#and once those 2 are tweens/teens

[blu3-ja3]

Hi so! Here's a bit of setup for my Cursed Gotham Story... Actually good father Bruce Wayne cause I say so.

So everything is normal for Bruce's backstory, has a happy childhood blah, blah, blah, until his parents are murdered. Travels the world young and becomes Batman once back from his travels, being trained by the league of assassins and Ra's Al Ghul. He becomes the vigilante at 16, developing a non-lethal style of fighting over the next 2 years before he goes to the circus. Dick's family is murder, Bruce at 18 adopts Dick who's 7. I like the idea that Bruce is still a little new to the vigilante stuff, like he's only recently given the mantle of Batman and befriended Commissioner Gordon.

Dick is definitely still murder vengeance Robin to start, like Dick is the most feral Robin and I will always stand by that. Kid is a menace to the goons of Gotham and is absolutely horrifying, more so than Batman himself. Like maniacal laughter while bouncing around performing amazing feats of acrobatics. Nothing to flashy but the kid has a lot of energy. Bruce forms the Justice League and keeps up play-boy himbo Brucie Wayne. Also I think Bruce homeschooled for a bit until Dick was like in his early tweens then Bruce realizing Dick has no friends and has him forms the Teen Titans.

So those two stumbled around as Batman and Robin for like 9 years, Dick's 16 and Bruce is 27 when Bruce adopts Jason who's 9. Dick and Bruce have a discussion about Dick passing on the mantle of Robin and him becoming his own vigilante. Grayson gets some time to decide and Bruce even tells him he doesn't have to give up the mantle or even keep being a vigilante. They compromise and come up with the Red Robin mantle while Dick decides on his path.

Jason is killed by Joker when he's 14, Bruce(32) nearly kills Joker but Superman stops him. This is part of the reason Gothamintes dislike Supes cause wtf do you mean you're stopping him??? Anyways Dick(21) stops vigilanting to grieve his little brother and asks Bruce to stop as well. Bruce continues being Batman not stopping for a moment. Bruce has a 'public' closed casket funeral for Jason after a few months of Robin's death, claiming he's been killed by illness hence the not showing for events as the Wayne's. Gotham is grieving cause they've lost Robin to the Joker and Jason Todd - Wayne to illness.

Timothy Drake at 7 (Tim is smart it's well established) finds Dick Greyson and begs him to stop Batman or help him because he's nearly killing people. Dick is dismissive so Tim goes to Bruce himself and tries to convince him after months of murderous Batman. Bruce gives Tim the mantle of Robin and still doesn't properly address his grief. Dick with the help of Tim and Alfred convince Bruce to stop for a bit. They all agree to the conditions that they'll step in and help Gotham in his absences as Batman. Barbra Gordon(20) becomes Batgirl to help Dick as Batman and Tim is still Robin.

Bruce leaves to travel, meets Talia outside of the LoA by chance, they have a small relationship then an argument causing them to break up. Bruce is back in Gotham after a few (5-6) months of travel. Dick becomes Nightwing after handing the mantle of Batman back over to Bruce. Tim is kidnapped at 9 and turned into Joker Junior, Bruce officially adopts Tim after the Drake's give up rights not wanting to deal with Tim's recovery. Barbra is paralyzed by The Joker and Jim Gordon learns about the Wayne's. Superman yet again stops Batman and Nightwing from offing Joker, Harley Quinn willingly goes through rehabilitation at Arkham after what happened to Tim.

Barbra at 22 becomes Oracle, Selena Kyle and Bruce Wayne start their relationship. Tim takes up the mantle of Robin at 13 after a lot of recovery. Stephanie Brown is Robin during Tim's recovery. Cassandra Cane(14) becomes Black Bat when Stephanie Brown(12) becomes Spoiler after Tim becomes Robin again. Duke Thomas (13) becomes the Signal (Daytime Bat!)

Damien at 8 appears at Bruce Wayne's (40) with Talia is carrying a freshly revived Jason(22) whom she stumbled across while coming to Bruce for help. Talia explains to Bruce her father's plans to possess Damien's body. She also explains how a few months before she took her planned leave Jason kinda stubbled into the picture. Talia was nursing him back to health before Ra's just dumped him into the Lazarus pit. Now he needs to be cared for and Talia is in too much danger to help him.

Bruce takes in both boys, Damien and Jason are out for a few months as they both recover. Tim(15) is asked if he'd like to become Red Robin, while Damien becomes Robin. Tim agrees and goes on patrol with the rest of the bat family around Gotham. Jason is still recovering but helps Barbra with being the Oracle.

SO! This is my rough background for the Batfam for my Cursed Gotham story! Jason's story is the one that changed the most but there's a reason for that... I'm excited for this!

Everyone ages when we pick up in our story.

Bruce: 40

Dick: 29

Jason: 22

Tim: 15

Damien: 8

Stephanie: 14

Cassandra: 16

Duke: 15

Barbra: 38

Jim: 68

Alfred: 70

Cursed Gotham Masterpost

[alexa-fika]

Hey! Hey! Heyyy! Missed me 😝 jk

Anyways sorry if I haven't send any request I had a crazy month

So uh are you gonna make a part 2 of this? Because I'm REALLY wanna see reader going ape shit lmao

Unrooted (Shanks x daughter!reader)

Part 1

A/N I was so close to deleting this one too because I was stuck :/ I can’t tell you how many drafts I deleted to start over. I still don’t like how it turned out but I feel like I owe it to you Cosmo to atleast try

Reader here is replaced by Dokucha which stands for reader in japanese for the enjoyment of reader and oc character readers alike!

Dividers by @/firefly-graphics

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dokucha called with a frown as she unsheathed her dual swords and threw herself forward to engage the man

The years had definetly been kind on her father as the man beofre her look no different from the man she had left behind years before. She wondered if perhaps he thought something along the same lines for her, or maybe he saw how different she had been from the last time he had set eyes on her as she was no longer that tween who followed him around like a lost duckling

"You have gotten stronger," he called as he, unsurprisingly, managed to parry her hit and threw one of his own that she held back by holding both of her swords up, holding up in an x formation. A scowl was on her face as she struggled to keep the position, eventually failing as he overpowered her, forcing her to jump back.

"Dokucha!" Thatch called as he ran towards the teen to attempt to break up the fight, only to be stopped by his father

"Pops?"

"Leave it be. She needs this," he grumbled. Ignoring the desperate look, the chef shot him at his words as he turned back to look at the young girl and the intruding Yonko.

"No thanks to you." she simply quipped as she once again shot forward this time jumping into the air and aiming for a high hit that he once again met with his own sword.

"We need to talk," he called as he took a step back from the teen

"I have nothing to say to you, and I think I had left that very clear." She called, sheathing her swords in a single move. She crossed her arms petulantly, looking away from her father in one last act of defiance to show her displeasure at his unexpected visit.

"I see you are not going to come willingly then? I am sorry for this then." he spoke as he mirrored her move and sheathed his own sword

"Wh-

Her words never had time to left her mouth as before she could realize what had happened; her father had pushed his way to her, taken a hold of her legs, and thrown her on his shoulder, ignoring the squeal she let as he did, jumping off the Moby dick and into the Red force where he put her down, stepping back before she could nick him with her blades.

"What is wrong with you?!" She questions, turning to him

"I mean seriously! Who in the right mind goes into the ship of a Yonko and kidnaps a child from it? Do you not see how insane this is?!

"I'm sorry honey, but there was no other way you would have come talked to me," he said as he walked past her angered form, taking a sit on a lone table that made it's home on the Red force's deck, an even lonelier cup of sake sitting on top of it before shanks took a hold of it

"Maybe there is a reason for that, Shanks." She spit out, feeling a small satisfaction as she noticed how his eyebrows furrowed at the name.

"Dokucha, I understand you're mad." he started, only to be interrupted by her once again

"I really don't think you do, I don't think you understand at all how I felt or feel" She called as she hugged herself to try to calm herself and the plethora of feelings that filled her being.

"You're right. I don't. I see how you feel; I understand I did something wrong," he corrected as he put down the drink

"It's been years. Why now?" she mumbled

"I do want you to know that although it's true, I never approached you in those years; I never lost tabs on you. I.... just thought you needed some space, but perhaps that was not the best judgment."

