#and you know the basics of how to treat them

[bitchy-craft]

PICK A CARD: Who is thinking about you and why

Hello and welcome to this new reading! I will tell you who is thinking about you and why. I hope you all enjoy it!

FREE READING: a subscription to my Patreon before February 7th, no matter the tier, will give you a free question of choice.

Masterpost > Paid Readings > PATREON Masterlist

The extended version of this reading can be found on my Patreon, the link of which is here

~pick a card~

Pile 1:

There is a parental figure really thinking about you right now. For many of you this is a parental figure that hasn’t been much in your life; whether physically or emotionally. They are thinking about you and are in the process of rethinking the way they’ve been treating you all this time. They have a lot of mixed feelings about this and find the truth to be incredibly difficult to accept, they might not be able to do anytime soon either. But they are thinking about it; they are aware, and for many of you they do feel bad and wished they could’ve done it differently. Showing change is something they find incredibly difficult to do; it’s something they do not know how to do to be frank. They just hope one day you will forgive them for all the harm they caused you.

Pile 2:

Your sibling is thinking about you a lot (for the people that do not have a sibling, the one who basically feels like a sibling). They look up to you and see how far you have come the last couple of years. They are very proud of you, and some of you their siblings are even jealous of you. They wish they had what your had. Some things seem to come easy to you; and they wish they had the same luck and talent as you. Your sibling thinks you’re cool and wish you two would be closer than you guys currently are.

Pile 3:

This friend of yours you haven’t spoken in a couple years; the first person that pops into your mind now is the one. They are thinking of you, recently you have been crossing their mind more and more recently. They think back about what you experienced together and how you both stopped communicating, what ended the friendship. In hindsight they do regret how things have ended and how they acted; but at the same time they see that they were young and simply didn’t know any better. It’s a conflict stuck in their mind, and the older they get the more they realise it’s not something they can get out of their mind easily. You come into their thoughts more often than you think.

[envy-of-the-apple]

I've been reading all your jjk works and notice most of them having older mc. You wrote gojo with an older woman a lot, how about doing geto with middle age jujutsu teacher

Mc is not strong and barely considered a jujutsu sorcerer with her ct that basically numbs her or others senses like a potent anesthetic, its not really useful in a fight but the best thing for geto. With her ct she can numb his taste buds completely and he never has to taste the disgusting curse ball ever again. And plus mc is actually a really nice and caring teacher. The kind of teacher that uses different study methods to suit different students. The kind of teacher that immediately pick up when students are feeling down. But when geto expresses how much he is fond of her not just as her student she takes it as puppy love that he will soon get over it when he gets older and she only saw him as her student. She said something like "maybe when you graduate we can have this talk again" and geto took it to heart only for his beloved teacher getting purpose from other people(non-sorcer that you happened to help one time). Oh... How sad he is... He thought you would wait for him. And you would finally become part of his family with nanako and mimiko after all you help him raise both of them why are you leaving for some Monkey

I like this idea! But what about making the Mc a nurse instead???

(TW: Blood, implied murder, yandere)

You aren’t even a trained jujutsu sorcerer. You were scouted pretty late, far past high school. Because of that, you don’t have much potential, not that you were upset or anything. You’re still a high school nurse, but instead of treating students with the occasional flu, you treat teenagers who fight demons.

It’s pretty haunting to see, especially as an outsider of jujutsu. But you can’t do anything. You might be semi-important to the school, but you’re still just another rung on the ladder. So you keep your head down, as you always do.

It’s only natural you develop favorites. It’s a second year. Shoko Ieiri. She’s set to be your predecessor, having a much more powerful CT than you do. You don’t mind being in her shadow. The short time you spent in the jujutsu world was hard enough. At least now you know you wont be leaving behind a hole.

Geto is close behind. He’s a quiet boy, well-mannered, well-spoken. Far better than his white haired brat of a companion. It isn’t often he comes for injuries, but when accidents do happen, you’re sure to lecture him while tending to his injuries.

Maybe one day you get curious enough to ask what curses taste like. Maybe that day, he finally decides to be honest.

On tinier areas, like the tongue, your CT can last for hours. You try it out just once when he’s called to dispatch a first grade. He comes back that day with eyes brighter than anything you’ve ever seen.

It continues like that. When he’s called for an exorcism, he finds you. It’s like a goodbye ritual. You and him sit on the exam table, his mouth open wide as you diligently apply your curse technique, careful not to miss a single corner. He often tells you that you saved his life. You didn’t know he meant that so sincerely.

He confesses to you a year after Riko’s death.

Hes like a kid. He is a kid, staring down at you with hopeful eyes, not even a day over 18. You know what you should do. Rip the band-aide off, nice and clean. He deserves that.

But...you just cant break his heart like that, so you lie.

You tell him when he's older. You tell him after graduation. You tell him to wait. He readily does. You hope in a couple years hed be too embarrassed to ask you again. His adult brain would kick in and nag at him. His friends might too. Maybe when he comes back as a fully-fledged sorcerer, you two could laugh about this.

Your last straw is Haibara.

You quit the school. you walk away from jujutsu sorcery. It's hard, because its been your life for years, but leaving hurts less than staying.

You don't tell geto. You just leave. Abandon him.

You go back to your old job. A normal high school, treating normal high school students. Years pass like that. You move on with your normal life.

And then you meet a normal man. Quiet, well-mannered, the ever slightest gray in his hair. He's perfect. When he gives you the ring, it was the happiest you'd ever been.

Geto finds you two years after your marriage.

It's almost surreal meeting him again, seeing him in your quiet apartment. There's so much blood. His fingers are dripping in it.

He smiles. "So, had time to think it over?"

You were half right. One day, Geto did come back as a full-fledged sorcerer.

But neither of you laughed about it.

[nameless-jamie]

Can we get some PA and Jamie’s mum and Simon interaction? 💙💙💙

The Tartt's

Masterlist

Jamie Tartt x fem! PA reader

TW: cursing

A/N: Sure, I love this idea. Guys keep sending me more ideas, love your requests. Ready for some pushy loving parent moments?

As his personal assistant, Y/N had gotten used to handling all aspects of Jamie Tartt’s life—from scheduling his training sessions to making sure he actually showed up to interviews on time. But coordinating a surprise visit from his mum and Simon? That was a new challenge entirely.

The last few weeks Jamie was very well-behaved. He was still annoying, but he worked hard to show up on time and make Y/N's life as his assistant and friend way easier. He was also very hard-working and trained his ass off. That paid off because he scored 5 goals in the last three matches!

As a little treat Y/N wanted to surprise him with his favourite people in the world. His mum and step-dad Simon. They live 3 hours away from Richmond in Jamie's hometown Manchester. He doesn't have time to visit them much, so any updates Georgie, Jamie's mum gets, are from Y/N.

Y/N and Georgie text and call often, not only to keep her updated on Jamie's life... Georgie and Simon had always been a fan of Y/N, calling her love and darlin’ whenever they met or talked. Asking Jamie where Y/N is at, whenever he FaceTimed them. Georgie would gush about how lucky Jamie was to have Y/N keeping his life in order, while Simon, in his usual dry humor, would mutter something about her being the real MVP of the family.

