small, quiet smile—one of those rare ones that said everything he didn’t need to say aloud. She smiled back, her heart thudding soft with love.

“Hey, Daddy!” Eliza chirped without looking up. “You’re home early! Did the crime-fighting wolves send you back for backup?”

Beau crouched beside her and kissed the top of her head. “They sure did. Needed someone strong to help Mama today.”

“I am strong,” Eliza said seriously, flexing both arms. “But I’m also busy making wolf maps.”

“Then I’ll handle the backup part,” Beau said gently, rising and walking to Y/N.

They met at the kitchen island, his hands reaching for her waist, hers finding his shirt like second nature. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, slow and steady, then pulled back just enough to look at her—really look.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “I am now.”

They stood like that for a moment longer before the soft sound of Caleb babbling brought them back to the present. Beau glanced at the kids and lowered his voice.

“Wanna step outside? Just for a minute.”

She nodded again, and they both moved easily, fluidly—two people used to sharing space and weight and life.

Eliza looked up. “Where are you going?”

“Just outside for a minute, sweetheart,” Y/N said. “You keep working on that map. Daddy and I need to make a plan.”

“A plan for what?”

“For making sure things stay peaceful in the kitchen,” Beau said with a wink.

“Tell the wolves I said hi,” she called after them.

They stepped onto the porch, the door clicking softly behind them. The wind was cool and gentle, brushing across the yard in slow, sweeping breaths.

Beau turned to her, his hand resting over hers on the railing. “Tell me everything. I want to hear it from you.”

So she did—again. Slower this time, more measured. She told him about the rise in blood pressure, the doctor’s concern, the explanation of preeclampsia, the plan for closer monitoring. She repeated Dr. Thomas’s gentle warning about rest, about stress, about slowing down.

And Beau listened, every line in his face drawn tight with focus.

When she finished, he pulled her in again, his hand cradling the back of her head as he pressed a kiss there.

“I hate that I wasn’t there,” he murmured. “But I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know,” she said, tucking her face into his chest. “I didn’t want to scare you.”

“You didn’t,” he said. “You just reminded me how much I love you. And how damn hard I’ll fight to keep you safe.”

They stood like that a moment longer—quiet, close, anchored.

Then Beau exhaled and gently pulled back. “Alright. We keep things calm. Keep meals easy. You stay off your feet when you can. I’ll handle more with the kids. We do this smart.”

Y/N looked up at him, warmth blooming in her chest. “We already do.”

Inside, Eliza’s voice echoed faintly—something about a crown that needed polishing.

They both smiled, then slipped back into the house, side by side, ready to keep walking forward.

Together.

That evening, after the children were in bed and the house had grown still, Beau stood alone in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a notepad in hand and the weight of the day quietly settled on his shoulders.

The porch light cast long shadows across the floor, and in the hush that followed bedtime lullabies and sleepy whispers, he let himself think—really think—about what Y/N needed, and how he could give it to her without her feeling like the world had shifted too much beneath her feet.

She wouldn’t ask him to change anything. He knew that. She’d downplay the pressure, the fatigue, the slow increase in blood pressure as just another hurdle. That was who she was—steady, resilient, fiercely protective of the normal, even when it cost her everything.

But Beau had seen the flicker of concern in her eyes, the way her hand hovered just a little longer over her belly when she didn’t think anyone was watching.

And that was enough.

He jotted a few notes on the pad—meals he could prep ahead, errands he could handle before coming home from work. He could swap a couple of his longer patrol days with Carter or Jenny, maybe shift his hours just a little. He didn’t need to explain everything—just say it was a family adjustment.

Because it was.

He’d make it work.

He had to.

He opened a cabinet and started pulling down ingredients—nothing elaborate. Just what he needed to prep tomorrow’s dinner in advance. Something warm and easy to reheat. Maybe some soup and roasted vegetables. Comfort food without the work.

He moved quietly, setting things aside, scribbling a grocery list as he went. They had a babysitter for the day after tomorrow—he’d use the time to stock up on meals he could freeze. That way Y/N wouldn’t have to cook unless she wanted to.

