#and your vulnerabilities can be exploited
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You don't necessarily have to want churches to be the only option for aid, or care where people turn to replace the resources that the stripped funding was providing, but all the reasons are pretty much exactly that awful.
If you tear massive holes in the social safety net, shitty employers can start making (even more) bank. They can cut wages, start demanding that staff clock out and keep working, cut back on safety measures that staff refused to work without, union-bust to their hearts' content, etc. etc. etc. All the jobs people weren't taking because they were dangerous, degrading, and didn't pay dick?
If you cannot afford to give up a single dime out of your paycheck without going hungry or losing your home, your boss can do pretty much whatever the hell they want and you're stuck putting up with it, especially now that the government may just... not enforce the employee-rights laws they're breaking at all, instead of in 6-10 weeks.
Shitty landlords get a chance to turf out tenants who suddenly can't make rent. Local laws put in place to keep people from being evicted just to flip a property for development, preserve rent-controlled properties, capping year-to-year rent hikes, etc., almost never keep people from being evicted for non-payment, and most don't curtail what can be done with the property if there's not an active tenant.
Plus in cities where ritzy developments have to set aside x many units for low-income or section 8 tenants, there are a shocking number of people who'd rather see the units empty than tenanted by the wrong sort of occupants. Suddenly cutting off the money the subsidizes the rent those tenants otherwise can't make without the vouchers means the units will go empty.
Shitty health insurance plans will probably see a big windfall off the medicaid fuckery, too. No medicaid doesn't stop your kid from needing insulin, or you from needing heart pills, so now companies offering predatory policies that cover just enough to keep you from dying a preventable death get a chance to soak even more out of the poor.
Research agencies, non-profits, cultural institutions, etc. all also get much, much more vulnerable to manipulation or outright capture by corporate interests or pathological rich fucks if federal funding gets yanked or just suddenly becomes unreliable. If an institute turning out research that was bad for your business suddenly gets a 30% hole blown in its budget, it becomes very easy to let the research tank or offer to make up the shortfall... so long as they don't do stuff you don't like.
Non-profits that have to go begging to private philanthropists frequently find themselves beholden to those interests, either because any donations are earmarked for things the donor thinks are important or because the donations will dry up if they piss the donor off.
Why would they do this? Because desperate people are wildly easier to exploit. Because if you'll starve, lose your home, or die of medical neglect if you try to enforce your rights, then those rights might as well not exist. Because it gives oligarchs even more social and political power than they already have. The church is just one way to exercise social control over the poor.
I am finding out that a lot of things I thought were common knowledge about Christian Fundamentalism are not in fact common knowledge.
Like with the aid freeze, people were like why would they do this? And I was like cause they want churches to be the only option for aid.
And people were shocked. And I was also shocked that this wasn't like...more well known. I grew up with people who were anti-aid because they felt that belonged to the church and made people behave more worldly if they could get it elsewhere. It was so well known it was a debate topic in my Philosophy of Religion course in high school.
I'm just...I'm concerned at how little some groups seem to know about Christian Fundamentalism. I wish I could help translate more.
#for some of them I'm sure it's to put people back under the thumb of the church#for some of them I'm sure it's a straight-out gift to corporations looking to break new wage-theft records#for some of them it's likely flat-out eugenics and they're hoping that this kills the most dependent and vulnerable before it's rolled back
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wip wednesday
(but where i got 2k into 3 different projects and dropped them all to write a silly gffa oneshot about the jedi thinking anakin was married to obi-wan)
When Anakin decides that he must tell the Jedi Council about his marriage, the whole thing has painfully little to do with his wife. Really, it’s all just the perfect storm. It’s a series of coincidences and conjoined events so convoluted and instantenous, stacked one on top of another in rapid fire, that Anakin’s head hasn’t even fully wrapped around one before he must begin to process another. And Anakin’s always been pretty great at multi-tasking, but not when it comes to the thornier, immaterial kinds of things. Give him four droids in need of fixing, a pod-engine that’s making a stubborn clurk-claank sound, and a recipe to make for dinner, and he can do it all at the same time. Give him a disappointed former master, a distant, angry wife, and a rebellious padawan, and his brain has a tendency to just sort of stall to a halt. So what it really all boils down to is that Anakin has had a rough couple of days, and he’s spent most of that time sleepless and pacing around his quarters. All because four days ago, they’d gotten word that Obi-Wan’s ship had been shot down in a dog fight on some Mid Rim planet Anakin’s never heard of in his life. Allegedly, the man had been recovered alive and healthy, but the crash must have knocked his ability to answer a kriffing comm call straight out of his master’s head, because Anakin hasn’t actually heard from him since he was downed. It’s been four days in total, three and a half since he was recovered. It’s all bordering on unacceptable, but Anakin knows he can’t personally fly out to Obi-Wan’s forces—if only because he has been assigned duties at the Temple and to leave the planet would be to abandon his post, and he doesn’t want to assume that his master is so bedridden that he can’t get up, yell at him, and drag him by his ear back to the Council. And he would be assuming, because he hasn’t heard from him at all. Which is why he’s here, walking back and forth in the living area of his quarters, from the threshold of the door to the threshold of Obi-Wan’s sleeping quarters. Over and over and over again as his mind spins in circles akin to that of a whirlpool: he’s fine and he’s alive and he’s been found and he’s fine and he’s alive and even if he lost both of his arms, surely he could use his nose to answer his fucking comm but he’s fine and he’s alive or I would have been fucking told about it so he’s fine and he’s—
#obikin#i promise its going to be silly#basically anakin walks in on padme doing a mandatory wartime government training video about how secrets can leave you vulnerable#and your vulnerabilities can be exploited#and he connects that to obi-wan being hurt and also realizes he needs to tell the council his secrets aka his marriage#so they cant be used against him#to hurt his vulnerable spots#aka his master#but work has been hurting my brain the last like 2 days its ridiculous#so this and everything else is slow going
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SpaceDad specified "personal" because whenever he's more generalist in his posts, literalists come trolling.
We can't keep exploitative governments out of our lives, especially the people most vulnerable to exploitation. But we can start with those in our personal lives and build a community out from that where we all begin to collectively refute the fascism as much as possible.
Because also...
Picard says go out there and fight in all the ways that you can to support others in the way that they can. Honour the differences in needs and abilities. Build a community of mutual respect and support.
PS this second one was originally calling out leftists who stopped masking up, thus excluding medically vulnerable people from activist events. Make sure your events are fully disabled inclusive and that you mask up all the time to stop the capitalist drive fuelling this ongoing mass-disabling event.
I want you to remember:
The fascists hate you too and they just will pretend otherwise until after they've killed the rest of us, before they turn on you.
#be the change you wish to see#mask up#spread the word#down with capitalism#up with protecting each other#return to your leftist values
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It's already joever for me so let's go say:
(wait why did I say joever? I meant to say it already late for me)
Implied suicide/suicide ideation??????
Peka but he has found a way to "die" and now every now and then kills himself in order to relief the pain of the wait. Peka who has experienced the freedom of death like if a soothing sleep was only to wake up again as if his death meant nothing. Because it doesn't. He can be put back together whenever he feels like it.
Peka who desperately wishes for death. Peka who hopes for the day he doesn't wake up and can finally rest for the eons he has been going through
#perceptive little crow#i really need to find a way to explain the metanarrative hlev and peka have without sounding like an absolute creep (impossible challenge#anyways this is just a “wouldn't it be fucked up or what” moment qnd i LOVE IT#he's SO depressed your honor it's not wven funny anyways#another thing i thought this morning was about like. what ir he hae q weird ass savior complex when it comes to rhe super myths#he would see rhem and have two thoughts in mind#“a perfect investment” (exploiting their vulnerable mental state to strike a deal. keep getting cash qnd keep the company running)#“i can help them” (sees himself in them and understands the fear and despair that is failing and not being able to do what you want/have to#it's a perfect cocktail for absolute disaster because he'd form a soft spot for them. ultimately falling once they do one by one#and hell. who's to say this didn't happen before#this didn't happen without him even realizing it#who was the first saved by his warm embrace?#who was the first one to fall because of his scorching flames#much to think about!
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imagine your little brother gets married to a beautiful and wonderful woman that makes him a better version of himself and you and her become really good friends and the four of you including your husband become a unit and you're close and you like each other and your little brother is so happy and fulfilled and then his wonderful wife dies horribly and leaves him stricken and permanently changed with grief and he sinks so low that he permanently cuts his mind in two just so he can make the days go by faster and get work done without being haunted by his dead wife who he still loves and you also still love her and you really love your brother and you can't stop him from making the decisions he makes but you can keep reminding him you love him by being someone he can lean on and never letting up your affectionate teasing of him and in general being a "way better sibling than him" and you never agree with how he's handling his life and you're never trusting of his employers but you still haven't found a way of telling him you disapprove without pushing him further away and that's the last thing you want because he's your brother and you're all each other has and you can't help but love his stupid annoying ass and then one night his alternate self shows up to talk to you and ask you for help and he's so different and earnest and vulnerable and interested and bright-eyed and he smiles at you and you so badly want to help him but then he's gone and you're left exhausted and overwhelmed and there you are you're nearing middle age and you're life has wound up in this fucked up place where you're caring for your strange and awkward but loyal and loving manchild of a husband, your actual child who has just been born, and your fucked up grieving suicide risk of a little brother who has gone and got himself caught up in some kind of dystopian corporate conspiracy just because he'd rather let himself be exploited for labour through ethically dubious brain surgery rather than face up to his feelings which are too grotesque and intense for you to ever fathom or understand and that scares you because you want to understand him but you can't. and he's never been more out of reach. okay you've successfully simulated what it's like to be devon scout and that's why she's the best character in the show
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arcane characters proposing x fem reader
characters: viktor, jinx, vi, caitlyn, jayce, ekko, silco, mel and sevika.
writer's note: it was so satisfying to have written this after so much dramaaaa. i really liked this dynamic and i'll exploit it with so much more scenarios so be prepared for a lot of fluff, btw my favorite proposal was jayce's, he was all cute and clumsy. as you already know request are open ;)
wedding link:
Viktor
The silence in the lab is heavy, interrupted only by the soft hum of the machines he has designed himself. You’re beside him, watching how his fingers move with skill, adjusting a piece of the contraption he holds in his hands. The dim light from the lamps reflects on his face, casting shadows that highlight the features of his face, always so serious, so focused. But in his eyes, there’s something different today. Something... softer, deeper.
You’re used to seeing him in his colder, distant side, but something has changed. There’s a strange calmness in his presence. When he looks up and meets your gaze, his lips curl slightly, a small but meaningful smile.
"Science is my life," he says in his deep, measured tone, as if evaluating each word before speaking. "And it always has been. But some time ago, something changed. Something that... has nothing to do with experiments or formulas. Something I can’t measure or control."