"You think? Five years Shanks five, you didn't fucking contact me in five years; is the fact that you kept tabs on me supposed to make me feel better? You don't care enough to see me but care enough to stalk me. Thank you. Want a prize?" she snarled

"Alright, I deserved that," he sighed out

"But I want to make it right...no, there is no way I can make this right since I can't go back, but let me try to make this relationship work,"

"How?"

"By, for once, giving you the choice as I should have back then; do you want me to try, or do you want me to leave?"

Uou know why that ending seems incomplete BECAUSE IT IS. Because I am gonna be honest I don’t think there is any way Shanks could fix this so… 🫵🏼 get to decide how he does

Taglist:

@Imaginarydreams

@amethystviolin

@h0n3y-l3m0n05

@hannahbarberra162

@epochal-oracle

[damagedcoda6669]

how did youknow youbhad bpd? what were the main "symptoms" ?? soryif it comes off as personal or uncomfy you dont hsveto answer

(im rlly rlly rlly autistic abt bpd PREPARE 4 AN ENTIRE BIBLE ABT HOW I DISCOVERED I HAD IT)

ive exhibited symptoms of bpd my entire life (it usually starts 2 present in childhood or early adulthood, it comes from childhood abuse/neglect) i only started 2 notice something was wrong in my tweens/early teens, when malachi became my favorite person and every1 was calling me mentally ill and weird and obsessive. ive known my entire life i was neurodivergent (first started therapy at 6 or 7, diagnosed with bipolar + autism + adhd + depression + anxiety RLLY early on) but there was something else that felt wrong 2 me. at that age i didnt rlly know what 2 search 4 or who 2 talk 2, so i just went on google and searched "love disorders" and obsessive love disorder came up (which isnt even in the DSM iirc) and i posted on google plus saying i likely had that and was shot down IMMEDIATELY 4 "self diagnosing" so i didnt revisit it again until a few years later.

after my breakup in 2021 i felt like it hurt WAY MORE than was normal. i stumbled across a video abt bpd during that time period and it resonated with me way 2 much. im impulsive, i have angry outbursts, im constantly suicidal, i self harm, i have extreme mood swings, i dont know who i am and ive always just mirrored other ppl, i dissociate, i have black and white thinking, i view ppl as all good or all bad and i split, i have consistently unstable relationships, i get attached 2 ppl more than i should be, and i have a paralyzing, nauseating fear of abandonment. i have every symptom in the diagnostic criteria.

i brought up the possibility of me having bpd with my mom i think (i had no one else 2 go 2 becuz all of my friends abandoned me and my parents took away my internet access) and i was shot down again, with my mom saying the CLASSIC "(insert family member) has bpd and shes crazy. ur normal. stop pretending theres something wrong with u. if u had bpd u'd be vindictive and petty and evil. do u think ur those things?"

once i figured out how 2 get my internet access back, maryland dude forced the bpd label on2 me becuz he wanted 2 explain my "abusive" behaviors (he was abusing me but tried 2 gaslight me in2 thinking i had a victim complex and that it was the other way around) and i became uncomfortable with the label becuz he made it seem like if i had bpd then i was a bad person. i continued researching the disorder becuz it still resonated with me even though i was now insecure abt it.

i became comfortable with the label again after he abandoned me, and i brought it up with my therapist. my therapist would HEAVILY DENY that i had bpd, telling me that "if u had bpd u would be attempting suicide 4 attention" "u fit the diagnostic criteria but ur autistic so all of ur symptoms can just be attributed 2 autism srry" "ive had clients with bpd and if u were like them u wouldve had an outburst in my office and be yelling at me by now" and she would even smile at me whenever i brought up my bpd becuz she thought it was funny that i thought i had it, i think. the first time i brought it up with her she told me "its rlly irresponsible 2 self diagnose after reading liek two articles online abt some extreme disorder becuz u think ur broken. ur not broken. dont self diagnose with bpd" and i had to EXPLAIN 2 HER that i wasnt self diagnosing and that id researched it in depth 4 years actually and that she was making assumptions. horribly ableist towards ppl with cluster b disorders, this is a MASSIVE RED FLAG but i didnt switch therapists becuz i was still living with my parents at this point and i felt out of control in every aspect of my life 4 this reason, i didnt even see switching therapists as an option.

then in 2023, while i was homeless, i got evaulated by a psychiatrist. i discussed my bpd with him and finally got diagnosed. i told my therapist i was diagnosed with bpd and she said something like "well im not always gonna be able 2 catch everything" BUT I WAS TELLING U ABT MY BPD 4 MONTHS!!!!! so glad i dont have that therapist anymore but now i dont have one at all, so liek.. hrmmm >:c

im gonna end this by saying.. self diagnosis is valid!!! its so hard 2 get a bpd diagnosis becuz its so demonized and stigmatized, that even those in the mental health system r ableist towards the disorder and those who have it. diagnosis is not always an option with disorders like bpd, and thats so frustrating. its so hard 2 find help becuz every1 thinks ur crazy. but ur not crazy!!! i love all my fellow bpders, i know how agonizing and it is 2 live this tormented life. if u suspect u have bpd, the bpd community welcomes u and supports u!!! and i do 2 :3

[moochalove]

The Spiders Catch (Pt.2)

Arlechinno x Fem!Reader

Not proofread!!

♡ More fluffy than I would have liked 😓

♡ Slight Yandere themes if you squint…

♡ Columbina is kinda deranged

It feels like your whole body is sore when you awake. You try to shift around but a hand is placed on your shoulder firmly.

“Not so fast. You’re still recovering.”

Your heart skips a beat when that cold firm voice reaches your ear. Though the voice urges you to not move, you do anyways. Your eyes scan the not so familiar room.

Upon realizing this isn’t the infirmary you’ve grown accustomed to, you let out a relieved sigh. It seems the Knave was telling the truth. You are to be the “Mother” of the house.

You haven’t the slightest idea how to be loving and caring towards children... But now it seems you don’t have the freedom to decline Arlechinno’s offer, so you’ll just have to learn along the way.

“You’re nervous. I can see it in your eyes. I thought I made it clear: you will be safe as long as you remain here with me. Perhaps you do not trust my word-“

“It’s not that,” your flushed face scrunches slightly, “It’s just that I’m not sure how to do this. How to be a mother figure. All my life I’ve been taken care of I-“

“So surely you know your limits. How much love is necessary, and when it’s considered suffocating. I hope you know I saugt after you specifically, I believe you’re the best candidate for this.” 

“So you’ve thought about this….?”

“Ahem,” Before Arlechinno could respond a child (who had been listening whilst leaning on the door) fell through the now-open door.

“Decided to finally reveal yourself, little magician?”

Looking down you see a young boy, probably about to enter about to enter his tween/teen years. His eyes are a striking violet color, and his hair is a dull blonde color.

Faster than you can blink, another figure enters a frame. This time a girl. Though she has cat-like features, she looks a lot like the boy on the ground, though her violet eyes are much sharper. She simply looks at the boy on the floor before looking at her “Father” and then you.

“Ah, and here comes your little assistant. I suppose Freminet is not too far behind?”

Once the boy picked himself up with an apologetic smile, another one entered the room. His freckled-kissed face seemed to slightly churn when he laid his eyes on you. Quickly he hid behind the girl and boy, barely peeking out to study your face.

It took a second for you to put two and two together. If you think hard, he was the boy who offered you those flowers! To think someone as innocent and timid-looking as this child managed to pull that stunt off effortlessly.

But then again, it’s not like his actions weren’t unnatural…

You weren’t looking at Arlechinno directly, but you could definitely feel her harsh gaze on you. Likely to see your reaction to Freminet’s presence. You flashed the kids the kindest smile you could muster at that moment before turning upright to properly introduce yourself.

Before you could even get a word out Arlechinno began to speak, “Children, remember how I told you you’d be getting a “Mother” soon? This is her. Please, I expect you to treat her with the same level of respect you treat me.” Immediately you notice how they stiffen up very slightly.

You weren’t sure how to refer to her. Should you have called her by her harbinger name? Maybe just “Father”? No, that doesn’t sound right! You don’t even know her real name!! Well- you’re to be their “Mother” so why not make it feel real….?

You did a little prayer before you opened your mouth to speak,

“Sweetheart, it’s okay, i’m sure they understand very well of my position here.”

All of them stood there shocked.

The boy with violet eyes let out a little snicker before turning towards the two, then ushering them out with a sly smile.

Again, you were alone with Arlechinno.

“U-um… was that not the right……”

“-No, it’s quite alright, really.”

