#and then is like well that worked out better so no one else can hear me be wrong even though i still think im right

[moonstruckme]

in theory i really want to see bodyguard!james and reader where she gets hurt and he takes care of her… but i literally cannot imagine him letting her get hurt at any point. unless like they both barely escape with their lives, or maybe someone else was on her detail for the day — cutting myself off with an idea: james is set on another task for an event for whatever reason and when danger erupts somehow, he completely abandons it to come protect her even though shes supposed to have another detail, desperate to protect her

Hi! I sort of did a mix of these if that's alright, thanks for requesting!

cw: mention of blood, small head injury, past break-in/attack

bodyguard!James x fem!reader ♡ 1k words

Your heart lurches when the bathroom door handle jiggles, someone using a key, but then James steps inside. 

You choke on a sob you didn’t realize had been building. He rushes to meet you as you stand from the closed toilet, arms coming tight around your waist. It’s a good thing, because your legs don’t seem ready to support you. Your knees are wobbly and insubstantial, your ribs feel sore, and you can only see out of one eye. But James is here, so that’s all alright. 

“Hi, sweetheart.” He sounds teary. You know James to be an emotional creature, but he doesn’t often let them show when he’s working. Though you don’t suppose he is working, since he’d gone home from his shift not long ago. “Fuck, I’m so glad you’re in one piece.” 

“What’re you doing here?” 

“I heard what happened.” He squeezes you tight, then releases you, taking your face in his hands. “Are you okay? What happened here?” He touches near your forehead. 

You take a breath, but despite your best intentions your voice wobbles. “I’m okay.” 

James’ expression melts with understanding. Blood still flows hot over your eye, the sharp pain on your head bleeding but evidently not enough to worry the men on your detail who’d hustled you in here after the guy who’d broken in and tried to attack you was subdued. Enough to make your lungs feel tight and panicky, though. 

James strokes his thumb over your cheek. “You’re okay,” he agrees. 

“I just—I can’t see, James.” 

“I know, let’s see. Let me have a look.” He sits you back down on the toilet, grabbing a few things from the cabinet underneath your sink before squatting in front of you. You swear, he knows where you keep your things better than you do. James pushes your hair away from your face, gentle fingers landing at your hairline. “Oh, it’s only small.” 

“Why is it bleeding so much?” 

“Because head wounds bleed a lot, honey,” he says lightly. You recognize this tone; it’s the one he always uses when he can tell you’re spiraling, extra untroubled to counter you. It used to work better before you knew him so well. “You’ll be alright, I’m just going to clean it for you. Does it hurt much?”

“Not a lot,” you say, wincing as he passes a sterile wipe over the cut. 

James frowns. “They didn’t send someone to look at you?” 

“You look at me all the time. Not sure they need someone else to do it.” 

He snorts. “I mean like a doctor, babe.” 

You knew what he meant. “No.” You try to keep the pique out of your tone, but you suspect he hears it anyway. “They just ran me in here and told me to stay put.” 

“That is protocol,” James allows. “Maybe they’ve just not had time to send someone yet. They’ve brought the assailant into the other wing for questioning.” 

You furrow your brows, and he says quietly “hey,” thumbing at your forehead so you relax it again. 

“Assailant?” 

James hesitates. “I suppose he may not qualify as an assailant. That’s just the term we always use to describe anyone who tries to get to you.” 

Your bottom lip finds its way between your teeth. You gnaw on it pensively. “But you think he was really here to kill me?” 

“We’re your security team,” James says gently. “We have to work off the assumption that anyone attempting to get to you is trying to kill you.” He places a bandage over your cut, looking you in the eye. “But that’s not for you to worry about, okay? That’s our job.” 

You’re silent while he gets a few more sterile wipes, ripping one open. You’re not sure exactly how much blood is on you, but that he starts cleaning underneath your jaw doesn’t feel like a great sign. 

“You’re not on shift,” you say after a minute. “How did you know to come?” 

James thinks for a second. “You know our team uses a private radio channel to communicate, right?” You nod. “Well, the signal doesn’t stretch far, but I sometimes listen to it on my way home until it goes out.” He gives you a half sheepish look. “We’re not supposed to, but it makes me feel better to check up on things.” 

You laugh softly. “Can’t ever stop working, can you?” 

“Hey, just because you’re alright when I leave you doesn’t mean you will be five minutes later.” You can tell it’s meant to be a joke, but James’ tone sobers near the end of his sentence. You’re sure he’s thinking about what happened today, same as you. He says quietly, “I just like to keep up to date on you for as long as I can.” 

He starts cleaning the blood off your eye, and you shut your other one while he does. James’ hands are characteristically gentle, something that had surprised you after first meeting him. Here’s this bodyguard, all broad frame and big, intimidating muscles, and he touches you with all the loving softness of a teddy bear. 

He does one last swipe over your eye, says “there,” and kisses near your eyebrow. 

“Thanks, Jamie.” You fold forward, looping your arms around his neck. He knows what you need, big palm moving up your spine. You press your face into the meat of his shoulder. “I know I’m supposed to say that I like it when you go home and rest,” you mumble, “but I sort of wish you could stay here all of the time.” 

“Maybe we can work out a solution,” he humors you. “I could set up a cot by the end of your bed.” 

“Don't be silly.” You hug him tighter. “I’d at least blow up an air mattress for you. And you could have a whole bathroom drawer to yourself.” 

“That is a very generous offer.” You can hear the smile in James voice. Can feel the affection he’s squeezing into your sore ribs. “I’ll check with the boss and get back to you, okay?”

[not-so-local-lesbian]

I accidentally just wrote a mini essay in the fucking reblog 😭 I’ll just take out the first paragraph and rearrange the rest in order if I never need a personal essay I guess…

Holy shit this is what I basically said in a cover letter I had to write for a school project! (I want to do this for a living)

We’re taught from a young age to recreate how we think to fit the same system of everyone else. When we are shown a shred of acceptance for fundamentally thinking differently, it astounds us because we aren’t being forced to think in a harmful and sometimes genuinely painful way.

It may not seem actually painful to use a different system, but it is. It mentally hurts, and it can end up physically hurting because I am literally fighting against myself.

Autistic coping is accepting that you have a different system and allowing yourself to explore what that may be. It means treating yourself with kindness, patience, and with the understanding you deserve.

It is not fucking easy. It is however, worth it. You are worth the effort you are giving to yourself. You are worth the effort others will give.

(If you ever need some tips, I can try to help!)

(Story time!! Technically this is first, then it goes to the paragraphs after the “holy shit this is”)

I also said this to my friend who was struggling to do an assignment, and he cried. Told him I’d help with the assignment, He showed me the VAGUE instructions, and I said: “well, I guess you could do ___________, but there isn’t that much structure in their wording, which is why that way is really vague and confusing. Is this why a no?”

He said yes. I gave him the way I did it, and I explained it. He said: “ I can’t do spreadsheets and it doesn’t work for me, but it kind of makes sense, and I’ll just try it out and it’ll be fine!! I’ll use it. You’re already trying to help me, and I don’t want to just say no to everything and make it hard.”