He’d even thought about bringing Margaret back for a few days—but not just yet. Not unless Y/N asked. He didn’t want to take away her independence. He just wanted to support it.

After he finished, he rinsed the cutting board and wiped down the counter, the sound of water soft and steady in the sink.

Then he padded down the hall to check on the kids—Caleb fast asleep with one arm flung out, Eliza curled around her favorite plush. He adjusted their blankets, kissed their foreheads, and returned to the bedroom where Y/N lay curled on her side, half-asleep, the softest smile on her lips as she stirred at the sound of his entrance.

“You okay?” she murmured, barely lifting her head.

“Yeah,” he said, stripping down to his T-shirt and boxers before sliding in beside her. “Just made a few notes. Gonna make the next few weeks easier on you.”

“You’re already doing so much,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed again.

Beau slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close until her back fit perfectly against his chest. “I love you,” he said into her hair. “And I’m gonna take care of you, whether you’re carrying a baby or just carrying the whole family like you always do.”

She gave a soft sound of gratitude, her hand finding his and lacing their fingers together.

And as the silence folded around them again, Beau let his plans settle deep into his bones—not grand gestures, not dramatic shifts.

Just love.

One steady, quiet adjustment at a time.

The next morning came gently.

No shrieks. No banging of sippy cups or declarations of wolf patrols. Just light filtering through the curtains, soft and golden, the kind that always made the world feel slower, easier.

Beau stirred first.

His arm was already around Y/N, tucked beneath the swell of her belly where it rested naturally in the crook of her side. Her back was warm against his chest, her breaths deep and even, her hair spilling over the pillow in a dark wave. He didn’t move, not yet. He just stayed there, listening to the rhythm of her breathing and the faint, muffled cooing of doves outside the window.

This—this—was what he fought for. The stillness before the noise. The peace that came from knowing she was beside him, safe, warm, alive with the kind of love he still couldn’t fully wrap his hands around.

Y/N shifted slightly, her hand moving to rest over his. “You’re awake.”

“Didn’t want to be,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the curve of her shoulder. “But I couldn’t stop watching you sleep.”

She turned a little, just enough to see his face in the soft light. “That’s a little creepy, Sheriff.”

He chuckled, eyes crinkling with affection. “The sweetest kind.”

Her smile was slow, tired but real. “Sleep okay?”

“With you? Always.” He moved closer, his hand spreading gently over her bump. “How’re you feelin’ this morning?”

She paused a moment, thoughtful. “Tired. But okay.”

Beau watched her closely. “Really okay?”

Y/N met his gaze, searching it. “I know you’re worried.”

“Damn right I am.”

She sighed, resting her forehead to his. “I don’t want to be treated like I’m breakable.”

“You’re not,” he said softly. “But you’re carryin’ our baby. And I’ve already got two little wild things out there who look up to you like you hung the moon. I can’t—won’t—risk anything happenin’ to you.”

She kissed him then, quiet and slow. “I know.”

He kissed her back with a kind of ache, the kind that only comes from loving someone so deeply it stretches through your bones.

“Then let me take a little more off your plate,” he said against her lips. “Let me handle the grocery runs. The messes. I’ve got a few deputies who owe me favors. And I can move things around with the babysitter for your next appointment.”

Y/N blinked, the words settling slowly in her chest. “You already started planning?”

“I did,” he admitted. “Last night. Just little things. Just so you don’t have to keep holding it all.”

Her eyes shimmered as she whispered, “You’re a good man, Beau Arlen.”

“No,” he murmured, brushing her hair back. “I’m just a man who got lucky enough to love you. And smart enough to not take that for granted.”

She pulled him closer, curling into his warmth. “I love you.”

“I know.” His voice was low, tender. “But I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”

The rest of the house began to stir—the soft thud of little feet, the giggle of a baby, the faint clang of something being knocked over.

Beau sighed. “That’ll be our wolves.”

Y/N laughed softly, already reaching for the blankets. “Back to the real world.”

He kissed her once more before they sat up—two parents, two partners, two people trying to love each other better than the day before.