“Oh, um… okay….” You could feel yourself growing smaller under her sharp gaze. You couldn’t tell if she was enjoying the sight of you nervously twiddling your thumb, or if she was upset. You didn’t have the guts to turn and look at her in the eye.

“Though, I suppose I thought it would take you a little longer to warm up to me, my love.”

Haha, that means you get to live, right?

Did the room suddenly get smaller….?

“I shall get the rest of the children seated in the main room. Once you’re ready, come introduce yourself to them. They’ve been eagerly waiting your arrival.”

“Of course. I’ll be there shortly.”

.

.

.

Once Columbina returned home she immediately went to your room to seek entertainment. Though when she finished checking every corner of the room, and couldn’t find you. She simply thought her fellow Harbinger had you with her. So she went to her, and when she also didn’t have you in her presence she wondered to herself: “Perhaps my little dove is playing a trick on me. Ooh, this shall be fun!”

But when a couple of weeks had passed and no one had returned to her with you in hand, she began to worry. Tracking you should be nothing for her. Yet when she couldn’t find you, when no one could find you, she was truly worried. It’s almost as if there had been a veil of obscurity surrounding you. Had someone taken you away? Oh, what if you were hurt?

Columbina sang for no one. Her angelic voice echoed throughout empty halls. For days she would wait for her envoys to bring her back news- news that they had found you. But to no avail. She was no longer worried, she began to grow upset. Who had the nerve to clip her prettiest doves wings? Who could have known that was how she was linked to you?

It wasn’t long before she narrowed it down to one of her fellow harbingers. Perhaps one of them held a grudge against her?

The Knave.

If anyone would know something it would be the Knave. She’s always been trying to sink her fangs into you. Yes, it has to be her.

The Damsolette knows in her “warm” heart that she’s right, she just can’t believe you would let that damned Knave tempt you. She just needed to sink her own fangs into that wretched spider before she could tear you free from her webs.

She sat there, alone, softly humming a tune to herself with the gentlest smile on her face.

From a distance, The Fair Lady could only watch the Damsolette quickly lose her grip on everything. Signora- being the lady she is- sort of had an idea of what you did. However, she isn’t one to spoil the fun for everyone (especially one she sees as her daughter.) If she was somehow able to get ahold of you before the little lady is able to- she’ll help you in any way possible. Even if it means she has to let you go.

.

.

.

After you introduced yourself to all the children, you were drained. To think so many children who come from broken homes could still have the heart to love. They may have their own little quirks, but their hearts are in the right places.

Arlechinno pulled you away from your thoughts when she slyly wrapped her arm around your waist.

“You’re thinking too hard. Don’t worry, they love you already.”

“You really think so? I barely did anything…”

“Of course. As their “Father”, I always know what they are feeling and thinking. Eventually, you will too. It pains me to leave you, but I must get back to work.”

“Oh, and by the way, I’m almost done getting you what you need. As part of our deal of course.”

“Thank you. I promise to work hard to keep our family full of love and compassion.” A relaxed smile crept into your lips as you felt your posture relax slightly.

Once she realized you from her cold grasp, she headed towards the door,

“I do hope you enjoy your stat here at the our lovely house. After all, it’s permanent.”

[hed-romancer]

season 5 episode 3 of camp camp was amazing, actually

okay so i didn't really like season 5 episode 1, and episode 2 while better, was pretty mediocre to me. Nothing funny, nothing that really moved character interactions forward (besides the slip that david is upset gwen isn't a counselor), some stuff that felt out of character (david doesn't seem the type to worry if he's a good counselor or not so much as worry about literally anything else), and some stuff that was supposed to be funny but was actually unfunny and out of character (the campers choosing to try to open the freezer before even letting anyone know about the cave in). It really was just okay, and only that good bc i love anxious!david

episode 3, however, was absolutely wonderful.

on one hand, you have some of the greatest jokes of the series (david switching over to word associations after explaining exactly nothing, the cut back to the boys where david is taking notes on something nurf is saying, nerris immediately thinking someone born in 1985 must be dead now) (though i'm not exactly a fan of the implication that cj is a child predator being played as a joke).

On the other hand, you have honestly one of the best portrayals of what its like being a tween/young teen girl in media.

ered doesn't know what she's doing, and feels unprepared by her two dads to become a woman, so she goes to gwen to ask for advice, who she thinks is a cool adult woman but is also just so happy to be thought of as cool that she's not even sure what she's agreeing to do. ered asks all the questions she hasn't been able to ask, and gwen realizes quickly she doesn't have all the answers, but still fakes it anyway.

nerris goes off and finds the diary of a kid named jessie, and as they read it they feel seen in a way they never have before. they read more and fall in love with jessie, only to realize that jessie was a kid in 1985, and conclude jessie must be dead by now.

nikki ends up at a spa, and tries new "girly" things, that she previously derided, and finds them enjoyable. once she sees the sum of all the ways she's changed herself, she panics, and realizes she's looking like what she used to hate. how can she still be herself if she's enjoying this?

nikki and nerris go running to ered and gwen for advice, and gwen says "goddammit". ered, realizing that gwen doesn't know anything either, takes to helping the younger two on her own. she tells nerris that feeling lost and unsure doesn't mean you're alone, that we've all felt that way. she tells nikki that while its okay to question who she is sometimes, she can be whoever she wants to be and the questioning doesn't make her any less herself.

and it's just chef's kiss. nerris getting a first(?) queer love and realizing it's not gonna happen and not knowing how to handle the heartbreak because it's their first time experiencing it. nikki exploring femininity and realizing it can be enjoyable, even if its not what she usually does, just for her own sake. ered realizing older women don't have it figured out either, and even if she doesn't know everything, she's still gonna step up and help the younger two out. i just love it.

it's literally what becoming an older girl is like. trying to figure it out, helping others try to figure it out, realizing those older than you haven't figured it out either.

[iamapoopmuffin]

My Our Life Kiddos

I am once again here to share my Creatures. This is to tell you about the ones I made for the main games and their epilogues and endings, which is so far the ones I made for romance routes.

Step 1: Carrington Hanlon. Carrington is a shy, sensitive and kind child. He hates when people are unkind and tries to never be unkind himself, but also absolutely cannot stick up for himself or others when people are mean. He loves to swim, read and draw, and collects seashells. His favourite animals are sharks and he has lots of shark drawings on his walls. He is also huge on physical affection, he loves to hug and be hugged. At this step he is nervous around Cove but is fond of him.

Step 2: Carrington Hanlon. Carrington's relationship with Cove has moved to nervous crush. He's still shy, sensitive and anxious, and in fact seems even more withdrawn. Being in the awkward early teens, he's struggling a lot with his self esteem and self image. He's awkwardly tall and thin, like a baby giraffe, and is very self conscious over his acne, braces and body shape - he's beginning to experience some pretty severe gender dysphoria, but he doesn't yet know what it is, just that he really wishes his body was more like his sister's. He greatly treasures the moment he had with Cove discussing their favourite flowers, and the fields of poppies are something he won't forget. He's still an avid swimmer, reader and collector, with a passing interest in surfing, but has let his art fall to the wayside, not because he doesn't enjoy it but because he's convinced himself he's terrible at it. He still can't stand up for himself in most situations, but will stutteringly defend those he cares about, and does end up punching Jeremy in the face at Miranda's birthday party. His favourite movie genre is horror. Also fun fact he's bisexual.

Step 3: Poppy Hanlon. Still anxious and sensitive, she and Cove are California's biggest crybabies. Poppy is visibly more confident and comfortable now, and seems more eager to meet new people and make friends. She retains her kind nature and likes to see the best in people. She is very forgiving, not even hesitating to forgive and befriend Shiloh and Jeremy, and has taken up her drawing again. She is also now more open to teasing those she's close to, and has a much more relaxed relationship with Cove. She's not nervous around him 24/7 anymore, guys! She uses curlers on her hair to get those cute ringlets of her dreams and works part time at the library. She has a strong love of rock music. She also hugs everyone without hesitation. Also she gets seasick.

Step 4: Poppy Hanlon. Again, a relaxed and kind young woman who is still feeling her way through life. She finally has some kind of idea what she wants to do and is currently studying in university and living with Cove. She's undeniably happy. Still a huge hugger and a kind but teasing soul.

Step 1: Amy Edwards. Amy is confident, outgoing, bossy and not afraid to speak her mind. In step 1, she is direct but indifferent towards Cove. Not all that interested in being his friend. She's here to have fun. She likes sports and music. Happy child who will not accept meanies in her town.

