#and then she's on this bus with this group of women saying I'm with him and you're my guilty pleasure

[punisheddonjuan]

So Cate is a member of this Facebook group for autistic women looking for advice from other autistic women, and just so you know what we're getting into here, it's historically been a source of some truly awful advice for her specifically e.g. that she should put up with her ex's cheating and emotional abuse and that she was actually taking financial advantage of him if she couldn't afford to move out on her own (???). Anyway, she showed me this thread the other day that fully broke my brain to the point where I'm still thinking about it two days later. A user relayed that there was a man who lived in her apartment complex and who happened to take the same bus route as her. This man would sometimes make an attempt at friendly conversation when he saw her, and she wanted advice on what this meant, and how she should deal with it. At no point in her post did she say she was made to feel particularly uncomfortable by this man, or indicate that he had acted inappropriately. By any reasonable analysis you might say that he was acting neighbourly, especially seeing as he is in fact her neighbour. The top response to her question which had accumulated dozens of likes and positive reactions instead offered this assessment and advice "he's dangerous, he's stalking you, you need to be carrying a knife at all times, here is a list of good necklace knives, also google him, find out where he works, find out who his parents are, call his parents, call his boss, call the landlord, check to see if he's on the sex offender registry, also you should call the police, you need to carry pepper spray, but you should definitely call the police, this is unacceptable." Many other commentators were in agreement with this (insane) assessment, and those who countered that poster with "it sounds like he's being friendly" or "maybe he's lonely and trying to make a friend" were shouted down and accused of wanting to get the OP raped or murdered because she is especially vulnerable as an autistic person. Reading some of the comments truly broke my brain.

The proliferation and explosion of True Crime into the fore of popular culture has really broken a lot of people's brains. I think that the way True Crime, as a genre, presents its subject matter, i.e. with an obsessive voyeurism and erotic charge, engenders a certain reactionary paranoia in the people who heavily consume it. They start believing that every interaction with a stranger is potentially deadly, that there are Dahmers and Bundys lurking everywhere. It's always a certain sort of person whose brain is liable to break this way too. You can't really define them as a group, it's like defining pornography, you know it when you see it. Anyway, clicking through to that top responder's profile and seeing the Handmaid's Tale profile picture and the cover photo showing off a shelf of YA novels was enough to confirm that she was indeed that sort of person.

[some-teeth-in-a-trench-coat]

Ok I want to actually write some stories about Moth Wizard (no promises, this brain has ADHD) so uh I'm gonna ask because I'm curious what people are interested in and how many are interested. Also this was an excuse to write short introductions for everyone.

Moth Wizard: The protagonist only in a technical sense. He's a kind but clueless and sometimes awkward Jewish Wizard specializing in controlling moths. The story is not about him but the people he meets as we follow him through his post-apocalyptic world in the 6200's.

Esh: They don't make cool, mysterious characters like they used to. These days there's always a cynical twist that says "Just kidding! They're not actually cool haha could you imagine? How naïve to think such a thing would exist!" Esh exists in defiance of this. A powerful wizard who makes it look effortless roams the land cloaked in mystery. Even their gender is unknown even to allies.

Natan: A rather ordinary, or at the very least un-magical, Jewish man who's lived a long good life and it shows. A loving husband, father, and grandfather and altogether a kind and generous man.

Necromancer: Long after Natan's death, his remains were torn from the earth to serve an undead army, but something strange happened... This is the origin of Brakha.

Brakha: This magically animated skeleton mysteriously developed free will and is now burdened by the knowledge that her bones belong in someone else's grave. She's determined to undo the necromancer's work... but could she learn to live if she fails?

Bus Driver: A Jewish wizard specializing in portals and transportation has together with her wife restored an ancient bus, which she uses to help large groups of people travel great distances in no time. Her services are invaluable to her community.

Bus Driver's Wife: A Jewish woman married to the Bus Driver, she helps her wife maintain the bus and is a very skilled artist, decorating the exterior of the bus with beautiful renditions of the two women.

Pathetic Woman: Because where's the feminism if women can't be a bit terrible? A bitter old lady, stubborn to a fault and somewhat self destructive. She'll bite if you get too close. (This post, in which I create her, explains her better)

Wolf Golem: Shameless self-insert in my true form. With glowing eyes, flesh of clay, and teeth of metal, this wolf-shaped golem seems to always appear when it's needed the most, determined to defend its chosen people at any cost, but always hoping its growl will remain a warning.

[downundergarfield]

Support classes reaction to reader getting jealous? Like the merc is getting a lot of attention from like idfk a group of women getting gas at a gas station and reader is just like : |

Support classes react to a reader getting jealous!

It's something to think about, so keep these three men In awkward situations, I know you like to watch it.

Medic It smelled of blood and meat. This is not surprising, because you spent time with your favorite psychiatric doctor. The man was collecting someone's insides in a container. Fortunately for him, this someone will not wake up, it will not cause problems. You were sitting with him, on the lookout. The door, the existence of which you did not even know, opened with an unpleasant creak. Ludwig yelped, covering his crime with his back, you slowly approached him. "-Oh, there you are, Dr. Doe! I've been looking for you everywhere! And you, of course, were here, well, how else! You are a real doctor, a real master of your path!" This girl was making eyes at Ludwig from the very beginning. And of course she fell for his fake name. "- uh… well… Actually, I'm busy." "- of course, of course! I understand, I don't dare to distract you, I just would like to spend a little more time with you. You're leaving soon…and we would…you know… We could have done something in my office." She was already snuggling up to him and running her finger along his chest, but you intervened, speaking to her in a completely unfriendly tone "- Dr. Doe doesn't need a secretary for his job." You spoke up, looking at her angrily. Obviously, you're jealous, which only made Ludwig worry more "- Fräulein, actually, I have a girlfriend" The unpleasant personality changed dramatically in her face, obviously, she saw her plans crumble into thousands of pieces right before her eyes "- Oh, is that so? I was hoping it was just a friend of yours. Well, I think I'll go. I have urgent matters to attend to.." The girl hurries to the exit. Before leaving, she throws a tearful glance in the direction of the Medic "you broke my heart, Dr. Doe-" She waves her hair and locks the door. You can feel Ludwig exhaling all the accumulated air in his lungs. And how anger boils inside you, rising to your face. "- Gott sei Dank…" "- WHAT A SLU-" "- shh. She's gone, but that's half the tro-. " "-I really hope she doesn't look at you anymore." You interrupted him with a frustrated face. "-…Of course not! I only love you, and some girl won't change my mind. Besides, she doesn't have such a beautiful body like you." He puts his arm around your waist and then looks at the pile of organs in the container. "-Ve still need to get zese organs out unnoticed.." You nod. Yeah, he's damn right.

Sniper The brainy figure shakes while his van hurriedly drives along a deserted road. It was unbearably hot outside, so Mick was left wearing only his vest. Anything is better than his entire working form. You were steaming in just a T-shirt and shorts. On the other hand, you enjoyed each other's appearance. "- need t` refuel." "- alright!" You're moving on, to the nearest gas station. And fortunately, it appears soon. You pull into the gas station, noticing a pink mini-bus next to one of the gas pumps. Girls in swimsuits were hanging around. You're tense. "- what is it?" "- bet it's just a busload of prostitutes." You were silent for a minute, but Mick interrupted the silence by opening the door. You jumped out after him. He inserted the refueling gun and looked at his watch. It seems that no one noticed you and was not going to bother you, so you relaxed. "- I'm going to get some water."

He nodded curtly, and you walked away past the noisy girls. They smelled of a disgusting cloying perfume. Disgustingly feminine music was playing from their bus. The disgusting pink color irritated your nerves, but you didn't say anything. ----

In your hands were bottles of cold, even icy water and one ice block. There were no girls in sight, thank God, but when you approached the van, it became clear to you where they had gone. The Sniper did a good job, he didn't give them any attention, even if the girls climbed under his vest. He beat those hands painfully, but did not give an answer. "- WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??!" The girls looked at you like a flock of seagulls. "- Not every guy at the gas station is lonely man, NOW LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!!" "- you managed to snatch a gorgeous male~" One of the girls blurted out, poking you in the nose and they left, chattering something in squeaky voices. Mick exhaled, growling. You patted him on the back. " 'm sorry…" It seems he felt a lot of guilt for this situation "- it's not your fault, Mickey, they just need a rich guy who can pay them all." "- I know… but I'm sorry…anyway." You pat him on the back again, comforting him. He smiles warmly and is clearly calming down. "- thank you, sheila." "- no worries. Would you like a popsicle?"

Spy It was a hot Friday evening, even stuffy. You had a long weekend ahead of you. And of course the Spy wouldn't be the Spy if he didn't decide to spend his weekend with a glass of fine wine. You went with him, and he immediately warned you that there could be quite rich people there, who often turn up their noses so high that they don't see people under them. You said you'd be careful with him and he smiled warmly, scratching the top of your head. The Frenchman finished styling your hair while you picked out your best clothes. He praised your costume/dress and you finally came out. When you arrived at the liquor store, you admired its beauty. It was neatly built of a dark-grade of some kind of wood, the logs were hewn and beautiful patterns were neatly burned on them. When you went inside, a rather pleasant smell of wood and wine hit your nose. You glanced at the spy and he looked confident and pleased. You walked between the shelves for a long time and every time you were amazed at the number of wines that generally happen in this damn world. A note of unpleasant bitter feeling settled in your chest when a buxom lady in a black ball gown and curly hair approached your man and began to ask about something. "- you look like a person who understands this, what kind of wine can you recommend?" To your indignation, the Spy answered her, consulted her, communicated with a warm smile. You're not used to seeing him like this. Maybe he is callous and tired only in front of his colleagues? It's because they're all men in a row, isn't it? Or maybe the smell of wine just hit him in the head and that was enough for intoxication? It didn't bother you at all. When the girl left, thanking the Spy for the consultation, you pulled the sleeve of his suit. He understood everything from your displeased face. "- oh, don't do that, Mon chéri, you know that I only love you. The lady just needed advice." He gently pats you on the cheek and the feeling of his gloves on your skin more or less soothe you. "- let's not linger here." "- well, bien Mon amour, I just chose what to take~.

[pluckyredhead]

So the Bill Willingham Steph post crossed my dash again and got me wondering... if you're a writer, what IS the best way to respond to fans (singular or group) that publicly call out your writing at a con? Obviously you shouldn't wish violence on them but since it's not like you can un-write the story, do you ignore them? Change the subject? Argue back?

I mean, I can't pretend to know the BEST way to handle a volatile question in a public space, when saying nothing is not an option.