And with a smile passed between them, they rose—ready to meet the noise and joy and mess of another day.

Together.

Beau had always been good at reading people.

It came with the job—years of watching body language, listening between the lines, understanding when someone said they were fine but meant anything but. But that skill had only sharpened when it came to Y/N.

He’d known the moment she said “I’m okay” yesterday that she was holding back a little. That she didn’t want to worry him. That she didn’t want to need help.

So now, he was going to help in the way she’d accept—quietly. Steadily. Without making a show of it.

After morning breakfast wrangling and wolf patrol storytelling courtesy of Eliza, Beau kissed his wife softly and headed out the door. He paused with one hand on the knob, looking back.

“Call me if you need anything,” he said.

“I will.”

“You mean it?”

Y/N gave him a look. “Beau.”

He grinned and stepped outside, the door clicking softly behind him.

The day at the department started early, as always. But Beau had arrived an hour ahead of the others. He dropped his bag behind his desk and pulled out the notepad he’d scribbled on the night before.

The first thing he did was place a call to the babysitter they trusted most—the one who knew Eliza’s “wolf rules” and Caleb’s dramatic snack preferences.

“Think you can help out a little more this week?” Beau asked. “Just a few hours, every couple days. Give Y/N a breather.”

The sitter agreed in a heartbeat.

Next, he popped into Doris’s office. She glanced up from her computer, instantly suspicious. “You’re about to ask me for something.”

“I need to swap shifts with Carter next Friday,” Beau said, leaning against the doorway. “Y/N has a follow-up appointment. I want to be there.”

Doris nodded, tapping it into the calendar without question. “Anything else, or just being a responsible husband?”

He smiled faintly. “Both.”

Jenny found him an hour later in the break room, mid-coffee refill.

“You’re in early,” she noted. “Trying to impress someone?”

Beau shrugged. “Got a lot on my plate. Needed the head start.”

She studied him a beat longer, then her tone softened. “How’s Y/N?”

“She’s okay,” he said. “Baby’s okay. But her blood pressure’s creeping up. They’re watching it close. I’m just… trying to make sure I don’t let her carry more than she has to.”

Jenny handed him a new pen from her jacket pocket—one of the good ones. “You’re already doing that just by showing up.”

Back in his office, Beau cleared his schedule as much as he could, pushed unnecessary meetings off his plate, and coordinated with Carter about taking a few patrols off his hands.

By lunch, his notebook had turned into a list of meals to prep, chores to knock out, and quiet plans to give Y/N more space to breathe.

Because she deserved more than just his love.

She deserved his presence. His effort. His partnership.

When Beau pulled into the driveway later that day—an armful of groceries balanced at his side, a bouquet of soft yellow daisies tucked between them—he felt the same weightless peace he always did when he saw that front porch.

Inside was the reason for everything.

And with every adjustment, every shift of his time and his energy, he was telling her without words—

I’ve got you. I always will.

The house was quieter than usual, but not silent. Eliza was in the living room, her latest wolf council meeting currently held between two plushies and a stack of crayons, while Caleb napped in his crib—miraculously, without protest.

Y/N sat at the kitchen table, hands wrapped around a cup of chamomile tea she hadn’t reheated for once, eyes skimming across the list Beau had left stuck to the fridge that morning.

It was simple. Just a few bullet points scribbled in his familiar, careful hand:

Dinner ideas for the week

Babysitter confirmed for Thursday & Saturday

Eliza’s pre-K forms printed—on my desk

You come first. Let me carry more. I love you.

She blinked at the last line, the words catching somewhere low in her throat.

God, he loved her well.

And it wasn’t just the sweeping gestures or whispered I love yous in bed. It was in the way he noticed when she was too tired to finish folding laundry. In how he picked up more diapers without being asked. In how he spoke with calm certainty when she told him about her rising blood pressure—no panic, just quiet resolve.

This was the man she’d built a life with.

And right now, she was trying—really trying—to let him help her without guilt.

So she let herself slow down.