Step 2: Amy Edwards. In step 2, Amy is in that fun hormonal pit of tween-early teen girlhood, a time I remember well. She is cringey, moody, a grump and thinks she's all that. She now plays multiple instruments and plays plenty of sports recreationally. She's reaching to overachieve and will inevitably burn herself out trying to be the best of the best. She is easily annoyed and still plenty bossy. She is also starting to consider veganism. By age 13, Cove is now a fond friend, and she has a crush on Derek. She is pansexual demiromantic. Unlike Poppy, Amy cannot handle horror films at all. She also has a fear of heights.

Step 3: Amy Edwards. Amy has done some growing up and has calmed down from her major grump hormone driven hatred phase. She's quieter and less confident than she was before, and in fact, as she would have grown up at the same time as me, societal pressure and beauty standards have begun to bother her significantly - she's always had a chubby build, and now feels insecure over her weight. Comments made over it have actually had her shying away from her old love of sports and instead focusing on being the sweaty band kid. She feels a little awkward in herself, and can't fully get away from the reputation she built in her younger teens of being 'that bitch who thinks she's better than everyone'. She's trying to live her best life and has a few flings here and there and tries to figure out what will make her happy. She's also burning out hard, just barely scraping her exams as a result and feeling like things are crumbling around her. She's looking for anything to act as her safety net right now.

Step 4: Amy Edwards. Amy feels more settled at this stage, but still anxious and in need of a safety net. She still will speak out if something upsets or annoys her, such as Derek's own unfair treatment of himself. She co owns a company with a friend and feels like she has some purpose and direction in life. She's open to teasing and making fun. She's still a little insecure about her body, but has begun to come to terms with the fact that she has a plus size build and that doesn't mean she's unhealthy or unattractive, in fact she's athletic and looks after herself well, the real issue is unhealthy beauty standards. She is, however, annoyed by how short she is, especially since so many of her friends and loved ones are stupidly tall.

Step 1: Tafadzwa 'Taffy' Kalakona. Taffy is bright and cheerful. They seem confident and happy, like to take charge and want to see others smile. They aren't as physically affectionate as Poppy, but are big on gift giving and kind words. They also love fashion, and seem to dislike reading but love writing. They were born intersex.

Step 2: Tafadzwa Kalakona. Tafadzwa doesn't have any visible change in their character doll at this step or any change in their pronouns. Tafadzwa is loud and tries to be the funny kid, and to be someone reliable who you can lean on with your troubles. They have begun to form an interest in journalism and want to work for a fashion magazine in the future. They are also becoming aware of the fact that they haven't really felt any attraction to anyone, and until meeting Baxter at the soiree, they believe they're aroace.

Step 3: Tafadzwa 'Taf' Kalakona. At this step, Taf is losing their confidence, primarily due to a crisis of identity. They've referred to themselves as they/them as long as they can remember, but did they choose that? Because that was what they felt? Or were they just always a they? Has anything ever truly felt right? As well as that, they're becoming more keenly aware of the fact that, following learning about their biological parents' deaths, there's a whole separate culture they could have been raised in, and part of them has told themselves they've missed out on something big. There's a disconnect between the life they've lived and this idea they've put in their own head about the life they should have. They've always loved writing, and dancing, but suddenly these hobbies feel hollow. Do they really want to be a journalist? Are they good at anything, really? They have so many questions about themselves and no answers and it's driving them a little insane. They cover this up by leaning harder into being the funny one of the group. Also the one person who made them question their aroaceness is back, which is awkward, and now they're having a summer fling and he feels weird about the fact that Taf's demidemi ass has only ever been attracted to him so far and they feel terrible about that making him uncomfy. Is it weird they've only ever felt attraction to one person? God, they just don't know any more.

Step 4: Tafadzwa Kalakona. Appearance is again largely unchanged on the doll. They now use they/them and he/him pronouns and have several tattoos. He's still anxious and uncertain regarding who he is, still feeling it all out, but is also more solid. He has labels for himself that feel right. Genderfluid demiboy demisexual demiromantic. Does still want to be a journalist and is actively working towards that, but has more of an idea of specific areas they want to work in. Has also moved away from being 'the funny one' and more towards being their genuine self. No more masking. He still tells jokes and wants to uplift spirits, and is a strong and protective presence in his friends' lives, but that humour isn't a solid wall to hide the confusion anymore.

These next two are for Now & Forever, and since that's only in demo right now I can only provide steps 1 and 2. I'll update it with 3 and 4 when available.

Step 1: Diamond Zeiler. He doesn't uncover his right eye until step 3 but I will tell you now it's hazel. He wasn't originally going to have heterochromia but when I saw it was an option in this one, I jumped on it (I have heterochromia myself so squee). Diamond is excitable, loud and active, very talkative and passionate, eager to make friends but he didn't have many at his last town. He currently has undiagnosed ADHD and autism, which may have been a factor in his difficulty in making friends before. He is also very bitter and grumpy about having to move. He's angry and doesn't hide it. He doesn't want to be angry, but things were difficult enough relating to other kids and getting along before, suddenly being thrust into a new place with lots of change and absolutely nobody familiar makes him very upset and anxious, and that manifests as anger at the situation. This ends up primarily directed at his mother, who he blames for the move. He loves his skateboard and his cuddly toys very much. He is also realising that he likes boys romantically. His only concern regarding that is if he can impress them with skateboard tricks or not.

Step 2: Diamond Zeiler. Diamond is now quieter and much more withdrawn. He's definitely suffering from some form of depression, and other people's reactions to him in the past have built up a belief that he is stupid, annoying and has no future. Because of that, he second guesses everything he says and tries to hold his tongue, and doesn't really look forward to anything. The anger he felt before was never dealt with in a healthy fashion either, leaving a nice festering unpleasantness within. He has now also developed a crush on Tamarack, but isn't sure if he really likes girls or just feels like that's expected of him. Like, he likes her a lot, but is it the same as his very definite crush on Qiu?

Step 1: Virginia Walsh. Virginia is a very quiet, polite and well behaved young lady. The very idea of being naughty is utterly scandalous to her. She tries to stay clean, keeps out of trouble and wants to make friends. She goes out of her way to be kind and understanding.

Step 2: Virgil Walsh. Virgil has gone a good 180 from his good little girl past. He's now in the midst of a wild, reckless phase where he causes problems on purpose. He's a feral little shit now and you should all be afraid, be very afraid. Also he and Qiu are no longer friends, but dear sweet god does he have the biggest crush in the known universe on Tamarack.

And while I'm here, a bonus of two more things I made playing around and then got attached to

I have a problem and it's endlessly playing with character customisation.

[adamsvanrhijn]

HATE the "hey you are mildly nerdy about [subject] therefore i think you have autism" thing this webbed site has going on. Over 60% of autistic people are non-communicable. Of those who are capable of communicating - and therefore of running a fandom blog - over 30% read below their grade level. "Autism = nerdy superpowers" is such an ableist and unrealistic portrayal of autism it's actually offensive. I'd love to know how many people on here actually have an irl autism diagnosis (not Aspergers - the damage done to autistic people by combining the two and therefore centering far less disabled people as the face/voice of autism cannot be exaggerated) and how many are just playing into gross ableist stereotypes.

I hear what you're saying! When discussing autism there is definitely a very clear bias in the general fandom-y nerdy user bases of Tumblr + Tiktok + Twitter toward people who can communicate with spoken & written language, and the prevalence/prominence of those ideas has altered the way people perceive autism in a way that can reposition an already vulnerable demographic of disabled people for whom resources are already very scarce.

I will say though I don't think the autism spectrum disorder designation including people of various communication abilities and developmental delays inherently centers people who communicate at average or above average levels. Like, Asperger's is not diagnosed anymore in part because the symptom cluster was not wholly unique from autism & the people making the distinction thought that it was not useful for diagnostics and care. At least to my memory what we are seeing online right now is very recent within the last like 2-4 years and seems a lot more Prevalent online than in real life?

Part of why I feel like it's more of an issue online is that where I've lived, resources as well as general understanding of autism seems to be centering people who cannot communicate and their families and caregivers which is how it has been since I was growing up. But I live in the middle of nowhere and that might not be true other places.

I think the fact that the clinical distinction is no longer made combined with how people who right now are nerdy tweens and teens lost 1-2 years of normal social development and school attendance is probably a huge factor, and this might not be a long term issue the further we move away from the impact of covid.