Georgie is also sure that Y/N is going to be her daughter-in-law... But she wouldn't rush those kids. She just knew.

And now? Well, now, they were showing up at Nelson Road to surprise Jamie at training.

Y/N stood outside the training ground, scrolling through her phone when she spotted the familiar couple heading toward her. Georgie’s face lit up the second she saw her.

“Y/N, my love!” Georgie beamed, pulling her into a warm hug before Simon wrapped an arm around her shoulders in greeting. “Oh, it’s been too long! Jamie giving you any trouble? Bet you’ve got your hands full. Love that boy to pieces, but he's a bunch of work sometimes.”

Y/N laughed. “You have no idea. But he's been good the last few weeks. I missed you guys so much and I know he's missed you too. So let's go surprise him!”

They started the walk to the pitch. Simon snorted wrapping an arm around Y/N and Georgie. “Reckon you’re the only reason he’s not showin’ up to training in his bloody dressing gown, right Y/N? By the way I brought your favorite shortcakes.”

"You guys spoil me and I'm not even your daughter!"

Georgie linked arms with Y/N as they headed toward the facility. “Who says you're not our daughter! Honestly, love, I don’t know how you do it. If Jamie were my boss, I’d have quit ages ago. Does he still sleep bottomless?”

Y/N blushed after hearing Georgie call her, her daughter. “Oh, believe me, Georgie, I've considered quitting like every day,” Y/N joked. “But then who else is going to make sure he eats actual food instead of just protein shakes and gummy bears?”

Georgie shook her head fondly. “That boy. Honestly. You are a saint, Y/N. And you know you’re basically family at this point, right? He should just marry you already...”

Y/N smiled, warmth blooming in her chest. “Well, I—”

Before she could finish, a voice interrupted from across the pitch.

“Mum? What the fuck?”

Jamie stood a few feet away, brows raised in confusion as he took in the sight of his mum, Simon, and Y/N looking very chummy.

Y/N grinned. “Surprise.”

"Language, Jamie!" Georgie shouted, angry at Jamie's fruity outburst.

Jamie blinked. “Why—how—”

"Surprise, baby!" Georgie squealed, throwing her arms wide, and before Y/N could even register it, Jamie was bolting across the grass, launching himself at her like a six-year-old.

She oofed at the impact, but Jamie just clung to her, his head buried in her shoulder.

“Mum,” he muttered, voice muffled but so full of love. “What’re you doin’ here?”

Y/N folded her arms, grinning as Simon walked up beside her. “He’s such a mumma’s boy.”

Simon chuckled. “The biggest. Watch this.”

Georgie’s face lit up. “Oh, Jamie, look at you. You’ve been eating well, right? Getting enough sleep? Moisturizing?”

Jamie sighed, leaning into her touch like an overgrown golden retriever. “Mum, yes. I’m fine.”

Georgie turned to Y/N. “Is he lyin’ to me?”

Y/N smirked. “You know what? He has been skipping breakfast.”

“Mum, no I haven’t—”

Georgie gasped dramatically, smacking his arm. “Jamie! That’s awful for your metabolism! You need to eat in the mornings, baby, I told you this!”

He turned to Y/N, slightly betrayed that she told on him, but happy. “You did this, huh? Brought them 'ere” he gestured towards his parents.

“Obviously.” She crossed her arms. “You haven’t seen them in ages, and I figured you could use some family time instead of annoying me all day.”

Georgie beamed, patting Jamie’s cheek. “She’s right, you know. You’re lucky she puts up with you.”

Jamie scoffed, blushing a little. “Yeah, yeah. Everyone loves tellin’ me how lucky I am to have her.”

Simon clapped a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Well, mate, you are.” Then, with a smirk, he turned to Y/N. “Tell me, love, how long you plannin’ to put up with him before you make it official?”

Y/N choked on air. “Wait, what?”

Jamie turned bright red. “Simon, mate, shut up.”

Simon ignored him, grinning. “Oh, come on. We all know it’s gonna happen eventually.”

Georgie nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely. I’ve already decided Y/N’s my daughter-in-law, whether you two want it or not.”

Y/N laughed nervously. “Jesus Christ.”

Jamie groaned even louder, now totally embarrassed. “Bloody hell.”

“Oh, don’t act like it’s a bad thing,” Georgie said, waving him off. “You love her.”

Jamie scoffed, folding his arms, but there was a telltale blush creeping up his neck. “Mum! I do not. Don't say stuff like that.”

Simon raised an eyebrow. “Really? So why’d you spend all last Christmas on FaceTime with us, complainin’ that she wouldn’t answer your texts?”

Jamie’s face flamed. “I did not—” He turned to Y/N. “I didn’t, okay?”

Y/N grinned. “Mhm. Sure.”

Georgie nudged her playfully. “You should’ve heard him, love. Walkin’ around all moody, muttering, ‘Dunno why she’s ignorin’ me, I’ve been proper nice to her this year.’”

Simon snorted. “Proper sad, it was.”

Jamie groaned. “I hate both of you.”

Y/N, thriving off of his suffering, smirked. “Aw, Jamie, you missed me?”

He huffed. “You know I did.”

The way he said it—low, almost begrudging, but completely honest—made Y/N’s stomach flip.

Georgie waggled her eyebrows. “See? You do adore her.”

Jamie rolled his eyes dramatically. “Right, well, this has been proper fun for everyone except me. I need to shower.”

He turned to Y/N, eyes flicking over her with something way too mischievous.

“Fancy helpin’ me pick out my clothes, love?” he teased. “Heard my mum...You are my future wife, after all.”

Y/N scoffed, trying to ignore the heat crawling up her neck. “You’re impossible.”

Jamie winked. “You love it.”

Georgie sighed dreamily. “God, you two are ridiculous.”

Simon nodded. “Just date already.”

Jamie and Y/N groaned at the same time.

“No one asked you!”

[tallerthantale]

Yes, the "curse of knowledge" very good example. The neurotypical autopilot filters primarily on what a typical person they would typically interact with would typically know/think/believe. The "curse of knowledge" is at its worst when the speaker mostly interacts with peers and occasionally lectures.

In a lot of ways the autistic version of theory of mind makes it easier to break out of that curse, because consciously modeling what a person in a different situation would know is something we generally have to learn how to do to survive. It just won't show up instinctively if we aren't putting focus onto that work in that moment. A lot of neurotypicals don't ever learn how to do that conscious modeling because they usually don't need to.

The version of neurotypical systemic "theory of mind" errors I run into most is in political discussions. When people are in ideological bubbles they tend to accumulate a large pile of assumptions and premises about demographics, policies, events, party platforms, ect... that become "facts" within that bubble. From there those all get processed into the 'assumed universal shared reality' folder in their brain.

Unfortunately, that process happens with little regard to primary sources. If everyone around us treats something as fact, it unconsciously becomes neurologically a fact that is so assumed it wouldn't occur to us to fact check it. Autistic people can be resistant to this, but we are not immune.