He looks at you with an intensity that feels almost uncomfortable, as if he were exposed, vulnerable, on ground where he doesn’t have all the answers. His voice, though firm, carries a vulnerability he rarely shows.
"You’ve given me more than I thought I needed," he continues, his eyes never leaving yours. "It’s not just what you’ve done for me in the lab. It’s... what you’ve done for me as a person. You’ve been my anchor, my reason to keep going when everything seemed lost. In a world that doesn’t have clear answers, you’re the only certainty I have."
The distance between the two of you seems to shorten. Viktor takes a step toward you, although his movements are slow, as if each one carries meaning. He stops beside you, almost as if it were a gesture of trust, of allowing himself to be vulnerable in your presence. He closes his eyes for a moment, as if preparing to say something that has taken him a long time to decide.
"What I’m about to say... doesn’t have any exact formula. No calculation that validates it," he says, and you can see his hands tremble slightly. "But I know that, with everything I’ve done, with everything I still want to do, I would never feel complete without you."
His voice is soft now, much quieter, as if what he’s about to say is a secret, one he’s revealing only to you.
"I’ve seen you beyond the brilliant mind, beyond the scientist who always challenges me. I’ve seen you as someone who, no matter how many times I shut myself off from the world, continues to be by my side, expecting nothing more than... to be with me."
He takes something from his pocket. A small metal case. He opens the lid carefully, revealing a simple ring, but with an elegance that only he could have imagined and created. The Hextech light reflects off the blue stone, casting glimmers that make your breath catch for a moment.
"My life wouldn’t be the same without you. And if there’s one thing in this world I don’t want to lose, it’s the opportunity to have you by my side forever."
Viktor looks at you deeply, waiting, more vulnerable than he’s ever been. And finally, after all the science, all the advancements, all the sacrifices... he asks you with a sincerity that cuts through the air:
"Will you marry me?"
The silence that follows is absolute. You stay motionless, unable to articulate a word. The weight of his declaration, of his vulnerability, pierces you, but instead of an immediate response, you dive into the intensity of his eyes, looking for something, any sign, any confirmation that this isn’t a dream. Viktor begins to worry, and the discomfort is reflected on his face.
"It’s a shame... I can’t do it the conventional way, kneeling..." he murmurs, his voice trembling. "But... I guess..."
You can’t let him finish the sentence. The anxiety in his eyes, the insecurity in his posture, prevents you from doing so. You move quickly, placing your lips on his with a soft kiss, but one filled with everything you can’t put into words. The world seems to fade away, and all that remains is him, the beating of your heart, and that silent connection between you two.
When you finally pull away, his gaze is still fixed on you, expectant, anxious. With a tenderness that comes from deep within, you take his face in your hands, your fingers caressing his skin as if it were the most precious thing in the world. And it was. He was the most precious thing in your world.
You look deeply into his eyes, every word that leaves your mouth filled with love, promises, and everything you haven’t said until now.
"Yes, Viktor... yes, yes, yes. Always yes."
The air between you both is filled with a new energy, one that needs no more words, because the simple fact of being together is enough.
Jinx
The night has fallen, but it’s not a peaceful one. The air is charged with electricity, as if the whole world is waiting for something, and you, trapped in the whirlwind of the city, can’t help but feel that something is about to explode. Literally.
You walk through the dark alleys of the Undercity, the neon lights flickering around you, when suddenly, a familiar laugh makes you turn. Jinx appears, her electric blue hair waving in the wind and a spark of madness in her eyes. She’s holding a large, seemingly heavy box in her hands, grinning mischievously.
“Surprise!” she says, her voice overflowing with excitement. “I’ve got something incredible to show you. It’s bigger than anything you’ve ever seen!”
Before you can say anything, she grabs your hand and drags you toward an open space, where a small platform is set up, filled with wires and explosives. The sense of danger is in the air, but it’s impossible not to feel the adrenaline she radiates. You know that with Jinx, you can’t expect anything conventional, but that’s what makes her so unpredictable. So... perfect.
“What are you doing?” you ask, although you can already imagine the kind of madness she has in mind.
“Doing what I’ve always wanted to do! A celebration of love that no one will ever forget!” she replies, her smile so wide it almost lights up the city’s darkness.
Jinx runs toward an improvised control panel and presses a button with exaggerated theatricality, as if it were a grand revelation. Suddenly, the sky lights up. A flash of colors bursts above you, as if the very chaos inside her wanted to spill over into the universe. Fireworks. A visual spectacle so dazzling that it takes your breath away. It’s as if the whole city is alive, as if life and death themselves were dancing in the sky.
While the explosions of colors fill the air, Jinx approaches you, her eyes sparkling as if she had immersed herself in her own world of madness and love. She’s not one to beat around the bush or speak sweetly, so when she takes your face in her hands, her fingers cold but full of energy, you know what she’s about to say is as unexpected as everything she does.
“Listen,” she says, looking at the colorful stars exploding above them. “What I love most about this world is the chaos. Things don’t have to be perfect or make sense! But... there’s one thing I’m absolutely sure of.”
Your heart beats faster, but you can’t help but smile at her wild declaration.
“I want you to be my chaos,” she continues, her voice full of determination. “I want you to join me in this journey of madness, to hold on to me when I explode, to keep laughing when the world falls apart, to follow me... because you and I are invincible!”
With a nearly mischievous grin, Jinx pulls something from her jacket: a ring. It’s quirky, like everything in her life, with visible gears and sparkling stones, some even crackling slightly, as if they’re about to explode.
“What I mean is... will you marry me? Tell me yes before I run out of fireworks!”
Jinx’s laughter is a little overwhelming, an echo of her own unpredictable essence. But despite all her chaos, there’s something so sincere in her eyes, something that makes you feel that, even though the world may be on the edge of destruction, this moment, this chaos, is the only thing that truly matters.
You stand there, speechless for a moment, overwhelmed by the light bombardment and the madness of the proposal, but when you see how she looks at you, waiting, you realize you have no doubts. Jinx has made it clear in her own language: love is a dangerous game, but you want to play it by her side.
With a brilliant smile, you approach her, and between the lights, amid the roar, you whisper:
“Yes, Jinx. Yes, to this chaos. Yes, always.”
Vi
You’re lying on the couch, comfortable and relaxed, with your head resting on Vi’s legs. The soft sound of the city that never sleeps drifts in from the window, but inside the house, the silence feels cozy. Vi is sitting, her muscles tense but calm, with a thoughtful expression as she plays with your hair, something that always soothes you.
The warmth of her presence surrounds you, and for a moment, everything seems perfect. But something in the air changes. Vi’s relaxed demeanor begins to feel different, as if she’s holding something back. You realize that, for the first time, she’s not being the confident Vi, the one who always has everything under control.
“Are you okay?” you ask, lifting your head from her legs to look at her directly. Vi doesn’t answer right away, and her fingers stop moving through your hair. There’s uncertainty in her eyes, something you haven’t seen before.
She shifts, crosses her legs, but doesn’t seem as comfortable as usual. “You know... I’m not really good with these things,” she says, her voice softer than usual. “I’m always the one who throws punches and solves everything my way, but now...” Her gaze drops to the floor for a moment, avoiding eye contact.
You look at her, sensing that something important is about to come out of her mouth. On her face, that nervous grimace is a clear sign that she’s struggling with herself. Something’s going on, but she doesn’t know how to express it.
“What I mean is... I’ve never been good with words,” Vi continues, letting out a nervous laugh. “And I’m not one for grand gestures or fancy things. I’m not someone who can give you the best, like... you know, expensive jewelry or fancy places. But there’s something I know I want.”
Vi takes something from her pocket, and when you see it, a small ring appears between her fingers. It’s not shiny or flashy. It’s simple, made of metal with a rustic design, almost as if she made it herself. A small symbol of her effort and her love.
“This... isn’t much,” she says, looking at the ring with a slight embarrassment. “I got it with what I could save. It’s not perfect, but... I want it to be a symbol of who I am for you. Of everything we’ve been through together. And... I want us to be together. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, even if I’m not the best at this. Because, despite everything, I love you more than I can put into words.”
Vi looks at the ring like it’s a simple object, but in her eyes, you can see how much it means to her. Her insecurity is palpable, as if she’s waiting for the ring to not be enough. But you know that’s not what matters. You know it’s all she has to offer you, and that’s what makes this moment even more special.
You see her nervous, waiting for a response, and you can’t help but smile. You get up and stand in front of her, gently touching her hands, and when you look at her, the insecurity on her face melts away, though her voice is still a fearful whisper.
“Vi,” you say, with a sincere smile. “I don’t care about the ring, I don’t care about what you couldn’t give me. What matters is that you’ve shown me more love than I ever imagined. Yes, I want to marry you. Yes, I always want to be with you, by your side.”
Vi looks at you as if she can’t believe what she just heard. Her face lights up with a pure expression of relief and happiness. Even though the words aren’t perfect, everything this moment means is in her eyes. She lets out a nervous laugh and, without thinking, pulls you into a tight hug.
“I knew you’d say yes,” she whispers, but her voice is full of emotion. And you, amid the laughter and the embrace, know that despite everything that has happened, this moment couldn’t be more perfect.
Caitlyn
Night has fallen over Piltover, and the city lights shine with a golden glow, reflecting the majesty of the buildings and the life that has always characterized this city. Caitlyn has invited you to dinner at one of the most exclusive restaurants in town, an elegant place, tastefully decorated, where the panoramic view takes your breath away. The atmosphere is calm, yet filled with a sophisticated air. The murmurs of other diners do not interrupt the softness of the background music.
Caitlyn looks impeccable, as always, in her elegant dress that accentuates her delicate but strong features. The soft candlelight flickers on her face, highlighting the concentration in her eyes. From the moment you entered the restaurant, you could sense something in the air, but she is determined to maintain composure, even though her hands occasionally move restlessly over the table.
The dinner goes on as usual, with Caitlyn talking about her latest research advancements, her projects, and concerns about the future of Piltover. But even though the topic is important and her voice is firm, you can't help but notice the tension inside her. She drinks a bit more wine than she normally would, and from time to time, her fingers play with the glass as if she is seeking comfort.
"I've been waiting for this," she says suddenly, her eyes fixed on you, although her tone betrays her nervousness. "I don't know if I'm good at this, but I think... well, I need to be honest. I don't like hiding things, and this is important."
Your eyes meet hers, noticing how a slight blush begins to appear on her cheeks. Caitlyn, the woman who always has a logical answer for everything, now looks completely vulnerable. But it's not her nervousness that makes you smile; it's the way she looks at you, as if this moment is more important than any project or achievement.
Caitlyn sighs deeply and finally gets up from her chair, giving you a little spin around the table. You don't know if it's to calm herself or because she needs to distract her thoughts, but she approaches slowly, as if each step is a challenge. Her hands tremble slightly as she places them on the table, and you realize that something very important is about to happen.