After breakfast, she’d watched cartoons with Eliza, curled on the couch with her daughter tucked under her arm, both of them munching toast. They’d read two full stories, one of which Eliza insisted she read to Y/N—her words jumbled and mispronounced, but her pride clear.

“You’re resting because the new baby’s growing fast,” Eliza had said matter-of-factly, brushing a crumb from Y/N’s shirt. “It’s okay if you don’t do everything.”

Y/N had smiled and kissed her forehead. “Where’d you learn that?”

“Daddy said it when you were brushing your teeth last night.”

Now, in the quiet that followed, Y/N stood from the table and moved slowly, easing herself into one of the armchairs by the window. She’d resisted resting for rest’s sake, always finding something else that needed to be done. But today—today she listened.

She put her feet up.

She read a few pages of a book.

She closed her eyes for a minute when the sun hit the chair just right.

And when Caleb’s monitor finally crackled to life, she stretched, stood, and moved to his room with the ease of a mother who knew the steps by heart—but with the gentle calm of someone who was finally letting herself breathe.

She scooped him up, nuzzled his cheek, and held him just a moment longer than she had to.

Because this life was beautiful.

Messy. Complicated. Precious.

And for the first time in a while, she felt it fully—without the rush.

Y/N was just finishing wiping down Caleb’s tray after a late afternoon snack—a few abandoned blueberries still clinging to the edge—when she heard the sound of tires on the gravel outside. The familiar engine hum settled into silence, and her breath caught gently in her chest.

She didn’t expect him home yet. Not this early.

A moment later, the front door eased open.

“Hey,” Beau called softly, as if sensing the quiet rhythm of the house and not wanting to disturb it.

Y/N peeked around the corner, Caleb perched on her hip. Eliza popped her head out from behind the couch with a crayon in her hair and glitter stuck to her elbow.

“You’re home,” Y/N said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Surprise,” Beau replied, stepping fully inside. He looked warm and wind-kissed, the faintest line of weariness around his eyes—but something in his expression was brighter. Lighter. “I shuffled things around. Didn’t make sense to stay when I could be here.”

In one hand, he held a brown paper grocery bag. In the other, a small bouquet of soft yellow daisies.

Y/N blinked, touched.

He walked up, kissed her on the cheek, then turned to Caleb. “Hey, buddy,” he murmured, giving his son’s round belly a gentle pat. Caleb responded with a delighted squeal and immediately tried to grab the daisies.

“These are for your mama,” Beau said, handing them to Y/N.

“They’re beautiful,” she said softly, brushing her fingers along the petals. “You didn’t have to—”

“I wanted to,” he said. “You don’t have to earn rest or softness, Y/N. You deserve it.”

He leaned in and kissed her again, this time lingering a little longer. Then, setting down the groceries, he turned toward Eliza, who had now crept into the kitchen with a suspicious look in her eyes.

“What’s all that?” she asked, pointing to the bag.

“Provisions,” Beau said seriously. “We’ve got soup, fresh bread, a chocolate treat and the ingredients for pancakes tomorrow morning.”

Eliza gasped. “That’s pack celebration food!”

Beau winked. “Exactly.”

He moved with familiar grace through the kitchen—putting the bread away, sliding the soup into the fridge, placing a wrapped chocolate bar high enough that Eliza wouldn’t find it until he handed it over himself. And Y/N stood there, hand on her belly, watching him in quiet wonder.

He had always been good at loving her in the ways that mattered most.

“I made a few more adjustments today,” he said casually as he unpacked. “Shift changes. Babysitter’s lined up through the week. Got the grocery list settled for the next few days, and I’ll take over dinner tomorrow.”

Y/N stepped forward, laying a hand on his arm. “Beau.”

He paused.

“You’re not just helping,” she said quietly. “You’re holding us all together. And I see it. I feel it.”

He looked at her then—soft, full—and pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m not doing anything more than what you deserve.”

She kissed him again, then pressed Caleb gently into his arms.

“Take this one. He’s been climbing furniture since his nap.”

Beau grinned. “A wild little wolf, huh?”

“The wildest.”