On a personal note—

I also think that due to the nature of how online communities work, we don't have a view into how people with above average communication skills might be affected by symptoms of autism offline, and that some of that might be intentional in that people don't want to bring those experiences into online spaces. People like to control the image they have online, you know??

I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2016 as a young adult by a clinical psychologist after a childhood ADHD diagnosis, and my also double diagnosed brother has significantly more noticeable symptoms than I do including communication delays that I never had (I got the "little professor" moniker). I'm not sure what his first diagnosis was but we are both higher functioning/lower support needs while also in our youth being objectively disabled in a way that relates to autism symptoms. I didn't have support growing up and once I was in middle school I failed every semester until I dropped out of high school (this was also due to homophobic bullying) and he was on an individualized education plan for all of his school years.

I think a lot of people find solace in what their autism symptoms make easier, more engaging, or fun for them and want to focus on that and talk about that rather than all of the things that are difficult for them—and I bet this is especially true with younger people who might be more defensive in general and very, very conscious of how they are perceived offline. "Nerdy superpowers" online might be "can't physically go into the grocery store because the fluorescent lights are too bright" and "only talks out loud to 4 people and is ostracized in school & social spaces" offline.

[maiuoart]

Do you have any more ideas on how sans (swapfell red) were like as a kid?

if not that's okie :)

No no no... I do; I very much do!

SFR!Sans, as a child, was such a handful...

It's not because he wasn't disciplined; Not because he was seeking attention; It was literally his Soul desiring to follow what he was made for.

In my verse, he was literally made to become a cold killer.

Unlike Russ, Sans was only thought up of as a mere second thought; Nothing much was processed besides; 'Back up plan 2'

Gaster in this world, was aiming to take the Royal Scientist River's spot. He seeked with anger, jealousy, greed... He aimed with malicious intent; Which both boys gained, but sadly San's had the main blunt of it.

So after things were said and done; Both Papyrus and their adopted father, Lizando, fought fang and claw to settle Sans however they could during his toddler stages. He was a terrible; Literally scratching and biting everything and anything up. Toys, books, his own adoptive Sister, even Russ & Li themselves.

Sans bit so much, they actually invested in a special muzzle for him...

Occasionally, they found Sans killing small creatures... After they saw how gleeful he was about it, gaining small amounts of LVL with it, the two took the steps to correct it. Sans was gaining psychotic tendencies neither one wanted to have...

Sans showed the desired signs Gaster had originally wanted; Up into his young tween stages. He was gifted more than Russ with the killing and no remorse senses. Sans' soul was a dull dark grey when he was a baby; Something so rare for a monster child, even in their realm.

Thankfully with a General as your adoptive Father; Safe to say he had more ways to help Sans target this--... Oddly aggressive behavior in a more than healthy way.

│Sans was taught early how to wrestle; He adored to and rough house with his siblings. He really enjoyed doing it with Papyrus since he'd always hurt Alphys too much. But as Russ got 'lazier', not wanting 'to play', Sans turned to Alphy and going easy for her, in order to get her up to 'His Level'. │Learned how to control his strength at that stage; But when really upset, he has gone into a blind rage. │After the blind rage from his 5/7 age range, where a toddler was much easier to handle, and realizing he had actually harmed the ones he loved; That woke up Sans own internal thinking and realization to become someone better. Hasn't had a blind rage since that day. │Sans was always praised for things he did accordingly; And at first, he reacted negatively to it all... Hated the praise! But as time went on, he slowly enjoyed it.

Still, Sans learned the language of swearing, cussing, and everything else from Russ' friends. He would curse like a lil'sailor, not caring who was around. That stopped when Sans found a better role model, even if for a short while.

Once he gets into his teen stages; He really starts to even out and has the goal to become a General, like his 'Father'. Sans has called him as such, and has the dream to becoming a Duo General with Alphy's.

Alphy's and Sans have always battled since; Be it sparring together, simple sibling rivalry, or even a simple discussion. Those two were the best of friends and shared many likes and teased the other for their dislikes when Russ was no longer available and Li got killed.

But still, Sans was a lil'troubling with how eagerly he wanted to kill and rip anyone apart if they so much as showed him their eyes.

[ronin-deactivated19851026]

i feel like my brainworms are legit nerfing me

oversharing ahead but i honestly don't care nor see this as a big deal. what's the point of living if i can't talk about my life

i'm not sure what to do about it... one thing they don't warn about when it comes to recovery, you kind of go "backwards" in your timeline, unfolding deeper and deeper traumas. this leads to addressing needs that for most healthy individuals have been satisfied during appropriate stages of development. and it's kind of hard to navigate through, and the deeper into childhood, the harder. and the dumber some issues are.

like...

i identified one of major sources of my art block through noticing the same pattern while learning japanese. i have an exam next month, and i'm sitting here just clowning around, avoiding touching my workbooks. i don't have any struggles learning it. in fact, i'm catching things quickly and if i practiced, i would have been better. but i just can't make myself study, and the block is so strong, it's paralyzing me the same way my art does.

why learn or do anything, if 1. there are people who are better at it, from those who studied better to native speakers, or in case with art, are more creative and have been going to art school since they fell out of the womb 2. i get nothing from it, no praise, no attention, nothing. no change in attitude towards me (this phrasing suits better, considering what i'm about to say next)

and one can think of bajillion things to debunk these points. like, who the fuck cares, do what you like, engage in things that make you happy, also learning skills or expressing oneself through art doesn't render "nothing" as a result, like, it's obvious how both can be monetized, if we're going for "practical" needs, and how many other opportunities await me that can broaden horizons and enrich my existence.

but... but.

the entity we're trying to tell these things isn't the current, conscious mind of 30 year old me.

it's an ostracized, bullied, weird tween that seems to be doing good at school, where the kid finds escapism from issues at home. the kid is called a goddamn little genius at first, but eventually it all becomes boring or doesn't go in line with school program, it's annoying, the kid is fucking annoying too, can't come up with anything useful or worthy everyone's time. so the kid scribbles random shit to escape or vent about both school and home life. or just embraces art. and hey, looks like these skills are cool and complex enough to catch everyone's attention once again and be the cool artist daughter/cousin/friend/whatever i was called to have, i'm considered talented and useful again. for a while. didn't last long because it's all still essentially useless. aaaaaaaaaaaaaa help

(ok random cringy note but i have been thinking recently how fandom often draws spamton the way i used to dress in my mid teens; the time when every bit of hope or resemblance of peace in my life crashed beyond retrieve. he's my spirit animal now)

like. words and lack of full background (which i won't go into in public obviously sjxjskxsxj) can't really explain why something that doesn't sound like a big deal as i type it left such a huge impact on me. my life at home was like a pure nightmare at some point, and came with serious baggage i still yet to unpack. my life at school sucked a lot, except for two years where i switched schools and it brought some relief, albeit temporarily. there were days where i would spend a whole night up, being on full alert for any random reason, including physically fighting or eavesdropping every noise i can hear behind my door, hoping i won't get stabbed or raped in my sleep. that's why i have issues sleeping these days and wake up from every tiny fucking noise. and after that, i would go to school and say i literally couldn't do my homework and none of these fuckheads cared, they called me useless, lazy, and threatened with consequences. yeah, "being useful" became tied close to "having a right to live" because of all the fucking mess that went on, the puzzle is coming together.

~

as i was reading pete walker's book "complex ptsd: from surviving to thriving", bits about describing traumatized children growing into completely dysfunctional adults, to the point where they're on disability and literally can't function at all, i thought about how i essentially sabotaged myself through thing i described above.

if i didn't deliberately ruin everything, i may have had a network of artists at this point, probably opportunities that i can't even think of, stable income, probably also a stable community, but i just dipped right when i was getting more and more interesting commission requests, getting more known, merch being done with my art, people being interested in my stuff, getting some cool opportunities, some of which were even about to spread outside fandom circles...

that hole of void inside, that feeling of uselessness and not being enough, has been growing (along with other issues i had, but still) until it burst and i was avoiding it all like plague, saying "no" to everyone who came to me until they stopped coming, obsessing over being the lamest artist featured everywhere, being afraid to create because it felt like i'm ruining paper/canvas/digital spaces/etc with my essence, that i'm not allowed to make myself present in anyone's life, unless i earned that right through being "useful", and even then i still experienced paranoia and severe anger issues and so, so, so many other things that led me to be diagnosed with a mood disorder, a personality disorder, and then put on antipsychotics and antidepressants.