But I also want to challenge the idea that fans were "calling out [Willingham's] writing," because that wasn't what they were doing. Sure, plenty of people said he was a hack online. But at cons, what they were asking was "Why doesn't Steph have a memorial case?"

I always hammer that point home because it's so astonishing to me now. We didn't want them to bring Steph back from the dead. We just wanted them to memorialize her fairly. We were asking for crumbs, and it infuriated Willingham and DC Editorial. To the point that when they did bring Steph back by revealing Leslie Thompson had faked Steph's death, Tim goes "So that's why she didn't have a memorial case!" They would rather have her alive than give a bunch of (mostly) female fans the tiny bit of fairness they had been asking for. It's just mind-boggling to me now how little we were willing to settle for and how angry it still made DC.

Anyway, the decision to kill Steph was editorially mandated, and the decision not to give her a case was also editorially mandated - neither of those were Willingham's decision to make. (The other objection fans had, the sexualized depiction of Black Mask torturing Steph, was also not Willingham's fault - that was artist Jon Proctor.) Now, obviously Willingham couldn't just say "Not my fault, ask DC" because throwing his employer under the bus would not have been good for his career. But DC also shouldn't have hung him out to dry.

I think ideally with any controversial storyline, the publisher should have a discussion with the creators about the best way to handle questions so that everyone is on the same page. But what happens instead is that creators (underpaid freelancers who are almost all in precarious financial circumstances) bear the full brunt of any anger, blame, or harassment, and the publishers (massive corporations*) get to ignore it.

Of course, in Willingham's case, he was not harassed, but asked a polite question ("Why doesn't Steph have a memorial case?") that he probably could have easily said was up to DC without getting in trouble. But instead he chose to publicly fantasize about committing violence against real women, because he was annoyed. So that's DEFINITELY not the answer.

So in conclusion: in general publishers should step up more, in specific Willingham is a fucking douche.

-

*When I say "massive corporations" I'm talking specifically about DC and Marvel, who are owned by Warner Bros and Disney respectively. Image is not a massive corporation. Also, DC Comics and Marvel Comics are in tricky positions because they are actually small, weirdly ramshackle legacy publishers who in a lot of ways still operate like they did when Marvel had two (2) actual employees, Stan Lee and his secretary Flo Steinberg. They operate on tiny margins, everyone who works there is criminally underpaid, their HR is a fucking joke... So like, none of this excuses editors for repeatedly not supporting their creators during times of controversy (THE FUCKING MOCKINGBIRD COVER, Chelsea Cain is a TERF but that shit was ridiculous), but I think it's also important to remember that when we're talking about the people editing these books on a monthly basis, we're not talking about Bog Iger or David Zaslav - we're talking about someone living in NYC or Burbank working 60 hour weeks on a $45K salary so that Disney has enough IP to make Guardians of the Galaxy 9 or whatever. It's complicated.

[pompomqt]

Journey to the West Chapter 23

Tripitaka being offered 4 beautiful wives, fifteen thousand acres of land, and a mountain of silver:

Just let my man live his monk life.

In this chapter of Journey to the West with @journeythroughjourneytothewest we have assembled are entire crew, so now it's time for them to face their very first challenge together. So let's get into it shall we?

So the group has been traveling for a while and one day when it's getting late Tripitaka mentions that they should find a place to spend the night. Monkey is all for just sleeping outside and braving the elements, but Pigsy is tired from hauling the luggage about and is all for finding a proper place to rest. So Monkey tells him off for complaining while Pigsy tells him he should try hauling the luggage if it's so easy. But Monkey's like, I couldn't *possibly* my only job is protecting our master- it's yours and Sandy's job to haul the luggage and take care of the horse.

Monkey also takes this opportunity to tell Pigsy and Sandy that their horse is actually a dragon, which you would think something like that would have come up in conversation sooner, but then again, since the dragon doesn't do anything but 'be a horse' why would it? Anyways, Pigsy complains that if the horse is really a dragon, can't he go any faster? So Monkey takes this opportunity to use his staff to startle the horse and cause it to take off running- with Tripitaka.

The horse finally stops running when they come across a beautiful estate, and allows Tripitaka to catch his breath and for his disciples to catch up. When they do finally catch up, Monkey (and I) am very impressed with the fact that Tripitaka did not fall off his horse. Good job Tripitaka. Anyways Tripitaka yells at Monkey for his stunt, and Monkey blames Pigsy, who is yet again complaining about how heavy the luggage is and having to chase after the horse.

Anyways, Tripitaka decides they should ask someone to stay here, and Monkey notices that this place was created by the heavens, but decides not to mention that to anyone else. And because it would be rude to enter somebody's house without permission, they all wait outside for somebody to come out, but after a while when nobody does, Monkey gets impatient and enters anyways. Monkey immediately gets caught by the owner of the house and explains that he is a monk traveling to the west and seeking shelter for the night. So the middle aged women invites them all inside only to have to deal with Pigsy salivating over her. No good deed goes unpunished.

But it turns out that this is just fine for the lady, since she sits them all down for tea time and explains that she is a widow with three daughters and no sons in inherit their vast estates and wealth. And she thinks it would be a grand idea if the four of them married her and her three daughters.

Tripitaka is Horrified by this offer, so much so that he becomes completely mute during the discussion and he only gets worse as she continues to try and sweeten the deal. Like it's so bad I'm almost tempted to add a point to his 'Paralyzed by Fear' stat. Pigsy however is very tempted by this offer and urges Tripitaka to say something. Tripitaka finally snaps out of it to yell at Pigsy that Monk's like them can't be swayed by wealth or beauty. He even gets into a bit of an argument with the lady and ends up insulting her a little.

This makes the lady angry and she tries to compromise that at least one of them should stay here and marry them. Tripitaka immediately volunteers Sun Wukong for this. Sun Wukong is like 'Nah, I don't care about things like that, let Pigsy stay.' Pigsy wants to discuss that idea further, but Tripitaka has already moved on to throwing Sandy under the bus instead. However Sandy just joined the group two months ago and isn't willing to give up on the journey so easily. Seeing that they aren't going to be swayed- the lady slams the door shut on them, leaving them outside.

Pigsy isn't to happy about being shut out in the cold, and says that Tripitaka should have just strung the lady along with a vague answer so they could at least get some dinner and a place to rest for the night. And even Sandy is getting tired of his nonsense and suggests that Pigsy just stay here. Pigsy however would feel slightly bad for abandoning his wife for this quest, just to abandon the quest for a different wife. Eventually though Pigsy gets tired of arguing back and forth with them, so he takes his leave under the excuse of finding the horse a place to graze. So Monkey leaves Sandy in charge of babysitting Tripitaka so he can follow Pigsy.

Rather then grazing the horse properly, Pigsy instead chases the horse into the house as an excuse to talk with the Lady again. So Pigsy offers his pitch, that just because the other three are to afraid of disobeying the Tang emperor to stay here, he would be an excellent choice of husband since he's hard working despite being rather ugly. So Monkey takes this opportunity to return to Tripitaka and tell him the latest gossip ahead of Pigsy. Pigsy comes back right after, and Monkey makes sure to drop a hint that they know exactly what he was up to.

Just then however the Lady comes out of the house with her three daughters and asks them if they've decided which one of them will wed her three daughters. Sandy chimes in that they've decided Pigsy will be the one to stay here. While Pigsy says that they shouldn't play tricks on him like this, and that they should discuss it further. Monkey points out that there isn't anything to discuss since Pigsy was the one who went behind their backs to make an arrangement to marry them. So they might as well go forward with the wedding since it's an auspicious and lucky day and the whole family is here for the wedding to give Pigsy away. Also at least this way Pigsy can help on their journey by giving them a wedding feast to see them off.

So Pigsy's future mother in law now gladly lets them inside and gives them a meal before allowing them to retire in a guest bedroom. She leads Pigsy away from the others however and says that she has a dilemma. She doesn't know which of her daughters to give Pigsy to. Pigsy tries to advocate that he would gladly marry all three of them, but the mother has a different idea on how to decide. So she blindfolds Pigsy and says her daughters will walk past him, and whichever one he catches will be his bride. However despite prancing around the room like a complete idiot, Pigsy isn't able to catch any of them.

Pigsy eventually complains that they are to slippery, so the mother should just marry him instead. The mother however comes up with another idea on how to choose. The daughters have each woven a silk undershirt, so the shirt that fits him, will decide which daughter he will marry. Immediately after Pigsy tries on the first shirt however, the shirt immediately turns into rope and tightly binds him, and the women also vanishes into thin air.

We cut back to the rest of the group, who had a pleasant night, despite waking up to find the beautiful villa gone and that they had apparently slept in a forest the whole night. Sandy is rather freaked out by this disappearing house nonsense, but Monkey is well used to heaven's shenanigans and habit of making random houses appear and disappear at will. Monkey is much more interested in laughing about Pigsy's misfortune and gleefully explains to Tripitaka and Sandy that this whole thing was a test from the heavens.

They also hear Pigsy yelling for them to rescue him and untie him. Monkey is all for leaving Pigsy there to suffer his fate, but Tripitaka thinks he's learned his lesson and decides to rescue him since he's still useful despite being a moron.

Current Sun Wukong Stats: Names/Titles: Monkey, The Stone Monkey, The Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong (Monkey awakened to the void), Bimawen (Banhorseplague), The Great Sage Equal To Heaven and Pilgrim Sun. Immortality: 5 Weapon: The Compliant Golden Hooped Rod Abilities: 72 Transformations, Cloud-Somersault, Ability to transform his individual hairs, super strength, Ability to Summon Wind, Water restriction charm, and the ability to change into a huge war form, ability to duplicate his staff, ability to immobilize others, the ability to put others to sleep, and the Fiery eyes and Diamond Pupils, intimidating horses, churning large bodies of water, sleeplessness, seizing the wind, enhanced smell and discerning good and evil within a thousand miles. Demon Kill Count: 4+ Unknown Number of Minions Human Kill Count: 6 God's Defeated: 19 + Unknown number Defeats: 3 Crime List: Robbery, Murder, Mass Murder, Arson, Theft, Coercion, Threatening a Government Official, Resisting Arrest, Assault, Forgery, Employee Theft, False Imprisonment, Impersonating a Government Official, Treason, attempted murder, failure to control or report a dangerous fire, desecrating a corpse, breaking and entering and trespassing. Cry Count: 3 Mountains Trapped Under: 1

Current Tang Sanzang stats: Names/Titles: River Float, Xuanzang, Tang Sanzang, Tripitaka Abilities: Curing Blindness, making branches point a certain direction (allegedly), reciting sutras, pretty privilege, memorization and Heart Sutra. Cry Count: 14 Tight Fillet Spell Uses: 5 Paralyzed by fear: 4 Bandit Problems: 2 Kidnapped by demons: 2 Falling Off Horses: 5

Current Bai Long Ma Stats: Names/Titles: Bai Long Ma (White Dragon Horse), Prince of the Western Ocean, and third prince jade dragon of the dragon king Aorun Abilities: Transforming into a human, a water snake, and a horse, eating a horse in one bite, and flight. Crime List: Arson, and Grave Disobedience. Contributions to the plot: 1

Current Zhu Wuneng Stats: Names/Titles: The Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds, Zhu Wuneng (Pig who is aware of ability), Zhu Ganglie, Pigsy, Idiot and Eight Rules. Weapon: Rake Abilities: 36 Transformations, parting water, fighting underwater and cloud soaring. Demon Kill Count/Kill steals: 1 Failed Flirtation/romances Attempts: 3 Cry Count: 1 Crime List: Sexual Harassment, Murder, Kidnapping and arson.