When people leave their bubble and try to have debates with people who have a completely different 'assumed universal shared reality' folder they end up talking passed each other, and almost never check if they are starting from the same premises because they aren't consciously aware that an assumption was made. They will have heated flame wars over a policy, without realising that they have two completely different understandings of what the policy actually is.

I think a lot of online discourse would be a lot more productive if people leaned harder into asking questions about where others are coming from. What do you think happened in the underlying event? When you use this term, what do you mean by that? What is your understanding of this policy, and what effects to you expect it will have? What do you think is happening now?

A fairly straight forward example of this is with income/wealth inequality. Most people are a few good infographics away from 'eat the rich,' (if you can get them to trust the data) because they have no idea how bad wealth inequality currently is. When you ask people how they think wealth ought to be divided, people are broadly pretty reasonable about it. The problem is a looooot of people think that the reasonable distribution is what we basically have now. (That perception is a broad centrist thing, not a right wing thing, btw.) So when they hear 'eat the rich' they think people want to guillotine the doctor with the nice house down the road and react accordingly. And then the people on the 'eat the rich' side think those taking the message badly are all wannabe billionaires who think the poor deserve to die in the street.

I think most of the time the differences are in our premises not in our values. Not all the time though. Sometimes people really do just have shit values, but it's often worth checking first.

Raising my kid (who is autistic) has made me realise as an autistic person that a surprising amount of communication failure in, at least these, autistic people is forgetting that other people are like separate people who don't share a hive mind with you

Some examples:

- not bothering to give verbal signals of what you're doing when others can't see your actions in a conversation: ie nodding when they have their back to you instead of saying yes or saying "coming" instead of "coming right after I shut down the computer" when you're called into another room

- assuming everyone thinks the same way as you do about a particular aspect of life and being repeatedly shocked, over and over in your life, to find that's not the case

- getting frustrated that you have to actually explain your thoughts processes and context of what you're trying to explain when they should just understand

And I do understand that everyone is a separate person living their own unique lives with many different ways of looking at and experiencing the world...

but also what do you mean you don't understand things that I haven't explained!?!? We share a psyche! What do you mean romance isn't a bit!?!

It's like we have a bit of programming that lets us connect to the hive mind but there is no actual hive mind and we're a little bit disgruntled by that

Now there are probably going to be autistic people who disagree but the people I know personally who are autistic understand these moments. I knew I did it but I didn't contextualise it in my issues with communication until I was a parent and had a kid doing the same shit to me

[shoups32]

The mischaracterization of Mel Medarda by both the fandom and the show has to be one of the worst things about arcane.

In the show we see her get mischaracterized and completely ruined mostly when it comes to Viktor and mostly in season 2. This is mostly because of Amanda’s very clear dislike of her (she has said on twitter that she finds Mel boring and did basically use her to further the plot of Viktor.) but I also think a part of it is just the inconsistencies of her character. A good example of this is that we see in season 1 through a flashback that Mel is a very thoughtful character that doesn’t agree with the laws of Noxus nor their reign over Ionia. Inside the show this gets completely ignored when we see her judging Viktor due to him being from Zaun (though I don’t think that is what that scene was implying that seems to be what most do think). With what we know about her she wouldn’t be judgmental of people from Zaun. Now this isn’t to say she would have fixed all the issues and stood up for Zaun from the beginning because she still does care about her power. This is just one of the many inconsistencies in her character in arcane.

Another issue (that is far more important in my opinion) with how she is written that I believe contributes to my post is that she is written into the “disposable black girlfriend trope” not only by the fandom but by the show itself. We see this most in season two when any moment between Jayce and Mel gets Viktor in it. It is very clear Jayce cares for both of them dearly but we also see her get overshadowed by Viktor multiple times. One example is the fire scene. Jayce sees Mel first then it goes to Viktor, that could be a good show on how he cares about them both but it is shown more in a way that makes it seem as though Jayce overshadows Mel with Viktor. Of course this point is only proven more in context of the fact that Jayce rarely ever spoke to Mel in season 2 and didn’t either bring up Viktor or basically called her a shitty person. While I get a lot of people’s defense for this is that in canon Jayce was stressed when you put it all together that defense doesn’t work out much.

My final point is to why and how I think she was so butchered in the show (mostly season 2). One reason is the writers clear dislike to her. Amanda herself has admitted to finding her boring and using her for Viktor on Twitter. In season 1 I think what was protecting Mel from how bad she was portrayed in season 2 was the fact that it had a huge team of writers. Season 2 has been confirmed to only have about 3 writers so not many people to actually give the characters the love they deserve. I think season 2 being rushed is also a huge issue but that is a whole other topic.

If you don’t agree with this that is fine I just have gotten tired of the fandom mistreating her. I do hope someone reads this though and realizes how bad her character is treated.

[utilitycaster]

The identity erasure in fandom is so exhausting.

I feel like someone could write a thesis specifically about Zac Oyama’s characters being pushed into queer/ nd stories by fandom without any regard to the actual textual stories of racism, model minorities, and othering that often arise from Zac’s work.

Like I can find hundreds of Gorgug/ Zelda/ Ragh fics and fics about Gorgug being autistic and only a handful that engage with Gorgug’s race. And actually, you’re just as likely to see a fic about fantasy racism towards Riz, which. Is not the story being told.

Truly wild.

You know, this is really fascinating to me both because I tend to only see the most ridiculous discourse coming from D20 and I don't read fic, but also despite neurodivergence being not uncommon among peole in fandom, as I said, people acted like Travis Willingham was too stupid to play a druid as recently as late 2021 (even after he'd played a hexadin). It's gotten much better and more AP actors have openly talked about having ADHD (Travis McElroy, Aabria Iyengar, Siobhan Thompson, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson) which I think forced people to consider what ADHD looks like but now it's kind of become a new "oh this character is LIKE ME" thing where basically anything can be used as evidence, which is fine for headcanons but becomes a problem when you ignore the identities you don't personally have.

But yeah, Zac in particular gets treated terribly - I haven't seen people be as awful to Lou despite him also being a man of color (though I have seen people be weird about him not necessarily choosing to play fat characters and it's like idk man why do you feel he's obligated to play characters that represent you, especially since he does clearly choose to consistently play black characters?) but a lot of people ignore that yeah, Zac has consistently played Japanese characters whenever they've been in a real-world-inspired setting, and that Gorgug is a half-orc living with gnomish parents who is curious about his parentage and who ends up pursuing artificing like his adoptive parents and feels like a very meaningful exploration of being multiracial. I do, for what it's worth, think there is textual exploration of anti-goblin racism in the first season that isn't really followed up on...but it's kind of telling that also, Gorgug isn't canonically queer and Riz is, and Riz is played by a white actor.