After hearing that, I told him: “We won’t use the spreadsheet. If it doesn’t work for you, that is completely okay. I suggested the spreadsheet because that is how I formatted it in my brain in a specific, all be it tedious, way to work with those vague instructions. I worked with my way of thinking/autism instead of working against it in order to make the assignment less excruciating and painful. I want to help you. Giving you a different way that doesn’t help you, even though it helped me, isn’t helping you. I want to help you find a way to work with yourself instead of against yourself. You aren’t being difficult, lazy, or uncooperative. You asked for help, which is a sign you are trying. You aren’t being lazy. Hell, you just wanted to go with a plan that didn’t work for you to make it easier on me, despite me being the one trying to make it better for you. You aren’t being difficult. Also, uncooperative is far from the truth! You told me what you found confusing, a bit of why, that the spreadsheets don’t work, and a bit of why they don’t work. That’s a lot of cooperation if you ask me. Continuously working against your way of thinking/autism isn’t going to help you. Sure, you can do it the other way, but it’s harmful and excruciatingly painful. I want to help you work with your way of thinking, yourself, and your autism. If we try a thousand ways, and they all don’t work, that’s okay. We can try another way. I quite literally want to help people with disabilities, autistic folks especially, allow themselves to find and think in their own way for a living. I’m so glad you’re letting me help you”

He said he never heard anything like that in his life. He literally cried.

I said it in the last post but I’m going to say it again because it’s important so LISTEN UP!!!!!

COPING WITH AUTISM ISN’T ABOUT FIGHTING YOUR AUTISTIC TRAITS!!!!!!! IT’S ABOUT LEARNING TO WORK WITH YOUR AUTISTIC TRAITS IN A WAY THAT ISN’T HARMFUL TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

[etheraltides]

BENEATH THE NOISE ᯓᡣ𐭩

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x College!Reader

Summarize: It’s hard to deal with deception when you’ve given your best. Luckily, Rafe knows how to get to you.

Warning(s): self depreciation, a hint of anxiety.

A/N: Thank you so much for all the love in my works <3

The grade wasn’t supposed to define you. That’s what everyone says: “It’s just a number, not a measure of your worth.” But as you sit staring at the email on your screen, the words blur, letters and numbers melting together until you can only feel one thing: failure.

The exam’s grade - the one you poured sleepless nights, early mornings, and everything in between into – sits there in stark black and white, unchangeable, final. You can’t look away, even as the panic bubbles into shame and then into the familiar, relentless self-criticism. Even as the salty tears begin to blurry your vision.

“How could I have been so stupid?” you think, teeth pressing into your lower lip. “All those hours… wasted. What’s the point if this is the result?” The thoughts spiral faster, slipping away from you. “Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe I’m just fooling myself. Everyone else makes it look so easy.”

With a shaky breath, you shut your laptop and curl up on your bed, tugging the blanket over yourself as if it could shield you from the whirlwind in your mind, from the world and those mocking numbers. You feel your phone buzz, but you ignore it. Then it buzzes again, and again. It’s Rafe, no doubt, checking in, but you can’t bring yourself to reply. You’re not in the mood for talking and pretending to be fine, or worse – the pity you know will be laced into his voice if he finds out how badly you did.

But Rafe isn’t one to be easily put off. He leaves message after message, each one laced with growing concern and slight irritation.

“Hey, baby. Just checking in. How’d the test go?”

A minute later, “Everything okay? Call me when you get this. You’re working me, baby.”

Another text, his humor slipping through: “I’m gonna assume you’re just taking a nap and ignoring the world like you usually do when you’re stressed.”

And then, finally, a call. You glance at the screen, seeing his name flash, but even though part of you aches to hear his voice, you can’t bring yourself to answer. Instead, you turn off the phone entirely, sinking further into the blanket cocoon, feeling more alone and defeated with every minute that ticks by.

Rafe spends the better part of an hour trying to reach you. First, it’s gentle check-ins, then some light teasing, then a note of worry threading through his texts. When all his messages stay stuck on “delivered” with no response, he throws on a jacket, grabs his car keys, and heads out the door. He’s had enough off of it.

The drive is a blur, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he runs through what he’ll say to you when he gets there. He’d scold you for being a brat and making him worry when all you had to do was type some goddamn words on your phone. It wasn’t so hard. He didn’t even want to think about the possibility of something actually happening to you.

By the time he arrives at your place, it’s late enough that the lights outside are dim, casting long shadows across the driveway. He knocks once, twice in your bedroom’s door once your mom lets him in.

“She’s been there for hours.” Your mom sighs, looking up at the stairs as she puts your untouched plate of dinner in the refrigerator. “The results of her exam came in and well… You know how hard she can be with herself.”

Rafe rubs hand on his neck, he had completely forgot that the result would be today and he knew how hard you’ve been studying.

He knocks on your door once and when there’s no answer, he gently turns the knob, letting himself in.

It’s quiet inside, save for the faint sound of your breathing as he steps into your room. He sees you there, huddled under the blankets, your back to the door, your shoulders slightly shaking. His heart clenches in pain and worry as you look so small hiding in the many blankets. Wordlessly, Rafe slips off his shoes, walking over to your bed. Without a word, he lifts the edge of the blanket and slides in beside you, his warmth immediately seeping through the layers of fabric that separate you.

For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, letting his presence speak for itself. Slowly, he wraps an arm around you, pulling you into his chest. You stiffen at first, your pride fighting the comfort he’s offering, but then the dam breaks, and you lean into him, hiding your face in his shoulder.

He strokes your hair gently, his voice a soft murmur. “I’m here. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.” He presses a light kiss to the top of your head, letting the silence settle for a few moments longer before he speaks again.

“Want me to talk to your professor?” he murmurs, a playful edge creeping into his tone. “Because I could pay a visit, you know… straighten him out, remind him that no one messes with my girl.” He squeezes you a little tighter. “Just say the word.”

You can’t help the small, broken laugh that escapes you, muffled by his shirt. You know he’s kidding – or at least, half-kidding – but there’s a part of you that believes he might actually show up at your professor’s office if you asked him to. That thought alone lightens the weight on your chest, even if just a little.

“You don’t need to go after my professor, Rafe,” you mumble, a hint of sarcasm breaking through the sadness. “Even though… I wouldn’t mind seeing the look on his face if you did, it wasn’t his fault.”

Rafe chuckles softly, squeezing your shoulder. “If you change your mind, I’ve got my car gassed up and ready.”

The laugh fades, and you fall silent again, the weight of the failure still pressing down on you. After a few moments, you pull back slightly, looking up at him. “Rafe… what if I’m just not good enough? What if I’ve been trying so hard for nothing?”

You wrap your arms around his torso, fingers absently tracing random shapes on his t-shirt as the words left your trembling lips. “Maybe I should just quit it. Spare myself all the deception.”

He keeps his hold on you, his voice staying low and gentle. “Baby, you’re one of the smartest people I know. This grade? It doesn’t change that. Not even a little.”

You start to protest, but he shushes you, brushing a thumb across your cheek. “No, I’m serious. You’re so hard on yourself, and I get it. But you need to remember that one test doesn’t undo everything you are, everything you’ve done. It’s just one small thing in a million great things about you.”

The words come out softly and so certain, almost like a confession, and you see the shift in his expression as he meets your gaze. He lifts a hand, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear, his eyes soft and steady. “Then you try again, and again, if you have to. But you’re anything but ‘not good enough.’ You’re brilliant, and hard-working, and stubborn as hell. I’ve seen you tackle way harder stuff than this.”

You shake your head, unable to accept the kindness in his voice. “But I… I feel so dumb, Rafe. Like all this effort is just… wasted. Like I’m not cut out for this.”

Rafe’s expression softens even more, and he tilts your chin up, making sure you’re looking into his eyes. “Baby, listen to me. One test, one mistake – none of that changes who you are or what you’re capable of. You’re allowed to be human, to mess up sometimes. It doesn’t make you any less amazing, okay?”