As he moved toward the living room with Caleb tucked against him and Eliza trailing close behind asking questions about pancakes, Y/N gathered the daisies in a jar and set them on the kitchen windowsill. The sun caught the petals just right.

She exhaled slowly.

Loved.

Seen.

And never, ever alone.

Beau sat on the living room floor, his legs stretched out, a toy firetruck resting against one knee, and Caleb crawling in a wide, clumsy circle between him and Eliza. The room pulsed with that cozy afternoon rhythm—sunlight casting warm stripes across the carpet, Eliza narrating a story about “the great wolf feast,” and Caleb occasionally stopping to examine his own fingers like they were new.

Y/N watched from the nearby couch, curled into the cushions with a cup of lukewarm tea in hand and her other resting lightly on her belly. Her smile was lazy, full of that rare sort of peace that came from watching her world be—wild, sweet, noisy, and perfectly intact.

Caleb, still gripping a rubber spoon, paused in front of Beau and looked up with a big, gummy grin.

“Da!” he chirped, tapping Beau’s knee with the spoon.

Beau grinned back. “That’s right, little man.”

But then—without prompting, without fanfare—Caleb turned toward his sister and pointed, his brows furrowed in concentration.

“Eliza,” Beau said softly, watching.

Caleb nodded once, almost like he’d made a final decision.

“Ee-sa!”

Beau blinked.

Y/N sat up a little straighter.

Eliza gasped, her crayon rolling off the table. “Did he just—he did! He said my name!”

“Ee-sa!” Caleb repeated proudly, bouncing where he sat.

Beau scooped him up with a laugh, lifting him high in the air. “That’s your sister, alright. You know her now, huh?”

Caleb giggled, delighted by the reaction.

Then, as Beau pulled him in close for a hug, the toddler twisted in his arms and looked toward the couch.

His eyes lit up.

“Mama!”

Y/N froze for just a second, her heart catching so completely it made her breath hitch.

Beau turned, still holding Caleb. “What did you say, buddy?”

Caleb grinned, pointing directly at Y/N, his chubby hand waving.

“Mama.”

Y/N’s smile bloomed slowly, eyes glistening as she set her tea aside and rose to her feet. “Oh, sweetheart…”

She walked over, and Beau lowered Caleb into her arms. The little boy curled into her like he belonged there—which, of course, he did—and tucked his face against her shoulder with a happy little sigh.

Eliza clapped like it was a royal announcement. “He knows all of us now! He said Mama and Da and Ee-sa. That means he’s officially pack-certified!”

Y/N laughed softly, tears threatening the edges of her lashes as she kissed Caleb’s cheek. “You’ve got your whole family in your heart now, don’t you, baby boy?”

Beau wrapped an arm around both of them, his other hand reaching for Eliza to pull her in too. And just like that, they were tangled in a warm, laughing, loving heap of limbs and hearts and words that meant everything.

“Mama,” Caleb murmured again, content and sure.

And Y/N closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the beauty of such a small word carrying such a big, beautiful life inside it.

The scent of rosemary and roasted chicken drifted through the house like an invitation, warm and grounding. Y/N moved through the kitchen at a gentle pace, stirring gravy with one hand, her other resting lightly on the small of her back. Beau hovered close, not hovering in a suffocating way—just present, always ready to step in with a steady hand or a dish towel.

Eliza sat at the dining table, completely engrossed in folding napkins into "wolf scrolls" and assigning each family member an animal title. “Mama,” she said thoughtfully, “you can be the Luna Wolf Queen. Caleb’s the baby Alpha-in-training. And Daddy… you’re the Elder Alpha.”

Beau raised a brow from where he was pouring water into glasses. “Elder?”

Eliza shrugged. “Because you’ve got, you know… those little white hairs in your beard.”

Y/N covered her laugh with a cough. “She’s observant.”

Beau gave Eliza a mock stern look. “That’s distinguished, little wolf.”

“Okay, okay,” Eliza said, waving her hands. “Distinguished Elder Alpha.”

Caleb, bouncing in his high chair, smacked his spoon down and exclaimed, “Ee-sa! Mama! Da!”