Current Sha Wujing Stats: Names/Titles: The Curtain-Raising General, Sha Wujing (Sand Aware of Purity), Sandy and Sha Monk Weapon: 'Monster Taming Staff' Abilities: Fighting underwater Crime List: Breaking a Crystal Cup, murder, and desecration of a human corpse.

[laurageto]

Destinys Knot Chp5 Gojo

Chp1/Chp2/Chp3/Chp4

trigger warning: this story contains hardcore sex, death and childbirth.

"Just don't freak out, okay?"

The ravenette haired female turned to Satoru with an instant look of panic.

"What the hell! How can I not freak out when you say something like that?"

Satoru winked, fluttering his long icy lashes at the girl. Suguru sighed and rolled his eyes, "Can you hold back from winding someone up for just five minutes Satoru?"

Gojo pouted in response and shrugged. "What? I mean technically I'm not winding her up. She's probably never seen what she's about to see"

The two men wandered into the school grounds, they were accompanied by two dark haired women, one clearly much younger than the other.

It was early evening and the campus was eerily quiet, most students had made their way back to dorms or headed out to town for some evening entertainment. The silence made the crunching of the gravel beneath their feet sound deafening.

Satoru brought his thumb and forefinger to his mouth and a loud whistle erupted.

Both Gojo and Geto stopped in their tracks to look up at the rose and amber tinted sky which prompted the two women to look up with them.

The younger girl gasped and stumbled back a few steps in shock.

Caraxes let out a death rattling grumble as his giant wings sliced through the evening clouds, Catos followed shortly after. Finally Cyrax nose dived from above, soaring past both of the male dragons. Wind whipped the group as her giant wings unfolded to brace you both for landing. Cyrax's talons gripped the earth as her big body finally stabilised.

"Easy girl" Suguru uttered calmingly, he strode towards Cyrax with his palm outstretched. The teenager ran forward and grabbed his wrist. "Are you insane! Can you not see that thing!" She squealed at the top of her lungs.

Satoru placed a gentle palm on her shoulder. "Relax Riko. We're old friends"

Riko's grip loosened on Suguru who nodded reassuringly at her before holding his hand out to the dragon.

Cyrax snarled slightly, dipping her snout down to Geto before taking in his scent. The giants body instantly relaxed and she let out a gentle purr.

"What the hell Satoru! I told you not to call them down unless it was an emergency!"

You popped your head up from ontop of Cyrax's back before starting to clamber down. "This is an emergency" he whined, "Riko and Misato have never seen a dragon before"

You slid down the side of your dragons nape and marched over to the group. You greeted Suguru first with a quick peck, Satoru stuck his tongue out in disgust. "You" you pointed your finger at him whilst walking. You got up to close to him, your body pressed up against his chest. He was much taller than you so you had to look up to face him. For some reason your heartrate hitched and your breathing became irratic for a moment.

"Yes sweetheart? He growled.

Within seconds of the words leaving his lips your fist landed square across his jaw. "Heh. Limitless didn't see that one coming then?" You scoffed.

"Yooooooouch! Oww ow!"

Gojo stepped back, gingerly rubbing his face like a sad little puppy.

"I'm so sorry" you bowed to the two women. "My name is Tatsuya, Y/n. But please just go by my first name. Oh and if he ever annoys you, just hit him. He's my future husband so I'll allow it" you grinned at the pair who giggled and nodded. "Wait so your allowed to make the husband joke bu..." Satoru started before Geto nudged him playfully in a bid for him to drop it.

Gojo took the hint.

㊕

"So Riko, tomorrow's your last night before the assimilation. Is there anything you'd like to do?" You smiled kindly at the young girl as you walked towards the dorms. The three of you walked in front whilst Gojo and Geto loafed behind goofing about as usual. You'd offered Riko to stay at your accomodation for the night, you couldn't imagine how it would feel to be her right now and you wanted to try to make the last few nights as special as possible for her.

She pondered the thought for a moment before answering. "I'd really like to experience the night life. I've always been studying, never gone out. Never even kissed a boy..." her voice trailed off as she thought about all the firsts she'd be missing.

You cut her off excitedly, "Well we're taking you out tomorrow! All the best clubs Kyoto has to offer, and I'll be sure to find you the cutest boy I can"

"We're?" Satoru and Suguru repeated simultaneously. "Yep! Don't think you're getting out of this one boys"

[imadethisaccountforaheadcannon]

People calling me sexist for treating Earth sexistly when she's a sexist character

When she was first introduced I thought she was going to hit moon and get away with it cause she's outwardly a woman and everyone even fucking eclipse was allways depicted as deserving to hurt moon ignoring that sun absolutely would have kept talking to moon like crap if he didn't,the bald jokes was only a surface level thing

Ignoring that eclipse was strait up stalking,harassing and strait up torturing moon originally but of course no one cared even back then all they talked about sun completely ignoring that eclipse wasn't targeting sun and of course after moon got reset moons the only one eclipse is allowed to victim blame

The fact that moon was an complete hero for dealing with that piece of trash by his self is never mentioned only how "bad" he was or wawa sun's an helpless damsel completely ignoring that sun was skilled enough in manipulation to convince moon that eclipse was his fault at all but of course my opinion on this is considered the "wrong one"

And of that note of establishing how bias the fanbase is or another earlier outright example of sexism how Roxanne was treated by this fanbase in the whole maternity chip thing

Oh no nothing sexist about calling a women an abuser and cheater just for not ending up with your favourite guy nothing wrong with your fave actively calling her a bitch when she literally did nothing to him

The fact this fanbase just default accepted that is general indication that most the bullshit everyone say about moon is false

Then next and last example the most hurtful thing how they treated KC just look at his actions when he first showed up they hyped him up as much a big bad moon in his brainwashed state was so damn sure he was lying

Most the fanbase was so damn sure he was lying

Dude was just nearly identical to how Earth's was when he showed up and as both a guy a Moon and nice to moon all He got was suspicion and some bullshit whining about how he treated eclipse

When eclipse strait up spent month up to that point doing horrible things to moon he deserved to be in jail

Now compare that to how earth was treated when she first showed up compare to the fact that everyone was bootlicking her as such a "nice and kind person" just for helping sun when he didn't need it

When he had literally just destroyed moons few chances of recovery and then KC gets thrown away like trash all of a sudden being said to be "redeemed" just because he's saying good stuff about sun now and condemning bloodmoon

And Earth gets praised just for being convient to sun and a "pretty lady" edit should have specified pretty privilaged "moral" lady

Docile for those that are acceptable company to general society how the fuck is she considered not sexist

And you expect me to care that she's pissed about ""being the therapist"" when she took away both moon and bloodmoons only chance at happyness

When as soon as she showed up everything became about sun and she was the last person KC was seen with before he all of a sudden threw his closest under the bus for this pro sun agenda

And after all that this damn fanbase ended up stile loving her after she made things worst by breaking up with Monty that one time when he did nothing to her

That after everything bloodmoon went through she had the nerve to punch him just because he was giving lunars spoilt ass some conquences for ounce

Oh and of course everyone just has to walk on eggshells around lunar now and guess what he hasn't been considered to go abusive under her guidance hasn't he

Okay of later note I know i'm just being petty with that comment but lunar for what I understand lunar actually needs to be treated like he's dangerous it should not be up to everyone around him to appease his petty child robotic emotions to not blow up,Also HE STOLE tHAT STAR FROM MOON

And you know what's sad if moon had his support group and him and bloodmoon went through recovery with KC I might have been okay with her

[jeremycollinsstan]

in defense of emily's move last night

okay so basically i had the night to think abt it and tbh i rly should be studying and doing work for finals but i can't move on until i've said my comprehensive piece on this.

note: my opinions r not all original as i've watched the know-it-alls and have been occasionally checking the reddit but here are my thoughts:

bruce. emily knows bruce is a polarizing and erratic player. at the start of the episode, she vocalized that its very very hard to make a move with the belos because they are such a fractured group, specifically with bruce being the core of that rupture within belo. it would be completely out of character for her to say something so logical at the top of the episode then, later, do something completely contradictory.

katurah. at the sanctuary, she watched katurah throw bruce under the bus and immediately reveal his lie about the idol. while i don't necessarily fault katurah for doing that, it also showed emily that katurah and bruce were simply never going to work together. if they can't even pull together to tell a single lie, why would she move forward with such an unconnected pair?

women. she keeps the women in the game. side note, i know a lot of people have hated on emily for ratting out the all-womens alliance in the kellie boot episode but in kellie's exit press with rob c, she said that the women's alliance was basically a non-factor and almost no one, at that time, thought it was real so...take that how you will. anyway, this point is mostly speculation on my part and, in all honesty, is likely to be completely disproven in the next episode but there has been a lot of focus on drew + austin + emily as the trio she's most tightly entangled with. however, at the sanctuary, there was a lot of talk about a woman winning the game and big bonding moments between the women. i'm a bit of a edgic tin hatter but why would they keep that in the show if a woman wasn't going to win or if the women don't come together in some way? maybe, because of the reward, emily is now seeing a path forward with dee + julie or even katurah. by eliminating bruce, she keeps the women's numbers up against the mens. **NOTE: this is pure speculation and i'm going to be hella embarrassed when that doesn't happen next week but, hey, a girl can dream, i guess. so much of my survivor watching experience is pure delusion!**

jury management. emily has been jury managing her ASS off. she is leveraging her position as the sole lulu left to disseminate information to people on the bottom and i LOVE it. stephen pointed out that her brutal honesty really worked with jake in last nights episode. she basically told him the information he needed to hear about drew targeting him (which, in turn, strengthened her relationship with jake as he had been desiring both a human and game connection) while also not being the one to make a move either way. she said "i'm in a good position right now so i can't." if anyone else had said that, jake probably would've gotten pissed at them but he understood where emily was coming from as she is the lone lulu left the game. furthermore, it seems from the edit that the jury is giving her sole credit for the bruce move (deserved, honestly) which bruce will probably only echo when he gets to ponderosa as she, seemingly, had been the one to convince him not to play his idol. i think she's been using the adam klein brutal honesty strategy to great effect. shes probably doing it better than adam did it, honestly lmfao. it may blow up in her face if drew and jake come together to compare notes but right now it seems to be working well.

finally, timing. i think that if she pulled trigger on the julie move, it would've been way too early. by getting rid of julie this round, she would open herself up as a target to dee + drew + austin, who probably all see katurah and jake as more of a goat than they see her to be. she would've revealed herself to a) be against reba (which dee is staunchly and vindictively against) and b) the most strategic person of the last three non-reba remaining. if she pulled the move against julie then, at best, for the next round, she could force a tie with katurah and jake but honestly they seem more interested in being the fifth reba than working against the power alliance so that wouldn't be ideal either. i think that by holding back, she's hoping to find and exploit a crack later in the very endgame. whether there even will be a crack remains to be seen.

tldr; i can't say with 100% confidence that financial analyst emily flippen will win the game but i think her move last night to vote out bruce is being way over-hated and i can honestly see a lot of merit and her thinking behind it. she's a logical player and, given the cards she has, i think it was a pretty logical move.