His words linger, breaking down the wall you’ve built around your pride and pain. For the first time since you got the grade, you start to believe that maybe, just maybe, he’s right. You were being too harsh in yourself.

“Thank you,” you whisper, your voice barely audible as you place a kiss to his cheek.

“Always,” he replies, giving you a small, reassuring smile. “Now, let’s stay here as long as you need, but when you’re ready, we’ll go grab some terrible takeout, or watch that show you like. Whatever you want. But for now… just let me hold you.”

You nod, settling against him, the rise and fall of his chest calming the storm in your mind. And as you lie there, surrounded by his warmth and steady heartbeat, the self-criticism starts to soften, the harsh thoughts fading, leaving only the quiet reassurance that you’ll be okay.

As you lie curled up against him, letting his warmth seep into you, Rafe’s hand gently runs along your back in soothing circles. You can feel the steady beat of his heart, grounding you, pulling you away from the spiral of self-doubt. After a long silence, you finally lift your head, your face inches from his as you meet his gaze. There’s no judgment in his eyes, just quiet understanding, and something even softer.

Slowly, he reaches up, brushing a thumb across your cheek, and you feel yourself lean into his touch. His eyes flicker down to your lips, and after a beat, he leans in, capturing your lips in a kiss that’s soft, gentle, like he’s pouring all his reassurance into you without a single word. His fingers slip to the back of your neck, his hold gentle but certain, as if anchoring you to the moment, grounding you in his presence and pulling you away from the loud thoughts in your mind.

He pulls back just slightly, his forehead resting against yours, and you feel his breath, warm and steady. “I’m here,” he whispers, his voice barely more than a murmur. “No grade, no test can change that. You’re more than enough, and I’m not going anywhere.” His thumb grazes your cheek again, his eyes filled with warmth and conviction, and in that moment, the weight on your heart feels a little lighter, the storm in your mind a little quieter.

[mind-intheclouds342]

Do it for them - Co-captain reader x Curly

Previous - Part 10 - Next

Daisuke: "Do you need anything else? I can give you my cookies if you like."

You were sitting in the bathroom, hugging your legs, your body trembling, you had a bucket of hot water and a cup to wet your body with it.

Daisuke was keeping you company outside, sitting and making small talk, trying to cheer you up.

Your body was covered in red marks from the number of times you had rubbed the sponge against your skin.

"It's not necessary"

Daisuke: "It wasn't your fault"

"I should have launched him into space when I had the chance."

Daisuke: "Like among us?"

His comment was so strange that you couldn't help but laugh for a second; it had caught you completely off guard.

"Exactly"

Daisuke: "Would you feel better if we do it now? Let's say he went out to fix the ship and got lost in space by accident!"

You kept laughing at his words, it made you happy to have him with you.

"Thank you for making me company"

You couldn't see him, but you were sure he was smiling with pride.

Daisuke: "Hey... he... you are not... You know...?"

That question brought you back to reality, looking at your body and sighing.

"No, I can't get pregnant Daisuke, don't worry about it."

Daisuke: "Anya told me everything and... I felt horrible... Useless... Maybe I could have done something and-"

"No one could do anything, it's not our fault for trusting people, the only one to blame here is Jimmy."

You finished rinsing off with water so you could go out and get dressed.

When he saw you leave, he got up from the ground to walk by your side.

Daisuke: "Are you going to launch him into space?"

"If you keep bringing up that idea, I'm going to give in to temptation."

You smiled at him to go check how the ship's trajectory was going; according to the calculations, there were only two weeks left to reach the station.

Daisuke: "What are you going to do when we get back home?"

"Well... I think I'm officially going to retire from space jobs... Maybe I'll dedicate myself to being a housewife during the day as a cover and a mobster at night to make money."

Daisuke: "Come on, tell me the truuuth" he said, laughing and pulling your arm.

"Well... I haven't thought it through yet, I've worked my whole life here, and now that they're going to fire us, I..."

Daisuke: "What would you like to do?"

You looked at him somewhat confused, as if you hadn't quite understood his question.

Daisuke: "You know! What did you dream you would be when you were little?"

"You're going to think it's stupid."

Daisuke: "Nooo! Of course not! I wanted to be a firefighter when I was little, but then I wanted to go to art school, although my parents didn't like that idea much at first - and when I couldn't get in, they got me this."

"....I wanted... to be a pastry chef"

Daisuke: "Seriously?? That's awesome! You should start trying when we get back!"

"Maybe I'll give it a chance..."

You stopped in front of the nursery and gave Daisuke a look to say goodbye to him before going inside of that room.

You went straight to sit next to Curly.

"I already know"

Those were your only words, and immediately he started to gasp, trying to speak to you but nothing came out of his mouth.

"I told you, for years, that man was a jerk, that he would only bring you trouble. You had to see his atrocities to believe it, didn't you? It had to hurt you for you to realize... You didn't listen to me, or to Anya... Now you'll have that on your conscience for the rest of your life." 

You closed your eyes for a moment to avoid seeing him, but you could hear their sobs.

"I hope you have learned because... if something like this happens again... You can forget about me forever."

You lowered your head until you gently rested it on his chest.

"I forgive you... Because you have forgiven me when I have done horrible things... I forgive you... Because it's not your fault wanting to see the good in everyone but..." 

You raised your gaze to look directly at his face.

"You can't make everyone happy, you'll always have to choose someone... Now you... Who do you choose?"

You were surprised when you felt his arm on your back, as if he were trying to hug you tightly, assuring you that he would always choose you.

[hkthatgffan]

Kiki-Kit Situation Update

Bit of an update to this post from the other week.

Details are all in that post but as a refresher, Kiki-Kit, one of the Gravity Falls fandom's better known/longtime artists, had been taking commissions from multiple people and despite everyone paying her in full, she had yet to fulfill their comms with some waiting up to 5 years with no update. And what made it especially troubling was that she had not communicated with anyone and even blocked one person who had tried to talk about it.

I also had gotten a commission from her in February and have been waiting on it since without her responding at all to me after saying my payment went through. Well, since then we have at least one little update about this...

@foxieskullz tweeted that she has since gotten a refund from Kiki-Kit. She also sent me proof of the refund and Kiki saying she'd pay her back.

This is of course great as Foxie had been of course, waiting since 2019 for her comm that Kiki had practically ghosted her over. It is like she said, disappointing it had to end up happening this way but at least now she has gotten her money back and hopefully in some way, through word finally spreading about all this, able to put it behind and move on from this mess, albeit with perceptions of Kiki greatly changed for the worse.

Of course, this does not mean everything is all good. Kiki has not yet gotten back to me or anyone else about our commissions. I've not heard a single thing publicly or privately from Kiki about this. Neither has anyone else I mentioned in the original post and of course, people like Jolliejackdaw, who Kiki blocked, are still waiting for a response...

Not only that, but the original post I made also has led to more people coming out and mentioning their own situations with Kiki and her not fulfilling their commissions.

So, while it is good to see Kiki-Kit actually working to respond to and refund someone, it's still just the tip of the iceberg. There are many, MANY more people who are waiting for an update.

And like I said in the original post, this isn't a hit job on an artist because she's not finished a commission. This is about lack of communication or transparency from her about why she has not responded to our messages and won't listen when we've had enough and just want a refund. Kiki-Kit could have easily handled this all privately by just being better at communicating with her clients. We're all understanding and patient and would more than have been okay with waiting however long for our comms if she had let us know that properly beforehand (and yes, she did that in June but also said she'd have comms finished soon and didn't deliver then either and also never followed up with an update or even responded to anyone who DM'd her including me). Even a simple, hello would have been okay instead of all this ghosting.