"I know this isn't something I planned in the traditional way," she says, her voice soft but firm, "but... this is how I feel. And I want you to know." She lifts her hand, showing you a small ring, whose shine is subtle but radiant. It is a delicate ring, with a simple yet elegant design, of impeccable quality. And when you see it, you realize it's not just any jewel.
It's the ring her mother wore at her wedding, the same one Caitlyn had seen so many times, the one she had touched with so much love when she was a child. A symbol of tradition, of enduring love. A symbol of family.
"This is my mother's ring," Caitlyn says, almost whispering. "I know it's not a modern ring, nor expensive compared to what I could buy, but... it holds a very special meaning. For me, it means everything I want to offer you. My family, my love, my commitment. My promise that I'll always be by your side."
She looks at you, her eyes shining with emotion, as if it were the first time she showed something so intimate, so hers. There are no doubts in her gaze, only a deep certainty of what she's saying, but her voice remains soft, sincere.
"I love you," she says, with a clarity that reaches straight to your heart. "And I want you to be my partner in all of this, not just in the good moments, but in the difficult ones. Because, for me, there is no one else I want to be with. Only you."
Caitlyn places the ring in front of you, and for a moment, all the bustle of the restaurant disappears. Only the soft sound of her breath and the beating of your heart remain. You know what you have to do, but this moment feels so perfect, so genuine, that the words seem stuck in your throat. All you want to do is take her hand, look her in the eyes, and say yes.
Finally, your words come out with a wide smile. "Yes, Cait. Yes, I want to spend my life with you."
Caitlyn's eyes light up with a happiness that makes you feel as if everything is in its place, as if nothing else matters about what may come in the future. This moment, this commitment, is everything you both needed.
Caitlyn hugs you tightly, and the ring shines on your finger, a symbol of a pure and deep love, born from honesty, vulnerability, and sincerity from a woman who, despite her external perfection, has always been real with you.
Jayce
The day had been long and full of work, but Jayce, with his determined spirit, decided to surprise you. Instead of taking you to a fancy restaurant or preparing something sophisticated, he had a much bolder idea—a homemade dinner. That made you smile immediately, knowing that Jayce wasn’t exactly an expert chef. But you didn’t care; the idea of sharing something so personal with him excited you more than any gourmet dinner.
When you entered the kitchen, you found him with an expression of total concentration, mixing ingredients in a way that left much to be desired, but you found it charming. He had made pasta, something simple, but it had surely cost him more effort than he wanted to admit.
"Surprise!" he said as he saw you approach. Although the dish wasn’t a culinary masterpiece, you sat with him, and despite the imperfections, you enjoyed every bite. The smile on his face as he watched you eat was enough to make everything seem perfect. And when, after a while of talking and laughing, you got up to go to the bathroom, he took the opportunity to open a special bottle of wine.
When you returned, the glass was ready, and seeing the wine in it and the label on the bottle, your eyes lit up with excitement. It was your favorite wine! You couldn’t stop smiling as you smelled it and took a small sip.
But then, suddenly, something wasn’t right. A strange piece caught in your throat made you cough hard. The wine spilled from your mouth as you tried to catch your breath, and in the midst of coughing, a strange sensation made you feel as if something was stuck there. In an instant, Jayce was by your side, looking at you with panic.
"What happened?! Are you okay?!"
With a quick maneuver, almost instinctively, Jayce patted your back and, with a racing heart, helped you spit out what was stuck in your throat. To both of your surprise, what came out was not just a piece of food, but a small ring now resting in your hand.
Jayce was in shock, looking at the ring and then at you, completely red with embarrassment. "Oh no! That wasn’t part of the plan! How did that get there? Everything has gone wrong... I’m sorry, I never imagined this would happen."
You laughed, almost hysterically, as you cleaned the ring with a napkin and held it in your palm. Despite the comical situation, Jayce was clearly frustrated. He wanted everything to be perfect, but you didn’t care. It was clear that all that mattered was that he was there, in front of you, despite the fiasco.
"Are you going to ask me or not?" you asked, the smile on your lips growing as you watched his face change from despair to disbelief.
Jayce looked at you, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. He was nervous, completely out of place. "Really? Now…?" he asked, with a nervous laugh. But it didn’t take long for him to do what he had to do. With a shy but genuine smile, he knelt before you, somewhat clumsy but sincere, and with a nervous laugh, he said:
"Well… since it seems I can’t do anything right today, maybe this will be the one thing that goes well. Will you marry me?"
The scene, as clumsy as it was funny, made you laugh even more, but in the end, all that mattered was that he was there, in his own way, loving you. The ring, somewhat imperfect in all its disorder, represented more love than anyone could ask for. Without thinking any further, you took his face in your hands and kissed him tenderly, answering in the simplest yet most profound way possible:
"Yes, Jayce. I do."
Ekko
The Undercity held its own kind of magic. The faint lights of the streetlamps flickered through the mist, and the distant sounds of the markets blended with the steady flow of water running through the pipes. You were sitting on an improvised bench in a hidden corner, surrounded by the crumbling walls, but to you, this place felt like the very heart of the world. Ekko had made it a refuge for the two of you, a space where you could escape from the chaos and, for a moment, forget about everything else except the present.
There was something special about that night. The way Ekko looked at you, the spark in his eyes... it wasn’t like the times before. There was something deeper now, a sense of resolution, as if he was on the verge of making a decision that would change everything. And he did.
"You know," Ekko began, his voice more serious than usual, "I've been thinking a lot about things lately. About how everything we've lived through... everything we've overcome... has changed us." His words carried a weight they usually didn’t.
The conversation didn't seem to be heading towards a cheerful topic, but there was something in the air that told you what was coming was important. You leaned in a little closer, sensing that the atmosphere was charged with something.
He pulled a small device from his pocket, something that looked like an old piece of machinery, but upon closer inspection, you realized it was no ordinary gadget. It was a pocket watch, but not the kind you'd find in a store. This one was modified, a timepiece that seemed designed not only to measure time but also to control something else... something intangible, like destiny. It was something Ekko had built over the years, a reflection of his constant efforts to understand the flow of time.
"This watch," he said with a faint smile on his lips, "is a reminder. A reminder that even when things seem out of control, we can always find a way to move forward. Like us, always moving forward, no matter what comes our way."
He looked at you with a seriousness you’d never seen from him before, and for a moment, he fell silent, as if searching for the right words.
"And… what I’m trying to say is that, even though we don’t have control over time, even though we can’t stop what’s coming, I want you to keep walking by my side. Every second, every minute, every step."
Despite his usual relaxed demeanor, in that moment he seemed more vulnerable than ever. The watch he showed you wasn’t just a machine; it was a symbol of what he had been searching for his whole life: a way to stop time, so that the most important moments wouldn’t slip away.
"So, if at any point you feel the same way," he added, gently taking your hand, "I’d like this... what we’re living... to never end. That we can keep making memories together. I don’t know if there’s a right way to ask, but... would you like to be with me, always?"
He looked at you with a vulnerability you’d never seen before, almost as if afraid you might say something that would break the magic of the moment.
You couldn’t help but smile, at first as if you were in shock, speechless. This Ekko, the one who always had a plan, the one who had faced a thousand battles, was now asking you to be by his side forever, with a sincerity he rarely showed. It wasn’t a grand traditional gesture, but to you, it was even more meaningful.
You were silent for a few seconds, and that made Ekko feel even more unsure, his gaze beginning to fade as if he thought you had already decided not to answer. But before he could pull away or say anything more, you caught him, quickly closing the distance between you.
"Yes," you whispered, but it was a resounding yes. "Yes, Ekko, I want to be with you. Always. I don’t need a watch or a perfect plan. I just need you."
You held his hand more firmly, looking into his eyes, and his lips formed a slight smile, though his face still carried a trace of nervousness.
"Together, forever, babe," he said, pulling you close and resting your back against his chest. You smiled happily as his arms wrapped around you.
You took the watch and kissed it, feeling the cold scent of rusted metal.
"Forever," you replied, and that word felt like the beginning of something eternal.
Silco
It was another night when the soft light of candles flickered, casting shadows in the corners of the room. The atmosphere in Silco's office was charged with tension, as always, but tonight something felt different. The usual coldness of the room had transformed into something warmer. On the walls, shadows danced to the rhythm of the flames, and the scattered papers on his desk seemed to tell stories of past struggles and uncertain victories.
However, Silco wasn’t at his desk. He stood in the center of the room, silently watching you as you leaned against the door, returning his gaze. His presence was magnetic, as always, but there was something different about him tonight. Something more vulnerable in his stance, as if he had been waiting for you—or rather, waiting for you to understand what lay beneath those deep eyes.
“This is a different kind of night,” Silco spoke, his voice grave, deliberate, as if weighing each word. He motioned for you to come closer, but not to him—toward the far side of the room. A table, delicately designed, rested just beneath a window overlooking the chaotic landscape of the Undercity.
As you approached, you noticed several boxes on the table, some open, some closed. One wooden box caught your eye. Silco’s gaze hardened on it, almost as if he feared what might happen when it was opened, or perhaps what it represented. He moved toward it slowly, like someone executing a carefully planned act, and gently opened the box.
Inside lay a ring. It wasn’t the kind of ring you’d expect from someone like Silco—no extravagant jewels, no grand display of wealth. Yet, there was something profound about it. The fine, dark metalwork and the stone that caught the light in a way you couldn’t ignore seemed to tell a story. It was as if the ring itself embodied both the harshness of his life and the softness of feelings he had long kept hidden.
“This is the kind of thing I never cared for,” he said, his tone mixing toughness with an unexpected sincerity. “A symbol without meaning. But since you arrived, I’ve learned that there are things worth more than logic.”
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Silco showed a hint of insecurity. His gaze clouded for a moment, as if he feared your reaction. But instead of saying more, he stepped closer, the ring in his hand, and slowly sank to his knee before you.
“I’ve sacrificed so much, maybe that’s why I never let myself desire more. But now I know. I know because I want you. And because I don’t want to do this alone.”
There was no grand gesture, no theatrics, but the weight of sincerity in his simple act stunned you. He looked up at you, his eyes full of vulnerability, asking for something more than anyone had ever dared to ask before.
“Will you marry me?”
The silence in the room was thick, filled with everything Silco couldn’t say but what his proposal meant. It wasn’t a casual request—it was a serious commitment, as serious as everything he’d fought for in his life.
For a moment, you stood still, heart racing—not because of the surprise, but because of the sheer intensity of his words and the unexpected gesture. You had seen the calculating side of Silco, the way he controlled every aspect of his life, every decision with precision. But this—this was something entirely different. It was the purest form of vulnerability, someone willing to give it all up for love, to risk everything they’d built for someone who meant more than any achievement.