[greatideas-badwriter]

Worth The Risk: Chapter 2

AN: You know what I love in stories like this? CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!

Ol' Sasu can't be a great guy right off the bat, or else things would be boring, right?

Right, guys?

…Guys?

Anyway, please keep that in mind for the first half of this story.

ALSO, I'll switch back and forth from Sasuke and Sakura's POV, so we can experience BOTH sides of the story.

Don't like that?

I wanna say tough titties because I should be confident and strong, but I want people to like me and this fic, so….uh….Please give it a chance? Ha!

Thanks for reading! :D

Sakura's spirits were lower than low as she allowed Ino to pull her toward the bar at some club one week after being fired from Oasis. She wasn't successful in procuring a job, even after her self-imposed deadline. So, after explaining the situation to her new friend, the woman was convinced to come out drinking before she left.

The bus ticket to Konoha was for next week, Monday, eight days away. All her belongings were packed and ready to go except her clothes.

"The drinks are on me tonight, Bestie! Let's get shit-faced!" Karin, who'd also tagged along, shared an excited grin with Ino as they flagged down the bartender and submitted a drink order.

She stood there, feeling uncomfortable and depressed in the otherwise lively environment. Music was playing so loudly that they had to almost yell to hear one another, and the bass vibrated her ribcage each time it hit.

It was like she saw herself in a third-person point of view as the trio of women took shots of tequila, following them up with the classic dash of salt and lime.

"Geez, you didn't even flinch, Saku. Lighten up a little. It'll be alright. We'll keep in touch, right Karin?"

It was apparent the two Otogakure women were trying to cheer her up by any means necessary, and if the situation wasn't as bleak as it was, Sakura might've teared up at that kindness.

"Sorry. I'm just going to miss you guys, is all."

"Well, if you mean that, let's make this the best night ever!"

Feeling guilty for not being completely honest about why she was so upset about returning home to Konoha, Sakura allowed them to pressure her into taking many more shots. Two hours later, just after midnight, all three women were thoroughly inebriated.

Karin was the first to abandon the group, having recognized a boy she'd gone to high school with who apparently had the glow-up of the century. She excused herself with a determination to seduce him. With a body and face akin to that of a lingerie model, Sakura didn't doubt the redhead would succeed, especially judging by the pink on the white-haired man's face when he noticed her approaching.

Ino and the pinkette danced and drank for half an hour before a familiar-looking man with black hair and pale skin approached, asking if the blonde would like to dance.

'Oh! I think that's the guy she was flirting with at Oasis! He was there on my first day and the Friday after that. Ino said he's hot. I should make sure she knows it's okay. I'd hate to ruin her chances,' Sakura covertly grinned with a slight nod when her drinking partner glanced uncertainly her way.

She mouthed, "Thank you," before allowing the man to take her hand and lead her back to the dance floor.

So, the Haruno woman was on her own, sipping some sort of mixed drink that burned the back of her throat, though she'd grown numb to the sensation since she was drunk. She turned to lean her back against the bar, searching the crowd for her two friends to see how they were fairing.

A knowing grin tugged at her lips when she saw Karin pulling her target through the crowd toward the exit with a triumphant expression. They were obviously going home together.

Ino was beaming as she danced excitedly with her crush, who looked at her like she was the most exciting thing on the planet. Either he was just as drunk as her or liked the blonde a lot. Maybe it was both reasons.

Sighing blissfully, Sakura turned back toward the counter and tossed back the rest of her drink. Her friends were right. The negative emotions weren't nearly as overwhelming in her inebriated state. She didn't feel as awkward as usual sitting alone at the bar in a packed dance club. Instead, she felt warm and happy.

"What's a beautiful woman like you doing alone up here?" Sakura's spine straightened when a low, attractive voice came behind her.

Turning in her seat, the breath in her throat became stuck when dark, expressive eyes locked onto hers. The rest of the man was just as stunning. His black hair had that naturally tousled look that came off as attractive rather than messy, his jawline was so sharp it could likely cut diamonds, and his lips looked soft as they turned up into a small, flirty grin. His high-end, dark clothing suited him to a tee, too.

On any other day, Sakura would've been terrified to be in the presence of a strange man, especially one this tall and fit, but she threw caution to the wind because she was determined to have a good night no matter what, "I was waiting for a handsome guy like you to come change that."

'Oh my God, Sakura Haruno. You totally just flirted, and it wasn't a complete failure! Maybe you've still got it after all these years!'

The man lifted a sleek eyebrow, placing a hand on the counter's edge and leaning in so she could hear him better, "Is that right? Allow me to end your suffering. Let's go."

A small smile met the woman's lips as he offered a hand, and she paused only for a moment to think about it before accepting and allowing him to guide her out to the floor. Once in a spot that he found appropriate, the pair danced.

Drunk and carefree, a song or two later, Sakura turned around, a wave of satisfaction and arousal rolling up her insides when his hands found her hips and guided her back against him, where they moved sensually to the beat.

That tantalizing voice met her right ear as his lips appeared beside it, his breath tickling her skin, "I didn't expect you to be so good at this."

Bravely, she ran a hand up into his hair on the back of his head, turning her neck slightly so he could lean further where his ear was toward her, "Really? Did you only ask me to dance because you pitied me sitting up there all alone?"

An attractive chuckle vibrated through his chest against her back, "You're not here alone, Baby. I saw you with your friends earlier. I just waited for the right time to come over."

Sakura's breath hitched when his hands moved slowly up from her hips to her waist, long fingers squeezing slightly as though trying to memorize the curves. Her eyes closed, head falling back slightly to rest against his shoulder with a knowing smirk, "What a stalker! Should I run?"

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing it once before wooing into her damp skin, "If so, I'll chase you."

Not knowing what to say to such blatant flirting, Sakura just laughed, arching her neck a little so he'd have better access to it. Taking the hint, he kissed her again, lips brushing her skin as he moved them up to her ear, where he whispered, "Tell me your name. Mine is-"

Sakura sat up with a gasp, looking around in a panic only to realize she was in bed at her apartment. A swift breath sucked in past her lips when a throbbing headache suddenly hit. She lifted a hand to her temple, groaning. 'What happened last night? I was dancing with some guy, and then everything just goes blank.'

Green eyes widened, and the woman dropped her hand, lifting the blanket to verify she wasn't naked and becoming dizzy upon realizing she was wearing a man's dark blue button-up shirt and her undergarments, nothing else. Instantly, tears were rolling heavily down her cheeks.

'Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I slept with that guy, didn't I? How could I be so stupid?' Pausing in her anxiety attack, she looked at the empty spot on the other side of the bed, 'Wait a minute…Where is he? Did he really leave without taking his shirt back? And did we use protection? I don't have enough money for emergency contraceptives right now!'

Her hectic thoughts went blank when she noticed a small piece of paper on her nightstand. Picking it up with trembling fingers, her pulse heightened further. It said, "Call me when you wake up. -Sasuke," followed by a phone number.

Sakura immediately grabbed her phone and dialed "Sasuke's" number. When she realized she should probably take a moment to calm down and gather herself, it was too late because a familiar voice came from the device, "Hello?"

"U-Um, hi. Is this Sasuke?" The girl covered her face with one hand, cursing herself for sounding so obviously upset and lame.

"Oh, hey. You're the girl from last night, right? Did you really call me the moment you woke up? I'm flattered."

She moved the device away to look at the screen and realized it wasn't even nine in the morning yet, which was very early after the night of partying the pair had done. Mortified, she stammered, deciding to get the information she needed and get off the phone because it wasn't like she'd ever see him again anyway, "Yes, I…. I want to ask you something. Did we, um…. Were we careful last night, or…?" Her voice betrayed her, wavering and cracking as she fell into tears again.

'I can't believe I let something like this happen. I've only ever slept with one other person in my life. This was too reckless.'

There was a long pause, "Careful? What're you talking about?"

Sniffling, Sakura squeezed her eyes closed and forced out, "Did you use a condom or not? Please just answer the question so if you didn't, I can…. You know…." A chuckle met her ears, making her frown deepen, "I-Is something funny?"

Sasuke sobered up, sighing amusedly before finally easing her gutwrenching worry, "We didn't fuck, you idiot. Stop crying."

The woman stammered, baffled, "But you were in my apartment, right? Your shirt…."

"Listen, I would've gone through with it if you hadn't passed out. I'm still offended, you know."

For some reason, the pinkette giggled, trying to muffle it with her hand before wiping at her slowing tears, "I fell asleep? How embarrassing…."

"You're embarrassed? How do you think I feel?"

"Sorry! I-I don't remember anything at all, but, um, thank you for making sure I got home safe."

Sakura's eyes widened when she realized she was smiling. Sasuke's unserious, casual responses comforted her somehow. It'd been a long time, four years to be exact since it was this easy to talk to a male.

He chuckled again, "I tell you what. Get dinner with me tonight, and I'll consider forgiving you."

The woman's grin fell. 'Does he want to meet up because we didn't sleep together last night, and he wants to try his luck again?'

"It'd be cool if we hooked up after; I know that's probably what you're worried about, and I won't say no if you offer, but I actually just want my shirt back. It was a gift from my brother; otherwise, I'd let you keep it. I just figured we could grab a bite while we're out."