I would like to see someone, actually, do an academic exploration of everything talked about here because it's like:

Is this character, in-world, textually an oppressed identity (Fjord, Molly)

Is this character portrayed, in-world, as being of an identity that is oppressed in our world but is not in their world (eg, Beau being a nonwhite human lesbian in a world that doesn't really have color-based racism, usually favors humans, and doesn't have homophobia)

Is the character portrayed by an actor with an oppressed identity (Zac is nonwhite, Ally is trans, etc)

Is this actor a person with an identity shared by their character (ie, Lou and Aabria usually play black characters but those characters do not necessarily experience racism in their world - Fabian doesn't but Kingston would as does Eursolon; Deanna and Suvi don't - if I'm wrong bc I'm behind on WBN sorry)

If a character has multiple identities, which one are people connecting to and which are they ignoring?

If a character is, for example, played by an (afaik) straight cis nonwhite man and played as a straight cis nonwhite man (Ricky Matsui as played by Zac) do people headcanon them as being more like themselves to make them more relatable? Does this happen more with nonwhite characters given the heavily white AP audience?

If a character's race in a fantasy world is metaphorical, do they care about it? when and how?

anyway. much to think about.

[bidisasterevankinard]

Drinks loosen my tongue

Bucktommy/ T (for implied daddy kink. It's more like a pet name really)/ 568 words

For day 3 of @bucktommyfluffebruary

Buck is already in bed when the knock on the door interrupts his plans for going to the best adventure when you're an adult - sleep. With a frown, he gets back to the living room, trying to understand who can have a whole ass disaster to come to him at 1 am.

“Sal? Tommy? What?”

“Din don, parcel for you,” the older man says with exasperation, pushing his boyfriend in his hands. “He had way more than he should have and told me way more that I need to know about your ass or how deep your daddy issue goes. Have fun, baby boy. Keep daddy out of trouble. Bye,” with a finger gun and a wink Sal is gone, closing the door, before Buck can even react to the whole situation.

“Bye?” Buck says absentmindedly, trying to move his basically sleeping boyfriend.

“C’mon, Tommy, babe, help me there,” he shakes the body in his hands.

That’s when Tommy finally opens his eyes and smiles at him, “Ev’n, b’by, I’mm ‘ome,” he mumbles and kisses Buck on the cheek with gusto. Buck's pretty sure he was aiming for the lips.

“Miwed y’,” Tommy says and then hiccups, “n’d you ‘aked now,” he tries to take Buck’s sweats down, but succeeds only in almost pushing them both to the floor.

Buck pins him to the wall, “easier, tiger. All you're gonna get is cuddles. Maybe naked if you're gonna be good and let me get you to bed. Ok?”

Tommy nods, letting him take his boots and jacket down.

“C'mon, to the bedroom.”

Buck helps him and carefully makes it to the bed, where Tommy falls with loud ‘oof’. With a shake of his head Buck takes his jeans and shirt off, laying down near his smiling man, who already gets back to trying to get his sweats down.

“Now c-c-can d‘a’y have a treat?” Tommy says in his ear, but Buck pushes him off again.

“When he's sober enough for it,” Buck says, kissing Tommy’s nose, “and not hungover,” he turns away from Tommy, who snuggles closer to him, grinding his half hard cock in his ass.

“Ev’n, baaaaaa’y, please, d’a’y nee’s youuuuuuuu,”the grinding gets faster and Buck turns back to face Tommy.

“Can't you wait for the morning?”

Tommy shakes his head with a pout that can rival his own. “Pleeeease, just a tip, let d’a’y put just a tip in his ‘eautiful ‘oyfrien’?”

“Beautiful, huh?”

“The most ‘eautiful, in-cre’i’le, kin’, amazin’, w-w-won’erful,hot, sexy man of man ‘reams. I love yu so much, ‘a’y,” Tommy kisses his neck. “S-so lu’ky to ‘et you,” another kiss, “so lu’ky to ‘et you ‘ack after I ma’e a mi’take,” three more kisses, “I love you, Ev’n.”

Buck chuckles, “I love you too. And I would really appreciate you telling me all that sober, ok?”

Tommy enthusiastically nods.

“Can you wait for tomorrow before fuck me? I’m tired.”

“Noooooo, please, ‘a’y, d’a’y nee’s you nooooow. I pro’se you won’t feel a thin’.”

Buck raises his eyebrow, “Tommy, you have a nine inch dick. I will feel it no matter that.”

Tommy pouts on him with puppy eyes that are somehow even cuter when he is drunk.

“Ok,” he sighs, “let me get lube and d’a’y can put more than just a tip then.”

Before he can open his nightstand, he hears loud snores. Chuckling, he goes to sleep too.

[itsabouttimex2]

Oh! Can you rank macaque ships too?

69, shadowpuppet ect

Macaque Ship Ratings

(Scores rank from -10 at the lowest, and 10 at the highest)

(Sun Wukong)

Before reading this list, please keep in mind:

1. Not every ship has enough content for me to remark on, and some ships contain dynamics that I find triggering!

2. My social media usage is limited, and I don’t use every site.

3. I have not consumed every piece of artwork and fanfic in the fandom, so I’m just remarking on trends from what I have seen.

Shadowpuppet

Name Rating: 10/10. I’ll admit- this one is good! I like the reference to: Macaque’s powers, the Mayor’s status as a (willing) pawn of the LBD, Macaque’s status as a (sort of willing) pawn of the LBD, Macaque’s actual use of shadow puppetry… it’s a good name!

Canon Rating: -5/10. Look. C’mon. The Mayor and Macaque have literally no positive interactions at all, they have barely any screen time together regardless. Anything the Mayor does to Macaque is immediately harmful and he takes glee in it.

Fanon Rating: -3/10. In general you’ll notice a running trend that Fanon!Macaque in general is your generically rancid and one-note “He never did even a single bad thing ever at all!” that woobified villains tend to get, and Shadowpuppet goes hard on this trend by portraying Macaque purely through the lens of him being a flat and uninspired “eternal victim”- but it only gets a -3 because it is somewhat appropriate when the person in question genuinely is an awful person who has only ever hurt Macaque.

Personal Enjoyment: 0/10. Sorry, y’all. I just don’t see it.

Shadowpeach

Name Rating: 5/10. Basic, but rolls off the tongue. Started the trend of Sun Wukong having extremely basic ship names, unfortunately.

Canon Rating: 0/10. Whatever they had in the past, Macaque simply treats Wukong far too awfully to really justify the two of them ever getting together. Even the attempts at reconciliation feel more like extremely forced ship baiting, given how it goes from one of the two being marginally kinder to the other than usual, then immediately dropping it for more sniping. (Past!Shadowpeach receives 5/10.)

Fanon Rating: -10/10. I've spoken at length about this, but fans love to distort Wukong into a drooling abuser so stupid he can't breath through his nose, usually while turning Macaque into a Possession Sue who only serves to be the author's simpering self-insert who is the most perfect little baby of all time who has never ever done anything wrong at all even once. If there is an attempt to be “nuanced" or "unbiased" it manifests as "Sun Wukong "killed" (re: defended himself against) Macaque so he's worse." It's an awful, extremely pervasive dynamic that rots any fandom enjoyment I could have had for this couple.