I do hope she does right these wrongs. I honestly do not believe Kiki is a bad person or trying to scam people. It would be truly vile and heartbreaking if that really was the case. But you can't say she hasn't left that perception of herself on so many of us, myself included. I do believe she can still resolve all of this if she just communicates better. Make a post saying you're gonna give people who commissioned you a chance to message you (and you actually responding to them this time) and let you know if they wanna continue with it or get a refund and then commit to either giving those people a refund or fulfilling what you were paid for!

I wanna thank also everyone who shared and spread the word on the original post. Even on my end, making a post like that was difficult to do to say the least. Calling out people, especially someone as major and long time in the fandom who I respected like Kiki is not something I wanna do, ever wanted to or thought I would do. But hearing all the stories from so many people who like me, have been waiting for an update from her and haven't gotten any, really made me realize enough was enough and someone had to make this issue known to a greater set of eyes. I don't like using my platform for stuff like this but this was something that had reached a point where it was no longer showing results through the proper channels of communication Kiki had set up. If you're not gonna respond to DM's, emails and tweets from people who have paid you and you have yet to fulfill their work or even give them an update when they want you to and given you ample time to do so, then you leave us with no choice other than to go this way.

I hope you do see this, @kiki-kit. Please get in touch with us who you have taken on a commission from and please just talk to us. Please give us a chance to either get a refund or give us a solid timeline on when our commissions will be done. No one will hate you if you need to take time to finish it. But just please, stop ghosting us and actually reply to your customers when they email or DM you for an update or at most, give a reason why it may take longer. That's all.

Sincerely again,

Every person who has paid you for a commission and still has yet to hear back from you and every Gravity Falls fan who your work inspired and hopes that you make things right

[chaussurre]

It also needs "well meaning men that don't underestimate the issue but are way too overwhelmed/anxious to intervene or sometimes even don't know how to intervene."

I'll always remember that time where my mother, grand mother and I were talking with random woman in the streets when suddenly her (I assume) husband came and started to berate her aggressively for slowing him down. And I just froze ? Like I didn't do anything. All the time talking about these kind of things and hearing about it just didn't prepare me shit like I thought it did.

Thankfully my mother immediately reacted and confronted the guy by telling him he wasn't allowed to talk like that. At some point he turned to me and tried arguing that we had to leave him alone. It's at that point that I actually managed to respond and it just stopped him immediately. He even started acting "friendly".

My mom told me that it was because he got scared of me but that's just some shit moms says to their "little baby boys". I was an overweight 25 dude with a nerd shirt. I don't scare no one. He just respected me because I had a penis and nothing else. And that's the second thing that shocked me. How influential I was on him because he saw me as a man.

I still feel like shit for freezing, and I don't want to consider the possibility that I would not have said anything at all if my mother wasn't there. I don't like what ot reveals about me. But it's a truth and clearly I need to work on myself in that regard.

So to all men out there, don't believe that you're gonna be a hero until you are actually confronted to the problem. But keep in mind that even a simple "stop" can be a game changer. Abusive men tend to only consider things when said by another man. So please be better than me and just say it.

And if anyone (like me) is worried about the woman, it happened in the village where my parents moved to. So we talked about it with some friendly neighbors and they said they'd ask the rest of the community on what to do. But the problem was known for some time now.

[verecunda]

I personally see that "torture" conversation again as gaslighting from Annatars side, to be honest. Because (I double checked again to make sure i am not mistaken) "Never in Tolkien's lore does Morgoth torture Sauron. Some moments could imply such an act, such as in The Silmarillion where it is mentioned that Morgoth would have, if victorious, destroyed even the beings that followed him" - So to me it has that even ... Crueler twist of Annatar just trying to gaslight Celebrimbor again. Maybe that is just me though! And maybe in the series Morgoth really did unimaginable to Mairon. WHO KNOWS

Hi, Anon! This got long-winded, so bear with me here. XD

That is certainly a viable reading of the scene, and I definitely think we should never take Sauron at his word because, well, he’s Sauron. But honestly, I think it’s much more interesting, much more horrifying, if he is being honest here.

First, to get the lore stuff out of the way: agreed, nowhere in the books are we told Morgoth ever tortured him. But at the same time, we’re never told he didn’t. Sauron was obviously his most valuable and trusted servant, but he still was that - a servant, an underling, subject to his master’s caprices. And we don’t have any scenes of them interacting directly that allow us to gauge their relationship; we just have a handful of references that can be extrapolated in multiple ways. (For full disclosure: I’m an enthusiastic Angbang shipper, and I tend to view their relationship as more or less positive, one of the only good things they have going for them, but I try to keep an open mind on what canon does/doesn’t tell me.)

Most notably, take the scene where Sauron is defeated by Lúthien and Huan. She tells him she’ll send his spirit back to Angband : “There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes.” Whereupon Sauron flees, and we hear nothing more of him till after the War of Wrath. We don’t know anything that he does in the meantime; we don’t even know if he returns to Morgoth’s service (the Lay of Leithian does suggest it, but the published Silmarillion gives us nothing either way). Whether or not Morgoth would actually punish him for his failure is probably beside the point: the point is that Sauron clearly believes punishment is a likely outcome. There are other ways you could parse this bit (and I do have Feelings about it!!) but the most obvious reading is that it’s terror of his master’s likely response that sends Sauron into hiding. So overall, it’s an ambiguous scenario, but there is certainly room to interpret a darker take on their relationship, and even allowing for deliberate ambiguity, it does seem to me that the show creators have chosen to explore that darker take.

To return to this particular scene, I don’t think he’s trying to deceive Celebrimbor any more - now that his true identity is revealed, outright deception is no longer going to work, because why would Celebrimbor believe anything else he says? Better to reel him back in with the truth. In that scene, I think Sauron is actually trying to make him understand his grand vision for the “healing” of Middle-earth. We already know he believes that's what he's doing. I don’t think he views Celebrimbor as an equal, no way, but I think he does consider that Celebrimbor’s ambitions chime with his own.

But crucially, his failure here is that in baring his soul and talking about the genuine suffering he’s gone through, he inadvertently reveals just how warped and ultimately irredeemable his own mindset has become. We actually saw this first with Galadriel at the end of s1: Sauron reveals his relief at Morgoth’s defeat, his feeling that a “great, clenched fist” had been released from about his neck - yet just a couple of minutes after that, he repels her because he admits that he sees saving Middle-earth and ruling it as the same thing.

It’s the same in the tower scene. Revealing his torture by Morgoth does engage Celebrimbor’s sympathy, but he loses it almost at once when he starts talking about his pain being a triumph of his own willpower, then especially when he breaks out all the textbook abuser lines about how Celebrimbor has “forced” him to hurt and deceive him. I don't think he would have said all that if he was just lying. All that self-justification strikes me as the response of someone who has suffered, but has never found a healthy way to process any of it, and who has ultimately gone on to continue the cycle of abuse. And when Celebrimbor demolishes all these self-justifications - “You can deceive even yourself” - I think Sauron's expression there speaks volumes. That’s the look of a Maia who has just been hit where it hurts, because rather than being taken in, Celebrimbor has just confronted him with exactly how damaged and fucked up he really is.

[randomtacoscry]

what do you see in icemav?

Shit- why's this low-key a hard question? Like, I see A LOT in icemav but it sort of depends on like what lens I'm viewing it in.