Reassured, Sakura hesitantly agreed, "Um, okay then. Where should I meet you?"

'What's the harm in getting dinner with him? I'll be on a bus to Konoha next week anyway, and I won't have anything to eat today if I don't accept.'

So, she cleaned the shirt carefully, following the instructions on its tag, showered, dressed, and killed time until the afternoon when it was time to meet Sasuke.

Sakura was a few minutes late when arriving at the address she'd been given but received a text while approaching the restaurant building, saying he was also running behind. So, rather than awkwardly sit at a table by herself inside, she leaned against the side of the building and scrolled through apps on her phone while waiting. She also texted her date to let him know so he'd approach her when he arrived.

'I can't remember what his face looks like, but I do know he was handsome. Will I even recognize him when he gets here? Knowing me, I'm going to make a fool out of myself. I haven't gone on a date in years, after all. What kind of twenty-one-year-old am I?'

She knew why she was the way she was but refused to dwell on the reason, for it'd ruin her mood and make her want to abandon their plans.

"Hey, I'm here. Let's go in. It's freezing."

Sakura stood straight, gaze lifting from her phone to the familiar voice at her side, only to lay eyes on the dark-haired asshole that'd gotten her fired from Oasis. Fear flooded her entire body, the small bag containing the man's shirt falling to the ground as she shakily took a few steps away.

Sasuke lifted a brow, "What's wrong with you?"

'...He doesn't recognize me. Do I tell him? If I do, he might hurt me. He was pissed the last time I saw him, after all. Should I try to run? What if he chases me? I should just make an excuse and get out of here before he figures it out.'

"I-I….Something came up, so I can't stay. Goodbye!"

She turned and began walking quickly down the alleyway from the intimidating man, only for him to jog up and grab her wrist, "What's your problem?"

Terror locked the woman's limbs, and she tugged weakly at her wrist, remembering how tightly he'd squeezed it at the bar that night. She couldn't even turn to face him. "P-Please let go. I really need to get out of here."

"You might be the worst liar I've ever met. At least look me in the eye. Don't be fuckin' rude."

When she didn't obey his command, he grabbed her shoulder and forced her to turn, lightly shoving her against the alleyway wall and leering down at her with that dreadful glare. The act triggered memories of her ex-boyfriend doing the same thing, which brought tears to Sakura's eyes as she looked helplessly up at Sasuke.

It was like a rabbit staring a wolf in the mouth.

He didn't appear to care that she was scared and growled, "Tell me what your problem is. It can't be that you aren't attracted to me, so what is it?"

If she wasn't trembling like a leaf and fearing for her life, Sakura would've scoffed at his egotistical statement. 'He won't let me go until I tell him the truth. I just hope he doesn't cause too much damage. I can't afford to go to the hospital.'

"You really don't remember me?"

His glare faltered only slightly, "What?"

Sakura tried to shove his hand off her shoulder, failing, "We met before last night, about a week ago at Oasis. I-I, um, I poured-" "The new girl! Fuck, I knew you looked familiar! There aren't a lot of people walking around with pink hair."

His nonchalant attitude briefly triggered the woman's anger from that day, and she muttered, "Well, I got fired because of you, so if you'll kindly let go. I don't want to see your face for another second."

Sasuke scoffed, his grip tightening rather than releasing as he leered at her with a similar aura as when she'd freshly poured wine on his head, "You think I'm going to let you go after what you did? I told you I'd make you regret it, didn't I?"

"What did you expect? I repeatedly told you to stop, but you kept on! You're so-!" Sakura's statement was cut off when the man's other hand suddenly lifted to wrap around her neck, making the blood drain from her face.

He hissed, "Woman or not, this won't do. Should I teach you a lesson? Not only did you disrespect me, but you did it in front of others."

"Hey, yo, is that you, Sasuke? What's up, man!"

The pair looked toward the alleyway entrance where the restaurant entrance was. It was Hidan, the silver-haired man at the bar that night, too. A gorgeous woman with blueish-purple hair and a tall man with orange hair were beside him.

Without wasting a moment, Sakura took advantage of the distraction and slipped out of Sasuke's grasp, taking off in a sprint and not looking back, even when the man yelled, "Hey, wait!"

She ran until her legs felt like jelly and her lungs were on fire. Thankfully, when she looked around, it was clear they hadn't followed her this far. 'What should I do? He knows where I live!' With no choice, the woman dialed up Ino, panickedly speaking, when the blonde answered, "Can I stay at your place for a few nights?"

"Holy shit! It's packed!" Hidan exclaimed as the group of men entered Rainism, the only respectable club on the east side of Otogakure.

Sasuke was in a foul mood, not bothering to respond as they headed to the bar.

A few guys there appeared to recognize them and vacated the area, leaving just the right amount of space for them to sit and order drinks. The Uchiha man was pissed because his crazy ex-girlfriend, one of many, had slit the tires on his car. Not only that, but the replacements had to be ordered, so he couldn't drive it for a few days.

"It's just a car, Bro. Get yourself some action tonight, and get over it," Akatsuki's resident loudmouth barked.

He bit back, "She's lucky she's with Kimimaru, or I'd kill that bitch."

'If I piss him off, he'll go to his boss and start shit between the families.'

"Yeah, that's fucked up. Tayuya has a new dude but still tries to mess around with you. What a slut," Sasori mused, fingering a strand of his boyfriend's long hair.

"That's rich, coming from you. Didn't you do something similar to Kankuro after you guys broke up? You're even the one who dumped him! Psychopath," Hidan laughed, pinkish-purple eyes surveying the establishment.

Deidara snickered, "That was my idea. Don't give him all the credit, hm."

"Ugh, whatever. Shut up so I can focus."

Sasuke sipped the bitter-tasting whisky in his glass, absently gazing around the large room since there was nothing else to do. He didn't even want to come here tonight, but the other three wouldn't leave him the hell alone until he agreed.

'I'm pretty sure, between Hidan and me, we've fucked every woman in this building. We might've even done a few together,' the man guessed, not feeling as amused as he normally would.

What could he say? Akatsuki members aren't shy about sex. Hell, he couldn't count on his fingers the number of times he'd walked into the kitchen or living room back home to see people shamelessly hooking up for any and all to watch.

"Yo, Sasuke. Look, three o'clock."

Snapped out of his daze, the man looked across the bar to his right to see a group of three women in the dimly lit club: one redhead and two blondes. If his mind served, they weren't in his little black book. His dark eyes trailed over each of them before smirking, "Dibs on the skinny one."

Hidan laughed, "Why her? I'll take the blonde with bigger tits."

As confidently as always, Sasuke lifted his glass and gestured toward the woman in question, "Look at her, Dumbass. It's the shy ones that're the craziest in bed." Though that's true, he added, thinking, 'Not to mention she's fucking sexy. Who gives a damn if she has small tits? Boobs are boobs.'

He was self-aware, so he knew how much of a douchebag he was most of the time. The thing is, he was also attractive and rich enough to get away with it, so why change? Either women like being talked down to and degraded, or they get angry by it, which makes the sex that much better. It's a win-win situation. To this day, he'd never once been rejected, even if they didn't like his personality.

So, Sasuke watched and waited. The redhead was the first to leave the group. When Hidan began making his way over to make a move on the one with bigger tits, another guy got there first, making Sasuke, Deidara, and Sasori laugh.

When the silver-haired man returned, he was pissed, "Laugh it up, shitheads. Let's see you do better."

Never one to turn down a challenge, he rose, "Watch and learn."

When he approached, he took in the curve of her turned back, feeling satisfied when he realized that she made up for what she lacked in bust in other places. "What's a beautiful woman like you doing alone up here?"

The woman turned, only to pause with wide eyes when she saw him. At first, Sasuke smirked knowingly because it was obvious she found him attractive, but then he was the one taken aback. Upon taking a closer look, the girl was even more gorgeous. The deep, emotional twinkle in her green eyes, the way the lights ever-so-slightly reflected off the lipgloss on her plump lips, and even the soft flush of her skin was attractive.

"Waiting for a handsome guy like you to come change that."

'And her voice isn't all high-pitched and nasally like most women try to make it when speaking to guys. Thank fuckin' God.'

Sasuke came closer, barely able to contain his pride, when it was apparent he made her nervous, "Is that so? Allow me to end your suffering. Let's go."

Now, Sasuke's notion that the woman was shy didn't change, but he was still completely taken aback by how naturally she moved with and against him. It made him think it was correct to assume she'd be an interesting lay, which upped his attraction. He said and did his usual thing, and she responded as expected.

After taking a cab to her place, the Uchiha man allowed her to pull him up the steps and into an unbelievably small apartment.

The moment the door was shut behind them, he grabbed her keys, phone, and purse, tossing them onto the counter before pulling her into a deep kiss, to which she responded smoothly. A soft sigh came from the woman when he slid his tongue past her lips.

'That's pretty. I wonder what other sounds she makes.'

The pair slowly made their way to the bed, where he reached around to unzip her dress while she unbuttoned his shirt with unsteady fingers. To his surprise, once she was in her bra and underwear, she slid his shirt off and expertly slid it onto her arms, gasping out between kisses, "You smell amazing."

He hadn't expected her to be so bold, at least not yet.

Chuckling, he picked her up and moved them further onto the bed until her hair fell messily about the pillows. She unbuckled his belt, moving to unbutton and unzip his pants as he tasted the skin of her neck and shoulder, small sounds of appreciation meeting the air that seemed as sweet as honey to Sasuke's ears.

Her body was as nice as he expected, her skin soft to the touch, and whatever shampoo or perfume she used was floral and pleasant. There wasn't anything the man hadn't encountered before. There was still something a little different about her, though. He couldn't put his finger on it and didn't intend to let her sleep tonight until he figured out what it was.

Her abdomen's firm, feminine muscles flexed under his fingers as she pressed up against him, her voice airy and sensual, "Your hands…."

He cooed into her skin, becoming more anxious to continue with each passing moment, "You like my hands, do you?"

She gasped when he pressed against her, between her legs, "They're scary."

Sasuke's eyes opened, and he slowed what he was doing, 'Scary? Why'd she say that right now? …Must be the alcohol.'

Suddenly, he realized she'd stopped responding to his stimulations and pulled back, only for his mouth to open slightly in disbelief, "Are you asleep?" One of her small hands was cupping his against her waist, the other falling from his shoulder to rest against the pillow.

'She is! What the fuck! Who just falls asleep in the middle of hooking up?'