Personal Enjoyment: 6/10. Getting to write Macaque as the legitimately awful person that he is takes off the edge of seeing constant “uwu sadboi" Macaque content. Still, I rarely touch anyone else's Shadowpeach content because of how pervasive “Fanon!Macaque” is.

Blackberry

Name Rating: 10/10. Macaque actually gets like… really good ship names. Whoever is coming up with these is putting in more effort than whoever came up with all of Sun Wukong’s ship names, at least. The name references both Change’s association with food, and is a color that both characters share! Also- I have a serious weakness for ship names that reference real things.

Canon Rating: 0/10. There’s not even any indication that the two know that the other exists. Maybe they’ll meet up at some point, but as for right now

Fanon Rating: -5/10. Hey, remember what I said above two times already? That Fanon!Macaque is a big simpering bitch baby who only exists to serve as an eternal victim for the writer to coddle like a saint whose only crime is being too perfect? Same applies to Blackberry, to no surprise! It’s less egregious in that Chang’e is legitimately a sweet and loving lady.

Personal Enjoyment: 3/10. The fanart can be cute, but that’s about all that Blackberry has going for it that appeals to my taste. Maybe I’ll come around to it if they have some interaction in the show proper, but I’m not banking on it.

Inkypages

Name Rating: 7/10. This is a simpler name, but I like it! Again, Macaque’s (and Tang’s, too!) ship names are willing to go beyond trying to confine him to a single aspect of his character and actually utilize several aspects of his personality and being beyond just one food. (Yes I’m still mad about the peach prioritization that Sun Wukong’s ship names have.) Inkypages isn’t bad! I like saying it! It’s a logical thing to say!

Canon Rating: -10/10. Okay. Okay, I know. I talk about this a lot. Macaque in the story doesn’t really have logical growth as a character because the show isn’t willing to center any significant time around his flaws and misdeeds outside of MK being hurt by him and then in turn throwing him second chances like cheap candy, which means that Macaque’s genuinely villainous actions have no weight because even the people hurt the worst by him don’t actually get to have thoughts or feelings on how he’s hurt them, and even at his absolute most rancid all of his wrongdoings are simply forgotten, which means his dynamic with Tang is literally: Be a piece of shit -> degrade him -> violently attack him -> try to manipulate him -> be defended by Tang after releasing the Samadhi Fire -> nothing.

It’s... it’s just not good. I still don’t understand why Macaque was going to be a villain at all if nothing he did reflects back onto him in any way or is hard to grow past. It’s just... their dynamic is bad. Most of Macaque’s dynamics are bad because the majority of his growth happens offscreen and away from the people that he’s hurt, which leaves reduces what could’ve been a genuinely intriguing and complex character arc to nothing.

Fanon Rating: -8/10. Hey, do you guys like seeing Tang be turned into a snarky lid-eyed whore who hates Wukong? No? Then you won’t like Inkypages. Hey, do you guys like seeing Macaque be reduced to a blubbering pants-shitting baby who needs to be coddled past whatever misdeeds the author invented to be mad at Wukong for supposedly committing? No? Then you won’t like Inkypages. Hey, do you guys like blatant character assassination for the sake of babying villainous blorbos and over-angstifying old men? No? Then you won’t like Inkypages.

Personal Enjoyment: 0/10. This is the longest section of this rant for a reason. I just… it’s a lot like Shadowpeach, where to a large degree the fans have kinda turned me away from any portrayal of the ship- except Shadowpeach has an interesting enough dynamic that I like engaging with it anyhow, at least on my own.

End Result

(Scores ranging from -40 to +40)

Shadowpuppet= 2/40

Shadowpeach= 1/40

(Past!Shadowpeach would be around 20)

Blackberry= 8/40

Inkypages= -11/40

[olderthannetfic]

Never know how to word this. But there's this type of writing where authors try to give the woman more agency, and make her equal to the men. But then the author also basically puts more typically "female" roles onto the men and it's almost treated like a punishment or something lesser.

It's hard to explain because this isn't about like, a dude who likes to be sub to a woman. Or a woman who's the breadwinner with her house-husband. It's this very specific tone where you just get the strong feeling that the author has presents being equal to men means you have to step away from certain parts of social womanhood, and then use them as a more or less degradation tactic against the men.

Most obvious might be being the one to penetrate, and the one being penetrated. When it's treated as something humiliating to be "the bottom" as a sign that the man is below the woman. Some times also gives the feeling that penetration is only acceptable if you have a vagina, and is only NOT humiliating and empowering if you're AFAB aka have a bio-vagina.

--

[uniquethingtastemaker]

I clapped my hands and squealed when I saw this! I love it whenever people talk about my ideas and characters. It's always so rewarding, so I have to give back to something that makes me so happy.

You're so right about him apologizing for his rambles. I just wrote the first part of the fanfic (again, it's subject to change. It's 3 a.m., but I feel pretty good about this one). I'm jumping off the scene where you first meet Rook. Even then, he apologizes for getting off track.

It's sad because he's so genuine. However, I do know that when he rambles. He goes ooooooon. I remember Vil saying in Chapter 6 that he went on for 5 hrs about how he would've acted in one of Vil's scenes. I relate to the feeling so hard. I do this, but I have less shame about it. Plus, I have someone willing to listen to my rambles because they love me and think my enthusiasm is cute. It's my boyfriend. I love him. He's a cutie. Therefore, I wanna give that experience to Rook. Thinking about it, my rambles have gotten shorter, lasting around 15-30 mins rather than a whole 5 hrs. The reason is because I have a steady stream of attention. Bottling it up will give you 5 hrs, but if you do it consistently, it'll be shorter. Big brain. I came up with that on the fly. Proud of myself. Congratulations, you got one of my signature rambles lol.

Wait, wait, wait, I have thoughts about Vil and Rook! I've never gotten to speak about this before, so I'm enthusiastic, like our favorite hunter.

They're interesting because Rook and Vil are equals. Rook treats Vil like an equal. Vil doesn't get that a lot. He either looks down on people (or perhaps gives the illusion that he looks down on them (unclear)), or others put him on a pedestal due to celebrity status. There aren't many people close to him that can say they're equal to Vil. Or maybe it's more accurate to say stand up to Vil, and he listens. Rook tells truths to Vil straight. Now, there's a reason for blunt delivery. He might be a little "mean" or "insensitive," but my god, Vil is thickheaded. He's so pompous that most criticism gets thrown away because he doesn't think they're credible. Rook has to be callous to get to Vil.

Now, this isn't Rook's normal behavior. I remember when our favorite hunter reassured and helped Deuce after he ran out of practice in the 5th chapter. He was helpful and kind then. Therefore, I'm under the assumption that with Vil, he has to be mean. He has to be rough for the blonde to even consider the criticism.

Now, a few other things are interesting about their relationship. First is how Rook approached Vil without reserve... You know... now thinking about it... He might have gone to him because he would be the only one to listen or discuss his interests. Hahahaha, I'm laughing because that's both sad and hilarious. I can totally see Rook approaching Vil specifically with the thought, "People love talking about themselves." Perhaps that's why Rook got close to Vil. Vil's self-absorbed, so the topic of the hunter wouldn't come up that often. It's a surefire way to have him talk about his interests without reservation. It also showed Vil that Rook was credible and his thoughts were good because he showcased value in their talks. Not only did he talk about the good aspects but also the bad. That's something a true fan does. I love that.