Like, in terms of in what ways do I see them as romantic- there's quite a few. Film-wise, story-wise: I feel like when you make two halfs of a whole you can go about that with different dynamics - romantic, platonic, familial, etc. The reason I think it's romantic though is because there's the other aspects of their beings also being polar opposites: their hair/eye color, their heights, their flying style, their childhoods... there's a lot that makes it more romantic to find these differences in them and still understand that they care and respect one another. I mean, if they didn't, they wouldn't view the other as the only reasonable competition within Top Gun. Also, they begin the film as acquaintance-rivals only to end it as trusting the other with something they have never fully trusted anyone else with- their lives (and the lives of their RIOs). They've seen past their differences to understand that their values either align or are worth more to one another than before- hence: romantic (albeit that is not always the case). Furthermore, the way the film is shot is with a homoerotic tone. The volleyball scene, the bar scene, the shower room scene. All of these either have almost no skin covered, longing looks, flirtatious banter, or/and an isolating moment between Iceman and Maverick. Not to even mention the ridiculous amount of staring that goes on between the two of them throughout the duration of the movie. Also, much of the movie, during that time, was meant to mock the homoerotic nature of Navy camaraderie, which means it isn't far fetched to notice Maverick's sexual tension with more than one character who isn't Charlie. Iceman is just the most obvious, and I feel their poetic contrast makes them a better fit as a couple, which is why I ship them. Another note is Iceman apologizing to Mav in the locker room. It's an intimate scene that they share with only each other and, well, Hollywood (I believe) is around the corner. While his hiding is to ultimately call Charlie, the moment resembles two pilots being eavesdropped on by another- a snitch as told by the scene. This can easily signify the intimacy and depth of Ice and Mav's relationship as it is something to be kept secret- if someone hears, they may snitch on the two of them. While this may be a reach of sorts, I can't help but think the scene reflects a sort of invasion of privacy for an intimate, meaningful moment shared by two Navy men (in a locker room may I add) that the eavesdropper feels the need to report/share to a higher up.

In the terms of how I view their relationship; i.e. what I see within the ship itself- I see a lot of layers to Icemav, which is one of the main reasons I ship them (I ship Mystrade too so it doesn't always have to be for great reasons). Their poetic nature is one of the main reasons: Maverick being an orphan, working his way into the Navy, reckless in the air, fiery demeanor, and a sun-coded character whereas Iceman being the son of an admiral/commander, has nepotism and the expectation of the Navy, rule-follower in the air, cool/calm demeanor, and is a moon-coded character. They compliment each other in the best ways and work well with one another in their air because their skills align with each others perfectly. BUT, ship-wise I think their dynamic is super great because there's a lot to work with. As an angst fan, Ice's expectations oftentimes make him hide a part of himself- one that Mav is likely more chill with because of his reckless nature. This leads to them having to choose one another or their careers- or figure out how to live with both in the time in which they exist- or, the most tragic, having to end things because they both can't have what they want. Hypothetically, Ice won't choose Mav because Mav needs the Navy, and Mav can't choose between Ice and the Navy because that means leaving his best friend behind in a way. Ice doesn't want him to choose- he loves Mav too much to force him to so he'd probably choose for Mav- he'd leave. Other than the angsty will they-won't they aspects of their relationship, they have many other good dynamics. In TGM, it is shown that they both are close with Bradley ("the kid," Mav/Bradley fighting when Ice's death is announced referencing close attachments on both sides, Ice knowing Mav is the only one who can teach Bradley, Icemav's conversation about Bradley in Ice's office) which is great on a relationship level. Bradley is seen as the kid Icemav "never" had. They have a severed relationship but Icemav has a united front against Bradley (parent-vibes just saying). This adopted-kid trope is honestly one of my favs and adds so much relatability and domesticity to the Icemav ship- and it's totally feasible which is crazy. Carole died before Bradley could apply for the Navy, which means Bradley (who'd have signed up at 17-18 bc that's always been his dream) would need a parental guardian to care for him while he's a minor. Guess who Bradley's godfather is??? Maverick. So I would say that Mav raised Bradley during his later teen years and Ice referencing Bradley as "the kid" leads me to believe he played a part in Bradley's childhood alongside Mav. ALSO, Icemav's angst traumatizing Bradley would be another great reason for him to have some resentment against his pseudo-fathers. Overall, I do think Icemav is a great ship for the several layers it does have based on canon dynamic, time period, occupation- these all give great material for this couple. A few tags that this ship can easily use are: forbidden romance, rivals-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, right person wrong time, 1980s, idiots in love, shares a kid, friends-to-lovers, enemies-with-benefits, bittersweet ending, unhappy ending, main character death (sorry that was mean).

ALL IN ALL: I see a lot in Icemav and I think that's why they've kind of taken over my mind the past year and a half. They're the first ship I've ever actually attempted a long-fic for and I think that's for a reason. Also, I truly think it sucks that we get to see so little of their lives with one another (actually real homophobic writers would probably ruin it so instead I wanna fill in the blanks myself) but it does also give us the freedom to create a lovely, tragic answer for the missing 30 years in the timeline- which is some great material.

TLDR; On a film/story basis, several directional and artistic choices from the actors implies homoerotic dynamics and they would not have added so many lingering looks if they weren't at least a little gay. From a ship basis, Icemav has a lot to work with like their rivals-to-lovers dynamic, relationship with Bradley, and tragically implied last-minute relationships with women in TGM.

[tyrantisterror]

At Sea Without a Map pt. 20

Perhaps unsurprisingly, you feel overwhelmingly concerned with Calibani's well-being. Even as you're pulled in three other directions, the drive to go to check on her is stronger than all of them combined. A good 38% or so of your mind asks you whether you might be getting too attached to this woman-who's-actually-a-monster that you've only known for, what, two days or so? It adds that you should be careful since you've been alone for a while. You're vulnerable, you need to take care of yourself.

You tell that part of your mind to fuck off. Well over half of you thinks it's full of shit anyway.

You find your sea-monster predator-turned-friend? leaning against the side of your boat and resting her face on her hand, her eyes scanning the horizon with a troubled expression on her face. Immediately you feel your concern is justified, and you don't even hide the haste in your step as you close the distance between the two of you. "Calibani, what's wrong?"

Her eyes go wide when she hears your voice, and she hastily puts on a big smile as she turns to face you, though you notice it doesn't reach her eyes. "Oh, nothing, Sailor!" she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Just tired, is all! Fighting that gloppy monster took a lot out of me!" She smiles again, bigger and more visibly forced this time, and says. "What about you? It's can't be fun for you dealing with all these..." Her smile falters for a fraction of a second. "These monsters trying to eat you..."

It's a deflection, and not even a very good one, but you worry if you call her on that it'll scare her into withdrawing further. "It's been harrowing," you say as you keep your gaze locked on her face. "But I imagine it's worse for you, since you're a lot more vulnerable now than you used to be."

Calibani frowns briefly, her eyes big and just a little watery, but she quickly plasters a smile back on. "Oh, I've never been the biggest fish in the pond," she laughs. "It's not the first time something's hunted me, and it won't be the last. At least I have a new weapon to defend myself with." She looks at her stork-headed spear, and her smile finally becomes genuine again. "Thank you for making it, by the way."

Now you get to wave dismissively. "Please, you're the one who made it useful. I think you did as much damage to that thing as the boat."

Calibani's smile grows wider as her eyes flicker with worry again. "Yeah, I hurt it pretty bad," she says with clearly feigned enthusiasm, and again tries to change the topic. "It was so clever of you to hit it with your boat. What a finishing move!"