...

you know, now that i'm typing this all out, i'm thinking that this made it all even worse. i'm even more scared of approaching these issues, because now they have a "take a pill and shut up" layer to it. "you're born useless and don't have a place among us, sedate yourself so you stop being a nuisance to everyone". "no, the world is completely fine, you're the broken one". "normal people live fine with X and Y, you're just crazy, delusional, sick, yOuR BraIn ChEmIcAlS ArE OfF meNtAL iLLness Is WHen Ur BraIn Is BrokeN1!1 MentAl DisorDers ExisT In VacUuM U jUsT WeRe BorN MenThollY EEL TAKE THIS COCKTAIL OF DANGEROUS DRUGS WITH A BUNCH OF SIDE EFFECTS THAT WILL KILL THE REST OF YOUR MIND!!111"

i have no idea in the fucking slightest what to do. i'm doing much, much better than ever. i could even say, i'm very close to being normal, at least in the way i define it. but everything that has to do with vague definition of occupation, hobby, and collective/community? i'm kinda just brute forcing things as of now, idk.

but i don't think i can push it this way for long, cuz... progress in my skills doesn't heal. using a new language doesn't heal. finishing projects, no matter how fun or cool, doesn't heal. getting praised for these doesn't heal. getting paid for my art (or anything at all in theory) doesn't heal. socializing doesn't heal, i just do it in spite of lil demon behind my shoulder constantly whispering me that i'm everyone's laughing stock/annoyance/whatever and everyone i'm interested in wants me away. having some people prove these delusions to me in the past few years didn't help either.

maybe i'll come to solution later, as i always do, but as of now... i'm stuck and i don't know where to start

[claudiajcregg]

📈, 👀, and 😬 for the emoji fic writer asks. Please & thank you.

Thank you for asking, Danielle! Forgive me if half the things don't make sense... Still battling this stupid flu, but I'm finally on the mend.

📈 How many fics do you have?

This is such a broad question! The short but true answer is that the number is in the hundreds, between all the stories I wrote in my tweens/teens, to the ones I've written in the last few years. (I know I have probably reached and surpassed more than 100 stories all split between various notes, docs, and word docs.)

But if it's posted... 18 on AO3 (though one of those fics is like a small collection, so it could be 21). Then we have some of those stories in my teens, but I've lost count... At least 2 more on FF.net, and a few more somewhere on LJ and various forums.

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

I have a lot of them, to different degrees of “just need another pass before sending it to a beta” to “will I ever finish writing this?”

The one that I'm most focused on right now (even if I haven't touched it in ten days) is a pregnancy AU. I had the idea in February but only started writing it in June, and it's basically a TWW season 4/5 AU in which CJ gets pregnant. I'm still struggling with the vision already, but it's been fun to explore almost the same events from S5 on the show through this new lens. There are 9 chapters and 55k words written so far! As I mentioned the other day, I'd say I'm either halfway or two-thirds in, but I'm not sure how much I'll cover. And though I don't know what to think of it, those who have read it do like it. (I cannot post it until I am either done with the story, or know I won't tweak things. I would take so long to update.)

I also have a campaign vignettes fic that I still write from time to time, and a bunch of almost-ready stuff that I need to edit once I find some energy. (I also get the sense people are not into my stuff, so it's not like I prioritize it.)

😬 Which of your fics would you be most horrified for friends, family, or coworkers to stumble upon?

Part of me wants to say 'all of them' because my writing and stories still feel personal, and I don't know what they'd think about it. I'm not a writer!

But the true answer is another wip that Ally/@onekisstotakewithme has dubbed the 'one bed sexy bits' (I called it 'one bed 2.5'). The thought of anyone reading that is just too much two people have 🫣🫣🫣. This goes for other spice I've written in other WIPs, but that one is too much.

[mydarlingdearestdead]

I’m thinking thoughts I want to share before my head explodes (And if I put them here there’s less chance I’ll be bashed for them as asks don’t usually get as much engagement as posts do but feel free to ignore me I just need somewhere to put them)

Young Severus Snape *was* the victim!!! And I mean like Sev in years 1-6. I mean like. He was ruthlessly bullied by some dickheads and it’s never shown that when he was younger (years 1-2) he provoked them/intentionally fucked with the marauders.

We’re told that James canonically hexed people “for fun” and Sev was just an easy target cause he was the quiet n weird kid. Sirius and Remus did tell Harry that James grew up but then again they’re very bias and Harry was sittin there thinking Jily happened cause James drugged her so ofc they’d tell him that

Back to Sev- he was abused as a child (and teen) by his alcoholic father and was a witness to constant dv. Ofc him as a tween was gonna be a bit of a weirdo and like. Yeah dropping that branch on Petunia was fucked but he was an isolated kid and likely didn’t realise HOW fucked it was

He started to go down hill bec of the people he was hanging out with (although I think there were a few other circumstances; like the war for example) and then he started slinging slurs around for funsies.

I do think that the one incident we see were he calls Lily a mud blood is more of a knee jerk reaction for him at that point. He’d gotten used to the fact that the people he was around did it and he did it that he almost forgot the meaning of it? That doesn’t excuse it but still. If you have a hundred or so kids around and they’re all taunting you, you’re gonna lash out somehow.

Then he joined the de and started bullying children ect ect.

I think the place where people come from with the Snape Vs Bambi thing is that they’re so stuck in the fact that they think everything is black or white. Yes, Severus was the victim when they were young, but as they got older and James matured (and Sev did not), Severus became the “bad guy”

People who take James’ side were likely popular kids (or they read the books first) and people who take Severus’ were likely the weird kids (or watched the movies first)

If this were one of those square graph thingys I’d be in lawful neutral (for once)

(side note; I can’t stand when people make Peter the bad guy cause it was Severus’ fault they were even in that situation in the first place. Although you could go further back and blame dumbly which is what I do)

this has been fun let’s do it again sometime 🫡

Twas fun

This is honestly the exact reason I ignore canon

Still will never get over that he was Nevilles worst fear at 13. This kid whose parents were tortured into insanity by death eaters, who's grandmother never believed him worthy, who got hexed by Hermione in first year for trying to be brave-

You get the point. Idk, that always stuck with me

[claudia-nomusaabara]

9, 30, and 45 for Vanessa, 15, 40, and 39 for Tina!

@fishklok ❤️🤙🏼

Vanessa

9. Is your oc afraid of touch or do they actively seek it out? Is there a reason for this? What are the exceptions?

Nessa's not afraid of touch but she will seek it out and reciprocate when she's around loved ones.

It does surprise her at times how much she can feel better after a hug, a soothing hand on her back, or just holding a hand.

Even as a baby Nessa always responded better to being picked up and cuddled to calm down, it's something that carried over to her adulthood and it's one of her expressions to show those she loves.

30. What topics does your oc know the most about? Are these obvious or would these be surprising to others?

1. Jamaican Patois/Japanese: Not immediately obvious depending on who she's talking to.

2. Rap/Hip-hop music particularly the Wu-Tang Clan and Lil-Kim: Not obvious at all until someone asks her. She'll talk your ear off about her favorite songs.

3. Jamaican cooking: Semi-obvious, watch her critique of someone's Jamaican food and you'll know. Extra points since she worked at her paternal Grandparent's Jamaican restaurant, the Tug Boat.

4. Video Games: Not obvious at all! She surprises A LOT of people with her video game knowledge. Especially Street Fighter, she gets a perfect round more often than not.

5. Japanese Culture/Karate: A little easy to spot if you know how to look. She'll probably tell you sooner than later!

35. How easily does your oc get attached to things? Does everything have a sentimental value to them, or do they see nothing as more valuable than its practical use? What about with people/animals?

It takes her some time to get truly attached to someone, and once she gets that close, that's when Vanessa starts getting scared.

All of that stems from her mom voluntarily disappearing when she was just eleven and a month after Tina turned one.

Afterward, during her tween and teen years, she consistently kept people at an arm's length other than some family and some friends. It took her college years to chip away enough of that to maintain two separate romantic relationships she had and open herself up a little.

It was years worth of therapy to chip away more of that wall only for it to build back up after Magnus.

Now for sentimental things, not everything that will be important will automatically be sentimental. But she can't help but hold on to certain things that belonged to someone she cared for, even if it's only memories.