Finally, you took a deep breath and, with a soft smile, nodded. “Yes,” you said, your voice steady but full of emotion. “There is nothing I want more in this world than to be your wife.”
The air shifted instantly. Silco stood slowly, and his normally implacable face softened. It was as if he had laid down an immense weight, as if the future finally had a clear purpose.
Without another word, he pulled you into his arms. In that moment, the shadows in the room seemed lighter, less oppressive. With the promise of a future together, everything that had once seemed distant, unreachable, now felt within both your grasps.
Mel
It was a quiet night, one of those where the sounds of the city reached you muffled, as if time was willing to grant you a break. Mel's living room, as always, was a perfect display of elegance and order, but something about the atmosphere that night felt different, warmer, more intimate. The soft light from the lamps illuminated the carefully arranged furniture, and there was a rare calm in the air, something that only happened when the worries of the outside world seemed to vanish for a moment.
Mel had invited you to her house that night, but not for dinner or a formal event. Instead, she had wanted to show you something more, something personal. And seeing the invitation in her eyes, you knew this moment was special.
When you entered, the house had a more relaxed vibe than usual. The fireplace flickered softly in the background, and the air was filled with the delicate scent of incense. However, what truly caught your attention was what was in the center of the room. A large painting, a framed portrait, was leaning against the wall, carefully placed under a soft light.
"I want you to see this," Mel said with a slight smile, her usually firm voice now tinged with an unexpected sweetness. She approached you, guiding you toward the painting. Though her face didn’t give it away, there was a slight tension in her movements, as if she was waiting for your reaction.
You stepped closer to the portrait, and your breath caught as you saw the image in front of you. It was a portrait of you, painted with a level of detail that only someone like Mel could have achieved. Every line, every shadow seemed to capture something beyond your appearance: a reflection of your being, how she saw you. It wasn’t just a painting; it was an expression of how Mel perceived you, something that had been rendered with such dedication that the work itself seemed to come alive.
"It’s… incredible," you murmured, unable to articulate a more complete response. Mel watched your reaction, her eyes fixed on you, but without saying a word. You knew that, for her, this work meant far more than just a portrait. It was a piece of her soul, an extension of her deepest feelings.
"I did it because… because I wanted to capture something that could never be expressed just with words," Mel said, her tone calm but loaded with meaning. "It’s hard for me to share something so… personal, but with you, I feel like it makes sense."
You turned toward her, surprised by the vulnerability she was showing, so rare in the woman who had always kept everything under control. But there was something in her gaze, something in her posture, that made you see what she truly felt.
Mel took a step toward you, her gaze softening even further. "You are… the only person who has truly shown me what it means to let someone in so deeply. I’ve spent my whole life building walls, creating an image of control, but you… you’ve shown me something I didn’t even know I needed."
There was a softness in her words that you had never heard before. You knew her as a strong, calculating woman, always impeccable. But there, in that moment, in front of you, there was something more, something that only you had been able to awaken in her.
"And now I want you to… be part of my life. I want you not only to be part of this portrait, but of everything I’ve built. I’ve had all the power in the world, all the control I could wish for, but that doesn’t make sense without someone like you by my side."
Mel paused, almost as if she were fighting against herself, and then, with a smooth movement, extended her hand toward you. In her palm rested a small box, which she carefully opened, revealing a simple but elegant ring. It was beautiful but not ostentatious, with a unique beauty, a design that spoke of her personality: refined, but with a subtle touch of surprise. The golden ring glimmered softly under the candlelight, like a reflection of the same gentleness Mel had shown in her words.
"I want you to be my partner," Mel said, her voice a barely audible whisper, but filled with meaning. "Will you marry me?"
The moment was marked by a tense silence, loaded with emotion. Mel wasn’t seeking a grand declaration or an ostentatious proposal. She only wanted to share her life with you, in the way she knew how to do it: with a sincerity that only she could offer.
Without thinking, you stepped closer to her, took her face in your hands, and without saying another word, kissed her softly. The kiss wasn’t just a response to her proposal, but an affirmation of everything you shared, of everything that moment meant.
When you pulled away, her eyes were filled with something you had never seen before: vulnerability, hope, love. You took her hand, and with a warm smile, you said what she had been waiting to hear, what you both knew was true.
"Yes, Mel. Yes. I’ve always wanted this, to share all of this with you."
Mel smiled, her face lit by a deep emotion she had never shown before. Without saying another word, she hugged you, and in that embrace was everything she couldn’t say with words. The future, her promises, her fears, her desires. It was all there, intertwined in an embrace as warm as the painting she had created just for you.
Sevika
It had been a long and dangerous night, more than either of us had anticipated. You had gotten yourself into a mess, bigger than anyone else would have dared to handle, but there you were, beside Sevika, helping her get out of danger. There were a few of Silco's enemies, but with her strength and your ingenuity, you managed to make it all end in the blink of an eye. The tension eased, and calm washed over everything like a wave.
The air was charged with adrenaline, but also with a strange serenity when the two of you were finally away from danger. Sevika, with her impassive face and intense eyes, looked at you with a mix of gratitude and something more. You couldn’t say it was love at first sight or anything so romantic, but there was something about that moment that felt different, something raw, something real.
You stayed looking at her while both of you took a breath, your bodies still trembling slightly from the tension. She was so close you could feel her breath, as heavy and rhythmic as your own. Without warning, her eyes locked with yours, and for a moment, the outside world disappeared. There were no more enemies, no more worries, just the two of you.
Sevika didn’t speak at first. The full moon illuminated the corner where you were, but it was her silence that spoke volumes. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, her low voice cut through the air:
"Do you want to marry me?"
You stopped, surprised. Had she really said that? Or was it one of her usual jokes? It couldn’t have been more unexpected, could it? You laughed lightly, thinking it must have been a joke. But when you looked into her eyes, as serious as always, a knot formed in your stomach. Sevika wasn’t joking. Not this time.
"Just like that, out of the blue?" you asked, unable to suppress a smile of disbelief. It was as if all the chaos of the night hadn’t been enough to spill over into the unpredictability of her proposal.
She didn’t flinch, her lips curving into a slight smile, but her eyes stayed fixed on you, determined. "And why not? The best things come out of nowhere, don’t they?" she said with a tone that left no room for doubt. Her voice was strong, direct, but there was a softness hidden beneath her arrogance. Sevika had never been one for too many words, but the few she spoke always carried weight. As if nothing in her was accidental, and every decision she made was calculated down to the last detail.
She looked at you for a moment, evaluating you with the same intensity she always did, then added, "So, do you want to be my little, spoiled wife? I promise to put up with your snoring and you kicking me out of bed for all eternity." She joked, a low laugh escaping her chest, and you were a little surprised by the lightness in her tone, as if, in the seriousness of the situation, Sevika also needed to soften the moment in her own way.
Your reaction was automatic, more because of the teasing tone than the content of what she said. "Hey! I don’t snore that much!" you exclaimed, pretending to be offended, but the truth was, you couldn’t really be angry. You couldn’t be upset, because there was something about her that drew you in in a very unique way.
So, you decided to raise your right hand and move your ring finger. "No ring, no wedding," you warned, then flicked your hair in the air. "I’m not a girl who settles for little, and you know that."
Sevika approached you, never losing her smile. "Believe me, sweetheart, I’ll buy you the biggest, most expensive ring in the world. Tell me how many carats you want, and I’ll get it exactly how you ask for it." Her promise was full of a confidence only she could have. Every word sounded so convincing, so solid, that there was no room for doubt. Sevika never made empty promises, and this was no exception.
Her voice was deep, playful, as if she was willing to fulfill anything asked of her. You smiled, pleased, but something in her attitude sparked a mischievous glint in your eyes. Instead of continuing the joke, you went straight to the point and leaned close to her ear, whispering with a touch of playful innuendo:
"Since the best things come out of nowhere, why don’t we fast forward to the honeymoon?"
Your whisper was soft, but with an undertone of suggestion that didn’t go unnoticed. Sevika blinked a couple of times, clearly surprised by your response. But instead of being bothered, something on her face shifted, and a sideways smile appeared on her lips, as if you had pulled the idea right out of her head.
"I like that," she said, her tone now low and filled with palpable desire. "I love that you don’t beat around the bush." Her voice was hushed, heavy with desire, accentuated by how close she was to you. "Let’s make this night something much more... memorable."
Suddenly, the environment around you both ceased to exist. Only her eyes, the heat of her body near yours, and the certainty that, despite everything, something had begun in an unexpected way remained. The best things come out of nowhere, and tonight, Sevika had shown you that her way of loving, though fierce and daring, was also the most sincere you had ever known.
#arcane x reader#arcane fanfic#arcane imagine#arcane x female reader#arcane#arcane fluff#arcane x you#ekko arcane#viktor imagine#viktor x y/n#viktor x reader#viktor arcane#jinx arcane#jinx x reader#arcane vi#vi x y/n#vi x reader#arcane caitlyn#caitlyn x reader#arcane jayce#jayce x reader#silco x reader#silco arcane#ekko x reader#mel x reader#mel arcane#sevika x reader#sevika arcane#sevika x you#vi x you
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pre-recession, post-taste
Hello, everyone. I hope this blog can bring some well-needed laughs in really trying times. That's why I've gone back into the archives of that precipitous year 2007, a year where the McMansion was sleepwalking into being a symbol of the financial calamity to follow. We return to the Chicago suburbs once more because they remain the highest concentration of houses in their original conditions. Thanks to our flipping predilection, these houses become rarer and rarer and I have to admit even I have developed a fondness for them as a result.
Our present house is ostensibly "French Provincial" in style, which is McMansion for "Chateaux designed by Carmela Soprano". It boasts 7 bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, and comes in at a completely reasonable 15,000 square feet. It can be yours for an equally reasonable $1.5 million.
Every 2007 McMansion needed two things: a plethora of sitting rooms and those dark wood floors. This house actually has around five or six sitting rooms (depending if you count the tiled sunroom) but for brevity's sake, I'll only provide two of them.
With regards to the second sitting room, I'm really not one to talk statuary here because beside me there is a bust of Dante where the sculptor made him look simultaneously sickly and lowkey hot.
Technically, if we are devising a dichotomy between sitting and not sitting (yes, I know about the song), the dining room also counts as a sitting room. The more chairs in your McMansion dining room, the more people allegedly like you enough to travel 2.5 hours in traffic to see you twice a year.
Here's the thing about nostalgia: the world as we knew it then is never coming back. In some ways this is sad (kitchens are entirely white now and marble countertops will look terrible in about 3 years) but in other ways this is very good (guys in manhattan have switched to private equity instead of betting the farm on credit default swaps made from junk mortgages proffered to America's most vulnerable and exploited populations.) Progress!