"Well, it worked for me bef..." you stop mid-sentence as you realize that Calibani knows exactly when you last hit a monster with your boat, and that it's likely a bit of a traumatic memory for her. But there's really no way to end that sentence differently, and so you just whisper out, "...fore..." as an awkward silence falls between you. As both of you stand there quietly not making eye contact, your eyes fall upon her tail, which once again hangs over the side of the ship.

"You're tail's hanging off the side of the ship," you say, stating the obvious.

Calibani looks at it. "Yeah, it is," she says quietly.

"Aren't you worried something will grab it again?"

She shakes her head, and her big mane oh hair attached to it wiggles with the motion. "The water feels so good on my scales and fin," she explains. "I think the time spent enjoying that will outweigh any time spent getting grabbed or bitten, so it's worth the risk. Besides, if something grabs my tail, I can warn you that trouble is coming, so we'll be better off in the end anyway."

You decide not to argue with her logic. "Well, let me know if you need anything," you suggest, unsure of what else to say at the moment.

"Will do, sweetness!" she replies with a bright, fake smile.

With a nod, you leave her to her thoughts, deciding to wait and see if maybe she'll open up later. It's time to focus on the second task at hand, anyway, the whole reason you came here: you need to search these boats.

It's slow, methodical work, and at first it doesn't yield much for all the labor involved. All the wrecked and capsized ships are a bust, their contents either lost to the sea or so water-damaged they're basically useless. The boats that are right-side up provide a bit more - some non-perishable or at least not rotten food here (and, to Calibani's assured delight, some salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika), a few useful tools there, even some clothes that you decide to pocket in hopes of adding to your wardrobe (and, notably, a few more sweaters that seem like they might fit Calibani, though a couple might need to be stretched out a bit first).

In one boat, however, you find something truly interesting. It seems rather bland at first - a briefcase, kind of fancy but not something that seems promising at a glance, with a logo on its side that seems vaguely familiar to you: Spindle Inc.

The name sounds familiar, and you wrack your brain about where you heard it before. Isn't Spindle one of those big tech companies, the ones that make a shitload of money but no one's quite sure what the hell they actually do or sell? You realize this is one of the few specific memories of your life before the Sea that you can recall, and try to see if you can remember more details, but nothing comes to mind.

There's a lock on the briefcase, but luckily for you the former owner didn't remember to lock it. You decide to open it up, just to see if anything inside might further jog your spotty and unreliable memory.

Inside, you spot several documents, with the one on top reading, "Field Agent's Guide to the Sea of Monsters." Most of it uses jargon you can't begin to comprehend, but as you pour over it you come across some notes jotted in the margins.

"It's no use, the only way home is under." "Need a deep sea vessel." "North, South, East, West. Where did it come from?" "Can't risk going back to the lab, they won't let me go." "FIND DR. NEPTUNE." - underlined "Where is Neptune's base? Clues scant." "Captain Peter = only person who knows where Neptune is. Find him beyond the boat graveyard. We're close. I'm close. We're going home."

It's scattered and strange, but you think you get a sense of what this person was looking for. Someone named Dr. Neptune, who you can only find by meeting someone named Captain Peter, who is "beyond the boat graveyard," which you can guess from context is where you are right now. Seems your next destination is... well, ok, not really set, but you know where to go looking next, and that's something, dammit!

Of course, looking requires sailing, and that reminds you that you should probably check on your boat. It's been running well enough, but you've had collisions with two large creatures in about as many days, more or less, so it's good to give things a looksee.

Most things seem in order - no leaks, no dents, no strange noises from your engine (because you're not even sure this boat has an engine, much less where it is or what noises it should make, since the damn thing has always been eerily quiet). Only one thing seems out of place.

There's a... stain? you think? on the front of your boat, a jagged red stain that looks eerily like a mouth. It must be the globster's blood, you tell yourself, except wasn't the globster's blood more of a, like, melonoma black sort of color, that putrescent shade of black that's got other colors mixed in like a mess of spilled paint? And it was chunky when it came out, so how is it smeared so neat and smoothly.

Unless... maybe it's paint? Yeah, that's it, it's paint! How could you forget the cute little shark smile that was painted on your boat, that sharp-toothed painted on grin it's always had as long as you've known it? Of course that smile's always been there, it's probably the reason you picked this boat in the first place whenever... whenever you found it, or bought it, probably? Who wouldn't want the goofy grinning shark boat?

Regardless, nothing is wrong with your boat, as it's in perfectly ship shape. You've got a heading, you've got a working ship, and you've defeated a hideous monster that wanted to eat you and, perhaps worst of all, seemed to be British. If anything calls for celebration, this is it. Going below deck, you break out one of your rarest treasures: a bottle of red wine you found, unopened and of, well, a vintage you hope is good (you don't know shit about wine, you're not Donald Pleasance). It's time to break out the salted meat, cook some of those potatoes you found among the ships, and make a night of it!

You go below deck and make as decent a meal as your conditions with allow, then invite Calibani to eat with you. The two of you share the best meal you've cooked yet, and while the little "ooo's" and "mmm's" Calibani makes while eating show she enjoys the food, you can't help noticing she still looks awfully troubled.

"Did you notice?" you say as you finish your meal. "That it tastes different, I mean."

She nods. "It's good," she says quietly.

"That's cause I found some spices," you say proudly, hoping for a big reaction. But while Calibani smiles, it once again fails to reach her eyes. "Did I oversell how good spices are?" you ask.

"No, no, I'm sorry," she says. "It's really good, best I've had, honest, but..." She looks down at the floor and sighs. "Do you... hate me?"

You stare blankly at her, completely dumbstruck by that question. "What?"

Panic flares behind Calibani's eyes as she throws up her hands and animatedly explains, "It's just that you've been attacked by monsters that want to kill you three days in a row and one of them was me! And the other two are dead - I killed one, we killed the other together, and - and I just don't get it, because you didn't kill me when you could have, and I'm just worried..." She stops her ranting to catch her breath. "I'm worried that you don't like killing and that I've forced you to do it and you hate me for it, or that you hate those creatures for trying to kill you and that means you hate me because I tried to kill you, and I never thought of killing as a personal thing before but now that you put the thought in my mind it's all I'm thinking about and I feel terrible about everything and just - just - do you hate me?"

"Uh... wow," is all you manage to say.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she says quickly, "I didn't mean - oh no, you do hate me, don't you?"

"No, no!" you say just as quickly, your hand instinctively touching your compass. "In fact, I'd go so far to say that my mind keeps being pulled in a direction that likes you quite a lot."

She cocks her head at you and squints, confused by your phrasing despite understanding the jist of it. "Um... well, I mean... why though? I tried to kill you, just like that bird and the... the globster thing we just killed." She looks thoughtfully at the floor. "What makes me different? Why did you spare me?"

That's... actually hard to answer. So, as you do with all hard choices, you consult your compass.

[waffle-runian]

Not to diverge much, or to hijack the conversation, but I'm gonna write about "translating art" a bit. I hope that it makes sense.

So, this feels like when I first started reading fantasy. Writing is a form of art that I love very much, so I remember a lot about my first impressions and all. I specifically remember reading a book about magic, the first book I bought because I wanted to read and nothing else. It was in a world where magic would be a focal point, get described with care and detail. Then idk, a popular book series about a demigod teenager that could control water, and what do you know? The water was described in full, the friendship, different dialogues, puns, the color of the eyes.

Then I read another series, this one about a boy with a dream and with a reality that made it difficult for him to pursue it, of course, the description of his sadness was longer too, his physical attributes were important, and they got a lot of attention, but not all the time either, and not really that in depth. What got the most attention were the comparisons, where he came short, and where coming short of something was being ahead on other things.