Tina

15. If you had to choose a single object to act as a symbol for your oc, what would it be? Why?

That's a very good question! It took some thinking, and this applies to both of the sisters since they have this animal tattooed on them, but the Doctor Bird from Jamaica. Also known as a Red-billed streamertail.

This bird represents the reincarnation of dead souls and it's for being quick, and difficult to kill. AKA the G-d Bird.

The folk song about them inspired me more for them:

“Doctor Bud a cunny bud, hard bud fe dead”. (It is a clever bird which cannot be easily killed).

I also use it for both of the sisters to represent good luck sometimes in unexpected ways. They won't win the lottery overnight but they won't meet others' misfortune.

39. How superstitious your oc? Do they end up following them ‘just in case’? Or are superstitions incredibly important to your oc? What are some that they believe? What about the ones they don’t?

To put it like this, Tina is on the end closer to the "Then how do you explain the dead unicorns?" debate of "There's no such thing as trolls".

She may not be particularly superstitious but Tina has enough Jamaican upbringing (general POC parenting) to not fool around with things she doesn't understand.

Tina will carry a good luck charm maybe but don't expect her to freak out if she doesn't follow a ritual.

40. Are there any habits your oc has picked up from people around them? Do they know where they’re from? Does your oc try to stop themselves from doing it?

Tina picked up her slight nail-biting from her dad and she knows it's from him after Nessa told her as a kid.

She will try to stop herself but bad habits take a while to die when stressed.

[evidence-based-activism]

From the Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls (2007) [1]:

Given that girls may be developing their identity in part through the clothing they choose, it is of concern when girls at increasingly younger ages are invited to try on and wear teen clothes designed to highlight female sexuality ... The sexualization of girls in clothing advertisements appeared at least as early as 25 years ago, with such advertisements as a girl in jeans, dropping her rag doll by her side, with the headline “13 going on 18” (1981), and the controversial Calvin Klein ad in which the 15-year-old Brooke Shields declared, “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins” ... What seems to be a more recent phenomenon, however, is the production of “sexy” clothing in child and teen sizes.... the thong, an item of clothing based on what a stripper might wear, is now offered in “tween” stores as well as children’s wear departments, often with decorations that will specifically appeal to children. Retail stores ... that focus on the so-called tween population (defined by the store as ages 7 up to teen years) sell sexy lingerie such as camisoles and lacy panties, items that once would have been marketed solely to adults ... Nelson(2000) found that there was greater variation in the types of [Halloween] costumes marketed to boys than in those marketed to girls and that girls’ costumes nearly always emphasized physical attractiveness (e.g., beauty queens and princesses). Among the few female villain costumes, sexual eroticism was emphasized (e.g., “Sexy Devil” or “Bewitched”).

And from the 2019 update [2]:

In a study of 15 national stores, researchers found that almost 30% of the clothing items for preteen girls (represented on their websites) had sexualizing characteristics, were associated with what is commonly thought of as sexiness (e.g., red satin lingerie), or were clothing that emphasized a sexualized body part (e.g., a push-up bra ... Research conducting an analysis of 821 [Halloween] costumes and girls’ choices shows the prevalence of both over-sexualized feminine characters and infantilized portrayals of princesses.

And these are just the most egregious aspects. To say nothing of how girls clothing is cut smaller, made with less durable fabric, and branded with sexist stereotypes [3*].

The issue isn't what girls choose to wear, it's the men who have created the "choices" [4].

References under the cut:

American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. (2007). Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association

Lamb, S., & Koven, J. (2019). Sexualization of girls: Addressing criticism of the APA report, presenting new evidence. Sage open, 9(4), 2158244019881024.

ParentCo. (2017, January 27). 5 unexpected gender differences in children’s clothing. ParentCo. https://www.parent.com/blogs/conversations/2023-5-unexpected-gender-differences-in-childrens-clothing

Friedman, V. (2018, May 20). Fashion’s woman problem. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/fashion/glass-runway-no-female-ceos.html

*I unfortunately cannot find any peer-reviewed studies examining this aspect of girls clothing. That being said, this topic has been reported on multiple times, by multiple sources (including some news sources), and has actually inspired at least one girls' clothing startup (called Girls Will Be).

“girls should be allowed to wear what they want, including things like shorts and crop tops, without being sexualized by men” and “it’s problematic that most clothing that is available for girls to buy/wear is revealing” are two statements that can and should coexist 🤷🏻‍♀️

[snuggles-and-struggles]

So that lore.

If I do ever get around to writing more for these boys, what I'm thinking is that monsters had still been underground, but surfaced earlier than usual, around the time Edge and Stretch would've been like, 7-10 ish.

The transition up top took some time, what with there being multiple different ones over the span of a few years, and as the monster sanctioned areas grew, became sort of segmented by universe. This brought its own difficulties with it, as some monsters, mostly those from "Fell" type undergrounds, had harder times adjusting to surface life.

Edge and Stretch met very early on, shortly after surfacing and before the "divisions" got too bad. Edge and Red had already lost their father and were semi accustomed to looking after themselves, but Stretch and Blue's father, while not the most outwardly compassionate, did try to keep an eye on them and help them out in ways Red would let him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't too long after that Swapster got sick and declined pretty quickly. Stretch and Edge were tween/young teenagers when he finally succumbed, but as things had simultaneously been growing more strained between the 'verses, circumstance pushed them apart a bit. They still tried to hang out when they could, and Blue and Red certainly had more than one argument over the two just coming to stay with them (despite barely being able to keep their own heads above water), but distance grew between them over the teen years.

Until Red got sick.

The same illness that claimed Swapster, during one of their rare actual opportunities to spend time together, Edge told Stretch. He'd been doing any work he could get (and Stretch resolutely never asked about the few LV he'd gained over the years), but it just wasn't enough, and Red's condition was only getting worse.

On the brink of graduating or possibly in a gap year, Stretch completely changed his career choice, going into medical science in order to aid in finding treatment for the disease. And with tensions finally eased into a sort of normalcy and Blue having long since secured a decent job, the Fell boys moved in with the Swaps for a little while.

Once Edge had secured himself better work, and using what little savings Red had accumulated before falling ill, they manage to move out after a few years, and make their own way. Red is a trial patient, by Stretch's recommendation, and is currently receiving experimental treatment that hasn't entirely helped in recovery, but slowed its progression significantly, which is really saying something considering how serious the condition is.

Edge and Stretch, of course, have unresolved feelings for each other, Stretch had probably been in love with Edge almost the whole time, but Edge likely only developed more romantic feelings once older, probably during the brief time they lived together. They both care about each other deeply, but tend to dance around heavier subjects and their own personal problems which keeps that little bit of space there even when they'd honestly both be so much better off if they just talked ough

But! They're actually pretty similar to my young code blue boys, but with waaay less angst along the way lol I'd love to write more with them, maybe some of the earlier days like a time Edge snuck in to Stretch's room really late as teens, or maybe them moving in together in the not so distant future (or maybe slightly distant, Edge probably wouldn't until Red didn't need him looking after him anymore).

They're very cute and sweet and I'm kissing them both on their stupid little foreheads. (Also feel the need to clarify that while Edge does have LV, it's not anywhere near as much as standard for when he’s in the guard and everything, like, maybe he’s at abt 4? More than 2 but definitely not more than 6)

[my-weird-news]