Okay I really don't understand the 50 bed pillows thing. Every night my parents tossed their gazillion decorative pillows on the floor just to put them back on the bed the next morning. Like, for WHAT? Who was going in there? The Pope?
Here's a fun one for your liminal spaces moodboards. (Speaking for myself.)
Yes, I know about skibidi toilet. And sticking out your gyatt for the rizzler. I wish I didn't. I wish I couldn't read. Literacy is like a mirror in which I only see the aging contours of my face.
When your kids move out every room becomes a guest room.
Anyway, let's see what the rear of this house has to offer.
The migratory birds will not forgive them for their crimes. But also seriously, not even a garden?
Anyway, that does it for this round of McMansion Hell. Happy Halloween!
If you like this post and want more like it, support McMansion Hell on Patreon for as little as $1/month for access to great bonus content including a discord server, extra posts, and livestreams.
Not into recurring payments? Try the tip jar! Student loans just started back up!
#architecture#design#mcmansion#mcmansions#ugly houses#interior design#bad architecture#2000s design#illinois
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stay…
Katsuki bakugo x reader
Katsuki and you spend your first night together in the same bed and he’s never been so comfy. this is rlly short, when I say I’m uninspired I mean it
His bed was warmer than usual, felt safer. Bakugo had always been skeptical of the dorms at UA, convinced they were sketchy and inadequate. But the day you, his partner, offered to lay down and sleep in the same bed, everything changed. The once cold and uninviting bed now felt like a haven of comfort and security. He watched you sleep, feeling an unfamiliar sense of peace wash over him.
As Bakugo tucked a piece of hair behind your ear, he couldn't help but marvel at how serene you looked in your sleep. He glanced up at the clock momentarily, noting the late hour, but his eyes were drawn back to your face. Your cute, sleepy expression put him in a trance. He had never thought so softly about anyone before. To him, people were usually lesser then him, nothing more then the ants he stomped on . But you? You were different. You were his baby, his precious, sweet little baby.
Even though you were strong and capable, Bakugo felt an overwhelming need to protect you. He knew how vulnerable you made him, how much of a target you could be for villains who sought to exploit his weaknesses. The thought of anything happening to you made his blood boil with a fierce protective instinct. He had to keep you safe, no matter what.
Bakugo rested his chin on your shoulder, listening to your steady breathing. The rhythm of it was soothing, grounding him in a way he never thought possible. He thought back to all the times he had seen people as lesser, as annoyances he could easily discard. But with you, it was different. He couldn't imagine his life without you in it.
You stirred slightly in your sleep, a soft sigh escaping your lips. Bakugo smiled to himself, feeling a warmth in his chest that he rarely experienced. He tightened his arm around you, pulling you closer. In this moment, everything felt right. The chaos of his day-to-day life, the constant battles and struggles, all seemed to fade away when he was with you.
"You awake?" Bakugo asked as softly as he could, trying not to disturb the serene atmosphere of the room.
"Mhm…" you replied sleepily, rolling over to face him, your eyes barely open.
"Well, you shouldn't be… Go back to sleep, dumbass. It's late, and we have training tomorrow," he grumbled, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.
"Nuh-uh…" you mumbled, nuzzling your head into his chest, seeking more warmth and comfort.
"If you go to sleep now… I'll buy you food…" Bakugo offered, his voice a mix of exasperation and affection.
"…What kinda food?" you asked, your interest piqued despite your drowsiness.
"How's chocolate sound?" he proposed, a small smirk forming on his lips as he knew he had your attention now.
"I'm going back to bed now, Katsu," you responded, already feeling more relaxed at the thought.
"Atta girl/boy," he murmured, wrapping his arms tighter around you. He pressed another kiss to your temple, his heart swelling with a tenderness he rarely showed.
You felt his strong, steady heartbeat beneath your cheek, and the promise of chocolate was enough to lull you back into a peaceful slumber. Bakugo watched as your breathing evened out, a soft smile playing on his lips. He knew he would do anything to keep you happy and safe, even if it meant bribing you with your favorite snack.
He closed his eyes, allowing himself to fully relax. For the first time in a long while, he felt content. You were the one person who could calm the constang rowdiness he always had. bakugo watched you slowly fall back asleep, wrapping his arms around you tighter and rolling over onto his back just so you can lay ontop of him. He pulls the blankets over your shoulders to keep you nice and warm. Bakugo sighed and stared off at the white ceiling again, maybe he could convince you to permanently move into his dorm..? here you were cuddled up to him! You were so cute.
#mha#bnha#katsuki bakugou#my hero academia#bakugou katsuki#bakugo katsuki#katsuki bakugo x reader#katsuki bakugo#bakugou katsuki x reader#bnha bakugo katsuki#bakugou#katsuki bakugo fanfic#barbarian bakugo x reader#katsuki bakugo mha#katsuki bakugo imagine#katsuki bakugo fluff#dynamight#bakugo katsuki x reader smut#bakugo katsuki x you#bakugo katsuki x reader#mha fanfic#mha x reader#mha bakugou#bnha bakugou#bnha x reader#boku no hero academia
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Can I have a scenario where Law is jealous of Bepo because you’re always hugging and cuddling with him like the big cuddle bear he is but Law is too shy to admit that he’s jealous
A/N: Hi there!! I had a lot of fun writing this I hope you enjoy! Pairing: Law x Reader CW: none just fluff WC: ~800
It’s truly hard to resist the lure of the comfort that Bepo brings. Everyone knows this. Everyone on the crew has succumbed to the furry comfort of the polar bear, and you were no different. Especially during those cold winters, trying to steal Law’s body warmth is not enough, so you often turned to the furry companion.
You often found yourself nestled comfortably against Bepos warm fur. As you lay there, you caught a glimpse of a certain captain out of the corner of your eye. You couldn’t help but notice that something was wrong. You would notice how his stares would linger on the two of you when you were cuddling, or how his attitude would be the slightest more passive aggressive if you were to talk to him after cuddling the polar bear.
You brushed off any thoughts of jealousy, chalking up the more sour behavior to stress from future plans. As the days went by though, you couldn’t shake the feeling that there was indeed something wrong with Law, yet every time you would confront him, you would be met with a short and sweet “nothing’s wrong.”
‘Nothing’s wrong’ he claimed, yet those stares never stopped that constant upset mood never stopped. It’s as if he was jealous that you were cuddling Bepo or something… holy shit he was jealous that you were cuddling Bepo!
Once you put two and two together, you couldn’t help but find this all amusing. His denial of anything being wrong was slightly infuriating, but his lack of communication is something you would work on later. For now, your main focus is exploiting that newly discovered jealousy until he owns up to it.
You started purposefully avoiding Law as often as you could to cuddle with Bepo. Every time he would see you, you would be cuddled into the side of the polar bear. This only heightened his jealousy further and further with each passing day.
Today, the Polar Tang was surfaced, and the crew took the opportunity to go star gazing at night. All of you lay on the main deck, watching the stars above, and you of course were planted right in the arms of Bepo, your new favorite spot. The crew was passing around food and drinks, chatting and laughing under the night sky, until Law left the group early. He was quieter than normal tonight, and you were honestly wondering if you were starting to take this jealousy thing too far.
Then, a blue bubble encompassed the entire deck and suddenly, you were no longer on the main deck in Bepos arms, but you were in the captains quarters, in Laws lap.
You stammered in confusion, trying to make sense of the disorientation caused by the sudden teleportation. Law’s arms wrapped around you, pulling you into him. As if by instinct, you melted into his arms, your body molding into his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. You nuzzled your head into his neck, mumbling against his skin. “Are you okay?” The care for him evident in your tone.
He let out a small grunt in response, wrapping his arms around you tighter. “Just stay with me for a bit,” he muttered to you, a subtle vulnerability laced in his voice.
With a hum, you settled further into his arms, taking in the scent of his cologne and the warmth of his body right against yours. The tension that had been building finally began to dissipate the more you settled into his touch. His tight grip around you softened, and you could feel his worries easing with the sigh he let out. It was as if all the weight of his jealousy had been lifted off his shoulders.
You nestled closer to him, resting your head against his chest as you listened to his heartbeat. It’s moments like these where words are not needed, just each other's presence. He rested his head against your own.
Law broke the silence, “I’m sorry,” he murmured against your skin. “ “for acting so…” he trailed off, not quite sure how to articulate his feelings.
“Jealous?” you finished for him, your voice gentle as you looked at him with understanding. A pause filled the air as he took in that word. ‘Jealous’. Law hesitated for a moment before he finally nodded with reluctant agreement.
“Yeah, jealous.” he admitted, confirming your thoughts.
You sensed his discomfort and shifted in his lap to get more comfortable. “You know,” you began, your voice tender as you reached up and brushed a stray hair from his face. “This is my favorite place. Right here, with you.” you punctuated your words by squeezing him tight.
His eyes softened at your words, “Good,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper, “lets keep it that way.”
#nina responds~✦#nina writes~✦#one piece x reader#trafalgar law#trafalgar d law x reader#one piece fluff#trafalgar law x reader#law x reader
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Crafting a Personality and Capitalising on it
How do we craft a personality that is socially charming yet true to our roots?
How do we mingle and meet new people without feeling awkward or shy about it?
How do we not lose ourselves while following all these blah blah etiquette rules?
Welcome to part 2 of my Chic Girl Mentality series. 🤍
Today, we will focus on crafting a personality that is still you but better.
First, let’s talk about people in social settings. You’ll meet people who are confident, secure and socially charming. You’ll meet quiet people who may be equally socially charming or just very shy and conscious. You’ll meet the braggers and the doe-eyed followers. There’s a lot of different types of people in the world and knowing how to gracefully navigate most of them is nothing but a learned art.
People, regardless of their bank balance, are insecure of what they do not have yet. This can be looks, money, experience, lifestyle, and so on. How do we capitalise on this without exploiting or manipulating anyone?
By knowing how to tell a story.
That doesn’t mean that you need to become a public speaker or politician, it just means that you need to be able to craft intriguing stories about yourself, using your own life and experiences, to “sell” an interesting version of you socially. We’re all interesting people but only a few of us know how to say that we’re interesting without saying that we’re interesting.
Experience
People, even those with money, will always be more attracted to those who have experiences, especially, unique ones. Whether it’s travelling to exotic locations or trying new culinary destinations, or wearing unknown designers, knowing obscure artists or writers, or being at the top of your industry… experience is the most important thing to cultivate first. You already have experience. If you went to school, high school, college, joined clubs, your first job, any travelling, etc - these are all experiences.
Make a list of 5 of the most interesting experiences you think you have.
Hobbies and interests
Have a couple of lowkey hobbies that you feel enthusiastic about. Whether it’s doing some charity work on Sundays, or cooking, or pottery, whatever it is, keeping a hobby is healthy.
There should be something to you that an acquaintance can remark about: “CSB? Oh yes, I’ve heard that she’s a great dancer.”