I also feel like he's less intimidated by Vil than Neige, because Rook looks up to the RSA student. I'll be a little mean here. Vil has been the villain in basically all his works with Neige. It's probably easier for Rook to separate Vil from his villain role. The hunter knows that just because he plays the antagonist doesn't mean they're bad. So because he wasn't a hardcore fan of Vil, it was easier for him to befriend him. As his friend, he supports and loves Vil, but the blonde isn't his ultimate idol.

Now, I take the whole butting heads thing to be Rook just doing his own thing, and Vil being annoyed that he can't control Rook's actions. Everyone knows Vil likes being in charge and in control. So Rook is different and the reason why Vil doesn't force his control is two reasons. 1) He respects Rook. It's obvious by the way Vil doesn't pry into his suitcase during chapter 5. During that scene, it also implies that Vil knows how much Rook values his privacy. So Vil respects Rook. 2) He knows if he ever did force him, Rook would stand up to him. If Vil didn't get his act together, Rook would leave. Rook does his own thing. He has a moral code and will that isn't swayed by outside factors.

I think Vil is also more often annoyed by Rook in an "official" capacity. Rook isn't bound by duty like Vil is. The hunter tends to go wherever his heart leads him. It's why he goes after Vil in Chapter 6 instead of doing his duty as the vice leader. Therefore, it makes him a little more incompetent in an official capacity. Again, look at Chapter 6. Vil scolds him as the prefect and then as himself, saying he loves the whole crew for coming to get him. I do think Vil can become genuinely annoyed and irritated in that aspect. However, as a friend, they love each other.

Another aspect is that they work well together. Vil tends to be overly harsh, causing a lot of conflict, but Rook defuses it. They work together in that aspect, and I think Vil knows this. He might be semi-annoyed, but I don't think he's super annoyed. He's probably just judgmental, which is Vil's baseline lol

Anyway those are my unfiltered thoughts. I'm sure I repeated myself multiple times, but it's 4 am, so... here you go lol

As everyone knows, I bounce between fics based on my creative inspiration and rn I’m writing a Rook x Reader fanfic.

Now, this one is interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this concept before…

The closest thing I’ve read is probably @solxamber’s Ruler of My Heart. It’s one of my favorite Rook x Reader fanfic of all time. She peels back the layers to Rook’s character, portraying something more honest and vulnerable. It’s fantastic. If you haven’t read it, do it now.

I read that fanfic and thought I could never even touch that level of artistry. However, I feel like I’ve come up with a solid base for something good.

I haven’t seen a lot of full fanfics where Rook feels threatened. I’ve seen some drabbles where he’s felt scared and is able to deal with the threat swiftly. However, those tend to be about MC being threatened. Even in the canon story, Rook is more concerned with the safety of others rather than himself. It makes sense considering his fantastic skills.

Therefore, the man tends to be unflappable. Even if he does feel unnerved, he covers it up expertly. He can manually adjust his heart rate and breathing. However, some people can see past the facade, like Trey. Look at the Halloween event for instance.

Rook has a weakness though. He’s a private person. He doesn’t like people knowing about his past too much. Other than what he portrays to the world, which is his more of his upbeat and over the top self, he doesn’t want people to know about him. That’s his weakness.

My fanfic idea is an observant reader. Someone that makes Rook feel uncomfortable and borderline threatened because they just guessed almost everything about him upon their first meeting. That is objectively terrifying. There’s someone who matches his level of observation. Unlike Trey, who’s low key about it, MC doesn’t know that, especially at first. They almost give away too much information. Rook deals with the situation but they both know what he’s done to intervene.

So, I plan to have the main inner conflict be Rook hesitating to trust the Reader. The external conflict will obviously be Vil. Once again, I have a strange obsession with Chapter 5. I think it’s because it’s the perfect set up. There’s so many different possible conflicts and resolutions. I also don’t have to think much in terms of coming up with my own situation and set up. It’s built in there. Work smarter not harder lol

Anyway, that’s my idea for now. Let me know your thoughts. Always love interacting with people about my works and ideas

I also have thoughts regarding Rook general behavior that might be interesting. However, I’m tired, so that’ll probably be a separate post. Let me know if you’re interested.

Tagging @es-sharezone because u love Rook lol

[unluckycactus]

Stuff I picked on and appreciated about OgCale from his interaction in canon with KRS!Cale:

The way he immediately but indirectly claimed Cale as family.

I found it curious how he purposefully avoided possessive pronouns during most of their chat when speaking in present time, except when it was time to say goodbye. He used them when speaking in past-tense mostly.

He didn't ask 'how's my family?' but 'is the family doing well?' and later on he didn't say 'go to my mom's tomb' but 'go to mom's tomb.'

He didn't treat nor did he make Cale feel as an outsider despite being the first time they met.

He told Cale/ogKRS that he was going to save his (ogKRS) world.

Anyone who thinks ogCale is just having an easy time should probably watch the first minutes of Kaijuu no 8 to more or less dimension what kind of post-apocalyptic shit is going on there.

Not to mention, filling shoes as big as ogKRS' is not easy either. But he's doing it. He's working hard. And he will keep doing it, because he assured Cale he would save his world.

And what I like about that is that he didn't need too many words to convey: I'm gonna do my share, don't worry about that.

He wasn't weird about telling Cale about his mother's AP location

We know his mother was the most important person to him, but there was absolutely no weirdness or shadiness when giving Cale instructions to,,, y'know,, basically rob his mom's tomb

He's probably the only person thus far that actually gave Cale useful advice on how to become a slacker LOL

He was like 'there's no way you will get to slack if you don't get through Violan and Basen, bc they won't let you give up the heir position'

And I don't think anyone has been so upfront with Cale about that before. At least not during the whole Book 1.

Cos people usually sigh in exasperation or dismiss Cale's dream as nonsense, they don't even tell him why they think like that.

It was nice seeing someone giving Cale the heads up for once.

[transfemme-shelterdog]

I wish I could be so much meaner about anti-transmaculinity but it is too overwhelming to have 300 "kys" in your inbox.

Saw a post basically saying "conservatives will forgive trans men for detransitioning and will think you're saved." However if you think about it, they don't. They want us to be baby-making slaves. That's why "female genital mutilation" is a concern and why it's mentioned in the laws. Also saved? Forcibly detransitioned to pop out babies? Excuse me? That's SAVING?

Being treated like breeding cattle isn't a good thing. And it's fucking dumb to go "well you know trans women have it worse..." I'm sorry WHEN were we playing oppression Olympics? I thought we were fighting side by side. I don't want to play 'who has it worse.' A fascist is president in the U.S. and we are pleading these anti trans bills are hurting us.

Yeah nobody is getting saved. Conservatives 100% see perisex AFAB transmascs and trans men as confused women who just need a baby inside them to set them straight. It's gross, on many levels.