🔥 Mind-Blowing Zendaya Facts You Won't Believe Exist! 😱

Zendaya: More Than Just Spider-Man's Sidekick So, imagine this: a dazzling starlet, like a shooting star in high heels, swishes into Hollywood, and we're all left standing there blinking, wondering if we accidentally walked into a magical realm. That's Zendaya for you! 🌟 Collaborating with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift? Check! Playing MJ in the Spider-Man flicks? Checkerooni! A show-stopping duet with Zac Efron in The Greatest Showman? Check, check, and check! Oh, and did I mention she's got more Instagram followers than you can shake a selfie stick at? But hold onto your wigs, because there's more to Zendaya than meets the eye! 1. Name Game Magic Zendaya! It rolls off the tongue like chocolate syrup on a pancake stack. She's rocking the whole one-name thing, channeling her inner Cher and Prince. I mean, if you're cool enough to rock one name, you've basically won life's golden ticket, right? 2. Siblings and Time Traveling Aunthood Zendaya’s family tree is like a complex math problem. She's an only child from one side and has five siblings from the other. But here's the plot twist: she was born an aunt! Yep, nephews and nieces older than her. Time-traveling aunt, anyone? 🕰️ 3. From Hollywood to... NBA? In an alternate universe, Zendaya could be teaching us the ABCs or slam dunking in the NBA. I can't decide if I'd pay more for an education from her or courtside seats at her basketball games. 4. Circus Extraordinaire Remember The Greatest Showman? Well, Zendaya didn't just swing by – she swung in! Doing most of her own trapeze stunts, she defied gravity like a superhero. Move over, Spidey, we've got a trapeze-rocking sensation in town! 5. Midnight and Noon Chronicles First, there was Midnight, the schnauzer. But life's a crazy rollercoaster, and Midnight made her exit. Now we have Noon, the schnauzer. It's like she's running her own doggy daycare – Midnight gets the night shift, Noon takes over during the day. 🐶 6. Alita vs. Zendaya: Battle of the Dream Roles Zendaya once auditioned for Alita: Battle Angel, but lost out to Rosa Salazar. Who'd be better? It's like choosing between chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream. Why not just have both, Hollywood? 7. Spidey's Misunderstood Casting Imagine being cast in Spider-Man but thinking you're signing up for a teen comedy set in a school. Zendaya, you've officially got the casting plot twist of the century! 8. Teen Prodigy and Script Whisperer At sweet sixteen, most of us were worried about algebra tests. Zendaya? Oh, she was starring in KC Undercover and basically rewriting the script while at it. Like, who even needs to study for finals, right? 9. Fashion Fearlessness Zendaya's parents gave her fashion freedom since she was a toddler. Yep, she was basically the original toddler influencer. She draws style inspiration from legends like Madonna, Erykah Badu, and her own dad. Fashion game strong since day one! 10. Oscars and Barbie: A Match Made in Glitter Heaven Mattel turned Zendaya's Oscars look into a limited-edition Barbie doll. It's like a sparkly dream come true – now you can recreate that Oscars night and, well, maybe throw in some Ken doll drama for extra flair. 11. Birthday Bash for a Cause Who needs cake and candles when you can launch a $50,000 fundraising campaign for women's rights? Zendaya's way of celebrating her 20th birthday is basically superhero status. 12. Veggie Lover, Pizza Enthusiast Zendaya's a vegetarian, but the catch is, she's not a huge fan of veggies. It's like being a lifeguard who's afraid of water. But hey, pizza is basically a vegetable, right? 13. Actress, Singer, and... Author? Zendaya's a triple threat, but wait, there's more! She's also an author. Her book, Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, is like the ultimate guide to surviving those awkward years with pizzazz. 14. Superstition and Black Cats Zendaya's got her superstitions on point. Spilled salt? Check. Avoiding black cats? Check. But let's see if she's ready to cross paths with Black Cat in the MCU. Marvel, are you listening? 15. The Natural Beauty Crusader Zendaya's all about embracing the beauty within. She even posted a before-and-after pic – no Photoshop needed. Her message? Love yourself, because you're fabulous just the way you are. So there you have it, a whirlwind tour through the world of Zendaya, where the impossible becomes the everyday and the extraordinary becomes the norm. It's like living in a pop culture tornado – and we wouldn't have it any other way! 🌪️# Zendaya: More Than Just Spider-Man's Sidekick So, imagine this: a dazzling starlet, like a shooting star in high heels, swishes into Hollywood, and we're all left standing there blinking, wondering if we accidentally walked into a magical realm. That's Zendaya for you! 🌟 Collaborating with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift? Check! Playing MJ in the Spider-Man flicks? Checkerooni! A show-stopping duet with Zac Efron in The Greatest Showman? Check, check, and check! Oh, and did I mention she's got more Instagram followers than you can shake a selfie stick at? But hold onto your wigs, because there's more to Zendaya than meets the eye! 1. Name Game Magic Zendaya! It rolls off the tongue like chocolate syrup on a pancake stack. She's rocking the whole one-name thing, channeling her inner Cher and Prince. I mean, if you're cool enough to rock one name, you've basically won life's golden ticket, right? 2. Siblings and Time Traveling Aunthood Zendaya’s family tree is like a complex math problem. She's an only child from one side and has five siblings from the other. But here's the plot twist: she was born an aunt! Yep, nephews and nieces older than her. Time-traveling aunt, anyone? 🕰️ 3. From Hollywood to... NBA? In an alternate universe, Zendaya could be teaching us the ABCs or slam dunking in the NBA. I can't decide if I'd pay more for an education from her or courtside seats at her basketball games. 4. Circus Extraordinaire Remember The Greatest Showman? Well, Zendaya didn't just swing by – she swung in! Doing most of her own trapeze stunts, she defied gravity like a superhero. Move over, Spidey, we've got a trapeze-rocking sensation in town! 5. Midnight and Noon Chronicles First, there was Midnight, the schnauzer. But life's a crazy rollercoaster, and Midnight made her exit. Now we have Noon, the schnauzer. It's like she's running her own doggy daycare – Midnight gets the night shift, Noon takes over during the day. 🐶 6. Alita vs. Zendaya: Battle of the Dream Roles Zendaya once auditioned for Alita: Battle Angel, but lost out to Rosa Salazar. Who'd be better? It's like choosing between chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream. Why not just have both, Hollywood? 7. Spidey's Misunderstood Casting Imagine being cast in Spider-Man but thinking you're signing up for a teen comedy set in a school. Zendaya, you've officially got the casting plot twist of the century! 8. Teen Prodigy and Script Whisperer At sweet sixteen, most of us were worried about algebra tests. Zendaya? Oh, she was starring in KC Undercover and basically rewriting the script while at it. Like, who even needs to study for finals, right? 9. Fashion Fearlessness Zendaya's parents gave her fashion freedom since she was a toddler. Yep, she was basically the original toddler influencer. She draws style inspiration from legends like Madonna, Erykah Badu, and her own dad. Fashion game strong since day one! 10. Oscars and Barbie: A Match Made in Glitter Heaven Mattel turned Zendaya's Oscars look into a limited-edition Barbie doll. It's like a sparkly dream come true – now you can recreate that Oscars night and, well, maybe throw in some Ken doll drama for extra flair. 11. Birthday Bash for a Cause Who needs cake and candles when you can launch a $50,000 fundraising campaign for women's rights? Zendaya's way of celebrating her 20th birthday is basically superhero status. 12. Veggie Lover, Pizza Enthusiast Zendaya's a vegetarian, but the catch is, she's not a huge fan of veggies. It's like being a lifeguard who's afraid of water. But hey, pizza is basically a vegetable, right? 13. Actress, Singer, and... Author? Zendaya's a triple threat, but wait, there's more! She's also an author. Her book, Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, is like the ultimate guide to surviving those awkward years with pizzazz. 14. Superstition and Black Cats Zendaya's got her superstitions on point. Spilled salt? Check. Avoiding black cats? Check. But let's see if she's ready to cross paths with Black Cat in the MCU. Marvel, are you listening? 15. The Natural Beauty Crusader Zendaya's all about embracing the beauty within. She even posted a before-and-after pic – no Photoshop needed. Her message? Love yourself, because you're fabulous just the way you are. So there you have it, a whirlwind tour through the world of Zendaya, where the impossible becomes the everyday and the extraordinary becomes the norm. It's like living in a pop culture tornado – and we wouldn't have it any other way! 🌪️ Read the full article

[grimbunnies]

Focusing on Sims 2, since that's the game I play the most, I definitely think the choice to separate the adult life stage into two stages in later games was a great idea. I like the subtle differences in appearance and wish they'd go even further (greying hair, for instance).

For all of the games, a tween life stage between child and teen would be fun and would allow for a bit more distinction between kids that are about to go off to college and those that just aged into teenagers, which I find appealing for adding a stage where the sim has greater independence, but also isn't looking to kiss anyone that's about to age into an adult. But I already keep an eye on that in my game, so what it would really change is once again having me add time to the adult life stage so that I'm not rushing through the child life stages to ensure sims graduate before their parents die (yet another reason for there to be two different adult stages in regular gameplay).

📩 Simblr question of the day: If you could add a new life stage to the game, what would it be and how do you think it would change your gameplay?

answer in whatever way is most comfortable for you and feel free to share this SQOTD around, make sure to use the hashtag SQOTD and tag me in separate posts ~ 💛

This question was contributed by : @/sirianasims ~ Thank you for submitting multiple questions ~ (This is question 7 of 9)