Vulnerabilities
Certain vulnerabilities must never, ever be shared. It will 100% be used either as gossip or blackmail.
However, coming across as someone with no weaknesses is rather untrustworthy- it makes the other person feel that you’re clearly hiding something.
Make a list of vulnerabilities that are small and you don’t mind sharing. These should be vulnerabilities that will never ruin your reputation in any form but can be used as a form of bonding with empathy.
And make a list of hard core vulnerabilities you know you should never share with anyone. Keep it memorised rather than written down.
Experience + Hobbies or Interests + Safe Vulnerabilities = Personality
Storytelling
Now that you have some experience, hobbies, interests, and your “safe” vulnerabilities sorted even if it’s limited - what will make it stand out is the art of storytelling. Some storytellers can make even the most mundane experiences sound magical - it’s all in the words and delivery. There’s a reason why every Holy Book is a story, packed with lessons and morals - it’s impactful, easy to remember and recall and relatable. Craft your experiences into stories. Use those 5 experiences that you noted down and start writing them down as stories.
Take up an online storytelling class or watch videos. Start honing this skill by writing and reading good literature.
Refine your 5 experiences further. Run it through chatGPT, say them out loud and most importantly- start testing them out on people. See what makes them chuckle and what doesn’t; what makes them empathise and what doesn’t.
A famous comedian whose name I can’t remember does the same thing. He creates his set. He goes to a small pub and tries it out on the audience there. And the first set is always the first. The audience may not laugh at his jokes, they might boo him or sometimes, he might get a laugh out of them. But every time, he goes home and refines his set further. Once his set is fully refined, and he accomplishes his goal of the audience peeling with laughter at every joke, that’s when he goes on national TV / on tour etc etc.
The most important thing is to craft your stories of your experiences in a way that it delivers the value you want the person to remember about you.
For instance, if I want to be seen as creative and innovative, I won’t tell the person in front of me, “oh, I’m soo innovative and creative!”
Rather I will weave that into a story. “When I was 24, at my first job in the advertising space, we were losing clients left and right. And one weekend, I was on a trek on the mountains - it’s one of my hobbies - this idea hit me, and I suddenly knew exactly how to get our clients back. My team was hesitant about my idea, and we got a lot of pushback, but we went ahead. The night before my launch I was so nervous, I got hardly sleep. And you won’t believe it, but the idea worked! The response was fantastic.”
Let the other person come to the conclusion of you being innovative and creative. Human beings love to deduce things and jump to conclusions and provided you set the context the right way, you should be able to project the version of you that is the best part of you.
Vocabulary
A sign of a good education- even if you don’t have it - is a diverse vocabulary. I’ve always had a little more respect and awe for those who are articulate, can speak smoothly and speak confidently. I’ve noticed that my American friends, for instance, tend to talk fast with lots of filler words, and sentences tend to end with a pitch up instead of down, which to me indicates hesitation or indecision. Speaking slower, ending your sentences with pitch going down to indicate a full stop rather than up makes you seem like a refined speaker even if your subject is utterly stupid.
Body language and mannerisms, social interaction
Watch old classic Hollywood movies to really understand this - especially romantic ones. Choose ones with a femme fatale or siren-like female lead, and watch how she enraptures the male lead or the audience around her.
A combination of fantastic storytelling and body language will take you places beyond your dreams. Some of the biggest frauds, scammers, politicians, criminals are also some of the best storytellers. Humans are attracted to stories, we pick up body language intuitively, we can sense when someone is nervous or isn’t. Unfortunately the world isn’t a kind place and will not necessarily help you out of your shyness- in fact, that might just make you the best target for exploitation.
Storytelling + Vocabulary + Body Language = Your Best Personality
#c suite#personal growth#productivity#powerful woman#ceo aesthetic#getting your life together#balance#strong women#that girl#Personality#building a personality#level up#level up journey#glow up#socialising#social settings#how to talk#how to be popular#how to change#how to be interesting#Siren
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i am OBSESSED with this genre and let me tell you why: this is white magic. magic is always as real as you believe it to be; "cursed posts" exist to generate engagement through threats of danger & harm as punishment for not engaging correctly, and exploit your psychology to make you afraid. immunity dog is effectively an inoculation against digital superstition, representing the opposite of "send to 10 people you know or a scary ghost girl will show up at the foot of your bed TONIGHT!!!". everything about this image is benevolent. pleasant imagery, protection now & forever from evil, and nothing telling you you MUST share the dog. if you repost, it's to share this psychological protection within your community, of your own volition. anyways, keep on scrolling, you're safe now 😇
#this might be a little unhinged but#i just remember how vulnerable i was as a child to those sorts of haunted posts#online can be a scary place when you're still forming a conception of reality and how the world works#people will exploit that if they can#but immunity dog shows us that there is also an urge to protect people from the Horrors#even if they're just in your head
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Britttlleeee
Since your hc for Y/N Cookie is that they lost a partner long ago in the storyline's you create. Which I love btw. Do you think the Beasts would exploit this or use this in some way to try and sway Y/N Cookie to join/be with them? They've been through a lot and appear to have little to no therapy. So I could see the Beasts taking advantage of this vulnerability.
The Fool (Shadow Milk Cookie)
Oof, the decease spouse multiplier?
It’s going to be Shadow Milk’s doing, he’s the one most suited for trickery and striking you while you’re at your most vulnerable state of mind.
The mist envelopes you, the shouts of PV and WL calling out to you slowly fade away as you look all around, trying to answer them but never seeming to get a response back. You ready your weapon, you were not letting anything this Beast says or does get to you.
???: “Hello…?”
You gasped as your pupils shrunk, heading perking up as you looked around the place.
That voice, it couldn’t be….
???: “My beloved, are you there…?”
No way…she/he was dead….
???: “Oh, how I missed you so much…”
SVTFOE, anyone? Feels bad about the finale though. Just picture it being a puppet of the spouse cookie, you get the idea.
You saw her/him, a puppet of your lost flame, alive and well….all the fight in you suddenly extinguishes as you drop your weapon, your hand shaking as emotions rise.
You: “H-hey….”
Spouse Cookie: “Bless the witches that you’re here with me at last….”
You: “I thought I’d never see you again…but what are you doing here? It’s not safe, let me take you somewhere safe first!”
Spouse Cookie: “It’s okay. We are with each other again, that’s all that matters now…”
You: “B-but, I…”
Spouse Cookie: “Isn’t this why you pulled through for so many years? To be with me again…?”
You: “I…I never gave up on you. So many times, I thought if I had just let you go, it would’ve been for the best. But that little part of me j-just couldn’t. A p-part of me w-wanted to maintain hope that y-you…*sniffle*”
Spouse Cookie: “My cherished, please do not cry. Why are you crying? I’m here now, please come into my arms…”
You didn’t hesitate and ran into his/her arms as you weeped silently. All the memories, the trading words of love to one another, you missed it. All of it.
You: “I-I love you…..”
Spouse Cookie: “It’s okay, I love you too, my sweetest cookie….”
You kept hugging her, unaware that her the puppet’s hold was getting tighter around you, her hands gripping your form more firmly, almost in a death grip….
You kept hugging…though, you furrow your eyebrows when you hear something distant in the mist, it sounded like…voices..?
???: “….Y/N….don’t….trust….!”
You listen more intently, was that…Pure Vanilla Cookie?
Pure Vanilla Cookie: “Shadow…Milk….tricks…your head…!”
You pieced together his words and gasped, but by then, it was already too late….
Spouse Cookie: “My dearest lover, what is the problem? Always know that I will take care of it…”
That last part was a malicious croak as you hesitantly look up to face your love(?)
The strings, the segmented limbs, hollow eyes and grin that harbor many blue colored eyes staring right back at you….
This was NOT your love….
It was a bastardization of him/her….
By the Beast….Shadow Milk Cookie…
False Spouse Cookie: “I love you, Y/N Cookie. And I’m never LETTING YOU GO!”
The puppet held onto you even tighter and started to rapidly drag you into the corrupted forest as you cry out in fear and despair!
False Spouse Cookie: “Don’t be so scared, ya silly willy! Just think about how happy you’ll be full of deceit and chaos! How happy you and him/her will be! Well, as best as I can imitate him/her at least!”
Shadow Milk Cookie wasn’t even trying to keep up the facade anymore, his voice coming through the puppet instead.
False Spouse Cookie: “THIS IS IT! LET ME INTO YOUR MIND AND DROWN IN DECEIT-WHAT?!”
You were suddenly dropped to the ground, rolling forward a bit before coming to a stop. You hastily get up to see the puppet dangling on only one string, the rest of the body limp.
False Spouse Cookie: “Hey, watch the puppet! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it right?!”
Gingerbrave: “Y/N Cookie, are you okay?! That was quite the fall.”
Yeah, you told him you were alright. You soon see that he didn’t come alone as Pure Vanilla and White Lily Cookie had come to you, White Lily tending to your side.
Pure Vanilla Cookie: “We have made it just in time. I am glad you are alright, Y/N Cookie.”
White Lily Cookie: “They’re shaking. They’ve been..disturbed….”
Shadow Milk’s puppet was soon replaced by the Beast himself, who was anything but happy.
Shadow Milk Cookie: “Why do you PESTS always meddle in my script?! It was simple enough, I win Y/N’s mind over and I get to taint them with deceit to become a deliverer of deceit and lies! This was not how this was supposed to go!”
White Lily Cookie: “Leave them alone! You’ve already done too much damage to them! You’ll have to go through us to get them first!”
Pure Vanilla Cookie: “So true. We won’t let you bring further torment to them!”
Gingerbrave: “Yeah, Y/N Cookie is our friend and if you mess with them, you mess with all of us!”
Shadow Milk Cookie: “Fine! Have it your way! I’ll get my hands on them in the end! Just you wait!”
You were curled up near a tree as the cookies fought, shaking with a thousand yard stare.
Was it..all a lie? He talked just like your partner, behaved just like them….
What was even true about that anymore….
#brittle answers#cookie run x reader#cookie run x you#cookie run#cr x reader#cookie run kingdom#crk x reader#cookie run kingdom x reader#cr kingdom
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China hacked Verizon, AT&T and Lumen using the FBI’s backdoor
On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.
State-affiliated Chinese hackers penetrated AT&T, Verizon, Lumen and others; they entered their networks and spent months intercepting US traffic – from individuals, firms, government officials, etc – and they did it all without having to exploit any code vulnerabilities. Instead, they used the back door that the FBI requires every carrier to furnish:
https://www.wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/u-s-wiretap-systems-targeted-in-china-linked-hack-327fc63b?st=C5ywbp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
In 1994, Bill Clinton signed CALEA into law. The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act requires every US telecommunications network to be designed around facilitating access to law-enforcement wiretaps. Prior to CALEA, telecoms operators were often at pains to design their networks to resist infiltration and interception. Even if a telco didn't go that far, they were at the very least indifferent to the needs of law enforcement, and attuned instead to building efficient, robust networks.