Y/N paused in her movements, warmth blooming in her chest all over again. Every time he said it, it struck her fresh. The wonder of it. The rightness.

They sat down to eat, the clink of silverware and the rustle of napkins filling the air between snippets of Eliza’s commentary and Caleb’s delighted babbling. Y/N’s plate was already prepared for her by Beau—he’d made sure she didn’t have to lift a finger more than necessary.

“Everything smells so good,” she said softly, taking a bite and letting herself lean into the moment.

Beau reached across the table, brushing his fingers over hers. “Only the best for my Luna Queen.”

Eliza beamed. “See? I told you the titles made sense!”

As the meal went on, Caleb tried to feed his peas to his stuffed bear. Eliza launched into a dramatic tale involving wolves, forest mushrooms, and a magical teacup. Y/N laughed until her sides ached. Beau wiped mashed carrots off Caleb’s forehead without missing a beat.

The light outside dimmed slowly, golden fading into the dusky lavender of early evening, and still, they lingered—plates half-finished, stories halfway told, love absolutely everywhere.

No one said it aloud, but they all felt it.

This table held more than dinner.

It held belonging.

Y/N leaned into Beau’s side as he stood to clear the dishes, whispering, “Thank you. For this. For today.”

He looked down at her, brushing his lips against her hair. “Thank you for giving me this life.”

And with the children giggling in the background and the last of the warmth lingering in the kitchen, they moved as a unit—this wild, wonderful pack they had created.

Together.

The house had gone still in that way it only ever did after bedtime.

The dishes were done, toys tucked away, and the gentle hum of the baby monitor crackled quietly on the nightstand. The air in their bedroom was cool and quiet, the scent of clean sheets and faint lavender lingering in the space they now called theirs.

Y/N lay curled on her side, already half-drifting when Beau stepped out of the bathroom, towel draped over his shoulders, hair slightly damp. He moved quietly, as he always did in the dark—careful, steady—but when he reached the edge of the bed and saw her watching him, something softened even further in his eyes.

She reached out, fingers grazing the back of his hand. “You’re still awake.”

He slid under the sheets beside her, propping himself on one elbow. “Couldn’t stop thinking.”

“About what?”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek, trailing down to rest his hand against her belly. “You. Today. Everything you’re carrying.”

She turned into his touch, her voice soft. “I’m alright, Beau.”

“I know,” he murmured, though the hesitation in his voice lingered. “But still… with your blood pressure, I didn’t want to push. I’ve been holding back. I don’t want to risk anything.”

Y/N shifted closer, threading her hand through his. “Loving me doesn’t put me at risk.”

He exhaled slowly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Doesn’t mean I’m not scared.”

She leaned in, pressing a kiss just under his jaw, slow and sure. “Then let me show you I’m okay. Let me remind you that I still need this—need you.”

His breath caught, the tension in his shoulders softening as she guided his hand to her waist. His fingers spread instinctively, anchoring to her. His forehead met hers, and he waited—silent, reverent.

“You sure?” he whispered.

She smiled, her voice low. “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.”

So he kissed her—slow, lingering, full of everything he couldn’t say with words. And when he touched her next, it was with the kind of tenderness that spoke of knowing every inch of her. Every shift of breath. Every beat of the life they’d built together.

They moved like a memory. No rush. No urgency. Just reverence.

He whispered her name like it was something sacred, his hand splayed across her belly as he moved within her—measured, patient, full of devotion. She held him close, fingertips tracing the lines of his shoulders, the curve of his spine, the heart of the man who never stopped holding her—even when she tried to carry everything alone.

It was quiet between them, soft moans and sighs tucked between kisses and promises spoken only in touch. Their bodies knew the rhythm of love that wasn’t about passion alone—but about presence.

When they came together, it wasn’t a crescendo—it was a deep exhale. A return. A reminder.

After, they lay tangled beneath the covers, limbs still warm, breaths beginning to slow.

Beau brushed the hair from her forehead, still watching her like she might vanish if he blinked. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Y/N smiled, eyes half-closed. “For what?”