He sat back on his knees, dark eyes taking in the incredibly sensual sight of her lying there in his open shirt, the dark color contrasting beautifully with her milky skin. Glancing down, his brow furrowed as he took in how her legs bent over his hips and how his dick begged to be released from his clothes.

For just a moment, he thought about it but shook his head, sighing defeatedly and climbing off the bed, 'That's a line even I won't cross.'

Turning the lamp atop the nightstand on, he studied the unconscious girl while fixing his pants and buckling his belt.

"...Pink…." She wasn't blonde. The lights in the club had masked the pastel hue of her long hair.

'Now that I'm really looking at her, she seems familiar. Have I met her somewhere before?' Sasuke pondered for a moment before giving up, sitting on the edge of the bed while writing a note on the small pad of paper beside the lamp, glancing at her defenseless face occasionally.

'She must play some kind of sport since she has a lot of scars. I didn't take her for the type.'

Finally, he gave up and summoned a cab. Shutting and locking the apartment door before stepping out, running a stressed hand through his messy hair. The driver gave him an odd look when he climbed, shirtless, into the backseat but didn't mention it.

'I'll use it as an excuse to see her again.'

[airbrushfather]

50 and 76 ❕

asks from this post!! thank you c!!

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

oh boy i've been waiting for an opportunity to publicise this story because it's so insane. me and my friend go for breakfast every friday and one week i had no plans afterwards so we were just hanging out in town for a bit, and we passed the market which was at that time only two stalls: one selling flowers, and one selling fish. now, we live in a very small town next to several other very small towns, so if you frequent this market you know the people who run each stall. usually, it's two men who run the fish stall, but on this day, it was two women. my friend (t) very loudly and very happily says "oh!! fish women!". the women smile. i comment about how this seems like a strange word for mermaid and t politely informs me (in the making-up-bullshit way you do to your friends) that the fish women is actually a group of activists. naturally, i prod her on this. what are they campaining for? i don't know, says t, we are just women for fish. oh, not fish for women? no. women for fish. has someone... hurt the fish? yes, says t, the government. oh? i say, tell me more. we get to the bus stop. t sits on the curb with me and tells me about the women for fish movement, which as it turns out, is something they're doing because the british government is putting bleach in the water in the seaside town she is from (this is not true, but sometimes when you're friends with people like i'm friends with, you begin method acting. i think it's good training for my hopeful upcoming scare acting gig.) i'm prodding about this town and it turns out that everyone who lives there is either a woman, or married to a woman. i think this is a little unfair on gay men or single people or widowers. t shrugs and says, feminism. as it transpires, as we get on the bus and later go to t's house, none of the women can read or write and the seaside town (whose name changed every time someone said it, but was always somewhere close to fishton-upon-ribblesley) has no internet, no cars, and no healthcare. i (naturally) assume the character of the first tourist this town has had for years and am curious to know more. my name is jemima puddleduck, and i've come here to find my long lost family. as it turns out, fishley-by-the-sea is a microstate of england, and its own independent enclave, not even governed by british parliment. their system of government, instead, is based on fifteen increasingly ridiculous rules (which included, from memory, all of the rules from the song 'new rules' by dua lipa, and the fact that you have to train to be a blacksmith) and the first rule is that anyone who wants to be an elected official must be sent out to sea and return safely. you'd think, for a seaside town, that everyone would be at least somewhat skilled in seafaring, but no -- every single elected official they have sent out to sea has not returned, so they've not elected any new officials in years. the only one to ever come back is a man whose government name is grandad puddleduck. first name grandad. last name puddleduck.

hold on, i say, my last name is puddleduck. is he my grandad? it turns out yes, and i have to go and meet him because i was not raised in fisherdale-upon-hammersmith and have never known my family. it turns out i have a sister here too, whose name i can't remember, but she has a husband named gavin and two alive children, many, many dead ones. gavin is a bird. my poor old grandad is sick to bastard death of being elected official, especially since i imagine his business in town is mostly just sending people to die at sea. i tell him, i will become the new elected official so you can live out your old age by the sea peacefully, and maybe then i'll make some changes to this godforsaken place. like teaching the women to read. okay, says grandad, who is played by t, but you'll have to follow all the rules. the first rule is that all elected officials must be sent out to sea and come back whole, as you know. i decide to befriend the local fishermen and see if one of them will take me out in his boat. (is that against the rules? grandad says there's nothing in the book about it, so it's probably okay.) the first man i meet is named michael spearman (which i, the real me, danny, not jemima) genuinely just pulled out of my brain and did not know who it was attached to. i knew he was someone, but i couldn't really remember who at this time. i had a lot on my brain, such as the other fourteen fucking rules i would have to follow in order to become elected. it's appropriate, though, because he spears the fish. we affectionately name him fishermichael. fishermichael agrees to take me out in his boat, and it's a lovely little trip out into the ocean. however, as i learn the hard way, fishermike has a terrible condition wherein he will collapse if he hears a profanity. what fishermichael deems to be a profanity varies wildly based on how t (who is also playing fishermichael) is feeling. several times, i swear and fishermike is knocked out cold, and i have to go and do a side quest in order to kill time before he wakes up. eventually, we go out to sea, and for the first time, a prospective elected official begins rule 2.

what is rule 2, you ask? i can't fucking remember. this shit was taking hours. however, somewhere along the way i do indeed learn to be a blacksmith, and it turns out the blacksmith family thinks i am horrible. this will not fare me well in the election.

i also meet a character called archaeological dave. he runs the archaeology society, which he runs out of a shack which he built around a large statue he unearthed of a bald man holding a huge pickaxe, engraved with the phrase 'me when i go digging'. i will attach a picture for reference of what this statue may have looked like. an approximate recreation made by the greatest minds of our archaeological generation. archaeological dave drinks lots of coffee, which i soon come to learn is laced with cocaine. tons of cocaine.

he helps me complete some more of the tasks i need to do. i honestly don't remember most of them. once all fifteen rules have been completed, the town holds a very big celebration on the beach, including a maypole dance, a wreath making contest, afternoon tea, and a choir led by my brother in law the bird. as it turns out, poor old fishermike has another unfortunate condition where hearing music makes him turn into a table. this proves very frustrating when i have to ask him if he would vote for me and he can only speak in table wobbles.

my final task as elected official to be is to go around and 'hold the election', which involves asking every character i have met if they would like to elect me. almost everyone says yes, except for the blacksmith, who is just a wanker for some reason. i think grandad puddleduck once accidentally broke into his workshop and smithed something and he wasn't a big fan of that. but, cmon, blacksmith, i'm two generations removed from that and i'm new in town. give me a break. his wife and children say yes anyway, so i'm not that bothered.

after my flurry of yesses (and t forgetting how to do most of the voices), i am finally there. ready to become elected official of fishwick-upon-fishwick and bring literacy to it's women and install a proper healthcare system. but there's one problem.

remember when i said all women in fishborough-southwest-of-lumbago are married?

jemima is not married.

i have to frantically run around and find an unmarried man (who isn't also a child or my relative) but it's proving very difficult. hope is fading. i will have to abandon this small, small, small country and leave it's poor female populus without the joy of ever reading 'this is just to say' by william carol williams, or writing 'woz ere' on a toilet door. how will i ever live with myself?

but then. oh, then.

out of the darkness comes my shining light. his wife is dead. she's buried in the garden. he's on so much fucking cocaine.

archaeological dave.

(by this point, it's like 3pm. me and t left breakfast at about 10. this has been going on for fucking hours. and, to answer the question, we've been laughing our asses off the whole time)

i propose to archaeological dave and we become engaged. that's kind of the end, it fizzles out around here, because t and i are just in hysterics. what the fuck have we just done for the last approximately five hours? we've been in her garden, playing a roleplaying game like children. my phone is full of people asking where the fuck i've gone. t's mum is inside and has heard the whole thing through the open kitchen window.

my stomach muscles hurt for the next three days.

so, probably that.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

anyway. it's mash tater.

[jvstheworld]

My Ted Lasso Re-watch:S1E8 (part 1)

The Diamond Dogs

Nate being in the storage compartment of the bus. Pretty good idea if you're drunk, know you're going to be hungover and you have to leave early in the morning. Fair.

Sam calling Nate 'Mon cher' and Dani saying he looks like an beautiful angel. These two, they have my heart. If anyone hurts them... I will act in the same way Dean Winchester would if he found out someone stole the Impala. That applies to Ted too. And Keeley. And Rebecca as well. Well, most of the characters on the show, but these ones especially.

Rebecca forgetting it's her room they went back to and trying to sneak out. Because since her divorce, this has become a habit. But even first thing in the morning, hair a mess, she looks gorgeous. Well, it's Hannah Waddingham, so of course she is going to look gorgeous.

Now to Ted's one night stand and honey, Sassy looks like she had a very good night. Ted can fuck.

Ted is nervous but courteous to Sassy. Giving her the room for a bit longer. But his face when he leaves it... Bless him. Ted does not strike me as someone who has had one night stands, so this might have been a new experience for him, on top of dealing with his divorce. He does not make life easy for himself.

Ted not speaking for 5 hours? Is that a record? I can understand why Beard would be be concerned.

Ted says he doesn't want to talk about it, but as soon as Beard asks he caves. Because he does want to talk about it and is probably confused about what to do in this situation he has found himself in.

Can someone explain why so many women love true crime? I'm not a fan myself, but apparently it's a big thing for women to listen to or watch.

Roy giving Keeley mixed signals. Just tell her you like her and want to go out with her you absolute muppet.

"If you're nuts for buts, have at it" I love that line. Ted's whole thing here is really reinforcing that he's not had a one night stand before. Which is totally fine. It's not for everyone. Could an argument be made that Ted might lean on the Demi side of the spectrum?

Coach Beard just straight up asking if Ted had fun. He did. Nate, very importantly, asking if Sassy had fun. Which she definitely did and Ted does want to brag about his skills in bed. Because he has them, you know he does.

The whole sequence of events that happened the previous night would throw most people off. I know it would throw me off if I went through what Ted did. I can understand why Ted feels the way he does.

Rebecca is hiding something and Higgins knows it, that's why he makes the gagging sound, which then sets off Nate.

Roy's immediate no and then walking away from Ted asking for his opinion is a level of confidence I aspire to have.

Nicely done with the cutting some slack bit. Very smooth. Ted should stop being so hard on himself, but I get why he is. He didn't do anything wrong. The sex was consensual on both sides. They both enjoyed it and both are single, even if Ted did sign the divorce papers not long before she walked in. Hell, Michelle was insistent on him signing the papers, because they both need to move on and let go. Trying to prolong it would have made things worse, but also probably not great timing when your soon-to-be-ex-husband is trying to focus on his job that he's been getting a lot of shit for.