Predictably, CALEA met stiff opposition from powerful telecoms companies as it worked its way through Congress, but the Clinton administration bought them off with hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to acquire wiretap-facilitation technologies. Immediately, a new industry sprang into being; companies that promised to help the carriers hack themselves, punching back doors into their networks. The pioneers of this dirty business were overwhelmingly founded by ex-Israeli signals intelligence personnel, though they often poached senior American military and intelligence officials to serve as the face of their operations and liase with their former colleagues in law enforcement and intelligence.
Telcos weren't the only opponents of CALEA, of course. Security experts – those who weren't hoping to cash in on government pork, anyways – warned that there was no way to make a back door that was only useful to the "good guys" but would keep the "bad guys" out.
These experts were – then as now – dismissed as neurotic worriers who simultaneously failed to understand the need to facilitate mass surveillance in order to keep the nation safe, and who lacked appropriate faith in American ingenuity. If we can put a man on the moon, surely we can build a security system that selectively fails when a cop needs it to, but stands up to every crook, bully, corporate snoop and foreign government. In other words: "We have faith in you! NERD HARDER!"
NERD HARDER! has been the answer ever since CALEA – and related Clinton-era initiatives, like the failed Clipper Chip program, which would have put a spy chip in every computer, and, eventually, every phone and gadget:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_chip
America may have invented NERD HARDER! but plenty of other countries have taken up the cause. The all-time champion is former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who, when informed that the laws of mathematics dictate that it is impossible to make an encryption scheme that only protects good secrets and not bad ones, replied, "The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia":
https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-laws-of-australia-will-trump-the-laws-of-mathematics-turnbull/
CALEA forced a redesign of the foundational, physical layer of the internet. Thankfully, encryption at the protocol layer – in the programs we use – partially counters this deliberately introduced brittleness in the security of all our communications. CALEA can be used to intercept your communications, but mostly what an attacker gets is "metadata" ("so-and-so sent a message of X bytes to such and such") because the data is scrambled and they can't unscramble it, because cryptography actually works, unlike back doors. Of course, that's why governments in the EU, the US, the UK and all over the world are still trying to ban working encryption, insisting that the back doors they'll install will only let the good guys in:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/05/theyre-still-trying-to-ban-cryptography/
Any back door can be exploited by your adversaries. The Chinese sponsored hacking group know as Salt Typhoon intercepted the communications of hundreds of millions of American residents, businesses, and institutions. From that position, they could do NSA-style metadata-analysis, malware injection, and interception of unencrypted traffic. And they didn't have to hack anything, because the US government insists that all networking gear ship pre-hacked so that cops can get into it.
This isn't even the first time that CALEA back doors have been exploited by a hostile foreign power as a matter of geopolitical skullduggery. In 2004-2005, Greece's telecommunications were under mass surveillance by US spy agencies who wiretapped Greek officials, all the way up to the Prime Minister, in order to mess with the Greek Olympic bid:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_wiretapping_case_2004%E2%80%9305
This is a wild story in so many ways. For one thing, CALEA isn't law in Greece! You can totally sell working, secure networking gear in Greece, and in many other countries around the world where they have not passed a stupid CALEA-style law. However the US telecoms market is so fucking huge that all the manufacturers build CALEA back doors into their gear, no matter where it's destined for. So the US has effectively exported this deliberate insecurity to the whole planet – and used it to screw around with Olympic bids, the most penny-ante bullshit imaginable.
Now Chinese-sponsored hackers with cool names like "Salt Typhoon" are traipsing around inside US telecoms infrastructure, using the back doors the FBI insisted would be safe.
Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.
If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/07/foreseeable-outcomes/#calea
Image: Kris Duda, modified https://www.flickr.com/photos/ahorcado/5433669707/
CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
#pluralistic#calea#lawful interception#backdoors#keys under doormats#cold war 2.0#foreseeable outcomes#jerry berman#greece#olympics#snowden
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Beware clickbait accusations
Hi fandom, here's what happened yesterday: A reporter named Rachel Johnson, who is the sister to Boris Johnson and a big terfy supporter of JK Rowling, released a 4-part true crime podcast featuring two women accusing Neil Gaiman of SA. Yesterday. The day before the UK elections. This post explores the possible political links in more detail.
CW: this post is free of graphic details, but if you follow these links, there may be explicit descriptions of sex, kink, and bdsm, plus mentions of mental illness and suicidal thoughts.
I want to believe and support survivors, and I also want to base my thoughts and actions on facts. I thought the xitter livestream commentary from Not Becky for all 4 episodes was very insightful. There's also a first episode transcript without extra commentary. (Edit: released after I wrote this post: the full audio plus transcripts for all four episodes of the podcast are now available to download here, or you can read all four transcripts in your browser.) I have since concluded (pending more time to think and read and learn, or any new information, of course):
This seems like the worst kind of clickbait, an unjustified mess that will hurt everyone involved (except possibly a few politicians who might benefit somehow, we'll see). The evidence the "reporters" present directly contradicts their accusations. They're counting on people reading headlines and not digging any deeper.
They tried to make something sinister where there was apparently consent and a caring relationship. Have they exploited one or both of these women? S, in particular, is described as vulnerable and with a history of unspecified mental illness. They have all of the message history between S and Neil, and her messages make the sexy stuff between the two of them sound enthusiastically consensual. There are even messages (multiple!) where she specifically says everything was consensual. Here's one:
They're playing horror music in the background to try to make us feel horrified, even as S reassures us that things were consensual. It's emotional manipulation by the reporters.
The times S sounds upset during the interview are the times she talks about Neil leaving her behind or not paying attention to her. Not the times she talks about consent violations. Her stories during the interview are inconsistent, and they contradict her messages with Neil and with others. Maybe we'll get better information from a more reputable news source, or maybe not, I don't know. I also don't know why anyone who cares about her would have advised her to do this interview.
Then they tracked down lots of other women who know/have dated Neil and they all had glowing things to say, except one other lover from 20 years ago, K. She described some bad sex, and then pointed to a time in their 2-year relationship when she felt something wasn't consensual and he thought it was. And after their breakup, they continued to text and flirt, for decades.
This podcast "exposé" feels like explosive clickbait with political ramifications. The evidence here doesn't support a pattern of poor conduct so much as establish Neil as a fellow well-meaning human with imperfect judgement. That doesn't mean the accusations are all made up; intimate partner violence is complicated, and the responsibility for checking in and getting regular enthusiastic consent from partners is very real, especially when kink or bdsm are involved.
I don't know what the right balance is here between supporting survivors, thinking critically, assuming good intentions, and waiting for better information, but I feel confident that this podcast alone is not enough to condemn anyone aside from the irresponsible journalists who inflicted it on the rest of us.
PS/edit: I'm tagging my relevant posts (mostly reblogs) with #ineffable grief, and you can see all of them here.
#neil gaiman#clickbait#think critically#ineffable grief#be kind#intimate partner violence#mental health#Irresponsible journalists#uk politics#good omens fandom#good omens
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could you do an obanai x reader where the he treats the reader rlly badly like being rude/cold and when the reader gets badly injured (like on the verge of dying) he realises he loves them and treats them better. 🔥🔥
Beneath the serpent's mask
Pairing: Obanai x fem!reader
Word Count: 1,8k
Synopsis: Despite you always staying soft and thoughtful, it seemed like Iguro Obanai hated you more than anything else. Until you risk your life for him. Until your nearly die.
Warnings: big big angst like we all love, Obanai is really sassy in this one, but you'll learn to love him hehe
Obanai Iguro was never an easy man to get along with. Known for his sharp tongue and cold demeanor, he kept most people at arm's length, including you. Despite your best efforts to form a connection with him, Obanai remained distant, cold, and sometimes even outright rude. You, on the other hand? Maybe the greatest sunshine within the whole corps.
Nobody really understands how you could fall for a man like him. Something about the way he carries himself, his unwavering dedication, and the flashes of vulnerability he rarely shows made your heart long to know him better. But every time you tried to get closer, he pushed you away with cutting words or outright indifference. And even though the rejection hurt each and every time, you continued to fight by his side, believing that one day he might see you as more than just a nuisance.
Today wasn’t that day, though. You are on a mission with Obanai, tracking a particularly dangerous demon that has been terrorizing a remote village. The tension between you is unmistakable as you walk side by side through the darkened forest, the only sound being the crunch of leaves beneath your feet. Obanai barely spoke a word to you since the mission began, his expression hidden behind his usual bandages.
“Obanai,” you begin, trying to break the silence,
“do you think we’ll find the demon soon? The villagers said it’s been getting more aggressive these past nights.”
He doesn’t even glance your way, his voice as cold as the night air.
“If you focused more on the mission and less on talking, we’d find it faster.”
You flinch at the harshness of his tone, your heart sinking. It shouldn’t even bother you anymore when he talks with you like that. After all, he’s been like this since the moment you’ve met him. You have no right to feel hurt by his cold tone.
And still, you do.
“I’m just trying to help,” you murmur, feeling the sting of his words really sink into your heart.
“If you really want to help, then stay out of my way. You’re more of a disadvantage than anything else,” he snaps.
When his gaze finally meets yours, it’s filled with nothing but irritation.
The words hit you like a physical blow. You trained hard to be where you are and hearing him belittle your efforts is painful. Those countless nights you’ve spent training, the pain you’ve had to endure to finally get called a hashira…for nothing?
But instead of contradicting, you swallow the hurt and nod, falling silent as you continue to walk beside him.
When you finally reach the demon’s hideout, you feel the evil aura in the air. The demon is close, without any doubt. Obanai unsheathes his sword and you follow suit, your heart pounding in your chest. This is your chance to prove yourself, to show Obanai that you are capable.
After that, you have no further time to think or react. The demon is powerful, its speed and strength far surpassing any you faced before. You barely manage to shield your throat from its teeth when it attacks out of the shadows, leaving you falling to the ground.
Obanai continues to fight with the skill and grace that had earned him his reputation as a hashira, but even he’s struggling to keep up with the demon’s relentless strikes. Over and over, you try as good as you can, attack again and again in order to support the man you have your eyes on. But that demon… It targets your weaknesses, exploits your lack of experience without any mercy.
You can’t stand a chance.
“Stay back!” Obanai shouts at you as the demon lunges at you with full speed.
You tried to dodge, but it was too fast. Its sharp teeth rack across your side and pain explodes in your abdomen as you were thrown to the ground.
Obanai’s eyes widened in shock when he sees you fall, blood pooling beneath you. The demon turns its attention back to him, but something in him snaps. With a roar of fury, he unleashes a barrage of attacks, his blade moving faster than the eye of the demon can follow. In the matter of seconds, the demon is finally decapitated, its body disintegrating into ash.