I also hate the fighting over who has it worse. Like I've always said, we're all fucked, but in different positions. Infighting is how we'll lose this battle.

[whenhypen]

falling for you, this is for you

jake x gn!reader, 1087 words playlist - blossom by enhypen, fallin’ by dawn content warnings: established relationship, fluff, small amounts of skinship, one mention of reader being compared to a “disney princess” but it’s not really gendering the reader and is more for comedy.

(masterlist)

author’s note: this is the first fanfic I’ve ever written! please give feedback and suggestions (positive or negative), so I can improve. I tried my best to not include the reader having a specific gender or race to keep it inclusive, but please let me know if there are gendered terms or things that could elude to race!

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the park as cherry blossoms fell in the gentle breeze. It was Valentine’s Day, and Jake had been looking forward to this moment all week. He had meticulously planned every detail, wanting to make it special for you. As he reached the park, he took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

You were already there, sitting on a bench under a flowering cherry blossom tree, petals fluttering around you like delicate pink snowflakes. Jake’s heart raced at the sight of you. You looked so perfect, focused on a book. He approached you quietly, not wanting to interrupt.

“Hey there, Valentine!” he said, a playful smile spreading across his face.

You looked up, your eyes lighting up. “Jake! You made it!” You closed your book and stood up, giving him a warm hug. He wrapped his arms around you, feeling the comfort of your presence.

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he replied, pulling back to look at you. “Ready for a fun day?”

“Absolutely! What’s the plan?” you asked, curiosity sparkling in your eyes.

Jake grinned, his excitement bubbling over. “First, picnic time! I packed some of your favorite snacks and a few Valentine’s Day goodies!”

Your eyes sparkled with joy. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

“Only the best for you,” he said, winking. Jake led you to a cozy spot on the grass, where he had laid out a checkered blanket adorned with heart patterns. As you both settled, he pulled out a basket filled with heart-shaped sandwiches, strawberries with chocolate (STRAWBERRY WITH CHOCOLATE), and cookies decorated with pink icing.

“This looks great!” you exclaimed, your mouth watering.

“I’m glad you think so!” Jake said, handing you a heart-shaped sandwich. “I made sure to include everything you love—no mayo, just how you like it.”

As you both enjoyed the picnic, you talked about everything and anything. Jake loved hearing your laughter, especially when you made fun of his attempts at “cooking.” 

“I mean, who knew heart-shaped sandwiches could be so… avant-garde?” you taunted.

“Hey, it’s called creativity!” he hit back, giggling. “I’m basically an artist.”

After finishing the picnic, Jake asked, “How about we take a walk around the park? I heard there’s a cute pond nearby with some Valentine’s decorations.”

You nodded, eager to explore. As you walked, side by side, the gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the sound of laughter from nearby children filled the air. Jake felt a sense of peace, enjoying the simple pleasure of being with you.

When you reached the pond, you were captivated by the sight. The water sparkled under the sunlight, and ducks paddled lazily across the water’s surface. You leaned over the bridge’s railing, eyes wide with wonder.

“They’re so cute!” you exclaimed, pointing at the ducks. “Look at ‘em!”

Jake chuckled, his heart swelling at your enthusiasm. “They are. Wanna feed them?”

You nodded eagerly, and Jake reached into his bag, pulling out some bread he had brought (don’t actually feed ducks bread! It causes digestion problems. feed them quinoa instead). He tore off small pieces and handed them to you. Together, you tossed the bread into the water, watching as the ducks quacked and splashed around, eagerly eating the treats.

“This is so much fun!” you laughed, your joy infectious. “I feel like a Disney princess!”

“Just wait until the squirrels start singing,” Jake joked, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Then we’ll know we’ve made it.”

After a while, you both decided to sit on a nearby bench, enjoying the view of the pond. Jake turned to you, his expression serious for a moment. “I’m really glad we could do this together. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”

You smiled, cheeks turning warm.

As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a pink-golden hue over the park, Jake suggested, “How about we take a few pictures to remember today?”

You agreed enthusiastically, and he pulled out his phone. He snapped a few candid shots of you, capturing your laughter and the way the sunlight danced in your hair. Then, it was your turn to take pictures of him. You playfully posed, making silly faces that made him laugh.

“Okay, now let’s take a serious one!” you said with a mock-serious expression, trying to stifle your giggles. Jake straightened up, putting on his best model face, and you couldn’t help but burst into laughter again.

“Seriously, though,” you said, wiping your tears of laughter from your eyes. “This day has been perfect.”

Jake smiled, his heart swelling with happiness. “I’m glad you think so. I wanted it to be special for you.”

As the sun began to set, the hues of orange and pink turning blue, you both settled back onto the bench, the warmth of the day wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. The park was starting to quiet down, the sounds of laughter fading into the distance.

“Do you remember our first Valentine’s Day together?” you asked, leaning your head on his shoulder.

“Of course! We were so awkward,” he chuckled, recalling the memory. “I think I tripped over my own feet trying to impress you.”

You laughed, nudging him playfully. “And I spilled juice all over your shirt! I thought you’d never want to see me again.”

“Never! You were too charming for that,” he replied, his voice softening. 

You looked up at him, your heart fluttering at the genuineness in his eyes. “You make everything better.”

As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, Jake took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “I know today is about celebrating love, and I just want you to know how much you mean to me.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jake,” you echoed.

As the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, you both sat in comfortable silence, hand in hand, knowing that this day would be etched in your hearts forever. The cherry blossoms continued to dance in the gentle breeze, a beautiful reminder of the bond you have.

[somereaderinblue]

Your Odysseus of Troy au made me remember a fun fact I discovered when I decided to look up gay relationships in Ancient Greece times

Now everyone probably knows that men sometimes had male partners in Ancient Greece, what most people don't know was that gay relationships was not all that and was actually really complex

Basically, the man who is the 'bottom' in the relationship was seen as to be the 'woman' in the relationship and not be a man in the eyes of Greece society (except for slaves as they weren't seen as human). There was also some weird ideas that if you were the 'bottom' you must be biologically female

Now I don't know about Troy, but it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to think that the Trojans also had the same mindset, which for Odysseus, is not great. He was taken from his homeland with his baby son, married and forced to sleep with someone against his will; yet no one thinks that is messed up and instead focuses on how Odysseus being with Paris does not make him a man and he probably wouldn't be accepted as one by the others in Troy except for Charis, Odysseus's handmaiden

Just the thought that Odysseus is treated as a woman because of his situation with Paris, which he did not consent to, is probably frustrating and a bit humiliating as Odysseus will most likely also not be treated the same after the Trojan war like before he was kidnapped

And if you want to go the route of t4t Odypen this would just mess with Odysseus as he would be thrown back to times before he transitioned with how most of Troy and Paris are treating him

Yes, one of many power plays Paris does is send Odysseus to sit with the rest of the women, i.e. wives, mothers & daughters, during gatherings. It was another bitter pill to swallow but not the most painful one; plus, it let him learn how to weave so he could feel closer to his wife.