Please don't name any group the Proud Boys. Don't. Nate has the right reaction.

Nate is the one to come up with the name Diamond Dogs, yet he's the one who leaves. And then tries and fails to do the same at West Ham. This sort of thing will only work with certain types of people.

[aquaburst3]

I discovered this cool indie horror game called Dark Deception not too long ago, and I just realised I added some similar concepts into my own fic.

(Disclaimer: This will contain spoilers for my grand plan for my fic. If you don't want to see them, turn away now.)

Dark Deception is a indie horror game. In it, our protagonist, Doug, wakes up in a strange ballroom. There he is greeted by a lady named Bierice, who says that if he wants to go back to the world of the living, he has to collect Soul Shards inside 10 mini dimensions, so she could complete a device. This is no easy task since all of the shards are guarded by monsters, who serve their master, the demon Malak.

What does this have to do with my fic? Well, Addie (Yuu/The Player) is like Doug.

...Okay, she wasn't an abusive, cheating scumbag. But she wasn't the best person either.

To not dive too much into spoiler territory, back in secondary school (high school), she was a Regina George style mean girl, doing everything that trope implies...minus the racism and homophobia/transphobia and the fact she's a brown latina instead of a white blonde girl. Thanks to prepressure and the desire to fit in to her group of "friends", she did something so awful that I think even half of the TWST characters would go, "What the fuck is wrong with you?" After this event had an unintended side effect, her "friends" threw her under the bus and blamed everything on her. Her ex revealed that he was cheating on her the whole time and only dated her out of pity and for her looks. After these things happened, she vowed to become a better person and even took on the nickname "Addie" to distance herself from her past.

A theory about Dark Deception, which I'm inclined to believe, is that at least some of the realms represent Doug's sins coming back to haunt him. For example, the Reaper Nurses level is meant to represent how Doug saw women as beautiful sex objects for his own pleasure while the Joy Joy Gang stand for how he zapped the happiness from everyone else around him and Mama Bear parallels his abusive mother. I'm doing something similar to that in my fic.

One thing I always planned for since the very start was that each of the OB represent a piece of Addie's psyche/past:

Riddle represents disablist rhetoric lobbed at her, especially by her ex at the end of their relationship.

Leona represents her cunning and manipulative side along with the way she tossed others under the bus to get what she wanted and others did the same to her in the end.

Vil represents her queen bee popular bitch traits.

Azul represents the dark girl boss traits that she admires in her mother and that she wants to emulate herself. He also represents her fear of one of her bullying victims getting their revenge.

Jamil is her animus (dark romantic foil in a heroine's journey), so he represents her desire for love, both in romance and sex.

Idia represents her nerdy side along with her devotion to her family and loved ones.

Malleus represents her isolation and loneliness over the last few years before coming to Twisted Wonderland. Same goes for everyone back then treating her as some sort of heartless monster and coming to view herself in the same light when in reality she really isn't.

(This is merely listing off the canon OB that I based this on. Let's just say that there will be some surprises and twists with this list.)

Not only that, but Destan (an OC introduced in one of the more recent chapters at the time of typing this) represents her ex boyfriend who cheated on her, Rollo (calling him that for simplicity's sake) represents her ire towards Christianity for how it treats others and the final boss represents an evil version of her without any of her good traits.

Addie defeating all of these foes, overblotting or otherwise, is meant to represent her reconsoling that piece of herself. She must do this to come to terms with what happened and move on, becoming a strong person and an adult. She also needs to learn to embrace both her good and bad traits.

Granted, I promise the it won't turn out the story was all a dream like some stupider version of the Ash Coma Theory. All of the events are actually happening for real in universe. This is just the intended out of universe symbolism of all this that I planted as the author.

It's still interesting that I did something similar to this indie horror game without thinking about it. Great minds think alike, I guess. xD

[coreancitizen]

I posted 383 times in 2022

That's 261 more posts than 2021!

112 posts created (29%)

271 posts reblogged (71%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@cuddlybitch

@netflixdramas

@seawherethesunsets

@kateknowsdramas

@liveasbutterflies

I tagged 382 of my posts in 2022

#kim go eun - 161 posts

#tvn little women - 82 posts

#the king eternal monarch - 79 posts

#lee min ho - 57 posts

#the king: eternal monarch - 49 posts

#korean dramas - 37 posts

#wi ha joon - 30 posts

#yumi's cells 2 - 28 posts

#under the queen's umbrella - 25 posts

#kdramas - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 71 characters

#he can wake up and reclaim the throne his brothers protected at the end

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

"Under the Queen's Umbrella" Episode 12: The crown prince and the queen dowager

One of the things I'd been looking forward to in this drama was another confrontation between Grand Prince Seongnam and his grandmother. We saw from the very beginning how little regard the queen dowager had for the four grand princes. The first time we saw Seongnam and his grandmother face off was in Episode 1 when the queen dowager punished the four princes for "ganging up" on their half-brother Uiseong. Grandma ordered them to kneel and Seongnam, defiance written all over his face, took his sweet time obeying her, even after Grams shouted "Now!"

I got my wish in Episode 12 and Grand Prince Seongnam — I'm sorry, the crown prince — did not disappoint. On his first day in his new role, this ballsy boy greeted his grandmother and immediately reminded her that he's no longer the scared and powerless young boy spending his first nights at the palace.

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65 notes - Posted November 20, 2022

#4

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67 notes - Posted September 15, 2022

#3

3 times Lee Gon shoots down Koo Seo Ryeong's royal ambitions

Koo Seo Ryeong is not a stupid woman. And yet she can't seem to get the hint that the king of Corea has no interest in her whatsoever beyond how she serves the kingdom's interests as its prime minister. Sure, we saw the king play along with her photo op game, but that was BJTE era -- Before Jeong Tae Eul. After finding, meeting and falling in love with Jeong Tae Eul, Gon has no qualms whatsoever in setting the record straight with the prime minister in the bluntest royal speech possible.

Here are the three times Lee Gon firmly shoots down Koo Seo Ryeong's royal ambitions.

WHEN SHE SHOWS UP UNEXPECTEDLY IN FRONT OF THE KU BUILDING

In episode 6, the prime minister's aide delivers urgent information: The royal helicopter was granted permission to land atop the KU Building. Koo is surprised; the king is in Seoul at this late hour? The aide informs her this is something men usually do when their girlfriends miss the last train or bus back to Busan, they pick them up. But since the king has no girlfriend, that couldn't possibly be the reason for his late-night visit. And so Koo hightails it to the KU Building, where she of course finds Lee Gon with a stranger -- a woman, a young and very pretty woman.

Koo Seo Ryeong: "I'm seeing you at an unexpected hour in an unexpected place with an unexpected person, Your Majesty."

Lee Gon: "You're right. And you've put me in an awkward situation. This is a very personal occasion."

I love Gon's response here. He draws a clear line with him and Tae Eul on one side and the prime minister on the other. This is a "very personal occasion," not state business. The message here is Koo has no part in it.

Even the way part of this scene is shot illustrates this divide. These shots actually show up at the end of episode 5, where we get a shorter version of the beginning of this meeting. Right after Gon says "And you've put me in an awkward situation," we get these two quick shots. See how Gon and Tae Eul are grouped together in one and the prime minister on the other?

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67 notes - Posted March 22, 2022

#2

78 notes - Posted February 7, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

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97 notes - Posted March 29, 2022

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[the-firebird69]

This activity with the girl is just what our son needing. She is going to teach this guy a lesson and many other two but the military is after them and they should be and it is the warlock regions and it isn't it too after Trump's stuff and it is very effective and that little kid is going to win lesson but it's going to throw him out of the freaking bus and it's never going to come back he is never going to come back this lesson is going global right now people say it too we need stuff we need money and they're sitting on traps for these f****** assholes but they can grab anyone. They're getting killed doing it and large number is shortly we hear that the numbers are coming in and it's going to be a very big night. I just wanted to add their sentence happy to help and cannot stand these two idiots here and the teams have to form here in Charlotte county to resist them and probably everybody has to and everybody has to arm up with and just shoot them they're strange almost a zombie-like people now and they need to leave permanently and they're going to do it and it's a good idea and everybody is sick of these morons arguing and fighting they don't have dick people have to make sure though and they demand they do in moments this this is going to be huge and will be back to update everybody

Thor Freya

Good. And let's not be so slow to help let's get out there and terminate easy and people these trumpsters while we have the cover

Hera

We got that we know pretty the word out there now and we're having people do it just going to be a ton of cover in minutes right now the hourly percentage is times two pretty soon times three and these idiots will be out the trumpsters that is and there are morons

Frank Castle hardcastle

I used to be this girl on the internet thing to help him get his daily clean out of his personal health concern and only two or three times in these Maniacs on me the top dogs and I got real worried I said even the team is not going to be able to handle it so the military is involved and they're going out and grabbing people to do it now I see everyone and I really want to thank him and he thinks me it says someday you're going to be wolves being sidekick even at Comic-Con maybe and I like that that's fun. And their women are oppressed but they won't do anything and I can see other people for me teams all over they're telling me it's a massive massive effort so call my team and my military unit and we're going to gear up so sick of these jerks you're not believe it either they just sit there and fondle you a little take blood test pretend they're doing a routine thing and I think they're trying to harm me permanently and our teams got involved and took them out and it's going on and it would take him out by the bushel and it's happening all over the USA military areas and we are going to war with them and other people are too an attention again it says thank you for your service and someday I'll be able to thank you personally and it's true too I'm helping him because they trying to grab him all the time we're going to man up here and get the job done and protect myself and see what it takes because these people are ravaged rabbid

Girl in video and I do have a name in there

I'm going to publish now

Olympus

What a day this is talking it all off and thank heavens because we really needed this badly and we're organizing teams too and we can do the same thing with some of ours are harassed and we're going to go after other groups of them that are harassing people right now too

Thor Freya

Performing up a huge number of squads and we're going to go around taking care of these jackasses we know where

Good looking Blockbuster Duke nukem believe it or not they're formed up in cities and towns near where we are and they're trying to grab women all the time I'm sick of seeing it we need information this is great