But Obanai doesn’t care about the victory. The only thing he can think about is you lying motionless on the ground. He rushes to your side, his heart hammering in his chest. He drops to his knees beside you, his hands trembling as he reaches out to touch you.
“(y/n)…”
His voice is barely a whisper, all the harshness of those past weeks gone and replaced by a raw, desperate fear. Blood stains your entire uniform, your skin deathly pale as your eyes flutter open weakly.
“Obanai...”. your faint voice mumbles.
And despite the visible pain that glisters in your eyes and all those things he said to you earlier, you smile up at him.
“Why did you do that?”, he demands, his voice cracking as he pressed his hand against the wound to stop the bleeding.
“Why didn’t you listen to me? You should have stayed back!”
“I wanted...to help you. I couldn’t just...stand by and do nothing,” you gasp with shallow breath.
“You idiot,” he mutters softly.
And for the first time since you know him, tears sting his eyes while he looks down at you for the first time.
“You’re so stupid. You should have let me handle it.”
“I know. I’m sorry…” you whisper.
You feel so tired. It’s impossible to stop your eyes from closing when exhaustion overtakes you.
“No, don’t you dare to close your eyes. Stay with me, (y/n), I’ll help, just…just stay with me!”
Panic surges through him when he sees you slowly but surely fading away. And for the first time since his childhood, Obanai is forced to feel the stinging sensation of fright again.
You’re growing colder in his hands with each passing minute, your breathing more labored.
“I’m sorry...for being...a burden,” you whisper, your voice barely audible as your eyes begin to close.
Obanai’s heart clenches in his chest. Why would you think you were a burden? All the times he had pushed you away, been cruel to you... His eyes widen in sheer horror. He realizes now, in this moment, how blind he has been. So afraid of getting close to someone, of being hurt, that he hasn’t allowed himself to see what was right in front of him.
You with your warm smile. You with that voice so angelic that he could listen to it all day. You in that uniform or in that kimono you only wear to special occasions. You, loved by everyone with your eyes on him only.
And now, it might be too late.
“No, no, no, please...”
His voice cracks while holding you close, tears spilling down his cheeks like a waterfall.
“Don’t leave me. I…I need you. I can’t do this without you. Please, (y/n)... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry...”
You want to respond, to comfort him, but you can’t find the strength. Your vision starts fading, darkness creeping in from the edges. The last thing you see is Obanai’s tear-streaked face as he begs you to stay with him.
Then, everything goes black.
-two days later-
When you open your crusty eyes, find yourself in a bed with soft sheets wrapped around your aching body. The room is dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns casting warm light across the walls. You blink a few times, disoriented while trying to remember what happened.
The last thing that comes to your mind is that demon, the pain, and Obanai’s voice, desperate and pleading.
“(y/n)...?”
This voice. So soft, filled with a mixture of relief and guilt. You turn your head to see Obanai sitting beside your bed, his eyes red and tired, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“Obanai...”
Your voice is weak and your mouth feels dry like the desert, but you manage a small smile.
“I’m...alive?”
“Barely,” he murmurs.
He reaches out, hesitating for a moment before taking your hand in his.
“Shinobu…said you were lucky to survive. I thought... I thought I’d lost you.”
“I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to worry you,” you croak, squeezing his hand gently.
“Don’t apologize,” he replies quickly, shaking his head.
“It’s me who should be apologizing. I’ve treated you so horribly, pushed you away when all you wanted was to help. I was so afraid of losing someone I care about that I didn’t realize I was hurting you.”
You look up at him with your doe eyes, surprised by the vulnerability in his voice. This is a side of Obanai you have never seen before, a side that he kept hidden beneath layers of coldness and indifference. But you always knew it was there. You always knew that Obanai has in fact a big heart.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong and you almost paid the price for my stupidity. I don’t know if you can ever forgive me, but... I promise I’ll do better. I’ll be better. I don’t want to lose you. It took me way too long to realize how important you are to me, (y/n)…”, he continues, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tears well up in your eyes a, the sincerity in his voice breaking through the last of your defenses. You waited so long to hear him say something like this, to show you that he cared about you as well.
“Obanai...”
You squeeze his hand tighter, your heart swelling with emotion.
“I forgive you. I always have. Just... don’t push me away again.”
He nods, his grip on your hand tightening as if he’s afraid to let go.
“I won’t. I promise.”
For the first time since you know him, you see Obanai smile. A small, hesitant smile, but it is real. And in that moment, you know that things will be different from now on. The walls he built around his heart begun to crumble, and you are there to help him rebuild.
Together.
-a few months later-
„Shinazugawa-san, have you any idea where (y/n) went? I need to ask her about the medicine she produced earlier.”
“Where is she supposed to be apart from Obanai, huh? Seems like all these guys do is piling each other with love”, Sanemi grumbles through gritted teeth.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you are jealous, Shinazugawa-san-“
“Me, jealous? Because he found his true love and a girl that adores him more than anything else? Jealous because he only spends time with her now, because they sleep in the same bed every night? Jealous because I can’t understand how he pulled a girl like that? Just…shut up!”, Sanemi snaps back, earning a heartfelt giggle from Shinobu.
“I will go find (y/n) now. But maybe you should talk to Iguro-san about your discomfort”, the insect pillar comments before making her way towards Obanai’s estate.
There you sit, devoured in his arms and cloak, your face bathing in the sun with that signature small smile decorating your lips.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if we could talk about the medicine you gave the blond-haired boy earlier”, Shinobu begins, earning a deadly glare from Obanai himself.
“Sure! Did it work?”, you question while peeling yourself out of his longing arms.
“Amazingly. He’s fully healed now.”
There it is again. That signature bright beam decorating your face that makes your eyes sparkle.
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be back in a few hours, my love.”
“Don’t be gone for too long. And take good care of her, insect pillar”, Obanai replies in a warning tone.
“Of course!”
Tags: @chilichopsticks @hellkaiserinphoenix @ynackerman9499 @keepghostly @beatrexworld
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@lees-chaotic-brain @wordskeeper @polarbvnny @sugu-love @ryva @baku2345
@komelrebi-san @kentocalls @barbuse @sunshine7queen @lavenderdrxp
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#Kny#kny requests#demon slayer#kimetsu no yaiba#kny x reader#kny x y/n#kny x you#demon slayer x y/n#demon slayer x reader#demon slayer x you#demon slayer x female reader#obanai x you#obanai iguro#kny obanai#demon slayer obanai#obanai x reader#iguro x reader#Iguro fluff#Kny fluff#kny fanfic
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denji’s prized possession!!
nsfw, minors dni.
a/n: thinking about how cute and submissive denji would be!! always ready to get a taste of his prized possession. this man will get on his knees anywhere, everywhere, always, no matter what.🧡
warning: exploiting, cunnilingus, dry humping, fingering, denji cums on your stomach and licks it off, also rubs his cum on your pussy, panty stealing.
“babyyy..~” denji whispered into your ear.
“no, go to bed denji.” you said trying to free yourself from his hold.
you two were at his apartment. you were too tired to walk back home, afterall the mission you both got sent over too had taken almost the whole day. you decided to stay with denji, praying all he would do was cuddle and go to bed.
“pleasee. can’t wait til mornin’ pretty.” he was whining in your ear. so annoying, but cute. you thought.
denji had been begging you for almost 20 minutes to let him eat you out. you, of course being too tired, kept denying his request. you didnt wanna go through the trouble of getting up and taking your clothes off and all of that.
“denji, im too tired baby. i cant even get up im so sore. i promise tomorrow, when i can actually get up.” you said, attempting to turn around so you wouldn’t have to little spoon anymore.
“so if i did it while you were asleep you wouldn’t mind?” denji said while kissing your shoulder.
“mmm nope. its better than doing all the work, i would be fine with it.” you laughed jokingly, knowing he would do it, but it never crossed your mind he would, right now, today, tonight.
denji didnt say anymore, so you took it as an invitation to let your eyes rest and get some long, well deserved, sleep.
denji’s pov!
sooo hungry. i cant wait til tomorrow mornin’.
he freed his hold on you waist and slid down the bed, onto the ground, pulling you by your legs to get closer, earning a grunt from you.
he didnt think much of this. he knew you were a deep sleeper, so he had no fear moving you as he pleased.
he tilted your body to the right and raised your legs up, spreading just enough.
he stopped.
would you be okay with this? is this rape? surely not. i hope not, itll be ok. something about this excited him, he knew you would never be really upset with him. it turned him on, seeing you when your the most vulnerable, taking advantage of your body.
he smiled to himself knowing everything was probably okay.
he pulled down your shorts. leaving your underwear on.
he stuffed his face in your cunt, deeply inhaling your smell. he licked your clit through the fabric.
he unconsciously began to rub against the foundation of the mattress. he tried to find the position where he could get the most friction in his sweatpants.
denji grabbed your panties and pulled them up, watching them go up your almost soaked cunt, sinking into the lips of your pussy.
he buried his face once again in your pussy, lapping up all your juices eating you like a hungry dog.
he pulled your panties off, getting a better view of your pussy, sinking in a finger inside your tight hole.
he curved his finger up and down inside taking his time feeling around and exploring your gummy walls, he pulled out and licked it off clean. moaning at the taste.
he pushed his finger back in while flicking his tongue on your clit, occasionally sucking it and rubbing it with his free hand.
at this point denji’s face was a mess covered in your juices. he was a moaning mess, his pants earning a wet spot the more the rubbed against the base of the bed, he had came atleast twice.
he stuck his hand down his pants wetting his fingers with his own slick, taking it up and spreading it inside your pussy, as lube. but also because he found it hot to taste himself on your pretty pussy <3
denji lost track of time, your body had came around 3 times now, he knew if he kept going your body would eventually squirt “or somethin’ ” (his words) and you would wake up.
he found it exciting not wanting to be caught. it turned him on.
he decided to finish himself off by hovering over you relieving himself all over your tummy.
as he finished getting every last drop out his red puffy tip, he licked it off your stomach, licking it clean.
he picked up your shorts and put them back on, but leaving your panties bunched up inside his pockets.
he layed back down in the same position he was in about an hour ago, and took your panties out his pocket.
he spun them around and the air before sniffing them again.
he put them infront of you.
“see that y/n? i wonder who these belong to ♡” he giggled, “they’re my prized possession, along with your pretty soaking pink pussy.”
im soooo sorry if this was something weird to write!!:(
ive personally imagined myself in this scenario amd would fimd it super hot if my partner did this, but thats me.
#smut#denji x reader#denji smut#smut fic#csm denji#csm smut#denji hayakawa#denji x you#csm#chainsaw man smut#csm dennis#fyp#tumblr fyp#mikgreo writes
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