“For letting me love you like that,” he whispered. “For being mine.”

She curled closer, her voice the last thread of light before sleep. “Always.”

The first fingers of morning sunlight crept across the bedroom, turning the white sheets a soft, golden hue. Outside, the world was still hushed—no car doors, no barking dogs, no thundering of little feet just yet.

Inside, the bed was a tangle of limbs and warmth, the kind of closeness born from love given and received without walls.

Y/N woke first.

She blinked slowly, savoring the rare stillness, the gentle weight of Beau’s arm wrapped protectively around her waist. His hand rested lightly over the curve of her belly, fingers twitching slightly in sleep, like even in his dreams, he was tethered to her.

She smiled against the pillow, her heart full in that quiet, aching way.

She shifted just enough to turn and face him. Beau slept heavily, his features relaxed, softer than anyone else ever got to see. The faint stubble on his jaw brushed the edge of the pillow, and a few strands of his hair had gone rogue across his forehead. He looked younger like this. Looser.

Beautiful, she thought, pressing a featherlight kiss to his chest where her hand rested.

As if sensing her, he stirred.

His arms tightened around her instinctively, drawing her back into him without even opening his eyes. “Mornin’,” he mumbled, voice gravelly and deep.

“Morning,” she whispered back, nuzzling against him.

For a long stretch of moments, they just lay there—breathing, being. The kind of intimacy that didn’t need words, that wasn’t rushed or heavy with demands. Just there.

Eventually, Beau tilted his head down, brushing his lips against her hair. “You okay?”

She nodded, smiling. “Better than okay.”

He smiled too, slow and lazy. “Good. ‘Cause I don’t plan on lettin’ you outta bed for a while.”

She chuckled softly. “You planning to call in backup at the station? Explain how the Luna Queen declared a family snuggle day?”

He hummed, his chest vibrating beneath her. “Think Doris would understand. Might even send supplies.”

They fell into a slow, easy kiss—no urgency, just tenderness. The kind that spoke of trust, of promises already kept.

When they finally pulled apart, Y/N tucked her head under Beau’s chin, her body perfectly molded against his.

Outside the door, faint footsteps padded along the hall, followed by a muffled giggle.

“The wolves are awake,” Y/N whispered.

Beau sighed with theatrical sorrow. “Our peaceful reign has ended.”

But even as Caleb’s babbling and Eliza’s dramatic storytelling filtered through the crack beneath the door, Beau only held her tighter.

“We’ll take it slow today,” he promised, voice a rough, soft vow. “For you. For the baby. For us.”

Y/N smiled against his skin.

She knew he meant it.

And for the first time in a long time, she let herself believe—deep in her bones—that no matter what came next, they’d carry it together.

One quiet, steady morning at a time.

Tag List: @spxideyver, @deadlymistletoe, @bitchykittenconnoisseur, @aarpfashionvictim, @stoneyggirl2

@foxyjwls007, @katastrophicmind, @globetrotter28, @deansimpalababy, @daisychaingirl

@nancymcl, @deans-baby-momma, @kickingitwithkirk, @kmc1989, @ozwriterchick

@hobby27, @hellsbratonthet

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[lesbianraskolnikov]

I always feel like his kindness towards children does reflect his true character well. Both notable incidents are intense moments but his reactions well. With sonya sister feels super kind and sweet hes so sweet to her and the burning building will sound silly but he was also altruistic enough to save them himself which is still crazy to me. What more must be written to show you his altruistic core. What else

[unproduciblesmackdown]

costume design, set mockup, and rehearsal photos from this guide to the show that's like really thorough in providing Context like, mini articles about the creators of the original movie, musical, and movie musical, about other versions of productions, the history, quotes of other commentary, interview quotes, context of other / preexisting genres like b movies, faustian stories, "what if a plant was weird" stories, glossary of terms (such as references that may generally be less obscure if you were in the '60s, e.g.), suggested further reading....haven't read it top to bottom but i think it's fantastic, link to the pdf as post source

[chocolate-cream-soldier]

-.-