Pre-transition, Athena's patronage fended off suitors & Anticlea herself wanted Ody to marry for true love. He wasn't 100% shielded from the uglier aspects that comes with being a woman & he's too sharp to not see the harsh truths behind any sugarcoating but he definitely had it better than most. Post-transition, his parents were supportive, Athena couldn't care less and even gave him top surgery, he had a kindred soul in Penelope & Ithaca's a close-knit community in gen that accepted him a prince who knew what he was doing.

TW: brief mentions of SA, abortion & body dysmorphia

He has none of that in Troy & Paris has made it clear he wants him knocked up. Luckily, Ody knows how to brew an abortifacient/contraceptive to ensure it doesn't happen, giving him some degree of control. He also tries to focus on Telemachus, messing with Paris & aiding Greek from the inside so he doesn't dwell on body dysmorphia.

And as much as I love happy endings, my traitorous mind also can't help but think of angsty long-term consequences like what you mentioned. Odysseus is traumatized, his reputation will never be the same & that's not even getting into what an older Telemachus will have to grapple with. Still, better to face those consequences than avoid them by staying in an even more miserable status quo.

[thehollowwriter]

It's been 10 billion years and writing is slow sooooo sneak peek for Lamentations part 7 finally! I'm not finished yet but ya'll need something

-

Key: Regular text is for the present. Italics is for flashbacks, bold is for journal entries

-

"Raine, if you set the traps like that it won't work."

Silas' voice was soft and patient, but tired.

"I-I know, sir, but Timo's shit at explaining what to do!" Raine said, provoking an annoyed "Hey!" from the cuttlefish in question.

"It's not my fault you don't listen!"

"I do! You just think nonsense yappin' makes any kind of sense! You just drone on and on!"

"I do not!"

"Quiet." Silas hissed, harsher than intended, and took in a sharp breath as his two youngest hires went silent and glared at each other.

"Raine, I'll show you."

It took a few tries and a few snarky comments from Timo (who, freshly 19, seemed to have found himself a bit of sass), but Silas managed to break it down in a way Raine could understand."

She eventually got it, and the blue rings covering her body lit up brightly. "I did it! I did it! Thank you, Mister Silas!"

Raine was only twenty and very new, but she had an energetic dedication to learning that Silas very much appreciated.

Silas nodded at the two mers and began making his way back home, absentmindedly going over the earlier events.

He had to repeat himself and correct Raine a number of times, and Raine looked to be on the verge of tears, muttering apologies and bunching up her tentacles in shame.

"Calm down, it's fine." Silas told her every time, though in retrospect, he probably sounded much harsher than intended. However, if he could pat himself on the back for anything, it would be the fact that he was leagues better than he was in his youth.

Younger Silas was controlling and impatient, snapping and snarling at the hunters Lady Roda had paired him with, frustrated at them for being unable to keep up or follow every demand. He probably would have made Raine burst into tears.

...No, he definitely would have made Raine burst into tears.

Silas came to the large, cave-like rock he called his home and swam inside, shutting the large limestone door behind him.

Before going back to writing, though, Silas turned down the hall to a different room and peeked inside. He stared for a while, then nodded to himself and left.

Then he returned to his office, if you could really call it that. It, just like every room in the "house", was just a big space carved into a rock with a curtain of seaweed acting like a door (a definite downgrade to the nice limestone front door painted light blue)

Inside, there was a desk with some files in the drawers and pictures on the walls, and that was about it.

Silas rummaged around to pull out his little life story and placed it on the desk, sitting down with a heavy sigh.

I struggled after the loss of my grandfather. While I did start spending less time in my room and more time with Morrigan or hunting, I still didn't eat much. I'd pick at my food, often leaving the fish basically whole, the crabs with most of their legs, and so on.

That scared Morrigan, I think. He didn't want me to go back to how I used to be before my hospital stay, sickly and malnourished.

"Silas, please," He'd say, his tones inches away from becoming hysterical. "You need to eat. I-I know it's hard, but you can't- you can't-"

Then he'd shake his head and mumble to himself. Back then, I don't think I appreciated his fear like I should have. I was mourning and hurting, and my partner was, in my eyes, insinuating that I was weak in some way. I never said anything, but it angered me.

If I think of it now... it's scary, seeing someone you care for in so much pain. It was stressed to me that if I hadn't gone to the hospital, I would have died sometime or later.

I didn't... care that much. I'm used to death. To almost dying.

But Morrigan wasn't. Morrigan, though he wasn't necessarily happy or well-treated, was sheltered from death and other forms of suffering for most of his life. The news was like a punch to the gut to him, and after my discharge, he would hover around me whenever I ate.

It... it must have scared him when I stopped eating.

"I don't want to see you hooked up to an IV again," He'd whisper. "You were so sick I... I don't want that to happen to you again."

It's strange to think about how something so normal for me was so horrifying to Morrigan.

In hindsight, though, he was right. I hated my time in recovery, but I'm glad it happened. I don't think I would have recovered from this loss if I hadn't.

Things got better. Slowly. The soul crushing grief I felt lightened. I started eating more, and Morrigan's relief was hard to miss. I felt more alive.

There is a hole in me. It can't be filled, but... it's not so gaping and consuming anymore.

-End (for now)

...........................................

A/N: Welp I hope you guys enjoyed this little snippet! I frankly am very very inexcusably late for an update abdndndnffn

Tagging: @distant-velleity @br3adtoasty @rainesol @theleechyskrunkly @jovieinramshackle

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[lustlovehart]

Can I ask an octotrio monster question? Could the tweels ever bully or convince Azul into helping them become temporarily human in order to bother mh!mc on land?

They can try for sure! I like to think Monster!Twst Azul, while still having the insecurities of his original, has a slight bit more confidence in himself, which is what make him a little less prone to their teasing. This is because he’s essentially the top consumer in the food chain of the sea, with the tweels being the second.

They’ll essentially just tell Azul you seem down every time you meet with him, whether human, small, or true form. They’re basically indirectly telling him you don’t like him anymore, even though you’ve been treating him the same!

However, this bullying/convinving can get them somewhere. It can certainly cause Azul to grow doubt in his capabilities to please you… What if he alone with his solo efforts, isn't enough to swoon you… What will he do then?! Should he just give up?! He can’t possibly fathom the idea… But the thought of you leaving him from his own failures is even worse…! This is what leads to those eels telling him they know how talk to you. I mean, they’ve both taken you on a date before!

(what? He didn't know this, when did that happen?!?)

And so, they’re they both are, human legs, learning how to walk and dress, all while somehow flirting with you better than Azul has all this time. But now Azul is seething because he foolishly fell for it in his desperation for you… They were, meant to be helping him, but it seems it was the other way around!

He uses his experience of walking over them, pulling you away as quickly as possible. But somehow Floyd dgets the hang of it quickly due to being in a good mood, swooping you away even faster than Azul can save you.

… On the bright side he can laugh at Jade struggling while he plans on how to woo you better than them— Somehow even Jades failure works better because now you’re letting him lean on you to help with walking?!?

… Azul really just can’t win…