I remember reading a book following the story of a bard. It was art about art itself, in my opinion. Everything was described vividly. Stunning visuals, I could almost hear a song that doesn't even have a melody, I could grasp the process of creation without creating. It was something I was very bad at, after all. The author could make anything look beautiful and magical, even when it was the most ordinary of things.

Then came the magic. Well, part of it. It was logic, almost physics-like, followed hard rules, and you guessed it, the process of creation through it was also interesting. But then came the magic. Again. The magic that was hinted at, the soft kind, the magical kind, the one you have been preparing for up until now. The one that would require you to appreciate the art in order to understand, to appreciate everything as an artist. To see beyond what it is, what it is made of, what it looks like. To see inside, to see what it can be, what it represents and what it wants. In a way, to see it for what it _is_ (a different "is").

From top to bottom

Mage - Raymond E. Feist.

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan

The name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss.

Rothfuss' writing isn't for everyone in a different way than the others. I don't know if I could explain it if I tried, but honestly? I feel great that it's something fewer people appreciate. This is, obviously, my take on those books. The actual intent behind it may differ strongly, but I don't think it matters, since art is something normally made to provoke thought and feelings. We hope the audience can get close to what we meant to say, but when they don't, we are happy that they got to experience something positive from our words/drawings/songs, etc.

I see his as the most complex out of these, the one that resonated the most with me, I guess? Probably because of the main character being the most relatable. And if just the eyes that tell the story can change so much about it, shouldn't we put much more thought into what our art could look like for people that can't "see" it the same as us? Like I already said, most of the time, your meaning will be lost, so, if you're "translating" art, how can you get close to this new audience's heart?

I mean, translating is all about that too. You can't just use the best words you think of and be done. Brazilian dubbing is famous for making jokes almost never fall flat.

If you localize the joke, you get a better reaction than when you explain the joke that only works in the original language (even though I am the kind of person that learns a language to appreciate the original material instead, and that's the reason I speak english.)

Anyway, if I got something wrong, just correct me, and if I don't get it, I'll ask.

"In recent years, there has been a rush on the internet to supply image descriptions and to call out those who don’t. This may be an example of community accountability at work, but it’s striking to observe that those doing the most fierce calling out or correcting are sighted people. Such efforts are largely self-defeating. I cannot count the times I’ve stopped reading a video transcript because it started with a dense word picture. Even if a description is short and well done, I often wish there were no description at all. Get to the point, already! How ironic that striving after access can actually create a barrier. When I pointed this out during one of my seminars, a participant made us all laugh by doing a parody: “Mary is wearing a green, blue, and red striped shirt; every fourth stripe also has a purple dot the size of a pea in it, and there are forty-seven stripes—”

“You’re killing me,” I said. “I can’t take any more of that!”

Now serious, she said it was clear to her that none of that stuff about Mary’s clothes mattered, at least if her clothes weren’t the point. What mattered most about the image was that Mary was holding her diploma and smiling. “But,” she wondered, “do I say, Mary has a huge smile on her face as she shows her diploma or Mary has an exuberant smile or showing her teeth in a smile and her eyes are crinkled at the edges?”

It’s simple. Mary has a huge smile on her face is the best one. It’s the don’t-second-guess-yourself option."

--Against Access, by John Lee Clark, a DeafBlind educator

[gothamite-rambler]

Kate Kane and Bruce Wayne sharing their awkward exploits with their partners.

Bruce: What’s the most awkward experience you’ve had with a partner?

Kate: Oh, it would have to be the time I climbed out of a window after sleeping with a woman who had terrible b.o..

Bruce (intrigued): Care to elaborate? That doesn't exactly paint you in a flattering light.

Kate: Okay, hear me out... She reeked. From her hair to her skin to her clothes, everything was just rancid. Her pet ferret smelled better! But, to be fair, she was really attractive, and she took me to see Six.

Bruce: And what kind of seats did she get?

Kate (sighing and closing her eyes): Box seats, right by the stage.

Bruce: I get that, but surely the smell had to ruin the experience.

Kate: Look, I served in the army; I thought I could handle it. Plus, she was really hot. I held my breath for most of it. I managed to stick it out for about seven minutes before I ducked out while she was asleep. Thankfully, I hadn’t brought much with me, and I never called her again.

Bruce: So, you ghosted her because she smelled so bad?

Kate: Have you ever smelled durian?

Bruce (grimacing): Yes, unfortunately.

Kate: Yeah, it was that level of bad. I tried to make it work; she was sweet, but man, that body odor was something else.

Bruce (sarcastically): Thank goodness the military prepared you for situations like that.

Kate: Exactly! Now it’s your turn, cuzzo.

Bruce (hesitant): Well… it wasn’t my finest moment with Vicki Vale.

Kate (intrigued): Oh, do tell.

Bruce: So, Vicki and I were in a… compromising position in her bedroom, and the clams we had for dinner were not sitting well in my stomach.

Bruce: So, Vicki and I were in a… compromising position in her bedroom, and the clams we had for dinner were not sitting well in my stomach.

Kate: Why would you eat clams if they—

Bruce (interrupting, blushing): I like clams, that’s all you need to know! I wasn’t about to use her bathroom in that situation! So, I… I made an excuse and just left her apartment.

Kate: Right after?

Bruce (ashamed): I literally ran out while she was reaching her peak. I told her I couldn’t go on, and then I cut off all contact.

Kate (laughing): That’s worse than my experience! Clams are always a gamble.

Kate shook her head, still chuckling at her cousin’s misfortune.

Bruce: Can you not mock me? Vicki still hates me to this day.

Kate: You didn’t even let her finish! You left her hanging in more ways than one.

Bruce groaned, covering his face in embarrassment.

Kate (chiding): Honestly, you would have been better off saying you were Batman and the Bat-Signal went off.

Bruce: I actually thought about it! I was genuinely debating whether to risk revealing my identity or make her feel inadequate. Anyway, she ended up cursing me out a few weeks later.

Kate (crossing her arms): You were weighing those two options instead of just using her bathroom?

Bruce: I know how it sounds, but you just don’t do that in someone else’s bathroom when you’re hooking up on the third date.

Kate: So, the 'Master Detective' is not quite the master of romance, then?

Bruce: Clearly not.

Kate: Welcome to the club. Also, these stories remain secret between us.

Bruce: Totally, totally, totally.

Kate playfully punched Bruce on the arm.

[percyweasleyapologist]

Here's some reasons to write/love Percy x Penelope x Oliver

@guess1mjustheren0w, this is for you :)

OKAY, so basically we know that Oliver and Percy are both extremely passionate about their (subjects? hobbies? y'know what i'm talking about). They both want to be the top, BUT, they aren't competing. We also don't ever hear any mention of anyone else in their grade level.

Percy is especially stuck up and Oliver is kind of all over the place (not when it comes to quidditch, but just life in general). From this, we can assume that they probably argued quite a bit, or at least until they got used to each other. This means that their passion clashes in a contained environment, causing tension.

This is kind of the base of Percy x Oliver, kind of an Enemies to Lovers vibe, but also a forced proximity.

THEN for Percy and Penny, Percy isn't quite introverted, but not quite extroverted, while I headcanon that Penny is more on the extroverted side. Penelope brings out the "rebellious" or more laidback side of Percy, while he bring out the more thoughtful or peaceful side of her.

I'm not really sure how to explain it but kind of imagine a scene where they're in a dorm, no one else around, there's a fire going, it's super cozy, they're laying down and Percy is talking about something he's super passionate about. Penny is just looking up at him with that gaze, the one where it's just full of love, and she's just smiling and they're happy.