[dreamingofsundreams]

things were different after Salem and I'm not sure why. I got back monday night and have been feeling like a weight has been off ever since. I'm sure it was a lot of things.. the feeling of coming home after wanting to not be there, the feeling of relief when I left and didn't have to put on an act or feel left out, feel like I didnt entirely belong in that group. the relief of knowing that after this trip, I can actually be free. the two opened snapchat were not an accident, and its so funny to me to actually type that out at the grown age of 25. because that is what these "friends" were, just... not for me. I had been outgrowing them for some time now. I just always felt so out of place with them. for so so so many reasons. walking on eggshells, boundaries being crossed, feeling like they were always talking about me bc well they definitely were, feeling like they never stood up for me, that no matter what I was always looked at as the underdog; the bad guy. the sam situation, the Luke situation not only kiera helping him but when Luke verbally accosted me kiera didnt bat an eye. gina being a bitch in general. it was just disrespectful. it was so normalized with them and I just dont want that in a friendship. the quick to anger, when I was trying to help her find the car the "oh my god never mind" like idk, it is just so normalized in their friendship and I just do not want it for myself. if thats how you are when youre comfortable with someone then I do not want you to be comfortable with me. I outgrew these girls a long time ago. and now we all feel it and its good.. its a little sad but damn is it a weight off my chest.

for so long I was so tied to them, felt like I couldn't speak up, felt like I couldn't be with them one on one, felt like they just didnt really like me. I tied so much of myself within these people and was so in my comfort zone with them for years and years. I didnt want to be friends with anyone else. I had them!

truth: I am embarrassed that I cant really keep a friend and especially as an adult it gets harder and harder. most people my age are going through the same thing. but I just cant force these friendships just to say I have these long life friends. most people judge women who dont have lots of close friends. and I get it, some women w no friends it makes sense why they dont have any. but damn I am trying. I want to be a better friend. cue to gina quickly saying "not at all" when Trina asked if we were similar. I wish I had it in myself to shoot back and say wym? why were u so quick to say that? and for the longest time these girls have made me feel so small and awkward and small. and after Salem I knew it was finally time to let go. I dont want to text them. I dont want to keep the friendship going, not how it was. removing Gigi was a great decision because it was a catalyst to me and kiera drifting apart. Salem & the wedding was a good decision to go to because it was a catalyst to me and gina drifting apart. oh and youre welcome for paying you for the hotel I didnt stay in but you getting an attitude when I asked you to help me pay for the parking garage. oh and let me not forget how kiera treated my birthday gifts. when she barely spends a penny on mine. and how can I forget how uncomfortable her family makes me feel and how she would throw me under the bus any chance she got about anything. and how she never stood up for me when her gf were cunts to me which btw, its obvious you talk shit about me to them which is why they already have a predisposed narrative of me which allows them to be comfortable to be rude to me. please dont ever think I never noticed. I may or may not get to say any of this to them. I know I hold onto unsaid shit so I might regret not saying it. but what could I even say? that I feel like they haven't been good friends to me/dont like me?

I just cant do it. and now Ginas having a baby and I wish I knew how to be a friend for her to say yes you are similar. I wish I could be a better friend. person. not get angry. and leave people with the impression that I am mean or bitter. because when I go home I dont talk badly on people unless im mad llol. I wish I got out while I could. oh the places I would be. but these friendships taught me a lot, they taught me to be a better friend, taught me to speak up for myself and never let anyone especially a friend make me feel small, taught me what I dont want in friendships, taught me that there are people out there who will genuinely love me. here is to the beginning of the end of a long, tired journey. thank u.

adding: and when your friend says they are depressed and actively looking for a psychiatrist, maybe dont be a bitch to them.

"I had a vivid dream about u guys talking shit on me" "hell yeah its true" "probably is fake ass bitches"

responding to every single person but me on her wedding picture

[everythingcanadian]

Jimmy and Thomas go skating together as a date.

They end up finding more than they thought they would have.

rated general to teen. It's mostly fluff and found family shenanigans.

(This ended up being way longer that i thought and i love it. I will cross-post to AO3. Same user name there. )

Inspired by this post. Because I wrote a small thing in the tags

Jimmy and Thomas both going ice skating together.

They see many couples and many types of pairs helping each other out. Regardless of gender or height or age.

So Thomas doesn't feel so- lost or afraid when he can take Jimmy's hand and glide over the solid ice under them. He sees several male pairs and groups holding hands and holding tight to each other.

He sees a few women in gaggles and pairs and even a trio all holding hands and stumbling happily.

Jimmy looks over to him as he wobbles, not yet having the knack for staying upright himself, but he can see what Thomas sees that they are in a space where they can touch and not need to hide it.

In this way jimmy ends up taking Thomas down with him into a snow bank; howling with laughter like kids when Thomas rolls off of jimmy. Both covered in snow.

They get a look from a mother and father holding their kids' hands, but its a look of concern and not disgust

“Were alright. Just a tumble. This foal here doesn't have his legs yet.” Thomas says as the family stops and helps the pair up

“Just be careful like this. They hang on tight but not for long or not too close." The mother is cautious as she helps Jimmy upright. "You can trail behind us and no one will think it odd. Ye look just like our relations.”

Thomas and Jimmy both look shocked, the mother continues as she brushes them down.

“Me sister., if you understand that then you're in good company.” So they continue to skate over the frozen lake hand in hand then hooked elbows.

Eventually the parents let the men take their kids for a slow spin around the lake. It's starting to get too cold for even Thomas, who likes the winter-y outdoors.

They get invited to supper after their 'date'. They accept and enjoy the warmth of someone else knowing but not judging.

On the way over to the family's house they exchange bits of themselves. Luther and Elanor, a butcher and a quilter. Then their two little ones, Elizabeth, a very proud age 13, and Agnes a lovely 9 and a half, both family names. The couple was into their 40s now.

They stay for tea and then help with supper alongside Elanor. Sleeves rolled up, jackets and coats drying by the fire like the family's, and laughing as Jimmy lathered a few nice racks of lamb in oil and herbs. His nose was scrunched as he touched the raw meat.

They had time before they had to catch the last bus to Downton from Rippon, they had a few hours. And the family seemed more than happy to have them as company.

Once Thomas and the girls help clear the table from supper they whisk Jimmy away to the sitting room.

Jimmy ends up chattering away with the children who show him little games and toys. Thomas, holding a mug of hot tea, watches on with affection in his posture.

"He seems like a decent lad." The father is gentle if questioning. As if examining if Jimmy is right for their son, Thomas. Thomas's heart fills at the odd thought.

Thomas smiles before taking a slow sip, feeling the warmth flood his mouth and slide down his throat, heating him up from the inside. "He is. Broke me heart once or twice. We're on common ground now." He looks towards the older man, a question in his features as to how he got Thomas to say that.

Large and worn hands come up off the table cloth in a calming motion. "I'm the eldest of five siblings. It's my job to get answers easily."

Thomas nods, still struck by how easy it was for Luther to pull that information out of him.

Luther continues with what he was getting to. "We had a son once. He snuck away one afternoon from the shop and signed himself up for war. He was only just 17. Funny enough his name was Thomas." Thomas's gut wrenches as he knows the end of this story. "We lost him in the war, not even 6 months in and he was gone. We had just had Agnes and were too torn to make a go for another child. Already lost one between Tommy and Elizabeth. Scarlett fever." Thomas can see the tears in the man's eyes. The hurt is strong. "What I'm saying is- you look like you could be a part of us. You have the black hair, light eyes, you even have Elanor's strong nose-"

Luther has to take a breath and Elanor picks up his explanation. "We know we've just met you two- but since Luther saw you and Jimmy skating so carefree, we would like to ask for you to enfold into our family. I don't know what it is about you boys but it feels right. Jimmy even has the same light blond curls Agnes does. Comes from my side of the family I suppose."

Thomas gets hit with it. They'd fit right in. Spending off days like this. Safe. The ability to be affectionate and open without anyone breathing down their necks. Thomas is dumbfounded and grateful. He catches Jimmy's eyes as the blond smiles at him while holding out his hands for Elizabeth to gentle examine.

Clearing his throat Thomas turns to the two parents and sees them with soft looks, remembering and imagining. They'd be like the parents Thomas has never had. They'd be the type of god-parents Jimmy could need.

Thomas nods his head in answer, looking again to Jimmy and beyond him, at the fireplace, their coats and skates drying out in the heat.

"The next time we see you boys we can introduce you to Terrance." Elanor smiles crookedly. "I mentioned my sister earlier. She's a mixed bag and has two sides to her. Theresa, or Terry when she's doing laundry work. And Terrance in safe company. Been like that since we were wee lasses. Still likes to be called my sister and a her, even when she's Terrance." shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "I offered to call her my brother but that was a row and a half in Mum's kitchen, smashed the best teacup in the house. Almost shocked the neighbors wearing Da's old work trousers. Almost. They were used to it."

Thomas looks at Elanor and laughs, eyes crinkling, apple cheek making, laughs that shake his frame. Jimmy's head turns to him and sees the full body laughter that Thomas only lets out when they're alone. It's how Jimmy knows he's comfortable. It mixes well with the way Elanor and Luther are guffawing and snorting with laughter too.

When the clock strikes 7 that evening, the family and Thomas and Jimmy having migrated to the living room, they all recognize that the last bus to Downton will be leaving in a half hour. The house is cozy with Jimmy on the chair and Thomas on the floor having his hair petted with such soft fingers he could've fallen asleep. Elanor and Luther being book-ended by Elizabeth and Agnes on the couch. It was a lovely comfort to just be.

"We best see you boys off before it's too late." Luther grunts as he stands up, careful not to jostle Agnes too much. Gently laying her down in the warm spot he was occupying. Thomas aches in his chest, longing to be that gentle for a child of his own.

Elanor sees that look as she too stands, Elizabeth not far behind her mother. "When there's more time, Thomas." she says it quietly, just enough for him to hear.

He nods at those simple but promising words.

Sleepy, well fed, talked out, and well taken care of, Thomas and Jimmy are shown to the door and wave at the three figures in the open doorway as they leave through the front gate down a short pathway of what could be a garden underneath the snow. Jimmy has their address tucked neatly into his now dry and still clinging to warmth winter coat in it's inner breast pocket. Thomas has their skates tied together by the laces in his hand as they walk as silent as the snow to the bus stop only a few blocks away.

They have time. And Jimmy isn't afraid to loop his arm through Thomas's an excuse of needing heat at the ready, and an argument now of "He's my cousin" on their tongues. It's normal. and Thomas smiles when he gets jostled a little by Jimmy playing with him.

"If we go into another snow bank you'll be hand toweling my clothes young man." Thomas warns with a grin reserved only for Jimmy.

"Mm, we can put them by your log burner." he looks around to see no one on the street. "Then we can crawl into bed and keep each other warm."

"I like the way you think." Thomas tugs Jimmy a little close to him by their linked arms, grin softening as he looks at his love. "For someone who can't skate worth a damn, we sure had a good time."

Jimmy just hums his agreement as they walk on to catch their bus.