Percelope (Percy x Penelope) is more of a sweet, dancing in the rain, running through fields sort of ship. They match each others intellectual abilities and are just so cute.

FINALLY, Penny and Oliver. I don't know the ship name but I definitely see potential. Most of it does revolve around Percy, but i think that makes a ship with all three of them work even better.

So Penny and Oliver are both really important people in Percy's life. They both love him very much and with the other one still in the picture, I think they'd first kind of hate each other. Not really hate actually, more like a strong rivalry.

They both want Percy, and are both going to get what they want. They probably argue a lot, they glare at each other, they make snarky remarks and comments, but at the end of the day, that's what fuels their relationship.

Penny and Oliver have a Rivals to Lovers vibe. They like to rib each other about things, but their rivalry converts into fiery passion (that sounds weird but idk what else to call it) over time.

I feel like they have the kind of love that it's like two teammates in a sport, they both play the same position and are equally as good. It's like that moment right before the game when they look at each other and just smirk and say "i'll score more point a than you", but in the end, they both win because they're on the same team.

They both love the sport (percy), but they love each other equally as much.

All of them fit together because they all balance each other out. Percy's want, combined with Oliver's need, and Penelope's desire, it all balances out. They're like different version of the same person, but they're different enough, so that they still understand each other, but aren't the same person with the same personalities.

So yeah, that's it! If you write something, let me know what it's called! :)

I'll also try to find the post that made me think of it bc i think it does a great job of describing it pretty well!

[moeblob]

[blackcatxmagic]

It was as they were walking to where the live music was that Leo realized something rather surprising: he liked touching Arjun. He hadn't quite realized just how often he did it, but now as they walked with Leo's arm around his friend, Leo realized how much more comfortable he was with his friend against him. Part of that was likely Leo's desire to keep Arjun safe, to take care of him, sure. But it was also at least somewhat because of how at peace touching Arjun made him feel. That was something Leo thought eventually he'd have to unpack, but for now he was just enjoying the moment with his friend, celebrating the best birthday he'd had in...well, as long as he could remember. Maybe 33 would be his year.

As they walked, Leo looked over at Arjun and smiled. His friend just made him happy in a way that still surprised Leo. He was never this free with anyone, but from the moment he met Arjun, things had felt different with him, better. And now Leo didn't know what he would do without him. He thought about the fact that he had kissed Arjun's cheek, thought about how he was affectionate with him in a way he wasn't with anyone else. Hell, he still had his arm around him even. That had to mean something, but of course that was another thing Leo filed away to unpack later. Instead Leo just enjoyed this moment, and he laughed when Arjun called him King Leonidas. "Yeah, I could definitely get used to that," Leo said with a huge grin on his face. "Actually I almost think we should stop before my head gets too big," he added. "It makes me feel kind of sexy." And the fact that Arjun was the one saying it made that even truer, another thing Leo put aside to analyze another day.

One thing was definitely true, whether or not it had been said in jest: Arjun was loyal. And in turn, Leo was loyal to his friend and always would be. "You're majestic in your own way, Spock," Leo said. "You're better than me." Leo was no longer smiling, though he wasn't sad by this admission either; it was just a fact. There was no way Leo could ever live up to Arjun, who was so full of light. Even if he brought that side out of Leo sometimes, the fact was that Leo was all shadows while Arjun was the sun. They were at the live music now, and Leo argued, "You're not hopeless, at least not anymore than I am. I think you're overestimating my dancing ability." He'd see though, a thought that made Leo laugh.

When Arjun put his arms around him, Leo did the same, careful to support his friend while still giving him enough free rein to move and dance. They couldn't move as fast as the others around them, but that was okay. Leo didn't care about them anyway, focused solely on Arjun. The pair danced together, Leo's arms around Arjun, smiling at him. "Yeah, as much as I like 'your majesty,' it's going to my head, and I don't think you want that any bigger. I do like hearing you call me that though, so...I guess it depends if you think my growing arrogance is worth it." As they danced, Leo just looked back at Arjun, so full of happiness to be spending his birthday with him. "I'm really glad we met, Arjun," Leo told his friend. "When I first saw you, I just thought, 'Oh, there's a hot guy, maybe we can go back to my place later and then never talk again.' But here we are dancing together. Funny how things work out sometimes." Leo was glad things hadn't gone the way he expected, though he wouldn't have been mad about going back to his place with Arjun that first night. But if they never talked again, then he'd have missed out on such a special bond.

Arjun’s gaze lingered on Leo’s arm around him, feeling the closeness settle into his bones, warm and grounding. For once, the pain that usually was at a rolling boil in his leg and hip felt quieter, less sharp in Leo’s presence, as if his body wanted this moment to last as long as it could. Fiver trotted steadily at his side, and Arjun reached down, giving his old friend a fond scratch behind the ears. It hit him hard, though—that soon Fiver would retire, and he'd have to adjust to a new companion. This transition felt huge, something he hadn’t shared with Leo yet, though he knew he’d have to. Leo loved Fiver as much as he did, and Arjun was already bracing himself for the inevitable ache of not having Fiver at his side all day - but he wanted Fiver to enjoy his retirement, and he wasn't being rehomed, he was going to be with Arjun still...

Arjun just ... had to work out how to make sure Fiver enjoyed retirement.

But tonight… tonight was about being with Leo and since Arjun was feeling better than he had in years, he didn't want to burden either of them with heavier thoughts. He knew that Leo was something rare, someone who could coax him out of his own head and make him laugh, make him feel like he wasn’t just a cripple, or the odd guy who spent too much time hunting ghosts... and that kiss on his cheek—it was still there, somehow, like a phantom warmth that left him both thrilled and unsteady.

“Alright, King Leonidas,” Arjun said, trying to muster his usual playful tone, “let’s see what you’ve got. Lead your loyal Vulcan into battle. I’ll try to keep up with you, but fair warning—if I step on your feet, I take no responsibility.” He chuckled, feeling that easy laughter bubbling up from deep inside. “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t quite live up to ‘majestic’ like you. Not everyone can be royalty.”

They arrived at the sound stage, the night just cold enough to make their breath fog in the evening air. There were people sitting and listening, bundled together under blankets, other people dancing together. The music picked up, and he shifted his weight onto his good leg, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves tangle in his chest. "But don’t go easy on me. Even if I’m hopeless, I think I can handle a few twirls if you’re the one leading.”

He felt that rare sense of ease settle in as Leo grinned at him, like tonight was just for them. Arjun couldn't break out crazy moves, but he could sway easy enough, and with Fiver's leash loose in his grasp, he reached for Leo so he could wrap his arms around his waist. "You lead, I'll follow - your majesty."

[deviousdiesel]

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[bmpmp3]

speaking of genbu's "serious" sounding tone in his voicebank, i think that might be why he was such a dead ringer for teto pre-synthv-bank-release with just a couple little gender parameter tweaks. wait do my followers know this. sorry i know most of my vocal synthesizer talk is genuinely gibberish to my beloved and loyal long time followers but do you guys know this. for a few years, people had discovered that since utau teto and genbu have this similar strong enunciation and dark sounding tone plus teto can have a bit of a tomboyish edge to her voice anyway -> if u mess with some parameters and phonemes he'll sound close enough to her, so it became a bit of running gag in the community, along with just being a genuine and novel use case for his voicebank. actually recently i found out about someone who made a couple of synthv scripts to set genbus voice to his falsetto pitch and set the tension to drop during each syllable automatically to make him sound like the utau sora amaha. genbu's purpose is to impersonate other vocal synthesizers